Dining Room Furniture

Archive for June, 2009

We were lucky to find some of the best gourmet olive oils right here in sunny California. Located in the prime grape growing area of Rutherford in Napa Valley, Round Pond produces more than elegant and opulent wines. The Round Pond produces four superb gourmet olive oils that are considered a treasure in our house.

The first variety of gourmet olive oil is an Italian olive oil that has a beautiful balance of spice, rich butter, green tomatoes, cut grass, black pepper, and fresh thyme. This olive oil is perfect for dipping breads and makes a delicious salad dressing.

The second gourmet olive oil is a Spanish variety that is grown from special hand selected and imported olive tress that lead to this olive oil’s heady aroma. The Spanish olive oil is an excellent cooking olive oil for those very special occasions.

The third olive oil offered by Round Pond is the Blood Orange gourmet olive oil. Using the finest ripe blood oranges, the orange rinds are pressed with a hand selection of the estates finest olives. This olive oil is perfect for various sauces, marinades, and works very well with all types of foods.

Finally, the Meyer Lemon gourmet olive oil is one of the best olive oils for summer meals. Using a Meyer Lemon, which is thought to be a cross between a mandarin orange and a typical lemon, this olive oil has a very citrus aroma and taste, with very smooth overtones of oranges. The Meyer Lemon gourmet olive oil stands as on of the best from the Round Pound estate.

By: Amber Smith

Built in 1879, the Napa Valley Opera House was the backdrop for what was considered to be the only “permissible” form of entertainment of its day. Home to many classic acts including Gilbert and Sullivan, it was the place to be seen by men and women of higher status.

Just thirty-five years later the Opera House closed its doors. It hardly recovered after the 1906 San Francisco Bay Earthquake and new innovations in entertainment like the movie cinema. For more than half a century various businesses set up shop in the Opera House. During World War 1 the military even turned it into a makeshift armory for a time.

The Napa Valley Opera House was nearly torn down in 1973 until a group of historical preservationists rallied to list it as a National Historic Landmark. In 1985, the late artist Veronica di Rosa and her friends formed what was to become the Napa Valley Opera House Non-Profit Group and purchased the property. Unfortunately di Rosa didn’t live to see the project completed.

Now, completely refurbished, the Napa Valley Opera house owes its renewed, glorious state to the caring entrepreneurs and citizens of Napa Valley. Vineyard owner Robert Mondavi issued a $2,000,000 grant ‘ and challenge that the non-profit group met with fervor, raising an additional $2,000,000 used to restore it to its former glory. A year later, in 1998, the Light the Lights Community Campaign raised half a million dollars to further champion the cause.

Those involved in rejuvenating and restoring the Opera House also went the extra mile to update its amenities. Improvements included a more suitable orchestra pit and a 25′ addition called the River House that provided more room and tied the project into the Napa River development project. The generosity and concern of the community continued throughout this process. Studio 1030 was developed for the sole purpose of raising the $3,000,000 needed to complete the restoration.

In June of 2002 performances began at the Napa Valley Opera House. Dianne Reeves was bestowed the honor of performing for the opening season. Other shows followed including family shows and classical music. The 2002 season was a success.

The day finally came in 2003 when the main theater of the Opera House could officially open its doors to the main theater. It was the first time since 1913 it could boast that claim. The glory of the Napa Valley Opera House was a dream no more. It is an incredible story of a community coming together to honor history and art and home. After countless hours volunteered by the community, millions of dollars donated to its worthy cause, the Opera House once again stood for reputable entertainment. The exception this time being that it is available to all regardless of “class” or status. If one decides to take their family to Napa Valley they would be remiss not to include the Opera House as a part of it. The experience of the Opera House is one to share with all.

By: Gary Giardina

Napa Valley area is about 30 miles long with more than 46,000 acres are planted dedicated to grapes. Its breadth arrays from five miles close to the metropolis of Napa to just one mile where this valley narrows by the civic of Calistoga. Globally recognized as one of the globe’s supreme wine regions, it is about one-eighth the size of Bordeaux, France. When you take Napa Valley Wine Tour, you will see that food and wine combination is a highly appreciated.

The famous rules — first and foremost red wine along with red meat and white wine along with fish and ***** — however, do not just stick on to the earlier way, today international and delicately flavored foods and the matching huge range of wines from across the globe are now expediently available to everyone with the wine country tours. Most recently you are more probable to come across food and wine pairing ideas than cast-iron rules. There’s substantial way for testing and appearance of your own character in combing food and wine. Napa tours and wine tasting are actually amazing way to attempt special wines and study that you really favor. Then start with the foods along with wines you enjoy.

Choose a high-quality wine and couple it with your meal and probably you would not go wrong. While wine is created in many various areas of California, the Napa Valley and Sonoma County are only regions, which many people think of when they want a wine tour around California. Napa Valley is also recognized as an American Capital for Wine and delicious food. You can further get and explore the rich tradition and the specialties of the world renowned and family oriented wineries across Napa and Sonoma Valley.

If you planning to take up a wine tours then just be seated back and calm down while tasting flattering sparkling wine in one of the latest you will come across during your tour around any Napa or Sonoma tours. In addition, you can get wineries of your taste or in case you want to opt for one of the set itineraries to choose from – the choice is yours, so make it wise!

By: shijina