Link to Spotify
This week BRL Coffee Co. brings you another Friends & Family playlist featuring founder of JGL Creative + Cinemauto, Jackie Gonzalez. Jackie’s curation of classic and psychedelic rock songs set an atmospheric vibe and unfold a moody and dreamy story that will surely get your creative juices flowing!
Name: Jackie Gonzalez
Instagram: @gypsyjax // @cinemauto_drivein
Hometown: Tustin, CA
Occupation: Founder of JGL Creative + Cinemauto // Multidisciplinary Marketer and Cultural Curator, specializing in creative branding + experiential marketing, cultivating strategic partnerships, and architecting content
BRL Favorite & Brew Style: Love$ick, drip
JM: Hi Jackie! Glad to get a chance to chat with you. Thank you so much for taking the time and for putting together this week’s F&F Playlist! To kick us off can you tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to select the music you chose for the playlist?
JG: Sure! I’m Jackie Gonzalez and I’m from California. Originally from Tustin where you may have purchased a car or stopped by the diamond warehouse off the freeway LOL. But L.A. is where I call home now.
JM: That’s so funny! I haven’t lived in L.A. since 2014 but I can still hear the car and diamond radio jingles that you’re talking about in my head! Gotta love that L.A. traffic and all the hours of commercials we get on the radio LOL! What keeps you busy in L.A.?
JG: So I founded a multidisciplinary creative marketing agency, JGL Creative, and also founded Cinemauto, which is the cultural event leg of my company. It’s a monthly movie screening series that marries culture, community, entertainment, and food. I’ve focused on Cinemauto heavily during the pandemic because it was a great way to continue to create in-person experiences, but safely in your car.
JM: What a great concept!
JG: Yes! So you get dinner and a movie in your car while also amplifying marginalized communities’ stories. I work with local organizations like LALIFF (Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival) or Asian Pacific Film Festival to curate short films to play prior to the feature films. Instead of commercials before a movie, we highlight local artists, creatives, and talent. The artists create a retrospective or a digital exhibition and we use that to highlight their work and whatever organization we’re working with for the month. We’ll air a short highlight reel about their mission, who they are, and the communities they serve. It’s the first in car movie experience of its kind so it’s very exciting. Now that things are starting to open back up, I’m working on curating, ideating, and also seeking grants and sponsors to fund the events.
JM: I love that! As a Korean-Mexican-American woman, I really appreciate that you’ve created a platform for sharing these stories in a way that can easily be enjoyed by all. I’m excited that we get to witness a glimpse of your expertise in curating experiences through the F&F playlist!
JG: It was a really fun project! I love setting a vibe with music and that’s exactly what I wanted to do with the F&F playlist. The songs create an environment for me to feel energized and inspired. I’m really into rock, classic rock, and psychedelic rock, atmospheric, moody, and dreamy music. So you’ll hear artists like The Talking Heads or The Cure. I think people might categorize them as a little darker, but when I listen to music, I’m really focusing on the words and that’s what inspires me. For that reason, I’m extremely good at karaoke.
JM: It’s so interesting how you experience music. When I listen I don’t learn any of the words. I know a few phrases here and there, but mumble the rest so I’m terrible at karaoke LOL. To pivot, I’d love to hear a little about your experience with coffee.
JG: I’m a huge coffee lover! I used to work at Starbucks in college so I got to play around with different flavors and ways of drinking it. But at one point I was drinking 3 americanos a day, which is insane, and it started to give me a lot of anxiety so I had to cut down. Since then I’ve had to be a bit more selective about my consumption. At Neil’s [founder of BRL Coffee Co.] recommendation, I tried Love$ick and loved it! To give a little background, I’ve known Neil for many years and he is a dear friend to my husband, Jeremy. [Jeremy curated the first F&F Playlist]. I’m a big fan of his and all the endeavors he’s taken on over the years so I was very excited to try his coffee. Love$ick has really great flavor and gives me the energy and boost needed throughout the day, while not making me anxious or unfocused like some coffee can.
JM: Love$ick is great! I think it’s my second favorite after Chanel. How do you typically take your coffee now?
JG: With a splash of coconut milk (from the can) or oat milk and cinnamon powder or black if there are no dairy alternatives.
JM: Oh wow that sounds so good! I never thought of trying canned coconut milk. It’s so rich and delicious I can imagine it’s a real treat. When did you start drinking it?
JG: I’ve been drinking coffee since I was young...somewhere in my early teens.
JM: Do you have a childhood memory that includes coffee in some way?
JG: Yes! Coffee has always been a part of my life. In my early teens and I remember being obsessed with the aromas coming from my stepdad’s coffee (coffee, cinnamon stick, and milk), so I asked my mom if she could make me coffee. Obviously she said I couldn’t drink coffee but instead she made me cafe con (mucha) leche. Later on when I was working at Starbucks, I was a heavy smoker, and really enjoyed the taste of an americano with one sugar in the raw, splash of soy, and a Kamel Red Light.
JM: I love those memories. It’s funny to look back at what you were craving and who you were in the beginning. Where does coffee fall in your usual morning routine?
JG: So I usually wake up at 6AM, grab my coffee, hop on my iPad to read the news, catch up on social media, read emails while Desmond, our long haired dachshund, and I wait for my husband to get back from his run so we can go on our morning walk. Once we get back, I make breakfast for all of us and we start our day. Typically, I would hop on my Peloton, but I’m off of activities due to an old ankle sprain injury that sprang back up, so I’ve been doing mostly floor exercises. After Peloton, I get ready and officially start my work day. We have a beautiful patio so sometimes I’ll work out there or move around the house depending on how I’m feeling. I come from an agency background so I’m used to moving around from desk to desk seeking new energy and trying to get new ideas flowing.
JM: That’s such a great point. I find that even moving from my bedroom to the living room can make a huge difference in feeling engaged with your work and getting some renewed energy. What are some of your favorite things to do when you’re not working?
JG: I’m all about discovery, whether it’s a new place, space, exhibition, or experience, so anything from traveling with my family + friends, checking out a new restaurant or exhibition, or even just spending time with them at our usual haunts. I also started a virtual film club. Every week someone selects a movie and a drink pairing. We watch the movie and regroup after to discuss. We’ve been doing that every single Wednesday for the past year.
JM: To bring our chat to a close I’d love to hear what's something you want to do or do more of in 2021.
JG: I want to meet and partner with more artists, filmmakers, creatives, and culinary storytellers to highlight during Cinemauto’s 2021 season. Also my passport is looking sad so I definitely want more international travel, please. During the pandemic, I started documenting all of the natural wine we were drinking via my Instagram @Naturalwinebeauts, focusing on low intervention, natural, and biodynamic wine. My husband and a group of friends are hoping to finally go on the wine tasting trip to the motherland of these natural beauts- Georgia, Slovenia, Italy, etc.
I’m right there with you, Jackie. Looking forward to hearing more about your company’s upcoming events and hopefully comparing our passport stamp collections next year!
Interview by Jackie Martinez - Contributing Content Creator, Food Instagrammer for @chopwithjax
