Bon jour from Paris, amis du Ped, where I am looking here and there, at the trade shows and out on the street, for new delights to bring back to Ped. I love my annual visits to Paris, even when the weather is daunting (it was snowy but beautiful two years ago). Not only is it fun to find out what’s cutting-edge in Europe, but also the city itself is so eye-opening.

Photograph by Andri Beauchamp

Last year, all the European shoe pros were wearing (and raving about!) Trippen’s Tidy, and the most stylish Parisian woman making the rounds was carrying Cydwoq’s Telegram bag (yay for our beloved Rafi and his California-based biz). I can’t wait to see what’s all the rage this year!

Of course, I’ll drop by Sophie Digard’s shop to see her latest crochet wizardry. On my last visit, I swooned over her new necklaces, in particular, the Pastille Pop strand. 

So, what do I wear when I’m in France? I always go for true-blue classics that are timelessly chic. For me, those include:

1) My Cydwoq Sphinx Boots

I have had these beauties for years, and yet they still bring in the compliments every time I step out in them. There is nothing nicer than being in Paris, a city synonymous with style, and having people oooh and aaah over my boots! 

2) My Sophie Digard Signature Scarf

It originated in Paris, so I give it a little trip home every year. I feel effortlessly chic when I wrap it around my neck. Plus, it’s warm, and I never tire of looking at its amazing craftsmanship. (If you haven’t used the “zoom” feature on Sophie’s scarves at the Ped site, I strongly encourage you to give it a try. You will discover a veritable universe of multicolored fine yarns intertwined in the most stunning combinations.)

I’ll be back at Ped HQ next week, ready to report on my Paris adventures. But before I board the plane, you can bet I’ll stop by this chocolate shop! 

I’ll eat a bon bon for you, okay? Au revoir, mes amis!

So, Ped fans, I’m two trips down, with one big European foray to go! Last weekend I was in New York City hunting for well-designed things you might enjoy, but I also made time to hang out with old friends. All work and no play is simply not the Ped way! And, honestly, good friends are what make the world go round. 

I thought you might like to see what happened when a bunch of great girlfriends got together for dinner in Brooklyn. It was freeeezzzziiiinnnngggg cold when Amy, Kimmy, Nicole, Becky and I, plus several more friends, made our way to Brooklyn’s Five Leaves, the restaurant backed by the late Heath Ledger.

Most of us are involved in retail: Amy owns Rock Paper Scissors and Scarpa in Charlottesville, Va; Kimmy works for Eileen Fisher, where I get most of my gorgeous sweaters that you see paired with Ped things at the Ped site; Nicole also works for Eileen Fisher and used to work for Ped when we had our store in Seattle, Wa.; and Becky owns Les Amis, my favorite Seattle boutique and the source for most of the clothes you see modeled with the shoes in Ped’s pics. So our conversation is always lively!!

That’s Becky (on the right) with me at Five Leaves. I’m not sure what was up with the camera, but maybe it simply captured the energy of the night! Because after dinner, things got a little crazy out on the street…

Kimmy (on the right), wearing her treasured Cydwoq Sin boots (which are on sale right now, incidentally), and I, in my favorite Fiorentini + Baker Emma boots, decided to kick of up our heels outside the restaurant. Amy called it our “Riverdance”! And none of us could stop laughing! Lunatics, yes, but lovely lunatics in our Ped boots!

There is nothing better on earth than hanging out (and cutting up) with good friends!!! I hope all you Ped heads have as much fun with your circle as I do with mine!

I want to give a Valentine’s Day shout-out to several online sites that have spread the Ped love! We are especially delighted by recent sweetness in the following blogs:

ooh-shiny.net—which accurately calls itself “a random directory of pretties.” Lots of prettiness, indeed!

bluemossgirls.blogspot.com—not only does Michelle Taylor, founder of Blue Moss, create dazzling jewelry from re-purposed baubles, but she also serves as a wonderful guide to things of beauty on the Web.

blissfulb.blogspot.com—where Mrs. French shares lovely items that have captured her attention.

