etnies

Meet Maria, June’s etnies Girl of the Month

etnies Girl: So, Maria, what are your interests?
Maria: Skateboarding will always be at the top. I also love Italia, fashion, shopping and customizing clothes. I’m a bit image obsessed! I don’t have a certain style and love experimenting. I love being with my friends, just chilling and having a laugh. I couldn’t live without music, and love all of it, really! Queen and Razorlight are my favorite right now, and funky house, especially at a club. It’s the best music to dance to. I really enjoy eating too—I love food!

etnies Girl: What are your talents?
Maria: “I’m literate and stylish, kissable and quiet!” No, that’s a hard question to answer myself. I guess skateboarding would be my main talent.

etnies Girl: How did you get involved in skating?
Maria: I was about 14 when I started. Some older guys who lived down the road who all my mates used to stalk used to skate. We thought it was really cool—and the way to get in with the guys, obviously—so me and my mate Lottie decided to start together, seeing as no other girls skated where we lived. It was ace; we skated every night after school and the guys were really supportive, but her board got stolen so I just ended up skating with the guys. The council then built a skate park in our town. I loved the lifestyle, and all the peeps I met. I’m no going back!

etnies Girl: What do you like about etnies Girl?
Maria: The shoes and clothes are really stylish and practical and it has such a sick team! The team rips, but at the same time has so much steez! etnies Girl proves the fact that girls can really skate hard but look good at the same time. They do a lot for girls too—they really support girls who skate, surf and ride by sponsoring loads of events. It’s a proper company just for us girls.

etnies Girl: Why are you an etnies Girl?
Maria: I don’t want to sound as if I'm biggin’ myself up too much, but I like to think I’m creative in both the way I look and the way I skate. I like to be different from everybody else, and I admire people who do what they want and don’t feel as if they have to conform to fit in. I love partying, but am also dedicated to skating and loyal to my friends and family. I want to prove to people that you can be whatever you want to be. Just because I’m a skateboarder it doesn’t mean that I have to look or act like a skateboarder. Stereotypes really annoy me, as everybody is different and it’s impossible to classify people by the way they look or dress.

etnies Girl: What do you do for fun?
Maria: Skateboarding! Although I get angry at times, it’s always fun, even if it’s just chilling at the park or traveling from place to place. When I’m not skating I love hanging out with my friends on the weekends.

etnies Girl: Where do you find inspiration?
Maria: In other people. People push me in life and in skating.

etnies Girl: What’s your biggest accomplishment?
Maria: Finding my soul mate.

etnies Girl: You attended Girlie Skate Camps in Barcelona, Spain, last year. How was it?
Maria: It was the best time of my life. A beautiful city full of beautiful people! I met so many awesome people out there, and it was strange being able to skate and hang out with other girls who shared the same interests, as there are only a few girl skaters where I live. It must have seemed strange to the locals too, when a huge group of girls turn up and start ripping the place apart! Fondo was the highlight of the trip, but all the spots were incredible. It pushed me so much seeing girls so good, for example, Lauren and Elissa from etnies. Everyday was perfect, we skated hard all day, moving from spot to spot, tanning at the same time (woo!) and then all went to some stylish bars and clubs in the evenings! It was also really good because we were from all over the world and were united as one. The trip made me realize that skating is so much more than just a sport, it’s the best lifestyle. Whoa, I’m getting a bit emotional! Ha!

etnies Girl: What was it like doing your first contest last year? What other events have you competed in since and what are your plans for this year?
Maria: It was a competition in Birmingham, and I came second. It was my first competition so I was terrified, but it went really well. There haven’t been any other girl’s comps in the UK that I've known of this year but ones coming up in August at St. Albans, which I should be going to. I recently had an interview in Check It Out magazine and now ride for a new UK girl’s team, Rogue, so I have been traveling around the country with them, shooting some photos. My plans for this year are to skate and travel about as much as possible. I’m going to another Girlie Camp in Manchester this summer, which I’m really looking forward to.

etnies Girl: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Maria: My parents always give me advice, but I never listen or realize that it was worth taking until I’ve already made the mistakes. It’s true, your parents really do know best! It’s not my best but I really like this advice: “Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.”

etnies Girl: What’s really important to you?
Maria: My friends and family. Without them I’d have nothing!

etnies Girl: Is there anything else you would like to tell us about yourself?
Maria: Well, I died my hair last summer and it’s faded to a horrible ginger color, which I’m really annoyed and deeply hurt about.

