Oscar Goody/Goodie/Gift Bags 2004
Here at last are the results of a week of research. Contents of the coveted official Oscar gift bags are not publicized by the powers that be who run the Oscars. Companies that contribute gifts often put out press releases, though this year the Oscar folks ordered them to stay mum until February 23rd. One good source of discovering the more unique items are local news stories about shops in town who have been asked to contribute items. Case in point, I'm still trying to find the actual gift behind a cryptic Wisconsin TV news teaser advertising an interview with "a Wisconsin man who made a product that will be in all Oscar star's goody bags." Complicating the list compilation are the "unofficial" bags and gifts that are given out to the celebrities by other companies. These items are often mixed in with the official gift bag reports. Here first is a selection of these "other" bags.

Buzz Bags is a company that puts together gift bags, and thus they are creating their own buzz by hand-delivering loot valued at $12,000 to this year's Best Actor/Actress and Best Supporting Actor/Actress nominees. They're certainly not shy about the vast list of contributers to their bag; you can read the lengthy list on their home page. Included are a consultation with a hair restoration surgeon, African safari, hands on dim sum instruction, and a 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition PEZ dispenser.

Revlon is handing out a "Red Carpet Bag" full of their products, valued at $2,500. It will be given to this year's nominees "on the red carpet" as well as to presenters and other celebrity style setters. So keep an eye out when you're walking down that red carpet!

Distinctive Assets, another company that puts together gift bags, and Caesars Palace teamed up to create a gift bag for losers. That's right, only the nominees in the six major categories who don't win a statue get to go home with this bag of goodies valued at $32,000. The main feature is, of course, a trip to Caesars Palace with plenty of perks and gift certificates to smooth away the sorrow of losing the Oscar. A unique addition are one-of-a-kind mosaics made of painted eggshells placed on small wooden boxes, created by Kansas artist Sherri Lindsay.

And now here's what I've culled from a week of searching the wires for those press releases and news reports. It's likely that some of these items are not in the official bag but got mixed up in news articles. Also, I'm certain this is not a complete list. If you saw the aforementioned TV show in Wisconsin, drop me a line. Heck, if you got an official gift basket, drop me a line!

a Victoria's Secret jewelled pink bra-and-panty set with a detachable diamond brooch, fragrances, and other items worth $7,000 for Best Actress nominees
a coupon for laser eye surgery
gold accented Havaianas flip flops
Manolo Blahnik leather "My Shoes for the Weekend" bag, with pouches sized perfectly for three pairs of Manolos. It comes with matching suede sandals
Hermes cashmere shawl/blanket
La Grande Dame Veuve Cliquot champagne
pair of Baccarat crystal earrings or crystal lighter
Baccarat champagne flutes
Estee Lauder products, including a “crystal glow” sugar rub and a “calming body spray", plus spa treatments for recipient and a guest
round-trip tickets to anywhere Song Airways flies
Crest Whitening Expressions toothpaste
Kiehl's gift set, value $500
"the ultimate HDTV package": VOOM high-definition satellite and 12 months of programming service as well as a 43-inch Samsung DLP HDTV. Value: $6,000
Peacock Black Pearl Collection gift set including an 18-inch necklace, seven-inch bracelet, and stud earrings, from PearlParadise.com.
“Canadian Adventure” package:
-a one-night stay at Whistler Platinum
-a day of skiing on Whistler Blackcomb
-helicopter transfer between Vancouver and Whistler
-private tour of Canada's premier family-owned winery, Mission Hill Family Estate
-three nights at Opus Hotel in Yaletown, Vancouver
-dinner at Elixir restaurant
-air tour of Vancouver
DuWop cosmetics in a custom-designed gold and silver striped tube along with a yoga mat and yoga pants
a private, $1,500 steak dinner at Morton's
$500 Krups espresso machine
A pair of round-trip business-class tickets on Air New Zealand from L.A. to Auckland
5-night stay at New Zealand's Treetops Lodge & Estate in secluded Rotorua, New Zealand (above airfare may be used separately)
Two nights in a suite at The Carlyle Hotel
SeaDream seven-day cruise for two to the Mediterranean or Caribbean
Pollaro Custom Furniture $5,000 gift certificate
Christina Oxenberg Knitwear neck scarf or shawl
French perfume bottled in Baccarat crystal emblazoned with the nominee's moniker
Charles Worthington shampoo gift pack ("made-in-Wales with a cool £4,295 price tag")
gift certificate for a free TAZ I from Tight Systems, a personal video and media player
GINGI skincare products
Once again, Motorola is giving out cell phones, not yet available to the public. The V600 cell phone, equipped with an activated SIM card. It comes in a custom-made box, engraved with the recipient's name, in the shape of an old-time film camera that features an audio snippet of Mel Torme's classic rendition of "You Oughta Be in Pictures."
Kyocera 7135 Smartphone with the Sherwood Personal Security Mobile Security Protection package included
PCS Vision Video Phone VM4050 by Toshiba, courtesy of Sprint, personalized with an engraved monogram and ringtones and screensavers from the appropriate movie
Personalized Anastasia diamond tweezers with an 18kt white gold chain and heart-shaped diamond (for Best Actress nominees, value $2,000)
a limited edition tin of Altoids mints, encrusted with crystals. Each tin takes up to 10 hours to create.
Nyakio’s African black tea candle
Jelly Bag (like these, basically a rubber version of the Hermes Birkin)
a $750 piece from the new Talismania collection, the new jewelry line from porcelain sculptors Lladro
Tina Earnshaw Makeup set
chocolate-covered strawberries from Brymm Berries in Houston, TX
A glass ornament in the shape of a shopping bag with the Oscar logo, handcrafted in Europe, designed by Lisa Kelechava of Tennessee
...and something made by some guy in Wisconsin
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Thursday, February 26, 2004

