Bringing you THE BEST OF SECOND LIFE

Hello, gourgeous, I’m back after a long period without posting anything on the blog, but today I had to get back to tell you about last night. It was a perfect night of lust. They told us “…release your inhibitions…” so I did! I put my new leather outfit and went to a sexy and wonderful night. “Erotica” was the name of the Opium Fashion Agency show, sponsored by BOSL & Moolto.com. Huge brands such as Blacklace, Tukinowaguma, Bax Coen, Creepy’s, Evil lu Designs and the hottest models was there! Let’s check some pictures taken by me

This is it, sexies! 

See you all next time.

First Prize 40,000L in this second University of Western Australia (UWA) challenge to Machinima filmakers.

The Challenge:

Create a Machinima of between 2 and 5 minutes in length that features some of the 35 winning artworks from the UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge. The artworks are exhibited across 4 floors on the UWA sim and you can choose to film as many as you like. You MAY also, should you choose, film any of the art entries from the July or August rounds of the IMAGINE or FLAGSHIP challenges ,if those pieces better suit the machinima you are trying to create. It is understood that at times it is not possible to tightly restrict film length, so there is some  flexibility on this.   Your priority is to produce a machinima that inspires and celebrates the great work of the winning artists.

Submissions open 7th July 2010 and close at midnight, 20th Sept 2010. Shortlisted entries will be displayed on the University of Western Australia (UWA) Second Life Blog. http://uwainsl.blogspot.com

An independent judging panel has been convened and includes both real life (RL) University Faculty members and Second Life (SL) based people. These include:

1. Professor Ted Snell (RL) – Director, Cultural Precinct, The University of Western Australia
2. Dr Carmen Fies (RL) – Second Life Lead: University of Texas San Antonio
3. quadrapop Lane (SL) – Curator of the UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge
4. White Lebed (SL) – Lead of Burning Life Art Department, Curator
5. Jayjay Zifanwe (SL) – Owner of The University of Western Australia (SL), Creator & co-host of the UWA 3D Art& Design Challenge
6. Iono Allen – Official Machinimatographer of the UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge

So time to get started!

Check out the artworks at the SLURL’s listed below. Keep track of those you include and provide acknowledgment to the artists in your film. If you need to rezz anything to assist your filming, for example a blue screen, please contact Jayjay Zifanwe, quadrapop Lane or Taralyn Gravois for assistance.
The artworks can be found at:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/UWA%20Winthrop/239/130/247 (Level 1)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/UWA%20Winthrop/194/140/269 (Level 2)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/UWA%20Winthrop/228/133/296 (Level 3)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/UWA%20Winthrop/191/126/322 (Level 4)

Once completed, load your Machinima anywhere, preferably Youtube or Vimeo, and provide the link to Jayjay Zifanwe.

Winner will be announced during the announcement of the Grand Prize winner of the UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge in early October 2010. This event is one of the most high profile combined RL and SL art events this year and UWA encourages you to participate. Good luck and happy filming.

In the USA, it is Memorial Day Weekend. Yet, this weekend we all, as a SL community, have an opportunity to remember the needs of the Haitian earthquake victims. Their struggle continues in the midst of hurricane season. The Project Tents Expo is an imaginative and significant exhibition of creativity and humanity. It ends on Sunday, May 30th.

One of the organizers, Sequioa Nightfire, greeted me, and explained how it began: “It was the idea of Miaa Rebane after seeing a broadcast on CNN.” It was rooted in her desire to not forget the Haitians in their plight. The complete story is published in the June issue of The Best of SL Magazine.

But if you want the short version – it is a display of compassion among fashion designers, builders and artists to call attention to the ongoing needs of Haitians. It is also a way to do something real for them: 75% of the proceeds will be donated to the internationally recognized charity organization ShelterBox, with the other monies helping to cover the costs of the designers, you might say. Each designer made a significant donation to participate in this event, and that meant they could exhibit their merchandise in a tent. The RL tents purchased with the proceeds will help to house displaced Haitians.

