Nice is Nice, Talk on Tax

Nice is Nice, No?

French Property Insider
Volume IX, Issue 20
May 19, 2011
Paris, France
FrenchPropertyInsider.com

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Bonjour French Property Insider Subscriber,

NICE IS NICE

Today I made an official offer on an apartment in Nice in the "quartier" known as the "Carré d'Or" just off Place Masséna. It's expensive, chic, and well worth it, given its location and immediate amenities.

(Read about it in more detail in yesterday's Parler Paris Nouvellettre®:parlerparis.com/issues/pparis18-5-11.html)

Many people have asked, "Why Nice?"

Besides the fact that 'Nice is nice,' I strongly believe that Nice and the adjacent Riviera towns are going to see value growth over the next few years, particularly once the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) goes to Nice direct from Paris. The Nice airport is already international with flights from Air Berlin, Air France, Alitalia, American Airlines, BLU Express, Easyjet, German Wings, Sterling Airlines and Virgin Express. That makes Nice the air travel hub for the entire Côte d'Azur and travel to Nice is not expensive -- flights from Paris are as little as 70€ round trip.

The TGV from Paris to Nice is scheduled to be completed by 2025 and will reduce travel time from 5 hours 25 minutes to 3 hours 50 minutes. It will also improve the service between Marseille and Nice to be within one hour of each other. Developers are predicting it will reduce the traffic at Nice Airport, currently the country’s third largest, eliminating about half its routes. My bet, however, is that because of the ease of travel, the entire area will become increasingly more visited -- perhaps a factor they are not considering?

(If you're interested in learning more, here's a great article at:http://www.thetransportpolitic.com)

The Côte d'Azur is also poorly servicing the North American client. If you are British or Italian, there are lots of property specialists who can think like you think and satisfy your needs and desires, but culturally ours are quite different and few represent our style of living and traveling. When I visited a beautiful apartment under complete renovation in Old Nice, it was evident that the space in the bedroom would not accommodate a bed larger than 140cm (double), nor had they planned for closets to house large suitcases. We Americans are big people who need lots of space. We travel with large suitcases filled with all our favorite necessities (I know many who don't leave home without their own pillows!) and we want all the creature comforts our hard-earned money can buy, "n'est-ce pas?" They hadn't thought about any of that -- but instead went purely for the esthetics without concern for comfort or convenience...not at all American style thinking.

I am convinced that Americans love the Riviera as much as they love Paris and Provence and would be happy spending more time there if they were made to feel a bit more welcome. We hope to be a part of the pioneering spirit as a result of my soon-to-be testing of the 'Mediterranean waters.'

(Stay tuned for more or write me to learn how we can help you become a pioneering, too.)

TAX ON TALK

The word "tax" seems to be synonymous with the word "France" -- since this is one of the highest taxed societies in the world. And even with this, the country is still falling short and seeking new ways of earning more money, particularly from those who have more of the wealth (at least this part seems fair enough).

A draft has been presented to the Parliament and may be enacted by July of this year, with some measures to enter into enforcement before 2012. For now, these are proposed amendments.

Wealth Tax will be reformed, but fortunately for foreigners, the tax is only assessed on real estate held in France, and not on the value held by a mortgage company...one very good reason for mortgaging your French real estate.

As of the first of 2012, it is proposed that non-residents (including French taxpayers who have left France) owning residential property that is at their disposal and not rented out will be subject to a new property tax, unless more than 75% of their worldwide income is derived from French sources. The tax base will be the deemed annual rent and the rate will be 20%. Expats that lived in France for three years within the ten year period before they left France will be exempt for a period of up to six years.

Clearly this concept is designed to raise money and reduce their housing shortage -- since so much property remains unoccupied in France. Those with second homes will be hit harder than those who have investment properties.

An exit tax will be imposed on those transferring their tax residence out of France. Like our Capital Controls Act, France is trying to keep its euros inside its borders -- and it will concern transfers as of this past March.

