South Florida guide to corporate gift giving

Holiday gifts to clients and colleagues can help you strengthen both business relationships and your brand. While flashing your logo at holiday time seemed insensitive back when droves of people didn’t have jobs, manufacturers — several based in South Florida — have responded with more creative ways to include branding on some very usable products that people can actually enjoy.

What’s more, some companies are coming up with highly customized gifts, whether geared to personal allergies (seems the universe has gone gluten-free) or even philanthropic affinities, so your recipients can feel good about indulging.

“This year in corporate gifting, people are trying to stand out and not give the typical branded gear, such as pens and mugs,” says Dana Holmes, editor of Gifts.com. “And people are selling unique and creative ideas — both with and without logos. People are thinking about who they’re supporting, looking local, and they want to feel more connected to the things they buy.”

Here are some ideas to help your search for thoughtful gift giving.

Ginny Bakes Holiday Boxes: This season, more people are avoiding gluten than they are the annoying office braggarts, so you can sweeten any holiday party by sending a holiday box packed with cookies made in Miami, from ingredients such as dark organic chocolate, preservative-free nuts and fruit as well as gluten-free oat flour. Ginny Bakes will deliver to any door holiday box collections such as the Chocolate Love variety, packed with Chocolate Chip Macadamia, Double Chocolate Happiness and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bliss flavors. The box arrives wrapped and ready to eat. $34; www.ginnybakes.com.

Courtly Check Candy Cottage: Hey big spender, this illuminated tabletop cottage costs just a bit less than the down payment on actual real estate, but the impact is earth-shattering. It’s not edible (think eye candy), but the hand-crafted house, with a glass-candy covered roof, a delicate wreath and tufted walls is a numbered, festive collector piece. No two are alike — even though it’s unlikely your client will get more than one this holiday season. $9,900; www.mackenzie-childs.com.

Feed 8 Godiva collections: For professionals who crave both chocolate and charity, Godiva has partnered with FEED, a nonprofit sustenance organization for children, to provide eight school meals to kids in cocoa producing regions for every box sold. Each one contains eight chocolates in four flavors: Ecuador Dark 71%, Costa Rica Milk 38%, Uganda Dark 80% and Venezuela Milk 43%. All are made with beans from its country of origin. $25 Godiva; 19575 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 33180.

Crystal Custom Eyewear: Bravo executive Andy Cohen wore them on national television and Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade had them at his birthday in Miami Beach, but the concept of personalized sunglass lenses was created in downtown Miami. Advertise your office catch phrase or logo across the lenses because these glasses can display the message you want your customers to see. They come in nine colors (including blue, red and pink) as well as three styles: Ray-Bay, Wayfarer and Aviator, all with 100 percent UV protection. $14.99 for a single pair or buy 100 pairs for $3.45 each, www.crystalcustom.com.

Dolce Shot: Replace everyone’s office coffee break with a Made-in-Miami energy shot that comes both packaged and packed with our city’s essence. Inside, the South Beach-style cans are one of three flavors: Splash (a crisp lemon-lime) Rise (cherry explosion) and Citrus (orange bite.) All come in two-ounce servings that are equivalent to an 8-ounce drink, with concentrated ingredients such as amino acids, vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 and 80-milliliters of caffeine — about the amount in a cup of coffee. $24.99 for a case of 12; www.dolceshot.com.

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Miami-Dade man faces felony charges in death of puppy he had just one day

When Mathew Milewski’s new puppy, Molly, arrived by plane from Arkansas on Nov. 11, 2011, her paperwork included a note from the folks at Outback Beagles.

“I hope that she brings as much joy to you and your family as our dogs have brought us,’’ wrote breeder Sheila Rodgers “I wish her a long life of happiness and contentment.’’

The 4-month-old puppy got neither.

Police say Milewski, 25, a Sunny Isles Beach “high-frequency’’ trader, intentionally killed the 7-pound dog 24 hours after picking her up at Miami International Airport by dragging her across a parking lot until she bled, beating her with her leash, and slamming her into a hard surface.

