Westbound Boarder
For Flippin’ Chicks!
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June 30th, 2010Los Angeles, SurfingThis past weekend, my brother and I headed to South Santa Monica for my first day of surfing this season! I know, I really have no excuse to have not made it out earlier, but I know I’ll be hitting the waves every weekend from here on out. Check out my brother’s rash guard below … you like?
Tags: santa monica, Surfing
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September 12th, 2009Surfing
This morning, I hit the waves for my very first day surfing since I broke my hand (correction, all my fingers) in early July. While paddling out to sea, desperately trying to remember my 123’s… I was hit stone cold with an enlightening epiphany - not all board sports come easy.
I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes I have the feeling that board sports (surfing included) should just come naturally, that I can set my board down for a couple years and be able to pick things up right where I left off. Not always the case. Surfing is a sport you need to work at perfecting each and every week, not only physically, but mentally as well, and I quickly realized that this morning as I was teetering and falling over and over again.
After struggling for several wave sets, I decided to try a different approach - I shrugged out of the water and plopped my board down on the beach to start from the basics. After practicing standing on my flat board in the sand a few times, I went out to a calm break in the water and tried it there a few more. I made sure I had my balance 100% realigned before heading back out.
The end result? One wave… success! Two waves, three and four. I was surfing like a pro in no time, finally back to where I left off. Well, almost.
So, what did I learn today? Surfing takes time. Surfing takes patience. And it does not come naturally. So next time you’re in a rut, frustrated, or about to give up, remember this - take a step back, and take it slow. Master the sport one step at a time before you take a giant leap. And never give up.
Tags: Learning, santa monica, Surfing Tips -
September 10th, 2009Big Bear, Events, Los Angeles
Just because summer has officially come to a close does not mean there’s nothing to do. In fact, our event calendar is just beginning to ramp up. So if you’re looking for something fun to do this weekend, check out our list below (by the time you’re done reading this post, you won’t know where to begin! Is it Friday yet?!)- Sunset Strip Music Festival: Sept. 11 - 12 — If you live relatively near Hollywood (or even if you don’t) this two-day event should be an awesome time. The strip will be closed for performances at several different locations, including two outdoor stages, The Roxy, House of Blues, and other large venues located along the famous Sunset strip. Headliners include Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Pepper, Unwritten Law, LMFAO, and more, and tickets are $39.50/day in advance, or $50 at the gate, plus additional charges for club events. Additional Details.
- World Premiere of Forum’s “Forever”: Friday, Sept. 11 at the Balboa Theater (868 4th Ave. @ E Street, San Diego), Doors open at 7pm — This Friday, Forum will be debuting its sixth film, “Forever,” featuring Forum team riders such as Peter Line, Eddie Wall, John Jackson, Jake Welch, Stevie Bell and Cameron Pierce (all will be in attendance). The film will be shown alongside Standard Film’s “Black Winter.” Additional Details. (Don’t live in SD? Totally no worries, its just the first stop of many).
- MSA Classic’s Opening Party and Keep A Breast Foundation Benefit: Friday, Sept. 11 at the Writer’s Boot Camp Bergamot Station Arts Center (2525 Michigan Ave., Building 1) in Santa Monica from 7 to 11 p.m. — Tomorrow the Malibu Surfing Association and Global Surf Industries will host the MSA Classic Opening Party, which will benefit the Keep A Breast Foundation. The party will feature free food and drink (free? yes!), pro surfers, a photography show by Roxy team rider Kassia Meador and Simone Reddingius, a Classic Hot Rod and Kustom Car Show, a raffle, and musical performances by MK & the Gentleman and The Holloys. There is $5 suggested donation (but it’s going to a good cause, so don’t sweat). Additional Details. (I’ll be stopping by, so make sure you stop by to say what’s up!)
Pencil This In: Events on the Horizon
- Saturday, Sept. 19: Bear Mountain Hot Dawgs and Hand Rails
- Saturday, Sept. 26: Red Bull Soapbox Los Angeles
- Sunday, October 4: Sixth Annual Night by the Ocean (Kodak Theater, Los Angeles)
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April 19th, 2009Board Shops, Los Angeles, SurfingTags: santa monica, Saturday Shop Review, surf shop
Downtown Santa Monica. That’s where I work, and in my opinion I work in one of the best cities on the planet. I sit in a big office that overlooks the beach and Santa Monica pier (OK, well that might be a bit of a stretch - however, if I stand in the corner of my office by the window and stand on my tippie toes, and look as far as I can to the side and around the corner, I think I can see the top of the ferris wheel…) But more importantly, when the clock strikes 6, I can grab my board and hit the waves for a whole two hours before my (somewhat) long drive back to Hollywood.
Needless to say, Santa Monica (one of LA’s more touristy areas) is also home to some of LA’s best surf - and along with that comes LA’s best surf shops. So the other day, in my attempts to uncover some of Santa Monica’s best, I opened up Google and typed in “Santa Monica surf shops.” And, voila, Santa Monica Surf Shop popped up. Intriguing.
I opened up Yelp and read a couple of the reviews, and I was sold. Reviews like, “This place is great. its like cheers, where everyone know your name” and “You definitely don’t feel like your at a regular old sporting goods store.” Um, where can I sign up?!
So I headed on over to Santa Monica Surf Shop on my lunch break the other day, and I can definitely see why this place is a local favorite. I pulled right up, walked in, and (because Yelp reviews don’t lie) was greeted immediately - “Hi, can I help you with anything?” I looked around - then looked down - and there was a kid looking up at me with a huge smile. ”Hi, um, do you work here?” I replied. ”No, I just come here a lot.” How cute; loyal customers to the T.
A few minutes later, Dennis came out from the back and showed me around the shop. It was pretty small, but had just about everything you’d need for a perfect day at the beach. They don’t have a ton of boards in stock, but they will custom order any board you’d like. They also have rentals, so you can try before you buy.
The shop was started in 1989 by pro surfer Shaun Tomson two years before he won the pro title. He owned the shop or a couple of years before Channel Islands bought it; the company changed hands a few more times before current owner Jon Monroy bought it and changed the name to what it is today.
One of the things that differentiates this shop from bigger chains like Val’s is that it has a true local vibe. They have many regulars who come often, and in the summer their business gets a bump from tourists in town for vaca. They also have a big used boards section, where people can come in and buy and sell used boards which is rad (for your pocket book, of course). They also have a ton of local clothing in stock, brands such as Freedom Artists and First Light.
Though this shop might look small from the inside, people come far and wide for their awesome concert series. On select nights, they’ll clear out the racks and host concerts. They’ve had artists such as Tom Curren, which attracted more than 80 fans to the little local shop.
All in all, great city, great shop - if you’re ever in town, stop on by!
Oh, also, Santa Monica Surf Shop was super awesome, and gave us some stickers and wax to give away! So, the first 5 people to leave a comment below and e-mail us your mailing address at westboundboarder@gmail.com will get a SMSS sticker in the mail; and we’ll do one grand prize drawing for the board wax.
Today it was 95 in LA, so if that’s not motivation to get your board and head west, I don’t know what is
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