For more information about the French tax system, see this pdf in English:http://www.impots.gouv.fr/

A bientôt,

Adrian Leeds
Editor, French Property Insider

Email: fpi@adrianleeds.com

P.S. If you have not already reserved your place for the Special Event: "Legal and Compliance Issues for the US Expatriate" presented by Joel M. Nagel of Nagel & Associates, LLC and Peter A. Zipper, Caye International Bank, Ltd, there are only a few seats left, so do not delay. Scroll down for more information or visitFrenchPropertyConference.com

From the Last Minute in Nice to a New York Minute Turn of Events

View from the Balcony, Rue Masséna, Nice Your taste of life in Paris and France ParlerParis.com Wednesday, May 18, 2011 • Paris, France Dear Parler Paris Reader, At the very last moment of our three-day stay in Nice, the 'umpteenth' trip I've made in the quest for a "pied-à-terre" on the Côte d'Azur, an apartment came available that had the attributes I'd been seeking: windows, light, view, balcony, great location, air conditioning, relative quiet, charm, not higher than three flights without a lift...and as it turns out, was an 'animal' almost impossible to find in the Old Town, my first location choice for rental and return on investment purposes. After realizing the impossible was just that, I expanded the search to include the area around Place Garibaldi, Place Masséna (the area known as the "Carré d'Or") and the Old Port, also highly rentable. That's when one of my best agents spotted this apartment, fresh on the market. With only two hours to the return flight time, we rushed over to see it, but fully expecting it to be another 'not-so-perfect' apartment. Earlier that day we viewed an apartment soon to be under renovation in a building on Place Masséna which was a Notaire's archive, the many boxes of files to be moved or tossed in lieu of residential space, with the installation of a lift and "haute de gamme" furnishings. The potential was there, but the views from the smallish windows was not so pleasing. It left me cold, in spite of its outstanding location and the promise of luxury appointments. This final property is on the pedestrian street of rue Masséna in the Carré d'Or, in the immediate vicinity of such illustrious merchants as Cartier, Chanel, Emporio Armani, Hermès, Charles Jourdan, Kenzo, Lacoste, Lancel, Longchamp, Sonia Rykiel and Louis Vuitton...not bad neighbors! The building is beautiful...white with gray shutters, balconies, and carved motifs above the windows with a musical theme. There are only four apartments in the building, this one on the third floor up immaculate and beautiful white marble steps with low risers that make the climb "du gateau" ("piece of cake"). The apartment is currently a very large studio stripped of all its necessities, awaiting the installation of a kitchen, bath, storage and a wall to create a bedroom, but has dark rich parquet and stone-brick walls that ooze charm and luxury. The orientation is south facing so the light is indirect from morning to night. From the balcony, one can see all down rue Masséna to the Place, where shoppers are strolling or dining at the nearby cafés. Yep, I fell in love (!) and am now negotiating with the seller regarding the renovation and the price. And yep, it's "cher" (expensive), but in my opinion, worth it. One block away from the apartment, we hopped on the 98 bus headed to the Nice airport and quickly settled into the Air France President's Club Lounge to await the boarding of the flight. There everyone was glued to the television watching the scandalous turn of events surrounding IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn's New York arrest for the attempted rape of a hotel maid! The news has rocked the nation, if not the world!...and of course, the Socialist Party of which he is affiliated and was a presidential candidate. This is a man who was the 10th Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, an economist, lawyer, and politician, a full professor of economics at the Paris Institute for Political Studies ("Sciences Po"), Minister of Economy and Finance from 1997 to 1999 and sought the nomination in the primaries to the Socialist presidential candidacy for the 2007 election (defeated by Ségolène Royal). In other words, this is one of France's most illustrious politicians...who, guilty or not, has certainly stirred the political pot and turned the nation's (and the world's) eyes toward France. The scandal is fascinating, as the events of the arrest, the evidence and the trial unfold, along with the ramifications, which include a shift in currency values and political party strength in the upcoming elections. My favorite article about the event is BBC's Europe Editor Gavin Hewitt's titled "Strauss-Kahn affair turns French politics upside down" to be found athttp://www.bbc.co.uk/. As a woman, it is always surprising how a so-called intelligent man can let his 'other head' get the best of the one sitting on his shoulders...but look how often the two seem to get confused, French, American or otherwise. Remember Bill and Monica? We are not without some guilt... A la prochaine... Adrian Leeds Editor, Parler Paris Share this article with a friend... Respond to Adrian P.S. If you have not already reserved your place for the Special Event: "Legal and Compliance Issues for the US Expatriate" presented by Joel M. Nagel of Nagel & Associates, LLC and Peter A. Zipper, Caye International Bank, Ltd, there are only a few seats left, so do not delay. Scroll down for more information or visit French Property Conference.

