Don't pull a Barkley tonight!

For those of you who haven't head, Charles (Chuck) Barkely was arrested early today on suspicion of drunk driving. I won't tell you his excuse for running the red light which led to his arrest, but if you check out the full story (which you won't get on ESPN!) I am sure it will bring a smile to your face.

The bottom line is this, if Chuck had been in a limo, he could have gotten what he wanted without the DUI on his record, and without endangering the lives of others. I hope you all have a safe New Year's Eve and I hope to see you in one of cars early next year!

Cars are still available for New Year's Eve!

I just checked our schedule, and we still have a couple of cars available for tomorrow night. With the promised increase in drunk driving enforcement by the CHP, why take a chance?

Call now while there is still availability! Mention that you saw this blog post and receive an additional discount and a complimentary bottle of bubbly!!

Premier Wedding Show

Wedding season is almost here and for all of you brides and friends, the Premier Wedding Show is where you can find all of the area's top wedding vendors under one roof. The show will be held this Sunday at the luxurious Arden Hills Resort & Spa from 11AM to 4PM.

Luxury Limousines will be providing transportation from the parking area to the show. This will give attendees the opportunity to inspect our cars and meet our drivers first hand, In addition, we will also have a booth where you can sit down and discuss you specific needs and we can customize a transportation plan that will fit your needs and budget.

This vendors in this show are by invitation only, so you can be assured that only the finest wedding professionals will be in attendance. The setting at Arden Hills is also very relaxed and spacious, so you will not feel rushed in any way. Hope to see you there.

On a more serious note...

The "artsy, fartsy" design of the website of every37.com is in stark contrast to the site's real purpose which is to help reduce the rate of drunk driving in Sacramento County, especially in males between the ages of 18-34. The name of the site is taken from a study which showed that there is a drunk driving fatality somewhere in the US every 37 minutes.

While I can't vouch for some of their other "Plain Truth" statements ("the average person drives drunk 300 times prior to a first DUI arrest" or "30% of all Americans will eventually be involved in an alcohol-related crash"), I do strongly believe in their purpose, and encourage you to support this non-profit organization.

Back from Christmas!

I am now back from a very short but very busy Christmas Holiday in which limos played a major role. We actually started Tuesday night when several friends and business associates took our bus out for a tour of the holiday lights. I now understand why this is such a great tradition, and why we have so many repeat customers who make this part of their annual holiday tradition.

On Wednesday, my best friend's girl and I traveled by limo to the City to take in the Nutcracker. I hadn't seen a ballet in at least 20 years, but I can pretty much guarantee that it will not be that long again. The strength, agility and pure beauty of the SF Ballet performers must be seen to be believed. It was also wonderful to have someone else fight the SF traffic and to not have to deal with parking around the War Memorial Opera House on a cold and rainy day. (BTW, both my best friend and his girl are featured (albeit separately) in the slide show to the right of this post).

Finally, we took a limo to last night's Boston Massacre at Arco Arena. Being in the limo before and after the game gave me time to catch up with my friend Ralph Murray (no relation) who had driven up from Napa for the game. Ralph supervises the tasting room at Charles Krug and I would strongly suggest that you stop in to see him on your next trip wine tasting expedition.

Luxx Limo clients get free admission to The Park Ultra Lounge!

We are pleased to announce that passengers in Luxx Limo's will now receive free front of the line VIP admission to the Park Ultra Lounge on Thursday and Friday nights. Passengers on Saturday nights will receive $10 off the regular cover charge as well as no waiting in the VIP line.

The Park is located at 15th and L and is one of Sacramento's hottest night spots. If you would like to take advantage of this outstanding opportunity, just let our staff know when you are booking your reservation.

Dennis Prager visits Arnold

Yesterday, it was our privilege to provide transportation services to radio talk show host Dennis Prager as he visited with Governor Schwarzenegger. Mr. Prager chose to ride in our Hybrid Tahoe. Here is a video of part of his meeting.

White glove not included...

Pictured here is the interior of Michael Jackson's custom made Bentley stretch limousine which will be auctioned off in late April. According to the sales brochure, the limo will be the spotlight of the eight to ten cars that will be included among the more than 2,000 items belonging to the King of Pop that are being auctioned.

While I like the white leather seats with the black piping, the rest of the interior is a bit over the top for my tastes, so I doubt that it will be showing up at your doorstep as part of our fleet.

Green Preferred Supplier List

We are pleased to announce that Luxury Limousines has been included in Green Ride Global's Preferred Supplier List. The list is utilized by major corporations when selecting ground transportation companies.

By choosing a provider from this list, companies can be assured that they are utilizing a transportation company that can verify their reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Our day in Napa - Part 2 - Far Niente

Everything about Far Niente is pure class - from our warm welcome to the winery which included our names being displayed on a sign as we walked in, to the tour which included a visit to Mrs. Nickel's private library of every wine ever produced under the Far Niente label, and concluding with a comparison tasting of three of their wines each of which was pared with a special selected cheese to enhance its flavor.

While the cost of this hour and half tour is relatively steep at $50 per person, it is well worth it, especially if you are into classic cars, as included as a bonus is a visit to Mr. Nickel's collection which includes a red 61 Vet with white scoops (my all time favorite car) as well as the same model Ferrari the Ferris Bueller made famous.

Our day in Napa Part 1 - Artesa

As I mentioned yesterday morning, I spent the day yesterday wine tasting in Napa. We wound up visiting three wineries, two of which were brand new to me.

The first winery was Artesa, which is located in the Carneros District. This makes it an ideal first stop for any Napa tour. Artesa's Visitors Center is absolutely amazing - - not only does it offer breathtaking views of the Napa Valley and San Francisco Bay, but it also features some of the best artwork of any winery I have seen thanks to Gordon Huether, their own Artist in Residence.

We arrived in time for the 11AM tour - the cost was $10 per person, but included the standard wine tasting. Reserve tasting is also available for $15 (here is a hint - if your guide likes you, he may just upgrade you - ours did!).

The winemaker at Artesa takes great care from hand picking the grapes only at night, to allowing the whole berries to ferment before crushing to even playing playing tapes of monks singing and chanting in the barrel room. Unfortunately, at least for our group, all of these careful steps didn't seem to matter as except for the chardonnay. we were a little underwhelmed with the wines. Nevertheless, as you can see from the picture, the winery itself is worth a visit, and as everyone's palate is different, you may find their wines to your liking.

