Simploring 2020 (73) Ghosts of Jericho

27 Oct 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , ,

Back in 2016 and 2017 I visited Follow Your Bliss (read here, here and here). In 2018 I visited Nantes (read here) and the Nantes Gallery (read here). Why do I list these entries? All these places were created by Elizabeth Jewell (elizabethnantesjewell), who still ownes Nantes and Fusion City (located above Fleur de Sel), which is also home of Nantes Gallery.
On Saturday, October 3rd, I got an invitation to visit “Ghosts of Jericho“, a sim built by Elizabeth at “Sim Quarterly“.

Sim Quarterly is a sim and initiative of Electric Monday:
“Art and the virtual world, Second Life© are very similar — you are able to both find yourself and immerse yourself (and maybe even lose yourself) in something totally unlike what you already know. The experiences you gain help you grow and form new opinions about the world. That is what I hope this sim can provide over time. I am very excited to bring to you a quarterly art project by way of The Sim Quarterly.
The project features one creator every 3 months (every quarter) as an artist in residence. The purpose of the sim is so that residents can experience something new and even create a community.”
Sim Quarterly has an own website.

The current installation “Ghosts of Jericho” is “a scenic installation designed, curated, and posed by by Elizabeth Jewell (elizabethnantesjewell), with an original soundscape concept and experience by Electric Monday.” According the the concet of Sim Quarterly it should stay open until the end of this year. I recommend to read about “Ghosts of Jericho” on the Sim Quarterly website here.

“Ghosts of Jericho” – Landing and welcome platform

The landing at “Ghosts of Jericho” is on a seperate platform above the sim itself – and it is already impressive. You get a notecard and some instructions about the settings: Advanced Lighting activated, Sun and Projector enabled, ambient sound on and preferably high or ultra high graphics settings. You also get a notecard with background information about the installation and about Sim Quarterly. I took some quite nice pictures already at the landing platform. You need to sit in the boat nearby (the ferry) to get to the sim itself.

Overview and orientation map of “Ghosts of Jericho” / at the landing pier

The first views of Ghosts of Jericho are impressive. You land at a fishermen pier. At the end of the pier is a house used for fish processing and to the fishermen to change and take a break from work. Outside you find some rack with drying fish. The view from the pier to the rocky island with its trees and to the neighbour island is breathtaking. Fog is rising from the ground and from the flattened sea. Nearby is a larger waterfall.

Impressions of “Ghosts of Jericho” (1) – the fishermen’s pier

I went cross country and came to the bridge connecting the two islands, but stayed on the main island and walked on to the lighthouse. On my way I heard voicea .. and I read in the public chat:
Ghosts of Jericho: When will you be back?
Ghosts of Jericho: Do you think it was one of the wolves?
Ghosts of Jericho: There’s SOMETHING in the cave…
I didn’t see any wolf or and ghost but I enjoyed the views. The windlight setting and the environment is really great for taking pictures!

Impressions of “Ghosts of Jericho” (2) – the lighthouse

I continued my simploring tour and walked to the other side of the main island. There you find one inhabited residential house with a nice porch to sit and furnished with love for the detail. I stayed there for a while and enjoyed the view.

Impressions of “Ghosts of Jericho” (3) – at the residential house

Following the shoreline I came the the entrance of a cave. The light insight is very well set up and provides another great place for taking extraordinairy pictures. Yet I didn’t see any ghost nor “SOMETHING” .. I might have to return and have a more detailed look at every corner

Impressions of “Ghosts of Jericho” (4) – the cave

My first simploring tour to “Ghosts of Jericho” ended with a visit of the smaller island. There is a hut with a panorama window from where you have a great view on the lighthouse. And I heard a voice and read in mainchat .. “Ghosts of Jericho: She was there…” … Who? Some questions remain unanswered.
Don’t miss the views on the main island from the smaller island, they are just intriguing.

Impressions of “Ghosts of Jericho” (5) – the smaller island

“Ghosts of Jericho” convinces with its great windlicht settings and with the atmosphere it provides. You can immerse yourself into another, lonely world and enjoy. I did enjoy my visit and I took lots of pictures again. A very well made, artfully created place, that showcases what can be done within Second Life. Thank you very much, Elizabeth Jewell (elizabethnantesjewell) for this sim. Thank you Electric Monday for the Sim Quarterly initiative.

