For elementary school children interested in baseball, here’s a chance to dig inside the game, learn about its history, players, statistics, ballparks, team mascots and more. Newton dad and baseball fanatic Andrew Philips shares his love of baseball with kids through baseball cards. In 3 one-hour classes, Coach Andy introduces students to card-collecting terminology, online resources, card maintenance and storage. Classes include card games, trading to assemble an all-star team, and construction of a card storage box. Each child receives a storage box and enough cards ($20 worth) per class to get them started on their new hobby. There’s a wealth of information and fun associated with a baseball card, and this one-of-a-kind class is the perfect introduction to the game and card collecting. Classes are held on Jan 27, Feb 3 and Feb 10th, and the fee for the 3 weeks is $150.

There’s a new kids' art studio in Newton with creative classes, school vacation camps, and nights out for kids aged 18 months-10 years! Creation Station just opened a brick-and-mortar studio in Auburndale, with a full menu of engaging programs, including its upcoming “Art Play” class for budding artists aged 18 months-4 years old.

At Creation Station there are no run-of-the-mill arts and crafts projects—classes are designed to inspire imagination, spark curiosity, celebrate play, and promote arts exploration.

Subscribe to Creation Station's email list for event news and to try a free class. The Art Play class special is a two-for-one promotion--children attend with a friend or sibling for this 3-class series, for a single fee of $48/child, with a caregiver. Art Play Classes kick off next Monday and Tuesday! Address: 409 Lexington Street

In 2024 do you want to be more mindful? Drink less alcohol? Sleep better? Reduce stress? Be more creative? Newton’s newest cannabis dispensary, Green Lady in Newton Centre, has created a guide to the 10 ways cannabis can ease us into the new year. A family-owned and operated business, Green Lady launched its flagship store on Nantucket in 2019, expanding to Newton in 2023. With a focus on education and quality, Green Lady staff can make recommendations on the best products to help 21+ shoppers meet their personal objectives. Open 9-9 Mon-Sat and noon - 6 on Sunday. 740 Beacon Street, right next to Jake’s Falafel.

Kink Pilates offers reformer Pilates classes that don’t always look like traditional Pilates’ classes (there are glow-in-the-dark options, and tower classes) but are fun, engaging, and help clients meet their personal fitness goals. While not technically in Newton, Kink is right down the road in next-door Waltham, and its lofty, gorgeous, Architectural Digest-worthy studio offers such a different experience that it’s worth crossing town lines. Classes are small (six students, max) and there are options for all levels. One-on-one sessions are offered for those who prefer a private experience. Through January Kink has two new offers for those new to the studio: A package of 3 private sessions and 3 group classes for $299 or 2 weeks of unlimited classes for $129.

You could drive right by Redi, a dispensary at the corner of Route 9 and Elliot Street, and never even know it’s there. And if you’re a cannabis shopper, that would be a mistake. Redi opened in July,  2021 but its “hidden” location--adjacent to the CVS plaza and tucked behind the Sunoco gas station--makes it easy to overlook. The store’s driveway is on Elliot Street, with easy parking in its lot. It's spacious inside, with a game area, retail shopping, comfy seating with free WiFi, and a display of its extensive inventory of top-quality cannabis products. Redi is owned by three local childhood friends, Victor Chiang, Todd Finard and Eric Liebman, who work to hire and train a knowledgeable team, helping shoppers assess and purchase just the right products. Those turning to an alternative for Dry January, looking for help sleeping or natural remedies to common ailments, or pursuing recreational enhancements, may want to take the quick turn on Elliot Street and see what Redi has to offer.

There’s a new nail salon in Newton that you may not yet know about, but will get your fingers and toes dazzling in 2024, at a pretty unbeatable price. V Nails & Spa on Washington Street in Newtonville used to be part of Tri Zen Spa, but was sold off in 2023 and purchased by four local moms with young children and a penchant for mani-pedis. The nail salon is bright, spacious, and spotless and has 13 FREE parking spaces in front. V Nails offers traditional nail services and Dazzle Dry mani-pedis, but does not do acrylics. Pay with cash and the salon gives 5% off its already modest prices. To encourage the community to kick off the new year with a new mani-pedi from V Nails, the owners are offering 20% off ALL nail appointments booked by January 31—just mention “ALL OVER NEWTON” when making your appointment! Open Tues- Sun. 899 Washington Street

While some Pilates studios are new to Newton, Boston Body in West Newton has been a fixture for 20+ years, building a large and loyal following. Owner and instructor Allison Giue has been a part of the Boston Body West Newton community since 2013, and also has a studio in Natick. Between the two locations, she employs 13 instructors with different specialties. As a result, the studio offers a full schedule of diverse classes, including Reformer, Tower, Chair and Mat Pilates, and Barre. There are classes for students of all levels, ages, and fitness abilities —from newbies to those with more experience, and options for one-on-one training. For those new to Boston Body and who aspire to improve their fitness for the new year, the studio has two intro specials - 3 classes for $99 through January (Classes expire after 90 days.) or for a more personalized experience, an introductory private session for $125. Location: 1387 Washington Street

For those who prefer custom one-on-one training sessions to reach their fitness goals, Fitness Together, Newton Centre’s personal training studio, is ready to help. Whether it’s increasing bone density, improving cardiovascular health, strength training, developing and sticking with a regular workout, or recovering from an injury, the studio’s professional trainers keep clients on-track so goals are achieved and time spent working out is focused and effective. Stop by, talk about your fitness goals, and see if Fitness Together is for you. 796 Beacon St., Suite 2

Hair By Hanna has been a fixture in West Newton for 25+ years and Hanna, a licensed beautician, has earned a reputation for delivering upscale hair services at neighborhood prices. For the month of January, Hanna BenShabbat is offering 20% off any and every hair service—you name it--cut & color, balayage, even keratin treatments and perms. For a consumer looking for an otherwise pricy hair service (keratin treatments are usually $350+…) January is now the perfect time for it! Open 10-5 Mon-Thurs; 10-2 on Fri; and Sun by appointment. 1299 Washington Street.

