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Weightless without dieting

Bring along a red cape and make like Superman while you experience the ups and downs of weightlessness on special tourist flights over the Nevada desert. The weightless flights, which cost $3,500 per person, are scheduled to begin Saturday in Las Vegas and will be held monthly by the Zero-G Corp. They will re-create the flight techniques used by NASA to train its astronauts. The Boeing 727-200 aircraft has been converted into a zero-gravity playroom with padded floors and walls. During the flights, pilots will fly special maneuvers between about 24,000 and 32,000 feet, creating moments of weightlessness. For information and a schedule of flights, call (800) 937-6480 or see www.gozerog.com

-- Rosemary McClure

Classical treasures

New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art will open new Greek and Roman galleries on Friday. Thousands of classical treasures, half of which haven’t been on regular display for decades, will be exhibited in the galleries, which are part of a $220-million museum overhaul. Highlights include an entire bronze Etruscan chariot (6th century BC), last seen in the early 1990s; and the imposing Sardis column (Greek, 3rd century BC) from the Temple of Artemis in western Turkey. The galleries showcase “interlocking themes and stories,” said Christopher Lightfoot, associate curator for Roman art. Suggested adult admission: $20. (212) 535-7710; www.metmuseum.org

-- Jane Engle

Earth Day focus

Warm up to nature next Sunday at Santa Barbara’s annual South Coast Earth Day Festival, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the County Courthouse, 1100 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, home to the nation’s first Earth Day festival, always celebrates the day in grand fashion. This year’s festival will include a photo exhibit on global warming, a green car show, an energy village displaying alternative power sources and activities for children. The photo exhibit, a 600-foot display focusing on polar bears, is being billed as the world’s largest devoted to global warming. The photos are the culmination of three years of work by Howard Ruby, a nature photographer and chairman of Oakwood Corporate Housing. (805) 963-0583, Ext. 109, www.sbearthday.org.

-- R.M.

Save gas, glide

Planes will glide into Auckland (New Zealand) International Airport later this week during special test landings that will reduce fuel use and emissions. The approach method, which is said to be “a perfectly safe procedure,” will allow planes to do a glide descent into the airport, with engines set on idle. The trial landings are scheduled to begin Wednesday and will feature Air New Zealand and Qantas jets. Flights will be spaced to avoid other arrivals. “We’ve chosen only a very small group of aircraft to participate. [These planes] typically arrive at times of the day other traffic is light,” said airport spokesman Lew Jenkins. Other airports, including LAX, may test the program in the future.

-- R.M.

Bite-size Apple

Sightseeing in New York City carries its share of dangers: namely, your own bored children. “City Walks With Kids: New York,” by Elissa Stein, can be a lifesaver for parents who want to stroll the city, keep the children engaged and make the most of the moment. It’s priced at $14.95 and comes in a box with a deck of 50 cards, each one offering a sight suitable for kids. On one side, an illustrated map. On the other, tips on what to see and how to get there. Info: Chronicle Books, (800) 722-6657, www.chroniclebooks.com.

-- Chris Erskine