Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Surf Music 101

Sure, you know the Beach Boys. Maybe you know Dick Dale--or the Ventures. KCRW DJ Tom Schnabel lists the Top 5 Bands that Defined Surf Culture on the stations super-cool "5 Things" blog. You know this one, for sure.--Stef McDonald

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Lifeguard Tower Art in Los Angeles

We just heard about a public art program involving kids called Portraits of Hope, which has been given the go-ahead to transform lifeguard towers with art in Los Angeles this year. 100 towers will be covered in panels and painted along 30 miles of beach May through September of 2010. Sweet!--Stef McDonald

Snowboarding Slam Dunk Contest

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Well, this is fun!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Olympic Fever: Girls Rock!

Torah Bright (Australia), Hannah Teter (USA) and Kelly Clark (USA) shined brightly at the 2010 Olympic Games. Love seeing our fellow board sisters pulling big airs. You go, girls!

Snowboard Design Contest

Venture Snowboards is allowing the public (that's you) to vote on designs for the "Venture/Protect Our Winters" art contest, with the design to be placed on a board. It's a good-cause mission, with the snowboard company partnering with Protect Our Winters (POW), in an effort to raise awareness on global warming. We can get definitely down with that. Voting goes to March 15.--Stef McDonald

Monday, February 15, 2010

Winter Olympics: Fever? We've Got It

I love that the opening ceremonies began with a snowboarder making a dramatic entrance (wow!) and I still have K.D. Lang's version of fellow Canadian Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" in my head (so beautiful). You can watch the clip (and others) if you have your cable info for access here and below is another video of Lang singing it--for instant gratification--because the song is so beautiful and she really nails it. But because Cohen is such a treasure, I am also posting a clip of him singing his song during last year's Coachella concert festival (it was hands-down one of the most amazing performances of the weekend and I felt lucky to be there to hear it).--Stef McDonald



Mavericks Wave Knocks Over Spectators






The Mavericks surf contest always promises excitement. But spectators expect to witness the excitement from afar--close enough to see but, well, that's close enough. A wave overtook spectators this past week and the several suffered broken bones and while others were bruised and battered. Scary.--Stef McDonald

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Kelly Slater Flick: Waves in 3D



I heard Kelly Slater interviewed on the radio about his new surf flick, "Ultimate Wave Tahiti." Searching for the ultimate wave? That's right--the endless (and endlessly fun) pursuit. So what makes this flick different than the last? 3D, for one (3D waves!). It's also another vehicle for the world champion surfer to raise more awareness for protecting the sea and those waves we love to ride.--Stef McDonald