Maria’s Favorite Things

Place: Italy
Animal: “My cat Rocco.”
Color: Pink
Hangout: “Cleopatra Discoteca—the best club in the world!”
City: Barcelona
Song: “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen
Album: “Up All Night” by Razorlight
Band: Queen
Book: “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” by Louis de Bernières
Movie: “Life Is Beautiful”
TV show: “‘Desperate Housewives’—we love Gabrielle!”
Sport: Skateboarding
Game: After Eight
Food: Jelly
Candy: Mars Delight
Vacation: Girlie Camp
Smell: Vanilla
Hobby: “Skateboarding—so cliché—and shopping.”
Guilty pleasure: “Eating two packets of Haribo in a row.”
Athlete: Lucy Adams
Hero: “Bastien Salabanzi—just for his revert steez! To do backside flips like him is one of my aims in life.”
etnies Girl shoe: “The Assist Velcro, the purple ones. Mmmmm!”

Be an etnies Girl of the Month

Would you like to be the next etnies Girl of the Month? E-mail a paragraph describing why you should be our next etnies Girl along with a photo of yourself to etniesgirl [at] soletechnology.com, or send it to:

etnies Girl of the Month
c/o Sole Technology, Inc.
25422 Trabuco Rd., Suite 105 #235
Lake Forest, CA 92609

Don't forget to include your name, age, address and phone number.

June’s Surf Team News

Congratulations to Jodie Nelson, who got married on June 5! She and her husband honeymooned in Tahiti, where she surfed a ton.

Mary and her boyfriend Jason in Vail, Colo.

Mary Osborne started her book tour for “Sister Surfer: A Woman’s Guide to Surfing with Bliss and Courage” on June 8 in Santa Cruz, Calif., and has been going nonstop ever since. After the Santa Cruz events, she traveled to San Francisco for a few days, where she surfed a super fun beach near the Golden Gate Bridge with a friend of hers who lives in the city. When she got home, she quickly packed and headed to Vail, Colo., with her boyfriend Jason. After returning from Vail, Mary went right back into book tour mode, doing stops in California from Ventura to San Diego and everywhere in between June 18-23.

Make sure to enter the Sister Surfer Summer Giveaway by July 29 for your chance to win a signed copy of Mary’s book, a Surf One Girl longboard skateboard complete, etnies Girl sandals and more!

Enter the Sister Surfer Summer Giveaway!

Remember Mad Libs? (You know, the word game where you fill in the blanks in a story with random nouns, adjectives, verbs and other words so you come up with something funny?) Well etnies Girl surfer Mary Osborne just wrote an amazing book—“Sister Surfer: A Woman’s Guide to Surfing with Bliss and Courage”—so we thought it would be fitting to have a Mad Libs contest!

Enter the Sister Surfer Summer Giveaway and you could win a bunch of great prizes like a signed copy of Mary’s book, a skateboard complete, etnies Girl sandals and more. All you have to do is come up with the funniest Mad Lib…so what are you waiting for? Enter now!

June’s Skate Team Report

Lauren Perkins has been chilling at home in Southern California lately, just skating and enjoying the fact that school is out for the summer. Since school is out, she has had plenty of time to film for her part in the World Industries video. She did an interview with Dub Magazine a few weeks ago, so if you happen to come across an upcoming issue, make sure to look for it. You can also currently find her interview in the Summer issue of Teen magazine. Lauren was at the etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest on Tuesday, June 21, for etnies’ celebration of Go Skateboarding Day. It was a super hot day in Lake Forest, but she came out and shredded the park for a couple of hours with all the locals who showed up. Last weekend, she headed to Mammoth with some friends to check out the 2005 Mammoth Motocross, which her fellow etnies Girl teammate Tarah Gieger just so happened to win. This week, she left for Munster, Germany, for the World Cup of Skateboarding World Championships. Lauren placed second last year, so she’s hoping to better that and take home first. After that, it will be back to skating at home in SoCal and working on the video.

Elissa Steamer has been all over the place lately. She traveled to New York City a few weeks ago to chill with her sister, and then went to her hometown of Ft. Myers, Fla., to spend some time with family and friends she hadn’t seen in awhile. She also shot photos and did some filming while she was in Florida. She flew back to San Francisco last week and then got right back on a plane and flew to Germany for the World Championships this week. Can you say jet lag? Elissa also has the distinction of being the only female invited so far to compete in the skateboard street competition at X Games 11, since she won X Games 10 last year. (Athletes are chosen by selection committees, with the exception of the gold medalist from the previous year’s X Games who receives an automatic invitation to compete.) Seven more women will be invited to compete in July. Lauren came in third last year, so you can bet your bottom dollar she’ll receive an invite next month.