.. one last picture 🙂

Landmark to Ghosts of Jericho
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Sim%20Quarterly/7/9/1403
Simquarterly website
http://thesimquarterly.com/
Blogpost about Ghosts of Jericho on Simquarterly
http://thesimquarterly.com/2020/10/03/welcome-to-ghosts-of-jericho/

Simploring 2020 (72) Slovakia, Slovensko

23 Oct 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , , ,

For my simploring tour on Tuesday, September 22nd, I picked “Slovakia, Slovensko” from scoop.it SL Destinations, mainly because there’s no blog post about this place yet.

I will furtheron just use “Slovakia” instead of the full name which should be “Slovakia, Slovensko – Slovak, Czech “. Slovakia is built on a plot in an adult region and owned by a group named “Great Czechoslovakia”. The group was founded by Gerard Brianna, who is also the main owner of Slovakia. Lena Atheris and Jucciano Carpaccio have contributed to the sim and own buildings and objects of Slovakia.

The name of the group – Great Czechoslovakia – points to the intention of the owners. They built a place that should repesent Czechoslovakia in the 1980ies, when the two states Slovakia and Czech Republic of today were one socialist state.

Orienation map and first impressions of Slovakia

Slowakia is quite simple structured. It could be part of a little town. There’s one road forming a circle. In the center are all community buildings and activities like a church, a bar, a park, a gazebo to meet, a stage for events, the carousel of a fair and a little pond. Outside of the circle are residential homes, a police station, a big club in an old food store, a small playground, a donut restaurant, a strange meeting point building named Bye Way, a motel, a basketbal court, and a trailer park. Almost everything a little town has to have.

Impressions of Slovakia (1) – Stop N Go club inside (upper left) / Bye Way and Donut restaurant (upper right), church inside (lower left) / Donation tip jar and rental map (lower right)

The plot is seperated to the other plost of the region by large rocks and by big housing blocks. These blocks, the omnipresent dirt, the shabbiness of the buildings and the cars in the street, the garbage, the missing colours shall provide the feeling on a typical socialist urban environment. Fitting to that is the big and fully functional police station. But also fitting are the little idyllic scenes at the trailer park, where people arranged with what they had.

Impressions of Slovakia (2) – motel and trailer park

Slovakia is a sim that shall enable building a community for people in Second Life who are from these 2 countries but it is not limited to those of course. Most of the residential homes are available for rent at the moment. A map with the free houses can be found in the church. In the church is also the only donation tip jar that I saw in Slowakia (how fitting, it is on the altar *winks*).

Impressions of Slovakia (3) – rental houses (upper left and right) / the carousel (lower left) / little cafe and rental mobil home (lower right)

It is not easy to build something like Slovakia, to produce a miserable environment with a socialistic flair as the objects are not available on the marketplace. Therefore you see also shabby American cars, the signs for the trailer park and the motel are in English as well as the Roady bar. But nonetheless, I could sense the intention of Slovakia right upon when I landed there. At the time of my visit the streets were used as a skating course. I don’t know if that is a permanent installation.

Impressions of Slovakia (4) – Police station (upper left) / Stage (upper right) / Roady’s bar (lower left) / Gazebo in the park (lower right)

One word to the windlight. For what reason ever I had a quite sunny and inexpressive windlight when I visited. I decided to select the Anan Adored Realistic windlight for most of my pictures. Choosing a foggy, hazy, grey and drab windlight would fit better to Slovakia but is not suitable for blog pictures that shall provide an impression.

Slovakia was established in May 2020. It is at least something different from what you can experience in Second Life elsewhere. Thank you Gerard Brianna and Lena Atheria. I enjoyed my visit and my short conversation with Lena.

Landmark to Slovakia, Slovensko
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Resolution%20Boulevard/196/177/22

Simploring 2020 (71) Bates Motel

20 Oct 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , ,

For my simploring tour on Saturday, September 19th, I picked Bates Motel from scoop.it SL Destinations. Bates Motel is a plot, rated moderate, owned by Kaiden Tray (kaidentray). What tempted me to visit was the picture on scoop.it SL Destinations that immediately reminded me of Psycho, the famous film directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Bates Motel – overview and orientation map

The landing is in front of the office of Bates Motel. The Motel has 4 rooms, all are furnished quite basic. An old VW Beetle is parked in front of one room and a man sits outside next to his luggage…. and in the background you see the manor, the Psycho-house, where Norman Bates’ mum’s dead body “lives”. You can easily immerse into the story.

Impressions of Bates Motel (1) – the motel itself

I explored every room … then right next to the office I found what I was looking for: the shower scene!

Impressions of Bates Motel (2) – the shower scene

I took some very nice pictures, some of them look as if I made a screenshot from the film. Of course I visited the Psycho-house, which is fully furnished. I looked into every room. I found an atelier, but I didn’t see Norman’s mum nor her ghost – and there is no cellar, really.. well at least when I was there. The motel and the Psycho-House are a great background for pictures or might be a perfect place for a roleplay.