Off to Napa again!

Today brings another road trip to Napa to check out several wineries including Artesia and one of my personal favorites, Far Niente.

I have never been to Artesia as they have a "no-limos" policy, but one of my friends got the policy waived for today. Generally, wineries with such polices are trying to avoid groups who are only interested in free or low cost tastings, and have no intention of buying wines either that day or in the future. Hopefully, I can convince the owners that our customers do not usually fit into this category.

As for Fart Niente, all I can say is that I am leaving my American Express Card at home!

Here is a novel idea to help prevent drug driving

A new gift card is now on the market that targets individuals who might be at risk for driving while intoxicated. The card is co-branded with Visa, and works just like a credit card so it is accepted anywhere that takes Visa.

It seems like a good idea, especially for college students who may be away from home for the first time. It also could come in handy for those who have used their last dollars to buy the last round of the night.

For more information, contact Plan Against Drunk Driving.

Not just for brides...

We have recently started a joint marketing promotion with our friends at Azukar Lounge and Sacramento Body Wraps. While the promotion is geared toward brides, we would also like to extend it to readers of our blog.

Therefore, if you would to receive a coupon for a free VIP admission to Azukar (before 11PM that is) and/or a free Lumiere Light Therapie Facial, just send me an email at bill@luxxlimo.com. In addition, the coupon entitles you to 10% off your next limousine ride with us!

Holiday Light Tours

It is that time of year again, and we are Luxx Limo are prepared! Every year we take all of our chauffeurs on a training tour of all of the best sites in and around Sacramento. Pictured here is a house that you may not see on any other tour but ours!

Whether you have two passengers or 22, our vehicles are perfect for this simple family activity. Call today and ask for Pa, Shad or Ozzie for special holiday rates.

Reminder - texting while driving will soon be verboten in California

Effective January 1st, it will no longer be legal to text will driving. While this has been common sense for most of us, it took the California Legislature quite a while to figure this one out.

The new law applies to all drivers even when stopped. The only exception for a driver is if there is a true emergency. However, passengers may continue to text away.

A recent study by the Transport Research Laboratory found that the reaction time of people driving while text messaging was 35 percent slower than normal. Interestingly, people under the influence of alcohol were found to be only 12 percent slower. Since it takes only a second for something to go wrong, if obeyed, this new law will undoubtedly save lives.

For more information, check out the DMV website.

Sealing the deal

As I announced on Tuesday, Luxx Limo is now the official limo company of the Sacramento River Cats. Here we are celebrating the deal at the bar in the new Morton's. To show what great people the Cats staff are, they even allowed me to bring my corporate attorney!

The results are in! I am a woman!!

No, I didn't have a sex change operation, but according to the Gender Analyzer computers, there is a 60% probability that this blog is written by a woman. The same computers believe that there is a 55% probability that my other blog, which focuses on taxes is written by a man. However, they rate both blogs as being "quite gender neutral".

Using artificial intelligence, the creators of the Gender Analyzer site have gathered data from over 4,000 blogs to teach their computers how to distinguish text written by a man versus a woman.

While they are only batting 50% on my two blogs, I guess this use of AI is much better than letting the computers run wild and create Sky Net!

Luxx Limo Chosen as Official Limousine Company of the Sacramento River Cats

I am pleased to announce that Luxury Limousines has been chosen as the official limousine company of the Triple-A and Pacific Coast League Champion, Sacramento River Cats.

As the official limo company, we will be providing transportation services to the River Cats as well as co-sponsoring several events at Raley Field including the Green Awareness Weekend, Suite Holders Tasting Event as well as three Office Getaway Days during the upcoming season.

Check back here for more information as the season approaches!

Congratulations David Dwyer!

David is the lucky winner of our KHTK Sharks promotion. David and three of his peeps will be heading to the Sharktank (aka the HP Pavilion) take on the Toronto Maple Leafs tomorrow night.

The Sharks lead the league with a 20-3 record for a total of 41 points. The Leafs have struggled to an 8-9 record worth 22 points.

One very important piece of advice for David and his friends. As my companion found out last Wednesday night, the ushers at the Tank enforce a very unique rule that I have never seen before - you are not allowed to lean forward in your seat to watch the game. Supposedly, this blocks the view of the fans sitting behind you. Now I wasn't the greatest geometry student (as Mr. Carridi who doubled as the Vice-Principal would attest), but for the life of me, I can't figure out how leaning forward blocks the vision of the people behind you.

In any event David, enjoy the game and try not to get to many "tickets" for violating this and the other rules (my companion got two!).

Stumped on what to get the person who has everything for Xmas?

How about a personalized bottle of a library wine? That is exactly what we did on Friday. We drove up to the Silver Oak Cellars in Geyserville and spent some time browsing around their library room hunting for just that one perfect bottle. The selection was immense - virtually every vintage was available (except 97 of course!) and with the variety of bottle sizes from which to choose, it was easy to find one within our price range.

Once we located it, we composed our personalized message and our tour guide who had beautiful hand writing, inscribes it for us. We then signed the bottle and voila! a one of kind gift for a person who is otherwise impossible to buy for.

As a side bonus, we enjoyed the gorgeous autumn colors of Napa and Sonoma Counties from the comfort and safety of one our limos.

Watching the sunset at Sbragia Family Vineyards

At the conclusion of every wine tour, I always ask the tour guide for a recommendation for our next winery. As I usually have a planned itinerary, I simply note the recommendation for the next time I go tasting. Yesterday however, we found ourselves with a little extra time at the conclusion of our tour, and our guide at Silver Oak was kind enough to recommend Sbragia Family Vineyards.

Honestly, neither of us had ever heard of this winery (and since my companion is half way through her Master Sommelers studies), we both took this as a bad sign. Boy we were ever wrong!

As you can see from the picture, the view from the balcony of the tasting room is breathtaking, and the wines are even better. After sampling Cab after Cab at Silver Oak, we choose a Sauvignon Blanc to finish the day. We pared it with an Irish Cheese and Italian Copa and spent the next hour enjoying the sunset. The winery owner and winemaker Ed Sbragia was also nice enough to come by and chat with us.

Located in the Dry Creek Valley Region of Sonoma, Sbragia is a bit of drive from Sacramento, but well worth it. Virtually all of their wines are single vineyard varietals, something you can rarely find anymore. And best of all,. they are reasonably priced.

