Travel in Style Via Restored Luxury Train from Chicago to New Orleans

The Luxury Train Club is delighted to announce that Pullman Rail Journeys are now available through the Club, offering members a very special train route in classic rail cars through the centre of the USA, Chicago – New Orleans.

The Luxury Train Club features over 30 luxury trains around the world, on every continent that has railways.

Pullman Rail Journeys delivers ‘nostalgia meets iconic meets authenticity’ - with modern facilities. The original Pullman rail company that built the carriages in the late 1940s started service in 1867, and finally went out of business in the 1980s.

These vintage cars have been rescued and fully restored to the original Pullman Art Deco design, with stylish plush accommodation that features modern amenities to maximize comfort without compromising authenticity. Pullman Porters and Stewards clad in traditional uniform are on hand at all times to give superb service.

Members of the Luxury Train Club benefit from discount off Pullman Rail Journeys and every other trip or tour listed on the Club website. Membership is free, by subscription to the Club newsletter.

The Luxury Train Club is offering the A - Class Master Bedrooms with private facilities – drawing room, shower, toilet and wash basin, at fares starting from USD $2,850. Train Chartering’s developing new service,World Train Travel, features 5 other Pullman classes of travel, including Rooms, Compartments, Roomettes and Open Sections, with prices from USD $800.

Public cars include the Lounge Car, and Dining Car and the Observation Car. Comfortable seating is arranged to make the most of the views through a wall of windows, which are features of the Observation and Lounge Cars.

Food on Pullman Rail Journeys is prepared on board; during the trip, passengers are served three elegant meals. Menus can include, for example, filet mignons with Madeira wine sauce and the great American breakfast. All drinks are included in the price and are prepared to order. Light meals and snacks are available from the buffet in the Club and Lounge Cars. The Club car remains open throughout the trip.

Every week, there are two departures southbound, Chicago to New Orleans, and two departures northbound.

Each journey is around 950 miles over an unhurried 19 hours; long enough to appreciate that taking time to travel can be a life-enhancing experience in such classic surroundings, especially with a special companion.

Simon Pielow, Concierge at the Luxury Train Club, says “Nostalgia meets iconic meets authenticity in Pullman Rail Journeys. Retro train travel between the great cities of Chicago and New Orleans – essential elements of the soul of America.”

For more information see LuxuryTrainClub.com

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a vodka enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Popularity of Some Flavored Vodkas Beginning to Taper Off

Restaurant Sciences LLC, an independent firm that closely tracks food and beverage product sales throughout the foodservice industry in North America, today reported that the sales of on-premise flavored vodkas fell 11.7 percent from Q3 2012 to Q3 2013. Analyzing more than 170 million drink orders, Restaurant Sciences learned that flavored vodkas lost nearly one percent of its on-premise spirits market share from Q3 2012 to Q3 2013.

"Flavored vodkas’ on-premise spirits market share peaked at 8.7 percent in Q3 2012," said Chuck Ellis, president and CEO of Restaurant Sciences LLC. "Since its peak, flavored vodkas have lost market share over the past 12 months to other flavored spirits, such as whiskey. A few select brands, such as Grey Goose Cherry Noir, up 11.6 percent, and Smirnoff Cranberry, up 19 percent, are still showing excellent growth. Despite the market softness in 2013, Restaurant Sciences has tracked the introduction of 46 new flavored vodkas since 2012."

Restaurant Sciences tracks more than 600 flavored vodka brands, with the Top 50 flavored vodkas accounting for 73 percent of sales. Among the larger brands, Absolut Citron, the flavored vodka category leader, saw a 1.8 percent year-over-year sales decline. While Grey Goose Cherry Noir flavored vodka is enjoying increased on-premise sales, all other Grey Goose flavored vodkas on-premise sales are off between eight to 20 percent. Other category leaders, such as Stolichnaya and Three Olives, are down more than 20 percent.

For more information see RestaurantSciences.com

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a vodka enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

3 Things You Need to Know When Buying Olive Oil

Bellucci Premium, a producer of high quality extra virgin olive oil, comments on an article that shares the expertise of olive oil buyer Tim Bucciarelli.

