Pictured: Linden Employees Field Trip to the Lavender Lake Balloon Festival

This is the first official Destination Guide Highlights post of 2021! Now that the Destination Guide is completely uplifted to the cloud, and the Suggestion Form is working, I will continue to do my weekly Friday features on some of the best new destinations of the week!

Here are 10 enchanting new locations we added to the Destination Guide this week. Don't forget to check our Recently Added category to see all the latest additions!

Lavender Lake Balloon Festival

Come enjoy the fresh breeze at the Lavender Lake Air Balloon Festival! For the month of January explore four regions floating through the sky in your personal hot air balloon. You can also rez a boat and sail, or jump in the water and explore marine life the whole year.

Visit in Second Life

Incanto Musical Dreams

Incanto Musical Dreams is an enchanted full region, where you can spend some beautiful moments with your friends and/or your lover. The majestic castle surmounts the land, currently under the magic of the snow, together with a giant dragon. You can visit the medieval village, the enchanted wood, the lovers' bridge, and every corner by horse or skating on ice. You can dance in one of the magical ballrooms, even underwater. Take photos in the most stunning places or attend one of the awesome musical shows of the fantastic dance group “The Incanto Dreams” and much else besides.

Visit in Second Life

Planet by Cica Ghost

''What if I'm a princess on another planet? And no one on this planet knows it?'' - Candace Bushnell

Visit in Second Life

Panacea

Panacea is a peaceful, remote, and relaxing winter region. It is an escape from everyday life. Explore the landscape on foot and listen to the soothing sound of nature.

Visit in Second Life

Lundy Island

It is the year of our Lord 1589. The sovereign Duchy of Lundy, under the stewardship of the House of Winters, has begun to transform itself from an obscure isle into a center of culture and commerce. Welcome to an immerse paragraph role-play experience.

Visit in Second Life

The Land Of Eight Places

The Land Of Eight Places is a group of islands with interesting places to linger and hang out. There are romantic corners, playful areas, forest impressions, magical moments, dream dances, and much more. Long walks are also possible. Interesting for photographers, travelers, and couples.

Visit in Second Life

Vargsången

A land in the far North, a long time ago when there were gods and giants, Valkyries, dwarfs, and trolls. A land where the winters were long, dark, and cold and the summers not so warm either but exploding with flowerage for a short period of time. Everyday life was a challenge, sometimes ending way too early. - Viking life in the Early Middle Ages, with a touch of mythology.

Visit in Second Life

Planet Idun

Idun. A tropical jungle planet, set in the far reaches of the Milky Way galaxy. Featuring a full day and night cycle, dynamic weather, stunning scenery, views, and hidden spots. You might also discover ancient monoliths, mysteries to solve, and plenty more to discover on this lush jungle planet. Once you have finished exploring, make sure you head to the highest bar on the planet, Idun's Roof!

Visit in Second Life

Mystical Isle

One of the latest destinations for Merfolk, Elves, Faeries, Petites, and their admirers! All are welcome to explore this underwater and mystical wonderland. Great for dancing, photography or just hanging out and relaxing.

Visit in Second Life

Florence At Low Tide Spring

Spring has arrived at Florence at Low Tide. It’s time to kick off those winter coats and boots and enjoy this quaint seaside village. The snow is melting slowly from the mountaintop, and the meadows and fields are in full springtime bloom. Wander, explore, take photographs and enjoy this lovely land by the ocean. All are welcome!

Visit in Second Life

We’ve also dusted off our Valentine’s Day category and we’re ready to include all of your romantic destinations themed for this upcoming event!
 

Got a spot that you’d like listed in the Destination Guide? Make sure to drop us a note at editor@lindenlab.com or submit your spot via web form.

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We've added an adorable new design to our merchandise store in honor of the month of love and the romantic possibilities of Second Life.

This stuffed bear is emblematic of the warm connections so many Residents find in SL. Give yourself a positive reminder that love comes in many forms with a coffee mug to start your day, or a pin on your backpack. Our furry friend will be available on a variety of custom accessories for a limited time, so hop over to our official merchandise store today.

This week we are raising awareness for the COVID-19 information center on Inspiration Island.

Lissena, who also goes by Wisdomseeker, guides us through the colorful and comforting realm of Inspiration Island, which she created with many other volunteers to promote wellness in a fun and accessible way. In this region you can also find Whole Brain Health, which Lissena describes as “the virtual arm of our nonprofit Ageless Mind Project. Our mission is to give people the tools to stay sharp, active, and healthy, based on research coming from neuroscience, gerontology, positive psychology, and creativity.”

The COVID display in the courtyard was built by Lady Brielle, a medical librarian who maintains the text as new data becomes available. Lady Brielle has been a tireless essential worker throughout the pandemic, and her work has not gone unnoticed. Lady Brielle tells us that “our outreach work in Second Life has been recognized by the National Library of Medicine and won an award in Research by the Hospital Libraries Section of the Medical Library Association.” 

Information on COVID-19 is displayed in Spanish, American Sign Language, and  English. The creators of Inspiration Island took a multidisciplinary approach to presenting information so that as many people as possible can be positively impacted by visiting. In addition to medical data there are stories submitted by other Residents about their personal experiences of social distancing to remind us that what we’re feeling is totally natural, and we’re not the only ones who feel that way. There are also many activities to facilitate mental stimulation and help people feel connected.

Lissena wants us to know that even the scary parts of sickness are addressed here: “Once a month Rob, a member of the Collective in Germany, hosts a Death Café -- something he is trained to do professionally outside SL -- conversations that help make death less {of} a forbidden subject. Amazingly, we laugh a lot there.”

This vibrant region is the labor of love of a devoted community. Marly Milena, a volunteer, explains that she provides “programs focused on creative expression on Inspiration Island. I have introduced a way of working with arts-based processes, called Symbolic Modeling (SymMod for short). We use the building tools so people can make art in SL, and then we guide them in exploring meanings, new ideas, feelings, etc.”

Thuja Hynes, the associate director of the project, builds educational exhibits and tours. Two of her current projects are called Simply Impossible and Hero Walk. Francisco Koolhoven, media director, creates unique, invaluable tools for the project. There are also many weekly events. Faust hosts the Positive Change Circle at Whole Brain Health on Sundays, and Arisia Vita plays piano in the gazebo every Monday and Wednesday. Priceless contributions are also provided by community members Catseye Tennen, Ghaelen D'Lareh, and Marylou Goldrosen.

Second Life is proud to host a space that incorporates elements of education, creativity, and community, and Inspiration Island is a living example of the positive it can bring. Lissena feels that the activities found here “give you insight into yourself, encourage your creativity and your sense of purpose and reduce loneliness, which is really important.” It is open to people from all walks of life, so stop by for a visit today.

