In recognition of Black History Month, our “Made in Second Life” series explores the newly-reopened Virtual Black History Museum in SL!

Open through late March, this interactive educational experience invites attendees to explore the timeline of African-American history from the heartaches to the victories in a park-like and welcoming environment.

At the heart of the museum is a new exhibit that spotlights the amazing women that helped shape African-American history in the US.

“There’s a focus on women in Black history and telling some of the stories of people that don’t really make it into the history books,” says curator Abrianna Oceanside.”We talk about Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks, but we don’t really talk about some of the [other] names that we don’t even recognize.”

That’s why the Museum goes deeper in its exhibition to amplify awareness of several lesser-known historical figures including civil rights activists Amelia Boynton Robinson, Daisy Bates, and Martha P. Johnson.

“To be able to walk through, observe and just be able to have a more immersed experience is more effective than just going to a website and reading the information,” says Oceanside. “I’m hoping to foster a place where there can be a dialogue.” 

While some of the subject matter in the museum can be unsettling, Oceanside says that she hopes the experience will help enlighten and educate attendees.

“There are a lot of difficult discussions and I’m OK with uncomfortable because I believe that is a big part of what helps us grow as people,” she says. “I’ve had some really interesting discussions with people whose perspectives shifted a little bit...and sometimes that little shift makes a big difference in the world.”

To learn more about the Black History Museum, watch the video or visit it in Second Life.

Credits:
Video Production: Draxtor Despres
Logo: Marianne McCann
 

Lab Gab is a live streaming show that showcases events, destinations, and different talents across Second Life. 

Join our host, Strawberry Linden, as she speaks with the CEO of Linden Lab, Ebbe Linden, and the VP of Product, Grumpity Linden! They will be discussing the 2020 Roadmap including new features and improvements for Second Life! 

Do you have a question about the 2020 Roadmap that you’d like Strawberry to ask them on your behalf? Fill out the Google Form and submit your question today, and it may be selected! 

Tune in on Friday, February 21st at 11am PT/SLT. Watch us live on YouTube, Facebook, Mixer, or Periscope! 

Pictured: Garrigua

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. So in no particular order, here are a few locations on the Destination Guide that we recommend checking out this weekend:

Astralia x Hello Kitty Event

Hello Kitty celebrates her 45th anniversary with a huge two-region experience by Astralia in Second Life. With two regions of fun, you can also play interactive games and shop. For more info, visit astraliaworld.com. For Valentine's Day Hello Kitty and her friends are ready to bring you in the world of love with a huge brand new love-themed area!

Visit in Second Life

RFL Home & Garden Expo 2020

The largest and longest-running home and garden event in SL, The Home and Garden Expo, returns on the 13th of February through the 4th of March 2020, for the 13th year! Spanning 9 regions, The Home & Garden Expo supports Relay For Life of Second Life, as well as its exhibitors and guests. Over 200 hours of live entertainment with approximately 200 of SL's best creators. What are you waiting for? Details on slhomegardenexpo.com

Visit in Second Life

Burlap by Cica Ghost

Burlap dolls and things...

Visit in Second Life

The Streets of New Orleans at Cay's

Everyone at Cay's is excited about their annual trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras! Mardi Gras - the mere mention of these two words convey thoughts of raucous celebrations, beads flying through the air and ear-to-ear grins plastered on the faces of revelers! Join Cay's Streets of New Orleans as they celebrate MARDI GRAS in true "Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler" style - the music, the venue, and the atmosphere are second to none! The venue is open 24/7 until Fat Tuesday on February 25th and features nightly entertainment featuring some of the best DJs and Hosts in Second Life.

Visit in Second Life

Garrigua

Garrigua is a region based on the South of France. If you are looking for a sunny and peaceful place to chill, you've found it! Come hang out and have coffee on the terrace, or explore the region and take pictures. You can share your images in their Flickr group: flickr.com/groups/14694146@N21

Visit in Second Life

If you're still in the mood for Valentine's themed locations, don't forget to check out our Valentine's Day category!

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.

Connect with Second Life at the following links:
Community | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Flickr Account | Flickr Group | Pinterest | Tumblr | Plurk

There’ve been quite a few rumors about changes at the Lab and their possible effects on Second Life and Tilia. The truth is that we have made a few operational and personnel changes to ensure that we continue to stay strong for the next decade and beyond. This means that we had to say goodbye to a few employees, but at the same time we also strengthened our team by bringing back some heavy hitters who will help make Second Life better than ever. 

