Abstract: I’ll recall some basics about Slodowy slices, generalized slices in the affine Grassmannian, and quantizations thereof called W-algebras and Yangians, respectively, as well as their analogues for affine Lie algebras which are naturally described using the theory of vertex algebras. Then I’ll explain a construction of vertex algebras associated to divisors in toric Calabi-Yau threefolds, which include affine W-algebras in type A for arbitrary nilpotents, and outline a dictionary between the geometry of the threefolds and the representation theory of these algebras. I’ll also explain the physical interpretation of these results, as an example of twisted holography for M5 branes in the omega background.