Mr Anniversary Gift

Research commissioned by a leading exhibitions company has revealed the magnitude of the wedding industry in the region with the average cost of a wedding in the UAE now standing at DHS 300,000 (approx US$ 82,000) .

Results of an independent survey carried out at this year’s Bride Show Dubai show that 43 per cent of respondents who were planning a wedding proposed to spend more than Dhs 100,000 on their nuptuals with 12 per cent planning to shell out a staggering Dhs 500,000 or more.  Full Article on Albawaba.com

I don't know about you, but that seems rather steap to me. 

Can you even imagine how many paper roses $82,000 would buy?

I'm sayin' you could have One heck of a wedding and lifelong anniversaries at that same price.

Hollywood tough guy RUSSELL CROWE is an incurable romantic at heart who will do anything to impress the woman of his dreams. GLADIATOR star Crowe courted DANIELLE SPENCER for 14 years from 1989 until their marriage in 2003, and once made dinner aboard a 150 seat boat. He says, "The only boat I could get sat 150 people. But I wanted a kitchen because I wanted to cook for her. So this thing arrived and I thought, 'Oh my God.' It was just massive. "I had all this fresh scampi and I was in the kitchen but it was almost a three minute walk to get from the galley to where she was sitting on the deck. "It could be a comedy in itself. She thought it was way over the top."

source

I'd bet Russell Crowe would even consider sending dozens and dozens of paper roses to the love of his life!

Roses – the “little black dress” of the garden

The latest issue of NZ Gardener celebrates the arrival of that timeless classic, the rose, with a special extended feature on the best roses for summer.

“Roses are the little black dresses of the gardening world – they never go out of fashion. They are true classics, and much like a stylish dress, can turn heads and melt hearts,” says Lynda Hallinan, editor.

“Late spring and early summer is when roses are at their best, and our special feature will give rose lovers plenty of ideas for the perfect bloom this season.”

The magazine’s team of experts share their top picks for the best pink, apricot and white roses, as well as their personal all-time favourites. The issue also includes tips for caring for your roses - in the garden and out, and the best companion plants to complement your rose garden.

Auckland’s Eden Garden, a lush public garden that sits on the slopes of Mt Eden and is home to this country’s largest collection of camelias, is November’s North Island Garden of the Month. In direct contrast is the South Island Garden of Ida Valley, Central Otago - a private paradise where the challenges of searing hot summers and glacial winters make gardening an extreme sport.

To mark the much-anticipated Ellerslie International Flower Show, the November issue of NZ Gardener includes a copy of the show’s official 2006 programme, with helpful information on the expert speakers, show gardens, 2006 awards and judges.

Source

I'd never thought about the rose as the little black dress, but it sure is fitting - isn't it?

Technorati Tags : roses, garden, black+dress

Many anniversaries have special names. Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home by Emily Post, published in 1922, contained suggestions for wedding anniversary gifts for 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50 and 75 years. Wedding anniversary gift suggestions for other years were added in later editions and publications; they now comprise what is referred to as the "traditional" list. Generally speaking the longer the period, the more precious and/or durable the material associated with it.

Traditional List
1 year is a paper anniversary
2 years is a cotton anniversary
3 years is a leather anniversary
4 years is a linen anniversary
5 years is a wood anniversary
6 years is an iron anniversary
7 years is a wool anniversary
8 years is a bronze anniversary
9 years is a copper anniversary
10 years is a tin (or aluminium) anniversary
11 years is a steel anniversary
12 years is a silk anniversary
13 years is a lace anniversary
14 years is an ivory anniversary
15 years is a crystal anniversary
17 years is a turquoise anniversary
20 years is a china (porcelain) anniversary
25 years is a Silver Jubilee or silver wedding anniversary
30 years is a pearl anniversary
35 years is a coral (or jade) anniversary
40 years is a ruby anniversary
45 years is a sapphire anniversary
50 years is a Golden Jubilee - not to be confused with the 'golden birthday' (not at a fixed age)
55 years is an emerald anniversary
60 years is a Diamond Jubilee
65 years is a blue sapphire anniversary
70 years is a Platinum Jubilee.
75 years is a diamond wedding anniversary
80 years is an oak wedding anniversary

There are variations in some national traditions.

