By Cody Kitaura
Citizen Staff Writer
Special to Scoop
Call me old fashioned, but I thought vampires wore capes. And turned into bats. And slept in coffins.
None of that is true in author Stephenie Meyer’s wildly successful Twilight franchise, but it didn’t stop hundreds of fans from packing into Sacramento’s Esquire IMAX Theatre for a midnight showing of the newest installment on June 30.
The series, which first hit the big screen in 2008, revolves around Arizona-native Bella Swan’s (Kristen Stewart) move to an unfamiliar high school in rural Washington state, where she falls madly in love with vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), all the while being thrown into dangerous vampire turf wars and werewolf rivalries.
Eclipse, the third of the four-part series, was released June 30, and shattered records for the biggest midnight release in U.S. history, grossing an estimated $30 million on its first night.
The film revolves around the hunt for clues as the vampire protagonists fear out-of-control, “newborn” vampires may be behind a string of mysterious killings in Seattle. As danger seems more and more imminent, werewolf heartthrob Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) confesses his love for Bella and sets out to convince her that he’s a better mate than cold, undead Edward.
Fans of “traditional” vampire tales will revel in the flashbacks showing the human lives of the bloodsucking characters before they were immortal. One such flashback shows Jasper Hale (Jackson Rathbone) as a Confederate soldier in the Civil War, while Edward’s early-1900s persona shows through as he describes how his romance with Bella would have gone during his time.
“I would’ve courted you,” he says during a tender moment in Eclipse, explaining how he would have “stolen a kiss or two.”
His old-fashioned nature irks Bella, who is eager to skip the chaperoned strolls and get to the real intimacy. She urges Edward to bite her and turn her into a vampire so they can spend eternity together, but he resists.
The feeling of this installment was radically different from past Twilight films, and the move was a positive one. Each film in the series is overseen by a different director, and Eclipse’s David Slade was a surprisingly successful choice. Slade, a 40-year-old Briton with a Cullen-esque complexion, was previously more known for gory horror films and music videos than tween-heartthrob flicks, but Eclipse winds a sense of dark suspense with the requisite web of romance.
The film’s target audience hasn’t shifted from that “young adult” crowd, but the few fathers present at the midnight showing (who likely weren’t there by choice) could find enjoyment at least in the film’s few fast-paced action scenes, which were energetic and well done.
And if the more reluctant attendees weren’t able to enjoy that part of the film, they could at least revel in the audio-visual candy store that is the Esquire IMAX Theatre, located at 1211 K St. in downtown Sacramento. The massive screen and booming stereo seem to make any movie more engaging.
Eclipse was destined for success before any of its core fans had seen even a frame of the actual film, but luckily the movie does enough to keep even the non-rabid fans engaged.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Grow with Old Elk Grove
On June 19 the Gardener's of the Grove held a day-long event with workshops at The Secret Garden. This fake fruit and vegetable man was on a display table in an area where the children's garden workshop was held.
Children made cute crafts that taught them about gardening, bugs and healthy eating.
In the morning, Gardeners of the Grove planted flowers in 12 planter boxes on Elk Grove Boulevard to beautify the Old Town area. Then everyone made their way to The Secret Garden for three workshops- one for children, and two for adults.
Check out the 6/23 citizen for an article about the event.
Sorry For Not Updating
Sorry I haven't updated this blog in quite some time. We've been busy with special tabs, and in addition that that, news is slower in the summer. But I plan on taking more photos when I'm out and about so I'll have something to entertain you with!
Thanks for reading,
Katie
Thanks for reading,
Katie
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Silent Auction for Haiti Relief
Bid on some fancy items, like diamond earrings and massages, at a silent auction to benefit Haiti.
A group of 16 people, mostly Elk Grove locals, will travel to Haiti in June to bring medical and baby supplies. They will also rebuild houses and start a kid's club.
The auction will take place at The Secret Garden in Old Town Elk Grove on May 15 from 4-8 p.m.
The Secret Garden is located at:
8998 Elk Grove Blvd
Elk Grove, CA 95624
(916) 686-2006
A group of 16 people, mostly Elk Grove locals, will travel to Haiti in June to bring medical and baby supplies. They will also rebuild houses and start a kid's club.
The auction will take place at The Secret Garden in Old Town Elk Grove on May 15 from 4-8 p.m.
