This is the perfect place for Basket Express to present blog posts and for you to join in the fun, too! Here we will discuss holidays, occasions, reasons to send gift baskets and flowers, exciting events occurring at Roadrunner Florist & Basket Express. Click here to read about Pamela of Roadrunner Florist and Tina of Basket Express. We are REAL PEOPLE designing Floral Arrangements and Gift Baskets for REAL PEOPLE (like you!)!
Did you know my dad is a CPA? He earned his degree using the GI Bill after WWII (I hope you read my recent tribute to him) at the University of Colorado in the late 1940s. He and my mom married in 1947 and my brothers were born in 1948 and 1949.
By the time I came along in 1954 (that’s a cute story because many years later I was having dinner with my parents when I asked my dad if I had been born a boy would he have tried again? and my mother answered NO!) my brothers were old enough to know they had a “sister baby” and they were also old enough to pick on me and tease me. A lot.
My mother was a pioneer of working women. She raised 3 children and ran my dad’s accounting office with an iron hand. The partnership, known as Smith, Brooks, Bolshoun, grew to about 20 CPAs before my dad retired.
I remember a story my mom told when she was going to purchase a new “copier” for the office. I those days that means a HUGE Xerox or other type of copier (if you remember, they were the size of a room!). She had 3 or 4 companies she was considering, and one salesman sent her a dozen roses
as an incentive to buy from him. Oooh, she felt bad when she purchased the machine from another company!
My parents instilled an incredible work ethic in us. My oldest brother Sheldon is a very prominent attorney in Denver practicing with the law firm of Brian Cave where he is one of only about 600 attorneys in the country who practices ERISA.
Our brother Gary lives in Phoenix and sells advertising specialties. Gary moved to Phoenix about 29 years ago for one reason and one reason only: Lauren.
April 15th is the most important day in the life of a CPA (and his daughter). I remember as a young child going to my dad’s office to help finalize income tax returns for those latecomers who chose to wait until the last minute. I remember driving to the post office before they closed at midnight to get the postmark just in time. I remember making copies of tax returns on an Oslid copier that used ammonia, long before we had Xerox copiers or printers. I remember watching my mom type on an IBM Selectric, the one with the little ball. I remember the importance of April 15th as the day I didn’t see much of my dad, and then on April 16th he’d take me shopping for dresses (even though he usually fell asleep) and we were together to celebrate the end of tax time.
Isn’t it ironic, therefore, that Lauren, my beautiful daughter, was born on April 15th! Correctly called “Labor Day” or a “Day of Labor”, I welcomed her into the world 30 years ago today. After she was born my husband called my parents and said these famous words, “It’s a baby!”
For 30 years I have known the joy of motherhood, watching Lauren blossom into the amazing young lady she is today. She used to ask me what I wanted for my birthday or for Mother’s Day and I always said “Straight A’s”. Imagine how proud I was to get my wish her final semester of high school!
I had the honor of attending her graduation of Northern Arizona University and then when she earned her Masters from the University of Phoenix. Now, at age 30, Lauren is the Registrar at Arizona College, Phoenix, AZ. and the mother of 2-1/2 year old Harper.
Sharing these precious moments with you helps me celebrate April 15th with my parents and with Lauren. Happy Birthday, sweetheart! I love you more than life itself and I’m very proud of you.
Do you have April 15th precious moments you’d like to share? Here’s your chance!
This is a great story and I hope you will share it and pass it along.
Re: Army-Navy Game Train (an unpublicized act of generosity and appreciation).
Here’s a “today” story that occurred 4 months ago.
The idea started last Christmas when Bennett and Vivian Levin were overwhelmed by sadness while listening to radio reports of injured American troops. “We have to let them know we care,” Vivian told Bennett. So they organized a trip to bring soldiers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital to the annual Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia on December 3. The cool part is they created their own train line to do this. Yes, there are people in this country who actually own real trains.
