Tea & Sympathy: Wickedly Delightful Deadly and Delish!

Attention fellow Merry Young Widows of Caledon!....or Merry Widows from New Babbage or any town or village! All Merry Widows or like minded ladies might appreciate this fine Poisoned Tea Set brought to my attention by a note from Miss Strathearne of New Babbage with this written upon it:

"I have no idea what (who who) you'd use it for....but I thought you'd get a giggle out of this *grin*"
Nel

Now, whyever would she think i would need it? Hmmmmm??? my past comes back to haunt me, it seems??! [smiles slowly] so, i went to the shop and it is as advertised:

"Have some unwanted guests? Serve them a steaming hot cup of tea from this unusual set. They'll comment on the subtle almond flavor...and then drop dead from the strychnine!

Tea tray is set with Teapot, Teacup and saucer, sugar cubes, spoon, a dainty lace napkin, a plate of cookies, and a bottle of strychnine. Less prim-heavy version coming soon."

What a lovely way to entertain guests that have become less than entertaining or beloved! i was also struck by the other offerings at her site of Miss Nox Pinion.. i am determined to buy several of her offerings! such as this black and white tea gown she's wearing, just adorable!

....i do suggest a peek! anyone thirsty or care for a cookie? now...don't fret that funny taste, tis but the almonds, i assure you!
~Capt. Red

ps. just ran across this wickedly funny bunny.....very tempting to put it in my garden to ward away evil spirits and troublesome furries! (the *not nice* kind!)

My Moment of Zen

things around my house that make me feel warm and happy.









and give me my moment of Zen.....
Ahhhhhh....have a great summer everyone!
going to the beach for a week starting Saturday....
may still be around...we have Wifi there...so you never know....

Victoria Station: The Undergrid & Bloomers! OhMy!

i recently got a notecard from Mr. Mavromichali Szondi about a new portal or hub that's opened called Victoria Station.... here's what the notecard said:

What is Victoria Station and the Undergrid? Victoria Station is a new way to link the Steampunk Victorian themed sims across the grid. You can get to the station via one of our many Station Entrances located in Victorian Steampunk sims. You do this by clicking the entrance then clicking Teleport when the map appears. Inside the station is a pleasant area where you can meet people, sit and talk at the café area, and socialise, but it's main purpose is to provide links to destinations like any station in real life. Here, in Victoria Station, you click the link for the sim you wish to visit and are given a landmark to that sim.
It's a convenient place to stop to find Victorian Steampunk sims so you can visit them, but that's not all. The main purpose is to link to other destinations too. Think of the station as a virtual directory, with all the best of the Victorian period and Steampunk style creators in one place. They advertise their stores and services as destinations at the station: in subject groups ie. 'Clothing' or 'Home and Garden'. This gives you an easy one stop shop to quickly find what you are looking for, all in one place. Want to rent? Then just click one of the boards and follow the simple instructions. Destination boards can handle notecards, landmarks, objects (in notecards) and a sound, and our rates are low. We also have Events boards. These have a 3 week rental limit, and different pricing structure than the regular adboards. Visit the station and touch a free event board to find out more. We hope you find the Undergrid useful: Happy Travelling!
-----------------------------
The Undergrid is the brainchild of Nix Sands and Mavromichali Szondi.
Undergrid, the Undergrid idea, the word Undergrid and the Blue Triangle Symbol are Copyright © 2009 Silverstar Holdings

so of course i had to go over and explore this! i went so fast, i forgot to change my clothes and went out in my short skirt....the kind i wear around the house and when visiting my smuggling cave & urchin hideout under the treehouse.
what i found was a large dark...one could even say brackish, station...with eerie station sounds all around me. of course as a Babbager and a lover of the bracing atmosphere of soot, i felt right at home! as i turned i saw through the gloom and saw Mr. Mavromichali Szondi himself! he was kind enough to show me around. on one end of the station there are displays and links to all the Victorian era sims

Babbage was right there on the top!


on the other end was a display of ads for Tourist Destinations...and no surprise to me that our own business savvy Miss Breezy Carver has her two popular properties listed (and Mr. Cleanslate's lovely Hotel Excelsior!) ...and with her help i added a top shelf ad for.....



