Virgin Galactic Introduces Cosmic Girl

Virgin Galactic has recently introduced the newest addition to its fleet of vehicles as part of a technical update on its LauncherOne small satellite launch service. The 747-400 commercial jet aircraft, previously operated by Virgin Atlantic under the nickname ‘Cosmic Girl,’ will provide a dedicated launch platform for the LauncherOne orbital vehicle.  Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic engineers announced the acquisition of the aircraft while providing an update on LauncherOne development progress.

Big Sky Resort to Hold Turkey for a Ticket Food-Raiser December 11th

The 9^th annual Turkey for a Ticket will be hosted by Big SkyResort on December 11, 2015 at the Madison Base Area starting at 8:30am. This annual event encourages guests to give to the local food banks in exchange for a free day of skiing. The Turkey for a Ticket food-raiser will help Gallatin Valley Food Bank, Madison Valley Food Bank, and the Big Sky Food Bank to provide food for people and families in need this holiday season.

Ski and Board Season is Underway in Washington State: Mount Baker Ski Area First to Open

It's official!  Ski and Snowboard season is underway in Washington state.  Mount Baker Ski Area opened on November 19, 2015.

Not everything was open and there were early season conditions, but they did a good job of coverage with the 34" base they have at Heather Meadows.

Friday November 20th was a super sunny day on the slopes and no lift lines at all.  The weather people say it's supposed to be clear and sunny for the weekend and I'd expect to see larger crowds enjoying the slopes at Mt. Baker - as well as at their neighbor to the north Whistler Blackcomb, which also opened the Whistler side of the resort on the 19th.

We're all anxiously awaiting another snow storm, so that other Washington resorts, like Mission Ridge can open too!

Jaguar Land Rover at the 2015 Los Angeles International Auto Show

Jaguar Land Rover will unveil new, exciting models and showcase its latest pioneering technologies during this year’s Los Angeles International Auto Show. The British Automaker will display 10 vehicles from its portfolio, including the all-new Jaguar F-PACE and Range Rover Evoque Convertible. 

Land Rover will reveal the world's first luxury compact SUV convertible, the Range Rover Evoque Convertible. This new variation on the ever-popular nameplate will have its Global Motor Show debut, showcasing its full suite of advanced on- and off-road technologies and cutting-edge design. Land Rover will also showcase the new Dynamic version of the Discovery Sport offering a series of interior and exterior design updates that enhance its appeal.

Jaguar will celebrate its exciting future and rich, 80-year heritage with the US motor show debut of its all new F-PACE.

Where Are You Going for Thanksgiving?: Many Americans Will Skip Turkey, Hit Beach

New data from Switchfly reveals that those Americans not headed home for T-day will head en masse towards warmer weather and caipirinhas

Switchfly, Inc., the travel technology company powering travel search/booking and loyalty program engagement for the world’s most celebrated brands, today released data about the travel habits of those Americans who will forego family holidays and head overseas this holiday season. The data reveals that the overwhelming majority of those Americans traveling internationally for the holidays will be headed towards warmer climes.  (Personally, I'll be headed for the mountains for a nice start to what I hope will be a great ski season).

easyJet launches Flight Club – revolutionary low fares airline loyalty scheme

easyJet's new Flight Club will further encourage customer loyalty to easyJet which has increased significantly over the last five years.   As well as being loyal, returning passengers book twice as many flights a year as new passengers, so the value of returning passengers is even higher.  In 2015 some 74% of the airline’s passengers chose to fly with easyJet again - that equates to more than 50 million returning passengers, compared to 34 million in 2010.

Looking for Luxury to Review

I'm looking for luxury to review.  Luxury products like Reverie Sleep Systems and Tesla Motors vehicles.  Luxury travel like first class air travel, luxury cruises, luxury accommodations and luxury resorts like Beaver Creek, Whistler Blackcomb and Koa Kea Luxury Resort & Hotel in Hawaii.