Video Production Credits:
Draxtor Despres

COVID-19 Resources @ Health Hacienda

Healthcare PRO Brielle MacXaris curates this comprehensive resource about health issues, respected options, and the latest research. Interactive and engaging materials in English and Spanish. Share your pandemic experience, and take the new Vaccination Survey!

Visit in Second Life

This week's featured artist is Lexus Melodie, who has been performing soulful indie folk in Second Life for about a decade. Her interest was piqued by the creative and entrepreneurial sides of SL, and she even met her RL husband inworld! She's been writing songs about experiences from both of her lives ever since.

Please check out her Youtube channel for some RL content, as well as some inworld performances: Cafe Musique, this glamorous closeup, and a birthday concert.

Q: When/how did you hear about Second Life?
A: Back in about 2008, I was working in London and a friend showed me an article about Second life and the people who were making money with land and making clothing etc.  I had already played Sims for a few years and it felt like the ultimate upgrade. I spent a year making clothing until I rented a store at the classic old SL venue Guthries, where I got my first taste of live music in SL. I never looked back.

Q: What instruments do you play in addition to singing, and at what age did you start practicing music? 
A: I play guitar for the most part these days, but I've been pretty musical since the age of 5, when I started playing trumpet, piano, and later, cello.  I was lucky enough to live somewhere where music education is free. I feel like music has always been in me. Guitar is the only instrument I hadn't had formal lessons for, so it's my bit of fun really.

Q: Tell us about a few of the musicians who have influenced your style.
A: This is a difficult one... I love so much music but I'm probably influenced quite a lot by the angst of Alanis Morrisette, the heartbreak of Amy Winehouse... the melodies of SIA and a whole lotta soul music.

Q: What do you think is the best show you've ever played in SL, and what made it so special to you? 
A: After 10 years on and off of playing music in SL it would be almost impossible to pick a single event, but the thing that makes it so special in SL are the people who come out and listen to the shows.  They could just plug in the stream on their land, but they make the effort to come out and support the venues and the shows. They make me feel like my words mean something in a world in which it's hard to be heard sometimes. It's a relationship... I perform, but they give back so much... it would impossible to do it without them.

Q: What advice would you give to other musicians and artists who are struggling to find inspiration these days? 
A: Don't be afraid to step away from music, whether it's for a week or a month or longer... sometimes you just need to refresh and give yourself the time to get inspired again. Listen to the music that used to make you sing aloud in the car, or dance around your room with a hairbrush mic.  

Q: What is the most meaningful aspect of the SL music community to you? 
A: Just that.... that it truly is a community. For all the good and the bad... we come here to escape and end up mimicking reality. We might not want to be physically near people but you still want the other parts of the community, friendships, and even commerce that SL has to offer.  It's a really special place that has been important to an awful lot of people for a million different reasons. It's slife as we know it.

Thank you, Lexus! If you or anybody you know would like to submit content for Music Mondays, please fill out this form.

Pictured: SLEA

Last week I said I would offer an update about the uplift process of the Destination Guide every Friday. As of about 5 minutes ago, the process is complete and we finally have access! We are slowly updating the entries now. Since we haven’t had access to it for almost a month, we have quite the backlog and it will take some time to catch up. Hopefully, by next Friday I will have a long list of new destinations for you to explore. 

In the meantime, check out these interesting events that are happening this weekend. 

Second Life Endowment For The Arts

The Second Life Endowment For The Arts (SLEA) is opening with a bang at midnight SLT 1/1/2021. Use the SLEA experience to visit 9 regions of diverse creativity representing the many levels of virtual art in SL, including 2 & 3D, Theater, Literature, Visual, Machinima, Art Education, and Media Art. Cost-free grants are awarded! For more info, visit: slendowmentforthearts.wordpress.com

Visit in Second Life

The Second Life Endowment for the Arts is having its 1st Annual Celebration of the Arts Grand Opening this weekend. The festivities start at 1pm PT on Saturday and will continue past 7pm PT on Sunday. Check the full schedule on their blog. 

Don’t forget to watch today’s Lab Gab, where we had the Coordinator of SLEA, Tansee, take us on a tour of the regions.
 

C.L.E.A.R. at Janus Gallery III

You are cordially invited to Janus Gallery III on Saturday, January 23rd from 12pm-2pm slt for the opening of Asperix Asp’s new exhibit “Crystal Light Engine Advanced Research.” You can just call it CLEAR for short. Although, reality itself may not seem as clear as it once did when you stop to consider his works. Maximillion Kleene and Jack Slade will sing live, making for an exhilarating afternoon of art and music. The exhibit will be open until February 24th.

Visit in Second Life

Janus Gallery welcomes a new art exhibit by Asperix Asp with a party starting on Saturday, January 23rd from 12pm-2pm PT. Click over to their blog for all the details.
 

The Science Circle

The Science Circle is an NGO since July 3rd, 2017, and an alliance of scientists, educators, and students. They gather a few times a month with their student groups in Second Life for field trips and presentations. For more information, be sure to visit sciencecircle.org

Visit in Second Life

The Science Circle is having a fireside chat at their region in Second Life on Saturday, January 23rd from 10am to 11am PT. This week’s discussion will focus on Covid-19 and questions will be answered by Phil Youngblood Ph.D. and Robert Hendrix MD. Click over to their website for more information.
 

The Sweet Sp*t is a brand new rock venue created by veteran SL rocker Mankind Tracer (Seth Regan in RL.) The doors open this Sunday, January 24th at 1:30pm PT. For more information, check out The Sweet Sp*t Facebook Page.
 

You can find even more Resident-run events to attend this weekend on our Second Life Events page!

During the upcoming week, keep an eye for new entries popping up on the Destination Guide, especially in the Editors’ Picks category! 

Please note that the web submission form for the Destination Guide is still giving errors. While that’s being sorted, please continue to send your submissions and updates to editor@lindenlab.com and we can process them manually for you. Thank you!

Have a fun weekend and remember, stay safe, stay home, stay virtual!
 

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(Photo taken at Puddles)

One of the things I miss the most right now is spending Saturday morning in a coffee shop. There’s something about sipping an espresso beverage while nibbling on some kind of carb that makes me feel like all my worries have floated away and the day is filled with glorious potential.

I found this video by Resident Emily Wand that really illustrates that experience.

I ended up hopping around to a few different coffee shops in Second Life and without even meaning to, let out the biggest sigh of relief. I could even sense the muscles in my shoulders drop, because something about being in that environment makes me feel so relaxed.

With all the Cafes & Hangouts available inworld, I encourage you to treat yourself to that feeling of “Ahh, that’s perfect” as soon as you can. There are so many good ones, each with a unique atmosphere, so I wanted to mention a few.

