An Insider’s Look at Napa Valley

Published each Monday from Napa Valley   

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Publisher and Editor: Paul Franson
(707) 258-0159
paul@napalife.com

Paul Franson writes about Napa Valley

Visiting Napa Valley

A quick tour of Napa Valley

Visiting Napa Valley Alone

A Perfect Day in the Heart of Napa Valley

A Perfect Day in Carneros

A Perfect Day "East of Eden" in  Napa

The best wineries to visit  Food & Wine

Napa's Top Ten Gardens Napa Valley Life

Napa's Top Ten Bike Rides Napa Valley Life

Ten Best Things on a Cold Day Napa Valley Life

Wine tasting in Napa
Napa Valley Register

Eating in Napa Valley

Finding fine food in Napa Valley

Tuscan dinner at Long Meadow Ranch

Brick ovens underlie Napa Valley cuisine

Vino with veggies

Top restaurants with no Corkage Napa Valley Life

Living in Napa Valley

Millionaire's Guide to Buying the Napa Dream Food & Wine 

Napa Valley: Glitz on  Deep Roots

Howard Backen's Kitchens Napa Valley Register

Ag preservation saved Napa Valley

Napa Valley Wineries

Napa’s French connection

Doctors & wine       Napa Valley Register.

News of  interest from NapaLife

They Came To Play in Napa

Join The Sonoma International Film Society and The Napa Valley Film Society for an evening of film, food wine, and music Monday, Feb. 15, at Silo’s Jazz Club.

The documentary film, They Came To Play chronicles the Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, hosted by The Van Cliburn Foundation. Players from all over the world, ranging from self-taught to classically trained, aged 35 to almost 80, convene in Fort Worth for a week of intense competition, music and camaraderie.

The evening starts with a hosted wine and appetizer reception at 6 p.m.

Meet producer Lori Miller, and one of the finalists of the Van Cliburn Amateur Contest, Ken Iisaka.

The film screens at 7 p.m. Afterwards, enjoy a Q&A with Lori Miller followed by Ken Iisaka playing several piano selections

The price is $20. Space is limited to 75, and they will sell out, so call 933-2600 to reserve now.

Silo’s Jazz Club, 530 Main St., Napa.

Wicked comedy The Shape of Things

Napa’s own Lucky Penny Productions will present The Shape of Things by Neil LaBute at the Napa Valley Opera House Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 8 pm to Sunday, Feb. 21, at 4 pm

LaBute’s cutting, wicked comedy challenges the American obsession with outward appearance and asks “How far will you go for approval? For love? For art?

Evelyn (Taylor Bartolucci) is an art student who plays Pygmalion when she sets out to make over Adam (Alex Lydon). Adam is ready to do just about anything to become the man she wants him to be. Adam’s friends Phillip (Justin DuPuis) and Jenny (Sarah Miller) aren’t sure what to make of Adam’s transformation and how insistent Evelyn has commandeered his life.

Napa’s own Lucky Penny Productions brings this contemporary play to Napa for five shows only, Feb 17 to 20, with an 8 p.m. curtain, and Sunday, Feb 21, with a 2 p.m. curtain. The staging will bring the audience onto the stage with the actors.

This play is suitable for adult audiences only.

It is directed by Barry Martin. Tickets are $25 by calling 226-7372 or online at www.nvoh.org.

If their last production is any guide, it’s sure to be great – and to sell out!

Medieval Merrymaking at Castello

Enjoy an evening of Medieval Merrymaking at the Castello di Amorosa March 6 for Stone Bridge School. It will include medieval merrymaking, live music, dancing, wine, food, and live/silent auctions.

Hors d’oeuvres will be prepared by Jeff Mosher, the chef at Robert Mondavi Winery: House-cured salmon with pickled vegetable salad and rangpur lime crème fraîche, roasted sunchokes with romesco, wild mushroom toast with Laura Chenel goat cheese and sherry truffle vinaigrette, house-made duck prosciutto with candy kumquat, arugula and toasted pistachio and artisan cheese display with candy pecans and dried fruit.

Get more information at 252-5522.

Lincoln Theater winter/spring season

Lincoln Theater has announced an impressive winter/spring season. You can get details and buy tickets at www.lincolntheater.org. or 944-1300.

If you are a member of Lincoln Theater's  Friends of the Performing Arts Society, you can buy tickets early. Many shows sell out, so order now if you want to attend.