So, Second Life is still here and still strong. We’re continuing to invest in its future and you’ll see the results of our commitment this year as we roll out a new mobile companion app, new Linden Home themes, performance and usability improvements, and a number of other new features and enhancements. The ability to change names will be available in the next few weeks, too. 

These changes reflect our commitment to making SL strong for many years to come. To infinity and beyond!
 

Lab Gab is a live streaming show that showcases events, destinations, and different talents across Second Life. 

Join our host, Strawberry Linden, as she tours One Billion Rising with Kess Crystal. On February 14th, men and women in Second Life will join people across the world and Rise to protest violence against women, as a show of unity, individual strength, and the need for change. The Second Life event will feature a four-region stage where 200 people can come together to dance, surrounded by an area of art installations, an arena for poetry, a stage for dance performances, informational exhibits and free gifts. Kess Crystal will be giving Strawberry a tour of the four regions. 

Tune in on Friday, February 14th at 8am PT/SLT. Watch us live on YouTube, Facebook, Mixer, or Periscope! 

Join them on Valentine’s day at One Billion Rising!

One Billion Rising in Second Life

On February 14th, men and women in Second Life will join people across the world to Rise to protest violence against women, as a show of unity, individual strength, and the need for change. The Second Life event will feature a four-region stage where 200 people can come together to dance, surrounded by an area of art installations, an arena for poetry, a stage for dance performances, informational exhibits and free gifts. For more information, visit onebillionrisingsl.wordpress.com.

Visit in Second Life

Dunk-A-Linden & Hug-A-Linden Event Live Stream

Strawberry will also be doing another live stream on Valentine’s day, at the Dunk & Hug a Linden event, with a surprise guest (hint)! After OBR, drop by and dunk or hug a Linden between 12pm and 2pm!

Dunk-A-Linden & Hug-A-Linden Event

Party with us at the Isle of View on February 14th from 12pm to 2pm (Pacific). Meet your Valentine, enjoy music, and don’t miss the Dunk-a-Linden and Hug-a-Linden booths!

Visit in Second Life

Last year, we debuted “Love Made in Second Life” -- a limited-time series that explores the true stories of real people who met and found love inside the virtual world Second Life.

A whole season of new episodes is already in production for this year -- and the first new edition of 2020 debuts just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Meet Adam and Ruby - two Residents who met four years ago at the Sexy Brits club in Knightsbridge within the London Sim in Second Life. Strangely enough, it was a song request that brought them together! At the club, Ruby noticed that one of her favorite songs “Crucify My Love” by X-Japan had been requested -- so she had to find out who was behind it.

“I had to know!” she says.

When told it was Adam, she was surprised as she had assumed that his avatar was just a bot. So, she reached out to him in chat.

“I thought it wasn’t really a person because he was dancing in the same corner all the time,” says Ruby. “I absolutely thought he was a bot!... I never would have started talking to him if it wasn’t for that song.”

Pictured: Ruby and Adam dancing to music in Second Life.

“It all started with a message and soon we became good friends and we both started chatting, spending every-time longer and longer together,” she says. “We reached a point we would be talking both in video chat on Skype and Second Life all day long. Six months later, Christmas was approaching and I traveled from my country, Spain, to the UK just to spend our first Christmas together. We really did click together and what was supposed to be just two weeks, never finished.”

Adds Adam: “When I met [her] it was like a gift from God...she is perfect!”.

Pictured: Adam and Ruby

What happened next? As we’ve seen with some previous couples featured in our series, there was a decision to take a leap of faith to find love.  

“I left everything - literally, everything behind, and moved to his house. Years have passed and we're going strong, looking forward to doing new stuff together.” 

With all these love stories, should Second Life be considered a dating app?

“It is not a dating app,” says Ruby. However, she does think that SL offers a unique way for people to meet that goes deeper than many popular apps. “With avatars, we jump over the social expectations and social constructs that allow you to be yourself.”

CREDITS:
Video production courtesy of Draxtor Despres

Logo courtesy of Marianne McCann

Pictured: Southern Roots

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. So in no particular order, here are a few locations on the Destination Guide that we recommend checking out this weekend:

This week’s focus is on regions and events with a Valentine’s theme. See more Valentine’s themed regions in the Valentine’s Day category on the Destination Guide.

