Life is much more successfully looked at from a single window ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

Time-honored and fashionista-approved, luxe leather pieces in refreshed shades are a strong style for Spring 2013. More tomorrow.

Since I previously used the quote, “I hope she’ll be a fool — that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” you can probably tell I am enamored with F. Scott Fitzgerald and more specifically, The Great Gatsby. So you can imagine my excitement they’ve remade the movie, I just hope it follows the book closely. There are so many meaningful quotes meandering through this novel, each time I read it I learn something more about myself. I’ve probably passed the title quote by on numerous occasions without thought but this time, I did stop and F.Scott is wise and on the mark. Many times we do judge others by our own personal experience, how can we not? We are the best authority on what we have seen, felt, done and oft these prior markers shadow the bigger picture, creating previously unrealized bigotry’s towards others who are different. One only has to use the example of the topic of gay marriage to know both sides are strong in their arguments and seldom stop to see the others view.

After fall 2012’s whirlwind of brocade, fur, and embellishment, it’s no surprise to see influences everywhere from India and the Middle East to Russia, the beautyful beading should make for some seriously stunning evening wear this Spring.

Don’t get me wrong, I realize its easier to look at life through a single window, ours, but I wonder if its as effective or productive? Should we make “fast-food” assumptions when it comes to how we view other people? I hope not. After all, compassion, love and empathy only come when we have the ability to put our feet soundly in the shoes of the other person. It just makes no sense to label people based on our experience, we don’t know how they got to where they are and their journey in life is seldom the same as our own, if it is, well then it’s just an “us” versus “them” mentality, so what may seem the only solution to the us may have a unique completely different outcome to the them.

Take from, sure, I’m a Cao, it’s what I do. Look out a window, then walk to the other side of the room and look out a different window. Open your eyes, and look around, there is so many different colors to see. Even in white and black, there are numerous shades. People are the same way, each of our life experiences uniquely effect our vision, our ability to interpret what we see. It is important to remember there is never necessarily a right and a wrong response, so if we are passing judgement it behooves us to remove our own experience and prejudices from the equation prior to making any decision that involves another human being. A little high-gravity sure, but then sometimes the most important things are.

Outfit One:
Lingerie: Sonatta Morales, Pretty Lingerie Taxi:
Hat: Leezu!, Garbo Hat **L’Accessoires** Taxi:
Pumps: Miamai, Marian 50’s pump **L’Accessoires**
Jewelry: Donna Flora, Pasqualina
Hairs: Tuty’s, Bob

Trends Are Like Horses

Statement Sunglasses . Want to add a runway feel to your everyday basics? Pick up a pair of spring’s OMG-worthy sunglasses.

They are easier to ride in the direction they are going. ~ John Naisbitt . Last week I covered color, it’s uses, the color wheel, and whats available and trendy. Can’t express enough how important that color wheel is! For the next couple of days I want to show some of the 2013 Fashion Trends. I know this is a rehash of a January blog, but sometimes it’s good to readdress to update because as we know, fashion may be eternal but boy does it ever change quickly! Today’s first two trends are based on the rounds of the 2013 Spring Fashion Week in New York City. I’ve conveniently written what the trend is under the picture, so if you can’t stand to face Word and Peace as written by Cao every day, I made it nearly painless for you!

Black and White . Spring often reminds us of pastels and flowers, and they were definitely at the fashion weeks, but there is just something tried and true about black and white.

Glasses, glasses, glasses! Aren’t they just such a marvelous fashion statement? This year they hit the runway in every shape and size, each pair louder and more fabulous than the next. Aren’t these shades from Swallow just glam? I feel like one of those rich diva’s you see walking about in NYC, now if I can just find where I put my purse with the dog in it.. The second trend is black and white, the designers put a strong emphasis on these colors and it just makes sense. Think about it, they are appropriate to wear year-round, easy to pull off on any budget, easy to dress up or down so it’s sleek enough to wear for business or on a date night, this trend is the definition of wearable, so you will probably see it consistently throughout the season.

