Hardly Any Regrets

Postcards from Paris…

It was probably a sign and we probably should have taken it. But one of the things that I’ve tried to learn during this apartment hunt business, is to have no regrets. So instead, let’s just say that this first apartment got away and probably did so for a good reason.

When unforeseen travel cancellations “forced” us to return to Paris for a night, we were able to schedule a last minute visit to the Bourdonnais apartment I had just heard about. At the time I thought, “This such a good story – one of luck and timing and stars lining up – maybe this will be the perfect apartment.” The irony is that a couple of years later with lots of lessons learned, I realized that this probably was close to the perfect apartment. But oh well. No regrets.

Here are the images of my first love, number one. It was a charming two bedroom apartment (O.K., in all fairness, bedroom number two was a pass-through, but if you craned your neck and looked up the airshaft, it did have a fabulous view of the tippy top of the Eiffel tower), just off of the Avenue de la Bourdonnais, in the swanky 7^th arrondissement of Paris.

The terrace – perfect for enjoying your morning croissant. Image via Paris Perfect.

Since it was love number one, I missed a couple of things that in retrospect, I’ve learned are highly desirable and hard to come by:

1. It was in great shape and really didn’t need to have anything done to it

2. It was on the fifth floor with a balcony. You’ll learn, as I did, that the fifth floor of a circa 1900’s building is a very desirable floor because it often has a “balcon filant” or wrought iron balcony that stretches across the front of the building. Sometimes there is just enough room for a small bistro table. (OK, small caveat – I’m afraid of heights and not sure that I’d ever dare set foot on the balcony – but it is a nice idea and a great feature for resale, as well as a wonderful prop for photographs.)

3. It faced south, and therefore was bathed in sun all day long, which is quite the valuable commodity in a Paris apartment. (OK, another small caveat – the view across the street was of an ugly school, but the view to the side was amazing.)

4. Something else I didn’t realize was that Love #1 had all of the coveted architectural elements that are Parisian favorites and the cornerstone of every chi chi real estate listing: “Parquet, moulures, cheminee” – meaning the original parquet floors (note that these are the highly desirable “pointes d’hongrie” floors) , moldings and fireplace.

Gorgeous floors & molding

Original fireplace

5. The inside was beautifully furnished, with a combination of nice antiques and attractive decorative elements. The palette was light and bright and complemented the architectural elements of this circa 1900’s building.

A small but updated kitchen

Bright, comfortable bedrooms

La toilette – clean & efficient

6. Last but certainly not least, location location location. Although some may argue that the swanky 7^th arrondissement is not the most exciting in Paris, because it is a little more residential and not as central to the hubbub of activity, it has long been one of my favorites. If you’re going to be in the 7^th, you either need to be close to the Rue Cler (a famous and fabulous market street), or with a view of the Eiffel Tower. This one had the view.

C’est magnifique!

This apartment got away from us, since we didn’t act fast enough and didn’t realize at the time what a great and rare product it was. New owners came in and made some changes , including painting the small bedroom blue, adding a swag over the master bed and giving the living room a decidedly blue palette. But the essentials of the apartment, and what I fell in love with – the floors, the location, the light and the view – haven’t changed a bit.

The second bedroom/reading room Master bedroom

Open floor plan- dining & living room

All photos courtesy of Paris Perfect.

Oh well, I let it get away. Bye bye love #1. With “Hardly any Regrets,”, the hunt continues. Stay tuned for next week’s, “Having a Crush.”

Tata!

A.

How Delish Is This?

We Huffingtons do enjoy a libation now and again and when we come across one we really love, we feel it necessary to share.

Along with hot summer days, afternoon thunderstorms and the heady scent of gardenias, one of our favorite guilty pleasures is the delicious, and sadly, habit-forming Lillet.

If you haven’t experienced the sweet but tangy flavor of this French wine, do put it on your list. You’ll feel instantly transported to the madly glamorous Cote d’Azur of yesteryear.

The Lillet Frères (Paul and Raymond) are responsible for the creation of this lovely little aperitif, which hails from a little spot in Bordeaux and dates back to 1872. It’s a heady blend of 85% wine, herbs and citrus liqueurs made from a variety of oranges and then matured in oak casks.

