Really excited to attend the opening of the new Toyota-supported Tesla production facility in Fremont CA.  I love a factory and this one - tho cavernously empty right now - is going to be making cars with some serious social impact.  Had a good sit down and yarn with designer Franz von Holzhausen who has the enviable task of designing not only the ground-up genre-setting Model S but also the TESLA logo (see the unveiling below), Tesla showrooms and basically all things Tesla.  more on Franz later - I am writing a cover piece for Fairfax on him and the Tesla phenomenon.  From some messarounds with interviews etc I wanted to not love the operation but I have to say their schtick sticks and I cant wait to see the first Model S roll out of the massive factory.  Really exciting things happening with the core structure of the S - I will save that til post-Fairfax publication.  PLUS I got to spin a Tesla Roadster 'round the block and I couldnt wide the "Tesla Smile" off my face - GUN acceleration!

Cleaning up files I found a blog I wrote for Wheels online journaling my first trip to Detroit for the Auto Show.  Prior to the Detroit experience I had a sleepover in LA and my mate Daniel Tobin from Urban Art Projects took me to a ripper of an art auction somewhere in Hollywood. 

Here is the car/design/sustainable intersection: the outdoor auction party was condoned off from the rest of LA with a barrier constructed of piled up old cars and cardboard boxes with some artful uplighting.

Like a temporary version of Cadillac Ranch in Texas....the cardboard boxes were particularly effective and hey - technically the whole thing is recyclable!