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LA Ink Grand OpeningThursday, August 14 2008 |
Kat Von D and the High Voltage team were excited about the shop's grand opening. They threw a huge party to celebrate their first successful day of business.
for High Voltage Grand Opening
Kat Von D and the new LA Ink family were so excited to walk into the finished shop. They high-fived each other. Kat said that she was really proud of the shop and explained how she had spent years collecting most of the items on the walls. They were all excited that High Voltage was opening it’s doors for the first time.
Kat’s first LA Ink customer was hip hop diva, Eve. Eve requested a tattoo to be done on her stomach that incorporated the ancient Sanskrit symbol for love and the word three underneath. She said that each tattoo she gets seems to represent a new chapter in her life. This chapter happened to be the release of her latest album.
Hannah Aitchison told the cameras about when she and her brother, Guy, went to get their very first tattoos. They went to a shop that looked like a total dive. She got a tarantula tattoo on her back because it was the cheapest thing they offered that looked punk rock. She paid $50 at that time.
Dinu, a Project Engineer, met with Hannah. She requested that Hannah give her a tattoo of a sexy, ass kicking chick. Dinu showed the camera her five tattoos and said that each one represented something significant in her life. She wanted to get this new, bad ass tattoo so she could start Business School with a bang.
for the Grand Opening
Kat was working with Eve, and Pixie Acia was curious about Eve’s tattoo. Pixie joked by saying, “She’s in love with three men!” Eve joked back, but then told Pixie the real reason behind her tattoo. The number three is her favorite number and she’s always been in love with being in love. Love also symbolizes passion that she feels for everything around her including her music.
In Kat’s personal interview she mentioned that it was scary being the boss of her friends. She felt that, all of a sudden, she became an adult.
Pixie and Kat got together to talk about the Grand Opening party. Kat said she was so tired from working so hard. She asked Pixie, “When is this supposed to get fun.” Pixie told her it was crunch time. They began writing down plans. Pixie said, “Are we going to have a bar?” Kat said, “Well, duh.” They decided on cocktail waitresses in short dolphin shorts, with high top socks and roller skates, like in the 50s. Kat wanted to throw the party so the whole team would feel important. She said she was putting a lot of pressure on Pixie to make the grand opening super special. Pixie told cameras that she was so excited to surprise Kat and the gang with a special cake. It would have their picture on the top and Kat had no idea she was getting it.
Dinu returned for her fierce female tattoo. She was thrilled with Hannah’s drawing. Hannah began to ink the picture on Dinu’s thigh. Dinu shared her story about leaving Shri Lanka to move to the states for school. She said that in her country she lived a very sheltered life and coming to America was very different. She said that there weren’t even tattoo shops in Shri Lanka. She came to the US and saw her friends with tattoos and had to get one. Since then she’s been wanting more and more. Dinu’s parents weren’t pleased with that decision. Her mom has accepted it, but she doesn’t tell her dad about new body art because he’ll freak out every time.
Kristin, an Insurance Agent, met with Corey Miller. She had recently recovered from a major car accident that was so severe the doctors didn’t think she’d make it. She wanted a tattoo, on the back of her neck, that represented hope. She suggested that he do a star with a halo above it and angel wings coming from the star. This tattoo was to give her hope so that she could continue healing.
Kat and her team were starting to over-heat because the shop’s air conditioner system broke. Some were sprawled on the cool floor and others were sitting in-front-of several fans, trying to cool off. Kat was getting stressed about all of the pressure that comes with being the boss.
Kim Saigh met with a musician named Justin. He plays in a band called Tattooed Millionaires. He suggested that she draw a tattoo of an acid trip in nature, consisting of mushrooms, skewed plants, trees and serpents. He wanted the tattoo to depict everything he has to say and the reason he’s alive. Kim told cameras that Justin looked totally LA. She said she didn’t see many people like him in Chicago. He said to Kim, “I am the balancer, the lover, the connector and I want you to capture that.”