But Bates Motel has more to offer that just the motel and the famous house. If you walk along the trail you come to a café and bar with an event area. The bar is also furnished and is nicely decorated in- and outside.

Impressions of Bates Motel (3) – the Psycho-house and the café and bar

On my way back from the café to the motel I found a nice place to sit and enjoy or to fish by the river. I saw a funny sign post. And walking further leaving the motel on my right I came to a shack and another nice place to sit. At the shore you also find a camping site. Just be a bit careful when you walk into the forest behind the Psycho-house. When I was there a bear with it’s bear cub lived there. Bates Motel offers a lot of outdoor activies, the right place for a vacation …. and you can book a room at Bates Motel *winks*.

Impressions of Bates Motel (4) – exploring the plot

I returned to the motel and walked along the shore. At the corner of the plot is a boat rental. You can rezz boats there for a tour. A bit above of the boat rental is a small graveyard and a workshop. Prepare yourself, Halloween is coming soon! Inside of the workshop you find two zombies at work, really scary.

Impressions of Bates Motel (5) – boat rental, graveyard and Zombies

I enjoyed my simploring tour to Bates Motel, a great place to hang out and a great place for outstanding pictures, in particular if you play a bit with the windlight settings.

Bates Motel

Kaiden Tray (kaidentray), the owner of Bates Motel, also owns the GLITCH storee for poses and props, for every day needs. You can find it on the marketplace here. Kaiden also offers landscape services.
Many thanks for Bates Motel, Kaiden. I had a great time exploring.

Landmark to Bates Motel
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Kizilelma/232/230/25
flickr group
https://www.flickr.com/groups/14696450@N24/

Simploring 2020 (70) Route 21 – Rural/Small Town Hangout

18 Oct 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , ,

For my simploring tour on Saturday, September 26th, I picked “Route 21 – Rural/Small Town Hangout” from soop.it SL Destinations. The entry led me to another post of Maddy Gynoid “Simtipp: Route 21” (in German). His blogpost teased me enough to go there myself. Maddy made some great pictures.

Route 21 – overview and orientation map

“Route 21 – Rural/Small Town Hangout“, furtheron just Route 21, occupies a quarter of a full sim, rated moderate. It is owned by Terry Wardark. Route 21 is a “general hangout with a small town and rural vibe“, it is “a creation without specific purpose“. The landing is in a gazebo in a park. You get a notecard upon landing with some useful information. At the gazebo you can get also another notecard with hints how to get to the two haunted attractions on the sim for the fall season. Stepping out of the gazebo you see a memorial, the Howie Parker memorial, who was a friend of Terry in real life and passed away in 2017.

Impressions of Route 21 (1) – landing point, Howie Parker memorial, promenade and first view on the town

I had set the windlight to the recommended setting and went to the promenade first. The windlight was perfect for an athmospheric picture of the promenade and the lighthouse. But for my further simploring tour I used either “Anan Adored Realistic” or “Midnight” for my pictures.

The town is for sure a photographic highlight of Route 21. It looks best with the midnight setting. Next to the town is a gas station and garage.

Impressions of Route 21 (2) – town and gas station in different windlight settings.

From the gas station I followed the road over a narrow bridge and came to the rural part of Route 21 with a farm, waterfalls, a pond and nice, romantic places to chill or cuddle. This part is quite a contrast to the town – and very well made.

Impressions of Route 21 (3) – farm and waterfalls

Following the road you come to the Murder House, one of the fall attraction. As Halloween gets closer, you find some scary scenes inside. I turned left and came to the harbour, another photographic highlight of Route 21. It offers nice backgrounds.

Impressions of Route 21 (4) – Murder House and harbour

In one corner of the harbour, close to the truck, there’s the entrance cave for the second fall attraction. You walk through an old mine tunnel and at it’s end is a door which leads to another scary Halloween scene, the crypt, supposed you accept the experience.

Impressions of Route 21 (5) – The crypt – one more picture of the town

Route 21 is a nice place offering different backgrounds, nice spots to wind down and for the fall season also two Halloween installations. Although Terry Wardark wrote that it was created for no specific purpose, I think it has a purpose, the purpose to have fun. Thank you very much for sharing this fun, Terry. I enjoyed.

