Tag: Exploring Second Life 2013

Asalia House (Flickr) – click any image for full size

Eddie Haskill pointed me towards Asalia House when he blogged about it recently, describing it as “magical”. He’s right.

A Homestead region, Asalia House comprises three islands set in an ocean suggestive of a coral sea. Two of the islands, on the west side of the region, are resplendent in the rich autumnal colours of the northern hemisphere, while eastward, the third is a Moon-like tropical crescent of sand, palm trees and beach bars, all of which offer a strong contrast in theme and look when compared with the other two islands, and yet works with them to create a complete picture.

Asalia House (Flickr)

The entire region is primarily the work of Ryu Asalia, Kyo Asalia and Lonco, with Ryu and Kyo responsible for the look and feel of one of the temperate islands and Lonco the other, and all three sharing in the creation of the sandy islet.

All three islands offer a simple, natural setting which is both ripe for photography and welcoming to visitors who wish to come and sit a while. Ryu and Kyo’s island, to the north-west offers a small café flanked by the towers of a water tank and a windmill, surrounded by trees and with a small seating area outside.

Across the bridge and to the south-west, Lonco’s island offers a more rural scene, with an artist’s caravan and encampment sitting amidst silver birch and other trees in a leafy, grassy glade.

Asalia House (Flickr)

There are delightful touches of whimsy to both islands; a tall “apple picking chair” sits in the water just offshore from one, with a number of apples conveniently suspended on strings from the outstretched branches of a tree; elsewhere sits a giant birdcage precariously balanced on the bank of a small inlet of water over which large soap bubbles float, while between the two islands and alongside the wooden bridge sits a large bottle, inviting passers-by to jump into it, genie-style.

There’s also some lovely attention to detail to be found as well, so it’s worth taking your time when looking around both of the islands, whether you’re exploring or camming for a look-see.

Across the water, the tropical islet is very different, as noted above. Here sits a rough-and-ready beachcomber’s bar and a more upmarket cocktail / coffee bar. Surfboards nuzzle the sand, offering places to sit, and a large tiki-style hammock is suspended between tall palm trees.  Here one can wander the sand, enjoy a drink or two, sit and chat, or dance, or float on the water and forget the rest of the world. For those who get hungry, an enticing table of snacks beckons.

Asalia House (Flickr)

The region comes with its own windlight preset, providing the feel of a hazy morning which suits both the temperate western isles and the eastern tropical island, and which blends perfectly with the default water windlight for the region. Oh, and with regards to the latter, it’s worth taking a look down on the region from overhead (you may need to tweak your sky windlight if you’ve accepted the default) or taking a peek at the world map – you’ll see the entire region is actually heart-shaped under the water, a reflection of a general theme of love and openness which is also carried through the design.

This is a phenomenal setting for the SL photographer, beautifully suited to range of lighting options which could well keep you occupied with the camera for some time. When you’ve finished you explorations, why not pop into Ryu’s cafe and leave a comment in the guest book and perhaps a sign of your appreciation in the tip jar?

Related Links

• Asalia House SLurl (Rated: Moderate)

Earlier in 2013 I happened upon Garden of Eden, an exquisite parcel created by Liara Okiddo.  Just 8192 sq m in size, the parcel was a veritable tour de force of design and presentation, demonstrating just what could be achieved in a small space, given a keen eye and patience.

Garden of Eden is now sadly gone; not because Liara has moved from Second Life, but because she and her partner Lucy have moved to a Homestead region, where they’ve been establishing a new home and new art studio and gallery.

Liara kindly offered me a preview look at Isla Okiddo ahead of the formal opening, and while real life prevented me from being able to take up the offer when first extended, I’m pleased to say that Liara kept the invitation open, and it was my privilege recently to have a tour of the island and spend time photographing it, and I can say hand-on-heart, that it is an incredible build.

As Isla Okiddo is not yet open, I’m not providing a SLurl here; I’m saving that for when I can fully review it. However, those wishing to show their interest in seeing the island Liara has established a unique way for them to do so via another build.

As well as working on Isla Okiddo, Liara has also been developing a small airport. As with Garden of Eden, it is once again a very creative use of space, buildings, and windlight. Should you visit it, I really do recommend you accept the parcel windlight to experience the setting as intended. Liara has put considerable effort in bring the scene together, and the selected windlight really brings the setting to life.

Here you can enjoy a period setting, with a silver Douglas DC-3 sitting on the tarmac in the early morning light, waiting for the inaugural flight to Isla Okiddo. This is to be a first class flight, as the champagne on ice alongside the steps up into the plane demonstrates. Alongside the champers sits a guest book where those wishing to join the flight – registering their interest in seeing Isla Okiddo – can do so.

