“We’re so young and pretty, we’re so young and clean,

so many things that we have never seen…

Big Apple dreamin’ on a wooden floor

Skyscrapers and subways and stations

Staring up at the United Nations

New York is waiting for you and me, baby

Waiting to swallow us down

New York, we’re coming to see what you’re made of

Are you as great as you sound?”

- “Big Apple Dreamin’” by Alice Cooper

Herbie, Christian and Greyson Fletcher recently came back home to San Clemente after a jam-packed stay in New York. There, they checked out the art and surf scenes in Montauk, the skate scenes of Manhattan, and everything else in-between, all the while hanging out with some pretty colorful characters.

We’ll get to Herbie’s Tripoli Art Gallery showcase and Christian’s Hamptons International Film Festival presentation of his movies “Savage Beast” and “Supernatural” next week. There’s so much to report about those things. But right now, we’re just way too impatient and wanna hurry up and upload these sick photos of Astrodeck’s very own Astroboy, Greyson, taking a bite out of the Big Apple… Fletcher style!

Here’s a sequence shot of the kid at the Chelsea Piers Skate Park. He’s pretty impressive, isn’t he?

All photos by Herbie Fletcher.

1:13 Frontside ollie at the Chelsea Piers Skate Park.

2:13 Was it New York or Hell? Couldn't tell with the blistering heat.

3:13 When Greyson skates, people watch.

4:13 Grant Monahan taking a shot of Greyson.

5:13 When you look at the first photo and this photo, grasp how much pop and air he got.

6:13 Ready to land.

7:13 And...

8:13 He makes it.

9:13 Check out those raspberries.

10:13

11:13

12:13

13:13

According to Greyson, he had a great time in New York despite the sweltering heat. He made a lot of good friends and New York made a lasting impression on him, and he can’t wait to go back.

John John Florence: In the air and on the land. (All photos by Herbie Fletcher)

Date of Birth: 10/18/92

Hometown: Sunset Beach/Hawaii

Current City: Sunset Beach/Hawaii

Favorite Pop Tart: Strawberry with frosting.

Guilty Pleasure: NA

I use Astrodeck traction pads because: I cant surf without it.

Crank it up (favorite tunes): Black Sabbath

I wouldn’t be caught dead: Rollerblading

I’ve yet to master: Fishing

The first time I stood up on a wave: Rockies

Grub (favorite food): Pasta

10 years ago I was: A grommet.

10 years from now I want to: Still be surfing.

I can’t live without: The ocean.

Ideal conditions: NW swell at Pipe with SE winds or NW swell at V-land with light W winds.

Beliefs: Eat alot of food and everything will be good, ahahahaha.

Strangest thing in my life: Wahiwa at night time.

What I would change about this world: Some of the people.

Are you easily impressed: Yes

Parting words: K, talk to you later.

(Photo: The artist as a grom; John John Florence checking out the surf at Backdoor.)

To say that Astrodeck has had an association with John John since he was a wee bitty grom would be a gross understatement.

Not only as a surfer, but also as a friend; there’s always been a tight bond between the Fletchers and the Florences.

(Photo: Herbie in the Land of the Towheaded Munchkins. L to R: Ford Archbold, John John Florence, Herbie Fletcher, Greyson Fletcher, Ivan Florence, Nathan Florence.)

(Photo: John John, Greyson, Ford, Ivan and Nathan enjoying some shaved ice.)

(Photo: Ivan, Nathan, Greyson and John John on one of Herbie's boards.)

John John was always that little blond kid who stuck out; running around on the North Shore, taking off on waves double his age, triple his size. Herbie saw the potential in John John early on, and was actually the first person to tow the little guy in at Phantoms. Aside from when his own kids (Christian and Nathan) were little, John John has been the youngest person Herb’s ever towed-in.

(Photo: John John at nine-years-old, ready for his tow-in session at Phantoms.)

(Photo: John John was ready to go when everyone else was just sitting around, wondering what to do. Photo by Herbie Fletcher/2003.)

(Photo: 1:11. John John has always been one of Herbie's favorite surfers to shoot and surf with on his follow cam. Here, Herbie is surfing behind John John to capture his every move on the wave. Check out where he's taken off, look at that trail of spray!)

(Photo: 2:11 of the sequence at Trestles.)

(Photo: 3:11)

(Photo: 4:11. What was your kid doing at this age?)

(Photo: 5:11)

(Photo: 6:11)

(Photo: 7:11)

(Photo: 8:11. And he recovers.)

And today? Well, he’s definitely coming into his own. And he hasn’t even tapped into full-grown manhood yet. John John recently won the Da Hui Backdoor Shoot-Out, taking down a lot of heavy contenders. Pretty sick, huh? He’s also constantly traveling; launching over lips or getting shacked on far-away waves you can only dream about. Add periodic snowboarding trips and some skateboarding routines into the mix, and you’ve got a pretty hectic but insanely fun, earned life right there.

(Photo: John John recently went on a trip to the Mentawai Islands with Herbie and Nathan Fletcher, Bruce Irons, Danny Fuller, Matt Archbold, and photographer Art Brewer. John John even scored a cover shot for one of the mags during this trip!)

Yup. Whether it was his past, his present, or what’s in store for him for the future, from our viewpoint, things look pretty solid for John John. And we’re stoked that Astrodeck and the Fletcher’s have been there from the early stages to see it all enfold…and we can’t wait to see what the future unveils.

(Photo: The grom as a man today. By the way, nice traction pad you've got there, John.)