Contact Joe (424) 234-8590 or AwesomeLifestyleDesign(at)gmail.com

Switchfly 2015 Luxury Travel Index: Europe Is Still King of Global Luxury Travel… For Now

The Index reveals luxury travelers still prefer European destinations, with Greece as the most popular country, but Asia and the Middle East are gaining

SAN FRANCISCO -- July 23, 2015 --Switchfly, Inc., the technology company powering travel search/booking and loyalty point redemption solutions for the world’s most celebrated brands, today announced its 2015 Luxury Travel Index. The destinations were ranked by average length of stay, using data from Switchfly’s global booking engine, and give some insight into the traveling habits of people flying first class and sleeping five star. The data revealed, among other things, that although the majority of top luxury travel destinations are European, the top two luxury travel destinations are in Asia and the Middle East, respectively, and that luxury travelers are spending at least twice as much time on their vacation as the average American does.

Porsche Asia Pacific Announces Porsche Media Driving Academy - I Want To Do This!

Porsche Media Driving Academy Two Day Class for Accomplished Media Drivers

SINGAPORE, July 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Porsche Asia Pacific recently announced the launch of the Porsche Media Driving Academy -- a new, exclusive annual driving programme for journalists in the region.  (Publisher's Note:  I am not in the region, but have written a number of auto reviews and would love to be a part of the Porsche Media Driving Academy.

Wimbledon Legend John McEnroe Plays Secret Chauffeur for Tennis Fans in London

John McEnroe plays the role of The Secret Chauffeur in Jaguar’s #FeelWimbledon hidden camera stunt  John McEnroe swapped his role as a Wimbledon commentator for chauffeur car driver today, as the all-time tennis great surprised two unsuspecting Wimbledon fans with an unforgettable journey to The All England Club.   (continue to video)

Manchester United Determined to Be World's First Billion DollarFootball Brand

First Billion Dollar Football Brand? Not Barcelona, Manchester United!

• Manchester United overtakes Bayern Munich to become the world’s most valuable soccer brand


• New York listed Manchester United the first billion dollar football brand


• Record-breaking deals agreed despite two mediocre seasons, driving up value

NICKY USA CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY WITH SPECIAL DINNER ON NICKY FARM

In celebration of 25 years as the premier butcher and purveyor of specialty game and high quality meat in the Pacific Northwest, Nicky USA is reliving their history through a special dinner benefitting The Portland Kitchen on their Aurora Ore. ranch, Nicky Farm, on Saturday, June 27th. Portland chef Chris Carriker of 23 Hoyt, and Seattle chef Jonathan Sundstrom of Lark, will prepare a menu outdoors featuring Nicky Farms protein such as rabbit, quail, goat, venison, and elk, while guests sip local wines from Andrew Rich Wines and Union Wine Company. Guests will have the opportunity to tour the farm with the founders of Nicky USA and Nicky Farms, Geoff and Melody Latham.

Acquired in 2014, Nicky Farms represents a return to Geoff Latham’s roots as a farmer, and has distinguished Nicky USA as the only Northwest meat distributor to also raises its own stock. The 35.9-acre Nicky Farm is located along the Pudding River, providing an ideal habitat for many different animals. It is currently home to flocks of wild geese, coveys of quail, rabbits, goats, cattle, a century old farmhouse, and views of Mt. Hood.

Proceeds from the dinner will benefit Nicky USA’s non-profit partner, The Portland Kitchen whose mission is to empower urban youth to graduate high school with culinary job skills and improved eating habits. The Portland Kitchen offers free, comprehensive culinary after school and summer programming to Portland high school youth. Through this partnership, Nicky USA teaches butchering skills, leads workshops and offers mentoring opportunities to teens. Nicky USA will donate a minimum of $1000 from this event.

Throughout the month of June, Nicky Farms will also donate $0.50 to the Portland Kitchen from every pack of Nicky Farms  game meats sold at all Portland-area New Seasons Markets. Portlanders can elevate their cooking and support the community by purchasing any of the following Nicky Farms products: Rabbit, Venison, Elk, Wild Boar, Goat and Buffalo.

Tickets for Nicky USA’s anniversary dinner on Saturday, June 27th, from 5-9 p.m. at Nicky Farms in Aurora Ore. are be available for purchase at strangertickets.com (type in “Nicky” to search), and are $125 per person.

