If you ask Ozomatli’s Ulises Bella to pick a favorite taco spot in LA, get ready for a long answer. Ulises has hit seemingly every spot in town, and is always on the hunt for new locations. In the end, he decided to take LA TACO to his “favorite spot right now”, with an emphasis on right now. Don’t go looking for Ulises at this tacos al vapor spot, which is at the corner of Atlantic and 54th, because he will probably have moved on by the time this goes to press. In the meantime, enjoy these pictures of Ulises enjoying mass quantities of lengua, cabeza, sesos, chorizo, and asada tacos. When you’re ready to go visit in person, don’t forget to add some habanero “death sauce” to your tacos– Ulises recommends it.

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You’ve lived in Los Angeles almost all your life, how does the city inspire you?

Well LA is a beautiful city, with our mountains and beaches. I love how our city pops up all over the place downtown, Venice, Echo Park, Silver Lake, Culver City, Highland Park, Eagle Eock. All over there is this intricate Spanish Moroccan ancient Babylonian Mayan architecture and between the Griffith Park Observatory and the Bullocks Wilshire there is an underlying Egyptian/ art deco influence. These elements make this city aesthetically interesting to me. I think the local deserts and forests inspire me the most though. I go to these places when I’ve had my fill of the city and swim through rivers with my backpack on my head and cook dinner on mountaintops. LA gives me a bit of the whole world right here in one place.

Where in the city have your lived, and what is your favorite corner?
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Nomadé’s art started appearing around town a few years ago and immediately gained admirers city-wide. Their first solo show, Recent Artifacts, opens this Saturday night at Hold Up Art at 7pm. More info is at their website, thenomade.com. So, what’s their favorite taco? What’s their favorite part of LA? Read on to find out…

What’s your favorite taco?
Our favorite taco? You won’t really like the answer, unfortunately, because it’s from a place right across the street from our studio. The location of the studio is not something we make public, so we can’t tell you where it is. On the other hand, you will be happy to know that the creative force driving Nomadé is fueled by one great L.A. taco… with everything.

What is the relationship between The Nomadé and Los Angeles?
We all live and work in Los Angeles. It is our home. It seems only natural that our work reflects the city we know. If there is one thing that we never debated about, it was to include L.A. imagery and ideas.

Are you from LA? If not, what brought you here and what parts of town do you like/live in/etc. ?

There are four of us, and each of us are from somewhere else. Most of us either came for school or work or both and ended up making L.A. our permanent home. We live all over the city. East to West…not too far west. We have a studio around Mid-City, and we are there often. We like hanging out where the art is — Venice, Culver City, Downtown, Hollywood too.

What was the first piece of Nomadé art that went up in the streets?
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For your listening pleasure, enjoy the smooth, soulful stylings of LA’s own Tokimonsta. Relax as you fall into a magical zone where DJ Premier, Flying Lotus, Herbie Hancock and Billy Cobham hang out to smoke a J and take 5. Tokimonsta appears tonight at Low End Theory in Lincoln Heights: 2419 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA. Tokimonsta’s EP Creature Dreams is out now– pick it up if you like music.

So, Tokimonsta, what’s your favorite taco?

Tacos Sinaloa in Torrance!

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Vernon Courtland Johnson, or VCJ, is one of today’s most influential artists working in a commercial medium. His iconic designs for Powell Peralta have inspired thousands of other artists worldwide, and he routinely gets namechecked by street-art superstars like D*Face and Shepard Fairey. VCJ didn’t invent the idea of skateboard art, but he both defined it and set a standard that others have yet to match. VCJ is unique in today’s art scene, as his work is admired by an incredibly wide range of fans and other artists. Fine artists delight in his skill in freehand drawing, especially skulls. Street artists love the way he makes images iconic, and designs into globally recognizable characters. Commercial artists marvel at the precision and deceptive amount of detail he is able to work into every design. And those of us who are fans adore the power, humor, beauty, and intensity of his art– millions of us saved up our allowances to be able to buy a Powell Peralta deck with a VCJ design. TACO recently got the rare chance to ask Vernon a few questions… stay tuned after the interview for a mini gallery of high-res VC Johnson Powell-Peralta decks.