Puddles Cafe and Lounge really hit the spot for me. This two level hangout has a super tall ceiling and a hip converted industrial loft aesthetic. Plus, prepare yourself for what I am about to say: there is a cat on a roomba. I may or may not have chased it around with a grin on my face for 15 minutes. Add the rainbow flag and Black Lives Matter sign, and I’m officially moving in. A sign says that there are group chats on Tuesdays and Fridays at 6pm SLT, so check it out!
 

For a more rustic setting, check out Il Nido. As a cafe and wine bar, this is a great option for more of a late afternoon vibe. From my research I also discovered Bellis Blues Cafe, with DJ Stephanie every Monday from 10:00am-12:00pm. Coffee shops like Burrow Coffee & Whisky Co., which is remodeled regularly so there’s always something new, are great places to meet people and experience art, music, and the little things that make us happy.
 

I wasn't kidding!

“Lab Gab” is a live-streamed variety show that showcases events, destinations, and different talents across Second Life. Join our host, Strawberry Linden on Friday, January 22nd at 11am PT as she speaks with the Second Life Endowment for the Arts (SLEA) Coordinator Tansee, and our very own VP of Product Operations, Patch Linden, along with our VP of Marketing, Brett Linden. 

Tansee will be giving us a brief description of SLEA and will also take us on a quick tour of some of the creative installations currently there. 

Tansee will also give us details about the Grand Opening of their First Annual Celebration of the Arts, happening on January 23rd and 24th!

Watch us live on YouTube, Facebook, or Periscope!

For full episodes of Lab Gab, click over to the Lab Gab YouTube Playlist. 

Connect with Second Life on Social Media:
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This week we are whisked away to the roleplaying community of the Ancient Order of Centaurs.

For those who may not be familiar, Centaurs are half-human and half-horse, found prominently in Ancient Greek mythology. Centauria was created by Julala Demina, a longtime Resident and aficionado of fantasy roleplay. Her fantasy creature brand Jinx has been active in Second Life for over a decade. Julala states that about two years ago, “I taught myself how to make my own Centaur skeleton rig in Blender and how to animate it,” which sparked the beginning of a region dedicated to this community. The enthusiastic response of Jinx customers inspired Julala to design a space to accommodate Residents “who had chosen to spend their Second Life (at least in part) as Centaurs.”

What makes Centauria such a vibrant place is that the passion Julala brings is equally matched by the Residents who visit. She would like to inform us that in addition to roleplaying, there are “social events, classes, and all sorts of different types of entertainment. It’s not only about Centaurs, we welcome everyone to Centauria and even within the formal roleplay we have a wide variety of allowed species.” 

Residents appear in a variety of forms: some Centaurs look more natural, whereas others have angel wings, ornate horns, brightly colored skin, or even magical sparkles. Here, identity is more than just an aesthetic. You will meet Centaurs who are warriors, farmers, chefs, and sorcerers.

While the overwhelmingly positive feedback of Residents can’t be expressed in one post alone, here are just a few impressions. Marilina Antonioni describes herself as a Mertaur, “a type of Centaur whose top human body is that of a Merfolk with the lower body of a Taur/horse… As a Merfolk I love to swim underwater.” Rayven Firebrand, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis IRL, says that “when for the first time I entered into a trot, then a canter, then a gallop... for the first time in years I actually felt alive.” Pearline Sweetwater, longtime Resident who is retired IRL, feels that “in Centauria I found beauty, friendship, acceptance and almost instantly felt like I belonged.” Many more kind and intriguing folks are waiting inworld!

Julala’s Jinx creations are proof that Second Life is a safe space and blank canvas for anybody who wants to bring their imagination to life. On her background, she says, “I am completely self-taught and learned pretty much everything I know about 3D modelling from Youtube tutorials.” 

For those who can’t wait to explore their inner hybrid, the Jinx Bento Centaur comes in four sizes, as shown below.

Visit Centauria today to immerse yourself in this breathtaking world!

Video Production Credits:
Draxtor Despres
 

Ancient Order of Centaurs

The Ancient Order of Centaurs is a beautiful, and varied region where centaurs and their friends can feel at home. Visitors are very welcome, whether they are centaurs, creatures, and even hoomans. Come explore, join the community, or just take photos of the lovely scenery.

Visit in Second Life

Pictured: Digital Art

On December 22nd I announced that the Second Life Destination Guide was being uplifted to the cloud. That process is still underway, however, we have run into some errors. For this reason, the web publishing tool that allows us to update the Destination Guide is still unavailable and will be for the foreseeable future until these errors can be corrected. I am hoping it won’t be much longer than another week or two. I will continue to update you on this status every Friday. 

The submission form for the Destination Guide is also giving errors because of this, so please continue to email your submissions to editor@lindenlab.com and we will add them as soon as we have access again.

In the meantime, you can still find many destinations to explore on the Destination Guide, as well as events to attend on our Events page.

One very exciting event occurring this weekend is at the ACS region. The American Cancer Society is celebrating an important milestone - $4 million USD raised in Second Life to help fight cancer! The party, which features live music and many guest speakers, will be held Sunday, January 17th from 10am to 1pm PT.

American Cancer Society

The official home of the American Cancer Society in Second Life. Since 2005, cancer patients, caregivers, and volunteers have been able to receive services and support from the ACS in SL without having to leave the virtual world.

Visit in Second Life

If you're looking for more places to explore, here are some destination listings for a few of my favorite places on the grid:

Digital Art - Cammino e Vivo Capovolto

Cammino e Vivo Capovolto is a creative place dedicated to 3D art and photography by Mistero Hifeng.

Visit in Second Life

Virtual Black History Museum

The Virtual Black History Museum invites everyone to explore the timeline of African-American history from the heartaches to the victories in a park-like and welcoming environment.

Visit in Second Life

Missing Melody

Missing Melody stuck in nostalgia. Breathing a dream. A cool wind strolls between the trees and leaves dance with the salty water's waves. Photographer and Blogger friendly with a romantic touch. Everyone is welcome. Add your images to their Flickr group: flickr.com/groups/ohdeercafe

Visit in Second Life

Chouchou

Japanese music group Chouchou bring their creativity to Second Life in several photogenic and atmospheric regions, including "Memento Mori," "Islamey" and "The Babel."

Visit in Second Life

Tralala's Diner @ Pine Lake

Tralala's Diner @ Pine Lake is post-apocalyptic living at its finest. Explore this photogenic region filled with rooftop slums and scavenged ruins. Strap yer boots on tight...you might be a'ight

Visit in Second Life

Have a fun weekend and remember, stay safe, stay home, stay virtual!

Connect with Second Life on Social Media:
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Pictured above: Moonlight Teahouse

Now that we're all obsessed with washing our hands, it's time to get those virtual paws dirty with some gardening! The plants of Second Life are truly one of my favorite parts of coming inworld. I am continually impressed by the botanical creations I see. Some are exact replicas of things from nature, and others are imaginative renderings that look like props from a fantasy movie. While 2021 may not be the fresh start some of us had hoped for, there are plenty of regions waiting for you with space to clear your thoughts and think positively about the future.

