GraffitiWear™ Is Fashion By Designer, Chalice Piers.

Written by Fuzzball

GraffitiWear, founded & owned by its designer Chalice Piers-Soulstar (Soulstar is her partner's last name) is a shop that, upon first glance, seems to be just another clothing store in Second Life™ virtual world, but after a look around, it's much more than that. It's a store for both men and women, who are looking for clothes, at a reasonable price.

GraffitiWear Gowns for L$ 225 each in 4 assorted colors (shown above are the red and purple ones)

               The dresses found here, are not only creations of the store owner, but are also better looking than others, and cheaper than far more. In Second Life (SL) a single dress, of this caliber, can go for about L$ 500 to L$ 1000. At GraffitiWear, they are sold for the mere price of L$ 225, each. Dresses aren't the only item sold here, for a cheap price, skirts also made by the store's owner, are sold for as low as L$ 25, each, and look a lot better than most, that are sold for four times as much.

Velour Skirts @ L$ 25L each

                What store is complete without a few games? There are two Gatcha machines here, as well as an Unlucky Dip. Gatcha machines have become a sort of necessity in an SL store. However not many people have probably heard of the Unlucky Dip. It's a game that has basically the same principals of Bobbing for Apples, but instead of apples, you're bobbing for prizes.

Currently their best selling item, the Lace Tees @ L$ 50 each

                The design of this place is just as top notch as its merchandise. With the bottom floor filled with woman's wear such as the Lace Tees the best selling items currently selling for L$ 50 each, and the top floor with men's wear and accessories, one might think of a bunch of boxes just stacked everywhere, but once you see how the design of the store works well with the placement of the products, you will realize there are no boxes here.

                Of course, most stores have boxes, though this store has the bottoms hanging on hangers. Even a lot of the tops are on hangers. This store is truly one that had the goal of looking realistic, and not only reaching that goal, but perfectly, and flawlessly, exceeding the goal.

                The lady's section is split in three parts, with the new products in the middle. To the north is the single piece items, as in the shirts, the pants, the skirts etc. To the south is where the ladies outfits are sold, giving it a more organized look. The men's and accessories section is split in half. The men's wear is to the north, and the accessories is to the south. Fat-packs (an item packaged in a bundle of sorted colors) are sold with the items that are in the fat-packs..

GraffitiWear men's wear Hawaiian shirts @ L$ 95 each

                Don't be discouraged if you don't have enough linden for something, because they have a mini mania board, as well as a lucky letter board, too. So the store is nicer than a lot of other stores that only want your linden. This store actually wants you to have clothes, that's why their prices are cheaper than most.

                A place of amazing clothes at cheap prices, and fun almost addicting games, and an amazing design, make this store one of the best in SL. It is definitely worth a visit.

Below are GraffitiWear new releases which include Jewelry sets and Pleated Skirt & Top sets.
To see more of the designs online, please visit Chalice's Flickr™ account http://www.flickr.com/photos/chalicepiers/
Thank you for reading my review of GraffitiWear, my avatar name in SL is Fuzzball! (theonlyjohnny) reporting for OI Magazine SL.

These new released jewelry sets are sold at L$ 95 a piece sold in assorted colors each

The Pleated Skirt and Top Set are also new releases that are L$ 150 per set

Lacie Beningborough and The Catalyst of Fantasy™

Sun 04/25/10


The Catalyst of Fantasy (COF) isn't just a modeling agency, or a modeling school, or a fashion sim.
COF is all of the above.
The founder of this amazing, multi-faceted institution is Lacie Beningborough, a former model and now a successful businesswoman.


Lacie Beningborough

I had the good fortune to meet with Lacie on the beautiful grounds of the COF Academy.
We settled ourselves on comfy chairs shaped like lovely stiletto shoes and had a fun chat that included gestures, amusing stories, and some serious points about Second Life®'s ever-changing fashion industry.

She is lovely and has a bubbly personality that made me feel right at home.
And I have to say the shoe chairs set the tone for a classroom atmosphere that would make learning a joy.
Her objective from the very beginning has been to make fashion fun.

Lacie started COF in August of 2009 with the goal of being different.
She achieved that and more.
As much as she has enjoyed running COF over the past few months, recent events in her personal life have prompted her to sell.
The sale is currently pending.



COF Classroom


Lacie on Stiletto Chair

"This past winter my son was in a terrible accident and I had to take time off SL to go and be with him," Lacie told me.
"It was the darkest time in my life I suspect.
Fortunately, he has made a wonderful recovery and is well."

And now that he has recovered, Lacie is involved in a major move that's putting her within a five-hour drive from the city.
"We have a lovely little cottage on a lake and I am not entirely sure of the internet connection."
However, she's sure she can figure out a way to get it, even if she has to hook it up herself.

I asked her if she planned to continue her involvement with COF and she said, "Yes. I have been asked to stay on as COO and I have said yes.
I still love to create the shows, but this way my time is still mine."

Lacie's fashion shows are unique and entertaining.
"I have an RL background in fashion and fashion shows.
In RL, fashion shows are extreme," she told me.
"They have coined a term about my shows.
They call them 'Fashion Theater.'
I think they should be entertaining so that everyone on the grid, regardless of interest, would enjoy them."

Now that her business has sold, she's hoping she'll have more time to fully experience more of what SL has to offer the fashion industry.
"I have my head buried so deeply here working that I never get the chance to get out there and see what others are doing."

I've noticed with most of the fashion shows I've attended that lag is always a major issue, so I asked how she deals with it.
"We reduce draw distance... remove all prims from the screen so we look bald and darn near naked to ourselves, but to others we are fully dressed," she explained.
"But sometimes it cannot be avoided."


