Scenes From Valentines Day at the Isle of View

Valentines Day had many events across Second Life. But one gave a chance for the residents to meet a number of Lindens. At the Isle of View, they could get a hug from one of Linden Lab's finest. But there were also dunking booths available, which allowed those with less charitable feelings to the Lindens to take out their frustration. Bixyl Shuftan was there, and took a few pictures.

Read the story in Events.

Eye On The Blog: "Shop Your Heart Out" and "Hug or Dunk a Linden"

Linden Lab is coming out with two Valentines Day themed events this month. One is a shopping event. The other is the yearly tradition that takes place this time of year: the "Hug or Dunk a Linden" event.

Love is a complicated creature — inspiring poetry, prose, songs, and art since the beginning of time. The Isle of View celebrates this complex feeling once again with the hub of all things Cupid and hearts - the Isle of View!
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Come hug and dunk some Lindens
At the Isle of View!

On February 14th from 10am-12pm SLT, join us at the Isle of View for a chance to hug and dunk some Lindens. Bring your friends, bring your family, bring your one and only - when else are you going to get the chance to cozy up to a Linden or splash one into a cold tank of water? An opportunity like this comes around about once a year — so don’t miss out.

The event takes place at the Isle of View at Isle of View (84/79/107).

For those whom still have their gear from the "Tyrah and the Curse of the Magical Glytches" game, there's a special new glytch in theme with the holiday you can capture and keep.

While you are at the Isle of View - you can hunt for some limited special Glytches. What’s a Glytch, you might ask? Part of a grid-wide experience that launched last September - Glytches are collectible little creatures that you can capture with tools that you can upgrade with gems. Get started (if you don’t already have a weapon and hud) at portal park, then bring your hunting spirit to the Isle of View to capture these adorably cute little rascals.  

There's also a "Love Bug" glytch available in Premium kiosks, for those with Premium accounts.

For those who prefer to shop, there's the "Shop Your Heart Out" shopping event.

 Our annual Valentine’s Day shopping event is back! Discounts on clothings, hair, accessories, decor, and more, plus gifts from many of your favourite Merchants and brands are available from now through February 26th. Drop by the Gilded and Golden shopping regions to collect your gifts and get some great deals. Many of our participating Merchants are also putting items in their Marketplace for sale, so be sure to visit them.

To get the free gifts and deals, head to Gilded (104/135/52).

 For a few years early in Second Life history, at least as far back as 2008, "Kiss a Linden" events were held at the Isle of View sims, while in the Teen Grid "Hug a Linden" events took place. With the closing of the Teen Grid in January 2011, "Hug a Linden" events were closed, and the last "Kiss a Linden" would take place in Feb that year. The Lab would quietly do away with the event, which took some by surprise next year. No reason was given for the closure, although it was part of a trend at the time of the Lab having less interest in interacting with the Second Life community. After three years, the Isle of View would reappear in 2015. And in 2016, "Hug a Linden" was back as part of the "Hug a Linden/Dunk a Linden" event at a rebuilt and expanded four-sim Isle of View.

 For more information, check the Linden blog entry here. 

"Hug a Linden" And "Dunk a Linden" at Isle of View on Valentines Day

Valentines Day is coming, and there will be many Valentine-themed events (and a few anti-valentine events for those who think of it as 'Happy Stick-It to Singles Day') across the Grid. Linden Lab will be having it's own events on the Isle of View: "Hug a Linden" And "Dunk a Linden." Both events will be taking place at once on Tuesday February 14 from 10AM-12 Noon SL time, and 2-4PM SL time.

Roses are redViolets are blueCome hug and dunk some LindensAt the Isle of View!

...  join us at the Isle of View for a chance to hug and dunk some Lindens. Bring your friends, bring your family, bring your one and only - when else are you going to get the chance to cozy up to a Linden or send one shrieking into the depths of a dunk tank? An opportunity like this comes around about once a year — so don’t miss out.

To read the blog post in full, Click Here.

For several years in it's earlier days, Linden Lab would hold "Kiss a Linden" events in the Isle of View and Isle of View 2 sims, sometimes called "Valentine Island," while holding "Hug a Linden" events in the Teen Grid. But Linden Lab would close the Teen Grid in January 2011, and February that year would see the last of the "Kiss a Linden" events, none being held next year in 2012. At the time, it was seen as part of a trend of Linden Lab distancing itself from the residents.

The Isle of View would be gone until 2014. But it wouldn't be until last year in February 2016 in which Linden Lab would start Valentines Day events with a new and larger four-sim Isle of View, bringing back "Hug a Linden," and adding a new event: "Dunk a Linden."

Happy Valentines Day.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Isle of View 2/84/79/107/

Bixyl Shuftan

Isle of View Rebuilt and Larger, "Hug a Linden" Event

The Isle of View, Valentines Day themed place on the Grid by Linden Lab, has gotten a makeover. Last week, the heart-shaped sim of the same name, plus the "Isle of View 2" duplicate island, were taken offline. This week, the Isle is back, bigger than ever. Instead of a one sim island and a duplicate, the place has been expanded to cover four sims.

As it turns out, there's some activities going on at the place, involving both Linden Lab and the Parkinson's charity "Team Fox," which for years has been collecting funds in Second Life through the "Creations for Parkinson's" In the latest official blog post by Xiola Linden, she states that not only do residents have a chance to donate money to the charity there via the purchase of gifts for friends, but Linden Lab promises to match the total raised from them, doubling the amount.

The Isle of View is the perfect place to discover that the truest hallmark of love is time spent with our loved ones. This year it’s bigger and better than before - with some rebooted classics and new festivities! ...Visit the Isle of View kiosks any time this month to send virtual roses and candy hearts to your Second Life friends and sweethearts. Nothing is better than giving, so the L$ proceeds from the sales of these gifts will go to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Visit the Isle of View to select and send your Valentine’s gifts. We’ll match the final total and double the donation love! How’s that for a sweet pairing?

