Woodland’s iconic Fat Cat Café becomes part of the setting in James Chatfield’s debut suspense novel, “Dead Cat Alley.” The real-life café’s owner, Edna Bohon, becomes a fictional sleuth, Edweena “Eddie” Bachman, and Fat Cat Café is called “Eddie’s” in the novel.

In the book, “Eddie” helps “Valley Times” editor Justin Wright by providing clues as he tries to solve a murder that took place in Woodland’s mysterious – and real – Dead Cat Alley.

The back cover reads: “In the year 2000 Dead Cat Alley had been declared an historic landmark. But by 2025 it had become a haven for Sacramento’s underclass, and then murder scene. Author James Chatfield takes readers on a thrilling ride in the year 2025 as Sacramento Valley Times Editor Justin Wright – himself on the edge of career burnout – uses futuristic technology to solve the murder of an old woman and the death of a young reporter.

As he probes deep into his investigation, Wright uncovers a complex web of deceit, politics, and murder that could very well cost him his life or the life of the woman who shares his passion for the written word.

Filled with unpredictable twists and turns, ‘Dead Cat Alley’ is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats as they unravel the mystery.”

For readers who have an appetite for murder mysteries, plus great comfort food made with local ingredients, visit Fat Cat Café Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Located at 317 2^nd Street in Woodland, kitty corner to the real-life Dead Cat Alley, phone orders are also welcome by calling (530) 661-6113. For more information and a detailed menu, visit www.fatcatcafewoodland.com.

“Dead Cat Alley” is available for purchase at Fat Cat Café or online at www.xlibris.com.

“Cead Mil Failte” – A Hundred Thousand Welcomes! Head to Fitzpatrick Winery and Lodge in Fair Play on Saturday, June 11 from 6 to 10 p.m. and enjoy the 17^th Annual Tempest Dinner Concert Under the Stars. Feel the excitement live as Tempest, a Celtic and rock band, plays at its most intimate venue – then stay at Fitzpatrick’s unique Irish Bed & Breakfast.

Concert guests will enjoy a wood-fired oven Santa Barbara style tri-tip, pinquito beans, garlic bread, salad and dessert. Owners Brian and Diana Fitzpatrick will be hosting the bar serving Fitzpatrick wines, a selection of beers as well as non-alcoholic drinks.

Fitzpatrick Winery and Lodge is located in the Fair Play AVA (American Viticultural Area) at the heart of California’s Gold Country, at the foothills of El Dorado County near Placerville.

Brian and Diana Fitzpatrick opened Fair Play’s first winery in 1980 and feature hand crafted wines made from organically and estate grown premium wine grapes. The El Dorado County Wine Competition recently awarded Fitzpatrick’s 2008 Tir na nOg (their Irish Chianti) and the 2007 Reserve Barrel Select Zinfandel Silver awards. Try them in the tasting room, open every day except Tuesdays.

The impressive Irish-inspired Bed & Breakfast overlooks El Dorado’s wine country with impressive 360-degree views in a rural foothills setting. The handcrafted massive log Lodge sits atop the underground wine cellar and houses the wine tasting room and five guest rooms, all with private baths. Choose from the Winemaker Suite, The Log Suite, Irish Room, French Basque Room and Fair Play Room.

Fitzpatrick Winery and Lodge is located at 7740 Fair Play Road, Fair Play. Call (800) 245-9166 for more information or visit www.fitzpatrickwinery.com.

A perfect accompaniment to any “staycation” this summer is the Local Roots Food Tour, “City of Trees Food & Cultural Walking Tour!”

Locals and visitors alike will enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at Sacramento’s “can’t miss” eateries during this three-hour excursion. Taste farm fresh ingredients that inspire local chefs, learn where state politicians and local foodies dine, all to a historical backdrop of tree-lined streets, historic neighborhood districts, Italianate mansions and the history behind it all.

Each tour visits numerous specialty food shops, artisans and neighborhood restaurants. Participants will sample several dishes prepared for their visit, which emphasize locally-grown, fresh ingredients.

A typical tastings on the tour may include:  Carnaroli Risotto with local butternut squash paired with local wine; Asian bistro salad with garden fresh produce and sesame oil dressing; Authentic Mexican meatball soup with homemade corn tortillas; Organic, fresh fruit smoothie with all the vitamins and antioxidants; Mozzarella and basil rolls with stuffed organic tomatoes; Delicate cream puff with local custard and puff pastry; Handmade ravioli stuffed with caramelized onions, mushrooms and balsamic glaze sauce; and Cappuccino brownie with cinnamon cream cheese filling.

