Safari Town and Country

         This week's destinations reflect the best of opensim, the passion that underlie the creative urge. We visited Magnolia Mountain on OSGrid, and Keng City on Digiworldz, and the HG Addresses are at the end of the post.

          Magnolia Mountain is the project of CelticMaidenWarrior Lancaster. The talented singer still plays regular gigs in Second Life but she has discovered the joy of opensim, both as a builder and as a performer. She plays a 12 string Blue4u Nowicka, and offers a mix of tunes from the likes of the Eagles, Carol King, Carly Simon, and Van Morrison to mention just a few - her repertory is as wide as it is delightful. The region she's working on will soon host weekly events.

Sweet April Whirls

          This week, two of the best opensim performers, at two of the greatest OSgrid regions. On Amsterdam Bingyi's Zweet ZurroundingZ, an audience with Emil Jannings, a star of the spoken word, and then, a fascinating visit to the Belfast regions of Stiofain Mactomais, culminating with a concert by talented guitarman Whirli Placebo. HG Addresses are at the end of the post.



          The origins of Zweet ZurroundingZ, romantic arcadian hills and woods topped by ethereal palaces and rotundas, are lost in the mists of Second Life.

A Copy/Mod/Trans Safari

          This week was probably the last ever three stop Safari. It's a scenario that invites confusion, crashing and endless IMs of folks who are looking for the group, yet strangely, everything went perfectly smoothly, we didn't even lost the self-confessed Safari newbies, so for anyone thinking of picking up where the safari is leaving off, and starting their own tour group, it's a good sign. Three stops, and the HG addresses are at the end of the post.

Our first stop was to see the gallery curated by Katia Parcdesarts, now on Craft grid. The theme is "La liberté guidant le peuple"  or 'Liberty Guides the People' and people have certainly taken liberties with the original meaning of the painting... to learn more about that, watch this video.

Safari does Art and Ice

          Two vastly different destinations this week, from Europe to Australia and even farther South as we count down the final ten Safari tours. Both regions, Guinguette on Ignis Fatuus Grid, and Ambiant Antarctica on OSGrid,  are beautiful and intriguing and the HG addresses are of course at the end of the post.

        First, to mark the Equinox - the Spring Equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere - we visited a beautiful exhibition on Ignis Fatuus, curated by Wizardoz Chrome and Aime Socrates.

Safari Countdown

           There will be a big party on May 23, it marks the 4th anniversary of HG Safari, which began on May 20th, 2014 when Wizard Gynoid joined me for our first trek around the hyperverse. 

           A week later, Fuschia Nightfire and Wizardoz Chrome joined us, on an epic five stop tour that involved a lot of crashing and cloudiness. 

Safari Meets its Destiny

               A beautiful outdoor gallery, a live concert with singer songwriter Tom Albury, a couple dozen friends, and the digital art of Tryad Destiny. That's all the ingredients you need for a perfect Safari visit to Metropolis Grid. HG Addresses as always at the bottom of this post. 

Tom Albury, known in SL as Moses Rae

              If you don't know Tryad Destiny and his wife Loru Destiny, they're two of opensim's impressive field of creators. Loru is well known for her fashion line and her many builds, visited in previous weeks by the intrepid Safari band.

Art and Kart Safari

There was an Unexpected Peruvian Incident in the Safari this week, though I don't think anyone but Larysa and me knew it. Ostensibly, it was a simple trip to an Art Sim by ieko catnap on Francogrid, and then a Kart sim - is it sacrilege to call Bill Blight's desert landscape and hit-the-coin-with-the car game a 'Kart sim'?   HG Addresses at the end of this post, as usual. And please, don't forget to 'Like' the regions you visit, by going to opensimworld.com... it may seem a small silly thing to you, but it means a lot to the creators.

           We tried to hard to make Ieko Catnap rez during our visit to imaginaire-de-ieko-18, with no success - luckily I got this snap of her earlier. Otherwise,

Safari and Cornflakes: Made In Opensim

         Cornflakes Week is the last seven days of February and, since this February ended on a Wednesday this year, it was a Safari Finale to a week of celebrations and silliness.

        This was the 4th year of Cornflakes Week, and once again people got creative in the best way. The event even got a mention in New World Notes, a blog about Second Life.

Cars Coins and Canvas

       A sudden change of plans, caused by internet outage sounds like the beginning of a bit of a disaster, but this week, the need to postpone our visit to Freda Frostbite's fascinating Floridiana build actually turned into a hilarious adventure on opensimlife grid, with Bill Blight  and Leighton Marjoram followed by an interesting new project on Mobius with Zoliea Yifu and Sprocket Watchclock. HG Addresses as always, are at the end of the post.

Desert cities add intrigue to the game on Desert Oasis region

       

Corny Calendar 2018

Cornflakes Week 

2018 

22 February to 28 February         

Thursday marks the beginning of the 4th annual Cornflakes Week in Opensim, and yet again, many grid owners have pulled out all the stops to make it a fun and silly one. 
If you missed previous years, here's a video of last year's event, to give you an idea of what happens

Seeking Cinderella's Shoes

 Our second top was the splendid region by Debbie Edwards and Ferd Frederix, called Snowgarde, which is based on Cinderella.

            The visit begins with Fairy Godmother providing you with your own pumpkin-based horse drawn coach. Next, you ride up along a roadway that curls around the castle like a tail. 
This is a great way to see who's a good driver, and who isn't...

Safari does Chromosomes and Cats

              The Safari was on the road for Valentines Day this year, and what better way to celebrate than by meditating on our genes, and dancing in an enchanted castle... and for some of us, doing both at the same time, such is the joys of multiple avatars! Two places you need to see, and the addresses are, yes you've guessed it, at the end of the post. This is the first part of our two part trip, this time on VIBE grid, the HG Address is, as always, at the end of the post.