Furthermore, there exist rather confusingly only partially overlapping, partially contradictory lists of anniversary gifts (such as wedding stones), separate from the 'traditional' names.

The concepts of a person's birthday stone, birth stone and zodiac stone, by contrast, are fixed for life according to the day of the week, month or astrological sign corresponding to the recipient's birthday.

Biennial - 2 years
Triennial - 3 years
Quadrennial - 4 years
Quinquennial - 5 years
Sexennial - 6 years
Septennial - 7 years
Octennial - 8 years
Novennial - 9 years
Decennial - 10 years
Vicennial - 20 years
Semicentennial - 50 years
Demisesquicentennial - 75 years
Centennial - 100 years
Quasquicentennial - 125 years
Sesquicentennial - 150 years
Terquasquicentennial - 175 years
Bicentennial - 200 years
Tercentennial or tricentennial - 300 years
Quadricentennial - 400 years
Quincentennial - 500 years
Sexacentennial - 600 years
Septuacentennial - 700 years
Octocentennial - 800 years
Nonacentennial - 900 years
Millennial - 1000 years
Bimillennial - 2000 years

Technorati Tags : anniversary, names, symbols, latin, wiki

Biennial - 2 years
Triennial - 3 years
Quadrennial - 4 years
Quinquennial - 5 years
Sexennial - 6 years
Septennial - 7 years
Octennial - 8 years
Novennial - 9 years
Decennial - 10 years
Vicennial - 20 years
Semicentennial - 50 years
Demisesquicentennial - 75 years
Centennial - 100 years
Quasquicentennial - 125 years
Sesquicentennial - 150 years
Terquasquicentennial - 175 years
Bicentennial - 200 years
Tercentennial or tricentennial - 300 years
Quadricentennial - 400 years
Quincentennial - 500 years
Sexacentennial - 600 years
Septuacentennial - 700 years
Octocentennial - 800 years
Nonacentennial - 900 years
Millennial - 1000 years
Bimillennial - 2000 years

Technorati Tags : anniversary, meaning, definition, wiki

An anniversary (from the Latin anniversarius, from the words for year and to turn, meaning (re)turning yearly; known in English since c. 1230) is a day that commemorates and/or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event; 365 days (plus a possible leap day) in the case of a solar year, or approximately 354 days in the case of an Islamic lunar year, or approximately 354 or 384 days later in the case of the Jewish year, or otherwise one year later, would be the first anniversary of that event. The word was first used for the Christian feasts to commemorate the saints.

Birthdays are the most common type of anniversary, where the birth date of a person is commemorated anually. The actual celebration is sometimes moved for practical reasons, as in the case of an official birthday.

Wedding anniversaries are also often celebrated on the same day of the year as the wedding occurred.

The Latin word dies natalis (literally birth day) has become a common term, adopted in all languages, especially in intellectual and institutional circles, for the anniversary of the founding ('legal or statutory birth') of an institution, such as an alma mater (college or other school). Even in ancient Rome, we know of the [dies] Aquilae natalis ('birthday of the eagle', anniversary of the official founding of a legion).

Most countries around the world celebrate national anniversaries, for example the United States Bicentennial. These can be the date of independence of the nation or the adoption of a new constitution or form of government.

Anniversaries of nations are usually given by the number of years elapsed in Latin words or Roman numerals.

Technorati Tags : anniversary, meaning, definition, wiki

One of the most well known songs that includes the word "Rose" is The Rose - as sung by Bette Midler and written by Amanda McBroom. 

It's truly been a timeless classic - for as long as I can remember.

