Category: Reviews

Update, November 2024: La Côte Sauvage has relocated and has been remodelled

Sitting within a half Homestead region is La Côte Sauvage (The Wild Coast), a natural location held and design by Second Life artist-photographer Caly Applewhyte (Calypso Applewhyte).  It takes as its inspiration the Breton Coast, France – although whether it is predominantly inspired by Brittany’s northern or southern coastline or an amalgam of both is unclear; and while there is a stretch of French coast along the Bay of Biscay actually called La Côte Sauvage, this lies within Nouvelle-Aquitaine further to the south, so is potentially not a factor in the setting’s design.

Note that where or upon what the setting might be directly inspired is particularly relevant;  Caly’s La Côte Sauvage speaks entirely for itself as a small but highly photogenic setting; a place which uses elevation to its advantage, allowing it to represent a coastal area without relying on being backed-up against one side of the parcel or another (or maybe two sides) within which it sits, thus allowing to stand as something of an island setting, whilst also allowing the imagination to interpret as a stretch of coast whilst wandering between valleys and hilltops.

Although sitting within a half Homeland region, the setting is actually split into two parcels: to the south is La Côte Sauvage itself, primarily given over to dray land and with a richness of content that does not feel it is in any way overcrowding the parcel. Then, to the north is the largely open water La Côte Sauvage 2, to which I’ll circle back in a bit.

The landing point is located on the southern side of the land, where a small boardwalk reaches over the water from one of the setting’s beaches to a little knob of an isle that offers the first of many places where those who wish to sit and spend time in the region. On the landward side of the boardwalk, a signboard for the Nature Collective can be found, where donations for the settings upkeep can be made. Close by are further places to sit, one in the lee of one of the setting’s hills, the other on the beach itself. 

The main path of exploration runs north between two of the elevated parts of the location, dog-legging a little to the east to reach the bank of a stream as it cuts through the landscape in a reverse “s”, before turning north again and open out to access another of the beaches. To the left of this path are steps leading up the side of the hill to reach a low plateau claimed by the local sheep and which includes a comfy little seat for any shepherd wishing to keep and eye on them 🙂 . From here it is possible to climb up to the highest point in the setting, where a rotunda has been built to house a small gallery of Caly’s photography, together with a vendor where copies of Caly’s work can be purchased.

This gallery overlooks the beach mentioned above, behind which sits a carpet of grass between the beach and the stream on which can be found a summer house. Neatly utilising the larger half of Cory Edo’s Yara Treehouse outfitted to offer a cosy retreat, complete with a sofa to watch the ebb and flow of the sea. 

The second half of the treehouse structure sits as another little cosy hideaway on the south side of the landscape. It can be reached one of two ways: when following the main path between the hills, a turn to the right at the foot of the the hill there and using the stepping stones to cross the stream; alternatively, a walk east along the beach at the landing point and then following a rock (and spray-drenched!) walk around the base of the cliffs to where a bridge spans the mouth of the stream. On the far side of the cabin from the stream offers a way up to the hill behind it, as well as to a little cove that offers a bit of a hideaway place to sit and spend time. 

Turning to the stream, this starts to the north-east of the land, snaking its way south and west and then back to the east again to reach its mouth. It’s possible to follow a good part of the stream towards its source using its southern bank and two bridges. Doing so will bring visitors to the two final points of interest on the northern side of the setting: the ancient ruins on the northern-eastern hills, and the raised walkway reaching out over the water to an aged stone pavilion surmounting a single island.

Both the ruins and the pavilion, although of different ages, sit will together and add a sense of history to the setting – and in the case of the ruins, with their stand stone, alter and ancient Norse horn, offer a sense of mystery and mysticism, while the columned steps leading up to these points carry a hint of ancient Central American architecture. Meanwhile, the pavilion carries with it a hint of the Romanesque in both its style and its furnishings (and even in foodstuffs set out on the table).

