Service with a Style – Bongenre

I just moved within Manhattan to the Upper East Side. I wanted to get
Cara a housewarming gift, and she gave me a great idea. She read an
article in Crain’s NY Business about tableware from Bongenre
that was both elegantly designed and also plastic. We’re both prone to
the occasional (okay, for me, more than occasional) household accident,
so having some dishes that might last awhile in our apartment is a
plus.

I’m not much of a design junkie, especially when it comes to tableware
patterns, but I was impressed with these, and Cara’s favorite, Clarissa’s Picnic (shown at right), was a great one.

After I ordered the gift, I needed to get in touch with Bongenre.com
for a few reasons, first to check on the order, then to confirm the
date I needed the plates (they’re so popular, that pattern in
particular is sometimes on backorder). All in all, I had a few lengthy
email exchanges with Bongenre designer Jill Fenichell, and she could
not have been more courteous. I also couldn’t believe that any time I’d
write, she’d respond within minutes.

I’m sure with some of the PR she’s getting, and with the quality of the
products, I’m hardly her only customer, but I always felt like I was,
and it’s an unbelievable experience, one I never have when shopping
through Amazon, FreshDirect, or the countless other online retailers I
frequent.

For that, I can’t resist plugging Bongenre’s tableware here; it’s fun
to have a forum to spread the word share this with others.

PS: I gave Cara the gift right when we moved in, as soon as the movers left, and she’s always excited when we use them. I’ll even admit they brighten up the place considerably.