9/2/10

If there's one thing that makes Bikini.com staffers smile more than a beautiful bikini on the beach, it's a cute dog on the beach. So you can bet we were happy to hear about the Fifth Annual Surf Dog Surf a Thon on Sunday, September 12 at world famous Dog Beach in Del Mar, California. The Surf Dog Surf a Thon benefits the Helen Woodward Animal Center.

"Hundreds of dogs and thousands of people will, 'join paws' to help Helen Woodward Animal Center's Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon retain its title as the world's largest dog surfing event," says HWAC "Big Kahuna" John Van Zante. "We allow 120 surfing dogs and we're expecting 150 human surfers and thousands of spectators. Surf Dog is huge!"

Surf Dog 2010 on September 12 will also feature "Doo the Dah for the Dogs", where individuals and teams will surf while wearing costumes and judges including champion surfers will pick the top costumes as well as the best themed team ride. Activities for "Sand Crabs" (non-surfers) will include the "Beach Bum and Bikini Babe Canine Costume Contest", where dogs will strut their stuff as celebrity judges including Shorty (as seen on Animal Planet's "Pit Boss") and Animal Planet veterinarian Dr. Stacy Funchino pick the best costumes. Pat Weber and San Diego Surfing Academy will join world champion tandem surfer and board designer Guy Takayma and San Diego Pet Training owner Rob Kuty to oversee the event and assure safe surfing for all of the dogs and humans involved in the contests. So if you're in SoCal on September 12, get a leg up and check it out. For more info, go to www.animalcenter.org.

8/26/10

All previous allusions of competitive, high-performance surfing are about to be shattered when the world's best surfers descend upon California's premier wave, San Onofre State Beach - Lower Trestles. The 2010 Hurley Pro is the only ASP World Tour event on mainland U.S. shores and is where the best of the best fight for the world title and prove that surfing is one of the most competitive world sports featuring some of the finest, most talented athletes on the planet. On September 12, the elite in professional surfing will join the world's most "rippable" wave, armed with a new World Tour seeding format and the most progressive judging criteria in ASP history.

This is the first event that the ASP World Tour will narrow its field to 32 surfers instead of 44 -- the first major change to the ASP format since 1992. In the current world title race, South African Jordy Smith is leading, but nine-time world champ Kelly Slater is in the hunt for what would be an unprecedented 10th world title. As in years past, the Hurley Pro typically serves as the turning point in the world title race. Win here, and athletes are propelled into the final stretch with tremendous momentum. Mick Fanning did just that in 2009 when he came from behind to take the Hurley Pro title and then, three months later, his second world title. The 32 man field will be joined by 4 wildcards (Rob Machado, Kolohe Andino, with 2 spots TBD.)

San Onofre State Beach - Lower Trestles is California's premier point/reef break and a world-class showcase for high-performance surfing. If Pipeline is surfing's Gladiator Pit, Lower Trestles is surfing's Center Stage, the spot where the world's best continue to push the limits of what can be done on a wave. Last year's Hurley Pro set a historic record, offering the single largest first place and overall prize purse in ASP World Tour history; $105,000 first place prize and $400,000 overall. This year's first-place check has yet to be determined.

8/20/10

You'll say "Ya Mon!", when you turn on the reggae music and join a Bikini.com photo shoot with Bikini.com Supermodel Lola Corwin, the Asian Sensation!

8/13/10

Curvalicious! She's cute, she's voluptuous and she's 100% all natural. Even her name is real. Meet North Carolina's Jessica Lipps and see why curves are definitely in. This sexy Bikini.com All-Star loves her curves, and you will too, in her bikini shoot by the beach.

8/11/10

She spawned a whole generation of Surfer Girls. She liberated a whole generation of young women. And she inspired Bikini.com's creators to come up with this wacky site.

If you're a fan of Bikini.com, then you probably know that we take our creative inspiration from many of the old 60's beach movies, including one of our very favorites, "Gidget". So we're stoked to let you know that now there's a documentary that takes you behind the scenes at that iconic movie. "Accidental Icon, The Real Gidget Story" will have its Hollywood Premiere at the landmark Egyptian Theater (American Cinematheque) this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Kathy “Gidget” Zuckerman, the central subject of the 60-minute documentary, will attend the Premiere with the director and members of the cast and crew. The film first screened in March at Australia’s Noosa Festival of Surfing, the biggest surfing event in the world, and was hailed as a “huge success” by surf media impresario Peter Townend. The Newport Beach Film Festival hosted the project in April, where it played to an enthusiastic standing-room-only audience as well.

"Accidental Icon" explores the largely untold story of the real “Gidget” and how her account of surfing Malibu in the mid-50’s became the basis for a best-selling novel and a series of feature films and TV shows. A half century later, “Gidget” is celebrated as a slice of Americana, with considerable impact on pop culture (like Bikini.com) and the sport of surfing. In the movie, surf legends and present-day “surfer girls” set the stage and take the Gidget story full circle. Prominent actors, writers and directors, many of whom brought Gidget to the big and small screen, provide an often enlightening behind-the-scenes perspective. Some of them include Sally Field-Oscar winning actor (“Gidget” TV Series), Cliff Robertson-Oscar winning actor (“Gidget”), James Darren-Actor/Singer (“Gidget”), and Gregory Harrison-Actor (“Ed,” “North Shore”). If you're in L.A. this weekend and in the mood to experience some early California beach culture, check it out!

8/6/10

What's the best way to Bikini.com All Star Sarah Barrett's heart? Easy. Donuts. Don't get in between this cutie and her favorite confectionery delight.

8/3/10

Swimwear designer and Bikini.com Supermodel Sofia Beschen shows you how you can take her reversible Chama bikini and make 5 different looks out of one bikini!