Vineyard 511

Calistoga's Sixth Annual Harvest Table

On Sunday evening, Ed and I joined 800 other diners for Calistoga's Sixth Annual Harvest Table. The event, a food and wine extravaganza sponsored by the Calistoga Chamber of Commerce, consisted of a 1000-foot-long table strung down the length of Lincoln Avenue, the main drag of Calistoga. The table was set with linen table cloths and colorful flowers and surrounded by wine pavillions.

                                                                   

The food was furnished by local Calistoga restaurants, such as Lovina, Evangaline, Solbar, Sarafornia, Napa Valley Crust, and Checkers (the restaurant for which we procured tickets). We dined on a tomato and bread salad, lasagna, roast suckling pig and cheese cake with berries. We could actually watch the two pigs roasting just before they appeared on our plates! The wine was provided by local vintners, such as ourselves, and we even purchased our own Vineyard {511} Chardonnay there to be enjoyed for ourselves and to share with tablemates. Everyone loved it.

                                                                 

Sales of the tickets for the event went online in July and sold out in 102 minutes in a selling frenzy. Proceeds from a portion of the sale of the tickets for the food and wine in the amount of $4000 will be donated to the Calistoga Cares Food Pantry. Can't wait for next year's Calistoga Harvest Table!

Hollywood Bowl

Although we only made four out of five of our concert series, this season at the Hollywood Bowl was fantastic. To kick off the series, the first concert was incredible--a tripple treat of Christopher Cross singing "Sailing" and "Ride Like the Wind,"

                                                                       

Michael McDonald singing "What a Fool Believes," and "On My Own,"

                                                                      

and Kenny Loggins singing "Celebrate Me Home," "Whenever I Call Your Name," and "This Is It," among many of their other hit songs.

                                                                     

For an encore, the three greats got together and belted out "Taking It To the Streets," and brought the house down!

Every year, the Hollywood Bowl presents a Broadway musical scaled down for the Bowl stage. In the past, we've seen "Showboat," and "Hair," among others. This year, the Bowl put on a delightful "Annie."                                                                  

                                                                     

                                                                     

Our third concert was a bit more highbrow--Gustavo Dudamel conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra doing Tchaikovsky's Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and the 1812 Overture. Venezualan Dudamel is the boy wonder of the concert world, who brings not only astonishing talent to his art but also glamour and incredible enthusiasm.

                                                                     

It is a Hollywood Bowl tradition that, when the orchestra plays the "1812 Overture" (usually once a season), it is accompanied by the USC Marching Band (wearing sunglasses to protect themselves)

                                                                     

from the spectacular fireworks.

                                                                     

The talented Harry Connick, Jr., was the star of our last concert at the Bowl for the season, a celebration of 100 years of New Orleans, of which Connick is a native.  He is so versatile. He sings, dances and plays numerous instruments.

                                                                    

Our guests for the evening with whom we shared a delicous dinner in our box was our friend and former neighbor Norm Kiken (Reverie Winery on Diamond Mountain) and his wife Suzie Donahue.

                                                                    

And the evening ended with more fireworks!