https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic Sat, 04 Apr 2026 22:15:56 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/660/early-morning-baking https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/660


My life of leisure is over!  I must admit that my role as the estate manager for the QH Co-op hasn’t been all that taxing, mostly involving chasing after chickens which have run amok and testing new products to confirm their overall safety.
That’s all change with the introduction of the new AoR Household Management Challenge (HHMC) which now finds me up before dawn lighting the fires in the bread ovens and preparing the dough for another round of baking.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m starting this challenge at rather a disadvantage as I have absolutely no skills, experience or coins.  So, while Tat may aspire to running a Family or eventually an Estate, I’m content to make my way as an Individual Household.  Looking after myself is quite enough of a challenge!
I’ve made a deal with her to provide me with all the wheat and milk I require in return for my labour, milling her flour, baking her bread, and churning her butter.  Sometimes I think it would just be easier to grow my own wheat & find a willing cow but I begin to enjoy my time in the kitchen.
Cheese and sugar I can make for myself.  I’ve also tried my hand at apple cider which turned out rather well, though I had to spend some precious coins on the cinnamon.
My pocket money comes from the sale of extra butter.  Oh, how I wish we were back in the days of the “Butter Barons” when multiple churns and a bit of milk could make you a fortune in no time flat.
Tea and soap I purchased from local merchants.  I also purchased individual candle sticks only to realize that they couldn’t be loaded into my basket.  Argh!  After grumbling to Tatiana, I’m glad to report that the bulk purchase of candles will soon be possible from our local merchants instead of being monopolized by old Myriam “moneybags” Merchant.
I had no choice but to pay the premium that Myriam demands for raw chicken.  Fortunately, I don’t require much in a week.  We must see if we can convince a butcher to set up shop in our community.
Regarding the monthly challenge, I’m making progress, but I’m hampered by my lack of cooking skills as the Egg Board is a level three recipe.  I’m also saving up to buy that bottle of Hard Cider.  I’m sure that will a bit of hard work and determination I’ll have everything assembled in the next month.
Well, the ovens are heated and the loaves have risen and are ready to be baked.  Soon the wonderful aroma of fresh bread will be filling the kitchen.
I’m asking Tat to post this note for me as soon as she returns from her morning rounds on the farm.

Take care!
Mikhail
]]> Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:58:44 -0800 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/650/hooked-on-graphics https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/650




It's no secret that one of my greatest pleasures in Second Life is creating and out of all the ways you can create graphic design is really what I love the most.  I'm seldom happier than when I'm researching and putting together something as simple as labels for virtual jars of jam or honey.
I have spent many happy hours "down the rabbit hole" searching for inspiration as my ever-expanding Pinterest sections, such as Graphic Design-Labels , can attest.  I'm also inspired by my creative Second Life friends who share the same passion and produce their own mini-masterpieces on a regular basis.
It took me a number of weeks to come up with the labels pictured above, much of that time spent drooling over Redouté engravings and other examples of ephemera.  If I'm not careful I find that pixel editing can become a bit of an obsession.
I'm also delighted when Second Life intersects Real Life in an almost whimsical fashion. Some weeks after creating my own label for the Queen's Hamlet honey the Chateau of Versailles released the following Miel de Trianon on their Facebook page.



"The honey of Trianon, available for the first time on the online shop of the Palace of Versailles! Produced by the beehives of the Queen’s Vegetable Garden as part of an ecological approach. With delicate flavours of lime, summer flowers and chestnut."


Life is sweet!



Please feel free to share some of your favourite graphic creations here for us all to enjoy.



Originally published on Tatiana's Tea Room: Hooked on Graphics.



]]> Thu, 12 Dec 2019 08:29:22 -0800 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/632/versailles-queens-apartment-reopened-after-restoration https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/632
According to the Chateau de Versailles :
The Queen's great apartment has just reopened after several years of work. Marble, ors and crystals shine from all their fires, punctuated by a restoration punctuated by discoveries.
I've been following the restoration progress and it's really exciting to think that it's finally done.
Read more at Mille et une nuits chez la reine .



