Mister Cartoon's Los Angeles

In March 2020, Cartoon created a striking mural for his favorite restaurant in the Valley, Casa Vega. Opened in Sherman Oaks by Rafael "Ray” Vega in 1956, Casa Vega is now helmed by his daughter Christina "Christy" Vega, who took over the family business in 2012. In 2022, Casa Vega received an America's Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation.

Another famous regular, Quentin Tarantino featured Casa Vega in his Oscar-winning 2019 film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Ask for Table C6 and order The Tarantino Margarita.

One of LA's largest public parks, the 600-acre Elysian Park was established in 1886 and is home to the iconic Dodger Stadium. Elysian Park has been a popular gathering spot for generations of car clubs, and is the site of a monthly cruise with Cartoon and many more lowriders. Cartoon says lowrider culture is "really important to us because it unites people with the same obsession."

Founded as the Frank Wiggins Trade School in 1925, LA Trade-Tech is the oldest of the nine campuses of the Los Angeles Community College District. In the 2020 Netflix documentary LA Originals, Cartoon says, "I went to LA Trade Tech to learn sign graphics, to understand letters. Letters have a weight to 'em."

Along with Mister Cartoon, famous alumni include costume designer Mayes C. Rubeo, an Oscar nominee for Jojo Rabbit; Project Runway Season 3 winner, Jeffrey Sebelia; fashion designer Rick Owens; designer Tadashi Shoji, known for his bridal collections and red carpet evening gowns; Louvenia "Kitty" Black Perkins, designer of the first Black Barbie; and Don Campbell, recognized as the creator of the Locking dance style.

Cartoon partnered with longtime friend Arturo Arce, a professional barber, to open Master Deluxe in Santa Monica. The shop offers bespoke, high-end barber and tattoo services by appointment only. DM @masterdeluxela on Instagram to book an appointment.

Cartoon describes Mercado as "the staple of modern Mexican food." The West 3rd Street location is the second in the artfully designed restaurant chain and boasts Cartoon's calavera mural on the streetfront. The menu features Executive Chef Jose Acevedo's signature carnitas, created from a recipe handed down through generations; handmade tortillas, produce from local farmers markets, and top-notch meats, poultry and seafood.

In 2021, Mister Cartoon was featured in a Super Bowl commercial as part of Modelo's "Fighting Spirit" campaign. Cartoon created a mural for the spot on the exterior of ParlorLA, a warehouse film location on Jesse Street (at Rio Street) near the Whittier Boulevard side of the Sixth Street Viaduct.

Connecting the Downtown LA Arts District with Boyle Heights in East LA, the Sixth Street Viaduct can be seen briefly in a video that promoted Cartoon's collab with Pepsi for Super Bowl LVI in 2022.

For car buffs, The Vault at the Petersen Automotive Museum is a bucket list experience - an extraordinary collection of more than 250 iconic and rare cars from around the world exhibited in a 60,000 square-foot underground space.

Opened to the public as part of the Legends Gallery in March 2022, the "Lowriders and Customs Vault Display" showcases some of the most iconic lowriders in history. Widely regarded as the pinnacle of modern lowriders, the 1963 Chevrolet Impala "El Rey" was named Lowrider Magazine’s 2011 Lowrider of the Year. The Petersen describes "El Rey": "When you first see Albert de Alba's 'El Rey,' your eyes are overwhelmed by the details. Intricately masked shades of candy paint draw you in, but the masterful engravings and murals hypnotize admirers like the altar of a Baroque church." Cartoon frequently collaborates with the de Alba family, such as a mind-blowing custom 1983 Monte Carlo to promote the 2021 Netflix film Army of the Dead.

Also on view, "Gypsy Rose" was featured in the opening title sequence of the 1970s hit TV sitcom Chico and the Man; has been on display at the National Mall; and was the first lowrider inducted into the National Historic Vehicle Registry.

Cartoon grew up in San Pedro, home of Point Fermin Park - a local gem known for its spectacular cliffside views of the Pacific, picnic areas, rose garden and the historic Point Fermin Lighthouse. Built in 1874, the Stick Style Victorian lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in June 1972.

Another San Pedro landmark, the Korean Bell of Friendship is located a half-mile away in Angel's Gate Park.

Cartoon's latest mural is located in historic West Adams, on Potomac Avenue off West Jefferson. One of LA's oldest neighborhoods, West Adams is renowned for the Craftsman-style houses in the 20th Street Historic District and landmark buildings like the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Building, which was designed by famed architect Paul R. Williams. Notable West Adams residents include Hattie McDaniel, Joe Louis, Little Richard, Lionel Hampton and Ray Charles.

Spanning the Los Angeles River in DTLA to Brea in Orange County, Whittier Boulevard is world-renowned as a mecca for generations of lowriders. Located on Whittier between Arizona and McDonnell Avenues, the Whittier Boulevard Sign was erected in 1986 and has since become a centerpiece of the weekly Sunday cruises. In 2019, Motor Trend said the 65-foot arch "cemented the legacy of [Whittier Boulevard] as the most iconic boulevard in lowriding."