Join wildlife photographer Jonathan Lavan and cooking instructor Chris Toy for a fantastic weekend of photography and food. The retreat happens on the shores of Merrymeeting Bay in the Butler Head Nature Preserve. Come prepared for some nature walks with your cameras and hands on cooking lessons. A limited number of Air BNB style overnight accommodations with shared bathrooms are available for $100/weekend. Contact Chris Toy at christoy.net@gmail.com FMI.

Enjoy a weekend with your instructor, Chris Toy, the author of 6 popular cookbooks, a private chef, and has taught Asian-fusion cooking for several Maine community education programs. Learn how to prepare a variety of recipes from Asia, Europe, and the Americas incorporating traditional and local ingredients. Each meal will actively engage cooks with the tools, techniques, and stories behind the dishes being created. 

Escape to a Grand Victorian Inn, the Harbor View House in Prospect Harbor on the coast of Maine, with an intimate group of artist, cooks and creatives! All meals are included in the workshop fee plus special activities to extend your learning from the day’s workshops, including a private house concert by Grammy balloted sing-songwriter, storyteller, and author Gordon Ward. Day students are welcome. For more information about the workshop, call Mary at 207-632-2251. To book your stay at the inn call 207-963-9122 or visit https://harborviewhousellc.com/.  This is an in-person retreat.

Wouldn't it be nice to spend a week in Italy?  Here is your chance! We are going to Italy April 19 to 26, 2025!  Below is a quick summary of what we will be doing.  We will be hosting an informational meeting soon but if you want to know more click on the link at the bottom and check out this amazing adventure!

Day 1 Start tour

Day 2 Ciao Milan

Meet your tour director, travel to Bologna & check into hotel

Bologna city walk, Piazza Maggiore, Le due Torri, Basilica di San Petronio

Day 3  Bologna

Parmigiano & Prosciutto di Parma factory guided visit - Discover the long history and unique production process of Parmigiano-Reggiano, one of the most famous cheeses in the world. See first-hand how wheels are made and stored, and sample the delicious cheese in a unique tasting. Following your Parmigiano tour head to a Prosciutto factory and learn the secrets to producing the cured meat.

Modena balsamic vinegar tasting

Day 4 Bologna--Florence

Travel to Florence

Florence guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets -Immerse yourself in the charms of old-world Firenze. The birthplace and focal point of the Italian Renaissance, Florence still has the masterpieces to prove it. Brunelleschi’s monumental cuploa (dome) atop the city's renowned Duomo dominates the skyline. Your local licensed guide will take you to Giotto's Bell Tower and the aptly named Gates of Paradise, the bronze east doors of the Baptistery that spurred the burgeoning Renaissance. Don’t overlook the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli at the Chiesa di Santa Croce, or Florence’s amazing leather goods. You can check them out when you visit one of the area’s famed workshops!

Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Chiesa di Santa Croce, Ponte Vecchio, Duomo visit, Leather Workshop, Gates of Paradise, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Dante's House

Traditional Florentine dinner

Day 5 Florence

Truffle & olive oil grove visit

Local market guided visit

Chianti winery visit and tasting

Dinner on your own

Day 6 Florence--Rome

Travel to Rome

Ancient Rome guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets - The ultimate symbol of Ancient Rome, the Colosseum still dominates the modern city. Tour the amphitheater with your local licensed guide. Built by the emperor Vespasian in A.D. 72, the structure held almost 50,000 spectators but was so well organized that the entire place could be emptied within 15 minutes. Inside, the spectacles varied from gladiator battles to immense naval contests to wild beast shows, in which thousands of exotic animals like giraffes and ostriches were popped into the stadium through trap doors and left to fight Roman hunters. See the system beneath the floor that operated the trap doors and housed the animals, then continue on to the relative calm of the Forum. Ancient Rome’s commercial, religious and political center, the Forum held markets, temples and the Senate House. Near the Rostra, or speaker’s platform, you can still see game boards scratched into the marble by bored politicians--anyone up for a game of tic tac toe?

