Tillerman Teas at Oxbow Public Market hosts a Chinese New Year celebration Sunday at noon. “We’ll raise our glasses — er, cups — to welcome the new year,” the press release said, “and summon good luck with a traditional lion dance, red envelopes full of treats and an abundance of dim sum snacks.”

Chinese lion dancing is a traditional art that originated many centuries ago. Stories about the origins of lion dancing abound in Chinese folklore. During modern times the performance of a lion dance celebrates happy, festive and auspicious occasions. These creatures and their thundering musical accompaniment are believed to dispel evil spirits and ensure prosperity, abundance and good fortune.  

Tillerman Tea is located in Market Stall #8, in the main market hall. For more information visit www.tillermantea.com or call 265-0200.

Friends of Oxbow discounts

 Oxbow Public Market is offering Napa Valley residents the opportunity to receive a variety of special offers, discounts, samples, coupons and other benefits from participating market vendors.

 Residents of any of the 12  zip codes that make up Napa County may obtain a “Friends of Oxbow” membership card. The qualifying zip codes are: American Canyon 94503; Angwin 94508; Calistoga 94515; Deer Park 94576; Napa 94558, 94559 and 94581; Oakville 94562; Pope Valley 94567, Rutherford 94573; St. Helena 94574; and Yountville 94599.

Residents can sign up on-line at www.oxbowpublicmarket.com and a “Friends of Oxbow” membership card will be sent by mail within two weeks. For instant gratification, residents can also sign up at any participating store in the Oxbow Public Market simply by telling the merchant they’ve heard about the program. A “Friends of Oxbow” membership card will then be issued on the spot.

Some of the special offers already established by market vendors are:

• Three Twins Organic Ice Cream: $5 off on a “Twinasauras” sundae, or a free single cone with any purchase of three pints or two quarts of Three Twins Ice Cream.

• Folio Enoteca & Winery: 10 percent off all purchases of wine, by-the-taste, by-the-glass or by the bottle —  both take out or dine in.

• Tillerman Tea: Frequent buyer program, wherein a “Friend of Oxbow” gets 25 grams of the house tea of their choice at no cost, when they reach $25 in total purchases.

• The Olive Press: 10 percent discount on all olive oils and vinegars.

• Anette’s Chocolate Factory: Free chocolate with a $10 purchase.

• Whole Spice: 10 percent off on any transaction.

• Pica Pica: 10 percent off on any transaction.

• The Model Bakery: 10 percent off on any purchase above $5, and a complimentary demi-baguette sample.

• Rotisario: 10 percent off on any half or whole chicken, hot from the rotisserie oven

Opening in February will be Rotisario, featuring grilled meats and poultry, and Taylor’s Automatic Refresher. Opening later this spring are Kanaloa Seafood and Ritual Coffee Roasters.

Oxbow Public Market is open seven days a week Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with several merchants open even later.

For further information, contact Oxbow Public Market at 226-6529 or  www.oxbowpublicmarket.com.

Valentine’s special

Tickets were all but sold out for the Napa Valley Opera House League’s eighth annual Dinner is Served fundraiser March 5, when, after selling 22 of the 24 seats donated by Pilar restaurant in Napa, chairwoman Helen Megan discovered that the building Pilar is in will be closed for seismic retrofitting and remodeling. Just weeks before the event, 22 seats disappeared.

  Chef/owner Pilar Sanchez worked with Megan and arranged to keep the kitchen and dining space intact long enough to have a private party for the Dinner is Served group — but  not on March 5. Instead, Pilar will prepare a romantic Valentine’s Day party for the Opera House patrons. She has even upped the ante and is willing to take 40 Dinner is Served patrons.

Greg Cole stepped in to accommodate the couples who couldn’t make the party on Valentine’s Day. They’ll be dining at Celadon on March 5.

A number of other restaurants have been prevailed upon to take extra Opera House patrons. A tasty way to support the Opera House, this event raised more than $32,000 last year. Restaurants donate meals, friends of the Opera House dine out at their favorite restaurants, tax and tip are included, and corkage is waived. Meals are priced from $50 to $500. Remaining seats, including some for Valentine’s Day at Pilar, can be found on the Opera House home page (www.nvoh.org). Follow the link to the Dinner is Served reservation form or call Andrea Lyons at the Opera House at 603-2333 for more information.

Winemakers at Cuvée

Cuvée Restaurant launches its Fireside Food & Wine dinner program on Thursday by welcoming winemakers from Falcor Wine Cellars and Monticelli Brothers to its popular winter series.

Throughout February and March, executive Octavio Barrera will offer a special menu paired with the wines made by the evening’s guest winemakers. Each dinner program begins at 6:30 p.m. with a wine reception. Cost for the limited seating dinners is $65 per person.

This week representing their respective wines will be Falcor general manager/assistant winemaker Ryan Bee and Monticelli Brothers Also on hand will be Cuvée’s new sommelier, Dustin Moilanen.

Additional wineries to be featured include Domaine Carneros and Etude, Feb. 21; Clos DuVal and Hall, Feb. 28; Mi Sueno and Phipps Family Cellars, March 6; and Roessler Cellars, March 13.

Menus for each of the dinners can be viewed at www.cuveenapa.com one week prior to the event. Reservations are recommended and can be made by phoning 224-2330. Cuvée is at Soscol Avenue and Randean Way.