New York Said x Sunday Cigar
Some years don’t look productive on paper. They don’t come with big announcements, loud wins, or clean timelines. But they still do something important.
Juan Sanchez and I sat down for our annual year-end wrap-up, and instead of rushing to label 2025 as a win or a loss, we gave it the respect it deserved. We talked about fatherhood, creativity, music, books, cigars, time, and what it means to stay present while everything is still unfolding.
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The Prep Year
At some point this year, my mom reframed everything for me with two words: prep year.
Work slowed down. Contracts didn’t stack the way they usually do. But in that space, something else happened. I had time to rebuild systems, rethink New York Said, refresh the website, expand into video, publish essays, and actually sit with the people I love.
New York Said has never been static. It started as photography, grew into audio, expanded into writing, interviews, cigars, and now video.
Fatherhood as the real win
When I asked Juan about his biggest accomplishment of the year, he didn’t hesitate. It was his son, Jetson.
Watching a two-and-a-half-year-old learn how to communicate, how to remind you to wash your hands, how to mirror life back at you with honesty and curiosity. That kind of growth puts everything else into perspective.
There is no professional achievement that competes with presence.
Getting back to writing
For me, the biggest shift this year was returning to writing. Before producing. Before photography. Before any title people attach to me now. I was a writer.
This year, I stopped worrying about perfection and focused on process. I learned to treat writing like clay. You make the lump first. Then you shape it. Articles sound different than essays. Essays sound different than guides. And sometimes you write the most unhinged stuff imaginable and it never needs to see daylight.
I wrote more this year than I have in decades.
Music we kept on repeat
Juan’s pick: Clipse, Let God Sort Em Out. The intro track set the tone and the whole project stayed strong front to back.
My pick: Alexander, Memories for Sale. I discovered one song, then went down the rabbit hole, listened to the full project, and it even led me to a physical shop experience in the city. That is the type of immersive art that sticks.
Books that reframed the story
Juan’s recommendation: Misunderstood by Allen Iverson. A chance for Iverson to explain his story in his own words, beyond the way media clips have shaped the narrative for years.
My current listen: Roy Jones Jr. (memoir). Funny, candid, and unexpectedly relatable. It starts a little slow, but once it gets moving, it lands.
Cigars of the year
Juan’s favorite smoke: My Father Jaime Garcia (limited edition). Smooth, a little pepper, subtle notes, and a finish that stayed with him.
My favorite smoke came from Juan’s personal project, The Jet Pack. Five curated cigars, mystery bands, and one in particular labeled The Jumbo that had me slowing down because I knew I only had one.
I recorded this episode with the 777, pairing it with homemade sorrel. It was the right vibe to close out the year.
What we’re carrying into 2026
Juan is looking forward to time, presence, patience, and staying locked in on the details that build a better version of himself.
I’m looking forward to releasing more writing. Putting my art out in the world. Letting people experience a fuller spectrum of who I am, not just the parts that show up on a job or in a quick conversation.
Season two is coming. Stay tuned.
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