More Of My Very Busy Week

May 9, 2014

As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, last week was very busy with activities in New York City. Each year, since 1966, the American Society of Magazine Editors, or ASME, presents awards honoring print and digital publications that regularly demonstrate exceptional production of editorial objectives, innovative techniques, noteworthy journalistic enterprise, and imaginative art direction. I am proud to say that Martha Stewart Living won last year in the category of General Excellence and we were nominated again this year. A group of us from MSL enjoyed the evening.

The night before, I attended the very popular Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club 42nd Annual Decorator Show House. Each year, celebrated interior designers transform a luxury Manhattan home into an elegant exhibition of fine furnishings, art, and technology. Beginning in 1973, the Show House raises critical funds for after school enrichment programs for New York City children. This year’s Show House is being held in a palatial Madison Avenue brownstone mansion, the Villard, which is now part of the Palace Hotel complex. Tickets are available through May 29^th.

: This was the night before at the opening gala for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Decorator Show House. This is event designer and wedding planner Preston Bailey, who did the decorating of the party tent on a very, very rainy night, which did not keep the crowds away.

: Posing with designers Randy Kemper, Bunny Williams, Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, me, and Tony Ingrao – Bunny Williams served as the Show House Chairman.

: This is the magnificent room of Juan Montoya, one of 22 designers involved with this project.

: Also in this room is a textile work of art.

: The designers used marble cloud tables, a rug on rug, and a huge sectional sofa that appears to be floating in the center of this very luxe room.

: My eye was drawn to a large acrylic-steel table.

: This room titled “A Study in Contrast” was designed by Tony Ingrao and Randy Kemper. The 16-foot ceilings allowed for a massive Ron Arad stainless steel fire screen, originally built for an Aspen ski lodge.

: There are antiques amidst the modern.

: People loved this beautiful mid-century Italian brass hanging fixture.

: At the ASME Awards, we had a great table right near the stage. These are members of our art dept – Jennifer Wagner – Design Director, Jenn McManus – Deputy Design Director, and Jaspal Riyait – Art Director.

: And Amy Wilkins – SVP, Ad Sales & Marketing and Elizabeth Graves – VP, Editor in Chief, Weddings

: Here I am sitting with Eric Pike, our Editor in Chief.

: We were nominated for General Excellence again and also for Design.

: Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough from Morning Joe were the Masters of Ceremony and they were fantastic!

: O won the category of Leisure Interests for “Hair Extravaganza!” I love this Oprah Magazine cover! It’s said that the wig weighed 3.5 pounds, which is approximately the weight of a small Chihuahua.

: Stefano Tonchi, Editor in Chief of W, accepted an award for Feature Photography, “Stranger than Paradise”, featuring Tilda Swinton. http://www.wmagazine.com/people/celebrities/2013/05/tilda-swinton-tim-walker-las-pozas-cover-story

: This year, Graydon Carter, the Editor of Vanity Fair, was elected into the Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame.

: The Personal Service Award went to Cosmopolitan for the story, “Your Cosmo Guide to Contraception.” Joanna Coles, Cosmo Editor in Chief, was extremely funny at the podium.