Shropshire

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

 

I love to visit regions in SL that are based on real life locations. I have been to visit Shropshire Rolling Hills and Farm inspired by the County of Shropshire in England. The owners, Jenni Jones (Pixie8615) and Stefan Jones (Skilledavatar) have created a site that honors history from the Norse and the present. There is modern roleplay offered, as well as visiting a Viking village that demonstrates the manner in which they settled in England.

 

The main vision of the region, however, is everything horse. There is no way to express the constant offerings of daily activities except to join the group and see the notices. Classes are offered in everything and anything related to horses, even beginners Teegle. If I had time I would definitely be going to many of them. The multitude of opportunities is dazzling.

I did drop in on one that was a practice session for dressage. There were not only avatars mounted on their horses but also many horse avatars ready to learn more and work out. It inspired me to go get the dressage hud and take a few turns around a sandbox to see how it all went. One of the dressage riders passed a wonderful guide book to the region and its history. Perhaps when time permits I will be able to go back and join a basic class. JamesT Juno, the owner of the former SL Newspaper where I wrote articles before the SL Newser opened, was a dressage and jumping expert and had many trophies and medals. I went to some shows and I thought it was beautiful then and still do.

This region is a family friendly place .One can rent a home at very fair prices. Get-togethers for chatting and game playing, and parties are on the agenda. Jenni said “we welcome all Avatars from small tiny bugs to huge Giants, we’re an all welcome sim, no matter your beliefs, mental state, gender or intelligence, we have an amazing Quadrille Team that are working on a show for the upcoming Dog and Pony Show, if you don’t know what Quadrille is, its basically group dressage” 

 

I visited the village. The homes were sweet. I found a pig farm down a lane and nearby a chicken coop. One chicken I noticed is an avatar who lives there, a singing chicken who gives concerts named Nivor. Evidently Nivor challenged a witch who turned her into a chicken so while she waits to end the spell she lives here. This area is called the small Animal Shelter though I think a dragon may have a resting place here too. I believe I saw a dog training class in a notice.

Nearby on the next road I found the combo Post office and Farm Shop. I walked along the road past homes which are labeled Private so watch for those and remember not to disturb. Along another road there is a Veterinary service. On a corner I found a restaurant called the Codfather serving delicious meals and stopped in to have some. I could not resist the smell. Yum.

I went to the Viking area to visit and that is where the riding trails go through the wood and if you don’t have a horse of your own to use on the trails there is a horse rezzer and you can choose the one you would like to ride. Explore the shops while you are in the Viking area and see the offerings available for those who wish to stay and participate in activities. There are helmet, clothing, avatar accessories, and lots of cheese!

Role play offers the emergency services to practice and stage events such as saving a barn from fire, rescues and more. They meet at the new services building to plan events.There is a hospital also and Doctors , Nurses. Police, Paramedics and others are invited to join in. Contact Jenni. You will be very welcome. Go visit whether you are a horse person or not. Pick up the Guide Book on the fence where you land. On the boards there is a teleporter to some of the areas you don’t want to miss.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Innocent%20Eyes/68/111/21

Gemma Cleanslate 

 

Dark Harvest

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

 

“A close-knit town and countryside, is now cloaked in unease. With strange sightings and eerie sounds have left the community on edge. The townsfolk fear that something dark has awakened and it's hungry.” Scary sounding isn’t it. That was the feeling I had when I visited Dark Harvest and read the description.

A small town contains buildings , a magic shop, an authentic cauldron shop. Mrs. Lovett’s meatpies shop.. Hmmm , that name sounds familiar. I think I will skip it. I dropped into the Voodoo shop but bought nothing and Carnaby Street shop did not appeal to me as I gazed through the window at the horrors behind the fashionable window décor. Several buildings had locked doors so I moved on.

At the end of the street I found a leafy path leading to the country outside town. A coffin maker has a shop there and I am sure he has customers. The path is haunted by disappearing ghosts. I know someone must live here but found no occupants as I wandered into the barn. There is a fresh crop ready in the field to be harvested and a many horses to be fed, as well as many chickens. I passed a huge barbecue with tables set for a feast meats ready to eat. Just past that I found a skeleton riding a skeleton horse that was not reassuring. Farther on ghostly wolves roamed the top of the hill.

