The Cardiff Kook

The Cardiff kook reminds me why I live in California. It’s on the coast highway and stands as homage to the SoCal lifestyle. It can be seen from the road if you’re driving by but there’s a path you can walk to get some great pictures. My favorite part is how the locals decorate the statue for occasions from birthdays to graduations and any other thing that needs a celebration. Stop by to see a north county legend!

Kook.
It is a mystery. It is beloved. It is unique. It is Cardiff.
A must see, go to, run to, be.
Be the Kook. Kook the be.

You can always tell the latest style, holiday, rage or riot simply by scoping on the Kook. Hollywood may possess the lion’s share of imaginative whackos but they don’t have anything on the kooky surfer-​inspired whackiness down in Cardiff.
Long Live the Cardiff Kook!

Where do I begin? I love the Kook!
The controversy surrounding the Kook has elements of Drama that I find entertaining. Magic Carpet Ride, known worldwide as the Cardiff Kook has been in many altercations due to his pathetic surfing ability. He looks more like a novice ballerina than a surfer and would certainly faceplant into the wave in real life.
After his installation, critics blasted artist Matthew Antichevich for failing to research his subject and creating a sculpture of a limp wristed novice surfer doing the «Stink Bug» maneuver.
But the unexpected happened.
Artists and sculptors dressed Kooky up and he became a local hero! Some of the best pranks include Jaws and the Dinosaur Display, he has had many outfits, some of them so great that the New York Times even wrote an article about this small town sculpture.
I love seeing him all dressed up and get excited when somebody takes the time to do it right. But with all of the attention that he gets, there are some vultures that try to steal Kooky’s pop culture glory for their own agenda. Businesses have used him for advertising and some low quality installations have tarnished our cherished kook and I fear that the city might take the vandalism more seriously if people don’t stop being stupidheads.
Locals and tourists alike love to make fun of our kook, let’s unite and keep him classy.

How have I not reviewed this. I live close to the Cardiff Kook. I like when people decorate him/​her with different stuff. It’s annoying when people say they’re embarrassed to drive by the Cardiff Kook.

Cardiff Kook, how could you ever get less than 5 stars?! I love seeing you almost daily as I drive through the coastal hood-​you wild and crazy guy, always wearing something ridiculous. What’s not to love?
What’s a kook you ask? Well! according to Urban Dictionary:
Kook
1. someone posing very hard as a surfer or skateboarder.
2. someone that goes to every surfing or skateboarding event to hangout, compile pictures, start conversations, and generally be seen with real surfers or skateboarders.
«Dude, did you see that kook trying to drop in on me the other day?»
To that I say…
1: Yes he IS posing very hard. He is a statue. Duh.
2: Although he doesn’t travel much, there’s a ton of pictures of him. As a conversation starter I’d have to say. well… duh. He has his own Unilocal page. I’ve seen quite a few REAL surfers around him too. Popular guy.
Interesting Kook Facts:
He is 16 feet high
Made of bronze
He has no actual «surf»… the society that commissioned it ran out of money.
It cost 120,000 bucksish
He has two websites:
&

Oh Cardiff Kook you have made a memory in my heart forever! The day we didn’t go to the races and ended up kicking it with you will forever be etched in my head. Pictures of silly people next to you captured in my camera and posted while tipsy is definitely priceless.
I love that you are conveniently located by a beautiful beach and the restrooms as well as across the street from VG donuts and a bar. Who am I kidding I love you. Thank you for making this lady a little happier when she sees you and remembers the great day we almost went to the races!

It’s always fun to see how its decorated. The best part for me is that if I’m near the Kook I’m near the beach!

I know there used to be a lot of controversy regarding the Kook and how his hands are positioned all wrong. I always felt sorry for the artist and wondered how hurt his feelings must be when everyone starting squawking about the hand position or how the waves looked etc.
Now the Kook is a cultural phenomenon and has been featured in news reports all around the world. Why you ask because apparently some residents have been having a bunch of fun dressing the Kook up in wild and crazy outfits to celebrate certain holidays, people’s birthdays, world events, their favorite charity, etc etc. I would have to say my favorite was either the paper mache shark or the dinosaur exhibit. Now there is even a Cardiff Kook run. When will it all stop? I hope never. I always look forward to seeing what the Kook will be wearing every time I pass by.
I’m gonna be expecting the Kook to be dressed up with red hair, big boobs and a big mouth on my 50^th. My friends better get a planning.

Located on the West side of the Coast Highway. It’s fun to drive by and see this surfer dude up there for all to see. It’s kind of funny when they dress him up or do something fun and festive. I remember seeing the Kook being eaten by a shark. That was funny!

I love and look forward to my weekend dates with the Kook! He is my running start/​end and my excitement is not only is he known as «The Kook», but he’s a surfer and there’s almost always and antic that someone has put on him. He is my running and SD highlight.

It’s not the biggest statue, nor does it even look like a ballerina. Is it supposed to be some surfer or something, sheesh! But it is pretty cool how he gets dressed up by all sorts of people to send a message. The best to date is when he was in the jaws of monstrous shark, that thing was huge! That’s what she said! It’s just around the corner to some of my favorite food spots, Sambazon, East Coast Pizza, VG Donuts, and the Seaside Market, so add to your route on your GPS and say you did it. That’s what I said!

The Cardiff Kook is the bomb! Every holiday-​both big and small-​someone goes out to that statue and decks it out! It is so popular and such a big hit in the coastal North County community, that the Cardiff Kook now has his own 2012 calender for sale. The Kook will soon have to deck it out with the Surfing Madonna who will hopefully be put up soon hear the entrance to Moonlight Beach, once the city of Encinitas and the State park & Rec okay it.
From
: «In the four years since sculptor Matthew Antichevich installed him on a stretch of Highway 101 in Encinitas, the statue officially known as „Magic Carpet Ride“ and unofficially known as „The Cardiff Kook“ has been a blank canvas for creative types who use costumes, props and even painted backdrops to create guerilla-​art scenarios starring the multitalented bronze surfer. This year was no exception. In 2011, the Kook dressed up like Michael Jackson, dabbled in public-​art controversy and came very close to being eaten by a pterodactyl.» For Christmas, someone shoved a dolphin with a Santa hat underneath the Kook so it looks like he is surfing a stuffed animal.
1 Unilocal STAR was deducted for problematic parking and crowding in the Kook gawking area right outside the San Elijo State Beach campground. Many snipe that the Kook looks somewhat effeminate, not athletic or macho enough and more like a ballet dancer. I would tend to agree but who really cares when the Kook is really just a tabula rosa for people to decorate and have fun with. BTW, the Cardiff Kook 2012 quickly sold out but more are on order and will soon be available again online.