The Cheeky Cow Golf Course

I went off to see an sim I heard about, but instead found an interesting place next door. It is a wonderful Golf game sim called The Cheeky Cow. Marilyn Philbin and Taylor Revnik are the owners who seem to keep everything going. There are free golf lessons too.

I have never played golf in real-life. In SL, I have played mini golf on the Galaxy so I decided to check this place out and try it without lessons. What fun! I got lost after the first hole, and took a wrong turn. I spent a lot of shots falling down hill, into water, sand and then discovered I was on the wrong approach to the wrong hole! Good thing I was just practicing. I was not using the score hud which tracks everything you do and keeps score.

I watched some other people playing and realized, well, maybe I was not that bad. I invited Qwark to join me and Bejiita came along to try it . We had a riot and some cheating went on I am sorry to say, but we made our way around the first nine. I will definitely be going back to practice some more before I play with anyone again.

It is possible to rent clubs but I went the whole way and bought the clubs with the hud. At the entrance there is a store where you can buy all the clothing and accessories you want. And the free scoring Hud is on the wall in the store so look for it. There are golf tournaments often I see and the winners have amazing scores. You are invited to TP to a Haunted course if you like. Scary!!

It is a new adventure for me in SL and I will be playing for a while . There is also a “walkabout” and they call it, and it is a great place for a horseback ride. Look for some other fun things to do there too. My friend Alarice, who is a real-life golfer, and I will play soon. I have not even seen the second 9 yet but there is a tavern next to 18 which I popped into for obvious reasons.


Begin your adventure here: Kitykana (131, 234, 26)

Gemma Cleanslate

Changes at the New Bastogne WW2 RP

This year, there have been some changes going on at the New Bastogne WW2 Combat Roleplay area.

For one, the layout of the region has been changed, as well as the number of sims increased. Last year, there had been three sims in a reverse north/south arrangement, with the German teams in New Bastogne, the Allies in the bottom edge of the southern sim, and the land in-between as open territory. This simulated the situation with the Allies still in England, making raids into France.

Early this year, the arrangement of the lands was changed with the south sim moved west of Bastogne and renamed “Allied sim,” later changed to Perrone Airport. The German teams moved their bases to a sim east of Bastogne named Schloss Burg Eltz, with the airport to the south. North of Perrone Airport is Saint Quentin. North of New Bastogne and east of Saint Quentin is Huertgenwald, which is still being worked on.

To the south of New Bastogne is the New Fallout sim, which seems to be made into an Eastern European region. Then there’s Tataria to the southeast, which is new. For now, the action remains in New Bastogne, with the two teams staying out of each other’s “home” sim. Across the sims, some railroad track has been laid out, with a trolley occasionally moving along.

Saint Quentin has a club, the Saint Quentin Ballroom, which has two dance parties a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 PM SL time. The club plays 1940’s “big band” music the WW2 RP is known for, on occasion mixed in with other music from earlier times. The club is neutral ground, and players from both sides, and visitors, are welcome. People are requested to wear clothes appropriate for the time period, and visitors are asked not to disturb any players in combat outside the club.

Saint Quentin also has a small weapons store, next the the train station, Saint Quentin Importers, “No need to worry about oil or fuel prices,” joked Allied leader AngusGraham Ceawlin when he announced it’s opening. Then there is the Saint Quentin Cathedral. There are plans for a priest, Father Kravyn, to hold brief services every Sunday, “in addition to weddings, blessings or other types of services upon request.” The blessing of the cathedral and it’s first service is scheduled for April 3rd.

The northern part of the German sim has a large dark castle, with numerous rooms, and a dungeon. Work on furnishing the interior is still in progress (the rumors that the dungeon is not used for interrogations by the Germans but rather hot dates have been neither confirmed or denied).

New Bastogne continues to use two combat systems. The Vice system is used for most of the week, with the newer Blitz in play for Friday and Saturday. This had meant that for these two days aircraft couldn’t do more than scare ground targets, their bombs being unable to damage. More recently, a couple Blitz aircraft were offered to the pilots. For some pilots, however, the changes with the sims have posed a problem. Possibly because of the extra sim crossings, some pilots have found it difficult to stay in the air very long without crashing. Fortunately for them, the weekend raids on the Flying Tiger’s WW2 Pacific sims are still going on.

For the Germans, there has been some changes in the leadership. The leader of the Armee group had to leave New Bastogne. Vickster Khun, whom was in charge of the Luftwaffe group, assumed command. Duarte Koray was placed in command of the Richthofens. Some new players have also risen to prominence. Nohime Runner quickly rose from an entry level pilot to one of leading officers, taking charge of projects such as the construction of the German castle.

Besides the combat, there have also been some races. Last month, there was a horse race in the Saint Quentin sim, with a track set up around the cathedral. There were several contestants, including one Russian Cossack. A few warm-up laps were held, followed by a serious race, which was ran again when it was clear lag was causing some people to miss a turn. The winner was a lady from the German teams. Following the horse race, March has been the scene of tank races every Saturday from 3 to 5:30 PM at New Bastogne (71, 199, 3001).

On Tuesday March 15th, the Saint Quentin Club hosted a party in honor of the one year anniversary of the Bastogne combat RP, “Come Celebrate With Vickster Kuhn, our founder, the vision and continued growth of these wonderful sims.” About two dozen players and visitors attended, with Big Band music played, and a few prizes given out.

At one point, Allied commander AngusGraham Ceawlin spoke up, “I would like to thank all of you for coming in honor of the 1st anniversary of Bastogne. We owe much to Vickster Kuhn for her vision as well as countless others who have contributed their time and talents towards the continued success of New Bastogne and the Bastogne Project.” He asked all to raise a toast to her, and all at the party did, "Prost!" “Congratulations!" “Grats.”

