Disclosure: The opinions expressed are 100% my own. I was invited as a Blogger and received a gift bag along with previewing the Auto show, no other compensation was given.
Last Thursday night I was invited to join a few of my favorite bloggers for a Girls Night Out / Women's Blogger Event event hosted by
Toyota and
She Buys Cars {some of us brought our hubbies, personally I knew I'd never hear the end of it if I hadn't asked him to join me}.While at the show we mingled, toured the showroom and discussed how the car shows aren't just for the fellas these days. Women are greatly interested in the safety and reliability of their vehicle, how environmentally friendly it is and they want their car to reflect and enhance their own personal style. What better place to be then the
New York International Auto show to discover tons of great choices?
Now if you know me, you know I can't drive a lick, and yes it's crazy that I don't even have a permit! Honestly It's because I didn't grow up with car, I took the subway to Brooklyn Tech all four years of high school and to John Jay my 4 years of undergrad. And now that I'm older and a mom of 2, I'm really petrified of driving on NYC streets. Apparently, they say just like living here, if you can manage driving in New York City unscathed then you are capable of driving anywhere.
Don't get me wrong, I love the comfort and convenience of being in a car, hence why our neighborhood taxi company loves our frequent business. You know, like on that day you take a quick trip to Target to buy a Starbucks Latte, a pair of jeans and toiletries. Only to walk out with all of that, plus a new bookshelf, pull-ups for the lil' monster and 2 ginormous bottles of laundry detergent {because there was a really great sale}and a few groceries. I also wouldn't mind having a car so that our family of four could safely travel out of state more: for a weekend in Upstate NY to see the hot air balloon festivals or even to Florida to visit friends and Disney World. For now, while the hubby convinces me that car is a necessity to have, we use our Zipcar membership.
During a study conducted by the University of Michigan a quarter of the participating teens responded to a text 1 or more times while driving, which means their eyes weren't on the road! With safety being one of our biggest concerns, one of the innovative highlights for the Hubby and I was
Toyota's TeenDrive365. This collection of resources and events was created to give parents the tools to help initiate the conversation on the importance of safe driving with teens who are getting behind the wheel for the first time. Both teens and adults were invited to give the simulated distraction drive a try, while other visitors watched on the screen. No matter how safe a driver you are, when prompted to pull out their phone to text message, or to reach for a bottle of water the simulated TeenDrive365 experience proved to guests {like my hubby} that bad car habits are dangerous and could prove to be life threatening.
Dr Oz
The Good Life magazine's editor in chief
Alison Bower was on hand to provide a quiz to guests on Car safety and I over heard a few bloggers say they were shocked at some of the answers they got wrong after driving for years. We all received a copy of the May/ June issue of the Good Life Magazine which highlights healthy snacks to pack on the road. * Remember not to eat while driving because it's a distraction, it's safer to pull over.
- Fill a travel mug with cardamon tea which stops sugar cravings before they start.
- Kiwi for a boost of energy
- Walnuts or almonds, which are proven to reduce risk of dying from chronic illnesses.
- SeaSnax, lightly salted seaweed only has 16 calories
When making decisions about what car to purchase, function and safety are top priorities but we all want to look good driving it too! Remember the days of the bikini clad models stretched out on a car ads, well now that woman are playing a greater role in the decision making process {We buy 60% of the cars purchased here in the U.S} the car industry is definitely taking notice and is trying to appeal to our style. This year Ford Mustang is celebrating 50 years of production and recently collaborated with beauty line OPI to offer women a limited edition of nail lacquers to show off their unique sense of personal style while they steer.
The stylish moms and fashion and beauty experts
Vera Sweeney and
Audrey McClelland gave us the deets on the latest trends to have us ladies looking fabulous behind the wheel. You can't go wrong with bright colors, plaid and statement making jewelry this season. While the sassy & funny Latina actress and blogger
Lizza Monet Morales had us creating fabulous Cover Girl moments with selfies and fantastic, vibrant lip colors.
A party's not a party without fun favors to leave with! Thanks to sponsors Tieks, Kate Spade and Ellella cosmetics, a few awesome ladies {self included, thanks Ellela} got to walk away with some great raffled prizes.
Attending the New York International Auto Show has always been an exciting event for my family. By attending you get first glimpses at the latest, innovative cars being released and have the chance to partake in activities like the Ride Along, interactive displays, video games and simulators and may even get to meet a few celebrity personalities from the entertainment and sports industries.
We all had a great time at the The She Buys Cars Girls Night Out, and loved that the evening showed that us ladies love beautiful cars too! The New York International Auto Show is going on from now until Sunday April 27th.
What do you look for when deciding on buying a car? If you are interested in a chance to go to the NYIAS, whether with your girlfriends or family, head over to my
Dellah's Jubilation Instagram Page & leave a comment on the post for a 4 pack of tickets!