Bennett Levin, a native Philly guy, self-made millionaire and irascible former L&I Commissioner, is one of them. He owns three luxury rail cars. Think mahogany paneling, plush seating and white-linen dining areas. He also has two locomotives, which he stores at his Juniata Park train yard.
One car, the elegant Pennsylvania, carried John F Kennedy to the Army-Navy game in 1961 and 1962. Later it carried his brother Bobby’s body to D.C. for burial. “That’s a lot of history for one car,” says Bennett.
He and Vivian wanted to revive a tradition that endured from 1936 to 1975, during which trains carried
Army-Navy spectators from around the country directly to the stadium where the annual game is played. The Levins could think of no better passengers to reinstate the ceremonial ride than the wounded men and women recovering at Walter Reed in D.C. and Bethesda in Maryland. “We wanted to give them a first-class experience,” says Bennett. “Gourmet meals on board, private transportation from the train to the stadium, perfect seats – real hero treatment.”
Through the Army War College Foundation, of which he is a trustee, Bennett met with Walter Reed’s commanding general, who loved the idea. But Bennett had some ground rules first, all designed to keep the focus on the troops alone:
1. No press on the trip, lest the soldiers’ day of pampering devolve into a media circus.
2. No politicians either, because, said Bennett, “I don’t want some idiot making this trip into a campaign photo op.”
3. No Pentagon suits on board, otherwise the soldiers would be too busy saluting superiors to relax.
The general agreed to the conditions, and Bennett realized he had a problem on his hands. “I had to actually make this thing happen,” he laughs.
Over the next months, he recruited owners of 15 other sumptuous rail cars from around the country – these people tend to know each other – into lending their vehicles for the day. The name of their temporary train? The Liberty Limited.
Amtrak volunteered to transport the cars to D.C. – where they’d be coupled together for the round-trip to Philly – then back to their owners later.
Conrail offered to service the Liberty while it was in Philly. And SEPTA drivers would bus the disabled soldiers 200 yards from the train track to the football stadium before the game.
A benefactor from the War College ponied up 100 seats to the game – on the 50-yard-line – and lunch in a hospitality suite.
Corporate donors filled, for free and without asking for publicity, goodie bags for attendees:
From Woodrich, stadium blankes
From Wal-Mart, digital cameras
From Nikon, field glasses
From GEAR, down jackets
There was booty not just for the soldiers, but for their guests, too, since each was allowed to bring a friend or family member. The Marines declined the offer. “They voted not to take guests with them so they could take more Marines,” says Levin, choking up at the memory.
Bennett’s an emotional guy, so he was worried about how he’d react to meeting the 88 troops and guests at D.C.’s Union Station, where the trip originated. Some GIs were missing limbs. Others were wheelchair-bound or accompanied by medical personnel for the day. “They made it easy to be with them,” he says. “They were all smiles on the ride to Philly. Not an ounce of self-pity from any of them. They’re so full of life and determination.”
At the stadium, the troops reveled in the game, recalls Bennett. Not even Army’s loss to Navy could deflate the group’s rollicking mood.
Afterward, it was back to the train and yet another gourmet meal. “Heros get hungry,” says Levin, before returning to Walter Reed and Bethesda. “The day was spectacular,” says Levin. “It was all about those kids. It was awesome to be part of it.”
The most poignant moment for the Levins was when 11 Marines hugged them goodbye, then sang the Marine Hymn on the platform at Union Station.
“One of the guys was blind, but he said, ‘I can’t see you, but man, you must be beautiful!'” says Bennett. “I got a lump so big in my throat that I couldn’t even answer him.”
It’s been three weeks, but the Levins and their guests are still feeling the day’s love. “My Christmas came early,” says Levin, who is Jewish and who loves the Christmas season. “I can’t describe the feeling in the air.” Maybe it is hope.
As one guest wrote in a thank you note to Bennett and Vivian, “The fond memories generated last Saturday will sustain us all – whatever the future may bring.”
God bless the Levins.
