One of the most popular water sports is surfing. It's you against some killer waves. Ride those waves and look cool doing it. Guys and girls (or to use Hollister Co. terms, Dudes and Bettys) can rip up the waves equally. For many people, the surfing lifestyle is a fun and carefree way of life. While the blog post is nothing too serious on surfing, it is sort of a digest on surfing.
Special hello to all of you who enjoy surfing and/or the whole beach lifestyle! I hope my post will be to your liking.
--- Surfing at a Glance ---
Ride them waves... but don't wipe out! The magic of surfing can only be mastered by those who are best at trying to retain their balance while riding some insane waves. Guys and girls can equally ride the waves and look cool doing it. Most of the great surfers look like their feet are glued to the surfboard as they stand on the board.
I don't know any moves in surfing. When coming up with this blog post, I've heard of moves such as a kickflip and a rodeo flip. Let me try to describe some of the more common surfing moves as best as I can:
• Bottomturn - a bottomturn is usually when a surfer rides the top of the wave, then zig-zags left to right going down a wave.
• Re-entry - a surfer rides up to the top of the wave and turns back down quickly to the bottom of a wave.
• Cutback - sort of like re-entry, but done quicker.
• Snap - a surfer rides up a wave and sort of swings out the back of the surfboard before coming back down. Almost like drifting on a wave.
Those of you more into surfing than I am probably can better educate me here. Contact me via E-mail so I can edit this post and better educate my audience (and protect my credibility and integrity).
--- Surfing as a Trend ---
Sometime in the mid-2000s, there was sort of a fashion trend towards surfing. Lots of surf-inspired fashions shown up around this time as well. Guys and girls whom have never surfed a second in their lives had some surf-inspired fashions especially during Summer. Some surfers either wear proper beachwear or even wear wetsuits. Regardless, the fun of being out on the water surfing on waves is an unreal experience.
You have to admit there's something hot/sexy/cute about a girl balancing herself on a surfboard riding the waves. Same goes for a girl who even squats down while riding the waves. And of course... what guy doesn't love a girl who gets wet battling the waves? So you can somewhat imagine what has made the surf culture trendy, at least from fashion and style standpoints. This all goes back to romanticizing certain things to make them trendy to the casual set.
How hot can surfing be? Watch these girls go to work on the waves:
And there you are.
--- Bethany Hamilton ---
When I was preparing this blog post, one such surfer caught my interest. Bethany Hamilton may just be one of the most inspiring persons of any kind. She is a one-armed surfer who had her arm severed off from a shark attack. Her inspirational story even was featured in a movie called "Soul Surfer."
I don't really watch movies, but if you haven't seen "Soul Surfer," here is a trailer of this movie based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton and her never-say-die courage and determination:
And if you want to get "Soul Surfer" online, check it out on Amazon by clicking on the item below:
^ "Soul Surfer" for DVD.
--- ASP Surfing ---
One of the premier leagues of professional surfing leagues in the world is the ASP. ASP stands for the Association of Surfing Professionals. The ASP competes worldwide across a number of venues. They surf in the United States, Europe, Japan, and in the South Pacific. One of the premier names in the series is Kelly Slater. As of this post, Kelly Slater an 11-time World Champion of the ASP. He even won the 2011 championship, beating out three Australians- Joel Parkinson, Owen Wright, and Taj Burrow. Adriano de Souza finished 5th in the final rankings. The 2011 women's championship was won by Carissa Moore of Hawaii. She, like Kelly Slater, edged out three Australians (Sally Fitzgibbons, Stephanie Gilmore, and Tyler Wright) and Brazil's Silvana Lima for the 2011 crown.
So it's safe to say that Australia and Brazil have some great surfers in addition to the United States.
To learn more about the ASP, visit their official website at www.aspworldtour.com.
--- Popular Surfing Locations ---
If you wish to go surfing, just head to the beach and ride the waves. Some places are very popular or
Here are some of the many: • (almost anywhere in coastal Southern California) • (almost anywhere in Florida along the Atlantic coast) • (almost anywhere in Hawaii) • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil • Japan • Bondi Beach - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Manly Beach - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Fiji • Tahiti
There are, of course, many more locations to enjoy surfing. These are just some of the many that come to mind for me.
--- Surfing Resources ---
Do you like surfing or want to surf? Here are a few resources for you all. I just pulled these up quickly and semi-randomly:
• Surfrider Foundation - love surfing? Love to protect the seas? This is the best way to show your support of the world's waters as a surfer and as a lover of beach culture.
Just so you know, I am working on another blog post within the realm of surfing; especially involving fashions involved with surfing and of beach culture. Stay tuned for that (or keep checking this post for an updated link).
I'd like to treat you to some Amazon material. If my blog post on surfing has been to your interest, I'd like for you to please help support my work any way you can. Click on the link below this paragraph to check out items on Amazon that may interest you as a surfing fan. This is purely optional, but I would appreciate it if you did have a visit and do some shopping. Check it out:
I would appreciate your business and support if you do look around and buy something you like from Amazon. Read "An Important Amazon Note" for important information regarding any featured Amazon material in my blog.
Thanks to all of you for reading this blog post. I may add more material based on what kinds of traffic I get to this post. Surf on!
The premier motorsports series in Australia is the Australian V8 Supercar Series. Australia has had decades of racing as the V8 Supercar Series stemmed from the now-defunct Australian Touring Car Championship. The V8 Supercar Series has been around since 1994. Its exponential growth in popularity and hard-fought racing has made it one of the best racing series in the world. For Australians, it is a season-long battle of bragging rights- either you are a Holden fan, or you are a Ford [Australia] fan. In the near future, Nissan will return to the V8 Supercar lineup, so you're either with the Aussie brands or with Japan. There is even a rumor about Chrysler wanting to join the V8 Supercar grid as well. Either way, this is one of the greatest racing series in the world.
I never really got to make a general blog post regarding "The Greatest Show on Wheels." So therefore, consider this my general post regarding the Australian V8 Supercar Series. I would like to make a special hello to all of my Australian and New Zealand readers before I begin.
LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):
MAR 21 2012 - added an extra section (cross-promotion and other reading)
--- The Australian V8 Supercar Series at a Glance ---
Allow me to set the mood regarding the Australian V8 Supercar Series. What is this motorsports series all about? This video gives you a GREAT look at the Australian V8 Supercar Series. This video only requires about 2:25.000 of your time:
The Australian V8 Supercar Series was inaugurated in 1997 and is the successor to the former Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC). The cars that compete in this series are silhouettes of road-going cars in Australia. All cars are powered by 5.0-liter normally-aspirated V8 engines pushing north of 600 horsepower. The cars have body shells derived from their road-going variants. The minimum weight (excluding driver) of these cars is about 2987 lbs. (or just below 1355 kg). The two cars that race in today's V8 Supercar Series are the Holden Commodore and the Ford Falcon- two of the best-selling cars in Australia. According to specifications I read on the 2009 Ford Falcon FG V8 Supercar, these cars can reach speeds of up to 182 mph (or about 294 kph).
Most races in this championship are primarily dual or triple race weekends. However, there are some weekends where there is one long race. These endurance events require teams to have a two-driver lineup to take on each event. So while the majority of races are multi-race events, there are also some endurance events. The double and triple race weekends make up one long distance event. So for example, the Clipsal 500 consists of two 250-kilometer races to make up the 500 kilometer distance for the race weekend. To my knowledge, the Trading Post Perth Challenge is the only three-race weekend on the V8 Supercar Series calendar. The biggest of which is (of course) the Bathurst 1000, which lasts more than 6 hours and 30 minutes. At least from the provisional calendar for 2012, the 2012 schedule features 29 events running from the beginning of March to the beginning of December.
A number of drivers have become champion in this series. Among the champions of the series include the likes of Jamie Whincup, Marcos Ambrose, Craig Lowndes, and Mark Skaife among others. Some of today's V8 Supercar racers include Shane Van Gisbergen (nicknamed "Cheeseburger"), Steven Richards, Garth Tander, and Lee Holdsworth among many others.
How did I get into the Australian V8 Supercar Series?
It was 2000 or 2001 when I saw a show that aired on Speedvision (now Speed Channel) called "Motorsport Mundial." I had a chance to see some of the racing action on TV in this half-hour digest of motorsports from around the world. The first thing that stuck out at me was in hearing how beautiful these Australian V8 engines sound. It is such sweet engine music!
When I saw some of the first Australian V8 Supercars, the cars of choice were the Holden Commodore VX and the Ford Falcon AU. Today's V8 Supercars include the Holden Commodore VE and the Ford Falcon FG. There is a push to make cars of updated specification to make them safer and more efficient.
