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Dexter travels around the world

Dexter and Stan Smith

Dexter and the Shoe Surgeon

Dexter working in his brand new studio

Some months ago, I was privileged to meet Dexter The Creator.

You knew Dexter, the dude from the tv show who is cutting people in pieces and spreading them the puzzle-way.

You also heard of the Tyler The Creator, who is famous for being an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, music video director and fashion designer.

But do you know Dexter The Creator?

After this interview you will know everything about him!

Dexter is best know for his creative deconstruction/reconstruction of sneakers … all the sneakers … from the Stan Smith to the Air Jordan.

Dexter, tell us more about your background? How did you passion for sneakers started?

I was always into cool sneakers, a lot of them started off as hand me downs but then, I really got into them when I got into skateboarding in the 5th grade!

I started collecting SB’s a couple every now and then since I was young I wasn’t buying a lot of shoes.

We get it, you love sneakers, but how did you go from loving/collecting to creating sneakers?

After the Nike SB’s I started getting into Jordan’s.

It started with the Jordan 1’s then came the 3’s I was hooked!

I kept collecting as time went on.

I started working throughout highschool which helped a lot. Then at the end of senior year into my freshman year of college I was into fashion and really started to customize and change things up.

I started replacing my Nike swooshes with Louis Vuitton, Gucci , Goyard etc.

That led me down a path to where I took a 3 day sneaker class with The Shoe Surgeon.

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Dexter and the Shoe Surgeon

A month later I was working alongside him taking everything in!

I worked with him for about 10 months then ventured off to start my own bespoke service business.

How many sneakers do you own?

I have roughly about 65 pairs of sneakers!

What’s the most iconic sneakers for you?

The most iconic sneaker for me is the Jordan 1 (Bred) as it truly was the sneaker to really change the game, it set new limits for sneakers themselves.

Without this shoe who knows where sneakers would be today.

It was such a power move by Nike to not give up and really change the culture.

You recently opened your very own studio in Los Angeles, tell us more about this new adventure.

Well starting this past December I started focusing on my craft and really putting everything into it.

In April I moved my machines and work out my bedroom into a Studio in the Fashion District Downtown Los Angeles!

Since then it’s been a roller coaster things from shoes for Stan Smith to brand collaborations so it has definitely not slowed down but sped up with countless projects and possibilities!

What products do you customize?

I specialize in sneakers but I can do anything from shoes, cloths, bags, accessories, car interior, pretty much anything.

What’s the sneaker you created you are the most proud of?

The sneaker I��m most proud of creating would have to be Stan Smith’s personal pair!

He is a big supporter of mine and it was something really special for me as he gave me my first pair of Stan’s himself.

I would like a Dexter The Creator shoes, what’s the process? How long does it take and how much is it?

I would sit down with you in person or mobile where we would start laying out what the vision may look like.

From there I would create a Digital Render so you can see how it will look before moving forward.

Turn around time is approximately 2-8 weeks depending on the shoe.

What’s your next project?

You’ll see my all white shoe during next Wimbledon. I made it specially for Olympic champion and doubles grand slam champion Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

Dexter and Bethanie

working the magic

Bethanie’s weapon on grass by Dexter The Creator

My next project is going to be a very special pair for a Baltimore Ravens executive!

Thanks for the interview Dexter, wishing you all the best with your new projects.

More info on Dexter The Creator

Website DexterTheCreator.com

Instagram @Dexterthecreator

Email dextercustoms@gmail.com

Dexter is a creator …. Some months ago, I was privileged to meet Dexter The Creator. You knew Dexter, the dude from the tv show who is cutting people in pieces and spreading them the puzzle-way.

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Sweat it out

Wearing an hat, a visor or an helmet while practicing your favorite sport? Or simply sweating because it’s too hot out there?

NoSweat protects you from the white mark of sweat but also avoid the sweat to trickle down you forehead straight to the eyes!

There are 4 models of disposable liners:

hat liner,

visor liner,

helmet liner

and hard hat liner,

Only the width and shapes are different, but the…

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Holiday season just started! My 2018 xmas list.

Holiday season just started! My 2018 xmas list.

The turkey day is over, everybody has recovered from the food coma, Black Friday is over, the Xmas tree has been lit at the Rockefeller center … it means that the hunt for the perfect gift has just started!

Here’s my list

1. The weighted blanket aka the Gravity blanket. To fall asleep faster and deeper naturally thanks to the tiny micro beads inside the blanket that will hug your body.

