By Jan Shepherd, Globe correspondent

The Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail members know how to keep the annual open studios weekend fresh each year. In addition to nine host studios in Northfield, Shelburne Falls, Greenfield, Hadley, Amherst, and Pelham, there are nine guest potters this weekend (April 27-28, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.) Providing an ideal opportunity to learn about various styles and techniques for turning mud, aka clay, into functional and sculptural objects, the 9th tour edition also shows off settings as different as night and day. Among the host studios are Francine Ozereko in Pelham, James Guggina in Florence, Stephen Earp in Shelburne Falls, Tom White in Northfield, and Donna McGee in Hadley. Among the guests are Sam Taylor, Adero Willard, Hayne Bayless, Mara Superior, Kristen Kieffer, Daniel Bellow, and Todd Wahlstrom. Visit www.asparagusvalleypotterytrail.com for a printable brochure and map. Note: Angela Fina is a guest at White’s but is not listed on the brochure-map.

By Jan Shepherd, Globe Correspondent

The Worcester Center for Crafts "Pottery Invitational" is an annual rite of spring for contemporary crafts collectors. Curated by potters Hayne Bayless of Connecticut and Hannah Niswonger of Massachusetts, the April 5-7 Show and Sale celebrates 21 top New England artists working in a variety of clays, techniques and styles. Serious and wannabe collectors know to head to Friday's opening reception (5:30-8:30 p.m.) in order to get first dibs on one-of-a-kind and other new work. The sale continues Saturday (10 a.m.-6 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m.-5 p.m.) and includes pottery demonstrations and a "Five Buck Cup Raffle" to benefit the center. Admission is free. WCC is at 25 Sagamore Road, Worcester. 508-752-8183. www.worcester.edu/wcc

Pottery by Kristen Kieffer

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

If you don’t get invited to the annual White House Easter Egg roll, take heart, it’s a select group. But the Mayflower Renaissance Washington, D.C. Hotel in the nation’s capital is hosting an Easter event that honors its 88th birthday by hiding a total of 88 decorative Easter eggs in randomly selected guest rooms, up to 12 eggs a day. Guests can check out their rooms and if they find an egg, turn it in for either an adult or kid-friendly Easter basket. Prizes include Marriott Reward Points, a free cocktail at the new Edgar Bar & Kitchen, a milk-and-cookie turndown, bag of candies, chocolates and other gifts. During the course of the Easter Egg Hunt Week, five golden eggs will be hidden and if found, qualify the holder for a free future two-night weekend stay.

Rates start at $159 a night from March 24-31. And it’s close to the White House, so if you do land tickets to the April 1 Easter Egg roll on the president’s lawn, you won’t have far to go. For reservations, visit www.mayflowerrenaissance.com  

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The Gathering 2013 is a year-long celebration of Ireland and Irish ancestry, with gatherings, festivals, special sporting events, music and concerts across the country. Friendly Planet Travel, a group-tour operator, has announced a nine-day “Fitzgerald Clan Gathering in Ireland” tour, and yes, that would means the Fitzgerald clan that includes Massachusetts’ own John F. Kennedy Jr., our 35th president. The tour package, starting at $3,099, offers the chance to trace the family roots and heritage of one of the country’s oldest and most powerful families.

The package includes round-trip flights from, fittingly, JFK airport in New York, or Newark, and also Boston, which includes all fuel surcharges, taxes and fees, ground transportation and transfers. It also includes accommodations in first-class hotels; 15 meals, including Irish breakfast daily, one lunch, five hotel dinner and two special dinners. The tour also includes an Irish house party with dinner and entertainment in Kildaire; a medieval banquet in Adare; afternoon tea at Castlemartyr Castle; three genealogy workshops; Fitzgerald history and information package; comprehensive touring, including entrance fees; and an English-speaking driver-guide.

Complete details can be found at  www.friendlyplanet.com/fitzgerald-clan-ireland.htm. Wearing of green is optional, but not a bad idea, whether you’re Irish or just want to be.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Fans of Bravo’s popular series “Top Chef” take note: Guests of The White Barn Inn in Kennebunk, Maine can cook alongside some of the country’s most notable chefs, during The White Barn Inn’s 7th Annual Guest Chef Series, where Grand Relais & Chateaux Chef Jonathan Cartwright welcomes new chefs to cook with him for weekends.

Executive Chef Dale Talde from “Top Chef” season four and “Top Chef All-Stars,” who runs Talde in Park Slope, Brooklyn, comes to The White Barn April 12-14. Executive Chef Manuel Trevino from season four, and Marble Lane at Dream Hotel in New York City, is on tap for April 26-28, and Chef Kevin Sbraga, winner of season seven, and owner of Sbraga in Philadelphia, comes May 3-5 to The White Barn Inn.

