A new friend of mine was involved with San Francisco’s Dining by Design, an annual event to raise money for AIDS. It is co-sponsored by Elle Decor and Design Industries Foundation (DIFFA), held in San Francisco’s SOMA, an area that continues to flourish for design, arts, and architecture.
DIFFA is one of the oldest and largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the U.S. and has tapped into the immense resources of the design communities to provide over $35 million to hundreds of AIDS organizations nationwide.
I attended this fabulous fundraising gala this past week, which showcases the creativity of some of the Bay Area’s most inspired designers. Each designer is assigned an 11′ by 11′ space to create a masterpiece table which can seat ten people for dinner.
My new friend, who has been involved in the design industry for years but who is more of a ‘business organizer’ than a designer, admits that it gets a little cat-like as the event closes in. At noon on the day of the event, a friend from New York (also in the biz), called to see “how things were going.” I can’t imagine the pressure if it were my own creation and time was ticking away, however I couldn’t help thinking – Project Runway anyone?
It was noon and the place had barely been set or decorated. He said, “there’s about 200 queens on walkie talkies worried about broken glasses and fighting for prime space.” “Excellent, so, everything is on schedule then,” his friend responded. He smiled when he said it and winked playfully. Energized (for how could you not be when you see the final result), he continues the story of set-up, every step of the way until it final completion, including the the fine details, like the champagne and Elle Decor giveaway bags.
Alison and Renee hamming it up
He reminded me that only the highest maintenance designers could produce results as exquisite as this. Meaning? Second place is not an option. I get that. Take a look at some of their designs. Each setting demanded excellence and their creations, each one of them, provoked you to go beyond the food and the wine, made you imagine, “what conversation ‘could’ happen at this table versus that one?
A round-up of some of the fabulous set-ups below. Which one is your favorite?
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