              Our first stop was at one of the VIBE grids, this time the Genome regions built by Max Chatnoir.
              Clowey Greenwood, who manages these four regions, named for the heroes of genetics, Crick, Mendel, Huxley, Hooke,  met us on the welcome region and showed us around.

A Higher Safari

              This week's trip brought us to great heights in every way! First, up to a theater in the sky on Metropolis, to hear a talk about High art with Art Blue and Juliette Surrealdreaming, followed by a formal ball, and then on to Neverworld Grid, for a luxurious all dancing, all sporting extravaganza with Govega Sachertorte, Pasha Theas, Nexus Storm, and - in my book - one of the High Princes of Opensim, Locked Semaphore. But more of the latter later.
             HG Addresses as always at the end of the post.
             Our first stop was in a cube theater on South Horizon, given the name ' Onawero' for the occasion, to hear about 1biennale. We were greeted by Juliette and Art outside an interesting, almost matrimonial, build, with places to sit at the end of a long red carpet.

              Art Blue delivered an address using Screenleap, so rather than each of us touring the

Swon-fari

          This week's Safari trip was a celebration of two paragons of opensim longevity. First, a conversation with Sylvia Sonoda on Swondo, then a dancing and feast of art on Craft Grid to mark their 8th anniversary. HG Addresses as always at the end of the post.
          Swondo on OSGrid is one of those names we've all heard, or perhaps one should say seen, on OSGrid - the Swondo estate is adjacent to OSgrid's go-to region, LBSA. But what is it? What does the name mean, and who runs this place? All was revealed...

Sylvia Sonoda

Sylvia Sonoda: My name is Sylvia Sonoda and in Real it is also Sylvia, ok we are here in OSgrid and I guess everyone knows how Opensim works right?

Safari goes Big

          For no reason at all, we had a surprise party for Zinnia Frenzy of 3rd Rock Grid this week. I say for no reason, but really, it was an opportunity to celebrate her and all the work she does for her grid and for the No Borders annual charity event. Her husband Kered Owl helped set up the surprise by telling her she had to come over to the Lodi Ballroom and fix a problem....
Jessie Campbell: S U R P R I S E !!

Zinnia looking elegantly surprised

Zinnia Frenzy: I am speechless lol
Rosy Ogrady, a regular performer on 3rd Rock Grid, aid a few words, and it was so nice to see her along with other musician friends of Zinnia's, Truelie Telling and CelticMaiden Warrior,  there to cheer her on.

Safari Buys the Farm

          Metropolis and Tangle were our two destination grids this week, and two wonderful regions... the common thread, beautiful building, and farming! HG Addresses at the end of the post as usual.
          First up a trip to see Satyr Aeon, sometimes known as Satyr Gator. This lovely man is behind one of the hypergrid's most valuable tools, opensimworld.com - a web directory you have already bookmarked I'm sure.

Satyr

          Satyr has a number of regions on Metropolis, including Opensimworld, Priape, and Roman. You can get Satyr's Farming system available in box form on Opensimworld, and there is a farm on Priape, but for this week's trip, he set up a farm on sim Roman, in order to avoid some lag issues.  

Safari goes High Seas and High Tech

This week was a cross your fingers, don't dare breathe kind of Safari. Two destinations, both on OSgrid, both exceptionally beautiful, interesting, and highly recommended - addresses as always at the end.

First up, a trip to a brand new region on OSgrid, built by Azi Az and Danger Lytton, one of OSgrid's most famed couples, for their talent, for their

Poetry and Particles

                The poetry of big, collaborative art - that was the theme of this week's trip, once again two great destinations, both highly recommended, HG Addresses at the end of the post as always.

Karima Hoisan on The River of Forgetting

                 First up, an invitation from Karima Hoisan to visit Kitely. It's always a joy to visit Karima's many regions on this grid. They are as varied as they are colorful, and The River of Forgetting is a special place because it's where Karima and Natascha Randt filmed their latest machinima, which they have entered in the prestigious SLartist@UWA Machinima competition in Second Life.

2018 Safari Calendars

            This year, there are two Safari Calendars.
             As always, the calendar features many of the people and places who have made the past year so varied and vivid. From Furries and Burlesque, to literature and fine art, to racing and relaxing beaches, this past year has certainly proved that OpenSim is full of wide open spaces, and lots of friends too.
            Both calendars are available inworld as free, full permission items, at the safari clubhouse. hg.francogrid.org:80:hgsafari  and they'll be available at other venues over coming days.

You can also buy a real world version of both on Lulu.com  if you are so inclined, then you can feel like you are inworld even when your internet goes wonky.
The Women of Opensim                                     The Men of Opensim
           The calendars inworld come complete with the Landmarks for all the destinations photographed, so you can go and visit the lovely and in some cases little known corners of opensim. Inevitably, there are more destinations and more intrepid grid jumpers than there are months in the year, so all our models consider themselves representatives of the wider world of interlocking grids.
           A big thanks to all the models for their time and patience and trust. I leave it to you to pick up the calendar and see if you can identify all the victims...

Puzzles and Poles

                  A unique gallery and a brand new game were the destinations for this week's Safari adventure, the last for 2017. Both places you'll love, so look to the end of the post to see the HG Addresses.

Antonio Salamander

               First, we headed off to Antonio Salamander's region on OSgrid. It's called Art of Puzzles, which really tells you everything about the subject matter.                 It was a particularly international event, as Antonio speaks German and his native Spanish, while most Safari regulars are fluent only in typonese and gibberish.