A Day At The Beach

WTF Venice?

2010-07-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

I just spent the past week staying in a friends back house in Venice, right off Abbot Kinney. It was fantastic. I never thought I could enjoy Venice so much! One thing I discovered while I was there was this fantastic blog that any southern california beach local can relate to. Visit WTF Venice for some classic beach stories. The following is my favorite entry from the blog. Enjoy!

Stay Classy Venice Visitors
Friday, June 18, 2010

I am not one to judge.

I might believe that spandex is a privilege, not a right, but far be it for me to insist what people wear. Besides, if it were up to me, everyone would be in gray suits except Olivia Wilde who would only be allowed to sport her wardrobe from Tron.

So wear what you want America.
Ladies, squeeze into those size 14 jeans even though you are a size 28.
Fellas, who wants to wear a shirt, right? Buff or fat, guys can go topless and I'll remain silent.
Silence does not include rolling my eyes.

And while you're at it, go ahead and bump that bass as you sit in gridlock outside my house.
I never knew the raw talent that is Soulja Boy until you folks came around at 8am on a Sunday.

Hell, let loose, it's the weekend and you don't live here anyway.
So ask me for directions to the beach that is ten feet to the west, or ask me if I live here (here being the house with the porch I am sitting on), or let your kids pee in my flowers.

But, at the end of the day, I wish our visitors from the Inland Empire (I'm stereotyping), would take their evidence with them.
By evidence, I mean the thousands of combo meal corpses laying on the sidewalk, or the 160 ounce (and empty) soda cups, and please take the chicken bones. Please.

I get it folks, we all come from a different walk of life.
I come from a place that does not watch ABC's Wipeout, or wear t-shirts with random skull designs, or think techno music is music.

But we all have one thing in common, and while I wish it were common sense, it's not. It is the common idea that none of us want chicken bones, burger wrappers, and corn dog remnants on our porch.

So folks, as you arrive to Venice in the Escalade this weekend, surely to get your weed and knock off sunglasses, do us all here a favor and toss your garbage in a can.

Or at least eat the containers your food comes in, certainly you are still hungry.

What does a wet mohawk look like?

2010-06-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

Not your normal beach crew in Laguna but they seem nice. Don't think
his hair will stay put after a dip in the ocean, but will see.

This crew from the Inland Empire (I'm stereotyping), decided to come to Laguna for a fabulous beach day. They brought more beach gear than locals due, one of those items being a tent (that's a no no). They spend an hour setting up the tent and once it's all finished, the life guard walks over to them and tells them tents aren't aloud and if they leave it up they will be fined. Of course the lifeguard didn't say anything until after he watched them set it up. I like the lifeguards sense of humor :)

Sperry 75th Anniversary Canvas Sneaker

2010-05-03T15:55:00.000-07:00

In honor of the Sperry Top-Sider 75th Anniversary, they held a Battle of the Wits giveaway. They asked the question:

"You’ve got a fresh pair of Sperrys, and your custom yacht with the walls lined in blue oxford cloth is ready to set sail anywhere in the world. Where do you go, and why?"

The winner receives the classic Canvas Vulcanized Oxford sneaker in a cool replica of the original 1935 box.

Here is a sampling of what contestants submitted:

1) “I’d take my grandfather to the coasts of Normandy, a place he has not been since June 6th, 1941, but one that he yearns to see again.” — David

2) “Wherever my love wanted. Many men say they’d go to the ends of the Earth for a good woman. Too few actually do.” — Shawn

3) “One should eschew
The shoe that’s new
And wear it out
Through sun and salt
From Maine to Spain
And back again.” — Charles Day

4) “I wish I had some Sperrys.
I wish I had a yacht.
I wish I had a beautiful wife.
But sadly, I do not.

But if I win these Sperrys,
I’ll sail around the world.
And I hope to find and someday wed
A beautiful island girl.” — Luke

Playing On The Beach

2010-04-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

AMG Miami Beach Polo World Cup VI.

Throngs of polo enthusiasts, many still in town from the recent Palm Beach Polo Classic, migrated to South Beach for the annual oceanfront tournament, held on the white sandy beach behind the ultra chic Setai Hotel, that signals the end of the Spring polo season in Florida.

2010-04-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

"What do you expect from a place where men wear sandals?"

Chuck Bass

Lobster fishing — La pêche au homard

2010-04-20T14:41:00.000-07:00

Beautiful photos of Lobster fishing in Cohasset.

See more photos here

Labor Day Weekend in Laguna Beach

2009-09-06T21:13:00.000-07:00

The 2nd day of the Victoria 4-man volleyball tournament.

Team Anger Management vs. Team Crack My Ribs

Dust Dvoracek, Laguna Beach High School alumn and beach volleyball olympic gold medalist.

More from the today's beach day

2009-09-05T20:52:00.001-07:00

Labor Day Weekend in Laguna Beach

2009-09-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

Victoria Beach

2009-09-05T14:27:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Weekend - Laguna Beach

2009-09-05T14:12:00.000-07:00

New Study Shows Plastic Breaks Down in the Ocean at an Alarming Rate

2009-09-03T08:39:00.000-07:00

Although plastic trash is known to be indestructible, scientists recently discovered that some plastics actually decompose rapidly in the ocean. Instead of taking hundreds of years and high temperatures to decompose, plastic it now seems can break down at cooler temperatures and within one year of hitting the water. This is bad news since as it decomposes, plastic leaches toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A into the ocean. With about 44 percent of all seabirds and 267 marine species already affected by plastic garbage, the presence of bisphenol just means even more trouble for our wildlife.

All the water samples collected in the study had derivatives of polystyrene, a common plastic used in disposable cutlery, Styrofoam, and DVD cases, among other things.

You Need These Sandals

2009-09-03T08:33:00.000-07:00

On sale now at www.katespade.com

Perfect Beach Day

2009-08-23T13:59:00.000-07:00

Victoria Beach, Laguna Beach
Two Man VBall Tournament

Foggy Beach Day

2009-08-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

2009-08-22T15:44:00.000-07:00

Beach Day - Victoria 2 Man Tournament

2009-08-22T15:43:00.000-07:00

Beach Day in Laguna

2009-08-16T15:07:00.000-07:00

Victoria Beach

Vote To Help Save America's Shores

2009-08-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what you can do to help keep your favorite beach beautiful? The Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue Project has the answer. To raise awareness about major Surfrider Foundation environmental campaigns in celebration of Surfrider’s 25th anniversary, Barefoot wine is donating $25,000 to directly help support local Surfrider Foundation chapters and their efforts to protect America’s shores. Beginning May 1, 2009 through August 15, 2009, Barefoot is encouraging everyone to learn more and cast their vote for one of four Surfrider Foundation campaigns in need of more awareness and financial support. The four highlighted campaigns are:

* Clear the Path (Oahu, HI)
Focus on better beach access through public education and legislation

* Challenge Beach Management Permitting Practices (Palm Beach County, FL)
Working to stop harmful beach fill projects and educate the public on the fragility of beach ecosystems

* Save Gaviota Coast (Santa Barbara County, CA)
Helping preserve the Gaviota Coast from development

* Sink the Breakwater (Long Beach, CA)
Restore the natural flow of ocean currents, improve water quality and bring back waves

CAST YOUR VOTE HERE!

Video - How to dress from a british point of view

2009-08-09T17:21:00.000-07:00

Jess Cartner-Morley, fashion editor of the UK newspaper The Guardian's, guides you through the latest trends of beachwear via Missoni and Versace.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/video/2009/jul/18/how-to-dress-beachwear

Quiksilver's Quick Fix

2009-08-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

Always at the forefront of all things fresh, Quiksilver has teamed up with The Standard hotels to make co-branded men’s and women’s swimsuits to be distributed via vending machines poolside at the hotel's four properties and online at ShoptheStandard.com.

Joshua Katz, director of marketing and communications at Quiksilver Inc., explains, “This is a 24-hour customer, and a lot of times they might not have a swimsuit but want to take a late-night swim, after the hotel’s boutique is closed.”

For added flavor, each design has a "Quik City Guide" on the inside waistband, with addresses of local places of interest. The vending machines will also dispense zines and $10 works of art from local artists. Four men's retro-inspired men's styles will be available as well as a classic black string bikini for the ladies. Step right up.

Let's Pass the Beach Bill!

2009-08-03T10:58:00.001-07:00

For the third year in a row, Congress is considering a bill to reauthorize the BEACH Act. This landmark law was first championed by Surfrider Foundation a decade ago.

The Clean Coastal Environment & Public Health Act of 2009 will increase the amount of federal dollars that can be spent on beach water quality monitoring and will modernize the technology we rely on to protect the health of the beach-going public. It also expands the scope of the BEACH Act to include tracking and cleaning up the sources of beach water pollution. The House of Representatives has passed this bill twice now, but it has not yet seen the Senate floor.

Urge your Senators to show their support for healthy beaches and robust coastal economies by cosponsoring the Clean Coastal Environment & Public Health Act of 2009. Don't let them put this off for yet another year!

Take action by visiting Surfrider Foundation's action website http://actionnetwork.org.

Digital Toys On The Beach

2009-08-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

Posted on August 2nd, 2009 by Judi Cutrone on DigitalPivot.com

Last week, I was at the Jersey Shore with my family. As I sat there, surrounded by hordes of people roughly my own age, a thought struck me. In any other setting, I would lose track of the number of headphones I saw amongst them. But here, on the beach, I saw zero. Instead of seeing anyone clutching the famous Kindle and surfing between a stack of books, I saw ratty old paperbacks.

It hadn’t even occurred to me to bring either of my Apple products to the beach. When it comes to my two favorite toys, sand and water are a big no-no (also, my nieces and nephew wouldn’t allow it since all free time goes to shell collecting and sand castle-destroying). If I had done the research ahead of time, I would’ve been stunned by the lack of discussion on the web regarding protecting your technology on the beach.

