Greetings from Barcelona.  Having a great time – wish you were here!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tumotiko%20East/69/136/0

I’ve not been to the real Barcelona, so I can’t say if this sim is similar to the real deal or not, but I can tell you that it’s gorgeous, very well designed, appealing to the eye, and a great place to hang out in general and meet folks.  It’s good if you know a bit of Spanish as there are many Spanish-speaking people around.  It offers a cozy cafe to share a latte with friends or to have a dance.  There are assorted shops and art galleries.  And in addition to the city feel, the edges are beach covered and offer sights to see, boating interactive activities, and more hang out spaces.  The music is a soothing Latin station, good for chatting with friends or dancing.

Here’s a tip…do visit sims that have a majority of non-English speaking residents.  Don’t be afraid!  It’s a wonderful way to experience another culture without a passport or even leaving your home.  There are translation devices easily found in SL, many of them free.  There is a bit of a learning curve, but it’s well worth it.  Its a terrific way to learn a foreign language or practice your rusty skills in a language you are semi-literate in.  I’ve had many non-English speaking friends do this very thing in order to practice their English and I’ve seen them become remarkably proficient by the exercise and rather quickly too!  Overall, it’s a great way to expand your world and your skills while having a great time.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Freestar%20Bay%20Isle/74/128/501

Freestar Bay is a definite must if you want to know whats up in the music scene in the virtual world.  The best way to do this is to take the surl above, wait for it to rez, then grab the notecards that the greeter gives.  There are regular events and live music gigs so you will always have something to look forward to.  The pic above was taken at a Noma Falta concert.  She and other great musicians perform there regularly and with the enthusiastic fans that come with them, you’ll have a great time!

If you are a real world musician looking for a virtual world audience, then you should come to Freestar Bay and contact Freestar Tammas.  See you there!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nomasha%20Syaka/114/119/21

So….you think you can dance?  If the answer is no, or if the only dance moves you have are freebie and, ahem, inferior quality dance moves, then perhaps you should TP over to the Ministry of Motion!  They have Jamiroquai (YAY!), Beyonce, John Travolta, Michael Jackson, and other well known dancer moves as well as acid/jazz/funk/soul/disco, chilled/freestylin, street/hip hop, contemporary, 60′s/20′s, metal, and more.  Not only that, but you’ll find the right animation for your stage moves too!  Do you wail on the electric guitar?  Play a mean jazz piano?  Or just rock the house with your amazing stage presence?  You’ll find the right move for your groove here at the Ministry of Motion.  The sim is a whimsical and fun place to just peek around while trying all the dances.  More than dances are sold here…I saw a mean attack shark.  Beware!  You may even meet an interesting character like I did.  Meet Neo in the pic above.  Don’t judge!  I’ve found the most interesting folks in SL masquerade behind the most unusual avatars.  Come over, bring friends…and some lindens.  Some funky fresh moves here.

“When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway…”

I first met Ridha before I knew he was a RL musician and while he was still a bit new in SL.  As I showed him around the best places I knew in SL, I found he was a sweet and charming person who had a love of the world and the people in it.  When I found out he was  a professional performer, I couldn’t wait to hear him!  It didn’t take long before he began his virtual career, quickly building up an avid and loyal fan base.  And it’s no fluke, Ridha pours himself into every concert…his shows are full of energy, fun, and wonderful rhythms – a fusion of the world’s beats.  He soulfully sings in  Arabic, breezing into Italian and later French and English without missing a beat. From pop dance, to jazzy ballads, to even his own compositions…one can’t help but sway with the rhythms.  The message Ridha spreads is a beautiful one…one world…peace, love, and happiness.  I’m happy to say that I still consider him a great friend and I’m thrilled with his ongoing SL and RL successes.   Love ya Ridha!!!

Find out more about Ridha and his performances at www.ridhamusic.com and at http://ridhamusic.blogspot.com/

http://slurl.com/secondlife/InWorld%20Park/183/193/25

Bowling in SL?  Yep, they’ve got it.  And no better place to experience it than at Splitsville!  Just grab your free glove and bowling hud, wear them, stand in position, grab a ball, click “new game” on the game controller, then click “throw ball” on your game hud.  What happens next depends on your skill level.  What happened after I rolled the ball?  Well, lets just say, that thanks to SL…there is a move worse than a gutterball.  And that is the kind of throw I made.  Woohoo!  Give the whole sim a look-over.  Not only does it offer bowling, but a whole lotta other fun activities.  One thing you should absolutely do is grab a notecard of the upcoming music events.  The club gets a respectable number of quality live music gigs on a regular basis.  With lots of rock n’ roll tunes playing, and a retro feel, it’s an all around great place to rock around the clock!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Unintended%20Water/116/117/23

“Tis a gift to be simple, ’tis a gift to be free…”   I love how each sim has it’s own feel…at least when well done.  In my opinion, the best creators don’t just build a space, but also build a mood.  The one at Unintended Water is one of peace and beauty.  Not alot of  commerce here.  Just sweet, sweet…..space.  And serenity.  There are secluded areas to have a chat or a beautiful moment with another as well as dancing in the gazebo.  Off to the side on the water is an understated mod art gallery.  Amazing photo art there.  They’re for sale, but at great prices…and again, not any in-your-face marketing or sales of products.  Wouldn’t even know the art was for sale except if you cursor over the pieces.  Definitely a DO if you are in a more contemplative and mellow mood.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/tempura%20island/120/234/38

Tempura is one of those surprisingly breathtaking and stunning sims.  Along with these sims come some downsides, but again, I mention the ones that are well worth the effort to rez and explore.  This sim is absolutely worth the extra effort because once there, you will linger for a while taking in the amazing landscape, music, and dreamy quality of the scene.   I know many recommend that you push your graphic settings down in these hard to rez sims, but I suggest that you keep your settings on High, or like me Ultra….and go eat a sandwich while you wait for the sim to load.  The richness and details will be lost otherwise.  And bring a friend to ballroom dance with in the elegantly adorned palace, or enjoy a long conversation while sitting in the woods.  You won’t want to leave this sim too quickly!