Today’s post will be a little different because instead of showing you just a place to visit or fashion tip, I’ll be showing you both!

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So let’s start with the new place I visited the other day. I was feeling rather rocktacular in my little black dress and mane of red hair and was looking for a place that would reflect how I felt for some pics. I did an in-world search for Heavy Metal and found this club named Machine Shop and it’s billed as a “True Metal Club”. This place really reminded me of my younger, more rebellious days when I would rip up my jeans and dye my hair jet black. Oh, the good old days.

When I arrived at the club my eyes soaked in the skulls and skeletons, motorcycles, burning crosses, pentagrams and stripper poles while my ears were assaulted by fast and furious music accompanied by growling vocals. I arrived here on a Sunday morning so things were a little slow at the time but the owner was there as well as a couple of pretty ladies and everyone was very friendly.

They invited me to dance with them and to join the group and said that the place really gets to hopping on Friday nights and that they are just like a big 'ol head bangin' family. That’s good I guess, because this isn’t the kind place I would think you would want to bring your SL wifey with her talking prim fetus (although if I had my druthers those creepy fetus’ would just be left at home and not be taken anywhere).

Annyywayyy….next time you are looking for a place to rock out with your cock out or jam out with you clam out (figuratively speaking, of course) then stop on by the Machine Shop.



Okay, now on to the fashion tip I mentioned. I wanted to tell y’all about RockBerry skins, specifically the Uma line. I got my first UMA skin as a freebie and was just blown away at the beauty and detail of it. The lips were so luscious without being too pouty and the nose and eyes were just gorgeously done. I know there is debate as to whether freebies are an effective form of advertisement and I can tell you that in this case it definitely was because I bought the six pack of makeups in the Uma line a month or so ago and didn’t even experience a moment of buyer's remorse. It also helps that the price is very reasonable, especially if you can catch them on sale like I did.

RockBerry is a popular place with 4 lucky boards and 1 lucky chair (stocked with the Megan skin line) that is always being stalked by a multitude of ladies. The other day, my friend Maia told me that RockBerry has now added an MM board and stocked it with their newest offering, Uma skins with tintable lips! She also said that the mad rush of women trying to get those skins was so crazy that the sim crashed twice while she was trying to register herself on the MM board. I stopped by there this morning to see if I could get registered myself before I had to rush off to RL work and didn't find an MM board but did find an advertisement board that gave the skins for free as soon as you touched it with your group tag activated. Word on the street is that people were complaining so much about the lag / crashes and telling the owner, Heather Beebe, how she should run her business she just took the MM board down. Bless her generous heart for still providing these skins for free to her group members. I'm not sure how long these will be available so hurry on down to RockBerry, join the group if you aren't already a member, run upstairs, touch the ad board and begin your love affair with RockBerry skins.

Eyes - Miriel - Standard - Vivid Hazel
Shape - Alady 2009 Perfect Tribute to Jula
Skin - Rockberry - Uma - C - Natural
Hair - Damselfly - Paxtyn - Hibiscus Warm
Dress - Thalia - Dolce Dress - Black
Shoes - Baby Monkey - Ultimate Addie Glitter - Silver
Earrings - Primagine - Chandelier Earring - Silver
Bracelets - Ticky Tacky - Bah-di-ah Bangles - Silver and Insomniac Bangles - Skully Pout
Pose - Striking Poses - Paula Abdul - dollarbie to group members

I was feeling down in the dumps and just felt like giving up.

Press the Read more button to do just that...



Maybe you know the feeling, like life has just snuck up and blind-sided you. So, to commiserate with my mood, I decided to find a place that fell in line with my funk. So, I whipped out my handy "Interesting Places to Visit" notecard that I picked up at SL6B and checked out the section under Rainy / Water sims. The first one listed was the Cream Shop sim so I took the next taxi that didn't run me over and checked it out.



Oh yes, this place was absolutely perfect! It was raining like mad with water sheeting off the windows and canopies, lighting and thunder shaking the place up and even puddles that made great splashing sounds when I walked through them.



First thing I did was to find a nice place to sit with a book and a cup of tea and try to be more an observer of the rain rather than the creator of it. I'm no stranger to the rain and I know that, as in most things, this too shall pass.

Once I felt a little more centered, I looked around in the eclectic shop that shares the name of the sim. There were the ever present clothes, hair and fashion accessories but there was also funky furniture, a deer to pose upon, a mini acting stage, dress forms, trash bags (as seen in first pic) and...umbrellas! Just what I needed!