The direct ticket purchase link is: http://portland.strangertickets.com/events/24771767/nicky-usas-25th-anniversary-farm-dinner-a-benefit-for-the-portland-kitchen

About Nicky USA:

Founded in 1990, Nicky USA is a Northwest butcher and purveyor of specialty game and high quality meat. The Portland-based company has forged relationships with local and international ranchers, as well as James Beard Award-winning chefs in an effort to make game a mainstay of specialty markets and fine restaurants. Nicky USA recently developed a specialty line of products under their Nicky Farms brand, featuring Northwest raised rabbit, quail, elk, fallow venison, goose, water buffalo, and American bison. With the recent purchase of their very own 35.9-acre farm in Aurora, Ore, owner Geoff Latham is now able to raise game for Nicky USA and host friends and customers. The company has built one of the nation’s only mobile processing units (MPU) for the sustainable and humane processing of animals, specially designed to process both poultry and hooved animals, making it the only USDA-compliant unit of its kind allowing complete control of the process from field to table. Aside from selling specialty game and high quality meat, Nicky USA hosts Wild About Game, an annual head-to-head cooking competition and the meatiest culinary celebration in the Northwest, celebrating high quality meat and specialty game. Nicky USA expanded in 2013 with a second location in Seattle. Orders for either location can be made by calling 1.800.469.4162. For more information, visit www.nickyusa.com. Follow @NickyUSA on Twitter and Facebook, and @Nicky.USA on Instagram, as well as #NickyFarms on all channels.

THE WORLD SKIING INVITATIONAL / AFP WORLD TOUR FINALS AND MONSTERENERGY SHRED SHOW RETURN TO THE WORLD SKI & SNOWBOARD FESTIVAL INWHISTLER, BC

WHISTLER, BC April 7, 2015 – The World Skiing Invitational (WSI) / Association of Freeskiing Professionals (AFP) World Tour Finals and the Monster Energy Shred Show will both return to the World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) this spring. As always, the events will draw the top ski and snowboard athletes from around the world to Whistler but spectators should take note, both events will see some major schedule changes for 2015.

“For the first time in three years we will have Men and Women’s Halfpipe as part of the WSI / AFP World Tour Finals,” says Sue Eckersley, Event Director for the World Ski & Snowboard Festival. “We are really excited to have all three ski disciplines back on the WSSF schedule for 2015. Other changes to note, the Gibbons Big Air (ski) has been relocated to the terrain park on Blackcomb Mountain due to the challenging snow conditions at lower elevations, which have prevented us from being able to host the Big Air in Skier’s Plaza as we usually do.”

The WSI / AFP World Tour Finals will take place on Blackcomb Mountain from April 10 to 12, with Slopestyle scheduled for April 10, the Gibbons Big Air on April 11 and the Halfpipe and Superhit events on April 12. More information, including a detailed schedule, event formats and the selection criteria is available at wssf.com/World-Skiing-Invitational.

With the Gibbons Big Air happening during Whistler Blackcomb’s operating hours, WSSF has introduced Gibbons Plazapalooza, a new event designed to bring the same energy and excitement people have come to love and expect in Skier’s Plaza on the first Saturday night of the festival. Gibbons Plazapalooza will take place between 8pm and 10pm and will include a replay of the Gibbons Big Air broadcast on the Main Stage big screens hosted by legendary emcee, Brad Jay, as well as dancing, fire spinners, a drum line and a DJ set from Mat The Alien. Plus, Neph and Swollen Members will perform in Skier’s Plaza leading up to Gibbons Plazapalooza beginning at 6pm.

The Monster Energy Shred Show will also see some schedule changes this year at WSSF. The Boarderstyle, which pits four riders against each other in a head-to-head boardercross-style race integrated with slopestyle terrain features, is scheduled for April 17 in the terrain park on Blackcomb Mountain. The event is open to anyone, with registration currently available online through to April 14. New this year, the Boarderstyle will see a separate Women’s category and there is $6,500 in total prize money to be won at the event. The Monster Energy Shred Show Invitational Slopestyle will take place on April 18, also in the Blackcomb terrain park.

