Photo: Hemlock House Photography
Hair: Geri Steffan, Play Hair Studio | Dress: Anthropologie, Napa
Santa is Coming to Town
Saturday, December 14 IIam - 2pm free photos with Santa street entertainment • holiday choir
IDOL NV 2025
Kaboom
HOME OF THE BRAVE
We’ve all heard the expression, “No Guts, No Glory,” first penned by Major General Frederick Corbin Blesse as the title of a manual he published in 1955.
That precisely sums up what it took to enter, move up the competition ladder and ultimately win the coveted first place slot at IDOL NV 2024.
Just ask Andrea Barrera, a 17 year-old junior at Napa High School who wowed the judges and the audience during last year’s finals event at the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center. E & M Presents will bring a new IDOL NV 2025 on Saturday, January 18 (semis) and Sunday, January 19 (finals) with both shows taking place at Napa Valley College. (Barrera will sing as a featured guest at the 2025 finals.)
IDOL is open to all Napa County students ages 12 thru 17. Three top winners chosen by
performing arts professional will take home prizes that include: local concert tickets, gift cards and cash awards (with $1,000 awarded to first place).
Auditions will be held at Tonewood & Courage, 1300 1st St., #212, in Napa on December 12, December 19, January 7 and January 8, from 4pm–6pm.
For information on applying, auditioning plus and tickets to the shows, visit eandmpresents.org, call 707-501-8567 or email evywar@gmail.com.
“The process of auditioning was just a little scary,” shared Barrera, “but the really challenging part would come after the audition when you have to compete with really talented people.”
“I used to think that I wasn’t good enough for it and questioned myself how I even passed the first audition. It is difficult, and I know that feeling of insecurity that we get once we are on stage. But, trust me, it is okay. You have to win over your fear. If you, then fear will fight over your dream.”
“There is a little trick to help you lose that feeling, and it is to imagine you are alone, like when you sing in the shower. You need to feel the music in your body and do what you love – sing! I know it’s not as easy as it sounds. You need to be really confident and brave. I know that if you trust yourself a lot of good things will come.”
Dr. Cooke is just 6 months shy of celebrating 20 years in Napa!
Dr. Cooke attended UC Davis as an undergrad, UCLA for dental school, and UCSF for her orthodontic residency. Fifteen days after graduation, she purchased her Napa practice and has been enjoying creating beautiful smiles ever since! Dr. Cooke is currently the President of the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists. This organization covers eight US states and three Canadian provinces with over 3,000 members! Dr. Cooke thrives on organization and prioritizes her patients by using state of the art equipment, utilizing many different tools to
best fit each patient's need. Recently Dr. Cooke has been giving many people a "refresh" on their smile, with a limited version of treatment. Whether you forgot to wear your retainers after previous orthodontics, or you are just looking for a bigger smile, she is your go to in Napa!
You can find Dr. Cooke on evenings and any given weekend at her kids' sports. She donates her time as the President for Napa Force Lacrosse League. She also enjoys putting on one of Napa's best light shows on Paradise Drive, during the Holiday Season! Dr. Cooke is continuously giving back to her community in every way that she can.
Even with Dr. Cooke's busy schedule, she finds time for daily walks and connections with family and friends. She knows how important self care is to be able to provide her top notch service to her community. This upcoming year, consider doing something special for yourself! It will help you to achieve goals in other areas of life, and YOU deserve it!
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ends 12/30
“I remember my
By Lauren Coodley
When I moved to Napa in the Seventies, I had never heard of the Dream Bowl, but everybody spoke of Napa as a little country town, and the college where I would work for 36 years was regarded as a “cow college.”
THE Will Never Die!
I didn’t know about the explosion of jobs at Mare Island and Kaiser shipyards until I got the chance to write about the history of Napa. I didn’t realize how those jobs had transformed the town by creating housing first at Shipyard Acres and later the neighborhood of Westwood. What I did know is that there were lots of places with music where you could go to drink and dance with no cover charge. These included the Rainbow Bridge, Soscol House, and what was then called the Oberon. I didn’t know then how precious it would be to have places that were unpretentious and inexpensive which allowed people to enjoy music together.
Mike Amen’s book, The Dream Bowl (2019), fully restored the story of an old dance hall that had brought people from Vallejo and Napa and drawn country musicians from across the country. It was an emotional time with all available men sent off to fight fascism in Europe or Japan. It was a time of much romance and the singers of the Fifties created and documented those many sentimental partings and reunions.
Kellie Fuller writes: “I remember my grandma telling me about the Dream Bowl when I was a little girl. She used to go with her sisters starting at the age of 15. She met my grandpa there. He was in the Army Air Force and had gone to dance that night when they met. I pictured this magical place where big bands played and everyone danced.”
