Watching chefs prepare your dinner ensures that they are using fresh ingredients instead of arranging pictures cut from the menu atop a bed of rice. See food with this Groupon.

Choose Between Two Options $17 for $35 worth of hibachi fare, valid Friday-Sunday $20 for $40 worth of hibachi fare, valid Monday-Thursday

The hibachi menu includes sides of hibachi vegetables ($5.50) paired with hibachi dinner entrees of chicken ($17), swordfish ($21), or filet mignon and scallop combination ($25)--all prepared tableside and served with mushroom soup, house salad, veggies, and two shrimp pieces.

Yume Hibachi Steak & Sushi

With practiced flips and slices, a Yume hibachi chef sears scallops and filet mignon on sizzling Hibachi grill with equal parts showmanship and culinary prowess. A billow of flames funnels steam into an overhead ventilation chamber whose polished metal reflects carved wooden ceiling borders, a labyrinth of glowing lights, and hungry pizza-delivery boys peeking in the windows. When the kitchen doors fly open, a friendly server erupts into the dining room, his arms lined with made-to-order udon noodles, tender teriyaki chicken, and shrimp and veggies in light tempura breading. These entrees join artfully wrapped sushi and sashimi on tables, the grain of whose wood is so prominent it could be carved from tiger's eye stone.

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Marred by bird attacks, sand traps made from cost-cutting quicksand, and texting-induced cart accidents, golf has surpassed lava surfing and equestrian water polo in annual sports injuries. Solidify your short game in a safe indoor environment with this Groupon to Glowgolf in Holyoke. Choose from the following options:

For $9, you get two passes good for three 18-hole rounds (up to an $18 value). For $16, you get four passes good for three 18-hole rounds (up to a $36 value). For $24, you get six passes good for three 18-hole rounds (up to a $48 value).

Tickets for seniors and children 4 and younger can be bought directly from Glowgolf for $4 each.

Putt-putters can bask in the soothing phosphorescent splendor of Glowgolf's mini course as they navigate their illuminated golf balls through glowtopia. Courses contain sights such as light-defying blush corals, incandescent fishes, and lush foliage. Each pass is good for three 18-hole games, giving golfers ample opportunity to outmaneuver any vividly bright and very alive windmills that may appear. Equipment is available on the spot, so players won't risk bending their own putters when they chase after that pesky, good-for-nothing, hole-digging, ball-stealing, and most likely hallucinated gopher.

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Historical Inn with Glass-Enclosed Porch Overlooking Lake

In the 19th century, some of the Northeast's industrial pioneers- including Silas March, an entrepreneur and New York state assemblyman-spent their idle days in a clapboard estate built along the shores of Mariaville. In 2003, husband-and-wife innkeepers Rick and Lorrie Runnels purchased this historical home and dubbed it the Mariaville Lake Bed and Breakfast. Since then, they've made extensive renovations while managing to preserve the building's casual, Federal-style elegance; it still has its original moldings, wood-burning fireplaces, and hardwood floors in some of the guest rooms.

The building is tucked into a woodsy area along the private, 200-acre Mariaville Lake, and it's a prime spot to get in some fishing and swimming. The B&B also owns two kayaks, one canoe, and one rowboat, which are all available for guests. Or feel free to take a stroll through the wealth of hiking trails that crisscross the property; one in particular leads to a beaver dam. In summer and fall, you can tell ghost stories and dry your laundry over a crackling bonfire in the evening.

The inn's five guest rooms are individually decorated, but all look out to Mariaville Lake. You have to use an old-fashioned skeleton key to get into the Vineyard and Lakeview rooms, as they are located in the original part of the house.

Come morning, the innkeepers serve a breakfast by candlelight in the formal dining room or on the glass-enclosed porch. The chefs prepare a different hot entree each morning, such as banana-stuffed french toast, veggie frittatas, or puffed apple pancakes. You can typically find house-made pastries, fresh juices, yogurt, fresh fruit, coffee, and tea.

Mariaville, New York: Small Town on the Shores of Mariaville Lake

Mariaville is part of the 18th century town of Duanesburg, located about 30 miles west of Albany. Thanks to its location along the 200-acre Mariaville Lake, the town became a resort community in the 1920s. Not a whole lot has changed since then; there's still only one traffic light in the city to date, and every high-school class is taught by the mayor.