The bedchamber looks fabulous!  I believe that all of the fabric was re-woven using instructions found for the original patterns.


Can you imagine hand-painting the ceiling ...

... or sewing the details back onto the walls!
Fabulous!

]]> Mon, 22 Apr 2019 09:48:49 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/622/chasing-jane-pursuing-jane-austen-is-always-a-pleasure https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/622

Having first discovered Jane Austen as a child means that I've been pursuing her for many years now. I distinctly remember being enchanted by the fairy tale aspects of Emma ; beautiful heroine, dashing hero, wealth, luxury. etc, etc.  I also remember trying to figure out what the heck a "fortnight" was.
Her penchant for happy endings was also appealing.
All-in-all I perceived Austen's world as something very "Disneyfied" where beautiful damsels were aided by kindhearted helpers something like this ...



It wasn't until much later that I came to appreciate the real grit of Austen's writing.  I rediscovered Pride and Prejudice  and Sense and Sensibility  only because they came as free content on my first eBook.  Turns out that the reality underlying the fairy tale can often be a bit grim and I can now appreciate how Austen's delicious irony manages to reveal a wealth of social hypocrisy, highlight the plight of women being dependent on marriage for economic security, and be most entertaining at the same time. No mean feat that!
Having reestablished my relationship with Jane I chased through the rest of her portfolio and, eager for more, started branching out.
Longbourn by Jo Baker , a tale told by the servants of  Pride and Prejudice , kept me in the world of the Bennets while emphasizing that those "kindhearted helpers" previously mentioned were actually flesh & blood servants with difficult lives of their own.



I'll never again think of Elizabeth Bennet walking purposefully through the mud to visit her sister Jane without considering the grueling work of the laundress to clean her clothes afterwards.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies  was actually a whole lot of fun.  I haven't seen the video  yet but I most enjoyed reading about the Bennet women and their slaying skills.  Where Austen used words against her foes Elizabeth can now use a sword!


Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James  provides a more traditional extension to P&P and throws in a murder mystery to boot.  It was lovely to catch up with these old friends and see what they've made of their lives after the "happily ever after".
Turns out that I'm still a sucker for happy endings!
Those residents of Second Life that enjoy Austen and Regency Literature in general should check out the Foray Literary Society . They meet once a month with their next session scheduled for December 4, 2016  where they will be discussing Pride & Prejudice along with some of the other books mentioned here.
Originally published as Chasing Jane: Pursuing Jane Austen is Always a Pleasure
]]> Mon, 28 Nov 2016 13:55:44 -0800 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/621/vermeer-view-of-delft https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/621



"Although there exists a plethora of Dutch 17th-century cityscapes, none are able to transport the viewer back in time and convey the material sense of water, air, brick and mortar as much as Vermeer's View of Delft .  When we stand in front of this picture it is almost as if we had been projected in a time capsule to the southern ramparts of Delft's city gates in the early 1660's"

essential Vermeer 2.0 ~ View of Delft

Which is exactly why I picked this Vermeer masterpiece as the banner for Living History via Virtual Worlds .  What a wonderful way to provide some amazing atmosphere for a social network dedicated to historical adventurers!  Imagine yourself  talking to those people on the river bank, exploring the city, or boarding a ship for destinations unknown.





Johannes Vermeer, View of Delft (Mauritshuis, The Hague) 1660-1661 (Photo credit: Wikipedia )

While  Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) specialized in "domestic interior scenes of middle class life", the Girl with the Pearl Earring being an excellent example, Delft was Vermeer's hometown and View of Delft is one of three known paintings in which the city is featured.  His painting technique is said to be meticulous including the use of grains of sand mixed with some of his paints to provide additional texture.  Using a limited choice of pigments and pointillism  he created "probably the most memorable cityscape in western art".





Vermeer's original painting, Girl with a Pearl Earring from 1665 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) It's also fascinating to delve into Vermeer's possible use of mechanical aids like the camera obscura. Check out David Hockney's   Secret Knowledge: Rediscovering the Lost Techniques of the Old Masters  or Tim Jenison's  Tim's Vermeer  for theories of how Vermeer managed to "mechanize" his technique, allowing him to produce photorealistic detail without the benefit of any formal training.


