Been going to Noel since 2014! He is as professional as he is personable. I appreciate his attention to detail , flow, and marksmanship with just his 2 sharpie markers. Friendly , laidback atmosphere with his cool shiba dogs (Pet Therapy always helps) He brings positive energy to every session, which usually helps with calming my nerves before we start. Easy guy to talk to! Highly Recommend 10/10. Pare! Much appreciated for all your art throughout the years and can't wait till the next one. P.s. Noel's line work is clean , crisp and DURABLE. I've had my first tattoo from him August 2014 has kept its saturation read more

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I highly recommend Noel at Vine St. Tattoo! He did an awesome job on my two Filipino leg band tattoos on two different occasions. Hit him up for any of your tattoo needs and he will definitely take care of you. read more

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Nicely done! So happy with my tattoo. Noel has such a steady hand and clean lines. Definitely recommend! read more

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Noel is a cool guy was nice enough to help me fix a tattoo. I trusted him. However I feel it's worse now because he just winged it. There was no consistency. He just tatted with no stencil. And then had the nerve to say "I hope ure not picky" I'm very sad and have low self esteem and insecure because of this tattoo now. I have to get it removed unfortunately. And it's going to take forever. I just don't appreciate being inconsiderate and just doodling on my arm like nothing and no thoughts put into it. I would have appreciated if it was a stencil instead of this mess. He smokes weed on the job and does what he wants without consideration Unprofesional Don't trust him don't make the same mistake I did read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Terrible work - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Great Customer Service and Top Tier Talent Anyone who is interested in a Polynesian tattoo should make sure they give him a call. read more

Noel is HIM. This was my first ever tattoo and Noel was very accommodating and understanding of my situation. From the first text to the actual date of the tattoo he continued to engage in conversation with me and laid out the steps for the entire process. The shop is pretty cool, there is a lot of historical and cultural objects that give him inspiration and display origins of certain designs/patterns. Noel was spot on with describing the pain of a first tattoo, something akin to a cat giving you painful scratches on the same area. The shibas were really sociable and helped break the ice when we first arrived. I loved the Reggae vibe and all the songs Noel put on, no complaints there. Noel gave me ample time to take breaks and rest in between hourly intervals which I am really grateful for. Noel is an artist and also a teacher. He taught me the significance of the culture, the meaning etched into my arm, and the history. Thank you for being so chill, very professional, and most of all being sanitary. I'll be looking for another session to get BLASTED soon. read more

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Thanks Noel for the amazing Ink that you've done for me. Worth the pain, i am totally amazed, i love it. I need to say this, one of the best Tattoo artist in LA when it comes to the traditional Filipino Culture Tribal and Polynesian Tattooing. Very knowledgeable on what he does and asked for your opinions and ideas. Then performs his long time God given talent and golden hands to give you the best of the best results that you will never imagine. Plus the wall decor in his shop that represents our Filipino Heritage. Highly recommended 5+for me. If you're looking for a high caliber tattoo artist with unbelievable stroke? Vine St Tattoo is the right tattoo shop for you, prove it yourself read more

Overall, really happy with the tattoo and the service I received over the 2 week span we were communicating. I was a bit nervous, especially not being from LA, but after seeing his work I knew everything would be great and it was! I was looking to add onto my current forearm tattoo and I was already in love just by seeing the drawing before. Noel was really accommodating and a friendly guy, making my comfort a priority and always reminding me to let him know if I needed a break. Can't wait to see Noel the next time I'm back in LA! read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Original Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Artist was Noel. I came in to get a piece on my bicep and partially cover up a previous tattoo on my tricep. I was really stoked because this was gonna be my first time getting a tattoo professionally. Noel was cool, easy to talk to and good guy.. Now on to the things I didn't like. 1. My appointment was at 1pm but we didn't start until 230/3. Eat, prepare the shop and do whatever else you need to do before the client gets there man. 2. The cover up doesn't even COVER UP the existing tattoo I wanted you to blast over.. Kinda defeats the purpose then huh? 3. Most importantly.. It took 2 4hr sessions for this?! Like fuck bro, I didn't wanna be rude at the end but you should've been able to do half sleeve with 8 hours man. What I have is decent but I can't help but feel cheated of my hard earned money. He charges $150/hour btw. 8 hours and he didn't even do a full wrap on my arm AND failed the cover up. The price, time and experience that I had at Vine St. was unfortunately bad. I'm getting my the rest of my tattoos somewhere else. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - 8 hours total... And this is all I got. - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I was searching for a tattoo artist who had experience with Baybayin/Alibata pieces. I didn't want just "any" artist; I wanted someone who understood the history and significance of the traditional script. I originally looked around San Diego (my hometown) but wasn't too convinced. I looked up #baybayintattoo on Instagram and found Joel! I messaged him in July 2019 with my idea of getting "maniwala" ("to believe") on my left forearm. He was very thorough with asking what I wanted and where I wanted. Joel even asked if I knew about tattoo aftercare, and provided me with instructions over our messages. I scheduled an appointment with him for October 2019 (I wanted to schedule it after summer so I could still enjoy summer at the beach/in the water/etc). Joel later messaged me asking if I could re-schedule, which worked out because it was just later that day (and I was going to be in LA the whole weekend anyway). I met Joel at the shop and he was extremely friendly to me and my two friends that came along! We went over my idea of "maniwala" again. I was amazed while watching him freehand the characters, they really look printed! I trusted Joel with his work and was done with the actual tattooing in about 30 minutes (time in to time out was around an hour-ish)! My forearm piece came out BEAUTIFULLY and I am so proud to have gotten it done by Joel. I have gotten so many questions about what it means and so many compliments! To me, I wanted to get "maniwala" as a reminder to believe in myself, to believe that good things will happen and to believe that the universe has my back. Thank you Joel, so much, for bringing this piece to life. definitely worth the wait and the trip to LA! #jalayahayink read more

