Good morning! You’re reading Western Mass Insider, your insider look at what’s fun, fresh, and worth discovering close to home. Each week, I round up events, local business spotlights, and hidden gems around Western Mass and nearby CT to give you a few more reasons to get out and explore.

Fair warning: you sent in so many favorite coffee spots that if you see me in three towns before noon, just wave. I’ll be the one holding two lattes. Saturday night has me torn between Billy Joel, Ozzy, and Stevie Nicks, which is a sentence I never expected to type. Grab a cup, pick your adventure, and I’ll save you a seat.

Want more ideas? Browse the Western Mass Insider Events Calendar for things happening all month. Find something you love, text a friend, and make it a plan.

Turgeon & Associates in East Longmeadow

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Some songs make you want to turn to the person beside you and sing the whole chorus. A night of Billy Joel gives you plenty of those.

Stiletto brings the hits, fan favorites, and deeper cuts to View Street Tavern this Saturday, with a few other songs from the era mixed in. Get your Billy Joel people together and make a night of it in Chicopee.

Saturday, November 7, 8 p.m.
View Street Tavern, 92 View Street, Chicopee
$11.50 general admission. Doors open at 5 p.m.

Friday, November 6: Kelli Baker: Blue 52 Series Kickoff
52 Sumner, Springfield | 7:30 p.m.
Kelli Baker kicks off the new Blue 52 Series with her mix of rock, soul, and blues. Big voice, cozy listening room.

Saturday, November 7: UnionJack and Friends Annual Celebration of the Music of the 60's and 70's
Holyoke Elks Lodge #902, Holyoke | 6 p.m.
The GoodFellas and The Earlybirds share the stage with UnionJack for a night of 60s, 70s, and 80s favorites. $23.18. Dust off the go-go boots.

Saturday, November 7: A Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne with Torie Jock & Damage Control
White Lion Brewing Company, Springfield | 7 to 10 p.m.
The Prince of Darkness gets the tribute treatment right downtown. Bark at the moon, responsibly.

Saturday, November 7: Fleetwood Mac & Stevie Nicks: Wild Heart Tribute
Bright Ideas Brewing, Westfield | 7 to 10 p.m.
Rhiannon and the whole Fleetwood Mac songbook live in the taproom. Doors at 6, all ages, $15 presale and $20 at the door. Lace up the platform boots.

Good music is even better with good company. Find your next night out.

Fresh baked bread, a Colombian breakfast, and a few things you might be tempted to bring home for lunch. There’s plenty to get curious about at the Italian Bread Shop & International Restaurant on Orange Street in Springfield.

The familiar neighborhood bakery is open again, with Pan de Agua and Pan Sobao baked fresh every morning. The menu also includes mofongo, custom subs, pastries, and house Avena Cubana. If you remember stopping in for bread when the Santos family ran the shop, here’s a reason to revisit. And if this is your first introduction, go hungry. You may leave with more than a loaf.

Italian Bread Shop & International Restaurant | 185 to 189 Orange St., Springfield

Open daily 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

There’s a certain satisfaction in finding a gift and immediately knowing who it’s for. This weekend’s Old Deerfield Holiday Sampler gives you more than 200 crafters, designers, and artists to browse for those moments.

Expect pottery, jewelry, woodworking, specialty foods, and plenty of things you’ll be tempted to keep for yourself. Bring someone who likes to wander the booths with you. There’s also a miniature New England village dressed for the holidays, family craft activities, and visits with Santa.

Saturday, November 7, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, November 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Better Living Center, Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield
$10 adults. Children 12 and under are free.

A Friday night looking through a rooftop telescope? That got my attention.

Stars Over Springfield brings together a planetarium show, a short astronomy talk, and stargazing at the Springfield Science Museum’s rooftop observatory. This month, museum staff and Springfield STARS Club members will also explain how to use telescopes and binoculars. A particularly useful outing if someone in your house has a telescope on their holiday wish list.

Friday, November 6, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Springfield Science Museum, 21 Edwards Street, Springfield
$7 public admission. $5 members. Recommended for ages 8 and older.

Registration required. Rooftop viewing depends on weather.

Dinner downtown and a T-Birds game sounds like a pretty good way to spend a November night. The Hershey Bears are in town for two games this weekend, giving you a Friday or Saturday option.

Make it a date, bring the kids, or get a few friends together. Once the crowd gets going, it’s easy to get caught up in the game.

