Bringing you THE BEST OF SECOND LIFE

A moment of celebration at the opening of BOSL Country Club last night. Designed by Patch Thibaud on the full rather connected with the dance club The Warehouse, also designed by Thibaud, the place is just wonderful and perfect for huge and fancy events. For those who wish to schedule a party in this amazing place, just contact Umberto Giano inworld. Let’s talk about the party itself! Good music promoted by pianist Bones Writer, the soulful vocals of Blue4u gReefers Nowicka and the live streaming and playing some of the great Southern rock hits. Everyone was there having fun and enjoying the moment. The Southern Gothic theme will set the Stage by reflecting the unique culture and mores of the American South famously exploited in the works of novelists such as Truman Capote, William Faulkner and Flannery O’Connor, as explained in a notecard sent to everyone before the party started, which is transcribed below, including special pictures!

Southern Gothic is known for its damaged and delusional characters. Instead of perpetuating romanticized stereotypes of the Antebellum South, Southern Gothic literature brings the stock characters of melodrama and Gothic novels to a Southern context in order to make a point.

Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire reinvents the Southern belle as a pretentious, mentally unstable woman, and his Cat on a Hot Tin Roof portrays the favorite son of a Southern dynasty as a repressed homosexual whose alcoholism threatens his marriage.

“Just as in Southern Gothic literature, our special event plays to the plight of those who are ostracized or oppressed by traditional Southern culture,” said BOSL & CO executive Umberto Giano. “We encourage everyone attending this event to step into character and have fun with it … consider this a modern twist on the formal Southern Cotillion”

“Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” occured on both the BOSL Country Club and Club Road sims. All music was streamed into the BOSL Country Club sim and The Warehouse dance club’s Club Road sim.

It was an unforgettable night!

Bye, sexies!

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.

No 30 legs

Dear Ladies, the new Wow! No. 30 sandals with feet and akles are made to remind you that life is a stage and we are allowed to spark, shine and show our art of living every moment. Graciously falling on sides as the drapes of a show  for your beauty….the jewelry of the lace is just ment to underline the grace of the best ankles you may have and the delicacy of the toes.  Inside the NC you will also find a surprising offer, beacuse the generosity for charity is always rewarded at 24 Shoo Shoes .

Wow! No 30 red

Wow! No 30 platinum

And now that the draped parted, let’s also reveal the surprise: I put a box of  ”2 at the price of 1″ at the 2010 Shoe Fair in the benefit of Soles for Souls for the time of the fair only, you will find inside the Wow! 30  in gold sequins and a pair of animated diamond sandals: Wow! no.25 (See the map for arriving there, they have TP point set).

Wow! No 30 gold

Wow! No 25

They are no-invisiprim sandals, to be worn in viewers the support the alpha feature (Viewer 2, Emerald 2100 or later versions of both).

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.
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 neighbour store:)
2408 Alekseev

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 )

Wow! No.28 TUTU AND PEARLS SANDALS WITH FEET

Oh, they are trendy…WOW! No. 28 sandals with feet and ankles are inspired by the major changes in the footwear fashion of the moment…Warning: they may induce falling at your feet behavior in men around, attracted by the esthetic gravitation…;D

Wow! No. 28 are sandals with feet and ankles wrapped in that cheerful netting frills with organza ribbons that are made for the stage to suggest the bedroom. The ankles are adorned with a necklace in delicate beads fall as by accident along the very high heels and knots in a vintage accent along the unique fine ankles. They are so coquette that any gentleman would feel the impulse of bowing to collect a fallen necklace…They are no-invisiprim sandals, to be worn in Viewer 2.0:

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.

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:)

cypress Rosewood performing

Among the top performers planned for next Saturday are Maxmillion Kleene and Strummer Vultee. And be sure to check out one of the final events – a performance by The Choo Choo Chicks on Sunday April 11th. Drum dances will be ongoing daily, and two more performances of the Fae Circus are scheduled.

The festival organizer is Shay Sunnyside, and activities will be updated in the SL event listings throughout the week. More about the festival in the May issue of Best of Second Life Magazine’s Society Pages.

It was a wee bit crowded in Dublin (SL, that is) on St. Patty’s Day, especially at Blarney Stone Pub. I saw more gray than green at Blarney! So photos were out of the question there! No matter, the performers and djs were awesome! Soundcircel Flanagan performed earlier in the day, and the rest of the afternoon djs kept the party going until about 9PM SLT.

Not ready to end the night, my friends and I headed to Pannie’s to continue the festivities with CelticMaidenWarrior Lancaster, followed by Ganjo Mokeev – actually he was Pannie’s 1500th live show.

Both CelticMaiden and Ganjo put on an amazing show, and so much green surrounded us

Ganjo Mokeev

I was anticipating Kermit to arrive any moment – a mix of formal and casual greens. I loved CelticMaiden’s inebriated leprechaun and particularly the beautiful dancer Cellandra Zon who accompanied her on stage.

CelticMaidenWarrior & Cellandra Zon

Be sure to check out the SL calendar for all the holiday events continuing through the weekend. Dublin will continue to offer a mix of live musicians and djs through Sunday, March 21st, early afternoon. Check out the Dublin events schedule at: http://www.fengshuichat.com/stpats/. Alas, performances will be also streamed into Dublin SL from Austin, Texas during the international SXSW South by Southwest Music and Media Festival, featuring musicians from UK, Ireland and USA through Saturday.

Blarney Stone Pub, Dublin
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dublin/84/77/25

Pannie’s & Rosedrop Media Circus
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Podul/238/27/120