Overlook - Valentine's Edition

Overlook Venue - Valentine's Edition is sure to provide you with the perfect romantic setting for this lovely time of year. Join the group for rez rights to accommodate your photography needs, and to stay up-to-date for any events happening. Stay to dance anytime with the updated intan, and stream 24/7.

Visit in Second Life

Valentine on Ice 2020

Rebel Yell Concerts presents: Valentine on Ice. Bring your special one and enjoy the many romantic spots: dinner at the Valentine restaurant, swan boats tour, cupid moon tour, awesome tribute concerts, and the many winter activities such as skiing and sledding. Spend some quality time in this romantic winter experience.

Visit in Second Life

Southern Roots - Love is in the Air

Love has spread all around Southern Roots! Enjoy many romantic spots throughout and come participate in #AdamsPhotoChallenge. Remember in the south, we say grace, listen to mama, sweeten the tea, know the neighbors, bless hearts, use manners, love like crazy, catch lightnin' bugs, live simple, say hey y'all, count our blessings, wave at strangers, give warm hugs, and marry for love. Flickr group: www.flickr.com/groups/southern_roots

Visit in Second Life

MadPea's Cupid Catastrophe

The MadPea Cupid Catastrophe is two exciting and insane weeks of thrilling grid-wide fun in the form of hunting through beautiful lands, amazing clubs, unique businesses, quaint homes, and even the occasional evil lair for those annoying Cupids and squishing them before they cause the usual troubles! Valentine's has never seen a hunt like this one! Event runs from February 1st to 15th.

Visit in Second Life

Cupid Inc. 2020

Cupid Inc. 2020 by Novel Events is an annual shopping event with an innovative gifting system. Besides purchasing for themselves, patrons will be able to send anonymous gifts to their loved ones! The event runs from February 5th to the 25th. More information at CupidIncEvent.com.

Visit in Second Life

Of course, if you haven’t already done so, don’t forget to visit our three Valentine’s events: Isle of View, Dunk & Hug a Linden Event, and the Valentine’s Shop & Hop shopping event. Read more about them in our Valentine's blog post.

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.

Connect with Second Life at the following links:
Community | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Flickr Account | Flickr Group | Pinterest | Tumblr | Plurk

Video production courtesy of Draxtor Despres. Avatars depicted in this video are made by Neurolab and Chip Midnight.

This week's Second Life Destinations video explores one of the most popular and long-lasting spots in Second Life. Kowloon is a densely-populated destination that is inspired by Hong Kong’s infamous Kowloon Walled City. 

Visitors can stroll through the many darkened alleys and narrow neon-lit streets to shop and explore, but one impossible-to-miss attraction is the new 100-story building project initiated by Magnum Yoshikawa. This unique limited-time community project was inspired by a popular Japanese children’s book and is already in its second iteration. Participating Residents are encouraged to show off their creativity by decorating one of the many small rooms contained vertically across the 100-floor structure -- with a 20-prim limit, no less! 

To participate in the project, look for the sign adjacent to the building at the entrance of Kowloon. Once you touch the sign, you can message Yoshikawa if you want to potentially decorate one of the many rooms (as space allows).

The blogging community has already taken notice of the ambitious project, too. The Million Happy Endings blog recently documented the origins of the project, while the YouTube channel The Demented One also created a video showcasing the creativity under construction.

To learn more about Kowloon, you can visit its official blog...or visit it inworld!

Kowloon

Bathe in the neon glow of this region based on Hong Kong's infamous Kowloon Walled City, a place with a sordid past and where sunlight rarely reaches the ground below. Shops line the narrow city streets and darkened alleys, while Panda Park offers the lone space to stare up at the stars.

Visit in Second Life

Lab Gab is a live streaming show that showcases events, destinations, and different talents across Second Life. 

Join our host, Strawberry Linden, as she speaks with Resident, Bollycoco (Ajvdi). Bolly is a very talented, multilingual, Second Life YouTuber. On her channel, she beautifully showcases her fashion sense along with sharing the latest Second Life news and updates. Belly dancing is one of her passions in Second Life, and right after the interview, there will be a belly dancing party! Make sure to dress in your belly dancing gear and join them! Landmark to the party will be given out during the interview.    