Some say love, it is a river that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love, it is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed.
Some say love, it is a hunger, an endless aching need.
I say love, it is a flower, and you it's only seed.

It's the heart, afraid of breaking, that never learns to dance.
It's the dream, afraid of waking, that never takes a chance.
It's the one who won't be taken, who cannot seem to give.
And the soul, afraid of dyin', that never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely, and the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes The Rose.

Technorati Tags : the+rose, lyrics, bette+midler, love+songs

Mary McCluggage Named 89th Rose Queen(R) for the 2007 Tournament of Roses, Themed Our Good Nature.

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses named Mary McCluggage the 89th Rose Queen today. This announcement concludes a month-long process that began with more than 1,100 Pasadena-area young women who participated in the Tournament of Roses Royal Court tryouts. Queen Mary was selected from the recently appointed seven-member Royal Court. The Rose Queen and Royal Court will reign over the 2007 New Year's Day festivities, culminating with the 118th Rose Parade® themed Our Good Nature and the 93rd Rose Bowl Game®

Perhaps she'll get some paper roses to keep in her memory chest.

Source

Technorati Tags : pasadena, mary, mccluggage, rose, queen, tournament, of, roses, california, new, years

One of my favorite places on the net to obtain pictures of roses is a website called Stock xChng.

Stock.XCHNG was launched in February 2001, as an alternative for expensive stock photography. The idea behind this site was to create a place where creative people could exchange their photos for inspiration or work. Within two years the site evolved into a massive community - there are about 500,000 registered users and more than 180,000 photos online!

Whether you just want to browse the huge image gallery or want to share your personal photos with others, this is the site for you!

Browse through the categories containing over 180,000 quality stock photos by more than 10,000 users!

Whether you're in the market for a wallpaper for your desktop - need a pic for your commercial website design - seeking out inspiration - or looking for photos to enhance your blogging - there's a little something for everyone!

Technorati Tags : roses, pictures+of+roses

Triskaidekaphobia is a fear of the number 13. It is usually considered to be a superstition. A specific fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia.

Thirteen may be considered a "bad" number simply because it is one more than 12, which is a popularly used number in many cultures (due to it being a highly composite number). When a group of 13 objects is divided into two, three, four or six equal groups, there is always one leftover object.

The number 13 also retains biblical meanings. At the Last Supper, Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th to sit at the table (also spilling the salt).

It has also been linked to that fact that a lunisolar calendar must have 13 months in some years, while the solar Gregorian calendar and lunar Islamic calendar always have 12 months in a year.

Triskaidekaphobia may have also affected the Vikings — it is believed that Loki in the Norse pantheon was the 13th god. This was later Christianised into saying that Satan was the 13th angel.

The Mesopotamian Code of Hammurabi (ca. 1686 BC) omits 13 in its numbered list. This seems to indicate a superstition existed long before the Christian era.

A specific fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevadekatriaphobia.

sourceTriskaidekaphobia is a fear of the number 13. It is usually considered to be a superstition. A specific fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia.

Thirteen may be considered a "bad" number simply because it is one more than 12, which is a popularly used number in many cultures (due to it being a highly composite number). When a group of 13 objects is divided into two, three, four or six equal groups, there is always one leftover object.

The number 13 also retains biblical meanings. At the Last Supper, Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th to sit at the table (also spilling the salt).

It has also been linked to that fact that a lunisolar calendar must have 13 months in some years, while the solar Gregorian calendar and lunar Islamic calendar always have 12 months in a year.

Triskaidekaphobia may have also affected the Vikings — it is believed that Loki in the Norse pantheon was the 13th god. This was later Christianised into saying that Satan was the 13th angel.

The Mesopotamian Code of Hammurabi (ca. 1686 BC) omits 13 in its numbered list. This seems to indicate a superstition existed long before the Christian era.

