Photo Mariko - Sojourns in Faraway Places

The opening lines of Emerald Wynn's recent  blog post,  humorous as always, set me thinking and made me extremely self conscious about leading off this post with an egocentric picture of myself. So, I'll put that picture second and lead this post with a Japanese teahouse ablaze in windlight. Well, that looks pretty. And, it eased my conscience knowing that I didn't follow the blogger herd with a leadoff exercise in narcissism. Plenty of time for that later.  Now, please don't let this lead picture give you the impression that I'm any kind of virtual artist. I belong to the instant coffee school of Second Life photography. I just find an interesting view, fiddle with some windlight, and snap the picture ... photography as easy as instant coffee. Most of the time, I don't even bother with windlight.

Emerald's Eyes by Emerald Wynn is my favorite favorite favorite Second Life blog:

http://emeraldwynn2.blogspot.com/

Click on the pictures to enlarge them for better viewing.

Egocentric Picture

Given the extraordinarily mild winter along the east coast, the cherry trees are flowering early in the Northeast in a spectacular show that is now in its final act. It truly deserves a standing ovation.  That show has its Second Life counterpart in Islamey, the Garden in the Sky, located in Chouchou.

Japanese Teahouse in Islamey, Chouchou

I introduced Chouchou in my last post.  It's a fascinating place composed of 3 major regions: The Babel, Momento, and Islamey. The Babel and Momento are very abstract, very intriguing, and very creative. But, it's to Islamey that I will return again and again. This Japanese garden is breathtakingly lovely and at the same time very tranquil.

Jaysun and I had tea at Islamey. Jay brought his own personal tea with him which he shared with me. It's called Chernobl.

Islamey in Chouchou

Islamey, Chouchou

My previous post was located in The Babel, so let's go to Momento. The centerpiece at Momento in Chouchou is a monumental cathedral. It's stark and very minimalist. It looks almost skeletal.

There's no flying in Chouchou; so, you have to walk. And it's a long trudge to the cathedral and a long climb up the stairs to the top of the cathedral. To give you a sense of the size of this build, those two little specks in the entrance of the cathedral are me and Chisaki.

Exploring the cathedral in Momento, Chouchou

This is not an egocentric picture because Chisaki is absolutlely adorable here and definitely outshines me  She's the center of attention in the picture. I'm a little obsessed right now with this egocentric thing.

Momento in Chouchou

Momento, Chouchou

I like finding town squares in Second Life that have an Old World ambiance. This one in Amia  is very nice. There's a little al fresco cafe here where you can sit at a table and enjoy the atmosphere...

Amia

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Amia/209/119/1801

... if you can overlook the pigs in the fountain.

A pleasant surprise in the square is this corral with its lovely horses. Although these horses are absolutely adorable, this is an egocentric pic. I'm an unnecessary part of this picture. In fact, it would be a better picture with me left out of it.

Broadway actress/singer Tamra Hayden in concert as Tamra Sands in Second Life. You should definitely catch her live performances. They are part of what makes Second Life so special.

Tamra Hayden's website

http://www.tamrahayden.com/

Obviously, an egocentric picture.

The Loneliness of Being is a work of contemplative art by artist Ian Pahute. Its setting is a small remote island with a comfortable campfire and a evolving cloud of ever changing words drawn live from the Internet. I don't see words here, only ephemeral letters from the alphabet. Well, if I was stranded on a desert island and going insane, I might see such hallucinations. 'Others see hidden meaning and personal insight', so claims the write up on the work. A e k P o t L ... anyone see any hidden meaning in that? How about personal insight? Anyways, it's a lovely spot. Check it out and contemplate.

The Loneliness of Being

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Isles%20Las%20Avies/190/148/22

Principato di Melioria

In Latin, di melioria means 'heaven send us better times.' For many history buffs, there is no better time than the 18th century. And there is no better place to immerse oneself in the Age of Reason than at the Principato di Melioria. I mean, where else can you find a discussion group discussing  'The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shady, Gentleman', the favorite novel of Thomas Jefferson and his wife.