Here’s the line up:

• Feb. 11  Trio Los Panchos. 7 p.m. 
$25 & $35, children 12 and under $12.
• Feb.13  The Red Gala presented by the Napa Valley Youth Symphony. 8 p.m. $30-$70.
• Feb. 14  Simply Sinatra Napa Valley Symphony with Steve Lippia. 7 p.m. $49-$69.
• Feb 28  Moscow Circus. 3 p.m. $29-$39, children 12 and under $12.
• Mar. 13  Tango Tonight! Napa Valley Symphony with Quartango. 8 p.m. $49-$89.
• Mar. 14  Righteous Brother Bill Medley. 5 p.m. $39-$59.
• Mar. 21  Harlem Gospel Choir. 5 p.m. $29-$39.
• Mar. 27  Simon & Garfunkel Tribute. 8 p.m. $20 & $25.
• Apr. 3  Los Lobos with Leo Kottke. 8 p.m. $45-$65.
• Apr. 17  Tiempo Libre. 8 p.m.  .
$29-$39.
• May 1  Ballet Folklorico "Quetzalli" de Veracruz. 8 p.m. $25 & $30, children 12 & under $10.
• May 7  MacHomer. The Simpsons do MacBeth. 8 p.m. $29-$39.

For tickets, visit the Lincoln Theater Napa Valley Box Office, 100 California Drive, Yountville, call 944-1300 or go to www.lincolntheater.org.

Napa Valley Opera House season

Tickets for the Napa Valley Opera House’s winter/spring 2010 season are now on sale.

• Saturday, Feb. 6 Soul Street: Breakin’ Backwards, 7 p.m., $25/$30. Hip-hop dance workshop: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., $15.
• Saturday, Feb. 13 The Bobby Hutcherson Quartet, 8 p.m., $35/$40
• Feb. 17-20 Lucky Penny Productions presents The Shape of Things by Neil LaBute, 8 p.m.; Feb. 21, 2 p.m. $25
• Friday, March 5 Garage Band 101, 7 p.m., $12
• Saturday, March 6 The Wailin’ Jennys, 8 p.m., $30/$35
• Sunday, March 7 Pocket Opera: Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella)
• Friday, Mar. 12, Best of SF International Comedy Competition, 8 p.m., $30/$35
• Saturday, March 13 Capitol Steps, 5 p.m. & 8 p.m., $40
• Friday, March 19 Jake Shimabukuro, 8 p.m., $30/$35
• Saturday, March 27 BeauSoleil, 8 p.m., $30/$35
• Friday, April 9 The Gene Krupa Orchestra with the Four Freshmen, 8 p.m., $40/$45
• Saturday, April 17 Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour, 8 p.m., $40/$45
• Friday, April 23 Screening of Every Little Step, 8 p.m., $12.
• Sunday, April 25, Pat Metheny: The Orchestrion Tour. 7 p.m., $55/$65/$75
• April 29 – May 1 The Love List by Norm Foster, 8 p.m.; May 2, 2 p.m., Cafe Theatre, $25

Get tickets at www.NVOH.org or 226.7372.

Symphony season
The Napa Valley Symphony season includes both classical and pops performances. They’re all performed at Lincoln Theater in Yountville.

• Steve Lippia in “Simply Sinatra” with Napa Valley Symphony February 14. 7 p.m.
• Tango Tonight! Quartango with Argentinean Tango Dancers. March 13. 3 p.m.
• Retrospective of Asher Raboy: The Last Twenty Years. Leon Bates, pianist with Napa Valley Symphony. April 11. 3 p.m.
• Pictures. Napa Valley Symphony with cellist Zuill Bailey. May 23. 3 p.m.

For tickets to the symphony concerts, visit www.napavalleysymphony.org or call 226-6872.

Lincoln Theater is in Yountville next at the California Veterans’ Home.

Learn what's new in Napa Valley by reading NapaLife

FEBRUARY

2-18    Dinner With Friends. Dreamweavers Theatre. www.dreamweaverstheatre.org.

6    Gluten free baking…and chocolate! Class by Karen Schuppert. 1-3 pm. $25. Whole Foods Market. 224-6300. www.wholefoods.com or sign up in the store.

6    Raymond Vineyards 2006 Generations Release Party 12-4 pm. $25. RSVP  by Feb. 3 to beckyb@raymondwine.com.   963-3141. 849 Zinfandel Lane, St. Helena.

6    Soul Street: Breakin’ Backwards, 7 pm. $25/$30. Hip hop dance workshop: 10 am-2 pm. $15. Napa Valley Opera House. NVOH.org. 226-7372.

6    Kiwanis Club of Napa’s 25^th Annual Crab Feed. Chardonnay Hall, Napa Valley Expo. 5:30 pm. $55. Jennie Thayer. 224-8704. jenniethayer@att.net.

6 through March Mustard Festival Visual Art Competition Exhibit. St. Supéry Vineyards and Winery, Rutherford. 938-1133. www.mustardfestival.org.

6 & 7 A Weekend of Fine Art. Galleries throughout Napa Valley

6    Murder Mystery Dinner Theater on the Napa Valley Wine Train. 5:50 pm. $135. (800) 427-4124. reservations@winetrain.com.

7    Locals anti-super bowl special. Acacia Vineyards. 12 to
3:30 pm 
$15 (waived with purchases). www.AcaciaVineyard.com