Vine St. Tattoo - "maniwala" ("to believe") in baybayin. thank you, joel!!! - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Super friendly guy, always shows up to his appointments. Was fun being tatted by him even though it hurts. Definitely recommend especially if you are looking for filipino tribal tattoos read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Back piece done - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Noel is an amazing artist and person. He is very knowledgeable about Filipino and Polynesian tattoo motifs. He designed my tattoo for me incorporating what was important to me. He was very nice and professional during my appointment. I still get compliments on my tattoo after 6 years bc of his masterful artistry. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Healed tattoo (6 years) upside down - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Noel is a cool dude and we worked on the design for a few hours. He was very patient and made sure I got exactly what I wanted. The picture I posted is a progress picture and I am actually getting my tattoo as I speak. Clean facility and pays attention to detail. Would highly recommend him to anybody in SoCal looking for tribal/Polynesian work. The price is worth it especially if you're going to have it for the rest of your life. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Polynesian Tribal Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

First and foremost, I'd like to thank joel for his time and artistry! Words can not describe how grateful and pleased I am with the creativity Joel has done bringing life into the tattoo I've wanted for years! God has blessed me with Joel's steady hand and keen eye for detail! This tattoo will be worn proudly and Joel is now family! So to all those who seek not only a talented artist you will also be blessed with a great family man! I HIGHLY recommend this man for your next tattoo!! Thanks again Joel for the incredible tattoo!!! God Bless, Daniel L. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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got two sick ass tattoos that i get non stop compliments on thank you so much noel for KILLING these and always being a vibe during the session. definitely recommend coming to him for some clean work read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Tattoo artistry at its finest... I went to Vine Street tattoo a few weeks ago for a consult, A couple weeks after...here I am getting the "ink" that I have been procrastinating for quite sometime now. Noel, my tattoo artist is a real master at his craft, I told him what I want during our consult and today he delivered with such precision, I liked how light handed he is compared to previous tattoo guys I've been to, he is very light with his hands which is good as the needles alone are like a billion bees stinging you lol (just kidding... or am I???) You'll feel the big difference between a novice and a pro once you've experienced getting a tattoo from both...of which one you ask yourself if a butcher is cutting a piece of your skin while you gnash your teeth every time the needle hits the stencil compared to having someone do art on your skin without loosing your consciousness ...Uhm, yeah..that kind of difference. I've met the personable King Afa too whom I have to say is quite talented as well with his craft (he does great work!!) the place is alright with comfortable couches to sit and hang while waiting for your turn, but most of all, these guys take cleanliness seriously, from the tools, to replacing gloves frequently especially for the intricate details and designs which could take a while to do. I am very happy with my ink today and thankful to Noel for making this an "almost" painless job (I said "almost" but it depends on your pain tolerance haha) I HIGHLY recommend Vine Street Tattoo if ever you are thinking of getting body art in the future... ...thanks Noel! You are awesome! read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo by Noel #ink #tattoo #vinestreettattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Worse tattoo I've ever gotten. It took Noel close to 1 hr to trace (not free hand) the image on my wrist. To then take 2 more hours to do a seriously crappy job on my tattoo. While he stopped to watch a movie he had playing. He then had the nerve to charge me by the hour! The lines are really crooked and the shark teeth are uneven sizes. I have several tattoos and this one was embarrassing. It was really swollen do I couldn't tell how horrible it was until a week later. I text Noel the pictures of my tattoo. He didn't say sorry or tell me to come back to get it fixed, but honestly I wouldn't trust him to tattoo anything on me ever again. I finally had it fixed by another tattoo artist and I couldn't be happier. Before and after pics to follow. Be warned! I wish I was. :( My tattoo is the Polynesian tribal design (above) on a large part of my wrist. read more

