What makes Irish eyes smile?

by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

A taste of Ireland is the perfect unexpected present for St. Patricks Day.

Tea is Served

Make teatime the very best time of their day with this incredible gift set of terrific treats and tea essentials! A blue leather-like serving tray with side handles is filled with two color-coordinated, ceramic mugs. The accompanying gourmet goodies begin with traditional English scone mix and all-natural Wild Maine Blueberry Jam from the experts at New England's Stonewall Kitchen, where quality and exceptional good taste have been the company's hallmarks since 1991. Also included is an assortment of premium tea sachets and tangy lemon tea cookies to complete this unforgettable gift for any spring occasion. Tray measures 12"D. Just add water. $74.99
www.greatfood.com.

Luck is in the Stars this St. Patrick's Day

No need for a pot full of gold this St. Patrick’s Day – the new Shining Stars Irish Setter is sure to bring you plenty of luck! This friendly pup holds a shamrock inscribed with “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” and comes with a real star in the sky! Every Shining Stars friend comes with the opportunity to register and name your star with the International Star Registry. With a star in the sky to wish upon and the Shining Stars Irish Setter, good fortune is in your stars this St. Patty’s Day. Each Shining Stars friend comes with a secret code found inside a sealed hangtag that enables guests to log on to www.shiningstars.com, a virtual universe where kids can send e-cards, play customized games and find a galaxy of fun activities. Through RUSS’s Partnership with the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation™ kids can donate their hard earned ‘glow points’, the official currency of the site, to Starlight knowing that they are helping to make a world of difference for seriously ill children and their families. To date, over 1.9 billion ‘glow points’ have been donated. Young or old, anyone who receives a Shining Stars Irish Setter this St. Patrick’s Day will have a cherished keepsake to treasure forever, as well as their own personally named star to shine brightly throughout eternity. $15.00.

Tea for two or more

Care for a cup of tea? Enjoy it as they do on the Emerald Isle with this seven-piece selection of Irish products. It has everything needed for an enjoyable afternoon--even a little recipe book of traditional dishes you can try at home. From Bewley's. Bewley's Seven-Piece Irish Afternoon Tea Set include an assortment of Irish teas, scone mix, preserves and Irish chocolate peppermints but it also comes with a hardcover edition of the "Little Irish Cookbook" by John Murphy.

Includes:

1.76 oz Bewley's Irish Afternoon tea bags
16-oz Hogan's Scone Mix
12-oz Follain Strawberry Preserves
5-oz O'Neills Shortbread Fingers
1.1 oz Gift of the Gab tea bags
8-oz Colleen's Irish Chocolate Peppermints
58-page "A Little Irish Cookbook" by John Murphy; hardcover

QVC Item #H06751
www.qvc.com

A virtual visit to Ireland

Chronicle Books is publishing "Village Walks: Ireland" a deck of 50 walks through the villages of Ireland. The packaging is green and St. Patrick's Day would be a great time to start planning a trip to the homeland of the celebration.

You can see it here: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/index.php?main_page=pubs_product_book_info&products_id=7229&store=books

It's a great gift at only $14.95. You can just takeout the card for the walk you want and leave the others in the suitcase: very portable!

The Ultimate St. Patrick's Day Drink

THIS ST. PATTY’S DAY, KNOCK A HEALTHY ONE BACK WITH DR. TEA’S SPECIAL ST. PATRICK’S DAY TEA BLEND

Want to indulge this St. Patty’s day but don’t want the morning after blues? Well, Dr. Tea of the Tea Garden and Herbal Emporium in West Hollywood has the answer this St. Patrick’s Day. Known for his tantalizing holiday tea blends and mouth watering ingredients, Dr. Tea has done it again with his sure to be a hit, St. Patrick’s Day Tea.

This one of a Kind Blend Tempts With Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Green Peppermint and The Finest Green Rooibos

Blended with the finest green Rooibos -- a naturally caffeine free herb leaf from South Africa -- bits of green peppermint and semi-sweet chocolate chips, Dr. Tea’s nod to the festive Irish holiday is also a tribute to good health. Though green as a shamrock, it was no luck o’ the Irish that brought this flavorsome blend together. As part of his mission to spread good health, one cup of tea at a time, Dr. Tea has been offering healthy, natural, alternatives to holiday indulging through enticing teas made with favorites like rich chocolate, apple bits, orange peel, and with his latest blend, bits of green peppermint.

With only 5 calories per cup in these delightful teas, leprechauns and party revelers alike will rejoice not only in the sumptuous taste but in the antioxidant properties found in the blend.

Dr. Tea comments, “It is my ongoing mission and lifelong passion to enlighten and teach American’s that tea can and should be a part of their daily diets. Through wonderful teas like my St. Patrick’s Day Blend, even those with the most finicky palette can enjoy a delicious tasting cup of tea, while getting the antioxidant properties found in teas and tisanes.”

The Tea Garden and Herbal Emporium located at 9001 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood, CA
www.teagarden.com
800-288-HERB.

Eat Green

Or at least use green silverware. Diamond’s Renew Dinnerware may not be on somebody’s gift list, Renew plastic cutlery is the answer for a “greener” St. Patrick’s Day party.

Renew is made out of 100% recycled plastic and uses 10% less plastic with its unique cut-out design.

Perfect for those who enjoy entertaining but don’t like the clean-up or the excess waste. Made from 100% recycled plastic, this new line of “green” cutlery is durable, environmentally friendly and can be disposed or reused.

The unique cut-out design (patent pending) on the fork, knife and spoon handles allows the product to be made with 10% less plastic than other cutlery, but with the same sturdiness. Plus, Renew Dinnerware is also packaged in a box made from 100 percent recycled paperboard.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who loves to try new teas. Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.teaAtlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com, www.chocolateatlas.com and www.cocktailatlas.com