The White Barn Inn is offering a package to allow guests to mingle with the chefs as well as learn their tips through cooking demos and hands-on cooking classes. The package includes two nights lodging, daily extended continental breakfast, afternoon teas with finger sandwiches, pastries and scones, welcome cocktail reception with Cartwright and a guest chef, cooking demo  on Saturday mornings at Keys TO, a private beach house; optional hands-on Saturday afternoon class; a nine-course tasting menu for two at The White Barn Restaurant on Saturday night; a signed cookbook; and a White Barn Apron.

Price is $1,282 for two nights, based on double occupancy. For info, check out www.whitebarninn.com

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, many spring school vacations have been shortened as schools try to make up for missed days. Kimpton’s The Muse hotel in New York City is offering a package, “Mini-scape to The Muse,” for those looking for a quick getaway in the Big Apple. Through the end of April, the package, with rates starting at $379, includes an overnight stay, free breakfast with specialty children’s menu (think chocolate pancakes, for one thing), and a $20 Metro subway card. The hotel also offers children’s welcome gifts on check in, such as Matchbox cars, coloring books, popcorn packages and more. In addition, Ginger, a Pomeranian pooch, and the hotel’s “Director of Pet Relations,” welcomes other dogs to stay at the hotel with their families.

The hotel’s NIOS restaurant is also celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this year, it being steps away from the city’s famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade scheduled for March 17. The restaurant, starting March 15, will have drink specials and an Irish-themed menu, through the weekend. For information on the hotel’s package deal, visit www.themusehotel.com and use rate code MSCAPE.  For more information on the restaurant, visit www.niosrestaurant.com.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Quincy-based Magellan Jets is offering luxury flights in private planes to the Super Bowl in New Orleans Feb. 3. Flying private is a great way to go – if you’ve got the money, and enough friends to share the cost. Out of New York, for example, the five-hour flight to The Big Easy runs $52,748 on a 12-seater. Magellan officials say the Super Bowl is one of the biggest demand events for private jets throughout the year: Last year, more than 1,100 private planes flew to the Super Bowl in Indianapolis, almost double what flew into Dallas the year before.

The biggest draw of flying private is skipping delays at airports, flying to a private airport in New Orleans, picking your own arrival and departure times and going direct from wherever you are. Magellan also has flights from Maryland for $44,642 and San Francisco for $81,117. Magellan is also hosting a dinner with their clients Friday night, open to anyone who flies Magellan to the event. The company is offering membership rates for the Super Bowl, a fixed price offering only to members. The plane used is a G-450 12-seat aircraft.

Magellan is a growing company. Last fall, it bought California-based SkyBridge Private Air, and opened an office in San Francisco, which company CEO Joshua Hebert said "is an exciting development for Magellan, which has traditionally catered to executives doing business trips and road shows," and that a West Coast presence will put the company "closer to the growing number of tech companies in Silicon Valley."

Hebert said the company also gives back to the community. Last fall, its "Experience to Excel" program gave a trip to a Boston-area family, a trip on a private jet to Albany for a four-day vacation at Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Water Park, with Magellan picking up the tab, and ground transportation donated by Prism Livery.  Magellan has also donated annual private jet trips for The Beckett Bowl, a charity bowling event hosted by The Josh Beckett Foundation, where most proceeds go to Boston Children's Hospital. 

For more information on Magellan Jets, visit www.magellanjets.com

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Romantic options abound this time of year, with Valentine's Day specials in warm and not-so-warm climates.

At a new destination, Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina in the British Virgin Islands, the BVI's newest resort in 15 years, they offer a "Be My Valentine Private Island Escape," available from Feb. 8-14, which includes luxury accommodations for three nights, a bottle of champagne, selection of chocolates, a 60-minute couples massage, and private continental breakfast for two in the Ixora Spa, and a romantic dinner at the fine dining restaurant, Caravela, with stunning ocean and sunset views. Guests get unlimited ferry access to Trellis Bay on Tortola, personal concierge service and free use of kayaks, fitness center and hiking trails. Rates start at $2,160 for three nights. Check it out at www.scrubisland.com or call 888-678-8912.

In Bonaire, Harbour Village Beach Club has a romance package, starting at $1,435 per person, which gets you seven nights, a torch-lit dinner on the beach, aromatherapy couples massage, reserved double hammock on the beach, a resort scuba experience for non-certified divers or a day of diving for those who are, full daily breakfast, use of the resort's fitness center, tennis courts and kayaks, and free airport transfers. Visit www.harbourvillage.com/offers.html for more information.

