A whimsical café & library built on its own serene lake with lots of areas to explore and relax. The library is stocked with short stories for readers to get lost in. Bring your friends and family or come alone and enjoy a meal, relax with a warm drink, read some books, or just lounge around and take in the scenery. It is all ages and newcomer-friendly!
Having read these words via the Destination Guide, it was back on one of my café hopping expeditions in Second Life for me as I set out to visit the Woodland Café and Library, the work of Sienna Skye (Sienna Foxdale). And as I quickly discovered on arrival, they offer just a hint of what this thoroughly relaxing setting has to offer visitors.
Nestled within the enfolding arms of the Briarwood residential estate, Woodland Café occupies its own Homestead region, and is largely separated from the rest of the estate by the surrounding lake, thus eliminating the risk of accidental incursion into someone’s house or garden. The one route into the estate on foot is presented by two bridges passing by way of one of the small islands sharing the waters close to the café island, making it possible for the local residents pop in.
Those teleporting to the Woodland Café will find themselves delivered to the island on which it stands, arriving roughly equidistant from one of the bridges leading back to the estate, a stone-and-wood pavilion (one of Cory Edo’s always excellent designs) and the path leading up to the café itself. Like me, Sienna appears to have a fondness for Cory’s designs, as the café is another design from Trompe Loeil, whilst another of the little islands sitting alongside the café is home to Cory’s Jetje vintage caravan.
This little islet can reached via stepping stones spanning the short neck of water between it and the café’s island; just follow the shingle cover shoreline as it curve around the side of the stone pavilion to find it. Warmed by a log fire and lit by lanterns and strings of light, the pavilion presents a comfortable retreat in which to relax or join friends (and strangers!) in quiet conversation whilst partaking of the refreshments offered on the tea trolley.
For those seeking a little more entertainment, a gravel path branches from the foot of the route up to the café proper. Skirting between the flat-topped mushroom of rock on which the café sits and the raised location of the pavilion, to provide access to a wooden deck where people can engage in Greedy Greedy, again warmed by a wood-burning fire and with refreshments taking the form of an espresso machine and frosted cupcakes.
Once up on the rocky “mushroom”, visitors have a choice of taking the wooden steps leading to the café’s balcony and outside seating, or scrambling up a rocky lip to a wild garden area where someone appears to be cultivating mushrooms. Sadly, no places to sit are on offer in the garden, which is a bit of a shame as a blanket and some nibbles to enjoy would make it a nice little place for relaxing as well.
Fortunately, the café makes up for this by offering plenty of places to sit and relax or browse the web (sort-of! 🙂 ). Downstairs the counter with its temptations of drinks and waist-expanding goodies is imaginatively set is if in a woodland glade, the tables and chairs before equally set upon grass-like rugs to enhance the glade-like atmosphere. Mushrooms can also be found here, although there are far more decorative and functional / playful in nature, and Tiny visitors might well appreciate the mushroom fort with its cushions and opportunity to avoid being trodden on by oversized, clodhopping humans!
The upper floor reveals why the café is also a library: interactive bookcases line two walls. When touched these will offer a menu of books, plays and short stories by the likes of Shakespeare, the Brother Grimm, and other available to read on the web, although here they take note card form and the selection is apparently updated weekly (note that these can also be obtained from the bookcase tree trunk outside of the pavilion). The seating on the upper floor is also set out so as to suggest or invite discussions or perhaps a reading circle.
People who desire a little more solitude are also catered for within the setting; a little rowing boat with mixed singles and couples poses is anchored in the lee of the islands, whilst the route towards the rest of the estate passes by a shaded hanging chair overlooking the little model boats sailing on the nearby pond. There is also the tiny island mentioned above, with its caravan and outdoor seating, whilst another rowing boat has been turned into a cosy sofa for those who are willing to seek out its semi-hidden location.
To call this setting delightful would be an understatement; there is a natural blending of charm and nature (including local wildlife) throughout which is thoroughly engaging and photogenic throughout and well worth a visit.
SLurl Details
- Woodland Café and Library (Mistwood forest, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 