We love to discover a hidden gem and the American Folk Art Museum is just that to many of us. While it opened in 2001, it doesn’t seem to get the same attention as its W 53rd St neighbor, the Museum of Modern Art. But, this 30,000 square foot structure designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, LLP deserves to be in the limelight. It’s a great place to host an event or stroll through on a Saturday afternoon.

Last night, I had the honor of joining one of my favorite designers Michael Aram and craft & design expert /Rachael Ray’s Content Buddy Evette Rios for an after-hours tour to celebrate the convergence of art, craft & design and DIFFA’s 25 years of service in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Among the large crowd, the D-C lens spotted a few of our close friends and managed to snap a shot of our gracious hosts.

The dynamic duo and our hosts for the evening: Michael Aram and Evette Rios.

Three's Company: Troy Hanson, Megan Reilly and Sheila Charton...(Uh-oh..now you know what the MMPI team does at night!)

A Fab Four: Alana Moskowitz, NYDC; Leah Blank, NYDC; Zoe Settle, Town & Country; Kristen Knisley, LaForce + Stevens

Hundreds filled the room, which made for a celebratory and festive event.

Earlier this month, we blogged about Amanda Smith Caterers and the picnic baskets that she was making for the New York Philharmonic’s Concerts in the Park series.  Then we got to taste the food! Can I just cut right to it and say that I am still dreaming of the mouth-watering herb crusted filet mignon. It’s one thing to make a good sizzling steak…its another thing to prepare a delicious piece of meat for a picnic. In addition to our perfectly seasoned and tender filet, our basket included green beans with caesar vinaigrette; grilled corn, tomato and basil salad and garlic rosemary roasted potatoes with individually wrapped peach and strawberry crumble and devils food cake with chocolate glaze for dessert. I give her an A for taste and presentation.  She thought of everything – from cups made of corn to a tea light candle!  We snapped some photos and asked Amanda to tell us a bit more about herself, her inspirations and her approach to catering…

We love your commitment to fresh ingredients and how you combine the flavors of New York with the spirit of Mexico.  Can you tell us more about your inspirations and how your background helped shape your cooking style?

I grew up in Mexico where fresh fruit and vegetables are so abundant. Plus, there is a multitude of spices, chilies and flavors.  So I guess you say that was my start. As a young girl, I had the opportunity to come to New York and was exposed to cuisines from all over the world, which was naturally a plus.  Finally, and most importantly I think, I started traveling when I was a teenager. That was really what opened my senses, my intrigue to food and the many ways to prepare it.

When and how did the “good food in a basket” idea originate? What do you find to be the most rewarding/challenging part of this area of expertise?

The idea of doing the picnics in the park came to me one day when I was running around the reservoir.  I had just returned from France where I spent much of my time visiting London – where parks are huge and there are many outdoor events – and I realized that nobody had ever offered picnics for the free concerts in the parks.  So I pursued that idea.  That was in 2001.

Congratulations on being selected as the caterer of the New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks series. Can you tell us about this experience?

Being selected to make the picnic baskets for the New York Philharmonic was an enormous coup as I have been preparing these for years and always wanted to be more directly involved.  Last year was our first year working with them. We prepared baskets for their patrons in the VIP section.  Because of that experience they decided to take the next step.  We donate a percentage of our earnings to the Philharmonic.

Is there an event you catered that stands out from the rest? What made it so memorable?

There are many events that we cater that are eventful. Every year we do the launch party for American Illustration and American Photography who each bring out a book – the venue is the same but no two parties are alike… neither in decor, food or beverages.  We have done some magical weddings in the Hamptons, exclusive luncheons in some of New York’s decorative buildings and homes, and fun parties for kids.

What is your favorite meal to cook at home?

I am actually a pretty dull cook (at home).  When I was in France I learned to eat meat and fish of exceptional quality cooked plain and seasonal vegetables with hardly anything on them… and that is what I do when I cook for my daughter and me.  But I guess this also included us having fondue in winter, vichysoisse in summer and other what might seem sophisticated dishes all year round.

Take a bite..The proof is in the pudding and this one is delicious!

A closer look...

Six spectacular private gardens were shown in Greenwich, Conn. on Thursday, June 10 and inspiration was sparked among over 600 visitors. This was part of the Grandiflora…Green with Envy Garden Tour, hosted by VERANDA Magazine and The Garden Education Center of Greenwich. The gardens included ornamental rock and grass gardens, dramatic waterfalls, and colorful terraced gardens with emerald green lawns featuring sweeping waterfront views, deep perennial borders, koi ponds and stately specimen trees. The day included a self-guided garden tour and an exclusive Patron’s Luncheon, held in a magnificent private home. The lucky luncheon guests were treated to gift bags that included Cannonball wine, Natori perfume and the Artesano Iron Works limited-edition hardcover book.

