Day: June 20, 2026

Wandering the paths of Burrow in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Burrow, June 2026 – click any image for full size

I was surprised to realise that it’s been around 18 months since my last visit to the Burrow Coffee Co., an engaging location held by Harlow (Truly Fabulous) and Harvey (Forever Fabulous). At the time of that visit, the coffee house was in a location with landscaping by Aria Christen together with Harlow and Harvey. And even then, truth be told, I’d likely not have noticed by for Harlow contacting me and inviting me to hop along to Burrow’s new location in Second Life and explore the new setting for myself;  something I was only too happy to do.

Now relocated, Burrow once again sits on a Full Private region with the additional Land Capacity Bonus provided by Linden Lab and the landscaping by Harlow. It actually shares the region with a store (which was still under construction at the time of my visit) tucked neatly into one corner of the region. However, such is the care that has been taken with the general landscaping, there is no visually-jarring contrast between the two; whilst separate in nature, they share an overall design that allows them to blend together to the point that until you come across the path connecting the two, you might never be aware a store is nestled within the region as well.

Burrow, June 2026

For its new location, Burrow sits within a rugged landscape of with tall cliffs and rich woodlands through which cinder paths twist and meander, connecting the various locations awaiting discovery by those visiting. Surrounded by much taller off-region mountains and cut through by water that breaks the land into a series of island-like bodies, the entire setting sits under an EEP setting suggestive of a late summer’s evening when it is time to unwind and kick-back a little.

Having been a part of Second Life since 2009 (first as the The Pixel Bean Coffeehouse), Burrow has built a reputation as a venue for providing an 18+ safe and inclusive environment where company and music can be enjoyed, together with relaxing gatherings, poetry readings and so on. With this 2026 iteration, Burrow re-opens with more spaces in which any and all of these activities might be enjoyed, together with plenty of scope for exploration on land and on water (keep a eye out for the boat rezzer!) and is ideal for photography.

Burrow, June 2026

To help with getting around, there are teleport boards available – but I thoroughly recommend explorations on foot to catch the full ambience of the setting; walking really brings home the care put into the landscaping work, plus it gives a proper perspective as to where everything is in relation to everything else, obviously 🙂 .

There is no enforced Landing Point in place when visiting;  the one Harlow passed to me put me down at the setting’s Park Office – which is actually a good place to start explorations. A teleport board sits to one side of the path on arriving, and the office on the other. The latter contains posters to other regions, presented as field trips away from Burrow – and clicking on each of them will present you with a Landmark to the location in question.

Burrow, June 2026

Outside, the main path runs east-to west, branching at the teleport board and again a little more eastward. This latter spur descends a short distance by way of steps to where a deck has been built out over the deep gorge cleaved into the landscape as if by the fall of a gigantic butcher’s blade. Water tumbles from the cliff of the far side of the gorge, and the deck offers a place to sit and admire them.

Follow the path westwards from the office hut, and you’ll pass another branch leading to a further deck built out from the cliff tops and over a large body of water cutting into the region. This side path side between two sets of steps descending down to the feet of the cliffs, where two of the setting’s venues can be found. These take the form of The Tipsy Fox – a delightfully cosy pub-style bar on the water’s edge and, across the other side of the path and alongside the gorge mentioned above, the Petal Pavilion – which I personally think is one of the most engaging retreats / places to enjoy a romantic dance I’ve seen in a good while.

Burrow, June 2026

Beyond both of these, the cinder path approaches the western extent of the region and branches left and right. To the left, the path hops over an elegant little bridge to reach the rounded glass bulk of the Grove & Gambit, home to multi-player table-top games outside of which a little path runs down to a small wharf and outdoors seating.

To the right from the main path, the route passes over a bridge that has seen better days in its time, the path arrowing on past waterside decks on either side (remember my comment about boats and rezers!) to reach the Hex and Haze Cannabis Bar. For those not enamoured of the smell of weed and whatever, the path does branch again before reaching the Hex and Haze, a boardwalk allowing you to skirt the bar and then climb a short slope to the Campfire, an outdoor venue for music and conversation.

Burrow, June 2026

Those wishing to get directly to the Burrow Coffee House should follow the north pointing path from the Park Office as it leads the way over the gorge by way of a vine-hung bridge. The café is – understandably – the largest venue within the setting. Occupying the top of the island forming the far side of the gorge between it and the Park Office, the coffee house presents indoors and outdoors seating, decks, and a boardwalk running down to where the Starlight Stage is nestled slightly below it, surrounded by trees.

A further path leads away from the Starlight Stage, offering the means to visit the attractive ruins of a stone gazebo built overlooking open waters, or to make your way down to the store mentioned earlier or loop back up to the Park Office, passing by way of the local horse rezzer, should you fancy riding around the region.  A boardwalk also descends the rocks from the stage, winding its way down to a little beach and the Mossy Anchor bar.