During the war, Napans were asked to make living space available to workers arriving from across the nation to work at the expanding Mare Island Naval Shipyard and Benicia Arsenal. Since it was considered part of the
grandparents in the late 50’s would go dancing there . ”
National Defense Highway System, the two-lane Napa-Vallejo Highway was repaved. After the country entered World War II, Basalt Rock, which had already built its first barge for the Navy in July 1940, built a complete shipyard on its property, with four dry-docks to provide ship maintenance. The inaugural issue of the shipyard newspaper, the Basalt Beacon, announced: “Surmounting obstacles that at times appeared impossible, Basalt Rock Co has answered this great Nation’s call for implements of war.”
Attillio “Tilly” Musante put in 47 years at Basalt Rock. “We were just a bunch of prune-pickers,” he said. “We didn’t know nothing.” During the War, Musante etched the designs into the wood flooring of the mold loft. From these etchings, patterns were made and steel cut. Basalt launched two U.S. Navy tankers onto the Napa River and received the U.S. ArmyNavy E Award in recognition of an outstanding production record.
Because one-fifth of the 25,000 workers at Mare Island lived in Napa, special morning movie matinees were scheduled for swing-shift Mare Island and Basalt workers. One of those workers, Margaret Almstrom, recounts her Mare Island experience: “I wanted to drive a truck, but a friend got me into welding by a small trick of putting her hand up behind my head.” At the age of 80, she commented wistfully, “When I see a sign saying ‘welder wanted’ I always wonder if I would be able to strike up a weld.”
The Dream Bowl was a large dance hall and concert space. It was the idea of friends Gene Traverso and John Zanardi. They bought the property from the Greenwood family: that name can still be seen on the sign of Greenwood Road, which intersects South Kelly Road near Highway 12. Michael Amen writes: “With family help, they pooled their resources, took a risk, and the construction of the Dream Bowl began. It was scheduled to open in December of 1941—but because of the bombing on Pearl Harbor, its opening was delayed… My mother tells me that during World War II, couples were looking for some romantic way to spend their time because it could very well be their last time together.”
The field in which the Dream Bowl stood was off Highway 29 near Napa Airport, roughly midway between Napa and Vallejo, and was once the largest ballroom in Northern California. The building with its arched roof and great size resembled an airplane hangar. On top of the arched roof and centrally located was a marquee; near Highway 29, on the outskirts of the property, a large neon sign advertising at various times snack bars, the H&H Cafe and a regular bar. Dave Cavagnaro’s son Bob worked as a liquor distributor for Cavagnaro and Sons. During World War II, he ran the bar at the Dream Bowl, where there were 24-hour dances in shifts to accommodate the Mare Island workers. The size of its maple hardwood floor (70 feet wide by 140 feet long) made the nightclub, when it opened, the
largest in Northern California. Susie Lee writes: “I remember my grandparents in the late 50s would go dancing there. The next morning there would be a large box of candies like the theaters sell. Sour fruit ones. I wasn’t yet 5, my earliest memories of this. Just the name... The Dream Bowl... conjured up delightful imaginings in my young mind about what kind of a place would have such a wonderful name.”
Sandra Pena remembers: “My best friend’s family would all go to the Dream Bowl. My friend Cheryl and I could dance with each other, but we’re not allowed to dance with boys or men.
flocks of singing blackbirds, both solid black and red-winged. Frogs took over the chorus on cool, breezy nights; nights when the stars and moon seemed close enough to reach up and touch. The tract was pretty much a self-contained village and a godsend for World War II vets and families who had endured transient lives along with less than desirable housing all during the war.”
In 1930, there had been only 6,437 people living in Napa; by 1950, that figure jumped to over 13,000. After the war ended, California’s community college system was founded to serve returning veterans, and most of the first generation of Napa College instructors were also veterans.
Basalt, which had become Kaiser Steel, closed in 1983. In l993, the US government shut down Mare Island. The full-time permanent jobs which had sustained the growth of Napa were gone. Yet the memories remain, and Kellie Fuller wrote: “One day I was thinking about this and wishing that we could bring the Dream Bowl back. But I wanted the Dream Bowl from the 1940s. Why not recreate it?”
