San Diego Gift Basket Creations

Executive Dog Gives Pup-Pie Two Paws Up!

Linda Gorin — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 09:13:33 +0000

Pup-Pie is a Sofi Silver Finalist

We have been taking products that are Silver Finalists for the Sofi Awards to some of San Diego’s top executives to taste and comment on. The Sofi Awards are like the Academy Awards for the Specialty Food Industry.

Pup-Pie Is A Tantalizing Treat For Dogs!

Then we came across a finalist product for dogs called Pup-Pie from The Lazy Dog Cookie Company! It looks like a pizza pie and is made out of healthy, all natural, low allergen ingredients for dogs. It is wheat and corn free (they use organic oat flour) and topped with naturally colored sesame seeds. Each pie contains ten bite sized slices and a “Happy Birthday” sign. They are soft baked and great for dogs of all sizes.

Cole’s Dog Ben Kept Insisting On Another Taste…And Another

Coles' Dog Waits for Tasty Treat

We arrived at Coles’ Carpet just as President, George Coles, wrapped up the filming of a commercial. Ben, his striking and stylish black lab, made his appearance fresh from the groomer and looked stunning in his shiny coat and colorful scarf. We did have to do a few takes with the tasting and the photos, until George Coles had a talk with Ben, who really just wanted to devour the entire Pup-Pie. After that the well behaved lab waited patiently for George to release the next tasty treat. The anticipation was quite visible until George gave him another taste.. and another! It was clearly a tail wagging, two paws up vote for the finalist product.

George Coles is President of Coles Fine Flooring, and as Executive Dog, Ben comes to the office at least three times per week! Coles is a winner of the prestigious Torch Awards, presented by the Better Business Bureau for market place ethics. The company has been an industry leader since 1947. The store is elegant and impressive with a large inventory of gorgeous carpet and flooring choices. Visit the Coles Fine Flooring website for more information and locations.

Cole’s Dog Ben Kept Insisting On Another Taste…And Another

Darin Andersen Joins The Best To You Tasting Board

Linda Gorin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:08:43 +0000

China Mist - A Sofi Silver Medal Finalist

Each day we have been visiting top San Diego Executives and CEO’s who are members of our “Tasting Board”. We thought it would be interesting to have them sample and comment on some of the products that are competing for the Gold Sofi Award. The products we have chosen are silver medal finalists, who were chosen from thousands of other products, to be the best of the best. For more information on The Sofi Awards read my previous post on the awards .

Lotus Pear tea, by China Mist, A Sofi Silver Finalist, comes in a beautiful, custom shaped, recyclable glass bottle. The green tea is from select tea gardens of Asia and is brewed with pure filtered water. It is the perfect union of the fragrant Lotus Flower, succulent pear and top quality tea. It is 100 percent natural and organic, without sugars, carbohydrates, calories, or artificial flavors or preservatives.

Darin Anderson, Kim & Celeste Taste Lotus Pear Tea

We are very excited to announce that Darin Andersen, COO of ESET, has joined our Executive Tasting Board. We already knew that Darin and his entire team are very health conscious. So the Lotus Pear beverage by China Mist seemed the perfect choice to have him sample. We did the tasting session in their beautiful meeting room which has a gorgeous view of San Diego.

Two top staff members, Kim and Celeste, joined the tasting. We poured the beverage over ice. Kim, who has a sweet tooth, said she would probably add a little sweetener to it, but thought it was good. Celeste, a real health nut, loved it and loved the fact that it did not contain sugar or artificial sweetener. Darin said he really liked the beginning aroma and the finish. He liked that there was no metallic or artificial taste, which so many beverages have. Instead, he said, there was a nice aroma with hints of pear, and that it was very light and smooth with a great after taste. They all said they would definately use the beverage.

