Road Trip, Stop Two: Los Angeles

 ...no, I didn't stumble into a starring role darn it!, or crash a Hollywood event.

Rand, on the other hand, did have a supporting role in a film, and invited me to the premiere. (To be honest, I think his offer was mostly to prove to his ex that he isn't pining away, but let's be real - how many chances does a non-actor get to walk a red carpet? Of course I went!)

Rand's Outfit:

Body: Legacy M
Head: LAQ "James"
Skin: leLAPEAU "Mario Skin NF" Medium
Hair: WINGSDG "gift 06 Male Hair B"
Clothing: ONEDAYs "CHRISTOPHER OUTIT /// LEGACY" (Access 8th Birthday Gift); 
            T&C Creations "Men's Dress Shoes" Black
Jewelry: Romazin "Chain <Sinbad>"

My Outfit: 

Head: LOGO "Christina"
Eyes: S H I M M CDVI Set [BOM] 4
Skin: leLAPEAU "Dallas Skin" Rosekiss
Hair: WINGSDG "EF0108" BLondes & Reds HUD
Makeup: VELOUR "DREAMIN'" Eyeshadow - Gold; Navzar Beauty "First Kiss Lipstick 2," 75%; 
            Sera "She Basic Glitter Dust Undereye"
Manicure: e.marie "Laila Nails" Neutrals 
Clothes: Pixicat "Selena Dress" SL23B Gift
Jewelry: "Ordem da Rosa Diamond Choker," Chop Zuey "GLoriana Diamond Earrings;" 
            Kibitz "Mia's Rings" Gold

 Background: Moonlite Backdrops & Poses "Walk of Fame" (SL23B Shop & Hop gift); 
            Drama Libre "Studio Crew NPCs"

Road Trip, Stop One: San Diego Comic Con

 I had planned to start my road trip in New England, Susan's stomping grounds, in honor of her help in choosing the next theme.

When I get a call from Mei Lin, it turns out to be a good thing I didn't make my travel arrangements yet.

"Tarra, I need help! I wanted to do a C-Drama cosplay at San Diego Comic Con, but the friend who was going with me got sick and had to cancel at the last minute!" she says.

"That's awful, I'm so sorry," I tell her. "But how can I help? I'm no doctor - don't even play one on TV."

"Noooo, but you are almost exactly the same size as Valerie, who was going to wear the other costume. Any chance I can talk you into coming out to model it?" Mei wheedles. "You won't even need to wear a wig!"

...which is how I find myself in California, dressed as a nine-tailed fox spirit and loyal companion to Mei's young goddess going through her tribulation.

 "Are you sure it's okay to wear this here?" I ask. "It's not really comics related."

"Neither are Forrest Gump or the Phantom of the Opera, and they've both made appearances," she says with a laugh. "Anyway, if anybody complains, just tell them we're from a Shang Chi AU." 

I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I guess I'll just have to trust my young goddess!

The Idea

"I don't know, it's just staring to feel... stagnant?" I said. "Put together an outfit, snap the picture, post, then lather, rinse repeat. I'm just afraid if I don't find a way to shake things up, I'll lose interest and dip out of the grid again."

 

"Hmm." Perched beside me on the picnic table, Susan stared across the yard in thought. "What kind of things are you thinking of to shake it up?"

 

"Well, I don't want to just give up again. I've considered doing portraits for other people?" I offered hesitantly.

 

She tilted her head. "Okay, and what are the downsides of that?"

 

"Logistics, for one thing." I shrugged. "You know how long it took just for the two of us to meet up in-world. Also, having to advertise to get people interested - I'm not great at promotion."

 

Susan nodded. "And working with an agent or manager would run into the same logistics problems. Okay. What else?" 

 

"Add in some scenery shots?"

 

Her eyebrows went up. "That could work, especially if you come up with a 'fit that goes with the location, instead of finding a location or making a backdrop that goes with the clothes."

 

"Or at least vaguely goes with," I admitted. "So basically... SL Road Trip? Around the Grid in Eighty Days?"

