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"My Private Cointreau Coffret" By Dita Von Teese
Description: Dita Von Teese - international queen of Burlesque and Cointreau - one of the world's most famous crystal clear spirits - have teamed up to produce an elegant limited edition gift set, "My Private Cointreau Coffret" – perfect for the "Cointreauversial" glamour girl this holiday season. Dita Von Teese's Cocktail Coffret and boudoir set features an exquisite box that lovingly cradles a bottle of Cointreau, two cocktail glasses and a custom designed shaker. The Cocktail Coffret conjures up images of a sophisticated, Parisian boudoir; it features powder pink shades of pearl, soft silky fabrics and a concealed trapdoor, perfect for storing a glamour gal's most intimate treasures. The Cocktail Coffret retails for $299 and consumers can visit www.facebook.com/cointreau to find a retailer nearest them. It will also be available online at www.Astorwines.com starting December 1st.
Price: $299.00 Visit the Website
The Wine Society
Description: Whether you like Chenin Blanc or favor Pinots and Chardonnays, the Wine Connextion, located minutes north of Boston, is offering the perfect gift for others or for you. A 12-month long wine membership, "The Wine Society" provides one exceptional bottle of wine per month as well as insider's access to tastings and invites to events all year long. For only $175 a year, members will also be the first to try pre-inventory wines, and give feedback that will determine which wines make it to the floor. Available now, the carefully selected wines will be available for pickup on the 15th of each month and will come with an informational card, providing background on the featured wine, giving you the ultimate assortment of wines without the hassle of selecting them yourself. WHERE: The Wine Connextion, 117 Main Street in North Andover, MA COST: A one-time fee of $175.00 includes a year-long membership consisting of 12 wines, one per month. JOIN: You can become a part of "The Wine Society" by visiting The Wine Connextion, calling 978-965-8000 or by checking their website: www.wineconnextion.com
Price: $175.00
Amplifier Pro Collection Red Wine Glasses
Description: The Amplifier Pro Collection is unmatched in their ability to magnify, focus and intensify the bouquet of any wine. Each glass is beautifully hand made and lead free. 4 glasses come per box and the make a great gift for any wine lover or holiday parties! US Markerboard is offering FREE SHIPPING on these glasses so makes sure you order now!
Price: $100.00 to $125.00 Visit the Website
Celebrate Mother's Day With MyMoet.com
Description: Moët & Chandon's online atelier helps users send a heartfelt message home with pink Swarovksi crystals on a bottle of Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial for Mom. This easy-to-use luxury gifting experience transforms a bottle of the world's most-loved champagne into something truly beautiful and unique, perfect for the most-loved woman in your life. Customers are able to choose a bottle size (750 ML or Magnum), and add a personal message (up to 6 characters on a 750 ML and 12 on a Magnum), that can ship directly to Mom. Pricing for a crystallized bottle begins at $99.95. If you're the type who saves things until the last minute, rest assured, any orders placed just five business days before the holiday will arrive home in time. And once you've finalized this great gift for Mom, no need to worry about what you'll have to do for Dad. MyMoet.com will also allow users to customize bottles of Moët & Chandon Impérial with clear Swarovski crystals for Father's Day (June 19th).
Price: $99.95 to $199.95 Visit the Website
NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto Piccolo
Description: Whether racing the kids to another birthday party, coordinating the latest PTA fundraiser, or celebrating a special family occasion, the life of a mom is constantly moving. With the NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto Piccolo, mom can finally pamper herself and brew all of her favorite fancy coffee drinks in mere seconds. The Piccolo's petite size and unique design not only adds a touch of style to countertops or home offices, but it also provides the perfect at-home coffee experience that caters to everyone. The Piccolo can whip up to 14 different hot and cold beverages, including Cappuccinos, Espressos, Lattes, and more. Whether she's snuggling up to a good book while drinking a decadent and tasty Mocha, or taking a break from gardening with a Peach Iced Tea, the Piccolo is the perfect way to give your mom a much-needed "coffee (or tea) break." Made by Nescafé, the world's largest coffee brand, the Piccolo is available in black, red and titanium for $99 at retailers nationwide and www.dolce-gusto.us/. The black Piccolo is also available for $89 exclusively at Walmart and www.walmart.com.
Price: $89.00 to $99.00 Visit the Website
First Mother's Day Pregnant Cookies
Description: One Tough Cookie creates custom-designed, hand-decorated cookies, cakes and cupcakes for every occasion. Using only the finest ingredients, One Tough Cookie dishes up confectionary artistry that will capture your style and your taste buds. Founded by Gail Dosik, THE Tough Cookie of One Tough Cookie is based out of New York City. Cookie orders start at $84 per dozen plus shipping – orders can be shipped all over the county. Visit www.onetoughcookienyc.com for more information.
Price: $84.00 to $120.00 Visit the Website
Wine Lover Or Not, HALL Wines Features A Variety Of Mother's Day Gift Options
Description: For the Mom who enjoys deep conversation: The 2007 HALL "Kathryn Hall" Cabernet Sauvignon features a bursting palate of dark plum, briar fruit, leather and smoke. The 2007 HALL "Kathryn Hall" Cabernet Sauvignon is undeniably complex and enticing, and is sure to catalyze a thoughtful conversation over dinner. For the Mom who has everything: The HALL Wine Club Membership provides valuable insight, unforgettable events, and the ultimate in exclusivity. The Gift of Membership is presented with a gift card accompanied by a HALL Wine Club Guide, the winery-exclusive 2005 HALL "Bergfeld" Cabernet Sauvignon and 2006 HALL "T Bar T" Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, HALL Wines Cellar Book, and a shipment calendar featuring the hand-crafted wines mom can look forward to. For the Mom who likes trying new things: The Introduction to HALL Wines six-bottle set offers the the 2006 HALL "T Bar T Ranch" Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006 HALL "Bergfeld" St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 HALL "Kathryn Hall" Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006 HALL "Darwin" Red Wine, 2006 HALL "Napa River Ranch" Merlot and the 2009 HALL Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. For the Mom who loves to entertain: The 2009 HALL Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect wine to serve to guests at a summer barbeque. The vintage balances expressively ripe fruit with bright, buoyant acidity possessing assured fruit forwardness, freshness, and focus and can be served in Riedel Vinum Extreme Sauvignon Blanc Glasses for a chic take on summer time entertaining.
Price: $80.00 to $399.00 Visit the Website
Parties That Cook's Complete Mother's Day Guide
Description: Parties That Cook offers a variety of unique hands-on cooking classes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and Chicago. Have fun while you experience new ingredients, learn to prepare delicious dishes and make new friends in the kitchen! From a Mother's Day Brunch Cooking Class in San Francisco and our Mouthwatering Mission Cooking Class & Tasting Tour, to our Date Night Couples Cooking Classes and Sizzle & Swirl Wine Tasting & Cooking Classes, Parties That Cook has something for everyone! Spend the day with mom sipping sparkling wine and learning new cooking techniques as you prepare a gourmet brunch together. Or go on an in-depth culinary adventure set in San Francisco's famous Mission District, where the traditional and often lusty Latino and South American flavors are a part of a changing community of various backgrounds and cultures. In any case, you'll enjoy a hands-on group cooking class! Hope to see you at an event soon, though gift certificates are available for picking a class at a later date!
Price: $75.00 to $95.00 Visit the Website
Violet Tea
Description: Whether it's cold outside or you just need to relax, this lovely spot of tea offers an escape to a simpler place. To soothe and refresh a luxurious palette, indulge in this pastel pot of delicious teas and chocolates that inspire quaint European charm. Included are aromatic arrays of exquisite black, white, flavored and loose leaf teas, Italian dark chocolate infused with violet, English rosehip and black currant Artisan biscuits baked by hand, and traditional violet candies imported from France. The loose tea infuser, plus Recipes & Rituals book, insures you'll be invited to the tea party. Behold the feast of crumpets!
Price: $70.00 to $220.00 Visit the Website
R&B Cellars 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Description: This 2005 R&B Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is an extraordinary wine with remarkable depth and complexity. It exhibits a huge core of dark black cherry fruit with elements of dark black currant, tea, blackberry and violets in the bouquet. The small addition of Cabernet Franc enhances the structure, the color and adds a touch of sweet cherries. The flavors of dark black berry, currants, chocolate, and cassis are evident, with a huge juicy blackberry finish. This wine is a classic Cabernet Sauvignon with all of the exotic spice and layers of fruit you would expect from a Reserve wine.
Price: $65.00 Visit the Website
Graeter's Ice Cream Gift Packs
Description: Go beyond the flowers and card this Mother's Day, and let Mom know how sweet she really is with a Graeter's Ice Cream gift pack. Straight out of Cincinnati, Graeter's super-premium ice cream is sure to feed Mom's sweet tooth. You know it has to be good when it is Oprah's favorite! (See her review here: http://graeters.com/pdf/O_article2.pdf) The fourth-generation family-owned company stands apart from the rest having pioneered the French Pot process of making only 2-gallons at a time with all-natural ingredients such as heavy cream and pure cane sugar. End result… a dense, creamy texture and massive chocolate chips. There are 24 pint flavors including signature chip flavors and five seasonal favorites, which rotate throughout the year. Graeter's is sold in 2500 grocery stores in 23 states or can be ordered online at Graeters.com. Choose one of our 6- or 12-pint variety packs, or build your own flavor pack! Graeter's Ice Cream can be shipped to the lower 48 states; prices vary depending on distance from Cincinnati: $60 – $80 for 6 pints, and $90 – $120 for 12 pints.
Price: $60.00 to $120.00 Visit the Website
Make Your Mama Proud This Mother's Day With Veuve Clicquot!
Description: With Mother's Day just around the corner, popping a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Rosé is the ideal way to celebrate the incredible women in your life. Sure to stay on your Mother's good side, the gift of Veuve Clicquot is both classic and thoughtful. Making this holiday even more special, Veuve Clicquot launches Le Fridge Rosé, a sweet and stylish design tribute to Veuve Clicquot Rosé, to chill your champagne in style for up to two hours. This chic and festive portable refrigerator (approximately $60) is the perfect companion for any mother this holiday, and just in time as it debuts in May 2011.
Price: $60.00 Visit the Website
Japanese Whisky
Description: HIBIKI 12 Year Old boasts unique characteristics that no other 12-year-old whisky in the world has to offer. A superior blend of over 30 handcrafted, specially aged whiskies, HIBIKI is Suntory's original blended whisky. To create HIBIKI, Suntory selects malt whiskies with extraordinary qualities that spring naturally from the crystal clear waters and warm climates surrounding the Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries. These carefully selected malts are then blended with a variety of Japanese grain whiskies that feature a touch of malt matured in Umeshu casks -- special casks that have been used in the long-term aging of Japanese plum liqueur. Recently Hibiki has won a Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and has won "Best In Class" at the World Whisky Awards.
