LUXE Paris LOOK of the YEAR 2024 Winner VANESSAJANE

As a writer for the SL Enquirer, I get to travel the Grid in search of the absolute best creations by our many residents, and seeking the ultimate "High" that is possible in this pixelated paradise called SecondLife. I have found High Velocity Motorcycle Raceways, High Energy Cocktail Lounges, High Flying Air Shows. Highly Skilled DJs, and High Quality Builds. But this year was different.  This year I git to peek behind the curtain of High Fashion, and the results were stunning.  No.  I did NOT get to judge a Fashion Event (my boss kept THAT duty), but I did get to interview the winner of this year's LUXE LOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 competition. I caught up with this year's winner, Vanessa(VANESSAJANE66).  She was packing her bag to catch a TP on the first stop of a promotional tour, but she did manage a few minutes to share some of her experiences with our SLE readers.  

Josh (Thomas1 Bellic) (JB):     Why did you decide to participate in the LUXE Look of the YEAR 2024 Competition? 

Vanessa Jane (VJ):     I had been a Finalist in the 2022 Look of the Year contest and had enjoyed the experience.  I met new friends, gained valuable modeling knowledge, and loved the fun of the contest itself.  The 2022 competition left very positive memories so when the contest came around again in 2024 I was keen to experience it again and see how far I had grown as a model and stylist.

JB:     How was the experience? What did you find to be the most enjoyable aspect of the competition?

VJ:     As expected it was another great experience.  The contest is very well organised and lots of thought is put into developing the Finalists during the process.  

 I loved the theme this year, using the style Icons of Jade Pono (the Look of the Year winner in 2022), Ponchituti Boucher, Frolic Mills, Zuri Rayna, and Coco Chanel.  We had to pay homage to their style but interpret it creatively in our unique way.  My assigned Icon was Coco Chanel and I wanted to capture the essence of her fashion ethos but take it to the 21st Century.

JB:     What part did you find to be the most was the most difficult

VJ:     We had a surprise challenge assigned to us by In-Nova Models.  Naar, who is a previous Look of the Year winner, gave us a headpiece and gave us half an hour to style it for a photo shoot where the headpiece was the focus.  We were given no other advice.  Luckily I realised I should use Luxe Paris clothing, but forgot you don't need to worry about shoes if being photographed from the shoulders up!

JB:     Why is fashion important to you?

VJ:     I am a creative person generally and love the ability of fashion to visually represent who I am as a person, and how I wish to show myself to the world.  In Second Life I have the perfect 'clothes horse' figure so that expands my ability to explore different styles and different aspects of myself through them.  As a model and stylist who is also an artist, I love to find the 'voice' of clothes and express that in how I style and present them.  I must also say that in real life I live in the far north of Scotland.  It is a beautiful place with often awful weather.  Nothing beats coming into SL and putting on fabulous fashion after being enveloped in wool and waterproofs in real life! 

JB:     How would you describe the brand that you now represent?

VJ:     Luxe Paris is a brand with genuine passion, vision, and aim to bring elegant, European Couture-inspired fashion to men and women in Second Life.  It is not a shallow, purely commercially driven business but a true fashion house with a mission and drive.  I love how the Designers bring real-life experience and skills into their work, which truly gives the brand its unique look.  I also love how they continually push to make Luxe Paris designs as good as they can be.  Second Life is often a shallow place and it is a pleasure to find such authenticity and integrity, in both the lovely people who make up the team, but also in what they want to achieve with the brand.

JB:     How did you take the news when they first announced your name as the winner?

VJ:     I was in complete shock as I hadn't expected to win.  My brain kind of evaporated when they announced my name.  It was not my finest hour when they gave me the winner's tiara, which was boxed. I floundered way too long before realising I could rez and unbox the tiara behind the winner's podium to wear it for my photograph to be taken.  

JB:     How do LUXE Fashion Shows stand out from all the other similar events out there?

TVJ:     This question makes me think of Look of the Year Winner Jade Pono's amazing 2022 show 'We Are the World'.  It had a clear and wonderful theme, of highlighting and celebrating Diversity through the medium of Fashion.  The participating models were all ethnicities and were given creative rein to interpret their looks.  The show was superbly organised and staged by the Powerhouse Collective and great attention to detail was paid to every element.  The Show encapsulates for me why Luxe Paris shows stand out.

