What To Do: Valentine’s Day Weekend

What To Do: Valentine’s Day Weekend: Joan Jett, Jane Eyre, Grandma the Clown and a Seared Scallop Ramen in mushroom Thai basil are just a few of the what to dos we came up with for Valentine’s Day. We added nine more Valentine’s Day weekend events … but who’s counting?

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – Ridgefield Playhouse: Sign us up for “I Love Rock n’ Roll”, “Bad Reputation”, “I Hate Myself for Loving You”, and “Crimson and Clover” (our fave) in the intimate Ridgefield Playhouse. This Valentine’s Day Gala features a champagne dinner and dessert from Dinner By the Bite before the show. Jett was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last April where she performed “Crimson and Clover” with Tommy James who wrote the song in 1968 and Miley Cyrus – who didn’t. She has had eight platinum and gold records and nine Top 40 singles throughout her career. “”Crimson and clover, over and over …”  Sun, 2/14: 8pm. (Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

National Theatre Live – Jane Eyre: Charlotte Bronte’s heroine was the ultimate survivor: overcoming poverty, injustice, and betrayal before her own bold fight for freedom. The Royal National Theatre’s December 2014 production of Sally Cookson’s reimaging of Charlotte Bronte’s heroine was cheered by the Evening Standard as “fresh, exciting and inventive.” Sun, 2/14: 2pm. (Performing Arts Center, 735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase; www.artscenter.org)

Stepcrew – Westchester Community College: Stepcrew combines Celtic music, vocals and three styles of percussive dance (Ottawa Valley Stepdance, Irish Stepdance, and Tap), in this high-energy production. The cast includes four touring members of The Chieftains, Ireland’s traditional music moguls, Canadian fiddle champion and the powerhouse vocals of Scotland’s Alyth McCormack. “Sun, 2/14: 3pm. (Westchester Community College, 75 Grasslands Rd., Valhalla: www/sunywcc.edu)

The 41st Annual Royal Hanneford Circus – The County Center: The stars of the 2016 Royal Hanneford Circus include Cuzin Grumpy’s Pork Chop Revue, Grandma The Clown from Big Apple Circus fame and the latest of The Royal Hanneford Family of Performers along with many of the old favorite acts! Sat-Mon, 2/13-15: 10am, 2 & 6pm. (Westchester County Center, 198 Central Ave., White Plains; www.countycenter.biz)

Saltaire Valentine’s Day Prix Fixe Dinner: If you haven’t read our review of Saltaire Oyster Bar in Port Chester you can read it here. Then book a table for their four-course Valentine’s Day Prix Fixe Dinner. They will be serving a Menafge a Foie, Spiced Carrot Risotto with chanterelle mushroom and mascarpone, and your choice of Seared Scallop Ramen in mushroom Thai Basil, Olive Oil Poached Salmon with cauliflower and raisin in a truffle sauce, or a Surf and Turf with a petite filet and a butter poached lobster tail with charred endive and smoky pear. (Saltaire, 55 Abendroth Ave., Port Chester, 914.939.2425; www.saltaireoysterbar.com)

Winston Valentine’s Prix Fixe Dinner: Chef Michael Williams of Winston in Mt. Kisco will prepare a special four-course Valentine’s Day Prix Fixe dinner with wine pairings and dessert. The menu features Salmon Tartar, Pan Seared Cod with truffle mushroom gnocchi, roasted cauliflower and a lemon caper sauce and your choice of Grilled Lamb Chops or Sliced NY Strip with Yukon potato puree, Brussels Sprouts and Kalamata Tapenade. For dessert, a duo of chocolate cookies with passion fruit sorbet. Read our review. (Winston, 130 E. Main St., Mt. Kisco, 914.244.9780; www.winstonrestaurant.com)

V-Dates at the New York Botanical Garden: Stroll through the expansive Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, talk to guides on hand about the many aphrodisiac plants that can be found at the Garden, and enjoy expert-led chocolate discussions and tastings—all included with an All-Garden Pass. A pop-up bar in the warmth of the Conservatory will be available with champagne, beer, and wine—all available for purchase. Lunch is available in the Hudson Garden Grill from 10am-2:30pm. Sun, 2/14: 10am-5pm. (NYBG, 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx; www.nybg.org)

More stuff to do on Valentine’s Day Weekend

Laughtrax: Ladies of Laughter – Stamford Palace Theatre: Winners of the nationwide Ladies of Laughter stand-up comedy competition tour each year on the Funny and Fabulous Tour that has taken them over the years from top comedy clubs to Las Vegas casinos and even Madison Square Garden. You can see this year’s show in Stamford. Fri, 2/12: 8pm. (The Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic Ave., Stamford; www.palacestamford.org)

Always Patsy Cline – Westchester Broadway Theatre: The show is based on a true story about Cline’s friendship with a fan from Houston who befriended the star in a Texas honky-tonk in 1961. Through letters and visits, the two share the homespun stories of laughter and heartache that brought together a housewife and a legendary country singer. The show features 27 classic songs, including “Crazy”, “Walkin’ After Midnight”, “I Fall to Pieces”, “Sweet Dreams” and “Back In Baby’s Arms“. Fri-Sat, 2/12-13: 6:15pm: check times. (Westchester Broadway Theatre, One Broadway Plaza, Elmhurst; www.broadwaytheatre.com)

Moon Mouse – Emelin Theatre: Follow Marvin the mouse in this Lightwire Theater production, as his quest to be popular with the cool kids takes him on a heroic cosmic adventure to the moon in a homemade rocket ship where he meets strange creatures, learns of infinite peril and experiences awesome beauty. Find out if Marvin’s cosmic adventure enacted in Lightwire’s signature brand of electroluminescent artistry will ultimately make his dreams of acceptance come true. Ages: 5-10 Sat, 2/13: 11am & 1:30pm. (Emelin Theatre, 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck; www.emelin.org)

LOCAL! Gruesome Playground Injuries – ARC Stages: Over the course of 30 years, the lives of Kayleen and Doug intersect at the most bizarre intervals, leading the two childhood friends to compare scars and the physical calamities that keep drawing them together. Gruesome Playground Injuries was written by Rajiv Joseph whose Broadway play Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo was a 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist for drama. Fri-Sat, 2/12-13: 8pm. (Arc Stages, 147 Wheeler Ave., Pleasantville; www.arcstages.org)

Big Head Todd and The Monsters – Capitol Theatre: Colorado’s favorite rock band has released five albums that charted on Billboard’s Top Album’s Charts including their 1993 Sister Sweetly that went platinum. They scored a big hit with their 2010 cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Beast of Burden” on their Rocksteady album that also featured a cover of Chester Burnett’s “Smokestack Lightning”. Fri, 2/12: 8pm. (Capitol Theatre, 149 Westchester Ave., Port Chester; www.thecapitoltheatre.com)

Darlene Love – Tarrytown Music Hall: A backup singer for The Blossoms and The Ronettes (“Da Doo Ron Ron”, “Be My Baby”, “Baby I Love You”), Phil Spector helped bring Darlene Love to stardom with her lead vocal hits for The Crystals “He’s a Rebel” and “Today I Met The Boy I’m Gonna Marry”. Rolling Stone Magazine has proclaimed her “one of the greatest singers of all time.” Her new CD, “Introducing Darlene Love” has been greeted with critical acclaim. Produced by Steven Van Zandt, it includes selections written for Darlene by Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and others. Fri, 2/12: 8pm. (Tarrytown Music Hall, 13 Main St. Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

Phil Vassar – Ridgefield Playhouse: Country music’s “piano man” performs his hits “Carlene”, “Just Another Day in Paradise”, “Six Pack Summer”, “Love is a Beautiful Thing”, and “I’ll Take That for a Yes (The Hot Tub Song)” Also on the bill is Jessica Lynn, the “country girl from New York” that has been hailed as the next Shania Twain. Fri, 2/12: 8pm. (Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org) 

Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour – Performing Arts Center, Purchase: The Wall Street Journal called it “the granddaddy of jazz events.” Every third weekend in September since 1958, jazz fans make the pilgrimage to Monterey, California for a three-day celebration of the best in jazz. This year the Monterey Jazz Festival hits the road bringing the Festival’s hallmark “traditionalist/untraditionalist” attitude and jazz-with-a-purpose exuberance to The Center. Sat, 2/13: 8pm. (Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase; www.artscenter.org)

Foreigner Unplugged – Capitol Theatre: 1970s hit makers, Foreigner unplugs for an acoustic evening of their 16 Top 30 hits that sold over 75 million in album sales including “Juke Box Heroes”, “Feels Like The First Time”, “Urgent”, “Waiting For A Girl Like You”, “Cold As Ice”, and “I Want To Know What Love Is”. Sat, 2/13: 8pm. (Capitol Theatre, 149 Westchester Ave., Port Chester; www.thecapitoltheatre.com)

Get the Led Out – Ridgefield Playhouse: GTLO, “the American Led Zeppelin” recreates the sound of Zep’s studio albums live with a six-piece band that can perform the multiple Jimmy Page overdubs on each song in a way that Zep could never do live. Yowza! Sat, 2/13: 8pm. (Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

More stuff What To Do: In & Around Town for February and March

For more Valentine’s Day chow houses check out our What To Eat: Restaurant Guide

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