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LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE! Vine Street Tattoo is awesome! Noel is by far one of the best tattoo artist I've worked with. I feel so comfortable with Noel when he's working on me it seems to hurt less! Sounds crazy right? But I had work done by a different artist and that hurt a whole lot more and took longer to heal. So that being said, Noel is real great at what he does! Noel is extremely talented. I highly recommend Vine Street Tattoo!! read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Done by Noel - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

3 simple words to describe Vine St Tattoo, and Noel in particular: Unparalleled, Experienced, Friendly. There is no other place in the southern California area that has the raw talent or work experience Vine St Tattoo offers. Noel personally started tattooing in 1998, almost 20 years ago. All his work was completely free hand but you'd never guess with how precise his work is. The spatial intelligence and creativity was quite literally amazing. Even with such a resume, Noel was not dismissive at all of my input and took it into consideration to create a piece we both really loved. He kept me informed of everything-- such as which areas would be more sensitive to tattooing, and was very upfront about pricing. He even powered through our last session to finish the piece because I had come from out of state just to get it done here. The whole process only took two days and about 14 hours with breaks included. Despite being a person that tends to be a bleeder. I have had almost zero irritation or raising of the tattoo even directly after. All this is again due to Noel's skill to apply only the necessary pressure and not pierce further into the dermis than necessary. There were certain parts that were still rather unpleasant when it was getting tattooed, but those areas were localized due to what I understand are just places with more nerve fiber that don't receive a ton of friction (read as bicep). I would happily come back again. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo by the one and only Noel - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

My experience at Vine St. Tattoo was amazing. Their shop is very clean and well put together with nice artwork on the walls and some comfy couches around a TV. Coming upon this shop through yelp, I made contact with Noel. He quickly responded to all the questions I had about pricing (which is very reasonable for the great work they do). He mentioned to contact him as soon as I was ready to come in and a few months later I decided to commit and made an appointment. When discussing the tattoo of what I wanted and how I wanted it Noel mixed together the ideas I had to come up with a great original piece. As for the session, Noel made me feel really comfortable being that this was my first tattoo and it was a large piece. King Afa was also there doing a piece on a women. The atmosphere of this shop was so comforting that we all befriended each other and had a great time. My friend loved how my tattoo came out so much while we were there that she decided she'll have Noel fix one of her own tattoos. I felt confident and loved what I walked out with. Most definitely will come back to add on more in the future. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Hibiscus flower along with tribal and a small plumeria - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I really don't know why my experience differs from so many people on here but here goes: I went in with a tattoo I had found online which was similar to the tribal-looking tattoos people post. So I thought this place would be perfect. It was a black tattoo of a lotus flower about the size of my hand and I wanted it on my back. My first red flag should have been that Noel said that the tattoo would cost $60 and would take about 40 minutes. I ended up being there for about 2 1/2 hours before I finally asked if we could have another session because I was tired and hungry. To this day, I don't understand how he could have been so off about how long it would take him to do a tat! I felt guilty paying only $60 since we were there so much longer than he expected so I gave him over an 100% tip and we schedule another session. When I got home, I realized that the tattoo wasn't symmetrical. There was a black spot in the middle like he got lost or something. I was discouraged but I thought he could fix it. When I finally got back in (he cancelled a bunch of times) he couldn't fix the problem. He never apologized or even admitted that he had made a mistake. After another hour and a half, he said the ink was being pushed out because the spot was irritated and that we would have to reschedule. I never went back and he never called me to re-schedule either. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Mah messed up tat. - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A month ago, I lost my son to cancer. I decided to get a tattoo of a specific polinesian pattern in memory of my son. I looked for a tattooist in LA area and found Noel. He focused and devoted himself to complete his draft sketch on my arm over an hour, erasing and redoing a few times. Once he started, I didn't even look at what he was doing to see the progress. I just trusted him and left all work to him with a high hope. And, man, this guy didn't deceive me at all. His work exceeded my expectation. I'm really satisfied with his artistic talent and happy with my tattoo. Thank you very much read more

