Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

 
By Gemma Cleanslate

Easter brings lots of chocolate to mind and tummy. It reminded me that I had been to a place you really need to visit. Just Aboner(Justice Vought) of Oxygen has created Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in second life... Chocolate and other candy everywhere. Just was the creator that brought us the Greenies tribute last year (link).  

“Based on the Movie Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. This interactive experience will be sure to bring back many memories of that Great Classic Movie!
Start By first "trying" to get your Golden Ticket at the Candy store!
Touch , Ride , Jump , Float , Sit, and have fun!
Enjoy , Justice”

The entrance to it all is at a corner candy store called Wonka Bar. Here you stop and pick up the  golden ticket to get into the factory. The place is filled with all the delights you ever would want but is just the beginning of an adventure.

Walk along the path between the building and you will pass poor Charlie’s family home. Take a look to see the life he lived. Move on to the other road to reach the tunnel to the gates of the factory. Be very careful here . As you pass through the gates you will notice signs that state,”....” . Well of course being a reporter  I ignored the admonition and ... I just say pay attention to the sign.

The first stop in to the office of the factory. I spent time there looking around at the artifacts , posters. Both Willy Wonkas have their portraits there . In the classic 1971 Willy  was played by Gene Wilder. The 2005 remake has  Johnny Depp as Willy. Roald Dahl is the author of this story for children and had a message for them and us that is depicted in both movies.

I entered the door that said Golden ticket . A garden of lollipops, toffies, and chocolate everywhere greeted me as I arrived. At that point I called my friend to join me . Chocolate waterfalls and and a river with candy bars to cross over .We hopped into a passing boat and drifted down the chocolate river and through a tunnel into the factory .I hope you have your music on . Willy’s ghost voice might tell you something.

Another sign that I had to disobey was on the wall in the lobby that said Don’t  but my friend saved me from trying it and grabbed a fiz drink. ! Well , it is up to you . Following directions we jumped through a window and finally reached what looked like a large auditorium in the factory. I jumped into a hole in the floor and found myself in a room filled with televisions of all sizes and shapes. (Remembers one boy in the movie obsessed with tv.)

From there we landed in the bubble gum room. Careful where you step  in there! Lots of bubble gum everywhere and then to the guts of the factory where there is a magical ride on a candy bar high above the city passing over Charlie’s house and back into some part of the factory and finally into the little shop where you can pick up any little gifts you missed along the way. Golden tickets tees are only 10L too. We lived through it all with good memories of survival . If you have never seen  the movies look for them on the web. I asked Just how long it would be in sl and his answer was “forever”  My candy urge is satisfied for a while. But for memories and the fun experience,  just take a trip yourself starting here:    http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/River/13/38/2503 .

Gemma Cleanslate
 

Easter Town

By Gemma Cleanslate

Easter Town is open for fun! Laura Liberty has opened it up for all to come shop and play. I was talking to the unusual Easter Bunny (tina (tanyja Resident)) who helps Laura with all the townies and is also a Santa “helper” .There are six events of Townies during the year but I have not seen them all yet. This is my third. You have until about the 18th to get over there and enjoy.

I took a balloon ride over town to get a good overview.  In the quaint colorful shops you will find any decor you want for your home or region. I  also saw some really Easter clothes and cute costumes for adults and kids. Lots of kids things as you imagine with Easter bunnies, eggs , and  toys, party decorations for kiddies and adults. 

Outside there are wonderful games and decor to buy and you can try them out before you invest.  I found an avatar working on an egg decoration in the rezz zone just for that purpose.There is a 7000L prize contest  going on so get your creative juices going . I picked up a cute free egg avatar and will try that on.

There is a great little carrot car to rezz and drive around in or you can cruise  in one of the  broken egg shells along the waterway. There is a race track for peeps Races.

20 Eggs are placed around the region inside the shops and out so make sure you look for those cute prizes while you are there. I am in the middle of finding them so will be going back for more searching. I am glad they are big enough to see because I give up hunts quickly if I cant find things. 

