Vaca Del Mar

THIS BLOG HAS MOVED

2009-12-15T09:23:00.001-08:00

please save the new url. CharlesVansant.com

Eddie - Greg - Chris

2009-12-09T06:59:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Greg Long for winning the Eddie Aikau and to Chris Christenson for shaping the winning board. I've been getting surfboards from Chris for over a decade; before I could even buy beer. Check out Greg's interview on Surfing Mag.com

The Devils Rebels

2009-11-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

’70s Bushwick Street Gang Video Resurfaces. "Police said we are going to catch you one of these nights and kill you"

Tear Devlis Trilogy

2009-11-05T15:59:00.000-08:00

TearDevils Trilogy from Captain Carrot on Vimeo.

If you are in Encinitas pull your head out of your ass and go see The Tear Devils Trilogy. Also be sure and buy Sean Haggar a shot at the saloon afterwards. He's all married with kids. Probably even has old man balls now.

Pavement Reunion Tour Confirmed

2009-09-17T13:11:00.001-07:00

Ever since that fateful night in late 1999 when Pavement left the public eye with a final show at London’s Brixton Academy, we’ve often fantasized about the day when we could finally tell the world “yes, Brooklyn Vegan scooped us, Pavement are back.”

After years of speculation, the most important American band of the 1990’s is returning to the stage, with the lineup of Mark Ibold, Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg, Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich and Steve West reuniting for dates around the world in 2010. Please be advised this tour is not a prelude to additional jaunts and/or a permanent reunion.

Described in their own Wikipedia entry as having experienced “moderate commercial success”, Pavement’s catalog for the Matador, Domino, Drag City and Treble Kicker imprints has come to define in the eyes of many the blueprint for independent rock over the past generation. In spite of this, the records are still pretty fantastic, and we’re fully prepared to remind you of such with a details-to-be-determined compilation album planned for release sometime in 2010.

The first show announced is a New York performance on September 21, 2010 at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. Things worked out really well when Diana Ross played Central Park in 1983, and we have no reason to suspect Pavement’s return to the live arena won’t generate similar headlines. read more on MatadorRecords.com

Captain Fin

2009-09-06T00:29:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard of Captain Fin then you've been living under a rock. Check out the Captain Fin site and go get yourself a copy of "You Scratched My Anchor!" because the fins sell out faster than Apple Bottom Jeans on Canal St.

Xabi - Photos

2009-09-01T07:13:00.000-07:00

On 8/28/09 4:25 AM, "xabier zirikiain" wrote:
Hola Moose,
I send you some photos I have been working on, maybe you can blog them if you like them. How is life in the city?Have a good week end.
x
------Mensaje original------
De: Moose Huerta
Para: Xabi Zrikiain
Enviado: 2 Sep 2009 16:21
Asunto: Re: some photos

Yo Xabi,
Life is good we've been getting some hurricane surf, but... still dreaming of Spain... I don't think that will ever stop.

Moose

On 9/2/09 10:23 AM, "xabier zirikiain" wrote:

Where did you surf?
I am on my way to Paris. Comè when you want!

2009 Skate and Create Winner

2009-08-27T06:39:00.001-07:00

Andy Kessler :: R.I.P.

2009-08-11T07:56:00.001-07:00

I received news last night that my dear friend Andy Kessler passed away. Andy got stung by a wasp in Montauk yesterday and later went into cardiac arrest. A true legend of a person. Andy welcomed me to NYC with open arms and made me feel at home as if I were family. Andy is considered by many to be the most influential figure in east coast skateboarding, even Mark Gonzales has been quoted as calling him "The Authority on New York Skateboarding." If you consider yourself a skater or a surfer you need to know who this man is. I saw Andy riding his bike to the beach on Sunday to check the surf. I drove up next to him and yelled out "Hey get out of the road you fucking homo." Andy just laughed then sped up and started weaving s-turns in front of me.

Andy we miss you buddy.

It's Not Shark Week

2009-07-15T08:49:00.001-07:00

I think Pistol Pete took him out.

In The Warm Califonia Sun

2009-07-13T18:24:00.001-07:00

I just back on the red eye from CA. More to come.

Cheers to Summer

2009-06-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

For all you purists today is the first official day of summer. Feliz Vernal Equinox.

GONZ

2009-06-15T13:07:00.000-07:00

Click on the link for an NYC day in the life of GONZ.
"Name the trick you want and I'll do it. Name the trick you'll do and I'll steal it."

Picaresque in Brooklyn

2009-06-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

From: Mikey DeTemple
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:09:17
To: agentmoose@mac.com
Subject: Mollusk.

Can you try and get this out there as much as possible?
Thanks!!!

