The 12^th Annual East Side House Settlement Gala International Auto Show Preview at the Javits Center is an event that people look forward to year round.

This year’s gala was sponsored by Lotus and had grand prix race cars and one vintage Lotus Esprit S1, famed for its transformation into a submarine in the James Bond film, ”The Spy Who Loved Me”.

Guests at the preview were treated to a premium open bar and delicious appetizers and freedom to peruse the car show at leisure.  The chance to wander through the endless armada of displays from every known car company without having to elbow any room for yourself transformed the car show experience into a delight of marquis vehicles such as Lotus, Spyker, Rolls Royce, Bentley and Porshe as well as the latest prototypes from the automotive titans; Fords, Jeep, Toyota, Honda etc…

Of course a real NYC party is not complete without VIP sections and VVIP sections.  Mercedes, Rolls Royce and Bentley had their own private parties happening in tandem and, for the extremely well financed, the evening’s dramatic pinnacle was the arrival of the 2011 Evora IPS, which was driven in during dinner.

The grand entrance marked the start of a live auction of the sports car, which was otherwise unavailable for purchase in North America. Potential buyers were invited to bid for the chance to jump the long waiting list and be the first person in North America to own this stunning new sports car.

Knowing that all of this automotive showmanship was benefiting a great cause has kept the annual event a priority in socialite calendars for years on end.

East Side House recognizes education and technology training as the gateways out of poverty for the children and families of the South Bronx. By helping to motivate students to graduate from high school and enroll in college, East Side House Settlement is a community resource for the poorest Congressional district in the United States. For more information please visit www.eastsidehouse.org

– Jeffery Owens