JB:     What does it take to be a successful Fashion Show contestant?

VJ:     Don't expect to win, but work hard towards always getting better because one day you might reach the level where you could win.  Do competitions for the holistic experience they give, the memories and friends you make, the fun of the challenges, and the opportunities to measure progress and grow. Leave your ego at the door and be positive and nice to your fellow candidates.  Remember most, if not all of the time, you will not become the winner.  If you have gone into competitions for all the other positive experiences and benefits you will never be a loser either.  

JB:     What advice could you give to someone wanting to enter the world of High Fashion?

VJ:     This depends.  Do you want to be a High Fashionista or a Model / Pageant competitor?  Modeling in SL isn't a place for big fragile egos.  Do it if it's your passion, and you are driven by a desire to keep learning and improving.    There are many disappointments, especially today because opportunities are fewer as the Modeling and Pageant worlds are smaller.  

Being a High Fashionista is easier, do your research into RL trends and explore widely among the SL Fashion brands in SL.  There is so much to explore.  Remember too the RL trick, you can make even a basic outfit high fashion if you style it with creative, fabulous accessories.

JB:     And of course, what is a Fashion Show without social commentary? What social stigma does society need to get over? What makes you roll your eyes every time you hear it?

VJ:     Unfortunately, we live in an imperfect World.  For me, this isn't helped by many who have closed minds, set and rigid beliefs, and an almost tribal 'them or us' attitude, which cannot be swayed by evidence.  Mother Teresa said 'If you judge people you have no time to love them'.  We all have our human condition to connect us and it saddens me that people for whatever reason cannot develop open minds.

JB:     Is there anything else you would like to share with our SL Enquirer Readers?

VJ:     I am looking forward to working hard as Brand Ambassador, and the opportunities and experiences that are opening for me.  I am truly passionate about paying back the trust and the belief Mika, Paris, and the team put in me when I won.  Luxe Paris feels like a home I have come to and will contribute to, both during my reign and perhaps, if I am lucky, as a Designer going forward.

You can watch the grand finale LUXE Paris LOOK of the YEAR again on SL4Live-TV channel on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAzobyQazqw

Soooo...there you have it.  What better advice can you find than that coming directly from this year's winner?  If you have ever thought about entering the world of High Fashion, take in a show or two.  Talk to the contestants - they don't bite.  And who knows?  Maybe some year you, too, might find yourself featured in SL Enquirer as a LUXE Paris: Look of the Year WINNER

Give it a shot.  Tell 'em Josh sent ya.  You'll be glad you did

Aloha!

JB

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SADDLES CANYON COUNTRY RETREAT : DJ AND HOST OF THE MONTH – JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING

SecondLife is truly a land of infinite possibilities for those with the determination and the imagination to make their dreams come true.  For the artist, the possibilities of pixel art are amazing.  And for the music lover, world-class performances with top-notch talent are only a few mouse clicks away.  But by far, the vast majority of musical entertainment is provided by DJs and their talented Hosts.  Together, they work to provide residents with a fun and engaging musical experience.

The best of those DJs and Hosts rise quickly to the top of the heap, and I was fortunate enough to meet two such individuals on my last trip to Saddles  Canyon Country Retreat. Laser Stratten is the DJ of the Month at Saddles, and Abby Walker has been selected as the Saddles Host of the Month.   I was able to catch up with these two extraordinary entertainers between sets the other day, and they were willing to share with me the secret of their success as DJ and Host.

Josh (Thomas1 Bellis) JB:   Thanks for agreeing to meet with me.  Sooo…tell me, please.  Just how long have you been in the DJ and Host business?

Laser Stratten (LS):   I started DJing when a friend of mine was a manager at Wildcats when it was just beginning around 2012.  I was still working in RL doing a job that required many hours of my time, so I was mainly a fill-in DJ. I didn't really start taking permanent sets until a few years later.

Abby Walker (AW):  I have been hosting for close to 10 years now. Although, it does not seem that long.

JB:    What made you get started in this job?

