The New Panda Jenn's Pad

 

Earlier, we reported that Panda Jenn was rebuilding her place in Second Life, Panda Jenn's Pad. She just announced that the rebuilding has been completed enough to officially reopen to visitors. 

 

Previously of an Asian-inspired design, the new Pad at Zeta Valley is a Wild West saloon. It boasts games such as a playable poker table and pool table, as well as a mechanical bull. There's also a second floor, which has a bedroom or two, for those looking for activities of a more private kind. 

 

In the back is a dance floor where presumably the parties in the future will be held. 

 

Besides the saloon, there's other buildings around, giving the place the feel of a Wild West town. This includes a general store, although none of the items are for sale to visitors. On the street, there's a pair of gunfighters staring one another down. Careful about startling them, they'll liable to draw their guns at the slightest poke.

 

As of now, there are no scheduled events, but this may change soon. 

 

So feel free and drop by for a ride on the mechanical bull or play some poker with a friend.

 

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Zeta%20Valley/81/208/3002

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

 

The New Happy Vixen Beach Club

 

Among the longer-lasting clubs in Second Life is the Happy Vixen Beach Club. This mainstay of the Sunweaver/Angels community has been around for over ten years. But it's also been rebuilt several times for a fresh new look. This New Year's, regulars and staff alike came over to a newly rebuilt beach club, with a new look, a new ride, but the same friendly atmosphere.

Read the story in Places.

The Return of "The Wall," Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rebuilt

 

Longtime readers may remember the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Second Life, also known as "The Wall." Built in 2007, it stood for four years until it vanished in 2011. But after over ten years, it's back, or rather rebuilt. This wall is high over the Heavens Sunset sim.

This version of The Wall appears to have all 58,000 names. There are some differences as the Three Soldiers Memorial statue isn't there. Still the return of "The Wall," is good news.
 
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Heavens%20Sunset/65/106/953

 Bixyl Shuftan

 

"Hug-A-Linden/Dunk-A-Linden" Valentines Day Event Announced

February is best known for Valentines Day. And Second Life will be having a number of events related to the romance-themed holiday. Linden Lab has it's own Valentine event every year, and recently announced it on the official blog: the "Hug-A-Linden/Dunk-A-Linden" event.


Isle of View has returned with its forested walks, love nooks, and romantic swan boat rides. Love is in the air, and pink sunbeams are the perfect spot to profess your true feels to your belle or beau. Enjoy a scenic glide across the pink and purple waters, the twinkling rain of fireworks (and not just the kind you expect when you sneak that first kiss!), or stroll through the twining paths to hugging booths for picture-perfect moments.


While the Isle of View's entrance from Portal Park remains closed, one can access it on the map at Isle of View 2 (84/79/107), which is also mentioned in the Destination Guide. The Isle's sun is frozen at sunset through the clouds, giving the place a pinkish hue. One can walk down the paths, with lots of heart-shaped builds, pink lanterns, cherry-blossom trees, fireworks, and more. Or one can go down the water in a swan boat, preferably with your special someone.

The Valentines Day event will take place at the two "Love Pavilion" areas, seen as dome-like structures from a distance. Until then, people can have fun at the hugging and dunking booths, or buy a gift for a friend at the gift kiosk.

In earlier times in Second Life's history, there would be a "Kiss a Linden" event every year. The last one would be in 2011, after which it along with a number of other yearly events were discontinued. The Teen Grid would hold "Hug a Linden" events, at least until it was merged with the Mainland at the end of 2010. The Isle of View would be gone for a few years, but it's yearly appearances returned in 2014. While the "Kiss a Linden" events were no more, the "Hug a Linden" events resumed in 2016, combined with "Dunk a Linden," on a larger Isle of View.

Source: Linden blog.

Bixyl Shuftan

"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

Lost Gardens of Apollo Memorial: A Sim Is Rebuilt

It was almost five years ago in June 2011 when the "Lost Gardens of Apollo" vanished from Second Life. Built in 2005 by Dane Zander, this was a beautifully designed sim with stone architecture and mosaics built well into an island landscape, with high towers stretching high into the sky, and cuddle spots set among a number of pillows and pools. A popular spot for couples who could snuggle or find a spot on a platform or floor to dance in the sunset, it's end was a sad event for both longtime fans and for people whom had just found out about it as word got around. The Newser was around to get a few pictures before it closed.

Usually when a location disappears from Second Life, there's nothing left but screenshots, videos, and memories to look back on. In the case of Svarga and the SS Galaxy, Linden Lab intervened to preserve the places, but this would not be the case with the Lost Gardens. Instead someone would step in to bring back the Gardens on her own. The result is the "Lost Gardens of Apollo Memorial" in the
Sorbon Beach sim, built and owned by Delphi Bernard. The sim is a rebuilding, and not a true duplication. But the structures are done in the same style, capturing the beauty and soul of the original Lost Gardens.

"I want to bring back some memories," Delphi told me when I met her at the Gardens. She told me in trying to rebuild the place, she had a double challenge. She basically had just screenshots and videos to work with, "to rebuild the terrain just from memories and pictures, that was not easy. And (to) find the original textures, it takes some days." She told me the Newser article was one such source. Another problem was that this wasn't a full sim but a homestead, "A big challenge was to rebuild that all just with 3750 prims. ... This is just a homestead sim, so I can not rebuild all. I hope you can feel the spirit (of) Apollo a little." She told me it took four to five weeks in total to rebuild. She went on to say Dane Zander, the creator of the original Apollo had seen the place and was happy with it.

Delphi says she should be able to hold onto the sim for the foreseeable future, so both longtime fans of Apollo and those whom had heard about the original but had never seen it can enjoy the location, "I think a little bit retro is good for all."

And so the Lost Gardens of Apollo are back. Perhaps some of the statues and a few other items are not there, but what defined the old Apollo sim is there. For longtime residents whom have seen sim after sim fade away, the return of such a well built area is welcome news.



(Click here if the video fails to play)

Sorbon Beach (190/136/23)

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

Johnny Cash's Childhood Home in Second Life

Earlier Second Life Newser stated it planned to do an article on a virtual replica of the house Johnny Cash grew up in. Unfortunetly, time constrants and breaking news put those plans aside. Fortunetly Geo Meek did a few snapshots of the place and put them up.

Geo Meek's Virtual Outworlding article can be found Here. The house can be found in ASU Dyess Colony (56, 213, 23).

Johnny Cash's Childhood Home in Second Life

Fans of Johnny Cash will like what's been built, or rather rebuilt, at the Arkansas State University area in Second Life. At the ASU Dyess Colony sim area, the famous singer's boyhood home has been reconstructed.

The full story will be available later, or you can head to ASU Dyess Colony (56, 213, 23) to see the house, and surrounding area, for yourself.

Bixyl Shuftan