Alright friends, Taste 2 Towns officially kicked off Monday, January 26 (well, kinda, on account of all the snow) and runs through Sunday, February 8 which means Mansfield + Windham are about to be your excuse to “just grab a quick bite” (and somehow end up in a food coma). The special menus are live right now at taste2towns.com, with participating restaurants serving up prix fixe menus and takeout specials that are basically built for trying new spots without overthinking it.

Send us your pics + mini reviews (we want the inside intel 👀)

If you hit any Taste 2 Towns restaurant this week, reply to this email or DM us with:

We’ll feature the best ones in the next issue so everyone knows what’s actually worth ordering.

Reminder: The CT Buzz Passport Challenge is LIVE ✅

We launched the Passport in the last write-up, and it’s waiting for you to complete it. Complete 4 out of 6 checklist items and you’ll be entered to win prizes (we’ll announce the prizes in an upcoming newsletter). Four winners total.

✅ Eat at a participating spot in Mansfield
✅ Eat at a participating spot in Windham (Willimantic)
✅ Hit a breakfast/coffee stop
✅ Do a lunch stop
✅ Do a dinner stop
✅ Grab a dessert/sweet treat

To count your checkmarks, just send us the photos with the restaurant + what you ordered.

Posting on socials? Help spread the love

If you share your meal on Instagram or Facebook:

Now go do your civic duty and support local restaurants… one bite at a time.

🐶Adopt-a-pal: Meet Indie, a gorgeous 1-year-old Shepherd mix with sweet, snuggly “lap dog in a medium dog body” energy, and she’s smart enough to keep up with your busiest days. She’s great with dogs, kids, and even cats, basically the full-package bestie waiting for you.

🏡House of the week: This Stafford Springs Colonial is pure “they don’t make ’em like this anymore” energy, with real hardwoods, rich original woodwork + built-ins, and a heated sunroom that screams coffee-and-a-book season. Bonus: newer roof/windows, a cozy fireplace insert, and over an acre to garden, roam, and pretend you’re the main character. Have a look!

🕰️Indoor gem of the week: Coventry Arts & Antiques is a total cold-day treasure hunt, packed with vintage finds, weird little collectibles, and “I didn’t know I needed this” gems that’ll have you leaving with a bag you swore you weren’t buying.

🔭Sky report: Look low in the west right after sunset on Wed (1/28) + Thu (1/29) and you’ll catch Venus + Mercury doing a rare little glow-up together, like the sky accidentally queued up a romantic montage. Then Sun (2/1) the Full Snow Moon shows up and absolutely floods Tolland County with “wow it’s BRIGHT out” energy all night.

🎉 Connecticut Buzz Dinner Club is back for installment #3 on Thursday, Feb 19 at 6pm in Glastonbury and if your calendar’s been looking a little too “couch + doomscroll,” consider this your sign.

We’ll match you with five other locals who actually fit your vibe (interests, food prefs, personality, all of it), then text you the mystery restaurant that morning so it still feels like a mini adventure. Just show up hungry.

Halfway through, we drop the mystery after-spot where all the tables link up and the night turns into one big “wait…this is hilarious” hang.

$16 bucks locks your seat and covers the matching, booking, planning, and all the behind-the-scenes work so you can skip the annoying group text dance and just go have a night.

👉 Take the quiz, grab your spot, and let’s make a random Thursday feel like a win. 👇

Reserve your seat now!

Are you over 50 and aging independently without a spouse, children, or family in your daily life? This unique website was created for you: SoloAgersConnect.com.

There are over 16 million solo agers in the U.S.  and 250,000 in Connecticut. SoloAgersConnect.com connects solos with information, resources, trusted service providers, events, and community.

Sign up for this Coffee Social in Tolland on Friday, February 6, at 2 PM, to meet other local Solos in a safe and welcoming environment.

RSVP HERE. 

Storrs | Permanent Jewelry Pop Up | 12-3pm - It’s not often you can grab a hot dog and a piece of permanent jewelry in the same place, but that’s exactly what’s happening at Nikki’s Dog House (1244 Storrs Rd).

Vernon | Life Drawing | 6:30pm $ - On the last Tuesday of the month, Arts Center East (709 Hartford Tpke) holds an un-instructed life drawing session to sketch live nude models. Register

TRIVIA

Bond 124 - Somers | 7-8:30pm

Storrs | Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Fundraiser | 11am-9pm - If you head into Nikki’s Dog House (1244 Storrs Rd) and grab some grub, a percentage of all proceeds will go to benefit the camp!

