A World of Adventure at Your Doorstep!

What were your 2010 New Year resolutions?  Did you vow to … lose weight … exercise more … improve relationships … eat healthier … return to school?  How many of these resolutions have you actually begun?  How many have you started and already “fallen off the wagon” so to speak?  We begin a new year with great intentions, but like almost everyone, we soon lose interest and zeal for those changes that require more of us than we are really willing to give.  BUT …

AAA Transportation has a New Year’s resolution that EVERYONE can keep and enjoy!  We call it “A World of Adventure at Your Doorstep”. Why not resolve to learn more about California and the Tri-Valley, Bay Areas?  Whether this is your home or a vacation area you plan to visit, we can insure you will learn about new and exciting places and events, visit those special “hidden treasures” known mostly to locals, enjoy the best concerts and shows California has to offer, and take supreme pleasure in those memorable events like weddings, proms, graduations, business meetings, etc.

We also provide the most luxurious, enjoyable transportation for every location and event … and we supply specials and discounts throughout the year! Let’s look at some of the premier tours and events you won’t want to miss in 2010:

Wine Tour Special – Did you know the lush green hills of California’s wine country contain 400 wineries?  Each new year heralds winery tours with exciting tasting rooms and wine/food pairings.  AAA Transportation knows every gentle curve in the many roads that will have your group engulfed in this “fairy land” for six hours for only $299 (plus gratuity).

Concerts and Theatre – Have you ever experienced a concert at the lush Wente Vineyards?  Eight people can experience the excitement for only $260 (plus gratuity).  Our other low rates will whisk you to any of the historic theatres in the area – The Curran, The Osage, The Orpheum, The Paramount, and The Bankhead.  Sense the music and beauty of Broadway productions, operas, staged plays, and more!

Fine Dining and Live Entertainment – Have you ever tasted the ultimate prime rib at Tommy T’s and then laughed until “your sides split”?  What about “Hot Sizzling Thursday Nights” at the Pleasanton Hilton?  Then there’s Pleasanton’s Main Street Brewery, the annual Harvest Wine Celebration, … and any place your heart desires!

Fun for the Whole Family – Spend quality time together at the Renaissance Faire dressed in your favorite costume, enjoy the little known sport of bocce at Campo di Bocci, experience the annual Dry Bean Festival, the Labor Day Harvest Wine Celebration, and other family fun spots.

Business and Leisure – Who wouldn’t enjoy a day of golf and relaxing spa treatments at The Purple Orchid Inn, The Claremont Club and Spa, or the sublime and refreshing Vintage Estates? Treat your clients and employees to the elegant Palm Event Center, and thrill to world-class golf at Crow Canyon Country Club.  Your clients will thank you!

Once-in-a-Lifetime Events – Why not let professionals handle the intricate details (and associated stress) of your wedding, graduation, prom, special Birthday gala, promotion celebration, family reunion, and that long-awaited cruise to … ?  We know the most rewarding places anywhere around, plus luxuriously carry you there with specials and discounts galore!

Any place you desire to go … AAA Transportation takes you there in style and comfort.  Take advantage of our “Go Green” hybrid sedans and SAVE!  Our fleet of sleek, late-model vehicles economically provides luxury transportation for ALL of your personal and corporate events.  With excellence as our standard, you are guaranteed complete satisfaction.  Make your reservations TODAY either online or by calling 866-558-0222.

Hybrid Prius Sedans – Elegant and “GREEN”

AAA Transportation is proud of our efforts to keep Mother Earth “GREEN” and beautiful.  For several years we have included the classy Toyota Prius hybrid (gas-electric) sedan in our fleet of modern, sleek vehicles.  We would like to help you become more familiar with one of the main operating components of the Prius – the battery – to better understand how our hybrids give you the BEST is luxury transportation while also helping the environment.