Landmark to Route 21
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Costa%20Blanca/16/232/23
Maddy Gynoid’s Simtipp: Route 21
http://echtvirtuell.blogspot.com/2020/09/simtipp-route-21.html
Route 21 – Murder House
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Costa%20Blanca/103/163/32
Route 21 – The Crypt Entrance
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Costa%20Blanca/108/225/24

Simploring 2020 (69) Walsh County

16 Oct 2020 1 Comment

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , , , ,

For my simploring tour on Saturday, August 29th, I picked “Walsh County” from scoop.it SL Destinations. I read Maddy Gynoids “Simtipp: Walsh County” (in German) before I went there myself. Maddy made some great pictures there!

Walsh County is a general homestead owned by Randonee Noel. At the landing in the middle of nowhere on highway 17 you can grab a notecard by clicking on the highway sign. The notecard provides some information:

“Up near the Canadian border glaciers have leveled the earth to where you can see that it’s curved. The winds move across the landscape interrupted only by the lines of trees planted there to interfere.
Agriculture is the cornerstone and the crops are gold. There are fewer than 9 people here for every square mile, but most will share a cup of coffee and a smile if you’re polite.
Welcome to Walsh County, North Dakota.”

Impressions of Walsh County (1)

Walsh County is not a fiction. Walsh County lies on the east side of North Dakota and has a population of about 10,000 people. You can read more about it on wikipedia here. Also the highway 17 is not a fiction. It is 139 miles in length and its alignment was established in 1939 (see wikipedia here).

Impressions of Walsh County (2)

When I looked around immediately “The Far Away” came into mind. I visited “The Far Away” in 2019 the last time (read here) and it is a real classic sim in Second Life.
Walsh County is also flat and there’s nothing but the highway, one tree, one pond with 3 ducks, one truck, a wind sock and ….. wheatfields. Anything else? Yes! A crop duster plane that spreads crop protectant over the cornfields. Watching the plane is fascinating and kept me busy for a while.

Impressions of Walsh County (3)

The scenery reminded me of a scene in the film “North by Northwest” directed by Alfred Hitchcock. In the film the main character Roger Thornhill (played by Gary Grant) is attacked by a crop duster plane – in the middle of nothing.

Impressions of Walsh County (4)

In Maddy’s post I read that SmacemanSpiff Grau, the parnter of Randonee Noel, supported her with building this fantasic sim. Walsh County is perfectly rural and transports the feeling of endless fields very well. A place to wind down. A place to take great pictures.
Randonee Noel also made a short video clip of Walsh County:

Thank you Randonee!

Landmark to Walsh County
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Campton/48/52/23
Maddy Gynoids “Simtipp: Walsh County”
http://echtvirtuell.blogspot.com/2020/08/simtipp-walsh-county.html
Randonee Noel’s video clip of “Walsh County”
https://www.flickr.com/photos/randoneenoel/50257405707/play/360p/68909c51cb/
Walsh County on flickr
https://www.flickr.com/groups/randomlyspiffy/

Simploring 2020 (68) La Vie (September 2020)

13 Oct 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , , ,

For my simploring tour on Thursday, September 3rd, I picked La Vie from scoop.it SL Destinations. The name did ring a bell as I visited the predecessor sims back in 2016, 2017 and 2018. My last vbisit was to La Vie in Winter (read here).

The entry on led scoop.it SL Destinations led to a post from Maddy Gynoid “Simtipp: La Vie (September 2020)” (in German), which I read before visiting.

La Vie (September 2020) – Orientation map and at the landing point

La Vie is an adult homestead owned by Krys Vita and her partner CarterNolan. As far as Maddy found out, Krys and her partner designed La Vie. The sim must have been quite new at the time of my visit as there was no landmark description, no tip jar, no boards nor notecard giver. That might have changed when this post will be published.

Impressions of La Vie (September 2020) (1) – walking to the lighthouse

La Vie is a litte sailing and vacation paradies together with a bird colony and bird preservation area. The selected windlight is quite particular diving the scenery into red and yellow tones. Sometimes it looks a bit kitchy – but nature can be like this sometimes. I kept the windlight but had to play with the time of day and the angle of the sun to get nice pictures.

Impressions of La Vie (September 2020) (2) – the marshland and the observation tower

The landing at La Vie is at one corner of the sime and wooden walkways lead from there over sandbank and marshland. The sound of birds is almost omnipresent. The views are breathtaking. Next to the wooden walkways you can find some nice places to sit and watch. You can also go to be beach for a sunbath. I walked to the lighthouse first.

Impressions of La Vie (September 2020) (3) – observation tower / entering harbour town

From there I walked along and through the marshland where you find more cosy places until I reached a big wooden tower. I think this tower was build to observe all the birds that fly around this tower. The upper level of the tower is furnished and I made a short break there and enjoyed the view over the sim.

