Category: Exploring Second Life

Rico’s Tea House, Isle of Flux, May 2014 (click any photo for full size)

Afternoon tea is a very English tradition, and something I enjoy. I’m fortunate enough to live a pleasant drive away from a country house hotel occupying a former stately home, and which opens its doors during the summer weekends for those wishing to indulge themselves in a very formal (and filling!) afternoon tea.

I mention all of this because browsing the Destination Guide, I came across an entry for Rico’s Tea House, and was immediately put in mind of that hotel, and decided to hop over an investigate.

Rico’s Tea House, Isle of Flux, May 2014

Located on the east side of the Isle of Flux, Rico’s Tea House forms a part of the Clairty-Flux  (of LTD fame) estate, with the private home of Editorial and Rico occupying the neighbouring region. The tea house sits opposite the entrance to a bay which offers mooring for up to four yachts, and which is in turn bordered on one side by woodland and the other by a meadow and a lawned garden with a gazebo and covered walk.

Designed by Kaya Angel, Rico’s Tea House is of a style which fits-in well with the stately look of Editorial’s and Rico’s home, suggesting it is a part of the estate which has been specially converted for its current purpose and opened to the public. Inside, and under the two ornate glass domes of the roof, it is divided into two. On the one side is a luxurious lounge area and on the other, a dining area serving afternoon tea, complete with cake stands sitting on white-clothed tables.

Rico’s Tea House, Isle of Flux, May 2014

For those who prefer to sit outside, the terrace to the front of the tea house offers elegant rattan chairs and low wooden tables where guests can sit and look out over the bay, while on the terrace to the rear offers two gazebos, each presenting visitors with comfortable and shady seating, both of them surrounded on three sides by fruit-bearing citrus trees which give things a touch of the Mediterranean.

The meadow, rich with flowers and with a fountain at its centre is home for a couple of dairy cows and a horse, but also offers places for couple to sit and cuddle. Those who fancy a walk can do so along the upper path, which leads to a small orchard and the square lawn and its surrounding flowerbeds beyond, or they can descend down to the paths which sit either side of the bay, and wander along these to the entrance of the bay.

Rico’s Tea House, Isle of Flux, May 2014

Rico’s Tea House is open to the public, and is billed as a place to meet and make friends. It’s a delight place to visit and offers some great opportunities to the SL photographer. All told, it is a lovely setting to visit.

Related Links

• Rico’s Tea House SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• My Flickr set

Ivy Glad, Beauty Atoll

Back in early April, I dropped-in to Ivy Glad  on the Homestead region of Beauty Atoll. Held by the Katz >.< Meow group, the region has been beautifully and artfully crafted by the combined talents of Cipher Silbersztein and Shaw Noel.

Mostly flooded (hence my attraction to the region, given my enjoyment of places with a watery focus), Ivy Glad looks like a lowland area overcome by water, yellow grass still visible above the waves to the south, with areas of higher ground forming islands rising from the surrounding flood.

Ivy Glad, Beauty Atoll

On one of these, slowly being lost from sight in the encroaching woodland, stands what’s left of a large  building, perhaps the shell of some former industrial plant. To the west of this sits a smaller outbuilding, also in a losing battle with nature, some of its windows now without glass, sections of roof gone, and its brick interior now the playground of butterflies. Sitting tied-up alongside a wooden jetty reaching out from this outbuilding  sits the unexpected bulk of a 17th Century sailing ship, mist wrapping itself around her.

To the north-east of the region lies another area of dry land, an old railway track – perhaps a spur line – leading from it and out into the flooded plain. Here are signs of habitation nestled within what remains of another old brick building, its walls now mostly gone. Rocking chairs gently pitch back and forth as stream rises from cups of tea or coffee set before them, rugs and books add a touch of colour and homeliness while an old washstand offers a place for a gardener to work.

Ivy Glad, Beauty Atoll

Stories lie throughout the flooded landscape and the structures to be found here, from the ruins on the main island to the great brick arches of a broken bridge and the ivy-hung remnants of a concrete and iron tower, rising from the waters like some lonely sentinel. Then there is the  incongruous presence of the sailing ship, at once a part of the landscape yet at odds with the bricks and concrete and hints of abandoned industry.

For those who simply want to visit and sit and pass the hours, Ivy Glad offers much as well; be it the rocking chairs and rugs mentioned above, the sofas sitting on a small rising amidst the flooded grasslands, or under the great beams of the ruined building, where lie a wrought-iron  table and group of chairs, park benches also not far away. For the romantic, a bed lies atop a sturdy wooden platform on the water, offering cuddle and conversational poses.

Ivy Glad, Beauty Atoll

Photographers are well-served here; the layout of the region is wonderfully photogenic and invites one to play with sky and water windlights. For those who need accessories, rezzing is allowed – but as always, do please remember to clean-up behind yourself if you do rez anything.

All told, a lovely and tranquil setting well worth a visit.

Related Links

• Ivy Glad, Beauty Atoll SLurl (Rated: Moderate)

The Trace, April 2014

Kylie Jaxxon’s The Trace, until recently located on the region of Celestial Realm, has appeared in a few articles in this blog, although I’ve never actually written directly about it. Given Kylie has now moved to a new homestead region she has named, appropriately enough, The Trace, I thought it high time I rectified matters and, with an apology to Kylie for my tardiness, actually sat down and produced a post on her home.