The lighthouse at the top of the hill glowed red and bats flew wildly around . I turned at that point and looked down at the pond below and the houses that stood empty wondering where were the people who cared for this whole place. I ran into two friends who were exploring the region also and enjoying my favorite scene. The greatest collection of Pumpkins that I have seen anywhere including one evil pumpkin who talked constantly…

“Evil Jack-O-Lantern by C3: I have a bone to pick with you. It's your femur.

Evil Jack-O-Lantern by C3: Om! Nom! Nom!

Evil Jack-O-Lantern by C3: My doctor told me I need to get in shape. I told him that round is a shape.

Evil Jack-O-Lantern by C3: I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!

Evil Jack-O-Lantern by C3: I may be gutless, but so are you!

Evil Jack-O-Lantern by C3: Do you ever have a hunger that only human hands can satisfy? Or is it just me?” 

 

He is hiding somewhere among the pumpkins! Watch out.

Well, I hope citizens are safe and return soon to care for the animals and crops before disaster occurs, unless it has already. Roxy Chronotis (Roxy Christenson) owner of Lyrical Grove , part of this region connected to this has set up this special autumnal and Halloween site for all to visit. It is a great stop to visit before the season is over which is soon… I will return to see what will happen after Halloween.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Chronotis%20Empire/79/58/22 

Gemma Cleanslate

 

Places

"Old Town" And "Let It Snow"

by Gemma Cleanslate

After all that shopping and running from market to market and visiting at Calas, I needed some peace and quiet but in areas still celebrating the season. There are so many Christmas and winter sites in Second Life. Check the winter destinations for those I will never get to write about.

Old Town is a region with a story,  http://oldtownkaraoke.com/.  There are many venues and of course in this season the one to visit, photograph , and have fun at is Winterland. Bekks (Jks Beck), the designer of the region has  everything you need to have a terrific time here. There are activities going on during the week and she refers to the area as a work in progress.

I took my horse Thunder so did not have to rezz a horse, but you can. Or, take a turn on the skating pond that doubles as a venue for parties. I saw that the Arctic Express passes through here too.

Along the roads there are sites for photographs with friends both inside  buildings and out ,with hangout venues. This is a region to be enjoyed all during the year since Winterland does not disappear. Take your time checking out the area. I holds a lot of interactive opportunities.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Adagio%20Breeze/192/194/1201

I also took a trip over to Milly Sharple’s “Let it Snow!”, another winter wonderland.  It has a cute town square with interesting shops around and after a visit there get out into the winter snow. I found one of those new Santa “wannabes“ in front of his shack and did a little dance with him.

There are free skis and skates here for the taking and a hunt for stockings going on here too. Next to the skating pond grab a bite to eat and a hot chocolate of another drink of choice. I tried a piece of fig cake which sounded good.

Here too there are numerous sites for photographs, private dancing and just enjoying the wintery atmosphere and some cute gifts in the hunt.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sun%20Sky/32/155/27

Gemma Cleanslate

The Deathlands

By Bixyl Shuftan

Recently, a friend and I dropped by a rather desolate place in Second Life: The Deathlands. The place describes itself as "an isolated post-apocalyptic island community where a handful of hardy survivors desperately cling to what passes for life after the nuclear winter." Upon entering, a crow greeted us, "Greetings ... welcome to Deathlands! It is many years since the Nukes cleansed the Earth. Among the frail and diseased survivors there are few rules, so feel free to wander Deathlands and sample its many pleasures and perils." Almost as if on cue, the radio stream played the tune "Darkest Dream." Later songs included, "Love is Dead," and "Poison Remains."

