I haven't worked with Anna Wintur on a project yet. But oh man, do I ever want to. I love her dominating style, she deserves to be. Her eye, her magnificent eye has brought us cutting edge glorious fashion for years. Ok enough about my secret fantasy over Anna. This story is about an editor too. Michael Wilson, The Editor in Chief for La Cucina Italiana magazine, the preeminent magazine of Italian food in the world. Every month 350,000 readers wait literally with baited breath to see what this maven of food has chosen to present. Martha Stewart says "It's a good thing". CMP says that this is a freakin awesome thing.
You see Michael, is a son of very good clients of mine. Over the past two years we have worked together to arrange and present their amazing and eclectic assortment of furniture and decorative accessories. With bold and historic colors as a backdrop, the house and its meticulous environment set the stage for a very special dinner to benefit The Nativity Prep School in New Bedford. The Wilson's donated the services of their son, Michael and their home and of course all of the work that goes into a dinner party like this. I stepped in and brought flowers, style, candles and finishing touches to the home. I knew that when the music started that it would be The Three Tenors at The Baths of Caracalla that David would choose as the final piece of drama for the evening. The table lay set with the most amazing china and crystal that you have ever seen. The flowers formed a long and lush mound in shades of deep red with touches of white. I chose roses with the name Italian Duchess and paired them with Casablanca lilies.
I knew that our hosts and our famed and acclaimed chef Michael Wilson would laugh when I presneted my idea to wow the guests at the entrance to the party. I wanted David's new red Ferrari out in the center of the drive. I wanted spot lights on it and I was going to surround it with hundreds of candles, Italian Altar style as a homage to Italian Culture. The did laugh, but they let me do it. When guests walked in, they loved it. How many times in your life do you get to see and touch the hottest car in the world?
As the Ferrari (no detail overlooked) sparkling wine flowed the guests were seated and prepared to indulge in the most sublime meal personally prepared by Michael and his parents. I knew those people at the table, I knew them well. Most of them are like family to me. They were wowed. I was wowed. It was most magnificent. AND Michael Wilson should be on the cover of every magazine in the world. Not only is this guy the preeminent authority on Italian food, he is hot, stylish, cool and chic. He is going places, probably in a freakin Ferrari. I am happy to call him a friend. I can hardly wait to dump his parents the next time that he is in town with his brother to show them the real South Coast of Massachusetts. Sorry Mary and David, kids only on this next one.
I look forward to doing it again. Same crew, different season. The bond between us all that night was something that I never will forget. A night in Italy all for charity. So sorry Martha, but that was a freakin awesome thing.
Ciao!