Only in NYC - Awesome, of course until the cops come . . . .

BLKOPS-122009-loRes from jsjcreative on Vimeo.

Another Kelby training seminar, the one, " creative suite 4 UNLEASHED!".

Spike Jonze at the MoMa - Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009

Just got back from NYC. I made a special trip up to the Big Apple to check out "An Evening of Skate Videos" - an event held by Poprally in support of the Moma's exhibit honoring the work of Spike Jonze, co-owner of Girl Skateboards and director of "Video Days" ( the epic Blind Skateboards video), and director of "Where the Wild Things Are." The panel included a who's who of the skateboarding world, they included Spike Jonze, Patrick O'Dell (MC for the evening), Mark Gonzales, Lance Mountain, Jake Phelps, Tobin Yelland, Ty Evans, Greg Hunt, and Ed Templeton. Some other notable's that showed up included Giovanni Reda, Steve Rodriguez, Steve Olson, Jason Dill, Mike O'Meally, and Pitcrew Local Tyler Tufty. It was a great night of some classic skate videos and a great chance to get some great comments by those that were involved with them. Following the event, the band No Age put on a kick-ass show while the Colt 45 flowed.

Good Times!

MAC, PC, What's the difference . . .

King of Series from Hill Street on DC Shoes website

Although I didn't get the photo credit, my pic of everyone that came out to skate and support the riders at the King of Series held by DC Shoes last Saturday is up on their website. Big thanks goes to Tim aand Malcolm at Pitcrew and Jeff Pang with DC for putting on a great event.

Check out the site here:

http://skate.dcshoes.com/king/#/Chicago/News/271

More photos like these can be found on my site too:

mleongphoto.com

18th and K st nw

From the photo it doesn't look like much, but I think this could be a
fun hip to skate.

Decisions, Decisions

After about 48 hours of trying to make a very difficult decision between the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Honda Element, I retired the Rodeo for the Hyundai Santa Fe . . . I think I made the right choice!

Element's "Make it Count" Tour

It was super hot for the Element Demo yesterday - starting at 3 p.m. for the signing, I waited for 2 hours to get in. The actual demo didn't get started until 8 p.m., with no video premiere to follow. Either way it was a good demo, and the whole team, including Bam's parents were great. I even made it onto their website - yeah I know, I'm a geek! (http://www.elementskateboards.com/makeitcount/?p=470)

Photos of one of my photos being signed by Collin Provost, me with a shot from Back to the Banks and a team collage. My Photos coming soon!

Ron Allen 1989 - 2009 Still Killin' it!

Here is one of the photos of Ron Allen from 1989 and one from this past sunday at Lakefest in Oakland. Keep kill'n it Ron - it was an honor to meet you!

What about Sunday?!?!?

Sunday I met up with my friend Nina. Whenever I come to SF, I always try to find time to hang out with Nina. She used to work at GW in DC and moved to Oakland for graduate school. Oddly, we didn't really become friends until she was in the process of leaving GW for grad school, but that is a whole other story. Anyway, she suggested that we check out a festival that was going on in her neighborhood called Lakefest. I was like "cool", sounds like a plan. She also mentioned that there were a bunch of bands playing and a litlle skate contest going on there too. That got me even more psyched! It turned out to be the Hood Games - basically a local contest, started and supported by Karl Watson and Organika skateboards, that promotes skateboarding in a positive way and is trying to the city to put a skatepark in Oakland. Now I was getting even more excited - Karl was just in DC on the Battle for the Nation Tour - I had met him last year, seen him in NYC in June and had given him a copy of my book during the BFTN Tour. He was pretty stoked on it, so I was hoping to see him at the Oakland contest too, just to keep the line of communication open. Karl is an awesome guy and I would love the opportunity to go out and photograph the Organika team on the road. Sure enough, he was there - his 2 sons in tow. The contest was cool - local kids just having fun - like it should be. I bought a Hood Games deck to support the cause and got Karl to sign it. I started taking some photos and I recognized one of the guys skating - it was F-ing RON ALLEN - legendary H-street rider from back in the day! Talk about stoked! I ran over and introduced myself and showed him a photo I shot back in 1989, while he was on tour in Baltimore. He was lov'n it- as much as I was. Talk about having an awesome time! Much thanks to Nina - I love you and wish we could hang out more often!

Final days in SF

I never really got a chance to fill you in on the rest of my trip to SF, so here it is. Besides checking out a bunch of stores in the city - Chrome, Calumet, Pedal Revolution, Mission Skateshop/Pushbike (cycling gear), Box Dog Bikes and of course - DLXSF, I got a chance to hit up 3rd and Army (actually Ceasar Chavez if you are looking for it on a map). The first day I went by, I specifically went to try to get some skate pics. Believe it or not, the place was empty! Yep, empty. Only a little while later some guys showed up - a crew out of San Diego. I guess they were earlier because this one dude tried to heelflip the round rail, but couldn't quite get it - good attempt though (I couldn't do it!). MondayI came back to skate it. I guess when you skate some where new, it takes a while to get used to it - however, I never did. I almost killed myself like 5 times. Again it was pretty empty, until about a half hour after I started skating, some other guys started showing up - one of which was Raymond Molinar - and Ameatur for Stereo Skateboards. Didn't take any photos of him, but I did say hi and showed him a photo I shot of him skating during the red bull Manny Mania in NYC this year. He was pretty stoked.

New Products from Pitcrew?

