For a great change of holiday shopping scene, head to Providence's Downcity arts district where everthing and everyone is an original. RISD students are holding their holiday sale called RISD Exposé right now until Dec. 11 at 232 Westminster St. (Daily 11 a.m.-6 p.m. except Mondays.) Right close by, the artists of Craftland will open their holiday show at 235 Westminster on Dec. 4, running through Dec. 31 (Open 7 days, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Thursdays and Saturdays to 8 p.m.) Segue to 265 Atwells Ave. for an Italian deli fix at Venda Ravioli, and take your first skate of the season on the Kennedy Plaza ice ($6, skate rentals available).

Posted by Patricia Borns, Globe correspondent

Photo by Patricia Borns for The Boston Globe

The 25th Annual Faneuil Hall Marketplace Holiday Lighting Ceremony will be this Saturday, Nov. 21, for those who want to witness a magical moment. The largest Christmas tree in Massachusetts takes center stage as 15,000 ornaments and thousands of tiny lights are lit, making Faneuil Hall an even brighter spot on the Boston landscape. The celebration goes beyond the lighting and spills into the streets with dancing, caroling, magic, live music, confetti and of course, the area's trademark food and drink. Celebration starts at 11 a.m. and tree lighting happens at 5:30 p.m. Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Burlington's hopping this weekend with art, craft and sugary confections for everyone. Come to the Doubletree Hotel in Burlington, Vt. this weekend for the Festival of Sweets that'll satisfy your sweet tooth and give you a jump on your holiday shopping. The Festival celebrates the region's cake makers, chocolatiers, pastry chefs and confectioners and includes hands-on cooking demonstrations, vendor sales, and cake competitions. The tantalizing Festival of Sweets runs from Nov. 21-22 and admission is $10. Call 802-244-8354 for details.

Photo courtesy of Festival of Sweets

The newly opened Quahog Republic Retail Hut in Plymouth, Mass. will host its annual food festival during the town's Thanksgiving Celebration. Twenty Plymouth eateries will dish out chowder and other goodies to the thousands who plan to visit. Judges will include Chef Michael Beriau of White Cliffs Country Club; Chef Jack Chiaro, an associate professor from Johnson & Whales University; and John Rega, host of the local television program Fooding Around. As always, the public will also be asked to cast ballots for their favorites.

“What better way to get involved in the Plymouth community and its rich tradition than by participating in its signature annual event,” said Quahog Republic Owner Erik Bevans. “We’re thrilled to have a new store located in town and to be a part of this fantastic celebration.”

The Quahog Republic New England Food Festival will take place on Saturday, Nov. 21 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Plymouth’s historic waterfront. For more information on the Thanksgiving celebration, visit online. For more on the Quahog Republic, visit here.

It's literally called the Artful Gift Show, and it's in my favorite area of Maine this weekend - Camden. The Artful Gifts Gift Show runs from Nov. 20-22 and is Maine’s premier invitational show for unique Maine-made holiday gifts. Be sure to catch the Gala opening on Friday, Nov. 20, from 5-8 p.m. which allows a sneak preview, cash bar, light snacks and live jazz. The show continues throughout the weekend and is an event that welcomes guests of all ages. Admission for Gala and weekend is just $10, and admission to just the Gift Show is $3. Those under 16 get in free. Call 207-763-3433 for details.

Photo of ring by Etienne Perret

Belle Brooke Barer’s bracelet.

The tough part about attending this weekend’s Paradise City Arts Festival in Marlborough, Mass. is deciding what to buy because the 175 exhibitors from around the country create enticing and original work in clay, glass, jewelry, fiber, paintings, photography, and sculpture.
Thirty-five of these juried artists make their Marlborough debut, among them California jewelry artist Belle Brooke Barer, Minnesota sculptor James Borden, New York photographer Ted Tatarzyn, and Vermont glassblowers David and Melanie Leppla.
The three-day event (11/20-22) also features a sculpture garden with imaginative pieces in a landscaped setting. Gift wrap and coat check proceeds benefit local schools’ music programs.
Nov. 20-22, Paradise City Arts Festival Royal Trade Center, Rte. 20, Marlborough. 800-811-9725.

Shoppers beware. Paradise City 'is back in Marlboro, Mass., this weekend and it's ablaze in color and creativity! Paradise City isn’t a traditional holiday craft fair. Those with a taste for the unusual and appreciation of art will find this fair a must. Passion and pigment is the theme of this fall’s special show-within-a-show, “redHOT!” The exhibit in the Sculpture Café includes 40 pieces, from red-glazed ceramics and glowing art glass to the ten-foot-tall sculpture "Power of Love.'' At Paradise City, shoppers will find works of art, design, and craft in every price range displayed throughout 171 artists’ booths. Marlborough is 35 minutes from downtown Boston and an easy drive from most of New England, with lots of free parking on site. Make a day of it, and enjoy the gourmet dining options and live acoustic jazz each afternoon. Adults pay $12, seniors $10, students $8, and children under 12 are free. A three-day pass is $15.

Pictured 'Jarot Jacket' by Rita Johnson of Driggs, Idaho
Hand- and machine-sewn lambskin, goat skin, Tibetan lamb, calfskin, pigskin, and deerskin

Everyone knows it's officially 'craft' season as we head into the Holiday stretch, but look carefully into the shows that offer so much more than mere craft. In Vermont this weekend, there are 2 shows at each end of the state where any shopper will find unique hand-crafted goodies for every person on their Holiday shopping list.

