| Author |
Message |
Dennis (Bighead)
Junior Member
Username: Bighead
Post Number: 250
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 26, 2003 - 9:06 am: | |
Argh. Sorry for another message.
Thanks to the eagle eye of Tom Lassen, who pointed out that the Bolton Fair is being held this weekend (with Rt. 117 and the Salt Box being tied up accordingly), the Meeting Place on Sunday morning for our drive will be in the parking lot of the Boxborough Holiday Inn, at the intersection of Rt. 111 and I-495 (take Exit 28 off I-495; it's just East of the highway).
See you there at 10 am! We'll be using Motorola (FRS) radios on the drive, so bring one if you have one (channel 3, code 8), and make sure you've filled your gas tank! If you can't make the drive, please plan on arriving at noon for the complimentary lunch and GP viewing.
Right now, we expect to have over 15 Ferraris just for the rally, including TWO white Testarossas (when was the last time you saw THAT?), and lots more at Ferrari & Maserati of New England.
If you plan on attending, please send me an email. To register for a car wash and free technical inspection, please contact Steve Oldford, service manager, Ferrari & Maserati of New England, at (617) 559-0123.
vty,
--Dennis |
Dan 360 (Dan360)
Junior Member
Username: Dan360
Post Number: 120
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2003 - 4:25 pm: | |
I'd like to say to those of you that haven't come a long to one of Dennis' FCA events, you should. This really was a great family event. Helped of course by great weather, but it was very nice way to spend a day. Frank was very generous to offer some splendid deserts & coffees to the group.
I was also interesting for a brit to see a traditionally british sport for the very first time in New England (you may accurately surmise from this that I have not as yet spent much time with Price Charles). Although I did spend a rather large part of the Polo 'viewing' time chasing my 2-year old and finding out quite how hard he can throw acorns! |
Dennis (Bighead)
Junior Member
Username: Bighead
Post Number: 248
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2003 - 1:04 pm: | |
Ferrari Club of America - New England Region
1. Report on the Myopia Polo event
2. USGP drive, lunch and viewing at Ferrari & Maserati of New England
3. Vermont Ferrari Fall Festival
4. European Car Day on the Cape - Saturday, October 11
5. Sunday, October 12th - UPS / United Way 2nd Annual Car Show in Hartford
* * *
Who would have thought that a mere eight horsepower could be so impressive?
The FCA New England Region gathered for the second weekend in a row (of four!) for a new event - a visit to the Myopia Hunt Club for some polo spectating. I'm sure that most of us own a Ralph Lauren knit shirt. But those of us who attended yesterday can finally attest that we've watched polo! And, yes, I bought a souvenir Myopia polo shirt (not from Ralph though).
After a drenched spring of Ferrari events (we had inclement weather at every outing, I think), the fates finally shone on us yesterday. Dry, sunny, warm... perfect weather to hit the road! Over a dozen cars gathered for the morning run through the North Shore of Massachusetts. Members included Frank Martino and Michael Calvo with their wives in identical red F355 Berlinettas, Mark Shair and Eileen Feldman in his red Testarossa, Philip Schier and his daughter in his green F355 Spider, Dave & Naomi Covino and family all packed into their spiffy 308 GT/4, Fred Cohen and family in their white Testarossa (and Ford Expedition), Dan Watkins & family in their black 360 Modena (and BMW X5), and Dr. Joel and Rachel Franck in their crimson Maserati Coupe (that somehow transmogrified into a green Spyder before the end of the day). Of course, we had a Connecticut contingent consisting of Dave and Fiona Friar in a yellow F355 Spider, Jim and Maria LaRosa in a red 360 Modena and Peter & Lina Lombardo in a black 328 GTS. And roaring in with perfect timing as we were pulling out was the ever-affable Emmett Horgan in his red 360 Modena. And since we had the Principessa Charlize (tm) with us, my wife and I took the BMW sport wagon.
Our drive led us through several scenic towns on the North Shore, including Manchester-By-the-Sea, Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, Ipswich and Topsfield. At the start, I lectured everyone that this would be a more low-key drive, unlike past events (and probably unlike the upcoming USGP drive). We started a bit slowly, held up by some tourist traffic and a drawbridge. But once we cleared Rockport, we found some nifty, narrow roads. Though, I must add, while chauffeuring my wife and daughter in the wagon, I lost sight of the Ferraris a few times - in my rear view mirror (come on people, that's inexcusable!).
Pictures are here:
www.photoaccess.com/share/guest.jsp?ID=ABEBDE182D6&cb=PA
We stopped for lunch at the famous and ever-so-busy Woodman's (www.woodmans.com). Our gang sat down to a hearty repast of lobsters, fried clams, fried scallops, fried shrimp, fried onion rings, fried potatoes, and, sad to say, "fried clam strips" (they were from Connecticut, so I guess their ignorance is excusable!).
After lunch, we stopped at a restored historic Federal-style mansion in Topsfield, where Frank and Kristi Martino run The Commons reception hall (www.topsfieldcommons.com), right in the Topsfield common. As we were pulling in, Peter and Pamela Rogal in their F40 LM and Jim (I'll mangle his last name) and his wife in their 400i converged with us. Frank and Kristi welcomed us with complimentary espressos, cappuccinos, mimosas and Italian pastries. I even had a custom pastry emblazoned with "Store Ferrari", which is a web business that Frank just set up to sell some great Ferrari accessories (www.storeferrari.com).
