In the Dutchess County Spotlight

The Looking Glass Bed and Breakfast is offering guests a carefully customized, chocolate infused weekend. Through cocktails, food and tours, guests will find out what makes the village of Rhinebeck so enchanting.

Chocolatiers do their best to bring happiness to your taste buds by offering tastes at the charming Calico Restaurant and Patisserie, the new Liberty Public House, and a 90-minute tasting and presentation by renowned chocolatier Oliver Kita.

Cooking and baking with the perfumes and flavors of flowers, herbs, citrus, exotic fruits, berries, nuts, and spices fort 20 years, Oliver Kit has created a line of artisan and fair fine chocolates, using French organic and Swiss sources complemented by traditional French methods and the finest ingredients. Heavy satin cream, award-winning sweet butter, the finest fruits, low sugar, and carefully selected and roasted nuts are all in artfully hand-crafted designs.

Kita's presentation brings guests on an international tour around Madagascar, Venezuela, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. Kita explains how to properly taste chocolate, as complex as wine, and demystifies the "70% label." www.oliverkita.com/

And if guests need a break from chocolate (really, you do?), shops at Montgomery Row such as Hammertown Barn www.hammertown.com Oblong Books & Music www.OblongBooks.com and Haven Spa www.havenrhinebeck.com are within reach in case a "sugar coma" hits. Never fear, after that's passed, all guests take home a souvenir tote bag filled with chocolate laden gifts.

All the events included in the Charmed by Chocolate weekend are within walking distance from the Looking Glass Bed & Breakfast, located at 30 Chestnut Street in Rhinebeck. Call 845-876-8986 or visit www.thelookingglassbandb.com for reservations. Cost: $680/couple +tax. Package date(s): June 29-July 1