My new wheels!!!

How do you like my new set of wheels?! Pretty awesome right...this is me sitting in my new Ferrari California, because that's how we roll here at R/West!




Ok, so by "my new set of wheels" I might mean "my new obsession/first thing on my Christmas list..." I'm pretty sure it was made for me, that leather seat fit like a glove, and getting out of the driver's seat was one of the most difficult things I've ever done... The Ferrari California is Ferrari's new addition to the family, coming out in 2010. This is the only one in Oregon, and it's currently sitting in the showroom at Ron Tonkin's Gran Turismo dealership (the oldest Ferrari dealership in the country, mind you.)

You might be asking why in the heck did I get to sit in the fastest (speedometer tops out at 220), most beautiful thing you've ever laid eyes on...and here's why: Yesterday Gran Turismo hosted it's 10th Annual Track Day at Portland International Raceway, where customers were invited to bring their own fast, fancy cars and race them at top speeds (under professional supervision/instruction of course!)

Danyel and I started out the morning bright and early with Drew Carney of KGW's LIVE at Sunrise, at the Gran Turismo store. That is where we got to drool over these amazing cars, learn about the dealership and even watch Drew drive this beauty. (Believe me, we were all holding our breath as the drove away in this $225,000 car...mic in one hand, wheel in other - after just announcing that he didn't know how to drive a stick!!) Let's just say it was an entertaining morning with Drew!

Then it was off to the races - we headed out to PIR where we spent a beautiful day in the sun watching fast, gorgeous Ferraris, Maseratis, Lotuses, Porsches, (insert anything fast, expensive and amazing here) cruise around the track at 150 mph!! Those babies could haul! All drivers had to take an instruction course with Pro Drive and then were able to drive with a professional in the passenger seat. Helmets were also required driving/riding accessories...always safety first on the track!

There were a few pros (like Steve and Art from the dealership) who could take passengers out in the California and Ed Tonkin's personal Porsche. And yes, I was lucky enough to be taken on a very fast, very exciting ride in that cute little blue Porsche (thanks Steve)!!! Yeah, I'm pretty sure I could own one of those too (Christmas list currently reads 1. Ferrari, 2. Porsche...)

Yesterday was definitely an adrenaline-packed, amazing day...and even though Danyel and I woke up at 3:30am (Drew - you know we'd do anything for you!) it was all completely worth it. And I'd probably get up that early every day if it meant I had the chance to ride in those amazing cars!

And check out the R/West Facebook page for more photos, videos and fancy car fun!!

Meet Molly & Ali - Our newest R/West PR girls!

In the last few weeks the R/West PR team has experienced some major changes - some very sad (Kendall - we miss you every day...and are still trying to dry our eyes!) and some exciting (new, awesome PR minds like Molly and Ali).

Our department's founder, Kendall, decided that teaching history was her true calling and has decided to go back to school and learn how to shape young minds. (Yes, Kendall graduated college as a history major, but ended up becoming the founding member of the R/West PR team as we now know it, and a PR rockstar!) Here we are celebrating her new life/crying about her leaving...

So because of Kendall's new career path, we did many interviews, searching high and low for someone to fill her big shoes. Then we came across Molly, who we'd love to introduce you to - I'll let her take it from here:

Hi loyal PR Girls’ Followers!

I thought it was only right to make a formal introduction to our readers as the newest member of the R/West PR team. I started working at R/West on April 28th and haven’t looked back since. Here’s a little background on where I’ve been, what I’ve done and my plans for the future…

I am originally from Woodinville, WA, a small town on the eastside of Seattle where I grew up from diapers to prom dresses. After 13 years of playing soccer I decided to continue in college and moved to Montana to play for the Grizzlies in Missoula. I spent the next four years learning all about wonderful things to do in Big Sky Country- hiking, fly fishing, camping, kayaking and floating the rivers. It was in Montana that I fell in love with the outdoors.

While in college I interned one summer in Juneau, Alaska at the Alaska Brewing Company as part of the summer six-pack. Six total strangers bought in from the “lower 48” to help bring some outside insight into the launch of their new IPA. We gave our opinion on logo design, name choices and strategies for the launch. While there the six of us got to experience Juneau from a whale watching boat, helicopter and dog sled.

After college I worked at a couple of marketing firms with clients ranging anywhere from an assisted living facility at an old Masonic Temple to a beautiful day spa in downtown Seattle.

I was browsing jobs at ski hills one day thinking to myself, “I like marketing and I love skiing, maybe I can find a job that takes that into account.” It was then that I came across a communications coordinator position for Snowbird Ski Resort in the Wasatch Mountain Range in Utah. I had a phone interview and then drove down for a second interview and was hooked on my first drive up the canyon. I worked there last winter, skiing a few times a week and learning the ins-and-outs of marketing a resort.