ESET develops software solutions that deliver instant, comprehensive protection against evolving computer security threats. They pioneered and lead the industry in proactive threat detection. ESET NOD32 Antivirus is their flagship product, and consistently achieves the highest accolades in all kinds of comparative testing. ESET employs over 500 people globally, has 100 million users in over 160 countries, which total global sales of $200M. Worldwide Distribution headquarters is in San Diego.

Ken Andersen Tastes The Cheese Crisp!

Linda Gorin — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 23:00:56 +0000

Crisps - A Silver Medal Finalist

The Rosemary Parmesan Crisps by Kitchen Table Bakers is today’s featured finalist. The crisps were created in 2003, on the kitchen table as a delicious snack for the family. Soon friends and local merchants discovered the delicious creation, loved them, and Kitchen Table Bakers was born. In 2009 they won the Sofi Gold Medal for their products. They have also been featured on Rachael Ray! They are going for the Gold again in 2010. These are the only crackers that are made entirely from cheese! They are made from the highest quality Parmesan and seasonings. They are gluten and wheat free, transfat free, sugar free, and rich in calcium and protein. They are also low in calories and carbs! Rosemary Parmesan Crisps are great as a canopy, for dipping, or as a delicious snack with a glass of wine.

We passed all the beautiful flowers as we entered Andersen Nursery and soon Ken greeted us and took us to his office. He had told me he prefers savory to sweet, so I thought this product would be a good choice for him to taste. His wife Melanie also joined us at the table. They were surprised to learn that this cracker was made entirely from cheese. Ken took a bite first, concentrating on the flavor a moment before commenting. Then he said “It’s really good!” “It has a great quality cheese flavor and the Rosemary is subtle and not overpowering.” He also commented that it was nice and crisp. Melanie took a bite next and commented that they are more substantial than they look, nice and crisp, rich tasting, delicious, and that it would just take a few to satisfy you.

Walter Andersen Nursery has been one of San Diego’s most popular nurseries since 1928. Ken is Vice President and General Manager, and Melanie is Marketing Director. There are two locations, one in Point Loma and one in Poway. Be sure to visit their website to learn about products, services and upcoming events.

David Oates Tastes Tates Cookies

Linda Gorin — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:42:49 +0000

Top San Diego Executives Join The Best To You Tasting Board

Tates Dark Chocolate Cookie -Silver Finalist For Best Cookie

Dark Chocolate Whole Wheat Cookies - Silver Medal Finalist

Tate’s Bake Shop is no stranger to big awards! There have been more awards than I can list in this post! Founder, Kathleen King started selling cookies in 1971, when she was 11 years old! She launched Tates in 2000. Her cookies were rated number one out of fifty tasted by Rachel Ray magazine. The dark chocolate cookie is loaded with bittersweet chocolate chips and the whole wheat flour in the recipe creates a wonderfully light and less sinful cookie. Visit Tates Bakeshop online to see their other products.

David Oates Samples Tates Cookies

David Oates of Stalwart Communications samples the Tates Dark Chocolate Cookie.

David Oates is founder and President of Stalwart Communications. But more importantly, he is a dark chocolate lover! He eagerly took the dark chocolate cookie I offered and took a bite. His first response was that he thought it would be hard and brittle, but it had a wonderful texture and was not overly heavy. He said, and this is a common comment when Tate’s cookies are sampled, that he never would have believed these came out of a bag, had he not seen it! He then commented that it was a great dark chocolate taste without being over powering, and that he is a big fan of dark chocolate, but felt that even people who are not dark chocolate fans would love this cookie.

Stalwart Communications is a San Diego based Pay-On-Performance PR Agency. David Oates, founder and President of the popular firm, was a Finalist for Influence San Diego’s Agency Of The Year Award. Follow him on Twitter at Stalwart.com. His firm is shaking things up in the PR Industry by ensuring that they profit from their clients ONLY when they generate results! For more information on Stalwart Communications visit them online.

Clinton Swaine Gets Into Jam!