Originally published on Tatiana's Tea Room  as Vermeer:View of Delft ]]> Fri, 11 Nov 2016 12:28:26 -0800 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/618/ada-lovelace-day-a-celebration-of-women-in-science-technology https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/618


Today is Ada Lovelace Day , a celebration of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).  It aims to increase the profile of women in STEM and, in doing so, create new role models who will encourage more girls into STEM careers and support women already working in STEM.
Ada Lovelace is a fascinating woman, credited with being the first computer programmer back in the 1830s!
Augusta Ada King-Noel, Countess of Lovelace ( née Byron ; 10 December 1815 – 27 November 1852) was an English mathematician and writer, chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage 's early mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. Her notes on the engine include what is recognised as the first algorithm intended to be carried out by a machine. As a result, she is often regarded as the first computer programmer .
Ada Lovelace was the only legitimate child of the poet George, Lord Byron and his wife Anne Isabella Milbanke ("Annabella"), Lady Wentworth. All Byron's other children were born out of wedlock to other women. [5] Byron separated from his wife a month after Ada was born and left England forever four months later, eventually dying of disease in the Greek War of Independence when Ada was eight years old. Her mother remained bitter towards Lord Byron and promoted Ada's interest in mathematics and logic in an effort to prevent her from developing what she saw as the insanity seen in her father, but Ada remained interested in him despite this (and was, upon her eventual death, buried next to him at her request). Often ill, she spent most of her childhood sick. Ada married William King in 1835. King was made Earl of Lovelace in 1838, and she became Countess of Lovelace.
Her educational and social exploits brought her into contact with scientists such as Andrew Crosse, Sir David Brewster, Charles Wheatstone, Michael Faraday and the author Charles Dickens, which she used to further her education. Ada described her approach as "poetical science" and herself as an "Analyst (& Metaphysician)".
When she was a teenager, her mathematical talents led her to an ongoing working relationship and friendship with fellow British mathematician Charles Babbage, also known as 'the father of computers', and in particular, Babbage's work on the Analytical Engine. Lovelace first met him in June 1833, through their mutual friend, and her private tutor, Mary Somerville. Between 1842 and 1843, Ada translated an article by Italian military engineer Luigi Menabrea on the engine, which she supplemented with an elaborate set of notes, simply called Notes . These notes contain what many consider to be the first computer program—that is, an algorithm designed to be carried out by a machine. Lovelace's notes are important in the early history of computers. She also developed a vision of the capability of computers to go beyond mere calculating or number-crunching, while many others, including Babbage himself, focused only on those capabilities. Her mind-set of "poetical science" led her to ask questions about the Analytical Engine (as shown in her notes) examining how individuals and society relate to technology as a collaborative tool.
A tip of the hat to Ada and all the women that followed in her footsteps!
]]> Tue, 11 Oct 2016 13:08:11 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/507/shared-seas-sailboat-race https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/507










Way too much fun was had at the April running of the Shared Seas Sailboat Race !






The competitors loaded up their boats with lucky charms & brave passengers before setting sail on the challenging course that threaded its way through the Duch de Coeur & Rocca Sorrentina.






It was a bit of a wonder that Fortune smiled on everyone and they all made it to the finish line, a bit soggy but mostly intact.






Perhaps the Navigator Challenge is having a beneficial effect on our Shared Seas Sailors as not a shipwreck or lost vessel was to be reported.






There were, however, rumours of some rather aggressive sailing maneuvers conducted by my sister, Skye. Something about her attempting to drive Mercury onto the rocks?
I'm not going to ask too many questions about that.






In any case, all was forgiven as the worthy sailors received their awards.



Read more ...

]]> Mon, 14 Apr 2014 15:37:36 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/503/last-dance-with-rodvik https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/503







Warning!! Given Rodvik's recent departure from Second Life, the title of this post might imply some melodramatic musings when it's actually a response to Strawberry Singh's latest Monday Meme, Dance in Second Life Challenge .

