Well Sherman, set the way-back machine for 1996…
Back in the day, dot-coms used to blow a lot of VC dough on crazy parties. DJ’s, Ice Scuptures, GoGo Dancers, and so on. And until last Thursday night, it had been ten years since I’d even heard of anyone willing to launch a site under any fanfare at all. Enter Driverside.com. Not only did they bring the old launch-party-magic back, they did it surrounded by a few million bucks worth of exotic cars.
How they got Benteley SF to provide the venue I have no idea. And I probably don’t want to know. I rolled up in my 2003 Jetta Wagon (complete with Gym bag on the passenger seat), a valet stepped up, gave what I think was a ironic smile and drove off. Walking into the Bentley showroom I was greeted by a few very nice young ladies holding clipboards, doing what they could to refuse entry to riff-raff – but since my name was on the list, they let me in anyway. Next it was a tray of Grey Goose Peartinis. Which Robert and I each drank, but with as much manliness as we could. After all, the alternative was a Cosmo. And we just weren’t going down that road.
What would be going down the road eventually was on of the many Lamborghini’s they had in the showroom. An already sold bright yellow Murcielago. – a bargain at over $350k. Next to that was a chartreuse Lambo, one in Silver and several very very nice Bentleys. It’s an interesting experience to drink alcohol around a dozen cars that each cost as much a small home in Portland.
The DriverSide gang gave a great thank-you speech and were nice enough to mention Plumbline’s work in designing the architecture and UI/UX for the site. It was quite an event. It came compete with top-tier catering served to some of who I am sure represent the SF Social Elite (though I would never be able to pick them out of the crowd)… There was even an ice sculpture.
DriverSide Launch Party
