Colonial Wine and Spirits of North Kingston, R.I., wants to help you get ready for the holidays. On Sunday, Nov. 8, this specialty store will host its Holiday Wine Tasting and Class featuring 20 wines from across the globe. This evening is an opportunity to discover vintners, purchase gifts, select your holiday wines, or just find some great everyday favorites. Industry experts will guide guests through the tasting and answer all questions. A one-hour class allows you to gain appreciation and knowledge that will enhance your food and wine pairing experience. Nominal cost of $50 per person includes light hors d'oeuvres, class, samples of 20 wines, and door prizes. Call 401-294-4623 for info or reservations.

How can you combine inspiring art, scenic drives, and holiday shopping in one shot? Travel to New Hampshire this weekend, Nov. 7-8, and participate in the statewide N.H. Open Doors. The event is an opportunity to experience the beauty and traditions of the Granite State by visiting its people and places and learning about its products. Visit the Made in NH site to create your own self-guided tour through the state. A map listing the hundreds of participants, including artists, craftspeople, wineries, retail shops, restaurants, lodging establishments, and more, is downloadable and easy to read. For more info call 603-224-3375.

Here's your chance for a Roman holiday right here in Massachusetts. This Sunday, Nov. 8, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute offers a free family day celebrating the exhibition "Steps Off the Beaten Path: Nineteenth Century Photographs of Rome and its Environs." Learn to photograph architecture, try jousting, make an amulet, and discover Rome using the Clark's collection. Catch a free screening of the 1953 Oscar-winning film Roman Holiday at 3 p.m. and watch as a European princess (played by Audrey Hepburn) embarks on an official tour through Rome. All activities and admission are free, though the hand dipped gelato and Italian ices are available for purchase. For more information, call 413-458-2303 or visit online.

Photo courtesy of the Sterling and Francine Clark Institute

The 23d Annual Christmas Festival will be held this weekend, Nov. 6-8, at Boston's Seaport World Trade Center. The show opens Friday with the popular Gingerbread House Competition, an annual crowd favorite showcasing the talents of Boston's top chefs. After judging (full disclosure: my niece and I are judges), these incredible creations of varying sizes will be sold, with all the proceeds to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston.

The festival itself offers everything a holiday shopper could desire under one roof. The distinctive work of over 300 master American crafts people will keep guests dizzy with delight. Bargain hunters, as well as those with extravagant tastes, will find an endless array of home accessories, designer fashions, jewelry, handcrafted holiday decor, tempting gourmet specialty foods, and one-of-a-kind handcrafted gifts unavailable elsewhere.

Over 30,000 visitors visit the festival each year. Admission is $12 -- with an online coupon to print out here. Kids get in free. Show hours are Friday noon-7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-7, and Sunday 10-5.

Photo of chef Coady and pastry cook Zailda Smith put finishing touches on Finale's gingerbread creation courtesy of CM Communications

In my husband's office yesterday I was instructed to open a little green bag. In it were Ray LaMontagne's newest CD, "Gossip in the Grain," and two tickets to see him live tonight at the Wang Theater. Happy birthday to me. See you there?

Return to the days of old when if you didn’t own a horse and buggy, on the southern coast of Maine you relied on the Atlantic Shore Line’s electric trolleys to get from here to there. Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport closed for the season at the end of October, but as a special treat, this year, for the first time, they'll reopen to participate in the town's Christmas Prelude weekends, Dec. 4-6 and 11-13.

Prelude visitors can ride in heated, restored electric trolleys on what was the Kennebunkport to Biddeford portion of the Atlantic Shore Line. The historic railway operated from 1904 to 1927, when it was essential transportation for tourists and commuters.

Rides will be offered on Friday from 1 to 3:30 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the two weekends. Refreshments will be available and the museum's gift shop will be open with a selection of rail-related gifts for all ages. Admission to the museum store and visitors center is free. Tickets are $4 per ride, per person (all ages).

Founded in 1939, the nonprofit Seashore Trolley Museum is the oldest and largest museum of its type in the world. It's located at 195 Log Cabin Road, Kennebunkport (3 miles north of Dock Square). Info at 207-967-2800 or online.


