One of my favorite overlooked spots in the area? Pho 501 (501 Main St #5, East Hartford). And with it being Lunar New Year, it only feels right to highlight a place that does Vietnamese comfort food this well.

The menu’s limited, which I actually love. They focus on what matters and absolutely nail it. The pho is rich, clean, and warms you up fast on a freezing Connecticut night. You can taste the family tradition behind it. And my brother, who’s lived in Asia for over a decade and traveled all around Vietnam, gave it the full stamp of approval. That’s not handed out casually.

Cold weather, Lunar New Year, good soup. It just makes sense.

Glastonbury Dinner Club was a poppin: 40+ people showed up, and most kept it rolling to the after party. Good times, good people, and a bunch of neighbors who were strangers at 6PM turned into real connections by the end of the night starting new group chats.

Dinner Club is back in West Hartford on March 19th at 6:30PM and this one’s going to be a whole vibe. Come meet new people, eat good food, and leave thinking “why don’t we go out more often to meet new people?”

Local Granby artist Laura Trimboli creates seriously impressive pencil portraits and is finally turning a lifelong hobby into her next chapter.

Did you know that your first home might be closer than you think? With the CT CHFA Time To Own forgivable loan program, eligible Connecticut homebuyers can receive up to $25,000 in assistance towards down payment and closing costs. As your local PrimeLending mortgage expert, I present solutions to help you transition from renting to owning with confidence.

Contact [email protected] to learn more.

Event of the Week is a total layup: the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History’s Lunar New Year Celebration is back Saturday, February 28, 2026 (10AM-4PM) at CT State Community College Manchester, Arts, Sciences, and Technology Center.

It’s free and open to all, celebrating the Year of the Horse with Connecticut’s AAPI community, plus food, crafts, vendors, and live performances that make it feel like you just time-traveled into the best kind of community block party. Heads up, you do need a free timed ticket and they split entry into a morning block (10AM-1PM) or afternoon block (1-4PM), so grab yours before they disappear. 

Last week’s trivia had 87.69% of you guessing it right, and that’s because New Britain being “The Hardware City” is the real deal. This place wasn’t just making a few screws in the back of a shop. It was a manufacturing machine that helped build modern America, pumping out tools, locks, hinges, and hardware at scale, anchored by heavy hitters like The Stanley Works, P&F Corbin (locks and hardware), New Britain Machine Company (sockets and drive tools) and Landers, Frary & Clark (housewares and metal goods).

At its peak, New Britain was one of the most important industrial hubs in the region, with factory jobs shaping the city’s identity, neighborhoods, and working-class pride for generations. Even today, that nickname hits because the city’s history is basically “we made the stuff that made everything else work.”

🐶Adopt-a-pal: Meet Bella, a sweet 5-year-old Belgian Tervuren mix who’s grieving hard and needs a calm, patient home where she can feel safe again.

🏡Dream House of the week: This stone-and-shingle estate is basically a private resort, with 12,675 sq ft, 6 ensuite bedrooms, and 7 fireplaces. The showstopper is the backyard setup, including a heated grotto-style pool plus a climate-controlled carriage house built for entertaining. Get your wallet ready!

💎Hidden gem of the week: Curioporium is a wildly immersive curiosity shop in Factory Square (Southington) that feels like you wandered into a haunted museum where you can actually buy the weird stuff.

🔭Sky report: The Moon hits First Quarter tonight (Feb 24), then gets brighter each night as it heads toward the total lunar eclipse early Tuesday, March 3 (set your alarm). Your best “wow” targets this week: Orion high in the south, Sirius blazing nearby, and a late-Feb planetary parade where Venus and Jupiter are the easiest bright grabs after sunset (Mercury and Saturn are lower and trickier near the horizon)

Bristol | CT Technology Summit: The AI Revolution | 8:30AM-12:00PM $ - Big AI + business summit at the DoubleTree by Hilton (42 Century Drive). Future proof your brain.

Hartford | Shucked | 7:30PM $ - Hilarious corn-fed musical comedy at Bushnell Performing Arts Center’s Mortensen Hall (166 Capitol Ave). Laugh

Hartford | Reshaping Tradition: Contemporary Explorations in East Asian Art | 4-6 PM - Student-curated exhibit at Widener Gallery (300 Sumit St) blending classic forms with bold modern work.