Vickster responded with a smile, “Thank you all. ... Project Bastogne is a success due to the efforts of so many people! Not just our great sim owners Like Zewe Major, Seaone Bunyip, Joe Sparrow, Nohime Runner and Miss Ichi Yazimoto! Our admin team makes it happen! People like Miss Deusen Marx, Angus, Aeryn.... so many others! I'm so happy with the results of all our efforts!”

And so New Bastogne marches into it’s second year. Not completely without problems, but bigger and better than ever.

Bixyl Shuftan

Goonies Escapades

What a great time I had the other day. My friend, a SL inner kid, Everett Piek, called me to tell me that The Goonies Island had become Escapades and was totally different from the last time I saw it. I went to visit Everest at his little shack and we took off for a tour.

Loki Eliot has transformed the whole place. It is delightful. After stopping at the center of Rickity Town, Everett wanted me to see a surprise at the docks so off we went. Once there he took me into the John King Pirate Tavern. There I saw a scroll and a painting as the center pieces. The scroll began a story, and then we touched the picture and went into a world of the unknown.

Along the way we heard the story of Jack, with audio and visuals to enhance the trip. It is an adventure not to be missed when you visit . Everett took me around back of the Tavern and we took a ride on the Da Vinci copter up into the sky where there is a landing area on Sky Pirates Platform where you can visit the Ferret Bar. Make sure you look for that copter when you visit.

The next day I went back to look some more and ran into Loki in Rickety Town and he showed me a few of the fun things you can do along the way. I picked up a bashing stick to find treasures or taunts hidden in bushes, barrels, mushrooms. Of course I bashed a hornet next and acquired a follower that taunted and stung me.

Back in town I stopped at the market and bought some fun steam punk roller skates created by my my friend, Myrtil, who first introduced me to the SL kids on Goonie Island. There are many nooks and cranies to explore all over the island so take a trip. All are welcome.

This LM will put you in the center of the island in Rickity Town to begin your adventures. There you will find a map with teleports to the fun places. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Escapades/123/163/25

Gemma Cleanslate

Alvastra Monastery

One of the newest, real life places to be reproduced in SL is the Alvastra Monastery, located at Omberg/Alvastra Monestary, Gigli Aragami (99, 139, 22). One of the things I like best about SL is that it allows me to see places that I wouldn’t otherwise get to see, like this historic Swedish treasure.

SL resident Ewa Aska lives near the RL Alvastra Monastery, and she has done an outstanding job of replicating it in SL. This lovely, tranquil spot is a tribute to the RL restored Alvastra Monastery, located in Alvastra, Ödeshög Municipality, in eastern Sweden.

The original Monastery was founded in 1143 A.D. by French monks of the Cistercian order. They came from Clairvaux, France, to the province of Östergötland, Sweden. At its peak, Alvastra was the largest monastery in Sweden. It thrived for almost 400 years, but it was demolished during the Lutheran Reformation in the 1530’s. The Monastery in RL has been restored and is open to the public.

When you arrive at SL Alvastra, look to the right to see the replica of the ruins. At the landing spot there are signs where you can join the Group or donate to its upkeep. On my most recent visit a stage was set up there in preparation for a party.

But once you walk through the stone arches, you’ll find the Monastery is filled with lovely flowers, such as Black-eyed Susan’s, Foxglove, and wild garlic. You can relax with sound of a nearby waterfall and singing birds. The arches and columns create small rooms that are fun to wander through. Off to one side you will find the monks’ garden. In another small alcove there’s a quiet spot where you can kneel to meditate or pray. Here and there you’ll find a bench or a table and chairs. Bring a book and a glass of wine. There are some perfect spots to relax or just soak up some Swedish history.

Outside the ruin, past the landing area, a stone path leads up the mountain and opens into a beautiful meadow. Ewa had done a wonderful job of showcasing Sweden’s natural beauty here. Keep climbing to reach the top, but remember to bring an umbrella and wear a jacket. It’s still cold in Sweden at this time of year.

Grey Lupindo

Space Destiny Island Sim Closing Down March 1

Checking out Daniel Voyager’s Blog, I read about a science sim that I hadn’t heard from in a while: Space Destiny Island. One of the “Sci-Lands” sims, it is a great sim with places that both inform and entertain. Unfortunately, it is about to vanish from Second Life.

Porting in at the LM given for Space Destiny (85, 94, 24), a short distance to the south is the Liyana Hall, which offers a sign and notecard explaining about the sim, and has a small picture gallery with a few exhibits. Also hear the entrance is a display explaining about the Sci-Lands in general, along with flags of the countries of people whom sent donations to help pay for the sim. Down a trail to the west is the Solar Hazard Research Center, which explains sun-related dangers such as solar flares. Over looking it on a hill is a planetarium.


Going east of the entry point across a bridge, one will find Sustainable Communities, which explains a little about how certain skills familiar to 19th century pioneers and the Amish will prove useful again to planetary colonists, notably the need to be self-reliant with just the resources at hand. The Midrivers Project Space Center discussed health and well-being in space, mentioning of the “vibrating dumbbell” on TV commercials, saying its origins were in the space program. It also mentioned Tuna Oddfellow’s Odd Ball, saying the psychological effects the show has on some people could prove useful for researchers looking for drug-free ways to relive stress and homesickness on astronauts. North of that on the coast were displays of aquaculture (farming in the ocean), and “Sea-steading” - structures for living and research built over the ocean like oil rigs.

The northeast part of the sim is Skylon, it’s huge rocket plane visible on the map. Here one will find exhibits on aircraft and ariel science, as well as a flying carpet to take you around. Down the east coast are exhibits on space stations and rockets. In the southeast corner of the sim is the Study Centre for Food Production in Controlled Environments. There, one will find exhibits on agriculture in space, notably a centrifugal force chamber to simulate gravity in a space station (plants don’t get dizzy). There was also a link to a Youtube of the University of Arizona’s CEAC Lunar Greenhouse (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4Dbh0nvh-4).

