A Haven for Jimmy

Everybody hopes to have one, a little private haven somewhere in the virtual world. So many creative people share their fabulous sims with the general public and enjoy and allow strangers just to pop in at any time, and that frequently includes having lots of freebies in the form of art and assets - we're very fortunate to have them ! But it's also nice to have a place where you can kick back. 

This is Jimmy Olsen's hideaway, Tromsø, on Alternate Metaverse Grid.

You might have heard him called the Norwegian Elf, in reality Jimmy is Brazilian. That's a very un-Scandinavian country, where right now it's very hot! As a way to beat the heat, his inworld home sim is far cooler and darker than his RL experience. Jimmy has a special script that makes it rain on his region when it's raining in Tromsø (and it rains 234 days a year, on average) so no wonder he suggested I bring an umbrella when dropping in on him!

The EEP is everything to Jimmy. That's how he starts every build, with the feel of the sim, the colors and the shadows becoming an integral part of the construction - and incidentally, covering the occasional imperfection. It might seem impractical to some of us who prefer to build in mid daylight so they can see what they're doing. But too much stark daylight can crush creativity for some people. Which category do you fall into? Or do you do a bit of both?

IDD - Great Idea

 This photograph was blatantly stolen in the night from Zoree Jupiter, there, I said it. 

And what a night it was! 

A night of 30 minute music sets on a special region AMV International,  showcasing singers from around the world, and celebrating the vibrant and fascinating multicultural community we're all part of. 
 The celebration of all things international is of course in the air with the HIE event coming up in April 19-21. HIE is a sort of opensim convention, with a big but simple Expo 

Nyx's Art for Space

Every grid in Opensim has its niche, its look, its personality, and with few exceptions they're all growing or evolving one way or another. It is a treat to explore each one! 

Creating a brand new region as a public venue can take a lot of time and talent, and maybe you've thought once or twice - "Argh... I wish I could just get a really top notch builder to come in and make a really unusual venue sim."

Jazzland, on Pangea

Here is an option that might appeal! 

Nyx Breen

Nyx Breen has been making  Virtual Art creations for nearly 18 years. 

He started in SL where he was the top monthly winner in the SL-UWA Build and Art contest.  

Here in opensim, he's been busy building both on Alternate Metaverse Grid, and at the Pangea Art and Culture Festival. A hypergridder at heart, Nyx has over the past few years also participated in the OSCC (Opensim Community Conference), OSgrid's  Anniversary, the Hypergrid International Expo, and more. 

The Safari has been to visit many of his builds, so if you're a long time reader of this blog his name will be familiar to you, and our experience has always been very positive with little lag and some amazing immersive experiences. 

Clan Do

By far the biggest number of events on Opensim are musical. Whether it's a DJ spinning a few, or a karaoke style performer, or a live musician playing in real time, each brings a unique style and contribution to the community. But even if you're not particularly into opensim as a source of your tune-based entertainment, our second destination will wow you without a single note being played!

The magnificent Club Escotia is a 2x2 var on AMV grid, the full Address is, of course, at the end of the post. To greet us, the magical Webby Merlin and everyone's favorite precipitation, MidnightRain Glas.

Webby Merlin: Welcome to Club Escotia, home base for the phenomenal singer Clan Escotia and his various clan members from all over the metaverse. Welcome home all ye who enter here! A custom castle fit for a Scotsman surrounded by various themes of performance venues, 22 in all!

Alex Salamander: Hello :-)

Star Ravenhurst: Hello!

Luna Lunaria: Hi Webby :-)

Lavia Lavine: rubs the top of my head because somebody landed on it  LOL:::

Webby Merlin: Lavia hope your hair's ok! For your tour today, please click the HG Safari Welcome Sign for a TP MENU HUD. Once you ADD this from your inventory, it mounts on the left side of your screen, a click will toggle it open and closed. 

Tosha Tyran: the hud is very neat

Luna Lunaria: Yes I love the hud

Ship Trip

Admiral Hanger says: Welcome back. It's nice to have you back. Please enjoy your stay.

Ted Junior: Bonsoir Ange :) Bienvenue

Yara Eild: A real cruise ship

Ange Menges: Merci Ted, bonsoir. Bonsoir Yara

Ted Junior: Welcome Everybody, I am and I'm your guide, today for the Aurora Cruise Ship here on AMV. If its not rezzing good, just walk around a little then it pops up

Forest Azure: /me is getting seasick already

We were at SevenSeas on AMV for the prnultimate destination of this season, and delighted to be on the biggest ship in opensim !  Ted is one of the Staff on AMV and kindly took on the job of showing us around. He has forearms, I swear, but like Yara's legs, and Ziggy's torso, they chose not to reveal themselves to my viewer. The joys of HG - but back to the tour.

Art and Soul at the OSF

OpensimFest has as its motto 'The chemistry of community' and that's why the regions take their names from the periodic table. Some are words we're all familiar with like Oxygen and Carbon, while others have names that sound a bit made up, come on, admit it, by scientists who just want to mystify their craft. 

The heart of Chlorine. Greyer than I expected, tbh

Here are two OpensimFest regions you might like to explore,  one with an everyday name, the other sounding more exotic. What do they have in common? Big art, and interesting projects. Both regions are full of good things to look at, I've chosen my favorite three from each, so go and explore, perhaps you'll find something I have overlooked.

Safari goes to Hell and Back

Come quando la nebbia si dissipa,

lo sguardo a poco a poco raffigura

ciò che cela 'l vapor che l'aere stipa...

Dante, Inferno XXXI

Beth Ghostraven: Hi Ubit!

Luna Lunaria: Hiya Ubit :-)

Ubit Umarov: nice regions stress your arrival :)  You bring own chairs..  good idea.  i was about to rez a few boxes.. no need

Lux Tergeste: Thank you Thirza for the handy chairs :)

Beth.Ghostraven: this dress is stain-proof anyway

Aedifex Rex: the art of Nyx Breen

If you ever spent any time in the temples of art in Second Life, you will have come across the work of Nyx Breen. Based in Massachusetts, he has a long career as a real-world fine art photographer, and in virtual, a list of winning entries as long as your arm, in particular at the  UWA, the virtual campus of the University of Western Australia. 

After more than a decade of nurturing and rewarding digital art and artists, the UWA powered down in Second Life back in 2020. I thought the place was gone forever, but the great JayJay 'Zifanwe' Jegathesan tells me that the original UWA sim persists there, along with Nyx's Moreton Bay Fig. I asked JayJay about his friend and collaborator.