Tracks.
The Australian V8 Supercar Series races both in Australia and in New Zealand. They even compete in a few events outside of Australia and New Zealand. Here are some of the many venues that the V8 Supercars race at:
• Mount Panorama Circuit (Bathurst) - a semi-permanent race track that is the ultimate battleground. It is an Australian roller coaster ride complete with many elevation changes and narrow roads. It is home to the Bathurst 1000- a race that lasts over 1000 kilometers and takes just over six and a half hours to complete. Racing is hard-fought from beginning to end as two-driver teams take on this intense challenge.
• Adelaide - former home of the F1 Australian Grand Prix, it is one of the most challenging temporary race tracks in the world.
• Albert Park (non-points) - the Australian V8 Supercar Series races around the current home of the Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park in Melbourne; but it is not a points race.
• Sandown - high speeds and technical corners make the somewhat simplistic Sandown a real challenge. It has been around since 1962.
• Phillip Island - this track plays host to the Australian Grand Prix in World Superbike and in MotoGP. A considerable distance from Melbourne, this track plays host to the Philip Island 500 endurance race in V8 Supercars.
• Barbagallo - Western Australia's racing challenge offers undulating corners and high speeds. This track is based around Perth (one of Houston's Sister Cities).
• Winton - high speeds and tricky corners make this course a tough and action-packed one.
• Hidden Valley - the northernmost track in Australia is based in the city of Darwin in the Australian state of Queensland. This track is known for its high-speeds in the event known as the Skycity Triple Crown.
• Hamilton - a temporary street course in New Zealand with many technical corners.
• Queensland - simplistic in layout but tough in racing, Queensland is often called a paper clip
• Symmons Plains - a short high-speed course dominated by a super-slow and action-packed hairpin.
• Townsville - Reid Park plays host to this lovely temporary course. The western half of the track crosses over Ross Creek several times.
• Surfers Paradise - it has long been a stop for Indy cars. These days, it mostly serves now as an intense street course for the V8 Supercars. The Gold Coast offers one of the most intense racing challenges in Australia. Think of it as the Long Beach of Australia.
• Homebush Park - this temporary street course is a romp around Sydney's Homebush Park. A number of fans miss seeing the V8 Supercars race around Eastern Creek as opposed to Homebush Park.
• Yas Marina Circuit - the home of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Formula 1 is the futuristic and ultra-modern Yas Marina Circuit. It plays host to the Desert 400 on a modified configuration.
Of all the tracks both past and present, I am most saddened that Oran Park is no longer with us. Oran Park used to be one of the finest racing facilities in Australia with its unique layout. Sadly, what used to be Oran Park is now housing development.
I sometimes wonder just how much motorsport means to Australia with a number of racing facilities no longer being raced on or rarely raced on. Take the United States, for example. One of the finest courses here used to be Riverside International Raceway in California. That track was mostly taken down to make way for a big shopping center. Riverside used to be great for racing ranging from NASCAR to even a Formula 1 Grand Prix at Riverside. I feel for you Australians who miss Oran Park. Oran Park is not the only former racing facility, though. A lot of other race tracks in Australia have either not been raced on in a while or are long gone. Among others- Surfers Paradise International Raceway, Adelaide International Raceway, Catalina Park, and Warwick Farm Raceway. Oran Park is just another track to sadly add to the list of long-gone great race tracks.
--- Australian V8 Supercar Series: Why Should You Care? ---
If you care anything about hard-fought racing from start to finish, you should definitely care about the Australian V8 Supercar Series. The racers in this series bring it every day, every race. No shortage of action from flag to flag. I think an American fan who enjoys NASCAR can definitely appreciate the action in this series.
--- Australian V8 Supercars vs. DTM: Who Would Win? ---
You know, I always wondered what would happen if DTM and the Australian V8 Supercar Series had an exhibition. Could a Holden beat a DTM Audi? Could a Ford outpace a DTM Mercedes-Benz? Part of me says that DTM would win since the DTM cars are very sophisticated and capable. But come on now- wouldn't you want to see these Australian V8 Supercars match up against Germany's premier motorsports series?
Part of me says that DTM would win if it was an Australian V8 Supercar vs. DTM exhibition. DTM cars are much more sophisticated and capable even if they give up about 150+ horsepower to Australian V8 Supercars.
--- What If: Australian V8 Supercars World Tour? ---
The Australian V8 Supercar Series does race at a few locales outside of Australia and New Zealand during the course of the season. They may even be planned to race here in the United States at the Circuit of the Americas facility just outside of Austin, Texas, USA. What if they had a World Tour? Here are venues that I think would be great to see the series have more racing action in...
North and South America.
• Infineon Raceway - love to see these cars weave left and right at this track. • Laguna Seca - imagine Holden vs. Ford being decided at the Corkscrew! • Road America - 4+ miles of road in Wisconsin meant to punish all who race it. • Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course - this track is challenging for novices and experts alike. • Barber Motorsports Park - Australian race cars at a great track in the Deep South, anyone? • Road Atlanta - long-standing race track with a competitive layout • Virginia International Raceway - a take-no-prisoners, old school race track. • Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve - Canada's premier racing facility that has hosted many Canadian Grands Prix. • Circuit Mont-Tremblant - a tricky race track in a beautiful natural setting. • Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez - former F1 Mexican Grand Prix venue. • Puebla - a competitive oval that also has a challenging road course configuration. • Interlagos - the finest race track in Brazil combining high speeds with intense corners. • Brasilia - Autodromo Internacional Nelson Piquet delivers intense racing on a twisty track. • Buenos Aires - former home of the F1 Argentine Grand Prix, this technical track delivers amazing action.
Europe and Africa.
• Donnington Park - would be a great challenge for the V8 supercars with its weaving roads. • Valencia (Ricardo Tormo Circuit) - mostly flat, this track is a very tough and technical Spanish race course. • Catalunya - the premier racing facility in Spain is one of the most challenging courses in the world. • Magny-Cours - a great rhythm-based track in France, former F1 French Grand Prix. • Dijon-Prenois - a tricky French track that's great for touring car racing. • Zandvoort - a formidable Dutch venue not far from a beach. • Zolder - a demanding and technical Belgian race track. • Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - the legendary Belgian battleground for racing. • Kyalami - South Africa's formidable racing challenge. It is a challenging course for any machines that race here.
Asia.
• Istanbul Park - a rhythm-based race track in Turkey that is home to the Turkish Grand Prix of F1. • Buddh International Circuit - the new world-class Indian race track delivers high speed and intense thrills. • Sepang - Malaysia's premier world-class racing track that's been around since about 1999. • Sentul International Circuit - a challenging motor racing facility in Indonesia. • Goldenport Park - a very popular Chinese race course based in China's capital of Beijing. • Zhuhai - once considered as a possible F1 stop, it has since played host mostly to touring cars and GT racing. • Suzuka - one of the world's most rewarding race tracks is in Japan's Mie Prefecture. • Okayama - this Japanese circuit served as home of the former Pacific Grand Prix in F1. • Autopolis - once considered a potential F1 Japanese Grand Prix venue, it remains a challenging Grand Prix course despite never hosting an F1 Grand Prix.
In addition to these tracks, I'd even be interested in seeing today's V8 Supercar Series race at Taupo Motorsports Park or even Teretonga International Raceway. Both of those courses are in New Zealand, by the way.
Again- I felt I should have posted about the Australian V8 Supercar Series long ago. I love and respect all of my fans and readers worldwide, and Australia is one of the most popular locales to visit "John's Blog Space." I hope this blog post has been to your liking. For more information on this series, I have included the following links for all of you:
Please be sure to visit those links if you enjoyed this post. I hope you enjoyed your time here on John's Blog Space; and if you did, please show your support by clicking on links below to show your support for my work. Thank you for reading!
With today being Australia Day in Australia, I want to take this time to salute all of my Australian friends and fans with this post. This American fellow named John Marine wants to wish all of you Australians happy Australia Day. Australia Day to Australians is like Independence Day to us Americans. Australia is usually one of the biggest audiences to visit my blog and/or my YouTube channel. I've been very pleased meeting people online not only from Australia, but also New Zealand. I mentioned in an old post (and in an old video) some of my favorite locations in Australia. I think places like Sydney and Melbourne are two of my favorite cities. Also, I like other cities like Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, and Townsville among many others. Most of you know I'm a racing fan. So you know I was jacked when I saw the Bathurst 1000 for the first time live on American television last year. And among motorsports personalities, your fellow Aussie, Leigh Diffey, is one of my favorite motorsports announcers.
