The Mayflower Exhibit

By Becky "Sha" Shamen

Last November, our Editor, Bixyl Shuftan, wrote an article about the Mayflower and Plymouth Colony Exhibit. (slurl.com/secondlife/Zundra/230/69/21 ). Recently, Bixyl told me they had taken the exhibit down after Thanksgiving, but might have restored it, for this season. He suggested that I go and see if I could do an update on the story. When I visited the site, the exhibit was indeed restored and was exactly as his article had described. To add to the story, I would need to write about my own impressions about what it would be like to be one of those early American pioneers. There are numerous signs, around the exhibit, that give information, but, to fuel my imagination, I search the Internet for additional details.

  The first thing discovered was how small the Mayflower was. Excluding the bowsprit, the ship was only 80-90 feet long. Today, that might be a good size for a personal yacht, but how many passengers could endure spending months packed together, like sardines in a can. The exact number of passengers is unknown, but is estimated to be, counting Pilgrims and other adventurers, crew and Captain, 135. Of that number, only about 30% of them were actually pilgrims. 

  The cargo hold offered no additional space for passengers. It was filled with all the things needed to build and feed the new community, at least until their first harvest.

  Due to a late start, bad weather and rough seas, that nearly wrecked the ship, they could not build houses in time for winter. The ship served as a winter home, for everybody, until the following March.

    These pilgrims were committed to dropping out of conventional society, to live in a hostile wilderness, to better tune into a higher calling. Tune in, drop out? They remind me of the hippies, living in communes, that we knew so well, in the late 60's. Makes one wonder what else they planted, besides corn, beans and pumpkins. Having lived in hippy communes and spent much time helping develop communities, one gains respect for these Pilgrim hippies. Crazy as they might seem, they helped improve the goodness of life, for the whole world.

  When we visit historic re-enactment sims and imagine being a part of it, we form an eternal link with it. Becoming eternal is a joyful experience. If you want to be a joyful part of history, I invite you to come explore the Plymouth Colony.

  As I sit down to the thanksgiving feast, I imagine myself giving thanks, for finally getting off that crowded boat. Next time, I'll travel by VW bus.

Zundra (230/69/21 )

"Sha"

Creations Park Revisit

By Gemma Cleanslate

 

I have not been over to Creations Park in a long time, though I had it in mind to get there soon  to include the Winter Wonderland  in my winter sports articles. I saw that there was a reopening of the Art Gallery so I made my way there to see it. Bryn Oh had some pieces for auction for the benefit of Team Fox  in the Gallery. Creations Park is here for the purpose of raising money for Parkinson’s Disease Research through Team Fox. The gallery is lovely and is filled with many Second Life artists’ pieces.  

 

I had not gone through this delightful sim in a long time so decided to hang out there for a while. There are TP boards through out the ground area where you click and end up in a cute taxi that carries you to the location you choose. I used it several times just for the fun of sitting in the taxi. I did walk and fly because there is so much to enjoy in the decor of the sim itself. The views are lovely with many trees, flowers, shrubs everywhere. The  quaint boutique area has many of your favorite merchants shops (a portion of the sales go to Team Fox). I succumbed to buying several outfits but also found some lovely gifts in several shops. 

 

I took the taxi over to the cafe and spent a few minutes sitting in the comfortable setting there with a cup of coffee. Next I went over to the beach and wandered around where there are places to relax and enjoy the sand and sun. I spied the hot air balloon so took off in that to gaze down at the whole town and surrounding venues. On one side there is a Castle and on the other a Palace. So my next trip was to climb the steps of  each and get a different view of the region. There is a Stable where you can get a demo horse and ride the lanes. I saw someone sitting in the lovely gardens for a long time, meditating I assumed . It is a soothing place.  

 

There is a TP center where you will be able to reach the other wonderful areas . Down under the waters there is a magnificent merfolk place where parties are held sometimes, so dive in to see it. The Ethereal place is well named as it is ethereal. Paths lead to different ‘temples’ where you can enjoy dancing, hanging out, waters and more surrounded by magical color . Peace Place is an outdoor venue with tepees , totems, homesteads and buildings remeniscent or the Old West. Waterfalls and ponds make it another place to relax and meditate .  The Winter Wonderland area  is a favorite of mine and it is always there regardless of the season . So if in July you want to ice skate you can. 