Price: $55.00 to $60.00
Acai Roots ACAI SORBET
Description: Delicious for breakfast, dessert – or anytime! Our Brazilian Style Sorbet is a 100% natural, made with our fresh organic acai berries, a healthy temptation! Ready to eat or great to make acai smoothies and acai bowls, our premium sorbet is a perfect gift for a loved one. Try this authentic acai sorbet today and experience Brazilian acai without the 10 hour flight.
Price: $49.99 to $59.99 Visit the Website
Appleton Estate 12-Year-Old
Description: This luxurious rum is an exceptional blend of aged rums each of which has been aged for a minimum of 12 years. Created for savoring and sipping, the Extra 12-Year-Old offering is an unsurpassed masterpiece of complex oak aging that is comparable in every way to a fine Single Malt Scotch or Small Batch Bourbon. The Appleton Estate 12-Year-Old Rum is perfect for sipping on the rocks, adding to a base of water or to a splash of club soda; a fantastic and delicious gift for any Father who happens to be a rum lover.
Price: $49.99 Visit the Website
Weaver's Coffee - The Green 4
Description: The Green 4 Gift Set is made up of our best-selling, 100% Certified Organic, Fair Trade Certified™ coffees - each supporting the battle against social and environmental challenges. NBC Today Show voted The Organic Blend "Best Organic Coffee" in a blind tasting of 100 coffees. The Organic Blend has been thrilling coffee lovers for years. French Roast Organic, smooth and fine, Peru Organic & Decaf Organic Blend. This is the perfect gift for the coffee lover on your list.
Price: $49.95 Visit the Website
Gray Line New York's Culinary Tours Of Manhattan
Description: Gray Line New York, New York City's leading sightseeing and transportation company, recently launch its innovative Culinary Tours of Manhattan. These extensive, food-based walking tours will give customers a taste of New York's favorite cultural communities including Chinatown, the East Village and the West Village. The diverse cuisine experienced on this tour was selected to accurately reflect some of the areas best cuisine while remaining true to the neighborhood's culinary history. The three individual tours provided by Gray Line New York include "Tastes of Chinatown," "Original East Village Food, Drinks, and Cultural Tour," and "The Ultimate New York Food and Culture Tour in the Village." Each tour lasts approximately three hours allowing customers to discover the secret eateries, restaurants, and diversity of the different neighborhoods. Tours will be offered year round and ticket prices range from $49-$75. Reservations are not required.
Price: $49.00 to $75.00 Visit the Website
Laphroaig Quarter Cask Single Malt Whisky
Description: If those on your gift list appreciate savoring their favorite single malt after dinner or enjoy experiencing spirit selections with good friends, you can't go wrong choosing Laphroaig Quarter Cask. Inspired by the small casks used to make Scotch in the 19th century, Laphroaig Quarter Cask is a double-cask matured single malt whisky starting its life in standard American Oak barrels and ending in newly created quarter casks. Each quarter cask is approximately 17 gallons smaller than the American Oak barrels, allowing up to 30 percent more of the spirit to come in contact with the wood. It is this contact whereby the malt takes much of its individual character and style.
Price: $45.99 Visit the Website
Combier Liqueur D'Orange
Description: With the rise of the cocktail, U.S. consumers have developed a strong taste for original ingredients and the demand for orange liqueurs is at an all-time high. Combier Liqueur d'Orange will target the same niche they have in Europe for nearly 175 years by delivering an all-natural liqueur that offers a better tasting, more stable, and versatile product that is truer to the orange's unique flavor profile than the sugar and water-based cordials currently in use.
Price: $39.99 Visit the Website
Karlsson's GOLD Vodka
Description: Master Blender (and considered founding father of Absolut for creating the iconic spirit) Börje Karlsson uses seven varieties of virgin new potatoes grown in Sweden's Cape Bjäre to create Karlsson's Gold. Collectively known as the Golden Potato, the multiple varieties each bear their own characteristic taste and consistency. Karlsson ensured that this particular vodka would be 100 percent made from the finest raw materials and thereby needed to be distilled only once – a veritable revolution in today's vodka market.
Price: $39.99 Visit the Website
Bake Me A Wish Cake
Description: Bake Me a Wish! is the premium nationwide service for delivery of gourmet birthday cakes. Our cakes are made with only the finest, freshest ingredients by an award-winning family run New York bakery that also supplies pastries to some of Manhattan's most elite restaurants. Through careful cost control and air-tight delivery systems, we are also happy to be able to bring you our fine cakes at an extremely affordable price. Now, whether it's your son in college, your trusted associate, your old friend, or your granddaughter across the country, you will always have a simple and wonderful way to remember them on that important day of the year.
Price: $39.99 to $49.99 Visit the Website
Tequila Herradura
Description: • If you are looking for a unique gift option, consider a bottle of all-natural, hand-crafted Tequila Herradura. Each expression – Blanco (SRP: $39.99), Reposado (SRP: $49.99) and Añejo (SRP: $59.99) – provides a unique flavor and aroma profile that can be enjoyed neat or in an elegant cocktail. For the dad who appreciates all things ultra-premium, we suggest Herradura's Selección Suprema (SRP: $350), which is aged for almost four years to create a unique, complex spirit. Herradura's portfolio is available nationwide wherever fine spirits are sold.
Price: $39.99 to $350.00 Visit the Website
Melitta Porcelain Coffeemaker
Description: The history of coffee would not be complete – or equipped with coffee as good – without the contributions of Melitta Bentz. She's the innovative mom who invented the first-ever two-part filter system for coffee. More than a century later, it's still the hottest trend in coffee. The perfect gift for mom this year? The gift of time! Melitta's elegant Porcelain Coffeemaker prepares six cups of coffee - perfect for the mom who loves to host book clubs, dinner parties, etc. - and is great for quick, fresh tasting coffee any time of day. Just three easy steps: put filter and coffee over travel mug, pour hot water over the grounds and let great tasting coffee drip into the mug. Easy set-up means easy clean-up, great for ALWAYS busy moms!
Price: $39.99 Visit the Website
Cheryl's Buttercream Frosted Spring Cookie Flowers
Description: Treat Mom to Cheryl's famous buttercream frosting with Cheryl's Buttercream Frosted Spring Cookie Flowers. Gift includes Cheryl's signature long stemmed cookie flowers with 12 of Cheryl's famous buttercream frosted flower shaped cut-out cookies. This bouquet is a deliciously unique way to show your appreciation to mom, carefully packaged in a gift box complete with tissue paper and a satin ribbon. All Cheryl's cookies are baked fresh; with impeccable quality, freshness, and presentation guaranteed. Explore the Cheryl's website and find the world's best frosted cookies at www.cheryls.com.
Price: $39.99 Visit the Website
Cheryl's Famous Buttercream Frosted Cookie Flowers
Description: Treat that special someone to Cheryl's famous buttercream frosting with Cheryl's Buttercream Frosted Spring Cookie Flowers. Gift includes Cheryl's signature long stemmed cookie flowers with 12 of Cheryl's famous buttercream frosted flower shaped cut-out cookies. This bouquet is a deliciously unique way to show your appreciation to mom, carefully packaged in a gift box complete with tissue paper and a satin ribbon. All Cheryl's cookies are baked fresh; with impeccable quality, freshness, and presentation guaranteed. Explore the Cheryl's website and find the world's best frosted cookies at www.cheryls.com.
Price: $39.99 Visit the Website
Weaver's Coffee - The Signature 3
Description: The Signature 3 Gift Set is made up of our best-selling, signature coffees; each hand roasted and shipped fresh - all distinctly Weaver's. The ORGANIC BLEND was voted "Best Organic Coffee" on NBC's TODAY Show in a blind tasting of 100 coffees. This robust blend boasts bright flavor notes and a natural, sweet chocolate and caramel finish. THE BLEND - This rich blend is composed of our Master Roaster's favorite equatorial coffees. The result is a magnificent, full-bodied coffee that is rich and complex. No fancy name - The Blend™ is simply artisan coffee at its finest. FRENCH ROAST is our deepest and darkest roasted coffee. Our French Roast offering has a hint of speckle from artistically blending the dark roast with a moderate percentage of different roasts, producing a complex taste profile that no other French-style coffee has in existence.
Price: $39.95 Visit the Website
Eco Gift Set B
Description: NBC Today Show voted "Best Organic Coffee" in a blind tasting of 100 coffees. The Organic Blend has been thrilling coffee lovers for years. Weaver's Coffee & Tea packs our Eco Tote (25% recycled polypropylene fabric, which is insulated with silver foil and reusable) with two delicious Fair trade Certified and Certified Organic Coffees: Organic Blend and Holiday Blend. Drink the coffee, use the bag, re-use the ribbon. Everyone loves this gift!
Price: $39.95 Visit the Website
Description: DINASTIA CARDONA (DON CARDONA) TEQUILA Don Cardona is a tequila that was introduced to the US in 2007. It's created from the blue agave plant and involves a dedicated process of grinding, distillation and fermentation, creating a high end, sophisticated tequila. Don Cardona is focused primarily in marketing towards the general consumer and has built a strong following in that market. Don Cardona will be hosting an array of promotional events this year, including tastings, entertainment, music and fashion events, and specialty nights at popular Southern California venues. Don Cardona Tequila Blanco and Reposado Blanco $38 | Reposado $42
Price: $38.00 to $42.00 Visit the Website
R&B Cellars 2007 Minuet In Merlot
Description: This is the quintessential Merlot for me. The bouquet is so intense and aromatic; you almost do not want to drink it. Just revel in the exotic spice and stunningly rich perfume of the wine. The marriage of the fruit and the five very special French oak barrels, resulted in the perfect balance of voluptuous fruit and bold structure. Rich and intense, this wine has wonderful balance. Blackberries, dark black cherries and currants are the predominant fruits in this rich, extracted wine. The French oak is the perfect compliment to the fruit, adding hints of chocolate and toasty vanilla tones in the finish. The wine starts with an initial explosion of black fruit, and then opens layer upon layer of rich fruit and spice, to a long and mouth filling finish.
