A footnote to "Drink Like a Local in 6 Beer Cities"

The Sahara Now Selling Three-Foot Tall Beers for March Madness. Only in Vegas: the Beer Tower holds 15 beers—perfect refreshment for those tense NCAA basketball games. [hotelchatter] Great moments in airline signs: No Furby on board. Qantas is not a fan of the cute but annoying toys. [Upgrade: Travel Better] 'West Side Story' revival opens on Broadway. The reviews are in for the show, directed by Arthur Laurents, who wrote the original book. [NewYorkology] My new favorite airplane activity. Keep the little ones occupied with this fun sticker project. [cookiemag.com] Royal Caribbean goes all 'Big Brother'. The cruise line identified 50 people who have written favorable comments about it on various websites, offering them perks if they keep saying good things. [gadling.com]

New Hampshire might be a small state, but in the span of four to six weeks each year, its maple trees provide more than 80,000 gallons of syrup. You can see part of the process during the New Hampshire Maple Weekend. More than 65 sugarhouses in the state are participating this year by opening their doors and offering samples, tours, and special events. For instance, visit Turkey Street Maples in Chocorua, N.H., for demonstrations, samples served with ice cream, and an opportunity to help collect sap from trees. Other houses are offering horse or tractor-drawn rides around the farms, pancake feasts, and "sugar on snow," a New England delicacy made by pouring boiling maple syrup on packed, fresh snow—the combination of the two makes a caramel-like treat. See the full schedule. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup—New Hampshire's producers made about 85,000 gallons of the sweet stuff in 2008. Sap starts to run from sugar maples in mid-February when the nights are cold but the days milder (in the 40s), with lots of sun. To make syrup, sap is boiled to evaporate water. That's why sugar houses always have a ton of steam coming from them. Vermont is also hosting a Maple Open House this weekend. Most sugarhouse visits are free; some events cost a nominal fee. Call the hotline at 603/225-3757 for more info.

There's a reason Brussels has been dubbed the Capital of the Comic Strip: It's the birthplace of the Smurfs, sharpshooting cowboy Lucky Luke, and intrepid reporter Tintin. To honor the city's animated heritage, the Belgian capital is throwing a yearlong bash, which includes the opening of the Hergé Museum, dedicated to the artist who first sketched Tintin and his trusty terrier, Snowy, 80 years ago. In the city center, the Comic Strip Route walking tour spotlights over 30 outdoor statues and murals that depict cartoon characters in, yes, comic situations. brusselscomics.com From the April 2009 issue of Budget Travel

The Culinary Institute of America has launched new cooking and wine classes at its Napa Valley location. Saturdays at the CIA, with dates now through July, are hands-on, two-hour classes taught by faculty. The class subjects include Street Foods of the Middle East, Bold Flavors from Tuscany, and Flavors of the New Spanish Table. Class size caps at 12, and students work in teams to complete a few small dishes to share with a glass of wine, all with an expert chef helping along the way (and you also get to wear those cool hats). Classes are $75 per person and taught in the mornings. The CIA also has new afternoon wine classes (also $75 per person), so it's feasible for you to spend an entire day at the CIA. If you make reservations ahead of time, you can eat a two-course lunch for $19 per person at the Institute's restaurant—that's about 30 percent off. Students also get 10 percent off at the CIA's store. This location is an easy stop if you're tasting your way through Napa Valley (St. Helena is about half an hour from Napa itself). The Institute, founded in 1946, also has locations in New York and Texas—graduates include Anthony Bourdain, Cat Cora, and Harold Dieterle. Reservations recommended, 707/967-2320, ciachef.edu