Outside the Proverbial Nice Box

Looking Over Nice

Your taste of life in Paris and France
ParlerParis.com
Monday, May 16, 2011 • Paris, France

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Dear Parler Paris Reader,

Nice is brimming with tourists of all kinds, perhaps thanks to the Cannes Film Festival just next door, or not -- it manages to attract an international crowd regardless of what may be happening just 'next door.' This is one reason I'm so keen on finding an apartment -- for personal use as well as investment and to help establish services for North Americans who are not so well represented here as are the British and the Italians.

Upon landing here Saturday afternoon and having the customary Salade Niçoise on the Cours Saleya, we went immediately to visit the apartment on which I had made an offer at number 3, next to the Police Municipale. Almost 80 steps up to the fourth floor (and actually five flights), without being too out of breath, we walked into a spacious two bedroom apartment that unfortunately had a floor plan that had been very poorly designed. The best views were from the bedroom windows rather than from the living room and there were numerous other issues that needed correction. Most of those could be fixed -- I call that the "smoke and mirrors" part of renovation and decoration, but the disrepair of the 18th-century building and the multiple flights of stairs, once again, would forever be a problem. We're going to cross this one off the list, sadly.

Meanwhile the agents are scrambling to find others to show us, which is no easy task. This is one of the most difficult property markets to cross my path -- even a bit more difficult than Le Marais, if one could believe it! There are numerous apartments on the Promenade des Anglais for sale, but they are decidedly more expensive if they have balconies and sea views -- but the Promenade is basically a big noisy highway and has little appeal to me personally. Old Town is defined and limited -- most of the apartments that have light or views are on elevated levels with no lifts. The buildings are old and in disrepair. The narrow streets lined with bars and restaurants make living over them noisy. Finding just the right combination for a good purchase is not only difficult, but virtually impossible.

There are other areas to consider -- around Place Masséna and near the Old Port -- and I've started to think outside the proverbial Nice box to consider these areas as well for lack of other options. All this makes me wonder if all this time is wasted or not. With so little property worth buying, even if thousands of you out there would like to have a pied-à-terre on the Côte d'Azur of your own, could we satisfy your desires...just as mine have not been? Sure, there are lots of other towns that would be lovely for second homes and a few for good return on investment -- such as Villefranche sur Mer and Cannes...but Nice is one that provides year-round returns better than the others. For those who like an urban environment with lots of cultural outlets, Nice has more than most, and is also the hub for all of the Riviera.

Sunday afternoon with a reader of Parler Paris who is also earnestly looking for a property in the adjacent towns, sitting at the Café du Palais next door to the entrance of the apartment I rejected a few weeks ago, I was struck with nostalgia and remorse. Did I make a mistake by rejecting it? What if I decided to take the chance and purchase it? And if I did, would they let me or would the seller refuse?

By the time you read this, I will have visited another apartment on Place Masséna and whatever else our buyer's agent can come up with...but I will likely be going home empty handed and still on the prowl for the dream apartment in Nice. Let's hope not!

A la prochaine...

Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris


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P.S. This exercise is leading to building a staff of trusted individuals who can assist me and our clients in finding, purchasing, renovating and renting Riviera properties in the American style to which we have become accustomed. If you are interested in learning more, email me at adrianleeds.com.

