06.14.08
I just got back from the Kanye West/Lupe Fiasco/Rihanna/NERD concert - it changed my life. The passion that Kanye has for music is inspirational to me on many levels. NERD's new album, Seeing Sounds (now in stores), is also providing some motivation for next season. The Season 3 stuff is coming along great, we're just finishing up some graphics for the new Curve boot (which will be Stephanie Ghentz' PRO model.. not Diamond Walker's, like some of you are speculating) and the Backspin wheels (the web site for Backspin will come soon, by the way... not exactly sure what we want to do with it yet, though.)
Stephanie, Jen, Brandon, and Nate are getting ready for WSA Nationals in July at Orbit Skate Center outside of Chicago. I hope to see every one of you there. If you've never been to a national event, there is no time like the present. Gas prices will only get higher next year. DON'T PUT IT OFF! If you can only make it for one day of the event, make sure you come on Sunday, when all the top level skaters compete.
05.22.08
The Remix Wheels by Backspin are now available in black and white! Get yours before they are gone for the summer. More coming this fall.
We've got some ill footy being uploaded right now to the Jamskating Videos section of JamskatingOnline.com from WSA Regionals in Indiana. Diamond and Tony are so dope... we need to pay them more.
I'd also like to welcome Brandon Perora to the Vanilla Amateur Team - if you think you've got what it takes to get on Vanilla, beat Brandon in a battle and we'll add you right then. This is an official challenge.
The semi-final Vanilla Curve samples just got done yesterday - sickest pair of skates ever... it's over. We're keeping them on lockdown until they are released - we've been having some issues with the skate paparazi lately (by the way, if you see pictures on the net of me in some Riedell's, I was just trying them on!)
Outta here, later!
05.07.08
Wow... 2 months.. just like that. What can I say, we've just been on the grind.
Tony Zane, Diamond Walker, and Jordan McQuiston are all gearing up for a busy summer. They did some NBA shows, a show for Baby Bash, and will be doing the Donna Summers tour in June. We've put plans to move on hold until this fall when everything settles down. Jordan is also hard at work on his debut album.
Since Alex won't be moving right away this summer, he's coming up to La Crosse, WI to teach the kids how to skate at High Roller Skating Center. Besdies being a ton of fun for the kids, it'll be a great test to see how bringing a sponsored jamskater will effect the climate of a skate center.
Steph's back in college (for real this time) and working on her nationals routine. Check out the pictures of her from our photoshoot(s) in April at in the JamskatingOnline Photos section or the Vanilla Skate Company MySpace.
Jen and her Jamskating Entertainment crew just got back from Guatamala doing a huge show with Coke and the rink there. She's got some crazy stuff planned for the near future. She's also hard at work on the new JamskatingOnline promo dvd that will be included with all the Vanilla/Backspin products.
Nate has been working on his regionals routine non-stop and Lonna is lamping, enjoying her high school years.
The Backspin Remix wheels arrive in two weeks with a ton more coming over the summer. These are the best wheels I've ever skated on (yeah, I'm probably a little biased.) Last but not least, I've finally decided on a name for one of the new high end footwear designs being released this fall - The Vanilla Curve... peace!
03.11.08
Want to learn to jamskate? Check out Jen Leslie's Learn to Jamskate series of jamskate DVDs. Learn to Jamskate also has a new MySpace at myspace.com/learntojamskate. Check it out!
Jen and I are teaming up for a Tony Zane jamskating commerical (featuring the Breaksk8 / America's Best Dance Crew star himself) and a JamskatingOnline commerical. You'll be able to catch these commericals in the Learn to Jamskate videos and in the trailer DVD in every box of Backspin Wheels
03.11.08
The art section is finally starting to come together! Check it out!
03.10.08
Got this message this weekend from one of our good friends, Chris Mac from ATL. He had this to say about the new Backspin Remix wheels: Click Here to Listen
Want to make your voice heard? Call us at 1-800-714-4628 and leave a message about our awesome products so we can put it right here in the updates section. You can also leave a message for Tony Zane (or anyone else on the team), or get put straight through to Jordan McQuiston.
In other news, I just finished the design for the last of our three new footwear models coming out this fall. Diamond will have 'The Elite', Jordan will have a new PRO model boot, and so will Steph! Season 3 looks like it will be a blast.
03.06.08
Sick as usual: Tony Zane, Diamond Walker, Jordan McQuiston, Jessy Nice, Shannon Anthony
03.03.08
Just got off the phone with Tony - he says Usher's choreographer loves their new routine for America's Best Dance Crew. This is a good opportunity to plug Tony Zane's web site at www.tonyzane.com or www.datmanzane.com.
In wheel news, we are getting some great feedback on the Backspin Remix wheels. We have been testing these since last year and we're all really psyched about the compound and hub. The website for Backspin Wheels will be online soon - expect to see wheels in about a month. They are definitely worth the wait.
03.02.08
The new Official Vanilla Sizing Chart is now available. - Click Here to Download (PDF)
Also, everything is back in stock (for footwear)!