Kellie Fuller performed with a full band at Blue Note Napa. As she describes it: “I felt my
In the 1950s and 1960s, family life flourished in Napa, as in the rest of America. Unionized industries provided wages that allowed workers to buy homes. If you ask Napans who were here then, some describe fond memories of life in a small town encircled by orchards, with drive-in restaurants, a skating rink, and two bowling alleys. Industry and agriculture were still central to sustaining this small community where everyone knew their neighbors, and where many people married their high school sweethearts.
grandparents near as I did the show. It was really an emotional experience for me. I miss them so very much and I feel like they were proud of me honoring their memory with this show. My dad was there and afterwards when I went to give him a hug, I burst into tears. At one point I started to get so teary that it was affecting my singing. This was during the song P.S. I Love You—a song that talks of a couple in love writing letters long distance to stay in touch. My grandparents wrote letters while he was stationed far from her in the Army Air Force and she was pregnant with my dad.”
The
Dream Bowl will never die.
HOME FOR THE Holidays
The holiday celebrations in Downtown Napa have already begun with the annual Christmas Tree Lighting in Veterans Park last Wednesday. The thirty-foot tree is lit every evening, so make sure to stop by for some great photo opportunities, do some holiday shopping, get a bite to eat with the family, or festive drinks out with friends.
The most anticipated community celebration, the annual Christmas Parade will take place in Downtown Napa on Saturday, December 7 at 5 p.m. The theme for this year’s parade was easy. ”Home for the Holidays” is something that many look forward to and embrace as their favorite part of the season, spending time with family and friends. Three cash awards of $500 each will be given to the Kiwanian parade judges’ choices in three categories: Best Use of Lights, Best Theme-Oriented, and Best Use of Music. Anyone can enter the parade, and it’s free. Whether you choose to build an elaborate float, simply march along with your group, or just watch, the Napa Christmas parade is a hometown tradition that has grown over the years.
The parade begins on Second Street at School, heads east on Second to Brown, then north to Third, and finally west back to School Street. Judging takes place on Third Street in front of the courthouse, across from the Second Street garage. All groups are recognized and introduced at the stage.
Old Saint Nick will set up shop in the lobby of the Visit Napa Valley Welcome Center near the corner of First and Randolph Street, as soon as he wraps up the Christmas parade, around 6:30 p.m. He’ll bring a staff of Elves who will pass out candy canes. All the little ones have to do is bring their wish list and tell Santa what they want. Santa will do his best to fill all those requests.
The Christmas Parade Grand Marshal this year is Senator Bill Dodd. Join him and his family as they greet all parade onlookers.
CATERING PLATTERS
None of this would be possible without the Kiwanis Club of Napa parade volunteers, the support of the staff and elected officials of the City of Napa, and the sponsors: Bank of Marin, City of Napa, Napa Valley Marketplace Magazine and Downtown Napa Association. Parade applications can be found at DoNapa.com or by calling 257-0322.
We invite you to shop, taste, dine and celebrate the holiday season with family and friends in Downtown Napa!
TAPAS
• COOKED ENTREES
• BEST HAPPY HOUR
• FULL BAR
• PATIO & LOUNGE DINING
• TAKE OUT & DELIVERY
Hours:
3pm
3pm
Noon - 11pm - Saturday
Noon - 9pm - Sun
Winston’s Community Unity Project, known as The CUP, emerged from a deep passion for feeding and supporting our community. Located at 2751 Napa Valley Corporate Drive, The CUP partners with Napa County Health and Human Services to create employment opportunities for individuals who face challenges in finding work.
At The CUP, we focus on providing meaningful job experiences that empower those who are rebuilding their lives. Our mission extends beyond employment; we aim to eliminate food inequities in Napa Valley. By ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to nutritious meals and essential resources, we promote dignity and nourishment for all.
Additionally, The CUP serves individuals seeking services on the Health and Human Services Campus, offering food and support. Our vision is to foster stability and a sense of belonging within the community.
We invite you to visit us, experience our mission firsthand, and let us feed you with love and care! 707-253-4732
Photography by Emma K. Creative
MERCADO
C CASA Mercado is your go to this holiday season!
GIFTING
Unique Tabletop & Kitchen Essentials
GRAB & GO
Breakfast Tacos & Burritos, Salsas, Soups, Rostisserie Chickens & Ducks
PARTY TRAYS
Create your own Fiesta with Tacos, Enchiladas, Street Corn, Taquitos, Sides & Salads Trays
HOLIDAY Market
DECEMBER 7 | 12PM - 4PM SANTA MEET & GREET
DECEMBER 7 & 8 | 12PM - 4PM
FESTIVAL OF TREES VOTING & ONLINE AUCTION
FEATURING NAPA VALLEY NON-PROFITS
LOCATION: FIRST STREET NAPA | 1300 FIRST ST., NAPA CA
LIVE MUSIC | SHOPPING | ARTISTRY | COMMUNITY
SUPPORT NAPA VALLEY’S NON-PROFITS IN FRIENDLY COMPETITION WITH ONLINE VOTING AND AUCTIONING, ENJOY LIVE MUSIC, HOLIDAY SHOP, MEET SANTA, AND MORE! PROCEEDS OF ONLINE TREE AUCTION WILL GO DIRECTLY TO REPRESENTING NON-PROFIT. VISIT FIRSTSTREETNAPA.COM TO VOTE ON YOUR FAVORITE TREE, AND BID FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!
