December 9, 2012

L.A. Auto Show 2012

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My coverage of the L.A. Auto Show is coming one week later than it did last year (due to time conflicts) so I'm a little bummed the internet is already flooded with photos from the event, but these are the ones taken through my lens (lowly as it may be in comparison to godly DSLR's).  L.A. really impressed me this year, and I hope you'll be impressed too.  Without further ado, the 2012 Los Angeles International Auto Show!

November 28, 2012

S.F. Auto Show 2012

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The 55th annual San Francisco International Auto Show has come & gone, but I can easily say that it has been the finest year yet. The expansion included cooler attractions and better cars that I've ever seen there. Hopefully this is a sign the S.F. Auto Show is on its way to becoming a major show like L.A.

November 12, 2012

The Boys Finally Meet

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Usually when I do car things, I go with my friend Bernie (a.k.a my twin) to meets or the track, and my boyfriend Curtis takes me to all the official events. Bernie rocks his gorgeous '12 Infiniti G37S, and Curtis keeps it chill with his low-key '05 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT. I had always been bummed that we could never do something all together (and therefore get the cars together) but that finally changed last night.

November 8, 2012

Featured - Sara's Honda S2K

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It's time for a new feature! This installment puts the spotlight on a car I found on Import Sweethearts, an online community for female enthusiasts to support each other and portray a positive image of us ladies on the car scene. This lovely S2K belongs to an awesome gal named Sara from Albuquerque & I'm so glad she let me post it up. Read on to hear more about her car.

November 5, 2012

Spotted - Cars in Vegas

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This weekend I went to Vegas for the very first time to celebrate a friend's 21st birthday. Even though I was supposed to be there to party (which I don't really do much of), you know I couldn't help but be on the look out for good cars. I saw many photo-worthy vehicles (three Gallardos, two Rolls Royces, a Bentley, a Ferrari & three GT-R's), but I was only able to get photos of a select few. Worse yet, they came out ugly, but I still wanted to share them.

September 27, 2012

Spotted - Matte Pink BMW 335i

I've been living in my new apartment for a week now and recently noticed a conspicuous car hiding under a cover across the way.  Peeking out from underneath the gray shroud was a matte pink BMW E90 335i. As I've stated before, pink cars generally disgust me, but for some reason, I adore this one.

September 22, 2012

Danville Conours d'Elegance

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I had the wonderful opportunity to attend my first Concours d'Elegance last sunday, and it was an experience like no other. Unfortunately due to timing, I was not able to upload the photos until now because I was travelling back to SoCal and moving into my new apartment. But patience is a virtue, and I do believe what I have to share was well worth the wait.

August 29, 2012

I Officially Have a Girl Crush on Tia Norfleet

As a female enthusiast, I cannot help but get excited when I learn of the achievements women are making in the automotive world. It just reinforces what I (and you should also) already know to be true: women can hold their own with men in the industry.   I won't spend too much time blathering on with girl power nonsense, I'll just cut to the chase: I officially have a girl crush on Tia Norfleet.

August 15, 2012

American Iron Car Show

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It may be blazing hot outside in some regions during summer, but it never seems to stop car enthusiasts from braving the heat to put on a good classic car show. With the temperature spiking to nearly 100 over the weekend, I ventured out to the American Iron Car Show in Pleasant Hill, CA.

July 17, 2012

The Blackhawk Museum

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Over the weekend I visited the Blackhawk Museum in Danville, CA. Thus far I've only visited two auto museums, but it's a start. Blackhawk is located at the Blackhawk Plaza Shopping Center, cleverly tucked away near the back half of the plaza. It takes some doing to find it if you're not familiar with the area, but once you do, you're in for some very special treats.

July 6, 2012

Featured - Josh's Scion FR-S

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This post marks the beginning of a new series: featured rides. Every so often I'm going to have someone send photos of their car and answer a list of questions about their experience owning it. The point is to offer some insight into what it's like to live with a car the automotive community may have strong opinions about. So let's start things off with my buddy Joshua's Scion FR-S named Xenogear in Florida. I'll let him take over from here.

