California Sunday Magazine has an interesting piece on Jake Phelps that seems to have en done with some degree of cooperation from the Phelper. Some of the best parts are the sort of snide, deconstructive observations on the spectacle of skateboarding, such as observations that Thrasher is more like Vogue for degenerates than the skateboarder’s bible, and skateboarding has more in common with pornography than professional sports. “Skateboarding probably has more in common with pornography: Talented people are paid to be filmed doing something they’re good at, or at least insane enough to try.” There’s even a brief mention of Schwing! magazine as if their readers would know what that was. It’s long, and a bit nihilistic, and you’ll earn more about SOTY than you’ll care too, but even if you hate Phelps, it’s a good read. Check it out in California Sunday Magazine.

Which came first, the egg, or the toy inside the egg? Technically not an Easter-specific toy, but it’s an egg riding a skateboard. This is a hard plastic version representing the actual chocolate egg which would contain a toy inside it. So it’s a self-referencing toy. In case this makes zero sense to you, Kinder Surprises are chocolate eggs with a tiny plastic toy inside. I thought this was a generic term, but apparently it’s a trade name, like Kleenex or Xerox. I thought it was vintage, but it dates to 2014 according to the seller.

Because the world only needs so many canvases with the Audrey Hepburn, the Eiffel Tower or the New York City skyline, Ikea decided to bring in some new artists for the 2016 Ikea Art Event. On the right you can see Bara Prasilova’s photo. Sanskirt. After surveying the offerings, my 10 year old son declared he liked the underwear photo better, although the briefs and dress sent him mixed messages, and he wasn’t sure if it was a boy or a girl. Closer inspection of the photo reveals an Arbor skateboard and a flipped negative. I like the photo too, but I’d like it more without the flipped negative and cropped wheels on the skateboard.

An astronaut on a skateboard is something we’ve seen a time or two (or three). Mathieu Gielen scanned this Duvel beer coaster for you, drinking readers, and he was kind enough to translate it as well. After finding a link to Duvel, I saw that the skateboarding astronaut was also available as a beer label, poster, and beer glass as well. UPDATE: David Maes found a skateboard deck in the shape/graphics of a regular Duvel bottle.

The art of conceiving

We don’t pretend that the creation of the Duvel has been as spectacular as the first footstep on the Moon, but in 1923, this beer seemed totally innovating. A refermentation in bottle which give a colour (robe) so limpid is something for the least remarkable. And, more a beer is clear, more her taste is pure.

The flemish version has a some slight variations : the title reads “Heavenly pionneers” in place of “The art of conceiving” and there is a final sentence that is “This is simply of an intergalactic nature”. The rest is basically the same.

I thought I read in Wired how Nerf had become the largest arms dealer (by volume) in the world, but I might have imagined it. I wonder if the Zombie Strike series was conceived to make it more palatable to parents who object to toy guns for kids. Probably not. This Zombie Strike Doublestrike pistol features an illustration of a skateboarder on the back. It’s a happy coincidence when a toy with skateboard packaging makes it into my home if wasn’t bought for me.

Like scooters, Donald Trump, and anything else that has outlived it’s usefulness, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles just won’t go away. TMNT has been enjoying a resurgence for a while now. While the animated series definitely surpasses the TMNT’s original incarnation, this incarnation of Mondo Gecko action figure is about as uninspired as it gets, especially when compared to the original toy.

This is advert for Vibe, an iOS app that Adobe can’t seem to decide whether or not to promote it as theirs or not. What does it do? It makes short videos with semi-automated cuts between selected stills and videos from your library, and adds a soundtrack to it. Then you can share it. Super. It’s a free app, and the sharing is meant to happen on the usual social media platforms, so you have to wonder what Adobe gets out of this.

Sarasota has metal stick figure sculptures called Tube Dudes sprinkled all over town. I haven’t been to Payne Park in a handful of years. I don’t think this Tube Dude was there during my last visit. The baseball cap and basketball in hand are a bit of a head scratcher until you read the plaque dedicating it to “Coach Dan,” who must have been a basketball coach… who liked skateboarding?

Restless Years is pale ale from Evanston Illinois’ Temperance brewery. Aside from skateboards on a beer can, they have bragging rights as Evanston’s first and oldest brewery, dating “way back” to 2013.

– Thanks to Neil “I’d obviously rather be drinking than writing Ebay Watch” for the pics.

Instead of my usual Random Florida Spot Check, this year I’m bringing you Random Crap Skateboard. These were spotted at a store called 5 Below, which is like an upscale Dollar Store if that’s even possible. Surprisingly, the wheels on these things actually roll.