All of the above still misses out on so much the reach has; the manifold places to sit and / or take photos, the coastal soundscape, and the ability to rez items – most notably as props for photography – but do remember to pick up your bits when done.

It’s this aspect of rezzing that brings me back to the the open water  to the north of the land, offering as it does the opportunity to rez something like a rowboat, pedal boat, windsurfer or similar and take to the water and travel around the setting (just be careful about straying into the neighbouring half of the region!

In all, a beautifully crafted setting, relaxing, and fun to explore – but don’t just take my word for this!

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• La Côte Sauvage (Arianna, rated Moderate)

Poesy – the art of poetic composition – is a well-chosen for the name of the Full region of Poesy Wildes on two counts: it both reflects the core theme of the region, which is a celebration of poems (and literature) and because it is a accurate reflection of the compositional skill of region holder Raven Fairelander (RavenStarr Fairelander). To call this region “enchanting” is really an understatement; it is a marvellous journey through the worlds through both its subject matter and Raven’s creativity.

Poesy Wildes is an enchanting retreat which offers visitors a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of literature, prose, and poetry. The air is filled with the whispers of verses, and every corner invites contemplation and inspiration.

From the region’s About Land description

Watched over by Edgar Allan Poe – who requests visitors forgive him his silence as he is deeply engrossed in writing Lenore (originally A Pæan), so I’ll leave you to discover him – the region is wreathed in twilight, the Sun apparently just having set. However, such is the beauty of Poesy Wildes that it naturally lends itself to a range of EEP settings.

The landing point sits to the north-east of the setting, within an orangery. It’s worth spending a little time here, as there is an Experience to accept and HUD to collect. Obtaining the latter both triggers a request to join the former and provides ready access to the 20 poems any literary excerpts that have been the August focus of the region. Also available at the landing point is a Love Project Teleport HUD, providing access to locations such as The Magic Hour and Ai-Mura, both of which I visited in July 2024 (see Wandering in The Magic Hour in Second Life and Ai-Mura – a Love Project in Second Life), as well as other locations linked to the project – again, acceptance of an Experience will be required for this HUD as well.

Just outside of the landing point is a further teleporter to key points within Poesy Wildes and – until the end of August, at least, details on the location’s photo contest. Finally, the ground just outside the landing point carries the first of several quotations awaiting discovery within the region.

The easiest way to explore the region is to simply follow the path – and your nose, should the path peter out – and see where it leads. Poems and excepts are clearly mounted on boards throughout the landscape, and the HUD allows you to access them on-screen for easier reading. In addition, selecting a piece on the HUD allows you to both use the Visit button to hop to it directly, and / or listen to an audio recital of the poem or text. I admit that some of the prose is a little difficult to read on the HUD (and understandably so, given its length), but to be able to hear the stories and poems whilst wandering their locations is additionally immersive.

At the time of my visit, the setting featured the following writers and their works: Emily Dickenson: Because I could not stop for Death (1890), This is my letter to the World (1890), “Hope” is the Thing with Feathers (1891) and I stepped from Plank to Plank (1896); Edgar Allan Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart (1843) and The Raven (1845);  Lewis Carroll: an expert from Chapter 7 of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Jabberwocky from Through the Looking Glass (1871) and Rudyard Kipling: The Way Through the Woods; and If- (c. 1895).

Then there are individual poems and excerpts from T.S. Eliot – The Naming of Cats from  Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (1939);  William Wordsworth: I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (1804/1806); Alfred, Lord Tennyson: The Eagle (1851); W.B. Yeats Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven (1899); Oscar Wilde: In The Forest from Uncollected Poems (1876-1893); Amy Lowell: The Garden by Moonlight from Pictures of the Floating World (1919); Judith Wright: Egrets from Birds: Poems (1949/1962); Christina Rossetti; except from The Goblin Market (1859/1862) and Virginia Woolf, taken from a 1937 BBC Radio broadcast in the series words Fail Me. 