Impressions of La Vie (September 2020) (4) – harbour master / harbour town

For me the absolute hightlight of La Vie is the harbour town, a real sailor’s paradise. The boards and ads there provide the impression being in New England or Martha’s vineyard. There are several beautiful arranged houses built on piers: the harbour master, restaurants and clubhouses as well as the harbour town fitness center and a tackle shop for the sailors. Two large sailing yachts are in the harbour as well as a fishing boat. The whole scene is just picturesque.

Impressions of La Vie (September 2020) (5) – harbour town / yacht harbour

Next to the harbour town is a shipyard and a private home with a large motor yacht at the peir. The doors were locked, hence I assume it must be a private place. I enjoyed another great view on the town from a shed a bit aside.

Impressions of La Vie (September 2020) (5) – ship yard / private home / shed / harbour town

La Vie offers a lot of spectacular views, a place to take many many pictures or a place to wind down and to simply listen to the sounds of the birds. I enjoyed my visit a lot. Thank you Krys Vita and CarterNolan. I intend to come back.

Landmark to La Vie
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/La%20Vie/18/238/21
Maddy Gynoid’s “Simtipp: La Vie (September 2020)”
http://echtvirtuell.blogspot.com/2020/09/simtipp-la-vie-september-2020.html

Simploring 2020 (67) Snuggles Forest

10 Oct 2020 1 Comment

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , ,

For my simploring tour on Wednesday/Thursday, September 16/17th, I picked Snuggles Forest form scoop.it SL Destinations. The entry led me to post of Maddy Gynoid “Simtipp: Snuggles Forest“, which I read before visiting. The landmark profile is quite fitting to what I was going to see: “Enjoy a beautiful stroll, relax on the beaches, hold your sweetheart close, cuddle, and dance, sit in one of many romantic spots, explore, propose, even get married in the chapels, with a automated service.“

Snuggles Forest Overview and orientation map

Snuggles Forest is a moderate homestead owned by Teagan Parnas. It is one of five regions that are connected. All 5 sims belong to Teagan. She owns a chain of shops with the label “Snuggles“, that sells Baby Animesh Clothes, furniture, and gifts and everything else for SL babies, cards and seasonal decorations. I could see large buildings on the other regions, but there’s no shop at Snuggles Forest.

Impressions of Snuggles Forest (1)

Snuggles Forest is a sim just to enjoy and to wind down. It is mainly a forest. The landing is on a trail next to a big board with teleport destination on the sim itself and to the shops on the neighbourhood sims. The trail leads you around the sim mostly close along the shore. In the center is a large mountain with a high plateau. The selected windlight is a but hazy, but with this windlight the pictures look a bit like watercolour paintings and I like that.

Impressions of Snuggles Forest (2)

Impressions of Snuggles Forest (3)

Also quite close to the landing is a horse rezzer if you don’t want to walk on foot. I decided to walk this time. Along my way I saw many places to sit and enjoy. Close to most of the cuddle places are intan dance poles making Snuggles Forest a place for lovers. The selected trees and plants provide a natural atmosphere. I came to the beach with the lighthouse and to small hut where a few cows were grazing. Walking along the river you can see two waterfalls … and of course more places to cuddle and snuggle.

Impressions of Snuggles Forest (4)

The trail led me to the second beach and to the wedding chapel. There are several opportunities to walk up on the mountain with it large forested high plateau. In the forest you find again these nice spots to sit and watch.

Impressions of Snuggles Forest (5) – lower left shows the wedding chapel

And that’s it about Snuggles Forest. If you seek a quiet place to wind down, if you enjoy forests and nature, or if you like taking pictures then Snuggles Forest is a great place to visit. I always appreciate it when shop owners combine their business with giving something back to the community like Teagan did with this sim. Thank you very much, I enjoy my visit a lot.

Landmark to Snuggles Forest
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Snuggles%20Forest/208/168/26
Maddy Gynoid’s “Simtipp: Snuggles Forest”
http://echtvirtuell.blogspot.com/2020/09/simtipp-snuggles-forest.html
Snuggles Forest flickr
https://www.flickr.com/groups/snugglesforest/pool/
Snuggles on marketplace
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/29481

Simploring 2020 (66) Coasta Verde

08 Oct 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , , ,

For my simploring tour Monday, September 28th, I picked Coasta Verde from scoop.it SL Desinations. It led to a post from Susann Decuir “Simtipp: Coasta Verde (Moderat)” (in German) and that was really a teaser for going there on the spot.

