Latest news with #NapaValley
Bangkok Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Bangkok Post
Versailles orchestra plays New York in 'Affair of the Poisons'
NEW YORK — Acrobatics, fortune tellers, opulent gowns and palace intrigue: the New York debut of the Versailles Royal Opera Orchestra was a performance befitting the era it recalls. Monday's immersive show " Versailles in Printemps: The Affair of the Poisons" centred on France's 17th-century period of excess and seediness that its creator, Andrew Ousley, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) has parallels to the present day. At the evening staged in Manhattan's new Printemps luxury emporium, guests and performers alike donned velvet waistcoats, silky corsets, feathered headdresses and powdered makeup. Core to the performance's tale was the discovery of arsenic, Ousley said -- the first "untraceable, untasteable poison." "Everybody was just poisoning everybody." And at the web's center? A midwife and fortune teller named La Voisin, he said, a "shadowy-like person who basically would peddle poison, peddle solutions, peddle snake oil." "She was the nexus," Ousley continued, in a scheme that "extended up to Louis XIV, his favorite mistresses" -- inner circles rife with backstabbing and murder plots. The poisoning scandal resulted in a tribunal that resulted in dozens of death sentences -- until the king called it off when it "got a little too close to home," Ousley said with a smile. "To me, it speaks to the present moment -- that this rot can fester underneath luxury and wealth when it's divorced from empathy, from humanity." Along with a program of classical music, the performance included elaborately costumed dancers, including one who tip-toed atop a line of wine bottles in sparkling platform heels. The drag opera artist Creatine Price was the celebrant of the evening's so-called " Black Mass," and told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the night was "a beautiful way to sort of incorporate the ridiculousness, the campness, the farce of Versailles with a modern edge." Drag is "resistance," she said, adding that her act is "the essence of speaking truth to power, because it really flies in the face of everything in the opera that is standard, whether it's about gender or voice type." Period instruments The Versailles Royal Opera Orchestra formed in 2019, and its first stateside tour is underway: the series of shows kicked off at Festival Napa Valley in California before heading to New York. On Wednesday it will play another, more traditional show at L'Alliance New York, a French cultural center in Manhattan. The orchestra aims to champion repertoire primarily from the 17th and 18th centuries, and plays on period instruments. "Playing a historical instrument really gives me a feeling of being in contact with the era in which the music was composed," said Alexandre Fauroux, who plays the natural horn, a predecessor to the French horn distinguished by its lack of valves. Ousley runs the organisation Death of Classical, an arts non-profit that puts on classical shows in unexpected places, including the catacombs of Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery and crypts in Manhattan. Monday's spectacle included over-the-top performance, but Ousley emphasised that the evening was ultimately a celebration of classical artists. "These are players who play with such energy, to me it's more like a rock band than an orchestra," he said. "When you can sit and feel, with a group of strangers, something that you know you feel together -- that's why I work, because of that shared connection, experience and transcendence."