Principato di Melioria

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Westphalia/71/44/23



A role player at Principato di Melioria



This role play sim is an island principality off the coast of  Massa Lubrense near Naples, Italy in 1780. It is a secret retreat for many European royalty and is known for its temperate climate, brilliant social pleasures, and curative waters. The ruling family is originally English, and the spirit here is of the Scottish Enlightenment of John Locke, David Hume, and Adam Smith rather than  of the French Philosophes, thankfully. It's very well done and an interesting place and well worth a visit.

What the camera saw.

Some time ago, Stevie and I spend a pleasant hour dressing up and taking pictures in the grotto under the Villa Vesuiana in Westphalia at Principato di Melioria. A camera can catch an unguarded moment. But, is Stevie really checking me out?

Speaking of the 18th century, I took this picture of Lulubelle in period costume at Chateau de Versailles. Chateau de Versailles is a role play sim and an extraordinarily ambitious project to  recreate, in accurate detail, the royal court of France anno domini 1773. The palace of Versailles in Second Life is an incredible ongoing achievement - a Second Life Treasure. So,  put on your best Marie Antoinette impersonation and experience the salons and court life of 18th century France, even if you have to put up with those insufferable philosophes of the French Enlightenment. Let 'em eat cake. 

Chateau de Versailles

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Chateau%20de%20Versailles2/240/129/30

Jaysun is a role player at Chateau de Versailles. Jay is a noble of high rank and has an apartment in the palace near the chambers of the queen. Moving forward in time to 1793, I hope we don't see Jay being led up the steps to the guillotine at the Place de la Concorde, the natural conclusion of the French Enlightenment. But, knowing Jaysun, he would have been one of those nobles with the foresight to immigrate to Philadelphia, the capital of the new republic of the United States of America (the natural conclusion of the Scottish Enlightenment is the United States, Land of Liberty).

These are my two kittens, Yum and Jet, at my villa in Opar, my country estate.  You can see that this is an egocentric picture; but, those kittens are absolutely adorable. And it's a nice picture to end this post.

Dear Reader, visit my estate as my guest:

Opar

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Opar/30/140/26

  

Mariko Magic: Alina - A Study in Black and White

Alina from MEB Fashion

Spring is fast approaching, and I needed a nice little dress for the season. It had to be chic. It had to be stylish. It had to be flattering, oh so flattering. So, what I needed was some magic from my favorite Italian fashion designer in Second Life, MariaElena Barbosa of MEB Fashion who is also a dear friend.

Click on the pictures to enlarge them for better viewing.

 

So, how is this for chic, stylish, and oh so flattering? It's called Alina. What drew me to this dress was the lovely floral print set in contrasting black and white. The print is very Japanese and so appeals to the Japanese in me. It features chrysanthemums, the flower of the Imperial Family of Japan. But, Alina has a look that is definitely Italian. Italian fashion designers know how to show off women. So, it's perfect for Spring. Alina sells at MEB Fashion for L$300.

I always use locations in Second Life to display the fashions featured in my blog. I want to show you how these outfits will actually look as you wear them in this virtual world. But, I couldn't help thinking how great the contrasting blacks and whites of Alina would look pictured against a pure white background. Well, I found that location in Second Life and more. It's an area called The Babel in a place called Chouchou XVI. Chouchou XVI is the creation of Chouchou, a Japanese SL musical group dedicated to exploring the possibilities of music in virtual environments. The Babel is pure white and located within this whiteness is a cluster of pure black cubes that rise ever upwards, creating a tower of contrasting black and white. Each cube is a musical note from an instrument such a piano or harp. Touching it plays the note. So by touching cubes you can create a cacophonous musical composition that can truly be entitled 'Babel'. Any ways, I really like how the the roundness of Alica's floral pattern and my own roundness have us stand out amidst the squareness of these multitudinous black cubes. I hope you like this study in black and white.

 

 Isn't this hair perfect for me and this outfit? It's called Fresh. I got it at Emo-tions. Fresh is designed by Mirja Mills and sells for L$245 for a single color. My jewelry is from Artistry. The necklace is from The Janice Set Onxy and the earrings from The Marilyn Set Black. Both jewelry sets are designed by Endra Graves and are now on sale at a special low price.

