Una entrega especial para el Museo Nacional del Corvette
Our Aston Martin DB5 sat in the beautiful Jamaican villa, on the very same dark-wood writing desk where Ian Fleming created James Bond. In this moment, two versions of the same story finally met.
Llegada a Nashville
En solo dos horas, habíamos dejado la instalación de deshielo y una pista cubierta de nieve en el Aeropuerto Internacional Toronto Pearson para recibir la cálida bienvenida del sol en la capital mundial de la música country y el bourbon: Nashville. Luego, tras un breve viaje hacia el norte hasta Bowling Green, Kentucky, el Museo Nacional del Corvette se aseguró de que supiéramos que habíamos llegado, gracias a las increíblemente épicas vallas publicitarias.
El archivo y la biblioteca
El edificio del museo era muy parecido a su contenido: audaz y prominente. Una enorme aguja roja que se eleva desde una cúpula amarilla brillante es lo primero que la mayoría de los visitantes notarían, pero si cierras los ojos, hay suficientes V8 de 1000 bhp en la zona como para que probablemente tu entrada al museo sea serenada por la culminación de una rica historia del Músculo Americano.
A doorway to the right led to the master bedroom, simply furnished with an oversized bamboo-framed bed matching the sofa, with crisp white cotton sheets, looking out through another open shuttered window, and in the corner, a second dark-wood, two-tiered writing desk looking out towards what we would soon come to enjoy – the most captivating Caribbean sunset.
A second door from the bedroom led outside to Fleming’s bathroom – a lush, tropical bathing enclosure full of palms and exotic planting that allowed the musical notes of the Jamaican birds, tree frogs and ocean waves to provide a sense of calm and tranquillity. A huge claw-foot bath beckoned, and a large chrome rain shower would have provided a much-welcome refreshing shower. In the late afternoon of our visit, the temperature and humidity, mixed with adrenaline and excitement, rendered us soaked through our carefully planned light cotton and linen evening dress.
Immediately on our arrival at Fleming’s villa, our mission was to take advantage of the exclusive opportunity we had to photograph our DB5 on the writing desks where Fleming would have sat creating James Bond. Cameras and video equipment at the ready, we each took turns positioning and posing ourselves and the model car for a photo shoot prior to the main event.
Stephen tiene el máximo cuidado en la sala de archivos para desempacar el modelo hecho por el Experto de Agora – Mark Adams.
Paseo por el Museo
Después de haber trasladado nuestra ventana dividida a escala 1:8 en un carrito utilitario para su transporte seguro, el equipo del museo nos guió a través de la exposición con un único destino en mente: su C2 de 1963 completamente restaurado y de tamaño real, con combinaciones de colores idénticas a nuestro modelo. Nunca había visto uno en la vida real antes, pero este instantáneamente me dejó sin aliento. Estaba impecable, las líneas icónicas de la carrocería eran afiladas como cuchillas, la pintura estaba inmaculada y el cromo me hizo agarrar mis gafas de sol. Realmente era tan hermoso como prometía su reputación.
After the presentation ended, I found a quiet moment as I followed the steep cliff steps to a private beach below. Watching the deep orange sunset, the sea surface glistened like tiny diamonds. It was impossible not to wonder whose footsteps I was standing in and how many stories had begun here.
Bringing the Story Full Circle
The Aston Martin DB5 represents the Bond that millions of people know through the films, while GoldenEye represents the place where the character first came to life on the page. For a few hours, and hopefully for years to come, the most famous car in Bond history stood in a place where Bond himself was created. There was also a lovely symbolism in the fact that Fleming’s Bond originally drove a Bentley in the novels, yet the DB5 became the enduring visual symbol of Bond for generations of film fans. By bringing the DB5 to GoldenEye, we were connecting the literary birthplace of Bond with the cinematic icon that carried the character into global popular culture.
Standing at GoldenEye, I found myself wondering what Fleming would have made of it all. The model before us represented an Aston Martin from a film he never lived to see (Fleming died in August 1964, shortly before the Goldfinger movie was released), yet it existed because of a character he created on this very property. Perhaps he would have been surprised by the scale of Bond’s cultural footprint. But I suspect he would have appreciated the craftsmanship. After all, Bond’s world was built on an appreciation for things done well – whether a finely tailored suit, a well-made cocktail, or a beautifully engineered motorcar.
Ver el modelo a escala 1:8 junto al original fue el punto culminante de la experiencia, y vale la pena visitar el museo solo para estar en la misma sala que una pieza tan rara de la historia automotriz, pero el museo tenía mucho más que disfrutar, gracias a un excelente recorrido de Katie.
Como un gran aficionado al deporte motor, quedé impresionado por la colección del museo de autos de carreras anteriores. El “Deportivo del Año”, un C1 de 1961 en blanco con franjas azules estaba orgullosamente junto a un C5R amarillo brillante, y justo a la vuelta de la esquina de un auto GT3 C8 aún cubierto de caucho quemado y escombros de carrera, mostrando cuán rica es la herencia de Corvette en el deporte motor.
Corvette C1 de Carreras del Golfo de 1961 en préstamo de la familia Skokos. El “Auto Deportivo del Año”.
David Zaritsky's GatherAll
Our presentation was held as part of David Zaritsky’s GatherAll event – an opportunity for Bond fans to gather together in real life, celebrating the style, culture and universe of all things related to James Bond. Sharing in the moment our model connected the books and the films at the place where James Bond was born would be a celebration for us all. Before we arrived, we didn’t quite know what to expect from a GatherAll event, and felt a little unsure about how we might fit in. Would we know enough Bond minutiae to keep up with the conversation? Would we feel overwhelmed by so much Bond talk? Who are Bond fans? Our experience revealed an event that impressed and inspired in equal measure.
The GoldenEye resort forms part of the GoldenEye estate bought by Fleming in the 1940s, but now owned by Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records. The first thing that struck me on arrival was the calm and picturesque beauty of the lagoon. It was easy to understand why Ian Fleming chose this place and why David Zaritsky invites James Bond fans to gather here year after year. Before taking part in the GatherAll, I thought of it simply as a gathering of fans who shared a common interest. By the end of our stay, I understood it as something else entirely – an immensely enjoyable social opportunity, not just for James Bond fans but for anyone looking for a luxury break in an idyllic location with an opportunity for social connection and light-hearted fun.
Una parte de la exposición dedicada a los conceptos, y el proceso de diseño y fabricación, fue particularmente memorable. Los Corvette a lo largo de los años han dominado su identidad, pero fue un placer ver algunas de las ideas que los diseñadores e ingenieros habían creado cuando se les dio la licencia para ser raros y extravagantes. En 1986 crearon el Indy Concept que me recordó al hijo amoroso entre un C8 y un Jaguar XJ220, una verdadera obra maestra.
Surrounded by album covers and posters from Island Records’ artists tastefully adorning the beach bar, we sat in the shade with David Zaritsky to discuss plans for our presentation. We felt well looked after and reassured as David took as through the agenda for his four-day GatherAll event. GatherAll guests were invited (but not compelled or pressured) to attend any of the events David had organised, from the cocktail party at the Fleming Villa, catamaran cruise to Laughing Waters, where one of the most iconic scenes from Dr No was filmed, Beach B-B-Q at Button Beach, to a book group chat of Casino Royale under the thatch at Bizot Beach Bar.
David also quite masterfully injected a few fun missions into each day – simple games of find the golden duck, Bond figurine, or Q-The-Music Diamond – achieved by solving a mission clue. Now, if you had told us beforehand that GatherAll involved playing children’s games, we might have had second thoughts about taking part. But we discovered a new sense of fun and enjoyment that entertained us, and more importantly, brought the group together. Guests who had travelled alone enjoyed social connections. Retired couples found renewed fun, enjoyment and companionship. Young entrepreneurs found education, advice, inspiration, and connection. I have often considered what kinds of events we could organise to bring our like-minded modellers together in the real world, fostering greater social connection and opportunity. David Zaritsky had absolutely mastered the art, and I felt renewed inspiration to embark on my mission.
GatherAll is an event hosted by David Zaritsky, of The Bond Experience YouTube Channel. As part of his event in Jamaica, David organises exclusive opportunities for guests to enjoy, including a catamaran trip to Laughing Waters, the famous beach where Honey Ryder (Ursula Andres) meets James Bond (Sean Connery) in the first Bond movie, Dr No.
We were treated to a deep dive into Ian Fleming's first novel, Casino Royale, by one of GatherAll's guests, which stimulated fascinating conversation and revealed some unexpected insights into the author's literary talents.
El XP 819, o el "Patito Feo" (nombre bastante duro en mi humilde opinión), fue un placer interactuar con él, ya que mostró de manera hermosa el software de escaneo láser interactivo utilizado para digitalizar los autos, y era extremadamente reminiscente de nuestros propios escaneos 3D que utilizamos para tantos de nuestros modelos.