The Monster Energy Shred Show will not include a Big Air event this year. Instead, Monster will be keeping the energy high in Skier’s Plaza on the second Saturday night of WSSF with a motocross show at the base of Whistler Mountain. There will also be free concerts from Jazz Cartier and YelaWolf on the Main Stage beginning at 7:30pm.

More information about the Monster Energy Shred Show, including a detailed scheduled and the list of confirmed athletes is available at wssf.com/The-Shred-Show.



Tickets to the evening gala events are now available for purchase at www.wssf.com.

To connect with the World Ski & Snowboard Festival online, Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.



The World Ski & Snowboard Festival has a brand new mobile app called WSSF Live. It is available for FREE in the App Store and Google Play Store for Apple and Android phones.

All-New Jaguar XF to be Revealed in a Dramatic High-Wire Drive Ahead of New York Auto Show Debut

The all-new Jaguar XF will make an extraordinary journey across London on March 24, one week ahead of its public motor show debut in New York.

Jaguar have teamed up with expert British stuntman Jim Dowdall, veteran of dramatic action stunts in movies including Bond, Bourne and Indiana Jones, to perform the world’s longest high-wire water crossing in the all-new Jaguar XF.

Whistler Blackcomb to End Season with World Ski & Snowboard Festival

The END at the World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) in Whistler, BC is the ultimate ski season sendoff. Taking place in the Whistler Conference Centre on Saturday, April 18, The END is an electrifying late-night dance party featuring lightshows, sensory overloading sound and an incredible line up of DJs. This year, The END at WSSF will be headlined by AutoErotique, ETC!ETC! and Torro Torro.

AutoErotique

Originally hailing from Toronto, Canada, AutoErotique broke into the music scene in 2009 when they caught the attention of DJ/producer/label owner, Steve Aoki.

Lego Overtakes Ferrari as the World’s Most Powerful Brand

Every year, leading brand valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance puts thousands of the world’s top brands to the test. They are evaluated to determine which are the most powerful, and the most valuable.

‘Everything is Awesome’ for Lego

Lego is the World’s most powerful brand. It scores highly on a wide variety of measures on Brand Finance’s Brand Strength Index such as familiarity, loyalty, promotion, staff satisfaction and corporate reputation. Lego is a uniquely creative and immersive toy; children love the ability to construct their own worlds that it provides. In a tech-saturated world, parents approve of the back-to-basics creativity it encourages and have a lingering nostalgia for the brand long after their own childhoods. The Lego Movie perfectly captured this cross-generational appeal. It was a critical and commercial success, taking nearly US$500m since its release a year ago. It has helped propel Lego from a well-loved, strong brand to the World’s most powerful.

Ferrari Stalls

Lego has overtaken Ferrari, last year’s most powerful brand. Ferrari remains a very strong brand but its power is slowly diminishing. It has now gone several years without an F1 title and last season struggled even to mount a challenge. The sheen of glory from its 1990s golden era is beginning to wear thin. Meanwhile the departure of Luca di Montezemolo heralds a slight change in strategy at Ferrari’s road car division. Montezemolo kept a strict cap on production to maintain the exclusivity of the brand. Since his departure, Chairman Sergio Marchionne has suggested that this policy will be relaxed to boost revenues.

Many Ferrari owners and aspiring owners are extremely brand-conscious, making the loss of the ‘world’s most powerful brand’ accolade, which Ferrari has held for several years, a particularly heavy blow. Brand Finance CEO David Haigh comments, “Ferrari is still in a strong position and its brand value has actually increased 18% this year to $4.7 billion. The new strategy to capitalise on the brand will certainly drive short term value but over-exploitation risks lasting damage.”