Random trivia item of the week: When researching bed & breakfast inns on the island of Maui you will discover that inns with B&B licenses from Maui County are not allowed, by law, to bake or cook breakfast for their guests. They still serve breakfast, of course, but it typically consists of fresh fruit, baked goods from local suppliers, and the old standby of granola or cereal. Guests are allowed to toast their own bread and bagels, and, I'm going to guess, cook their own entire meals if the hosts allow it.
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Almond growers need honeybees, and lots of them. The interesting workings of almond agriculture are revealed as almond farmers discuss the bee shortage. 80% of the world's almond supply is grown in the Central Valley of California, and it takes 1 million hives of bees to pollinate the 530,000 acres of almond groves. The state has 440,000 bee hives and beekeepers from other states drive their hives in each year to supplement them. One farmer reported paying $54 to rent a hive, up from $44 last year. The growth of almond acreage is not the only factor for the bee shortage. Parasitic mites are taking a toll on hive populations and an estimated 10,000-15,000 hives were burned in Southern California fires last year. The Gilroy Beekeepers website blames the yearly mass migration of bees to the almond groves for spreading the mites and other diseases among hives. Approximately one-third of the human diet is derived directly or indirectly from insect-pollinated plants.
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Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Seattle's Museum of History & Industry is offering a one-time tour of the city's neon signs. Jay Blazek from Western Neon will lead the tour to old city signs that many natives hold close to their hearts. The museum has been trying to collect neon signs that have outlived their buildings and businesses.
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Eclectica, most of it vintage, is gathered together at the Tick Tock Toys Archive. Browse the Kids Food archive to see packaging from decades past. Hundreds of cereal boxes are gathered together for your perusal. And there's store displays galore. (via memepool)
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Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Perhaps the hype was too hot. Per Se, Thomas Keller's much anticipated "French Laundry on the east coast" suffered a kitchen fire on Saturday (NY Times link). It was a small electrical fire, put out in 15 minutes, but among the casualties may be the $85,000 custom made Bonnet cooktop and oven which was completely doused with water. Open only six days prior, Per Se now has the unfortunate task of informing diners that their coveted reservations will not come to fruition. The estimated time to reopening is "at least" two weeks, with the famed perfectionist tendencies of Mr. Keller no doubt playing a large role in the uncertainty.
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It's almost Oscar time, so the GirlHacker's Random Log search 'bots are busy compiling our annual list of the contents of the coveted gift bag from press releases and news reports. Look for a posting later in the week (and our 'bots are hoping some nice media outlet will help out with an almost complete list by then to make their job easier). The bag is already plenty full with lovely products of five figure value. As a preview of sorts, this little news item caught our eye. Singer Alison Krauss will be attending the Oscars carrying a Treo 600 smartphone. Designed by Stuart Weitzman and palmOne, the phone will be encrusted with 3,000 clear and cognac-colored topaz cut Swarovski crystals. But the phone pales in comparison to her matching Weitzman shoes which are decorated with diamonds, including a 5-carat amaretto diamond, and valued at $2 million. The press release claims the phone and shoes are a matched set, but shouldn't the phone be clad in diamonds too then? Well, some reports state that although Alison has to return the shoes after the show, she gets to keep the phone and a replica of the shoes covered instead with Swarovski crystals, so her takeaway will truly be a matched set, if not as pricey.
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Monday, February 23, 2004