Adding to the day of grandeur was a Silent Auction that took place in an awe-inspiring conservatory that allowed guests to take part and bid on outdoor furnishings and accessories for their own home. The auction, which included donations from VERANDA sponsors such as Artesano Iron Works, Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights, Gloster Furniture and Holland & Company raised over $7,000 for The Garden Education Center. The last buzzworthy event of the day included an appearance by internationally known designer Carolyne Roehm, who was there signing copies of her latest book. For the third year in a row, the tour was yet again a great success.  It was a day filled with beauty and inspiration and garden-lovers walked away with their green thumbs up!

A beautiful garden and water view!

A peek inside the Silent Auction

Carolyne Roehm, signing her latest book A Passion for Blue & White

What’s new in the contract market?  We got to see firsthand at the 6th Annual firstLOOK, held at the NYDC.  Over 7o showrooms were filled with products bearing the firstLOOK logo. We, as well as many others, took a minute to test-drive the new SAVA multi-purpose chair from Stylex. We give it an A+ for comfort and love all the attention to detail that this chair offers. Designed by award-winning architect Sava Cvek, it is crafted in cast aluminum and is up to 98% recyclable. It was one of many new pieces on display in the Levine Calvano showroom (suite 1406). Speaking of showrooms, Dirtt Environmental Solutions (suite 1516) and DECCA Contract (suite 1410) literally opened their doors that day! And boy was it a good decision as both were jam packed. We think these two new showrooms will be a great addition to the building’s impressive range of contract offerings.

Look the control paddles on the SAVA chair even light up!!!

Interior Design's Helene Oberman and Design-Calendar's Kristin Coleman...having fun and looking festive in front of the new DIRTT showroom.

This really is a good time for architecture and design enthusiasts to be in London! Until August 30^th the exhibition 1:1 – Architects Build Small Spaces is at the famous Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The V&A asked nineteen architects to use the landscape of the museum and involve the concepts of refuge and retreat in submitting projects. Of these nineteen, seven were hand picked to be constructed around the museum. The small scale of these structures forces the architect’s creativity into play to best utilize the spaces, as well as paying attention to every last detail in material, placement, appearance and functionality. The featured architects are Studio Mumbai Architects, Sou Fujimoto Architects, Vazio S/A, Terunobu Fujimori and Rural Studio. And to hold true to my Norwegian roots I have to give a special mention to the two Norwegian architectural firms included, Helen & Hard Architects and Rintala Eggertsson Architects, both of who’s projects embody great Scandinavian design. Through this innovative exhibition viewers can experience the constructions in a completely unique way that cannot be provided through sketches, video, photographs or other means commonly used by architects. These architects have definitely pushed the boundaries with these small spaces, making it an exhibition not to be missed!

Designers and foodies have been eagerly waiting for this, and finally the House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year is back at Rockefeller Plaza in New York on July 19^th! This year the kitchen has been designed by Jeff Lewis, star of Bravo’s Flipping out, and it is presented alongside the outdoor food festival, “Tastes of the Summer,” featuring Rockefeller’s premier restaurants. Fans of Jeff Lewis will have opportunities all week long to meet the star, and take a good peek at the kitchen itself, clearly recognizable in Lewis’ California-modern style. Every year the Kitchen of the Year brings to life the pages of House Beautiful, giving visitors the opportunity to tour a true American kitchen. This is an event that cannot be missed by anyone who is in the area!

Have you seen photos of the Global Volatility Summit? Let me rephrase that: Have you even heard of it? Except in the off-chance that you’ve made a living by selling derivatives (and if you’re reading this blog, my guess would be no), which is why it was quite a surprise to get a sneak peek via David Stark of the suspicious first annual gathering of global hedge fund companies.

Held on a vacant floor of 7 World Trade Center (how appropriate!), David Stark & co. was tasked with designing the space to cater to a gaggle of megalomaniacs. Being a bit of a prankster, Stark did what any self-respecting creative would do: Use the commission to design a tongue-and-cheek display. Using every letter of the word “volatility,” they created ten sculptures that act out a different scene of danger. I hope the Wall Street guys have a sense of humor! Here’s a little taste of the letter “T”:

To see the whole set-up, visit David Stark’s Sketchbook blog.

