Music City

Happy weekend, and Happy December! 
Somehow, another year is coming to a close.  Doesn't it feel like it was just weeks ago that we were complaining about 2016 and looking forward to 2017?  And now, here we are.  This year has given me so much to be thankful for.  So many developments happened for me in 2017 that have made my life so much more fulfilling.  Of course, you all know very well about one of those developments.  2017 was the year I started officially working for my friends in Home Free! 

I've been a friend and a fan of these guys for years now, and having them add me to their team has brought my life so much joy.  I love using my mind creatively, and I love that they think I'm funny, and I love feeling accomplished and appreciated.  One of the best parts of working for a band whose "cast and crew" is built up of a bunch of your favorite people, is getting to travel with them for WORK.  It legitimately feels like taking vacations with your friends and getting paid for it.  It's awesome.

Most recently, I joined them in Nashville to film the days leading up to the CMA's.  When I found out they were getting to walk the carpet, I was ecstatic, and so proud for them, but also selfishly bummed I wouldn't be there to witness such a huge moment in their careers.

When I got the news that they needed me out there to film, I pretty much agreed before even hearing the extent of what my duties would be.  This team is one of my favorite circles to be a part of and I have some serious FOMO when I'm not there.  Plus Nashville has always been high on my to-do list, so boom.  Two birds.  

(As always, click on the photos to enlarge.)

The next day was the video shoot, and the location you guys!!!! If you know me well, you know how I just die over an industrial setting.  It's my absolute favorite vibe for shoots, and to be honest, if I had enough money to live in a converted firehouse and walk everyday to my own personal studio located in a converted warehouse, I mean, that's the dream.  

The video shoot went great, as always, and I got some shots I'm pretty proud of if I do say so myself!  Photographing these guys just gets easier and easier.  I'm so thankful they've allowed me around, because every day that passes with them, I feel like a better photographer. 

Pretty much as soon as our planes landed, it was go-time.  From the moment we arrived in Nashville up until the moment they got into the limo for the awards, it was non-stop, running all over town, wonderful chaos.  

As if the excitement for the Red Carpet wasn't enough for one week, we also filmed a music video and recorded a new track.  And guess who had to film it all?  Ya girl.  I was literally "Ubering everywhere" between the guys' fittings, gown fittings for the girls, recording sessions, the video shoot, and all the moral support sessions where I joined Olena at the mall while she shopped for the guys. 

When I think about it, I really didn't actually even get to see that much of Nashville, running around like that.  But being with these people, doing work that feels like this much fun, it never felt like I was missing out on anything.  

I can't wait for you guys to be able to hear the song they recorded that day!  It's a Christmas jingle so you won't be waiting long, and it's so so beautiful.  

For my all-day efforts, they let me get in the booth and pretend like I was layin' down some fire for my Instagram story.  Which, side note: has always been a secret dream of mine.  I love singing so much, but I don't have enough training to be confident or consistent, so only my shower head, my Honda, and my closest friends and family get the pleasure of hearing me wail.  But secretly I'd love to get into a booth or up onto an open-mic stage and just sing my little tuchus off.  

November 8, 2017.

CMA day. 

One of the more hectic and non-stop days of my entire life.  I literally only took this one photo of the guys because I was too busy capturing every moment on film for the Home Fries.  (You guys can go check out this entire experience, by the way, by supporting the guys on Patreon!) (Sorry not sorry for my shameless plug)

Witnessing such a big moment in my friends' careers was an amazing experience.  I kept imagining how I would feel if I was prepping for

my first Academy Awards (my ultimate dream), and I kept finding myself getting emotional.  It's not every day you send your friends off to a Red Carpet event, and this was just the kickoff to a major growth for them.  I was honored to be a part of it.  

The next day was our last, but it was the first day we got to do nothing but explore.  No work, just play.  Olena and I put on our tourist hats and had breakfast at Biscuit Love, which is a no-brainer, absolutely must visit when in Nashville.  We shopped around Hillsboro Village, made friends with some local dogs, and headed over to Barista Parlor for the best coffee in Tennessee.  All the while, shooting each other, like we do.  

That night Olena, Austin, Chance, Jasmina and I all went out on the town.  I was the fifth wheel, but it didn't feel that way.  I was also the only one who was making their Nashville debut, so Chance took it upon himself to organize an exclusive Nashville bar hop.  Which, ugh.  How sweet is that?!  I'm telling you, these guys are every bit as amazing at friendship as they are at making sounds with their mouths and they're never getting rid of me.  