Tune in on Friday, February 7th at 10am PT/SLT. Watch us live on YouTube, Facebook, Mixer, or Periscope! 

Love is in the air...and Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! That means it is time for the return of the Isle of View, our annual Shop & Hop event and the Dunk-A-Linden & Hug-A-Linden Event.

NEW & IMPROVED ISLE OF VIEW (AND FREE GIFTS, TOO!)

It’s back - and better than ever! The Isle of View is our annual tribute to all-things-romantic via four regions filled with forested walks, love nooks, and romantic swan boat rides.

This year, we’ve made several additions including updated Mesh and Windlight enhancements, improvements to the Swan Ride and even some redesigned and new gifts!

Visit one of the Love Pavilion gift kiosks to browse through a variety of gift selections that you can send to your friends and loved ones on Valentine’s Day. This year’s selection includes several new options including heart lollipops and balloons, an adorable teddy bear, a chocolate box with rings, cutesy cupcakes, love lanterns and, of course, romantic roses. To select and send your free gifts, follow the directions on the sign adjacent to the kiosk. 

What are you waiting for? The Isle of View is now open!

GET READY FOR THE SHOP & HOP EVENT  - OPENING FEB. 6

Ready to shop? Share the love on Valentine's Day and bring your friends to get big discounts and free gifts from over 80 of your favorite Second Life Merchants at the annual Shop & Hop event, held Feb. 6-23. This year’s event spans across multiple regions filled with exclusive items you won’t want to miss!

Once the event opens, head on over to the Gilded, Aurelian, Gleaming or Tinseled regions to get started. For added convenience, we added adjacent camming areas as well.

After your happy haul, be sure to share your shopping pics in the Second Life Shop & Hop Flickr photo pool. Before you head over, you can browse in advance to see what others are shopping for and sharing, too! 

DUNK-A-LINDEN & HUG-A-LINDEN EVENT ON FEB. 14

Are you feeling “some kind of way” about the Lindens? Show your love (or friendly aggression) for the makers of Second Life at our annual Dunk-A-Linden & Hug-A-Linden Event, held on Feb. 14 from noon-2 p.m. (SLT). Join us for music, conversation and plenty of soaked Lindens!

VALENTINE’S DAY DESTINATION GUIDE & MORE

Don’t forget to check out our special Valentine’s Day Destination Guide category, too! You’ll find numerous community-created events and romantic destinations to explore including Mad Pea’s Cupid Catastrophe, The Stupid Cupid Hunt 8 and much more!

Finally, our popular “Love Made in Second Life” mini-series returns next week! Stay tuned for an all-new episode exploring the true story of a couple who met in SL before finding true love in the physical world.

Pictured: Studland Bay

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. So in no particular order, here are a few locations on the Destination Guide that we recommend checking out this weekend:

BeYou is a fully interactive family roleplaying life simulation game, featured on our Lab Gab cooking show today!

beYou

Looking for more meaning in SecondLife? BeYou is an exciting, fully interactive, family roleplaying life simulation game. At beYou you can cook, have bath time, farm, craft, and learn skills for a certain career path. Everything you do will add to your overall game experience. As you perform tasks within specific career paths, you will earn skill points and increase your ability to produce better quality items. Learn more at beyouworld.com and pick up the HUD today!

Visit in Second Life

Crazy Dragona is a new nightclub in Second Life that looks incredible with advanced lighting turned on. Check out this video for all the shiny details.

Crazy Dragona

Crazy Dragona is a re-creation of a nightclub under the carpark of a Brutalist Hotel in Poland. The club uses environmental cube-map projections, so with advanced lighting turned on, it is a feast for the eyes! The masterminds behind this place are Frenchbloke Vanmoer, Beev Fallen, and Martin Ren. Check Flickr group for more images and videos: flickr.com/groups/crazydragona

Visit in Second Life

North Shore Bay

North Shore Bay has transformed into a wonderful Winterland with beautiful winter scenery! Come over for ice-skating, have a romantic dinner in the restaurant, stay a night over in the old English styled B&B, and other winter fun! Put on your warm sweater, and prepare yourself for a good time.

