Board Bagged!!!

BOARD BAG!!!


I scored a new 7'6" Pro-Lite coffin, board bag this week. This bad boy holds up to 7 (count em' 7) boards and fins, leashes and what ever else I decide to put into it, including me!!!

4 Sale

9'6" Harbour HP- 1.


Loose, fast and stable on the nose! Don't miss out!

Orange Bottom W/ White Deck, couple small dings from normal wear and tear, nothing major. Board is in very good condition and water tight.

HP-1 fin and Board Sock included.



$475.00 OBO Too Good To Be TRUE!!!!

Old Friends...

The best part of my trip to SF was seeing old friends I have not seen in a long time and the surprises I found. Seeing where the chips have fallen; some good, some are the same, and some not so good.
I was able catch up with one particularity good friend, and possibly one of my best friends; Jon Bonjean. Jon and I worked at Sinbad's Pier 2 (ewww) for about four or five years together. I consider this my worst job ever but it was also the best job because of Jon. He was like a father to me and one of the funniest people I have ever known but one the most sincere and honest persons ever I have met.
Jon was born in North Beach many years ago and has been in the restaurant industry for over forty years. He owned a successful place in the eighties but through some misfortune, lost it. When I met him, he was tending bar, supporting his elderly mother and biding time for his next move.
Jon always told me that the restaurant business was changing and that it was no way to make a life. "Get out and do something with your life, don't end up a drunk behind or under the bar" and "get your education" came out of his mouth often. People had said things like that to me before but he was someone I really looked up to and I took his advice which is how I ended up in games. I owe much to Jon.
I was really happy to see him, it took a couple of days to track him down but I was amazed when I did.
John and another guy I knew are now partners in one of the most beautiful restaurants I have ever seen. Julius' Castle is a San Francisco land mark in business since 1929. In years of late it had fallen on harder times and finally closed. Jon and Chuck Stinson have refurbished and reopened the restaurant with possibly the best view in the city. The interior is adorned with fine antiques and a warm wood encased interior. The menu has been reinvented and I know Jon, he is passionate about food, I am sure it is excellent.





Good luck Jon...

SF

Mariana and I took a four day jaunt up to San Francisco this last weekend. I forgot how much walking one has to endure in a city like San Francisco as I have gotten too used to the So. Cal. lifestyle of driving absolutely everywhere. By our calculations we were walking approximately 7 miles per day. That is one of the aspects of city living I miss, but Brisbane promises more of the same and it lends a healthy note to some days where you are too busy for the gym, yoga, surfing or any other form of exercise that is available to me.

The weather was fantastic, 70 degrees every day and mostly sunny, fall in SF is the best. I really miss San Francisco and consider living there one of the high points in my life. The people are great, the town has everything for everyone, it is a liberal city where "live and let live" is the rule.

I am suprised at the changes I have noticed since I left. The homelss situation downtown has gotten much, much better. The other day we walked accross Union Square and didn't get hit up once for change. When I was working the bar down town six years ago, you could not get to the first corner without getting hassled for change. The skyline has changed as well, I must have counted five or six major new buildings since I left.


We ate like pigs and drank like fish and had the time of our lives. The highlights were, SF MOMA, Alcatraz, drinks at the Top of the Mark, and getting to see old friends.

It was a nice way to say "see you again San Francisco" before we leave for The Land Down Under...

Big Upsets at the Boost Mobie...

The Boost Mobile Pro at lowers is happening this week and the surf for the most part has been pretty disappointing. The swell is promised to rise in the next couple of days but too bad I am going to San Francisco this weekend, It would have been fun to walk down and sit and watch. With a new SW showing up tomorrow, Saturday's final day promises overhead lowers for the remaining top 44 and the wild cards that remain.
The most notable element has been the upsets and most of them major to say the least.