Newton resident Henry Palmer is on a mission to change how we shop for everyday goods by making it easy and seamless to purchase sustainable products in 2024. His zero-waste on-line store, Lochtree, is a resource for top quality, sustainable goods for home, body, kids, and pets. The site’s well-crafted product descriptions, images, and videos remove the guesswork from online shopping, while product impact statements inform shoppers of the environmental and health benefits of each and every purchase. It also has starter bundles of sustainable products for newbies and offers subscriptions so we’ll never run out of our new favorite products. For those looking to tread a little lighter on the earth and switch to non-toxic, zero-waste, products, Lochtree has a 20% off January discount with code “NEWYEAR20.”

Tucked away on Dunstan Street is a buzzing, fully-equipped printmaking studio, offering classes, community, and a workspace that feels like a retreat, yet is a stone’s throw from Washington Street. Shepherd & Maudsleigh Studio has almost completed its expansion, adding another (gulp) 5000 square feet of art space to its existing 6000 square foot community print studio, making this new 11,000(!) square foot studio one of the largest of its kind, yet still remaining unknown to many in Newton. For those looking for a creative outlet for the new year, the studio has classes for newbies to seasoned artists, including all aspects of printmaking, drawing, bookmaking, papermaking, and other related fields. And, unlike other studios, classes are customized to meet the needs of students—from a few hours to multi-day intensive forays, where techniques are explained, skills developed, and artwork created. Learn more at their upcoming February Open House. Located at 27 Dunstan Street, W. Newton

For those looking for challenging, whole body exercise classes designed to strengthen bodies without wearing them down, exercise studio Cardio High in Auburndale may just be the right fit. Cardio High is the only studio we know of in Newton with a focus on extending clients’ “healthspans,” so we continue exercising injury-free in our 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, (and, hopefully, beyond). Their low impact classes integrate strength training, balance, core work, functional movement, and short bursts of cardio, delivering a healthy, whole body workout in under an hour. Classes are designed for all fitness levels, and the studio offers personal heart rate monitors to easily track one’s level of exertion, calories burned, and fitness progress over time. To celebrate 2024, Cardio High is offering first-timers 4 classes for $24. Try a class for free--it'll definitely be the "high" point of your day, and may be the key to staying fit all winter. Address: 271B Auburn Street.

Fulfilled Goods is a different kind of retail shop—where you save money and help save the earth by purchasing sustainable household, personal care, and pantry products. It’s also the only refillery in Newton, where shoppers bring in containers and fill them with everyday items from cleaners to spices and shampoo, paying for the product, not the packaging. With the feel of a general store, it’s a gorgeous shop, stocked with everyday items and thoughtful gifts. To welcome the community to the joy of sustainable shopping, throughout January, Fulfilled Goods is celebrating “Fulfilled Fridays,” where all refill purchases are 10% off. And for bakers, while supplies last, there’s a 20% off flour sale, so shoppers can try the shop’s selection of flours and baking mixes. Hours: Tues & Thurs: 3-7; Wed & Fri: 12-6; Sat & Sun: 12-4; Closed Mon. 612 Washington Street (across from Whole Foods)

By now you’ve probably heard that one of Newton’s last remaining independent gift shops, Just Next Door in Auburndale, is closing in February. Owner Amy Shih is selling off its inventory and all merchandise is marked down 50%. There are kitchen items, home decor, toys and games, gifts of all kinds, and lots of greeting cards.The only items not discounted are Sodastream exchanges. Store hours are: Mon-Wed: 10-6; Thurs: 10-7; Fri: 10-6; Sat: 9:30-5; Sun: Closed.

Natural Life recently opened its doors on Washington Street in Newtonville offering alternative, natural remedies for common ailments such as pain, insomnia, and anxiety. All of the store’s products are plant-based and only available to shoppers 21+. CBD, Kratom, and Kava are the three primary products Natural Life carries, and it also has mushroom-based products and supplements for overall wellness, energy, and mental focus.

Not to be mistaken for a dispensary, Natural Life’s focus is on plant-based wellness. As more consumers substitute herbal remedies for pharmaceuticals, the Natural Life franchise has grown, and Newton is now its 22nd location. Shoppers are encouraged to stop by to learn more about this new type of store in Newton, and, if interested, consult with a Natural Life health expert about possible remedies for nagging ailments and wellness enhancement. Address: 807 Washington Street.

The Body Center is a small, independent Reformer Pilates studio that opened in Brookline in 2005, and expanded to a second location in West Newton in 2022. This low-key, bright, welcoming exercise studio sidesteps fads, focusing instead on Pilates’ effective, time-tested core principles. Three instructors offer small-sized group classes most mornings, over lunch, early evenings, and weekends, with private training sessions available as well. The Body Center’s classes are leveled, so whether you’re new to Pilates or more experienced, there’s a class for you! New to The Body Center? Try their value-priced new client specials to test the waters to see if the studio, and reformer Pilates, is right for you.There are two options for newbies: 2 classes for just $48 or 2 private sessions for $150. (One-on-one sessions are perfect for learning at your own pace or recovering from an injury.) Located at 978 Watertown Street, with easy, drive-up parking out front.