Posted by Janet Mendelsohn, Globe correspondent

Photo courtesy of Seashore Trolley Museum

Burlington, Vt., shows its diversity once again with the Jeh Kulu Dance and Drum Theater presenting the state's Annual West African Dance and Drum Festival this weekend, Nov. 5-8. Join Jeh Kulu for four days of classes in West African dance and music from Mali, Senegal, and Guinea. If you are a bit intimidated to bang a gong, remember that observers are welcomed too. Founded in 1993, Jeh Kulu brings together people of all ages and backgrounds to embrace the traditions of West Africa. Performances will be at City Hall and Memorial Auditorium. Tickets and admissions vary per performance and class. For more information, visit online or call 802-859-1802.

B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell (left) stands with the first two runners of the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay, both former Olympic medalists: triathlete Simon Whitfield (middle) and speed skater Catriona Le May Doan. Photo: Kari Bodnarchuk

The Olympic torch began its epic journey today in Victoria, British Columbia, the start of a relay that will cover nearly 28,000 miles between now and February 12, 2010, when the Olympics begin. One of the best things about a city the size (pop. 80,000) and vibe (very laid back) as Victoria is that you actually get a shot of seeing and being a part of a major event like this one. Even though we showed up in downtown Victoria—in front of the legislative building overlooking the wharf—just 20 minutes before the flame arrived here by dugout canoe, we were still able to get front-row spots along the fence. Thousands of people joined us on this 60-degree, overcast day to watch a ceremonial party of first Nations chiefs bring the flame into the harbor on a 40-foot canoe (it arrived by plane from Athens, Greece, this morning and this is the first Olympics in history being co-hosted by an aboriginal group).

People with Canadian maple leaves painted on their faces and red and white souvenir mittens and shirts waved flags and cheered as the flame was carried along the wharf in a miner’s lantern and then up to a stage in front of the Parliament Buildings. After speeches by various chiefs, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell, who mentioned that the flame will also travel by logging truck and skateboard, the first torchbearers were finally released—this had been a well-kept secret until today. The initial two runners to carry the flame are former Canadian Olympians Simon Whitfield, a triathlete, and Catriona Le May Doan, a speed skater, who handed off to three-time world champ and Olympic diver Alexandre Despatie and rower Silken Laumann, one of the most decorated Canadian athletes ever. All, except Alexandre, have lived, worked or trained around Victoria and are the most “down-to-earth, regular people,” according to the concierge at the Hotel Grand Pacific in downtown Victoria.

While we sit here eating shrimp and avocado sandwiches at Sam’s Deli, adjacent to the Tourism Victoria Visitor Centre and right next door to the Royal BC Museum (check out the amazing First Nations exhibits here) and the very grand and regal Empress Hotel (known for its high tea), the flame is running around town. Exactly 147 torchbearers will carry the flame around the city today, each running about 900 feet for a total of 56 miles. Meanwhile, the city is buzzing with visitors -- people taking float plane tours, visiting the renowned Butchart Gardens and wandering around the shops along Government Street.

Tonight, we’ll all gather back at the stage overlooking the waterfront to see the Olympic cauldron lit and join in a city-wide celebration. The big event includes fireworks, dancing, First Nations drumming, and performances by dozens of jazz, world, folk and classical musicians. It's a must if you're anywhere near Victoria.

It was quiet, peaceful, and sleepy in B.C.’s capital city last night, the day before the launch of the longest Olympic torch relay in history. The facts of this event speak for themselves: The Olympic flame, which arrives in Victoria from Athens, Greece today, will travel nearly 28,000 miles over the next three and a half months, passing within an hour’s drive of 90 percent of Canada’s population – maybe not a difficult task (most of the population is clustered along the U.S. border), but still impressive! It covers the most ground of any torch relay route in Olympic history. About 12,000 torchbearers will carry the flame from Vancouver Island across Canada and back to the city of Vancouver using every mode of transportation found in the country: by foot, dogsled, canoe, horseback, snowmobile, skateboarder, float plane, and so on.

It’s still a top secret who the first torchbearer is going to be (stay tuned), but the last one today, number 147, who will light the cauldron in front of the city’s legislative building, is Jeneece Edroff, a 15-year-old who has suffered with neurofibromatosis type 1 since she was 3 years old and has since raised $1.5 million dollars for children’s charities through her penny drive. According to her dad, Denis Edroff, she raised $166 dollars her first year (seven years ago, no less!), $27,000 her second year, and more and more ever since. What an inspiration. This sweet, soft-spoken little girl, who just had back surgery in September, said that she raises this money for children’s charities because, “I like to and I feel like I have to. It’s kind of like people who are addicted to playing video games. It’s like an addiction to me and I don’t ever want to stop that… It’s definitely a big honor.”

