I never promised you a rose garden
Someone told me one of the best places to buy fresh flowers was Whole Foods, so a couple of weeks ago I bought a dozen roses there. In about two days they did what long-stemmed roses often do, they drooped their little rose heads instead of opening and had to be tossed.
And yes, I trimmed off a couple of inches of stem, cutting on the diagonal, before I put them in the warm water that had flower food in it.
So yesterday I bought these beautiful roses at SuperFresh. ...
You can tell they're going to open and not droop. I love a mixed bouquet of roses. Three gorgeous reddish-pink ones with cream, three yellow, three cream and...two white? I'm not great at math, but that seems to be 11, not the dozen I thought I was buying.
It's one of those things where it's too much trouble to take them back, so they've got me. And if I had known there were 11 from the beginning I probably would have bought them anyway because they're so pretty. I just don't like to feel I've been had. I mean, roses come in dozens. The sign even said, "12 roses for $12.99." It might have been a miscount if they were all one color, but wouldn't you notice you were putting two, not three whites in the bunch?
So to make myself feel better I'll just tell 5,000 of my closest friends to count your roses before you leave the SuperFresh.
Comments
A friend (who works for Martha Stewart) says to put a little vodka in the water. Apparently, it keeps the bacteria in check. But since most roses were cut in Chile a week before you got them, and then put on ice during the journey, it's not surprising when they don't last. Just irritating.
Posted by: Pigtown | September 28, 2008 11:13 AM
EL, comment noted. I will be sure to watch those hooligans at SuperFresh!
OT (of course), went to the "other" Owings Mills Edo Sushi yesterday and found not only some items prepared differently (age tofu & it's sauce for one) but the prices were different too. Who knew? I figured they were "Mc" Sushified.
Posted by: Joyce W. | September 28, 2008 11:34 AM
Perhaps you were snared in a rose scam! I've always had a lot of luck at Crimson & Clover on Boston St. Just got a mixed rose bouquet there last Saturday with gorgeous long-stemmed red roses. The best part? All their flowers are half price on Saturdays. Very friendly and helpful staff. They have a lot of options and everything is always fresh. They'll gladly help put together a bouquet for you.
Posted by: Tom | September 28, 2008 12:41 PM
I've always had a lot of luck at Crimson & Clover on Boston St.
Where is this place? I don't recall ever seeing a flower shop on Boston St.
Posted by: Hal Laurent, VoR | September 28, 2008 4:17 PM
Hal -- Crimson & Clover is at 2150 Boston Street, right by the intersection of Boston, Aliceanna, and Van Lill streets.
Posted by: hmpstd | September 28, 2008 6:51 PM
Don't dismiss the idea that someone wanted one perfect white rose and pulled it from the bunch. I have witnessed folks manipulating the contents of bunches of asparagus; a rose would be much easier.
Posted by: LEC | September 28, 2008 7:03 PM
And since we were just speaking of Dorothy Parker in another post, I can't now resist inserting another little something by her:
One Perfect Rose
A single flow'r he sent me, since we met.
All tenderly his messenger he chose;
Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet -
One perfect rose.
I knew the language of the floweret;
'My fragile leaves,' it said, 'his heart enclose.'
Love long has taken for his amulet
One perfect rose.
Why is it no one ever sent me yet
One perfect limousine, do you suppose?
Ah no, it's always just my luck to get
One perfect rose.
Posted by: KristinB | September 28, 2008 8:01 PM
Crimson and Clover has always done well by me for various special occasions. Easier directions - It's near Sip and Bite.
Posted by: Josh (or jwiv) | September 28, 2008 9:02 PM
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts for the OMG:
I, now I don't hardly know her
But I think I can love her
Crimson and Clover
I, now when she comes walkin' over
Now I've been waitin' to show her
Crimson and Clover
Over and over
Yeah, I'm not such a sweet thing
I wanna do everything
What a beautiful feelin'
Crimson and Clover
Over and over
Crimson and Clover
Over and over
Posted by: Bourbon Girl | September 28, 2008 9:43 PM
Bourbon Girl, Joan Jett merely did a cover of "Crimson and Clover". The original was from back in the 1960's, by Tommy James and the Shondells.
Posted by: Hal Laurent, VoR | September 28, 2008 10:13 PM
Bourbon Girl,
I was wondering where you were.
What has become of Bacon Girl?
Posted by: LEC | September 28, 2008 10:18 PM
Do-do-do-doo-ba-bop-bop
Oh, do-bop-she-down-down
Do-ba-bop-bop-oh-do-bop-she-down-down.
Do-bop-bop-bop
Oh, do-bop-she-down-down
Do-ba-bop-bop-oh-do-bop-she-down,
I’m livin’ right next door to an angel…
Nothing. Never mind. I'm listening to Neil Sedaka sing "Next Door To An Angel" while I'm catching up on the weekend's posts and my fingers just uncontrollably broke out into doo-wop.
Carry on.
Posted by: Bucky | September 28, 2008 11:33 PM
Bucky, thank you for that much-needed doo-wop break!
Posted by: Dahlink | September 29, 2008 6:35 AM
Hal - yeah, but the original didn't have enough guitar.
Posted by: Bourbon Girl | September 29, 2008 8:02 AM
By the way, Bourbon Girl, just in case you missed it, yesterday's WaPo had an article about traveling the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
Posted by: hmpstd | September 29, 2008 8:48 AM
Bourbon Girl said: Hal - yeah, but the original didn't have enough guitar
Even the album version with the extra minute and a half of extended guitar solos?
I thought she was joking. EL
Posted by: Hal Laurent, VoR | September 29, 2008 10:46 AM
Tommy James and the Shondells - very overated. Some pretty good guitar solos in there, Bourbon Girl. Give it a listen again. Plus, Mony Mony, and I Think We're Alone Now. Good stuff!
Posted by: Joyce W. | September 29, 2008 10:49 AM
costco for flowers. they last longer.
Posted by: attgig | September 29, 2008 11:36 AM
good grief - seriously in need of sleep over here! That should have read TJ and S - very Underated! I still download their stuff and even the 16 y.o. enjoys it! grudgingly.
Posted by: Joyce w. | September 29, 2008 4:10 PM
Tommy James and the Shondells - Isn't that the one with the reverb:
Cr-r-r-imson and Clo-o-over
O-o-over and o-o-over
There also was a version released in 1995 by a group called "SF Spanish Fly." Peaked around number 89 on the Pop Charts.
Posted by: Retired in Elkridge | September 29, 2008 4:14 PM
Isn't that the one with the reverb:
Lots of reverb, and lots of tremolo.
Posted by: Hal Laurent, VoR | September 29, 2008 6:18 PM
Agreed on the Joan Jett version.
I bought an arrangement of flowers which included some orange roses for Bourbon Girl at Woe Foods, but the roses didn't last very long. Let's hope it's not a bad omen.
Posted by: OMG | October 3, 2008 2:56 PM
Reverb and Tremolo. Are they back together again?
Posted by: DavePM | October 3, 2008 4:45 PM