Founded in 1877, Schoenstein & Co. creates and repairs pipe organs. Its Mission District building is a San Francisco Registered Landmark. Records of all 151 organs the company has built are kept in filing cabinets. Organs are designed specifically for their future residence and the final voicing process once one is installed can take three months. The waiting list for a new organ is currently at four years. With annual sales of $2 million to $3 million, Schoenstein & Co. isn't poised for riches, but the owner and employees treat their work as a labor of love, receiving immense enjoyment from the challenge and variety of their craft.
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Archeologists excavating caves near the Dead Sea discovered a cache of women's accessories dating from the 6th century B.C. There was a makeup kit consisting of an alabaster bowl for powders, applicator stick, and a bronze mirror. Metal detectors turned up a gold necklace with 130 beads of semiprecious stones, a scarab, an agate medallion, and a silver pendant with an engraved crescent moon and pomegranates. It's a fascinating look at what was in vogue 2,500 years ago.
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Friday, February 20, 2004

Despite hopes for a fall 2004 launch, NASA has decided to postpone the next space shuttle launch until at least March 2005. Backup safety plans for the flight include having a second shuttle ready to launch on a rescue mission if necessary. All future shuttle flights will focus on the International Space Station, which allows them to have a "pit stop" to inspect the shuttle and perform any repairs. Engineers are working on repair kits and inspection booms. Shuttle Discovery has been picked to be the next up.
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"It was an exacting mission. Gruelling. If I break it down, it was the hardest thing I have ever done for a film. Sword fights and all that sort of thing are nothing compared to learning the violin." So says Russell Crowe, speaking of his experience learning the instrument for his role in Master and Commander. He had three violin coaches for the film, one of which was fellow Australian (though, strictly speaking, Crowe was born in New Zealand), Richard Tognetti. The two met when Crowe pulled out cash to sponsor the drinks at Tognetti's Australian Chamber Orchestra concert at Carnegie Hall in the early 1990s. When the original drinks sponsor backed out, audience member Crowe was approached to be the hero. He and Tognetti made a connection and are now close friends. Tognetti speaks well of Crowe's efforts to learn the violin in a mere four months, enough so that he could appear to be playing in sync with the soundtrack. Tognetti contributed to the score of the film and also plays what Crowe appears to be playing.
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Thursday, February 19, 2004

Next on the list of edible evils, after partially hydrogenated oils, comes high fructose corn syrup. Our bodies process fructose differently from sucrose (table sugar) and although there's no agreement on whether it is the high fructose corn syrup itself to blame or just our overconsumption of it, obesity rates began to climb right after its mass introduction. Interestingly, fructose does not appear to activate the hormones that turn off our appetites. And a few studies have shown that fructose consumption increases the level of circulating fats in the bloodstream. It can be difficult to avoid high fructose corn syrup; it's in most sodas, "fruit" drinks, even yogurts and breads. As a general rule, eating fewer processed foods is the safe bet to make.
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There must be some sort of puppet alignment of planets or other cosmic convergence going on. Crossing the radar Wednesday were the following items: Angel (of the TV show Angel) turning into a "wee little puppet man!" for an episode. Publicity for an upcoming episode of West Wing where Elmo, Big Bird, Zoe and Rosita will visit the White House and film a public-service announcement with the (TV-land) First Lady. And, to top it off, Disney's buying the Muppets. Disney tried to close a deal with Jim Henson's company in the 1990, however it fell apart shortly after Jim Henson's death. German company EM.TV bought The Jim Henson Co. in 2000 and sold some characters (Big Bird, Oscar) to Sesame Street. The Henson family bought their company back last year. Now Disney is getting Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and all their close pals.
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Wednesday, February 18, 2004