And though this post isn't melodramatic it is a bit nostalgic. As I wrote in Adventures w Flat Rod: Rod Humble Crept into My Life ,it was taken in the Ballroom of Languedoc Coeur.
I LOVED that ballroom and if memory serves me correctly it was the first place that I ever danced in Second Life (SL).
When the decision was made to overhaul Languedoc Coeur, I hauled Flat Rod there for one final dance. Though the ballroom was still standing the region was empty; more ghost-town then anything I've ever experienced in SL before or since. I planted Rod in the middle of the huge, marble floor and danced the minuet one last time. He was stoic (as only a cardboard cut-out can be) while I was a bit teary. He didn't start to sweat until I dragged him next door to the Languedoc Coeur Chapel , though that could have just been condensation collection on his rigid, board brow.
I'm glad I captured this moment and thought it was perfect for this dancing challenge. In response to the questions:
Read more ...
]]> Sat, 29 Mar 2014 15:27:12 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/493/port-trianon-connecting-the-shared-seas https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/493







Port Trianon: Midday

It's been a whirlwind three months since the Duch de Coeur & Rocca Sorrentina formalized their plans for a closer physical connection between their two realms.
We started with the addition of two, brand-new, sailable regions linking Rocca Sorrentina to the southern shores of Provence Coeur. Then the real work commenced.
We were busy dredging harbours, forming islands and attending to all the little details that make this a magical Second Life destination. A few minor bumps were experienced along the way; I managed to flatten both Provence Coeur Est & Provence Coeur Est2 with one keystroke (note to self: always look above sea level when using the terrain tool especially when it's set to high) but all-in-all the work progressed smoothly.







Port Trianon: Looking East to Rocca Sorrentina

My biggest contribution to this project was the addition of Port Trianon .
It began, as many new construction projects do, by making some tough decisions about location and existing structures. Subsequently, the old Coeur Fairgrounds, site of many a revelry, was boxed up and removed. I'll always have a soft-spot in my heart for those monthly fairs with the patrons yelling Beer!! and jigging around the apple tree.
Read More ...
]]> Sun, 16 Mar 2014 10:30:33 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/474/duche-de-coeur-fabulous-fall-2013 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/474










We're enjoying another fabulous fall in the Duch de Coeur,
surrounded by blazing colour and ever-deepening piles of leaves.













Thesunset sky takes on a golden hue,
seeming to reflect the richly coloured trees below.



Read more at Duch de Coeur: Fabulous Fall 2013
]]> Sat, 12 Oct 2013 11:18:47 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/470/renaissance-women-margaret-of-austria https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/470

Margaret of Austria, Mary of Burgundy, Maximilian of Austria, Anne of Brittany, Philip the Handsome, Catherine of Aragon, Louise of Savoy, Anne of France



When last we sawAnne Boleyn,ourelegant & intrepid guidefor these Renaissance ramblings, it was 1513 and she was heading to the court of Margaret of Austria to begin her European education(see Anne Boleyn: The French Connection ).Modern-day references to Margaret are often brief andmade in passing to denote her relationships with others. Frequently appearing in thebiographies of others; often tagged as "Aunt of" or"Sister in law of"; Margaret has a fascinating story all of her own.





Born in 1480 to Mary of Burgundy and Maximilian of Austria, Margaret of Austriacertainly had a lot of high-powered family connections (both through blood and through marriage) given that her mother was the Duchess of Burgundy in her own right, her father was the elected Holy Roman Emperor and her parents were the co-sovereigns of the Low Countries .




In 1482, when Margaret was only two years of age, hermother diedas the result ofa riding accident. This tragic turn of events accelerated Margaret'sentryinto the political arena and she was soon betrothedto Charles (the current dauphin of France andsoon-to-beCharles VIII) in a deal to end the conflict between Burgundy and France.





