What is the best way to celebrate Newport, RI in late summer? You have a party. At a mansion. With amazing cars. And celebrities like Jay Leno. And outdoor dining. And everyone dressed to the nines. And a theme of celebrating the end of Prohibition. And the revelation that New England has emerged as an amazing place to be a car person due to the efforts of a recent car museum - the Audrain Automotive Museum. Yes. That is the way you do it. And we did just that.
The Audrain has emerged as a tremendous resource for car folks all over the country. They have developed a focus on acquiring and preserving cars that are important - specifically New England cars that are specific! To my knowledge, there are very few institutions that have taken this type of ambitious, regionally-focused curation strategy for automobiles. I'm not used to seeing so much strategic vision in institutions that pop up here. Ken Gross, advisor to many museums on cars and Boston-bred, was on hand which shows the direct connectivity between the Audrain and the handful of other museums around the country that are striving to add a layer to the automotive story that we rarely see. I am greatly looking forward to the stories that emerge.
Speaking of stories, our keynote speaker was Jay Leno, a paragon among "car people" and an all-around amazing person. While some celebrities seem to be Jekyl-and-Hyde personas that don't always show the most favorable private sides of themselves, Jay Leno is a notable exception. As soon as we saw Mr. Leno at this event, we made our way over to get a picture and a quick word. When he saw Marshall, my ten year old son, he immediately focused on asking him questions about whether he liked cars. Marshall was able to tell Mr. Leno how much we enjoy his television show and we discussed the last episode we watched. Mr. Leno was such a nice person.
And he wasn't the only great person to meet. Those who know his show know that Donald Osbourne, an appraiser (and opera singer), is a a regular feature on the program. Mr. Osbourne was also at the event eventually serving as an auctioneer of sorts to raise donations for the museum. At one point, Marshall went to one of the outdoor bars to get a soda and Mr. Osbourne gently kidded him about needing some identification proving his age and then helped Marshall get his drink. Yet another amazing experience in his life. And such a nice interaction with Mr. Osbourne.
This event was the annual gala for the museum, devoted to celebrating the cars and the people as well as raising funds to acquire more historically-significant New England cars. They have three collectors who loan cars to the museum to mount rotating shows throughout the year, but it is again interesting that the museum itself is focused on adding their own cars within this specific genre. This event was held at Ochre Court, a magnificent "summer cottage" mansion right on the ocean overlooking Easton's Beach in Newport. Commissioned by Ogden Goelet, it was built at a cost of $4.5 million in 1892. It is the second largest mansion in Newport after nearby The Breakers. These two mansions, along with Belcourt Castle (the 3rd largest mansion) and Marble House, were designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt. It is owned by Salve Regina University and it was very kind of the university to permit its use for this event. The house is absolutely spectacular, the grounds are ample, and the overall effect was quite stunning.
After a cocktail reception where we could stroll and view the cars where we met friends and basked in a beautiful evening, we progress into the "speakeasy" entrance to the dining tent. In keeping with the event, the tent was outfitted with chandeliers and elegant table dressings. David De Muzio, director of the Audrain, outlined the vision of the museum for us and revealed their latest automotive acquisition. While we dined on a lovely meal from Morin Catering, we heard about the Peterson from Kevin Gross, enjoyed watching Donald Osbourne liberate funds from the crowd as donations to the museum (~$140,000 was raised), and, of course, some great stories from Jay Leno. Jay loved to take questions from the crowd, often commenting hilariously on the person asking the questions. Marshall was able to get a question in after being brought to the front of the event with the microphone. He asked Jay what car Jay is excited to buy next - which resulted in a long great story about buying cars with great stories behind them! I'm always in awe of the poise and self-confidence of my young son, which I attribute in large part to the preparation he receives at the French American School of Rhode Island. The public-speaking and performance aspects of the experience at the school help shape and mold kids who are prepared to be in the spotlight. Sure, he was a bit nervous, but I was so proud of his "chutzpah." Fortune favors the bold. Call it a shameless plug, but credit where credit is due.
The night finished with dancing and non-cash table games up in the mansion. Desserts, RI's own Awful Awful's, a fine selection of cigars and candy, coffee and beverages were on ample offer. The band was a highlight. They played a wide variety of songs, often transitioning smoothly from one to the next or blending different songs together in unexpected ways - and it worked. Their energy was infectious.
We got some lovely gifts on the way out the door and made our way back to the valets who nicely brought our car back around. It was an incredible evening, a spectacular event, and something I'm very glad not to have missed. There was clearly a ton of effort put into this event and it showed in every detail. I don't know how it could have gotten any better. Thank you, Audrain Museum, for an absolutely perfect end to summer!
