“describe your perfect picnic in 10 words or less.”
there’s a big festival in amsterdam next month called PICNIC: an annual three-day event that blurs the lines between creativity, science, technology and business and “aims to bring people together to encourage the exchange of ideas, expertise and inspiring stories.”
i’d never heard of it before, but thought it was an intriguing name for an industry event…especially in comparison to the event alerts that usually clutter my inbox: “optimized product experiences” and “maximizing synergies to achieve ROI.”
i found out about the festival from a popular creative magazine that i follow called contagious. they were running a contest: describe your perfect picnic in 10 words or less, and you could win a ticket to the 3-day extravaganza, which showcases international luminaries from the worlds of design, advertising and academia.
from a practical standpoint, i wasn’t serious about entering because, even if i did win, i couldn’t justify hauling myself across the pond and paying for airfare and lodging, just to soak up the “inspiring ideas”…but the writer in me was excited by the challenge.
“describe your perfect picnic in 10 words or less.”
what would you say?
the first thought that popped into my head was the food! (shocker, i know.) a crusty baguette. a crisp sauvignon blanc. italian salami and artisan cheese. tuscan white beans marinated in extra virgin olive oil. bubbly san pellegrino. and for dessert, a big flakey mille feuille oozing with rich creamy custard with each delectable bite.
sheer picnic perfection…errr in 50 words or more…
“picka-nick.” that’s how my 2-year old pronounces it. he grabs my hand at least a couple times a week and takes me into his room. the warm sunlight streams in through the windows. we spread out his blue blanket hand-knit by nana, and line his stuffed animals around the perimeter. one by one he feeds them with the fake food from his refrigerator. a donut for monkey. waffles for giraffey. “sow-lid” (salad) for mickey. and a drumstick for donald. (i don’t have the heart to explain to him that a chicken leg probably wouldn’t be donald’s entrée of choice so i serve it up without protest and we commence our feast.)
the food is lovely…but i come to realize “picnic” is a state of mind. a feeling. it’s simplicity. sweetness. sharing. whimsy. imagination. an invitation. an escape…yet utterly familiar.
now i hear norah jones crooning in my ear.
my perfect picnic in 10 words or less.
naked toes. green grass. cloud shapes. deep breaths. belly laughs.