Messaged Joel about having a Filipino tribal visayan quarter sleeve done. This was my first tattoo so I wasn't familiar with the process or what I wanted. Joel was quick to respond and asked if I can come in for a consultation. Consult was easy, super friendly and even included a brief history lesson. Appointment was made after deposit was sent Appointment date came and he was on time, friendly and professional. Freehanded the entire thing so definitely give him your trust in using your body as his "canvas". Work came out amazing and what I had hoped. He explained the different patterns and symbols. They have shows or movies going on the tv, you can use your phone and you can talk to Joel about anything you want. From beginning to end, communication was excellent. Being my first tattoo experience , definitely making this my standard if I were to go to anyone else. read more

Joel is the best tattoo artist ever. He's completed a half done tattoo that no other tattoo artist would touch. He's done some amazing artwork on my arm and I look forward to more of his awesome artwork in the future. Joel you rock man! read more

Noel is the best in business. I still can't believe what an amazing artist he is. I'm lucky to have found him. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Joel is a great artist and is super accommodating and flexible. I got a baybayin tattoo that I had been contemplating for over 3 years, and I'm so happy I found him as the artist to finally complete my vision. I checked out his Instagram for a few months before, so I would recommend that to anyone else to get the feel of his style. He explained the characters to me too and made sure it was done according to how I wanted it. The tattooing process itself was also great. It went by super fast and didn't hurt at all. This is my first tattoo, mind you. I went in feeling a little nervous, but Joel is very kind and good at what he does. The price was also very reasonable too! read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Like most things in life, tucked away in the most unassuming of places is where the best talent and experiences lie. Vine St. Tattoo exemplifies this very saying. Noel is truly an amazing artist. His attention to detail is second to none. He is honest, trustworthy and his work transcends any artist I've seen. He takes pride in what he does. I have never felt so comfortable with any stranger... well, it makes sense because when you work with him he treats you like family. Not only will you walk out with an amazing piece of artwork you will also walk out with a great story and experience to share with the world. All his practices are sterile and precise. He's gentle and walks you through the entire process. Thank you so much, Noel. I cannot wait to come back for more!!! If you don't choose Noel, you really are doing yourself a disservice. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Noels amazing work. - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Joel does an amazing job! Best 1st tattoo experience I could've asked for. The shop is very clean. Very easy to book an appointment online. Definitely will be coming back for another tattoo! read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I had Joel and his work is fantastic. Very friendly atmosphere. People aren't afraid to talk to each other. Specializes in poly tattoos. Joel is very detail orientated! My new tattoo go to place! Appointment only so don't walk in expecting to get one right then and there. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Spartan x storm trooper with filipino tribal by Joel - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I had a great experience here after getting tattooed by Joel! He's extremely caring and personable and I felt like my appointment when by fast since he's great with conversation too. He makes sure you're comfortable the entire time. Thanks so much again and I plan to come back again! read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The vibe at Vine St. Tattoo feels like no other. If you want to get a tattoo that expresses yourself this is the place to go! Thanks Joel for an amazing collab piece and it turned out to be an awesome first tattoo. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Greatest tattoo experience, hands down! Joel has a lot of knowledge about tribal patterns and meanings, which made me feel comfortable and confident in his work. This is my second piece with Joel and he definitely went above and beyond for this one! I wanted a Filipino chest piece that reflected my story and made me feel closer to my roots. Joel really took his time to research and deliver all the meanings I requested in this Chaklag inspired design. The detail and boldness are awesome and, overall, this piece came out amazing! Definitely more projects on the way, thanks Joel! read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Contacted Joel (Instagram name Jalayahay.ink) to get my first tattoo done. He made the process seamless. From setting the appointment to the day of my actual appointment Joel was very accommodating and professional. He is a cool dude and very easy to talk too. The session went by so fast because of how personable he is. As for my actual tattoo he killed it. I couldn't be happier with the end result. If you're looking for an artist I would highly recommend Joel. If you don't believe me just check out his work for yourself. It speaks for itself. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Mid sized baybayin tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Seriously Joel is the best! This is my second one done by him and I can't see myself going to anyone else. Joel is professional and meticulous with his work . He definitely took his time to make sure it was exactly how i wanted it. I get so many compliments on how detailed the piece is.. can't wait to get another one done read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I contacted Joel to do a mandala piece and he was hands down the most professional tattoo artist I've consulted with. I had talked to two tattoo artists before going to Joel and they both sucked. The two before were very unresponsive and were very poor at confirming/following up for my consultation. Besides being professional, Joel's artistic creativity is amazing. I gave him the vision for my tattoo and he carried it out perfectly. I couldn't have asked for a better mandala design. I really love his design and I get compliments on it all the time. I wouldn't hesitate to work with him in the future or refer someone else to him read more