 

I was able to visit on Sunday when ‘The Drum’ was performing for the benefit of Team Fox. This amazing group performs rhythms on various drums and setups in great costumes . There are always activities and events going on in this wonderful region. I recommend you get over there to visit if you have not been before. I wrote about this lovely sim several years ago but am happy to revisit and discover anew. Bixyl interviewed the owner , Barbie Alchemi  several years ago too. I am so glad to see the project remains in Second Life.  

 

 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Creations%20Park/91/163/39  will put you at the TP center where you can choose your next destination. 

 

Gemma Cleanslate

Wonderland

By Becky "Sha" Shamen

As I began to plan on which adventure to entice my readers with next, I remembered buying an outfit and making props for my previous article, "Once Upon a Cure". I had intended to show that whether or not a thing is true, it can still lead one to finding truth. I included a picture of a white rabbit, wearing an Alice costume, pondering which way to go, to get to the real Wonderland. Alas, I did not write that into the article.

We all know, from reading Alice in Wonderland, she wakes up from a dream, so no amount of scientific evidence will ever convince us that Wonderland can be located in real life. But, what about in Second Life? Sure enough, using search, inworld, brings up "Dysphoria Wonderland", located in the Oxygen Island sim. It was described as "The Best" version of Wonderland, that Second Life had to offer. If that's true, I needed to go there and write about it. I changed my av and costume and clicked to TP to Wonderland.

As the scene rezzed, at the landing, we see a large tree, with a white rabbit and a hole at the base. A message, in local chat, tells us to walk to the hole. Doing so, we fall down a deep hole. About half way down, we land on a platform, with objects floating about it. Somehow, the place feels familiar. Have I been here before? I knew I needed to step off the platform and continue falling. At the bottom of the hole, we find ourself in a large round room. On one side, there is a small door. In the center of the room is a large glass top table, with a key. At the base of the table, we see a box, labled "Eat Me" and a bottle, labeled "Drink Me". Flying is not allowed here, so clicking the box puts you on top of the table. I took the short-cut and just panned my cam to the table top, to get the key. Now I know why this place seemed so familiar. To get the key, you have to join a group and it costs L$200. I had been this far before, but, at that time wasn't interested enough to pay the fee.

 

This time, I had a story to write, so I joined. Any future visits will be free. Key in hand, I click the small door. The door opens to a blank texture which, when clicked, puts you in a crawling animation and switches to a view of crawling out the other side, in Wonderland. A note, in chat, tells you to stay on the path, continue to the end and then stop. In places, the path is a bit hard to see, but as long as you proceed around the sim in a counter-clockwise direction, you will see everything, even if a few water hazzards slow you down. We are reassured of having gone the right direction, as we spot the Cheshire cat, sitting on a tree branch ahead. As we approach, he slowly fades from view, leaving only his familiar grin.

 

Before we proceed, I should tell you, try clicking on any interesting objects and furniture you spot. Many of them contain gifts or surprises.

Our next landmark is a house, the home of the white rabbit. Be sure to go up to all the floors, to see what little tricks he has placed there, for your entertainment.

Proceeding down the path, we next find it blocked by a large black widow spider and her web. Clicking the web will get you stuck in it, with the spider inching it's way closer. After getting free, try going around and getting back on the path, on the other side.

Next up, we come to a windmill. In the front yard, there are tables and chairs. We, instantly, recognize this as the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. The other guests seem to have left, leaving a mess behind. As we sit, for a bit of tea, we discover one of the guests is still there. A sleepy doormouse sticks his head out of the sugar bowl. You may decide to drink your tea, unsweetened. We get up and go inside the windmill. Click everything, as there are many free prizes to be had here.

Moving along on the path, we notice a forest of giant mushrooms and think we know what will be found here. I start looking for a giant caterpillar. He wasn't there, but a butterfly was flying around a large mushroom and there was smoke coming from the top. Clicking it put me seated on top, next to a hooka. Knowing there was still adventure to be explored, I decided against trying to inhale any smoke, (laughter). While there, I took one of the best snapshots ever, as seen at the top of this article.

After panning the camera around, to get the best shot, I found myself lost, when I got down. I could see, on the top of a nearby hill, a castle with red trim. I knew what that was for, but just couldn't find the path to it. Fortunate for me, I spotted a balloon. Guessing that it might be the only way up, I clicked on it and began floating off in the wrong direction. In the chat window, I was instructed to use the left and right arrow keys, for direction and the page up and down, for elevation. I quickly mastered piloting the slow moving balloon and steered my way to the castle's courtyard. Before entering the castle, I walked around it and posed for a picture with a couple of aces, from the queens army. This place is called Dysphoria, for good reasons. I felt an abnormal feeling of anxiety, as I entered the castle. I was glad to see that the Red Queen was not at home. I went right up to the throne and sat on it.

