The Drive for Apple Pie

I woke up on Saturday and started to plan my day full of work. After a few minutes of working I noticed that it was a bit cloudy and cold outside, so I Googled the weather for Julian and it read that the high was 54 degreezees. Perfect weather for a Drive for Apple Pie! I called up some of the homies and Crissy and K responded with a quickness. Below are two links of our excursion. Enjoy, and go get you some!

neensphotos
kgungonsphotos

I LOVE MUSUBI DOT COM

Hello! For those of you that actually read this blog, I haven't written anything new for couple weeks cuz I've been busy with my newest brand "Musubi". The Musubi brand is aimed to reaching Hawaii Lovers across the globe by giving them fun products to use. Our first products are the Musubi Map (Your Guide to HI in SD) and ilovemusubi.com, a website that connects Hawaii to the mainland. So if I'm not blogging here, you can sure find me there!!!!! Check it out....
ILOVEMUSUBI.COM

Hawaii Five-0

Hawaii Lovers (and police officers) Kevin and Kurt, stopped by Motu Hawaii to pick up a sticker. Look where they placed it! I didn't even know that kine stuff was legal, but if anyone should know, it should be them- yeah? So if you see them rollin through your neighborHOOD, throw up a shaka \m/.....and behave yourself!

I Found Nino....I mean "Nemo"

A few weeks back I was walking into the office, and as I passed Surf Diva something beautiful caught my eye.......the 9 Fish "Clownfish". I haven't surfed this board yet, but I love this board already just for how steezy it is. It's a fish, that looks like a fish, and I am guessing it's loads of fun to surf. I have a 5'4" single fin shaped by Uncle Mike. It's been my everyday favorite board for about 5 years now (I'm on my second, ready for a third), and the 9 Fish "Clownfish" seems like it could be right there to add to my list of favorite everyday boards to ride. Check out the 9 Fish website. It's pretty well put together with lots of fun videos to watch. I don't know these guys personally, but from a quick glance of their product and website it seems like these guys would be fun to cruise with. I'm gonna see if I can sample one or two of their boards and I'll be sure to fill you in on how they ride. If you're looking for a sweet fish for the summer season, be sure to stop by Surf Diva and pick up a 9 Fish. Tell them "Neens" sent ya.

Memorial Day Jams

This last Memorial Day was a classic day to remember for a long time. To sum it all up, Motu Hawaii, Musubi, and King's Paddle Sports crews all met up at Cardiff for some good ol fun- sometimes with the sun. So the weather wasn't perfect, but it was summer enough for me! I rocked the spring suit all day long, so the water is super much warmer, cuz you know me....I get cold easy. Some photos for you......
Li Hing powder was a hit on the beach. We gave the powder to some peeps and the next thing you know it's on everything and people are salivating all over the place. My favorite was li hing watermelon, and the grapefruit shown here wasn't so bad either. Slrrrrrrrp!
Just a classic photo of the Cardiff board selection: Longboards, Shortboards, Fishes, and SUP Boards. I tried SUP for the first time, but I didn't paddle out in the surf though. I paddled under the bridge to the backside of Cardiff where the water is nice, calm, and a bit stinky. Regardless of the water quality, SUP is a bunch of fun and an even better workout. My legs, arms, and abs were gettin worked. It felt great!
From morning until night, the ukuleles never stopped being played. There was always one, or two, or ten people strumming away, playing as many songs as we could play until we had to start over with the same songs again. (Drop Baby Drop is now black listed because it's been overplayed!) Some of the Cardiff guys were so hard core, they brought out two mics, mic stands, and 4 amps and layed them out on the sand. Crazy yeah?

Go Pee IN STYLE!

My friend Victor got married last weekend...."CONGRATULATIONS VICTOR AND AMIE!". I love to see how events, weddings, and other things are put together. Some of the highlights of the wedding aside from the newlyweds themselves were Crustables peanut butter and jelly sandwiches provided for the kids, a separate kids table with crayons and coloring stuff, a super fun photo booth that I took full advantage of, and the best ever............Royal Restrooms. Yep, Royal Restrooms are port a potties that are waaaaaaaaaaaaay better than the lovely, steamy, blue plastic thingies we're used to with that nasty toxic blue liquid smell. Royal Restrooms are real restrooms, with real restroom comfort for peeps to handle their biz. If you're planning an event and you need a restroom, I highly recommend Royal Restrooms. Throwns fit for a King and Queen! Click on this link for the website.

Dress for the Nines: Maternity and Mad Steez

One of my newer friends Allison Andrews just opened up a boutique for new mama's called "Dress For The Nines". Allison is a marketing/retail consultant that I met last year when she approached me about donating Crush and Kreed sunglasses to an event in Huntington Beach. Things went well at that event, so a year later she called me up and wanted to do it again. She also let me know that her new maternity boutique was open, so I made it a point to check it out.

Other than working with Allison once a year, I don't really know her, so I didn't know what to expect as I made the drive into Hillcrest. Ya'll know how it is- it could go two ways. Her boutique could be very well put together and interesting, or it could just be boring and I wouldn't have anything to blog about! The fact that you're reading this blog should clue you in that her boutique is pretty dope and worthy of some exposure. I was very impressed!

You know me, I love clean, 'less is more' style layout, and Dress For The Nines is just my steez. The walls are wrapped beautifully with hanging garments as each section has a color theme to it, and the end of each section displays a full outfit of cute things that compliment each other. The rad thing about it is that there's a great selection, but not too too much product. Like Allison is saying....."What I have is all you need, because I carefully picked these pieces out for you mommies". Almost like someone picking out the ripe strawberries from the bowl and offering it to another. No need for a whole bunch of strawberries, just the sweet ones.

I'm not in the market for maternity/nursing clothes (duh), so I can't elaborate on the product too much. Something I can relate to is she has a selection from Putamayo records (one of my favorite labels) including some soothing lullabies from around the world. I DO know that San Diego needs a place where "fashion meets peanut butter and pickles", so this is THE spot. Also, Allison's favorite section the "living room", is perfect for the "new papas" if they need to chillax while mama's shoppin up a storm. So all you mamas and papas to be, please visit Dress For The Nines if you want to stay steezy while carrying yer baby, and let Allison know that Neen's sent ya!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS OF THE STORE.

Gimme a BEAT!!!

So I was given a fun opportunity to shoot the Beat Freaks during one of their appearances at a Blended Events show at V2O in Long Beach. I love to shoot photos, and I LOVE the Beat Freaks, but I will admit that I'm a super rookie when it comes to shooting with flash. Actually, I'm just not that technical of a photographer, so when the natural light comes shining in, bring it on. But when I have to get all crazy with the settings, I just mess around and hope that things come out okay. I can also do simple Photoshop stuff like mess with the contrast, but I'm not a wiz at that either.

So here are some photos of the Beat Freaks through my lens. They (my photos) might not be pro, but the Beat Freaks are amazing regardless. It was hard to shoot them cuz I just wanted to watch with both of my eyes as opposed to one eye through the lens. These girls are super fun, and from what I could see, they don't carry an attitude with their status as one of the best dance crews in the world. They get mad respect from me, and if anyone reading this knows them personally, please let them know that I would love the opportunity to shoot them in a different element.

Thank you to Blended Events (RaRa) for letting me shoot, thank you to Brenda the photographer for trying to show me how to work my flash, thanks to the Checkmate film crew for being cool, and thanks to the Beat Freaks for doin what you do!

CLICK THIS LINK TO SEE A FEW PHOTOS.

Neens and the Beat Freaks

Yep, that's me and the Beat Freaks. I haven't uploaded all the photos, so this is just a teaser. More to come...........

Don't let the photo fool you. We ain't tight or nothin, but I do hope to shoot some real photos with them soon. I'm gonna pursue it, we'll see if it happens.

Isabel's Cantina

My brother in-law gave me the task of planning a surprise birthday for my lil' sis, Tish. I was stoked to take on the mission, and I immediately thought of Isabel's Cantina (IC), a steezy lounge style restaurant in Pacific Beach. I hadn't been to IC in a few years and remembered that I always liked their "interesting" food and the chill environment they produce. I don't know how, but I also had some sort of clue in my mind that they would be great to host a small private party, so I gave them a call.












In short, I called IC and after a little bit of phone tag, Isabel and I talked everything over. I gave her an ideal price that I thought everyone would be able to afford (in these slim times) and she went to work to put together a menu that would fill our tummies and fit our budget. Two days later the menu was emailed to me, I gave my feedback, and it was all good. She also mentioned the menu items would all be served "family style", and I was excited about that.











The whole of the night ya'll can see in the photo album. Bottom line is that my sister was surprised, and EVERYONE who attended was impressed with the work of Isabel and her staff. The food was super taste bud stimulating, the ambiance was stylish-ly comfortable, and the freakin flourless chocolate cake is too delicious to describe with my fingers and a keyboard. Of course I also have to mention that Kelly and the staff were very nice and worked hard to make things happen on a busy Saturday night. I guess my only disappointment is that we weren't able to meet Isabel herself, but maybe next time, and for breakfast. Coconut French toast will break your mouth!