MEB Fashion Main Store

http://slurl.com/secondlife/KLIO/86/200/23

Emo-tions

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hells%20End/134/145/22

Artistry

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Le%20Petit%20Trianon/215/28/22

Chouchou XVI, The Babel

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Chouchou%20XVI/200/200/2000

Previous Posts for MEB Fashion

New for Fall - MEB Bea (October 11, 2011)

http://mariko-nightfire.blogspot.com/2011/10/mariko-magic-new-for-fall-meb-bea.html

Princess Anna (November 19, 2010)

http://mariko-nightfire.blogspot.com/2010/11/mariko-magic-princess-anna.html

From the MEB Spring Collection - Vogue (March 2, 2010)

http://mariko-nightfire.blogspot.com/2010/03/mariko-magic-from-meb-spring-collection.html

MEB Photo Contest Winner (November 15, 2009)
http://mariko-nightfire.blogspot.com/2009/11/mariko-magic-meb-photo-contest-winner.html

MEB Anette at Mimi's Choice (August 21, 2009)
http://mariko-nightfire.blogspot.com/2009/08/mariko-magic-meb-anette-at-mimis-choice.html

Venexia - Realm of the Vampire

In medieval time, a great plague, pustulous and deadly, descended on the western world and decimated its human populations to the point of near extinction. Long hidden from the formerly greater society of humans, a society of Vampires emerged from the shadows to fill the void left by a weakened humanity, imposing a new social order, a dark realm  in which they are dominant. The court of this new vampiric social order is seated in the great maritime city of Venexia. Outside the city, a blood thirst reign of terror threatens those remnants of humanity. But, within Venexia, the vampires of the city abide by laws they promulgated to protect and preserve a stock of humans from predatory excess as the extinction of humanity would mean the extinction of their own kind as well. For their part, the human residents of the city are permitted to live a near normal life as long as they accept the rule of their vampire overlords and provide what is expected of them.  The city has developed its own style, culture, and social hierarchy in which vampires and humans coexist, uneasily, in this realm of the Venexian Vampires. So goes the story behind this fascinating role play. 

Click on the pictures to enlarge them for better viewing. 

Venexia is a gothic vision of Venezia, the city of Venice. It is densely constructed as one would expect of a city with ancient medieval origins. This is not a faithful replication of Venice. One will not find a Rialto Bridge or Grand Canal in this city. Rather, it is an interpretation that evokes an atmosphere of fading opulence and demonic domination. The details one sees around you as you walk the city are incredible and must be experienced. Above all, Venexia is designed to be a thriving virtual community with public and private spaces including private residences. It provides a wonderful stage for its role play. And, even more than that, Venexia is a Second Life treasure. Kudos to Baal Zobel and Kora Zenovka, the builders and game masters of this treasure.     

Piazza Grande

Visitors to Venexia need to obtain a visitor's tag before teleporting down to the city.  Once reaching the city, it is best to try to find your way to the Piazza Grande, a large public square that is a central meeting place for residents and visitors. Piazza Grande is recognizably inspired by the Piazza San Marco in Venice. Naturally, visitors should strive to be unobtrusive so as not to interfere with the role play.  But, I've met some very sociable role players who were more than willing to answer questions. Just use good judgement and courtesty when interacting with the role players. 

Venexia role players at the Piazza Grande.

Venexia is a medieval city of canals and bridges. It's a walking city and a maze of walkways and alleys. Be prepared to be perpetually lost. But, you'll discover some charming open squares, grand buildings, and a marvelous shipyard. Venexia is a SL photographer's delight. I might even say that it can be charmingly romantic. However, there is a tension here from the underlying horror that permeates this city.    

Blood Offering

Entering Venexia, I went into the nearby tavern called The Green Dragon. On the menu, I had a choice of soup, stew, or blood. One can find offerings of bloody refreshments throughout the city. It must require an endlessly flowing river of blood to satiate an entire city of vampires every day, every week, every year.

