Familia

I share my experiences cuz I want y’all to be better than me. Learn from all the weirdo, dumbass things I do and make better choices. First, I’m mad dramatic but my point is still valid. Don’t let two months go by before you make time for your family. I in fact, have done just that. The last time I was with my family was June 18, so I’mma few days shy of two months but wayyy too damn long. Now that I’m going to see them tomorrow I can just cry, and will most likely cry when I see them. Hell I’m crying as I write this. Although I have been in every other city than my own, it’s no excuse. I will never allow this much time to pass before I physically see my fam.

Life truly is too short. While I’m getting families to and from, safely, my own hasn’t laid eyes on this beautiful face. Pissing my sister off via cellular device, doesn’t have the same effect. Being all in both my nieces business, just don’t do the job over the phone and showering my nephew with love, can’t be felt over the phone. Realize and understand the importance of family BEFORE something tragic happens. I’ll be heading home to New York later on today, and a sleepover is definitely needed!

Tristan J

SPiN Chicago

Pig Pong Anyone?

So what does one do on a Friday Night when your flight has been cancelled? Ping Pong of course. After spending twenty minutes trying to find something to jump at me, I come across, an event at SPiN, announcing “On Friday Nights, We Play” I’m sure at some point in my life, I’ve played ping pong but playing successfully and winning games? Nah.

SPiN is definitely a feel good place with Instagram worthy decor to surely ensure your photos are poppin’, even each stall in the restroom guarantees you’ll be ‘transported’ to that place and space. Photo shoot in the future? Possibly. Mos definitely. In addition to ping pong tables, try your luck at Giant Jenga, and Connect Four.

While SPiN, May look like the perfect date night spot (It is) it’s fully interactive that solo dates, blind dates or friends meeting up, will find something that appeals to their senses. And if not, there’s ALWAYS the full service bar which boast a full menu. I recommend the seasonal mule!

Tristan Jonez

SPiN Chicago, 344 N State Str Chicago 60654

Luv U.

As much as we may want the very best for our friends. As much as we may want nothing but greatness for them, we cannot be willing to work harder for it than them. Trust, I know that shit sucks but you’ll kill yourself trying to obtain greatness on behalf of someone else. I’ll continue to be there for my friends, I’ll continue to be a listening ear if necessary but I will not longer shoulder their issues. I will no longer accept their problems as my own, looking for solutions and alternatives. No. I can’t. I’ve tasted the sweet taste of happiness, it’s taken me a while to get here but NOW, that I’m here I can’t let anyone threaten that peace.

To my friends, I love you. Sincerely. I want you to learn who you are, trust in yourself and know you deserve the very best from another human being. Trust that if s/he isn’t willing to offer their best, they aren’t willing to compromise to see you happy then Be prepared to move forward without them. Know that it’s healthy to be alone, and it’s necessary to carve time out to place yourself first.

Love yourself.

Tristan J {AKA} Tiffany, Your Friend.

The Decaying.

The morbid part of me loves Ivan Albright! I was fortunate enough to see a few of his pieces at the Art Institute or Chicago when I took advantage of Bank Of America’s free museum weekend two years ago. SideNote: Bank Of America offers free entrance to several museums in America (Obv) the very first weekend, Sat & Sun, of every month if you are a card holder. I was delighted to see the museum dedicate a section of the museum to Albright.

Albright was obsessed with the decaying human body. I admire his obsession as I believe sometimes we, humans, see ourselves as invincible. I appreciate his vision, a lot of his subjects were young, beautiful, healthy, but he drew what the ‘flesh’ would become. I’m so interested to know what became of the people who he drew inspiration from. As they got older, did they resemble what he paint them as?

Tristan Jonez

AiseLife X Skoli

What a pleasure, to go from seeing Charles White (I’m Super Obsessed) at the Art Institute of Chicago, to seeing up & coming artists in the Chicago art and creative scene at AMFM Gallery. As all of you know, I’m a recent transplant in Chicago, so I had no real clue as to what to expect when I arrived at the venue. Some would say no expectations equals no disappointments, but I was pleasantly surrounded by an outward display of love. AiseLife’s art was captivating, I throughly enjoyed being transported back to the “rink”. Just looking at his depiction of a skating rink, the focus being on the skates, I created a whole narrative in my mind, I could even hear the music and feel the energy. Ultimately isn’t that what art is supposed to do? Create a story for you?

I also was treated to a live performance by @Nomezflute and @loony.is.normal It started off as beat bop meets flute meets soul meets jazz, which I know sounds hard to imagine but it works. Somehow the duo, they’re able to pair the different genres of music and release a vibe that transcends what you believe you’re into musically. As Nomezflute eloquently stated, [Paraphrasing] “this is enchanting music, so let the music move you. Do whatever the fuck You want. Dance to it, move an arm or a leg to it.”

We all vibed and rocked out to the sounds of DJ Skoli. I play the wall, especially when sober, hell even when intoxicated and guess what? I was dancing! So that can only be contributed to Red Line Shorty himself. Extremely focused while ‘spinning’ but amazingly humbled outside of the turn tables. The energy he puts into ensuring you feel him, is exactly why I had to return that same energy to him.

Tristan Jonez

Jonezy Note: I always feel as an intruder to this type of events where creatives show their creativeness. Although I am a creative in my own right, not being a performer, I am slow to open up in these spaces at times. However I am always excited to be in the vicinity of such spaces, the Love was present in abundance. Thank you AMFM Gallery, as well as Aiselife and DJ Skoli.

Pink Taco Chicago

Are you looking for delicious food, a fire playlist, and an even better drink menu? Well make sure Pink Taco, is on this short list. A visually pleasing looking drink will always rope me in, so I definitely blame Instagram. FYI, I didn’t even order the drink that brought me in. Pink Taco fueled my obsession with Dia la muerta, but it IS a Mexican restaurant which would be expected but when restaurants come into the ‘trendy’ (Read:White) areas of a neighborhood they sometimes change their aesthetic, I’m delighted to report they haven’t.

The happy hour menu is a good blend of what to expect with the full menu. I opted for the frozen mango margarita and the pink tacos. Original and Frozen Strawberry margarita were options but no to both. Seating for about twenty at the bar, with combined Mexican and Chicago memorabilia including Jordan and Pippin’s basketball cards. The frozen mango margarita has just enough alcohol to get you going but it doesn’t over power the delicious taste of mango. Not going to lie, when the tacos first came out, I rolled my eyes at such small tacos (2) but they were actually filling without feeling like I over ate.

So is Pink Taco a yay or nay, of course it’s a YAY. You’ll come for the drinks and stay for the dope af playlist, or possibly it’s the other way around. Either way, be sure to don your best duds, with the decor of Pink Tacos, it’ll be a photo shoot for sure!

Tristan Jonez

Pieces of my Soul

I’m a crybaby, always have been and will continue to be but I don’t normally get emotional at museums. Well, I wished someone would love told me to bring the tissues. Recently I traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas, first stop, Old State House Museum. Perhaps one day I’ll learn to research what’s on display BEFORE I visit but I’ll admit I’m lazy. However I think y’all know that already.

No secret, I love anything black people related. So I damn there bust out in the ugly cry for the A Piece of my Soul: Quilts by Black Arkansans exhibit. I remember being a young girl and snuggling up to the quilt that my grandmother, Theo Western, kept close. If I close my eyes and concentrate I can almost remember every single square. I’m embarrassed that I never inquired about each patch and the significance. My grandmother has since passed but I was able to find pride in her and this exhibit. Fun Fact: Quilts could weight as much as fifty pounds!

The museum has at minimum two hundred Quilts and proceeds to rotate the Quilts so all can be displayed. Yall know I’m super hyped to return. Growing up did you experience the magic of Quilts?

Tristan J