Solstice, Juneteenth Takeover, and Carabao's Opening Night

It’s solstice season, baby. The sun’s clocking overtime, the days are stretched long, and it’s the right time to stay out late, soak up that Vitamin D, and maybe howl at the moon while you’re at it.

This issue is a love letter to light and joy, featuring:

Welcome to the longest day of the year. Let’s make it count.

— Kristy

19 | THURSDAY | Juneteenth!

20 | FRIDAY | Solstice!

21 | SATURDAY

22 | SUNDAY

22 | MONDAY

19 | THURSDAY

20 | FRIDAY

21 | SATURDAY

22 | SUNDAY

25 | WEDNESDAY

The sun and moon both slide into Cancer this week, culminating in a potent New Moon on Wednesday the 25th. Translation: it's time to drop the dead weight.

Cancer is the cosmic crab: soft on the inside, armor on the outside, and hauling its emotional baggage like it’s TSA-approved. This sun-moon cazimi wants you to look at what you’ve been carrying — all the regrets, the almosts, the “I thought it would be different”s — and decide what you’re ready to let go of.

Yes, Cancer energy can be nostalgic. It loves a scrapbook moment. But we don’t live in memory. We live here, in the messy, magical present. So go ahead and cry it out, wail in the car, write a letter you’ll never send. That grief is sacred, but in order for it to be useful, it needs to move through you.

Then wipe your face, wash your hands, and walk forward lighter. The past may have shaped you, but it doesn’t get to keep you.

TL;DR: Perfect weekend to be outside: clean air, low allergens, and solid weather. Ideal for a solstice adventure, early hikes, or a long lunch in the sunshine.

If the Solstice is all about soaking up the light, this house got the memo.

Perched high in the Napa hills, 75 Ridgecrest ($720,000) is practically glowing thanks to a row of skylights that flood the home with natural light from above. The ceilings are high, the sightlines are long, and the sun shows up everywhere.

But it’s also got a lot going for it in terms of flow.

You’ve got that open-concept living/dining/kitchen area that makes entertaining feel effortless, but enough definition in the layout that each space holds its own. There’s a wraparound deck with panoramic views (sunrise yoga? yes please.), a cozy bonus room for movie nights, and a primary suite with “treat yourself” energy — soaking tub, dual vanities, and private deck access.

Drought-tolerant landscaping gives low-maintenance vibes while still keeping it lush. And for those wondering: Three bedrooms, two baths. Yes, there’s AC. Yes, there’s a fireplace. And yes, that two-car garage is ready for your e-bikes and wine fridge overflow.

With Solstice immediately following Juneteenth, this post from Diaspora Food Market, about the seeds, plants, and spices brought over from Africa seemed particularly relevant. Seeds are an important part of historical preservation and the sun is an essential ingredient to that story.

It’s already been named one of Eater’s most anticipated restaurant openings this summer. The SF Chronicle says it’s one of the Bay Area’s most exciting new restaurants. And after getting an early preview last night? Yeah, same.

But I’m not hyped on Carabao because Filipino food is “having a moment” (even though it is). Or because Chef Jade Cunningham is Michelin-trained and cut her teeth at places like The French Laundry and Press (even though, again, she did).

I’m excited about Carabao, and more specifically, the Kare Kare, because of what it represents: honoring heritage through innovation. This Kare Kare, made with an oxtail croquette and the creamiest coconut peanut sauce you’ll ever taste, is a careful, thoughtful, reinvention on a cultural staple in the best way possible.

Culture isn’t static — it’s built in layers, generation after generation. And Chef Cunningham’s Kare Kare is a crazy fresh and hella good take on a foundational dish.

Kare Kare aside, the Sisig is also unbelievable. Don’t forget dessert.

Here’s this week’s clue: When the sun stays late and your calendar suddenly fills with questionable RSVPs. What season is it?

Not to be dramatic, but this might be the most fun you can have while pulsing an inch up, an inch down.

Yes, it's a franchise. But step inside Pure Barre Napa and you’ll forget that in about 30 seconds. Because here, everybody knows your name, your kid’s name, and maybe even your favorite place to get coffee. And that’s by design.

“I want it to be the Browns Valley Market of fitness,” says owner Kim Jacobs. “Amazing customer service, comfortable, a place to chitchat with your friends… and also get a great workout.”

Kim got into this business, yes, because she loves the workout, but ultimately because she was craving a supportive community.

“I worked in corporate America for years,” she says. “A lot of times I was the only woman in the room and was told I was too much — too emotional, too enthusiastic, too loud. But I get to be all of that here. We all do.”

And maybe that’s the magic. It’s a workout studio with a built-in hype squad. One that’s endearingly genuine and warm.

And no, you don’t need to know ballet or Pilates to get Pure Barre. You certainly don’t need a “barre body.” You don’t even need to be “in shape.”

“You don't need any of those things,” Kim says. “We tell you exactly what to do, and the teachers give hands-on corrections to help improve your form and get deeper into those muscle groups. It’s all low impact, too, so you leave feeling good, not like you just beat yourself up.”

If you haven’t taken a class before, here’s the scoop: classes blend ballet, yoga, and Pilates to target the micro muscles around your joints — helping you build functional strength. As in: your ankles, knees, hips, and lower back get stronger with every movement.

I can attest that you’ll leave with a sweaty glow, but not destroyed. Sore, but somehow also energized and refreshed. Not something I expected after I took my first class last week.

“Everybody has their first class once,” Kim says. “And we always tell people: give it three tries. Most people feel it click.”

Bonus: your first class is free but the good feelings stick around way longer.

AMY DAY is the kind of store that makes you want to text three friends, buy a linen dress, and chill with a vintage soul record on repeat.

At least, that’s how I felt after walking in for the first time.

Housed in the historic 1139 First Street building in downtown Napa (RIP INTI), AMY DAY isn’t chasing clicks, urgency, or whatever TikTok Shop is pushing this week. And as owner owner Brittany Yargus tells me, that’s intentional.

Long before wellness was a hashtag, people were trekking to the valley to get their energy realigned by steaming in mud and mineral springs. In the 1800s, Calistoga was already full-on resort territory, attracting high-society folks who wanted to detox, retox, and maybe have a little flirt by a soaking tub.

So it’s only appropriate that in honor of the Solstice we blend fire and water and show you where to go when your nervous system needs a reboot and your group text is too loud. Take a weekend, take a day. Either way, take a screen break.

That’s it for this week. Happy Summer!

And hey — If you like the newsletter, send it to a friend (or two! or three!). The more the merrier.

Cheers,