My roomates for the weekend

Chrome

One of my new hobbies (not too new actually, but is quickly becoming one of my favorite activities) is biking. To be more specific, I am really into single speed bikes. Chrome is the maker of probably the most popular messenger bags ever. So when I came to sf, I thought I would try to check out their main shop-I was not disappointed. They were having a little party for . . . No appearent reason-how cool is that?!?

Lunch

Nothing like a little sushi after a good day of skating Menlo Park.
Naomi Sushi's El Camino roll ( eel and spicy shrimp)!

Jimmy-frontside air.

Just like the good old days

Back in San Francisco skating with Jimmy - always fun!

Michael

DVS Shop Lift'n Shop Contest

Congrat's to Pitcrew for placing in the top 5 of DVS's Shop Lift'n Video Contest. Check out their submission, along with the winner - Platform Skateshop, and the other great finalist videos:

http://www.dvsshoes.com/skate/shopliftin/shopliftin.html

Notice - my book is in the video in between Nate and Mark in the center photo - REPRESENT!

Never too old to do what you love

I ran across this interview with Bryce Kanights, an 80's pro skateboarder and now skate photographer and the man behind www.skatedaily.net, a few weeks ago. It is really great. The recently updated it with episode 4 and 5, but episode 2 is really cool. It just reminded me that it just because you are older, you don't have to stop doing what you love. Not to mention, this episode "resembles" me - an old skateboarder, who is a graphic designer and is also a skate photographer.

enjoy!

Bryce Kanights- Part 2 of 3 from Nemo Entertainment on Vimeo.

You can find the rest of the series at

http://vimeo.com/5328051

Test Drive - Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Yesterday, Hyundai had a small track set up for test driving their new sports car, the Genesis Coupe. If you get a chance to test drive one of these puppies, I suggest either of the V6 models - they are pretty nice. Let me just say, Hyundai has come a long way! Can anyone say "mid-life crisis"!

Organika and Expedition Skateboards

The Organika contingent of the Battle for the Nation tour at Pitcrew/Hill Street Skatepark. Alex, Karl, Zach and Adelmo Jr.

Organika Rocks!

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July!

Mmmmmmmm

Nothing like driving at the beach and enjoying an Arby's roastbeef
sandwich.

An NYC/MD Skate Weekend

Saturday was a full day. It started with some insane skating at the Back to the Banks contest sponsored by 5 Boro. Photos will be coming soon. After that, I went around the city with my friends Dylan, Nick and Caleb and shot photos of them skating. Next and finally was Bobby
Worrest's shoe and appearel release at the Es show room in SoHo. It was freak'n insane! His new shoe and clothing line is sick and the party took up all 3 floors of the building- it was packed. I have to say, I felt very star-struck among the many pros that showed up, I felt like a little kid. Here is a ball park list of everyone I saw at the Bobby's release party: Bobby, of course - showing up fashionably late, his parents, Jimmy Pelletier, Zach Lyons, Tyler Tufty, Mark Weeks, James Anderson, Pat Smith, Brian Tucci, Daniel Kim, Keir Johnson and Chirs Hall to round up the DC showing; also Figgy, Jamie Reyes, Dan Pensyl, Ako and Atiba Jefferson on the ipods in the graffiti room, Steve Berra and Salman Agah brining the Berrics to NYC; Karl Watson, Adelmo Jr., and Rodrigo Peterson representing Organika; John Cardiel and Julian Stranger showed up on track bikes, "The Man" John Reeves, Dave Ortiz from Dave's Quality Meats and Felix Arguelles of Famous Stars and Straps. I know I probably forgot a few, but this all of whom I could remember.

Sunday brought Manny Mania to Coleman Park. Let's just say it was pretty sick - you'll see what I mean when you log onto my site to see more of the photos.

To put the icing on the cake - Monday night back in Maryland at the Vans store in Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, the Vans store hosted a signing for the new Vans book - Stories of Sole, featuring Tony Alva, Steve Caballero and Steve Van Doren!! Let's just say, I could not of had a more skateboarding packed weekend. I Love it!

5boro 13 year Anniversary Party

After about a 45 minute wait, standing out in the rain, I finally made it into the Redbull Loft in SoHo. It was pretty sick, with 2 and a half 15 foot walls covered in pro and team boards from the past 13 years, a DJ throwing down the jams, and Redbull providing the drinks, Five Boro has had a great history of awesome looking decks and some great riders who have called Five Boro home. Some of the most notable faces that showed up included of course the 5 Boro Crew - Steve Rodriguez, Jimmy McDonald, Dan Pensyl, and Willy Akers, Giovanni Reda, Greg Carroll, Joey Brezenski, Jamie Reyes, Jefferson Pang, Justin Strubing, Jack Sabback, David Gonzales, Louis Tolentino, Dave Ortiz from "Dave's Quality Meats " and DC's very own Chris Hall, Brian Tucci, Bobby Worrest and Jimmy Pelletier.

First Blood at Pitcrew

Bobby Worrest's first signature shoe, First Blood, was released
today. Congrat's Bobby!

Messenger bag project

Do you know how hard it is to find old style seat belt buckles to use
as fasteners on a messenger bag? Very!

Klotz institute of karate tounament today

It's good to catch up with old friends. . . And to see everyone compete.

Segway ATV- WTF!?!

Yeah, chech out the tires on that puppy ( btw, taking photos with
driving is a little tough).