Tag: Frank’s Place

Second Life Steals, Deals, and Freebies: Pale Beauty

I am in a resolutely foul and cranky mood this evening, for two reasons.

First, I realize that I have spent EIGHTY CANADIAN DOLLARS to change the name of one of my Second Life avatars, which, even for someone who loves SL as much as I do, is an filthy, obscene amount of money; and…

Second, I am still struggling with bouts of anxiety, depression and anger at having to self-isolate in my apartment because of the coronavirus pandemic. I started working from home March 16th, 2020, and I feel as if I am slowly starting to fall apart at the seams, and it hasn’t even been ONE FULL MONTH YET. And today Helen Branswell reports for STAT:

A modeling study on the new coronavirus  warns that intermittent periods of social distancing may need to persist into 2022 in the United States to keep the surge of people severely sickened by Covid-19 from overwhelming the health care system.

The research, published Tuesday in the journal Science, looked at a range of scenarios for how the SARS-CoV-2 virus will spread over the next five years. Those scenarios included variables like whether people who are infected develop short-term immunity — less than a year — or longer-term protection. But, overall, the research concludes it is unlikely that life will return any time soon to the way it was before the virus’ emergence.

2022? 2022?!??

And, just to add insult to injury, I have developed an ugly, painful reddish-brown rash on the backs of my thighs from spending 16-to-18 hour days perched in front of my personal computer, sitting on one of my wooden kitchen chairs, and it has has just made me even more cranky, upset and ill-tempered. (I plan to drive out to my office in the science library tomorrow, to pick up my lushly upholstered and much-missed executive office chair, praying to God that I can fit it into the back of my subcompact car, so I can bring it home.)

As a virtual hermit who largely lives his life on the internet, all of a sudden I can no longer sit for long periods in front of my computer! (So much for my admittedly unhealthy coping mechanism.) In between sessions on my PC, I lie on the sofa, with my legs propped up, rubbing a corticosteroid cream originally prescribed for my eczema on my thighs, seething.

So, no, I am NOT a happy camper today. I am not a happy camper at all.

However, I still take some small amount of pleasure from my weird little hobby of designing a complete Second Life avatar look from head to toe. So tonight, I have plunked down an avatar at the side of the (New) Frank’s Jazz Club, listening to the music stream as I lie on the sofa:

Here’s a few more shots of my avatar from the front:

This avatar is wearing:

Mesh Head: The Limited Edition Bento head from Akeruka (L$1 group gift; the Akeruka group costs L$150 to join, and I would strongly urge you to pick up this Bakes on Mesh head before it’s gone, which comes in eight different skin tones and with matching skin appliers for Maitreya, Belleza, Slink, and Omega-compatible mesh bodies included). The beautiful mesh eyes are also included in the package.

Mesh Body: Juliet by Altamura (a limited-time group gift from Valentine’s Day 2019, which I turn to again and again on this blog; at the time I joined the Altamura group it was only L$50, but it now costs L$100 to join their group; this Juliet body is now for sale at the full price). In order to use the Serenity II skin below, I needed to buy and install the Omega system kit for Altamura (available for L$99 at this exact SLURL), as well as use the free Bakes on Mesh relay available at the Altamura store.

Skin: This beautiful pale Serenity II skin with blonde eyebrows is a Bakes on Mesh skin by Alaskametro (available for free from The Free Dove freebie store). This was my inspiration to get creative tonight!

Hair: This elegant updo is called NO.KEY and is by NO.MATCH (it was a freebie during a short period of time last year when the store was giving away a free gift each day).

Dress: This truly lovely retro Celebrate Spring! dress in opal is by steampunk/historical roleplay outfitter Cog & Fleur, and it was a free hunt prize in their recently-concluded Good Eggs hunt.

Shoes: Jai pumps by Rowne (free group gift; unfortunately, the Rowne store seems to have disappeared from the grid).

Necklace: This is an oldie but a goodie: the Glazed Heart necklace from Eolande’s (remember them? they have long since closed up shop).

TOTAL COST FOR THIS AVATAR: L$300 (L$151 total for the Akeruka head, L$50 to join the Altamura group to get the Juliet body, and L$99 for the Altamura Omega system kit)

Second Life Steals, Deals, and Freebies: A Tale of Two Frank’s

A rather amusing situation has developed in the wake of Frank’s Entertainment Group closing down most of their Second Life venues: two dueling Frank’s Jazz Clubs have arisen!

Frank’s Jazz Club (The Upstart)

The new club, which is variously called Frank’s Jazz Club, the New Frank’s Place, the Sinatra Jazz Club, and the Frank S Jazz Club, depending on which sign you’re looking at and which landmark you pick up, is the new kid on the block, obviously hoping to lure Frank’s previous clientele. (I’m quite sure that Frank’s original owner, Nanceee Sinatra, is rather ticked off about this development, but there’s not much that she can do about it. I rather doubt she trademarked the name Frank’s.)

The music mix is much the same as Nancee’s original Frank’s, but I note that you can make song requests for the DJ to play using various signs placed around the venue, which is a suitably large and impressive space, tastefully decorated for Christmas.

And I do see many familiar faces from Frank’s here already! Which just goes to show that the concept was a good one. It was very smart of someone to step immediately into the void left when Frank’s closed.

Even better, there are gifts of free formalwear for both men and women at the entrance! What more could a freebie fashionista ask for?

Here my avatar is wearing the free black ballgown, which is quite lovely and has sizes to fit most classic system and mesh bodies (this is the version for Maitreya Lara, which fits this Altamura Juliet mesh body perfectly):

She is also wearing:

TOTAL COST FOR THIS ENTIRE FORMAL OUTFIT: FREE!