The portrait of the Doge of Venexia leaves no doubt as to the nature of the rulers of Venexia

Vampires are powerful and arrogant. In Venexia, they will affect aristocratic tastes and assume aristocratic hauteur to those of lower social rank, human and vampire. They are reserved; but can be agreeably friendly. However, beneath that reserve and that smile lurks a suppressed bloodlust that can suddenly erupt in a demonic fury. Keep in mind the true nature of the vampire. They are undead corpses animated by the power on earth of them that fell from heaven. That nature was made evident to me when I wandered into the common lair of the Venexian vampires. The cold chill of terror descended on me.

So, I called on Jaysun to accompany me. He arrived dressed in the fashion of 1830 Paris. Very handsome, I might add. It was very reassuring to have him here. The chill departed from me. And Jaysun was very impressed with this city. Our first stop was at Venexia's theater, The Teatro.

  

Teatro, Venexia

Vampires and Venexians appreciate and cultivate the arts. There is an active theater company that produces plays in this theater. A poster outside the Teatro announces the plays. The theater's interior is a delight. Jay and I walked onto the stage, imagined the applause and took our bows. The next attraction on our tour agenda is the basilica, Venexia's version of the Basilica di San Marco.

The Gilded Mosaic Nave of the Basilica in Venexia

The Basilica is truly magnificent. But it is not a house of holy worship.

This is Venexia, the realm of vampires. This is unholy ground.

A touch and suddenly I found myself on the sacrificial alter of a Black Mass.

Jaysun gave out a warning. There is danger in this.

Jay was right. One should never dabble in such things. There are consequences.

I'm finding Jaysun's neck very tempting.

Venexia

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Venexia/40/246/609

Venexia is part of the SGS game system. Information about Venexia and its role play can be found on the SGS website:

http://www.socionex.com/game/

and also on the blog, Venexian Vampires: The Chronicles of Venexia

http://venexian-vampires.blogspot.com/

This post was recently featured in New World Notes

http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2012/02/vampire-roleplay-in-sl-venexia.html

and in Eddi Haskell's Second Life (a really great blog)

http://eddihaskell.blogspot.com/2012/02/blogs-mariko-nightfire-virtual-life.html#links

The official website of the City of Venice. Take the virtual tour and virtually walk the streets of the city:

http://www.comune.venezia.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/EN/IDPagina/1

Another wonderful virtual tour of Venice is found on the Italy Guides website:

http://www.italyguides.it/us/venice_italy/venice_travel.htm

The dress that I am wearing is from MEB Fashion and is called Revello. Revello and other selections from the MEB collection are available at Mariko, my fashion boutique on the Grande Rue in Mont Saint Michel.

Mariko

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mont%20Saint%20Michel/228/117/31

Photo Mariko: Odds and Ends

Particle Show in Second Life

It's about time for another Photo Mariko. I was going through my Second Life picture archive looking for items for Jaysun's birthday post and saw a number of pictures from this year of people and places that I would like to share. There is no particular theme to this post, so I call it Odds and Ends. Let's begin with particle shows. Particle shows are the ultimate firework displays in Second Life. They entertain us with bursts of particles that take on mesmerizing shapes, colors, and lighting as they expand through space and eventually fade to be replaced by another fascinating burst. Particle shows are designed by particle artists like Tyrehl  Byk, perhaps the best known particle artist in Second Life. In the above picture, I'm enjoying the particle show at Cloud Chateau. The particle show is located in the building opposite the teleporter. After the show, take the teleporter to the Particle Laboratory and learn all about making particle effects like rain and snow and pyrotechnic explosions.

Cloud Chateau

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hina/5/51/747

Click on the pictures to enlarge them for better viewing.

The Giant at Liberty Cove.

Pictures of this humongous robotic giant rising out of the sea and threatening a quaint island village at Liberty Cove appear in countless blogs. So here I belatedly add my own contribution to the online collection. It was just a matter of finding an interesting angle, framing the scene, adding some windlight (the important ingredient), and shooting the picture. Photographic art that is as easy as instant coffee. I guess it's that easy if you have great subject matter. I recently went to Liberty Cove. The giant was gone, and the sim is completely barren. Hopefully this is just an interlude, and we'll see another burst of creativity at Liberty Cove.  

