Blk Santa

So I am attempting to herd my family and take photos with Black Santa at Macy’s in New York in the next few days, since my niece and I will both be in New York. As y’all know I live in Dallas now and my youngest niece is away at college in Delaware. With the remaining members of my fam, my sis, nephew and my oldest niece they all live in NYC but have competely different schedules. I thought it would be a fun thing to do, as a family since we don’t really have many photos together as a unit. But my loving family, with all their many personalities, are driving me almost insane. We have two new family members, and I honestly don’t know how my mother was able to juggle all these crazy personalities, cuz my sibling and I ALONE, would take a bevy of circus handlers. In addition to handling personalities, schedules need to be respected, then to add to the mix, my sister would like us to wear either white or red turtle necks but my youngest niece already said nope. So in addition to now trying to figure out a top that would suit everyone, we have to be concerned with how everyone’s hair is going to be styled, except for me cuz I’m throwing on a wig. Sigh.

I will definitely keep y’all up to date with what actually happens on picture day.

Tristan Jonez.

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

We Wish You.

Hopefully your Christmas was merry, and Santa brought you everything you wrote on your list. Surprisingly this year, I asked for nothing but I received a super abundance of Love!

Every single year, my family throws a Christmas Eve dinner/party in Peekskill, NY. This year I was actually in jeopardy of missing it as my job was attempting to hold me hostage but by the heavens I broke free, took metro-north then a cab and arrived fashionably late. I must say, I had an amazingly fun time this year. Literally you could feel the love, bursting thru the damn walls. Lord knows my family has its ups and downs, hell my favorite uncle just passed away but his presence was felt. The house felt full.

Although I don’t always appreciate them, I’m lucky to have the family that I have. Even the folks whom I choose not to communicate with, they’ve helped to create who I am and I implore you to find things that you love about your own families.

Happy Holidays!

Tristan J

Piece Of Velvet

When something is good, I will praise it from the mountain tops. I will be their public relation guru, making sure I let everyone know all about the goodness I recieved. However when something is not deserving of praise, when something is deserving of critique, I am here to administer that as well.

So, I was planning and hosting a gender reveal party for a coworker turned close friend. With this being her first child I wanted to make sure I did an amazing job, from decorations to the balloons, to the guest list, so obviously the cupcakes chosen was going to be a big deal. The sweets was the focal point, so not having any cupcakes would be very noticable. I could have spent my money ANYWHERE, but I choose to go with Piece of Velvet, as the product itself is quite tasty. I placed my order six days (!!) prior to the event so I would be assured it would be ready to go for Thursday December 21. So you can imagine my surprise when my order was not ready upon picking it up, hell it wasn’t even in the Harlem location.

12:40 Arrived at Piece of Velvet in Harlem, to which the Counter Rep, Keisha advised there was no order ready for me, and it would not be there until 2pm.

1:45 I return back to the Harlem location, Waiting patiently for 2pm.

2:15 I question the Counter Rep, was the delievery, going to be coming soon? Was Advised, the van has left Bklyn, and would be here, but did not have a solid time of arrival.

3:40 Van still not arrived, Still no time of arrival. I asked where specifically was the van currently, Keisha advised, she was told they were on their way.

4:15 Van Arrives at the Bklyn store, Advised by Counter Rep Keisha the van would be at the Harlem Location in twenty minutes.

5:00 Offered beverage, since I had been in the store for now, over four hours.

5:45 Van arrives, advised my order was not with the arrival of products. Driver suggested it may have gone to the Bklyn Store. Counter rep Keisha makes several calls, was advised my original order was ‘messed up’ by a driver, and a new batch of cupcakes were being created.

5:50 Driver takes my number, and advises he will bring my order to Laguardia Airport as a courtesy.

