The Barefoot Marathon Runner- Casey Cochran of the Green Guide Marathon


These are Casey Cochran's feet.
Casey, the founder of the Green Guide Network, just told us that he is planning to run the Santa Barbara Marathon barefoot to raise money for kids who need shoes. Yes - Barefoot for all 26 miles! Crazy, amazing and noble. Gotta love the guy!
Over the next two months we will fill you in on all the details including the "how to donate" information.

Natalie Umbert + Romantic Homes Photo Shoot




Romantic Homes magazine was looking for houses for their COLOR issue. Natalie Umbert's home was so perfect for the story we had to pitch it! Editorial Director Jacqueline deMontravel, who had the one the cutest pair of shoes that I have seen lately, did an amazing job. I can't wait to see her home in print! Look for it on news stands in March.
Enjoy the snapshots I took of Natalie's place and the very grainy (Sorry!) photo of the two New Yorkers -Jacqueline and Natalie.




Bravo Sports Hits the Beach!!!

Congratulations to Tony, Barbara and the rest of the Bravo Sports team on this exciting new venture!! We love the new product (and so do our dermatologists!!)! Can't wait to hit the beach with you!!
BRAVO SPORTS ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH SEABREEZE PRODUCTS

Sporting Goods Leader Adds Seabreeze Products’ Beach Pockets® and
Beach Pockets® Umbrella to Its Expanding Outdoor Recreation Catalog






Santa Fe Springs, CA – September 22, 2009 -- Bravo Sports, a global leader in the outdoor recreation and sporting goods markets is proud to announce its exclusive partnership with Seabreeze Products. Effective immediately, Bravo Sports will manufacture and distribute Beach Pockets® and the Beach Pockets® Umbrella, Seabreeze Products’ most innovative and top-selling products.

In an exclusive licensing deal brokered between Bravo Sports CEO Tony Armand and Seabreeze Products founder and CEO, Barbara Bigford, Bravo Sports has licensed the patents and obtained the rights to manufacture and distribute Beach Pockets® and the Beach Pockets Umbrella® worldwide. This partnership marks Bravo Sports’ first foray into the beach equipment and accessories market as well as the culmination of nearly a decade of milestones for Seabreeze Products.

Says Armand, “Beach Pockets® and the Beach Pockets Umbrella® are high-quality products that integrate seamlessly into our expanding line of outdoor recreation necessities which already includes many consumer favorite brands such as Quik Shade, Moto Shade, Shade Tech, Quik Shade Décor, and Quik Chair. This partnership provides an incredible entrée into the beach equipment market as well as the opportunity to grow the Beach Pockets® brand through our extensive network of retailers. We look forward to working with Barbara to continue to fulfill her vision for the brand and build on her incredible success.”

"I am delighted with our association with Bravo,” adds Bigford. “Our major product, ‘Beach Pockets®,’ has become a standard for beach umbrellas nationwide by providing protection not only from the sun but also from the dangers of wind-blown umbrellas. The addition of the Seabreeze product line to Bravo’s catalog, with their world-wide distribution channels, will provide an excellent growth opportunity for both companies."

An easy to use product to stop your umbrella from blowing away, Beach Pockets® and the Beach Pockets® Umbrella were created by medical professional, artist and mother of three turned entrepreneur, Barbara Bigford. Patented by Bigford in 2002, Beach Pockets® are designed with three lightweight, collapsible pockets which attach to the umbrella pole via a bracket and retention screw. Just attach Beach Pockets® to the pole, fill the three pockets with sand and then pour the sand back out when you are ready to leave and you’ll never be chasing your umbrella down the beach again!

The Beach Pockets® Umbrella - dubbed “The Million Dollar Umbrella” by Marketwatch - comes with the coordinating Beach Pockets® and features skin-smart fabric that is SPF 50 or SPF 35. Currently available in 7 colors and styles with more options to come, Beach Pockets® can also be attached to the top of the umbrella to hold and protect personal items. Beach Pockets® retail for $19.95 and the Beach Pockets® Umbrella is available for $29.95 - $69.95 depending on fabric and design.

