Face of New York
I always think of Nelly Moudime, the Maitre d’ of The Polo Bar as the face of New York. A former model, the daughter of an African diplomat, Nelly is a stunning woman who fills a room with energy and grace. She effortlessly greets the most famous, richest, successful, and glamorous people in the world with the same ease she greets new guests at The Polo Bar. The Polo Bar is somewhere I go every time I am in New York. It reminds me of Highland Park Village and Cafe Pacific. I first met Ralph Lauren and his brother, Jerry, when my sales associate, Doug Bihlmaier, introduced me at the Highland Park Ralph Lauren store not long after it opened in the 1970s. I recall, with Doug’s encouragement, I wore a tie from one of Ralph’s first tie collections that I bought to bring to SMU my freshman year. Ralph loved it. Doug went on to work closely with Ralph Lauren in New York. I have met Ralph Lauren since, at The Polo Bar once when he was with his Telluride neighbor Ken Burns. I mention Cafe Pacific because Jack Knox and Ralph Lauren are contemporaries, and I met both of them close to the same time. Jack Knox and Ralph Lauren both exude style, a personal elegance, and are the most meticulous restaurant owners I know when it comes to creating an aesthetic atmosphere of excellence. They both take great joy in presenting an experience that is inspiring and flawless. Jack Knox was raised in Highland Park and SMU, and Ralph Lauren created a Highland Park and SMU environment for everyone else in the world. Thank you – and thank you Nelly for creating a Polo-New York tone for all your guests. *Face of New York
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