Bermuda is holding a 50-percent off "Pink Sale," a limited-time promotion that cuts half off the rates of five hotels, with a three-night minimum stay. Booking must be made by Feb. 3 and is valid for travel through May 7. Participating hotels are the Fairmont Hamilton Princess, Fairmont Southampton Hotel, Grotto Bay Beach Hotel, Newstead Belmont Hills, Royal Palms and Cambridge Beaches. For reservations or information, visit www.gotobermuda.com

Hotels in Santa Fe, New Mexico, are offering romantic getaways that can be used on and around Feb. 14, including a "Fifty Shades of Santa Fe" at the Inn and Spa at Loretto, which starts at $150 a night, and includes a room, checklist of 50 romantic things to do and see in the city, a copy of "Santa Fe Icons, 50 Symbols of the city Different," and a $50 spa credit. Use promo code FIFTY when booking at www.innatloretto.com or calling 866-582-1646. La Posada in Santa Fe is offering a package, starting at $239 a night that includes a room, champagne, chocolate and strawberries upon arrival, daily breakfast in bed and two, 50-minute Swedish massages. Visit www.laposadadesantafe.com or call 855-278-5276 for information. The city's landmark hotel, La Fonda on the Plaza, has a special starting at $159 a night, with room, local chocolates and choice of champagne, wine or cider upon arrival, breakfast in bed and early check-in and late check out. See all that at www.lafondasantafe.com or call 505-982-5511. For all Santa Fe info, visit www.santafe.org

Down in Norfolk, Virginia, the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel has a Valentine's special, starting at $135 a night that gets you a bottle of bubbly and chocolates delivered to your room, full American breakfast in bed for two daily, free valet parking and 4 p.m. checkout. For info, visit www.sheratonnorfolkwaterside.com or call 866-716-8115.

Big Apple romance can be had at Kimpton's The Muse hotel in New York City, which is near the city's fabled theater district and Times Square with rates starting at $249, and spa-suite rates at $399. Rates include the room and breakfast in bed for couples (singles can nosh at the hotel's Nios restaurant, with choice of bottomless mimosas or bloody Mary's). Visit www.themusehotel.com or call 877-692-6873, using rate code PVAL.

Closer to Hub home, Chef Nuno Alves of Tavolo on Dorchester's Dot Ave. (Dorchester Avenue, for out of towners) is offering a Valentine's Day menu from Feb. 14-17, and also programs for couples, including a couples cooking class Feb. 16, and weekly Italian cooking classes. Tavolo also has romantic live acoustic guitar events, with Ryan Beke on Feb. 16, with no cover, and most Tuesday nights year round. Check out the popular eatery at www.tavoloristorante.com, or call Alves to suggest your own custom itinerary, at 617-822-1918.

Down in historic Bristol, R.I., Bristol House Bed and Breakfast has a "Romance for Two" package, valid throughout February, which includes a two-night stay, choice of two spa treatments at the Alayne White Spa, bottle of champagne and chocolate truffles at check-in, breakfast each morning and a $20 shopping certificate to Revival Boutique. Total cost is $549. Check www.bristolhousebnb.com or call 401-396-9066 for details. Also, the Bristol Harbor Inn has a Valentine's package from Feb. 8-17, which for $235 gets you a night at the inn (fireplace rooms available), $100 dinner allowance at DeWolf Tavern, bottle of Crane Lake Brut and Lindor Chocolate Truffles, and breakfast for two. Visit www.bristolharborinn.com or call 401-254-1444 for info.

Also in Rhode Island, the towering, seaside Ocean House in Watch Hill has a "Romance by the Sea" package for Feb. 8-10, with rates starting at $1,150 with two-night minimum stay. This giant, yellow AAA Five Diamond resort is perched on a bluff overlooking the ocean, and the package includes room, welcome bottle of champagne, a Valentine's dinner with the Salt Marsh Opera on Feb. 9, breakfast for two on Feb. 9 and jazz brunch for two on Feb. 10. Visit www.oceanhouseri.com or call 401-584-7000 for information.

Up in New Hampshire, where it's chilly this time of year, you can warm each other up with a variety of hotel packages, including at the Inn at East Hill in Troy, where for a $282 overnight package you get a room, three-course dinner for two, and breakfast and lunch the next day. Check out www.east-hill-farm.com or call 603-242-6495 for information. At Coppertoppe Inn & Retreat Center in Hebron, packages start at $389 for a room and $499 for a suite, where a two-night stay gets you flowers, chocolates, candles, date movies and breakfast in room or at the inn's dining area. There is no set menu; instead, chefs cook what guests like. Visit www.coppertoppe.com or call 603-744-3636 for information.

For romantic outdoor fun in the Granite State, Bretton Woods and Appalachian Mountain Club's Highland Center are hosting a chocolate tour through the White Mountain National Forest. Guests decide which inns and lodges to stop for chocolate, which can include the Omni Mount Washington Hotel, Omni Bretton Arms Inn, The Lodge, the Appalachian Mountain Club's Highland Center, the Yurt and the Bretton Woods Nordic Center. Visit www.brettonwoods.com or call 603-278-1000 for information. a $10 fee does apply and all participants must have a nordic center trail pass.

For something completely different, take a trip with Muddy Paw Dog Sled in Jefferson, which is hosting a Valentine's adventure for guests and a team of rescue sled dogs, three hours covering up to 22 miles of back-woods trails. It's being run Feb. 11-14, and costs $350 per sled. Mention "Puppy Love" deal on booking and get a 10-percent discount. For information, check out www.dogslednh.com or call 603-545-4533.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

There are a myriad of travel deals this holiday season, from inexpensive to extravagant.