Sign up now to experience this “gastronomic adventure off the beaten path!” Tours are $58 per person. Tours are held rain or shine. Tours are limited to 12 to 16 guests. Besides all food and beverage tastings, all guests will receive a Participant Sheet with a map, local coupons, tour menu and locations. Private and group tours are also available.

Visit www.localrootsfoodtours.com for more information and reservations.

The Woodland Farmers Market celebrates its 15^th season when it opens Tuesday, June 7 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. located at the spacious lawn area of the Cottonwood Street side of Woodland Healthcare (in front of the Cancer and Neurosciences Center.)

As in years past, the Woodland Farmers Market is also held from 9 a.m. to noon every Saturday at Freeman Park on Main Street. The decision to host the market in two separate venues this year was in part to promote healthy eating and local agriculture to reach a wider community base.

Woodland Farmers Market vendors will sell fresh, seasonal produce including strawberries, melons, peaches, cucumbers, honey, olive oil, fresh bread, grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken and more.

An exceptional highlight of this market season will be the celebration of the 4^th Annual Woodland Tomato Festival, co-sponsored by the Woodland Farmers Market and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, on Saturday, Aug. 13.

The Woodland Tomato Festival has grown each year since its inception, and participants will have a chance to taste a variety of tomatoes hosted by the Master Gardeners, as well as vote for their favorite tasting tomato.

Local chefs will prepare three course meals to serve to a three judge panel in the Chef’s Competition, with tomatoes as the main ingredient. Local restaurants will also compete to see who has the “Best Salsa” in town, a crowd favorite as it is a people’s choice award with the community voting on their favorite top three salsas.

The Tuesday evening (located at 1325 Cottonwood St.) and Saturday morning (located at 1001 Main St.) Woodland Farmers Markets will be open through September. The Woodland Farmers Market accepts EBT and Farmers Market WIC coupons. For more information, including recipes, call (530) 666-2626 or visit www.woodlandfarmersmarket.com

Lavender ice cream, lavender cookies, lavender festival, oh my! No need to travel to Provence, France to be enveloped in the powerful persuasion of lavender. The community is invited to the 8^th Annual Cache Creek Lavender Festival in Rumsey in the heart of the Capay Valley. The event is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and 12 located at Cache Creek Lavender Farm, 3430 Madrone St., Rumsey. Admission is free.

Visitors will have the opportunity to sample lavender treats, taste wine with Capay Valley Vineyards, pick lavender, listen to live music, learn about lavender, field tours and more at the family owned and operated organic Cache Creek Lavender Farm.

Besides the beautiful lavender flowers themselves, Cache Creek Lavender Farm also produces lavender culinary products. Use culinary-grade lavender, grown at the farm, to use in sweet or savory dishes. Sprinkle lavender sugar on fruit during the summer, or use it to make cookies, cakes and other confections. Lavender salt, meanwhile, works great on mild-flavored vegetables such as summer squash or with tofu.

The Cache Creek Lavender Farm Shop is also stocked with traditional cosmetic and domestic estate-grown lavender products, such as bath salts, soap, linen spray, body mist, massage oil, essential oil, lavender butter skin cream, sachets and dryer sheets.

Cache Creek Lavender Farm is a year-round working farm owned and operated by Charlie Opper and wife Linda Barrett. Visit www.cachecreeklavender.com for directions, recipes, and more information.

Sacramento’s Wine & Dine Week is back! Enjoy a three or four-course dinner at a plethora of the region’s best restaurants for a fraction of the price beginning Monday, May 23 through Sunday, June 5.

To make the deal more savory, each meal comes with tastes of award-winning local wines.

Participating restaurants in the Downtown Sacramento area include: 4^th Street Grill, Cafeteria 15L, Chops, Dawson’s (Hyatt Hotel), Ella Dining Room & Bar, Firehouse Restaurant, Frank Fat’s, Grange Restaurant and Bar, Lucca Restaurant, McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, Mikuni Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar, River City Brewing Company, Ten 22, The Broiler Steakhouse and The Melting Pot.

Midtown Sacramento participating restaurants include: 58 Degrees & Holding Co., Biba, Hads Steak & Seafood, Mulvaney’s B&L, The Press Bistro & Bar and Tuli Bistro.

