Napa Valley Weekend Guide: Dec. 13-16, 2012

Santa, the Nutcracker, horse-drawn carriage rides and lots of shopping: It's Christmas time in the Napa Valley, and we've got a weekend full of fun, plus a great jazz show Sunday afternoon. Find more activities in our Events, where you can add

Posted by Louisa Hufstader (Editor), December 13, 2012 at 06:31 pm

Ongoing

The weekly Open Mic Night at Molinari Caffé happens Thursdays with registration from 6 to 6:30 p.m., followed by performances: Molinari Caffé, 815 Main St, Napa, free.

The Napa Valley Wine Trolley offers Holiday Light Tours with 1.5-hour trips departing the Oxbow Public Market at 6:30 p.m.Dec. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23. Tickets to benefit Napa foster children are $25 for age 10 and older, $15 for age 3 to 9. Reserve online at napavalleywinetrolley.com.

Santa in Napa is donating 25 percent of portrait sales proceeds to Napa Humane when you present a voucher that you can print here. Santa's available for photos with people and their pets Thursdays and Fridays 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 1227 First St., downtown Napa.

The Napa On Ice Holiday Skating Rink is open daily at 2nd St & Coombs St, Napa: $12 includes skate rental.

The Calistoga Farmers' Market continues on Saturdays, beginning at 8:30 am at 1311 Washington St, Calistoga: Free.

Here's a list of Where to Buy Christmas Trees in the Napa Valley, plus Fresh Christmas Tree Safety Tips and Holiday TV Schedules 2012: When and Where to Watch Christmas Movies and Specials.

Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012

Thursday nights from now till Christmas are Magical Evenings at Napa's Riverfront, where you can take horse-drawn carriage rides, sing Christmas karaoke, sip cocoa and meet Santa starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Napa River Inn, 500 Main St, Napa: Free, with donations to benefit Toys for Tots.

Thursday is also Guys' Shopping Night, starting at 5:00 pm at The Grand Hand Gallery, 1136 Main St, Napa: Free, till you buy something.

A four-course meal, with wine, plus a talk on "The History of the Toast" by the well-versed Paul Wagner: That's the menu for Women for WineSense's Wine on America's Holiday Table @ St. Supéry Estate, 5:30 pm 8440 St Helena Hwy: $65

The spectacular Geminid meteor shower is expected to peak tonight: Here are viewing tips from Napa Valley College astronomer John Charlesworth.

Friday, Dec. 14, 2012

The Friends of the Library December Book Sale opens at 10 am at the Napa County Library, 580 Coombs St, Napa: Free admission, continues on subsequent days.

There's a Rockin' Holiday Cigar Social starting at 6 pm at Baker Street Downtown, 1018 1st St, Napa: Free, till you buy something.

The month's Art in the Library reception features the artists of Browns Street Gallery, where developmentally disabled adults create work that's made it into many a local collection: 6 pm, Napa County Library, 580 Coombs St, Napa: Free.

In Calistoga, the Artisan Trunk Show at ECHO gallery kicks off at 6 pm with mulled wine and holiday treats, and continues Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm at ECHO on Lincoln.

The Napa Regional Dance Company presents “The Nutcracker”, 7 pm at the Napa Valley Opera House, 1030 Main St, Napa, CA: $25, also Saturday at 2 pm and 7 pm, Sunday at 2pm.

Napans (including this one) have been raving about the Napa Valley Players' 8 X 10 Ten Minute Play Festival, continuing at 8 p.m. tonight and tomorrow with a final matinee Sunday at 2 p.m. If you miss it, it's gone forever: Napa Valley Playhouse, 1637 W Imola Ave, Napa: $20.

Snoop Dogg is sold out at the Uptown, but music lovers can catch Peter Sykes in concert starting at 8 p.m. at Silo's, 530 Main St, Napa, CA: $20.

Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012

Santa is back at Whole Foods in Bel Aire Plaza from noon to 4 p.m.: Santa Claus is in Town!, 3614 Bel Aire Plz, Napa. Free.

Author Paul Franson holds a Booksigning for the NapaLife Insider's Guide to Napa Valley starting at noon at the Napa Valley Welcome Center, 600 Main St, Napa: Free.

Nearby at noon, the Napa HoopersFree Family-friendly Saturday hoop jam in Veterans Memorial Park, 3rd St & Main St, Napa: Free.

The Jingle Bell Trot starts at 3 p.m. with $5 horse-drawn carriage rides to benefit Cope Family Center and special holiday offers from more than two dozen downtown Napa merchants: Hop aboard at 1st St & Coombs St, Napa.