Just down a path west from the Food Production Center is a recreational area with lounge chairs and dance floor. Looking around, I found a notecard with a LM to a Trek roleplay area over the sim (157, 207, 2048). Going there, I found a Trek space station: Outpost 17. Looking around, I found a dispenser that could manufacture phasers, datapads, and Starfleet uniforms: gold, blue, and of course red. While there, I ran into two members of the RP, Flea Habilis and Yoiko Hax. “We've about two days left,” Yoiko explained, “Still not sure exactly what's gonna happen to our station here. ... At least everything's backed up. Even a lower prim version -just- in case. ... I feel worse for everyone on ground level. As many times as Space Destiny seemed to change direction, they all preserved.” Their RP was also known as Space Station Hideki.

Exactly why the sim is closing was not explained, though they did say everything was being set up on Opensim, with people invited to contact Silviana Jenvieve (Dr. Jenny Oliver in RL). So those able to go to Opensim will still be able to see it. For those who can’t, Monday February 28 is the last chance to see this educational sim.

Once again, the entrance is at: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Space%20Destiny/85/94/24

Source: Daniel Voyager's Blog

Bixyl Shuftan

SL New England

SL New England is located on the united sailing (open waters) sims. This group of sims is in danger of being scrapped seemingly due to bad management. In an effort to save the location, a handful of residents are attempting to generate some public awareness and interest in the area.

Various areas are located on the estate, including Mystic, the Village, Dove Cottage, Fenimore Art Museum and Mystic Beach. In addition to shopping, multiple events are held regularly, including art exhibits in the square, music concerts, marina parties, fashion shows, weddings, scavenger hunts, fishing derbies, just to name a few.

Arriving at the LM, I was presented with two boards: one was a group joiner and the other was an opportunity to take a walking tour of the estate. I clicked on the tour ball, jumped on and began the tour.

SL New England is a series of 35 sims designed with a New England theme. One of the regions is Mystic and one is Nantucket. This is where you will find the SLNE village. Beautiful waterways and beaches are everywhere.

On Nantucket is the outdoor theater. This can be accessed by swimming or sailing up if you like. Musical performances are usually hosted daily. A recent concert featured Simon Voix in the town of Mystic. Hailing from Argentina, Simon plays an ecclectic mix of rock, soul Brazilian funk and Latin rythms on electric, classical style guitar with percussion backing tracks, He is inspired by the American rock & roll music of Jimi Hendrix, Living Colour and 70's music, soul music of artists like Stevie Wonder , Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye and the Latin rthyms of Carlos Santana & the Afro Cuban Musicians. This is just a sampling of the many musical performances that take place in New England.

Also located in Nantucket is the Nantucket Barn. Not your typical barn with horses and cows, it boasts 2 floors of New England Merchants. At the Barn, you can purchase anything from a ship to a blouse. Definitely worth exploring for all you shoppers! At The Nautical Shop, you can find items from maps of NE, boat oars and other boating items and sealife artwork.

At the marina, the largest, three-masted schooner belongs to the harbor master. A visit there will inform you about available slips. Beware of the brig though, there is zero tolerance for piracy. Boat prices range from $L250-$L4000.

Slipping off the pier and into the water, much to my surprise, I landed straight into the underwater world of the Mermaids! All types of merfolk avatars and attire can be found in these depths. There's truth in the saying "you never know what you will 'fall' into."

In the heart of Nantucket is Nantucket Square where art exhibits often take place. A simple click on the Art in New England signs will allow you to join the group and be kept aware of exhibits planned. Many of the shops are historically built and much of the other builds are based on actual buildings throughout the RL New England. Outdoor cafe tables are scattered throughout the square.

A virtual New England port town would not be complete without its share of pubs. The pubs also have swim-up entrances which aid the Merfolk but are utilized by all. Relax in a pub with a view to the water and watch the ships sail by and come into port.

Please help support this gem of sims. Have a visit, take a boat ride, make a purchase and donate if you are able. Inquire about renting a home or shop. Your patronage of this charming, quaint area may save it from taking its place in the SL landfill!

Shellie Sands

A Visit to the Criss MCA

I am always happy to get a notice of new artists being displayed at the Criss Museum of Contemporary Art . It is a pleasure to visit the Alajuela sim and the Museum building itself is intriguing. Go inside and you will find three floors of exhibits, each dedicated to one artist. They are usually very varied in their works and that is true of this exhibit.

On the first level you will find the the fascinating art of Sedge Roffo. His pieces are all created in SL and not in real-life. I recall some of his builds from the SL birthdays and Burning Life 09. He has created a process called primagery. Some of his “sculpts” are in the exhibit for you to enjoy. Climb the stairs to the second floor and there you will find a very different atmosphere in the midst of the works of JadeYu Fhang. JadeYu’s pieces are ethereal in my eyes. She says,” There is no split between the "virtual " universe, and the "real" one, as they are commonly named.” And that is the feeling I get when I gaze at her works.

Archibald Sideshow had his pieces on the third floor so don’t miss the stairs. His art is stunning and each takes some time to absorb. As you move from floor to floor you can pick up a note card about each artist and their philosophies of art as well as their backgrounds. I see that Scotj Criss the CEO is opening some galleries in the rear of the museum building for rent by artists to display their works so take a walk out to check the new area. A good starting point.

The gallery is located at Alajuela (184, 76, 22).

Gemma Cleanslate

Cap Estel Goes Safari

Maurice Messmer’s latest SL work is wild. Really wild. He has turned Cap Estel into the Serengeti. Start your adventure at Cap Estel Goes Safari, Cap Estel (229, 223, 53).

You can tour this Serengeti by giraffe or by horse. Hop on the giraffe or use the saddle rez station to get your pick of one of the four horses. They’re temporary, but they will last as long as you ride them. I picked the giraffe tour since I have horses at home, but I’d never ridden a giraffe. Their gait is surprisingly smooth.

