The Essential List: Damian Nuñez
Argentinean art director Damian Nuñez has worked all over – Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas and Milan. Just over a year ago he took over the reins at MullenLowe and MullenLowe Profero in Romania and has spent the last 12 months in falling in love with the energetic creative scene in Bucharest. We caught up with Damian to find out about the culture and cuisine that inspires him – and discovered a creative spirit who holds no truck with the concept of ‘guilty pleasure’.
Lifestyle
◦ Place of birth: Buenos Aires, Argentina
◦ Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina, but currently living in Bucharest, Romania.
◦ Where my heart is: Hermosa Beach, California
◦ Staycation: Popoyo, Nicaragua. Yes, that’s a pic of me surfing there a few years ago.
◦ Vacation: A beach somewhere, preferably warm water and decent waves.
◦ Pet: Not since I was a kid. Right now I’m just proud my plant not only survived me, but also flourished.
◦ Place of work: MullenLowe Group Romania
◦ Place of workout: Romanian Carpathian Mountains in summer, Bucharest Herastrau Park in winter.
◦ Side project: Mountain bike racing. Sometimes I even make it to the podium.
◦ Mode of transport: Bicycle! For city use, ideally an old restored one. If we don’t stop driving cars, we’re doomed.
◦ Bonus travel essential: A GoPro Camera
Culture
◦ Artist: Gary Taxali
◦ Musician: Carlos Vives
◦ Commercials / music video director: Spike Jonze
◦ Film director: Tarantino
◦ Photographer: Erwin Olaf
◦ Film: Anything Tarantino, Forrest Gump
◦ Series: Master of None
◦ Commercial: Nike Air - Endure
◦ Music video: The Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar
◦ Video game: Two Dots. I’m obsessed.
◦ Book: Open by Andre Agassi
◦ Graphic novel: El Eternauta by Oesterheld and Solano López
◦ Podcast: Honestly, I don’t listen to podcasts, but I know I’m missing something. My bad.
◦ Newspaper (off or online): La Nación (Argentina)
◦ Magazine: Vice (online)
Food and Drink
◦ Breakfast: Coffee long black and a couple of croissants.
◦ Restaurant: Katana, a little hole-in-the-wall in North Miami Beach.
◦ Cheap bite: A burger in any bar.
◦ Working lunch: Anything. Lately I’ve been snacking random stuff all day.
◦ Favourite dish: Pizza
◦ Signature dish: I’m Argentinean; I can handle a decent barbeque.
◦ Snack: Fruit
◦ Guilty pleasure: No guilt, all pleasure.
◦ Bar: I have a weird fixation for dive bars, so I will go with The Shellback Tavern in Manhattan Beach, California, at sunset. But I can highly recommend Seven Grand in Downtown L.A., Churchill’s in Midtown Miami and Sand Bar by the beach, Pinch in Milan, Midnight Rambler in Downtown Dallas and The Beer Company in Deep Ellum. In Bucharest I like J’ai Bistrot and Dianei 4. I’ve been living in five different cities in the last 10 years, that’s why the list is long.
Credits @rayrayishappy and @ricosfantas1
◦ Booze: Craft beer anytime, red wine at home and Fernet & Coca-Cola with Argentinian friends
◦ Not booze: Tap water
◦ Bonus food: Fried calamari
◦ Bonus beverage: Tito’s on the rocks
Kit
◦ Phone: iPhone 7, and I don’t even think on upgrading it.
◦ Computer: I just replaced my 15” MacBook Pro for a 12” MacBook and I’m in love
◦ TV: I don’t even have a TV. But I do have a small projector with borrowed Netflix and the RedBullTV App
◦ Headphones: Bunch of different ones for different activities. On me right now, some Beats
◦ Camera: Fujifilm x100s, an old GoPro, but I use mostly my phone.
◦ Soundsystem: Sonos, but changes in every city.
◦ Pen / pencil: Anything black, liquid ink
◦ Where you document an idea: My phone
◦ Casual clothing: Chino pants, black T-shirt, black Nike SB Stefan Janoski Max.
◦ Smart clothing: Same but with a shirt and wingtip boots.
◦ Footwear: Creative Recreation Vito Black and the previously mentioned SJ.
◦ Watch: Nixon - The Manual
◦ Collection: Coasters that I use at home.
◦ App: Strava
◦ Website: Surfline.com
◦ Digital work tool: My computer
◦ Analogue work tool: Small notepad and a full coffee mug.
◦ Morning grooming / makeup essential: Water and 1-Euro soap.
◦ Bonus kit essential: A plain grey hoodie.