The Gardens & Landscaping regions are a great place to get inspiration to build a greenspace of your own, and also lovely spots for a leisurely stroll. Moonlight Teahouse (above) even has Tai Chi poseballs facing the ocean.

Nature & Parks offers more options that are a little spread out. Beaches, wilderness, and enchanted forests are all great places to hang out with friends or have a relaxing moment to listen to the stillness around you. Many of these regions are based on real life places or inspired by cultures from all over the world.

Our Photogenic Spots section is also filled with rolling hills, seaside cliffs covered in moss, and more.

If you're feeling inspired, check out the gardening section of the marketplace and see what your virtual green thumb comes up with!

This week we are traveling around the globe and through time through the extensive David Rumsey map collection.

David Rumsey, President of Cartography Associates, has been an avid collector of maps since the early 1980s. According to his website, the collection “contains more than 150,000 maps... Items range in date from about 1550 to the present.” The digitization of archival materials has made historical content more accessible, and Rumsey had the keen foresight to create an interactive experience with these maps in Second Life.

Rumsey states, “We built the 4 {regions} in 2008 and have continued to update them since then. One of the things that fascinated me early on was the potential to “walk” on the historic maps and fly around them in SL.” Just getting from map to map feels like an adventure; they vary in size and are not only on display but a central component of the region’s structure. The degree to which atlases inform the design gives the region a dream within a dream feel. Rumsey informs us that “The Yosemite map which forms the floor of the site was built with a full elevation model so that it is accurate and in scale. The map is the first truly accurate map of the Yosemite Valley made by U.S. Army topographers in 1883.” 

The video shows a long map of the Tokaido road: Rumsey says that it was made in 1687 and was drawn by hand! “In real life it is a scroll that unrolls to be over 30 feet long. It shows the route from Tokyo (then called Edo) along the coast to Osaka.”

These maps are a visual history of how countries and territories have changed over time.Rumsey’s website even mentions that “close inspection of the {American} maps often reveals the growth and decline of towns, mining excavations, the unfolding of the railroads, and the "discovery" of the American West by European explorers.”

David Rumsey has donated his entire physical map collection to Stanford University, where it is housed at the David Rumsey Map Center in the Stanford Library and open to the public. Visit the virtual collection today to let out your inner navigator! And don’t forget to pin your hometown on the large world map so others can see that Residents from all over have been here.

Video Production Credits:
Draxtor Despres

David Rumsey Maps

Discover antique maps in a unique, experiential way and explore a 3D recreation of Yosemite in 1883.

Visit in Second Life

Pictured: White Veil by Bryn Oh and Cica Ghost

On Friday afternoons I usually do my Highlights from the Destination Guide blog post where I share some of the latest interesting destinations from that week. However, the tool we use to update the Destination Guide is still in the process of being uplifted, read the details here. It is one of the final updates left for uplift and we are hoping it should be done by the end of next week. 

Since I haven’t been able to add anything to the Destination Guide, I thought I would share some Art events that you can attend this weekend in Second Life.

The Janus Gallery

Curated by Chuck Clip, this gallery is named for the Roman god of new beginnings, transitions, doorways, and time. They hope to usher in a new era of art in Second Life while keeping an eye on the roots they came from. Sinful Retreat, on which the gallery stands is a virtual playground where artists are welcomed with open arms. They strive to make a cohesive, evolving environment out of art.

Visit in Second Life

The Art of Lash VV will be revealed at The Janus Gallery with a party that starts on Saturday, January 9th from 12pm to 2pm PT. Read the details on their blog.

Windlight Art Gallery

The Windlight Art Gallery, which is the home of the Windlight Art Fellows, has a new exhibition every month and is part of the Kultivate Magazine family of galleries. For more information, visit: KultivateMagazine.com

Visit in Second Life

Kultivate Magazine presents their January Exhibition Opening at their Windlight Art Gallery on Sunday, January 10th, from 1 to 2pm PT. Read the details on their blog.

Second Life Endowment For The Arts

The Second Life Endowment For The Arts (SLEA) is opening with a bang at midnight SLT 1/1/2021. Use the SLEA experience to visit 9 regions of diverse creativity representing the many levels of virtual art in SL, including 2 & 3D, Theater, Literature, Visual, Machinima, Art Education, and Media Art. Cost-free grants are awarded! For more info, visit: slendowmentforthearts.wordpress.com

Visit in Second Life

Don’t forget, SLEA had its big opening on New Year’s Eve! Click over for our Destinations video this week, which was all about the SLEA!

You can find even more Resident-run events to attend this weekend on our Second Life Events page!

Have a fun weekend and remember, stay safe, stay home, stay virtual!

Connect with Second Life on Social Media:
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While many of us are still recovering from the winter holidays, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and our shopping itch just won’t go away! 

Linden Lab is winding up for a Valentine’s Day inworld shopping event - and we’re now looking for Merchants who would like to participate.

The 2021 Valentine’s Day edition of Shop & Hop will open on Friday, February 5th, and will run through Wednesday, February 17th. This is your opportunity to bring a ton of new customers to your brand, by offering some of your best items. We are looking for Merchants willing to offer a discount on their items (at least 20% off) and provide a small non-exclusive gift to shoppers.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please fill out this form as soon as possible and no later than Monday, January 18th, 2021. We will contact you soon after that date if your application is accepted.

Love is in the air!
 

As the new year begins, we have some exciting news to share. The migration of Second Life to the cloud is now complete!

All the interconnected services and databases that collectively provide you with Second Life have been migrated to Amazon’s cloud servers. The "uplift" to the cloud will help bring better simulator performance and also improves our ability to diagnose problems and scale our systems for future growth and improvements. 

Here’s a peek at the former cage in our colocation facility that housed our servers since 2009,  now cleaned out and completely empty.

Many have asked us what happened to the “old” hardware that steadily served up Second Life for so many years. Most of it was too old to have any value and has been scrapped, but it is important to note that as part of our standard security protocols, all of the drives have been shredded and destroyed. Thanks for all the memories, old friends!

While the physical move is complete, there remain some optimization tweaks that we will continue to make to further improve performance over the coming weeks, and of course there are always bugs to hunt. We are truly grateful for your patience, especially during the final few weeks of 2020 as we worked furiously to finish the last parts of this migration.

OTHER COMPANY NEWS

Another noteworthy development for the new year is that Linden Lab has new owners! As announced in mid-2020, an investment group led by Randy Waterfield and Brad Oberwager signed an agreement to acquire the company subject to regulatory approval by financial regulators in the U.S. related to Tilia Inc.’s status as a licensed money transmitter as well as other customary closing conditions. We are pleased to share that the regulatory review has been completed and Linden Lab is now under new ownership. 