The flame will arrive in Victoria around 12:30 EST and will then travel around the city, arriving back at the legislative grounds around 10:30 p.m. EST, when Edroff will light the cauldron on the celebration stage. If you’re in town, don’t miss the high-energy hoopla, which starts a little earlier (at 9 p.m.), featuring First Nations drummers, pyrotechnics, and dance, theater, visual and performance arts. This town will be peaceful and sleepy no more.

Haunted Acres in Epping, N.H., is one frightful place you will not find me! New Hampshire's largest Halloween attraction is four experiences in one. Haunted Acres is set in an 1860s Western ghost town featuring the Skeleton Saloon & Hotel, the Dark Maze, the 3D Nuclear Accident House, and the Quarter Mile Nightmare Walk. The elaborately decorated scene includes coffins, cemetery, jail, mine shafts, spider web forest, witches' village, and its slayer creature sporting a 20-foot wingspan! Haunted Acres runs through Halloween, and admission is $23. Visit here or call 603-679-1666 (clever number).

Spookyworld and Nightmare New England is in my neck of the woods, in Litchfield, N.H. Last fall, someone handed me coupons for admission while I was shopping for my Princess Lea wig. Like a fool, I called my brother's kids and asked if they were interested. "Ah, Auntie Kim, I don't think you want to go there." Not even my teenage nephews would go to Spookyworld, which translates that if they were too spooked to go, then I would have a stroke and die at the feet of the first eyeless ghoul. Or worse, clowns -- nothing as terrifying as clowns.
My cowardice aside, I realize many of you want more scare, more fright, and more gore, so this one's for you. Now through Halloween, victims will tiptoe through seven horrifying haunts, encountering the creatures that fester below as they are “Buried Alive.” Or dare to enter “Raven’s Claw Cemetery,” where corpses and zombies lurk in the fog among the graves, and look out for the blood thirsty vampires of “Night Feeders.”

Spookyworld is ranked one of the best frights in the U.S., and is listed as one of top 12 eerie elite across the nation for 2009 by America’s Best Haunts. Like I said, this one's for teens and adults, NOT young children, or middle-aged fraidy-cats like me. Cost is $29.99 to $49.99 (perhaps something to scream about as well).

Hear accounts of bloody betrayal, catastrophic shipwrecks, gruesome executions, and of course, terrifying encounters with ghosts and specters, as you sail the dark waters of Boston Harbor on Boston's Ghost Cruise. Sail to the actual sites and listen to tales told by a professional troupe --18th century privateers and sailors, fishwives and doxies who bring the legends and folklore of Boston to life. Cruise leaves and returns to Long Wharf. The five remaining cruises run on Oct. 30 and 31. Adults pay $32 and children 12 and younger pay $25 in advance. Call 781-784-7469.

Photo courtesy Boston Ghost Cruise

This Friday, Oct. 30, the streets of Harvard Square will be alive with black magic, costumed mimes, and a monster mash for the square's liveliest block party of the year -- Harvard Scare in Harvard Square. A costume party for children and a Monstah Mash block party for all ages will flood the streets, as live entertainment, costume contests, prizes, and terrifying thrills abound. The celebration begins promptly at 4 p.m. Retailers will have many special treats as well -- see here for a full list.

There's one more weekend to head north to Cranmore and face the terror that awaits atop their 2,000 foot summit -- the Ghoullog. The spirits of three evil brothers and their victims return to the grounds of Cranmore, where vile and heinous acts were carried out. The tour includes a nighttime stroll through a haunted walkway to the Quad, where after a seven-minute ride to the summit of Cranmore, visitors tour the Ghoullog, where haunted happenings are sure to frighten and surprise the hardiest souls. Visitors can finally begin to relax on the ride down the Quad chairlift with a breathtaking vantage of the Moat Mountains and Mount Washington at night.

Oct. 29 is locals night, while Oct. 30-31 are open to all. Ghoullog runs from 7-10 p.m., with doors opening at 6. The cost is $25.

The staff of the Ashmont Grill in Dorchester loves to dress up, making Halloween a much-anticipated holiday for the lively crew. Join them for their annual Halloween Bash this Saturday, Oct. 31, starting at 5:30 p.m. and running till 2 a.m. Reserve your spot for dinner, and warm up with signature cocktails like their Ashmont Apple Toddy, The Great Pumpkin, BooBerry, and The Berkshire Manhattan. When the evening begins to fade into black, the DJ starts spinning, and dancing follows, with raffles and prizes in between. You can party with the other spirited guests if you call 617-825-4300 for reservations.

