Get Inked

Tattoos have come along way from dancing girls and "Mom" scrawled in faded blue ink on a sailor's forearm.  Nowadays, it seems like everyone's got some ink – even if Tweetybirds and Grateful Dead Dancing Bears on the inner ankle don't really count.

Despite the "mainstreaming" of tattoos over the years, don't expect the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention to be filled with J. Crew-wearing Main Liners. Tattooing on this level still draws folks from the other side of life.  From Friday through Sunday, the convention hall of the Sheraton will be filled to capacity with scantily clad women (even porn stars!), leather (lots of it) and tons of bald, pierced, edgy artists flaunting their intricate body art.

Whether you're there to ogle or perfect your trade as a tattoo artist, the convention is sure to live up to its "wild side" hype. Tickets are $20 for the day, $40 for the weekend.