Cozy. Quiet. A light drizzle at the doorstep. This is my kind of Monday.
I don’t mind a break from the early-winter rainbows and sunshine.
(They’ll be back. Relax.)
If you’ve got the long weekend - enjoy it. If you don’t, sorry.
But I see you.
Because even if today’s a holiday, we’re still here. Doing the quick digging, pulling the useful bits, and rounding up the stuff that actually affects your week.
Here are the Monday Town Notes for the week of 2/16.
USPS is Closed, Your Coffee Shop is not
In case you forgot or didn’t get the notification.
Today is Presidents Day (aka Washingtons’s birthday) which I guess is a federal holiday.
Practically, this means
Banks are closed
Post offices are closed and no regular mail delivery for USPS
Library/City Hall are also closed
Other than that…
Other essential government services will continue
Retail stores and restaurants should mostly be open like normal.
Private businesses are probably a 50/50 situation - from my experience, most workplaces here are a little more generous with the “eh… let’s just take the day” energy.
So, if you need anything official (mail, banking, paperwork-y stuff), push it to tomorrow. If you need coffee or tacos, you’re fine.
The Most Scenic Endurance Event In The World
The 47th Annual Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K is coming up on Sunday, March 1.
This is a big deal every year - and yep, it’s already sold out. But even if your last real run was in high school, there’s still stuff you’ll want to know.
Because a lot of people plan their weekend around this. Whether they themselves are running it, supporting friends, or just being out in town while it’s happening.
You’ll get another reminder from us as it gets closer, but the big thing to know is that Napa County will be temporarily closing portions of Silverado Trail, Oak Knoll Ave, Big Ranch Rd, and El Centro Ave from 7:00 AM to 1:30 PM.
A few useful specifics (so you don’t get surprised):
The full marathon starts up-valley on Silverado Trail near Pickett Road in Calistoga and runs all the way down to Vintage High School.
The half starts at Conn Creek Winery, then follows the same route to Vintage.
Traffic control is handled by CHP, and it’s a rolling closure for southbound traffic along sections of Silverado Trail (with escorted northbound access in small groups when possible).
So take a quick look at your Sunday morning schedule. If you’ve got an airport run, brunch reservation, or work shift, either leave early or avoid the Trail corridor during that 7:00–1:30 window.
BottleRock is Loud. La Onda is fun.
Lowkey, if you want to talk about overall experience (not the music) La Onda is the move.
Now before you skip to the reply button to yell at me, hear me out…
Sure Bottlerock will have the “bigger” headliners. But think about it, these festivals are really about the sun on your face, a drink in your hand, and running into someone you vaguely know and vibing with them for a setlist.
At La Onda, it’s just much easier to do that.
The whole thing feels way more livable. You can walk around, find space to breathe, and actually have a normal conversation while the music’s on.
Bonus: Tickets are also much cheaper than BottleRock, which is a nice if you want the festival weekend without paying the premium price.
Caregivers Deserve More Than a Thank You
Shoutout to the people doing the unglamorous work that keeps a lot of families afloat.
If you don’t know, folks with certain disabilities can qualify for IHSS hours in California, which means they can get in-home help with day-to-day stuff like meals, bathing, meds, errands, and basic safety.
Caregiving is hard work. Full stop. And if these wages are getting bumped closer to “normal job” pay (think pushing carts, cashiering, etc.), that feels like the bare minimum of fair.
If you want to learn more because:
you know someone who might qualify, or
you’re interested in becoming a caregiver
Here’s the official Napa County IHSS page:
That’s it for this week. Consider yourself briefed.
If we saved you 10 minutes of scrolling, or if you pulled something genuinely useful, forward it to one person and let’s call it even. These take some time to research and write and sharing is the easiest way to support it and keep it free.
Until Friday 😀
Callie