I just wanted to make this quick post to salute all of my Australian readers of John's Blog Space. I always want to make material that I think the world can enjoy, and I always welcome an international audience. If you're Australian or from Australia, and if you love my blog, YouTube channel, or whatever; thank you very much! I hope I can continually make great content for all of you.
This concludes my Australian salute since it is Australia Day down in Australia. So one last time...
^ from: momentchannel.com Happy Australia Day!
Thank you for reading! Love John's Blog Space? If so (and if you haven't yet subscribed or followed), Subscribe and/or Follow!
To everyone who thinks plus size women can't be beautiful, I am here to prove you wrong with this post. This post was created by semi-popular demand based on hits I've gotten to my blog post on plus size fashion. Curvy models, bloggers, celebrities, and more will be featured here in my salute to lovely plus size women. Consider this a World Tour of beautiful plus size women because I want to showcase lovely plus size women from around the world. And as anyone would know, I do NOT use the "world" to just mean a couple of different countries. I am here to share with you that you can be a plus size girl AND be beautiful looking at the same time! I am also here to show any critics that you don't have to be Barbie-doll slim or perfect to be a beautiful woman. If I can, I want to try to find as many plus size beautiful women to feature from various parts of the world.
That's right- plus size beauties... the World Tour! And... I'm your tour guide!
NOTE: I read online that there are actual differences in terms like "curvy," "plus size," "full-figure," and terms like that. I will mostly use "plus size" and "curvy" throughout my post almost interchangeably. However, I will NOT use the word "fat" to describe anyone here.
LATEST UPDATE/REVISION:
MAR 12 2012 - added another blog (HINT: from Brazil)
--- Big and Beautiful: Plus Size Beauties ---
This blog post was created as I've seen how people have found my post on plus size fashion. I extended my look at beautiful plus size women. "Plus Size Fashion" was a blog post that has helped me to gain a good amount of respect among the plus size community in the blogosphere and even on Facebook. I have had the opportunity to visit blogs, meet new people online, and things of that nature to help enhance my profile online.
As a Houston native, I'm in a city that has been considered the "fattest city in America" in the past. So I've gotten to meet a number of plus size women before. What is really sad about society is that people can't appreciate that beauty comes in many forms. Most people in society have nothing better to do but to just make fun of and disrespect women just because they aren't slim. You know, calling them "fatties" and stuff like that. Perhaps most misconstrued is the correlation between slim and healthy. There are larger-size females who are active and fit. Heck... I have even see larger size women do splits! Another misconstrued factor is what actually qualifies as "plus size." What some people think are plus size females are average at best.
Curvy and Proud.
The idea of being slim leads some curvy females to feeling disappointed that they can't be as loved and as respected as slim (or at least average) size female. Some curvy women want to lose weight. Some, however... are happy with their size. So what happens when you still want to look good while still flaunting your curves? Unless you find some great-fitting and good-looking clothes, your options are fairly limited because a lot of average fashion designers don't cater to or have garments meant for larger-size women. Your luck really runs out if you are among the BBW (big beautiful women) crowd, with clothing sizes north of 5X. But on the other hand, accepting your larger frame and wanting to accommodate yourself with clothes for larger figures can be a challenge. It really feels great knowing there are designers that do cater to larger sizes when there are designers who fail to cater to larger sizes.
Why Are Plus Size Females So Disregarded?
There are people who have characteristics of what makes a woman beautiful. I certainly have my own. Many people just think that plus size women just aren't as attractive as slim and slender women. Some people who think that being curvy is not only unattractive, but also unhealthy. This goes back to a social ideal in which every female should be as attractive as a Barbie doll. A number of these plus size ladies would probably feel unattractive because of their size. They would feel so unattractive just because they don't get as much attention or as much appeal as any slim and slender women. Because of this, a number of curvy women feel disrespected, disregarded, and simply ugly. Like, "do I really have to be as slim as a Barbie doll to be considered beautiful?" Or on the other hand, correction- people DO love curvy women... as long as curvy women lose weight.
I just can't see how there are some people out there who are not as willing to accept certain thick women as being as beautiful as any slim women. Sometimes, I think some curvy women can be as beautiful, if not more beautiful, than some slim women. A curvy lady in a hot short dress with some platform pumps can be just as sexy as a slim lady in a short dress and platform pumps. Some people, unfortunately, think that being thick or having some extra body fat doesn't equal sexy.
If you don't think curvy women can be beautiful, check this video out (or just read the rest of this blog post!). This is a video from the FOX reality show "More to Love." These curvy women look beautiful all dolled up here:
Curvy women can be just as beautiful as any slender woman. Can curvy women be sexier than (or as sexy) as any slender girl, however? The answer is a resounding yes if you watch this Torrid video:
So there you have it- curvy girls can be just as beautiful as slender girls. Just too bad many people don't appreciate curvy beauty.
--- Plus Size Beauties: World Tour! ---
These include various curvy ladies of many kinds. The ladies range from bloggers to celebrities.
The only criteria- "more to love" or more. It's about being plus-sized/curvy/extended-size. No slender ladies will be featured here. The point of this post is to show that plus-size women can be just as beautiful as any slim and slender lady.
Just to show this is a "World Tour" of curvy beauties, their location is noted in parentheses (). I want to do this to show that there are many beautiful ladies the world over. And in the case of this post, there are many curvy beauties the world over. Visit the links in each lady's heading to visit either their official website or fan page.
(ADDED: January 3, 2012) This post features other peoples' blogs. If you encounter someone's blog that I post here, and if you like the blog in question; you are more than welcome to follow that person's blog. Just about all of the blogs featured are on Blogger/Blogspot, so feel free to introduce yourself to some new blogs if you love plus size fashion.
Part of my method of enjoying blogging is in helping others find related blogs and sites of the same category. So by all means, get to meet various other blogs in case what you find in this post interests you.
One of my most popular blog posts, "Plus Size Fashion" featured one lady who goes by the stage name of Shay Shaunte. I wanted to find a plus size lady to show that even curvy ladies can be every bit as attractive and hot as any average slender girl. The one I eventually found was Houston native, Shay Shaunte'. Her website can be visited from the heading to this section.
(ADDED: January ??, 2012) As featured on Live Well Network's "Deals," Nora Kapche, also known as "the Coupon Contessa," is a woman who is all about getting and seeking good deals on many things. She has been featured in a number of segments on "Deals," and she even play-tests certain frugal offers. Will any work for you? The Coupon Contessa will let you know in her own way!
Nora may be about couponing and saving money, but her beauty is priceless. Her advice is also priceless. Here is a look at the Coupon Contessa:
(ADDED: January ??, 2012) The beautiful Nadine Moon is the owner of Houston's premier cake studio- Who Made the Cake! This Texas native has created some of the most unique cakes you will ever see. She is one artist who creates delicious and unique masterpieces. Nadine Moon was featured on the Live Well Network program "Deals" a few times before. This video below showcases Nadine Moon, so here is a chance for you to see this lovely woman while being interviewed by another lovely woman, Katishia (Kat) Cosley. And if you like this video and want to learn more about the video's topic, visit the link below this video:
I am considering a blog post with a related topic to this section. Stay tuned to John's Blog Space for a possible future post on an element regarding this section you just read.
Gabriella is beautiful and charming. This Pennsylvanian princess offers charm both American style and Italian style. "Principessa Gabriella" is her blog devoted to almost anything (mostly fashion and beauty). Speaking of beauty, she has beauty in abundance. Gabriella's style can primarily be defined as girly and cute. She is unafraid to showcase her style in her own way. Her range of styles even includes vintage-style glamour. I encourage fans of my blog to visit Principessa Gabriella because she is a wonderful person and a great supporter of my online work.
Here is a lady named Venessia from the state of Mississippi. Blogging since June 2011, Venessia showcases her sense of style to the world through her various blog posts. The curvy beauty can be girly and cute with her style, but she can always turn up the heat and showcase a little fierce style. Her glorious hair and sweet smile are as lovely as the outfit posts she makes.
Allison is the lady behind "Curvy Girl Chic." She boasts one of the cutest smiles and some of the cutest looks in her blog. I discovered her flipping through the pages of Teen Vogue or Seventeen magazine. I have since appreciated and admired her lovely sense of style. In trying to find curvy ladies from around the world to feature, she is the only Asian I could find, as she is both Cantonese and Taiwanese.
