The Baguette Quartette,  which brings to life the music heard on Paris street corners, cafes and dance halls between 1920 and 1940, performs at the White Barn in St. Helena Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.

The two young prodigies from Russia who perform Feb. 14 at the Napa Valley Opera House are among the winners of the Guzik Foundation Award, which earns them prizes and showcase performances in San Francisco, Moscow, Carnegie Hall and the Louvre.

Celebrating both Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day weekend, Broadway and recording artists Lee Lessack, Brian Lane Green and John Boswell will bring their romantic, acclaimed show, “Three Men and a Baby ... Grand!” to Lincoln Theater in Yountville on Feb. 18.

Flutist Sir James Galway and Lady Jeanne Galway join the Napa Valley Symphony for its second classical concert of 2007 this Sunday at the Lincoln Theater in Yountville.

Uwe Mueller and Alexander “Ali” Rafiee are talented artists and designers. Mueller is a sculptor and graphic artist; Rafiee paints canvas and ceramics with intricate designs. Both know how difficult it is for artists to display their work.

The reopening of the renovated District Auditorium in 2004 made possible the revival of a long-standing Napa tradition — full-length musical productions by Napa and Vintage high schools.

Mt. George Elementary School students star in “Robin Hood” at the District Auditorium on Saturday.

Margrit Biever Mondavi got a surprise last Thursday at a board meeting of Napa Valley Unified School District where she had come to present a check for $10,000 — funds raised during the Robert Mondavi Winery’s Summer Festival concerts. 

A former cheerleader and an aspiring opera singer emerged at the top of Saturday’s third round in the “Idol NV” singing competition at the Napa Valley Opera House, ahead of four other contestants including a football player who sang a Death Cab for Cutie song a cappella.

The hunt for red wines is being helped by Sam Neill.

“The Lives of Others” — A miracle of a film that manages to be both subtle and intense at the same time. What’s even more astounding is that this is the feature debut from German writer-director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, who previously had made a few shorts and done some TV work.

LOS ANGELES — It used to be that celebrities sought treatment for things they put into their mouths. Now it’s for things that come out of them.

It's educational. It's a walk down memory lane. It's a piece of Napa's history. And best of all -- it's free.

Napa student on Grace Dean's list

Education

For a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner, celebrity chef Rachael Ray suggests a simple pepper steak with cognac sauce accompanied by a salad topped with caramelized onions and followed by demitasse cups of chocolate pudding.

Several readers called to ask where the Phantom Fork’s column was last week.

While tradition has couples most often celebrating Valentine’s Day by going out to dinner, there’s nothing wrong with taking a new tack this year.

It is comforting to know not only that we have a wine country restaurant specializing in fish but that the chef-in-charge knows fin from flipper about seafood.

Here are a few of the Valentine’s Day-related events in Napa Valley:

Valentine’s Day has long been associated with romance. Whether the day is celebrated in a fine restaurant or in an intimate dining room, wine plays an important part in setting the romantic mood.

For 13 consecutive years, wine consumption in the United States has increased, and if that trend continues, the U.S. will become the largest overall wine consumer in the world, surpassing Italy and France.

Imported wine sales continue to grow in the U.S., and soon some wines may be coming from another source, closer to home than Australia, South America and Europe.

Napa Valley College is seeking applicants for two positions in the Viticulture and Winery Technology department, one to work in the teaching winery and the other to work in the student vineyard.

Every blossom is welcome this time of year, especially those you can grow indoors. Even houseplants that bloom year-round take periodic breathers, and now is typically when that breather ends. So the season has begun, once again, for colorful blossoms to unfold, one plant after another, around the house.

Plight of the honeybees

It's cold, dreary and you really want it to be spring. You can't do anything about the weather or the calendar, but you can put the colors and scents of spring in your home, say Napa home decor experts Michelle Hawkins of Haven Home Furnishings and Rosemary Ceballos of deKor.

When Hurricane Katrina passed through Louisiana and the southeast region on Aug. 29, 2005, it turned out to be the worst natural disaster in U.S. history. One estimate placed the loss of human lives at more than 1,800. FEMA reported that 950,000 applicants were determined eligible for assistance as a result of the hurricane.

GALLEGOS MARTINEZ-DE JESUS BARRAGAN -- Gonzalo Gallegos Martinez, 38, Jefferson Street, Napa, to Celia De Jesus Barragan, 34, Jefferson Street, Napa.

St. Helena Hospital

Laura Shantel Madison and Brandon Lawrence Bell, both of Napa, announce their engagement to be married on June 7.

Elizabeth Bates and Kevin Rolli, both of Sacramento, were married July 29 at First Presbyterian Church in Napa. A reception followed at Gloria Ferrer in Sonoma.

Nicole Lynn Polsgrove and Oscar Ramirez, both of Napa, announce their engagement to be married on July 7 at St. Apollinaris Catholic Church.

BLANCO-AGNEW -- Ernesto Blanco vs. Katy Agnew, Jan. 24, 2007