New Santorini

by Gemma Cleanslate

 “Our much loved 'little Greek village' on the hill ,,. lost since 2014  rises once again from the sea as Calas Galadhon's NEW SANTORINI along with The Lost Gardens of Thera and a new live music venue 'PHOENIX"!’

Calas Galadhon Park is a group of enjoyable sims open to all visitors. The collection of sims used to be more extensive than it is now even though there were never any commercial interests in any of the sims. The two owners, Ty Tenk (Tymus Tenk) and Truck (Truck Meredith) never charged or even asked for lindens for many years. Finally when some sims had to disappear they allowed donations kiosks to appear to keep as many as they could.  If you have never visited their sims you are missing a wonderful Second Life experience. The activities are numerous. My favorite has always been riding my horse since one can move from sim to sim so easily and the venues are delightful. There are horse rezzers on some of the sims if you don’t have one of your own. Check out their website for information , videos and activities.  https://calasgaladhon.com/

“The original Santorini village stood on the hill above the Armenelos region of the Calas Galadhon Park from early 2011 until Dec 2014.”

Right now there is an opportunity to visit one of the lost sims, New Santorini. For views It was always one of my favorite to visit.It is absolutely gorgeous. It is back for a time so don’t miss the chance to take a boat ride on the bay . Climb the high hill and visit the quaint homes along  the winding walkways. Sit on a patio at a Greek bar, have some wine and enjoy the view looking down on the waters in the sunset.

Then descend beneath the waters to discover the magic of the scenery below. in The Lost Gardens of Thera. An underwater walk or swim in the stunning venue only adds to the charm.

I found a couple taking advantage of the dance floor  dancing to the enchanting music, There are dances there almost every night for members and visitors. Everyone is always welcome at Calas.

It is such a charming setting for lovers and friends to explore . Go visit before it sinks again into the sea It will be there through July at least. ‘Be sure to turn on Advanced Lighting Model, Music and Sounds to experience the build the way we designed it for you” the owners caution.

Enter  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ERIADOR/233/105/21

Gemma Cleanslate

Blast From The Past - Bleu Ruse Cafe

By Cyfir (cyfiremmerich)

Back when I used to work at Fox Haven, there was a little cafe called the Bleu Ruse Cafe which was owned by Arcee Redclaw. It was a nice place to sit and chill and a great alternative to the bumping night-life of the club on the same sim. There were live performances and DJs, but it was much more relaxed than your typical Second Life club. The hosts were actually bartenders. The decor and atmosphere reminded me of a southern restaurant or bar and the staff were very hospitable. It all had a southern hospitality vibe to it. I loved hanging out there and I missed it so much that I asked Arcee to put a mini version of it on my current parcel. The cafe itself went through many alterations over the course of nearly three years and at one point there were two of them; one at Fox Haven and a bigger version on the emergency responder roleplay sim called Rochester.

I had a chance to sit down with Arcee and talk to her about her previous ventures with her cafe. When asked what inspired her to start Bleu Ruse Cafe she told me that it first came about because of an opportunity at Fox Haven. “When I first joined the community of Fox Haven there were a few empty buildings which the staff offered up for personal storefronts or places to relax. I’ve always wanted to run sort of. . .a cafe or small lounge, so I took the opportunity to do so. I turned it into a small lounge where people could play Second Life instruments or DJ and it grew from there.” She says that the growth of the cafe was thanks to community involvement. The French naming scheme originated from her French background. “Bleu Renard Cafe was a bit. . .weird. . .so I went with Bleu Ruse Cafe since it rolled off the tongue better. So, in a way, it’s ‘Blue Smart Cafe’ when translated properly.” The color scheme was inspired by the blue fox avatar that she originally used at the start. She still has the avatar saved in her inventory to remember things by.

When asked what she liked most about running the cafe, she told me that it was the connections that she made. “I met many of my closest Second Life friends through them finding their way to the place or through the ones who helped it to grow and thrive. I would have never imagined meeting all these folks. Every time Bleu Ruse Cafe is brought up, people tend to have fond memories of the place.” She feels like she did her job at making a fun and relaxed venue and I would have to agree. “BRC grew in a way that was unimaginable and astounding and it was never because of the amount of funding that I put towards it or the hours I spent remodeling. It was the patrons and the staff that made the place come alive.

It was a community, of sorts. From Ace Redclaw being my Security, Midnight Galaxis being my General Manager, and Raff aiding me with the DJs; it was thanks to them and the loyal patrons that BRC lasted as long as it did. With the closing of Fox Haven as well as Rochester, Bleu Ruse Cafe closed with them, but it’s memory as well as a smaller form on my parcel lives on today.

Cyfir