None of the accessories in the Apple store address the issue directly, which I find to be more than a little surprising. Summer is a three-month season. The United States boasts nearly 12,000 miles of coastline. According to the Long Beach Township Beach Patrol, nearly 700,000 people visited the six Long Beach area beaches alone in 2008. I’m no statistician, but that’s a lot of people hitting the shore every summer, where the main activities beside swimming and building sand creatures are lying down, sleeping, eating, and reading. That’s prime time that could be spent buying mobile applications, playing FreeCell, checking your email and listening to your perfect beach playlist. So why aren’t there specific beach-friendly accessories or products from our major electronic providers? It boggles the mind. Or maybe that was just all the sun I was exposed to in a six-day period.

To save you some time, if you plan on hitting the beach this summer and are wondering how to keep your iPod and iPhone safe, the friendly folks at Apple recommend the Incase Sports Armband ($34.95) and the like. The good news is that my Apple specialist was “pretty sure” this would protect my iPod Classic from the dangerous sand, the alternative being the pricey waterproof options (ranging from $80to $350). The bad news is that wearing the black armband will mean an ugly tan line and the waterproof headphones will, well, make you look like an idiot.

I’m especially intrigued what this will mean for Amazon’s Kindle. After all, the little handheld device is supposed to “save publishing” and “is the future of books.” I would give you my recommendation for using the Kindle on the beach, but unlike Apple, Amazon doesn’t have a 24-hour chat rep and I’m too spoiled by the convenience of customer chat to call Amazon and be put on hold. Don’t even get me started on e-mail support. Why no one has officially deemed this system completely inadequate is another post for another time.

Judi Cutrone is a digital copywriter who has navigated the world of web design, brand marketing and new media initiatives since 2006. Follow her on Twitter and www.thecreme.wordpress.com.

It's Everywhere You Want To Be

2009-07-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

Now you don't even have to think about how you can support and save your favorite beaches. Surfrider has introduced the The Surfrider Foundation Visa Platinum® Rewards Card! No annual fee, 0% Introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for six months, and a $50 donation to Surfrider when you first use the card plus ongoing contributions. Supporters choose from five different card designs, each featuring captivating photographic images from Aaron Chang.

http://www.cardpartner.com/app/surfrider-foundation

Beach Day in Laguna Beach

2009-07-26T23:09:00.000-07:00

Three Arch Bay
July 26th, 2009

Watch Where You Step!

2009-07-20T16:26:00.000-07:00

A 20-foot-long basking shark washed ashore on a beach on New York's Long Island. The shark seems to have died from some illness and after the cause of death is determined it will be buried in nearby sand dunes. It is unusual for ailing basking sharks to come ashore; they usually die at sea.

The US Open Hits Huntington Beach

2009-07-20T16:22:00.000-07:00

The Hurley US Open of Surfing kicks off this week in Huntington Beach. The event, which is billed as the largest surf contest in the world, attracts more than a quarter million spectators. Many an epic battle has been fought here: Curren vs. Occy, Slater vs. Beschen, Machado vs. Irons. Who will emerge triumphant? ...only time will tell. If you happen to be in Southern California, make sure and check it out. Take advantage of the free posters and an opportunity to meet the pro surfers.

2009-07-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

San Clemente beach day

2009-07-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th!

2009-07-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th!

Young Asians Saying No To Shark Fin Soup

2009-07-02T10:26:00.000-07:00

With a third of our open ocean sharks facing extinction, it's encouraging to see the popularity of shark fin soup declining. Young Asians are becoming more aware of the environmental impact of this "affluent" dish and are staying away from Shark Fin Soup, opting instead for more environmetally friendly alternatives. Read more about this in the artcile below written by Ralph Jennings and Cheong Kah Shin.

Singaporean groom Han Songguang took his campaign to stop consumption of one of Asia's top delicacies to a new level when he placed postcards of a dead shark on each guest's seat at his own wedding banquet.

Instead of shark's fin soup, a must at many ethnic Chinese wedding banquets, Han offered his guests lobster soup.

"If we can do our part to save X number of sharks ... why not?" said Han, a geography teacher, who married a diving enthusiast in December.

Wildlife conservationists, who have long railed against the popularity of shark fin soup, are finally seeing signs that consumption is dropping as young Asians become aware of the environmental impact of this much-prized dish.

Added to that is the global financial crisis, which is causing Asians to tighten their belts and either cut down on visits to restaurants or order more frugally from menus.

A symbol of wealth and status in Chinese culture, shark fin soup has long been an essential part of banquet celebrations for weddings and to welcome the Lunar New Year.

Until recently, only the rich could afford the soup. But demand has soared in recent years, hand-in-hand with rising affluence in East Asia. The quantity of shark fins demanded, around 800,000 metric tonnes a year, has caused a sharp decline in shark numbers. About 20 per cent of all shark species are now endangered.

Wildlife conservationists also decry the killing of sharks through "finning," whereby the fins are cut off and the live shark is tossed back into the sea. Unable to swim properly, the shark suffocates or is killed by predators.

"Today we have incredible access to information. It has become much harder to say, 'I didn't know,' " said Glenn Sant, marine program leader of the British wildlife group Traffic.

He urged young Asians to take a stand and say: " 'It shouldn't be an insult not to put shark fin on our wedding menu.' "

Despite efforts to ban "finning," environmentalists say it is still carried out across the region as fishermen want the valuable fin but don't want to store the rest of the shark, as its flesh fetches low prices at fish markets.

As young Asians such as Han take a stand against shark fin soup, environmentalists hope for a long-term drop in consumption.

Still, there is a robust market of older consumers who demand the soup at auspicious events.

"Students and people in their 20s wouldn't go to a shark eatery, and $15 for a dish is no cheap price," said Joyce Wu, program officer with Traffic.

Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and China, including Hong Kong, are all major shark fin consumers, according to a Traffic report. Trade in shark products was worth $310 million US in 2005, with fins 40 per cent of the total, the report says.

Those numbers are coming down as younger consumers eschew the delicacy of their parents.

Worldwide shark consumption dropped from a peak of 897,000 metric tonnes in 2003 to 758,000 in 2006, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Fins make up an increasingly small percentage of the total, Traffic says.

Sharks live a long time, said Yvonne Sadovy, a biology professor at the University of Hong Kong. "They have a low reproductive rate. In in other words, they produce just a few young every year or every few years. So you just can't take a lot."

Tastes have changed along with awareness for young Asians. Shang-kuan Liang-chi, a National Taiwan University student who has tried the crunchy jelly-like dish twice at formal events, prefers other food and avoids a shark fin restaurant near campus. "University students never go in there," he said.

Even chefs are hoping to turn the tide. At Singapore's Annual Chefs' Association dinner, shark fin traditionally served at the occasion was taken off the menu.

"It is much harder to stop serving shark's fin in our restaurants, as the consumers still demand it," said Otto Weibel, a food manager at one of Singapore's top hotels. "However, in our personal capacity, we can make a stand."

Global entertainment giant Disney bowed to pressure from animal rights activists and took the delicacy off its menu when it opened Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005.

All About Bikini

2009-06-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

Test your bikini knowledge, see the latest beach trends, get bikini workout tips and more at PopSugars summer bikini blog. We love this site for it's fashion, health, fitness tips and more and love that they tailor a site for us summer lovers. Check it out at www.PopSugar.com.

The First Days of Summer

2009-06-29T22:02:00.000-07:00

Surprise, surprise...the beach girls spent the first day's of summer in Laguna Beach which include a morning beach walk from Main Beach to Bluebird. Later we did lunch at the lovely Montage Hotel where we dined on our favorite halibut sandwich at The Loft, a restaurant in the hotel. The weather was perfect to capture the incredible views from the hotel. Looks like 4th of July will be just as nice.

Surfing Safety Tips - Break the Grip of the Rip

2009-06-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

Rip currents have been a major issue in Daytona Beach, Florida this summer. Just the other day it was reported that in three days, about 500 swimmers had to be rescued in Volusia County. Be sure to stay safe when you’re surfing this summer no matter what beach you are at.

Check out these safety tips from the National Weather Service.
1. Learn out to get out of a rip current: Break the Grip of the Rip.
2. Read these tips on how to stay safe.
3. Check your local surf forecast before you go out.

500 Swimmers Rescued From Rip Tides

2009-06-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, the Volusia County lifeguards in Florida had their work cut out for them with more than 500 water rescues. The majority of saves were due to swimmers getting caught in rip currents. In some cases, entire families were swept away from shore at the same time. Lifeguards say that heavy surf over the last month has contributed to hundreds of rip currents and beach goers have been warned that these conditions could remain for a while. Still with temperatures in the mid- to upper-90s across Central Florida it's hard to keep people out of the water so every lifeguard station was manned and ready last weekend. Luckily, only two people were hospitalized on Friday and they're expected to be OK.

The BEACH Act

2009-06-22T13:08:00.000-07:00

A bill to re-authorize the BEACH Act is moving through Congress.
The Clean Coastal Environment & Public Health Act will do more
to protect public health and improve water quality at our
nation's beaches. Let Congress know that you support clean
beaches and immediate access to critical water quality
information.

Urge your Representatives to support the prompt passage of this
bill!

You can take action on this alert either via email (please see
directions below) or via the web at:
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/BEACHact_09/8wixi7g4zjnimwkj?

Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/BEACHact_09/forward/8wixi7g4zjnimwkj?

Beach water pollution is threatening the health of beach-goers and the vitality of coastal economies across this nation. Reliance on slow and outdated monitoring methods is forcing beach managers to make important public health decisions with day-old water quality information. This puts public health at risk and often forces
pre-emptive beach closures, which may or may not end up being necessary.

The Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act mandates the adoption of rapid testing methods that provide water quality information within hours of sampling. It forces states to issue beach advisories within 24 hours and sets new standards for
public notification. This bill will also, for the first time, allow state beach grants to be used to track the sources of beach pollution and, in the Senate bill, to clean up these sources.

Help our coastal communities manage clean, healthy beaches by co-sponsoring and supporting the prompt passage of this important piece of legislation. To sign-on, please contact the office of Representative Pallone or Senator Lautenberg. I encourage you to take action by December 30, 2009.

Spotted at Starbucks

2009-06-22T10:16:00.001-07:00

Real OC Housewife spotted inland. Lynne and her husband were enjoying a latte this morning at Starbucks in the Fashion District of Downtown LA.

Let Your Sandals Glow

2009-06-19T14:51:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a summer beach day turn into a summer evening? You start a bonfire, and enjoy dinner outside and under the stars. But then the evening ends, you gather your things, and put the fire out. But, oh no, where are your flip-flops?

This can now be prevented if your flip-flops have solar energy and glow in the dark. I present to you Havaianas "Cool" glow-in-the-dark flip-flops ($28). May you never loose your flip-flops again.

Roxy Launches Headphones with Audio Giant JBL

2009-06-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

Do you have your summer headphones for easy beach listening?

Roxy Launches Headphones with Audio Giant JBL in New York!

Superyacht Race Lavish As Ever

2009-05-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

Despite seemingly hard times, an annual yacht race in St. Bart's is expected to be as illustriously high-end as ever. (Pictured is a 289-foot Maltese Falcon, the biggest trophy in the fleet, owned by venture capitalist Tom Perkins's).

NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Marie Antoinette was no mistress of the high seas, but she'd probably feel quite welcome this weekend in the blue waters of the eastern Caribbean.

Beginning Thursday, 35 of the world's great sailing superyachts gather for the St. Barts Bucket Regatta -- a glorious display of wealth and merriment in an exclusive French colony where the doomed queen would've fit right in. At the regatta, with venture capitalist Tom Perkins's 289-foot Maltese Falcon as the biggest trophy in the fleet, it's caviar and champagne for everybody! Except for the peasants on shore gawking at the gleaming hulls and masts rising toward the heavens -- let them eat, well, sand! Boats with saunas and hot tubs, boats with movie theaters and flat-screen TVs in the head, pastry chefs, Monets, remote-control window shades -- come to think of it, wouldn't John Thain love the life of sailing?

It is a testament to either tone-deafness or the culture of mega-wealth (or both) that this year's Bucket is bigger and better than ever. There isn't even enough space at the dock for the 35 boats, whose combined footage is just under a mile. If you have sufficient millions -- and it can cost a few of them per year to pay for insurance, fuel and a professional crew that can number 20 on a big boat -- it may not really matter much if your portfolio drops 10 or 30 percent. Nor may you particularly care if the proles are offended by your profligacy, though some yacht owners these days are increasing security and trying altogether to avoid ports like Monte Carlo and Saint-Tropez that are known for paparazzi. Hank Halsted, a Newport, R.I., yacht broker who organizes the Bucket, has a more forgiving explanation. "Of course we're knee-deep in tough times," he says, acknowledging that the international array of hedgies, traders and CEOs who gather aren't oblivious to the worldwide economic mess. "But people want to get back to having a good time." You can always count on the superrich to keep things in perspective.

It's not for nothing that the informal motto of the Bucket is "Win the Party." Or that Halsted calls himself a "primary ringmaster of this menagerie of really big 10-year-olds at camp." In 2005, Canadian doughnut prince Ron Joyce airlifted live lobsters in from Prince Edward Island for supper. Another year, Minnesota financier Hap Fauth turned his 116-foot sloop into an all-night disco. Last spring, sometime-local Jimmy Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band put on a surprise benefit concert (with the proceeds generously buying a CT-scanner for the village hospital). There's talk this week that Buffett may stop by again to entertain what will be 700 Bucket participants and guests.

But while partying's nice, the regatta itself is not for the timid. What began as a "gentleman¹s race" in New England in 1986 -- the "Nantucket Bucket," to celebrate a birthday for publishing magnate Nelson Doubleday Jr., who wanted to have a band play aboard his 125-foot schooner Mandalay -- is now an intense affair, befitting the fellows who typically made their money by stomping on their competitors, which is how they came to own gigantic sailboats in the first place. There's something richly amusing about several dozen of the planet's most powerful tycoons all jockeying to harness something they can't much control: wind and weather. They surely do try.

Because the boats are different sizes and capable of different speeds, they're subject to a quirky handicapping system. That means attempting to game the system mathematically. Quant kings, meet the race committee, which also emphasizes in the rules that "bribes can get you anything in the Bucket." The slower your boat's supposed to be, the better starting time you get; the fastest boat starts last and has to pursue every other boat on the course -- first across the finish line wins the Bucket trophy. The slowest skipper gets the Escargot Cup, which is an empty can of snails. With such obloquy at stake, almost nobody actually steers his own boat. Instead, you bring in America's Cup talent -- "consultants," by any other name. The point is to have fun. Winning is funner. Aside from hiring bartenders, Halsted says, "The crux of my job is to arrange dogfights among nautical 747s without anybody getting hurt." Nobody's been killed yet. They wisely got rid of the rule from early years that the first race began with daiquiris.

Not everything is jolly in the business of big yachts. There are many signs that the recession is pummeling demand for both sailboats and motorboats. Industry insiders say new orders -- for vessels that wouldn't be delivered for two or three years -- are down and several current projects are being scaled back. It has been widely reported that the giant Italian luxury-yacht builder Ferretti is in deep financial trouble. Sales of existing boats are down by as much as 40 percent, according to some estimates. A few of the superyachts that owners bring to the Caribbean from the Mediterranean for the winter charter season stayed in Europe because there weren't any customers; crews have been laid off. "Not everyone has money accumulated under the pillow, able to weather this storm," says Jill Bobrow, editor of ShowBoats International.

Still, the Bucket extravaganza in St. Barts suggests that at the tippy-top of the luxury market, the yachting class just keeps sailing along. There's a reason Perkins revels in having the colorful pennants on the Falcon's carbon-fiber masts semaphore this message: "Rarely does one have the privilege to witness vulgar ostentation displayed on such a scale." The emir of Dubai has just unveiled the world's largest yacht, the 531-foot Dubai. The $350-million motorboat accommodates 115 and has eight decks and even a helipad. It's so big it ought to have its own gift shop, but you couldn't get close enough to shop anyway. Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire, aims to beat him with the 555-foot Eclipse, still under construction. According to the yachting press, the Eclipse will be equipped with armor plating, bulletproof windows, a missile-detection system and an escape-submarine. It's unclear who might be out to get him, but things could be worse. If Abramovich lived in Fairfield County, the neighborly frenzy might make AIG-rage seem tame.

As they used to say during an old European revolution, off with his head!

By David A. Kaplan

David A. Kaplan is the author of "Mine's Bigger: The Extraordinary Tale of the World's Greatest Sailboat and the Silicon Valley Tycoon Who Built It," which won the 2008 Gerald Loeb Award for best business book of the year.

Gucci Goes Green

2009-05-26T16:01:00.001-07:00

The luxury brand is getting more eco-friendly, but that could open its brands up to some unwanted scrutiny. (Pictured is a sketch of the Sergio Rossi's stiletto shoe - the Eco Pump - which has a sole and heel made of liquid wood).

LONDON (Fortune) -- Frida Giannini, the creative director of Gucci, has designed a $185 limited-edition T-shirt made of organic cotton and natural dyes. Sergio Rossi is launching a stiletto shoe called the Eco Pump, whose sole and heel are made of liquid wood.

At Bottega Veneta, there's a specially-designed environmental tote bag free for customers spending more than $1,500, and Alexander McQueen has come up with a signature scarf featuring a picture of the earth morphed into a skull.

The Gucci Group is going green big time next month, to coincide with the launch of a new movie about the plight of the planet Earth that is being sponsored by Gucci's parent, France's PPR Group.

The movie, called "Home," is by French aerial-photography specialist Yann Arthus-Bertrand, and will be released worldwide on June 5 in movie theaters and on TV in more than 80 countries - and especially online.

Google has agreed to stream the high-definition movie on specially-dedicated YouTube pages for 10 days. In the U.S. it's being distributed by Fox and will be shown on the National Geographic channel.

At a time when sales of luxury goods are reeling from the economic slump, giving brands a green tinge amounts to a different - but potentially risky - way of keeping them in the public eye.

François-Henri Pinault, the CEO of PPR, whose $13 million sponsorship covered most of the movie's costs, insists that he's not supporting the project for its potential effects on business, but as part of a bigger commitment to reduce the company's environmental impact.

"We're not doing this for our revenues," Pinault told Fortune. He acknowledges that there's a risk for a consumer-goods company putting so much emphasis on ecology since it opens the various brands up to criticism of any production methods or products that don't meet a high environmental standard.

"No brand is perfect," Pinault says. "It'll be the responsibility of the brands not to disappoint." He gives one example: "I hope Frida (Giannini) will now say no to using fur."

Whatever the motive, it's an opportunity that the Gucci brands aren't letting pass by - and are eager to tell the world about their philanthropy. Profits from most of the products will be donated to a charity that Arthus-Bertrand founded.

Stella McCartney may end up making the biggest splash. A vegetarian who has long refused to use leather or fur in her designs, McCartney is planning to host a special screening of the movie at her store in West Hollywood on June 5 with a range of VIPs in attendance, including Laura Dern, Ben Harper, Anjelica Huston and Salma Hayek - who is married to Pinault

By Peter Gumbel, Europe editor

New Contest: Design A Roxy Bikini!!!

