World’s largest chalk drawing … in Alameda!

A 10-day project (May 27 – June 6) to create the world’s largest chalk drawing is underway at Alameda Point.

The Kid’s Chalk Art Project is a community event that celebrates and supports the creative spirit of our children. The Project’s goal is to collaboratively create the World’s Largest Chalk Drawing with the kids of Alameda (K-12), their families, friends, and neighbors, as well as the greater community of the San Francisco Bay Area.

We are attempting to break the Guinness World Record and plan on obtaining a satellite photograph of the artwork to promote our mission. The chalk drawing will be created over a two-week period, culminating on June 7, 2008. The event is open to the public, on the decommissioned Naval Air Base of Alameda Point.

A blog and photo gallery track the daily progress.

Alameda Theater: Some suggestions

The reviews are in (here, and here, for starters) and the Alameda theater restoration is getting rave reviews. I was there for the free grand opening on Saturday and watching Ingrid Bergman on the big screen brought back memories from many years ago! Perhaps the theater might want to consider the regular screening of classics, in addition to the first run movies.

The website could do with some sprucing up. For starters, it is incomplete as Indiana Jones is playing on two screens, while the website lists the timings for only the main screen. As always, Google to the rescue. btw, Google has listings for all 8 screens, but the theater’s website lists only 5! What gives?

As the restored main screen is perhaps the main draw, it would be helpful if the movie playing there was clearly identified.

The online booking interface is broken! It takes you to a screen that has links to the individual websites for the movies, but good luck trying to book a ticket through any of these links.

Hopefully, these are just the initial glitches and will be sorted out in due course.

While we’re on the topic of the theater, check out the June 1933 program for the Alameda Theater.

Part A

Part B

Part C

Part D

And pigs can fly!

This blog (has for the most part) stayed away from local politics, preferring to let other folks who are more conversant in this area to discuss such matters. Still, I couldn’t help but notice this comment from Don Roberts, a vocal critic of the Alameda Theater:

Yesterday morning, hundreds of people stood in line to take a free tour of the beautifully refurbished Alameda Theater and the new 7 screen megaplex. They also got to see free classic movies, i.e., Casablanca, Singing in the Rain, and the Wizard of Oz.

Perhaps a sign that he has now changed his mind? 🙂

Countdown to Alameda Theater

Despite my initial reservations about the size of the parking garage, I’m eagerly looking forward to the grand opening of the theater. I walked by today and it still looks very much like a construction zone.

Inquiring mind wants to know: will they get rid of the gaudy colored bulbs at the theater entrance (underneath the awning)?

Benefit concert for local family

As reported in the Alameda Sun:

What are the chances that cancer would hit 50 percent of everyone in one family? Three members of one Alameda family of six: baby Porter (now age 4), Jim Pixton (the dad) and Jen Pixton (the mom) have all been diagnosed with cancer. Jen Pixton has just finished her chemotherapy treatments and now it is time to help raise some much needed money for this self-employed family to help them pay for ever-escalating medical expenses.

A Benefit Concert featuring the Music of Bluegrass Bands Dark Hollow, The Backyard Party Boys, The Kentucky Twisters and The Bay Island Ramblers will be held at Michaan’s Auctions by the Bay Theatre on Saturday 17th May.