So At this point, I am frustrated, furious and just plain ole angry, that there has been no communication. Especially when the order was placed in advanced. I head to work with the thought that eventually what I ordered will be delivered to me. So imagine my utter surprise when I call the driver, and he tells me he doesn’t know where the cupcakes are, and that there is so much traffic. Its embarrassing that as a company, this is what you do? This is how you handle discrepancies with customers? I was as respectful and polite as a person could be. There was no manager, no owner, nothing. Granted the Yelp Reviews are in shambles, but I never had an issue with them, I also have never made a custom order. I know better for next time, but I felt it my duty to warn you guys. Be careful with whom you decided to spend with, some folks could care less about customer service.

With Love,

Tristan Jonez.

Why Wait?

Why wait for 2018? Do it Now.

Recently I listened to a video snippet, and the author told me, why wait until 2018 to make the changes you’d like to make?

And shorty, is right! Why am I going to wait until 2018 to start fresh, when everyday I wake up translates to a new beginning? With the rise of the sun, I am able to decide who I want to be and who I want in my World. Everyone’s manual for living looks different, so I have to find the instructions that work best for me. Find the people who work best, with my vibe, who brings out the best in me. Letting go is extremely hard for me, especially since my mother died. I hold on to folks tight, I look past their wrongdoings at my own detriment and I allow them to stay in my World. I find them sucking the life from me, and once I’ve hit rock bottom only then do I let them go.

This situation, this friendship, this love is NO longer serving me. Its no Longer allowing me to grow, no longer allowing me to be the best version of myself, no longer making me happy. I wish you the best, take care, thank you. I’ve found that speaking this outloud makes the transition easier. Can people change, sure they can, but for my own peace, they have to change elsewhere. Protecting my own energy is my top priority, everyone can and will be second my own self. Eff how they feel.

I’ve had a few light stealers, and I’ve let each and everyone of them go. God Bless ‘Em

Jonez.

PapaSanta

So there’s no possible way you can live in New York, be here for Christmas, and not experience the joy that is Santa Claus at Macy’s! Although If I am being honest I would like to visit with Black Santa at the mall of America, but I don’t believe he was invited back this year. So, I guess I am stuck with Old Saint Nick right here in New York, but I’ll take it.

I thought long and hard about if I wanted to take a solo photo with Santa, or If I wanted to include my five year old nephew in the festivities but I’ve decided to make this holiday season all about me. (Sorry Kayden, maybe next year) I plan on going as early as I possibly can, cuz I cant be fighting with other little kids for the chance to sit on Santa’s lap. And yes I checked, there is no age limit, or weight limit for that matter, to visit with Santa.

Tristan Jonez.

SideNote: What do a person wear for this momentous event?

WindowShopping

What’s more December in New York than Christmas on Fifth Ave?

It seems as if every single holiday movie has started with a shot of the big apple during the holiday season. (Although I believe Chicago, rivals NY for this honor) What’s even bigger than Christmas on Fifth Ave… The unveiling of the windows for the luxury shops such as Bergdorf’s, Tiffany’s and Saks Fifth Ave. The sheer joy, that tourist feel when they step up to the window after seeing the tree at Rockefeller Center is unmeasurable. With Project #Decemberinnyc I will be exploring these iconic shops but I’m here only for the windows!

Are You Ready? Then that’s settled, its a date, See you Soon!

Tristan Jonez.

TheRockettes

When was the last time you went to Radio City Music Hall to see The Christmas Spectacular? I want to believe my parents took me at some point in my life but I honestly can’t remember seeing it from my memory bank. Well this evening I went to The Christmas Spectacular and I had an amazing blast. There was a storyline, I thought I would just see The Rockettes dancing for two hours, but nope! I was so pleasantly surprised to see, the show which combined Santa Claus, Nutcracker and an excerpt of the birth of Christ. I do believe it should be seen from multiple angles in the theatre, If I do so happen to make it back to see the show again, I would like to be on the third mezzanine so you would have a wide-angle of the stage. Unless the price was soooooo amazing that I just couldn’t pass up, then and only then would I purchase an orchestra seat.

Because I went to this evening show, I received a Santa Hat! I can’t tell you how excited I was to put that on my head, when santa asked the audience to, it was the beginning of the santa dance number. I felt like a little kid again, dancing and clapping my seat. I didn’t care too much about who saw.

