Wednesday, December 10, 2008

ModernGear Helpful and Handy: Collapsible Baskets

I recently interviewed Long Beach, CA Mayor Bob Foster (you can read the story here). In the interview I asked him what would be the best gift he's ever given, and the best gift he's ever gotten. He had to think about those questions for a while, and actually phoned me a little later with his answer. I realized how difficult those two questions are, when I tried to answer them myself.

I am not sure, over a lifetime of gifts, which ones would be the best...many come to mind but I am bound to forget some so I'll just share the best gift I gave and got, last year. They're actually the same thing, because when I bought one for my sister Tanya, I also got one for myself!

The Collapsible Basket is one of my most-loved and most-used items of the past year. It's handy to leave in the car and take in to go grocery shopping. Instead of using their plastic or wire baskets I can load my groceries into this, unload it at the checkout, and they'll load it right back up.
I got ours at Garnet Hill - I think I got Tanya the pink one, and I got myself an orange one. (I loves me some orange!)
At Garnet Hill they are available in seven colours or patterns (they seem to be out of black):
They are $35 (well, well worth it) and I prefer them even over cloth grocery bags because they eliminate one step, and the potential for some nasty germs on the plastic store baskets.

Garnet Hill also has covers available for theirs, for $10. That would make it the perfect picnic basket!
They also have mini collapsible baskets, for $28. I think this would make the perfect start for a gift basket to give full of goodies for a special meal - dinner, baguette, container of olives, selection of cheeses, etc.

Amazon.com also has Reisenthal collapsible baskets from Germany, 12 in great colours and patterns, through this link:
Carry Bag - Reisenthel Germany Original Collapsible Bag ~ 12 Carrybag Colors & designs


They also have the small sized baskets as well, in pink and blue, for $29.99:
Reisenthel Carrybag Smaller original collapsible picnic and shopping bag

Amazon also has these great Metro Picnic Basket insulated w/aluminum frame, for $27.49.

I've enjoyed my basket so much over the past year that I'd definitely recommend it for gift-giving - to someone else, or yourself too!