The town of Schenectady offers a dose of culture fewer than 15 miles east. Aside from shopping and restaurants, you can find the historical Proctors Theater, which opened as a vaudeville venue in the early 20th century but sank into disrepair by the late 1970s. A group of concerned citizens rallied to restore the theater, which now hosts regular performances of ballets, musicals, comedians, and concerts.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.

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Like an etch-a-sketch or a man covered in ants, cocktails just beg to be shaken. Stir up the nightlife with this Groupon.

$20 for $40 Worth of Steaks, Seafood, and Pasta

Chefs stuff mushrooms with crabmeat ($8), saute shrimp in garlic-butter white-wine sauce and toss it with linguine ($17.95), and blacken swordfish steak with Cajun spices ($16.95). See the full menu.

Shakago Martini & Piano Bar

Bringing back the upscale nightclub atmosphere of yore since 2003, the staff at Shakago Martini & Piano Bar pairs an upscale menu of Italian-inspired pastas, seafood dishes, and steakhouse fare with a rotating schedule of entertainment every Wednesday through Saturday. While the downstairs area accommodates diners with a traditional restaurant setting, a combination of dim candlelight and firefly busboys illuminates the newly renovated and intimate upstairs lounge, where guests rest on comfy couches and chairs. The second floor also frequently hosts parties of 25-50 attendees, which Shakago caters with bites ranging from finger food to dinner buffets. Because enjoying the Pink Floyd's cover of Beethoven's 9th Symphony can often take you into the wee hours, a late-night menu appeases appetites until 1:30 a.m. Monday-Friday.

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Horses are some of the most perceptive animals, as evidenced by the saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't explain his intimate knowledge of your childhood fears." Tap into equine insight with this Groupon.

Choose Between Two Options $20 for one 60-minute semiprivate horseback-riding lesson (a $40 value) $35 for two 60-minute semiprivate horseback-riding lessons (an $80 value)

A trainer oversees small groups of beginner, intermediate, or advanced students. Beginners learn basic skills such as grooming, tacking, and leading the horse, whereas intermediate and advanced students focus on tougher riding skills.

Treasure Hill Farm

Nestled on a 93-acre parcel of land that claims its own plot in American history, the extensive Treasure Hill Farm forms the centerpiece of a vast network of cross-country trails and riding pastures. Visitors to the grounds enjoy a comprehensive equine education through English riding lessons held in the 72′x140′ indoor arena. Head instructor Natalie Edwards and her team customize their coaching in accordance with the experience level of the rider, starting novices out with such horsemanship fundamentals as tacking and grooming, beginning to walk, and never tossing horseshoes while the horse is still attached. Lesson agendas move on to more difficult skills as the rider's experience level increases, with riders upping the pace to trot and cantering and trainers incorporating jumping and dressage instruction where they see fit. In addition to lessons, Treasure Hill Farm hosts various events including family-fun outings, horsemanship clinics, and road races to benefit charitable causes.

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Midtown Manhattan is home to some of the world's most talked-about landmarks, from the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings to Rockefeller Center and the bright lights of Times Square. Allow us to draw up the blueprints for this week's well-engineered Escape to The Gotham Hotel on 46th Street, a sleek boutique property offering personal touches in a prime locale: sandwiched between all the action of Madison and Fifth Avenues, formerly the space of the beloved Gotham Book Mart. You and a guest will be positively floored by a two-night stay, Fridays through Sundays, in a chic Gotham 2 Room Type-complete with a king bed and private terrace-on floors two through nine ($600). And don't be surprised by the lack of a check-in desk: Upon your arrival, a staff member will greet you with a VIP welcome amenity before escorting you to your accommodations. Airy, light-filled guest rooms are appointed with streamlined European furnishings, tailored minibars, and lavish linens. Your Escape also includes an upgrade to a Gotham 3 Room Type when available. On floors ten through 23, these units feature king beds and private terraces with views of the skyline. Z!NK magazine describes a stay here as "a new type of hotel experience in the center of Midtown Manhattan. With terraces off of every room, guests feel as if they are floating above the city." When hunger comes knocking at the door, rest assured you'll stay well fed with assorted fresh pastries and a daily breakfast for two. In the evening, cozy up to your companion during dinner at on-site restaurant Tenpenny. You'll use your $50 dining credit to savor Italian-American cuisine that Z!NK says "hearkens back to the American cuisine of old" when "New York City was an up-and-comer in the restaurant world." The next morning, structure your day however you like: You'll be within walking distance of some of the city's best sights, including Central Park, the Theatre District, and 30 Rock. Or, browse the likes of Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman, and Saks along the retail mecca that is Fifth Avenue. For an exciting Escape to the city that never sleeps, the writing's on the wall: Pack your bags and hit the town-at prices that aren't through the roof.

