ICON Lifestyle Magazine Vol 5 Issue 4 July 2013

iconic lifestyle

VOLUME 5 • issue 4 July 2013

Growl!

Move It With Abranimations The Talented Samm Qendra

The Passionate

Skip

ST A HELI

ICON STAFF CEO and Publishers Potvin Tigerpaw & Sahara Mehrtens Editor-in-Chief Jordan Whitt Layout Director Marie Cox Style Editor Daija Arida

Staff Writers Amelia Harsley Emanuelle Brooks Honour McMillan Zephyr0090

Photography Alex Diabolito Hikaru Enimo Julie Hastings Oakley Foxtrot Phe Bruun Qopi Tristion Paine

Entertainment Editor Cali Karsin Photography Editor Spartin Parx

Read Online http://issuu.com/iconmagazine

Read the Blog http://iconicallysexy.blogspot.com

To our faithful readers, supporters, and friends; It is with a heavy heart that we give you the news that this is the last issue for ICON Lifestyle Magazine. Through the years, creating this publication has given us so much joy and pleasure. In the three years that we have owned the magazine, we have met so many amazing people who have not only worked with us, but have graced the pages of our magazine, and those contacts have gone on to create longlasting friendships that will go on far beyond the pages of this incredible project we’ve had the pleasure to undertake.

We are so thankful to all of you who have supported us through the years and are so proud of how far we have

come as a staff and as people through this entire process. We hope that each of you have been as impacted and inspired by the people that have been featured in this magazine through the years as we have.

Thank you for making this chapter of our lives an exciting, wild, and amazing ride. We will always treasure the memories we’ve made with you and can’t wait to see what lies ahead for all of the talented and creative people who have worked on staff with us as well as the designers, musicians, and creators who have been featured in ICON Magazine.

Sincerely,

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Jordan Whitt, Editor-in-Chief

It’s a little known fact, but I was there at the meeting when Wil Dreadlow unveiled his vision for a magazine called ICON, it’s birth. I didn’t stay, but I did return a few months later and took over as Editor-in-Chief and next month would have seen me celebrating my 4th anniversary in this role.

So it’s kind of fitting that here I am at it’s closure too.

It’s been an amazing ride full of twists and turns, some scary, others fun, but a ride I wish would never end. I have many regrets in my Second Life, but this magazine is not one of them. I would not have given up this adventure for all the world. I have met amazing people, explored sides of Second Life, and myself, I never knew existed and I have loved bringing it all to you. I am proud of what Icon and its staff have achieved over the years it has been on the grid. It’s not going to be the same around here without it.

This closure isn’t the end though. I expect great things from the staff as they move on to new challenges and new possibilities. It’s been my absolute joy to be able to work with such a diverse and amazing group of people. I wish them all well.

As for me...I am already hard at work on something that has been my dream for a couple of years, and now I have the time to make it a reality. You have not seen the last of me.

Photo by Spartin Parx

HOME & LIVING

21 The Creative Vision of Editorial Clarity-Flux 37 Natural-istic in Second Life 57 How to Create Realistic Water

STYLE 65 69 73 75 81 83 87 89 97

What’s Trending in Fashion Style Icon Blog Spot for Her Shoe Freak Style Him Totally Petite Blog Spot for Him Get That Style ICONic Beauty

Read Online http://issuu.com/iconmagazine

RADAR

103 The Artistic Passion of Skip Staheli 109 The Way You Move 115 In Conversation With...

125 On Our Radar - Growl!

ENTERTAINMENT 135 141 149 153

A Personal Look at Samm Qendra Lost in a Dark Mystery Virtuoso Provider - Marky Helstein DJ Top 10

VIEWPOINT 157 161 167 171

The Skinny on Being Skinny Confessions of an SL Addict Five Things I’m Loving Archive Pages

On The Cover

We are delighted to have gracing our last ever cover the legendary and uber-talented Skip Staheli. Known for his incredible artistic photography, it was great to get him out from behind the camera and in front of the camera of our amazing Julie Hastings.

Written by Cali Kar Photos Courtesy of

rsin f Editorial Clarity-Flux

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Imagine walking into a crisp, clean, beautifully professional and ornate office brimming with style, vibrance and an eclectic orange splash of color generously flowing around the room. That is what it was like stepping into the gorgeously designed home of interior designer and landscaper, Editorial Clarity-Flux.

Upon entering his home, I was invited to on a tour around the rest of his house. I can honestly say that I have never seen such a residential space brimming with such serene beauty and taste.

After touring the house, we entered the lush gardens where he told me, “The initial idea of the place was to be a modern renovated country cabin.” As we walk around the beautiful garden overflowing with tall green trees everywhere, overgrown grass, a soft flowing pond, and a river wrapping around the entire house, I couldn’t help but wonder in amazement where he gets his inspiration and ideas from.

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The last place he shows me before heading back into the house is the best area of the outside grounds in my opinion. The Secret Garden!

Hidden and entangled amongst the trees, butterflies swoon, fireflies flicker and animals liven the area.

With a large pond gleaming to complete the majestic spot, I could almost smell the pond water.

On the final stop before heading back up to the house I was shown another smaller pond next to the house with overgrown grass and aged stone, as well as a breathtaking field of blue flowers, complete with trees, animals, and even Editorial’s pet dog, Stiller!

Making it back up to the house, I couldn’t help myself with all the questions I wanted to throw at this unique interior designer, and once we sat down, I was eager to find out about his life, his story and experiences in SL and RL. Over four years ago, Editorial first logged into Second Life, and has been lucky to dabble in quite a few different things. “Before I started decorating, I blogged, I have hosted TV for Metaverse, a radio show, magazine work, and DJ’d at shows, all were memorable,” he says. “But I’ve always had an interest in decorating, so when I stopped doing all of that, I decided to take some ‘me time’ and do something I loved, and that was this.

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It then became an addiction, and I’ve been doing it pretty much every day since!”

Editorial has had an interest in designing since a very young age, saying, “I used to go and view houses with my grandma all the time, just to be nosey really. I loved show rooms, galleries and anything like that. I used to want to live in an art gallery because of how grand and well designed they were.”

Although he hasn’t had much of a chance just yet to do interior design in RL, he believes SL is an amazing platform he can use to explore that creative side of him.

After receiving some compliments from friends, he was hooked and has done nearly 210 different designs since last May and counting. “I’ve got an overly active mind. I’m constantly thinking of new things to do. Then I just began blogging them as a hobby,” he says.