Price: $35.00
Weaver's Coffee - The Prime 3
Description: The Prime 3 Gift Set is a selection of our fine teas brought together at an incredible price. This is perfect choice to introduce friends and family to Weaver's selection of hand-selected teas. CHINESE BLACK is an orange-hued, full leaf FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe) with subtle floral notes. This unique blend contains four of the most extraordinary black teas - Ceylon, Assam, Keemun, and Darjeeling and is well balanced, bold and smooth, with an unforgettable aroma. DRAGONWELL GREEN is the most renowned of all Chinese green teas. A story passed down from one generation to the next tells how this tea was grown near a legendary well inhabited by dragons. The jade colored green leaves are flattened by hand in a heated wok to create their characteristic shape. When the leaves open, they release a mellow chestnut flavor and a slightly sweet finish. CHAMOMILE LEMON BLOSSOM HERBAL is known throughout the world for its relaxing properties. We bring our Chamomile Lemon Blossom Herbal to you by infusing the sweetness of the chamomile flower with the warm sunshine of the lemon myrtle. This is an amazing set of teas. The perfect gift for the tea lover on your list.
Price: $34.95 Visit the Website
Godiva Chocolate Vodka
Description: The new Godiva Chocolate Infused Vodka is a five-times distilled, ultra-premium spirit crafted with luxurious chocolate essence that is delectable on its own or mixed in an inventive cocktail. Godiva Chocolate Vodka is perfect for home entertaining or gifting to family and friends. This is the gift for the gal always looking for the next great thing. By giving this delicious new spirit, you will be hailed for being ahead-of-the-curve!
Price: $30.00
Maryhill Winery Three-Bottle Gift Packs
Description: Award-winning Maryhill Winery – located in Washington state – produces 24 varietals and a total of 30 award-winning wines, offering something for every palate at great price points. Maryhill features three convenient and affordable three-bottle gift packs, showcasing some of their exceptional quality wines at 30% off. The Passion gift pack includes three varietals, the 2007 Proprietor's Reserve Merlot, 2008 Proprietor's Reserve Zinfandel and the 2006 Proprietor's Reserve Barbera. Enjoy the Patience gift pack which includes the 2009 Rose of Sangiovese, 2009 Pinot Gris and the 2009 Viognier. Enjoy the selection of Maryhill's Tasting Room favorites in the Balance gift pack, including the 2008 Classic Zinfandel, 2008 Proprietors's Reserve Chardonnay and the Double Platinum award winning 2007 Classic Sangiovese. Gift pack prices range from $30 to $60. www.maryhillwinery.com
Price: $30.00 to $60.00 Visit the Website
WineTime Chocolate Bar
Description: The Resveratrol WineTime Bar is a gift that's good for the heart. A gift that's a real "healthy indulgence." A gift that will definitely appeal to wine-loving chocoholics. It's a gourmet chocolate bar that contains resveratrol, the ingredient in red wine acclaimed for its heart-healthy and life-extending prowess, which has been featured on Oprah, 60 Minutes, and a Barbara Walters special. The patent-pending, award-winning bar contains as much resveratrol as 50 glasses of red wine. Without the alcohol. Without the hangover. And, as there are only 190 calories per bar, you can 'imbibe' as many as you want without expanding your waistline. And it is "sinfully delicious." The first nutrition bar to contain resveratrol is available from www.winetimebar.com for as little as $29.90 per box of ten.
Price: $29.99 Visit the Website
EFFEN Cucumber Vodka
Description: This year, celebrate with the perfect spring cocktail. In March, EFFEN® Vodka launched their newest and most innovative flavor to date, EFFEN® Cucumber Vodka. Add a modern twist to any classic cocktail with EFFEN® Cucumber Vodka's essence of freshly harvested vine-ripe cucumbers. EFFEN® Vodka is a Super Premium vodka whose name means smooth, even and balanced in Dutch. It is made from 100% premium wheat, which results in a silky, smooth liquid and the best vodka you can buy. In addition to EFFEN® Cucumber Vodka , the brand line also features EFFEN® Vodka, EFFEN® Black Cherry Vodka and EFFEN® Dutch Raspberry Vodka.
Price: $29.99 Visit the Website
Bootlegger 21 New York Vodka
Description: Bootlegger 21 New York Vodka is distilled six times from american grains and finished by hand in the New York's Hudson valley region. Bootlegger 21 has recently been named New York International Spirits Awards only Gold Medal winner in the Vodka category out of field of 60 international brands. Only 5 medals were awarded in Total and judged by NYC's top mixologists and spirits buyers. Bootlegger 21 has also received an "Excpetional" rating from Beverage Testing Institutes 2010 blind tasting of spirits. We hope you enjoy!
Price: $27.99 Visit the Website
World Class Dessert Wine
Description: Mother's day brings out the sweetest things in life. A box of chocolates, a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, a delectable brunch and first and foremost, Mom herself. Kracher's Cuvée Beerenauslese dessert wine is elegant, graceful and sweet just like Mom and makes a perfect gift on her special holiday. Crafted from chardonnay and welschriesling grapes grown in Austria's Burgenland region, this golden hued indulgence is $27 SRP for a 375ml bottle, it's the perfect little jewel for Mom.
Price: $27.00 to $28.00 Visit the Website
RND Vodka, Brilliant American Vodka
Description: RND Vodka is an artisan spirit created by three enterprising Santa Barbarians. As seen in Sunset Magazine: RND Vodka [is] one of the purest vodkas we've tasted (it's made in Colorado from Rocky Mountain water). Instead of being produced with a traditional pot still, which can leave unwanted flavors, it's made with a continuous glass column still, resulting in a spirit that is simply ethereal in flavor.
Price: $25.99 to $39.99 Visit the Website
Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cakes
Description: Made from a generations old island family recipe, Tortuga Caribbean rum cakes are baked in the Cayman Islands, Barbados, Jamaica and the Bahamas. Each cake is hand glazed with five-year-old oak barrel aged Tortuga gold rum, then vacuum sealed to lock in the delicious freshness. The cakes are available in 8 tropical flavors -- original golden with walnuts, chocolate, coconut, banana, pineapple, key lime, Blue Mountain coffee and cinnamon rum raisin. Other products include Scovie Award winning hot and savory Caribbean sauces, rum flavored coffees, rum fudge, turffles, conch chowder and more.
Price: $25.00 to $32.95 Visit the Website
"Come Cook With Me" By Dorothy Zehnder
Description: Hot out of the oven and into the kitchens of foodies everywhere comes Dorothy Zehnder's much anticipated cookbook -- an 80-year collection of recipes, wisdom and stories from her life as Bavarian Inn's much beloved matriarch. "Come Cook With Me" is a delicious love story for the millions of adoring guests who've gathered under Frankenmuth, Michigan's iconic glockenspiel to feast on buttered spaetzle, schnitzel and apple kuchen. Brimming with some 290 recipes, "Come Cook with Me" also features rich stories of Dorothy's 60 years at the Bavarian Inn. Dorothy, 89, was at first reluctant to write the book. "At first I was a bit protective of the recipes and the story of my family," she said. "But now I see it as a natural way to share my family's legacy with all of the people who've enjoyed a meal with us." Every mother who dines on Mother's Day (May 8, 2011) receives a gift from the Bavarian Inn Family. Special gift packages for mothers, including the cookbook, will also be available to purchase. "Come Cook With Me" can also be purchased for $24.99 at the Bavarian Inn's Bakery and online through the Bavarian Inn website (www.bavarianinn.com).
Price: $25.00 Visit the Website
Dream Dinners E-Gift Card
Description: Dad, kids, do you still need to score a memorable Mother's Day gift? Dream Dinners has the solution and anyone can purchase it up until the very last minute. With a Dream Dinners e-gift card, mom can use the meal assembly service to make a month worth of wholesome fix-and-freeze meals in about an hour, saving countless time cooking, cleaning and planning meals, while still getting the family around the dinner table and leaving time for herself.Gift certificates are available starting at $25 on www.dreamdinners.com.
Price: $25.00 to $75.00 Visit the Website
Prairie Organic Vodka
Description: As Father's Day nears the corner, mix Dear 'Ole Dad a signature cocktail with Prairie Organic Vodka. Not only does this smooth vodka taste great but it is eco-friendly all the way from the stills to the shelf. Prairie Organic Vodka is one of a handful of spirits certified kosher by The Orthodox Union and organic by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), Prairie requires that the entire process, be completely free of synthetic chemicals, pesticides and genetically modified seeds and enzymes. Crafted in Benson, Minnesota by a fifth-generation family of spirit makers and a co-op of over 900 farmers, Prairie Organic is made with incredible craftsmanship. Micro-distilled exclusively from organic, #2 yellow corn grown nearby the distillery on three family farms, the leftover corn cobs are gasified to provide energy for the stills. In creating this product, Phillips Distilling Company's mission is to craft organic, world class vodka using the fewest natural resources possible and sharing success with the people and communities that make it possible. Reminisce, relax, and celebrate all that is "dad" on June 20th with Prairie Organic Vodka!
Price: $24.99 Visit the Website
ZANDA PANDA's Kaleidoscope Butterfly Mold For Baking & Crafts: Cake Topper/Cookie/Chocolate/Crafts Mold
Description: Kaleidoscope Butterfly Topper/Cookie/Chocolate/Crafts Mold http://www.zandapanda.com/ZP-KB-LFinfoP.asp ZANDA PANDA Specialty Bakeware's Kaleidoscope Butterfly Topper/Cookie/Chocolate/Crafts Mold is as versatile as it is fun to use. Divided into eight slices, the design as a whole looks much like the view from a child's kaleidoscope. With eight butterflies nestled among flowers and scrollwork, the design ensures that everyone gets a butterfly. Elegant enough for a garden party, yet cute enough for kids, it can be used as a 'topper' for a 9" cake, cheesecake or pie, as a cookie or chocolate mold, or for arts & crafts projects for kids or adults like clay jewelry, fragrant guest soaps or cast paper notecards. The perfect design for Mother's Day, or any spring or summer celebration, whether an afternoon tea party in the garden, a child's crafts party, or to make handmade, heartfelt gifts and treats for your loved ones. The Kaleidoscope Butterfly Topper is made of FDA approved, 100% food-grade, platinum cured silicone, with a temperature range of -40 to 446 °F (-40 to 230°C) and is oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe. Available at gourmet kitchenware shops and directly from zandapanda.com
Price: $22.95 to $24.95 Visit the Website
Cake Pops
Description: Cake Pops are decadent little cakes on a stick that are as yummy as they are cute. Each Cake Pop is made to order so you can expect a fresh delightful treat.We offer the following cake flavors: Chocolate, Red Velvet, White, Carrot, Butter Pecan and Strawberry. We offer Gluten, Nut, Egg & Dairy Free Cake Pops for those with allergies.
