A few weeks ago, TJ and I took a little stroll around the neighborhood to get a few images featuring our brand new Deep Space and Blue Bengal D Series frames. We stumbled down one particular alley that ended up having a ton of textures we used to our advantage. These are just some of the shots that we favored amongst the sea of images captured that day. The best part of this particular shoot, in our opinion, was that we weren’t expecting to get such a raw feel in our beachy backyard, making this set one of our favorites thus far.

To give you a better idea of how the frames fit, check out the video below. And if you’re interested in either of the frames, CLICK HERE and HERE to learn more.

Stay tuned for more content fresh off the editing room floor!
-Julius

Gareth Emery’s second stop on his Electric For Life Arena Tour was at the Los Angeles Shrine Expo Hall and in his own words “the lasers were not f*cking around” Saturday night.Emery was beyond appreciative of his LA fans, we drove up to witness the madness, and gave out 250 shades with custom pouches designed specifically for the tour.He gushed on instagram saying: “A year ago nobody had even heard of #electricforlife and last night together WE DID THIS! Biggest show on the tour and one I will remember very fondly for the rest of my life. Can’t even imagine how we top last night but we’ve got a long time to think about it.”To top it off not only did we deck out the audience but also had 2 pairs of custom shades made for Emery and his whole crew. Whether you make it to one of his shows or not these custom Electric For Life sunglasses are a must have for your Blenders Eyewear collection and is unlike anything we have ever done and would only do for Gareth as he has been a fan since day one. Hit mark@blenderseyewear.co.nz up and we can try and source a pair or 3 out of the States especially for you!

We love his music he loves our shades it’s that simple and we couldn’t be more stoked on this collaboration with him. His stop in Sydney is your last chance to catch him on tour before his last show and sold out show in London. Grab shades and tickets while you can and shine like neon diamonds. It’s time to get Electric for Life! // 

For all things Gareth Emery and more info on the Electric For Life Tour head over to his Instagram, Twitter, and website.

After an extended weekend on Groove Cruise, that took off from LA and made stops in Catalina and Mexico, our co-founder, Chase, finally made it back to the office on Tuesday where we were missing him dearly. Not long into the day, the aftermath hit, and he had to go home early… because well… it was just that good. The teaser photos are in and the rest of the Blenders Crew shed a tear wishing we too had been a a part of all the madness. Maybe next year, so until then, if you weren’t there here is a sneak peak of what went down, and if you were there, here are some photos to help you relive the magic.With after hour parties going into the wee hours of the morning, and DJs like Paul Okenfold and Dirty South killing their sets, all the while being on the beach or sailing the ocean, it’s safe to say this one was one for the books. Next stop, Groove Cruise Miami to Jamaica January 22-26 2016.

Photos by Veranmiky & Handonam Photography

Join the party Captain and visit: www.TheGrooveCruise.com

In this video our boy TJ Kolesnik walks you through the Air Whip on a Kendama. A Kendama is an extremely addictive wooden skill toy (co-founder Blake can’t get enough of it in the office) that comes from Japan. It strengthens hand eye coordination, balance, and reflex. It can be played by young and old alike. There are endless trick possibilities for both the beginner and the seasoned master.

The Kendama is made up of the “Ken” (handle) and the “Tama” (ball), which is connected by a string.  The Kendama tricks are done by variations of juggling the ball in the 3 cups, spiking the ball with the Ken spike, and balancing both in new creative ways.  Mastering the Kendama takes practice, focus, patience, and creativity.

We love that the Kendama is a simple, productive, interactive toy that strengthens mental and physical skills while you play.  In today’s world of toys bombarded with flashy lights, computers, and mainstream entertainment, the Kendama stands out with its simple design and creative new ways to have fun.