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By Mikal McLendon, Travel Correspondent

Historical Boutique Hotel in Thriving Downtown Arts District

"Oh, that's pretty," says a well-dressed guest who has recently arrived at Hotel Providence, nudging her companion and nodding at a large jade sculpture of galloping horses. "That's our centerpiece," the concierge chimes in. "From China. It's really rare." The horses are the most vibrant piece adorning the marble-floored lobby of this hotel, whose collection encompasses French steel engravings, centuries-old murals, and gilded Swedish mirrors.

And the building itself has as deep of a history as the artwork inside it: the building had turns as a college dormitory, a department store, and a grain silo before the turn of the 20th century, when it was repurposed to become a classic New England hotel.

There's a definite appreciation for art here; each guest room is decorated with local artwork ranging from paintings of city scenes to ceramic sculptures of fish. Each also comes with a continental armoire and wooden headboards. The junior and premier suites are fairly spacious-there are separate living rooms furnished with queen sofas if you need to sleep extra guests or add reinforcements to your pillow fort. Premier suites have added luxuries such as a whirlpool tub, a granite wet bar, and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the adjacent park and historical Grace Church.

Hotel Providence's Aspire Restaurant prepares New England-style cuisine such as clam chowder and jumbo lump crab cakes. Ingredients are sourced from local farms and the hotel's own rooftop garden. During warmer nights, you can dine in the restaurant's candlelit courtyard and enjoy selections from an international wine list.

Providence: Historical Haven Lined with Art Galleries, Restored Theaters, and Fine Dining

"The art scene is incredible here," raves Tricia Carter, Hotel Providence's marketing manager. "Every day there's something new." The active community support of the arts has helped to earn Providence its reputation as the "Creative Capital."

In an effort to rejuvenate the historical entertainment district here, the city partnered with its three universities and gave artists tax breaks to live downtown. You can now catch Broadway musicals and Tennessee Williams dramas at beautifully restored historical theaters from the 1920s such as the Providence Performing Arts Center and Trinity Repertory Theatre.

A short walk from Hotel Providence, you'll also find a vast network of downtown galleries; many of these feature the work of artists and graduates from the nearby Rhode Island School of Design.

The city's thriving food culture rivals the art scene in creativity and vigor; there's an enclave of Italian eateries on Federal Hill, and delis dot the downtown area. Many local chefs source their ingredients from farms bordering the city, which set up shop downtown on Fridays at the farmers' market. About 10 minutes south of downtown, the Culinary Arts Museum celebrates Providence's love of food with more than 250,000 artifacts, ranging from antique cooking gadgets to elaborate wedding cakes.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.

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True wine connoisseurs teach themselves to distinguish varietals, identify flawed bottles, and cry pure chardonnay. Become one with the grape with this Groupon.

Choose from Three Options $25 for two tickets to a Friday Night Fusion concert (a $10 value each) and two glasses of wine (up to a $15 value each; up to a $50 total value) $45 for four tickets to a Friday Night Fusion concert (a $10 value each) and four glasses of wine (up to a $15 value each; up to a $100 total value) $100 for 10 tickets to a Friday Night Fusion concert (a $10 value each) and 10 glasses of wine (up to a $15 value each; up to a $250 total value)

Outdoor concert series launches in June with Cover 2 Cover's eclectic selection of audience favorites, wrapping in late August with Tirebiter, a Connecticut-based troupe whose four-part harmonies churn out time-tested tunes from the '60s and beyond. Glasses of the winery's grape-to-bottle wines reflect the setting sun's panoply of colors as crowds congregate atop home-brought blankets and chairs. See the full line-up.

Dalice Elizabeth Winery

Soft breezes skip off the shores of Amos Lake, rustling through trees and across the grassy acreage that surrounds Dalice Elizabeth Winery, where second-, third-, and fourth-generation Italian Americans share the secrets of their polished craft. Having dispersed its all-natural specialty foods and wines internationally, the winery's founding family continually impresses the palates of casual indulgers and contest judges alike, churning out grape-to-bottle chardonnays, merlots, and sauvignons that cannot be found on the shelves of local stores. In addition to tastings, the winery hosts winemaking and cooking classes, during which glasses clink between aspiring chefs and vintners as they learn to entertain houseguests or polite burglars with style and ease.

