CAT TAMEZ: The Street Heart

Music and skateboarding collide on the south side of McAllen. They smash together in a skate shop smaller than an apartment. Root's Skate Shop is this business and it shares an old house with a law firm. More importantly, Roots houses a collection of skateboard decks, trucks and wheels. It also hosts punk and metal shows on Friday nights during Art Walk. With no cover charge, one show recently had 150 people watching.

And the mastermind behind it all is Cat Tamez, the store's 26-year-old owner and a skateboarder since 2001. "Music and skateboarding go hand and hand," says Tamez, who is probably the girl catching your eye at the skate park. "Skateboarding is a creative outlet. It lets you unleash who you are. It's like music, you can become an individual through skateboarding."

Skateboarding has grinded its way into Tamez's life. She dates skaters, she skates in her off time and she discovers new music by watching skate videos. That's right fellas, meet a lady who listens to Slayer and can kick flip with her eyes closed.

All About CAT TAMEZ
ROLE Owner of Roots Skate Shop/Sk8 Art Gallery in McAllen
AGE 26
GRADUATED FROM McAllen Memorial High School, 2001
HOMETOWN McAllen
GENRE Skater/punk rock
ONLINE www.myspace.com/sk8roots

Who is your celebrity crush?
He's a professional skateboarder. His name is Sammy Baca.

Most attractive quality in the opposite sex?
Taste in music. That's super important.

What's the worst date you ever had?
We went to prom and we went to Mexico, and we ran out of gas in Mexico. It was really terrible and scary.

What's the best rumor you've heard about yourself?
Um, is this a PG 13 magazine? [laughs]. I don't know, that I'm a cool skate chick.

Why are skaters sexier than other guys?
Because they're skaters! That's so hard to define. I guess it's because I can relate to them more. We have more to talk about it. I skate too so we have more to talk about. I'm super shy. I could never ever ever hit on a guy ever. I could never walk up and be like ‘what's your name?' But if he's a skater I can be like, ‘hey what's up?'

What's a common mistake that guys make when they hit on you?
Guys think that I'm not sensitive. They see me as a skate chick and they think I'm super tough, and that's not true.

Describe your perfect date...
Road trip to a really really cool, concrete skateboard park. That would be perfect.

Ever gotten "romantic" at the skate park?
[Laughs] No, but I'd like to.

Have you ever dated a younger man?
Yes I've dated a younger guy. Would I do it again? Love doesn't have an age. Love is ageless. Love is not a number, it's a feeling.

• THAT'S HOT?

Brown or blue eyes Light brown

Skinny or muscular At least trying

Beer or cocktails Both

80s or 90s I love all that era of skateboarding. All of it! The 80s era and the 90s, all of it's awesome. It's just beautiful.

Sunlight or moonlight Sunlight

• SPILL IN THE BLANK

The reason I broke up with my last boy/girlfriend is ... he didn't know how to skate.

The biggest lie I ever told a boy is ... that I love him.

My secret turn-on is ... a skateboard trick, a 900.

I would pose in playboy for ... free. That's a prestige. That's an honor.