One year later, witnesses say they’re still heartsick about what they saw and heard.

“Every day, I think about it,’’ said Paola Charry, 41, a nodding acquaintance of Milewski’s at The Crown, 4041 Collins Ave., where both lived at the time. “This for me was a nightmare. For everybody in the building it was a nightmare.’’

Charry told police that from her seventh-floor apartment, she heard Molly screaming, and from her balcony saw the 6-foot-1 Milewski hauling the spread-eagled pup across pavement.

Milewski, who has no criminal record, is facing third-degree felony animal cruelty charges in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, and if convicted, up to five years in prison and/or up to a $10,000 fine. Trial is set for Jan. 28 before Judge Yvonne Colodny.

In Milewski’s corner is David Macey, the attorney who represented another young man in a sensational animal abuse case: Tyler Hayes Weinman, 19 when he was accused of slaughtering 19 cats in South Miami-Dade in 2009.

Despite widely publicized, apparently damning circumstantial evidence, including necropsies by veterinarians from Miami-Dade Animal Services and the ASPCA, prosecutors dropped the charges after a defense expert concluded that a large animal killed some of the cats.

Weinman is suing several parties to the case.

Macey declined to say whether the same expert, Dr. Richard Stroud, is or will be involved in Milewski’s case.

Macey acknowledged that with Molly, “you can’t dispute there are injuries. How they occurred, whether or not it was a criminal act, is the question.’’

He added: “There are some things that have not come to light yet’’ in his client’s favor.

Milewski, arrested on Nov. 18, 2011, told Miami Beach police that he dropped the puppy in the shower.

“I don’t think I did anything wrong, other than the outcome was very poor because of the way the dog landed,’’ he said. “This was 100 percent an accident.’’

Molly arrived in Miami at 2:35 p.m. Nov. 11, 2011. American Airlines records show that Milewski picked her up at 3:14 p.m.

During a 20-minute taped interview with investigators, during which Milewski called Molly “it,’’ he said he found her on the Internet, but didn’t like her coat and considered returning her.

He took her to the apartment he shared with his then-boyfriend and another beagle named Macy. The next day, he said, he put an electric-shock collar and leash on Molly and walked her in the building’s parking lot.

Valet parker Carlos Gregorio told police he was bringing a car from the garage when he “heard a loud scream from a dog.’’ Thinking he’d hit an animal, Gregorio got out of the car. That’s when he saw Milewski “striking his dog with the leash,’’ he told police.

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Soccer-Liverpool’s Sterling apologises to Watson over collision

Nov 18 (Reuters) – Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling has wished Wigan Athletic‘s Ben Watson a speedy recovery after a freak collision between the pair on Saturday left Watson with a suspected shin fracture.

Sterling, who made his England debut midweek, used his Twitter account to offer an apology to Watson following the Reds’ 3-0 win at Anfield.

Midfielder Watson was taken from the pitch in the first half when he was struck just above the shin by Sterling‘s knee as both competed in the air for the ball.

“To Ben Watson I didn’t realise it was serious as that ill (sic) be praying for a speedy recovery mate ill (sic) have you in my prayers every day. #sorry,” posted the 17-year-old.

Following the defeat, Wigan manager Roberto Martinez expressed concern for Watson as well as Gary Caldwell who has a problem with his hamstring.

“The injury to Ben Watson is a really nasty blow and what we believe to be a broken leg,” Martinez told Wigan’s official website (www.wiganlatics.com).

“We will have to assess the injury and the treatment that Ben will need before we can judge how long he is going to be missing.

“Ben was starting to have a very strong season and was putting in some commanding performances and it is a real shame to lose him to an injury like that.”

