We’re down to the final matchup in Connecticut Buzz Mutt Madness, which means the dog-parent campaigning, shameless bribery, and aggressively enthusiastic voting have officially brought us to the last showdown.

Big love to Pet Supplies Plus for helping make this whole thing more fun and giving our furry finalists something worth barking about, including a $100 gift card for the winner and $50 for second place.

After weeks of chaos and thousands of votes, we’ve officially got our last pups standing; Ginger vs Elvis. Now it’s time to crown the champ.

One spot in Wethersfield I’ve had my eye on is Taste of 509 (740 Silas Deane Hwy), which also makes it a fun one to spotlight with our next Connecticut Buzz Dinner Club headed to town. It’s a Haitian restaurant with a menu full of bold, comforting dishes that feel like the opposite of playing it safe, from griot and fried fish to legume, patties, and pikliz.

If I were sending someone in for a first order, I’d say go with the griot and get it with diri djon djon, the Haitian black rice. That feels like the kind of meal that tells you right away what the place is about: big flavor, zero blandness, and something that actually feels different from your usual Connecticut dinner rotation.

The next Connecticut Buzz Dinner Club is officially heading to Wethersfield on Thursday, April 16 at 6:30 pm, because you voted it in. And good news for anyone who does not feel like rolling in solo, you can now bring a plus one. It’s $16 to save your seat, and we’ll handle the matching, the booking, and the little mystery element that makes this a lot more fun than your average “so... what should we do for dinner?” plan.

HOW IT WORKS:

✦ You take a quick quiz about your interests, food preferences, and the kind of people you’d actually want to hang with for a couple hours.

✦ We match you with five other Connecticut Buzz readers based on your answers, so this is not just random dinner roulette.

✦ The morning of the dinner, we’ll text you the restaurant and let you know where your group is headed.

✦ During dinner, everyone gets the secret afterparty location in case you want to keep the night going. Totally optional. If you’re full, peopled-out, or mentally already in sweatpants, you can absolutely call it a night and head home.

🐶Adopt-a-pal: Meet Frankie, an 11-pound Chihuahua/Jack Russell mix who loves sweaters, long walks, and lap snuggles, which is basically the dream résumé for a tiny dog with main-character energy.

🏡 Dream house of the week: This 1913 West Hartford beast brings 6 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 6,100 square feet, and 1.43 acres, with Elizabeth Park right across the street, so it’s basically flexing before you even walk in. It also comes with a pool, pool house, chef’s kitchen with a 99-bottle wine fridge, and three fireplaces. Check it out!

💎Indoor gem of the week: Wood Memorial Library & Museum is way more than a library, with Native American artifacts, local history, and just enough “how have I never been here?” energy to make it a perfect indoor spot to explore.

🔭Sky report: This is a good week for a casual look up, with Jupiter bright after dark, Venus low after sunset, and the Big Dipper pointing you toward Leo and the Spring Triangle overhead. Before sunrise, the moon drifts past Scorpius, the Sagittarius Teapot, and Capricornus, hits last quarter on April 10, then thins out to a skinny crescent by April 13.

Hartford | Art of The Eye at Hartford Art Space Gallery | April 11-12 | $

Fashion Week Connecticut teams up with Rochester Consulting for Art of The Eye at Hartford Art Space Gallery, a photography exhibition spotlighting Connecticut artists helping shape the visual story of the region. Expect compelling work from photographers across different styles, plus food, music, and live photo shoots on opening weekend, which gives this one a little more energy than your standard gallery stop.

Why the "Wait" Might Cost You More

In the current climate, "waiting for rates to drop" is a common mantra. But looking at historical data and the local Connecticut market, the math tells a different story.

Myth: I should wait for 3% rates to return.

Reality: Sub-3% rates were the anomaly, not the rule. Current rates are closer to the 50-year average. Waiting while home prices in Hartford and Tolland counties climb often results in a higher monthly payment due to increased principal costs. The Wall Street Journal named the Hartford region the hottest housing market in America.

The Cost of Waiting: If you wait 12 months for a 1% rate drop, but the home price increases by 5%, you haven’t saved money - you’ve lost equity. In our "walled garden" market, inventory remains tight, keeping competition high.

