Most of the differences I noticed when I came to the West Coast from the East were fairly superficial — taller mountains, better weather, wonderfully fresh produce, the irritating time zone, the inexplicable tendency to elect actors as governor ...

So the California Department of Agriculture report shows that 150,000 tons of wine grapes left Napa Valley vineyards last year. This news comes just as a prodigious amount of Dungeness crab is coming into the valley.

Life in the new century isn’t merely a continuation of the unfolding Information Age. It’s an acceleration.

Yesterday, our two best pals, grandsons Robbie and Phil, came over for their usual Sunday brunch, but Phil, all of six, had a classmate coming over to his house to play with him, so his visit was brief. However, Robbie, the 10-year-old big brother, had time to spare, so Grandpa asked him if he’d like to drive over to Copperfield’s, where I would be inquiring about a book.

Name: Michelle

U.S. wine sales with screw cap closures increased 24.6 percent in 2006, according to research released recently by ACNieslen at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento.

After years-long efforts to contain the increasing population of northern pike at Davis Lake, another date has been set for killing off the fish; hopefully, this time, the effort will be successful.

Jack Heeger

Imagine having your every wish granted. As soon as one has been satisfied, you can make another, then another. Wish fulfillment until the end of time is yours.

Hankerin’ to taste a lush cabernet sauvignon or peppery tempranillo?

Dear Len & Rosie,

Bleaux Magnolia restaurant is coming to the site that once held Cafe Lucy and Posticino on Clay Street in downtown Napa.

Several weeks ago I happened to read a piece in the Wall Street Journal. Part of it was an interview with Richard Harvey. Harvey is a retiring CEO for Aviva, PLC. which is Britain’s largest insurer and fifth-largest in world wide premium.