03.01.08
So cold..
02.28.08
Excited yet?
02.21.08
02.20.08
New Vanilla t-shirts available at www.jamskatingonline.com! Go check it out!
02.14.08
Happy V-Day! Check out this sweet new trailer vid (below) for the Jamskating Entertainment crew (which includes two of our sponsored skaters, Stephanie Ghentz and the PYT herself, Jen Leslie. JamskatingENT will be in Pratt, KS this weekend for a rink/halftime show.
In America's Best Dance Crew news, I talked to Tony, Jordan, and Jessy a couple days ago. They are working hard on their new routine, which includes a lot more dancing. Be sure to watch MTV at 10EST to catch their performance for this week.
As for product news, our latest production run of boots is almost done. It will be shipping to distributors in about two weeks. We fixed the sizes (FINALLY!!!) so that they are exactly equal to Riedell sizes. (Speaking of which, I hear Riedell changed all their lasts to make them wider... hmm I wonder where they got that great idea.) We also made the new boots even softer. [For those of you looking for wheels, we have discontinued the Vanilla wheel line so that we could just focus on footwear. I hear there is a new company coming in about two months with some wicked new urethane...]
02.07.08
CLICK HERE TO VOTE ON MTV!
America's Best Dance Crew was crazy tonight! Check out the video! Help us out by voting.
01.26.07
WATCH HERE OR CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD!
We were on MTV! Tony, Diamond, and our skate designer Jordan were on MTV today for America's Best Dance Crew! Watch the video above! (Beware, it's a large file, but totally worth it!
12.26.07
Jen Leslie (the PYT herself!) will be at Adventure World Skate Center in Christiansburg, VA on (THIS) Saturday, December 29th! Go skate with her!
12.24.07
The numbers are in! The Tony Zane Freestyle is officially the fastest selling high end quad boot of all time.
We are currently sold out of the Tony Zane Freestyle and all of our black Uprock wheels.
The black Uprock wheels won't be coming back, but the Tony Zane Freestyle will be back in stock in March 2008, and will continue to be in stock for all of 2008.
From everyone at Vanilla, have a happy holiday season!
(BTW, if you are out and about, pick up Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool" now in stores - best album of 2007.)
12.10.07
This is so funny, I had to take a screen shot of it for you to really beleive it. (It's a MySpace message from Jen Leslie (PYT) herself.)
Reminds me of Rob Dyrdek (the skateboarder) - "You already know baby, it's Bobby Light..."
12.06.07
Check out our Graphic Desiger / Offical Tradeshow guy, Brendan Pettit, at UJSTA Winter Nationals last weekend. Click the link above to check out Brendan's video on the new Jamskating Online - you'll have to register but it is SO worth it.
I just got a call from Jim at RC Sports today - he say's stock levels on the Tony Zane Freestyle are getting pretty low. Get yours while you can - he said they will be sold out by the end of the month.
12.01.07
New web site... what do you think? You love it don't you? Yeeahh you do..
Our last shipment of the season arrives next Friday - the newest edition of the Black Freestyle, Black/Pink Freestyle, Black Classic, and Black Express boots. No more wheels for the season - we're working on some new compounds/hubs.
Tony Zane Freestyle's are just about sold out.. forever. Tony is already working on the Tony Zane Freestyle for 2009.
Should we keep the Black/Pink Freestyle for next season? Let us know!
11.04.07
We'd like to wish Anton Strickland well in the future. Anton was our first sponsored skater and is now settling down and starting a family. He can never be replaced.
In a related note, all Sponsor-Me vids need to be uploaded to Jamskating.TV.
09.26.07
Work, work, work - in one way or another, that is was September has been about.
MC and I finished the quality control on the new black Vanilla wheels - all colors available now. These are definitely some awesome wheels.
Tony and I have been talking a lot lately; his NBA show season is starting up and he's working on his UJSTA Winter Nationals routine.
Diamond Walker is chilling with his girl in their new apartment. He's got a cell phone now, too (courtesy of Vanilla.)
Steph is on the grind and looking for a job in esthniticiary medicine. Homegirl has a brain too.. who knew? Steph is also working on her new footwear design, due out next summer.
Anton is back at school for his senior year - ready to get outta there. Anton, along with everyone else, will be heading to the RC SPorts tradeshow in a few weeks. If you will be in the Kansas City area October 13th or 14th, check us out at Winnwood Skate Center.
Jen is rediculously busy; that's all there is to it. She won't even make it to the tradeshows with us. :-( She is doing a bunch of shows with her crew, Jamskating Entertainment, though. Check that out at www.jamskatingent.com
Jordan is still at Subaru and still making beats. He'll be with us at the tradeshows this year. Watch for some new Jordan-inspired designs next summer.
Andrea is starting school in November. She is also managing Sparkles of Kennesaw and answering (or pretending to answer) all the calls like usual.
I'm going to be in China for a handful of months starting January 1st and I won't be there alone (assuming Jordan can get his passport in time.) Jordan and I are going to sightsee and work on our Chinese (ni hao!).
