LIVEWIRE: Elton John finishes US leg of tour, E3
BEER NUT: Holiday gift ideas for beer lovers, E4
CALENDAR: Events at museums, galleries in WMass, E9
By K eith O ’C onnor Special to The Republican
CHRISTMAS IN America wasn’t rec ognized as a federal holiday until around 1870.
But this weekend and beyond, visitors to Storrow ton Village Museum on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield can get a glimpse of what the “seasonal celebration” might have been like back in the early 19th century.
Yuletide at Storrowton on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. offers free activ ities followed by paid tours, workshops and a lantern light experience through the following week.
“Yuletide at Storrowton has become a tradition for many families and is a great way to kick off the holiday season as people get into the holiday spirit. And it’s nice to be able to offer the community some thing they can do free this weekend,” said Jessica Fon taine, the museum director. One of the popular aspects of the special holiday event is the fact that the village’s buildings — decorated through the generosity of area garden clubs, florists and designers — will be adorned with beautiful wreaths, swags, garlands, fresh evergreens and all natural materials fitting for the 19th century times, Fontaine said. Many visitors take note of the ideas to decorate their own homes, she added.
This year, the participating clubs and florists include the Westfield Woman’s Club and garden clubs from Agawam, Springfield, West Spring field, and Wilbraham, as well as independent designers Courtney Normand, Jessica Fontaine, Merry Mite Gar dens, and Jingle & Jangle En terprises, Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School and Storrowton Village blacksmiths.
All-day activities on Satur day and Sunday will feature an ornament-making kids craft activity in the Potter Mansion, open hearth cook ing in the Gilbert House, and creating quill pen letters to Santa in the Eddy Law Office.
“Children will use an actual quill pen which works very differently from the ball point pens of today They will have to dip it into the inkwell to
use it and figure out how hard you need to press on the paper with it. It will be a little challenging, but a fun experi ence,” Fontaine said.
Also, Santa and Mrs. Claus will greet all good little boys and girls from 10 a.m. to noon in the Potter Mansion kitchen, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. there will be demonstra tions by a tinsmith, broom maker, and a printer on the
letterpress in the Greenwich Barn, and from 1 to 3 p.m. visitors can walk among the animals in the Firefly Fields Petting Zoo on the Green
Only on Saturday, Rick Corbo will give a first-person presentation of Charles Dick ens’ “A Christmas Carol” from 11 a.m. to noon in the Union Meetinghouse. There will also be carriage rides, for an additional charge, to and from the Eastern States Farmers Market leaving from behind the gazebo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“The carriage rides provided by Clay Hill Farm, which cost $8 per person, really connect to our agricultural mission as it brings people through the village to the Farmers Mar ket where they can do a little shopping and enjoy a free hot cocoa and cookie,” Fontaine said.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at storrowtonvil lage.com or at the event.
Also, from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Union Meetinghouse, Ken Turino will present a lecture on “Abolitionists & Christmas History,” from 1 to3 p.m. and the Three of Cups musical duo will perform in the Union Meetinghouse from 2:30 to
ALTHOUGH ELTON John played his last show in the U.S., he still has half a year of concerts left.
Elton John may have said “goodbye yellow brick road” to the United States, but he’s not quite done touring yet.
John played his alleged final U.S. show on Nov. 20 at Dodg er Stadium, the concert was livestreamed on Disney+.
So although the Nov. 20 concert marked John’s last U.S. date on what’s been billed as his final tour (the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour), John will stay on the road for at least the first half of 2023. After touring Australia and New Zealand in January, the singer will make a run through Europe, with his final show slated for July 8 in Stockholm.
• Coming off a recent collaboration with Blondie, Johnny Marr said he’d like to work with Alicia Keys.
The former Smiths guitar ist had teamed up with Keys on stage earlier this year to perform The Smiths’ “This Charming Man.”
“I’d like to do something with Alicia Keys. I’ve worked with her a couple of times, and she’s a really impressive person,” Marr said in an interview with MOJO maga zine. Marr said he’d also like to work with Polly Harvey and had recently collaborated with Modest Mouse.
• In maybe the least surprising music story of the year, Taylor Swift won all six awards she was nominated for at the 2022 American Music Awards.
Swift grabbed the event’s top honor, artist of the year, as well as favorite female pop artist, favorite female country artist, favorite country album, favorite pop album and favor ite music video.
“This album is a re-re corded album, and I cannot tell you how much my re-recorded albums mean to me,” she said in her accep tance speech for the favorite popaAlbum award going to her album Red (Taylor’s Ver sion). “I never expected or assumed they would mean anything to you, so I can’t thank you enough for caring about this album that I’m so proud of,” she said.
• The estate of Tom Petty issued a cease and desist to Republican Arizona gu bernatorial candidate Kari Lake.
Lake recently lost the race to Democrat Katie Hobbs but has refused to concede. In recent posts to
Tom Petty of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performs at Blossom Music Center on Aug. 31, 2010, in Cleveland, Ohio. Petty’s estate has spoken out against President Donald Trump’s campaign use of his music, ordering him to stop playing “I Won’t Back Down.” Now the estate is seeking a cease and desist order against Kari Lake’s campaign.
her social media accounts, Lake has been using Petty’s hit “I Won’t Back Down” to apparently show her resolve. Petty’s publisher Wixen Music Publishing took exception to the use of the song, writing, in part: “Using his music to promote yourself and your despicable cause is revolting and antithetical to everything that Tom and his music stand for and mean to millions of people”
Petty’s estate issued a sim ilar cease and desist order to
Doc’s Place: Karaoke. 1264 Granby Road, Chicopee
Shadow Lounge: DJ with classics. 278 Worthington St., Springfield
Southwick Inn: Open mic hosted by Steve Piper of Roadhouse Band. 479 College Highway, Southwick
The Drake: StompBox Trio. 44 North Pleasant St., Amherst
The Still: Drink specials. 63 Spring field St., Agawam
West Springfield Fish and Game Club: CD jukebox, pool table. 329 Garden St., Feeding Hills
Whip City Brew: DJ with dance. 287 Elm St., Westfield
Delaney House: The New System. 3 Country Club Road, Holyoke
Doc’s Place: Karaoke. 1264 Granby Road, Chicopee
East Mountain Country Club: The 60’s Experience. 1458 E. Mountain Road, Westfield
The Drake: Mamma’s Marmalade, Green Heron. 44 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
Theodores’: Justin Chan and The Vices. 201 Worthington St., Springfield
West Springfield Fish and Game Club: CD jukebox, pool table. 329
Taylor Swift with her awards for favorite pop album, pop artist, music video, country album, female country artist and artist of the year at the 2022 American Music Awards Sunday.IWILL ADMIT THAT
when I have done these types of holiday gift idea columns in the past they often fall into the “last-min ute gift” category.