And God bless the troops, every one.
I wish I were an expert on Google+. Gee, I wish I even had a clue about Google+.
I wonder if being an active participate on Google+ helps with SEO on Google. What do you think?
I wonder if there’s a difference between being a “person” on Google+ and being a “business” on Google+, and which, if either, helps with SEO on Google.
So, I’m going to ask you a few questions, because you’re my friends, business associates and customers.
1. Do you use Google+ for email?
2. Does your business have a Google+ page? If so, what is the url so I can go visit it?
3. Do you know the difference between “following” “family “friends” and “acquaintances” on Google+, and if you do, which one is the best one?
4. What do you know about “circles”? Are you in any circles? How many people are in your circles? Are there any benefits to being in circles and having a lot of people in your circle?
5. If I posted a link to a Google+ post on my facebook page, would you be likely to see it?
I just opened a new business page for Basket Express. I’d appreciate it if you’d check it out and “follow” it. Here’s the link. https://www.google.com/+Giftbasketsbytina
Thanks, everyone, for your patience with me!
I can hardly wait to read your answers to my questions!
Tina
A new list of the most-reported scams shows phantom debt scams on the rise.
The National Consumers League on Tuesday released the top 10 scams reported to its Fraud.org website and found a sharp rise in refund and recovery, or phantom debt scams. These scams involve the victim being contacted by someone claiming they are collecting an unpaid debt.
More than 10,000 consumer complaints lodged in 2014 were analyzed, the group said. The refund and recovery scam now ranks as the fourth most commonly complained about scam.
Here’s how it works: You get a call or email from a crook who says you owe money and they are collecting. Should you take issue with the purported collection action, they typically will tell the targeted victim that they could face time in jail or other legal actions.
“Fraud remains one of the most pernicious threats facing consumers today,” said Sally Greenberg, the league’s executive director. “We are particularly concerned about scammers increasingly relying on the old-fashioned’ telephone as a way to reach millions of potentially vulnerable consumers.”
Top 10 Scams
Here are the top 10 scams documented by the league’s Fraud.org project:
The group also noted that victims are now less likely to send money via a wire transfer service like Western Union (WU) or MoneyGram (MGI), which is next to impossible to reverse. More consumers reported paying by credit card when scammed, which allows an opportunity to recover funds, the group said.
“Credit card transactions are a safer way for consumers to pay for products since they can dispute fraudulent charges with their credit card company,” said John Breyault, vice president for the league. “Unfortunately, when a fraud victim sends money via wire transfer or prepaid debit card, the chances of getting their money back are much lower.”
For months, Facebook has been planning to make changes that will affect our business pages.
Laura Roeder of LKR Social Media* first posted the information about the most recent change in her blog dated November 25, 2014, and now that it is the new year, the new Facebook Rules are beginning to be implemented.
How will these new Facebook Rules impact Roadrunner Florist and Basket Express? Hopefully not much. Our Facebook business pages are filled with goodies about our businesses and also useful information for every-day life. We love posting pictures of what we’re doing, how we’re doing it, where we’re doing it, and how you can share with us. We hope we will be complying with Facebook’s new rules because we are not stuffing our businesses down your throats.
Here is the blog that Laura Roeder posted. I think you’ll find it interesting if you have a business page on Facebook:
On Laura’s blog you’ll find the 3 rules that are pertinent to the changes made by Facebook.
The most important part of this learning curve is that you, our customers and friends, continue to visit our Facebook page and share, share, share the information there.
You’ll find we have 960 “likes” on our way to our goal of 1,000 before Valentine’s Day! (hint, hint! If you haven’t “liked” our page, please do!!)
You’ll find a little bit about our Customer Service and an amazing video about a lady singing Christian Hymns to an Alzheimer’s patient who was unable to speak (you don’t want to miss this one!)
