14 agosto 2007

Ritz + Gulbenkian + Bill Gates = ?


Na semana passada cruzei-me com Bill Gates no Ritz de Lisboa, parte da Four Seasons adquirida por Bill Gates há uns tempos. Curiosamente, esta semana adquiri uma deliciosa biografia de César Ritz na qual me deparei com a seguinte passagem:

'He was there the centre of a crowd of sportsmen, among them Santos Dumont, Mr C. S. Gulbenkian, then as now one of the richest men in the world, was there, appraising with a discriminating collector's eye the lovely décor which Mewès and Ritz had brought into being [...] They came, they came! The Place Vendôme was crowded with elegant carriages, dozens of powdered footmen stood under the arcade, the reception rooms sparkled and shone with superb uniforms and jewels. And Ritz, no longer nervous, but calm and smiling, elegant in his black redingote, stood at the doorway, greeting everyone by name'.

RITZ, Marie-Louise [1938] César Ritz, Paris: Hôtel Ritz, 228-229.

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