And now? Well, I’m in Portland! I decided to move here to be closer to my family and to open the door for more opportunities in marketing and public relations. Some of my interests also include good food, good beer and good music - so what better place than PDX?

The clients I will be working on at R/West include: BridgePort Brewing Company, Franz Bakery, Marquis and Consonus Companies, The Portland Clinic and Feld Entertainment (including Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey when they're in Portland). It is great to look forward to coming into work everyday and I could not be more excited about my clients and my coworkers!
Cheers!

Molly

So there you have it - straight from the horse's mouth! :) We are looking forward to getting to know Molly a little better, and teaching her all about life at R/West!

Also, I wanted to share a post where you can learn all about our semi-new (sorry we didn't introduce you earlier!) intern Ali. She is part of the Senior Portland Experience program through the University of Oregon (go ducks!), and we have really enjoyed working with her over the past few weeks! During her program, she is also working on the Portland Fair Trade blog - check it out!

Ok, and on a little more personal PR department note - did we tell you JulieAnna is engaged and getting married in Cabo this November?? And Heather is pregnant with a little girl!! She is due this fall, and we are so excited to have a little one running around the PR department (ok maybe not running for a while, but you know what I mean!)

So, I think that about covers our updates for now...I'll let you know if anything else comes to mind!

-B

Can you eat a five pound burrito??

Did you do anything fun for Cinco de Mayo? Maybe you munched on nachos, listened to a miriachi band, or sipped on a yummy margarita? Well, that is all good and well, but if that's all you did - you missed out!


For one day only, Cinco de Mayo, Taco Del Mar was offering up a 5 pound burrito, called the Cinco de Mondo! If you could finish the burrito in 30 minutes or less you won gift certificates, SWAG and some major bragging rights! Many thought they were up for the challenge, but you should have seen their faces when that HUGE burrito was placed in their hands (the thing was the size of baby!)


So the day before the big event, May 4th, Joe V. from KPTV's "On the Go with Joe" came out to the Hillsboro Taco Del Mar and learned how to make the 5 pounder. Throughout the morning, Joe was hoping someone would be brave enough to come down and try and eat the burrito in 30 minutes - his biggest fear was that no one would come and that he would have to try to eat that massive thing on his own!


But luckily Sye showed up - in pants with an elastic waist - to take on the 5 pounder! Keep in mind he was eating 5 pounds of beans, rice, cheese, chicken and pico de gallo on live TV, at 8 a.m. on a Monday! When he was reminded of this, he got quite nervous, and even took a little walk around the block to get fired up. (He recently got engaged, and didn't tell his finacee he was doing this...his biggest fear was that she and his future mother and father-in-law would be watching, and see him stuffing his face with beans and rice.)


Here's a video of the morning, so you can see just exactly how Sye did against the Cinco de Mondo.

So in the end, Sye was victorious, and won catering for 10 people - we told him to have a party with his finacee and her parents, so that if they did see the show that morning, maybe yummy food would help their embarassment. :)

Then fast-forward to May 5th, Cinco de Mayo and time for all big eaters to venture out in their sweatpants and belly up to the burrito bar for 5 pounds of burrito-ey goodness. And many did! These two went head-to-head at the Taco Del Mar on MLK, but neither of them made it to the finish line...

And these two guys walked out of the restaurant groaning, with their pants unbuttoned!


All-in-all, Taco Del Mar's Cinco de Mayo celebration - Cinco de Mondo, was a HUGE success, like 5 pounds worth...


So make sure your eating pants are nice and stretchy for May 5, 2010 - now that you know what to expect, there are no excuses for not being able to take that baby down!

green is so hot right now

Hey everyone!

So the Better Living Show is this weekend at the Portland Expo Center. This is the Northwest's largest sustainable lifestyle show and we're super stoked to be helping spread the word for the second year in a row!!

We specifically wanted to tell y'all about an opportunity to win a green-style makeover, courtesy of the Better Living Show, KGW and the green style gurus at Greenloop and SEMPER Fashion.

So what does a green-style makeover entail exactly? The winner gets to choose a smashing new eco-friendly outfit from the Greenloop (check out their super cute green giraffe thermal hoodie) and get their hair and makeup did the environmentally friendly way, thanks to the styling geniuses over at Sidlab Hair Couture and Aveda.

For those of you who don't win the giveaway (sorry, there can be only one winner), you can still get chic without breaking the bank. The style mavens at Greenloop are hosting a special warehouse sale throughout the show, featuring the latest looks for Spring with discounts of up to 70%!!!

Still think being an eco-beauty means donning Birkenstocks and washing your hair with gross-smelling products? Then you need to check out SEMPER Fashion's "Getting Runway Ready" hair and makeup demonstrations at the Better Living Show. And don't miss the big finale every night of the Show (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) -- SEMPER will host 20-minute fashion shows featuring the latest eco-friendly runway looks. It's haute couture without contributing to global warming...

