I slept weirdly this week. Probably a mix of missing Sarah (who is absolutely rocking it in Hangzhou btw!) and the sheer amount of things to finish before the end of the year.

I kept my streak this week to new produce content for our community space: writing more posts, sharing more inspiration, book summaries and resources.

Action Cures Anxiety was my mantra for this week — and forever! I’m just trying my best to get myself started, again and again, to be able to focus on my thing. And to “eat the frog” in the morning aka tackling the most difficult tasks first. It’s a battle against fear, but I always feel better afterwards.

Lovely lunches with my buddy Alex Kropp which are always inspiring and energizing.

“The secret to success in almost all fields is large, uninterrupted blocks of focused time.” —Ryan Holiday (I’m currently reading his newest Discipline is Destiny, which fantastic)

Input

✺ I started watching French spy series Le Bureau des Légends which came recommended by my friend Johannes Breyer: it’s really good so far!

Output

✺ I pushed through and finally released the second episode of the Present Podcast with Adam Barnard: Botswana to Berlin

Long calls with Sarah in China, feeling thankful that she had a good first week over there!

I’m pretty much in monk mode this week, trying to get in as many deep work sessions as possible.

Finishing up all assets including a timeline collage and poster for the release of the Present Podcast with Adam Barnard.

Met with my buddy and designer Arthur Teboul and had dinner with homie David Kaltenbach at Rori.

“To make something good, just do it. To make something great, just redo it. The secret to making fine things is in remaking them.” (Kevin Kelly)

Input

✺ Rediscovery of a favorite for an extra push of energy: The Formula by The D.O.C

Output

✺ I BELIEVE IN YOU. Yes you can. Yes you can. We live in a world that often tells us to seek validation, to wait for permission, to rely on others to make things happen. Take this as your sign today. Trust in your own ability to create, to build, to make everything you dream of real.

We recorded an interview with our friend and artist Olivier Urman in his atelier on the outskirts of Paris. He’s a fascinating person, looking forward sharing this one with you soon!

We went to Pantin for a cozy dinner with our friends Philipp Kopatz and Dimitri Vrain of Studio Racines who are currently finishing to build their gorgeous new work place and home.

I drove with Sarah to the airport: she’ll be working in Hangzhou, China for two months! This was sad but I’m also very proud of her and happy she has this opportunity <3

“None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an afterthought. Eat the delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean.” (Keanu Reeves)

Input

✺ The new documentary mini-series In Vogue: The 90s is a pretty fascinating pop culture history lesson

Output

✺ It’s never too late and rarely too early – a moodboard on age and action (part 1)

Feeling healthy and sharp. I think I’m getting addicted to the sauna, going almost every day now!

My homie Sebastian Peter visited us for a few days, which was cute. We went to vernissage of the great Yasmin Bawa and to the concert of our friends LYLO at Le Hasard Ludique. Loved our brisk morning runs at Buttes-Chaumont. We explored and walked around so much, I clocked-in 28000 steps at one day.

Making good progress on improving and revitalizing the Present Community and Resources Hub. Big plans for it.

“Promise me only this: whatever path you decide to take in this life, be true to yourself.” –Yu Shu Lien (in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)

Input

✺ We rewatched Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by Ang Lee, which is one of my alltime favorite movies. Never gets old!

Output

✺ R.I.P. Quincy Jones, one of the greatest makers of all times. March 14, 1933 — November 3, 2024. Here he is in the studio with Herbie Hancock in 1984 <3

Everyday I’m trying to make time for graphic research and experimentation. Working on your art sometimes gets lost along the way of making money and the general busyness of life. It’s a trap! So re-establishing the ritual of making graphics as a daily habit for me, even only 30min a day, feels important to my soul.

Inspired by this I established a new set of daily key habits which I try to get done before anything else: earlier rising, deep work on favorite unrealized projects, writing, community development, rigorous reflection.

We went to the Area of Work x ECAL vernissage of my friend Amine Ghorab, which was fantastic. We worked together for Apple when we did one season of the iPhone Pro campaign and wallpaper art direction. Nice memories and great to reconnect.

Input

✺ L’amour ouf (2024) directed by Gilles Lellouche starring Adèle Exarchopoulos and François Civil is an incredible movie I watched this week in the cinema: highly recommended!

Output

✺ Deep breaths are like little love notes to your body.

Felt a bit overwhelmed this week. Longing for simplicity. There are so many projects I’m working on. Do I need more time – or better focus?

Lovely dinner at Abri Soba with Gila, Sarah, and my friend Toeni who was visiting from London. I went with Sarah to Limours over the weekend, just one hour outside of Paris. We rented a little cabin and went hiking in the amazing Forêt de Rochefort to clear the mind.

Input

✺ A short film on the process of author Roald Dahl: Pebble Mill at One 1982

Output

✺ In conversation with: SUEA, Korean-born Brooklyn-based cook and food designer

I continued to improved the Present website and the articles UI and published two of our conversations from Issue 3, with Tareet and Suea, and a bunch of new Present Principles, like the ode to all courageous makers who are ultimately who I’m building Present for. I just want to support everybody crazy and bold enough to pursue their thing.

Output

✺ In conversation with: TAREET aka Etienne Diop, Parisian based fashion designer

Input

✺ Idéal J: Original MCs Sur Une Mission (Instrumental Album), 1996

We joined my old friend and former 2x4 colleague Donnie Luu at the Miu Miu Tales & Tellers vernissage, for which he designed all printed matter. Also enjoyed the Numeroventi exhibition and the Haw-lin magazine launch. And the Martine Syms exhibition at Lafayette Anticipations was super inspiring!

We went to a very beautiful dinner hosted by Parisian artist Oliver Urman. We have things in the making with him:) Thankful to our friend Maryam De Sarre for bringing it all together.

This Week's Wisdom from Willem Dafoe

“It's only risky if it's not risky. If it's a real risk, you're trying something. Something will happen. Something will be learned.”

The idea of trying to fail, rather than striving for perfection. Being more free and not worrying so much about doing everything perfectly. It’s about finding the right balance between being motivated to try new things, but not being so hard on ourselves that it suffocates us. (→ Willem Dafoe on the idea of trying to fail)

Output

✺ Outside of your Control VS. Within your Control