P.S. The whole "Cantina" thing can throw peeps off, especially in SoCal. Isabel's Cantina is not an enchilada serving, mariachi playing mexican style restaurant. IC (to me) is a full fusion style restaurant that mixes flavors that aren't normally mixed. Isabel is a chef with an artistic view on food, and the kitchen is her studio in which she creates flavorful and edible sculptures.

P.S.S. My blogging skills are limited. It's late, I'm tired, and I don't know why the layout is all weird. I will sleep now, and I know you can still read the blog. Thanks for tolerating.

Link to photo album

Link to Isabel's Cantina

Isabel has a book you should buy

Lei Maker?

How many of you that know me, know that I spend a few hours a week making fresh flower leis? It's odd in a cool way, I know. It all comes with having a family owned store called Motu Hawaii. We've been bringing "aloha" to San Diego through products like leis, li hing mui snacks, soda crackers, Locals slippers, aloha shirts, hula implements, music and sooooo much more since 1995 (that's 14 years, bu!) Although it's a family thing (my uncle and I laid the floors down in this place), I also consider Motu Hawaii a client. I'm able to help with the marketing, merchandising, and buying of products. Working retail once in a while helps keep a fresh perspective on things since I'm so used to being on the "other side" of retail. I recommend that any marketing or design person take a part time retail job once in a while. It's a great way to understand the buyer and consumer perspective. If you're in the Pacific Beach area, or if you have a special occasion coming up that would be complimented well by a fresh flower lei, please stop by and throw some shakas my way. Click on this link to get to the Motu Hawaii website.

Disclosure: Plumeria flowers have a wonderful fragrance, but please don't try to smell the one that I am holding in the picture. You might jack up your monitor.

PF Flyers Reissues The 1940 Sportshu, Made In Japan

When you think of Japan, what are the first things that come to mind? In my mind I think sushi, great packaging, people with mad steez, and cars that last well over 200,000 miles. Well the Japanese are pretty consistent, so I can almost write the same line over again for the reissue of a Japanese baseball classic, the 1940 Sportshu. The shoes will have great packaging, mad steez, and you should get some great walking miles out of these puppies. My friend (more like brother) Vincent Marjes is part of the team that is putting on the North American premiere of these at Conveyor in Santa Monica, so check the flier and show up at the event if you want to be cool. PF Flyers is only releasing a very very limited amount, so if you're a sneaker connoisseur and want to add the Sportshu to your collection, you best get there early!

Which way to Tokyo?

I was working at Motu Hawaii this weekend and ran in to a super rad tee shirt. My new found friend Josie was rockin it and said she picked it up at her work, Pink Zone in La Jolla. Pink Zone has other locations, so look them up online. I couldn't find the actual tee shirt online, so if you find it, please let me know. It would make a great gift for someone. The tag on the tee has the name "Monteau" on it. I looked it up for quick minute online but still couldn't find the tee. They need to make a guys version of it.

KIng's Paddle Sports: That's WasSUP!

Some of you will know, and some of you won't, so let me explain eS-yoU-Pee. SUP is the abbreviation for "Stand Up Paddle". Stand Up Paddle is the latest "not as NEW as you think" phenomenon in surfing and water sports. I'm not a SUP historian, so I'm not gonna go there. I know the guys in Hawaii have been SUP-ing for five years or so, and I also remember a few years ago when Laird (Hamilton) was all up in the surf news buzz for SUP surfing somewhere in CAli (Malibu I think). From my perspective, Laird was the one who revealed this thing and got everyone curious as if he was in the water on a UFO.

Another term for SUP-ing is "sweeping" due to the way one looks when they are standing and paddling in the water. I like that term, but I'm not sure if it's a disrespectful term, so I'm not gonna use it much until I know for sure.

A couple weeks ago I received a call from Dave Daum, designer, shaper and owner of King's Paddle Sports. One of our mutual friends had informed Dave that I might be capable of performing certain creative duties for his new brand of SUP Surfing boards. We met one morning to see if there was a fit, and two days later I was ok'd to begin designing his first run of print ads.

I teamed up with Scott Hancock from The Glue Network, an old friend with a habit of laying things out nice and clean, and we delivered a product Dave and the family were stoked on. It also looks like the door is open for more opportunities to help develop the King's brand, so I'll keep you posted.

