I hopped up and down like a little school girl jacked up on Fun Dip when the latest Pocket Change NYC Newsletter arrived in my mailbox for at least 2 reasons. First off, their “Most Expensive Tattoo Artist” happens to be a good friend of mine. For the uninitiated, Pocket Change relishes in telling us all about our fair cities most expensive amenities, from the $200 baked potato at the Four Season to the $1000 lobster frittata at Norma’s along with a whole host of other NYC-specific extravagances. And as a house-poor glutton for punishment, I enjoy this semi-monthly voyeuristic glance into the way that other 1% lives. But dig deeper and find that Pocket Change also offers another secret bonus for the hard core Metroblogging fanatic. Come closer and I’ll tell you a secret…

And by secret I mean a completed unsubstantiated rumor. Word on the street is that Pocket Change’s man-about-town Richard Nouveau is actually the alter-ego of one Michael Orell, famed ex-NYC Metblog author and thief of my heart. Serious Michael, if you are reading this, um, I need my heart back.

Back to the tattoos! Pocket Change highlights only the best and I’m delighted to see my tattoo artist and friend listed as they most expensive Tattoo artist. Not only is Anil Gupta a fantastic artist worth every penny of his $350 per hour rate, he is an amazingly lovable person and an excellent subject for Michael…er, Richard’s series. His tattoos, like the Seurat featured above, have been highlighted by Ripley’s Believe it or Not as “the World’s Smallest Tattoo” (check out the size as compared to the quarter!) and he’s a firm believer in completely customized work and tattooing everything free hand. If you are going to have ink etched many, many layers deep into your skin and visible for the rest of your life, doesn’t it make sense not to skimp? Check out Anil’s amazing portfolio.

And Orell, if you are out there, we miss you. Badly.

Anil Gupta [Inkline Studios]
Pocket Change Newletters [Pocket Change NYC]