Among Locals Napa | Things to Do in Napa

The newsletter for people who live in Napa.
Fresh events, restaurant recs, community stories. Every Thursday. No touristy stuff.

Articles

Weekly Newsletter

Is Highway 29's Future Limited to 35 MPH and Talking Stoplights?

Feb 5, 2026

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14 min read

Is Highway 29's Future Limited to 35 MPH and Talking Stoplights?

Plus: Impossible poetry, robot baristas, and last call for game-day wings.

Kristy Ellington

People

Gabby Cole Is Engineering a Manual for Life's ‘Swirly’ Moments

Feb 4, 2026

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6 min read

Gabby Cole Is Engineering a Manual for Life's ‘Swirly’ Moments

“Everyone says sports are 90 percent mental but nobody actually knows how to train it."

Kristy Ellington

Your Next Fave

I Found My Signature Scent in a Coconut-Apricot Wax Blend

Feb 4, 2026

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4 min read

I Found My Signature Scent in a Coconut-Apricot Wax Blend

A study in scent theory, "Legacy Batches," and the surprisingly meditative act of discovering exactly what you (and only you) actually like.

Kristy Ellington

Weekly Newsletter

The General Strike and the 150-Foot Plunge

Jan 29, 2026

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12 min read

The General Strike and the 150-Foot Plunge

A nationwide walkout hits the valley, a Vallejo icon turns 25, and the secret to Napa’s best matcha is... a driveway?

Kristy Ellington

Food & Drink

Jan 28, 2026

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5 min read

Denise Fabian Runs Napa’s Most Exclusive Cafe From Her Driveway

“I’m literally bringing the drinks out to the car from my house. It’s just me in the kitchen, hand-whisking every single order.”

Kristy Ellington

Weekly Newsletter

Is BottleRock '26 Just a 1998 Fever Dream?

Jan 22, 2026

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14 min read

Is BottleRock '26 Just a 1998 Fever Dream?

We're back! Also: Why the di Rosa is selling the farm to save its soul, and other ambitious Napa dreams that died on the vine.

Kristy Ellington

Articles

Is Highway 29's Future Limited to 35 MPH and Talking Stoplights?

Gabby Cole Is Engineering a Manual for Life's ‘Swirly’ Moments

I Found My Signature Scent in a Coconut-Apricot Wax Blend

The General Strike and the 150-Foot Plunge

Denise Fabian Runs Napa’s Most Exclusive Cafe From Her Driveway

Is BottleRock '26 Just a 1998 Fever Dream?

AMONG LOCALS