B. Real Opens in Riverfront Building

B. Real Opens in Riverfront Building

By Craig Smith

B. Real Women’s Fashion opened in February, 2012, at 770 Main Street in the Riverfront Building (next to Fish Story.)  Store owner, Sarah Illia said the mission of B. Real is “to provide the ladies of the wine country with fashionable, wearable clothes that they will look and feel great in.”  The lines, many of which are made in the US, cater to women of all ages and styles.  “We like to keep reasonable price points. We rarely have anything in the store over $200, and have jewelry and scarves as low as $14.”
B. Real opened in Healdsburg two years ago last February, and it was successful from the start.  While opening two stores in two years is quite an accomplishment for anyone, it’s even more extraordinary for someone her age. Sarah just turned 25.

“I studied at the Santa Rosa JC, but school just wasn’t for me.  I learn better through trial and error.”  Sarah’s father and mother, Richard and Lori, are partners in the business.  “Silent partners,” adds Richard, laughing.  “I do the books and whatever else I’m told.”

In addition to school, Sarah worked part time at a clothing store in downtown Healdsburg.  The store specialized in high end, European style wear.  An avid reader, Sarah enjoyed Steve Jobs, Donald Trump (“people think he’s kind of out there, but I admire his business skills”) and Robert Kiyosaki (Rich Dad, Poor Dad).  While still in school, she put together a business plan for a second-hand clothing store, thinking acquiring the inventory would be easier, and took the idea to her parents.

“I know she’s my daughter, but it was a good plan.  We wanted to support her and be part of the new venture.  It has turned out to be a great for all of us,” Richard said.

The store owner where Sarah worked decided to retire, and she took over the location. “Everything just fell into place from there,” Richard said.  Sarah decided to forego the second-hand shop concept, and carry fashion that she, herself, really liked.  A long-time buyer for high end department stores consulted her and introduced her to the industry. “I love fashion, and I really like the math and planning involved in buying. It’s my favorite part of the business,” she said.

Sarah adjusts what she buys based on the feedback she gets from customers. “ I spend 7 days a week in the stores. I can see first-hand what our customers like.” She currently carries Lynn Richie, Lindi, Bejia Flor Denim (featured as Oprah’s “fashion fix”) Ecru (“a fabulous pant line!”) Cubism, Sledge and Glima, among many others.

Sarah wears everything she sells – and so does her mom.  “Good fashion isn’t about a particular age or set of rules.  It’s about having fun and expressing your personal style and feeling great in it. We want every woman who walks out the door looking and
feeling fabulous.”

Sarah is extremely pleased to have met Oksana Gores, whom she hired as store manager.  “Oksana is so great.  She has an excellent sense of fashion and loves working with the customers.

“Locating in Napa was the best move we could have made.  We fell in love with Napa as soon as we visited the new Riverfront District, and have been looking for a spot here for over a year.”  Sarah wanted to get more experience under her belt first, but knew it was time to make the move when she met the owner of the Riverfront, Mike DeSimoni. “He’s great, and by the time we met, there were a lot of other good businesses here.”

Working with her family has had its challenges.  “It has been a definite change,” she laughed.  Hearing this, her dad smiled and agreed, “We did have to get used to a role reversal, but Sarah is very good at what she does.  I’ve learned to stay out of the way and let her and Lori do their thing!”

Sarah’s confidence is reflected in her motto for herself, which has become the store motto as well.  “B. Confident, B. Different, B. Real.”  B. Real is open seven days a week.

Visit online at www.brealfashion.com, or in person at both the Healdsburg and Napa locations.

Friday Night Lights

Friday Night Live

by Marsha Dorgan

What started out almost three decades ago as a program to give teenagers something to do on Friday nights instead of hanging out on the streets has blossomed into a statewide organization focusing on teen problems.

Friday Night Live has taken on issues that affect young people and the community.

There are five chapters in Napa County: Justin-Siena; Calistoga; Valley Oak and Napa high schools; and V.O.I.C.E.S., a Napa County group dedicated to helping teens in foster care transition to independent living at the age of 18. The group works out of the Napa High campus.

Friday Night Live is a youth development program operated by the county department of health and human services. Katie Keating, M.P.H., a health education specialist, oversees the five chapters.

The Napa County chapters have focused their resources and involvement on spreading the word of the dangers of underage drinking.

“We want to educate not only teens about the problems of underage drinking, but the community as well,” Katie said.

She said the availability of alcohol to teenagers is a big contributing factor to the problem.

“The Napa County chapters are working to decrease the ways and places youth can obtain alcohol,” Katie said.

Megan Howell, 16, is a member of the Justin-Siena chapter. “We did a survey on how kids get alcohol. The consensus was the number one place to get it is at parties. We found some parents supplied the alcohol, or the teens got an older sibling or friend to buy it for them.”

“Another part of the campaign is to target stores that sell alcohol to minors. They are supposed to ID everyone who does not look old enough to buy alcohol, but very often they don’t,” she said.