Greater Sacramento area restaurants include: Café Vinoteca, Enotria Restaurant & Wine Bar, Hawks Restaurant (Granite Bay), Osteria Fasulo (Davis), Scott’s Seafood Grill and Bar (all locations), and Taste (Plymouth).

The gourmet Prix-Fixe dinners start at $30 per person. Reservations at participating restaurants may be made online at www.OpenTable.com. To see all the participating restaurants, address information, as well as menu links, visit http://sacramentowineanddine.com.

Wine & Dine 2011 is presented by FOX 40 News, OpenTable.com, the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau and the California Restaurant Association, Sacramento Chapter.

Get ready to sample the best of more than 200 wines, 60 wineries and 40 restaurants at Sacramento’s premier wine and food festival, Raley’s 9^th Annual Grape Escape. The culinary extravaganza takes place at Cesar Chavez Park (10^th and J Streets in Downtown Sacramento) from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 4.

“Here you get to experience the outstanding character of the wines and the character of the winemaker,” states RaleysGrapeEscape.com. “Pair that with some of the region’s best local cuisine and you have an amazing culinary experience.”

Raley’s Grape Escape features wineries from eight regional counties including: Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Yolo.

Raley’s and Bel Air stores in the area will be hosting a variety of in-store regional focused wine tastings, special deals and cooking demonstrations. Check your local store for details.

The Institute of Technology Culinary Academy is proud to present the Chef’s Challenge at this year’s event. Participating chefs include Suleka Sun-Lindley from Thai Basil, Russell Okubo from Fat’s Family Restaurants, Adam Pechal from Tuli Bistro and David English from The Press Bistro and Bar.

Each chef, with an assistant, is given 25 minutes to produce and serve up a dish from a basket of ingredients provided and will compete for cash prizes. Mark S. Allen from “Good Day Sacramento will emcee the event while Don Dickenson, Evelyn Miliate and Chris Macias will serve as judges.

Don Dickenson brings his experience as the Culinary Director at the Institute of Technology’s Culinary Arts Division campus in Citrus Heights. Evelyn is the Head Chef of Raley’s, Bel Air and Nob Hill Foods, who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

Chris Macias, meanwhile, is a food and wine writer for the Sacramento Bee, as well as a graduate of UC Davis.

Tickets are $40 in advance purchased online or $50 at the door. Save $5 by buying tickets at any Sacramento-area Raley’s or Bel Air Store. Raley’s Wine Club members can get in an hour early, beginning at 3 p.m. Adults must be 21 or over with ID. For more details, including a list of participating wineries and restaurants, parking information or to buy tickets, visit www.raleysgrapeescape.com.

The Friends of Sutter’s Fort are celebrating the 35^th Anniversary of the Sutter’s Fort Environmental Living Program by inviting the community to a special fundraising dinner which will commemorate the event and will recapture the music, dancing, activities, storytelling and fun that many remember fondly. The dinner is set for Saturday, June 4 from 6 to 9 p.m.

More than 100,000 students have had the tremendous experience of staying the night at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park and all alumni, family, friends – and those who have always wanted the experience –are invited for a trip down memory lane.

A Pioneer Dinner will be served, games will be played and new memories will be made all to support the educational programs that have made a difference in many lives. There will also be a silent auction. Guests will enjoy a Cannon Fire Welcome as well as hands-on projects including candle dipping, doll making, leatherwork and more.

For those who really want to get into the Pioneer Spirit, historic costume rentals are available at Sac Dry Goods by calling (916) 442-4422. Catering is sponsored by Los Ponce’s Tex-Mex Catering.

Tickets are $35 for adults and $20 for children, available in advance at www.suttersfort.org. Sutter’s Fort is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. 2701 L St., Sacramento.

May’s Art & Ag artist visit is scheduled for Thursday, May 19 and Saturday, May 21 at Good Humus Produce in Capay, from 8 a.m. to noon both days. The Art & Ag Project is a partnership between YoloArts, Davis Farmer's Market Foundation and the Yolo Land Trust wherein each month local artists visit a different farm or ranch in the area. By generously offering access to their land, farmers provide artists the opportunity to creatively experience a variety of agricultural landscapes. You may bring your media of choice and create a work of art on site.

Annie Main, of Good Humus Farms, will be at farm visits on Thursdays to welcome visiting artists and Janice Purnell, Art & Ag Project Manager, will be on site on Saturdays.  Visits are scheduled through November.