Price: $21.00 to $30.00 Visit the Website
Cake Pops
Description: Cake Pops are moist, delicious pieces of cake on a stick, coated in a confectioner's candy coating. They have been known to be addicting and are oh so delicious! All of our Cake Pops are formed and dipped by hand. Our products are never frozen, so you can expect a fresh product when they arrive at your door. We ship nation wide and offer a quick turn around on orders. We offer special pricing for Weddings and Special Events.
Price: $21.00 to $30.00 Visit the Website
Bite Size Gourmet English Toffee
Description: Our exquisite crunchy English Toffee was voted one of "The Best" in South Florida by Channel 7's "Style File." It is made by hand and shaped into individual rounds for your enjoyment. Each delectable piece of toffee is hand-dipped in Valrhona milk chocolate and rolled in a mixture of walnuts, almonds, and pecans. This artisan toffee is the perfect choice for discerning chocolate lovers Chocolate4Charity is a non-profit company that donates all of our proceeds to the Pediatric Oncology Department at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. By purchasing our chocolates you are donating to a worthy cause. We are helping children one chocolate at a time. Feel free to visit our website for more information.
Price: $20.00 Visit the Website
Hero Nutritionals® Slice Of Life Vitamins
Description: Slice of Life® Gummy Vitamins are perfect for adults who want to get their daily vitamins in a delicious, easily chewable gummy vitamin. Slice of Life® vitamins are made with only the finest of ingredients and are allergen, gluten and casein free and have all natural flavors and colors. Slice of Life® are perfect for those who have difficulty swallowing or digesting vitamin pills or simply dislike the taste of taking vitamins in pill form. Now you can transform the experience of taking your daily vitamins into a treat you will look forward to savoring every day. Slice of Life® provides you with a full spectrum of nutritional supplements for your optimum health. Try all six varieties: Omega 3-6-9 Fish Free, Vitamin D3, Energy + B12, Multi-Vitamin + Antioxidants, CoQ10 and Vitamin C + Pomegranate.
Price: $19.99 Visit the Website
ONEHOPE Wine
Description: ONEHOPE Wine is the perfect gift for any occasion. These hand-crafted wines are co-created with esteemed winemaker, Robert Mondavi, Jr. in Napa, California. ONEHOPE Wine donates half of all profits from the sale of each varietal to a partner charity. Fifty percent of the profits from ONEHOPE Sauvignon Blanc support saving the planet. Fifty percent of the profits from ONEHOPE Cabernet support the fight against autism. Fifty percent of the profits from ONEHOPE Chardonnay support the fight against breast cancer. Fifty percent of the profits from ONEHOPE Merlot support the fight against AIDS. Fifty percent of the profits from ONEHOPE Zinfandel support the families of fallen troops. Fifty percent of profits from Pinot Noir is donated to the Children's Hospitals.
Price: $18.99 to $99.00 Visit the Website
The Heart-Smart Diabets Kitchen: Fresh Fast And Flavorful Recipes Made With Canola Oil
Description: Give a gift both from the heart and for the heart with "The Heart-Smart Diabetes Kitchen: Fresh, Fast, and Flavorful Recipes Made with Canola Oil" cookbook developed by CanolaInfo and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) . The cookbook includes 151 nutritious, delicious and easy recipes, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and desserts that are perfect for anyone who wants to eat more healthfully. All of the recipes meet the ADA's nutritional guidelines for calories, fat, sodium and other criteria. The dishes get their flavor from natural and wholesome ingredients, herbs and spices and offer tastes from around the world – from classic American to Mexican to Italian and Caribbean cuisines. In addition, the ingredients and cooking methods are common, so any home chef can make the recipes. This glossy, 222-page color cookbook can be purchased via http://store.diabetes.org or 1-800-232-6733. In addition, it is sold on Amazon.com and in Border's, Barnes & Noble and other bookstores nationwide. All profits go to the ADA to benefit people with diabetes.
Price: $18.95 Visit the Website
R&B Cellars 2005 Metronome Merlot
Description: This is the type of Merlot I like. Rich and intense, this wine is the perfect balance of fruit and structure. Blackberries and dark black cherries are the predominant fruits in this rich, extracted wine. The French oak is the perfect compliment to the fruit, adding hints of chocolate and toasty vanilla tones in the finish. The wine starts with an initial explosion of black fruit, and then opens layer upon layer of rich fruit and spice, to a long and mouth filling finish.
Price: $18.00 Visit the Website
Create Your Own Personalized MY M&M'S
Description: MY M&M'S Chocolate Candies is helping you find some truly personal gifts – personalized MY M&M'S with faces and special messages. Available in 20 custom colors, consumers can use an uploaded picture or themed clip art – along with personalized messages – to create unique gifts or party favors. In addition to using your own photos and messages, MY M&M'S offers popular blends for graduations, birthdays, Valentine's Day, weddings, new babies and more.
Price: $17.99 Visit the Website
The Happy Baker: A Girl's Guide To Emotional Baking
Description: Erin Bolger is the bake-it-yourself Carrie Bradshaw. She's discovered the secret to keeping a smile on your face while braving the minefield of modern dating: yummy, homemade baked goods. Mixing hilarious personal dating vignettes with easy-to-follow recipes, THE HAPPY BAKER: A Girl's Guide to Emotional Baking (Harlequin Nonfiction · October 2010 · Trade Paperback Original · $17.95 U.S.) by Erin Bolger offers creative and delicious means to bounce back from anything the dating world throws your way. Introducing her delicious, down-home desserts with highly relatable personal stories, Bolger is like your long-lost BFF, complete with cookie tin. Thankfully, she's not afraid to tell all, from her soggy first kiss, memorialized with "There's a First Time for Every Cornflake Crunchie," to her first "sleepover date," celebrated with "Jumbo Banana Pancakes for Two." And Erin knows how to turn heartbreak into kitchen inspiration, as you'll see when you try her Netflix-perfect "Newly Single, Toffee Chocolate Popcorn" or her irresistible "Me and My Cookies Are So Over You," which require some very therapeutic chocolate-chip smashing.
Price: $17.95 Visit the Website
Celebrate Mom Or Special Birthday With Fun & Delicious Book Kits From Thunder Bay Press!
Description: Thunder Bay Press, publishers of quality adult reference books on a variety of subject matter, announces the spring 2011 release of Cookies (March, $17.95, 36 pages) and Cupcakes (March, $17.95, 36 pages). COOKIES Tempting treats you can't resist! Bake the best cookies you've ever had with more than 40 fun, easy-to-follow recipes in Cookies, featuring crispy, crunchy, chewy, and downright delicious snacks that will have everyone begging for more. With recipes for simple, "plain jane" cookies as well as dipped and drizzled delights, this cute kit offers options for every schedule and skill level. This complete set comes with four brightly colored cookie cutters in a variety of shapes, and a collection of 40 amazing recipes with full-color photos showing enticing ways to serve your cookies. CUPCAKES Cupcakes have become an art form—a delightfully delicious, edible art form! And now, for all the home cooks who've wanted to bake cupcakes as beautiful as those in the fanciest patisseries, there's Cupcakes. With 39 fun and easy-to-follow recipes, bakers of any skill level can create truly tantalizing desserts. Tired of the typical flavors? Try the mandarin and chamomile cupcakes for a fresh fix. Want a cupcake that almost looks too good to eat? Go with the beautiful beehive. There's also the milk chocolate buttons if you're craving a classic, and the baklava cupcakes for an unexpected twist.
Price: $17.95 Visit the Website
MyJones Cusomizable Soda Bottle
Description: Jones Soda enables anyone to create personalized soda labels for special occasions and gift giving. A special treat for moms and dads or just a fun addition to any celebration! Simply choose one of their fun and colorful flavors, then upload an image and text. Jones will then print and affix the labels to their bottles, and deliver in 6-pack ($16.99) or 12-pack ($29.99) versions. Visit www.myjones.com to purchase.
Price: $16.99 to $29.99 Visit the Website
A Bazillion Calories Of Goodness
Description: Cake Os are made from cake that's been baked, broken down, mixed with our homemade frosting, molded into little towers and covered in Chocolate. The result is a petite, round cakelet, dense, doughy and supremely moist. Cakes Suzette makes these treats in nine or so flavors. Choose your flavor or order the assortment pack to share with others. A personalized card can be included for any occasion
Price: $16.50 to $77.00 Visit the Website
Bite Size Gourmet Dark Chocolate Brownies
Description: Satisfy your sweet tooth with some of our exquisite gourmet bite size Dark Chocolate Brownies. They are made with only the freshest ingredients and contain no preservatives. This unique Brownie has a hint of espresso and is topped with a sprinkle of homemade English Toffee. The final product is unbelievably moist, chewy, richly flavored, and most decadent! Chocolate4Charity is a non-profit business and we donate all of our proceeds to the Pediatric Oncolgy Department at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. By ordering our chocolates you are donating to a worthy cause. We are helping children one chocolate at a time. Please feel free to visit our website for more information.
Price: $16.00 Visit the Website
Sta Rita Hills Wines
Description: We're a small, family run vineyard and winery located in the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. We employ biodynamic farming practices, with rich cover crops, our own compost, elimination of herbicides and in general good, environmentally conscientious farming. As well as we are one of the first vineyards to be certified "sustainable in practice". We focus on meticulous vine management along with harvesting at very low yields to obtain the highest quality of grapes. The varietals planted are Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache and Viognier with extensive clone diversity to provide us our "spice cabinet". We are hands on in our winemaking practices producing limited quantities of Pinot Noir, Syrah and Syrah/Grenache.
Price: $16.00 to $45.00 Visit the Website
Description: Kahlúa's robust flavors of Arabica coffee, vanilla and spice are the perfect companion for a spring or Mother's Day brunch. Kahlúa Iced Coffee 2 parts Kahlúa 2 parks chilled coffee 1 park milk or cream How to mix it: Serve over ice in a tall glass Kahlúa Espresso Martini Ingredients: 1.5 parts Kahlúa 1 part ABSOLUT VODKA 1 fresh brewed espresso How to mix it: Fill a shaker with ice, add Kahlúa, ABSOLUT VODKA and a fresh brewed espresso. Shake vigorously, and strain into a chilled martini glass.
Price: $16.00 Visit the Website
Cookies By Design Cookie Bouquet
Description: Cookies by Design cookie bouquets feature completely customizable, fresh-baked cookies that are made to order and create a one-of-a-kind gift. Our customers are the creative designers for our cookie gifts. We take inspiration from their ideas to create a beautiful edible message. From shape to trim color, wording to personal photos, we customize each cookie by hand and at no additional cost.
