Top 10 Most Exciting Charity Auction Lots of 2013

The most valuable live auction lots in a fundraising auction are the unique, exclusive, impossible to find elsewhere packages that make a crowd bid with wild abandon. So far this year I have sold over 1,000 lots at fundraisers across the country, and these are the 10 charity auction lots that stand out strongest in my memory. The goal of sharing these isn’t to get you to go out and contact Steve Young or Jimmy Spithill to do see if they’ll do a lot for you: the goal is to get you thinking about creative lots you could create with a celebrity in your community.

So without further ado, here are my top 10 most exciting charity auction lots of 2013, presented in no particular order:

Sail the Bay with an America’s Cup Legend

One very lucky winner will enjoy a 1-2 hour sailing trip on one of the America’s Cup World Series AC45 catamarans skippered by ORACLE Team USA skipper, Jimmy Spithill, winner of the 33rd America’s Cup race in 2010 and helmsman in the upcoming 2013 competition on the Bay. Bring one guest to sit aboard the ORACLE Racing protector boat to photograph your fun while you ride on the AC45 and watch, first-hand, these elite sailing athletes practice their moves in preparation for the America’s Cup races in September. Then enjoy VIP status with a full day of fun including open bar for you and your guest at the America’s Cup Club 72 VIP hospitality tent at the North end of Pier 29 overlooking the finish line.

Dinner in the Wine Aisle of Sonoma Market

Four course food & wine pairing dinner down the Sonoma Market Wine Aisle for 12 people complete with music and entertainment. This very special dinner party is consistently the most popular live auction item each year …. and it’s only available to Sweetheart Gala & Auction bidders. You can’t get this anywhere else folks!

Ultimate Warriors Fan Opportunity Away Game for Two on the Team Plane!!

Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity. Two lucky individuals will get to fly on the Warriors team plane for an away game (to be determined), for a single destination game during the 2013-2014 Season. Get a behind the scenes experience traveling with an NBA team on the road. This package includes roundtrip for two on the Warriors charter flight; two tickets to a Golden State Warriors road game during the 2013-2014 regular season; pre-game shoot-around experience with the team; hotel accommodations for two at the Warriors team hotel for up to two nights; ground transportation to the arena on the Warriors team bus; and two Warriors gift bags with team merchandise and signed memorabilia.

Guaranteed Reservations

With the purchase of this package, you have scored reservations for dinner for 2 with wine at some of the hottest tables in town: flour + water, Frances, Rich Table, and State Bird Provisions. For those of you who don’t know, these 4 top restaurants are nearly impossible to book, with good cause. Each of these incredible establishments has been recognized by the prestigious James Beard Foundation, with State Bird Provisions receiving the coveted title of Best New Restaurant in the country for 2013.

New York City Vacation with Macy’s Parade

Visit New York City for a family vacation, and have a once-in-a-lifetime experience that’s not available to the general public. First, you will check into a boutique hotel in Manhattan. Next, you will get four (4) reserved Grandstand Seats in New York’s Central Park at the 2013 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This is “America’s Parade” celebrating 86 amazing years with national TV coverage of the “Grandstands” on NBC Television the day of the Parade. These Grandstands are located at the beginning of the Parade where all the action begins. This is an extremely rare opportunity — these Grandstand Seats cannot be purchased by the General Public.

Chef Panisse

Go behind the scenes at the birthplace of the slow food movement. Don an apron; join the Chefs for their afternoon planning session. Take your place in the kitchen as you help prepare that evening’s meal! Then: right about the time the doors open and everyone starts to show up, a guest will join you at the chef’s table in the kitchen. And the TWO of you will enjoy the ultimate Chez Panisse feast: One that YOU Helped Cook.

Top Minds and Tesla Motors – It’s Electric!

Four of you will take an exclusive private tour of the Tesla Motors factory in nearby Fremont, California, with Tesla’s top guy—the head engineer and chief technical officer. Get a behind-the-scenes look and learn more about these fascinating cars that are the wave of the future in electric transportation. You will also experience a thrilling test drive and be the envy of all your friends.
While you are there, join Carole and Michael Marks, proprietors of Gemstone Vineyard, for dinner at their home in Woodside, California. Superb wines will be poured from Michael and Carole’s private cellar to accompany a multi-course gourmet meal prepared by a private chef.
Your fellow dinner party guests will be three of Silicon Valley’s top venture capitalists, including Alfred Lin of Sequoia Capital, Alan Salzman of Vantage Point Partners and Tesla’s head engineer.

Undercover Dinner with Michael Bauer

Go undercover with Michael Bauer, the San Francisco Chronicle’s esteemed restaurant critic and Executive Food Editor. Learn what goes into critiquing a dining experience and writing an award-winning restaurant review. Enjoy an evening of intriguing conversation and a meal that is sumptuous (or not—you decide!). For Bay Area foodies, this package is absolutely priceless!!

Monday Night Football Wrap-up with Steve Young

Join Pro Football Hall of Famer and former San Francisco 49er quarterback Steve Young at an exciting Monday Night Football game next fall. You and your guest will get the inside scoop on the Monday Night Football post-game editions of ESPN Sports Center. You will get special access on the field and feel like a sportscaster for a night. Steve will also throw in a signed football as a great memento. Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime experience. Steve will be sure you have a great time. This is the last home game of the 2013 season for the San Francisco 49ers. Cheer on our home team against the Atlanta Falcons.

Party of a Lifetime with Lady Antebellum

Now this is the auction lot to beat all auction lots. It might just be the concert experience of a lifetime – way better than a plain old backstage pass. Cool Country Music sensation, Lady Antebellum, will arrive at your house and entertain you and 40 of your friends with an intimate private acoustic concert. Think about it. Your very own personal concert…with Lady Antebellum…and your best friends. Enough said.
But there’s more … you get to hang out with them, dance to them, and get your photo taken with them. Hang on … pinch yourself. A chance like this doesn’t come along every day. This is a dream come true.
Let us not forget about the incredible food and wine that is also part of the evening. Your group will enjoy a fabulous gourmet feast in your own home, catered by a talented chef. Each course will bring you closer to gastronomic nirvana as plate after plate of delectable offerings is brought out for you to enjoy.
And the wines … oh, my! This extraordinary meal will be accompanied by some of the top varietals in the country, including exclusive selections from Gemstone Vineyards, Kosta Browne, Chappellet, Kistler Vineyards and Blue Farm. Following your meal, Lady Antebellum will give you even more reason to remember this night for the rest of your life.