"When your house is too cluttered, there is no room for you." Kenneth Brown, Design Expert
As an Organizational Expert, I frequently team with interior designers and architects (see related OrganizingLA post on the need to hire a space planner here). Always the learning-student, last evening I ventured across town at rush hour to a Preview for the Los Angeles Interior Design and Antiques Show at the Santa Monica Auditorium and a benefit for DIFFA, the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS. Interior Designer vignettes included Tim Clarke, Peter Dunham, Sari Ehrenreich Designs, Gary Gibson, Susann Thomason Tunick and Kenneth Brown of HGTV's "reDesign."
I've come to decide that just about any event Caskey-Lees coordinates at the dated Santa Monica Auditorium really sucks. For such a stylish show like this one, the building just doesn't scream impressive or trendy, or classic or whatever. Where were the people? You walk in and no one was in the outer-ring. The designer vignettes were empty, except for Kenneth Brown making an appearance for what what seemed like 5 minutes. Can you blame them?
The food (we've got to mention the food) was really, really bad and catered by Auntie Em's Kitchen. 
Whoever thought they should be serving salmon skewers should be shot. Too heavy, too room temperature and the sauce too strong. The crudite' were dried out-- cucumber soup served in plastic shot glasses? Pita chips stale. Folks: if you are going to serve salmon, or chicken, or wine (food traditionally that tastes better cold) serve it at the appropriate temperature, keep it on ice, or don't serve it at all. Some Caterers don't understand that every event they handle creates public opinion, no matter how small? Bad food-- yuck. And the waiters needed to tuck their shirts-in, comb their hair and stand up straight. Greasy hair may be hot in Vogue, Vanity Fair, or Men's Fitness, but not while passing stuffed-endive.
Patrick Aumont's Europa from Summerland, CA brought his incredible armoire (guessing here, 12 feet high?) and an incredible modern desk with thick clear plastic support legs, teak, and long, deep drawers for storage (very practical for the Los Angeles Professional Organizer.) Katrien Van Schueren's Voila Gallery in Hancock Park displayed first-edition prints of some incredible hand-drawn sea-life (too edgy for Pottery Barn to copy) and smart enough for my own home, or to recommend to some of my male clients. Lorna Auerbach Associates (at the Collection on Robertson in West Hollywood and Beverly Hills) tapestry tray could be presented as a fine holiday gift.
Saturday I will try and check out the Lecture Series, sponsored by LA Architect and LA Inside Magazines (and pick up my credit card the folks at the check-in table forgot to hand back to me.) Kenneth Brown's "Design on TV -- How It Comes Together" looks neat, and "Collecting and Storing Wine," a symposium of wine and design experts looks interesting. Ann E. Gray, FAIA, Publisher of Balcony Media, Inc. serves as moderator for panelists, Chris Welch of VAH Marketing and Ardeshir Nozari of Nozari & Nozari Architects. Perhaps wine storage is the new American clothes closet? Let's hope they all show up.
