Received an invitation to a Random House soirée last week, and decided to attend despite the fact that it was held on a ‘school night’. As an aspiring author, all I can say is: I’d make Faust look like a pious God-fearing Puritan for the chance to get that publicity juggernaut behind something I did. Wow!
A swanky dinner was held at the Blackbird restaurant downtown to promote first-time author Matthew Skelton’s new children’s book Endymion Spring. Wonderful venue, we had a banquet room all to ourselves, and there was plenty of opportunity to discuss this excellent book and the creative process behind it with the very personable Matthew. The food was superb and the service stellar. Standing around with a glass of Chardonnay and discussing a book was so… so… so… NOT my life and so the “Life I’d Like To Get”. At least now I know what the life in I Need A Life is. Well, if I were the celebrated author being feted, of course.
Anyhoo… I recommend Endymion Spring as a literate fantasy for young people. Let’s see how it sells!
Of course, the true highlight of the evening was stepping out of the restaurant and seeing not one, but TWO Ferraris parked on the street. It was like seeing a Van Gogh dangling from a second-story window: So rare! So beautiful! So valuable! So unsafe!
Sorry, but downtown Chicago is not the place I’d want to park or drive a Ferrari. Had a nice time taking to some gentleman about the cars (were they the owners? Or valets?) To imagine I spent all that time agonizing over the color of the new Corvette, when it was the Forbidden Fruit I should have been lusting after…
The black one had no top and the most incredible buttery tan leather interior that contrasted nicely with the batmobile-esqe exterior. The odor of finely tanned leather wafted out as I leaned as near as I dared. There was no gear shift in the middle console, just some small T-shaped lever. Huge paddles hugged the back of the steering wheel – the tipitronic shifter.
The rear hood, or hatch, whatever you call the engine cover, had a clear Plexiglas window that allowed observation of the motor wedged behind the roll bars. Awesome! No badging was present that identified the model, just a very small insignia on the front hood and a Pininfarina* badge on the rear quarter panel. The red one looked quite similar. Just one of these vehicles cost more than my house, property, vehicles, clothes, shoes, furniture and anything else I might possess put together.
After doing a little research, it seems I had the privilege of seeing one of the first 2006 F430 Spyders – read about this aggressive supercar here and here. Be sure to note the $217,000 price tag. Wow! It really was a night to remember.
Now there’s a life…having to go to Italy in order for technicians to custom-fit the seats and pedals to your frame. Then it’s off to the Italian Alps to try out your new purchase!!!
*Mark of Excellence! Found on my old X1/9 and the Daytona Spyder
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