The Perfect Combination

Tonight I went to a dinner in Santa Monica hosted by a consultant who graciously thanked those who had worked with her over the past year.  The dinner was fantastic, but most indulgent yet guilt-free were her gifts to us, and I have to share these products with you.  I think she read our minds, because the gifts  involved two things that go so well together, but often are not the most sustainable goodies:  coffee and chocolate.  What we received tonight was sublime.

 

First the Eco-cup. Designed by the Rhode Island firm DCI, the Eco-cup solves three problems:  having the perfect cup from which to sip coffee, reducing waste, and ease of use.  True, coffee is best sipped from a porcelain cup, which I remind myself when I try to hold one as I walk the dog in the morning, often a recipe for disaster.  I prefer to use a reusable cup, but the ones you receive free are usually cheaply made--the best one I have, oddly enough, is my 1990 hot pink Country Store edition from my days at Fresno State, back in the days when berry- and chocolate-flavored coffees were all the rage, and having a reusable cup meant saving 10 cents, with thought of reducing waste lost on us.  Well, the Eco-cup is porcelain, the sleeve and lid are silicone, and the 16 ounce size is perfect for caffeine fiends.  Sigh, I wish I could have written the business plan for that.  It's way better than the nitrate-laden Hickory Farm gift sets former employers used to send me.

 

Next, for Angelinos who love chocolate, I've got the store for you.  Search for "chocolate harvesting" on your favorite search engine and you'll be appalled.  But Compartes, a chocolatier that has been doing business in Brentwood for 60 years, sources only sustainably and ethically grown chocolate, uses old world techniques, and has flavor combinations that will slay you.  We all got beautiful squares, and we felt like kids at the cafeteria table, wanting to trade with each other.  I scored with a chocolate square embedded with orange rind and pink peppercorns, and the fellow who received the lemon and fleur de sel got many oohs and aahs.  Their prices are competitive, and you can order online.  They also do custom chocolates with your logo.

 

Years ago, I worked at a technology firm and our holiday bonus was a cheap duffle bag.  We all looked at each other, bemused and puzzled.

 

Tonight's thoughtfulness reminded me that you can make wise choices about what you give your friends, clients, and vendors during this season--and be generous yet live sustainably at the same time.

If you have great eco-friendly gifts that will amaze instead of causing eyeballs to roll, let us know.