PT Beardmore rocking The Albatross

Who knew that PT Beardmore is such a musical talent? We all know him as a friendly, warm hearted guy who is so fun to be around, a real sweatheart. But, we never knew him to be a gifted singer and musican. That is until he entertained a group of us on the back deck of the Bumble Cafe with his voice and guitar, singing wonderful ballads. It was one of those magical moments. He said that it took a long time to get up the nerve to perform in Second Life. Too long in my opinion. PT's been in Second Life for ages. The picture captures him at The Albatross giving his first full performance. He gets better and better with each outing. Now, he packs the house at all the venues where he performs. Well, I can say that I knew him when. 

This is a nice picture of the lovely Ariel Wingtips watching the show at The Albatross. She is a cheese fairy. Her fairy wand is made of cheese, and she has a collection of cheese stuck to her antlers. I didn't know that fairies have antlers. Well, you learn something new everyday. But, maybe it's only cheese fairies that have antlers. They need a place to stick that cheese, after all, even if it's around their heads. Now, about those fairy boots ... I guess cheese fairies hang around dairy barns.

Hasta la vista, baby!

How's that for sexy? A sultry broad with a gun in a steamy exotic locale out for revenge. Ya just can't beat that for raising temperatures. And I know what people are thinking ...OMG, that's Mariko! Yes, I even surprised myself. Actually, I was at Opar experimenting with poses and photo angles for the closing scene of my story post, Anna's Many Murders - The Babysitter.



Anna's Many Murders - The Babysitter

http://mariko-nightfire.blogspot.com/2011/07/annas-many-murders-babysitter.html

I love iconic westerns like Stagecoach, Shane, and Cowboys and Aliens. So, I was really looking forward to the party being hosted at Bumble by Marly Peapod and Rocko Olifone, my favorite SL couple, as the party's theme was inspired from the aforementioned Cowboys and Aliens. It was a rousing fun event. I had a real blast mixing with cowhands, gunslingers, and beings from other worlds. It also gave me the opportunity to ride the open range on Nathan Hale, my conservative Republican horse. However, I was concerned with how Nathan would react to all these undocumented aliens at the party. But, Nathan was quite at ease. "Historically, American conservatives have been pro-immigration as we view people, and hence immigrants, as assets and not liabilities dependent on the state as does the other side of the political aisle," he explained. "But, we do insist on national sovereignty and the rule of law. First, secure the border. Then, we can find a solution to undocumented aliens in our country that is just, humane, and welcoming."  I pointed out to Nathan that our border with outer space is impossible to secure, and that these space aliens have come to conquer and enslave us. "Nathan, they want to take away our freedom." To which Nathan retorted, "Humph, that's just want we need isn't it. More damned progressives."  

I took this picture of Vitabella Dubrovna, fashion designer and co-owner of Vita's Boudoir, while she was in the midst of creating a magical garden in front of her shop. I like this picture because it looks much like a contemporary Japanese print.

Vita's Boudoir

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Bonaire12/161/130/997

I was estranged for a long while from my Second Life sister Dawson. But, the ice was broken with the help of Dawson's partner, Tomomi, and our sisterly relationship has warmed again. Tomomi is wonderful. Daws is the one in the middle of the picture. 

Speed boating with my sister Dawson

Measuring up against Miss Virtual World.

I was at a dance club with Jaysun when in walked Serene Faith, Miss Virtual World 2011, with a fellow model. I have been planning a blog post on the trend toward gigantism among women in Second Life. There's some really tall giant women walking this virtual world. I largely attribute this trend to the fashion industry where the minimum height for runway models is seven feet tall. Now, I'm over six feet tall in SL; but, I'm feeling more and more petite inworld. As one girl explained to me, 'If you can be fashion model height, why not?' I've been collecting pictures where I stand next to these giantesses. But this was a choice opportunity. It's not everyday when you get to measure your self against Miss Virtual World. I wish that I was wearing a sexier outfit.

