Sun Lite for Feb. 10, 2003

Monday, Feb. 10, 2003 | 8:23 a.m.

Flower power

Attention Sun Lite shoppers ... er, readers: Still looking for tokens with which to shower your beloved on Valentine's Day? Your friendly neighborhood catch-all column is here to help.

Let's start with the holiday standard roses. Before you head to the nearest supermarket to pick up a quick dozen, we have a better (though certainly more costly) idea.

For the not-so-bargain-basement price of gulp $75,000, you can present the love of your life with 12 stems named in his or her honor, courtesy of California-based rose producer Jackson & Perkins.

As part of the company's Custom Rose package, each participant and a companion will fly first-class to Los Angeles and spend two nights in a posh hotel suite, dine at world-class restaurants and take a limo ride to Jackson & Perkins' research facility for a tour, before selecting their personal rose.

Come springtime, 300 of the roses, and a certificate bearing the buds' name, will be delivered to a Mr. or Ms. Money Bags (along with a case of Dom Perignon champagne) and his or her list of recipients.

Does a rose by another name say, ultra-common Herman or Fran actually smell any sweeter? For 75 grand, it sure better.

Eyes on the prize

Diamonds are another Valentine's staple sure to please. Especially when set in a ring and attached to a marriage proposal.

How to know if such a gift has your name on it? The folks at Korbel Champagne Cellars and Fred Cuellar, author of "The World's Greatest Proposals" (2000, Casablanca Press, $9.95), have teamed to offers ladies a list of signs to watch for if they suspect their fella is about to pop the question.

For more tips from proposal-prince Cuellar, visit korbel.com.

Heaven help us

How about surprising your honey with tickets to some exotic locale? Hawaii? Jamaica? Heaven?

Who says you can't buy your way into the afterlife?

Actually, Ticket to Heaven doesn't grant admission to the all-inclusive resort in the sky.

Rather, the "non-denominational token" (available at ticket2heaven.com) is intended to act as "a reminder of the bearer's commitment to his or her personal faith and beliefs," according to Ticket to Heaven Inc. company co-founder and president Bob Kelly.

Each ticket ($15 plus $4.95 shipping and handling) is personalized with the holder's name and a number that is added to the company's international registry. The ticket is, of course, suitable for framing.

Let's hope it's a round-trip ticket. Otherwise, you can scratch those plans for next Valentine's Day.