Napa author Tyler Oakes reads from her newly published novel, “Ruby Rest” at Copperfield’s on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 1 p.m. She’ll also be signing copies of “Ruby Rest” at the holiday cigar tasting party at Baker Street Downtown on Thursday, Dec. 13 from 6-9 p.m.

In 1935, the United States in the Great Depression and heading toward World War II, and New York’s plays and musicals were finding their way west to become motion pictures.

Just in time for the holidays Lincoln Theater in Yountville presents “Second City’s Dysfunctional Holiday Revue,” a raucous blend of sketches, songs and improvisation with a healthy dose of seasonal satire, performed by members of the legendary comedy and improvisation company.

No winter doldrums allowed here. The Napa Valley Opera House has announced its new line-up and Artistic Director Evy Warshawski calls the upcoming winter/spring season “an artistic potpourri sure to please every member of the family.”

Popular with fans of handcrafted works by wine country artisans, the 12th annual Holiday Shopping Extravaganza will open to the public in a few days.

“Evita” should captivate. “Evita” should mesmerize. With its grand dance numbers, its famous songs, and the legendary woman behind the title role, “Evita” should be larger than life.

Bay Area American Filipino writers may not be all that well known in American Canyon, a fact some want to change.

With an earthquake in one theatre and a ship tossed by stormy seas in the other, Berkeley Repertory Theatre is beset by disasters – but the community loves them. The Tony Award-winning theatre is riding a tidal wave of rave reviews, standing ovations and sold-out houses with its celebrated productions of “after the quake” and “Argonautika.” Amidst record sales at the box office, Berkeley Rep is adding performances of both shows to meet the earth-shattering demand for tickets.

Education

Dainita Richardson of San Pablo, was awarded a $750 Yountville Veteran’s Home scholarship to continue her nursing studies.

This year the annual Worlds of Flavor conference at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone took on the seemingly impossible task of exploring “The Rise of Asia” in two days of seminars, cooking sessions — and a lot of eating. A highlight of the conference took place Thursday and Friday nights and Saturday afternoon when the CIA’s Barrel Room was transformed into a marketplace from some exotic land. This year it was several lands, and giant Chinese red dragons and paper dragonflies floated in the air above Thai dancers and Japanese drummers, while chefs anda vendors from Singapore, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and India dispensed samples of everything from chocolate dipped vegetables to green tea ice cream. Here’s a sampling of recipes from some of the chefs.

If you go to the Republic of Georgia, be sure to take your appetite along.

Now that we’ve had our fill of the Mediterranean diet, Americans are looking to Asia to whet their appetites.

(Bubur Cha Cha)

My sister Judy is completely tone deaf. She honestly cannot tell one note from another. Her CD changer, programmed by her husband, always has the same five classical recordings in it. When you ask her what’s playing, she answers “Number three.” Years of piano lessons were wasted on her. We don’t let her sing. She couldn’t carry a tune in a backpack.

One-of-a-kind holiday trees and wreaths, sparkling with light and colorful ornaments, will once again provide year-round support for the Napa Valley Symphony when they are raffled off in the Symphony League’s fifteenth annual Festival of Trees.

Wow, it’s a great time to be a gamer and a music lover. A few weeks ago, “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock” made its debut, and now along comes the series’ first competitor, “Rock Band.”

QUEEN OF THE VALLEY

Life in Napa can sometimes be described like a piece of art — whether it is a mural, sculpture or architecture.

At Copia’s Women in Wine symposium Nov. 10, an attentive, mostly-female audience learned that women buy 80 percent of the wine sold in the United States.

Try this quiz: Take 2 points each time you answer “yes,” 1 point for “sometimes” and 0 points for “no.”

Newton Vineyards is holding an open house Dec. 1 from 1-5 p.m. and will offer some library wines as well as large format wines. Also featured will be a variety of gift packages, books and wine accessories. Light appetizers will be served.Cost is $20 per person, free to wine club members. RSVP to 204-7622. Newton is located at 2555 Madrona Ave., St. Helena.