On the Road with Renee – New York City
New York, you continue to amaze me! Fresh off another Fashion Week, I’m thrilled to share my September travel diary for this most magical and irrepressible city, especially since it guided our PXG Fall Winter 2021 collection. Let’s hit the streets and explore the latest New York City has to offer.
In the Heart of the City
Recently, Manhattan’s midtown has been the perfect place to stay for my visits, and this trip was no exception. Home to some of most prized stretch of retail with Fifth & Madison Avenues, midtown is a shopper’s paradise! Plus, with Central Park just a stone’s throw away, mid-town provides the convenience of fresh air and exercise, and is central to meetings whether downtown or up.
Wined and Dined
Whether staying two weeks or two days, Sant Ambroeus is never not on my reservations list. This staple first opened its doors in Milian in 1936, before eventually coming to Manhattan nearly five decades later in 1982. With the city now home to over five locations, Sant Ambroeus has remained true to the flavors, service, and atmosphere of their original Milan location, while still providing each outlet with their own unique charm. Regardless of which location I dine, I love to spend time on the outdoor terraces, soaking in the life of the city with a nice chilled glass of wine, and fresh, light salad.
Speaking of a little something old and something new, Chef Angie Mar’s second New York restaurant, Les Trois Chevaux, was a culinary highlight. Nestled in the heart of Greenwich Village, Chevaux is helmed by the James Beard-recognized Chef Mar, known in many circles here for giving the famed Beatrice Inn new life after the doors shuttered on its exclusive nightclub in the mid-Aughts. Doors close and windows open every moment in New York City, and even the story of Les Trois Chevaux, billed as paying “homage to great French brasseries of eras past, while looking to the future of fine dining in New York City” falls in line.
Culture
Whenever I’m in New York, I always take the time to catch an exhibition at one of the cities numerous museums. On this trip, I had the opportunity to attend the opening of the Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. Sourced primarily from the Dior archives, the exhibition included over two hundred garments from Dior’s collection of prolific artistic directors. I was in absolute awe of the fabulous works on display.
Fashion
I was fortunate and brimming with anticipation to bear witness this September to the triumphant return of Fashion Week. While I didn’t visit any fashion shows this visit, I did attend several special presentations. I met with influential figures, whose creations line my closet and complement my PXG Apparel, but also emerging designers in the space. The ingenuity and inventiveness of all these brilliant designers and fashion arbiters over the years, but especially this last one is truly breathtaking. The design, production and retail games have all changed massively, as have the forums in which we consume the fashion output.
Again, it’s the steely strength below the satiny surface of these talents that keep me coming back to New York. None of us should ever bet against this city; we all have lots to learn from it. Endurance, authenticity, grit, and grace will pull us through anything. Why sleep in the city that famously doesn’t!
To invoke the great Milton Glaser, PXG ❤️NY, I know I certainly do!
– RP