When I'm at the library, I browse. Sometimes I'm looking for a specific book, but I always take time to browse. I find many lesser known gems. At the previous three public libraries I've used, the selection has been satisfying. Unfortunately, my current library system has opted to spread out the wealth. The county library system has a staggering number of branches. I never feel that one library's selections is enough. Invariably when I search through the catalog for something I want, the books I seek are scattered about in various branches, with little overlap. I can request a book from any branch, of course, which is convenient. But I despair at the reduced quantity for browsing at any one branch. Selfishly, I'd rather have more of the books together in one place. This article from the Twin Cities examines those books that are left to wait on the shelf, the "shelf sitters" and long forgotten best-sellers. The St. Paul library system has 6,425 mystery novels stored in the lower level of one branch -- but it's not open to the public! Oh, the misery! (via Romenesko)
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Detailed oriented is perhaps an understatement for those putting the final touches on a Steinway Model D. The N.Y. Times' penultimate chapter of their series on the construction of Steinway grand piano No. K0862 follows the almost completed instrument through its final days in the factory. There is the meticulous tone regulator who tweaks the hammers, planes the keybed, weights the keys, lacquers the hammers. Then there are numerous inspections both for sound and cosmetics. One of the keytops is completely replaced. An inspector hears a slight metallic noise and discovers a loose screw rolling about on the soundboard. Nicks are sanded out, the painted logo is fixed up. And at last K0862 is off to Steinway Hall for its first showing.
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Tuesday, February 17, 2004

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the gigantic Seattle Home Show, the Seattle P.I. takes a look back at a few of the revolutionary items that were introduced there in 1939: a completely automatic bread toaster, effective laundry soaps that eliminate the need for boiling, and irons that hold water for steaming out wrinkles. Amongst the marvels of this year's show are five model homes squeezed under the seats of the Seahawks Exhibition Center with plenty of room left over for 600 exhibitors in the center itself. And these aren't little doll houses, one measures in at 2800 square feet.
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There are no actual airplane parts at the Boeing surplus store, but that doesn't mean there aren't other fascinating items to be found. Open on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday the store is located in Kent, Washington. Although much of the offerings are office-related (desks, chairs, computers), they do sell surplus airplane making supplies like upholstery, carpet, and tools. And the article claims they have, in the past, sold the "chicken cannon," "a 10-foot-long pneumatic gun used at a test site to fire dead chickens at aircraft wings to check their resilience to fowl collisions." There's a conversation piece to end all conversation.
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Thursday, February 12, 2004

I really want Jelly Belly to create pomegranate flavored jelly beans.
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Pike Place Market holds its second annual BBQ & Chili Cookoff this Sunday. The chili portion of the event is a sanctioned Chili Appreciation Society International competition. Their official cookoffs culminate each November with the Terlingua International Chili Championship. Winning cooks at sanctioned competitions receive points towards an invitation to compete at the "grandaddy of all chili cookoffs."
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Wednesday, February 11, 2004

MIT students study chocolate like the good scientists and geeks that they are. In various yummy lectures and other meetings held during IAP (the winter independent activities period), students participated in chocolate tastings, learned about the science of chocolate, made edible sculptures, and had a Battle of the Brownies. These activities were held under the auspices of a new student organization, The MIT Laboratory for Chocolate Science, and caught the attention of the N.Y. Times.
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Back in April 2002 I wrote about a Boston Globe article which researched the potential competition between the ubiquitous New England icon, Dunkin' Donuts, and the prolific newcomer (in relative terms) Starbucks. The Globe predicted that although Dunkin' Donuts did 40% of its business in coffee, it had nothing to worry about from Starbucks as each was seeking a different clientele. Dunkin' Donuts is fast food; Starbucks is leisure and luxury. Not only that, the article mentioned that the strong Starbucks taste may be too much for New Englanders accustomed to a milder coffee. I capped off my summary with a skeptical statement: "Tastes can change." (original post)

