Eating in Second Life

(This is about virtual food. :P)

Much of my time in RL is spent thinking about food: what's in the fridge, when to go to the store, what's for dinner, or is there a cool restaurant I really want to go to. (If you live in Chicago, btw, try the Magnolia Cafe on Wilson Ave. :)) Eating is one of the joys of life. It’s an activity that engages all of the senses at once. In SL, however, food is not an overriding concern. No sound, no smell, no feel, and no taste. Why even have it then? Because like all the other things in SL that aren’t quite like they are in real life, it can be fun.

One of my favorite places in SL is the Cas food court at Voti (209, 21, 43), where you can purchase almost any virtual victual you could possibly desire. These foods are beautifully prepared and offer some cyber-enjoyment as well. On hand for entertaining I keep tea and crumpets, antipasto, tapas, oysters, artisan cheeses, champagne, whiskey drinks, wine flights, lemonade, and iced tea. I also have an absinthe fountain, for the truly adventurous imbiber (and you know who you are).

Another fave is HomeLife/PondLife at PondLife (77,129,21). Here you can purchase dining sets with fully animated food service (as opposed to just pictures of food), and a bunch of other kewl stuff, indoor and out, as well. Dining sets are the handiwork of Eladon Galsworthy, whose products I own and greatly admire. (There are some lovely picnic blankets made by others, but their attraction is not the food they have pictured, but the cuddles they include. :) )

Utensils in SL are interesting. They're there if you want to use them, and of course, they contribute to a genteel dining experience. All of those I've seen operate in a European fashion: no one switches their fork to the right hand after cutting. This makes very good sense given the complexity of a hand switch in an animation. But true credit for the elimination of all complexity in dining goes to Duggy Bing, who might easily devour everything on your menu without ever bothering to pick up a knife or fork. :( (Bad Duggy!)

There is a dearth of restaurants in SL, especially really nice ones. Sublime, now on the beach at St. Thomas, has come and gone, but has now come again. Sublime was my first dining experience as an SL restaurant virgin. But Duggy told me of another place that had escaped my notice (I don’t know how): the Arbor. I went there for brunch Sunday morning with a newfound friend whose SL name I adore (and also says it all), Megaera Lunasea. Not seeing any staff, we opted for self-service.

Getting into the place was a bit of a challenge, the entry procedure not being completely intuitive. Meg’s simple evaluation was, “Well, it's not completely impressive. It’s too complicated.” However, once we found our way to the lovely duck pond on a cloud and were seated, we were definitely impressed with the ambience. I ordered Eggs Benedict, my enduring favorite. Meg had a fruit platter.

SL eating is problematic in more than one respect. First, there is the occasional technical glitch. (Meg: “I’m drinking water but don't see it.”) Second, it piques your appetite. (Meg: “Well, now I will need to make breakfast in RL *giggle*.”) Third, you aren’t really doing much. (Meg: “This is cute, but isn't the concept kind of like we are paying them to camp, instead of vice versa *giggle*?”) But it does provide an excellent excuse for good, relaxed conversation.

Another little glitch was that when I rose from the table, I went airborne, falling many, many meters to the ground. I advised Meg to yell “Geronimo!!!” before she did likewise. (She yelled “Wheeeee!!!!” instead.) So much for ambience. :/ I should point out that the Arbor maintains a very elaborate menu and Web site, and actually does have a wait staff. No one was around, and we enjoyed self-service, but if you want table service, a reservation might be a good idea. Perhaps if a waiter had assisted me with my chair… LOL..

Getting back to Sublime… Seaside Sublime, Serenity Islands CTR (108, 231, 22), is very kewl and casual, but, for better or worse, not like the original. All self-service. Pop on your swimsuit and try it, tho.

PLACES I VISITED:

Restaurants

Aladdin DAHAB, Egypt - Eladon's stuff on Egyptian beach

The Arbor - Eladon's stuff with Opal Proctor food (fancy)

Beck-Nemeth Restaurant and Food - To look at only

Knightsbridge - Is there a restaurant somewhere?
Pizza Master's Home - Couldn’t get food
Sublime - Eladon fun on the beach casual

Top Food (you can eat, and some of it talks)

Cas in Voti - Yummedy
Naughty Nibbles - Yummedy
Proctor’s Perfections - Yummedy
Romantic Gifts and Novelties - Yummedy
Rosehaven Recipes - Yummedy

Food

Japanese Goods Shop “Giomobrando” - Japanese dishes to look at
Lutecia Productions, Roman Market - Ancient looking food
Maddux furniture grocery - Like a Hillman’s in a Sears basement
MG Bakery - Not eatable

NOT COVERED IN THIS POST, but VERY interesting nevertheless, possible future subjects:

Control your Eating Habits - Personal Coaching with Nina Lancaster

Also, everyday ppl volunteering to keep their virtual selves healthy by eating virtual food everyday, and seeing their habits turn into avatars of their dreams or nightmares.

And, virtual gluttony, officially sanctioned by Major League Eating, the sports franchise that oversees all professional competitive eating events, including the Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. Soon to be on the Wii.