McFadden Place » Travel

Farmers Market Breakfast

Michael McFadden — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:21:02 +0000

LuxuryRealEstate.com Acquires TheSociety.com

Michael McFadden — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:48:42 +0000

Online Real Estate Website Expands Business to Include the Finest Vacation Rentals and Villas

SEATTLE, June 1, 2010 – LuxuryRealEstate.com, the most viewed luxury real estate website in the world, announced today it has acquired The Society of Leisure Enthusiasts (“The Society”), an online marketing solutions company focused in the luxury vacation rental industry. The Society brings a selection of over 3,000 of the most luxurious vacation rentals in the world as well as an advertising distribution platform to LuxuryRealEstate.com. The Society was privately held and is based in Colorado. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The Society client base includes vacation home owners, property managers and resorts. They market the homes to affluent travelers through their own website, TheSociety.com as well as through an advertising platform called The Global Bundle. The Global Bundle technology distributes property listings to the finest luxury websites, the leading vacation rental websites and to several social media outlets. Distribution outlets have included DuPontRegistry.com, LuxuryTravelMagazine.com, RobbReportCollection.com, WSJ.com, LuxuryRealEstate.com, Paradizo.com, Affluence.org, HomeAway.com, VRBO.com, and more.

“We are thrilled to join forces with LuxuryRealEstate.com,” said Michael McFadden, CEO of The Society. “They are the leaders in luxury real estate and together we will bring the finest vacation rentals to affluent travelers around the world.”

“Vacation rentals, especially high-end properties, have become an essential force in the luxury real estate ecosystem. The Society has carved out a great niche in the marketplace. This acquisition will allow us to provide our clients with the best marketing solutions for their luxury properties,” explained John Brian Losh, CEO and Publisher of LuxuryRealEstate.com.

The newly created Vacation Rental division will to be managed by the former CEO of The Society, Michael McFadden.

About LuxuryRealEstate.com

LuxuryRealEstate.com, a 2009 Webby Award Honoree, has been voted ‘Best of the Web’ by Forbes magazine multiple times, praised by the International Herald Tribune, Town & Country, the Wall Street Journal and has been ranked ‘Best Website’ by consumers according to surveys by the Luxury Institute. Since its debut in 1995, LuxuryRealEstate.com has remained the #1 portal for luxury properties on the internet, consistently driving more traffic to member websites and generating more qualified inquiries than any other website. LuxuryRealEstate.com has several times more $1,000,000+ content of any near-peer.

Also known in the industry as the Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate network, a global collection of the finest luxury real estate brokers in the world, this group of more than 1000 brokerage firms and 95,000 professionals in more than 65 countries collectively sells in excess of $190 billion of real estate annually, with an average sale price of $2,450,000. Members sell homes for record prices and handle transactions of incredible complexity and magnitude with complete discretion. Every member is carefully selected by CEO/Publisher John Brian Losh, one of REALTOR Magazine’s 25 Most Influential People in Real Estate and broker of fine properties and estates through his Seattle-based brokerage firm, Ewing & Clark, Inc.

About The Society of Leisure Enthusiasts

The Society of Leisure Enthusiasts provides vacation home owners, estate managers and vacation rental firms the most complete one-stop-shop marketing solution called the Global Bundle (www.TheGlobalBundle.com). This premier offering ensures marketing exposure for all luxury vacation rental listings on the finest luxury websites, the most dominant vacation rental marketplaces, and the most viral social media outlets. The Society of Leisure Enthusiasts also owns and operates an online luxury vacation rental marketplace www.TheSociety.com.

Fire Trucks are so Cool

Michael McFadden — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:04:26 +0000

Campbell is hanging out in the Newport Beach Fire Station. A great way to kick off the Thankgiving holiday.

Like Father, Like Son

Kelly — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:23:13 +0000

Campbell now cheering on the Buffs like his daddy.
special thanks to Rita Klatt for keeping the dream alive…

Great Weekend: Pre-1975 Golf and English Garden Party

Michael McFadden — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:58:51 +0000

A great weekend has come to an end. Of course the Olympics finale and US Men’s Volleyball gold medal stole the show on Sunday; however Saturday was the epic pre-1975 golf tournament and the english garden party in Denver, CO. You can view the different slide shows below…

U.S. Amateur Public Links Qualifying

Michael McFadden — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:49:45 +0000

Today I played in the US Amateur Pub Links Qualifier at Murphy Creek. It’s playing as a par 71 and 7378 yards — long but due to the Colorado altitude it plays a bit shorter. Now to my round, but first you need to know that I played two practice rounds there:

Practice Round 1: 81, 5 double bogeys on the back nine.

Practice Round 2: 87, 5 more double bogeys, and 0 (zero) GIRs on the back nine. It was ugly, but I was taking a an allergy pill and felt a little light headed (excuses I know).

To say the least, I was not feeling that confident heading into the qualifier … so here you go …

Hole 1: 4 iron of the tee, 8 iron to 8 feet and sank the putt for a birdie! Great start for me.
Hole 2: Driver, 5 iron short of the green, chip, missed a 10 ft putt. Bogey
Hole 3: 3 wood, 4 iron into the bunker, PW out of fairway bunker, chip, missed a 9 ft putt. Bogey
Hole 4: 3 wood in the fairway, 8 iron to the green, 2 putt. Par
Hole 5: 9 iron off the tee over the green. Chip to 1 ft from the hole. Par
Hole 6: 3 wood off the tee, 6 iron lay up, wedge to the green, 2 putt. Par
Hole 7: Hybrid off the tee, 7 iron left of the green, chip up, sink a 10 ft putt. Par
Hole 8: Hard 7 iron on the green, 2 putt. Par
Hole 9: 3 wood into a fairway bunker, PW over the green, chip, miss a 6 ft putt. Bogey

38 on the front. Feel real good going onto the back even with the bogey on 9.

