Flower Power

In my next trick, I will be a floral photographer. I’m always super excited when the light hits a flower just right, when I have company, a bee/an insect, who is admiring the art just as I am, or just after it’s rained and the beads of water have yet to fall. San Jose doesn’t owe me a thing! Every single sidewalk, walkway and park was bursting with fresh flowers, even dying flowers but there’s beauty in death. It’s a goal/dream of mine to host a gallery of my photos. I’d like to believe I can do wonders, and what better way to show them off then putting them ALL on display. I can’t wait until I return to San Jose, California. There’s still so much for me to capture. Tristan Jonez

La Puerta (San Diego)

So San Diego was a good look. I was able to first experience San Diego on a layover, and the weather was such a change of pace from the wintery mess we were experiencing in Baltimore at the time. As a general unspoken rule, when I clock in to work on day one, I usually don’t partake in alcoholic beverages while on a layover, just because. However if the crew and I go out, I’m not judging anyone who wants to do so. Well that rule was broken when I went to La Puerta. A Mexican eatery, with an amazing happy hour and quesadillas so good, they are bound to make you cry!

As y’all know, Or don’t, every month my flight attendant sister travel to a different location to de-stress as work can be a bit much at times. So it was my pick, and San Diego was the destination. The first stop had to be La Puerta! I’d had the PurpleHaze, which is a mixture of their sangria and a frozen margarita. I went on to drink The Angel Of Harlem, which was a spicy concoction of El Jimador Reposada, Aperol, Serrano Agave, Lime, Strawberry, THEN topped with a jalapeño. For food, I played it safe, El Pastor Quesadilla, which grilled pineapples and jalapeños were added, highly recommend.

La Puerta is located in the Gaslamp district at 560 4th Ave, San Diego 92101

FYI, Don’t try the “Bad Medicine” drink, Its SUPER Nasty! Yuck!

Tristan Jonez.

Chinatown (SanFran)

Why y’all didn’t tell me Chinatown in San Francisco was so amazingly filled with street art? I was literally blown away with the art that was displayed on each and every street! I loved that all the pieces had some sort of dedication to asian culture. I was able to chop it up with Tupac and Bruce Lee at the same time. (Laugh) However I don’t feel as if I saw very traditional art pieces only, there was always some sort of popular culture element. Although, I don’t feel as If I truly look like a tourist while traveling, I definitely felt like one during my time in Chinatown but I didn’t let that stop me from being the touristy tourist! I tend to stay away from Boba Tea in NYC, as I’d rather not chew my tea, call it lazy, but whatever. But when in Rome, you normally do as the romans, so I had my first official boba tea, and let me tell you, it was so good! Sweet, but the mango flavored green tea was an incredible balance. I had to have something to drink while fighting to walk up all the hills!

I am a bit upset, I went all the way to Chinatown in San Francisco and I did not experience the joy that is The Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. If we are what we eat, then I should be a fortune cookie! I find that I throughly enjoy that taste of a fortune cookie, its just so damn good! Whenever I order from the Chinese restaurant, before I can even get my order out, I am asking for fortune cookies! It is a must that my next visit includes a stop at the Fortune Cookie Factory!

Jonez

Art De Modern.

No matter what city I visit, I am drawn to the art museum in that city. Its almost as if my soul is being called by the artist who have painted such masterpieces. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a must see, must experience museum that I throughly enjoyed. Im not sure if museums can be feel good places, but SFMOMA surely was. I found myself falling in love again with Pop, Minimal and Figurative art, and Andy Warhol has captured the essence of my being. Roy Lichtenstein is another absolute favorite of mine! Can I tell you how I’m so not a comic book imaging fan but there’s something about HIS work that just captures my whole entire heart? His work just gives me all the feels I can handle, makes me so warm and fuzzy!

When I tell you I was on the brink of tears, tears y’all, Gerhard Richter had me feeling like I NEEDED his painting with me, in my home. Lord know its priceless, but If I could afford it, I would have placed my bet, then and there. I spent at minimum twenty minutes in a serious trans. I forgot where I was, and if it wasn’t for the scores of people visiting the museum, I would’ve taken off my shoes, and laid out as If I was watching television. Just incredible. I urge you all to visit the museum when you have a chance and just be. Clear out all the noise, and just sit with it. Sit with it as if you’re visiting with an old friend.

Tristan Jonez.

SideNote: Anything Oil on Canvas, Abstract or German artists I just fall in love.