General: May 2008 Archives

by Courtney Cochran

Brenda and Dylan had The Peach Pit. Rachel and Ross had Central Perk. Even Carrie and Samantha shared many a gab fest in the same sunny Manhattan diner (what was it called??).

Whether we're talking 90210, 10010 or right here in wine country, there's an undeniable fascination with dining haunts frequented by our favorite locals. And, lucky for wine country travelers, the spots in our own backyard are much more accessible than their fictional TV counterparts.

By Courtney Cochran

Tea & Cookies
"It is the intersection of food and life that I find most fascinating," Seattle-based food blogger "Tea" explains of the MO behind her popular blog, Tea & Cookies, which focuses as much on the stories behind food as the good stuff itself. In a recent post, the professional writer - who goes by the pseudonym Tea to remain anonymous - chronicles her quest to make the perfect pita, a process that begins with a Sunday morning itch to bake and follows the author as she grapples with a fear of yeast and failed attempt at making her pita dough rise.

In the culinary world, the term "award-winning" is tossed around like so many mushrooms sautéed in a skillet. But sometimes the term actually means something, and some restaurants and chefs just seem to rack up the awards faster than others. Especially in Wine Country, where the competition is fierce, the awards and accolades a particular place earns can mean the difference between good and great.

By Courtney Cochran

IKEA got it right:  Give design conscious customers appealing, easy-to-assemble furniture at reasonable prices, and - presto! - they score designer-caliber furnishings, a feeling of accomplishment and even cross the finish line with enough dough left in the bank to splurge on the matching ottoman.

Everyone wins.

By Courtney Cochran
Leave it to wine country dwellers to divine a venue where you can master downward dog, realign your chakras and dine on sustainably farmed eats and drink all in one place.  At Napa's new Ubuntu Restaurant & Yoga Studio (ubuntunapa.com), a daily roster of classes including Ashtanga, Hatha, prenatal and Vinyasa techniques is complemented by - what else? - vegetarian-inspired cuisine crafted from goods sourced from local farms and the spot's nearby biodynamic gardens.

by Courtney Cochran

If the flurry of construction that's been underway along the waterfront in downtown Napa is any indicator, the once-sleepy city is on the brink of becoming a major tourist destination. And the Oxbow Public Market (oxbowpublicmarket.com) - at just three months' old one of the newest additions to the downtown area - may be one of the city's most promising new arrivals.  Read on for the scoop on our favorite purveyors in this venue that looks poised to become the next big thing in a whole new Napa.