Mikey DeTemple
high seas films
www.highseasfilm.com

On Thu, Jun 11, 2009 at 9:40 AM, agentmoose@mac.com wrote:

Word son. I'll email it and such but you should make a facebook event and I'll invite the fuck out of some people.

::Mollusk and High Seas Films Present: PICARESQUE::Tuesday, June 16th 7 pm until the movie is done or we run out of booze
210 Kent Ave on the Corner of Metropolitan and River Street

Knock Knock! Who's There? Something you'll think is cool!

2009-06-03T12:26:00.000-07:00

Hey Moose,
It’s not really Babes, Burritos and Waves but check out the new video project Quik did, www.quiksilver.com/TheSpot - if you think it is cool, can you post something to your VacaDelMar blog.

Any plans to be in LA soon?

TC
Tobias Coffman
Public Relations Manager / Quiksilver Inc.

Very Verano

2009-05-25T10:31:00.000-07:00

rooftops,babes,and taco trucks...summer is finally here!

Where's the fcking money sht head????????

2009-05-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

I was pleasantly surprised to find out the elusive Jacob on lost was none other than Mark Pellegrino one of the rug pissing thugs from The Big Lebowski.

Euskadi Dreams and Xabier Zirikiain in Paris

2009-05-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

I have always had this dream of DJ-ing a party in San Sebastian with The Brothers Marshall. Whenever I go to a discotech in Europe I hardly hear any hip hop much less some dirty south. So in this dream I would sneak in a dirty south set and whichever drop dead gorgeous Spaniard mamacita could move to it would be the mother of my children.

Speaking of the Basque Region. My Favorite Euskadi Person (Xabier Zirikiain)is having a show in Paris. Xabi is one of the founders of Loreak Mendian and one the nicest dudes you could ever meet. Between the 16th and the 23rd of May, Xabier Ziriquiain will be showing part of his work from the last 15 years at the OFR gallery in Paris. The show, called "Travaux Graphiques", will be divided in four themes: family and friends, surf, music and the Basque country.

Xabi sent me this video clip showing how things are getting weird over in San Sebastian. I watched it and thought to myself..........Dude you have no idea how weird things are going to get when we make are way over this fall.....To the windows......To the walls!!!

Casual Encounters

2009-05-06T06:38:00.000-07:00

The saying "The friends you make in college will be your friends for life"....holds true.

COIMBRA, PORTUGAL :: 1999SAN DIEGO, CA :: 2003BROOKLYN, NYC :: 2006 BROOKLYN, NYC :: 2007MACHU PICHU, PERU :: 2008ST. AUGUSTINE, FL :: 2009

A TASTE OF SUMMER

2009-04-27T04:59:00.000-07:00

Dave Schnapper's documentation of Burritos, Babes, and Waves.

Divine Intervention

2009-04-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

Some one bumped into me at Union Pool and my drink left this water mark. Good thing I'll be hanging with my redneck homies in St. Augustine next week.

Cow of the Sea

2009-04-13T06:30:00.001-07:00

The Timeless Debate

2009-04-10T06:50:00.000-07:00

Brunette vs. Blond & City life vs. Beach life........... I say have your cake and eat it too.

An Email From Chris

2009-04-08T19:53:00.000-07:00

Chris likes to forward me emails that he sends to his accounts.
Hey guys,

Here is my new model the "Cafe Racer". This is my personal board. It's 5'9" 19 1/2 x 2 5/16 with a quad fin set up. It's basically a fish front end with a full round tail in the rear. It has the "squirt " and drive of a fish but it turns in much tighter radius. It also works well back side. The foam volume is pushed up a bit foiling out to a very thin tail section to keep it responsive. The rails are my standard fish rails, and the bottom is a blend of concaves, vees, and rolls. All my feedback has been very positive.

MY RESPONSE:

I'm a brunette man myself.

2009-04-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

spreken zie surf?

2009-03-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

Guy Harvey : AWESOMENESS

2009-03-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

I have a not so secret desire that involves Guy Harvey Tees being the next big Williamsburg fashion phenomenon. Not everyone that wore a Guy Harvey tee shirt wanted to kick my ass in high school, but everyone that wanted to kick my ass wore Guy Harvey Tee's. So if any of those rednecks cared to venture up to NYC they might by chance see a metro-sexual or god forbid homo-sexual wearing their coveted Guy Harvey pocket tee with a nature scene of some sorts on the back. Thank God I am on their email list because this sweet ass Florida Gators shirt just came out. I'll take all three please.
Dear Enrique,

Just a quick note to remind our tier 1 customers that we still have
the University of Florida Gators Football Championship tee available in
3 colors and sizes from S to XXL.

Check out this fantastic design exclusively from Guy Harvey.