“I get inspiration every day from the littlest things. I do look at pictures too, but I try not to often because I don’t like to copy others and I prefer to do my own work because it is more satisfying,” he remarks. Editorial also is connected with a RL decorator, Martyn LawrenceBullard, from the show Million Dollar Decorators, and informs me that without the moral support from him, he would have given up ages ago. “We talk every few days and he encourages me to not give up on my dreams,” Editorial explains.

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I asked him for advice to future interior designers, landscapers, or even people looking to revamp their own SL homes.

“Be daring and think outside of the box,” he says. “In my eyes, many homes in SL are boring. People buy them, place them down without any thought and use the same old furnitures everyone else uses. Just because you think you can’t terraform doesn’t mean you can’t give it a try. Nobody has a masters degree in terraforming - you do it through practice. Just play around, and over time you will get better. Find new stores, new furnitures, and don’t always keep a prefab as it is. Do something wacky and wild with it to make it unique.”

Although he doesn’t like to charge for his services, he does take on projects when he can, and recently finished a set for the new Loovus Dzevavor collection. Check out his website at http://editorialclarity. com/ for all the best designs and work by him, and like his Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/ediclarity.

Written and Photographed by Honour McMillan

One of the joys of living in the virtual world is that we can experience places and environments far away from our physical locations. As summer takes a firm grasp on most of the grid we wanted to share just two examples of wildly different versions of the same thing - a real(istic) landscape.

Remember everyday to be thankful for those who build these fantastic creations and share them with us. We think you’ll agree, Mother Nature has many good friends in the Metaverse.

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{M}oderate

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Flanagan%20Fields/104/127/29 It doesn’t matter where you “really” live, you can move to Ireland. Flanagan Fields is a gorgeous representation of a corner of the Emerald Isle and it’s a residential community.

Wander the paths, admire the streams and forest, and envy those who have this as their backyard. Yes, there’s a certain amount of envy, but at least we can visit!

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{M}oderate

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Inspiration%20Point/100/62/30 Shopping does not have to take place inside a noisy, sterile mall. In Second Life we have so many other options, and one beautiful location is Inspiration Point. Much like our other location this month, there are forest paths and ocean - but what a difference! You’re on another part of the globe in this outstanding landscape. Take the time to enjoy the view - you’ll find yourself smiling in delight.

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Written by Emanuelle Brooks Photos by Spartin Parx

Admit it, you have explored various locations in Second Life and at one point or another you have wished that you could create certain spectacles yourself. Maybe it is a romantic garden, a secret hideaway, or an entire city. Anything is possible.

With the proper skill and knowledge anyone can create realism in a fictional world.

Creating realism in water can be tricky. You have to determine the originating source of the water: pond, waterfall, fountains or oceans. This will allow a better understanding of what is needed to create it. Each source will have its own directional flow, its own current, and its own response to the surroundings. For example, a small fountain will trickle and create a minimal ripple compared to a larger fountain that shoots upward. The force in which the water gravitates downward will change the effect of the ripple. Additionally, consider what changes when you add in another factor, such as how water will react if you add a rock .

The first step in any project is closing your eyes and visualising what you want to create. Using your imagination create a setting. Human senses help to create a perception of realism. What can you visually see, what sounds do you hear around you, what type of texture does it have, what temperature is it? The second step is to acquire the items that you envision, whether you build it or buy it is irrelevant. The third step is putting your vision together.

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When creating a waterfall, do NOT terraform a giant hole that the water flows into. When water hits water it creates a ripple effect. Add foamy water (Naimafoams Calmwaters) at the base of each connecting area of waterfall to ground water. Add slight water current to each area where the land connects to the water using foamy waters again. The same can be said for any water source that touches land. Remember with oceans there are tides pulling in and out. You will need waves that push outward at the shore and waves that crash into the shore. Antreas Atler has amazing wave sets that can be purchased.

Again, what is seen is not the only factor to consider. Adding sound effects, such as water and sounds of nature, give a touch of realism. Sound effects should be used sparingly, using only every 20 to 30 meters. Sound effects can be found in the marketplace created

by numerous vendors such as Botanical Gardens. Remember to choose a sound that is equivalent to what you heard when you envisioned your setting. Do not hesitate to add lily pads, fish, swans/ducks, cattails, flowers designated to the temperature of your water, or rocks to your creation (Heart Botanicals). Each element adds to the realism of your setting.

Use your imagination and picture your scene. Find the components that you may need to create the setting, and put that vision together as you would a puzzle. Remember, consider the source, which way will the water flow, what is the temperature, how will the water react when it connects with other elements etc. Each detail you add should be specific to your vision. The more you add, the more realistic your scene.

STYLE

I’d like to thank everyone for giving us the support and love throughout the years that we have been around and obsessed with our publication. I am beyond proud of all that we as a whole have accomplished. Devastated doesn’t began to explain how I feel about the magazine closing. This magazine has been my baby for more than six years, and to see all of what we have worked so hard for and accomplished just end, I’m beyond words. Again, thank you all for being there and loving us. It’s been truly awesome!

Anyway, back to the magazine at hand. We have all of our usual sections back this month for our last HOORAH! We also have the lovely and talented Amytheyst Beebe as our last Style ICON. You guys are awesome!

Daija Arida

Photographed by Spartin Parx

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Sunglasses Oversized Sunglasses from Izzie’s

Coverup Tee Dress in Nude from Fanatik

Hat Brown Ribbon Hat from TokiD

Swimsuit Wildlife Collection from DRIFT

Tote Picnic Tote in Light from TokiD

Styled and Photographed by Daija Arida

This new addition to the section is something I put together tracking the trends in fashion. This month is all about summer fashion with our feature store DRIFT. You can create anything from cute, fun day styles to a chic resort evening look to your DRIFT staples just by adding some gorgeous accessories.

