By Melissa Kaufman
With plunging temperatures, a briskness in the air and frequent inclement weather, there has never been a better time to warm up and relax. Thankfully, while awaiting the arrival of Spring, there are numerous ways to delight in the current season offering warmth, leisure, tranquility and excitement, simultaneously. Whether it is mug of decadent, steamy hot cocoa, a warm bowl of chili, a steam room at the spa, or enjoying a musical performance outdoors alongside the glow and warmth of a firepit, Montgomery County is chock full of unique ways to increase comfort even with a chill in the air! Read along for a vast selection of ways to relax and shake off those Winter chills with the help of local Happening List favorites! Also, don’t forget to cast your vote for this year’s Happening List HERE.
Visit a Local Spa/Salon
Whether it is receiving a full body massage, facial, reflexology, sauna session, manicure/pedicure or hair cut/style, this season is a great time to indulge in a relaxing, pampering experience. Let your skin soak up much-needed moisture through indulging in a hydrating massage or rejuvenating treatment and unwind in some of the county’s and Happening List’s most coveted spas and salons:
Body Serene Day Spa & Salon, Skippack, 2020 Happening List Winner for Day Spa
Offering convenient online scheduling and appointments, Body Serene is a multi-faceted spa experience, offering massages, nail care, skin therapy treatments, and a full-service hair salon. Each month, they offer specials, which for this month includes Brazilian blowouts, chocolate fig fondant pedicure, a wine & chocolate facial and more! A visit to Body Serene is a quick and easy way to warm up & relax!
Eden Day Spa & Salon, Collegeville, 2020 Happening List Finalist for Day Spa
Take a relaxing trip to the tropics without leaving the county at Eden Day Spa! Indulge in their “Tropical Escape,” for 80 minutes and receive a warmed lava stone massage, mandarin honey foot scrub and more! Also enjoy a hair styling session or service such as Keratin Smoothing Treatment or Brazilian Blowout offered for $175 for a limited time!
Beauty Releaf, Beautyreleaf.com
Pamper yourself at home! Treat yourself to makeup & skincare of the highest quality from Beauty Releaf. Indulge in lip treatments and even order a special-edition, Lip Tasker in “Danielle’s Red” to support Danielle, a scad heart attack survivor with 10% of each purchase in the month of February supporting www.scadresearch.org to further promote research and wellness.
Enjoy a Warm, Hearty Meal
The Winter season is the ideal time to enjoy many hearty, comforting and warm favorites, such as chilis, soups/stews, casseroles, steamy Italian dishes, as well as spicy Mexican cuisine and can be easily prepared from the comfort of home, enjoyed on-site or via takeout at local restaurants. Check out some of these Happening List winners for flavorful ways to increase the temperature:
Olive Lucy, Jenkintown, 2020 Happening List Winner for Gourmet Market
Pick up the makings & ingredients for an at-home hearty, restaurant-quality meal to warm up from the winter chill by heading over to Olive Lucy! Choose from an assortment of olive oils, seasonings/salts, tapenades, balsamic vinegars, gourmet pastas such as tagliatelle, organic fusilli and even gluten-free varieties!
Plaza Azteca, Plymouth Meeting, 2020 Happening List Winner for Mexican Food
Stop into Plaza Azteca for authentic Mexican cuisine guaranteed to add spice and heat to the frigid Winter days! Choose to eat in or order to-go and enjoy options such as Quesadillas al Pastor, Fajitas, salads, enchiladas, burritos, a full vegetarian menu and even steaks and seafood entrees!
Trappe Tavern, Collegeville, 2020 Happening List Winner for Outdoor Dining
Stop by Trappe Tavern and enjoy the fresh air and great outdoors while maintaining comfortable warmth dining on two floors of outdoor or indoor dining! Visit for Happy Hour specials offered Monday-Friday, 3-5pm and daily dinner specials which can include New York Strip Steak, Irish Chili, Chicken & Dumplings and many more. The full menu, including a cocktail/drink list is also available for takeout.
Small Batch Kitchen, Lansdale, 2020 Happening List Finalist for Specialty Food
Available for takeout/curbside pickup only, enjoy the warmth and comfort at home through options including soups of the day, sandwiches which include vegetarian options and are available on gluten-free breads, as well as full heat-at-home meals, in options such as taco kits, loaded potato soup, broccoli quinoa & herbed chicken and rice!
Sip on Warm Beverages
With recent temperatures often hovering at or below freezing, the need to warm up is enhanced and can be easily accomplished through enjoying warm mugs of coffee/espresso/lattes/cappuccinos, hot cocoa, hot ciders & hot teas. Enjoy these beverages at home, on the go, or outdoors surrounded by music & fire pits available at these Happening List favorites:
Backyard Beans Coffee Company, Lansdale, 2020 Happening List Winner for Coffee
Brew your own café-quality coffee from the comfort of home and conveniently shop online and choose from an assortment of bagged coffees all roasted on-site in Lansdale. Pick-up in-store, or order online for delivery. Visit their full-service café for curbside pickup and choose from drip coffees, espresso beverages, hot teas, chai lattes, vanilla steamers, hot chocolate and more. Warm toasts, hot breakfast sandwiches and other small bites are also available to complement a beverage.
Wake Coffee Roasters, Ambler, 2020 Happening List Finalist for Coffee
Brew your morning java or hot teas at home and visit their shop online. Choose from an assortment of bagged coffees, including their new Winter Solstice blend which include caramel flavors and a spicy finish, decaf roasts and many other coffee & teas options are available. Also consider ordering for pick up from their coffee conveniently on their Wake app, and choose from filter coffee, macchiatos and espressos.