Linda Gorin — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:12:36 +0000

Sofi Silver Finalist - Peach Pecan Amaretto Preserves

Top San Diego CEO’s Taste & Comment On Sofi Silver Finalists

The San Saba River Pecan Company

The San Saba River Pecan Company is actually a Silver Medal Finalist in two different categories! That is very impressive! For this post we are going to talk about their delicious (oh my gosh, it is so yummy) peach, pecan, amaretto preserves. First of all it is visually beautiful. There are chunks of peaches mixed with pecans and amaretto and it looks lovely and tempting. The peaches used are only top quality and the pecans come right from the companies own orchard. They boast over 10,000 pecan trees in a park like setting bounded by the San Saba River in the hill country of central Texas. They have already won numerous top awards for this product and are going for the Sofi Gold Award for 2010. The winners will be announced on June 28th, at the red carpet ceremony in New York.

We Are Proud To Have Clinton Swaine On Our Tasting Board

As my husband, Barry, and I entered the training room, we were delighted to see that it was break time, and we would have Clinton Swaine all to ourselves till the seminar resumed. Clinton is the genious CEO of Frontier Trainings, the number one company in the world teaching business through experiential games.

Clinton is licking his fingers to get the last luscious drop of the Peach, Pecan, Amaretto Preserves. He said that he doesn’t usually like peaches. He spent a week picking peaches on a friend’s farm when he was younger and grew very tired of them. However, upon the first taste of these preserves, he commented on the delicious flavor. He also noticed the freshness of the pecans and the subtle taste of the amaretto. He said it was a very good combination. For more information visit San Saba River Pecan Company .

If you want to learn more about Clinton Swaine, his amazing cast of characters, and experience his brilliant and life changing trainings, schedule yourself for one of his free introductory seminars coming to San Diego. Visit his Play To Win website for more information.

Tomorrow we will post about another Sofi Silver Finalist and another San Diego executive taster! Let us know which products you think will win the Sofi Gold!

Celebrate Your Dad On Father’s Day (And Make Some Memories Too!)

Linda Gorin — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 06:29:22 +0000

When I think of my dad, one of the first things I remember is how he made me giggle hysterically with his overly dramatic rendition of Lewis Carroll’s poem “Jabberwocky.” With theatrical arm movements and a melodramatic voice, he would recite, “Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch!” This was only one of the ways that he entertained me with his great sense of humor.

Of course, he enriched my life in many other ways, as well. When with him he imparted granules of his wisdom, core values and love for people of all nationalities. He and I shared a love of musicals. The evening he took me to dinner, the premier of “The Sound of Music” and then a fancy ice cream parlor was magical.

As each Father’s Day rolls around, I cherish these memories, but how I wish I could spend just one more Father’s Day with him. If I had the chance, I would spend the entire day with him just talking, laughing, sharing memories and telling him I love him.

Which is why I like to gently remind my friends and colleagues that — if you are able to — this Father’s Day is a great opportunity to spend time with your dad! Whether it’s just reminiscing on the phone or going on an all-out excursion, time together now will become precious memories later.

And when it comes to sending him a gift, why not make it something that is meaningful and special to him? We have a wonderful selection of gifts and gift baskets that can be designed to match his hobbies or interests, and can be arranged to arrive as a memorable surprise by Father’s Day. We hand deliver in San Diego and ship gifts nation wide.

Here are a few ideas for how you might want to celebrate your father this Father’s Day:

If you are lucky enough to have your dad nearby, take him to brunch overlooking the ocean (try Azul La Jolla for delicious food and breathtaking views of beautiful La Jolla Cove), and gift him a Picnic on the Go shoulder pack for future picnics on the beach. Complete with its own removable liner, it’s the perfect way to carry your favorite wine and food.

If your father is a gardener, take him on a shopping spree to a beautiful nursery like Anderson Nursery which is the best in San Diego, and gift him The Gardener Deluxe, which includes a basket made from a garden hose, gardening gloves, tool, book, flower seeds, and a scrumptious assortment of goodies.

