Friday, July 18, 2014

Stripes and Stripes Forever

9'2 Bronson for my old buddy, Mark.

Mark and I met in 1985 and, like most kids, we explored the poles of the teenage experience to define our own identities--we were skaters, slackers, authority challengers, artists. We were writers, scholars, philosophers, dudes who flirted with each others' sisters. We were off-the-gridders, dirt bags, pretty boys, climbers, surfers, journalists, lady-crazed Jewbags, monks, walkers, bikers, boaters, shut-ins, fly fishermen, mountain towners, club kids, river guides, musicians.
Interestingly, the middle ground we've reached thirty years later, each on our separate corners of the continent, looks a lot like the suburbs.
Go figure.
True friends teach us about ourselves. Mark showed me, in seventh grade, the difference between creating and being creative. Anybody can make something, but it takes something truly special to live in the world between stuff that exists and stuff that could exist.
I've learned to visit this space, but Mark has always inhabited it.
You can check out his design/build studio HERE.
If you shred Maine waters, be on the lookout for Mark and his new sled, with not-quite-black and white, not-quite horizontal (by design!) lamination striping by Tony Mikus, a creative force of his own in Santa Cruz.

Recommended Pairing: this Bronson pairs best with a lukewarm Heineken in a can, poached from your folk's fridge on a warm summer night. Best when split between two underage drinkers in a tree fort.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Surf Movie Thing Tonight

Surf-movie thing tomorrow night!
What: a fundraising party for It Ain't Pretty, a film about Ocean Beach, San Francisco's lady surf shredders.
When: Wednesday, July 16th at 7pm.
Where: The Church of Surf! 3830 Noriega Street, SF.
Features: beer, food, and something billed as a 'Boys in Bikini Fashion Show,' so you might want to get there early to double--even triple--up on the beer part.
Reggae-inspired dancehall tunes by Santa Cruz's DJ Adam 12 and Biggah Happiness Sound.
Check out the event page by clicking on THIS.
Check out the non potato-salad themed Kickstarter page by clicking the word LADYSHRED.
TEAM HHG supports ladyshredders in all their shreddy pursuits, though we're currently stationed on the eastern seaboard and won't be able to attend. We have been doing our part encouraging the mini ladies, though, by shredding all things boogie board, two wheelers, and itch cream--they got bugs over here, yo!