Tag: romance

June’s Birth Flower: The Rose its history and secret language decoded

The Rose of June - Brought to you by Starbright Floral Design
The Birth Flower of June

The rose, June’s birth flower is rich in symbolism and myth.  Its image has been utilized  throughout history on such diverse topics as love, war, politics and beauty.

 

The Myths

The first rose of record is said to be in ancient Greece.  The Gods had a tendency to find beauty in tragedy.  It was one of these tragic moments that created the rose.   Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, created the rose when her tears mixed with the blood of Adonis, her lover.  The Romans, not fearful of copying the Greeks like a Xerox machine, created their own legend of the rose’s creation.  According to Roman legend, there was an incredibly beautiful maiden named Rhodanthe.  She was relentlessly pursued by suitors. Exhausted by their pursuit, Rhodanthe sought refuge in the temple of Diana.  Diana was jealous of Rhodanthe and when the suitors broke down her temple gates to get near Rhodanthe, she became furious. Diana’s rage led her to turn Rhodanthe into a rose and her suitors into thorns.    The rose’s appeal was farther reaching then just the west.  The Persians had their own tale of creation.  The Persian legend explains the creation of the red rose as well as the origin of the nightingale’s beautiful voice.  According to legend all roses were originally white and nightingales were ordinary birds who can only chirp.  One day the nightingale met a beautiful white rose and fell in love.   The nightingale’s love was so intense and his need to express his love so great that he was inspired to sing for the first time.  When the nightingale made his moves on the rose and pressed himself up against it the thorns pierced his heart, coloring the rose red.  If you are like me (Greek), clearly the Greek mythological tale is more appealing.  However, fossil evidence suggests that roses existed 35 million years ago, well before any of these myths suggest.

Symbolism

The rose’s symbolic value is not exclusive to England but was most widely used and popularized there.   The rose was first looked upon as a symbol of war.  A civil war that raged on from 1455-1487 between the House of York and the House of Lancaster.   The House of York adopted a white rose, the House of Lancaster was represented by a red rose. The war has been dubbed “The War of the Roses”.  The winner of this war, Tudor Henry VII (The Tudors), merged his Lancastrian rose with the rose of his York bride and thus the creation of the Tudor Rose, the Rose of England.

In later years the rose evolved into a form of language creating a secret means of communication between lovers.   In the mid 18th century the wife of the British ambassador in Constantinople described this language in her letters.  Largely due to the publication of her letters after her death, we have the code necessary to decipher the intricate language of roses.  For example if you want to ask your love interest “will you love me?”, send an open white rose.    Want to ask  “Don’t you love me any more?” , send an open yellow rose.      Want to say “I respect and look up to you” then send a bouquet of white roses.   Red roses signify  “forever I Love You”.  However a bouquet of red and white roses state “Together we are one and united”.  Want to declare your attraction to someone but don’t want to go as far as declaring your undying love, then purple roses are the way to go.  Colors alone aren’t enough to deliver the complex messages of love.  In combination with the colors, the number and degree of bloom of the roses have also been assigned meaning.  A dozen roses says  “Be Mine”.   Thirteen roses tells someone we’ll be friends forever.  Three dozen roses expresses “I’m head over heels in love!”.  Six dozen roses or more says “my love for you is limitless”.  In addition to its Victorian assigned message, this last one says “I’m a Starbright Gold club member”.

Regardless of its diverse assigned meanings, the one constant is the rose’s undeniable beauty.  The recipient of a beautiful arrangement of roses is always appreciative.

This and most scribes on this web log is brought to you by Starbright Floral Design.  We are a full-service florist located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District.  We deliver inspired floral compositions throughout Manhattan, all of New York City and everywhere beyond.  We invite you to visit our website at www.starflor.com.  Here you will be able to gain a broader perspective on our organization and on the work that we do.  You may CLICK HERE to visit our e-portal where  you may place an order for designer-inspired flower vases and arrangements, our orchids, plants and so much more.  We offer  same-day delivery to most parts of the United States.

We will be honored to be of service to you now and for a long time to come… Warm regards from all of us at Starbright, “The Official Florist of the City That  Never Sleeps”.

Flowers, Festivals and Celebrations – It is what we do!