In celebration of the grand opening of Boston Bowl in Hanover, Mass., the Hanover Youth Athletic Association (HYAA) and South Shore Hospital Friends of Growing Families (SSH) will join together for the First Annual Team for Dreams Charity Bowling Spree & Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the pediatric programs at South Shore Hospital and the Hanover Youth Athletic Association.

There will be plenty of bowling, with prizes, and live music and outdoor fun. A giant moonwalk and balloons will excite the little ones, while tattoos, prizes, and free food will make all ages happy. Boston Bowl is donating 100 percent of bowling fees and tournament pledges to SSH and HYAA.

Boston Bowl Hanover is a newly renovated 17,000 square foot ten pin and candlepin bowling facility featuring state-of-the-art technology, new video games, and snack area. To register a team, join a team, or make a pledge online, visit the South Shore Hospital site. For more information call 781-826-5263 or visit online.

My friend Tina's got a 'thing' for shoes, so events like this jump out at me. Then again, who wouldn't feel the need to ogle 5-foot-tall shoes on display throughout town?
Through the month of October, 10 5-foot fiberglass shoes, decorated by various artists to commemorate Haverhill’s heritage as a shoe-making hub, are on display in prominent locations downtown. The Soles of Haverhill “Shoe-la-bration” is a first-time community art celebration. These whimsical pieces will be auctioned at a gala at the Buttonwoods Museum on Oct. 24 with proceeds to support local nonprofits. Lawn art never looked so good? Check online for details.

This Saturday, Oct. 24, is the Boston Book Festival, with an all-star lineup that will have you scrambling to get to and from all the presentations and panels featuring internationally known writers, scholars, critics, and commentators; listening in on programming for children, teens, and families; breaking out paper and pen for writing workshops and competitions; and basking in the spoken word and music performances.

For the complete list you'll have to look online. Meanwhile, here are my Top 10 Reasons for attending the Boston Book Festival.

1. The keynote speaker is Orhan Pamuk, recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize for Literature.
2. One of my local favorites, Richard Russo, discusses challenges and triumphs, hilarity and heartbreak of family.
3. Anita Diamont, of "The Red Tent,'' discusses her work and the role of place in "Day After Night.''
4. Globe-trotting's own Ethan Gilsdorf gives us insight into his "Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks,'' a chronicle of his ravels through the worlds of online gaming and live-action role-playing.
5. Harvard economist and business guru Michael E. Porter, pundit and adviser to presidents past David Gergen, and Atlantic Monthly senior editor Jack Beatty mix it up with a frank assessment of the president’s progress on his new agenda.
6. N.H. native Ken Burns will discuss documenting history.
7. Actress Alicia Silverstone discusses her vegetarian Kind Diet.
8. A workshop I so want to attend called "Jumpstart Your Writing.''
9. Writer Idol - you have to go online and get details.
10. The Spoken Word Showcase featuring Boston high school and college students performing their own and others' poetry.

In addition to Saturday's events, a special kick-off event with music and readings will take place Friday, Oct. 23. Times and locations for panels and speakers are found online. The Boston Book Festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Boston Public Library, Old South Church, Trinity Church, and outdoors in Copley Square. Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and open to the public with no reservations required. For more information, call 617-252-3240.

Photo of author Anita Diamont, courtesy Ashmont Media

This weekend, Oct. 24-25, is Fall Harvest Weekend at Patriot Place, featuring two days of free family activities that will keep everyone smiling. Highlights include a Rainforest Reptile Show, petting zoo, a Center for the Performing Arts Dance Show, and live music from the Rock the Plaza series. In addition to these events, Patriot Place will offer pumpkin painting, a Halloween bubble show featuring The Bubble Music Man and his fun-filled hour of music, interactivity and bubbles featuring Halloween favorites like the Monster Mash and Purple People Eater, and of course, safe and fun trick or treating from all of Patriot Place's retailers.

In addition to the free activities (oh, did I mention the magic words -- Bounce House?), visitors can also visit The Hall at Patriot Place, enjoy a movie at Showcase Cinema de Lux, or visit the CBS Scene restaurant , where Patriots fans can gather to watch the team’s historic game in London on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 1 p.m. For more information, visit online.