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The body holds the power to heal itself -- but sometimes it gets lazy and needs a little prodding. For today's deal from Whole Health Associates -- situated inside of Hartford Hospital's Avon Wellness Center -- pay $45 for a 60-minute acupuncture treatment (regularly $90) that'll awaken you to your core. A member of Whole's expert team will start by evaluating you to determine points of pain and discomfort. Then, you'll relax as a licensed physician inserts thin needles to help your nervous system communicate clearly with the body; during acupuncture, the needles unblock energy, stimulate circulation, and release pain-relieving endorphins -- to give you a constitution that's conscientious about curing itself. Want more? Check out Whole Health Associates on Facebook.

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A Taste of Merry Old England in a Cozy, Tudor-Style Inn

Since its founding in 1793, the town of Stowe has reinvented itself numerous times, from its early days as a potash-farming enclave to its brief stint as a Canadian smuggling outpost during the War of 1812. Stowe's streets and buildings are rife with American history, but today the town thrives as a mountain retreat with an artistic soul and an outdoorsy spirit. Just north of Main Street, Ye Olde England Inne, a sprawling Tudor-style manor, welcomes guests with a taste of merry old England. Straight-backed armchairs sit beside a roaring fire in the lobby, with English prints and paintings on the walls and a crimson carpet reminiscent of the old redcoat uniforms.

Housed within the inn, Mr. Pickwick's Gastropub and Steakhouse packs its pub cellars with several thousand bottles of wine, rare cognacs, and small-batch bourbons, as well as the requisite ales and lagers. An arched stone entryway leads to the pub's chummy, Old-World interior, where old-fashioned beer steins dangle from the rafters. More than just a watering hole, the restaurant also serves an inventive menu of seafood, fowl, and steak.

The inn's Bluff House suites cushion overnighters in English-manor elegance with four-poster, rice-carved queen beds. Each suite features a fireplace, a lounge with wing chairs and cherry-wood furnishings, and a spacious bathroom outfitted with a jacuzzi tub. A private deck or patio connects to most suites, affording views of the village, Mount Mansfield, and the Green Mountains. Most standard rooms feature Victorian-style wallpaper and bright bedspreads atop brass beds.

Stowe, Vermont: Artistic Enclave Nestled at the Base of the Green Mountains

Ye Olde England Inne is set against the scenic backdrop of Vermont's Green Mountains. The inn is centrally located in Stowe, so you'll have easy access to the historical village and its arts scene, which includes the West Branch Gallery & Sculpture Park, a spacious enclave showcasing pieces by budding and mid-career local artists who work in a range of media.

Stowe's prime location in a broad, fertile valley between the Green Mountains and Mount Mansfield-Vermont's highest peak-makes it an ideal launching pad for outdoor activities. A recreation path through Stowe loosely follows the meandering West Branch River with 5.5 miles of paved trails for biking, rollerblading, and jogging. The winding path's arched wooden bridges crisscross the river 10 times from start to finish. At nearby Underhill State Park, set at the base of the 4,300-foot-tall Mount Mansfield, you can practice butterfly mating calls on one of four hikes to the summit.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.

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Plants and flowers take nutrients from the soil to grow, just as they take lollipops from passing children to feel tough. Keep gardens lush and candy-free with this Groupon.

$20 for $40 Worth of Gardening Tools and Supplies

Fauna in gardens and yards comes alive with help from fertilizers and stimulators such as Azomite ($21.95) and Bat Guano Bloom ($9.95). Gardening tools include Atlas Nitrile Tough gloves ($5.95), Hydrofarm watering cans ($18.95), and Fiskars micropruning shears ($13.95).

New England Hydroponics

New England Hydroponics' trained staff roams the shop, eager to help patrons find the perfect products for their indoor-gardening needs. They demonstrate equipment for customers or allow them to try it out before purchase, helping them learn the ins and outs of products such as HID lights, grow tents, and flutes that make vines dance. A newly built 4,000-square-foot warehouse keeps New England Hydroponics' retail store stocked with supplies for gardeners of all types.

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Romantic Vermont inn getaway for 56% off

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Both a framed work of art and a finicky antique cannon add a lot of personality to a living room at the simple expense of a few holes in the wall. Maximize aesthetics while minimizing structural damage with this Groupon.