Happy Holidays Folks

Jonez.

Showtime Apollo!

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a show at the Worlds’s Famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem! Can I first, just tell you guys how it felt to be in a place where so many great and talented artist have gotten their start? Like I was in awe of where I was, but the moment was not lost on me. I was fully in that moment, as I could have been. I can’t tell you how many times, I was up late night trying to watch amateur night, awaiting the acts that move on to the next round. OMG! I was at the Apollo Theatre! Although I have no bucket list, If I did, I just crossed one more thing off. Again, I have to thank my coworker turned friend, Chinoah, for the opportunity to see a global monument! (It is to me)

Secondly, Can I tell you how bad I felt to boo someone? It was horrid, cuz we are all so conditioned to believe everyone deserves an E for effort, but that is definitely not the Apollo Way! If you are not popping off, by those first few chords, then your ass is going to get boo’d. I want to believe that everyone knows this is a possibility, even if YOU believe you are the best singer that has ever lived. However sitting in the front row, the ones who were boo’d, I don’t think they even thought of that happening. I’ll admit, I got into the spirit of the Apollo, and I boo’d someone, Hell I even stood up and boo’d them! I know this type of behavior isn’t accepted anywhere, but at the Apollo its your duty to do what you have to… and I HAD to!

Of Course I forget to ask when the episode would air because I was just so caught up in making sure I was present in that moment. What I do know, It will be airing on primetime on FOX. So look out for me, I’ll be coming to your television screen very soon.

Tristan Jonez.

Music Hall Radio City

So I had the pleasure of seeing Miss Solange perform in person at Radio City Music Hall here in NYC and she was as marvelous as you would picture her to be. I do have to admit, she came on towards the latter part of the evening, I was getting worried that she would only be on for thirty minutes, but she was on stage for about an hour. Dancing, Singing, and Taking command of my emotions! As you would expect she performed songs from her current album, Seat at the Table, but she threw in T.O.N.Y, which I sung and felt every word, she added two songs from True. I’ve been rocking with Solange for a long time, so although I loved her slowed down version of T.O.N.Y, I would’ve loved to hear more songs from her album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams. OMG! So many classic bangers!
Solange definitely seems like someone I would be friends with. A No hold bars chick who speaks exactly what she’s thinking. How can you not appreciate that?!

Tristan Jonez.

SideNote: Not that race is a factor but it is, however, there was more white folks than blk people at her show. And maybe they like her music as much as I do, but I kinda would’ve like to see more brown folks who KNEW her music as intimately as I do.

Lets Eat.

Do you have a certain meal, or food, you ALWAYS order when you go out?

Well I do, and its always seafood, specifically salmon. I want to believe I am adventurous when it comes to meals and what I am willing to try. However I can admit, Salmon is just that ‘thing’ my eye always look for when out. One of my favorite restaurants in New York is Clyde Frazier’s Wine & Dine. Not only is it a semi upscale sport bar, but there is a half basketball court, where you can perfect your jump shot. The food is absolutely divine! My go to meal is the blackened Scottish salmon with bourbon butter spinach and garlic mashed potatoes, with a glass of white wine. The salmon is so delish, that it melts in your mouth! I usually can’t squeeze in dessert but when YOU go please make room for the ricotta donuts!

For me, this is the perfect date night spot, whether its a first date or you’re a couple that’s looking to try a new place. If you are single, fret not for the bar area, is incredible! AND Clyde Frazier’s has a nice line up for happy hour. Hopefully I will catch you there one of these days, don’t ever be too shy to say hey!

Tristan Jonez.

SideNote: I’m horrible at taking photos at restaurants, so use your imagination! I promise I’ll do better.

Beauty Related.

Any Shade of purple is my go to. No, All shades of purple are my go to. There’s just something about purple that makes it a color that stands out on brown skin. Marvelous! I’m wearing NYX in Strawberry Parfait and Berry strudel, surprisingly they are both *Only* lip glosses! With NYX you can be assured that your lip colour will always be pigmented.

Less is always more with NYX Cosmetics.

Tristan J