Brooke’s Beauty Picks and Tips

We love Brooke, our first etnies Girl of the Month! This multitalented gal can run a 10K, skate with the boys, whip up a vegan casserole or knit a scarf like it’s nothing, plus she always manages to look completely adorable. How does she do it? Lucky for you, she let us in on her favorite beauty products and tips.

Brooke’s Top 10 Beauty Picks and Tips

1. Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer: I had sworn off foundation (why cover up your beautiful natural glow with a pasty, powdery finish?) until I tried it. It's easy to match and makes your skin sooo dewy.

2. MAC Cosmetics Pro Longlash Mascara: There were none before and there will be none after. People always ask me if I curl my lashes or if I'm wearing fake ones and I'd say I owe at least 80 percent of that to the little black wand.

“Why cover up your beautiful natural glow with a pasty, powdery finish?”

3. Rosebud Salve: If I could only have one beauty product, this might be it. I use it to soften my hands (I swear it even cured my eczema), as eyelid and lip gloss and to highlight my cheekbones. The rosy smell is heaven!

4. Bumble & Bumble Does It All Styling Spray: Don't be scared by the Aquanet-esque can, this spray gives your hair that coveted day-after-you-washed-it look with non-crunchy hold. If you want that sex kitten with big hair look, "Does It All" is your best friend.

5. Icing your face: It gives you a headache, but I swear by rubbing ice all over my face every night. It shrinks pores, reduces redness and swelling and mellows zits out.

6. Benefit’s Dr. Feelgood: Basically a little tin of heaven. Apply it all over your face before anything else and it fills in pores, gives your skin a vitamin C boost, soaks up oil and makes your skin so pretty, you don't want to put anything on over it. Of course, if you decide to go for foundation over Dr. Feelgood, it will glide on and blend like never before.

7. Nars lip gloss and blush: I don't specify colors because I've never found one from Nars, no matter how bright or subdued, that doesn't look amazing. The blushes come in fun colors that blend seamlessly and the glosses are the perfect consistency.

8. Philosophy Hope in a Jar Moisturizer: Finally, I can live next to the beach and not feel like I have oily face every time I step out of the house! Hope in a Jar makes my face so soft with no icky film.

9. Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate: You always read that exfoliating your face everyday is too harsh, but what they don't tell you is that you can get rid of dead skin cells and make your skin glow through exfoliation daily as long as it's a refined exfoliant (i.e., no sharp edges in the exfoliating beads).

10. Nivea Dry Skin Formula Lotion: It's super hydrating and smells faintly of roses. Everyone I've ever recommended it to becomes a lifelong devotee.

Share Your Beauty Tips

Do you have your own list of favorite beauty picks and tips? Share them with other etnies Girls by emailing etniesGirl@soletechnology.com.

Girls Get On Board Skate Session

Want to learn how to skate this summer?

Attend etnies Girl’s Girls Get On Board Skate Session on Saturday, July 9, from 1-2 p.m. The event will take place at the public skate course at the National Adventure Sports Show (NASS) held at the Royal Bath and West Show Ground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

Only girls are allowed! Bring your board, hang out and learn to skate with top skaters Lucy Adams, Rowena Brannon, Lois Pendlebury, Sadie Hollins, Rebecca Davis and Emma Reynolds. Plus, there will be music by DJ Lu and prizes from etnies Girl, ELLEgirl and Sidewalk.

For ticket info and to check out the course, visit NASS online.

Tarah Wins Mammoth Motocross!

Tarah Gieger. Photo by Scott Parkinson for Transworld Motocross.

Congratulations to etnies Girl rider Tarah Gieger for winning the Mammoth Motocross over the weekend! She went 1-1 in the women’s pro class, dominating both of her motos.

Kickflippin’ Kitty

Feline flip!

We’ve all seen Tyson the skateboarding bulldog, but a kickflipping cat? Now that’s something you just don’t see everyday. This kitty (via Flickr) isn’t satisfied just sleeping, eating Meow Mix and coughing up hairballs all day. This cat has a mission to shred.

Downhill Jam for Mac!

Hey all you Mac lovers, Downhill Jam, etnies' new skate video game, is now Mac-friendly. Enjoy!

Tomorrow is Go Skateboarding Day!