The landmark description is short and doesn’t fully reveal what you can expect there (a lot!): “Coasta Verde. Visitors are welcome, beach, hangout, relax, explore“

Coasta Verde – overview and orientation map

Coasta Verde is a moderate homestead owned and designed by Night (Nightwatcher Stormcrow). And it is incredible what Night made with less than 5000 prims – Chapeau!

The landing is in the center of a long promenade at the beach. Your first view goes over the large beach to the lighthouse. The scenery is hazy, it almost feels a bit cold and damp. Well it is Autumn. If you turn around you see a fair with a ferris wheel and a large fall tower (Madfall). Behind the fair is a mountain ridge that melts into the high mountains of the sim surround.

Impressions of Coasta Verde (1) – around the landing point / the beach / the lighthouse

I first went on the beach with its many opportunities to sit and watch, just the cold and damp weather doesn’t really invit to sit – that’s how many beaches look like at this time of the year. I walked along the beach and went to the lighthouse first. Below the lighthouse you find two cosy places, one tent and one campfire. Above the campfire is a balloon. Try sitting on it to have a nece view over the whole place.

Impressions of Coasta Verde (2) – the campfire with the balloon / Irish pub / a view on the fair

I went back to the promenade, visited the Irish pub and enjoyed the view on the fair, which is for sure one of the hightlights of Coasta Verde. I had fun! I tried out the fall tower (Madfall), which is quite well made, I tried out the swingboat (that offers only different seating poses for pictures) and I tried the ferris wheel. The ferris wheel is fully operational. It stops at the highest point so that you can have a view and take pictures. Just great!

Impressions of Coasta Verde (3) – fair fun: Madfall / swingboat / ferris wheel

I finally tried out the carousel (Shell Shocked) – another fun ride. Next to the carousel is the source for the scary noises that I heard all the time in the background – a graveyard. And fitting to the season some scary zombies were around, seemingly trying to catch me.
No fair without food and drinks. At the other end of the fair is a bar and restaurant offering places for a break after all the fun.

Impressions of Coasta Verde (4) – the crousel (Shell Shocked) / graveyard with zombies / bar and restaurant

I visited the next highlight – the Wolf Ridge Asylum. You can grab a notecard in the entry hall when you dare to step close to the wall: “Welcome to the Wolf Ridge Asylum. Closed and abandoned in the late 1970s, former residents have recounted tales of ghastly trials and demented attempts to cure the mentally disturbed. One in particular, a nurse of the facility spoke …. ”
I recommend to get the full text and to enjoy your scary visit. Ghosts are round and the above mentioned nurse. You can gat a flashlight at the wall as well ….. I managed to take on picture with a ghost.

Impressions of Coasta Verde (5) – Wolf Ridge Asylum

Finally I went to Bates Motel and to the Psycho house. Have a look into the rooms of the motel. Every room showcases another scary scene – bloody, scary, just great. Of course the Psycho house is home for ghosts, one welcomes you already on at the entrance stairs. And those inside seem to be quite alive. Next to the Psycho house is another graveyard and two more ghosts.

Impressions of Coasta Verde (6) – Bates Motel and Psycho House

Coasta Verde is a very well made place. It offers a lot of fun as there’s so much to explore and to discover. The fair is really well made. Beside of all this fun, Coasta Verde is excellent built with a lot of fitting details. And for the Halloween season, it is just perfect. I will return for sure and enjoy this place.
Thank you, Night, for sharing this place publicly. I had fun on my first visit!

Landmark to Coasta Verde
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Serena%20Cay%20Verde/147/129/28
Susann Decuir’s Simtipp: Coasta Verde (Moderat)
https://mein-zweites-leben.blogspot.com/2020/09/simtipp-coasta-verde-moderat.html

Simploring 2020 (65) Dya’s Southern Twilight

04 Oct 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , ,

Thursday, October 1st, I got a message from Dya OHare that she has redesigned her sim and opened Dya’s Southern Twilight. This time her sim is “a homage to one of the most charming places of the world. Explore the “Big Easy” and the beautiful autumn landscape with numerous animals. Some romantic Spots and various places for photographers” (taken from the landmark description).
We’re talking about New Orleans, the river Missisippi and of the state of Lousiana in the US. Accordingly you find the 2 bridges (one for each direction), the French Quartier, an old paddle steamboat an the oak alley plantation at Dya’s Southern Twilight. Dya wants to take us back into the 1930/40ies and she did quite well.
Dya’s Southern Twilight, a moderate homestead, is another masterpiece of building in Second Life.

