Where do wine country locals go in Napa Valley when they need a carb fix? The Model Bakery of course. For 30 years Model Bakery has been luring folks in for the mouthwatering pastries and bread. But the one item Model is known best for is their world famous English Muffin. People line up for the 1000+ muffins Model makes daily. I produced this story for the new TV show Kristy Downing Rocks Local Food where we reveal the secrets of creating these fluffy and airy one-of-a-kind English Muffin.
Bottle shock. Crushed. Shaken, not stirred. Whatever word you choose to describe it, the 6.0 magnitude earthquake that rocked Napa Valley early Sunday morning has left behind more than spilled wine. More than 100 homes and buildings red-tagged. The facade of the beautiful Vintner’s Collective building gone. Homes shaken off foundations, cracks in walls, chimneys toppled. Countless glasses, plates and other personal possessions shattered. Gallons and gallons of wine lost. All this happening as harvest is underway. Winemakers who lost tanks and barrels are scrambling to find ones they can borrow or rent so they can press, ferment and store the new wines coming in as we speak. Some producers lost freshly made wines from the current vintage, but they also lost library wines — collections of wine going back years, if not decades. Wineries also lost wine in barrel that hadn’t made it to bottle yet, as barrels…
Photos by Jon Orlin On Saturday night stars were shining at Far Niente Winery for an evening of Bella Italia! A Tribute to Sophia Loren, the most coveted ticket at this year’s Festival del Sole. This just may be the most star-studded night in the nine seasons of the of festival. Napa Valley is used to its share of celebrities. But not many events can hold a candle to Whoopi Goldberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Redford, and the ultimate star, Sophia Loren, under one tent. I’ve been to my fair share of special nights in wine country, but this evening tops them all. I got to shake hands with Sophia Loren. The grande signora of the Italian silver screen was in Napa Valley for the world premiere of Sinfonietta per Sofia, a tribute in her honor. The work, composed by Daniel Brewbaker, was performed by the LA Virtuosi, a…
The biggest trend in wine country these days isn’t the latest technology advances in winemaking or the up and coming varietals you’ve never heard of like Ribolla Gialla and Fruliano. In a word it’s wellness. When it comes to balancing mind, body and spirit, look to Napa Valley wineries, vineyards, hotels and beyond for an array of innovative ways to detox. Of course a little retox with a glass of wine afterwards is always allowed. Adjust Your Frequency Upon arrival in Napa Valley, you’ll want to make your first stop The Spa at Napa River Inn. Step into this jewel box of a spa retreat and you’ll feel like you’re worlds away. Hard to believe this little stand alone building was at one time the local Napa police station. Owner Jeanette O’Gallagher has created a calm oasis within. Recover from the stress in your life with the Adjust Your Frequency…
It’s a weekend of wine country fashion! Join me at Jessup Cellars in the heart of Napa Valley for Dress to the Vines, a four-day celebration of fashion, wine and perfume. I’ll be doing perfume pairings with Jessup wines and Sonoma Scent Studio fragrances. We’ll dish on the latest wine country style and talk about how Napa Valley influences fashion with industry insiders, magazine editors and stylists. If you are a wine fashionista like me, you won’t want to miss this ground-breaking event that puts style on par with wine, food and art in wine country. On Thursday night, August 15, I’ll be part of a panel talking all things fashion and wine country. To kick off the event, I’m pairing three Jessup Cellars wines with perfumes from wine country based Sonoma Scent Studio that will highlight different aromatic notes in the wines. While wine and perfume together are usually…
I’ve been on at least a dozen girls weekends. The destinations are always great: New York, Palm Springs, Chicago, Miami, the North Carolina mountains. But I’d not done a girls trip to Napa Valley wine country. I’m not talking over the top 5-star accommodations and 3 star Michelin restaurants; we were more budget minded (we’d rather have money for shopping). We ate and drank well, and even found a nice place to stay that was less than $200 per night (thanks Priceline!)
You probably don’t think of downtown Napa as a destination for style or shopping. People used to bypass Napa on their way to winery tasting rooms and St. Helena. Well things have changed. Now Napa is a must stop for great dining, wine tasting and shopping. Read more
One of Napa Valley’s best restaurants is Ubuntu in downtown Napa. Executive chef Jeremy Fox’s “vegetable cuisine” was a revelation. He redefined what it means to have an all vegetable-based menu, with much of the produce coming from the kitchen’s biodynamic garden fresh every day. Fox and Ubuntu received many awards and accolades. Well Fox departed earlier this year, and I think many of us were holding our collective breath about the restaurant’s future. Would it be as good with another chef? Will the vegetable menu be replaced? Will the restaurant close? Rest assured, we can all breathe. I believe Ubuntu is now better than ever. The kitchen is now in the hands of executive chef Aaron London, who has been at Ubuntu since its opening in 2007. He’s got a stellar resume´- including stints at Daniel, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, L’Astrance and Arpege in Paris. London is not…