While the owners may be new, things are “business as usual” in Second Life. Last year saw strong growth for our virtual world and, as a result of this acquisition we expect even more resources in 2021 to further improve and grow Second Life in the future. 

Happy New Year!

This week Tansee, Coordinator of the Second Life Endowment for the Arts (SLEA), takes us on a tour of this region’s immense and breathtaking landscape.

The Second Life Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with Linden Lab, launched January 1st, 2021. The new initiative, originally announced in September, provides an opportunity for artists to apply for use of grid space to create artistic experiences in Second Life while also promoting the overall virtual arts community in SL.

The SLEA, which is the spiritual successor to the former Linden Endowment for the Arts (LEA), bears a colorful aesthetic that is part university courtyard and part amusement park, influenced by art galleries, the cosmos, and more. There are a total of nine regions of varying thematic focus, such as machinima or performing arts. 

This ambitious initiative, which is aided by the help of 21 core volunteers and many more contributors, aspires to give grant awards to selected applicants about twice a year. For the debut exhibitions, the SLEA was pleased to receive wide representation from the arts both in terms of genre, style and nationality. 

On arrival, visitors will be given access to a HUD experience which enables ease of travel around the regions in addition to a teleport network. The Landing Pod provides a view over a Performing Arts Center, Arts Education and Innovation facilities, Machinima Land, and the dPod where SLEA’s archives are located for all to peruse. The SLEA regions are expected to further evolve over time as more artists collaborate and new exhibitions are brought into rotation.

Tansee emphasizes that the SLEA aims to draw attention to all artists, galleries, art venues, communities and art education locations in SL. That goal is evident by the presence of a massive T-shaped “connection bridge'' spread across two regions that aims to connect SLEA to the larger community of artists and venues. As visitors stroll across the bridge, they will encounter numerous promotional posters along the way. There are also additional kiosks that visitors can click to get teleport links and even more information about the wide range of artists and exhibitions to be found across all of Second Life.

While this region is already open to the public, SLEA intends to celebrate in style with a full itinerary of performers and artists during the weekend of January 23rd & 24th. Check out their Facebook and Instagram for news and events. Whether you are a budding artist or a supportive observer, feel free to explore this region at any time.

Video Production Credits:
Draxtor Despres

Second Life Endowment For The Arts

The Second Life Endowment For The Arts (SLEA) is opening with a bang at midnight SLT 1/1/2021. Use the SLEA experience to visit 9 regions of diverse creativity representing the many levels of virtual art in SL, including 2 & 3D, Theater, Literature, Visual, Machinima, Art Education, and Media Art. Cost-free grants are awarded! For more info, visit: slendowmentforthearts.wordpress.com

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2020 has been an eventful year that none of us will soon forget. The global pandemic has impacted all of us deeply and it has also caused many people and organizations to develop a new appreciation for how virtual worlds can bring people together for comfort, connections, entertainment, joy, inspiration, and even income. 

As the pandemic grew rapidly, so too did Second Life. At the initial onset of the lockdowns, Second Life saw about a 60% increase in new user registrations compared to the same time in the previous year and there has since been sustained growth in both concurrency and economic activity. 

We remain as committed as ever to making Second Life the best it can be - and 2020 saw several significant improvements and feature additions that we are particularly proud of.

MIGRATION TO THE CLOUD

It has been a monumental task to move Second Life to the cloud, but we are thrilled to report that this important milestone has been reached as the year ends. All of the interconnected services and databases that collectively provide you with Second Life have been migrated to Amazon’s cloud servers (it's possible that a couple of relatively minor features will require a bit more work, but if so, we're doing our best to have them operational by the New Year). 

The "uplift" to the cloud has already paid dividends in better simulator performance and much improved our ability to diagnose problems and scale our systems. We have only just begun to exploit other advantages of our new platform: the move sets the stage for further substantial improvements.

We truly appreciate your patience during the last few weeks as we worked furiously to finish the last portion of this migration.

ENVIRONMENT ENHANCEMENT PROJECT (EEP)

More advanced and dynamic environments debuted in 2020 with the release of the Environment Enhancement Project (EEP). The new features allow Residents to create, customize, and share environment objects that enable dynamically-changing environments that can be controlled at the parcel level including up to four different, independently controlled sky layers. It further advances the shared experience aspect of our world, and has been an amazing creative outlet already!

LAST NAMES & NAME CHANGES

After being gone for almost a decade, “last names” in Second Life were made available once again in 2020. This means that Residents can now opt to change their name and share the same last name to communicate family or community ties and/or friendships with others in Second Life. We’re pleased as pie with how well-received this has been: a lot of work had to happen on the back end to make name changes possible, so it’s rewarding to know that over twelve thousand Residents have chosen to take advantage of it!

MORE LINDEN HOMES

Our popular Linden Home offerings continued to roll out in 2020. As the year began, we had just launched an all-new Victorian theme and then subsequently introduced additional stilt and log home options. Expect even more in 2021 as our Moles are actively at work on multiple new offerings including Chalet Homes (which were previewed at the Christmas Expo earlier this month).

LIVE VIDEO STREAMING SUPPORT

In the past year, the company has made some incremental improvements to the Viewer to support streaming into SL via Chrome Embedded Framework (CEF) so that it is easy to bring “live” video streaming content into Second Life (such as live YouTube streams). We’ve already seen several high-profile events use live video for world premiere screenings and movie events.

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS & FEATURE UPDATES

We also continued to improve Second Life with additional performance enhancements and features, including significant improvements to region crossings, Marketplace, Events, transaction emails, and the ongoing development of the Second Life Viewer. 

Our Marketing team has also been working hard to maintain the momentum with increased media coverage, improved advertising campaigns and more active social media engagement. You can see their own year-end report in a separate blog post.

2021...HERE’S TO HEALTH & HAPPINESS!

As we (thankfully) bid adieu to 2020, we wish everyone a safe and happy holiday and a safe and joyous new year. More than ever, it is important that we remember to treat each other with respect and kindness in both the physical and virtual worlds. 

It’s been a busy year for the marketing team at Linden Lab. The year 2020 began smoothly with several new ambitious campaigns and promotional initiatives for Second Life as detailed in our March 3 post “The Heart & Science of Second Life Marketing”. 

Among the highlights shared in that post and discussed the same week in “Lab Gab” were early-year marketing strategies and accomplishments in:

• Paid/Performance Marketing - There was a complete refresh of our paid display ad campaigns and dozens of new video ads debuted, as well as improved ad targeting technologies.  
• Organic, Social Media & Influencer Marketing - We debuted or expanded original social video programming initiatives (“Lab Gab,” etc.), overhauled our new user tutorial videos, and grew the Second Life Blogger Network to more than 550 participants.

