There are some times when “virtual” means “realistic.” This isn’t one of those cases. The sooner you realize that “Virtua Tennis 3” isn’t meant to be a realistic tennis simulation, the quicker you’ll enjoy what’s actually a solid — but arcade-like — tennis video game.

The theater lost a compelling voice when Tony Award-winning, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein died of cancer last year.

In two of the final concerts in their landmark tour, the first family of American folk music appears at the Napa Valley Opera House April 19 and 20.

Napa High School played host Saturday night to the Napa School of Music’s Garage Band 101 concert.

On Friday night at the Lincoln Theater, a remarkable performance played out as Kevin and Cindy Spencer, now entering their 20th professional year of performing magical illusions, took the audience on a journey that will be remembered for a lifetime.

“Cirque de la Symphonie,” an art show and online auction to benefit the Napa Valley Symphony, opened Friday at Jessel Gallery in Napa.

Sonoma Jazz +, now in its third year, will bring crooners Tony Bennett and Harry Connick Jr., rhythm ’n’ blues singers Smokey Robinson and Michael McDonald, crossover country artist Leann Rimes and blues guitarist Robert Cray to the popular Sonoma music festival on Memorial Day weekend.

Hailed by Rolling Stone as “the Queen of Folkabilly,” Nanci Griffith’s folk and country roots have taken her from Austin’s Hole-In-The-Wall bar to Carnegie Hall, Grand Ole Opry and London’s Royal Albert Hall; from an 8-year-old girl in Texas learning to play guitar from a television instructor to a woman of the world, visiting and performing in Vietnam, Cambodia and Kosovo in support of the abolition of landmines.

Buoyed by the artistic success and widespread interest in the inaugural event, producers of the international Festival del Sole have revealed plans and attractions for a second music gala in wine country this summer.

Talk about turning back to our lost past, that miracle was accomplished on Saturday night at the Napa Valley Opera House. Who among us could ever forget the incredible sounds and imagery of Cab Calloway and his hot jazz orchestra of the 1930s and ’40s?

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Charlie Crist is being asked to pardon the late Jim Morrison, lead singer of the Doors, 38 years after he was convicted of exposing himself during a Miami concert.

Now, we would certainly never condone the use of illegal substances. We are a family friendly news service, after all.

NEW YORK — The (film) geek shall inherit the earth.

From tap dancing to Taiko drumming to a demonstration on how to properly swing a baseball bat, Napa Valley’s Junior Miss competition featured talents as diverse as the 25 contestants themselves.

Eighth Grade

Name: Ashby

Name: Lottie Lu

Aveus is all about rebellion. The metal band made up of Napa teens is finishing up a concept album called "Heaven's Last Hour," a compilation of songs addressing corruption in America's organized religions, according to Steve Meloney, Aveus' lead vocalist.

Education

Editor’s note: Mukta Tripathi, a Napa resident, is writing a series of articles on cooking vegetarian Indian food for the Register, based on her memories of growing up in India.

I once spent a winter living on Plum Island Sound in Ipswich, Mass., and there made the acquaintance of the regional specialty, the clam. It’s the local fast food; cut into strips and deep fried, it’s quite tasty. My children were always persuaded they were eating caterpillars, but this only added to the appeal for the pre-school set.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, Sgt. 1st Class Cheryl Dupris, a member of the U.S. Army’s Individual Ready Reserve, has completed three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Cuvaison hosts a vertical tasting of cabernet sauvignon from the historic Brandlin Vineyard on Mt. Veeder on Saturday.

To celebrate Judd’s Hill Winery’s new facility in Napa, Art, Bunnie, Judd and Holly Finkelstein will host an island party — the Judd’s Hill Musical Bonanza — Saturday.

Many wineries in Napa Valley are owned by families, but few have family members more involved than Judd’s Hill Winery.

ZARE’S ANNIVERSARY — Zare’s Restaurant celebrates its second anniversary with live music and bellydancing, 6 to 10 p.m. today  followed by DJ music until 2 a.m.  5091 Solano Ave., Napa. Info, 257-3318.

The Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County presents “Earth Day Napa Valley — Building Awareness and Inspiring Change” a free event April 21, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Napa Valley College soccer fields.

Community members and service groups, working with the Napa/Solano Audubon Society, are assembling bird-nesting boxes today at the California Native Plant Society’s Wildflower Show at Skyline Park in Napa. The nesting boxes, made from kits, will be placed in the field in locations provided by the Audubon Society.

From Register Staff

Situated on two acres of zinfandel vines, the home of Pam and Bill Connolly rises from the valley floor like a Tuscan castle, complete with a stonework rear entrance, arched openings and massive chimneys.

Shoar

AGTARAP-BLANZA -- Santos Castelo Agtarap Jr., 25, Lena Drive, American Canyon, to Mary Ann Umipig Blanza, 27, Lena Drive, American Canyon.

Queen of the Valley

Fred and Fay (Swett) Bockhahn of Napa celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on April 14, 2007. Family and friends offered congratulations at an open house at the couple's home. Cake and refreshments were shared while reminiscing old times and fond memories.