By Bixyl Shuftan
This month, The Happy Vixen Beach Club will become ten years old. In Second Life, it's an accomplishment when a club makes it to it's first anniversary as so many close down after just a few months or even a few weeks. But the Happy Vixen has gone on year after year, enduring the highs and lows of traffic and celebrating the seasons and the accomplishments of it's staff and friends. And ten years later, it's not just still around but thriving.
In contrast to many clubs, created by ambitious personalities who think they have what it takes to make the next top club in all of Second Life, the Happy Vixen's start was more humble. In May 2010, it was decided to make Club Zero Gravity
the main club of the Purrfection sim. Being a space club, it was high above the sim. About a year later, Nydia Tungsten, whom before ran
the Angels Beach club in another sim before it was suddenly shut down when the region closed down, decided something for the surface was needed. In June 2011, she placed a small beachside shop, and a small beach club with a thatched roof made by Treminari Huet. Nydia didn't give it a name at first, but it soon became known as the Happy Vixen.
For months it would hold events an average of once a week, the larger "Raised Tail" beach club that was also in the sim having larger numbers. But then "Raised Tail" would shut down, never to reopen. Nydia then decided it was time to expand the Happy Vixen, builder Jasmine Dawn (Jasmine Knickers) using the design of the closed club as an inspiration, with thatched roofs and vines going down the sides. Nydia was also asked by friends of hers to make the beach next to it a nude beach. This was not for frisky behavior, but because their favorite "clothing optional" places were closing, and what was left were what were sometimes called "perv beaches," and the women wanted a place where they could enjoy full exposure without being pestered for sex.
The new club was reopened in November 2011, and would start getting more attention.
At first, the club would hold only one two or three events a week in times and days not covered by the other Sunny clubs, such as on Monday. For several months at one time, it was closed to regular events. But time would change things. Cutlass would drop it's Sunday event, so the Happy Vixen filled in. Xanadu would also close and re open due to the owner's real-life, and at one point it was decided for the beach club to fill in for it until it reopened. And eventually It was decided Purfection couldn't support two clubs. Since the beach club fit the theme of the sim more, it stayed and
Club Zero Gravity would close, and remain offline for a few years before reopening elsewhere. And so
as it filled in when neighboring clubs closed or a talented DJ was interested in working there, the little beach club became the most active in the Sunweaver community.
Over time, the Happy Vixen would get several renovations. At one point it was taken down from Purrfection and another beach club set up in the Main Sunweaver area and called the "Happy Vixen," one with the dance area out in the open. It was best known for being the setting for a couple music videos. It would soon be moved back to Purrfection, but
as a new club building that was made a little smaller, but the dance floor area also out in the open. It would get makeovers again in
May and
June 2016, getting a larger dance floor, a building area with a hot tub and a few games, and a small shopping "mall" area near the entrance. It would remain this way for almost three years. Then in March 2019, it got the makeover that gave it the look it has today, a larger dance floor with a side area with a movie theater and some games.
In March 2019,
it would once again be modified and look much like it does today, a large open-air club with a big dance floor with a crystal center. One corner was for the dragon DJ whom played a couple events a week at the time. To the side was a hot tub with a few games placed above and nearby. Later in the year, it would be further modified to have
a movie theater area with a huge selection of movies. The hot tub would be taken down, but more games would be added. There are some pictures of Nydia and her friends, and a calendar vendor. There's also a Sunbeamer kiosk there in the Relay season, and throughout the year a "Homes For Our Troops" kiosk for donations to the two charities.
Over time, there have been many, many events. The club aims for a variety of themes, seldom repeating the same one until two or three months have passed. Some of the more memorable themes have been
Pony,
Skunks,
Sharknado,
Pirates, and others. The club has seen
game tournaments,
Birthday parties, a
number of Relay events,
benefits to help neighbors in need,
other charity events,
memorial events,
calendar auctions,
taken part in club crawls,
had a book publishing party, was the setting of some SL
music videos, hosted a couple
Luskwood tribute parties, and was the scene of some
SL Newser anniversary parties. Every December, the club is the scene of the "
Twisted Christmas" party. And every October in the past few years, Jasmine Dawn's
made a fun Halloween build, followed by
a big Halloween bash. And on a rare occasion, there may be a
pie fight or
some flooding.
If the club has a secret for it's longevity, it's flexibility. Nydia Tungsten runs the club along with manager Snowbuns (Skylark Lefavre), with a little help from yours truly. Our friend Helios Auxifur also helps out. The club has been fortunate enough to have some fine talent over the years, such as Tantari Kim and Jasmine Dawn.
As for future plans, it's continuing to provide fun and music to our neighbors and friends, and some games and movies between parties. We may change the design of the place again soon, or maybe not. The point of a beach club is to relax, and so we'll continue to provide a place for some fun in the sun.
Currently, our schedule is Mondays 9-12PM, Tues 4-8PM, Thurs 8-10PM, Fri 4-6 and 8-10PM, and Sunday 5-9PM. Come on over and join in the fun.
Purrfection Estates (236, 219, 24)
Bixyl Shuftan