Lacie, close up

"We did a show once where the dresses alone had an ARC of over 18 K.
The models rocked it, purposely bald this time, with no jewelry or shoes, but awesome skins."
It was the precise look the show needed to reflect the style of the designs.
Grinning, she admitted no one knew it wasn't planned.
"The models here are true pros and they work around (lag) every time.
They performed the show like this because they couldn't move any other way."
She said it was a riot, but it worked.

"You gotta laugh, right?" Lacie said.
"That is the philosophy I built COF on.
This is, after all, a game, yes?
Games should be fun.
If you are not having fun then you need to re-think why you are here."

I asked her what her most unique and unusual show has been and she said, "Phantom of the Opera was awesome.
We worked with a creator of a couples animator to custom-make the walk the models used.
We rented a sim for the audience.
Sky Galaxy came in and performed the Phantom of the Opera theme."

When I asked Lacie how she comes up with her show ideas, she jokingly told me, "I stop taking my anti-psychotic medication and they just come to me."
I love her sense of humor!
But honestly, she says the designers inspire her.
"I get a feel for what they are trying to portray and then I just go with that."

"I mean, you can't put formal wear in a biker theme, can you?"
A few seconds later, she said, "Well, dang, yes you can!
This is SL, where you can do anything.
The whole idea is to have fun, enjoy yourself and have a good time."

"Modeling has changed since COF came around," Lacie said.
"You see a lot more funky skins and hairs in shows now.
I don't know if that is because of COF or if we just came in on the start of change, but if you ask me I will say it is because of COF."

Then she told me she loved my ears, as I am an elf, an example of the alternate styles and fashion that exist in SL.
"They are adorable," she said, making me blush.
"That is what SL is all about.
Why be normal?
We are normal in RL.
Well, some of us are anyway."
And then she smiled.
I asked what she advises models do to create a unique style.
"The deal is to not be afraid.
Don't worry about what your buddy is going to think or say, just have FUN, experiment.
Try new things."

Like wearing work boots with a formal gown? I asked her.

"YES!" she said.
"Why not?
Hollywood does.
The key for me is, why conform?
And if you are conforming… who are you conforming to and why?"
She went on to add, "When I started modeling eons ago, it was ALL about conforming, blending in, not standing out, and frankly it ticked me off big time.
Because it really is all about sticking out and not blending in."

So this prompted me to ask about shapes.
I wanted to know how, and why, a model chose a specific kind of shape because I've never had any shape other than the noob av SL first gave me.
I just sculpted it to fit how I wanted it to look.
"Ooh! You have done very well then.
Include a pic of yourself in the article because that is impressive.
You have proven the original can be tweaked... shapemakers beware, the secret is out!"
However, she actually advises anyone looking for a good shape to seek out a custom shapemaker and have one designed just for you.
"If you want to be yourself, you need a good shapemaker, or buy an off-the-rack one and modify it.
But never, never, never buy a no-mod shape."
A custom shape can cost anywhere from 5k to 15k.

I asked Lacie if she was the main teacher at the COF Academy, and she said, "No, that would be Glitter Bolissima."
She gave me the academy's class outline and its 3 tiered structure: Beginner Class, Advanced Class, and Advanced Elite Class.
The Elite class offers photography, choreography, creating your own poses, staging and more.
Advanced Elite classes are only offered once a week.
Lacie created Elite because she feels the less you need to rely on others, the better off you'll be, and this class teaches a model to be prepared for just about anything.

Regarding the COF Agency, Lacie is very firm about not allowing inflated egos into the fold.
"I tell all new model hires that I am the ONLY diva at COF.
If you need special attention or pull a tude.... I am certain other agencies are hiring.
Feel free to go there."
What a great policy.

Not only does Lacie run a successful agency and modeling school, she also represents a couple of SL musical artists, Bruce Scrabblebrat and Blue4U Nowicka.
I'm overwhelmed by how multitalented she is.

Even though Lacie no longer owns COF, rest assured she will remain at the helm and continue to produce wonderful fashion theater and help introduce new models to SL™'s fashion world.
Thank you, Lacie, for being such a delightful interview and putting a smile on my face.
And thank you, dear readers, for your continued support of the Oi Magazine blog.

Chalice Piers,reporting for Oi Magazine blog

Meet & Greet with top model Candylicious Forster !

Mo 04/19/10



Candylicious Forster portrait 1

Greetings, fellow Fashionistas and those interested or fascinated by the immensely popular fashion world, get ready to learn a lot about the industry by the insight of one of Second Life®'s top fashion models in the business, Candylicious Forster.

Candy granted me an interview and invited me to her beautiful home, where we had a friendly chat that revealed her beauty goes beyond skin deep.

When I arrived at Candy's home in the early afternoon, I rezzed within an elegantly decorated living room with large windows that revealed a manicured landscape.
I sat in a luxuriant white armchair near an aquarium filled with tropical fish, and Candy seated herself in the twin chair beside me.
As a reporter I was also naturally eager to hear about her life as a model and about the industry she'd enthusiastically become a part of.


Candy portrait 2

Candy came into SL™ on May 5, 2008, having come previously from another virtual world called redlightcenter™
She wasn't in SL long before she was approached by the co-owners and CEO's of Classic W/Style™, a high-end modeling agency.
They invited her to compete in the Miss Hawaii 2009 Pageant™, where she was awarded second runner up.
Not bad for her first time.^^
She attended the Classic W/Style Academy and graduated in December 2009.


Chalice Piers,Oi reporter with Candylicious Forster

"In my first life, I'm a 23-year-old law student," Candy told me.
"My family are all lawyers and I am an only child.
My RL goal is to become a business lawyer specialized in copyright law."