2009-05-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

OMG! How cool is this. Every beach girls dream! Get your sketch pads out and get started! See the link below for all the details from Roxy.

New Contest: Design A Roxy Bikini!!!!!!

Spring Has Sprung!

2009-05-02T09:45:00.000-07:00

Here are some fabulous photos of Laguna Beach Easter morning. Summer is quickly approaching! Get out there and enjoy the quiet beaches while you can before the season hits. Remember to respect the beach, the creatures that live there, and to take your trash with you. Happy beach days!

- Beach Girls Who Bog

Not The Answer

2009-03-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

Do you think offshore drilling is the answer in building US oil reserves? If not, now is your opportunity to tell national leaders that offshore drilling is a BAD POLICY for our oceans and our future. Recently, Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar extended the public comment period for the Minerals Management Service (“MMS”) proposed 5-year offshore oil and gas plan by 180-days. This plan was drawn up by the Bush Administration in its waning hours to form the basis for making future decisions on what the Outer Continental Shelf (“OCS”) program should include.

Offshore oil and gas leasing poses a seemingly endless list of harms to the ocean, caused by both large spills and gradual degradation of the ocean associated with drilling-related activities. The dangers range from the vast long-term ecological impacts to the destruction of marine habitat, recreational uses and the economic value of our ocean resources.

Take action now – tell the Secretary of Interior to limit new drilling on the outer continental shelf and support ocean conservation and alternative energy development. Go to http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/not_the_answer_03_09 to send a letter to Secretary Salazar.

You can join the new cause group on Facebook created by the Surfrider Foundation: "Stop Offshore Drilling" - http://tinyurl.com/dfgfxv

For updates and information be sure to visit Surfrider's Not The Answer blog at www.nottheanswer.org

'Brazilian’ wax injuries lead state to wide ban

2009-03-19T12:03:00.001-07:00

Something to consider next time you reach for your bikini!

The state Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling is moving toward a ban on genital waxing altogether after two women reported being injured in their quest for a smooth bikini line.

Both women were hospitalized for infections following so-called “Brazilian” bikini waxes; one of the women has filed a lawsuit, according to Jeff Lamm, a spokesman for New Jersey’s Division of Consumer Affairs, which oversees the cosmetology board.

Technically, genital waxing has never been allowed — only the face, neck, abdomen, legs and arms are permitted — but because bare-it-all “Brazilians” weren’t specifically banned, state regulators haven’t enforced the law.

“The genital area is not part of the abdomen or legs as some might assume,” Lamm said.

Officials with the National Cosmetology Association and National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology said they were unaware of another state that has banned genital waxing.

Regular bikini waxes would still be allowed.

Genital waxing can be dangerous in that the hot wax can irritate or tear delicate skin in the bikini area, resulting in infections, ingrown hairs and rashes, according to skin care experts.

Despite such risks, millions of American women — and some men — choose to have the hair down there ripped away, and a majority of salons in New Jersey offer the procedure for between $50 to $60.

The state Board of Cosmetology meets next on April 14 and will decide whether to move forward with banning the procedure, made popular in Brazil to accommodate skimpy thong bikinis.

The earliest the ban could take effect would be sometime in May, Lamm said, and salons that continue to perform it could be fined.

For salon owners, discontinuing the popular service could mean a substantial drop in business, especially as summer swimsuit season nears.

Spa owner Linda Orsuto, who owns 800 West Salon & Spa in Cherry Hill, estimates that most of 1,800 bikini waxes performed at her business last year were Brazilian-style.

“It’s huge,” she said, adding that her customers don’t think their bikini lines are anyone’s business but their own. “It’s just not right.”

She said many customers would likely travel across state lines to get it and some might even try to wax themselves.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29773433/

Thursday, March 19, 2009

2009-03-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

Last day of winter. Hooray!

The Big Chill

2009-01-27T17:05:00.000-08:00

I bet you're glad you don't live in Wisconsin! I'm sure many folks across the country are wishing spring will come early this year.

Lookbook: Quiksilver

2009-01-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

Looking good in the summer can be hard. Bare body parts and sweat might excite onlookers, but for the girl trying to stay cool without going naked, it’s an annoying struggle.

Thankfully, Quiksilver offers some affordable solutions with their summer 09’ collection. Easy-to-layer pieces like tissue-thin oversized tees, tiny knit vests, and distressed baggy denim beg to be worn over their itsy bitsy swimwear adorned with buttons and cable-knit details. The somber color palette of grays, whites, corals, and pops of red, screams “wear me with everything you own.”

Our must have is the pink sleeveless v-neck dress with twisted back straps, and drawstring pockets. Sounds complicated, but it’s the perfect piece to transition from beach to bar.

Visit the looks at www.nylanmag.com

Luxury Yacht Sales Hit The Rocks

2009-01-19T11:38:00.000-08:00

Ferretti, the world's second-largest yacht maker, is preparing for the worst after sales of its $2m-plus yachts to the super rich hit the rocks amid the deepening financial crisis.

In an alarmingly fast reversal of fortunes for Ferretti, which has a star-studded client list including Brigitte Bardot, Richard Burton, and Jennifer Lopez, its UK-based private equity owners are in talks to hire advisers for a debt restructuring.

The surprise move comes only a few months after Candover, which acquired Ferretti for $2.3 billion in October 2007, ditched a planned flotation of the Italian-based company on the Milan stock exchange due to the turmoil in financial markets.

Until a few months ago, sales were booming and profits hitting record levels at Ferretti, which specialises in luxury motor yachts costing $2m on average. Its owners are now bracing themselves for a sharp downturn.

Candover is in discussions with Rothschild to advise on a planned restructuring of Ferretti's $950m-plus debts. Candover, Ferretti and Rothschild declined to comment.

The drop in the $11bn-a-year super yacht market mirrors the end of a six-year boom in the art market, where prices dropped suddenly in the second half of 2008. As the world's multi-millionaires lick their wounds, many are pulling back from buying luxury items.

The resulting drop in demand is bad news for Ferretti, which owns the Pershing, Riva and CRN brands, and rival yacht-makers such as Princess, Sunseeker, Rodriguez and Sealine.

"It was a really quiet autumn and the credit crunch had a severe effect," said Simon Goldsworthy, a super yacht broker at Camper & Nicholsons in London. "The smaller the size of yacht, the more it has been affected."

"The most common call I am getting at the moment is 'have you got any repossessions?'" said Mr Goldsworthy. "But there have been more cancelled orders than repossessions, because it is easier to walk away than to default." Ferretti is seeking a chief executive after Vincenzo Cannatelli stepped down in December.

The company was started in 1968 by Norbert Ferretti, the chairman, who retains a big minority stake. It builds about 500 boats a year.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009

Chinese Laundry Online Sale

2009-01-08T12:04:00.001-08:00

Chinese Laundry's private shoe sale is going on now till January 29th. To get the deal, simply enter the coupon code CLFRIENDS2009 during checkout and receive 25 percent off your entire order.

Happy shoe shopping!
www.chineselaundry.com

World's Hottest Billionaire Playgrounds

2009-01-06T14:26:00.000-08:00

Where do the very rich go to indulge their expensive desires? Mustique, St. Tropez, and Maui to name a few.

Also on the list of billionaire playgrounds: The Maldives, where billionaires head to enjoy a system of coral reefs off the coast of India; the Hamptons, where mansions, quaint beaches, and pulsing nightlife mix at the east end of Long Island, N.Y.; and Palm Beach, Fla., where perfect year-round weather and beachfront mansions have attracted billionaires like Donald Trump and John Kluge.

Forbes teamed up with the Travel Channel to create this list of the world's top billionaire playgrounds. It will be featured on the first episode of "Forbes Luxe 11," which will debuted on the Travel Channel in December. Though the show is quite out of touch with the current state of the global economy, the shows often are a nice way to escape one's current state of affairs, even if just for 30 minutes.

To read more and see the list of billionaire playgrounds in pictures, click here.

Speidi Sighting in Palisades

2009-01-04T14:33:00.000-08:00

Beach Girls were dining this Sunday at Cafe Vida in Pacific Palisades when we spotted The Hills duo, Speidi. Spencer Pratt was picking up some fresh OJ and smoothies, and rode off with Heidi Montag in their new Porche Cayenne. Where so sad this season of The Hills is over, but at least we now have The City.

Causes

2009-01-04T14:20:00.000-08:00

At 25, the co-founder and president of Causes has created a vehicle for activism by leveraging social causes through online social networks. The result has been powerful - a visionary business model that's empowered 30 million Facebook and MySpace users to change the world. The Santa Monica, Calif., native began stoking his passion for politics and social progress as a social studies major at Harvard, where he was also involved in numerous grassroots causes. After graduating in 2006, Green founded Essembly, a non-partisan networking site dedicated to intelligent debate of topical issues. Causes registered 12 million users who had supported 80,000 nonprofit causes worldwide in the first year of its launch and raised $2.5 million for 19,445 charitable organizations.

How does Causes work? Registered Facebook and MySpace users can visit the Causes Facebook or MySpace page. There you can look for charitable organization in a number of categories, from animals, arts & culture, environment to political campaigns. Just by finding a cause and joinng the group, money will be donated to that charity. You can spread word about the organization by sending the cause to fellow Facebook or MySpace friends, and at any time you can donate money, buy gifts, and so much more. Check it our buy searching for Causes the next time you are on Facebook or MySpace.

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/home

It's Always Warm Somewhere

2009-01-03T19:44:00.001-08:00

We love the new J. Crew catalog with its adorable cover and and floral Spring jewelry. Take a peak at what's new at www.jcrew.com.

Happy New Year

2009-01-03T08:26:00.000-08:00

Best to you and yours in 2009!

