When I was a senior in high school, one of my best friends Talia Maria Corrente and I skipped out our computer class together, and instead, decided to have a nice lunch together at Venda Ravioli on Federal Hill. While I was mangia-ing on my delicious chicken piccata, the two of us decided that we needed a little bit of adventure in our afternoon. And having a drink at Karta Bar that night was not going to cut it. Across the street, we gazed over at Federal Hill Tattoo, and because it had the words "Federal Hill" in it, sounded like it must be okay in both Talia and my eyes. Impulsively, the two of us made our way into the shop with two ideas in mind (Me: an evil eye, Talia: an Italian flag) but realized that because of our high school student budgets, would have to settle on designs slightly more welfare-status. I decided to get a star on my left hip, while Talia chose a red heart. The artists thought that we were blonde bimbos, tattooed and ripped us off, and yelled at Talia when she thought that there was a smudge in the very simple outline. The aftermath of the experience dealt with her boyfriend, Giuseppe, not speaking to her for the night (nevertheless, they remain happily together today) and both of us proceeding to have anxiety attacks in the midst of her mother's dinner party. Looking back, however, it was a funny memory and something that the two of us would remember forever.
Five years later, still rocking our hideous tattoos (mine on my hip bone, Talia's almost bordering her stomach), Talia decided to come visit me in DC, and with greater financial stability then we once had (that's a lie, let's be honest, I'm a waitress), the two of us decided that it was time for a little bit of an upgrade onto our designs. So after a bulbous Italian meal at Filomena's in Georgetown (that we still cannot breath from), the two of us made our way to M Street and headed to Jinx Proof to continue a tradition that we decided would start this evening. Despite our once ugly tattoos, the artists at Jinx Proof were accommodating to the two of us as tattoo novices, and showed us a variety of ways that we could improve what we had while staying within our budgets (Filomena's was a little bit more then we thought it would be). The parlor was clean, inviting, and even though we didn't exactly look like seasoned Hells Angels girls (and we were also spending money, so I'm sure that helped, too), were treated respectfully by all of the artists who went through the entire sterilization process of the needles to ease both of our hypocondriac tendencies. Matthew and Tim took care of the two of us, and have both been tattooing for over ten years (which you can allude to without even asking them by just looking at their bodies that barely have any fresh skin left). They both work Mondays through Fridays, and even touched up our original tattoos without charging us anything additional. And the end of the session, Talia got two zodiac symbols on either side of her original heart and I got a stream of smaller stars to follow mine (very Rihanna-esque). Jinx Proof is located at 3285 1/2 M Street NW and is opened from noon until 9:30 seven nights a week.
Talia and I decided that every five years we will add to our designs no matter where we are in the world. It sounds really cute and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants now, but it'll probably be really bad when you can't see either of our bellies anymore...Which hopefully, will be abs, and not bellies by then, since we'll be rich and have trainers.
Love,
Angela =)
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