Our National Affliate now services American Express Customers

As I blogged about before, Luxx Limo is the exclusive Sacramento affiliate of Carmel USA, a nationwide network of select limousine companies. As such we provide limo service to Orbitz customers.

Carmel has now been selected to be the limousine provider for American Express Card holders. This is quite an honor, as American Express has one of the hardest approval processes of any travel related company.

To use this service, simply go www.americanexpress.com/selects and click on the "Travel Offers" icon on the left of the page, and continue on to car rental services.

See the Sharks courtesey of KHTK and Luxx Limo

As a reminder, the winner of our Sharks promotion with KHTK will be announced during Sportsline tomorrow afternoon. If you haven't already entered, I suggest you do so today. For more information about how you and three of your hockey buddies could be seeing the Sharks in luxury, check out more details here.

More on the "Obamobile"

As I blogged about in an earlier post, information is starting to come out regarding the new Presidential Limousine. The latest piece of news, is actually more in the form of an editorial from The Times Online.

In yesterday's Sunday Times, Sarah Baxter reported that the new vehicle is expected to get "less than 10 miles a gallon". The article goes on to point out that this is in stark contrast to President Elect Obama's campaign promise to have a million plug-in hybrid cars on the road by 2015, and in fact suggests that the new limo could have been build on the chassis of a Hybrid Mercury Mariner rather than a GMC 2500 Truck. Folks, to paraphrase - I know the Hybrid Mariner, and it is no GMC 2500 Truck!

To read the full editorial (which is disguised as a news article) click here.

It is not nice to stiff your limo driver

And it is also illegal - just ask Jonetta Patton (aka Usher's mom). Ms. Patton is being investigated by the Dekalb County Police after allegedly stiffing an Atlanta based limousine company for $1,668. The incident took place on October 18th, at the BET Hip Hop Awards.

Better Business Bureau

A friendly competitor recently told me that there are over 300 limousine companies in the Sacramento Metro area. Of these, the majority are companies with only a single vehicle, and consequently a very narrow area of service.

However, I was really amazed today when I scanned the most recent Better Business Bureau Newsletter. Of these 300+ companies, only six are "Accredited Members", and of these, we are the only one that has received that participates in the BBB Online program.

For more information on what this means, we have added a link to our BBB page under our Luxx Limo Links which is located to the right of this post.

SF Article Rails Against Limos

Saturday’s San Francisco Chronicle contained an article railing about how limousines were stealing customers from cab companies. Unfortunately, the article’s author apparently didn't take the time to check out some of his facts – especially his comment about how limousine companies have “very little oversight”. Nothing could be further from the truth.

My little limousine company is regulated by the California PUC, DMV, CHP as well as the Federal DOT. In addition, we are also licensed by each airport that we do business with (and trust me on this), SFO is the absolute worst. Not only do we have to pay a fee each time we enter the airport, but we also have to pay an annual license fee AND have our cars inspected at SFO. Never mind that the CHP also annually inspects our vehicles. That is not good enough for SFO – we have to pay them to re-inspect – Annually!

The author does make a good point about the lack of cabs in SF – it is entirely due to the cab drivers fighting city hall tooth and nail over issuing more “medallions” which is the term for a cab license. Seems as if they don’t want any more cabs on the streets and now that I think about it, maybe this article is the start of their PR campaign against limos!

Testing out a new blogging application

Since I am now writing for two blogs (and I am bored after watching the Chiefs loose again) I spent my late Sunday afternoon poking around the Internet trying to find ways to make my blogging either easier on myself or far more interesting for my readers.

Up to now, I have just been using the standard “Blogger” application that is free with a Google account. It has been working out pretty well, but every now and again I have encountered a few spacing issues that I can’t figure out. Hopefully, this new application (BlogJet) will fix this issue.

So far, the results are mixed. For some reason, the spell check didn't recognize “Google” and wanted to replace it with “Goggle” Maybe the software’s developer doesn't like Google. However, unlike Blogger. I was able to add the correct spelling, which is a nice feature.

I also haven't been able to find a way to add my “labels” at the bottom of each post, and as you can see from the large amount of empty space after the end of the post and before the time stamp, I have encountered another spacing issue! I fixed both of these issues through Blogger, so now I had a reason to try Blog Jet's “Strike-through” feature.

If any of you have any thoughts on other applications i could possibly use, please let me know.

Morton's reopens on Tuesday!

Morton's of Chicago reopens to the public on Tuesday night. The completely new restaurant is located at 725 Capital Mall and features a bar that opens for outside dining (and cigar smoking!) an expanded menu, and best of all, expanded hours - they will now be open for lunch and late night dinning in the bar.

Speaking of the new bar, here we are last night at a pre-opening event. Of course the to go bags in front of us demonstrate that the two things that haven't changed are Morton's great steaks and their proportions.

Want to see the Sharks on us?

Well, all you have to do to see the red hot San Jose Sharks is send an email to Mike Lamb at Sportsline@khtk.com and tell him why you deserve to go. If Mike chooses your entry, then you and three of your friends will be headed to San Jose on Tuesday, December 2nd in one of our limousines.

Know who you do business with!

Not all limo news is good news, and so it is my sad duty to report that a Southern California limo operator was arrested yesterday on charges that he illegally charged over a Million Dollars against his customers credit cards.

As originally reported by the Orange County Register, Hamid Reza Derakhshi was the owner of A Classy Ride Limousine Service based in Newport Beach. The illegal charges started in July of this year, and continued until he was arrested.

As the title to this post indicates, it is important to know who you are doing business with. That is why to the right of this post are links to our website, our testimonials, and our PUC Licensing Information. I have also included a profile of myself as well as my contact information.

Sonoma Holiday Celebration

If you haven't been over to the Sonoma Wine Country lately, the 25th Annual Holiday Open House is your chance to try the wines of 19 different vintners for only $30 per person. The event takes place November 29th and 30th - and the $30 admission covers both days.

This would be a great way to spend the holiday weekend - not only can you enjoy the fine wines of this region, but you can also shop for the perfect gift for virtually everyone on your list.

When you go, we recommend that you definitely include Kaz, Mayo and Chateau St. Jean on your itinerary. Call soon, as this event is sure to sell out.

Premier Wedding Show

We are pleased to announce that Luxury Limousines has once again been chosen to be the Official Limousine Provider for the Premier Wedding Show.

