Friday, October 17, 2008

You're my obsession...I cannot sleep...I must have you!


"El Naturalista shoes express a different way of thinking and acting. Being a naturalist entails respect for a rich, profound philosophy that lays its trust in life and attributes everything to nature. Making El Naturalista shoes out of vegetable-dyed leathers and recycled rubber is part of our holistic approach to shoe design. We provide footwear for people who advance while they walk." (http://www.planetshoes.com)






El Naturalista soles

I was in a shoe store last week with my husband. He was buying shoes for work. I was browsing. Then I saw them. My future shoes! I smiled at them. I picked them up. I admired them. I really liked them. Then I looked at the price underneath. I gasped! I put them back on the counter. Three hundred and something-something dollars for a pair of boots from El Naturalista. There has to be more to this shoe than meets the eye.

I jotted down the name of the shoe company and back at home I surfed the net until I located the main website online. I also found a Canadian distribution site for 'El Naturalista'. What can I say other than I am smitten by all of their shoe designs. From an aesthetic perspective, they look great from every angle. Even the sole is beautifully thought out and styled. The attention to detail is remarkable. I'm obsessed. These are the shoes that a perfectionist dreams about.

Furthermore, they're the product of a Spanish shoe manufacturing company. Spain is also home to the uber stylish and comfortable Camper shoes, which we all know and love. Could there be another Spanish shoe line that is comparable to Camper? Perhaps. But wait, there's more!

In terms of the manufacturing and quality of the shoes, here's what the company is touting:
El Naturalista shoes have been " impregnated with olive oil" (no kidding! sounds good enough to eat) and they are made with recycled cork, recycled rubber, and leather that is tanned using vegetable extracts and ground tree bark among other things. How eco-conscious of them. These shoes also provide reflexology attributes, breathable insoles, anatomic insoles and ergonomic rubber. And they can also help you lose those unwanted 10 pounds with a revolutionary weight loss 'nanosphere' technology. Just kidding! The true test though, would be to try on a pair and see for myself just how great these shoes are. If you own a pair of El Naturalista shoes, please leave me a comment and let me know what your experience has been.

For now, I guess I can ONLY dream about them.

Here's a song that explains exactly what I am feeling right now.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The ritual of good chocolate




I received a bag of these delicious Pavlidis "Giaconda" (Tzokonta) chocolates from my mom, who just got back from Greece. The bag is almost empty. Only in Greece, eh? Pity!