Hot Wheels will celebrate the toy brand's 40-year heritage with the unveiling of a custom jeweled Hot Wheels car designed by Jason of Beverly Hills.

The car, valued at $140,000 and made to commemorate the production of the 4 billionth Hot Wheels vehicle, will be auctioned off later this year. It will be on display during Speed Week activities Aug. 21 on the Bonneville Salt Flats as part of a multicity road trip.

At each stop, Hot Wheels will host an event to feature life-size Hot Wheels cars, kiosks where people can create custom Hot Wheels driver license, family-friendly activities and the opportunity to receive a commemorative Hot Wheels car created for each stop.

For information on this and other stops on the 40th anniversary tour, visit www.hotwheels.com/40th.

Lake Tahoe hosts Shakespeare Festival

Lake Tahoe's 36th annual Shakespeare Festival opens Thursday and runs through Aug. 17. Set at Sand Harbor State Park on the shores of Lake Tahoe, the festival will feature "Richard III" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Rotating each Monday night will be the original musical "CAMBIO," bringing the nightclub scene of modern-day Havana to life in a story based on Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

New this year are an in-house produuction team, a new artistic director, a guest director from London and a cast of actors from across the country.

Ticket prices range from $14 to $67 Monday through Thursday and $19 to $72 Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

For information, visit www.laketahoeShakespeare.com.

Top 10: Top places in the world for ice cream

1. COWS, Canada

2. Gelateria Perche No!, Italy

3. Tip Top Ice Cream, New Zealand

4. Kula Lodge and Restaurant, Hawaii

5. Freddo, Argentina

6. Gelateria di Piazza, Italy

7. Hot Licks Homemade Ice Cream, Alaska

8. Glacier Berthillon, Paris

9. Las Iguanas, Costa Rica

10. Ben & Jerry's, Vermont

Source - Tauck Directors

Quote from the road

"It's very far away. It takes about a half a day to get there. If we travel by - dragonfly."

JIMI HENDRIX

Travel aid: Learn a new language

Looking for a way to learn a new language such as Spanish, French, Japanese, Italian, German, Greek, Portuguese or Russian? Oxford has released its Take Off In series featuring those languages; each sells for $45. Kits include a course book, audio available in MP3 and CD formats, a pocket-size phrase book, and free online resources and interactive exercises.

On the Web: Traveling with a laptop

Traveling with a laptop is increasingly common; the Web site www.laptoptravel.com offers all sorts of products and information to help make the journey easier. Shop for batteries, adapters, desks, accessories of all types and voltage converters at this site.

Travel Reading: The Four Corners Region Where Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico Meet

By Sara J. Benson,

320-page paperback, $18.95,

Great Destinations,

The Countryman Press

Travelers who enjoy the Four Corners region might enjoy this book, which highlights the natural and cultural history of this colorful Colorado Plateau area. The book includes information on history, lodging, dining, culture, recreation, shopping and transportation in the area. It offers a detailed events calendar, information on geology and wildlife, social history and sections on trading posts and galleries in the area. There is information on roadside attractions, birding, biking, boating, river rafting, rock climbing, ballooning, winery tours and spas. Illustrated with black-and-white photos and maps, this helpful book has plenty of detail for those who like to explore one of the United States' most interesting regions.