Like many folks, I let time get away from me during the holiday season. But this year I am giving you an earlier heads-up on possible gifts for the beer aficionados in your circle. I might even do two columns, this week and next.
Anyway, here are some good gift ideas for beer lovers:
• First up is a reasonably priced item for virtually any beer fan (unless they hate India pale ales). Amazon has a T-shirt with the definition of “hoptimist” emblazoned
on the front: “A person who believes everything is better with a good craft beer.” It’s $19.95 and also comes in a long-sleeve ($22.95) version and a hoodie ($34.95).
• If your beer pal has a sweet tooth, Jelly Belly has a six-pack of 1.75 ounce “beer” cans filled with beer-flavored jelly beans. All of these jelly beans are kosher, gluten-free, alco hol-free and dairy-free and fat-free. When the beans are gone, the tins are perfect for storing other small items, from spare change to buttons.
• I’m guessing that home brewers or beer fans with their own home kegerators would enjoy tap handles
with personalized inscrip tions on them. Whether they want their own name or the name of a home brew inscribed on these tap han dles, they provide a fun and professional bit of panache to a home bar. Check Etsy out for a wide range of these items, which run starting at about $15 and up.
• For a bigger, more expensive gift: Maybe your partner is a beer lover but you aren’t — and frankly you’re a bit tired of a surfeit of beer cans crowding out other perishables in your fridge. EdgeStar has a great solution for you: A dedicat ed beverage refrigerator (for $609) that isn’t one that just looks like it’s left over from your college dorm days. This
beer fridge is sleek and dis plays the brews through the transparent door. It also has a temperature control so you can store bottles and cans at their optimal temperature.
• Speaking of tempera ture, I’m the type of guy who doesn’t mind drinking beer outside in cooler weather. But as we all know, doing so with bare hands can become uncomfortable pretty quick ly. And while regular gloves or mittens work to mitigate frosty fingers, a true beer lover might appreciate something specifically creat ed for the job at hand. Suzy Kuzy Beer Mitts are such an item, with the advantage of enclosing the entire 360 de grees of beer can, prevent ing accidental drops. Perfect
for tailgaters, they sell for $13.99 on Amazon.
• Last and admittedly possibly least, the Swag Brewery Store on Amazon has a humorous stocking stuffer for beer fans: a 16-ounce mug, ostensibly for coffee, emblazoned on both sides with the words “Probably Beer” for $14.99.
WHEN I FIRST wrote about wine 10 years ago this week, I wanted to make a point.
A lot of different labels often get applied to wine.
It’s elitist.
It’s arrogant.
It’s foreign or feminine or a whole lot of other different things.
(Want to know who the villain is in many movies or television shows? Look for the wine glass.)
The first two paragraphs of my first wine column still ring true 10 years later as well. That column began, “Wine weaves a strange web through America.”
“For many people, there’s something not American about drinking wine. Amer icans drink beer. Or at least we like to think we only drink beer. Or advertisers for near ly every sporting event want us to think we should only drink beer. And yet we’re one of the world’s largest — and greatest — producers and consumers of wine.”
But more than anything, when many people think about wine in this country, another word often comes to mind — expensive.
That’s why I purposely chose wines that are the exact opposite for my first wine column that ran on Nov. 23, 2012.
I chose wines that are cheap, real cheap.
In fact, that was the head line for the first wine column.
“Wine on the cheap, real cheap — under $3 a bottle”
Why?
Because I believed then
and I still believe now that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to find great wine. Or as I wrote in 2012, “To drink wine, to appreciate wine, you need to spend a lot of money, some people think, including some of the people who love it. Don’t believe them.
“The days of spending double figures on wines that thrill your palate are long gone. Nowadays, it’s easy to find wines for under $10 a bottle that taste great and don’t have nuns of any color printed on the label.”
Ten years later, especially the last two years, finding great wines for under $10 has become a lot harder. It’s still possible to find delicious wines for under $10 but you often really have to look carefully, which is one of the things I still love doing for this wine column.
But as the headline ex plained in 2012, I set the bar even lower for the first wine column. All of the wines I reviewed cost less than $3 a bottle.
In 2012, I reviewed seven wines from Oak Leaf Vine yards, which are sold exclu sively by Walmart. Each wine
cost $2.97 for a standard 750 ml bottle.
I purposely chose those wines because I wanted to give the same, close attention that’s normally only lavished on expensive wines.
I vividly remember tasting those wines with my wife and our dog, Grimsby, in The Red Lion Inn in the Berkshires in October 201,2 the night a hur ricane was predicted to sweep across New England.
Fortunately, the hurricane never came. But the wine column was born.
Last week, I wrote a 10th-anniversary wine col umn.
This week, I thought it might be fun to revisit the wines of Walmart as I have referred to them over the years. Let me add that this time, my new assistant — our cat Ricky — helped write this wine column every step of the way.
Surprisingly, the six Oak Leaf Vineyard wines re viewed this week still cost less than $3 a bottle, or rath er, $2.98 for a 750 ml bottle. The fact that these wines only cost one cent more 10 years later is absolutely amazing. So how do they taste? The
short answer — pretty good. Below, you can find my de tailed tasting notes for all six wines.
In 2012, my two favorite wines were the Oak Leaf cab ernet sauvignon and the Oak Leaf sauvignon blanc.
“The cabernet sauvignon tastes slightly sweeter than most California Cabs, but at this price, it’s hard to find a red wine that tastes as good,” I wrote in 2012.
As for the Oak Leaf sauvi gnon blanc, I wrote, “This slightly grassy-tasting wine reminded me of a toned down sauvignon blanc from New Zealand, where many of the whites have a delightfully zingy, crisp taste.”
I also noticed something then that still rings true about Oak Leaf Vineyard wines a decade later.
“It’s interesting how the Oak Leaf wines seem to strive for a similarity in taste,” I wrote in 2012. “It’s as if the winemakers set out to make wines that tasted only slightly different from each other, like the Stepford Wives laced with sugar.”
“The Oak Leaf sauvignon blanc somehow managed to sneak out of the winery be
fore the owners could douse the wine with spoonfuls of sugar. And while some wine aficionados would shiver at the thought, adding an ice cube to this wine actually seemed to enhance its crisp, pleasant taste.”
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the Oak Leaf sauvignon blanc at the Walmart near my house. But I was very im pressed by three of the six Oak Leaf wines I tasted for this week’s wine column — two whites (chardonnay and Mos cato) and one red (merlot). Hope you enjoy.
• Oak Leaf Vineyards cabernet sauvignon
Tasting notes — I wasn’t as crazy about the Oak Leaf cabernet sauvignon this time around. Maybe it’s because I enjoyed the white wines in particular and tasted them before tasting this wine. This time, I noticed distinct hints of cherry candy and red licorice. If you love sweet red wine with a sugary finish, you’ll probably love this red wine or the next one.
