Natura Culina

All natural skincare products are defiantly something I have been getting really into, especially local brands that I have came across in Santa Barbara. I had the opportunity to try out a variety of products from

Natura Culina

and boy are they yummy!!! Owner Lenka Tinka grew up in the Czech Republic

outside of Carlsbad, one of the central Europe's most famous natural spa cities, and experienced first hand the powerful effect of nature on peoples' health. She believes that "

every

person deserves to feel healthy, loved and cared for. That is the reason I've created Natura Culina skin care with absolutely NO parabens, sulfates, artificial colors or synthetic emulsifiers and absolutely YES with love & care."

One word for Natural Culina:: DELICIOUS!

After trying these natural products, I am defiantly hooked. The hand soap is like nothing I have ever tried because it contains tee-tree oil, and if you are a germaphobe like me, you probably wash your hands quite a bit so a nice hand soap that doesn't try your skin and smells refreshing and clean- a must in your kitchen or bathroom.

Antibacterial Tea Tree & Lavender Hand Soap

Did I mention in came in a glass bottle? 

Another item that I tried was the Bath Salt Mixture, it was so fragrant that I could smell the lavender from the other room, it made me craaavvee it. After a long stressful day, this is the perfect remedy. 

Layered Chocolate Lavender Body Scrub

This mixture of ingredients really surprised me and works great for exfoliating dead skin. The lavender with chocolate smells so wonderful, it really makes you want to just lather yourself up and give yourself   a good scrub. I think exfoliating your skin is something that is defiantly underrated and a MUST in skincare. I am so happy to have this in my routine again because I was slippin' for a bit.

My delicious basket of goodies!

I seriously can smell the lavender and chocolate through the packaging! It is so alluring !

My happy place :)

So I would have to say that my favorite product and scent, even though they are all marvelous, is the Coconut Fruit. This smell is just so aromatic and savory. When I get a whiff  I feel like I have just woken up in Tahiti or somethin'. This is a perfect product to exfoliate with and it must be followed up with my absolute favorite, the Shea Butter in Coconut Fruit. I am a stickler for perfume products that stay on forever. I wear Issey Miyake and Channel Number 5 just so you know what I am working with. My test is- you must be able to smell the perfume after wearing it all day, in the shower, or when working out. So, I lathered my body up in the butter after a shower and later that day I went to yoga, and I could smell the Coconut Fruit on myself, it was a very pleasant surprise. :)

From the site:

Natura Culina products are formulated with high quality ingredients, most of them are certified organic. The original line of Natura Culina products is made with certified organic ingredients, only natural preservatives and fragrance oils. The Simply Nature line of Natura Culina products do not contain any fragrance oils, relying on essential oils completely. All our products are made in very small batches upon your order to ensure freshness. 

If you are interested in trying some products, please check out the site Here.

Like Natura Culina on facebook

http://naturaculina.com/

xox

Kook Shit

Today I came across a story on the Internet that truly troubled me. This story bothers me for lots of reasons but I will try to sum it up as simple as I can. For most of you that know me, you know how incredibly passionate I am about the action sports industry, the athletes, and the lifestyle that comes along with it. Boardsports have always been considered a counter culture spanning back to the 1950's and 60's when if you were a surfer or a skater, you were probably an outcast because you weren't apart of some team or league sport or maybe people wanted to call you a dope head because you grew your hair long. Either way, it has taken years to grow this industry, for the punks to be the cool kids so to say, and we are still on the brink of legitimizing the sports. Snowboarding has been accepted into the Olympics and the ASP is changing things up so that event sponsors don't have so much control over what happens in professional surf contests and then there is skateboarding- which is lacking a world tour or a governing body all together with a couple of different large contests  in various places but not one big league like surfing. We are all fighting for our industry without selling out and becoming lame, because this industry is all about the true meaning of cool. The fact remains that a big wave surfer has way more balls than some rapper who has over a million twitter followers. He is risking his life for his true passion and pushing the limits of human abilities & evolution all together, ground breaking shit if you ask me. But why are we all still the under dogs? Like I said, things are starting to change and people like Kelly Slater and Shawn White are showing us that there is value in these talents. You don't have to play baseball to be cool. Sometimes you actually might be better than your whole team and therefore want a platform where you are up against nature's elements, a place to show off your true talents and creativity. But the thing is, we are still small in the scheme of things, in the big picture of all the different industries and capitalistic adventures. Yes, clothing brands like Billabong and Hurley have shown us that there is a demand for this. Are we as big as Gucci? Maybe not yet but its going somewhere here. We are fucking cool. We are core because our lifestyle pushes the limits. Zumiez has approximately 400 stores in the US, in malls all across America and this number will probably grow. They support hard goods and provide skateboard decks and wheels in places that may not necessarily have them. Then there is all the "Mom and Pop" stores, the brick and mortarthe anti corporate... These are the shops that are supporting riders and keeping our industry core. I have been blessed to work for one of the greatest and most timeless skateboard brands of all time, Powell-Peralta - and I have seen how much skateboarding has trickled into other venues like fashion, art, tattooing, California dreamin' and what not. I have seen how the fashion industry wants to have an edge, a connection to something cool, a lifestyle filled with passion with dedicated followers who live and breathe this stuff and would not like it any other way. I have so much love and respect for board sports and for skateboarding. It bums me out to see a fashion designer who I really liked, clothing I cant afford right meow but still want anyway, rip off one of my inspirations Jim Phillips from Santa Cruz Skateboards in such a blunt disrespectful way. The knock is so obvious, Jeremy Scott didn't even change the color way for fuck sake. I know I know this happens all the time in fashion, in art, bla bla bla. BUT, to think you can get away with it and not have an industry of people, especially skaters and art lovers, some of the most passionate ruthless human beings I know, not stand up for themselves. It's crazy. People want to glamorize action sports and its culture, sell skateboarding without really supporting it. Steal the raw creativity that exists here, lame. All for what? Support your local skateboard and surf shop kids! You would think the guy could have just done a legal collaboration and give Jim Phillips credit as rightfully deserved.