Kristin returned to get her tattoo from Corey. He asked her about her accident. She said she had been driving in a bad rainstorm in her home town when her car slid, hit the side rail then bounced back and came to a stop in the center of the road. Out of nowhere, a tractor trailer side swiped her car. She lost all of her memory of the two months prior to the accident. She started to cry when talking about how she forgot who her family was and telling about all of the people who came to support her during her recovery. She said that her best friend, named Corey, helped her get through all the struggles of recovery and she didn’t think she could have made it through without his support.
Kat’s friend Mike, a Pro BMX Rider, visited the shop. He brought a picture of Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. He asked Kat to tattoo it on his ribs and requested that she cover the genitalia with a gold emblem. Kat was up for the challenge.
from LA Ink
Pixie met a group of her friends at a roller skating rink. All the girls wore short shorts and were ready to skate. She then had them skate around with trays of full champagne glasses to see if they were up to serving drinks at the High Voltage Grand Opening party. After a few drinks were spilled, Pixie was a little nervous about her skating crew.
Corey, Kim and Hannah Aitchison sat down to chat. Kim mentioned that she’s moved to LA, but still goes home from work and goes to bed. She hadn’t seen any of the LA nightlife yet. Corey mentioned that there was a big vintage car show up the street and the girls were excited. Hannah said her dad was a vintage car admirer and she learned to enjoy them too. Hannah’s first car was a ’66 Pontiac LaMans and she told Corey and Kim how she did lots of work on it. Corey was impressed. Corey was thrilled that Hannah actually had a real interest in old cars. He said that his wife would go with him, but not care about the automobiles. Corey said, “Well cool, now we have something to do.” He pointed to Kim and said, “Next time, you make a plan.”
Justin, the Musician, met with Kim for his second visit. She showed him the drawing of her version of the acid trip in nature and he absolutely loved it. Pixie said, “He loves it, that’s so cute.” Kim said, “It’s a little girly, are you ok with that.” Justin said, “It’s not girly.” He said she captured exactly what he was going for. He told Kim that he loves playing in his band and rocking out and partying, but he believes he’s here for more than that. He’s here to spread love, peace, hope, happiness and harmony. He said, “It’s why I do what I do.” He said he first went to college and thought he’d get a real job. Then he realized that he couldn’t keep living his life and not do what he loves most, so he quit his job and dedicated himself to his heart. Justin said that his tattoo was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
the High Voltage Grand Opening Party
Kat met with a local jewelry artist to help her design rings for her tattoo crew. She said she wanted the grand opening to start The LA Ink family off on the right foot and signify them being a team and reminding them of their friendship, love and truth, but with a rock-n-roll edge. The jewelry designer suggested that she give them a pendant instead and Kat agreed. She mentioned she wanted it to look semi-satanic.
Kat’s friend Mike came back for his tattoo of the Vitruvian Man. Kat said to Pixie, “A hundred bucks that he doesn’t last.” Pixie didn’t think he’d make it through the tattoo either. Kat said Mike was kind of a drama queen. Kat said that he likes to complain a lot and give her a hard time. The second Kat started the tattoo machine Mike yelled, “Oh, I hate that, that’s the soundtrack of hell.” Pixie said, “Oh my gosh, it’s been five seconds.” Mike said, “My hands are sweaty already.” Mike said that a tattoo feels like you stuck a corner of a raiser blade in your body and drug it around and then sprayed the wound with mace. Kat talked to Mike about all of the accidents he’s had riding on bikes. He had tons of surgeries, been knocked out and even had amnesia. Because Mike wouldn’t shut up, Kat decided to let him tattoo her. She said that her entire left leg is her yearbook leg where she lets her friends tattoo her. She compared Mike’s body artwork to a three year old’s drawings. Kat has asked mike if his legs got buff and stuff from riding so he proceeded to tattoo those words on her leg. Mike loved his tattoo and said he was excited about it. Kat wasn’t as thrilled with her tattoo, but appreciated the humor of it all.
Corey and Hannah went to a classic car show and enjoyed lunch together. They were happy to get to spend some personal time outside of work. Hannah wasn’t aware of how different everything would be at this new job, but she said, “That’s kind of the fun.”