If he is a movie buff, bring our Movie Night Popcorn Bowl filled with popcorn, cokes, and snacks, along with some good movies to watch with him while you share the treats.

If dad loves to golf, spend the day at the golf course and give him our Executive Golf Putter that he can use at home or office, which includes two balls, a practice cup, and a four-piece putter.

If he loves to barbecue, bring over some steaks to throw on the barbecue and give him the gift of a basket with a barbecue apron, a chef hat, and a barbecue tool set.

If he’s a photography fan, give him a beautiful photo album made in Bali out of leaves, wood, twigs, and rope, along with a certificate from Nelson Photo Supplies. They not only have great deals on cameras & supplies, but also have classes on photography.

Or, send an invitation to spend Father’s Day with you at the beach, along with our basket filled with everything you need for a fun day at the beach, including fruit and nut mix, salsa, chips, a towel, a Frisbee, and sun tan lotion.

The ideas are endless. If none of these seem exactly right for you, just give us a call and we’ll custom design one that fits your dad perfectly — no matter what hobbies or interests he might have. You can reach us at 858-578-2740

Rock And Roll Marathon Baskets

Linda Gorin — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 05:39:55 +0000

The Best To You is designing energizing and healthy gift baskets for participants in the Rock And Roll Marathon. The gifts include fresh fruit, energy bars, assorted nuts, protein water and healthy snacks. They are then topped off with a jazzy musical note bow. This is a great type gift for anyone competing in any type of sports event or marathon, or even someone preparing for a test or major interview!

The event is this Sunday and there are over 30,000 participants. Keep in mind that some roads will be closed during the event.

The Sofi Awards – Best Of The Best

Linda Gorin — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 09:19:31 +0000

What The Heck Is A Sofi?

Sofi stands for Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation. The Sofi Award is the most coveted honor in the fancy food industry. You might say it is a Gourmet Acadamy Award! Winners get the revered Sofi award statue and national recognition.

What Is A Fancy Food?

Fancy foods, otherwise referred to as specialty foods, are foods and beverages that exemplify quality, innovation and style in their category. These specialty foods represent more than sixty billion dollars in US sales and are purchased by over 138 million consumers. Cheese and cheese alternatives is one of the largest categories. Every year there are thousands of new product introductions with the largest growth in chocolate, confectionary products, desserts, ice cream and alcoholic beverages.

When Will We Know The Winners?

The 2010 awards competition is already under way! From 1,570 products judged, 125 silver finalists, in over 30 categories have been announced. The finalists are named by a nine-member panel of specialty food experts. These silver medal finalists are then judged by about 300 top industry buyers at the summer Fancy Food Show in New York. The Fancy Food Show features over 180,000 products. The gold medal winners will be announced at a red carpet ceremony on June 28th at the Fancy Food Show put on by The National Association For The Specialty Food Trade (NASFT).

Must We Wait To Hear About These Amazing Products?

Stay tuned! We will be featuring different Silver Medal Finalists over the next few weeks. We will be taking samples of these products to some of San Diego’s top Executives and will post their comments and descriptions of the products. We will post the results of the Sofi Gold Medal winners when they are announced at the end of the month. It is going to be a very fun and yummy couple of weeks (I will be tasting everything too!)

Personalized Father’s Day Cards The Kids Can Make

Linda Gorin — Thu, 27 May 2010 06:07:50 +0000

I remember how thrilled my husband Barry would be when our daughter presented him with a festive hand made card on Father’s Day. He would exclaim “This is great! Did you make this yourself?” and she would beam with pride at the work of art that she had created to give him on his special day. It was always artistic, creative, unique and custom designed just with him in mind. One card had a colorful picture of a crab on the front (his favorite food). Another had a picture of a ship porthole cut out from a magazine with a picture of Barry in the middle. He was excited about an upcoming cruise we were taking.