The Secret Garden is located at:
8998 Elk Grove Blvd
Elk Grove, CA 95624
(916) 686-2006
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Spaces left in Fine Arts Workshops
The Elk Grove Fine Arts Center presents a bevvy of workshops and classes every month for all skill levels. Here are some upcoming classes:
Oil Painting, with Kristine Bybee, Saturday, May 8, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Fee - $50.00
This workshop will include a step-by-step process designed for students to realize a finished painting in oil. Thoughtful demonstrations, critiques and handouts accompany this class to help students achieve maximum results. This workshop designed for the novice to intermediate painter.
Acrylic Abstract Painting, with David Lobenberg, Sunday, May 23, 10:00 am - 2:00 p.m., Fee - $80.00. This workshop is appropriate for beginner to advance painters as well as for painters who want to learn how to paint with acrylics or who already have experience painting. There will be no representational painting what so ever! I'll be passing out some hand outs and talking about all sorts of ways you can think about what you are going to paint BEFORE you put brush to canvas. You will have a road map and not end up with a jumbled, mushy abstract mess with no emotion, feeling, strong color sense, striking composition, etc. We will also explore some great specialized acrylic mediums that can be used for your abstract.
Painting Watercolor Koi Fish, with Ron and Sandy Ridley, Wednesday, May 26, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.,
Fee - $40.00. This watercolor demonstration is designed for both new and experienced painters. All you need is an interest to learn and a desire to have fun. We will be teaching you how to draw Koi Fish and arrange them in a composition. You will be using a wet in wet technique by applying the wet paint to the wet paper and letting the pigments blend together
www.elkgrovefineartscenter.org.
Oil Painting, with Kristine Bybee, Saturday, May 8, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Fee - $50.00
This workshop will include a step-by-step process designed for students to realize a finished painting in oil. Thoughtful demonstrations, critiques and handouts accompany this class to help students achieve maximum results. This workshop designed for the novice to intermediate painter.
Acrylic Abstract Painting, with David Lobenberg, Sunday, May 23, 10:00 am - 2:00 p.m., Fee - $80.00. This workshop is appropriate for beginner to advance painters as well as for painters who want to learn how to paint with acrylics or who already have experience painting. There will be no representational painting what so ever! I'll be passing out some hand outs and talking about all sorts of ways you can think about what you are going to paint BEFORE you put brush to canvas. You will have a road map and not end up with a jumbled, mushy abstract mess with no emotion, feeling, strong color sense, striking composition, etc. We will also explore some great specialized acrylic mediums that can be used for your abstract.
Painting Watercolor Koi Fish, with Ron and Sandy Ridley, Wednesday, May 26, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.,
Fee - $40.00. This watercolor demonstration is designed for both new and experienced painters. All you need is an interest to learn and a desire to have fun. We will be teaching you how to draw Koi Fish and arrange them in a composition. You will be using a wet in wet technique by applying the wet paint to the wet paper and letting the pigments blend together
www.elkgrovefineartscenter.org.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Elk Grove Trip to Haiti
Sarah Woodward is an open book. The mother of two runs a daycare out of her home. She’s busy- but is always open and willing to talk about her family and their goals. And she’s not afraid to dig deep.
The most memorable comment I heard Sarah say when I spoke with her on April 21, was that her family wants to “radically love.” She believes this love will distinguish the fear that her family, and some people in their mission group, feels about traveling to the impoverished nation of Haiti.
They’ll be in Haiti from June 5-14 with their two children, along with 10 adults and three teens.
The group will be traveling with 30 suitcases- 2 per person (minus two bags for the baby who does not have a ticket).
The Woodwards were helping Haitians before the earthquake struck.
Sarah was getting shipments of necklaces made by Haitian artists that she would sell locally and mail back the profit.
The Woodwards have friends from college, the Clays, who live in Haiti and started a non-profit, The Apparent Project. They teach Haitians artistic skills that the impoverished people can use to make a profit.
Haitians in Clay’s program make necklaces from recycled paper and ship the jewelry to several women in the United States, including Sarah.
The Clays had a front row seat to the destruction of the earthquake. Their middle class neighborhood overlooks the slum area. When the earthquake hit, the Haitians in their art program were saved because the Clay’s house did not fall apart. The children of the people making jewelry also survived because they were playing in the street outside of the Clay’s home.
However, the slums that the house overlooked were completed destroyed.
Now, the Clay’s have about 10 displaced Haitians sleeping in each room of their three-bedroom home.
“The Clays said many of the (Haitian) families aren’t moving into their homes because they’re scared,” Sarah said.
The Clays have a two-bedroom guesthouse that they’ve decided to rent out to missions group, including the group coming from Elk Grove.
The Woodwards also have another strong connection to Haiti.