ABOUT SEABREEZE PRODUCTS, INC.
Seabreeze Products, Inc. an emerging manufacturer and distributor of its patented product, Beach Pockets®, has been in business since late 2002, although December 31, 2004 marked its first full year of operations. Over the last two years Seabreeze Products, Inc has grown over 400%. With exponential growth and media exposure including The Beach Pockets® Umbrella being named as the Best Summer Gadget on The View with Barbara Walters, a feature story on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, presentations on QVC, Celebrity Gift to the 2008 Golden Globes and countless newspaper articles around the country, Seabreeze Products, Inc is a real success story.
http://www.beachpockets.com/


ABOUT BRAVO SPORTS
Bravo Sports, headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, California, is a global leader in the recreational and sporting goods markets. With offices, factories and warehouses in the United States, Italy, Thailand and China, the Company’s operations truly span the globe. Since 1965, Bravo has provided the highest quality and most innovative products to sports and outdoor enthusiasts worldwide. With a stable of market-leading brands including Pulse™, Quik Shade™, Moto Shade™, Airzone™, Tony Hawk™, World Industries™, Kryptonics™, Hyper™ and Variflex™ to go along with industry leading licenses with outstanding partners like Nickelodeon, Mattel and Disney, Bravo consistently seeks to exceed the expectations of its consumers and customers alike. At Bravo, the goal is simple – to create simply the best products for price in the world.
http://www.bravosportscorp.com/

Green Guide Network Interviews Mike Einziger of Incubus

Casey Cochran founder of the Green Guide Network just posted an interview with Mike Einziger of Incubus.

Below is a small portion from the interview. To read the full article, click here: http://www.greenguidenetwork.com/interview-detail/Interview-with-Mike-Einziger-of--Incubus-23/

Sep 17 09

Interview with Mike Einziger of Incubus

The California-based, five-piece Incubus, well-known for hit singles that include "Pardon Me," "Drive," "Nice to Know You," and "Wish You Were Here" has been touring this summer to promote their latest compilation "Monuments and Melodies" released June 16. The two-CD set features previously released singles as well as a collection of rarities, B-sides and never released tracks.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with the group's guitarist Mike Einziger at the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco. He spoke candidly about his thoughts on the environment, the group's non-profit The Make Yourself Foundation (MYF), as well as his experiences as a student at Harvard University where he's currently enrolled.

GGN: Since Incubus launched the Make Yourself Foundation (MYF) in 2003 as a non-profit organization, you've raised more than $1.2 million to date and funded a variety of worthwhile causes including Surfrider Foundation, Heal the Bay, Save the Music and Operation Smile, how often do you guys actually link up and talk about which causes to fund?

Mike: We usually talk about which causes to fund when we're on the road touring. It's pretty open, everyone makes suggestions and if someone hears about an organization that could possibly benefit from MYF then we check it out. We don't really have a set schedule for talking about these things.

www.greenguidenetwork.com


GREEN GUIDE NETWORK EXPANDS ULTRA-LOCAL GREEN RESOURCE GUIDE NATIONWIDE

Additional Markets Slated for 2010 + Green Job Board Launching Sept. 15

Laguna Beach, CA – Sept 14, 2009 -- What began in 2006 as the OC Green Guide, an insiders guide to everything “green” in Orange County, CA, has now taken root as a full-scale, ultra-local Green Guide Network nationwide. Providing expanded information on green living and local eco-friendly resources, the site has just launched directories for Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, New York, Dallas, Seattle, Portland, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York and Miami. www.greenguidenetwork.com

The Green Guide Network will also launch the Green Job Board September 15 with plans to expand into no fewer than 10 additional markets in 2010. Already a daily destination for those committed to green living, the Green Guide Network aims to be a thriving online community that can sponsor and support green initiatives worldwide.

“I created the Green Guide Network because I wanted to keep all of my own “green” resources—where to eat, shop, stay in touch with eco-events and news—in one place,” says creator and CEO Casey Cochran. “Then friends and family started contributing their listings. We now have thousands of listings in various cities, all personally recommended.”

