The 33rd annual Napa Wine and Crafts Fair is    Sept. 12. It’s hard to imagine changing an event that has been so successful for so long, but organizer Marla Bird, who has been at the helm for three years, is a perfectionist. She constantly is thinking about how to make it even better.

Most changes will be subtle. The artwork has always been juried. Artists send in pictures of their original, handcrafted work for evaluation, and only the best are chosen. Bird always introduces a few new artists to keep the event fresh for attendees. Likewise, the layout undergoes slight changes every year. The differences are not dramatic, just enough to keep it interesting.

Three changes will be incorporated this year. A children’s area, featuring interactive arts and crafts, will be part of the show for the first time. In addition to wine booths sprinkled liberally up and down the street, Bird is transforming Coombs Plaza into a wine court, with places to sit, visit and listen to music while enjoying a glass of wine. The third change might be more subtle — she wants the musicians performing to be new and unique to the Wine and Crafts Fair.

Bird gets her commitment and passion for the event from her mother, Sandi Perlman. Perlman, owner of Napa Valley Emporium, is a past president of the Napa Downtown Association and the Napa Chamber of Commerce. She took over management of the Wine and Crafts Fair when it was in a steep decline — 30 years ago — and developed it until it became one of the top three shows in Northern California.

The Napa Wine and Crafts Fair is free, and runs from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m..

Something new from the kitchen...

Neela’s (at 1215 Clinton St., around the corner from Azzurro Pizzeria) added two thalis, an Indian word meaning both plate and complete meal, to the dinner menu. Already available at lunch, thalis have been very popular. Owner Neela Paniz said that while many people like Indian food a la carte, some like the comfort of ordering an inclusive meal.

Paniz learned to cook in her native India from her mother, who had an inherent understanding of what ingredients worked best together. In 1985, Paniz opened Chutneys, a fast food restaurant, in Los Angeles. She sold her share and opened Bombay, a more upscale restaurant, in 1989 and ran it for 19 years.

Repeatedly invited to the Culinary Institute of America to lead demonstration classes for the World of Flavors, she began to think of opening a place Upvalley, but decided that downtown Napa made more sense. Neela’s is purposely a simple place, with a few carefully chosen pieces of art from her private collection. She rejected the typical buffet found in many Indian restaurants, stating that having food sit out that way doesn’t do it justice. She offers options that are fresh, and buys locally whenever she can. Lunch Tuesday through Friday is from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner Tuesday through Sunday is 5:30-9 p.m.

See you downtown!

Craig Smith is the executive director of the Napa Downtown Association, and can be reached at 257-0322 or craig@napadowntown.com.