01 TROY MULLINS
East LA
Louie showed Brian, close friend and East Coast native, what a summer day in Northeast LA looks like, stopping at some favorite spots from Louie’s upbringing — from Verdugo Skatepark to Starbucks to Griffith Park.
LOS ANGELES, CA
34.142509° N, -118.255074.° W
Summer in LA to me is just linking up with friends, going skating, riding bikes, spending time by the ocean, and being in nature. There are all sorts of things to do in the summer here.
LOUIE:
Louie grew up in Los Angeles, home to the skateparks where he learned his first tricks. Summer in the city is a time for Louie to perfect his craft and spend valuable time with family and friends. “Summer in LA, to me, is just linking up with friends, going skating, riding bikes, spending time by the ocean, and being in nature,” he says. This summer, Louie invited Brian, a Philadelphia native, to come visit and get a taste of Northeast LA summers. Louie is known for his stylish skating and exuberant personality, shaped by the many faces and places in LA that influenced him. “What makes LA special to me is that it’s home. I have my family here and friends that I’ve grown up with forever,” he shares. “What makes me most proud of my hometown is that a lot of people come to LA because there is a lot of opportunity here, especially for skating. It’s very diverse and there’s a lot of culture here.”
“The first time I met Brian, I got to know him and we hit it off instantly. Since we both ride for the same team, we pretty much travel the world together now,” Louie shares. The duo motivate each other to conquer even the toughest tricks, bettering each other every step of the way. “Everybody knows Louie Lopez,” says Brian, “You can tell he’s from LA and he skates insane. He has so much control on his skateboard. We fire each other up.”
Verdugo Skatepark, where Louie first mastered his skating abilities; Griffith Park, the largest park in LA, and Louie’s local Starbucks, a staple for any skate trip. “It’s always nice to go and find some new spots to skate, spots that are different than what I’m used to,” Brian states, “Louie is a local. He definitely knows where to go and all the spots to skate.”
Verdugo Skatepark, where Louie first mastered his skating abilities; Griffith Park, the largest park in LA, and Louie’s local Starbucks, a staple for any skate trip. “It’s always nice to go and find some new spots to skate, spots that are different than what I’m used to,” Brian states, “Louie is a local. He definitely knows where to go and all the spots to skate.”
“The way I skate has been shaped by living in LA, 100%,” he says. The park is one of Louie’s old stomping grounds that he used to skate a lot when he was younger. “I don’t skate Verdugo Park too often, but I have a lot of history here,” Louie continues, “I used to skate here a lot when I was younger. It’s been a while, but I always enjoy coming back because it’s a nostalgic feeling.” For Brian, experiencing new skate parks is a thrill, as even the different qualities of certain parks can impact one’s skating style. “Skating back home in Philly is just friends having fun and making something out of nothing. There are spots that aren’t the easiest to skate, but skating in LA is a lot different. There are so many parks to choose from here. It was cool to come out here and link up with Louie and skate a park that I didn’t even know existed.”
Take a glimpse of summer in Northeast LA alongside Louie Lopez and Brian O’Dwyer by watching the video above.
Everybody knows Louie Lopez. You can tell he’s from LA and he skates insane. He has so much control on his skateboard.
BRIAN:
The way I skate has been shaped by living in LA 100%.
LOUIE:
It was cool to come out here to LA and link up with Louie and skate a park that I didn’t even know existed.
BRIAN:
“The way you express yourself through skateboarding is making your own style, trying to stand out from the bunch — that’s what makes you — you,” Louie says.
louie:
02 louiE lopez
Northeast LA
Professional Skaters Louie Lopez and Brian O’Dwyer Soak Up a Summer Day in Northeast LA
Professional skaters Louie Lopez and Brian O’Dwyer hail from opposite ends of the country, but their shared admiration for skating brought them close.
Now, Louie rides for major international skate brands. The two have been close friends ever since they met, as Brian is also a part of the same skate team as Louie.
In a love letter to Los Angeles in the summertime, Louie brought Brian along for the ride, stopping at some of Louie’s go-to spots in his skating journey:
In a love letter to Los Angeles in the summertime, Louie brought Brian along for the ride, stopping at some of Louie’s go-to spots in his skating journey:
First, the two stopped at Verdugo Skatepark, an instrumental spot where Louie honed his skating abilities.
Presented by Starbucks®
01 TROY MULLINS
East LA
02 louiE lopez
Northeast LA
LOS ANGELES, CA
34.142509° N, -118.255074.° W
01 TROY MULLINS
East LA
02 louiE lopez
Northeast LA
You learn how to have a lot more control skating transition growing up. It’s awesome that Louie got to skate this park and it’s so cool to see him skate in person.