Says advisory board member, Mark Christy, "With the increasing scope of services and planned expansion into new geographic regions, Green Guide continues to lead the charge in their commitment to showing each of us how to make this world a better place. I’m grateful to be affiliated with this incredible group of forward thinking entrepreneurs and am confident that this expansion will ultimately yield the “Go To” online resource for like-minded individuals across the Country."

ABOUT THE GREEN GUIDE NETWORK
The Green Guide Network’s grassroots, ultra-local perspective provides specific, up-to-the-minute info on the latest green initiatives, people, products and organizations in each city, including: Environmental Organizations & Events; Local Farmers Markets & Natural Foods Restaurants; Outdoor Sports & Activities; Recycling Centers; Natural Health; Fitness & Body Care; Transportation; Kids, Pets & Family; and Green Homes & Gardens.

The Green Guide Network is an all-inclusive resource and online experience for people looking for honest information about eco-friendly products and services in their local area, as well as information on how to live a greener life including: Daily news briefs on eco-focused businesses; Living green tips; Direct links to many green and health-oriented businesses;A live forum to chat freely with the GGN community; FREE weekly paperless newsletter and the upcoming addition of a nationwide Green Job Board.

ABOUT CASEY COCHRAN/CEO, GREEN GUIDE NETWORK
The Green Guide Network, which originally began as the OC Green Guide in 2006, was created by CEO Casey Cochran. The goal of the Network is to create an ultra-local tool that can spark green living awareness at a very local, grassroots level and help change the mindset of people by making eco-friendly living easy to do.

As one who practices what he preaches, Casey is often turned to as a green expert by the media with features in Orange Coast magazine, Greer’s OC and the Orange County Register.

The Green Guide Network is also guided by an Advisory Board that include such leaders in the green community as Historical preservationist and owner of Hobie Sports Mark Christy, Mary Scott co-author of Companies with a Conscience, entrepreneur and eco-developer Shaheen Sadeghi, CEO of FirmGreen Energy, Steve Wilburn, and CSUF Professor Pamela Steinle among others.

Orange, Orange Orange!

Who doesn't love orange these days? I have always wanted to be brave enough to paint a room (or a least a wall) a dirty but still cheerful orange.

Always on trend, Heather Clawson of Habitually Chic recently posted two stories about using orange - http://habituallychic.blogspot.com/2009/08/orange-you-glad-its-friday.html and http://habituallychic.blogspot.com/2009/08/more-orange.html.

For a local twist, Orange County interior designer, Natalie Umbert of atelier-natalie umbert was just featured in Riviera Interiors magazine in her fabulous orange living room.

Natalie also has a store on Pacific Coast Highway in the beach-chic town of Corona del Mar, which she doubles as a think tank and showroom for her fresh eye, her talent and her latest whims.



Ride the Last Waves of Summer...


Looking for a reason to give surfing a try? A custom Halsea surf board might be the perfect motivation to jump in! Riding the waves in style, lying on the beach or on display in your home, these custom boards are beautiful wet or dry.


Thanks to one of our favorite writers Sarah Newell for this fantastic post on Cookie's Nesting Blog (a great source for design inspiration for the big and little people in your home) about the lastest must-have from Halsea designer Sally Bartz - custom Halsea Surfboards!!




Aloha for now...

And Baby Makes 4...


Not only is the beautiful and talented Alison Sweeney's gorgeous family featured in the latest edition of People Magazine (Aug. 31 issue), but her darling daughter, Megan Hope looks pretty in pink wrapped in her monogrammed Pixie Dust Decor blanket for her completely adorable baby announcement photo!

Check out Miss Megan along with more of 2009's most beautiful celebrity babies and families in People Magazine on stands now!
Visit Pixie Dust Decor.com to view their complete collection - www.pixiedustdecor.com

Holiday gifts from Bravo Sports -Featuring Favorite Characters

Skateboards, Skates, Personal Trampolines and More


“From Disney Fairies to iCarly to Tony Hawk, there is a skateboard for anyone who wants to ride this holiday,” says Bravo Sports Corp CEO Tony Armand. “Skateboarding has become an activity that kids and parents, boys and girls can all enjoy together. It’s great exercise and a fun way to get around the neighborhood.”