Friday Night Live was instrumental in getting the Social Host Ordinance passed in Napa, which makes the adult owner or renter of the home where alcohol is accessible to minors liable for fines up to $1,000, plus the cost of law enforcement for responding to an incident. Fines are applicable whether or not the adult knew there was underage drinking going on.

Seventeen-year-old Emily Zikmund, a member of the Friday Night Live Napa High School chapter, said the ordinance has been successful.

“I have heard of parties breaking up because of the ordinance, and even some parties that were planned never happening,” Emily said. “They don’t want to get caught.”

The TRACE (Targeting Responsibility for Alcohol-Related Emergencies) program is another tool to prevent underage drinking.

The Justin-Siena chapter of Friday Night Live gave a presentation to the Napa Police Department, suggesting using TRACE to investigate the location of where underage drinkers obtained the alcohol. Once the investigation, with the assistance of Alcohol Beverage Control, is finished, those responsible will be legally accountable for their actions.

“Alcohol abuse is the number one cause of death for young people under 21,” Katie said.

Keating stresses the need for parents to be involved in their teenagers’ lives. “Parents need to watch for signs of drinking and talk to their children. Their kids have a lot of peer pressure to deal with, and they are easily persuaded,” she said. “Friday Night Live has done a lot to curb the problem, but we still have a long way to go.”

Product packaging is not helping the cause. For example, some energy drinks contain alcohol, but the packaging is deceiving. “Two energy drinks, Four Loko and Sparks, have alcohol. They are easier to drink because they don’t taste much like alcohol,” Keating said. “Sometimes it is hard for parents or school staff to tell if the minor is consuming a non-alcoholic energy drink or something else that has alcohol in it.”

Mackenzie, 17, is a member of the V.O.I.C.E.S. chapter.
“We work on town hall meetings to inform the community and teens how underage drinking affects all of us,” Mackenzie said. “We have the meetings once a year and we usually get a good turnout.”

Friday Night Live members have placed ads in city buses warning of the problems of underage drinking. They also work with local stores that sell alcohol to reduce minors’ access.

Friday Night Live partners with parents, law enforcement, local community groups, media, schools, and local government officials.
In addition to attacking underage drinking, the chapters foster leadership among teens, adults, and the community.

Megan has been a member for one and a half years. “I joined because I want to be pro-active and see the changes I want happen. And, with the help of those around me, I know it has been beneficial to me and the community.”

Mackenzie wanted someone to look up to.
 “I joined Friday Night Live because it provides good opportunities to learn leadership skills and interact with adults and the community,” she said.

Emily enjoys the adult relationships being a part of Friday Night Live has given her. “I have learned how to respect and talk to adults and how to be professional around them,” she said.

The five chapters of Napa County Friday Night Live have about 100 members.  It is open to all high school kids 15 to 18 years old.

The Napa County Friday Night Live received the 2011 Prevention Award from the County Alcohol and Drug Program Administrators’ Associates of California.

The chapters have a youth council which is the leadership arm of Friday Night Live.

Information is available by calling Keating at 253-4724 or online at
katie.keating@countyofnapa.org

NVBusiness0611

One Fast Family

Rob Krider runs the #38 Nissan Sentra SE-R hard through turn two at Infineon Raceway on his way to a National Auto Sport Association Performance Touring win.

Without question, one of the most successful automotive racing teams to ever operate out of the City of Napa is Krider Racing.  In 2010, the team won the National Auto Sport Association Western Endurance Racing Championship, was victorious at a ChumpCar race at California Speedway, set the fastest time at a Targa Trophy Rally, won the first season of The Forum Wars racing television show, earned numerous road rally victories and, the kids of Krider Racing, won a soap box derby race.  That is a lot of races to compete in during one year and, somehow, Krider Racing was successful in all of them.

What makes Krider Racing different from other teams is their eclectic choice of competitive events.  Once a team has won a national race in a series or earned a championship, it usually moves on to something different.  Instead of capitalizing on a recent success in one series and then going back to conquer it again, they choose to find a new challenge.  They are more interested in competing in a different type of event than winning the same one over and over again.