Price: $16.00 to $100.00 Visit the Website
VOGA Italia Wine
Description: Coming straight from Italy, the epicenter of style, VOGA Italia has created a revolution in wine with its breathtaking redesign of the traditional bottle. VOGA Italia's still wines stand out in a sleek and sexy glass cylinder - a modern vision of sophisticated cool. The radically chic bottle is corked, then topped with an elegant black resealable cap creating a refined fusion of form and function. VOGA Sparkling stands out in a stunning clear glass bottle with captivating curves, sealed with a cork and topped with a transparent cap. VOGA Italia - Drink In Style.
Price: $15.00
Celebrate Mother's Day With Clos Du Bois
Description: The ideal wine to enjoy on a Mother's Day brunch, Clos du Bois is an affordable and refined wine from Sonoma County. For a lighter meal, serve the most popular Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc. For a heavier brunch, try the Cabernet Sauvignon or the Merlot. Clos du Bois has a range of offerings all made from grapes in the beautiful Clos du Bois winery in Sonoma County. For under $15 a bottle, Clos du Bois will make mom happy and won't hurt your budget. Clos du Bois is available at liquor stores and can be purchased online at www.closduboiswinestore.com.
Price: $15.00 Visit the Website
Gourmet Gifts: Chocolates, Cookies, Brownies, Cakes, Tea, Coffee...
Description: Savorique.com is a place for discriminating shoppers looking for quality gourmet gifts from the best artisans. Savorique is in touch with the best providers of gourmet chocolates, cakes, cookies, brownies, teas and cookies, olive oils and rare vinegars, as well as wines and flowers. It's a great place to find gifts for yourself and others. Check out the beautiful www.Savorique.com!
Price: $15.00 to $99.00 Visit the Website


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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'sweet rain' tag.
A few weeks ago, when I was up in Monteverde, cold, wet and miserable with fever, I felt the strong urge to write and complain about the rain. Prior to that, I enjoyed three sunny September weeks here in Cahuita of perfect hot, dry weather, but as soon as I ventured out on a trip to San José and up the green mountain, my spirit was soddened as quickly as my clothes. I was caught almost daily in pouring rain, keeping me constantly damp, if not soaked, until I was able to escape inside and change into dry clothes. Eventually I succumbed to "la gripe", Costa Rican for all that ails you. Last April, after experiencing the desert conditions of Los Angeles in California, I swore I would never speak harshly again about water replenishing our thirsty earth, but it doesn't take many days of walking about dripping wet and cold to forget one's best intentions.
At our bush home in Cahuita, we are constantly stoking the cooking fire, and its smoke swirls through the rancho and steeps our hanging clothes like curing sausages. A comfortable odor here, it becomes a foreign acrid smell when you hit the urban life of San José with its fresh scents of soaps and colognes, or the clean but humid mountain air where that smoked chorizo musk follows you like an poor immigrant from the old country. Note to self: freshly wash all clothes and dry far from the fire before visiting civilization.
In Monteverde, I stayed with the lovely ladies Deb and Barbara, who took great care of me as I sunk deeper in my sickness, and in the end, in a very ungracious-guest-like-manner, I left them both under the same nasty weather. The worst of the whole thing was that I had gone to Monteverde with the intention of spending a few hours each day with the ever-recuperating Wolf, but I only managed to visit him one morning and then didn't dare return with my germs. I missed a bunch of other events as well, but it was the anticipated Wolf time that I really regretted.
To update Wolf's continuing medical adventures, he continues on a roller coaster, slowing going up the track of wellness, only to crest and slip down another precarious slope. However, I believe that as of this writing (as per a phone call with his son Benito last night) Wolf is doing okay. He had the first of his cataract operations a couple of days ago. I hope that this will mean that while he is laid up with his other conditions, he will at least be able to read again. Often he has been feeling punk enough not to want to do anything, and he is not a television watcher – indeed, the Guindons don't even own one. However, once he is feeling better yet is still not very mobile, he can at least amuse himself by reading, something that the cataracts have been making almost impossible. He delayed the operation once while he was recuperating from the pacemaker episode, but now he has at least one eye open and I trust he has a date for the second eye.
His heart and pacemaker seem to be working well together according to his check-ups. A change in insulin as well as a more rigid regimen of testing his sugar levels will hopefully mean that he will get better control of his diabetes. He has been told, once again, to drink more water to keep flushing his liver and kidneys of all the medication he takes (Wolf is still trying to come to terms with the fact that coffee is not water). A few days before I visited him, Wolf had a bad urinary tract infection. Combined with his chronic prostate issues, it resulted in the placement of a catheter. Although he wasn't happy about it at the time, he seems to have made some adjustments and now is finally able to eliminate his liquid wastes with less pain and problem than he has had for a couple of years now.
Carambola! As he told me, a few weeks ago he hit a low point that he thought he wouldn't return from, but he's once again feeling like there is a light at the end of the tunnel (not THAT LIGHT), and fortunately his strong spirit is still soaring. Unfortunately, his ever-suffering wife, Lucky, who has become a nurse despite a lifelong desire to never be one, recently took a fall and broke (I believe) a rib, something that is known to be very painful yet seldom fatal. So she has taken at least a couple of bumpy trips down the mountain with Wolf and their son Berto in his car to various medical appointments, no doubt grimacing from the pain but stoically carrying on. Ai yi yi, don't you think enough is enough for these good folks?
I did manage to get over my sickness in time to participate in workshops for the nature guides at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Mercedes Diaz, head of Environmental Education at the Reserve, asked me to repeat the presentation I had given last year on the history of Bosqueterno S.A., the original watershed reserve that the Quaker community had set aside. So I went up to the Reserve and despite technical problems, a lingering fever and rain pounding on the roof, I told the guides this important story of the beginnings of conservation in Monteverde. I finished that last mountain day wrapped in the warmth of my friendship with Patricia Jiménez, aided by dry blankets, hot conversation and healing wine.
All said and done, I was happy to leave the cold mountain and continue my wandering, challenged by the treachery of the Costa Rican highways during this very wet rainy season. A new highway was opened less than a year ago connecting San José with Caldera on the Pacific coast but due to very poor construction and very adequate corruption, such a terrible job was done that this new and important highway out of the heart of the country has been sporadically closed like a blocked artery constantly requiring surgery. The old highway that passes San Ramon was also closed when a bridge was washed out meaning that both of the main routes west of the central valley were cut off or clogged up. You take your chances moving about a mountainous, overly-underdeveloped country like Costa Rica, especially in the rainy season.
Despite bus delays, I eventually got to visit with people I consider family – the Montero/Martinez gang – one branch having moved from San Carlos to Palmares recently. I also had a chance to visit a different branch of the same family in Sarchi on my way to Monteverde. A year had passed since I saw some of these folks so it was a wonderful time of catching up and seeing their new or improved homes.
In Sarchi, I was thrilled to see Claudio's organic lettuce operation and made notes as I think that Roberto and I can use some of his ideas to grow some vegetables here on the Caribbean, something that we struggle with constantly (too much sun, too much rain, too hot, not enough soil fertility, voracious ants, every other bug, etc.).
I spent several days near la Fortuna with Zulay Martinez, and wrote about this in the last post as we spent a day at the CRiterio Film Festival…if you haven't read it, take a look and try to see some of those documentaries. I love being in that region of Costa Rica and Zulay has been one of my closest Tica friends for 20 years. The sun was shining, it was warm and mostly dry, so the time was completely enjoyable and I was only sorry that it was so short.
Before returning to the east coast, I went to San José for an important meeting with the Editoriales de la Universidad de Costa Rica and the Tropical Science Center. Thanks to the enthusiasm of a few men – first, Carlos Hernandez, the director of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve; secondly Javier Espeleta, the new director of the TSC, and now Julian Monge, the editor at EUCR – the translation of Walking with Wolf should see the light in the first half of 2011. Wolf's son, Carlos, completed the translation a year ago, but editing etc. is still to be done. However, with the energy and commitment of these men behind us, I believe that Wolf and I will be celebrating Caminando con Wolf in the foreseeable future. His health concerns have helped to push these very busy men into action, a positive side benefit to all of Wolf's trouble.
While in the city, I stayed with my good friend Myrna Castro and her new husband Ron, and her talented daughter Veronica. We were all busy, but they provided me with a 6-star hotel, a mother's care and always interesting chatter while I was there. Vero took me to a bar I'd never been to, Anocheser, in San Pedro, where musicians gather after their gigs and the music carries on through the night. A small intimate place, the night featured a series of singers, strumming guitars to songs that everyone in the place knew and sang along with (except me, of course, who only knew a few of the Spanish lyrics). Note to self: learn more Spanish lyrics.
I went to visit Lorena Rodriguez, a good friend and very talented designer. Although I went to see her just to visit and catch up on life, the day turned into a design-fest. When I told her that I was getting ready to build a little casita on the land I have just purchased here on the Caribbean, she sat me down at her computer and we started turning my ideas into reality. Hours later, the house details that had been brewing in my mind, aided by her extensive experience and creative juices, along with a fantastic computer design program, could be seen in full color, in scale, and we were even able to take a cyber- walk through the casita to make sure it all felt good. Incredible! Once again, I am so appreciative to Lore for dropping what she was doing and helping me (as she did last year when she fussed over my preparations for my visit to the Canadian Ambassador's house to meet the Governor General).
Now I have a very workable plan for a humble 5 meter by 7 meter casita that I plan on building on my little piece of land just across the stream from Roberto. I've had a couple of frustrations with the buying of the land but in the end, all seems to be in order. I know why I've waited twenty years to buy land here. However, this is a property with title and no legal problems, and I've had a surveyor come and we are now just waiting for the land survey to be completed, and I think all will be fine although I'm expecting each step to involve frustration. The most difficult thing could be that our relatively isolated but very peaceful life here in the jungle could be changing as our road gets busier, land is bought up, buildings are constructed and electricity is soon to come. You can't stop progress but you can certainly disagree with its definition.
We had a disagreement over the actual property line with the woman who is buying the land immediately next door but hopefully that has been settled. Roberto and I went out the other day and placed a makeshift fencerow along the boundary line as dictated by the woman who sold me the land, and now we wait and hope that we will all be in agreement. Roberto thinks I should erect a proper fence of barbed wire but I can't stand the idea. Instead I plan on planting a variety of hibiscus, crotons and other colorful fast growing plants to mark the edge of the property. I told him that I would erect a real fence if I felt it was necessary one day – he shakes his masculine head of dreads. As we discuss issues around land ownership, security and building houses, I'm not sure if it is gender issues, personal experiences or cultural issues that cause our differing opinions, but in the end, it's my property, my money and my problem. And Roberto's prerogative to say, "I told you so".