• Oak Leaf Vineyards red blend
Tasting notes — As I noted above, one of the things I first noticed when I tasted Oak Leaf Vineyard wines a decade ago was how similar they tasted. This was definitely the case this time as well with the Oak Leaf cabernet sauvignon and red blend. These two red wines tasted almost identical. Both taste like cherry candy and red licorice with a spoon ful of sugar added.
I will add that both wines tasted less sweet the longer they sat in the glass. In fact, I purposely left a small amount of all three red wines in three glasses overnight. The next day, this wine in particular tasted much better. Its flavors were softer and not as sweet.
(The cabernet sauvignon surprisingly tasted almost the same 24 hours later.) So if you like your red wines on the drier side, pour this one in a glass and set it aside for a day.
Three of the Oak Leaf Vineyard wines from Walmart reviewed this week. (KEN ROSS PHOTO)DYNAMIC PRICING, the idea of pricing goods or services on the basis of demand at specific times, may soon be coming to the restaurant industry.
Changing prices to reflect (or manage) demand isn’t an entirely new idea. The airline industry, for example, has been using the idea for decades, setting and changing fares on a sometimes day-to-day basis as the pattern of passenger bookings shifts.
The restaurant industry itself has used dynamic pricing as well, albeit in simplistic ways. “Early bird” specials, for instance, are a well-established strategy for filling restaurant seats during otherwise slow times of the day.
Recently, however, a number of third-party pricing startups have moved into the restaurant space, offering operators the technology (for a monthly fee, of course) to tweak restaurant menu prices as part of an effort to micro-manage demand and increase profitability.
The idea behind dynamic
pricing as it might apply to restaurant operations is simple — increase prices when people want to dine out (Saturday evenings, for example) and lower them when customers are otherwise scarce (Tuesday nights). The effect such a pric ing strategy, proponents assert, is to smooth out demand by “driving” customers to times they’d otherwise not be in clined to go out to eat.
Those who continued to be Saturday night customers would pay higher prices for the privilege (and thereby generate more revenue for the restau rant operator) while those who shifted their dining habits to
early week would presumably get a “deal” for filling seats that would otherwise go empty.
As digital ordering via app or website becomes more widespread, dynamic pricing is now much easier to imple ment. Video menu boards and electronic point-of-sale systems can accommodate day-to-day (and hour-to-hour) prices changes with ease.
Sit-down operations that use traditional paper menus could conceivably implement dynamic pricing by having differently priced menus for different days of the week or by shifting to a QR code menu technology.
Expect to see dynamic pric ing creep into restaurant mar keting practices just as it has continued to infect other parts of the consumer experience.
by calling 860-745-2414. Tick ets are $30 with an additional food and beverage purchase required.
• Santa has committed to a pre-holiday brunch at the Delaney House in Holyoke. Scheduled for Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the promised lavish spread includes break fast favorites such as French toast, scrambled eggs, omelets made to order, and an assort ment of breakfast meats.
dar Bacon & Chicken Skillet as well as two returning skillet creations — Bourbon Street Steak and Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp. Sizzlin’ Skillet meals include garlic mashed potatoes and a vegeta ble side.
On Dec. 11, Figaro Ristorante in Enfield will present a Legends Holiday Spectacular featuring tribute performances by Lisa Carter (Cher), Robert Black (Elvis), and Charles Lask (Neil Diamond). The dinner performance will begin with a buffet of Italian-American favorites, which is priced separately and begins with the seating of patrons at 5:30 p.m. Curtain goes up on the show at 7 p.m. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN
• On Dec, 11, Figaro Ristorante in Enfield will present a Legends Holiday Spectacular featuring tribute performances by Lisa Carter (Cher), Robert Black (Elvis), and Charles Lask (Neil Diamond). The dinner performance will begin with a buffet of Italian-American favorites, which is priced separately and begins with the seating of patrons at 5:30 p.m. Curtain goes up on the show at 7 p.m.
Reservations should be made
Luncheon-style offerings such as chicken marsala, baked scrod, macaroni & cheese, and beef sliders will be served as well. A chef’s carving station will feature roast turkey and honey-glazed ham. Ice cream sundaes are being featured for dessert. Children must be included in reservations for this brunch. Adult prices are $32.95; kids ages 3 to 10 are $20. Contact the Delaney House at 413-532-1800 for more details.
• Participating Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants are featuring the return, for a limited time only, of sizzling skillet entrees. Five variations are being offered; they include two garlic-ac cented options, a Chicken & Shrimp Scampi Skillet, and a Garlic Parmesan Sirloin Skillet.
There’s also a Sizzlin’ Ched
• Holyoke Community College and its business and workforce development team are presenting another cooking class at the HCC-MGM Cu linary Arts Institute on Race Street in Holyoke.
Scheduled for Dec. 9 starting at 5 p.m., the class, “Noni’s Italian Kitchen,” will focus on the foods an Italian grand mother might chose to make for Sunday dinner, including homemade Caesar salad, a classic multilayered lasagna, and almond-scented cookies for dessert. The hands-on ses sion is part of a regular series of public cooking classes held at the Race Street location. For more information, con tact the HCC-MGM Culinary Arts Institute at 413-552-2823.
• Burger King Restau rants are currently offering an “Italian Royal” version of their Crispy Chicken Sandwich. The breaded and fried chicken patty is being served garnished with melted mozzarella cheese and marinara
FILE PHOTO) Sizzlin’ Skillets are back at Applebee’s in the two original flavors and three new ones.CHRISTMAS MUSIC, circus performers and actors telling an uplifting holiday tale all combine to transport audiences to a magical land far away as part of the allnew Cirque Musica: Holiday Wonderland at Symphony Hall on Friday. The special holiday event, presented by MGM Springfield, begins at 7:30 p.m.
“Our holiday-themed Cirque Musica productions have quickly become a season tradition for families across the country, and we are excited to continue this tradition with our ‘Holiday Wonderland,’” said Stephen
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sauce, creating an Italian-in spired between-bread experi ence. The Italian Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich is available for a limited time at participat ing Burger King restaurants.
• Shortstop Bar & Grill in Westfield has arranged for a Santa Sunday stop-by. The jolly old elf will be in residence for a Breakfast with Santa event on Dec. 18. Two seatings will be available, one at 8 a.m. and a second at 10 a.m., and both
Cook, president of TCG Entertainment, producer of Cirque Musica, in a press release announcing the show.
“We expect fans of cirqueshows to be enchanted with our latest production and hope it will create a wonder ful memory for all to share.”
Samantha Duval plays the lead character, Caroline, in Cirque Musica: Holiday Wonderland.