The landing point it close to the town next to a coffee bike and a board where you can join the group to get rezz rights. The windlight is a bit hazy, the sun seems to fight to get through the fog, just like it is at this time of the year. Looking around you see the old paddle steamboat, the river and the entrance to the town. Don’t forget to turn the ambient sound on. You will here some jazz music and Louis Armstrong’s “What a wonderful life” – very fitting to this place!

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (1) – around the landing point

I first went along the river a bit away from the town. At the end of the promenade is a stage where artists show some tricks. Dya used an old picture as background for the stage to provide the 1930/40ies feeling.

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (2) – the stage and the entrance to the town

I returned and walked towards the entrance of the town. I had a look at the paddle steamboat and went onboard. You can see the old steam vessels. Some rooms on the upper deck are furnished and document the luxury of these riverboats in former times. At the promenade is also the stand to buy the tickets for the a riverboat tour. Dya added a lot of details. For example there’s a board with the a tour map at the ticket booth.

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (3) – the town

In the town you can admire some street scenes. A homestead is limited in prims and Dya used up almost all prims. Hence not all stores and buildings are furnished – some are, just take a look. Dya also used a nice workaround. The store at the corner is just in refurbishment, hence the windows are closed with wooden boards. Dya added old newpapers to these boards to provide the right feeling of the 1930/40ies. Great idea!
But there’s also a little oddity. The tram fits perfect to New Orleans and to the town, yet the destination sign on it “Taksim Tünel” seems to belong more to Istanbul *winks*.
The street with the scenes is a great place to take pictures.

I went to the graveyard next. It fits to the Halloween season and to the town. Yes it is a bit scary, but not more than any other graveyard and I didn’t meet any ghost. I just noticed another oddity – the grave of Martin Luther King and his wife …. just does not fit to the time setting, but it fits very well to Dya’s Southern Twilight. What caught my eye next to the graveyard was a painting on a backyard wall showing thre musicians. Dya has an eye for litte details.

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (4) – the graveyard and the French quartier / the bar

I continued my simploring tour at the French Quartier. It is just like I saw it on pictures, just like I expected it to be – and very well transformed into Second Life. I’d like you to have a look at the decoration and the balconies. The bar is fully furnished and you can watch Louis Armstong live there. I recommend to have a look into the antique store as well.

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (5) – the French quartier / the antique store / the harbour

I left the French Quartier and walked over the bridge to the other side of Dya’s Southern Twilight, to the other side of the river and came to the harbour. It is raining there. Behind of the harbour is a village with a few residential houses, all decorated for the Autumn season and all close to the Mangrove swamp. These houses are furnished, have a look inside. In one of them you find the workplace of a witch – I loved it.

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (6) – the village

My next stop was the oak alley plantation. Again a spot that Dya has rebuilt very well and fitting to the time and the location. The ground floor of the manor is furnished and provides a feeling of luxury. From the river promenade you have a great view on the town, the paddle steamer and the French Quartier. That’s really a great place to sit and enjoy!

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (7) – oak alley plantation / river promenade / at the harbour

I ended my first visit to Dya’s Southern Twilight at the river promenade facing the the town and played with the windlight settings to get another view and atmosphere. And I enjoyed the place.

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (8) – Diomita in New Orleans

I’ve been to many places in the US in the physcial world, even in the Southern states and I’ve seen old plantations, but I’ve never been in New Orleans so far. But now, I feel as if I have been there already, much more then pictures alone could provide. Thank you Dya! You created a great place. I love it.

Landmark to Dya’s Southern Twilight
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Phantos/61/146/29

Art in Second Life 2020 (58) Milena Carbone’s art at Noir’Wen City

22 Sep 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life, Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I got an invitation for a particular exhibition at Noir’Wen City, that opens officially on Wednesday September 23rd – “Plead guilty” by Milena Carbone.

It’s the second time that I came across Milena Carbone (mylena1992) and her art. I saw her exhibition “Agape in Pace” at The Itakos Project and Art Gallery in March 2020 (read here)

For Milena Carbone’s exhibtion “Plead guilty“, that extends all over Noir’Wen City, I got a notecard from Nieu (nieuwenhove) and later also from Violet Boa, which describes perfectly a tour not only of this but also of 3 other exhibitions by Milena. I decided to make writing a bit easier for me and to simply use it for my post along with my pictures and some comments.

“Plead guilty” by Milena Carbone above the streets of Noir’wen City

Milena Carbone (mylena1992) is a French artist and is in Second Life since mid 2019. She discovered its artistic potential and since then has devoted all her free time to creation, associating, as in real life, images and texts. By accepting the rule of the “double” (the real “I” and the virtual “I”), Milena Carbone includes herself in her artwork. Her creative process is iterative: some of her images inspire her stories and these stories modify the development of the image, which itself transforms the story.