As you ride into the Serengeti, you hear its sounds: beating drums, roaring waterfalls, and snarling wild animals. Cap Estel Safari is teeming with giraffe, zebra, Oryx, hyena, sable antelope, and even a rhino. Messmer is known for his realistic scenery, and he has outdone himself here. I felt like I was in Africa as I walked on the cracked, dry earth, crept past the animals, and peered over steep gorges filled with rushing water.

Near an old VW bus I met resident Melanie774 Kidd. She had just finished making a video of her giraffe ride around the site. The video is posted on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSSPa8rQ5rQ.

We chatted about how much we both enjoyed Messmer’s work. Kidd said this was the first time she had seen one of his sims. She learned about it from another SL resident, Shoji Kumaki, who displays photos of Messmer’s work in his gallery. “I love his photos,” she said, “so I had to come see for myself.”

After our chat I continued my tour of the Serengeti. I walked across the rickety rope bridge that spans one of the gorges. On the other side I found a tall observation tower and complimentary sweat towels and water. After that hike, I needed them. In keeping with making his places special, Messmer has even made the water bottles special here. All of the SL bottles and cups that I’ve seen are scripted to automatically give you a drink, whether you want a sip or not. But with this water bottle, you are in control. You only sip when you touch the bottle.

After you hydrate, climb up the tower. It’s a tall one. But you’ll be aptly rewarded by a great view and a cold bottle of Beck’s Beer at the top. Rest up in one of the Adirondack chairs to enjoy the brew and catch your breath. If you’re in the mood for some authentic African music, touch the drum.

When you go down the tower, walk toward the middle of the area, away from the rocks, to find a zebra herd. But be careful. Danger lurks in this jungle! I saw a number of slithering creatures.

As interesting as the Serengeti is, it’s only half of the Cap Estel Safari experience. A tropical jungle waits below, and you can reach it by grabbing onto a rope swing that is near the trail. Hold on tight to descend into the heart of the jungle. You’ll land at a platform that has security screening around it for your safety. Immediately you’ll see and hear the richness of the jungle -parrots, hummingbirds, moneys, and insects of all kinds live here.

Follow the torch lit path around the lake. Here the landscape is lush and beautiful, a treat for the senses. Take your time and linger. There is much to see. Colorful butterflies flutter from flower to flower, and a baby chimp plays on a swing. Hippos lumber in the shimmering water, but a small pile of bones reminds you to keep alert.

When you reach the cafe, you can pick up one of their yummy blueberry crumb muffins. Take a moment to sign the guest book, too, and drop a few Lindens in the tip jar if you can. All those hippos probably eat a lot. Then relax in one of the chairs on the deck. The pesky dragonfly will hover around you, but he won’t bite. Look for shadows on the water while you’re resting. Messmer has thought of everything.

When you’re finished feasting your eyes and your sweet tooth, you can find a quick TP behind the fan. It will zip you back up to the Serengeti. I’ve already been to Cap Estel Safari three times, but I’ll be back again soon. I always see something new each trip.

Grey Lupindo

Arctic Greenhouse

My friend, Kulta Hannu, knows I love freebies and flowers. So when she sent me a note about Arctic Greenhouse, a new site where you can win free flowers by playing puzzle and memory games, I couldn’t resist.

The games are located at the Arctic Greenhouse at the Alternate Reality sim (148, 161, 25).

You will rez onto a game platform that is surrounded by sofas, a table of coffee and cupcakes, and the games. The game level is underground, below the arctic ice. Surrounding the platform are plants, steam vents and volcanic activity.

The memory game has 5 levels, each one progressively harder and more complex. The goal is to match the flowers hidden under squares. After an easy first level, bombs appear. Touch the same bomb 3 times and you lose. Just when you think you have the hang of it, tornado squares begin to appear. Touch one of them and the board gets scrambled. It‘s a fun and addictive game!

There are five tables of this game so there shouldn’t be a wait to play. The prizes change daily, too, so you can return and play again. The night I played, I won a beautiful potted aloe.

The two puzzle games are harder. Picture pieces of the plant prize are scrambled in a frame. The goal is to move the pieces around to form the correct picture. The first night, they defeated me. But I returned in the morning with a fresh cup of coffee and triumphed over the first puzzle. I’ll tackle the second puzzle another day.

At the end of the platform is a transport bubble that takes you to the main greenhouse above ground. Or you can go there directly at Alternate Reality (143, 139, 54). The greenhouse is filled with beautiful plants at very reasonable prices. There are Valentine Day specials, too.

The Arctic Greenhouse is the latest creation of Logan Bauer, a SL resident since 2004. At the Greenhouse he has created plants that are low-prim but don’t look low-prim. He has used sculpts and other magic to make them detailed and beautiful. Walk around outside the greenhouse, too. There are a few trees and plants for sale outside. But watch out for the baby dinosaur!

Grey Lupindo

Casablanca Hotel

Recently I visited The Casablanca Suites & Hotel Beach Resort, located at Casablanca Hotel (207, 51, 32). The Hotel was built by Patch Thibaud, and Frolic Mills is CEO. In addition to the Hotel, the Resort includes a residential community, convention center, country club, chapel, shopping, theatres, and more.

The Hotel Manager, BlackBarbie Bravin, has been the manager for 6 months, and she has one of the most glamorous work sites in SL. She gave me a VIP tour of the hotel, including a luxury suite and penthouse. We met in the lobby, which is a bold mix of red, leopard, and black. A subtropical floral centerpiece, created by Lilith Heart of Heart Nursery, accentuates the exotic luxury of the Casablanca Hotel. The red and black couches are perfect for meeting friends before an evening out.

Two small shops are located on the left side of the lobby. Casablanca Boulevard has unique sandals, and KPD (Kathrin Pearl Designs) has upscale ladies fashions. My favorite KPD is the Autumn Winds ensemble. It’s an entire outfit in a box: mini skirt, sweater, belt, bangles, brown leather boots, and a sculpted fur jacket (fake fur, I hope). In addition to the lobby stores, Bravin told me there are over 80 shops located here.

Rich, gold paneling carries the exotic theme from the lobby into an area that serves as a meeting room or a space for small parties. Deep red carpet gives this room a quiet, plush feel. Five small couches, each with a table big enough to hold a pair of wine glasses and a cheese tray, are located along one curved wall. A hallway gleaming with polished black marble leads to the formal ballroom. Bravin said the ballrooms are available for guests at no additional charge, and non-guests can rent the space for special events. They have had weddings and dinners in the formal ballroom. Glass doors open out to the lake side of the Hotel. There are water fountains, a nearby mall, and even a white sandy beach where you can catch some rays.

On the opposite side of the Hotel hallway is a spectacular infinity pool. You can sit at one of the umbrella tables, sip a tropical drink, and gaze at a stunning view of the ocean. For a more romantic evening, there are four private dining tents on the far side of the pool.

The most fantastic part of the Hotel—the suites and penthouses—are not public. There are eight regular suites and two penthouse suites. Bravin explained that for privacy and security reasons the rooms are accessed by landmark only. The rooms are available, however, for residential or limited rental. Approximately 4 to 6 SL residents live here full time. Contact her for rates and details.

First Bravin showed me the suite, and I was amazed at how spacious and beautiful it was. The living room had a fireplace and lots of room to entertain. Beautiful art and floral arrangements are found in every room, too. Bravin explained that Frolic Mills, along with Editorial Clarity, did the interior decorating. There was also a large bedroom with an adjacent bath.

On our way to the penthouse, Bravin told me that the Casablanca Hotel is home to a SL celebrity. Miss Virtual World 2011, Serene Faith, has a Master suite here. It was part of the prize package she won in the pageant.

The Penthouse was also lavishly decorated. The first floor was spacious, and it also had a fireplace and romantic balconies. A small staircase led to a hot tub that was tucked discretely in one corner. Another staircase led to a second floor and additional rooms. Bravin explained that any of the furnishings could be changed or removed at the guest’s request. “The goal,” Ms. Bravin said, “is to make you never want to leave.”

The Casablanca Hotel reached its goal with me. I would have loved to stay longer. When I mentioned to Bravin that the Hotel would make a lovely Valentine get-away, she smiled and said they already have a Valentine’s Hunt planned. The dates for the Hunt are February 14 – 28. I’ve already marked my calendar.

Grey Lupindo

Cape Able Gallery

Feathers Boa sent an invitation to her opening at the Cape Able Gallery and I arrived a little late but made it. To my surprise there was my friend Gentle Heron of Virtual Ability. Little did I know that this is a sim related to promoting the disabled in SL.

I found out that the Cape Able sim is owned by Virtual Ability. The Gallery is lovely and the exhibit hosting four SL artists is definitely worth a visit. On the lower floor, you will find vibrant fractals by Piaget Hax in one hall. His note card explains it all! In the next hall is an exhibit of John Brewster’s 19th century portraits of the early American citizens, brought into SL. There are note cards about the gentlemen and ladies in the portraits and numerous children’s portraits with some history of the child.

Moving in to the next hall you will find the haunting SL photos of Kirk Smythe, photojournalist. Each of these artists is disabled in RL, but oh so able. You can pick up a note card in each hall about the artist and their SL and RL. Above on the second floor you will be able to view and interact with the enchanting works of Feathers Boa. They are very intricate and in some cases as I have learned, have deep, intense personal meaning.

After touring all the exhibits I was introduced to Treasure Ballinger, the estate manager. She told me she is always seeking disabled SL artists to display their works in the Art Gallery and if you know of a deaf or disabled artist they are asked to contact her. The present exhibit will be there until the end of February so you have time to get there.

If you would like to learn more about Virtual ability you an visit the website http://virtualability.org/default.aspx. Before you enter the Gallery pick up a note card that gives a wonderful explanation of what Cape Able is all about and a thought provoking statement about who is the disabled.

To visit the gallery you can use this entry point: Cape Able (103, 147, 23).

Gemma Cleanslate

Tron Legacy Adventure

My friend Erin Fensen, who loves everything that moves fast, suggested I check out “Tron”. She and her friends have been playing there recently. The role play is a tribute to the movie and is huge, covering the sims of Vixens Isle, Pattern, Rebma, and Amber. Start the adventure at Tron Legacy Adventures-Medie, Vixens Isle (167, 233, 2454).

You will arrive at the Rez Restore Point at the End of Line Club. This area has the traditional grid of Tron, a dance ball, couches for socializing, and information about the RP sim. Notecards were easy to find and give you a quick update on the area and lingo used in Tron. This makes it easy for a novice to get into the game quickly. Membership in their group "Amber Racing Association” is free.

Walk up the ramp to the right to go into a HUGE play area. This is a place for some serious fun. Free Tron clothes and a demo Light Cycle are available here so you can get into the mood immediately. The area is decorated with set pieces from the movie that are so big they wouldn’t fit into a photo.

While I was looking at the clothes and light cycle, resident AmyLee Rexen arrived and rezzed her Legacy BETA 7 cycle. Rexen offered to let me ride it, and she assured me it was easy to shift and control. But when she warned me that it will blow up if it hits a wall, I decided to watch her ride. Rexen said she is in training for combat. She tied in her first attempt when she and her opponent both hit their own light trails. “But it was still fun,” she said.

