Shoe blog

Not shoes! A shoeblogger’s weekend shopping finds.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not just a shoe-lover. I’m also an avid reader of science fiction and urban fantasy as well as a big fan of fashion of all types – from runway to weddings to alternative fashion. I also dabble in sewing (I even made my own wedding gown, lo these many years ago) – in which pursuit  I’ve discovered that I have a basic inability to use a sewing pattern without altering it in some way from it’s basic design.

But, I digress.

I’m always busy on the weekends with various family errands, grocery shopping, et. al.  Thank goodness we are done with soccer until the fall; this season nearly wiped me out. Anyway, among my essential weekend ‘musts’ is a mandatory visit to our local bookstore.  And, when I am able to go to said bookstore on the day after payday, armed with a 40% off coupon….well, that’s a recipe for lightening my bank account without adding a single pair of shoes to my closet.

So, I may sometimes say that I’m all about the shoes. But, I’m certainly not only about the shoes.

Here’s a quick peek into one shoeblogger’s weekend shopping bag:

1.) Yay! I finally got me that copy of Neil Gaiman’s “Absolute Death” that I’ve been wanting - and at a 40% discount, too.  No way I wanted to spend $100 on this, no matter how pretty and glossy it’s pages may be.  By the way, if you are interested at all in urban fantasy or just plain original storytelling, I highly recommend picking up anything by Mr. Gaiman.  His is truly an original storytelling voice.

2.) WWD Accessories. This comes out twice a year, I think. This issue is supposed to stay on newsstands from February-July in most metro areas. I finally picked myself up the current copy. This is on of the ultimate coffee-table magazines for accessories lovers.

3.) WWD Collections: Fall 2010.  ‘Yay’ to the bookstore for updating from stock from the Spring ’10 issue to Fall ’10 issue of this magazine. While this magazine is nowhere as complete in it’s fashion and photo coverage as the Style.com or NYMag.com are able to be, this twice-yearly publication provides an enjoyable fashion overview  – All wrapped up in a decadent, over-sized, format that is perfect eye-candy accompaniment to the fresh-brewed caffeine beverage of your choice.

4.) Gothic Beauty,Issue #30. I’ve mentioned this publication before. The photography is outstanding and it provides a great window on alternative fashions that are likely to be reflected 9 months later in at least one mainstream runway show.  (My opinion, obviously, but it’s been eerily true for several seasons now). By the way, the GB website has a nice Alexander McQueen retrospective on the site right now; it’s definitely worth a read.

5.) Charles Stross. “The Revolution Business” -  Book 5 in The Merchant Princes Series.  This series is a little tricky to describe. It is sci-fantasy which follows a determined heroine’s experiences and challenges as she moves back and forth through multiple co-existing dimensions/realities which include a modern and recognizeable USA; a low-tech, post-feudal clan-centered North America; and a Neo-Victorian America which never threw off  British rule.  It is an enjoyable read if you like the sci-fantasy genre and has definite echoes of steampunk in it’s quasi-Victorian America scenes.  Of course, since this is the 5th book in the series and a sixth book is now available in hardback, I am crossing my fingers that this series does not play me false the way Robert Jordan’s never-ending Wheel of Time books did (It’s been going on nearly 2 decades waiting for that series to finish..not just *sigh*, but *heavy sigh*).

Oh, and not shown in my shopping bag? Any results in my on-going search for a web-browsing phone that won’t break the bank in monthly charges.  Once I figure that out, I’m hoping to add occasional seen-on-the street live photos to Shoeblog’s twitter updates. But, we’ll see how that fits with my ongoing personal and family budget considerations. Wish me luck in finding a nice phone solution before fall.

Anyway, shoes and books – definitely twin vices in my life.

How about you – what else do you collect, shop for, or obsess over when not indulging in your shoe habit?