It's not just a shirt, it's a Guy Harvey!!!!
guyharveyshirts.com

First Day of Spring

2009-03-20T00:26:00.000-07:00

I'll put Spring up against Fall any day. Welcome to Spring....don't stop.....get it get it!

GET THE LOG READY....................

2009-02-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

The Nightsnake and I took a day trip down to Cardiff to pick up our new logs and shread suck outs with the CC Slider. After our session I popped Chad's Rico's Taco Shop cherry while Chris kept talking shit on Rico's by calling it "white person's mexican food." I told him to shut up so I could enjoy my burrito. On our way back up to LA we picked up a 12 pack of Tecate and stopped and visited Mike Black in San Clemente. He was mining the stoke. Check out the trailer to his latest venture in gnar!

Hole in One

2009-02-18T15:09:00.000-08:00

My 80 year old grandmother shot a hole in one on Tuesday. What a bad ass! I need to go and do something awesome.

Be My Valentine

2009-02-14T01:03:00.000-08:00

Yes He Did

2009-01-20T06:48:00.001-08:00

My Good friend Steve Green and his buddy Joe made about 100 of these President Obama tees, and distributed them throughout lower Manhattan early this morning (inauguration day) as a free surprise to whom ever discovers them. Good thing he's my friend and saved one for me, now go out there and find them!

30's Never Been This Dirty

2009-01-10T08:02:00.000-08:00

Keeping Indigy :: Cuzco to Machu Pichu & Back

2009-01-06T19:10:00.000-08:00

Ah The Pisco Sour and its sweet and mysterious ways!
Keeping It Indigy from Moose Huerta on Vimeo.

FELIZ AÑO NUEVO

2008-12-31T23:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year From Peru!

Party like it's 1999!!

2008-12-19T19:43:00.000-08:00

Biarritz, France July 1999
Central Park 2007Back in 1999 homie Jayson Earl and I embarked on a journey. We both bought tickets to Paris and a train ride to Biarritz with the intention of trying to win some cash at the Biarritz Surf Festival and if that failed sell some boards. Needless to say debauchery limited our competitive prowess but quickly enabled unloading some boards. A 9'6" blue noserider to be specific.

9 1/2 years later I am packing up my 2 board quiver to meet Jayson in Ft. Lauderdale just before we head down to Northern Peru the land of lefts. Our 2 weeks at a beach front hotel will be a far cry from our days of hitch hiking into town and passing out on park benches. As refined as that may be we are going to try our very best not to be the creeps with the digi cam zooming in on the latinas.

See you next year!

West Coast Haole's

2008-12-19T12:15:00.000-08:00

COME THIS SUNDAY TO MOLLUSK SURF SHOP AT 1600 PACIFIC IN VENICE BEACH CALIFORNIA
FOR AN ALL DAY SAMPLE SALE....
LOTS OF BOOZE, CHICKS, SHITTY MUSIC AND RAD GARMENTS FOR CHEAP!!!

This is a farewell kiss you dog!

2008-12-15T14:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T08:19:00.000-08:00

Grilled Oysters from Joe Patti's in Pensacola, FL are a Huerta / Dias Holiday tradition.

You Are Either Born With The Gift Or You Are Not

2008-11-17T07:33:00.000-08:00

Thank you Chi-city! Now I know I am not the only one who thinks about things like this. I rarely verbalize my theories and strategies, but with your guidance I now know my shits on point!.......son

Taking it Back to 95

2008-11-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

Everyone these days wants to be a soul daddy or a johnny old school. I myself just ordered a 2+1, 9'0"..... Jeff Kramer style.....yes I'll be wearing my ankle leash. And to all of the nouveau soul daddies out there in the words of Bob Marley “In this bright future you can’t forget your past.” And yes that includes the Russ K bling and the Dino Miranda doo! LET'S GET VERTICAL CUZ!!

Yes We Can

2008-11-05T14:42:00.000-08:00

A student from Obama's grade school in Jakarta, Indonesia.

I started out writing this blog with the intent of describing my joy and the reasoning for my joy of having Barack Obama elected as our 44th President.. It came off as hyper-personal and I figured if you know me ask me. I'll gladly relive my experience of taking to the streets of NYC the night Barack Obama was elected President of the United States of America.

Body surfing with impeccable form.

Instead I am going to tell you that today I applied to become a mentor through the organization Stoked Mentoring. Stoked is an Organization in which you have the chance to mentor a teen through participation in surfing, skating, or snowboarding. The teens involved in the program primarily come from low-income neighborhoods and or single parent households that tend to be academically or socially at risk.

Bedford and North 7th November 4th, 2008

Obama has inspired many to dig in and help rebuild this country for past generations, our generation and for generations to come. This is our moment to prove the cynics right or prove them wrong. The point is we have earned the chance.

