gravity’s rainbow

I know you don’t look at my blogroll, so I thought I’d point you in the direction of a few blogs I really enjoy.

If you like plants, Seeds Aside is awesome (and has a great sense of humor). If you’re addicted to shoes, Manolo’s Shoe Blog points out the best. If you’re into art, Le territoire des sens finds some great pieces. If gender turns you on, you should be reading Sugarbutch Chronicles. If you’re going to grad school, or thinking about being an ecologist, Ruminations of an Aspiring Ecologist lets you know what you’re getting yourself into.

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Once I realized I had enough money for school this year, I bought a pair of shoes (of course).  You will be very impressed with my restraint. I didn’t buy these even though I’ve been drooling over them since March.

I didn’t spend $360 on these beautiful, beautiful, beautiful shoes because 1) I really shouldn’t spend that much and 2) I don’t think I’d be able to bike in them.

Instead, I responsibly settled for this pair of Keens.  They aren’t too expensive and I can ride my bike and walk across campus in them.  They might not get me quite as excited as the two above, but at least they’re still red…

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I went to a conference where I needed to look somewhat professional, but I needed to be able to walk several miles and stand for several hours.  So, I went shopping for a pair of black flats.  I tried three brands of shoes that were relatively cheap - $30 to $60.  Even though they all had reviews praising their comfort, I was uncomfortable in all of them.  Then I found these.  More expensive, but worth every penny.  They were so comfortable that I wore them even when I didn’t have to look nice.

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I stepped into a Payless the other day to get out of the wind while waiting for a ride. I was faced with this abomination.

I’m not really sure how long it’s going to take me to recover.

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I haven’t posted about shoes in awhile.  This does not mean I have finished this obsession.  Check out these gorgeous shoes from Franco Sarto.  Have I mentioned my love of patent (p)leather?

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I NEED them.

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A pair of boots I bought in China have recently begun to leak. They were worth about $70. They lasted me 1 and a half winters of good wear and half a winter of rather uncomfortable and slightly damp wear. So I decided to invest in a nicer pair. I wanted something warmer than the synthetic liner of my old boots. I wanted something taller - I was sick of snow in my shoes. And I wanted something a bit nicer looking.

Then I found these. They fit all of my requirements and at at almost $100 off, weren’t totally out of the range of what I was willing to spend (though a bit out of the range I could actually afford…). So I bought them and got the free standard 5 day shipping. Then Zappos sent them to me, at no extra charge, overnight.

So I wore them around the house for an hour and fell in love with how comfy they were, then wore them to class. In class, I noticed that the zipper had FALLEN OFF one of them. Who knows how. So I called Zappos and asked about exchanging them. Not only were they incredibly nice and understanding, they overnighted my new pair to me and gave me a gift certificate. Plus the exchange process is very very easy.

I bought a pair of shoes from shoes.com earlier this year and they didn’t fit. I didn’t bother returning them because I didn’t have the time to hassle with their exchange/return process for a sale shoe.

So, if you need new shoes, go to Zappos

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As Manolo says, this shoe is “designed solely to make you feel happy.”

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I’m not sure how I feel about the clear strap, but I like the pattern of these shoes.

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I like the pattern on this shoe very much. It reminds me a bit of this far cheaper Report shoe. But the pattern on the Delman shoe is far more sophisticated and the shape of the shoe itself is lovely. The Report shoe is interesting, but it’s not nearly as attractive and I suspect it’s more uncomfortable, too.

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