Martinez also accused Liverpool scorer Luis Suarez of stamping on David Jones. (Reporting By Mark Pangallo; Editing by Mark Meadows; mark.meadows@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7542 7933; Reuters Messaging:; mark.meadows.reuters.com@reuters.net)

Internet News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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Morgan Freeman Through The Wormhole Season 4 Promo

The Science channel's provocative series Through the Wormhole is on its way back for season four and, to mark the occasion, host Morgan Freeman has assembled some tough questions of his own for the scientific experts behind the show. 

Related: Morgan Freeman Receives AFI Lifetime achievement Award

Throwing his hat into the ring, the Academy Award-nominated actor ponders, "Why am I so sexy?".

Click the video above to see the hilarious season four promo!

Through the Wormhole brings together the best minds from all avenues of science Astrophysics, Astrobiology, Quantum Mechanics, String Theory, and more to reveal the extraordinary truth of our Universe.

The new season begins in 2013 on Science. Check your local listings.

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So the voters think this is paradise

Frank J. Fleming

Our country has faced many problems and gone through many changes, but finally Americans have come together and said, Yes! Right here — this is exactly where we want America.

At least, that’s what the recent election tells us — the American people resoundingly said, “Don’t change a thing.”

They chose Barack Obama as president to propose bold, new ideas to control the economy, a Republican House to stop most of that, and a Democratic Senate to refrain from passing one of those pesky, restrictive budgets.

Yes, it’s a surprise that this is precisely what we want as a nation. You’d think the ideal America would be a bit different from what we see now. One with lower unemployment, for example.

AP

Boehner: Back to battle with re-elected Obama.

It turns out, though, that a lot of people don’t even like having jobs. Really, if jobs are as great as everybody claims, then why do they have to pay us to do them? So around 8 percent unemployment is exactly perfect for us. Any more employment, and we’d be constantly inundated with obnoxious help-wanted ads urging us to work, when for a lot of us, that’s just not our thing.

And you might assume we’d want our economy to grow at a faster rate than it is now, but apparently between 1 percent and 2 percent is absolutely perfect. Why is everyone in a huge rush to grow the economy anyway? It will get there when it gets there.

And thanks to compounding interest, as long as we keep this rate of growth (which is a really low bar to aim for), the economy is going to be huge years down the road. Like a thousand years from now, wow, what a giant economy we’ll have.

Yes, the debt will be the second largest object in the solar system by then, but we’ll also have much more practice ignoring it.

High gas prices? Well, they sure make us more, well, contemplative about and appreciative of gas. We used to just drive whenever and wherever we wanted without much thought, but now we know a tank of gas is a precious thing that must be used sparingly. And, anyway, that’s mainly an issue only for people who have jobs to go to, so not that many.

And aren’t things in the Middle East great right now? Osama bin Laden is dead, and nothing happens there, besides an occasional consulate getting overrun. But I hear that’s because of YouTube videos, so it’s really more Google’s problem.

So everything is perfect right now. Yes, we face a few problems down the road, like that “fiscal cliff,” but if we all work together, we can give that can a nice, big kick and send it sailing into the future to be someone else’s problem.

Anyway, we shouldn’t worry about it, because in this perfect America, we’re not really into problem solving right now. We’re in more of our “backpacking through Europe after college” phase. We just won’t worry about the big things and will instead take some time off to find ourselves. We can start tackling those problems . . . later. Whenever the can-kicking thing stops working.

So let’s all just enjoy this utopian America we’ve found, for as long as it lasts. It’s the new Camelot, and we’ll one day tell our kids about it . . . and they’ll be pretty curious, since they’ll get the bill and wonder where that all came from.

Political satirist Frank J. Fleming’s new e-book is “How To Fix Everything in America Forever.”

Have a comment on this PostOpinion column? Send it in to LETTERS@NYPOST.COM!

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Miami’s oldest bar with a gloriously checkered past celebrates its 100th birthday

The oldest bar in the city, a two-story dive, is still standing, surviving 10 decades of change, rambunctious turns as a prohibition speakeasy, a gambling hall, jazz club and a burlesque.

But in its most enduring chapter, Tobacco Road is a remarkably ordinary, beloved neighborhood spot good for a drink, a meal, conversation and live music, blues and other stuff too.

