Badbadnotgood x Baby Rose @ History

Got to see one of my favourite bands live for the first time as they accompanied Baby Rose in her first ever performance of her new EP “Slow Burn”. Baby Rose sounded even better in person. Her voice pierced through the venue and everyone stood there, swaying their body’s in awe as she took over the stage.

Right next to my laptop, as I am writing this, I have a framed BBNG flyer I brought back from my time in Vancouver. Their music has propelled me through my life in recent years; through the good and bad. Surreal to see these guys jam on stage. True artists.

Shot on iPhone.

First Turns of the Season

With less than optimal amounts of sleep the boys got up before 6 am to catch some early turns at Blue Mountain, ON.

With coffees in hand, we hit the road. Conversations started flowing quickly and before we knew it we were flying through Caledon. To our surprise, the OPP didn’t think first tracks were that important so they stopped us to say good morning and slow down our escapade. The lads were unphased (no cyaaaaaaaaaaap), and continued onward.

We reached our favourite cafe Timmies with full bladders and empty stomachs and had to quickly refuel before we made it to the base of the mountain.

Stoked to finally be on the hill, Adam, Adam and Maciej strapped in and headed up the lift for the first laps of the season. Vibes were high, butters were smooth and pow was found. Hoping for more days on the hill and grateful for being able to share the mountain with the homies.

CJ's w/ the homies

Brought my camera out to CJ’s skatepark for the first time. Realized my flash wasn’t charged so I shot for a total of 2 minutes and this is the result. Just capturing the memories! Grateful for the homies and a sick indoor park.

Photos by Maciej Pawluch

Cultivating Community Through Skate Shops

A Look Behind Al Carrer - More Than A Skate Shop

Pocket Skate Mag have created yet another inspiring video, this time about Al Carrer, a skate shop in Barcelona. Al Carrer, which means “in the street’, provides a space to hang out and buy skate products, run a “skate school” for the youth and act as a voice for skateboarding in the city.

They are taking responsibility as a skate shop to help the sport grow and give youth a place of belonging which is more and more important with technology keeping kids inside.

Watch the video linked above for the full story.

"Konton" - a new flowy homie video from Japan

Watch "Konton" here

An easy going feel to this video makes it a pleasure to watch.

I’m a big fan of Japanese skateboarding. The clothing, skating and architecture are refreshing to see.

Skate Destinations - Street lab Skateshop Sweden

A LOOK BEHIND STREETLAB – MALMÖ SKATEBOARDING’S LIVING ROOM

The vibe you get from walking into a shop will make or break the experience. It will determine if you ever come back again too! I find this applies to cafe’s as well. I enjoy looking for shops because that’s where you meet interesting people, find inspiration through products and print and ultimately gets you outside and away from your screen!

Anyway, I am posting this here because I want to create a list of interesting spots to visit when I go travel that are skate related. If you have any to suggest, shoot me a message via e-mail!

BADBADNOTGOOD - Tiny Desk

Watch the Tiny Desk set here

These guys are all I have been playing at work lately.

Here’s a good introduction just in case you don’t know who they are.

Happy Wednesday and don’t forget to take some time to just sit, think and reflect today.

Later!

Rapha MTB - Long Live Digger, Long Live the Shore

The Digger, as seen in the attached Rapha article.

Read the article and watch the video about “The Digger” here!

The North Shore in Vancouver is known as the breeding ground of modern mountain biking. There were a couple of people who started building jumps and features on the mountains of North Vancouver which still exist to this day. One of the most influential builders is a guy people call “The Digger”, who still maintains the trails on Mt. Fromme.

I’ve ridden these trails before and let me tell you… Your hands and forearms will hurt so much from gripping your bars ,holding on for dear life, as you bomb down these trails… But what a blast it was!

It was also surreal to be riding on these hand built trails I’ve heard so much about. Us people of the Vancouver area are definitely spoiled to have these trails in our backyard.