Vanilla is moving June 1st, 2008 to the LA area. Check out new song on www.vanillaskateco.com, our MySpace, and our 800 number (yes.. it plays on our 800 number as on hold music.)
08.27.07
Summer is so... over. The RSA convention is this week in Vegas - and we won't be there.. but our products definitely will. If you are attending, check out the booths by SouthEastern Skate Supply and RC Sports.
We're currently in production for the fall/winter line of skates - a new shipment of all white Freestyle's (currently sold out) will arrive November 1st; everything else should arrive December 1st.
Andrea is working on the clothing line with the help of an Atlanta based fashion company.
Everyone on the PRO team seems to be on the grind lately; most of them are working two jobs to save up for our move to Corona next year.
Nate is working on his BMX ish; props to Nate.
Lonna is starting freshman year in high school (the hardest year) and skating here and there.
Alex is on that Little Caesars tip with Zane and Mike Williams.
Jordan is preparing for a Pall Wall show in Kokomo and working like 50 hours a week at Subaru.
I've been grooving wheels and working on new footwear designs - new samples arrive tomorrow; be on the lookout for some serious ish in 08.
Check out the new track - a song you won't hear too many places..
07.06.07
I added a new track for you guys - I'm really feeling this one, especially after being in Chicago for Tony Zane's new poster photo shoot.
We did the photo on the roof of the Omni Hotel - pretty radical. Look for his poster in every single box of Tony Zane series boots coming this fall sometime.
You guys can also get posters anytime for free! Drop us an e-mail or give us a call and we will ship them out for free.
See you all at WSA Jamskating Nationals in two weeks!
05.24.07
Holy cow time flies! Well, regionals was crazy - check out the videos, results, and placements at www.jamskatingonline.com
Nate Wright straight killed it... You need to see it to believe it.
Diamond and Anton had to compete in doubles for a spot at nationals - seeing as they got 2nd last year and didn't go pro... yeah.. whatever. They crushed though - check their vid out too.
Got some new pictures of Tony and his long hair... it seems like everyone is growing it out?
Also added a fresh track for you guys.
Check us out at UJSTA Natz on June 8th - free stuff !!
04.30.07
Stephanie posted a funny (I think) blog about here skates on her mySpace:
blog.myspace.com/lovinsteph
Also, I meant to ask you guys: What do you think of the new default music track?
Call Andrea at 1-800-714-4628 x2 - tell her how you like the track (or how you like the web site... or how you love the smell of your skates... whatever.) Anyway, call Andrea and hit her up for some free stuff - we're giving out FREE wristbands, beanies, and posters to the people that call - but you better be entertaining.
If she doesn't pick up (in which case we will be firing her :-) ) just leave a message. If it's funny, we may use you in one of our new videos.
04.27.07
Haha, Stephanie Ghentz (our sponsored skater) got her skates stolen last night at a rink in Tampa, FL. Best part about it - Steph was waiting for her new Vanillas and was skating on her old Riedells... all busted and everything. Our condolances go out to Steph for the loss...
Meanwhile, looks like the new shipment of Freestyle 2.0s will be here in the end of May/beginning of June. They come in limited quantities for summer, so grab them when you can!
04.07.07
Well, samples of Tony and Jordan's new boots came in - I'll have pictures up soon. Our new wheel samples also came in. Black wheel with red hub... Yes.. red hub. High res pics coming soon - products will be released sometime in May.
03.29.07
Jordan and Andrea got back from the photo shoot in Florida and the shots look great! Be on the lookout for Jenn and Stephanie posters soon! We will be putting a poster in every skate box from now on - so expect a post when you get your boots.
Also, Tony was in a serious car accident Tuesday of this week - he's okay, but he needs everyone's support to get better. Leave him a comment on MySpace at www.myspace.com/tonyzane.
03.15.07
Tony and Jordan are working on their new skate designs, set to debut this summer at Jamskating Nationals. We're also planning the Vanilla Back to School Bash for sometime in August at Valley Skate Zone, in Kentucky. Mark one or all of your calendars!
03.13.07
We have definitely gotten a great response from the new website! Thanks for everyone that sent messages/commented on our MySpace - www.myspace.com/vanillaskateco.
Also, we doubled the resolution on VanillaStyle.com, so now all you guys can see Stephanie Ghentz with even GREATER clarity... Yes.. exciting.
Oh yeah, and if you live in FL, keep a look out for Andrea and Jordan - they will be down shooting advertising campaigns for Steph and Jen.
03.03.07
Welcome to the new VanillaSkateCo.com! We've definitely upgraded from the old site.
We also added a new PRO skater, Jennifer Leslie, and started the Vanilla Amateur team (AM team) with Lonna Kissling, Nate Wright, and Alex Landeros. Check out their bios in the team section!
03.01.07
Pictures of our new product line (available this May) are out and about! Check out the product section for the juicy info, or checkout www.vanillastyle.com for the high resolution images!