Storrs | Opening Reception | 4:30-6:30pm - The William Benton Museum of Art (245 Glenbrook Rd) is debuting two new exhibitions: the 2026 Studio Art Faculty Exhibition and Raid The Archive: New Eyes of Horsebarn Hill. Admission is free, but there is a suggested donation of $5. RSVP

Tolland | Business Over Breakfast | 8-9:30am - This one is for all you Tolland County Chamber members! Business Over Breakfast will be at Radial Coffee Co. (12 Goose Ln). Register

Stafford | Setback Night | 6-9pm $ - There’s only one thing that makes a night of playing Setback better, and that’s playing Setback with some hard cider. And wouldn’t you know it? Stafford Cidery (68 Main St) is offering that chance up. $5 gets you into the game, with a chance to split the pot (other half goes to a local non-profit/charity). Worth going just for the cider (and yes, I’ve tried them before, and can personally recommend them).

Tolland | Dance Through the Decades | 6:30-7:30pm $ - Shakeup Makeup (45 Industrial Park Rd West) is holding a dance fitness class featuring music from the 50’s all the way up to today! Sweat to the oldies, and the…newies? I am a true wordsmith. Tix

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Rocking Horse - Vernon | Rated M and Project 267 | 8pm
⬢ Joannas - Somers | Brookfield Rhythm | 6:30-9:30pm
⬢ Hops 44 - Storrs | Good Vibes | 6:30-9:30pm
⬢ Four Seasons by the Lake - Stafford | FEEDBACK | 8-11pm
⬢ Blackledge Country Club - Hebron | DR9 Duo | 6:30-9:30pm

TRIVIA

Worthington Vineyards - Somers | 6-8pm
Cassidy Hill Vineyard - Coventry | 6:30pm

Coventry | Winter Poetry Festival | 6-9pm - Come celebrate the 3rd year of poetry by the Coventry Arts Guild at Mill Brook Place (1267 Main St). Music by local musicians, and, of course, poetry!

Ellington | HOGS & DOGS | 11am-1pm - Old School Harley-Davidson (398 Somers Rd) is hosting a dog adoption event in conjunction with PawSafe Rescue. Meet adoptable dogs on-site, check out the raffle prizes, and donate to help the shelter out!

Ellington | Mini Golf at the Library | 9am-5pm $ - Hall Memorial Library (93 Main St) is transforming into an indoor mini-golf course (yes, complete with decorations!). This fundraiser will have activities for all ages, and all proceeds go to help support future library programs and services. And at $5/ticket, that’s an awesome deal! Also, don’t miss out on the teacup raffle, with a chance to win passes to the 2026 Traveler’s Championship!

Mansfield | Office of State Archaeology Year-In-Review | 2pm - State Archaeologist Dr. Sarah Sportman will be at the Mansfield Public Library (54 Warrenville Rd) giving a wrap up on fieldwork, research, and activities undertaken by the Office of State Archaeology.

Rockville | Fuel the Fest | 12-3pm $ - Help support the Meet on the Street Festival by going to check out the New England Motorcycle Museum (200 West Main St). Donation gets you entry to the museum and a coffee!

Somers | Vision Board Workshop | 11am-3pm $ - Start your year off with positive intentions and creativity at The Wycked Cauldron. Spots are limited, so send them a message if you’re interested.

Stafford Springs | Guided Rhythm Circle | 3-5pm $ - Connect with your inner drummer boy (or girl) and make some noise with Michelle at Let’s Get Wired (64 Main St). Drums are provided for the first 10 sign-ups, space is limited. Send Michelle a message to check for availability.

Vernon | Gelli Plate Prints | 10am $ - This two-day course covers the world of Gelli plate printing (look it up, it’s actually pretty interesting) at Arts Center East (709 Hartford Tpke). Bring home a uniquely-you work of art. Sign Up

Willington | Family Movie Time: Snow Buddies | 12:30pm - The Willington Public Library (7 Ruby Rd) is doing a big-screen Saturday showing of Snow Buddies (Rated G), and yes, there’s complimentary popcorn plus you can bring your lunch.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Rocking Horse - Vernon | Savage Brothers Band | 8pm
⬢ Joannas - Somers | Country Steel | 6:30-9:30pm
⬢ Four Seasons by the Lake - Stafford | Kenny and Friends | 7-11pm
⬢ Hops 44 - Storrs | Chris Marolda | 6:30-9:30pm

TRIVIA

Stafford Cidery - Stafford | 6:30pm

Hebron | Cuisine For Charity | 5:30pm $ - Treat yourself to a four-course meal at Gina Marie’s Restaurant (71 Main St), which will be raising money for Andover Hebron Marlborough (AHM) Youth Services. Cash bar, silent auction. Check out the menu options here.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Four Seasons by the Lake - Stafford | Arizona Maid Band | 2pm

Vernon | The Alignment Reset | 5:30-6:30pm $ - The Mindfulness Studio (927 Hartford Tpke) is holding a six-week course in mindfulness. Sign Up