Rain with come and rain will go and sometimes the best you can do is find a bit of shelter and wait out the storm.

worn:
Eyes - Ashes to Ash's - FieryBrown - DSN freebie
Lashes - Miriel - Glamour
Shape - Alady 2009 Perfect Tribute to Jula
Skin - LionSkins - SU - Sunkiss 20
Hair - CiC - Sadria II - Mocha Sunkiss - Group Gift
Dress - Cupcakes - Mini Dress - Tangerine
Shoes - Cheeky Shoes - Xstreet
Earrings / Necklace - Miriel - freebie / hunt gift
Bracelet - PRIMALOT - Namaste! - freebie

A friend of mine, Maia, and I were looking for something to do and she suggested that we drop by Australia. She had heard that the sim was under new ownership and that they had done some renovations. I'm always up for an adventure so we grabbed a taxi and were on our way! Care to come along?

Lots more to see on next page..just press Read More button below.

There are several different places to visit on the Australia sim but today we are gonna rough it and head into the Outback. To do that just find the silver TP signs located at the TP arrival point and select Outback.


G'day mate! Watch out for those Dingos!


It's wild out there, perhaps we should brush up on our shooting skills at this free Shooting Gallery or that Clay Pigeon launcher.

There are several ways for us to get around and explore, choose your poison.





You have GOT to jump into one of these trucks and drive around leaving dust trails in your wake. Be sure to hit any smoking barrels while you are in the highest gear...I guarantee it will be a BLAST!


There's even a place to settle in for the night and reflect back on your great adventure.

On a very serious note, the Australian government is making moves to begin to censor/ filter the internet that the citizens access. This is shocking to hear as I always assumed these types of things only happen in Communist countries, but I guess I was wrong. The filters will block out anything the Australian government deems inappropriate or adult in nature, including Second Life. To learn more and have a chance voice your opinion you can visit here.

Worn:
Eyes - Miriel - Standard Eyes - Vivid Hazel
Shape - Alady 2009 Perfect Tribute to Jula
Skin - Cupcakes - Seduction - Copper - Serenade w/ freckles
Hair - Celestial Studios - Annie May Hair III - Smolder
Shirt - Thalia - Open Shirt - Green
Pants / Skirt - Cupcakes - Corduroy Skirt / Leggings - Brown / Green
Jacket - Bare Rose - Inferno - Light Brown
Boots - Bare Rose - Studded Jockey Boots - Brown
Earrings - Ticky Tacky - Everyday Hoops
Bracelet - Miriel - Double Metal Bracelet - Copper/Gold

Shown: Sculpture hovering above the main stage at Studio Genre built by Jacobo Sands and textured by his partner Rowan Argus.

Second Life provides all kinds of places to feed your ever growing inventory, libido or vanity but what if you are looking for a place to also feed your soul? Those places are definitely fewer and farther between but they do exist and today I want to point you in the direction of one of them. (Just push that little "Read More" button below)

A friend of mine, Jacobo Sands (/me waves..hi Jac!), has been hard at work with several artists to bring you an amazing place named Studio Genre. It’s an arts sim “run by artists for artists”, all of whom create and sell their art in the real world and seek to begin to promote and sell their works in SL as well.

Each artist has created an avatar in SL and have their own individual gallery building at Studio Genre so when you visit there is a chance that you might bump into the artists themselves as you are enjoying their genuinely original works. It is hoped that this concept will also create a sense of community between the different artists so that ideas can be exchanged freely with the goal of inspiring new art.

Besides all the wonderful and diverse art to be seen at Studio Genre, you will find a lovely tropical environment with various places to sit, relax and enjoy the view and even a dance floor to share a romantic moment with that someone special.

Studio Genre has been open for a few weeks and there are big plans for the future. Currently there are seven artists with works on display and there is still room for a few more. Some are even planning events that will take place simultaneously in both the real and virtual worlds with feeds of music and activities flowing in both directions. There are also plans for the artists to give lectures on different aspects of art, such as color, the use of mixed media, etc.

I will be exploring Studio Genre myself and highlighting the works of the different artists here on my blog in individual posts but there is no need for you to wait for me as you can go there yourself and check out all the wonder and beauty that is art.

Second Life has been around for six years this month and to celebrate they have all kinds of activities and displays for you to check out. You can find landmarks to all the event areas by doing an in-world search and going to the Showcase tab. Just like that, you have five different landmarks to various SL6B celebration areas at the very top of the search window.

More after the cut ====>

There's obviously a ton of things to do and see but for now I'll be showing you the Linden Labs Expo area that I ran across. This place is packed full of SL history and lots of Linden memorabilia, past and present. It is also full of pictures, art works and generally interesting things from around the grid.







