Catalyst: a Scottish Dance Club with an "underground" Fort

I was recently invited to attend a concert at a virtual replica of Duncarron Fort, reached by teleport from the Scottish Club Catalyst.
The club  is co-owned by Rik Xaris, a real life Pipe Major from Scotland and Brielle Coronet from the U.S.  What makes Catalyst stand out from the crowd is that it is the only club in SL to only play Celtic music all day, every day.  The club also offers concerts, piping shows and more!
Catalyst opened in late 2010 and has found a niche in the SL community.  It has over 320 members and is growing strong.  The club also is home to several Celtic bands, such as Saor Patrol, Drones & Drums and the Medieval pipe and drum band, Aurum Aquila.  All the bands have been given exclusive permission by their real life counterparts to perform and play their music in Second Life. 
The club has a mascot, Hamish, a "toffee coo" Highland bull.

Although I caught only the very end of the concert and didn't even have time to find appropriate clothes, I was able to grab a tambourine and sword and join in the festivities.

The May 6 concert was performed by Saor Patrol ( pronounced 'shore' comes from the Gaelic word ‘Saorsa’, means freedom / liberty). the following information about the band and the May 6 concert was provided by Brielle.  The band combines old musical Celtic roots with modern instruments by blending the Great Highland bagpipes and thundering drums with electric guitar, making for a truly unique sound described as “Tribal” and “Celtic Rock.” While on tour they will even provide educational talks about their culture youths and adults, many of whom have never encountered a Scots in person. The reason why they do this is because all the band’s members are also volunteers from the Clanranald Trust for Scotland, a non-profit recognized organization in Scotland, whose aim is to spread awareness about Scottish culture and heritage through entertainment and education. One of the projects close to Saor Patrol’s heart is a replica of a medieval Scottish village named Duncarron Fort which is currently under construction by the Clanranald Trust in Scotland with help from proceeds of the band. In addition, all the band members are also members of Combat International, an organization that supplies trained combat crews and advisors to the Film and TV industry, such as Robin Hood, Gladiator, Game of Thrones and more. Saor Patrol’s piper Charlie Allan got the idea to form Saor Patrol during the filming of Gladiator. All the band is from the ranks of the Clanranald Trust for Scotland. Although the band is separate from the Trust one heavily promotes the other at all times.

In early 2012, Saor Patrol gave exclusive permission to Celtic Connection Productions, a cultural entertainment company founded by Brielle Coronet and Rik Xaris, to portray and perform as them in Second Life for the purpose of promoting and advancing awareness about Scottish culture. Rik is a real life Pipe Major from Scotland who has had a lifelong appreciation of piping and is a seasoned performer in SL. To further achieve their goals, Rik built a virtual replica of Duncarron Fort, complete a battering ram, an animated blacksmith and interactive educational garden about the medicinal use of plants during Medieval times.

Club Catalyst is a fun place to visit whether you are Scottish or not.  For more information about the club or Saor Patrol, contact Brielle Coronet or Rik Xaris.

Slurl to Cataylst:  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Raroia%20Bay/228/180/2007

New Synthetic Theater's Ninety-Nine Percent

For those seeking an immersive experience in Second Life, the New Synthetic Theater's showing of Ninety-Nine Percent certainly fits the bill.  While only ten-minutes long, this ongoing production, situates your avatar in the center of the action.  Not to give away some of the surprises, a few photos are included from the show.  To participate, you need to purchase a $50L ticket which you wear throughout the event.  You must also detach any AO's you are wearing.  All other instructions are given prior to the start of each show.  Slurl to Theater: http://slurl.com/secondlife/ZoHa%20Islands%20E/64/220/22

The New Rainbow Gardens

It's hard to believe that I've owned and operated the Rainbow Gardens Pet Memorial Center since the spring of 2008, so I guess it's a good time for a change.  This one brings with it a lot more room and a lot more prims, something we are always in need of in SL. 

For those who are unfamiliar with Rainbow Gardens, I will provide a brief history.  I joined Second Life in March, 2007.  Shortly after joining, I lost my beloved cat of 15 years, Floppy.  I wanted a place to memorialize him virtually, but I couldn't find one, so I spoke with a friend, Rocky Vallejo, who had created a human memorial for his daughter at Rachelville, and he helped me find some land on Cybrary City II.  A few other people helped, Cindy Elkhart, BrianA Corleone, and Lorelei Junot.  We started a group (of which currently over 100 residents are members, some who have been very generous with donations).  We placed memorial candle and headstone givers, a pet viewer of photos, and a chapel gazebo in a garden-like center.  Events and exhibits were scheduled periodically.

Recently, I noticed some land for sale nearby Rainbow Gardens.  I inquired into purchasing it with donations we had received.  With the extra room, I "planted" more flowers and trees including a weeping willow by our pet viewer.  I gave our mascot, Lady Rainbow the Collie, free space to wander.  I added my own pet-able Kittycats, Amaretto horses in a stable, some spring sheep, and a few swans to a small lake on the land.  I created a Wonderland area where people could sit on mushrooms and enjoy some tea next to a Cheshire cat tree.  At the suggestion of a member, I also added the Rainbow Bridge poem by the pet viewer. 