The place is owned by Rebel Wolf (HermitBlue), considered the "mutant warlord" here, and Luddita Wolf (luddita) his consort. Seeing us, "We are the survivors," they showed us around. "You are under the care of Baron Wolf," he told us, "It's safe in Deathlands. Well, sorta safe. Probably should not drink the water." Showing us some NPC figures, one was a rather bloody doctor with a paitent who didn't look too good. "Hes the only medical we have," Rebel told us, "so he gets away with a lot."

There were a few places mentioned in the notecard that I'd gotten on entry, such as the Dead Tree where a number of corpses hung, "The Motel From Hell" in which the beds were bloody mattresses and the "bathroom" was a bucket with flies buzzing over it, the hull of an old Russian submarine that had somehow washed ashore and repurposed, and others. There was one not mentioned that Rebel wanted to show us: The Bunker.From the outside, the place was concrete and steel. Inside, there were bunks, machinery, and what looked like some kind of control center with access to satelites, "Some of us survived the nuclear winter in here!" For some reason, there were warheads of small missiles in there.

But not everything here was a grim survival story. There are two social spots. One is "The Music Festival Grounds." Rebel spoke of it, "The survivors built a dancefloor." The dancefloor itself was made of of sections of wood planking piled together with a rustic-looking stage in the back. The place was surrounded on three sides by chair-link fencing, presumably to keep the more drunken partiers from stumbling into the lagoon. But not everything about it looked safe as there was a yellowish-green looking cloud of mist in the middle. When I asked Rebel, he responded, "Oh, I think it's radioactive gas (cough)." As we were talking, a few more people came by, including one with a guitar. Before long, he was playing some music, and an impromtu party started.

After a while, the party moved to what passed for a high class club around here, "The Loser's Club." Advertised as a "notorious dive bar where survivors barter their favours in return for liquor and cigarettes," the peace was kept by a burly-looking NPC acting as a bouncer standing watch just outside the front door. "Dont mind Ivan outside," Rebel told us, "he just looks mean!" Another NPC, a waitress, handed out drinks on request. Those not dancing could sit on an old couch or one of the barstools. One seemed a little woozy from the gas earlier, "I may pass out soon."

There were other places in the distance that I never set foot on, such as a stretch of highway that came to a dead end over the water, a waterfall, and numerous other buildings in various states of repair and disrepair.

The Deadlands is in http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Blue%20Eyes/118/159/22

Addition: on August 18, the Deathlands was moved to a new sim, at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Paradise%20Kingdom/88/35/22

Bixyl Shuftan

Mardi Gras Places in Second Life

By Gemma Cleanslate

A few more places are celebrating Mardi Gras in Second Life. Laura Liberty has opened her famous Mardi Gras Town. Go listen to the Zydeco  and Blues music of Louisiana in the street. Grab a hula hoop and have some fun! Any needs you have for decor you can find in the town shops. I saw some great masks and outfits too.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Townies/92/207/748


From Mardi Gras Town it is an easy tp over to Valentine Town from the street. I always take time to visit that too! The Love Buggy will take you and your honey on a sweet ride all around the town  with some visual surprises . Try it! Loads of valentine decor, outfits, and accessories are available in the stores. Townies (129/168/7)

Cay’s at Woodland Lake is really celebrating this fun holiday before the quiet. The sim is decorated for the event and there are parties every night and sometimes day! DJ Messalina was spinning tunes when I stopped over at an early party. I took a walk around town admiring the banners and other decor . The French Marketplace was fun to visit , showing the foods of New Orleans. The King Cake is a special delight at this time of year. I grabbed a piece  and a fork and had a wonderful taste. There is a subscribo on the wall in town to receive notices of events. I saw some notices around town that there may be some changes coming after Mardi Gras so don’t miss it now.

http://maps.secondlife.com/Pismo Beach/91/114/3760

The Plaza at Bourbon Street West is worth a stop to view Mardi Gras decor.There is a Mardi Gras party planned here on the 13th at 8:00, so put it on your list if you are doing Mardi Gras hopping that day. I looked in at the Musical Legends Park there where you can pick up biographies of various musicians. Hop the train and take a ride through Bourbon Street.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Zurich%20City/35/39/27

My last stop was most interesting. I visited a little gallery, the Sean Clancy Gallery, that houses marvelous photographs of the real New Orleans and south  Louisiana folks associated with Mardi Gras activities. "Mardi Gras Indians are Black Carnival revelers in New Orleans, Louisiana, who dress up for Mardi Gras in suits influenced by Native American ceremonial apparel.” 