A specific fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevadekatriaphobia.

source

I guess sending roses with the number 13 on them is out of the question.  Also, it kind of makes me wonder just why the Dozon Roses because the standard.

Me thinks I'll be doing a bit of research.

Technorati Tags : triskaidekaphobia, phobia, superstitions

Rose Royce was a soul, funk, and disco band, formed by Motown writer/producer Norman Whitfield - previously most famous for his work with the Temptations - and featuring singer Rose Norwalt performing under the name Rose Royce. The backing group was comprised of members of Total Concept Limited and Magic Wand, both backing bands for Motown artists such as Edwin Starr, The Undisputed Truth, and The Temptations. When Whitfield left Motown in 1975 to create Whitfield Records, he took the band members with him and Rose Royce was created.

The group turned out three hit albums during the late-1970s, including the platinum-selling soundtrack to the movie Car Wash. One underrated song, "Wishing On a Star", only peaked at #52 on the R&B charts and failed to grace the Billboard Hot 100 despite it going on to be a major classic in their repertoire, enlivened again by acts such as the Latin freestyle music girl group Cover Girls who scored a #19 pop hit with it in 1992. Nevertheless, before the 80s, the group scored five classics in five years: "I'm Going Down", "I Wanna Get Next To You", "Wishing On a Star", "Love Don't Live Here Anymore", and "Car Wash". "Car Wash" has become a disco and funk classic, and both "Wishing On a Star" and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" were also popular at after-night disco clubs along with Peaches & Herb's "Reunited".

Their 1979 album Rainbow Connection IV did not sell as well, but is still rated highly by disco/funk aficionados. The group had limited success after 1980 and the decline of disco. Their 1981 album Golden Touch, featuring Richee Benson in the place of Norwalt, was also not a success.

Visit the official site of Rose Royce

Honestly, how many of you have ever gotten down to Car Wash?  Com'on, if I can admit it, you can :)

Technorati Tags : rose+royce, car+wash, funk, disco

Rose Jane McGowan (born September 5, 1973) is an American actress, best known for her role as Paige Matthews in Charmed. She has also appeared in Hollywood films including Scream and Jawbreaker.

Rose McGowan, the second oldest of six children (including two half-siblings), was born in Florence, Italy to Daniel McGowan (an Irish-born artist) and Terri (a French American writer); her parents were members of the Children of God and her father ran the Italian chapter of the group. McGowan spent her early childhood in the group's communes and travelling Europe with her parents. Through her father's art contracts, Rose had become a child model and had appeared in Vogue Bambini and various other Italian magazines. Her parents divorced when Rose was ten. She subsequently lived in Oregon and Gig Harbor, Washington. McGowan did not speak English until she moved to the U.S.

McGowan's high school years were spent with her father in Seattle attending Roosevelt High School. At the age of fifteen, McGowan officially emancipated herself from her parents. Rose pursued a possible career in the film industry during her late teens. She also enrolled in a beauty school as a back-up.

You can find everything you'd ever want to know about Rose McGowan on Rose McGowan Online

Technorati Tags : rose+mcgowan

Tokyo Rose is something of an urban legend -- a fictional person cobbled together from scraps of real history. There's no proof that such a woman existed, although one woman was convicted of treason as Tokyo Rose.

During World War II, American soldiers dubbed the female broadcasters on Japanese radio, "Tokyo Rose." It was a name invented by the soldiers -- U.S. government research never found evidence of a person named Tokyo Rose in radio programs anywhere in the Pacific. The voice of Tokyo Rose was said to have taunted Allied forces during the war, hurting morale.

Iva Ikuko Toguri is the woman who was tried as Tokyo Rose. She is a first-generation Japanese-American who happened to be visiting a sick relative in Japan in 1941. When war was declared between Japan and the U.S., Toguri was trapped in Japan and pressured by Japanese military police to renounce her American citizenship. She refused. Instead, she learned Japanese and took two jobs to support herself while she sought a way to return home.

