Sunday, June 5th will see the second of our Stories at the Park series, featuring the voice talents of the staff and friends of Seanchai Library.
Stories at the Park offer visitors to Holly Kai a unique opportunity to experience art in Second Life, both through both the exhibits by our visiting artists for May – which will remain in place through until Saturday June 11th – and through the beauty of the written and spoken word.
Art at the Park – JudiLynn India (foreground) and Slatan Dryke
Each month, members of Seanchai Library and their guests select pieces of art by the artists participating in the current Art in the Park exhibition, and write either a 100-word work of fiction (referred to as a “drabble”) or a 100-word poem about each piece. These stories and poems are then read live at Stories at the Park, either by the author or by a member of Seanchai Library.
For June, Trolly Trollop, Kayden Oconnell, and Caledonia Skytower will be reading pieces inspired by the art of Ceakay Ballyhoo, Eleseren Brianna, JudiLynn India, Lantana Silverweb, Slatan Dryke and SisterButta.
Art at the Park: SisterButta’s Wound Angels tells the story of lvinig with breast cancer through words, and through art down the ages
The event starts at 15:00 SLT at the storytelling gazebo. Visitors are of course welcome to come early and tour the art exhibits before Stories at the Park commences, or to linger afterwards and explore the art hill and the rest of Holly Kai Park – which includes woodland walks, the Holly Kai Garden with studio featuring the art of Silas Merlin and the photography of Inara Pey, and lots of little places to snuggle under the shade of trees, over the sands of a tropical beach, beside a sunlit pond or within an ancient ruined watchtower – you can even grab a kayak and paddle around the Holly Kai River.
Whatever you decide to do, I hope very much you’ll first and foremost join us for Stories at the Park and take the time to explore and appreciate the artistry of six wonderful talents from within and without Second Life, and the amazing storytelling skills of the Seanchai Library team.
It’s time to kick-off a week of story-telling in voice, brought to our virtual lives by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s Second Life home at Bradley University, unless otherwise indicated.
Sunday, June 5th
13:30: Tea Time with The Jungle Book
Bryn Taleweaver presents selections from Rudyard Kipling’s great adventure.
Trolly Trollop, Kayden Oconnell, and Caledonia Skytower read 100-word drabbles and poems inspired by the current exhibition of art on display at Holly Kai Park, including composition by Rosedrop Rust.
Please join the Seanchai Library team and members of Holly Kai Park, and take the opportunity to hear stories and poems, and see the art that inspired them. Featuring the work of Ceakay Ballyhoo, Eleseren Brianna, JudiLynn India, Lantana Silverweb, Slatan Dryke and SisterButta.
Monday June 6th, 19:00: The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1)
Faerie Maven-Pralou reads Michael Scott’s mystical novel.
According to the records, Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on 28 September 1330 and died in 1418. Only his tomb has forever lain empty, because Nicholas Flamel is the greatest Alchemyst of all time. Entrusted with the care of the Codex – also known as the Book of Abraham the Mage – Flamel found within it the secret of eternal life.
But there is much else in the Codex which, if used by the wrong minds, could very well bring about the end of the world. So, for 700 years, Nicholas Flamel has guarded the Book, keeping it from all those who might otherwise seek to abuse its secrets.
Until John Dee steals it. And John Dee has the desire to unlock the Codex and bring about the very cataclysm Flamel has always feared. Without the book, he and his wife, Perenelle, will age and die, whilst with the book, Dee can thwart all attempts to recover it.
Enter 15-year-old twins, Josh and Sophie Newman. Prophecy has foretold of a time when the world would be threatened – and of the two youngsters gifted with extraordinary powers who will save it. Flamel recognises the Newman twins as those youngsters, and sets out to awaken their magical talents. So it is that Josh and Sophie find themselves cast into the middle of the greatest tale – the greatest confrontation – of all time.
Tuesday June 7th, 19:00: When Sisterhood was in Flower
The writings of Florence King return to Seanchai Library as Trolley Trollop continues reading When Sisterhood was in Flower (1982),
Isabel, a conservative southern writer living in Boston, finds her life taking a number of strange turns. After an explosion brings down the wall of her apartment she is forced to share her living space with her neighbour, an ardent, humourless feminist called Polly Bradshaw. Then, between them, they take in nutty Gloria, who is fixated with all things medieval, including the lute, which she constantly plays, and the death of Edward II.
