LeWeb GETS Food & Wine

LeWeb3 photo album has been officially uploaded. One thing you will note more than anything else in this album, atypical to every other conference I have documented, is that the majority of shots are of food. Fabulous food.

I have never been to a conference -- technology or other, not directly linked to the food and wine industry - that served such a broad spectrum of food and wine and presented it all so elegantly. Loic's thank you and end-of-conference comments here.

Was part of it that it just Paris? Think again. Loic's budget was what it was - 500 Euros per person compared to $3,000-4,500 for other web, Internet and general technology industry events in the states.

You hate to dig publicly for fear of never being invited back, but c'mon, let's compare experiences. In San Francisco, we had boxed lunches and at one point, they even ran out. You hate to keep saying over and over again that the Americans lack style, elegance and that Je ne sais pas, but it's true, so it is hard not to.

Part of it is because we as a "culture" don't care about great design, fashion great food and great wine. Before you start coming up with a handful of exceptions, look at the states as a whole and then think again.

Anyway, enuffff said. Bravo Loic and team for putting together a conference at a reasonable price that did not just focus on the elites who could afford it, AND then surprising us with amazing food and drink. (wine and alcohol was served at lunch on both days). Also note that the event was pulled together in about six weeks.

I should also mention that their evening party consisted of French dancers, including a sexy Parisian who dragged me on stage for a Latin-like dance. A close one. Organizers might be sued for that one in the states, either that, or blog posts might go on about inappropriate behavior, or at least want to.

Forgive my rant. In this case, it feels necessary. The event was such a delight. And the dance floor was packed at an INDUSTRY EVENT. Packed. At every technology event or conference in the states, I have to drag people onto the floor and even then, there is no guarantee, so I often end up dancing alone. Why don't we dance over here when in places like France, Spain, Brazil and even SE Asia, people dance in the streets?

One attendee ran around in a white suit and people wrote comments or drawings on his pants and jacket in colored markers. French women lured other attendees onto the dance floor, and pulled them on and off stage. Chocolates were passed around on silver trays. I learned that Jeff Clavier could dance up a storm and thank god, there was a venue for all of us to do so.

Photos below:

On Stage:

Below, on the rising stage yet to come into the public eye: