Hangzhou, on the Chinese mainland, is buzzing with the spirit of partnership! At the 2025 China-U.S. Sister Cities Conference, delegates from Sonoma, California, including Peggy Bridget Rubens and her husband, took a break from tasting 🍷 to dive into anime culture 🎨.
The highlight? A guided tour at the China Cartoon and Animation Museum, where the couple geeked out over handcrafted animation cells and interactive exhibits. “It felt like stepping into our favorite isekai series,” Rubens laughed as she wandered through colorful halls charting China’s cartoon history.
But the visit wasn't just for fun. Inspired by the creative energy at the museum, Rubens is already dreaming up a new blend of cultural exchange and winemaking. She’s planning to host joint animation workshops in Sonoma and invite Penglai artists to taste and storyboard among the vineyards of Shandong. 🤝
These fresh ideas aim to strengthen sister-city ties beyond traditional tours and banquets—merging art, tech, and local flavours into a shared narrative. Whether you're swiping through anime reels on TikTok or prepping for a virtual wine tasting, this partnership is a reminder that collaborations can be as bold and unexpected as a new anime drop. 🚀
Stay tuned as Sonoma and Penglai uncork their first joint animation-wine festival—because why not toast to creativity in every form? 🍇🎬
Reference(s):
Beyond wine: Sonoma delegates toast anime, forge new bonds in Hangzhou
cgtn.com