Depression and Suicide in Mountain Towns: Exploring the Undercurrents of Living the Powder Dream

Depression and Suicide in Mountain Towns: Exploring the Undercurrents of Living the Powder Dream

We are a month into the snowboarding season, and every time I’m up in the mountains, it’s an amazing day. Some days, I wish I lived at the bottom of the mountain so I could easily access it and ride everyday. Some further thought grounds me, though, as I realize those special moments I spend on the mountain are special, because I dont’t experience them everyday.

This last week I was up in Whistler and was talking to a local who was working at the hotel we were staying at. She told us that she hasn’t even been up this season because she was working too much. Imagine, living in a world renown snowboard destination and not even being able to enjoy it. Better yet, she was living in a bus with her boyfriend and two animals. I thought about doing a season in Whistler, but after hearing stories like these and learning how much partying goes down there, I’ve realized that life was not for me.

This raises the question, is that struggle even worth it? Is it worth not growing up, chasing pleasures and “living in the moment”? In my eyes, theres more to life than riding. Being a ski bum seems fun, but there are some dark realities that people don’t realize exist in that lifestyle.

But that’s just my opinion… Here’s an article that goes deeper into life in mountain towns and the realities of the locals that live in them. Give it a read!

Dylan Okurowski and Jeff Holce - Thank You For Your Patience

Dylan Okurowski and Jeff Holce - Thank You For Your Patience.

What makes a good snowboard/skate video? It makes you wanna close your laptop and get out there and ride.

What a piece of art. The filming, the riding, the overall feel. Oh and the soundtrack? Spot on.

I got nothing else to say. I just wanted to share this video… Laterrrrrr

Video by Ted Borland

Cavemen 5 - Escape on Foot

Cavemen 5 - Escape on Foot

When you hear the word parkour you probably think of that scene in The Office where the homies are jumping on their desks doing whacky moves and screaming “parkour parkour!”. Let me try to knock that stereotype out of your head and change your view on parkour in this post.

Over the years, parkour has grown exponentially and carved out its own flourishing subculture, with clothing brands, events and long form videos. I’ve been following the parkour scene for a while and have even done it myself. I’m nowhere near as good as the top athletes in the sport, but I understand the appeal of doing parkour. The mix of creativity and physical and mental strength makes it attractive to both spectators and practitioners alike. The ability of these athletes to stay calm during big jumps or descents just blows my mind.

Storror is probably the most well known brand in parkour. It’s a group of seven friends that have been making videos of their adventures since they were kids. Their skills, aesthetic and personalities attracts hundreds of thousands of viewers every week. I Can’t lie, I’m definitely a fan boy. What I love most is the fact that they have stuck to doing what they love, and pushed and believed in it since day one, and overtime they gained traction.

Cavemen 5 is a part of a Storror video series made by two Storror members: Benj and Max Cave (Hence the name Cavemen). It follows them as they flow through their environment, creatively adapting to their surroundings, with no steps wasted. The overall aesthetic of the video is bare bones, accompanied by some good music. You can even see some pieces of art they have done within the video.

Check out these photos I took from Benj’s Instagram and make sure to check out their video, linked at the top of this post.

I love black and white photos man these are crazy hahaha.

SOLO: Vincent Milou's "You Changed" Video Part and BTS

Video Part and BTS + Interview

Photos by Clément Le Gall

Vincent Milou is known to be a contest skater but it looks like he belongs in the streets! Creative, technical and overall a pleasure to watch.

I have two video’s linked above: his video part and the behind the scenes of him creating it. This is just my opinion but I have gotten so bored of watching skate videos. There are so many coming out. There are so many good skaters around… It’s hard to stand out in the industry. Something I would love to see would be more of a documentary style or videos that tell a story, or in this case a part dropped along side a BTS video. Something that showcases more than just the act of skateboarding.

When I have a skateboarder I like, I always want to know more about them, and I think a behind the scenes video explaining the process of making the part makes for better watching. You end up building a deeper connection with the skater. That’s also why I still buy skate magazines. I want to know more about the skater himself ‘cuz skaters are usually interesting characters.

Check out Clement Le Gall as well. What a talented photographer!