LS:    I've always enjoyed listening to music.  I joined SL out of curiosity but soon got caught up in going to live music events and gained some DJ friends.  I really didn't have plans to be a DJ  until this manager friend convinced me I should.  I had help getting set up with a SAM Broadcaster and began accumulating music.  I also got help from some experienced DJ's on how to use the SAM and set up music to present to the club VIP's. I developed my own style over the years.

SB:  How many clubs are you currently hosting?

LS:    I am only working at one venue at this time, but I've worked a many different ones through the years. I'm not averse to working in multiple clubs, but working at only one club can sometimes turn into a family atmosphere which I enjoy.

AW:    Currently, I mainly only host at Saddles. I am a host at two other clubs: Copperhead Roads and I’m a fill-in at Bearfoot & Buckwild.

JB:      What genre of music do you play, and do you have a favorite?

LS:    I play mostly country and red dirt. Some classic and Southern rock, too.  I like to highlight my home State of Texas and the large variety of musical talent that exists here.

JB:    Do you have your own group? 

LS:    I do!  My group members are called Laser Beams!

secondlife:///app/group/91b029b2-be06-c177-a8d7-31381f04be3b/about

AW:       As a host, I do not have my own group. However, I do know a few hosts that have a large enough following for a group.

JB:    You two make a great team, and we can see the real chemistry there. Do you two normally work together, or do you do separate gigs?

LS:    Abby and I met at a club quite a few years ago.  She would host for me at times, but it seems that she is my exclusive host at Saddles.  She is a misplaced Texas girl who grew up not far from where I live now in Texas, so it's fun for us to work together.

AW:      Lately, we have been working together a lot. Especially at Saddles. But in the past, we have not always worked together even though we have worked at the same clubs before. We have known each other for several years.

JB:    The best DJs and Hosts are usually good-looking, friendly, and outgoing…at least the good ones are. And as semi-celebs, they must have people looking to hook up, don't they? How do handle the Fans who may want more from you than just your music?

LS:    My DJ mentor, Strummer Skytower actually warned me about that.  I was in a committed relationship at that time, so when I did get a few flirty IMs, I'd just ignore them or laugh it off. Yeah, it does happen at times, I guess.  And if a DJ is so inclined, they can meet some new people that way.  These days, I am a happily married man in both RL and SL.  We met in SL and are now married in RL.  We met when she was a club owner and I was a DJ looking for work.  I tell her when someone IMs me to tell me they like how I DJ or comment about my voice and she tells me..." Yeah, they're trying to flirt with you" and we chuckle about it.

AW:      There have been a few times where someone has tried to hook up with me. I always try to be friendly to everyone and even flirt a little, but if it gets too much, I let the person know they need to back down. I simply tell them we can be friends and no more.

JB:    Awww…so your marriage, Laser, was truely “A Match made in SL”.  So tell me, how would you advise someone who wants to get into your line of work  What would it take?

LS:    It takes a working knowledge of the music you intend to play.  And you need to be able to express yourself over a microphone.  Most club owners don't want you to just be a radio.  They want you to engage the VIPs and make it interesting. I try very hard to do that.

AW:      I would say if someone wants to become a host, they should watch how other hosts operate in the clubs. Keep a notecard up and if the host says something you really like then type/copy it down and even reword it to make it more personal. I would encourage them to jump right in and just do it. Most clubs are willing to let someone new try it out and they will help them along.

JB:      Why is it that people often don't tip the host or tip the host less than the  DJ?

LS:    To be honest, I don't usually get notified when a host gets tipped.  But being a host, a GOOD host, is hard work.  I've hosted before, and it's not fun to me! They have to be on their toes to greet the VIPs and disseminate all the information the club owners and managers need them to make known.  So tipping them less than the DJ is just not right.  I always tip them the same as the DJ unless I really know the DJ well.

AW:     As a host, I do see this often. I think most people feel the DJ does more work and must pay to get the music. They don’t realize that the host is not just up there looking good. We send out all notices, spam multiple groups, welcome everyone into the club, and monitor chat for any issues going on, if we hear something wrong with the music or can’t hear voiceovers, we should contact the DJ to let him know. DJs and Hosts both play a vital role in the success of a club and the set and we do an equal amount of work to make it a success.

JB:    Point is well taken, Abby.  So…Is there anything else you would like to share with our SL Readers? 

LS:    People need to know that running a SL club is not an easy, or inexpensive undertaking.  I would bet that most clubs are not money-makers.  So, when the DJ or Host asks for donations to the club, please know that it is expensive to pay for clubs.  These owners do all they do as a labor of love and all their support - and yours - is much appreciated

AW:       I would encourage anyone who would like to become a Host or DJ to just do it, and not be afraid. Most people here in SL are very supportive and really, it’s all about just having fun.

 

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THE PLEASURE ZONE: PLEASURE IN PIXELS - JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING

One of the BEST things about being a writer for the Grid’s longest-running, continually active news source is that I get to travel the grid on a regular basis, at the paper’s expense.  On these trips, I get to discover all manner of phenomenal builds by the talented residents of SL.  General. Moderate, and Adult...the Grid’s got something for everyone!  But in the inventory of Adult Sims, one that stands head and shoulders above the rest of the pack is the unique and incomparable “Pleasure Zone”.  After seeing their ad, my curiosity was aroused and I set about trying to learn what I could about this aptly named Sim.  Intrigued by their ad, I felt compelled to check.  While there, I ran into the owners, Draven Voight and Trish Nebula, and they graciously agreed to sit with me for a spell and answer my questions about this most unusual build.

Josh (Thomas1 Bellic) JB:  So tell me, guys. Where did you get the idea for Pleasure Zone? Is there some history here?

Trish Nebula (TN):   We opened another club a few years back based on a Circus theme that was all rock and to be honest sex sells in second life. I was concerned about the patrons we would attract by having a sex-themed club, we started as just DJing and keeping it all sex-based and then people just kept coming back and wanting more.

Draven Voight (DV):  We tried a metal club and we wanted more variety so we decided to open a sex club that plays rock, country, and metal. We were brainstorming names and Pleasure Zone seemed to fit perfectly.

JB:      OK Draven and Trish. Just what is “Pleasure Zone” all about?

DV:  A fun friendly atmosphere where everyone is welcome.

Clothing is frowned upon but nudity is not required.  Sex and partying go hand and hand here. People can grope each other on the dance or take it to a room. We want everyone that comes here to feel like they are old friends as soon as they land. We don't want a "clicky" club.

TN:  Great music and everyone feels welcome. We want people to enjoy the sexual side of second life and not feel like you gotta go to some dingy-looking sim to have a good time, but a great place to meet people and perhaps use the amenities while here and come back to the dance floor and party some more.

JB:      Who managed to put this thing together and what role did each of you play?

DV:  We both put our heads together and built this club from the ground up. We are both co-owners and in the beginning, we were the only DJs and we hosted for each other.

TN:  We built a few different designs and it took us a few weeks to build what we have now. We wanted something unique.

JB:     There are many fun and exciting  Adult Clubs out there. What is the Pleasure Zone difference? 

TN:  Honestly, we pride ourselves on the fact everyone here is special. It doesn’t matter if they are a day old or 16 years old. Everyone is greeted and we encourage staff to engage with all people, not just the regulars.  That is how they become regulars.

DV:  Really friendly atmosphere, staff is required to greet everyone and make them feel welcome.  No one is a stranger and whenever someone joins the group Everyone welcomes them to The Pleasure Zone Family.

JB:      Tell us about some of the different areas on the property?

DV:  There is a gangbang area, BDSM room, a glory hole room, a porn cinema, couples rooms, a shower area, and a lounge.  We have a teleporter that has a wedding venue that is free to use, an Oasis, a hideaway, and a sex beach.

TN:  We have a mall, a few different areas for different sexual needs, a porn cinema and we have a teleporter to go to a wedding venue that is free to use, a little oasis(romantic setting with a house and hidden cave), and a fairy house. We also have a sex beach we do outside themes at. There is the KISS stage for concerts.

We also have a KISS Tribute band stage because PZ is the official home of the KISS Alive Tribute Band.

JB:      Do you have any plans for future development?

