Name
Rai-mon Nemar Barnes
Where do you live?
Montclair, South End
When did you move there?
We moved to Montclair in 2019 after a short stint in South Orange and Brooklyn before that. My wife said, “We should be looking at NJ.” I told her, “I didn’t move all the way from California to live in New Jersey.” In the end, she was right, so I guess I did.
Where did you grow up?
I love the East Coast, but I’m from the Fresh Coast. Born in Oakland and lived in Northern California until I moved to Brooklyn.
How do you make a living? OR What is your everyday passion?
I love helping companies drop truth bombs about who they are and what they do…. I do that at Consciously. It’s both fun and rewarding.
Coffee, tea, or … ?
I’m a libations guy, so this is a question that has no simple answer.
(Coffee) Flat Whites and (Tea) Roobioos at Sankofa. (Red) Grenache from Anglebecks and (White) Alberino from Amanti Vino. Fresh Juice Cocktails from Halcyon and Mezcal drinks from Bitol.
What’s your idea of a perfect weekend day?
Breakfast at The Corner and if the lines are too long Raymond’s, going to some event in town, if possible with another family (4th of July, Jazz Fest, Donut Run), dinner at Bitol, and then back home for family reading time and family basketball watching NBA or WNBA. A dance or singing party is also possible at any time in our home.
What’s your favorite local restaurant?
- For date night: Halcyon
- For family Night: Bitol
- For fellas night: Montclair Brewery
- Daddy Daughter Lunch: Dan & Days
- Multiple Families Night Out: Porta
What’s on your nightstand?
A Systems Innovation curriculum, an audio book called “All Fours,” and a sci-fi paperback called “The Star Diaries.”
What are you listening to?
Marquis Hill, James Francies, Michael Mayo, Hiatus Kaiyote, Blue Lab Notes, Solange, Kaidi Tatham, Rae Khalil and that Volcano album by Jungle is still in heavy rotation, along with their new single.
What are your current indulgences?
Right now, thanks to the one and only troop 20363, I’ve been eating way too many triofoils, lemonades, and Girl Scout cookies.
What talent would you most like to have?
Perfect Pitch would be amazing!
What’s the worst-kept (or best-kept!) secret about your town?
Montclair’s best-kept secret is its residents. It’s not about any cliche’d niceness. It’s that there’s depth. It’s not that everyone agrees on any topic or policy, it’s that there’s thoughtfulness. It’s not that everyone does or doesn’t have money, it’s that class isn’t a barrier to connection and discourse.
What do you hope they say about you at your funeral?
I haven’t thought about this much beyond being asked during leadership courses. Honestly, I hope they take my ashes to a tree or a park or a beach (yes, a beach) or the moon and have a party with them. Preferably some soulful house music on blast so it’s not all drab and my spirit will be attracted by the vibe. My spirit will not be attracted to any drab, low frequency situations.