Lake Placid Lodge in New York, an arts-and-crafts-style Relais & Chateaux property and only hotel on the lake is offering Cyber Monday deals, which include $25 for a $50 credit on food and beverages; one night free when booking three, plus a $75 resort credit; 50 percent off best available rate for Owl's Head or any two-bedroom cabin; and a "Check in Sunday and Monday is On Us" deal, from Dec. 1-March 30, except for blackout dates. Reservations for these deals, and others the hotel is offering, are bookable online at www.lakeplacidlodge.com from Nov. 26-30. Regular rates start at $400 a night.

Kimpton's 70 Park Avenue in New York City is offering a "Black Friday Blowout" package, which offers door-to-door service to the city's busiest stores, discounted shipping for purchased gifts and specialty cocktails. The deal also includes two nights at the hotel. Rates for the package, valid through Dec. 2, start at $800 a night. For info and reservations, call 877-707-2752 or visit http://www.kimptonhotels.com/boutique-hotel/70-park-avenue-hotel-new-york/

Down the coast a bit, in Norfolk, Virginia, the Norfolk Plaza Hotel, through Jan. 21, offers a package starting at $99 a night, which includes breakfast for two, free parking and ice-skating tickets for two at MacArthur on Ice. Fun winter stuff in the city includes Santa and The Palace, a 30-foot ice dome with falling snow and prehistoric herd from the "Ice Age" film, through Dec. 24. Check out the hotel deal at www.thenorfolkplaza.com or by calling 757-802-9283. For info on all Norfolk activities, see www.visitnorfolktoday.com

For much warmer weather, the Sands at Grace Bay in Turks & Caicos in the Caribbean has a resort and scuba dive deal now through Dec. 22, offering a fourth-night free program valid on all rooms. Rates are from $169 a night, down from high-season rates of $344. Travelers can also buy a discounted scuba trip priced at $133 a day. Guests also get free use of watersports equipment, bikes, three pools and a weekly happy hour. The resort was recently named one of the "Top 30 Hotels in the Caribbean" by Conde Nast Traveler's readers. For info and booking, visit www.thesandstc.com

Miraval Resorts & Spa in Tucson is offering an all-inclusive three-night stay for two that includes an extra $500 in resort credits. Book from Nov. 26 through Dec. 2, for a stay up to June 15, 2013, and get 20-percent off a double room. Included are all meals, snacks, smoothies and non-alcoholic beverages, unlimited participation in regularly scheduled daily self-discovery activities, access to resort fitness center and Life in Balance Spa, shuttle service from and to the airport, and a welcome gift. Check it out at www.miravalresorts.com or by calling 800.232.3969.

For a holiday getaway with a decided winter feel, The Resort at Paws Up in Montana has "The Last Best Christmas Package at Paws Up" for families, available Dec. 22-29 which includes five nights for a family of four in a luxury home at the resort, located on 37,000 acres of Montana wilderness; all meals, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages; a personal Santa to hand deliver gifts to the kids; special Christmas Eve and Christmas night dinners; a decorated tree in your home (you decorate it or they'll do it for you); horse-drawn sleigh rides; a ginger bread house building contest; and other activities. Rates start at $10,697, including all taxes and tips, airport transfers and on-site transportation. Check it out at www.PawsUp.com or call 800-473-0601.

Put a little speed in your holiday with a two-day only, Orlando-based Exotic Driving Experience at the legendary Daytona International Speedway, featuring supercars by Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche and Audi, on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. The infield course showcases fast straight-aways and sharp turns, which necessitates the precise handling of these cars, which run up to $295,000. The event includes six-lap driving experiences, starting at $169, and two-lap "thrill rides," where you ride shotgun with a pro driver, starting at $99. Reservations are required for all driving experiences, but not thrill rides, those you can buy in advance or at the track. For info, visit www.exoticdriving.com or call 855-822-1049.

The California properties of Montage Hotels & Resorts are offering a Cyber Monday deal starting at midnight when Montage Laguna Beach and Montage Beverly Hills shave 40 percent off reservations for Dec. 1-20, and will kick in a free bottle of champagne besides. For info, check out www.montagehotels.com/cybermonday

Vail Resorts is offering a bunch of deals, available through Nov. 25 at Beaver Creek, Vail Cascade Resort and Spa, Antlers at Vail, The Sebastian Vail and Lion Square Lodge, with savings and discounts. For all of it, visit www.snow.com/fourdaysale

Colorado-based Destination Hotels & Resorts has a Cyber Monday deal offering up to 50 percent off at many of its U.S. holdings, bookable only for 24 hours on Monday. More than 15 properties are taking part, from Wild Dunes Resort near Charleston, S.C., to Miramonte Resort & Spa in Palm Springs Valley, Calif. to Lansdowne Resort on the Potomac River near Washington, D.C. For the deals, visit www.destinationhotels.com/CyberMonday

