VUE

G rowing up in Paterson, NJ, my family and I weren't rich, but we were wealthy in life experience. My parents always made sure that my twin brother and I had what we needed, which laid the framework for a great childhood. We would often take trips into New York City for dinner which made me feel so fortunate, as if we were the only family in the world sharing that experience. Of course I didn't realize it then, but that feeling that came over me was my introduction to the concept of luxury. That 30-minute drive over the George Washington Bridge, through the City's bright lights, to have dinner with my family was true luxury. Now I live here, and I've experienced the city a bit differently, but I never forgot about those moments and how I felt. And all it takes is the discovery of a new restaurant or a walk through Central Park, to remind me of those nights. More than anything else, the architecture of the buildings in Manhattan never ceases to blow me away. I can't help but look up as I walk around the city, taking in the beautiful landscape. I'm always falling back in love with NYC, just as I did as a kid. While Manhattan has certainly cultivated my view on luxury, my time at the University of Maine would introduce me to luxury in a non-traditional sense (though I would not be conscious of it until returning as an adult). As you can imagine it was quite different from where I grew up, but as I got older and understood the wanderlust of Maine, I enjoyed it incredibly. From the food to the boats, the mountains, and even the snow, I now consider Maine to be the most beautiful and luxurious place in the world. Although I've been truly blessed with the opportunity to travel around the world, when people ask me where the most beautiful place I've been to is, I tell them Maine. The Pine Tree State showed me that there was more out there to see and experience. To this day, I still ride up on my Harley every summer for long weekends in Kennebunkport, a small boating town in the state's southeast region. Though the town is quaint, it evokes an original feeling of luxury, particularly during my stay at the White Barn Inn or while stopping for a Maine lobster roll at one of the street vendors. After graduating from college, my life took an unpredictably interesting turn. Not knowing if I wanted to go to medical school straight away, I decided to take a year off to travel and contemplate what I really wanted to do with my life. That's when I would be introduced to the man who would give me a distinctive and more elegant perspective on luxury – Ralph Lauren. In my opinion, there's no other lifestyle brand that defines luxury as well as Ralph Lauren does. I began working for the company as a model, and later as a spokesperson for almost 19 years. I learned about style and taste, quality and decadence, beauty and heritage, and of course tradition. All you have to do is visit the Polo Mansion on the Upper East Side, or dine at one of Ralph Lauren's restaurants in Paris, Chicago, or New York to see what I mean. In each of his venues, there is a particular attention to detail. From the way you're greeted when you enter, to the design and the furniture, to the stately antique pieces and art – the experience is as luxurious as it is unique. POINT OF FA L L | W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 54

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