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Happy Sunday!! Check out this fun band MAGIC! Have fun jammin out on your way to the beachside!! www.BellasolBoards.com

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Let's so surfing

Ladies, we love chatting with our fans and customers, so today's question is dedicated to all my wahine's out there!!

Where is your favorite surf spot? Is it your local spot, or maybe a destination spot you came across on a super groovy surf trip.... Comment, share, and like with others who would like to join in on the fun...

Costa Rica?

SoCal?

NSB Inlet??

www.Bellasolboards.com

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Surf Artist: Jay Alders

Jay Alders is a fine artist, photographer & designer whose distinctive style & imaginative prowess is recognized around the world. His intricate brushwork, intense colors & superb compositions bring to life his signature elongated figures & stylized forms.

Alders has been pursuing his lifelong dream of becoming a thriving professional artist since he was a child. His outlook on success is best described by him in a recent interview with ESPN, “Some people wait around for opportunity to come knocking. I prefer to just build my own door and open it.”

- See more at: http://jayalders.com

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Bethany Hamilton-Pipeline Women's Pro Winner

Big Congrats to the 2014 Women's Pipe Pro, Bethany Hamilton for a amazing performance! She continues to be such an inspiration! We love this girl!

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Still loving the Quiksilver Women Ads !!

Tuscany. A place where the green of the land meets the blue of the sea.  An Italian region that I love with all my...

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Welcome to: The Casual Footwear Lifestyle

Do you live and breathe the casual footwear lifestyle? Well, we do, and what do you do when you find something you love?? You pass it on to your friends.....we wanted to share with you this great company called FREEWATERS. 

FREEWATERS is an easy-going, casual footwear that transports you to that vacation mindset the minute you slip them on. Based in California, Freewaters soaks up the quintessential West Coast spirit of cruising down the open road and spreading good vibes. Did we mention these uber cool designers and owners give back to the community too...

There passion runs deep in providing clean water to places in need. Giving back is what there all about...

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Surf Spotlight Sunday : Stephanie Gilmore

Stephanie Louise Gilmore is an Australian professional surfer and five-time world champion on the Women's ASP World Tour (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012). She was born in Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia on 29 January 1988 and currently resides in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia.

Gilmore's life as a surfer began at age 10 when she stood on a bodyboard. By age 17 she was entering world tour events as a wild card competitor, which paid off with a victory at the 2005 Roxy Pro Gold Coast. In her next season she won another wild card event, the 2006 Havaianas Beachley Classic. Gilmore's success on the WQS (World Qualifying Series) tour qualified her for the 2007 Women's ASP World Tour and she did not disappoint. She won four of the eight events and claimed the 2007 World Title. She would repeat her success in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Gilmore also won the inaugural Swatch Girls Pro France in 2010.

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GEAR UP FOR SPRING BREAK!!!

Heading somewhere hot and fabulous for Spring Break and want to amp up your style? Check out these great items we found surfing our local surf boutiques.

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5x ASP Women’s World Champion: Stephanie Gilmore

Five times ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore from  Tweed Heads, won the 2014 Roxy Pro Gold Coast, Gilmore took on fellow ASP champion Carissa Moore, from Hawaii, forcing her into third place.

As ASP reported, in that match Gilmore wasted little time in ‘reasserting herself as queen of Snapper Rocks, selecting the very best waves and blending full-rail maneuvers with variety to the tune of 17.10 points’.

‘Moore, despite possessing arguably the most diverse bag of tricks on tour, struggled to find comparable waves and will take home an equal third place finish to start the year off,’ ASP said.

In the second semi-final Buitendag defeated US surfer Lakey Peterson 15.90 to 12.50, lining her up for a head-to-head with Gilmore.

It was the first career final for the young South African and Gilmore was clearly too good for her, taking out the match-up by more than five points (15.80 to 10.47).

ASP said of the final, ‘The local favourite would build momentum throughout the affair, belting an 8.80 and 6.33 on back-to-back rides, leaving Buitendag in need of a combination of scores.’

Gilmore earns 10000 points towards her 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Tour ratings and banks US $60,000 in prize money. (Not bad for doing something you love!!)

In the semi-finals of the Quiksilver Pro Taj Burrow was narrowly defeated by Brazillian Gabriel Medina (14.13 to 14.10) while Joel Parkinson had the got the better of Medina’s countryman Adriano de Souza (18.70 to 9.67).

Upsets in the quarter finals saw de Souza on 16.53, thrash Kelly Slater on 12.17, while Medina defeated Mick Fanning on a more respectable score of 15.83 to 14.00.