For the third consecutive year, Dwell on Design – the west coast’s largest design show hosted by Dwell Magazine – returned to the LA Convention Center June 25-27. Over 18,000 visitors, mostly from LA and its surrounding neighborhoods, flocked to the modern design mecca to see the latest products, sustainable systems and presentations from companies from all over the world.

From 100-year-old olive trees (which they sold after the show for $5,000) to vertical and aerial plant installations and larger-than-life hammocks, the outdoor section was one of the most impressive sections on the show floor.

One of the 100-year-old olive trees from Ancientolivetrees.com

Royal Botania's larger-than-life WAVE hammock

Wooly Pocket returned to this year's show with its recycled gardening containers

A cascading floor-to-ceiling aerial plant installation

The exhibitor booths may have been slightly sparser than last year but what the show lacked in products they made up for with interactive exhibits and competitions. A few of the big players in the online world including Inhabitat, AOL, Ecofabulous and Reclaimed Home made a home on the show floor. Architizer even created a design clinic for attendees to get professional advice from a team of architecture veterans.

Architizer Design Clinic

Our very own Christina Abbate with Architizer Co-founder Marc Kushner and Editor-in-Chief Kelsey Keith

I’ve been to trade shows on the east and west coast and across the Atlantic but nothing compares to the audience at Dwell on Design. Their appetite for design is more than voracious; it’s borderline ferocious but in an affable California kind of way. Just one look at the Ceramic Tiles of Italy booth, where porcelain and ceramic tiles were strategically but loosely displayed on the tables, and you could see a swarm of architects and designers who couldn’t wait to feel the texture and pick up promotional material.

The seminar program was also impressive with celebrity speakers such as Ed Begley, Jr. and Amy Wells, the set decorator from Mad Men, as well as a series of talks on everything from greywater systems to DIY terrariums.

Ed Begley, Jr. giving advice on how to live a sustainable life

Minimalist architect Michael P. Johnson discussing his residential projects in Arizona

Senior editor Aaron Britt

Workshop SF Co-founder Kelly Malone with Dwell Assistant Editor Jordan Kushins

Last night we headed over to Davis and Warshow for Interior Design’s presentation on the 2010 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show.  Senior editors Mark McMenamin and Deborah Wilk created a comprehensive and lively presentation outlining the top trends.  With wit and editorial expertise, the duo entertained while they informed.

They cleverly paralleled the latest trends seen on the catwalks in Paris and Rome with those seen in Chicago at KBIS.

Thematics they pulled included “Clean Energy,” for which they compared Hansgrohe’s chrome and white PuraVida collection with Calvin Klein’s chic minimalist creations.  For their trend entitled “Pastoral Interludes,” they juxtaposed Maax’s Expose bath suite with Alberta Ferretti’s sleek amber-colored florals.

It was a great event and we left well informed on the latest in both kitchen & bath and fashion.

Senior editor Deb WIlk at the helm

The Maax Expose Bath Suite

A look from Alberta Ferretti

The Institute for Transportation & Development Policy (ITDP) asked ten leading architecture firms to envision ten of the world’s most exciting cities in 2030. What do all of these cities have in common? They have the potential to be leaders within urban planning, revolutionizing how public transportation, cars and pedestrians interact, all while utilizing space to its maximum capacity. Most of the cities are in developing nations, such as Dar es Salaam, Ahmedabad, Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro, giving them the advantage of learning from the trials and tribulations of further developed cities, and leapfrogging past mistakes. These cities will also experience the highest population growth over the next 20 years, making transformation extremely necessary to accommodate the expansion. Architects participating in the exhibit include Adjaye Associates, Terreform and Michael Sorkin Studio, Fábrica Arquitetura and CAMPO aud, Urbanus Architecture & Design and PALO Arquitectura Urbana. The show is at The Center for Architecture in New York, until September 11^th, AIA’s New York center. Following, the exhibition will most likely go on a world tour after, giving many more people the opportunity to learn what can be done with our cities when we design them ourselves. The combinations of these exceptional architects with diverse and spreading cities will surely make for revolutionary visions.

Considering over 60 percent of the world’s population living in cities by 2030, the American Institute for Architecture’s (AIA) 2011 National Convention has been given the title Regional Design Revolution: Ecology Matters. The convention will explore how economic, cultural, social and environmental elements must combine in communities, and how sustainability is central to achieving this. Submissions on urban planning and design presentations for the convention are due by July 1^st.