The Great Obolensky Metal Steampunk Treehouse!

looks pretty spiffy up there, huh?! and at only $30L a week (same as a search listing) but to a directed, interested, and like minded audience..it's a great deal! though i don't *sell* anything i do adore having visitors...and i have a wishing well for tips....so it may pay for itself, you never know! it's definitely worth giving it a chance....i talked with dear Nix Sands today about it and it was his idea that Mr. Szondi made manifest...AND they have FREE underground station entrances and signs you can add to your build if you want to encourage cross sim visits. which, i do! so i hid a 2 prim entrance on both my properties....hopefully they'll get found and used. i always get a thrill when i'm exploring and i find something that a builder puts in as a secret, room, gift, or find.

i've always wanted an easy way to get to all of our Victorian sims.....what a fun idea for a station! reminds me of Harry Potter Train Station! [is a huge Potterfan!] but really... the station also has areas for clothing ads, and all kinds of services, brochures, and kiosks...as well as a snack bar serving British food! sort of like a Tourist Bureau for all the Victorian sims! why not go check it out!
here's the SLURL.

Going Bonkers Over Bloomers!

(Lord Smashington Guard gets the bloomer treatment!)

NOW....as no blog post is complete without a shopping tip!

i got a great one from dear Miss Breezy Carver (does this woman ever rest!??) this morning about a new To a T collection! dear reader, you might remember that i wrote about her lovely dotted bloomers that i wore for my Stockings! How Shocking Autopilotpatty Poppy Exhibit...so of course i just HAD to check out this new collection!

So this was Breezy's note:

Bloomers in Public! The scandal! Yes, To-a-T has made bloomers, feel free to wear these in public places. Think of the outrage, think of the attention! ;-) Sarah Jane Bloomers & Automated Alice ensemble is at the main shop in Eyre now. The striped bloomers are trimmed with bows & ruffles at the knee. The Automated Alice is an underbust corset made of hand worked metals, this model is made with iron and gold, velvet padding inside for comfort. Also included is the ruffled blouse in luxurious silk, a lovely lace and ribbon choker, and the piece de resistance - a winged cog fob watch (Tempus Fugit) that plays a lovely french tune and chimes the hours by steam. It's all topped off with a Tesla Bowler that sparks on touch! Smart & Sassy. This ensemble comes in 7 colors: Canary Cornflower Saffron Lavender Sage Black Candy

so after i visited Victoria Station i rushed over there to take a peek and sure enough...it's a delightful outfit!

.....here with Miss Kembri's back bustle half skirt from her RFL tartan gown that i've written about before. here's a closeup of the Tempus Fugit watch. i moved it up from the bloomers for a more seemly and [cough] proper photo:

so though i don't know if i'll ever feel ......entirely comfortable...walking around Babbage in just these bloomers...(though i did go over to the stockyard and visit dear Gatsby, Sera, Jed & Jimmy to see Gat's new build in them)....i do see a LOT of possibilities for accessorizing with this...and the Tesla bowler hat with electric lightning & buzz was worth the whole outfit!
ALL this for less than $600L!


SLURL: To a T Victorian Couture, Caledon Eyre
Terry's Blog: To a T

Scripted Hair Chat, & Twirling at Metaversal Arts

WARNING! The Below is the private, uncensored, & giddy conversation of two Steampunk Ladies who like to shop....you've been warned.