Faraway and exotic holiday travel could include Thailand. Peresa Resort in Phuket has a few packages for the Christmas season: A five-day, four-night package for $3,636 per person; a seven-day, six-night deal for $5,442 per person; and a 12-day, 11-night package for $9,485 per person. The higher the price, the more you get, but all include airport transfer, massage, breakfast, Thai cooking class and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners. The resort is perched on the cliffs of Kamala, comprised of hideaway-style luxury pool villas and suites with views of the Andaman Sea. For info, visit  www.paresaresorts.com

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Contortionists, jugglers, acrobats and more can be found in Boston at Faneuil Hall Marketplace's first Street Theater Festival Oct. 20-21. Scheduled to appear are Alakazam, aka "The Human Knot," who puts on what is billed as a self-contained freak show as he twists his body into pretzel shapes. Wacky Chad is scheduled to be there as well, a guy who does comedy with tricks and pogo-stick stunts, who has bounced on programs like 'America's Got Talent" and "Live with Regis & Kelly." Also on hand will be magician/juggler/comic/mind reader/fire eater Lucky Bob, and Jason Escape who lives up to his name by wriggling out of constraints, a Houdiniesque display of magic that features him wrapped in 75 feet of rope and hung by his ankles by audience members.

The two-day festival runs 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and is free to all. Check out the full listing of events at www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/info/streetperformers

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

If you believe in ghosts, and even if you don't, this is the time of year where things going bump in the night seem to get bumpier. The Kennebunk Inn in Maine celebrates its haunted heritage this Halloween season with a special harvest dinner and overnight stay for those willing and eager to experience the paranormal activity at one of the state's most historic inns.

On Oct. 27 and 31, guests can attend "A Spirited Evening Harvest Dinner" with internationally known psychic Vicki Monroe, starting at 6:30 p.m. with a three-course dinner with appetizer for $68 per person, which gets you a choice of three entrees and dessert. The fun stuff, all eating aside, starts during the "Dueling Spirit" dessert created by Chef Shanna O'Hara, featuring an aptly named devil-dog ice cream sandwich and angel food cake with strawberry balsamic compote. Monroe will be your spiritual messenger for the evening, revealing, hopefully, the inn's source of ghostly activities over the years as she shares insights into the spook world she purports to know so well.

The 200-year-old Kennebunk Inn has two former employees - Cyrus, an inn clerk who died in the mid-20th century and lets his spirit self be known via falling wine glasses and other objects that mysterious take flight, and Silas Perkins, a night watchman and published poet. There is a third spirit in the mix, Sara Emily, identified by Monroe, who inhabits the main stairwell and waves to guests as they enter the building. Most do not see her, but she is said to be playful and enjoys knocking on guest room doors. The inn's room 17 is said to have the most paranormal activity.

Some dinner guests whose spirits connect with Monroe will get a personal reading during the program, and all can stay for a "Meet and Greet" with her in the lounge after dinner. For those guests wanting to take part in the inn's restaurant, Academe's award-winning cocktails to enhance their paranormal sightings, the inn offers a 25-percent discount off room rates in the Adams, Jefferson and Madison suites. Prices overall start at $79 per night (not including dinner). Reservations must be booked by phone only, inn officials said, by calling 207-985-3351.

Book soon, inn officials said; last year's event sold out quickly, prompting them to add the second date this year. For information, visit www.thekennebunkinn.com

 

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is hosting its annual Fall Foliage and Shopping Train Excursion Oct. 20 aboard the Providence and Worcester Railroad, which leaves the Woonsocket train depot in Rhode Island at 9 a.m. and returns at 4:30 p.m. The foliage train travels through historic Blackstone River Valley to the many antique shops, restaurants and gift shops in Putnam, Conn., where there will be an arts and crafts fair, music, sidewalk sales, a pumpkin festival, bazaar and luncheon, at the Putnam Congregational Church. The train leaves Putnam at 2:15 and chugs back to Woonsocket by 4:30 p.m.

Ticket prices run from $28 to $58. There is a snack bar on the train, and passengers can also bring their own, though no alcoholic beverages are allowed. For information and reservations, visit www.tourblackstone.com or call 401-724-2200.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

It was such a hit the first time around, they decided to do it again: The 2nd annual Stowe Restaurant Week is on tap Oct. 21-27, celebrating the local Vermont culture. Restaurants will offer a prix-fixe, multi-course menu with prices of $15, $25 or $35 per person (in some cases per couple). Lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch menus are available as well as wine, beer and other cocktail options. Some restaurants are offering a new menu each day, and others will have the same fare throughout. Participating restaurants include Cactus Cafe, Charlie B's Pub and Restaurant, Harrison's Restaurant and Bar, Pie in the Sky, The Whip Bar and Grill and Winfield's Bistro.

