Sometimes turning down a road less traveled reveals a treasure one would never have found otherwise.
Our first of two very cool stops today was at The Arcade Tattoo a parlor and a museum where "they strive for perfection with an immaculate studio as well as the best artists in San Diego County.""Oceanside Tattoo is made up of artists who have been tattooing professionally for over 20 years. The Arcade also houses a rare look into the history of tattooing on the west coast, covering multiple eras of tattooing. These images were created in times when America was going through social and political change."We were surprised by its gorgeous interior and welcoming staff. Wow!The Arcade namesake is a tribute to the first and Original Tattoo shop in Oceanside. The original Arcade was open from 1938-1982. During these 44 years the Arcade saw action from WW2, Korea, and Vietnam.Many Famous, but now deceased Tattoo Artists passed through during these war years to cut their teeth on the thousands of marines wanting to get their first tattoos before being sent off to fight in a foreign land. Camp Pendleton, the largest military base in the U.S., is located at the North end of Oceanside providing the Arcade with a great number of customers.
William "Buzz" Claydon (the infamous spike), and "Tahiti" Maurice Lynch were the resident artists who manned the helm during these Golden years of tattooing.Now 35 years later the Arcade has been re-opened by professional tattoo artist, and Oceanside native, Jason Betz, after years of collecting and traveling thousands of miles in search of artifacts from the Arcade. The entire flash/folk art collection that hung on the walls of the original parlor is now home and on display once again.The collection of tattooing pens was absolutely amazing. To see the evolution of these tools allowed us greater appreciation of the talent of these artists.Interestingly, the electric tattoo machine had a rather curious start. Perhaps most famous for inventing the lightbulb and the motion picture camera, in 1875 Thomas Edison also invented an electric pen. Initially designed for making duplicates of the same document using a stencil and ink roller, the invention sadly never took off.Edison’s pen was a hand-held implement with an electric motor mounted on the top. It required the operator to have advanced battery knowledge in order to maintain it and typewriters were much more accessible to the average person.
However, despite its initial flop, Edison’s motorized pen would set the stage for a completely different type of tool: the first electric tattoo machine. Wild!
"The Powerful Folk art at the Arcade stained the skins of our sons, fathers, and grandfathers before they went to War. From powerful chest eagles, to pigs 'n' roosters, and lovely pin ups, these classic designs speak of times past and hold deep meaning to the tattooers who created them. they will forever hold a sacred place in American tattoo history."While getting a tattoo is not on my 'to do' list, if I was to embark into the realm of skin ink, I'd totally come here. This place is awesome!And conveniently next door is the delightful 10-22 Café & Gelateria.The name of the 10-22 is far from being generic or subjective. It refers to the temperature of the perfect gelato, as opposed to the colder temperature at which ice cream is served. This significant detail is captured on a large gray plaque proudly displayed against the white brick wall, and in full view of the customers entering the shop, waiting for their treat or sitting at one of the tables.Described as a place which "offers an excellent opportunity to recreate the cozy look of an European gelateria coffee shop. The relatively small space, with a long narrow hallway in the back, lent itself beautifully to this vision. Elevating some traditional design elements to modern status, we created an intimate space with a warm familiar atmosphere, pinpointed by the presence of wood, brick and plants."Steve and I pictured spending a lot of time here in future Oceanside escapes!
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
-Robert Frost
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