You’ll find pictures of us (Tina and Pamela) and our beautiful flowers and gift baskets, along with a link to our websites RoadrunnerFlorist.com and GiftBasketbyTina.com where you can securely purchase flowers and gift baskets from the comfort of your home or office.
We will continue to show you beautiful flowers & gift baskets, custom designed by us and delivered in greater Phoenix, across the country and around the world!
We know Facebook is only one of several social media forums available to you and we hope you’ll take a moment to enjoy our Facebook Page, “Like” it, and then visit often to see what we can do for you!
* Laura Roeder is a social media marketing expert who gives businesses of all sizes the tools they need to make their mark on the web. She is the creator of the social media scheduling software Edgar, as well as social media marketing web courses like Creating Fame and Social Brilliant.
I never thought of myself as an Artisan. Sure, each gift basket I design is unique, each floral arrangement designed by Pamela is unique, but does that make us “Artisans”?
I decided to ask Wikipedia the definition of “Artisan”. “An artisan (from French: artisan, Italian: artigiano) is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates things by hand that may be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture, decorative arts, sculptures, clothing, jewelry, household items and tools or even mechanical mechanisms such as the handmade clockwork movement of a watchmaker. Artisans practice a craft and may through experience and aptitude reach the expressive levels of an artist.”
That brought me back to my original question: is a gift basket or floral designer an Artisan?
I spend a lot of time telling you that Pamela and I are real people. We own a beautiful brick and mortar shop in Phoenix, AZ, where we custom design gift baskets and floral arrangements for our customers and friends. We also work with a network of florists across the country and around the world who design custom arrangements, so we know any order placed in our hands, whether it’s professionally delivered by us or by someone we recommend, is an exclusive work of art that makes all of us proud.
I also spend a lot of time baking. It’s a hobby for me, and the goodies are always delicious! I take a lot of them to the shop to share with people who come in, and I give oodles and oodles away to neighbors and friends.
This is Pletzel. My brother Gary requested it. Yummm… soft dough topped with lots of onions and poppy seeds! C’mon over and get some!
There’s even a floral birthday cake that I love to design. It’s different each and every time, but then so is the birthday person! What a great way to wish someone unique a Happy Birthday!
Here are 3 Christmas Bags I designed last month. Each one was different, as you can see.
Does the fact that I custom design each gift basket make me an Artisan?
Here are 4 Christmas centerpieces designed by Pamela in the last couple weeks. Sure, you can go online and order one that looks just like all the rest, or you can contact us and have us design something that’s unique and special, like these.
OK, I’ll admit it, this one is my favorite of all!
Last Christmas I baked some great brownies and cookies, then delivered them in a pretty box to the nail salon in our strip-mall. In return I received a beautiful ornamental Lenox candle holder. That lead me to think: did the goodies that I had baked so lovingly in my kitchen have the same value as the purchase my friend made at Macys? Indeed, they both have equal value. The time invested in looking for something special is what counts, be it at a store or calling someone like us to design and deliver a unique gift.
We believe each gift basket and floral arrangement we design is a work of art. We also believe each person who orders from us is entitled to a custom designed creation that is an expression of you, the sender and the recipient. That’s why we devote so much attention to making sure our gift baskets and floral arrangements are special, unique and creative, and that’s why our websites, www.giftbasketsbytina.com and www.roadrunnerflorist.com offer flowers and gift baskets you won’t find anywhere else on the ‘net.
Tell us what you think! Does that make us Artisans?
We are so excited to be hosting Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ on February 1.
Are you coming to Phoenix for the Big Game?
I’d love our Arizona Cardinals to host Super Bowl XLIX on their home field. But I just don’t know if they can pull it off with their 3rd or 4th string quarterback.
And I always have hope for my beloved and home-town Denver Broncos.
But this year there are so many fantastic teams in the hunt to come to Phoenix for Super Bowl XLIX.