Chteaud'Amboise





As part of this arrangement, a three-year-old Margaret was sent to the French royal court at Amboise to be raised as the future queen of France. Her education was supervised by Anne of France, her fianc's sister,who was acting as his regent during his minority.Anne, one of the most powerful women ofher time, was both a ruler and an educator of the aristocracy's children, a model that Margaret herself would later emulate.



Read more Renaissance Women: Margaret of Austria



]]> Sat, 21 Sep 2013 13:56:23 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/463/anne-boleyn-the-french-connection https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/463



Anne Boleyn, Margaret of Austria, Claude of France, Margueriteof Navarre






Where would you start if you wanted to blog a bit about the Renaissance? Would it be easier if you limited your scope to the French Renaissance ? How long would it take and how far would you get before tying yourself up in so many knots that the only sanemove would be to cut and run?




I recently found myself ponderingthese questions (and so many more)but before I could be overwhelmed into inaction I decided to just pick a point and begin. After all it's the journey that counts and since this is purely a pleasure cruise I thought it best tobegin with one of my favourite historical personages, Anne Boleyn.




Now we know that Anne's daughter, Elizabeth I, prided herself on being "mere English" and it's true that Anne's roots were decidedly upper-crust Anglo-Saxon but her early life experiences connected her to thecore of the French Renaissance. Born a courtier andeducated with royalty, Anne Boleynwas aRenaissance woman through & throughand thereforethe perfect travelling companion forthese Renaissance ramblings.



Read more Anne Boleyn: The French Connection



]]> Sun, 08 Sep 2013 09:33:50 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/456/second-life-role-play-the-queen-of-everything https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/456










When graphic artist Mary Engelbreit first came out with "The Queen of Everything" I applied for the title. Turns out I wasn't the only one that feltshe was perfectly suited for the position as my older cousin (and part-time babysitter) quickly informed me. Seems she thought her credentials were a tad better than mine. She may have beenbigger but I was determined. In the end we decided that there was nothing wrong with having more than one QoE. After all, good things are often made better when they are shared and there's a lot to be said for inclusiveness and equality.




The QoE adventurehas stood me in good stead throughout my lifeincludingmy arrival in Second Life and my introduction to role-play there. Good thing I already had some life experience because otherwise it would have been a disaster. Yes, I had the misfortune in my very first month to come up against a group that had blurred the line between role-play and realityenough to think that they could actually control my actions. They proceededto tell me what I could and could not create in this (new to me)virtual world and attempted to bully me into agreeing. They were delusional; I wasgobsmacked.




Fortunately I was also the QoE and soweparted company post-haste.



Read more at Second Life Role-Play & The Queen of Everything



]]> Thu, 29 Aug 2013 14:02:26 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/445/adventures-w-flat-rod-languedoc-coeur-chapel https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/445










Having serenaded Flat Rod in the Coeur Opera House and danced the minuet with him in the Ballroom (see Adventures w Flat Rod: Rod Humble Crept into my Life ) I felt it was time for some quiet reflection so off we went to the Languedoc Coeur Chapel.











It was quiet, theair sostill that it was easy to imaginethatold incense still hung over the altar. No light filtered through the stained glass windowsbut the walls were wonderfullyilluminated by the tall,waxtapers.



Read more ...

]]> Fri, 16 Aug 2013 12:26:25 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/439/adventures-w-flat-rod-rod-humble-crept-into-my-life https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/439










It's been a while since Rod Humble (aka Rodvik) crept into my life. Years really. Truth be told, I wasn't evenaware of his arrival at first, that's how stealthy he was.



This oversight on my part only seems fitting as I'm certain that to this dayhe has no idea that I even exist, except perhaps in the collective sense as a user of one of "his" products. I'm just one among the many and for the most part I'm very content withourat-arm's-length relationship.
Read more at Adventures w Flat Rod: Rod Humble Crept into My Life


]]> Mon, 05 Aug 2013 11:24:41 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/438/duche-de-coeur-a-change-is-in-the-air https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/438










A fresh breeze is blowing through the Duch de Coeur.
Cool, clean,
it brings the promise of renewal
and
the excitement of change.




