GIANO: A FAMILY FRIENDLY PARADISE IN PIXELS – JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING

One of the things I occasionally like to do in SL is to open the world map, randomly look for new regions, and TP there.  Last week I happened to land on the Main Street of a charming New England town named Giano. As a long-time RL resident of that part if the country, I was immediately struck by the phenomenal similarities between this place, and my happy childhood residence.  From the Giano Pizza Parlor, to the horse ranch, to the Drive-In Theater, I felt immediately “at home”.

As I strolled the streets, I came upon Stacey Giano and Ikonn Giano, the owners of Giano.  Ikonn was on a ladder, and Stacey was directing him from the recently shoveled sidewalk below, directing Ikonn as he strung Christmas lights and other decorations of the season.  After introducing myself, they invited me inside the café for a cup of steaming hot chocolate, and agreed to tell me the story of Giano.

Josh (Thomas1 Bellic) (JB):     Hi Guys.  Thanks for agreeing to chat with me. Let’s start with a softball question.  Just what is Giano all about?

Ikonn Giano (IG):   WE are a small community with laid back role play. We try to provide an environment where people can role play if they like but if they don’t and just want to be in a community that’s ok to. We don’t force anyone to role play we are also inclusive. We do our best to make this a place for everyone to have a fun.

Stacey Giano (SG)  To me, Giano is a lot like the community I live in real life. It's a sleepy small town with mountains, woods, and small businesses. It's where everyone knows each other. It's not full of crime. And it's beautiful. 

JB:     There are many beautiful Sims out there, and several of them dedicated to RP activities. What would you say is the "Giano Difference"?     

IG:     I think the biggest thing is how long we have been around. I started this back 2007 and it has been going ever since. There have been many other RP communities that have come and gone. Most will not make it.  There are things that come with the years of experience and how we do things here and a formula that I use to ensure we have enough prims and how we price them.

SG:     The Giano difference is it's just a nice clean and cozy New England style town where you can spend your time with friends and family without constant crime and violence.  It's a place where you can have a good quality home, customize it, and enjoy your time in comfort. 

JB:     What a lovely build.  Did you do this yourself?  Or were others involved, and what were their roles?

IG:     Yes, I did most of the build and layout. I did take in a lot of good feedback and ideas from my team. I had to custom-make most of the textures for example, the police and fire department vehicles and other various custom-made mesh projects around the community.  

JB:     Where did you get the inspiration for Giano City?  And can you share a bit about the history of the place?

SG:     This was Ikonn's idea. The town's history comes from the hard-working farmers or ranchers in the New England part of the United States. These were people who faced harsh winters and warm summers. It's a close-knit community with a main street. While there are people from all backgrounds and countries, our culture and traditions are deeply rooted in a rural way of life.

JB:     WOW...Lots of different areas. from Fire station to Bowling alley, Beach Front and a Ranch.  You even have a Drive in Movie theater...with real movies.  What are some of the more interesting areas here?

SG:     For me, the interesting areas include the trails through the woods. And we love to watch movies together. Our drive-in has been a really great spot to watch movies with friends and family.

IG:     I would have to say some of the most interesting things here are mini golf.  It seems to be a favorite among the residents. Our horse trails are popular. They run through 4 of sims. With 7seas fishing you can fish in an open water here. 

JB:     And are you showing that classic iconic Drive-in theater movie: "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre"? (grins)

SG:     I am sure if its available we could show this. lol

IG:     Maybe around Halloween but we don’t’ normally do horror flicks 

JB:     I managed to snag a copy of this month's Giano Magazine. What is that all about?

SG:     The Giano Magazine is pretty new. Every month, we feature as much local information, events, and public notices. We also provide some grid-wide news, i.e. the last issue had a feature of a top SL model Dametria. Every month, we will feature something new and different. 

 JB:     What has been your greatest challenge in building the Town of Giano?

IG:     One of the biggest challenges is yes, advertising.  So many places come and go. So always looking for new and improved ways to advertise. We do a lot of this and sometimes keeping up with all of it can be challenge.

SG:     I wasn't part of the building of the city in the beginning. However, as Ikonn's wife, I have learned the biggest challenge has been advertising the community grid-wide. Advertising and marketing in SL needs to be a college level course. It's just simply not an easy task. However, I have learned a lot of little tricks along the way. And it's constantly researching all the different new mediums coming available, i.e. social media platforms. And cutting out the old way of doing things that don't offer any results as they might have done before. Most importantly, it's important to really examine the various seasons of virtual commerce and what is driving interest.

JB:     I see you have private residences here for rent. Who would you envision as the ideal renter?

IG:     Anyone who wants to be part of community. We try to have something for everyone from apartments to mansions. To lots of role play opportunities.  

SG:     I think anyone interested in starting a family, growing a family, or enjoys living in a small town.

JB:     So, tell our readers about the "1st Annual Giano Christmas Stroll" coming up on Dec 14.

SG:     The Giano Christmas Stroll is going to be one of the top events of the year. It's a chance for everyone to come out and spend time with their friends and family while sipping on hot coco, taking photos with Santa, and shop, and hang out in downtown Giano. And then we'll watch a movie in the drive-in. A great way to celebrate the Christmas season and get to know your neighbors.

 JB:     Do you have any other special events planned? And how can people find out what’s happening at Giano Properties?  Any Social Media Sites or similar things?

SG:     We do many social events throughout the year. Notifications are sent out in our community group. And we love to play games, go mini-golfing, movie nights, bowling, hanging out at the community pool, or having happy hour at the local Admirals Bar. And we also have a community center, church, and dancing club.  Some things are planned in advance. And then, if we have time, we just send a message to the community that a group of us are gathering someplace to do something together.

IG:     Yes, we do plan special events all year long. We also have weekly and pop-up events like a few of us getting together to play a game or do some mini golf. We use our community group as well as our own Website and social media.  We are on pretty much all the platforms. We also have a discord server. 

Check us out at https://www.gianoproperties.com/ 

JB:     And how about the future?  Do you have any construction projects in mind?

IG:     We do have plans to expand and add more sims. For details on what we have planned I guess you'll have to stay tuned.

SG:     Additionally, we are building a community library. That is unique as I don't know any other communities that offer a library. This library will eventually have books and our Giano magazine past issues. As well as any other services you can find at a public library. And a great place to chill and read a book. 

JB:     Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

SG:     Giano has been around since 2007. That is nearly 20 years long. And some of the same residents still live here from the beginning. And I've been here for the better part of 14 of those years. While the buildings have changed some, the core of what Giano has been has never changed. And that kind of stability is hard to find anywhere. The success of Giano is due in large part of Ikonn's fairness, kindness, and willingness to listen to his residents. Ikonn has put a lot of love into building this community. And it really shows.

IG:     Well, I opened this back in 2007 and I have seen ups and downs multiple times. So I do have a lot of experience in dealing with all these things. I have seen it all. Me being the only owner prevents there from being any issues, unlike other places that may have multiple owners.  

SB:     So, there you have it, folks.  For those of you who are already familiar with the delights of a New England community, you will immediately feel right at home, as you are embraced by the hospitality and warmth of this lovely and charming build. For those of you who have never experienced this type of place, you are indeed missing out on one of the most endearing regions of the Grid.  Either way – longtime resident, or Bucket-List visitor – A trip to Giano will warm both heart and soul. You simply MUST see this amazing build. 

Hop on over to: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Newport%20Keys/142/120/24

And when you do, tell ‘em Josh sent ya.  You’ll be glad you did.

Be there! Aloha!

JB