I know I should be working hard while I’m in Quebec City. I did actually work quite hard on Wednesday when I presented a talk about the business case for color and design trends to 25 presidents of Canadian companies, and then guided them through a workshop. The purpose of the workshop was to practice answering the question: If this is the trend, what is the product/color line/marketing program/font/web design, etc. Only two or three of these people are engaged in businesses that are décor driven. Maybe that’s why this was the most fun I have ever had with a workshop group!
I will also work hard today, when I give another talk to marketing vice presidents and designers. That happens in a few hours. (I woke up at 3:20 this morning. I think I am still a little off my game when it comes to sleep because I was lecturing in Thailand just last week.)
But yesterday was a day-in-the-middle respite, and I spent most of it enjoying old Quebec City. I began my day with a breakfast meeting at Le Chateau Frontenac, a fabulous hotel with castle-like architecture. You can see a picture of it below. I hope no one will be disappointed to learn that it is part of the Fairmont Hotel chain.
Then, along with fellow-presenter Joann Thomas Yaccato, I hired a guide for the afternoon and toured the old city by car. One of the places we stopped was called Petit Champlain, a narrow street where our guide told us scenes from The Santa Clause were filmed. You can see me doing the tourist-picture thing at the top of that street when you look at the pictures below.
Joann and I fortified ourselves with tea and scones, and then took off on foot for a couple of hours to explore more of the old city. What a gorgeous city it is! I will be back here in June to speak at a conference, and I can’t wait to see more of it.