Small can be intimate and celebratory, and doesn’t have to lose the spirit of the holiday you are used to.

WEST HARTFORD — Stuck at home? Want to dance? Want to exercise?

Avoiding disease takes care and social distancing, but walks, hiking and biking are still viable options to maintain good health.

STATEWIDE — Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz, and their team are excited to return to Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. They plan to film episodes of the hit series “American Pickers” throughout the area at the middle to end of July 2020 said an email from s…

Go back to basics and be creative; think outside the box when it comes to figuring out what to cook with the ingredients you have on hand.

If you travel to different regions of Italy, you learn the recipes are different depending upon the nuances of the province’s agriculture, climate, local culture and traditions.

WEST HARTFORD — The Connecticut Blues Society, announces its annual “Blues Blizzard” dance will be held Saturday, March 28, at the Hannon-Hatch VFW, 83 South Street, West Hartford, according to a release from organizers.

WEST HARTFORD — The Paul Winter Consort which was to present a performance of music from its ecological mass Missa Gaia/Earth Mass, on Saturday April 25, 7 p.m., at First Church Congregational, along with the First Church Choir, conducted by James Boratko, has canceled the event, according t…

Stop & Shop, for example, has more than 20 plant-based meat substitutes at its stores, and sales are rising.

WEST HARTFORD — The Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra concert, “American Reflections,” will present Jerry Franklin, long-time President and CEO of Connecticut Public Broadcasting, as the narrator in Aaron Copland’s dramatic patriotic work, “A Lincoln Portrait.” Conducted by FVSO Music Dir…

WEST HARTFORD — CT Inclusive Arts announces that it’s performing and visual arts education program will culminate with an inaugural performance centered around the theme “Believe,” inspired by a lyrically powerful anthem by Connecticut band Atlas Gray, of the same name. The production will i…

BERLIN — Connecticut Cabaret Theatre presents “Looped,” written by Matthew Lombardo, and directed by Kris McMurray, through March 21, according to an email from the Theatre.

Did you know that an air fryer really isn’t a fryer? It is actually a convection oven that cooks by circulating hot air with a fan.

WEST HARTFORD — The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society invites the public to the opening reception for “The Inspirational Woman - 2020” featuring original works by artist Rebecca Rose which celebrate the lives of inspiring women throughout Connecticut. The reception wi…

HARTFORD — Sonia Plumb Dance Company announces a three-performance run of “The Dance of Da Vinci 2.0,” a breathtaking journey that propels six dancers through space and time under the inspiration of Leonardo Da Vinci and Renaissance Humanism. This modern dance meditation on the boundless gen…

WEST HARTFORD — On March 13 and 14, the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society will host A Taste of Ireland in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, featuring Irish fare, craft beer, and live music, according an email from the organization.

Hartford — The Harry Potter Film Concert Series returns to the Hartford Symphony Orchestra with “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™” in Concert, the fourth film in the Harry Potter series. On March 28, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. at The Bushnell in Hartford, the HSO will perform the magical score…

SIMSBURY — On Saturday, March 28, from 8 to 10 p.m., the Storyteller’s Cottage will host An Unfortunate Evening: A Lemony Snicket Party. Steampunk costume is encouraged but not required according to a release from the Cottage. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at www.storytellerscottage.c…

Charlotte Brontë story ‘Jane Eyre’ given a thoughtful new/old look at Hartford Stage: a theater review.

One author explores the wide variety of the fruit — zesting, juicing, peeling and drying oranges. It doesn’t stop there, with explanations of using orange liqueurs and extracts.

WEST HARTFORD — Join Ballet Theatre Company at Wampanoag Country Club, 60 Wampanoag Drive, West Hartford on Saturday, March 7 from 7 to 10 p.m. for a night of “Swingin’ with Sinatra” promoting BTC’s brand new production of “Ode to Frank,” and benefitting BTC’s Community Youth Outreach Progra…

From a chophouse to a rooftop bar and even a hot dog stand, this Florida city offers plentiful adventures in flavor.

