ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, February 14, 1996 TAG: 9602140099
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Marketplace
SOURCE: MEGAN SCHNABEL
So, did your significant other like your Valentine's Day present?
You did remember that it's Cupid's Day, didn't you? Feb. 14? Comes every year, you know. How could you forget?
Hey, you still have time.
How about flowers?
If you've waited until today to buy them, you're a procrastinator in good company. Betty Meredith, floral manager at the Harris Teeter supermarket at Towers Shopping Center, says she did $10,000 worth of sales - or about 10 percent of her annual business - on Valentine's Day last year. She expects to sell $12,000 to $13,000 of the love buds today. And she's ready.
"I should have plenty of roses," she said.
The Cut Flower Commission says Americans bought 84.5 million roses in February 1995. This year, they're expected to buy 89 million - worth $487 million in sales. About 1.2 billion roses are sold throughout the year in the United States.
If all the rose names confuse you, here's something to remember. Visa and Madame del Bard roses are fairly common varieties, the ones you'll usually find in grocery stores and at many florists. Visas tend to be cheaper - they retail in supermarkets for $15 to $20 a dozen - but their blooms are smaller, and they don't last as long. Madames sell for $25 to $30, or more if they're arranged in a vase.
If you buy from a florist, expect to spend $50 and up - several Roanoke-area florists quoted prices of almost $70 - for a dozen long-stemmed roses. And a warning: Some places charge an extra $2 or so for baby's breath.
If you're just ordering the flowers now, you may be too late to have the florist deliver them. But your honey is bound to appreciate personal delivery.
Paint thinner optional
At Good Things on the Market, you can buy chocolate bonbons, chocolate bars, chocolate cellular phones, chocolate lips ... and, for the more adventurous, jars of chocolate body paint.
"It's a lot like ice cream topping," said store owner Rita Williams. She laughs. "I'll leave the rest to your imagination."
A jar runs about $8. Paintbrushes sold separately.
A Hallmark moment
Card shops will be teeming today, so be prepared to face a line - and possibly a picked-over selection - when you look for a valentine for your valentine.
"About half the population plans a day ahead," said Brant Kelly, manager of Scott's Hallmark at Tanglewood Mall. ``With the other half, it's, `Oops, I forgot.'''
Big this year are personalized cards, coupons and printed-while-you-wait certificates.
Only the lonely
And, for those of you who have no one but yourselves to splurge on, here's the perfect "from me, to me" Valentine's gift: "How to Date a Millionaire."
The book by L.A. Johnson offers tips on how to dress to get a wealthy man's attention (Navy blazers are good; tight leather suits aren't) and where to find a millionaire. (Don't bother hanging out at Denny's or professional wrestling matches. But you knew that already, didn't you?) Johnson says she's no rich supermodel, but she claims to have received 35 marriage proposals from wealthy men.
For a peek at the book, check out the Millionaire World Wide Web site at http://www.icw.com/million/index.html. It'll give you ordering information. Or write: L.A. Johnson, P.O. Box 11948, Salt Lake City, Utah 84147. The book costs $8.95 plus $2.55 postage and handling.
KEEPING THOSE ROSES FRESH
He finally remembered to send roses, and now you're not sure what to do with them (Hey, you've never gotten any practice, right?). With proper care, roses will stay pretty for four to five days. Here are some tips to keep your bouquet fresh.
Re-cut each stem, removing about 2 inches of dry stem so the flower can draw water. Use a sharp knife, and cut at a 45-degree angle so the stem doesn't stand flat against the bottom of the vase.
Use floral preservative, a mixture of sugar, acid and a bacteria-control agent that prolongs the life of cut flowers. Mix the powder - usually included with the bouquet - with warm water.
Display your flowers in a cool, draft-free place, out of direct sunlight. Don't store them in a refrigerator that contains fruit, because the ethylene gas produced from ripening fruit accelerates the decomposition of the flowers.
Keep the flowers watered. After three to four days, re-cut the stems and arrange with fresh preservatives.
To revive droopy stems, submerge the flowers - blossom and all - in warm water in a flat pan.
SOURCE: Virginia Cooperative Extension Service
960214 STORY rose tips TOPIC marketplace KEYWORDK AUTHOR:MEGANS02/14/96 8
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