Mark your calendars on Feb. 25 and join Native Shoes as it brings you the NATIVE COLOR CARNIVAL!

Expect exciting games, awesome goodies, loads of fun, live performances and a full feast of colors as Native launches its Spring/Summer 2012 collection at the Bonifacio High Street in Taguig.

Come and join the event with your own pair of Native Shoes on and get a special promo at R.O.X. See you all there!

For more updates on Native Shoes’ events, news and promos, visit their facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/NativeShoesPhilippines

Words by Caloy Libosada Jr.

Nope, I’m not talking about travelling to far-off places or the most expensive resorts or escaping from your in-laws for a few days’ peace of mind. It’s about visiting the 19th Travel Tour Expo in SMX on February 17-19.
The veterans (yup, their kind really do exist) have been making this an event an annual pilgrimage activity, it’s a sort of a secret they keep to themselves to get the best travel deals in the Philippines and international destinations. How about a trip to another country for only a third of the usual cost?

But secrets are always bound to be discovered and more and more people are  filling the hallways and booths of the travel expo.

So for the uninitiated, expect to be frustrated big time and wonder what the heck is going on as you try to keep at the dizzy pace of people and events in the venue.

Here are some tips to get the best travel deals you have been dreaming of.

1. Bring lots of money or that trusty credit card. You’ll never know how much travel you’ll want to enjoy in your lifetime.
2. Plan the places you want to visit, plus the possible dates of your travel (say, plan A, plan B, etc)
3. Increase the members of your group and immediately scatter yourselves to different booths. Queues can unbelivably extend to a hundred people seeking that same travel discount
4. Kids……. It will be a hard lesson if you bring very young and cranky kids in this event.

So after reading these tips, I hope that you will now be able to get the most of this travel tour expo and catch the best travel deals and tour packages offered in this three-day event. Explore the country and beyond on discounted rates!

Event Venue:
SMX Convention Center Halls 1, 2, 3 & 4,
Seashell Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City

Opening Hours:
17 February – Friday
10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

18 February – Saturday
10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

19 February – Sunday
10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

For more information, visit http://tte.ptaa.org.ph/index.php

Donavon Frankenreiter

Who doesn’t recognize the shaggy-mustached guy seen in almost all of Sanuk’s marketing paraphernalia? Surfers and music-lovers alike are at least acquainted, if not totally on the ball, with this surfing rockstar. But for those who are not clued-in with this Donavon Franken who? Those who just seem to grasp this elusive surfing icon as a tongue twister, well lemme give you some Donavon Frankenreiter (again, it’s F-R-A-N-K-E-N-R-E-I-T-E-R) 101:

1. Please don’t get all too confused with the name. It’s DONAvon, not Donovan nor Danovon, okay? I kept on hearing people during the Sanuk Opening Act event in La Union say his name in a number of ways. But if you really can’t say it right, better call him DONNY, as what this guy’s friends call him.
2. His mustache is 100% real hair. And Donavon is not him without this iconic mustache. So during his mini concert, he gave away fake mustaches to fans and locals to get them donafied! People especially the kids were all giggling and making fun of each other (their mustached version).

Local kids donning the iconic Donavon mustache

Donavon with bandmate Matt Grundy samples tracks from Frankenreiter’s albums

3. This guy started riding the waves at the tender age of 10. After a couple of more years, if he’s not out on his surfboard, he’s jamming with his guitar. With musical influences like guitar gods Clapton and Page and songwriting heroes Dylan and Marley, he soon created a band and named it Peanut butter and Jam after one of his favorite high school bands, Pearl Jam. But it was in 2004 when his old pal Jack Johnson started his Brushfire Records that Donavon started hitting it real big and doing collaborations with equally awesome and talented musicians like Mario Caldato Jr. (famed Beastie Boys collaborator), Joe Chiccarelli of The White Stripes and My Morning Jacket, and Ben Harper among others.

