From the Memo Drawer #2 - After Dark in the City of Light and Life

A city once in crisis, now buzzing with spritzes, spanakopita, and soul—Monocle takes note.

Every year one thing I look forward to reading is the Quality of Life Survey from the Monocle magazine. Those who know me well will recognise my devotion and loyalty to this publication. It’s tasteful, always interesting and gloriously committed to print. I love that.

This year’s ‘Best All-Rounder’ went to a city that is hard not to love, Paris. Not a cliché win, I would argue and one very well justified. This is a city that wants to improve all the time.

According to Monocle “there remains a steadfast commitment to prioritising quality over quantity when it comes to designing the urban environment”.

And surprisingly, despite the recent business boom, the property prices in Paris have fallen over the past two years mostly due to housing policies that have helped to keep low-income residents and their businesses in the heart of the city.

But what brings me to this drawer edition of The Blue Memo is the winner of Monocle’s “Best for Nightlife”—a city very close to my heart.