 Check out more on the story here from High Sobriety, Transworld Skateboarding, & The Berrics

Robert A. Denike, CEO and President, NHS, Inc./Santa Cruz Skateboards

We had never heard of Jeremy Scott until it was brought to our attention. This is not a collaboration or under license, nor did we or the Phillips family approve the use of this artwork on his apparel designs in any way.

It’s obvious to us, the Phillips family, the fans of Jim Phillips Sr. and Jimbo Phillips, and fans of the brand Santa Cruz Skateboards, as well as many in the global skateboard and skate art community that there is clear and obvious infringement by Mr. Scott. We are discussing this with our legal team to determine our next steps.

These two artists and this brand are iconic. Any true fan of skateboarding will tell you how the Phillips artwork style, this brand and the activity of skateboarding has positively influenced their lives. It may just be artwork to Mr. Scott, to be used and thrown away by next season, but these artists and brand mean a lot to many people around the world. And by the looks of the outcry on social media, skateboarders and non-skater’s alike are angry to have two of their most favored artists and one of the original true skateboard brands violated in such a way.

I hope that Mr. Scott sees that his actions have hurt and affected many people, including the Phillips family, and that he has also severely damaged his own reputation. It is not too late for him to do the right thing, as an artist and creative person, and fix his error in judgement.

In addition:

Many people have concluded that Jeremy Scott must have obtained a copy of Jim Phillips Sr. book “The Skateboard Art of Jim Phillips” published in 2007. There is some obscure art in the book that Jeremy Scott lifted and it could only have come from that book.

Meditation

Stoked to be working in Illustrator! I had a homework assignment this week where I had to combine text, a photo, and a graphic illustration that I made by hand. I am very pleased on the final result & how my first combo turned out ... I can't wait to do many more :) This quote really speaks to me as my mind does not stop, but I know if I can make it at times, I am able to feel more of my intuition and my soul come through and receive true guidance from my Higher Power. Everything just seems to work better if I can slow down and just listen at times. Feel free to re post but please give me credit.

xo

Prima Love

My cousins might as well be my sisters ...I have one brother, but it's not the same as a sister... and I can't tell you enough how much love I have for them all. My mother is the youngest out of 7 in a Mexican family so needless to say I have a lot of cousins... About a week ago my cousin Melissa came over from Maui and in celebration, my other cousin Andrea came up from San Diego and Melissa's sister Rebecca drove up from Manhattan Beach. We spent the day up in Los Olivios wine tasting and had a special time at Demetria. I highly recommend wine tasting in the Valley, you will have an amazing time. If you want to go to Demetria, call ahead of time and make an appointment. Make sure to pick up a lunch at Panino before and bring it along since most properties and vineyards allow you to bring your own picnic.  Who would have known it is Winter...

Fundraiser Next Thursday

I am excited to announce a special event that my boy Kilian and I have been working on for the past couple of months... Please join us this next Thursday at The Brewhouse for a benefit event for Kilian to raise money to get his points back up and compete on the ASP World Tour. Kilian really wants to make the Tripe Crown of Surfing in Hawaii and the US Open in Huntington Beach and I am so stoked to have our community helping out. We will have some awesome prizes so please do come by! Special performance by ska/ reggae band Klockwyze.

Mindless Bullshit

It took me a while to get into RiFF RaFF but his mindless talking is pretty freakin' entertaining. He literally makes no sense but his improv is to be respected. Obviously if you are on the blog network you have time to watch crap. Here ya go..... here is some free giggles for you. Thanks youtube!

Rapper, internet sensation, producer, master collaborator, and now art critic RiFF RaFF aka "Jody Highroller" takes us to Miami to delve deep into the world of art. Watch Nardwuar vs.

Retna X Louis Vuitton

As an avid fan of street art and the LA graffiti scene, I was beyond excited when I heard about the collaboration between LA based artist RETNA and ... ugh.. Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton has been embracing collaborations with artists for quite some time now and this one is just as fabulous perhaps a grip more considering my infatuation with West Coast lifestyle. Check out his amazing scarves below, which are retailing for $875 and are currently sold out online. But that is nothing compared to what his original paintings are going for.

