[T]here are those really special moments in life where you find yourself in a place that you have only dreamed of. If you have been following along on Instagram you know we are in Paris, and Paris in the fall is one of the greatest experiences in life…the beauty, the light, the smells, how the leaves crackle under your feet on the old cobblestones. I am always looking for new Paris recommendations to keep discovering this beautiful city each time we return.
I had heard about Ralph’s, Ralph Lauren’s restaurant on the famous Boulevard Saint German in the Latin Quarter of Paris, and when I walked through the archway I knew this was the place I had been dreaming of…an old Parisian mansion built in 1683, saved and renovated to the highest detail and quality by Mr. Lauren. We arrived to dine in the courtyard, surrounded by beautiful landscaping, massive windows slightly ajar allowing you to hear the clinking of champagne glasses from inside. Ella Fitzgerald, Edith Piaf, and other old jazz standards echoed off the stone walls and dissipated up into the night sky. I laid back on a sea of Ralph Lauren linen pillows with a glass of Chateau de Tracy with its mesmerizing floral bouquet and said to Kevin, I feel like I’m living in Jay Gatsby’s world, if he were in Paris to visit Hemingway.
Surrounding the restaurant is the complete world of Ralph Lauren. Room by room, positioned around gilded mirrors and enchanting fireplaces are the collections of this iconic American designer, but the view of Boulevard Saint Germain from the old mansion’s windows leaves no question in your mind, you are in Paris and what a city she is…
“I wanted to create a unique environment that captures the glamour, culture and the artistic spirit of the Paris that I have fallen in love with. Now, with this store opening, in the most romantic part of the city, I finally feel I have ben able to tell my whole story in Paris.”
-Ralph Lauren
“I want it to be the best restaurant of its kind in Paris, offering great American food in the most beautiful and romantic setting. It will have gracious hospitality with a glamorous, yet informal sophistication.”
-Ralph Lauren
Night falls, dinner at Ralphs
“I think the story of the menu is like the classic film ‘An American in Paris’. I want the food to be genuinely American, but set in a mood that is genuinely international. The contrast should be unique and memorable.”
-Ralph Lauren
It’s all in the details. The tenderloin and strip steaks are products of Ralph Lauren’s own RRL Ranch in Colorado and exclusively served at this Parisian establishment!
Kevin wears a custom-made navy Ralph Lauren Suit and purple silk tie to match my purple velvet Ralph Lauren heels (similar), Nonoo NY lace skirt, classic black crew neck and Ralph Lauren belt.
PS – the muses of Ralph Lauren…