Choose Between Two Options $40 for $100 worth of custom framing, which can cover an 11"x14" or 16"x20" metal frame, custom framing and matting for 5"x7" prints, or a black-metal frame without matting for pictures up to 16"x20" $75 for a custom 8.5"x11" wood diploma framing (a $150 value)

Center Framing & Art

For almost 40 years, Center Framing & Art has readied treasured keepsakes for indefinite stays on house walls. Owners Glenn Lazinsk and Lori Chozick preserve pieces with each customer's unique aesthetic in mind, maintaining an attention to detail that earned Center Framing & Art the title of Best Picture Framing Shop in 2008 from Hartford magazine. Staffers complete all services onsite, surrounding prints, portraits, and diplomas with acid-free materials that guard against the damage of time. They also accept challenging assignments such as shadowboxes or 2-D aquariums for lazy goldfish.

Glenn and Lori advocate for the dissemination of fine art, displaying upward of 90 original paintings from both local and international artists inside the store. Their Saturday artist events permit up-and-coming painters, glassblowers, and sculptors to speak about and demonstrate their craft.

Center Framing & Art also emanates caring, neighborly vibes by amassing countless donations of sundries from guests, which Lori distributes to charitable organizations and those in need. Her dedication to the community merited the title of Greatest Person of the Day from the Huffington Post and a feature in the West Hartford Patch.

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For centuries, horseshoes have been associated with good fortune, which is why homeowners hang them over doorways and brides lob them at groups of their single friends. Get hitched with this Groupon.

Choose Between Two Options $75 for a horseback trail ride and cookout for two (a $160 value) $129 for a horseback trail ride and cookout for four (a $320 value)

Upon arriving at Equine Boulevard's 16-acre estate, groups will learn the basics during a brief safety course before saddling up under the watchful eye of the facility's expert staff. A 40- to 45-minute trot atop the surrounding trails helps rouse appetites, spurring riders to head back and chow down during a hot-dog cookout, where country-western music will cast a festive tone across the ranch.

Equine Boulevard

Appointed as the World Scholar-Athlete Games' 2011 deputy commissioner of equestrian activities by the Institute for International Sport, professional horsewoman Holly Thompson lends riders and their maned compatriots a wealth of stallion savvy on Equine Boulevard's sprawling 16-acre estate. Thompson and her staff provide a hay-scented potpourri of services, including riding lessons, training, equine appraisals, and witty narrations of The Lone Ranger screenplays. Equine Boulevard's facilities shelter four-legged clients in a barn replete with 12 climate-controlled stalls before hooves boisterously navigate indoor arenas, outdoor riding rings, and picturesque trails leading into nearby state forests.

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Roses are red. Violets are blue. Another boring bouquet doesn't bode all that well for you. Save the florist some baby's breath this year and plant your own seeds of romance during an overnight weekday stay in Chittenden, Vermont's Mountain Top Inn & Resort. Enjoy a dreamy one-night stay for two, Sundays through Thursdays from now until July 30 or on Friday or Saturday May 25 or 26, in a Classic Lodge Room ($149) with a queen-size bed, a Luxury Room ($199) with a king-size bed, oriental rugs, and private sitting area, or a Luxury Suite ($249) with a king-size bed, wrought-iron fireplace, kitchenette, and whirlpool tub. Want to linger a little longer in your lover's paradise? Opt for a three-night stay for two, Sundays through Thursdays from now until July 30 or Friday through Saturday on May 25 and 26, in a Classic Lodge Room ($449), a Luxury Room ($599), or a Luxury Suite ($749)-the additional three-course dinner for two and the hour-long trail ride on horseback for two is no trifle. Book as many Escapes as you like-vouchers can be combined for unlimited nights of stay. You'll find a modern lodge feel in the earthy decor and rich, dark woods in all of the rooms. As a member of the Vermont Fresh Network and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner in 2010, the inn's Chef Casey will cultivate a daily gourmet breakfast and afternoon refreshments, compliments of your Escape. Take some time to smell the roses and step outside into the 350-acre wilderness amid the Green Mountain National Forest to see nature in full bloom. Walk to the private beach-access to kayaks, canoes, and paddleboats are included. Later, take a guided trail ride on horseback, provided for all Escapees. "Situated on [350] lovely ridge-top acres, this [lake]-side property sports one of New England's best views," says Frommer's review of Mountain Top Inn & Resort. "[It provides] a relaxing, summery feel, from the expansive front porch of Adirondack chairs to croquet games and horse rides." The seeds for a serene Escape have been planted-just be sure you pick this one before it wilts at week's end.

