Valentine's Day Gala, Shop Tour & 2004 Calendar - Ferrari Club of America/NER

Ferrari Club of America - New England Region

1. Valentine's Day Formal Dinner Gala Fête!
2. Saturday Shop Tour at Boston SportsCar
3. Preliminary 2004 Club Calendar

* * *

It's cold. Really, really cold. Times like these are not conducive to thoughts of exotic cars, winding roads in the Italian Alps, and great bottles of Chianti served at dinner with your loved one. Wait a minute - these are _exactly_ the times that make us dream of better days ahead! We've got an upcoming event that will accomplish three worthy goals: to help pass the days until the spring thaw hits; to have a great time with your car-crazed friends; and to help you out of a jam when you realize that Valentine's Day is imminent and you haven't done bupkis in terms of planning yet, buster.

Yes, that's right, we've got a full package all set-up and ready-to-go for all of you procrastinators out there. Want to take your spouse or significant other out for a spectacular, romantic night of dinner, dancing and champagne? Not to mention the chance to mingle with similarly crazed friends? Heck, you don't even need to mention to your loved one that it's a Ferrari Club event!

On Saturday night, February 14, the Ferrari Club of America, New England Region, is proud to host a formal dinner gala fête at The Commons in Topsfield, Massachusetts, from 7pm to midnight. The Commons is a wonderful historic building and function hall north of Boston, owned and operated by fellow members Frank and Kristi Martino (who've donated use of the space, and is running this event at cost!!!). Plenty of parking for Ferraris right on the common!

We'll have a cocktail hour from 7pm-8pm (open bar all night), with live piano music and hors d’ouevres that include coconut shrimp, crab stuffed mushrooms, scallops & bacon, chicken Satay with a spicy peanut sauce, spinach & swiss cheese mushrooms in a puff pastry, and fresh Italian antipasto (of course!). Dinner will be a mesclun salad with gorgonzola cheese, toasted walnuts and granny smith apples, roasted tenderloin of beef and crab stuffed sole served with a mushroom risotto and a fresh medley of sautéed vegetables. For post-prandial delights, we'll have a banana fosters flambé station (get in line behind me) and a chef’s selection of miniature cannoli, éclairs, neopolitans, cream puffs and fruit tarts, as well as Black Tie Espresso's great espresso, cappuccinos, lattés, and coffee, made using only imported fresh ground beans from Italy.

After dinner, we'll be hoping to the music of the White Heat Swing Band, which has played for the First Lady and a private party for Aerosmith (when was the last time Aerosmith and Laura Bush were in the same sentence?), not to mention performing with Norah Jones at Lincoln center. The White Heat Swing Band focuses on 1930-1940s jazz for dancing and Cole Porter for swing. Their male vocalists are Sinatra stylists and sing a good part of his repertoire.

The Commons is located at Four North Common Street in Topsfield. It's black-tie optional, so break out the nice dresses. Tickets are available at $125 per person, with a registration deadline of February 6. If you're coming from afar, we've arranged for a block of rooms at a great rate at the Sheraton Ferncroft (more details will be provided to registrants). We'll also be having Sunday Brunch for those who survive Saturday night!

Questions can be addressed to either Joe Capasso at (860) 883-6369 or [email protected], or Kristi Martino at the Commons, (978) 887-4100 or e-mail [email protected]. Directions can be found at: www.topsfieldcommons.com

All members will receive a formal invitation in the mail shortly. If you do not receive one, please contact Fiona Friar at (860) 678-1291 or [email protected].

Isn't it about time that you showed your loved one just how much they mean to you by taking them out to a wonderfully romantic Valentine's Day event with your Ferrari club buddies?

vty,

--Dennis

==============================

Sunday tech session and shop tour at the Boston SportsCar Company!

Darin McKay and the gang at Boston SportsCar are opening the doors of their Weston facility to us on Saturday, February 7th, from 11am-3pm. They're rightfully proud of their newly revamped space. This will be a great opportunity to ogle some cool cars, hear about their new Newbury sales facility, and munch on refreshments. The guys will also have lots of tips to help your precious survive these New England winters. So come on out and see their newly spotless workshop, catch up with old friends, and make some new ones. Heck, it's February - how else are you going to satisfy your Ferrari jonesing?

For directions, check out their website at www.bostonsportscar.com. We hope to see you there!


=====================================

FCA/New England Region Preliminary Calendar for 2004

Start saving the dates, boys and girls -- this looks to be a great year!


February 14 – Valentine’s Day Formal Gala – see above!

March 7 – Sunday Brunch, drive and Grand Prix of Australia (via tape delay) viewing! We'll be meeting for a leisurely Sunday brunch to watch the GP of Australia on tape delay, followed by a scenic and fast tour (if we have less than 3" of snow on the ground). Restaurant location to be posted on our region's website! Dennis Liu, Massachusetts Chapter President, at [email protected]

April 4 – Kart Trak – Windsor Locks, CT – First driving event of spring at the Kart Trak in Windsor Locks, CT. Get a start on spring by (unintentionally) bashing your fellow NER members into the wall! Pete Lombardo at (860) 646-5454 or [email protected].