 

"Like that! But don't limit yourself to a specific number, in time or number of locations."

 

I thought about it. "Yeah, and there are some areas of the Grid I'll probably skip rather than trying to get everywhere. This could help, though."

 

It would take more research than the stufved been doing, and probably more Lindens since I'd have to dress appropriately for the location instead of just working with whatever was on the weekend sales at any given time. But - this just might work.

 

"Okay, Road Trip it is!"

When Inspiration Strikes

 I stumbled across a painting class set-up while touring an in-world winery, and decided to give it a go. 

While I can't say I'll ever become a skilled (or even mediocre) painter, some inspiration did strike while I was there. After talking it over with a friend, I'll probably start setting up and posting the results of that inspiration soon!

Head: LOGO "Christina"
Eyes: .:|Profect|:. "BOM Cati Eyes_blue"
Skin: Not Found "Vaelis" L007 B
Hair: Monso "Gara" Black & Red
Makeup: Cazimi "Fae Eyeshadow 11 Pink to Gold"; Alba "Essential Eyeliner - 5"; Miamai "Donna Lips Evox_02"
Manicure: e.marie // "Gia Nails" Pinks
Clothes: Carol's "Gemma" Top & Pants, Light Blue

Location: Pour Up Winery & Vineyard

 

First of Her Name

 

When you find a gown that makes you feel like a queen, you might as well run with the theme!

Head: LOGO "Christina"
Eyes: .:|Profect|:. "BOM Cati Eyes_blue"
Skin: Not Found "Vaelis" L007 B
Hair: Ade "Isla" (on Mirja "Hairbase 3.0")
Makeup: Cazimi "Fae Eyeshadow 11 Pink to Gold"; Alba "Essential Eyeliner - 5"; 
              Miamai "Donna Lips Evox_02"; Sera "She Basic" Undereye Glitter
Clothes: :Dernier: "Carmen" Gown and Cloak; :DBL: "Aphrodite Gloves"
Jewelry: Earthstones "Lora" Earrings; Zibska "Vionica" Headpiece

Backdrop: EVHAH "Eternal Flame" set (on private land)

(I had this photo taken ages ago, but that darn first life has a nasty habit of interfering with my time...)

Happy Half-Price Chocolates' Eve!

 Hey, a gal has to have her priorities, right? 😉

(This shot does use a few more items from the February Shop & Hop; the delicious box of chocolates was part of last weekend's sales.)

February Shop & Hop Goodies

 I have a different idea in mind for the 14th, but did want to show off some fun gift items from the February Shop & Hop. (Not everything in the image is from there, but most of it is!)

Dance the Night

When the night's here, I don't do tears
Baby, no chance
I could dance, I could dance, I could dance

 (Thank you to friends P, X, M & D for helping out with the dance party vibes!)

A Little Natural Zen

Not all of SL gets taken over by winter decor to match the actual-world season, and I'm very grateful for that when I need a virtual summery break. There are so many areas of the grid I still haven't seen, and new ones popping up all the time.

(In this case, I just searched "nature" and landed in this lovely spot called "Buddha Garden")

Winter Wandering

I finally hopped over to LeLUTKA to check out their new "Vela" gift head. I don't think it'll usurp the number-one spot of my usual Christina, but it is nice to get to use some the LeLUTKA-only makeup appliers I've gotten from events, that won't work on the LOGO head. 

I will keep wearing the Vela for a few photos, to see if she grows on me.

(Also? I much prefer walking around in the snow in SL to doing so in RL!) 

Welcome to Another New Year

 My area got snow for New Year's Eve - far from the worst of the storm systems that night, but it did accumulate enough to keep the NYE party small. 

We had a good time, though! ...I only regretted the lack of sleep when I had to work on the 1st.

On Christmas Day in the Morning

 Christmas Morning was the quietest part of my holidays, with a little time to relax and enjoy a hot beverage. And the holiday is one of the very few days of the year my RL workplace closes!

Granted, neither I nor my bedroom looked this glamorous in non-pixel reality. (Maybe the pajama top is just a wee bit too apt tho'?)

Fall (Down On The Job)

 

Once again, RL has interfered with my posting. (Bless the full-time job for keeping the bills paid and computer running; curse it for being...well, full-time. Really takes away from my ability to SL!)

Took this shot before Winter struck, and I still have so many outfits to style and get pics of! I might have to ban myself from the weekend sales until I get caught up a little bit. 

Happy Belated Hallowe'en

 What happens when the rest of the "meddling kids" forget and leave you behind? Well, I guess you take a solo pic instead.

(I had this costume well before Hallowe'en; even had it on for over a week ahead of time. But life and yes that cozy game still got in the way of finding a good location, taking the photo and editing it. (No, Scooby-Doo was never a favorite cartoon, but the costume is just too good for a redhead.)

Head: LOGO "Christina"
Skin: Gloom - Veruska Skin (Rosekiss)
Hair: Stealthic - Beam

Clothes: Mug - Dallene Costume

Pose: STUN - Belinda 4

Location: Frogmore

 

Daisies and Bunchberries

 This photo was originally intended to go up back in Spring, but the Typist got hooked on a cozy-style video game that still has a very strong hold lol. As a result, blog posts got pushed aside, and while I have a nice backlog of items from the various weekend sales over the months for more photos, it's going to take a while to style them all and get the shots. 

(I also haven't been on Primfeed much, and sincerely regret not seeing everyone's pictures and giving likes there!) 

Head: LOGO "Christina"
Skin: [Glam Affair] "Foxy" L006A 
Hair: TRUTH "Linger" - Redhead
Makeup: Velour "Dreamin" Eyeshadow (Gold), Cazimi "Holiday Glam" Eyeliner 80% and Warm Lt Nude 60& Lipstick

Clothes: ::pm:: Paula Set -cream-, [M.O.D.A.N.] "Anais" Heels
Jewelry: *Avaway* HUMMINGBIRD Earrings Set, ~~Ysoral~~ "Ariane" Bracelet, Evelock "Flora" Amber Necklace

Pose: versuta. melly // 9

Location: Dutch Pavilion 

Autumn Colors in Spring

 I'm so far behind on my weekend sales pictures! hangs head (Honestly, The Typist needs to win the lottery or something so I have more time to play.) The dress and hair pictured here were on sale 2 -3 weeks back.

February Fugue

 The second half of February kind of went by in both a rush and a daze for me; the anniversary of an emotionally fraught event falls in there, some RL stuff (helping a friend move, being even more short-staffed at work due to co-worker medical issues, etc,, and The Typist getting hooked on a new video game. possibly in reaction to some of that stuff). 

There's no location for this shot, as it's a set put together on a friend's bit of private land, with items from the February Shop & Hop, and items from a couple of weeks' worth of weekend sales.

Premier

 I tend to scout locations for photos, since I don't always have the time and other resources to build more than the simplest of sets. When I first explored the Premier Business Center sim I was focused on this lovely stretch limo to make it look like I'd just shown up at a red-carpet event in style.

After a quick and helpful chat with one of the sim's caretakers, though, I had to take a little time to check out their museum before I left; they have an excellent Black History Month exhibit up. The first floor had heavy emphasis on inventions we all use that are thanks to Black inventors. I knew about a few of these before, but there were so many more than I'd realized.

If you get a chance, please check it out! 

Style details below the cut.

Weekend Sales Fun

 This is probably my last weekend sales splurge for a little while, before I go back on a more extreme bargain-hunt "diet" - but since I'm being my own Valentine this year, I indulged in a few heart-themed items (and used at least one that was already in inventory).

It doesn't really show in the face-on image, but the hair has a heart-shaped braided bun in the back!

 

On The Range...?

 A couple of the items on The Saturday Sale had a Western-ish theme, so it sent me in search of an appropriate location to take a photo of them. Most of the sims that came up in the search were RP locations, and I've had mixed results visiting those in the past. (Some RP locations have much stricter rules than others, and yeah - I've gotten yelled at before. 😅)

I ended up at an Amaretto Horse auction site that seemed to be empty at the time - hope they don't mind!