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Studies show that children who don't learn to play a musical instrument often try to eat one. Keep didgeridoos out of their duodenums with this Groupon.

Choose Between Two Options $40 for one private one-hour piano, singing, or songwriting lesson (an $80 value) $70 for two private one-hour piano, singing, or songwriting lessons (a $160 value). The lessons must take place within 30 days of one another.

Experienced instructor and musician coaches students aged 4 and up in piano lessons and students aged 8 and up in singing lessons.

Jennifer Hill Music Education

When Jennifer Hill was a baby, her mother sang to her. When she was 2, she began singing full songs in tune. Throughout her childhood she sang at fairs, school musicals, and local sporting events, where she would belt out the traditional pregame rendition of "Welcome to the Jungle." She went on to receive a scholarship to the University of Hartford's Hartt School of Music, and currently she's the frontwoman of the jazzy rock outfit Jennifer Hill & Co. Music has stitched through the entire fabric of her life, and for more than a decade, she has worked to help students discover the joy of creating beautiful noise.

Jennifer tailors each private lesson to the individual student and welcomes all musical styles and genres in order to encourage young artists to pursue their unique voice. Whether a student's passion is to tumble a jazzy melody across the piano keys or pen an infectious pop song, Jennifer lends students the confidence and expertise she has accumulated in more than 25 years as a performer.

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Cultural icons often have signature hairstyles, from Little Orphan Annie's luscious red curls to the bald cap hiding Michael Jordan's luscious red curls. Find your own iconic look with this Groupon.

Choose from Three Options $20 for a haircut and blow-dry (a $42 value) $40 for a haircut and blow-dry with single process color (an $87 value) $53 for a haircut and blow-dry with partial highlight (a $117 value)

Groupon holders can also stock up on professional products for 20% off.

Platinum Hair Studio

Inside of Platinum Hair Studio, the sleek white, tan, and black decor offsets the wall-length product shelf ablaze with color. Cleansers, styling creams, and other potions sport premium labels such as Bumble and bumble, Moroccanoil, Goldwell, Sebastian, and Sojourn. During hair services, highly trained staffers use their suction-cup grappling guns to pluck the products as they infuse locks with radiant color and voluminous style.

Clients can bring tools and products from home during Hairstyling 101 classes that teach laypersons to expertly manipulate locks without investing in new items. Aestheticians also both apply makeup and offer makeup lessons, which coach clients in simple ways to enhance eyes and lips, or draw attention away from the lips around their eyes.

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There are few freedoms as liberating as being able to fly, which is why humans spent millennia inventing the airplane and why penguins are so very, very bitter. Exceed evolutionary shortcomings with this Groupon.

Choose Between Two Options $109 for an up to 30-minute paragliding flight for one (a $300 value) $198 for an up to 30-minute paragliding flight for two (a $600 value)

Both of the above options give you the chance to soar to heights of up to 8,000 feet on the wings of a motor-powered paraglider. With a nationally certified copilot, you'll float over the sandy seascapes of the Massachusetts coastline, changing altitudes and flight paths to explore the water's edge or the clouds' fuzzy underbellies. Before flights, all passengers undergo a safety briefing.

Paramotor Tours

Paramotor Tours sends adventurers skyward on the wings of motor-powered paragliders. Nationally certified pilots adhere strictly to FAA safety regulations as they strap in for tandem flights, lifting thrill seekers to heights of up to 8,000 feet. To help ensure smooth takeoffs and landings, each glider boasts several safety features, including reserve parachutes, GPS navigation, and a pause button. Adventurers who wish to pilot their own glider can sign up for a solo-flying course, available on select days.

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Planning a concert is a delicate art that requires deep understanding of the audience, a fact demonstrated by Tiny Tim's disastrous tour with Black Sabbath. Catch a coherent evening of entertainment with this GrouponLive deal to see the Gotham Rocks Tour, featuring Eye Empire, Charetta, and Ghosts of Eden, at Maximum Capacity in Chicopee. For $8, you get one general-admission ticket for Friday, June 1, at 7:15 p.m. (up to a $15 value, including all fees).