Enfield | "Paint" & Sip | 6PM $ - Fiber art project night at Powder Hollow Brewery (504 Hazard Ave). Arts and beers. Paint

Hartford | UConn Men's Basketball vs St. John's | 7PM $ - Huskies take on the Red Storm at PeoplesBank Arena (1 Civic Center Plaza); get loud for the home team. Ballin

New Britain | Iwo Jima Presentation | 2PM - Indoor tour of the ONLY memorial built by Battle of Iwo Jima survivors (1 Iwo Jima Way). RSVP at [email protected]

New Britain | Reclaiming the Narrative: Amistad | 5:30PM - Black History Month lecture on the rebellion, legal battles, and legacy at New Britain Public Library (20 High St).  

Unionville | Paella Party | 6PM $ - Spanish seafood paella feast with tapas, wine pairings, salad and dessert at Puente Pub (81 S Main St). Reservations Required. (860)404-2074  

Manchester | Blue-Blazed News & Brews | 5:30PM $ - Grab a pint at Elicit Brewing (165 Adams St) while swapping trail stories - trivia, raffle prizes, and hiking updates. More 

South Windsor | Pints & Pages Book Club | 5:30PM - Black History Month read: "Red at the Bone"; happy hour specials at Red Heat Tavern (400 Evergreen Way), open to all. 

Avon | The Determined: Author Rachel Rueckert | 1PM $ - Celebrating her pirate novel about Anne Bonny and Mary Read's legendary adventures at Avon Library (281 Country Club Rd). arrhhh

Bloomfield | French Country Cooking Experience | 6-9PM $ - Hands-on farm-to-table dinner at Auer Farm (158 Auer Farm Rd) - learn French countryside techniques with seasonal ingredients. Cook & Eat 

Hartford | Death of a Salesman (2/28-3/29) | 7:30PM $ - Big classic theater energy at Hartford Stage (50 Church St) that will have you staring at the ceiling on the ride home. Dream

Berlin | Blind Date with a Book Pop Up | 8:30-11AM - Wrapped mystery books stuffed with goodies at Provision State Coffee (848 Farmington Ave) - grab your java and new favorite read.

Broad Brook | Panther Plunge 2026 | 12-2:30PM - Take the icy plunge at East Windsor Park (27 Reservoir Ave) for East Windsor Fuel Bank - bonfire, DJ, costume contest and warming party after.

East Granby | Comedy Night at Brignole Vineyards | 7:30PM $ - Comedy Craft Beer Tour brings top Northeast comedians to the winery (103 Hartford Ave) - wine, beer and laughs indoors. Laugh

East Windsor | Plant Swap Event | 12-2PM - Bring your cuttings and full-grown beauties to trade at Warehouse Point Library (107 Main St) - perfect for newbies and seasoned plant parents. 

Enfield | Chip'n'Dip Bowl Wheel Workshop | 6-8PM $ - Throw your own chip and dip bowl on the pottery wheel at Kil’n It (610 Enfield St) - no experience needed, return to glaze it. Create

Farmington | Tastes of the Valley | 6PM $ - Sample the finest wines, beers, and cheeses from Farmington Valley at Farmington Gardens (999 Farmington Ave) - proceeds support local and global causes. Enjoy                

Hartford | Coldest Night of the Year Walk | 4PM - Family-friendly 2K/5K fundraiser for hunger and homelessness - walk with Community Renewal Team. Register      

Manchester | Seed Starting with Sandy Merill | 9:30AM - Master gardener shares decades of seed-starting secrets at Woodland Gardens (168 Woodland St). Pre-registration required call 860-643-8474.  