TACO: How did you get your start as an artist? When did you hook up with Powell Peralta?

VCJ: Born as a human with large brain and opposing digits, I learned to amuse myself with material found along the road on Campus Earth. Mud, rocks, sticks, water, paint, paper, metals, fire. I had an aptitude for art and other fixations from an early age. They let me play. George Powell married an older sister of mine and took interest in me as a late teenager looking for direction. When I was thirty, he noticed that I was floating along as a hippy who could work, so he hired me to help outfit a factory for mass production of skateboards. I was jazzed to have many creative projects every day and to master a production line towards market success.

TACO: Do you have a favorite of all the characters you’ve created? A favorite deck?

VCJ: No favorites stand out for me in my work. My skate poster series truly satisfied my appetite for mastery of composition, components and chiaroscuro.

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We feel very lucky to have you working here in LA. What drew you to this city?
I guess for the most part it was the weather?

We came here on vacation about 4 or 5 years ago, and just fell in love
with The chaos that is Los Angeles….but i think the main reason why we
first decided to actually move over here was the year round amazing
weather! It just cant be beaten!

Do you have a favorite location that you’ve painted in Los Angeles?
As for walls that we have painted in LA, i think our favorite spot so far
would be a wall that we painted just a few weeks ago in Downtown LA with
the twins How and Nosm from New York.

The wall was on the side of the Neptune Building near the corner of 3rd
and Alamada. We painted the spot as part of the LA Freewalls project with
Jetset Graffiti.

It was about 5 stories tall and about 120 feet long, It was by far the
largest we have ever gone, and it felt really good to go so big!!
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All Images Copyright Julius Berman. Click for large versions.

Native Angeleño Julian Berman is the hottest young photographer working today, and has already had his work on the cover of Billboard magazine. His special connection to ODD FUTURE has opened the door, and he’s come charging through with portraits and other images that can’t be ignored. You’ll be hearing a lot about Julian in the coming years, so let’s get to know him a little bit…

Let’s start it off the TACO way– what’s your favorite taco?
Favorite taco spot? I’ve definitely got a few…. Benitos is always local and the rolled tacos are absolute perfection. King Taco is good if you want some authentic street tacos, and if I feel like getting a little funky, Albertos in Anaheim is always an option after a show at Chain Reaction or a long day at Disneyland.

How did you get into photography?
I got into it about three years ago… Eleventh Grade. To be honest I just took photography classes in High School, but never realized I’d tackle them and gain such interest so quickly. From there on, instantly hooked as I started to notice I was getting better and better.

Are you from LA? What inspires you about the city?
I am born and raised in Los Angeles, California. I’ve lived in the same house my entire life, and to be honest, could never imagine moving. Los Angeles as a city is very inspirational, showcasing so many different types of individuals, cultures, and lifestyles. So many different communities and places to explore, it’s pretty neat. Also, who doesn’t love a little bit of traffic, overpriced gas, and smog here and there…

What’s next for you and your art?
Next up for me and my art, definitely trying to expand my client base and work out cameras with different formats. Of course there are tons of projects with Tyler and the Odd Future dudes, but I am test driving some other projects out very soon. Gear wise, I just picked up a Mamiya 7, a 6×7 Medium Format rangefinder which will be an interesting aesthetic, and I am very excited to put that thing to use. As of right now though, just really shooting plenty of film, simply just documenting my day to day…

How did you hook up with the Odd Future crew?
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We caught up with the mysterious People, an artist who has created several huge, original pieces of art around Los Angeles in interesting places. We wanted to find out more about what People is all about…

TACO: What inspires you in Los Angeles?
PEOPLE: Everything from people to places. Diversity inspires me.