Visit in Second Life

Enchantment at LeLoo's World

A timeless land filled with enchantment and magic; where make-believe takes hold. Step into spring and feel the warmth of a magical place for exploring, relaxing, and taking photos with family and friends.

Visit in Second Life

Studland Bay

Studland Bay is a working farm style four-season region. Explore with friends and take a ride on a horse-drawn wagon around the farm.

Visit in Second Life

Next week we'll be in February and very close to Valentine's Day, so we're hoping to feature more Valentine's themed regions. Remember to check back for next week's suggestions!

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.

Connect with Second Life at the following links:
Community | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Flickr Account | Flickr Group | Pinterest | Tumblr | Plurk

Some of the most popular places to explore in Second Life are those that emphasize nature. Peaceful parks, lush gardens and photo-friendly landscapes can all be found across the grid. A good starting point is the Nature & Parks category in the Destination Guide.

One of our favorites is The Four Seasons, a place to relax and stroll between beach and greenery. This spot is perfect for photographers and those looking for a romantic spot to spend with loved ones.

Experience it for yourself inworld or get a peek in this week’s Second Life Destinations video.

The Four Seasons

The Four Seasons is a place to relax and stroll between beach and greenery. Perfect for photographers and those looking for a romantic spot to spend with loved ones.

Visit in Second Life

Lab Gab is a live streaming show that showcases events, destinations, and different talents across Second Life. 

Join our host, Strawberry Linden, as she bakes a peach pie with Resident, MeelaVanderbuilt. Meela is a prolific Second Life blogger and vlogger as well as an entrepreneur, with several Second Life venues under her belt!

Tune in on Friday, January 31st at 10am PT/SLT. Watch us live on YouTube, Facebook, Mixer, or Periscope! 

Image taken at Chinook Rockies S3L.

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. So in no particular order, here are a few locations on the Destination Guide that we’d recommend checking out this weekend. Some of these are time-sensitive, so make sure to visit soon!

Australian Bushfire Wildlife Benefit - Charity event ends Monday, January 27th.

Australian Bushfire Wildlife Benefit

The fires have already taken so much. Entire communities have been left devastated. The loss of both human and animal life has been unimaginable and heartbreaking. The Australian Bushfire Wildlife Benefit will run from January 24th 12PM SLT to January 27th 12AM SLT. All proceeds going to bushfires.rspca.org.au

Visit in Second Life

WBH Inspiration Music and Art Park - Gala opening will be on Sunday, January 26th from 10am to 11am SLT.

WBH Inspiration Music and Art Park

Have you ever wanted to conduct or compose music? You can do it solo or with others at this new addition to Inspiration Island. Five gardens are filled with colorful instruments and poetic sculptures. This unique interactive area is the brainchild of a music inventor and a visual artist. Gala opening of Inspiration Music and Art Park will be on Sunday, January 26th from 10am to 11am SLT. Vist and meet the Creators!

Visit in Second Life

Menorca - An open-air stage that was created in 2005 and was Second Life's first music events island is now back after a decade!

Menorca

Menorca is an open-air stage that was created in 2005 and was Second Life's first music events island. It has been featured on BBC TV, Channel 4, Sky News, The Guardian, Pop Sci, and Creative Commons. It was mentioned in Rolling Stone Magazine, Reuters, and many other publications. It closed in 2010 and just made a come back in 2020!

Visit in Second Life

Strange Garden

Welcome to -ADreNalin- a place by Cherry Manga and JadeYu Fhang. To open this place of art and music, the first art exhibit is Strange Garden, a surreal landscape stuck in an electric dream or a nightmare.

Visit in Second Life

The Four Seasons

The Four Seasons is a place to relax and stroll between beach and greenery. Perfect for photographers and those looking for a romantic spot to spend with loved ones.

Visit in Second Life

Chinook Rockies S3L

Experience a range of wilderness and diverse natural scenery. Enjoy the realistic landscape while you relax with friends or meet new acquaintances. The theme is perfect for photography, blogging, or just chilling out.

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.

Connect with Second Life at the following links:
Community | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Flickr Account | Flickr Group | Pinterest | Tumblr | Plurk

The latest edition of Made in Second Life, narrated by longtime Resident Marianne McCann, explores the many aviation communities taking flight across SL.