A century’s worth of history calls for an outsized 100th birthday celebration — a two-day fete this weekend that was scheduled to end before sunrise Sunday morning. The bar hosted a string of Tobacco Road disciples, old bartenders and cooks, music lovers, neighbors, and the people who kept the seats warm over the ages. The birthday bash included drinks, food trucks and, of course, live music from Heavy Pets, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Iko-Iko, Spam Allstars, DJ LA Spam, Locos Por Juana, Artofficial and DJ Smooth, among others.

So what is this dear centenarian’s secret to longevity, health and a steady stream of customers?

A formula that works: “Over the years, I think people have loved Tobacco Road because it crosses over, it appeals to young people, old people, lawyers and construction workers, good guys, bad guys,’’ says owner Patrick Gleber, who purchased the place in three decades ago. “It’s not meant for one group. It’s for everybody.’’

A little bit of luck: “I was managing a wine bar in The Falls. It was St. Patrick’s Day, 1982. When I went to look at the bar, I was outside and looked down and saw the name Dee in the concrete. That was my mother’s name,’’ Gleber recalls. “When I went back with a friend, I found a rabbit’s foot in the gutter and when I was in my car leaving, Johnny Winter’s Tobacco Road was playing on the radio. I got hit in the head with all the signs.’’

A great back story: “It’s historic nature attracts a lot of interest. People want to know more about this place with this incredible history,’’ says Rich Ulloa, owner of Y&T Music, who has booked acts at the bar since the early 1990s. “The place is iconic, a great gathering place for music and socializing.’’

Music, music, music: “There would be no live music scene without Tobacco Road,’’ says Woody Graber, a publicist who specializes in live music and concerts. “They brought in great blues music and provided a quality atmosphere for performances and, without them, a lot of other clubs simply would not exist.’’

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Buzzmakers: Lindsay Lohan Comes Clean & Janeane Marries

What had ET readers buzzing this week?

1. Janeane Garofalo: I Didn't Know I was Married!

Sometimes what happens in Vegas actually does stay in Vegas -- at least for two decades. Funny girl Janeane Garofalo is claiming she's been married for 20 years, and didn't even know it!

The Reality Bites actress told the New York Post that she and Big Bang Theory producer Rob Cohen decided to wed at a Las Vegas drive-thru chapel but never thought it would stick. "Rob and I got married, for real, which we had to have a notary dissolve not 30 minutes before we got here tonight," Garofalo said at the New York Comedy Festival reunion for The Ben Stiller Show. "We were married for 20 years until this evening."

Garofalo, 48, further explained, "We got married drunk in Vegas. ... We dated for a year, and we got married at a drive-through chapel in a cab. [We thought], 'You have to go down to the courthouse and sign papers and stuff.' So, who knew? We were married, and apparently now that [Rob] is getting married for real, his lawyer dug up something." Cohen, 63, joked, "I'm gonna get all of that Reality Bites money!"

2. Miley Cyrus: My Dad Knows Nothing

In speaking with ET's Christina McLarty, Miley Cyrus cleared up rumors that she and fiance Liam Hemsworth were planning multiple weddings, started by her dad.

According to Miley, she hasn't even set one wedding date, let alone the three ceremonies that Billy Ray told Us Weekly were going to take place.

"My dad knows nothing," Miley says, pointblank. "I think he's getting cabin fever from [Superstorm Sandy]. He got stuck in his hotel and now he's making up crazy things." Billy Ray has been in NYC, performing in a Broadway production of Chicago.

The 19-year-old singer/actress goes on to admit that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

"He does what I do: When he's sitting in a press thing, he's like, 'Let's make this fun. Let's make some stuff up,'" Miley says.

Even with this recent flub, Miley does thank her parents for doing a good job of raising her, saying, "My parents have never been super strict, and people could think that's bad or good, but people that judge me or say that I'm, like, crazy -- they don't know half the stuff their kids are doing."