The Premier Wedding Show is the big one for brides getting married in 2009. Held at the fabulous Arden Hills Resort Club & Spa on January 4th, this event will feature only the finest wedding professionals in the Sacramento Area. This may be your one and only chance to meet all of these vendors under one roof in a relaxed setting that will allow you to make a informed decision for one of the most important days in your life.

Congratulations to Make a Wish on the Groundbreaking for the New Wishing Place

At Luxury Limousines, we are proud to be the preferred Limousine provider for the Make a Wish Foundation of Sacramento and Northern California.

As a small part of this organization we were invited today to participate in the ground breaking for their new Wishing Place in Natomas. As the picture shows, the actual ground was broken by some of their Wish Children. This new facility will house not only the Organizations Offices, but will also serve as the focal point for the wish granting process.

Both Ozzie, who is our General Manager and yours truly are Wish Volunteers. If you would like more information about this wonderful organization simply inquire you are making your reservation.

Sake in Sac?

Well, actually it is Sake in Folsom,but Sake in Sac seemed like a better title.

Anyway, one of my friends just ask me if it was true that there was a Sake brewing facility in Folsom. I had not heard about it, but I was quickly able to find out that it was true - Gekkeikan Sake is now brewing sake from local water and rice right in neighboring Folsom.

So why not make Sake tasting your first stop on your next wine tour? Or better yet, consider combining the Sake tasting with one of their Sushi making classes.

Our Party Bus does it again!

Here is the latest testimonial from a Party Bus Client -

Hi Pa,

Our guests thoroughly enjoyed the "Party Bus". They were expecting a typical van or bus and were totally surprised. It worked out very well and we look forward to utilizing it again in the not to distant future. Also, thank Rick Vaughn for delivering them safe and sound.

Al Franzoia
Business Development Representative
Teichert Construction

Check it out for yourself by viewing the pictures to the right of this post or call our office to arrange for a tour of the vehicle.

Obama will get a new limo!

The New York Times is reporting that General Motors is about to deliver a brand new Cadillac to serve as President Elect Obama's new limousine.

Shown here in disguise, and although it is not readily apparent, the limo is believed to be the first Presidential Limo built on a truck chassis. For a quick tour of past presidential vehicles (starting with the 1908 steam powered car ordered by President Taft, click on this link.

The final picture...

You will have to pardon this post as it is really for me - this picture, taken about 2AM this morning is the final photograph taken at the old Morton's Steakhouse.


The picture features Neil (Morton's General Manager), Tom (Morton's Regional Manger), yours truly, and my friends Jean, Treven and Alyse. The wine glasses are empty and the plastic container in the foreground represents the remnants of the last steak ever cooked at the restaurant.


While we will be sad until the new Morton's opens to the public on the 18th, we will always remember the many good times at the old location, especially the Sopranos party and the Make a Wish Poker Tournament. Thanks Neil and Tom and congratulations on the new restaurant!

Tre

Had dinner at Tre last night, and once again it was fantastic. As we watched the election results pour in we enjoyed appetizers of Kobe Corn Dogs and Empanadas (which Chief Charley made sans the Chorizo for the vegetarian in our group). Our main courses included Chicken Pallard which was served with simply the best Risotto I have ever had as well as veal prepared in two different ways - Cannelloni and Schnitzel.

Tre opens to the general public on Friday and considering the number of speciality bars that will tempt you (wine, tequila and Scotch) going in one of our limos certainly seems appropriate.

Wow - wished I would have thought of that!

Sometimes, you just got to hand it to your competition, and today my hat goes off to "Big Things Limo.com" (a company I have never actually heard of), for giving free rides to the polls in their stretch Excursion.

Hopefully, most of the riders who take them up on this will wind up voting for the Company's Mayoral Candidate, Kevin Johnson (I would love to have been able to vote for him, just to spite his opponent Heather Fargo. You see, Mayor Fargo somehow never got around to thanking us for the free rides we gave her to and from SFO for her China trip. To bad I live in the county, not the city).

From the movie "Wanted" - if only the limo passenger wasn't smoking!

Some fun facts as you view the video:

1. The Opera is from Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman - "Time to Say Goodbye". If you are interested, Ms. Brightman will be appearing (sans Andrea) at Arco on December 16th.

2. Mr. "I'm Sorry" (aka James McAvoy) was actually in the Mustang when he flips the somersault.

3. We don't allow smoking in our cars - so our VIPs don't get shot!

Thank you Sacramento (Again!)

October, 2008 was our second best month ever here at Luxury Limousines. Considering this is not prom season, and the talk of a recession, this is an amazing accomplishment. I guess it shows that excellent service is still appreciated.

Thank you again to our customers and to my employees, especially my General Manager, Ozzie and my Operations Manager, Shad.

Want to make your next wine tasting special?

Then please consider visiting one of our favorite Amador County wineries, Villa Toscano for their one of their Fall Futures Release Parties. The menus are wonderful, the wine is excellent, and best of all, Villa Toscano is less than an hour away from most parts of Sacramento.

For a list of available dates, menus and wine selections, simply click here.

Luxx Limo chosen as Sacramento Affliate of Carmel Car

We are pleased to announce that Luxury Limousines has been chosen to be the exclusive Sacramento Area Affiliate of Carmel Car. We now join limo providers to offer one stop shopping in 43 cities across the country.

Carmel's affiliates also provide ground transportation services to Orbitz, American Express as well as several airlines. For more information, check out the official press release.

This is one ride I am glad we didn't get!

Cory Eugene Gill walked into the Comerica Bank in Dallas last Friday morning and handed a teller a note demanding money. Upon leaving the bank with his ill-gotten gain, Cory entered the passenger side of a black limousine and made his getaway.

While I have to give Cory a "10" on style points, I can only give him a "1" for brains. You see, limousine companies keep detailed records of their passenger pick ups and drop offs. Apparently Cory didn't realize this as he was caught this morning in Tulsa while waiting for another limo at the same location where the first limo had dropped him off.

The Power of the Internet

During Saturday nights Jimmy Buffett concert in Vegas, a performer I had never seen before came on stage for Margaritaville. After the concert ended, I ask several other Parrotheads if they knew who he was - however, either they didn't know or they were to "under the weather", to have even noticed him.

Luckily, I snapped a picture of him - he is shown here in a black shirt standing to the left of Mac McAnally.