From the Louis Vuitton Site-

Born in Los Angeles in 1979, artist Retna creates work, blending the use of photography with painted graffiti. This style takes influences from ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics as well as Arabic, Hebrew and Asian calligraphy. Combining elements from the past, present and future, Retna’s work is impressive, using text and image to expand the boundaries of painting and confound visual interpretation. His compositions are powerful, fusing various types of media, starting with a precise optic point and improvising quickly to form a final piece.

As part of a collaboration with Louis Vuitton, which also involves pattern design for an upcoming collection of textiles, Retna will paint the facade of the new store the week before the opening. Retna himself explains his artwork’s origins and visual universe, his artistic identity shaped by Californian contemporary street-art and how he found inspiration from Miami Design District’s neighbourhood’s look and feel for this piece. Through this artistic collaboration, Louis Vuitton draws attention to an original creative process and highlights its involvement within the world of Art.

Daisy Love

Yesterday and the days coming will be difficult ones for our community as we have lost Daisy Love Merrick to cancer. The Santa Barbara community and the surrounding areas are mourning the loss of our little angel Daisy Love whom passed yesterday at 2:40am after battling this disease for four years.

Daisy and the Merrick's story is beyond touching and inspiring. I personally have experienced lots of loss in my life so I find a lot of comfort in Pastor Britt Merrick's sermons. I have yet to attend Reality Carpinteria but something has been telling me to go and I look forward to this day. I have been raised Catholic but consider myself a spiritual person open to all religious and thoughts on a Higher Power(s). I wanted to share this story on my blog because it really touches my heart and I have found great relief and joy in listening to Britt's online sermons. Sometime bad things happen to good people and no one can answer the question "Why?" This is a subject I have thought a lot about but it is important to note that during these hard times, our Higher Power is there for us, even when we don't believe he/she is. To me this is critical as I have experienced a lot of personal suffering over the past 6 years and I am literally just coming out a of a haze as it sometimes takes years for the heart to repair itself. Please check out his last talk here prior to Daisy's passing- When Sparrows Fall.  

My warmest thoughts and prayers go out to the Merrick family at this time and I know that Daisy is in Heaven dancing with the angels smiling above us. The community is here to support you during these moments and you have all of our prayers with you.

Please keep our community in your thoughts and prayers during this time.

Love always,

Caterina

xoxo

What's In My Back Pack

This week in photography class we had to do an in class assignment and photograph some of our junk. I missed the last class because I was sick so I didn't know to bring 5 personal items and some magazines for this assignment so I had to make do with that was in my backpack. I actually liked it better this way because I feel like you can tell a lot about someone by what is in their bag/purse. Thank goodness for a sweet girl in my class who also likes surf magazines whom let me use her mags. We had to tear out some pages of the mag and then arrange our stuff on top. Pretty much this is what I have in my back pack every day minus my chap stick.

SI Swim 2013 Out Today!

It's that time of year again, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition 2013 is now out on stands today! Check out some pics from the online gallery and make sure to grab the new issue!

Vibration Transformation

Lately I have been really trying to make a shift in all aspects of my life and it is comforting to know that there are a lot of 'life coaches' out there on the Internets and tons of inspiring videos to watch for free. Like Anne Van de Water, creator of Vibration Transformation. I have been blessed to actually attend one of her yoga classes and this lady is the real deal. 

One transition I am trying to make is to drink more veggies and not drink caffeine. I actually am wired all day so I really don't need coffee but its just a bad habit, something for my hand to hold I guess. I also like the taste, but anyways, I thought this was a great video about the shocking truths of coffee.  I also really like this video because she explains how to transition, and not just quit cold turkey. I hope you enjoy!

Cold Press Coffee ---> Transformation without Deprivation from Anne Van de Water on Vimeo.

Hurley X CR Stecyk III

Stoked to finally share this pic with all of you!! A while back I help my friend JP out at Hurley with an impromptu photo shoot for some new gear that Hurley collaborated on with CR Stecyk III. Check out the full line here. Enjoy the pic and please feel free to repost and link back to Mischief. Photo by Derek Bahn styling by John Paul Olson Model Kendra and Caterina!

Mike Miller Photo Book Signing

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the flier for the Mike Miller book signing at Akomplice/ Fuzion SB for this weeks past First Thursday. I was surprised because normally these events are in LA and SB always misses out- but not this time! Che. It was a pleasure to stop by the event and meet one of my favorite photographers Mike Miller in person and check out his limited prints. For anyone who loves West Coast Rap, this guy is the man when it comes to taking photos. Very inspiring to say the least.  Here are a couple of shots I took from the event-

xoxo

The Jay

Jalama aka "The Jay" just has this magical feel to it every time I go up there. I am convinced that feeling has to do with is proximity to the Western Gate and Native spirits. You can feel it from the photos.

If you are ever in California and looking for a great place to camp, I suggest going up to Jalama State Park ! You will not be disappointed- just check the wind ahead of time.

xo

Garrett Mcnamara killing it on Anderson Cooper

Garrett Mcnamara. Learn his name. I swear our industry has the coolest people doing the coolest things. Watch the interview below.