Having satisfied that royal fantasy, I got up to search the rest of the castle. I found a side chamber, where a queen might entertain guests. I sat down, at the pipe organ and played a bit of Bach, before exploring farther. Pulling a curtain open, I found a stone wall, where a window or door should be. I thought it might be a secret passage and clicked to see if it would open. When that didn't work, I looked at the wall on both sides and found the button. The wall slid open, revealing an external stairway. At the top of the stairs, there was no door, but it had the same button, so I clicked it. Now I was in the queen's bedroom. Naturally, I went straight to her bed....and danced on it. From there, I found her private balcony at sat down to enjoy the view and sip some champagne. I had gone as far as one can go here, so I stopped. A word of advice, if you're going and get all the way to the balcony, you'll see a pidgeon that says "Don't click me". DON"T click on the pidgeon.

Overall, Wonderland is a great adventure. The graphics are great and the sounds and scenery did produce some anxiety, like what you feel when getting on a roller coaster. It was worth the L$200 fee.

I took 10 pictures at Wonderland. The full set can be seen at shaadventures.blogspot.com/2015/11/Wonderland.html .

 

"Sha"

 

Halloween Haunts: "Rock and Shock" and "Deadman's Island"

By Bixyl Shuftan

Halloween is here, and time to search for some "spooktacular" places to explore around in. Recently, I took a look at two. They were "Halloween Rock and Shock" at Rebel Yell Concerts and "Deadman's Island Haunted Sim" at Mystical Island.

The main entrance is right in a Pentagram. Nearby is what at first looks like a fairly attractive woman. But get a little close, and she shows a different side, "Happy Halloween!" There are a few spooky displays close by, such as the skeleton music band in the building behind you.

More scares await you as you look around. A road from the entrance area leads to what looks like a small town. Some places you can walk into. Others you're limited to just doing some action at the door. At the later, clicking on the door has random results. Sometimes your avatar will try to peek through a keyhole, then hear a scream. Other times, the door buckles, knocking down  your character. And sometimes there's a ticking noise, followed by a boom that sends your avatar hurtling backward. But you dust yourself off and get back up, shaken by unharmed.

Going down one trail, I came across a spooky dark carriage, fit for a vampire lord. But there was no sign of a fanged bloodsucker. Maybe he went out for a bite. Nearby was a haunted house. Going inside, there were scares just around every corner it seemed. Panning around would help only so much. Some appeared just as you walked by. Definitely something thrillseekers would enjoy.

I wasn't the only one looking around. There were several others looking over the place. Perhaps word had gotten around of the sim's tricks and treats.

Rebel Yell Concerts (56, 202, 21)

Another place I stopped by was "Deadman's Island Haunted Sim," at Mystical Island. The place had a scare from the start, with an eyeball that tracked your every step when you were nearby. Not too far away is a lighthouse, with a few bodies inside. And where there are lighthouses, there's usually a ship. But what's around is a ghost ship on the shore, a lone ghost pirate standing at eternal guard with a bottle of rum.

Elsewhere in the sim, is an abandoned building some kind. It's lone live inhabitant one sees, a witch busy brewing some potion. But the chopped up body parts suggest it might not be a good idea to linger long. The sponsor of the sim is also having a photo contest, so maybe some of the screenshots here will come in handy.

Mystical Island (46, 152, 24)

Halloween Town

By Gemma Cleanslate

The sim Townies is definitely unique with  the journey through the quaint town and then the Haunted House. I really loved it. Outside the house there are  shops filled with decor you might like for your Halloween settings and clothing too. Near the entrance there is a pumpkin contest going on too. Grab the directions and you can have fun painting and decorating if you follow the rules.  

Just walking around is good but you can hop a free Halloween Pumpkin Hopper if you like. Better still, to get a good look at the town take a ride on a Devil Hand Town Tour. Just look up and hop on.  After I detached myself from the fingers I approached the Haunted House and entered. Inside I picked up a free frame for pictures that I would take inside and read a sign that told me to watch for 10 gifts that were hidden there.