Frankenreiter trying out the waves in San Juan beach, La Union

Surfers trying to impress the judges while wearing their costumes on

4. Mr. Frankenreiter here is one busy man. Aside from his surfing exploits and global music tours, Donny serves as the official Ambassador of Sanuk. Sanuk, known for its ultra light and comfy footwear and as the brand that embraces all things fun is the culprit for this groovy surf break party in La Union. Fun activities were held during the event. Well, if surfing with your favorite cartoon character costume on and playing beach futsal (beasal) with a lifesize ball is not fun and rad, then I don’t know what is.

Competetive spirits from the Beasal players all aiming to make a goal

Jeff Kelly and Pinoy pro-surfer Luke Landrigan awards the winners of the Sanuk Surf Costume Competition

La Union’s Brown Sugar samples some belly shaking Hula dance

The highlight of the concert: Donavon’s Balut Dare!

So, now that you got your Donavon Frankenreiter pointers, I’m sure you’re feeling wee more curious. So check him out here for updates and tour schedule.  But before I wrap this up, I think we owe Sanuk a whopping hand for bringing Donavon and mounting this event in the Philippines. You see, it’s not every day that we have someone as cool as Donny (who performs to an at least 5000 crowd on tours), go to PHL and have an intimate surfing+musical bond with him. So many thanks to our friends from Sanuk Philippines and Jeff Kelly, Sanuk founder himself, for bringing us an authentic taste of the ocean! Until the next surf break season!




–Bim Legisniana

Photos courtesy of Sanuk Philippines

This sembreak, rather, surf break, the party is not in Boracay, it’s not in Cebu, not in Davao, but in San Juan, La Union, one of the country’s surfing hotspots. Aside from the much awaited sembreak, October is also the start of surfing season in the country. And with this water sport continuously gaining popularity locally, it’s just apt that international lifestyle shoe brand, Sanuk, holds a 2-day surfing event on October 22 to 23, 2011 to celebrate the occasion.

Known for its ultra comfortable and light footwear, Sanuk shoes (not sandals) have become a favorite among Pinoys who like comfortable footwear that they can wear wherever. After gaining popularity with its classic Sidewalk Surfer, the brand has branched out to offering more types of footwear for men, women, and even kids, which of course, all bears Sanuk’s unique brand of innovative design and quality craftsmanship.

But more than just great footwear, Sanuk is a lifestyle brand that embraces all things fun. That said, Sanuk Philippines is proud to come out with the biggest surfing event that the country has ever seen. The Sanuk Opening Act aims to bring together top surfing personalities from here and abroad such as Donavon Frankenreiter, Luke Landrigan and Sanuk founder Jeff Kelley together with surfing fans and the press in the surfing event of the year.

With an event so cool, of course it’s only fitting that the guest of honor be a surfing icon like Donavon Frankenreiter. After riding his board at the tender age of 10, Donavon was already a pro at 15 and bringing in the big bucks. He’s definitely one of the world’s brightest stars in surfing and Sanuk Philippines is proud to have him on board for this groundbreaking event.

The first of its kind, the Sanuk Opening Act aims to bring together two of life’s greatest inventions – surfing and music in a 2-day event that is filled to the brim with activities to excite any surfing fanatic as well as those who are always up for an awesome party.

Filled with an exciting roundup of activities, the first day of Sanuk’s biggest surfing event in the country will feature a Surf Costume Exhibition, which is open to all surfers (beginners and groms are both welcome!) as long as they’re willing to don costumes based on their favorite cartoon characters from their childhood—while surfing the waves. Not to add any pressure but, Donavon will be serving as the host and judge for this activity so better put your best game face on, and of course, have fun!

There will also be a lot of outdoor activities, and for the night’s special event, a mini concert featuring Donavon himself! Aside from being a well-known figure in the international surfing community, Donavon is also recognized for his music, something that the guests will all have the privilege to witness live at the Sanuk Opening Act. Day two of the event starts early, really early, as surfing pro and first Philippine Sanuk Rider Luke Landrigan gets everyone to hop on a board with Surfing 101.

With so many exciting activities and festivities, Sanuk Opening Act is set to be THE surfing event in this season!

Sanuk is exclusively distributed by the Primer Group of Companies. For store listings, visit www.primergrp.com