2. I broke…

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I’m a mini shark

I’m a mini shark

It’s a trend, since living in the US, Shark Tank has been on TV every day of the week. It made me curious and gave me the urge to discover local startups …

For a couple of months, I’ve been contacting food and beverages startups and I discovered some interesting ones which became part of my brand new daily and healthy habits.

Apiterra raw Honey from Brooklyn

Perfect to make infusions, protein…

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I don't want to part!

I don’t want to part!

If you are not a skater, keep reading!!!

When you start skating, you think about wheels, tricks, bearing, bushings, washers and decks …

But … what about all the shoes you will buy because you skateboarding demands passion, hard work, pain and also shoes!

Riding is easy, it’s wearing out the soles.

When you try tricks, the whole shoes is at risk …

toes side because of the ollie,

toe caps because…

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let’s roll

all what you need is here

peanut butter, honey, oat and chia seeds

let’s roll

and roll!

I just discovered the protein balls. The ones I tried were homemade, with almonds, cranberries, oat and dates.

It was so good that I started to look at recipes to make my very own easy-to-make protein balls.

I gather the ingredients and on a rainy Sunday, I started mixing and rolling.

Ingredients and proportions

1 1/4 cup, oat by Bob’s Red Mill

2 table spoons, chia seeds by Bob’s Red Mill

1/2 cup, peanut butter or YumButter (ma favorite is cashew butter)

1/3 cup, açaí honey from Apiterra Honey

and some cacao nibs, almonds and dried unsweetened mango

How to do it?

Pour the oat, chia seeds, peanut butter and honey in a bowl and mix

Keep mixing

Leave in the fridge during 20′, they are less sticky to roll

Then add the cacao nibs, almonds and dried mango

Start rolling

Store in the freeze for up to 7 days (if you didn’t eat them all the same day)

I eat them as a snack, with with chia pudding, as a desert … it’s sooo goood.

More info on

Yumbutter, Website, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Apiterra Honey, Website, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Bob’s Red Mill, Website, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Spork by LightMyFire

Let’s keep the ball rolling … I just discovered the protein balls. The ones I tried were homemade, with almonds, cranberries, oat and dates.

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Locus bundle

Survival Axel Elite

Velosolution pumptrack

Pyramid 25th year edition

Shellburne parka

Dehydrator

Copper sheets

It’s that period of the year again! Time to dress the Christmas tree, drink dairy free eggnog and make THE list … momma you are on!

I’m into jerky big time! Love the Three Jerks Jerky, Dick Stevens jerky, Chef Cut … but I would like to make my own … I need a dehydrator not a smoker (you don’t get the right temperature). My buds at Fleishers (Fleishers Craft Butchery) advised me to get a Cabela’s dehydrator. Let’s go for the 10-tray Deluxe at $199

I’m moving to NYC next January, at the peak of the winter season and coming from Florida it will be a thermal shock!! To be prepared I need the Shelburne Parka from Canada Goose ($950)

Back at the office with a real desk, colleagues, coffee machine, … I need to stay active and avoid back pain with a stand up desk. The Focal Upright Locus bundle is for me ($1,969)

The Pyramid 25th year anniversary edition, you know the Vans that glows in the dark!

What about a Velosolution pumptrack in the backyard? I don’t have the backyard yet, so meanwhile, I’ll visit the pumtrack in Brooklyn but keep it in mind for later …

What do you need in your gloves box? What’s missing home? The Survival Axe Elite of course! It’s a 30 tools in one which will help you break a windows, hammer a nail, open a can, cut the seat belt in the car … and even a blade … for only $65 (exists in 2 colors army green or black/gold).

With all my urban adventures, I need my beauty sleep. To count faster the sheep, I need the SHEEX LUXURY COPPER™ features ultra-soft PRO+IONIC™ bedsheet. Those are breathable, moisture-wicking sheets to keep me cool, dry and comfortable while I’m sleeping. Cherry on the cake, be aware that the copper releases ions that may decrease oxidants in the body ($209,99 for the queen size).

Wishing you an happy holidays!

My 2017 xmas list It's that period of the year again! Time to dress the Christmas tree, drink dairy free eggnog and make…

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The art of recovery!

The art of recovery!