Some intriguing photos are here and I recommend a stop. There is some good music playing here too from New Orleans radio. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Busiris/246/206/21

Gemma Cleanslate

Townies Presents Valentine and Mardi Gras Towns

By Gemma Cleanslate

Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate ! .. greets you when you land at the entrance of Valentine Town by Laura Liberty. Candy and hearts are all around and this is a great place to shop for your valentine teddybears, gifts, balloons galore, other  decorations, and outfits. The quaint shops offer everything you can think of and more. There are a large groups of shops to explore . I saw some great greeting cards in one and in another, make your own musical card. 

There is a lovely little heart boat that lets you float along the river and under the town in a tunnel .( Would be fun with your honey.) Look for that. At the end of the ride is  a gumball machine that takes you for a harrowing ride bouncing above and below into the chocolate river and I survived. As I walked around I admired the shops and candy decor. 

And then ...

I found myself entering Mardi Gras Town!

The band was already playing the familiar tunes you hear all over New Orleans before Mardi Gras and actually all year round. I grabbed a free  hula hoop and had a great time!

Over here one can find anything they would like to have for the celebration of Mardi Gras at home or in a club.  Wonderful decor and outfits for everyone. I found some great masks in one shop. I  picked up a free Mardi Gras shirt  so look for that on a cart near the band.!

I also got a great free face animator and tried out the looks.

 I had a strong desire for a bowl of Gumbo! This is a drop in , bring friends and make a great party place. This band is here 24/7 and keeps up the music.Have a wonderful time and don’t miss it before the end of the season.    Here is the beginning of your adventure.  

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Townies/192/208/16

Gemma Cleanslate

Tableau

By Becky "Sha" Shamen

 Among the LMs that Bixyl sent me recently, there is one for a sim called Tableau. I stopped here long enough to set our own LM and then headed to Creation's for Parkinson's, to write about it first. My first impression of Tableau was that although it was in ways ugly to me, it was also, somehow, very interesting and might even be a fun adventure.

Before we begin our adventure, our readers must understand the language being spoken. Mediators know that disputes often arise between two parties that both want essentially the same thing, because of not knowing the other party's definition of the principles in question. If we tell readers that Tableau is a fun adventure, they are probably going to disagree. To get on the same page, let's sit in on the first lecture given at Clown College.

The Professor wears a silly looking cap, called a mortarboard, and a bulbous red nose and is explaining why people laugh.   Laughter is a release of tension. If you are struggling to figure out something, when you finally get it, you say "Aha". Other jokes are funny, because the teller uses a different meaning (double entendre), which is known about but not expected in the story. Another useful way to make us laugh is called "Slapstick." When we see a one ton weight, thrown off a cliff and heading down towards our position on the ground, we laugh with the relief of seeing it flatten the coyote, instead of us. OK, we can now go to Tableau and have a better idea of why we think this is a fun adventure.

Arriving on the sim, we are in a desolate town, in the middle of a desert. We wonder if there are any people that live here, if so, why. A sim surround adds to the impression that we are in the middle of freakin' nowhere. If I was a child, growing up in this place and was asked, what would I like to be, when I grow up, the answer would be, "I'd like to BE.......any place but here."

 It seems that, to save a dwindling economy, the town created a tourist attraction, called "Dinosaur Park". The three dinosaurs are impressive in size, but lacking in realistic detail. Perhaps they were made from sheet metal, salvaged from the many vehicles found dead in the desert. The town budget couldn't afford a sign painter, but some old weathered boards and a black crayon let us know which way to go.

Down the road, we spot an earlier attempt to draw tourists. It is called Fun Time Park, but something evil has destroyed this place. At the mouth entry to the park, outside authorities have blocked entry, with signs saying Closed, Condemned, Quarantined and Infectious Virus Area. 