We also send roses and thanks to members of Ped’s overseas fan club, like stardust31.livejournal.com and www.laboutiquedelupi.com/blog. We can’t always read their blogs, but we’re still delighted they’ve noticed us.

We’re so grateful to all of you who have taken the time to tell others about Ped! Here’s hoping your Valentine’s Day overflows with love, wine, and chocolate! (Just don’t let any spill on your fabulous shoes.)

It’s that time of year again—for the next few weeks yours truly will be heading to Las Vegas for the World Shoe Association trade show and then jetting to France and Italy for more Ped shopping. I love hunting for new lines to bring to Ped, but ferreting out those hard-to-come-by items that combine ethical production, superior quality, and unusual style can be exhausting! People who know me can attest to my stamina (just call me “Sporty Spice”!), but I would be lost without comfortable shoes and boots capable of going round-the-clock, carrying me from one trip to the next.

So, meet two of my all-time favorite traveling companions:

There’s a lot of love out there for Fiorentini + Baker’s Eternity Boot (hello, celebrities). And with good reason! Not only is this boot fantastic looking (a little bit of badass in a stylish package), but it also is the pinnacle of comfort. Its construction is hardy enough to withstand hours of walking anywhere you care to take it—convention halls, Manhattan streets, or Parisian boulevards. I particularly love this boot in brown because the color is so versatile. When I don’t have time to think about what to wear, I always buckle up the Eternity boot, knowing I’ll look—and feel—great!

Another excellent style capable of going the distance is Cydwoq’s Seat Bootie:

My favorite thing about this cutie is how light it is! I don’t know about you, but at the end of a long day my feet often feel like they’ve been dipped in lead. But not in the Seat! These boots keep a spring in my step even after hours of traipsing from Point A to Point Z. Because they lace up, they easily adjust if, heaven forbid, your ankles start to swell. And let’s not forget the style factor—these ankle boots look edgy and chic with almost any on-the-road outfit. If you like to show off your tights, you’ll love the tongue-less construction that lets you flash your favorite hosiery for the world to enjoy. (And it doesn’t hurt that the Seat is currently on sale!)

So, I’m off, Ped fans. I’ll continue to blog a bit from the road. And before you know it, I’ll be back with the promise of good things to make you Ped heads smile!

Hey, Ped fans, do you use Twitter? Well, now Ped does, too! So, if you want to be the first to know when we receive new styles or put something particularly wonderful on sale, follow us at http://twitter.com/PedShoes. 

Speaking of wonderful, last week we opened a box from Spain and found one of our all-time favorite Chie Mihara styles: the Jane!

Ay caramba, this beauty is so many good things all at once—retro, glam, practical, sexy, and demure. Not to mention comfortable. (And, needless to say, we love a red shoe!)

It also got us thinking about all the variations on the classic Mary Jane that Ped carries, each with its own personality and charm. So, meet a few of the girls:

The Trippen Tidy from Germany walks around town with an edgy and sophisticated European flair.

Cushioned by a cross-shaped wedge, she’s equally comfortable being all-business or going casual. This Mary Jane speaks in an unforgettable accent that we at Ped HQ could listen to all day.

Then there’s her sweet Portuguese cousin from Giraudon:

The lacing on the cross-strap is what makes this shoe so charming. And the Giraudon Mary Jane is the best companion when you need to run a gajillion errands. She’s also fun to hang out with over Sunday brunch at a cafe. 

Meanwhile, Cydwoq’s Carry is a Mary Jane with the heart of an artist:

The way the positive space of the leather appliqué on the toe echoes the negative space of the cutout formed by the strap is a treat for the eyes! Lovingly designed and handcrafted in California, this gal is a head-turner but so relaxed about it all! The Carry’s beauty, just like the other Mary Janes’, is more than just superficial—her construction and sole make her beautiful inside and out.

Finally, we love a Mary Jane with a flair for color, like the Chie Mihara Bas:

That’s some serious sass! But this stunner is surprisingly versatile and adds ‘zazz to almost any dressy outfit on any occasion.

Mary Jane, you truly are every woman’s best friend!