Napa City Councilman, Jim Krider, is the patriarch of the Krider Racing family.  Jim raced go-karts in the early 80s until a tragic racing accident took away his ability to walk.  Confined to a wheelchair, Jim never let his disability slow him down and he still races to this day.  That sort of “never quit” attitude is deeply engrained in the Krider Racing structure and it is apparent in the attitude of the team members.  The team has come from behind on numerous occasions to win races.  “Our team has been three laps down with a car with a broken head gasket and we still won the race,” says Jim Krider.  “This team is a conglomerate of family and friends that is well organized, hardworking and has the knowhow to win races.”
Being well organized and hardworking is one aspect of the team; the other aspect is raw speed.  Rob Krider, Jim’s oldest son, is the endurance racing team’s anchor driver.  The team doesn’t put Rob in the car until the end of the event when it is “all or nothing.”  Rob, a graduate of the Skip Barber Racing School at Laguna Seca, set the fastest lap time at the Altamont Speedway road course during a 24 Hours of LeMons event.  He went up against over 300 drivers, some of whom where full time professionals, and he posted the quickest time and won the race.  Rob has had multiple successes behind the wheel; winning NASA championships and SCCA National Tour events.  He recently he set the fastest lap time on the SPEED television show The Forum Wars while driving a 322 horsepower 2008 Shelby GT Mustang against faster 400-plus horsepower Porsche 911 Turbos, Nissan GT-Rs and Dodge Vipers.  His successful road racing at Infineon Raceway was recognized by Nissan North America last year.  Rob, driving the number 38 red, white and blue Nissan Sentra SE-R, painted by Miracle Auto Body, was featured as the month of November in the Nissan Motorsports calendar.

Jim’s youngest son, Randy Krider, brings outstanding driving skill to the table (he drives all day long as the owner/operator of Bay Area Express Delivery Service) and has a great mechanical background.  Randy is the team’s chief mechanic and ensures each of the vehicles Krider Racing competes with is safe, fast and reliable.  Since the team competes in so many different types of events, that keeps Randy pretty busy making sure cars are ready and aligned with different sanctioning body’s rules.  “When my older brother calls me and says, ‘Let’s do a destruction derby,’ that means I’ve got to find the right car, figure out what the rules are for a crash-up derby, and then get to work quickly because, chances are, he gave me about two weeks head’s up before the event.”  Randy has modified a Volkswagen Beetle, which he drove to the Baja Bug class win at the Beetleball in 2009, a Chrysler Cordoba, demo-derby car, which his brother, Rob, destroyed winning a heat at the California State Destruction Derby
Championships. And, Randy scratch-built the now, infamous Krider Racing Nissan Sentra SE-R.  “I’m most proud of the Nissan because it’s been featured in so many different magazines.  I think it could be the world’s most famous 1991 Nissan SE-R.”

Krider Racing currently has racers three generations deep.  Rob’s son, Gus, and Rob’s daughter, Addy, as well as Randy’s son, James, each race in the All-American Soap Box Derby.  The children and parents work together to build gravity powered downhill race cars.  And to keep things in the family, it is Grandma Cindy who sponsors the grandkid’s cars with her bookkeeping and accounting business, C.J. Fix Co.

Sponsorship is a big part of Krider Racing’s success.  Napa isn’t an enormous city, but local businesses have been  a huge help in making Krider Racing what it is today.  Performance In-Frame Tuning, B&G Tires, Napa Valley Muffler, T.E.M. Machine Shop, Napa Valley Transmission, Third Street Auto Repair, Silver Auto Service, Bug & Buggy, and Bottlers Unlimited are just a few of the businesses that help the team.  But, outside of Napa, Krider Racing has also had worldwide assistance; Nissan Motorsports, Carbotech Brakes, Jim Wolf Technology, I/O Port Racing Supplies, Figstone Graphics, Circuit Sports, S Gear, Pit Posse Motorsports, Sampson Racing Electronics, Photodon.com and Hoosier Tires.

But the help from local businesses only gets the car so far.  While the car is at the track it is looked after by the top notch pit crew of Nick Brown, Simeon Gracy, Stephen Young, Dan “Gadget” Bordeau, Dan Olguin, Chris Krider, Craig Rohning, Ryan Hackett, Derek Hawkinson and Andy Bai.  Rob Krider says the team’s recent NASA Western Endurance Racing Championship was solely due to the pit crew, “If a crew member spills a dime size worth of gas on the ground during a refueling, that means a five minute stop and go penalty for a team,  which results in that team not winning the race.  Our crew filled our car
with gas for over forty hours of racing last year and never earned a single penalty.”  Krider Racing and its pit crew went up against Honda in the World’s longest
closed course road race, the 25 Hours of Thunderhill.  The crew had to stay up for more than a day and never missed a beat.  Honda had numerous penalties impose because pit crew actions.  The race was featured on the Versus channel.  During the race a documentary film crew from GoRacingTV.com followed Krider Racing around.

After winning all of those races and being featured
on television, what is next for Krider Racing?  “I heard they race cars on the ice in Michigan,” says Rob Krider.  “I don’t know.  I’m not a big fan of the cold.  Maybe the weather in Mexico would be nicer.  I’ll have to call my brother, Randy, and see if he can start building us an off-road race truck.  I knew I should have paid more attention in high school Spanish.”
Krider Racing can be followed on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube or the team’s Web site:
www.RacingWFO.com.

Business Review May 2011

Napa Valley Cooperage

In our own backyard… “The art of barrel-making”

I’ve seen them around; everywhere. I’ve seen them as planters for an array of front yard color. I’ve seen them as stand-alone, yard art. I’ve even seen them used as indoor and outdoor tables. And, I’ve seen them used to hold wound-up garden hoses.