Less than 24 hours until Go Skateboarding Day! Here's some last minute event info and reminders.

etnies skatepark of Lake Forest

MIA Skateshop

Dwindle Distribution:

The Dwindle Ice Cream truck in full force at Hawthorne Park in Los Angeles for a day of tossing out FREE product, presenting DVD’s on the screen, and most importantly...SKATEBOARDING!

etnies Downhill Jam Video Game!

Check out Downhill Jam, etnies’ brand new skate video game! Just be careful—it’s addictive. (Three hours from now, when you’re still trying to improve on your high score, you’ll understand what we mean.)

Concert This Saturday at the etnies Skatepark

Check out the one of many live concerts planned for the etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest this summer. This Saturday, June 18, from 7-10 p.m., The Rabies, The Indigents and Powerflex 5 featuring skateboarding legend Steve Alba will play. Even better, the $5 entry fee goes directly to a worthy cause: keeping the skatepark free for all.

The Donnas Golden Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to the winners of the etnies Girl and The Donnas Golden Giveaway!

The grand prize winner is Abby from Mt. Pleasant, Mich., who scored an autographed copy of The Donnas’ CD, “Gold Medal,” along with an autographed limited edition black light poster, an autographed etnies Girl Script T-shirt and an etnies Girl outfit—including a pair of Premiere, a Speedster top, a Hershey skirt, a Shakedown jacket and an Amy Tote—all handpicked by The Donnas.

The runners-up are Lori from Cadiz, Ky., and Elizabeth from Virginia Beach, Va., who both won an autographed copy of "Gold Medal," an autographed limited edition black light poster and a Script T-shirt.

We’re Throwing a Party and You’re Invited!

In celebration of Go Skateboarding Day on June 21, we’re throwing a FREE all-day skate party running from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest. In addition to nonstop skateboarding, the party will include free food and raffles for prizes at each session to help raise money for Grind for Life and the etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest Fund. Sole Technology, the creator of etnies and etnies Girl, will double the money the raffle raises by donating a dollar for every dollar raised.

Grind for Life is a nonprofit organization founded by Mike Rogers, a lifelong skateboarder and cancer survivor, to provide financial assistance to cancer patients and their families when traveling long distances to doctors and hospitals. The etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest Fund exists to raise money to cover the skatepark’s operating expenses and keep it free in the future.

Skate Party Schedule

Breakfast Session – 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Free donuts, bagels and coffee

Lunch Session – 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Skate off breakfast and chomp on some free burgers

Afternoon Session – 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Enjoy skating and an afternoon snack

Evening Session – 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
More skateboarding and more free burgers

Location and Requirements

The etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest is located at 20028 Lake Forest Drive, between Rancho Drive and the 241 Toll Road, in Lake Forest, Calif. The etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest requires that skateboarders wear pads and a helmet; on the day of the party, the park will have a supply of Pro-Tec pads and helmets available to loan to those who need them.

Go Skateboarding Day

Introduced by IASC (International Association of Skateboarding Companies), Go Skateboarding Day is a day for skateboarders to forget about school or work and just skate, and for those who have never been on a skateboard, to grab a friend and join in. On the first Go Skateboarding Day last year, skateboarders held events throughout the Americas, Europe, Australia and Japan. Some of those events included backyard jams, skatepark sessions and impromptu street missions.

Deanna Templeton’s “Only Once”

etnies Girl is proud to present "Only Once," a Deanna Templeton solo photo exhibition at Museum het Domein in Sittard, Holland. Just shown at no44 Boutique in Paris in April, “Only Once” features large-scale black and white photographs from Templeton’s series of "autograph girls,” the young groupies who flock to skate events in Southern California. The show opened June 3, 2005, and will be open to the public until July 24, 2005.

Templeton’s photographs capture young women proudly displaying the autographs they've collected at skate events. At first glance, these images simply seem merely to document one of the many subcultural rituals in the U.S.; however, upon further examination, Templeton's photographs raise interesting questions about women and their bodies, how they’re portrayed in the media, and how, at times, they freely participate in their own objectification. The skaters have literally left their mark—almost as a mark of ownership or a kind of branding—on the bodies of these young women, scrawling their names across their bodies, often on their bras or breasts. In turn, the young women are delighted, beaming with pride at the camera.

Married to Ed Templeton since 1991 and shooting photos seriously since 1998, Deanna Templeton is intimately familiar with the skate subculture and documents this world as one of its insiders. Art critic Valerie Palmer writes in Venus, "Deanna Templeton's photographs are like a female conscience watching over America's counterculture."

