The Good Life.(dutch paintings on exhibition)(plastic bags and its varieties)(new robots)

Byline: Brian Byrnes; Esther Bintliff; Jessica Bennett; Kenzie Burchell; Michelle Jana Chan

Travel: South For the Harvest

In recent years, Argentina and Chile have garnered bunches of praise for their signature grapes, Malbec and Carmenere respectively. Now that it's summer in the Southern Hemisphere, it's the perfect time for food and wine lovers to come celebrate South America's grape harvest. The inaugural Masters of Food and Wine South America kicks off the harvest season, bringing together some of the world's top chefs and vintners in the picturesque vineyards of Mendoza, Argentina. Chefs Todd English of Olives, Kenichiro Ooe of the Park Hyatt Tokyo and others will cook for the gourmet gathering, which also features wine classes, concerts and a gala dinner (Feb. 15-18; mfandw.com.ar ).

Two weeks later, Mendoza celebrates the Vendimia Nacional (National Wine Harvest), a mix of high-society pomp and provincial traditions, where jet-setters and locals mingle. A downtown parade features horse-riding gauchos and grape-throwing beauty queens. The colorful closing pageant, held in an aging amphitheater, is a song-and-dance spectacle that would make the Greeks proud (March 2-4; turismo.mendoza.gov.ar ).

Across the rugged Andes mountains, Chile's most pres-tigious wine festival takes place in Valle de Colchagua. To reach the Fiesta de la Vendimia, take the Chile Wine Train from Santiago south 150 kilometers to the fertile valley (trendelvinochile.cl ). The festival in Colchagua attracts more than 60,000 visitors each year for eating, drinking and the swings and swirls of Chile's national dance, the cueca (March 9-11; colchaguavalley.cl ). And the train can carry revelers safely home.

4 HOURS IN THE HAGUE

The seat of Dutch government--and host of the International War Crimes Tribunal--has a reputation for seriousness, but it's also a trove of sophisticated culture.