Each of the poems is set in an environment well suited to it. for example: In the Forest can be found along the woodland path leading away from the landing point (and where the goblins have set-up there market stall) whilst Jabberwocky will bring you face-to-face with said beast, and Poe’s stories are to be found residing with him up on the hill and indoors. Of them all, however, I think my favourite in terms of setting is Egrets, although admittedly, I did use a daytime EEP with which to try to capture it, as the setting is so picturesque.

Also to be found within the region is the Moonlight Garden, one of two main areas offering the opportunity for romantic dancing, whilst the Poesy stage offers periodic readings and recitals together with Sunday writing workshops (07:00 SLT every…Sunday). There are also multiple places to sit and relax and simply enjoy the setting whilst the sheer beauty of the setting makes it a joy to walk through. And do keep an eye out for the eagle – not only can you read the poem, you can make like a hobbit (or dwarf or wizard) and take to the air on it!

One thing that I strongly recommend when visiting is to have local sounds enabled; not only does the soundscape add to the general ambience of the region, in places it also includes elements that match the nature of the poems. The local audio stream also offers music well in keeping with the theme and look of the setting, and so is also worth considering whilst exploring the region or resting within it.

From landing point to shingle beach through to the hilltop Poe residence, Poesy Wildes is a genuine place of beauty. The poems are particularly well-matched to the landscape whilst the short stories from Poe are ideal for the coming season. I’ve not attended any of the recitals or the writing classes, but I would imagine that the schedule – which are currently scheduled until the end of August – will be updated for September in due course. It is is, I’ll certainly endeavour to hop along to and event. If you fancy joining in with events as a writer, poet or musician – or because you’ll like to help out with tours of the region, please contact Raven.

And all that said, I’ll leave you to drop in to Poesy Wildes  and appreciate it for yourselves. Enjoy!

SLurl Details

• Poesy Wildes (Last Island, rated Moderate)

Back in May 2023, I moseyed on over to the *80 Days* region, operated by Camila Runo and Jocelyn (ZamiTio), which at the time was presenting an opportunity to visit a small corner of America’s Old West in the form of Wind River, a small frontier settlement from (most likely, given some of the visual cues), the mid-1880s (see: 80 Days in the Old West in Second Life).

Located on a sky platform, the precise location of the setting wasn’t given at that time, although Wild River appeared to be far enough from any railhead to warrant stockades for cattle, either as a staging point or starting point from seasonal cattle drives to the nears railroad junction for shipping off to either coast.

To be honest, and reasons being what they were, May 2023 was the time of my last visit to *80 Days*, so I have no idea what happened between times and whether or not Wind River survived throughout the intervening period – my apologies to Camila and ZamiTio for my lack of visits – however, it is now part of an expanded setting within *80 Days*, entitled Copper Canyon and Wind River, of which the  About Land description states:

Copper Canyon is a barren frontier area in the Old West. Under the burning sun lies an arid landscape of red rocks, forming the canyon after which the area was named. Wind River, in contrast, is a busy Wild West town amid high green hills.

– Copper Canyon and Wind River About Land description

As Copper Creek is at the ground level and the newer of the two locations, I’ll start there, and just as the description suggests, this is a desert location, suggestive of either the New Mexico Territory or Arizona Territory, but the exactly decade is unlear. The landing point sits on the north side of the region, tucked within a barn just within the boundaries of Copperburg, a windswept at dusty place in which Yul Brinner and his crew of unlikely heroes might well recognise as much as “Big John” Cannon.

Given the setting is intended for role-play, there are some rules to follow, (posted on the wall of the barn), and visitors are asked to consider changing into the period costumes offered via two packing cases. The female costumes fit a variety of bodies, and so should work in most cases – although I was a little disappointed to see they didn’t include the option for use to inhabit a more gun-savvy look in the manner of a Martha Jane Canary or a Myra “Belle” Starr or a Pearl Hart (to name but third women of the period adept with handguns and / or rifles, even if none of these particular individuals as far west as Arizona or New Mexico!).