My favorite use for them is the reason for which they were originally made; aging and fermenting wine. Welcome the wine barrels.

I was recently wondering where these beautifully crafted, oak barrels, held together by a metal bracelet, originated and where they were made. There are many uses for these finely crafted drums after the intended use, and they seem to endure for years. So I headed on a journey to find out the history of these casks, which led me right back here, in our own backyard.
I recently met with Mark Heinemann at a local coopeage to venture into a craft that is as old as the making of wine. The cooperage of my visit was Demptos, located on Skaggs Island Road in the southern end of our valley.

Mark asked me to arrive at an early 8:00 AM. The art of barrel-making, he explained, begins at 5:30 AM each day.  It was there that I learned the effect of the barrel on the taste of the divine juice that develops inside. The journey of the grapes, from harvesting to consumption, is an eventful one, with the respite in the wooden barrels possibly being the coziest. I couldn’t help but wonder how these came to be.

When I entered the cooperage building, all of my senses were awakened. The building was dimly lit with flickers of daylight and shimmers from roasting fires illuminating the rows of neatly aligned barrels set in areas assigned to their designated stage of assemblage. A rush of wood scent greeted me in the vastness of the building. I was yet to realize that each smell and color adds to the work of the craftsmen, each of whom were working with meticulous speed and dexterity. Every step was as important as the next.

To make the best apple pie, use the best apples. To make the best wine, use the best grapes. To make the best barrels, use the best wood. It is on this premise that the barrels are made. For years, due to the quality of oaks grown there, the vats were made in France. Mark explained  that thee oak we grow in California is too porous for barrel making. Therefore, here in the United States, the best wood available is a less porous, Missouri white oak. This tree grows slowly in thin, rocky soil, and it is this slow growing that creates the tightest grain, a very desirable asset for barrels. Most trees used for oak barrels range in age from 160 to 250 years old. The wood is split in a manner to maximize the grain, with only the best wood with straightest grain being used. “Only about 4 percent of the wood is used,” explained Heinemann. The rest is sold. Additionally, Mark explained, natural air drying in a humid environment is key to the perfect barrel. The oak used at Demptos is aged outside, in the humid climate of Missouri,  which allows more tannin to be leeched from the wood. And, that leeching results in a softer flavor of wine. Finer grained oak is more porous, which in turn has an impact on the aroma and taste, allowing for a more constant, softer sweeter taste of wine.  Recently, a local winemaker explained that some woods used in her winemaking created a cinnamon flavoring while others produced a more oakey and blackberry flavoring. The wood of choice plays an intricate part in the aging phenomena of wines. Choosing that wood is something a cooper takes seriously. The cooper constantly thinks about the quality, the shape and the nature of the wood. He pays attention to the straight grain of wood which will provide barrels with solidity, flexibility and imperviousness; a talent or an instinct on the cooper’s part. There is still another useful step to change the aromatic contour of the oak, thus the wine.

In addition to the three-year drying process, “toasting” the barrel plays an essential part in the delicate flavors of the wine produced in barrels. As I meandered through the local cooperage located at the entrance to our valley, the smell brought back memories of that first fireplace fire of the winter and of the campfire of summertime camping. That scent of burning oak fires permeated the interior of the building. Glancing about, I could see scores of small oak-wood fires gently burning within the rounds of the would-be casks. A cooper in charge of banding the barrels had anchored the wood planks on one edge of the cylinder and the objects were strategically placed over the flames. This practice allowed for  continued dying and, later,  toasting of the inside of the barrel. Drying is about a 20 minute process. The length of time for toasting is about 40 minutes, depending on the specifications of the vintner. For Demptos, the round heads of the staves are also toasted and then placed into position. The heads are put together with strips of tule reed between each stave to ensure a tight, leak-proof fit. All of which leads to that perfect flavor of our Valley’s favorite beverage by destroying the overbearing aromas of green oak. Before being sanded to a silky soft finish and, while still covered in dust, the barrel is dressed with hoops, holding it together in a most traditional manner.

The galvanized steel bands are hand-fit onto the barrel. These hoops are gently tapped into place, with the cooper being sure-handed not to touch the barrel. They are then stamped with two rivets that close the steel belts. Depending on their location on the barrel, each hoop is named; bilge, headings and chime hoops all encase the barrel. The barrel is nearing completion.

Tradition is essential in the finishing of the product. The meticulousness required for this assembly process affords a beautiful product worthy of any wine cellar. The cooper’s craft is enhanced with the grooming of the cask. Demptos acquires this silky soft finish by using machinery that reminded me of the shining and buffing received by the Tin Man at the Emerald City. All traces of unevenness are removed from the barrel’s surface. This complete process takes a full day and, at Demptos Cooperage, the artisans produce 100 barrels a day.

Each stage of the barrel-making requires adeptness and precision, producing an aesthetic product used for multiple purposes throughout its lifespan. Now, when I see these casks in the community, whether in a garden holding flowers, on the patio as a table, or in a wine cellar of distinction, I will have a new appreciation for the making of this piece that holds both history and craftsmanship.

