(Alternate Title: Why this girl will never go to Extreme Body Arts in Mayaguez Town Center again, nor will she allow any of her friends to go… and they are many; many who like to get inked and pierced but can’t stand to be treated so casually.)
Most that see me would not expect me to be the sort of girl who is tattooed or pierced. I’m very clean-cut and ever so stylish. Since my tattoo is not visible to anyone when I’m dressed (and even not visible in a state of undress of just being in my undies), so to the casual observer they would not know that I had anything at all. I can’t even recall if I’d made mention of this on my blog before. But despite all this, I do very much like tattoos and piercings. Aversion for needles aside, I think the whole process is exhilirating and fun.
This year, around the time of my birthday back in March, I’d decided that I wanted to get another tattoo as a gift to myself. I’d long known the place I’d situate the next piece of art I’d get inked onto my person, it then became a matter of figuring out the right design. After weeks of searching and thinking and talking amongst my friends (equally pierced, inked and those who weren’t), I thought I had come up with a very lovely design. It was to be a heart of made of ivy vines, the inner part of the heart would be come stars and a crescent moon and the upper right corner of the heart was to be a very pretty soft sun. I got together all sorts of visuals and emailed the tattoo shop that I wished to get it done. I got a response indicating the times the artist was going to be there and they looked forward to my coming in.
So, I arrived to the parlor to have the consult on the design. I knew it was going to take some time to draw together. In the end the size of it was to be about the size of the palm of my hand and I had saved away a couple hundred dollars to get it done. But, no sooner had I arrived at the time that the artist was supposed to be there, that the artist was no where to be found. So I politely waited in the air conditioned cubicle and looked over everything there was to be looked at. The longer I waited, the more inclined I was to get something pierced. So I took the time to deliberate as to where I would get my latest piercings.
(I will take the time to point out how my thought process on a tattoo was very long and intentional but a piercing was rather spur of the moment. I consider piercings to be quite temporary, seeing as how I have had quite a few of them done in the past in different areas of my body and no longer have them. The only remnants of said piercings are a bit of an indentation of the skin and a small story to tell. The thrill for piercings is in the moment and for the temporary ornamentation. When my styles and interests change, so seem the piercings. A tattoo is far more permanent and I want to love it for years/decades to come. I’m still very much in love with my single ivy leaf tattoo as the day I got it. Mind you, it’s been 6 years and I never once regret getting it.)
My options at the time were to get a tongue piercing or to get a nose stud. While the one on the tongue was the one that I actually wanted the most I found that I had to be practical when making my decision. I work as an on-phone Spanish interpreter; 5 days out of 7 spent on the phone talking for 8 hours a day. If I shoved a piece of metal through my tongue on a Thursday (which is the equivalent of my Saturday when it comes to my work week), I feared that I would not be used to it enough to work a full day on Saturday. It would not be very attractive to have to answer calls with a fat tongue or injure it from overuse. I’m sure my fears were exaggerated but I couldn’t risk it. So instead I defaulted to wanted a nose stud and I wanted the cute little pink sparkly one that they had on display. I’d reached my decision and still the artist had not arrived. At this point we’d been waiting for well over an hour. The dude at the front counter was quite polite and would remember to speak with us now and again, but it still didn’t make up for the fact that we were just waiting until “whenever”. So I then entertained myself by trying to convince my gay hubby that he SO needed to get his eyebrow pierced because his hotness would increase exponentially. (I also tried to convince him that he SO needed one of them heart/butterfly tramp stamps too, but not even I could say that one with a straight face.)
Eventually the artist made it and I was able to show him the pictures on my computer and explain the concept to him. He seemed quite excited about working on it and I clearly stated that I was only in town for those two days; as I had to leave the following afternoon by 4pm. Therefore requiring for any work to be done to be completed by that time. He assured me that he’d work on it that night and give me a call the next day. Then he proceeded to stab my nose with a very sharp needle and I fell in love with my nose stud. I’ve never been fond of my nose. I think its too round and has no real shape but that of a ball. It’s small, I will grant you that but with no bridge. I wasn’t even sure if the piercing would look right.