On Friday February 12, some of the Lindens will be at the Isle for an event (Valentines Day February 14 falls on a Sunday). From 10AM to 12 Noon and 2PM and 4PM SL time, Various Lindens will sit at booths and dunking stools for the "Hug a Linden" and "Dunk a Linden" events."

We understand that love is sometimes complicated. You have got to work hard to make it work - and we’re not afraid of a little tough love. ... we'll be mixing things up with the return of Dunk-a-Linden and Hug-a-Linden booths! You may just meet your virtual Valentine while waiting for a chance to dunk or hug a Linden - and if you don’t - hey you still got to dunk or hug a Linden! It’s a win-win situation.

The Isle of View, the Valentines Day themed place on the Grid by Linden Lab, has had a bit of a history. For years, it was the scene of the annual "Kiss a Linden" event, where residents had a chance to pucker up with one of the Lindens. It last took place on 2011. But in 2012, it never took place, part of Linden Lab's lack of interest in interacting with the residents in those days which was reflected in no longer sponsoring some events and calling off others they used to hold. But in 2014, the Isle of View sims returned, although there would be no events by Linden Lab.

So why not bring back "Kiss a Linden," instead of taking the "Hug a Linden" from the Teen Grid when it was around until it's merger with the main one in 2011? One can only speculate. It's possible the Lab is a bit wary of embarassment if someone chose to prank them with a carnivorous alien (NWN article) or a donkey avatar, in which case, they would be quite literally kissing a resident's you-know-what.

For the Linden blog post in it's entirety, Click Here.

Bixyl Shuftan

Valentines Day Event at the Isle of View

Today in Second Life at the Isle of View sim, Linden Lab is promising some Valentines Day fun a day early.

Love is in the air and Valentine’s Day is just a few days away! Pink and red dominate, chocolate sales sky-rocket, and we're reminded that the true hallmark of love is in the quality of time we spend with our loved ones. Come to the Isle of View on February 13th for some Pre-Valentine’s Day fun. Meet up with other Residents and enjoy all the romance that Isle of View has to offer - boat rides, fireworks, kissing booths - a treasure trove of memorable moments just waiting to be made with someone special. Why February 13th? Because we believe in love, and there is still time to find a special someone for the big day. If you’ve got a Valentine - bring them to the Isle of View. If you’re currently looking for a Valentine - come to the Isle of View. If you have several Valentines - well lucky you - bring them all to the Isle of View!

The Isle of View sim appeared last month onto the Grid. For years in the past, it was the scene of the "Kiss a Linden" Event, appearing just on Valentines Day, though 2011 would be the last time the event in which residents got to pucker up with a Linden took place. In 2012 and 2013, the island did not appear on the Grid. In 2014, the sim finally appeared on the grid, and stayed up and online for several days. Appearing earlier this month, there was one addition to the sim, kissing booths.

With those and the line from the email Linden Lab has been sending residents, "You never know who'll you'll meet, friends, Lindens, or even a date for the big day," could it be that "Kiss a Linden" will finally be coming back?  Or maybe it's something similar that involves residents interacting with Lindens. Time will tell.

To view Linden Lab's blog post about the Isle of View, Click Here.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Isle of View/124/97/44/

Bixyl Shuftan

Return of Isle of View Valentines Sims

The Isle of View sim, which shows up only just before Valentines Day and vanishes soon after, is back. After hearing the news, yours truly headed there for a look.

From the air, the place looks like a heart. From the ground, it looks like a romantic park, with walkways, numerous benches one can cuddle with a date on, and swan boat rides.

 Longtime readers will remember the Isle of View and it's twin sim Isle of View 2 as being the setting for the "Kiss a Linden" Valentines Day event. When the Teen Gris was around, it had it's "Hug a Linden" event. The yearly event continued until 2011 when the last one took place. It's discontinuation was part of a trend at the time of "Linden Lab loosing interest of being involved with the Second Life community." But last year, it returned. This was an updated, more detailed island than before, though no sign of Lindens.

 There was no shortage of flowers around, some places having more than others.

  Want a teddy bear for someone special? Michael Linden set these three up for one to get copies of.

There was one addition to the island this year. There were some kissing booths around. A sign perhaps that the "Kiss a Linden" events from some years ago will be coming back? Time will tell.

Bixyl Shuftan

Lindens' Valentines Day Island "Isle of View" Is Back

Longtime residents remember the days held events when the Lindens interacted with the residents, such as the "Kiss a Linden" that happened every Valentines Day at the Isle of View, a location that was accessible on the Grid only on February 14th. Lindens volunteering would be in kissing booths for residents to get a smooch from. The last of these events would be on 2011. Along with other events involving resident/Linden interaction, it would be discontinued.

Fast forward to Wednesday February 5th, when the Linden blog mentioned Isle of View was back.

If you’re looking for a place to take a romantic date, why not stop by the Isle of View? We’ve dusted off, spruced up, and revamped a blast from the past with a Swan Boat Ride and some free treats for you and your special someone. Valentine Bears, candied hearts, kissing boothsm and a skyline of fireworks are sure to send the mood for love.

Porting over, the island was much as I remembered it, with the ground red and heart shaped. But there were a number of new features, such as a swan boat ride near the center that could take couples for a sail around the place. There were also fireworks over the island. There was no music though, at least not yet.

So does this mean "Kiss a Linden" is coming back? The return of the island was the only sign of the possibility that I saw, with no other hints suggesting that. But it's good to see the location again.

Isle of View (124/97/44)

Bixyl Shuftan