There’s Seattle 
and there’s Dallas 
There’s Detroit 
and there’s Green Bay 
There’s New England 
and there’s Cincinnati 
There’s Pittsburgh 
and there’s 
When you’re ready to sit back and enjoy the game in your fancy football chair, 
(courtesy of Veronica of Casa Vilora Interiors) , order your family pizza and pull out all the snacks, then you need to contact me at 602-246-1271 (888-446-1271) www.giftbasketsbytina.com and order your favorite team’s football gift basket!
No matter which team you’re cheering for, we in Arizona are proud to be hosting this amazing sporting event. We welcome you to the Valley of the Sun, in person or on TV, and we hope you enjoy the Super Bowl as much as we do!’
Which team are you hoping will play in the Super Bowl this year? Post your answer here on our blog, and then share this on your google+ page, your facebook page, Pinterest or other social media!
Business people all around the world are making their lists and checking them twice.
What are they finding?
How do they do that? They contact Tina at Basket Express for custom designed gift baskets! (602-246-1271 or 888-446-1271)
Amazing Fresh Fruit Gift Baskets from $25 (this is our 2014 Christmas Special)
(regular price $39.99)
Send a large fresh fruit and goodie to a group or office for $100 and please 10 great people! (call 602-246-0672 and we’ll fix you right up!)
Or send amazing Christmas Greens (so fragrant and long-lasting) for everyone to enjoy throughout the holiday season. Original price $34.95, on sale for Christmas 2014 $24.95.
Find more Christmas Floral Ideas at RoadrunnerFlorist.com.
Pretty Fragrant Christmas Greens
So, who are these people that deserve a gift basket from Basket Express?
Customers, clients and business associates! Those are the backbone of your business. Without them you wouldn’t have any business at all! You find them in all sorts of places, from the Internet to personal networking, to your neighborhood.
They’re the people who have worked with you throughout the year.
Maybe you remodeled their home.
Maybe you designed their new website.
Maybe they hired you for marketing strategies or took you out to dinner.
Maybe you added some new landscaping or you put in new flooring or painted for them.
Maybe you sold some furniture to them, or some brickwork, or maybe you did some plumbing or electrical work for them.
Maybe they held a meeting at your location or purchased a piece of artwork.
They’re the people who list their homes with you, and the people who help you sell homes.
Don’t forget your doctor, lawyer, accountant and business partners!
Sure, many are your friends, too!
Did you know we will be happy to include YOUR business card in your gift baskets? And YOUR calendars, YOUR pens, YOUR business information? Why do we do that? Because we know the value of YOUR CUSTOMERS to your business! So, call us today at 602-246-1271 and we’ll make arrangements to get YOUR advertising items from you so we can include them in your unique and personalized gift baskets!
A gift basket that is individually designed by Tina at Basket Express is as unique as you are. From $39.95 up, they are expressions of the care, concern, thanks, and yes love that you have for the people in your life.
Custom Designed Holiday Gourmet Gift Basket
Santa’s Healthy Fresh Fruit Basket
Maybe you want to add chocolate. (Oooh, I LOVE chocolate!)
Or maybe you want to add coffee or tea!
OK, maybe you want something healthy.
That’s not as much fun, but sometimes it’s appropriate.
Whatever it is you’re looking for, we can help you say THANK YOU this Christmas season.
Simply call, click or come by!
602-246-1271 888-446-1271
2007a W Bethany Home, Phoenix, AZ 85015
Happy Thanksgiving
As we’re getting older…well, this video is for all of us …
May your Thanksgiving be full of fun, laughter, family and friends.
Tina and Pamela
Roadrunner Florist & Basket Express
www.roadrunnerflorists.com www.giftbasketsbytina.com
LOCAL AND WORLDWIDE DELIVERY!
So often we’re asked, Basket Express? What is Different? Of course what people are very nicely trying to say is: Why should I order my gift baskets from Basket Express?
Let me tell you why!
Each gift basket is custom designed just for you! That means you can choose the theme, the contents, the delivery date, and even the price!
That means the people who receive a gift basket from Basket Express are really getting an expression of YOU.
At Christmas, that means each gift basket from Basket Express is ready for Santa to put under the tree, topped with a hand-made Christmas bow and filled with the aroma of Christmas greens! I know, you can smell them from there, can’t you?
If you haven’t yet discovered the joys of the difference between gift baskets from “the other guys” and Basket Express, you’re in for a very special treat!
Corporate America uses Christmas to give thanks to their clients, customers and friends. We love to share in that excitement with you. It’s a lot more fun to let us add your personalized advertising specialties than it is to go to a big box store and pick something off the shelf that’s about as unique as, well, a table. Gift baskets from Basket Express are individually designed, loaded with great goodies (such as fresh fruit, gourmet cheese, crackers, sausage, chocolates, truffles, cookies and more) and yes, we are happy to add your business card, your calendars, your pens and pencils before we deliver gift baskets just for you.
We know and love our customers like family (more about that after the holidays).
Custom designed gift baskets for Christmas 2014 from $35 and up. Delivery in the greater Phoenix area and across the country!
What could be easier than this: call, click or come by!! 602-246-1271 2007a W Bethany Home, Phoenix, AZ 85015
Tina custom designs our Southwest Party Grande Gift Basket like no other!
It’s NOT sitting around on a shelf waiting for you to pick it up.
It hasn’t come to you by “slow boat from China” (my dad always says that!)
It’s designed fresh when you order it from Basket Express.
We professionally deliver it in the Valley of the Sun, or very carefully pack it up and ship it USPS across the country.
We choose the most UNIQUE, one-of-a-kind Southwest items when we design this Southwest Party Grande Gift Basket. Selected from specialty stores in the Valley of the Sun, this gift basket that includes assorted chips, flavored salsa, guacamole dip, hot sauce, and fresh bakery goods. It’s all dressed up with a pretty bandana and a fun handmade bow!
Order our Southwest Party Grande Gift Basket between now and November 21, 2014, for delivery before December 18, 2014, and we’ll give you 20% off your purchase!
You know you want it!
You know you want to send it!
You know you want to receive it!
CALL, CLICK OR COME BY NOW!
Roadrunner Florist
Basket Express
2007a W Bethany Home
Phoenix, AZ 85015
602-246-1271
https://giftbasketsbytina.com/product/southwest-party-grande/
We celebrate PINK in October. It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month and it’s baby month and gee, it’s time for Pink!
So, let’s celebrate healthy breasts and healthy babies!
Designed exclusively by Pamela E Smith, Michigan State University Floriculture Graduate and owner of Roadrunner Florist, a Local Phoenix Flower Shop, these unique arrangements are soft and pretty, and appropriate in October or any time you wish to celebrate.
We call this one Small, Short Pink. It’s one of our favorites.
These are Precious Baby Flowers. Perfect for a new baby girl (or designed in blue for a baby boy).
Gerbera Daisies are a favorite flower all year round. Combined with roses and daisies, they create a festive floral arrangement that is sure to please a new mom, a happy birthday girl, or a lady celebrating a happy occasion.
The pretty box is filled to the rim with spray roses and lilies for a festive, pretty celebration.
Adding flowers (fresh or silk) to a green plant is a beautiful addition of long-lasting beauty.
Carnations are so pretty. They are very long-lasting and happy flowers. See how great they look when designed by the dozen with baby’s breath and a nice bow. Add a few roses, a gerbera daisy and a great bear and whola! A perfect floral arrangement for that perfect someone!
Precious Baby Girl Gift Basket
Each of these baby baskets can be designed in pink or blue, perfect for a baby shower or after the baby is born. We deliver to all of the hospitals in the Valley of the Sun and can arrange deliver across the country.
Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary of cancer remission or the birth of a new baby, let Roadrunner Florist and Basket Express help you! We can design and deliver a beautiful pink floral arrangement or pink gift basket that’s perfect for you!
Call, click or come by! 602-246-1271. We’re happy to hear from you!
