I think most of us can agree that when it comes to birthdays the cake is one of the most important parts of the party! Making sure you get a good one can be crucial. Whether your little one prefers chocolate or vanilla or cupcakes over cake, there are many amazing bakeries in the Hartford County area. We've listed a few of our favorites below. In our Birthday Party Guide you'll find tons of ideas on themes and locations too!

Wondering what could possibly connect cavemen, Vincent Van Gogh, the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikokaevna, and Kim Kardashian? No idea? Selfies may not come to mind for most (or almost any) people, but a new museum is suggesting otherwise. The Museum of Selfies is making the case that all of those 2.4 million daily duck-pout pictures gunking up social media (many snapped at selfie-producing watering holes like The Museum of Ice Cream and Happy Place) are just the latest twist on a trend that's been hot, hot, hot for the last 40,000 years.

New York City knows how to celebrate the holidays, and Hanukkah is no different. The Festival of Lights arrives early in 2017, with the first night on Tuesday, December 12. But have no fear: we've rounded up nearly two dozen ways to celebrate this wonderful Jewish holiday, and most of them are free.

Some cool new and newish events this year! There's the first-ever Menorah on the High Line, and the Chabad of DUMBO has transformed its yearly Hanukkah celebration into Fire and Ice at Jane's Carousel. We also have the annual mainstays, from the World's Largest Hanukkah Menorah Lighting, to Chanukah on Ice and Hanukkah Family Day at the Jewish Museum. 

Queens has never been short on fun adventures, places to discover, and educational havens… but it does lack in one area: bookstores. After titan Barnes and Noble vacated the entire borough, only a handful of brave little bookshops remain. so most children's story hours take place at the local library.

Vina Castillo, Natalie Noboa, and Holly Nikodem saw the shockingly low number of general interest bookstores in Queens, and these ingenious book lovers set out to create an independent reading refuge for their community.

After a successful Kickstarter campaign supported by the community, Kew & Willow Books opened its doors in October 2017, offering adults and kids alike a beacon of book hope.

December is a magical time for kids, with the advent of winter fun and the abundance of holiday festivities occurring all month long. All this (plus gifts!) can cost families a pretty penny, so we've rounded up free ways to get out of the house and have fun. Your piggy banks—and kids—will thank us!

Read on for frugal fun that doesn't skimp on festivity. Also consult our December GoList and our Holiday Fun Guide for many more ways to savor the season!

Our Event Calendar is well-stocked with many more options to choose from, and more keep coming. 

Even in sunny-and-seventy SoCal, motivating kids to put down devices and enjoy the great outdoors can be nigh on impossible. One thing that might lure them out is blasting rockets into space, or sending drones on a flight mission. Becoming a mini-pilot or mission control specialist is less complicated than you might think, once you've figured out where to fly without upsetting local law enforcement. We've collected all the info you need below to get on a flight path. Getting airborne is not as pricey as it once was, and best of all? Rockets and drones can inspire budding engineers to extend their STEM wings.

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, gorillas swung from trees, playful penguins surrounded an igloo, and a seal put on a rooftop show. Technically, the time is now, the land is the not-so-distant city of Meriden, and the adorable creatures are more than 300 characters featured during the Festival of Lights. This annual and very family-friendly holiday lights event in the New Haven area is not to be missed due to its charm, great photo opportunities, and affordable price tag (umm, it's free!).