The Queen Mary in Long Beach hosts a Fourth of July party onboard the vintage ship that starts at noon and shoots off fireworks at 9 p.m. Living Social has a discount offer of $27 for each adult for an all-day ticket.

The deal: The $27 ticket is good for one adult entry for the Fourth of July and for the Rock the Queen concert of tribute bands from '70s to '90s rock 'n' roll on Aug. 10.

On the Fourth, entertainment is themed to different decades during the day. From noon to 4 p.m., it's the 1920s to the 1940s with swing band, stand-up comedy and kid activities such as a balloon toss, potato sack races and more. From 4 to 6 pm., the 1940s to '60s with a Beatles Tribute band, DJs and other musical acts as well as more kid stuff.

Fireworks are scheduled for 9 p.m., followed by DJs spinning music from the 1990s through the aughts at 9:30 p.m. Guests also may choose to watch a screening of "Independence Day" before the party ends at 11 p.m. Check out all activities at the Queen Mary website...

Art, food, learning and music will all be embraced as the inaugural Life Is Beautiful festival takes over downtown Las Vegas on Oct. 26 and 27.

The first-of-its-kind Life Is Beautiful, or L.I.B., event is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors. 

More than 50 musical groups -- established bands and emerging artists -- will perform on four stages and at some indoor venues. Headliners include the popular Vegas-based bands Imagine Dragons and the Killers.

Other entertainment will be provided by performers from various Cirque du Soleil productions in Las Vegas. Included will be an act from "Michael Jackson One," the troupe’s newest show.

Several world-class chefs are among 60 or so chefs and restaurants that will be holding cooking demonstrations and serving their specialties. The list includes Hubert Keller, Kerry Simon, Charlie Palmer and the Border Grill duo of Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger.

L.I.B.’s educational component, Learning Is Beautiful, will showcase...

If you love Navajo rugs, the 2103 Summer Navajo Rug Auction in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Saturday offers an opportunity to view these works of art.

More than 200 authentic new and vintage Navajo weavings will be on display at the Museum of Northern Arizona. Visitors can preview the rugs with patterns that have names such as Two Grey Hills, Ganado, Teec Nos Pos and Eyedazzler.

The public preview of items runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. followed by the auction from 2 to 5 p.m.

"Navajo rug auctions are also an excellent opportunity to learn more about Native art," a museum release says. "Before the auction, you can hold rugs in your hands and appreciate them up close."  Prices range from $20 to several thousand dollars, according to the museum.

Experts will be on hand to answer questions and provide cultural context to the pieces. The auction will be run by R.B. Burnham & Co. Trading Post, which is known for its expertise in Navajo textiles. (Check out other auction locations at Burnham's website.)...

If you have a hankering for a club sandwich in Geneva, expect to pay $30.45. Hungry in New Delhi? You'll fork over $9.11.

Those are the results of the Club Sandwich Index. It's the second year the online booking site Hotels.com has created the index, which compares a number of cities' average cost of the chicken, bacon, egg, lettuce and mayonnaise sandwich as a cost-of-living indicator for travelers.

Paris, Oslo and Stockholm came in second, third and fourth at $27.45, 26.72 and $23.12, respectively, and New York's price of $17.51 ranked 13th of the 28 locations surveyed.

The club sandwich isn't the only food index out there -- and it really isn't about the food either. The index shows the strength or weakness of currencies at a particular point; for travelers, food-cost comparisons are a useful indicator of where their dollars will go farthest.

For example, the Wall Street Journal in February produced a Starbucks grande latte indexthat compared the cost of a 16-ounce coffee. It cost...

Layovers don't have to be a pain in the derrière. This app points you to short-term hotel stays, tours and travel deals to help you fill the hours.

Name: Smart Layover

Available for: Android, BlackBerry, iOS

What it does: Shows travelers on long layovers that they don't have to be stuck at the airport. Users can find attractions and tours, travel deals and day-use hotel options along with terminal maps and tips. Get flight alert notifications and security wait times too.

Cost: Free

What's hot: You're not at the mercy of a packed bar or pricey express spa. The "Tours and Attractions" feature connects you to sightseeing tours in more than 140 countries. I really liked the "Smart Insider Tips" that appeared when the deals were loading, including, "You'll find the best day-use hotel rates between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. For tours, note that most need to be booked more than 24 hours in advance."

What's not:It claims that you can get up to 70% off on day-use hotels. But nearly every time I tried...

Stella Mare's restaurant, across from the Bird Refuge in Santa Barbara, has charming atmosphere and delicious food. Everything about this place is first rate. It is in a wonderful old house just up the street from Cabrillo Boulevard. Entrees from $24.

Stella Mare's, 50 Los Patos Way; (805) 969-6705, http://www.stellamares.com. Closed Mondays.

Angela Slaff

By email

A tarpaulin has long served campers who use it as a ground cover and a wet-weather shelter. Now Hideo Wakamatsu has upgraded the material to a more glamorous use — as luggage.

Taking advantage of tarp’s water resistance, durability, light weight and flexibility, the travel-ware designer has introduced a roomy 25-inch wheeled tarpaulin bag in shiny red, white, blue or black.

There’s no metal frame to weigh down the bag or take up precious space, and built-in straps let you cinch down the sides when you need less storage.

What you get is kind of a cross between a duffel bag and a traditional trolley bag.

Interior straps and pockets aid organizing. An electric-blue lining makes finding items easier.

The bag also is available in a wheeled carry-on model in the same choice of colors.

The 25-inch Tarpaulin Check-In Trolley in red, white, black or blue is about $210; wheeled carry-on, $179. 

Info: Hideo Wakamatsu

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