Two years later, the Wall Street Journal reports that Starbucks is achieving growth by opening stores in blue-collar communities and catering to typical Dunkin' Donuts clientele. Starbucks Coffee is "an affordable luxury" and many in the lower income neighborhoods don't hesitate to pay $4.00 for a grande Frappuccino. Concurrently, Dunkin' Donuts is looking at a new line of Italian brews that are still fast and cheap. It's espresso for the masses. Yup, you can now get cappuccinos and lattes in Dunkin' Donuts. A shot is 99 cents (Starbucks rings in at $1.45) and they've invested in equipment and training to create the drinks quickly but with authentic flavor. Tastes change, indeed, and luxury always has a veneer of good taste.(via Obscure Store)
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Tuesday, February 10, 2004

The World Wildlife Fund and Norwegian Polar Institute post tracking data online for two polar bears they have radio-collared. Yana and Lena roam around an island on the Barents Sea. They are the second set of bears to be tracked on the site. An earlier pair were tagged in 2000. All are female.
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There's fun soda information browsing to be had at Real Soda in Real Bottles and its accompanying commerce site Soda King where you can buy the real stuff in real bottles.
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Monday, February 09, 2004

Here's a fun look at life behind the Starbucks counter as wine writer Natalie Maclean recalls her time as a barista-in-training. Prior to in-store training baristas are schooled in corporate history and the art of coffee tasting and roasting. Then they get to wrestle with the espresso machine and milk frother. The uniform is black on black, green apron. no nailpolish or perfume allowed. Baristas are a part of the total experience of that luxury cup of coffee. (via Medley)
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Northern California dialect? Linguists at Stanford have identified a "Northern California Vowel Shift" and it began with teen-aged girls. Californians used to speak like the state's mainly New York transplants, with a mix of foreign influences. Now native births are the main source of population growth instead of immigration. That shift contributes to a unique dialect, constructed by the younger female generation and sometimes picked up by young males and older females. It has some characteristics of that ol' 80s Valley Girl speak, but is unique to itself. The emphasis on the young girls' contribution to dialect change makes me wonder whether the evolution of spoken human language has had times of predominantly female influence. Nowadays it seems as if people pick up their "speak" from favorite television shows, which flattens out dialects into TV demographic target groups.
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Too cute puppy in two cute postings at pb's. Note comment: "The cat is not amused."
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Friday, February 06, 2004

I had heard radio advertisements for last night's Late Show with David Letterman so I was surprised when I realized the program was a repeat. That was not the original plan. Snowboarder Tara Dakides, a guest on Thursday's show, fell 25 feet from a ramp that had been set up outside the studio to showcase her stunts. She landed on her back and was taken to the hospital. Letterman halted taping and went to visit her in the hospital. Dakides had some stitches in the back of her head and is in stable condition.
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Why have colored candles when you can have colored flames? Color Flames distributes Magic Corona, a line of lamps and oils that burn with flames of red, yellow, green, or blue. This being the Internet, of course you can easily find instructions for making your own colored flames -- in the fireplace anyway.
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Thursday, February 05, 2004

Descriptions of the interior of Seattle's new library sound intriguing, though the spacious environment seems intimidating. The P.I. writes that the inside "is an education for anyone who thinks of libraries as cozy, softly lit structures with oak bookshelves, a few desks and a card catalog in the center of it all." I must be a conservative when it comes to library interiors. I like the exterior design of the building. But I prefer that the insides of libraries be all about the books, shelved in nice, straight, usable lines, not "a continuous spiral that will ramp up four levels." And I don't really need 40 foot ceilings. Chances are, I'll like how the interior looks from an aesthetic point of view. But I'll be yearning for the cozy libraries of yore. $165 million (and cost overruns estimated at $8.4 million to $16.9 million) gets you a heck of a lot more than books on straight shelves. As a city showpiece, it could be worth it. As a library, well, maybe it will encourage more people to read.
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"I believe a modern chef can have six or seven restaurants but only one kitchen. Mine is the French Laundry." So says Thomas Keller, whose highly anticipated Per Se restaurant opens this month in New York's Time Warner Center. The perfectionist and control freak has tapped Jonathan Benno as head chef and 18 other French Laundry alumni to work the new kitchen. But when he heads back to Yountville in Napa, he'll be literally looking over their shoulders with a state of the art plasma screen and live video link. The French Laundry is currently closed for renovations while Keller puts the final touches on Per Se's opening. He'll be heading back west sometime in the spring. (2nd link via Saute Wednesday)
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Wednesday, February 04, 2004

