Category: Exploring Second Life

Lam Erin has redressed his homestead region of Cherishville for the holiday / winter period, bring to it hints of both the Winter 2023 and the Autumn 2024 iterations in small touches, whilst offering something new to visit and appreciate.

Those small touches are perhaps easy to miss – the winding road through the countryside and and arrival of a steam train; but they help remind those who regularly visit Cherishville that there are nice little visual touches to be found, reflecting Lam’s eye as a photographer-artist.

Cherishville is a peaceful, photogenic destination set in the heart of winter. With snowfall and stunning scenery, it offers a tranquil escape. Using PBR textures, this region is perfect for capturing the beauty of the season.

– Cherishville’s Destination Guide entry, December 2024

Caught in a night setting with surrounding hills and distant mountains semi-shrouded by falling snow, the region might be seen as  being divided into two halves. to the north, and running west-to-east from the Landing Point is a little hamlet, bookended by a carousel close by the Landing Point and a Ferris wheel at the far end, the two linked by a main street.  It is by the carousel that the steam train might be seen, together with a very familiar touch from Lam which also gives a sense of continuity through many of his region designs: a railways station.

The handful  of houses forming the hamlet are all furnished, presenting indoor elements to explore (and escape the snow!), whilst the road turns south as it reaches the Farris wheel to cross the local (and frozen) river. Here lies the second half of the region takes over, a rural setting a little mindful of the autumn 2024 design, the road winding through the countryside, looping back towards the little hamlet as it does so.

As the road does so, it passes a pleasantly-located farm; to one side, and overlooking the stream, a barns has been converted into a warm house; on the other two form a brightly-lit Christmas Tree farm.

Tucked into this is a wealth of detail – places to sit, details to photograph – from polar bears playing on the ice, through reindeer wandering the countryside to teddy bears exchanging gifts. Those requiring props for photography will find rezzing in the region is open – but as Auto Return is off, do please remember to pick-up afterwards!

As ever, an engaging visit.

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• Cherishvile Winter (Photos, rated Moderate)

Astoria is a Homestead region held by Eromara Vita and Dots (Dotties Stoop). For December 2024, and unsurprisingly, the region is dressed for the winter season and decorated with touches in keeping with the time of year. The easiest way to summarise the region is via its Destination Guide description:

Astoria is a Dutch winter destination perfect for snow lovers. Glide along ice skating paths, explore hidden caves, or take a scenic walk with loved ones. Enjoy dancing on the spacious dance floor or relax in cosy cuddle spots. Ride the ski lift to the mountaintop ski bar and descend on skis, snowboard, or sled for an exhilarating experience.

– Astoria Destination Guide description

In terms of design, the region is split into five islands (although the channel between two is so small, it’s easy to think of them as a single finger of land running long the north edge of the region). The waters between and around the island are frozen, thus forming the skating paths, the ice reaching out to touch the off-region surround of snowy mountains.

It is on the eastern end of one of those islands that the Landing Point resides, complete with a couple of jolly (if slightly argumentative!) carollers waiting to greet incoming visitors. Reindeer are fenced in here, possibly awaiting Santa’s arrival as the snow falls, and their time hitched to his sleigh. Going on the red-and-white logoed tractor-trailer inching its way over the ice, complete with red-suited guide, they may not have to long to wait before he arrives!

A hump-backed bridge spans the ice here to reach the largest of the islands. This forms the setting’s highest (indeed, only) summit: a tall hill with a steep but climbable gradient crowned by a coffee bar with outdoor seating and, at the time of my visit, vehicle which looked at if Batman might be out trying to remember where he left it – although as rezzing is open and Auto Return is off, I’m not sure if it was made to be part of the setting or left by a visitor who used it as a prop (but it is unlocked).

If you don’t fancy the climb up the hill, a walk around the coast to the south-western extent will bring you to the chair lift for an easy ride up to the coffee bar. Sleds and snowboards can be obtained from rezzers at the top of the chair lift for an easy ride down.

It is to the south-east of the main island that visitors will find the dance floor mentioned in the description above, sitting on its own snowy island across the ice. And speaking of ice, those wishing to skate appear of have three choices: pop on their own blades and set out on the ice freestyle, or keep and eye out for the skating balls along the edge of the Landing Point island. The latter take two forms: couples and singles. As I was on my own during my visit, I cannot speak to the doubles skating balls, but the single follows a scripted path around the island in a manner that reveals everything whilst leaving you with hands free for dramatic photos, if you so chose!

If you opt to remain on the northern islands for exploration, you can follow them as they point west, a little covered bridge neatly linking them. After this an avenue of tree with boughs bent as if to try to protect you from the falling snow will lead you onto the a further bridge and the larger of the two islands on the eastern extent of the region. From here is it just a short hop to the tall island with its hill – or if you prefer, you can remain where you are and escape up into a cosy tree house.