Casks of Lillet, aging to perfection.

We found this description of Lillet from a real oenophile: “Golden color, shimmery; floral nose, honey, candied orange, pine resin, lime, fresh mint; distinct taste, generous, intense, aromatic, long.”

Lillet: the classic Bordelais aperitif

This sweet but tangy concoction has been going strong for more than 100 years – in fact, it’s said that the Duchess of Windsor never went anywhere without her personal bottle of Lillet. In the 60’s, it was the cocktail of choice for New York socialites frequenting the ever-chic 21 Club.

It’s even made it to Hollywood: in the movie, Hannibal, Hannibal Lecter drinks "Lillet and a slice of orange over ice"; he later serves the same drink to Clarice Starling. James Bond loves it, too, ordering it in both Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Martha Stewart likes hers with a little cucumber and tarragon: click here for her recipes. That’s so Martha.

Bond. James Bond.

Okay, so what do you do with it? We like it a nice thin-lipped crystal wine glass (preferably a Bordeaux glass), over ice (yes, ice) a splash of soda (yes, soda and we know you traditionalists will cringe) and a nice slice of orange. It’s heavenly on a summer’s evening when perhaps a little salade nicoise is awaiting you or perhaps a savory tomato tarte. Wherever, whenever and with whatever you decide to nibble on while sipping, Lillet is nectar of the soul.

Not a Bordeaux glass, but it will do…

Lillet comes in two variations: blanc et rouge.

We hope you take our advice and enjoy a glass of Lillet next time you’re dining al fresco on a warm summer’s eve. You will not be disappointed!

What are some of your favorite summertime cocktails?

Tata!

M.

Hunting is Half the Fun

Postcards from Paris…

It all started fairly innocently, several years ago, when Big Guy and I had a couple of days off together and decided to make a quick trip to Paris and Provence. The weather was perfect, which is definitely unusual for Paris in February, and we took it as a small omen that we were destined to be lucky in the City of Light.

We were staying in the 7^th Arrondissement at the Hotel de Tourville, which has been a standby favorite for us for over ten years. Before going out one evening, I did a quick little internet search on one of my most frequented computer “bookmarks” to check the real estate listings at www.justfrancesales.com.

Some people go to Paris to visit museums or catch the latest in haute couture, to eat in fabulous restaurants or experience café life, to stock up on skin products at pharmacies or to attend art auctions and flea markets, to shop in the outdoor markets, to run along the Seine, to attend free concerts, to worship at Notre Dame, to read a book in the Tuileries gardens, to climb the Eiffel tower, to go to a jazz club, to walk in the footsteps of the great American writers, or simply just to sip hot chocolate at Angelina’s.

I go to Paris for all of the above… and to look for an apartment. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to own an apartment in Paris. But it wasn’t until this trip that I actually sat down and did some math and figured out that if I bought the right place for the right price in the perfect location and furnished it beautifully, I could have my apartment and pay for it too. And it just so happened that as I checked the new listings on Just France’s real estate site that evening in February, a beautiful two bedroom apartment just down the street from our hotel, popped up for sale.

(Photo via In Great Detail)

Avenue de la Bourdonnais, Paris

I remember walking up the stately tree lined Avenue de la Bourdonnais, a few steps away from the Eiffel Tower, breathing in the sites, the sounds, the scents and the late afternoon light, and stopping in at one of our regular neighborhood haunts for a feast of escargots and foie gras. “Oh no,” said Big Guy, knowing that look on my face, and recognizing my favorite little yellow French notepad with the tiny grey squares, “here it comes.”

Over dinner, as the wine flowed and the foie gras was devoured, the numbers were chewed on and stretched and reconfigured and manipulated until they could reasonably point to the conclusion that I yearned for, with my fingers just slightly crossed under the table and my most convincing arguments up my sleeve: We (ahem, cough cough) need to invest (key word) in a little pied-a-terre in Paris.