“The show tells the story of Caroline, who is a workaholic and obsessed with her job as the CEO of a major corpora tion. She doesn’t want to take time off to do anything, but visits her aunt and uncle for the holiday, who force her to put her phone down. It is while visiting Wonderland, where the performance takes place, that she finally puts her phone down and realizes that there are amazing things to be seen and that she should practice being more present.
will feature a menu of tradi tional breakfast favorites. Adults are being charged $23.99; children age 12 and under pay $13.99. Contact the Shortstop Bar & Grill at 413642-6370 for more details or to make reservations.
• Nacho fries have become a workhorse of the marketing program at Taco Bell, the Irvine, California-based quick service chain. Most recently the fries have been reintro duced as 7-layer Nacho Fries, a limited-time-only selection that tops the fries with black beans, chopped tomato, sour
And that is the message for everyone, that in this day and age we all need to be remind ed to put our phones down,” Duval said in an interview with The Republican.
Cirque Musica: Holiday Wonderland is filled with lots of glitz and glamour.
“Audiences will see lots of princess dresses and gowns and Wonderland is a sparkly, colorful place. Imagine an icy, snow-covered landscape of silver, blues and whites and some color for the holiday. Color is an important part of the beauty and wonder of the story, and when Caroline becomes distracted in Won derland, it messes with the beautiful colors,” Duval said. Adding to all the fun on stage will be the daredevil athlet icism of world-class circus performers from Venezuela, Sweden, Canada, Brazil and Mongolia.
“Some of the acts are very dangerous, yet exciting to watch. And it’s exciting to see the expressions of the faces of the kids in the audiences, for some of whom it is the first
time they are seeing circus performers,” Duval said.
The troupe travels with a live band providing a musical score to help move the action along. Among the holiday tunes performed will be “Jin gle Bells,” “O Holy Night,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “Little Drummer Boy” and others, including an orig inal song written by James Olmstead entitled “Wonder land.”
Since its inception in 2010,
the world-renowned cast of Cirque Musica has performed feats of grace, skill and strength to audience mem bers worldwide, It is one of the largest Cirque companies in the world with multiple productions on tour and is produced by TCG enter tainment. Tickets, priced at $39 to $79 including official platinum tickets at $98.25, are available at mgmspringfield. com in the entertainment section.
cream, chipotle sauce, shred ded cheese, seasoned beef, and guacamole. Taco Bell’s “guac” has been given a makeover as well. It’s now prepared fresh daily at each Taco Bell location using Hass avocados, toma toes, and onions.
• On Dec. 11, Jackalope Restaurant on Worthington Street in downtown Spring field will host Brunchmas with Santa. Scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Brunchmas promises “amazing” food, hot cocoa and cookies for kids at tending, and creative cocktails for the adults. Kids who come to the brunch get a free ginger bread house kit, and there will be a contest to win a gift card. Contact Jackalope Restaurant at 413-233-4422 for reserva tions or information.
• Wendy’s has introduced a “Parmesan-style” version of its breast cutlet chicken sandwich. The Italian Mozzarella Chick en Sandwich can be ordered in either a regular or spicy version; toppings include fried mozzarella and Asiago chees
es. The sandwich is served on a toasted garlic knot bun. The limited-time-only Mozzarella Cheeseburger at Wendy’s gets the same sauce, cheese, and bun treatment; both sandwich es can be enjoyed with a side order of Garlic Fries, which are served sauced with a light garlic glaze.
• 30Boltwood, the restau rant in the Inn on Boltwood in Amherst, is holding two Merry Days with Santa events. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be hot cocoa from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as 30Boltwood offers discounted gift certificates and accepts holiday donations for the Dakin Humane Society. The society needs essentials such as canned cat food, dry dog food, and other pet sup plies to support its mission.
• The Inn at Boltwood, formerly the Lord Jeffrey Inn, will also be bringing back hol iday teas on Saturdays during December. Served from noon until 4 p.m., the tea includes scones, an assortment of sandwiches and two-bite des
serts such as chocolate-cov ered strawberries, coffee pot de creme and mini grasshop per cupcakes. The tea is $37, and reservations are required. Contact 30Boltwood at 413835-2011 for information or to book a table for tea.
• Uno Pizzeria & Grill on Boston Road in Springfield is putting on a kids cookie decorating party. Planned for Dec. 6 from 4 to 6 p.m., the event will give youngsters attending the chance to ex ercise their creativity as they make something delicious to munch on. Kids eat free from the children’s menu with a qualifying adult entree purchase. Reservations, which are required, can be made by calling Uno Pizzeria & Grill at 413-543-6600.
Hugh Robert is a faculty member in Holyoke Commu nity College’s hospitality and culinary arts program and has more than 45 years of restaurant and educational experience. Robert can be reached online at OffTheMenuGuy@aol.com.
Boys & Girls Club of Springfield Festival of Trees: Thu.-Sun., MassMutual Center. Hours: Thu., 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Admis sion is $5 adults, $4 seniors, and children 12 and under are free. 1277 Main St., Springfield; 413-7876600 or massmutualcenter.com
Bright Nights at Forest Park: Thu.-Sun., Forest Park, through Jan. 1. Tuesday car admission on Dec. 6, 13, $10. Tickets must be purchased in advance at Big Y or online at brightnights.org. Cars $23; full-size bus, 31+ passengers, $175; minibus, 17-30 passengers, $80. Sumner Avenue, Springfield.
Melha Shriners Festival of Trees: Thu.-Fri., 4-7 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Clarion Hotel & Aqua Lagoon Water Park, 1080 Riverdale St., West Spring field.
MGM Casino: Thu.-Sun., MGM Springfield, featuring retail stores, restaurants, Regal Cinemas and more. For more information, visit mgmspringfield.com, 1 MGM Way, Springfield.
Online Feinberg Series - Viet nam Era Antiwar Movement: Thu., 7 p.m. This panel discussion considers the most diverse and sustained antiwar movement in U.S. history. Moderated by film maker Judith Ehrlich, the panel includes Daniel Ellsberg, Carolyn Eisenberg, Nguyet Nguyen and W. D. Ehrhart This event will be live on Zoom. A recording will be available on the Feinberg Series website and the UMass Amherst History Department’s YouTube and Soundcloud. Spanish inter pretation and closed captioning will be available, free. 131 Com monwealth Ave., Amherst.
Square Dancing Workshop: Thu., 6:30-8 p.m. VFW Post 8428, American Legion Hall behind the police station on Route 202, $5 per person. Instructor is Gloria Vivier. 41 Pelham Road, Belcher town, 413-323-9997.
Wilbraham Garden Club Meet ing: Thu., 10:30 a.m., St. Cecilia Church. The speaker for the morn ing will be Bob Whitney, who has been a floral designer for over 40 years working in the floral indus try, retail and education fields. He will create several arrangements for the holiday season which will be raffled off at the end of the meeting. Breakfast pastries will be available. 42 Main St., Wilbraham.
AIC Theater Program presents production of “Fences”: Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m. American International College, themes include race relations in a pre-Civil Rights movement, pre-Vietnam war era mentality. “Fences” is free and open to the public. Donations are welcome, free. 1000 State St., Springfield, aic.edu
Applause Series: Fri., 7 p.m. Aga wam Senior Center, Dan Kane and Friends. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., 954 Main St., Agawam, 413-8210604.
Boys & Girls Club of Springfield Festival of Trees: See Thursday listing
Bright Nights at Forest Park: See Thursday listing
Clock Tower Artist’s Holiday Open Studios: Fri., 5-8 p.m.; Sat.Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Clock Tower Business Park. Visit 10 working art ists’ studios, see fine art, purchase holiday gifts, and enjoy the newest art attraction in Pittsfield, free parking and elevator, free. 75 South Church St., Pittsfield.
Friends of the Stone Church Concert: Fri., 2 p.m., the Stone Church. David Alan Pihl, organ and piano, and Maria Ferrante, soprano, present “Bach and Beyond.” Tickets available at the door or online at tickettailor.com/events/friends ofthestonechurch/, $25. 283 Main St., Gilbertville.
Melha Shriners Festival of Trees: See Thursday listing
MGM Casino: See Thursday listing Northampton Toy Swap - Drop Off Day: Fri., 4:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Northampton High School Key Club hosts the annual Northampton Toy Swap. Donate toys on Friday at the Northamp ton High School bus circle, and shop on Saturday in the cafeteria. Donate only clean and functional toys - nothing broken, dirty, or chokeable. Volunteers needed Friday and Saturday. Sponsored by the Northampton Kiwanis Club, free. 380 Elm St., Northampton; 413-587-1344 or hamphigh.org/ Suffield Players present “One Christmas Eve at Evergreen Mall”: Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 and 8 p.m. Mapleton Hall, this show is the group’s Holiday Benefit Challenge Fundraiser. All proceeds go toward maintenance of historic Mapleton Hall. General admission only, no reservations required, $10 sug gested donation at the door. 1305 Mapleton Ave., Suffield; 860-6680837 or suffieldplayers.org
Very Merry Maple Festival & Tree Lighting: Fri., 3 p.m. Activities will run from 3 to 7 p.m. throughout downtown Amherst. They’ll include a fire station open house, cider and doughnuts, a middle school chorus performance, and the University of Massachusetts Minuteman March ing Band escort of Santa Claus, who will then visit with children at the Amherst History Museum. Bolt
wood Avenue and Spring Street, Amherst.
AIC Theater Program presents production of “Fences”: See Friday listing
Art Afternoon at the Jones Library: Sat., 3 p.m. Jones Library, create painted gift wrap in the Woodbury Room. Create paint ed paper to wrap gifts for any occasion. Learn several quick and easy dry-brush techniques, from sophisticated crosshatch designs to loose geometric squiggles. No prior painting experience required. Recommended for ages 16 and up. All materials are provided. Space is limited and registration is required. Visit the Reference Desk or call 413-259-3096, 43 Amity St., Amherst. 413-256-3090 or joneslibrary.org
Boys & Girls Club of Springfield Festival of Trees: See Thursday listing
Bright Nights at Forest Park: See Thursday listing
Clock Tower Artist’s Holiday Open Studios: See Friday listing
HVC’s Fun Fridays Game Night: Sat., 5:30 p.m. Enjoy a night of board and card games in Happier Valley Comedy’s Next Door Lounge. Free, 1 Mill Valley Road Suite B, Hadley.
Jazz Bones Music Concert: Sat., 7 p.m. First Church of Monson, free.
5 High St., Monson.
Melha Shriners Festival of Trees: See Thursday listing
MGM Casino: See Thursday listing
“National Lapoon’s Christmas Vacation” Screening Hosted by Chevy Chase: Sat., 8 p.m. Fox woods Resort Casino, followed by a special Q&A session. Tickets start at $40 each dependent upon ticket package available, 350 Trolley Line Blvd, Mashantucket, Conn. 860200-2882 or foxwoods.com
Northampton Toy Swap - Drop Off Day: See Friday listing
Premiere Screening of “Monson Strong: A Small-Town Tornado Story”: Sat., 12:30 p.m. Granite Valley Middle School. Join the documentary team for the premiere screening of “Monson Strong: A Small-Town Tornado Story.” Doors open at 12:30 p.m., and the film will begin promptly at 1 p.m. with a brief introduction from director Zachary Gawron, who grew up in Monson. This film chronicles the events of June 1, 2011, when an EF3 tornado ripped through Western Massachusetts, free. 21 Thompson St., Monson; 413-267-4155.
Saturday Holiday Salon: Sat., 11 a.m.-2 p.m. LAVA Center, featuring rotating vendors, storytime with Mrs. Claus, live music, and more. This holiday salon runs for Satur days, Dec. 3, 10 and 17, 324 Main St., Greenfield.
Springfield Symphony Orchestra: Sat., 7:30 p.m. Springfield Sym phony Hall, “Joy to the World” with guest conductor William Waldrop, guest performer Camille Zamora and the SSO chorus. For tickets, visit symphonyhall.com, Tickets start at $15. 34 Court St., Spring field. 413-733-2291 or symphony hall.com.
Suffield Players present “One Christmas Eve at Evergreen Mall”: See Friday listing
The Wizards of Winter: Sat., 7 p.m. Colonial Theatre, featuring former members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Def Leppard, Rainbow, Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult, along with Broadway and theater veterans. For tickets, call the box office at 413-997-4444 or visit on line at thecolonialtheatre.org, $59 adults, children 16 and under $29. 111 South St., Pittsfield. 413-9974444 or thecolonialtheatre.org
AIC Theater Program presents Production of “Fences”: See Friday listing
Boys & Girls Club of Springfield
Festival of Trees: See Thursday listing
Bright Nights at Forest Park: See Thursday listing
Clock Tower Artist’s Holiday Open Studios: See Friday listing Melha Shriners Festival of Trees: See Thursday listing
MGM Casino: See Thursday listing
Suffield Players present “One Christmas Eve at Evergreen Mall”: See Friday listing
Visit Santa at the Irish Cultural Center: Sun., 10 a.m. Irish Cultural Center, bring your children or grandchildren to meet Santa from 10 a.m. to noon. Be prepared to take your own photos at this free event. Enjoy free hot chocolate and cookies, plus see a demonstration of writing in Celtic script, and take home a sample writing of your child’s name, free. Morgan Road, West Springfield.
Dr. Seuss Sculpture Garden: Outdoor sculpture garden of larger-than-life bronze statues of Springfield native Dr. Seuss at his drawing board surrounded by some of his most beloved characters including Horton the Elephant, the Grinch, the Lorax and others. Free on the green.
