Napa Valley: October 2010 Archives

By Deirdre Bourdet

NAPA VALLEY, CA - The Giants are in the World Series! Join fellow fan-atics at these wine country spots to cheer on San Francisco's own orange and black.


Calistoga Inn & Brewery. Beer and baseball are a classic pairing, and this downtown Calistoga bar/restaurant/inn also boasts an award-winning microbrewery, which sells 100% of its beers on the premises. Crispy calamari and buffalo wings rub shoulders with steamed mussels, oysters, shrimp cocktail and Dungeness crab cakes on the appetizer menu, and bring a taste of the bay to northern Napa Valley.

With a pint of local brew and bowl full of seafood, you will be more than set for game time. 1250 Lincoln Avenue, Calistoga.

CALISTOGA, CA - What better way to experience the essence of wine country cuisine than with a gourmet retreat? If you are an avid home cook or food enthusiast, then take your cooking to the next level with a culinary vacation in Napa Valley.

At Gourmet Retreats, located in Calistoga, CA at CasaLana B&B, sign up for hands-on cooking classes taught in a professionally equipped kitchen. To ensure personalized attention and one-on-one attention, classes are limited to only 9 participants. They include printed recipe handouts and a generous sampling or meal of the food prepared served with wine/beverage. All kitchen equipment is, of course, provided as well.

Gourmet Retreats offers Culinary Vacations, Boot Camp, One-Day Wine Country Classes, and Gourmet Weekend Retreats as well. Choose from a variety of class lengths ranging from as little as 5 hours to 5 days.

View sample Itineraries for a Culinary Vacation

• Sample 3 Day Itinerary
• Sample 5 Day Itinerary

CALISTOGA, CA - The town's tagline is "Hot Springs, Cool Wines, and Warm Welcome". Warm welcome is exactly what Calistoga is doing this winter when it invites travelers now through Febuary 6, 2011 to enjoy wine tasting, tours, and even the opportunity to meet a winemaker when you visit with your passport!

Passports are only $50 and offer an extreme value to anyone visiting Napa Valley. You can use the passport as many times as you would like throughout the passport season and in addition to wine tasting, it includes discounts at several Calistoga's restaurants, hotels, and B&Bs. Restaurants are waiving all corkage fees and lodging partners are offering special room rates for all passport holders.

By Deirdre Bourdet

This November heralds the launch of a new signature event for Napa Valley: The Napa Valley Film Festival.  After more than five years of dreaming, festival co-chairs Brenda and Marc Lhormer announced that the Napa Valley Film Festival will debut in November 2011 with a five-day, four town extended weekend of cinematic celebration.  But since 2011 is still a long way off, a three-day Launch Celebration this November gives attendees a taste of the great things in store.

Co-directors Marc and Brenda Lhormer are no strangers to the film industry, or the grueling work of planning film festivals. The couple produced and distributed the 2008 movie Bottle Shock, inspired by the 1976 Paris Tasting, and ran the Sonoma Valley Film Festival for seven years.  Marc Lhormer was kind enough to chat with me about the couple's latest venture and the imminent launch party, which he refers to as the "amuse-bouche" for the main event next year.

The Napa Valley Film Festival has three core principles: (1) celebrating the human-scale of human existence by presenting relatable real people with real issues, and the hope that inspires us; (2) exploring multicultural differences of perspective, as well as the commonalities across cultural divides both within the U.S. and internationally; and (3) bringing the artists and the audience together for conversations about the films.  Every film being screened will be represented by the directors, the cast, or both, and Q&A sessions will be the norm, not the exception. Local food and wine will feature prominently in the parties surrounding the films, of course, but this is by no means a festival of food and wine-themed movies.  

CALISTOGA, CA - There are so many choices of places to stay in Calistoga. Between the charming bed & breakfasts and distinct inns that make for cozy, almost like home accommodations, you might overlook the resorts or wine country style hotels. But with the promise of peaceful tranquility and private accommodations that many of them offer and a host of amenities, we urge you to reconsider. As added encouragement, see the list of specials currently available.

Euro Spa & Inn - Economic Relief Package
Offering a unique mixture of old-fashioned Northern California hospitality, deluxe accommodations, and healthy spa services to provide a memorable wine country getaway experience. This package includes Queen bed accommodations, 1 hour signature massages for two, deluxe continental breakfast, 3-course dinner at local restaurant and wine tastings at any two local wineries.
RESERVE NOW

By Robert P. Farmer

The story goes that Calistoga got its name when Sam Brannan, who first ventured to these parts lured by the healing waters that were rumored to rival Saratoga Springs in New York, arrived and dubbed it the "Calistoga of Sarifornia," obviously intending to say "Saratoga of California." The name stuck, and so too has Brannan's imprimatur. The pioneering spirit of the Old West is still evident in the charming small town at the northern end of Napa Valley. But Wine Country has grown up around it, and the "healing waters" still exist and continue to be part of the lure.

Calistoga is part geological wonder, part destination to for the good life, and still one of the most popular regions of California's Wine Country--just as it was when it first became a destination in the 1880s, when travelers made their way here to soak in the warm, sulfuric waters of the many area hot springs. In its later life, visitors grew fonder of the excellent cabernets and chardonnays being produced in the region. Modern-day Calistoga combines the best of all worlds, and throws in for good measure a great collection of historic attractions, excellent resorts and tempting restaurants. 

It's easy to see why wine country travelers make Stevenson Manor Inn their place to stay in Calistoga (Napa Valley). It has all the comforts of home with a few extras!  They boast 34 boutique-style rooms designed with hotel flair featuring high-speed wireless Internet,  wet bar, refrigerator and much more. Available in-room upgrades include a balcony, fireplace, whirlpool jetted bathtub.

It may be getting a little chilly, but Stevenson Manor Inn also has a year-round heated pool, hot tub, dry sauna, and steam room. And don't miss out on the deluxe continental breakfast. One Yelper recently said "Continental breakfast is very good - the dining area is a bit too small. Waffle aromatherapy is nice :) For you protein-freaks, they always have fresh, boiled eggs which I love that they provide."

Bed & Breakfasts and Inns

One of the hallmarks of visiting Napa Valley, outside of the over 400 wineries, are the charming, distinctive bed and breakfasts nestled among the vines of wine country. Offering a place away from home with gourmet breakfasts served each morning, it's no wonder that many choose to stay at a Napa Valley Inn or Napa Valley bed & breakfast during their wine country vacation.  Fall and Winter are wonderful times to visit and the town of Calistoga is no exception. See the specials being offered right now - some are only available through November!