SLENTRE.COM

By Satu Gustafson

Last month, SLentrepreneur readers had the chance to gain insights into the business philosophy and tactics of SL retailer Mimi Juneau (http://www.slentre.com/sl-entrepreneur-profile-mimi-juneau/).

This week, she invites our readers to her private home; the edenic island retreat of Olivine where she lives with her SL partner.

Mimi started out with a 4000 m2 plot of land which continues to grow. Every time one of her neighbors moved out, Mimi bought an additional plot until Olivine Island reached its current size of an impressive 32,752 m3 with a prim limit of 7496.

Mimi retreats to this virtual garden of Eden when SL business or RL become too hectic.

The stylish main house and the spacious open air pool area with its palm trees and the turquoise and blue mosaics were built by Mimi’s RL husband. They evoke the pastoral colors and designs of holiday resorts in the Canary Islands. The architecture is modern, elegant, and functional, using simple lines and shapes.

A stuccoed archway with a classical fresco and the elegant crystal chandelier at the house entrance create the impression of having taken a TP back in time.

The music room with its elegant dark wood book cases, the comfortable chairs, the grand piano, and the harp, leads the visitor to imagine she’s inside an old English manor house sprung from an Agatha Christie novel.

Mounted on the wall,a picture frame perpetually running a slide show of all of Mimi’s friends testifies to the most important part of her (Second) life: friends and social contact.

The roomy, stylish kitchen that opens up to the dining room reminds us that we are, in fact, not in an old English manor house but in a modern SL home. While the kitchen and dining area tempt the visitor to indulge in culinary delights – albeit virtual – the private little gym on the terrace outside with crunch poses and a treadmill is to remind us that a healthy mind dwells only in a healthy avatar. The good news is it costs a lot less will-power, self-discipline, and pesky muscle ache to keep fit in a virtual world. And the virtual punching bag provides a splendid means of anger release.

As we move on through the house, we reach the private rooms on the upper floor. Mimi’s bedroom, the “play room” as she jokingly calls it, has the comfortable sensuous atmosphere of a boudoir, furnished with a large, elegant four-poster bed – which, Mimi explains with a cheeky wink – is fitted with the entire Kama Sutra. We also spy a cozy white fur rug, an open fire place, a “Seven Sins” chair by Lostdog, and erotic art by Paul Curtis. The bathroom looks promising with its giant tub scripted to treat the user to a rosebath or nice steamy bubble bath.

Stepping on to the balcony, we’re captured by its romantic Mediterranean flair. Imagine yourself snuggled in a wicker lounger with a parasol, surrounded by potted lemon trees and wild vines. Above the door, a Latin inscription sums up a crucial life edict: “Omnia Vincit Amor” – “Love conquers all”.

In Mimi’s private bar we find comfortable velvet armchairs, a fireplace, a Klimt painting, but there’s also a pole dancing animation and a rather original animated “sex dance chair” by Tao Zains – a balanced mixture of class and sin.

And – just like an Agatha Christie novel – there is of course a secret room hidden behind a painting.

Touring the island, we come to a waterfall that hides a small cave. Our reporter was instantly reminded of old Zorro movies as she entered Mimi’s own secret “Bat Cave,” which turns out to be a pleasant cozy retreat with small pools of water, glimmering particle ghost lights, and places to chill and relax.

Outside we’re engulfed by the soft rolling of waves and the sound of circling seagulls. Seals are sunbathing on a rock near the shore and one can swim with the whales.

There is also a Tiki style guest house set directly on the beach, its back wall scripted to open to reveal the crashing waves and spindrift. Olivine is ideal for entertaining guests as it is fitted with a large outside dance floor for parties complete with barbecue and mechanical bull.

Next to the party area, we spy the “Windlass” – Mimi’s classy yacht. Behind that lies her most recent acquisition, a plot of land that Mimi currently uses for building. This is where she has also been working on her latest project to sell furniture.

Mimi’s favourite retreat on Olivine is located on one of the smaller islands that can be accessed over a fully scripted bridge with a wide variety of sitting and cuddling animations. This smaller island is best viewed by night. Here, underneath the stars and among banana trees, colourful tropical plants, and huge boulders by the sea shore, you can sit on soft cushions beneath an oriental-style canopy and listen to the waves rolling.

Of course, a paradise such as this does have its price. Mimi informs us she has just paid over 44,000 L$ in tiers.

Mimi’s top 5 furniture designers

-Bygone Days

-Depoz

-The Old Curiosity Shop Antiques

-Ramos

-Mimi’s Choice Furniture (and yes, she has a fantastic kitchen – only 10 prims lol)

Mimi’s recommendations for gardening supplies

-Straylight Botanical, sculpt trees, etc.

-Heart Garden Center

Mimi’s favourites for art and decoration

-Melino, Style Moroccan and more…. fantastic

-Wunderbar Boutique Antiques and Elegance

-Twelfth of Never, art, reproductions

-Total Bliss

Mimi’s fauna shopping recommendations

-Home of Zooby’s, for my wearable kitten

-Malaika Mermaids Aquatique, sculpted seals

-Everlite Creature Shop, giraffe, elephant etc

-Splash Aquatiques, the best there is for underwater world

Finally, Mimi’s advice for freshly made home owners:

Start small.
Know that prims are the key to make a nice place – you always run out of prims.
Visit a lot of shops.
Try things out.
Dare to decorate! :)