PARTICIPATING NAPA VALLEY NON-PROFITS
December
To submit your event request, visit napavalleymarketplace.com/submit-an-event
NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 22
Oliver!
The streets of Victorian England come to life as Oliver, a malnourished orphan in a workhouse, becomes the neglected apprentice of an undertaker. Oliver escapes to London and finds acceptance amongst a group of petty thieves and pickpockets led by the sneaky Fagin. When Oliver is captured for a theft that he did not commit, the benevolent victim, Mr. Brownlow takes him in. Fearing the safety of his hideout, Fagin employs the sinister Bill Sikes and the sympathetic Nancy to kidnap him back, threatening Oliver’s chances of discovering the true love of a family. Lionel Bart's classic musical "Oliver!" is based on the Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist. The Tony and Olivier Award-winning show is one of the few musicals to win an Academy Award for Best Picture and is widely hailed as a true theatrical masterpiece by actors and audience members alike. luckypennynapa.com
DECEMBER 1-31
12th Annual CanDo Give!Guide
Donations begin at $10 to support 67 nonprofits serving Napa County. Look for donation form in the December issue of Marketplace Magazine, or give online today. You make a choice. You make a difference. CanDo makes it easy. candogiveguide.org
DECEMBER 1-JANUARY 1
Holidays in Yountville Yountville becomes the “Brightest Town in Napa Valley,” with six weeks of holiday-related events, activities and performances. Visitors and locals alike are encouraged to enjoy a leisurely stroll through Yountville, taking in the thousands of twinkling holiday lights while exploring Yountville’s many tasting rooms, restaurants, shops and hotels. yountville.com
DECEMBER 6
Historic Clinton District 2nd Annual Christmas Market Come visit the Historic Clinton
MUSIC STORE. GATHERING PLACE. Guitars | Accessories | Live Music
LIVE MUSIC
SINGER/SONGWRITER TRIO playing our “No Cover Happy Hour(s)” on Thursday, December 5. Doors @ 5:30pm. Saturday, December 21, THE SEAN C. TRIO bring soulful tunes to Downtown Napa. Doors @ 6:30pm. See website for details.
FEATURED BRANDS:
UKULELE’s have arrived from Bamboo and Twisted Wood! Accessories and Strings from D’addario, Ernie Ball, Elixir, Taylor, Ken Smith & more. Instruments from Lowden, Galloup, Gallagher, Taylor, Breedlove, Ed Sheeran by Lowden, Napa Guitar Company, with more on the way.
(707) 345-6850 1300 First Street | #212 | Napa tonewoodandcourage.com
District in Downtown Napa for the 2nd Annual Christmas Market from 4 to 9pm! This European styled event will have holiday music filling the air and vendors showcasing their work. The atmosphere at the market is always lively and warm, making it easy to get into the holiday spirit. You can sip on mulled wine, enjoy hot chocolate and snacks, all the while walking through the neighborhood shops and visiting vendors. Expect a visit from Father Christmas! There will be raffle tickets available to purchase to benefit the CANV Food Bank. Prizes include gift certificates from the local merchants. Food items will also be collected for the Food Bank, as well as toy donations for Toys for Tots! Located at the 1000 block of Clinton Street and Main Street. donapa.com
DECEMBER 7
Napa’s Christmas Parade
Join the whole Napa community for the annual Christmas Parade in Downtown Napa at 5pm, where floats are decorated over the top with lights and much more. Plus, meet Santa after the parade for pictures with the kiddos at the Visit Napa Valley Welcome Center. This year’s theme is “Home for the Holidays!” donapa.com
DECEMBER 7-8
Holiday Market at First Street Napa
Support Napa Valley’s nonprofits in friendly competition with online voting and auctioning. On Saturday meet Santa from 12 to 4pm, and enjoy live music, holiday shopping and more throughout the weekend from 12 to 4pm! Proceeds of the online tree auction will go directly to the representing nonprofits. Vote online on your favorite tree and bid for your chance to win! firststreetnapa.com
DECEMBER 8
Sonoma Valley Chorale: The Many Moods of December
Longtime Napa High School Choir Director, Travis Rogers, is bringing the Sonoma Valley Chorale to CrossWalk Community Church in Napa at 3pm for their Holiday Concert, “The Many Moods of December.” The concert will include a wide variety of traditional holiday favorites. The featured work will be “The Many Moods of Christmas Suite IV” arranged by Robert Shaw and Robert Russell Bennett. Tickets are available online for $30 adults/$25 seniors,
The streets of Victorian England come to life in Lionel Bart’s classic musical “Oliver!” - based on the Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist. The Tony and Olivier Award-winning show is one of the few musicals to
Andrew and Melissa, both born to wealth and position, are childhood friends whose lifelong correspondence begins with birthday party thank-you notes and summer camp postcards. Through schooling, wars, careers, and life changes, they exchange letters and their romantic attachment endures -- physically apart, but spiritually as close as only true lovers can be. “Love Letters” is a unique and imaginative theatre experience.