In the words of our President Elect:

"This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids, to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace, to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one. That while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism and doubt and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can."

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T15:30:00.000-07:00

PS: If you dress up as a Taco or a Burrito you get a free boo-rrito at Chipotle.

Just In Case....

2008-10-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

...you are on your bike and get clipped by the side view mirror of a van and tossed into a sign. You should know where your closet E.R. is to get stitched up.NYC EMERGENCY ROOMS

View Larger Map

W.O.R. :: NYC

2008-10-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Brothers Marshall rolled up into NYC back in late July to pimp there Warriors Of Radness Digs. Check out the blog. These guys aren't really gay unless you'd like them to be. WarriorsOfRadness.com For more info on The Warriors Of Radness line and what drives the creative force know as Zee Brothers Marshall check out this interview with Trace on Selectism.com

Choke 'em Out Like Joel

2008-10-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

When Joel is not busy choking fools out he's working on his latest project with NYC homie Drew Blauschild. Click on the link and order a board so I don't get choked out.
KookBoxx.com

Monday While I Was Out of Town

2008-10-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

Yeah so Monday I was surfing head high Sano.. and this is what was going down in NY. Should have been there yesterday. Here's a photo that Mike DeTemple took working on his new project Picaresque. Click on the link to see what you probably missed as well.

No regrets on being out West. There's nothing like surfing Sano with some old homies.

Christ-en-son

2008-09-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

Chris told me that when people suggest that he start a blog, he tells them, "I have too much of a sex drive than to go home and blog!" He sent me this photo of him stylin out at Cardiff in some Loomstate trunks I sent him.

Rockaway.....bro!

2008-09-11T19:42:00.001-07:00

Right after these photo's were taken we were approached by a guy who said "Oh yer surfahs, yo theese arre sum pussy waves bro!" He was right Clams and I headed over to get logtastic at 91st instead.

Hurricane Hannah

2008-09-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

A lot of people debate about how big the surf is and can get in NY. This was a clean up set and when I saw it I called it a 8-9ft peak with a 6ft shoulder. Most of the morning consisted of 6-7 ft peaks with 5 ft shoulders just in case anyone tells you it was 10 to 13 feet.

Borrowed Boards

2008-09-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

Surf Turkey Madness

2008-07-06T19:35:00.000-07:00

Has your year round zip code ever been attached to your local surf break? And if so, for how long? In the words of Jake Phelps "check the mileage bro!" Here's an article from the NY Times that sheds some light on the ever growing popularity of surf turkey-dome in Montauk. click here to read more

Brothers Marshall

2008-07-02T07:15:00.001-07:00

It's Still Not Alright

2008-06-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

Friends don't let friends stand up paddle. But if you are going to partake at least bring yo dawgz!

San Francisco :: La Ciudad Cerca de la Bahia

2008-06-12T05:07:00.001-07:00

Pete-gnar McBride my SF hostBlown out OB via the Sutro Bath House look outDelores vs. McCarrenReally Fort Point has waves?A week later Peter sent me this photo he snappedThe last photo my camera took before it officially croaked. Proof that there is a higher being!

Surfing Now?

2008-06-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but these guys look like the jocks that wanted to kick my ass in high school....just sayin!

Moms dot Coms

2008-05-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

The Moms drove up Vivian (my cherished surf mobile) this past weekend. I took her to all my favorite dining establishments in hipsterville, and for mother's day we went to see La Misma Luna (that movie was made for mother's day.) We also went and checked out the Cai Guo-Qiang : I Want To Believe exhibit at the Guggenheim, which is up until the 28th. Go and check it out before it's gone.

Girl Skateboards :: Product (Red)

2008-04-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

You don't have to be a west coast casual farmer's market patron jumping in your Lexus SUV that can parallel park itself to do something good for mankind. Check out this clip for the new Girl / Product (RED) deck. The song is an instrumental version of Half of Two Times by Brendan Fowler's band Barr. The song is much more subtle without the lyrics. Go to iTunes and buy it, then go buy yourself these decks and don't just hang them on your wall go out and skate them.

Godfather of Street

2008-04-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

If watching the Gonz doesn't make you want to get out and skate I don't know what will. Sometimes these people they honk...I'm like think of something original everybody's doing the honk!

Bust A Homie Out Day

2008-04-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

Instead of acting like a waspy mom and shopping at my local farmer's market....I busted up in the Natural History Museum and broke out a fellow Vaca Del Mar-ian. I set Sebastian the Sea Cow free in the East River.

WWMD? :: What Would Moz Do?