Upon my return home, I put on my CSI hat and did a little snooping on the net - and in less than 25 minutes I was able to figure out that he is Frank Marshall, an Oscar nominated Producer and Director. Unfortunately, his Producing credits include the last summers horrible Indiana Jones movie. His tie to Jimmy? He was the Producer to the equally bad movie "Hoot" which Jimmy appeared in.

Now I will be able to sleep tonight - and if I can't, all I have to do is pop in one of Frank's films!. Thank god (and/or Al Gore) for the Internet!

Las Vegas Limos (maybe next time I will just drive!)

Just got back into town from a quick trip to Vegas, and I was once again reminded why I got into the limo business. Here are some of my limo experiences while there:

Our driver who picked us up from the airport was on time and very professional. But boy did his car reek of cigarette smoke. I guess that might have been his way of preparing my lungs for the upcoming assault they would face in the casinos, but all in all, I would rather not had the smell of cigarette smokebe my first memory of this Vegas trip.

Our driver who picked us up later and took us to a concert (yes, fellow Parrotheads, I saw Jimmy again - and trust me, twice in one week is not to much), was very nice, but had no clue were the back entrance was to Mandalay Bay nor where the MGM Garden Theater was. I guess that would be forgivable if he was a newbie, but he claimed he had been driving in Vegas for seven years. Oh, and my door handle didn't work.

And to top things off, while sitting at a poker table last night, the player next to me was talking to his friend who was sitting behind him. I was trying not to listen in, but they had both been drinking and they were a little loud. Just as the friend was about to leave, I heard him say that he only had one "run" tonight. In limo slang, a "run" is a ride or trip with passengers. I couldn't believe what I was hearing so I ask the player next to me if in fact his friend was a limo driver - and he said yes he was. I inquired if he was really going to drive intoxicated, and he said yes, adding that he had told his friend not to before he always did anyway.

Like the title of this post, I think maybe I will just drive the next time!)

Our friends from In the Mix enjoy a nightout courtesy of Luxxury Limousines

Here is what they had to say:

We want to thank Luxury Limousines of Sacramento for providing a night to never be forgotten! We had such a wonderful experience, our chauffeur Nick was truly a class act! We will be using your services again and referring Luxury Limousines to our clients as well.

Again thank you!

Justin & Kisty

For more information about In the Mix Mobile DJ Service, check out their website. For information about the wonderful photographer who took this picture, check out Carmen's site by clicking here, or her blog, which is listed to the right of this post.

Another star in our cars!

Yesterday we had the most famous of the Stone Poneys in one of our cars. Can't say what she was doing in town, but I still like to think how wonderful it would been if she had been referring to me when she sang Warren Zevon's "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" especially the line that goes "Yes, he really worked me over good, He was a credit to his gender"!

Madonna comes to Oakland

Madonna will bring her "Sticky and Sweet Tour" to Oakland's Oracle Arena on Saturday November 1st and Sunday, November 2nd.

If you already have tickets, then now is the time to book your limo, as we are selling out fast. If you don't have your tickets - let us arrange them for you. Just call our office, and within minutes we will have you set up for a memorable evening.

(Editor's Note: That is not one of our cars (but I wished it was!)

The Haines Brothers have done it again!

Just got back from a pre-opening cocktail party at the Haines Brothers newest restaurant, Tre.

It takes a lot to wow me, but Matt and Fred did it and more! Located at Howe and Hurley (in a building that used to be part of the infamous "Triangle") the place has been transferred into an upscale restaurant and club that will be catering to a "mature" audience. It has something for everyone - including a large central bar and separate smaller bars that feature the finest tequila at one, whiskey and scotches at another and wines at a third. There is also a cigar bar and a private patio to puff away in.

Best of all (at least in my opinion) is a private table in the kitchen where there is no menu - you are served whatever Chief Charley and his crew whip up for you. I always wondered why Charley was having me sample food that wasn't on the menu at his prior restaurant - now I know that I was simply a guinea pig for his creations. And judging from what I sampled tonight, he has perfected his recipes!

Tre opens to the public on Tuesday and will be serving food until 1AM.

"More than 1,200" good reasons to let us take you to the airport

The Sacramento Bee reported today that Sacramento Airport Officials will close "more than 1,200 parking spaces" to make room for the construction of the new terminal. The actual number is still a little bit of a mystery - the officials acknowledged that 770 spaces will be lost from the Terminal B hourly parking lot, but would only confirm "more than 500 spaces" would be lost in Terminal B's daily lot.

While officials will open 2,000 "extra" parking spots will be made available when necessary (i.e. Thanksgiving and Christmas"), these spots will be in the overflow area of Terminal A's lots - in other words, somewhere near bum.... Egypt.

One way to avoid this problem is simply to let Luxury Limousines pick you up at your door, and drop you of in front of your terminal, and return you in the same manner. No hunting for parking places, slepping luggage, or running for the Shuttle Bus you just missed.

The 'Gal" dressed up in the Parrot Costume

I just confirmed that the "gal" referred to in yesterday's review of the Jimmy Buffett concert in the San Jose Mercury News was in fact our very own Cassandra.

Picutred here on her way to the concert with my friends Kyle and Mesja, one can only hope that this is not her only 15 mintues of fame!

Fins Up!

Fins were up last night at Shoreline in Mountain View as Jimmy Buffett and his Coral Reefers made their annual stop in Northern California. While not as intimate as last years amazing concert at the legendary Fillmore, this was still a wonderful event. The weather cooperated as it was unseasonably mild. The "Reeferettes" quickly shed the jackets they wore while coming onto the stage, and Jimmy seemed comfortable performing in his trademark barefoot style.

Our thanks go out to the wonderful people at Prestige Events for once again coming through with great food, Angelina and Mesja for making some incredible Margaritas, and most of all to our bus driver Rick who repeatedly found restrooms seemingly at a moments notice and got us there just in time for Hot, Hot, Hot.

Click here for a review of the show and yes, the reference to "the gal dressed in a parrot costume" may very well have been Cassandra from our group!

100th Post!

Hardly seems possible, but this is my 100th post on this blog!

Anyway, today's subject actually deals with tomorrow's big event - the Jimmy Buffett Concert at Shoreline. I went on line to check the time of the concert, and low and behold not only could I check the concert time, but also got a bird's eye view of the venue courtesy of Jimmy's website and Google. For those interested, click here, and then onto Shoreline - caution - this link probably won't be active for long!

