“The arts stimulate, educate, and inspire.”

Cultural Planning Town Hall meetings

Ethan Dittrich will be awarded a Music in the Vineyards scholarship during an upcoming concert Friday at the Jarvis Conservatory.

It’s hilarity on the high seas as the Bay Area’s acclaimed Lamplighters Music Theatre performs Gilbert and Sullivan’s “H.M.S. Pinafore” at the Napa Valley Opera House this weekend.

Food and wine-paired dinners can be run-of-the-mill these days, but Martini House has not only paired wines from local winemakers Rob Lawson and Robert Foley with Chef Todd Humphries’ renowned tomato tasting menu —  but they’ve added a movie.

There are few things more cherished by gardeners than home-grown summer tomatoes. These sun-kissed beauties are unlike the traditional tomatoes you’ll find on most supermarket shelves.

Protected by an unforgiving sun and braving sugar overloads, five judges ignored the envious glances of hungry observers July 27 and got down to the business of choosing the best and the tastiest of an array of entries in this year’s very nearly annual St. Helena Farmers Market pie baking contest.

Recently an astonishing thing happened at my house: My son returned from a backpacking trip and he wasn’t hungry.

What are some top picks for students looking to set up their first dorm rooms? A sample from major retailers:

When Laurel Mahaffey was preparing for her freshman year at UC Santa Cruz, her family searched Napa stores in vain for the extra-long twin sheets she needed to fit her dorm-room bed.

What most people expect when they move into their first college dorm: one (maybe two) roommates, a basic bedroom setup, and a decent amount of privacy.

The harvest is on. If you haven’t been paying attention, you may have a few large surprises in your vegetable garden.

Author’s note: More than 65 years ago, my family moved to Napa and became part of the community. I have all of these stories in my head about growing up in Napa during WW II and the post-war era, and decided to write essays on what it was like as a teenager here during those times. This is the first installment of Napa — As It Was.

For people who aren’t burned out on “Guitar Hero” yet, there’s yet another version available.

With the new school year quickly approaching, local colleges are preparing to make changes in the classroom and in some cases, to the classrooms themselves.

Many people think teachers and public school officials take the summer off. But anyone who has seen the activity at school campuses around Napa knows it’s been a busy summer for the Napa Valley Unified School District.

As the demands of No Child Left Behind Act shake up school districts across the country, schools in the Napa Valley are stressing the importance of a curriculum based on academic accountability.

Nickname: Rump Roast

Five years ago Dan Dawson realized his dream — he opened a wine shop in downtown Napa.

Much has been said about the potential for exports to the growing consumer wine market in India, but little is known about India’s own domestic wine industry.

It’s no surprise that the 1,200-acre Stagecoach Vineyards are not open to the public as it takes time and a 4-wheel-drive vehicle to reach the vineyards, located at one of the highest points on Soda Canyon Road, in the Atlas Peak Appellation.

The Napa Valley harvest began early Tuesday at Mumm Napa winery at the Rodgers Vineyard, in Yountville.