Paul's Picks
Paul Franson's top 10 things to do this weekend in Napa Valley
A True Napa Valley Voice: A Prelude to Paul's Weekend Selections
By Sasha Paulsen.
For many years I was Paul Franson’s editor for his weekly wine column in the Napa Valley Register. It arrived like clockwork, except for one morning, when, instead I got a phone call.
“Sasha,” he said. “I am sorry but my column will be late this week. I have to talk fast because they’re going to take away my phone. I’m on my way into the operating room for emergency heart surgery.”
“Paul,” I said. “You are a lunatic. Give the doctors your phone. Don’t worry about a column.”
“I’ll have it for you tomorrow.”
And he did.
This remains my favorite story, among many, about Paul, man about the Napa Valley, who, now in his early 80s, has more energy than many 2-year-olds I’ve met.
Paul moved to Napa Valley after a career in writing and public relations that took him around the country and on extensive world travels. He has lived on a sailboat in Antigua and lived on beans in Boston, during his first marriage at 18. He has also lived in North Beach in San Francisco as well as “most of the border states of the U.S.” He taught math briefly, became a ham radio operator (and edited a ham operator magazine) and owned a public relations firm in Silicon Valley. In 1997, beckoned by the siren call of wine, he decided to make Napa Valley his home.
Paul was a home winemaker before he turned to writing about wine. He is also an accomplished home cook. An invitation to dinner at his house is like winning a culinary lottery.
“I decided to cook food from Provence,” he will greet you. “Let’s see, I made fougasse and ratatouille, tapenade, vegetables, aioli, socca and roasted some tuna. And I made a tarte for dessert.” Pause. “I may have over done it.”
After writing for publications including Wine Enthusiast, Wine and Vines, and Wine Business Monthly, 14 years ago, Paul launched his own newsletter, Napa Life, “For those who live in the Napa Valley and those who wish they did.”
It’s a phenomenal weekly production, providing the definitive entertainment schedule for the valley, from Calistoga to American Canyon, along with news from wineries, restaurants and the arts scene. His joy, I soon learned, was to scoop the Register. He did it weekly, ferreting out news no one else had found.
Pauls Picks for the weekend of May 13, 2023
By Paul Franson
A lot happens in Napa Valley for a place with only 130,000 people, and it can be challenging to pick the top 10 events each weekend from all those included in NapaLife.
This weekend is relatively quiet for Napa Valley except for Mother’s Day (!), but next weekend brings Yountville Art, Sip & Stroll, Dwight Yoakam, Keiko Matsui and Emmy Lou Harris, then come BottleRock and Collective Napa Valley’s barrel auction.
Nimbash Arty Party sold out instantly or it would be included in this listing.
Though we don’t have room for the prices, we try to choose events accessible to most Napans. Some fundraisers naturally cost more.
1. “She Kills Monsters”
Napa Valley College Theater Arts presents “She Kills Monsters,” a heart-pounding homage to the warrior and geek in all of us, May 12 to 20 at the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center. Get details and tickets at www.performingartsnapavalley.org.
2. Napa Valley Education Foundation Taste for Knowledge
The Napa Valley Education Foundation Taste for Knowledge fundraiser is on Friday, May 12, at the CIA at Copia in Napa: www.nvef.org/events/taste-for-knowledge.
3. Jake Rizzly Stand-Up Comedy Showcase
Napa native Jake Rizzly presents a Stand-Up Comedy Showcase at The Hollywood Room at Napa Valley Distillery on Friday, May 12, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Admission is free, but arrive early: RSVPing does not guarantee a seat. The Hollywood Room at Napa Valley Distillery, 2485 Stockton St., Napa: www.napadistillery.com
4. Jazz at Regiis Ova Lounge
Yountville is also not known for nightlife but Regiis Ova Caviar & Champagne Lounge hosts jazz on weekends. Joe Boga trumpet, Kyle Athayde piano and Alan U’Ren drums perform Saturday night from 6:30-9:30 p.m. www.regiisova.com/about-lounge
5. Chris Wiser at the Saint
Yes, there is live music in sleepy St. Helena, too. The Saint features music Friday and Saturday, this week including Chris Wiser on Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. www.thesaintnapavalley.com
6. Monica da Silva and Chad Alger at the Moonshine
Calistoga has many options in music, including at Calistoga Inn every night. Brazilian American enchantress Monica da Silva and guitarist Char Alger appear at the Moonshine, the new nightclub under the stars (and moon) at the Mount View Hotel on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. mountviewhotel.com/themoonshine
7. Mother’s Day Weekend with art and writers at Jessel Gallery
Jessel Gallery has a pop-up art show with demonstrations, music and more all weekend plus the spring Napa Valley Writers' Salon on Saturday, May 13, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. RSVP for the forum to jesselgallery@napanet.net:Jessel Gallery, 1019 Atlas Peak Road, Napa, 707-257-2350.
8. Napa Valley Youth Symphony 20th anniversary concert
The Napa Valley Youth Symphony presents its 20th anniversary concert and reception on Saturday, May 13, at 5 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at Napa Valley College. It includes the Sinfonia, Bridge and Napa Youth Chamber Ensembles. Buy tickets at nvys20yearscelebration.eventbrite.com.
9. Paula Poundstone at the Uptown
JaM Cellars presents top comedian Paula Poundstone at the Uptown Theatre on Saturday, May 13. Uptown Theatre, 1350 Third St., Napa: www.uptowntheatrenapa.com
10. John Pizzarelli at the Blue Note
The Blue Note presents guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli on Saturday, May 13, at 6:30 and 9 p.m. Pizzarelli has been hailed by the Boston Globe for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.” Blue Note, 1030 Main St., Napa: www.bluenotenapa.com
You might also try one of our new or reopened restaurants: North Block and Ciccio in Yountville; Taj Grill, Croccante Pizza and Chiloko’s Sweet and Salty in Napa; Erosion Wine, Beer and Ice Cream in St. Helena; Bricco Osteria in Calistoga; or even the venerable Soda Canyon Store.
If you’d like to find out more about these events and many, many more, subscribe to “NapaLife,” a twice-weekly newsletter that focuses on news and events about food, wine and the arts – visual, literary and performing. It’s $50 a year for individuals at www.napalife.com, where you can find a recent example.