Mobile Apps for Vermonters: Vermont Brewery Challenge

February 03, 2023

The Vermont Brewery Challenge app is ideal for beer enthusiasts looking to explore Vermont and sample the state’s finest brews. The app uses your location to provide a virtual passport feature, allowing you to stamp your progress as you visit breweries that are members of the Vermont Brewers Association. Whether you're a tourist or a local, the app keeps you informed of upcoming events and festivals, and helps you discover fun beer trails in the area.

The app has a user-friendly interface that looks great. The design is visually pleasing, with inviting colors and photos. From a usability standpoint, the layout is well thought-out and easy to navigate. Additionally, the app is available on the Google Play store and on the Apple Store, ensuring that users can access the app no matter what device they are using.

While Bluehouse Group has no affiliation with the Vermont Brewers Association, we do appreciate a well-developed Vermont mobile app when we see one.

Journaling with ChatGPT: A New Way to Reflect and Grow

February 01, 2023

Journaling can be an effective tool for personal growth and well-being, but it can be challenging to overcome writer’s block and find inspiration for entries. ChatGPT can assist in journaling by generating prompts and encouraging conversations. Using ChatGPT for journaling also offers a unique interactive experience, as talking to the AI provides an unbiased and unaffiliated perspective. This can aid in personal growth and self-discovery.

Another creative way people are utilizing ChatGPT is by inputting old journal entries from their childhood and having the AI respond as if it were their younger self, allowing for conversations with their past selves. Overall, ChatGPT can enhance the journaling experience and help individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings in a new and innovative way.

Connecting with the Departed: The Power of AI in Grief and Remembrance

January 31, 2023

Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult experiences a person can go through. We cherish their memories and hold onto the photographs and mementos that remind us of them. But what if there were a way to feel like we were still able to interact with our loved ones even after they have passed away?

This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes in. Using deep learning algorithms and long video interviews, it is possible to create a digital copy of a person that is indistinguishable from their physical presence in terms of appearance and voice, we have already seen companies like Re;memory, begin creating this technology.

This technology has the potential to bring comfort to those grieving the loss of a loved one, it also raises important ethical questions. How will this technology be regulated to ensure it’s not misused? Is this a healthy way to cope? Could this technology be used to create digital copies of people without their consent?

French Fry Tour of Burlington: The Shopping Bag

January 23, 2023

The Shopping Bag is one of Burlington’s most popular burger joints, they are home to The Sizzler! Food Network Magazine voted this half-pound burger as the best burger in Vermont. Now, a burger and fries go together like coffee and cream so we went in expecting delicious french fries.

These fries are absolutely delicious! Crispy on the outside and perfectly fluffy on the inside. The seasoning is spot on, adding the perfect amount of flavor.

Bluehouse Group ranked these fries at an all-time high. Overall the team gave these fries a score of 7.8/10.

Check back with us every Monday for more local french fry reviews!

Mitch’s January Movie Picks: New Year, New Me

January 19, 2023

Lady Bird (2017, dir Greta Gerwig)

“Money is not life’s report card”.

Lady Bird is a coming-of-age film about a high school senior, played by Saoirse Ronan, who navigates the complexities of relationships and personal identity during her senior year in Sacramento, California. The film tackles themes of family, friendship, love, and self-discovery.

Do the Right Thing (1989, dir Spike Lee)

“Trust you? The last time I trusted you, Mookie, I ended up with a son”.

Do the Right Thing is a socially conscious film that follows the story of a young man named Mookie, played by Spike Lee, and the events that unfold on a hot summer day in a Brooklyn neighborhood. The film tackles themes of racism, gentrification, and police brutality.

Big Fish (2003, dir Tim Burton)

“There are some fish that cannot be caught. It’s not that they are faster or stronger than other fish, they’re just touched by something extra”.

Big Fish is a fantastical drama about a young man named Will, played by Billy Crudup, who tries to unravel the truth behind his dying father’s tall tales, played by Albert Finney, while reconciling their relationship. The film tackles themes of family, love, acceptance, and the power of storytelling.

City of God (2002, dir Fernando Meirelles)

“It was like a message from God: ‘Honesty doesn’t pay, sucker’”.

City of God is a crime drama set in the Cidade de Deus, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, that follows the story of a young man named Rocket, played by Alexandre Rodrigues, as he navigates the violent world of drug gangs and police corruption. The film tackles themes of poverty, violence, and the cycle of crime.