I had to do a feature on this thing because every time I bring it out people want to know all about it. Not to long ago I got my hands on the incredible JAMBOX put out by Jawbone, and now I bring it everwhere. It is a wireless speaker that connects to you phone, iPad, computer, you name it via Bluetooth. This little thing packs a punch with crisp sound, a good amount of bass, and not to mention… it simply looks great. It has an internal battery that seems to last forever, but when it does run low you simply plug it in to recharge. And when you are wirelessly connected from your phone and have an incoming call, it will not only tell you who is calling, but you simply have to press a button on the Jambox to answer and it functions as a speakerphone.

This thing is small enough to fit in a purse and has put me to sleep while camping, kept me company while sitting under a tree drinking coffee in a park, and entertained on a late night ride home in a cab when I didn’t want the party to end. It is especially good when you are watching movies on your computer and you want a louder/higher quality sound. Enough about my ranting, go get one for yourself… worth every penny.

To get a better idea of what this thing is capable of check out the video after the jump, as well as a few more shots of places I have gone with the Jambox.

The guys over at SLVDR recently released their 2012 Fall/Holiday collection teaser… and it involves photography and Yosemite National Park so of course I was into it. Watch their video above and see more product shots after the jump. I’ve seen their clothing up close and personal, and their attention to detail is amazing, definitely worth checking out for yourself.  And in case you missed it make sure you check out the video for their Fall collection shot along a road trip I was apart of.

The other night I had the chance to get a sneak peek at Chad Muska’s new Los Angeles art space, Flat425, which is currently functioning as Muska’s studio and a showcase for his latest body of work titled “Deconstructionism”. As the name suggests, all the pieces are based around breaking down materials and reconstructing them to create something new. Which seems to reflect what Muska is going through in his own life. For example one of the pieces is six months worth of shredded information dumped on a canvas and soaked in resin. It is a work in progress in which new pieces are constantly being added, and well… probably destroyed. If you happen to be in the LA area and would like to take a look for yourself you can make an appointment at info@flat425.com. To keep track of what is currently happening inside the studio you can check out the Flat425 Facebook page or Chad Muska’s page.

More photos after the jump…

The Camera Cooler

Adventure-based brand, Poler recently dropped their first round of summer stuff including 4 different bags, a Mizu water bottle, and a slew of new tees. One item I am particularly excited about is “The Camera Cooler”. I’m normally stuck with a big backpack when lugging camera gear around, but this smaller bag allows you to fit an SLR and a camera lens inside without the extra bulk… perfect for mini photo missions. Don’t shoot photos? Well the bag also doubles as an cooler, conveniently holding a six-pack. Get a look at more of their new product after the jump and head to PolerStuff.com to check out the rest of their gear and get your fill of #campvibes.

There are a lot of people who tell me how nice it must be to have a job that allows me to travel so much. I will admit, the travel is definitely is a perk… but it is still a job. As the online editor for Snowboarder Magazine, I bounce from mountain to mountain covering snowboarding… but the thing is, the snow looks the same in Colorado as it does Austria, Chile, Japan, or any other far off ski destination. What I am saying is that if I didn’t make a point to get out and explore, then everywhere I traveled for work would all feel the same… a hotel room, a mountain, some form of trees, snow, and snowboarders throwing themselves off features. When I went to Austria I didn’t want it to just fall into that routine.

More after the jump.

I used to be opposed to “iPhone Photography” before I actually owned an iPhone. I thought it made the whole photo process from shooting, to editing, to sharing way too easy. Now I am a fan, mainly because of Instagram… it is addicting. But recently while scrolling through my Tumblr I stumbled upon this iPhone Rangefinder case. I hate to hate… but there is a certain point where you should just give in and buy an actual camera. If you need to spend $100 on a case to make your phone look like an old school camera, that is a bit over the top.

More looks and info after the jump.

Upcoming on February 24th I have a few friends featured in a massive art show entitled “These Friends Three” at the THIS Los Angles gallery. If you happen to be in the area I highly recommend coming out for the opening from 7-10PM at the gallery on 5906 N. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA. With over 100 artist featured including Any Mueller, KC Ortiz, Pose, Chris Pastras, Steven Harrington, Travis Millard, Natas Kaupas, Mike Perry, Jared Eberhardt, Geoff McFetridge, Cleon Peterson, Chris Bettig, and many many more there is bound to be something you find interesting. Check out the Facebook event page for more info.

So my mom called me from Vermont almost in tears letting me know that her friend John, who runs a local tea shop “Vermont Liberty Tea“, is going through some tough times. During Hurricane Irene that hit the east coast pretty hard, his tea shop, where he blends his own teas himself, was flooded with about 2 feet of standing water. As you can imagine water and loose tea aren’t a good mix if you didn’t intend them to. This natural disaster forced him to move his shop out of the building and put him out of commission during his normal busy season over the holidays. Now that he finally has his shop up and running again, but it is back in the slow season for the area, and as you can imagine is making things a little tough on him.

His shop in boxes after the storm.

I normally wouldn’t do a post about like this, but I myself have gone into his shop several times to buy tea. John has always been a very happy go lucky guy who is very passionate about his craft. It would be very sad to hear that this guy went out of business from something completely out of his control. And since I have access to different media outlets I figured I would reach out to all of you suggesting that you head over to his online store and purchase some tea. Not into some tea yourself? Pass the link on to a friend/family member that is…. or if you are feeling generous buy some for that person yourself and surprise them with it. This isn’t just an act of charity, you end up with some delicious tea in the end.

Thanks for listening to my spiel.

-Laura

This past new years my friend Jared and I decided to do things a little differently, we set out on a five-day road trip from Salt Lake City, UT to Big Sur, CA. Along the way Jared had to shoot a video for this clothing company, SLVDR, so we made frequent stops at anything that looked remotely interesting. Which was perfect for me because while he was doing his thing, I wandered off with my camera glued to my eyeball. Making only one overnight stop in San Francisco, we spent the rest of the nights in a cabin at Big Sur. Besides coming down with food poisoning on New Years Eve, which put us both down for the count that night… it was a pretty amazing trip, Big Sur had been on my list of places to go for quite a while.

Check out my photos and Jared’s video after the jump… they will tell the rest of the story.

I have always admired Thomas Campbell’s work. But the last line of this video from The Standard Hotel really struck a cord with me. “Are you having fun?!” Something I think anyone trying to pursue a career should think about.