Gabriel Medina (Brazil), 2014 Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast champion.

Stephanie Gilmore (Aus), 2014 Roxy Pro Gold Coast champion.

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Surf Spotlight Sunday : Carissa Moore "The game changer"

When I checked the results for todays Roxy Pro Gold Coast, it was no surprise the WCT 1# rank was still held on strong from "Game Changer" Carissa Moore from Hawaii.... I then found this great article from Glamour magazine and thought what a great thing to share....

At just 18, Moore became the youngest person ever to win the women's world surfing championship. She was also the first woman invited to participate in the men's Triple Crown of Surfing competition, in her home waters of Oahu—just her and more than 200 guys in board shorts. And this year, the 21-year-old snagged her second world title, firmly establishing herself as one of the sport's greatest athletes. "Women's surfing has never seen such a natural talent," says surf journalist Todd Prodanovich about the phenom, whose dad first put her on a board at age four. "Carissa's moves aren't just impressive for a female surfer; they are incredible for any surfer, period." Noting Moore's habit of winning almost every event she enters, professional surfer Bethany Hamilton adds, "Carissa's always pushing her levels—she's amazing! When she got on tour, she blew everyone's mind."

Ask Moore what accomplishments she's proudest of, however, and surfing doesn't even crack the top two. "For me, it was graduating high school, because it took a lot of hard work and balancing," she says. "But it was totally worth it. You never know when this dream is going to end." And second? "I hope I can inspire girls to be confident in who they are and what they stand for." She's well on her way: When Moore blogged about wrestling with and overcoming her body-image issues, young athletes everywhere identified—and applauded.

But perhaps Moore's greatest achievement is that she has raised the profile of women's surfing—a sport in which the top girls earn one-third the prize money guys do and routinely have to give up the best waves to let the men compete. (Tournaments still consider men's surfing more lucrative, so males get the best "real estate" to show off their craft.) Moore is on a mission to change all that, inspiring a new generation of "groms" (promising young surfers) and hosting surf clinics for eager fans at each tour stop. "Girls can do exactly what the guys are doing," Moore says. "We can do airs, we can do huge power carves, but with a little grace too."

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Seea- Swimsuit, Rashguards and tons of other groovy styles..

if you don't know about this company, I think you should!!  Seea a brand for woman searching for a suit that is feminine, comfortable, and fun. An elegant mix of retro-modern shapes and contemporary colors and prints, Seea strikes the perfect balance between surf function and style. Committed to domestic production and sustainable design, Seea suits are a locally crafted, 100% Californian product, right down to the famous breaks they are named after. Even small details, like the hangtags, are vintage made and multi-use, printed by letterpress, and complete with a hair band for your next surf session. These suits are made for you ladies, so enjoy them and play often. "We are women... We are the graceful sliders of the Seea" 

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6 Life Lessons You Can Learn From Surfing,,,,

I found this great article today on the huffington post and thought this would be a great read to share!! Enjoy.....

Surfing is not just a sport, it's a perspective. It's a way of life. Yes, that sounds dramatic, but hear me out. Surfing can teach you life lessons you won't learn anywhere else. Let me share a few with you.

1. There's plenty of room at the top. Los Angeles is crowded. There are almost 10 million people within its county limits. On your typical sunny weekend day when the waves are decent, the water is congested with hundreds of little black dots, each trying to carve out his or her own little corner of the ocean.

For months, the crowds intimidated me so much that I wouldn't even go out. I felt insecure about my own abilities. I didn't think I belonged out there. I'd wait until it was rainy or the water was choppy and go out when no other decent surfer would bother. If the waves looked good? Forget it. I'd be at home.

But then, as I spent more time in the water, I realized that of all those hundreds of bodies out there, only a small handful were actually going for the waves. The rest were just sitting around, hanging out. I had spent all this time being intimidated by "competition" that didn't even exist.

Now when I go out, I don't care if I see a thousand bodies out there. I know there are enough waves for all of us who really want them.

Do you feel a burning desire to write? To create art? To build a business? Do you feel held back all the other people you see who you think are so much better at it than you? Do you worry that the marketplace is too crowded?

Please, don't be. There are not as many people at the top as you think. There is room for you up there, too, if you're willing to do the work it takes to get there.

2. It's not about any one huge effort -- it's about focused, consistent work over time. Have you ever heard the expression that to be a writer, you need "butt-in-chair" time? Well the same is true for surfing. You need "body-in-water" time.