“I have a strong fondness for SL aviation and flying in Second Life,” says McCann. “I think the really fascinating thing about Second Life is that the people who created it and continue to run it may not necessarily have been able to foresee every possibility that Second Life has unlocked for people. It’s become something so much greater than what may have been envisioned.”  

Interest in aviation has grown organically over the years, and McCann credits many of the pioneers who made key contributions to the evolution of flight across the grid. 

“Garth FairChang made some of the first airplanes with the idea of traveling from the telehubs...and then that led to Cubey Terra - a great pioneer in SL aviation,” she says. 

Getting started isn’t difficult, but it helps to join a community or group of existing virtual world aviation enthusiasts.

“The easiest way to fly even without a plane in Second Life is to join a group called Passengers of SL created by Laben Core,” says McCann. “You’ll find pilots there who want to ferry people around just for the fun of having passengers in their plane. They’ll go from Second Life airport to airport. You’ll also find that there’s a lot of demo rezzers in the various aviation stores that are out there where you can take one of their planes out on a free ride.” 

While there are plenty of free rides to be had, there are also several options for those who are willing to splurge. 

“If you are going to buy a plane then it is going to cost you a bit of money so if you want to get a decent helicopter (like one from Shergood Aviation) you’re gonna lay out about L$5,000,” says McCann. “For that, you’ll have working dashboards on them so you can get the complete feeling of traveling by your instruments with a lot of mesh detailing.”

Another option is a special Marianne McCann limited-edition version of the Sopwith Camel WarBug biplane made by Arduenn Schwartzman.

Not all flights need to be conventional. Some modes of travel are designed more for humor and fun than aerodynamic efficiency.

“With Second Life, you can fly around in a paper airplane,” says McCann. “Perhaps, even a bacon sandwich [that] you could take to the air?” 

So, where’s the aviation action? 

“Flying in SL really focuses on the Mainland thanks to the large landmass. Most of the airports are actually located on the Mainland and most of the flying goes on there because you can go for great distances,” she says.

Some aviation communities even specialize in story-based play and/or situational exercises such as search-and-rescue. “There’s a lot of roleplaying that happens in SL aviation,” says McCann. “Things like the SL Coast Guard where people will stage accidents to fly out and rescue people.”

The SL Coast Guard has over 150 members who train daily in sophisticated roleplay scenarios, involving safety training. Many members are first responders in the physical world as well.

“You’ll even find people that will take out large air tankers that are used for refueling in the air and they’ll do refueling for combat missions,” she adds.

Ready to get started? Whether you are flying in a conventional plane or a bacon sandwich, you’ll find plenty of places to explore in the Airplanes category in the Destination Guide. 

CREDITS:
Video production by Draxtor Despres
Logo courtesy of Marianne McCann

After a month-long hiatus, Lab Gab is back! Lab Gab is a live streaming show that showcases events, destinations, and different talents across Second Life. We’ve got lots of exciting stuff to share with you this year, and we hope you all join us! 

To start the year off, our host Strawberry Linden will be interviewing Draxtor Despres. Draxtor is a long-time Second Life Resident whose documentaries and video series about Second Life have won awards! 

Tune in on Thursday, January 23rd at 10am PT/SLT. Watch us live on YouTube, Facebook, Mixer, or Periscope! 
 

Happy new year!

Image taken at Lost Lagoon.

Each week, the Second Life Destination Guide editorial team reviews dozens of 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. So in no particular order, here are a few locations on the Destination Guide that we’d recommend checking out this weekend:

Burrow Coffee Co. - Also featured in our Destinations video this week.

Burrow Coffee Co.

Cozy, eclectic, and unique coffee shop/cafe featuring live music, DJs, poetry readings, games, great conversation, and more. A wonderful spot for photographers to snap photos as well! Come grab a cup of coffee and make yourselves at home!

Visit in Second Life

Lost Lagoon

Welcome to the Lost Lagoon, an isolated paradise in the South Seas. This beautiful jewel of destination is a great place to explore, get in touch with nature, relax and cuddle. Everyone is welcome to find their piece of paradise at the Lost Lagoon.

Visit in Second Life

Northern Shore

Welcome to the snowy Northern Shore, a region inspired by the Swedish coast with its many archipelagos and traditional houses. Put on some warm clothes and bring your skates to take a tour around the frozen islands, grab your camera to capture the serene and scenic view. After you are done exploring the many islands, do not forget to warm up with a cup of hot beverage at the local café.