But it did!
It was perfect and I went to hang out with my gay hubby under the happy notion that I was going to be called the next day.
You can guess from my alternate title line that they did not call me.
However, the very definitive pronouncement of never returning comes from how this story proceeds. You see, I didn’t get a call but about 2 hours before I had to leave that Friday I stopped in the shop to enquire about the status of the image and of my getting the work done. I mean, anyone who didn’t so much as blink about dropping over $150 dollars in a store should not be allowed to walk away. But it seemed they were willing to gamble on my wanting to get the work done. They asked me to come back the following week under promises of discounts and taxes waived, under promises of speaking to the other tattoo artist (the one who did my original tattoo but only came in after 5pm or on weekends) who was much more dependable and under guarantee that they would call me the following week.
So I returned the following week and still I did not get any call. I ended up stopping at the shop because one of my friends needed to get an ear plug/ring thingy to replace the one he had lost. I was eating ice cream and stood along with him to see what was going to be said to me. The entire day had gone by, it was about 5pm, we’d just finished having dinner. The dude at the desk wondered why I had not called or dropped by to look at the design. I reminded him that they had promised to call me since I did not find it fair that I had to keep dropping in when I was now living 40min away from the place. He made it seem like I was the one who should have been checking in more than I already had been. But the artist came out and showed me the design. He’d supplanted the sun to be a tribal and I did not like it in the least. I told him that I wanted the sun to be softer, wavier, and the heart to be a bit smaller. It was very pretty over all, just the sun was not right. Since I knew the artist was not going to be available the day after (a Friday) because he took calss, I left him my email so he could write to me and show me the finished piece, or we could keep working on it until it was right.
You guessed it, I never did get an email.
The only email I did get was about a month later from the owner of the shop asking if I had gotten it done. He had heard that I’d come in but not had anything tattooed and wanted the honest truth. I did not respond to the email at the time. But I’m answering it now… with a link to this blog post.
I’ve settled down over the incident, mostly chalking it up to some divine intervention that the tattoo was not meant for me at that time. But at the time let me tell you that I was livid! That was about 3 weeks invested in trying to get something done and ending up with nothing! Where is the professional etiquette in this situation? Had they no pride? Or were they so vain to think that they could treat customers this way? After all, its not like I was just some friend trying to freeload. It was to be a business exchange. I didn’t even try to haggle or bring down the price. Any reductions were offered to me but their service never did come through. How can you expect to run a business that way? Especially in this economy where everything is so uncertain and so many people are cutting back on so-called luxury items. I probably should take it as some sort of indication that I’ve seen the shop empty far more times that I’ve seen it full. I’ve spoken to other artists (all of whom are friends but unfortunately not on island, or else I’d just end up letting one of them ink me) and they could not believe that this happened to me. Because I did it all right. I emailed them with the images a week before and confirmed the hours the artist would be there. Then I was there on time. It was inexcusable to them that I should get such treatment.
I may have an alternative lifestyle but I am no masochist.
Such as it is, I use my blog not only to relate recipes and life events but also to review things. With that said, let me conclude this part-story/ part-rant as I would any other review:
Final Review: If you have heard of Extreme Body Arts located in Mayaguez Town Center, right across from the main entrance of the UPR-RUM Campus and were thinking of going to this establishment for your piercing/tatoo needs, I’m afraid that I cannot recommend them. Their hours are erratic, their staff is not dependable. My decision is not just based on the experience mentioned just now but from all my years as a student of the UPRM. The people might be nice and cool all on their own, but I question their business sense. I wish I could sum this story up by providing the name of other establishments that you might be able to go to but I don’t quite remember the name of two shops that are in town. I wish Dark Angel Studios was still open since I do so adore Alex and the work he did. His artistry is amazing and I would let him ink anything on me any day of the week. However, I would not do such if that is the only place he could do the work in. Sadly they lost a customer but I won’t be so vain to think that this will affect them in any way. Still, I hold true to recommending only the best places. My opinion might be just one, but one cannot excuse such cavelier treatment, no matter who it happens to.
