Come Together at Ralph's Coffee - New York

Leave it to Ralph Lauren, a true American lifestyle designer, to create a storybook experience while shopping his new flagship sore in New York City. The new cafe is located on the second floor of an historic New York building on the corner of 55th Street, which is also the location of the first Polo Ralph Lauren flagship store - but it doesn't stop there. If you're in New York, you'll have to be sure to also be on the look-out for a Ralph's Coffee vintage green truck - a mobile means of serving the City he loves.  Although I have not been to the new cafe, which opened during New York Fashion Week on September 8, it is said to hold an 'inviting blend of form and function with its delicious, private-label coffees made from organically grown beans, served in a residential-style atmosphere.' And thanks to social sharing, we can vicariously envision the experience... just minus the aroma, which also must be heavenly...

 

 

 Coffee? Shopping? Ralph Lauren? and New York City? H-E-A-V-E-N...take me away!

 Ralph's Roast

 "In the front, mosaic-tiled floors, wood-paneling, and white brick create an ethereal café-light setting for a quick sip, complete with marble-topped tables and antique bistro-style chairs. In the back room, a honey-colored communal farmhouse table plays up white weathered bead board; a wall features a stylish take on French bakery racks filled with tomes on fashion and design." - Lonny mag - Jennifer Fernandez

Take a quick tour on Vine.

 

First cup, served to and signed by Ralph Lauren.

If you're blessed to be in the City, keep an eye out for the vintage green truck for Ralph's Coffee.

 

 

Ralph’s Coffee

Polo Ralph Lauren

711 Fifth Avenue at 55th Street

New York, NY 10022

Monday – Saturday 10:00am – 8:00pm

Sunday 11:00am – 8:00pm

 

 

Lauren started designing in 1966 with one tie drawer (in the Empire State Building) - and from there, he has designed, launched, and built a lifestyle empire of  fashion for mens, women, children and home, plus store experiences, innovative fashion shows, marketing campaigns, a Paris restaurant, and now, a New York coffee cafe... What's left? I predict a vineyard and a wine line or limited edition car interiors. 

Why not? It's Ralph's World - and I love it!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

 Photos via The NY Daily News and Ralph's Coffee on Twitter.

Follow Ralph's Coffee on Twitter @Ralphscoffee and also follow the hashtag #RalphsCoffee

 

AD HOME DESIGN SHOW + DIFFA + BLOG TOUR NYC 2014

Today is the First day of Spring, along with some exciting trade show happenings! NYC is kicking off Spring with the 13th Annual Architectural Digest Home Design Show, happening March 20 - 23 at Pier 94.  Also known as the AD Home Design Show, the event will host 300+ exhibitors PLUS design seminars, cooking demonstrations, book signings, cocktail receptions, along with brand and product launches + debuts. One of the debut's at the AD Home Design Show will be a pop-up shop concept called ‘The Shops’ – an on location retail experience with products available for immediate purchase. The new cash & carry market features The Shop at Cooper-Hewitt, DwellStudio, AllModern (a division of Wayfair), and more. Even if you are unable to attend the event, thanks to social media, you can follow along on Twitter using the hashtag #ADHDS2014.

New York Times Designer Seminar Series Panelists - including NY Designer, Patrick J. Hamilton.

One of the featured seminars will be the Jenn-Air Master Class Studio, featuring exclusive programs including trade seminars organized by Architectural Digest, a keynote presentation by Editor-in-Chief Margaret Russell, and a three-day New York Times Designer Seminar Series. I wish I was able to attend, if only to see & hear my friend, Interior Designer Patrick J.  Hamilton speak as a panel member for “Design Dot Com: The Changing State of the Industry,” on Saturday afternoon. Patrick is also one of the several talented designers participating in the Design on A Dime Event, coming up later this Spring in April. More about DOAD  coming up shortly, but be sure to check out Patrick's vignette contribution on my previous post: Charity Causes Get Vignette Set, plus read Patrick's blog at AskPatrick.

