SPOTLIGHT ON CENTER GROUND - AN ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY COMMUNITY - ROXY MYSTIC REPORTING

My first visit at Center Ground was that of amazement, you can immediately feel and see the exceptional creative environmental practices, diversity, conservation of arts and culture in this little community.  My eyes were drawn to the colorful poster seeking creators of urban & ethnic wear to participate in a fashion event in mid-April during Earth week. I continued down the walkway enjoying the natural scenery and instantly recognized the hard work put into this slice of heaven where pride clearly shines. Near the garden area stands the Center Ground Gallery of Art where beautiful paintings proudly hang in a modern architectural-looking building. Further down is a residential area with Eco-looking homes. It was no surprise to me to learn that the Center Ground originally started by 4 environmentally focused leaders who created this environmentally friendly community to discuss and promote truly sustainable modeling and preserve their ideas and dreams in the SL metaverse. I was looking forward to meeting with one of the original founders, Luchenpur Darwin.

Roxy Mystic: Hello Luchenpur, I am very happy to meet you. This place is amazing! I am not sure where to start as there is so much to talk about.  I walked around Center Ground and I also visited your webpage.  There is a description of Center Ground that says: "The Center Ground sim is a hub for businesses, residences, arts and entertainment. While many may only know of our world-class venues, it takes only a brief walk to see what else we offer."  You were absolutely correct, I walked down the pathway and knew right away everything I needed to know about Center Ground. Let's go back a little and talk about how this all started, the meeting of 4 environmentalists with amazing visions.

Luchenpur Darwin: Hello Roxy, It is great to meet you as well. And thank you for the generous compliment. I can see already you have an eye for detail. Smiles 

Roxy Mystic: Why is it so important to you and obviously to your founding colleagues that Center Ground keeps showcasing ways to protect our natural resources and can you elaborate a bit more on the mindset around the synergy of survival?

Luchenpur Darwin: Roxy, My 3 colleagues, Paolo Rousselo, Tatia Andel, and Flower Ninetails

originally met on another sim that excelled in green and sustainable practices. Each of us came to SL with experiences from our first life that influenced our pursuits here. Over time the 4 of us decided to strike out on our own and pursue a vision, while still sustainable.  More aligned with the 4 of us.

Roxy Mystic:  I am so curious and very much interested in learning more about the upcoming fashion show and exposition of items designed from recycled and sustainable materials. This is such an original idea! Will this be a full week or weekend event? Please share more!

Luchenpur Darwin: The idea for the fashion show came from Reign C.  I asked her to be part of planning the event this year and she brought in her organization, The Best Of Second Life (BOSL). Our Earth Week celebration will actually begin the week of April 10th with designers setting up displays along Center Ground Boulevard On Saturday the 17th We will have a

dance troupe perform for the opening. Sunday the 18th we will have the Fashion Show put on by BLVD Fashion House Both events will start at Noon SLT. We will also DJs doing live sets at Etopia and street parties at Center Ground from the 17th  through the 25th.  I have been involved in “Green Expos” in the past where there were displays that covered everything from persevering water qualities, wetlands, and mangroves to reducing energy consumption. That appeals to a certain group. But when you talk fashion you have widened your scope.  If you do an internet search for sustainable fashion, you now see clothing companies that are taking the lead on sustainable practices and reusing recycled and sustainably grown materials in their garments. With a little research, I’m hoping some S L creators may come up with backstories for items they already have or create something new for our exposition.

Roxy Mystic: When I saw the Club Center Ground my first impression was that of a lounge atmosphere. I felt like I was perhaps in Vegas prepared to be entertained by elite performers. You are very good at creating perfect environments of comfort that pull us into special moments in time. What are the plans with the Club Center Ground, I understand there is currently both DJ and live music entertainment?

Luchenpur Darwin: Thanks for the compliment Roxy.  Club Center Ground is the result of collaborations between myself and Judilynn India. The club has evolved over time from suggestions by friends and patrons to what you see today.   We have live DJs nearly every day of the week comprising over 25 hours of original entertainment.  We also have singers on occasion. The club is open 24/7 there is a great stream by WBSR digital radio that plays on off-hours.