The scene of the crime

In all fairness, we weren’t completely new to this idea, since we are fortunate enough to already own a home in France, having purchased a property in Provence many years ago during a similar moment of romantic judgment lapse (more about that another time) and economic creativity. However our house in the South has turned out to be a wonderful investment in every way, and due to many factors that make it highly desirable – location, amenities and décor, among others – it pays for itself through rentals. So I had a strong leg to stand on when I said I thought we could buy a little piece of paradise in Paris and actually have it pay for itself too.

The next day I emailed the owner of "Just France" and told him about my crazy new idea, which he welcomed with understandable enthusiasm. (We go way back with Just France as they have for years done a beautiful job of representing Les Murets, our house in Provence). Unfortunately, though, we couldn’t arrange to visit the apartment that week since we were on our way to Provence. And had it not been for some fortuitous timing with cooperation from Mother Nature and Air France, to be covered in my next blog, we would have missed it completely.

But on that gorgeous, unseasonably warm evening in February, began a very long and as yet inconclusive search that has taken me to Paris countless times, sometimes on a day’s notice. I have pored over more “for sale” ads, subscribed to more circumspect internet real estate listing services, met with more real estate agents, bankers, architects, interior designers and visited more apartments, up more flights of stairs and across more “pointes de hongrie” thresholds than even I, the house hunter extraordinaire, could imagine. But then again, this has been one of the most fun assignments I’ve ever had.

Perfection? Apartment is called Amaranthe, in the Marais. (photo via Guest Apartment Services)

Although the search is still on and the elusive apartment is yet to be found, the journey has been so fulfilling that I wonder if, when I finally get it and furnish it a la linen and Louis, glammed up with a little Coco and Corbu, the perfect apartment might be just a bit of a letdown , after so many years of hunting. And that is why I’ve decided to share the hunt with you: Because isn’t the hunt half the fun?

Stay tuned … Next week, the hunt begins with “Hardly any Regrets” and the visit to the perfect two bedroom, off of Avenue de la Bourdonnais.

Tata!

A.

How Does She Do That? (The series continues…)

Artist Nancy Franke

Nancy Franke

By now, you know that we’re all pretty passionate about what we’re doing here at the gallery and we’re thrilled that every day puts us in contact with the most talented, delightful, creative and inspirational people we’ve ever met.

At the top of that list of superlatives is our dearest Nancy Franke: artiste extraordinaire and a little fireball of energy, fun and enthusiasm.

Mike & Nancy Franke

Nancy’s been with us since before Day 1 at HHFA (Ann repped her work for a couple years before we even met and thought about a gallery) and if there was ever a number one cheerleader and supportive friend, Nancy is it.

New Year's Bouquet

Graceful, 24 x 12”

Handled, 12 x 24”

She’s always been a marvelous painter – her work consistently has that elusive quality that is so difficult to incorporate and translate onto the canvas. We call it pure soul and Nancy’s paintings shout it out. Her bubbly personality spills over into all components of her work – clever composition, energetic technique and a palette that perfectly reads the heart of each specific painting.

Nancy never takes herself too seriously & we love that about her!

Still lifes, florals and landscapes all come to life under her competent hand and it’s always a happy moment when we see what delight her work brings to her collectors.

Musings on Spring, 48 x 48”

In the Spotlight, 10 x 10”

Lately, we’ve got a group of new work from Nancy and when she sent us a couple of photos from which she took her inspiration, we thought immediately that we needed to share that. So, feast your eyes below and see how Nancy magically brings her subjects to juicy, living and breathing life:

Nancy went to the Atlanta Ballet, looking for inspiration: “We went for adult shots, and the best ones were of the children's class!”

  Pink Leotard, 24 x 18”   

The inspiration

Rose Poetry, 12 x 12”

And, she posted this one on her blog, which we just loved:

 Veranda Lilies in progress

Veranda Lilies, 20 x 20”

Nancy’s always experimenting and one of the qualities we love most about her is that she’s never afraid to push her own boundaries or to try something new. In the group of paintings she recently brought us were a couple of unusual subjects for her: a beautifully-shaped decorative lamp and a favorite old purse:

Switched On, 12 x 9”

Nancy changed the proportions a bit and put more emphasis on the crystal.