So when Candy first started in Second Life, modeling was the last thing on her mind. But that changed after her Miss Hawaii Pageant experience.
Since then, she has participated in over 12 fashion shows, was 2nd runner up to Ms Show Girl 2009™, was Ms Photogenic™ in Ms Show Girl 2009, was Ms. Too Sexy 2010 Cover Girl™, and a variety of other accolades too numerous to mention in the limited space of this blog.
However, you can view a list of Candy's accomplishments on her website http://www.wix.com/candyliciousForster/candy



Candy in bikini photoshoot

I expressed concern over her busy schedule of juggling law school and her SL modeling career.
She assured me it isn't a problem. "It's extremely organized in SL, so if you know this (fashion) industry in RL , it's identical to what we have here in SL."

Candy said, "I have visited some campuses in SL in the fashion industry that truly impressed me.
The creativity of the designers comes from every part of the world and imposes on this industry to be professional."

Though Candy manages her time well, she has no social life. "I rarely go dancing or have a date in SL because my focus is modeling and success," she said. "Modeling is not just a pose or motion we do on the run way. It's a dedication to the love and passion of fashion and style."

There is extensive training involved in becoming a SL model. "We do a fashion show at least once a week, mainly Saturdays, and sometimes we have Thursday shows too," Candy told me.
"Our CEO, Ms Anrol Anthony, is one of the most creative cat walk designers in formation that I know. Every week, every fashion show, she changes formations, changes the runway place, and she keeps all models on their toes.
A good model will practice on her own too so that she can memorize formations and what is needed."

Candy is now attending Avenue Academy™ for the additional knowledge she'll gain of the fashion and modeling industry. She said, "I want to learn from the best."

For the interest of blog readers, I asked about the costs involved in training to be a model.
Candy told me the tuition for a good SL modeling school has a broad range so she advises the schools be contacted directly for a quote.
Scholarships exist for those who are serious about pursuing a modeling career but who lack the funds to pay for it themselves.

"Modeling is not about making money," Candy said. "Not in SL at least. Not even for the designers, who don't make much money either."

Candy said running a modeling academy is extremely hard work as she often sees her school's CEOs online round the clock. "They do it for the passion and their ambition of fulfilling their dreams."

While talking about SL designers, Candy said, "I swear I know some of the most famous designers in SL, and if you knew what type of work they do in RL you would be shocked. Having the creativity but not the means to create is what brings them to SL where they can make their dreams a reality."

Candy told me about a recent styling contest she was in that had a Neko theme. "That day I said I didn't want to look like the normal Neko outfits all over SL, I want to be different. So I went to a place that makes shapes and skin of Neko. When I tried the demo I looked like a midget and that is a no-no in the industry." So she worked with the maker to create a shape and skin that was modifiable so it would fit model requirements. But in spite of her efforts and expense, she did not win.
Perfection is the name of the game in these competitions, and Candy lost because one of her eyelashes was inside her eye. That's how close the judges look for imperfections.

If someone is interested in getting into modeling, how should they start?


Candy in gown photoshoot

Candy had this to say: "First they must truly love fashion and understand the styling concepts.
They must have a friendly attitude and be able to spend at least four hours a day of extensive training.
They can either attend a modeling college or an academy." Then she added, "Recomendations are important as is socializing with everyone in the industry. Learn from everything around you because we can't let ignorance rule our minds or expect to be the best because there will always be someone better."

But it doesn’t stop there. "Get involved in blogging, Facebook™, Moolto™, Pixilook™, and read all these magazines we have all over SL about fashion.
They give a lot of insight into this industry.
In fact, modeling agencies don't depend on magazines only. There are Youtube™ videos on the net from SL and a lot of the designers have their own websites."

Candy has her own videos, too. You can view them at http://www.youtube.com/user/ClassicwithStyle#p/u/0/YPYFMD-8GVo and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHd7Qt5bNmA

Candy's favorite designers are Jador Fashion™, Joy Fellini™, Violator™, Utopia Fashion™, 24 Shoo Shoes™, Red passion™, Bliss Couture™, and Versace™.
She usually gets paid for modeling by being allowed to keep the outfits she models.

Candy would like to pass on a quote to our readers: "People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within."
This is a quote taken from Elizabeth Kübler-Ross.

Thank you, Candy, for such a delightful interview! And thank you, readers, and like to thank our guest as well for this interview , top fashion model Candylicious Forster

My name is Chalice Piers,reporting for Oi Magazine blog

Magenta Plutonian Wins Oi's First Paparazzi Contest!

Mon 04/12/10


We'd like to congratulate Magenta Plutonian, Oi's first Paparazzi Contest winner! We had some fabulous entries, and her photos were judged to be the best. The competition was tough, and we're looking forward to future contests that highlight some of the best photography talent in Second Life.®

I had an opportunity to interview Magenta after her win and she was gracious to answer my questions. Here's what she had to say:

Where are you from and how long have you been in Second Life?
MP (Magenta Plutonian): I am from, and still live in, Cornwall (I have traced my Cornish family tree back to the 1600's and it would seem I am Cornish to the bone).
Cornwall is the bottom tip of the UK, surrounded by beautiful beaches.
I have been in SL™ since November 2008 and was introduced to it by my RL partner.
I had no interest in this world to start with, but slowly it has absorbed me more and more.


Magenta Plutonian, Top Paparazzi Photographer, also now herself a celebrity


Are you a photographer or artist in your first life?
MP: When I left school, I was accepted into Art College, which I studied for two years and found that I had a flair for colour.
Funnily enough it has not followed me in my career as I work with teenagers in care.

What an awesome and noble vocation! What made you decide to enter Oi's Paparazzi Contest?
MP: I have entered a few competitions before and found quickly that I did not enjoy the popularity-type voting as I hate nagging my friends to vote and they end up paying L$5-10 for their trouble.
This contest had a little more interest to it, not just making it a picture-taking contest, but an endurance one.
*laughs* I know Adianna and myself both made some sacrifices to be online at the given time slots.
I think the new easier rules will open it up to many more entries.