The message can match the theme of the card, be humorous, or heartfelt. Kids like to make up poems for their Dads too.

Father’s Day is June 20th, 2010. Now is the time to start collecting the items needed and begin planning Dad’s Keepsake card! The kids will want to start thinking about enhancements (some ideas listed below), looking through magazines or on the computer, and cutting out words and pictures.

It is easy to create these warm family memories by helping the kids make personalized cards for their dads. Although they can make a card just with a piece of plain paper and some crayons or colored markers, just a few extra art supplies (many may already be found at home) can make it a bit more of an event. Here are some suggestions:

Scissors
Glue or glue stick
Colored paper to fold in half like a greeting card
Colored markers
A ruler to write the heart felt message nicely inside
Assorted magazines to cut out colorful pictures & headlines for the front of the card
Enhancements to decorate the edge of the card

Why not make the kids a little card kit? Get a nice little gift box and keep these items inside for future card making!

To start, first discuss what they would like the theme to be. Does dad have a hobby like golf or gardening? Does he love to watch TV? Has he been eyeing a certain car that is on his wish list? Does he love to barbeque or cook? Make the card fun and custom designed to match his personality, interests or hobbies.

Once a theme is decided, the child can begin cutting out pictures from magazines. Some headlines may match the theme perfectly as well and even add a touch of humor. The pictures can be glued to the front and inside left panel of the card. The right panel is for the message. On the front of the card above the picture they can write “Happy Father’s Day” or an original greeting of their choice. They also can feature pictures and messages on the back of the card. Older computer savvy kids may wish to print pictures from the internet for the card, like Dad’s favorite baseball team, vacation spot, singer, etc.

Finally add some enhancements to decorate the left edge (or all around) the front of the card to frame the picture. Just add some glue and add the Enhancement that best ties in with the card theme. Here are just a few ideas for enhancements:

Sparkles
Sea shells (great for beach theme)
a piece of rope (The child can draw an anchor at the end if it is a boat loving dad!)
a nice twig (If dad is a hiker this makes a nice rustic, nature theme card)
colorful themed stickers (found in stationary or party isle of most stores)
golf tees (for golf loving dad)
nails (for handyman dad)

Last of all plan the perfect time for the presentation of the final work of art. Maybe right before Father’s Day breakfast or brunch! It’s nice to do it at the start of Dad’s Day!

We would love to hear some of the themes your kids came up with for their hand made Father’s Day cards! Please enter your comments. Also, If you need help or suggestions with custom designed Father’s Day gift baskets feel free to give us a call any time at 858-578-2740.

Graduation Gift Baskets

Linda Gorin — Mon, 17 May 2010 09:22:44 +0000

Graduation time is upon us and we are already getting requests for custom designed graduation gifts.

It is great to match the gift to the personality and goals of the graduate. Will he or she be traveling for awhile after graduating? Continuing further studies? Beginning a new career?

A beautiful picture frame to commemorate the event is always a good idea! The container should be both elegant and functional. One idea is a leatherette magazine basket that has multiple uses (can hold books, magazines, file folders) and makes a striking presentation when filled with unique gifts and goodies. A special book is also a great addition to the gift basket! We have a nice coffee table book called “The Best Of Success” that is perfect for this occasion.

If they are starting a job or career, our designer box clock is very unique for the desk. It looks like an elegant leather box until you open the lid and the clock pops up.

If it is a young graduate who is continuing their education, a festive gift basket or stacking boxes filled with chocolates, cookies and assorted surprises makes for an impromptu celebration that the graduate can share with family or friends. They might also enjoy the Vision Board Kit, which comes with instructions, paper, a CD, and Vision Board booklet, so that they can create a poster of all their dreams and goals to look at and visualize daily.

Don’t forget the mini graduates (from elementary school to Jr High School, etc. ) A small Celebration basket can create a lasting memory.