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El Naturalista pushes the convention for style, comfort and eco-friendly quality

By Jasmine Listou, photos by Aaron Bible

“Cute boots!” I’ve heard this sentiment more times than I can count. El Naturailsta boots are naturally chic. The El Naturalista N745 boot from Spain is the perfect stylish winter boot. They are resilient, adaptable and versatile, allowing you to easily change up your look. The boots are just loose enough on the calf to pair perfectly with tights or skinny jeans. Yet, streamlined enough to wear under a pair of boot cut jeans. They are stylish and comfortable, well made and eco-conscious.

The frog accent on the zippers is adorable while the bow accent keeps them feminine and flirty. The heel keeps them stylish and modern and the thick sole keeps you feeling safe and secure on snow and ice. The brown suede is luxurious with lovely stitching details, and each of the six available colors has its own personality.

The secret of the unique finish of their products is working the leathers by hand and introducing semi-vegetable tanning processes wherever possible. The Spanish company uses as many natural products as possible and maximizes the use of biodegradable and recyclable/recycled materials. As evident by their Eco Policy, they are serious about the planet, and I am seriously loving their products!

Based in Pamplona, Spain, El Naturalista was founded in 2002 by Pablo de la Peña who is still the company’s general manager. He had a concept: he wanted to create a global shoe brand inspired by nature, comfortable and still fashionable. The final product offers young footwear, comfortable and in accordance with the values of nature as well as with its own values. El Naturalista is available in 34 countries including stores in Taipei, Berlin and Helsinki. More at: http://www.elnaturalista.com/.

Suenos Tropical

The 1964 film, Night of the Iguana, placed Puerto Vallarta on the tourism map. The dreamy and romantic cinematography introduced Americans to the luscious and exotic hidden gem. Nearly 50 years later, stepping off the plane in Puerto Vallarta transports you back to a time when things were simpler. Scroll through the images below to view the tropical dreams that await you in PV…

Locations:

Puerto Vallarta Convention & Visitors Bureau: www.visitpuertovallarta.com

Sunset Plaza Hotel: www.sunsetplaza.com.mx

Secrets Hotel, Puerto Vallarta: www.secretsresorts.com

Hacienda San Angel: www.haciendasanangel.com

Casa Velas, Puerto Vallarta: www.hotelcasavelas.com

Ohtli Spa at Casa Magna by Marriott: www.marriotthotels.com

Vallarta Adventures: www.vallarta-adventures.com

el Dorado Restaurant: www.eldoradopv.com

Photo Credit: Jasmine Listou

PDQ Perfection

PDQ Perfection – The ISIS PDQ Top and PDQ Tights are the perfect pair

by Jasmine Listou

On a recent ski weekend in Monarch Mountain, Colorado, something magical happened…I was warm! I was sporting a new baselayer set up, and was pleasantly surprised at how warm such a thin layer could keep me. I had recently been introduced to the ISIS brand through a review in Kickstand magazine, and immediately became a fan. I started with the PDQ Longneck top. The piece is sleek, stylish and form fitting, without being constricting. The inner lining is made of velour-fleeced micro-fiber yarn, and is incredibly soft and cozy against bare skin. The thumb loops are cute and practical, and the 10″ zipper makes for easy venting when you’re working up a sweat on deep powder days.

After swooning over the top, I was eager to try out the PDQ Tights. My love affair with ISIS continued. The flat seam construction allows the piece to fit smoothly under outer layers, without bunching up or rubbing between your shins and boots. Both pieces are perfect on the slopes, or off. They’re ideal for cross-country skiing or late night high-country strolls. The reflective stars and stitch detailing make the pieces stylish, modern and feminine without being cutesy.

In the outdoor industry, women’s gear has often been just a shrunken version of our male counterparts. ISIS only makes women’s clothing. Each piece is designed specifically for the shape of a woman’s body. The result is flattering pieces that easily took me from the slopes of Monarch to tapas and wine at The Fritz in style.

“You are a goddess,” reads the inner tag of the PDQ tights. Thanks ISIS, I think you’re pretty swell, too.

Product Photography

ImageDuring my Masters of Fine Arts program at the Savannah College of Art and Design, I was given the opportunity to work with some of the most respected and innovative professors of photography in all areas of both the art and the craft of the discipline. Product photography is something that I have truly grown to love over the last half dozen years or so. Working with strobes, hot lights, reflectors, and other lighting methodologies, I can bring your product to life in whatever manner you desire. Please contact us to learn more about our product photography, our reasonable rates, and how we can work together.

