Over the years, I’ve been asked, “Why do you love Paris so much?” My reply is the same – S.O.W.
Even-though the Parisian cityscape has changed over the years, these three words continue to shadow my existence whenever I’m in or out of Paris. S.O.W. is also the reason Walter and I choose France as our future home.
I contracted the romance bug in the autumn of 1966 when the ‘Simorgh’ (my patriarch’s private jet) touched down Charles de Gaulle airport. A young teenager with a quest for adventure, I was whisked to the Paris Ritz Carlton in a shiny black Bentley. I had already fallen head-over-heels in awe and in love with my host, our accompanying Arabian entourage, including my chaperone-cum-Valet-cum-lover, Andy; and of course, with Paris. That was before we even hit the private haute couture showings at Chanel, Dior, Ungaro, Givenchy, YSL, and Patou. Not to mention Café de Flore, La Belle Époque, Maxim’s, and by no means least, Le Folies Bergers – places to see and be seen.
In the following years, I had accompanied many princes, princesses, sheiks, sheikas, together with their aristocratic Arabian harems, to this City of Seduction (S) and Originality (O). It was this French capital that taught me wit (W). Some say wittiness is a congenital trait. I say it is a learned art of human relationships.
Whatever it is, I had returned to the City of S.O.W.; where I had sown many a wild oat. Now, with my beloved ‘hubby’ in tow, I’m here to R.E.A.P. its rewards.
You may ask, “What the hell is R.E.A.P.?”
Whereby I will explain:
R – Romance was, still is and continues to exist in this alluring Capital of Love; amidst an influx of foreign refugees (a different story I’ll relate another day 😊).
E – Elegance: Walter and I find irresistibly seductive in this sordid City of High Culture.
A – Authenticity, the Paris of Romance; NOT the Paris in Las Vegas, Nevada 😊).
P – Paris: Sophistication, Originality, Wit, Romance, Elegance, Authenticity and finally, my jeu d'esprit where Perfection reigns supreme – PARIS – Mon Paree 😊!
This and other vignettes are documented in A Harem Boy’s Saga; a memoir by Young (moi – aka Bernard Foong) - (a 5 – 7 book autobiographical series): http://amzn.to/1FMlHVY
Bernard Foong (aka Young)
A HAREM BOY’S SAGA (series) - Film Option Agreement signed with a UK Film production company.
Book I - INITIATION is currently in film pre-production.
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