(Oi Magazine management would like to add that voters were never charged for voting in our contest,always completely free as we have sponsors like PurpleMoon Creations and more, supplying winners like Magenta their winning prize of 10,000 Lindens! for their efforts)

What did you enjoy most about the Paparazzi Contest?
MP: The contestants, Poulet and Persia, were amazing fun and they made the competition.
I had myself a lot of giggles in some of the shoots.
Also my fellow 'pappers' were a giggle to be with.
I know it was a competition, but I feel like I made some friends, which is always a bonus.


Absolutely, both Poulet and Persia were great subjects and a lot of fun to work with. What do you like about photography in Second life?
MP: Making a pixelated avatar come to life in a picture.
It's always a great feeling when someone really appreciates a picture you've taken of them.


One of the 2 paparazzi pictures that gave Magenta her win! Celebrity journalist Persia Bravin is displayed here



Other winning paparazzi picture, Fashion icon Poulet Koenkamp is displayed here

I couldn't agree more. Is SL photography more than a hobby for you?
MP: I don't think I will ever give up my day job. *smiles* But I think I use it to relax and as a little escapism from RL. It's nice to get creative

That's very true. SL offers many opportunities for creativity, and Oi's Paparazzi Contest added some whimsy as well. What kinds of photos do you enjoy taking?
MP: Dramatic portraits that reflect an individual's personality.


(Chalice Piers,Oi Magazine reporter *Nods Yes* and asks)
Can you offer some SL photography tips?
MP: Just play around, be experimental and have fun.
PhotoLife 3 Studio is not only the best photographic studio in SL, but the group support is truly awesome.
It does not matter what timezone you are in, there is always someone to help out if you need it. (But it costs a fortune so may not be suited for the dabbling photographer.)

Do you use any specific windlight settings for your photos?
MP: Any photographer worth their lindens will use the windlight settings.
You don't drive a car in first gear only do you?

LOL! No, but I do have favorite windlight settings I prefer over the default. What do you put your graphics settings on before taking photos?
MP: For taking pictures I always set graphics to ultra, but you need a really good graphics card for this.
You must remember after taking your pictures to set it lower again, or you will be wondering why SL has gone super laggy.


Oh, yes. I've done that myself. What software do you use to edit your photos?
MP: I use Photoshop to clean up the edges.

Same here, and for special effects. What are some of your favorite photo editing techniques?
MP: I am always playing around in Photoshop, but to be honest I am a noobie at Photoshop, so am still learning the basics.
I just do what I feel is right for the picture and to be honest it's not always the same and sometimes a happy mistake.


I hear you. Photoshop is the best and I use it daily in my RL job.
So, Magenta, would you recommend the Oi Paparazzi contest to others?
MP: For sure! The organizer's were awesome, always helpful with queries.
The prize money is great and most of all its lots of fun!

Thank you so much for your time, Magenta. You're a talented photographer and we hope to see more entries from you in future Oi photography contests.

Thanks for reading, everyone! And I hope you decide to enter the next Oi Paparazzi Contest. It's loads of fun, you get to express your creativity, and you have a chance to win some lindens! I look forward to seeing your photos.

Chalice Piers, reporting for Oi Magazine blog

New York HealthScape Interacts with Patients In Second Life®

Tue 04/06/10

(NY) New York HealthScape, a project of Southern Tier HealthLink (STHL) in Second Life®, encourages residents to participate in online activities to educate them about the importance of health information being shared between various health organizations.
The project is spread across eighteen sims that accurately represent many of the New York State locations where the real life medical facilities are located.

Second Life is the ideal environment for patients—meaning you, me and everyone we know--to interact with virtual healthcare facilities and see how the exchange of medical information works.
I was privileged to get a guided tour from Panacea Luminos (Christina Galanis in RL), executive director for STHL, that let me experience this amazing program from the patient's point of view.

Eighteen sims covers a lot of virtual ground and the project is arranged in a way that's fun and interesting for visitors. Not only are healthcare facilities represented, but there are parks, shops, villages, townhomes, and houses as well.
This project is of personal interest to On Innovations (OI) Magazine Publisher Carmichael Caudron, who has two homes in the area.
The project just had its official roll-out of outside promotion yesterday on Monday, April 5th 2010.


NY HealthScape owner Panacea Luminos

So what is there to do in NY HealthScape? Plenty.
The primary purpose, of course, is to create your own Personal Health Record in the private and secure environment created there.
You get to watch how that record is incorporated in the Electronic Medical Records system as you move from one island station to the next.
This is done by interacting with a variety of scenarios designed to both educate and entertain.
As you play the games and experience each scenario, you learn about privacy issues while setting security and sharing limitations on your medical info the same as you would in real life.

My tour started in Battery Park, where I got to ride the Sea Crystal Carousel, a very relaxing experience with the calming instrumental music composed by Kyle Beltran. Then can catch a cab through the city to where you'll hear the story of Uncle D, a character who lived in New York as an HIV-positive member of a Brooklyn neighborhood.
This scenario educates through storytelling and visitors can add details or creative elements that enhance the story of Uncle D’s life.



You'll also visit a clinic in Brooklyn, and possibly attend a music or art event along the way.
Live music is often played at Healthy Grounds Coffee Shop.
When you arrive at the Hamptons Village, which is one of several backgrounds for the health challenge, you'll see a few lovely vintage homes on the shore, some of which are available to rent.
And don't forget to redeem the points you earned while playing HealthScape's interactive games to buy clothing and other virtual goods at local merchants.

Some of HealthScape's activities include “Doctor’s Visit,” a series of medical scenarios from labwork to surgeries that demonstrate how patients and providers benefit from shared medical information.
The “Learning Journey” is an informational tour that demonstrates the Health Information Exchange through everyday activities like shopping, eating, and exercising.

When you visit the Wilson Medical Center, which is a replica of the actual hospital in New York, you can experience "A Day of Adventure" that includes what emergency services are like as they relate to the Health Information Exchange.
A scenario has been scripted for a ski accident that requires emergency transportation and immediate medical attention.