Things start unravelling further when Polly inherits a house in California, and unilaterally decides they’ll form a self-sufficient feminist commune there. Along the way, they collect Agnes, who is trying to escape her survivalist husband, and Martha, a widow whose estranged husband died after an unfortunate incident with an inflatable rubber doll.
Then Isabel has the opportunity to earn a living as a writer … of pornography …
Wednesday June 8th 19:00: Raymie Nightingale
Caledonia Skytower reads Kate DiCamillo ‘s 2016 children’s story.
What do you do when your father takes off with a dental hygienist? Be upset? Miss him? Rail against him? Or hatch a plan to get him to come home?
Raymie Clarke decides on the latter course of action. Dad needs to come home, and it’s down to her to see that he does – and that means winning the Little Miss Central Florida Tyre contest. Doing so will get her name and picture in the papers, which are sure to be read by her father, prompting his return.
Except… In order to win the contest, Raymie must do good deeds and learn the graceful art of baton twirling. Worse, she has to go up against the nauseating, show-business steeped Louisiana Elefante, who has fainting for effect down to an art form. Then there is Beverly Tapinski, who has entered the contest not to win it, but to wreck it for everyone else. So Raymie faces a mountain of challenges she must overcome.
Then fate plays a hand, circumstance and events bringing the three girls together in an unlikely friendship in which each has a role to place in supporting and aiding the others.
Thursday, June 9th 19:00 Special VIP event at the University of Washington The Lounge at 221B Baker Street: A Scandal in Bohemia
Join Corwyn Allen, Kayden Oconnell, and Caledonia Skytower in celebrating the re-opening of Baker Street and the lounge at 221B Baker Street, last seen at Seanchai Library’s Crazy Eights LEA installation, and now relocated for the Summer at the University of Washington;’s
iLearn Lab.
“This photograph” by Sidney Paget, July 1891 (wikimedia)
To mark the event, Corwyn, Cale and Kayden present one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most well-liked mysteries to have engaged his Great Detective. It first appeared in The Strand Magazine in 1891, before going on to be the first story in the 1982 collection, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It was also the first of Doyle’s detective series to be illustrated by Sidney Paget. I’m of course talking about A Scandal in Bohemia.
In March 1888, Dr. John Watson, married and with his own medical practice is returning home when, on a whim, he drops in at 221B Baker Street to see Holmes. No sooner has Watson arrived, than Holmes demonstrates some of his incredible deductive powers – which are shortly given greater exercise when, after receiving his expected guest, who arrives during the reunion, Holmes pronounces him to be not “Count Von Kramm” as he purports, but rather Wilhelm Gottsreich Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein and the hereditary King of Bohemia.
Admitting Holmes has correctly identified him, the king reveals he is seeking Holmes’ assistance in a matter of some delicacy. It revolves around a liaison he had five years’ previously with an American opera singer, Irene Adler, and which could now threaten his upcoming marriage to a Scandinavian princess. Thus Sherlock Holmes comes to pit his wits against an adversary he will forever only refer to as “the Woman” …
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Please check with the Seanchai Library SL’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule.
The featured charity for May / June is Habitat for Humanity, with a vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live – a safe and clean place to call home.
Windlight Magazine, the award-winning arts magazine and brand, is celebrating its first anniversary in June.
To mark the passing of a year of outstanding coverage and support of the the arts in Second Life, Windlight has commissioned the award-winning SCALA™ fashion agency to bring you fashion art on a chromatic runway canvas. The event will mark the start of a series of summer celebratory events by Windlight.
AChromatic: Behind the Collection sees 14 of Second Life’s most innovative fashion designers showcase their visions of bold shapes and colour within a monochrome setting. Immediately after the show, the AChromatic Vaults will be open within the boutique area at Windlight’s home region, presenting exclusive items from the show to shoppers through until Saturday, June 18th, complete with a LookBook commemorating the event.