students, veterans, first responders and people with disabilities. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door 30 minutes prior to curtain. sonomavalleychorale.org
DECEMBER 9
Marcus King:
An Intimate Acoustic Evening
Featuring Drew Smithers Marcus King faces heartache, addiction and mental health head on in his music. King logged thousands of miles on the road as “The Marcus King Band.” During 2020, he linked up with Dan Aurbach, garnering a Grammy award nomination for “Best Americana Album.” He performed alongside Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathanial Rateliff in addition to gracing the bills of Stagecoach and more. His 2024 album mood swings feel like the moment of baptism when water washes away a life’s worth of sins. For as dark as everything seemed, you can’t help but feel a sense of hope in the power of Marcus's voice. uptowntheatrenapa.com
DECEMBER 14-15
Santa’s Helpers Holiday Gift Faire
Enjoy an old-time holiday shopping market with over 90 exhibitors featuring holiday décor, art, crafts,
antiques, jewelry, gourmet foods and more! Saturday from 10am to 5pm, Sunday from 11am to 4pm at the Napa Valley Expo. Free parking and admission. santashelpers-napa.com
December 14
Iris DeMent
On her transcendent new record, Workin’ On A World, Iris DeMent faces the modern world as it is right now—with its climate catastrophe, pandemic illness, and epidemic of violence and social injustice—asking us how we can keep working towards a better world and love each other, despite our very different ways of seeing. Unforgettable melodies rooted in hymns, gospel, and old country music, she’s simply one of the finest singer-songwriters in America as well as one of our fiercest advocates for human rights. uptowntheatrenapa.com
DECEMBER 20
Adam Blackstone:
A Legacy Christmas Fresh off winning an Emmy award, NAACP Image award, and a Grammy Nomination for his debut album “Legacy”—Adam Blackstone is back with an instant classic, "A Legacy Christmas.” This is Adam’s first Christmas album and features
guest artists Andra Day, Keke Palmer, BJ the Chicago Kid and more! Join Adam and special guest for a special holiday and legacy Christmas experience. bluenotenapa.com
DECEMBER 21
Greg Adams & East Bay Soul: Sweet Christmas Soul
Sweet Soul Christmas is the ultimate Christmas experience capturing all the inspiration and nostalgia of the holiday season. Add the benefit of vision, musical “know how” and the insight that comes through genuine affection and friendship—and you have the recipe for making very special holiday memories. Grammy and Emmy nominated Greg Adams’ gorgeous arrangements herald in the season with soulful R&B vocals by Terrell Edwards that caress the timeless lyrics of your favorite holiday music backed by and an all -star rhythm section. bluenotenapa.com
DECEMBER 28-29 & 31
Damion Escobar
Damien Escobar returns to Napa for a year-end residency. End your 2024 with an evening of world class music by a world-renowned violinist, author, entrepreneur and philanthropist—a Blue Note favorite, Damien Escobar! Sit down to food, cocktails and wine in an intimate, up close and personal experience. Exclusive menu with seasonal specials will be available for purchase. bluenotenapa.com
DECEMBER 30
The California Honeydrops
“The California Honeydrops…evoke the greasy rumble of Booker T and channel the spiritual ecstasy of Sly and the Family Stone,” says Rolling Stone. Formed in the subway systems of Oakland, retro-soul outfit The California Honeydrops, an electrifying group that defy convention at every turn. They’ve become a mainstay at festivals including Byron Bay BluesFest, Outside Lands, Monterey Jazz and more. Touring with B.B. King, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt and other blues legends. uptowntheatrenapa.com
City of Napa
Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)
The City of Napa, in partnership with Napa Valley COAD, Napa RCD, and Napa Firewise is developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan. CWPPs help communities better prepare to receive, respond to, and recover from wildfire.
Explore the City of Napa CWPP hubsite
Share project ideas that help mitigate wildfire risk
Sign up to receive updates on
plan development, public meetings, and more!