Overnight accommodations are available from $85 a night during the week. Call Stowe's central reservation line at 800-467-8693 for lodging info. For the skinny and all that good food for restaurant week, visit www.gostowe.com/restaurantweek

This weekend's "Garden & Studio Tour" in Northampton provides an artful twist to a common event. In addition to seeing the fall gardens of well-known artists, visitors also get to see their studios. Among the participants is super-realist painter Scott Prior who is showing off a newly renovated studio and his three-level garden that winds down to the Connecticut River floodplain. Narrative painter Linda Post and her husband Geoffrey reworked their garden "rooms" after they were devastated in last October's snowstorm. She also gained a new ground-floor studio that opens into the gardens. At Ruth Folchman's garden Susan Barocas will create a plein air painting of the scene and center director Penny Burke's garden features Piper Foresco's metal sculptures. The self-guided tour of seven sites is Sunday (9/9), 1-5 p.m. $15 in advance, $20 day of tour. Benefits Northampton Center for the Arts, 17 South St. 413-584-7327. Visit www.nohoarts.org for information.

Jan Shepherd

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Styleweek Northeast, formerly known as Styleweek Providence, is underway through Aug. 31, an event now in its fifth year and expanded this year to include the northeast to showcase more designers. The event, supported by the Council of Fashion Design of America, highlights designers that include Rhode Island School of Design grads. The event takes place at the Providence Biltmore in the Alex and Ani Runway Room and L'Apogee on the 17th and 18th floors.

Tickets start at $30, and for $75 on Friday, you can sidle up to fashion industry insiders, at the industry-only Swarovski VIP suite. That ticket includes access to all shows that night.

The Biltmore is offering deals for those attending the show, with superior rooms fetching $89 a night, and junior suites $119. For all information, visit www.styleweeknortheast.com

The event was created to provide emerging designers a platform to showcase their debut collections to the reason, said Rosanna Ortiz Sinel, president and founder of Styleweek, adding that it "evolved from a local to regional event and is one of the few regional fashion expositions supported by the council of Fashion Design in America. Styleweek not only brings together the fashion business and the community but is a true celebration of style and culture."

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Nantucket has always been a rather forward-thinking sort of place - abolitionist Frederick Douglass gave his first speech before an all-white audience there in 1841.

So the Nantucket Project seems a good fit, it running Oct. 5-8, a veritable think tank which brings together big-brained types from many disciplines, such as writer and businessman Jack Abramoff; CNN political analyst David Gergen; Eric Schmidt, Google chairman; Henry Louis Gates, Harvard professor of black culture; John Abele, founder of Boston Scientific; and Doug Melton, founder of the Harvard/MIT Broad Center for Stem Cell Research. For full information and ticket pricing, visit www.nantucketproject.com/#blank

The Nantucket Project is one of a few cool things happening on Nantucket in the off season, a time with still lots of sun but lower temperatures and prices. For cheaper fall stays, check out the "Hot Dates, Cool Rates" program. Nantucket Island Resorts is offering discounted fall nightly rates, including at places like Jared Coffin House, with rooms going for $125. Check it out at www.nantucketislandresorts.com/hotdates.php

There are a lot of great restaurants on the island, and many are showing their stuff during the Nantucket Restaurant Week Sept. 24-30, including Topper's at the Wauwinet, home of a notable butter-poached lobster, and Brant Point Grill at the White Elephant, known for its duck confit Bolognese. Visit www.nantucketrestaurantweek.com/ for complete information.

The 10th annual Cranberry Festival is scheduled for Oct. 6, when the Milestone Cranberry Bog and Nantucket Conservation Foundation host a festival celebrating the island's historic bogs. Events include cranberry foods of all stripe, bog tours, hay rides, and sheep-shearing workshops. Check www.nantucketconservation.org/page.php?section=3&page=cranberry_festival for more info.

And rounding out the season, the Brant Point Grill offers a New England Thanksgiving and on that morning, the island hosts the 11th Annual Turkey Plunge on Children's Beach. For information on all, visit www.nantucketislandresorts.com or call 800-475-2637.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The New Mexico skies fill with colorful hot-air balloons Oct. 6-14 at the 41st annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Hundreds of balloons take to the air flown by pilots from 19 countries, and guests at the event can walk among the balloons as they are prepared for flight, talk to pilots and check out the food vendors selling New Mexican food. The event began in 1972 with 13 balloons launched from a shopping mall parking lot. It is now held at a custom-designed 365-acre field called Balloon Fiesta Park. The signature event is the launch of 700 balloons, making it the largest ballooning event and the most photographed event in the world, and the largest annual international event held in the United States, organizers said.

General admission is $8 for adults, and you can book your own hot-air balloon rides as well. For all ticket prices and information, including where to find lodging, visit www.balloonfiesta.com

Photo credit: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and photographer Cindy Petrehn

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Sonoma County, the birthplace of California wine, hosts the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2, an event now in its fifth year. The weekend's co-producer, Maureen Cottingham, said the three-day event is "a world-class celebration of the vineyards, wines, cuisine, culture and characters that have made Sonoma County the ultimate wine country destination."