TACO: What’s your favorite taco?
PEOPLE: I am a fan of La Playita on Lincoln. The carne asada tacos are good there but I mostly go there for their famous ceviche.

TACO: What is People all about?
PEOPLE: I am People.

TACO: What’s next for People?
PEOPLE: The most exciting part of life is not knowing whats next or where to go. I am looking forward to each present moment I have to come.

This weekend our minds were blown when we saw the video of Zoltan Torkos doing a kickflip on a surfboard (above). We got a chance to ask Zoltan “The Magician” a few questions to get more insight into one of the craziest things we’ve ever seen in the water.

TACO: How long did it take from the conception of a surfboard kickflip to pulling it off?

ZOLTAN: I started trying the kickflip as soon as Volcom put out the call for the contest. I tried a few in the previous years and came close, but didn’t try it too seriously. Casey Panuto, a local rock star and my good buddy filmed me day after day and caught the two kickflips to layback a few months back that started the hoopla for this kickflip. Thank you Casey.

Where did you grow up? When did you first get in the water and what is/was your inspiration?

I grew up in Santa Cruz, CA. I first started surfing in Junior High. I was inspired by Carl Reimer, my little brother, Casey “Party Time” Panudy my partner in crime, and Rigo Torkos (my older brother) who caught the kickflip on film and who never ever let me think I was too cool. And of course my wife and baby for keeping me on it. Also, I have got a lot of support from EX Drinks, Surf Co. Hawaii, Waterboony Hats, and Vernor Surfboards because they believed in me as a professional surfer.

What’s your favorite taco?

La Hacienda has by far the best Mexican food in SC.

 

Your nickname is “The Magician” what other magic tricks are you working on?

Heel flip just too keep it creative, the options are endless. I would like to be the one to make up the next contest– I have some ideas of tricks for the whole surfing world to try for.

You’re a skater too, do you have a favorite between surfing and skating?

For me they are the same. I love them both.

Did you end up winning the Volcom $10k prize? Are you going to be able to surf full time or are you keeping your day job?

I haven’t heard from Volcom yet but Fuel TV/Grind TV and Lost Enterprises claimed I won contest, so I am just waiting and praying because I need it so bad for my buddy Carl– on his last day on earth he told me I should be the first one on earth to do this trick because I nearly rode one out in front of him that day. So far it’s working out, and I hope that my surfing career keeps building…

Thank you Zoltan! We’re huge fans and wish you the best.

SEIZER has been getting up citywide for years, and has influenced up-and-coming street artists all over the globe. Some of the earliest posts on LA TACO years ago were SEIZER spottings. We think it’s safe to say he’s LA’s King of abandoned billboards and is constantly upping the ante on what makes a great spot, opening eyes, blowing minds and attracting others to new ground he’s conquered. SEIZER is also an accomplished fine and commercial artist who is comfortable working in just about any media, from typography to freehand illustration.

So, SEIZER ONE, What’s your Favorite Taco?

“I feel awkward saying so but Carne Deshebrada and Papa con Rajas @ Loteria grill. That truck over on Alvarado is pretty awesome too. And I just got take out from Sky’s on Pico, BOMB!!”

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SABER  is an LA art legend, having made his name on the streets as SABER ONE and as a part of famous crews MSK and AWR. He’s conquered the LA River, galleries all over the world, and the streets of LA and beyond. Massive and influential collabos with his MSK/AWR crews are the norm, as are public art installations with people like Shepard Fairey. While all graffiti is political, through SABER’s twitter feed we’ve learned that he is a knowledgeable and passionate political observer, supporting revolution and Egypt and social justice in the USA.

So, SABER, what’s your favorite taco?

Bellevue and Echopark blvd. Right up from the entrance to the 101. Small Ghost taco stand. Only there on weekends. Best ever. Or go 818 and hit up Melodies, Salpicon tostada bean and cheese. Fuck it’s good.

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