911-kit No pain, no gain or the art of recovery! I’m a wannabe skateboarder and that doesn’t come cheap! Muscle aches, bruises, road rash and cuts, … you name it, I got it! Here’s the content of my 911-let’s survive the daily minor injuries! 1. Muscle ache and bruises? Let’s go for the Epsom salt in a hot bath. Don’t have a bath tub? Just mix the salt with water and apply with on a compress. 2.…

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full of ice and drinks

I’ve been using my iceMule cooler for the past 5 weeks so let’s get up close and personal with my personal portable cooler now!

No zipper, so it doesn’t break

Air insulation, smart!! I just blow some air in the valve and its insulated.

Carrying sling, perfect to leave in my room or bring with me on picnics

When not in use, I deflate and roll the bag so it fits in my luggage

Oh, I forgot to share a cool detail, the Icemule floats!!

I must admit that I’m an happy camper, even if I don’t camp.

More on

IceMule website, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook,

#adventurecooler

don’t forget to read “You are cool? I’m cooler!”

I am definitively cooler! part2 I’ve been using my iceMule cooler for the past 5 weeks so let’s get up close and personal with my personal portable cooler now!

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front of the Icemule

straight from Fedex delivery

back of the Icemule with its air valve

When you live in Paris, France you never think about cooler.

When you live in Florida, it’s a real question as it’s so hot here all the time.

Picnics, shopping at the grocery store, or just driving around with cold beverages in the trunk are just the basics.

Those are the standard usages for a cooler but when you live out of a suitcase in hotel rooms and can’t empty the fridge to put your own stuff (you touch/move, you pay) … you need a cooler solution.

I need a cooler!

3 brands are standing out in the “cooler world”: Yeti, Pelikan and Icemule.

Yeti is a great brand and they have a wide range of “cool” products available from the tumblers to proper wheeled cooler. I liked the Yeti Roadie 20 ($199), perfect for the car … but I can’t fly with this!!!

Same with the Pelikan ProGear Elite wheeled cooler ($341 for a 40L). Very cool but not ready to wheel it around the world and to check it in.

Then there was one, the Icemule cooler!

I decided to go with the Classic large (enough for 18 cans and ice). The price is fair $69,95 and it keeps everything cold for 24 hours, I just need to refill the ice everyday (easy when you are in an hotel).

This model is enough to keep cold my chia puddings from ChiaPods, tigernut horchata  from Organic Gemini and coconut water from Harmless Harvest for the day.

OK, now lets test it for the next 2 weeks in my hotel room in NYC … more to come

More on

IceMule website, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook,

#adventurecooler

PS: The small and medium sizes are also available.

  You are cool? I’m cooler! When you live in Paris, France you never think about cooler. When you live in Florida, it's a real question as it's so hot here all the time.

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the Jumbo paper straw

the Colossal size straw fit for bubble teas

Since last April 2012, Miami has banned the plastic straws!! In theory, no more sipping in south Beach … in theory! I wasn’t aware of this law. The idea is to clean the beaches and to avoid plastic straws to end up in the sand and ocean.

The straw consumption is high in the US, daily consumption of plastic straws is about 500 million a day!

Let’s check my daily consumption of plastic straws:

One homemade banana/chia seeds smoothie to kick the day, one straw.

One pineapple black tea at Starbucks in the morning, one straw.

One lunch at Moshi Moshi, one plastic straw for my ice green tea.

One charcoal sesame bubble tea at Mimi’s in the afternoon, another straw.

One fresh coconut water that I open myself, one more straw.

Without forcing, I used 5plastic straws a day … at least …

not cool for the environment, the turtles, the fish, the ocean …

What’s the solution?

Drink from the glass … why not but I like sipping …

Drink from my Klean Kanteen bottle, can do. Starbucks would fill it in with pleasure and it goes in the dishwasher.

Or drink from reusable straws (bamboo, metal or glass straws), I don’t like it because it’s very difficult to wash and keep clean. 

Or … I can try paper straws!

While in Orlando at Mickey’s house (Animal Kingdom), I discovered the paper straws from Aardvark . And I liked it.

Aardvark paper straws are FDA and EU-approved and decompose themselves in 30-60 days (depending on the model).

So here’s my shopping list now at Aardvark,

one Giant straw for my smooth,

the Jumbo for the ice tea

and the Colossal for the bubble tea.

Now, you know what you need to do, there’s one “clean” straw for each occasion so #stopsucking on plastic straw and go for #strawlessocean and my sushis will thank you!

Also, check out the edible cups from Loliware (as seen on Shark Tank).

PS: the paper straws are not really intended for warm beverages.

More info

Aardvark paper straws website, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

Loliware edible cups website, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

Mimi frozen Yogurt (North Beach, Miami) website, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

Ban-the-straws movement Since last April 2012, Miami has banned the plastic straws!! In theory, no more sipping in south Beach ...

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Fingers recognition or password?

Sometimes the iPhone finger recognition plays tricks on you. Then you have to type in your 6 figures password instead of 4 before last update … boring …

I preferred when it was a 4-figures password. There’s an easy manipulation to revert the 6-digits password to 4!

Follow those easy steps

  go to “settings”

chose your password options

4-digits password now!

tap “Passwords”

Tired fingers vs iPhone? Fingers recognition or password? Sometimes the iPhone finger recognition plays tricks on you. Then you have to type in your 6 figures password instead of 4 before last update ...

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Balance is important for our agility, it develops our coordination, sharpens our reactions. It also helps to recover and strengthens ankles and knees. I use it to develop my coordination while skating, build my core and have fun while in conference calls … it will also help when sliding on a wet leaf, avoiding falls, … your body will remember how to keep its balance.

  There are lots of choices when it comes to balance boards

the Revolution FIT training system, $179,

the StrongBoard Balance,$269,

the Groove Indo Board, $275,

the classic Indo Board, $190, … plenty of choices

Or, you do like me, and make your very own balance board for $1,99!

let’s go get a 2-liters

empty it and fill with water, duck tape it

insist on the cap

almost ready

wheels and trucks out

Take a board. If you have on skateboard lost in the garage, take off the trucks (leave the risers), and we are already halfway to your very own balance board.

Buy a 2 liters at Publix ($1,99), empty it and fill it back with water.

Duck tape the bottle (insist on the cap).

Put the board on the bottle and hop cautiously on it!

That’s it!

My first bottle lasted about 7 months before leaking … and I practice almost daily.

Now, go get your balance back!

Balance yourself!  Balance is important for our agility, it develops our coordination, sharpens our reactions.

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what you need

let’s soak it

and drain it

pour it all in the mixer

add water to have the consistency you like

I spread on soft tacos

roll it and cut it

tadaaaa!

Let’s make some cheese … cashew nuts cheese of course!

There’s a new fancy restaurant in downtown Miami and they are all about plants. They also give cooking classes … I don’t really care about cooking classes but when my friends started talking about cheese made with cashew nuts … I was in!

Timing and pricing was not easy to match so I decided to surf the web and I found lots of recipes, hop on Amazon and boom the ingredients were delivered in no time …

I’m ready to experiment the cashew nuts cheese.

My Amazon list is the following

2 cups of raw cashew nuts

1/2 cup organic yeast seasoning

The rest of the shopping list you should have home,

1/4 cup water, adjust for the consistence you like

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice,

1 teaspoon salt,

1/2 teaspoon onion powder,

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder,

This is what you need for the plain no added-flavor cashew nuts cheese.

I decided to make it with a hint of sesame taste so I added

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon hulled tahini

Let’s hit the kitchen and try to make some cheese …

The cashew nuts were soaked last night, let’s drain it and pour it all in my trusteed Nutribullet and blend it together with all the ingredients from the list above.

It’s doesn’t look like cheese … it’s more a spread … an healthy spread (I like it crunchy, so I leave some cashew crumbs).

You can regulate the thickness of the spread by adding more water.

It’s great on soft tacos, with nachos or on bread!

It’s so easy to make and I love it. I’ll start exploring different seasonings for different tastes …

PS: I’m not turning vegan, nor gluten free I still love my jerky … but this is a great and healthy recipe.

Smelly cheese?  Let's make some cheese ... cashew nuts cheese of course! There's a new fancy restaurant in downtown Miami and they are all about plants.

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It’s small enough to fit the clock pocket of my jean

Slide the charging case, and automatically the AirPods connect to my iPhone

Tiny buds, they don’t drop out of my ears

2 mins for clear chats

Charging …

Charging is easy with the iPhone lightning

They just landed! And it was a long way … 5 weeks … 5 weeks to fly from Shanghai to Sennan to Memphis then Fort Lauderdale and now Miami! So was it worth the wait?

I’ve been testing them for the past few days and … you’ll see. The pairing … can’t be easier just open the little white box and let the magic work … boom you are connected. Put the AirPods in your ears and here you go … music, phone calls, Siri …

The music, seamless the music starts when the AirPods are in your ears.

Take one pod out and the music stops. Put it back in your ear and the music starts again.

Wants to set the volume, skip a song, switch the playlist? Then you’ll have to go through your phone or your Apple Watch. You can use Siri, I gave it a chance and its working ok … but you can deactivated Siri and replaced it with play/stop when you double tap the AirPod while in your ear. (Go to settings/general/Bluetooth and tap the i next to your AirPods). The talking, because a phone is also about talking … people hear me clearer than with my previous Bluetooth headset.

Why? I guess its because each AirPod has 2 mics one at the top for noise cancellation and one at the bottom for the voice recognition. Clever and that works. The autonomy. It’s a big problem for me as I may have 2 hours long conference calls as well as I’m listening to music while I’m working or skateboarding.

Autonomy is key!

The AirPods are supposed to a 5 hours autonomy on a single battery charge. Cool, but not enough for a full work day.

The trick comes with the charging case which gives up to 24 hours extra battery life.

Also another trick to stay on top of your autonomy is to use one AirPod then put the other AirPod back in its charging case … you’ll double the autonomy.  Be aware that when one AirPod is charging in its case, the other one in your ear plays music and calls in stereo. Neat.

Good to know, 15′ in the charging case give a 3 hours boost of battery life.

Any regrets?

NO! I love it, it’s paired with my iPad and iPhone 6 and it works perfectly!!

The only downside is the size … It’s small, small pods and small charging case … easy to lose … I guess I’ll have to be careful. I safely store the charging case in my watch pocket. F.Y.I. you can replace the lost charging case for $69

More to come about the AirPods with AirPods in my ears, part2.

AirPods in my ears They just landed! And it was a long way ... 5 weeks ... 5 weeks to fly from…

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spray my MTE vans

those shoes are reflective but you don’t see it by day

the flash of the iPhone, shows the reflective properties of the spray

you can have fun and spray on a stencil to create shape when lit

Running or walking at night is dangerous, the road are not always well lit and we are invisible to the cars because of the dark colors we are wearing.

I’m not fan of the yellow reflective safety vest because it’s not really a fashion item (doesn’t match my style) …

I found something better … something invisible by day and that makes me visible by night … thanks to the Albedo 100 reflective spray.

How does it work?

Shake well the spray can

Start spraying your clothes, shoes, backpack, …

Invisible by day, the reflective particles will be revealed by the lights of the cars!

Wash your clothes and the spray will disappear, then spray again. I ordered my spray can on Amazon.

My first spray was for my shoes and black backpack.

I cut a carton in the shape of a flamingo of and sprayed it on my black backpack. Not really happy of the result, it’s not invisible on the black textile … maybe I sprayed too close or over sprayed … I will try again.

Then I sprayed my brand new kicks from Vans. Pretty cool and like promised invisible by day and reflective when lit. I wore them during a snow storm in NYC, walking in the snow and it’s still reflective!!

This is fun, and really answers a need for road safety when you walk, run, bike or skate at night.

PS:  did you know they also even invented a spray for your favorite pet!!!

More info 

Follow on Albedo100 on Twitter

Like Albedo100 page on Facebook

Like Albedo100 pictures on Instagram

  Invisible by day, reflective by night  Running or walking at night is dangerous, the road are not always well lit and we are invisible to the cars because of the dark colors we are wearing.

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FP insoles

the landings might be painful …

no more painful landings with the FP insoles

… or skating on cushion?

For the past months, I’m trying to do tricks with my brand new skateboard and it hits hard on the feet, ankles and knees …

Watching the videos on YouTube to improve my style, I discovered the FP insoles which promised the almost total absorption of shocks thanks to their smart insole (impact neutralizing artificial cartilage … as they say on the package).

In no time I ordered the KingFoam insoles (7mm thick). How does it work? The shocks are converted before reaching my body … sounds promising. I received my smart insoles, inserted in my skate shoes (Vans Old Skool) and off I was to practice my moves (ollies, shuve it, frontside 180, …). The technology is called arti-lage (artificial cartilage foam) which absorbs up to 90% of impact energy before it reaches the body.

The foam adapts to each step.

The absorption of shocks is far more important than any other insole on the market (check the cool test by Braille benching different insoles).

Do I like it? YES!! and I wear them everyday. It really change the game and I keep them for walking during the day. The price is reasonable and ranges from $24,95 to $44,99 and I love the design. PS: it works also if you don’t skate 😉

More info

FP insoles website

FP insoles Instagram

Walking on clouds  ... or skating on cushion? For the past months, I'm trying to do tricks with my brand new skateboard and it hits hard on the feet, ankles and knees ...