Ciudad de Napa Plan Comunitario de Protección de Incendios Forestales (CWPP)
La ciudad de Napa, con Napa Valley COAD, Napa RCD y Napa Firewise, está desarrollando un CWPP. CWPPs ayudan a comunidades a prepararse para recibir, responder y recuperarse en tiempos de incendios forestales. Visite el sitio web
Comparte sus ideas y proyectos para mitigar el riesgo de incendios forestales
Inscríbase para recibir noticias sobre el desarrollo del plan, reuniones públicas y más!
http://www.cityofnapa.org/CWPP
Community
ALEXIS MARTIN | MIKE BETHARD | HAROLD SHEPARD
SPOTLIGHT
By Craig Smith
Alexis Martin
During the COVID pandemic, many people took the opportunity to make life-changing moves. Alexis Martin was one of them—she switched careers and relocated from Maryland to Napa. Wine soon became central to her life, guiding her in unexpected ways.
Before the move, Alexis worked for Prince George’s County as a Property Inspector in the Code Enforcement Department, a role aligned with her degree in Occupational Safety and Health from Millersville University in Pennsylvania. The job involved issuing violations and citations to ensure properties complied with county regulations. “I was too nice for that job,” she laughed. “I could do it, but I wasn’t passionate about it.”
and varietals. For her birthday in August 2020, she hosted a blind wine tasting for friends, an experience that hooked her. “That’s when I fell down the rabbit hole,” she said. Her enthusiasm led her to create an Instagram account, @ Lipsee.Tipsee, where she shared wine reviews while trying on different lipsticks. In February 2021, she discovered the 2018 House of Brown Chardonnay, which she loved. Her review caught the winery’s attention and led to a job interview for a Wine Educator position at Brown Estate in November 2021. “Wine went from being a hobby to a career in Napa,” she said.
The turning point came during COVID. “With all the chaos and uncertainty, I found myself drinking a little more and decided to actually study wine, rather than just consuming it,” Alexis said. Initially, she picked bottles based on label designs but soon began exploring tasting notes, wine regions,
To prepare, Alexis pursued further wine education with support from The Roots Fund, a foundation that helps people of color advance in the wine industry. She earned a scholarship to complete her Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Levels 1 and 2 online with the Napa Valley Wine Academy.
After passing her WSET Level 2 with Merit, she felt ready to “sip her way through Napa.”
In January 2022, Alexis traveled to Northern California for the first time to explore her new home. She officially began work on February 2, 2022. “I felt so aligned, like I was living my wildest dreams,”
she said. “I went from trying wines in my basement to working in a tasting room for Brown Estate, Napa’s first and only Black-owned winery.” This marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Alexis felt it was her mission to “change the world, one pour at a time.”
Now a Senior Wine Educator, Alexis is grateful for her journey and excited to see what the future holds. She enjoys Napa’s charm, along with its rich wine and dining culture. “One bottle changed everything,” she said with a smile, reflecting on how far she’s come.
Mike Bethard
Artists can draw inspiration in strange places. Mike Bethard, who became an amateur photographer when he joined the yearbook staff while in veterinary school, drew inspiration during a visit to Disney World—from trash cans. “They were all one-of-a-kind, small works of art,” said Mike. He began taking trashcan pictures all over the world and amassed a large and interesting collection. Six years ago, the Napa Valley Register got wind of it, and featured Mike and some of his pictures in a photo spread. “Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?” said a grinning Mike. He is still attracted to the unusual. In 2024, he visited Donner Summit to take pictured of graffiti in abandoned train tunnels, and traveled to Panama, roaming the country with his camera in hand.
Many Napans know Mike as a veterinarian. Born in San Antonio, his Dad was in the Navy, and the family moved a lot. Mike started raising pigeons when he was fourteen, and told his parents he wanted to own a pet store when he got older. They encouraged his hobby, but gently suggested that he consider other ways to be involved with animals. Assigned to writing an
occupational term paper while in high school, he visited a pet hospital in Santa Ana and loved it. His future plans gelled then and there. His career course set, he researched grad school requirements for Veterinarian school in Davis while still in high school, then pursued an undergraduate degree in Agriculture at Cal Poly. After earning his BS degree, he and a buddy drove a VW bus across country. Mike took pictures the whole time.
