Nue York Portraits Opening Fills the Dash Gallery
ParlerParis.com
Monday, April 18, 2011 • Paris, France
Dear Parler Paris Reader,
Life can change directions in a split second. And so it has.
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In the last nouvellettre®, I was in Nice meeting with two contractors along with colleagues Martine di Matteo and Véronique Husson in the apartment on the Place du Palais on which I had signed the Compromis de Vente (pre-sale agreement) just two weeks earlier. As it happened by chance, the sellers delayed signing the agreement by two weeks, so that the timing of the trip to Nice was within the seven-day period of buyer's remorse or délai de réflexion, when the buyer can retract the purchase with no ramifications and no excuses whatsoever.
Details of what transpired that day were reported in Thursday's French Property Insider (French Property Insider), so if you are not already a subscriber, you may want to catch up by visiting the site now, but I can tell you that over dinner at “La Merenda” (4 rue Raoul Bosio), one of my favorite Niçois restaurants, just behind the apartment, Martine, Véronique and I discussed the two major flaws of the apartment: the number of stairs (62), the difficulty to manage them as they are narrow and steep, plus the entryway next to the café which creates an initial negative impression (although may be reparable). We all agreed that once you arrive up at the apartment, the climb was worth it, considering the attributes of the views, the light, the high ceilings and the spaciousness, not to mention the amazing location.
The three of us shared a room that night in an old hotel in the process of renovation right on Place Massena with a fabulous view on the Place. In the middle of the night, I awoke from a horrendous nightmare in a cold sweat and knew at that moment that if I hated climbing the stairs, and the ladies found them to be difficult, and given that the contractors said they would present problems in the renovation process, not to mention additional expense to moving the materials up them, that ultimately the apartment would never be the luxurious property I had hoped for, wanted to enjoy myself or would provide the return on investment needed to make it all worthwhile. In the dark, with only an Internet connection on my iPhone, while Martine and Véronique slept soundly, I sent a text message to the Notaire, instructing them to cancel the purchase, realizing that all the time and effort on this property was to be lost.
The next morning, Martine was heading back to Paris for business, I was scheduled on a flight to New York to attend my daughter's art opening and Véronique was taking a late evening flight back to Paris, spending the day in Nice. The Nice airport is well equipped with free WiFi and computer stations enabling me to create a signed letter that would officially cancel the purchase. Then, I boarded the flight to New York in a bit of shock, remorse and relief!
On the flight I wrote a slew of emails to begin the search again immediately to find another property, now that financing was in place, interest rates were at a low (but climbing), and there was no time to waste. Luck had it that the uneventful flight on which I slept with an eye mask and earplugs for as much as possible, landed on time in a gloriously warm, blue-skied and sunny New York. Traffic into the city from JFK was smooth, so there was just enough time to get settled and dress for Erica's big event – the opening of her first solo show of her 'body' of work, “Nue York Portraits: Self Portraits of a Bare Urban Citizen” (Nue York Portraits) at the Dash Gallery in Tribeca.
I was overwhelmed with pride upon seeing her during that final hour before the show. She chuckled when she saw me tearing up and confessed that she and her oldest, closest, friend, who had come from Los Angeles to be with her, had predicted I'd cry the moment I saw her (they know me so well).
In the taxi over to the gallery during rush hour traffic, she was nervous and excited, of course. The gallery was in preparation for the show, the 20 photos had been hung 10 along each wall and everyone involved was gearing up for the expected big turn-out. It was the calm before the storm. There had been so much publicity (worldwide) that she had over 1500 reservations for attendance! The gallery could only handle 250 at any one time and we were all worried that the fire department or police would not be pleased.
Two of the first people to arrive were readers of Parler Paris! Then the rest of the crowd started to trickle in. During the course of the evening, lots of well-known artists and photographers came to see the work and lend their support – such as JR, Spencer Tunick,Robert Whitman, Zack Hyman, Leon Saperstein, John Neusom and Joseph Peteramong others. Erica's father had flown in from Miami for the show. Friends from Paris, New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and from all over the globe trickled in to surprise us...and of course, the public and the press came. By about 7 p.m. or so, the crowd had thickened and a line started to form outside, going down the block and around the corner. Pink vodka drinks were being passed around. The din heightened almost drowning out the music. French TV Canal Plus was documenting the event – Erica and her friends and family were interviewed...in French (including me). It was wild! And it wasn't just an opening...it was really a party.
I've never seen a gallery opening like this one – there was a different kind of energy and everyone said so. People mingled and got to know one another, like at a private party, not a public gathering. People were asking others, “Which photo is your favorite?” Everyone seemed to have one. The buzz was about how she was able to photograph herself in such public places, nude, without being arrested. People were taking guesses, exchanging their ideas. It was an amazing phenomena that such an exhibition would create such a stir, but it was fun and exciting!
