Feature Friday - Coach & Horses Pub

I wasn't the original builder on this project, I just made a few enhancements. As a venue the pub was simply too small. Originally the buildin in Sim, Mayfair to be exact, was an exact replica of the pub in real life. A bit triangular and very narrow, it didnt translate well in Second Life. The pub exterior has remained unchanged, we just made the building a little more square. It has become Mayfair top selling pub, and a popuklar hang out for residents from all walks of Second Life.




Tudor styling suggests the Coach & Horses harks back to Elizabeth I’s reign, yet the Bruton Street pub is only a few years older than our current queen, who was born only a few doors away at 17 Bruton Street. The ye olde England theme runs to wainscot panelling, dark beams, leaded glass and a quaint triangular bar.

Become a London Architect

We are looking for all levels of experienced builders who take the utmost pride in their work. Our goal, as the Architect, is to create structures that are not only true to the architectural style of London, but will stand as examples of our dedication and love for creating an art form others will long enjoy.

As most of the buildings in our Virtual London are unique, every building requires a study of the actual London building we are re-creating, and our time and effort to make sure we remain as true-to-life as possible. This requires not only fine building skills, but the ability to work well with texture creation and application as well. While there are countless off-the-shelf textures that come close, a majority of the buildings we create require custom made textures. As such, the experience of working with programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro or GIMP2 is very important for London builders.

If these are qualities you feel you possess, and you wish to become part of this unique experience, please contact Billy Arentire for more details on joining our team.

Feature Friday - Her Majesty's Theatre

This Friday's Feature is Her Majesty's Theatre.


Builder: Billy Arentire

Her Majesty's Theatre, located in Haymarket Street, Westminster in Real Life, is also located in Haymarket Street, Westminster in Second Life.

Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre. In the early decades of the 20th century, Tree produced spectacular productions of Shakespeare and other classical works, and the theatre hosted premières by major playwrights such as George Bernard Shaw, J. M. Synge, Noël Coward and J. B. Priestley. Since World War I, the wide flat stage has made the theatre suitable for large-scale musical productions, and the theatre has specialised in hosting musicals. The theatre has been home to record-setting musical theatre runs, notably the World War I sensation Chu Chin Chow] and the current production, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, which has played continuously at Her Majesty's since 1986.

Highlight - Eveshka Blackheart, London Architect

I met Eveshka for the first time, or Babs as she's know to her friends, one night at the Coach & Horses Pub in Mayfair. That was just over a year ago and it has been a pleasure to watch her blossom from a shy little creature into this amazing member of the London Team!

Because of her contributions to London, I wanted to make hers the first Highlight on my blog...so here it is!

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Q. How long have you been in Second Life?
A. Just over a year - and I missed my rezz day!

Q. What made you join?
A. I used to write games similar to SL but much simpler, that never took off. I liked the idea of absolute freedom in a virtual world. I uninstalled SL for a month or so because it didnt catch on, but then Wiccy and his friend invited me back in to a random club. We then ended up in the Coach and Horses and that's how it began.

Q. What did you do before you began building?
A. I started building pretty much on day two, with a few basic lessons from Rob Fenwitch in the sand box. I built a drum kit. I then wanted to build a piano, but realised it took many prims, so someone taught me about sculpties. I learned how sculpties worked and wrote my own software for creating piano maps. That's how I started my GHOST MUSIC business.

Q. What made you decide to build in Second Life?
A. I used to build cities and objects in my previous games but with far more difficult software. Building in-world in SL was so much easier to use, I simply couldn't resist! I also realised that lots of pianos in SL were high prim and very ugly, and thought I could do better. I originally wanted a piano for myself to perform, but ended up making them for others.

Q. What other activities do you enjoy in world?
A. I like good deep conversations more than I like dancing or partying. I like getting involved with planning and team work. I am a musician and like to play concerts on various instruments, but haven't done enough of that yet :) I also like to drive my purple car around london and cause mayhem when no-ones looking, but I think they're catching on now!

Q. Is there anything you take away from SL and apply to your everyday living?
A. I have learned far more about management and business in SL than I was ever taught in RL. I now use some of the things I've learned in my real life business of music production. Working for London has taught me the most.

And Babs final comment...
"I think you're a bit funny lookin!"

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These days we can find Eveshka working with me in Westminster. She has completed the Luciano Building and the Fox Cigars Building, both pictured above.

If you get the chance pop on over to London and meet this amazing person (and she aint a bad builder either!).

Billy...The Builder

Welcome to my blog!

I am very active in Linden Lab Second Life and have been building in this virtual world for more than a year. My current position is Architect Manager for the Original London Sims.

These Sims include the regions of:
Hyde Park, London's Orientation Island for New Residents
Mayfair, London's Premier Shopping District
Westminster, London's Newest Region (and growing quickly)
Knightsbridge, London's Original Region
Kensington, London's Showcase Region

Each of these regions has been built based on their real world counter-parts. Each building has been carefully recreated not only to reflect it's real world presence, but also as viable shops and homes in Second Life.

If your in my neck of the woods, drop by and see this wonderful Estate.