2008-04-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

Just in case you have been living under a rock, Mexicans love Morrissey. Good old Steven Patrick Morrissey even once said on stage in Orange County, " I wish that I was born Mexican." Now if that doesn't flip your lid maybe the hate crimes against emo kids in Mexico will. A series of hate crimes and even a riot occurred recently in Querétaro, Mexico. A line has been drawn in the sand: Rockabillies vs. Emos.

So where does our emotional / asexual friend Moz and his pompadour side? Watch this Spanish version of "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" and ask yourself..... What would MOZ do?
A. Bitch smack an emo kid.
B. Get bitch smacked as an emo kid.
or
C. Be the common ground that brings all this hate and sadness to an end.

San Jose del Cabo :: Baja Sur

2008-03-24T06:49:00.000-07:00

After one too many denim deals went wrong in LA I was forced into exile. I grew out my best latino mustache, took on the alias Enrique (my real name) and headed straight to LAX. My destination was the southern most tip of the Baja Peninsula. After a few days of posting up on some right handers and trying to blend in with the locals I ran across a couple of women from London in town on business...... Needless to say sun block rubdown, shrimp taco and luchero sessions ensued.

Spring Has Sprung

2008-03-20T07:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Baja Sur. Spring is in the air get used to it.

St. Patrick's Day :: Encinitas, CA

2008-03-17T19:04:00.000-07:00

Grab your most un-Irish friend of Irish decent. And if you you dont have any friends that have an Irish accent kick it with an Australian, they can be equally as hard to understand.

Yes! Surfers are Douche Bags!

2008-03-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

Matters of business require my presence in the City of Angels. At some point I will sneak down to San Diego to share some burritos and waves with the homies. None the less I still hold a strong discontent for bro's and a sense of brotherhood with all us bro's that hate on bro's.

Which one of these two surfers do you think constantly talks about how siiiiick Kelly is... A or B?
A.
B.

Dolphins Are Gay Sharks

2008-02-22T07:38:00.000-08:00

:: Christopher Reuss :: Emuse :: Gothic Dolphin :: Alex Kopps::

Here' trailer for Displacement a new film that the Gothic Dolphin himself is putting out this fall.

Venice Beach, CA

2008-02-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

What would a trip to Venice be without heckling a weirdo, bar hopping on bikes, and grabbing some in-and-out burger? "Those are good burgers, Walter."

Rule the World :: VOTE

2008-02-06T11:15:00.000-08:00

Winter Surfing :: Long Beach , NY

2008-01-29T06:45:00.000-08:00

Tuesday morning I was woken up by a dream. While putting on my 5/4/3 winter wetsuit for the first time, I found out that Jake had forgotten the gloves and booties he promissed to lend me. I started smacking him around and told him that he'd done it on purpose. Two hours later as we pulled into the parking lot, he told me that he too had the exact same dream one month earlier when Chris Gentile took him surfing in NY for his first winter session.
I had pretty much been a hater on cold water surfing. I had dealt with Santa Cruz 4/3 with booties which was fine but I thought to myself, "It's going to have to be at least 4ft with light offshore winds for me to pop my cold water cherry." Truth be told it was kinda anti-climatic. I paddled out into waist high clean surf, and the only thing remotely uncomfortable was that my face stung when I duck dove. The highlight of the whole session were the two girls that pulled up in their little Red Bull car asking us if we wanted some Red Bulls. I guess we did look like a couple of extreme dudes all buff in our winter surfing gear.

Get Your Burger Out

2008-01-25T14:03:00.000-08:00

I thought I was obsessed with with cheeseburgers (distant 2nd to burritos), but you don't see me incorporating it into my daily attire. I guess it is too cold in NYC to be rocking one of these burger-rific dresses. I'll bet you a cheeseburger that I'll spot a couple come spring time and it'll be in Williamsburg worn by a Vegan. Can you begin to fathom the irony behind that?

Barc"th"elona

2008-01-20T13:52:00.000-08:00

I started out my day long journey to Barcelona with a 5:30 cab ride to Heathrow and ended it with a kind Catalan gentleman telling me "Tienes que volver." "you have to come back." A trade show and a meeting with one of the founders of my favorite Basque line Loreak Mendian planted me in Barcelona for the day.

The Mapcursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_DJIjSyJi3kY/R5lhKtkfXdI/AAAAAAAAAFE/Z6FiBtlxUW0/s320/loreak+mendian.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159261684788846034" />The StoreI managed to break free of my meetings and the trade show by 16:30 which left me just enough time to figure out the metro and manage to get lost somewhere in the vicinity of the Loreak Mendian store. I kept showing the locals the snap shot of the map I had on my blackberry, and every time without fail I received a "dalle" and then was told that they thought it was that way. ps: Barcelonans are the nicest people to ask for directions in the world. I think my Spanish might have taken them a little off guard by being a little too formal and a little too casual. Think of someone starting a conversation off with a "Excuse me sir" and then ending it with a "Thanks Bro you're the man." I even received a few kind pats on the back. After an hour of being lost I feared the only thing worse than the defeat of not finding the shop, which would be missing my flight, thus I hailed a cab to the airport.