Starbright Floral Design

150 West 28th Street – Studio 201, New York City

800.520.8999

www.starflor.com

 

The Secret is Out! The History of Valentine’s Day (who created it and why)

For the endless romantic in all of us...
Valentine's Day.... Monday 14 February 2011

Those in the know claim that Valentine’s Day holiday celebrations are derived from Roman tradition. Many pagan traditions, such as Holloween, were adopted in some form by Christianity.  One legend has it derived from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalis.  The festival involved the young women of Rome placing their names in an urn.  The young men would then draw a name of a woman who would be their sexual companion for the year.  In 496 AD the Pope in Rome declared it a Christian holiday to be observed on February 14 in honor of Saint Valentine, a Roman martyr who died in the third century.  The Roman Emperor Claudius II issued an edict forbidding marriage for young men.  Marriage made men emotionally attached to their family, therefore weak soldiers.  It is said Valentine was a Roman priest who was murdered because he held secret marriages in opposition to the emperor’s edict. Thus 14th of February became a day for all lovers and Valentine became its Patron Saint.

England climbed aboard the love train by the 18th century.  Gift-giving and exchanging hand-made cards on Valentine’s Day had become common. Hand-made valentine cards made of lace, ribbons, and featuring cupids and hearts became popular and handed to one’s love interest.  The tradition spread to the American colonies.  However, it wasn’t until the 1840’s when greeting cards were commercially produced that the holiday really caught on in the United States.  The first mass producer of the card were the brain child of Esther A. Howland.  The conspiracy theorist in me finds it extremely peculiar that the first mass marketer of Valentine’s Day, in an age when women’s rights were reserved to the right to keep quiet, was a woman.

Is it possible that Valentine’s Day was created by the sisterhood of women for the benefit of women for generations to come?  Here are some statistics:

85% of Valentine’s Day greetings cards are purchased by women-average price $1.99

75% of Valentine’s Day flowers are purchased by men-average price $85

75% of Valentine’s Day chocolates are purchased by men-average price $25

72% of Women polled would break up with their love interest if no gift is given on Valentine’s Day (the other 28% would accept a gift the day before or day after instead).

8% of men polled do not celebrate Valentine’s Day (100% of those men are alone)

Conclusion:  Valentine’s Day, from Roman times to today, created by women for women.  For that florists throughout say THANKS!

This scribe is brought to you by Starbright Floral Design, “The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps”.  Along the way we try to find and write about the fun side of flowers.  Starbright delivers flowers all over the world for the endless romantics everywhere.

Starbright Floral Design is the “Official Florist of Romance” and most of the time we deliver flowers, love, passion and hope everywhere in Manhattan and worldwide.  Sometimes we deliver yellow carnations.

Give us a call, visit our website or pop on in!  We would love to meet you….

Passionately yours,

The Official Florist

Starbright Floral Design

Located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District

150 West 28th Street, Studio 201.

T. 800.520. 8999

Web: www. starflor.com

E-commerce portal: www.starbrightnyc.co

 

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS AND HOW TO KEEP THEM

Happy New Year!

It’s that time of year again.  Time for introspection and goal setting for self-improvement.  Time for our New Year’s resolutions destined to fail.  All of us at Starbright are here to help.  Here are a list of the Top 9 New Year’s resolutions and our guidance in successfully accomplishing them.  Think of it as public service announcement…

1. Lose Weight and Get in Better Physical Shape

Everyone knows the benefit of physical activity to one’s health.  A suggestion to help accomplish this very important, perhaps lifesaving, goal.  When ordering your flowers and/or gift baskets think about coming by in person rather than telephonically or via internet.  Centrally located in the flower district we are walking distance to Times Square.  For an added benefit try using the stairs as we are located on the second floor.

2. Find My Soul Mate

Romance is alive and well as more and more people are looking for that special someone, their soul mate who lights their fire, the ONE whom they love unequivocally and who shares their worldview.   This one is easy.  What’s better received by a romantic interest than a beautiful bouquet of flowers by Starbright (with an added benefit-zero calories)?

3. Find a Better Job

A new year provides a sense of getting a free do-over, so you can try again and get it right. Many people resolve to find better jobs or to take a new approach to the jobs they’ve already got.   What better way to help a friend take the leap of faith than with delivery of flowers and/or gift baskets with an encouraging message attached.  Disregard this resolution if your friend is a concierge at one of the many hotels who choose Starbright for their needs.

4. Stick to a Budget

Many people find it very difficult to stick to a budget. It does take hard work and a lot of self-discipline, at least in the beginning.   Again we are here to help with a helpful suggestion.  Come the New Year send yourself a regularly scheduled weekly arrangement with a motivational reminder on the message card such as “STICK TO YOUR BUDGET BUT DON’T FORGET TO STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES”.

5. Get Organized

Resolve this year to plan your days, reduce interruptions, and clean off your desk.   The benefits of getting more organized include being able to save time, as you no longer look for the same things over and over again or need to replace things you can’t find at all.  Starbright is here to motivate.   Just think how beautiful any of our wide array of floral arrangements would look on your freshly organized desk or clutter free home.

