Needed: Mediterranean Farmhouse for La Dolce Vita

Ok, it's been a hell of a month, and I am in desperate need of a vacation. I don't have the time or money to go anywhere very interesting in RL, so I've decided to settle for an SL facsimile of the real thing. I want to rent a small cottage, or farmhouse, or even apartment for a couple of months. (I had a place of my own briefly a year or so ago, but generally haven't bothered with a residence in SL.)

So, here are my requirements. I'm hoping that people here can make some suggestions, because I haven't had a great deal of luck searching in-world.

1) It has to be all about ambiance. I don't expect to be entertaining many gentlemen callers, or anything of that ilk, so a skybox is of no interest to me, and, although I'd prefer that it not be PG, it doesn't need to be Adult either.

2) The ambiance I am particularly looking for is southern European, preferably the south of France or Italy. I'm already sick to death of winter and Xmas in real, so snow and Xmas trees are a disincentive. I want quaint, picturesque, and culturally interesting. And I want WARM. I'd love a public beach nearby. I want to be able to go swimming. I want to not feel as though I should be wearing winter clothing. I want to be able to sunbathe topless. (I have no idea why: I just like the idea )

3) It doesn't need to be large, or have a vast number of prims: two or three rooms is adequate, with enough prims to set out a rudimentary living room area (couch, bookshelves, pillows, a fireplace would be nice, etc.) and maybe a room for an Italian bar I built myself a year ago. I don't really need a bedroom (unless Jig comes to visit, I suppose, in which case I'll make do with the couch.) I can probably go to about L$2000 a month, but not much more.

4) I'd prefer rural, with lots of roadway to motor around on my Vespa, wearing a long silk scarf and Anouk Aimée sunglasses. But I'll do urban if it's atmospheric enough.

I've checked out Tuscany in-world, which looked very nice, and sent a notecard enquiring about rentals a few days ago, but I haven't heard back. I've also checked out the Spanish Steps, which would be acceptable, but I didn't see any residential rentals there.

Ok, so, I'm being a little particular here, I know, but ANY suggestions would be hugely appreciated. I have my poster of Anita Ekberg wading through the Trevi Fountain all ready to hang: I just need an appropriate wall.

Help!!!

This place is stunning:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Melino/22/53/22

and it would be the perfect location for me if I were to consider a break along the lines you described. It seems the owner isn't in SL much at this point. Maybe you could strike a deal with her for a few weeks? If you can catch her online, that is.

The only other 'Aegean' location I know of used to be a very pretty rendering of Santorini island but it has been reworked to Hell and spattered with poseballs. Tragic.

Unfortunately my place is under snow and the roof isn't finished. Otherwise you'd be welcome. I'm spending most of my time in a skybox studio this month.

Cool, thanks Ephraim. I'll check them out. Santorini would be nice . . . too bad about the pose balls though. They don't have "hide" options?

I didn't check that although but the poseballs are all pretty much inoffensive cuddle/sit/dance type things anyway. It's just that I've had an aversion to poseballs lying around sims since my first days in SL. Mind you, they aren't the biggest problem: the place was a beautifully simple but atmospheric build when I visited it last year but it seems the builders went crazy adding different things. It's a shame.

Interesting idea though. It's amazing that although residential sims are very common, the vast majority are essentially unliveable eyesores in my opinion. All the best places where you can actually chill out and just enjoy SL tend to be private residences or labours of love like Mont St Michel - the kinds of places that, I reckon, would be far too public for your needs.

A good friend of mine, Indigo Mertel owns and co-manages the Free Town of Helvellyn - East River Community (Mainland) which keeps to a mediteranean theme spread out over several sims (but mostly centered on Helvellyn and Hardknot) - you can check it out at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Helvellyn/35/204/31. She also runs the local club, art gallery and sailing association (where she gets the energy is a mystery...). If you follow the path along the river into Macclain and Bradmoor you'll also find some nice restful areas to explore, from a Japanese mansion to a castle to a hobbit house. Everything is pretty much a labor of love, and roads bisect the region you can motor on (its old Linden land back when they actually put some thought into what a sim would look like). I also keep a public rez area on the road at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Macclaine/85/238/57 near the mansion, just south and west of Indigo's area.

I can also give you a Santorini style house if you end up on some vacant land...

Oh darn! I had started a Tuscan Villa but ADD kicked in! Wish I had finished that.

If you find the perfect place.....and want to switch "styles" for a few days....you're welcome to use my beach house - nude sunbathing perfectly fine - unfortunately people don't drop in like they used to, and make it worthwhile.

Yes, I know what you mean about the pose balls . . . Tuscany has a lovely little picnic area, for instance, but the visual effect is entirely spoiled by pose balls all over the place. As for excessive building . . . well, one of the things I love most about AM Radio's builds is his use of space: he's not afraid to leave large areas entirely empty.

Maybe what I need to do is squat in one of HIS builds . . .

And yes, most dedicated residential sims I've seen are ugly ugly ugly. There are residences in the sim where my store is, which are quite nice, actually, and almost Italianate in look, but the place is blanketted in snow. Yech . . .

Thanks Soen!!! I'll definitely check it out, and do some exploring. It sounds very nice!

NUDE sunbathing????

OMG, I'm half Anglo-Saxon! It'll be all I can manage to take my top off!!!

As soon as he has finished wasting his time on a real troll I'm sure that Chris will be along soon to give you a hand to get it off.

Pep (So your bottom half is Germanic; if you are willing to go topless then that half is presumably French. That figures.)

ETA Yep!

Pictures please.

Is one of those bottoms that is painted on to your skin?

I am sooooooo sorry I spoke . . .

No pictures then?

Geez. I don't even HAVE a place yet!!!!!

(If only I DID have painted on undies, none of this would even be an issue!)

Oh, there will be, there will be.

Actually, that was going to be the subject of my next thread . . .

How to block camming from outside a parcel . . .

Can't stop the Paparazzi!

That house at IDIA Laboratories is so sweetly placid it's quite psychotic. Wish I could go in.

And what is that in the toolshed!?