Posts

woman with long blonde hair wearing a pink shirt and white shorts smiles while standing in front of a pink wall with a shark mouth painted on the wall

Product Review: Alanna Dawn Swimwear

Hold your beach-exiting horses! Summer ain’t over ‘til the weather says it’s over and for Southern California that means…almost never. :D

So you better be prepared for those random 80 degree February days that are on the horizon. Until then, soak up this monsoon-y weather, these manic water temps and double check your cute ‘kini selections.

Most likely you will need: Alanna Dawn Swimwear

three bikinis sit in the sand in front of a white surfboard with a black dragon painted on it

Decisions, decisions…

Thanks to the social media gods and Kayla Pearson from Surf Soap, I found this terrific woman-run, woman-founded swimwear company based in Oceanside, California. The colorful and unique patterns drew me in like a moth to a flame, except I didn’t get burned at all. In fact, I may have been guilty of burning some folks at Uppers :O because this bikini stays on, gives me confidence and looks incredibly cute. The only distractions in the lineup are the UH-MAZING prints and cuts that make your body look insane and your cutbacks on point.

happy surfer girl standing with hands in the air on the beach in front of the ocean with her surfboard sitting in the sand

At Trestles, confidence is key and this kini definitely helps.

Created and founded by Alanna Dawn, a local California surfer girl, out of a need to have a cute, colorful bikini that stays on during those shred or glide sessions, Alanna knows every stitch of every suit because every bikini is hand made by Alanna. She knows the ins and outs of bikinis and measurements I never thought of, for example if you have a bikini bottom that often shows some crack when you sit down, that bikini bottom is probably too small and you might need something more customized *wink wink*.

She was kind enough to welcome me into her shop and home and we talked kinis for hours. I tried on a bunch and drooled over her patterns. I never knew how hard it would be for me to choose just a few patterns for one bikini. There are so many that are unavoidable!

different color fabrics for bikinis line the shelves in a bikini shop

You got a little something hanging from your bottom lip there…wipe up that drool and pick out your favorite pattern!

Before you get too excited, the coup de grace, folks: you can pick out different prints for each side of the bikini’s top and bottom, essentially you can mix and match your one bikini making it four different types of kinis.

Make sure to wipe up that brain matter that just exploded on the floor, please. :)

I tested each of the bikinis in pumping Trestles and, sure enough, they stayed on me really well. I recommend looking into a Brazilian-style bottom and a cross-back top as those styles will stay put guaranteed. For those that are shy about Brazilian bottoms, as Alanna says: #FreetheCheeks

Trust me—like my long-lost relative Sarah Connor from the Terminator, I will be back.

purple and green bikini sites on the sand at the beach

Love at first surf–My custom Alanna Dawn Swimwear bikini

Check out:

blue and leopard print bikini sits on the sand on the beach

One of my absolute favorite prints! Exemplifies “Sweet.Salty.Savage.”

What I love: The level of customization is amazing and the bikini stays put. The ability to build your own unique swimwear that no one else is likely to have is something pretty special, in fact, confidence-boosting. And at breaks like Trestles, confidence is key.

black and teal halter top bikini sits on the sand on the beach

A little AC for the naughty bits…yes please!

Why: I like supporting women-run and women-led businesses. I think Alanna knows what surfer girls really want to feel like in a bikini and that’s unique and confident.

I wish: I could replace most of my bikinis with Alanna’s…#BikiniGoals

Price: $49 per piece

Stay ‘sweet, salty and savage,’ my friends and check out Alanna Dawn Swimwear.

Watch my brief interview with Alanna!

 

Seven Jedi Mind Tricks that can Save Your Crappy Session

By: Shawna Baruh

The best surfer is the one having the most fun, right? What if the waves suck or you suck or some punk keeps dropping in on you–still having fun?
Here are seven Jedi mind tricks that can help you have a great time, even when you have all the reason not to:IMG_8320

1. Set Low Expectations

We’ve all heard that surfer in the line-up screaming profanities at themselves when they blow it on a wave. They are not having a good time. Don’t be in a one-man contest. No matter what the conditions are, if your only goal is to strengthen your paddle and catch a mediocre wave, then you are more likely to have fun. The pressure is off at that point. I usually do this if the conditions are terrible. Once I make my session only about ‘paddling and exercise,’ any wave I get is a bonus.

2. When the Inevitable Quarrel Arises…

Don’t fight back. If your goal is to have a pleasant session, any altercation is going to bring you down. People are going to be assholes. And for some reason, it’s double-time in the water. Even if they are wrong, you are better off paddling away. I’m speaking from experience of doing the opposite. I have tried talking about it calmly and defending myself. It never works. Let the assholes be assholes while you keep your stoke.

3. Turn Crap into Gold

Ouch. Surfer at Wedge about to eat his breakfast...in sand and sea water.