The bloggers and promoters of Gotham Rocks care as much about building community as they do about throwing hard-rocking shows. Scouting talent from the five boroughs and beyond, the agency has assembled a quintet of like-minded acts designed to bring a burgeoning scene together for the Gotham Rocks tour. Nü-metal supergroup Eye Empire, featuring Corey Lowery of Dark New Day (brother of Sevendust's Clint Lowery) and B.C. Kochmit of Switched, unload an elephantine cargo of crunch and charisma. On stage, heads bang and sweat flies as Donald Carpenter's soulful vocals overlay charging guitar bursts and an occasional winningly goofy stage move. The band recently launched debut album Moment of Impact, winning attention and positive press through a self-distribution strategy.

The two-fisted tonsils of Angelina DelCarmen endow Charetta's rock angst with brassy vocal lines that could easily lead any pop-radio hit or all the town's children into the nearest Hot Topic. Ghosts of Eden keeps the '90s alive with grungy nods to the Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam. At the top of the evening, local groove-metal artisans Nosho continue the melodic approach to dark tones, and Connecticut's Sever the Drama corners the market on all-out aggression with its sludgy sonic catharsis.

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Bowling is better with friends, as you have someone there to talk to between turns and to watch your back when pins decide they've had enough. Bring some backup with today's Groupon to AMF Bowling Centers, valid at the Hartford and Saybrook locations. Choose between the following options:

For $15, you get two hours of bowling and shoe rental for two people (a $42.06 average national value based on two people bowling four games each in two hours). For $25, you get two hours of bowling and shoe rental for four people (a $67.32 average national value based on four people bowling three games each in two hours).

Gleaming lanes, modern equipment, and tempting refreshments satisfy every stripe of striker at AMF Bowling Centers. Patrons spend two revolutions of the minute hand gracefully lobbing three-holed marbles at stoic ivory formations as automatic scoring systems and pin-spotters free fingers for celebratory handstands. Pairs of bowlers young and old compete to pick up strike- and spare-hitchhikers with an appropriately weighted ball from the center's stable of spheres. Before beginning the pin bombardment, players don the included rental shoes, ensuring their homemade bowling cleats don't scratch polished surfaces.

Players can curb game-induced cravings with a selection from the wings, pizza, and burgers available at the on-site grill (not included with this Groupon). Most AMF locations stay open late into the night for tenpin diehards to practice and sleep-bowlers to actually bowl instead of rooting through refrigerators to throw cantaloupes at milk cartons; check your preferred location for specific hours.

Values for this deal are based upon averages of participating national locations and may vary. Call your local center for pricing.

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A relaxing bodywork session grants sweet respite from a fast-paced world of errands, deadlines, and books on tape read by auctioneers. Savor serenity with this Groupon.

Choose Between Two Options $39 for one massage-and-acupuncture treatment (an $85 value) $75 for two of the above treatments (a $170 value)

Sessions typically last approximately one-hour, but times may vary as each stress-relieving session is tailored to the client's individual needs.

Acupuncture of Greater Hartford & Springfield

Licensed acupuncturist and herbalist Stan Baker draws from extensive experience in Eastern healing methods to adeptly perform numerous Eastern-medicine modalities. Baker's acupuncture and bodywork sessions help to stimulate the body's vital energy channels, working to alleviate such ailments as migraines and musculoskeletal pain. A Sun Do mountain yoga instructor with a black belt in aikido, Baker bolsters his understanding of the East by attending weekly chen-tai-chi classes and boycotting three out of four cardinal directions.

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Going out to eat allows you to enjoy fine dining without having to procure exotic ingredients or build a sommelier out of an old computer. Lap up luxury with this Groupon.

Choose Between Two Options. $12 for $25 worth of upscale American cuisine for lunch $20 for $40 worth of upscale American cuisine for dinner

Chefs prepare sesame-seared salmon drizzled with ginger-soy vinaigrette ($15.95), portobello-mushroom ravioli with caramelized onions ($13.25), and oven-roasted lamb chops with zinfandel dipping sauce ($19.75). See the full menu.

Sweet Pea's Restaurant

Wreathed by an idyllic white picket fence, Sweet Pea's pale yellow Victorian homestead belies the progressive cuisine simmering within its the kitchen. Chefs drizzle center-cut meats and grilled fish with exotic flourishes, such as ginger-soy vinaigrette and dill aioli. In keeping with the rustic exterior, the sunlit dining room serves as an antique gallery, letting eyes feast as patrons savor pan-seared salmon or taste the wood finish on the 19th-century pendulum clock to ensure its authenticity.