1. Southern Vermont Fiber Festival in Brattleboro - Saturday, Nov. 21
You'll find more than Granny's scarves and quaint knit hats here. A wide variety of vendors will be selling fiber and products from llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats, rabbits and even from Fido's spun dog hair! There will also be weaving and spinning supplies, needle felted creation and kits, drop spindles, quilts, yarn, cards, photographs and more. Held at the American Legion, the Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 802-896-6218 for details.

2. 57th Annual Craft Vermont will be in South Burlington, Nov. 19-22
Meet Vermont Artisans and their designs of glass, pottery, wood, metal, fiber, paint, photography and more. Beyond home decor you'll find specialty foods, personal care items and wearable art clothing. Admission is just $7 and is good for all 4 days of show. Held at the Sheraton Burlington Conference Center. For info call 800-373-5429.

Photo of Sweater by Jamie Harmon of Yarn & Knit Garments, Jericho, VT - can be found at the 57th Annual Craft Vermont

We weren't very clever when my husband and I chose our wedding song -- Louis Armstong's "Kiss to Build a Dream On," but we could not escape its allure. Still can't. If Satchmo is your thing, you may want to look into the wonderful "A Tribute to Louis Armstrong'' at the Portland Symphony Orchestra this weekend, Nov. 14-15. World-renowned trumpet virtuoso Byron Stripling will play and sing in the style of Satchmo with the orchestra as his big band. The Merrill Auditorium delivers an intimate venue for the tribute. Shows are 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets range from $26-70 and can be purchased online.

The Children's Museum of Hartford is hosting Wolf Night, Friday, Nov. 13, as part of its Nature Mania series. Wolf Night features a screening of PBS’s "Nature'' program in the Travelers Science Dome at the Gengras Planetarium, an educational craft, and an opportunity to meet a live Arctic wolf. The Wolf Conservation Center from South Salem, N.Y., will offer an in-depth presentation about wolves as well. This is a program for all ages. Cost is $9 per person. Call 860-231-2824 for more information or visit online.

Every December, the Country Inns in the White Mountains, hosts an Inn to Inn Christmas Cookie Tour, and trust me, it's a delicious event. Fueled by butter and sugar and cider and tea, you can nibble your way through the Mount Washington Valley, touring 14 New Hampshire inns and one Maine inn, all of which are dripping with garland and ribbons, wrapped-up for the season like holiday presents.

Now family recipes deliver cookies with a story, but if you want easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing goodies, ask the pros: New England’s innkeepers. Welcoming guests with cookies and a warm drink is part of the New England hospitality tradition. It’s a tradition that goes hand-in-mitt with Christmas.

For the best deal, book a package at a participating inn. Packages include two event tickets, lodging, and breakfast. Some also include dinner.

If you just want to make a day trip, event-only tickets are $27. Advance purchase is available Dec. 1-8, 2009, by calling 800-233-8309 or 603-383-9339. Any unreserved tickets available (they are limited) can be purchased the day of the event, see website for details.

Dixie is like no Tupperware lady I remember! Dixie Longate, the fast-talking Tupperware Lady, packed up her plastic, left her kids in an Alabama trailer park, and took to the stage by storm. Dixie's making a living traveling the country, throwing good old fashioned Tupperware parties filled with outrageous tales, heartfelt stories, giveaways, and the most fabulous assortment of Tupperware ever sold on a theater stage. Dixie will try to sell you her bowls Nov. 13-15, at the Bushnell in Hartford. Tickets are $32. May contain adult subject matter; appropriate for ages 16 and older. For information call 860-987-5900 or visit online.

If you're thinking of getting back to basics for Thanksgiving, head off to Tamworth, N.H., this Saturday, Nov. 14 for Remick Museum and Farm's signature annual event -- a Historic Thanksgiving. Traditional foods such as roasted turkey, bread-sauce stuffing, hearth bread, boiled cider, and Indian pudding will fill the table. Visitors will enjoy a warm fire, story-telling, craft-making, and museum exhibits depicting over 200 years of agricultural life in the state.

There will be horse-drawn wagon rides, a holiday gift preview, and a demonstration on how to properly "dress" a turkey. Admission is $5. Call ahead to register at 603-323-7591.

It's not the chocolatey heaven that Bill Cosby touted, but it's the original kind that Colonial and Wampanoag cultures created in Plymouth. Join Plimoth Plantation this Friday, Nov. 13, for National Indian Pudding Day, which focuses on 17th century puddings and those that became favorites of the colonists. A walk and talk to the 17th century English village begins at 1:30 p.m. A "bag'' pudding, a "hasty'' pudding, and "pudding in guts'' will be demonstrated.

Take home a copy of Plimoth Plantation's recipe and stop by the Patuxet Café to sample some warm Indian pudding. For more information visit online.

Photo credit Plimoth Plantation

As we enter the holiday season, food gets a lead role. Nonprofit, Child & Family from Newport, R.I., knows this, and tempts you to come out and take a Taste of Newport Sunday, Nov. 15. The evening will feature over 45 of Newport County’s best chefs, caterers, and confectioners showcasing their talents. Cocktails are served at 5:30 p.m. followed by a dinner buffet. Individual tickets are $100 each, with an option to buy a Contributor's ticket for $150, which includes entry to the private cocktail and auction preview party, preferred seating, complimentary wine at your table, and listing in the evening program. The 26th Annual Taste of Newport will benefit Child & Family's Supportive Housing Program for Homeless Mothers and their Children. Purchase tickets at 401-848-4150 or online.

If you're planning on venturing to the Big Easy for the Saints game on Nov. 30, you might want to book the New Orleans Marriott's Tailgate Touchdown package. The hotel is within walking distance of the Superdome. Package rates begin at $159 and include room, four drink tickets for the hotel's lobby lounge, and two to-go football cups.

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.