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Gregory’s Vibe Pack

There are a lot of laptop and commuter-oriented bags on the market these days. However, the Gregory Vibe combines some of the best features of both the messenger bag style and daypack style into one super-functional design. This bag keeps your laptop totally secure and protected and it wears well to boot, making you feel good about hustling and taking chances on your bike commute. It features a large main compartment with a giant flap lid made from bomber TPU fabric. The whole bag is made from the stuff actually, reminding me of the days when messenger bags were first made from truck tarps.

Your machine (fits laptops up to 17 inches) seals inside an interior compartment, leaving room in the main compartment for your monkey suit or gym clothes. The whole thing cinches down and snugs to the body with very comfortable shoulder straps. No modern high-end commuter pack is complete without: being U-lock compatible, having a side stash pocket, including a front loop for a light, and having a zip closure and an overflow strap. If you prefer a traditional daypack style to a shoulder-style messenger bag, with the trusted quality of a brand name like Gregory, this is the bag for you. gregorypacks.com

Commercial Fashion Shoot: Alicia Kounalis

This image is from a shoot from last season with one of Denver’s top models Alicia Kounalis. This was shot in my studio in Denver. Alicia did her own hair and makeup for this shoot and yes she even makes her own clothes. More of my work with Alicia can be seen here, in various publications, at my facebook fan page.

Commercial Shoot: Copper Mountain Magazine

I was recently asked to shoot the boutique eatery Sugar Lips Mini Donuts for an editorial profile and a half-page ad in Copper Mountain Magazine. Sugar Lips Mini Donuts was recently featured on the Food Network program Eat Streets. One of Denver’s most popular and cutest street food vendors, owner Jasmine Listou this year opened her first non-mobile shop in the Village at Copper Mountain. This is her second ski season and it is proving to be a resounding success.

Owner, Jasmine Listou

Sugar Lips Mini Donuts, Ad in Copper Mountain magazine, 2011-12 Season

The Shop, Copper Mountain Village

Julbo Orbiter Goggle

 

I got my first pair of Julbo sunglasses about 22 years ago when I first started climbing mountains regularly. Made in France with renowned quality and lens technology, I’m sure I thought it was ok to throw them on my credit card as a freshman at Colorado State University. I remember thinking they were totally cool and expensive. I went through a couple pairs over the years, and I still have one I keep in a hiking pack as a backup.

Luckily, I have been reunited with the brand in the form of their winter goggles—one of the single most crucial pieces of equipment you will ever own. The new Orbiter goggle from Julbo features a double lens for insulation (anti-fog); and flash coatings on the spherical outer lens (anti-glare), which also helps with light filtration. They are available with either the high-end Camel or Zebra lens, both spherical, polarizing, and photochromic lenses with protection in optical categories 2 to 4. While they are large format with great peripheral vision, they also fit nicely inside a helmet. The other cool added feature on these goggles is the extender that stays attached to your helmet—snap them off and they are perfectly sized to your head for après ski. The Orbiter is available in four colors with two lens choices. Julbousa.com; $200US

Puerto Vallarta Adventuras

This Fall, having just returned from some of the sickest mountain biking of the year in Steamboat Springs, I decided to escape for a few more days of warm weather before ski season set in. And boy did I time it right: stepping off the plane, Denver was in the process of receiving about 6 inches of freshies to set down a base and some optimism for the impending ski days. I had five fun-filled days and nights in the very interesting and not over-developed Pacific Coast town of Puerto Vallarta.

New Flow Fulcrum Ride by Karhu

You most likely know Karhu for their legendary mountaineering boots and skis, (particularly for the Finnish military) but probably not for their running shoes. That perception may be slightly misinformed however, given the company’s deep roots in the running and track world dating back to 1916.

In Finland, the company’s home country, the brand is legendary. And you know that three-stripe omnipresent Adidas logo?…that was actually the old Karhu logo, sold to the then-obscure German-based Adidas in 1951, for roughly the equivalent of 1600 Euros and a bottle of whiskey, leaving Karhu with its lesser known M logo you see today.

The current boasting point in running shoes was developed in the 1980’s, according to the company, and the technology has been shown, according to the company, to give runners a measurable advantage in forward momentum.

I can’t say for sure, but I think I feel something. The fulcrum_ride fits tightly, like a track shoe or a hockey skate, and do seem to give bit of a spring in the forward step. The light weight, mesh upper and street sole make for a smooth ride. The styling lends a little toward the Euro side; but hopefully people won’t notice too much when you buzz past them at the park.

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