Tip Top TapasMy only expectations after finishing up my meetings was to go and buy shirt from the Loreak Mendian store and enjoy some genuine tapas. What I settled for was getting lost for an hour and over priced tapas from a place called Tip Top Tapas at the Barcelona airport.

Panic on the streets of London

2008-01-19T09:58:00.000-08:00

Matters of international business exported me to London for a few days and here is what there is to report.
A. Newcastle Brown Ale: (Newquay Brown)
Its not as classy of a drink as it is here in the states. It's the equivalent of someone coming to the states and ordering a Budweiser. During the summer of 99 in Portugal this guy looked at me and Jayson drinking a Super Bock and said "Why are you not drinking Budweiser? It is the King of Beers!" If he only knew we called in Buttwiper in college.

B. Leave Your Shank at Home:
London is cracking down on a severe knife problem. I think that the campaign slogan should be, "Don't be a wanker drop your shanker!"

C. Americans are not the only environmental A-Holes:
Shock value or not there are still people that think global warming is a fallacy and they are not just from Texas. I spotted this billboard while on the Heathrow express.

29 years on planet earth

2008-01-10T06:04:00.000-08:00

And it still is all about burritos, babes, and waves. Thanks to John McSwain for the lazer portrait.

Human Tetris

2008-01-08T17:07:00.001-08:00

Alexey Leonidovich Pajitnov (Алексей Леонидович Пажитнов, born 1956) is a computer engineer from Russia now living in the United States, who developed the popular game Tetris while working for the Computing Centre of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, a Soviet government-founded R&D centre. Pajitnov was to leave his mathematics school (#91) in Moscow. Pajitnov created Tetris with the help of Dmitry Pavlovsky and Vadim Gerasimov in 1985. The game, first available in the Soviet Union, appeared in the West in 1986. Pajitnov also created the lesser known sequel to Tetris, entitled Welltris, which has the same principle but in a three dimensional environment where you see the "board" from above. The Soviet bureaucracy licensed and managed Tetris, and advertised it with the slogan "From Russia with Love", Pajitnov did not receive royalties.

New Year :: New Cruiser

2008-01-02T22:07:00.001-08:00

My Christmas present to myself this year was a new Krooked Zip Zinger, with some 62mm Satori softies for the harsh metropolitan city streets around the world, and some Ace trucks more suitable for grinding my way into 2008.

Orange....ish :: Alert

2007-12-30T22:08:00.000-08:00

I was told over the PA that the Atlanta aiport was under and orange terror alert on December 30th, 2007. I was happy to see that it didn't stop people from buying iPods from a vending machine or standing in line for a seasonal ginger bread mocha.

Pensacola Beach :: Florida 1997 vs. 2007

2007-12-26T20:52:00.000-08:00

On December 25th, 1997 my high school buddy Jeff and I scored Pensacola Beach as good as it gets. 4 ft surf with feathery easy little barrels working on the outside sandbars. 10 years later Jeff is selling real estate in Nicaragua and I am slinging premium denim in NYC, but every year we try and recreate that xmas of 97. This year Jeff found himself boardless. So we stopped by the local surf shop so he could rent a board. A 6'2" beast of a quad fin fish "it really sucked" is the best they had. Little tubers were breaking on the inside sandbar some were makeable some were not. A pact was made that we would both leave boards at our families house so that we would never find ourselves boardless in Pensacola.

MOvember

2007-11-28T07:16:00.000-08:00

November is prostate cancer awareness month. MOvember "MO Australian slang for Mustache" is a month in which all are encouraged to grow out their best MO to raise awareness towards prostate cancer and other major male health issues.

What I am here to talk about are the overly ironic mustaches. I am over the "hey look I'll grow a handle bar so everyone will know I'm joking around and not serious about having a mustache" mustache. Grow some cajones and keep it within the smile line. The goal of a good mustache should be that when someone looks at it they ask "is that for real?, no its a joke!, no its for real!, wait or is it a joke?" Keep that in mind the next time you manicure that hair on your upper lip.

