Kango Loves "Foodie Nights"

Last week the Kango team had a blast presenting at the Mass Innovation "Foodie Nights" event. As our close friends know already, KangoGift tends to partner with restaurants because sharing one's love for food with friends is as old as time. We just use mobile technology to make the art of gift giving easier and with a little more flair.

In fact we've found many KangoGift users send gifts to make dessert dates or to celebrate special occasions. We are grateful that you all use Kango so regularly and are always looking to hear from you on places perfect for us.

Speaking of passion... we met some great new friends at the event including the folks from Eversave Boston, TopSprouts, 1FastBite, Batch Ice Cream, Boston Chocolate Tours, and MysteryMeet .

If you are in the Boston area, please take a moment to check out these new companies. They are doing great things for sustainability, artisanal hand-crafted food, and uniting like-minded food lovers and deserve our support. We look forward to working with them as we all look to share our excitement of eating.

And we'd like to extend an extra special thanks to Bobbi Carlton who coordinated the evening and deserves a round of applause for bringing together a great group of folks.

And here's a video of Thad's presentation if you want to see Kango in action!

Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier in Madison, Wis Embraces Mobile Gifting

Earlier this summer, a few passionate Kango users wrote in and asked to be able to send gifts to their friends in other cities. We listened carefully and started asking business owners in a few places if a service like KangoGift would be right for them.

Along the way, we had the pleasure to connect with Gail Ambrosisus who owns an award-winning chocolate store in Madison, Wis.

Calling her chocolate amazing may be an understatement. Just ask any of her many loyal followers. Or, ask the Food Network which just awarded her the "Best Little Box of Chocolates" in America.

We are grateful to Gail for helping KangoGift bring Mobile Gifting to Madison and look forward to making sure her chocoholics always have a way to stay connected.

Feel free to check out the press release or even send a gift to someone you may know out that way. The gold bellied Buddhas are our favorite!

Entrepreneur Magazine Calls KangoGift Brilliant! (And Bold!)

Hey, you trend-setters embracing Mobile Gifting – you’re ahead of the curve! You’ve been sharing your excitement and offering us enthusiastic support as we introduced this new concept to a lot of people who first said, “Huh? Gifts by phone?”

We thought we were operating under the radar until Entrepreneur Magazine named KangoGift one of the “100 Most Brilliant Ideas for 2010.” Yes, that glossy magazine that lists the Who’s Who of who’s on the cutting edge in trends.

Entrepreneur Magazine featured 10 companies in 10 sectors, and we’re honored and psyched to be highlighted with great companies like Foursquare, Bump, BlockChalk, and others.

The mag said of those of us lucky enough to make the cut that we were "A bold concept perfectly in sync with the moment: What great companies are built on; What shapes the future; Entrepreneurship at its best." Wow. Kango’s blushing.

We’re a small group of guys and ladies working on a big idea. And we are doing it with the help of all you – our fans! Which is why we send a shout out to you, and why we’re so excited to share this endorsement with everyone who helped spread the word about Kango, sent someone a little love through KangoGift, and told us what exciting things you wanted to see happen with mobile gifting.

We also thank our pioneering partners who have given us the chance to bring instant, "thinking of you," gift giving to the world.

It’s gonna be a “brilliant” summer. Ok, we couldn’t resist that one. Kango’s got big ears, and he’s always listening to ways you think KangoGift could be more awesome, so keep ’em coming! Thank you!

Kango Loves Brookline!

Hello, Brookline!

You Brooklinians asked for more KangoGift options, so we’re adding two delish spots along Harvard Street. Gari Sushi (Coolidge Corner) and Serenade Chocolatier (Brookline Village).

Boston Magazine said Gari Sushi was “Reinventing the Roll,” Bostonians gave it “Best of City Search,” and Gari Sushi even graced the pages of Stuff Magazine as a “Fusion Favorite” in their What’s Hot section. The intimately small space features modern design, and the food is Japanese-Euro-American fusion, so in addition to Sushi, Maki Rolls, Donburi, and Udon, you get to taste striking numbers like Carpaccio, Carribean Phyllo Crusted Prawns, and Cajun Escolar Tataki. Save room for Tempura Fried Ice Cream. East met West and things never tasted so good.

Serenade Chocolatier brings cocoa all the way from Belgium to make Viennese-style chocolates right in charming Brookline Village. The original recipe came from Austria via “Uncle Bill’’ Federer, who, according to the Globe, sang in the famous Vienna Boys Choir, survived the Dachau concentration camp, and opened Serenade in 1960. Since then, this shop has been layering pure butter, sweet cream, and premium chocolate to create signature pieces like Almond Bark, Marzipan, Sea Salt Caramel, Moca, Green Tea, Honeycomb, Scarlet Orange, and Tango. Send a box of chocolates that’s exquisite on the taste buds and eyes, or order fanciful favors like Serenade’s Chocolate Violin – so much more fun eating than playing.

So enjoy, Brookline folks! We are even having a little 25% off promotion to entice you or a friend to head into Brookline for dinner and a dessert. And check out the latest at our other Coolidge Corner shops – Melt Bath & Skincare and Finale.

Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches & Frozen Custard

Kango’s all too happy to pack away his Snuggie and get geared up for frozen treats season. And boy, are KangoGift’s new partners taking Kango back to his days as a mere joey, chasing ice cream trucks and asking a Kanga here or there to the local ice cream parlor.

To the great excitement of many of you, we’re adding Rancatore’s Ice Cream and Yogurt (of the Rancatore ice cream family – owner Joe Rancatore’s brother runs Toscanini’s) and Abbott’s Frozen Custard (a century-old and beloved NY state institution that’s finally found its way to the Boston area).

For 25 years, Joe’s been making small batches of ice cream for which Lucky Magazine hailed him “a local hero,” and his homemade hot fudge and butterscotch sauces are what The Boston Globe calls “simply the best around." Ranc’s focuses on the classics, making customers happy with scoops, sundaes, frappes, and ice cream cakes. Best of all, they make old-school ice cream cookie sandwiches, with flavors like Hydrox (a.k.a. the original Oreo). All good reasons why they made #1 on the list of Boston’s “Best Ice Cream Parlors” by Gourmet Magazine. Check them out in Belmont or Lexington.

Just the mention of Abbott’s Frozen Custard joining KangoGift has elicited giddy squeals from former NY Staters. Legend has it that Arthur Abbott perfected the frozen custard at the turn of the century, traveling with small carnivals along the eastern seaboard (and peddling his dessert to support his other love - horse races). Frozen custard is more like soft serve in consistency, and devotees will tell you this is “God’s ice cream.”

Abbott’s has been slow-churning their custard onto cones and dishes and whipping them into shakes, floats, flurries, and frozen novelties like the Custard Wheel and Nutty Dip. Hey, even the Obamas were spotted making a Father’s Day trip to a frozen custard shop, so get with it and go visit The Boston Channel’s Chronicle’s “Summer’s Best Treats.”

Mobile Gift Certificates for Bedford Farms and Sudbury Coffee Works

Ice Cream from an 1880s Farm; Store-Roasted Coffee

Kango’s westward expansion continues – and for two of Kango’s favorite indulgences: coffee and ice cream – made by two unique institutions.

We are really excited to be working with two great local brands to extend their gift programs onto the KangoGift platform.

Sudbury Coffee Works sells premium roasted beans (fresh out of a snazzy French roaster in the corner of their shop), as well as desserts, sandwiches, fresh salads, and of course, ever-fresh cups of coffee and espresso. Owner Dan has two decades of experience in hospitality, and his devoted fans stop in for grilled muffins in the morning and for daily specials at lunch. Of course, coffee is good anytime of day. Check them out, or send a KangoGift to someone who’s already in love with Sudbury Coffee, right on Union, off Route 20/Boston Post Road.

130 years ago, Bedford Farms started out as a real deal dairy farm. They’ve been selling ice cream since the ’40s, making deliveries to customer’s homes, back when the milkman showed up with glass bottles of your daily milk. They’re now the longest running business in the town, and while no longer a working farm, their outrageous and creamy 60 flavors have this ice cream stand seeing the longest lines in town. Open year round, they’ve also got frozen yogurt and soft serve, as well as ice cream pies in Graham Cracker or Oreo crust. The Sundae Party Package for 50 is a sure way to make 50 friends fast. They're now in Bedford and Concord, so show your love and send someone a KangoGift to Bedford Farms – it’s the 21^st Century version of the milkman at your doorstep.

Thanks again to all the Kango fans who have embraced KangoGift! We will continue to work with great businesses and ensure we are building a service that you love! We have grand plans and stay tuned for some exciting announcements.

Going (Metro)West for Gelato and Crêpes

Ciao, fans outside Boston city center – we’re expanding westward – to Wellesley and Natick to welcome a pair of delizioso additions to KangoGift: The Gelato Café in Wellesley Center and Melt Gelato & Crêpe Café at the Natick Mall.

We all know we can take food lessons from the Italians, and that’s true when it comes to frozen desserts. For you novices in gelato, the Italian version of ice cream is good-like-nothing-you’ve-had-before creaminess in traditional and natural flavors like Hazelnut, Pistachio, Biscotti, Amaretto, Lemon, Fruits, as well as modern takes like Double Dutch Chocolate, Dark Rum, Peanut Butter, Caramel Brownie, and Key Lime Pie. With lower butterfat content, gelato is less solidly frozen than American ice cream, making it smooth and surprisingly dense in flavor and texture.

Sure, Italy’s got the Coloseum, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Puccini. But could gelato be its real national treasure? Foodies swear by this as the best ice cream in the world, and Kango thinks back to his own jaunt through Venice and Rome, hopping into cozy gelaterias on a quest to taste (and be delighted by) one flavor after another.

Now, without waiting to cross the Atlantic, we’ve got two outstanding options to enjoy gelato, not to mention crêpes (Thank you, France!). The Gelato Café is your full dessert stop in Wellesley, with sorbet, chocolate, espresso and organic coffee (and free Wi-Fi) also on the menu. Over at the Natick Mall, Melt Gelato & Crêpe Café is a good excuse to take a break from putting that dent in your credit card and to indulge in some low-cost treats like sweet or savory crêpes, paninis, and lots of frozen goodness. Buon appetito!