Me and my better half were able to take a trip to Paris last weekend. It is always good to change the scenery. Especially when the scenery is one of the most beautiful cities ever made. We haven’t been to France in over four years. This time the city hit differently. Mostly due to my new early morning running routine. It gave me new eyes to see the city of light in a new light.
It is always good to unplug. To disrupt the standard flow. To slow down the drip of cortisol that stems from work, too much pressure, and the uncertain anxiety-driven by a Debbie downer-for-profit news cycle. All of that stops for a moment. We all need that kind of break. Wherever we can take it. However we can get it.
Visiting La Galerie Dior was a great highlight. Even if you’re not into fashion, the history of Christan Dior’s l’atelier is fascinating. The gallery sits in what was his actual home and studio. Aside from the exceptional story and exquisite fashion artistry, I came away with this thought: A visionary so connected to pushing forward a whole new fashion vibe for women was awesome. Better yet, the women that surround the visionary with a passion and devotion to excellence. All of them artists in their own right. And all turning out masterpiece after masterpiece that changed culture. He was the visionary and it’s his name on the house. But it was also the women who built the house - both as makers and customers that made Christian Dior - Christian Dior.
The early morning runs in Paris were epic. When the majority of the city is sleeping, you get to see the city with new eyes. No cars to compete with. No loud noises. No humans to dodge. It’s just you, the streets, early morning walkers and runners.
I jotted down these notes after I ripped 5.7 miles in our last morning there:
This morning I decided seeing the Luxemburg Gardens would be a good idea. As I crossed the bridge I reminded myself to slow it down. Checking my watch to see if I was at 135 beats or lower. My body was excited to see the garden. The city’s energy completely changes south of the Seine. It’s calmer. It feels like it’s not made for tourist. A welcomed break from touristville. I lose track of the gardens on the map. Maybe I should have gotten lost. No time for that this morning. Finally I make a turn towards the garden. Satisfied to see the big park. I hear foot steps of fellow runners. My people. Stomping on the ground.
The work. The love. The care. And consistent eye towards these parks are astonishing. Commendable and noble. As a creative person I hold this town in the highest regard. Maybe one day we will live here. I see why people do. I think of James Baldwin. Leaving the grittiness of America. I want to believe in America. But I am unsure America wants to believe in itself. It doesn’t want to reach for magnificence. It wants to produce massive gains, consumption, and margins. No matter what kind of generational trauma and health ramifications comes as a result of this obsessive pursuit. We all know more than ever that nothing in life is pure. Even for France and Paris. Bloodshed and slavery helped made all of this possible too.
I don’t even know what I’m trying to say. Perhaps it’s about light. The light of hope. The light of possibilities. The light of creativity. The light of elevated ideals. And the truth is, I am more interested in the light the older I get. And I’m less interested in the mythological fantasies fed to me by men with shallow imaginations and I’m more interested in a future of triumphant possibilities.
The reason why Paris became Paris
After a few of these runs I began to ask - how did Paris become Paris? I quickly learned about Emperor Napolean III and his Prefect of Seine Georges-Eugène Haussmann who spent 17 years ripping up the city to create many parks, fix the Seine, install a new water and sewage system among other urban innovations.
At the time Paris was pretty scummy. The center of Paris was overcrowded and a diseased infested city. The reason this all came together and they could create a huge multi-year project is that Napolean III had a coup d'état to make him an Emproer. This enabled him to become Emporer over France for 18 years. And his big focus and obsession was to make Paris the most breathtaking city in Europe.
All these majestic buildings, urban layouts, and parks were made by a grand vision of an Emperor, financial innovation to fund the expansion and a strong willed Prefect.
I started reading Paris Reborn. A light easy read that gives you the cliff notes version of the events of that moment. It. is. absolutely. fascinating. As some would say, the Paris of today was destined to happen.
My favorite B&W photos from the trip
What’s cooking with Move Fast, Think Slow
I’m continuing with the Resetting Tech series. The next installation will drop in the next week or so. As I write about our culture, technology, team productivity, and questioning the ramifications of too much tech - I grow more convinced we need a better, larger conversation about what technology and these screens are and aren’t good for. As I observe and experience I feel like people are less connected. To themselves. To the world around them. Is this all technology's fault? No. But mostly. Yes. It is.
There’s also no real conversation about the trauma of a pandemic. Also around the decision that it’s healthy for us to hide in our homes, cars, and little tribes all of the time. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but one thing is for certain, this idea of a hyperlocal prism of neighborliness is closer to “it” than much of what we have today throughout the States of America.
Be kind. Go forth & conquer.
-Mitch