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Bandeau Shabby Polka Dots from DRIFT

Sunglasses Oversized Sunglasses from Izzie’s

Pants City Pants in Mist from DRIFT

Shirt Weekend Tee in Sand from DRIFT

Shoes Eldoret Sandals in Midnight from Hucci

Bag Marina Charmed & Woven Tote Bag in Bubble from Indy&Co

Top Trapeze Tank in Black from League

Necklace 777 jewelry set in Aqua from Mandala

Clutch Demi Clutch Black Skull from Luas

Pants Apartment Pants in Onyx Damask from DRIFT Shoes Edna Platform Pump in Aqua from NX-Nardcotix

Photographed and Styled by Amytheyst Beebe

Amytheyst Beebe is our Style ICON for July. I’ve gotten to know her blog through plurk and she happily accepted being our last Style Icon. She’s a very talented stylist and photographer. Check out her blog @ http://pixelvanity.blogspot.ca/

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Blazer Hannah Blazer in Midnight from Hucci Bra Top Lycia Lace Bandeau Bra in Charcoal from Mon Tissu Jeans My First Jeans in Dark Blue from Monso Boots Studded Booties in Onyx from Slink Jewelry Set DNA Jewelry Set in Silver from Mandala Ring Duality in Black from Remarkable Oblivion Hair Jada in Bournville from LeLutka Skin Ava in Med from Belleza

T-Shirt Mindy Tshirt in Creme Pink from Erratic Jeans Zipper Skinny Jeans in #4 from Maitreya Shoes 2R1 Shoes from 2Real Bracelets Knit Friendship Bracelets from Boom Tattoo Notes from Aitui Tattoo Hair Hold On Loosely in Teak from Exile Skin - Ava in Med 9 from Belleza

hed p a r g o t o h dP n a d e l y t S rot t x o F Written, y e l k

by Oa

Let’s talk live in the about the and loved to looking a speedo, have fun. too crazy

Top - Boho Backless from Au Tattoo - Notorious from Ink Leg Tattoo - Love Has Many Hair - Ellie from LeLutka Hairbeads - Hemp Hair Bead Flower - Tiare Hairpieces fro Skin - Cleo from Glam Affair Beach chair - 22769 from [b Beverage Cart from Floorpla Beach Radio from Standby

Bikini - H Glasses - Ba S

Shark Mesh Costum

about summer time, shall we? I’m not a fan to be honest. The heat is a cruel joke. Also, sharks e ocean and if you know me, you know that I absolutely HATEHATE sharks. Anyways, lets talk e good points of summer. Summer time usually means vacation time, spending time with family d ones and just getting off work, which I know we all look forward to. All the guys look forward g at girls in bikinis, lookin’ like slores, and all the girls hope and pray they won’t see a man rockin’ cause no. Summer is pretty much that time of the year when everyone can hang loose and just . I hope all of you enjoy your summer, make some amazing memories.. but don’t like do anything y that might get you arrested. Kay bai <3

uxiliary k’D Up! y Faces from Actchio

ds from Earthstones om BOOM r bauwerk] an

On Oakley Hampton Bikini from Boom aia sunglasses from Tabloid Squirt Gun from MishMish On Vanity Bikini from paper.doll

On Diarmuid me from Grafosyakuza Shop

Photographed by Spartin Parx Modeled by Daija Arida

Composite Wedge Boots in Olympian Blue Pat

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Paradise Sandals in Solar

Patent 120 Spikes in Red

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Styled, Modeled and Photographed

by Hikaru Enimo

Blazer Casual Blazer M2 Pants MG Suit Slacks fro Boots Loafer Shoes from Hair Straw Fedora/Crosb Necklace Gyatei Neckla Ears Simple Ears Hutuu Stud Ero-Sensei Pierce f Hands M#1 from Cheern

2 from Kal Rau om Just Because m GizzA by from Argrace ace from Mandala u from Mandala from Mandala no

Top Jake from Miamai Pants 100 Block Limited Suit/Half Pants from Gabriel Shoes Flip-Flops from Maitreya Gold Hair Callisto from Exile Necklace Gyatei Necklace from Mandala Ears Simple Ears Hutuu from Mandala Stud Ero-Sensei Pierce from Mandala Hands M#1 from Cheerno Bag The Last Genesis Bag from Aitui

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Photographed by Amelia Harsley

Funeral Dress

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Asian

White Patches

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Daisy Mae

Photographed, M

by Alex D

Shirt Art Project Tee from Aitui Pants Bass Jeans from Not so Bad Shoes Rayon Kicks from Entente Bag Vagabond Bag from Deco Hair Sid in Black from Uncle Web Skin Nathan in Tone 5 from Tableau Vivant

I know that when y pics in lifestyle maga wet bodies in sunn mind. That’s becau rebel (like the part feature two pics of m only that but I’m go so “summerly” activ that word), like pos bar like a dork and e truth is that creato much cool stuff in t of summer that the enough of them is

Modeled and Styled Diabolito

you think of summer azines, shirtless oily/ ny beaches come to use Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to be a ty pooper I am) and me fully dressed! Not oing to engage in not vities (I just made up sing outside a sleazy eating a donut! The ors have delivered so those few first days e only way to show to be fully dressed.

Shirt Casual Shirt M2 in Plaid from Kal Rau Pants Baggy Jeans in Beige from Pumpkin Shoes Blaze Hi Tops from Eudora 3D Glasses Zenith from Redgrave Hair Sid in Black from Uncle Web Skin Nathan in Tone 5 from Tableau Vivant

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(Courtesy of googlesearch.com)

Photographed by Tristion Paine Modeled by Draakje Dailey and Tristion Paine

Draakje Dress Aamani Wrap Dress in Print Sorbet from Zaara Necklace Shard Necklace in Rose from Epoque Hat Estella Hat in Natural from Baiastice Hair Rashida from Truth Skin Cleo in America from Glam Affair

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(Courtesy of googlesearch.com)

Top Oversized Shirt in Striped from Mon Tissu Shorts Tulip Shorts in Cream from Mon Tissu Necklace Cherub Necklace from LaGyo Boots Girl Panic Boots in Blood from Ison Headband Headband Lux Exclusive from Shi Hair SWISH ponytail from LeLutka Skin Amberly in America from Glam Affair

(Courtesy of ris.fashion.telegraph.co.uk) Â

Tristion Shirt Casual Longsleeves from Kal Rau Shorts Mohair Formal Shorts from Lucien.Marcelo Boots My Combat Ankle Boots from Monso Sunglasses Quinton Sunglasses from Ison Â

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(Courtesy of thebestfashionblog.com)

Shirt Gacha Shirt Rare #03 from Nerd P. Shorts Gacha Shorts from Nerd P. Shoes Jean Slip-Ons from Roy Sunglasses Billionaire Black Sunglasses from Sorgo Backpack Black Quilted Hype Backpack from [NV] Headphones Radio Headphones from Fashionably Dead Hair Mesh Hair in Dario from CheerNo

With so many events and sales that go on in SL on a regular basis, there really is no need to have a bad skin anymore. For our last ICONic Beauty, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s five of our favourite skins that cost under $100.