It is impressive to see the rows of mesh tents adorned with the best fashions of SL. The dramatic display of contrast between high fashion and daily survival will likely tug at every heart. “The sim,” says Sequoia, “was the work of many people bringing this together.” Mark Bonetto of DmD was the rainmaker, landscaper/terraformer and tent builder, “but it was the work of a lot of people to get us here.” The building is intentionally “rudimentary and simple,” she noted. In the corner, a huge art cube serves as an installation space. Inside, real life photos in various presentations illustrate the devastation of the country.

Sequoia Nightfire

Kay Fairey

 Kay Fairey, one of the project co-founders, dealt mainly with overall strategy and PR, as well as designer communication especially among the Japanese designers. It was obvious that this project was precious to her, as we spoke, and she wanted to make sure that SL residents knew that this would be the last chance to contribute to the cause, merely by purchasing some extraordinary “exclusive” items. Kay sees SL as a wonderful community where “all the different nationalities unite to create projects” such as this one.

Sequoia Nightfire added, “We are very happy with the results, for they are reflective of the type of person Miaa is – elegant and generous.”   Miaa is Miss Virtual World 2010.  

The sim is definitely one to be appreciated by all visitors, but support of the project is still direly needed given the overwhelming struggles facing Haitians.  Please offer your support and make this closing weekend especially memorable for the project participants and the people who will be helped through this event.

The expo opened May 21, with an official presentation. The event was organized by Projects Tents and Peace Train Charitable Trust for ShelterBox. For participating sponsors or other details, see http://sltents4haiti.wordpress.com/ 

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Project%20Tents/129/127/30

Dear Ladies…Wow! No. 29 sandals are…here comes the trouble…from the deep, from the myth, from beneath the feet, the dangerous temptation sneaks up fighting to escape your control…would you step back…would you step on it…would you stroke it down? When questions are better than answers…

Wow! No 29 red

Wow! No. 29 sandals with feet are here to remember us, ladies, how deep in our origins the temptation is…I spent days and days gently fighting a snake’s will to wrap it graciously where it belongs: around your feet, and I’m still not sure if I crushed it into submission or the slippery creature already poisoned my mind to believe it…I only got an apple as an answer to my dilemma…Would you get more? I challenge you…

No 29 legs

1.From now on, you will step on any alpha surface with no strange contours around your feet…walk on shadows, walk on water, walk all over your lover’s body with the innocence of a kitten

2.Cross your legs in any position you free body would move…no more disappearing parts of your perfect avatar!

3.FAQ: would everybody se my feet correctly? This is only up to you: if you are on Viewer 2, you will be seen properly by everybody, no mater what viewer they may use.

Wow! No 29 black

Wow! No 29 gold

Wow! No 29 platinum

You are welcome at 24 Shoo Shoes to rezz them them in 3D on their cushion…the two dimensions of the photos do not show much of the effect!

The sandals come in ready made 2 sizes, as for the Model look and as for the “Betty Boop” look.

They are sandals with legs and they come with huds as for the legs’ skintones in textures…yes, you will not tint them in a plain color, just choose from a 254 collection of the best skin-tones in SL, vivid, realistic and textured in detail. Many of the skin-brands and their tones are alphabetically listed in a Guide so you will just click on a certain button of the hud. The same hud for changing the shiny pedicure in 28 nail-enamels. The same Manicure available in the neighbor’s store:)

Adrienne Deezul

 Lots of fun, creativity, laughs, but the issues were real.   May 17th was the International Day Against Homophobia, and that basically meant it was a day to appreciate people in all their diversity.    It is a  day to move past hatred and toward celebration of life at its fullest.   Brokeback Mountain in Second Life is one sim that is truly welcoming to all who drop by, and it hosted the day’s events.  The sandy beaches, the club, and the art are some of its virtual attractions.  But it is a very real place to come and talk, and make friends and break down stereotypes.  

