WE BACK
Issue 40
We are BACK, villagers!!!
Apologies for the long hiatus. While we spent most of the break tending to a newborn — a fresh villager — we have also spent time retooling the Valley Villager newsletter (our first and favorite child).
Fear not: You’ll be getting all the same Villager news, events, tips, tricks and hacks, just in a new, streamlined format.
There are more updates and upgrades coming down the pike, so stay tuned. For now, let’s get on with the usual business. Lots going on! Napa, you keep us on our toes, you minx!
NEWS (TO US)
All the latest scoops
Slanted Door. Beloved restauranteur Charles Phan dies at 62.
A big loss for Napa and the Bay Area communities.
NOMA. No mo!
Beautiful St. Helena cafe shutters.Inti. Outi!
First Street mainstay for incense and incense accessories retires. Congratulations on an amazing run!La Calenda. Cancelled!
A not so feliz navidad for TK.BeBubbly. Popped!
And shortly after obtaining liquor license, no less. Whispers of a new bar opening in the space soon…C Casa. Cerrado!
They had kids working the trash compactor?Napa Noodles, Miyamo, Kohls. Khlosing!
”Shake-up” on First Street!Acumen Tasting Room, Quent Cordair Gallery. More apparent closings…
Is everything on First Street closed? How long have we been away? It’s like a scene from I Am Legend out there…
Ed. Note: As much as we enjoy a snappy headline, we get no pleasure in these businesses closing. It’s actually a real bummer. Let’s get on to some happier news.Stateline Road Smokehouse. Chef Darryl Bell is a semifinalist for a James Beard Award!
Best New Chef: California. And as it turns out, he’s also just a really nice guy - do they give awards for that too?A16. Upscale SF pizza joint opening in the old Miminashi space.
But we will forever call it “the old Miminashi space.”La Cheve. Second location - Con Amor - opening in the former Taberna space on Main.
Amazing news! And Taberna was absorbed into Bar Zuzu two doors down. It’s a win-win!Rancho Gordo. Is moving to the old Shackford’s location on Main St.
No, no that location. The first location.Napa Valley Register. Acquired!
By BuzzFeed! Crazy right?? (JK)AutoCamp. Glamping may soon arrive in Napa.
In the The Grange location. The BottleRock crowd is going to love this.
Sumo Dog. Gourmet hot dogs come to Oxbow.
Smothered and covered, just how we like it.Decant. Wine shop opens in the former Bay Grape space.
And they put up a wall hiding Solano — we like it! (they’re also hosting Open Mic nights every third Thursday and Magic the Gathering nights on Mondays)Mommenpop Spritz Bar (or the place formerly known as Apero, formerly known as Outland). On “winter” break til… May?
Must be nice.Contimo. New breakfast menu updates.
Rumor has it they’ve hatched something new.
Heritage Eats. Revamp imminent!
Restless purveyor of dirty waffle fries plans to introduce a new menu, a new bar, and a transition to full service.Napa Valley Distillery. “Club Room” opens on First Street.
Okay this happened a while ago, but we have been out of the game, alright?So Darling Vending. Vending machines that sell local art and other fun stuff.
There’s already one in Jeffries General, check it out, and host one at your business today! Or sell your art!Mercadito River Studio. “Secret” brunch spot on the river!
Yum. You had me at chilaquiles.“The Compound.” Future downtown B&B.
You know that lot on Seminary where they seem to be at once preserving and destroying old walls? Well now it’s called The Compound and it can be yours for $4M.Former Firefighters Museum Space. New restaurant opening.
At the corner of Pearl and Main.E. Carlin & Co. Newish barbershop on 3rd Street.
For your next high-and-tight.Di Rosa Downtown. New art gallery opens in the First Street complex.
I hope this doesn’t turn Napa into a bachelorette party destination…Midnight Mind Magazine. A cultural review journal re-launches in Napa.
Available for purchase at the Bookmine!Napa Seed Library. Free seeds in the Napa Library!
You have to return them when they’re trees.Chicken Guy. Guy Fieri chain opens in American Canyon.
I know we’re supposed to like Guy now, but… I don’t know, man.Bottle Rock. 2025 lineup announced.
In case you’ve been under a rock…
Soda Canyon Store. Still closed!
We get a lot of questions about this one. Sadly we don’t have the answers.Rumor Mill: we’ve heard things may be afoot at the old Depot Restaurant/Fabrizio’s location and/or the old O’Sullivan’s Oasis location.
Anyone have any insight??
Over the Hill:
Valley Swim Club. Friday film series all winter. (Sonoma)
A heated patio, classic cinema and clam chowder — how can you lose?Folktable. Closed, along with much of the rest of Cornerstone. (Sonoma)
Yikes.Acre Pasta. New pasta joint! (Petaluma)
From the people who brought you coffee, and then pizza…Fusion Pizza. New pizza shop. (Vallejo)
Indian-inspired pizzas? Go ahead, we’re listening…
Songbird Parlour. Debuts a new five-night-a-week restaurant! (Sonoma)
With all these closings in Napa apparently we need to start navigating further west.
The intersection of State Routes 116 and 121. The temporary roundabout is open and functional. (Sonoma)
THIS. IS. HUGE.
COMING IN HOT
Events and happenings
Jan 18 - Feb 16: Napa Lighted Arts Festival. Downtown Napa, free
Jan 27: Poetry Night. Folklore, free cover
Feb 1: 19th Annual A Capella Extravaganza. Uptown Theatre, $35
Feb 1, 2: Winged Migration Expo. Mare Island (Vallejo), free
Feb 7: Napa Valley Asian American Film Festival. Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center. $5+
Feb 8: Lunar New Year Celebration. Jimtown and Then Sum (Healdsburg), price tbd
Feb 10: Bonnie Prince Billy. Sebastiani Theatre (Sonoma), $52
Feb 15: Call of the Valley (documentary). Sebastiani Theatre (Sonoma), $12
Feb 15: Napa County AAUW Authors Forum 2025. Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center, $50
Advance Notice:
Feb 22: National Margarita Day Collab. Chispa x Mothers, prices tbd
Feb 23: Oyster Art & Fiddle Fest. Nimbus Arts (St. Helena), $60
Mar 1: Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets. Uptown Theatre, $52+
Mar 2: Cameo Celebrates the Oscars. Cameo Cinema (St. Helena), $40
Mar 5: Whitney Cummings. Uptown Theatre, $57+
Mar 5-8: Celebration of Women in Wine. location and prices tbc
Mar 8: Napa Valley Youth Symphony 2025 Spring Chamber Concert. Jarvis Conservatory, $15
Mar 8: The Comedy Of Brian Posehn. Sebastiani Theatre (Sonoma), $45
Mar 19-23: Sonoma Film Fest. Various locations, prices vary
Apr 11, 12: Con Fun Shun. Blue Note, $82+
April 12, 13: The Magic Toy Shop, Presented By The Sonoma Conservatory Of Dance. Sebastiani Theatre (Sonoma), $20+
Apr 18, 19: Kathleen Madigan (Stand-up). Uptown Theatre, $57+
Apr 24-26: Madeleine Peyroux. Blue Note, $115+
May 16: Thievery Corporation. Uptown Theatre, $63+
May 17: Art, Sip & Stroll. Yountville, price tbd
🙌🙌🙌 welcome to the stack!