George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum: Permanent exhibit: “Ancient Treasures,” a display of ar tifacts from ancient China, Greece, Rome and Egypt. Hands-on making activities in the Hasbro Games Art Discovery Center.
Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History: “The Grinch’s Grotto: A Wonderful, Awful Idea,” through Dec. 31. The Grotto is a cave-like structure with a highly decorated chair for the old curmudgeon himself to greet visitors for selfies and portraits. Visitors are invited to bring their cell phones or cameras to take a portrait with the Grinch. Visit the online calendar to see when the Grinch himself will be there. “The Grinch: A Car with a History.” through Nov. 1, 2023. Permanent exhibit: More than two dozen Indian motorcycles and related memorabilia.
Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts: “Josh Simpson: Visionary Explorations in Glass,” through Jan. 15. Grinchmas Saturday, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Join in for holiday family fun in the galleries. In addition to the Grinch’s Grotto and gingerbread exhibition “Flour to Fables,” meet St. Nick and enjoy
hands-on activities. Free with museum admission. Museum a la Carte: Today, 12:15 p.m. “The Life & Magic of Harry Houdini,” $4, mem bers free, presented by Mallory Howard, assistant curator for the Mark Twain House & Museum.
Springfield Science Museum: “We’re Still Here,” through June 30.
Native Voices Initiative begins with contemporary perspectives. Curat ed by Aprell May Munford.
The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum: Permanent exhibit. First floor exhibition provides interactive three-dimensional exhibits. Second floor contains Geisel’s person al memorabilia. Timed tickets required, for reservations visit springfieldmuseums.org
Quadrangle admission — $25 for adults, $16.50 for seniors (60+) and college students with ID, $13 for chil dren ages 3-17; free to children under age 3 and members, Springfield residents are free with proof of resi dency. Welcome Center and Museum store. Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Amelia Park Children’s Museum: Permanent exhibit: Hands-on activities and creative exhibits. Sign up online for a play session at ameliaparkmuseum.org. Hours: Mon. 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Thu.-Sun., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Open for groups Tues. and Wed. $8 adults, $8 children (12 months and older), $4 grandpar ents/seniors (60+), military per sonnel and teachers receive a 10% discount off the price of regular admission. Members and infants free, 29 South Broad St., Westfield or ameliaparkmuseum.org
Berkshire Museum: “Winter Festi val: Solstice Celebration-Festival of Trees re-imagined,” through Jan. 8. “Wingmasters’ World of Owls,” Sat., 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. and 1:302:15 p.m. Meet live owls in the Little Cinema. $17 adults, $10 children (includes museum admission); members, $7 adults, $5 child. “Car ols of the Bell,” Sun., 2-2:45 p.m. Celebrate the holiday season with the First Congregational Church of Lee Handbell Choir. Included with museum admission. 39 South St., Pittsfield or berkshiremuseum. org
Childrens Museum at Holyoke: Permanent exhibit: Amazing world of learning and play. Hours: Tues.Fri., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sun., noon-4 p.m. Closed Mondays, closed Christmas Eve Day and Christmas Day. In the event of severe weather conditions, check Facebook or Instagram, or local TV Station 22 for closures. Children & adults $8;
CONTINUES FROM PAGE E2
3:30 p.m.
Only on Sunday, the Ne’er Do Wells, historians and musicians, will appear at the Union Meetinghouse from 10:30-11:30 a.m., and there will be trolley rides to and from the Eastern States Farmers Market, leaving from behind the gazebo from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Also on Sunday, there will be a Red Oak Church Service from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Union Meetinghouse and Santa and Mrs. Claus will return from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Potter Mansion kitchen. The Yuletide fun contin
ues from Dec. 6 through 10 with open house tours of the museum’s decorated build ings with costumed guides offering information on the buildings and what might have been happening in each at that time of year. Admission is $8 and free for children age 6 and younger. Reserve your tour time ahead or drop in on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Last tour departs at 3 p.m. For a more romantic interpretation of the holiday season of yesteryear, you can visit the ornately dec orated buildings by candle and lantern light on Dec. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. during Lan tern Light Evening. Tickets for the special night are $12
and include holiday treats. Carriage rides will also be available for an additional charge. Tickets are available in advance for the special evening, which usually sell out, and for the carriage rides, at storrowton village.com.
“Our Lantern Light Evening is magical and just wonderful and the best way to get a true feel for what the 19th century holiday was like,” Fontaine said.
While at Storrowton, visitors can get a little Christmas shopping done in the museum gift shop and Christmas shop. Parking is free for Storrowton events. For more information, visit StorrowtonVillage.com.
WineCONTINUES FROM PAGE E5
Tasting notes — I have long been a big fan of red wines made with merlot grapes. They’re often softer and more understated than many cabernet sauvignons, especially from California. I’m not sure where the merlot grapes came from for this particular wine. The label simply says, “Ameri can merlot,” although the wine was bottled in Califor nia. This wine is definitely the driest of the three red wines reviewed this week. Its flavors include cherry and red licorice like the oth er two reds. There are also hints of black licorice, plum and blackberry.
• Oak Leaf Vineyards pinot grigio
Tasting notes — First, let me just say how impressed overall I am with all three white wines reviewed this week. All of them taste great and they’re an abso lute steal at $3 for a 750 ml bottle or $5.98 for a 1.5 liter bottle, which was the only size I could find for all six wines. This wine’s flavors range from lemon zest to
hints of peach, melon and a dash of green apple. It’s light, bright and refresh ing — the perfect everyday white wine, especially on hot summer days.
• Oak Leaf Vineyards chardonnay
Tasting notes — Chardon nay wines often grab all the attention when it comes to white wine. They’re “The Avengers” and “The Dark Knight Rises” (the two most popular movies in 2012) all rolled into one. I’ve had my issues with chardonnays over the years, especially since some of them from California cost so much and taste like they have been soaked in butter and salt for hours. That’s why I was so impressed by this $3 chardonnay from Oak Leaf Vineyards. There are no over-the-top butter flavors in this wine. Yes, there are definitely some butter flavors. But they’re subtle and understated and they’re not even the most dominant flavors. In addition, there are hints of apricot, orange zest, lemon and grapefruit. I cannot say enough great things about this delicious, affordable, California char donnay.
• Oak Leaf Vineyards moscato
Tasting notes — If I had to pick just one wine as
my favorite this week, this white wine would win hands down. Moscato wines made with muscat grapes are nor mally slightly sweet wines. So I fully expected this wine to be slightly sweet. What I didn’t expect was how com plex and fascinating this wine turned out to be. Its flavors ranged from hints of peach, pineapple and sour candy. In many respects, this wine reminded me of a young Sauterne, a sweet French dessert wine from the Bordeaux region. I know some of you might find this hard to believe, but I cannot stress enough how truly im pressed I was by this wine.