Not So Nice in Nice in Paris?

Not So Nice in Nice: The Agency Pictured at Right

French Property Insider
Volume IX, Issue 19
May 12, 2011
Paris, France
FrenchPropertyInsider.com

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Bonjour French Property Insider Subscriber,

* Legal and Compliance Issues for the US Expatriate

We've had such an overwhelming response to the presentation (as noted above) by legal and banking professionals Joel Nagel and Peter Zipper, "Legal and Compliance Issues for the US Expatriate," that we've moved to a larger venue: Chez Jenny. This will allow us to accommodate more than double the attendance in a quieter, more professional and private space.

As a result, there is a cost and we are asking for a 'donation' of 10€ per person, which will include one drink (Kir, wine or soft drink) to offset the expenses of the larger space. For those who arrive at the door with no reservation, the entry 'donation' will be 15€. If you have already reserved and decide not to attend, please cancel your reservation by emailing zing@adrianleeds.com

If you'd like to learn more about why this presentation is so vital to the American Expat, be sure to read Parler Paris Nouvellettre® from May 4th or last week's French Property Insider of May 5, 2011.

* Nice is Nice...Most of the Time

It is not my aim to frighten you from the real estate playing field in France, but on occasion, the way the agents in France do business is shocking, even to those of us who are not 'faint of heart.'

You may recall that I took advantage of the period known as the "délai de réflexion" within which I was entitled to retract the purchase of the Nice apartment, after a reconsideration of the steep and narrow stairs which gave me nightmares. The retraction was officially done by the Notaire, but I wrote a personal letter of apology to the agency:

----- Original Message -----
From: Adrian Leeds
Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 6:14 PM
Subject: Desole!!

Dear...,

I am terribly sorry that I have canceled the purchase of the Place du Palais apartment. It was certainly not my intention to do this! As it turned out, because the 7 day period of reflection was delayed, it coincided with my visit to the apartment with the contractors.

I LOVE THE APARTMENT!! And I am very sad to let it go. The apartment requires a lot of serious and expensive work. What I realized in the middle of the night (I had a nightmare!) is that the stairs and entry would forever be a problem for me, the workers and the renters. It would never be the great property I hoped it would be.

Please forgive me! And please get to work to find me another apartment as quickly as possible that meets all my requirements:

30 - 45 meters
light
views
not higher than 3rd (but easy and pleasant steps) without elevator
Old Nice

Many thanks for all your efforts and your understanding!

Adrian

The response I received from what is considered an important agency in Nice was this:

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Desole!!
Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2011 09:13:36 +0200
Organization: Palais de l'immobilier La Préfecture
To: Adrian Leeds

Chère Madame,

Nous ne croyons aucunemenent à vos bonnes intentions et soyez sûre que même si nous avions une affaire à proposer, nous la proposerions à tous sauf à vous.

Bon vent!

Laurence M.

TRANSLATION:

Dear Madam,

We do not believe at all in your good intentions and are sure that even if we had business to propose, we would propose it to everyone but you.

Good luck!

Laurence M.

It's hard to believe, coming from an American entrepreneurial perspective, that an agency would reject a client ready, willing and able to spend their money plus in this case, a client who gives preference to that agency over others!

But, this is France, and business is not conducted in the same way as is in our culture. Naturally, I will now cross the agency off my list of viable resources -- the kind of agency that clearly doesn't understand how to do business with our kind of clients and I will hope that none of you readers will ever have to cross their path!

In another instance this past week, a client of ours visited an apartment for a second time, bringing with her our designer, Martine di Matteo, to review what renovation could be done to bring the apartment to the standard she is hoping for. After two visits, she, like me, decided the staircase would prevent her from thoroughly enjoying the property and rejected it -- but of course, long before any offer was made on the property so the only thing lost was a bit of time. We all learned by the episode that we should eliminate properties on a high floor with no elevator and in our viewpoint, nothing was really lost.