The Pandemic Effect - New User & Enterprise/Education Growth

Then, the pandemic hit and it quickly became apparent that the outbreak would have a dramatic impact on the lives of just about everyone in the world (virtual or otherwise). While the marketing team continued to execute on most of its original 2020 marketing plans, it was also clear that there would be some significant changes including a shift in messaging and tone for some of our campaigns. Thus, several new “comfort campaigns” were launched to better emphasize the promise of peace, joy and socialization in Second Life. 

These “comfort campaigns” were a hit, bringing in thousands of new residents at a lower cost than we’ve seen in years. The success of this campaign spawned several other variations along with a community focused approach with similar messaging and tailored visual creatives.

The media took notice, too. A new wave of mainstream media coverage emerged in 2020 including prominent articles in The Telegraph, Wired, Mashable,  VICE, Business Insider, Elle, FRANCE 24, Le Figaro, CBC, Billboard, Le Monde, and many other global outlets.

Further, we saw growth from the enterprise and education sectors as several organizations began to re-conceptualize their annual business gatherings or conferences due to the pandemic. In the past few months, Second Life has hosted prominent conferences and events for Museweb (covering innovative uses of technology in museums), Gen Con (one of the largest tabletop gaming conferences), IndieCade (an independent gaming convention), Dutch Design Week (covering the convergence of art, fashion, and design), the International Pineapple Association (a trade show for the pineapple industry), CODAsummit (an art and technology conference), and the Oral History Association (an annual academic conference for oral historians).

Brand Partnerships

We’ve also seen several media and entertainment companies use Second Life as a replacement for public or private events impacted by the pandemic. Instead of a real-world screening event, Adult Swim held a world premiere event for its show “The Shivering Truth” in Second Life. During the event a themed virtual movie theater was created that matched the aesthetics of the show. Attendees could be among the first to watch two episodes before they debuted on the cable network while interacting with some of the creators and crew. There was also limited-edition virtual swag to further get fans excited.

Keepin' it classy at the Titmouse Smash Party in Second Life. @TitmouseInc @SecondLife #metalocalypse https://t.co/UOZKvyOX1p pic.twitter.com/LZxKhMRCis

— SecondLife (@SecondLife) September 13, 2020

Another example is our partnership with the independent animation studio Titmouse (“Star Trek: Lower Decks”, “Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventures”) which moved its infamous annual Smash Party to the virtual world so that partygoers could interact and socialize safely from home this year since the physical party was impacted by the pandemic. As part of the event, the virtual party space included lots of interactive surprises and elements to entertain the attendees including a virtual “smash cage,” red carpet arrival area, free branded virtual giveaways and virtual food trucks that enabled guests to order real food for home delivery during the event. There were also random and hidden “Easter egg” events that would be triggered to keep things even more interesting.

Other well-known media and brand partnerships are in the works for 2021, too.

Second Life Book Club & Music Mondays

Among the other noteworthy new initiatives launched in 2020 were the Second Life Book Club and Music Mondays. 

Since its launch in April, the Second Life Book Club continues to feature leading and emerging authors each week and the publishing industry is starting to take note. Producer Draxtor Despres reports that the show is already pre-booked for most of 2021! In addition, publishers are also starting to coordinate signed book giveaways and other promotions associated with the show.

Music Mondays has also gained traction via weekly editorial coverage that highlights the many talented independent musicians of Second Life. Over 25 musicians have already been profiled with several more already in the queue for 2021.

Second Life Merchandise Store

We also launched the Official Second Life Merchandise Store, available through RedBubble. The store offers Second Life and Linden Lab branded clothing and accessories, with a very inclusive range of sizes. The past year even includes some limited-edition holiday items for Halloween and the winter season.

Brand Refresh & 2021 Commercial Campaign

In 2020, we also gave a slight refresh to the Second Life logo as we retired the soft green color in favor of bright blue to reflect the boundless energy of our residents who create amazing content and experiences.

You’ll start to see the new look and colors across many of our 2021 campaigns including our first broadcast-quality commercial. Speaking of which, how about a “first look” behind the scenes of the forthcoming spot?

2021...HERE WE COME!

While we are happy to put 2020 behind us, the marketing team at Linden Lab is looking forward to launching many exciting new campaigns and partnerships in 2021 that we believe will broaden the audience of Second Life even further.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Linden Lab!

Pictured: Luane's World

One of my most favorite part of my job description is updating the Second Life Destination Guide. I discover beautiful new locations to explore, all created by you, the Residents! We know how beloved it is to our Residents as well, that’s why we wanted you to be aware of a temporary freeze on new additions to the Destination Guide over the next few days and possibly until early in January.

Why? As part of our overall migration to the cloud, some of our web publishing tools (including what we use internally to update the Destination Guide) may be unavailable for our internal editorial team. 

The good news is that the web version of the Destination Guide will still be accessible to everyone, and so will the Destinations floater that you can find on the toolbar in your Second Life viewer.

We just won’t be able to add, update, or delete any entries during the uplift process. If you want to submit or update an entry, please email the information to editor@lindenlab.com and we will get that done as soon as we have access to the tool again.

We apologize for the inconvenience. In the meantime, discover the beauty of the season by exploring the winter category, which now showcases over 100 snowy destinations to explore!

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This week we are transported to Silent Night, a glittering winter park available until January 10th.

Creator Nessa Nova of Unicorn Landscaping became a Resident about nine years ago and says that shortly after, “I rented a parcel and taught myself how to terraform. It is now my main business in Second Life.” As you wander from section to section, it is clear that a skilled hand created Silent Night, as it feels like a portrait of winter’s tranquility. Among the natural cycle of the seasons, winter is often seen as symbolizing the absence of life, but Silent Night is a reminder that stillness can be an opportunity to observe the vibrance around you.

This brumal landscape is the latest of Nova’s many creations in SL. It feels like a movie set, with visitors starting at a train station before following a path through the snow and glowing trees to a cafe, an ice skating rink, a carousel, and more. The atmosphere feels at once unique and familiar, like a communal reverie. Of her aptitude for creation, Nova informs us that “Coming from a family of painters and artists, the love of art is in my blood. Though instead of using an easel, paint and a brush, Second Life’s digital world is my atelier, and a [region] is my canvas. I start with an idea, a picture in my head, a colour or a feeling. Sometimes I progress as I go, but most of the time the world I intend to create already exists in my mind and I can mentally walk through it when I envision it.”

Nova explains that Silent Night, which is a satellite of the Lost Unicorn Group, is not just about celebrating the holidays but also “to remind us to remain hopeful in these dark times.” As a bonus level of interactivity, Nova adds: “Natalie Starlight, curator of the Lost Unicorn Gallery, is organizing a photography contest. Pictures of the Silent Night [region] can be submitted to the Lost Unicorn Flickr Gallery until January 3rd. After January 10th Silent Night will be gone forever. (Unless someone decides to buy the [region] as is.)”