Victoria - The Dressing Room FUSION $70

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Millie - Fifty Linden Friday $50

Cara - The Dressing Room FUSION $70

Wednesday II - The Dressing Room FUSION $70

Lulu - The Arcade Gacha Event $100

Most “famous” photographers in Second Life boast at least a little bit of graphic design experience and outside of the game use Photoshop in their everyday lives.

However, one of the most talented and well-known photographers who has done work for a huge group of diverse clientele, has had little to no PS training.

For Skip Staheli, the passion for both art and Second Life combined into his photography business and his work is treasured by many for its unique style.

“As far as training goes, I’ve had nothing,” Skip explains. “I’m all autodidact. I started to study Graphic Design, but had to stop as RL didn’t let me anymore. I have to pick it up again some day. I use Photoshop CS 4, a bamboo tablet (I draw a lot by hand) and I use some filter plugins. I’m aware of the fact I just know such a small part of Photoshop, that’s why I will never call myself a Photoshop pro, because I’m truly not. I like to discover new tools and techniques in Photoshop, that makes it exciting still. I love it. It’s never good enough for me, so I’m very eager to improve.”

RA

DA

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Written by Sahara Mehrtens Photos by Julie Hastings

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Skip has been snapping pics since he joined back in 2007, but started building his client list up about a year later when he opened his photo studio. “Once I discovered the snapshot function I was lost!” Skip says. “For the first months I only was fooling around, testing blue balls etc, and it was pretty soon incredibly boring, so I left SL for a few months. I then came back and started to explore and making photos. Since then I could never stop. It’s still my heart and soul.

Skip pulls inspiration for his shots from all over, and he’s constantly looking for new ideas. “I am inspired by my clients, their stories, their being,” he says. “Also RL; simply experiences in life such as magazines, movies, music, and a lot on the Internet (Flickr, Pinterest etc).

Watching others work is very inspiring.”

Skip has shot so many photos and people, that it’s too hard to choose a favorite photo, besides he is always striving to do better. “I don’t have a favorite photo,” he explains. “My goal is to make each project I do my new favorite, again and again.

With his work being so well-known around the grid, Skip has been approached by so many avi’s for photography work, including big names like lingerie giant Blacklace.

“For me every client is just as important,” Skip explains. “I never made differences between people; they all have to follow the same procedure. I’m proud to work for every single client, and give my 100 percent. Of course I’m happy and very grateful some creators who have asked me to work with them, it’s an awesome feeling when you see your creations in magazines/stores. It makes me beam big time. But it’s also just as touching for me when a client tells me all insecure that they’re not a model and not used to shoots, and then tell me they saved money for long time and were really looking forward to the shoot. When I finish their photo and it’s received with so much enthusiasm that warms my heart and fills me with just as much joy.”

Skip’s dreamy/romantic/sensual style is something he works to capture in every shoot. Each shoot takes a lot of work depending on many factors. “It depends a lot, on my own mood, my creativity of the moment, the click with the client, and the question of the client,” Skip explains. “Mostly each photo gets between 4 and 8 hours editing in Photoshop. Some take even longer.”

Skip said that it makes him sad that people copy each other and don’t stay true to themselves in photography.

“My advice is to always stay close to yourself.” he says. “When I look around I see great work, but when you thumb through the pages, you barely can see the difference in work among some artists. Sometimes it’s like they all copy each other.

I think that’s a pity. It’s also important to work with your heart, as long you don’t really love what you do, it will never be really good. Passion is the keyword. Never give up, keep practicing, you will see you improve each day! I’m still learning with every photo. It’s so challenging. Have patience, and DARE, don’t keep tight up to one kind of technique, challenge yourself!”

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s n e t r h e ara M h a S y b n u n u e r t t B i r e h W yP b d e h p a Photogr

You go to the dance store or the AO store and think, “Yeah, my avi looks good moving like that,” so you buy the animation. You don’t think much else about it except to show it off at the hippest club. But how were those animations made? That’s where the real magic happens.

Behind your AO, dance and other animations, a whole process happened to make sure you looked as cool and realistic as possible. It’s called Motion Capture Animation or Mocap.

Abramelin Wolfe of Abranimations uses Mocap to create his products and he explained the process.

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“In our studio we have an optical motion capture system that records the human body motion of actors and dancers we hire,” he explains. “They wear a special black lycra suit with small reflective dots on the limbs, head and body called markers. Twenty-four high spec cameras around the studio then record all of these dots as they move. The computer then works out where all the limbs and body of a human are meant to be based on the location of these markers. Once it does this we can export the data, remove any errors and then apply it to the avatar skeleton.”

The animations are actually filmed from live dancers in the studio, much like the animated characters for special effects in movies. The difference between making it for a movie and making it for SL is the translation into the Second Life grid program.

“The final stages are to export to BVH and finally upload the mocap animation to SL as you would with any regular animation made by hand,” Abramelin says. “As well as the optical system, we also have what’s called an inertial motion capture suit. The process is more or less the same, except the suit has a gyroscope on each body part that records its rotation, so it does not require cameras. This is ok, but much more restrictive due to all the wires and heavy electronics. It also does not capture as accurately as our optical system, and is restricted to just one person whereas our optical system can capture multiple actors at once.”

Throughout the 10 years SL has been in existence, motion capture has had some huge changes, but the biggest is cost.

“Motion capture has changed a lot over the years I’ve been doing it. The price, for a start, has really come down,” Abramelin explains. “Back in 2005 when I purchased my first motion capture inertial suit, it cost in the region of 14,000 pounds (UK sterling).

About six months later I upgraded to a new higher spec suit that was about 40,000. These days there are more optical motion capture system suppliers and the price has come right down. The system we use now in our new studio was around 25,000.”

Abramelin explained that another huge change in the creation of these animations is the technology.

“The first initial suit I had was a strange exoskeleton you wore that made you look like you were a cyborg in a Sci Fi movie. It was very hard to move in and did not produce very clean data by comparison to later systems,” he says. “Our new system is the most accurate by far and can capture many actors all at once.”

Abranimations, known not only for their AO’s and dances, is very well known for their gadgets and toys as well. Abramelin says he tries to make everything as realistic looking as possible.

“Almost all of our animations now are created in our new optical motion capture studio,” he says. “The system we have now is really amazing and can track lots of actors with incredible accuracy. This makes

the movement very realistic and smooth. We also are investing very heavily into hiring professional dancers and actors so the performances are top notch. We are very keen to deliver as much realism as possible. This is as much about the performance as it is about the technology.”

Abramelin is excited about some of the sweet new moves he’s putting out and the big things coming soon to his animation world.

“With our new studio setup, we are releasing lots of new very high quality animation content” he says. “We have lots of projects lined up that are very exciting! We also have a few things we are working on that are not mocap based at all. I can’t go into too much detail as we are still experimenting quite a bit, but I believe it will add a new dimension to avatar expression and interaction in SL.” Mocap is not only a really interesting process, it’s a lot of fun and makes every avatar different. Abramelin says, “remember that SL is not just about making money. Make stuff that you think is cool and enjoy making it. If you think it’s cool, chances are others will too.”

Written by Lacy Muircastle Photographed by Phe Bruun and Courtesy of Dainial

With a voice like liquid chocolate, silky smooth and incredibly decadent and the sexiest of accents I introduce to you to Dainial.

Curiosity brought him to Second Life, and even though he had a difficult time adjusting to it, (especially at the beginning, he remembered being baffled by “rooms” full of “silent” people), and by all the things that newbies find daunting.

Luckily he was helped by people who became friends and after a year and a half here, Dainial has made some good friends, and is thrilled that his creative side is finding full expression in SL. Dainial is a musician in Second Life, and I have to tell you his music is absolutely mesmerising. He is by no means your everyday musician. He is something quite special. In Real Life he mainly writes for Jazz Ensembles - Trios or Quartets,

and he says these pieces can be written fairly quickly, basically in a matter of weeks. Dainial continues â&#x20AC;&#x153;The musicians will improvise themselves and make their own of what I give them - in the way that only Jazz music can do!â&#x20AC;?

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His most recent composition is more formal, and although it is written within the Jazz idiom, he says it has very little room for improvisation.

This piece took over a year to write and is almost 29 minutes long. Dainial premiered it on Music Island on the 13th January 2013. He also designed a full inworld set, lighting, video and projection that helped people understand the music as it is a work inspired by a 6th Century Abbey in Ireland that is on an island that itself was a sacred site going back to distant, pre-Christian times. http://youtu.be/YhqY0f2QzwQ The Abbey stands in ruins, and Dainial got a sense from it, even as a child, that it had “witnessed” 1400 years of Irish history, much of it full of suffering, foreign invasion, rebellion and tragedy.

Dainial himself has been writing music for over 10 years, and has written over 100 pieces, he quips “though so far only 10 of these are suitable for Second Life in

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the sense that they translate well to the inworld environment and can be performed using electronic keyboards.â&#x20AC;? He writes, plays and records all his own instrumental parts on electronic keyboards, piano, string quartet, percussion, electronics and then he plays saxophone live over these.

http://youtu.be/TiQPp-aGOQE His main influences are his jazz and classical music heroes and the countryside around where he lives in Ireland. He loves the music of Ravel, Chopin, Arvo Part, Vaughan Williams and the American composers like Barber, Ives and Philip Glass. Dainial says “I think Max Richter’s re-composition of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is truly brilliant and has brought that overplayed work back to a new life.” When it comes to jazz he has always been inspired by saxophonists like Jan Gabarek and John Surman, and by the passion and beauty of Keith Jarrett’s solo piano.

Another big influence for him is the countryside around his home. He lives in Southern Ireland, a place full of history, landscape, and a people who still look after each other, and who as a community value things like poetry, music and especially the Irish language.

Irish music can be truly sublime, so beautiful it can make you cry, but it is fragile. The Irish language itself is dying, despite the energy and brilliance of younger artists and champions of it in recent years, and so Dainial tries to speak it whenever he can, and he always speaks it a little at his concerts on Second Life, so that people can hear what it sounds like, and perhaps get a sense of his culture and background. Laughingly Dainial comments “Some people find my Irishness good fun and I get a lot of jokes fired at me about drink - it’s great fun, though I’m not sure what they make of my accent!

Second Life has enabled him to become a musician, the person who plays on stage, rather than just the composer, who writes for musicians on stage. In Real Life he composes only and does not play publicly.

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To hear his amazing music for yourself you will need to go along to Music Island where he performs about once every three months. This enables him to work “offline” on new pieces inbetween.

Music Island itself is an amazing venue for the musicians among us in SL because the music is always performed live and so concerts there have the feel and quality of real life events. Dainial comments “that’s very special for me as a musician/composer, and for people who enjoy live classical, contemporary, jazz and blues music.” Recently Music Island has moved to a new Sim called “Virtlantis” in an exciting partnership that allows this “most serious of serious music venues” to continue to offer “real music in a Virtual World.” Music Island is due to reopen on June 2nd with an opening concert by two virtuoso classical musicians, Sandia Beaumont and Shprav Oodles.

Currently Dainial is writing music for film, and some contemporary classical music which he says is exciting because he is using new software to write it, and he is discovering new sounds to work with. He also is in discussion with a colleague and friend, Bahiyaa Jumanya, about writing a score for an SL television series that she’s working on, and he also going to try writing a suite for performance at SL jazz clubs.

For a magical musical experience that brings Ireland to Second Life in all its glory, you should make a plan to catch Dainial’s next performance at Music Island.

Written by Amelia Harsley Photos by Qopi

An unusually attractive place to shop with top notch designers, Growl is the brainchild of Danno Spiegelblatt who has created a sim influenced by old Aztec architecture. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The design of the sim was supposed to center around the main Growl store which was a huge sculpt of a tiger head made to look like an ancient temple,â&#x20AC;? he says.

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“I wanted to make a sim I would be proud of, I was aiming to develop it into a destination sim, a place people just like to come hang out, and explore,” he continues. Designed

by Danno and Asmaria Lyvette, with help from Qopi, the sim should be on your “must check out” list.

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Take some time to explore the sim look for the hidden cave - and shop till you drop at some of SLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great brands such as Pilot, League, Erratic, Razorblade Jacket, Schadenfreude, Ducknipple, DECO, Essences, Ma Vie to name a few.

by Cali Karsin

Photographed by Jordan Whitt

ENTERT A & A INM RT ENT

Entertainment this month is diverse.

Emanuelle Brooks shares with us interviews with coveted singer and charitable humanitarian, Marky Halstein, as well as the talented Samm Qendra, and I’m sharing the unique wacky art sculptures of Nessuno Myoo.

Don’t forget to check out the DJ Top 10, where both Zephyr 0090 and I have found two awesome DJs to share with you all. I also want to thank my photographers Qopi and Spartin Parx for bringing the words to life, you have all been spectacular and I hope we run into each other in the publishing world again one day.

Two months ago when I told my readers, “I can only look towards a positive light, and I cannot wait to see what is coming next,” I never thought what would be coming next would be good bye. My heart is sad, but I am understanding and thankful to have gained so much experience and amazing friends in a matter of a few short months. I will carry with me all that I have learned and I strive to move forward in my career and life in a new positive light.

With a heart full of passion for what I love to do professionally in the publishing world, I can make a promise - you haven’t seen the last of me. I put my faith in the hope that there are still lots of important things for me to accomplish in this virtual world.

Only the strong, the ones with the greatest and most innumerable passion, drive, motivation and perseverance will truly make it in both RL and SL, thus creating a legacy that no one will ever forget. The greatest piece of knowledge I finally came into knowing is that the obstacles we face define us, and ultimately make us who we are. It is our decision whether we choose to let it be our greatest strengths, or our ultimate weaknesses. I choose to let my obstacles be my greatest strengths.

Stay fabulous and never lose hope. Second Life offers a whole other world of possibilities.

Take advantage of it.

Written by Emanuelle Brooks Photography by Spartin Parx

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If you’ve been around the live music block, chances are you have heard the elegant voice of Samm Qendra. Her soulful qualities to music bring a sense of relaxation, romance and rapture. In a recent interview, Samm reveals her passion about music, intimate details of her life, and shares the techniques of Second Life music with ICON Magazine.

Samm has been passionate about music since her younger years. As a teenager, she was told how wonderful her voice was by friends and family, but Samm did not share the same feelings. After a while, the positive feedback given to her encouraged her to give singing a chance. She did what every teenager dreams of, and started a band. The genre of choice?

Orchestral Goth. The band played at school events and friend’s parties.

“Having the opportunity to see other’s enjoyment, and having played various musical interpretations built my confidence performing publicly,” she exclaims.

While Samm admits that she tries not to limit herself to specific genres, she still prefers to sing a mix of Orchestral Goth and New Age. Songs to her must have a meaning in their lyrics, captivating her. Music, she claims, “is a universal language that resonates with people no matter of their race, gender, age, or socioeconomic status”. Music simplifies life and she feels peace from its enjoyment.

Celine Dion, Beyonce and Whitney Houston inspired Samm with their powerful lyrics and vocals when she was a child. This inspiration developed and diversified into varying styles such as Evanescence, Sting, Lenny Kravitz, Enya, Sarah Brightman, Toto and Metallica.

Having had opportunities to travel the world, Samm admits that street musicians have also impacted her. She appreciates their style and their ability to play regardless of who and how many people were watching them.

But how was Samm able to convert her real life passion into the Second Life community? She confides that a friend of hers told her about Second Life and how much fun it could be to sing and perform. She joined Second Life and within a few days she started to perform. It was an amazing experience for her and still is!

Currently, she plays fourteen to sixteen shows a week and has reached a high of twenty-three shows in one week. Samâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regular gigs include Coconut Beach Club, Calas Galaghon, Archilles Ballroom, Playtime, Annâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place of Grace, Ce Soir, Southern Night Club, Good Karma, Dunes Beach Club, Amorosa Ballroom, Wilde East, Dizzy Lizzy, Starlight Dream Ballroom, and many more to come throughout the grid.

Samm believes that the secret to her success in Second Life is having a reliable stream, a good computer, a decent sound card, and a broadcaster. At home, she uses a decent

microphone and a mixer. She claims that she has no vocal training but still ensures proper care of her vocals by maintaining a proper diet and warming up before each performance. Samm admits that she had to give up her love of chocolate to perform successfully.

This ordinary girl, youngest of her family, brings her own class to the stage. She brings a calm and relaxing sense of healing to her audience. It is her belief that music helps people get through troubled times and maybe even through an illness. Each time she sings, she puts her heart and soul into the music with as much professionalism as she can. Singing allows her to express herself, and “if anyone who thinks my singing is not live or it’s not me, I take it as a huge compliment.” It’s the simplest things in her life that bring her passion into Second Life.

For current shows, please check the Second Life listings as time and dates vary from week to week.

However, if you would like to hear her music at your convenience check out YouTube at the following links, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YQSbS2dCsc, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i9sqPr_Yeg, or her calendar, https://www.google.com/calendar/ embed?src=sammqend@gmail.com&ctz=America/Los_ Angeles for her scheduled shows.

Writ ten b y Cal Phot i Kars ograp in hed b y Qo pi

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Lost in a far away artistic fantasy and overtaken by dark mystery, I was completely entranced by Nessuno Myooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sculptural work. With fantasy, mystery, symbolism and a dark enchantment embodying each artistic piece at his gallery, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder I was whisked off to a far away place when I interviewed this unique artist. His singular vision and his strange and captivating way in which he sees the world, as well as his deep meaning behind each art work, blew me away.

His avatar embodied a dark cascading horror, as he likes to symbolize and give tribute to some of his favorite stories including Freddy Krueger and Edward Scissorhands. We wandered around his gallery and I showed him my particular favorites, sharing my interpretation of each piece, and then gaining his actual meaning and reasoning for creating it. One favorite, The Spirit of Hikikomori, tells the story about a young Japanese man locked down in a house for years, with the only communication he has to the outside world being a computer. Nessuno compares this story to the Hikikomori, which is a Japanese transparent lamp that is always lit, so this is why the computer in the artistic work is transparent and has a single bird flying near it, teasing it, as the bird symbolizes freedom.

I asked about Confused Words Falling From Hot Air Balloon, where dozens of letters are engraved on cubes falling from a balloon basket tilted by the wind to form incomprehensible words in a surreal still image. He explains, “The only witness to this scene is a little bird. It is an allegory on the talkative and incredible nature of everyday life and on the wonder of being witnesses of a sudden incident disrupting that nature.”

“It is very possible to be inspired by many things and lay the foundations for a new piece of work taking ideas from everything that happens around us and from our own experiences in our lives and the lives of people that which are important to us,” he explains. “All we have to do is keep the antennas raised and be ready for inspiration to strike us at any time, and use our own sensibility to translate in a powerful imaginative way what we want to

communicate.”

Aside from making sculptures, which is a complex job and requires much time, Nessuno loves to explore SL in his free time and discover new artists, with a passion and dedication that is truly remarkable.

I asked him the impossible question, what is his most prized piece of work to date? “This question is very difficult for me, as I end up being loyal to many different art pieces over time, but I would say, As An Angel In Search Of Colors which is dedicated to my friend and colleague Kicca Igaly is among them, as well as Back To Home. Then there is my whole series dedicated to the masters of horror. But The Spirit of Hikikomori is a remarkable piece. Oh and the whole series dedicated to musicians. As you see it is far too difficult to choose.”