The sim is very active, and three or four residents arrived while we were chatting. Resident Spooko Zauberman came by to ask about the cycles and the RP. Group member Rhaiyu Ninetails, who had joined us, was friendly and explained many of Tron’s amenities. “We have the club located here, of course, which serves as the entry point,” she said. “Most of us enjoy being here, close to the entry point, and socializing. Vendors are located to the northeast of the sim. The south contains the Lightcycle battle grid, and further south includes a tank battle region, plus Kevin Flynn's home while in exile.” Ninetails told Zauberman that the light cycles can be bought in the mall and also in the Marketplace online.

When I heard the word “mall” I knew where I wanted to go. The first shop I came to, Sugar Shack, was having a Grand Opening special---free Tron clothes. Even if I don’t return for combat, I knew I couldn’t pass up that bargain. The suit looks like a snowmobile outfit, and I can definitely use one of those. The mall area has a number of Tron-related stores and room to expand to a second floor that is reachable by escalator. Flynn's Arcade is nearby, but I didn’t have time to check it out.

The Amber region is already used by many residents for drag racing, and the Light Cycle racing arena will be found here. Superbikes and Gee Bee Aerial Racing is also done here.

In addition to the playing in “The Games”, other RP opportunities exist, such as being refugees on foot or bike racing to get past the tanks, rescuing friends, making secret contacts, uncovering plots, or reaching the Safe House for the next part of the quest. The only thing better than watching the 3d Tron movie is living it in SL.

Grey Lupindo

Starbase 11 - Classic Star Trek Sim

I recently heard about a Star Trek sim made in the style of the original series produced in the 1960’s. The announcement read, “... our friends from NERD CULTURE celebrate the opening of their dorktastically detailed realizations of the classic Star Trek's Starbase 11, the U.S.S. Enterprise, Deep Space K-7, Zefram Cochrane Homestead, and more!”

Beaming over, once out of the small welcome center, I was greeted by the sight of several unearthly buildings on the rocky surface of an alien world with a purplish sky. The only signs of native life were the odd plants that occasionally could be seen next to the sidewalk, which Trek fans might remember from an episode or two. And looking around, Trekkies would easily recognize the style of the desks and computers as that of the original series (TOS as it’s sometimes called). The area had a small shop named “Cyrano’s” after the con artist in the “Trouble with Tribbles” episode, and an art gallery at the top of one of the buildings.

Through the transporter (teleport) pads, one could go to other places. Deep Space K-7 was a space station of which one could look out the window and see ships drifting by. Then there was the USS Enterprise. Going down the halls of the ship, not all of the doors opened, but some did. There were individual living quarters, plus sickbay.

While at the sim, I ran into one of the people there, Alexander Chronowire. He explained that this “newest incarnation” was being finished after work over a few months, “although we've built other Trek sims over the past couple years, this is the culmination of all the ideas - not just a ship, but a starbase, space station, residential areas, and a second sim dropping any day for more stuff we've been building. ... It's been a lot of fun. All the other Trek sims are ‘ modern ‘ Trek. We're just all huge fans of the The Original Series style - that retro 60's look. (smile) ... The sim was built more as a work of art.”

Alexander mentioned some roleplayers were already making use of the sim, “it's not really set up as an roleplay sim, although people are already dropping by and taking over the Bridge for fun. ... There's a group that comes in during the morning a few days a week now. They run around the ship and do their thing - it's great. None of us who built this place are roleplayers, so it’s fun to watch people ‘play.’ “

Of the residential areas, “if you beam aboard the Enterprise, and head for a turbolift to Deck 6, there's about 18 cabins on the deck that are rentable. If demand dictates we'll add another residential deck. But for now, people are just learning about us and slowly moving in. (smile)”

Of the second sim due soon, “there will be another ship, styled in the Pike era of design, and we'll be moving K-7 over there as well. This will give us more room for rentals or other projects on this sim, which is a full, the 2nd is only a homestead.” I asked for more on the “Pike era,” which was the time of the pilot episode about fifteen years before the time of the classic series, “the first pilot of Star Trek had several design variations from the show we all know. So, we're building a ship we hear about and finally saw in the remastered version of The Original Series in Charlie X, the USS Antares - so we're using the visual look of Pike’s ship, the captain from the first pilot of Trek inside the Antares.”

Starbase 11 is owned by Jon Indianawood. Lora Chadbourne is the primary builder of the landscape. It is at the Cruzoria sim at (201, 190, 26)

Bixyl Shuftan

A Visit to Ocean View Medical Center

When a RL flu bug spoiled my plans for a great SL New Year’s Eve, I had plenty of time to think about SL medicine. I knew a lot of hospitals exist here, but I had never gone to one. I usually try to visit more fun and exotic places. But on Sunday morning, while I was still coughing and sniffling but feeling good enough to visit in-world, I decided to look at the health care options available here.

Some SL hospitals specialize in maternity or a specific time period while others, like Ann Meyers Medical Center, are affiliated with RL hospitals. I chose to visit Ocean View Medical Center, located at Tender Heart (160, 204, 22), because it sounded pleasant. I didn’t know anything else about it, which isn’t too different from RL where the choice (if there is one) is usually based on location.

Ocean View Medical Center is approximately 3 months old, modern, and currently has a staff of about 10 people. Sunday morning was very quiet, not unlike a RL ER room. I was the only patient, and Dr. Geena Inglewood was the physician on duty.

Ocean View’s lobby has a number of informative signs about the services they provide. Many of the notecards emphasize that they are a RP hospital and not really a medical facility. The notecards advise residents who are experiencing a RL illness to contact a RL professional. I had to wonder how many people might try to get medical advice here in SL either due to RL costs or other issues like privacy or time constraints.

One of the interesting services provided at Ocean View is medical insurance, including family coverage for up to 4 residents. For those of us who are uninsured, however, payment for services is due upfront. At Ocean View an ER/urgent care visit is $200L.