The airfield offers an excellent location for those wanting something a little different as a backdrop for their photoshoots – just make sure you drop word to Liara about your intent beforehand and make sure she’s OK with things.

I’ll be bringing more news on Isla Okiddo in the future; in the meantime, and rather than my usual Flickr slide show, here’s a little preview video I put together to help whet your appetite.

Related Links

• Scotland – Okiddo airfield SLurl (Rated: Moderate)

I came across Asa Vordun’s Caprice and Easy A entirely by chance, the happy circumstance of flipping through Flickr and bouncing around Second Life. Call it is case of SL serendipity, as I couldn’t have come across both at a better time, thanks to a number of stresses crowding me somewhat of late. Both shooed those worries away and left me smiling.

Caprice is perhaps best defined by the description given in About Land:

Once upon a time in Caprice …a place of whimsy and wonder…beauty and peace…of tales and fairytales…what is real what is imaginary …do you trust what you see…

It’s a beautiful little corner of a Second Life, featuring houses by Kayle Matzerath, who provided the fabulous Lumenaria at the 2013 Fantasy Faire, arranged around a small square and fountain.

When I first visited, Caprice was enjoying a bright autumn, with the leaves on the trees a golden brown, the air crisp and the sun still warm enough for one to forsake a coat when stepping outdoors. Since then, I gather the time as moved on, and winter is gradually encroaching, the trees now denuded of their foliage and snow drifts laying claim to corners and to the sides of roads. Just as well, then, that a café offering coffee and hot chocolate stands on one side of the square, facing another offering filling snacks and warm drinks over on the other side. Or, if one prefers, apples and hot cider can be had from a wooden stall.

This is place where friends can meet and spend time seated around the fountain or at the cafés or – if the weather gets too nippy – inside the delightful library. By day or by night, Caprice offers the warmest of welcomes and its whimsical looks and feel encourage you to tarry and forget the bustle and call of the rest of the grid.

From the arch of the arrival point, looking out over a seafront scene with jetty, lighthouse and sail boat, you can meander along the footpaths and the road which catches the square in a paved lasso, wander past the cafés and the library and cider stand until you come to the arch of a narrow tunnel. Here, beside a sign inviting you to breathe, you might want to slip on a coat before continuing through the tunnel and into Easy A.

Here is a place where winter has truly arrived. Asa has done a fabulous  job in creating a wonderful winter tableau photographers could likely have a lot of fun with – and to really capture the atmosphere, I do suggest you try a night / low lighting level with your time-of-day / windlight.

Cottages by Cory Edo and Van Auster sit by the side of a road which circles a high mesa. As the snow falls, a lone truck rumbles along the street, passing under the roadside lamps, headlights picking out the road ahead – you can see why I said Easy A needs a night-time setting to really be appreciated :).

As with Caprice, the attention to detail here means you’re going to need to keep a sharp eye open to appreciate everything on offer, particularly where the cottages are concerned, each of which offers a place to sit and reflect, or chat. Or if you prefer, you can find your way to the top of the tall pillar of rock, crowned as it is by a ring of fir trees, themselves topped and hung about with lights and which surround a secret place to sit and share while coffee and soup bubble on an open fire.

Both Caprice and Easy A offer a small slice of magic well worth taking the time to visit, particularly if you enjoy taking photos in SL.

I have no idea as to how frequently Asa giver her parcels a make-over, but I have to admit that outside of changing them to suit the seasons, I rather hope they don’t often go through too drastic an overhaul – at least not Caprice, given that Easy A is a little more in keeping with the onset of winter in the northern hemisphere and so may change more dramatically as the year passes. As it is, both offer charm, warmth (despite the weather :)) and individual beauty to the passing traveller. Be sure not to miss either of them!

Related Links

• Caprice / Easy A SLurl (Rated: Moderate)

And as winter is the theme, here’s another piece by Chris de Burgh to mark the time of year.

In April 2013, I visited the Isle of Myrth, a full region which is both home to the Noble Family and which is also generously open to the public for visits and photography.

At the time of my first visit, the Noble Family were celebrating the works of Beatrix Potter, and the isle contained many touches that reflected her writings. Now the seasons have moved on, winter is sitting on our shoulders in the northern hemisphere, and the Isle of Myrth has been reworked to represent scenes from New England in the autumn (or should I say fall?).

The change in look and feel couldn’t be more apparent, although there are familiar touches for anyone who visited the region back in April. The lighthouse is still there, for example, acting as both the arrival point and (I think) the gallery for a photo contest, of which more shortly.

Step outside of the lighthouse, and you’ll find yourself on a small promontory, the island before you, covered in what might best be described as coastal mist which tends to hide more than it reveals, and which – to me at least – undersells the beauty of the island to the newly arrived.