For many decades, vehicle batteries have contained lead and hydrochloric acid – both of which are highly poisonous substances.  When these batteries reach the end of their usefulness, their disposal becomes the “tricky task” of keeping these caustic materials from leaching into our drinking water, food chain, and surrounding environment.  However, new technology in vehicle batteries is producing new horizons.

The emerging hybrid-electric vehicle market is producing promising results with the nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery.  The advantages of this type of battery are:

• Excellent performance
• Long life
• Reliability
• High energy
• Low cost of ownership

How are NiMH batteries made?

Like former batteries, NiMH batteries consist of two electrodes – one positive and one negative.  The positive electrode uses nickel-hydroxide for the cathode, while the negative electrode uses metal hydride for the anode.  A polymer separates the electrodes to prevent shorting.  A potassium hydroxide mixture with a small amount of water forms the electrolyte within the battery cell.  The cell is then sealed and electrically charged to form a 1.2v electrochemical couple.  Individual cells can then be joined in series to produce batteries in various voltage ranges, with 12 volts being the typical arrangement.

What is the Life Span of these “greener” batteries?

Battery life spans are evaluated in terms of complete discharge cycles.  For example, a standard all electric-vehicle battery can be charged and discharged 1,000 times.  This is equivalent to more than 100,000 miles.  However, in hybrid gas-electric vehicles, the battery is never fully charged or discharged.  Instead, these batteries are cycled in shallow discharges hundreds of thousands of times.  This partial charge/discharge operation enables the NiMH battery to last more than 200,000 miles.

What happens when the NiMH batteries eventually lose usefulness?

These environmental friendly batteries are 100-percent recyclable.  AND … because they contain no toxic materials, they are the only rechargeable battery that can be legally disposed of in a landfill.  However, we understand that simply dumping them into a landfill doesn’t make either economically or environmentally sound sense.  The obvious solution is recycling, which most hybrid vehicle manufacturers make available.

AAA Transportation is serious about keeping our planet “GREEN”.  Our eco-friendly hybrid sedans provide businesses and individuals alike with luxurious transportation while reducing our carbon footprint.  With excellence as our standard, you are guaranteed complete satisfaction.  Make your reservations TODAY either online or by calling 866-558-0222.

“Green” Limousine Service – AAA Transportation

What is your favorite color?  Red … blue … yellow … orange?  AAA Transportation’s favorite color is “GREEN”.  Why?  We care about keeping our beautiful earth GREEN and life-giving!  We also care about helping you see more “GREEN” with our specials and packages on limousine services, airport pickups, pleasure excursions, business trips, and even keeping your non-emergency medical appointments.

Every time you decide to travel in a group instead of individually, the “GREEN” benefits add up:

1. Transportation expenses greatly decrease per person.  The direct costs for gas, oil, and vehicle operation become shared.
   • Remember the sudden surge in gas prices during 2008?  Even though 2009 gave us a little relief as prices lowered slightly, it seems climbing gas prices is here to stay.  Sharing this cost of transportation with a group helps keep Mother Earth “GREENER” while keeping more “GREEN” in your pocket.
   • Oil is a commodity that “drives” our lives in more ways than transportation … gas, energy, industry, beauty and household products … to name a few.  We must preserve this precious commodity.  A trip to your favorite spot uses the same number of roundtrip miles, gallons of gas, and pints of oil whether you travel alone or with friends.  Going in a group, however, not only splits the automotive costs; it multiplies the benefits gained from the same quantity of products.  The commodities that formerly benefited only one person now profit a group at no extra expense.
   • Other direct expenses of operating a vehicle are also lessened proportionately.  Costs such as batteries, brakes, various fluids, tires, etc., are reduced per person plus produce multiplied benefits as well.
2. Group transportation has another “GREEN” benefit that is normally not considered.  Hidden vehicular costs such as normal wear and tear, maintenance, repairs, parking fees, tags, licenses, and insurance practically disappear for you because these expenses are shared by all of our customers.
3. AAA Transportation keeps our fleet in tip-top condition, thus keeping our prices low:
   • Proper tire inflation consumes less gas and oil, provides the best mileage possible, reduces tire replacements, and eliminates repeated tire repairs.
   • Air filters are routinely changed to enhance vehicle performance and preserve precious energy.
   • Regular oil changes and tune-ups keep our fleet at its best while reducing carbon emissions.  We spend a little “green” in this area to save YOU big “GREEN”:

A.  Getting ultimate mileage from the resources used.

B.  Reduced repair expenses that help us keep prices low for you.

C.  Lower carbon emissions that help your earth.

Whether serving you for business or pleasure, AAA Transportation is on the leading-edge of taking responsibility for our planet and providing “GREEN” for you.  Our fleet of sleek hybrid vehicles, limousines, sedans, and vans provides eco-friendly transportation for ALL of your needs.  With excellence as our standard, you are guaranteed complete satisfaction.  Make your reservations TODAY either online or by calling 866-558-0222.

Night At the Opera – Grandeur, Harmony, Rapture!

Aida … Lucia di Lammermoor … Candide … these are just a few of the world’s grandest operatic melodies you can enjoy on Friday, November 13, at 8 PM in the historic Paramount Theatre in Oakland, CA.

The world famous Oakland East Bay Symphony, conducted by Maestro Michael Morgan in his twentieth year as music director, will blend beautiful voices and soul-stirring orchestral playing to fill the Paramount with arias, overtures, and intermezzos especially selected for this moving, unforgettable operatic evening.

Maestro Morgan has also assembled a group of exceptionally talented young singers for your enjoyment, including:

Hope Briggs, soprano
Heidi Moss, soprano
Lori Willis, mezzo-soprano
Kalil Wilson, tenor
Zachary Gordin, baritone
Brian Leerhuber, baritone
Joshua Bloom, bass-baritone
and
Oakland Symphony Chorus
Lynne Morrow, Music Director

Even the most casual opera-goer will recognize and enjoy the wide range of well-known vocal and orchestral selections that will be featured.  Children ages 10 and over will also enjoy this lively concert.

Doors open 60 minutes before show time.

The Oakland East Bay Symphony (OEBS) is a regional orchestra serving the diverse population of Oakland and the East Bay.  The aim of the OEBS is to make classical music accessible to everyone in the region, particularly to those who might otherwise never hear live symphonic harmony.  With outreaches to schools as well, the Symphony has gained regional and national recognition for its unique convergence of artistic excellence and community service.

Completed in late 1931, Oakland’s Paramount Theatre is one of the finest remaining examples of Art Deco design in the United States.  Suffering three decades of neglect after its initial fame of “movie palace” in the 1930’s, it was restored to its original splendor in 1973.

Since that time, this historic Depression-era building has been meticulously maintained and fully upgraded to modern technical standards to enable the beautiful Paramount to grandly serve all the arts.

In addition to Symphony presentations, The Paramount also features Hollywood classic movies in which you’ll enjoy a newsreel, cartoon, previews, and the Paramount’s prize give-away game “Dec-O-Win”.

Also enjoy the unsurpassed beauty of professional ballet presented by The Oakland Ballet at various times through the year.

AAA Transportation proudly provides first-class, luxury transportation to individuals and businesses in the Tri-valley and the Bay Area.  Since 2001, we have offered a stellar fleet of late model limousines, sedans, and vans. You may make your reservations by calling 866-558-0222 or online at www.aaa-trans.com.

Our professional staff is waiting to guide you in selecting the best ride in town!

The Curran and August: Osage County

Have you ever wanted to look into another family’s lives without being an intruder?  Let’s take a sneak peek at the Westons, a large extended clan in rural Oklahoma.  Picture them surrounded by ideal farmland, plenty of farm animals, wide-open spaces, and expanses of beautiful blue skies.  Sounds almost like paradise doesn’t it?  However, a closer look tells us all is not well in this idealistic setting.