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His advice to future RL and SL artists to come is simple. Be honest and true every day of your life, and have a respect for what you build.

Want to catch some of Nessunoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work then visit his gallery here, http:// slurl.com/secondlife/ Battlestar/42/113/26.

He can also be found on Flickr, http://www. flickr.com/photos/ nessuno_myoo/, has a personal blog, http:// toctoccenessuno. myblog.it/, and a Youtube channel, http://www. youtube.com/user/ NessunoMyoo, and letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not forget his marketplace link, https://marketplace. secondlife.com/ stores/120996.

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Written by Emanuelle Brooks Photographed by Jordan Whitt

Marky Helstein is best known around the grid as a live musician playing soulful music from a variety of generations, genres and countries on his piano and guitar. His enthusiasm towards music shows in his skill and talent. Second Life has given Marky a platform to showcase and develop his original material, as it has for a majority of the members of the Live Musician community. Hailing from the west coast of Scotland, Marky shares his craft with the world whilst contributing to a number of charities allowing them to offer assistance to those who are in need.

Debuting in 2010, Marky believes that the Second Life community supported him in all his endeavors and is a major contributor to his success. He admits that prior to his Second Life experiences, he hardly played any of his original material, such as “Blinded by the Snow” to a listening audience. “It’s amazing to see people coming back to the shows time and time again. I have people who have been coming regularly since I started playing here,” he says. Marky believes that playing to a highly diverse audience, such as Second Life, allows him to grow in his professional career because he is able to receive feedback as he is playing. He was even able to bring a touch of real life into Second Life by performing on occasion with his real world band, Sonix, a wedding and function band.

While no members of the Sonix clan have their own personal avatars, they enjoy playing in the Second Life community. He claims that while they are playing a Pink Floyd set, the audience attaches pigs to their avatar and Sonix members enjoy the spectacle through Marky’s monitor. Marky shares “the first time our bass player saw them do that he was like ‘omg look look... pigs!’.” He also discloses that he could do a full set, at least an hour, of Pink Floyd on piano, but he loves doing the entire Sgt. Pepper album as is one of his favorite albums.

What sets Marky apart from other musicians is his continual compassion and contribution to the various charities that exist in Second Life, such as Feed-A-Smile and Relay for Life. He plays a number of shows during the Relay for Life season and contributes heavily to the cause however his main charity is Feed-A-Smile. Marky randomly and frequently contributes to the Feed-A-Smile charity. All proceeds from his real world band, Sonix, is contributed directly to Feed-A-Smile as well as a good portion of his Second Life shows. Marky imparts that on May 19th, 2013 he contributed at least 65,000 linden towards the cause. This is the equivalent

of approximately 270 American Dollars. He and his partner in Second Life, Brie, also sponsor one of the children involved in the program. They both have given up their sim in the Second Life world so that they could increase the amount of money they donate to the program.

Feed-A-Smile is a nonprofit charity established in 2010, operating from a virtual office. The program helps in ensuring that a child is properly cared for by offering medical services and medication, dental care, education, food, shelter and foster care. The “Shared Joy” project within this organization provides more than five hundred warm lunches for children every day. Feed-A-Smile is partnered with Arzt- und Zahnarzthilfe Kenya to provide the necessary medical and dental care for the children, including quarterly check-ups and vaccinations.

Marky finds a way to bring both his passions into one role, virtuoso provider.

His music can be heard throughout the entire Second Life community, but his contributions stand equally in his heart. “ I just love playing music and love the fact that my music can help people in some way. Kinda makes it all worthwhile.”

Written By Cali Karsin and Zephyr0090

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DJ Jimmy (Jimmy Sharktooth) first started DJ’ing three years ago, and since then it has been a crazy ride. As a manager and host at a strip club at the time, he picked up DJ’ing to accommodate possible no show DJ sets. His girlfriend was a DJ so she sent him a copy of SAM and helped him out. He spent some time messing around with the tools and downloading music, and one night when a late event was over, he hopped on the stream just for kicks to test out DJ’ing to whoever was left.

“Next thing I knew, a bunch of Aussies came in looking for somewhere to party because one of them had a birthday, and I ended up DJ’ing for like 3 hours for them,” he says. “I had a blast and haven’t stopped since. Eventually I decided I wanted to learn how to live mix, and I got a copy of Virtual DJ and played around with it for a while to learn the program. Eventually I got comfortable enough with it that I was able to teach myself how to mix live which has opened up a lot more opportunities in DJ’ing for me.”

Currently he DJ’s at all four of Ambrosia Entertainment Group’s clubs - Ambrosia, Rez, Grind, Bad, and also Beachwood. He spins everything from a variety of electronic dance music, including electro house, progressive house, trance, electro remixes of mainstream songs at times, as well as EDM like dubstep, hardstyle, psy etc.

When I asked for some words of wisdom to help out future DJ’s he wasn’t shy in gracing us with relevant tips and help for all the future DJ’s and beginning DJ’s out there. “First off, relax and have fun. I’ve seen so many new DJs get so nervous and it shows in your actions.

You’ll make mistakes, things will go wrong at times and it’s not the end of the world. Play the

music you enjoy, because if you aren’t enjoying it, it will negatively impact your performance.

Don’t worry about pleasing everyone, as you’ll never be able to make every single person happy.”

In closing, Jimmy says, “Get to know your crowd, remember what they like and use that to your advantage. Finally, just be yourself.

So many new DJ’s try to emulate someone they like or think is a good DJ, but you can never be someone else. Create your own style.

Hopefully these tips are helpful to someone, but if anyone ever has any questions, I try to be helpful to anyone I can and anyone is free to IM me and talk to me about DJ’ing anytime.”

DJ Jimmy’s Top 10 Songs 1. Alive by Krewella 2. Feels So Good (Club Mix) by Armin Van Buuren ft Nadia Ali 3. Clarity (various mixes) by Zedd 4. Call Me a Spaceman by Hardwell 5. Pressure (Alesso Remix) by Nadia Ali ft Alex Kenji & Starkillers 6. Beam Me Up (Killmode Mix) by Cazette 7. Feel it in My Bones by Tiesto ft Tegan & Sara 8. Cry (Just a Little Bit) by Bingo Players 9. Higher State by Bailey ft Jodie Connor 10. One More Time by Daft Punk

DJ Emmma Soup’s journey into the club industry goes back to the end of 2011. She reminisces on her journey since starting DJ’ing telling me, “My first club I DJ’ed I am pretty sure was a strip club or something,” she laughs, unsure of exactly where since it was quite a while ago, “and was top 40, nothing good, and I rarely ever talked.” However, she informs me how much she has learned and grew from all her experiences, and most were memorable.

