Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2007: Part One“0 Comments”
steve | 11:59 pm | September 30, 2007 | General Comments, Gifts for Mom, Flowers, Gifts for Daughters, Gifts for Nieces
This month, October 2007, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
According to the American Cancer Society, there is a 1 in 8 chance that a woman will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. In 2007, about 178,480 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
While these statistics are staggering, the good news is that death rates from breast cancer contnue to decline, thanks in large part to early detection through screening and increased awareness, in addition to improved treatment.
1-800-Flowers.Com, Inc. is an active supporter of helping to stamp out this scourge once and for all. Many of our online stores offer products that contribute a portion of the proceeds to major Breast Cancer organizations. During this October, consider one of these gifts, or donate directly to one of the organizations that help
From 1-800-FLOWERS, this pink bouquet of fresh roses comes with a beautiful Lenox pin. Even after the roses are gone, the pin can continue to serve as a reminder to all women to get screened. A portion of the proceeds will go to Breastcancer.org for Breast Cancer Education.
This is a bouquet of fresh deep pink roses. 10% of the proceeds go to the Carol Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Foundation at the Stony Brook University Medical Center in Long Island.
The roses come as a standalone bouquet, or with a clear vase or a special pink vase.
Tune in next week for more meaningful gifts.
Choosing a great wine“0 Comments”
kristina | 6:43 pm | September 20, 2007 | Wine, Gifts for Friends
I live and work in the Napa Valley. Contrary to popular belief that doesn’t mean that my favorite movie is Sideways, that I have a license plate frame that reads, “Napa Valley, A Grape Place to Live” or that I spend my weekends wine tasting and soaking in mud baths.
What it does mean is that I know of all the great restaurants who charge little to no corkage fee and some great $20 red wines created from the same ultra premium grapes that are used in wines by wineries demanding $100+ per bottle. (It also means I have to get my jog in before the sun comes up because my dog is scared to death of hot air balloons.)
Working with an ever-changing selection of over 200 different wines I am asked daily, “Can you recommend a good wine?” and I usually respond with, “What’s your price range? What style wine do you prefer?”
Today I have decided on a new response. The new response will be, “Where and with whom will you be sharing this wine?” Because the universal truth is that memorable experiences cannot be bought or measured by the quality of a wine. If you’re putting that much emphasis on the taste of wine, frankly you need to reexamine your priorities. Don’t get me wrong. I see nothing wrong with spending upwards of $100 on a bottle of wine or taking a Robert Parker recommendation, but if that means you spend the entire time at dinner trying to determine whether that’s Rutherford dust you smell or stale cigar, life’s moments are probably passing you by.
So whether you decide to meet an old friend for lunch or just enjoy the final days of summer in your backyard, remember that food and wine are only as good as the company. Instead of spending your time searching out the perfect wine, spend your time searching out the perfect company.
To help you get started, I am recommending the Hahn 2005 Pinot Noir. At just $19 retail (forgive me, but I have to go into wine geek speak now) it’s full of lush blackberry, cherry, spice all wrapped together in a silky mouthfeel with just enough acid to put it all into balance.
It’s the perfect wine for sharing because like good friends, it’s direct without being intrusive and complexly stimulating yet not overwhelming. As always, enjoy it in good health and good company.
Cheers,
Kristina
It's Slinky! It's Slinky!“1 Comment”
steve | 12:37 am | September 16, 2007 | Christmas Gifts, Gifts for Daughters, Gifts for Nieces, Toys, Gifts for Sons, Gifts for Nephews
In 1943, a naval engineer named Richard James, stationed at the Naval shipyards in Philadelphia, was working on an instrument for the Navy to use on battleships. A spring he was using fell to the ground, and he noticed it kept moving. He told his wife Betty, “I think I can make a toy out of this.”
In 1945, The Slinky debuted at Gimbel’s Department Store in Philadelphia. After a 90 minute demonstration, all 400 Slinkys sold out immediately. James started a company to produce Slinkys in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Betty James was instrumental in making the company the success it became, including introducing an ad jingle most of us know and love:
“What walks down stairs, alone or in pairs, And makes a slinkity sound?
A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing, Everyone knows it’s Slinky…
It’s Slinky, it’s Slinky, for fun it’s a wonderful toy!
It’s Slinky, it’s Slinky, it’s fun for a girl and a boy!
The Slinky has a storied history. University Physics departments use it to explain wave motion and seismology. In Vietnam it was used as antennae for radio transmitters. In 2001, the Slinky was named the official toy of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Betty James was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame that same year. The rhythmic sound and feeling of transfering it from hand to hand even makes a great desk accessory for grown-ups (a better way to reduce stress and pass the time than any squeeze ball).
And of course, anywhere there is a kid and a staircase, it is unthinkable not to have a Slinky there too.
In 2005, the Slinky turned 60 years old. Hearthsong, in its Classic Toys collection, has two very special limited edition versions of the Slinky to celebrate. First, the original Slinky, in a replica box of the very first Slinky in the 1940’s. Second, a “bona fido” (shame on you, Hearthsong catalog writers!) replica of the first Slinky Dog.
In the last 60 years, over a quarter billion Slinkys have been sold. I accounted for about 9 of them throughout the 1970s and 1980s, four lost and five tangled beyond repair after countless trips down (and up!) the stairs. I’m all grown up now, but now that I realize that Hearthsong sells it I do plan to go for #10 as soon as I finish writing this.
Get Sauced“0 Comments”
steve | 5:51 am | September 9, 2007 | Birthday Gifts, Gifts for Mom, Gift Baskets
My brother seems to have a knack for finding really, really great restaurants. A couple years ago, we all took a road trip to Florida, and along the way, he insisted on diverting us to Savannah, Georgia to a restaurant called “The Lady and Sons”.