Can't make it to the show? You suck. Just kidding. ;-) Here are some tips we've learned recently for being an eco-stylista.

1. Do your research. Can't pronounce most of the ingredients in your facewash, shampoo or foundation? That's one sign what's in the bottle could be harmful to the environment... Here's a great post from Best Eco Stuff on decoding what exactly P-PHENYLENEDIAMINE is (and don't worry, you don't have to put raw eggs in your hair...unless you're into that...we won't judge!)
   
2. Follow the herd. Lots of publications and blogs publish beauty awards so you don't have to test every product on the shelf (which would not be eco-conscious!) Check out Women's Health readers fave green beauty products, including cult faves from Pangea Organics, Cargo and Dr. Hauschka
3. Have fun with it! Being environmentally conscious doesn't mean you have to be totally serious all the time. Get the latest green gossip at Ecorazzi - from celebs still living in the stoneage wearing fur (you're busted Kanye's girlfriend -what's her name?)
   
4. Embrace the herbs (not that kind)... Eco-Chick writes about some common herbs you can grow in your window sill that will make you pretty.
   

We'll share more tips (and photos!) after the Better Living Show next week. But in the meantime, tell us your fave way to be stylish while taking care of the environment (without breaking the bank of course)

Get Ready to Make a U-Turn!

So remember the U-Turn Challenge we mentioned a few months ago? Well, First Tech Credit Union has picked the four participating households and they are ready to save!

Meet the competitors:

• Brad, Tina, Elisha and Kaylie , a young family from Seattle

• Erin, a teacher from Portland

• Willis and Adria, empty-nesters from Salem

• Danny and Julia, an engaged couple from Eugene

Each household has specific goals pertaining to improving their current financial situation, and they will be blogging about their successes and challenges as they learn new tips for financial wellness from their First Tech coaches.

If you want to make your own financial u-turn, just follow these teams throughout the challenge, and remember to check the Resources Section of the U-Turn site often. These tools with likely provide you with some very helpful tips to help makeover your own financial situation.

Visit the U-Turn Challenge site to check out the competitors' blogs and learn how to make your own financial u-turn!

I'm giving myself an F for blogging...

...but to make up for it, I'm going to share this awesome post that Heather came across today. One of our fave bloggers and PR heroes Brian Solis posted this interesting commentary on brands who really "get" social media. Some of my personal faves on the list include Disney & Nike. But where's Zappos? I think they're doing a fabulous job using social media to connect with people - not just shoppers or consumers -- but people. And isn't that what this is all about?

As we try to get our clients more and more involved in the social media universe, Brian's advice that it's not "reasonable, feasible, or strategic" for companies to participate in EVERY social media site/network/etc. is spot on and we wholeheartedly agree. Sometimes it makes sense for companies to Twitter and sometimes it doesn't (note to self, remember this next time you're in a pitch!)

We do want to give a shout out to our clients who are getting involved in social media and doing a great job. We know it's not easy - in fact, it's far too easy to get distracted, as we've learned. So here are some of our partners who really trying to use social media to listen and engage people online.

First Tech Credit Union (check out www.uturnchallenge.com in March)
Northwest Evaluation Association (our newest Twittering client)
Bridgeport Brewery (shocker - people like beer!)
The Game Factory - creator of family-friendly video games like Zenses and Build-A-Bear for the Wii

But the main point is - companies should be doing at least one thing a day that scares them. It could be as simple as allowing comments on your blog to sending out a Facebook invite for your grand opening party.

And I'll be honest, it's a little chilly when you first dip your toe into the HUGE ocean that is the "world wide web", but once you get in and find your niche, it warms up just fine.

Til next time,
JulieAnna

Meet the Sword Licker

So we have a newly crowned King of Cubicles. Mr. Joel Moss Levinson.

Check out his hilarious video resume aptly titled "I Will Protect You From Dragons." Actually, that title is not really apt. But we love it!

The King of Cubicles contest kicked off this past summer and challenged slackers everywhere to put their worst foot forward to win the title of King. All of this hooplah is in celebration of the new Game Factory Nintendo Wii and DS game, Rubik's World. A super awesome game about everyone's favorite cube.

As the new King, Joel has won his very own Nintendo Wii console & games from The Game Factory (including Rubik's World, natch), new fancy business cards that read "Joel Moss Levinson - King of Cubicles" and...drum roll please... his very own Smart Car. The preferred vehicle for a ladies' man like Joel.

We had the pleasure of actually meeting Joel when he decided to drop by R/West after getting the good news. It was meant to be!

So check out Joel's blog & obviously the R/West PR Girls Central to keep up with Mr. KOC and his latest happenings... We're looking forward to seeing what he can do with his new title and fancy car!












Joel (on the right) with R/Westies Johnny B and Cassandra.