The Exposition Learning Center has five learning areas that include movies, audio productions, powerpoint presentations and other media that educate on the importance and benefits of the Health Information Exchange.
The only reason the center sits in the air above the city is because the high-tech aesthetics clash with the project's more urban theme.

At the Health Center Village, a location inspired by village-like malls of the Midwest, you can take the health challenge for diabetes.
Rez the basket and collect apples for points you can redeem for treasure. Walk along the streets of this friendly neighborhood, where in real life you might visit a clinic at the same time you run your daily errands.

The Autism Awareness Center is inside a lovely two-story home in the Health Center Village.
You'll learn about the history of autism's discovery, the myths and facts, the spectrums of the syndrome, and symptoms for its detection and diagnosis.
Then you'll visit the inside of a room that has the sights and sounds of what an autistic child or adult may experience.
It was a real eye-opener for me.



Panacea told me about a Second Life high school class of residents in teen and child avatars who took a field trip to the Autism Awareness Center.
While there, one of the students realized he hadn't been bad or stupid as a kid in school, but actually had a form of autism. His experience at the Center changed his life.
Panacea also brought to my attention that Torley Linden, who does a lot of Second Life photography and creates SL's video tutorials, is autistic.

It's a joy to travel from sim to sim when you can ride a replica of the vintage Phoebe Snow Train to all ten stations located on various sims throughout the project.
It's a scenic trip that takes you through urban and country terrain, and even a tunnel through a mountain.

Give yourself a couple of hours to explore this amazing project from Southern Tier HealthLink. It's fun and valuable, plus you get to play games and win points for prizes. Visit http://archive.treet.tv/node/3792 to see a taped interview with some of the people involved. The following are slurls for a few of the NY HealthScape locations mentioned in this article.



The Sea Crystal Carousel
http://slurl.com/secondlife/WaterWay%20New%20York/190/180/22

HealthLink New York Orientation Presentation
http://slurl.com/secondlife/HealthLink%20New%20York/140/140/25

Healing Grounds Coffee Shop
http://slurl.com/secondlife/TriBorough%20New%20York/192/122/23

Brooklyn Clinic
http://slurl.com/secondlife/TriBorough%20New%20York/222/136/23

Wilson Medical Center
http://slurl.com/secondlife/HealthLink%20New%20York/201/119/25

Uncle D's Story Quest in Brooklyn ( HIV/AIDS)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/TriBorough%20New%20York/111/81/23

Autism Awareness Center
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Western%20New%20York/107/27/26

Diabetes Challenge
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Western%20New%20York/53/32/27

As always, thank you for reading and out thanks to Panacea Luminos for her time for the interview.
I hope you enjoy your tour of NY HealthLink. I know I did. Have fun !


Chalice Piers, reporting for Oi Magazine blog

PAR-TAY at Moon Spirit Rising Club !

Sat 3/13/10

Sunday March 7 was another amazing day for Oi Magazine.
We celebrated the release of our March issue and thanks to Moonde Magic and Colleen Bracken, owners of Moon Spirit Rising Dance Club, we did it with style.
We had a lot to celebrate, too.
Oi reached a personal record of 8,000 page views online for the March issue within 40 hours of release.

The Oi Magazine staff and friends shook their booties to some amazing tunes performed by Gina Stella, an incredible SL artist who gave this reporter goosebumps. Wow!
And it's thanks to club owners like Moonde and Colleen who embrace live music in Second Life® and offer this special brand of entertainment to music lovers throughout the grid.




I was the second guest to arrive at the hot and sexy skybox club that is Moon Spirit Rising.
A gold Oi logo graced the wall behind the stage, framed by a golden drapery, and it also covered a dance floor that would soon be trodden by happy dancing feet.
Aken Fuchs, a Moon Spirit Rising club owner and Gina Stella's partner in both SL and RL, had arrived ahead of me.
By the way, Aken is also a phenomenal musician.
I know because I've heard him and I strongly recommend you hear him, too.

Gina Stella appeared on stage looking exquisite in a sexy pink sequined mini dress and carrying a pink guitar.
Her pink furry boots completed her pastel ensemble.
We exchanged hellos, and then the lovely Moonde herself arrived.
Friendly chatter began in local and excitement was brewing for what we all knew would be an incredible show.

The beginning of lag crept into the club, which was to be expected considering the SIM had suffered a crash a few days earlier.
Guests were a little slow to rez, but once they did, it was full on party time.




Gina has the sweet voice of an angel, and her repertoire of music included not only pop favorites like Mad World and Bad Girl, but also some songs written and composed by the artist herself.
Gina sang a lovely original tune called Under the Same Moon.
Her talent for playing acoustic guitar knocked my socks off. Just beautiful. And she's funny, too!
She interacts well with an audience and is skilled at rousting a crowd with her good humor.

It was fun seeing some familiar faces and meeting new ones. A few of the other guests included fellow Oi Magazine reporter Liza Veliz, Gina's manager Lo Bloch, Trish Broek, Eli Schlegal, Sanne Brun, Christine Haiku, Scagg Pera, Khloe Condor, Atticus Westminster, Nya Raymaker, Adeon Silverfall, Moxee Farstrider and another Spirit Moon Rising owner, Demento Lunasea.
Oi Magazine publisher Krissy Sinclair joined us, but we missed Carmichael Caudron, who arrived a little later on the night.







The mood was festive and the dancing lively, as there were a number of peppy dance moves in the dance ball.
Moon Spirit has more to offer than just music and dancing though.
I'm a huge Midnight Mania fan and I was happy to slap all the MM boards they had in the lobby.
Can't pass up an opportunity like that!