It was such a breath of fresh air to have the whole day and night together with all of the stress and workload of the past few days behind us.  We ate hot chicken, which was a blissful first experience for me, and we stopped at a bunch of great Nashville spots for drinks. 

I met new people who were all so awesome, Jasmina tried teaching me how to do a New Zealand accent, we threw back tequila shots and toasted to an amazing week, and it was everything I needed.  I'm really loving this life, so I really hope it doesn't stop.

Wish I could be joining the guys on A Country Christmas Tour, but right now it's really important for me to stay in LA until Christmas and focus on what I came out here to do, which, if you've forgotten because of my severe idleness, is acting.  

It's still what I love, it's still my dream, and I'm not giving up just because I've found a fulfilling side hustle.  And guess what?!  Two days after got back from Nashville, I was sitting in a rehearsal for a short film that I booked!  That's right Mom and Dad, three years in La La Land and I finally booked something!  And filmed it!  I did it!  You can proceed with pride now!  I can't wait to talk more about that project. 

For now, on to the next!

yo ho yo ho a tour life for me

I'd like to kick things off here on The Jones today with this photo Chance took of me and Olena in complete and total BLISS getting to not only see this Savannah Cat up close but getting to love on it and have it love on us!  Look at that face.

This was in Anaheim, CA, on October 19.  Home Free had a show that night, so Olena and I headed to the venue early.  When Chance came up to us and asked if we wanted to go to his friend's house in a bit to meet his Savannah, I mean, it was a no brainer.  When someone lets you into their home solely to pet their animal, you go.  You can follow this beaut on Instagram, and you should.  @zeusy_cat

Since that day I've pretty much been working and traveling with Home Free with a few scattered days off in between.  I joined them on their Press Day in Los Angeles to get some photographs of them, and then the next day I hopped on the tour bus with them for a week!  I figured I'd share a whole bunch of photos I've taken of the last few weeks with my favorite country a cappella group and my best friend.

Let's get into it, shall we?

I believe in these guys so much.  Getting to watch their growth firsthand has been extremely special.  They always say "don't meet your heroes" because the collective thought is that you'd be let down.  Some day very soon these five guys are going to be heroes in the eyes of many, and I know in my heart that meeting them would never be a let down.  Genuine people with genuine talent succeeding is such an inspiration, and an incredibly rewarding experience to be even a small part of.  Watching them get recognition from their shows to interviews to the red carpet is so exciting.

Then I joined them on tour and they allowed me to experiment with concert photography for the first time!  Please set aside your judgement, as this is a new skill that I'm just starting out in :)

Olena does it again: capturing me capturing. I love what I do, and I love that Olena's always right by me capturing those moments.  Makes me all the more comfortable and makes it all the more fun.

The first day off I got to spend with them was spent in Monterey, so we all decided to spend it at the historic aquarium.  It did not disappoint.  Actually, on the contrary, it fascinated.  

The next day wasn't a day off, but we couldn't pass up whale watching in Monterey Bay.  Whales are Chance's favorite animal, so thankfully he spearheaded this activity, and I'm so thankful that he did.  Easily the most amazing thing I've ever seen in real life was the moment we got to see a whale breach all "Free Willy" style right in front of our faces.  You think you can understand how that would look, or how big these creatures really are, and then you get to witness it firsthand and I got a little choked up in amazement of what I was viewing.  

In the middle of this show, Olena and I decided we had gotten all the usable photos possible for the night, so we snuck out of the theatre with the intention of shooting at the Monterey Pier.  On our walk, we passed a wine bar, exchanged a shared glance, changed course, and walked right in.  Over cheese and wine we talked and laughed.  Again probably confusing people about the nature of our relationship, not having it any other way. 

There's an explanation for this next photo, but I like it better without one.  A sidesplitting moment that one lucky audience in Napa Valley got to witness. 

Next stop: Seattle!  Ever since my girls' trip to this city I've been dying to go back.  Home Free was scheduled to spend Halloween there, so I joined them there for my last day on tour.   We spent it getting high on coffee, taking Abe's suggestions, and laughing a lot.  Abe is Home Free's promoter, who somehow knows the best places in pretty much every city we stopped in.  If you wanted to do something on any given day, you were pretty much guaranteed to find a suggestion that fit the bill from Abe.  