Frank’s Elite Jazz Club (The Original)

On the other hand, there is Frank’s Elite Jazz Club, which is under new ownership after the previous sim owner stepped in to save it when Frank’s Entertainment Group was going to shut it down. It is a members-only club with a rather steep membership fee of L$1,000 (I had joined when the group fee was only L$500), but they sometimes have events which are open to everybody.

I must confess that I do have a soft spot for this venue, which is beautifully decorated for the holiday season:

One of things I do like about Frank’s Elite Jazz Club is the variety of talented live performers. I also appreciate the fact that the exclusivity of the club tends to attract a higher class of clientele (I did get rather sick and tired of being hit on all the time at Frank’s original club; being a drop-dead gorgeous female avatar does have its disadvantages 😉 ).

Vanity Fair is wearing her standard go-to ballgown, the Au Revoir red silk gown by Snowpaws—simple, beautiful, effortlessly elegant.

To go with the ballgown, I am also wearing:

  • Antigone gold and ruby earrings (a long-ago free gift from Kouse’s Sanctum, a store which has now closed)
  • Gigi crimson pumps by Garbaggio (not shown; my favourite shoe store!)
  • And a gold wedding band by Su Xue (as a warning signal to keep the male pestering to a minimum 😉 ).

Vanity is also wearing:

UPDATED: Frank’s Entertainment Group Is Shutting Down Frank’s Jazz Club and the Rest of Its Locations in Second Life After 13 Years

I just learned today that one of my favourite go-to places in Second Life, Frank’s Jazz Club (a.k.a. Frank’s Place), is shutting its doors for good on November 23rd, 2019. This news comes as a bit of a surprise to me, because Frank’s was still one of more popular clubs in Second Life, with a good crowd most evenings. Frank’s was famous for insisting on a strict formal dress code (tuxedos or suits for the men and long gowns for the women); if you showed up in jeans and a T-shirt, you were quickly ushered out the door, politely but firmly, by whatever host or hostess was on duty. The name is a bit of a misnomer; Frank’s actually played much more adult contemporary and easy-listening music than actual jazz.

And not just Frank’s Jazz Club is closing, but all the enterprises operating under the umbrella of Frank’s Entertainment Group (FEG):

  • Frank’s Elite Jazz Club (a separate, members-only club)
  • Bogart’s Jazz Club (a competing club bought by FEG and operating in the Galleria shopping mall adjoining Frank’s Jazz Club)
  • Chateau d’Elite Restaurant (a roleplay high-end restaurant)
  • The Galleria shopping mall (covering two sims)

In a notecard sent out to her Frank’s Elite group members, FEG founder Nanceee Sinatra-Dante explains why she is closing up shop:

I enter into a new chapter in my life. I have found joy in real life, yes, from a relationship I made here in FEG. Eric and I are now fully together in real life and expect to marry in the coming months. We enter real life with great expectations for the future. It is a future bright in both of our minds and hearts. Because of my desire to fully experience the real life we are creating, we have decided to close FEG in the coming weeks. This has been a difficult decision for all of the reasons expressed above, but it is with a realization that there is only so much time in a day.

FEG’s last official business day will be November 23, 2019. We have en amazing 2 final days planned and hope you can join us as we go out with a “bang”.

I offer my congratulations to Nanceee on having a Second Life relationship successfully carry over into her real life! And keep your eyes peeled for announcements of wind-up events during these final two weeks of operation. A quick glance at the Second Life Map shows that all three of Frank’s Jazz Club, Bogart’s and Frank’s Elite are busy tonight!

Frank’s faithful clientele will no doubt move on to other clubs. But it does indeed mark the end of an era. (Personally, I am hoping for a few clearance sales at the stores in The Galleria shopping mall!)

UPDATE Nov. 23rd, 2019: It has been announced that Frank’s Elite Jazz club will continue operations after the rest of the venues run by Frank’s Entertainment Group shut down, running under a new proprietor. This is good news, and I look forward to future visits!

Using Second Life As My Radio Station

Over the past several years I have noticed myself using Second Life for a particular, rather peculiar purpose, one that I certainly didn’t intend to use it for at first, and one that I’m sure Linden Lab didn’t forsee either. I find myself dressing up my avatar, visiting a club, turning up the sound on my speakers, and then heading for the sofa to put my feet up with my iPad to read or browse Reddit and simply listen to some music. In other words, Second Life has become my radio station!

Sometimes I’m in the mood for some classic, romantic standards, and so I throw on an elegant ballgown and some expensive-looking jewelry, and strike a pose at the side of the dancefloor at Frank’s Place Jazz Club (despite the name, they don’t play jazz that often). I never go to Frank’s to dance; I go to listen to the music. I don’t need to be sitting at my computer to do that. As long as I meet their formal dress code, I can stand there and listen as long as I want; sometimes I plant myself there all day while I am doing other things!

Vanity Fair at Frank's Jazz Club 2 4 Apr 2018_001.png

Other times, I’ll decide to throw on a daring little minidress and visit FMD to listen to a stream of music that would not be out of place in a hip, fashionable modern club scene. It’s not music I would listen to on a regular radio station at all, but sometimes I’m in the mood for something different.

And on another day, and I’ll be in jeans and a leather jacket at Big Daddy’s 80’s Club or Muddy’s Music Café, listening to the music stream there.

Do you use Second Life as a radio station too? Leave a comment to let me know where you like to listen. I’m always open to new suggestions!