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Skater Cutie: Quim Cardona
Not too long ago, I had lunch with cute pro skater Quim Cardona. We decided on sushi in Los Angeles' Japantown, where we were faced with a 30-minute wait. Unfazed, Quim immediately led me into the toy store across the street. I lost him in the aisles the moment we stepped through the door, and it struck me that I had a big kid on my hands for the entire day. After sampling every gadget from every corner of the shop--including Baby's First Karaoke Set--I was finally able to drag him back to the restaurant.Once there, Quim became fascinated with the prints on the walls, and he began practicing his Japanese on our server. His vibrant enthusiasm was impressive. I could barely fit a word in through his many tales about the places he's traveled. Stories of Japan and his friends there, about meeting his favorite fine artist, Abdul Mati Klarwein, in Mallorca (an island off of Spain), or spending the night at the Cardona Castle in Spain with his Portuguese father, who is also named Joaquim Cardona. I was captivated. His bright blue eyes beamed mischievously as he described Castilla de Cardona. "See, I'm a prince!" he grinned. Yeah, a jester hidden in Prince Charming's body, I thought.
Quim tries not to travel too much, though, as he is a prince in a busy kingdom. Aside from skating, he is in the midst of establishing his own wheel company, S.U.S.H.I. Wheels, as well as producing his own music, putting out an album, and learning Japanese--all of which he intends to accomplish in the span of one year. If the amount of wide-eyed energy he displayed in one hour is any indication of his productivity, I'm certain he'll succeed.
By the end of lunch, Quim had grabbed my notebook and pen and not only produced a full caricature of himself on the pages where my notes should have been, but also proceeded to finish up his own interview. He titled it "Quimformation."
Quim's first sponsors picked him up when he was 16. He spent most of his time skating in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York City until February 2003, when he and two friends made the trip from New Jersey to Los Angeles via Quim's Subaru wagon. They drove across the country in 48 hours. "Forty-eight hours?" I sputtered in disbelief. "How is that possible?" He simply smiled, as if hiding a secret. "Anything is possible."
A dedicated athlete, Quim leads a healthy lifestyle. He spends his days stretching, practicing yoga, skating, and working to achieve his many goals. If he goes out to a club or a show, you'll see him drinking cranberry or orange juice, although he'll indulge in a glass of wine at home. One of Quim's biggest priorities is influencing kids in a positive way. "It's all about making people dream," he stresses. Wow, there is a serious side. But Quim insists he never takes himself too seriously. "Even when my whole world falls, I'll still have a smile on my face," he predicts. I asked him how he came to be such a gem, and he answered: "I have an oki tamash--I have a big heart." If you happen to spot Quim skating Venice on Sundays, or at a skatepark on any other day, he wants you to "say wassup" and give him a big hug. Watch out, though--he just might sweep you off your feet.
August 1, 2003
by Christina Scannapiego
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