Photo courtesy Patriot Place

There are only two weekends left to embark on the Urban Adventours Emerald Necklace & Fall Foliage tour. This weekend and next, you can discover Frederick Law Olmsted's famous system of parks on this bicycle tour. From the shaded boulevard on Commonwealth Avenue to the popular shores of Jamaica Pond to the winding paths of the Arnold Arboretum, this chain of gardens, reserves, and open space displays some of the most colorful flora as autumn descends on Boston.
No bike? No worries. The tour includes a bike, helmet, water, and, of course, a friendly and knowledgeable guide. The tour is 2.5-3 hours long and covers 10-12 miles. How better to see the city and its colors -- and all this for only $50! Check out the details.

Photo courtesy Urban Adventours

Prepare to be spooked in Rhode Island! The Fort Adams Trust presents its Fortress of Nightmares Oct 23-25 and Oct. 30-Nov. 1. Starting at 7 p.m., Newport's historic Fort Adams unleashes the restless spirits of its past on special haunted tours. New this year is an opportunity to take part in a legitimate ghost hunt with paranormal investigators from RISEUP. While you’re here, venture through Rhode Island’s only haunted tunnel system. Reasonably priced, this spook show costs $15 and gets you a 50-minute ghost hunt and a 20-minute haunted house experience, with hardly any lines. Tours are weather dependent and sturdy footwear is required. For more information visit online.

Photo courtesy of Fort Adams Trust

I couldn't decide which occasion to write about in Vermont this weekend, so I decided it made good sense to include both in one entry, and perhaps someone would decide to hit both and make a weekend out of a trip to the Green Mountains. First off on Saturday, Oct. 17 is the Cabot Apple Pie Festival which is a great drop-in event for the six hours it runs. The annual event features pie making, baking and judging, music, crafts, pumpkin carving, children’s activities, silent auction, food, and of course, pies for sale. Raffles will be drawn throughout the day, and local artisans will gather to show their handmade wares.

On Sunday, Oct. 18, Strafford hosts the 19th Century Apple and Harvest Festival. Go back in time and press cider in an antique press, taste heirloom apple varieties, meet John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed), make an old fashioned scarecrow, play period games, and more. There will be plenty to eat, see, and do from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival is hosted at the Justin Morrill State Historic Site. For more information, visit online.

Looking for something a little different to do this weekend? Pack up the kids and celebrate a famous bivalve mollusk at the grand opening of The Quahog Republic Retail Hut at the Village Landing Marketplace in Plymouth on Saturday, Oct. 17.

The store is the first stand-alone shop for The Quahog Republic, which has developed scores of fans and seen a rising popularity in their casual clothing line, which sports the company’s logo of “Live. Give. Relax.” The line includes apparel for children, men, and women, as well as many accessories. The grand opening will include the unveiling of the new Johnny Quahog line (which includes dress shirts, ties, sweaters, and dresses).

Festivities are free and include a special appearance by Pilgrims from Plimoth Plantation, free Quahog Republic stickers, raffles, and giveaways all day long of Quahog Republic gear. From 12-3 p.m., there will also be complimentary quahog chowder and a raw bar, and a live remote with WMVY radio. For more information, visit online.

Photo courtesy of the Quahog Repubic

I would have skipped right over this event, had my neighbor Linda not just gushed about her recent trip to Peterborough, N.H.
Peak into Peterborough this Saturday, Oct. 17, has seemingly perfect timing as the town's foliage is providing a most vibrant palette for leaf peepers. The annual festival welcomes autumn and brings the small town to life. Bring the family and explore Peterborough's rich history and beautiful scenery while enjoying many events such as hayrides, pumpkin painting, pizza tasting, and other activities. For information call 603-924-7234 or visit online.

It's mid-October and time to start focusing on all things spooky. The haunted trails, hayrides, and costume parties are all still a must, but consider something new with a cemetery tour in New Bedford. This Sunday, Oct. 18, the 6th Annual New Bedford Historical Cemetery Tour, hosted by the New Bedford Preservation Society, offers historical portrayals in period costume and will take place at several gravesites along the tour route in Rural Cemetery. The cemetery is the final resting place for many members of prominent whaling-era families, New Bedford politicians, famous New Bedford artists, and other notables. Some of the “spirits” who have promised to appear include Mayor Charles S. Ashley, Minna Grumbt Webb, and Albert Bierstadt, to name a few.

The tour route will cover approximately one mile as visitors stroll along for a 45-minute walk. Tour costs $15 at the cemetery gate or by advance purchase at local businesses. Rain date is Oct. 25. Call the Preservation Society at 508-997-7425 or visit online for further information.

Photo of Ed Baldwin, portraying Mayor Charles S. Ashley, courtesy of New Bedford Preservation Society