I was busy saying hello to old friends – one of whom I hadn't seen since we were about 13 years old! People I had met in Paris made a special effort to be there. Mary Schiller and Jeff Ballinger, who participated in one of our House Hunters International TV shows, came with an old Polaroid camera taking black and whites that they generously offered over as souvenirs of the evening. Cameras were going off at every turn. It was wild! I never stopped smiling and kissing and hugging people while Erica was like the Queen Bee in constant demand and being interviewed at every turn.
One moment outside the gallery, a youngish man pulled up on a bicycle and asked me if Erica had a man in her life! He handed me his name and phone number and begged me to put in a good word about him. That was so cute...he seemed like a nice guy. Later in the evening, police came and threatened to shut down the show, claiming all sorts of erroneous things about the illegality of having liquor on the premises, then went away when those in charge 'called their bluff.' We speculated what they were REALLY after? The line to enter disappeared only a few minutes before the show ended at 10 p.m.
A few people remained in the gallery at that time. Exhausted and still reeling from the intensity of the show, I gathered up the bouquets of flowers people brought and her father and I took Erica to dinner at a nearby bistro, “L'Odéon.” None of us had eaten since early morning – living on adrenalin. The show was over...but it was just the beginning for Erica's career as a photographer and artist, no longer undiscovered. She was drained from such an intense four hours.
The following two days were spent like semi-tourists in the Big Apple. Old friend from New Orleans and Paris, Dale Novick Gaber, and I had lunch at “The Oyster Bar” at Grand Central Station where we tasted oysters, crab and shrimp. It's a city landmark and a great place to take in the spirit of New York.
In the afternoon, another old friend from Paris, Melissa Alonso, art expert, took me to the 14th Annual SOFA (Sculpture Objects & Functional Objects) Art Fair at the Park Avenue Armory. I had never attended the fair nor ever been in the Armory. The art, objects and jewelry were stunning. One booth was more fun and exciting than the next. By chance, during our two hour stay there, three different Parler Paris readers came over to say hello! One of them had even been a guest in a Parler Paris vacation apartment (Parler Paris Apartments)! What a nice surprise to connect with so many Francophiles who are a part of our community. We surmised that people who appreciate functional art also appreciate Paris!
Saturday Erica and I took the day off to shop in Soho. First, we had lunch at “Delicatessen: International Comfort Food” on Prince Street which has a contemporary, but warm atmosphere, filled with young people. There she ordered an American burger (juicier than our French counterparts) and I ordered, believe it or not, a “Salade Niçoise!” She convinced me it was the best ever, and I must say, it was – American style – with seared fresh tuna accompanied by salad, green beans (crispy), new potatoes, Niçois olives and delicious dressing. I wish the French would take notice how much fresh tuna, rather than canned, improves a “Niçoise!”
Shopping on Broadway can be a culture shock for a Parisian. I heard a lot of French spoken on the street – they are here during the springvacances scolaires (school vacation) profiting from the current rate of exchange ($1.44 = 1 Euro today). Store after store is filled with so much product, at such affordable prices, that it's quite tempting to buy everything and sight and stuff your suitcase for the return to Paris. I always make a drugstore excursion and stock up on things either you can't get in Paris or have to pay 'an arm and a leg' for – such as electronics (QUERTY keyboard), vitamins in pill form (one-third the price or less!), gadgets of all kinds. One thing about American consumerism – they certainly know how to make things that make life more convenient, if not richer.
I am always in shock over the quantities of everything, in giant size – like a simple orange juice in a 45cl bottle and a coffee at Starbucks – the smallest size being a “tall!” No doubt, I've gained weight and will have to return home to a French diet of wine and butter to lose the weight!
Over dinner with the crew from the show and friends from Paris, we agreed that Erica's Nue York Portraits would never work in Paris, where the the scenery is elegant and more serious – as the humor of the work wouldn't translate as well, nor would the nudity be as shocking. So, we wonder, what will be her next adventure, and where?
When you read this, I will have returned from New York satisfied with how life “turned on a dime” and took both my daughter and I in different directions, but still forward ones. And how happy I will be to be back in Gay Paree, my true home town, where the garbage is not piled up on the sidewalk in plastic bags for days on end, where people are not screaming into their cell phones or talking too loudly in public places, and where people dress as if they respect their beautiful surroundings.
This is not to say that there are not many wonderful aspects to life in the City -- New York City, that is -- as Americans here are still as friendly, warm, inviting, fun and open-minded as ever. Luckily, there are thousands of Americans living in Paris who are even more of that, as they have Paris, too, making them even more well-rounded and open to life on both sides of the Atlantic.
Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris
With Erica Simone
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