I made my black and white “pop” with the added flashes of red.

Outfit One:
Shoos: {{BDS}} Design Studio, Fierce! **L’Accessoires** Taxi to L’Accessoires:
Clutch: House of London, *Cherry*, Fitch Ruffle clutch **L’Accessoires**
Hat: Baoba, Amazona
Hair: Boon, KBO906
Dress: GizzA, Hankie Dress
Jacket: Baiastice, Leather Stud Jacket
Necklace/Earrings: Indyra, Ibiza chains, Sylph Door Knockers
Shades: Swallow, Metropolis Shades

Outfit Two:
Shoos: E-Clipse Design, G-!nspiration **L’Accessoires** Taxi:
Hat: Miamai: Giant Dish Hat (wearing black and red) **L’Accessoires**
Purse: *Cherry*, Fitch Ruffle clutch **L’Accessoires**
Hairs: Dura: Boy&Girl 38
Jacket: Blue Couture, Black and White Feathers Coat **NEW STORE!!** Taxi:
Jewelry: Pure Poison, MeiMei Jewelry set **L’Accessoires**
Blindfold: 22796, Aldine **L’Accessoires**

The Avaricious and the Bellicose

“They’ll either want to kill you, kiss you, or be you.” ~ Suzanne Collins

The Avaricious and the Bellicose. Come on, we all know them, they are just otherwise known as Haters or Internet trolls and if you are a Second Life model or a dedicated blogger, sooner or later you’re going to get up close and personal with one. Human behavior has been as it is for century’s now, it’s not some new phenomenon; envy is one of our biggest challenges in life. And honestly, being nice or not nice, doing or not doing, someone somewhere will hate you no matter what your response is. It’s just a sad fact of life. So right off the bat, don’t be immature and think everyone will like you. Do the best to walk quietly with all whom you encounter but when you meet a hater realize, envy sucks but everyone liking you ain’t gonna happen. Distancing your emotions from the hurt allows you to be free to look at the world without those little pink sunglasses.

“Envy is the art of counting the other fellow’s blessings instead of your own.~Harold Coffin”

I think the best we can do is accept their emotion, but realize typically it’s not YOU they are angry with, they just want something you HAVE, or ironically don’t have, depending on what “it” is. Because to tell the truth, when it comes down to a new pair of Jimmy Choos or pay my mortgage I can be pretty darn envious of the person whose house is paid for. And ironically, one of the odd things about life is whatever they are envious of; typically it is merely on loan to you, because we’ve probably all experienced something that was taken away. So the best we can do with the gifts bestowed upon us is to enjoy them while we have them, hold them sincerely but most of all never use them to harm others. If they are taken away, I would certainly hope the people around me would recognize I only used my gifts to promote the good of society and not to be malicious to others because you don’t realize how many splinters you’ve created on the ladder your climbing until you begin to slide down.

Take from? Yes, the world is filled with avaricious and bellicose people, it’s a fact of life. What limits their affect on us is how we respond to them. Motivational speaker Harvey MacKay, put it quite eloquently when he said, “Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about those who don’t. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it.” All SLURL’s are under the “Last known SLURL’s page” to the left!

Outfit One:
Shoos: {{BDS}} Design Studio, Fierce! **L’Accessoires** Taxi to L’Accessoires:
Clutch: *Cherry*, Fitch Ruffle clutch **L’Accessoires**
Hat: Baoba, Amazona
Hair: Boon, KBO906
Dress: GizzA, Hankie Dress
Jacket: Baiastice, Leather Stud Jacket
Necklace/Earrings: Indyra, Ibiza chains, Sylph Door Knockers
Shades: Swallow, Metropolis Shades

Got Nothing To Wear Again?

Don’t worry about it! On March 29, 2013 at 1:00PM SLT, we are starting a new round of The Couturier’s Dock, featuring creatively minded designers, to you, our creatively minded consumer’s. Welcome to the Couturier’s Dock! We are Salimar Art SIM and it’s time to recycle this fun event and the inventory will disappear quickly and once the current inventory is gone, it is gone. We do not refill stock so don’t miss out on some of the incredible finds at the Couturier’s Dock. We purposely kept our designer’s list limited to some of the designers we feel have niched their own genre of fashion so the items available to you will be unique, limited to lots of 50 units, will be affordable at a price range of 50 to 500 Lindens (50% off the main store price) and we hope what you find will be a treasured addition to your Second Life inventory. We are very happy to have all of these dedicated SL designers committing items to this event and the only thing missing is YOU. Will you please join us?
The Couturier’s Dock: Taxi:

Chains.And.Things.

I’ve always wanted to be cool enough to pull off a really groovy hat. L’Accessoire’s . Hat: Lode, Magnoli . Necklace: E-Clipse, LaSchiaca

I don’t know, the day didn’t start out this way. Sometimes it’s there when you wake up, oft your day progresses normally but then at some point, some memory hidden deep in your soul, some key phrase or word from a friend or co-worker and it drops about you like a massive smothering cloak. Today I blame it on this BB King, Dave Matthews Band auditory concoction I’ve been imbibing on all morning. They always tend to bring out my more sensitive sensibilities. They make me feel, they make me think. Chains. We all have them. Responsibilites, addictions, all the pieces of flotsam and jetsam that leaves litter about the journey of our life. I suppose if we didn’t, we’d all float away into the sky. But honestly, what are we afraid of? Is floating away such a bad thing?

L’Accessoires . Hat: Baoba, Lluvia . Necklace: MiWardrobe, Indigo . Earrings: Cherry, Larisa . Purse: Handverk, Flamingo .

Take from? yes. Short blog today, I am having focus problems. And since I’ve switched to Incubus’s “Morning View” I’ve already started to break some chains, that’s my breakup album. Life is so short, and honestly it can end with the quickness of an intake of breath. Do you suppose singer songwriter Jason Molina knew he would be dead at 39? Why do we choose to suffer with all these chains? If something is making you miserable, do you really owe a continued allegiance to it? Live a life that is fulfilling, it starts with one step. A purpose driven life is more about balance. Balance the chains that must adorn you, but unlink the chains that are just weighting you down. And while your floating about, check out L’accessoires. Lots of great finds this month! I’ve lost enough dead weight today, I can even afford the taxi for you: Taxi:

Outfit One:
Hat: Baoba, Lluvia . **L’Accessoire**
Necklace: MiWardrobe, Indigo . **L’Accessoire**
Earrings: Cherry. Larisa . **L’Accessoire**
Purse: Handverk, Flamingo . **L’Accessoire**
Shoos: BSD, Angel Hair . **L’Accessoire**
Dress: Leezu!, Oxford **New**
Knickers: Maitreya, Allure Girdle
Hairs: Boon, KBO906
Hosery: Angel Dessous, Rike

Love.and.the Single.Girl.

Going out without accessories is like parading around naked. Hat Baoba: Fairie, **L’Accessoires**

Being single is pretty cool for the most part. Well it is now, it’s a little slow and uncreative at first, but after you become a pro at it you pretty much find a substitute for everything a regular couple has. You do, honestly! Here, ye of little faith, I’ll spell some of it out for you.

You coupled people; you know how when you come home from work and you rant and rave about the day you had? Your husband/boyfriend/other nods so sweetly and coos and offers to make you a toddy and to rub your feet? Yeah, uh huh, I’d like to meet THAT guy! 😉 Well I come home and tell my Jack Russell Terrior-ist, KT all about my day, she looks at me with those big brown eyes in her microcephalic head, I give her a treat and rub her belly. Hmm not quite the same, but you get the point it has the same effect.