The town has all the expected amenities – town hall, saloon, bank, sheriff’s office, and a well-stock general store – but it is perhaps a little past its prime; the wind and dust have weathered shingles and hoardings, a couple of business appear to be no longer in operation and the local shoe shop is doing its business no favours, given its shoddy state. Dominating the main (as in only) street is a gallows, suggesting that violence and frontier justice tend to go hand-in-hand here.

At the southern end of the town sits a pleasant little adobe-style home, where both chickens and bees are being reared to provide fresh eggs, poultry and honey. It offers a comparatively pleasant oasis of live and home tucked out of the reach of the wind, being largely sheltered from the latter as it sits in the lee of the slope rising up to the local church and neighbouring graveyard – a literal boot hill, if you will.

The church overlooks one end of the canyon from with the setting likely takes its name, one side of which is home to Pueblo-style structures sitting up on rocky shelves and reached by a steep slope. As with the little casa with its honey bees and chickens, these stacked “apartments” seem to exude more welcome and homeliness than the nearby town.

The canyon runs east and then north from the mouth facing the church, the red sandstone of its vertical, narrow walls doubtless giving it its name. It’s not hard to picture a posse blazing down the gorge, the should of gunshots echoing loudly as they give chase to bank robbers or other miscreants of a violent nature (or maybe just because they didn’t particularly like them!).

At its far end, relative to the church, the canyon opens out onto flatlands, the trail sweeping past the Wells Fargo station and back up into Copperburg.

Wind River is reached directly from the landing point for Copper Canyon; just click the large sign inside the barn to be transported upwards via the local experience (which you should accept if you’ve not previously done so).  When I first arrived – again, within the town’s barn – I mistakenly thought this was more-or-less the same setting as I’d visited back in May 2023; but while there are a lot of commonalities, so to are there subtle differences, enough to make a renewed exploration worthwhile, even if you’ve been to Wind River in is past iteration.

The town itself remains much the same, although static NPCs have been added. The main street carries familiar clues as to the likely period; Grover Cleveland’s portrait remains pride-of-place in the town hall, suggesting he’s the sitting President, and the Sheriff’s office bears a Wanted poster for Dave Allen “Mysterious Dave” Mather (although this appears to have been joined by one for Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith II I don’t recalled seeing from my previous visit, but I could be mistaken). However, things have also changed within the town; the combines roles of MD, dentist and vet once held by A.J. Simmons are now under the purview of one Sam Vimes M.D.

Further out of town to the west can still be found the Native American encampment which forms an informal museum on Native American life – one of the teepees contains hanging dreamcatchers with portraits of Native Americans. When touched, these will provide a notecard providing brief notes on the People and their history (and please note, this setting is not intended to be historically accurate in overall style, containing as it does artifacts from different tribes, its function is as a generic setting representing in general terms (and as a museum) of Native American life, rather than being the focus on a specific tribe or group.

It is off to the north where there are perhaps more obvious changes to the setting – horseshoe ranch appears slightly different in layout to my pictures from May 2023, while some of the buildings around the cattle pens on the north side of town appear to have been shuffled around – which gives the feeling that as with real life, nothing is ever static, building can be knocked down and replaced – or extended, at least, which could be the case with the ranch house.

As with Copper Canyon, Wind River has a Wells Fargo station a short distance from town. Also offering a small general store, the station offers a map of the Territories and their surround from 1867, and if you sit in the stagecoach waiting outside, you’ll be teleported to Lost Mesa within the Western Territories role-play estate (and the stage coach there will return you to Wind River). similarly, sitting in the wagon just across the trail from the Wells Fargo office (and conveniently placed next to a road sign pointing to its destination) will carry you to Blind Horse Creek, another Western RP region.

Photogenic and rounded-out by a very nicely-done sound scape, containing some nicely subtle historical touches and with opportunities for horse riding (or wear your own!) the combined *80 days* Old West settings make for an engaging visit.

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Infinite Spirit is a Full region rated Moderate

• Copper Canyon
• Wind River