Happy Anniversary to us

Today State of Grace turned, 9!* Taki reminded me of how Chad Koeplinger and I sat on the floor of the old shop painting the original State of Grace sign til late into the night trying to get it done in time for our big opening.  Here it is:

Man it was so rotten when we took it down, seven winters getting rained on will do it. We tried to hang it in the new shop but it was too smelly!  Here's an oldie but goodie, Taki tattooing the Milazzo, those were the days.

And of course my old station, too, a girl gets sentimental trotting down memory lane!

Anyway as the boss man messaged me this morning, what a long strange trip it's been! Can't wait til we hit the big 10!

*custom official State of Grace jean jackets are still available for purchase at the shop. 

R.I.P. RJ

A little over a week ago we lost one of the great ones.

 RJ Enriquez

Father, Husband, Bike Builder, Biker and all around Big Brother.

(left to right; Roman, Ray, Uncle George, R.J.)

 Nine years ago this September I arrived in San Jose to work for Taki at State of Grace. I showed up just in time to help put the final touches on the new shop and started work the first day we were open. The space was offered to Taki by Roman Enriquez, him and his family have been building Harley's in San Jose for over 30 years and their shop is called 45s Forever. Roman and his brother R.J. had been getting tattooed by Taki for awhile at that time and they had a house on their property that was available, so Roman offered it to him to rent to build a tattoo shop.
 New to town, I was a lost puppy and was just figuring out my new surroundings, but from day 1 the Enriquez family adopted me. I don't know that I can think of a more close and loving family. Coming from a big close family, myself, I always felt at home at their BBQ's and parties. The oldest of their 4 kids was R.J. He had an awesome personal style and taste; 100% biker/gangster. He was a talented artist and it came through in the bikes he built. He made working at our old shop fun. We all joked we could tattoo through natural disasters because R.J. thought it was hilarious to lite off dynamite and blow fire balls at our window while we worked. His laugh echoed through the shop. The bike he rode was a beautiful sleek chopper of his own creation. It had such a long front end and we would run to the window to watch him pull up in the morning and leave at night. It was a steep hill getting in and out of the parking lot and he made it look easy dropping in and pulling up at the 45's garage.

                             (The insane chopper)


R.J. was the big brother, he was the toughest dude you'd ever know but also the funnest and most loving. His smile was genuine without an ounce of bullshit in his eyes, everyone knew that if he liked you he loved you and if not, well,  you knew it.  Words cannot express this loss to those that knew him and my family, the Enriquez's. All of my deepest Love and Respect to his parents Ray and Erma and the rest of the extended Enriquez and 45s Forever families.