Cheers,
Beach Girls

Emilio Pucci Sale

2009-01-02T11:26:00.000-08:00

Visit Net-A-Porter for an incredible sale on beautiful Pucci caftans, maxi dresses and accessories. We love this Sundial ottoman top with shorts, white pants or even as a cover up for a long day at a posh hotel pool. See the full sale here.

Bermuda Turns 400

2009-01-02T10:26:00.000-08:00

Commonly misconceived as a Caribbean island, Bermuda is actually an Atlantic one, with a location that’s closer to Washington, D.C. than it is to points south. As a result, like much of the northern United States, this balmy British isle kicks into high-season in summer — while other islands of its ilk are becoming too hot to bear. With its fantastic golf, charming historical cities, gorgeous bougainvillea, splendid pink-sand beaches, and endearing pastel-colored houses, Bermuda attracts a loyal following of repeat visitors. Plus, its proximity to the United States makes it ideally suited for a quick getaway — at around two hours from the East Coast, you can be there by lunch.

Why go in 2009? Bermuda turns 400 in 2009 (www.bermuda2009.bm) and is commemorating the historic event with a bevy of promotions and special events. Helping to bring affordability to the costly island is the Department of Tourism’s “Compliments of Bermuda: 400th Anniversary Offer,” which gives up to $400 credit towards air-and-hotel bookings made at select hotels (travel through March 31; book by March 27), as well as a “400th Anniversary Passport” savings booklet valued at up to $1,000. Meanwhile, event highlights include the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009 in June and the Bermuda Festival For The Performing Arts in January and February. Also of note: The upscale, all-suite Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort & Spa (www.newsteadbelmonthills.com) opened its doors in early 2008, while the exclusive Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa (www.tuckerspoint.com) is set to debut in April 2009.

Another Surf Shop in OC

2008-12-31T12:49:00.000-08:00

Jack’s Surfboards, founded in 1957, is one of the granddaddies of the surf industry, and it continues to get praise as one of the most high-profile specialty retailers in surf. In 2006, the Huntington Beach, California based retail chain won the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association 2006 Image award for “Best Retailer.” Jack’s recently debuted its sixth store, located at the Oak Creek Village Center at 5581 Alton Parkway in Irvine, Calif.

Not the best time to be opening new retail locations. Hope it makes it!

www.jackssurfboards.com

Erica Dee Goes Online

2008-12-30T17:09:00.000-08:00

Erica Dee, a 7-year-old shop that brought contemporary fashion and boutique retail to the Corona Del Mar section of Newport Beach, California, will close in January. Owner Erica Dee Thomas said she was paying more than $20,000 in rent each month for more than 5,000 square feet in the exclusive area. “We have the wealthiest clientele in the world,” Thomas said about Corona Del Mar. “But the 2008 economy has affected them, too.”

Thomas made the decision to close her contemporary store Erica Dee and Erica Dee Kids after her landlord balked at renegotiating her rent. However, once the doors of Erica Dee’s physical stores close, she will open an e-commerce store at www.ericadee.com. She said the move will free her from paying heavy rent and some labor costs. She said she might open another physical store after the economy improves.

Sad to see another great boutique close along PCH in South Orange County. Note the photo on their website (also above) shot along PCH at Crystal Cove State Park between Laguna Beach and CDM.

How To Dress - Cabo

2008-12-30T16:10:00.000-08:00

Upcoming trip to Cabo San Lucas and you just don't know what to wear? Visit Intermix's online store and they will make packing easy. The online boutique, which is just as hip as their stores across the country, recommends the best caftan's, bikinis and even hotels for your jaunt to warmer weather. To shop click here.

Cabo and Palmilla Resort details click here.

What We Want Now

2008-12-30T13:54:00.000-08:00

Tory Burch Perah Tee
A cute soft cotton jersey tee, perfect with shorts or jeans this spring. Part of the Tory Burch Resort Collection, it comes in Watermelon and White. A perfect top for that bohemian look. To see more details, click here.

Louis Vuitton Beachwear

2008-12-30T09:16:00.000-08:00

Need a Winter escape? Let Louis Vuitton inspire you. Always an arbiter of luxury, their beachwear collection is chock full of lavish swimsuits and accessories. The landscapes and color trickery make for a cool campaign. Shot in Rio — oh, Rio — the models lounge around in LV style. Must be nice . . .

To get a look at the collection click here.

Celebs on Vaca

2008-12-30T09:12:00.000-08:00

Pop start and stand out artist of 2008, Katy Perry hits the sands of Mexico this holiday. To see more click here.

Straight to DVD...Surfer, Dude

2008-12-29T13:56:00.000-08:00

"Love and waves, that's what we need in these dark days."

Would you believe that actor Matthew McConaughey stared in a movie that went straight to DVD? McConaughey's new movie, Surfer, Dude, is bypassing movie theaters and being released direct to DVD tomorrow and is available for $20.99 on Amazon.

How is it possible that McConaughey just starred in a movie about a pot-smoking wave rider and no one knew about it? Two weeks ago, Dude showed in an Austin theater to a dismal $6,000 before expanding to 69 screens, including a bunch of seaside locales. Its total gross at press time: $36,497.

What happened? Seems Dude was little more than a $6 million passion project for the actor, and even the promise of his shirtless surfing couldn't entice studios to release it -- especially since we all see the same thing on Internet blogs every day. So he turned to Anchor Bay, a direct-to-DVD company that gave it a limited theatrical run with no TV ads to support it. That was probably a good idea: Dude's Metacritic score is a depressing 16 out of 100, which proves that no amount of pecs appeal could have saved this wipeout.

Buy it now on Amazon.com. Woody Harrelson also stars in the film.

Create Your Own Polo

2008-12-29T13:05:00.000-08:00

The Ralph Lauren website is already showcasing their famous polo's in summer's bright colors. Visit their website to customize your polo color and choose from 5 new monograms now available.

Though most of you are far from thinking about summer and shopping for the season, spring break is just around the corner!

www.ralphlauren.com

Thieves make off with Madoff's Palm Beach yard sculpture

2008-12-29T10:25:00.000-08:00

The New York Post taunted Palm Beacher Bernard Madoff with this report Sunday: "How does it feel, Bernie?"

Swindler extraordinaire Bernard Madoff got a taste of his own medicine last weekend when a burglar stole a $10,000 statue from his posh, $9.4 million Palm Beach estate, according to a police report.

Indeed, the housekeeper reported a copper statue of two lifeguards seated on a bench missing from the yard Monday, Dec. 22.

The Palm Beach Police incident report indicates the statue, valued at $10,000, went missing between 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 and 11:30 a.m. that Monday - about a week after the Wall Street money manager was accused of scamming investors in a $50 billion Ponzi scheme.

Madoff is confined to his $7 million Park Avenue apartment under house arrest.

The statue is still missing, and an investigation continues, Palm Beach police officials said this morning.

Christmas in Laguna Beach

2008-12-28T16:33:00.000-08:00

How To Dress - Turks & Caicos

2008-12-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

Upcoming trip to Turks & Caicos and you just don't know what to wear? Visit Intermix's online store and they will make packing easy. The online boutique, which is just as hip as their stores across the country, recommends the best caftan's, bikinis and even hotels for your jaunt to warmer weather. To see it all visit www.intermixonline.com.

Turks & Caicos details: http://www.intermixonline.com/category/shop+by+trend/resort09.do

December Beach Days

2008-12-21T17:20:00.000-08:00

A beautiful Sunday in Pacific Palisades!

C&C California Sale

2008-12-18T10:03:00.001-08:00

For 5 days only, C&C California is offering 50% off all regular price, sale and clearance items. Visit their website for special deals on their famous t-shirts and California casual wear for men, women and kids. The sales runs through December 23rd.

http://www.candccalifornia.com

Dubai Hotel Releases 'Etiquette Guide'

2008-12-16T14:43:00.000-08:00

Affter a beach sex scandal, one of Dubai’s most popular beach hotels has issued an "etiquette guide" to guests. Last month, a British couple was convicted for having sex on the beach near the hotel.

The etiquette guides, which suggest the hotel’s guests could be arrested for inappropriate public displays of affection, are left on tables during the weekly brunch event at the Madinat Jumeirah hotel.

The guests should "employ discretion" in expressing affection publicly, says the hotel, with "anything more than a peck on the cheek" likely to result in police involvement.

Michelle Palmer and Vince Acors were convicted of having sexual intercourse outside marriage and offending public decency. They received three-month jail sentences, were fined about $300 for drunkenness and ordered to be deported from Dubai on their release. More than 230 other Britons were arrested in the UAE last year.

On the subject of drunkenness, the hotel’s etiquette guide warns: "Drinking is not a part of Muslim culture and alcohol is not served openly. Drunken behavior, especially outside licensed premises in the hotel, is severely punished."

For more on the story, visit the report by The London Times: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/news/article5132581.ece

Warming Winter Getaway's

2008-12-16T13:32:00.000-08:00

With the relaxed hours of summer having all but past and the frigid winter weather setting in, our minds can’t help but wander to thoughts of a warm getaway. With so many warm destinations to choose from, and so few days to take off, we looked around the world to find some of the most luxurious hotels and resorts to escape to. So silence your BlackBerry, buy a new pair of shades and start pricing out airfare. Here are a few high end beach getways we'd love to take this winter:

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

Spread over two islands that are linked together by a 500-meter walkway, the Conrad Maldives resort is surrounded by a blue lagoon and coral reef, making it the ultimate tropical paradise to indulge in. With accommodations on both Rangali and Rangalifinohlu islands, guests can choose to stay in a Beach Villa, complete with its own private garden and plunge pool, or in a Water Villa, built on stilts over the crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean. Recently re-branded as a Conrad property, the resort offers seven restaurants and three bars on-site, not to mention two different spas including The Spa Retreat and the Over-Water Spa, both featuring a variety of holistic treatments to try. Guests at the Conrad Maldives also have access to different types of water sports, private yacht excursions, even a glass-bottomed boat ride. After a day at the spa or at the beach, check out the Wine Cellar, a restaurant with over 800 wines to choose from.