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You can comb through the grass looking for four-leaf clovers, pick up every fallen penny you see on the street, and spend your afternoons chasing rainbows. But you don't need a stroke of good fortune (or a jackpot) to score this week's Escape: a one-night getaway ($119 Sundays through Thursdays; $179 Fridays) to the Mount Airy Casino Resort, a AAA Four Diamond property in Pennsylvania's storied Pocono Mountains. Get lucky in a deluxe room, decorated with serene neutral tones, pillow-top king-size beds (or two queen-size beds), oversized flat-screen TVs, and granite bathrooms. But the biggest perk of all sits just outside your window: the lush golf course. The plush, relaxing room might persuade you to hole up à deux, but you won't want to miss the adult playground that lies below. Get started at more than 2,000 machines of the classic (Blazin 7's, Tower of Power, and Jackpot Party) or trendy (Red Hot Fusion and Vegas Hits) variety. Hedge your bets at the dollar machines or play high roller at the $100 slots, then go all in for a game of Mississippi Stud or Texas Hold 'Em, and wander around the roulette, blackjack, and craps tables. When hunger strikes, use your $20 dining credit to one of the resort's five restaurants. Indulge in a classic surf 'n' turf dinner at red Steakhouse, go for old-school Italian in the form of clams oreganato and tagliatelle osso bucco at Le Sorelle Cucina, or order burgers, reubens, heaping breakfast plates, and classic banana splits from Betty's Diner. Then work it off by dancing up a storm at Gypsies Lounge & Nightclub on Fridays, or have a more sophisticated nightcap by the piano at red's Bar. Craving more? Combine vouchers to stay for up to six nights. Don't leave your next mini-vacay up to chance-this Escape is an instant winner.

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Ever since you returned that lost wallet -- cash inside -- you've been hoping for some good karma. Consider it yours with today's 75%-off deal from Dharma Yoga of Central Connecticut in Meriden. Pocket a ten-class card for just $30 -- a $120 value. This light-filled yoga studio offers lessons for all levels, from beginner to advanced. Certified instructors will guide you through every aspect of yoga, based on the teachings of Sri Dharma Mittra -- and all in a welcoming, community atmosphere. Get your om on with classes like restorative yoga, psychic development, and yoga nidra, a program of guided deep relaxation. With peace of mind and savings in your own bank fold, you can rest assured the universe is paying you back. Want more? Check out Dharma Yoga of Central Connecticut on Facebook.

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The secret to living a long life lies in maintaining a healthy diet, regularly relaxing, and never, ever dying. Stay serene and immortal with this Groupon.

Choose Between Two Options $50 for an acupressure session with herbal consultation (a $100 value) $90 for two acupressure sessions with herbal consultations (a $200 value)

In 60- to 75-minute acupressure sessions, specialists activate acupoints on the body that correspond to patients' ailments with long strokes and pressure from the hands. The accompanying 15- to 30-minute herbal consultation bolsters treatments by providing suggestions for herbal supplements or dietary changes that can aid in the healing process.

Body Nutrients

Vera Reed, a licensed massage therapist, is the wellness equivalent of a one-stop shop. In addition to mastering shiatsu, lymphatic drainage, energy balancing, reflexology, and other techniques over the past decade, she's dived into dietary and herbal studies. This makes it possible for her to provide holistic treatments for the whole body, rather than just one system or two really small toes.

In addition to caring for her patients with organic products, Vera and the staff of Body Nutrients also take care of the planet. Their efforts have resulted in the offset of nearly 2,000,000 pounds of CO2, over 16,000 pounds of waste kept from landfills, and the planting of over 1,000 trees.

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Every teenager wants to learn to drive -- might as well teach them to pivot, shoot, and rebound as well. Take today's deal and lay up $47 to enroll you child in a one-day basketball clinic from the Five-Star Basketball Clinic (a $95 value). Designed for aspiring athletes 11 to 18 years old, this training event is held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on select days throughout the summer. Just pick a day to have your player gather with others on campus in Springfield, Massachusetts, for a full day of drills, skill instruction, and fun -- each player even gets a Five-Star jersey to wear and a healthy lunch to snack on. Founded more than four decades ago this intensive training organization is based around the Station 13 program, a rigorous practice regime that one NBA All-Star called, "[not] really voluntary if you were serious about getting better as a player." Sounds like your all-star's skills are about to shift into high gear.

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