As I wrote at the beginning, I was feeling like complaining about rain, but once I returned to hot and sunny Cahuita, to the trials of land purchasing and house design, to Roberto's delicious coconut-cooking and Miel's amusing antics, and to the very low water level of our little stream, well, I decided I didn't have to whine about wetness anymore. I brought a new simple battery-operated radio (see former post about radio problems) and it has brought music back into our daily lives – as well as a connection to the news of the world, including the amazing rescue of the 33 miners in Chile. They say that a billion people were watching or listening to the rescue operation – what a nice thought, that so many people across the globe would be focused on something that is positive, not warlike, and has nothing to do with sports.
And as I write this from the shelter of the rancho, our first day of east coast rain has come – beginning with a thunderous pouring in the night and lingering as a mellow shower all day long. Our gasping little stream has swelled again, its renewed current rushing along its banks, washing nature's refuse back out to the sea, the moisture triggering a brighter twinkle in the green eye of the forest, and cleansing our sun-baked souls. Ah, what a sweet rain it is.

subset: commoncrawl


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- Detached.
- 3
- 1
- 2
- Garage
- Area 82.9sq.m (893 sq.ft)
The Longford has been designed to maximise space for modern living.
The contemporary open-plan kitchen/dining room benefits from skylight windows and French doors leading to the garden, creating a light and airy feel throughout. The separate living room offers extra space for relaxation. Upstairs you will find three good-sized bedrooms and a family bathroom with separate shower cubicle and Porcelanosa tiles.
Ground Floor
Kitchen/Dining Room
4.07m x 5.34m (13'4" x 17'6")
Living Room
4.49m x 3.08m (14'9" x 10'1")
First Floor
Master Bedroom
3.40m x 2.73m (11'2" x 9')
Bedroom 2
3.06m x 2.73m (10'1" x 9')
Bedroom 3
2.54m x 1.94m (8'4" x 6'4")
Some plots may be subject to additional gable and bay windows. Garage position may vary. All gable and bay windows are plot specific and subject to change. The external elevations, architectural detailing and floor plans of individual housetypes may vary from those illustrated. All room sizes are approximate with maximum dimensions. Please ask our Sales Consultant for detailed information. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained on this page is correct, it is designed specifically as a guide and Countryside Properties Northern Ltd. reserve the right to amend the specifications as necessary and without notice. This does not constitute or form any part of contract or sale. Images are indicative only. Countryside Properties 2019.


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Determine the value of a tree
"Money doesn't grow on trees."
When you hear that old expression, an image may flash in your head of a magical tree where currency actually blooms from its branches. But the fleeting image fades and you accept the reality that money does not grow on trees.
Wrong. Trees do have value, though perhaps not as in your daydream. The tricky part is figuring how to express that value in dollars and cents.
More than just a pretty plant Appraisals can measure a tree's worth other than its aesthetic value. Trees provide timber and food, and habitat for wildlife. They also replenish the environment with oxygen and filter pollution. All of these are values to which it is possible to attach a monetary figure. For landscape trees, however, value largely results from the aesthetic improvements they bring to property. The need to define this value relates to insurance claims, tax deductions, legal claims and real-estate assessment, among other things.
The appraisal process begins by determining the four variables that make up the formulas for each method of assessment. The next step is to determine the appropriate method of assessment. The following discussion describes the basic steps of appraisal. However, the process actually is much more detailed. Whenever a tree's value is material to legal or financial claims, you should rely on an expert.
Factors in assessment The four major factors involved in properly assessing the value of a plant are size, species, condition and location. A thorough understanding of each is imperative.
1. Size. The first step in an appraisal is to measure the tree, usually its height or its trunk diameter. You should measure the trunk diameter at between 1 foot and 4.5 feet from ground level, depending on the overall height of the tree. You might also need to measure branch spread and bark thickness.
Leaning or sloped trees, low branching, excessive trunk flare, trees cut or broken below 4.5 feet and multi-stem specimens may complicate your measuring. Plant-appraisal guides provide more detailed discussions of how to treat such measurements.
2. Species. The species of tree alters appraisals in a variety of ways. Simply put, some species are more desirable than others, and, therefore, more valuable. Some take a long time to reach the desired form or size, so an old specimen may be particularly valuable.
Conversely, some species are known to be prone to certain pests or diseases. These are less likely to achieve their desired mature form or age. For example, a Bradford pear tree might be considered less valuable than other species in storm-prone regions because of its propensity to split.
3. Condition. Evaluate the tree's structural integrity and overall health. Examine all aspects of the tree, including the roots, trunk, scaffold branches, twigs and foliage, and check for general health and vigor as well as specific problems. In estimating damage, it may be necessary to consider the tree's condition prior to a particular injury. Damage from diseases, phytotoxicity and environmental causes are all considered components of the tree's condition.
4. Location. Assess the tree's site, placement and functional and aesthetic contributions to a property. Consider the overall quality of the general area-the buildings, hardscape and plantings. Note how the tree contributes to the site's function and aesthetics. Determine how effectively the placement of the plant provides those benefits.
Methods of assessment After completing these four steps, you can begin the actual assessment. There are various methods to do this. Real-estate and insurance appraisers, accountants and landscapers might use different calculation methods; one is not inherently better. Appraisers sometimes (use) more than one method to ensure accuracy. If you have any uncertainty about which method to use or how to use it, contact a qualified professional.
* The replacement-cost method estimates the cost of replacing a tree at the same location with one of the same species, condition and, if possible, size. Many times, a specimen is too large to be replaced by a single tree and still be of equal value. In this instance, appraisers may allocate several smaller trees deemed collectively to be equivalent to the larger original. This is simply a matter of calculating the cost of the replacement trees and their installation. (You'll notice that this method seems similar to cost of cure and cost of repair; however, the essential difference is that the replacement-cost method is used in situations when the only viable option is to replace the tree.)
* The trunk formula is used to estimate the value of a tree that is too large to replace with nursery or field stock, or when the trunk is the only remaining part of the tree. You determine the appraised value by calculating the tree's basic value and adjusting it for the variables of condition and location.
The basic value of a tree is the sum of two factors: the cost of transplanting the largest normally available tree of the same or comparable species; and the increase in value due to the larger size of the tree being appraised compared to the size of the replacement tree.
* Somewhat similar to the replacement-cost method, the cost of repair and cost of cure methods are used to appraise monetary loss when trees are damaged or destroyed. Cost of repair does just what it indicates: assesses the cost of repairing a damaged tree. Treatments might include wound treatment, cabling, bracing, pruning, or insect and disease management. Cost of cure is used to determine the treatment that will return the property to the closest approximation of its original condition. Both of these method account for the following steps: - Remove debris and clear the site - Replace, repair or restore tree to its pre-casualty condition - Post-restoration maintenance.
For certain types of trees, other methods exist. For instance, evaluating palms differs because of specific characteristics inherent to a palm.
Using the appraisal The method you use will affect the final value you attribute to a tree. The appraised value of a tree should be reasonable in relation to the value of the property on which it sits. Identical trees in different neighborhoods could have vastly different dollar values. Studies have estimated that trees may account for up to 15 percent of the value of a residential property. (For example, a $200,000 house on a lot with three mature trees might owe as much as $30,000 of its value to the trees. Assuming that all three trees are of equal value, each tree would be valued at $10,000.)
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) allows deductions for losses of property sustained during the taxable year that are not compensated for by insurance or other means. Refer to the IRS Code of 1986, section 165 (a) for further information. Otherwise, tree appraisals are used for determining the value of trees in settlement for damage or death of trees through litigation, insurance claims or direct payment.
Additional uses of tree appraisals include real-estate assessments, agency budget justification, condemnation proceedings, sale of nursery property and establishing the value of trees damaged during construction operations.
This article outlines just the basic steps of appraisal. Many variables affect how a tree is initially inspected and measured and how its characteristics translate into value. Detailed discussions of tree valuation can be found in appraisal guides (see "Contacts," at left). When an expert opinion is necessary, such as in an insurance or legal claim, you should employ a professional tree appraiser. Experience is critical to properly valuing a tree in a manner that will stand up legally.
Eric Emad works with the International Society of Arborculture as a consulting communications exective.
Contacts The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), in collaboration with the Council of Tree & Landscape Appraisers, has published the Guide for Plant Appraisal detailing the steps involved in appraising the value of trees and shrubs.
For a copy of the Guide for Plant Appraisal, contact the International Society of Arboriculture at (217) 355-9411, or visit their website at www.ag.uiuc.edu/~isa/welcome.html. ISA is a non-profit organization supporting tree-care research around the world and dedicated to the care and preservation of shade and ornamental trees. For more information on the society itself, contact: ISA, P.O. Box 3129, Champaign, IL 61826-3129.
The Council of Tree & Landscape Appraisers (CTLA) is composed of the Association of Consulting Foresters ((703) 548-0990), the Associated Landscape Contractors of America ((703) 736-9666), the American Nursery and Landscape Association ((202) 789-2900), the American Society of Consulting Arborists ((301) 947-0483), the National Arborist Association ((603) 673-3311) and the International Society of Arboriculture ((217) 355-9411).
To locate a tree appraiser in your area write the American Society of Consulting Arborists at 15245 Shady Grove Road, Suite 130; Rockville, MD 20850; or call at (301) 947-0483.
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August 15, 2013
LAWT News Service
Mothers In Action will be hosting the largest Back to School Festival in California on Saturday, August 24 from 10am to 3pm at the Los Angeles Coliseum 3911 S. Figueroa. The annual event will provide free health screenings, immunizations, back to school supplies, free haircuts, uniforms and valuable community resource information for children ages 5 to 15 years old as they prepare to begin the annual pilgrimage back to school for the upcoming school year, while supplies last.
"Mothers In Action helps young kids excel academically, by giving them the school supplies they need to reach their full potential both in the classroom and in life," said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chairman Mark Ridley-Thomas. "I am proud to partner with this extraordinary organization."
Brenda Marsh-Mitchell, president of Mothers in Action said, "this is our flagship event. Kids fail because they cannot see, they fail because they cannot hear or they fail because they do not have the tools they need to succeed. There is no service we provide to our community more important than making sure our young people have all the necessary tools and equipment they will need to secure a quality education.
This year's event is being sponsored by The Bakewell Family Foundation, The Brotherhood Crusade, SEIU ULTCW, the Cochran Law Firm, One United Bank, The Weingart Foundation, CW Driver Construction, The Los Angeles Sentinel, LA Watts Times, Southern California Gas Company, KJLH Radio, The County of Los Angeles, The City of Los Angeles, State Farm Insurance, Los Angeles Professional Managers Association (LAPMA), City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation and Bank of America.
