My e-mail is often filled with press releases from people who want to win my attention. Most of the information I receive becomes victim of my delete button. However, here are items worth sharing:

Need space to throw a really big party? Rent an entire hotel for a night for $15,000. Maison 140 is “ an intimate, 43-room luxury boutique hotel in the heart of Beverly Hills. No other guests. No fighting for the best room or wondering who you will find down in the intimate lounge … hotel’s striking décor transports guests to an old Left Bank inn, yet ceaselessly intrigues with inflections of Eastern mystique.” Hurry. Offer good only until Dec. 31.

Taking your dog or cat on vacation? He/she/it will certainly want to send a postcard home, say makers of Pup-casso and Kitty-casso, the world’s first no-mess, nontoxic paint kit for animals. Let Fido and Fluffly unleash their inner Petcasso and “ create a masterpiece you can cherish forever.” Turn their works of art into shirts that say “ My dog went to Las Vegas, but all I got was this lousy T-shirt.”

If you’re gay and like to travel, the last places you’re likely to visit are the Islamic countries in North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Most are intolerant of the gay lifestyle. But wait. According to Out Traveler magazine, some Islamic countries are more gay-friendly than others. In last fall’s issue, editors have created a Gay Map of the Islamic World on which countries are rated as “queer positive” (Morocco, Turkey and Jordan) and “ queer negative” (Iraq, Iran and Malaysia). Remaining countries fall somewhere in between. “Many of the countries have stringent anti-gay laws on the books, ranging from whipping and several years in jail … to the death penalty.” The article concludes that, in general, gay tourists have it easier than gay locals.

If your loved one has packed his/her suitcase for the last time, you can provide one final adventure, courtesy of the Neptune Society. Known for its cremation services, the society will entomb the ashes of the dearly departed in their very own niche in a manmade reef, submerged in 45 feet of “ crystal clear” water, 3.2 miles off the Miami coast. (Space for 125,000!) The wall is a recreation of the legendary Lost City — “one of the world's most amazing and beautiful tourist destinations.” Check out the video at www.neptunesociety.com.

And now for some real news you can use:

I hope this one is for real: The Gone is a plastic bracelet that claims to keep insects away for four to five days (visit www.goneinsectband.com). Snap it on your wrist, ankle or backpack, they say, and the bugs won’t bug you.

With airlines charging extra for baggage and restricting total poundage, here’s something to help you pack lightly. Called BLOX, it’s the “first and only wash-in stain blocker that safely and effectively blocks stains on any washable fabrics,” says the company. This means you can pack less; wear clothing more. Add it to the fabric softener receptacle in your washer; it’s activated in the clothes dryer (be sure to dry thoroughly). And don’t worry; BLOX still allows your clothes to breathe. I tried it; it works. Cost: $9.99 for an 8-ounce bottle. Buy two and get a third free. Visit www. PreventStains.com.

And for the dreamers/planners: a beautiful book that takes you beyond the armchair. “Dream Destinations: 100 of the World’s Best Vacations” (LIFE Books; retails at $29.95, but go online and find it for less). One hundred forty-four pages of spectacular color photos. Next best feature: destinations are categorized by type. Vacations for families, culture vultures, sightseers, history buffs and romantics. And for each of those categories, an Impossible Dream. My favorite is for families; it’s Space. May all your fantasies come true.