House Hunting on Camera and Off

Nice Carnaval Float Philippe, Denise and Adrian House Hunters International, Screenshot, with Sara, Jack and Adrian

Tomorrow I’m headed to Nice to say both hello and goodbye to the Nice Carnaval. It’s the last weekend of the festival’s parades (two parades on Saturday) and even though I’ve attended them many times in the past, I don’t want to miss seeing them this year if I can help it…the year of the “Roi de la Mode!”

In the meantime, I’ve spent the past week taping my 42nd episode for House Hunters International with a very sweet young couple, Denise and Philippe, who lives in Oslo, Norway. She is American, he is French. They met on an online dating site when he was living and working in New Jersey. Then, he landed a job in Oslo; they moved there together, unmarried. They like it there, but his parents live in Paris and it’s obvious, this is where they’d really like to be, hence the investment in a property in Paris.

We visited three properties, as is the usual format of the show; two in the 14th arrondissement and one in the 11th: a studio and two one-bedrooms, priced give or take around $350,000. This price buys you a small one-bedroom apartment in the outer districts of Paris, but in central Paris, space is more at a premium. They’re planning on getting married, having kids, and spending more time in Paris in their new “pied-à-Terre,” the reason for wanting as much space as their budget will allow. Philippe’s parents will be happy to have them here more often, I’m sure.

Don’t ask when the show will air…because I have no way of knowing. It takes months for the footage to be edited and ready for airing, then the network, HGTV, decides when to launch it. We learn about the date only a week or a bit more in advance and then we will be sure to inform you.

Not long ago, an episode of ours aired that had been taped in Nice: “Picky Hunting in Nice” with “contributors” Sarah Starbuck and Jack Newcastle. “New York newlyweds follow their dream of living abroad by moving to Nice, France. He’s passionate about having a dedicated office where he can teach linguistics, while she’s hoping for peace, quiet and a stove for cooking.” (hgtv.com/shows/house-hunters-international/)

We had a lot of fun taping the show and I had even more fun watching it. Jack and Sarah are unique individuals who have lit up the screen with their great garb and gab. I guarantee you will have lots of laughs. That’s one reason Sarah and Jack have organized a free public viewing of the episode this Friday night February 28th at Le Truc (78, rue de France, Nice). It’s free, so do join us!:

John Garland Jones on House Hunters International Private Party Carnival at Le Truc

House Hunters Watch Party
Friday, February 28th, 7 p.m.
At Le Truc – 78 Rue de France (in the back room)

Join us for a drink and a screening of our House Hunters International Episode!
After the showing of the episode, stay for the show — John Garland Jones will be singing in the front room of Le Truc directly after the screening…

John was a star of House Hunters International, too. He and I taped a show together in 2018:

“Finding a Voice in Nice, France.”

“After having a rough year, a Texas man is taking a daring leap by selling his landlocked house and pursuing a singing career in Nice, France. His good friend and property expert have pulled off many French miracles in the past but getting her buddy to downsize into a fabulous-yet-affordable home could be her greatest challenge yet.”

Saturday night John is hosting another event at Le Truc…what he calls “the party of the year, a kick-ass with amazing people, Carnaval Style!”:

Soirée Privée au Truc – 78 Rue de France
Saturday, February 29th (Leap Year!)
7 p.m. to Midnight

“We close the Carnaval, we celebrate the leap year…in short, we eat, drink and celebrate, and we dance like crazy for this special evening of the year with friends! John Garland will accompany us and call on your vocal cords to participate in karaoke.

What’s included?

*Welcome cocktail and appetizers
*Italian charcuterie and cheese from our regions accompanied by its wines
*Dessert and coffee
*Limoncello

Carnaval masks and costumes encouraged but not required.

Price per person: 50€ (30€ without alcohol)
Reservation by February 26th required no later than February 26th, by the payment of a deposit of 30€ (20€ without alcohol).
Payment link
The remainder of the fee, 20€, is due at the event.
(For your convenience you can pay the full amount via the PayPal link if you wish.)

If you’re in the neighborhood, do stop into at least one of the soirées at Le Truc. It’s a great way of meeting our North American community (and other internationals) that know how to make the most of their Riviera lives.

Next week I’ll be writing from the seaside town, with a report from these events and photos from Carnaval…so stay tuned for a full account!

A la prochaine…

Adrian Leeds
Adrian Leeds Group

(by Reid Warner)

 

 

Edith de Belleville Christine de Pisan, Woman Author from the Middle Ages

P.S. Mark your calendar for Friday, March 20th, when Edith de Belleville talks about the “Beautiful Rebel of Paris, Christine de Pisan.” “Christine de Pisan is considered to be the first woman of letters in the French language to have lived by her pen.” (Wikipedia.org) She was born in Venice in 1364 and died in a monastery in Poissy in 1430 as a philosopher, author, and poet. She is also one of the women featured in Edith’s book, “Belles et Rebelles.” The talk takes place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. pm at Café de la Mairie, first floor, at Place St. Sulpice, Métro Saint-Sulpice line 4. It’s free! Looking forward to seeing you there!