VW: Second Life
Location: Ottawa, ON
Country: CA
Great Balls of Fire!! It started out as another beautiful day at the Petit Trianon; sun shining, birds singing, absolutely perfect for the All Hallows' Costume Dance.
The guests started to arrive; some on broomsticks, others just appearing out of nowhere. This being Second Life their chosen means of transportation didn't raise much of fuss (well except maybe for that HUGE spider that scurried in ... not sure where that creature was hiding her invitation and I certainly wasn't about to approach her to ask!). The costumes were fabulous ...
Rocca Sorrentina is one of those wonderful Second Life estates that always has something splendid going on. Seeing as they are my southern neighbours I'm rather spoiled with views of their shores & news of their activities.
When I heard they were hosting the To Bee or Not to Bee Hunt I thought it was the perfect opportunity to snoop er ... explore some of the less traveled routes through their fair land so I put on my best exploration outfit and set off on a summer adventure.
A helpful hint card gave me clues as to the whereabouts of the twelve hidden bees and warned me that my prey was going to be rather small, as bees tend to be. Just as well as I really didn't fancy running for my life from an over sized bumble! You just never know in Second life.
It took just over two years to construct the Eiffel Tower (January 28, 1887 to March 15, 1889). Given that the conception, planning, politics & design commenced around 1884, this cultural icon in the making was actually a "work in progress" for at least five years.
I'd like to think that Gustave Eiffel enjoyed at least part of this journey.
 |
New horses & touring carriages have arrived in the Duch de Coeur and Skye & I couldn't be happier to have this popular mode of travel back up & running through our estates!
It was a snowy winter morning back in December when we made the shocking discovery.
Designed to feed both body and soul, the potager or ornamental kitchen garden isthe ultimatecombination of parterre and vegetable patch.
Fruits & vegetables, flowers & herbs,are artfully arrangedin symmetricalgarden beds that are surrounded bylow clipped box hedges. These individual plots, separated by sand or gravel paths,are precisely placed to form striking geometric patterns.
Initially developed by French monks, the potager evolvedthroughthe French Renaissance
styled garden to the more formal Garden la franaise with an emphasis on beautyrealized through the studied application of measure and proportion.
In 1678 when Louis XIV, the Sun King, demanded a kitchen garden or " Potager du Roi " befitting his palace of Versailles no expense was spared in providing it for him. The king, a great amateur gardener, wanted his fruit & vegetable paradise close to the chateau so that he could inspect it at will and enjoy its beauty. It is even said thathe learned even to prunehis ownfruit trees!
Petit Trianon: French Garden Parterre SL (Bumblebee view)
An early spring has given me the gift of renewed energy &inspiration which I am using to tackle my favourite Second Life (SL)endeavour, the Petit Trianon. This project has languished for far too long but improvements to SL building tools were just what was needed to help get it off of the ground again. So what did I do? I pulled the whole place apart and started again!!
Though this has resulted in more than a few holes in the walls& floors (if you come for a visit make sure to watch your step) I'm very excited about the progress I have been making. I'm currently working on the exterior facades and if you know anything about the Petit Trianon it's that each side of the building has its own unique character.
The side facing the French Garden is probably the most beautiful and the most complex with its impressive terrace and a parterre that provides an introduction to Le Jardin Franais home to the French Pavilion . It's very interesting to note that beneath the terrace is a network of passageways which were used to keep the servants out of sight and facilitate their movement from the outdoors to the kitchen and preparation areas of the Ground Floor. For some reason those passageways were always my particular bte noire when building so I'm very relieved to have them almost finished.
Though I've had abundant experience with real-life home renovations , my Second Life renovation record is rather spotty. When it comes to virtual homes I'd generally rather build them myself than buy them, especially because I know I just can't stop myself from remodeling my new purchase.
It was the same way back in my days of TheSims2. I'd download a brand-new abode and spend the next week (or two or three) ripping it apart and putting it back together. On the bright side, that destruction/construction cycle taught me a lot about architecture & 3D construction. I'd actually recommend it to anyone interested in honing their own skills.
This year with spring just around the corner, I was anxious to add a few new rentals to my Duch de Coeur regions. Being long on ambition but short on time, I decided that a purchase was in order and after much consideration selected a chateau from Never Totally Dead .
As you can see, the exterior fits right in with the 18th century Duch and the layout, with its generous rooms and considered traffic flow, is wonderful. This chateau just oozes charm & atmosphere!
Perhaps a little too much atmosphere inside for my lighter tastes.
For one thing, there is a story about the original owner falling on hard times and struggling to maintain the house. For another, you can expect a certain spooky vibe from a company called Never Totally Dead and they more than deliver.
I've been up to the attic twice now. Once when I was checking the house out and again for this photo. I don't think I'll be climbing those twisty stairs again anytime soon. Skye & I still aren't really sure what's in the room behind the locked door 
Which reminds me; on posting my first "Before" picture I received a number of comments identifying the house and recommending an exorcist might be brought in along with the painters & plasterers!
Thankful for all the great advice & support given from my friends at Royal Courts of Second Life , I rolled up my sleeves and got down to work.
One salon, one kitchen, one foyer (with grand staircase), two bathrooms, three bedrooms (including the master) and two studies later, I'm quite happy with the results! It was a lot of fun being able to use my favourite textures in a new setting.
I did leave the attic "as is" thinking it can be used for servants and/or relatives that have fallen out of favour but insist on coming to visit anyway.
Chateau Claire is now up for rent but you are welcome to visit until it becomes a private residence. Just check the rental sign at the front gate to make sure it's still available for a tour.
Please report back on your adventures there!
___________________________________________________________
My Chateau Reno by Tatiana Dokuchic on 2015-02-01 Though my Second Life renovation record is rather spotty I give it a go with this chateau!
Images: Tatiana Dokuchic (click to enlarge)
Find Tatiana Dokuchic on Google+
Originally published on Tatiana's Tea Room as My Chateau Reno
It's been a whirlwind three months since the Duch de Coeur & Rocca Sorrentina formalized their plans for a closer physical connection between their two realms.
We started with the addition of two, brand-new, sailable regions linking Rocca Sorrentina to the southern shores of Provence Coeur. Then the real work commenced.
We were busy dredging harbours, forming islands and attending to all the little details that make this a magical Second Life destination. A few minor bumps were experienced along the way; I managed to flatten both Provence Coeur Est & Provence Coeur Est2 with one keystroke (note to self: always look above sea level when using the terrain tool especially when it's set to high) but all-in-all the work progressed smoothly.
My biggest contribution to this project was the addition of Port Trianon .
It began, as many new construction projects do, by making some tough decisions about location and existing structures. Subsequently, the old Coeur Fairgrounds, site of many a revelry, was boxed up and removed. I'll always have a soft-spot in my heart for those monthly fairs with the patrons yelling Beer!! and jigging around the apple tree.