Make sure you get yourself there this week especially if you need decor for your event or home. Easter Town will be up only until April 18. If you want to keep aware of the townies and the builds during the year you can join the group, or you can subscribe for messages. There is a subscriber sign near the entrance.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Townies/138/127/23

Gemma Cleanslate   

Laura Liberty’s Valentine Town

By DrFran Babcock

You may, or may not remember my story about the wonderful Christmas Town that I wrote for this esteemed publication. (http://slnewserplaces.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-town.html ). Well, it seems that Laura Liberty, a builder I have admired for many years, does a build for most of the holidays, with themed building activities, and shops. I figured it would be worth it to see what she had in place for Valentine’s Day. I was not disappointed. Valentine Town (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Elizabeth Town/151/170/36/ ) is a joy for all whether or not you have a loved one.

The Build

Laura Liberty is the creator of Valentine Town. Of course, the color palette is what you would expect, reds, pinks, purples and baby blues. What was uncanny to me is how well Laura works with her prims and her colors. I was sure that the cartoony houses that surround the perimeter of the sim were made of mesh, but I was told that was not the case, as I found out. I had the great fortune to run into Laura Liberty when I dropped in to do my story. I gushed like the fan I am over her work, and asked her what program she used to do her meshes. Here is the exchange:

DrFran Babcock: what do you use for your 3d software? Your stuff is always so coordinated and well done?
Laura Liberty: I use Photoshop Elements, and thank you.
DrFran Babcock: But the 3D??

Laura Liberty: 3d textures?
DrFran Babcock: no the building It's not all regular prims, is it? It has to be mesh.
Laura Liberty: the buildings are just prims and some other bits are sculpts. I think I have one or two small mesh things.
DrFran Babcock: you are even more amazing then.

You simply must come to Valentine Town to see this build, and tell me if you thought it was mostly regular prims. The secret, I suppose is in the carefully thought out color scheme which cannot help but lift your spirits and feed your eyes.

The Activities

There is a lot to do at Valentine Town once one is through wandering around and admiring the look of the place. In the center of the village square stands a huge gumball machine spitting out giant colored spheres. There are two ways to dive in here. You can sit on any of the dark maroon gumballs and “mosh pit” your way around, or touch the sign and get a bunch of free, floaty gumballs. On my last visit, an international assortment of residents was rolling an laughing all around.

You can also leave your mark on Valentine Town by taking a photo of yourself there, and sending it, full-permissions, to Laura Liberty. She will put it up on the Snapshot Board located near the giant gumball machine. In addition, you can get a free face emoter HUD, so you can be smiling in all your pictures.

There are two fountains in the central square, and both of them have great animations for hanging out and chatting, or taking pictures to give to Laura. I spent some time dangling my feet in the water while I tried to speak Italian with a handsome guy.

Shopping

Valentine’s Day is a day that is often about gifts and flowers, and jewelry and lingerie, and…love. There is no shortage of all of this at Valentine Town. Absolutely anything that you can think of that relates to Valentine’s Day is on sale here: Animated furniture with models to try, full perm textures and sculpt texture maps of valentine-related shapes, flowers, landscaping, decorations, clothes, lingerie, sweets, balloons and cards. Everything you’d expect, but with a special twist. My favorite store was the LOL Anti-Valentine Gifts. There’s a certain someone who is going to get the blow-up doll with curlers that is in the shop.

Are you pining for someone, still in love with your ex, or do you have a secret crush? Well. Laura Liberty has a solution for you. No, she won’t get that person for you, but you can send them an anonymous gift. All you have to do is buy something on the sim (just about everything has transfer rights), put it into a folder along with a notecard with the recipients name and the date you want it delivered, and give it to Laura Liberty. Gee, I think I have about five of those to send out.

But, Wait, There’s More

When you love someone, sometimes you hold on to a little suspense to keep the tension going. Therefore, I will wait for another time to tell you about the little corner of the sim, hidden away and cloaked in yellow, purple and green. Can you figure what holiday uses those colors? Stay tuned for more about this astonishing builder, and the holiday sims she features.

DrFran Babcock