If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my (gulp) almost 40 years on this planet, is that you get what you pay for. That adage applies not only to dining, accommodations and gadgets for travel, but to clothing as well. And shoes — well fuggedaboutit. If you’re wearing a lousy pair of shoes while you’re you’re touring the Grand Canyon, sightseeing in San Diego or doin’ the pub crawl in Denver, it can ruin your whole trip! Who wants cramped toes, chafing or blisters?
I’ve bought way too many Payless specials in my day, so I’ve started investing in good (read: often pricey) footwear from brands like Keen and Born. On my summer trips this year — Hawaii, Mexico & New Hampshire — I packed my favorite mules from Born that are ultra-comfortable and made from supple leather, as well as my super-sporty Newport H2 water-friendly sandals. (I actually have another pair of Keens, the flip-flop-like Bali sandal.)
But the open-toed Born and the rubber-toed Keen shoes in my closet weren’t quite what I needed for my business trip to Kansas City’s Travel Media Showcase earlier this month. I took the plunge and ordered a pair of $150 El Naturalista Mary Jane clog-like shoes that I’d been coveting at my local shoe store for a while.
Since the store didn’t have my size — and the order wasn’t coming in until after I returned from Kansas City — I bought them online at Endless.com, which offers free OVERNIGHT shipping and free returns. Can you beat that, Zappos.com? (Oh, Zappos, I still love you. You just don’t carry the El Naturalista brand — and that overnight shipping thing just feeds my need to have the shoes now. Right. Now.)
So, I’m lovin’ my Mary Janes, namely because of the darling embroidery and the chunky heel made of recycled rubber. And while I am not terribly environmentally conscious (we do recycle bottles and cans in my house), I appreciate that El Naturalista uses the least harmful materials in the production of its shoes. Leather is tanned with vegetable extracts and ground tree bark. Plus, removable anti-shock insoles are made from recycled cork. Cool.
The Zune concentrates on being a Portable Media Player. Not a web browser. Not a game machine. Maybe in the future it’ll do even better in those areas, but for now it’s a fantastic way to organize and listen to your music and videos, and is without peer in that regard. The iPod’s strengths are its web browsing and apps. If those sound more compelling, perhaps it is your best choice(christian louboutin shoes,christian louboutin,cl shoes,Christian Louboutin Sandals,Christian Louboutin Boots,Christian Louboutin Pumps,Christian Louboutin Wedges,herve leger dress,christian louboutin Boots).