Co-chairs for this year include LA County Supervisor and Board Chairman Mark Ridley-Thomas, LA Council President Herb Wesson, LA City Council Members Bernard Parks and Curren Price, former City Councilmember Jan Perry, LA Coliseum Commissioner Fabian Wesson, California assembly members Reggie Jones- Sawyer and Isadore Hall and State Senator Roderick Wright.
"This year's Back to School celebration will include America's next generation of leaders in science, technology, engineering or possibly the next president of the United States. As we start another school year, I encourage all students to dream big, work hard and strive to make your families and communities proud of your future success," said Assembly member Isadore Hall, lll -64th Assembly District
Once again, Mothers In Action will be distributing uniforms at their Back to School Festival for students who's school require them as a part of their dress code. These uniforms are being provided by One Christ Church, Interior Music and SEIU United Home Care Workers Union, Laphonza Butler- President.
Over the past 15 years Mothers in Action has provided millions of dollars in school supplies and services to needy children in Los Angeles' poorest communities. Students have been able to not only receive back packs note books and other vital materials, but Mothers in Action has also provided health care screenings and optical exams and other needed medical services to insure that every child is well prepared for the upcoming school year.
"It is one of my most rewarding experiences in public service to help students go back to school prepared each year, from backpacks and school supplies to tools like health screenings that allow them to succeed in the classroom. I am excited to team up with an organization like Mothers in Action to give children in the community that opportunity," said State Senator Roderick Wright.
Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson was one of the founding members of the Mothers in Action Back to School Festival and believes that supporting this event is one of the cornerstones of providing the needed services to the young people of our city and the constituents he serves. "Whenever there are families in need, Mothers in Action are always ready to step forward," he said.
"For the past 15 years, they have stepped forward to help families get their kids ready for school, and ready to learn. And it's easier for children to learn when they know someone cares. Mothers in Action always cares!"
Cedar Sinai Coach for Kids Mobile Unit will also be on hand to provide health screenings, immunization shots and whooping cough vaccinations now mandatory in LAUSD (students must have their immunization records on hand), The Children's Dental Clinic will be providing dental screenings, Dr. Ernie Smith from Charles Drew University will be providing hearing exams, Hubert Humphrey Mobile unit will be providing blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol screenings.
Along with school supplies and immunizations, children will be able to get free haircuts provided by Urban Barber and Beauty Shop as well as free food and entertainment for all in attendance. For more information contact The Los Angeles Sentinel at (323)299-3800.
Other vendors include: Cedars Sinai Teen Suicide Hotline, Lead Poisoning and Prevention, Mothers Nutritional, WIC, Rolling Hills/Palos Verdes Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and Pacific Asian Volunteer Association (P.A.V.A), D.P. S.S. Toy Loan, Independent Capital Management, D.P.S.S. Cal Fresh
The Safety Village will be sponsored by State Farm Insurance which will include: California Highway Patrol to provide car seat safety checks, LA Fire Department, which will have earthquake simulator, Kids are 1st will be providing free identification and fingerprint badges for children, Safe Kids LA, SCEC/LA providing earthquake safety information, TSA, Metro and Red Cross.
Those who plan to attend should consider taking Metro. The closest Expo Line stop to the festival is Vermont Station.


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Winner, Winner, Winner!!
Gram, you are the lucky winner of the Ciara Gold's autographed book. Pop on to my website, www.christie-craig.com and send me your snail mail address so Ciara can get your prize in the mail ASAP.
Thanks for posting on Killer Fiction.
Crime Scene Christie
I'd like to introduce you guys to one of my writing buddies. Ciara Gold's not only a talented lady, she's just downright nice, and taller than I am, and thinner. (I try not to hold that against her!) Because it's still our anniversary week, I've twisted her arm into giving away a signed copy of her book. So guys, make sure you post. You won't be disappointed.
Crime Scene Christie
First I want to thank Christie Craig for inviting me to guest blog. What fun. For those of you that don't know me or my work, I write historical western romance and sci-fi futuristic romance (I won an Eppie last year for A Noble Sacrifice)
Okay, now that my shameless promoting is out of the way, I'd like to tell you a story. Ever get so overwhelmed you start forgetting really important things? I'm not talking appointments or bills, I'm talking really, really important things like your whole life.
So – here's a little more about me. I'm an A-type personality who's a workaholic. I'm a wife and mother, a full time job and then some. I teach full time so school is about to start, and I'm in the midst of lesson plans and other preparations. I'm the editor for a local magazine called Flirt, an artist, a webmistress for three websites, and a published author. Perhaps I have a good excuse for being preoccupied????
I hate shopping and I'm not a typically negative person, but this is my least favorite thing to do. It rates right up there with the mammogram. But – we're out of food and one must shop if one plans to cook and feed the family. I head off to my local Krogers and experience a rather typical shopping moment. No lines, no fuss, pretty laid back because the college students have yet to return to town. No worries – or so I think. I pay and then push my cart leisurely out into the parking lot. Still no worries. The sun's even shining.
By now, I'm in my other world. You know, that dream world where you start concentrating about this and that, new plots, lesson plans, the articles I need to interview for, what I'm going to wear my first day back, dinner, did I feed the dog already ….. And while I'm in my other world, I unload all my groceries, return the cart, and drive home.
I pull up in front of my house, turn off the car, go to grab my purse …. Go to grab my purse…. OMG, where's my purse? And then it dawns on me.
Yep, I'd left my purse sitting in the front basket of my shopping cart, in the parking lot of my friendly neighborhood Krogers for all the world to see and steal.
Panic time. I revved the engine, peeled out into the street, tried real hard not to speed too badly and rushed back to Krogers. My heart sank when I saw no purse in that cart. Now, you have to realize that during this panic time, my overactive imagination has gone into dreamland hell. I'm running through all sorts of scenarios and none pleasant. Who do I call first? The police? The banks? The credit cards? My husband? Hmmm, maybe not my husband. This is not something I'm looking forward to explaining.
I park the car, run into the store, confront the bagger with a "Please tell me someone turned it in." He, of course, gives me a blank stare. I turn to the costumer service counter and felt my heart drop. There it was. My purse sat on the counter with not one, but three service employees looking through it and one already on the phone. Yeah, looks like I don't have to call my husband after all. Krogers already did. The most embarrassing end to the story is that five of the employees, four at the checkouts and one at the service booth were all my students from last year. Big sigh. I wish I could have thanked the gentleman/hero who turned it in.
Of course, being the writer I am, I get into my car, very relieved to have my whole life back and begin to plot. Just imagine a character so spaced out, she forgets her purse and someone does pick it up. What does she do next? What would you do?
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Ciara Gold on the Antics of the Absent Minded
Posted by Christie Craig at 7:00 AM
33 comments:
- Christie Craig said...
First, thanks for guest blogging on Killer Fiction and second, thanks for admitting to your absent mindedness. Boy howdie, can I relate.
I once left my purse well-hidden in a hotel room and didn't remember it until I was in another state.
Believe it or not, I actually got my purse and everything in it back. I think there are some purse angels out there taking care of us absent-minded creative people.
Yup, I blame all my absent mindedness on my creativity.
Thanks againg Ciara!
Christie Craig
- August 16, 2008 at 8:01 AM
What a great blog! And how lucky it was that some good samaritan turned in your purse!
I haven't left my purse in a shopping cart but I have "lost" a pair of computer glasses while driving from work to home. Oh, I know what you're thinking - how can I lose a pair of glasses in the car? Don't know, but it happened. (Which explains why I'm squinting at the computer screen now. LOL.)
Great blog, and congrats on your book's release!
- August 16, 2008 at 9:17 AM
What a great blog topic! I am SO glad you got your purse back easily.
I once forgot something VERY important on the kitchen table. Made it all the way down out very long driveway and down the street. Turned the corner thinking about the ridiculous list of errands I needed to run before the kids got out of elementary school.
Suddenly I realized--OMIGOD!!! I left the baby in the carseat on the kitchen table!!!!! I have recently just admitted this crime to my family--and the baby, who is now fourteen years old and much taller than me.
I don't think I've done anything that awful again--but, possibly, I've forgotten that too!!!
- August 16, 2008 at 10:10 AM
- Toystory said...
Glad you had a successful conclusion to your "incident" - not all of them turn out that way!
- August 16, 2008 at 10:44 AM
- Meljprincess said...
Hi Ciara,
Oh, I can't stand to lose anything. It makes me seriously crazy. Years ago my purse was stolen out of my friend's car while we were in a bar. I had my uncle's ring from Vietnam in it and I was heartbroken. For days I drove around that bar listening to Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield" over and over looking for my purse hoping it was in a dumpster or that maybe the contents were thrown in a yard. A few weeks later I got a call from the post office. Some kind soul found my license and put it in the mailbox. That's the only thing I got back.
I'm very absent minded now because of health issues so I'm extra careful when I do stuff. Nice to meet you. Would love to read your book.
Mel K.
- August 16, 2008 at 11:08 AM
- Ciara Gold said...
Thanks so much for having me here today. I'm glad to see I'm not alone in my absentmindedness. Faye, I've lost my glasses too. Got frantic and then realized they were sitting on top of my nose. That's probably the goofiest thing I've done.
But Nancy, the baby! I can so picture myself doing this. I was running late one day and my inlaws were staying with us. They were leaving that day, but I asked if they could drop the baby off at daycare on their way out. Great idea, but I'd dropped my car keys in the diaper bag. Grrrr. So - yeah, I was very late to work that day.
And Yes, Toystory, there are some great people out there. As Christie says, some purse angels among us.
- August 16, 2008 at 11:11 AM
- Ciara Gold said...
Hi Mel, nice to meet you too. I had my purse stolen when I was in high school during a pep rally. Luckily, I found it in a trash can in the bathroom and retreived the momentos but not the money. I hate that you lost something priceless that day. It makes us realize our vulnerability, I think. With identity theft we have to be soooo careful now adays.
- August 16, 2008 at 11:14 AM
- Terry S said...
From the other side - I've found a purse. It was underneath mailboxes and, obviously, the person set it down to open their box, got side-tracked by their mail and went home without it. It was night so it would have been easy to overlook it. I saw it as I was driving by, stopped, looked inside to get an address and tromped up to the door to return it. Do you know what I remember most about the whole incident? The person looked at me like I'd stolen the purse, grabbed it and shut the door in my face with nary a thank you. I'm relatively sure I would have been incoherent with thanks if it had been my purse being returned totally intact.