On Sunday, May 20, I will host an open house where people can stop by at anytime to view the expansion.  Between 2 and 4 pm SLT that day, there will be dancing, and I will make a reopening speech.  I am also running a contest from May 1 to May 15, and the winner will be announced at that event.  The contest details will be sent to the Rainbow Gardens Pet Memorial group.  If anyone else would like a copy or is interested in joining the group, IM me or send an email to dulciemills@yahoo.com

Slurl to the new Rainbow Gardens: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cybrary%20City%20II/223/97/22

Phantom Rose Light Show

I recently attended a beautiful light show on the grounds (actually a sky platform) of the Phantom Rose Opera House.  The show featured fireworks and laser lights set to opera music.  Below is a few of the photos I took while attending the show, but they don't do the incredible show justice.  For more information on the Phantom Rose's events (and they have a full schedule of operas, ballets, performances, and other activities every Sunday and occasionally on other days during the month), join their inworld group or check their website at http://phantomrose.com/index.html

Besides events, the Opera House and its grounds are lovely.  There are free gowns and tuxedos by the entrance, and many areas on the sim that are romantic and fun to explore.

Crystal Caverns

A dance party at the new Crystal Caverns celebrated the grand reopening of the Portal to SciFi and Fantasy (formally the Sci Fi and Fantasy Portal) on Friday night, March 23.  Guests dressed in Fantasy costumes or came just as they were.  Spacemen, Tinies, cats, and aliens all joined the mix as DJ, Brielle Coronet, spun the tunes.  There was even a psychadelic light show. 

The redesign of CVL's Science Fiction and Fantasy build was an incredible job by BrianA Corleone and ReneeiLene Spiritweaver. 

Here are some photos from the event:

DJ Brielle Coronet provided great tunes and a lighshow

Spacemen, cats, tinies,and  aliens on the crystal dance floor

The lightshow was psychadelic

Slurl to Crystal Caverns: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Info%20Island/203/118/1903

The Fantasy Area

Other locations at the Portal include an area for Fantasy Literature and Media which has a unicorn greeter; Orbital Station1 inside a crashed spaceship that has Science Fiction Resources; and the Dancing Stones Theater designed like Stonehenge where meetings and events can take place



Orbital Station1 (outside and below inside)

Reneeilene Spirtweaver and me at Dancing Stones Theater

Slurl to Fantasy Area, TP to Orbital Station1, and Dancing Stones Theater: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Info%20Island/185/90/26

Two SL Blarney Stones and a St. Patrick's Town

Although this is a little late, I wanted to post about my visit to a few attractions that are fun not only on St. Patrick's Day but all year round.  Two of them are Blarney Stones, but one is the SL version of the RL stone in Ireland that is located in Blarney Castle on the O'Hare Gap's sim; the other is the Blarney Stone Pub in SL Dublin. The last is St. Patrick's Day Town, a fun place to celebrate the Irish SL style. 

When you teleport to Blarney Castle, there's a tp in the wall to go up to the Blarney Stone.  The kissing animation here will literally knock you on your back, and you will get a certificate for the attempt.  There's not much else to see in the castle, but the town is quaint and nice to stroll through. 

The Blarney Stone pub in Dublin is a cute place and appears pretty popular by the crowd it attracts.  It's casual, friendly, and has some great music and dances.  I didn't get a chance to explore the rest of Dublin, but this is definitely a good stop for any visit.

Some friends and I dancing with the leprechauns

Last, but not least, a third attraction I visited with some friends was St. Patrick's Town.  Although it had some cute games and features (gold flying coins that you supposedly could ride but weren't easy to maneuver; step dancing with leprechauns; dunking in a giant beer mug; and other assorted Irish stuff), shopping seemed to be the predominant objective.  However, I would still recommend a stop here if only to listen to the great music and get in an Irish spirit.

Parachuting Over Paris

I recently visited Paris 1900 with a friend, SL's equivalent of it, anyway.  Upon teleporting in, there is an area where small statues of the Eiffel Tower can be purchased as souvenirs and free gowns are available.  Out on the street, a tour car can be rezzed for sightseeing, or one can buy a free bicycle to pedal around the city.  Models of Parisienne folks in period dress line the street to add atmosphere.

The main attraction, besides the Moulin Rouge which is there, too, is, of course, the Eiffel Tower.  You can't miss this pink structure.  If you tp to the top, you can also pick up a parachute and take the plunge.  Mine actually opened, but I landed on another rooftop and had to jump again.  Luckily, my gown had long pants underneath - lol.

For a fun place to visit (and there are romantic spots, too), Paris is the Place in SL.

Paris 1900 Slurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Paris%20Eiffel/23/106/22