Single girls have plenty of Intimacy. Hey, we do! Don’t be a hater; my best friend B.O.B. (battery operated boyfriend) makes up in innovativeness what he lacks as a conversationalist. Who likes all that sweaty, grunting and groaning anyway? I only wish I hadn’t accidentally taken him to goodwill last week with a bundle of clothes I was donating. (I know, I know, my poor mother). If we were catholic she’d be doing the Sign of the Cross right now.

You know how when you and your “other” get in an argument about his mother, he starts to ping at the little insecurities you have about your body? Oh wait, yeah. I ping at those little insecurities about my body every time I look in the mirror. Just kidding, the best part about enjoying being happily and healthily single is you typically love yourself, faults and all.

Would I throw it on like this, nah, most of the time, less is more. Well in less your naked under your accessories. All From L’Accessoires, except collar: Hat: Baoba, Fairies, Earrings: House of London, Mia Nugget Earrings. Arms: 22769, Nouvette sleeves. Left Hangbag: Handverk, Tetrahedron. Right Hand Bag: Eclipse. Collar: .Shi, Leather lace collar

Don’t get me wrong, I love, love, absolutely love coupledom and I am sure one day I will find “that” one who I think can put up with me for the rest of my life (or until he kills me.) I am just saying I like being a solitary single too. I guess my current happily ever after is to blog, to share teeny bits of my life, and to laugh until it hurts with friends and with you, my someday soon friends. If being this open strikes a smile, a chord of friendship or similarity of being with just one reader, I’d say my purpose to put it all out there is a success. I know it’s a altitudinous goal, but with you all traveling with me, I’d like to think it’s plausible. And in the words of Yogi Berra in my own way I plead, “half the lies said about me ain’t true.” Man, I sure do miss B.O.B though.

Whistles “taxi”: Taxi:

Salimar Luxury District

Salimar Art SIM, is a site dedicated to digital art, literature and poetry. Our goal is sharing the immersive artistic experience with people not only from Second Life but also from the World Wide Web. Our effort is focused on creating a virtual place to meet and exchange for all those creative people who use the metaverse as a medium. We are honored to host in the “SaliMar Room’s” a stable group of international artists of outstanding value. SaliMar Art Sim** is created, owned and built by Mila Tatham (aka Salima Venditti) & rodroguez Imako (aka Andrea Roberto Dosi).

Salimar is also known for its work with the fashion industry and has carried the very successful event, “The Couturier’s Dock.” So with the new year we are happy to announce the creation of a new concept, The Salimar Luxury District. This Wednesday, February 20, 2013 at 12PM SLT, you will find the grand opening of a new experience in shopping and the celebration of the opening of the Paradise Circus Gallery of Buffy Holfe, one of SL’s most renowned digital artists. Link: portfolio: We’ve spent the month polishing the fixtures and setting up inventory. Gathering together designer’s with an undeniable quality of merchandise, artists with an amazing gift for virtual art and a troupe of models with a flair for style. The only thing missing? You. Come watch the enthralling fusion of art, music and fashion.

Digital Art by SL’s Reknowned artist Buffy Holfe

For the event, we challenged our Second Life top tier models, Anna Sapphire, Blackliquid Tokyoska, Calima Dufaux, Devine Hunt, Draakje Dailey, Natzuka Miliandrovic, Vikeejeah Xevion, and hostess Caoimhe Lionheart to style. We sent them exploring the Salimar Luxury District, the mission, each model must create a mix and match style using parts of outfits from some of Second Life’s most prestigious designers, AD Creations, Blackliquid, Baoba, BeloD, Finesmith, FP Poses, Gizza, HMAEM, Le Penderie de Nicole, Les Petite Details, Loovus Dzevavor, LovelyMi, SoliDea FoliEs, and Violator. Come watch these models runway show their unique styles while enjoying the heart thumping tunes of SL’s sensational DJ, Riri Bazar.

The best part? We are having a lottery and one lucky attendee in the audience will win all of the outfits the models are wearing! How’s that for a take from? Runway models, Art, Music, creative designers and a grand prize. What more could you ask for? Well, looky there, I am so excited to see you all, I even included the taxi: Taxi:

The.Show.Went.On.

The show, as always went on. In a one SIM runway show, with an audience and participants reaching a total ebb and flow of 80, the show went on. Amazing, resilient, with fortitude, aplomb and grace. These are just a few of the words I can use to describe the models who took time from their lives to stand with me in awareness of crimes of domestic violence and I could not be more proud. You see, most of us have become spoilt with our two, three and four SIM runway shows. Shows where the audience gets to watch the model as if gazing anticeptically at her through an aquarium glass. These models kicked it up old school, without a complaint, with much humor, and with very little attrition. Yes, almost every one of them stayed. Despite being tossed to the Gods of the Lindens several times. In quasi-runway show walkorder (I had to move them about a bit as they were whisked away by Fate), thank you with all of my heart, CC Teardrop, Kim Rongyu, Mimmi Boa, Blackliquid Tokyoska, Irina Strazytski, Draakje Dailey, Gamp Lane, Kay Fairey, Catlyn Sahara, Jen Tafler, Sessie16 Resident, Jaosi Odriscoll, Algezares Magic, Ekaterina Tolczyner, Alethia Bonham, Tai Galicia, Xia Firethorn, Laura18 Streeter, Amelia Foxtrot, Kathrin Dassin, Jessilyn Brandi, Belladonna Wexhome, Arialee Miles, Annough Lykin, and Catlyn Sahara. A special and love-filled thank you to my little dragon Draakje Dailey, for helping with strong hands, listening to me fuss at times, but always being there as the faithful friend she is. This show would have gone no where without you. I am so honored to have worked with each and every one of you! Thank you for your kind heart to bring awareness to the forefront of peoples minds this week!

But, of course, there would not be a show without the Designers selflessly removing their “labels” from their outfits so we could anonymously wear their products! And Wow! as always you all amazed me, I wish I had just a tenth of the creativity our designers have! Thank you so much for participating! Thank you Aliza Karu for your kind donation of the SIM and to you and MarkWD Hellendale for creating our wonderful black and white, yin and yang runways! A special thank you to my new friend the live vocalist and DJ Scarlet Damour, who held such patience and grace as we tried to free up some lag and thank you to an old flickr friend, Willhelm Ewing, Pyramid Cafè TV, and specifically the video shooting talent of Trisha Abbot, who with no small amount of magic, allowed us to stream the show live for the overflowing audience.

I want to extend a kind thank you to Ramonzita, I honestly do. Thank you Ramonzita for in kindness realizing the import of this show, and allowing us to forge on without wreaking havoc. Most of all, thank you to our audience. I was overwhelmed by your numbers, by your exuberance and oh so proud to stand with you as we raised awareness of 2Lei’s “International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.” We have done so little but we have done so much. If one person in all of the week picks themselves up and helps just one battered victim, we have not only raised awareness, we have won a small victory. Thank you to my reader’s as well, for not wandering away as my blog was one dimensional last week. With happiness, and a touch of sadness that the week is over, I look forward now.

Aware.

November 25, 2012 h. 1 pm SL Time

Please join us as we, women of all ages and socio-economic standards spotlight the designs of the “Anonymous Women’s Designers” of Second Life who have so kindly offered inventory for a runway show highlighting the cycles of abuse so many women endure in our world. We are women, standing up for women less fortunate than ourselves. We are women who have endured abuse at the hands of others and have found a means to break the cycle. We are women who just want to help, to highlight and showcase that we are aware of this abuse and we will find a voice to stop the abuse. Will you please join us to show you as well, want the atrocity to stop?

SLURL of the EVENT:

CSW Island – Taxi: