Surf Boutiquettiquette...

Andre was quick on the camera draw and caught us in the headlights.

GG, Amy and I stopped in at the opening of Surfindian surf boutique. We had been playing on the sand in P.B. and were about to stop into Taco Surf for dinner when we saw the hubbub across the street. It was classic San Diego Surf Scene stuff. There were the self-conscious scenesters in try-too-hard get up. There were mysto dudes sitting in corners, pondering navels. There were beautiful sun-kissed California surfer girls. There were legendary watermen and craftsmen. I, of course, enjoyed the spectacle but was a little uncomfortable with the crowd. I grew up about four blocks north of the Surfindian. It's weird how when I was 12 the surf shops were all mom and pop joints. Southcoast was three different shops, not a conglomerate. There were no "mall shops". Now there are surf art shops! The money'd middle aged surfistas must be in heaven. I was an art history major in college. Besides making me virtually without marketable skill in the job market it also gave me a lot of experience dealing with art scenesters. Here's hoping that surf art will develop more art and less scene. I hope that Surfindian brings in some beautiful boards so that I can fondle the rails and wince at their pricetags. GG liked the boards, paintings and gave Skip a hi-five. I wonder what PB will be like when he's thirty...