Culture

Disney Train Tour: experience Christmas in June

2009-06-20T04:37:03Z

“Who doesn’t love Christmas in June?”

Nicole Rivelli, team member of Walt Disney Studio’s Special Events,

posed this question when asked about the timing of Disney’s “A
Christmas Carol” Train Tour stop in Sacramento.

This weekend will mark the seventh stop for Disney’s train on its 40-city tour.

Sacramento native and president of the Walt Disney Picture Group, Mark
Zoradi, wished everyone a “Merry Christmas” as he introduced the
interactive walk-through train tour being held at the California State
Railroad Museum.

The train is filled with costumes, flat-screen TVs with commentaries
from all the characters, including Producer Robert Zemeckis, and a
behind-the-scenes peek of how the digital 3D film was made.

One of the most appealing attractions is the "Face Morph" station.
Children and adults use Hewlett Packard Touchsmart PCs to take a
picture of their faces and have them morphed into characters from the
film.

A 50-foot by 50-foot-tall 3D theater allowed attendees a 10-minute
preview of the film, which is still in the process of being filmed.

“I think Robert's goal was to stay true to what Dickens wrote, so when
you see Disney's "A Christmas Carol," it's going to be like seeing "A
Christmas Carol" for the first time.” Rivelli said.

The train tour will continue to travel the country, hitting 26 states
altogether.

“It's a five-month tour, so we started in May. We're going to have
Christmas all summer, but when we end, it'll be in November – right
when the film releases – so it's all kind of culminating up to the
film release,” Rivelli said.

Since its start in Los Angeles, the attraction has gotten phenomenal reactions.

"L.A. had five-hour lines. Denver [and] Albuquerque had three-hour
lines. So I think that being able to see … Disney … when they would
normally have to come out to Orange County to see it, or all the way
to Florida, the fact that we're bringing a little Disney magic to
them, they love it,” Rivelli said.

"It was definitely an easy decision to make it stop in Sacramento,”
Rivelli said. “I mean, look at it, the old town is the perfect
backdrop for this train.”

The Disney train tour highlights a part of history from Dickens’ time
and brings a book to life that has played a huge part in classical
literature.

The train tour will end in November, right in time for the movie
release on Nov. 6.

All images photographed by Fino Balanza

Nike Women's Fitness Festival at State Capitol

2009-06-09T02:14:39Z

Women crowded the State Capitol on Sunday as they vowed to stand and run to raise money for WEAVE (Women Escaping a Violent Environment), Sacramento's primary provider of domestic violence and sexual assault services.

The Nike Women's Fitness Festival, which is also known as "Sacramento's Largest All Women's Walk," took place at the Capitol on Sunday, June 7 from 7:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. The whole event was presented and sponsored by WEAVE Inc., the Mercy Women's Health Pavillion, Nike, Fleet Feet Sports, Blue Diamond Almonds and, among others.

This was the fifth annual festival benefitting WEAVE. Serving the Sacramento area for over 30 years, WEAVE offers a 24-Hour Crisis Line, Safehouse, counseling, legal assistance, prevention education, and several other services at no cost. WEAVE’s mission is to end domestic violence and sexual assault in partnership with the community. WEAVE serves all women, men, and children regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, or income level.

Beth Hassett, Executive Director of WEAVE, said of the event, "The Women's Fitness Festival was an amazing day for everyone involved,” said Beth Hassett, Executive Director of WEAVE. “More than 3,200 women and girls walked, ran, and rolled their way on the 5K course. Their strength today will help provide strength to a family that is fleeing a violent home or a woman who has survived a sexual assault. WEAVE is so grateful for the involvement of Nike and Fleet Feet Sacramento for continuing to grow this event and to work with us as the event's beneficiary charity."

The Mercy Women's Health Pavillion was a first-time sponsor for the event this year. During the festival, Mercy provided attendees with health-related screenings and a presentation on women's health education, conducted body composition testing, foot screenings with Mercy podiatrists, core strength testing with physical therapists, and had specialists on-site to answer questions.

Gift bags were given to the first 3,000 entrants, including a Nike Dri-Fit True Sport Tee, Fleet Feet Sports reusable canvas bag, a commemorative water bottle, a $5 coupon at Fleet Feet Sports and Fleet Feet Lifestyle Boutique, and a Blue Diamond Almonds breakfast. Nike set up a huge Nike oOutdoor sStore with discounts and sales. There were also over more than $50 worth in sample products and coupons from sponsors such as Luna Bar, Bear Naked and others.

The overall winners for the 5k run were:

1st Place: Kirsten Schneider from Sacramento with a time of 17:55.0, age 40.

2nd Place: Bridgette Pilling from Folsom with a time of 18:07.9, age 26.