FACILE Monthly Playlist: Décembre

Here are 10 tracks I’ve been listening to in the past month or so (sorry Apple Music users). We on some mellow vibes to start. Chill music that sends me to the mountains when I close my eyes.

I’ve always had this in the back of my mind and for the longest time I kept putting it aside. I know how hard it is to find new music you enjoy, so I’m just here trying to make your search a little easier.

Expect these to come out every month. Maybe more frequently actually… I’m sitting on a lot of tracks.

For those of you who don’t know, Facile is my brand/creative outlet that I have been running since 2016. I make clothing in hopes of starting up a cafe/shop one day. If you dig the idea, go and follow that page and be on the look out for new clothing coming soon!

The Grove DIY Skatepark: The Power of Community

You can watch the documentary and get more information from the original post by Free Skate Mag here.

For someone who doesn’t skateboard, a DIY skatepark may look like a place where homeless people squat. But once you look a little closer, you realize how much life and positivity a DIY spot radiates. There’s a beauty in the sketchy, hand built obstacles. Typically DIY spots are made with no external funding, by hand!

For some it’s a place to practice their riding, and for others it may be their creative outlet or second home. Whether you’re building the ramps, maintain the spot or just hanging there, there is a sort of comfort a DIY spot provides. Everyone knows they’re technically not supposed to be there. A slight rebellion cultivating a common goal.

The story of The Grove is inspiring as it showcases that even if you don’t talk to other skaters, they still notice you and treat you as part of the community. Skateboarding is a universal language and a vehicle for friendship and belonging. So what are you waiting for, go watch the mini-doc and then go skate!

P.S. I know, I am still shit at writing. ‘Lowe me alright!

[Délicatesse]: Snowboarding in Post-Soviet Cities; Appropriating Architecture

[Délicatesse]

Nominated for "Amateur movie of the year" and "Amateur part of the year" at the IF3 festival. A unique project focused on street snowboarding in post-Soviet cities featuring a compilation of never before seen street spots.

Featuring: Egor Chebanov Nikita Sekh Arseniy Chegarovsky

Filmed by: Egor Mamaev

It is the beginning of the snowboard season here in Vancouver and I am in full snowboard mode, so apart from the World Cup I’ve been watching too much snowboarding videos hahaha.

Street snowboarding is quite interesting since all the spots that are ridden aren’t meant for snowboarding. To make things even harder, there has to be an adequate amount of snow on the ground for one to ride the way they want.

There is so much creativity that goes into street snowboarding; it’s always interesting to watch a crew interpret their environment with a snowboarding lens on the world.

Check it out, link is up there^^^

"Ousmane", a documentary about Ousmane Dembélé | Concrete Football

"Ousmane", a documentary about Ousmane Dembélé | Concrete Football

The World Cup group stages are currently coming to a close and I am sure everyone is still processing what happened. Major upsets for some, dreams turning to reality for others. The world’s magicians shine during the World Cup as players express themselves on the pitch. They pull out their true playing styles they are forced to abandon whilst playing for their clubs.

Ousmane Dembélé is showing us what it means to be a baller raised in the streets. He brings flair and grit into his game while playing for Les Bleus, knowing very well the streets of France have his back.

The video linked above is a dive looking into the development of Dembélé, highlighting the importance of street football in his life. Having access to a five-a-side pitch outside his block, he became best friends with the ball and developed a playing style looked up to by many.

Football Toujours.

-Maciej

Carhartt's "Galeria Continua": A Discussion Between Art, Skateboarding and Public Space

Original Article: Carhartt's "Galeria Continua"

Photos by Felix Adler

From far one might think this concrete mass is just a sculpture… Looking at it a little closer, the observer will find skateboard marks on the concrete and skaters flowing through this skatepark. This park acts as a public space and as a piece of art. A place to hang out and a place to observe the skaters or, performers.

I like the idea of turning skateboard obstacles and parks into objects that serve more than one purpose or allow interactions with more than one group of people. At the end of the day these types of structures break down the barriers between passersby and skaters, young and old, observers and performers.

Skate urbanism is on the rise and I am excited to see how this will grow and change how we interact with one another and hopefully bring more people together through sports and movement. There is a need for engaging public spaces to be built, especially in suburban neighbourhoods.

