Mar Profundo, Mar Abierto
Menorca meanderings, museum marvels, and TFIB on TikTok
As mentioned last week, I’m in Menorca to celebrate Kyle’s birthday and further unlock parts of our Spain map, very Zelda-style. The small island is gorgeous, and we’ve had nothing but sun, cool Menorcan breezes, and the finest gin and tonics of our lives.
Over the weekend I took a visit to Hauser & Wirth Menorca to see their new exhibits which only just opened. The exhibits were good overall, with the look back at Eduardo Chillida’s work being extremely powerful. Opening days are always stressful and this was clearly evident in the faces of the staff at the restaurant. I asked one of the friendly hosts how the preview went the day before, and he told me that the most dreadful thing happened... the Wifi went out. Everyone made do though, taking orders by hand, and that thankfully, today was much smoother (save for the lively band that blasted our eardrums, though the mommies and their toddlers seemed to love it).
As I sat there finishing my Campari Spritz, service was winding down as it was nearing closing, when I saw who I assume was the chef of the restaurant sit down with a massive tome and a focused look on his face. My first thought upon seeing him was, “that looks like a tortured poet club.” As I continued to watch him (not in a creepy way!) he was clearly making time to figure out what worked with the menu and what changes needed to be made to improve the experience. The ledger that sat in front of him clearly full of notes and ideas, like a witches spell book full of magical concoctions. It was his intense focus that really piqued my interest most, blocking out the frolicking guests and hurried servers to focus on the important matters in front of him.
It’s a reoccurring thought I keep coming back to, the importance of making time to get lost in your thoughts. Everything these days is so hurried. It never feels like we have enough time to do all that needs to be done. Watching the chef sit down, staring off into the sea, was a reminder that this is something we all need regardless of our disciplines.
I’m spending the next few days, sitting with my thoughts, at a farmhouse in the middle of the Menorcan countryside called Son Blanc. My goal is to set my focus for The Fox Is Black on a few key areas that I feel are meaningful. The first is obviously this newsletter, as it’s a great way to share what’s going in my life and the things I’m seeing. The second thing I'm starting to focus on more is The Fox Is Black on TikTok.
If you know me you know that TikTok is my television. I love flipping through the random channels, getting bits of news, comedy, and dramas, it’s the clearest encapsulation of our world today. I’m posting 2-3 times a day so far, making visual diaries of my day-to-day life, plus other beautiful things I come across like great branding, quirky illustrations, or stunning ceramics. Hopefully you love TikTok as much as me and you come follow along, I think you’ll enjoy the curation.