If all that wasn't enough, the Lindens are giving US gifts on their birthday! Inside the building you will find a huge collection of quality, full perm textures from Torley Linden as well as TONS of adorable teddy bears. I guess the Lindens have made lots of commemerative teddy bears for holidays and special occasions over the years and now is your chance to pick them up. In fact, that giant teddy bear in the first picture is available as a freebie along with a smaller version.

Go check out the celebration and enjoy learning a bit more about Second Life's history and let them know we are looking forward to being a part of it's future.

Party on and best wishes!

As quickly as things change in SL, it's always a like playing the lotto when you teleport using a landmark that's been in your inventory for any amount of time. You never know if you are gonna win or lose but it never fails to be an adventure.

The other day I played Landmark Lotto and stumbled upon a place that caught my interest. It's a restaurant / club named subdue and it's the place to go if you are interested in an "erotic dining" experience.



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Subdue has been open for a few weeks and the interior is lovely with a very zen feeling and relaxing atmosphere. They advertise live music and DJs on the schedule so it's fitting that they also have a dance floor on which to boogie the night away.



You might be thinking to yourself that there isn't anything particularly special about a well decorated club with live music / DJ and you would be correct. What makes subdue unique is the "erotic dining" offered either on regularly scheduled Sunday hours or off scheduled hours by appointment. This experience involves you and your guests being served sushi from a "human platter" of your choice.



Your "human platter" will lie down on the table with a delectable selection of sushi for you to sample while your eyes are given an opportunity to enjoy the feast as well. The erotic sushi suits are comprised of handmade and textured prim items that were created by Ryan Radio. The sushi goes alpha (disappears) when touched and can be replenished easily with the use of a HUD.



The owner of subdue, Lias Leandros, is demonstrating the human platter concept in the picture above. If you are interested in owning one of the erotic sushi suits for yourself, and that can be used anywhere, they sell them at the restaurant for a very reasonable 500L and have a version for both male and female avatars. They are currently hiring human platters so contact Lias Leandros if you are interested in a unique way to earn some spending cash.

Worn: Potassium ~ Off Shoulder (Blue / Green), Jeans (Turtles - Blue) and Bangles (Ocean4)

How do I know that you may wonder? Am I psychic or maybe medically trained? Nope, neither of those guesses would be correct but it would be really cool if they were true!

Jump to the next page for more ====>


The way I know you need more Potassium is because this great new store hasn't been open long enough for you to have possibly gotten enough of what it has to offer yet. The owner / designer is Banana Vella and she is new on the scene and showing great promise. She uses lots of vibrant colors which floats my boat just fine and she obviously has an eye for detail when it comes to seams and textures.

She has lots of different ladies casual tops as well as blue jeans with prim bottoms. No, I did not get a picture of the prim jeans bottoms, which I didn't realize until I went to write this...remember, I'm still learning. Anyway, take my word for it, the prim bottoms on the jeans look excellent with perfect color matching and overall shaping. Besides that, the jeans themselves cover your ass crack which is always a plus. Hell, you don't even have to take my word for it just get over there and check them out yourself. The jeans have different images on them from turtles (seen above) to a bitchin' skull image that really caught my eye (nope, didn't get a picture of that either). Banana will even make you some custom jeans if you don't find you are looking for already in the store.


Worn: Potassium ~ Halter (Off White), Jeans (Turtles - Blue) and Bangles (Ocean4)

Don't you just love the cut of the neckline on this halter? It hides just enough to keep you out of jail but not enough to keep you out of trouble.

The shop is in a big rustic barn surrounded by trees with cows and horses sharing the space in true starving artist style. Banana has kept the vibe causal and fun by providing lots of photo props and poses around the outside of the barn so you can take some cool pics in your new Potassium clothes. All the pictures in this post where taken there. Speaking of fun...


OH NOOOOZZZZ!!!

...there are several of these funny SL related shirts as well as other cute "variety" off the shoulder tops for only 20L. In fact, nothing in the store is over 100L.

Banana has been hard at work on getting Potassium together and I know she is diligently working on more designs, probably as you are reading this. I think I heard a rumor that she was working on some men's clothes as well. So head on down and check it out, I know I'll be stopping back by (probably to get those skull jeans ^.~).

Best wishes everyone!

Just wanted to drop y'all a quick note about a neat little place I found. It's called Rikugun Farm and it's a great place to go to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday second life.

Click below to see more------>>>>


You can relax around the a campfire with friends while singing songs and maybe even make some S'mores.