The atmosphere of Moon Spirit is friendly and enthusiastic for a club that's only been open since October of 2009. They feature live music at least six times a month, and offer a variety of genres and styles that will please any musical pallet.
There's something for everyone.
You'll be interested to know that 100 percent of the club's proceeds go toward live entertainment.
Their subscribe-o-matic is a convenient way to join the club's group and receive notices of upcoming venues.

There are currently six DJs working for Moon Spirit who provide club-goers with an impressive array of lively music from Trance to Pop.
DJ Archangelo Hellman, Trance aficionado, shares similar musical tastes with club DJs Butch Diavalo and Yannis Martivov.
DJ Sergio Handcroft is versatile in his mixes and gives clubbers everything from Pop to Big Band sounds.
DJ Splash Kidd is Dance style. On Sundays, the Daley Dose Dancers come in to bring the club some old school line dancing.

Gina closed her set with a cute number she called Smelly Cat.
I have three smelleh kittehs mahself lol
Her song brought plenty of giggles from the crowd, who were still giddy from this nightingale's incredible performance. I left the party a member of Gina's fan club, and received a sample CD of her music.
I love it and listen to it all the time.

Thank you, Moonde and Colleen, for throwing such a great party.
And thanks to all of you for reading.
Take care and hugs to each and every one. 


Chalice Piers, Oi Magazine Press

ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET IN SECOND LIFE®

Wed 3/10/10


Phaylen Fairchild's Academy Awards pre-show event at the Bijou Theater in Second Life ( Bay City-Rollers region)on March 7 coincided with the actual event taking place in L.A.
As the real world Hollywood show simulcasted live inside the theater, a few SL™ fashionistas strutted their stuff across the Bijou lobby's red carpet.



Party at the pre-show




Front of Bijou Theater


The Academy Awards™ is the place to see, and be seen by, some of the hottest names in the movie business.
The Oscars' pre-show event in Hollywood is all about dressing to impress and actors, writers and directors wear formal fashions created by such icons as Givency, Dior, Armani and Chanel.
But SL won't be out done in the fashion department.
We have our own Haute Couture, and this year's pre-show was the perfect venue to show it off.

I arrived early at the Bijou in Bay City to ensure I'd get a seat before the SIM had a chance to fill up.
The lag-a-licious mainland would be a strike against event-goers and I already felt the inevitable lag seep through my pixels before I fully rezzed.

While waiting outside the beautiful theater book-ended by two giant renderings of the Oscar statue, we were assaulted by griefers.
The horribly deformed avatars rode bikes over gown-wearing guests, and those not wearing some sort of movelock were bumped and tossed in the street.
Security would have been welcome for such a prestigious event, but since there was none, some of us submitted abuse reports to Linden Labs.
The griefers didn't stick around long.



Me with my husband in the auditorium watching the show at Bjiou, with familiar faces in the press in the crowd as well such as Mystical Demina, Bevan Whitfield and Ze Moo



My husband and I sat inside the darkened theater, waiting for the show to start.
I'd hoped for movie trailers, and then realized this was the pre-show, which wasn't so much about film as it was about fashion.
I was surprised to hear people on the screen speaking Dutch, a language I don't understand, but that was to be expected as the pre-awards coverage was simulcasted via Amsterdam.

Once Hollywood's red carpet Glamourrati showed up on, the English-speaking media began interviewing the stars. Subtitled Dutch scrolled over the images of actors and actresses.
The sounds got a bit confusing as Dutch layered over spoken English, music filtered in from the lobby, and our host, Phaylen Fairchild, began interviewing a few of her best-dressed SL guests.

Phaylen and the theater's DJ, Thorne Miklos, stood on a platform in the lobby and used voice to speak with some guests about their personal choice of attire and their predictions for Oscar winners.
While stars and movie pros dress for the media as well as whoever may grant them their next multi-million dollar contract, we were dressed for ourselves and for each other. That's simply how SL rolls.

I wasn't getting much out of the chaos happening on the screen so we decided to venture out to the lobby, where the real action was taking place.
The lag hit us like a wave of molasses, but we persevered and made it out into the colorful lobby filled with lovely gowns, tuxedos, and… oh my.
Who should grace us with their presence but a few of the Na'Vi from the Academy Award nominated picture Avatar!
They looked awesome, just like in the movie.



Avatar the favorite ended up with 3 awards,all in technical department,while


the hurtlocker took home the award for best director!



Avatar, by the way, was favored among guests to win the coveted Oscar.
But alas, in the end, Hurt Locker took it on several counts.
Here's some trivia from Phaylen: Catherine Bigalow, director of Hurt Locker, is Avatar director James Cameron's ex-wife!

Back to the red carpet… First up to the platform was Sasy Scarborough.
Sasy and Phaylen talked about how limited we are in terms of the prims we can wear, which contribute to lag in SL.
The increased ARC (Avatar Rendering Cost) can stop everyone in their tracks.
Phaylen admitted to being guilty on occasion of lagging out a client viewer.
She and Sasy also talked about how the men at the Oscars can dress down and still look good, though Robert Downy Junior got serious points marked down when he appeared on the Hollywood red carpet with his oversized blue bow tie, horn rimmed glasses, and sneakers.
A major fashion fail.
The classic looks for mature gentlemen like George Clooney, however, continue to prevail.

Moving on, Phaylen chatted with Tyrone and Delinda. Bling, or the lack thereof, came up as a fashion contention.
In SL's olden days, bling was the thing, but it's thankfully become a fashion faux pas.
It's a smart designer who scripts in the option of turning off the offensive flashing on boots, jewelry, and belt buckles.
Those wearing bling give themselves away that they're either wearing a retired freebie, or they dug through the bottom of their inventory.
Another interesting point made was how some guys at the Oscars match what their dates by wearing pocket squares and ties that are a similar color or fabric.

