Northern British Columbia -- In a region where outdoor adventure looms large, an abundance of fuel is required to fire the adventurous spirit. It’s simply a bonus when that fuel proves more than tasty. In Prince Rupert, before heading by boat to cast a line or view grizzlies in their natural habitat, pull up a chair at any one of the port city’s eateries, sure to kick-start your appetite. Cow Bay Cafe, perched right on the pier, provides fantastic views of the waterfront, and casual fare that changes twice daily (check the whiteboard for the day’s catches and veggie options), while Opa Japanese Sushi Bar has, literally, it’s stone’s throw location from the docks to thank for its just-caught-from-the-sea menus. Evenings provide no less appeal at Lush Lounge and Bar, an intimate space that showcases fine dining fresh from the Pacific, not to mention one of the best views in the city. The Crest Hotel’s Waterfront Restaurant also does its part in creatively showcasing local cuisine, happily marrying its menu items with notable BC wines from a fully-stocked cellar. Fuel up and follow this link for further information .....

Las Vegas, Nev – By year’s end, Crystals retail & entertainment district will add 12 new brands to its exceptional collection of retailers and dining concepts, including flagship stores for Prada and GUCCI; as well as boutiques for Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Donna Karan, Emilio Pucci and Harry Winston. They join recent additions Ermenegildo Zegna, Christian Dior, Brunello Cucinelli and Social House at Crystals, the core of the extraordinary urban resort destination CityCenter.

Farid Matraki, Vice President & General Manger for Crystals said, “Crystals is the only destination in Las Vegas, and among an elite handful across the globe, to feature such an enviable collection of exclusive brands under one roof. With the addition of these exciting new offerings, Crystals expands its dominant position as the nation’s top shopping destination while providing new reasons for guests to either experience us for the first time or for loyal customers to return, time and time again.”

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Nuoro, Italy -- One of the best ways to travel and to know the different aspects of the island landscape is trough a ride on the Trenino Verde. The train runs across a land rich in vegetation, where the railway seems to have always belonged to, just like signalman's houses, stations, viaducts and other railways engineering works. The speed of the train is the right one to allow you to appreciate aspects of the island's landscape as the train proceeds almost on tiptoes in an environment, unreachable by any other way. - June 15th - September 15th, 2010 For further information please follow this link ....

London, England -- Since 1985, the Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair has led the way as the antiques fair for interior design. It was the first in the UK to offer a ‘look’ for decorating. Each year the Fairs are held in Winter (January), Spring (April/May) and Autumn (September/October).

Changes to the Fair since its launch in 1985 have been subtle yet steady, and reflect trends in the interior design market. From the ‘country house’ look of the mid-1980s to the growing interest in painted French and Scandinavian furniture; the acceptance of the ‘new antiques’ – such as Art Deco and mid-twentieth century design classics - in the 1990s, driven by demand from new, younger buyers, to the growing interest in industrial furniture and accessories and architectural salvage in the ‘Noughties’, the Decorative Fair has kept pace with the needs of its customers.

Whilst the make-up of the Fairs alters slightly, with new exhibitors joining every show (although many dealers have taken part in the Fair for years), the experience at the Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fairs has not. Buyers still find it the most inspiring and relaxed antiques event in the UK. Dealers offer interior decorators and private buyers the best design options around for a very individual look.

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Varen Switzerland -- Experiencing wine is far more than tasting it. Varen wine growers and Pfyfoltru would like you to get to know completely new aspects of the Pfyfoltru juice of the vine. The word Pfyfoltru might sound a bit exotic. That's quite understandable but the term is easy enough to explain: Pfyfoltru is Valais dialect and it means "butterfly". And it is the butterfly that Varen farmers have devoted themselves to. The butterfly stands for a wine growing village and wines that are at one with nature. Every mouthful of Pfyfoltru is a mouthful of nature.

The Varen Wine Week in September • Numerous wine-tasting sessions, lectures, hikes through vineyards and tours of vineyards and wine cellars take place during the Varen Wine Week in September. But the highlight is the Varen Wine Festival. It is a festival for connoisseurs, lovers of wine and of course for potential candidates. So make sure you have time this year. What was once a single week's festivities has now been extended to the last four weeks from 31th August till 26th September. For further information, please follow this link .....

Vienna, Austria -- Michelangelo Buonarroti Three Men Standing in Wide Coats Turned Towards the Left, around 1492-96 In a major exhibition scheduled for autumn and winter 2010, the Albertina will present around one hundred of the most beautiful drawings by Michelangelo. Precious works from the Graphic Arts Collection of the Albertina, as well as important loans from museums and private collections in Europe and the United States, will offer a hitherto unparalleled overview of the great Florentine’s entire oeuvre.

