On The Horizon.

We're back from a trip to L.A. where we had a fantastic time. The weather was unbelievable and the week was full of inspiring events, meetings and new discoveries. We made some terrific contacts and we're already trying to manifest new projects on the west coast so that we can become bi-coastal. So for anyone out there listening .... "Have fabric swatches-will travel!" We'll try and give you a recap in the next few days. In the meantime we wanted to talk about a new art installation we're excited about here in New York entitled EVENT HORIZON. This is Antony Gormley's first US public art project and it consists of 31 life-size body forms of the artist cast in iron and fiberglass. These sculptures will inhabit the pathways and sidewalks of historic Madison Square park as well as the rooftops (some as high as 55 stories) of the architectural treasures that populate New York's vibrant Flatiron District. We think this is a pretty cool concept and we're eager to walk over to the park and check it out in person. To see more of Gormley's work click here and to hear a little more about the project from the artist himself watch the video below .... very interesting. (photographs by james ewing © antony gormley
a hayward gallery commission, courtesy sean kelly gallery, new york and white cube, london)

Go West.

We're leaving today for West Hollywood to attend this year's Westweek at the Pacific Design Center, the west coast's premiere luxury interior design facility. On Wednesday we'll be part of a panel discussion with Sophie Donelson from Editoratlarge.com who will moderate a panel of renowned design industry leaders including Michael Bruno from 1stdibs.com, Jillian St. Charles from HGTV.com, , Ronda Carman from All The Best, Brian Patrick Flynn from Decor Demon, interior designer Vanessa De Vargas, and yours truly. The discussion will focus on topics such as:

• The role of print vs. online media. Can they co-exist? What does the future media landscape look like?
• Why have a presence online? Is it necessary to have it all: blog, facebook, twitter, flickr, website, etc.? How to stand out and attract readers, followers and fans.
• Who is making money and how? What traditional methods are being reevaluated and what new opportunities are cropping up?
• The changing role of designers. What does the interior designer of the future look like?

If you're in the L.A. area we hope you'll stop by the PDC this Wednesday, March 24th at 3:30 in Ste. B259 to be a part of what's certain to be a fascinating conversation. To learn more about what else is happening with Westweek click here. We've got quite a few exciting things on our docket while we're there and we'll be sure to keep you up to date with everything that's happening via twitter and facebook so be sure and stay tuned...(by the way-if you're not a fan on facebook yet-click here!)

Made In The Slade.

We wanted to remind you that we're just a few days away from DIFFA's Dining By Design and if you're in New York we hope you'll buy a ticket to one of the many events associated with this phenomenal cause. We're on this year's steering committee and one of the firms we "steered" our way to design a table for DBD is Slade Architecture whose work is showcased above. They're an incredibly talented pair of architects and we can't wait to see what they've created for DIFFA.

Based here in New York City, this design firm was founded in 2002 by Hayes and James Slade. Recognized for innovative ideas in cultural, residential and commercial genres, the firm's work has been published and exhibited worldwide. Slade's work has been shown at the Venice Biennale and the Museum of Modern Art. Their designs have been published in Architectural Record, Metropolis Magazine and Interior Design Magazine. Slade has completed Architectural and Interior Design projects and installations in the US, China, South Korea and now they can add DIFFA's Dining By Design to their resume. To see more of their stunning work click here and to learn more about DBD and to buy a ticket to one of the many events click here! Also, we wanted to remind you that this year's DBD runs in conjunction with the Architectural Digest Show. So if you're planning on going to the AD show make sure you stop by the DIFFA section and drop a little change in this!

Dream House.

We read about this house a couple of weeks ago in the New York Times T Magazine and we can't get it out of our heads. Designed and built in the 1940's by architect Wallace K. Harrison and artist Isamu Noguchi, this summer house off the coast of Maine is not only an architectural gem, it's got a fascinating story behind it. Click here to read all about it. We're ready to move...(Photographs by Anthony Cotsifas).