This month's visit will include a Master Artist Workshop with Davis artist, Marie-Therese Brown on Saturday, May 21. Marie-Therese will present a simplified approach to plein air painting with helpful hints on how to: organize your palette, use a viewfinder, create atmospheric perspective and light and shadow with color. The workshop starts with a demo followed by individual instruction as needed.

After the workshop participants will take some time together to share artwork, get to know each other and share some snacks from the farm provided by farm owner, Annie Main. Artists may also bring a bag lunch.

Enroll Early! This workshop is free of charge but limited to 25 artists. Visitors may work in any media. Please bring a sketchbook. (If you do not want to attend the workshop you are welcome to attend the farm visit and create on your own.)

Thanks to a generous grant from the Irvine Foundation, YoloArts is pleased to award artists participating in Art & Ag farm visits in 2011 a $25 stipend (to cover mileage and supply costs).  
In order to be eligible for a stipend we ask that you:

1.      Register on the YoloArts Artist Directory. A one-time process! Call the YoloArts Office for more information at (530) 406-4844.

2.      RSVP by emailing artag@yoloarts.org for the farm visit (a separate RSVP is required for each farm visit you choose to attend).

3.      Attend & Sign In upon arrival at the farm.  Your signature is required to validate participation

A total of thirty stipends are available each month.  Stipends will be awarded to the first thirty artists who RSVP, attend and sign-in at the farm visits on either Thursday or Saturday. Each artist is eligible to receive three per calendar year (February-October).

Stipends will be mailed by the end of each month in which a farm visit occurs.

To view Marie-Therese's work visit:   www.marie-theresebrown.com. For more information on the Art & Ag project visit www.yoloarts.org. For additional information about Good Humus visit www.goodhumus.com.

Directions to Good Humus Farm

Follow Highway 16 towards the Capay Valley through Woodland and Esparto. Two miles past Esparto in the town of Capay turn north on Road E14 (or Road 85) towards Dunnigan. Go four miles and take the first left turn onto Road 15B. Go another one mile (past Road 84B) and turn right onto Road 84A. Good Humus is on the corner of 15B and 84A. You will see a Capay Valley Grown sign. Park along the trees on Road 84A. 12255 County Road 84A, Capay, 95607.

La Provence Restaurant in Roseville, voted Best French Restaurant by KCRA’s A-List, is hosting a Sierra Vista Wine Dinner, paired with an exceptional menu, set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26.

Sierra Vista, located in El Dorado County, produces award-winning Rhone-style wines from their sustainably farmed estate vineyards. Many compare these prized wines to Chateau Rayas and Chateau de Beaucastel, considered by many to be the best Chateauneuf-du-Pape. These delightful wines are made to be enjoyed with food.

Nicoise Croustade (Ahi tuna tartare, Nicoise olive tempenade, roasted sweet pepper aioli with crisp house made baguette) will be paired with Sierra Vista’s 2010 Grenache Rose during the reception. The 2008 Fleur de Montagne will be served with the appetizer of Torchon de Saumons Fumes (house-smoked King salmon mousse, rolled, poached and pan-seared, n mache greens and fresh blackberry emulsion).

Slow-roasted lamb shank with a cabernet demi-glace and spiced white bean puree (Souris d’Agneau Roti) will be paired with the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon as the main course, followed by upside-down carmelized apricot tart and honey lavender sorbet (Tarte Tatin de Abricot) with the 2006 Viognier Deux for dessert.

The four-course dinner is $50 per person. La Provence will host a Boeger Winery Dinner Thursday, June 30, followed by Frank Family Winery Thursday, July 28, both beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The French restaurant also invites the community to relish in Wine Lovers’ Wednesdays, from 4 to 9 p.m., with half-off the first bottle of wine per table with the purchase of an entrée.

La Provence is described as “the flavors of France and the Mediterranean Regions prepared with California style, in a garden setting.” To celebrate the warm weather, the eatery has opened the East Terrace for an extended Happy Hour, Tuesdays through Thursdays, from 4 to 7 p.m., in addition to the bar’s Happy Hour, Tuesdays through Saturdays from 4 to 7 p.m. For brunch lovers, Steve Browning will be playing jazz music on the terrace Sunday’s at brunch.

La Provence is located at 110 Diamond Creek Place in Roseville. Visit www.laprovenceroseville.com for more information and to check out the new Spring Menus or call (916) 789-2002 for reservations.