🥐 DORO Marketplace opens April 8 at 300 W. Main St. in Avon, bringing coffee, pastries, sandwiches, breads, and cinnamon rolls to a totally revamped space that feels like a very strong threat to anyone trying to “just grab one thing.”

🥤 Get Fizzy CT has officially landed in Plainville at (94 Whiting St), bringing the dirty soda trend to town with customizable fizzy creations, creamers, toppings, and enough sugar-fueled chaos to make your usual drink order feel boring.

🇮🇹 Mozz & Co opens April 8 at 22 Raymond Rd in West Hartford, bringing upscale-but-casual Italian deli energy with cutlet sandwiches, porchetta, house-made meats, tiramisu, and espresso to a corner of town that was absolutely due for this kind of spot.

🥔 COUCH Potato opened at 1 Eden Ave in Southington, bringing loaded baked potatoes, walking tacos, spudwiches, and exactly the kind of gloriously over-the-top comfort food that has no interest in being subtle.

Last week’s trivia had 68.26% of you get it right: Wethersfield was known as Oniontown. And honestly, that nickname was earned. By the 1730s, red onions were such a big deal there that Wethersfield became one of the most important onion-growing towns in New England. At its peak, the town exported up to 1.5 million five-pound onion ropes and shipped thousands of bushels down the Connecticut River to the West Indies. The crop was so central to the town that Wethersfield’s 1764 Congregational Church became known as “the church that onions built.”

The story gets even better when you realize this was not just a bunch of farmers in a field. Wethersfield was the first commercial town along the Connecticut River, and onions helped fuel that rise. Women played a major role too. Historical records note that about 33% of Wethersfield onion producers were women, helping power one of the town’s signature industries. So yes, Oniontown sounds funny, but for a long stretch of Connecticut history, onions were serious business.

👇There’s even a recipe we dug up for Wethersfield Onion Shortcake.👇

Hartford | Disney’s Beauty and the Beast The Musical | 7:30 pm | All Week | ($) - The Broadway tour brings the classic fairy tale to The Bushnell, with big songs, big costumes, and plenty of spectacle. Enjoy

East Windsor | Mini Moss Forest Terrariums | 6 PM | ($) - Create your own magical miniature forest in a glass vessel at Moon & Moth Mercantile (35 South Main St). Get Crafty

Enfield | Woodland Home Paint Party | 7 PM | ($) - Paint a cozy woodland cottage scene with wine in hand at Tipsy Paint Brush (610 Enfield St). Fun

Newington | Acoustic Wednesdays at The Flying Monkey | 6 PM - Chill midweek vibes with live acoustic sets and good eats at The Flying Monkey (2095 Berlin Tpke).

West Hartford | Bringing the Outdoors Inside by Tovah Martin | 11 AM | ($) - Garden guru shares secrets for thriving windowsill plants at Pond House Cafe (1555 Asylum Ave). Learn More

Bristol | Plant Bingo at Pinehurst | 6 PM | ($) - Win houseplants while sipping drinks in this botanical twist on bingo at Pinehurst Farm (50 Pinehurst Rd). Game On

Enfield | April Fiber Paint & Sip | 6 PM | ($) - "Paint" with yarn and fibers while enjoying wine with friends at Powder Hollow Brewery (504 Hazard Ave Unit 8C). Create

Hartford | Trinity International Hip Hop Festival | (April 9-12) - Four days of hip hop culture hit Parkville Market for Trinity College’s 20th annual festival, built around resistance, justice, and revolution. Deets

Hartford | Fetty Wap Welcome Home Concert | 7 PM | ($) - The "Trap Queen" rapper returns for an official homecoming show at Webster Theater (31 Webster St). Listen Up

South Windsor | Spring Flower Basket Class | 6 PM | ($) - Arrange a stunning spring basket to brighten your home at CT Valley brewing (765 Sullivan Ave). Arrange

Southington | Paint Your Pet Fundraiser | 6 PM | ($) - Turn your furry friend into art while supporting Meriden Humane Society at Witchdoctor Brewing (168 Center St). Paint

Wethersfield | Fiber Arts & The Revolution Lecture | 7 PM | ($) - Discover how textiles shaped American independence in this fascinating talk at Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum (211 Main St). Learn More

Berlin | Sips and Spring Peepers | 6 PM | ($) - Toast the season while listening for frogs at twilight at Ragged Mountain Foundation (191 Farmington Ave). Explore

Broad Brook | Five-Year Anniversary Party | 6 PM - Celebrate half a decade of performances with special entertainment at Broad Brook Opera House (107 Main St).