The World’s Most Powerful Brands

Brand	Industry Group	Domicile	Brand Strength Index Score (/100)	Brand Rating 2015	Brand Value 2015 (USDm)
Lego	Toys	Denmark	93.4	AAA+	3,890
PWC	Pro. Services	US	91.8	AAA+	17,330
Red Bull	Beverages	Austria	91.1	AAA+	7,389
McKinsey	Pro. Services	US	90.1	AAA+	4,127
Unilever	Food	UK	90.1	AAA+	4,844
L'Oréal	Cosmetics	France	89.7	AAA+	12,480
Burberry	Apparel	UK	89.7	AAA+	4,612
Rolex	Apparel	Switzerland	89.7	AAA+	5,493
Ferrari	Automobiles	Italy	89.6	AAA+	4,747
Nike	Apparel	US	89.6	AAA+	24,118

Apple Sets Another Record

The power of a brand is just one component of Brand Finance’s analysis. The company combines the information on a brand’s strength with financial data, to calculate its commercial value. When brand values are calculated, Apple comes out on top. Though not quite on a par with Ferrari or Lego in terms of brand strength, Apple still has a very powerful brand. What sets it apart is ability to monetize that brand. Apple has a remarkable knack for using its brand to popularise and hence monetize existing technology, as it did so successfully first with the mp3 player, smart phone and later the tablet. Critics have been silenced by the success of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Consumers have snapped latest models in their droves, helping Apple set records for quarterly profits ($18bn) and company value ($710bn).

David Haigh continues, “The Apple brand is worth US$128 billion. That value is huge not just in its own terms but also as a proportion of Apple’s record-breaking corporate valuation. It goes to show how valuable brands are as business assets and how important it is to manage them well.”

#FastestGrowingBrand

Twitter is the fastest growing brand; it has almost tripled its brand value in a year, increasing from $1.5 billion in early 2014 to $4.4 billion now. Fellow tech giants Baidu and Facebook have also grown strongly, by 161% and 146% respectively. The three appear to be more effectively managing the transition to mobile advertising than other tech players such as Google, boosting expectations of the financial potential of their brands.

Chipotle stands out among the many successes from the tech and telecoms sectors this year. Its brand value is up 124%. It is eating into McDonalds’ market share by positioning itself as a healthier, tastier and more ethical alternative. McDonalds’ iconic brand has lost $4bn in value this year.

Brand values for hundreds of the world’s top brands from all industries can be found on Brand Finance’s website. The full Global 500 table can be found here and infographics, further insight and analysis in the Brand Finance Global 500 report.

The World’s Most Valuable Brands

Brand	Industry Group	Domicile	Brand Value 2015 (USDm)	Brand Value Change (%)	Brand Value 2014 (USDm)	Brand Rating 2015	Brand Rating 2014
Apple	Tech	US	128,303	23%	104,680	AAA	AAA
Samsung	Conglomerate	South Korea	81,716	4%	78,752	AAA-	AAA
Google	Tech	US	76,683	12%	68,620	AAA	AAA+
Microsoft	Tech	US	67,060	7%	62,783	AAA	AAA
Verizon	Telecoms	US	59,843	12%	53,466	AAA-	AAA-
AT&T	Telecoms	US	58,820	30%	45,410	AA+	AA
Amazon.com	Tech	US	56,124	24%	45,147	AAA-	AAA-
General Electric	Tech	US	48,019	-9%	52,533	AA+	AA+
China Mobile	Telecoms	China	47,916	50%	31,845	AAA-	AA+
Walmart	Retail	US	46,737	4%	44,779	AA+	AA+

 Click here for the full table

The World’s Fastest Growing Brands

Brand	Industry Group	Domicile	Brand Value Change (%)	Brand Value 2015 (USDm)	Brand Value 2014 (USDm)	Brand Rating 2015	Brand Rating 2018
Twitter	Tech	US	185%	4,366	1,533	AAA-	AAA-
Baidu	Tech	China	161%	13,284	5,092	AA+	AA-
Facebook	Tech	US	146%	24,180	9,819	AAA-	AA+
Chipotle Mexican	Fast Food	US	124%	3,147	1,403	AA+	AA
Humana	Healthcare	US	99%	4,810	2,413	AA-	AA
priceline.com	Tech	US	97%	3,956	2,006	AA+	AA
Alibaba	Tech	China	90%	11,377	6,000	AA+	AA+
Lego	Toys	Denmark	69%	3,890	2,308	AAA+	AAA-
China Merchants Bank	Banks	China	65%	8,880	5,390	AAA-	AA
HCL	Tech	India	63%	3,148	1,925	AA	AA