Category: Reviews

Witchwood, June 2019

Witchwood is the name give to the Full region home of the Petite Mort and Oubliette stores, both of which are owned by Melora Frost (insilvermoonlight). It’s a location I’ve been aware of for a while, the region also being the home of the RMS Titanic dance venue (a quite separate build), which has been a semi-regular destination for us for a good while.

As well as being the home of the two stores, one to the east and the other to the west, the half of the region they occupy has been landscaped by Melora to provide a place of exploration, relaxation and photography – and it is very beautifully laid out.

Witchwood, June 2019

The landing point occupies the middle ground between the two stores: a low-lying paved area crowned by a fountain that overlooks a small lake backed against high cliffs to the north. This space, with a deck built out over the water and falls dropping from on high, can be a restful place unto itself, with swans swimming on the water from which ornate lotus lilies rise, and places to sit and enjoy the sounds of the falls and the ripples of the water. However, signs close by suggest it might also be the location for occasional flash sales, so there may be times when it is a little less restful!

Three paved paths exit the landing point, those pointing east and west, marked as they are by arches, lead the way to the stores as they sit on higher ground fronted by small formal gardens. The third points south, offering access to a cosy little beach by way of a slightly more distant arch.

Witchwood, June 2019

But it is the ground between the stores, sitting beneath the boughs of tress and within small glades in the mists of their green canopy, that the magic of the setting resides. Here, on one side of the path pointing to the beach, and just off the route up to Petite Mort, is a marvellous wild garden sitting among ancient ruins. Flagstones still lie in place on the ground, while ancient walls divide the space under the tall arms of trees into the suggestions of former rooms or halls.

Plants appear to grow wild here, but it is evident from the lay of the grass and the cared-for waters of the koi pond deep among the ruins, that these spaces are actually well tended, the feeling of wild growth carefully cultivated.

Witchwood, June 2019

Within this garden are many points of interest, from the chaise lounge sitting atop an one stone stairway that perhaps once climbed much higher inside whatever building the ruins once were, the shaded soda close by, or the chaise and chair finished in imperial purple and standing guard either side of an old gramophone player in space clearly intended for photography.

Just off of the path leading to Oubliette is a slightly darker themed, but no less engaging, scene: that of an old graveyard. A single path spotted by flagstones runs between headstones, tombs and mausoleum, many lit by candles, to reach an old stone ring of arches that fold within their arms the statue of an angel.

Witchwood, June 2019

Stone benches are placed along the path for those who wish to rest in solitude here, and I have to admit that during our visit an aged piano sitting on the path to the beach happened to be playing the adagio sostenuto from Beethoven’s evocative Moonlight Sonata, which added a certain depth to exploring here.

As well as being beautifully laid-out, there is a wonderful juxtaposition within this setting that might be easily overlooked, but which  – to me at least – adds a further poetic depth to the design. Sitting below Petite Mort (“little death” (or dead, if you prefer)), are old ruins that many or may have once been a castle or fortress – places that may well once have had an oubliette (a dungeon with an opening only at the top) deep within them. Then, just below Oubliette there sits a small graveyard, a place one might say of a “little death”. Thus, the stores are cross-linked by the themes of the settings over which they respectively stand.

Witchwood, June 2019

Captivating throughout, Witchwood offers a place to visit and appreciate in its own right, even if you are not specifically shopping there. opportunities for photography lie throughout, either using the default windlight (found within the About Land description) or by setting one of your own. For those visiting purely for the opportunity to explore and who are minded to show their appreciation for such an engaging environment, tip jars are provided in a number of places.

SLurl Details

• Witchwood (Desolate, rated Moderate)

Small Town Green, June 2019 – click any image for full size

Update: Small Town Green has closed and the host region is now home to a club / hangout.

Miro Collas gave us the nudge about visiting Small Town Green, the Homestead region design by Mido (Doli3).

A few years back there was a region also by the name of Small Town Green, but whether this build is a continuation / renewal of that, I honestly cannot say. However, I can say that Mido has in the past been responsible for Small Town Café (see A visit to a Small Town Café), and we did hop over to an earlier iteration of her Small Town Green roughly six months ago, prior to it popping up in its current location, but I didn’t blog about it at that time.

Small Town Green, June 2019

The current iteration of Small Town Green is an eclectic build in three parts defined by three separate islands. One of these, tucked into the south-west corner of the region appears to be a private home (ban lines denote it is certainly off-limits to casual visitors). The second island is to the north-west, and is certainly open to the public, as is the largest of the three, sitting on the region’s east side.

This large island contains the region’s landing point – or rather, it is the closest of the three major landmasses in the region to the landing point, given the latter sits under pouring rain on a flooded section of roadway, a submerged railway line paralleling it as they point towards the ruins of a town on the island.

Small Town Green, June 2019

It would appear that something has happened here at some point; not only are the road and track submerged, they are partially blocked by large boulders, and while the wreck of a car and a train respectively sit on or against them, the car has been around long enough to become festooned with flowers while the tracks from which the train has toppled is similarly overgrown with flowers sprouting out of the water.