Roxy Mystic: I love shopping so we really need to talk about the shopping district! I have noticed there is both a market area and a store section. Oh wait, there is even a restaurant!  Your rental rates are quite affordable. Can you describe this area for me and if someone is interested in renting a store would they contact you directly?

Luchenpur Darwin: Smiles, The Center Ground Shopping district consists of small storefronts and the marketplace you mentioned previously. The stores along the boulevard and kiosk in the marketplace allow shoppers a chance to see what they are purchasing in a more physical way.  The kiosk gives smaller creators a chance to get some exposure. There is also an extension of Inspiration University.   We have Renee’s Bistro, I guess we could call it a supper club. It is an intimate venue with a small stage where singers and comedians have performed. Not to be forgotten is the Sugarhill Lounge, Housed in the WBSR building where we hold scheduled events on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Roxy Mystic: Those eco-homes you have here at Center Ground are so real, they truly reflect life in a sustainable real-life home being compact and efficient as they are. Once again your rental rates are very affordable and it appears most units are rented too. Can you describe the idea behind this close-knit community idea and how your renters feel about their compact homes?

Luchenpur Darwin: Sure, in a sustainable community all resources must be considered. We have been able to place 5 apartments in an area where some would have one huge home. I’m not knocking anyone for their choices. What we have here is an example of sustainable living where everything is within walking distance of your residence. The apartments were recently updated to state of the art (SOTA).  Alexis, One of our residents, and business owners came up with a proposal for the remodel and was able to secure the blessing of the original creator. That kind of collaboration is one of the keys to our success. We also took input from the other residents. What you see is the culmination of all those influences. Most of our renters have been here a long time. And even if they are away for an extended period they can count on having their place here when they return.

Roxy Mystic:  They say the experience of looking at awe-inspiring art has a positive effect on our physical body and our mental state as well; it enhances brain function and well-being so it is no surprise that Center Ground is highly involved with the art community.  Please share with our SL Enquirer readers why the gallery is so important. If someone wanted their art exhibit here what would they need to do and who would they contact?

Luchenpur Darwin: The Center Ground Gallery of Art, was the first major attraction we had here.  Judilynn India, our resident RL artist, and owner of the gallery built the first version in 2012.   Over the years there have been various iterations of the building. Judilynn is the curator and also the chief builder of present-day Center Ground.

Roxy Mystic:  I understand you are offering jobs and looking for bloggers. Can you describe the positions you are offering and perhaps provide information on the blogging opportunities at Center Ground?

Luchenpur Darwin: Center Ground’s employs a number of DJs and Host on a regular basis. In the near future, we will be looking for some men of good character and quality to act as ‘Gentleman Host’ for some of our events, Bloggers are welcome. If someone writes a blog about exploring different places on the grid, visiting galleries, or quaint shopping places please consider checking us out.  And please be sure to send me a link.

Roxy Mystic:  My last question might be hard for you to answer but if you were to pick one of your favorite things here at Center Ground what would it be?

Luchenpur Darwin: Hmm that’s difficult to say.   There are so many aspects.  I can say I truly enjoy meeting the various individuals that visit here be it at the club or as explorers or shoppers.

I really enjoyed meeting Luchenpur and I look forward to attending the Center Ground fashion events coming up in mid-April. I think this is a great opportunity for creative designers to showcase their work. The exposition is equally exciting and so original. Imagine items that are created from recycled and sustainable materials! Challenge yourself and make a difference. For more details, interested parties should contact Luchnepur Darwin by notecard in-world or by email at slcenterground@gmail.com subject line, Fashion. On a side note, for those interested, April 22 is the date of Earth Day this year and the theme is “Restore Our Earth.”

Additional Information:

LandMark: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Han%20Loso/165/70/65

Webpage: https://www.slcenterground.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/CenterGroundSL

E-Mail: slcenterground@gmail.com 

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BRUNEL HALL: CLASSIC LUXURY IN A MODERN WORLD – JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING

As a writer for one of the most popular publications in this Virtual World, I am often invited to check out places I have never seen before.  Some of them are quite creative, with extensive histories.  Brunel Hall is one such place.  In a world populated with cookie-cutter homes, Brunel Hall stands out, noteworthy for its fascinating charm and Old-World Elegance.  In my travels the other day, I came across the Grande Dame of days gone by, and I asked Vic Mornington, the proprietor, to share some of the story of this enchanting place with our SLE readers.

