Highlight Reel

I managed to get a couple of my final exams moved so that I could be a staff member on a high school spring-break trip to California last week. At first I wasn't sure it was going to work out, but when everything fell into place I got stoked!

Other than soaking up the sun on Huntington, Laguna, and Mission Beach, a couple of my highlights included the following...

225 Forest, Laguna Beach

225 Forest is both the name of the store, and the address (225 Forest Ave, Laguna Beach, CA). It is a collab. between Nike, Hurley, and Converse, and they simply use the address as the store name so as to avoid focusing on one brand more than the others while providing a local home-grown feel.

This is one of my favorite shops based on the creativity represented as soon as you walk through the doors. From exposed brick and steel i-beams, to unique artwork and custom displays, 225 Forest is different than any other skate shop or clothing store that I've seen so far. Good flava flav.

Above are t-shirts and artwork created by youth from a local Laguna high school. They created the artwork that was printed on the shirts, and then coated the display tees in surfboard resin which is what allows them to stand freely.

The shoe display wall above was created by framing a wall with spruce 2x4's and then wrapping hose around the studs from top to bottom.

225 Forest also reps a silk screen machine and a custom shoe press in the upper level of their store. Above is 'the workshop menu', and below are the two presses.

The WaveHouse

The Wave House is located on Mission Beach, San Diego, CA. It includes an outdoor bar and grill, as well as two 'Flo-Rider' standing waves for customers to try surfing and a variety of different shapes and sizes of boards. We rented the place out for an evening and had an unreal time.

Below is the entry level wave, which is the one that we rented for our less experienced prairie high school students. We had a lot of fun trying to master the Flo-Rider, and also enjoyed a delicious BBQ buffet provided by the WaveHouse staff.

After a solid couple of hours on the Flo-Rider, we threw a high-energy limbo contest and dance party that will surely never be forgotten. 

In-N-Out Burger

In-N-Out burger is a chain of restaurants concentrated in the south-western United States, which is a crime to humanity as everyone should have the opportunity to indulge in the glorious bombardment of tastes and smells that exist at this restaurant.

The picture below is my 4x4 Animal Style Burger. Legendary.

Johnny Rockets

Johnny Rockets is another great burger joint located in the USA. It resembles a 50's diner, and possesses a high-energy atmosphere. I was able to visit on several occasions during our visit. The picture below is my St. Louis Burger, which I washed down with several ice cold glasses of Vanilla Coke. Dreamy.

-mikedanger