RITZ GOES INTERNATIONAL

(Part II of Oct. 27 post.) And so when I saw The International Building in the rear of our limo, knew where we were. Not at Love Field or DFW, but in the coolest part of the new Design District. The Ritz had set up a double buffet spread by Dean Fearing–Lobster Bisque, Short Rib Quesadillas, Wild Mushroom Salad on one, Cowboy Shrimp, Glazed Tenderloin, Red Snapper on the other. Desserts followed McDonald’s performance, a flowing bar, and two encores. The Ritz marketing budget according to one buyer: $2 million.

Who was there?

Alan Peppard, who danced the night away, Dean and wife Lynae, Ellen Terry’s Sharon Quist who told me she has already sold three Ritz units and bought one herself, Angela and Bill Lindberg, William Mabus, John Hillman, a host of architects, builders, and marketers from the Ritz, Todd Fiscus who is so thin I almost didn’t see him, probably Douglas Darnold, a cute attorney who I run into everywhere. Also, of course, the dashing general manager of the Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Swiss-born Roberto M. WS. van Geenen who was amused that I was unable to bribe any of the hired help into revealing the surprise artist prematurely but not surprised, the beautiful Noeha Coutry, director of sales and marketing–the international staff of the new Ritz is a story unto itself–and Steve Farmer. As for the buyers, I spoke with several including a woman whose son, it turns out, is building a home about three doors from me. She came in from NYC and in true Ritz style, a limo was sent to DFW to take her straight to the party. She is considering buying a unit at the Ritz–she is an interior designer in NYC–just to have a place near the grandchildren.

What she told me was something like this–this from memory post-Veuve Clicquot: I do not know this city, yet, so where else would I even think of buying?