Also following the main show, there will be a live performance by Christopher Quan, also at Windlight Magazine’s home region.
The brands participating in the event are: Alpha Tribe, Ghee, Jumo, Letituier, Lyrical Bizarre, Prey, Prism, Rapture, Rayne Couture, Ricielli, Vero Modero, Virtual Diva, Wicca’s Wardrobe and Zibska.
The first round of the SL13B Music Fest Auditions, held in Bay City
Friday, June 3rd saw the first round of auditions take place for the SL13B Music Fest. The event saw Linden staffers Xiola, Torley, Rider and Simon join music fans and local community members in gathering at an outdoor stage in Bay City to hear some of those who applied for the auditions (see my blog post on the auditions announcement).
Held between 12:00 noon and 2:00pm, as originally scheduled, the event venue hadn’t been advertised at the time of the original announcement, although SL residents were invited to attend as members of the audience. There didn’t appear to by any follow-up announcement on the selected venue (at least, none that I saw), and I only found out about it by dint of perusing the Destination Guide out of curiosity given there had been no update to the original official blog post, some 20 minutes after the event had started!
Xiola (to the front left) dances while Simon Linden (seated, front centre in his trademark top hat) listens, at the first round of the Music Fest auditions
Nevertheless, those who did get the news and had hopped along to the event were all enjoying themselves (Xiola was bopping along nicely!), with folks taking the opportunity to join the judging panel seated in deck chairs, or simply standing in the open field and showing their appreciation for the acts.
If you’re interested in attending the second round of auditions as a member of the audience, you can do so from 18:00 through 20:00 SLT on Saturday, June 4th, and the same venue. The music fest itself will form a part of the upcoming SL13B celebrations later this month.
The Visions of Hope 2016 art auction has drawn to a close and the numbers have been totalled. This annual art exhibition serves two purposes: to raise money for cancer research as a part of the Relay for Life of Second Life fund-raising season, and to promote the support given to those living with cancer by the Hope Haven Heroes.
This year, seventeen of Second Life’ photographers and visual artists donated up to three pieces of work apiece for the auction. Taking part were Bijou, Boudicca Amat, Ciottolina Xue, d-oo-b, Dru G Eiren-Milneaux, Em Larsson, Hills, Inara Pey, Mareea Farrasco, Nikolai Warden, Proph, Pusher, Randy Firebrand, Ricco Saenz, Tomais Ashdene, Trinity Yazimoto and Ziki Questi.
In all, L$38,100 has been raised by the auction, which ran throughout May 2016. “And the number of people who have come through and got support info, its staggering,” Co-organiser of the event, Randy Firebrand informed me just after the auction had closed. “The numbers are in the hundreds. I sat down last night when I looked at it and I started to cry, goofy, I know, I just had this rush.”
Randy and partner Ricco Saenz organise the Vision of Hope auction on behalf of Hope Haven Heroes, and to mark the end of the event this year, they are holding a closing party at the 2016 Visions of Hope gallery, from 17:00 through 19:00 SLT on Tuesday, May 31st., and featuring music by DJ Hottie B (mjshotboy.skytower).
“Incomprensione” (foreground) and “Teste” by Ciottolina Xue, Vision of Hope 2016
“The silent auction was intended to raise funds for Relay For Life, a global initiative by American Cancer Society,” Randy and Ricco say of the auction. “During the exhibition, the public has been able to acquire photo-based pieces as well as sculptures from some of the most renowned artists in Second Life and, at the same time, contribute with the ACS’s programs to improve cancer survival, decrease the incidence of cancer and improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their caretakers.”
As one of those people graciously asked to supply pieces to the exhibition, I’d like to thank both Ricco and Randy for the time and effort they put into organising Visions of Hope, and for offering me the chance to participate in the event.
Monday, May 30th marks the start of a week-long celebration at the 1920 Berlin Project, marking the 7th anniversary of the community’s founding.
Offering a trip back in time to the inter-wars years of Berlin, the project is one of Second Life’s success stories, often featured in the media, visited by Lab staff and – most importantly of all – enjoyed by those who have made their homes there.