While I was reading the information, Dr. Inglewood came to see if I needed assistance. A resident since 2008, she is very professional and knowledgeable. In RL she has worked as a nurse assistant and midwife. Although RL medical experience isn’t necessary to work here, the ability to empathize and communicate with residents is essential. Inglewood said working at Ocean View is very much like working at a RL hospital. Ocean View treats a lot of SL children, who need everything from school shots to broken bones mended. The maternity ward is also very busy.

This SL hospital is staffed like any other hospital. There are positions for receptionists, nurses, physicians, dentists, orderlies, lab techs, and medical director. Each position has different duties and requirements. Applications and information are available in the lobby or by contacting the hospital Chief of Staff, Caramel Luminos

After the formalities of paying the fee were completed, I followed Dr. Inglewood into a treatment room. She washed her hands thoroughly. Then she took my medical history, temperature and blood pressure, and asked about my symptoms. Even when faced with the challenges of treating a foxette, Dr. Inglewood was professional and never broke out of her role as the treating physician. The lab work, which was included in the ER charge, showed that I had strep throat. But I am happy to report that after receiving treatment and medicine at Ocean View, I have totally recovered.

New Allied Base Sim in WW2 RP Area

A few days ago, on Thursday Dec 9, the opening ceremony to the new sim in the WW2 Combat RP region took place. Made for the US, British, and Free French teams, the sim was appropriately named “Allied Base.”

Seaone Bunyip officially opened the sim at 7 PM SL time, “Welcome To Allied Base WW2 Sim. This base is created in honor of the United States Forces and Veterans that fought and died for freedom In France and other theaters in WW2 and therefore will fly the United States Flag. Allied Base Sim is Headquarters for and Administered by the 1st Allied Command Group.”

Seone continued, “Historical notes on the area of this sim represents: This airbase represents the Advanced Landing Ground "A-72 Peronne Airfield France. Bastonge is 120 miles to the North East. Omaha Beach and Utah Beach are 175 miles west. Paris is 75 miles to the SW. Vermand is 5 miles to the East. St Quenten is 11 miles to the South East. Village of Brie is 4 miles to the West. Peronne Airport was a pre-World War II civil airport, consisting of a terminal, hangar, some support buildings and a grass airfield, serving the nearby city of Saint-Quentin.”

“We want to give a big hand to the builders of the sim! A special salute to the best builder on SL, Deusen Marx! A special thanks also goes out to Vickster Kuhn and all the WW2 sim owners. The sim is here for everyone to enjoy! Respect the rules of the WW2 role playing sim and we all can have FUN!” And with that, a ribbon at the opening gate was cut, and the place was declared open. For the grand opening a truce was declared between the two sides. A number from both the German and Allied teams showed up.

Deusen Marx soon told everyone, “I added something to the sim today in secret.” And he revealed a halftrack, though one needed to be “armed” with the Vice combat tag to drive it. The main group of people soon ended up in the bar. “This pub is called Leona's,” Deusen told everyone, “It is named after Vickie's deceased Grandma. I think we should all raise our glasses to Leona. Cheers! To Leona!” And people raised a toast, “Cheers.” “To Leona.” “Health to the new sim.” “And also a toast to our host, Seaone, thank you for your generosity and sweet spirit.”

This was soon followed by some cheerful joking around, such as funny gestures, and discussing the supposed reaction one skunkgirl officer in the German air group got from the Allied side when getting a commission during a medals and promotions event, “They sent a tank to the ceremony.” Later, it was described the tank was blown up, but the driver raised a toast to the newly promoted with a glass of Guiness ale.

After a while, some of the German pilots left. It wasn’t long before they returned, in a squadron of Stukas. Fighters were called up, but the Stukas didn’t have their combat enabled. They were just circling around for photo shoots.

There will be other events for the WW2 Combat RP this December. Among them, Joe Sparrow's yearly Christmas drop, on the 21st, "Every year i take up a plane and drop boxes with gifts in them. It's random as to what theyll get but i do put retail items in. Last year it was on my sim. This year, it'll be here."

And so, the Allied teams now had a little more breathing room, no longer confined to a tiny strip of land on the southern edge of the southernmost sim.


Bixyl Shuftan

North Pole and Santa's Workshop

If you’re looking for a place for holiday fun, take a trip to the North Pole and Santa's Workshop, Porvoo (255, 88, 104). Snowflakes and jingle bells greet you as soon as you rez. I even thought I heard a distant “Ho, Ho, Ho”.

Follow the footprints through the crunchy snow to reach the village and Santa’s Workshop. Take your time and enjoy the crystal sculptures and other treats that you’ll pass along the way. Detour off the path to visit the penguins and bears, too. But watch out—the ice is slippery!

I love the North Pole post office. The details—like stamp machines and mail sacks-- are whimsical and charming. Inside the elves are working very hard to sort and deliver all the letters to Santa. You can buy a few of the items here, including the animated elves, but the building doesn’t look like a store. Santa is in the corner near a sign that tally’s the number of Naughty’s and Nice. Fortunately there’s no names attached to the Naughty’s. Before you leave, be sure to click on the sign to hear Santa’s Christmas greeting.

In the middle of the sim is the largest building, Santa’s Workshop. Inside the elves are frantically working here, too. The workshop is jammed with colorful toys and the sounds of singing elves. Toy airplanes fly overhead and trains chug around their tracks. This is a busy, busy place. I liked the conveyor belt and the stacks and stacks of gifts. It’s impossible to walk around the workshop without smiling. A few of the toys are for sale, but the workshop doesn’t have a commercial look to it.

My favorite place is the Reindeer Barn. It is very realistic, and a quiet retreat after the hectic pace of the workshop and post office. There’s an elf here, too, but he doesn’t sing. Donner and Cupid are the first reindeer to greet you. They move, of course, and make cute reindeer noises. Blitzen was a bit stand-offish the first time I visited, but Dancer was so friendly that he followed me home. You can purchase all nine reindeer from a box tucked off to the side, or buy individual reindeer. The harness bells are extra, but well worth the $50L to add a festive, holiday touch.

