Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction

Every year in January, Scottsdale Arizona hosts the Barrett-Jackson collector car auctions.  This year it takes place from January 14th to January 22nd.  

It's the largest concentration of cars from old classics to modern day prototypes and everything in between here in the beautiful city of Scottsdale.  Rows of gleaming polished chrome like the dinnerware on a banquet table, paintwork in every imaginable color like perfectly lined up bottles of nail polish.  Proud owners dusting off their pride and joy, the crowds milling through the tents, browsing, dreaming!   Celebrity cars for sale, rare cars in impeccable condition, so much to look at, not enough time. Then there are the auctions, the excitement, the big spenders looking to catch their dream toy.  Outside, the tempting smell of barbecue, food trucks, and if you're game, you can tackle the worlds largest turkey leg!

What's in it for us girls?  Men are not the only ones that these cars invoke fond lifetime memories for.  Today, I saw my very first car, a red Mini Cooper.  Forty years on, I can't believe I actually fit inside that car!  The Morris 1000, the very first car my parents owned when I was 10 years old.  The day my daddy brought that car home,  I spent the whole day playing inside it pretending it was my play house!  There's a huge Exhibitor Marketplace to stroll around and shop, plus, there are lots of happy men walking around, all in very good moods, some dashingly handsome!

This is my first time visit to a car show and I liked it!  If you are in the neighborhood and have a chance to go, it is well worth a visit.  A general admission ticket is just $20,  with senior, military and student discounts available.  Auction and VIP packages vary, but all can be purchased from the Barrett-Jackson website here.

A British favorite, the Austin Healey

My first car after passing my driving test. Actually it was my mothers car, but she let me drive it so long as I drove her to work and picked her up! We regularly drove 300 miles in this car each way to go visit my grandparents!

One of the dashingly handsome gentlemen at the show! The happiest "on location" photo shoot my hubby has ever enjoyed!

Memorabilia, official souvenir merchandise stores, and then some!

I'll have one of these please!

To add to the excitement, there are the "Thrill Rides".  This is where you get to ride with a professional driver for a few minutes in a Dodge Vipor or Charger - race around the track and then do a couple of spins - yikes.  Don't worry, I didn't see any of them roll!  I couldn't do it, my scream would be louder than the screeching of the tires. I'd be yelling at them to slow down!

What to wear?  Dress comfortably.  Most people are super casual.  Most importantly, wear comfortable shoes.  You may be on your feet for a long time and can do a lot of walking, there's a lot of ground to cover.  The surfaces are not conducive to high heels, they vary from gravel, dust, concrete, to indoor spongy matting.  I wore these Via Spiga wedge booties (currently on sale) which were perfect because there are no thin heels to sink into unforgiving ground surface, and they are super "walk all day" comfy!  Jeans are the go to, I wore all black -  jeans and sweater to give it a classic look, and a casual but warm lined field type safari jacket from H&M (similar here).  I took a small cross body quilted bag, as I didn't need anything much besides my phone and lipstick. I added a long pendant necklace that my bestie from England sent me for Christmas, and some big flashy Celine sunglasses (also on sale), because cars and sunglasses go together!

One thing to note - do not touch the cars.  It sure is tempting, but ladies, this is not Nordstrom handbag department. At Barrett-Jackson you have to pretend it's in a glass case!
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Thank you for reading
Karen xox