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
Napa Is The Best Wine Country Trip You Can Take Without A Car
Napa Valley is the best-known wine country destination for good reason Napa is not the place to test your tolerance. Or your relationship. Or your ability to reverse park a rental SUV after two glasses of Zin. Yet, year after year, people arrive with an inevitably doomed plan: that is, forcing someone to drive. They alternate pours. They sip and spit. Or worse, they abstain entirely. This guide is for the non-martyrs; the ones who understand that wine tastings aren't meant to be rationed, that driving post-Cabernet is lunacy, and that modern Napa has finally evolved into the car-free, carefree destination it always should have been. Think wine trains, walkable towns, and a new wave of tasting rooms that make you want to linger, rather than tick boxes. Start with the Wine Train The Napa Valley Wine Train has been around since the '80s and, yes, it can feel a little like a moving photo opp, but it's also hands-down the most enjoyable, efficient way to drink your way through the valley without regret. If you're doing the flagship Legacy Tour (and you should), it runs from 10:30am to around 4:30pm and includes breakfast, on-board tastings, two winery visits, lunch, and a steady stream of wine that starts early and doesn't ask you to spit. By the time you reach Charles Krug—your first stop—I can almost guarantee you'll be proud of the decision. The wineries are the best of the best, too. Charles Krug is the oldest in Napa (est. 1861), and the barrel rooms smell like something your faovurite sommelier dreams about. Their 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is as good as it gets, and it's also the farthest winery on the train's circular route—therefore impossible to reach efficiently without a car—which makes the train not only a fun excuse, but functional one. Next up: V. Sattui, a more low-key affair with a market-style buzz. While most people come for the picnic vibes (because, silly sausages, they're driving), the sleeper hit is their Madeira—shockingly good, even if dessert wine usually gives you flashbacks to your nan's dusty Christmas bottle. It normally does for me and I nearly asked for a second tasting. Back on board, there's a three-course lunch served with startling finesse for a train kitchen. It's social without being sloppy; less 'party bus,' more 'cool table at a wedding,' and a guarantee you'll be in no condition to operation machinery by the time you roll back into downtown Napa. Just as you planned. Napa Valley Wine Train Don't stay in Downtown Napa With that said, I wouldn't recommend staying in downtown Napa if you're keen to keep things car-free. It's fine, if fine is what you're after, but is much more to discover outside of its many tourist traps. If you want to experience Napa at its most walkable, photogenic, and idyllic, stay in Yountville. And if you're not already using Blacklane, this is your sign. Their pre-booked chauffeurs are the antidote to flaky ride shares (particularly helpful after a day getting sozzled on said train), and and are reliably professional, early, and blissfully unfazed by six half-drunk bottles of Pinot rolling around in the trunk. You can book them by the hour, too, making town-hopping (or continued winery-hopping) a realistic dream. I should warn you, of course, that your eventual departure from Yountville won't be an easy one. Without erring too close to Stepford WIves territory, it's the kind of idyllic place where linen-clad locals take their lunch to the picnic bench for fun. There's money here, obviously, but also a kind of small-town charm. Somehow, it all works. And I'm not sure I've ever been quite so sad to leave a place where I didn't know another person. Jessup Cellars in Yountville, Napa Where to go in Yountville, Napa After your morning coffee and a few litres of water, Jessup Cellars has to be your first stop. It's the platonic ideal of a tasting room: friendly, chic, and serious about its wines without ever feeling pretentious. The walls are hung with rotating art, the pours are generous, the playlists tasteful, and if you ask for Laurel, you'll get a host who's warm, sharp, and blessed with that rare gift of knowing exactly how much wine talk you want before your eyes glaze over. I walked out with the strong urge to empty my suitcase and fill it with bottles and bottles of the silky, tannic, tobacco-rich Juel. In fact, as I write this, I still regret not doing so. Nonetheless, everything in Yountville is a short stroll, or stumble, from Jessup. Walk five minutes and you're at Bistro Jeanty, still the best place to submit to buttery French classics. Yes, the tomato soup in puff pastry is iconic, and yes, it really is worth it. Across the way, Kollar Chocolates will ruin all other chocolate shops for you (the dark salted caramels are lethal) and, for something fresher, North Block is a newer star: seasonal small plates, gorgeous courtyards, and a confident 'Valley to Coast' tasting menu at a fraction of the cost of The French Laundry's (which, if you have the spare hundos to pay for it and the foresight to book months in advance, is also conveniently just down the road). Tacos Garcia, the unassuming taco truck parked near the top of Washington Street, is one of the best you'll find in the region, too. The French Laundry in Yountville, Napa As much as I hate to share hidden gems like this for fear I'll soon be priced out, you have book a room at Lavender—a B&B that nails the elusive 'romantic' sweet spot without feeling cringe. There's a fire pit, proper breakfasts, fantastically friendly service, and high-end rooms that don't look or feel like they were designed by Pinterest boards. The nightly wine and cheese hours are pretty useful in helping you keep the tasting party going, too. If you've somehow still got room (in your liver or your luggage), there are a few more tasting rooms worth weaving into your Yountville stroll, as well: Handwritten Wines for elevated small-lot storytelling, Hope & Grace for a quieter, boutique feel with knockout Pinots, and Hill Family Estate, where the pours are generous and the vibe's wonderfully welcoming. All walkable, all worth it, and—like everything I've recommended above—all best enjoyed without having to sip, spit, or sacrifice a designated driver.
Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Three sommeliers tried Meghan's new rosé. Here's what they thought
The Duchess of Sussex has made her first foray into winemaking with the release of her Napa Valley rosé, released under her lifestyle brand As Ever. The 43-year-old first revealed her interest in wine in the mid-2010s, when she would share her favourite robust Tuscan reds and dry white Sardinian wines with readers of her lifestyle blog The Tig. The blog's name was a nod to Tignanello, a so-called 'super-Tuscan' chianti. Meghan has said that her first sip of Tignanello taught her what it meant to appreciate a wine's body, legs and structure. Now with the release of her $30 rosé, Meghan has sampled and personally selected a blend of cabernet sauvignon, syrah, grenache and mourvèdre from the Fairwinds Estate Winery in Calistoga, in California's Napa Valley.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Royal experts try Meghan Markle's rosé wine on PALACE CONFIDENTIAL - and the results may surprise you
Meghan Markle released her wine on July 1 and it was met with sell-out success. The Duchess of Sussex, 43, took to Instagram to announce that her 2023 Napa Valley rosé, made in California, quickly sold out in under an hour. As Ever customers were able to purchase three bottles of the 'thoughtfully curated' for $90, six bottles for $159, and 12 bottles for $300. Luckily, the Palace Confidential team got their hands on a bottle, allowing the Mail's Royal experts to try it for themselves on the latest episode of the hit YouTube show. Richard Eden, the Daily Mail's Diary Editor, was the first to take a sip - and it didn't take long for him to screw up his nose. 'It's sort of sweet at first but with a bitter aftertaste,' he said. 'Now Richard,' replied a sarcastic Luke Blackall, who hosted this week's show. 'I don't know what you could be talking about.' 'Genuinely,' Richard insisted. 'It does have quite an unpleasant aftertaste.' After taking a sip, Luke turned his attention to Charlotte Griffiths, the Mail on Sunday's Editor-at-Large. 'It's quite strong, isn't it?' he asked her. 'It's 14.5 per cent which is quite a lot for a rosé.' 'I don't actually drink,' replied Charlotte. 'So I will have one sip and be completely sloshed because I have no tolerance left and it's 14.5 per cent!' Raising the glass to her lips and taking a small sip, Charlotte said: 'Oh god, I've missed that. Maybe I will take up drinking again. It's been about five years!' Going into more depth, she said: 'That is strong and fine. It's fine. 'I could see myself putting that on the table. All my friends would refuse to drink it but I think it makes an elegant addition to a table. 'Who doesn't love a glass of frosty cold rosé?' To which Richard replied: 'I think if it was £5, you might think "great" but I think it's about $30 a bottle.' 'And you have to buy three,' Luke added. 'I think they only come in sets of three.' 'I would certainly be giving away the second two as a gift, I think,' Richard quipped. Charlotte, who has been reporting on the royals - and running in their circles - for 15 years, said that her biggest gripe was with the wine bottle itself. 'I don't think it's a very fancy bottle,' she said. 'It's not very stylishly designed.' 'Are you saying we should or shouldn't judge a bottle by its cover?' asked Luke. 'I judge the bottle by its cover,' Charlotte said. 'I think it needs an upgrade. A taller neck and more elegant foil. 'Love is in the detail,' she added, quoting the Duchess in her Netflix series With Love, Meghan. Jan Moir, a much loved columnist at the Daily Mail, also had a taste of Meghan's wine. In an exclusive clip featured on Palace Confidential, Jan said: 'This just isn't any old rosé, this is the Duchess of Sussex rosé. 'According to the blurb, she "thoughtfully curated and thoughtfully crafted" herself. Now, I don't imagine she was tramping the grapes up in the Napa Valley. 'What is astonishing to me is that the alcoholic content of this wine is 14.5 per cent,' Jan said. 'In Scotland, we would call this "Wreck the Hoose Juice". 'It's very, very strong for a rosé. Most European rosés are only 12.5 per cent,' she added. 'If you take something like Whispering Angel, which is not just the bestselling rosé in America, it's the bestselling rosé in the world, I think, and that's only 12.5 per cent.' Pouring it into a glass not unsimilar to the one Meghan used in her promotion pictures, Jan said: 'It looks like rosé. It smells like rosé.' After taking a sip, she delivered her verdict: 'I want to be honest with you, it's a bit too sweet for me. 'It's quite fruity. She says it's got notes of "minerality" in it but I don't get that,' Jan said. 'I get stone fruit. It's a bit plummy. 'As I said, it's just not my favourite style of rosé. A lot of people do like it but I prefer the paler ones from the Mediterranean because that's the kind of person I am.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Is This Who Meghan Markle Was Sending 'Birthday Love' to with Wine and Peaches?
