I really enjoy what I do for a living. I think it is the best gift I have ever gotten in life. I'm not a drone punching a time clock just counting the hours until its time to go home. But that doesn't mean that some of the stuff I do isn't too easy or lacks a chance to have creative input. It happens. And those jobs are just a matter of cranking out the code. Thankfully most of the jobs I take are enjoyable projects that strike a balance between creativity and technical skill. And sometimes a project comes along that has me giggling from beginning to end. My most recent site was one of those projects.
When Tony, the owner of Te Amo Lucy's and the Loro de Oro Inn, first called me about new websites for both of his businesses, I had no idea what to expect. I had never met Tony or been to either of his businesses. I arrived for the meeting and found a charming inn and funky restaurant just half a block from Plaza Machado. Tony gave me a tour of the rooms and showed me the menu for the restaurant. I played it cool, but the whole time I was thinking, "The inn, no problem. But the restaurant? Holy smokes." Te Amo Lucy's is pink. And the logo is a heart. How in the world was I going to design a site that didn't look like a giant, goofy Valentine?
At first, I tried to minimize the pink and hearts. Pink can be a really hard color to look at on the computer. But that just didn't feel right. Te Amo Lucy's has a vibrant and funky feel that I just wasn't capturing. Finally, I threw all caution to the wind and embraced it. The site is pink. Really pink. And littered with hearts. But I think it works. And it has attitude.
It also helps that Tony was a dream client. He gave me free reign in creating the site, with only minor suggestions and changes. And he listened to me when I told him why we shouldn't do some things his way. That makes the difference between a great site and a mediocre one (and sometimes a crappy one). I hate it when I present a beautiful site to a client and they start changing things:
- "I really want this to stand out; Let's make it neon yellow – and blink on and off. I saw that on a site and it was really cool." *
- "My girlfriend's nephew is in design school. I want to run the design by him and see if he has any input." *
- "I want the sound of fish swimming in the ocean as background music." *
- "I want it to look just like Google" *
* These are all actual things actual clients have said to me.
I mean, it's not like I am a professional or anything. Why in the world should you listen to me? You are only paying me.
Sometimes, when I am working on a site that is suffering from client input, I go look at Te Amo Lucy's just for a little therapy. The site for Loro de Oro shows off more of my technical ability, with online booking and payment, but it will never have a place in my heart like Te Amo Lucy's does. I think Te Amo Lucy's will always be in my top 5 all time favorite sites I have created.
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|SAdministrator |m-d-Y H:i:s jenniferThanks, Nancy. Tony kept telling me he is really hard to please, but I just didn't experience that. He was enthusiastic through the whole project. I am truly flattered that he has liked what I did with his logo so much that he has already had the street level sign remade with the new logo on it and Pacifico is making a new sign with the logo for the building. Its on the new menus as well. Now we just need the bumper stickers and temporary tattoos
Doing this project has been such a relief in the middle of this other never ending project I am working on. It just made me feel good.
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|200.66.50.xxx |m-d-Y H:i:s Michael - A comic for youI must say that I really like the teamolucy site. Way to enjoy your job and make something beautiful at the same time. I get a kick out of the menu bar.
Here is a comic about "How Web Design goes Straight to Hell":
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell
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|SAdministrator |m-d-Y H:i:s jenniferMichael, that is hysterical. And 100% true. Thanks for the morning laugh.
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|200.66.11.xxx |m-d-Y H:i:s santiagoBEST OF THE BEST. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
Now that's how it's done.
BRAVO BRAVO
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|198.176.219.xxx |m-d-Y H:i:s Selina McNab - Te amo LucyI love your website on life in Mazatlan and think you did a great job on the te amo lucy Website. I did want to point out that you missed 2 accent marks. "taquería" needs an accent mark over the "i ", and más needs one over the "a".
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|SAdministrator |m-d-Y H:i:s jenniferThank you Selena, my Spanish is still in its infancy and the accent marks always throw me off. But I have to write it the way the restaurant does - which is without the accent marks.
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I have always loved the sites you design, but you're right, you really hit the nail on the head with Te Amo Lucy.
Your designs are always fresh and clean, professional and easy to navigate.
Congratulations on an incredible accomplishment. Tony and Lucy should be thrilled, and I bet they get tons of compliments.
Just goes to show if a client will let go and trust you, you will design something that is a thousand times better than their wildest dreams.
Congratulations!