Draghan

At a planning meeting nearly a week before the event, Brokeback Founder and Owner Draghan Marksman made a short but inspirational speech to volunteers to remind them of the intent of the sim’s activities:   “May 17th events at Brokeback have become with years a landmark on the grid.  I am very proud of what you have accomplished again this year. More and more people come to the event every year. We do make a difference….We won’t change the world in a fingersnap, but we will contribute to make it a bit more educated.  A bit more aware that we are all the same and that ‘respect’ is the keystone that will unite us all.  Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, Bisexual and straight.  We are all the same.”

That is the message I saw and heard all day at the celebrations going on at Brokeback.    Singers such as Adrienne Deezul and Sioux Nikolaidis (below) reinforced that message.  A number of information booths were set up across the island.   Brokeback regularly features live concerts, and has hosted art and sports events, including the Gaylympics.

Draghan  spent many hours with other dedicated group members to pull off this major event, along with a long list of sponsors.   Throughout the day, there were fashion shows, featuring women and men designers, and the models were gracefully voluptuous.  Exclusive previews to their  summer collections were presented by fashion designers, Smaller Rossini for women and Ryba for men

New Zealand’s darkwave musician Adrienne Deezul took the stage first, offering up an assortment of rhythmic grunge/folk/rock guitar, gutsy vocals, and celtic melody.  Adrienne has released 5 CDs internationally and has been nominated for several national awards.  Sioux Nikolaidis soon followed singing and playing guitars (electric, acoustic, slide), bass and keyboards, with a bit of help from a drum machine.    Arimo Teixeira followed;  he is a solo guitarist streaming live out of Chicago Illinois.  Arimo is trained in both classical & contemporary guitar styles and is known for blends of Classical, Flamenco, Gypsy, Latin and Jazz Fusion, for starts.

There were 4 main exhibitions; two included issues and information on Aids Awareness and Transgenderism and Homophobia (set up by the Transgender Veteran Association and SL representative Jenelle Levenque).  The Art Gallery 1 presents two floors of work from RL artist Josh over a 20 year period.  Paintings featured themes of homosexuality, loneliness and the sense of loss.  Josh has made exhibitions on SL for two years now and his work can be viewed in the main SL art galleries.  Art on Pride Harbor presents a selection of the greatest contemporary GBLT artists, including Loic Flores, Darcy Mokeev and Leon Belgar as well as reproductions from RL artists. 

The cathedral is a wonderful place to visit any time of the year, and its wall art is powerful and rich in depth and color, and definitely worth the trip to Brokeback.   This day brought many together across Second Life in celebration and remembrance, and hats off to Draghan for a successful day.

Approximately 50 sims were partners of the event this year.  The rest of the story will be in the society/events section of Best of Second Life Magazine in June.

Well done!  Draghan!

- Soni )

New York, New York.  

NYC New York

It is the city that never sleeps, especially when it comes to live music.   This weekend New York NYC, a new sim, was alive with music, kicking off with Strum Diesel.   The May Day block party also featured Stella Silvansky, Maximillion Kleene, AMForte Clarity, and FrankLee Anatra. 

The NYC Shhh! nightclub was in full gear this weekend.  Sunday May 2nd was extra special.   Shhh! Owner/DJ Vixie Durant kicked in her second weekend with a Madonna themed night.   She wore a gold body suit complete with cones and fishnets. 

DJ Vixie as Madonna

Soni with another tough assignment

You got to love Shhh!, located near the Statue of Liberty.  It epitomizes the perfect urban warehouse and Vixie is a wonderful conversationalist who knows her music history.   What was that she said about being 18 and listening to Madonna’s Erotica for the first time?   Lots of snickers when she compared the song to her introduction to soft porn.   Ah, those innocent days preMadonna!  Next week is Lady Gaga night at Shhh!    http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20York%20NYC/229/122/24
  
Then I took a diversion!   Crosstown in Ephesus (on a different sim), it was DJ Miles Eleventhauer streaming live from RL Queens, New York at Nat’s Jazz Club, an established venue with a strong following.  