Visit in Second Life

Dreamers & Co

Dreamers & Co. is a friendly and mindful community in Second Life. Loving and appreciating art, culture, and music - they share and collaborate in harmony. Visit, follow the teleports, and join the adventure!

Visit in Second Life

Hapuna Surf Beach

If you're looking for a beach where you can have the best time, come to Hapuna Surf Beach! Here you will find surf-able waves, jet skies, helicopters, gliding, volleyball, water slides, and much more! If you just want to chill by the beach, you'll find many bars, loungers, beach towels, and lots of options to cuddle watching the beautiful Second Life sunset.

Visit in Second Life

Crystal Line Romantic Ballroom

Crystal Line is a beautiful romantic ballroom waiting for a couple to come spend some quality time here. It's open 24 hours, and once you land, don't forget to turn on the music and enjoy dancing together. The dress code is formal and the venue is across the street, in front of the train station.

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.

Connect with Second Life at the following links:
Community | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Flickr Account | Flickr Group | Pinterest | Tumblr | Plurk

This week’s Destinations video visits Burrow Coffee Co., one of the many cafes and coffeehouses in Second Life.

Created by Harlow Heslop, Burrow is only the latest of her many coffeehouse creations.

“I have been decorating cafe-style places in Second Life for almost 12 years,” says Harlow. “I got the nickname ‘Hurricane Harlow’ because I tend to take them down, rebuild  and come up with new and innovative ways to spaces for people to hang out.”

Like many physical coffeehouses and cafes, Burrow has been designed as a social space that welcomes live music performances, deejays, poetry readings and other social gatherings.

“It’s a great spot for conversation and gathering,” says Harlow. “People can come here as couples and spend time on a date. It’s also a great space for people to come alone. A lot of people come here to relax just like you would in a real-life coffee house. Hopefully, it has a sense of realism for people and gives them a safe and comfortable place in SL to come and spend time.”

Burrow Coffee Co.

Cozy, eclectic, and unique coffee shop/cafe featuring live music, DJs, poetry readings, games, great conversation, and more. A wonderful spot for photographers to snap photos as well! Come grab a cup of coffee and make yourselves at home!

Visit in Second Life

CREDITS:
Video production by Draxtor Despres

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 Valentine’s Day edition of Shop & Hop will open on February 3rd and will run through February 17th. (PLEASE NOTE: The shopping event's dates have been changed to February 6th to the 23rd.)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 some of their items 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 20th, 2020. We will contact you soon after that date if your application is accepted. 

We are excited to host this event and look forward to putting it together!

Image by Fel Matias.

Our “Made in Second Life” series continues with our first episode focusing on “Art Made in Second Life.” This episode spotlights Fiona Fei, an artist who has extended her canvas to Second Life. Fei, who has an MS in Visualization from Texas A&M University, uses SL to “share [her] thoughts, ideas, knowledge, and artistic vision in fantastic ways that is not possible in the real world.”

Her work can currently be seen in the Shui Mo Gallery, a series of installations created in the style of Chinese ink brush painting, depicting a common theme or landscape seen in many traditional Chinese paintings. 

Shui Mo Gallery

Explore the artwork of Resident FionaFei at the Shiu Mo Gallery. Shui Mo, meaning "ink" in Chinese, is a series of installations created in the style of Chinese ink brush painting, depicting a common theme or landscape seen in many traditional Chinese paintings.

Visit in Second Life

“As a Chinese American who immigrated from China at a young age, I created the Shui Mo series as a way of connecting with my ancestry and celebrate centuries of art from old masters who painted using traditional Chinese ink brush style,” says Fei.

Shui Mo hovers over Dreams, a region dedicated to helping and supporting stroke survivors and people with autism by means of regular group meetings, classes, games, and creative building contests. The goal of the Shui Mo Gallery is to give the visitors and the Dreams community the feel of being fully immersed inside a 2D drawing as well as an escape from even ‘’virtual’' reality, where the 3D space melts away into the mind of the artist.

 “It is my hope that these artworks will look like 2D paintings upon first glance and surprise the viewer in seeing that they are actually sculptures,” she says. “When you first come into the gallery, you are about to step into a world of ink and become the art...or at least become immersed as a fellow piece of artwork."

