One of the things that I like most about going to Steampunk events is that I get to meet people that I've known online for years--in person for the first time.

Earlier this year the city of Waltham, Massachusetts hosted The Interntional Steampunk City event. This was a city-wide celebration of everything Steampunk to benefit The Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation. 

But a highlight of this event for me was getting to meet Chronographia von Strangehours of Strange Hours Atelier.  Chronographia brought with her some of the most amazing hats and we had a nice time hanging out and talking about all snd sundry, but mostly Doctor Who which turns out to be a shared interest!

Click through for a gallery of awesome hats!

NIMBY writes: This portion of our campaign is all or nothing.  If we do not reach our fundraising goal in the next 7 days - we will not receive any of the $10,600 currently pledged.

All of the direct donations and tax-deductible donations have allowed us to make it through the end of 2009.  We are almost out of the woods, but we need to make this goal by January 5th.  Thank you if you have already lent your support.  Please pass this message on to anyone who has enjoyed the art that has come out of NIMBY over the years.

Oakland has responded to our engineering plans - and our use of shipping containers is APPROVED.  We have satisfied all the requirements set-forth by both hazmat and fire.  We are setting a new precedent for art spaces.  Spring is ushering in many exciting, new projects.

You can donate here:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1362561841/nimby-industrial-art-and-diy-space

Donate directly:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=10559466 (Tax Deductible Donations - email rachael@nimbyspace.org)

[Be sure to click through to see the video of what goes on at NIMBY even if you don't pledge and BTW, they just got $200 from me. - Jake]

The Steampunk exhibition at the Oxford Museum of the History of Science opened yesterday!

Art Donovan writes:

I promise you that the art in this show is nothing like you have ever seen! Not to be "booster-ish" or anything, but I've had to wire my jaw closed after seeing the artist's works in the completed installation.

Dr. Bennett and his Museum Staff have presented an exhibition that is truly unique, culturally significant and absolutely unrivaled. (The private opening party tonight was astounding). Location: Broad Street, Oxford.

WIRED also has a nice slideshow with images of the artwork on display!

Diane writes:

See what you'll be missing next week! (Yeah, yeah, rub it in that I am perpetually 5000 miles away from the action!  ;-) )

Ten years ago the Oakland Tribune raved about David Scott Marley's sparkling English adaptation of Jacques Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann: "Marley's neat, tight and psychologically incisive rewrite of the sprawling original [is] an illuminating improvement on the version that premiered in 1881."

We bring it to life again in a pre-electric industrial world of Victorian science fiction, the world of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, where flights of fanciful imagination are powered by steam, elaborate clockworks and little bit of magic where science leaves off.

Saturday, February 28, 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 4, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 6, 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 8, 2:00 p.m.

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts,
2640 College Avenue, Berkeley

Buy tickets to Tales of Hoffmann
or order by phone at 925-798-1300