This sounds like the perfect opportunity to show off all the free gifts you picked up at the Winter Shop & Hop. Throw on that new scarf and take in the wintry elegance of Silent Night before the snow melts!

Video Production Credits:
Draxtor Despres

Silent Night

Come visit Silent NIght by Lost Unicorn Landscaping, a winter region like no other! Made with great attention to detail, like every other Lost Unicorn region. Immerse yourself in this winter wonderland and celebrate Christmas with your loved ones!

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Pictured: Snoweeta

Each week, the Second Life Destination Guide editorial team reviews dozens of new locations and events worth exploring. With all those beautiful destinations to check out, we thought we’d highlight a few of the entries that stood out to the editorial team. Don't forget to check our Recently Added category to see all the latest additions to the Destination Guide!

Snoweeta

An endless winter walk over the vast cloud-covered fields in Skåne can look empty and devoid. But when you look around closely, the snowy scene has many stories to tell. Who got stuck with the tractor? Is it safe to walk close to the wild boars? Was a crime committed here? When are the Christmas dinner guests arriving at the magnificent table and who are they? Will you manage to walk over the muddy fields up to the hill and the warming fire? Will you visit Skåne, Sweden's richest agricultural region, in a magical winter sleep? Bring boots, warm clothes, and your camera. Welcome.

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Timberline Lodge Winterhaven

Come to Timberline Lodge and experience a traditional Winter wonderland! The Lake and harbor have frozen over and provide a wonderful opportunity for some ice skating around the big Christmas tree. There are woodland paths, a fishing village and caves to explore too!

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Winter at Icewater Village

Dare to Dream! After such a weird year we need an escape, a Magic World where peace and happiness walk side by side! Icewater has that Magic. It's a wonderland, hideaway, the perfect spot to enjoy with your loved ones, shopping, skating, taking photos, or simply relaxing and enjoying the snow.

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Easy Love Winter

This beautiful winter wonderland has picturesque scenery and winter activities such as ice skating, sledding, snowmobile racing, dancing, skiing with a ski lift snow fort battle, and bumper tubing. It's a beautiful place to get in the holiday mood!

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Ville de Coeur in Winter

Six of the eight regions of Ville de Coeur are now covered in ice and snow for the winter. Skate non-stop through four of those regions, the other two being separated only by canal locks. Free ice skates are available in several regions, as well as skis and sleds. Alternatively, use the trolley or walking tour to get around. There are even horse-drawn sleighs.

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Tiptoes Santa's Winter Experience

Bundle up the little ones before you take a family-friendly trip full of winter activities like sledding, ice skating, and a holiday-themed snow maze. Be sure to also make a stop at Santa's where you will find an advent calendar by Tiptoes for Toddleedoo/Bebe avatars with a new gift daily, as well as Santa's mailbox where you can drop off a letter and await his response!

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Winter Market in Long Beach

The Winter market and treasure hunt event, invites you to explore a medieval winter town, ride the horse sleigh, and take your favorite winter pictures in a lovingly designed winter landscape. The event runs from 6th December to 6th January.

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The Grove's Winter Park

The Grove Country Club Estates brings you the magic of the holidays at its Winter Park. Follow the ice to the skating pond and ride the merry-go-round, have a snowball fight, take photos with your special friends, dance, and more. Sixteen regions offer even more wonder to behold. Come celebrate the season!

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Tinsel Town Christmas Village

Tinsel Town Christmas Village is a place to explore and enjoy the holiday spirit. This is their third year running with traditional decorations and many new additions including ice skating, bowling, roller skate rink, and pictures with Santa! Their yearly photo contest is in full swing with amazing photographers showing off their talents in the beautiful scenery. Stop by for some cocoa and dancing too!

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Cloven Forest

A quiet calm and stillness will comfort your soul as you wander beneath a canopy of trees and explore the spellbound snowy forest at Cloven. Enjoy photography, ice skating, horseback riding, romantic nooks, and hot springs in an adult-only environment.

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Got a spot that you’d like listed in the Destination Guide? Make sure to drop us a note at editor@lindenlab.com or submit your spot via web form.

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It's time for another photo challenge! Whether you're going for festive or cozy, share a picture of your escapades in one of your favorite winter regions. It can be a solo or group shot, and let us know the name of the region.

Strawberry and I took the photo above at Silent Night. It's absolutely gorgeous but I was not prepared for the cold, as you can see from our frosty breath. I'm also probably about to trip over my untied shoelaces. 

Will your pic be silly or dramatic? Featuring a snowman or an ice skating rink? Scope out the winter attractions soon, we can't wait to see what you get up to!

This week we are listening to five inspiring stories as Residents share how they celebrate the holidays in Second Life.

Isabelle Cheren, a video artist and blogger, speaks highly of SL Residents’ adaptability to the current social isolation in the physical world. Given the depth of connections people can have with each other in the virtual world, she thinks people may be more inclined to give it a try. Having grown up in Australia, Cheren says the winter holiday spirit of SL “feels like those films I used to watch when I was a young girl because… we never had any of this, the snow, that Christmas tree, all those things.” She also has the advantage of living with her friend, prominent SL YouTuber Yorkie, so they certainly never run out of ideas for inworld adventures and activities.

Squid and Timberwolf, a couple who met in SL this year, are proof that love can be found even in the darkest of times. Squid is a student in Derry, Northern Ireland, and Timberwolf lives in Central New York. They have been together for 6 months and getting a place together inworld has been a breeze. Squid says that SL has given them “a sort of proximity that we don’t have physically with each other,” which is so valuable in long distance relationships, especially now.

Rosie Gray lives in the Confederation of Democratic Simulators (CDS), one of the oldest communities in SL. It comprises six interconnected sims of varying themes that are governed by one administration. Gray affirms that “snow is greatly anticipated” in the CDS: Residents happily engage with the technical aspects of changing the terrain textures to make way for skiing, ice skating, and the magic of winter. Their commitment truly pays off, with Gray adding, “you can absolutely feel presence here.”

iSkye Silverweb and Slatan Dryke are another long distance couple in SL. With Silverweb in Wisconsin and Dryke in Italy, one look at their avatars shows that their bond is undeniable. They are Dinkies, which is a type of Tiny. Of their anthropomorphic feline figures, Silverweb says “they’re really cute, [with] round tummies,” and like many others, their favorite activity is ice skating. They are also both active in Virtual Ability, a community gateway for Residents with disabilities. Silverweb, who is deaf, says that “in SL there is the freedom of being able to express who you are in the choices you make with your avatar.”

Game Wylder, Todd Squall, and Lain Southpaw from Club Furzona emphasize that the winter holidays in their region are all about uniting different people from different backgrounds. Furzona is a community-based, cyberpunk themed region with a constant rotation of events, music, and  games. The large outdoor area has been transformed into a winter themed space, and Furzona welcomes all, not just furries.