According to a Men’s Health article published on November 21st titled “Olive Oil: What You Need To Know,” it takes special knowledge to identify the appropriate olive oil to purchase.

The article shares three key tips from olive oil buyer Tim Bucciarelli:

• Buy it: Unlike wine, olive oil does not become better with age. The fresher the olive oil, the better. Some producers provide a harvest date, which is ideal because you want to choose the oil which has been most recently harvested. Most bottles, however, do not provide a “best by” or harvest date, so tasting is the only method. “Cues like freshness, region, and olive varietal can point to a great bottle,” says the article.
• Store it: Make sure to store olive oil properly. Near the stove, where most individuals store their olive oil, is a bad place because the heat can make the olive oil go bad. Choose a dark place that has a room temperature, like a pantry.
• Enjoy it: When cooking with olive oil, try to keep it at a very low temperature so you don’t run the risk of burning it and losing the flavor. When using olive oil on a salad or as a drizzle on a dish, the flavors really make a difference. Since drizzled olive oil has never been exposed to heat, it still maintains its entire original flavor.

Natalie Sexenian, marketing manager for Tuscan olive oil producer Bellucci Premium, believes that knowing how to purchase and cook with olive oil can mean all the difference. “Each variety of olive oil has its own unique taste, so it is important to know what you are buying. The region and the harvest date are two very important factors in purchasing olive oil. You should research the types of olive oil that come from particular regions. For example, olive oils from Umbria tend to be sweeter. Also, never purchase oil if you are unsure when it was harvested; it could already be rancid.”

Bellucci offers three different types of oil, including an organic option, with a mild peppery flavor and fruity undertones that will satisfy any palate. Bellucci Premium Toscano extra virgin olive oil uses olives that are grown on the beautiful landscapes of Tuscany, and maintained by 3rd and 4th generation farmers. The third type of oil Bellucci produces is the finest 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil, grown in many different regions of Italy.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a wine enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Johnnie Walker House Comes to Korea

Johnnie Walker, the world’s number one Scotch whisky, is opening the Johnnie Walker House Seoul, Diageo’s third global embassy for luxury Scotch whisky. Located in the capital of one of Asia’s most affluent and culturally influential cities, the Johnnie Walker House Seoul resides in the luxury retail district of Cheongdam, an area known for leading-edge fashion and lifestyle trends.

Like its sister properties in Shanghai and Beijing, opened in 2011 and 2012 respectively, the Johnnie Walker House Seoul is expected to provide consumers with bespoke experiences to immerse themselves into the world of whisky and Johnnie Walker. It will bring together traditional craftsmanship and modern technology to create highly engaging experiences for our guests to grow in their appreciation for whisky.

Gilbert Ghostine, President, Diageo Asia Pacific said, “We are delighted to launch our third Johnnie Walker House concept in Korea, a market we have been in since 1949. As sophisticated consumers of luxury, Korean consumers are looking for brands that have true heritage, craftsmanship and exceptional quality. These can all be found in the Johnnie Walker House Seoul with our limited edition rare Scotch whiskies, custom designed whisky dinners, and other exclusively-Korean modern whisky offerings.”

“Being the largest Scotch and Super premium Scotch market in Asia Pacific and with a growing luxury market, Korea was the clear market to expand the Johnnie Walker House footprint and to help us strengthen our lead in Scotch whisky. This is also in line with Diageo’s strategy to invest in new and growing opportunities with luxury consumers”, added Mr Ghostine.”

Trendsetting A Luxurious Whisky Culture

The Johnnie Walker House Seoul will bring the best Scotch whisky from Scotland to discerning Korean consumers, who are known for their cultural influence in Asia. At Johnnie Walker House Seoul, we look forward to collaborating with Korean influencers in the creation of a whisky culture that is distinctively Korean and has global appeal. To further foster this whisky culture, we will train and inspire bartenders through the World Class Academy to create new whisky signature cocktails and service rituals so that these experiences can be enjoyed in outlets around Korea.