One of the world leaders in outdoor rolling fun and action sports products, the Entertainment Licensed skate and skateboard products made by Bravo Sports, retail from $15 to $40. Other hot holiday gifts from Bravo Sports include:

Disney Princesses


Disney Fairies



Disney Cars


iCarly


Toy Story

Bakugan



Camp Rock



Hannah Montana
High School Musical
Hannah Montana

For more information, pricing and hi-res photos, contact: TO Media Co. - Allison@tomediaco.com or Lauren@tomediaco.com

Retro-Extreme For Teens This Holiday

“Retro-inspired rides are the go-to gift for teens this holiday.” Says Tony Armand, CEO of Bravo Sports Corp. “But of course they need to be tweaked for extreme 21st century fun.”

To that end, Bravo Sports presents the all new Pulse Slither ($59.99) drift scooter which brings the fun of surfing, snowboarding and skiing into a street toy with its innovative three wheel technology. Also from Pulse, the 1970’s inspired classic scooter, the Pulse Kick N’ Go ($89.99-$119.99) has been updated with today’s technology for a ripping ride. Bravo Sports also offer a wide selection of skateboards, inline skates and scooters for every age and skill level ($14.99 to $99.99) all featuring extreme graphics and top performance trucks and wheels while the ramps and rails ($29.99 to $99.99) allow kids to try all kinds of tricks in their own front yard. www.bravosportscorp.com

Here are a few HOT holiday gift ideas for teens made by Bravo Sports Corp., one of the world leaders in outdoor rolling fun and action sports products:





Destined to become the latest craze in rolling fun – the ALL NEW Slither Drift Scooter $59.99



1080 Curved Rail $39.99


X Games Kinked Rail -- $59.99




Tony Hawk Birdhouse Skateboards -- Titanium $99.99



Kryptonics Rebel Skateboards -- $24.99



Satellite Skateboards – Wired -- $19.99

Kryptonics Kore Helmets -- $19.99




Kryptonics Launch Ramp -- $29.99-39.99




World Skateboards - PRO -- $79.99/AM -- $49.99-59.99



Variflex Lilly Skate -- $24.99


Variflex Atomic Skate -- $24.99



The Pulse Kick N’ Go Xcelerator in Red/Stinger Yellow -- $119.99

Bravo Sports Corp Easy On The Wallet Holiday Gift Guide

“Giving gifts that are fun, exciting and won’t end up in the back of the closet a week after the holidays does not have to mean you have to spend a lot of money,” says Tony Armand, CEO of Bravo Sports Corp. As one of the world leaders in outdoor rolling fun and action sports products, Bravo’s goal is simple – to create the best products for price in the world.

Here are some holiday gift ideas that won’t break the bank for kids of all ages:

Under $10

OP’s new line of skateboards will be sold at Wal-Mart and retail for $9.99. They will be in stores November.
$10-$25
The $14.99 Kryptonics Locker Board will be sold at Toys R Us. Teens love this skateboard because it is sized to fit in your locker at school.
The 28” Hot Wheels Skateboards $24.99
The new 2-1 Trainer Skates are great for beginners ($24.99). Available at Toys R Us in September, they come in the following themes: Cars and Disney Princesses
$25-$50
The $39.99 Tony Hawk Grom Series skateboards will be available starting in October.
SpongeBob 10th Anniversary skateboards will be sold at Toys R Us starting in October. $29.99

$50 and Up
The easy to ride, three-wheeled Bubble Scooter is safe, stable and fun with kid-controlled bubble action. It will retail for $39.99 and will be sold at Kmart in October.


