10 ARTS & THE RITZ-CARLTON ADD PEOPLE WATCHING TO THE MENU Plus new Signage, a Budget Price Menu & a Book Signing by Eric Ripert

Changes are coming to The Ritz-Carlton. I love the restaurant 10 Arts. I love that Chef Jen Carroll is a home town girl.
I hear the restaurant is doing fairly well, but like most places of late has added a budget menu but one of the problems is promoting it to the outside world. Recently they added these big banners to the front that scream HEY WORLD WE’RE NOT A BANK, but THE RITZ-CARLTON and 10 ARTS On the steps leading to the doors, currently people smoke there, well say good-bye to catching smokes under cover because I hear that the Ritz hopes to put couches and tables in this area. I say amen bring it outside Al Fresco. Who wouldn’t want to do a happy hour there and a little people watch at the same time. (One of my fav restaurants in NYC is Mr. Chow’s and they have a similar concept.) I hope they add a few palm trees to the mix.RENOWED CHEF ERIC RIPERT OF TEN ARTS BY ERIC RIPERT, LE BERNARDIN & TOP CHEF TO HOST COOKBOOK SIGNING AND COCKTAIL PARTY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC PHILADELPHIA, PA – – Renowned Chef Eric Ripert will host a book signing March 26, 2009 at 10 Arts By Eric Ripert at the Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia from 5:30-7:30p.m. The event will feature signature canapés from Le Bernardin, as well as Ripert’s favorite cocktails. The book signing is open to the public and only books purchased on-site will be eligible for signing. Ripert will also mingle with guests during dinner in 10 Arts By Eric Ripert. Ripert is chef and co-owner of Le Bernardin which has held three stars from the Michelin Guide since its inception in 2005. Le Bernardin has held four-stars from The New York Times, since three months after it opened and it has never dropped a star throughout four reviews; the only restaurant in New York to hold four stars for this length of time. In 1998, the James Beard Foundation named Le Bernardin Outstanding Restaurant of the Year, and Ripert Top Chef in New York City. The restaurant received the Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Service award the following year, and Ripert was named its Outstanding Chef in the United States in 2003. The book signing will feature Ripert’s newly published book, On the Line: The Stations, The Heat, The Cooks, The Costs, The Chaos and The Triumphs (Artisan). Books must be reserved ahead of the event by calling restaurant reservations at 215.523.4024. (Chef Jennifer Carroll and Chef Eric Ripert at the ground breaking ceremony of 10 Arts)When called for confirmation of this story, I got a “I’ll get back to you.” message.