In just one week Simmerville and many other hoods will convert to the Modern Times, also known as TS2. Thanks to scientists we already know a lot about our new existence, but a few details are not yet revealed. Such as how cool will the espresso be? I made a journey into the future to find out!

We will soon be counting our fingers and exploring our wants and fears. Sim Nation's greatest event since generations! Sims and scientists everywhere are discussing DNA and ageing. New clothes, hair styles and makeup will be available to all. But hardly anyone pay attention to the coffee of the future! It has worried me sick; will the espresso be cool enough? I checked with local scientists, but none of them could calm me down.

That's why I decided to make my incredible travel into the new TS2 world, to check the espresso of the Modern Times.

My journey to TS2
Thanx to modern technology I was offered a limited transmit that would give me just enough time to find an espresso machine.

I'd heard of a Maxis scientist named Lucy, one of those scientists who has done a lot of research on our future. She is said to know everything there is to know from studies and my contacts said she might even live in the future already, in a hood named Pleasantview. And the best thing - she seems cool enough to be nearly as addicted to espresso as me, so I decided to pay her a visit on the other side.

Such a journey would even allow me to check out my own new appearance, created by the local Body Shop clinic and chosen by regular Simmerville web visitors like yourself as part of Simmerville's ongoing Transformation TS2 operation.

Let me get one thing straight; I was not afraid at all to travel like this, I mean... okay, hands down - I was pretty shaky. Except from Mortimer Goth's family, Daniel Pleasant and a few scientists, hardly any Sim had ever before travelled between the TS1 world and the TS2 world. You would have been shaky, too!

Dream house of Pleasantview
I can't remember much from the actual travel, somehow I just appeared there. In the street right in front of a huge house surrounded by a tall, white fence. The fresh air made me think that the ocean was near by. The huge iron gate was open and soon I walked across a wooden bridge leading up to the large house! It was all totally new and different from Simmerville. The environment looked so much more... alive! Butterflies on flowers, the grass, the water under the bridge, a bird singing, and right there was the house.

And what a house! A fashionable two story mansion, the stone walls made it appear like a castle. Definitely the home of Lucy, the scientist! I made notes in my little book, thinking of my own house to be built in a couple weeks. There was smart exterior like I never saw before. I remember being told that our new houses can rage 5 floors (or 4 floors + foundation) and that a chimney will go all the way from the fireplace until breaking through the roof with real smoke! There was no smoke from Lucy's 3 chimneys. Perhaps she was out?

Missing Lucy's pool party
There was no front door but an arch, which made sense as TS2 doors can't be locked anyway. I hesitated quite a while... okay, perhaps for a full second... before I walked right through, into the courtyard with palm trees and a swimming pool. I was all alone, and even when I whispered "hello?", everything remained quiet.

Next to the pool there was the outdoor bar counter and what looked like remainders of a buffet. Quite a few emptied champagne glasses on the tables, a dish with food remainders that I had never seen before. It looked like Lucy gave a party there last night. A celebration of the TS2 research going gold? It seemed like I had missed the fun.

I looked around. A nice Moroccan sofa looked more than comfortable. More notes! What a great home - I mean, so impressive! And... what was that... it looked like a tree growing Simoleons! I was speechless for a long time... okay, for just another second... then the stereo got all my attention. Some hardly noticeable latin music flowed through the courtyard, and when I checked Lucy's music collection I realized these things will be real great in the future!

Finding the espresso machine
I noticed a door, almost closed. I couldn't help myself, I peeked inside - it was a bedroom! Although the room was pretty dark I made more notes in my book... walls, floor cover, colours, and... and there... in the trendiest bed that I ever saw someone was still asleep, snoring gently! Lucy? She must have been exhausted from both last night's party and all her hard work lately. I left the room in a hurry because I had no intention of waking her up like that. I was more interested in her espresso!

I soon found myself in the kitchen. I checked the wall clock, it showed the exact time and I realized there wasn't much time left until I would be drawn back to the Old Days, TS1. I had to check out her espresso machine right away! And there it was, on the kitchen counter! My heart went boom as I walked closer. Oh my, way cool! I touched it, I looked at it, I tried to calm down but I totally lost control - nothing could stop me from preparing myself a cup of espresso! So I did, pulling the handle, watching the steam, smelling the aroma - oh, espresso greatness! The filtering and run through process was fine, colour was perfect, and turning the cup left no clear coffee line inside the cup.

As the coffee filled me up I felt my energy level raise like never before! Boy, I got buzzed! I felt cooler than ever! Was the espresso stronger? A perfect balance between consistence and heating? It tasted yummy!

So there I was, drinking espresso in Lucy's kitchen. As I realized that my time was up, I heard sounds from the bedroom followed by some joyful singing. Lucy was about to wake up! I decided to prepare a nice cup of espresso just for her to find in a minute when she walked into her kitchen, not having a clue about my visit and that I had just left in a hurry!

Photo 1: My new portrait, created by the local Body Shop clinic, and voted by Simmerville's visitors.
Photo 2: Lucy's photo, one of the winning entries in a contest held July. If you created it you ought to be credited right here!
Photo 3: The house - excerpt from photo by simszone.de
Photo 4-5-6-7: Me testing out the espresso machine of the future. Yummy!

Thanx to Ms Bradshaw and Ms Shaw for help with my travel & photos 4-5-6-7! U girls rock!