I am in the George V in Paris. Sadly I am not staying here with some multi-millionaire pop star lover, but interviewing people for Universal Television. I work as a headhunter when I’m not writing. The hotel is splendid, but I feel rather under-dressed. I can’t help thinking maybe a ball-gown would have been more appropriate. Perhaps a tiara to match. I have seen more chandeliers in one morning than I have during the rest of my life put together. The service is slick and fast. Almost as soon as I sat down for breakfast (a bargain at 40 euros for an orange juice and a fruit salad, why would you ever want to pay less?) a waitress produced a little stool for me to put my handbag on. Now I love my Tod’s handbag and I do take care of it but I’m not sure it will ever recover from its VIP treatment today.
Even outside the confines of the George V Paris seems a lot more civilised than London. The streets are emptier and the shops nicer. The only downside here is the amount of homeless people. I must have passed about five of them on my way to dinner last night. One young man looked up from his sleeping bag, smiled and said “Bonsoir Madame”. It seems even the down and outs are civilised here.