Virgin America launches Orange County service

Last week, Virgin America kicked off service with to Orange County, California with its inaugural flight from San Francisco down to John Wayne airport, between which they’ll be running 5 daily flights.

Never ones to miss a party, Gadling stopped by the tarmac to pay a visit to Sir Richard Branson, dish with MC Hammer, apply a few layers of spray tan and boost our hipster credentials.

The after party brought us over to the Pacific Edge Villa, a gorgeous slice of Orange County beach front property, where hobknobbers and people in the know lined up for autographs from our award winning blog team. Stay tuned this week for some gorgeous photos and tidbits from the event.

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Virgin America launches the Revolution — Nominate your cause

In honor of their inaugural flights into Boston next month, Virgin America just kicked off the “What’s your Revolution?” campaign, a site dedicated to change, and the way that we and the airline are revolutionizing the world. They open by proclaiming:

Virgin America is the new domestic airline declaring independence from the old way of flying and giving the power back to the people. And now our revolution is coming to Boston.”

Kind of cheesy, right? But the cool part is that they’re taking submissions from people and organizations that are revolutionizing in their own ways, and by February 6th they’ll pick the top contenders to send around the world. The site continues:

Join our revolution by declaring yours. Sound off against the establishment, rail against convention and speak up for change. Share your revolution or submit a local cause and you’ll be entered for a chance to fly across the world on three different Virgin airlines.

Runners up in the voting will be invited to the launch party on the 11th, which, if any of the past launch parties are an indication, should be pretty swank.

If you’re not planning on flying to Boston or on Virgin America any time soon, at least take a chance to stroll through revolutiontakesflight.com and vote. The top elected cause gets $25k at the end of polling.

See you in Boston.

Get thee to the White House!

Planning a trip for Obama’s Inauguration? Expedia will help you.

Expedia has set up a whole host of tools to get you to D.C. and into a hotel, car, tours (don’t miss the FBI!), or whatever you need with as little hassle as possible.

The Expedia 56th Presidential Inauguration Site
features travel tips like which airports are nearby, what suburbs to stay in if the city’s booked, and all kinds of activities to try, including a list of great free activities like the Inaugural Parade!

It’s going to be a momentous occasion in Washington D.C. and all over the country. Don’t you want to tell your grandchildren you were there?

The best advice I can give you? Book now. Like, today. Everything’s gonna fill up fast.