Before the earthquake struck they were planning on adopting a Haitian child. Now they are even more determined to adopt a child from Haiti.
The Woodwards are in the initial stages of preparing for adopting a Haitian child.
Before they can adopt internationally, they need to get their house checked.
But the adoption may come at a time that’s not in their control.
Sarah said in Haiti if someone leaves a baby on her doorstep, she would care for the child. However, she couldn’t take an infant home to the States. The Woodwards would have to live there. A possibility that she didn’t seem too upset about.
Sarah is eager to make a difference in the world.
She is not the only person with a passion for helping Haiti, she said.
Most of the people in the mission group are from Elk Grove and have been working hard to gather supplies and donations from local businesses for the trip.
Two of the people going to Haiti, Sarah described as “cowboys from Wilton.”
Sarah said they were instrumental in gathering supplies and getting sponsors to donate items for the silent auction on May 15 at The Secret Garden.
Sarah said for people who genuinely cannot afford the trip, the Clay’s will offer their guesthouse free of charge. (It normally rents for $40 a day).
In preparation for the trip and to ensure their safety, the mission group wants to learn the local language- or at least some key phases before they go.
The group located a man in Sacramento who speaks Creole and offered to teach them the language.
The Elk Grove group recognizes that many young Haitians may need counseling too.
On May 1, some members of the group will drive to Los Altos, Calif. to participate in a “children of trauma” workshop where they will learn how to encourage children to express the psychological effects of trauma through art.
Sarah said she hopes art helps kids “process their feelings about the disaster.”
The most memorable comment I heard Sarah say when I spoke with her on April 21, was that her family wants to “radically love.” She believes this love will distinguish the fear that her family, and some people in their mission group, feels about traveling to the impoverished nation of Haiti.
They’ll be in Haiti from June 5-14 with their two children, along with 10 adults and three teens.
The group will be traveling with 30 suitcases- 2 per person (minus two bags for the baby who does not have a ticket).
The Woodwards were helping Haitians before the earthquake struck.
Sarah was getting shipments of necklaces made by Haitian artists that she would sell locally and mail back the profit.
The Woodwards have friends from college, the Clays, who live in Haiti and started a non-profit, The Apparent Project. They teach Haitians artistic skills that the impoverished people can use to make a profit.
Haitians in Clay’s program make necklaces from recycled paper and ship the jewelry to several women in the United States, including Sarah.
The Clays had a front row seat to the destruction of the earthquake. Their middle class neighborhood overlooks the slum area. When the earthquake hit, the Haitians in their art program were saved because the Clay’s house did not fall apart. The children of the people making jewelry also survived because they were playing in the street outside of the Clay’s home.
However, the slums that the house overlooked were completed destroyed.
Now, the Clay’s have about 10 displaced Haitians sleeping in each room of their three-bedroom home.
“The Clays said many of the (Haitian) families aren’t moving into their homes because they’re scared,” Sarah said.
The Clays have a two-bedroom guesthouse that they’ve decided to rent out to missions group, including the group coming from Elk Grove.
The Woodwards also have another strong connection to Haiti.
Before the earthquake struck they were planning on adopting a Haitian child. Now they are even more determined to adopt a child from Haiti.
The Woodwards are in the initial stages of preparing for adopting a Haitian child.
Before they can adopt internationally, they need to get their house checked.
But the adoption may come at a time that’s not in their control.
Sarah said in Haiti if someone leaves a baby on her doorstep, she would care for the child. However, she couldn’t take an infant home to the States. The Woodwards would have to live there. A possibility that she didn’t seem too upset about.
Sarah is eager to make a difference in the world.
She is not the only person with a passion for helping Haiti, she said.
Most of the people in the mission group are from Elk Grove and have been working hard to gather supplies and donations from local businesses for the trip.
Two of the people going to Haiti, Sarah described as “cowboys from Wilton.”
Sarah said they were instrumental in gathering supplies and getting sponsors to donate items for the silent auction on May 15 at The Secret Garden.
Sarah said for people who genuinely cannot afford the trip, the Clay’s will offer their guesthouse free of charge. (It normally rents for $40 a day).
In preparation for the trip and to ensure their safety, the mission group wants to learn the local language- or at least some key phases before they go.
The group located a man in Sacramento who speaks Creole and offered to teach them the language.
The Elk Grove group recognizes that many young Haitians may need counseling too.
On May 1, some members of the group will drive to Los Altos, Calif. to participate in a “children of trauma” workshop where they will learn how to encourage children to express the psychological effects of trauma through art.
Sarah said she hopes art helps kids “process their feelings about the disaster.”
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