I was invited to attend an event sponsored by Lexus on Tuesday night at The Bowery Hotel through their Darker Side of Green campaign. That was all I knew. I keep getting invited to these events where I have no idea what to expect and I realize, I need to get in the game!
Anyway, to give you some background, a short while back, I won a "Lexus Dark Ride Card" through a giveaway from a great blog, Fantabulously Frugal. After receiving it I registered it online and was granted access to several discounts for higher-end retailers and was alerted that I'd receive a weekly digest email with additional opportunities. Sure enough, the next week, I received the invite to this event. It was described as a debate on "green issues" between Eric Bates, the executive editor of Rolling Stone, and Lord Christopher Monckton, moderated by Tracy Morgan. Libations provided by Patron and, lucky me, VIP entry.
I'm not one to snub the commoners, but VIP entry is pretty sweet. Once we figured out which entrance to actually be at, my friend Perry and I were lucky enough to be standing right by the entrance when Ewan McGregor, looking adorable in a black suit and white shoes, hopped out of his car and a few seconds later, Liev Schreiber walked through the velvet ropes. After catching our breath, we found the bar and ordered Patron Pomegranate drinks. I'm a sucker for anything pomegranate.
The Bowery has a very laid back vibe. The indoor-outdoor setting was very natural yet still gave off a slightly Mediterranean vibe. The debate was held inside and the environmentalist in me was actually looking forward to what was going to be discussed. I don't know if you watch 30 Rock, but Tracy Morgan talks exactly like he does on the show (read: often difficult to understand). Unfortunately with the noise and the slurring, I couldn't hear much of what was being said, although I did see enough to know that the Lord is a creepy man with bug eyes who thinks there is no such thing as global warming. Also, Tracy Morgan isn't the best moderator if you want a serious pun-free debate.
From L to R: Lord Christoper Monckton, Tracy Morgan, Eric Bates
Tried as we did, unfortunately Ewan and Liev left right after the debate and we didn't get any face time, but Tracy was very sweet when we asked for a picture.
From L to R: Me, Tracy and Perry
In conclusion, I guess it's good I wasn't expecting anything serious because I would have been sorely disappointed. This was more of a promotional event for Lexus and their new hybrid model. However, if you find a way to get your hands on one of these cards, I would highly recommend it. The weekly emails are filled with "Be the first 5 people to respond and win ____" contests and other discounts and perks. Also, parties like this are a reason in themselves to get one.
