Napa

Pasticcio is Italian for the delizioso mix of Ancient Roman, Baroque and Commedia dell’Arte designs at Ca’toga, a fantasy villa on 5 acres at the headwaters of the Napa River. Italian-born artist Carlo Marchiorre realized his Palladian dream here just outside of Calistoga with a home/museum filled wall-to-wall with trompe l’oeil murals, ceramics, paintings, sculptures […]

Despite the hazards of balancing an appetizer and a glass of rioja in your hands, the popularity of dining Spanish style does not seem to abate. In Napa on January 21 from 4-t8 Julia Logue-Riordan with be leading a class on tapas and pintxos (bar snacks). The astonishing list of recipes that night includes Gildas […]

Neighborliness reaches new musical heights this Sunday in Napa. The 5th Annual Porchfest, a non-stop outdoor concert from noon to 6 takes place on 50 porches most within walking distance of each other. It’s a music sampler for all kinds of tastes –bluegrass, jazz, country, surf, new wave (is it still new after all these […]

Bay seniors learned long ago that our country cousins are no longer( if they ever were) hayseeds. At the Napa Valley Opera House they offer a full schedule of film and theater (including a current widely lauded presentation of “Cymbeline) and this summer will be the home of the Blue Note Club offering classic jazz. […]

Bay seniors convinced that bosky, outrageously expensive ($95 an ounce) black truffles are only found in Southern Europe by foraging pigs, should be prepared to be reeducated this weekend at the Napa Truffle Festival. Included are truffle orchard tours, dog sniffing demonstrations, wild mushroom forays, truffle centric feasts and an artisan showcase at the always […]

Bay seniors in search of a historic night’s sleep might want to check into the Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake, just north of Clear Lake. It is like something out of “Gunsmoke”. Built in the 1870s as a stopover on the stagecoach route to Ukiah, the place has been stylishly restored with antiques, including the […]

Bay seniors know that not all Napa’s liquid charms are squeezed from grapes. Rivers, small streams and lakes dot the county even in the midst of drought. A sweet place for picnicking, kayaking and fishing is Lake Hennessey, a 1.25 square mile reservoir in the hills east of St. Helena. Water levels appear decently high […]

Bay seniors interested in a different perspective on the wine country night want to consider trying the Palisades which overlooks Calistoga and the Napa Valley from atop Mt.St Helena. This volcanic wall is a mile long but the hike roundtrip is 4.4 miles. Start at the Mt. St .Helena Trail staging area and take the […]