Flight Time from NYC: Approximately 15-18 hours
Must-Do: Make a reservation to dine at Ithaa, the resort’s all-glass underwater restaurant, the first of its kind in the world.

Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai

As the first resort to open its doors in Dubai, Atlantis, The Palm is already setting the bar high. The 1,539-room resort is unlike any other — there are 17 on-site restaurants (including Nobu, opened by sushi mogul Nobuyuki Matsuhisa and Robert DeNiro), a variety of luxury boutiques to shop in and water entertainment that rivals an authentic deep-sea adventure. Guests will love the Aquaventure water park featuring seven water slides, two of which catapult riders through shark-filled lagoons. In addition to that, there is the Ambassador Lagoon, a marine habitat and underwater exhibit that is home to several hundred species of marine life; the Lost Chambers, a maze of underground tunnels that help bring the myth of Atlantis to life and Dolphin Bay, a dolphin education and conservation center.

Flight Time from NYC: Approximately 13 hours
Best Amenity: When making your reservation, ask to stay in the Lost Chambers Suites. The Suites are three stories high and offer mesmerizing views that look directly into the Ambassador Lagoon from the master bedroom, creating the illusion of being under the sea.

Fairmont Monte Carlo

Hey big spender, if an escape to Monte Carlo is calling your name, the Fairmont Hotel is the place to stay. Following an extensive refurbishment last year, the hotel’s original design has been completely updated, creating a tribute to the style of the Riviera, filled with glamour and Mediterranean colors. A landmark on the Côte d’Azur, the hotel features 619 rooms and suites, not to mention three restaurants and bars, a year-round heated swimming pool and the ever-popular, in-house Sun Casino. L’Argentin Restaurant is a can’t-miss, known for its South American cuisine and refreshing atmosphere. The hotel’s re-designed entrance is unique, accessible from one of the most famous hairpin bends in the world, and the renovated lobby features a suspension bridge that offers views over the Pointe de la Vigie, the open sea and the yachts that meet at the Port of Monaco.

Flight Time from NYC: Approximately 9 hours
Must-Do: Enjoy a drink at the new lobby bar Saphir, perfect for cocktails, a quick bite or a nightcap set to music.

Live Surf WebCams

2008-12-16T11:56:00.000-08:00

Here are two links that provide live views of the surf from Laguna Beach to Malibu. Enjoy the view from your computer.

Laguna Beach WebCam - http://www.earthcam.com/usa/california/laguna/

WebCam links for LA beaches - http://www.SwellMagnet.com

A Sparkling Afternoon

2008-12-14T19:00:00.001-08:00

The Vanishing Mermaid

2008-12-13T19:45:00.000-08:00

For thousands of years, sailors reported ocean sightings of beautiful fishtailed women frolicking in the waves, singing sweet music, and luring men to a briny demise. Ideas about the creatures have been perpetuated through the centuries, in everything from Homer's Odyssey to Arabian Nights to a number of Disney films. These great storytellers have captivated audiences around the world with mermaid mythology. No scaly-tailed seductress actually exists, of course. Instead, historians believe that the ancient sailors were enthralled by a strange aquatic creature that, although 10 feet long and 800 pounds, apparently reminded them of a women.

Known as a dugong, the animal exists in isolated colonies scattered through the oceans. But it may not exist for long, considering that it's listed variously as endangered, rare, depleted, and extinct. It's one of the planets least understood creatures, and may always be if not saved.

Fossils date the dugong's origins back to 50 million years ago, but mankind's knowledge of the animal is practically zero. Aside from the locations dugongs have been sighted at, where they live remains a mystery, as well as the exact number of them that are left. Aerial surveys of dugong population show that their numbers are on a step downhill slide. Scientists are saying it's time we start to pay more attention to dugongs, the original mermaids of the seas, before they are all gone.

New York Times: Daring Young Women Are on the Curl of a New Era

2008-12-12T10:53:00.000-08:00

Women's surfing makes the front page of The New York Times Website! Read this great article about how women's professional surfing is changing the world of surfing.

“What’s happening in women’s surfing is pretty much the most exciting thing in surfing right now,” said Wayne Bartholomew, (president of the Association of Surfing Professionals).

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/sports/othersports/11surfing.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Sailing The Globe with Samatha Davies

2008-12-12T10:50:00.000-08:00

Samantha Davies has completely stolen our hearts. She is a huge inspiration not only for European girls who sail but also for those in the U.S. Right now she is sailing the Vendee Globe, a sail race around the globe for single handlers without any stop overs. Watch her video log and read daily journal entries written by Sam.

www.roxysailing.com

Fifth of world coral reefs lost

2008-12-10T08:55:00.000-08:00

POZNAN, Poland - A downward trend tied to warming seas has not reversed and the world has now lost nearly one-fifth of its coral reefs, according to a global survey released Wednesday.

Much of the rest could be destroyed within 40 years by increasingly acidic seas if warming continues unchecked, the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network stated in its report.

"The report details the strong scientific consensus that climate change must be limited to the absolute minimum. If nothing is done to substantially cut emissions, we could effectively lose coral reefs as we know them, with major coral extinctions," network coordinator Clive Wilkinson said in a statement.

The report was released on the sidelines of the 190-nation U.N. talks on a new climate change treaty. Thousands of delegates are negotiating this week in Poznan, Poland.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature, which maintains a list of threatened species worldwide, cited warming as the latest and most serious threat to coral, already damaged by destructive fishing methods, nonnative species and pollution like raw sewage.

"If nothing changes, we are looking at a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide in less than 50 years," Carl Gustaf Lundin, head of the IUCN Global Marine Program, warned in a statement. "As this carbon is absorbed, the oceans will become more acidic, which is seriously damaging a wide range of marine life from corals to plankton communities and from lobsters to seagrasses."

"The world has lost about 19 percent of its coral reefs during the last 20 years," added the IUCN's director general, Julia Marton-Lefevre. "If current trends in carbon dioxide emission continue, many of the remaining reefs will be lost in the next 20 to 40 years," she told reporters in Poznan.

"Climate change must be limited to the absolute minimum if we want to save coral reefs. We need to move forward and substantially cut emissions," she said.

Increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, which fuels global warming, is raising the level as well as the temperature of the oceans, said Olof Linden of the World Maritime University in Malmo, Sweden. That makes the water more acidic, adversely affecting reef-building coral that rely on calcification to build their shells.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28156581/

Oh, the sights you'll see

2008-12-09T15:37:00.000-08:00

BlackBook asked some of the world's finest photographers to share their favorite views. Oh, the sights you'll see: http://www.blackbookmag.com/article/the-view-from-there/1049

Who do you GoodShop for?

2008-12-09T15:18:00.000-08:00

As you know, I'm a supporter of the Surfride Foundation and the Junior League of Los Angeles, and as you can imagine nonprofits and schools are facing a fundraising crisis this year.

The good news is that more than 700 of the top Internet retailers and travel sites including Amazon, eBay, Target, Apple, Expedia and more have joined forces with GoodShop.com to donate part of every purchase to your favorite charity or school at no additional cost to you (more than 64,000 nonprofits are now on-board)!

It takes just a few seconds to go to www.goodshop.com, select your charity, and then click through to your favorite store and shop as usual.

Also, Yahoo has teamed up with GoodShop's sister site, GoodSearch.com, to donate a penny to your cause every time you search the web. This is totally free as the money comes from advertisers.

To give you a sense of how the money can add up, the ASPCA has already earned more than $17,000!

Please tell 10 friends about GoodShop and GoodSearch today. They've been featured in the NY Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Oprah Magazine and more.

Charities need our help to spread the word now more than ever!

Bar Refaeli Saves The Beach

2008-12-09T15:14:00.000-08:00

Super Model Bar Refaeli, aka Leonardo di Caprio's girlfriend, is participating in the Coronoa Beach Tour. Read more: http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/12/09/bar-refaeli-save-beach/

Back from vacation

2008-12-09T15:12:00.001-08:00

After a long break from blogging, we are back! We got derailed, but are inspired again and longing for those long, hot days in the surf and on the sand.

Cheers,

Beach Girls Who Blog

sun tips from surf pro

2008-07-25T12:36:00.000-07:00

While baking in the sun feels great and a golden tan looks even better, the rays damaging effects aren't even slightly desirable. It may take a few years to notice why, but sun spots and wrinkles are not attractive. Beyond that, the risk for cancer is just too high.

Get a couple of skin saving tips from surfing pro, Kassia Meador. She's in the sun all the time but is smart about it and does her part to protect her body. Meador shared her "skin saving secrets" in this LA Times article. A couple of her favorite products include Coppertone Sport Sunblock Lotion Spray Ultra Sweatproof, SPF 30, for her body and Shiseido's Ultimate Sun Protection Cream, SPF 55 for her face.

Women surfers share sun-protection secrets
Pro riders Kassia Meador, Katrina Petroni, Alana Blanchard and Sage Erickson give their favorites for keeping hair and skin healthy.
By Emili Vesilind
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

July 20, 2008

SAGE ERICKSON'S day begins before 8 a.m., when she rolls out of bed and stretches for an hour. Then it's off to the C Street beach in Ventura to surf for two hours. After that, there's school, lunch, a five-minute abs workout -- then it's headlong back into the surf where she rips gnarly waves until sundown.

Pounding saltwater. Gritty sand. Relentless sunshine. Professional surfers endure summer's wild-and-woolly elements on a daily basis.

And yet most manage to emerge from the waves looking so dewy and radiant that they have second careers as models.

