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REGISTER FOR THE LIVING AND INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE CONFERENCE AND SAVE UP TO $400 OR MORE!

Living and Investing in France Real Estate Conference
March 21-22, 2009
New Orleans, Louisiana

There is nothing else you can do in less time and as inexpensively to learn all you need to learn to make your dream to live and invest in France come true. Produced by Adrian Leeds and John Howell is the 23rd conference of the series, which was the first ever of its kind to be offered both in Paris and the United States. Take advantage of this two-day power-packed conference with expert speakers from France, Europe and the U.S...and these two days of conference activities include the coffee breaks, the cocktail and five course dinner at Tujague's(!).Reference materials and a tote bag filled with FREE gifts from Paris!

If you register now, you can SAVE $100 off the registration fee. And when you bring along your spouse, partner or friend, you can SAVE AN ADDITIONAL $200! Plus, if you bring a third person, we'll EXTEND THE SECOND PERSON DISCOUNT!

For more information and to register, click here FrenchPropertyconference or email info@adrianleeds.com

PLAN AHEAD...MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR UPCOMING CONFERENCES

London
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The International Law Partnership
The Vaults, Holborn Hall
193-197 High Holborn
London WC1V 7BD
For more information, email info@adrianleeds.com

Paris
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Chez Jenny
3, Boulevard du Temple
75003 Paris
For more information, email info@adrianleeds.com

Dear Parler Paris Reader,

San Francisco and Paris have a very special relationship. The cities first bonded in 1996 with a Friendship and Cooperation Agreement and then ten years later signed the Digital Sister Cities Memorandum of Understanding..."conscious of the necessity of sharing experiences and convinced that such relationships between citizens give rise to mutual enrichment"... or so their press materials claim.

What the mayors of each of the cities may not know is that San Francisco and the Bay Area is the single largest Francophile community in the United States!

While no one knows why that is for sure, my bet the reason for this stems back long before any agreements between the two cities -- as far back as 1889 when the first Alliance Française was established there, only six years after its creation in Paris by scientist Louis Pasteur, the diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps, the writers Jules Verne and Ernest Renan, and the publisher Armand Colin. The French have always flocked their spreading their language, their culture and their "joie de vivre."

We've held numerous Living and Investing in France Real Estate Conferences there at the Alliance Française at 1345 Bush Street and therefore have had a special relationship between the cities, too. So, when I was able to witness the Monday signing of the Cooperation Memorandum for the years 2009 to 2011 with the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom present, I jumped at the chance!

Newsom was made famous by a bold move to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples only 36 days after taking office. Perhaps this further solidifies a friendly relationship with Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoë who openly announced his gay status during a 1998 television interview before being elected mayor.

The signing itself took on the 'usual' agenda in the "Salon Jean Paul Laurens" in the Paris City Hall at a small table near the southern window overlooking the river. City officials from both cities stood nearby as first, the Mayor of Paris spoke, then turned over the podium to tall, young (41 -- the youngest San Francisco mayor in over a century) and I might add, quite handsome, Gavin Newsom.

Each expressed their warm sentiments and wishes for cooperative ties in the usual fashion -- cooperation in the form of information exchange, sharing of tools and networks, promotion of cultural exchange and reciprocation. What was a bit different at Monday's signing was the reference made to newly installed President Barack Obama.

First, Gavin Newsom signed the Memorandum and as he did, Bertrand Delanoë pointed out that he signed with his left hand, just like Obama! Then, Delanoë took his position at the desk and the pen was handed over to him...but for some reason, the pen wouldn't write.

Quickly a pen was handed over to replace it and he signed, noting that the new pen wrote very nicely indeed. When both signatures were on the documents, it was Delanoë who noticed that now it was even more beautiful by virtue of the two colors of ink on the ivory-toned paper!

I thought this very French, to have such an esthetic viewpoint on the detail of the day and perhaps was the only witness to have noticed the cultural difference.

After the signing, the participants were wisked by car to "La Cantine," a center inaugurated just one year ago supported by "Silicon Sentier" -- an association made up of 120 technological enterprises designed to help create new businesses and provide more jobs in the Région Ile-de-France. La Cantine is in the heart of the Sentier district, in one of the many "passages" of the 2nd arrondissement.

First the mayors met on the sidewalk greeting Green Party Mayor of the 2nd Arrondissement, Jacques Boutault, before entering La Cantine. There, again Delanoë said a few words, then the principle players of the association spoke to a large group of officials and press with Newsom and his wife on the front row.

I snuck out before the ceremonies ended, but left with a warm spot in my heart once again, for the cities of Paris and San Francisco, and the gallant gentlemen at their helms.

MEET PARLER PARIS READERS TUESDAY "APRES MIDI."

The second Tuesday of every month, Parler Paris and French Property Insider readers gather at La Pierre du Marais for a drink and a "schmooze" -- it's an opportunity to meet and chat with other like-minded people and a great way to make friends! Costs nothing except whatever you drink, so don't miss the next gathering on Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 from 3 to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit parlerparis.com/apresmidi.html

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY -- BRING A FRIEND AND ATTEND PARLER PARLOR FREE!

Join us at the Parler Parlor Conversation Group for free-form conversation with native French and English speakers. Practice speaking 45 minutes in French, 45 minutes in English. Make friends, discuss interesting topics, learn about other cultures, progress in understanding and speaking, naturally and easily, in groups of 6 to 8, each in its own acoustically sound private room.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Bring a friend and attend FREE! Sweets will be served!
11 a.m. at Lutèce Langue, 23 bd de Sébastopol, 1st

Members of Parler Parlor: Bring one or more friends who have never attended before...the will attend free, of course (FIRST TIME FREE!), BUT SO WILL YOU!!! If you come alone...a session on your card will be marked off! So, don’t come alone...bring any Anglophone or Francophone friends of your choice. Sweets will be served!

For more information, visit ParlerParlor.com

FRANCE TODAY THE MAGAZINE OF FRENCH TRAVEL AND CULTURE

France Today is an insider’s look at French culture, people and trends — your savvy guide to off-the-beaten-track places and events in Paris and all over France!

"France-Amerique est vôtre lien privilégié avec la France et la langue française!"

To subscribe, visit http://www.francetoday.com or call 1-800-901-6560

Copyright 2010, Adrian Leeds®
Adrian Leeds Group, LLC, adrianleeds.com