Josh (Thomas1 Bellic) (JB):  Soo,  tell me, Vic.  What is Brunel Hall, exactly?

Vic Mornington (VM):  It is first and foremost a hotel.  The bulk of the building, namely all of the upper floors, are dedicated to the 17 hotel rooms which are used on a rented basis for the folks visiting the wider city, either for RP or simply using the hotel as a home base for exploring.  Even back to its early days when the original building was only a pub, there was still two small hotel rooms to the side that folks could rent out. 

As the place grew via expansions into neighboring plots, that’s when the Bar Restaurant theme started to take shape for the ground floor.  As it stands now, Brunel Hall is what you would see in most modern cities.  It's a working hotel, with "added amenities".   It's also turned into a Second Life build equivalent of Scotland's Forth Rail Bridge, just as you finish an overhaul of the building...it’s time to go back to the beginning and start all over again.

JB:  Where did you get the inspiration for Brunel Hall?

VM:  The inspiration for the look of the building, at least on the outside, is from the Liberty of London building in London, England.  If you are ever visiting Brunel Hall, take a look at the front, and then search for Liberty of London on Google, there are very striking similarities. 

Back in 2010, there were 5 top-tier "Grand Restaurants".  In order to even enter, you had to pay an average of 500L$, to enter, you had to book a table, that was on average another 1000L$.  Once you had booked the table and sat at the table, you were already down a grand and a half.  On top of that, you either had to pay or tip the RP wait staff, the chef, the owner...etc. 

...all that, to sit and stare at badly textured prim food.  Lia (my cousin in RL) had a bad experience with one of those old grand restaurants.  That bad experience she had, along with others I heard about was in the back of my mind when the original version of Brunel Hall was extended out further and further to the west as I took over more and more parcels.  I decided, once I had enough prims on the parcel, to open a restaurant as good as the old grand diners, but do one thing they didn't do.  Make it free to use.

More than 10 years on, Brunel Hall is the last of the old Grand Restaurants, the rest are long gone.

JB: Do you ever host special events at Brunel Hall?

VM:  There are normal parties DJ'd by me (at the time of writing this) on the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month at around 9 or 10pm UK time.  They are mainly UK timed as I'm based in the UK.  In the future the plans for The Three Craws basement bar is for guest live singers and guest DJ's to perform for the 1st and third Friday of the month.  Then of course there are the main holidays like Easter and Christmas where special event parties take place.

The Restaurant and bar downstairs are also open for bookings as well, this is one of the main reasons there isn't a wall to wall listing of events, a lot of the week have to be clear for bookings for weddings, birthday parties and so forth.

JB: Who are your Guests?  What is your target demographic?

VM:  The guests who rent or just pop in to use the restaurant cover a huge demographic.  Even though the hotel is in the north side of a 12-region large steampunk city (New Babbage) about half the guests are visitors who wear anything but Steampunk or Victorian clothing.  We have had folks new to SL with 1 week old accounts, we've had oooooooold accounts dating back to 2004/5. accounts whose typist behind the keyboard are in their 80's in real life to accounts whose typists are in their early 20's.  We've had countless members of various LGBT inworld groups stay in the hotel, members of Cyberpunk groups, Sci-Fi groups, furrys, tinies and other groups over the course of the hotel being open. 

The reason there's been such a broad base of people is because of New Babbage.  Since New Babbage isn't "RP enforced" it means that folks can wander around and explore without having to change their clothes or their looks to fit in with the general 1880's theme of the region.  Most of the guests do end up changing into some more Victorian or steampunk looking outfits if they go to one of the events in the city or just wander around, that’s probably why they end up renting a room, so they can change clothes in some privacy while remaining inside the city.

JB: How long does the average guest stay at Brunel Hall?