Friday, November 6, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, November 7, 6:05 p.m.
MassMutual Center, 1277 Main Street, Springfield
Check the calendar listing for tickets.

Sixty musicians, 29 voices, and the beautiful acoustics of Springfield Symphony Hall. This Sunday’s free concert sounds like an afternoon worth sharing.

Presented by Spirit of Springfield, the U.S. Army Field Band and Soldiers’ Chorus will bring America’s Army stories to life through music. The program includes “America the Beautiful,” “The Star-Spangled Banner,” an Armed Forces salute, and selections ranging from Rodeo’s “Hoe-Down” to “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

With Veterans Day approaching, it’s a lovely opportunity to bring a veteran in your life, gather the family, or simply enjoy an afternoon of music honoring military members and their families.

Sunday, November 8, 2 p.m.
Springfield Symphony Hall, 34 Court Street, Springfield
Free admission

Pick up free tickets at Pride Stores, the Springfield Visitors Center, or the security desk at One Financial Plaza, 1350 Main Street. Guests without tickets may also attend, with seating beginning 10 minutes before the performance.

Looking for something fun to do after work? An afternoon activity with the kids? Plans with friends? These outings and more are listed in the interactive Western Mass calendar!

You came through for this one! I asked where you go for your favorite cup of coffee, and the answers poured in. My coffee list just got a whole lot longer.

Pan’e Dolcetti, Wilbraham: Dianne N., Susan L., and Laura P. all sent us to this family owned cafe. It tied for the most mentions of any local shop, so I’m going hungry.

Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters: Barbara W. calls it the smoothest coffee she has ever had, and she loves the Route 9 cafe in Hadley for people watching. Sold!

Freckled Fawn Coffee, Granby: Heather E. put this newcomer on my radar. It’s at Deere Creek Farm, where you can sip your coffee with farm animals nearby. I can’t wait to see this one for myself.

More of your picks: Circuit Coffee in Westfield, Socialite Coffee Bar in Springfield, Agawam’s Java Stop in Feeding Hills, Cafe Tamra in West Springfield, Thirsty Mind in South Hadley, and Familiars in Northampton.

And to the more than a dozen of you who said the best cup is the one you pour at home, I love it. Thank you for sharing your favorites with me!

Tell us the one dish your Thanksgiving dinner is built around, plus your favorite local spot for pies and sides. I’ll share reader favorites next week, with plenty of time to place your order.

The kitchen caught my eye. Then I discovered there’s a second one! Natural-wood cabinets, soft ivory finishes, warm brass accents, and a generous island make the main kitchen a place you can picture everyone gathering. There’s a built-in breakfast nook, too. Tucked behind it, an oversized pantry and separate prep kitchen offer another refrigerator, dishwasher, sink, and two stoves designed to accommodate kosher cooking.

I can imagine that space getting plenty of use when the whole family comes for the holidays.

There’s a room for a movie night, a home gym, & places guests can spread out when they visit.

Outside, a stone patio, fire pit, and outdoor kitchen have me picturing dinner with friends that carries on long after the plates are cleared. There’s quite a bit to explore in this Longmeadow find!

$1,249,000 | 4 bedrooms | 3.5 baths | 4,711 sq. ft. | 0.38 acres

Listed by Vickie Allen, Coldwell Banker Realty

Tequila class is the new dinner-and-a-movie. Martie's hands-on tasting walks you through the agave flavors and then teaches you to mix your own cocktails, so the date continues at home, where you can now make a proper drink. Dinner, music, and trivia are all included. Newbies and seasoned sippers both welcome. I'd sign up for this one in a heartbeat. 21+.

Saturday, November 7 | 5 to 9 p.m.
Martie's, 9 Willard Ave., West Springfield
Tickets $50 per person, all sales final.

Holiday party season is almost here, and Paint Social Art is the answer to "what do we do for the team this year?" Supplies, step-by-step instruction, and zero experience required. You'll leave with a painting and probably a few inside jokes. They host group events, holiday parties, and fundraisers, too.

Good food, a few laughs, and a little adventure. Pick something that sounds fun, invite someone along, and make a night of it.

Have a friend who’d enjoy these finds? Send this their way!

See you next week,
Christine

Until next time … keep exploring Western Mass

Curated with care by Christine Carbonaro-Freda westernmassinsider.com