Dorian Cao is next up, and he has his own unique challenges when it comes to dressing for fancy events. He's a fox.
I don't mean the kind that's hot and good looking, which he may be, but the kind of fox that's small and furry.
He got his avatar from the popular Loco Poco supplier of tinies.
Dorian bedecked himself in an ultra small version of tux and cane, including top hat. Adorable.

Fatima Ur wore a luscious black wedding gown she customized to suit the look she was after.
And Maxie McBride accompanied her fashion designer daughter, Moxie Palono, who had designed the lovely gown worn by Phaylen herself.

Whimsy Winx, wearing a spring floral gown, told Phaylen that it's important to dress comfortable for such a long event as the Oscars, which can last up to eight hours or more. With the pre-show interviews, awards ceremony, and the parties afterward, the movie pros are faced with a long day and night.

A point made by both Whimsy and Phaylen is how there's rarely anything unexpected, fashion-wise, in real world Hollywood. Whereas here inworld, the sky's the limit.
Women tend to be far more daring.
My own gown, a white diamond studded creation from Solo and Solo of Icewerks, left little to the imagination.
Second Life fashion is an aspect of self-expression, a place where we can reveal our true selves with little regard to being judged by others. Or is that just me? she says, grinning broadly.

Despite the couple's dance ball not loaded with slow dances, some of us still managed to hop around the dance floor like kernels of popping corn.
Even the Na'Vi shook their blue bootays.
A good time was had by all.

As always, thank you for reading. Until next time… take care and have fun.


Chalice Piers, Journalist/Blogger for Oi Magazine

A Drink Of Divine Blood ( A look into a clan in the world of Vampires)

Mo 2/22/10

So what are vampires doing in Second Life® ? Should we fear for our Avatar's cyber lives? Will virtual blood drinkers consume our pixels and our souls be damned for all eternity?

Well, no need to worry. Vampires in SL are part and parcel of the virtual world experience. They're the heart and soul of the SL role playing game called Bloodlines. At the time of this writing, there are 24,455 vampires and 3835 Lycans in Second Life.

I've been curious about SL vampires since my rezzing, and have made a number of vampire friends, however I didn't understand exactly what being a vampire meant. The most I knew was that a vampire had to ask permission before he or she could bite someone. Is there more to it than that? Oh, yes. Lots more.


Vampire HUD


A few months ago I let a friend of mine bite me. He'd only recently been turned and I had the privilege of being his first victim. Because I wasn't a member of the Bloodlines game, my "soul" was not in danger. Had I been a member, I'd have lost a percentage of my humanity. Are you confused yet? I was. And wanting to know more about how this game worked, I asked if I could interview members of his clan for this article.



Divine Castle

Divine Blood is one of 1873 clans in the Bloodlines game. Divine currently has 977 members and celebrated its one-year anniversary this month. Their queen, Amethyst Warden, greeted me warmly when I teleported to the clan's castle to chat with a few members of her vampire family.



At the Counselor Quarters with my friend Necreip Baragula

The welcoming committee included my friend Necreip Baragula, who is an 8th generation vampire and one of the clan's knights. I also got to meet Freyasmoon Fenwitch,
Chaz Lighthouse, Ethan Lighthouse, Rikk Steamweaver, and Riot Waddington, who is not only a new vampire but also new to Second Life.

I had a lot of questions, but before I could ask them the sight of Divine's beautiful castle took my breath away. I knew then that I had to get inside the magnificent gothic structure and have a look around.



Darrell Mistwallow is the clan king



Amethyst Warden is Divine Blood's queen


The clan's king, Darrell Mistwallow, couldn't make the interview due to illness, but the welcoming committee provided answers to all my burning questions. My first and foremost one was how is a vampire made? I wanted to know if a single bite could automatically turn someone into a creature of the night. It turns out that you must be completely drained of your humanity and become revenant before you can become a vampire. One bite only takes 5% of your humanity. Getting drained takes a lot of bites.

"The first vampire to bite someone who later becomes a vampire gets to keep their soul and becomes their liege," Ethan explains. "The liege is like a mentor and looks after the minion [he made]. He introduces the new vampire to the family and teaches him or her about the ways of Bloodlines and our clan rules."

So what about asking permission to bite someone? "Asking permission is considered polite and respectful," Necreip tells me.

"The bite animation presents the victim with a menu," Ethan explains. "And the victim must answer yes before the bite can occur."

"And the area must be script enabled," Rikk Steamweaver adds.

So any rumors you may have heard about vampires running amok and terrorizing SL residents with vicious bites is completely false.

Vampires need blood daily to stay alive. At midnight, each vamp is afflicted with "the curse" that depletes their blood supply by .25 liters. How do vampires get the blood they need to stay alive? "Blood Dolls," says Rikk.

Blood dolls are members of the clan who willingly supply their masters with blood. "My fiancé calls her dolls blood angels," says Ethan. Blood dolls are the "life blood" of the Bloodlines game.

Blood dolls are beloved members of the Divine Blood family and may become vampires themselves at some point. However, if they want to maintain their humanity, they must eat special "apples," a self-sustaining food source, to regenerate their human blood. If their humanity goes down to 0% they become revenant, or the walking dead. If they choose to drink blood, they will become vampires. And if they choose to be human and not play the game any more, they can simply walk away, thereby breaking all ties with their former clan.

Divine Blood is organized like a monarchy with a king and queen, and knights like Necreip who protect the land from griefers and other troublemakers. Within the clan there are also barons, baronesses, lords and ladies.

The benefits of joining a vampire clan seem obvious. This group in particular is as close as any family. Members consider themselves brothers and sisters, and their revered king and queen are their parents. "It is incredible how much we are a family," says Ethan. New residents of Second Life will find ready acceptance within a clan like Divine Blood. The clan helps new members acclimate to SL life by showing them the ropes of our often complex metaverse.



Divine Blood Club

Is Divine Blood open to new family members? Absolutely. Not all clans are the same, some being closer than others, but its obvious Divine members have a special relationship to one another. They enjoy each other's company and have a genuinely good time together.