TN:  We have changed things up a few times, and try to keep what has worked. Currently, we haven’t looked into building anything more ATM and just trying to build patrons and more staff to meet the needs of the people wanting more parties during the day.

JB:      Could you share some of the interesting things that visitors and guests can do at Pleasure Zone?

TN:  They can get married and honeymoon here. There are a lot of different areas for the more sexually active. There is a shopping mall and can chill and watch a variety of porn.

DV:  They can shop, party with us, have sex in about any room they choose, or watch porn.

JB:      Do you host Special events?  And how might someone learn of any scheduled activities here?

 TN:  Every night from 6-8pm we have themed events ..best in a theme. We always say that includes naked. We post in the SL Event Calendar, there is an event schedule board in the club that is updated weekly, and every day a line up is sent out in a VIP group notice.

DV:  We have themed events m-f 6pm-8pm SLT. If they are patrons, they will get notifications in the group plus events are posted in the SL Event Calendar.  We have KISS Concerts and they will learn about those the same as the themed events.

 

JB:     I understand you just recently went over 1,000 members.  How do you plan to recognize so momentous an accomplishment?

TN:  We are having a week-long party of with a 1000 lindens giveaway for every DJ spinning, each day has a theme. So instead of one contest, there could be up to 5 contests on certain days.

JB:    Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers? Perhaps about any Social Media or locations or important URLs you would care to share with me and about 70,000 of my closest friends

TN:  We just want to have a place where everyone has a good time.  We hope that everyone that comes here feels like we value and appreciate the fact they choose our club to come party when there are so many out there to choose from.

So.  There you have it folks.  Check it out at the SURL below. For the absolute HOTTEST in adult entertainment anywhere on the Grid, you do NOT want to miss the pleasures available at The Pleasure Zone…

Discord     https://discord.gg/h92Zyze5FJ

SURL:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Coral%20Baros/82/163/1472

 

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PETRICHOR: A PERFECTLY PIXELATED PARADISE – JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING

 

Petrichor: (Noun) a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather

This week’s hidden gem of a Sim is managed by the rental company Petrichor.  Anyone who has been in SL for more than about a week has learned to recognize the difference between a poorly built sim and a beautiful one.  In a Grid full of sims of “comic book art” caliber, this place is indeed a Michelangelo.  If Bob Ross could have painted in 3D, he would have designed a place like Chrystal Island.  If you are a lover of beauty, scenic views everywhere you look, and lag-free properties on a grid of omnipresent lag, you will find this place to be a refreshing change.  As I was exploring this once in a SecondLife time creation, I came upon The Starchilds, Night, and Onyx.  They couldn’t wait to tell me about this Garden of Eden that they had created (minus the snakes).

Josh (Thomas1 Bellic) JB:    What a lovely build.  Did you do this yourself?  Or were others involved, and what were their roles?

Night Starchild (NS):  We had a vision and we involved some of our friends to help us build the sim.  For the build I provided the building materials and designed a few parcels on my own, then our friend Julia (Judithan Resident) stepped in and used the materials to help design more parcels. She was also very helpful in bringing in her own creativity enhancing the feel of the parcels even more. She turned out great at designing the hot springs with crystals in particular. We also have some properties with the interior design already done by my lovely wife Onyx Starchild and our friend Winter Rose (Abraa Xue).  If a renter isn't comfortable decorating their own home, they may choose to take advantage of the designs already made by them.  Our friend Winter Rose also loves ripping some houses apart and making extra rooms or create a new upper floor and new stairs. She customized a few houses for us in that way.

Onyx Starchild (OS):  Night Starchild, who has lots of skills and previous experience as a sim designer, started creating the sim, bringing to life the vision we had for Petrichor. Later on, some friends joined us to help along the way. Our friend Julia (Judithan) brought her building expertise, and our friend Winter Rose (abraa.xue) her abilities in the field of interior design and customizing houses. All of them are very talented, As for me, my role is mostly dedicated to the interior design of some of the properties.

JB:       There are many beautiful Sims out there. What is the Petrichor Difference? 

