LOOK of the YEAR Style Contest The SECOND GROUP of SEMI-FINALISTS!

Congratulations to MelanyAguilera, Anastasianin, Isabelle0583, SabrinaCooke, Eva Madenwald, Erick Naidoo, Geoffrey Firehawk, Fallen Grigori, TymonAlexander and Simon Enersly! These 5 women and 5 men compose the Second Group of Semi-Finalists of the LOOK of the YEAR Contest.

Therefore there are now 20 Semi-Finalists in the race for the prestigious titles LUXE Paris Look of the YEAR (for the women) and LUXE Dot Be LOOK of the YEAR (for the men). The winners will not only become the official ambassadors of these brands but they will also each win L$50,000 cash!

YOU STILL HAVE CHANCES!

Your picture has not be chosen? You still have chances! There will be 3 other selections of Semi-Finalists in the next 3 weeks and ALL the candidates are eligible to all the selections.

''Voting was tough because everyone had a unique style,'' says Lanai Jarrico, the owner of The SL Enquirer and one of the 14 judges on the LOOK of the YEAR panel.

''I can't wait to see what's in store for next round! Good luck everyone!''

Once there are 25 Semi-Finalists Women and 25 Semi-Finalists Men, the judges will select 10 finalists who will be invited to two challenge-shows which will determine the winners. This said there is no need to be a professional model to participate to the contest because the experts from AIM, In-Nova and ProPose, 3 sponsors of the contest, will train the Finalists without experience on the runway.

SEND YOUR PICTURE!

You did not send your picture yet? It is still time! The deadline to submit a picture for the third Selection of Semi-Finalists is Friday June 7th, at midnight.

It is easy! Just wear a LUXE Paris or a LUXE Dot Be outfit, style it, snap a picture, put your name in the title and send Full Perm to LOOKoftheYEAR resident. You can submit as many pictures as you want as long you present a different outfit and styling for each one.

Each participant will receive a gift from LUXE Paris or LUXE Dot Be.

A total of L$275,000 in prizes will be given to the 2 winners and the 4 runners ups.

These prizes are a courtesy of LUXE Paris, LUXE Dot Be, AIM, Duplex Club, In-Nova, The SL Enquirer, Confidencial Magazine, Alma Makeup, ProPose, Zuri Jewelry, L'Amour Diversity Magazine, ModeLS Magazine, and Jack Rock Photo.

You will find more details about the LOOK of the YEAR Contest at LUXE Paris and LUXE Dot Be stores at https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bao/55/97/26/  and on the LOOK of the YEAR website at https://lookoftheyear.wordpress.com/

https://lookoftheyear.wordpress.com/

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PETRA's A Live Music Venue: Schedule for Week Of June 2, 2019

Tuesday, June 4

2:00 pm    Paris Obscur

3:00 pm    Savannah Rain

4:00 pm    Wayne Davis

5:00 pm     Erik Kottzen

6:00 pm     Liam Wakeman

7:00 pm     Hogan Baily

8:00 pm Essence Bilasimo

Friday, June 7

2:00 pm     Lisa Brune

3:00 pm     Jack Slade

4:00 pm     AMforte Clarity

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GeekSpeak – the rise and rise of bitcoin. Join the Discussion Saturday 6/1 at 12pm SLT

Bitcoin is nearing 10k US dollars this week, so it is a good moment for all of us to get up to speed with what is happening in the cryptocurrency scene.

Why is bitcoin so important for the whole of humanity?  How much further will it rise before it completely takes over?  What will the world look like under a single monetary standard?  Will all countries be equal, or will some still manage to suppress others?

How will the culture change in a world of micropayments, where small amounts of money will change hands all the time, a world where your car will pay a few pennies to the road or to the traffic lights, and your phone will send a few cents to the streetlights.

Will corruption be impossible in a world where all data is stored on blockchains?

Are you too late to buy bitcoin or is there still a chance to make a fortune?

Get ready for the world of the future.  Bring your bitcoin mining pickaxe. 

IM Vulcan Viper if you have ideas for new subjects.

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LOOK of the YEAR CONTEST WEEK 1: SPOTLIGHT ON THE FIRST GROUP OF SEMI-FINALISTS!

Bravo to AmandaDay, Selene Snowpaw, TryskaMoon, OhPrincess, YamilaEnid, Tiaz Esquire, Richard De Grataine Suoh,  Jared Swords, Tottes Cosand Micah! These 5 women and 5 men have been promoted to the Semi-Final of the LOOK of the YEAR Contest!

Your name is not there? Do not be sad yet! There will be 4 other selections of semi-finalists in the next weeks and ALL the pictures submitted are eligible to all the selections!

 TIME TO SEND YOUR PICTURE!

You did not send your picture yet? Well it is time because the bandwagon is on the move! Remember: LUXE Paris Women Fashion and LUXE Dot Be Men Fashion are searching the grid to find 2 ambassadors, a woman and a man with style and charisma, who will represent their brands and each win L$50,000 cash!

No need to be a professional model because we train the Finalists without experience  and it is very easy to participate! Just wear a LUXE Paris or LUXE Dot Be outfit, style it, snap a picture, put  your name in the title and send Full Perm to LOOKoftheYEAR resident.

GIFT TO ALL PARTICIPANTS

All the contestants will get a free outfit from LUXE Paris or LUXE Dot Be, once their first picture is submitted.

You can send as many pictures as you wish as long you are wearing different outfits with different stylings. Each picture is judged as it would be a different contestant. The judges are looking for elegance, style and charisma.

L$275,000 IN PRIZES FOR THE WINNERS

AND RUNNERS UP

The 2 winners of the contest and the 4 runners up will receive a total of L$275,000 in prizes from LUXE Paris, LUXE Dot Be, AIM Modeling Agency, The SL Enquirer, Confidencial magazine, ModeLS magazine, L'Amour Diversity magazine,  Duplex Club, In-Nova Model Training Model, ProPose, Alma Makeup, Zuri Jewelry and Jack Rock Photo.

You will find all the details  on our website at https://lookoftheyear.wordpress.com/ or at the stores at https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bao/55/97/26/ 

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Petra's Performance Schedule for week of May 26

We have a very exciting week coming up.  This week we launch biweekly Thursdays with some very exciting and accomplished artists. There are some other changed as well and they are noted below.  

Please mark your calendars and do come join us in welcoming our great live artitist, both regular and new.  The excitement at PETRA's is palpable as we get ready to open our doors for the week.

Here's a look at  three days worth of great live music performances...

TUESDAY MAY 28

3:00 pm         Savannah Rain

4:00pm          Wayne Davis

5:00pm          Erik Kottzen

6:00pm          Noma Falta

7:00pm          TOXIE

8:00pm          Essence Bilasimo

THURSDAY MAY 30

5:00pm          Noma Falta

6:00pm          Liam Wakeman

7:00pm          TwinGhost Ronas

8:00pm          Voodoo Shilton

FRIDAY MAY 31

2:00pm          Lisa Brune

3:00pm          Jack Slade

4:00pm          AMforte Clarity

5:00pm          Collin Martin

6:00pm          Max  Kleen

Take the magic carpet ride below and come an enjoy three days worth of great live performances with us.

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Are Your Drinking Too Much Alcohol?

Do you know if you’re drinking too much alcohol? Surprisingly, most people are shocked when they start to count up how much alcohol they have consumed over a month. It’s not about the number of beverages you drink, but how they are measured in terms of alcohol content. Here in the US, alcoholic drinks are measured by the volume of alcohol present, so a regular beer will have a 5% alcohol content, while lighter beers will have around 4.2%. The ‘standard’ drink in the US is considered to be around 14 grams of pure and undiluted alcohol. You’ll find 14 grams of alcohol in:

• 12 ounces of a regular beer brand equals, on average, 5% alcohol
• A glass of wine (around five ounces of liquid) averages at 12% of alcohol
• Distilled spirits are most commonly served in 1.5-ounce measures, and that means around 40% alcohol

This disparity in alcohol volume means that it can be difficult to estimate your alcohol consumption. However, due to the health and lifestyle risks that too much alcohol can cause, it’s vital that you have a clear awareness of how much you are consuming on a regular basis.

Consequences of Too Much Alcohol

Some people think that they are better able to handle their booze, and that can make it very difficult to get a real evaluation of their alcohol consumption. However, even small but regular amounts of alcohol can have a negative effect on your health, so it’s important to be aware of your alcohol intake at all times. Binge drinking or regular, excessive drinking can have a variety of consequences, including:

• Falls
• Burns
• Accidents (shootings, driving under the influence, drownings)
• Liver disease
• Higher risk of cancer

Although this is a brief example of the health risks, there are many more that can occur after drinking too much. It’s also worth being aware of the social issues that may result from excessive drinking as well. These can include:

• Job loss
• Relationship issues
• Financial problems
• Criminal and other legal problems

If you are asking yourself whether you are drinking too much, then there’s a very good chance that you are.

Problem Drinking

This is the definition of drinking, whereby the drinker will require professional help in order to reduce their drinking or stop altogether. While drinking is often seen as a social, fun activity, the fact is that the social factor of alcohol means it can be hard to identify whether you have a problem or not. It’s vital that you are honest with yourself about the amount that you drink. It is often useful to keep a record of how much you are drinking. If you experience blackouts (never a good sign), then try and keep a record of how much money you are spending on booze. The answer might surprise (and horrify) you.

Common Signs of Over Drinking

Some people will drink alcohol throughout their lives, with little to no negative effects. This can be hard to manage, so it’s important that you are aware of the danger signs that might indicate that you are taking your drinking too far. Be very aware of the following, and if you recognize your own behavior, then it might be time to reflect on your drinking habits.

Loss of Control

If you are unable to socialize or even get through the day without a drink, then this is a major warning sign. This is especially true if you have made the decision to cut alcohol out of your life completely but have been unable to do so. Problem drinkers often promise to stay sober after especially heavy nights, or when their actions have unintended and negative consequences. Those problem drinkers will then find it very difficult to keep that promise. This is not necessarily a moral weakness. Alcohol is a drug, and that means that you can develop addiction and dependence. Alcohol is the most popular and commonly used addictive drug in the US, so it’s important that you seek help if you have tried to reduce your consumption but have been unable to stop yourself.

High Tolerance

Alcohol is a drink that your body can get very used to. You build up a tolerance, and that means that you start needing more and more drinks in order to get the same effects. Building up tolerance should be a big warning sign that you are overdoing your drinking. If you realize that it is starting to take you more drinks to start feeling the alcohol that you consume, then this can be a sign that you are drinking too much too regularly. That’s why a diary is often a good idea. It doesn’t matter if you have a few nightcaps at the end of every day but don’t feel the effects. That’s not a positive, and should be included in your diary notes. As you build up a tolerance, your consumption will start to increase, and only by keeping a diary will you be able to identify when this is happening.

Accidents and Blackouts

Alcohol amnesia (or blackouts as they are most commonly known) are most often suffered by alcoholics. They can be very traumatizing, and can all too easily lead to accidents. Drink driving is a very common occurrence for blackout drunks, and it can affect your life in a huge variety of negative ways. Even if you managed to avoid the serious effects of a car accident while driving when intoxicated, if someone is injured or killed due to your drinking and driving then you can still face financial consequences if someone sues you. You can read more here about suing someone for wrongful death while driving drunk. If you want to avoid this happening to you, then it’s essential that you address your alcohol amnesia, and make real efforts to limit your total drinking amount.

Pre-Party Intoxication

It’s not uncommon nowadays to have a few drinks before hitting the bars, clubs, and parties. While ‘pre-gaming’ can save you a lot of money, it is still dangerous and a possible sign that you may have a problem. If you feel the need to down as many drinks as possible just to get drunk enough to socialize, then you are most likely using alcohol as a crutch, and that’s a big red flag. This is even truer if you are making use of pre-party drinks by yourself. Drinking on your own is also a red flag in terms of your alcohol consumption, and if you’re taking it so far as to be consciously hiding how much you drink from those around you, then it’s time to start looking at your drinking habits and taking them seriously.

If you think that you may have a problem with alcohol, then it’s important that you speak to your doctor. They can advise you on the best steps to take, and can help identify the obvious issues. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that alcohol dependence is a weakness. It’s a very real affliction suffered by millions, but with the right treatment and help, you can recover. Don’t try and do it alone and don't suffer in silence.

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Special Announcement from Petra's

Oh, how we love Tuesdays and Fridays at PETRA's!  After the weekend, all of us here are excited to hear our club buzzing with the sounds of great live music and singing, and let's not forget the laughter and humor of our guests.

We do have some more exciting news for you.  Starting next Thursday, May 30, PETRA's will present Twinghost ronas and Voodoo Shilton who will be appearing here regularly on alternate Thursdays.   We have a couple more surprises for you on that evening.  but we'll save them for a later announcement.  But the great news is PETRA"s will be open an additional day thanks largely to the great response to our programming that we've received from our patrons.  Thank you for believing in what we do and thanks too, for your generosity and loyalty.

We think every set is a "Do Not Miss" so take the magic carpet and come join, our warm and gracious hosts, Sweet, Foxxy, Alyss, April, and of course me, Petra.  See you soon.

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LOOK of the YEAR Contest LOT OF WOMEN IN THE RACEBUT WHERE ARE THE MEN? L$ 50 000 CASH TO WIN!

It is Sunday May 26th that the  LOOK of the YEAR judges will select the first group of 10 semi-finalists and a lot of women already submitted their picture but the men are a lot less numerous... Where are the men of style? Are they shy?

Remember: LUXE Paris Women's Fashion and LUXE Dot Be Men's Fashion are now searching the grid to find two ambassadors, a woman and a man with style and charisma, who will represent their brands and each win L$ 50 000 cash! No need to be a professional model to apply as we will train the finalists without experience. You just need to have style, to express yourself through what you wear!

The Earlier You Enter the More Chances You have!

In the first step of the contest, the judges will select  a group of 10 semi-finalists (5 women and 5 men) every week for 5 weeks, starting Sunday.  Each week ALL the pictures received will be presented to the judges so more  early you participate, more chances you have to be selected! You can enter the contest as many times as you wish as long as you present a different outfit for each entry. To be eligible to the first selection of semi-finalists, your picture has to be received before midnight Friday May 24th.

Easy to participate: Wear a LUXE Paris or a LUXE Dot Be outfit, style it, snap a picture, put your name in the title and send FULL PERM to LOOKoftheYEAR resident.  Gift for all participants! Each week The Second Life Enquirer will publish the pictures of the semi-finalists. They will also be displayed in the LOOK of the YEAR Hall at LUXE Paris and LUXE Dot Be main stores and on our website at https://lookoftheyear.wordpress.com/

When we have 25 semi-finalists women and 25 semi-finalists men, the jury will then select 10 finalists in each category. These finalists will be invited to the LOOK of the YEAR Brunch of the Judges where they will be asked to explain why they would be a good ambassador for LUXE Paris or LUXE Dot Be.  At the same occasion, they will be invited to each choose 10 free outfits  at our main stores, to prepare  their look for the  two challenges-shows  that will determine the winners.

L$ 275 000 in prizes

Beside the L$ 50 000 cash, the LUXE Paris and LUXE Dot Be new ambassadors will also each win:  One year of free shopping at LUXE Paris/ LUXE Dot Be (a value of L$30 000), a fashion feature in The Second Life Enquirer and in the magazines ModeLS,  SL Confidencial and L'Amour Diversity (a value of L$30 000),  a private dinner party for 20 at the Duplex Club (a value of L$5000), a scholarship at In-Nova Model Training (a value of L$4000), a gift card of L$3500 at ProPose, a gift card of L$3000 at Alma Makeup, a crown by Zuri Jewelry (a scepter for the man), a value of L$1500, an official picture by Jack Rock (a value of L$1000), an hour coaching with Ponchituti Boucher and a VIP invite to be part of AIM Modeling Agency.

The two runners up in each category (women & men) will also receive a scholarship at In-Nova Model Training (a value of L$4000), a Zuri tiara or scepter (L$1000), a gift card from ProPose (L$2500 for the first and L$1500 for the second), a gift card from Alma Makeup (L$1000 for the first and L$500 for the second) and an official picture by Jack Rock (L$1000). They will also get an hour coaching with Ponchituti Boucher and be interviewed by ModeLS Magazine and SL Confidencial.

 

So what are you waiting for? Show off your style! This contest is a super fun experience and you could be one of the next LOOKS of the YEAR and win L$ 50 000 cash! The contestants will be judged on their style, elegance and originality. You will find more details about the LOOK of the YEAR contest at LUXE Paris and LUXE Dot Be stores at https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bao/55/97/26/ and on our website.

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SPOTLIGHT ON SAPPHIRE BEACH CLUB: THE GEM OF SECONDLIFE – Josh (Thomas1 Bellic) Reporting

I recently had the very real pleasure of visiting Skyhill Island, home of the Sapphire Beach Club.  Newly arrived on the SL Grid, Skyhill is the brainchild of Claudine Jewell and her business partner , John Sinclair. Together with Live Talent Manager, Amber LeFavre, they have built a region uniquely suited for the Music Lover in Second Life.  In addition to the Club, Skyhill has a beach area for swimming or sunbathing, or just enjoying good conversation with friends. Complete with Beach House and waterfall, Gaming events, and a Yoga and Meditation place to come and refresh and relax.

I was fortunate to spend a delightful afternoon in the company of Claudine Jewell and Amber LeFavre.  My visit proved most informative as they shared perspectives on Skyhill Island and the Sapphire Beach Club.

Josh (thomas1.bellic): Claudine, what is it that drew you to Second Life in the first place?

Claudine Jewell: Well….I always liked to play computer games and I read a magazine article at the gym about Anshe Chung, SecondLife land baron and its first millionaire.  When I got home I registered to see what this is all about ...that was 2007. I showed it to John later and he joined too

JB:   And Sapphire Beach Club?  How did you decide to build that?

CJ:   Well, John co-owned a club in RL and loves clubbing here and he talked about it all the time.  So, so I suggested we should get a full region, since full regions are more stable than individual Sims and with a Region you can host up to 100 people

JB:  There are dozens, if not scores of Beach clubs in SL.  How is Skyhill Island different from the others, and how will Sapphire Beach Club make a distinctive contribution to life on the grid?

CJ:   Well, I don’t know if you remember the old clubs back in the day.  John wanted it to be similar to Sleek which was beach themed....I wanted something classy like Elements,  so we hope we can provide that to the people. We also don’t want to compete with 24 hour clubs. We just want to organize some quality Live events that people won’t forget.

JB:  So Amber, are there sizable numbers of live music lovers here?

Amber Lefavre: Yes there are.  DJ people and live singer people are different.  One way to help get maximum exposure for the club is to do both. ... live singers performances are not perfect,  expect something happening or not working... but its live...its personal….it shows the person. With DJs you know you are getting the exact song you thought you would.  But its the same every time...Lots more gestures used… chatting etc. Its just different...neither is wrong...or better.

JB:  But seriously. Are live singers really that much better than recorded music? I have heard live singers who...well..their hearts are certainly in the right place….but you can see that their passion greatly exceeds their ability.

AL:  Laughs.  True. BUT when a venue pays a singer up to 7000 lindens for an hour, they are going to be what the  the Club owners hope, and the crowd is going to love them as much as they do, because they will never make their money back.   You do not do live music to make money. You do it for the love of music. Live musicians are a real draw for their personality, interactions and talent.  

JB:  One of the first things I noticed when I landed here was that Skyhill is rated “M”...it is only rated Mature.  Many, if not most beaches here are rated “R”. Most beach clubs allow..and in fact encourage, nudity. You do not.  Can you share with our readers why you are different from the pack? What is it that sets you apart from others?

AL:  Claudine does not want sex and nudity here.  That is not why they did this. The emphasis will be that it is a quality sim with quality acts.  That will help it appeal to folks who are tired of seeing public sex and naked avis everywhere.

CJ:  Yes. Its that simple :-) I think SL is full of those places...lots and lots of adult clubs.  Besides, why would you spend 1000s of lindens on clothes and then you go party at a nude beach :)))   No, we don’t want people to run around naked all the time. We want to do formal events too..classy, but also modern.

JB:   Tell our readers about your event scheduled for May 31.  What can we expect to see there?

CJ:  On May 31 at 1:00 PM SLT we will host Gabriel da Silva.  Hes a great live singer and his specialty is Rock. The stage will be on the beach close to the pool and after that DJ Tabasco will stream at the pool.   We have other great musical talent lined up as well. On June 8th at 12 PM we have a Lynard Skynard tribute by Lightning Strikes, June 14th at noon we have David Hauptman with a formal dance event and June 23rd at noon we have Toxic Darkmatter.  Additionally, there will be various DJs performing around these scheduled live musicians.

AL:   For Gabe, his stage will be on the water and dancing will on the beach.  In June for the formal dance with David Hauptman we will place his stage on the beach and cover the water with a clear dance floor...so people can dance on the water.  

JB:   Is there anything else you would like to say?  Anything else you want to tell our readers?

CJ:   I’m just really grateful for the opportunity to share our space and music with people here in SL

There you have it folks.   Second Life’s newest venue for Live entertainment kicks off on May 31st with Gabriel da Silva at 1:00 PM SLT.  This is one show you do NOT want to miss.

Be there!  Aloha! - J.B.

 

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GeekSpeak – will China rule the world 10 years from now? Join the discussion May 18th at 12pm SLT

Let’s talk about China. Where is it going?  Will it be taking the lead in technology in a few years’ time?  How will world trade change when China completes its new network of land and sea trade routes (the belt and road initiative).  Will other countries become more like China as it grows more powerful?  Should we all be learning Mandarin?
What about the dark side of China?  The forced abortions, the re-education camps, the disappearances and killings, the constant monitoring, the social scores.  Would you like to live in China, or do you think China is an Orwellian horror show?  Are you frightened when you think of China ruling the world?
Or do you think China’s economy will collapse and there will be a revolution?  Maybe that possibility is equally frightening.
IM Vulcan Viper if you have ideas for new subjects.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Danmu/143/127/51

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Sapphire Beach Club Opens to the Public!

On April 13, 2019 Sapphire Beach Club opened to the public. Located on Skyhill; a Full Region Sim. The Venue is outdoors with no solid roof and has direct access to the Beach and its surrounding.  Lined with palm trees and a beautiful Waterfront View. There is a Dancefloor and a Pool Area for hosted Pool Parties.

Our main motivation for creating Sapphire Beach Club was to have fun and meet people so we created a place were people can hang out, dance, listen to music, socialize and meet other people. We started hiring DJ's and had our Grand opening party just a couple of weeks ago. It is very important to us that we don't just focus on one genre of Music but approach different people with different tastes. Our Club DJ's will play Hip-Hop, RnB, Latino Merengue, Pop, Rock, Electronic Music and more.

The Club is not one of the 24 Hours Clubs in Secondlife because we want to create special events. Our team is very excited to host live events with some of the best singers in Secondlife coming very soon! 

We are also planning theme parties, game events and we will work together with tribute Bands for more variety. The lovely Amber LeFavre just recently joined our team as a Manager and as a Venue Owner herself she is very experienced in booking Artists and organizing Events. If you want to stay up to date on the development and future Events join our group or you will get an invite when you visit Skyhill.

There is so much more to experience and discover on Skyhill Island than just the Club. There is a Beach Area where you can chill and sunbathe with your friends, a Beach House and the Waterfall where you can hangout with your loved ones and a Yoga and Meditation Area where we meet to just breathe and relax. We hope that you come by.  We will be very glad to have you as our guests.

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