A Bespoke Whisky Experience

The Johnnie Walker House Seoul will offer exclusive ‘by invitation only’ events, such as whisky pairing dinners and mentoring sessions at the VIP Lounge and lifestyle events at The Sky Bar and The Distillery. It will also feature exclusive products, such as 1949 – a unique limited edition blend that commemorates the first year that Johnnie Walker was available in Korea, Zodiac – a series of Johnnie Walker Blue Label featuring animals from Asian mythology and the Korean National flower (Mugunghwa), and Signature Blend – a bespoke cask of whisky created by our Masterblender to suit the individual’s taste preferences.

A Winning Platform to Grow Super Premium Scotch Whisky

Johnnie Walker House is a bold statement of Diageo’s leadership in super premium Scotch whisky. The concept started in Shanghai as an experiment in finding new ways to engage with whisky consumers and showcase the brand’s history, provenance, heritage, and pioneering spirit. The Johnnie Walker House Seoul aims to replicate the success we have achieved in engaging local luxury consumers through innovative ways of showcasing and appreciating Scotch whisky.

A Customised Luxury Whisky Experience

Set over six floors, the Johnnie Walker House Seoul provides guests with distinctive and exclusive luxury whisky experiences, such as customised retail, bespoke blending, whisky and cocktail classes, and whisky bar culture. The Johnnie Walker House Seoul is dedicated to providing every single guest with an unprecedented luxury whisky experience.

The different sections of the House include:

• The Blending Suite, where visitors can use a unique blending table to identify the subtle aromas of whisky, and a customization area to select a bottle of Johnnie Walker and create bespoke pieces through engraving, packaging, or wrapping. This is also the only place in Korea where the fortunate few can create their own Signature Blend of Johnnie Walker, skilfully crafted by our Masterblender
• The World Class Academy, a training school for consumers and Korea’s best up-and-coming bartenders
• The VIP Lounge, where esteemed members of the Johnnie Walker House Seoul can enjoy one-of-a-kind whisky & dining experiences created exclusively for the Johnnie Walker House Seoul
• The Sky Bar, a rooftop space where guests can take a break from their hectic everyday life in Seoul
• The Distillery, where invited guests can attend locally curated events featuring World Class guest bartenders

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a whisky enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Lose Weight On the Beer and Sausage Diet

Dr. Terry Simpson, of Phoenix, said there were some non-believers when he first mentioned a very unique diet he was supervising. "I don't think anyone believed we'd see any weight loss success, following a diet that consisted of just beer and sausage. I'm a physician, and I wasn't sure what to expect either. The results were pretty surprising, and defy most people's logic," shared the weight loss surgeon.

Could a diet made up of two components: beer and sausage, not known for being low calorie foods, actually help you to lose weight? For the past 3 years, one Phoenix man has followed the beer and sausage diet for the entire month of October. Evo Terra began his Oktoberfest themed diet in 2010, under the supervision of Dr. Terry Simpson, and the two diligently tracked the results.

"Evo drank up to six beers each day, and had two sausages each day, for the entire month of October. And would you believe he not only lost weight, but other health factors improved, as well? Of course when we started the diet 3 years ago, we weren't sure what the results would be after 30 days, but I don't think we expected the success Evo experienced," remarked Simpson.

Evo successfully dropped 14 pounds the first October, and has consistently lost weight each consecutive year. His cholesterol levels went down, and his blood chemistry got better, said Simpson.

"It was a fun diet for me to supervise," said the doctor. "I like collecting data, and let's face it, a lot of what we know about food, calories, and how our body uses nutrients is based on statistics gathered from large group studies. There aren't a lot of studies run on an individual. This beer and sausage diet allowed us to get new data on how the body processes and interacts with very specific foods, when limited to a very specific portion, for a controlled amount of time," said Dr. Simpson.

According to Dr. Simpson, this wasn't just a "throw caution to the wind, eat as much as you want, drink as much as you want" diet. He and Evo carefully designed the diet not to exceed 1,500 calories per day, and portion control was important. According to Dr. Simpson, one of the most important things learned from this experiment is - a calorie is just a calorie.

