Issue 4

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HELLO, NEW YORK.
The East Coast has been through a lot lately. Hurricane Sandy devastated much of the New York and New Jersey coastline, leaving us — and the amazing, dedicated, and brave many — picking up the pieces of the areas we know, love, and surf in. That’s why we felt it was more important than ever to bring you Issue 4 of The Usual, our “Bowery and Beyond” edition, to highlight our humble, strong and vibrant surf scene. After the storm, watching friends, neighbors, and strangers rally to rebuild, we’re more proud than ever to call New York home. And even though the debate lives on over whether New Jersey or Rockaway breeds gnarlier surfers, whether Long Beach has the best waves, or if Montauk has the cutest boys and makes the best lobster rolls; at the end of the day, we’re all one united East Coast surf community.

On the following pages, we start on the Bowery, where our favorite company Patagonia will take over the old CBGB gallery to open their first East Coast surf store in early 2013. Just like CBGB’s nurtured New York’s alternative music culture, Patagonia’s shop will be a hub for surfers— the misfits of the global brand. We bring you Mike D, one third of the legendary Beastie Boys, who reached iconic Empire State status not long after playing CBGB’s for the first time; and photographer Roberta Bayley who captured many a rock star at the iconic venue. She shares her day at Coney Island with Joey Ramone, showing us his sporty side. We interview the Malloy Brothers, who epitomize Patagonia’s spirit and commitment to the environment, and who all agree their wives make better farmers than the three of them combined. We ask Kim Diggs, an Outer Banks, NC surf pro, about her first time in the Big Apple; and Balaram Stack, who at last year’s QuikPro in Long Beach showed the world (what we knew all along) that the Atlantic breeds dedicated, and slightly crazier groms. We check out what it looks like—both in and out of the water—to surf in New York from photographer Zak Bush, and writer Malcolm Johnson’s perspectives. Dan Ross, also a Patagonia ambassador, talks about saving our oceans, one plastic bottle at a time.

We hope you enjoy reading about the individuals on the Bowery and beyond as much as we enjoyed talking to them. And if not, at least you’ll have 16 pages of kindling for your fireplace this winter.