A special significance

Tattoos are so mainstream. Gone are the days when the rebels and counter-culture characters among us were the only ones sporting ink. In San Diego, trendy tattoo parlors like Remington in North Park and Full Circle Tattoo in South Park are popping up as frequently as craft beer bars.

Inspirational quotes, cartoon characters, and the ever-so-trendy arrow tattoo can be seen on the young and old. A few locals showed off their ink and the stories behind their permanent pieces of art.

22-year-old Cristina Nehme has seven tattoos in total.

Says Nehme,“My first tattoo I ever got is on my ribs. It says ‘Tis time to fear when tyrants seem to kiss.’ It's a quote from Pericles by Shakespeare.”

Most of her Ink was done at Broken Heart Tattoo, off 5th Street in Bankers Hill.

“My favorite tattoo is my newest one, on my wrist,” she said, showing off a tat of delicate flowers and arrows.

The tattoo on Nehme’s foot means "nirvana" in Greek. “Not like the band, but like the spiritual meaning,” she clarifies.

Preschool teacher Erika Salas is into inspirational quotes for body art. She has two, one on each of her shoulder blades. The first one is a scripture passage and the second one is a nod to her love of music and art. It reads "Fearless Pursuit."

“The fearless pursuit one is my favorite,” says Salas.

Lastly, 38-year-old Tyra Kobriger, mother of three, has an expansive collection of tattoos.

“I have 20. I got my first one, I think, when I was 25.”

Each of her tattoos has a special significance. A few of them were done by her husband, while a couple of others are the work of artist, B Jay, at DermalGrafix in Escondido. Kobriger's favorite tattoo is a turquoise teapot on her upper thigh.