Buzz Editor

I have a Spanish language blog called El Noticiero RCAG which was founded in 2006. In the year 2014, I was invited to join AMI Radio [from Bradenton, Florida] for a sports program called Island Sports Wrap with Robert Herman and Michael Blanchette. During this period with AMI Radio, I talked about Independent Music with Mr. Herman and Mr. Blanchette and they suggested that I host my own radio program of Independent Music.

The year 2014 was when the Americana Bistro Grill was born and many artists [such as Midnight Kahuna, 3RG Miami, Laura Marie] appeared in interviews and music as a home for Independent Artists. The purpose was to promote these artists who would not have any ooportunity and also to serve as a force for American unity via music.

In the year 2018, Robert Herman died and AMI Radio eventually folded with the Americana Bistro Grill going off the air [March 2019]. At that same time, I founded the AG News Show in my blog but there was demand for the Americana Bistro Grill since the need for love and peace in America was needed and the ABG [American Bistro Grill] was a great vehicle for such unity.

In October 2019, the Americana Bistro Grill was reborn within the AG News Show and dedicated only to interviewing artists. We have had the same amount of artists returning to be interviewed and promoting their music and where to purchase it.

After a 20-year career as an architect in the United States and Australia, I returned to the US with a focus on working with glass. In 2005, I became the Co-Director of the Washington Glass School and Studio in Washington, DC. I have taught workshops on my techniques in glass around the world. Awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 2012, I went to England’s University of Sunderland and taught at the UK’s National Glass Centre where I became an Artist-in-Residence at the Institute for International Research in Glass (IIRG).

I have received numerous awards for my artwork including the Florida Art Glass Alliance’s Emerging Artist Award 2009, the Bay Area Glass Institute’s 2010 Saxe Fellowship and he was named a “Rising Star” at Wheaton Arts 2011. Massachusetts’ Fuller Craft Museum mounted a solo show of Janis’ glass panels and sculpture in 2011, where they have one of my works for its permanent collection. My artwork is also in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, the US Bucharest Embassy and most recently, St Petersburg’s Imagine Museum.

The James Renwick Alliance named him Distinguished Glass Artist for 2014, and I presented and lectured about my artwork at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC in 2014.

In 2016, I received the 31st Annual Mayor’s Arts Award for “Excellence in the Arts”. The Mayors Arts Awards are the most prestigious honors conferred by Washington, DC on individual artists, teachers, nonprofit organizations, and patrons of the arts.

I began Sajie Jay Fitness in April 2019 after finally taking the advice of my mentor and trainer Michelle to begin taking on my own clients. My personal fitness journey began in 2017 after battling depression for a while I decided to use working out as a coping mechanism to try and make myself feel better and it worked.

By the close of 2017 fitness had taken over my life and while I noticed a great change in my mental and emotional state, my physical appearance was changing too. Shortly after I started to notice myself starting to tone up and shedding some fat, I decided I wanted to go harder and truly, the only way to transform your physique in fitness is through NUTRITION. The moment I invested time and care into the proper nutrition and began to meal prep my meals, I was shooked. Seven months into my fitness journey and I was down 25 pounds and 10% body fat.

I remember hearing people start saying, “I want her legs” or “I want her butt” or “you’re goals.” I at the time was training seven days a week (which is excessive lol I know) 4 times a week I was weight training and three times a week I dedicated to straight cardio running hills and in the sand on weekends. My legs really did it for me, People always asked about my legs and I would try my best to explain to them what I was doing and that’s really when Michelle would see me interact with her own clients or demonstrate something to them that she said to me “you’d be a great trainer” I use to laugh. I was honestly too selfish, and laser focused on reaching my own fitness goals at the time to really consider trying to get others to theirs so I would shake the idea.

Fast forward to 2019. At the time, I was still working Downtown at the US Attorney’s Office and while I really enjoyed what I was doing, my desire to be in the gym full time was growing. I finally decided on April 8, 2019 that I’d take on my own clients part time at Xtreme Fitness. April 15 I gained my first client and it honestly was a domino affect. I had eight clients by the end of my first month training part-time and I felt so accomplished like I finally found my purpose. After a while, my desire to train full-time grew and I remember I would pray and tell God “self-employement 2020” lol I am a firm believer in manifestation so I would ALWAYS say it and I would tell everyone and I was so happy and grateful on September 22, 2019 when I finally became a full-time personal trainer at Xtreme.

Today is April 10, 2020 and in 5 days i’ll officially be celebrating my first year as a personal trainer! and I am very happy about this.

We started The Trelles Cottage back in 2016, we were newlyweds and first time home owners so needless to say money was tight. We both had full time jobs and we were discouraged to see all of our money going to bills. We were embarrassed to invite friends over because there was no where for them to sit other than on the floor. One night I surprised the hubby with an arts & craft beer night in lieu of going out. I served popcorn and beer and we started to draw. It was one of the best dates, we decided to do it every week and eventually invited our friends to join in. We sat on pillows, filled up sketchbooks and shared some friendly Chisme. A lot of people ask where the name comes from…our home looked like a little cottage and our last name is Trelles so when our friends would come over they would say they were going to The Trelles Cottage. I decided to put a couple of our original designs on Etsy to see if there was something there and sure enough I was ordering The Trelles Cottage business cards by the end of the month. Less than 6 months later we found out we were pregnant which pushed us to create a line for kiddos. A baby I had never met was the drive I needed to do the work.

Yanni De Melo’s journey with photography began at the age of 16, when he enrolled in the commercial photography technical course at McFatter Technical center in Davie, FL. After exploring the depths of black and white darkroom, studio lighting, and the wonders of Adobe, he knew that there was more to learn and wanted to continue his education in University.
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Yanni ventured to University perusing his Fine Arts degree at Barry University. In his junior year, he had decided to take a break from school and was introduced to the practice of Ashtanga Yoga, leading him to the center of Yoga – Mysore, India. Apprenticing under Miami Life Center, Yanni ventured to India to fully immerse himself in the practice. Living in India for three months and a total of three years of yoga practice and spirituality, Yanni made the decision to go back to school and finish his degree. From that point on, Yanni developed his own aesthetic in his work, thanks to the influences he experienced.

Walking out with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts for Photography at Barry University in Miami, Florida in 2018, Yanni has underwent several projects and publications since. His work has been featured in Ocean Drive Magazine, Haute Living, HOLA!USA, CHIC Miami Magazine, Elléments Magazine, Picton Magazine, and Elegant Magazine. He has freelanced for iHeart Media, Cirque Du Soleil, Front Management, and Next Models.
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Yanni is a firm believer with how important it is to capture the essence of the narrative that’s being told in front of his lens. Energy plays a pivotal role in the production and post production of the project, which will result the outcome of the images that’s being produced; hence delivering the objective and message of the project.
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In the end, this medium has the ability to open the public minds and hearts to new possibilities, concepts, and ideologies. Yanni’s goal is to evolve in this incredible craft, to expand as an individual, and augment his role as photographer.