The focus will be on the figural drawings by Michelangelo, who will be introduced here as the genius of a period of change, with his versatile talents as a draftsman, painter, architect, and sculptor.

The show traces Michelangelo’s career from the artist’s juvenile works and designs for The Battle of Cascina to the world-famous frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, the ingenious drawings he presented to Tommaso de’ Cavalieri, and the Crucifixion scenes dating from the artist’s late period, when he was almost eighty years old. At the same time, new clues as to the dating of individual works will be provided. Projections of the monumental ceiling frescoes, the incorporation of plaster casts of Michelangelo’s sculptures, as well as paintings by other artists based on the master’s designs are meant to illustrate the dimensions and impact of his art. New paths of didactic presentation will be forged through a documentation of contemporary history and the artist’s environment. Dates: October 8, 2010 to January 9, 2011 For further information, please follow this link ....

Monza Circuit was built in 1922, in only 110 days, both for competitions and for motor (auto & motor cycle) testing (Brooklands was built in 1907 and Indianapolis in 1909). Since then, the Italian Grand Prix has always taken place on the Monza track (except during the war years and a few other occasions). The location of the Circuit in Monza Park, is unique in the world. This natural setting is both attractive and delightful. Moreover there are sport and technical shops and a specialized bookstore with international and rare editions. The park offers also other facilities as swimming pool, camping, 18-hole golf course, horses and bicycle rental.- (Mi) - Date: The Italian Grand Prix September 12th, 2010 For further information, please follow this link ....

Paris, France -- From 14 September to 26 October 2010, the Ratton-Ladrière gallery will be unveiling some thirty sculptures from the 15th, 17th, and 18th centuries. Some of them depict historical scenes, such as the Death of Cleopatra, while others show religious scenes, such as the Beheading of Saint Paul, while others still are based on mythology, such as the Lady with the unicorn or the Faun with Kid.

Located on quai Voltaire, the Ratton-Ladrière gallery has been one of the must-see antiquity galleries of the "Carré Rive Gauche" for some thirty years. Having been established on the Right Bank (14 rue Marignan, Paris 8th district) for several decades by Charles Ratton and Guy Ladrière, the Ratton-Ladrière gallery is now known internationally for its sculptures and art objects, but also its paintings and drawings, which primarily cover the Renaissance and Baroque periods. See the full release .....

Vienna, Austria -- As of September, Dorotheum offers a completely new category: antique Oriental carpets, textiles, and tapestries. Such auctions will take place once or twice a year, the first one on September 14th, 2010.

"Vienna, as a 'gateway to the East" is ideally situated. Austria and the neighbouring countries still harbour many interesting, privately owned carpets that need to be discovered and traded." in the words of Wolfgang Matschek, the resident Dorotheum carpet expert. As old and antique carpets and fabrics regularly achieve high sales prices Dorotheum now offers a marketplace for such prime items.

For this first carpet auction, Wolfgang Matschek - who joined Dorotheum in 2010 after acquiring extensive professional experience with Adil Besim, Udo Langauer, Oritop, and elsewhere - has assembled approximately 200 high quality carpets and textiles.

The primary focus of the first carpet auction rests on an exceptional private collection of Caucasus carpets. These items come up for auction unpublished, unrestored, and unworn by market exposure: geometrical carpets, distinguished by their original, archaic, and highly colourful character. They include a large Talish from the Southeastern Caucasus Region, measuring ca. 2m x 1m, a very rare, early carpet with a red backing from the first half of the 19th century (€ 9.000 - 12.000). One of the auction's most important pieces is a ca 2m x 1,5m village carpet (Karatchoph) from the Southwest Caucasus. Estimated at 15.000 to 20.000 Euro, this carpet is in excellent condition and dates to the middle of the 19th century.

For further information, please follow this link .....

Sion, Switzerland -- In the jewel case of the holiday kingdom, Sion is a rare pearl with a multitude of facets. The old town, which backs onto the Valère and Tourbillon hills, the chateaux, the museums tell us the history of the past. Propelled by modern means of road, rail and air communication, the present has spread into the new areas. Wishing to satisfy as far as possible all those who come for a visit, the town offers a vast range of sports, culture and gastronomy;: golf or walks along the irrigation canals, skiing or mountain excursions; art galleries, internationally known music festivals; a complete range of restaurants and wine cellars, where the wines which have ripened under the Valais sun can be tasted. For further information, please follow this link ....