Party Central

* Heraklia Aelius

Party Central

For thoughts about upcoming AncientWorlds celebrations and projects

February 22 , 2008

I love Lunar Fest!

Posted at 11:00 EST

Of course I adore ALL our festivals, but Lunar Fest has a special place because I always learn so much . . . well, considering where I started (zero), I can hardly help it. I'm already enchanted by the "Year of the Rat" theme and those lovely rats - of course I softened up by watching Ratatouille a few weeks ago - but this is my first voyage, the Ratitude quiz. I must congratulate JiaLi on a wonderful quiz, but to whom do I say, those illustrations are among the best I've ever seen?

Anyway, here's "my" rat plaque:

I can't wait to have time to explore! Thanks, Orient.

January 1 , 2008

Happy 2008!

Posted at 11:00 EST

I have to send my final compliments for the 2007 holiday season to Egypt, where the Establishing the Celestial Cow event was SUCH fun. It made me realize that using the kind of high-class graphic talent we have around here maximizes ANY event - it was as delicious to look at as it was to play with. I also loved it because it was driven by Egyptian cives who pitched in and made all sorts of neat and interesting events!

And to my old pard, AER, I simply have to compliment her Cow Gift Shoppe, which has so many lovely gifts. One tends to forget how exquisite Egyptian art was in the small items, as well as in the Great Temples.

Congratulations, everyone! - it was a lark and a fine end to 2007. And my thanks to ALL, including the lovely Celtia Hogmanay cards I've received, who helped make this (IMHO) the best holidays we've ever seen here.

December 20 , 2007

Such beautiful cards!!

Posted at 15:00 EST

I have to smile, realizing that the whole notion of making a holiday card to leave for AW friends is relatively new - I think I saw my first ones about 2005, but in the last two years they've really developed. I made mine (permanent thanks to Germaniae for her "Christmas in Jerusalem" project, which provided a form), but some of those left to me are truly gorgeous. Of course we always love receiving cards from our online friends, and they are beautiful in so many ways! but I must pick out this one from Lucrezia B. Lucretius . . . the mixture of ancient themes, ancient Greece, a dash of old Germania, and a sense of humor, plus modern touches - the graphics and imagination - is so cool! But I wouldn't want to make anyone else feel intimidated, EVERY card is wonderful because everyone is a hug from an AW friend.

I love the traditional ones, the Germania Yule ones, the Roman-Christmas-in-Jerusalem ones, the lovely cards Hellas features in its e-card centers - all beautifully made. It's a tradition I'm happy to see grow.

Thank you, everyone!

December 19 , 2007

The Saturn Quiz

Posted at 10:00 EST

I simply cannot find room for another plaque or picture or neat souvenir of the holidays at AW, but I have to share this one - lovely plaque, neat quiz, and after years of hanging around with this lot, I got it very nearly right! Thanks to whoever came up with the quiz, it made me laugh as well as confirming that I probably know more about Saturn than anyone should!

Click on the image and you can take it too ;)

December 18 , 2007

Saturnalia congratulations

Posted at 21:00 EST

*sigh* Explain to me why my office has exploded the last week, but I've been trying to find snippets of time to visit Saturnalia, and I finally did. I've sent compliments to the scribes, but this was far more than just scribes - this was just TONS of Romans contributing their events or arts or whatever, which in my own lexicon means - congratulations due to ALL Romans. I was so sorry to finally get to the banquet just too late (well, who needs more fancy sauces - er, Fauces - if you're a slender demi). But I just had to share the lovely poster, with thanks to those who made it happen. Now, if I can just figure out how to add a little arrow through the head of my dearest friends for Topsy-Turvey, I'll have it made . . .

Thank you, Romans. This Saturnalia is a LOT of fun, even if Balbas always makes me feel I know NOTHING about Roman history (Consul or Not indeed! she moaned).

October 15 , 2007

Germania and the Vandals

Posted at 11:00 EST

LOL - as a Roman, I admit I winced a bit when I saw the Vandal theme, but Germania has handled it very well. It took me a long time to realize that the sack of Rome in 410 by Aleric was NOTHING - what really did destruction, in comparison, was the Vandal invasion in 455, which is a sad tale. But Germania has handled it very well, I think. History is full of tragedies - so I guess we're all tragedians to come extent, if we find it so fascinating!

And I must admit, I wish I knew who did your graphics - that creepy but funny Vandal face is irresistable and reminds me that this is old history - we can even afford a small sense of humor!

October 13 , 2007

Goldfest in Meso

Posted at 12:00 EST

I don't know why I love GF so much. Maybe it's that it comes with pre-loaded memories of past site-wide festivals. Every time we do this, I'm amazed at the amount of talent on display and my mind boggles at the idea of how many hours people have spent preparing all the goodies for other cives to enjoy ;)

My first souvenir - the Enkidu Inn, great antelope steaks with an herbed pepper coulis!

I also took the "Do you KNow Your Goldfests?" quiz in Meso. I made 58% and I WAS THERE! rotfl

December 18 , 2006

Classy Brumalia!

Posted at 10:00 EST

Hellas is, for the first time I remember, doing its winter "Festival of Lights," and I must compliment them for some very classy ideas, not to mention graphics! One of their events was the "select a gift" promotion - where they've accepted presents, gift-wrapped (ha!) by AW members, to share for the Brumalia Festival. Look what I picked out! (thank you, Kallistos!

They've done a lovely Festival Calendar. My compliments, Hellas!

November 21 , 2006

Good wishes

Posted at 15:00 EST

When I first came to AS, that fall of '97, this was all so new to us that I think Julilla was the first to think of celebrating the (furrin'!) holiday of Saturnalia. If you got a card or wishes from a friend, it was usually a simple statement at your domus message board. One of the things I love about holidays now, is that people are so creative - they leave lovely gifts, cards, poems, pictures, and (especially) amphorae of wine, which makes the kind sentiment even more special. Here is a lovely gift from Kallistos for Thanksgiving which I wanted to share. The holidays will remind us of why we hang out here, I think - for the friends, above all!

October 24 , 2006

Awed by Orient

Posted at 11:00 EST

One of the reasons I enjoy Goldfest, is that it's such fun to see how our various worlds come up with ideas and how they implement them.

Yesterday, Hellas just amazed me - they took the idea of "Golden" as in Goldfest, and there were mythological hunts, a great exhibit at the Museion on Delos of golden crowns, games, everything centered on Hellas' gold.

Today, the Orient has decided to set the entire festival day more or less in the city of Edo (antique Tokyo). But what a job they've done! You can buy a kimono (with an incredible introduction to how they're made, what kinds, what fabrics, what history);' go to a tea shoppe and learn more about tea than you can imagine; go to Shanti's spice shop and learn more about SPICES than you can believe; walk along the streets and see not only beautiful design and craft, but just tons of info, both historical, technical, and just plain fun.

My kudoes to the Scribes and volunteers of both Hellas and Orient - back-to-back excellence!

BTW, I HAVE to share this - I actually didn't do too badly on Shanti's spice quiz!

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