At the Uptown, it's Todd Snider plus Nikki Bluhm & The Gramblers at 8pm: 1350 3rd St, Napa: $25

Hear Peter Sykes & The Napa School of Music play music of the Eagles and Creedence starting at 8 p.m. at Silo's, 530 Main St, Napa, CA: $20.

Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012

There's something for the whole family at Silverado this weekend: Father & Child Tee ($20) and Teddy Bear Tea ($40) are both at 1:30 pm. Silverado Resort and Spa, 1600 Atlas Peak Rd, Napa.

The weekend's best bet for jazz is at 4 p.m. when the Napa Valley Jazz Society presents the Jeff Hamilton Trio at Silo's: $20 for society members, $40 general admission.

A contemplative Taizé Meditation service will be held at 7 pm at St Mary's Episcopal Church, 1917 3rd St, Napa: Free.

Chris Isaak plays the Uptown at 8 p.m.: 1350 3rd St, Napa: $75

And, looking ahead to Monday:

Candy Cane Carol Sing-Along, 6:30 pm First United Methodist Church, 625 Randolph St, Napa: Free.

Are your Napa Valley holiday events listed in our calendar? Post them for free at napavalley.patch.com/events/new. You can even login via Facebook.

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Comments + Leave a Comment

Louisa Hufstader (Editor) December 13, 2012 at 06:40 pm

Word from NASA is we may see even more meteors tonight: A second debris field has been identified that might coincide with the Geminid meteor shower. Here's a link to the story: http://patch.com/A-0sQd

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Ron December 13, 2012 at 07:43 pm

Too bad it's so cold!

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House for rent in North American Canyon. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/apa/3873008441.html

Buy | Sell | Trade June 15, 2013 at 11:30 am

1 Comment Recommend Adam-Andrea Hedemark

Loui Loui June 17, 2013 at 08:58 am

An actual post with the information and image of the home on this site would've been helpful -…Read More instead of just a lazy link.

Hi Napa Valley Patch bloggers, readers, users (again)

If your announcement or blog post has weird punctuation marks today where the apostrophe…

Announcements June 14, 2013 at 05:53 pm

4 Comment Recommend Keri Brenner (Editor)

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F Otterbeck June 17, 2013 at 03:17 pm

Is there any way to remove the blogs from the news page? Blogs are not news. They are opinion…Read More pieces, and I would like more news. thanks!

Keri Brenner (Editor) June 17, 2013 at 05:41 pm

Hi Beau and F: Yes, the &#39 are still there and not going away. I trust that tech people are…Read More working on this...Sorry. And as far as the blogs being on the news stream, I can't change that except to keep the blogs mostly at the bottom and the news on top. The new platform is designed to highlight the blogs more than they were before. Occasionally if there is a timely, useful or highly newsworthy blog post I will move it up, but in general the news will be in the first 5 slots and the blog below. Hope that helps. Keri

F Otterbeck June 19, 2013 at 12:08 pm

Promoting blogs instead of news makes the Patch less useful. I liked having an alternate news…Read More source. Blogger promotion is too much like stroking the egos of local bloggers rather than promoting news and information. It seriously compromises the value of Napa Valley Patch as a news source.

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Hi! I'm a local competitive cook (who used to write for Patch!) and I'm in a recipe…

Announcements June 14, 2013 at 05:06 pm

12 Comment 2 Recommend Jamie Brown Miller

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Louisa Hufstader (Editor) June 16, 2013 at 02:47 am

Go, Jamie! I voted, all the way out here in lobsterland where I hope you and Kevin will visit some…Read More day.

Roberta Goodin June 16, 2013 at 05:49 pm

Jamie, I have clicked on you several times and wish you the best! Salad sounds wonderful! Roberta

Jamie Brown Miller June 18, 2013 at 07:07 am

You're all so very kind! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

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Unfiltered Steve Simoneau June 13, 2013 at 11:11 am

Blink-blink.

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Keri Brenner (Editor) June 13, 2013 at 02:34 pm

Cute!

MICHAEL WILSON June 13, 2013 at 08:21 pm

This Avatar is more Unfiltered Steve Simoneau Style Anyway

1 Recommend

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Opinion June 13, 2013 at 07:05 am

7 Comment Recommend Marlene Maple

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Kimberly Olson June 14, 2013 at 08:18 am

It is easy to judge people from a distance. All of us have up and down times in life, none of us…Read More have the same internal or external supports to deal with it all. Maybe those among us who feel superior could try to take a moment or more to see life from the perspective of someone who (even from a position of pain or vulnerability) has too much pride to accept the stigma of being in need of the social translation of "the lowest of the low" homeless shelter or addiction counseling. It feels good to try lifting others up rather than tearing them down; Maybe your smile or expression of something other than disgust could make a positive difference to move a person in need toward help.