6. Enjoy More Quality Time with Family & Friends

Resolve to spend more quality time with family and friends this year.   This one is easy as well.  Starbright offers quick and courteous delivery with the purchase of any of our products allowing you to spend quality time with loved ones.

7.  Go Green

More and more people are resolving to “Go Green”.  Starbright is all over it.  As one of the largest retailers in NYC we have a large collection of green flowers.  Including Hydrangea, Jade Roses, Bells of Ireland, Spider Mums and Cymbidium Orchids.  However, our designers would urge you to accent these green flowers with others such as red/yellow/pink Roses, Tulips, Lilies, Carnations etc.

8.  Passion

Resolve to become more passionate.  No doubt an amiable goal in life is to attack every day with love and youthful enthusiasm.  What leisurely pursuit can be more rewarding than creating a thing of beauty such as a bouquet of flowers.  Starbright is open to the public seven days a week.  Come tour our facility and pick out the flowers that light that passionate fire within you.  Along the way our designers will happily give you suggestions and/or assistance as you need it.  Come choose from a multitude of roses, lilies, orchids, tulips, peonies.  Anything your passionate heart desires we have it.

9.  Decrease Stress

Resolve to lower your stress and the stress of the people around you.  It is impractical to send people you love fish tanks filled with fish.  According to a recent MSNBC article flowers are the new fish tank.  Fish have been shown to lower stress levels in people who don’t fear being confined in small places.  Getting lost in the beauty of colorful floral arrangement has been shown to lower the stress level in all.  Send more flowers to those you love and encourage them to send you flowers.  Your health depends upon it!  Starbright Floral Design (800) 520-8999 (the 911 for stress relief).

Just jump on Facebook and give us some of your New Year’s Resolutions and our team of floral designers (humanitarians) will endeavor to suggest ways on how Starbright can help.

 

Starbright Floral Design is the “Official Florist of Romance” and  we deliver flowers, love, passion and hope everywhere in Manhattan and worldwide.  Now we deliver on New Year’s resolutions too!

 

Give us a call, visit our website or pop on in!  We would love to meet you….

 

Passionately yours,

 

The Official Florist

 

Starbright Floral Design

 

Located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District

150 West 28th Street, Studio 201.

T. 800.520. 8999

Web: www. starflor.com

E-commerce portal: www.starbrightnyc.com

 

 

Sending Flowers – How a Romantic Man Should…

Lavish her with flowers of the season...
It is amazing how you will be remembered by the flowers you send!

Well this is the second time I am writing on this subject as the first article that was written and met an overwhelmingly positive response.  Ka-billions of folks read it.  So without trying to rewrite the same article over again, I wanted to offer up a different perspective.

GUYS – your interest in a woman should be shown on many different levels.  Women notice little things and they will catch not only your little mistakes but also the little things that you do right.  So make your flower purchases part of what you do right.  Blow her away with the unexpected!

Here are some ideas to think about (I called them “rules” and then changed to “ideas” because there really are no “rules”):

Don’t send flowers only on the typical flower holidays (birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s, etc.).  If you limit your flower sending to just those types of days, you look predictable.  You appear as though you only send flowers because you could not figure out what else to do.  I am not saying NOT to send flowers on those occasions, but mix it up.  “Just because” is the BEST reason to send flowers of all.  If you do not have the budget to send flowers on the special days and on the non-special ones, then skip the birthday (do something else) and send flowers on one beautiful August morning with a note that says “I love you” or “Cannot stop thinking of you”!  It will mean a lot more because it is so unexpected and who does not want to be surprised?

Secondly, FORGET the dozen roses!  Again, roses make you look predictable (“ah just send her a dozen roses, all women love roses”… yada, yada).  Be a flower connoisseur (or at least look like one).   What is her favorite color?  Purple?  Then make her a bouquet of “everything purple” and so on.  Spend time with your florist in person or on the phone.  If your florist is unwilling to educate you and won’t spend time with you to share his love of flowers, then find a different florist.  Certainly if you come to Starbright (www.starflor.com) we would love to share our passion with you and you will walk away with a Bachelor’s in Romance!  Learn the names of flowers, learn how long they last, what is in season, and so on.

You want to keep things interesting.  Imagine that if you send her peonies or hydrangea she will for the rest of her life remember only you when she sees this flower.  If you send roses (I hate to say this) but how many men do you think will come to mind?  Do you stand a chance of standing out?  Send interesting and unusual flowers!  There are enough varieties and colors for you to select from that you will never have to send the same flowers twice even if you send flowers ever week for an entire year.  Invest a little bit of time and your education will more than pay off.