3. Stephanie Bongiovi Drug Charges Dropped

Stephanie Bongiovi, Jon Bon Jovi's 19-year-old daughter, will not be charged after reportedly overdosing on heroin in her dorm at Hamilton College in New York.

According to a statement from the Kirkland Town Police Department, a female [presumably Bongiovi] was found unresponsive by an ambulance crew sent to the college early Wednesday, after a report that a female had apparently overdosed in the school's largest dorm.

Although Bongiovi and 21-year-old Ian Grant were charged with drug possession, the charges have now been dropped.

Citing section 220.78 titled "Witness or victim of drug or alcohol overdose" of New York State Penal Law -- which states that a person who seeks health care for someone who is experiencing a drug or alcohol overdose or other life threatening medical emergency, as well as the individual who has overdosed or who was experiencing such life threatening medical emergency, can't be prosecuted for the possession of heroin weighing less than 8 ounces or possession of any amount of marijuana -- police said that neither Bongiovi or Grant can be charged.

There has been no statement from Jon Bon Jovi at this time.

4. Dina Lohan Addresses Cocaine Accusation

Did Lindsay Lohan lie about her mother having an alleged cocaine problem? Dina Lohan sets the record straight for ET's Christina McLarty.

"Absolutely lied. We were having an argument, it escalated," explains Dina of their October altercation which was recorded by her father, Michael Lohan. "She just wanted to hurt me at that moment. You know, mothers [and] daughters, we fight."

Dina tells Christina that it pained her to see that private family moment "go public and viral." As for accusations that she uses cocaine, Dina replies, "I hate cocaine. I don't do cocaine."

After Lindsay proclaimed that she was not being truthful about her accusations against her mother about cocaine use, Dina says, "I'm so proud of her for telling the truth because it destroyed me. I mean, I cried for weeks. It just hurt me so bad and she knew how horrible that was, and she came clean and told the truth that she lied. I'm very proud of her for that, which is very difficult to have to do."

Dina adds, "There's so much more to the story than the public sees, and it takes its toll on my children and myself, and we're just trying to move forward." Watch ET for more with our exclusive Dina Lohan interview.

5. Big Bang Cast Leads Call Me Maybe Flash Mob

Fans of The Big Bang Theory might logically assume that the cast of the hit CBS comedy has as many laughs on-screen as off. But now there is concrete proof as Kaley Cuoco just revealed in this clip of cast and crew members surprising showrunners with a flash mob of Carly Rae Jepsen's viral hit Call Me Maybe!

Kaley explains on The Big Bang Theory's Facebook page that the idea was hers and that she recruited her sister Bri to choreograph the impromptu number, which occurred during a taping on October 23 in front of a live audience.

The clip shows how the prank was carried out with secrecy and precision, with the cast re-assembling on the set immediately after the flash mob to resume taping and to hear star Jim Parsons sum up the event with one of his character Sheldon Cooper's favorite words, "Bazinga!"

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Oil change

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the rise of China and the Arab Spring, American energy independence looks likely to trigger the next great geopolitical shift in the modern world.

US reliance on the Persian Gulf for its oil — and its consequent need to maintain a dominant presence in the Middle East to keep the oil flowing — has been one of the constants of the post-1945 status quo. That could be turned on its head.

It’s been dubbed “the homecoming.” After decades in which the hollowing out of American manufacturing has been chronicled in Bruce Springsteen’s blue-collar laments, cheap energy is being seen as the dawn of a new golden age for the world’s biggest economy.

Reuters

Oil workers in North Dakota are part of a boom that will make the US the biggest supplier of oil and gas.

The reason is simple. The US is the home to vast shale-oil and gas deposits made commercially viable by improvements to a 200-year-old technique called fracking and by the relentlessly high cost of crude.

Exploitation of fields in states such as West Virginia and Pennsylvania, and further west in North Dakota, have transformed the US’s energy outlook pretty much overnight. Professor Dieter Helm, an energy expert at Oxford University in the UK, said: “In the US, shale gas didn’t exist in 2004. Now it represents 30% of the market.”

