Reads

In a spurt of uncharacteristic glamorousness, I flew to New York for three days over Easter. I was met at JKF and whisked off to Hell’s Kitchen, where my very dear friend Dan lives (it is the theatre district, after-all, and despite the rats and unsavoury reputation it is quite the upcoming area. It just hasn't quite come up yet.) Lunch then at the fabulously gorgeous roof-top garden restaurant at the Gramacy, all red brick and covered in ivy with views across the city.

The rest of the weekend followed in a similar pattern - lots of wine, good food, interesting talks and long walks. Checked out the Macy's flower display but didn't buy any clothes (apart from a top I could guess was my size) as the queues to the changing rooms were tooo long! I had better things to do with three days in New York than wait half an hour in line to try on a $50 pair of jeans! It seems that the economic woes still have not cured Americans of their apparently innate need to shop, at least when a sale is on. Central Park was beautiful in the first flush of spring, with blossoms on the trees as well as the colourfully decorated Easter Sunday bonnets.

Coming back to Dubai, I now feel the city has a much needed aura of exotic-ness again. Everything looks different somehow, than how I left it only a mere few days ago. What changed? Not the small progress in the developments, not the sand in the sky or the number of cars on the road. The only thing that changed was my perspective. And it isn’t even that New York inspired me (though it did that as well, but that is another story!) I feel like I am on an adventure.

It reminds me that sometimes we need to step back from what we know and love, what we get so involved in, and to take a second look. How many times have we labored long and hard over a campaign or the future of a brand, getting so close to it and knowing it so well, and yet still somehow unable to move forward in a new and exciting way? To bring freshness and creativity to our work we need to remember to bring freshness and creativity to our own lives. It may not always be possible to escape to New York in the springtime, but even visiting a new place in our home town, wearing new clothes or meeting new people can all bring us a fresh perspective. And in doing so we can breathe new life not only into our work, but into our entire outlooks.

Amy Campion
Is a planner par excellence and one of the nicest people that the universe ever produced.

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