Hartford | Ghost Tours of Mark Twain House | 6PM $ - Haunted history and Victorian séance traditions at 351 Farmington Ave - multiple time slots through 9pm available. Deets  

New Britain | Craft Sippin' | 6-9PM $ - Taste CT's best breweries, wineries, and distilleries at the Museum of American Art (56 Lexington St) - mini pub glass included. Drink

Plantsville | Vertical Challenge Ski Race | 7:30AM - Free casual ski and snowboard races at Mount Southington (396 Mount Vernon Rd) - festival, giveaways, all ages welcome. More Info 

Southington | Sloper Plunge | 1PM - Jump into freezing Sloper Pond (1000 East St) for charity-hundreds plunge to send kids to YMCA Camp Sloper. Donate 

Bloomfield | Designer Bag Bingo | 12:30PM $ - Win Kate Spade, Coach, Michael Kors bags playing 10 rounds of bingo at Thomas Hooker Brewery (16 Tobey Rd). Play

Bristol | March Madness Cookie Decorating | 3PM $ - Decorate 4 UCONN basketball-themed cookies with royal icing at the Cookie Jar (67 Race St) - Husky logo, hoop, paw print included. Decorate  

Canton | Maple Sugaring in Your Own Backyard | 2PM ($) - Learn the full syrup-making process from tree ID to tasting at Roaring Brook Nature Center (70 Gracey Rd). Register

Enfield | RCMTCNY Monster Truck Event | 9AM - Indoor RC monster truck racing on carpet track - watch miniature mayhem unfold at RC Madness (101 North St.)

Southington | Chili Cook Off | 1PM $ - Taste and judge amazing chili at the Elks Lodge (114 Main St).

Manchester | Tories, Spies, and Traitors | 6:30-7:30PM - Revolutionary War history talk revealing stories of CT's divided loyalties at Manchester Public Library (586 Main St).

2/25
Hartford | Sensory-Friendly Day | 10AM-4PM $ - A calmer, lower sensory visit day at the Connecticut Science Center (250 Columbus Blvd).

Farmington | Adaptive Storytime | 6PM-7:15PM - Relaxed, interactive storytime designed for neurodiverse kids at Farmington Library, registration required (6 Monteith Dr). Register

Vernon | Game Night (Gr. 7-12) | 4PM-5PM - Drop in game time for teens at Rockville Public Library (52 Union St).

2/26
Manchester | Storytime | 10:30AM-11:15AM - Stories, songs, fingerplays, best for ages 2-5 at Manchester Public Library (586 Main St).

West Hartford | Travel the World with Virtual Reality (Ages 12+) | 3PM-7PM - Sign up for a VR time slot at Noah Webster Library (20 South Main St). Sign up

2/27
Manchester | Pokémon Day | ALL DAY $ - Pokémon fun day at Lutz Children’s Museum (247 South Main St).

New Britain | Time for Tots | 10AM-11:30AM - Storytime plus play time for early literacy skills at New Britain Public Library (20 High St).

2/28
Manchester | Lunar New Year Celebration | 10AM-4PM - Free family celebration with food, crafts, and performances at CT State Community College Manchester (Great Path).

Glastonbury | Bead and Button Mosaic | 12:30PM-1:30PM - Craft workshop for grades K-6, registration required at Welles-Turner Memorial Library (2407 Main St). Reg

3/2
Vernon | Kids Creative Program | 4PM-5:15PM - Drop in artsy time at Rockville Public Library (52 Union St).

West Hartford | Poppi’s Planet | 10:30AM-11AM - Puppet friends, music, and dancing for ages 2-6 at Faxon Branch (1073 New Britain Ave). Sign up

2/25
Hartford - Infinity Hall | Robert Cray Band | 7PM $

2/28
Berlin - Casa Mia at the Hawthorne | The Rahsaan Langley Project | 7PM
Hartford - Infinity Hall | Dirty Deeds: AC/DC Experience | 7PM $
New Britain - Trinity on Main | Presence: Led Zeppelin Tribute | 7:30PM $
Simsbury - Old Well Tavern | Fullkrew | 7PM

3/1
Bristol - Bleachers | Creamery Station w Arctic Tortugas | 7PM
Hartford - Arch Street Tavern | Pangea Worldbeat | 9PM $
Simsbury - Talcott Mountain Collective | Brian Dolzani: The Loner | 7PM $

3/2
Enfield - Figaro Ristorante | Johnny Cash Tribute | 7PM $