Interview with Tygeria Mirabeau

Tygeria Mirabeau is the owner of the romantic-themed sim Mystery, and the head of the “Heart of Mystery” team that runs the place. A beautifully designed place, as well as the location of several live music events every week that always bring in crowds, Mystery was and remains a popular destination in Second Life, having recently celebrated it’s third anniversary.

I recently got a chance to interview Tygeria, and met up with her and her friend Amythe Moonlight.

Bixyl Shuftan: So, how did your story in Second Life begin?

Tygeria Mirabeau: (smiles) I began Second-life, well this life on Second Life, as a dancer. Working almost from day one in a club called Slide-on Inn. I was an Emphasis dancer and nothing more. From there I did a lot of freelance party planning and eventually helped to support and manage a club called Paradise 69 for a time with my, (sighs), intended. But the wedding on Christmas was not to happen, and the Club and my relation came to an abrupt end. But at same time I became a dance at Heaven Club and Casino.

I worked up to become the lead dancer/host, then to manager. Not a very exciting start, but throughout I posed for many photoshoots. For some reason photographers sometimes like my look. The notice and attention got me sought after in SL as a party planner and host for special events. Then that club closed down, and my was searching for a new home. This is when me and the Queen of Hearts Riverboat club became wed to each other. You already have me words on that from the magazine. That issue is the first one I wrote extensively. I have been with the Queen ever since, and through friends I met Amy, and here we are.

Amythe Moonlight: (smiles)

Tygeria Mirabeau: Amy thinks at times her role with me is small, or her do little to this dream, which was mine you, but now it is ours and she is vital to the history and to its future.

Bixyl Shuftan: Could you tell a little more how you meet up?

Tygeria Mirabeau: At a live artist concert, a mutual friend invited Amy and I, we met up and I ended up logged out of Second Life, with typical 'back then haste and flair,' could not log back in for hours. The next day, I IMed Amy to see her works and shop. As soon as I thought I had a good look at what she could do, I immediately asked her to build me the memorial shrine we have on Mystery, a place of reflection and remembrance of those we have lost. I remember she was scared and new to custom building for other than friends, and did not know what charge me.

Amythe Moonlight: (laughs) No I didn't. I had no idea.

Tygeria Mirabeau: When I got the price from her assistant at the time, Ayjay Carpenter, I told them, “That is a nice price, now give me a real one.” Hee-hee. That was our beginning. I had her do more and more piece work. Then Amy told me, she wished to be part of something but had no idea what. So I quickly gave her a dancer title at the Queen of Hearts. And to date, Amy is still the Dancer of the Queen of Hearts.

Tygeria Mirabeau: Or club bunny. Hee-hee

Amythe Moonlight: O.O

Tygeria Mirabeau: Amy from the moment we met is the fire that we at Mystery all need at times to keep going. And as I say in all my business, to lift people’s worry for a time. We do not make profit. All we do is live on donations and silent gifts here. But the work we do, the smile for the heartbroken, the shoulder for one to cry on, the hand to help the ones in need or ones lost, sometime it may seem we are caught in the mad rush to be the brightest or best. But that only bring more to the door. So we say, “It all right, come here, let’s talk, let us help, and lets have fun along the way.”

Bixyl Shuftan: As the club has been going on for three years, there must be a lot of stories to tell.

Tygeria Mirabeau: Stories? So many. Good, bad, hopeful and sad. Weddings are held here, for marriages that fail and succeed. Musicians start their careers in Second Life here. And there are final farewells. We loved many and lost many at the Queen of Hearts and Mystery, from Mannie Madonna who built the Queen to my beloved close friend Thea Eberhart, permanently offline. To the great successes that have come to us in even daily matters.

The staff have turned over many times, and still quality new faces come to replace what we lost, like SilverWolf Sweetwater and Emma Yorcliff and Karra Fitzpatrick.
And through the good times and bad there was my Amy. For my 48 hours straight in work for the Queen with only food and restroom breaks, to the times they do not directly need us there. But 1st life comes into to interrupt Second Life at times.

Bixyl Shuftan: 48 hours straight? That is a long time.

Tygeria Mirabeau: And I was away for a few months. ... (Giggles) Amy can tell you. I was, ummm, out of it.

Amythe Moonlight: 8 months I think?

Tygeria Mirabeau: I was recovering from a, failed surgery.

Bixyl Shuftan: I’m sorry. :(

Tygeria Mirabeau: and my Amy kept my dream alive. As Amy mutters, she had a little help with a member of the staff, Bloodrose Writer who gives the most wonderful events.

Bixyl Shuftan: Oh yes, the "Evil DJ" as you called him.

Tygeria Mirabeau: A DJ the likes of me and Amy will agree we have never seen before and for him to help us was great. Evil DJ is right, but he has not been around often. But just today we got word he will be back, and more often and on schedule within next few weeks.

Bixyl Shuftan: sounds good

Tygeria Mirabeau: As we talk Bixyl, you can see that my story is tied to the people who support me.

Bixyl Shuftan: Oh yes, you've mentioned some people.