Colosseum visit, Forum Romanum visit, Piazza Venezia

Dinner on your own

Day 7 RomeVatican City guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel visit, St. Peter’s Basilica visitRome city walk

Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona

Pizza-making class & dinner

Day 8 Flight home from Rome

Total Fee: $4,461.00*OR 12 monthly payments of $367.58, after initial payment of $50.00

To register for this amazing trip and to find out the specifics of what is included go to:  http://www.explorica.com/Hallett-1785

Tour Includes:

Round-trip airfare

6 overnight stays (8 with extension) in hotels with private bathrooms

Full European breakfast dailyDinner daily

Full-time services of a professional tour director

Guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary

Visits to select attractions as per itinerary

Guided sightseeing tours with high-tech headset as per itinerary

Tour Diary™Local Guide and Local Bus Driver tips; see note regarding other important tips

Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided

Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, or fees for any required passport or visa. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid Tour Director and multi-day bus driver tipping, among other individual and group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.

Rates are pending!

Welcome spring on this escorted luxury motor-coach tour from Portland to Cape Cod. Experience the 49th annual Daffodil Festival on the quaint island of Nantucket. Wear your daffy hats and cheer during the Antique Car Parade, which features over 100 daffodil-bedecked vintage cars. Enjoy free time to explore Hyannis & Nantucket and tour local museums in Sandwich and Cambridge, MA. Registration opens in early 2025. Registration opening early 2025.

For more details on inclusions and rates please visit https://adventure-marketplace.com/adventures

Join us for an unforgettable experience on Saturday, April 26th, 2025, as we embark on a day trip to Boston to see the musical comedy Book of Mormon for the 2:00 pm showing. We've pre-booked the tickets so that we have a great view of this performance.

The adventure begins with a convenient motorcoach bus pickup, offering two options: Waterville HS Back Parking Lot or the Gardiner 295 Rest Stop. Relax and enjoy the scenic journey as we make our way to the vibrant city of Boston.

Before the show, we'll make a stop at Quincy Market, where you can explore the diverse range of food vendors and choose your own delicious lunch. Take in the lively atmosphere and perhaps pick up some souvenirs before heading to the show.

We'll arrive to the Charles Playhouse to enjoy the immersive and entertaining performance of Book of Mormon. Be prepared for a unique blend of music, comedy, and plotline that will leave you in stitches.

Following the show, we'll visit High Street Place food court for you to grab a bite to eat allowing you to unwind and share your favorite moments from the show with fellow travelers.

As the day comes to a close around 6:00 pm, we'll board the motorcoach for a comfortable journey back to Maine, arriving in Gardiner at approx. 8:00 pm and Waterville at 8:30 pm.

The all-inclusive ticket price of $210 covers your admission to the Book of Mormon show, as well as round-trip bus fare for a hassle-free and enjoyable day.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to create lasting memories with friends and loved ones! Reserve your seat now for a day filled with entertainment, good food, and great company!

"...a fiendishly well-crafted, hilariously smart song-and-dance extravaganza!" - New York Post

Join master wood carver Ken Wise and cooking instructor Chris Toy for a fantastic weekend of hands on Carving and Cooking instruction. Learn how to carve cooking utensils such as chopsticks, spatulas, and spoons. Then use them to prepare, cook, and eat some tasty Asian fusion recipes from Chris Toy’s cookbooks! The retreat happens on the shores of Merrymeeting Bay in the Butler Head Nature Preserve. A limited number of Air BNB style overnight accommodations with shared bathrooms are available for $100/weekend. Contact Chris Toy at christoy.net@gmail.com FMI.

Join the Registered Maine Guides at Sebago Trails for an on the water adventure. This two hour course will begin with a safety briefing and lesson covering the fundamentals of recreational kayaking. Using the EZ launching system at Sebago Trails Paddling, the tour will explore the water-carved bends and twists of a meandering stream unveiling local wildlife in a rustic backdrop. Then continue onto Jordan Bay of Sebago Lake as the guides share stories dating back to the settlements of the region. Come for the beautiful lake views and leave with your new favorite hobby! This is a great experience for anyone looking to get outdoors. Perfect for first time kayakers and experienced kayaking enthusiasts. Sebago Trails Paddling will provide: Kayak, Paddle, Lifejacket.

This is an asynchronous, online class.

Designed for beginners, we will have you speaking and reading Spanish in no time. You will practice the basic building blocks of the language and common idiomatic expressions. You will know enough vocabulary and grammar for simple conversations, and you will learn how to ask and answer questions.  Whether you speak some Spanish and need a refresher, or speak no Spanish, you will complete the course with the skills to communicate in Spanish.

This is a two month course - next start date is September 3, 2024!