I was exhausted. After paddling more than a mile around the cliffs, I saw it. La Piscina: a pool mounted on top of a 50 feet tower with no acces, except by the sea.
Half way into my climbing, a huge wave came and dragged me back into the sea. I could not fight such power. When the water retreated, I had dropped a dozen feet along the cliff and then, the next wave submerged me. Out of breath and bleeding, I tried to climb back, but again, the next wave pushed me deeper against the slippery rocks. I knew that I had one last chance and that was it.
I suddenly felt really good and warm. My hands and legs were bleeding but I couldn’t feel any pain. For a split second, I felt that I was not alone. That energy, those invisible hands were there. Somehow I managed to climb back.
I will never forget that force. Back to safety, I couldn’t help but cry for 10 minutes. I was alive. The world was not done with me. Everything was in right place, and in one of the rare occasions in my life, I believed that I could feel things instead of think.
Some like to say that the fun part is in the climb, but trust me, those people never dare to jump.
2 weeks ago, when I walked into the small surf village of El Zonte, i didn’t realize I had an appointment with reality. The village kids were laughing and calling me Hollywood because of my sunglasses. You should have seen the smile on their faces, growing up with that giant wave in their backyard.
They have nothing on their feet, but never seem to complain. They sleep in a hamac with no wall on their houses, dreaming of the next football game on the beach until the sun set.
Right now in my office, I can choose from 3 different pair of shoes to best match my outfit. I suddenly realized I was a stupid white boy. Maybe I could sell everything and live on a boat like that guy from Tom Shoes. I remember the El Zonte kids.
Sometimes, I would trade it all for a smile like this.
By the ocean, I can find peace and focus to imagine, scheme and draw how I see the future in my mind. For this two weeks retreat, I chose the Eldorado surf resort located in the small El Zonte village. Surfers were somehow intrigued that I was more into books than waves.
A small boutique with great selection of vintage frames and sunglasses located in the Mile End. Make sure no one else at the office looks smarter than you.
Our creative director had the brilliant idea to take us offsite for a little classe verte. We just welcomed 3 new creative teams and he felt that we had a little more bounding to do in order to produce more award winning material in the future. Read be trapped togheter in a shack, fighting for beds / hot water.
Between two brainstorms we challenged the forest and found a timeless house by the lake.
Me and Anne-Laure, a new frenchie copywriter.
Thanks to Julien De Preux and Anne-Laure Naumowicz for the pictures.
In a recent visit in NYC, our Sid Lee’s CEO stumbled upon this joint. Tacombi is a small mexican restaurant where you can enjoy tacos made out of an old westfalia and have killer juices. This was the best place to host our portfolio night.
This is Sid Lee at it’s best, selling the dream abroad and bringing home the best talent. Each aspiring talent had 10 minutes to showoff his portfolio in front of the creative director of his choice. Whether it was Cirque du Soleil, Moment Factory or Sid Lee.