Let me add that the last line of my first wine column still holds true a decade later when it comes to Walmart wines or inexpen sive wines in general. “The next time you’re standing in a liquor store trying to decide whether to buy a sixpack of beer or a bottle of wine, don’t be discouraged by the high price tags on many wine bottles. There are affordable options out there — if you know where to look.”
Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican’s weekend section every Thursday.
seniors (62+) $5; children under 1 year of age and members are free, 444 Dwight St., Holyoke or child rensmuseumholyoke.org
Connecticut Science Center: Permanent exhibit: Hands-on, interactive experiences with more than 150 exhibits in 10 galleries and a range of topics, including space and earth sciences. Hours: Tues.Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Adults $24.90; seniors (65+) $22.95; children ages 3-17 $16.95; free for members. 250 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford or ctsciencecenter.org
Connecticut Trolley Museum: Winterfest and the “Tunnel of Lights,” through Dec. 23, Fri.-Sun., 5-9 p.m. Additionally the muse um will be open from Dec. 26-30 during school vacation break. Tickets must be purchased in advance at ct-trolley.org. $15-$20 per person. “Storytime Trolley with Santa & Elf,” Dec. 3, 10. The museum will add Dec. 17 if the first two days fill up. Visitors will enjoy a ride in a decorated vintage trolley car where Santa will visit with each child. also, while on board Santa’s elf will read a holiday story and each child will complete a holiday craft. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Visit ct-trolley.org. $25 for any age, 58 North Road, East Windsor.
East Longmeadow Historical Commission Museum: Perma nent exhibit: Historical artifacts. Featured at the museum are East Longmeadow artifacts pertaining to the quarries, local Native Amer icans, period clothing, the railroad system, and much more. Hours: 1-3 p.m. on the third Saturday of the month, Sept.-June, weather permitting. Free, 87 Maple St., East Longmeadow.
Edith Wharton The Mount: “Nightwood,” through Jan. 1, 5 p.m. An innovative outdoor sound and light experience that immerses visitors in a fantastical winter land scape. Closed Dec. 24-25. General admission: $22 adults; $10 kids 6-18; free for children 5 and under, 2 Plunkett St., Lenox or edith wharton.org
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art: “Eric Carle’s Book Birth days,” through March 5.
“Celebrating Collage: A 20th An niversary Celebration,” through Dec. 31. “ The Carle Collection: Recent Acquisitions,” through April 9. Permanent exhibit: Gabrielle Healy Carroll Storytime Programs are held Tues. and Fri. 10:30 a.m.; Sat. 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m., free with admission. Museum hours: Weds.-Fri, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun, noon-5
p.m. $6, $9, $22.50 for a family of four, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst or carlemuseum.org.
Holyoke Heritage State Park: Permanent exhibit: Preserving the history and culture of Holyoke through permanent exhibits on the paper and textile industry. Also featuring a new scale model of Mountain Park. Visitor Center open Wed.-Sun., noon to 4 p.m. Closed Mon.-Tues. Free admission. mass. gov/locations/holyoke-heritage -state-park. Free, 221 Appleton St., Holyoke, 413-534-1723.
Josiah Day House: Permanent exhibit: Featuring guided tours, artifacts, furniture, clothing and documents from 1754-1902. Call for open house schedule and indi vidual tours. $3, $1 children 6-12, free for members, 70 Park St., West Springfield or 413-734-8322.
Mead Art Museum: Permanent exhibit: Various American and European paintings, Mexican ceramics, Tibetan scroll paintings and more. Tues.-Thu. and Sun. 9 a.m.-midnight; Fri. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free, 220 South Pleasant St., Amherst or amherst. edu
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Permanent exhibit. Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $28 adults (16-24); $23 seniors (63+); $19 youth (5-15); $23 students with valid high school or college ID, free for ages under 5, 1000 West Columbus Ave., Springfield or hoophall.com
Norman Rockwell Museum: “Norman Rockwell Drawings, 19141976,” through Jan. 7.
“Eloise and More: The Life and Art of Hilary Knight”: through March 12. “Norman Rockwell’s Spir it of the Holidays,” through Feb. 5.
Permanent exhibit: Gallery. Hours: Thu.-Mon., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed Tues. and Wed. Advance ticket purchase required. $20 adults; $18 seniors, AAA, retire military; $10 college students, free children ages 18 and under, members and active military. “Best Day Ever! Holidays & Celebration,” Sat.-Sun.,11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Activities inspired by “The 365 Days of Eloise: My Book of Holidays.” Free for kids, teens and members, or included with admission. Reservations required, or admitted as space allows. reser vations at nrm.org/events. 9 Route 183, Stockbridge.
Old Sturbridge Village: Nov. 25Jan. 1, OSV will only be open during Christmas by Candlelight, Fri.-Sun., 2-8 p.m. $28, $26 seniors, $14 college students with ID & children 4-17, free for children 3 and under, Route 20, Sturbridge or osv.org
Springfield Armory National His toric Site: Ranger-led interpretive programs offered in the museum
in the afternoon. Junior Ranger programs conducted frequently each day. Hours are Wed.-Sun., 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. 1 Armory Square, Springfield or nps.gov/spar Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Mu seum: Permanent exhibit: Daniel Anthony’s Store, The Legacy Room, The Birthing Room, The Portrait Gallery. Open Fri.-Sun., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $10 adults, $8 seniors, $6 students and children 6-17, free for children under 6 and NARM/ NEMA/ROAM members, 67 East Road, Adams or susanbanthony birthplace.com
The Emily Dickinson Museum: Admission to the museum is by guided tour, for which advance pur chase timed tickets are required. Visit EmilyDickinsonMuseum. org/ to purchase your tickets and for more information. 280 Main St., Amherst.