The concert at the end is by Fly Kugin, a violinist from Istanbul, Turkey. It takes place in her region, White Mask. We hope that you all have a safe and relaxing break for the winter holidays, and remember that each season has its ups and downs. Spring will be in the air before we know it, so for now, let’s enjoy our ugly sweaters and unleash our inner snow bunnies upon the gorgeous winter regions forged by the love and creativity of SL Residents.

Video Productions Credits:
Draxtor Despres
 

Pictured: Christmas Carnival at Storyland Park

Each week, the Second Life Destination Guide editorial team reviews dozens of new locations and events worth exploring. With all those beautiful destinations to check out, we thought we’d highlight a few of the entries that stood out to the editorial team. Don't forget to check our Recently Added category to see all the latest additions to the Destination Guide!

This week we have some more winter destinations, fun events, and some spectacular art installations!

Christmas Carnival at Storyland Park

The Christmas Carnival has arrived at Storyland Park for the Holiday season! This all-ages destination features a scenic winter forest combined with an amusement park. Ride a roller coaster, go boating through the icy river, or enjoy horseback riding and ice skating in this land filled with endless photo ops. Bring a date or your whole family and have fun, be kind, and have a Merry Christmas!

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Wintertide Wonder at Zoinksland

Winter wonders abound at Zoinksland for the holidays! Game tables, sledding, bumper tubes, photo ops, and all the cuddles await you at this haven of fun and relaxation. With weekly events, it's the perfect place to hang for the winter!

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Seasons Of Love Christmas Special

Come and spend Christmas at Seasons of Love. Visit the small little town and take the train to the ice rink and woodland. Stay on the train and head on towards the reindeer rides and have fun riding and flying over the region on a lovely reindeer. Stay on the train a little longer and you will arrive at the wonderful dance pavilion and seating area. From here, catch the train and head on back to the station. Explore and enjoy the sights of this newly created region for Christmas 2020 while it's still there. Seasons of love will change with each season and unlikely to be the same each year so enjoy it while you can. Merry Christmas!

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Peaceful Dreams For The Holidays

Let the magic of Peaceful Dreams guide you across the undulating meadows of snow to enchanted secluded cabins and cozy photographic spots, or camp beneath the snowy sky. Enjoy skating on the skating rink with friends, ride in a sleigh, or gallop through the air on your choice of reindeer. Have fun dancing in the snow with your loved one, snuggling up together at several places in this winter wonderland, or competing against each other on the game hill with Greedy and Hand & Foot.

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Lola Land - A Winter Dream

Lola land - a winter dream is a winter and Christmas themed destination. It is a friendly place where people can hang out, explore, or take pics.

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Cay's Woodland Holiday

Welcome to Cay's Woodland Holiday! You are invited to this winter resort to enjoy the tranquility of a beautiful woodland setting during the busy holidays and the festive celebrations every night Monday thru Saturday. Relax in the Holiday Lodge or enjoy some ice skating any time day or night. It's the ideal destination for holiday parties, romantic dates and to enjoy the season with friends.

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Ye Auld Melody

What happened here? No one really talks about it, but you can see it, you can feel it. Backpackers come here a lot. Especially at this time of the year, to explore something in between. Something a little bit different with the wind humming auld melody.

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MadPea Magical Christmas Hunt For Enchanted Toys

In Santa's Toy Factory, one of the elves accidentally activated the 'Enchanted' mode making ALL the toys come alive! The toys ran away in various directions and poor elves didn't manage to catch more than a handful! Christmas will be ruined for a lot of children.. unless we find all the escaped toys and bring them back! We need your help! Hunt down the toys to win prizes and earn new achievements! The event runs from December 10th to December 24th.

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Tlalli - The Fair Around the World - New York

Tlalli - The Fair Around the World, is a quarterly thematic fair dedicated to celebrating the diversity and rich culture of countries throughout the world. This round focuses on Christmas in New York! and will be open from December 7th to 28th.

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White Veil by Bryn Oh and Cica Ghost

- .... . / .--. . -. --. ..- .. -. ... / .- .-. . / --. . - - .. -. --. / ... ..- ... .--. .. -.-. .. --- ..- ... / .- -... --- .-. - / .- -... --- .-. - (HINT: Google morse code translator to decode) See the video trailer for this art installation: youtu.be/ZQAPIQLW7cQ

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Monsters-ADreNalin

Be prepared to experience Cherry Manga's Monsters in this paranoid interactive installation.

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Don't forget to also visit the following Linden Lab Events:

• Winter Shop & Hop 2020 - Click over for a full list of merchants and slurls.
• Linden & Resident Snowball Fight - happening next Friday, December 18th at 10am and 2pm PT!

Linden & Resident Snowball Fight

Get in the winter spirit for the most epic snowball fight in Second Life. Come with a group of friends and meet new people - either way, you're sure to have a blast as you toss snowballs at other Residents and even Lindens! Event held December 18th at 10am to 11am PST and another one at 2pm to 3pm PST.

Visit in Second Life

Got a spot that you’d like listed in the Destination Guide? Make sure to drop us a note at editor@lindenlab.com or submit your spot via web form.

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Joy to the grid, the winter festivities have begun!

WINTER SHOP & HOP 2020 - NOW OPEN!

Our 2020 Winter Shop & Hop is now open with 180 participating Merchants, 9 shopping regions, and tons of ideas for all your holiday shopping needs! It will be held till January 3rd, 2021.

In the great gift of giving, most Merchants have provided at least one gift (no group needed) to share with you this holiday season and have put deep discounts on many of their top products. Scroll down for a complete list of participating Merchants, and the slurls, in alphabetical order.      

LAB GAB - TODAY!

Tune into Lab Gab later today to see Strawberry & Tara Linden give a quick run-through of Shop & Hop. They will also be exploring a few other festive winter-themed regions. Watch live on YouTube at 11am PT today.

SNOWBALL FIGHT - DECEMBER 18!

Speaking of livestreams, there will be two of them on December 18th at the Linden & Resident Snowball Fight, at 10am PT and again at 2pm PT. Get your warm clothes and throwing arms ready for the snowball showdown of the year! You can pelt your fellow Second Life Residents and Lindens with a bevy of sparkling snowballs, launched fresh from the snow arsenal available at the arena. If you can’t make it inworld yourself, you can watch the live streams on youtube at 10am PT and 2pm PT. 

Linden & Resident Snowball Fight

Get in the winter spirit for the most epic snowball fight in Second Life. Come with a group of friends and meet new people - either way, you're sure to have a blast as you toss snowballs at other Residents and even Lindens! Event held December 18th at 10am to 11am PST and another one at 2pm to 3pm PST.

Visit in Second Life

Check the Second Life Public Calendar for all event updates!

Happy Holidays!

A complete list of participating Shop & Hop Merchants in alphabetical order is below: