Jan 8: Sunday Salons: Reinventing Thomas Cole’s Home Coming in May, the Thomas Cole National Historic Site will unveil a decade-long, high-tech audio-visual project that has revived the two main parlors in the artist’s historic house. At this special lecture, the force behind the project leads guests through a sneak preview of the installation, which lets visitors experience how Cole utilized the spaces in his creative process, rather than stare at cold objects from behind velvet ropes. 2 p.m. $10–$12. • Thomas Cole National Historic Site, 218 Spring St, Catskill, 518.943.7465; www.thomascole.org
Jan 14: Hypno Hype Hypnotist Asad Mecci has hypnotized people on live television and radio — and here does so on the stage. 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Call for pricing. • Proctors, 432 State St, Schenectady, 518.346.6204; www.proctors.org
Jan 21–22: Monster Jam Dozens of monster trucks race and perform drastic stunts. Sat 7 p.m. Sun 1 p.m. $18‑$43, prices increase by $2 on day of event. • Times Union Center, 51 S Pearl St, Albany, 518.487.2000; www.timesunioncenter-albany.com
Jan 27: The Popovich Pet Theater Moscow Circus veteran Gregory Popovich combines his juggling and acrobatic talents with more-than-adorable animals — all of whom are rescue animals. 7 p.m. $35, $25 children.
Jan 28: #IMOMSOHARD LIVE Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley are the hilarious moms behind the wildly popular #IMomSoHard web series — which has amassed 400,000 Facebook followers — that drops truth bombs on all things mothering, the good, the bad, and the messy. 8 p.m. $30–$50. • Tarrytown Music Hall, 13 Main St, Tarrytown, 914.631.3390; www.tarrytownmusichall.org
Jan 28: Hudson Valley Wingfest The region’s largest event celebrating all-things wings, this 10th annual festival features countless flavors of wings, all made by local chefs. 5 p.m. $22–$50. • Mid-Hudson Civic Center, 14 Civic Center Plaza, Poughkeepsie, 845.454.5800; www.midhudsonciviccenter.org
Our Pick
Valentine’s Day might not be until next month, but you can still spruce up your love life with a unique day out with your significant other. At Date and Create, couples spend the evening creating works of art together. During the two-hour session, an instructor teaches you how to create bookends from wood and stone (which you can take home), while light refreshments and wine are served. Participants must be 21 or older and must pre-register.
Jan 13, 7 p.m. $100, $30 non-refundable registration fee, Rockland Center for the Arts, 27 S Greenbush Rd, West Nyack, 845.358.0877; www.rocklandartcenter.org