She DJ’s solely for Ambrosia Entertainment group now and she is around a few times a week spinning spur of the moment sets with genres including dubstep, progressive, house, electro, 90s, hip-hop, and a little bit of everything else. “I’m a pretty random DJ,” she says.

When asked for some advice for some future DJ’s, she says, “Don’t let being a DJ go to your head. Just because you have a microphone and play music doesn’t mean you are the god of SL. Keep your head. And just because you DJ don’t be cocky to other DJs! We are family.”

DJ Emmma’s Top 10 Songs 1. Champs by Moguai 2. Intropial by Walden 3. Pair Of Dice Back by Tiesto & Allure feat.Calvin Harris 4. Play Hard by David Guetta ft. Ne-Yo & Akon 5. Smackdown by Spencer & Hill 6. Alive by Krewella 7. I Fink U Freeky by Die Antwoord 8. If I Lose Myself by One Republic 9. Pour It Up by Rihanna 10. Home by Nervo

Photo by Q

opi

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Written and Photographed by Amelia Harsley

Why do I feel like it’s my job to feed the virtual world?

I TP’d into a club a few days back and felt like I was in the middle of a stick figure convention – a very nicely dressed stick figure convention.

Let me tell you what’s not hot: looking emaciated. I seriously feel like there is a trend among us in the fashion world that I still can not wrap my head around. Skin and bones went out years ago in RL, so why do we have walking skeletons in our midst in this virtual life?

Maybe some of the people who sit at a computer all day trying to make a career in SL are on the chubby side in RL and may use SL as a way to escape into a skinnier sexier them. That’s an important role for this virtual life, to play out the things we are not.

But stick figures? Really?

The other part I just don’t get is why many of them want to be Amazons. Being tall is a dream of many in RL too, but seven to eight feet? Check the height measurers that are floating around the grid. Those long legs and waspy looks are making you a tower. People are beginning to complain of nose bleeds from looking up at you.

Many designers actually like a little meat on the bones and when they are looking for models for their clothes, they don’t want the starving model, they want the curvy lady. Beyonce has changed the game, so go ahead and thicken up a bit!

Flip through the pages of magazines in SL, which avi’s do you see? No, they aren’t looking for Brazillian Booties, giant Lola’s, or any of that, but what they are looking for is a gorgeous face, sexy curvy body, and a look that helps sell their clothes. You aren’t going to see Amazonian walking sticks modeling bikini’s and lingerie.

It’s easy to do, just slide the sliders up here a bit and a little there a bit and scale down the height. Simple!

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Written and Photographed by an Addict

I believed in the fairytale. You meet someone special, you fall in love, you make a home and a life with them in a virtual world because the reality is you live apart, different countries, different realities. I have always loved how Second Life gives you the opportunity to create the perfect life you wish you could have with your someone. You can walk together holding hands, go dancing, play games or just laze at the beach hanging out. You can go on dates or just stay at home and talk...do everything you would do if you were together in the real world. Sometimes, it’s just the next best thing to being there.

I’ve watched, I’ve envied and I’ve tried to have the fairytale, but it always ends up being nothing more than a nightmare.

Relationships are hard in any reality, and in a virtual one, they are harder still. You just cannot compete with thousands of others who have pixels just as hot as yours, who think nothing of chasing anyone - whether they are single or not, and you definitely cannot compete with the voices from within who are telling you something just isn’t right here. And you cannot do it alone. It takes two to have a relationship and when one half isn’t committed, isn’t there or is much happier with extracurricular activities, it’s a sure sign this relationship isn’t right and it is time to move on.

In my years in SL I have had several relationships that I thought were the “fairytale”. There was the guy who gave me the list of everyone he’d cheated on me with as a parting gift, the guy

who said he’d always wait for me but was partnered two days later, and the guy who barely would say two words to me, ignored me and was always off with his friends or was off playing on his alt when he told me he was heading offline for the night.

And that’s just the top three. I’d break the word limit if I listed them all! It’s just so much easier to lie, cheat and manipulate when you are sitting behind a screen and not interacting physically with someone on a day to day basis. You have to take what they tell you on trust and hope they are being honest with you.

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I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe in fairytales anymore. As someone wise said to me, of all the thousands who log into SL every day, the chances of stumbling across the one person you are meant to have a connection with, your SL soulmate, is very unlikely.

Sure some people are lucky and do, but they are by far a minority. You can keep trying to make a connection and find love, just enjoy this virtual world and the people who stumble across your path or be happy with yourself.

Me...Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m staying single and being happy.

Written and Photographed by Jordan Whitt

Since itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the final issue, I thought I would share the five things in Second Life I love and cannot live without!

I have been in love with the gorgeous skins from Glam Affair for a long time now and it is my every day, my go-to and my glamour skin! The skins tones, makeups and luscious lips make these skins must haves in my in inventory and many inventories around the grid.

Thank you Aida Ewing for making me gorgeous!

One thing women around the grid have in common is a love, and/or addiction, to hair. From mesh to flexi, short or long, blonde or brunette, the hair designers of Second Life are just incredible! It was hard trying to pick just three stores I cannot live without...but I did it. From left to right, I just love Exile, Truth and Wasabi Pills.

Eyes are the windows to the soul, and in Second Life, that is just as true. IKON has been making eyes here in SL for a while now and they just keep getting better and better.

With dozens of stunning colours, varieties and choices, you can dazzle with your eyes and complete your perfect avatar look.

Feet are scary! Feet in Second Life are uber-scary! Nothing ruins a great picture like the horrid avatar feet we’re all stuck with. Thank god for mesh feet and especially the mesh feet from Gos Boutique that comes with the glorious HUD that makes colour matching to your skin a delight, not a chore.

Everyone has a favourite store, one they cannot live without, one they camp out at on new release day...and for me it’s Sn@tch. This has been my go-to store since I first discovered it back in 2008.

Five years later I am still as in love with it as I was back then. No longer just a store for the goth or more alternative, it’s embraced mainstream and the mesh is to die for!! Go casual or glam... whatever your look, check out Sn@tch!

ICON lifestyle magazine

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JULY 2013

All material used by permission and is the property of ICON. Reproduction or use of the content in whole or part, without the written permission of the Editor, is strictly prohibited.