3rd Place: Juliet Wahleithner from West Sacramento with a time of 18:11.9, age 31.

The Nike Women's Fitness Festival put together a great event supporting women, fitness, health and, nutrition, and raiseding over more than $25,000 for WEAVE.

Capital Creative Collective: the new creative catalyst of Sacramento

2009-06-17T04:36:48Z

"It's Tuesday night inside de Vere's Irish Pub, and a majority of its patrons are scribbling on napkins with Sharpies.

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that these scribblers are architects, interior designers, graphic artists, photographers and other creative individuals who meet as a part of Capital Creative Collective.

Capital Creative Collective is a creative group that has been around for almost a year. They meet on Tuesday nights once a month for what is known as Designer Pint Nights at de Vere's in Downtown Sacramento to socialize, make friends and have a drink. CCC is also a blog.

"Capital Creative Collective's Designer Pint Nights was created to help the hippest, hottest and most innovative people connect face-to-face, and it is the single best place to meet some of Sacramento's most talented individuals and teams," said Jake Favour, founder of the CCC.

"The monthly Pint Night is a great way to meet other Sacramento creative's in a casual environment. There is no formal structure, just a group of folks learning about what we do, sharing ideas, stories and developing friendships, said Mike Whisten, who attends Designer Pint Nights and is a member of CCC.

"We will do a "Napkin Battle" where Jake throws out a design situation and everyone has 5 minutes to create a solution. That is a lot of fun with some hilarious solutions and some really creative solutions as well.”

Sometimes the benefits of attending Designer Pint Nights are surprising. "We had a guy who was there for the first time, and by the end of the night, he started his career."

CCC hopes to put on design battles and to become a venue for designers to voice ideas.

"Let's say the city gives a problem," Favour said. "We would hold a competition for the designers to fix that problem. Whether it's the Light Rail needing some addition help, or something to do with the bike trails. It's all about the designers voicing their creativity towards a stronger voice. They need to open more source solutions and become more proactive in Sacramento."

In the future, Favour hopes that CCC becomes a full-fledged website for the creative community. It will be a tool that will work alongside the city of Sacramento to help new stores, new buildings, etc.

"Capital Creative Collective just had a Design Battle at MARRS on the last Second Saturday (in May)," he said. " I can see CCC being a part of the Second Saturday Art Walk."

The Designer Pint Nights are on the second Tuesday of every month at de Vere's Irish Pub at 1521 L Street. For more information on CCC, check out the blog at capitalcreativecollective.wordpress.com.

Local Sacramentans "Sell-out" and "Buy-out" at Bows and Arrows

2009-06-15T00:41:06Z

Trisha Rhomberg and Olivia Coelho, owners of the Bows & Arrows Boutique, held their second Sellout Buyout Art & Fashion Bazaar of the year during June's Second Saturday Art Walk. Bows & Arrows is a vintage store that buys, sells and trades all fashion trends. It is located at 1712 L Street in midtown Sacramento.

The Sellout Buyout event allows local Sacramento artists and designers to have a place to sell some of their creations and to network with other designers.

“My partner Olivia and I wanted to showcase local talent and have people own clothes and accessories from Sacramento designers,” said Rhomberg. “It’s a great opportunity for them to get all the profit from the sales without going retail,” she said.

Rhomberg and Coelho have been doing Sellout Buyout since 2003, four times a year. They first started at Body Tribe, moved to a salon and then moved to Fool’s Foundation before opening Bows & Arrows in November of 2007.

“The Sellout Buyout event is very close to my heart," said Coelho. "It’s the first thing I did in Sacramento."

The Sellout Buyout event this Second Saturday had a mix of artists in different areas, including Tina Leanne Jewelry and Fine Arts, Kristina McClanahan, Archradish, Kewish Designs, etc.

“This was my first time at the Sellout Buyout event,” said Tina Leanne. “I came out here three months ago for Second Saturday. I first got into jewelry when I first went on a missions trip to New Orleans. It was really disturbing. I went there five weeks after (Hurricane Katrina). I took pictures and God gave me the inspiration to become an artist. People gave me some beads and here I am.”

Tina first found out about the Sellout Buyout from her friend, Lisa Elliott, who was also there to support the creations and designs of her daughter. Her daughter was there to sell all the designs they sewed, from clothes to handbags and accessories.

“I’m a paper artist and I also sew. I normally do gallery shows,” said McClanahan. “I’m a normal customer of Bows & Arrows and this is my first time actually showcasing my work. I think there’s a lot of traffic and I’ve been okay with sales.”

For more information about Bows and Arrows, visit www.bowsandarrowsvintage.com

All images photographed by Fino Balanza