When I do have an altercation in the water, I try to put my fragile ego aside and think ‘what can I learn from this?’ As cliché as it sounds, it can be powerful.
For example: while longboarding I saw a set wave and started to paddle for it. There wasn’t a person near the peak and I was closer than anyone else. As I paddled towards it, I noticed a guy paddle-battling me from behind for the same wave. I was closer to begin with and in position for priority, so I stayed my course, got to it first, as expected, and caught the wave.
As I took off, he screamed at me. I paddled back to him and asked him why he yelled at me. He told me to “Fuck Off” and then paddled away. The next wave I caught, he screamed at me as I got up, again. I kicked out of the wave and I asked him again what the hell his problem was. He said I was  “catching too many waves.”
Before this, I was having a mellow session. It was not crowded, the surf was 2-3 feet and fun. I was catching a lot of waves, but I wasn’t burning anyone. I tried staying calm while attempting to talk to him about it, but all he wanted to do was fight. I paddled away and tried to ignore him, but the damage was done. I was no longer having fun.
So, I asked myself “Could I give more waves away?” Maybe I could let some go by every now and then. At that point, I decided during every session, I would give away waves, for no reason other than ‘just because.’ It has been incredible. People are so thankful and approach me in the parking lot to give thanks. It has raised the quality of my sessions like I never thought it would.
So, to the assholes out there – I will turn your shit into gold and have an even better time. :)

4. Break the Silence

Epic tales of uncrowded points, sketchy roads...and bodily functions, of course.

Breaking silence and beer caps in Baja.

It’s okay to talk to strangers. Compliment someone on a nice wave, ask a question about their board or introduce yourself. You’ll be surprised how many surfers are open to conversation.
Drop “yews” on anyone getting an exceptional wave, or express your ‘stoke’ for the beginner you just saw make a break through. Remember what it felt like to catch your first wave? Pour some gasoline on that fire and pass the positivity around. It’s a great way to ensure that no one looks at you with aggro vibes and you will be less likely to get them back.

5. Get a Foamie

Once you take out a foamie, the only real goal is to try to have the most fun out of anyone in the lineup; it’s like being a kid again,” said Professional Longboarder Christian Stutzman. Christian has placed in longboard contests up and down the California coast, including winning the National Surfing Scholastic Association State College Longboard title in 2016. He also placed third in the noseride divisions of the Guy Takayama Pro. He is no beginner.
So, when I saw him driving around town with his foam board I had to ask.
“I love surfing foamies because they give me the freedom to just surf without any pressure, and it lets me have fun on any wave–big or small.” If you see Christian on his yellow foam board with a giant neon pink plastic fin, you can pretty much guess he  is having the most fun. And he just might invite you in on a party wave.

6. Get Better

Kelly Slater throws some spray at the 2012 Hurley Pro at Lower Trestles. Photo: Jackie Connor

Kelly Slater gets better…and better…and better…

In direct contrast to my foamie advice, another way to have fun is to get better. Pick one skill to work on and make it a practice session. Since surfing has one of the longest learning curves of any sport, you should expect to get only slightly better at said skill with each session, if you’re lucky. Upgrade your shuffle to a cross step or work on ditching the bottom turn during your takeoff and set a line. It feels good to be working at something out of your normal bag of tricks and even better when you master it.

7. If it still sucks…

IMG_9346If you are still having a bad session, then decide the universe is conspiring against you and just yield knowing there are better days ahead.

About the Author

D3S_1825_favShawna Baruh grew up in Western Massachusetts and in her early twenties moved to Cape Cod. There she learned to surf in the Northeast’s frigid waters and the joys of a 5mm wetsuit. She split her time between Cape Cod and Boston and earned a BFA in photography from the Art Institute of Boston. Her new love for surfing brought her to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Mexico in search of adventures and new waves. After graduating college, she decided it was time to move herself to warmer waters. She and her dog trekked across the country and landed in San Diego where she still lives today. She appreciates the warm weather and water like a true New Englander and firmly believes that sunny days are meant to be enjoyed outdoors. She is currently a marketing consultant, photographer and a proud Mother of a toddler and two teenage step-children.

A New Year: New places and faces

There’s something about surfing a new spot that brings out my inner child. It is one of few times I happily wake up at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning and make a mad dash 40 miles south of home.

Even though the term is “cabin fever,” I am re-naming it to “office fever” that hurtles me over the edge into temporary madness defined by computers, social media and fake grass. By the end of the week, my over-driven knuckles and fuzzy brain can only process the excitement of my crazed Saturday morning dashes.

I CONFESS…In my “adult” life experience so far, I’ve learned to appreciate the small happenings, the quick trips, the new places and faces even more than I did in in my college days. After my trip to one of San Diego‘s finer breaks, I concluded: I will always find time for mad dashes and random escapes sans cords, signals or text alerts.

Even through these mini-adventures, fun is still had and lessons are still learned.

My lesson: Remember to stretch your legs and get out of your bubble. You never know what kind of moments are in store for you.

A great way to start a new year.

A great way to start a new year.

Filmmaker Hayley Gordon’s Feature Surf Flick “By The Way”

By The Way from Hayley Gordon on Vimeo.

What better than to watch women surfers shred your local spots? Look no further than Filmmaker Hayley Gordon’s surf film By The Way.

The film showcases local southern Cali vibe a la ‘surfer girl’ mixed with the fun times these shredders have outside of the agua.

Surfer girls in their element ripping like crazy people? I love love love everything about it! Not to mention the awesome soundtrack, visuals and cinematography. Keep it up, Hayley!

For the complete interview with Ms. Gordon, check out JettyGirl Online Surf Magazine.