Perky Joe’s Café, Harleysville, 2020 Happening List Finalist for Coffee
Perk and warm up your day by either shopping online via website or stop into the café to pick up warm sips and bites. Pre-order coffee beans online and choose from custom blends created especially for Perky’s and roasted locally or single origin roasts. Also available for pre-order are biscotti, bagels and warm & hearty, John’s HomemadeChili (available ready to eat, or pre-packaged to warm up/eat later).
Enjoy a Wine and/or Spirits Tasting
With Montgomery County home to many wineries and vineyards, many are offering private or public wine tastings, as well as various events to celebrate the season and warm up with flavorful sips amid an heated outdoor space. If on-site tastings aren’t of interest, pick up a bottle of locally-produced wine to enjoy from the comfort of home, or via Zoom tasting with friends and family! Check out some of these Happening List favorites for sips to savor:
Country Creek Winery, Telford, Happening List Winner for Winery& Tasting Room
Stop by the winery to pick up and choose from an assortment of wines, including the return of favorite, Niagra wine! Also available is the option to schedule private events & wine tastings. Be sure to check their Facebook page for live, socially-distanced music events.
Cardinal Hollow Winery, North Wales, Happening List Finalist for Winery & Tasting Room
Heat up your tastebuds and try their Jalapeno wine, or for a milder taste, opt for their Blue Agave wine, Honey wines, ports, classic whites such as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and red wines, such as Merlot. Visit in-person for wine tasting and sales, seven days per week; tastings are $1 per sample! A tiki bar is also open on the weekends to relax and enjoy sips & small bites with friends and family.
Round Guys Brewery, Lansdale, Happening List Finalist for Brewery
Stop by for indoor or outdoor heated seating and enjoy your own customized beer and brew tastings, burgers & flatbreads! Also consider conducting your own tastings from the comfort of home and order online for curbside pickup or delivery. Keep an eye out for “Classic Girl,” new beer in the works and in the meantime, choose from a vast array of their current craft beers, including “Blood and Thunder,” a Belgian Style Dark Strong Ale!
Warm Up with a Workout:
Get your heart rate pumping, work up a sweat and generate natural, internal heat through engaging in an energizing workout! Warm up in the healthiest of ways through checking out some of these Happening List favorites to increase flexibility and promote an easy way to make exercise an enjoyable & beneficial experience:
The Lions Den Elite Training Facility, Colmar, 2020 Happening List Winner for Gym
Choose from an assortment of group classes, including strength camp, strongman, mobility/stretching, Olympic lifting and more! If in-person workouts are not of interest, try their 100% free online training program, The Forces of Nature, from the comfort of home! Several membership tiers are available to meet individual/family needs.
Hybrid Fitness, North Wales, 2020 Happening List Winner for Personal Training
Visit Hybrid Fitness for not only personal training and workout regimens, but also engage in their classes which include barbell club, bootcamp, kickboxing and numerous others!
Whole Body Yoga Studio, North Wales, 2020 Happening List Winner for Yoga
Summon your inner “zen” through engaging in yoga, offered in studio, virtual or a combination of both! Download their app to enroll in classes, check their schedule, or to engage in classes from the comfort of home. Classes are offered at all skill levels and massages and reflexology are also available for a total body wellness experience.
Pursue a Creative Activity:
When the temperatures are chilly and the weather is inclement, some of the best and easiest ways to warm up and occupy time is through engaging in a creative activity. Whether it is doing some DIY baking through a bake kit or painting a masterpiece with a kit from a local paint store, the possibilities are endless! Check out some of these Happening List favorites to guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing:
Painting with a Twist, Montco, 2020 Happening List Finalist for Date Night
Indulge your inner artist and paint a masterpiece or simply enjoy the therapeutic/stress-relieving benefits of artistry! Schedule an in-studio session or private party in advance online or pick-up a paint kit to complete your masterpiece from the comfort of home with friends and family.
Color Me Mine, North Wales, 2020 Happening List Nominee for Amusement
Book online for table reservations and enjoy a safe, socially-distanced lesson and foray into artistry! Flex your creativity and paint a masterpiece of your own version of one either in-studio or choose to pick up a To-Go Kit and create from the comfort of home! Options for kits include kitchen-inspired pottery, a kids section, as well as seasonal holiday offerings, décor and more.
Collegeville Italian Bakery & Pizzeria, Collegeville, 2020 Happening List Winner for Kid Friendly Restaurant & Finalist for Italian Food
Peruse their menu online, check out their social media sites for specials and choose from offerings that rotate including DIY Donut Kits, available in boxes chock-full of mini donuts and décor to make each sweet treat a unique one, as well as Create-Your-Own Pizza Kits, which include all the ingredients to enjoy a night of Italian delicacies. Also consider preparing your own pizza through purchasing one of their many fresh-baked bread options, including French breads and baguettes, plus sauces, cheeses and other toppings to expand your creative palate.
Lochel’s Bakery, Hatboro, 2020 Happening List Finalist for Cupcakes & Specialty Cake Design
Visit Lochel’s Bakery and pick up a cookie decorating kit, typically available for purchase for an assortment of holidays and the season! Kits come with sugar cookies, royal icing and various candy décor and add-ons to make each cookie a unique and personalized one!
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