The next day I received a phone call from the agent who proceeded to YELL at me over the phone, berating us for having wasted his time when 'the client should have known in advance that three flights of stairs were not acceptable!'

At first, I started to explain the process for a foreign client who is not familiar with Paris property and try to calm him down, and then midstream realized the scenario was much like in Nice -- that a professional agent is closing the door on potential business...for what?

What are they protecting? Their pride?

Clearly, it's our job to protect our clients from what we would consider very unprofessional behavior. And we do have a choice -- we aren't obligated to work with these agents who aren't open to doing business without letting their emotions overrule rational thinking. Luckily, there are lots of other agents who are more modern and open minded to the foreign client. We located another one in Nice, thanks to a property consultant on my team who has kept a steady watch on new properties coming on the market that might suit my taste.

Tuesday morning, she called and presented two potential properties, both of which carried with them exceptional addresses: 1) Place Masséna and 2) Cours Saleya. Within moments after seeing photos and hearing full descriptions, I made an offer on the Cours Saleya apartment -- an apartment that wasn't what I had in mind from the beginning at all, but which will actually better suit my needs than the Place du Palais apartment.

It's not at all unusual for this to happen, even with our own clients, who come with one thing in their mind, but end up making very different decisions about the property of their dreams, just as the client who in the second visit decided the stairs weren't for her.

In this case, a two-bedroom apartment with a lower price per square meter than the Place du Palais apartment that needs no renovation wins hands down as a better investment from a rental return perspective. Two-bedroom apartments that sleep up to six rent for about 50% more than a one-bedroom apartment than can accommodate only four -- and in this case, the bottom line costs will have very little difference.

No, it doesn't have a balcony, but it has lots of windows with views of the rooftops and sky as well as the stretches of old Niçois buildings on the street behind the Cours Saleya, which means it will be quieter than if it overlooked the Cours itself.

No, it doesn't have a bathtub, but as I understand it, it may be possible to fit one in. And of course, it's as plain as 'white bread,' but fortunately, it's amazing what great fabrics, beautiful furnishings and quality artistic touches will do to luxuriate a clean slate. Already, Mosaiiste Véronique Husson assure me she could work magic to the kitchen and bath and felt a corner tub could replace the large shower with little work.

So, a trip to Nice this weekend is necessary to confirm the purchase after seeing the apartment and doing the customary 'due diligence.' I will also view other properties our new (British) agent will find for me and will keep you posted on the results!

A bientôt,

Adrian Leeds
Editor, French Property Insider

Email: fpi@adrianleeds.com

P.S. If you are interested in learning more about properties in Nice and the Côte d'Azur, email me at adrian@adrianleeds.com

Parisians in New York

Nue York Portraits Opening Fills the Dash Gallery

Your taste of life in Paris and France
ParlerParis.com
Monday, April 18, 2011 • Paris, France

Dear Parler Paris Reader,

Life can change directions in a split second. And so it has.

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.

A la prochaine...
Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris
With Erica Simone

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P.S. Happy Passover to all who will be telling the story of Passover, eating Matzoh Ball Soup, drinking the traditional four glasses of sweet wine and celebrating the freedom of a people, when the Jews were liberated from slavery in ancient Egypt. If you don't have time to tell the FULL story (which takes almost as long as the journey itself – 40 years), then try the Two-Minute Haggadah by Michael Rubiner and have a good laugh if nothing else!

The Seven-Day “Delai de Réflection”

Le Café du Palais, Nice

French Property Insider
Volume IX, Issue 15
April 14, 2011
Paris, France
FrenchPropertyInsider.com

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Bonjour French Property Insider Subscriber,

Yesterday, colleagues Martine di Matteo and Véronique Husson traveled with me to Nice to meet with contractors in the apartment I am in the process of purchasing. The Compromis(pre-sale agreement) has been signed and this is the 7-day delai de réflection within which I can cancel the purchase with no ramifications. It's a consumer protection law that allows for a purchaser to be absolutely sure of the commitment.

