I have to say up front that the title of this piece sounds like some kind of band; “And here they are for your entertainment! Jasimine Hollow annnnnnnd the Dirty Grind!”. Given that the Dirty Grind is actually a music venue, then perhaps the mental image is not so far out of place.
Located on the region of Fender, Jasmine’s Hollow is in fact a rural environment nestled between surrounding mountains, watched over by steampunk-esque contraptions and sky islands (the latter the home of the Dirty Grind itself).
Created by Lisa Witt (aka (jasmine0alaya), the region is a curious mixture of the photogenic, and is open to visitors and friends alike; “All who love the magic of nature & warmth of friends and loved ones are welcome”, the notes in About Land read in part. I say “curious” not because it looks odd or anything, but rather because there are so many different influences at work here, all of which blend together into a seamless – and pleasing – whole.
The arrival point puts you in what appears to be a little village square, in the midst of which sits a hint of the region’s steampunk leanings. The square offers information boards, places to sit and ivy-covered brick arches to wander through and start your explorations of the surrounding land, which is split into three islands, the one with the village square being the largest.
A set of gates to the south side of the village area take you out onto the grasslands beyond the wall, where more of the steampunk influences can be seen; strange machines float in the air beyond a hill with an oddly scarred top and on which sits the wreck or ruin of a strange metal vehicle or building.
Everywhere there are touches like this, serving as a reminder that this is no ordinary setting. Some are a little threatening, like those strange industrial objects (a third is sitting in the water behind the hill, looking like some other-worldly drilling rig). Others are charming in their beauty, such as Cherry Manga’s lovely Streampunk butterfly sculpture sitting alongside the one of the paths leading from the village square under one of the brick archways.
There are houses here, but I don’t believe any are private residences. One of them is the adorable LAQ Decor cottage I fell in love with a while ago, and may yet end up owning … somewhere. A couple of the others are similarly familiar, one of which graces both Chic Aeon’s Machinima Open Studio Project and The Noble Storybook and is another design I like, this time by Cory Edo.
Explore the landscape with care, there are a lot of lovely touches to find; some of which are surprisingly easy to miss. When you think you’re done, you can hop up to the Dirty Grind, floating over the region. Despite its name, the venue is anything but dirty and looks like a fun place to visit, although there was no entertainment going on when I visited.
Carefully blended with a sim surround of hills and snow-capped mountains, and with off-sim elements carefully placed to add to the overall depth of the experience, this is a region which has been very well put together and which is both picturesque and photogenic.
If you do opt to have a little wander around – do be careful with the balloon ride and be sure to heed the advice it gives you – or wear a parachute of your own :).
Related Links
- Jasmine Hollow SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
- SL Destinations in this blog
(view slideshow full-screen)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 