CREDITS:

Video produced by Draxtor Despres

Logo designed by Marianne McCann

Microsoft is discontinuing support for Windows 7 on January 14th. This means that it will no longer get updates, including security patches. Therefore, running Windows 7 will become increasingly insecure as new vulnerabilities are discovered and not patched.

Accordingly, Linden Lab is updating our system requirements to remove Windows 7 from the versions we support. This does not mean that Second Life will stop working on Windows 7 immediately; existing viewers, and possibly some new viewers, should run as well as they did before. However, we will not be testing any viewers on Windows 7, so it is likely that compatibility problems will develop and increase over time. In addition, we will not attempt to fix any problems which occur only on unsupported operating systems (if a bug is reported against an unsupported system, we usually try to reproduce it on one that is supported; if we can't, we don't investigate further or attempt to fix it).

In order to keep your Second Life experience as reliable and secure as possible, we strongly recommend using only supported versions and keeping them updated with the latest vendor patches.
 

Second Life is filled with many different types of experiences to explore. Artists have always found it as a means to express their creativity through many forms. Sound, sculpture, immersive events, prose, and many other forms of artistic expression are all possible within SL.

One of the most prolific artists on the Grid is Cica Ghost - whose installments have intrigued Residents and given them food for thought over the years. These limited run installations have been whimsical, fantastical, silly, and much more.

Cica is back with a new experience - simply titled “Donkeys”. Delightful donkeys and other creatures inhabit this scenic island - perfect for pictures, adventure, and the highlight of this week’s destination guide video.
 

Visit Donkeys before it disappears. 
 

Donkeys by Cica Ghost

The Sim Quarterly's third installment is "Donkeys by Cica Ghost." Visit happy donkeys on their island.

Visit in Second Life

Be sure to share your pics on the Second Life Official Flickr group.

UPDATE: We will be live streaming the snowball fights in part on our YT and FB pages: https://www.youtube.com/secondlife/live

Tis the season to let it go and get into some icy fun at the Winter Wonderland Snowball Fight Arena for some snow-slinging fun times!

Get your warm clothes and throwing arms ready - it’s time for a Lindens and Residents snowball fight! This Snowball Showdown means you're free to pelt your fellow Second Life Residents and Lindens with a bevy of sparkling snowballs- launched fresh from the snow-arsenal available at the arena. 

The battles (yes, you read that right - there are two!) commence this Friday, December 20th  from 10 am to 11 am SLT and 2 pm to 3 pm SLT). Spots are limited, so be sure to get there early to grab your snow launching weaponry from the vendors around the arena. 

Mark your calendars, assemble your dream squad, and be there!
 

Sharpen your quill! Get your wits about you! We are happy to declare the Last Names contest is officially open.  What contest, you say? What name changes? 

We will make Name Changes available to Premium account holders in early 2020.  It will be possible to change First Name, Last Name, or both. There will be a one-time fee per Name Change. Just like in the olden times, First Name will be freeform, Last Name will be from a list - and here is where this contest comes in: we want your help coming up with the first batch of Last Names! 

Send us your best ideas. BoatyMcBoatface* is not gonna suggest itself.   

Three submissions per entry. No reusing of old names. From all of the suggestions, we’ll pick five (5), and those five lucky Residents will be able to change their names completely free of charge (or designate another account for the name change)! You will not need to be Premium to participate or to win. The contest will run December 16 through January 15th, and participation details will be announced shortly. 

All previous last names can be searched through in this wiki. Enjoy the trip down memory lane!

All the Rules, Terms and Conditions

* but please don’t suggest it. We get it.

The last Lab Gab of the Year is upon us! The end of the year is a time to both reflect on the past and look forward to the future. Some big announcements and updates will be shared.

Join us at 3 pm PT/SLT on Wednesday, December 18th, as Xiola and Strawberry talk about some exciting upcoming fun - including the ever-popular Linden/Resident Snowball Fight, the Last Names Contest, and much more. If you’ve not been to one of the snowball fights before, this is the one to come to! Residents and Lindens meetup at Winter Wonderland for tons of snow-filled fun. Specifics will be revealed on the show!

Tune in to our Official YouTube Channel (or check us out on Mixer, Periscope,  or Facebook Live! Via our Official Facebook page) to watch on December 18th at 3 pm PT/SLT.