I remember the night clearly. It was a beautiful night, and the city of Savannah was lit up beautifully. You could hear the clop-clop of horse-drawn carriages on the streets, and the streets looked like a scene from “Gone with the Wind”. The inside of the restaurant was the epitome of “southern charm”. The person serving us had a great big smile and a southern accent that just made you feel at home.
It was one of those restaurants where you spend three hours just trying to figure out how much on the menu you could possibly cram into a stomach with finite dimensions. If I recall, I ordered the famous crab cakes, but as much as I enjoyed my entree, I remember looking longingly at others’ plates. An amazing chicken pot pie with huge chunks of chicken. Fried lobster tail. Huge crab-stuffed shrimp wrapped in bacon. And of course, the pecan pie.
I stuffed as much as I could, and then on the way out, made it a point to buy one of her cookbooks. To this day, it’s the cookbook I use the most when I’m in the mood for some “comfort” food. For all the kicking and screaming out there about “0% trans fat” and “low in saturated fat” cooking, there are just some times when you NEED to throw a couple sticks of butter into your cooking and just enjoy your life!
Of course, in the years since, The Lady and Sons has become a national treasure, as has its owner, Paula Deen. When I heard that 1-800-FLOWERS.COM had signed Paula Deen to be one of their “Celebrity Chefs” a few months ago, and would be selling her gift baskets online, I didn’t wait long before I ordered a Paula Deen Cooking Basket for myself. It’s a great gift baskets with some of Paula Deen’s signature sauces, all in a great set that’s great to give.
This is one of those gifts that’s so popular that it seems to go in and out of stock almost continually. So pounce on it while you can!
What a dollhouse should be.“0 Comments”
steve | 8:38 am | September 7, 2007 | Birthday Gifts, Christmas Gifts, Gifts for Daughters, Gifts for Nieces, Toys
I will admit that I very much live up to my title of being a doting uncle. When you’ve got two nieces and a nephew who are bona-fide cutie-patooties, it’s very, very difficult not to be.
So when I went birthday shopping for my niece, Kristi, I wanted to get something really special. Unfortunately, these days, when you walk down any toy store or department store’s aisles, it’s difficult to find toys anymore that really teach old-fashioned values. Barbie’s gotta have her “fashion fever”, her “glam pool” and her “bling bling”. And let’s not start talking about those “Bratz” dolls–I’m no prude, but the “Bratz Babyz Night Out” outfits are enough to make me blush!
That’s what I really love about Hearthsong. When’s the last time you saw a real doll house like this one, made of real wood, not with plastic and lead paint. Check out all the furniture collections, and the happy family all ready to move in.
And the best part about this dollhouse is what it’s missing. A child’s imagination. In a world that’s filled with licensed cartoon characters and shoot-em-up video games, that’s often the one thing that is lost. And I admit, when I see my nieces coming up with their adventures, it makes me feel great (and provides some entertainment–the “dad” eerily share some characteristics with my brother).
Great Gift for an Indoor Gardener“1 Comment”
steve | 5:23 am | September 6, 2007 | Gifts for Gardeners, Electronics
I love to cook, but one of the things I can’t stand is when a recipe calls for 10 basil leaves or a teaspoon of parsley or something. At the local supermarket, they sell things by the bushel, not by the teaspoon. So what tends to happen is, I buy a ton of fresh herbs, snip off a little to use in my recipe, and watch the rest go bad in my refrigerator. That, or spend weeks eating parsley soup, parsley sandwiches, parsley-ka-bobs, etc.
Living in an apartment, I don’t have the luxury of having my own herb garden. I tried container gardening, but can never seem to find good light for them and remembering to water them.
When I first heard about the Aerogarden, I literally gasped. It’s like having a garden right in your kitchen that provides its own sunlight, waters itself, and to boot, you don’t have to deal with weeds or bugs. If your recipe calls for a spring of a fresh herb, you can just snip it off and have the freshest herbs around. Not only this, you can grow cherry tomatoes, salad greens, and other things by buying different “seed pods”.
My sister just moved from her big house (with her huge rose and herb garden) in Davis, California to an apartment in New York City. I plan to get one of these for her birthday. For the apartment-dweller in your life, treat them to a virtual backyard. The Aerogarden is available at Problem Solvers.
Next to the McGriddle’s sandwich, I think this is the greatest invention I’ve seen in the past five years.
Welcome to TheGift Blog!“0 Comments”
steve | 7:47 pm | September 4, 2007 | General Comments
Welcome to TheGift blog. This is an experimental blog run by a couple folks who work at the following gift companies, all part of 1-800-Flowers, Inc.
- 1-800-Flowers.Com (www.1800flowers.com)
- Ambrosia Wine (www.ambrosia.com)
- Cheryl&Co. (www.cherylandco.com)
- Fannie May Confections (www.fanniemay.com)
- Harry London Chocolates (www.harrylondon.com)
- Hearthsong (www.hearthsong.com)
- Madison Place (www.madisonplace.com)
- Magic Cabin (www.magiccabin.com)
- Plow and Hearth (www.plowhearth.com)
- The Popcorn Factory (www.thepopcornfactory.com)
- Problem Solvers (www.problemsolvers.com)
- Wind and Weather (www.windandweather.com)
This blog is not run by the PR department. In fact, they don’t even know about it (shhhhh!) We’re just a bunch of employees who love what we do and want to share some of it with you.
We have one rule for authors of this blog. NO marketing fluff!
On this site, we’re just going to tell you what our personal favorites are–what the gifts that we’re giving to the important people in our lives are 
And from time to time, we’ll even share some great deals with you before anyone else hears about them!
We hope you enjoy the blog. Feel free to write suggestions in the comments section!
Steve