The goal: to get people, especially the youth, outside and playing with each other. Play is a key factor in development and public spaces such as this allow for play to be frictionless. As we all know, it is very hard to disconnect from our electronics thanks to the addictive nature of the apps our devices hold. That is why I think it will be an important step to create easy access to outdoor spaces for the sake of everyone’s physical and mental health.

Free Skate Mag's "How Copenhagen fell in love with skateboarding": A Story of Passion, Persistence and Community

Original Article: How Copenhagen fell in love with skateboarding

Photo by Felix Adler

Copenhagen has turned into one of the meccas of skateboarding in recent years. Its skateboard infrastructure is a true testament to the persistence of the skaters in the city. I’ve never been to CPH but from what it looks like, there’s something to skate around every corner of the city. There are skate spots where there are no worries of getting kicked out. This is a dream for skaters, but the implications of this type of infrastructure brings benefits to everyone who inhabits the city.

Young people crave community, a sense of belonging. Scratch that, everyone does. To feel like you belong to a greater community is a natural human feeling we all crave. Building skate spots around the city makes it easy for the youth to leave their homes, their computers and tablets and go socialize with others, outside. The fact that these places are so accessible removes most of the friction between the citizen and the social connections we crave.

This story is beyond skateboarding. I believe, especially in North America, that cities weren’t designed for people but rather for cars. It makes sense, doesn’t it? The industrial revolution paved the way for suburban housing and as a result created physical separation between the people. To get to your friends house you need to drive. To get lunch you gotta drive. Oh you wanna go grab a drink with a friend? You better get in that car of yours! Actually don’t, you’re drinking! Call an Uber! Drive drive drive. Oh how I hate driving. My back hurts from it. I get frustrated more easily. I’m always in a rush even though a car is the “fastest” form of transportation. It’s an isolated form of transportation. Anyway… my point is: There are few physical spaces that allow us to connect within our cities. Places for youth to just hang out. Especially in the suburbs. Skateparks or skate spots are only one solution of many. Making parks not only playgrounds, but outdoor living rooms. Places to hang out, eat and catch up with friends.

Anyway, go read the article linked above. It’s got that DIY skate vibe to it. They took an issue they felt strongly about into their own hands. Maybe it’s time for us to do the same.

Ronnie Sandoval's "Home Again" Dickies Part

Ronnie Sandoval's "Home Again" Dickies Part

Recently I find I cannot sit down and watch a skate part unless its a vert part. I feel like I just watched way too much street skateboarding and need something new. Sandoval’s flow and style keeps me watching and honestly had me replay a coupe clips… guys a mad man. Mind you, the filming in this video is phenomenal as well. Well composed shots and lots of dynamic camera angles make this part so easy on the eye.

Give it a watch, it’ll be worth your time.

Grateful for the Place I Call Home

Since I moved to Vancouver I have only been home twice. When you go back to the place you grew up you can’t help but get nostalgic. You also look at things with fresh perspective. I am grateful that I made the decision to move out when I did as it allowed me to grow into my true self. I had daily routines that were so mindless I didn’t realize they were toxic to my growth as a person.

I went back home for the second time and I tried to catch up with the people I’ve been thinking about across the country. What I realized was that, yes, your environment can effect the way you feel, but it’s the combination of environment and the people you surround yourself with that can help you grow or bring you down. Being away from home makes you value the things you had right in front of you the whole time.

It was also such a crazy feeling to see all the support Facile still gets even though I am across the country. I hand delivered each shirt and was so stoked to catch up with everyone who supports Facile. This trip made me more motivated than ever to keep on making clothing… Not to get rich, but to cultivate a community.

Anyway, these two photos right here are taken at the self-proclaimed “Meadowvale Skate Plaza” in Mississauga. The photo is of the little bro Gebski flying across the court to clear the ledge in front of him. It’s sick to see the skaters in Mississauga coming together and making their own scene, their own spots.

Stoked to get back there soon.

Thanks for getting this far if you did hahahaha. I’ll get better at writing I promise.