Upon finishing Veterinary school at UC Davis, he and another buddy rode motorcycles to a conference in New Orleans. His first job as a vet was in Tahoe, but only months later, the oil embargo hit and Tahoe died. He and his then-wife moved to Sonoma for two years. Mike took a teaching position at Cal Poly for a couple of years, then the growing family (their first son was born in San Luis Obispo) moved to Napa. “We got here on 7/7/77,” he said. He worked for a clinic for fpurteen years before buying a practice, California Pet Hospital, followed with the purchase of a second practice, Lincoln Avenue Pet Hospital. He loved being a vet, but had to admit to himself that he wasn’t having any fun being a business owner.
“I’ve always enjoyed being a veterinarian, but being a boss? Having to handle all the administrative and personnel stuff? Not so much.” After ten years, he gave up both practices and worked as a relief vet. Somewhat retired now, he assists other clinics with vaccinations. Working on his own schedule leaves him time for friends and photography. He’s been very involved with Twelve Steps groups for almost four decades, which is very important to him.
Bethard has four sons and six grandchildren. He loves Napa. His wife was a fourth generation Napan, and this is home. He has, by his admission, a pretty good life. “I sleep well at night. I have lots of friends and love living in a town that everyone else wants to visit.”
Harold Shepard
Harold “Shep” Shepard was seven years old when his uncle Millard made him a gift of a pocket knife. He gave Shep a few instructions about how to whittle, and turned the young lad loose. Shep grew into a very talented wood worker, moving far beyond his pocket knife. He made his first piece of furniture while still in junior high, and today his home is filled
with beautiful furniture that he’s made over the years. Despite his success with larger pieces, a pocketknife is always
Shep grew up in the Texas Panhandle. At fourteen, he was hired at a local AM radio station as a staff announcer. He would stop by the station in the morning and sign on, ride his bicycle to school, then return to the station to sign off. He did it all, including writing and recording commercial spots and sweeping the floors. He went to college at New Mexico State in Las Cruces, where he continued that same schedule at KGRT radio. During his four years there, the station went from last in the ratings to first, in large part because Shep was behind the mic. When he was drafted by the Army in 1961, he did radio and TV in Ethiopia. Upon discharge from the service, he returned
year in college, Shep married Mary Lee. They are still married today. All told, Shep had and loved an elevenyear radio career. But as a young family man, Shep needed to find a more lucrative career. A genuinely nice guy and people person, he went to work at Farrah slacks in 1965. Imports began to eat that market, and eleven years later, Shep got into commercial insulation. He began with a small startup, and after seven mergers, was working for Empire Insulation headquartered in Napa. Shep and his family moved here in 1997, and he retired in 2007.
A longtime friend recently gave him a beautiful piece of wood, from which he has whittled and stained nine salad tong sets. All will be given away. “I’ve tried to find other individual whittlers or groups on social media, but I haven’t had any luck. I’m afraid whittling may end with my generation.”
The Shepard’s had three children, the oldest of which died of a heart attack in 2010. Their other son is in Walport, OR, and daughter Stephanie La Marca is a counselor at Valley Oaks. Shep is a regular at HealthQuest, and considers it a friendship center. “I know and am close to so many people there. The other day, I recognized one guy from the sound of his squeaky bath shoes.” Shep is always smiling, quick with a joke and happy to tell you what’s right (or wrong) with his favorite sports teams. He loves living in Napa, will be 87 in a few months and plans to whittle to the end. “I consider myself a very blessed person.” nearby. to KGRT.
In 1959, between his junior and senior
For Shep, woodworking is much more than just a way to kill time. He has given away a great many pieces, but has never even tried to sell anything. He is creative—Mary Lee is a painter, and he thins paint colors he likes to create unique stains. He’s used Cabernet on wood, even olive oil. The wood he uses is either repurposed, such as from an old barn, or was given to him as a gift.
Harold Sherpard
CT SCANNER
Napa West and Napa River Pet Hospitals are proud to announce the arrival of our brand new state of the art CT scanner!
We are so thrilled to offer this service to the community!
A CT scan creates a detailed still image of your pets organs, bones, and tissues. Some conditions it may be used for include:
Brain or Spinal Disease Ear or Nasal Issues
Orthopedic Conditions Cancer or Trauma
Pre-Surgical Check Diagnose/Guide Biopsies
Whatever the reason…your donation is a meaningful way to honor and remember those you love, while supporting the patients and families of Collabria Care.
Share a special moment of remembrance this holiday season. COMMUNITY MEMORIAL SERVICE
December 5 at 5:00 p.m. Providence Adult Day Health 414 South Jefferson Street, Napa The service will include music and uplifting spoken reflections.
To make a donation and include your loved one’s name in the
A better experience starts with better care.
At Providence Medical Group, our neurologists are committed to providing the finest evidence-based medicine, ensuring our patients receive the latest and most effective neurology treatment options for conditions such as multiple sclerosis, dementia, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, seizure, Parkinson’s disease and stroke. We take pride in meeting each patient’s health needs with wellcoordinated and compassionate care.