The patriarch is an alcoholic who suddenly disappears – whether thru his own design or by sinister means won’t be revealed here.  Violet, the matriarch, has her own set of problems that include popping pills and other unsettling actions.  The clan is large enough to include a budding romance, a marriage being torn apart, hidden family lies being uncovered, and the suspenseful outcome of all of these situations running their course!

Given the Tony Award for Best Play in 2008, “August: Osage County” unfolds this drama about the Westons.  Tracy Letts is the distinguished playwright, who won the Pulitzer Prize for this play in 2008. Academy Award winner, Estelle Parsons, stars as the unstable, unpredictable Violet.

The Curran Theatre in San Francisco is currently hosting repeat performances.  The Curran proudly boasts that its goal is “providing an authentic Broadway experience to San Francisco locals”.  There isn’t another theatre in America that is more like a Broadway theatre.  The Curran holds the distinction of being used by Hollywood for scenes in the famous movie, “All About Eve”.  The interior of the theatre is stunning elegance as evidenced by its many crystal chandeliers.

The next weekend showing for this “must see” play is:

Friday, August 28 at 8 PM

Saturday, August 28 at 2 PM and 8 PM

Sunday, August 29 at 2 PM

AAA Transportation provides first-class, luxury transportation to individuals and businesses in the tri-valley and the bay area since 2001. We offer a fleet of late model limousines, sedans, and vans.  You may make your bookings by calling 866-558-0222 or online at www.aaa-trans.com.  Our professional staff is waiting to guide you in selecting the best ride in town!

Verismo ~ Arias ~ Intermezzo ~ Elegance

The curtain slowly rises to the delight of a hushed audience.  A stage filled with vibrant colors, elaborate costumes and scenery, lights of various hues dance across the actors and actresses, keeping time with the orchestra’s ethereal melodies … this is the LIVERMORE VALLEY OPERA!

Come with me to downtown Livermore where the Bankhead Theatre produces some of the most engaging operas heard anywhere.  Having been recently renovated, the Bankhead Theatre offers excellent viewing from every seat in the house.  In addition, every opera is accompanied with super titles in English.

The Theatre’s stated mission is to “enrich the community by producing the world’s best operas, and to foster careers of local talented opera singers, directors, and conductors.”  Every opera is a locally produced, fully-staged production accompanied by an orchestra.  The Theatre produces verismo operas, which are vignettes surrounding the lives of ordinary people as they interact in love; jealousy; and raw – sometimes violent – passion.

The Bankhead Theatre presents two performances each year; one in the Spring in March, and another in the Fall in October.  The upcoming Fall opera begins on October 10^th and features the presentation of two operas normally shown together; Cavalleria Rusticana (Rustic Chivalry) by Mascagni and Pagliacci (Clowns) by Leoncavallo.  Affectionately called “Cav & Pag”, the vignettes weave the story of love found … then stolen … then revenged … then … (you’ll need to see the opera to fill in the blanks).

The Bankhead Theatre also presents special concerts, fund-raisers, and events.  One such fund-raiser scheduled for August 2 is named “Open in the Vineyard”.  Held at the Retzlaff Vineyard, the performance will feature arias, musicals, and much more.  Bring your family and friends plus a picnic basket for this outstanding gathering.  Also watch their website for the Winter fund-raiser named “An Intimate Musical Evening”.

AAA Transportation is your carefree gateway to these marvelous outings.  Our luxury stretch limousines elegantly carry up to 8 people while providing complimentary sodas and beverages.  Our late-model Town Cars and Toyota Prius’s also give you and your group “royalty” treatment.  As always, our professional chauffeurs arrive to pick you up and safely deliver you right on time.  Make your advance reservations by calling 866-558-0222 or go online at www.aaa-trans.com.  Our friendly staff is standing by to take your reservations now.  We also wish you and your family safe trips on the road no matter where you go.  Please don’t drink and drive.