Pro motocross racer Josh Hansen made an appearance on last night's finale of "The Hills." He even got to lay down a few moves at the Kawasaki track in preparation for the upcoming Summer X Games in LA.
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Rachel Canis, president of Chicago-based "dating concierge" Best Foot Forward, will appear on NBC's newest reality series, "The Match Off," airing this Saturday after SNL. On the show, Rachel's dating expertise will be put to the test, as she competes against matchmaker PJ Osgood to find "Mr. Right" for an eligible single woman. Checkout this trailer, where the bachelorette explains why being single is like an STD:
Props to Russell for using his mega-celebrity status to draw attention to such an important cause. Amigo would be proud!
Skins of the Season
Linda Masquefa Scours the World for Handbag Inspiration and Materialsby Dani Smith
At one point in time, Linda Masquefa was the CEO of a finance company. Today, the Newport Beach resident is the designer of an exclusive handbag line with no more than five bags per design produced. From crocodile and python to stingray and ostrich leg, her evening minaudières (box clutches) are handcrafted using only the finest materials and most exotic skins. With a strong rapport for luxury, uniqueness and style, a Linda Masquefa handbag is the epitome of glamour. Available locally at Marque in Laguna Beach and online, they are the perfect accessory for a night out or trip abroad.
944: What sparked the change from finance company CEO to handbag designer?
LINDA MASQUEFA: I was vacationing in Central and South America a few years back and my travels took me to a small crocodile farm in Panama. I became infatuated with these exotic animals and I had a sudden urge to somehow capture their amazing essence. Design was the most natural channel for me.
944: How did your new career begin?
LM: When I came back from my trip, I started researching the use of exotic skins in fashion and realized that there really weren’t any U.S.-based handbag designers working exclusively with skins. My business partner and I decided that this was the perfect niche for my vision.
944: Why do you choose to use such exotic skins?
LM: To me, exotic skins epitomize luxury and exclusivity. They convey a certain spirit that just can’t be expressed with “ordinary” materials. And as I said, skins really don’t have much of a presence here in the States.
944: Where do you draw inspiration from?
LM: From my life! Everything from my travels to remarkable people I meet to exquisite works of art. Nature will always be a huge inspiration to me as well.
944: What designers do you wear?
LM: I have an extremely eclectic style so it all depends on my mood and where I’m going. As far as accessories, my favorite designer is Gladys Villareal. I also love the young, edgy-but-chic look of classic contemporary designers like Marc Jacobs. (read more...)
EKC client Josh Hansen made his big debut on "The Hills" last night! Just in case you missed it, you can catch the full episode here:
CONSISTENTLY HANSEN
By BJ Smith
When considering the entirety of the supercross and motocross schedules many riders keep in a season the Moto X Super X final is a mere moment; it's a thrilling 20 lap 'blip' on one hot summer afternoon in Los Angeles. For two consecutive years those 20 laps were all Josh Hansen had to his name. Until 2010, living for the moment was the best way to describe Hansen's nine year professional racing career.
Dom Cooley/Shazamm/ESPN ImagesGold medalist, Josh Hansen in the Moto X Super X Final at X Games 15.
Hansen's story is well known. He's the talented son of a former AMA Supercross and motocross champion who learned the hard way that talent alone doesn't win races and championships. Despite annihilating the Super X field in 2008 on a bike and team he'd hastily scrapped together, Hansen spent the next 11 months jumping around to different teams and borrowed bikes before he finally found himself in a position where he didn't even want to ride motorcycles. "It's an eye opener when you know you've reached rock bottom," Hansen said. Comparing his life today with one year ago, Hansen said he had nothing.
As the defending gold medalist, Hansen knew being competitive would be tough because the only bike he owned on July 1, 2009 was a clapped out KX450 that surfing legend Sunny Garcia had given him. Two weeks before the '09 X Games Hansen went to Pro Circuit to beg for a pipe and silencer for his beater ride and hit up owner Mitch Payton for help. Payton, the manager of Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki, the most powerful non-factory team in racing shocked Josh by calling him back the following week. He was given a bike and full team support for the X Games and the X Games only. Beyond that, Payton promised, he was back on the street.
Hansen repeated in '09 for another gold medal, a win as shocking as his performance a year earlier. Payton kept "Lil Hanny" on the Pro Circuit lineup but made him sweat a little by waiting until the fall to officially offer a racing deal for the 2010 AMA Supercross season. Hansen hasn't been the same since. Maybe it was hitting 'rock bottom' earlier in the summer or maybe it was the intimidation of riding under the eye and on the equipment of the best in the championship business but something happened after XG '09, something that took until the age of 25 to find -- consistency.
"I haven't been doing anything new or revolutionary," he said. "It's been as simple as being consistent with my training, my schedule and actually having goals. I even started doing motos at the practice track, something I'd never done in the past." The 2010 SX West Lites season was his best since he tied Grant Langston for the championship back in 2005. Early on he struggled with minor injuries but the year ended with a win in Utah and a second place in the East/West shootout, a race that combines the top riders from each of the two regions in the country. (read more...)