The Duchess of Sussex gave a peek behind the scenes of the "birthday love"NEED TO KNOW Meghan Markle shared a new video of herself gearing up to send friends rosé wine from her As ever brand The Duchess of Sussex, 43, posted the footage on her Instagram Stories on July 16 Meghan's friend Jamie Kern Lima thanked the Duchess of Sussex for sending her a "birthday basket" on the same dayMeghan Markle is spreading birthday cheer to her "ladies." On July 16, the Duchess of Sussex, 43, posted a video to her personal Instagram page that showed her getting ready to send rosé wine from her As ever brand to friends. "Sending birthday love (both near and far) to my ladies," Meghan wrote over the video on her Instagram Stories with a white heart emoji. The quick clip, set to the song "Please Mr. Postman" by The Marvelettes, showed Meghan's hands unlocking a wooden box etched with As ever's logo and branding. The box was then opened to show three bottles of the 2023 Napa Valley Rosé that the Duchess of Sussex introduced in the second drop of products from As ever, which she officially launched this year. The wine became available for sale on July 1, which was both the birthday of Prince Harry's late mother, Princess Diana, and the anniversary of the day that Harry and Meghan first spoke in 2016. The product sold out in less than an hour. The camera then cut to three bottles of the pink wine artistically arranged in a wooden box with peaches, white flowers and a white heart, tied with a woven bow. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! One of the recipients of the gifts was also seemingly revealed on July 16. On Wednesday, IT Cosmetics co-founder Jamie Kern Lima shouted out Meghan on her own Instagram Stories, thanking her for the "birthday basket." The Jamie Kern Lima Show host shared a photo of the same spread and wrote, "@meghan thank you for the most magical birthday basket! Our friendship is a gift as is your beautiful soul!" Kern Lima's sentimental message was complete with emojis of a smiley face with hearts, a red heart and a confetti horn, but that wasn't all. Elsewhere on her Instagram Stories, the Shark Tank guest posted another slide thanking Meghan for the tribute. "@meghan this is the most beautiful birthday magical! Thank you for your heart and your friendship!" Kern Lima wrote over a snippet of what appeared to be the same video footage that the Duchess of Sussex shared. Kern Lima turned 48 on July 16 and revealed elsewhere on social media that she celebrated the occasion at a Katy Perry concert. "Celebrating my birthday with closest friends and so much love! @katyperry thank you for an INCREDIBLE experience and for your heart and friendship!!! And to the incredible women who are like sisters to me, thank you for flying cross country for the best birthday week ever! 48 years!!!" the podcaster captioned an Instagram carousel on her birthday. The montage rolled to show photos of Kern Lima with Perry and other pals, plus Kern Lima enjoying the concert. While Meghan didn't appear in those photos, she recently joined the Jamie Kern Lima Show in April in what was touted as her first-ever appearance on a podcast. While the Duchess of Sussex has hosted two shows (Archetypes on Spotify in 2022 and Confessions of a Female Founder from Lemonada Media this year), it was her first time taking the mic as a podcast guest. There, Meghan skipped makeup and sat down with her friend for a raw conversation on the pressure to prove one's worth, making memories for her kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and other hot topics like how she and Prince Harry kicked off their nicknames, whether she plans to pen a memoir, her thoughts on running for office and more. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