The final – and smallest – of the islands is something of a wildlife reserve; a magical place where not only do penguins and polar bears meet – but they seem just fine in roaming and skating around together 🙂 .

Through all of this are many places to sit and relax, together with opportunities for photos and fun – not all the sit points are to be found on chairs or benches! And make sure you check out the entrances to the caves – they sit on opposite sides of the large island and should be hard to miss –  a visit is not complete without a trip through one of them!

Astoria is a pleasant and engaging place to visit, so be sure to pop over and take a look.

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• Astoria (Porto Leone, rated Moderate)

In looking at places in Second Life to visit, I was surprised to note that it’s been just over four years since my first (and until this point, only) visit to Kat Luna’s (KatieLuna – or KitKat as she was then known) setting of Seaclaid. Back then, it was a place offering a welcome to all creatures of fantasy: fae folk, dragons, lycans, vampires, etc., as well as ordinary mortals (see: Seaclaid’s fantasy setting in Second Life). However, I lost track of it shortly thereafter. Whether this was because the setting simply vanished from Second Life (as is oft the way of things),  or simply because of my own tardiness (in which case, an apology to Katie), I know not.

Fortunately, I recently discovered that Katie is now offered a setting dressed for the winter season in the form of Elphyne: Winter’s Breath. Located within a Full region she has called Seaclaid, and which makes use of the additional Land Capacity bonus available to such privately-held regions, it is a wonderfully seasonal setting mixing touches of whimsy, fun and art into its overall design and offer activities for visitors to enjoy.

Glide across glistening skating ponds, feel the thrill of horseback rides through frosted trails, and join the laughter at cosy sledding stations. Twinkling lights and festive delights surround you, creating memories as unique as falling snowflakes. Embrace the enchantment—come play and explore.

– from Elphyne: Winter’s Breath’s Destination Guide entry

The whimsy is on display the moment visitors arrive, the Landing Point being located right next to the finish line for a most unusual race; one which also appears to have just arrived within the region, the participants emerging from a nearby tunnel in a sudden burst of pushing (and in one case, slithering, assuming the the mice and their form of transport are also part of the race) dash to cross the line, as adult mice push their little ones in sleighs, cheered on by appreciative spectators.

This end of the race stands at the junction of cobbled roads which offer a means of exploring the region, be it on foot or on horseback – a rezzer nearby will assist you with the latter. In fact the junction hides the fact that all the roads are essentially all branches of the same route, diving here, coming back together there, and so on; a route that both circumnavigates most of the setting and also offers a branch cutting through it, those providing a practical route of exploration.

Follow it as it points to the west and you’ll quickly pass by the upper end of a chairlift rising from the lower lands to the north, they pass between the well-spread trees of a wood and a cosy arbour-style cabin watched over by a little group of patchwork critters. After this, the road tuns north and reaches a bridge where Santa may have had a mishap: a red bag of presents and goodies lies in the road.

Perhaps Rudolf misjudged the climb out from the little town below and failed to gain sufficient altitude to clear the bridge railings, and the resultant bump knocked the sack free of the sleigh; or maybe the sack wasn’t properly secured to start with, and fell to the ground without Santa noticing. Either way, the misfortune that brought it to ground, quite literally, has turned into good fortune for a trio of seasonally-hatted squirrels as they abscond with some of the sack’s contents…

Beyond the bridge, the road sweeps around a shoulder of the hills to descend to the lower aspects over the setting, doubling back on itself and then turning eastwards once more. Here, it passes between a town square set out for a seasonal carnival and the local train station, the bridge just crossed carrying the road over the tracks that run alongside the station’s little platform.

A little further on, the rod hits another junction,  splitting itself. Turn right, and you’ll be able to follow it and it winds back up to the Landing Point, passing by way of another junction as it does so. Turn left, and the road will take you north once more before making yet another sweeping turn southwards, climbing once more as it does so and passing a grand (private) house and passing back over the railway line via another bridge and then making its way back to the Landing Point as well.

Within all this there is much to see: the little touches of whimsical fun with the setting’s furry denizens, the opportunity to ride the Ferris wheel at the carnival or take the chair lift up from the town and then grab a sled from the rezzer at the upper station and ride it back down the slope (and you can obviously opt to take the slope more sedately, rights the chairlift down).

Then there is the frozen lake for skating, complete with a warm lodge alongside it for relaxing before the warming fire, hot spring to bathe in, dancing to be had within the town square pavilion  and the local pub where something might be had to warm the insides! Meanwhile, the art I mention can be found both within a small gallery just across the bridge from where the squirrels are making off with their loot, and also among the trees of the setting for those who go a-wandering off the roads.

With Santa crooning in the town, deer, rabbits and bear o be found in the woods and places to sit and pass the time both indoors and out, Elphyne: Winter’s Breath makes for an engaging winter-time visit.

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• Elphyne: Winter’s Breath (Seaclaid, rated Moderate)