Directly from the Newton Cultural Alliance…

The Stroll features one-night only sales, music, cold weather goodies, a community sing-a-long, dance, visual art exhibits and sale, dining and more!  Join your friends and neighbors for this exciting evening. Make it a new family tradition!

Ready for the holidays? The Newton Cultural Alliance’s Arts Stroll & Shop is making holiday shopping and spirit easy for you. On Thursday, December 8, enjoy extended retail shopping hours in Newton Centre while you are entertained by NCA performers and artists!

In this age of 3-D films and TiVo, it may be easy to overlook the good old-fashioned performance spaces in our village centers. But, perhaps this holiday season, we can take time to enjoy them.

Newton Villages welcomes efforts of the Newton Cultural Alliance (NCA) to create collaborations between the city’s arts organizations and our local merchants.

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On Sunday, Nov. 7, the Newton Cultural Alliance will host an evening event with entertainment and discussions of culture and the arts — and how they contribute to a vibrant local economy and a sense of community.

If you would be interested in attending the free event, the NCA is asking people to RSVP today. Apologies for the late notice.

The event will be held at the Meetinghouse on the Andover Newton Theological School campus, 210 Herrick Road, Newton Centre. That’s Building 12 on this map.

As consortium of Newton-based non-profit arts and cultural organizations, the NCA lists among its goals “economic stimulus and development for the City of Newton through cultural tourism and development of arts and cultural partnerships with the business community of the area.”

Inner Glow - Garnet by Marian Dioguardi (Oil on Cradled Panel, 2009)

Newton Villages has launched a partnership with the Newton Art Association to place Newton artists’ work in our village center businesses.

Our first project pairs artists John Borchard and Marian Dioguardi with Eunice Feller, co-owner of Bread & Chocolate. Eunice’s Newton Highlands location will rotate the artists’ pieces on a monthly basis.

Artists looking to participate should contact the Newton Art Association. Merchants wanting to host art, and volunteers looking to help with staging etc. should contact John Sisson.

Auburndale residents — many of whom have been asking for a local place to grab dinner and a drink — will have their wishes granted later this month.

The Bocca Bella Cafe & Bistro will be opening soon at 442 Lexington Street, around the corner from highly rated village diner The Knotty Pine. Bocca Bella will be a full-service restaurant, serving “great food and libation.” The restaurant’s phone number is — or will be– (617) 928-1200.

Space adjacent to the restaurant houses the LuckArt Gallery, which will host musical concerts and art exhibits.

Bocca Bella joins relative newcomer Wally’s Wicked Good Ice Cream & Treats , also highly rated, which offers gourmet ice cream flavors like Purple Cow and Kahlua Chip, and Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip frozen yogurt.

Hungry yet?