for the ARTS record

Chowder contest kicks off Restaurant Week.

NANTUCKET RESTAURANTWEEK Nantucket Restaurant Week offers sample tasting menus of over two dozen of the island's exquisite restaurants. The restaurants will offer a three course meal at the fixed price of $20 for lunch and $45 for dinner.

The Opening Gala, Sunday October 14, will benefit the Nantucket Culinary Arts Foundation Scholarship Fund and includes tastings from participating restaurants, as well as Champagne from Veuve Clicquot. Tickets are $100; call 228-1515 to reserve.

The weekend begins with the Nantucket Chowder Contest, sponsored by the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce and featuring restaurants and chefs vying for the honors of "Best Chowder on Nantucket, Saturday, October 13, 2 to 3:30 p.m. For more information call the Chamber at 228-1700.

Restaurant Week is sponsored by N Magazine, Boston Magazine and Nantucket Catering Company.

For more information visit: www.nantucketrestaurantweek. com.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT WITH VLADIMIR Dr. Vladimir Strelnitski will host "Star Light, Star Bright: The Astronomical Island" at the Nantucket Historical Association's Food for Thought Series on Thursday, October 11, in the Whaling Museum, 13 Broad Street, at noon. Free admission; bring your lunch.

ROB BENCHLEY/The Independent file On Thursday, Dr. Vladimir Strelnitski will discuss how MMA's new 24-inch telescope has boosted the organization's research potential

Strelnitski, astronomer in residence at the Maria Mitchell Association (MMA), will share his thoughts on how the MMA astronomers keep alive, and use in their work, the rich legacy of Maria Mitchell and her father William. He will also discuss the various discoveries that have been made at the MMA during its 100-year history, and how the new 24-inch telescope has boosted the organization's research potential and its service to the Nantucket community.

On October 18, the Food for Thought Series will continue with "What's the Deal with Whale Oil? Learn how the Candle Factory Worked" hosted by Peter Roncetti. Bring your lunch. Each talk begins at noon and is free to the public.

"CLEARING SKIES SESACHACHA"

For additional information about the Brown- Bag Luncheon Series, please call 508-228-1894, ext. 0, or visit www.nha.org to view the full

schedule. I

BLACK EXHIBIT

Christine Black will be exhibiting recent photographs of Nantucket and the Florida Keys on Friday, Oct. 12 at 53 Union St.

Black, a practicing artist on Nantucket for many years in the 1980s, has been residing and showing her work in Key West for 17 years. Although she frequently visited and photographed Nantucket over the years, in April of 2007 she returned to live on a more permanent basis.

Known for her ethereal watercolors of the backcountry keys islands and skies, Black approaches her photography with a similar simplistic style. Her images are printed on watercolor paper which creates a soft dreamlike effect.

This Friday's exhibit will feature a selection of Nantucket images taken over the last several years. She has also selected a number of images taken in the Florida Keys and Key West where she is currently showing at the Redbone Gallery in Islamorada and the SoDu Gallery.

Black has won many awards for her photographs and has been published in Coastal Living Magazine as well as several commercial publications and newspaper magazine covers. She recently re-joined the Artists' Association of Nantucket and will be showing there throughout the year.

The work will be on exhibit the evening of the 12th from 5:30 -9:p.m. as well as during the day on Saturday

the 13th. Call 305-304-7815 with questions. I