I do not know if you have ever been on an amazing vacation and upon returning; found it very difficult to talk about. I mean so many things happened and your experience so uplifting that even starting to describe your trip seems too daunting of a task. Well, the last 2 weeks have been like that for me, and now, as I sit in Panera Bread (free wireless by the way) in Newport, RI, I am struggling with what to report.
I guess I will start with Miami and our first Bloomingdales event where we met the lovely Leyla. Leyla is the manager of the shoe department and really knows her stuff (besides being gorgeous). After explaining to Zak that she is married, Leyla invested a lot of time after the store closed to give us great feedback on how to make TOMS fit better and what customers would like to see from us in the future. Needless to say, I took copious notes and we have already started working her suggestions into our Spring 08 designs.
During the Bloomindales event Zak left to get a quick snack. He came back with a haircut. It looked so good I decided to get one myself after our event. When we were leaving the salon, the cashier pointed to me and then to Zak, and said "mini me"? Neither of us understood what she was trying to say! later in the night we realized she was referring to Austin Powers and the fact that Zak and I had matching hair cuts! i immediately went to the drug store and bought some Rogaine.
Next stop was Heel Shoe Lounge. We had an event there and filmed a segment for a popular South Beach show called Decko Drive. During the taping I unintentionally exhibited my lack of "footwear knowledge" by picking up "wedge" shoe when the host asked for a "platform". Just a minute later my education continued when I found out what "limo" shoes were. They were not the classy black and white stilettos I pulled, but in fact a term used to describe very expensive and UNCOMFORTABLE shoes. Hence, the term limo was created since you would only wear these shoes from the limo to the restaurant and back into the limo (limited walking)� I can't understand why anyone would wear shoe that is that uncomfortable, but hey I don�t understand waxing, eye brow trimming, and other things such women who wear these shoes do regularly.
In Philly, we engaged in the ultimate taste test. Philly is known for its "cheese steak" and there is no place more famous than south Philly and the intersection where Genos and Pats sit head on in a fierce competition for the best cheese steak. Both establishments are family owned and have been around forever, and the truth is (after eating a foot long of both) they taste exactly the same. I know I will probably start receiving hate mail from each of their legions of fans, and possibly the Airstream will mysteriously ignite in flames during our next event, but now that I am a blogger, I feel a certain responsibility to report with great candor, and the truth is they taste the same�.
After eating 2 cheese steaks and feeling disgusting with myself, I decided Philly (The Home of Rocky) was the place to "get back in shape". We got lost looking for the Rocky statue, but we did find a swanky RV camp and some nice weather. What happened next can only be told in living color, so without further to do, I present you with the:
TOMS WORKOUT VIDEO! click here to view
Next stop! The Big Apple and our big night with Anne Slowey (Elle editor, trouble maker, and friend)
Adios,
Blake