DJ Miles

Miles played a mix of neo and acid jazz, sometimes with a turkish twist, and segued from experimental to traditional tunes with ease.  The lovely owner Linda Sautereau wore a luscious black gown, with a sexy low cut back.   She swirled across the dance floor, and chimed in to liven up the chat.  

owner Linda Sauterea (second to the right)

ladydee Coba and Rufus Ranimodo

This club is a lovely addition to Second Life – sleek, charming and sophisticated, like the owner.  Miles kept the groove mellow and relevant, and knew just when to toss in a bit of Billy Holiday and a bit of funk and instrumental.   Is it too cliche to say we all got our groove on…LOL.    The weekly line-up is available at the front entrance.   http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ephesus/179/202/22

Wow then I popped back to the new New York NYC sim, and it was still hopping   This time, I took a cab to the Syl Darcy Gallery. It was a big night for Syl – her grand opening kicked off late Sunday afternoon with live music from AMForte and Lance Rembrandt, but the music continued. 

Syl Darcy Gallery

The gallery is a live music venue filled with her wonderful RL art – rich in color and expressive of nature and landscapes.   I arrived back to the gallery in time to hear CarbonCrooner Constantine close out the night, singing live to a quiet but adoring audience.  He put on a fun show, checking in with the audience often to include their favorites. 

CarbonCrooner

Syl Darcy

Syl is the CEO of C.Y.D. (Chase Your Dreams Records), and Carbon is represented by her label.  So it looks like Syl has a great mix of talent and art to offer up to NYC visitors. http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20York%20NYC/89/167/22

It was great to spend the weekend in the Big Apple!   The rest of story in June’s Best of SL Magazine (society & events pages).

Migon Aeon, owner

Second Life offers all kinds of play!  Why not Cosplay!   Cosplay is costume play, typically associated with characters or ideas from Japanese popular fiction.    On Saturday morning, May 1st, I dropped into a Cosplay festivity, where all were dressed as their favorite characters.   Talk about fan fiction – everybody was adorned in extraordinary costumes and accessories.   I was so loving it that I wish I could show you all the photos.  But I will save some pics and details for the next issue of Best of Second Life Magazine’s Society and Events pages. 

By the way, this was the very first Cosplay event to take place over an entire weekend!  I was the only one not in costume!  The region was redesigned for this event.   This weekend drop by and take some photos of the amazingly decorated streets.    Some celebrations carry on Sunday as well. 
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Montserrat/162/229/22

So it is another beautiful day in Second Life, and hours away from Earth Day.  Today spring “jams”  fill the air!   BOSL Best Live Performer Winner Mankind Tracer kicked off the Atlas Club Spring Jam 2010 under blue skies.    His voice, always smooth and inviting, was the perfect fit for the perfect venue.  The Atlas Club is sponsoring 10 hours of music until 11 PM SLT.  This concert marathon is a super way to celebrate Spring in SL, and the  incredible line-up of singers are among the virtual best:  Mankind Tracer, Strummer Vultee,Maximillion Kleene, Ganjo Mokeev, Allister Westland,  Skye Galaxy, Andreus ‘Anj’ Gustafson, Noma Falta,  Quinton Diavolo, and Edward Kyomoon. 

Strummer Vultee

 By the way, it is Atlas Club Owner Jasper Dollinger’s Birthday.  He asked me to come back and take a listen to Ganjo!  He was right – the man is funkified.  

Ganjo!

Jasper is enjoying the fun with Ayr Cazalet, also owner.  Cynnie Easterwood has been handing out wonderul warm greetings to all attendess.   The venue and the performers are amazing.  Enjoy some of the pics from the event in progress – and come to the Atlas and make some of your own memories!   http://slurl.com/secondlife/Friends%20of%20Rosehaven/49/225/254

Cynnie Easterwood

- Soni  (Happy Birthday, Jasper!)

The Pop Explosion!   All Day Friday, April 16th

PAL CEO Claus Uriza

The Pop Art Lab put on an amazing show to celebrate the grand opening of its innovative and futuristic music sim.  The amazing machinima and music events began Friday April 16th, noon and lasted to midnight.   There were two openings – both hosted by Pop Art’s own Persia Bravin.   The opening ceremony featured words from PAL CEO Claus Uriza, as well as guest speaker Dusan Writer of Metanomics fame.  Writer reflected on the wonderful virtual world in which we are “are producers of content, ” jesting about his early noob experiences with finding decent prim hair and shoes.  Then he continued, “I saw my first music event,” and became enamored by all the incredible sims in SL.  It is from those experiences and more, that he cherishes what PAL represents.  He shared his amazement of the new Pop Art Lab, and how it symbolizes the birth of virtual mediated experiences to come.   