Martine is our associate Interior Architect who has renovated and decorated numerous apartments for our clients, to such a beautiful quality and style, that to do anything without her advice and 'seal of approval' would be foolish. Véronique is the mosaiiste (mosaic artist) who has turned “boxes” (boring apartments) into masterpieces. I recruited the two of them to see the apartment, provide their ideas and oversee the meeting with the contractors. They are sure to turn these four-plus walls into the Palais du Soleil (Sun Palace) of which I am dreaming.

The apartment itself has the potential for accomplishing such a glorious environment, first because of it's drop-dead perfect location directly on the “Place du Palais” at the heart of Vieux Nice. Within steps of the Place is the beach and the Promenade des Anglais, Place Massena, the Marché aux Fleurs, the Cour Saleya and of course, Vieux Nice. Just behind the apartment is the municipal parking lot should you be in Nice with a car or need immediate access to drop off your luggage. Could it be better?

The apartment has magnificent views and lots of light that come from the large windows on both sides, both north and south-facing. One side has an in-your-face view of the Clock Tower of the Palais Rusca just next door, the Place du Palais de Justice and it's lovely round fountain with lots of sky. The other side has a balcony the full length of the apartment on the courette (little courtyard) with three doors, two from the salon and one from the bathroom. Strangely enough, the bathroom was built on what once was a balcony – something common in old buildings in Nice. The ceilings are almost four meters high and although the Loi Carrez (official habitable space) is about 35 square meters, the space feels much larger and will be quite liveable for up to four guests.

Yesterday afternoon we met with two different contractors who had lots of ideas and will provide estimates for the work. There are many possibilities and of course, it would be easy to spend at least 3,000 euros per square meter (including all furnishings) to do what will produce a luxury apartment that will not only be a heavenly home-away-from-home for myself, but a vacation rental that could stay booked all year round.

The apartment has one bathroom and one toilet which is currently accessible from the bedroom and from the balcony. To avoid having to go outside on the balcony or through the bedroom to access the toilet, there was much conversation about adding adémontable (dismountable) veranda that would not be a permanent structure so that it would not be necessary to get permission from the copropriété (homeowners association) to construct it. Another option is to find a space to add a toilet, using a Sani-Broyeur(electric toilet), which would disturb the interior space.

The wall that now divides the living room and bedroom is a solid wall that is not well positioned, as it doesn't respect the curves of the ceiling. I'd like to move it and make it half-glass in the style of an atelier to allow for maximum light and view. This is entirely possible and everyone agrees would take advantage of all the apartment has to offer.

Thanks to the balcony, there is no problem adding air-conditioning and that means the windows can be fully closed to keep out the noise from the Place (voices, music, etc., but no traffic) to sleep calmly, particularly on the hottest of days.

We had just one afternoon to accomplish all this and did without too much difficulty. But one very important thing occurred during that afternoon. We reflected on the two major flaws, and only two flaws, which may prevent me from continuing with the purchase: the number of stairs and the difficulty to manage them as they are narrow and steep, plus the entryway next to the café which creates an initial negative impression.

Martine flew home early this morning to attend to her other affairs and I headed west to New York City just in time to be present at my daughter's vernissage (art opening) at the Dash Gallery in Tribeca of her “Nue York Portraits.” (www.nue-york.com) It's a close call, landing only a few hours before the show, but it was as good as it could get under the time constraints – I was lucky to find a flight to make it possible.

Meanwhile, a decision must be made between now and Saturday to continue with the purchase or not. Stay tuned...things could easily change.

A bientôt,

Adrian Leeds
Editor, French Property Insider
With Martine di Matteo

Email: fpi@adrianleeds.com

P.S. Tuesday we had lots of fun at Parler Paris Après Midi learning more about body language – what it tells and how to read it – from Kristin Shannon and Antonio Meza of PSI Communications (www.psicommunications.com). Read all about it and see the photos by visiting www.parlerparis.com/apresmidi.html, then plan to attend our next session when Judith Merians, film guru, will be discussing this year's best picture, The King's Speech.