[14:21] Serafina Puchkina: Check out the hair at Metaversal arts. There is a new one with amazing scripts in it
[14:40] Redgrrl Llewellyn: hair??!...with scripts!? what do they do? [amazed]
[14:41] Serafina Puchkina: Ponytail -- anim has you tying up your hair into a bun

[14:41] Serafina Puchkina: another anim has you touching your hair
[14:41] Redgrrl Llewellyn: WOW~
[14:41] Redgrrl Llewellyn: !!!!
[14:41] Serafina Puchkina: and a 3rd has you twirling your hair (which I do in rl)

[14:41] Serafina Puchkina: ANNNNDDDD
[14:41] Redgrrl Llewellyn: OMG!....stop! no! don't stop! [clutches her pearls in anticipation]
[14:41] Serafina Puchkina: it comes with a hud that lets you change colors by touching it. You can remove the hud

[14:42] Serafina Puchkina: ANNNDDD you can touch to have bangs or not have bangs
[14:42] Serafina Puchkina: Kinda pricey for hair at 550 L$ but the anims make it worth it, in my opinion

[14:42] Redgrrl Llewellyn: OMG Sera, i am....literally..... without..... speech!
[14:43] Redgrrl Llewellyn: recovers. you have just officially ROCKED my world!....do they have red?
[14:43] Serafina Puchkina: Yes -- different shades -- the hud lets you change colors
[14:43] Redgrrl Llewellyn: WOWIE! how many did you get? [grins]
[14:44] Serafina Puchkina: One! There are cheaper ones there but I liked the long hair into a bun the best (and you can do the reverse. unfasten your hair into the pony tail)

(front view, twirling, hair up...wearing EVIL White so you can see definition, dear reader)

(side view, hair up, twirling)

(3/4 view, hair down in pony twirling)

[14:45] Redgrrl Llewellyn: Oooooh! dropping everything & going there NOW!
[14:45] Serafina Puchkina: SkyShop Zen Animated! Arianna bun and ponytail combo
(snip)

(standing at the vendor display....where is it!??)

[15:17] Redgrrl Llewellyn: ok...i'm here! i see Sky shop official hair but i don't see that they're scripted...[looking frantically]
[15:17] Redgrrl Llewellyn: oh wait here we go...Found it!!

[15:17] Serafina Puchkina: It's by itself on the corner
[15:17] Redgrrl Llewellyn: bottom left corner
[15:17] Redgrrl Llewellyn: this is blog worthy!
[15:18] Serafina Puchkina: Play with the demo -- lots of red shades but you don't have to carry all the shades in your inventory
[15:18] Redgrrl Llewellyn: hee hee & they give the ARC...1550!...that must be with hair down.
[15:18] Serafina Puchkina: Ooops! I wont wear it to a ball
[15:19] Serafina Puchkina: Or combine it with a low ARC dress
[15:21] Redgrrl Llewellyn: demo is green! LOL
[15:22] Serafina Puchkina: put the hud on.
[15:22] Serafina Puchkina: you can change it

[15:22] Redgrrl Llewellyn: [grumbles hiding a smile] smarty pants!
[15:22] Redgrrl Llewellyn: grins
[15:22] Redgrrl Llewellyn: Oooooooer!
[15:22] Redgrrl Llewellyn: cool!
[15:22] Serafina Puchkina laughs: Only because I played with it forever!
[15:23] Serafina Puchkina: You can remove the hud once you have the color you like.
[15:23] Redgrrl Llewellyn: would you mind if i blog about this giving you full finder creds?
[15:23] Serafina Puchkina: Go ahead! It's nice of you to ask though
[15:23] Redgrrl Llewellyn: well yeah!!!!
[15:23] Redgrrl Llewellyn: i wasn't born in a barn raised on a raft! [aside] pirate ship yes, raft, no!

[15:24] Serafina Puchkina: I love the hair twirling amin. Beats just standing there when you are talking to people.
[15:24] Serafina Puchkina chuckles at your original expression
[15:25] Redgrrl Llewellyn: so the hud has to be on to play with the hair?
[15:26] Redgrrl Llewellyn: nope!
[15:26] Serafina Puchkina: nope!
[15:26] Redgrrl Llewellyn: hee hee, stop that!
[15:26] Redgrrl Llewellyn: its a cute hairstyle even!... i like the back bun & bangs and the pony!
[15:26] Serafina Puchkina: Isn't that clever? It's so easy breezy to change the amins!
[15:26] Redgrrl Llewellyn: oh yes!
[15:26] Redgrrl Llewellyn: this is worth every penny!
[15:27] Serafina Puchkina: I thought so
[15:52] Redgrrl Llewellyn: thank you so SO much for this tip sweetie! you are a great shopper!!!
[15:52] Serafina Puchkina: Sure! And thanks!
[15:52] Serafina Puchkina: You do the same for me!
[15:53] Redgrrl Llewellyn: i try!
[15:54] Serafina Puchkina: And you are a great shopper too! It's fun trading tips
[15:55] Redgrrl Llewellyn: Awww thanks! i learned from the best!... you and Eleanor Anderton!
[15:55] Redgrrl Llewellyn: Oh! and June Wozniak of Caledon

[15:55] Serafina Puchkina laughs: I don't know who taught who,but this is fun
[15:56] Redgrrl Llewellyn: laugs and nods] too true!
[15:57] Redgrrl Llewellyn: how fun to be able to tie up your hair when talking to people and se them freak out!
[15:57] Serafina Puchkina: I know!!!
[15:57] Redgrrl Llewellyn: Awww you're a sweetie! and not a bit selfish
[15:57] Serafina Puchkina: Nope
[15:57] Serafina Puchkina: I need to get some rl food. See you later!
[15:58] Redgrrl Llewellyn: kk dear me, too soon! thanks again!
[15:58] Serafina Puchkina: bye!
[15:58] Redgrrl Llewellyn: bye!!!

Metaversal Arts: Main Store!
Put their directory HUD on & Go to Clothing, and look for the hair display lower left corner!

Gorgeous store, by the way....and nice to see some of our Babbage builders there!!!!...

Not Possible In Real Life

OOC: though this blog cannot compare to the excellent Not Possible in Real Life** blog today was one of those fun Second Life days.

Feeling a little under the weather RL today (girly stuff) i logged in early to dress up and take pics for a dear friend Miss Breezy Carver. i was reading HER blog where she was talking about the Capalini Oliphant and her new creation the broken toys (shown below, pic shamelessly stolen from Breezy's blog!)

"Oh My her Broken Toys .. Laughing .. this was such a fun project Canolli had a blast making them .. You see that is her trick she does have a great deal fun while she builds and creates !!
But here is her secret he has some of coolest toys to begin with she just was feeling restless so she busted them up .. and they are brilliant and adorable !!
My favorite of all her Olliphant... Waits for Red to show hers *hugs*"

so here i go in world to dress up in my PSSME's girl's uniform and hug my Olliphant like a good loyal little show off friend that i am! (see pic at top) when i get a ping from another good friend Viv Trafalgar. Any kind reader of this blog will recognize that name as my very talented dress designer and builder friend who is One of Four creators of the new sim Armada Breakaway.
She said that there was a famous photographer Mr. PJ Trenton from the Primgraph & Prim Perfect taking pics about Armada and would i have time to pose in my Oneiroi Club & Reading Room where we've had book discussions such as The Elusive Muse. I'm proud to say i was allowed in on Armada before it even opened and i love my Club & Reading room (and upstairs hidden opium den!) so of course i jumped into my Avast! Jade gown and pirate boots and flew over to pose like the vain, self-involved pixel show off that Red is known for!
(photo on left by Mr. PJ Trenton)
I met the talented, charming, and witty Mr. PJ and either lag or my Mac (or the charming PJ himself!) was making me stand on my head! LOL after a quick relog i got it back together changed into a Touch of Ireland Pirates Gold gown and he took more shots...of me standing upright!

as an aside to that...THIS Month in the Primgraph they highlight our steampunk city of New Babbage! and though i was not mentioned or my buildings were not pictured :-( (due to RL conflicts i turned in my submission to Miss W shamefully late!) i was honored to see they did use some of my photographs for the article!! YAY!

Then i had a lovely (but sadly quick) time touring New Babbage resident and talented gentleman Mr. Tinus Koshikan's new store: "Lovelace Stock and Trade, a textures and curios emporium of the finest quality. Situated within Port Babbage, you will find the best in victorian, steampunk, metal, ceramic, cloth and wallpaper textures essential for any beautiful build." Here's the SLURL. Textures so rich and lush makes even Red the indolent non-builder wish to whip something together! .....then a doorbell RL called me back upstairs and i ended up gardening with the neighbors for a few hours.

