Budding chefs will be glad to know that a new art institute, offering culinary studies among other degrees, will open its doors March 31 in Sunnyvale.

The 53,000-square-foot Art Institute of California - Sunnyvale will open at 1120 Kifer Road at Lawrence Expressway. It will offer bachelor's degree programs in culinary management; digital filmmaking and video production; fashion marketing and management; graphic design; interior design; and Web design and interactive media. It will also have associate's degree programs in culinary arts; graphic design; and Web design and interactive media.

The culinary program will have three kitchens, including one in the school's restaurant, which will be run by students and open to the public.

The associate's degree in culinary arts can be completed in seven quarters; the bachelor's degree in culinary management takes 12 quarters.

Windstar Cruises Announces 2009 and Winter 2010 Deployment

Windstar Cruises, which operates a three-ship fleet of luxury yachts that explore hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world's most sought-after destinations, announces a tantalizing selection of voyages for 2009 and winter 2010 aboard the 312-guest Wind Surf and 148-guest Wind Star and Wind Spirit.

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Local chefs shine at 2008 Taste of the Beach Expo

Sunday, March 9 was the grand finale for the 2008 Taste of The Beach weekend, sponsored by the Dare County Restaurant Association.The Expo, the annual showcase of local culinary creativity, received high marks from the near capacity crowd swirling inside Kelly's Restaurant Sunday night.As 24 area restaurants prepared a wide array of tasty treats, more than 300 fans of fine food sampled the fare and voted for their favorites. This year's attendees included more than 120 foodies that came in from out of the area just for the expo. Sixty-six percent of all tickets sold on the Taste of The Beach Weekend website www.obxtasteofthebeach.com to the more than 40 events were sold to people from out of the area."The marketing plan for this year's festivities focused on bringing new shoulder season business to the area, and we were able to accomplish this with the generous support of a tourism assistance grant from The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau," explained DCRA President Ben Sproul.Among the numerous improvements to this year's Expo were additional awards for participants and several professional food critics serving as judges.

Charleston Hotel Welcomes Guests for International Antiques Show

The Renaissance Charleston Hotel Historic District is offering historic accommodations for history lovers coming to the city for the Charleston International Antiques Show (CIAS) taking place from Friday, March 14 to Sunday, March 16, 2008.

Featuring over 30 of the nation's premier antique dealers, the International Antiques Show will exhibit everything from period furnishings and decorative arts to vintage jewelry, porcelains, silver and ceramics. CIAS 2008 will be located at 40 East Bay Street, and will be open Friday and Saturday from 10am to 6pm and Sunday from 11am to 5pm.