In this, I admit to being biased. Autumn in New England has for me always conjured-up images  of crisp autumn days where trees are burdened with leaves Irish Setter red, ready to flutter down and blanket the ground under crystal blue skies, or where the lowering clouds tint the horizon and a soft rain makes us think of the colder days to come, and recall the warmer days that have passed.

However, windlight issues can be quickly rectified to suit one’s taste, and certainly aren’t an impediment to the willing explorer. And once taken care of, the island offers more than enough to compensate for spending a few minutes fiddling with your viewer while switching between windlight options. As with all of the Noble Family’s work, there is mush here that is worth taking the time to explore and more than enough to keep happy snappers snapping.

From the lighthouse, you can stroll across a golden beach, then follow a stream inland to a small land-locked lake, complete with boathouse, an old parish church sitting across the water, long converted into a place to shelter from the fall rain and sit and chat with friends.

Paths and wooden walkways wind through, over and around the isle, offering the visitor many different routes by which it can be explored. Whether you opt to follow the paths up and around the old church and over assorted bridges and crossing to reach the hilltop playground, or take the steeper climb up to the old barn, or decide follow another meandering stream back to the coast and from there up to the old race track, is entirely up to you. Whichever way you roam, you’re likely going to want to keep your eyes peeled and camera ready.

While exploring, do please be aware that as mentioned above, although the region is open to the public, it is also home to the members of the Noble Family, with their house and gardens located towards the north-west corner. So do please respect their privacy when wandering close to the house.

The photo contest kicks-off on November 15th and runs through until 12:00 noon SLT on November 30th. Details are actually scant, but I assume entries are to be made via the Noble Flickr Group, and winning entries will be displayed in-world at the Noble lighthouse.

All told, this is another delightful re-working of a region which has rightly had a long line of fans and visitors. If you’ve not visited Isle of Myrth in a while – or never at all – I can only urge you to don your coat and grab a hat and go enjoy New England scenes in the fall. I doubt you’ll be disappointed. And having managed to include a line for a song I like in the body of this article, I’ll leave you to enjoy the song in full.

Related Links

• {Noble} New England  SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• A Noble Isle and Beatrix Potter – April 2013
• Noble Family Flickr Group

It’s no secret that I love water-themed regions, so when I was nudged about Imagination, it immediately went on my list of places to see. As it happened, I delayed my original plans to blog about it as I saw Ziki had done so; truth be told, I had intended to leave it a little while longer before spending time there, but temptation got the better of me.

The region has been designed by ARNICAR India, and it is a perfect haven for those wanting to escape the trials of the world or who are looking for a place to soothe their tired minds. Predominantly water, the region has a number of small islands scattered across it and, in one case, floating over it.

Each presents its own vignette or tableau; a story begun, but awaiting the presence of others to continue it. Wandering between them, you’re invited to participate, whether be sitting down in one of the many chairs scattered across the islands, or by creating your own story for the scenes you pass through.

That you are welcome to imagine and create is clear from the description of the region, which comes in the form of a quote by George Bernard Shaw:

Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.

This is a truly lovely place, one that wraps itself around you, comforting you, offering you warmth and peace; a place to rest and to listen to the sounds of the sea breaking against distant rocks, and soft chirping of crickets, the gentle croaking of frogs and the splash and murmur of water under wooden piers and against stone causeways.

There are some lovely touches that further enhance the region’s look and allure, and as such, it is worthwhile taking your time while exploring, as some will doubtless raise a smile once discovered.

For those who tire of walking there is a rowing boat which can be used to navigate between the islands or, for the really adventurous, a pair of flying, pedal-powered chairs. And when you’re done exploring, there are plenty of places to relax and let the rest of the world hurry on with its business without you, and simply let the peaceful waters flow.

Related Links

• Imagination SLurl (Rated: Moderate)

Cupcake (Flickr)

Walking down the
Cobbled street
Jeans & T-shirt
And silk black flats
Upon my feet
With the sunshine
On my shoulders
And the smell of pastries
In the air

Cupcake (Flickr)

Sitting in the corner
Of a small cafe
Enjoying bread and camembert
While listening to
La Vie En Rose
Play somewhere
Somewhere far away

Cupcake (Flickr)

Watching people
Passing by
Til the day
Has turned to night
The cobbled street
Now paved in
Silver light
With the light from lamp posts
Tall as trees
Reflecting on the surface
Of the river Seine

Cupcake (Flickr)

Walking neath
Blue velvet skies
On my way to
Buy some pink champagne
I’ll return then
To my balcony
In the hotel
Named after George the fifth
And there I’ll sit and watch the stars

Cupcake (Flickr)

I’ll dream my life away
And send a wish into the void
To a far off shooting star
That one day
Life will bring me back
To this heaven
To the city that stole my heart

“Paris” by Natasha Wright. Images from Cupcake (Rated: Moderate)