A sign outside of the Workshop says that the elves have hidden some prizes around the buildings. I love a good hunt, but there are so many cute and whimsical things to see here that I didn’t bother doing the hunt. One problem, however, is that this sim fills up quickly. I crashed twice during visits at busy times. Try to go at an off hour, if possible.

If you have young children in your home, or if you’re young-at-heart, the North Pole is a great place to visit.

The North Pole and Santa's Workshop is at Porvoo, (255, 88, 104)

Grey Lupindo

Dude! Surfs Up in Second Life!

Over 600 Surfing Spots in Second Life (SL) with Awesome Pipeline Waves! Like WAY more than real life! Dudettes and Dudes! Wax your surfboards! It's gonna be an Endless Summer!

Like check this out! A beach called Ocean Waves will lend you FREE surfboard, windsurfer, kitesurfer, and land yatch! Wow! Try them all free! Go down the stairs and walk to the end of the beach by the big kite. Kinstall Hill (91,19, 21)


Intrigued? You ain't seen nothing yet! Okies… You can BODY SURF with no equipment… All you need is Monster Waves which are EVERYWHERE in SL! See me Body Surfing in Picture 7! HOW: Fly your avatar, and hover just above the water's surface. Let the wave catch you. Dead Easy! Monster waves that travel across a full sim here: Syx Monkies (223, 90, 34)


Now the real fun! SURFING! One moment, I'm flying leftwards through a MONSTER pipeline wave… the next, I carve a CRAZY WICKED turn (Woah!), and then I'm SCREAMING off the big wave going rightwards. REPEAT: Carve-Turn, Scream Left, Carve-Turn, Scream Right! Omg! Monster waves in SL are totally narly PARABOLAS and you're screaming back and forth on them… Finally… MATH IS FUN! ... Wicked!

And before long, I'm paddling back out to catch another great wave! You got a freebie surfboard? Trash it! I'm serious. State of the art waves like from from HP Surf's genius Leogarto Burt will knock you off your freebie surfboard in a heartbeat! Oh my! What to do?

Dude… You got to check this out! 500 different state-of-the-art surfboards for sale. It's a place high up. It must be SURF HEAVEN! And it really is! Picture 9 is overhead view… Totally too many surfboards! AWESOME! And they are all from the top-of-the-line SL designer Sebastian Saramago, genius behind Surf Systems Inc or SSI. I bought my 1st proper board from "New Arrivals" lineup, a Drew Brophy original! COWABUNGA! Visit Surf Heaven: Tai (126, 125, 223)


Some beaches you can rez your board anywhere. But, let's say you got your dream board and WOAH bummer! This beach sucks! You can't rez there! What do you do?

Dead Easy! Find the surfboard rez box… A rectangle a couple meters square, clearly marked! Rez your board there and you are solid gold! Surfing Funster!

Just up the hill from the Tai rez box is one of my favorite live music clubs in SL. I was like WOAH… this Surf Heaven manager Desiree Beaumont… Hmmm dead familiar name! OH YEAH! Like stole her chim 100 times! Heeee! She's super-fun hostess of the hottest classic folk club in SL… Surfside Hideaway. Visit: Tai (211, 112, 30)


Now you got it all! Great waves, great live music, co-located! This must be Second Life!! Woooot!

Hey... like where are the 600 surf spots in SL? When you buy an SSI board, you get a gift, the Surf Spots HUD. It lists all 600 spots and gives you the SL landmarks. You can vote for your favorite spots and vote to blow away the lame ones… Here are the top spots on my Surf Spots HUD today:



# Votes Beach Name SLURL
89 Knowhere (warning)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/knowhere/122/24/25
66 Chi (full rez)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Chi/92/253/21
61 Syx Monkey (rez box)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Syx%20Monkies/22/122/19
59 Primworks (warning)*
http://slurl.com/secondlife/PrimWorks/155/212/23
49 Quan Li (full rez)*
http://slurl.com/secondlife/%20Li/218/215/20
42 Bundoran Reef (full rez)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Bundoran%20Reef/110/202/26
42 Tsunami (rez box & 10 FREE LOANER SURFBOARDS!!!)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/TSUNAMI%20BEACH/230/122/21
38 Pacifico Central 1 (warning)*
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Pacifico%20Central%201/150/102/22
36 Tortola (full rez)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tortola/99/71/35
24 Neart Beach (full rez)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Neart/161/226/28



EXCLUSIVE INSIDER SURF LOCALE - Suggestions by awesome SL surfboard and "largest wave" maker Luscious Starship (Her store is at Tsunami, see above)...

(1) HP Surf is Leogarto Burt's Showcase (full rez sim) and possibly the best wave in SL, visit:
Crab Island (19, 160, 22).

(2) Tsunami Sky Beach is a platform at 600 meters with big waves (rez box)
Tsunami Beach (230, 124, 598)

(3) Largest Waves in SecondLife is at the 900 meter platform at Tsunami Beach (NO rez, but lots of loaner boards) Tsunami Beach (230, 124, 598) (for example the 200 meter Cyclops Sky Wave!)



Key to Annotations

(full rez) means you can rez your surfboard anywhere. SLURL is the location of the wave generator (start of your surfing).
(rez box) Use the board rez area as in Pictures 5 and 6. The SLURL is for the rez box to get you started quicker!
(warning) means unable to locate rez box in no-rez region.
* Only found small or no waves there.



P.S. Luscious Starship also said that other founders of SL surfing who deserve mention include wavemakers: Eathon Sands and Heather Goodliffe, and perennial SL surfing promoter Colleen Brennan.

And surf fashion designer Zianna Parx contributes this SLURL, Bundy Beach and Nancy Blake's Pub, a great to place to party, shop, and surf Bundoran Reef! West of Ireland (126, 237, 27)

Any1 Gynoid
(originally on CNN)