I discovered quickly that each venue is based on a well known horror film. I am sure you will know.. Carrie... The Shining...The Exorcist ... Jaws and more. I joined some visitors in "Jump in the Line" to dance to the music from Beetlejuice. Long dark corridor with signs lead you from one to another with adventures along the way. Be prepared is all I can say but remember to look for the hidden gifts as you go. 

More adventures await you just follow the guides. I went through the Haunted House twice to be sure I did not miss anything. It was fun dancing in Ghostbusters as my final venue in the house. All this entertainment is due to the work of Laura Liberty with some help from  Tanyja Resident (Tina) and also miki00 Abeyante Laura told me. Have a scary time! 
 
Townies (116/104/98)

Gemma Cleanslate 

*  *  *  *  *

Pumpkin Carving Contest

RULES

1. Cannot use scripts in pumpkins.
2. Pumpkin builds need to be 15 prims or under.
3. Do not submit a pumpkin you bought from marketplace, do nothing to it and enter it as your own build. You need to put some work into the build to make it your own. This is cheating & you will be disqualified.
4. Only 1 entry per avatar.
5. Submit pumpkin before Oct 30th.
6. Send your decorated pumpkin to TANYJA RESIDENT (TINA).

 3025L in Prizes, 750L for overall best

Three Categories: Most Creative, Most Artistic, Most Scary.

Prizes for each category: 1st 400L, 2nd 250L, 3rd 100

Several of the creators who sell at Halloween Town will be judging. The votes will be collected and tallied by Laura Liberty. The winner's names will be posted at Halloween Town on October 31st. You will be contacted by Laura Liberty if you are a winner.

 

Havenhollow III

By Bloodykitty Resident

 A small event is going on in this wonderful sim called Havenhollow III that just really involves trick-or-treating from door to door around the creepy neighborhood. It doesn't list a specific date it starts or ends but I assume it goes from the beginning of October till the end of it. The mansion in the above picture is just one of the locations you can visit after a travel through the graveyard, and hopefully you take the trusty flashlight given to you before you enter. The land is group owned by a private group called, Holiday Appreciation Association and is located in the region LEA22.

My time exploring the place was a fun one because of the trick-or-treating and just the vast exploration of Havenhollow III and the spookiness of the place. Even though it seemed to end really fast for me with the exploration part I still had a good time and honestly would go back again to hang around. Unfortunately it was quite laggy either due to the people around the sim and or that it's just my computer. As far as I am aware there doesn't appear to be any triggering content like screamers, pop-up images / pixels, or anything else. Before you go just be warned if your easily spooked or frightened by small noises. 

Overall I suggest you all go and check the land out while you can and get into that trick-or-treating scene. Luckily they supply buckets for a range of avatars, but I am not exactly sure what some of the labels meant save for the 'standard' one. If I had to say my favorite part of being in the event so far I'd have to choose trick-or-treating and visiting the haunted house, or at least that it's just run-down really. 

 

http://slurl.com/secondlife/LEA22

Bloodykitty

Editor's note: Taking a quick peek over, there were separate buckets for Tiny avatars.I also noticed throwers for eggs and toilet paper rolls. So apparently Halloween fun can take the form of mischief here.

Halloween at Calas

By Gemma Cleanslate

When I went over to Calas the special Halloween sim was not open yet . Now it is! As usual it is distinctive, unlike any other Halloween sim I have seen in Second Life, and deserves special attention. I don’t know how they do, it but every year Ty and Truck outdo themselves in the building of special venues. 

The name of the region is Valyria, taken from the mysterious abandoned city  mentioned in “Game of Thrones” and also in the book , “Song of Ice and Fire”. The music is from Game of Thrones and fits so well . Through out the region you will see images of some of the kings and their courts and others you may recognize. 

At the entrance set the region windlight and turn on sounds and music for maximum experience. The first thing I did when I landed was to take the boat ride that winds through the first level of the region along river ways and lakes. When I landed I began walking. Flying is not allowed and it is a good thing because there are so many places and items to check out .Get a flashlight and watch the sign posts.  

It is not an easy trek and several times I found my self under water or stuck in a wall. Ciska Riverstone, who has been through the sim already was gracious and got me out of trouble and gave me some guidance to certain venues. I saw the Pyramid, the city ruins, the catecombs with bones of the dead, and so much more. 

