So, it's early fall and Kiki and I decided to take a lil' mini-vaca. to Cape May. What a beautiful beach town we discovered. So much going on in this small town, even after the "Summer Season" is over. Although this time of year things shut down a bit early, be prepared. Beautiful Beaches, Waves, 3 Wineries, Sights, History, Artists, Great Restaurants, Fresh Seafood, etc.,etc., I could really go on. A bike is a must. Their are plenty of hotels/B&B's, but, we stayed at the Congress Hall, it's right on beach and it's AMAZING on all respects. On the way back to the city we drove along the coast up to Atlantic City and then jumped on the Garden State Parkway and headed home. That ride up the coast was very quiet, Ghost town after ghost town. Filled, and I mean filled with empty hotels and condo's. It was so weird. They say in the summer it's just jam packed with no parking. We snuck into a closed amusement park and walked some empty boardwalks/beaches. We had a great lil' escape, now here comes winter. Here's a peek inside our trip. Enjoy and go take a trip yourself...

Love & Respect,
Tony & Kiki

I've been psyched about this Quiksilver Pro NY 2011 since they announced back in January. The
largest purse in professional surfing history. HERE IN NEW YORK. Well, it didn't disappoint. Great
waves, great surfing and a goofy-foot won. I was lucky enough to see two days of competition. Here's a slideshow I put together...

 Rockaway Beach, NY 8/29/11  photos by Kirstin Rizzi

Caster Surfboards. Wow. I always wanted a Caster. For my first brand new board I put money down on a Caster and put it on a layaway plan. Totally remember the thing. 5'8" twin fin, pintail (I'm sure it had "wingers") brown airbrush with some 70's rainbow fade. Before I scooped it out of Aqua East Surf Shop, ya know when it was on the other side of Atlantic Blvd. It was super small and Dan Brooks was doing ding repair in the back. Well, I started surfing at the end of my Street when I lived in Atlantic Beach, FL . Which was pretty much Strickland Rats territory, a division of Rattown. I would see these surfers (Strickland Rats) at school and came to realize they were the coolest kats, er uh rats around. I wanted to hang out with those guys for sure. They had the girls, cool clothes, the swagger, they were "it" in my book. They were also older so I knew I had get creative to get their attention. First I had to get a Strickland Surfboard, but I had money down on the Caster. Fudge. I went up to Aqua East, told Sandy and Vai I got in trouble and couldn't get the board, Sorry bout' that, and I immediately when up to Strickland Surf Shop to put my money down. Russel Easton was working there, he went to my school, lived on 4th St. and most importantly he was a Rat.  he took me through the rack of boards and we chose a 5'8" clear double wing pin, twin fin. Blue logo with blue fins. Nice! The Strickland Rats soon noticed me at school and in the line up out in the surf, and totally took me under their wings, er uh rat paws. Ha! Changed my life forever. Thank you Russell, Lang Sheppard, and Chris Coombs. They turned me on to cool music, took me to parties and gave me the confidence to "Go For It" and just be me.
 My mom ended up surprising me and got my board out of layaway early, before my birthday. I also saw that Caster that got away. A kid on 10th St got it and ripped on it. I still have never got a Caster. Bill Caster has past, and they haven't been made in a long while. If you have one cherish it, they're soooo cool.
 I saw this Caster in a "Surf" bar in NYC, stirred up some memories to say the least.

LOVE AND RESPECT,
TONY

love this band, was fortunate to sneak up front and snag some pictures.thanks Jason Weilminster for the hook up, and Kirstin Rizzi for the push. if you don't know about the BLACK ANGELS. do yourself a favor and get to know'em. THEY'RE AWESOME!

http://www.surfingmagazine.com/video/lost-interest-the-new-dane-reynolds-mini-film/

ROCKAWAY BEACH, NY   JULY 10TH, 2011

I made a video for my band, MILK & BLOOD. With some help from my friends of course. ENJOY...

