A Word of Advice
Reasons to Return
The best advice I can give is that when you find a place that strikes you then make it part of your life. Go back with your friends or with your family and hopefully it becomes a tradition. I was just in Paris with my parents—we’ve been there almost every winter for thirty years, long enough that my dad wrote a book about it. Things change—they were using francs back then, a beloved restaurant’s chef leaves, a hotel undergoes a tragic renovation. These things happen.
I love when families go back to a lake in the Upper Peninsula or ski in Vermont each winter. These traditions are great, and they don’t have to be with families. One thing people miss about Pitti is that it’s a place to meet your friends (and a few light enemies) once or twice a year. It’s great to have lunch at Cammillo and recall every crazy apartment Jake Mueser has ever rented in the city. I stood outside the one-star hotel where I used to stay—it wasn’t always glamour!—that I actually wrote about for the old ACL site (to put that in perspective).
This doesn’t have to be Europe, it doesn’t have to be grand. When I first drove to Montana in my Saab I didn’t know what I was doing. I was twenty-five and couldn’t believe what was waiting for me. A place like that can change your life. I drove back year after year, found some good motels (and a few appalling ones) and got on the water more and more. When you’re young it’s easier to do that sort of thing, so you better do it. When you’re older you have to thread the needle, but it’s still worth it.
You evolve and move on—I don’t belong at South by Southwest any more, which occurred to me walking up hill at 3am to the San Jose Hotel, my ears ringing from the last concert. But I was afraid to stop going after a number of years, I didn’t want to admit that part of my life was over. Yes, you change, but the place may change too: Austin has, Montana certainly has. Montauk or Marfa may no longer be for you. It’s bittersweet but that’s the way the world goes.
This brings us to Patagonia, where I’m going tomorrow. I first went about twenty years ago and, like Montana, didn’t know what I was doing. I got a shave in a barber next to the hotel in Buenos Aires, this was pre-beard. I went to a steakhouse that was supposed to be good but was entirely empty. When I left after dinner all the Argentinians started arriving and it was full as I walked home. Lesson learned. I only fished for a few days, I think I caught one trout.
About ten years ago I returned and really felt the connection. I still got it handed to me on some of the rivers—that didn’t bother me. And it shouldn’t bother you. You can’t discover the better way until you get on the ground and learn. When I found the right equation I invited some friends I knew would love it. Now we have our program sorted and it’s a highlight of my year. I’ve shared Patagonia ideas every year on the newsletter, basics are here, other options are here.