Co-Located for the sixth consecutive year with the AD Home Design Show will be the 30th Annual DIFFA - Dining  By Design Charity Event. DIFFA is Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS and is one of the country’s largest supporters of direct care for people living with HIV/AIDS plus preventive education for those at risk. Founded in 1984 by Patricia Green and Larry Pond, DIFFA has granted funds to organizations which fight AIDS by providing:

• preventive education programs targeted to populations at risk of infection
• treatment and direct-care services for people living with HIV/AIDS
• public policy initiatives which add resources to private sector efforts

The DIFFA - Dining By Design Event will kick-off  this evening, Thursday, March 20, with a Cocktails by Design Preview Party from 7 - 10 pm and a Gala Dinner will take place Monday evening from  6:30 - 11 pm. If you are unable to attend these evening soirees, you'll still be able to view the magic tablescapes and dining environments Friday, March 21thru Saturday, March 22 from 11am—7pm and Sunday, March 23 from 10am—6pm. For tickets to attend any of the DIFFA events, visit: diffa.org.

Sneak Peek of one of this years table & dining environment designs:

"Love is Life" table by DVF for Kravet at DIFFA - instagram

In addition to DIFFA - New York, they also have these additional chapter locations: 

Chicago www.diffachicago.org

Dallas www.diffadallas.org

Detroit www.michiganaidscoalition.org

Kansas City www.diffakc.org

San Francisco www.diffasf.org

Seattle www.diffaseattle.org

 Besides following the AD Home Design show on twitter at #ADHDS2014, you can also follow at #DIFFA -- AND -- #BlogTourNYC. Meet the bloggers of Blog Tour NYC 2014 on Modenus.

 

It's an exciting time to be a part of the City that never sleeps!

With all these wonderful design events happening to kick-off Spring, how could you?

Thanks for stopping by!

New York City Trip 2011

The day before we left to NYC around this time last year, Jeff found out he had gotten promoted, and that we would be relocating to Arizona. Flash forward one year, and here we are. I think in the rush of getting the house ready to sell, getting it sold and packed up when we came back, I wasn't too focused on blogging. I love taking photos, and I had SO many I had planned on sharing, but they've been sitting in sets on flickr. Since it was a rainy day here in AZ, I took the time to sort the photos to share here. Although the trip was to honor the 911 10th Anniversary, the trip was not all filled with sadness & memories. We did a little exploring, walking around the market at Union Square, row houses in Chelsea and shops in the Village. And even though it was Fashion Week, there were a few vintage & thrift shops we also visited like Housing Works Thrift and Shareen's Vintage, plus we also got to a flea market on Sunday morning on the Upper West Side. The City can be such a great source of inspiration. I just LOVE taking photos of the it. Here is a condensed version of our trip...

NYC TRIP | 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I still find it hard to believe any time I meet someone who has said they have never been to New York! If you haven't been yet, you've GOT TO add it to your buck list! The City is SO rich with life, museums, eateries, people, shops, inspiration, colors, architecture, energy ... and most importantly HISTORY... I  just can't imagine a minute without it!

 

And when you do go... enJOY every second of it because it will be gone in a 

New York minute...

 

Thanks for stopping by!

911 In Remembrance In NYC

It's a rainy and somber day here in Arizona... quite a bit of a contrast to this day last year. Last year, Jeff and I went to NYC for the 10 year anniversary of 911. Reflecting back on the day, I've been sharing many of the photos on my Facebook wall, and I wanted to share a few here on the blog. Each year it seems, people seem to be remembering less and less, which kind of scares me. Isn't that disconnect or desensitizing how the events on 911 happened to begin with? Be that as it may, here are some of the images I captured from the day spent in NYC on September 11, 2011...

 

The day began in Midtown, at the steps of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Many of the streets were empty (probably because it was a Sunday). I wrote in my journal and just reflected back on the moments. The city was different than it was for the first year anniversary. Back then, every window display was for 911. This time, I think I only spotted two (probably because now this time of year is focused on Fashion's Nite Out). From St. Patrick's, we walked up to and around Central Park and up to the NY Historical Society to view a 911 installation. We later took the NY Waterway to Downtown to Battery Park and walked around. I wrote and added a ribbon to the city's Ribbon's of Hope wall. Afterwards, we took a cab to the 911 Museum Workshop where we not only met the official photographer of Groundzero, but we were able to hold some of the artifacts from there - like a crucifix made the the recovered steel. Making our way back up to Mid-Town, we were able to see the march of NYPD and NYFD down 5th Avenue. In the evening, after dinner, we went back downtown which was actually a last minute dissension from Jeff and I'm grateful for it. Being at the WTC site at night on September 11 had an entirely different feel and mood - it felt more as if it was the locals...

 

 

 

 

 Just take a moment to acknowledge just how significant this day still is...

 

 n e v e r   f o r g e t . . .