VM:  On average it’s about three months.  The "Long Stay" guests generally appear around November/December time when the entire city gets covered in snow for the winter.  Then there is the gradual progression from the thaw (March) into the summer months as long stay summer/autumn guests start renting around May and then leave around August/September.  There are a handful of hotel renters though who have remained as hotel renters from when they first rented, the longest guest we have in the hotel started renting the same room back in 2010 and has remained with the hotel ever since through all 6 of its tear-downs and rebuilds.

At any given time, because of the long stay renters, the hotel is generally half to 3/4ths rented out with only about 5 or 6 of the 17 rooms laying empty for short stay visitors who rent for about 2 to 3 weeks just to explore the city.  In between the rental "seasons" which is where we are now, the room vacancies go up to about half the rooms laying empty for a month or so.

JB: Tell me more about the rooms, please.   They are much larger than what I have seen in most places in SL…More like complete apartments.  Who does your design work?

VM:  When the first version of the hotel was being laid out, I decided at that point that the rooms would basically be livable.  Not the normal "bed, table and chair" common hotel rooms that you see today.  The Grand Hotels of the early and middle period Victorian era were mini living rooms, so what I decided to do was to take the basics of a complete "apartment" and cram them into a single floor and double floor sectioned off "mini house".  The way I looked at it was simple, folks who were going to be staying in the hotel were no doubt there to look around the city, they would be renting for at least a week...I may as well make the room as comfortable as possible for them and their friends.

As the hotel expanded out and upwards in the 6 overhauls, the rooms got progressively bigger and bigger.  It’s now at the point that the bulk of the actual building is given over to hotel rooms, with only the ground floor and basement being used for the other stuff.  I generally look at the "Grand Design".  Lia and Lizzy usually take care of the finer details.

JB:  What a lovely dining area.  How does dining at Brunel Hall offer an experience that is unique in  SecondLife.

VM:  This is an easy one to answer, and it’s been my guiding philosophy in the 10+ years of running the hotel.  Brunel Hall offers a bigger menu, a grander building and a better surrounding (hey, there’s a whole city out there) than any other restaurant, we don't pester you with RP wait staff, don't spam you with messages to donate...we just leave you and your partner, friend or family alone.  Ohhh...and its free to use.

That basically covers it!

JB: Tell me about the underground Tunnels.  That is quite a complex you have down there.

VM:  The tunnels are a late addition to the hall.  The southern regions of New Babbage have a vast network of underground sewers and tunnels interconnecting the older core regions.  About 3 years ago, Mosseveno Tenk who is the Mayor and overall land owner of the 12 regions of New Babbage (the city is a rented land-based city, with individual land parcel owners) decided to drop the land surface of Academy of Industry down to water level in many parts so landowners around Academy can hook up tunnels to the main sewer line that connects Academy to Port Babbage in the south, and Babbage Palisade to the west. 

That’s when I thought "ohhhhhh, I can put a cellar and some tunnels down there!"...so I did!  It's great for explorers or role players, cause the tunnels hook up to the old Palisade wall in the north, the sewer which runs along the front of the hotel under the road and the old crypt cavern below the cemetery.

JB: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

VM:  If you do decide to visit, I would recommend you drop your draw distance below 100.  The hall itself is crammed with stuff, but it’s not just that, New Babbage itself is very densely packed on the ground, as you would expect for a Steampunk Victorian city, so having your draw distance too high would mean your viewer is rezzing half the north end of the city at the same time.

Most of all, if you do visit, have a look around the city as well once you have finished your look around Brunel Hall, New Babbage is a very old community, one of, if not the oldest steampunk-based communities and cities on the grid.  You never know, you might like it that much ya might end up either renting a hotel room for months on the end, or, as is the case for a good number of hotel renters, you may end up buying land and putting down roots in the city.

thanks a Bunch!

So, there you have it, Folks.  If you’ve a hankering for Old World Charm on a modern, pixelated Virtual World grid, head on down to New Babbage.  Visit the Shops…the Academy, the Port Area, and the other many fun and quaint paces to visit there.  While you are there, enjoy a meal in Brunel Hall, and rent a room to crash for the night, or for the week…or for the month.   And tell Vic, the proprietor that “Josh sent me”

Be there.   Aloha!

JB

SURL:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Academy%20of%20Industry/51/71/108

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