Hey Napa,

This week’s issue is packed tighter than your beach bag: First Street’s one step closer to getting a major glow-up, there’s a suspicious amount of buzz around Napa beer (???), and PorchFest might be going upvalley.

We’ve got family-friendly events, goat selfie booths, karaoke nights, and brisket so good you’ll write home about it. Plus: your weekend escape to Johnson’s Beach, two homes with beam-core energy, and food trucks worth tracking down.

Let’s dive in.

Have you subscribed to the Meet Me in Napa Podcast yet? If not, stop what you’re doing and hit that button. Host Jeremy Jackson introduces us to the “people behind the pour” impacting culture and community in Napa. His recent in-studio guests include Food Network chef Leilani Baugh of Vin En Noir and Mathiasson brand ambassador Derrick Vaughn Harrison, but you can also catch him interviewing sports legends like Barron Davis at Streamfest. Great guests. Great stories. A+ subscribe.

SAT | 28 | Rock the Ride Napa Valley @ Yountville Veterans Memorial Park | $75+ | 7AM | A ride, a walk, and a determined stance to prevent gun violence prevention. Expect an appearance by Gabby Giffords, a Burritos and Bubbles after party in the park, and traffic in, and around, Yountville at least untill the event ends at 1230PM.

THU | 26 | FARMFEST @ Carneros Resort FARM | $85 adults, $35 kids | 6PM | Summer magic is served family-style with sliders, lawn games and live music.

FRI | 27 | Storytime for Young Children @ Napa Bookmine | Free | 1030AM | You don’t need an excuse to visit Bookmine, but if you did this is the one.

FRI | 27 | Summer Fridays: The Parent Trap @ The River Club Napa | Free with tasting ($25+) | Starting at 11AM | It’s not the wine, there are two Lindsay Lohans.

FRI | 27 | Bow-Wow For Books: Read to Zoey @ NVL | 330PM | Your kids can read to a certified listening dog (yes, that’s a thing). Might be the cutest thing you do all week.

SAT | 28 | Yountville Scavenger Hunt @ Yountville Library | Free | 10AM–1PM | You’ll decode clues and learn about Yountville history while you’re at it.

SAT | 28 | Historical Napa Walking Tour @ Downtown | $45 | 1030AM | A step back in time (with comfy shoes and good gossip).

SAT | 28 | Saturdayze at Abbot’s Passage @ Abbot’s Passage Winery | Free with tasting ($45+) | 12PM | Baby goat selfie booth + snack pop-up = everything you didn’t know you needed.

SAT | 28 | Teen Summer Movie Series: Free Guy @ NVL | Free | 3PM | Ryan Reynolds in NPC mode. Teens only, no grown-up spoilers allowed.

SAT | 28 | Yountville Movies in the Park: Ratatouille @ Veterans Memorial Park | Free | 630PM | Bring a blanket, your french bread picnic, and channel your inner Remy.

SUN | 29 | Yoga in the Yard @ Napa Yard | $13 | 10AM | Stretch it out and vibe it out with Lululemon ambassador Irene Joy. Mimosas optional, but recommended.

MON | 30 | Movie Night for Kids: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 @ NVL | Free | 5PM | I don’t care how short of an attention span they have, your kid will love this movie.

SAT | 28 | Mimosas & Masterpieces @ Vin en Noir | $86 | 12PM–3PM | All the relaxing vibes of The Joy of Painting, but live and with wine. Can’t beat it.

SUN | 29 | Mackenzie’s Ring Book Launch @ Napa Bookmine | Free | 2PM | Your teen’s summer reading list just got its next obsession. Meet author Terri Stevens and snag a signed copy.

THU | 26 | Intro to Sake @ Decant | $50 | 6PM | Expand your wine knowledge to include the rice varietal.

FRI | 27 | Orin Swift Industry Night @ Orin Swift | Free | 5–7PM | It’s trivia night! Show up smart for wine, weird facts, and team bragging rights.

FRI | 27 | Comedian Aaron Foster @ Lucky Penny | $30 | 7:30PM | Laugh to keep yourself from crying? Aaron brings the jokes, and definitely some (dark) truths.

SAT | 29 | Deuling Guitars @ Barnhouse | FREE | 7PM | Two guitars enter the stage, only one leaves the winner. You know how this goes. It’s the kumite without the blood.

SUN | 30 | Sunday Spins @ Jam Cellars | Free with Tasting | 2PM-5PM | Drink your wine with a side of warm, multi-generational vinyl tunes. Reserve a table for this listening/tasting party.

MON | 30 | Napa Noir: Resume Revamp @ Decant | Free | 5PM | Level up your LinkedIn over wine and get pro feedback from HR pro Hannah Robinson.

THU | 26 
Pride Party @ The QR&B |  5PM 
Colby T. Helms & The Virginia Creepers @ Tonewood & Courage | 630 
Self-Proclaimed Heroes @ The Fink | 8PM 
Mike Phillips @ Blue Note | 8PM 

FRI | 27  
Simon Melrose @ Silverado Mansion | 6PM 
Mark Couch @ Lavendi | 7PM
Royal Jelly @ Blue Note | 930PM 
DJ Toni Muzzin @ 1331 Cocktails | 930PM

SAT | 28 
The Cincinnati Ambassadors @ The Yard | 5PM 
Eggcorn, Sophia Corinne & Lizzy Dutton @ Folklore | 7PM
Trae Crowder @ Uptown | 730PM 
D-Kovers @ Blue Note | 830PM 

SUN | 29 
Smorgymusic @ The Fink | 6PM
Brendan James @ Blue Note | 630PM

MON | 30
Karaoke Night @ Downtown Joes | 830PM

TUE | 01
Karaoke Night @ Downtown Joes | 830PM

WED | 02
Ragtag Sullivan @ The Fink | 730PM 

FRI | 27 | Climate Action Committee Meeting @ City Hall | 930AM | Napa’s future won’t fix itself.

