Things to do in Napa

Here is small list of things to do in Napa (and most I have already tried):  There are many other special events and activities that I have not listed below, mainly because I have not attended them.

1.  Napa Wine Train:  Whether you are visiting or live locally, the Napa Wine Train is worth at least one trip.    You can have a casual lunch or dinner, catch a Murder Mystery, wine tour or check out one of their special events.

2.  Oxbow Market:  I absolutely love the Oxbow Market.  My favorite bakery - The Model Bakery - is there and is one place I never miss when I'm in the area.  Check out the specialty cheese shop and Kara's cupcakes for some extra treats to take home.  Or pick from the several restaurants to eat at.

3.  Wine tasting:  Napa County as well as Sonoma and other neighbor counties are well known for their wine.  There are two many wineries to list, so pick a brochure or check them out online.  You can read about one of my visits HERE.

4.  Holiday B&B Tour:  There are many historic Victorian homes as well as other homes of architectural interest.  Many have been turned into Bed & Breakfasts/Inns or business buildings, a few are privately owned.  On the Holiday B&B tour, you get to tour several participating B&B's and Inns, sample local wine, beer, and restaurants   You can read more about my experience at last year's tour HERE.  The Historic Society also gives tours of other historic homes (see below).

5.  Searching for Ancestors in Napa:  This may only be of interest to those who know they have ancestors who lived in Napa.  The Historic Society has a great index of resources available as well as many special events.  You can read about my search at the Historic Society HERE or check out their website HERE.  Besides the Historic Society you will not want to miss the Napa Valley Genealogical Biographical Society's research library, the main Napa Library (which has most of the Napa newspapers on microfilm), Tulocay Cemetery (the oldest cemetery in Napa) and pick up copies of records at the Napa County Recorder-Clerk's office.

6.  Shopping:  There are many shops in Napa that may be of interest or you could check out the Napa Outlet stores.  Check out the Downtown shops HERE and the Outlets HERE.

Have fun!

Filati Yarns Yarn Shop

On occasion I make a trip to the Roseville and Rocklin area, just North of Sacramento.  I love the shopping and variety of stores (and the selection) available.  This visit included a stop at Filati Fine Yarns in Rocklin.  My Aunt had mentioned this yarn shop to me and thought it was worth checking out.  To sweeten the deal their annual after-Christmas sale was taking place.  You can't beat a yarn sale.

The shop is fairly easy to find, just read the signs since it is a smaller shopping complex.  And it's right off of Interstate-80.  You can also pick up a few craft supplies at Beverly's Fabric too.  The Roseville Galleria is just a few minutes south, so it is close to other shopping malls.

I was surprised how large the shop was and there were so many yarns I didn't know where to start first.  The other knitters and crocheters were very friendly and helpful.  There were several different samples and already-made examples throughout the store (of course I found another pattern this way!).  I also found many other yarn companies that I had not heard of, especially ones from Italy.  A few of my favorites were the Norwegian wool yarn, but I also found many Italian yarns in the sale bins that I bought.  Really I could have gone crazy picking yarns for several projects.   And I spent more time looking at yarns then all of the other supplies and books/magazines.



My yarn stash from Filati

 If you are in the area I would recommend a stop at this yarn shop.  Even if you are not a knitter or crocheter yourself, you might be inspired to become one (and they have classes if you decide you want to!).