Business Review – April 2011

Napa Valley Marketplace Magazine Business Review April 2011.

Giles Family Chiropractic

About 10 years ago, Lisa Koester was in a car accident that left her with back and neck pain. Fortunately, Koester met Paul Ruscica and Kristen Giles, owners of Giles Family Chiropractic, at a Napa Chamber of Commerce event. Now, thanks to them, she’s pain- free.

People come to Giles Family Chiropractic at 2020 Redwood Rd for a variety of reasons. Some, like Koester, have been in a car accident. Others suffer from sports injuries, sleep disorders, asthma, allergies, arthritis or respiratory issues. Or, they are chronically sick or are experiencing tingling or numbness in their hands and feet. But, the one thing they have in common is they all want to get better; and they do. Ruscica and Giles say they have a 99 percent success rate.

When people first come in, they are examined. Then they return to have their spine or another part of their body adjusted.  Giles Family Chiropractic also does what are known as “extremity adjustments” on patients’ hands, wrists, shoulders, knees and jaws. “Pretty much any part of your body you can think of, we can adjust,” Ruscica says.

Many patients come back for regular adjustments. Koester, for example, gets her spine adjusted once a week. “It doesn’t hurt at all,” she explains. “It feels great. There’s nothing about chiropractic that hurts.”

It’s all about making sure the nervous system is in alignment, Ruscica explains. Once that happens, the body will heal itself properly.

Some people come to Giles Family Chiropractic even if they aren’t in pain or experiencing problems simply as a precautionary measure, just to make sure everything is OK with their spine and that their nervous system is working properly, Ruscica points out.

Giles Family Chiropractic treats people of all ages, from newborns to the elderly. In fact, the oldest patient was in her 90s, according to Giles.

The parents of two young daughters, Kiera and Sydney, Ruscica and Giles provide a family-friendly environment and a business that works well with children. Several things make Giles Family Chiropractic unique. Not only is it a family-owned and operated business led by a husband-wife team but Giles is a certified pediatric chiropractic.

Ruscica and Giles take a whole body approach to wellness. They offer exercise classes on Saturday mornings. They also analyze people’s diets and encourage them to make healthy choices.  “They (patients) can’t heal as well if they are eating a junk food diet,” Ruscica says.

Concludes Koester: “They are much more knowledgeable than regular doctors. They are much more advanced in terms of wellness care in general. If the world were taking 60% less drugs, the world would be 100% happier.”

How did Ruscica and Giles get into the chiropractic field and choose it as their career? Ruscica originally planned to be a traditional doctor. But then he saw how chiropractic work helped his mother, who was diabetic and had high cholesterol and high blood pressure. He also found that it personally helped him with allergies and strep throat. So, he decided it was a field he wanted to pursue.

Giles, on the other hand, sought chiropractic work as a teenager after suffering from headaches. While the first chiropractor she turned to simply adjusted her for pain, the second one found the root of the problem and also encouraged the interest she already had in the field.

Ruscica and Giles both grew up in London, Ontario. Though they are both from the same city in Canada, they met each other for the first time at Parker College of Chiropractic, a prestigious college in Texas. They launched Giles Family Chiropractic in February 2001.

Elana Hammond first came to Giles Family Chiropractic about 10 years ago after suffering from chronic back pain and has been a patient ever since. “Even when they have their own life things going on, they’re in tune with their patients,” she says. “They often will go out of their way for their patients. I like the fact that they have availability on the weekends, just knowing they are there for you if you need them, if you’re having a setback or flare-up or what not.” Concludes Hammond: “They’re there to give information to their patients but they are not pushy.”

Scott Peterson had a history of lower back pain when his son-in-law recommended he check out Giles Family Chiropractic. “They were able to diagnose what was going on and recommend a regimen of treatment and exercise that really helped,” he explains.

Before Peterson came to Giles Family Chiropractic, he had trouble sleeping, couldn’t finish a round of golf and couldn’t even throw a ball. But now he is able to do all three. “They go beyond chiropractic care,” he says. “They have a whole wellness philosophy that’s really good.”

http://www.napavalleymarketplace.com

Business Review – February 2010

Napa Valley Marketplace Magazine Business Review February 2010.

Sala Salon
By Craig Smith

When Sandina Bailo and her business partner Lee Richardson opened Sala Salon in downtown Napa, they had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Still, they knew they would have their share of unknowns. They just didn’t know what they would be.

“Sala is an Aveda Salon. Aveda has a great reputation world wide,” said Bailo.  “We knew we would offer our guests an experience unlike any they’d ever had in a salon, but we didn’t know how far reaching that could be.”  They found out almost immediately, “A guest recently called to tell us that when she came in that morning, she was very down.  She called a few hours after she left to thank us, saying she felt so cared for and relaxed while she was here that she almost broke out in tears.” Smiling, Bailo added, “It brought tears to my eyes to hear her say it.”