Watch the signs. Near the portal I came across a group of scouts waiting for the dragon ride . This is a wonderful way to look down on all the ruins .  I finally reached the Portal. Here you will tp to another level and another world. Dress warmly for this part of your journey. Wander  around the castle and keep and then head for the great Cavern. Once there you have reached the end of your long journey. It is very beautiful and will be the site for many parties during the month of October. 

The list of events is up on the board  with artists and times . I hope to go to at least one though they are a little late for me in pacific time. I will be taking the dragon tour again because if you jump off at  certain places you will find ‘journey cloths’. These are teleports to locations you cannot reach any other way so keep an eye out for them. Each place has one to lead you to another. I am not done yet with these. Here is the entrance near the signs and flashlight and boat tour. See you there .http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lost%20Stars/22/17/23  

I have more adventures to tackle  and a whole month to enjoy it all. The last year sim won a special award and I am pretty sure this one will too.  

Gemma Cleanslate

A Trip to the Amazon: Day One

By Bixyl Shuftan

A few years ago, Linden Lab opened their "Amazonian Adventure," located in what they called "The Wilderness." While reviews were overall positive, some wondered if a tropical jungle area should offer more challenges. One blogger was less than thrilled with it's "silly" animals. And some thought the biggest problem with the area was Linden Lab itself, on some levels, it offered something new, and on others it was more of the same.

Recently I heard of another Amazon area that's been open to all residents from the beginning, at least those able to access "Adult" rated areas. It's right to the west of the Mama Allpa sim owned by YT Recreant. The main entrance of the several sim area is at Glint (213, 23, 22). Dropping in, the place had a definate tropical tribal feel with several around dressed in jungle native outfits. Clicking around, I was soon asked for permissions for the place to act on my avatar in certain ways. The place was "Experience Keys" enabled. But the entrance was a "Safe Zone," so whatever happened around here, this was a kind of neutral zone.

There was a board with teleports to each of the eight sims, Glint, Baia Santa Rosa, Rio Tapajos. Panama do Careiro, Lago Marimba, Nayeli, Rio Solimoes, and Rio Grande. Clicking on one, I ended up in a helicopter high above the sims with the door open. Getting a parachute from the wall, it fitted itself automatically, and I jumped down. At around 100m, I deployed it, and began floating down.

I came down in the  Baia Santa Rose sim next to
a building near the shore. By the looks of things, it was a kind of fishing hut. There was someone there. Chatting with her, she was a newcomer to the place like me. Chatting a little, we decided to explore around together. There was a dormant volcano nearby, so we decided to check that out. Looking around, there were crocodiles around, which we kept away from, and a statue of some scary creature. Getting up into the volcano, the inside had no lava, but a pool of water with stepping stones and a small island in the middle. In the middle of that was a stone post, about the right size for securing someone, and red spots around it that looked a lot like blood. This looked like it was for some grisly ritual.

My friend soon came across one of the natives, "Might give you some tips about places you should visit." The blond native, didn't wear much more than a loincloth and a bow and quiver of arrows, tribal paint on various spots on her body. "Mhhh be careful," she told us, " ...as a tourist you are safe. But if you come often here, this may put you at risk." Apparentlypeople could potentially be shot in the back around here, but "You should be safe most of the time. Just keep a few things to trade against your freedom and you'll be safe, corn,chicken, banana."

We asked her if there was anyone we should be cautious about. She answered her tribe, the Xoco, had to watch out for the rebels, "You'll notice some bodies are hung at rebels." The other tribes, Kaiabi, Xoco, Tapirape, and others, she felt were safe for tourists. But there was one thing no one was safe from, "There is a zombie this evening ... run ... if you see him." Going on, she did say there were occasional tribal wars.

The native soon had to leave, so that just left us two to look around some more. Going back down, we soon saw the entrance of a cave. Peeking inside, there was a challenge of some kind. But it was a little laggy at that hour, movingslowly, so we passed. And as it turned out, I had to head out to take care of matters in real life.

Taking another look at the sim description, seems there is an elmlent of "Capture RolePlay" here. So perhaps tourists should be a little wary. More about the sims await future articles. In the meantime, feel free to explore the area.

Bixyl Shuftan

Calas Galadhon Sims

By Gemma Cleanslate

Since I have been too busy to ride my horse for a while I took a break from the Halloween searches to go for a ride in Mirromere in the Calas Galadhon sims. These are season changing sims that are always a pleasure to explore. The trees are  now in autumn glory. You can travel through 12 sims if you like on your horse . If you don’t have one you can rezz one here http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mirromere/170/114/32  . 