June 30, 2012

Spotted - Twin Murcielagos

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Last weekend I was lucky enough to see a Tesla Roadster in my neighborhood, but this evening I must've been extra lucky, because I saw not one, but TWO Lamborghini Murcielagos! I was out in Walnut Creek having dinner with a friend to celebrate her birthday when the two bulls rolled up to the valet across the street from our restaurant.  Considering Lamborghinis tend to be pretty rare, I knew I had to get a better look.

June 27, 2012

Cruisin' In The Sun Classic Car Show

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If you're a classic car lover like myself, you know that summer belongs to the automobiles of yesteryear. The Cruisin' In The Sun Classic Car Show hosted at Fernandez Park in Pinole, CA was the first of many classic shows I hope to attend during my 3 month stay in the SF Bay Area while school is out.

June 25, 2012

Spotted - Tesla Roadster

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I'm back home in the Bay for summer, and I'm starting to remember what an amazing place it is for cars. Sure we have our fair share of automotive events, but even daily outings here can be incredibly rewarding. Yesterday afternoon I stumbled upon this silver Tesla Roadster in Montclair Village.

June 4, 2012

Wekfest L.A. 2012

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Saturday afternoon I went over to the Queen Mary for Wekfest L.A. This was another new event for me, but I had heard so many good things about it I knew I was in for a great day. Of all the shows I've been to this year I think Wekfest is actually my favorite, everything about this event was choice.

May 22, 2012

Motion Auto Show 2012

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The 6th Annual Motion Auto Show was held at the Long Beach Convention Center sunday. This event is one of the largest of its kind in Southern California due to its variety in automotive stylings and the number of vendors who attend. I had never been to this event before, but I was very impressed.  You just might be surprised at my finds yourself.

May 12, 2012

K1 Speed Ontario Meet

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True enough organized big to-do car shows are a great place to get your fill of all things automotive, but they have their shortcomings.  Each one only happens once a year, they're crowded like hell, and they cost you money. Meets on the other hand, happen all the time in just about every city of SoCal you can think of. Sunday I headed to K1 Speed in Ontario, CA with a buddy for the meet being held there, organized by K.R.O.P.S.

May 7, 2012

Show & Go Car Show for Charity

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This past weekend marked the thirteenth annual Show & Go Car Show for Charity in Downtown Riverside, CA.  For those unfamiliar with the area, Riverside has a rich automotive history, so it's only fitting there would be a show of this magnitude held there.

April 22, 2012

The Art of Automotive Cinematography

I'm going to sound like a total n00b, but I'm just now discovering how awesome Vimeo is when it comes to finding super cool automotive short films. The ones I've been digging up are beautifully done with nothing more than simple imagery, a bit of music, and pure unadulterated car porn.  The following videos are a few of my favorites!

April 16, 2012

Spotted - Ferrari 308 GTB

Usually mondays totally suck, but today's been AWESOME.  Got enough sleep last night, classes went well, enjoyed a frappucino on the terrace, and I ran across this Ferrari 308 GTB.  It actually wasn't only car of interest I saw today, but it's the only one I was able to get photos of.  And unfortunately I only had my phone, I should know better by now to  always have my camera on me.  Even still, what a sight!

April 13, 2012

Formula Drift 2012 - Part III

JDM styled rides are huge out here in Southern California, just spend a day out in a major city or cruising on the freeway and you're bound to see some crazy looking imports.  Although you can spot them anywhere, meets and shows are the one place you find tons of them in the same location for a few hours.  Enter Part III of Formula Drift: The Slammed Society Showcase!

April 11, 2012

Formula Drift 2012 - Part II

Formula Drift isn't just about the drift competition, it's also an opportunity for aftermarket companies to come out and show everyone what they have to offer.  Naturally, that means bringing a few cars along to wow the crowd.  This is Part II of Formula Drift, a look at some of the display cars. 

April 9, 2012

Formula Drift 2012 - Part 1

Saturday I was in Long Beach for Formula Drift Round 1, it's my third year going and I love it more and more.    Getting a car sideways without slamming into a wall is serious business! Not to mention the hard work that goes into building a car to make it do that.  Here's Part 1 of Formula Drift, a look at some of the drift cars from the competition.