Awesome, awesome.So glad I found this shop and Joel, he's a true gem! Super professional, talented, efficient, and quick! He made sure my boyfriend and I were comfortable- he's really great vibes. Love that he would engage us in conversation while he was tattooing. That really help distract (well me lol) and made me feel more comfortable about the pain (is that possible) lol. But go get tatted here, you won't regret it! read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Review is for the Artist Joel. After doing some research and readin so many great things about Joel's work I decided he was the man for the particular piece I had designed. A matchig tattoo with my SO required good line work. He was extremely polite and very attentive. Careful with the detail. Great result overall. If you ever are looking to get some good ink done I recommend going to this man! You wont be disappointed. As I mentioned this being a Matching tattoo. They both look identical. Great work. Great patience. read more

Vine St. Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I have been getting tattooed by King 'Afa since 2008. I would never go to anyone else - he is the best at all styles of Polynesian and his art will amaze you. Most of all, he is a honest, humble. down-to-earth person who I consider a friend. I am glad that he works at Vine Street - it is a nice place - clean, relaxed, professional and everyone treats you well. I am honored to wear King 'Afa's art on my body. read more

Since this was my first ever tattoo I wasn't sure how to go along with this. But as soon as I got in contact with Joel, he helped me through with everything. It was a great experience telling Joel about what I wanted on my upper shoulder. Joel is super creative and imaginative and I couldn't believe how good my first tattoo ever came out because I never imagined how good it would look. Joel came up with the perfect shapes, patterns, and made the turtle I've been wanting for so long. And while I was getting tatted, I was kind of nervous about the pain, but the music Joel was playing calmed me down. During the process Joel also was interested in getting to know me so I thought that was really kind. This being my first tattoo, I have absolutely zero regrets because I know I made an amazing choice of choosing this spot. Thanks Vine St. Tattoo. Thank you Joel!!!!! read more

I have to give this low of a review because of how badly I was treated and the lack of professionalism by King Afa. I flew in from out of state to finish a tattoo he started. I arrived fifteen minutes early to our scheduled appointment of 11am when he sends a text message saying he "just woke up, he will be there at 11:30" which was irritating but whatever. I sat and waiting until I received a phone call at NOON, where he told me he would be there in 15-20 minutes. 45 minutes later (now nearly two hours late) he sends me a picture message of traffic saying "taking longer than I thought". After several more picture messages of him in traffic I realized I need to write this review. He's been in LA how long and he didn't expect the traffic.....this is my 4th time meeting with him and he has been extremely late every single time. Earliest was maybe 35 minutes. My review is strictly on his professionalism, or lack there of, and not by his talent. His work is great. No doubt about it. Although when it comes to his work he will decide when he wants to stop whether he finishes a section or not. We had discussed how much would be finished beforehand and he decided to stop in the middle of completing a design, which if I had the option of seeing him anytime wouldn't bother me.....but I live across the country, after addressing my concern about it he said he can see me again right before I leave to finish that section so it doesn't look bad. He was getting tired and didn't want to continue. (Which I appreciate) This time he was late yet again, but only about 30 minutes this time. I had expected this so I wasn't surprised. I had expected maybe 45 minutes to finish this piece as there wasn't much left on it, 2.5 hours later he finished because he continued to add more to it (Which I thought was an act of good faith all things considered). When he finished he charged me as if it were another 'new' session. Outrageous. But I paid because I needed him to finish the entire piece later. Finally posting this because my tattoo is done. I love my ink, for the most part the line work is clean and on point. I give his work 4 stars for sure, his attitude and professionalism -3 if that were possible. It would have helped had he not spent the whole time talking sh*t about his competition and "the haters". I will say this, one of the sessions we talked about life and our backgrounds and whatnot, I saw that he can be a cool guy he just needs to keep that up. I hope he gets things together because his potential is tremendous and had this not been my experience I would get a lot more ink from him. Never again. Sorry to the shop for the low review, but you need to put a check on the customer service. I have been to a lot of shops across the world. By far worst experience I have had. read more