The 2012 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend features Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Ranch; the 20th annual Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction held at a new venue, Chateau St. Jean; the new Sonoma Starlight Supper Club at Francis Ford Coppola Winery; and various small, exclusive winery lunch and dinner parties at locations throughout Sonoma's wine country.

Proceeds from the weekend support Sonoma County non-profit organizations; to date, more than $10 million has been donated directly to Sonoma non-profits by the local wine community.

Ticket prices range from $85 to $500 per person. Presenting sponsor, Visa Signature, is offering its cardholders even perks and savings. For reservations and information visit www.sonomawinecountryweekend.com

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Chef Jacques Pepin joins the fifth annual New Haven Food & Wine Festival this year, on Aug. 22, with events taking place during the 2012 New Haven Open at Yale, presented by First Niagara, and featuring more than 20 of the city's top restaurants.

"In its fifth year, New Haven Food & Wine Festival has a fan following of its own," said Anne Worcester, tournament director of the New Haven Open at Yale. "Tennis fans and foodies can indulge in tasty and inventive cuisine and meet the chefs who contribute to New Haven's renowned dining scene."

The food and wine event's grand tasting on Aug. 22 will be hosted by Pepin, and feature dishes from chefs at restaurants such as 116 Crown, Basta Trattoria, The Cask Republic, Geronimo, Kitchen Zinc, Union League Cafe and others. The tasting runs from 5-7 p.m., with tickets going for $125 each, which includes a box seat for the Wednesday night tennis matches.

To fill fashion plates, check out the Vineyard Vines Ladies Day Luncheon and Fashion Show, hosted by Island Time, Aug. 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with luncheon created by local chef Claire Criscuolo, said to be a pioneer in the city's organic and sustainable food movement, who operates New Haven's Claire's Corner Copia. After lunch, the show will highlight back-to-school styles for fall. Solo tickets are $100 and include a box seat for tennis, gift bag and door prizes.

For tickets and info, visit www.newhavenopen.com.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Getting healthy in a sunny warm place is never a bad idea, nor is planning ahead for it. On Dec. 30, "The Biggest Loser Half Marathon and 5K RunWalk" will be held in Panama City Beach, Florida. The destination has partnered with Dan and Jackie Evans - season give contestants on NBC's hit show, "The Biggest Loser" - to offer the event as a non-intimidating place for all participants, with longer course time limits to allow walkers to finish at their own pace. The event is licensed through NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products Group and Shine America.

If you stick around for the holiday, you can join in Panama City Beach's Fifth Annual Ball Drop on New Year's Eve, a new tradition that happens in the 1.1-million-square-foot outdoor lifestyle center, Pier Park, when an 800-pound glowing beach ball drops to mark the new year. Earlier in the evening, a family ball drop is held, when 10,000 beach balls drop from the sky and a fireworks display then lights it up.

Dan and Jackie Evans are a mother-son team featured on season five of NBC?s hit reality show, where they lost a combined 225 pounds. Since then, they've kept their weight off, eating and working out, to the point of completing more than 20 half marathons in 2011 alone. For information on them, and the event, check out www.BiggestLoser.com/RunWalk And for info on Panama City Beach, including where to stay, visit www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

There are a couple unique ways to experience Boston Light, the oldest lighthouse station in the nation: Personally and in a new poster.

The nonprofit Boston Harbor Island Alliance offers summer tours of Boston Light, located in Boston Harbor on Little Brewster Island, a three-hour trip that includes a boat cruise with a 45-minute narrated tour of the harbor islands, with info on two other historic sites, Long Island Head Light and The Graves Light. Docking at Little Brewster Island, tour takers can meet with the Boston Light keeper (it is the last and only lighthouse to have a US Coast Guard light keeper), and get an up close look at the light's Fresnel lens, the only Fresnel still in use. Pack a lunch, enjoy the view of Boston and make an event out of it.

The tour runs through Sept. 30, Friday to Sunday, leaving the Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Cost is $39 for adults, $29 for children 3 to 11, and $35 for college students, seniors and military personnel with valid ID. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information, visit www.bostonharborislands.org

Alan Claude, a Maine artist best known for his Lighthouse Travel Poster Collection (some of which have appeared on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"), has come out with a new poster, this one of Boston Light, a limited-edition print that shows the lighthouse bathed by a rising sun, the Boston skyline behind it, and a plane flying in the distant sky.

"The city's skyline proclaims its modern present and the soaring airplane signifies its bright future," said Claude, whose posters are evocative of European travel posters of the 1930s. "So it's a lighthouse travel poster but also a poster about Boston and civic pride."