Follow the road “inland” and you’ll start to discover the eclectic novelty of the region that makes it so attractive: koi carp slowly circle around the entrance to a subway station, rain falling around them as they bring a new perspective to the term “flying fish”. More fish – but somewhat smaller – can be found idly circling within and old British telephone box close by.

Small Town Green, June 2019

Take the stairs down to the subway and more surprises await.  While it might be under water, the station nevertheless has a train awaiting passengers – although the tree growing on that platform is probably not the kind of “passenger” you might expect to encounter in an underground station! Across the road sits the ruin of a school, the upper floor of which is still occupied by surprisingly pristine looking desks, the building itself long overgrown and roofless. More shells of buildings and skyscrapers, equally overgrown, mark the eastern extreme of the town, suggesting this place has been long deserted.

Across the water, and beyond the small island with its broken lighthouse that lies close to the road, the second public island is similarly overgrown and offers curios of its own. There is a gabled avenue of trees, for example, pointing the way to where an old manor house lies in ruin, the trees growing around and through are festooned with lights. Then there is the old tram car converted into a diner and accompanied by its odd little menagerie of giraffe, zebra and raccoon, it’s entrance long blocked by a wild garden despite the apparent freshness of the meals placed at the tables.

Small Town Green, June 2019

Not far from the tramcar is a little café, a trifle overgrown, perhaps, but cosy nonetheless, while between them is a delightful little curio of a corner, stacked with books and more, and just beyond it a cosy little hideaway perfect for cuddles. It is these contrasts: ruin and little snuggle spaces, the rain and the little, perfectly-detailed dioramas, the open waters and the wild, yet someone cultivated islands, that make this Small Town green a genuine pleasure to explore (although some might find the rain around the landing point and island a little hard going).

Amenable to a wide range of windlight settings, Small Town Green makes for an ideal photographic study, and an engaging opportunity for exploration.

Small Town Green, June 2019

SLurl Details

• Small Town Green (Baroque, rated: Moderate)

Tyraina, June 2019 – click any image for full size

Tyraina is the name given to a recently opened Homestead region design by Vince (VinceStriker) on behalf of the region holder Dessi Tyraina (Dessi Tyran). Featuring an open and rugged landscape, it is another region that does exactly what the description says of it, presenting:

A quiet photogenic scenic sim where you can hang out with friends, cuddle, dance and take pictures.

Tyraina, June 2019

From the landing point located towards the north-east of the region, it is clear that this is a place of gentle beauty cut by channels of water that proceed outward from the high plateau  than extends from the centre of the region towards its western extreme, the slice of an open-ended canyon separating it from the narrow table of another plateau that drops sharply into the sea.

The water channels help to give the landscape something of a maze-like feel, slicing the land into a series of islets connected by bridges. One of these little isles, just to the north and east of the landing point and reached via a little open-sided arch of a wooden bridge, is the site of a private residence (as noted in the introductory note card) – so do please take care to respect privacy when travelling in that direction (a security orb will offer a warning should you get too close. The more public areas of the region, including the western plateaus, can be reached via track and stone stair or twisting rocky path, while further bridges, both open-sided and box walled, span the waterways where required.

Tyraina, June 2019

Which route you opt to take when exploring is entirely up to you; each and every path around and through the region will reveal places to sit, opportunities for photography and the option to simply while away a little time either on your own or with a friend or loved one. These seating spots take a number of forms: little summer houses, sings, benches, beds, open decks, and one the water, rowing boats – and even, when you find it (it’s not too hard to see!) a cuddle bubble floating serenely in the air. And keep an eye open for the wooden dance tokens that are scattered around as well!

For the more energetic, the plateaus offer climbs to reach them, either by the stairs or the switch-back path mentioned above. Climbing them offers various rewards, from finding further places suitable for photography or for sitting or dancing, to the region’s little element of mystery: a series of underground caverns that offer their own rewards to those willing to slip down into them and explore (there is also a ground-level access point to them as well, should you follow the right path).

Tyraina, June 2019

If you have a wearable horse for riding, Tyraina is an excellent place to explore, offering as it does trails to follow and open spaces for the odd canter if not a short gallop or two.

A wonderfully restful region, filled with the sounds of nature throughout, Tyraina makes for a ideal visit at the end of a busy day. Yes, one or two items do appear more than once around the region, giving odd feelings of déjà-vu as you explore, but these don’t detract for the overall impact of the design; it’s a place where unwinding comes easy. Those taking photographs are invited to share with the region’s Flickr group – for a fee of L$150, photographers can join the land group and obtain rezzing rights for props (do please clean-up afterwards!), and those who enjoy their visit might like to make a donation towards the region’s upkeep at the landing point.

Tyraina, June 2019

SLurl Details

• Tyraina (Rockaway Isle, rated Moderate)