How do they do it? We asked four pro riders -- Kassia Meador, Katrina Petroni, Alana Blanchard and Erickson (who's finishing her last amateur year and will compete in the U.S. Open of Surfing this week) -- all fierce competitors who spend half their lives in saltwater. Most keep their beauty routines simple, but they're diligent. This new generation of top wave riders is savvier about the harsh effects of surf and sun than their skin-baking predecessors. From a young age, they've been slathering on high SPFs and rich moisturizers and hair conditioners.

"I'm a fanatic about sunscreen, just seeing how many wrinkles surfers get," Erickson says. These beach beauties -- who travel the world competing in tournaments all year -- have tested just about everything. Here are some of their picks and tricks for keeping it together on the beach.

Hold the rays at bay

When you're in the water an average of six hours a day, you need a waterproof sunscreen that stays on even after a few nasty wipeouts. Kassia Meador, a 26-year-old from Oceanside who's considered one of the great female long boarders, uses Coppertone Sport Sunblock Lotion Spray Ultra Sweatproof, SPF 30, on her body. "It's awesome and absorbs straight into skin," she says.

For her face, she slathers on Shiseido's Ultimate Sun Protection Cream, SPF 55. Meador doesn't take chances with sunburn, even though she's naturally olive-skinned. So right before she hits the water, she rubs another layer on her face -- Shiseido Sun Block Stick SPF 35: "It's super-thick and stays on forever."

The sunblock is also a favorite of Katrina Petroni, who lives and trains in Australia and is ranked 73rd on the World Qualifying Tour (the series of events that lead up to the World Championship Tour). "It's great in the water because it never rubs off," she says.

Jessica Wu, an L.A. dermatologist, says sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours when you're on the beach -- whether you're in the water or not -- and recommends finding a sunscreen for your skin type. "If you have really oily skin, you want a product that's not going to be greasy and slip off," says Wu, who prefers Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 55.

For drier skin, she recommends La Roche-Posay Anthelios Water Resistant Sunscreen Cream SPF 30, which contains Mexoryl, the newest sunscreen ingredient to be approved by the FDA. Mexoryl is the most effective ingredient known for protecting against harmful rays. Beach bums in Brazil and France have been using it for years.

Finally, don't forget a lip balm with an SPF of at least 35, even if you plan to wear lip gloss over it. And there's an easy way to protect the vulnerable skin on your shoulders: Wear a T-shirt or a rash guard. Most serious riders do.

Protect the locks

Sun and saltwater are natural highlighters, but can turn healthy locks into a bleached bird's nest. So surfer girls are addicted to leave-in conditioners and sun-blocking hair products.

Erickson swears by Redken UV Daily Sun Milk leave-in protective moisturizer, which has an SPF 15, to keep her long blond tresses from over-bleaching. "I put it in 10 minutes before I go surfing," she said.

Alana Blanchard, 18, who grew up surfing in Kauai and is ranked fifth on the World Qualifying Tour, rubs conditioner into her long blond mane every time she gets out of the water (while it's still salty), and combs a quarter-sized dollop of Biosilk Silk Therapy -- an oil-based hair conditioner and styling aid -- through her hair every night. "It soaks into each hair as you sleep," she says, and it's dry by morning.

Meador uses Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Moisture shampoo and conditioner daily, but skips hard-core hair maintenance by keeping her brown, wavy hair short and shaggy. In fact, her favorite styling aid is the ocean. "It gives hair that gritty, cool texture," Meador says

Post-sun protocol

After a day of globbing on sunscreen, skin can feel as waxy as one of Madame Tussauds' figures, so Wu recommends sprinkling baby powder everywhere to soak up sweat and oil, and remove sand, then showering with a water-based foaming shower gel.

"A moisturizing, heavy soap is going to make you slippery and not take off the sunscreen," she says. Then rehydrate the skin with an even more emollient moisturizer, such as Oil of Olay's Moisture Replenishing Mousse, Wu says, adding, "People always talk about moisturizing more heavily in the winter, but the saltwater really dries out your skin."

Surfer girls like their body moisturizers cheap and basic. Blanchard uses body butters from Bath & Body Works, Meador likes Nivea's signature body lotion and Petroni opts for organic jojoba oil, "because it's natural and, unlike baby oil, it soaks in."

Meador gently scrubs the sunscreen off her face with a loofah pad, then applies Shiseido's Skincare Night Moisture Recharge.

Baby the burn

Despite all the precautions, now and then you get burned. Wu recommends two aspirin to reduce swelling and applying cold, green tea compresses: "Green tea has antioxidants that will protect your skin, and the coolness will reduce swelling." Also, eat some cooked tomatoes or a slice of pizza. "It's been proven that tomato paste and cooked tomatoes help reduce the risk of sunburn," Wu says, "even after the fact."

Another reason to be glad that all those pizza shacks line SoCal beaches.

all the scoop on those lb teens

2008-07-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

Though I don't support the fan obsession of MTV's Laguna Beach and The Hills, I thought I'd share my recent website find. For those major fans, you can get up to date on all those 'locals' via the Laguna Beach Gossip blog. For scoop, visit lagunabeachgossip.wordpress.com.

gossip on the beach

2008-07-23T12:55:00.001-07:00

Blake Lively, star of the CW TV show Gossip Girls, filming a scene in the Hamptons.

beach days at victoria

2008-07-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

Victoria Beach in Laguna Beach. July 2008.

sunscreen for nails by orly

2008-07-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

Ever notice how your nail polish sometimes turns an icky shade of yellow after a day at the beach? That's because the combination of nail polish plus sunscreen plus ultraviolet rays causes your nail color to oxidize. So keep the regular sunscreen away from your manicure and try this Sunscreen for Nails by Orly ($7).

A must-have for protecting your precious polish, this clear topcoat is made from a light-absorbent formula that keeps your nails from yellowing. It has an intense high shine to it and will ensure that your manicure stays the shade you love.

surfs up in huntington beach

2008-07-17T13:34:00.000-07:00

Huntington Beach is currently host to top surfers from around the globe in North America's highest rated qualifying event and the world's largest professional surf competition. The US Open of Surfing and Beach Festival kicked off in Huntington Beach on July 18 and will run through July 27, 2008. The US Open of Surfing is the biggest and most prestigious surfing event in the world. As the official home of the USA Surf Team, Huntington Beach embodies the authentic sport, culture, and spirit of surfing; and is consistently ranked among the best surfing beaches in America.

More than 500 world-class athletes representing a dozen countries are battling over 10 days and across four divisions, all chasing a $125,000 prize purse and the chance to become part of the U.S. Open’s coveted lore. In addition to surfing, the world’s finest extreme sports athletes will compete in skateboarding, BMX stunt riding, and motorcross. Extreme sport demonstrations featuring surfing, skateboarding, BMX, FMX, and volleyball will be held daily throughout the duration of the event.

The US Open of Surfing and Beach Festival includes a festival area with over 70 vendor booths, entertainment, concerts, autograph signings, interactive activities such as a gaming lounge, and more. National and local bands will perform live on a concert stage, creating a sound track for the event. The heavily attended professional surfing competition draws nearly 400,000 spectators and is celebrating its 15th anniversary. All events during the U.S. Open of Surfing and Beach Festival are open to the public, free of charge. For some good sun and a chance to meet a pro surfer, head to Huntington Beach this weekend.

zac and vanessa ditch high school for the beach

2008-07-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens took their real-life romance on vacation to Turks and Caicos, and it looks like things got a lot steamier than anything we'll see in the High School Musical movies. The young couple showed off their hot beach bodies strolling on the surf and kayaking in the ocean when they weren't visiting with fans (or dealing with the paparazzi).

caribbean beach volleyball championships

2008-07-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

With the Olympics on the horizon, I can't help but think about the upcoming showcase of talent. My favorites sports to watch during the Olympic games are swimming, gymnastics, and beach volleyball. US representatives Misty May and Keri Walsh stole the show at the last Olympics. Beach volleyball became the event known for great athletic performances and great fun for the fans.

Being that it's summer, everyone is getting into beach sports, even the Caribbean. The Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC) and East End Volleyball have joined forces to produce the 1st Annual Caribbean Beach Volleyball Championships, November 3-4 at Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. The tournament will be held on a different island every year. This could become a great sport to follow! If your an athlete, there is still time to sine up and play. The Caribbean Championships are open to players of all levels. Complete info is online at: www.eevb.net/CaribbeanChamps.htm

palm beach 'beach house' for just $72.5M

2008-07-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

The Addison Mizner-designed Mediterranean Revival-style home at 780 S. Ocean Boulevard is back on the market. The price however has almost doubled since its last sale in 2003. The 'beach house' has 268 feet of ocean frontage on 3-plus acres. The town designated 780 S. Ocean Blvd. a landmark in 1990.

Casa Nana was built in 1926. The home has been owned by a succession of prominent people, from original owner National Tea Co. founder George Rasmussen, to dime-store heiress Mary Woolworth Donahue and PAX-TV network founder Lowell 'Bud' Paxson, to Florida car dealer Terry Taylor.

save trestles update

2008-07-14T20:23:00.000-07:00

Word from the Surfrider Foundation is that the UC Irvine Bren Center hearing has been postponed. Apparently, UC Irvine is concerned that their facilities will be overwhelmed by the turn out.

From Surfrider:

Big News!! Toll Road Hearing Possibly Postponed

We were informed this weekend that UC Irvine's Bren Center will NOT play host to the Commerce Department’s public hearing on the 241 Toll Road on July 25th. They feared that the turnout from supporters of San Onofre State Beach and Trestles would overwhelm the facilities at UCI, estimating that over 10,000 of you would show up.

Clearly there is strong community opposition to this destructive highway project, and those voices need to be heard. Unfortunately no other venue has been identified, and the Commerce Department has made no definitive decision on how or when to move forward with the hearing. We will keep you informed as the situation develops, but for now we are assuming there will be NO Hearing on July 25th at the Bren Center.

