A somewhat brief overview of what happened in my 2022 and some plans for the upcoming year.
Read MoreLime Rock Historic Festival 38: Classics Conquering Covid.
With a decision made to move forth with the Historic Festival, Lime Rock put every effort into making it safe and successful for all who attended.
Read MoreHappy New Year: A Look Back on 2017.
As another year comes to a close, it's time again to top off the coffee and recap the adventures, the opportunities, and the progress made in building up the Bearded Mug brand.
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TopGear Imports/Cars & Caffe Season Closer: An OMG at the GSP.
Ask anyone in Bergen County what they do on Sundays and you're almost guaranteed that they're not going to respond with 'shopping.' The county's [in]famous blue laws prohibit most retail shops from doing any business on the caboose of the week. Enter the dynamic duo of TopGear Imports and Cars & Caffe to take advantage of the biggest of the vacant lots.
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Prestige Pulls No Punches for Their Concluding Warehouse Event.
This is it. The photographic events that Prestige held in a secluded warehouse, where they provided a spectacular setting and supplied sexy supercars, have come to an untimely end. The lease is up, quite literally, on what was hands-down the most clever way to mine for images. It will be missed, without a doubt, but as Neil Young put it best, "it's better to burn out than to fade away." And this last one certainly burned bright.
Read MoreSaratoga Bound: A Celestial Journey to the Hemmings Sports & Exotic Show.
My classic car - a purchase prompted by an insatiable fit of nostalgia over five years ago. A Craigslist find that nearly mimicked the first new car my mother bought way back in 1981 and drove happily for 15 years until the arrival of my little brother negated the presence of only four seats. A car whose odometer I had advanced less than two thousand miles since I took ownership. It was finally time for my 1981 Toyota Celica GT Liftback to have its day in the sun.
Read MoreSeventh Heaven for Domenico Spadaro Memorial Drive.
The 7th Annual Domenico Spadaro Memorial Drive, for reasons beyond my comprehension, only marked my first attendance. The rally is a rolling tribute to Domenico Spadaro, master mechanic and the namesake of Domenick's European Car Repair, who joined the great garage in the sky at age 89 in 2009. Since 2010, the memorial drive has been a way for those who knew and loved him to honor his memory, by gathering on a Sunday afternoon to enjoy cars, food and friends, and by raising money to help fund the fight against cancer.
Read MoreThe Pomp and Circumstance of an Invite-Only Prestige Warehouse Affair.
Electrical Surge in NJ as EVs Storm Morristown, Madison Events.
Fear not, dear weather-loving friends and those without proper surge protection. The type of electrical swell I am referring to is the vehicular kind. You know, the ones you don't hear coming. Or leave a carbon footprint. Or even emit the slightest bit of smugness that the second-gen Prius was so prone to doing (Toyota is still hesitant to offer a recall for this issue). I'm talking about EVs, more specifically the folks from the Electric Auto Association and their participation in National Drive Electric Week!
Read More1973 Lotus Elan +2 takes the ethos of Colin Chapman's original idea and adds a roof.
Hemmings Show Brings Splendor and Sports Cars to Saratoga Springs
The blue moon was no match for the sun's ability to caffeinate the sky, providing ample light to kickstart the morning proceedings. It was just after sunrise and I was well on my way to Saratoga Springs for the 10th annual Hemming's Sports and Exotic Show, the real life interpretation of their fantastic monthly magazine.
Read MoreDead Battery Kills Coverage of Ferrari Concorso & Friends.
This story, as do most of my entries, starts with an alarm chiming at a time that mere mortals would prefer doesn't exist on weekend mornings. The Ferrari Concorso and Friends charity event takes place on LaSalle Road, in West Hartford, CT, which is approximately 2.5 hours north of me. Therefore, if I wanted to arrive when or before the cars did, which was predicted to start at 6 a.m., my alarm needed to grossly betray my sleep pattern. And it did.
Read MoreDouble-dose of Season Starters Makes for a Funday Sunday.
It's tough to attend all the great events scheduled for the year. Sometimes it's a personal conflict, other times they just overlap. Thankfully, the Bergen County Cars & Caffe and Garden State Euros respective openers worked in harmony with my time, rather than fighting for it.
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