Laguna Beach creative agency SKYLAB Media Group will host their gallery opening this evening, featuring acclaimed painter Andy Anh Ha. A favorite among young Hollywood, (Jessica Alba is a regular collector), Ha’s paintings explore the theme of beauty through struggle, and use a wide variety of media from metals and texts, to polyacrylics and traditional oils.

Husband and wife team Lydia and Doug McLaughlin are the creative powers behind SKYLAB, and bring a contemporary approach to the work they produce through their graphics company. But in addition to bringing emerging artistic talent to Laguna, the McLaughlins firmly believe in philanthropy through art. Twenty percent of each piece sold will go to a charity that buyers will  select from an available list upon purchase.

 

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There is no other wave in the world that has dominated the hearts and minds of surfers like Pipeline. Through two-hundred pages of captivating and timeless images from over fifty of the world’s best photographers, combined with words from surfing’s most renowned writers, Pipeline: The World’s Most Respected Wave tells the stories from almost five decades of heart-stopping action: the first rides, the first contests, triumphs, deaths, localism, foreign invasion and performance revolution.This Saturday, Gerry Lopez and other Pipe legends will be on hand to autograph The Pipeline at the book’s launch party, held at Billabong-USA’s highly-acclaimed “board room”. Only 350 tickets will be on offer for this historic event. 

Get a copy here! Or pay homage to the “Wold’s most respected wave” with the Limited Edition Book.

  

 Photo by James Tull, Transworld

With more deliciously harmonious mixers than a red frat party beverage, last night’s Hallowseve Monster Mash was destined to be a devilishly fun affair. And a disco ball and half-dressed girls with animal ears were just icing on the black and orange bunt cake. Hosted by Brixton, Transworld Surf, Raen and Chemistry, the gala was held at the motorcycle-flanked Flying Bridge in Oceanside.

To add to the sweaty, smoke-filled atmosphere they threw the Creepy Creeps into the mix. The solid retro-style surf rock band got the dance floor swarming with vodka-marinated angels and the OG Rat Fink. No lack of skin, booze or good times there. Their seasonal warbled guitar and punk riffs added some boogie to the booze cleansed parquet; showcasing some sassy dancing ghouls and a guy doing the no pants dance (for real, no pants in his vicinity). All-in-all, it was a pretty classy shindig that brought some frosty Bud Light to the school night.

For more photos of this event click here

 

We’ve received numerous reports that tomorrow’s coverage of the Xcel Pro will showcase the best conditions yet. Still to surf are 2007 Xcel Pro champion Joel Centeio, as well as last year’s finalists Mason Ho, Makua Rothman, and Alex Gray, plus 2006 Xcel Pro champion Evan Valiere. You can watch all the action live on the contest’s offical website. This year’sevent is presented by our good friends at Honolua, Kustom and VonZipper, which by all accounts mean that North Shore tourists better run for their lives.