Dusan Writer

Treet TV's CEO Wiz Nordberg

Treet TV’s CEO Wiz Nordberg was on hand for some opening remarks during the European open.  He reviewed some key historical media moments relevant to the birth and renewal of PAL, and made note of Treet’s long-standing relationship to the lab. 

Persia Bravin & Emily Hifeng

A particle show from Abstract Baroque set the stage for the machinima viewing segment of the event, and Abstract left nothing to the imagination! 

Abstract's Particle Show

The PAL machinima contest was intended as a time capsule to capture the memories of the former sim, and it provided an open space for machinimatophers to unleash their creativity as the new space was being constructed.   The machinima entries were brilliant and rich in color, and really telling of what PAL is about about – music, innovation and wild imagery of a virtual future encapsulated through a creative arts venue and its creators.   PAL CEO Claus Uriza was awed by the ideas and presentations of the contestants, and the grand prize was established at $100,000 for top machinima. 

Screenshot from Rysan Fall's machinima entry

Screenshot from Toxic Menges' Machinima entry

If you missed the European Open, you have another opportunity to catch the on-going celebrations tonight.  The US Open  kicks off 7PM SLT, and will presented via webscast live by Treet.TV. 

Host: Persia Bravin
7:00 PM/SLT: Opening Ceremony presenting the new sim designs and creators: Claus Uriza CEO and guest speakers Draxtor Despres and Wiz Nordberg CEO of Treet TV.
7:30 PM: Live screening of machinima entries in L$100,000 contest
8:15 PM: Winning machinima announced by Jeska Linden
8:30 PM: Skye Galaxy-Live Music
9:30: PM: Starflower Orbit-Live Music
10:30 PM: MoShang Zhao-Live Music
11:30 PM: DJ Fine Caliber

Machinima Entrants
Rysan Fall, Toxic Menges, Glasz DeCuir, Binary Quandry, Larkworthy Antfarm, Ormand Lionheart, MinDBlinD Setsuko, Iono Allen, Pickles Karu, Delgado Cinquetti, Michelle Leckrone, Ketk Petrov, al Peretz, Aaron Ishelwood, tutsy Navarathna.

Musical Talent
Redzone, Starflower Orbit, MommaLuv Skytower, Skye Galaxy, MoShang Zhao, LANCE Rembrandt and DJ Fine Caliber

MommaLuv Skytower

Attendees included  Xray Haller (PAL staff), Rico Wills (PAL staff), Chibi Lexenstar, Toxic Menges, Glasz DeLuir, Editorial Clarity, Temperance Kellman (BOSL Radio Executive), mandal Vlodovic (Research Island Denmark), Iono Allen, Binary Quandry, Emily Hifeng (PAL Manager), Bevan Whitfield, Chantal Harvey (MMIF CEO). 

POP ART LAB is an entirely immersive environment exploring the viability of virtual worlds as an alternative music performance venue.  It weekly streams 10 to 20 new CDs full length across its sim.   Drop by sometime!
For more info, go to http://www.popartlab.com

- Soni!

Birthday girls

Saturnine

Persia

In the middle of the event, everyone sang Happy Birthday to the birthday girls. It was probably best we all kept our voices off the grid, and let the recorded song sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the duo. But plenty of birthday wishes came through chat text. The set was so authentic – checkered, reds, blacks – a fanciful mix within a playful wonderland. Yes, everyone enjoyed the crazy motif, befitting of the theme. Just about all of BOSL, staff, friends and supporters, showed up!  The photos tell the story!  Instead of presents, donations were accepted for Relay for Life via the many SL vendors.  

Umberto Giano

DJ Allenclive Beaumont