And it is certainly worth writing about; The Trace, in its current incarnation, is nothing short of a splendid Second Life watercolour. The level of composition here is extraordinary, from the lay of the land through the selection and placement of buildings to the region windlight settings, all of which come together to present the visitor with a most remarkable and natural coastal setting, which could have been lifted from almost anywhere in the western world, but which had me thinking of somewhere on the New England coast, or perhaps situated on England’s Norfolk coast (even allowing for the offshore islands!).

The Trace, April 2014,

The west side of the island is low-lying sand dunes, waterlogged here and there and bearing wild grasses across them. A tide laps idly against the sand, and gulls wheel overhead (do have local sounds enabled when visiting).

A little further inland sit several beach houses, all mounted on sturdy wooden piles, suggesting these low wetlands can be subject to high tides or flooding through the year. Wooden board walks run between the houses like old railway sleepers, and point the way inland, where a line of low hills rise up to the east and north, their far sides forming a line of cliffs, complete with narrow beaches facing the sea. Nestled between the hills, towards the centre of the island is a little meadow-like area where sheep graze close to a potting shed.

The Trace, April 2014

Up on the hills one can find more to see, in the form of a Victorian folly, with outdoor seating positioned around old gas lamps – just mind you don’t stray too close to the sprinkler that’s caring for the grapes growing close by. From here, one can wander south to the old boathouse and the wooden lighthouse beyond, or travel north and uphill to the highest point on the island to a wooden pavilion which appears to be serving as the local school-house. This overlooks the cliffs and beach to the east of the island, and down below it to the west, a rather unusual tree house rising from fen-like waterlogged grassland and surrounded by a small copse of trees. A series of stone paving slabs laid atop the sands allows the visitor to reach the stairs leading up to the treehouse without getting their shoes too wet.

As you might gather from the description, this is a very open environment where visitors are free to wander or sit, depending on the mood, and which offers a relaxing environment for exploration, one which is ideally suited to taking pictures and with trying-out different windlights. And like a visit to a real coastal region, time spent at The Trace can leave you feeling reinvigorated and ready to face the challenges of Second Life once more.

The Trace, April 2014

Rezzing is allows in the region, so if there are props, etc., you’d like to set-out for a photo shoot, you can do so without needing to join a group. However, if you do, please do be sure to make sure you pick-up your things afterwards. and don’t forget The Trace Flicker group, where people are invited to post their shots of the region.

All-in-all, this debut of The Trace in its new home is more than worth a visit; should you choose to do so and enjoy what you see as much as I did, please show your appreciation via one of the donation cans located around the region.

Related Links

• The Trace SLurl (Rated:  Moderate)
• The Trace Flickr group

” ~Santaurio~, April 2014 (click for full size)

I’m a fan of Jac Mornington’s work; that should be clear from my coverage of places like Yuki no Yume, Sol Existence, Black Basalt Beach and Baja Norte (which I understand is now under new management, but set to continue “as-is”). So when Ziki poked me about a new region Jac and Romy Rosea had opened, I put the landmark carefully to one side until life give me enough time to go and enjoy.

~Santaurio~, April 2014 (click for full size)

~Santaurio~ is subtitled “The Lost Island”, and the landing point appears to take its inspiration from a certain television series by JJ Abrams which featured an aeroplane crash and an island … However, while this tropical isle has mysteries to find and enjoy – ruins, spiritual hideaways and more – it is far from sinister. Indeed, Jac welcomes people to the region with a warm greeting in his profile:

Paradise can take the form of anything
It can be a flower or it can be a word or it can just be a sincere smile

We welcome you to Santaurio ❤
Jac & Romy

~Santaurio~, April 2014 (click for full size)

Once ashore from the arrival point, there is much to discover. Beaches run around the island, allowing you to explore the coastline with ease – but do try not to upset the nesting turtles! There a small beach club to be had, and further around the island, sheltered spots for couples to enjoy – do be aware that animations-wise, some of these have a slightly adult slant to them!

Move inland, and there’s more to discover, starting with the ancient Mayan-like stone ruins visible from the beach. The land between these and the beach club is cut by a fast-flowing river which leads the intrepid explorer inland, through the tropical jungle, up cascading rapids and to a rocky pool fed by a waterfall lying beneath what appears to be a natural rock arch.

“Rescue…?” ~Santaurio~, April 2014

Make your way up under the arch, wading through the water, and the truth is revealed: the arch is a part of the wall of an ancient volcano, now long extinct, the crater flooded to form another pool of water, this alive with the vibrant colour of lotus and lilies, humming birds flitting from flower to flower. In the midst of this sits a small stone Buddha, awaiting travellers seeking peace, candles and joss sticks on the rock before him, while water tumbles down from fissures in the rock behind him, constantly replenishing the pool.

For those who love Jac’s work and who haven’t seen ~Santaurio~, I cannot recommend it enough. If you’ve not seen Jac’s work previously, then ~Santaurio~ is an excellent place to start. Access at the moment is free. However, if you’d like to rez props for photography, etc., you’ll need to join the ~Santaurio~ group. It costs L$300, but joining it also helps cover the region’s tier, so if you decide to be a regular visitor, why not join? And for those who are viewing one of Jac’s superb builds for the first time, don’t forget the links to the others at the top of this article! All are very much worth a visit – or six!

“Rescue…?” ~Santaurio~, April 2014

Related Links

• Santaurio SLurl (Rated: Moderate)