I'm so glad all the horrible "what ifs?" I'm sure were running through your mind were averted by another purse finder.
- August 16, 2008 at 11:19 AM
- kmt1976 said...
Purses rank right up there with "Where is my cell phone". However, my story is about a birthday cake. My friend baked a chocolate cake with chocolate icing for me (If God wanted any otner flavor he/she wouldn't have invented chocolate). Anyway, she put the cake on the roof of the car so that she could get the keys out of her purse and... the rest is history - so was the cake!
- August 16, 2008 at 11:34 AM
- Kimber Chin said...
I'm so forgetful,
I've forgotten my birthday before.
I checked the answering machine
and had to do a double look.
WHY were all these people calling?
Now, a best bud reminds me.
And THAT is why she's my best bud.
A Noble Sacrifice was a well deserved win.
It ROCKS!
- August 16, 2008 at 11:50 AM
- Gemma Halliday said...
Thanks so much for coming to visit and help us celebrate our big anniversary, Ciara!
And I am so glad I'm not the only one who has those blonde moments. I think my worst one was when I locked my keys in the car... with a toddler who was strapped to his car seat. I was just thankful a) it wasn't a hot day and b) the tow truck came quickly to get him out. Hard to keep a cranky confined toddler happy with peek-a-boo when you're totally freaking out.
- August 16, 2008 at 11:52 AM
- Unknown said...
Hi Ciara, I am glad everything worked out with your purse. A lot of people would not have turned it in. You were lucky! That is why I never set my purse in the cart because I would forget it too.
- August 16, 2008 at 12:06 PM
- Unknown said...
It's nice to know there are honest people out there. I lost my credit card once - didn't know until the next day. It took me awhile to backtrack, that I'd used it the previous morning at the gas station. I called, and someone had found it on the ground, and turned it in.
- August 16, 2008 at 12:15 PM
Ever forget a child? How about losing one? We lost our youngest at Cedar Point in Ohio when he was only six.
I've never experienced panic like I did that day.
Oh! We found him on one of the ride and were informed, he knew where he was all the time.
Allison Knight
- August 16, 2008 at 12:21 PM
Thanks for blogging on Killer Fiction. I once put my coffee mug on top of the car to have my hands free and left it there while I drove down the Interstate. I found it when I got out and looked up! We all get that forgetful sometimes.
I'll be looking for that book.
- August 16, 2008 at 12:58 PM
- Sandy said...
After reading your "call" I've decided to add your name to the list of "must reads".
Thank you for perservering.
have fun
- August 16, 2008 at 1:34 PM
- jean said...
You have no idea how nervous your post made me! I read, heart pounding all the way to the end, because I know I would completely freak if I ever lost or forgot my purse somewhere. I've been a compulsive purse person all my life, apparently. Even in old family pictures where I'm, like, five years old, I've got this red plastic purse slung over my shoulder. So glad it all worked out.
- August 16, 2008 at 1:54 PM
- Ciara Gold said...
Wow, I'm so relieved to know I'm not the only one with these moments though I hate that all of you had to experience that kind of panic. Teri, I can't believe someone would act that way. I'd have been a "thank you" geek if someone had done that for me. Actually, I think I was a "thank you" geek when I went to retrieve my purse. Too funny.
I'm happy to report, I went shopping today at that same store. I've been dreading it because I could still feel the panic, but I made it home with my purse this time so no worries!
Karin and Gram, I've pulled that stunt before. My full coke didn't fair so well either. And my husband lost a cresent wrench that way.
As for losing a child even temporarily or locking them in the car, I think that kind of panic would even be worse. We took our son, then two, to the Houston Livestock show and Rodeo once and there were so many folks there, I made my husband carry him the entire time. Then one time, we were going boating and before we could get a life vest on the boy, he stepped off the dock and into 20-ft water. Luckily, my husband was right there and was able to jump in and grab him before any harm came to him. Dang, kids are quick. Of course, he's my accident prone child anyway.
Hey Kimber! Thanks for stopping by.
Virginia, thanks for the kind words and you're right. I was very lucky. As Christie say, I think the purse fairy was looking out for me.
- August 16, 2008 at 2:15 PM
- Estella said...
Glad you got your purse back.
It is nice to know some people are honest.
- August 16, 2008 at 2:26 PM
- T. M. Hunter said...
Plot bunny: Woman leaves her purse at the store, where it's picked up and taken. It's recovered at a murder scene, and the woman is now prime suspect #1.
You're welcome. :-)
- August 16, 2008 at 2:56 PM
- Karen H said...
Great blog and so glad there are still good people in this world to turn the purse into the store without taking anything.
I am sometimes absent-minded but I can claim 'Senior Moment' for those times when I forget something. My biggest worry is when I'm driving and I let my mind wander (easy to do) and when I am about 1/2 block past a traffic light, I wonder if I stopped for it.
- August 16, 2008 at 3:08 PM
- catslady said...
We've had a slew of lost things lately. My daughter lost her coach pursette with her credit cards in another city. No one had it and she called for new cards. 2 weeks later it was found which was great but of course she had made all the phone calls. Then my husband was outside and heard a thump and a cell phone and wallet were on the street. Some young kid had left it on the top of his car lol. Then the worst was the night of their rehearsal the groom couldn't find his passport (needed for their honeymoon). He had bought a new wallet and though he had thrown it away. It was a long night but he was able to find someone to check his apartment (in another city), they found it and they were able to find someone from out of state that was coming to the wedding who made a detour to pick it up. This was just in the last few weeks!
- August 16, 2008 at 3:10 PM
- Suzan Harden said...
Hey, Ciara! (Cyber Wave)
I've been on both the losing and the finding end for stuff. Though I haven't lost the kid yet.
P.S. Faye, have you checked the top of your head?
- August 16, 2008 at 3:24 PM
- Ciara Gold said...
Oh gosh, Aston - too funny. Yep that would make a great plot. The writing wheels are turning.
And Sandy, I don't think I replied to your kind words. Thanks so much! Estella, yes, there are kind folks still around. Makes you have faith in mankind when things like this happen.
Karen, I am always doing stuff like this. I blew through a 4 way stop the other day. Luckily, it wasn't busy and no one was around to witness my bad driving moment. I've sense tried to be more careful and concentrate on only driving and not - the next plot. I'm also bad about going past the right destination because I was deep in conversation a not paying attention. Senior moments are rough.
Kat, I haven't lost a credit card yet, but I figure it's only a matter of time. I did lose my driver's lisence in France. I forgot about that until I read your post. Luckily someone in our tour group realized it was mine and got it back to me. Scary to be in a foreign country without your DL though they never asked for it at the airports. Only the passport. And Catslady, that's a story for there grandkids. They need to write that one down. LOL. Too fun but I'm glad it worked out.
Hey Suzan! So good to see you here.
- August 16, 2008 at 3:59 PM
- Unknown said...
My neighbor did that also at Kroger's. We called as soon as she realized her purse wasn't in the car. They had it at the main desk.
- August 16, 2008 at 5:53 PM
- Ray said...
Great blog. If I didn't leave my phone on all the time I would have lost it long ago. Calling from my house phone is the only way to find it.
I was so noted for absentmindedness that once when I left a notebook and all the requisitions I had intended to turn into the Naval Supply Center I had to return to work without them. My boss decided that I needed an MRI and an electroencephalogram. Everything was normal, but I at least learned something about the tests.
There might have been a little retaliation motivation because previously I had testified against him in a sexual harassment case and also in a sexual discrimination case for EEO.
I think the fictitious character in your scenario should have her purse found by the hero of the story.
- August 16, 2008 at 5:54 PM
- Ciara Gold said...
Must be a Kroger's thing, eh Amy? Glad to see her purse was recovered also.
Hey Ray, one of these days I'm going to tap you for all kinds of plot ideas. You've had so many great experiences. As for absentmindedness, I think that comes from being so busy and active. My daughter lost her phone the other day. Two days later, I found it - in the washing machine. At least the SIM card was still good.
- August 16, 2008 at 6:30 PM
- Sue A. said...
LOL It's good to know that authors are just as human as their readers. Great post!
On a road trip south on I-5 we stopped of at a mall for food. After spending some time in the mall shopping I somehow lost the keys to the rental car and only discovered it when we were ready to go. Major moment of panic. I had no idea of where to start looking, as we'd been everywhere. Boy was I red in the face. Lucky for me some time later someone in the group figured out I'd dumped the contents of my food tray in the trash along with the keys.
- August 16, 2008 at 8:24 PM
- Ciara Gold said...
Oh my goodness, Sue. Gives new meaning to dumpster diving. I'm glad you found the keys though. Yeah. I've got a ton of missing key stories. My husband watches me now to see where I lay them down cuz I'm always frantically searching the morning.
- August 16, 2008 at 9:12 PM
- Ciara Gold said...
Christie, thanks so much for letting me blog today. What fun! Of course, I don't think the thinner part applies anymore. Sitting and writing has a way of making things blossom that shouldn't. LOL.
- August 17, 2008 at 12:14 AM
- LadyVampire2u said...
Great post. And I'm happy that all turned out well and that your purse was found without problem. Now if that happened to me, I wouldn't have been so lucky. In fact it has happened to me and now I keep my purse on me at all times. Mine is a very small one so it really is not much weight or trouble though.
- August 17, 2008 at 5:24 AM
- Ray said...
I had forgotten one incident that happened to me, actually two after it worked out. I lost my wallet with all my ID and Visa cards and $150 in cash. I went back to the gas station, reported it missing and never found it. I had to get everything replaced before flying out to a ship. I was overseas for six or eight months, return and the wallet was behind a door at home that no one ever closes.
Second incident: While overseas the next time I was on my way to a beach in Ibiza. I had been taking the old ID's ashore with me so nothing could happen to the good ones. While waiting for the bus to the beach I had purchased an ice cream and put my wallet in my backpack. A man came up and asked me which bus went to his destination. I turned around to show him and the pack that was lying on the ground was taken by a second man. I didn't realize they were working in pairs so I followed the wrong man. He was part of an itinerant band of thieves who prayed on travelers. Big surprise for the thieves when they opened the bag. All that was in it was a sheet and a wallet with only a few Euros and invalid ID cards. I never took my Visa card ashore unless I was going to the ATM machine. Never if I was going to the beach.
- August 17, 2008 at 9:39 AM
- Linda LaRoque said...
Great post, Ciara. I think we can all relate as most folks have done something similar. I left mine at a McDonalds while traveling and had to pick it up a few days later on our way back home. Fortunately, I was able to call and let them know I'd be back.
- August 21, 2008 at 7:59 PM