User:Catherine Cushing/Sandbox 8

Catherine - Bizzy - Elena - Margaret - Constance - Lizzie - Theo - Harold - boocat - boocatbutterbee - Templates - Sandbox 2 - Cemetery Stories   Bizzy in better days The McMurtrie Building, Rolt Heights [88,12]   Delightful apple pie! Isabel "Bizzy" Bowers of Malibu, California, USA, is the proprietor of Book Bizarre in the beautiful McMurtrie Building [88,12] in Rolt Heights. She was visiting cousins in Malton when the outbreak began, trapping her as it did so many others. Book Bizarre, for those of you new to the district, is an independent bookstore specializing in murder mysteries and supernatural fiction. The bookstore occupies all four floors of the historic McMurtrie Building. While nowhere near as large as million-volume Powell's City of Books in Portland, Oregon, USA, Book Bizarre nonetheless is estimated to contain a hundred thousand books. Part of the second floor is home to the coffee shop, Unhallowed Grounds, offering a wide selection of gourmet coffees, teas and fresh pastries. Bizzy invites you to come in, relax and enjoy their warm hospitality. Because of the balconies extending from the second level, on fair days patrons may take their refreshments outdoors and read their books to the soothing moans of the shambling zed crowds shuffling along the streets below. Music's in the air and it isn't just jazz quartets and swing from The Mighty Wurlitzer, the jukebox still pristine even after all the travail.   The Mighty Wurlitzer The black currant jam is from bushes established in the roof garden across the street. Originally, Bizzy started it to produce salad ingredients. That was a number of years ago and it's now grown quite lush. Seedlings and cuttings were planted in large pots, old wash basins and re-purposed cast-iron bathtubs. These tubs and sinks were salvaged at great personal risk by Bizzy and her cohorts from burned-out buildings around the town. (Ask Bizzy, and she'll arrange a tour for you.) The roof is where she keeps the few chickens that provide the eggs for her cakes. Then of course, there's the famous view from the north balcony of the roses blooming in the warmth of the sun. Late Summer is the time when the week-long Sidewalk Art Festival is held. This annual event is prepared for very carefully. Serious precautions are taken to ensure everyone's safety. Extra guards blockade both ends of the selected street. They then suspend tarps to block the zombies' view of the street. Next, numerous lines are suspended overhead, half a block beyond either end of the street. These diversionary lines are strung with brightly colored umbrellas to swing in the breeze. (We don't actually know if the shambling dead see colors, but we like the way the umbrellas look and the undead are distracted by their movement. It's always fun to enjoy coffee and a cupcake and watch them moaning at the umbrellas while clawing the air, as if they could grab them.) To add to the festive mood, each year a daredevil band of volunteers ties bunches of helium-filled balloons to the zombies. Art contestants register and are assigned a space on the freshly-scrubbed pavement. There the artists spend the week executing their compositions in chalk on the concrete slabs. It's also a full-fledged street fair complete with food booths, and games like Quoits* and Cornhole**. Everyone always has a fine time. At the end of the week, a committee of local leaders judge the chalk masterpieces. The runners-up are awarded their prizes first, then the Grand Prize winner is announced. He or she is the guest of honor at a feast that marks the conclusion of the week's celebrations.   Undead are distracted by movement The shop is conveniently located four blocks from the Burchell Arms [89,17]. The quickest revives may be had at cemetery [88,13]. After you're revived, while away your afternoons in Book Bizarre next door, then run the four blocks to the Burchell Arms. Their ale is the stuff of legend! All of the holiday parties at Book Bizarre are catered by the Burchell Arms Regulars. These stalwarts have never yet let the community down. Bizzy's buffet table is always a splendid spread that fills half of Unhallowed Grounds. (Where do those deer keep coming from?) There are whispers around the neighborhood, not even rumours really, that Bizzy must be a witch because in spite of all the attacks, the interior of the book shop is still lovely. Bizzy just smiles and shakes her head, then laughs that if she were actually in league with the forces of darkness she'd be doing a lot better than an odd store on the edge of a ruined city. We aren't so sure. "People make their own luck. It's old saying but it's true," Bizzy assures us with a wink and encouragement to finish our coffee cake. She thanks us for coming by to interview her and bustles off, exuding an air of invincibility, to polish some brass or whip up a new batch of blueberry scones in her fabulous shop. There's lots to do in Rolt Heights™ Don't miss our late Summer specials! Our special - Cupcake colors for Art Week!   Balloons tied to zeds help lend a festive atmosphere   Book Bizarre is always barricaded to EHB for the comfort and safety of our patrons.   Pyewacket, the shop's cat Midsummer in Bizzy's roof garden   Unhallowed Grounds Isabel "Bizzy" Bowers (talk) * [1] ** [2]