08 March 2011

san francisco on film

clogs!

magic porch

heath

I swear to you

more of that san francisco trip, more from that camera.

but what I really want to talk about are the clogs. people, the clogs. the hand-painted clogs. you must understand, I have been walking around in a sad, nearly soleless pair of boots. this is because I wear things down to the nubs. shoes, socks, blouses, jeans, leggings, skirts, bras, tights, dresses. I find something I love and I wear it to death. I wear it until it cannot, should not be worn again. and then I just keep on wearing it, hoping no one will notice. sadly, I'd come to the end of the road with my favorite pair of brown boots-- boots in such horrible condition I might as well have been walking around barefoot. also, I was in serious denial. so on my last day in san francisco, my friend leslie said I AM TAKING YOU TO THE SHOE SHOP AND YOU ARE BUYING NEW SHOES. and I hemmed and I hawed but we ended up at the shoe shop anyway.

first, I poo-pooed all the boots. then I tried on about a million pair of practical-looking brownish blackish clogs. I nearly had myself talked into a pair. I thought, yes. this is what I need. cushy comfy practical brownish blackish. however, the section of hand-painted clogs kept calling out to me and leslie kept saying JUST TRY THEM ON ALREADY. she had to push a little because well, I was in practical mom mode. I am a hard nut to crack when I am in practical mom mode. I broke and tried on a pair (many pairs, actually). according the sales clerk, a swedish woman comes into the shop once a month to paint them and she paints each pair differently. each pair is one of a kind. I don't know but that sort of sold me. well, that and leslie's gentle pushing. because, you know. sometimes you just need a little push in the right direction.

and so I am happily wearing said hand-painted clogs. happily, down to the nubs. and every time I look down, I smile. because of that little bright-colored crown of flowers, yes, but also because they make me think of san francisco and my sweet friend and how good it feels to laugh in the face of practicality.

21 comments:

  1. "...how good it feels to laugh in the face of practicality."

    oh how this sings to my heart. <3
    wonderful pictures!

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  2. I love your pictures (and your shoes!) but, its so good to read - I have so so missed your writing!! I am a little bit in love with your early blog years where there are so many words!

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  3. Good work! You won't be sorry. No pretty please tell us which clog shop!!

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  4. i clicked over here from my reader before i even read the part about the clogs because just the image of them made me short of breath, they are amazing! gorgeous! i love them more than is normal to love another person's pair of shoes that you have only seen on the internet (and not in one-of-"those"-sites kind of way!)
    i've had clogs on the mind and actually just asked my step mother if she had any in her amazing collection that she could spare but now... now i just might have to fly to san francisco.

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  5. Those are really pretty! I am the same, I'll wear something that works for me until it's completely destroyed and I embarrass the people around me by the state of my clothing. We should both learn, and buy two or three of those things that work, right?

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  6. They are beautiful! I'm glad you went for it. I need some laughing in the face of practicality - it's been awhile...

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  7. they are quite, well, quite hand painted by a swedish woman. i mean, HAND PAINTED by a SWEDISH WOMAN. love.

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  8. As soon as I saw your cloggity
    clog photo, the first thought was
    "Donna Dewberry's taking over
    shoes!" They are too cute and
    I'm glad you broke down and
    bought a pair. And THAT camera
    is taking mighty fine photos. :D

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  9. i think i need a pair of hand painted clogs now.

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  10. Never mind about the clogs, these photos are gorgeous!

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  11. Ha! Ha! It's so funny that you went on and on about the clogs because we your blog page loaded I was sitting there staring at them and talking to myself about how cute they were, and wondering where you would have gotten them, etc...all before I read the post!!! ^_^ Good buy!

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  12. Those clogs are incredible. I so need a pair! I'm the same way with clothes, I can't think of a pair of jeans that I have that doesn't have a hole in them! Love the photos.

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  13. As always, I LOVE your photos. Especially of San Francisco because I live nearby...

    I had this pair of pink ones when I was a kid. They weren't hand-painted but they were my FAVORITE shoes and I wore them all the time. Your new clogs are great!

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  14. Love this. Lovelovelove it. I'm moving to SF in the fall and these pictures made me oh-so-excited :)

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  15. I happily offer gentle clog purchase nudging for anyone who asks - just N of the golden gate...

    But ANDREA!

    You are NOT ALLLOWED TO GET THESE DOWN TO NUBS. Even if I have to fly up to P town, wrestle them off your feet and head to the closest shoe guy. GOT ME?!

    (perhaps not so gentle but a friend has gotta do what a friend had gotta do, eh?)

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  16. My heart is a little bit squeezy right now.

    xo

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  17. Just came across your blog -- I adore it! Your photography is so heartfelt. And I love seeing my hometown on film. :)

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  18. man you didn't even have to WRITE about them. i saw that photo and was like.... THOSE SHOES.

    where? how? can? I? obtain?

    and i... well, i'm not really a shoe kinda girl.

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  19. That last line should be made into a poster by the Keep Calm people.

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  20. LOVE it. Now I have to read your SF posts - love reading about people's experiences in my neck of the woods.

    And I'm so glad you went for the painted clogs. I probably wouldn't have been brave enough. :) I'm sure you wont regret it!

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