Kendama History: 

The KendamaUSA staff was first introduced to Kendama in 2006 while touring in Japan.  Their good friends were always playing while they waited at train stations, bus stops, and while walking around the cities.  They got their first Kendama in Downtown Tokyo, and showed all of their friends when they got back home.  Their entire pro team even had the golden Mugens before they were discontinued.  Everybody’s curiosity and enthusiasm inspired them to start KendamaUSA and help introduce people from all over the world to this great skill toy.  People from all over the world have now been exposed to the Kendama, and they are proud to say that if you live outside Japan and have played, it is almost surely because of KendamaUSA.

Fun Fact # 1876:  The Air Whip was named after a weird sound TJ makes when he does this trick. Its the sound of a DJ Scratching.
AAIRRR WWWHIP!

For more from TJ check him out on Instagram.

To learn more about Kendama  and to watch more videos like this one check them out on Youtube, Instagram, and Website.

Kyle Jetter is a student at La Jolla High School, and though he may be young, he has talent beyond his years. The freelance photographer/videographer has already been featured in well-known magazines like Surfing and Stab. He has worked with professional and up-and-coming surfers like Peter King, Derek Dunfee, Jake Halstead, Skip Mccullough, and Jacob Szekely and photographed the likes of Julian Wilson and Gabriel Medina.Yet his photography style is all over the map, and spans more than just surfing and skating, as he is an equally excellent lifestyle photographer. Blenders Eyewear got the opportunity to chat with Jetter to get a better look into what makes this kid tick. Get the inside scoop, and what we can expect from him in 2016, right here:

Tell us something that we wouldn’t know by looking at you.

I spent the first 11 years of my growing up in a small town in North Western New Jersey. My family had 24 goats on our property.

Name the three things that you cannot live without.

Soul/Motown music, Pizza On Pearl, my cameras.

(Blendz note: We cannot live without POP either)

Secret talent?

I make a super mean breakfast.

What person would you like to swap lives with for a day?

Chris Burkard

What is your biggest inspiration?  

My biggest inspiration is the people I surround myself with, as well as all of the legends that lived before me. Everyday my friends will accomplish something amazing that inspires me to push myself further. My friends and family are all very unique and have such varied perspectives on getting the most out of life.  When I see them succeeding and enjoying life, it inspires me to do the same.When I find time to relax, I tend to study the accomplishments of many people I idolize: Martin Scorsese, Quentin Terantino, Christopher Nolan, Cory Richards, Aaron Huey, Todd Glaser, Chris Bryan, Chris Ray, Aaron Lieber, Taylor Steele, Ed Templeton, Chris Burkart, and the list goes on and on.  The time I spend studying is my favorite part of the day because I have so many ideas to draw from. I find myself constantly inspired by this long list of people. I also try not to get to ahead of myself, I take everything step by step and try to accomplish goals that inspiring local people in my area have done. John Maher, Peter King, Julian Clark, Todd Glaser, Peter Taras; all local legends that inspire me.Music is also a huge inspiration of mine. Everyday I wake up and rock out to songs from artists like Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, CCR, Bob Marley, and much more. Overall, I am inspired by music and everyday visual art.  

Favorite breakfast cereal?

Chocolate Mini-Wheats

Most embarrassing song on your IPod?

I don’t think I have any embarrassing songs; I make sure my music library has the best of everything I like.

Tupac or Biggie?

Biggie, gotta rep that East Coast. His lyrics are insane.

If you could meet anyone, who would it be?

So many idols and legends I would love to meet, but it would come down to Larry David or Quentin Tarantino.

If you could photograph anyone, who would it be?

That’s a hard one. It would be a choice between Andy Irons (if he was still alive) surfing or Lance Mountain skating.What got you interested in photography?

I don’t remember the exact time that it drew me in; it was more of a gradual interest. Day by day, I got better and I would find myself enjoying it more, especially when others enjoyed my work so much. I would find myself taking photos of skating, surfing, scenery, people, the beach, lifestyles; just about anything that surrounding me in my daily life. After really seeing that the images I created told a story behind all of these good memories, I was hooked. So I became interested after coming to understand how my images could tell a unique story.How would you explain your photography style?

I would say my style would relate with Fine Art Photojournalism, because the revolving concept of my photos deals with showing the daily lives of my friends, the town we live in, and myself. But while I use photojournalism to show these things, I also try to incorporate many photography skills to make the art more fine and appealing.

More often than not, I love to use black and white as my genre. I love black and white because I feel it expresses photographs in a deeper perspective, as you have to focus more on the subject than color.What was the turning point that made you realize that you could do this as a career someday?

I’ll never forget the day I sold my first photo print, or the day when I was first hired to travel and film surfing in South America.

What advice do you have for aspiring photographers looking to make it?

Find an artistic style that makes you happy. Be consistent with this style. Try to create new ideas everyday and also learn along the way. Make sure you network yourself well and work with the right people. Finally, don’t let failure bring you down because failure is what we learn from  and improve upon everyday.What do you have planned for 2016?

For 2016 I hope to be enrolled in the USC Cinematic Arts Program (if any Alums out there have a connect, hit me up!). Once I secure an acceptance from USC  I’d like to amp up my professional networking over the summer and land some freelance work and apprenticeships that will enhance my skill set. I really want 2016 to be the year that will start take me to the next level in the film or photo industry and start pushing my creative boundaries further.What importance do you place on networking?

Networking is key if you want to be successful. If you know how to network yourself the right way, then you can reach your art out to all the right people. I spend plenty of time thinking of who I want to contact, when I want these contacts, and what is the best way to contact. So if you can network properly, it will not be hard to get your work out there.

How did you get to where you are today?

I would have to thank a number of people that have helped me progress to who I am today. My mom, my dad, my sisters, Jake Halstead, Christian Zvetina, Skip Mccullough, Fano Rakigjija, Jacob Szekely, Collin Duguid, and much more. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without the endless support from my friends and family. Everyone would always be willing to contribute and help me create new ideas that I would then turn into a reality. These ideas more times than not ended up being well liked when published, which brought me to meet more people and be apart of different jobs that have led to where I am today.

What does social media mean to you? How can it/ does it help/ hinder your success?

Social media is everything to me. In today’s world, It is the best and most efficient way to promote anything. Social media is fast, easy, and reliable. Social media has the same idea of networking, if you can do it correctly with the right people, you will do well.

For me my social media is everything because it is how I get promote my most recent videos, photos, and stories of my life.What is the hardest part of being a self made business man?

Time management. I try to take as many jobs as I can get, but when it all adds up it is hard to find time for it all. You must do all of the advertising, marketing, editing, selling, creating, and thinking on your own.

Do you think that a college degree is beneficial to the take you to the next level in your career? Or do you think it is more about who you know?

I’m not exactly sure one this one.  I think the next level of your career depends a little on both concepts. I certainly think a degree would help you find a job and make you more marketable. At USC, for example, the alumni network is outstanding. For a kid from Jersey, I don’t have as many connections as I’d like to yet in the industry and graduating from USC would help in that regard. I think that in any endeavor you choose, ‘who you know’ is paramount.  

What are some daily challenges you face?

Time management and completing projects would definitely have to be a huge daily challenge for me. I have so many projects that I still need to work on, I’m always busy.

Another challenge would be trying to create something new and unique everyday. Making my ideas reality.

A constant challenge is also how could I promote myself better.Were you ever afraid of the feedback you would get or did you ever think your company would not succeed?

Of course I was afraid of the feedback and not succeeding. I would not say that I have completely “succeeded” yet anyway, but I am happy to be where I am today. At first I would always be skeptical on what others would think and how they would react to what I was trying to do. Sometimes I even like the criticism, when it is constructive. I like it because it helps me critique my work and see what areas I need to improve in. Obviously nobody is perfect, so it is nice to hear directly what should be done to improve the project.

How would you summarize your success story?

Moved here from New Jersey and got connected with the right group of friends. Once high school started, photography and filmmaking really caught my interest. I would film skateboarding and finger boarding to fill my time. After doing this for a while, I started to see my creative interests become clearer, so I targeted new things, such as landscape, lifestyle, and surfing.

Landscape motivated my artistic side of things, lifestyle motivated my creative/journalistic side of things; surfing, well it was just fun to travel and share fun memories with close friends.Surfing is what really took me off my feet. I started to do work with companies such as Billabong, Rusty, and Brixton. These companies would promote me to others on social media and so forth.

After being exposed online and locally time and time again, a good amount of people started to recognize my name and share my work to others.

All of this exposure leads me to where I am today. Constantly doing jobs, weather they are simple shoots for friends or commercial videos for big companies, its all-amazing fun.I have a large growing social media following. I have sold plenty of photos and have many more in local shops. I am the editor in chief for our yearbook this year at La Jolla High Sschool and I help out with many other media related projects for the school. Everyday I am contacted to do some type of photography or film project. Now that I somewhat have a name for myself I am always busy with something.

However I would not summarize this as a success story, I am just getting started. It is only the start of something new in my life. I have plenty of goals I still have set for myself and I will continue to push myself everyday.

Can’t get enough? For all things Jetter check him out on Instagram, Flickr, Vimeo, and Youtube.

‘The Blonde Abroad‘ takes over our blog again to share her tips and tricks from her travels to Croatia.

Six Unforgettable Experiences In Croatia

This beautiful nation lies on the Adriatic sea, and is famous for its majestic and resource-rich coastline. Series of islands along with the beautiful historic cities help to make this an amazing destination, but there is a lot more to a trip to Croatia than that. There are some wonderful places to visit and activities that make up an unforgettable trip, so here are six experiences you have to include into your Croatia itinerary when you visit!

Sailing In The Yacht Week – Croatia

The Yacht Week is one of those European events that really does tick all of the boxes, and combines the amazing scenery of the Croatian coastline with a regatta of lovely boats and the wonderful people that you meet on board. Whether you join a boat with new friends or old, you can enjoy the camaraderie along the way and you can really get a sense of how beautiful this part of the Adriatic is. Combine this with spending time enjoying a few glasses of wine, meeting people from around the world on other boats in the regatta, and The Yacht Week really is one of the highlights of the summer in Croatia.

Savor A Sunset In Rovinj

One of the many historic cities along the coastline, Rovinj, is a lovely place to visit with charming streets and picturesque buildings, particularly in the older part of town. The sunsets here are particularly breathtaking, with the golden sky reflecting beautifully on the waters in the harbor. You have to enjoy some delicious Istrian wine and fresh seafood while you are here!

Go Truffle Hunting

For those who get to travel into the interior of Croatia to the region of Istria, you will find the home one of the most important delicacies in European cooking. With both black and white truffles grow around the region, and many restaurants will offer to take visitors out truffle hunting with the dogs that are trained to follow the scent. Most tours will usually end with a chef-cooked meal at a local restaurant, using your freshly hunted truffles!

Spend The Night In A Lighthouse

There are few places in the world where you can really get away from it all and enjoy the solitude, but the Porer lighthouse is one that lies on a small islet around a mile and a half off the Croatian coast. Often considered to be one of the most romantic destinations in the country, this beautifully converted lighthouse offers excellent accommodation, a wonderful panoramic view around the lighthouse and a stunning place to relax for the evening.

Take A Dip At Krka National Park

Krka National Park is one of Croatia’s best-known attractions, and the naturally colorful pools here provide a spectacular backdrop to relax with friends and to swim in the pristine waters. In the summer you will often find people flocking to the area to swim and to enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings, and after a dip you can also hike around the park to see many of the other pools and lakes around the area. This was one of my favorite trips in Croatia!

Celebrate At A Beach Party In Hvar

Off the coast of Croatia, the island of Hvar is known for its spectacular beaches, and are often home to plenty of tourists enjoying the weather. However, it’s when the sun goes down that the beaches really become busy, as the beach clubs open their doors, the music and drinks start flowing! This is a great place to enjoy the Croatian nightlife and there is a range of clubs found around the island to suit many different tastes.