A friendly evening at Johnny's Pub

One of my favorite hang-out places is Johnny's Pub. I'm sitting on the bar with my friend Moni. Johnny is standing beside us. The hottest babes on the grid flock to Johnny's Pub to hang out with Johnny. So, if you are hot, come and join us.

Johnny's Pub
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Corona%20Cay/116/202/23

Chisaki Soyinka

Next up are portraits of two of my best amigos inworld. Chisaki Soyinka is my friend from Japan. It's a good day in Second Life when I receive a welcoming  'Konnichi wa' from her. Chi is always ready to join me at a live performance or join me in exploring an interesting build. Although sweet and petite, she comes prepared to face danger. This girl has a formidable arsenal of big guns in her inventory. 

Stevie Underby

What a lovely picture of my friend Stevie Underby. Quite a number of people have remarked that the two of us look much like twin sisters. Perhaps not exactly twins; but, we are the hottest duo of asian avatars in this virtual world.

Dressed in kimonos.  Stevie in red and me in white and blue.

Hanami is the Japanese tradition of viewing cherry blossoms. Each spring, when the cherry blossoms are at their peak, groups of friends stroll  the public parks throughout Japan and picnic under the blooming trees. But at night, illuminated by lanterns and moonlight, the clouds of white blossoms become magical - magical in Second Life as in real life. Their magic draw Stevie and me to a virtual japanese village to enjoy an evening hanami. Of course, we also enjoy the opportunity to dress in our kimonos.

Stevie and I were exploring the New Japan Garden Project. It seemed to me to be a largely western garden set in traditional Japan. But it is very nicely designed and well worth a visit. Here the two explorers are taking a break and sitting in the passenger seats of a colorful pedicab.

New Japan Garden Project
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wanda%20Lake11/155/27

This is the full view of the pedicab. Who would ever expect to find an asian pedicab inworld? One of the delights of exploring Second Life is coming upon objects such as this. And, when we do, we are made even more aware that all we see around us in Second Life is the sum of the creative efforts from thousands of individuals who have given a virtual reality to the visions in their minds' eyes.

 Hmmmm ... I got somewhat carried away at the close of the previous section. Please disregard that stilted prose.

Wearing Mesh in Second Life

I just saw a female acquaintance walking about with her head as bald as billiard ball and staring into a black box floating in front of her face. Another acquaintance looked as if he was drawn and quartered.  And his severed and separated body parts were bloated into grotesque shapes. Both are disturbing images. Was I going mad?  Nope, these acquaintances were wearing mesh; mesh hair and mesh clothing, respectively. I thought that people who walk with windlight are self-absorbed as windlight is view side only and their appearance to the majority not using windlight can look very different from how these people see themselves in their personal windlight settings. They can look creepy and decrepit to us, especially if they are not wearing a facelight. Well, what about people wearing mesh clothing and hair? To the 98% of us who are not using mesh enabled viewers, they look like these two. Surely, they must know how they look to us and so must be self-absorbed. Why not use a mesh enabled viewer? There are issues with the new viewers that are well known. Moreover, the use of mesh in building objects and in the design of clothing has not been adopted as extensively as expected, so far. And, until mesh is made deformable, I have no interest in mesh clothing as one must change the size and shape of one's avatar to fit the clothing. Isn't that ridiculous? Obviously, it should be the other way around. I don't want to take on the shape of my clothes. I want my clothes to accent my own curves.

Walking with windlight - Windlight is not avatar friendly
 http://mariko-nightfire.blogspot.com/2011/01/walking-with-windlight-again-windlight.html

Enough editorializing. Last weekend, Jaysun hosted a little gathering to mark the closing of the fall season. From left to right, thats Jaysun, Lulubelle, me, and Maurice Messme. Such little get-togethers are always so pleasant.

Going Primative on the Serengeti,
 Maurice Messme's exciting recreation of the African plain at Cap Estel

No, I can't end this post with such a picture as this ....

... but, this one will do.