I am so thankful for the work, and I'm stoked to be a part of this growing sport. Some surfers have mixed views on SUP, but that's mainly due to the fact that a wave can be taken over by SUPr's since they can get in to the wave a lot earlier than others. I think that we should all be able to share waves, take turns, and "cheehoo!" another surfer that get's a sick one. So as hard as it is, try not to be selfish out there no matter what vehicle you're riding.

If your curious about this sport, I have links below that you can click on to edumacate yourself. SUP-ing is a great full body/core workout, and many Hollywood stars and off-season athletes have invested in the equipment to keep in shape. I admit....I've had MANY chances to try but have not. I've been hesitant because I'd rather just catch waves and surf than spend time getting up and falling down, and getting up and falling down. I guess you have to start somewhere, and now that I'm gonna be working with SUPr's, I best man up and get my sweep on! I have no excuses!

King's Paddle Sports
Stand Up Paddle Magazine
Surf and Sail Stand Up Journal

Mozy Cafe, A great "after surf sesh" place to eat.

If you surf in N. County SD and build up that after barrel appetite, I super recommend that you get over to the Mozy Cafe. I have been there a few times, and most recently met my friend Kory Kinder their to have lunch and talk business. I always order the Tropical Burrito. I'm like that. If I like something, I order it over and over again. The Tropical Burrito has eggs, avo, black beans, jack cheese, AND plantains all wrapped up in a warm tortilla. One thing I've noticed is that when I order the same burrito, I get the same burrito. Another words, they have been consistent in the way they make and portion their food. This is a good thing. I have also heard that their Acai bowls are among the best, but I haven't experienced it for myself just yet. If you go and visit, Naomi will most likely be the one behind the counter serving you. Tell her that "Neens" says hello.

Mozy Cafe 698 N Coast Hwy101 Encinitas, CA 92024

Warning: Feed The Birds

I have a fear of birds. Not a real fear like some people I know, but I have a fear of being pooped on. So let me correct myself. I don't have a fear of birds, I have a fear of bird poop dropping out of the sky and splattering on my shaved head or trying to substitute itself for the new thing in natural face moisturizers.

This topic really hits close to home because in the last few months, three of my friends have been pooped on. Ryan was hit while kicking it at the park during a bbq. We were just catching up on things and then the next thing you know his plain white tee wasn't so plain anymore. Nastee! Good thing he rolls with extra shirts. No less than two weeks after the first bombing, the homies Vince and Brian got dropped on while we were cruisin the streets of the LA Garment District. Vince got hit on his black fitted rain stopper, and Brian caught some crap on his black Creative Rec kicks. Two in one day? Tragic!

This dramatic intro was written so that you can see how courageous I was a few days ago. I mean, I could be the next victim on the birdie hit list. So while I was shootin some photos of my niece and nephew on the beach, this crazy family rolled up with wonderbread bags and created a feeding frenzy of vicious seagulls just a few meters away from where I was. Even though I was horrified, I manned up, ran over to the crazy family and started snapping away. My first question to them was, "Did you get pooped on yet?" Sure enough, none of the bird feeding family members got pooped on. What the heck?

Go figure. You mind your own business, and birds just feel free to use your head as a toilet. You attract a hundred hungry birds with $2 bread and walk out unblemished. It makes you think....do these birds have a real agenda? They must know what they're doin. Maybe we should "Feed the Birds" and ignore all the warning signs posted in order to keep the peace. I too, got out from under the bird umbrella nice and clean, but I'm still gonna watch my back when I see birds flyin overhead.

To the crazy bird feeding family, it was nice to meet you. If you would like to see more photos of your feeding adventures, shoot me an email I'll send more photos to ya. I'm glad you guys got out of there without getting shot! hello@neensmarketing.com

Makeup City

If you aspire to be a makeup artist, please do yourself a favor and go visit the homie Loli Romo. She'll hook it up, teach you all you need to know, and send you off certified so you can do yo thang. Check the flier for info on how to sign up for her classes, or click on this link to hit up the website. Tell her "Neens" sent you. (Loli, I'll be seein a comish check in the mail, right?)

Feelin the "Bleu's" Boheme

I met some friends at the Bleu Boheme on Saturday night. Prior to this, I had never heard of this enchanting restaurant located in Kensington (SD). Ambiance, food, and service are the three most important things...right?

Well the ambiance was amazing. A source of light in every room were candles with hot wax dripping onto cooled candle wax mounds that grew as the night went on. Fire hazard you think? Nope. With brick walls and polished cement floors, being inside this place made me feel like I was the Count of Monte Cristo. Very classy, romantic, and chill.