BRIAN:
Skating in Philly is just friends having fun and making something out of nothing. There are spots that aren’t the easiest to skate, but skating in LA is a lot different. Back in Philly there are 3, maybe 4 skate parks, but here in LA there are so many to choose from.
BRIAN:
To close out the day, Louie brought Brian to Griffith Park, one of the Californian's favorite spots to meet up with friends, barbecue with family, and explore the many trails.
Brian usually goes for a black coffee before long skate trips, while Louie enjoys teas or Starbucks signature Refreshers. “Starbucks is a go-to spot on every trip, no matter what. Every day. Every skater loves Starbucks before they skate.” Brian says. During this stop, Louie and Brian decided to switch things up. Louie picked up the new Frozen Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers® Beverage while Brian ordered the new Frozen Strawberry Açaí Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers® Beverage. “There are Stabucks’ everywhere and it’s so convenient. It plays a huge role in skating. When we’re on trips, we stop and get Starbucks to get us ready for the day,” Louie adds.
Starbucks is a go-to spot on every trip, no matter what. Every day. Every skater loves Starbucks before they skate — it gets you going.
BRIAN:
It was cool to come out here to LA and link up with Louie and skate a park that I didn’t even know existed.
BRIAN:
“There are a lot of open spaces in LA,” he comments, “Griffith Park is a nice spot to hangout in the summertime. There’s a nice ditch to skate in or you can picnic in the grass. It’s a good time.” Visitors of Griffith Park have access to stunning panoramic city views from many of the park’s vantage points, so it was the perfect spot to conclude the Los Angeles city tour. “It’s fun to just not know where I’m going and to be with somebody who can take me around to the best spots,” Brian reflects. “The way you express yourself through skateboarding is making your own style, trying to stand out from the bunch — that’s what makes you — you,” Louie says.
Next, the two stopped at Starbucks® to refresh between skate sessions.
First, the two stopped at Verdugo Skatepark, an instrumental spot where Louie honed his skating abilities.
“The way I skate has been shaped by living in LA, 100%,” he says. The park is one of Louie’s old stomping grounds that he used to skate a lot when he was younger. “I don’t skate Verdugo Park too often, but I have a lot of history here,” Louie continues, “I used to skate here a lot when I was younger. It’s been a while, but I always enjoy coming back because it’s a nostalgic feeling.” For Brian, experiencing new skate parks is a thrill, as even the different qualities of certain parks can impact one’s skating style. “Skating back home in Philly is just friends having fun and making something out of nothing. There are spots that aren’t the easiest to skate, but skating in LA is a lot different. There are so many parks to choose from here. It was cool to come out here and link up with Louie and skate a park that I didn’t even know existed.”
Next, the two stopped at Starbucks® to refresh between skate sessions.
Brian usually goes for a black coffee before long skate trips, while Louie enjoys teas or Starbucks signature Refreshers. “Starbucks is a go-to spot on every trip, no matter what. Every day. Every skater loves Starbucks before they skate.” Brian says. During this stop, Louie and Brian decided to switch things up. Louie picked up the new Frozen Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers® Beverage while Brian ordered the new Frozen Strawberry Açaí Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers® Beverage. “There are Stabucks’ everywhere and it’s so convenient. It plays a huge role in skating. When we’re on trips, we stop and get Starbucks to get us ready for the day,” Louie adds.
“The way you express yourself through skateboarding is making your own style, trying to stand out from the bunch — that’s what makes you — you,” Louie says.
louie:
Take a glimpse of summer in Northeast LA alongside Louie Lopez and Brian O’Dwyer by watching the video above.
To close out the day, Louie brought Brian to Griffith Park, one of the Californian's favorite spots to meet up with friends, barbecue with family, and explore the many trails.
“There are a lot of open spaces in LA,” he comments, “Griffith Park is a nice spot to hangout in the summertime. There’s a nice ditch to skate in or you can picnic in the grass. It’s a good time.” Visitors of Griffith Park have access to stunning panoramic city views from many of the park’s vantage points, so it was the perfect spot to conclude the Los Angeles city tour. “It’s fun to just not know where I’m going and to be with somebody who can take me around to the best spots,” Brian reflects. “The way you express yourself through skateboarding is making your own style, trying to stand out from the bunch — that’s what makes you — you,” Louie says.
01 TROY MULLINS
East LA