FRI | 27 | Weekly Protest @ Soscol & 3rd | 5PM | When local voices speak up, it means big change. Bring your sign and your sunscreen.

SUN | 29 | Free Sundays @ Redwood Park n Ride | 12PM | Bring what you can, take what you need.

JUL 5 | Paint and Brunch @ Le Cheves | $25 | 1PM | This might be the hottest ticket in town. They go fast so hit the gas on that “Buy” button. All proceeds go back to the community.

SAT | AUG 2 | Founders Circle Culinary Series @ Elusa Winery | $750 | Not a cheap date in any sense, but if you’ve got the cash, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime pairing with Auro’s Michelin-starred and James Beard media award winner Chef Rogelio Garcia and a blending with winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. Only 30 seats available.

FRI | AUG 29-31 | Blue Note Jazz Festival Black Radio Experience | $499+ | Get your tickets now because the lineup is stacked with headliners like The Roots, Earth, Wind, and Fire, along with appearances by Goapele, Warren G., Talib Kweli, and Lupe Fiasco among many (many) others.

According to sources (including my own tastebuds), Stateline Road Smokehouse is Napa’s BBQ standard. Their signature brisket — a Black Angus slab smoked overnight and finished in butcher paper to lock in that tender, bark-crusted perfection — is (not to sound cliche) to die for. One critic even called it "perfectly smoked." Indeed.

Reddit locals are saying it's "probably the best brisket I’ve had in Napa by a lot" and that it’s the only thing on the BBQ menu they consistently queue up for.

But don’t sleep on the not-so-secret secret fish menu or the Sunday-only hot water cornbread or the potato salad or the maitake mushroom salad or… you know what? Just get a little of everything.

Get away from your desk, take a walk (or drive) and check out one of delicious food trucks delivering the goods all around Napa. Check their socials for current locations.

The revamped and recently reopened Heritage Eats got a whole lotta new. A new interior, a new menu, a new slate of family-friendly events on the patio.

It’s giving international street food with a local twist thanks to their collabs with Napa faves like Rory’s Bakehouse, Armistice Brewing, and Naysayer Coffee. And you know we love a good collab.

Already a neighborhood staple, Naysayer is basically the cool kid who somehow gets along with every clique. Maybe it’s their “coffee is community” ethos. Maybe it’s the killer playlists. Either way, the vibes are impeccable.

Tucked next to the old-but-new Food City building in South Napa’s Coventry Manor, Naysayer is the passion project of Napa native Chris and Beth Vecera — a wild coffee-roasting dream turned reality. They roast their own organic beans, partner with local faves like Little Hollywood Baking Co., and even source fruit from nearby farms for their seasonal specials.

But here’s the thing: Naysayer’s not just a coffee shop. It’s a hangout and a creative hub and filled with people that attend team trivia nights with Winstons and Alleyway Studios, which to me, is where the “coffee is community” mantra really shines.

Oh, and the coffee? Excellent. The chai? Unreal. The staff? Effortlessly cool. Naysayer doesn’t try too hard and that’s exactly why it works.

In an increasingly upside-down world, you need to know how to adapt. Chico gets it. This Australian Shepard loves to play fetch, is a very good boy 99% of the time (don’t ask about his frenemies on the other side of the fence), and lives up to his Virgo sun sign by herding his pack around the house with a strong BOOP from his nose. Thanks for all the hard work, Chico. Take a break this weekend.

There’s something about an exposed beam. Maybe it’s the Old World charm. Maybe it’s the visual drama. Or maybe it’s just a primal urge to live in something that reminds you it was crafted with hands. If you get what I mean, check out these two homes that satisfy, whether you’re a baller with a budget or financially ready to bring your castle-core vision board to life.

First up: A sweet little Spanish revival at 1628 Georgia St. Just blocks from downtown, this cute place comes with arched doorways, a barrel tile roof, and — yes — beautiful exposed beams running across the living room ceiling.

But if your account balance comes with more than five zeroes, check out this beauty at 1184 Hagen Rd. It’s the perfect blend of a Tuscan villa and a Napa wine estate. It’s got stonework. It’s got columns. It’s got a primary suite that gives serious 15th-century-duchess energy. And then there’s the beams: thick, rustic, and ready for dramatic candlelit dinners and long, cozy nights of reading by the fireplace.

Want a last-minute getaway that doesn’t involve passports, planes, or much planning? I gotchu. Pack the car, grab your sunnies, and make your way to Johnson’s Beach — the not-so-secret slice of chill tucked along the Russian River in Guerneville.

This century-old Sonoma County staple has all the charm of summer camp (minus the weird cafeteria food). Rent a canoe, float on an inner tube, or just post up on the pebbly shore with a cooler and a beach read. Ditch the screens and give Mother Nature your attention for a change.

Pro tip: Get there early on weekends. Umbrella and chair rentals go fast, and parking is limited.

If you’re not snagging a cabin or campsite right at Johnson’s Beach (and you should — they’re super cute and there’s still some cabins left), try these gems:

And that’s it for this week. If you like what you see, consider sharing with your friends and fam. Cheers!