A developmentally disabled former janitor, who took up painting just last year, is quickly becoming one of Napa’s hottest new artists.

The Broadway tour of “Evita,” the seven-time Tony Award-winning collaboration of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, comes to Yountville’s Lincoln Theater with three performances over the Thanksgiving weekend.

The Napa Valley Symphony’s second classical concert of the 2007-08 75th anniversary season features the return of pianist Leon Bates to the Napa Valley this weekend at the Lincoln Theater in Yountville.

Arts visionary Michael Savage will retire from his post as executive director of Yountville’s Lincoln Theater at the end of the year.

On Sunday two talented local musicians, vocalist Suzi Gilbert and pianist/vocalist Ellen Patterson, team up to deliver a tribute to George and Ira Gershwin and Hoagy Carmichael. “Show-stoppers”is a benefit for the Napa Valley Chorale. Who could ask for anything more?

Versatile jazz pianist Larry Vuckovich, returning to Napa after a fall tour that included a debut at New York’s Lincoln Center, an appearance on “Marian McPartland’s NPR Piano Jazz” and performances at the Fazioli solo piano series in Chicago and New York, performs Thursday at the Opera House.

Artist entrepreneurs Ann Trinca and Norma Quintana have opened a hybrid gallery/store that they call “a new experience in retail philanthropy.”

Center for Spiritual Living

Local man receives alumni award

Education

BRUNER — Kim vs. Robert, Nov. 13, 2007.

We were up at the CIA, Greystone, for a wine tasting but we got distracted by the teaching kitchens where visiting chefs were making all kinds of breakfast dishes.

No holiday puts on the do-it-all-from-scratch pressure quite like Thanksgiving.

It’s no surprise that “Turkey Day” is one of America’s most meat-centric holidays.

Don’t leave a safe and satisfying Thanksgiving to guesswork. Here are some simple formulas for Turkey Day math.

This simple cranberry tart is a breeze to assemble and can be made a day ahead. The crust is baked from crushed gingersnap cookies, but you could substitute a purchased no-bake graham cracker pie crust.

Give way to your creative side with this pumpkin trifle.

Turkey still frozen and dinner just an hour away? The bread won’t rise? Still not sure what temperature you’re supposed to cook stuffing to? Help from holiday cooking hot lines is just a call or click away.

Sweet potato and apple gratin packs plenty of traditional flavors and is a nice way to avoid the marshmallows that some vegetarians won’t eat. If you’re making this for vegans, substitute vegetable oil for the butter.

About this time of year, decorative gourds appear in all shapes and sizes. But other than setting them on a table to look picturesque, is there anything you can really do with them?

Created by young artists throughout Napa County, the Aldea Children and Family Services’ 2008 Children’s Art Therapy Calendar provides a glimpse into local children’s hopes and feelings.

QUEEN OF THE VALLEY

On any given day Napans may walk or drive past one of the many stately turn-of-the-century B&Bs downtown — sometimes taking a second glance and daydream what it must like to be a tourist vacationing in the Napa Valley.

The last time we’d seen these folks it was midnight in August, a hot summer night under a full moon. The occasion was the harvest at Ryan’s Vineyard on Big Ranch Road in Napa.

Now that I have been introduced, I want to thank the editors for generously allowing me to comment on this terribly important aspect of wine enjoyment — the angle of the wine glass.

Back Room Wines presents its Back Room Blow Out XXIV today from 5-9 p.m. Four local winery owners/winemakers and one wine importer will pour  wines at this event:  Adam Webb, Odisea Wine Company; Brian Graham, Ramian Estates;  Karen Culler, Culler Cellars;  Chris Vandendressche from White Rock Vineyards and Charles Neal, French Wine Spy who will pour two French wines.