Mutual Thanks on Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T11:15:00.000-08:00

Right when I moved to NYC I met old school NYC skate legend Andy Kessler. He talked shit on surfers yet surfed. So we had that in common. There can be an intimidating crew of locals and/or visiting pros at the Autumn Bowl in Brooklyn, and when I first got my key and started showing up Andy gladly made it known to all that I was one of his boys. So instead of getting the who the fuck is this guy skating with a stank surfer style vibe, I was given the benefit of the doubt. Every now and then I'll get a call from Andy and the conversation starts with a "Hey you homo have you gotten in the water lately?" and always closes with a "Well we should go and skate soon."

Back in the Spring of 2005 Andy busted his hip skating the former Blinde bowl in SoHo. Like many Andy didn't have health insurance so in that fall all of his creative friends got together and applied some artwork to his model blanks. An auction/party was held to raise money to chip away at Andy's surgery bills. Wouldn't socialized medicine be nice? My friend Dewey and I built a website for Andy pro bono to sell the remaining pieces. My favorite was this Ric Charnowski piece that had Jesus is Answer stuck to it. Ric Charnowski and Buddy Nichols made the skate films Northwest, Fruit of the Vine, and Tent City. These titles feature the most credible pool/bowl skaters and the infamous Anti Hero team. Andy knew I had been eye balling it and 2 years later he has given it to me as a sign of thanks. So on this Thanksgiving thursday I wanted to give thanks to Andy "you little fairy" for saying thanks to me.

Joe Strummer :: Punk Rock Warlord

2007-11-01T16:06:00.000-07:00

My sisters told me that when I was 4 I would walk around the house singing "Rock the Casbah!, Rock the Casbah!" You can imagine my delight when I found out Joe Strummer : The Future is Unwritten was playing at the local movie theater in Biarritz. I bought a ticket then ran to buy a bottle of wine to polish off while watching the film. This weekend it is being released in States. Go buy yourself a ticket. I can pretty much guarantee it'll be the best $10 dollars you will have spent all week.

Arcade Fire :: Neon Bible Video

2007-10-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

Check out Arcade Fire's online video of Neon Bible. Watch it one time through as is and then the second time around try clicking on his hands and face. The Québécois's strike again with their musical savvy. P.S. The Canadian dollar is stronger than the US dollar at the moment......bummer.

San Sebastian, Spain :: Donostia, Euskadi

2007-09-17T13:48:00.000-07:00

During my stay in Biarritz I made sure to budget some time to take a day trip down to San Sebastian. Northern Spain is the heart of the Basque / Euskadi Region. You really feel it when you cross the border from Hendaye to Irun. There is something that lingers in the air of a separatist city. The only thing I can really relate it to is paddling out at surf spot that you didn't grow up at. A little bit of tension keeps you on your toes, and if you're tuned in enough to sense it you know how to show respect.
As long as I can remember I have wanted to be older, to play with the bigger kids, to be an upper classmen, to start my career, to be more advanced in my career, etc... Zurriola surprised me with a waist high clean swell and a lesson in life. I went down to the surfboard rental kiosk and rapped out with kid working there and rented a board for an hour. While walking down to the waters edge I overheard a kid in his late teens giving a surfing lesson in broken English. After my first wave I though to myself, "Why the fuck didn't you do this in college?" I guess what I was asking myself is why didn't I move to Spain for a summer to polish my Spanish, look for that European summer love that I never had, or to just adapt to a foreign culture. After all these kids were doing the exact same thing I had except in Spanish. On the train ride back to Biarritz I realized that for the first time in my life I wished I was younger. Was this a sign of getting old or a peak moment in life when you still want to be older yet wish you could be younger? I think it is all of the above. However if you told me 4 years ago while I was in California that I'd be living in NYC today I would have put down my burrito and then proceeded to tell you to put down your crack pipe. Who knows maybe someday life will place me back on the shores of Zurriola on a more permanent basis. But one thing I know is to never say never.

J' aime Biarritz

2007-09-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

My first memory of Biarritz is standing in the Grande Plage parking lot with my sister and brother-in-law in December of 1991. While I macked down on my chocolate eclair I thought man that surf looks cold. Sixteen years later I am emailing Franck Bywalski of Extreme Video asking if I could borrow his longboard while I was in town. I did not expect him to offer me the spare bedroom in his beach side bachelor pad overlooking Grande Plage. None the less he did, and made my fourth journey to Biarritz the most decadent to date. Surfwise I caught some fun logging waves out front but my best session was up the road in Anglet at a break called Le Barre. I caught the wave of the day that session only to be dropped in by a french girl on a longboard. She turned around and in a patented french girl accent yelled out "soooorry....." How did she know my native tongue? I hadn't spoken a single word to anyone while I was in the water. More importantly how can you be angry at such a cute accent?