We arrived at dawn in Noir’Wen City after a quick trip, and we have been immediately fascinated by the density and the harmony of this small regenerated and bustling industrial city of houses and restored buildings in its old factories which do host more than fifty galleries and stores of artists and fetish creators. It is here that Milena has taken over the urban and social space of this small town that has literally become the gallery for her exhibition.

Impressions of “Plead guilty” by Milena Carbone above the streets of Noir’wen City (1)

Going up from the harbor to the central place of Noir’Wen City, the artist has arranged along the streets an impressive gallery of portraits of the inhabitants of this unlikely town who find themselves caught in the act of their desires or dreams. We do not know if each of these portraits overlooking the streets is a wanted poster or the image of their prisoner identity. It is in any case the living beacon of a long apocalyptic poem that we can read as we go along.

Impressions of “Plead guilty” by Milena Carbone above the streets of Noir’wen City (2)

Along your way you find posts with some lines of a poem titled also “Plead guilty”. Above the posts you can click to get to a website from Milena Carbone which offers more background information about the 35 exhibits above the streets and the full poem. Here’s a direct link.

We then visited the church transformed for the exhibition into a place of art where Milena offers us the still unknown “sermon of Mahdi”, the fiction of a new Christ illustrated by paintings inspired by the Renaissance religious art and described in a book readable in SL and exhibited in the church.

Impressions of “The Sermon of Mahdi” by Milena Carbone at Noir’wen City Church

From the church, we reached the castle on the heights of the city, where we had a wonderful lesson about “Nude is Art” with forty original paintings of Milena dedicated to the beauty of the body and its grace, beyond eroticism.

Impressions of “Nude is art” by Milena Carbone at Noir’wen City Castle (1)

We end our visit by stopping at the art center of Noir’Wen to sit for a moment in the center of a virtuous circle of fourteen artworks which illustrate the “nine levels of love” linked with five humanist values. We can then slowly savor the deep pleasures of this new artwork of Milena Carbone, which will require us to plunge back into it to capture all the dimensions and emotions it arouses.

Impressions of “nine levels of love” by Milena Carbone at Noir’wen Art Center

While walking, we could have also seen the galleries of many artists such as Belice Benoir (Ars Amandi), Ambre Singh, Colm Midnight, Al Niekerk, Anaya Oneiro, Jos Loll, Ninatchka, Pask Wasp, KarolinaKatt, BobbiEden, Wyald Woolley … We also noted the presence of a museum of virtual arts with an exhibition on the history of the pink Dildo. But these places will be the occasion of a new visit.

It remains in us the fundamental question that Milena Carbone asks us through this new masterpiece: is it fair to plead guilty?

Impressions of “Nude is art” by Milena Carbone at Noir’wen City Castle (2)

With the opening of “Plead guilty” by Milena Carbone, also this years Noir’Wen city festival has started. It takes place in Noir’Wen city during 2-3 months at the end of the summer.
The Festival will revolve around an original artwork created especially by a selected artist, integrated into the city, with the possibility of using all possible types of visual arts and whose concept will aim to “give life” to the city, its inhabitants and its creators. And the artist of this year is Milena Carbone. There will be quite some events.

I visited Noir’Wen City the first time in April 2020 (read here). Noir’Wen City is a permanent fetish fair with over 50 inworld stores, it is a place to socialize, it is a place for the the arts with several galleries and lots of art exhibited in the streets. Noir’Wen City is a big city and as such offers a great background for pictures and it offers also rentals (luxurious villas). Thank you to Belice Benoir, to Nieu (NieuwenHove) and to the whole team as well as to Nathalie Monday and to Violet Boa who gave me a bit more information.

Landmark to Noir’Wen City
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Noir%20Wen/187/156/32
Landmark to Noir’Wen City – “Plead guilty” by Milean Carbone – Starting point
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Noir%20Wen/80/132/32
“Plead guilty” website
https://medium.com/@539568/plead-guilty-1b69921651d3
Landmark to Noir’Wen City Church – “sermon of Mahdi” by Milena Carbone
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Noir%20Wen/116/136/32
Landmark to Noir’Wen City Castle – “Nude is art” by Milena Carbone
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Noir%20Wen/85/221/42
Landmark to Noir’Wen City Art Center – “nine levels of love” by Milena Carbone
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Noir%20Wen/42/117/23
Simploring 2020 (27) Noir’Wen City
https://themaurers.me/2020/04/10/simploring-2020-27-noirwen-city/

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