Be sure to stop at the open air market to pick up some farm fresh food for a picnic by the pond while you watch the ducks.



If all that exploring makes you thirsty then you are covered. There's nothing like a tall glass of fresh squeezed lemonade with just the right balance of tart and sweet.



You'll see all the typical farm animals while you are there as well as lots of pretty scenery. This is a family friendly place in a PG sim and they cater to the entire crew with a swing set and a kid friendly activity center featuring gymnastics and even a rock climbing wall.

Check out Rikugun Farms next time you are looking for a wholesome adventure and a simpler life.



Eyes - Cipria Couture - Light Blue (glossy) - freebie...Shape - Alady 2009 Perfect Tribute to Jula...Skin - Tyranny Designs - Dazzle Me - Tone 5 - lucky chair freebie...Hair - Tekuteku - freebie hair2 - freebie in store...Dress- Capri's Designs - Pretty Woman Dress - 1L until 6/13...Bracelet - Dionysia Designs - Celtic Rose and Leaves - group gift...Necklace - Flavor Designs - Silver Heart Charm Necklace - freebie

I’ve always been an animal lover and have had pets my whole life so I was thrilled when a friend took me to Canis Dog Park in SL. This is a great place to kick back and unwind with some friendly pooches that are always happy to see you. You can even “adopt” one and take them home with you!



The dog park is located on Canis Beach, home of VKC dogs created by Enrico Genosse. There are 12 breeds currently available and each has it’s own animation when you choose to pet them. Some of the dogs definitely look more realistic than others but they all obey the same set of commands, are touted as possessing “artificial intelligence” and “obey physics so they seem more natural and alive. They are active and aware and they learn, so you can teach them to behave the way you like.” Some of the basic commands you can issue are sit, stand, down, bang (play dead), beg, howl, heel, sniff, etc.



When you arrive at the dog park you will first notice that the dogs closest to you will “notice” you and come over to be petted. Once you start to pet one dog then it seems they all come over to get their fair share of loving..just like the real thing!



I haven’t “adopted” one of the dogs myself, nor do I know anyone who has, so I can’t attest to the experience of owning one of these canine companions but I can tell you that it’s an enjoyable and unique place to visit by yourself or with a friend. While you are there, you can also jump in a sailboat and take a tour around the island or even take a dog for a walk through an underwater garden. It’s a nice place to get your fur therapy in SL.

Please feel free to leave a comment and suggest a place that I might like to visit or that you might like to see here on the blog. I've always felt that the best places are found by word of mouth...NOT the search function in SL.

So I was browsing through the discussion topics in the Photographers of Secondlife group on Flickr and someone had mentioned Japan Tempura Island as a good place for photo ops. It just so happened that I had on the perfect outfit for such a place so I decide to jaunt over there and see what's what.

OMG...this place is gorgeous! It always amazes me when someone puts in that much time and effort to provide an enjoyable place for residents to use at no cost. Kudos to those that provide such wonderful and imaginative spaces for us to explore.



As I looked around, I discovered that there are so many different areas to this island that I would definitely not be able to fully explore them all in one, two or even three visits. You will find a variety of different landscapes, each with areas to sit and reflect by yourself or dance and romance with another.



Besides some breathtaking landscapes there is also community areas to meditate and do some Tai chi. There is an elaborate ballroom in which to dance the night away and even a cozy submarine.



There is a little building just off the Tai chi platform that is decorated beautifully inside and the perfect place to catch up on some reading, cuddle with a loved one and even get a foot massage!



In catacombs underneath the main building, you will find a romantic spot with fountains, flowers and love nests.



There is so much to see on this island that it's impossible to describe it all here. You just need to go check it out for yourself. Be sure to turn on the local music stream while you are there as it really adds to the overall experience. Fair warning, there can be a lot of lag but that's not surprising with such a complex build that has so much going on. Don't let that stop you from visiting though, because this island is worth the wait.

You can see more pictures of this sim at the Japan Tempura Island group on Flickr.

All pictures: Model / Photographer - Braunwyn Cleanslate...Photo taken at Japan Tempura Island...Eyes - Miriel - Vivid Hazel...Shape - Alady 2009 Perfect Tribute to Jula...Skin - LionSkins - Suzana - pale 80 (discontinued)...Hair - Celestial Studios - Annie May - Auburn...Outfit - BareRose - Rose Aozai - Black...Earrings - Ticky Tacky - Pearl Teardrop Earrings - freebie...Bracelets - Ticky Tacky - Daily Bangles - freebie