Sha is here for a story, not the rides, so, pulling out her Press Pass, walks boldly through the gate to the middle of the park. There is a black hole and signs of toxic waste. A Newser Press Pass will also shield you from harmful radiation. Sha marches straight into the black pit and drops into a glow in the dark, day-glo chamber.

Naturally, Sha loved the pretty lights, but wouldn't stay long, not having her Geiger counter or a sonic screwdriver in her pockets. One can't help but begin to think that this poor town is ripe for a take over by some crazy gang of hippies, ha, ha, he, he, ho, ho. Is there a secret gang, calling itself "SLUG," that is responsible for the tagging on the local walls?

Passing by a news stand, the headlines show that the residents are very concerned about the identity of SLUG and a dead lady, found inside one of the dinosaurs. Perhaps they should be more concerned with finding a way to remove the two giant, rusted atom bombs from their town, but maybe they are saving them to make some new dinosaurs.

So now, as we wrap up this tour, we count the hands of the readers that got their eyes poked, hair pulled out and pianos dropped on their heads. None? I guess you all had a fun adventure. We send it off to print and close the light for a rest. Hmmm, are bunnies supposed to glow in the dark?

 "Sha"

St. Patrick's Town

By Bixyl Shuftan

Laura Liberty is known for her holiday-themed towns every time there's a major holiday in Second Life. And with it being March, she's out with her latest holiday themed town: "St. Patrick's Town." Like other Liberty-themed towns, there's a few freebie items one can get and a few gift shops to get more. But there's also attractions to see and try out.

 One can pick up one or more of a number of free green hats.

There's also a couple less traditional (though more reflective of some revelers' passions) beer hats, along with a free lucky horseshoe arch

 One can slide down the rainbow, which leads to a huge pile of gold (sorry, you can't take any of the coins with you).

 Besides the freebie items, there are a number of St. Patrick's themed outfits for sale.

 And there's a few other decorations for one's place up for sale.

 There was a beer dunking booth at the town. Something suggests there's likely to be as many volunteers willing to get dunked as pitching the softballs.

There were a couple of avatars (presumably alts) who spent the time dancing an Irish jig. There were poseballs around them for those wishing to join in.

A festive place appropriate for St. Patrick's Day.

Mango Bay (133/20/21)

Bixyl Shuftan

Otium and Giovanna

By Gemma Cleanslate

I have been to Otium several times. Franz Markstein , the owner, has created this lovely quiet place on Serena Long Cay for the pleasure of the visitors. He says, “Otium is Latin for leisure and laziness. Otium also explains the philosophy of this archipelagic retreat. Get away from your necessities and obligations and slip into the intellectual leisure of the creative dimension. Otium is the ideal place to relax.“

 

There are expansive beaches with relaxation places, tiny islands, some of which are private as I found out by the warning. The sounds of the waves and gulls and the views from the beach are so welcome after the business of Second Life. The town sits on a pinnacle reached by a winding steep stairway. Here you find quaint homes and shops, patios and bars in the walled village. It is a very relaxing place. 

 

Now there is an added element to add to the your enjoyment, LINE exhibition permanent of Giovanna Cerise. I have written about Giovanna’s showing of her pieces in LEA and also her Retrospective some months back. When you land you will be in a building where you will see her art on the walls and suspended in air. As you walk out there are pieces spread all throughout the town and outside the walls on the rim of the cliffs. Down on the beach there are more pieces sprinkled across the beach so take a walk there not to miss any. 

 

Giovanna describes the exhibit as, “Creation of a path-research on the infinite freedom hidden in two-dimensional and three-dimensional size. The line, with its lightness incisive, inspired the transposition of the complexity of the solid structures of some of my work in new areas, expression of pure essentiality.” 

 

The pieces are diverse . Out on one of the islands I found ghostly figures hovering over the water called Sirene. Ice Castle on the beach is interactive so hop in. 