Bailo and Richardson want the Sala experience to be positive from the moment a guest contacts them.  “Coming here should be a peace of mind experience. This is our home, and we want people to feel welcomed when they enter.”

Bailo grew up mostly in San Jose and Chico.  After graduating from San Francisco State with a degree in film, she spent twenty years as a motion picture sound editor, specifically as a Foley Editor – the one who adds life to scenes on the screen.  Ready for a change, she bought her father’s pizza parlor when he moved from San Jose to Oregon.  It was the last Shakey’s Pizza in the Bay Area, and she ran it for six years before selling it in 2007.

She and Richardson, who has been doing hair in the Napa Valley for years, and her hair since she moved to Napa in ’86, were talking about the next step in their respective lives.  Both wanted to do something in downtown Napa and wanted to be able to give more to the community.  It was critical that they do something they truly believed in. Richardson presented the idea of bringing a Lifestyle Salon to the valley.  Enter Aveda, and the perfect match was made.

“We like their way of doing business.  Aveda didn’t jump on the ‘green’ bandwagon, they were early pioneers,” said Bailo.  Aveda has been doing wind powered manufacturing since the seventies.  Their products all have a plant or flower base, instead of petroleum, wax or other synthetics.   As a result, the products are not only better for you; they make you want to take a deep breath when you walk in the salon.  The most common reaction from guests is, “Wow.  It smells good in here.”

Aveda believes the only way to sell products is by educating the guests – and the staff.  “We need to know our guest’s concerns before we try to match them with a product, and we want to make sure they have the same results at home that they have here.”  The team at Sala is composed of  employees, not just contractors and all receive on-going training.

Mostly though, it’s the little touches that count at Sala.  Guests might receive an unexpected hand massage while talking with someone on the staff, just because it feels good.  For men, Bailo and Richardson think it’s important to re-create the barbershop experience, which was very much a social experience.  A large wooden table and chairs lend themselves to group meetings, either planned or spontaneous.  “We can fit sixty chairs in here, so it’s perfect.”   All of the art work on the walls is by local artists, and is for sale. The young artists group Wandering Rose likes the space, and wants to work with the partners. The salon recently hosted a series of puppet shows, “Cirque du Café.”  Not what you’d expect in a salon, but this is Sala.

The best way Bailo can sum up Sala?  “Our goal is to make your day.”

http://www.napavalleymarketplace.com

Business Review – January 2010

Napa Valley Marketplace Magazine Business Review January 2010.

The Oxbow Wine & Cheese Merchant
By Craig Smith

The Oxbow Wine and Cheese Merchant in the Oxbow Public Market is known for, well, wine and cheese. What people are slowly discovering is that it is also a restaurant.  A very good restaurant, at that, with Miguel Sanchez, formerly of Square One in San Francisco and Manka’s in Point Reyes, at the helm.  “It’s a small kitchen, but Miguel does an amazing job,” said Peter Granoff, one of the Oxbow Wine and Cheese partners.  “I know it sounds self serving,” Granoff laughed, “but he’s created a roasted chicken, rubbed in seven spices and served with mashed potatoes and greens, that is amazing.”

When it comes to taste, Granoff’s palate is trustworthy.  In 1991, he was the thirteenth person to become a Master Sommelier, one of the highest credentials bestowed in the world of wine. Granoff worked hard for the distinction and is  appreciative, but it’s just one stop in his long journey on the food and wine path.

Granoff was raised in the Carmel Valley and started working at Will’s Fargo restaurant there when he was thirteen.  After high school graduation, he worked for a small luxury hotel in Switzerland.  “The standards there were very high.  The commitment was to give the guests whatever they wanted whenever they wanted it.   Everybody on the staff was expected to do anything and everything to make that happen and,  if necessary, we worked around the clock.”   After college graduation from  the Monterey Institute of International Studies, Granoff was recruited to work in France for a company offering week-long, luxury ,hot air balloon experiences.  He said it was a fluke. That he just happened to be in the right place at the right time.  “Many of the company’s clients were wealthy Americans.  I understood the level of expectations they had from my time at the hotel in Switzerland, plus, I speak French, so I got the job. It was heady stuff for a young guy right out of college.”

After two years, Granoff returned to California.  While working at a private club in LA, he was recruited by Stanford Court Hotel as the food and beverage manager.  “They were still an independently owned hotel and had broken new ground with Fournou’s Ovens, proving that an American hotel could operate a world-class restaurant.”  It was while there that he was asked to study for the Master Sommelier program.  He talked the hotel into letting him concentrate on wine only, and studied for a full year.  After credentialing, Square One, the highly acclaimed restaurant in San Francisco, hired him.  It was there that he met Miguel Sanchez.