NS:  We focus on the beautiful views of nature all around the properties and have privacy as a priority.. So, we obscure the view of other houses in the sim using nature and blend the houses in so they become a part of nature. We use only the best quality materials and we re-texture a lot to our own liking to make everything blend together. We built the sim using a particular set of textures that we think makes it so beautiful and by controlling the texture set size also eliminates lag.

OS:   We wanted to provide the experience of a place that not only can offer privacy at its best but also, direct contact with nature. Each house is surrounded by unique landscaping and an enticing environment with breathtaking views. Everything here has been meticulously thought to bring our residents that special feeling that will invite them to call Petrichor their home.

JB:       As we were touring the property, I noticed a lack of clear paths between the properties.  Are you going to add those later?

NS:   Aha, yes.  We did that on purpose because we do not want people to wander onto other parcels.  The property borders are not that clear from the ground when you walk around, which adds to the rural wild feel of the rugged nature around and on the properties. Having paths leading onto private properties would entice casual wanderers to enter private properties, only to be greeted with a security warning.

JB:       Who would you envision as the ideal renter?

NS:   Everyone has a different taste. Basically, someone that really enjoys the beauty, the privacy, and the overall energy of the sim. Someone that feels at home here. If they like to play the occasional board game with us at the community game center area then that would make for a fun renter in my book :)

OS:   Someone who appreciates nature, and privacy and is looking for a comfortable place to live that they will proudly call their home.

JB:       How are your properties laid out here?

NS:   On the ground level, we have 8 big elite properties laid out in each wind direction. North South East West, and also on each corner. These are located on parcels that are around 4560sqm in size. They have around 2400 prims of which I use about 900 for the house and the nature around it. I tune the size of the parcel and its nature to have 1500 prims available for the renter to decorate their own space further and make it their own.

JB:       Tell us about the different areas here?                                    

NS:   On the ground level we also have the center of the sim, a big greenhouse is located in the middle of the forest there. This could be used by renters to have a wedding party or something like that. Free of charge that's a perk of being a Petrichor Resident. When this space is not in use, we provide some game tables there. This area is completely obscured from view from the private properties, yet freely available to all.  No roads lead to the center. The public center is separated from private parcels by streams of water.

OS:   To clarify, this area is not connected in any way to the houses, so the residents won’t be disturbed in the privacy of their homes.

JB:       What are some of the things that guests can do at Petrichor?

NS:   Guests are welcome to wander the public center part of Petrichor sims, and play board games there. Of course, Petrichor residents can have their guests on their private land as well. Guests should not wander into rented homes or they will be returned home by security, although some renters turn off security and run an open house, and available cottages have security disabled as well.

OS:   They can explore the public area of the sim, where the community center is located. And the guests of our residents should remain on their own property to respect the privacy of the other residents.

JB:       Is the natural lighting changing here?  What’s that all about?

NS:   Yes, I’m glad you noticed.  We have our own shared environment settings.  The sim goes through about 6 or 7 different settings in the course of a day, which takes 6 hours in this sim. These settings change over time, along with the seasons of nature. It just makes the sim look so much better.

JB:       Do you have any plans for future development?

NS:   Yes.  We are making a small community of a few very affordable tiny homes on smaller 1024 sqm private parcels on a platform at 2000 meters. This is currently under development to accommodate people with a smaller budget.

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

NS:  We see our properties being rented really quickly and we cannot keep up with demand. We have started building PetrichorSL.com where people can add themselves to our waiting list. The website was just started so for now the best thing is to contact me or Onyx Starchild if you want to be on the waiting list, and you will be notified when we create new rentals or one becomes available.

OS:   We have put on this sim everything that we thought that the perfect place to live should have, such as stunning views of nature all around, lots of space and lovely comfortable homes. We love to invite everyone who appreciates nature with a dash of spirituality to come have a feel for the amazing atmosphere at Crystal Island.

Sooooo….there you have it.  These properties are going to go fast.  If you are interested in only the finest of residential properties in an idyllic mountain setting, you are going to want to get in on the ground floor of this deal.  Go visit Petrichor at the SURL below. Tell ‘em Josh sent ya.

Be there!  Aloha!

JB

SURL:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Crystal%20Island/119/87/23

FLICKR:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/petrichorsl/

Website:  http://www.PetrichorSL.com (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

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