One of her jobs was as a typist for Radio Tokyo. There she met American and Australian prisoners of war who were being forced to broadcast radio propaganda. Toguri scavenged black-market food, medicine, and supplies for these POWs. When Radio Tokyo wanted a female voice for their propaganda shows, the POWs selected Toguri. She was one of many female, English-speaking voices on Radio Tokyo, and she took the radio name of "Orphan Ann." Her POW friends wrote her scripts and tried to sneak in pro-American messages whenever possible.

After the war, several reporters went to Japan to find and interview the infamous Tokyo Rose, offering a large cash payment for an interview. A woman at Radio Tokyo pointed the reporters to Iva Toguri, and Toguri, thinking that she and her new husband, Felipe d'Aquino, could use the money, agreed to be interviewed. She even signed a contract stating that she was the infamous Tokyo Rose. A reporter gave the interview notes to U.S. Army Counter Intelligence, and in 1945, the U.S. arrested and imprisoned Toguri in Japan. She was released in 1946, but was arrested again in 1948, and taken to the U.S. to be tried for treason.

Her trial was considered the most expensive in American history at that time. The U.S. government stacked the deck against Toguri and her meager defense, and the judge later admitted he was prejudiced against her from the start. Toguri was found guilty of only one of the eight treason charges -- "That she did speak into a microphone concerning the loss of ships." She was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined $10,000. Because she was a model prisoner, Toguri was released early in 1956, although she was served with a deportation order which took two years to fight.

In 1976, the TV news show 60 Minutes told the Tokyo Rose story from Toguri's point of view. This led to a full pardon for Toguri from President Gerald Ford in 1977.

Unfortunately, Toguri's husband was never able to join her in the U.S. They reluctantly divorced in 1980, and d'Aquino died in 1996. Iva Toguri currently lives in Chicago where she runs her family's import business.

source

Technorati Tags : tokyo+rose, iva+ikuko+toguri, world+war+II, rose, history

Over the next several days, we'll be doing a fun little project called - All Things Rose -

We'll take a leap through history, urban legends, headlines and much more to uncover some of the most popular and fascinating stories and tales associated with this infamous flower.

Perhaps a little history lesson may help uncover the timeless attraction to the flower with the seemingly endless definition and meaning.

Technorati Tags : rose, history, flower, meaning

The following are the meanings traditionally attached to the most popular roses, according to colors; use this list as a guide when selecting roses for that special someone - be it love, friend or associate...

Red roses mean romantic love; they're the "Valentine roses," par excellence

The specific purpose of purple roses is to signify that the giver has fallen in love with the recipient at first sight.

Meanwhile, coral and orange roses signal desire.

The meaning of yellow roses is joy and friendship.

We express our gratitude and appreciation with pink roses.... While feelings of admiration and sympathy find words with roses that are light pink in color.

Peach is more ambiguous, as it can signify either sympathy or gratitude.

Their purity naturally enough lends to white roses the meaning of reverence and humility.

Technorati Tags : roses, rose+color, meaning+of+colored+roses

More than 160 couples have celebrated their Golden Wedding in style with a massive knees-up at the South Lanarkshire Council’s Banqueting Hall in Hamilton.

Now in its ninth year the event, which is open to all residents celebrating 50 years of marriage from across Lanarkshire, was so popular this year that it had to be run over three days to make sure everyone could go along and celebrate their special year as guests of both North and South Lanarkshire councils.

Hosted by South Lanarkshire this year, the couples were treated to a nostalgic trip back to the year they tied the knot with images of their big day flashed up on a giant screen while they danced to live music of the era.

Complete article on icLanarkshire

What a magnificent idea!  A large celebration where couples are whisked back in time.  It has to be one of the most unforgettable ways to celebrate 50 years of love and dedication to one person.

Simply brilliant!

Technorati Tags : anniversary, wedding, wedding+anniversary, golden+anniversary, ideas, celebration, 50+years