My friend James Clear calls this your average daily speed. It's not so important how much you do in a burst of inspiration. It's about how much you do day after day, when you just want to give up and go home.

For the entire first six months I surfed, I didn't catch a single wave. The next six months, I caught a few.

Most of the hours and hours I spent in the ocean were passed paddling around, falling, getting beaten up and jealously watching all the other surfers who seemed to know what they were doing a lot better than I did. Then I'd go home, tired and frustrated.

But this was not time wasted. This was when I learned how waves worked, where to look, where to sit on my board, how to position myself, when I should move in because the tide was changing, when I should move out because a big set was coming from outside.

One day, all of the sudden, I started catching waves. I didn't even know what I was doing differently. I was just moving on instinct.

Put in your time. The results will come.

3. Bide your time, and strike when the iron is hot. First, a little background on wave science.

Waves don't just roll into the shore one after the other. They come in clusters, or sets. Depending on the weather conditions, the ocean will typically be silent for a while, and then a set of three or four waves will roll in a few seconds apart.

I can always tell the less experienced surfers because they go for the first wave in the set. Believe me, I understand the impulse. We've all been out there, sitting around, waiting for something exciting to happen. So when that first wave comes... bam! Everyone runs after it in a mad dash.

Not me. I watch and wait. I watch as everyone else rushes for the wave. A few catch it, but most don't. And all of those who didn't are now out of position when the second and third waves roll in, which are typically bigger and better formed than the first. That's when I make my move, and get the wave all to myself.

So be patient. Don't get caught in the mad dash. If everyone's running one way, check out to see what's in the other direction.

4. You can tell a professional not by his talent but by his attitude. The same is true of an amateur. Everyone starts somewhere. Everyone was a beginner once.

Territoriality is for amateurs. Arrogance is for amateurs. Grandiosity is for amateurs. I don't mean "amateur" in the professional sports sense, I mean in the Steven Pressfield Turning Pro sense. You can be the best surfer out there and still be an amateur. You can have a professional contract and still be an amateur.

I once saw a guy surfing who was pretty good, but was a total asshole. He had a longboard, which means you can catch waves earlier than other people can, and was stealing all the waves without respecting the lineup. He was yelling at anyone who he thought was getting in his way. He was grabbing people's leashes to pull them out of the waves so he could cut in.

You know what? That guy had some skills, but in five years he's still going to be putting around, stealing waves and pulling leashes. He's never going to get any better than he is now.

So in whatever you're trying to do, be a pro. Show up. Do your work. Help others who don't know as much as you. Be helped by people know know more. If you find yourself getting arrogant, check it.

5. Most people are rooting for you, not trying to compete with you. Yes, every once in a while you come across a surfer with a stick up his ass (see above), but more often than not, I'm blown away by the generosity of the surfing community.

I've paddled out to the ocean alone and swam back with new friends. I've had total strangers take me under their wing and show me the ropes for the few hours we found ourselves in the same waves, for no other reason than they had the expertise and saw I could use it.

Those of us who love this sport -- we root for each other. We congratulate each other for good rides. We take turns. We see a good wave coming and say, "You go right, I'll go left." We share. We want each other to succeed.

Too many people operate under the delusion of competition, when the most helpful stance is collaboration. Don't make the mistake of getting competitive when other people just want to help you. Don't be the jerk who's pushing others out of the way when those people would freely give the way to you.

6. There's no point fighting forces of nature. The ocean doesn't care about you. It is a force of nature that existed long before you were born and that will be around long after you turn to dust.

It doesn't care if you have a good day surfing or a bad day. It doesn't care if it scares you. It doesn't care if it kills you.

When a big wave knocks me over and holds me underwater, it wouldn't make much sense for me to get mad at it, right? But really, we operate that way all the time, fighting forces of life that are as unavoidable as the strength and immensity of the ocean.

We fight that we have pain, get sick, get old, die. We fight that relationships end. We fight to string happy moment after happy moment, as if we could prevent anything bad from happening in between.

Why do we do this to ourselves? It's a waste of time, and a waste of energy. We operate under the illusion of control when so many of the most important things in life aren't even close to the realm of our control. But this doesn't have to be a terrifying concept.

When you release yourself from the illusion of control, you can relax. You can put in your best effort but let things turn out how they'll turn out. You can find moments of joy in the most simple things.

So don't fight forces of nature. Ride them.

