When I received an e-mail from the Ritz Parison December 6 wishing me a happy holiday, it was the perfect start to the greeting season.
But the Ritz isn’t just any hotel: it’s the Parisian Palace par excellence. And it’s also where, even as a young girl, I came to appreciate French elegance and luxury.
My father would take me there once a month, and I would immerse myself in the world of Coco Chanel, Hemingway, Audrey Hepburn, Gene Kelly, and later in the tragic fate of Diana and Dodi Al Fayed… who sadly marked the almost 100 years of the hotel, opened in 1898.
So it was with a lot of nostalgia and memories in mind that I opened the Ritz’s greetings, admittedly via a newsletter, but personalized and addressed to “Madame Gauzi”.
If you haven’t already read them, here are a few words written by Chairman Frank J. Klein and Managing Director Christian A. Boyens:
“It was with great emotion that the Ritz Paris closed its doors almost five months ago to undertake a major renovation.
As the festive season approaches, we are delighted to share with you the first images of this fabulous adventure.
The magic of Christmas is approaching. Our online store www.ritzparisboutique.com will delight young and old with a selection of gifts to put under the tree.
And for a gourmet Christmas Eve, we’re delighted to reveal the recipe for our Bûche de Noël, an exquisite chocolate delight.
We wish you happy holidays and all the best for 2013.”
Against a backdrop of renovation – since the Ritz is closed for 2 years of major works – the establishment continues to make us dream by playing the generosity card.
Multimedia greeting card, short and naive, in all simplicity; opportunity to treat yourself and gifts in the hotel’s E-boutique (always online, of course); and sharing of a famous Yule log recipe, which the Ritz Escoffier school could have taught you if it were still in business…
Since August 1, 2012, the date of the closure, the Ritz team has chosen to keep in touch and present images of the “construction site”. The project, nicely entitled“A Legend In Progress“, can be found on the Palace’s website, as well as on its Facebook page.
While we wait to discover Thierry W. Despont’s version of the Ritz Paris in 2014 – a renowned international designer- we’ll be delighted to follow the Internet for hints of the revival of a hotel that I’m sure I’m not the only one to love.
Farewell dear Luxsure.fr readers and see you in 2013 for more stories of Palaces, Parisian life, astonishing creations, inspiring objects, fascinating encounters… and many more surprises.
Until then, and on this December 31, happy New Year to all, I take advantage of my last article of 2012 to wish you many good things (including gastronomy, wines & spirits in moderation of course) and to blossom in projects that are close to your heart!
Jessica Gauzi
Cette publication est également disponible en : Français (French)
