St. Pete City

"I wanted to create something very realistic," Neva Crystall told me of St. Pete City as we strolled around before its opening back in mid-September. And that she has, with contributions from a few friends — it's a beautifully detailed town, with streets, shops, alleyways and decor laid out with exquisite precision. The island sim is anchored on the south by a lighthouse that overlooks the rocky shore.

Visitors who stroll about will encounter a coffee shop, a bookstore, a hotel, and a bicycle shop (which appears to be doing great business, given the number of bikes around town). Further afield one discovers a warehouse, a playground, apartments, and an art gallery featuring some of Loverdag's exceptional works. Along the edges of town, abutting the ocean, are a few rustic spots that feature more sand and seagulls than bricks and signs.

Inspired in part by Neva's home town of St. Petersburg, "it is also inspired by Amsterdam, where I spent my summer holidays," she added. "I also was inspired by Harry Potter movies — those houses with hedges are from Harry Potter. Bikes from Amsterdam. And a warm feeling from my own city." In addition to the sim's default environmental settings (not shown here), others work admirably well, and photographers will no doubt enjoy this picturesque location. (Thanks to my partner Kinn for helping with this post (and many others as well).)