SHOE Adventures Cycle 1: Sueno De Espadrilles @ Kazam Kebab House

I've been invited a couple of times by different clients to blog about their products.

At first I was quite hesitant since I'm a shoe blogger so one cannot really expect me to do reviews for a new cellphone model or be a guinea pig for a skin care brand. 

But recently though, I had a change of heart. I actually started entertaining the thought of marrying my passion for shoes with other products---if and only if I  a.) like the product b.) use the product c.) am friends with the person asking me to try out his/her product.

Indeed friendship can do so much.

You see, my long-time client and friend Joey, invited me to try out Kazam, his wife Geri's business venture.

Hmmm. A Persian Restaurant. Sosyal. I told myself.

" The food is great and you must definitely try the oxbrain. Simply to die for! "

Because of cholesterol? I silently let the evil thought melt away on its own.

"The kebabs are good as well. Try it. Geri will be there naman."

Ok fine. How can I ever say no to my favorite client since I started my own advertising agency way back in 2006? 

Apart from that, I've always had the liking for Persian food. Keema, shawarma and kebabs have always been in my list of favorites. 

So yes, I did agree to visit his restaurant.

Mentally calculating the days I had before my scheduled visit to the place, I did a research about Persian culture since I want to tailor-fit my outfit to the said occasion.

Prior to the said invitation, being the seemingly dumb blonde, I only associate Persia with either a.) a long-haired cat or b.) a furry rug. 

I found out that Persian culture is highly dominated by colors and woven art. 

Great, we share the love for colors. 

But woven art. Err. I don't think woven shoes are still in fashion.

I remember my grandmother wearing one. But me? 

I would rather eat tons of very spicy keema and ruin my diet than be caught dead wearing such a pair.

I was about to lose hope when I stumbled upon a kiosk at Greenbelt 5 (kung saan bawal daw ang poor people, as stated in the FB pics circulating around. But since my friend Joey and his wife Geri are sosyalin, level dapat. Peace.:) Love you both. :))

Espadrilles....ahhh....love. 

I wasted no time and started checking out the merchandise. 

So cute!!!!! Quirky pairs!!!

My eyes narrowed down to a single pair with a splatter of various bright colors...and woven sides.

Could it be.....yes, you got it! My own  version of Persia ito! Hahaha!

I immediately asked for my size only to find out that all stocks where already out.

But since Lady luck was on my side, I managed to snag a pair that fits perfectly to a T.

And yes, it was the last one. Hehe.

Before I could even ask the sales lady, she blurted what I have been wanting to hear:

" Sir, on sale today. Original price is P2,500, pero now P 995 na lang! "

Music to my ears. So go for the gold!

I got the pair which was placed inside a cocoon-like woven bag. See Persian? Haha. (Seriously though, I read about the brand and it stated that the shoes were actually made in Spain. Pwede na din. Sosyal pa rin. Haha. Level)

Anyway, the much awaited day came and I just decided to wear my new found pair with a plain white shirt and ribbed bottom jeans so that it would pop out with its brilliant colors.

When I finally arrived at Kazam (located strategically at the Mandaluyong Rotonda facing the Cityhall), I was greeted by Geri herself.

The place was very homey. Comfortable. Non-intimidating. Perfect for those in search of a laid back place to unwind afterwork.

In fairness, bagay suot ko, I silently told myself. Tamang arte lang. Haha. :)

I was quite excited to try out the dishes so I immediately ordered the legendary oxbrain and kebab which Joey was raving about.

But of course being the gracious host that she was, Geri offered us bread and Motabal (an eggplant based spread, in lay man's terms).

I like it here na. Hehe.

And when my order finally arrived, I was surprised with the big serving they had. Value for money indeed!

For a moment I just stared at my plate, mentally calculating the calories I have to burn at the gym the following day.

What the heck, by all means, go!

I wasn't wrong. It was all good. Better than most Persian restos I've tried. 

And I'm not saying this because the couple are my friends.

I'm saying this because I mean it. Naks. 

Persian na Persian talaga. Much like my shoes (I need to establish this. Hehe.)

Kidding aside, I found two things in common between my chosen pair of walkers and Kazam:

a.) Value for money

- Big servings, tasty food for Kazam

- At 60% off, my chosen pair was a steal. Aarte pa ba ako?

b.) Comfortable

- Kazam, with its laid-back vibe is the perfect hang-out for those who long for good Persian food in a quaint setting

- The woven in-soles proved to be very comfortable, perfect for the long summer strolls at the mall or the beach

See, I managed to connect everything.:) It was meant to be.:)

For those interested in trying out Kazam's authentic Persian cuisines, check this out: 

Or contact  Kazam at:

Till my next Shoe Adventure! 

Thinking about Tom's

I just finished sending my donation to the victims of the recent tragedy in Japan (via Globe sms, you might want to try it) when I decided to surf the net to keep myself abreast with the latest shoe trends.