Hartford | Hartford Wolf Pack vs. Providence Bruins | 7:00 PM | ($) - The Wolf Pack host Providence at PeoplesBank Arena (1 Civic Center Plaza) for a Friday night hockey matchup downtown. Enjoy

Hartford | The Black Dahlia Murder | 7 PM | ($) - Melodic death metal legends bring their Spring Fling Tour to Webster Theater (31 Webster St). Listen Up

Manchester | Big Boozy Book Fair | 6:30 PM - Browse used books while sipping craft brews - literary heaven at Elicit Brewing Co (165 Adams St).

Milldale | Polish Night at Kinsmen Brewing | 8 PM | ($) - Celebrate Polish culture with DJ Kuba, pierogies, and cold brews at Kinsmen Brewing (409 Canal St). Celebrate

North Granby | Lost Acres Vineyard Opening Day | 12 - 6 PM - Raise a glass to the new season at this scenic hilltop winery at Lost Acres Vineyard (80 Lost Acres Rd).

South Windsor | 384 East at CT Valley Brewing | 7 PM - Local band brings smooth grooves and good vibes at Connecticut Valley Brewing (765 Sullivan Ave).

West Hartford | Robert C. Fullerton & Bryan Titus | 6:30 PM - Acoustic duo delivers soulful sounds with your favorite brews at WeHa Brewing (121 Shield St).

Berlin | Hoya Swap and Sale | 12 - 5 PM - Trade and shop for rare hoyas and tropical houseplants at Coles Road Brewing (817 Farmington Ave).

Berlin | JDB Live | 8 PM - Rock out with local favorites for a high-energy Saturday night at The Truck Bar (151 Webster Square Rd).

Bristol | CT Cactus & Succulent Society Show and Sale | 10 AM - 5 PM - 41st annual event with rare plants, expert advice, and free admission at Bristol Senior Center (240 Stafford Ave).

Bristol | Neanderthal Jesus with The Electric Shoes | 8 PM | ($) - Four bands bring punk and rock energy to this rowdy night at Bleachers Bar (318 Middle St).

Broad Brook | Mystic Dead | 8 PM | ($) - Grateful Dead tribute band jams all night long at Broad Brook Opera House (4 Depot St). Listen Up

Enfield | All About Opossums | 4:30 PM | ($) - Meet live opossums and learn why they're nature's unsung heroes at Ferncroft (132 South Rd). Explore

Glastonbury | PYO Tulips: Family Science Fun | 9 AM - Pick tulips and explore hands-on science activities for kids at The Old Cider Mill (1287 Main St). Pick

Hartford | Hartford Athletic vs. Loudoun United FC | 7:00 PM | ($) - At Trinity Health Stadium (250 Huyshope Ave) for a Saturday night soccer match with hot dogs, beer, and plenty of goal-chasing energy. Enjoy

Hartford | Art of the Eye | 3-9 PM | ($) - Visual art exhibition exploring perception and vision at Hartford ArtSpace Gallery (555 Asylum Ave). Nice

Hartford | Paranormal Investigation at Mark Twain House | 5 PM | ($) - Hunt ghosts with TV's Adam Berry in this VIP overnight experience at Mark Twain House (351 Farmington Ave). Connect Beyond

Manchester | History Hike of Highland Park | 1 PM - Explore trails while learning the park's fascinating past at Highland Park (670 Spring St).

Manchester | Bob Dylan & The Band Tribute | 9 PM - Shout band recreates the legendary sound of rock royalty at The Main Pub (306 Main St).