Necreip gave me an enjoyable tour of the Divine Blood castle. There are four turning rooms, where members participate in the ritual that turns them into vampires. On the wall of each room is the texture of a flowchart that shows how the vampire bite HUD works.

Throughout the castle there are portraits of family members, most of whom hold a rank within the clan. There are rooms for the clans' resident couples, and there's even quarters for the clan counselor who counsels members for anything and everything. The current counselor is Lola Laroway. The counselor's official job description is: "Hears clan members' problems and tries to come up with a solution, consoles those who are in a time of need, and is willing to just listen. All issues go to the clan counselor as well as your liege."

The clan has an arena, which is similar to a sandbox. Necreip took me to Divine Blood's mall that also contains a dance club. It's a proprietary club for members and their guests only.


For more information about Bloodlines, visit http://www.slbloodlines.com If you'd like to know more about Divine Blood or are interested in clan membership, simply contact any of the clan members mentioned in this article.

Ty as always for reading,I'm Chalice Piers ,press Blogger for Oi Magazine

Fashion in Fantasy (a Swirl™ event production)

Tue 2/16/10

There's one word to describe the Fantasy of Fashion show produced by Swirl, a marketing firm dedicated to Second Life's fashion industry. That single word is: WOW! This clever and unique fashion show opened over Valentine's Day weekend and what a phenomenal event it turned out to be.

I've attended a number of fashion shows in RL and SL, but never one so creative as Swirl's Fantasy of Fashion. Take a fantasy theme, mix in a generous portion of gorgeous fashion, stir in some eye-candy models on an elaborately set stage, and you get one incredible tasty dish of SL haute couture.

Saturday's opening night,February 13th, was a magical one. A breathtaking fairy garden complete with cascading waterfall created an impressive backdrop for the event.


Filipa Thespian as The Water Nymph


Takeshi Kiama as Odin the Fairy King

Filipa Thespian, owner and founder of Swirl, appeared on stage in her role as the Water Nymph to expertly present each design as it was modeled for a mesmerized audience.

Filipa, as well as the models, had roles in a performance that was equal parts fantasy play and fashion show. What made this show particularly clever is that the fashions introduced were geared toward the fantasy role-playing residents of Second Life. So a scripted story accompanied the narration of each design and was strung together like a fairytale.

The plot told of the Wizard Lodin, who had strayed from the ways of fashion. Lodin was played by model Travis Madrigal and entered the stage as a newbie avatar being scolded by the Sorceress Queen Marielle, played by model Tatiana Kurri.


Tatiana Kurri as Marielle the Sorceress Queen and Travis Madrigal as Lodin the Wizard


Marielle has taken away his wizard powers and plans to show him the error of his ways by introducing him to beautiful fashion.
The wizardress Valgran, played by model Pyper Dollinger, was also at fault for letting herself go, and Marielle promised that she, too, would learn the path to good fashion sense.

Here's an example of some of the narrative:

"The Water Nymph welcomes Mer-Elf's Wish: Once upon a time in a distant land, a peasant girl wished she could have a lovely gown to wear to the ball.
Else were an elven princess got ready to meet with ambassadors from a neighboring kingdom and wished to find the perfect dress.
A kajira wished to please her master and in return get some new rags or silks.
A free woman wished for the latest new dress to wear.
A fairy flew by and granted all their wishes! For this collection has it all!

Wish is a deep, rich velvet gown geared toward elves and upper class medieval women.
Intricate golden embroidery accents the low-cut neckline, which dips to a V in the back.
It's great for upcoming spring and summer, and includes a hooded cloak to wear on cold days. Also included are a gleaming prim waist belt and circlet, and two skirt and sleeve options.
The wish fantasy add-on pack includes a wider ball gown skirt, short fairy skirt, gorean camisks, and dancing silks along with modesty layers and veils for free women."


The Pyramid Theater was filled with over 60 avatars, so lag was considerable. Add that to the intricate textures of clothing and the particles poofing from elaborate wings of dancing fairy models, and you get slow rezzing. It was necessary to rebake textures a number of times, and I had to hold my cam in one place so as not to crash. Some members of the audience did crash, as well as a model or two, but all in all it was a beautiful display of creative energy from some of SL's most innovative designers.

The show featured designs from Black Rose, Gutter Pup, Lace & Steel, Mer-Elf Creations, Moonstruck and Mystic Sky. Sponsors of the show included Best of Second Life Magazine, Designs by Nicky Ree, and Dark Starr Merchantile.

The fashions displayed ran the gamut from amazing fairy designs to Roman-inspired suits, elegant ball gowns to modest peasant garments, and rugged warrior attire to seductive slave silks. These styles would appeal to role players of the Gor persuasion or those leaning toward medieval fantasy. The variety was lovely and presented well.


Pyper Dollinger as Valgren and Travis Madrigal as Lodin

The show lasted two hours, and at the end, both Lodin and Valgren had learned their lessons and the Sorceress Queen Marielle granted them the return of their wizard powers.
The two models appeared on stage as complete makeovers that had the audience gasping in their seats.
Valgren had become a exquisite example of beauty wearing a "stunning salmon-colored frock adorned with the gentle reminder of nature, leaves embroidered throughout." And Lodin was devastatingly handsome in his dark wizard robes and impressive glowing staff. The two characters were reunited in love and stylish fashion.

For information about future Swirl events, and to see more of the fashions presented at the Fantasy in Fashion show, visit http://www.giveitaswirl.info

If you would like to view more photos of the event, click to go to my personal flick page! http://www.flickr.com/photos/chalicepiers/

TY for reading & also like to thank Filipa Thespian for her courtesy to allow Oi Magazine to cover this Swirl™ event for its blog



Story by Chalice Piers,Oi Magazine Press Blogger