SONGS ABOUT LOVE: There are, of course, thousands of emotional ballads about love, and sweetness, and caring, but not every passionate ditty deals with the notion of romance. Oftentimes the good feeling burbling behind a hit tune stems from the concept of community, and human-to-human concern, and the respect we show our fellow travelers on this lifely journey. Concerts, then, and music festivals, are fine places to meditate upon these tender topics, which find a lot of play within the themes of the music (and the spirit of the event itself). BottleRock Napa Valley, which will again strum it up over the Friday through Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, will feature a song or two or twenty dealing with these positive vibes, vibes that will get an early start, ahead of the festival, on Thursday, May 26. That's when the Do It For The Love dinner and concert is scheduled to raise the roof, and raise some funds, at Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford. If you know...
DO IT FOR THE LOVE, you know the organization's founder, Michael Franti, and his wife, ER nurse Sara Agah Franti, wanted to create a way the help bring "people living with life-threatening illnesses, children with severe challenges, and wounded veterans to live concerts." The foundation fundraiser is set at 150 guests, so Mr. Franti's alfresco live set should engender a feeling on draw-together intimacy for all who gather. Mercedes-Benz USA is presenting the food-fabulous evening, along with Do It For the Love, so count on cocktails, small bites, wines, and luxe eats at "an array of food stations" at the hotel's Michelin-starred eatery.
PACKAGE: Will there be an on-site afterparty? Indeed, so head for the Bubble Lounge, where sparkling wines are the theme. Is there a multi-night stay-over package you can book, if a longer stay at Auberge is your jam? There is, and it is called The Mercedes-Benz Rock & Ride Weekend (there shall be cars to test out at the hotel, in addition to several other vacation-ready perks). Will it be heart-embiggening to savor the songs at BottleRock Napa Valley, later in the weekend, knowing you started out your stay with some community-style love? So heart-embiggening. If you can't attend the dinner and concert, but want to help out Do It For The Love, you so totally can.