New Britain | Art Explorers | 10:30 AM | ($) - Kids create masterpieces inspired by museum collections at New Britain Museum of American Art (56 Lexington St). Get Crafty

Newington | Spring Fling Vendor Fair | 10 AM - Shop local artisans and crafters for unique spring finds at Newington High School (605 Willard Ave). Shop Local

Plainville | Plant Bingo | 6:30 PM | ($) - Win houseplants in this fun twist on classic bingo at Pinehurst Plants (8 E Main St). Game On

Simsbury | Mini Succulent Garden Needle Felting | 10 AM | ($) - Felt adorable tiny succulents that never need watering at Simsbury (961 Hopmeadow St). Get Crafty

Simsbury | Chirp | 8 PM | ($) - Indie folk band brings intimate harmonies to the mountain at Talcott Mountain Collective (140 Nod Rd). Listen Up

South Windsor | For the Love of Birds Artisan Market | 10 AM - Bird-themed crafts, art, and nature goods from local makers at CT Valley Brewing (765 Sullivan Ave). Shop Local

Southington | Grand Opening Celebration | 11 AM - Free family fun with giveaways and entertainment at the new location at Southington (1198 Queen St). Celebrate

Wethersfield | XVIII Annual Taste of Wethersfield | 7 PM | ($) - Sample dishes from top local restaurants at this beloved foodie benefit at Keeney Memorial Cultural Center (200 Main St). Dig In

Windsor Locks | Open Cockpit & Book Signing | 10 AM - Climb into vintage aircraft and meet aviation authors at New England Air Museum (36 Perimeter Rd). Explore

Bristol | Gnomes Galore Ceramic Workshop | 2 PM - Sculpt and paint your own whimsical garden gnome at Bristol (67 Race St). Get Crafty

Hartford | Beauty and the Beast | 6:30 PM - Disney's enchanting Broadway musical sweeps into town at The Bushnell (166 Capitol Ave). See the Show

Hartford | Ryan Montbleau Band | 8 PM | ($) - Soulful singer-songwriter brings his captivating live show at Infinity Hall Hartford (32 Front St). Listen Up

South Glastonbury | April Free Farm Tasting | 1 PM - Sample wines and enjoy pastoral views at this no-cost event at Priam Vineyards (14 Tryon St). Dig In

South Glastonbury | A Chocolate House | 2 PM - Sip historic chocolate drinks in an 18th-century setting at Welles-Shipman-Ward House (983 Main St). Dig In

Suffield | The Storytellers at Shamrock Cafe | 2 PM - Local musicians share songs and tales in this cozy afternoon session at The Shamrock Cafe (Suffield). Listen Up

Windsor | Shooting Star Pendant Workshop | 11:30 AM | ($) - Forge your own silver shooting star jewelry piece at Windsor (570 Hayden Station Rd). Get Craft

Windsor | Waking Up Our Spring Gardens | 6:30 PM - Chuck Drake shares tips to jumpstart your garden this season at Leland P. Wilson Community Center (599 Matianuck Ave). Learn More

4/7

Hartford | Disney’s Beauty and the Beast The Musical | 7:30 PM | All Week | ($) - The Broadway tour brings the classic fairy tale to The Bushnell, with big songs, big costumes, and plenty of spectacle (166 Capitol Ave). Enjoy

4/8-4/9

West Suffield | Suffield Agriscience Ag Expo 2026 | 2:15 PM - Students show off agriculture projects, animals, engines, aquaculture, and demos at the Suffield Agriscience Center (1060 Sheldon St). More

4/11

Berlin | Drive-In Movie Night | 6 PM - Classic Indiana Jones on the big outdoor screen - bring blankets at Berlin High School (139 Patterson Way).

Hartford | Second Saturdays for Families | 12-2 PM - Free family-friendly art activities, crafts, and docent-led tours at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art (600 Main Street).

4/13

Canton | Spring Fever! | 9 AM - Kids explore signs of spring with nature walks and crafts at Roaring Brook Nature Center (70 Gracey Rd). Explore

Simsbury | Film: Salamanders of New England | 6:30 PM - Documentary screening celebrates our slimy amphibian neighbors at Simsbury Public Library (82 Eaglewood Ln).