We munched and sipped to our hearts delight, then marched off to the Myopia Hunt Club, the oldest existing polo field in the U.S., where we were given free admission and reserved parking right on the edge of the field, across from the spectator seats (though we were cautioned to play goalie defense against any errant balls!). We met up with Vernon Ellinger in his 328 GTS, Neal and Susan Heffron in their 360 Spider, Glenn Farrell and Denise Tousignant in his gorgeous Lusso, and, of course, Philippe Chanial with a yellow 360 Modena and a Maserati. The club kindly invited us to sit in the pavilion with members and enjoy their hospitality as we watched, well, our first polo match. Dr. Franck, who actually plays, gave us a short primer on the elements of the game. As thrilling as it is to watch Schumacher and Montoya dice for the lead, it's another kind of thrill to watch eight men swinging mallets on thoroughbreds at full steam converging on one little white ball, without regard to bodily harm. Yikes! At half-time, we proceeded onto the field and stomped divots. It was an interesting scene, as some people who employ teams of gardeners at their homes were stomping grass and avoiding the "steaming" divots, all while wearing shoes more expensive than your last major service.
After the last chucker, it was time for the awards ceremony, where we were giving out the Ferrari Cup, sponsored by Ferrari and Maserati of New England (www.ferrariofnewengland.com). Jim LaRosa, Dave Friar, Neal Heffron, Joel Franck and Peter Rogal arranged their cars in a semi-circle in front of the ceremony, and we drafted the fetching Maria LaRosa to hand out the trophies. Maria, who had nearly monopolized the Principessa Charlize the entire afternoon refused to give her up, and so handed out awards and kissed the players all while clutching my daughter in her arms! After the ceremony, the children each received a free souvenir and a poster of the event.
Overall, it was a lovely, lovely way to spend the last spectacular Sunday of the summer. Whether you came alone like Emmett and Vernon, came with your wife and kids in a Ferrari like the Covings, came with your family in your Ferrari and an SUVA like the Cohen's and Watkins, or just came with your family in a non-Ferrari like yours truly, it was a great time. Who says that being a Ferrari enthusiast is not compatible with enjoying a family weekend?
See you next Sunday!!! [event details below]
vty,
--Dennis
==============================
Sunday drive, lunch, tech and United States Grand Prix viewing! We'll be meeting early on 9/28 for a leisurely Sunday morning drive, concluding at Ferrari & Maserati of New England for a tech session, complimentary car wash, lunch and a viewing of the USGP. Come join your fellow members of the New England Region as we sample the first hints of fall air and view the foliage as tendrils of color creep in, on a nice Sunday morning drive. To be followed immediately by lunch and complimentary tech inspection of your car, with a live viewing of the USGP on the big-screen TV.
For the morning drive, we'll meet at 10:00 a.m., right off of I-495, between Rt. 2 and the Mass Pike., in the big parking lot at the Salt Box Country Store, 626 Main Street (Route 117 West), Bolton, Massachusetts, for a nice, back roads drive (NOT the same route we took in the spring) and a bombing run back to Ferrari & Maserati of New England for bunch. We'll be using Motorola (FRS) radios on the drive, so bring one if you have one (channel 3, code 8), and make sure you've filled your gas tank! From I-495, take Route 117 West for less than a half-mile; the Salt Box is on the left. If you can't make the drive, please plan on arriving at noon for lunch and the tech session.
If you plan on attending, please send me an email. To register for a car wash and free technical inspection, please contact Steve Oldford, service manager, Ferrari & Maserati of New England, at (617) 559-0123. Free lunch, free drive, free GP viewing. What have ya got ta lose?
=====================================
October 3-5 � The Vermont Ferrari Festival, Vergennes, VT. The FCA/New England Region's annual fall weekend ramble will be held once again at the Basin Harbor Club and includes cocktail parties, driving tours, a boat ride on Lake Champlain and meals. Todd Lockwood, Vermont chapter president, at [email protected] or (802) 658-1270 x201
===============================
European Car Day - Saturday, October 11, 2003, 10am-2pm
Heritage Museums & Gardens
67 Grove St.
Sandwich, MA 02563
[NOT AN FCA EVENT, but looks to be great fun!]
This year we are expanding our last show of the season to welcome all cars built in continental Europe. (No British cars � we had our British on the Green show, hosted by the Cape Cod British Car Club, on June 8th) So it will be German, French, Italian, Swedish and any other car produced in continental European countries, all marques, models and years.
Come down to the Cape for a great day of Euro engineering and style. For those of you that have never been to Heritage Museums & Gardens, we�re �just over the Sagamore Bridge� in Sandwich, with one hundred acres of beautiful gardens and woodlands, the J.K. Lilly III Automobile Collection, art and history museums and a wonderful restored, operational 90-year old carousel. Your show entry fee of $15 includes two admissions to the Museums & Gardens (a $24 value).
Please contact me with any questions, or to get a registration form.
Tom Goux
Public Programs
508 888-3300 ext 122
[email protected]
================================
Sunday, October 12th - UPS / United Way 2nd Annual Car Show, open to all Cars and Bikes. Raffle prizes - DJ - Food Vendors. Held at the UPS Building, Bradley Airport. Donations: $3.00 per person. Car Registration: $10.00 per car. All Proceeds benefit the United Way! Contact Bill Jacob at 860-275-1934 for more information. Rain Date: October 19th. Gates open at 9 am, Registration opens at 8 am.
[NOT AN FCA EVENT either, but looks to be great fun! And Stanley Cohen says he'll be bringing something special to this show....]
|
|