If all the known shale gas resources were developed to their commercial potential in North America and other new fields, production could more than quadruple over the next two decades, according to recent study by the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center. Pennsylvania — where the first oil well was drilled in 1859 — produced about 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas in 2008. By 2010, the state was producing 11 billion cubic meters, helping to put the US on course to be the world’s biggest supplier of oil and gas within a decade.

President Obama noted in this year’s State of the Union speech that fracking was likely to support 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade and that the US now had enough gas to keep it supplied for the next 100 years if current consumption patterns were maintained.

REGIME STRESS

Long-term consequences for the rest of the world are hard to predict, but it is probably safe to say that many of the regimes whose global role rests on hydrocarbons alone are likely to be significantly weakened, if not swept away.

That includes the monarchies that have thus far withstood the Arab Spring. Their persistence has depended on a historically high oil price and western backing. Both those conditions are now in question.

Shashank Joshi, a fellow of the Royal United Services Institute, said: “The Gulf Arab political order for almost the entire postwar period has depended on US interest in the region.

Have a comment on this PostOpinion column? Send it in to LETTERS@NYPOST.COM!

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Jolly holiday shopping season already underway

Lilian Stoppa and Renata Rosa stepped out of Target in Midtown Miami with a cart piled high with holiday gifts.

Landing in Miami on Thursday morning for a five-day shopping spree, they already had spent $800 by mid-afternoon on presents for family members: toys for Rosa’s daughter, beauty items for Stoppa’s mother, plus lots of other stuff.

“This is just the start,” giggled Stoppa, 30, who works with Rosa, also 30, at a Sao Paulo telecom company. Their next stops: Sawgrass Mills, Aventura Mall and Bal Harbour Shops, if their money holds out. “We came to Miami to shop because it’s very much cheaper than in Brazil.”

Tourists like Stoppa and Rosa are exactly the reason retail experts predict Florida’s holiday shopping season will see its highest increase since the recession.

Across South Florida, stores are getting a head start on the holidays in hopes of cashing in. Sales are already underway everywhere from Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, to Macy’s, Toys“R”Us and Anthropologie.

The Florida Retail Federation forecasts that Florida will see a 5.2 percent jump in holiday spending from $55 billion in 2011 to $58 billion this year, marking the highest percentage growth predicted since the economic slump began. Pre-recession, retail sales peaked at $54.3 billion in 2006.

“All of the indicators point to what we believe will be a very robust holiday shopping season,” said Florida Retail Federation President and Chief Executive Rick McAllister.

That also translates into more than 42,000 new retail jobs, he said.

Buoyed in large part by tourists and snowbirds, Florida is expected to outpace the nation in spending for the holiday season, as it did before the recession.

This year, the National Retail Federation is predicting holiday spending nationwide to rise 4.1 percent. On average, consumers are expected to spend about $750 each.

Economists point to strong consumer confidence as a major factor contributing to a stronger shopping season.

“By and large the consumer is very confident right now, and that usually leads to spending,” McAllister said.

Other indicators also point to a healthy season. ICSC, a trade association for the shopping center industry, this week released its ICSC-Goldman Sachs 2012 Holiday Spending Intentions Survey, which found that 19 percent of consumers plan to spend more, and 5 percent substantially more, on holiday gifts this year versus last year. It was the highest percentage of consumers reporting they intend to increase spending over the previous holiday season since ICSC began asking the question in 2004.

Retailers like West Elm are ready, beckoning gift givers. Stores are decked out with sparkly, eye-catching displays of items like candlesticks, ornaments and crystal paperweights.

“We’ve had lots of people shopping early, for several weeks,” said Ana Meza, an assistant manager at West Elm in Midtown Miami.

Without question, the holiday season is critical for retailers, a period when they typically generate 20 percent to 40 percent of the full year’s revenue.