Back in world just in time to see the final DreddPirateBob auction! He was fit to be tied! or Tied and having fits! and to bid $2500L but was outbid by my fellow ginger and former neighbor Boh. Lucky Bob missed a lovely bath! But i did pick up a delightful Bob Calendar for RFL!
Having to go out with my friends RL for a live Trivia Tournament where we're trying to raise Hardshell Crabfeast money i bought the new Kembri Babbage Tartan gown! What a lovely day!


Now...talking about NPIRL....Babbage's & Caledon's own Marion Questi was covered in the NPIRL Blog about his huntable air kraken! FASCINATING! he related:
"Miss Discovolante, a sculpty master, created the kraken. I am the scripter who animated it. It looks very realistic with it's wriggling tentacles and deadly beak."

and to those bleeding hearts out there who say it's cruel to hunt Air Krakens i say bosh to that!
As i commented there..."Air Kraken are legion and a nuisance! they must be taken down...though i do NOT recommend wearing your best white gown whilst hunting..the blood and ink do stain so! yet, they it makes for lovely writing ink if one comes with a bucket...also, i've had good success having my dressmaker use the fluid to dye fine linen for throw pillows...[smiles winsomely]

Photo by: Edward Pearse, Duke of Argylle, from his Blog on this subject!

Sci Fi Channel Network is Changing its Name

Really Sci-Fi?...REALLY?

Please see Capt. Red's opinion below after the awkward aricle cut and paste clip.
"In some universe, the name “Syfy” is less geeky than the name “Sci Fi.” Dave Howe, president of the Sci Fi Channel, is betting it’s this one. To that end, the 16-year-old network—owned by NBC Universal—plans to announce that Syfy is its new name March 16 at its upfront presentation to advertisers in New York.

“What we love about this is we hopefully get the best of both worlds,” Mr. Howe said. “We’ll get the heritage and the track record of success, and we’ll build off of that to build a broader, more open and accessible and relatable and human-friendly brand.”

Sci Fi is coming off the best year in its history. In primetime it ranked 13th in total viewers among ad-supported cable networks in 2008. It’s a top-10 network in both adults 18 to 49 (up 4%) and adults 25 to 54 (up 6%).".....

“The name Sci Fi has been associated with geeks and dysfunctional, antisocial boys in their basements with video games and stuff like that, as opposed to the general public and the female audience in particular,” said TV historian Tim Brooks, who helped launch Sci Fi Channel when he worked at USA Network. Mr. Brooks said that when people who say they don’t like science fiction enjoy a film like “Star Wars,” they don’t think it’s science fiction; they think it’s a good movie. >“We spent a lot of time in the ’90s trying to distance the network from science fiction, which is largely why it’s called Sci Fi,” Mr. Brooks said. “It’s somewhat cooler and better than the name ‘Science Fiction.’ But even the name Sci Fi is limiting.” Mr. Howe said going to Syfy will make a difference.“When we tested this new name, the thing that we got back from our 18-to-34 techno-savvy crowd, which is quite a lot of our audience, is actually this is how you’d text it,” Mr. Howe said. “It made us feel much cooler, much more cutting-edge, much more hip, which was kind of bang-on what we wanted to achieve communication-wise.” Source: TvWeek

---

like OMG, really? Syfy? why not SF? that's what i use for that genre in the library! i hate to snipe on it but i agree with what Snipe (geek diva) said "Syfy" is not only *not* less geeky, it's stupid and doesn't make any sense. The sci-fi genre is stronger than ever - why risk alienating your core audience by this stupid novelty name - especially when a name like "Syfy" doesn't guarantee that you'll reach anyone new. Devote the money that would be spent on new stationary for your new name to better programming, so current and future devotees are not stuck with crap programming like "Ice Spiders 6: The Shivering."