 

There are always other modes of transport in the sims of course. A balloon ride is always fun, or a boat ride if you like. If you are into biking you can rezz one in the village area in Calas Galadhon sim. There are so many stunning venues through out the sims it always amazes me every time I visit. The owners TYMUS TENK & TRUCK MEREDITH  keep all these sims for the pleasure of the visitors. There is nothing for sale , no place to rent. It is just for your enjoyment. 

 

Where ever you go you come across little relaxing places with dance balls or comfortable seating where you and a friend can relax and talk, or just sit and read a book if you like. I love the Misty Mountains where birds sing and crickets chirp. and swirls of fog rise out of the waters. Armenelos is another favorite  but watch for the bears there as you make your way through the woods! I also came across a statue of a racoon holding a sign saying “Breathe and Smile” which it made me do. When I leave here I am always more relaxed.  

 

There are events almost every night in one or the other of the clubs  . Join the group for notices . You will find donation boxes around the sims so please try to give a little or a lot to keep these sims where they are. The main entrance offers a tp map to any of the other sims so you can enter here  where you will find  more information and read the rules for these spectacular sims. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Calas%20Galadhon/142/230/22

 

Much as I love all the seasons here, I can hardly wait for winter and the Christmas sim!! 

 

Gemma Cleanslate

Furry Fashion

By BloodyKitty Resident

There's a cool place I discovered through my friend from Tumblr. The sim is called Furry Fashion and is located in the region of Furry and is actually group owned. Besides speaking on Skype too we met up in SL at the sim and I was offered a hosting job which I accepted and am currently waiting to be approved or not. My first reaction to the place was that I was taken in by the purple and black colors as well as just the layout itself. Even though I didn't take a walk around at first since I was talking to said friend and some of the staff there, I still though what I saw was neat.

I'm not exactly sure if everyone gets notecards about the place and it's landmarks but it's helpful. In Furry Fashion there are nine or ten places, including the place you start at which is in front of their lounge I believe. The place includes a sandbox, welcome center, avatar den, furry mall, a job center, park, swimming hole, special event parcel, and a rental office, and also a lounge. While I haven't fully checked out every single landmark on the land thoroughly as I wanted to, what I did get to see was very cool. 

Everyone should come here whether they have a furry avatar or not, which I believe you are allowed to come without being a furry avatar since I didn't get kicked any of the two times I arrived at Furry Fashion. Whether your into dancing, chilling with your friends or people in general, or even shopping this is the place for you! Maybe you'll even get to see my hosting in the club soon enough.

 

BloodyKitty

 

Editor's Note: I've known the owner of the venue, Amethyst Crystal, since 2007 when she was on a different account. I didn't mention the place to her, though, she found about it herself. The store welcomes all (except griefers), although residents whom have over five megabytes worth of scripts will be asked to take off objects containing them until they're under the limit (Avatar control HUDS, Tiny Empires game, etc.). Their lounge has events every evening, and twice a day on weekends. The store is taking part in both the Quest Fur Cover hunt and Twisted Hunt, in addition to launching it's own Halloween Hunt on October 1st (details to follow).

More Halloween Fun

By Gemma Cleanslate

 

“Welcome to Dark Dharma Haunted Manor, they've been waiting... Built in the 1880's, this haunted Victorian manor is an imposing structure, never mind the broken windows and wandering souls. It might even be charming, if it wasn't for what happened. What happened to the last occupants? Come visit, if you dare!”

The house is frightening from the time the maid opens the door. I passed through the sitting room into the dining room where ghouls are still eating amid the spider webs enveloping them and the dinner. The kitchen was most frightening with the cook holding a bloody carving knife while arms begged for help from the oven. I made my way through the doorway into a parlor made ready for games with wispy spirits. Perhaps later. The next room was filled with books floating about through the air. I passed on to climb the stairway with a wall that was filled with family pictures, one more frightful than the other. I believe I recognized some of this family. Entering the room to the left I encountered some of the family spirits sitting around a table having tea. I will leave the description of the powder room to your discovery. 

 

Every door leads to a new discovery, so knock on all of them. In the attic I made a mistake and ended up in some kind of electricution table and so. I never found the reasons for the missing occupants. It is up to you to go find out. Good luck!  Now I remember ... I was here before!! Maybe I was part of the family!!

