Too often, individuals who are married to very successful spouses tend to fade into the background; rarely forging their own path. Married to Ralph Lauren for over forty years, Ricky Lauren is no such lady. Apart from taking on the greatest task ever, motherhood (raising two sons, David & Andrew and daughter, Dylan) she has also found the time to write several books along the way.

Her latest tome, The Hamptons: Food, Family, and History, chronicles  the family's bucolic lifestyle, from the early 1970's to present, at their seaside vacation home. It offers favorite family recipes, as well as, warm anecdotes and photos; a beautiful gift for Mother's Day. There's a great article by by Anamaria Wilson, with photos by Mark Seliger, in this month's issue of Harper's Bazaar. I especially like the first photo, shown below with the chandelier. How sophisticated would it be to have that in your backyard; each outdoor meal more romantic than the last.        

Check out this interview with her son, David, that I found on Polo.com. 

A few months back, Donna Karan opened her west coast outpost of Urban Zen in West Hollywood. I finally made it there today and while they’ve yet to carry menswear (hopefully, by the end of April, I was told), it was still worth checking out. Rarely, have I entered a space that felt so welcoming; the cordial staff, the smells, and even entering through a kitchen (yes, a kitchen!) all came together to give this place a most warm feeling. It was very much like walking into someone’s home.

While it is still a store, albeit a very homey store - selling clothing, purses, leather goods and jewelry -  the store’s main mission is to bring attention to the Urban Zen Foundation, with 10% of retail sales going towards the foundation. Donna Karan has said that, “The Foundation’s goal is to create a community dedicated to change – to improving patient care through integrative medicine, to strengthening children’s social, emotional and physical resilience, and to celebrating and promoting the inherent value in all cultures.”

Although it’s a small contribution, I picked up one of the hand-carved hearts from the Million Hearts For Haiti Campaign with the proceeds to aid the Hand/Eye Fund’s Artisan Grant Program.

The New York Urban Zen location recently had a benefit night where many celebrities (Hugh Jackman, Anna Wintour, Charlize Theron, Ralph Lauren, Susan Sarandon, Tory Burch, among them) came out to paint/decorate hearts to be auctioned off; furthering the causes of Urban Zen.

All images by N.D. Harrington for The Sophisticated Gentleman

URBAN ZEN
9045 Nemo Street
West Hollywood, CA  
310-247-1255
Monday-Saturday: 11:00-6:00

Years ago, a dear friend Patty Maloney, an associate at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills, invited me and my date, Jacqueline, to an Isaac Mizrahi fashion show at the Hotel Bel-Air.  It was my first visit to the world-famous hotel, (which was opened in 1946 by Alphonzo Bell), and boy was it a treat. Living in Southern California, there is so much history and culture, albeit laid-back, at our fingertips. I'm convinced that we miss out on so many things around town because of the distance and driving involved.  Well, seeing as how I have over 431K miles on my car, (yes 431K- that’s not a typo) I obviously enjoy exploring sun-drenched California. 

A friend and I were coming from Santa Monica and at the last minute decided to stop by this recently renovated icon of a hotel for drinks (an early birthday treat for me), that is until we realized that valet parking itself was nearly $40! We decided otherwise.

After a two year renovation, this pink Spanish Colonial, home-away-from-home retreat for much of Hollywood, old and new, (Elizabeth Taylor once honeymooned here) re-opened last December. While most of the world famous hotel has been updated and re-imagined by designer Alexandra Champalimaud and Rockwell Group it’s good to know that the full-time residents, Chloe, Athena and Hercules (the swans) remain.

With rooms ranging from $565-13,500/night, at this point in life, I’d have a better chance of trying the new restaurant, Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air or the La Prairie Spa (one of only four in the world). Hopefully, Chloe, Athena and Hercules will still be there when I can afford to make it back.  In the meantime, here are some pictures I found on Architectural Digest.com