2nd Quarter Environmental Sustainability Report

We just received our 2nd quarter 2008 Environmental Sustainability Report from Green Ride Global. I am pleased to announce that the report shows substantial continued improvement. Through driver education and training, we have improved our average miles per gallon from 11.1 to 13.4. This represents an increase of almost 21%.

For the first year to date, our total fleet emissions decreased by 16%. We are extremely proud of these results, and will continue our efforts in environmental leadership.

Beehive Limo from the Movie Jackass 2

Continuing with our series of funny limo videos, here is prime example of why we don't buy used limos!

We are at it again!

Following on the heels of our highly successful Raiders contest, be listening to Sports 1140 for your chance to win six tickets to see the red hot Sharks take on The Flames on Thursday, November 14th.

Transportation to and from the game will of course be provided by Luxury Limousines. If you have ever driven to the Sharktank and back, you can appreciate just how nice it will be to relax and enjoy a cold one or two on your way to San Jose.

The Sharks are currently the only 4-0 team in the NHL, and are allowing only an average of one goal per game. This promotion starts soon, so be sure to listen to Grant and Mike each day.

Why?

Why am I not in this picture? I guess an even better question is why are YOU not in a picture like this?

Well, you could be! Just reserve one of our limos (this one happens to be our 13 passenger Excursion) mix with some of your friends, and voila!, an instant party!

Congratulations Jesse Aguilar!

Jesse is the winner of our KHTK Raiders Promotion. Jesse along with five family members or friends will be riding in a Luxury Limousine to this Sunday's Raiders game when the men in silver and black take on Brett Farve and the New York Jets.

Jesse is a true Raiders fan and was a unanimous pick by the KHTK team. Here is a portion of his winning email:

As you can tell from my screen name I am a Raiders Fan! I have been since I can remember watching football as a child with my father. I have passed it down to my 17 year old son and my two daughters. My four year old doesn't even know what football is yet really but when she sees anyone playing football on TV she says "Go Raiders" It was one of her first phrases!

Deadline is tomorrow to win tickets to see Brett Farve and The Jets

Entries for our Sports 1140 contest to see the Raiders take on future Hall of Famer Brett Farve this Sunday are due by 7PM tomorrow. All you have to do is email sportsline@khtk.com and tell them why you deserve to win tickets for yourself and five friends AND Luxury Limousine service to and from the game. For more details click here.

Placer County Wines

I must admit that I have yet to try a Placer County Wine, but that will likely change next Saturday when I attend the Kobra - Cursh 29 Wine & Art Party in Downtown Roseville.

In what promises to be an annual event, ten Placer County Wineries will be pouring tastings of their latest offerings, and over 100 local artists will be showing their two and three dimensional work. In addition, food will be provided by Crush 29 and their will be live music from four different bands. This is an outdoor event, so dress accordingly, and of course, please consider arriving in style and safety in one of our limousines.

Maybe I am getting a little to addicted to blogging!

Yesterday's Wall Street Journal featured this "Pepper and Salt" cartoon, that made me laugh out loud. I have seriously thought about blogging as I am being seated in a restaurant or for that matter wherever I am going or doing. Is this an addiction? I am not sure, but I am sure having fun doing it!

Cocktails in Sacramento

I almost always find something of interest in Bob Shallit's articles in the Bee, and today is no exception. In it, Bob reports that "The Tasting Panel" which is a magazine for bartenders and restaurateurs has recognized Rio City Cafe, Ella, L Wine Lounge, Zocalo and Lounge on 20 for for their "friendly competition" to produce the "next hot concoction". Long considered a back water, apparently we are now considered to be "newly hip"!

If you would like to check out some of these concoctions, what better way to do it that in one of Luxury Limousines (especially now that our local "DUI Fixer" is behind bars!).

Congratulations to Gregorio Gutierrez - Luxury Limousines Employee of the Month!

Gregorio, aka Gregg is pictured here with Make a Wish Child Chris, who had this to say about him, "Greg Gutierrez was awesome. Thank you for sending him to help with my wish. He was always ready when we needed him. I will never forget my Make a Wish day. Thank you gain for all of your services".

In addition to this compliment, Ozzie, our General Manager had this to say "Greg has shown great initiative and dedication to Luxury Limousines - he has an infectious smile and a can do attitude. He has received numerous compliments from our clients on his professionalism and smooth driving"

When not behind the wheel, Greg spends his free time with his wife and three children, ages 13, 16 & 19.

Luxx Limo in the Spotlight!

Luxury Limousines is in the "Spotlight" this week as the featured vendor on the Dynamite Weddings website.

We are proud to be among the few very wedding professionals to be part of the Dynamite Team - if you are planning a wedding or know someone who is, we strongly recommend you check out their vendor list and also their very informative blog, "The Daily Dynamite", a link to which is one the left side of this page.

Another word about safety...

In light of yesterday's horrific bus accident near Colusa, I thought it would be appropriate to once again mention how we at Luxury Limousines evaluate the driving records of our chauffeurs.

During the interview process, we receive a criminal background check as well as a print out of potential chauffeur's DMV records. Any prior criminal convictions, or any serious traffic violation immediately disqualifies them from driving for us. In addition, we are enrolled in the CHP's "Pull Program" which provides us with immediate notifications if any of our drivers subsequently receives a traffic violation. Our insurance company is also provided with a list of our drivers and they independently conduct their own background investigations.

Our Chauffeurs also must take a pre-employment drug test and are subject to monthly random drug and alcohol tests. The bottom line is this, drivers with records such as the one who was behind the wheel of the Colusa crash need to not even apply at Luxury Limousines as they will never be hired.

Finally, all of us at Luxury Limousines wish to express our deepest sympathy to the injured and to the families of those killed in the crash. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Know Before You Go

Recently, several state agencies participated in a strike force operation at the Sacramento International Airport. 127 Commercial Vehicles were inspected by various agencies including taxicabs, hotel shuttles, limos, airport shuttles and charter buses. Here are the staggering results:

Of the 80 cabs that were inspected, 11% were found to have meter violations - either the meter inspections had expired, or worse, there evidence of inspection at all.

43 vehicles were inspected by the CHP. As a result, 32 violations of the vehicle code were found, one of which was so serious the CHP immediately removed the vehicles from service.

The airport authorities themselves pulled 12 transponders from the vehicles they inspected. Such an action effectively bars these vehicles from future airport pickups or drop-offs.

The bottom line is this, before you hire any commercial vehicle, check out their operating licenses. To check out Luxury Limousines click here.

Tasting Room Reviews

SF Gate, which is the online home of the San Francisco Chronicle, has an excellent series of articles called "The Tasting Room".

Two of the most recent articles feature a couple of my personal favorite wineries, BV and Charles Krug. I found both reviews to be spot on - BV's employees are described as "no-nonsense, but knowledgeable", while the staff at Krug (aka the Original Mondavi Winery) were "playful" and the entire group "agreed that we could have spent the entire afternoon bantering with the easygoing and knowledgeable employees" (I am quite sure my friend Ralph Murray (no relation unfortunately) was involved in that description!).

The reviews not only describe the "vibe" of the tasting rooms, but also the types of wines you can expect to taste as well as describing the options your group will have upon arrival. For example, BV actually has two rooms - one for current releases and one for their "reserve" wines. Had I known that the first time I went there, I might have been tempted to skip the current releases and head straight for the reserve room.

Nice Job Alexander!

I just received a complimentary note from one of the volunteers for Make a Wish. In the note she writes that the wish family was so impressed with their chauffeur, Alexander, that they actually called the volunteer from the back of the limo to compliment him.

This is exactly the type of service that we look for in our chauffeurs. Great job Alex!

Luxx Limo Named as Official Limo Company of the Exotic Zone Ball!

We are pleased to announce that we were just named as the Official Limousine Company of the Exotic Zone Ball. The Zone Ball is the Sacramento Areas premier Halloween Party and should not be missed.

The Ball is being held at Cal Expo on October 25th. It will feature a Costume Contest ($2,500 grand prize and $5,000 in total prizes!), Mechanical Bull Riding and a Human Petting Zoo (and these are just the features that I can write about!).

Book now as we will surely sell out.

Avis skirts safety issues

Avis (aka "we try harder") is now offering an option of providing a chauffeur along with its rental cars. This sounds like a great idea, until you dig a little deeper. First of all, their rental cars are not licensed as either taxis or limos. Consequently, the vehicles are not subject to the same safety inspection rules, nor are they permitted on airport properties.

Second, the chauffeurs are being furnished by a third party contractor, and are not subject to the rigours background checks and random drug testing that our industries chauffeurs go through.

In one recent incident documented by the owner of another limo company, a car rented from Avis and with a chauffeur provided by a company called "We Drive U" was stopped on three separate occasions and was cited twice for different violations.

As the old saying goes, "Let the Buyer Beware" especially when the seller appears to be trying a little to hard to be something they are not.

A lttle bit more on the Duchess

It is always nice to receive compliments from our clients. This one is especially nice considering the passenger was the Duchess of York:

From: Michelle (deleted email address)
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 10:40 AM
To: pa@luxxlimo.com; shad@luxxlimo.com

Subject: Thank you: Kaiser Permanente

Hi Pa and Shad,

The event went great! Thanks to you both and the driver Rick for taking care of our transportation needs. I greatly appreciate your flexibility in adding a Sedan on Saturday and basically keeping the driver available to the Duchess through her departure. We did not know of her departure plans until Saturday, so thank you for the flexibility.

Thank you both for your accuracy and professionalism.

Thanks!

Michelle
Kaiser Permanente Event Marketing

The Duchess of York graced our cars yesterday

We had the distinct honor of being chosen to provide transportation services to Sarah Ferguson and her assistants yesterday. Sarah was in town to serve as the Keynote Speaker at a Kaiser Roseville Event for women.

Although I didn't get to meet the Duchess in person (and we never ask any of our celebrity passengers for pictures or anything else for that matter), I understand that she was kind enough to give our chauffeur flowers to take home to his wife as well as writing a personal message to family in a book she gave him.

Make sure you ask the right quesitions before renting a limo

Before I got into the business of owning a limousine company, I was a limousine consumer. As a consumer, one of the policies that I detested were the constant "add-ons" to the base rates. I would book a limo, and think I was paying $75 an hour, but when the limo showed up, I was ask to sign a contract for $90 or more an hour. Since sending the limo away would have meant a last minute change in our transportation plans (not to mention the cancellation fee that most companies charge), I had little choice. I guess you could say that I learned the hard way to ask the right questions.

If this has ever happened to you, or if you want to prevent it from happening, please check out our Frequently Ask Questions page. Here you will find a guide to exactly what questions to ask before you book your next limousine.

I'm a Believer!

After seeing Neil Diamond tonight...

I'm a believer that he is one of the great songwriters of our time and still an outstanding performer.

I'm a believer that earplugs really help with the Arco Arena acoustics.

And most of all, I'm still a believer that riding in a limo makes any trip that much more fun!

New Kids are coming to Sacramento

The New Kids on the Block arrive back in Sacramento on October 9th. Their concert is sure to sell out and as will our limos - so we suggest you act quickly. To wet your appetites a little (and to wet Brandy, Sherie and Jean's appetites a lot), here are The Boys riding around in NYC in what appears to be Krystal Hummer much like the one you could be riding on your way to their concert.

Racing with the Kings

Ozzie, our General Manager, my friend Jean and yours truly were guests of our Kings Season Ticket Rep Michael tonight at RPM Indoor Kart Racing. While Jean and I will surely be invited back, I am not so sure about Ozzie as he nearly wiped out one of the Royal Court Dancers (luckily no points were deducted from his drivers license so our insurance rates won't go up - JK!). Ozzie went on to easily win his race, and immediately wanted to challenge Brad & Spencer who were just walking in the door. Luckily, Joe Nolan, Head of Security for the Kings had witnessed Ozzie's prior race, and refused to let either of the Kings Centers go anywhere near a Kart will Ozzie was in the building (JK again except for Ozzie did win his race).

BTW, if you have not been to RPM, it is a great place for a party or corporate team building event. Heck, I might even get into a Kart next time!

Hockey Season is just around the corner!

Hockey preseason has already started and the regular season is just around the corner. Getting to San Jose to see the Sharks can be a real pain - unless of course you are in a Luxury Limousine. If you are unsure whether you like Hockey or not, then I suggest you check out the Stockton Thunder. That's right! Stockton has a Minor League Hockey Team, and I can tell you first hand that their Arena is great place to see a game.