BENTEN/87/221/28

 

My next visit was to a place that promised four scary venues, NC's Halloween 9th year HAUNTED Mansion RIDES, ZOMBIES and Asylum. A guided ride sounded good so I headed for the Haunted Mansion . The wait at the station for the ride was 10 minutes so I entered the grounds and roamed around a bit.  The Haunted House itself is also a wait while the spirits awaken. 

 

Once inside there is ghostly ride with a voice guided story to chill you. Best to bring a friend to share it with but I faced it alone and survived. Mouse look works well for this and the sounds are scary too. There is a wonderful spirit party with food and dance and music taking place in the dining room.Listen to the story for thrills and warnings. I was wondering if the heart beat was mine or.... There is more to enjoy! I smashed some pumpkins on the way out . not a good idea!!! And Lucien Asylum is 6 stories so be prepared for more visits!!! I had to skip the zombie battle area and the Abandoned Thrill ride. It is a good thing it is a while until Halloween . I will be going back to all these marvelous places.  

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LandOurs/210/46/601

 

Gemma Cleanslate

The Crazy Horse Saloon

By BloodyKitty Resident

 

This fine place is called, "THE CRAZY HORSE SALOON" which is located in the region of Woiler. This place is  of course a fantastic club that has all kinds of music, though country is its main man I believe. Believe it or not, I work here sometimes when I can as a host, and everyone is so sweet and kind, and the staff has taken me in with open arms like I'm apart of their growing family. The sim is group owned if you wanted to know, and the group is called, Dusty's Club Staff. While this place may be empty or not as lively as it is some nights, I can assure you it's calming to just walk and explore. 

Now like I said before, I'm not just saying it's nice and all because I work in the sim as a host, I'm saying it even if I was just a guest coming for the music provided by multiple DJ's that are able to work the different shifts. Like any club really there are scheduled times for people to be at the place, even certain days of course too. I, myself, have not been around it like I used to be because of family problems. I ensure you though that the staff and even the guests that come and go are very kind, caring, and helpful to each other.

I hope your able to visit this sim soon when you get the chance, especially when its a night of partying. Now I can't specifically tell you when people will be around or not just from the schedule, sometimes they work when they are able to, and sometimes aren't able to, even if they are on the schedule board. Come on down and enjoy yourself to some country music as well as an all around variety of music too.

Woiler (95/70/1001)

BloodyKitty

The SS Galaxy Returns: Part Two

By Gemma Cleanslate

What an unexpected fun afternoon I had Thursday. I went out to see the Galaxy in its new place in the oceans. There was a great crowd in the midsection celebrating the return. Lots of Lindens and moles there gathered to enjoy the ship. Shamen Linden was serving cocktails at the bar. Frost Mole was also there along with Guy, Xiola, Patch Linden. Michael Linden was entertaining with all sort of fun items like falling sharks, furniture fling, trains passing  and time pieces. He put out a rocket and somehow I was caught up in it and taken thousands of meters into the sky then dropped to the bottom of the ocean. Ruined  my hairdo!  

There was also a gathering of media people checking out the goings on. Daniel Voyager was there as a rabbit instead of his usual owl, Inara Pey sitting at the bar, Marianne Mccann ready to go into the pool and more. It was fun. I plan to try to sail over to the ship in the next few days and wander through with memories as I go. The ship is there but is still a work in progress as additions will be made in the future but be sure to go visit. Those of you who know the Galaxy will love it. Those who do not will be awed by a ship that fills three sims!!!!!

Years ago, about seven I think, I first discovered this massive ship in the Second Life oceans. We inspected the ship from stem to stern over months of visits. I learned to play miniature golf and hope it comes back. We played games on the deck and rode bikes around. There were shops and art galleries with changing exhibits. The swimming pool was a great place to just lounge and talk. I went to many 7seas fishing contests on board. A friend of mine lived there for a while and we enjoyed visiting. I loved the Ports of call that were posted and found places to explore for my articles. I wrote about the big move when the whole ship was moved to new sims. So many good memories. I hope you will have some too.

This link will bring you to an entrance to the reservations desk though no one is on duty . Before I left I checked to see if the spa is still there and tried the treadmill.. Lots to explore!! Much thanks to the Preservation Group!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Galaxy%20AFT/180/58/22

Gemma Cleanslate

Spellbound

By Bloodykitty

This little magical place here goes by the name of Spellbound, the region name being Raven Wood. Now you may be wondering what it is, and let me tell you that it is a wonderful and beautiful sim, even without the store on the land too! There's snow all around, dead trees, bright lights, everything magical. That isn't the whole point though, and the reason why is because this particular place has a store on it that includes just hair and accessories. While I haven't bought anything yet, I plan to hopefully soon. 

