Effie's Rez Day

I can hardly believe it's 2 years since Effie was "born" in Second Life. However, at the same time, I look back at everything I've accomplished in two years, and it seems like a lifetime.

Please come celebrate with me this weekend:

CLICK HERE to join the party!

Pteron - Tranquil Beauty

Pteron is absolutely beautiful with colors of emerald, teal and blues glowing with emanating light from it's buildings and structures around a sim set in dark night. The sim has a calming tranquil beauty... a place of peacefulness. But, it also seems to have a mystery behind it that I can't place my finger on. It perplexes me as to the heart of the purpose. Is it art? Is there a mystery behind it? Are you supposed to find things? Is it all of these things?

Pteron, as defined by Wikipedia is "an architectural term used by Pliny the Elder for the peristyle of the tomb of Mausolus, which was raised on a lofty podium, and so differed from an ordinary peristyle raised only on a stylobate, as in Greek temples, or on a low podium, as in Roman temples." I can see this influence especially in the structure in the center of the sim.

When you arrive, you are on a platform high above the water with a "wall" behind you. The wall is actually a door and opens as you walk towards it. It's a marvelous place to explore. I started right clicking on objects and found that they teleported me to other places in the sim. So, don't hesitate to click on things.

Explore the sim. You may end up in a box or even an usual vehicle. Have fun!

To visit Pteron, CLICK HERE. (pteron 236, 129, 33)

10 Romantic Things to do in Second Life

In celebration of Valentine's Day tomorrow, I thought I'd share 10 romantic things to do in SL. Because SL is such a vast world, our experiences and places we visit are different just as it is with RL. So, I hope you get some new ideas from this list.

1. Take a swan ride.

If you haven't visited the beautiful art park called RiverWalk, you are missing something special. RiverWalk holds a very special place in my heart. It's a beautiful serene place to walk and look at beautiful art, eat at the cafe tables, play a game or take a romantic ride on the river in a swan.

The swan ride is L$5, and a great experience to slowly take a ride through the beauty of RiverWalk with your sweetie. I highly suggest you click one of the swans at the dock first and read the instructions before going any further.

To take a swan ride, CLICK HERE. (Ganymede 20, 230, 26)

2. Dance in a beautiful winter wonderland.

SL is host to a wide array of clubs and ballrooms for every type of dancing pleasure. The quietness of the snowfall all around you and the romantic music makes the Winter Palace Ballroom one of my "picture perfect" places to dance with a special someone.

To dance in a winter wonderland, CLICK HERE. (Cardona 234, 171, 443)

3. See a movie under the stars.

Second Cinema has both a drive-in and a theater. From what I can tell, the drive-in hosts comedies and lighter movies and the theater hosts scary movies. When I visited "Pretty in Pink" was playing at the drive in and "New Nightmare" was playing at the theater.

To visit Second Cinema, CLICK HERE. (Amity Island 172, 31, 23)


4. Relax in the clouds.

On the beautiful sim, The Lost Gardens of Apollo, the skyline hosts views of tall, elegant towers reaching into the clouds. You'll find cuddle and relax balls at the top of the towers surrounded by the shear elegance of decor. The ambiance makes it a wonderful place to relax and chat with your sweetie.

To visit The Lost Gardens of Apollo, CLICK HERE. (Apollo 174, 120, 26)

5. Tuck away in the quietness of a tranquil cave.

The beauty and serenity of Midnight Reflections makes it a perfect place for a romantic excursion. Walk along the paths surrounding the cliffs of the lake and you will discover peaceful caves complete with cuddle rugs and poseballs to make your evening romantic.

To visit Midnight Reflections, CLICK HERE. (Midnight Reflections 128, 128, 2)


6. Enjoy a quiet, romantic dinner.

Bella Bistro has low lighting, soft music, a stylish interior adorned with elegant paintings. There is an extensive menu. Just click your placemat to order.

To visit Bella Bistro, CLICK HERE. (Vest 217, 156, 23)


7. Soak in a tranquil hot tub among Asian splendor.

Among the Asian shops and scenery are shelters with games and little romantic niches. My favorite is a small pool that the small waterfall of a stream empties into. It's located under the geisha training school.

To visit Lotus Ochaya, CLICK HERE. (Zarathud 97, 26, 23)


8. Bask in the elegance of a top spa together.

The SS Galaxy has many amenities for the couple that wants a little romance. The spa is like no other in SL. It's very class and has couple oriented pose balls in many places including the sauna, shower, and massage room.

To visit the Spa on the SS Galaxy, CLICK HERE. (Galaxy FORWARD 128, 163, 26)


9. Go horseback riding into the sunset.

SL hosts many places where you can find horses and riding trails. AKK Horse Ranch has both. You can even find a free horse to try out. Take your Valentine for a trot across the winding, scenic trails.

To visit AKK Horse Ranch, CLICK HERE. (Aeos 38, 96, 223)


10. Warm up by a roaring beach fire.

The Cape gives you lots of opportunities for cuddling on the beach. In the center of it all is a roaring fire to warm up while cuddling with your sweetie.

To visit The Cape, CLICK HERE (The Cape 78, 197, 30)


Whatever you decide to do with your sweetheart in SL for Valentine's Day, have fun and enjoy the beauty of SL!

Effie's Grand Re-Opening

CLICK HERE to join the party!

Tempura Island - A Romantic Oasis

Tempura Island is a serene, romantic oasis beautifully landscaped with rich, vivid colors. The teleport point is in a large, ornate open domed gazebo type structure which is beautifully textured with vibrant mosaic tiles. You immediately know you are in a special place.

Facing the walkway, you have a beautiful summer forest on your left and a vibrantly colored fall forest on the right. There are little nooks and crannies speckled throughout the sim for solitude and relaxing or spending quiet time with a special someone.

Following the pathway will take you to the palace. Opening the doors to the grandeur of the ballroom makes you feel like royalty. Dance balls are placed throughout the floor and a couple's dance ball emitter is also available. The palace also has private rooms and an underground that has cozy nooks.

Don't miss the submarine next to the palace. The decor is reminiscent of the old luxury railway cars. It's absolutely beautiful.

An entrance near the submarine takes you through an under water tunnel. The tunnel leads you to an under water oasis complete with a gazebo and fish swimming around you.

The quite nooks around this sim are too many to detail here. Walk around and find some special places to enjoy yourself. The island is a very popular place; therefore I encountered lag while there. But, it is definitely worth fighting any lag to see this gorgeous place.

To visit Tempura Island, CLICK HERE. (Tempura Island 125, 45, 33)

New Year... New Ideas

With the coming of the New Year, I've put a plan in place to reinvent Effie's Designs. In preparation for the new store, I have put a huge Clearance Sale and Yard Sale on the beach at Effie's. Also included are sections of Freebies and Dollarbies.

To visit the sale, CLICK HERE. (Midnight Oasis 78, 198, 22)

Burlesque - Spice up your New Year!

I'm feeling a bit adventurous in the New Year. I was looking for masks for a masked ball this weekend and kept running into Burlesque outfits. Although a bit skimpy, some of them are quite beautiful as well. So, here it is ladies.... a few places to find Burlesque outfits in SL.

Reasonable Desires

To visit Reasonable Desires, CLICK HERE. (Reasonable Desires 132, 205, 27)

Mika

(Burlesque and Show Girl)

To visit Mika, CLICK HERE. (Venus 190, 230, 27)

OPIUM Addictive Fashion

To visit Opium, CLICK HERE. (Celerio 42, 151, 46)

Nymphetamine

Paeoti doesn't name her clothing lines Burlesque, but I love her elegant, sexy outfits. I would call some of them Burlesque. :-)

To visit Nymphetamine, CLICK HERE. (Isle of Nymphetamine 138, 154, 24)