We didn't dress up, but it was the most fun I've had on Halloween in years.  
I probably don't have to keep harboring on the fact that I have so much fun with these people.  You get it, I'm sure.  I feel lucky to have been brought into their lives by way of Olena, and to have begun to form my own relationships with them all.  I'm an anxious person, and to meet people who not only accept me but laugh at my jokes and applaud my weird is special.  Seriously watch out for these five handsome fellas, they're only just beginning their growth, and I'm so excited to be on this journey with them.  

I was home from this trip for just enough time to go on a callback and hang out with Jen, and before I knew it, I was on another aircraft, this time headed to Nashville to film the days leading up to the CMA Awards, which my boys were in attendance of and got to walk the Red Carpet for! 
Not to brag, but we're kind of a big deal.  Post on that experience coming soon! :)

 

Make the most of your weekend, people, you deserve it.  

XO

a love letter

I could sit here and ramble yet again on how uplifting it was to be home again, and how hard it was to leave, but you've heard it all before.  Instead, I'd like to write a little love letter to the place and people that raised me, if you don't mind.  If you do, idk, go take a Buzzfeed quiz instead, cause here I go.

 

To New Jersey, New York City, pretty much the entire East Coast, and to all the people who live there, especially the Matarantes:

Miss you already.  I miss you everyday I'm not there, and when I'm there, I'm blissful.  I'm not kidding when I say that there's at least one thing that happens here in LA every day that makes me thank my lucky stars that I was raised by two North Jersey lovebirds.  Everything from the bagels to the road rage makes me proud and keeps me in longing.

Thank you East Coast, for making your women strong, like my mother.  The woman is a goddamn superhero and I want to be just like her.  My mother spends every single day of her life giving.  To my father, to my brother, to her students, to my grandmother, to me.  I know she struggles with how much is on her plate, but she doesn't let you know just how much.  I never realized how much she gave and how much shit she took from us all until I moved into an apartment of my own and have started to learn what it really takes to be a responsible adult. 

Here is my formal apology to her for all the years of rolled eyes and slammed doors:
You are the epitome of a woman, wife and mother to me.  Thank you and Dad for not bowing down to my immaturity.  Thank you guys for having rules and enforcing them.  Thank you for every meal, every dance class, and every PTA meeting.  I am so sorry for being a little shit to you.  I am so sorry for being such a challenge, and being so ungrateful.  If only I knew then what I know now.  But now I know, and I'll spend the rest of my life making up for it by trying to make you proud.  

Thank you for New York sports, and for the way they bring my family together.  Sitting on the couch with my father and brother while we all shout our praises and ridicule at our favorite athletes brings me so much joy and comfort.  When I talk sports here in LA, men usually stare at me in astonishment by how much knowledge I actually have about the game, like they can't believe a girl could actually like sports.  But when I'm home, my brother and my father shake their heads at me for the absurdity of not understanding immediately why a flag was thrown on a play and I'm knocked back to earth.  

East Coast people aren't precious with your feelings.  They're not worried about how they come across.  They say what they feel and mean what they say, and tell the fucking truth, and it's downright refreshing.

The friendships I have there are unlike anything else I know.  They are true, they are confrontational, they are honest.  Everyone I love from the East Coast knows me in such a different way than my new (and wonderful and deeply cherished) LA friends.  I'm just so much more relaxed there.  My accent comes back.  I goof around way more and second guess myself way less.  

(Disclaimer for my LA friends: this doesn't take away from how lucky I feel to know each one of you.  I love you all and you've each brought so much light to my life since I moved here, there's just nothing like a comfort zone, especially for a girl with social anxiety like mine.  I'll write a love letter to LA soon so you know just how much you mean to me, too.)

Thank you to New York for being beautiful, resilient, blunt, gritty, full of passion, rough, romantic, fierce and raw.  You ignite my soul with every subway ride, every sidewalk, every passerby.  It's like you were designed for me, and you miss me like I miss you; that's why every time I'm there you give me the best memories and the most inspiration; you're trying to win me back, and I see you.

To every loved one who I was able to see during my two weeks back, I love you for not getting intimidated by our distance and staying in my life despite it, I love you for your realness, for your humor, for your support, for your encouragement.  You keep me going, and you keep me smiling.  You hold me accountable and you keep me grounded.  I may make kombucha with my roommate and practice meditation now, but I'll never not be that scrappy New Jersey teenager who launched a full-scale, ongoing TRIAL in 8th grade Spanish to settle an argument I was having with a dude in my class.  True story, by the way.  Right Sabir?  ;)

The company you keep is a direct reflection of who you are, and every single one of you make me so proud to have as that reflection. 

I'll be home for Christmas, but I'll be holding onto this feeling until then.  

Love always,

Me