Claude photographed the lighthouse one dawn, setting off from a friend's house in Hull to capture the moment, which he later turned into a work of art via pencil sketching and then redrawing on computer. His Boston Light poster sells for $65 and can be bought at the National Park Service visitors' center in Faneuil hall, or at www.alanclaude.com Claude has donated prints to the American Lighthouse Foundation and other lighthouse preservation groups in New England.

Boston Light is the first and oldest lighthouse in the country, first built in 1716 but destroyed by retreating British soldiers during the siege of Boston in 1776. It was rebuilt in 1783, and still stands.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The International Yacht Restoration School at 449 Thames St. in Newport is hosting free America's Cup exhibition this summer, through Oct. 1, one comprised entirely from the collection of William I. Koch. It features fine art, artifacts and other objects, including gifts given within the social circles of those who have competed for the coveted trophy. Koch's collection on display covers about 150 years of America's Cup history.

Koch, an America's Cup champion in 1992 and who developed the historic all-women's team for the 1995 race, is well known in the sailing world. Among his other titles are two Maxi Yacht World Championships in 1990 and 1991. Koch is known for his art collection as well, which consists of works by Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Modigliani, Picasso and others. Items from Koch?s collections have been shown at the Louvre, The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and The Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach.

The America's Cup exhibit at the school is open to the public and free of charge. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. For more information visit www.iyrs.org or call 401-848-5777, ext 222.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Summer nights are the best, with cool breezes, bright moonlight, star-studded skies and just a peaceful easy feeling. Oh, and things that make noises in the dark that can make you jump out of your skin if you don't know what they are. Which is what the good folks at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island are counting on with a summer program of nocturnal events designed to explore, embrace and explain things that go bump in the night.

"When we venture out on the wildlife refuges at night, we seek out those mysterious noises and movements," said Audubon naturalist Kim Calcagno. "Part of each walk is simply getting used to walking in the dark. The more you learn about what you see and hear, the more comfortable you become in the darkness and the more you can enjoy the peacefulness, cool air and array of night sounds."

The evening events include:

Aug. 3, bats at Eppley Wildlife Refuge, West Kingston, a night walk through the refuge to learn about the flapping creatures of the night.

Aug. 10, family night exploration at Fisherville Brook, Exeter, where kids and their parents engage in games and activities that explain the night vision of creatures like bats, deer and coyotes, and have some s'mores later.

Aug. 29, family hike night at Fort Nature Refuge in North Smithfield, where participants (ages 8 and up only, it involves a nearly two-mile hike) listen for animal sounds and test their night vision.

Aug. 31, a full-moon kayak paddle at Hundred Acre Cove in Barrington (ages 16 and up), a quintessential salt marsh with osprey and terrapin turtle nesting sites, where great blue herons and snowy egrets are often seen, and where participants can get out and see the cages of the turtle nests.

All programs are $12 for non-members of Audubon ($6 for kids) and $8 for members ($4 for kids), except for the moonlight paddle, which is $65 for non-members and $55 for members (all equipment included). Registration is required for all programs by calling 401-949-5454 ext. 3041 or emailing programs@asri.org. A free download of all Audubon activities is available at www.asri.org

"We want people to discover the night and find wonder and delight in what is around them," Calcagno said. "In the end, we hope to introduce and share with people the same enjoyment of the wilds at night that our naturalists possess. It's a wonderful time to explore."

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

State tourism folks have issued the 4th annual MassJazz Travel Guide, a free publication highlighting all-things jazz in festivals, outdoor shows and courses around the state this summer and fall. The 40-page booklet can be had at jazz clubs, hotels, restaurants and college campuses, as well as visitor kiosks around the state. It lists hundreds of jazz events through November, and has stories of local jazz musicians, jazz studies at colleges, and listings of live jazz in many venues. Upcoming events include the Berkshire Getaway Jazz Weekend Sept. 14-16,2nd Annual Merrimack Valley Jazz Festival Aug. 10-11, and Holyoke Latin Jazz Festival Oct. 13. Big jazz names playing the state include Chick Corea, Arturo Sandoval, Chris Botti, Gary Burton, Johnny Mathis and others.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The 34th annual South County Hot Air Balloon Festival, which Yankee magazine last year lauded as one of the top 20 best summer events in Rhode Island, goes up July 20-22 at the University of Rhode Island athletic fields on Route 138 in South Kingstown. More than a dozen balloonists will show off their balloons Friday and Saturday night with "The Balloon Glow." Rhode Island favorite John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band plays Friday night, and there will be fireworks Saturday night. A Kansas City barbecue competition will be held on Sunday. Woven around all that will be catch-and-release fishing ponds, a trapeze act, remote-control planes, racing pigs and train rides for kids. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids 14 and under and $25 for families (two parents and kids).

The festival is the main fundraiser for the Wakefield Rotary Club, which has raised more than $1 million since it began. All proceeds from the event are donated to charities, club officials said. For a complete list of events and more information visit www.southcountyballoonfest.com

Photo by Laurie Ramaker