Lastly, all these e-romance websites can claim all they want about having the best track record for bringing people together, making the most compatible matches and so on… While I cannot statistically prove this, I will claim that the following is true:

Send flowers to someone you love and the scent of the flowers will remind them of you for a very long time.  Flowers do keep romances alive, they make men sensitive and keep couples in love.  Make flowers your secret weapon and the special person in your life will be there forever.

Falling in love, Starbright Style is a truly unique experience.  We deliver fresh flowers daily anywhere in Manhattan or around the world.  Starbright is a full service florist and flower delivery service located on 28th Street in New York City in the heart of “New York City’s Historic Flower District.  Visit us at 150 West 28th Street (2nd floor), call us at 800.520.8999 or you can visit our website at www.starflor.com to gain a much broader perspective on the work that we do.

Starbright Floral Design is the most reviewed and highest rated florist in Manhattan (by Citysearch) and also was voted the Best Florist in our area for your wedding as voted by The Knot (dot com).

“The Official Florist of the City That Never Sleeps” is also “The Official Florist of Romance”.

With love,

The Official Florist

Starbright Floral Design

150 West 28th Street, Studio 201, New York City.

Telephone: 800.520.8999

WEB address: www.starflor.com

E-Commerce Portal: www.starbrightnyc.com

Starbright Floral Design is Back in the Blogosphere…

Visit Starbright for Bright Fall Sunshine
There are many bright colors available year-round... These are just some of them!

Hello Friends!

After a long hiatus from our blog and as our scribes grew stale, we needed to jump-start our adventure all over again.  I wanted to title this entry “Starbright is Back” but that would not have been accurate as we never went away.  Our amazing flowers have been around all year-long and our decor has graced more venues than you can possibly imagine.  We have really had a fun year so far.

So much fun in fact that while we did not forget to blog, the truth is that we lost our stride.  Our fingers clamped up and the writing side of our brain stopped thinking (or writing what we thought!).  Anyways, here we are and  I almost would  like to take a moment to reintroduce ourselves, who we are and what we do….

Starbright Floral Design (www.starflor.com) was started in 1994 fifteen years ago as a premier floral provider to the special event and hospitality markets of New York City.  Since then we have grown to offer world-wide delivery of flowers, plants, orchids and gifts of all  sorts.  We have  won many awards and  accolades (both local and national), but what we are the most proud of is the reviews that you will see about Starbright online.

If you  go to Citysearch, Yelp or even Google, you will see that we are one of the most reviewed florists nationally and certainly the most reviewed in Manhattan.

Stay tuned for many great articles that are getting ready to come down the pike.  In the meantime, if you would  like to send someone amazing flowers give  us a call at 1-800-520-8999.  Or you can visit our website at www.starflor. com.  We would love to hear from you and help in every way that we can.

Many thanks to all our friends and  clients.  We will always look forward to being of service.

Warm regards,

The  Official Florist.

Starbright Floral Design – The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps

We are  located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District.  On 28th Street, in Chelsea – between 6th and 7th Avenue.

 

Roses – Creativity, Style and Love

A Sphere of Black Magic Roses
A lavander phaleonopsis orchid plant
A clutch bouquet of miniature calla lillies

Tom S. is our Creative Director and the Arbiter of Style for Starbright.  Tom sees into the future and keeps our design styles ahead of the curve.  For Valentine’s Day 2010 he has some thoughts to share and has written the article below… Enjoy!

As Valentine’s Day quickly approaches, I stop to ponder Gertrude Stein’s famous quote, “A rose is a rose is a rose.”  During this time of year, our store is inundated with requests for red rose arrangements.  It is not atypical to have over 15,000 long stem red roses in our fridge during the week of Valentine’s Day.  While roses are gorgeous and will always remain a popular declaration of one’s love and devotion, I have to agree with Stein.  A rose really IS a rose.

Luckily, we are prepared with other creative and unique options that should appeal to most couples.  Why limit yourself to a vase of red roses?  During the Valentine season, the price of roses can be shocking.  Our wholesale cost goes up, supplies of the best roses become scarce and customers can see that reflected in the price of a dozen roses.  Instead of roses, consider sending a lush, hand tied nosegay of eggplant colored calla lilies.  With their sculptural shape that has been eroticized by artists such as Georgia O’Keefe and Robert Mapplethorpe, calla lilies should evoke a passionate response from any recipient.