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Unfiltered Steve Simoneau June 14, 2013 at 06:17 pm

Lo! And behold! If you check today's (Friday, June 14) Fugitive page on Napa Valley Patch you will…Read More see Benjamin Paz, the one and same who was arrested for being naked at the Expo.

Ray Richards June 15, 2013 at 06:16 pm

Thank you Marlene for your story, It is a tragic and difficult life that many homeless people have…Read More to live and I always thank my god that I have been more fortunate. I would like to respectfully suggest though that you break your future comments (and I hope there are many more) into paragraphs to make them easier to read. Thank you and I hope you well.

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4 Comment Recommend Henri Bridges

Keri Brenner (Editor) June 12, 2013 at 10:25 pm

Not the case. It's definitely on the list of stories to cover. Absolutely! Thanks for the reminder!

J. Roland Wagner June 13, 2013 at 08:06 am

Before advocating change, be sure of what you will obtain by such a change. I haven't seen anything…Read More that concerned me with Libersteins decisions.

MICHAEL WILSON June 13, 2013 at 08:27 pm

If He is running unopposed It would be a waste of Ink. Or in the case of media of the day A waste of…Read More electricity. Look at the County Sheriff We are stuck with Who ever the Union wants

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Announcements June 12, 2013 at 05:08 pm

2 Comment Recommend JB Davis (Editor)

Loui Loui June 13, 2013 at 10:25 pm

I'd like to show appreciation to my grandfather on Father's Day. He taught me how to cook a roast,…Read More garden, work with tools, use a shotgun and appreciate our surrounding waters. Always a patient man, my grandfather showed me so much. I got scared once when I broke a tool when we were building a skateboard ramp. He just replied with, at least you know not to do that anymore. I always admired how my grandfather loves my grandmother so much. That's old, true love. Fairy tail kinda stuff. Love we all want to grow old with. I love my grandpa with all my heart.

Keri Brenner (Editor) June 17, 2013 at 06:19 pm

Hi Loui Loui: Your grandpa sounds wonderful!

Hi Napa Valley Patch bloggers, readers, users

Trying to upload a photo but getting an error message? Your photos may be too large for our…

Announcements June 12, 2013 at 11:34 am

15 Comment 1 Recommend Keri Brenner (Editor)

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Unfiltered Steve Simoneau June 13, 2013 at 10:41 am

Loui Loui, it's called false pretenses and misleading claims. While I understand it's not the…Read More editor's or tech's fault, releasing a product to the public as "New with better features!" shouldn't mean that it comes with glitches, bugs and frustration. And unlike Google+ and FB, Napa Valley Patch didn't "come out", we had a NVP that was working perfectly fine and Corporate Patch decided to upgrade. Can you imagine the ether-riots if FB did an "upgrade" full of glitches and bugs"?

Unfiltered Steve Simoneau June 13, 2013 at 10:54 pm

Actually, Loui, I left FB two years ago and haven't been back since. And while Patch and FB may be…Read More "free" services they rely on users to exist. It's a symbiotic relationship, so both sides must be content for it to work efficiently.

MICHAEL WILSON June 15, 2013 at 10:24 am

I am With USS on Facebook I have never Been there. I use the Patch and a few Blogs I also have my…Read More own Website. Facebook has gone into the censorship business, from what many are telling me.

CALIFORNIA HISPANIC CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE SET TO CONVENE…

The California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (CHCC), the premier organization promoting the…

Announcements June 10, 2013 at 04:07 pm

2 Comment Recommend HalldinPR

Unfiltered Steve Simoneau June 10, 2013 at 06:42 pm

Why the Hispanics need their own Chambers Of Commerce is a mystery to me. Racism is the promotion of…Read More one race above others. If I supported a White/Caucasian Chamber Of Commerce I'd be labeled a bigot and racist. One Chamber Of Commerce should suffice for ALL!

Harold Edwards June 11, 2013 at 01:15 am

All the Chamber of Commerce promotes is slave labor pure & simple.It screws the worker &…Read More practices unfair labor for business big and small.They are not a team player there only for the team owner!! Don't fall for there wicked ways.