(Alternate Title: Why this girl will never go to Extreme Body Arts in Mayaguez Town Center again, nor will she allow any of her friends to go… and they are many; many who like to get inked and pierced but can’t stand to be treated so casually.)
Most that see me would not expect me to be the sort of girl who is tattooed or pierced. I’m very clean-cut and ever so stylish. Since my tattoo is not visible to anyone when I’m dressed (and even not visible in a state of undress of just being in my undies), so to the casual observer they would not know that I had anything at all. I can’t even recall if I’d made mention of this on my blog before. But despite all this, I do very much like tattoos and piercings. Aversion for needles aside, I think the whole process is exhilirating and fun.
This year, around the time of my birthday back in March, I’d decided that I wanted to get another tattoo as a gift to myself. I’d long known the place I’d situate the next piece of art I’d get inked onto my person, it then became a matter of figuring out the right design. After weeks of searching and thinking and talking amongst my friends (equally pierced, inked and those who weren’t), I thought I had come up with a very lovely design. It was to be a heart of made of ivy vines, the inner part of the heart would be come stars and a crescent moon and the upper right corner of the heart was to be a very pretty soft sun. I got together all sorts of visuals and emailed the tattoo shop that I wished to get it done. I got a response indicating the times the artist was going to be there and they looked forward to my coming in.
So, I arrived to the parlor to have the consult on the design. I knew it was going to take some time to draw together. In the end the size of it was to be about the size of the palm of my hand and I had saved away a couple hundred dollars to get it done. But, no sooner had I arrived at the time that the artist was supposed to be there, that the artist was no where to be found. So I politely waited in the air conditioned cubicle and looked over everything there was to be looked at. The longer I waited, the more inclined I was to get something pierced. So I took the time to deliberate as to where I would get my latest piercings.
(I will take the time to point out how my thought process on a tattoo was very long and intentional but a piercing was rather spur of the moment. I consider piercings to be quite temporary, seeing as how I have had quite a few of them done in the past in different areas of my body and no longer have them. The only remnants of said piercings are a bit of an indentation of the skin and a small story to tell. The thrill for piercings is in the moment and for the temporary ornamentation. When my styles and interests change, so seem the piercings. A tattoo is far more permanent and I want to love it for years/decades to come. I’m still very much in love with my single ivy leaf tattoo as the day I got it. Mind you, it’s been 6 years and I never once regret getting it.)
My options at the time were to get a tongue piercing or to get a nose stud. While the one on the tongue was the one that I actually wanted the most I found that I had to be practical when making my decision. I work as an on-phone Spanish interpreter; 5 days out of 7 spent on the phone talking for 8 hours a day. If I shoved a piece of metal through my tongue on a Thursday (which is the equivalent of my Saturday when it comes to my work week), I feared that I would not be used to it enough to work a full day on Saturday. It would not be very attractive to have to answer calls with a fat tongue or injure it from overuse. I’m sure my fears were exaggerated but I couldn’t risk it. So instead I defaulted to wanted a nose stud and I wanted the cute little pink sparkly one that they had on display. I’d reached my decision and still the artist had not arrived. At this point we’d been waiting for well over an hour. The dude at the front counter was quite polite and would remember to speak with us now and again, but it still didn’t make up for the fact that we were just waiting until “whenever”. So I then entertained myself by trying to convince my gay hubby that he SO needed to get his eyebrow pierced because his hotness would increase exponentially. (I also tried to convince him that he SO needed one of them heart/butterfly tramp stamps too, but not even I could say that one with a straight face.)
Eventually the artist made it and I was able to show him the pictures on my computer and explain the concept to him. He seemed quite excited about working on it and I clearly stated that I was only in town for those two days; as I had to leave the following afternoon by 4pm. Therefore requiring for any work to be done to be completed by that time. He assured me that he’d work on it that night and give me a call the next day. Then he proceeded to stab my nose with a very sharp needle and I fell in love with my nose stud. I’ve never been fond of my nose. I think its too round and has no real shape but that of a ball. It’s small, I will grant you that but with no bridge. I wasn’t even sure if the piercing would look right.
Bombshell-closeup
But it did!