By this time, you would already know how much I love slip ons: those cute little pairs of walkers which are very comfortable, almost like walking barefoot.  That is why I wasted no time in checking out the latest apple of my eye: Tom's.

I have heard alot about this brand since last year but I never did give it any attention when I first saw a pair at Robinsons Galleria. Maybe because the pair I saw was really plain (Tom's initial releases were classic in nature). But when I visited their store again early this year in Galleria and then in Boracay (available at the Nothing but H20), I was quite surprised with the new designs they had.

But apart from the fabulous designs, what I like about this brand is its CSR: with every pair you purchase, a pair of shoes is given to a child in need. And for someone who is into charity stuff and the like, that is a major plus factor. A pair costs around P 2, 400. Not bad.

So anyway, here are some included in my wish list:

Yup, I like all four. Hehe. 

They call this the Kenya Striped Botas. Would look great with a pair of khakis and a polo top. 

I love the color scheme of the Seaport Vegan. Rawr for the tropical vibe. 

This Tyler Ramsey's hand painted pair's quirkiness appeals to me. 

I love red. This would look ravishing with a pair of short shorts. Haha!

Hmmm. I have a lot more in my list but I'm heading to work in a few. Hopefully, by being productive this week, I can afford a new pair by the weekend. Haha! 

Pretty in Pink

You can never go wrong with pink, a friend of mine once told me.

True if you have ghostly white feet like mine. Haha! Pink works well with my complexion.

Anyway, I saw its bright pink hue from a mile away, and like a hungry shark I made my way through the crowd and inside the Adidas Trinoma Lifestyle Store.

Seeing my apprehension, the sales lady approached me and reaffirmed my thoughts:

"Unisex Sir!"

Check. Next question was that if they had my size.

Almost clairvoyant, the sales lady said:

"We have all sizes available Sir!"

I didn't even have to open my mouth.

"I'm sure they'd fit you nicely!"

And true to her word, the shoes did fit to a T. Thanks my dear psychic sales lady. :)

The pair was really pretty. And quite affordable too at P2,495.

I've been rambling about its beauty without telling you what it was. Well, it's one of the latest slip ons from Adidas: the Toe Touch Canvas.

It's made of soft fabric and a very comfortable base that makes it perfect for long walks out of town  or short strolls at the mall. Its brightly colored body canvas is complimented with an outsole that's just as flambouyant. A scene stealer indeed!

It's available in different shades, but during that time, only the pink and the white ones were available. I chose to be fierce. Haha!

I brought along this fierceness when I recently went to Baguio for a vacation. A number of people took notice of my cute shoes, giving second glances with some even pointing at it and expressing their amusement.

Oh here I am at the Church of Our Lady of Manaoag. The pair of convertible jeans I was wearing was coincidentally also from Adidas for  its Diesel Line.

Why convertible? See next picture. 

But more than the aesthetics, what I liked about it was that it made walking much easier for me. Comfort at its finest. The Adidas Toe Touch Canvas is definitely more than just a summer shoe: its a pair which you can use all year round.


Comfortable and pretty. I guess my friend was right.

I never can go wrong with pink. Especially if its a pair of Adidas Toe Touch Canvas.

Weekend Warriors

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

And so the old saying goes.

Another mantra which i live by.

Applicable almost in everything I do...including SHOEpping on weekends (and sometimes on weekdays, LOL).

Yes. Before I engage in yet another retail battle, I carefully select my gear in order to win over the various challenges ahead: the long lines, fitting and bratty sales people. Oh, and not to mention the crazy mob of shoppers.

My SHOEpping (and shopping get-up) in general includes: comfortable clothes (e.g. not so tight fitting shirt or polo and a pair of shorts) and a pair of slip ons (my intro).

And now that i'm done with my preamble, I'd like to show you my favorite pair to date: my Lacoste canvas slip ons.

I got these beauties during one of my trips to Hong Kong (my favorite shopping destination because they have unique, hard to find pairs that SHOEpaholics would kill for!).

I was immediately smitten by the bright red and green hues so I couldn't really resist buying both (i actually wanted a white one but had none of my size during that time. Darn it.).

Well apart from its color, the Lacoste Canvas Slip Ons  were surprisingly comfortable...almost like walking barefoot. Its thin soles were quite flexible so they contour nicely to my feet's movement. I never had problems walking in them for long hours (believe me, shopping can be such a tedious task) nor when having to fit other pairs since they are quite easy to remove and put on (kaya nga slip on di ba?!).

These pairs are quite nice to have, most especially if you have long, thin feet like mine. Not suitable for those with fat feet since there would be awkward protrusions on the slip on's edges with its soft canvas material.

And one more thing: I think I got each pair for like P 1,800 from a Lacoste Outlet in HK...that's roughly P1,500 less than how much it costs here. Not bad really. Very nice investments.  Take note: AUTHENTIC. 

Here's a picture of me in my "battle gear"  before i went SHOEpping yesterday.

True enough, me and my weekend warriors have won yet another SHOEpping battle. Stay tuned.:)