Rooting for Paris on the 4th of July
Rooting for Paris on the 4th of July Parler Paris–your taste of life in Paris and France Monday, July 4, 2005 ===== Special Sponsored Message ===== Living in Paris is as difficult as it is romantic. Just as anywhere else in the world, life is filled with the practical issues we must confront from day to day. Work has to be secured, papers registered, an apartment or house needs to be bought or rented. These are almost 300 QUESTIONS from REAL people and all the PRACTICAL ANSWERS for LIVING IN FRANCE . . . “The Insider Guide to Practical Answers for Living in France” — a compilation of Jean Taquet’s Question and Answer columns now in its 11th year!… A fun read while very informative! Click here to learn more and order your copy: *** To read Jean Taquet’s July/August Column in its entirety, click here: /parlerparis/practicalanswers.html ===================================== Dear Parler Paris Reader, The hard rain and the cool air is a refreshing change this morning from the hot, sun that blanketed Paris this past week. Saturday night was warm and balmy. The café tables next to the whimsical Igor Stravinsky fountain next to the Centre Georges Pompidou were filled. Kids running, giggling and splashing water from the fountain played a game to torture their parents and it helped cool the atmosphere. On the “parvis” of the Mairie of the 3rd Arrondissement, a couple hundred people sat patiently on plastic chairs in front of a large screen in total darkness as the technician tried to repair and restart the film “Gladiator” that was part of its “Festival Soirs d’Eté” program. On rue Eugène Spuller outside the gates, chess players were maneuvering giant pieces around a board I’d estimate to measure 2.5 X 2.5 meters. There’s something going on there, free of course, all Summer long. For more information click here. Today’s change in weather wouldn’t make for a good July 4th barbecue, that is if we had a place to barbecue. One American friend uses his elegant Marais “hôtel particulier” courtyard to host summer parties, much to his neighbors’ dismay, but he laughs and says “tant pis.” Instead, I opted for an intimate hamburger “pig-out” with American friends, the burgers cooked in an iron skillet made from fresh ground beef. It’s a tradition I’ve held now several years, complete with all the fixin’s, including brownies, watermelon and Coca Cola. Delicious and satisfying…a tiny taste of the good ol’ U.S. of A. I’ve seen lots of email flying around among Americans looking for some place to gather to celebrate July 4th together. One wrote “Is it too obvious to suggest celebrating on the 14th with the rest of Paris?… although I suppose that since I now consider the 4th just to be another July day, I’m no longer an ‘Expat’ despite the blue cover on my passport.” Parisians are starting to already exit the city by the droves headed for their Summer vacations and Bastille Day celebrations. I noticed the acute change as I boarded the 96 bus Saturday in the direction of Gare Montparnasse that there were more suitcases in the aisles than people. There were also several people in wheelchairs, taking advantage of the handicapped-friendly buses. Paris is leveling out its pedestrian paths more and more, as curbs are getting shorter and rolling along becomes a smoother ride…for roller blades, wheel chairs, suitcases, shopping carts and anything on wheels. Newly renovated intersections have been given a slight rise — a sort of speed bump, that puts the street on the same level as the curb and naturally slows down the vehicle. Meanwhile, the city anxiously await’s Wednesday’s decision by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) to choose one of the five candidate cities (London, Madrid, Moscow, New York or Paris) for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The vote takes place in Singapore by a secret ballot held among all IOC members and will be televised, the announcement made at 12:30 p.m. Paris time. All of Paris will be watching — for France, hosting the Games would mean seeing 42,000 lasting jobs created and an increase in GDP of 35 billion euros over a seven- year period, not to mention the immense prestige to have been chosen! With a win, the celebration Wednesday night in the streets of Paris could rival the fanfare from the win of the World Cup France took in 1998. I hate to think how the city will react if a rival city takes the bid. No offense, New York, but we Parisians with the blue cover passports are rooting for Paris! A la prochaine…
Adrian Leeds P.S. Be sure to read Wednesday’s Parler Paris Previews Community Calendar for what’s in store the rest of the Summer…Bastille day, Paris Plage and more. P.P.S. Mark July 12th on your calendar to have a coffee or drink with us at Parler Paris Après Midi — the last one for the Summer. Visit /parlerparis/apresmidi.html for details. ===================================== * A True Tale of Paris Property Profits We know from the tales our clients and readers tell, that earning up to 10% on an apartment rental in Paris is entirely possible. Of course, like all returns (or losses) on an investment, the factors must all be in favor to support a positive return…Click here to read on… French Property Insider… Learn how to buy property in France. French Property Insider is an e-mail newsletter from the editors of Parler Paris. If you’d like to learn about the insights, recommendations, and discoveries about buying and investing in real estate in Paris and France that French Property Insider readers get every week, read more about a subscription here: /frenchproperty/insider/subscribetofpi.html or call FREE MONTH FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY Subscribe now for a FREEE extra month…13 full months, 4 extra issues, for 0 extra dollars. Just click here. At the top select “French Property Insider (13 months)- Please enter your promotion code below.” At the bottom of the form, it says: “If you have a discount or coupon, enter the code” — now at the bottom, submit this promotional code…9B0525…to get your free month and you’ll be reading long after everyone else. If you’re already a subscriber to FPI, you can extend your subscription an extra 13 months, too, all at the price of 12. Here’s how: That’s all you have to do to add 13 months to the end of your current subscription for the price of 12. Not a bad deal, huh? ===================================== FURTHER RESOURCES * This could be the view from your window. Learn the best ways to watch your money and real estate investment grow before your very eyes…all while gazing at the world’s most famous monument over a frothy café crème. Invest in France Seminar * Is it Your Dream to be FLUENT in French? Perfect or maintain your fluency in French with Champs-Elysées monthly audio magazine, packed with interesting news and features on French life and culture. If you’re looking for rapid improvement, try the new audio study package, Champs-Elysées Plus, containing a range of listening and written exercises to help you with comprehension, vocabulary building, and improving your accent. * So you went to French class and learned the “subjonctif?” And now you still can’t speak? All you need is a little practice to get talking! Practice speaking French and English with people from all over the world at Parler Parlor… ======= CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING ===== ==APARTMENT RENTAL== For all short term rental apartments in Paris, take a look at ===================================== Come for a drink and to meet and chat with other readers in Paris: sociate here: /parlerparis/forward.html |
To read more, click the links below.