The picture with this post is from our limo trip last year to see the ECHL All Star Game which was held in Stockton. As you can see, we had a great time getting there and just looking at this picture reminded me of how I can't wait to go back again.

Thank you Shareef!

I just got an email from the Kings that Shareef Abdur-Rahim announced his retirement today. I only had the pleasure of meeting him once, at Peja's Charity Bowling Event (that's my friend Amber between them). Even though his mouth was wired shut from an on court injury, 'Reef" still not only made an appearance at the event, but also bowled, and even tried to carry on a limited conversation.

Although Kings fans never got to see the basketball skills that made him an All Star earlier in his career, we did get to see what a true gentleman he was. We wish him the best of luck as he enters his post basketball life.

"The Big Crush"

The Amador Vintner's Association holds its annual "Big Crush" October 4th and 5th. Going in a limo assures that you can fully enjoy the experience, without having to worry about driving. This is a very popular event, and our schedule is already filling up fast, so call today to reserve your limo for this fun event.

Sarah Ferguson speaks at Kaiser Roseville a week from today

The Duchess of York will be the Keynote speaker at next Saturday's Body in Balance Women's Health Conference at Kaiser's Roseville facility. This is a free event and open to all women, whether they are members of Kaiser or not. For more information on this outstanding event, please click here. And to read the Sacramento Bees" interview with the Duchess, click here.

Luxx Limo Partners with KHTK - 6 Lucky Listeners Will Be Going to See Bret On Us!

That's right - one lucky listener and five of his or her friends will be heading down to Oakland in style in one of our limos to see the Raiders take on Bret Farve and New York Jets on October 19th. Listen to Sports 1140 from September 29th through October 15th to learn how to enter this exciting contest.

Shad the Bureaucracy Fighter Comes Through Again!

When I started Luxx Limo, I had no idea just how many Governmental Agencies I would have to deal with. Besides the Tax Agencies (IRS, FTB & EDD) that I contend with in my other job, I now have to deal with the PUC, CHP, DMV and DOT. In addition the local airports (SMF, SFO and OAK) each have there own separate rules and regulations. Thank goodness I now have help dealing with these other agencies and their seemingly endless string of arcane rules and regulations.

To give you an idea of what I am referring to, we have been waiting for our personalized livery plates for our Hybrid Tahoe since May. While we are able to legally operate the vehicle within virtually all of California (including our local airport), we could not operate it at SFO, because it had not passed their separately mandated inspection.

This was because SFO would not allow the inspection to happen until we had our personalized livery plates. This is where Shad comes to the rescue. After three trips averaging two hours apiece to the DMV, countless phone calls and lots of sweet talk, today he was finally able to obtain the necessary documentation so that we can now take the vehicle to SFO for its inspection. Only then will we be able to legally pick up or drop off passengers.

Since there are annual fees involved in every step of the process, one would like to think that the governmental agencies would make it easy to obtain these necessary licenses. But not here in California - no wonder we have a budget crisis!

Getting Married? Then check out this great blog

Our friends and business associates at Dynamite Weddings have an outstanding blog, The Dynamite Daily. The blog, which is written by recent brides or those who about to become brides, features daily tips on the latest trends in weddings. This blog is not to be missed by anyone involved in planning a wedding or serving the wedding industry.

To show just how much we think of The Daily Dynamite, we are making it the first official blog that we are following. To check it out for yourselves, simply follow the link on the right side of this page.

Congrats to Tiffany Coachworks!

Our congratulations go out to Tiffany Coachworks - our favorite supplier of limousines on breaking ground on their new manufacturing facility. Set to open this coming January, this 128,000 square foot plant will be located in Riverside.

Currently we own three Tiffany vehicles, two of which are eight passenger limos, and the third is our 2008 party bus that we picked up in March (pictures of the bus are to the right).

Traveling? Then "Go Green" with our World Wide Referral Network

One of the many benefits of being a member of Green Ride Global is that we have the opportunity to network with like minded limousine operators not only around the country, but also around the world. All of these companies are hand selected, and meet the same high standards of customer service and commitment to reducing their carbon footprint as we do here at Luxx Limo.

So the next time your travel takes you away from Sacramento, please consider using one of the fine providers of ground transportation services. Feel free to book yourself, or simply let our staff handle everything for you. For a complete list of areas served, click here:

George should have used a Luxx Limo

Skip ahead to about the three minute mark in this video and you will see that even a Presidential Limo can have a bad day!

"Tipsy Service"

Once again this weekend, Luxx Limo will be providing complimentary rides home for those who might have had a little to much of their favorite adult beverage. This time the service will be provided to guests at an El Dorado Hills party that is benefiting our favorite charity, the Make a Wish Foundation. We will also be providing the same service in Folsom to attendees of an event benefiting the Sacramento County Sheriff's SWAT Team.

If you have a charity that is holding an event where alcohol is being served and would like this service provided to you, please email me at bill@luxxlimo.com. If we have a vehicle available, we will try to accommodate your needs.

Last Chance to See the Cats?

I had a great time last night at the River Cats game. Their power surge continued as they pounded out 13 hits including two home runs to take a 1-0 lead in the Pacific Coast League Championship Series. I especially enjoyed watching our Closer's 99 mile per hour fast ball and unique motion that includes a certain "adjustment" before every pitch.

Judging from last night's attendance, I would say good seats are still available for tonight's game, and if you would like to do it in style (and safety), we still have cars that can take you and your friends and family to and from the game. If stadium food is not for you, I suggest starting a little early and hitting either Morton's or Center Court for a quick meal before the game.

Gone Fishin'

So what does the management staff at Luxx Limo do on their day off? They head out for some deep sea fishing for Halibut.

That's Shad, my Operations Manger on the left, and Ozzie, my General Manger on the right. There were 10 people on the Charter, and Shad wound up not only catching the most fish, but also the largest. As you can see, Ozzie wasn't to far behind - unfortunately, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, so Ozzie wound up losing his wager on who would catch the most. I am sure he will be demanding a rematch soon.

American Cancer Society Golf Tournament

Luxx Limo is branching out to once again help the American Cancer Society. After helping raise over $5,000 in a charity poker tournament two weeks (see the older post below), we are going to be providing Valet and Car Wash services for participants in their upcoming Golf Tournament being held at the Winchester Country Club on September 16th.

For more information about how you can help this event or how you can help this wonderful organization, contact Vita Sarginson, who is the Corporate Relations Manger at (916) 446-7933.