6 minute read
Inside Track: What the Locals are Doing
will also perform that evening. Dinners ($75) to be preordered and picked up at The CIA at Copia, Napa, and Charles Krug Winery in St Helena. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Academy program. Since March of 2020, in response to Covid-19 and the LNU/ Glass Mountain fires, Napa Salvation Army’s Chef Paul Fields and the Culinary Training Academy students have prepared and distributed over 100,000 meals to Napa residents and frontline workers. Their dedication to feeding the community inspired the event name. For tickets or more information: napa.salvationarmy.org/ napa/chefs-to-the-rescue
May 24
JUDGMENT OF NAPA
Experience a once-in-a-lifetime special occasion to judge Napa’s finest wines against some of the world’s finest wines in an exclusive blind tasting at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, in Napa Valley. This exceptional event is a tribute to three key individuals: Steven Spurrier, organizer of the sensational 1976 Judgment of Paris, George Taber, the journalist who covered the event, and Patricia Gastaud-Gallagher, whose idea for the momentous tasting unmistakably elevated the profile of California wines overnight.On this intimate occasion, several guests will have the privilege of tasting 20 rare wines (10 whites and 10 reds) with an esteemed panel of honored hosts, including: • Steven Spurrier, Guest of Honor • Peter Marks, Master of Wine • Andrea Immer Robinson,
Master Sommelier Following the main event, a vintner dinner will be hosted by Favia, Penfolds, and Darioush wineries. The following day, a reception and vertical tasting of S.L.V. Cabernet in honor of the 45th Anniversary of the Judgment of Paris will be hosted at The Wine Caves at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. A portion of all proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to “Inspire Napa Valley,” an organization that raises critical funds and awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease. For tickets and more information: culturedvine.com
What the Locals are Doing
Spread Catering
Local Chef Cristina Topham has captured the hearts and appetites of the Napa foodie circuit with her Lebanese and Eastern Mediterranean cooking “with a California flair.” Since the pandemic, her seasonal menu has become a popular go-to for prepared foods, meal kits and catering to go. Local favorites include her “mezze kits” and pita kits– all fully prepared with simple reheating instructions. // SPREADCATERING.COM
Local composer and accomplished pianist Mike Greensill has been delighting music lovers with his “Jazz in the Afternoon” concert series hosted through his Facebook Live feed every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3-4pm. Mike has a formidable resume nationally, but developed his thousands of local followers through his regular appearances at Napa’s Silo Inn. The concerts are free, but tips are welcomed. // @MIKEGREENSILL
Toasted
Toasted’s Proprietor Ariella Wolkowicz fills a gap by creating some of Napa Valley’s most authentic bagels. Her gourmet bagels and bagel sandwiches using house-cured lox and seasonally inspired cream cheese flavors have developed a devoted following. Locals line up at the Napa Farmers Market every Tuesday and Saturday for bagels made the traditional way: hand-rolled, cold-proofed for a 14 to 18-hour fermentation, boiled then baked. Orders may also be placed online for pick up or local delivery. //
TOASTEDNAPA.COM • IG: @TOASTED_NAPA
Alston Park
Alston Park consists of 157 acres of rolling open hills off of Dry Creek Road in North Napa. Owned by the City of Napa, the park contains three miles of winding trails for walking, hiking, horseback riding and mountain-biking. It’s surrounded by vineyards, an old plum orchard and meadows with an elevation that provides sweeping views of Napa Valley. Its most popular spot is Canine Commons, an area where dogs are allowed to roam off leash, and locals hang out–especially
on weekends. // 2099 DRY CREEK ROAD, NAPA
Winging It by Napa Palisades Saloon
Napa Palisades partners Chuck Meyer and Tim Brown have created a “football party store with delivery to your couch.” Inspired by the popularity of their Buffalo Wings as their #1 take out item, they launched “Winging It” so they could expand their offerings to the online community during the pandemic. Delivery is only available on Door Dash, but insiders know the wings can be ordered in house during happy hour every weekday from 3-5:30pm. //
Downtown Rides (DTR) is a complimentary, tip-based ride service currently operating in Napa. Owned and operated by Napa native Mike Flohr, DTR is Flohr’s latest small-business idea with big dreams. Along with his stepson David Munk, he is working together to bring an all-new look to local transportation.
Downtown Rides is much more than another corporate rideshare service operating in the downtown area. Their fleet of electric-powered vehicles is branded with other local businesses and acts as a moving billboard gaining impressions by weaving through the heart of Napa. Downtown Rides collaborates with wineries, restaurants, and all other hospitality businesses in the form of advertorial sponsorships, benefitting everyone involved. The partnerships subsidize the free ride service, which in turn introduces riders to downtown Napa’s notable locales, reduces downtown traffic, decreases demand for parking, and helps reduce air pollution.
Downtown Rides was conceptualized with both locals and tourists in mind. Zach Zuniga, fellow Napa native and DTR’s go-toguy for marketing, shared that the company’s mission is to offer an extension of hospitality that goes beyond the front doors of hotels, restaurants, wineries, and spas by providing guests with a continuous experience of kindness and generosity for which Napa is best known. “Although millions of tourists travel to Napa annually, it still feels like a small town. I cannot go anywhere without seeing someone I know, and I love it. I think having a friend on every corner is what keeps people coming back. We are good people, and we want to help take care of anyone who comes to the place we call home,” said Zuniga.
Although Downtown Rides launched in February 2020, businesses like Downtown Joe’s Restaurant and Brewery, Napa Valley G Experience, Small World, Bazan Cellars, Vermeil Wines, The Grape Escape, and many others quickly recognized the value of the service. Concert, festival, marathon organizers and local farmers’ markets have expressed interest in hopping on board, which will provide Downtown Rides more opportunities to serve the community. Downtown Rides looks forward to growing its fleet of carts in Napa and expanding into neighboring cities and wine regions that hold the same values and wish to provide a similar service.
As Napa reopens and returns to being one of the world’s top travel destinations, Mike and Cheri Flohr, David Munk, and Zach Zuniga are poised to safely serve travelers and residents. If one sees Downtown Rides happily driving around providing that Napa Valley experience, please honk, wave, or call to show support.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
dtrnapa.com // 707-287-7003
