Washington Auto Show has Something for Everyone

Is it weird to say that the best thing I saw at the Washington Auto Show this year was not a car? It was this personal delivery robot from Starship Technologies. They will be on DC sidewalks in just a few days and will make the lives of many much easier. As someone who takes transit or walks for 99% of my trips, a robot that can carry heavy bags of soil and mulch right to my door is a wonderful use of this new technology!

I can also see it being a god-send for those with mobility issues, those stuck home on sick days, and those just too busy to squeeze one more errand into their day. The best part is you can track the robot with your smart phone and never miss a delivery -- wish I could do that with my UPS/FedEx guys!

bloggers and influencers

At the show press preview, along with several bloggers and influencers invited by SheBuysCars,com, we were able to wander the show floors without the big crowds. We shared all the cool stuff we saw in a live Twitter chat that evening. You can see our comments by searching for the #DCLovesAutos hashtag.

If you are interested in the best of the new hybrid electric vehicles, be sure to stop by the Hyundia booth to see the new Ioniq and while you are there, go next door moon over the new luxury cars from Genesis.

bikers have options too

The Washington Auto Show runs through Sunday, February 5, 2017. See www.washingtonautoshow.com for show details.

Top 3 New Cars for Gardeners

I spent the last two days at the preview days of the annual Washington Auto Show. What, you may ask, was this car-free gardening girl doing there?

Well, I was invited to join with other female bloggers from the DC-area and beyond to see write and tweet and live chat our hearts out about the show. Some of us write on topics closer to the world of car shows (travel bloggers), others of us cover topics a bit farther afield (fashion, food, and gardens). I think, though, that we were all able to find our audience angle and bring a unique perspective to the event.

What I found most interesting was the many green features (hydrogen cell batteries with zero emissions) and safety improvements (driver-less cars) coming soon to the market!  What I though would be of most interest to you, my dear fellow gardeners, are the vehicles that will make your lives easier when hauling plants and soil bags back home, so without further delay, here are my choices for the top 3 new garden vehicles:

1. Chrysler Pacifica - This minivan is stylish and practical. When bringing mulch home, the available Stow ‘n Vac integrated vacuum powered by RIDGID provides easy access to all corners of the vehicle for quick clean-up. Also, the Stow ‘n Go seating and storage system has a new press-bttton to the move the front seat forward to allow the second-row seat to be stowed into the floor tub.

2. Toyota Tacoma - This small pickup is the perfect size for city living, but is tough enough for farm chores. I could someone looking to transition to a horticultural career in landscape design or garden maintenance really getting a lot of use out of this sporty vehicle.

3. Subaru Forrester - This wagon is Subaru's best-selling model and I can see why. It has all-around appeal and value. This model was also featured at last year's Philadelphia Flower Show and that is where I noticed it has a low-to-ground floor, so it was easy-to-load and bonus: you could easily get in while wearing a skirt!

See these models and many more at the Washington Auto Show. Note that the show is closed this weekend due to the blizzard, but will re-open from 1/25-1/31/16 at the DC Convention Center. Let me know what you think and if you see other vehicles that gardeners would love. Did I leave out your favorite gardening vehicle?

UPDATE: The show opening has been pushed back one more day to Tuesday, 1/26.

Sponsored blog post: #DCLovesAutos program.