This weekend, Tam and I decided to do things a little differently. Part of our Ky Taste Buds journey is to break out of our comfort zone and try new adventures. Now you must realize this is a relatively easy task considering the highlight of our week is redeeming Kohl’s Cash. So when Tam brought up the idea of attending the Maserati Mingle, it was a no-brainer that this affair would fit the bill.
The Maserati Mingle is a preview of Keeneland’s Concours d’Elegance luxury car weekend event, taking place in July, to benefit Kentucky Children’s Hospital. Because my husband is an avid car fan and I am a super nice wife, I invited him to come along. It was a beautiful night in downtown Lexington. The cars were all a sparkle and the crowd rich with onlookers who were fascinated with the opulent array of automobiles. Aside from the Maseratis, the inventory contained a Ferrari, an Austin Healy, a Dodge Viper, a Mercedes and several others including... are you ready for this, wait for it - a Lamborghini. But, more about that in a minute.
I have to admit that even though this isn’t my scene, I was quite impressed with the splendor of it all. As a former employee of Toyota, I am used to being around cars, but none quite like these. These were not your typical, what you see in school car line or mulling around Walmart parking lot, automobiles. Nope. These vehicles were first class - like I might need a new wardrobe to get in this car, kind of class. From lavish interiors, to instrument panels that looked more like airplane cockpits, to hubcaps that probably required separate insurance policies based on “shine” alone, the mini version of the car show was an A+. These cars were fast, powerful and EXPENSIVE.
Now I am sure that my husband could tell you all about the engine size, the horsepower and the blah, blah, blah, but I was much more impressed with the fancy logos (hey, I am a designer, what can I say!), the smartly placed cup holders in the back of the four-door Maserati and the comfort of the well designed, fits my tush like a glove, seats. I really hate being that stereotypical, but that’s just me.
As we walked around the venue, every opportunity I got to sit inside a car, I took, because as much as I like the aesthetic exterior of a vehicle, it’s the “feel” of the inside that makes or breaks it for me. And as I sat in each car, one after the other, I have to admit, I felt my status elevate. There is just something about sitting in a car that I cannot afford (or in several cases, even drive) that somehow makes me feel cooler. The funny thing is, outside of the obvious curves of a 911 whale-tale Porsche (my fav, btw) or the unmistakable body of the timeless Corvette, I am not great at identifying cars by sight unless they are Toyotas. So honestly, you could probably sit me in a Ford Taurus, stick a Mercedes logo on the steering wheel and I would say…. “Oooh, I want this one!” And just why is that? Why is it that the prestige of a car somehow makes me feel greater about myself?
Which leads me to the Lamborghini … or as Tam calls it, the Lambo. I was immediately drawn to it because of its doors that open upward instead of outward. HOLY.COW. I have been around auto manufacturing engineering. That is no easy feat! Now I am standing right beside of it, in all of its glory and what do I do? I reach for the handle. Why not? After all, I am starting to get the hang of this. But uhhh… that was a mistake. Immediately, alarms blared, armed men dropped out of the sky, and I was thrown to the ground in seconds!! (Just kidding, I had to add a little drama – Leigh style.) But an employee did grab my hand and said, "Ma’am you can’t do that." And although I felt a little stupid, I was more intrigued. Yeah, I guess I kind of get it, but if I wanted to sit in that car before, I really wanted to now. I am not a fan of being told no. Just ask my husband.
So I decided to press the issue. I think we as woman aren’t great about asking for what we want sometimes, so I decided to go for it. I negotiated with the security guard although, let’s face it, I had nothing to give in exchange, other than my great charm and personality. Ha! But he was nice enough to locate the owner of the vehicle so I could ask permission.
Within seconds, Mr. Suave arrives, quite obviously rich, like the chocolatiest of cakes, and I, like a kid in a bakery, begged the smooth looking dude to allow me, the peasant girl, a chance to sit in his $400K automobile. Yes, my friends, 4-0-0 K! Much to my surprise, he was super nice and accommodating. He only had one requirement. No pants with buttons. Huh? Have to admit I didn’t see that coming. Once I did a 360 spin to prove my buttonless condition, ensuring my shorts would not snag the custom, Italian leather seats, which I am sure cost more than my outfit (diamond wedding ring included), he nodded his head yes. Wow! I did it.
So with that, I slithered into the vehicle like a snake (man, it sits low to the ground), placed my hand on the stick shift, looked at the dashboard and smiled the biggest smile! Yes, take a picture quick! By then a small crowd (and by crowd, I mean 4 people) had formed and I felt like a celebrity! For 30 seconds, I basked in the glory of the notorious Lambo. Wow, I have most certainly arrived! At that moment, I thought to myself, this will be the closest I ever come to experiencing the Lambo and you know what? I was just fine with that. After all, I can’t imagine the headache of parking this car when traveling to Kohl’s next week for that redemption.
Later that night, my husband asked, almost like he was in a trance, if I recalled the magnificent sound of the engine firing up when Mr. Suave turned the key. He said the sound was unmistakable. But I couldn’t remember. I really couldn’t. For me, it wasn’t about the sound of the car or really that it cost $400K because let’s face it, do you know what I could buy with $400K? It was the fact that Tam and I attended an event that is conventionally for men, and we did it our way. (Btw, Tam had the best time eating a gyro from a food truck - isn't she adorable?).
So in conclusion, I am happy that we went. I am happy that we tried something new. I am happy that I asked a stranger if I could sit in his almost half a million car, if even for 30 seconds. Why? ‘Cause it was different, it was new, it was FUN!
So to all of those women out there who are not big car people like Tam and I. Go try it. And for women out there who love it, teach us about it. It’s fun to go 0-30 seconds in a Lamborghini, even if you do it while parked… you know, Ky Taste Buds style.