Special Feature: Q&A with Lavar's Mike Ardelean

Yo, Mike, what have you been up to lately?
I’ve been working, riding, running, watching old movies, and trying to learn to surf.

Are you still riding much?
Yup.

Where do you live now? What is it like?
I live in Venice, California, on the Walkstreets. It’s one of the few neighborhoods in LA where you can do everything without a car. It would take a while to explain the appeal of Venice to someone who hasn’t been there, but let’s just say I like it a lot and it’s very different, especially from other beach towns, which aren’t usually my style.

Mike: I don't ride anymore, I just hang out with Matt (pictured above).

What's happening over at Lavar? What do you have in store for 2009?
We’ve got our new riders Raul and Andrew, some changes for our website, and we’ve got a tight little line coming for Fall/Winter.

What inspirations do you draw from for Lavar?
Architecture, furniture, buses, freeways, and anything I see when I’m out… just kidding! Lately I get inspired by apparel itself. Checking out details, going to fabric houses, thinking of new looks and ideas. The more I learn, the more fun it becomes.

Matt rules. He's my escape from BMX and anything work related. Check out his blog:
guadalajarajoe.blogspot.com. He's also a rapper by the name of "Guadalajara Joe".
He's opening for 2 Live Crew in June.

What do you look for in a team rider?
You could be the best rider in the world, but if no one wants to be like you, then that defeats the purpose of sponsorship. We like to sponsor riders that kids idolize.

What car do you drive at the moment? I bet it's German!
It certainly is. I’m still running my 1988 BMW 528e. It’s a mean workhorse with peeling paint. 262,000 miles and no slowing down.

Are you coming to Germany again any time soon?
Tuesday (May 13th)!

What places does one have to check out while in L.A.?
All the Lautner houses, the Venice Walkstreets, the hiking trails in Hollywood Hills, Mullholland Drive, El Matador beach, the Avalon Beverly Hills, the taco truck at Lincoln and Rose, the architecture tour of Silverlake (you can find it in a book), Opening Ceremony, the Venice ramp, and the Santa Monica skatepark.

What websites do you check out regularly?
http://guadalajarajoe.blogspot.com/
http://blog.defgrip.net/
http://www.mye28.com/
http://www.todarrinhudson.com/
http://blog.fuct.com/
http://www.monocle.com/The-Monocle-Weekly/
http://www.watchtvsitcoms.com/eastboundanddown.php
http://verdebmx.com/

Matt, Mike and Glennie

Top 5 songs right now:
“Still Got It for Cheap” by Clipse
“The Effect On Me” by Mint Royale
“Greener” by Fonzworth Bentley
Lots of Diplo
Lots of Odd Nosdam

Anything else you want to say?
Nope.

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