The owner of the store goes by the same name as the region, and I honestly think it's unique that it's like that. This store has a good amount of hair and accessories, but it's mostly pastel hair as far as I seen, and just cute little bows and hats that you'd think centers around the magic theme itself. I've explored the store and the land itself and it captured my heart because of the scenery and simplicity, but also has it's spooky features too. For me the spooky things were the symbol that you appear on after teleporting, the dead trees, castle, and even the greeters at the door too, fake ones of course for show. As far as I can tell and know, on the second floor there isn't hairs yet, but spaces of whee the images would go and such. While this sim wasn't active at the time of my adventure there again today to take the snapshot, people were still there

All and all I think it's a nifty place to be for those hair and accessories addicts and lovers, as well as people who like to take screenshots for flicker or tumblr, or even just to adventure around it like myself. I feel like the atmosphere was a mix like I said of magic, spooky, and cuteness. With that said I totally will visit this store and place again to get a few things there and just to look at everything. I hope you all have fun on your visit!

 

Raven Wood (124/96/23)

 

Bloodykitty

The Happy Vixen Gets a Makeover, Expanded Hours

By Bixyl Shuftan

In response to the Sunweaver community's classic rock club closing it's doors to regular events, at least for now, the Happy Vixen club and hangout is expanding it's hours, in addition to having gotten a makeover.

Following the announcement from "The Vinyl" classic rock club about it's hiatus, Nydia met with several of her friends to talk about what to do. Eventually a decision was made. Until Perri Prinz, the Vinyl's DJ and co-owner along with RECoyote Mindes, had taken care of the real-life problems that stopped her from doing regular events, the Happy Vixen would be expanding it's schedule. In addition to Sundays at Noon SL time, the Happy Vixen would do events at the Tuesday and Thursday 6-8 PM timeslots.

But this would not be all. It was decided to give the club and hangout a makeover. The club was temporarily closed over the weekend as Jasmine Dawn worked on the club and expanded it. When she was done, the venue was larger and in three distinct sections.

The dust has settled and we're ready to open the doors once more, So drop by and take a peek at the changes we have made for you. First event is Tuesday night SEE YOU THERE.

As before, it has a bar area on the beach next to the water, covered with a thatch roof and with a number of stools next to the bartending area. But there are three games to play there in between events, Greedy, Cards Against Humanity, and Parchesi, or "Cheesy," which has been popular among the locals. The Happy Vixen bears no responsibility for any sore lungs from side-splitting laughter resulting from games of Cards Against Humanity.

Connected by a walkway to the bar, built on a platform over the water and also covered by a thatch roof, is a hot tub. Several people can relax there at once, including couples for which there are cuddle poses.

Inland from the bar is the dance floor. The DJ plays music from the booth at one end (he or she can get out on the dance floor, but normally they operate things from where they would in real life), while the crowd dances about on the floor. There are two danceballs for singles and couples. There are also two dancepoles for anyone wanting to use them (first on gets the pole, so please no arguing with the hostess or manager).

Further away from the club is a floating raft where a couple can relax and watch the waves wash on shore. There's also a fishing game being set up, so those interested can get their poles and head on over.

The grounds of the Happy Vixen are currently owned by Helios Auxifur, whom is continuing to pay the tier at her expense.

The first event of the club was on Tuesday night, August 4.

Hi-ho! To celebrate the cub's renovation, we're having a Beach Party tonight! Our squirrely DJ Dusk will spin the tunage as we dance away in swimming trunks, bikinis, one-pieces, or anything else you feel is appropriate wear to the beach. So get yer flip-flops and head on over!

Dusk Griswold performed a series of beach tunes for the crowd. The prize, initially 1000, was doubled to 2000 Lindens. Jenni Greenfield, whom was twirling fire batons on the dance floor, was the winner that night.

So if you want to dance to some top tunes at a first class beach club, head on over to the Happy Vixen. If there's no event, you can always play a game with a friend, fish, or just watch the waves lap against the shoreline to the setting sun.

Purrfection Estates (236, 219, 24)  

Bixyl Shuftan

  *Addition* The Thursday night party had an even better attendance than Tuesday. So here's a picture.