New York City in January 2023

New York City. The Big apple.
The city that never sleeps.

Always bustling with energy and excitement.
In January 2023, my family and I decided to take a trip to the city and experience its magic.
We were not disappointed. From the Brooklyn Bridge to the Empire State Building, from the DUMBO to Rockefeller Plaza, we saw it all… Well, not “it all” but a lot of it.

The view of the Manhattan skyline from our hotel room was breathtaking, and we took plenty of photos to capture that. The cold weather, light rain and even snow flurries did not dampen our spirits as we enjoyed the sights and sounds of the city. Walking down Broadway and through the streets of SOHO.

We spent some time in DUMBO, a neighborhood in Brooklyn that is home to some of the best views of Manhattan. We strolled through the cobblestone streets, stopping at cafes and shops along the way.

We visited Central Park where my wife and I got engaged, making it a special place for us. The park is a peaceful oasis in the midst of the city, with beautiful gardens, lakes, and waterfalls. Although we only had a few minutes to spend we walked into the park past the “imagine” plaque and took in the majestic beauty of the lake spending a moment to reflect on our journey together.

We also visited the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Plaza, two iconic landmarks that are a must-see for our young visitors to New York City.

We rode the subway to get around the city, and it was an experience in itself. The subway system is vast and efficient. And quite honestly one of the most interesting attractions to our boys. As we’d ask “Where do you want to go? That’s a long subway ride!” And they were always up for it.

Despite the cold weather, rain and snow, we made the best of our trip to the Big Apple. The city that never sleeps. The empire state of mind. New York City has a way of captivating first time visitors with its energy and charm, and we were no exception. We left the city with memories our boys will have that will last a lifetime. We’ll be back someday and experience it all over again.

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Process

For a few years I’ve had this idea to make a series of video’s about the Process. What does that mean? Well, as Frank Costanza would say: “That means whatever the hell you want it to mean.” For me, that means any sort of situation, idea, project, trip or anything otherwise in which I learn something about myself. Do something I’ve never done before or did something I didn’t think could be done.

Process started as a small foldable magazine. The idea was to make a one sheet magazine. A magazine made with one sheet of paper. Include photos and written word and then hand deliver or send out to those on my mailing list.

Process: A Hackneyed Companion

I’ve made three total, but have a fourth which I’ve only sent out to prospective clients for my business.
Either way the process of MAKING a magazine I find to be exhilarating and therapeutic. Something about working with your hands. This translated directly into my interest in making this a more traditional motion picture based project.

Currently I’ve posted about seven episodes. I’m not sure how long this will go on for, though I do have like 6 or 7 more in the pipeline. I am also not adhering to any sort of YouTube algorithm on the best time to post, or who to connect with in order to get more viewers. So… if you have any intertest in what I’m doing over this way, i’d like to emplore you to please hit subscribe even if you have no interest in what I’m doing. It just allows my work to be more broadly seen. On top of that, email me, leave a comment, or say something. All of my projects have always been less about the delivery method and more about the community I’d like to build off the internet. Do you do similar work? Do you have an idea for a Process episode? Do you just like what I’m doing? Say something.

I hope something here resonates with you, and if it doesn’t. I hope you find something that does some day.

Berthold City "Walls Of Hate"

Finished up a quick music video for Berthold City.  We shot it over the course of about 6 hours in a studio space in the valley.  Why do traditionally trained Editors make for great Directors?  They can move quickly from shot to shot editing the piece in their brain.  They can see what they'll need.  What sync issues might come up, and best of all. The know when they've got it.  Which is why we were able to shoot this under such time constraints in a limited amount of space with a bare bones crew.  Enjoy.

Thanks For Riding L.A. Metro

Over the last couple of months this Father has been doing the things Fathers and Mother's do for their children.  Making sure they provide their kids with all of the resources they can so that they become successful in life.  Most recently that has meant taking our oldest into Santa Monica twice a week to attend speech class.  Typically this is about a three hour event.  Takes about 35-45 minutes to get there.  It's an hour long class, and then takes about 90 minutes to get home.  

Because of the appointment's close proximity to the Metro station I decided one Spring break afternoon to give the train a try.  We love it.  First off, it's fast.  Fast as hell, and I don't have to worry about driving on highway 405.  Second, it's reasonably priced.  $3.50 roundtrip for the adult passenger.  Lastly, I find it super important for my boys to get exposed to public transportation.  As a child I rode Bart frequently with my parents and I strongly believe that much of my outlook on life has to do with experiencing all that comes with public transportation. 

The boys and I take the Metro into Santa Monica once a week.  While we haven't yet convinced Gaelyn of it's benefits.  We are working on her to step out of her comfort zone and take the train with the boys to class.  Let's give her some positive affirmation!  You can do it G!

(Scroll to the bottom for a little family video I did on the trip).

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The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck

“Our culture today confuses great attention and great success, assuming them to be the same thing. But they are not”

— The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck

I've recently come to the determination that listening to the news Los Angeles traffic has done very little for my psychological well being.  Instead, I've once again turned to the world of the audiobook, and the first one on my list was one called "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck" by Mark Mason.  

It was a perfect personal compliment and affirmation about how I've started to perceive my life and the world around me.  I've had similar experiences and realizations to that of the author and will probably continue to quote the book for some time.

“Don’t just sit there. Do something. The answers will follow.”

— -The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck

In the book there's a whole chapter dedicated to the "Do Something" principle.  It talks about when the author finally quit his day job and became a self-employed entrepreneur.  Without realizing it, this was something that I also stepped into in May of 2011.

