My last visit to the Pebble Beach classics week was in 2006. I haven't returned because the cost of comfortable accommodation during that period is outrageous. It's a seller's market, as the saying goes, but if anyone can tell me how to find an affordable room in Monterey (not the outskirts) I'll be happy to return. Oddly, the event that I enjoyed most was not the official Pebble Beach concours but the Concours Italiano. Though the marques were Italian (save a special section reserved for European interlopers) it was a pleasant reminder of how many beautiful and sometimes quirky cars were produced in Italy. Best of all, Concours Italiano was friendly and fun.

In 2008 the former owners moved the event to a nearby airport. What seemed like a good idea at the time (fast cars and planes together) turned into a disaster; a regional airport has as much atmosphere as a Manhattan subway station at 2:00 AM. Happily, the Concorso rights were sold to a new owner, Tom McDowell, who plans to return this wonderful show to its former glory. In 2009 Concorso Italiano will be held at the Laguna Seca Golf Ranch, nestled among the oak-studded hillsides of Monterey and providing breathtaking views of gorgeous coast landscapes. The renewed Concorso Italiano Web Site offers all the information you'll need as entrant or spectator, including the following quote from a previous entrant:

"Friday morning comes early, but the butterflies of anticipation are already swirling. As we arrive, the visual pop of the bright cars grabs your attention first. You have entered a different time and place. This is not normal, and you are part of it. As you enter the main drag, you lower your window to hear the concert of engine exhausts, and without exception, goose bumps shriek up your arms. Pulling your car onto a golf course is not a daily event for most of us, and we have spent considerable effort preparing our cars, because this is not just a local car show. The people who will be enjoying your automobile are true enthusiasts. They are educated and appreciative of what is on display. This only happened once a year, and it is happening today."

And on Concours Italiano in 2009.