Brazil gets the gold...

http://www.nike6lowerspro.com/

Beads of Paradise

awesome store...http://www.beadsofparadisenyc.com/main.php

Dane Reynolds is Cool...

http://www.marinelayerproductions.com/

                                       This is the best surf movie I've seen in many moons!

Let's talk about surfing...

I first stood on a canvas raft at age 6. At 7, I stood up on a real surfboard. I became obsessed at 11.
Surfing saved my life! No doubt about it. I wasn't a great athlete when I was young, and mom was wondering what she was going to do with me. Surfing fit perfect. It takes mind, body and spirit. It's a blast, it's healthy, it' physical, no right way or wrong way, a way to express oneself with no rules and the playground is the ocean with the beach supplying the perfect arena. I got good, surfed contests, got sponsors, worked at the local surf shop. Surfing made me think past my local area code.
 I started surfing in the late 70's. Lightning Bolt single fins, Gerry Lopez, Birdwells, long hair, Pot, Caster twin fins, Z-flex, Classic Rock, were the elements of righteousness. I was neck deep. I had a little surf crew in the summer of 1980. Chris Porter, Joey Vogel, Chris B. Mike King. to name a few. We mainly surfed 10th St. in Atlantic Beach. The pier there was quickly losing form, but we were still able to shoot through a few pilings. Allowing us to claim our first " I shot the pier today" story. I remember being very conscious of the older surfers. The way they surfed, how they held their arms, the turns they did. How they carried themselves and their surfboards out of the water. The girls they would talk to. I was in complete fascination with the whole lifestyle.
 Then fall came and school started. Fuck! Whatever, I got to do it, but surfing was the only thing on my mind. The year started pretty much like the rest. Although it was the 7th grade, which means a new school. I was going to Junior High, and I was at the bottom of the pecking order. Whatever, I'm a surfer and very proud of the fact. I kept surfing as much as possible after school and on the weekends. I started surfing more at the end of my street, 4th street Atlantic Beach. Meeting a new crew of surfers from the 10th street guys. 10th Street crew were the Classic Rock. 4th Street crew were younger, but still older than me. They were the Strickland Rats, a division of our beloved RATTOWN. So soccer season came around at school. It seemed the crew I stared surfing with were all trying out for the team. I followed suit. I made the team, I wasn't the worst, definitely not the best. I hurt my Knee at practice before the season kicked off. The coach requested I get a doctor's note if I wanted to continue playing soccer. My knee was fine, surfing told me so. I wasn't going to ask my single mom of four to make an unnecessary and expensive trip to the doctor, so I blew it off. He would let me participate during practice, but during the games I sat. Everyone played but me. Again I wasn't the best, but not the worst. At our third game of the season my life would change forever. We were playing an away game, 2nd half. I don't remember if we were losing or winning. My bench seat was at an all time heated temperature. I went up to the coach and said "Put me in coach" his reply "No note, no play." At that point, out of nowhere my balls grew. I looked up at him, puffed up my whole 4'10' 90lb frame and said, "I QUIT !" I then proceeded to take off my school soccer gear, except for my shorts and walked back to the bus barefooted, cleats in hand. When the game was over and my friends got on the bus, they barraged me with stupid questions. The only answer I could give them was "Wouldn't you rather be surfing, cuz I do." I never felt so proud in my life. That day I became me. It was such an adrenaline shot. I stuck it to the man I thought. I got home after the game and went surfing.
to be continued...

The dynamics of surfing are multi faceted. Geography, oceanography, weather, hydrodynamics, design, curves, competition, social awareness, to name a few. I'm in awe of it all...

cars

music by gary numan

Tom Waits on Fernwood Tonight

music by Wolff

tonight in the live room at PIANOS. That's just in one of the rooms.
pianosnyc.com

WOLFF (FREE) 12AM My favorite tuba player with Steve Garafano on drums
SHARK? 11PM
...BRIDGES AND POWERLINES release 10PM
CREEPING WEEDS (PHILLY) 9PM
THE AYE AYES 8PM

hangin' with jim dunlop