We're accustomed to renewal in the Duché. Over the past five years, we've prided ourselves on changing with the seasons and adapting to the times. Even if those timesdid tend to reflect thelate 1700's




Now we'veembarked onan exciting new challenge. Land will be reshaped, rivers will be diverted and the carriage horses will be taught new routes. Old haunts will be removed only to reappear, refreshed in their new locations.




Soon we will be officially inviting you to rediscover our beloved land. Until then, you can still explore to your heart's content and have fun spying out some of the work in progress.




Don't mind the dust, that's just some Coeur magic in the air!

_____________________________________________________________
Photo: Nordic Wild by Head Like an Orange
]]> Sun, 04 Aug 2013 05:55:54 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/434/designing-worlds-vists-the-duche-de-coeur https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/434

On March 1, 2013, Saffia Widdershins & Elrik Merlin of Designing Worlds visited us in the Duché and subsequently created this wonderful travelogue.
As well as highlighting some of the Duch's most beautiful areas, this provides some wonderful insights into the history of the Duch, its development and its generalphilosophy.
Read more about it at Designing Worlds explores the beautiful Duchy of the Coeurs
]]> Wed, 31 Jul 2013 05:42:59 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/420/french-ephemera-pret-a-papier https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/420







A Paper "Pompadour"




It's no secret that I love this dress.I've blogged aboutit in Fabulous Fashion and I've wornthe virtual versionin Second Life, so you can imagine my delight to find this paper version looking out at me from the pages of Victoria Magazine .








Marquise de Pompadour 1756



That's correct, it's a paper re-creation of the dress worn by Madame de Pompadour in the painting by Franois Boucher ! Talk about fabulous!!




The artist behind this stunning piece of ephemera is Isabelle de Borchgrave and she didn't stop at the Pompadour but continues to create whole collections of couture inspired by famous paintings, grand couturiers and museum costumes.








Robe la Franais Panier

Read more at French Ephemera: Prt Papier
]]> Sun, 14 Jul 2013 12:54:37 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/396/the-potager-or-ornamental-kitchen-garden https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/396







A Potager at Chteau de Villandry, France




Designed to feed both body and soul, the potager or ornamental kitchen garden isthe ultimatecombination of parterre and vegetable patch.




Fruits & vegetables, flowers & herbs,are artfully arrangedin symmetricalgarden beds that are surrounded bylow clipped box hedges. These individual plots, separated by sand or gravel paths,are precisely placed to form striking geometric patterns.








Six of the Nine Villandry Potagers



Initially developed by French monks, the potager evolvedthroughthe French Renaissance
styled garden to the more formal Garden la franaise with an emphasis on beautyrealized through the studied application of measure and proportion.
In 1678 when Louis XIV, the Sun King, demanded a kitchen garden or " Potager du Roi " befitting his palace of Versailles no expense was spared in providing it for him. The king, a great amateur gardener, wanted his fruit & vegetable paradise close to the chateau so that he could inspect it at will and enjoy its beauty. It is even said thathe learned even to prunehis ownfruit trees!
Read More ...
]]> Tue, 28 May 2013 07:24:26 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/357/duche-de-coeur-cross-country-ice-skating https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/357










Winter at the Coeurs means sitting in front of a warm fire with friends after skating through the Coeur countryside!






This is a fabulous way to see the stunning landscape. Starting at Lieu d'Idylle , you will travel through gorges, over lakes, around windmills, under and over bridges, through tunnels, and along canals, all while fighting the snow in your face. Race with your friends!




The 10region course is clearly marked with both logs and arrows. At normal "Run" speed (CTRL-R), the course takes about 15 minutes to complete when there is no one else in the region. If you just want to explore, feel free to jump the logs and visit other waterways.




Text & Illustration: Bedrich Panacek

]]> Mon, 26 Nov 2012 15:21:39 -0800 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/310/versailles-transported https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/310




Hall of Mirrors' Ceiling






Just asmy glow from Chanel's "Versailles" Collection (see Chanel in Versailles: Seriously Frivolous ) was fading, along came some equally delightful Versailles related news!




