Hector Rodriguez

When he’s not seriously beautifying the locals at Cush, the Beverly Hills salon he co-owns, Rodriguez, 40, is painting or creating silver jewelry inspired by his Mexican and skater punk roots in Thousand Oaks.

ONE-STOP SHOPPING I’d start on a strip of Melrose just west of LaBrea. First a late breakfast at the Vienna Cafe. After that, Selector for underground mix tapes -- hip-hop and reggae -- for the salon. Across the street is Munky King, which sells vinyl dolls. I’ve been collecting for seven years -- the Buff Monster and Mr. Cartoon are favorites. Munky King is like the old Kid Robot, before it got too sterile. ROCK THE CLOSET I buy most of my clothes on Melrose too. Lords has amazing gothic and rock ‘n’ roll stuff, but it’s expensive so I usually end up at Brooklyn Project, which sells great T-shirts and skate shoes. CAR CULTURE Right down the block is Platinum Motor Sports. It doesn’t look like much, but it’s huge right now. I customized my 1964 Chevy C10 there -- got it c-notched with air bags. It sits on the ground and has a gnarly skull’s head on the stick shift. If there were a lowrider show in town I’d check it out. Whether you like cars or not, they’re totally rad events -- a mash-up of mechanical design, sculpture and painting. TATTOO YOU I’m working on some ideas for another tattoo. My main guy, Speedy, lives in Japan and comes to L.A. just once a year; he works out of HB Tattoo in Huntington Beach. But there’s an up-and-comer, Jim Devilman, I’ve been talking to, he’s at Zombie Tattoo on La Cienega. I’d stop by to check out his work. ASK A MEXICAN I’d end either day at La Serenata de Garibaldi in Boyle Heights, which serves Mexican cuisine, not the peasant food most people associate with Mexican. I always order the beef in burgundy sauce. If I were on the fly, I’d stop at Cactus on Vine for beef tacos. TREE TOPS Sunday I’ll tend my koi pond or take my longboard to Venice Beach and skate. I’d stop at Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery on Sawtelle Boulevard. Some people have green thumbs -- my dad was green. He got me growing bonsai 15 years ago. I watch the old guy at Yamaguchi -- he’s the best, but he won’t talk to you.

-- MaryKaye.Schilling@latimes.com