This year brings an added bonus. With Thanksgiving falling early, the shopping season is stretched to 32 days, giving retailers more valuable time to rack up sales.

Shoppers like Jose Hernandez aren’t waiting for the last minute. Hernandez, who works as a civilian supervisor at the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Miss., and spends every other three months home in Miami, started his holiday shopping this week. He figures he spent $2,000 at Carter’s, GUESS, Marshalls and Target in Midtown, and plans to spend a total of $5,000 — up 40 percent from last year — before Christmas Day.

“The economy is going up,” said Hernandez, 44.

Yet experts say that many holiday revelers will avoid the stores all together, opting instead for online purchases.

Retail experts expect e-commerce to continue to post a dramatic increase this holiday season, up 15 percent. Though it still represents only about 5 percent of all shopping, online buying is the fastest-growing segment of the retail industry, McAllister said.

Many online sites are offering percentage discounts starting this weekend. Disney Store will offer a selection of “Magical Friday” deals on sale beginning Monday, at DisneyStore.com. Kohl’s is letting customers shop more than 500 “Early Bird specials” on Kohls.com starting Wednesday.

While apparel is expected to be the top category for purchases, gift cards are again projected to outsell any single article of merchandise. The National Retail Federation’s 2012 holiday consumer spending survey showed that 81.1 percent of shoppers will purchase at least one gift card, spending an average of $156.86 on them.

“Gift cards are the best invention ever,” said Jennifer Mayer, 44, a drug representative who has three daughters and lives in Miami Beach. “It’s not for everyone, but it’s great for those you don’t intimately know.”

This year, Mayer plans to buy gift cards at places like Starbucks, H&M, Forever 21 and Barnes & Noble.

“They’re great for bosses. They’re great for teenagers,” she said. “They’re a lifesaver.”

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Miami’s book fair ‘Evening With…’ series ends on easy note

A bit of fiction and a bit of philosophy, both seasoned with a touch of the historical, rounded out the final night of Miami Book Fair International’s “Evenings With…” programs Friday.

Emma Donoghue read from her Astray, new book of short stories inspired by old newspaper accounts, and historian Alan Ryan talked about his weighty new two-volume work On Politics: A History of Political Thought: From Herodotus to the Present (told you it was weighty).

“I feel like I should say, ‘Hello, Miami!’ ” joked Donoghue when she took the stage. Earlier, the Canadian author expressed wonder at the fact she was swimming in the Biltmore poolon a November afternoon before her appearance. “I don’t usually stay in places like that,” she said, laughing.

But Donoghue, author of the novel Room, is no stranger to new experiences: She’s a two-time emigrant from Dublin, once from Ireland to England, then on to Ontario.

“The Irish are obsessed with immigration,” she told the audience. Even when the economy’s good there, she said, the Irish look to other countries. “It’s still a small island,” she joked. “A lot of us have felt the need to fly that particular coop.”

Fitting then, that Astray features characters on the verge of moving on or struggling in their new surroundings. Donoghue read the amusing story The Widow’s Cruse and fielded questions about Room, a harrowing novel about a little boy being raised in a tiny shed by his kidnapped mother. Disturbing to be sure. But in case you wonder, Donoghue has no pressing childhood traumas of her own to inspire her to such a dark premise.

“I grew up in Dublin in a bookish household,” she said. “I was allowed to read all the time. . . There’s something to be said for a happy childhood that leaves you feeling confident.”

Ryan, who was in conversation with Robert Weil, editor-in-chief of W.W. Norton’s Liveright & Co., talked about his comprehensive study of political philosophy. Or, as his daughter (a biology professor) describes his profession: “He does dead philosophers.”

Ryan did mention a few of those worthy gentleman — Plato, St. Augustine and John Stuart Mill, for example — but still managed to elicit a laugh when discussing Americans’ adoration of a Constitution they’ve never read and continually confuse with the Declaration of Independence.

“The Constitution is revered, and it is at least worth knowing,” he said.

The fair continues this weekend with a full schedule of authors Saturday and Sunday.

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