I might have something illegal in my cupboard. Since 1968 it has been against the law to import Sichuan peppercorns into the United States. Enforcement has been lax until the last couple years. These reddish-brown berries are one of the components of five spice powder. Because the plant belongs to the citrus family, the peppers are on the USDA's banned list as citrus plants may carry a canker which is harmful to our citrus crops. Recent changes to the field inspectors' manual has resulted in strict enforcement of the Sichuan peppercorn ban and stores have reported that their stock has been confiscated. Apparently if you know where to go and how to ask (in Chinese of course) you can still find it in some markets. And you can try sneaking it across the border from Canada, but you risk a $1,000 fine. There is actually no evidence that this spice has actually ever transmitted the canker. (source: NY Times article)
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German researchers have concluded that singing is good for your health, and as usual with these summaries of scientific studies I'm left wondering what is truly behind the watered down news report. The research compared levels of immunoglobulin A and cortisol in the blood of choir members after singing the Mozart Requiem and after merely listening to a recording of it. Levels were higher after they had sung the Requiem. The mood of the singers was also improved. But singing involves excellent breathing technique which raises oxygen levels. A better or at least additional control would be to have the singers breathe deeply for the same amount of time as the Requiem and see if they have similar improvements.
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Tuesday, February 03, 2004

The New York Times Book Review is seeking a new editor and with it may come significant changes in focus. A summary of an interview with executive editor Bill Keller stated the new direction as: "Emphasize non-fiction books. Demote literary fiction. Promote (judiciously) commercial novels. Cover the book industry more and individual titles less." Keller was quoted as saying "Because we are a newspaper, we should be more skewed toward nonfiction." Perhaps he should consider deleting the entire arts & entertainment section while he's at it, or review only documentary movies. In subsequent interviews he backtracked a bit, and ultimately the decision may belong to the lucky one who takes over the editor vacancy. There is ongoing concern that, with its deep influence, whatever path the Book Review takes, the publishing industry will follow along behind.
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Oops. In a performance with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, one of The Flying Karamazov Brothers' juggling pins got away and landed on a violin. The bridge was snapped in half, no details were given on any further damage to the 270+ year old instrument. The Brothers were appropriately apologetic and are arranging for repairs.
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Monday, February 02, 2004

Back in the early 1990s, which used to seem like just yesterday, MTV began airing The Real World which featured a group of twenty-somethings from different backgrounds who had to live together while being filmed constantly. It was the, dare I say, innocent age of reality TV, a far cry from where we are today. Controversy came from racial tension and "naive southern girl adapts to big city" moments. Every episode ended with the production logo of Bunim-Murray. This being MTV, I pictured Mary-Ellis Bunim as a young producer, a fresh-faced Tabitha Soren type. I was wrong. Bunim came from a long history of daytime TV, producing soaps like "Search for Tomorrow" and "As the World Turns." Her pioneering reality TV work continued through to the current age of the ubiquitous genre. Mary-Ellis Bunim died last week, aged 57, after a long battle against breast cancer. Her many microcosms live on.
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Mmmm, tastes like chicken! Well, actually, it's supposed to taste good with chicken. Samuel Adams is launching a chocolate beer to celebrate Valentine's Day. In partnership with Scharffen Berger Chocolate, they've brewed up a Chocolate Bock using cocoa beans from Ghana. In a random phone sampling of 1019 adults commissioned by Samuel Adams, men chose chocolates and beer as their top Valentine's Day gifts. No word on whether chicken was on the list of their favorite Valentine's Day meals.
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