Next was the food. I couldn't really pronounce the French dishes on the menu, but I could sure eat the dishes as they were served. I'm sorry to not have the names of the dishes handy, but I just told you that I struggled with the names. EVERYTHING is good, as long as you like the ingredients that the dish is made with. So if you don't eat escargot (like me), don't order it and expect it to please your taste buds. (If you like escargot, I'm sure the Bleu Boheme cooks it up just right.) I had the Salmon placed on a flaky pastry bed with carrots and veggies sandwiched in, and mashed potatoes on the side. Melted in my mouth!

Great ambiance and great food can spoil easy without good service. The place was packed when we stepped in, so the four of us ended up sitting at the bar where Ramon served up a storm. Not only was he taking care of us, but I watched him take care of everyone in his section and I could tell he was on top of it. Another worthy mention is that no matter how much we drank, our water glasses always seemed to be full. This credit goes to the gentlemen working with Ramon. Thanks to him I pee'd five times during the course of our meal. So the service was very pleasing!

We capped it all off with a perfect "Neens" sized portion of Chocolate Mousse (say it with French passion), and I didn't want to leave. All they need in that place is a jacuzzi and a place to sleep. I would never leave. So go visit Ramon at Bleu Boheme. Tell him "Neens" sent you.

Bleu Boheme 4090 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116 619.255.4167

P.S. Every staff member from the hostess to the other servers were all super warm and friendly. I just wanted to mention that to ya because they deserve the recognition.

Purple Reebok Sighting

I love shoes. Don't you? For the third time in a week I found myself working out of Pannikin (Del Mar, CA) and ran in to a nice pair of purple Reeboks. They just caught my eye and I couldn't help but ask the girl wearing them if I could take a picture and drop them on my blog. Sometimes I wake up in the mood to wear the kind of outfit she was wearing.....neutral and mellow top and bottom, and some LOUD shoes that scream at people passing by to go with it. I heard them purple Reeboks scream at me from across the room! Check them out right HERE.

(To the studying girl: Thank you for your participation, I really hope you don't mind.)

Set It Off 3

On Friday I had the honor of hanging out with some friends down in South SD for a youth outreach organized by Sonny (of P.O.D) and Voltage Youth. It was a super fun event with lots of the younger generation hanging out and lookin all steezy. Sonny called up all the homies and organized mad giveaway prizes including skate decks, shoes, and clothing from many of your favorite brands. Vince and I rolled up with a few boxes of Crush and Kreed sunglasses to add to the pile. I love gatherings like these. There are so many opportunities to take tons of photos of many beautiful faces. If you're interested, click on this link to check the album for more photos.

The Tom and Gerry Show (I mean "Shirt")

I was working out of Pannikin in Del Mar, CA a couple of days ago and noticed this dude wearing a shirt that is worthy to be blogged about. I asked him where he got it, and he said it was an Ando & Friends shirt that he bought at Thalia St. Surf Shop. Why didn't I know about this already? So "BIG UPS" to Ando & Friends for the design and concept, to Thalia St. for carrying product that fits their store, and to Grant for buying something worth wearing. I'm sure that many of you who don't know about this shirt would be stoked to know that it exist. Go get it.

Side Note: Grant Bostrom is the stranger that I met shown in the picture. It turns out that he's in marketing and we know some of the same peeps. The world is getting smaller.


http://www.thaliasurf.com/
http://www.andoandfriends.com/

I left "the left"

What a crazy Cali winter. Yesterday morning I checked the surf in Carlsbad. It was offshore, 80 degree air temp, and glassier than a Lens Crafters store. (cheezy, i know) Needless to say I got my share of waves as the tide was coming in. I knew there was going to be a sick window of fun as the tide filled in, and I also knew that I had to go. I "responsibly" exited the ocean, and upon exit started to notice the magic left off the jetty starting to come to life. Every grain of sand needs to be in the right place for this little left to work, and it was. It was little, but it was beautiful. A solid overhead barrel for a bodysurfer, and an entertaining waist to chest high line for a surfer. So I left "the left". I took a photo of it for you.

Transition transition TRANSITION

Thanks for checking in. For the most part this will be the extent of my blog for now. I'm working on a blog concept and putting all my energy in to that. Hopefully it will launch soon and maybe there will be some stuff on there that interest and entertains you. Nothing fancy, but I leave you with the photo of bacon wrapped hot dogs with grilled onions from an LA street vendor. You are either salivating or grossed out right now. Super yummy for a hot diggity dog lover! BTW- A "hot dog" is the only kind of "dog" this filipino has eaten. Don't listen to those asian urban legends, and if you do count me out! Hehe.