The Southern cooking queen is one Paula Deen. Born in Albany, Georgia, USA; Paula Deen is both a cooking superstar as well as an inspiration. She has lived through many hardships and remained strong to become the figure she is today. I think more people should appreciate her for getting through rough times rather than just know her as the highly entertaining cook she is. Not to belittle her cooking or anything. She is about the oldest lady I'll feature here, as she is (born: January 17, 1947) years old. Here is a little insight on Paula Deen's and her entertaining style:
Sweet as sugar and completely down to earth, Nikki Blonsky of Great Neck, New York, USA is an actress and a singer. This is someone who is very lovely in looks and in spirit. One thing that makes her special is how she is not afraid to be herself. Nikki is not letting the fact that she's curvy be any sort of deterrent to her being successful in any arena she partakes in. One thing I didn't know about her- she's short! This sweet petite is 4'10". She is so cute! Don't believe me? Check this out:
Gabrielle (Gabi) Gregg's claim to fame was in being MTV's first Twitter jockey. This beautiful lady from Detroit showcases her curvy style in everything from outfit posts to even a swimwear post she once did. Any one curvy girl who is unafraid to showcase her style is one GABIFRESH. Visit her blog to see her broad range of styles from this lovely curvy lady.
The winner of Season 6 of American Idol is Jordin Sparks. This young singing star from Glendale, Arizona delivers a powerful voice while also sounding sweet. She has sung a number of great songs. My personal favorite of hers is "One Step at a Time." Other classic songs include "No Air," "Battlefield," and more.
I have not ruled out doing a blog post on her. I actually want to do one on her.
Candy is a makeup artist behind Curves Ahead Makeup and the blog "Curves Ahead." This candy girl from North Hollywood, CA, USA is sweet with a delicious sense of style. She will commonly share her beauty expertise as well as showcase a number of her looks, often called her "Weekend Girlie Looks." Also part of Candy's fashion repertoire is a shoe line called Fancy Steps. This luscious Latina also lends her fashion and beauty know-how to YouTube. Visit Candy's blog to get a taste of her beauty and style.
The plus size Baltimore beauty known as The Notorious ZAG delivers her own unique sense of style. Her blog has a lot of different fashion looks as well as various insight on all sorts of looks. Her interest in my blogging work has earned me full respect in all she does. Because of her support, I am including her among my Plus Size Beauties post. Why not pay a visit to Bigg Badd Wolf?
Dana Owens to some people is Queen Latifah to many others. As one of the best hip-hop artists of the 1990s, Queen Latifah's talents were taken into acting as well as in going from hip-hop to sultry jazz numbers. Many may remember Queen Latifah from the '90s FOX sitcom "Living Single." While I am not any kind of fanatic of Queen Latifah, I best remember her song "U.N.I.T.Y." from the '90s.
Betsy Ruth (USA).
Here is a BBW (big beautiful woman) who can wrestle you. From what I read, she's no longer wrestling; but former TNA Knockout Rosie LottaLove (also known as Betsy Ruth) is a (born: January 17, 1985) was born MaryKate Duignan Glidewell. She stands 6'1" and weighs 250 lbs. I think she's beautiful. Maybe not glamourous, but there is a little pin-up beauty to this BBW. Here is a link with pictures of her: LethalWOW page on Betsy Ruth (Rosie LottaLove).
Kia Stevens (USA).
Awesome Kong or Kharma is what many professional wrestling fans know her as. She is one of the most physically imposing professional wrestlers today. She is Kia Stevens away from the ring. As of this post, I hear she's still becoming a mother. So while her time in the WWE is fairly short up to this point (as Kharma), there is hardly anyone in women's professional wrestling who is as imposing as her. I actually think she is a lovely woman to be 5'9" and weighing in at a crazy billed weight of 272 lbs. Think of Awesome Kong/Kharma as the Big Show of women in pro wrestling because of her imposing character and power. Pictures of her can be seen here: PWPIX.net page on Awesome Kong/Kharma.
Ashley Graham (USA).
Controversy arose when a Lane Bryant (a plus size fashion specialist) commercial was banned from being shown on television at a certain time of day because of "too much cleavage." The model at the center was young Ashley Graham. Ashley Graham is a beautiful curvy diva from Lincoln, Nebraska (that's right, college fans- Cornhusker Country). This sparked outrage from some people, including one Queen Latifah. The plus size community would argue that for as much as we see slender women parade around on TV in lingerie, it is somehow a double standard that we don't see classy, beautiful plus size women showcase their beauty in lingerie. If anything, Ashley Graham should be an inspiration for plus size women.
If you don't believe that Ashley Graham is a beautiful curvy lady, you might have a change of heart after seeing this video:
One Florida-born girl's dream was to be a supermodel. Her name was Crystal Renn. She would be someone who could grace the cover of magazines like Vogue... on one condition- only if she lose over 70+ pounds. In the rat race to try to be slim and slender, Crystal found herself not accepting her body much and nearly dying from eating disorders. She tried to give into society accepting slimmer women over those who don't just be themselves, and it almost killed Crystal Renn. Accepting her body was the best choice she ever made.
The link takes you to her Facebook fan page. She has an official page, but I was NEVER able to pull it up.
I am NOT done here! I am providing this Jump Break to improve the performance of this blog post, so click on "Read More" to continue reading if you are not looking at the full blog post. I have not yet featured some non-American curvy ladies. So read on to find more plus size beauties!
Love John's Blog Space? If so (and if you haven't yet subscribed or followed), Subscribe and/or Follow!
(WARNING: Link leads to content NOT SAFE FOR WORK!) Kai Lee is both a girl gamer as well as a lovely model. I can appreciate her as a Gran Turismo fan. She is a big booty model who is very lovely as well as very fit and active. My respect for her grew when she discovered my blog and decided to friend me on Facebook. There is no doubt that she is a very cool person. So I've included her among the curvy beauties.
To keep this blog world friendly (and to avoid linking to a highly explicit website), I am including her Myspace fan page as the link to where you can see more of Kai Lee.
Lucia (or Lucie) is the young blogger who also loves interior design. She is a beautiful lady with great style. Her smile and style will amaze you and warm your heart. Why not visit Lucia's blog today to prove the point?
Even before losing lots of weight, Chicago's Jennifer Hudson remains a beautiful lady. This lady still remains a very good singer. I personally think her singing is incredible. She's a slimmer diva now (disqualifying her as "curvy" here), so I'm placing Jennifer Hudson as Honorable Mention.
I have not ruled out possibly making a blog post on her.
Sometimes in my Beauties-themed posts, I include certain names because I want to include certain people that I think my readers would probably appreciate me posting about. I personally select whomever it is I want to feature in my blog posts. That even includes material I don't necessarily like or admit being a fan of. So while I don't read her blog or visit it often, I am including Canada's Gazel (pronounced "gay-zelle"). This young Asian fashion blogger from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada is the creator of "Bonjour Gazel." It is a very popular fashion blog regarding plus size fashion.
(ADDED: February 19, 2012) It is sometimes discomforting for a plus sized lady to not be able to romantically showcase her curves. Marisa of "Viva Voluptuous!", however, plans to change that. This is a plus size fashion blog not afraid of showcasing curves in a romantic and classy way. She isn't afraid to wear lingerie and showcase her curves to you. A lot of her posts mostly feature outfit she's put together or feature some inspiration for curvy women. I honestly think Marisa will really change your perception if you think curvy women can't be as beautiful as any slender woman.
Vida Guerra was one of the first to showcase that curvy can be beautiful. She did so by gracing the cover of FHM Magazine. She was both curvy as well as short. Still, Vida was hot enough to win the hearts of most men who gazed at her. Vida was the hostess of "Livin' the Low Life," a show dedicated to lowrider culture.
Representing Mexico is Emmy of "SELECTIVE MEMORY." This curvy Mexican sort of has a little of everything in her style posts. Nothing too girly or cute is featured. However, parading in combat boots is uncommon. Her style is a little of everything. Have a visit to SELECTIVE MEMORY to check out this lady's style.
The Portuguese blog "Fofoleca" is run by a curvy Brazilian named Vanessa. "Fofoleca" is not a real word as Vanessa tells me. "Fofoleca" is a combination of "fofo" (meaning "cute") and "moleca" (meaning either "tomboy" or "a witty girl"). This sweet-faced and super-cute lady shares her fashion and beauty style along with a little insight on losing weight. Her blog is still worth visiting even if you don't understand Portuguese. Vanessa's beauty translates well in any language. All you have to do is visit "Fofoleca" and say "ola!" to my lovely Brazilian friend.
(ADDED: March 12, 2012) Even though her blog is in Portuguese (with English subtitles), Camille is a young Brazilian who has outstanding beauty. She is a curly-haired beauty with a sweet smile and a cute face. Her blog is called Sachê e Bombom. As I mentioned previously, her blog is in Portuguese but with English translations. Have a visit to Camille's blog and check out her many different styles.