Titanic Museum: Permanent ex hibit: Exhibits from the collection of the International Titanic Historical Society. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $4, $2 children and students, 208 Main St., Indian Orchard or titanic1.org
University Museum of Contem porary Art - Fine Arts Center: Permanent exhibit. The Fine Arts Center requires patrons to be fully vaccinated to attend perfor mances. Masks are not required, but are welcome and encour aged. The University Museum is open through May 1; Tue.–Fri., 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., noon–4 p.m.; and first Thursdays until 8 p.m. Closed Mondays, holidays, and academic breaks. Check for snow days at umass.edu/closing/. 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst
Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum: Permanent exhibit: guided tours of the first and second floors. Effective New Year’s Day, Ventfort Hall will be open week days from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Self-guided tours are on the hour with the last self-guided tour week days at 2 p.m. and weekends at 3 p.m. Masks are required and social distancing will be practiced. Call to reserve at 413-637-3206. Admis sion is $18 adults, $17 seniors (65+), $10 students with ID and $7 chil dren 5-17. Live performance of “A Christmas Carol” with British actor Gerald Charles Dickens today. Tea at 5:30 p.m., followed by perfor mance at 7 p.m., $65. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 413-637-3206.All tickets are nonrefundable and nonexchange able. Payment is required to make a reservation for an event. Masks are required. “Burgundy Wine Sem inar,” Fri., 5:30-7 p.m. Experience the 2020 Vintage from world-re nowned Maison Louis Jadot. Cost is $40 per person. To purchase tickets, call Nejaime’s Wine Cellars
at 413-637-2221. 104 Walker St., Lenox or gildedage.org
Wistariahurst Museum: Perma nent exhibit: Gardens and grounds open daily from dawn to dusk. Carriage House and gift shop open Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For infor mation about house tours, group tours and upcoming events visit wistariahurst.org. $7 Holyoke resi dents; $5 seniors; $5 youth (under 18); free museum members, active military and family members. 238 Cabot St., Holyoke or wistaria hurst.org
Yiddish Book Center: Permanent exhibit, “A Velt mit veltelekh: The Worlds of Jewish Culture.” The center will be open to the public on Thu., Fri., Sun. and Mon. from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed Shabbos (Saturday) and Jewish and legal holidays. $8 adults, $6 seniors, free for members, students and children, 1021 West St., Amherst or yiddishbookcenter.org
A.P.E. Gallery: Permanent exhibit. Hours: Tues.-Thu., noon-5 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., noon-8 p.m.; Sun., noon5 p.m. “Missing Department,” through Dec. 10. Visual works by Ligia Bouton and poetry by Matt Donovan. Student poetry reading on Dec. 9, 7-9 p.m. 126 Main St., Northampton or apearts.org Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gal lery: Permanent exhibit. Hours: Tues.-Fri. 12:30-4:30 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. First floor of building 28. 1 Armory Square, Springfield, 413-755-5258.
Anchor House of Artists: Art of Vision Series/25th anniversary, through Dec. 30. Tues.-Sat., 1-6 p.m. Closed Sun.-Mon. and Dec. 16, 17, 23, 24. Gala celebration to be held Dec. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m., anchorhouseartists.org. 518 Pleasant St., Northampton Forbes Library: Dec. gallery exhib its Fri.-Dec. 29, reception Dec. 10, 2-4 p.m. Metal sculpture by Brian McQuillan, photographs by Dave Medeloni and “Above and Below: Prints and Watercolors” by Olwen Dowling. 20 West St., Northamp ton or forbeslibrary.org
Gallery A3 Amherst Art Alliance: “Small Wonders” Holiday Show and Sale, Fri.-Dec. 30, opening reception today, 5-7 p.m. Hours: Thu.-Sun., 2-7 p.m.; Dec. 24, 2-4:30 p.m.; closed New Year’s Eve and Christmas Day. 28 Amity St., Am herst or 413-256-4250.
Hope and Feathers Framing and Gallery: 11th annual Small Works Show, today through Jan. 12. Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thu. 10 a.m.- 8 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. until Jan. 12. 319 Main St., Amherst or hopeandfeathersframing.com
Indian Orchard Mills Dane Gallery: All new exhibits every month fea turing the artists at Indian Orchard Mills. Hours: Sat., noon-4 p.m., or by appointment. 34 Front St., Indian Orchard; -413-543-3321.
J. H. Miller Custom Framing and Gallery: Featuring the works of local artists. Hours Mon.-Fri. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thu. 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 86 Elm St., West Springfield, 413-732-9128.
Sunnyside Road Gallery: Featuring the work of Carolyn Avery. Hours: Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or by calling 413-569-0384. 52 Sunnyside Road, Southwick.
Great Falls Discovery Center: Story Walk Series, through Jan. 1. “Thanks to the Animals,” by Allen Sockabasin, for young readers ages 6-8 and anyone grateful for wildlife. 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls or great fallsma.org
Mt. Greylock State Reservation: Visitor’s Center. Interpretive exhibits explore the park’s story through ar tifacts and displays. Trail maps, hike guidance, 13-minute orientation film, bathrooms, and drinking water are available. Wheelchair accessible. 30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough
Natural Bridge State Park: Visitors Center exhibits daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., year-round; explore the park story through displays, artifacts and scavenger hunts. $2 parking fee, programs are free, 107 McAuley Road, North Adams.
Farmers Market at Forest Park: Winter Farmers Market Sat., 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Dec. 3, 17. Featuring fresh produce, holiday shopping, prepared foods, food trucks. Indoors and outdoors. Free park entry to market shoppers. Sumner Avenue, Springfield or farmersmarketat forestpark.com
Hampshire Mall: Winter Farmers Market inside the Target hallway of the Hampshire Mall. Find vegeta bles, meats, baked goods, crafts and more. Sat., 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Dec. 3-March 25. Family-friendly and handicap accessible. EBT/HIP accepted. Located on the PVPA 43 & FC buslines. Free and ample parking. wfmhm.com, 367 Russell St., Hadley
The Republican is not responsible for unannounced schedule changes. Listings must be received two weeks before the date of the event. Items should be mailed to Entertainment Guide, The Republican, P.O. Box 1329, Springfield, MA 01102-1329, emailed to pmastriano@repub.com or submit ted to masslive.com/myevent
The Drake: The Baxby’s, Toxic Friends, Daniel Blair and The For gottens. 44 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
Theodores’: Tommy Whalen & The Ragged Edge. 201 Worthington St., Springfield
Whip City Brew: DJ with dance. 287 Elm St., Westfield
Doc’s Place: Karaoke. 1264 Granby Road, Chicopee
Tavern Restaurant: Trivia Night. 2 Broad St., Westfield
The Drake: Northampton Jazz Work shop with Sheryl Bailey. 44 North Pleasant St., Amherst
American Legion Post 351: Open mic with Kevin Crane. 50 Saint Kolbe Drive, Holyoke
Doc’s Place: Karaoke. 1264 Granby Road, Chicopee
Irish Cultural Center: Tavern Carolers at ICC. Morgan Road, West Springfield
The Republican is not responsible for unannounced schedule changes. List ings must be received two weeks before the date of the event. Items should be mailed to Entertainment Guide, The Re publican, P.O. Box 1329, Springfield, MA 01102-1329, emailed to pmastriano@ repub.com or submitted to masslive. com/myevent
her debut album, “Speak” and dropped her second album, “A Little More Personal (Raw),” the following year. Lohan then vanished musically until a 2020 single, “Back to Me.” But Lohan revealed to Who
What Wear that she has a “ton of songs that are sitting, waiting. Maybe five years down the line, I’ll do another album.”
But the next music you hear from her might be in a differ ent format.
“If you hear music from me, it will hopefully be in a movie musical,” she said.