Round one upsets:

1. Joel Parkinson ranked #5 gets a third to CJ (25) and L. Munroe ranked #40. Can't really believe that one, J. P. has been looking solid all year and this was a shocker for sure. Lowers is a wave that suits Joel Parkinson this must have been a disappointment.
2. Cory Lopez loses to Kelly Slater and Dane Reynolds. The heat of the day saw a power battle between KS and Dane Reynolds, awesome surfing and the highest heat totals of the day, 17.17 for KS, 16.3 for DR and 15 for CL, a solid heat for all but unfortunately Lopez who would have placed in any other heat but that is the luck of the draw.
3. Dane Reynolds (wild card), the next great American hope. I think this guy is the most talented surfer out there right now that is not in the top 44. He has a huge repertoire, embracing power surfing and aerials in a well presented package. In years past he has had less than stellar results in his one WCT season, losing heats on punting big moves and not making them rather than surfing a more disciplined heat seems to be maturing in his approach to contest surfing and could be the next big bang, concentrating on making his moves and not just punting. He could be the next KS, it is all up to him.
   

Round 2:

Major upsets today. After a two day waiting period for the conditions to improve, the competition resumes in 2-3 foot, but contestable surf.

1. Taj Burrow ranked #2 (12.26) loses out to Dane Reynolds a wild card. (15.83) Taj has been on fire this year and it is a major upset for Dane, good job there.
2. Joel Parkinson ranked 5, (13.90) loses to Jordy Smith a wild card and un-sponsored for now, (14.00) A close one for sure but a major upset none the less.
3. Danny Wills ranked 8 loses to Neco Padaratz ranked 40.
4. Travis Logie ranked 10, loses to #40, Troy Brooks.

Round 3

1. Clean conditions with 2-3 foot surf favoring the lefts and by far some of the biggest upsets of the year.
2. By far, the biggest upset of the day, Mick Fanning ranked #1 loses out to wild card, Dane Reynolds. Mick has been firing this year and hasn't placed any lower than a third in any event, and has won three events so far. He has been a machine this year and must be upset at this one. Actually, had he won this event, he could have all but cinched the title. Not to be, on to France and hopefully to win the title in Hawaii.
3. Andy Irons ranked #3 loses out to wild card, Jordy Smith.

We still have heats in the water but it seems to be that the contest is wide open for the taking.

BioShock!!!

I just started playing this game last night and boy, I can't wait to get home to start playing some more.

It is a decent FPS and has some really good RPG elements tied in but where it really shines is in it's over all story and prettiness.
The art direction is stunning, art deco meets 20,000 leagues under the sea never looked so good. Combine it with a really good sound track and audio effects, Bioshock delivers a really sweet and immersive experience all too uncommon in FPS's (console especially) these days.

My favorite are the AI. You tend to hear them before you see them, they will be deceptively talking to themselves in a friendly or even calming tone then when you come upon them they turn murderous. It totally creeps me out...

More Epicness

This weekend, aside from being mostly crowded, was just short of epic. Saturday saw four foot , low tide barrels in the evening with no one out in San Clemente. Sunday was a fun day at the local beach break for some five foot close out barrels with heavy but manageable crowds and 70 degree water. Monday forget it, too noodle armed and it looked packed, stayed home and cooked in the heat, 93 degrees at the beach!


Tuesday morning at Oceanside was on. Five to six foot peaky barrels and nary a crowd in sight. Everyone was surfed out from the weekend or just decided to sleep in. Maybe it was from being used to seeing the masses at the beach all weekend and my expectations had been lowered or perhaps it was the rapture but only about six people made it out for the early morning shift for the O-side breakfast rush.


Tomorrow promises to be a stellar day. Wetsand (do they really surf?) says a new swell is headed in tonight although Surfline (hype machine) says decreasing swell, seeing that Flap-line is usually wrong I am going with Wave Watch, five to six foot combo w-sw for some more glassy peaks!



I have been on a thruster the last three days and now understand how much I hate the damn things, twin fin tomorrow for some free-ride, ebb n' flow style. Got's to keep the chakras in line and the chi in tight focus, I don't need no third fin slowing down my momentum or bringing down my energy...



Shaka-Shaka-bruddah!!!