In 1995, he and his brother-in-law opened Virtual Vineyards, a dot-com business ahead of  its time.  “ We opened before Amazon.  I believe we were the first company to process a secure credit card transaction on-line.”  Although they grew by leaps and bounds, the business closed in 2001 when the dot-com bubble burst.   “As with many dot-com businesses, there was an accumulation of unrealistic performance pressures when multiple venture capital firms got involved”.  Granoff laughs that they were “sucked into the vortex of ludicrous dot-com expectations.”

In 2005, he and three others opened the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant & Wine Bar in the Ferry Plaza Building in San Francisco. They then brought much of that model to Napa when they opened the Oxbow Wine Merchant & Wine Bar, and the Oxbow Cheese Merchant here.  For serious food and wine people, they operate a very down-to-earth, low key operation.

“The four of us taste every wine we sell. That doesn’t mean ‘expensive,’ it means carefully selected.  We don’t care what the critics say about a wine, how many points someone has given it or any other third party comment.  It just has to be good wine.”  The same standards are held for the cheese part of the business, and the restaurant as well.

Open seven days a week, until 8 Sunday and Monday, 9 Tuesday through Thursday and 10 Friday and Saturday.   For more information, visit www.oxbowwinemerchant.com.  And try the chocolate bread pudding – you’ll love it.

http://www.napavalleymarketplace.com

Business Review – November 2009

Napa Valley Marketplace Magazine Business Review November 2009.

Steve Rodriguez, Jill Rodriguez, Joseph Gonzalez, Joanne Gonzalez, Pedro, Mary Cittoni, Clemente Cittoni, & Steve Cittoni

The Cittoni family
Where Are They Now?

By Joann Busenbark

Reconnecting with people that seemed to have “retired”, or just were not where they used to be, is often exciting for us. This article addresses such a family.  Many have already “found” the Cittoni family in their new adventure. In case you have not, let me tell you how to find them!

For those of us who have been in the community 40 years or more, the Depot was THE Italian eatery in the community. The Tamburelli family started it, the Cittoni family trained under them and eventually took it over. The menu and quality never changed, nor has it today. “Today”, you say, because the Cittoni family left the Depot in 2004. Ah yes. But they are back in business with the same menu and quality of food. You will find them in their kitchen at Val’s Liquor on Third Street in the same block as ABC Bakery.

Who is this family who has continued the tradition of the Tamburelli’s and provides  our community great Italian food? Clemente Cittoni came to the United States in 1959 and , while he had no plans to stay in Napa, he met his bride to be, Mary, and that settled his life to make a home and family in the Napa valley. In 1960 Clemente started working  for Theresa Tamburelli , her daughter, Angie Momsen and son Nick at the Depot. He learned the business and the recipes from start to finish. One of the trademark dishes invented at the Depot is malfatti; meatless pasta that resembles a small breakfast sausage. If you have not tried it you should. It is wonderful.

The Cittoni family; Mary, Clemente and children Dino, Joanne, and Steve took over the business in 1974 from the Tamburellis’ and were there thru 2004. The Cittoni children grew up with the restaurant, married, and have children who are still a part of our community. I remember someone telling me about the Depot restaurant years ago; that you could take your own containers to the back door and have take- out. Potlucks all over town often had a pot of malfatti on the table, picked up at the backdoor of the Depot.

Mary and Clemente have three grandsons, Joseph, Jesus, and Dino Jr. To continue the Cittitoni family tradition of serving great Italian food for 3 generations, one of Clemente’s grandson’s, Joseph, works in the kitchen and is learning the business from the ground up.  Steve and Jill Rodrigues ,owners of Val’s,  have welcomed the joining of the two businesses. Thanks to Steve and Jill for having the vision to bring Clemente’s to 3rd street.
The customers have known the Cittoni family for their friendly, efficient service, and high quality food for over 30 years . Among the Italian community they are known as a lively hard working family that welcomed the neighborhood kids, had a pot of sauce on the stove and loved to share. A former resident of the Napa Valley who recently visited has fond memories of the Cittoni family and their “salt of the earth” family warmth. They were thrilled to find them preparing their wonderful Italian recipes again. What the Tamburelli/Cittoni families have given to the Napa Valley over these 3 generations is the continuing light from the burning candle that started the Valley small town attitude of friendliness. Yes, we are a tourist destination site with many upscale amenities for our visitors but, first, we are an extended family who is concerned for our own.

Stop by Val’s and say hello to the Cittoni family. If you like Italian food, bring your own container and they will fill it up for you. PS – they also have containers you can purchase.
Thank you Clemente and family for helping to keep the Napa flame of warmth and friendliness burning for 3 generations and making a lasting contribution to availability of good Italian cuisine. Hail malfatti!!!

http://www.napavalleymarketplace.com

Business Review – October 2009

Napa Valley Marketplace Magazine Business Review October 2009.

Partnerships And The Aloha Spirit
New Leadership At The Napa Valley Wine Train

Greg McManus had never given any thought to running the Wine Train, or for that matter, any other railroad. Trains are in his blood though – his great grandfather was a conductor, and his grandfather worked for National Ice, who sold the ice for “reefers” (refrigerated railroad cars). When he was eleven, McManus helped his grandfather chill the railroad cars that were used to transport peaches, but he never figured that trains were in his future. In 2007, all that changed when McManus’ father-in-law, Vincent DeDomenico, passed away and McManus was elected president of the Napa Valley Wine Train.