April 4, 2012

Spotted - MG Coupe

 First post with the new name! WHOOHOO.  Didn't expect to have something to write about so soon, but as any enthusiast knows, you never know when you'll come across a great car.  It's just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.  Today, I was in the right place at the right time to cross paths with this beautiful MG.

April 2, 2012

The Blog Returns...Welcome to I Dream of Speed!

I'm back! The blog has been idle for a little over a month now because I decided to redesign and rename it. You'd think it would be easy to come up with a different name, but it wasn't!


See this list? About thirty names (most of them just verbal vomit onto the paper lol),  not to mention another good twenty that are not listed here. I asked a lot of friends for input & tried to think of any and every possible combination of words having to do with cars and girls.  The harder I thought, the worse the names came out.  I didn't come up with anything decent until I stopped thinking about it.  In the middle of my flight back to SoCal when my break ended, it just hit me.

After nearly driving myself insane, I've finally decided on..."I Dream of Speed."  In all honestly, the thought of spending time doing what I love is very dreamesque, so there you go.   To match the ethereal name, I've changed my accent color from pink to sky blue.  Very fitting in my opinion :)


In addition to the new name,  I've got a brand new car as my "mascot."  This sky blue 2012 Lamborghini Aventador (I gave it some photoshop treatment, think it came out pretty well). Who would've guessed this V12 monster could look so good in this color? I'm totally digging it.

I'm so relieved to have finally figured this out! I'm pleased with it, so I hope you are too! And with that, let's get back to the car stuff. New content is coming very soon! Hope you're ready.

Welcome to I Dream of Speed!
-Etoria <3

February 28, 2012

Making Some Changes



I've had my blog for about five months now, and the whole time I've been constantly obsessing over how to make it better and more interesting for those who come by it.  I never expected myself to take it this seriously or be so concerned with how others perceived it, but I suppose if I really want to put myself out there, I have to do so with an image that people are both drawn to and can relate to.

That being said, it's time for some changes.  I've chewed on a few ideas and gotten some very helpful feedback that has helped me to determine what exactly I should and want to do. My main objective at this time is to come up with a new name for the blog & build everything else around that.  This is essential to moving forward and taking my blog where I want it to go.

At first, I felt that "Cars & Sparkles" was pretty clever, because it embodies who I am.  But the more I looked at my blog, looked at my idling fan page, and saw the overall lackluster response to it, the more silly and unappealing it felt.  One of the most important aspects of any thing you call your own is the name, it needs to be something witty, catchy, and overall, memorable.  The current name is, admittedly, none of those things in my mind.  So I'm in the works of creating something fresh.

Hopefully the new name will bring a bit more interest and trust in what I have to offer.  I want people to see me not as someone girling up the auto world with fluffy nonsense, but as a fellow enthusiast who's making a legitimate contribution to the community, something worth admiring and supporting. That's my goal.

So, the blog may be a bit inactive while I work to improve it, but I hope to get its makeover completed shortly.  I hope the few readers I have will stick with me and that I acquire new ones after the modifications are complete.

Think of it as my metaphorical project car.  It's not much at the moment, but it's a work in progress that's got a lot to offer! And once it's done, it could be something truly amazing.

Nothin' to it but to do it! Time to get started.


February 19, 2012

Spotted - Dodge Viper Convertible

Today was a very lazy day for me, I almost didn't feel like going out because I had been so exhausted from my week.  But, I managed to drag myself out of bed and head to the movies this afternoon with my boyfriend to see Chronicle. The lot was packed at the mall so we ended up driving around the backside for a space, and that's where I found this: a Dodge Viper convertible.
Even in white, this car looks venomous with its big brakes, side exhaust and large super-car worthy intake in front of the doors.  Vipers seem to be pretty rare, but I hear Dodge intends for it to make a comeback this year, renamed as the "SRT Viper" and sporting a new logo that will be unveiled a the New York Auto Show in April.  

I look forward to seeing the new Viper, but old one is fine too!