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Surfing 101 | Walking the Plank

One of the biggest objectives of longboarding is being able to stylishly nose ride. Today we’re going to talk about mustering up style and grace to get to the nose. Planted hail mary hang tens will come later once you’ve mastered the cross stepping. 

First, you will need a traditional log, not a high performance longboard. I’m talking about a heavy, flat, singlefin, preferably with a squaretail. These elements make walking easier.

Second, you’ll want to begin on small to medium-ish size waves. You’re not going to want to get tangled in a leash (don’t bother wearing one) so start on waves that aren’t too powerful and aren’t likely to send your board to the shore.

Then, get a wave and get to steppin. Going frontside will be way easier than backside. You’re also going to want to surf at a spot that has waves with a shoulder. Closeouts won’t give you any room to strut.

Once you have the perfect little peeler and are heading down the line, take small cross steps along the board’s stringer towards the nose. You’ll feel the board pick up speed, so be sure to stand tall but keep your knees and ankles slightly bent to maintain balance. Bending too much at the waist costs you style points.

Your arms can be flared out in a controlled manner that helps you stay balanced, or down at your sides. I know you may be nervous and a little scared but no chicken flapping here.

When you see a section coming or the wave is dying, cross step back and kick out.

So, let’s take some inspo from good old Johnny Cash and walk the line…the best kind of line…a swell line.

www.bellasolboards.com

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Surf Spotlight Sunday : Sally Fitzgibbons

Sally: Behind the Smile gives a fly-on-the-wall insight to one of Australia’s most beloved athletes as she attempts to overcome some of the biggest hurdles of her burgeoning career in pursuit of that all-encompassing goal, a world title.

With an infectious lust for life, endearing charm and well-publicised clean-living lifestyle, it’s easy to forget that behind Sally Fitzgibbons’ perpetual smile lays a fierce competitor intent on scaling the greatest heights of world surfing.

After five years on the ASP tour the 22-year-old has made basecamp four times, narrowly finishing runner-up on three consecutive occasions before undergoing arguably her most challenging and at the same time rewarding season in 2013.

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Anybody watching.....the 2014 Roxy Pro Gold Coast

The first stop of the 2014 ASP World Tour, the ROXY Pro Gold Coast, officially kicks off March 1st.

This also marks the first time the ASP is officially taking over the tour and we’re excited to see the changes to support women’s surfing around the world. Roxy team riders Stephanie Gilmore @StephanieGilmore , Sally Fitzgibbons @Sally_Fitz and Bianca Buitendag @BiancaBuitendag will begin their season alongside other familiar faces on the new Women’s ASP World Championship Tour [WCT]. A favorite spot of the WCT for more reasons than one, the Gold Coast – Snapper Rocks (better known as Australia’s Super Bank) hosts a perfect right-hand point and boosts the premier amphitheater setting to experience the action firsthand (just see the pictures for a taste)…And the weather looks in our favor as well!

Roxy’s very own Rosy Hodge will also be taking over as part of the core commentary team for the ASP. Nothing beats the South African beauty and her quick witted reporting (nothing – period), so we’re stoked to see her representing the tour.

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Spring Trends..

Lived In Looks, Festival Ready Fits, And Anything Goes Attitudes Take Center Stage for Spring/Summer Fashion trends.

In the ultra-competitive women’s fashion market, surf brands must maximize their stories to forge emotional connections. Collaborations with special artists, fashion bloggers, and music talents rack up the cool points, credibility, and press impressions. Billabong’s Spring ’13 collaborations with artist Maya Hayuk and Andy Davis ensure exclusive product and media buzz. Element Eden’s Advocate program highlights women who are more than just riders. For women, music festival–type looks are still queen bee. Though skirt hemlines rise and fall and sweater proportions expand and contract, the common thread is that the ensemble has some raw, ragged edge and bite to it. Girls come to action sports brands for trend, not trendy, i.e., disposable. She expects higher quality and sharper, thoughtful details. Best bets are interesting sweaters that can still be worn into the next seasons, knits that utilize original prints (clever plays on logos and brand names, of course), shorts with ragged bite, and easy, light sundresses (both long and short) that personify coastal happiness.

“We like to remind the consumer that we are more than just a cute dress. We are a way of life,” says Element Eden’s Alexandra Swanson. “Our mission is to inspire girls along their own paths. It’s important to us to stand behind this thinking by supporting visionary women and instilling a sense of confidence in personal style.”

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Mixtape Music-

Poppin Off-Watch the Duck

Crazy little jam I just came across, sounds like gnarls barkley meets dub step.... Check it out....

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