Tygeria Mirabeau: And I somehow weave them into my dream and have them realize their dreams as I realize mine.

Bixyl Shuftan: I've noticed the Queen of Hearts has a good deal of live music. When did it start?

Tygeria Mirabeau: Once I dreamed of a place where I could sing in Second Life. And when I setup here in Mystery, then called Centering Place, I wanted to set that up in spite that I cannot sing. So live music at the club has been going on, with few stops at most, the entire time we been open on this sim.

Bixyl Shuftan: You mentioned some in your staff have been on duty for as long as 48 hours straight. What was the occasion?

Tygeria Mirabeau: (smiles and laughs, and looks to Amy)
Amythe Moonlight: It was our second anniversary wasn't it?

Tygeria Mirabeau: First and second.

Amythe Moonlight: Our anniversary events take a lot of planning and work. Tygeria barely stops at all at that time.

Tygeria Mirabeau: February and March are difficult times in 1st life, so we had lots of turnover at that time in staff, and it always falls down to me and me Amy.

Amythe Moonlight: So we work. :)

Tygeria Mirabeau: And work.

Amythe Moonlight: till it's done.

Tygeria Mirabeau: No story of the Queen of Hearts would be complete without a special mention to Ayjay Carpenter, the man behind almost of out crazy ideas and crazy dreams, the scriptor and landscaper of all you see here, save some special bits.

Bixyl Shuftan: Sounds like he's done a lot.

Tygeria Mirabeau: Yes, but like all my ideas, these always have not been done before, so he has a lot of hair-pulling. Bur he always comes up with an answer we can work with. So again I say Bixyl, my foxy reporter, my life is tied to the people who listen to me.

Bixyl Shuftan: What was his most ambitious project?

Tygeria Mirabeau: Ayjay’s most ambitious project will be on market this summer: a new vendor unit. And my Amy’s most ambitious project is a special low prim on-demand virtual housing system. Her build is being done in conjunction with Ayjay’s. But shah on detail for now. Hee-hee.

Bixyl Shuftan: You've had quite a number of events. Besides the anniversaries, what were some of the more memorable ones?

Tygeria Mirabeau: *ties a bow on foxies tail*

Bixyl Shuftan: (chuckles) A bow tie event? ;-)

Tygeria Mirabeau: Yes, we have hats, gothic romance, wings is a big one but the sim hates us for it, and all the colors and beach parties. At this cafe, we are to have events here soon. We are always trying new things here. Mystery is always changing, and we go around to update and change things. Even here. And now me and Ayjay and Amy are discussing changes and updates as we are here discussing now. This place is seasonal and ever changing. And this how we do it. Not just by build set and forget, but always, daily, weekly, monthly, look at what we want to do next, and go for it.

Bixyl Shuftan: Any upcoming changes that you are free to mention?

Tygeria Mirabeau: Well, the Employee Art Exhibition will be in July. Changes to the cafe and a beach party here, not on the Queen, next Friday. As season changes, the spring flowers will fade, and then we will go to summertime.

The Mystery Murderset may start, but that is a Mystery for now.

Bixyl Shuftan: You're planning a murder mystery, pardon the pun, on the sim?

Tygeria Mirabeau: Amy? I am innocent remember.

Amythe Moonlight: (giggles)

Tygeria Mirabeau: Amy please talk.

Amythe Moonlight: The Mystery of Mystery Manor is one thing we have planned. And also, yes, a series of murder mystery dinner parties in the manor and village. We are currently looking for interested parties to be involved. :)

Tygeria Mirabeau: The role as a fox still is available if foxie agrees. *smiles innocently*

Bixyl Shuftan: *chuckles* "fox story?"

Tygeria Mirabeau: Or Tail of Mystery.

Amythe Moonlight: I like that! Tail of Mystery!

(jokes and chuckling from all for a bit)

Tygeria Mirabeau: And lastly, we hope to have a wedding this season.

Bixyl Shuftan: Oh? Who's getting married?

Tygeria Mirabeau: Working on those parties at the moment, but it seems promising. I would say me and my Amy but her never gives the same answer twice. I loves my Amy, but her heart belongs to another so I cherish what me and my Amy do share.

Bixyl Shuftan: Anything to say about Jazzz Hermit?

Tygeria Mirabeau: My Jazzz, he is in Music College for performance and is in the heavy test time. I loves him and he had to choose, and I wait for him. He’s doing so well, he now doing full orchestrations and concerts. But he is sending us completed materials to keep the magazine going. I miss him so.

But now, we are enjoying some good success that are part of Jazz's doing. We are in top 20 my Amy, b-places?

Amythe Moonlight: Yes we are: http://b-places.com/bp_newlocations.php?p=2

It was about this time the interview concluded, and after a few pictures, we went our separate ways.



“It is nice to be able to make people smile and laugh and lift their burdens for a moment. But without help, good hard working friends, none of this would be possible. So to tell my story or the story of the Queen of Hearts, it’s nothing without their touch.”

Bixyl Shuftan