While there are always activities and events taking place within the city, the week of May 30th through Sunday, June 5th will see a special series of events held to celebrate the 7th anniversary. Among the latter will be a photo contest and the Miss Berlin 1929 contest.
The Photo contest theme is The People of Berlin, with a first prize of L$1,000 and a second prize of L$500 on offer. For full details on the entry requirements, please see the 7th anniversary blog post. However, in brief, entrants are invited to capture a picture of people at work or at play within the Berlin 1920s Project and in period costume, and to upload their images to the 1920 Berlin Project Flickr group, no later than June 3rd. The winning entries will be announced on Saturday, June 4th at the Adlon Tea Dance (see the events schedule, below).
The Miss Berlin 1929 Contest will be a full beauty pageant, featuring both swimsuit and evening wear, and will be held at the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Adlon. The compère will be Miss Sasa Steigerwald and music will be provided by DJ Myron Byron. On offer to the winner are a range of prizes supplied by Sonatta Morales, Heinrich Grau and Clarrington Enterprises. For further information on the contest and how to enter, please refer to the contest Facebook page.
Note that visitors to 1920 Berlin Project are generally asked to wear suitable period dress when visiting the city (although this rule will be relaxed on Sunday, June 5th). To help with this, there is a selection of free outfits and accessories at the 1920s Berlin Project landing point, together with some special freebies for the celebratory week.
Commenting on the anniversary celebrations, 1920s Berlin Project founder Jo Yardley said:
In our fantastic neighbourhood people have been extremely creative, active and something great and rare is the result. I cannot put into words how much the sim and its people means to me and to my delight it means a lot to many of those who live there as well.
On the 30th of May 2016 we’re celebrating the 7th (!) anniversary of our sim and we’re going to celebrate with 7 days of events! We hope you come and be part of the celebrations.
So why not capture a taste of history and hop over to the 1920s Berlin Project during the week?
Schedule of Events
All times SLT – please refer to the official celebrations blog page for any last-minute changes.
Date
Time
Activity
Monday, May 30th
14:00
Special dinner at the Nussbaum restaurant
13:00
7th Anniversary Dance at the Pariser Platz (At the foot of the Brandenburger Tor) with a show by Sonatta Moralesta Morales and with DJ Myron Byron
Tuesday, May 31st
14:00
happy hour at the Volksbad!
A party at the public baths – swim suits will be provided.
16:00
A gathering at the exclusive penthouse in the Hotel Adlon for supporters
Wednesday, June 1st
14:00
Happy Hour at the Biergarten
15:00
Open stage at the Odeon Theatre. Your opportunity to sing or read to the audience, dance, do magic – the stage is yours!
16:00
Special Church service
18:00
Late night extra festive dance at the Hotel Adlon’s ball room
Thursday, June 2nd
02:00
“Tiki” themed party at the Spree, with a bar in a small park near the Spree behind the department store and with “Floating Ring Race” in the Spree with prize, and 1920s submarine toy for everyone
13:00
Car rally around Berlin
14:00
“Tiki” themed Happy Hour with a bar in a small park near the Spree behind the department store.
Friday, June 3rd
14:00
Festive dinner followed by Tango themed dance at the Hotel Adlon’s ball room.
Submissions for photo contest close!
15:00
Joaquin Gustav live
16:00
Berlin City parade
17:00
Smoking hour in the basement of the Hotel Adlon
18:00
“Herrenclub” party – 18+ only
Saturday, June 4th
11:00
Tea dance at the Hotel Adlon with announcement of Photo contest winner
12:00
Miss Berlin 1929 contest
13:15
Soapbox Airplane race for kids
14:00
Special Cabaret show at the Eldorado
17:00
Extra festive class at the school for all kids
Sunday, June 5th
All Day
Open Door Day & relaxed rules day (period dress not required) – an opportunity to explore 1920 Berlin, including some private residences, and meet the locals
13:00
Sport and Health Class at Hindenburg Schule
14:00
Special freebie hour at the Biergarten with a free gift for every visitor
15:00
The locals go crazy and rez whatever they want – so don’t be surprised if flying saucers hover over the city or King Kong climbs the Brandenburger Gate!
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 