Guess Who's Coming Back?

Yes...it's true! DIFFA's Dining By Design is next week and they asked us if there was any way we could get our table we designed for last year's event and all those little pigs wrangled up to be a part of this year's fund raising efforts . Of course we're more than happy to make it happen so that people can have the opportunity to drop in a few cents or a few dollars throughout the 5 day event to help raise even more money for this incredible cause.

Founded in 1984, DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) is one of the largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education organizations in the United States and has provided more than $35 million to hundreds of AIDS organizations nationwide since it's inception. Dining By Design is DIFFA's signature fundraising event and multi-city marketing platform and it's also one of the most FUN parties of the year. Dubbed the “Cannes of Tabletop” by filmmaker John Waters, this annual event is an opportunity for various corporations and designers to showcase their creativity and talents by creating unique dining installations to ultimately accommodate their dinner guests.

We're especially excited about this year's event because Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber are co-chairs which should make an already beautiful occasion even more lovely. It's also the second time in a row that DBD will be adjacent to and coinciding with the Architectural Digest Home Design Show which means anyone who goes to the AD show can automatically check out DBD and vice versa. There are several ways you can participate and help make this year's Dining By Design even more successful. Simply click on the invitation below for more details or feel free to click here and buy tickets! Anything you can do will be greatly appreciated and we hope to see many of you there!

Going GaGa Over YOSHIDA.

Ralph Pucci debuted a new show last night in conjunction with Jean-Yves Noblet for artist Kimiko YOSHIDA. Unfortunately, we were unable to attend the opening but we were lucky enough to get a sneak preview earlier in the week by Mr. Pucci himself. The Paintings of YOSHIDA are an (incomplete) attempt at monochrome color: the artist sees in the monochrome a symbol of infinity – the unattainable infinity of time, the inexhaustible infinity of the gaze – where the figure of the artist tends to disappear. What is visible in the Paintings is a demonstrative misuse or diversion of objects of everyday life. The artist diverts gowns, shoes, salad bowls, and handbags into hairstyles of the period of Louis XIV, antique jewelry, or historical costumes.

By diverting objects of everyday life and fashion accessories, fragments belonging to the haute couture or to the history of art, the Paintings transform the works of PICASSO, MATISSE, GAUGUIN, REMBRANDT, RUBENS, DELACROIX, TIEPOLO, and WATTEAU (we can't help but think that Lady G and the Haus of GaGa should pick up the "Telephone" and set up a date with this incredibly gifted artist).

Since she fled her homeland to escape the mortifying servitude and humiliating fate of Japanese women, Kimiko YOSHIDA – through what is called “self-portraits” – has refined and amplified a feminist stance of protest, cultivated and distanced from “current affairs”: against contemporary cliches of seduction, against voluntary servitude of women, against “identity” defined by appurtenances and “communities”, against the stereotypes of “gender” and the determinism of heredity. It's a fantastic exhibition and we highly recommend you learn more about her work here. And just for fun, we've included Lady GaGa's SIXTH consecutive #1 single "Telephone" below. (We're officially obsessed with this video!) Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Wright Again.

Wright the premier auction house in Chicago is gearing up for another sale entitled Modern Design on March 23, 2010. The auction of mid-century modern designs will showcase a collection of modernist jewelry including pieces by Sam Kramer and a collection of works by Art Smith. Items by Harry Bertoia and a selection of designs for Memphis by Ettore Sottsass, Peter Shire and Michele de Lucci will also be featured alongside other noteworthy Italian, French and American designs. The above images are a few of our favorite things that will be hitting the auction block in a few weeks. You can see all of the lots by clicking here, or if you live or plan on being in Chicago the gallery preview will be March 15-22 from 10 am to 5 pm. We recommend you click here and pre-order a catalog. (We'd really like to get our hands on the clock below....we could certainly use the time!)