Inside Track: What the Locals are Doing

June 1-5

NVV PREMIERE NAPA VALLEY

Napa Valley’s best week for the wine trade is back. Premiere Napa Valley is scheduled for the week of June 1 with the grand finale live auction on Saturday, June 5, 2021. At the auction for wine trade professionals, wine retailers and restaurateurs bid on one-of-a-kind wines to offer in their stores, on their wine lists and to their most discerning customers. // To find out where Premiere wines are sold, visit PremiereNapaValley.com.

June 9-12

NAPA VALLEY JAZZ GETAWAY

Join Brian Culbertson and friends for Napa Valley’s 9th Annual Jazz Getaway weekend. The three-day concert series main musical events are performed at The Lincoln Center and include a curated itinerary of pre and after-parties where attendees can mingle with the performers and enjoy a series of culinary food and wine experiences, including a dinner at La Toque, premier wine tastings, a silent auction, and wine reception. // For more information and ticket packages: jazzgetaway.com

June 12

ART, SIP & STROLL

Celebrate ARTS IN APRIL in beautiful Yountville for this artistic outdoor stroll to celebrate Napa’s local artists. This free art event, featuring over 50+ juried artists- fine art, sculpture, ceramics, photography, jewelry and more-- is spread through the center of town. Art, Sip & Stroll Tasting Packages ($35 optional) are also available and include a glass with six wine tasting tokens to be used at any wine tasting stop plus a signed Guy Buffet ART, SIP & STROLL 2021 poster. Purchase an outdoor lunch onsite and relax in one of Yountville’s park like venues or make reservations to dine at one of Yountville’s fabulous restaurants. // Open 11 am – 5 pm For more information: artsipstroll.com

What the Locals are Doing

Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company

Both of Napa Valley Roasting Company’s locations serve popular signature coffee blends sourced from around the globe. Beans are roasted in 20 lb. batches four to six nights a week to ensure the highest quality and maximum freshness. The company’s focus on community programs and generous donations to first responders, schools, and service members have endeared them within the community as one of Napa’s favorite local businesses. //

948 MAIN ST., NAPA • 1400 OAK AVE., ST. HELENA • NAPACOFFEE.COM

La Tapatia Market

Regaled by locals as the only supermarket in downtown Napa, La Tapatia is small but mighty. Conveniently located on Brown Street, La Tapatia is not only a local market that sells fresh produce and grocery items at great prices, it also touts a formidable meat counter with an in-house butcher who prepares fresh cut meats to order and to sustain the popular taqueria menu, which serves up some of Napa’s best tacos, burritos and tortas for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Open every day: 8 am- 8 pm //

504 BROWN ST., NAPA • LATAPATIAMARKET.COM

Mozzarella “al Minuto”

One of Napa Valley’s local favorite indulgences is Mozzarella “al Minuto”- a rich, oozy presentation of hand-pulled mozzarella, drizzled in olive oil and served on top of crisp, garlic crostini. Served at Pizzeria Tra Vigne and Brasswood Bar + Kitchen, this simple pleasure has remained popular since its debut at the now-closed Tra Vigne Restaurant in St. Helena. //

PIZZERIATRAVIGNE.COM • BRASSWOOD.COM

Osprey Seafood Market

Since opening its retail location on Wine Country Avenue in 2002, Osprey Seafood Market has supplied Napa’s residents and restaurants with some of the area’s best quality seafood and highest quality service. The small market carries a wide variety of fresh fish and shellfish to order, along with local crabs and live lobsters shipped in overnight from the East Coast. Locals flock to score their weekly poke bowl specials, and during Dungeness Crab season, the lines wrap around the block. //

1014 WINE COUNTRY AVE., NAPA • OSPREYSEAFOOD.COM

Soda Canyon Store

Since its construction in 1946, Soda Canyon Store has been a family affair. Co-owners Bonnie Mott, Gina Ergen, and Kristi-Seitz Banducci, aka “The Three Daisies,” carry their family torches for the local general store, deli, gourmet coffee shop, smoothie bar, wine store, and catering operation on this busy intersection of Silverado Trail. Locals know this is one of the best places to go for its deli specials, artisan coffee & espresso, and a great selection of local vintner labels. Open M-F 6 am-5 pm/ Weekends 7 am- 4 pm //

Photo by Joan Azeka

PICKLEBALL

Napa Valley’s Fastest Growing Sport

 BY ELIZABETH SMITH

Across many media outlets, pickleball has been dubbed “the fastest growing sport in America” because it is easy to learn, appropriate for all ages, a social activity, and fun. It has attracted celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Serena Williams, and George Clooney.