Burrow, June 2026

Throughout all of this, there are places to sit awaiting discovery. These might be at the edge of the path or on the decks or wharves, within the gazebo or other roadside structures, whilst the waters offer places to take out a boat or go for a swim. As noted as well, there is the horse rezzer for those who wish an alternative means to explore (head east along the path from the Park Office if you use that as your Landing Point when visiting).

Lovingly crafted and brought together, Burrow offers a lot to see and appreciate, and I particularly love the way each location naturally sits apart from the rest courtesy of the woodlands and shaping of the landscape, such that it offers its own sense of intimacy and privacy whilst still very much a part of the whole.

Burrow, June 2026

Now open to visitor to explore, Burrow will host an official opening event on Saturday, June 20th, 2026, commencing at 15:00 SLT, which is also tied the Primfeed’s 2nd anniversary, within additional sets to follow over the weekend and during the week, as follows:

Date Time (SLT) Performer Venue
Saturday 20 June 15:00 Lichi Moonwall – Offical Opening & Primfeed 2nd Anniversary Party Starlight Stage
Sunday 21 June 12:00 Noon DJ Kiss Crystal Hex and Haze
Wednesday 24 June 16:00 Mimi Carpenter Starlight Stage

My thanks to Harlow and the folk at Burrow for the early invite!

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Please note: Burrow is rated Moderate.

Melusina’s Labyrinth and Cold Days in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Melusina Parkin, June 2026: The Labyrinth

It’s been over a year since I last had the opportunity to visit a exhibition of art by Melusina Parkin; I suspect the reason for this is us both having things going on in the physical world which have taken up time and attention. However, that does not excuse the fact I’m a little tardy in getting to this particular exhibition, as Melu originally invited me to pay it a visit back in May 2026 – an invitation I immediately filed and then had a lapse of memory over (one of many of late!); so my apologies to her for only just having been able to visit.

Fortunately, the new exhibition is a permanent set occupying the upper level of Melu’s Minimal Gallery. It presents something of a tour de force of her work in two parts. The outermost is called The Labyrinth and the inner Cold Days. Together they offer 100 of Melu’s distinctive images of locations found within Second Life, with the outer of the two collections taking its name from the use of wall space to guide people around and eventually and gently direct them to the inner collection.

Melusina Parkin, June 2026: The Labyrinth

What is deeply engaging about Melu’s work is the manner in which she frames it. Rather than looking at a whole scene, she finds a specific point of view and within it a specific focal point to compose her picture around both through camera placement and angle coupled with considered cropping. The result – whether the subject is a landscape, an open space, architecture or an everyday time such as a chair or a view through a window, or the mesh of a wire fence – is to offer something which captures the eye and the imagination.

These are pieces which tell a portion of a story; but quite what part of the story- beginning, middle or end – and what it might be about is up to each of us to decide. In this – and as I’ve noted in the past in covering Melu’s art – her work both prompts us to create narratives around what we see, and it demonstrates that Second Life itself is a place of the imagination; of dreams made real, the places we as creators would like to live within or visit.

Melusina Parkin, June 2026: The Labyrinth

It also, in contrast to this latter point, helps us to perceive aspects of the digital realm which mimic what might be found anywhere in the physical world, be it along a street or when looking up at a skyline or out over a foggy coast or along the rolling tide of a sun-swept hills; the things which we might otherwise take for granted when seen as a part of an entire scene but which through Melusina’s lens, helps to to perceive why Second Life is so real for do many of us; a place we can inhabit.

All of this is very much in evidence as one walks around and through The Labyrinth with its 80 images. These are presented with no centralised theme, but instead flow gently from landscapes to urban settings and back, each perspective unique, colour images mixing easily with those in monochrome. Cold Days, offering 20 images is likewise mixed – but here there is something of an over-arching theme, as suggested by the collection’s title.

Melusina Parkin, June 2026: Cold Days

Within these pieces, the sense of shortening days, cold winds, the threat of rain or snow is evident without ever being the dominating factor; instead it is hinted at through the heavy skies, the use of monochrome and / or largely muted colours. There is a gentle hint of threat in many of the pieces – be it in the form of rain or snow or indeed, emanating from the structures seen in some of the pieces, their faces bleak and grey and / or blocky and uninviting. But is it the leaden sky that makes the structures seem oppressive and downcast, or is the the unforgiving angular forms of warehouses, apartment blocks which cause the sky to feel so dour?

Which is not to say these are bleak pictures, rather that (again) they offer our imaginations the opportunity to create unique narratives around them. And when colour does blaze forth it does so in a manner that is uplifting and rich in the promise of brighter, warmer days or the promise of warmth and safety from the brooding weather. Just look at the way the yellow cab of a VW van noses into one picture, or the manner in which a neon advertising sign reminds us the days will be fresher, brighter, or the comfort is seeing the stalwart tower of a lighthouse warding those at sea away from harm or the hint of a front door just around the corner and the promise of warmth and cosiness beyond it.

Melusina Parkin, June 2026: Cold Days

As always with Melusina’s work, The Labyrinth and Cold Days offer a rewarding visit for lovers of SL art.

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