HARTFORD — Savor: A Revolution in Food Culture, on view Feb. 29 to May 25 at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, 600 Main Street, tells fascinating stories about advances in horticulture, surprisingly modern philosophies on healthy eating, and a shift to more informal dining that developed…

One cannot have enough recipes using chocolate, at least I can’t. I know you are out there, too! So, as promised last week, here are more recipes.

HARTFORD — Celebrate a weekend of love with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s Romeo and Juliet, Friday, Feb. 14 through Sunday, Feb. 16 at the Belding Theater at The Bushnell in Hartford. These concerts will be conducted by HSO Assistant Conductor Adam Boyles and feature Scott McIntosh on th…

WEST HARTFORD — Arts in The Center Concerts presents Streetlight Shakers, an all original piano driven band dedicated to creating an exciting infusion of rock, soul, and blues.

WEST HARTFORD —Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the “Peanuts” gang come to town when the Universalist Players stage the family-friendly musical “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” at the Universalist Church of West Hartford on Friday, March 27 at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 28 a…

AVON: Avon Library’s Winter Music Series presents a favorite local group, the KC Sisters said a release from Friends of the Avon Library.

Whatever the reason, what better way to show your Valentine how special they are than by giving a gift of chocolate or other confections you made special for them?

WEST HARTFORD — Kate Hamill’s “Pride & Prejudice” (based on the novel by Jane Austen) runs at Playhouse on Park from Feb. 19 to March 8, said a release from the theater.

WEST HARTFORD — In the summer of 2016, Samite Mulondo began an artist residency at the University of Saint Joseph. Since then, Samite has performed musical concerts, mentored students, and taught in campus departments. He returns to the USJ stage with a family-friendly matinee, “The Story of…

WEST HARTFORD — Tickets are on sale for Playhouse on Park’s Comedy Night Series, continuing on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. Corey Alexander will headline, with a feature by Anita Wise, according to a release from the theater.

HARTFORD — Rembrandt’s “Titus in a Monk’s Habit” (1660) is coming to Hartford, according to a release from the Wadsworth Atheneum. On loan from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the painting will be on view at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art from Feb. 1 through April 30. Rembrandt van Rijn …

WEST HARTFORD — The next generation of Connecticut choreographers will premiere original works on stage at the Herbert & Evelyn Gilman Theater at the Mandell JCC, 335 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford during two performances: Saturday, Jan. 25, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 26, at 2 p.m.

WEST HARTFORD — After Kingswood Oxford’s Director of Theater Kyle Reynolds attended a professional development workshop on Broadway this past summer with actress Kate Marilley, he knew he had to get her involved with the young thespians on the KO campus. Enter stage right Marilley on Monday,…

WEST HARTFORD — “Romance de la Guitarra” is a captivating concert lovingly conceived around the theme of Valentine’s Day. The program features Spanish classical guitarist Daniel Salazar, his ensemble of international musicians, and special guest artists performing exhilarating rhythms and be…

Even more recipes for savory, hearty soups that are sure to bowl you over.

The holidays are over and winter has set in. My cold-winter night, quick dinner-go-to is a piping hot and steamy bowl of soup.

BERLIN — Connecticut Cabaret Theatre presents “8-Track, The Sounds of the 70’s: A Streakin’ New Musical,” conceived by Rick Seeber, directed by Kris McMurray, and musically directed by TJ Thompson, Jan. 10 thru Feb. 8, according to a release from the theater.

WEST HARTFORD — The Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra will feature Farmington High School senior Lillian Yim as cello soloist in a performance of the “Cello Concerto in E Minor” by Edward Elgar, Saturday, Jan. 18, 3 p.m., at the University of St Joseph’s Hoffman Auditorium, 1678 Asylum Av…

As an attendee at several food trade shows each year, I observe the innovative products that I feel will be trending in the coming year.