On May 30th, 2011 my wife and I had moved out of our large two bedroom apartment on the West Side of San Francisco, packed up our lives into the back of a U-Haul and moved across the State to try a new start in Los Angeles.

We didn't have jobs, or many prospects at all.  We just needed to make a change and have a swing at it.  There were so many barriers to entry, so many obstacles to overcome.  Yet, I kept telling myself.  Just do something.  Just make something.  Little did I know at the time that this big change for my wife and I would be a pivotal moment in my life.  It would change our trajectory profoundly and led to us ending up where we are today.

“Life is about not knowing, and then doing something anyway.”

— The Subtle art of Not Giving a Fuck

Patches On Swiss Army Blankets

Here's a little fatherhood post for you that may have been missing that from me over the past, oh I dunno.  Year maybe?

A while back I picked up these replica Swiss Army Blankets from Amazon.  I liked the wool vibe and gave the room a bit of an outdoorsy feel.  The best part is these were not super expensive.  Which isn't always the case when talking about wool blankets.

Over the past few years our family has been collecting these iron-on-patches from different trips, friends or occasions.  We hadn't really come up with a great idea for how to display them or in a way in which we'd have the opportunity to enjoy them for years and years.

I'd come up with the idea of putting them on the wool blankets.  Naturally my wife wasn't super sold on the idea, so I had to take matters into my own hands and iron them on myself.  
I liked the offset vibe of the patches giving it a bit of an off-center vibe and channeling a militaristic or Boy Scout style aesthetic.

Now here's to hoping they don't rip off during the night. 

2017: Year In Review

This year started and ended with a bang. Like any year previous, two thousand and seventeen wasn’t without it’s inevitable disappointments.  Personally and professionally I experienced incredible triumphs and dealt with catastrophes.  Yet, the year in a whole was nothing short of large strides forward.  We traveled more this year than in the previous two or three.  We  had the chance to completely remodel our entire backyard from scratch.  We spent a lot of time outside enjoying adventures in the world that surrounds us. Elliot started preschool and we have begun the exhaustive search for Kindergarten. We have let go of the weight that has been dragging us down and tried our best to attach ourselves to situations, places and people that  make us feel good.  There is much more to take care of in the coming years, and two thousand seventeen has set us on the correct path forward. I was able to accomplish many of the creative project’s I had wanted to do this year and I want to thank those of you who have been following along on my professional and personal journey.  Although I am still trying to figure out the best way for my “Jenkins Family Stories” series to exist in the world.  I appreciate those of you who have kept up with us throughout those changes and adjustments.  I look forward to many more mutually meaningful conversations with you in the new year. 

In another post I’ll write and two establish some goals for 2018, but for now let’s look back and laugh at the last three hundred and sixty five days. 

Thank you for another year

John Jenkins and The Jenkins Family

Cognoscenti Coffee

I've been to Cognoscenti Coffee probably a hundred times.  I had always thought of them as a coffee curation café.  They find some different, new, desirable bean.  Then they serve it to their customers as a taster of what that coffee roaster has to offer.  It's a fun way to enjoy different beans from around the world.  However, apparently over the past year or so, they've started to roast their own bean right here in Los Angeles.  

Typically, I bought a bag just to try it out.  It's a light roast, and it sits right on top of your tongue. It reminds me a lot of a Ritual Coffee roast, which isn't necessarily my favorite, but it'd do the trick.  I'm just glad to have another Los Angeles coffee roaster.  Take Flight, Cognoscenti Coffee, and a few others.  I'm going to do my best to seek out more Los Angeles local coffee roasters.

Cognoscenti Coffee
6114 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232

Kilz Visionaries "Chip Gaines"

My family is definitely what one would call "big fans" of the show Fixer Upper. 
It's not that I necessarily seek it out when it is being premiered on teleivision, but if it's on, we will watch it.  Since they've finally put the show on Netflix, it's one of our go-to background shows.  A show to put on and then fold the laundry to.  Something we watch while cooking dinner.  That kind of show. 

A recently client of mine had the opportunity to use them in some of the branded content they were creating, and I couldn't have been more thrilled.  The piece isn't ground breaking, or earth shattering.  It is however beautiful, and even more enthralling is being able to hear the philosophy of both Chip and Joanna straight from their mouths. 

I couldn't be more proud of how these pieces turned out, and I hope they turn you into fans of them, and their show as well.

An Email That Makes Your Day

photo by: Carina Romano (Love Me Do Photography)

I'm sure you (reading this) are like me in many ways, and in some ways we are completely different.  However, I think we can agree on this.  Sometimes you receive an email that just completely makes your day.  Recently I received one of those emails from a wonderful woman who is an editor at a website called Motherly (mother.ly).  

They were looking for a few quotes or sound bites from fathers to incorporate into a piece they were writing about.  I have quotes, I thought.  I also have a lot of shit to say, I also thought.  I asked if there was an opportunity to write a column of my own as well and be featured on the site.   Lucky enough for me, Colleen and the team at Motherly were very welcome to the idea of allowing me to contribute.  All of that out of the way, I'd like to link you to my first written piece on Mother.ly entitled.  "4 Things I Learned to do for my Marriage after Children Came Along."

I hope you enjoy it.   If you have an suggestions of things, topics, situations or anything else you may want read my thoughts about, leave them here in the comments.  I want to write more, but I need your help.  Are you interested?  

http://www.mother.ly/love/4-things-i-learned-to-do-for-my-marriage-after-children-came-along