I am including these two sisters in one section. The older sister here is Georgina. Georgina is the blogger behind "Cupcake's Clothes." "Cupcake's Clothes" can be thought of as a playful showcase of fashion and style. Georgina has many creative outfits and looks. Besides outfits, she usually enjoys playing around with nails and making creative nail polish touches. It is worth a visit to check out this curvy cutie's blog. Georgina also has her own accessory line called Dolly Mixx, so you may visit that too if you enjoy her work.
Georgina's younger sister, Charlotte, is the creator of "Sugar and Spice." She is as lovely as her older sister. Charlotte's trade is in making beautiful artwok of pets called PAWtraits. You can learn more about her Pet Pawtraits by visiting the Pet PAWtraits by Charlotte Doull Facebook Fan Page.
"The Woolen Mitten" is the blog of one young curvy blogger named Sara. She also happens to be a petite in addition to being curvy. I am including her out of respect for her work.
While I am not really a fan of her music (she's alright to me), Adele is a charming, curvy lady. She certainly has great musical talent though. "Rolling in the Deep" is EASILY my favorite song of hers. Most others just haven't been to my liking much. I just don't like her music as much as other people do. But again- I don't hate her music. Adele brings soulful Motown style with some modern instruments and beats. Considering this lady is from England delivering soulful MoTown singing style is worth some love.
I am not ruling out a blog post about Adele, so be sure to stay subscribed to "John's Blog Space" to see if I do post about Adele.
Dee is a beautiful Irish girl behind "Pearls, Lace, and Ruffles." When she smiles at the camera, her smile is sugar sweet along with many of her outfits. Part of her appeal mostly lies in vintage-type outfits. Her outfit posts can range from very cute and soft looks to somewhat edgy looks. She still maintains a modicum of girly-girl charm in all of her outfits and all of her posts. Perhaps an underrated aspect of her blog and her style is in all of the soft colors she presents in her posts. You'll see how lovely she is once you check out her blog. So go on- visit!
Charlotte Coyle (Ireland).
Charlotte Coyle is an curvy Irish fashion model. The 5'11" beauty born in 1982 is undeniably beautiful. Real sweetheart she is. Courtesy of www.judgmentofparis.com, you can learn more about Charlotte Coyle by seeing her pictures and reading about her at this page on www.judgmentofparis.com.
Lique Fleur (Netherlands).
Lique Fleur is a delicious Dutch diva. This curvy woman is very angelic in beauty. Lique has golden blonde curly hair, beautiful blue eyes, a sweet smile, and a very charming personality. Her beauty is breathtaking in my view. To see modeling pictures of this beautiful woman, please visit this thread on www.judgmentofparis.com featuring pictures of Lique Fleur.
If your spot of tea involves fashion, Angelica Ardasheva of "Angy's Tea Room" should be to your liking. She is a Russian fashion blogger based in Italy. She has a range of styles showcased in both outfit posts and in inspirational fashion posts.
(ADDED: January 12, 2012) Meet Aarti Sequeira. She's a curvy beauty who made her fame by winning "The Next Food Network Star." This (born: August 19, 1978)-year old used to be a producer for CNN before taking on food. Her show, "Aarti Party," highlights on making great meals with a little twist of India. She is a beautiful woman.
This blog features two Filipino bloggers- Stacy and Danah. Both of which, are 5'7" plus sized young women. Their dimensions are unlike the average Filipino woman. Through accepting your body and living healthy, Stacy and Danah promote themselves respectfully on PLUMP and in discussing plus size fashion the way they see fit. Stacy and Danah even offer their own outfit posts.
Fat Aus! is the blog of a lady named Bronny from Australia. This Aussie's curvy style is showcased nicely with a vast array of outfits ranging from girly to edgy. I actually discovered this blog in trying to come up with any sort of international curvy ladies.
A photographer, a musician, and a blogger; Australian Phebe covers many bases in media. She is a native of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; and she lends her love of many things (including fashion) to her posts. Her blog is called "Lightning Heart." She is part of a band called Radio Spectacular. This is a young lady with a little of everything. The link in the header takes you to her official home page.
Do you know any other beautiful plus size women? Perhaps any BBW's (big beautiful women)? Contact me via E-Mail! If I like your suggestion(s), I will be sure to add them in a future edit. I will also add names to this post if I personally find some online lovely enough to be mentioned here.
--- What I Hope I Have Accomplished in This Post ---
I hope my blog post has helped to showcase the beauty of plus sized women as well as reverse any perceptions most people have against plus size women. It began with "Plus Size Fashion," which was a general blog post devoted to plus size fashions. The popularity of that blog post ultimately lent itself to this one regarding curvy women. I felt like I needed to create this post to showcase the beauty of curvy women and oppose any stereotypes or double standards regarding curvy women.
If You Are One Many Women Represented in This Post...
If you enjoyed my post, I am glad you did. I do whatever I can to try to give back to my audience. You are very welcome for me featuring you if you enjoyed my work. Thank you very much!
--- Cross-Promotion and Other Reading ---
Thank you for reading my blog post! If you want to visit more links on related to this topic, I invite you to click on the links in this section. They include other blog posts of mine and other material.
• "Plus Size Fashion" - John's Blog Space ^ This is my popular blog post that has won me the respect of plus size women. It includes a look at plus size fashion as well as salutes to plus size fashion bloggers.
• "Deals" - John's Blog Space ^ I mentioned the Coupon Contessa (Nora Kapche) and Nadine Moon of Who Made the Cake! Both featured on "Deals." This blog post of mine is a review of "Deals."
• "Fat and Proud - Part 1" - YouTube ^ If you want to see the "Fat and Proud" series on YouTube, you can start by watching Part 1 of this special by clicking on the link above. It highlights on curvy women in the United Kingdom.
• (ADDED: February 24, 2012) PLUS FOR US ^ PLUS FOR US features all sorts of resources for Plus Size women.
Again- if I find more links to feature, you can be sure that I will update this post as many times as need be.
And as they say... big women need lovin' too! :) Love John's Blog Space? If so (and if you haven't yet subscribed or followed), Subscribe and/or Follow! Thank you for reading!
Speed Channel shown the Bathurst 1000 for the first time on American TV LIVE this weekend. This blog post showcases my own ideas regarding the coverage of the 2011 Bathurst 1000. The Bathurst 1000 is Australia's biggest racing event. If you want to liken this to a NASCAR event, you could say that the Bathurst 1000 is like the Coca-Cola 600, but with the prestige and honor of the Daytona 500. You win Bathurst, you become a legend. It's the big one. This blog post is all about how I've taken the Speed coverage of the 2011 Bathurst 1000.
A PERSONAL NOTE BEFORE I BEGIN:
(ADDED: OCT 10 2011) I would like to welcome all of my readers from Australia and New Zealand to John's Blog Space! Thank you so much for findind and sharing my blog. More so, I'd like to welcome people from the Australian Ford Forums for finding and sharing this post. I hope you have a good read. If you do enjoy my blog and my work, PLEASE feel free to subscribe to my blog via FeedBurner, Follow John's Blog Space, and/or even "like" my Facebook fan page. Thanks again, everyone!
--- Setting the Tone... ---
I needed to use a picture to help set the tone, so here is one I found online to help set the tone for the race that was covered this weekend (best I could find):
^ from: www.speedcafe.com.au - Bathurst 1000- legends are born for those who conquer this six-hour race around Mount Panorama. On October 8, 2011; the United States got to see this race for the first time LIVE.
The coverage began at 7:00 PM Eastern [Daylight] Time on Speed Channel. The race itself began around 7:30 PM Eastern [Daylight] Time. This was the commenting crew for Speed:
• Mike Joy - play-by-play • Darrell Waltrip - analyst • Leigh Diffey (one of my personal favorite Speed personalities) - pit reporter • Calvin Fish - pit reporter
Leigh Diffey, of course, used to be the play-by-play announcer for races in the Australian V8 Supercar Series. Perhaps a bit unusual not to hear him call down this one as the play-by-play announcer.
--- Coverage Thoughts in General ---
Each bullet highlights on a certain aspect of the coverage on Speed. Have a look at these notes I've taken:
• comparing NASCAR Sprint Cup cars to V8 Supercars. Fair comparison.
• "Boogity, boogity, boogity!" - no offense, but no need to say that. This isn't NASCAR, and you shouldn't try to make an event like the Bathurst 1000 to be like a NASCAR race. We don't need to dumb down an event like the Bathurst 1000 this way.
• Good job educating the audience on various aspects of Bathurst, Australia, the race, etc. Even learned a few things about the race and the track.
• Darrell Waltrip talked about the blue oval (Ford) and the "red tiger" of Holden. Uh, Holden's logo is the red LION.
I thought the coverage was very good to me. It also was great for the explanation of the different sponsors in Australia on the cars. Some of the different sponsors were those I was familiar with. It was great to hear Marcos Ambrose during the coverage while Ambrose (two-time Australian V8 Supercar Series champion) was at Kansas.
--- 2011 Bathurst 1000 Thoughts in General ---
There is a reason why this is being featured in the United States. The Bathurst 1000 is one of the greatest races in the world. These cars and this action certainly caught on with Americans as more and more people here get to see these cars in action. To some people, not as many people know of races and series like the Australian V8 Supercar Series because some people think that Australia is too far away from the rest of the world for people to actually know anything about the series.
That awesome finish and the big fire from one of the Holdens (the #17 one, I believe) are the two biggest sights I'll take away from this coverage. This was an exceptional experience to see. I saw most of the race on Speed Channel. It wasn't like I watched every last second.
--- Final Thoughts ---
I do think the insanity of the Bathurst 1000 was captured well here. The one thing I love about Speed Channel (and still do) is that they love motorsports and is willing to provide such great material for racing fans. My first taste of Australian V8 Supercars on TV was back in 2000 or 2001 when Speed Channel used to be Speedvision. The spellbinding thing about all of this is that the Australian V8 Supercar Series was perceived and recognized so well that we not only get Bathurst coverage, but LIVE Bathurst coverage. These same V8 Supercars will race around Circuit of the Americas in 2013. So this is a win-win for any racing fan. This is a weekend you have to enjoy if you are any kind of racing fan in the United States.
Many people think Speedvision's luster was lost the more Speed has started towards becoming more about NASCAR and reality TV. Fact is, Speed hasn't entirely lost what makes the channel what it is- a world of racing and a love of racing worldwide. Even though most of the coverage on the network mostly favors NASCAR and other kinds of American racing, the network still remains in touch with most of the rest of the world of racing. This is a network that knows what the heck they're talking about and knows racing better than any other network. I'd hate for this to be some... you know, highlight-laden deal on ESPN or something with substandard coverage. If this race was going to be shown live on TV for the first time in America, it needs to be done right. And Speed has done it... right, but with a few asterisks.
To be honest... I don't agree with having native TV crews calling down certain races. I am going to watch a major international race for that race, and I don't really need to have a certain domestic crew call down racing action. I appreciate mostly the world feed crew to call races. Take MotoGP coverage, for instance. I'm okay hearing Nick Harris and Gavin Emmett with Mark Bracks for MotoGP coverage. Of course, I do love hearing Bob Varsha, David Hobbs, Steve Matchett, and Will Buxton for F1 coverage on Speed Channel. But for the World Superbike and MotoGP races in the States, we usually hear Ralph Sheheen and Freddie Spencer, and sometimes Leigh Diffey. I'd even be inclined to hear Leigh Diffey do play-by-play for this race and maybe someone else for analysis. Or in a dream scenario, you could have Leigh Diffey and Marcos Ambrose (if Ambrose wanted to return home to Australia just for the Bathurst 1000) calling the action. It just... I would be okay with the usual Australian crew call down this race. You don't have to Americanize the coverage just to appease the American fans.
One last time... no more "boogity, boogity, boogity!" to begin coverage of this race! The Australian V8's is NOT NASCAR, and Bathurst isn't Darlington or some place. So no need to use this catchphrase for a race like this in a series like this. Please?
I am not here to spoil this race. So congratulations to (the 2011 Bathurst 1000 winners) on a job well done! I hope you liked my own review of the Speed Channel coverage of the 2011 Bathurst 1000. You all are free to express your own opinions as well here. More blog posts on various other topics are in the works! So if you loved your John's Blog Space experience, feel free to Subscribe and Follow. Thank you for reading!
For the first time, I rented a PS3 game. "Test Drive Unlimited 2" continues and expands upon what the first game brought about. Only instead of Oahu (Hawaii), you now can drive the roads of Ibiza. The thrill of driving now goes off-road in addition to on-road. Get ready to make friends and challenge them in a variety of different races and challenges. Prepare for the finest racing and driving experience ever conceived for consoles (and PC)!
ESRB NOTE: This game is rated "T" for Teen by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB). It features:
I am considering doing my Game Reviews differently. I always feel it is best to educate my readers on games before considering getting them. So I am considering making a full review followed by ending it with tips. This way, potential interested readers won't have to sit through my detailed reviews followed by any in-game hints. Have any suggestions? Contact me by Emailing me (go to my Blogger profile and send an Email with your thoughts).
UPDATES MADE:
• AUG 11, 2011 - edited review and provided more tips
--- Test Drive Unlimited 2 at a Glance ---
Test Drive Unlimited 2 requires an install. Game size required is 2,278 MB (2.278 GB) for the PS3 version.
^ from: amazon.com - Test Drive Unlimited 2 (PS3 version). It's time to explore another island and enjoy driving about besides Oahu.
In Test Drive Unlimited 2, the roads of Oahu Island are back for you to explore. Only this time, you are going to both Oahu Island and Ibiza. You can now be more engaged in customizing your home and all kinds of vehicles. Driving and racing can be done off-road in addition to on-road in TDU2.
Your Test Drive Unlimited 2 experience begins in Ibiza. You won't be on the island partying the night away at Space Ibiza or Pacha Ibiza, nor will you be attending virtual versions of Ibiza trance or chill sessions... but you will be driving and racing on the streets and off-road trails of Ibiza. You will be taking part in a number of different races and events. You will be able to connect with other TDU2 players as well. You may sometimes encounter other users as you are exploring the world of Test Drive Unlimited 2. In other words, TDU2 is giving you the chance to be part of a virtual world devoted to driving and racing. What you may be used to in massively-multiplayer online games of other genres is what you will experience in TDU2.
--- Test Drive Unlimited: The Basics ---
To prepare you for Test Drive Unlimited 2, I will share with you some basics of TDU2. So it's time to get you ready for the experiences this game will provide!
Skills and Levels.
The first things to be aware of are your Levels. Your experience in this game is noted by your Global Level. Your Global Level goes starts at Level 0 and goes up to Level 60. How do you reach the highest levels of the game? There are four skills that help contribute to your Global Level: Competition, Collection, Discovery, Social. Here is a rundown of each skill:
• Competition - Your racing skills make up your Competition. Taking part in races and winning races helps contribute to your Competition. You must also earn cups to help boost your level in this department.
• Collection - Buying clothes, homes, furniture, cars, and more help contribute to Collection. It also pertains to other features for both your avatar and your cars.
• Discovery - You will need to explore the islands and travel down as many roads to help increase this skill. Discovery also helps you to earn more things to purchase. Take part in things like Photographer and other tasks to explore the island while also gaining more experience. Also, your ability to find facilities you can enter helps contribute to your Discovery. You will usually be notified when you find a new facility.
• Social - Because meeting others helps you enjoy the game, and because connecting with others is fun, you will need to interact with others as well as connect with friends. Who wants to meet a shallow loser? Go ahead and make friends! This is not just your island to explore, but also its own social networking medium. So go meet new people and have fun exploring! You can also join clubs and take part in various online challenges to help contribute to the Social skill.
As you receive more bonuses and do more racing, the individual skills will be upgraded, which in turn will upgrade your Global Ranking. To rule this game, try to reach Level 60 with your Global Ranking! Keep up with all of your skills by going to the Pause menu and select "Progress and Objectives." Learn what all you have to do to reach new levels by visiting this menu and accomplish the tasks asked of you to level up.
The Environment.
The game runs on a 24-hour time cycle. You will realistically see day-to-night-to-day transitions along with changes in weather. Dry roads can become soaked in rain. You will see rain falling on the road as well as puddles on the road after rain has fallen. When there's a thunderstorm, you will actually see streaks of lightning in the distance with a loud thunder clap that follows. Time and weather can play a key role when you start doing Photographer missions. Certain pictures you must take require you to be there at a certain time of day/night, with certain weather conditions, and even with a certain car. So consider this a heads-up.
The Driving.
Your car will take damage the more you start wrecking and driving foolishly. It can roll over, gather up dirt and scratches, and more. A trip to the car wash can help bring your car back to new. Apart from driving, make sure to avoid getting the police involved. If a police car catches you driving erratically, you could be in trouble with the law and will have to escape any way you can. You can, however, take part in these Chases as either a Cop or an Outlaw. You may also see some other players in their own cars on the field.
Those are some of the basics of TDU2. I now want to discuss some of the stuff you'll be doing in the game. Consider this your preview of what to expect (though I will not spoil too many details).
--- Test Drive Unlimited 2: Doing Stuff! ---
There are lots of things you can do on the island! Here are some of the many things away from racing that you can do:
Home.
You can't just stay out all the time driving- you need to have your own pad to store your cars and live. You are able to walk around your living space and even access your garage. Each house is capable of holding only so many cars as well as holding only so much towards customizing your home's furniture. There are two methods for finding homes- (1) visit a Realtor, or (2) explore the location for available homes. Each home allows you to customize your living space as well as store your cars. If you have friends in TDU2, you can invite them to your home(s). Each home will also allow you to change your clothes by going through your closet. So there is a lot you can do at home. Here is a simple rundown of what you can do at home in TDU2:
• customize and buy furniture for your house. • edit your clothes • visit your garage • check out the latest news and updates regarding your TDU2 experience
To modify the furniture in your house, you will need to access MyTDUHome from the laptop in the house. From there, you can freely walk around your living room to change up furniture. You can choose between any number of furniture options for your house. The options vary for each item. If you own a piece of furniture already, re-coloring that item is free. In addition to furniture, you can also edit the flooring and walls of your house. Give your floor a new and stylish floor. Go with a new wall arrangement. Your living room can be vastly customized based on options you set. You must buy furniture to contribute to your Collection skills; changing walls and flooring does not count towards owning furniture.
To store more cars, you will need to buy more homes. The best tactic is to try to find some two-car houses until you can afford a four-car house.
Car Shopping.
Without a car, you can not function in the TDU2 world. So go get yourself a car. You may either visit a Used Car dealer if seeking cars on a budget, or you may visit a pretty showroom to find some cars for you to buy. You are able to explore any and all showrooms to see all available cars. There are two kinds of showrooms as far as New Cars are concerned- certain specific showrooms dedicated to one or multiple dealers, and showrooms devoted to certain categories of vehicle (like nationality or certain classes of vehicle). Each showroom can be visited and explored. At times, you may even encounter other TDU2 players shopping for cars just like you are. I once saw someone who was checking out a car. As I sat in the driver's seat, the other players was in the other seat! So it may be a good bonding opportunity to meet new players. :)
Only the Used Car lot features certain various cars for you to purchase while most new car showrooms have a fixed variety of cars for you to purchase. Cars at the Used Car dealer can not be customized, so what you see at the dealer is what you will get to drive away in should you buy that car. When visiting a showroom, there is one person you can visit who will share with you the list of cars to check out. Select a car from the list to shop for it. A new car showroom will allow you to purchase the car with options you select (not all cars have options). Here are some things to take note of when visiting a showroom:
• more immersive, actually explore car showrooms. • visit host/hostess for car list • choose wheels, paint color, interior • meet other players visiting the same showroom. • if low on money, you can sell some of your cars to make up the cost of a certain car. Your money + the cost of any exchanged car(s) helps if you can buy a car.
Each car comes with information on its acceleration, speed, and braking. The Difficulty indicates how tough the car is to drive. Cars with more steering wheel icons means it is tougher to drive than those with fewer steering wheel icons. There are three icons at the bottom for each car. These icons will let you know if you can re-color a car, add stickers to a car, or be able to tune the car at a Tuner. Any of those three icons that have green marks will allow you to modify a car in these respective manners, and those with red marks will disallow you in modifying a car for the given service.
Here is what you can do when you get to a car: • buy - buy the car and edit its options (wheels, paint, and interior). • get into the car - climb into the car. You can look around and honk the horn. • data - more detailed info on the car. • compare - compare one car to another in the showroom. • test drive - go for a test drive in the car for a two-minute drive.
That is basically it in regards to cars. Later in the game, you can earn some cars that can't be bought at showrooms, but can be built by a Used Car dealer for you. Don't worry about this until later in the game. There are also other cars that can only be earned if you are part of a Club.
Tuners.
Elevate your car's performance by taking it to a Tuner. As in the previous title, Tuners specifically work for certain nationalities of car. So a US Tuner will not accept your Nissan (for example). The tuning in TDU2 is different. You will be able to tune piece-by-piece with performance packages. There are a maximum of four upgradable levels for each element. Here are the elements you can tune for cars:
• Acceleration - improve a car's top speed. • Engine - improve horsepower and engine performance. • Braking - improve braking ability. • Wheels - buy a new set of wheels for your car (not available on all models)
To earn more upgrades, you will need to improve your Discovery of each area.
Stickers and Paint.
The Sticker Shop will allow you to colorize and stylize your cars. Pick from an assortment of color styles for color and many kinds of sticker sets to apply to your car. Color choices come in a variety of styles. You can choose from matte, metallic, glossy, and carbon colors. You can even arrange to have a bi-color system that allows you to come up with some color-shifting paints. There are over 15 pages of stickers to apply to your car. Pick one that suits you best to put onto your car. Any time you purchase and apply one sticker from a certain page, you can use stickers from that page as many times as you like, as many stickers from that page as you like, and on any car that allows stickers to be placed. You need to purchase a sticker from another page to be able to expand your sticker collection. These stickers count towards your Collection skills.
Clothes Shopping.
Change up your appearance while also contributing to your Collection score by shopping for clothes. Depending on your avatar, you can shop for clothes for your male or female avatar. There are four main clothing stores in the game. There is also a fifth clothing store, but you will need to buy the downloadable Casino Online downloadable content (DLC) to access it.
Each of the clothing shops offer their own items to help dress up your avatar. To begin your clothes shopping experience, visit the lady near the dressing rooms. You will then be introduced to a number of options for which to dress up your avatar. Here are items to choose from (not all items available for all clothing shops):
• hats - clothing for your head. Caps and hats can be purchased. • sunglasses - various sunglasses can be purchased. • upper garments - a variety of tops and jackets can be purchased. • lower garments - purchase bottoms for your avatar. • shoes - various shoes can be purchased for your avatar. • gloves - give your avatar some gloves to wear.
You will need to enhance your Discovery in a certain area to be able to purchase more items.
Realtor.
To buy homes, there are two methods- (1) find a home for sale while free roaming, or (2) visit a realtor. You will need to consult with a real estate agent to buy homes. Stepping into the realtor's office allows you to buy homes, exchange homes, or sell homes. All the available homes are specific to certain areas of either island. You don't just have any realtor- you have a brunette cutie proudly rocking skinny jeans and high-heel sandals. The biggest reason why you want to buy more homes is to have more available cars to store into them. There is one very important factor to consider when buying any house- its level. The first TDU had houses that allowed for as few as four cars and as many as ten cars to be stored. In TDU2, garage space ranges from as few as two cars to as many as six cars. When you reach Oahu (Hawaii), some houses in Hawaii will allow you to store as many as eight cars.
Any home you visit can be expanded upon by taking a Virtual Tour. Here, you will be able to take your own Virtual Tour of each home. Get to see what the place has to offer. Freely move around to see the living space, any additional rooms, the garage, and more. This will give you the best idea of what each home will offer should you buy it or want to buy it. A number of homes will look more like certain other homes as you look around. Don't worry about this. Just find a home you want to buy and enjoy living there.
Homes are rated on a five-star system. The number of stars essentially determines its garage space. The rating has nothing to do with the quality of a home. You start off with a home that has no stars. Later in the game, you will purchase houses that will allow you to better customize them. Everything from homes to even yachts can be purchased!
• Buy a home by spending your hard-earned money. If you have enough money to purchase a home, you will freely be able to buy and enter that home immediately.
• A better and more cost-effective option is to exchange homes. The price of a home you are considering will be knocked off as you exchange homes. It makes more sense to exchange for homes of a certain car capacity with homes of the same or greater capacity. It makes no sense, however, exchanging from a house of one capacity for a home with less capacity. Exchange wisely.
• If you are in need of money and have a few houses bought, another money-saving measure is to sell houses. You will receive money back so you can have some extra money on hand. BE CAREFUL- if you have more cars than you have space to put them in, you may run out of places for which to store your cars! So do this only as an extreme measure. Also, remember that you can not sell any cars. You can, however, exchange cars in addition to the cars you have if you are trying to get rid of cars in exchange for one specific car.
You can purchase a home without needing to visit a Realtor (which is a BIG improvement from my TDU1 experience on the PS2). Just look for any available home and visit it. You can buy it from that point. I don't recommend you buying a house that you find free roaming unless you really want to get that house with your hard-earned money. It is better to maybe get a better deal by visiting the realtor, where you can exchange homes and not have to pay so much to get that certain house. Just take note of what Realtor offers the house in question. Remember the name of the house and look for the Realtor that offers that house.
Hairdresser.
Why visit a Hairdresser? If you want to change up the hairstyle and facial hair of your avatar, you will need to visit a hairdresser. Or don't tell me that you are content with the models the game provide for your avatar! You will be surprised what a change of hairstyle and such can do for your avatar. So visit the hairdresser and change up your avatar's hair and other things as much as you like.
Improve your Discovery of a certain area or island to expand the array of hair options for your avatar.
Cosmetic Clinic.
Go under the knife for modification of your avatar's face. When you're done, you will be able to go show off your new face! There are multiple options designed to customize your avatar's face. Be warned that after your avatar has cosmetic work done, he/she will have most of his/her head wrapped in bandages. Those bandages, though, will be removed after some time passes.
Airport.
When you reach Level 10, you will be able to access and use the airport to go to Hawaii's Oahu Island (it's just called Hawaii in this game). Get yourself a ticket so you can travel between Oahu and Ibiza. You have to pay a one-time fee of $2,000 for a trip to Hawaii when you first access the airport. After this first-time airport visit, you can travel from Ibiza/Hawaii to Hawaii/Ibiza as many times as you like for free.
Those are some of the many things to do around Ibiza and Hawaii besides racing. Speaking of which...
--- Test Drive Unlimited 2: Racing ---
Contest for speed by taking part in races around the islands. From in-game races to various online events (including events you can create yourself), there are MANY opportunities to go racing and take part in a number of events.
Racing in General: Basic Events.
Events are divided up into classes, and you will need the appropriate license to compete in each championship or race. They are broken up in "A," "B," and "C" classes. The lower the number for each class, the more powerful. The "A" events are for Asphalt cars. These are your basic races on tarmac, and cars in this class range from A7 to A1. The "B" class is exclusively for SUVs and exclusively for off-road racing. There are only B4 and B3 classes for this designation. The "C" class are for the classic cars in the game. They are classified as cars under C4 and C3.
Your first in-game championship is in the C4 championship. Championships feature a certain number of races for you to take part in with various events to each one. The best thing about championships is that you can select which race you want to do. All races must be completed for you to complete a championship. If you don't want to compete any longer in a championship (perhaps knowing you aren't going to win), you can back out of any championship. To my knowledge, all of your winnings will be nullified if you do back out of a championship. So make sure to complete them, even if you are not going to win the title. Here are some of the many events you can participate in:
• Race - a simple race either on a closed circuit or an open circuit. Be careful with some events because some may have moving traffic in addition to you racing.
• Time - post the fastest time on the course to win. Depending on the event (especially for tarmac racing), time penalties may be added if you go off-course at any time.
• Speedtrap - there are multiple speedtraps set up in certain locations, and there is a time limit for which to cross through them. Your speed going into each speedtrap will be recorded. Try to record the fastest times at each speedtrap. The highest average top speed from all speedtraps at the conclusion of the event determines the winner.
• Eliminator - at the end of each lap, the lowest-placed driver is eliminated. The race is over either when you are eliminated or when the last remaining driver is eliminated.
• Speed - keep your car above the minimum speed limit to avoid losing. Make sure to try to maintain your speed within the allowed time.
Try to win every race in the championship. A victory earns you 10 points in the championship and the maximum money payout. You earn no points if you finish last.
Later in your racing, you can take part in Cup championships. You can only advance to the next race when you win the previous event. And also, you must have a car from every class offered for the Cup. So you may want to hold onto some of your cars rather than sell them off.
Single-Player Events.
Scattered across the island are a number of events designed to test your driving abilities and accomplishing certain tasks. If you complete these tasks, you will be rewarded money and help your Discovery skills. Here is a brief look at some of the many challenges:
• Tail - you will be asked to follow a certain car in these events. You must do so cautiously, however. Try to avoid getting too close or trailing too far back from the other car.
• Driving - there is no time limit, but you must get one person from the starting position to the ending position. Going off-course and taking damage will deduct driving points. If you fail to get from one point to another, you will lose the event.
• Driving Convoy - you will be given a car for which you must get to a certain destination with as little damage as possible. The amount of money you will be paid depends on how well you can get the car from start to finish with as little damage as possible. Going off-course or damaging the car will deduct winning money away. There is no time limit.
• Jolt - rather than driving furiously, you must carefully get one person to a certain destination without scaring or sickening that person. Driving fast, braking hard, swerving out of control, hitting things, and other actions will upset your passenger. So drive carefully to win these challenges. There is no time limit to the Jolt challenges.
• Speed - get the car up to speed and maintain that speed for a good amount of time.
• Adrenaline - you have a certain amount of time to excite your passenger with a variety of dangerous driving acts. If you fail to fully excite the passenger within the allowed time, you lose.
It helps to have a very good car for these challenges. Just remember that the Driving Convoy has cars provided for you, so there's no need to have a certain car available to take part in the Driving Convoy tasks.
Other Forms of Racing.
(Most of this section pertains to online racing, which I have little or no experience with in TDU2.)
Why play alone? You can do online racing by seeking events across the island or by going to the Community Racing Center (CRC). More ambitious types can set up their own races with the Challenge Creator.
You can also take part in co-op races. These consist of a bunch of club races rather than a lot of one-on-one contests. One such event is the Keep Your Distance challenge, where all racers must be within a certain distance from each other.
Feeling lucky? Why not try the Online Chase Mode? This is where you test either side of the badge. This is similar to Most Wanted and Top Cop in the Need for Speed games. You can be an Outlaw by evading the police, or you can be top cop by taking down speeders. Requests can usually be made for you to pursue unruly drivers. If you cause too much havoc on the roads, the police will pursue you. Unfortunately, I was arrested in this game by the police for traffic violations. You end up having to pay a fine. So be careful while going full speed on the streets.
--- TDU2: Overall Review ---
Test Drive Unlimited 2 is unlimited in immersion and in action. Its combination of on-road and off-road action will be enough to make any racing game fan happy. Being able to interact and take part in this virtual realm is very pleasing. The cars all look and sound great. Enjoy racing from a number of different views. I don't care too much listening to the radio in the game, but a lot of the music (non-radio) is great to listen to. The environments are all designed beautifully. Not once will you experience any ugly-looking or less-than-perfect graphics. Though sometimes, there is a modest sort of polygon pop-up in very far distances. Still, everything looks and works great.
The single most disappointing element of TDU2 (to me) is in trying to save photos. You would probably think you can save pictures to your PS3's Extendable Media Bar (XMB), but that's not the case. There is a real funky way to save your pictures. Here's how:
1.) Take a photo (Start » Take a Photo » Take your photo » (optional) name your picture 2.) Press the PS Button. 3.) Go to the Photo menu. 4.) Go to "Save Screenshot." 5.) Confirm. --- If you want to port your pictures over... --- 6.) Copy your pictures over to a given external media device. 7.) To save on your PC, you will need to crop the picture to actually save your work. Take the main picture and crop the image to include just the actual in-game picture. When you're done, save over your image or save a new image.
You can't even save your pictures over to your XMB. That's real disappointing. I am not just talking about the photo work you have to do, but rather just taking casual pictures.
Maybe a modest disappointment is that I wished there were some better-looking models I can use to represent myself in the game. Some of the clothing choices are a bit fruity to me as well. I guess since you start off in Ibiza, you are supposedly a super-handsome European guy or girl and that you only care for European fashions. I almost want to play a second game to play as a female avatar just to see the fashion options for females in TDU2.
Oh, and one last thing... no motorcycles in Test Drive Unlimited 2. It probably would have been fun to ride motorcycles especially around Ibiza. Be careful of one thing online- some of the online drivers are absolute idiots. Some will intentionally wreck you and keep whacking you (often called "rammers" or "smashers"). And also, be wary of these Bugatti Veyron drivers (or other drivers of really fast/powerful cars) who will tail you and attack you. Thankfully, you can report certain bone-headed people in the game by filing a grief report to Atari or Eden or whoever.
--- Test Drive Unlimited 2: Video Preview(s) ---
Here is your look at TDU2. And if you seen my blog post on Test Drive Unlimited 1, yes. This is the same video I posted in my TDU1 blog post:
^ courtesy of Machinima; the song is "Ghetto Burnin'" by Phonat
Above all else, I have experienced a Test Drive Unlimited experience much different from the PlayStation 2 version of TDU1. Test Drive Unlimited 2 will really grab you and take you for a ride with its immersive gameplay and engaging action. It takes what made TDU1 great and made it better for TDU2. Plus, all the interactions with other gamers make for one exceptional racing and driving experience not to be missed. Surely worth your money if you have the system to play TDU2. If you got money (and the system to play it on) but don't have TDU2, get it on Amazon by using this:
^ available for: PlayStation 3, XBOX 360, PC, and as a PC Download
