California Shakespeare Theater’s “Triumph of Love,” which opened last weekend, is a triumph indeed, and not just because the plot of this charming fairy tale ends happily.

Before the start of “H.M.S. Pinafore” Saturday night at the Napa Valley Opera House, Lamplighters Artistic Director Barbara Heroux stepped in front of the curtain, welcomed the audience and explained that there was a special tie between the Gilbert and Sullivan chestnut and the Opera House venue. “Pinafore” was first performed in 1878. The Opera House was built in 1879 and the first production staged there was “H.M.S. Pinafore.”

When Chris Sullivan takes center stage at Lincoln Theater in Yountville on Aug. 25 for the first of three performances of Rob Becker’s “Defending the Caveman,” he can be sure of at least one thing: He will be leading his audience into some comfortably uncomfortable territory.

Napa Valley Ballet School hosts a reception for the community to meet and greet its new artistic director, Diana Lasso Lomax, along with other new teachers for the fall session and to learn about the school’s classical ballet program and new classes being offered.

The Dreamweavers production of David Ives’ “All in the Timing,” is something like the Persiad meteor showers that are visible this month: brief but enchanting.

This week patrons of Napa Valley Opera House can listen to the folk music of Dar Williams, get a dance lesson in tango and cha cha or enjoy some good laughs  with the Best Of the San Francisco International Stand-Up Comedy Competition. Or choose all three.

Tobias Rose-Stockwell is a native St. Helenan dedicated to helping the poor. He’s also founder of Young Humanitarians, a non-profit project committed to bridging the gap between world cultures.

Greg Kihn doesn’t have to tour any more.

Greg Cole, owner and executive chef of Celadon and Cole’s Chop House is in New York this week to host a “Downtown Napa Dinner” at the famous James Beard House.

On the outside Whole Spice is one more unremarkable modern warehouse on a strip mall in Petaluma.

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

The word “Ubuntu” has its origin in the Bantu language of Southern Africa and closely translates to “humanity towards others.”

I correspond with a group of serious gardeners located mostly on the East Coast. In summertime, these folks get pretty nervous when more than a couple of weeks go by without rain. There is talk of drought and water restrictions.

It’s time to fire harden your house. Building or altering your home to become fire resistant can be compared to building a watertight roof: One little hole in the roof allows water to leak in, and no matter how well the job was done on the rest of the roof, it may still fail and damage can occur.

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: Sweetie, Sweetie Pie

Nickname: Britaroo

Julie Weinstock, former president of Cosentino Signature Wineries, has joined Adobe Road Winery in Petaluma as general manager.

American restaurants in major markets across the country are more than likely to feature California wines that cost diners $39 or less, an new industry report released Thursday indicates.

The Del Dotto Winery at the corner of Highway 29 and Zinfandel Lane once again has a stamp of approval from county planners, but neighbors are upset by the project’s failure to comply with its original use permit, and fear the winery will play host to wild parties.

Drivers looking for the new Black Stallion Winery on Silverado Trail don’t have to search for an address — just look for the big black horse standing on its hind legs.