While it is a terrific recreational and social sport for families and friends, it has also evolved as a formidable competitive sport. Governed by the USA Pickleball Association, there are multiple tournaments held each year both within the United States: The U.S Pickleball National Championships, U.S Open Pickleball Championships, and numerous international championships.

Pickleball was invented in 1965 by three fathers on Bainbridge Island, Washington – Congressman Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum – as a game for their children to play one summer afternoon when they were bored. They improvised on an old badminton court with wooden paddles and a perforated plastic ball. After formalizing the rules, which rely heavily on badminton, the game needed a name. It was widely accepted that Pritchard named the game after his dog, Pickles.

Pickleball is a hybrid of three sports – tennis, badminton, and ping pong. It is played on a badminton-sized court with a net separating the two sides, using a paddle-like ping pong and a perforated ball reminiscent of a Wiffle ball. The game employs visual mechanics similar to tennis and is most commonly played in doubles

format. An underhanded serve is delivered from one side of the court to the opposite service box, but only the serving team may earn points; the returners must break both members of the serving team before earning the right to serve themselves. The best thing about pickleball is that it is fun. It can be played by people of all ages at any skill level. Outside of a court to play on, the only requirements are an enthusiastic desire to play, and equipment such as athletic court shoes, a paddle, and balls. In Napa Valley, Pickleball is an especially attractive sport since it flourishes year-

round due to the temperate Mediterranean climate. It has grown in popularity both in private clubs and on public courts located in the city of Napa and the town of Yountville. There are two public organized pickleball groups supported by the county’s park and recreation departments- Napa Valley Pickleball, led by Chairperson Susan Segal, and Yountville Pickleball, headed up by Alan Tenscher, Steering Committee Leader. The groups often play together. It is also gaining interest in Calistoga and St. Helena. While clinics, tournaments, and Yountville’s indoor courts had to pause during the pandemic, outdoor play is available at Las Flores Community Park in Napa and Vineyard Park in Yountville. All one must do is show up. “There’s a welcoming tradition in pickleball to show new people the game and bring them along to develop the level of skill or aspect of the game that holds their interest,” said Tenscher.

Pickleball is easy to learn. Both the Napa Valley and Yountville groups have players willing to teach those who are interested in participating. Those who love competition will enjoy the challenge of learning a new and exciting game. It is also interactive and social, so it easily draws in observers. In fact, many become obsessed with pickleball after a few matches. “I mean, who doesn’t want to have a good time being active and outdoors in the beautiful Napa Valley?” Segal exclaimed.

At Las Flores Community Park, there are four courts with dedicated playtimes from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Yountville’s Vineyard Park is open from 8:00 a.m. until sunset seven days a week, where there are four state-of-the-art courts with a player-friendly, regulation-cushioned surface. Weekend mornings are an ideal time to attend and get a feel for the game or to introduce oneself to a local ambassador, group leader, and local players to be assigned a match at one’s level of play. Those who already play pickleball know to bring their own paddle, but local players will often loan paddles to guests without one.

Because of the sport’s increasing popularity in such a short period of time, Segal explained it has been challenging to keep up with the demand for courts. This past year the Napa Valley Pickleball Group teamed up with the Napa Parks and Recreation Foundation to establish the Las Flores Community Park Pickleball fund for the purpose of receiving taxdeductible donations to finance at least two new hard-surface courts with eight dedicated pickleball courts. “Since the development of the fund, we are working towards the goal of getting them with everyone’s support. We hope that eight courts will be enough!” said Segal.

When one thinks of Napa Valley, the first activities that come to mind are wine tasting and fine dining. However, pickleball easily complements these experiences. It provides a welcoming, social, and active element to both the local and visitor experiences. Added Segal, “Pickleball has so much to offer. It’s a healthy lifestyle with a strong social component. Napa Valley is world-renowned for its wine. Why not pickleball as well?”

“Pickleball has so much to offer. It’s a healthy lifestyle with a strong social component.”

Alan Tenscher, Steering Committee Leader // Photo courtesy of Yountville Pickleball