Paris :: Je Voudrais

2007-09-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

Ah... Paris. Beautiful women, decadent street cafe dwelling, and yes little patience towards Americans. For example a young drunk frenchman approached me in the St. Andres des Art neighborhood and asked me 2 questions. "Are you an American?" "Do you like George Bush?" My response was. "Yeah I'm an American and no I don't like George Bush." Then I asked him "Do you like Napoleon?" His response was "...well no." I guess the reason I tell that story is because whenever I think of Paris I think of extreme beauty and mild cultural conflict. Not enough conflict to ever drive you away, but pull you closer. I mixed a bit of business and pleasure for 5 days, but the whole time i kept my eyes on the prize, a weeks vacation chasing Basque waves.

Dana Point to Catalina and Back

2007-08-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

A two-day pit stop on the way out to Vegas before a tradeshow placed my colleague J.P. and I on Chris Christenson’s doorstep in Cardiff by the Sea, California. There were some ankle snappers breaking at Cardiff but nothing to write home about. Chris being proud owner of a brand new 19ft Boston Whaler decided that the calm seas equated to the perfect opportunity to take the boat out on its first long distance voyage to Catalina. The outbound trip was an hour and fifteen minutes harbor-to-harbor Dana Point to Avalon. After having lunch in Avalon we decided to troll the east coast over to Two Harbors. We anchored up for a while, and went spear fishing, which just turned out to be snorkeling. Signs of the west swell that wasn’t supposed to arrive until the following morning prompted us to pull anchor. Immediately we noticed that the seas were bigger than we had anticipated. Chris was certain that J.P. was going to be the first to get seasick, but the sub-par burrito that I had for lunch had its money down on another contender.

A quarter of the way back the voltage on the engine took a frightening dive. The brand new boat proved to have a faulty alternator. Faced with an “oh shit do we turn around and go back" moment we decided to power through it. Just when we were smack dab between Catalina and the mainland we saw a powerboat about our same size b lining it right into our path. The last thing we wanted to do was slow down and allow the engine to cut out, but Chris had no other choice than to do so. No more than two seconds later, what seemed to be a grey golf course, surfaced 30 yards in front of us. In unison J.P. and I let out an “OH SHIT…………” The other boat was chasing a whale, and I shit you not, we were about thirty yards from t-boning that thing. We managed to make it back in three hours, more than double the time it took us to get out there. We pulled up to the dock and Chris yelled out “Tie us off on the dock Florida.” My sea legs nearly got best of me because I barely cleared the rail narrowly avoiding taking a dip. Fortunately fate had decided on a happier ending. There are some photos up in the California section of my photo blog.

Brooklyn vs. Manhattan

2007-08-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

Here's a little something for all you haters!
Just for the record I do not wear wizard boots, i hold a steady job, and i bathe regularly. Enjoy this clip

Cuando en Lima!

2007-05-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

A development trip to visit our tee shirt and sweatshirt manufacturers placed my co-worker Steve Green and I on the beautiful shores of Lima, Peru. After clearing customs Steve said "Hey that guy is holding up a sign that says Moose Huerta" I felt like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and after a 30 min drive we arrived at the illustrious Hotel Olivar. "I yelled to the driver yo holmes smell yah later. I looked at my kingdom. I was finally there to sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel-Air", well room 322 at least...

::Con Queso?::

We spent four days with the boys over at American Flex Printing. We never had much direct dialogue with the team; mainly because of the cultural divide between the indigenous Peruvians and the Peruvians of European descent. As much as Steve and I wanted to bro-down with the fellas we realized we needed to earn their respect. So after four days of my gringo Spanish we shared a few laughs. Usually at our expense. In fact the biggest laugh we got was when our buddy Luis Angel tried to describe to Steve how to say turquoise in Spanish (which is pronounced Tor-que-sah.) I thought he said "con queso" which translates to "with cheese" and I said it out loud. That one really brought the house down especially when I tried to play it off.

::Vamos a la playa::

My mother was born in Bolivia and the first time she saw the ocean was in Lima. She always describes it as one of her more frightening experiences , because as a little girl the waves seemed so gigantic. I packed my wetsuit hoping to rent a board and catch one of these Goliaths in my down time, but that never happened. In fact our only salvation was that Peruvians hold lunch and dinner very sacred. Had I suggested having a working lunch or dinner I may have gotten smacked in the mouth and rightly so. Maurice our Peruvian liason "unofficial mayor of Lima's textile industry" lead us in a sprint down to the beach right before sunset one evening to get a quick glimpse of lay out. Maurice also took us to a skate park but only for us to discover a series of decrepid ramps. You can bet 100 soles that the next trip will strategically be placed between two weekends of decadent leisure. Until then I will be dreaming of Inca Cola and Lomo Soltado, or maybe Ceviche with a Pisco Sour depending on my mood. Ay dios mio.. Hasta la proxima vez, Peru!