"A Wonderful Town"

Daniel Schwen via Wikipedia Commons

Recently, I attended a fascinating conference in my favorite city, New York City. I flew in on the heels of Hurricane Irene, and felt the whirlwind that is New York, for the next six days.

Fourteen colleagues and I held intensive discussion ranging in topics from Leadership to Productivity, The Luxury Experience, transparency of The Process, and the Future. We discussed our roles as Guides, Curators, Advisers and Advocates for our clients, with the goal of Living Well, and Being More. Our great friend Steve Nobel of Nobelinks was our master facilitator.

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We were based at the exquisite Peninsula Hotel on 55th and Fifth Avenue, where every detail is attended to, from the planters outside to beautiful and unusual floral arrangements in the lobby.

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 Taking a break from our discussions, we toured three apartments in the 1908 Renaissance Revival landmark Apthorp in the Upper West Side.

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Built by the Astors, the building is so beautiful, just look at this gate and the stone detail of the large arched entry drive. We enjoyed a private tour of some "available" apartments, and one large space currently under total construction. The old world proportions, ornate ceilings, moldings and fireplaces speak to "True Luxury".

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Our dinnertime view from above Columbus Circle was taken while dining at the top floor restaurant in the Museum of Arts and Design. Delicious cuisine, delightful modern space and incredible view.

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No trip to the city is complete until I can stretch my legs along Fifth and Madison Avenues. The Cartier Building is always elegant. Built in 1905 as a private neo-Italian Renaissance style palazzo, it was converted into Cartier in 1917.

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I loved Juicy Couture's Fifth Avenue glass sheet facade placed over the building's original, beautiful architectural details, with mannequins in between.

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Ralph Lauren, as always, is elegant in his creative displays of sunglasses in his new Madison Avenue eye wear boutique.

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I always pause at Rockefeller Center to gaze up at the bronze, "Atlas", and down at the details of the sidewalk grilles, every detail a magnificent testament to the Art Deco period and the vision of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

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Built between 1933 and 1939 the Center today is an exciting and vibrant complex, looking to the future by installing solar panels and planning a "green" roof on top of Radio City Music Hall.

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Creative window displays showcase the last days of summer in Ovando's florist shop...

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And since it is September, I needed time to gaze at the new fall fashions. Armani's elegance never wanes, this time showing tiny layered texture of lace, sequins and amazing fabrics.

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I'll end with a quick shot of always avant-garde Louis Vuitton's layers of leather and fur in their eye-catching Fifth Avenue window.