Hole 10: Driver into the wind, stick an 8 iron 4 inches from the cup. Birdie
Hole 11: 5 iron to the right of the green. Tough chip. 2 putt. Bogey
Hole 12: Driver over the bunkers, 3 iron just to the right of the green, chip up and 2 putt. Bogey
Hole 13: Driver right, 5 iron out of the rough, wedge short of the green, chip up to 4 ft, make the putt. Bogey
Hole 14: 3 wood in the fairway, PW over the green, chip, missed a 18 ft putt. Bogey
Hole 15: 3 wood in the fairway, 7 iron layup in the fairway (in a divot), 54 degree wedge to 18 ft, missed putt. Par
Hole 16: Great 3 wood, 9 iron left of the green (dang it!) in the bunker, 2 putt. Bogey
Hole 17: 3 iron to the long par 3 goes left into the bunker. Get out and 2 putt. Bogey
Hole 18: 3 wood off the tee, 5 iron just right of the green in the rough, chip an 8 iron just past the hole, make a downhill 4.5 ft right-breaker for par.

40 on the back nine

78 total, make the cut and tee off tomorrow at 7:09 am — check it out here.

And yes, I am a big enough golf dork to remember every shot I took today.

By the way, fellow Oxonian DJ Stewart fired a 75 and is in contention for one of the top 5 spots. I think he’ll shoot a 69 tomorrow and have to play in a playoff for the final spot. You heard it here.

Last note, the course was in great condition. Kudos to the staff. The rough was thick, the greens were fast and the tees were back. Great tournament setup. I can’t wait to see it in July for the championship.

Denver Bound

Michael McFadden — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:42:25 +0000

The last month has been a bit insane, thus we must apologize for being a bit out of contact with so many friends and family. In the last month we bought a Odyssey minivan, sold our Element (to a guy in Denver), drove 3 cars to Denver, packed our house, leased out our condo, hired movers, said some goodbyes, said some hellos and found time to play and laugh with Campbell. This Wednesday Kelly flies to Denver with Campbell. Mike has been in Denver for nearly a week getting a head start on finding living arrangements. For the next few weeks we will be shacking up in the basement of 625 S York Street (my dad and MaryAnn’s abode).

We’re looking forward to a Denver Summer. More to come but right now I’ve got to get back to setting up the temporary baby room.

Cheers, Mike

Why Americans should never be allowed to travel

Michael McFadden — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:30:36 +0000

It’s a funny note. One of my favorite quotes was:

“A man called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando. He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that is not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state. He replied, ‘Don’t lie to me. I looked on the map and Florida is a very thin state.’”

Are You Kidding Me? A Do-Over in the NBA!

Michael McFadden — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 23:12:04 +0000

The NBA is ridiculous. I haven’t been a fan since Alex English was playing with the Nuggets and I don’t think I’ll ever be again. I actually feel bad for all the great college players that have to go play in such a poor league. Sure, they get paid a lot but come on. The game is at best boring. Yes, there are some great games; in fact, I enjoyed watching some highlights of the Lakers wearing the throwback shorts against the Celtics. I also think Mark Cuban has brought some spice to the game but overall its still a yawn.

Just when I thought I was bored enough with the game, they decide to replay the last 51 seconds. They’re bringing the Heat and the Hawks back to replay, yes replay, the final seconds. You can check out the full story HERE.

UCLA: Content with being a basketball school

Michael McFadden — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:02:31 +0000

I’ve been in Southern California long enough to know that UCLA fans will not be pleased with being known as only a basketball school, but it appears the decision makers of the football program are planning for something else. According to FanNation, our old CU buddy Rick Neuheisel is the front runner for the head coaching position. Wow. It makes since to me; after all, it’s only been a few years since the CU debacle, followed by the Washington gambling incident and oh yea that whole thing with the 49ers. Maybe he’s changed since going to the NFL … but I wouldn’t bet on it.
All that being said, SC fans rejoice because you’ll be racking up more cross-town wins over the next few years.

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Front-runner in UCLA search

Posted: Wednesday December 19, 2007 07:26AM ET

UCLA officials may have moved a step closer to finding a new football coach, after Rick Neuheisel was brought in to be interviewed by UCLA Chancellor Gene Block on Tuesday. Neuheisel, currently the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, was interviewed by UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero last week and is believed to the front-runner for the position. DeWayne Walker, UCLA’s interim head coach; Norm Chow, the Tennessee Titans’ offensive coordinator; and John Harbaugh, a Philadelphia Eagles’ assistant coach, were also interviewed for the job. But the source said that Neuheisel is the only one of those four to receive an interview with the chancellor at this time, a necessary step before a job offer can be made.

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For those of you that did not follow college football when Rick was around, check out a few articles so you can be brought up to speed. You should get the facts:

Sporting News 2004 Article
Wikipedia Bio
ESPN article (after he sued Washington)

Just to set things straight: I’m a CU fan. Go Buffs. If UCLA wants to hire Rick, please do so. And honestly, I hope he’s changed and does a great job. I love redemption stories — I just know they are few and far between.