BTW and FYI

BTW, NICE WAS NICE

Two-and-a-half weeks was the longest I’d spent in Nice, and could be the longest period to have been gone from Paris since returning after my divorce was final in 1997. That may seem like nothing to you, but to me it seemed like a lifetime…and I was worried.

I wasn’t sure Nice was going to pass the test for places ‘to be,’ really BE. The lifestyle in Paris so intense, with every moment of every day filled to the brim with things to do and people to see, that it wasn’t clear that Nice could measure up.

Nowhere else I’ve ever lived (New York, Tel Aviv, Los Angeles, Knoxville) measures up to Paris for non-stop entertainment, whether it be public events, art exhibitions, visiting guests or just “les affaires” (business). New Yorkers might argue with me over this, but I dare say that Americans in Paris have more friends visiting them than New Yorkers have, unless they are French living in New York and they are just as bombarded as we are by their friends.

As it turns out, Nice was more than nice. Nice was Nice. With the exception of two rainy days out of 17, and the temperature in the high 60’s (Fahrenheit), it was idyllic. The sun was so intense that even sunglasses were worthless for a ‘lizard’ such as myself, but I am not complaining!

Spending a length of time in Nice changed the relationship from ‘place to visit’ to ‘place to call home.’ With every ‘visit’ I have discovered more and more friends — people who used to live in Paris or moved from the States to Nice or keep a home-away-from-home there. Everyone I have met there extolls the virtues of the Riviera city…and rightly so.

But, let’s be clear about it. Nice is not Paris. Only Paris is Paris. Nice is nice and it’s not just about Nice. It is part of the entire coastline from about Cannes to Menton that really makes up the landscape. That’s a big world that is easily accessible, and it’s one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world.

Right about now you’re probably thinking to ask, “Would you give up Paris for Nice?”

The answer is, “There is no reason to. I can have both.”

Your retorte might be, “But what if you can’t have both? Which would you choose?” Tough question.

If it were a matter of money, then likely Nice would win out where property prices and rents are so much lower. If it has to do with investment, then at the moment, Nice is a safer bet while the City of Paris is trying to fix its housing shortage by denying secondary residence owners the right to rent their property for less than one year.

If money weren’t the issue, then there’s no reason to choose. Why not have them both? It’s the perfect scenario, or so I have discovered.

In our American and very ‘linear’ society, we always think we must trade one thing for another. We feel disloyal when we love more than one person and like a traitor if we love more than one city. It doesn’t have to be that way. We are all multi-faceted and can love many people and many cities. That doesn’t make us disloyal or showing favoritism.

The train back to Paris on Monday was uneventful and pleasant. Paris was cool and gray, of course. People on the streets were in a rush. They were dressed in black and smoky colors looking terribly sophisticated. There was no friendly banter at the super market when I was buying a few things to restock the fridge with the essentials. It wasn’t the nice Nice I had come from and began to miss it and Le Matisse the moment the train pulled into Gare de Lyon.

Uh well. Guess I can’t be in two places at the same time — that would be a little too much to ask. And BTW, Le Matisse is available for rental so book now before I book it myself! See adrianleeds.com/parler-nice-apartments/ and be sure to scroll down and see all the happy past guests’ comments.

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BTW, FYI

Our relationship with HGTV’s House Hunters International started with one episode as long ago as 2006. Now, with more than 20 episodes ‘in the can,’ not a day goes by that I don’t hear from a fan. In Paris, I get stopped…or pointed to…or yelled at, daily! In Nice, it happened several times over the course of the two weeks I was there. No doubt, people love the shows…particularly those that take place in France!

This coming weekend, we’re filming another House Hunters International (adrianleeds.com/home/house-hunters-international) episode, this time with a young couple from Texas who are purchasing a small apartment in central Paris. Two weeks later we’re filming another episode with a woman from Australia who needs a space large enough for her kids who can ‘camp out’ in the living room on a sofa bed. We’re also planning an episode to be filmed on the Riviera next April!

Sometime near the end of the month, a new House Hunters International episode will air — one that took a year to film and produce and will run a full hour long as it’s a “renovation” show. Daryl Balestra from Ohio is the property buyer, Martine di Mattéo is the Interior Designer and I am the consultant…as always. I will not ‘give away’ which property Daryl buys, but I will tell you that Martine performed her usual magic and the apartment is drop dead gorgeous! Don’t worry, we’ll let you know when it airs…as soon as we know! You can always visit our site page or become a fan by visiting our Facebook page and follow us!

FYI, on November 21st, at 10 p.m. EST, the FYI network is launching their first “Tiny House World” with an episode I filmed with my niece, Shari Linnick and my daughter, Erica…it will be a family affair and the first of the first of their new series! Shari buys a tiny Paris apartment and Erica helps her make the decision, all while I play “mama- san.” Be sure to watch! You can visit our site page or become a fan of Adrian on Tiny House World on Facebook and follow us!

Any of you who would like to be a ‘star’ of either program need only email me ([email protected]). They are looking for young contributors (or youthful older contributors) who are making a purchase or renting a property in France and willing to devote a few days of their lives to fun time filming their story!

A la prochaine…

Adrian Leeds
The Adrian Leeds Group

(in Menton photo by Eileen Walker)

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P.S. Plan your winter getaway for a few days in the sunny south of France and rent my bright, comfortable and luxurious Parler Nice Apartment Le Matisse. For more information visit Parler Nice Apartments or email [email protected] and stay “with” me!