Elizabeth Below, one of my FB and Twitter buddies, found this!
Off Beat June 29th 2009
The deadline for applications to participate in Redwood Empire Mini Enthusiasts inaugural All British and European Car Show is July 31st! Get your applications in now!
The show will take place at the historic Fred Stokes Ranch in beautiful Sonoma, Ca. on Sunday August 23rd.
Get your application online HERE!
For a limited time only, CravenSpeed is offering a 5% discount to all Miniology users on their newly re-designed Shiftwell Cover.
Just mention the discount code “miniology1″ when ordering! Offer expires 7/24/09
www.cravenspeed.com
Sponsors June 24th 2009
Presented by NORCAL MINIS and MINI OF CONCORD
Contra Costa Backroads (Drive time approx 3hrs)
July 19th, 2009
Meet at the BMW/MINI of Concord Collision Center for Bagels and Refreshments
Tech Session 8:00am
Check in Time for Rally : 8:30am
Meet back at MINI of Concord for Lunch and Refreshments.
Raffle, Trivia and Contests will be held during the event.
Special Themed Cars will be at checkpoints.
ANYONE CAN PARTICIPATE, A MINI IS NOT REQUIRED.
BMW Press Release, Clubs June 23rd 2009
Jess Nelson filed this report from Mt. Pilatus in Switzerland!
Part one..
Part two.. in Lucerne, Switzerland.. meets up with two local guys from Redding!
Podcast June 21st 2009
Even though this is a CAR blog, we do get into the tech realm. Today’s autos are just as computerized as anything Leo Laporte covers in his many radio shows and podcasts.
Off Beat June 13th 2009
[thanks to Luke over at Profero for this juicy tidbit!]
Profero, the leading global, full-service independent digital communications agency, is delighted to announce the launch of the new MINI iPhone mobile application. Openness is part of the latest digital MINI activity to promote the new MINI convertible.
You can get the iPhone app by hitting this link (which opens in iTunes, hopefully.. hehe)
With over three years creating memorable campaigns for MINI, from the Cannes Cyber Lions gold-winning ‘White Rabbit’ to ‘The Other View’ and ‘Ban Boredom’, Profero’s mobile application will build on other activity in the cars’ 50th anniversary year.
Drivers of convertibles are more open to new experiences so the MINI Openness mobile application encourages users to explore the unexplored and try new things. By downloading the application, users will have access to an off-beat guide to the UK’s major cities, including London, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh and over 400 unusual and spontaneous experiences: from getting a Brazilian to attending a Mexican wrestling match with fetish cabaret, joining a literary salon to jumping on a coach to an unknown destination.
The wider digital campaign, Stay Open, is supported by online banner activity, also centred on openness and spontaneity.
Ysabel Vazquez, national communications manager at MINI, said, “We wanted to create something different from the run-of-the-mill motoring iPhone applications. With Openness, Profero have delivered an experience that offers real value to users, helping them find some excitement on the hoof.”
Kris Crokett, MINI Account Director at Profero, said, ““Working closely with MINI on the Openness mobile application has been an exciting, challenging and rewarding experience for Profero. Our main objective was to create something of real value, that supports MINI’s unique brand values, and we are delighted to be able to offer iPhone users and MINI fans something that does exactly that. It is another exciting stage in MINI’s digital growth and one that demonstrates their willingness to embrace innovation and creativity.”
Editor’s note: Profero (www.profero.com), now in its eleventh year, is the leading independent global communications group with digital at its core. Its client base includes, AstraZeneca, Channel4, COI, HBOS, Johnson & Johnson, Lufthansa, MINI, Puma, Swiss Air and Western Union. Today over 450 brilliant, creative talents work as one highly awarded team out of Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Milan, Mumbai, Munich*, New York, Paris*, Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Zurich*. *In partnership with Plan.net
BMW Press Release, Off Beat June 11th 2009
Everyone is Invited
Sunday - June 14th to the Braman Motorcars
Summer Celebration
And MINI’s 50th Birthday Bash!
It’s for Kids of All Ages
Events include…
Car Shows
Kids Village
Drag Racing
Slalom Racing
Live Entertainment
Fun for the entire Family
Watch Race Cars in Action
Participate or just watch!
Events June 5th 2009
Mini is asking its owners to not drive on Friday, June 5, which is World Environment Day. Owners are encouraged to organize a “walk pool,” “take the pedal off the metal,” and “burn calories, instead of fuel.”
Besides being a good opportunity for Mini to get some PR, World Environment Day is an event organized by the United Nations that first began in 1972. It’s always on June 5 and, like Earth Day, seeks to increase worldwide awareness of the environment.
So we have to ask all the Mini owners out there: when you wake up on Friday morning, are you going to resist the temptation to drive your car?
BMW Press Release June 5th 2009
We are here in Zermatt Switzerland. They don’t allow personal cars in this town so its hard to tag MINIs.
You have to park in the next town
and ride the train in. There is a gigantic
parking garage there. You walk the streeets without fear of getting run over.
Its a beautiful town. Mostly a ski village. Jesse & I are taking the gonola/tram
to the top of Matterhorn Mountain. One of the highest peaks in Switzerland.
I’ll try to tag a MINI at the top 
Cheers,
Norm
Off Beat June 4th 2009
