Live From Caledon On Sea - The Blue Mermaid

In my personal blog, I promised a full report on my lovely Valentine's Day and I hope it was worth the wait. Reporting from Caledon On Sea with a little help from my friends, Professor Outladish presents: The Blue Mermaid.

First off I have to thank my two lovely loyal readers who assisited in this shoot.

Regan Finesmith will be the subject of the free poster given to loyal readers who also follow my in-world group (free to join, hint hint). She was chosen through a careful selection process involving asking for a volunteer and taking the first person to raise their hand. Let that be a lesson to aspiring reporters everywhere. All you have to do is seize the opportunity when it presents itself.

Io Guisse, my lovely assistant and Valentine's date just had the luck (good or bad, you be the judge) to end up losing her dress on stage with me during the Valentine's event.

 OK, so first the dry facts. The Blue Mermaid is a burlesque club in Caledon. Events are held Wednesdays at 7 and Sundays at 1. The owner, Hypatia Callisto and the DJ for the event, Icarus Ghost were both amazingly friendly. Io and I were made to feel right at home.

Its got a lovely atmosphere and is pleasantly risque by Victorian standards. Reporters and their dates can get naked on the stage, for example, without getting into trouble. I must admit this had a fair bit to do with my enjoyment of the evening. They also don't mind junior reporters taking a little impromptu champagne bath.

 

Now if you're like me, you've been to clubs all over SL. The formula tends to be very straight forward. There's a commercial area that vendors rent space in. That pays the bills for the club, which in turn generates the traffic for the vendors. Once you get there, there's a two hour themed event. Depending on the size of the club the prize for best in theme is somewhere between 250 and 1000 L. There are strippers and a DJ working for tips. Before the event, the place is empty. Two hours after the event starts, prizes are given out and everyone who works there packs up and goes home. Even when you win, you're left feeling vaguely used.

Not so the Blue Mermaid, my friends. The Valentine's Day dance was scheduled to start at 7 PM. Every time a group went home, another came in. When the DJ finally packed up to go home at midnight there were probably still a dozen people in the place. This, faithful readers, is a place that people come because they love it run by people who love it. There were plenty of dancers shedding their clothes but none were employees or doing it for the tips. I can't reccommend this place highly enough for the neo-Victorian, Steampunk, or just slightly naughty set.

The main room has several lovely features. There's a bar for dancing on. . .

 

and tables and couches to perform for a more intimate audience. . .

 

and that's just the main room. 

If your looking for other places to check out, The Blue Mermaid is part of the Caledon Adventure, as shown by the goblet next to your pleasantly distracted junior reporter.

 

Just step out front to the time machine. Flip the lever, pick a destination, have a seat and you'll be whisked away to another Caledon Adventure location of your choice. Don't do it yet, though. You'll miss the joy of the Mermaid's secluded back rooms.

The first of these isn't so much a back room as a top room. When things get crowded down below, you can head up the staris to the balcony level. Its perfect for watching the Caledonian antics, as a dance overflow area or for getting a little closer to an adoring fan.

 

From there you should be able to easily find the other back rooms, complete with a comfy couch, another lap dance chair and an absolutely lovely rug in front of the fireplace.

Unfortunately, this is the point where my lovely volunteer had to leave. It was a great shoot, though and very. . . satisfying off camera. 

Live from The Blue Mermaid in Caledon On Sea, this is Professor Outlandish, sleeping the sleep of the just.