It was perfect and I went to hang out with my gay hubby under the happy notion that I was going to be called the next day.
You can guess from my alternate title line that they did not call me.
However, the very definitive pronouncement of never returning comes from how this story proceeds. You see, I didn’t get a call but about 2 hours before I had to leave that Friday I stopped in the shop to enquire about the status of the image and of my getting the work done. I mean, anyone who didn’t so much as blink about dropping over $150 dollars in a store should not be allowed to walk away. But it seemed they were willing to gamble on my wanting to get the work done. They asked me to come back the following week under promises of discounts and taxes waived, under promises of speaking to the other tattoo artist (the one who did my original tattoo but only came in after 5pm or on weekends) who was much more dependable and under guarantee that they would call me the following week.
So I returned the following week and still I did not get any call. I ended up stopping at the shop because one of my friends needed to get an ear plug/ring thingy to replace the one he had lost. I was eating ice cream and stood along with him to see what was going to be said to me. The entire day had gone by, it was about 5pm, we’d just finished having dinner. The dude at the desk wondered why I had not called or dropped by to look at the design. I reminded him that they had promised to call me since I did not find it fair that I had to keep dropping in when I was now living 40min away from the place. He made it seem like I was the one who should have been checking in more than I already had been. But the artist came out and showed me the design. He’d supplanted the sun to be a tribal and I did not like it in the least. I told him that I wanted the sun to be softer, wavier, and the heart to be a bit smaller. It was very pretty over all, just the sun was not right. Since I knew the artist was not going to be available the day after (a Friday) because he took calss, I left him my email so he could write to me and show me the finished piece, or we could keep working on it until it was right.
You guessed it, I never did get an email.
The only email I did get was about a month later from the owner of the shop asking if I had gotten it done. He had heard that I’d come in but not had anything tattooed and wanted the honest truth. I did not respond to the email at the time. But I’m answering it now… with a link to this blog post.
I’ve settled down over the incident, mostly chalking it up to some divine intervention that the tattoo was not meant for me at that time. But at the time let me tell you that I was livid! That was about 3 weeks invested in trying to get something done and ending up with nothing! Where is the professional etiquette in this situation? Had they no pride? Or were they so vain to think that they could treat customers this way? After all, its not like I was just some friend trying to freeload. It was to be a business exchange. I didn’t even try to haggle or bring down the price. Any reductions were offered to me but their service never did come through. How can you expect to run a business that way? Especially in this economy where everything is so uncertain and so many people are cutting back on so-called luxury items. I probably should take it as some sort of indication that I’ve seen the shop empty far more times that I’ve seen it full. I’ve spoken to other artists (all of whom are friends but unfortunately not on island, or else I’d just end up letting one of them ink me) and they could not believe that this happened to me. Because I did it all right. I emailed them with the images a week before and confirmed the hours the artist would be there. Then I was there on time. It was inexcusable to them that I should get such treatment.
I may have an alternative lifestyle but I am no masochist.
Such as it is, I use my blog not only to relate recipes and life events but also to review things. With that said, let me conclude this part-story/ part-rant as I would any other review:
Final Review: If you have heard of Extreme Body Arts located in Mayaguez Town Center, right across from the main entrance of the UPR-RUM Campus and were thinking of going to this establishment for your piercing/tatoo needs, I’m afraid that I cannot recommend them. Their hours are erratic, their staff is not dependable. My decision is not just based on the experience mentioned just now but from all my years as a student of the UPRM. The people might be nice and cool all on their own, but I question their business sense. I wish I could sum this story up by providing the name of other establishments that you might be able to go to but I don’t quite remember the name of two shops that are in town. I wish Dark Angel Studios was still open since I do so adore Alex and the work he did. His artistry is amazing and I would let him ink anything on me any day of the week. However, I would not do such if that is the only place he could do the work in. Sadly they lost a customer but I won’t be so vain to think that this will affect them in any way. Still, I hold true to recommending only the best places. My opinion might be just one, but one cannot excuse such cavelier treatment, no matter who it happens to.
This would be my blouse after all that chocolate.
The picture of the perfect godmother