Fall 2005 Look Book

OK, so we know that summer has arrived and sweaters, cords and gloves are the last thing on your mind. But don’t you want to know what you’ll be wearing this fall? Check out our Fall 2005 Look Book for some of the best looks of the season.

Push, the etnies Girl Jam in Krakow This Sunday!

The second stop of Push, the etnies Girl Jam is taking place this Sunday, June 5, at the etnies European Open in Krakow, Poland. The contest will consist of two parts: a 45 second run to introduce the girls to the judges and audience, followed by a five minute jam.

"I want to be a part of it for sure,” said etnies skater Louisa Menke of the Netherlands. “I like to skate and party with all the girls from Europe. Here at the European Championships, we finally get to meet each other!"

The first stop of Push, the etnies Girl Jam took place in Munich, Germany, on May 8. The remaining stops will be Basel, Switzerland, on August 21; Rome, Italy, on October 2; and the etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest in California on October 21-23.

Mary Osborne’s “Sister Surfer” Book Tour

Meet Mary Osborne at these stops in her tour for her new book, “Sister Surfer: A Woman’s Guide to Surfing with Bliss and Courage.”

Santa Cruz

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 6:30 P.M.
Paradise Surf Shop
3961 Portola Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
(831) 462-3880

SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 2 P.M.
Borders Books & Music
1200 Pacific Ave, Suite 100
Santa Cruz, CA 94060
(831) 466-9644

Ventura, Santa Monica, Long Beach

SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 1 P.M.
Ohana Kai Ocean Family Surf
7880 Telegraph Rd Ste C
Ventura, CA 93004
(805) 671-5357

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 7:30 P.M.
Barnes & Noble Books
3rd St. Promenade, 1201 3rd St.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 260-9110

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 7 P.M.
Borders Books & Music
2110 Bellflower Blvd
Long Beach, CA 90815
(831) 466-9644

San Diego

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 7 P.M.
Borders Books & Music
1072 Camino Del Rio North
San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 295-2201

Ventura

SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2-3:30 P.M.
Ventura Surf Shop
88 E. Thompson Blvd.
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 643-1062

Huntington Beach

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 3 P.M.
HB Wahine All Girl Surf School
301 Main Street, Suite 102
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(714) 596-2696

San Francisco

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 3-8 P.M.
NorCal Women’s Surf Fest Fundraiser & Book Signing
The El Rio Club
3158 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 282-3325

Tips from a Surfing Sister

Want to learn how to surf, but not sure where to start? Pick up a copy of Mary Osborne’s new book, “Sister Surfer: A Woman’s Guide to Surfing with Bliss and Courage.” Coauthored with writer and surfer Kia Afcari, the inspirational how-to book is the perfect introduction to surfing, covering everything from how to conquer fear to how to wax a surfboard. “Sister Surfer” also includes Mary’s tips on choosing a board, finding a surfing buddy, finding the perfect spot, catching your first wave and more. Through interviews with female surfers, straight-forward advice and inviting photographs (100 photos total), “Sister Surfer” is more than a technical manual—it is also a handbook to freeing the spirit and overcoming the barriers of the world and of the self.

Go Skateboarding Day!

Mark your calendars, ladies: Go Skateboarding Day is June 21, 2005!

For one day, skateboarders will take over the world! Imagine 20 million-plus skateboarders riding at the same time.

If skateboarders have their way, that will be the scene on the first day of summer—Go Skateboarding Day. It’s a day for skateboarders to skate above all else. It’s also an opportunity for those who’ve never been on a skateboard to grab a friend and join in.

The inaugural Go Skateboarding Day last June caught on quicker than anyone imagined. Skateboarders held events throughout the Americas, Europe, Australia and Japan. Some of those events included backyard jams, skatepark sessions and impromptu street missions.

Last year was just the beginning of the grind heard around the world. This year, Go Skateboarding Day is going to be bigger, so here are some excuses to tell your boss or teacher:

“I can’t make it on Tuesday, June 21, because…”

“My house is on fire!”
“I’m going to the dentist.”
“The dog ate my slippers.”
“I have a doctor’s appointment.”
“I’m going to get my nails done.”
“My sick grandmother needs me by her side.”
“I have a tornado to attend!”
“My cubicle is being remodeled.”
“Global warming beckons my name!”
“My dog died.”
“I have to go vote for something.”

Here’s the best: “I’m going skateboarding. Deal with it!”

Regional Go Skateboarding Day events will be posted at local skate shops.