Orchids are another option that will both delight and inspire.  The exotic shapes, textures and colors of the orchid speak to the tropical fantasies of many lovers.  During the winter months, wouldn’t it be wonderful to remind your loved one of your past trip to the islands?  Perhaps the flowers will help to promote a future trip.  One benefit of orchids that can not be overstated is their longevity.  While long stem roses typically last an average of five days, fresh cut orchids will remain lovely for up to two weeks.  An orchid plant can last months, and they are deceptively easy to care for.  For a masculine approach to the orchid, a floating cymbidium stem artfully arranged inside a glass cylinder is a very modern choice. This option is long lasting and costs about $25 less than a dozen roses.

If your other half is more traditional and may be disappointed if they don’t receive roses, let us become creative to come up with a special mixed arrangement.  Rather than the typical tall vase, try a tight and compact cube arrangement.  Not only will the flowers be easier to bring home, they will last longer!  Low and lush arrangements are a modern trend and appeal to most discerning costumers.  Hydrangea, tulips, and roses make a romantic mix certain to please even the most persnickety lover. Because the roses are being added to other flowers, the cost will be significantly less then a solo vase of roses.  While cost is often not the deciding factor when choosing a gift for someone special, in these times it is very nice to have some economical options.

As a floral designer, my opinion of roses may be negatively influenced by the scars and calluses I’ve acquired from years of Valentine’s Day thorns.  However, I have the unique opportunity to see the wide of variety of flowers available to customers during this romantic holiday.  While roses are certainly the star of the show, there are many flowers that are waiting in the wings for their moment to shine.  No matter what, when the flowers are sent with love, they transcend and aspire to more than Stein’s observation.  “A rose is a rose is a rose…” unless it comes from you!

About Starbright Floral Design: We are located in New York City in the heart of the historic flower district.  We are in a loft on the second floor of our building on 28th Street, right by Seventh Avenue.  We deliver to all of New York City ourselves (and beyond).  This holiday season we have some amazing Valentine’s styles for you to choose from.  Give us a call (800.520.8999), stop by (150 West 28th Street, Suite 201) or visit our website (www.starflor.com)

A Man’s Guide to Sending Flowers – the truth about roses…

Red tulips in a modern cylindrical vase with leaf wrap treatment
Red tulips in a modern cylindrical vase with leaf wrap treatment

All too often men (mostly) do not know what to send to their romantic interest, their partner, wife or significant other.   Often the “safe choice” is a dozen roses.  If we are in trouble then the safer choice is to two dozen roses!  It seems that we (men) have this philosophy that the bigger the problem that we are trying to overcome, the more roses we tend to send!

In many instances the thought goes something like – “Eh, I don’t know a thing about flowers, all women like roses, don’t they?”  That looks like a safe choice!  Well the truth is that everyone loves receiving flowers and nobody will ever doubt the sincerity of the thought that goes along with a bouquet of roses.  You thought about her!  What could possibly be wrong with that?

There is nothing wrong with it!  You can, however, do much better!  Often times, for less money and with more of an emotional impact and with a deeper display of emotion and sensitivity.  Take the time to educate yourself about flowers.  Learn about different varieties and what is in season.

With time, if you send flowers often (and you should!), you will not be as boring!  The question, the anticipation becomes “what flowers did he send me this time?”.  When you surprise her a few times a year with a bouquet of red roses (in between other flowers), the flower has a deeper impact.  You are no longer the guy that does not know a thing about flowers, you sent roses for a reason and they will mean so much more!

Take the time to learn about flowers.  You don’t need to spend a whole long of time doing it.  A few moments here and there on our website (www.starflor.com) will give you a great visual impact of what you may or may not like.  Reading our blog from time to time will spring an idea forward.

What colors different flowers come in and what their seasons are… There are tulips, orchids, amaryllis, sunflowers, hydrangea, peonies and so much more… Learn about these blooms and send a surprise!  Go to our website (www.starflor.com) and click on FLOWER ENCYCLOPDIA. You will not be the same old boring guy!  You will be sensitive, understanding, interesting and a real hero!  Try it once!

Here are a few more hints – now that I have your attention:  Talk to the florist who will make the arrangement.  Ask him/her for advice.  Ask what came in today, what is really fresh.

Never send a “contrived” arrangement that looks like grandma’s favorite in a cute but overpriced container!  Keep it simple.  Only send flowers, stems, vase and water (nothing else).  Make sure that you don’t mix too many colors and too many varieties in one arrangement.  It becomes more expensive but “cheapens” the presentation.  Mixed flowers are never as dramatic.

I have nothing against roses – they are an amazing bloom and you should keep them in your repertoire.  Just don’t send them exclusively!  If you sent roses last time, send a vase of purple orchids this time!  Get creative with the message on the card and watch what happens!  Let me know!!!!!