McManus first worked for DeDomenico as a gardener while in college.  DeDomenico later hired him to work in the maintenance shop at Rice-a-Roni. His assignment was to stand by a conveyor belt, and constantly paint the chain with oil as it looped around.  After thinking about it, McManus took a soup can and put a nail in the bottom of it. He then filled the can with oil and hung it above the chain so that each link would hit the nail and bend it back, releasing a small amount of oil on the chain. The result? The chain got oiled, and McManus had time to do other things.

When the Rice-a-Roni plant in Chicago was having problems, DeDomenico sent McManus and his wife Vicki to clean up some maintenance and HR issues. What McManus found problems bigger than he’d been told – the plant was in total disarray. He set out to fix the problems, and was promoted to production manager and later, plant manager. Originally scheduled to close, the Chicago plant grew to be one of the largest pasta factories in the country, and turned a profit. At one point, that plant could get a pasta order to San Francisco more quickly than the other factory – which was in San Leandro. At the time, McManus was twenty-one.

Even though he didn’t see the Wine Train in his future, McManus has embraced the position of president and has made sweeping changes. “We want to be an active part of the community, and help forge partnerships that will be good for everyone,” he said.

Some great strides have been made in the partnership area over the last year, with several first-rate packages and synergistic opportunities developed with several businesses. “It has been a fantastic partnership for us,” says Scott Curran, General Manager at the Hilton Garden Inn. In response to the recession’s impact on local tourism, the Train and the hotel came together to forge a package that helped bring in hundreds of overnight guests. The hotel also reached out to several wineries, including them in the package as well and creating a circle of more than a half dozen business that profited from the same initiative.

“We have been able to bring more people to ourselves and the wineries. It has opened new doors for us and our guests,” Curran said.

McManus is far more interested in ‘being human’ and working one-on-one with people than he is in big business, and he shares some ideals with the late DeDomenico. “Vince was very loyal to the employees, and he loved the Napa Valley.” McManus has business goals – he wants to make all aspects of the train profitable, smooth out the seasonal visitors’ cycle and maintain the tracks as a transportation corridor. Supporting non profits and doing everything they can to operate sustainably are high on his list. The whole mind-set at the Wine Train is all about the customer and service. “It’s thrilling to see people coming off the train after having had a good time.”

If you’ve never been on the Wine Train, thinking it’s for tourists, treat yourself and your family to an adventure that you’ll talk about for years to come. Call 253-2111 or visit winetrain.com. There’s a good chance that you’ll see the ever present McManus. (And don’t forget, you can get a local’s discount.)

http://www.napavalleymarketplace.com

Business Review – September 2009

Napa Valley Marketplace Magazine Business Review September 2009.

A River Runs Through It
By Ronda Giangreco

They say that it takes a village to raise a child. Perhaps it also takes a village to create a village. That’s what is in the mind of local entrepreneur, Kevin Trzcinski. His idea is to use his business, Napa River Adventures, to educate and to excite the citizens of Napa about the changes coming to our community. With over $114 million dollars set aside for the completion of the Napa Flood Control Project, big changes are indeed in our future. Kevin wants to make sure that the people of Napa truly understand the impacts, both positive and challenging, that these changes will have. He believes that opportunities such as transportation, recreation and tourism need to be balanced against realistic issues such as traffic, safety and parking, among others.

To achieve the goal of bringing together the best minds and hearts of Napa, Kevin has created a very special tour designed to illustrate, up Close, the proposals for the Napa River, The Napa Pipe Project and the new designs for Downtown Napa. His tours, complete with dinner and wine, will take ten people at a time for a cruise lasting over two hours. You and your friends will glide serenely down the river while Kevin points out the locations of new developments, alterations in the topography of the wetlands and improvements for the safety and prosperity of our community. Kevin guarantees that you will have a new prospective about the project, and a renewed sense of excitement about the future of our city. Tickets for this very special opportunity are only $50 per person with a booking of ten people – which includes both wine and food.

Gather together your neighbors, your friends, your fellow businessmen and women to insure that your thoughts and ideas are part of the most important project our town has experienced in over one hundred years. Kevin will be handing out comment cards on each tour, which will be submitted to the Napa Chamber of Commerce for review.

The Napa Flood Project, the Napa River Trail, and all of the commercial, retail and residential developments in Downtown Napa are going to create jobs, opportunities and challenges for all of us in the future – no matter what age or occupation. This is our town. This is our future. Come and see first-hand, from the perspective of the river, what our future holds and how it will affect you. To book a tour, contact Kevin at Napa River Adventures at (707) 224-9080 or email him at kevin@napariveradventures.com.

http://www.napavalleymarketplace.com