In the meantime, make sure that the Commerce Department knows that you still want the opportunity to be heard. Send an email to Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez demanding that they reschedule the hearing so that he can hear from the community on this issue. Copy and paste the text below or write your own letter, and send it to gcos.comments@noaa.gov

Dear Secretary Gutierrez, You previously promised to hold a hearing in Southern California to gauge the public's feelings on the proposed 241 Toll Road through San Onofre State Beach. The venue you chose for this hearing felt that the expected crowd was beyond their abilities serve properly. This intense public interest is even more reason for you to follow through on your promise and reschedule the hearing to an appropriate venue at a later date. As a member of the public I deserve the opportunity to have my voice heard on this issue. Please do not silence my voice on this important decision.

Sincerely, Your Name and Address

We will keep you informed about any changes. Thanks for your continued support to protect Trestles and San Onofre!!

Your pals at Surfrider

laguna surf series

2008-07-14T07:05:00.000-07:00

One event not to miss this summer is a surf film apart of the Laguna Beach Surf Series. Sponsored by Hurley and Laguna Surf & Sport, the surf series is held at the Regency theatre in downtown Laguna Beach. Admission is free and fun giveaways will be handed out. The film, Buddha Drop by Matt Schuster, will be shown July 22nd at 7pm.

Laguna Beach Surf Series
July 22nd at 7 pm

Regency Laguna South Coast Cinemas
62 South Pacific Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

ten can't-miss beach reads

2008-07-13T06:58:00.000-07:00

Cosmopolitan's John Searles shares this summer's sizzling reads:

Are you looking to get your hands on one of this summer's hottest new books? With so many to choose from, it's tough to know where to start looking. Thankfully, help has arrived in the form of John Searles, book editor for Cosmopolitan magazine and author of "Strange But True." Searles shares his list of the season's sizzling reads.

"Dear American Airlines"
Most people who travel find themselves trapped in airport hell at some point. That’s the case with the main character in Jonathan Miles' hilarious novel. On the way to his daughter’s wedding, Benjamin Ford is stranded for an eternity at O’Hare. As he waits, he begins to write a scathing letter to American Airlines. The letter ends up turning into a funny and mesmerizing novel that tells the story of his life.

"The Writing Class"
This book appealed to me since, as a novelist, I’ve taken and taught my share of writing classes in my day. Jincy Willet has a kooky and charming style of storytelling. She throws in all kinds of crazy details, which bring the pages to life. In this book, she spins the tale of a writing teacher who presides over a class full of oddballs. When one of her students turns up dead, she sets out to solve the mystery. Anyone who’s ever wanted to write or taken a creative writing course will get a kick out of this book.

"All We Ever Wanted Was Everything"
This is a smart, darkly comic beach book written by Janelle Brown. It opens with a woman who is going about her morning and happily listening to the television news as her husband’s pharmaceutical company goes public. She is mentally racking up all the dollars and planning how nice it will be when he has to work less. But wait: she quickly finds out that her husband is leaving her for his tennis partner! That’s when her world is turned upside down.

"An Absolute Scandal"
For anyone who wants a juicy summer read full of scandal, this is your book. It’s about a few wealthy families who are all drawn together during a financial downturn. Suddenly, these people who’ve always had everything don’t. Penny Vincenzi's book a perfect page-turner for the beach.

"The Beach House"
Jane Green's breezy novel is about an elderly women who rents out some of the rooms in her Nantucket home one summer to make some extra money. A cast of characters fills her life and an unexpected visitor as well; this is good summer fun.

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"
This is a great selection for a book club. Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows' novel is about a book club formed as an alibi during World War II in order to protect its members from arrest by German soldiers. Two things fascinated me about this book: First, it’s written by a woman and her niece. Second, the book is told through a series of letters. It comes out in a few more weeks, but people can order it online, or of course, at their local bookstores.

"Careless in Red"
What’s remarkable about Elizabeth George is that she’s an American who writes the most authentic British mysteries. Fans have been eagerly awaiting this latest installment in her Inspector Lynley series. This time out, the inspector steps down from Scotland Yards after the murder of his wife. But he can’t stay away from crime-solving for long. He soon stumbles upon the body of a young man. This is a riveting read for mystery lovers.

"When You Are Engulfed in Flames"
In a note at the beginning of the book, David Sedaris labels these as “realish” essays inspired by his life. Anyone who knows Sedaris’ writing loves him for his crazy tales. This book is chock full of them. My favorite tale is the one about his weird neighbor from years ago. There’s another about him accidentally coughing a throat lozenge out of his mouth and onto the lap of a rude woman who is asleep beside him on an airplane ride.

"Summer of Naked Swim Parties"
This book wins the prize for the best title of the list. It’s by a first time author, Jessica Anya Blau. With the show ,"Swingtown" coming out this summer, there’s been lots of talk about the 1970s. The title of this book says it all!

"Loving Frank"
If you missed this one in hardcover, be sure not to miss it in paperback. Nancy Horan's novel is based on the true story of the love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and a woman named Mamah Cheney; both of them left their family to be together, creating a Chicago scandal that eventually ended in violence.

© 2008 MSNBC Interactive
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25280915/

design your own surf board and win!

2008-07-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

Design a surfboard and design your way into the Style Week Orange County spotlight! Sponsored by Roxy, get creative, draw, paint, collage, etc.

Final designs will be displayed at the Irvine Spectrum Center Quiksilver store from Aug 23 - 29. Shoppers will vote for their favorite looks. The winning board can be seen during Style Week Orange County in the House of Style at the Irvine Spectrum Center Sept 8-13.

Win a grand prize of a $500 Quiksilver gift card. First runner up will get a $100 Quiksilver gift card.

How To Enter:

1. Download and print off design-a-board contest form AND design template at www.roxy.com.
2. Fill out entry form and create a design incorporating the Roxy logo somewhere on the board (using design template form).
3. Drop off your completed entry and your design to the Quiksilver store at the Irvine Spectrum near Cheesecake Factory.

OR

Mail completed entry and your design form to:
Roxy 'Design-A-Board' Contest, Quiksilver
15202 Graham Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92649

DUE at 5 pm on August 5, 2008.

Style Week Orange County Roxy Design Contest Entry Rules

1. Down load your entry form at http://www.toroxy.com/2007/07/design_a_board.html. Entrants may only use entry form to enter contest. Any other form of entry will be disqualified.
2. Entrants must use the Roxy logo in some way in an original piece of artwork.
3. Contest entrants must provide all information requested on form in order to be accepted into the Roxy ‘Design-A-Board’ contest.
4. Only one design per person may be submitted.
5. Artwork entry submission deadline is 5 p.m. PDT August 7, 2008. Any submissions received after the deadline will be disqualified.
6. Upon submission, artwork becomes the permanent property of Roxy for use in the Style Week Orange County design contest and for any other purpose. No artwork will be returned to contest entrants.
7. Three top finalists will be determined by a panel of Roxy designers; the decision of the judges is final.
8. Artwork of the three top finalists will be affixed to surfboards to be displayed in Quiksilver at Irvine Spectrum Center August 23-29, 2008.
9. Irvine Spectrum Center Quiksilver customers will rank their preference of the top three designs during the August 23-29, 2008 display period. The design receiving the highest customer vote count will be declared the winner. The winning design will be used by Roxy on a limited production of tee shirts, a Quiksilver gift-with-purchase at the Irvine Spectrum Center store September 8-13, 2008. In addition, the surfboard containing the winning design becomes the permanent property of Irvine Spectrum Center and will be displayed in the House of Style September 8-13, 2008. The two surfboards with the runner-up designs will be awarded to Irvine Spectrum Center Quiksilver customers through a random drawing with no purchase necessary for prize consideration. Odds of winning any prize depend on the total number or eligible entries received. By participating, entrants agree that the decisions of Quiksilver will be final and binding in all matters relating to this drawing.
10. Three top finalists will be determined by a panel of Roxy designers; the decision of the judges is final.
11. Artwork of the three top finalists will be affixed to surfboards to be displayed in Quiksilver at Irvine Spectrum Center August 23-29, 2008.
12. Roxy, Quiksilver and Irvine Spectrum Center assume no liability or responsibility for damages, losses or injuries resulting from this contest or the acceptance or use of any prize.
13. No employees of The Irvine Company, Roxy, Quiksilver or their families may enter the design contest.
14. No purchase necessary.

beach day in malibu

2008-07-10T19:02:00.000-07:00

Surf Art

2008-07-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

John O'Brien is a surfer, artist, photographer and writer. He sells his coastal art online and in galleries across Southern California. His artistic and editorial career includes work at The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Disney, Warner Brothers and SurferMag.com. He donates many of his works to Surfrider Foundation and many other charities. Enjoy his work and his website!

www.surferdreams.com

visit trestles, save trestles

2008-07-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

shoes and pedicures

2008-07-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

The Pottery Shack in Laguna Beach, now known as The Old Pottery Place, is an adorable array of unique shops, offices, a restaurant, and food purveyors. One to note in the little village is Tootsies, an adorable shoe store that also does pedicures. Friday, Saturday or Sunday, by appointment or walk-in, you can get a fabulous pedicure while surveying all the cute shoes. For $28 you get a refreshing pedicure which includes a soak, shape, smooth, scrub, moisture masque, hot towels, polish and shine. Why not treat yourself afterwards to a new pair of heels to show off your polished toes!

Tootsies Shoes & Pedicure Lounge
949-715-5151
1200 S. Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

www.theoldpotteryplace.com

see trestles, save trestles

2008-07-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

The open space in Southern California continues to be consumed by developers and new roads. See the grand open space so many are trying to save.

http://www.caopenspace.org/trestles2.html