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Expensive Sneakers, More Expensive Cars

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Expensive sneakers and even more expensive cars were the centerpiece of a unique event co-hosted by the Jim Ellis Porsche dealership and Laced Up. The high-end sneaker boutique located in Downtown Atlanta's historic Edgewood district teamed up with Adidas International and the high-end sports car maker Thursday night (8/20) to introduce the 2008 Porsche Design Driving Shoe at the private, invitation-only soiree pulled together under the theme “Refined Performance.” That might have been a bit of an overstatement about the party, but the shoes and the cars are really, really nice -- especially if you have a lot of money to spend on such luxuries.

With 80s pop music – from Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam to Run DMC – throbbing in the background, attendees, with Courvoisier cocktails in hand, mingled on the showroom floor as they took in a sneak peak at the never-before-seen Porsche Turbo Cab with the designer athletic shoes conspicuously placed on top. The main highlight was an informal fashion show featuring pouty-faced models strutting around in hooded short sets and jogging suits.

The only star sighting I could determine was R&B crooner Bobby Valentino in all his bling and saggy pants glory. Amazingly he makes Tom Cruise look like Shaq in the height department, but the pretty young partygoers (and apparent fans) standing outside the dealership didn’t seem to mind. They flirted relentlessly with him as he piled into his white BMW convertible and drove off.

Like I said the party was pretty uneventful while I was there except for the fact that it was a great opportunity to pose for photos with a real Porsche (if you PhotoShop out the Jim Ellis sign in the background you MIGHT be able to convince someone that you actually own it or, at least, drove it somewhere) and the fact that the event raised money for Sole4Souls, a non-profit organization that donates shoes to needy people around the world. Isn’t that sweet?

Hands down the funniest moment for me had almost nothing to do with the party. It was when I heard a mysterious voice INSIDE my car as I was about to exit the parking lot. “Hello, Moto!” Hello, Moto!” It repeated over and over, to my alarm. I thought maybe some Japanese guy had been kidnapped and locked inside my trunk. Turns out the valet had dropped his cell phone inside my car between the seats and I would have never known about it if it had not rang just as I was leaving. It really freaked me out, but it was really funny when I figured out what that was about. I was also happy to discover it when I did. You know how much driving we do in Atlanta. I would have been pissed to have to drive back to the dealership to return the phone once I got all the way home!