February 14, 2012

Think Pink - Special Edition Bentley GT for Breast Cancer Awareness

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I usually don't like pink cars (so weird being a GIRL right? -.-). But every once in awhile I come across one I genuinely admire.  Just in time for Valentine's Day, I've come across this edition Passion Pink 2012 Bentley Continental GT in support of Breast Cancer by Symbolic Motors.

February 11, 2012

R-E-S-P-E-C-T.



Since I started following Night-Import on Facebook, I've witnessed a pattern of disrespect from others when it comes to expressing different tastes in cars and modifications.  And unfortunately William Lee, owner of Night-Import, has been forced to address this issue multiple times, the most recent being today. Because it's been happening so often, it's sparked me to offer my two cents on the matter.

There are millions of people out there who love cars, so it's only natural that we're all going to have our own ideas. However, there is a difference between disagreeing with someone and disrespecting them.  It's perfectly fine to say you're not a fan of something, but it's wrong to resort to insults and name calling if someone else is.  A true enthusiast is tolerant of all views, and will never stoop so low as to put others down.  Are we in high school?

You owe it to both yourself and your fellow enthusiasts to show respect. Failing to do so compromises your own character as well as the overall environment of the community as a whole.  We should be able to come together to celebrate our passion, not squabble about it. Why can't we all just get along?

C'mon guys, let's be adults when interacting with each other.  Moral of the story: treat others the way you want to be treated.  Make the world a nicer place :)


February 8, 2012

Spotted - Subaru WRX STi

Two weeks ago I came across this WRX STi, but it was too dark to get photos.  Today, I found it in a parking lot on campus while walking to my business class at 7am this morning.  Although it was light enough, I had neglected to bring my camera so I had to use my iPhone (I had a midterm so I wasn't concerned about what cars I might find lol).

February 7, 2012

Video - Woman Driver!? HELL YEAH.


Nothing in the auto world is as old and tired as the "woman driver" schtick.  Some men seem to think it's impossible for us ladies to be as good behind the wheel as they are, but I beg to differ, and so does Jaguar Instructor Minna Sillankorva.  Watch her take the XKR-S Convertible for a spin on some ice.  Stick this in your juice box and suck it!

February 5, 2012

Super Bowl XLVI Car Commercials!


Who doesn't love the commercials during the Super Bowl? I think it's the only time we really enjoy our program being interrupted by companies trying to shove their products in our face.   That's because only the biggest and baddest brands can afford a spot (each commercial costs millions), so they bring their A-game.

This is particularly true of car commercials that are run during the big game.  They're always over the top hilarious, creative, and entertaining.  Here's a collection of Super Bowl XLVI's car commercials in HD!

February 3, 2012

Video - Lamborghini Invasion!


Here a 'ghini, there a 'ghini, everywhere a Lamborghini!  Over 50 of the fighting bull cars arrived in Loue Hei Dinner in Singapore yesterday, including Gallardos (Superlegerras), Murcielagos (Super Veloces), and even a few Aventadors! Talk about arriving in style!

January 29, 2012

Car People Are Awesome!


Not too long ago I started following Car People Are Awesome, an automotive fan page on Facebook run by a friend of mine from deviantART.  I regularly comment on the posts & engage with the followers, some of which who, surprise surprise, are astounded that a girl can speak intelligently about cars. So, my buddy graciously appointed me to be one of the admins so I can let these guys know I'm the real deal ;)

That being said, it would be totally awesome if anyone who reads this would like the page.  If you do, you're bond to see me posting and commenting, so feel free to say hello! 

Also, if you want to subscribe to the public posts on my account, that's fine with me.  However, I do not accept friend requests from people I don't know. My page is for family & friends only, so don't take it personally if you're not added.  I still appreciate your interest in connecting with me and hope you'll continue to support what I'm doing <3 

That's all I have to report for now, hope to see you around on the page! 

January 28, 2012

Girly Bullcrap? Not In My Car!


It's true, typical girls don't have the best reputation when it comes to customizing cars: pink, sparkles, hello kitty, pink, stock bodies, pink, stock under the hood, pink, lipstick kiss decals, and pink (did I say pink already?).  Just when I thought you couldn't make a car look more ridiculously girly, I found this lovely gem on Facebook.  A car transformed into a moving makeup bag. What is this? I don't even...

