How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Tony Hawk
Even though he officially retired from competition more than two decades ago, skateboarding legend and entrepreneur Tony Hawk seems to be everywhere these days.
If you're an avid video game player, you can watch him (or maybe even help him) defy gravity in a long-running series. If you watch TV, you might catch him pitching Qunol turmeric gummies. If you're a fan of podcasts, perhaps you've heard his weekly "Hawk v. Wolf" (with Jason Ellis). If you live in an underserved community, you might see the Skatepark Project (formerly the Tony Hawk Foundation) working to fund your neighborhood skate park. And, if you tuned in to the 2024 Paris Olympics over the summer, you might have spotted the 56-year-old Snoop-adjacent during the skateboarding finals. (His skateboard company, Birdhouse, is a sponsor of Team USA's Tom Schaar, who took home a silver medal.)
And, even though he lives in San Diego (where he was born and raised), you also might spot the Birdman in Los Angeles, where he finds himself on a not-infrequent basis. When I caught up with him recently, Hawk not only had a jam-packed perfect SoCal Sunday to share but he also had suggestions of special places that boarders from beyond our borders might consider seeking out when they eventually make their way here to compete in the 2028 Games: the "iconic" handrail at Hollywood High School ("There are actually two, but one's bigger — and that's a proving ground") and Sunset Car Wash, which is now unskateable but "lives in infamy" after a few bold skaters jumped from the awning at the top and rolled down the sloped embankment. "Only a few people got the chance to do it," Hawk said. "The first one was 20-plus years ago, John Cardiel. And then Mark Gonzales, who's a famous skater, tried it right behind him, and he crashed. And later on Milton Martinez did a kickflip into it, which was kind of unheard of."
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Read more: How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Awkwafina
7 a.m.: Roll north from North County
I would probably try to leave by 7 a.m. to get up to the Venice/Santa Monica area by 8:30 because that's when the freeway is working the way it should.
8:30 a.m.: Dive into a doughnut
I'd probably start at Holey Grail Donuts — there's one in Santa Monica. My favorite is their usual glaze, which is a staple, but all of their flavors are good. They've got really good coffee too, so I'd get a doughnut and a cup of coffee.
9 a.m.: Pay a visit to the Venice Beach Skate Park
The Venice [Beach] Skate Park is so iconic, so I would start with that early in the morning before it gets crowded. I actually say that for any skate park, especially for beginners. I tell parents that if they want to get their kid to the skate park, they should show up in the early morning — daybreak if you can — because that's when the older skaters like me are there, or the beginners. And there's much more respect and much more freedom. By mid-morning, the better skaters start showing up, and you're just in the way. And the thing with Venice is that it can be intimidating because it's such a fishbowl. If you're there after 10 a.m., prepare to be on display. But the whole Venice, Dogtown, Z-Boys thing, it's all right there, so I feel a kinship to the area.
Read more: This must be Venice
11 a.m. Pop over to the Santa Monica Pier
I might go up to the Santa Monica Pier and just sort of be a tourist and ride the roller coaster. The pier is pretty iconic. We put it in a video game [“Tony Hawk's American Wasteland”] about 20 years ago. Funny story: My son Keegan [Hawk], who is now 23, demanded that I take him to the Santa Monica Pier when he was about 7 because it was in the game. I remember him pointing out all these different landmarks that were in the game but that I had never noticed.
Noon: Snap into a smashburger
For lunch, I'd go to Burger She Wrote, which just opened on the Strand in Venice, and get a double smashburger and fries. The menu is pretty basic, but they also have an Oklahoma burger that's kind of smoky. A skater actually opened the shop, and I became an investor late in the game. They closed the Los Feliz location to open this one.
Read more: This must be Venice
3 p.m.: Drop in on the departed
I like going to LACMA, for sure. They have great exhibitions. There was one from maybe 10 years ago — the James Turrell retrospective — that was awesome. Or I might go over to the Hollywood Forever cemetery, which I think is super cool. Not to visit any graves in particular. I'd just wander and check it out. I just think it's a beautiful area, and I love that they do concerts and movies there.
4:30 p.m.: Swing by Sapasi
One of my sons, Miles Goodman, actually has a skate shop in West Hollywood called Sapasi — on North Robertson Boulevard near Melrose Avenue — so I'd stop by to see him if he's there. [Editor's note: Sapasi isn't currently open on Sundays.] And we wander around that area a lot. There's good shopping: Palace [Skateboards] is there, and there are some clothing stores too.
Read more: This must be West Hollywood
6 p.m.: Motor over to Matsuhisa
I'm old, so I eat early, and this is about when I'd probably go grab some dinner. My favorite is Matsuhisa on La Cienega Boulevard, so I would go there and get the omakase. Either that or go to the Chateau Marmont and get their spaghetti Bolognese. It's one of those two. If I went to Matsuhisa for the omakase, that's probably an hour and a half or two hours, so if I left around 8, I'd get back home at around 9:30.
9:30 p.m.: Watch TV with a whiskey
On a Sunday, my wife and I are catching up on whatever shows we're watching, like "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" or "House of the Dragon." And I love fine whiskey, so I would probably pour myself a glass of Hakusha 12 Years Old, which is my go-to right now.
10 p.m.: Bank on an early bedtime
I'm up so early these days — especially on Mondays — so if it's a true Sunday night, I'm usually in bed by 10. My daughter just got her driver's license, but it's still a task to get her out the door on time, so I know my morning is going to start early, with me yelling to her in her room.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
