North American International Auto Show Charity Preview Night 2011

What a magical evening Friday night was!  I have never experienced anything quite like that before.  It was like being a part of something very exclusive.  Our evening began with a trip to downtown Detroit, and finding the hotel for the pre-reception for the software company, Oracle.  The streets of downtown Detroit make almost a wagon wheel, which can be confusing.  We arrived at the Westin Book Cadillac hotel and had to drive up 9 levels of a narrow parking structure.  Seeing the architecture as we went around and around was fascinating.  On one side was an abandoned apartment building, many of the windows boarded up, while the opposite side had these beautiful columns with uplights highlighting the scrolls on top. 

The hotel where the preshow reception and dinner took place was built in the 1920's.  I imagined the restaurant to be one of those "speakeasy" type places with bootlegged booze and gals in flapper dresses.

At about 5:45 we took a shuttle to the Auto Show venue, which is the Cobo Center.  My husband, Dan, has visited the show in the past, but only with the general public.  I have never been, and I was so glad for the opportunity. 

Walking into the show was like walking into broad daylight.  There are bright lights everywhere, highlighting the cars.  The floor is tiled with large white glass squares, and there are flashing lights and screens an all the walls.  It's overwhelming and so impressive.  The cars all look amazing.  It made even the most undesireable cars look like you wanted to buy them.

I loved seeing all the people dressed up, and walking among them.  There were large tables packed with full champagne glasses, and a table full of unopened bottles behind the servers.  It seemed like everyone had a glass in their their hand.  (Except for us, of course).

I didn't recognize anyone famous, but I also don't know what all of our local politicians look like.  :)

We wandered around for a couple of hours, admiring all the cars, and Dan going back to look at the Black Ops Jeep several times.  We then waited and took the shuttle back to the hotel for a late 9:30 dinner.

Dinner was amazing, we had salads for the first course, Dan had salmon, and I had mushroom ravioli for the second course.  Dessert was the best!  Dan had homemade sorbet in three different flavors, and I had some of the best cheesecake ever.

All in all, it was simply wonderful.  I would go again in a heartbeat.  :)