Dr. Terry Simpson is a Phoenix based physician who specializes in weight loss surgery. In addition to seeing patients, he spends time conducting research, exploring new foods, preparing healthy meals, and golfing on Sundays. For more information visit his website at DrTerrySimpson.com

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Musician Roger Clyne's Mexican Moonshine Celebrates Three New Awards

Arizona-based recording artist Roger Clyne has, for the past fifteen years, created a fan-focused community that meshes music with all forms of merriment infused with southwestern culture and mythologies. To that end, he created the award-winning Mexican Moonshine line of fine tequila, which has just released its third marque, Añejo.

The buttery Añejo boasts honey and woody notes, with hints of tobacco and vanilla. It joins Mexican Moonshine’s Silver and Reposado brands, which in 2011 earned Tequila.net’s “Best of the Best” award. Last month at the Spirits of Mexico Tequila Festival in San Diego, the Añejo and Reposado both won a Gold medal and the Silver took home a Silver.

In addition to being a tequila aficionado, Roger is eco-conscious. He developed Mexican Moonshine with Fabrica de Tequilas Finos, SA de CV, a notable boutique tequila distiller in the city of Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico.The distillery uses a clean, sustainable, and progressive process that removes impurities from the waste water. The exceptional quality of the end product is reflective of how the tequila starts.

Mexican Moonshine has its own mythic creation story. Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers have been curating and hosting a music festival, Circus Mexicus, in Rocky Point, Mexico for more than a dozen years. In 2009, the first large-scale amount of Mexican Moonshine was created to be sold and enjoyed by RCPM fans at the festival. But it almost didn’t happen, until a trusted band friend did his own little cross-Mexico moonshine run to make sure the tequila made it to the event (which it did, to great relief, and success).

Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers have released six consecutive albums that have debuted in the top 10 on Billboard's Internet Sales chart, the first independent band to ever accomplish that feat. Two of those albums, 1999's Honky Tonk Union and 2004's ¡Americano!, debuted at #1. That streak of creating timeless rock music continues with RCPM's most recent studio album, Unida Cantina. In addition to Circus Mexicus (with attendees from more than 32 states and 7 countries) and their headline shows, RCPM have opened for Dierks Bentley, John Fogerty, Willie Nelson, Barenaked Ladies, Live, Blues Traveler, Sammy Hagar and Kid Rock, among others.

Clyne enjoyed an accomplished stint with The Refreshments, a late-90s rock band whose cult-classic album Fizzy, Fuzzy, Big & Buzzy produced the hit singles Banditos and Down Together. Clyne also wrote and performed the theme song for FOX’s animated hit, “King of The Hill.”

More information about Mexican Moonshine, including U.S. retail locations and online sales can be found at MexicanMoonshine.com.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a tequila enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Anime Matsuri Reveals J-Pop Star Aya Ikeda Will Attend

J-pop idol and anime theme singer Aya Ikeda will attend 2014’s Anime Matsuri in Houston Texas. The former member of the J-pop girl group C-ZONE is known for the opening theme song of the award winning anime “HeartCatch PreCure!” Aya retired from C-ZONE in 2010 and continued her collaboration as a solo-artist for the PreCure Series. Recently Aya has decided to focus on getting to know her fans throughout the globe and was announced as part of the roster of the 2014 convention.

HeartCatch PreCure was voted Best Anime Series of 2010 by the UK magazine “Impact”. Aya has even appeared in the anime as a background character that was a member of the light music club and sings several songs with the anime’s other main characters.

Her most notable songs include:
“Alright! Heartcatch Pretty Cure!” which is the Opening Theme song
Thank you for Everything (Arigatou ga Ippai)
Wonderful-Powerful-Music!!
Hopeful Rainbows (Kibou Rainbows)
Let's go! Smile Pretty Cure!

Aya also sang the song “Road” for the anime "Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo" ("Kindaichi Case files).

Aya toured with her group C-Zone in 2010 visiting the USA and France, she is back in the USA as a solo performer and honored guest of Anime Masturi which takes place March 14th – 16th 2014, at Houston’s very own state-of-the-art George R. Brown Convention Center.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a vodka enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.