The SNCF , France's national state-owned railway company,hasjust unveiledthe firstoftheir commuter trains decorated with iconic scenes from the Chteau de Versailles including; the Hall of Mirrors, Louis XVI's Library, Marie Antoinette's Chamber inthe Petit Trianon and the Belvedere from her English Garden.







Hall of Mirrors





Graffiti-resistant, laminated panels were used to transfer the images which are slated for a number of trains on the The RER C line traveling between Paris and Versailles. This means that tourists get a preview of Versailles before they even arrive while locals can enjoy these works of art on their daily commutes.



Read more ...

]]> Mon, 04 Jun 2012 11:55:20 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/295/enchanted-easter-notes https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/295







Easter has given me an excuse to enjoy some "illumination" which I'm delighted to share with you.















These pages are from a 17th century Antiphonary  created by the "ateliers de l'htel des Invalides", Paris.















Think of soothing Gregorian chants while you look at them; relax &immerse yourself inthe marvelous details.






Happy Easter ~ Happy Spring



See my original post at Tatiana's Tea Room: enChanted Easter Notes .
]]> Sat, 07 Apr 2012 18:49:49 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/293/petit-trianon-french-garden-parterre-sl https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/293

Petit Trianon: French Garden Parterre SL (Bumblebee view)


An early spring has given me the gift of renewed energy &inspiration which I am using to tackle my favourite Second Life (SL)endeavour, the Petit Trianon. This project has languished for far too long but improvements to SL building tools were just what was needed to help get it off of the ground again. So what did I do? I pulled the whole place apart and started again!!




Though this has resulted in more than a few holes in the walls& floors (if you come for a visit make sure to watch your step) I'm very excited about the progress I have been making. I'm currently working on the exterior facades and if you know anything about the Petit Trianon it's that each side of the building has its own unique character.




The side facing the French Garden is probably the most beautiful and the most complex with its impressive terrace and a parterre that provides an introduction to Le Jardin Franais home to the French Pavilion . It's very interesting to note that beneath the terrace is a network of passageways which were used to keep the servants out of sight and facilitate their movement from the outdoors to the kitchen and preparation areas of the Ground Floor. For some reason those passageways were always my particular bte noire when building so I'm very relieved to have them almost finished.
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]]> Sat, 31 Mar 2012 14:43:44 -0700 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/277/ange-jacques-gabriel-louis-xvs-premier-architect https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/277






Ange-Jacques Gabriel (October 23, 1698 January 4, 1782) was born into a family of great architects, succeeding his father, Jacques Gabriel, as the premier architect of France in 1742.



During his tenure he oversaw the transition from the ornate Rococo period to the order & simplicity of Neoclassicism driven by the belief that progress depends upon reason and discipline.




His love of symmetry and classical proportion is reflected in many of his creations from the minute French Pavilion (completed 1750) to the enormous Chteau de Versailles (including extensive palace renovations starting in 1735 & the addition of the Royal Opera 1769-1770).

For me, one of the many delights of re-creating his buildings are discovering the false doors which have been placed "just so" to maintain the symmetrical appearance of a room. Equally fascinating are the "secret" doors that are blended into the walls for the same reason. I stumbled upon this technique for the first time while constructing The Billard Room of the Petit Trianon.



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]]> Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:17:04 -0800 https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/273/petit-trianon-the-french-pavilion-rl https://livinghistoryvw.com/tatiana-dokuchic/blog/273


The French Pavilion 2009. Photo by Stefan of ArchitectDesign





The French Pavilion ( le pavillon franais ) which now stands as the central gem of the Petit Trianons formal French Gardens was actually completed in 1750, a few years prior to the building of the Petit Trianon itself.









The French Pavilion 2009. Photo by Stefan of ArchitectDesign








Designed by the Louis XVs chief architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel at the instigation of Madame Pompadour this miniature palace was intended as a summer gaming/dining room. Thirty years later, Marie Antoinette would also use it for private concerts given by lantern light.



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