The all new Pulse Slither ($59.99) drift scooter brings the fun of surfing, snowboarding and skiing into a street toy with its innovative three wheel technology. Go to www.pulseslither.com


SpongeBob + Barbie + Big Anniversaries = Big Holiday Gifts for 2009

“Thanks to the 10th anniversary of the wildly popular cartoon, SpongeBob, and style icon Barbie’s 50th birthday, anything with their images is hot for the holidays.” says Bravo Sports Corp CEO Tony Armand.

As one of the world leaders in outdoor rolling fun and action sports products, Bravo is offering a wide variety of SpongeBob skateboards and boogie boards; as well as Barbie skateboards and skates. http://www.bravosportscorp.com/











7th Annual Queen of Hearts Tennis Tournament

The Event Will Raise Funds For Ovarian Cancer Research At UCI
Newport Beach, CA - 500 tennis players + 7 days of tennis + 1 great band = a fun way to help women all over the world. The 7th annual Queen of Hearts Charity Tennis Tournament and Tux and Tennies party will raise funds for ovarian cancer research at UC Irvine - Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The 7th annual Queen of Hearts Charity Tennis Tournament will be held over two weekends in September (Sept. 4,5,6,7 and Sept. 11,12,13) at the Newport Beach Tennis Club. The Tux and Tennies Party will be held on Sat., September 12 from 6:30 to 10:00pm.

All proceeds from the tournament and party will be donated to develop the Queen of Hearts Ovarian Cancer Laboratory at Sprague Hall at the Chao Family Cancer Center at University of California, Irvine. The Queen of Hearts Ovarian Cancer Laboratory will support research on the “whispering killer”. Currently, there is no early detection test for ovarian cancer.

Vic Braden and Gail Glascow are this year’s honorary chairs, while Heidi Stryker will be honored with the Bill Ruhle Leadership Award. Dennis Claus, the Tournament Chair, and Kim Beaudette, the Co-Chair, are expecting over 500 of people to participate in the tournament.

Tux and Tennies Party:
· Party-goers at the Newport Beach Tennis Club will be dressed in combinations of tuxedos and tennis attire. There will be a casino, dinner donated by Capistrano’s Restaurant and live entertainment provided by the Dave Silver Band.

· Tickets for the Tux and Tennies party are $50 per person and free for those who are playing in the tournament.

The Queen of Hearts Tennis Tournament will consist of Singles and Doubles Play.
· For one entry, tickets to participate in the tournament are $50 per person for singles and $100 per team for doubles.

· It is FREE to watch the tennis.

· The tournament will feature different levels of play from 3.0 to Open Division, including men’s doubles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles, men’s singles, women’s singles and a century division (where your ages add up to 100). All levels of experience are welcome.


· The OPEN divisions will be competing for over $10,000.00 in prize money. Additionally, all players will receive a player gift and an invitation to the Tux and Tennies Party on September 12 at the Newport Beach Tennis Club.

For more tournament information or to purchase tickets for the Tux and Tennis Party, please contact 714.744.3414.

The Queen of Hearts Foundation is a premier non-profit organization that was started in 2000 after the three founding members lost their mother Ann S. Dobbie to ovarian cancer, just five months after being diagnosed. The organization has raised around $1 million while working toward the goal that one-day ovarian cancer screening will be routine and the disease treatable. Queen of Hearts can be contacted by calling 714.744.3414 or by logging on to the foundation’s website at www.qohfoundation.org.
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BRAVO SPORTS JOINS TO: MEDIA CO. CLIENT ROSTER

Townsend Olmstead Media Co. to Provide PR and Communications Services
to Outdoor Recreation Manufacturing Giant

Costa Mesa, CA -- Townsend Olmstead Media Co., a partnership between PR veterans Lauren Townsend and Allison Olmstead, is proud to announce their newest client, Bravo Sports Corp. TO: Media Co. will provide public relations and communications services to the outdoor recreation manufacturing giant focused on its proprietary brands and corporate communications as well as lend additional promotional support for their complete catalog of products.

As the global leader in the action sports retail and outdoor recreation industries, Bravo Sports’ singular goal is to create the best products for the best price in the world. Manufacturing over 2000 products used by children and families worldwide, Bravo Sports boasts a stable of cutting-edge brands including Pulse™, Quik Shade™, Moto Shade™, Airzone™, Tony Hawk™, World Industries™, Kryptonics™, Hyper™ and Variflex™ in addition to licenses with outstanding partners such as Disney, Nickelodeon, Mattel and the Cartoon Network.

The Bravo Sports catalog includes a broad array of products in a variety of niche categories including instant canopies, trampolines, skateboards, scooters, in-line skates and related products and accessories.

A truly global company, Bravo Sports headquarters is located in Santa Fe Springs, California, with additional offices, factories and warehouses in Italy, Thailand and China. Since 1965, Bravo has provided the highest quality and most innovative products to sports and outdoor enthusiasts worldwide. Bravo consistently seeks to exceed the expectations of its consumers and customers alike through the development and introduction of cutting edge, innovative products that raise industry standards and set trends worldwide.
www.bravosportscorp.com

About TO: Media Co.
Townsend Olmstead Media Co. is a full-service public relations firm specializing in promoting the people and products setting trends and defining style. Through strategic media outreach, creative positioning, personalized attention and a comprehensive “big picture” approach to clients, TO: Media Co. has been providing first-class public relations and communications services to entrepreneurs and trend setters in the fashion, accessories and luxury lifestyle industries since 2006.

Additional information about TO Media Co. and its services is available www.tomediaco.com.

Inquiries about Townsend Olmstead Media Co. and their clients can be addressed to either Lauren Townsend or Allison Olmstead at media@tomediaco.com or by calling 949/722-8488.

OUTSTANDING PRODUCT - STROLLER SUSPENDERS WINS IPARENTING AWARD





Stroller Suspenders was just honored with an iParenting Award for 2009 Outstanding Product! http://iparentingmediaawards.com/winners/24/28110-9-293.php

Stroller Suspenders were made for the mom on-the-go. Really, what mom isn’t?! It is an easy to use, innovative patent pending strap and clip that is designed to secure a baby blanket in a position to cover the stroller for warmth, shade or privacy.

As the latest “must have” product for moms and babies manufactured by Omma, Stroller Suspenders will protect both baby and their special blankets. The Basic Series, $9.99, is available at Baby Depot stores nationwide and on http://www.mom4life.com/. The Designer Series, featuring six decorative patterns, retails for $18.00 and is available on http://www.strollersuspenders.com/.

IPARENTING AWARDSANNOUNCE OUTSTANDING PRODUCTS OF 2009 We are pleased to announce the winners of the iParenting Awards Outstanding Products of 2009. Please click the link below to view the products honored with an iParenting Award: http://iparentingmediaawards.com/winners/index.php
To be considered for an iParenting Award, companies submitted four identical samples of each product that were precisely matched using iParenting's state-of-the-art technology to experienced reviewers within iParenting's database. Products were thoroughly reviewed and evaluated by a variety of sources including experts and families. Results were compiled and submitted to the iParenting Executive Committee for final approval.iParenting Awards, a Disney Interactive Media Group property, is part of the Disney Online Mom and Family Portfolio, which includes Disney Family.com, FamilyFun.com, PregnancyToday.com and BabiesToday.com. iParenting Awards is the leading family products evaluation program that is committed to helping parents make informed decisions as they choose products for their families. The iParenting Awards’ method for testing and evaluating products requires review by leading experts, parents and childcare providers, and each product is evaluated on numerous attributes such as quality, durability, age-appropriateness and play value, among many others. The iParenting Awards producttesting and evaluation practices ensure that the highest quality products offering the best value for families are recognized in the marketplace. To view iParenting Awards Top Product Picks, consumers can visit www.family.com/products. They can learn about all iParenting Award-winning products by visiting http://iparentingmediaawards.com/winners.

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To view the complete Stroller Suspenders line, for more information or photos, please contact: TO Media Co. - http://www.blogger.com/Allison@tomediaco.com– http://www.blogger.com/Lauren@tomediaco.com - 949.722.8488