Any good enthusiast will recognize we all have our freedom to do what we want to our cars, but I think some things are just too much.   This is one of those things.  I probably sound like I'm getting too wound up over it, but to me it's much more harmful than it appears. It reinforces the idea that no girl on the planet knows anything about cars (the chicks commenting on the photo actually wanted their cars to be converted into something similar, not joking).  And there lies the problem.   This is why we can't have nice things.

It's hard out here for a female enthusiast.

January 24, 2012

The Best Present EVER.


While most girls like to get jewelry from their boyfriends, I'm different. Yesterday, after weeks of anticipation, I received my belated Christmas gift from mine: this gorgeous 1/18 diecast of the Aston Martine One-77.  Although it's not the official model, it's still highly detailed.  It's apparent it was designed with the utmost attention to detail, why else would there be such an insane amount of packaging around it (including the box it was mailed in not pictured)?

January 19, 2012

Video - Aston Martin Loves Women

Aston Martin is my favorite car brand, why? Because they get it.  They know their customer, so they provide a line of luxury cars that fit the desires of the people who buy them.  More specifically however, Aston Martin gets it when it comes to realizing that the luxury auto market is not only made up of men.  They understand that women also appreciate a well built machine.  To demonstrate, they've released this video with the appropriate message,  "Aston Martin Loves Women, Women Love Aston Martin." I think that's very true!

I love you too A.M. <3 


January 14, 2012

Spotted - Classic Mustang


Living in SoCal, stumbling upon beautiful cars is practically a daily occurrence.  Today, I discovered this gorgeous blue classic 'stang sitting quietly in a parking lot down the street from my apartment.  I've been past that lot multiple times, but usually at night, I had no idea this car was there! But I'm glad I found it. It's just...WOW.

January 12, 2012

Loving the Lexus LF-LC


Toyota has done it again with yet another jaw dropping concept car: the Lexus LF-LC.  They dazzled us with the LFA supercar a few years ago, and now a new out-of-this-world design has been released from their studio in Newport Beach, CA.   The concept first made its debut at the Detroit Auto Show along with the new Honda NSX.  And it's quite the looker.

January 10, 2012

Wheels With My Name On Them? Yes Please!


I don't know too much about wheels (aside from naming some brands and sizes), but I do know there's a couple of sets with my name! This is the center cap that can be found on Enkei Etorias, which come in type 137 & type 144 (the 144 is shown below).


Call it vain if you like, but when I get a car (whenever the hell that is lol) I'm going to slap a set of these on it. How many people can buy wheels with their actual name on them? I'm guessing not too many!  In the meantime, admire how awesome they look on this VW Golf.

Enkei, you guys ROCK.

January 9, 2012

Return of the NSX


Acura unveiled the 2012 NSX Concept at the North American International Auto Show this week, and while I find it pretty impressive, it's just off to me. I love seeing old models revived, but I believe they should still carry some visual aesthetics that speak to their heritage. The new NSX concept looks absolutely nothing like the original vehicle.

These days, concepts of high performance cars are taking on a rounded body style, the NSX is no exception.  And that's where the trouble is for me.  It's like they've updated the design a little too much.  The back end looks like a Lamborghini Gallardo, the sweeping roof line like an Audi R8, and the front end somewhat in same fashion as the BMW i8.  I'm certain there's a very good reason for that, but the NSX is just not the same, that can be either a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it.

As with any highly anticipated vehicle, the NSX will be the talk of the auto industry, and we'll be watching its progress very closely.  Honda says to expect a production model in 2015.

So what do you think of the new NSX? Hit or miss?

January 2, 2012

Spotted - Nissan GT-R



First post of the New Year! Woohoo!

San Francisco is always a good place to find cars, it's just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.  This gray GT-R showed up just as I was about to hop on the freeway, and thankfully I was able to catch it at a red light.  Seems I'm always looking at the back end of the R35 when I see it on the road, but I don't mind :)