I know you will enjoy your visit and perhaps return many times to explore the setting . Pick up a notecard at the landing place that has landmarks for various art pieces to help you along the way. Begin your journey here in the ‘museum’  then wander the streets before you make your way to the beach. 
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Serena%20Long%20Cay/193/54/39

 

Gemma Cleanslate

Laura Liberty’s Valentine Town

By DrFran Babcock

You may, or may not remember my story about the wonderful Christmas Town that I wrote for this esteemed publication. (http://slnewserplaces.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-town.html ). Well, it seems that Laura Liberty, a builder I have admired for many years, does a build for most of the holidays, with themed building activities, and shops. I figured it would be worth it to see what she had in place for Valentine’s Day. I was not disappointed. Valentine Town (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Elizabeth Town/151/170/36/ ) is a joy for all whether or not you have a loved one.

The Build

Laura Liberty is the creator of Valentine Town. Of course, the color palette is what you would expect, reds, pinks, purples and baby blues. What was uncanny to me is how well Laura works with her prims and her colors. I was sure that the cartoony houses that surround the perimeter of the sim were made of mesh, but I was told that was not the case, as I found out. I had the great fortune to run into Laura Liberty when I dropped in to do my story. I gushed like the fan I am over her work, and asked her what program she used to do her meshes. Here is the exchange:

DrFran Babcock: what do you use for your 3d software? Your stuff is always so coordinated and well done?
Laura Liberty: I use Photoshop Elements, and thank you.
DrFran Babcock: But the 3D??

Laura Liberty: 3d textures?
DrFran Babcock: no the building It's not all regular prims, is it? It has to be mesh.
Laura Liberty: the buildings are just prims and some other bits are sculpts. I think I have one or two small mesh things.
DrFran Babcock: you are even more amazing then.

You simply must come to Valentine Town to see this build, and tell me if you thought it was mostly regular prims. The secret, I suppose is in the carefully thought out color scheme which cannot help but lift your spirits and feed your eyes.

The Activities

There is a lot to do at Valentine Town once one is through wandering around and admiring the look of the place. In the center of the village square stands a huge gumball machine spitting out giant colored spheres. There are two ways to dive in here. You can sit on any of the dark maroon gumballs and “mosh pit” your way around, or touch the sign and get a bunch of free, floaty gumballs. On my last visit, an international assortment of residents was rolling an laughing all around.

You can also leave your mark on Valentine Town by taking a photo of yourself there, and sending it, full-permissions, to Laura Liberty. She will put it up on the Snapshot Board located near the giant gumball machine. In addition, you can get a free face emoter HUD, so you can be smiling in all your pictures.

There are two fountains in the central square, and both of them have great animations for hanging out and chatting, or taking pictures to give to Laura. I spent some time dangling my feet in the water while I tried to speak Italian with a handsome guy.

Shopping

Valentine’s Day is a day that is often about gifts and flowers, and jewelry and lingerie, and…love. There is no shortage of all of this at Valentine Town. Absolutely anything that you can think of that relates to Valentine’s Day is on sale here: Animated furniture with models to try, full perm textures and sculpt texture maps of valentine-related shapes, flowers, landscaping, decorations, clothes, lingerie, sweets, balloons and cards. Everything you’d expect, but with a special twist. My favorite store was the LOL Anti-Valentine Gifts. There’s a certain someone who is going to get the blow-up doll with curlers that is in the shop.

Are you pining for someone, still in love with your ex, or do you have a secret crush? Well. Laura Liberty has a solution for you. No, she won’t get that person for you, but you can send them an anonymous gift. All you have to do is buy something on the sim (just about everything has transfer rights), put it into a folder along with a notecard with the recipients name and the date you want it delivered, and give it to Laura Liberty. Gee, I think I have about five of those to send out.

But, Wait, There’s More

When you love someone, sometimes you hold on to a little suspense to keep the tension going. Therefore, I will wait for another time to tell you about the little corner of the sim, hidden away and cloaked in yellow, purple and green. Can you figure what holiday uses those colors? Stay tuned for more about this astonishing builder, and the holiday sims she features.

DrFran Babcock