 Where’s My Purse, 9 x 12”

We begged for images of the real thing, and we can totally see how Nancy would want to capture the saucy curves of this adorable little lamp. We loved the bag, too…but sadly, Nancy gave that slouchy and deliciously leathery purse away to some lucky soul before she could take a photo of it.

Our little blue door is always open and, as a matter of fact, we’re open this coming Thursday evening (June 3^rd) from 6-8 p.m as part of the Atlanta Gallery Associations First Thursday Buckhead art walks. So, if you’re around, please come in and feast your eyes on Nancy’s work in person. We’ll happily put a glass of wine in your hands and a nibble or two and then leave you to contemplate Nancy’s effervescent paintings.

Ta Ta…

HH

How I Fell In Love With Paris

Postcards from Paris

I haven’t always loved Paris. In fact, when I was growing up in Geneva, Switzerland, where everything was pristine and perfect and remarkably clean, I used to think we were slumming it a little each time we drove in to France.

Geneva, Switzerland

The first time we visited Paris, when I was quite young and it had still not gone through its many renovations and clean ups, I thought it was a big, crowded and unkempt city, not unlike my unfortunate view of the rest of France. So when my friend Muffy invited me to spend a week with their family in a hotel in Paris, at age fourteen, I didn’t exactly jump with joy. I had heard the Swiss “jokes” about France, about how things didn’t work properly, or nobody was ever on time, and people in France certainly didn’t have pristine houses like ours in Switzerland. I couldn’t understand the attraction to Paris, but I was willing to give it a try.

I remember being so pleasantly surprised when we settled into our comfortable rooms at the Hotel de St. Simon, where the walls were padded with silk toile, the courtyard was beautiful, the rooms were elegant and spotless, and the geraniums in every window were as healthy and happy as their Swiss counterparts.

Soon we were navigating the metro, visiting the newly opened “ Drugstore” on the Champs Elysees (where you could listen to your favorite music with headphones), and sampling a few wonderful restaurants and stores in our neighborhood. I tasted Croque Monsieurs for the first time, and ate so many croissants that a part of me turned to butter.

We walked through the Tuileries gardens, were introduced to the Louvre and “Jeu de Paume” museums, and were mesmerized by the Bateaux Mouches on the Seine and their miniature counterparts in the pond of the Luxembourg Gardens.

Tuileries Gardens

Un bateau mouche on the Seine

Luxembourg Gardens

I loved the long, wide tree lined boulevards, like St. Germain, Raspail and St. Michel.

St. Germain

St. Raspail Market

I loved the magnificent stone buildings and began to discern the differences between the old medieval Paris and the more recent 18^th and 19^th century city, with its Haussmann influences.

Haussmann architecture in Paris

I was fascinated by the beauty of the architecture, the scroll work on the balconies, the massive doors and the intricate gates that led to enchanting cobblestoned courtyards.

The perfect spot to enjoy your morning cafe & croissant

A secret garden within the city

I remember feeling safe and grown up and independent, where Muffy and I could maneuver the metro on our own, visit Montmartre and have our portraits sketched, run to Notre Dame to catch the end of an organ concert and sample our first decadent chocolate macaroons, at Dalloyau on the rue de Grenelle.

Chocolate macaroons…trés delicieux!

I learned to become a café regular, sitting on the terraces of the big wide boulevards, mastering the delicate art of flirting with the waiter and doing my best to look older and sophisticated. I remember slowly falling in love with the city of Light and thinking that someday, some time, I’d want to live there.

That dream has never died, and to this day, I have been doggedly pursuing it, with somewhat more ambition and urgency than ever before. Fortunately, with the wonderful job I have (and very understanding business partner), along with my incredibly supportive and adventurous family, this dream may be slowly turning in to a reality.

This is the beginning of a series of blogs on finding an apartment in Paris, an adventure which has taken me back to my favorite city dozens of times in the last few years, with more adventures in love and heart break than I could ever imagine. Despite all the ups and downs and all arounds, I think this one may just have a happy ending.

Stay tuned …

Tata!

A.