OFFERING NEUROLOGY TELEHEALTH VISITS FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE
Morgan J. Harris, MD
1000 Trancas Street, Suite 205 Napa, CA 94558
Dr. Harris treats neurological conditions including:
• Abnormal imaging
• Dizziness
• Headache (no botox)
• Memory difficulty
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707-251-1859 providence.org/PMGNorCal
• And more
LIL SISTA’S GOODY’S A
RESTAURANT REVIEW
By Craig Smith
Lil Sista’s Goody’s Soul Food restaurant recently opened at 1300 Main Street, Suite 150, across the street and a few doors north of Barnhouse Napa. A more seasoned food critic would probably toy with the reader a bit before delivering a food-verdict, but I’m going to go straight to it – this is really good food, and that’s coming from a guy who grew up in North Carolina, lived in Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida, and who dated a Louisianna gal throughout college. If it wasn’t southern cooking, our family was suspicious of it.
When you visit Lil Sista’s Goody’s, you can’t go wrong ordering whatever looks good to you. Many offerings at the restaurant are modern spins on family Louisiana recipes with a bit of California influence. Early favorites are the Oxtails, Shrimp and Grits, Fried Chicken and Catfish. The key to any cuisine is spices and how they are used, and Lil Sista’s Goody’s has nailed it. Sheneen Brown, who co-owns the restaurant with her cousin and best friend Ann Groux, has developed a house spice seasoning that brings out the best in everything. This is not to suggest that the food is spicey. In some cases, less, even none, is more. “We don’t use hot spices or spicy peppers in our Gumbo,” Brown said. “We let the natural flavors in the sausage do the talking.” The grits in the Shrimp and Grits could stand alone, creamy with just the right amount of butter. The shrimp, however, makes it perfect. Whatever you eat, save room for dessert. “My mom’s 7 UP Pound cake has been very popular,” said Brown.
Ten years ago, Brown and Groux started Catered with Class. “It is California Cuisine with a touch of Southern Swag,” said Brown. “We called it Seasoned with Amazing Goodness.” The business was very successful, and the owners won a contract with Mare Island Naval Base, cooking three meals a day, seven days a week, for nine months. At the end of it they were dead tired, but they felt great about the consistently good food they had served and the feedback they got from their enlisted diners. Owning a restaurant had been a lifelong dream for Brown and Groux, and they knew that the time was right. Until Lil Sista’s Goody’s opened, Napa didn’t have a soul food restaurant. “The City told us that we were the first Black Americans to get a restaurant permit in Napa in 100 years,” said Brown. Lil Sista’s Goody’s is named after Brown’s Grandmother, “Goody”, and her sister, “Lil Sista,” who is Groux’s mother.
An only child at the time, Brown perused her mother’s Betty Crocker recipe book, and made everything for which they had the ingredients on-hand. She lived in the Bay Area, and every time her cousin Groux would come to town from Southern California, the two would spend all day cooking together. Sunday and holiday’s meals with the families were huge affairs, during which someone always remarked, “Somebody in this family should start a restaurant!” Brown and Groux dreamed of being the ones to do that, but the timing wasn’t right. Instead, each pursued different career paths – Brown was in corporate finance for thirty-one years, and Groux was in the hospitality business as Director of Banquets Events. After the Mare Island experience, and with ten years of running a successful and highly acclaimed catering business, the two women knew the time was right for that restaurant. As soon as they found the location on Main Street, Brown retired, and it’s been game-on since.
This is high end but affordable cuisine. The staff is all family, and the vibe is relaxed and friendly. Lil Sista’s Goody’s is currently open Thursday and Fridays from 4 to 9PM, Saturday from 11AM to 2PM and again from 4 to 9PM, and Sunday from 11AM to 6PM. Saturday and Sunday buffets will allow you to enjoy multiple dishes. Check out the menu on their website, grab your appetites, and treat yourself to a great meal. You deserve it!
Wishing you and yours a
ICON PROPERTIES
In 2024, as expected, we continued with a balanced market with stabilizing interest rates and improved inflation.
We expect 2025 to bring more improvement to real estate! Interest rates should dip into the 5% territory, good news for both buyers and sellers. When markets shift, you need an agent you can trust that knows the market that will negotiate on your behalf!
Ellen Politz Sells The Napa Valley Thank you for your constant referrals!
Ellen Politz Broker Associate Cal BRE# 01860953 707.363.2133 (direct) 888.864.4133 (fax) 1405 Second Street, Napa ellen.politz@corcoranicon.com EllenPolitz.com
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