April 25 – Sunday Brunch, drive and Grand Prix of Brazil viewing! We'll be meeting early for a leisurely Sunday morning drive (again, if we have less than 3" of snow on the ground), concluding at Ferrari of New England, 1203 Washington Street, West Newton, MA 02465, for brunch and a (tape delayed) viewing of the GP of San Marino. Dennis Liu, Massachusetts Chapter President, at [email protected].

May 14-16 - 3rd Annual New Hampshire Weekend Ramble! Based at a historic grand hotel, with scenic mountain drives (new routes!), fabulous meals, sudden-death miniature golf, kamikaze alpine luge racing, shopping, and memorable stories. Activities for drivers and passengers alike! Dennis Liu, Massachusetts Chapter President, at [email protected].

May 23 – Tutto Italiano. Display your car or come just to spectate at a huge gathering of all Italian automobiles on the grounds of the Museum of Transportation in Brookline, MA on a beautiful Sunday morning. Cars to be judged in the concours will include Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, FIAT, Lancia, and unique vehicles. Christian Scott, New Hampshire Chapter President, at (603) 887-7594 or [email protected].

June 19 – 3rd Annual Village Picnic. Part of the festivities surrounding the Hartford Concorso Ferrari - a Saturday picnic at the Village for Families and Children in Hartford, CT. We'll entertain children and hand out presents, raising money for a great cause. Pete or Rosemary Lombardo at (860) 646-5454 or [email protected]

June 20 – The Fourth Annual Hartford Concorso Ferrari! This is our biggest event of the year, to benefit the Connecticut Children's Medical Center. The theme this year will focus on racing, with race cars galor! Not to mention a collection of modern Ferrari supercars, as well as dozens of modern and historic touring cars. Truly spectacular gourmet food, champagne, a parade for children patients, and lots of surprises. There will also be a cocktail party and dinner the evening prior, and discount rates at the Goodwin Hotel. Joe Capasso, Regional Co-Director at (860) 296-4453 or [email protected] or Fiona or Dave Friar, Connecticut Chapter President, at (860) 678-1291 or [email protected].

July 17-18 – VT Ferrari Street Festival Weekend in Burlington, Vermont. Come join us for a Ferrari parade and show to benefit Burlington children. This year, the street festival is combined with our famous Vermont Ferrari Festival! The FCA/New England Region's traditional fall weekend ramble is now our summer outing, with cocktail parties, a driving tour and much more! Todd Lockwood, Vermont chapter president, at [email protected] or (802) 658-1270 x201.

July 25 – Sunday Brunch, drive and Grand Prix of Germany viewing! We'll be meeting for breakfast, watch the GP of Germany, followed by a scenic and fast tour (again, if we have less than 3" of snow on the ground). Restaurant location to be posted on our region's website! Dennis Liu, Massachusetts Chapter President, at [email protected].

August 15 – DREAM RIDE to benefit Special Olympics Connecticut, starting at the Farmington Club, 162 Town Farm Road, Farmington, CT 06032. www.hometownwheels.com. A great opportunity to take a police-escorted charity ride through the beautiful NW Connecticut countryside to raise money for a fantastic charity. Dave Friar, Connecticut Chapter President, at (860) 678-1291 or [email protected], or Sean Harris, (203) 250-5392, [email protected].

September 11-12 – Rhode Island Tour. Our first foray into Southeast New England. How many laps of Rhode Island can a couple of dozen Ferraris do in one weekend? With the requisite gourmet meals, cocktail parties, scenic stops, and lots of speeding because we'll be bribing politicians per the Rhode Island norm. Just kidding! Hah! Please don't lock me up! Chris ***as, RI Chapter President, at (401) 392-0480 or [email protected].

September 19 - POLO! Ferrari Cup polo match at Myopia Polo, Hamilton, MA. This great event includes a Sunday drive, Ipswich fried clams at Woodman's, and an opportunity to spectate on the oldest existing polo field in the US. Free admission to members! Dennis Liu, Mass. Chapter President, at [email protected].

October 1-3 – The Maine Event – The 3rd annual FCA/New England Region weekend ramble on the coast of Maine. With scenic coastal drives, great meals, shopping, and tall tales. Glenn Farrell, Maine Chapter President, 207-363-8053 or [email protected].

October 24 - Sunday Brunch, drive and Grand Prix of Brazil viewing! We'll be meeting early for a leisurely Sunday morning drive, concluding at Ferrari of New England, 1203 Washington Street, West Newton, MA 02465, for brunch and a viewing of the Brazilian GP - the finale to the 2004 GP season. Dennis Liu, Massachusetts Chapter President, at [email protected].

 

Note, to contact Chris ***as, instead of using [email protected], please use [email protected] instead. Thanks, and hope to see all of you at the next event!

vty,

--Dennis