Corso Como opens second boutique in Brazil

Corso Como, the newish women’s shoe brand, expands its retail reach with a second boutique in Brazil, its country of origin. The brand, which launched in spring 2006, quickly developed a loyal following of women who desire style, innovation, comfort and value supported by eco-friendly packaging (by using recyclable paper on all packaging they save about 2,000 trees per year).

The 450 square foot boutique located at Barra Shopping Sul in Proto Alegre City designed by local architect Stella Coelhon, is beautifully modern and clean. The native Brazilian wooden fixtures, hand silk-screened wallpaper and palette of grays, gold and crème act as a backdrop for the wonderfully colorful and textured collection of Corso Como footwear, bags, belts, jewelry and eyewear.



“Corso Como’s first boutique opened in Spring 2008 in Sao Paulo and has been
thriving from day one,” explains Carlos Kray, CEO of Strada, the parent company of
Corso Como. The brands’ philosophy is to provide beautifully crafted shoes that exhibit fresh innovations in style, impeccable detail and luxurious comfort, and retail from $98 for sandals to $310 for boots.

How to Shop for Designer Shoes

June 26th, 2008

shoe lovers are suckers for Italian accents. and why not? these are the craftsmen who make our favorite things… Angelo of Angeleigh Anastasio gives his perspective on designer shoe buying. what’s worth noting is the ONE HE’S HOLDING during his VideoJug interview… hello! It’s our very own “obsessed” member “Grrear!” style exclusively available to shuzsociety “obsessed” members.

Tulsa’s 2nd Annual - Wine, Women & Shoes

June 23rd, 2008

These are good times ladies and if you weren’t at this weekend’s event “Wine, Women & Shoes” you may have missed them. Brainchild of Elaine Honig, “Wine, Women & Shoes” to date has had more than twenty WW&S events across the country, with more than 6,000 attendees, and has raised more than $2 million for women’s and children’s causes.
T-town welcomed footwear designer Angelo of Angeleigh Anastasio to the event who showed (and sold) his spring 08 collection of women’s shoes. Tulsa’s own Miss Jackson’s was representing, as was The Glass Slipper, J. Cole and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Wine, Women & Shoes

Wine, Woman & Shoes is the brainchild of Napa Valley vintner, Elaine Honig. While chatting with a girlfriend about the growing popularity of wine and food pairing events, they jokingly said “wine and shoe pairings would be a lot more fun!” And they were right — since its inception, twenty WW&S events have taken place in ten cities across the country, with over 6,000 attendees, and have raised more than $2 million for women’s and children’s causes. In August 2007, Elaine partnered with long-time friend and industry colleague, Julie Jenanyan. Now, with a combined 30 years of wine industry and marketing experience, they’re expanding the Wine, Woman & Shoes program into more cities, working with non-profit and corporate clients to educate about wine, introduce high-fashion shoes, and inspire women everywhere to think out of the box…shoebox that is!

Our Mission:
Change your shoes, change a life!

the story of foot binding

These women’s “golden lotuses” are proof of a foot fetish on a national scale, with hobbled feet acting as another erogenous zone, the most forbidden of them all. Yet, As Wang surveys her tiny shoes, cocking her head from side to side, it’s clear she’s proud of her little feet. “There’s not a single other woman in Liuyicun who could fit their feet into my shoes,” she says. “When my generation dies, people won’t be able to see bound feet, even if they want to. ” — Lauren Tobin

Vanessa Hudgens loves her Botkier bag!

November 11th, 2008

With High School Musical 3: Senior Year still in the top 3 movies for the week, the paparazzi are keeping themselves busy chasing the “seniors” around Tinseltown.

Jet-setting with honey Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens was spotted sporting her fringed Botkier “Morgan” handbag. And thanks, JustJared for snapping the shots!

Elizabeth Banks in Jimmy Choo

October 15th, 2008

Elizabeth Banks wore the Jimmy Choo “Jasmin” gold crisscross sandal to this week’s W premier by Oliver Stone, on October 14.

You can pick up a pair of “Jasmin’s” at JimmyChoo.com but the shoes are SO HOT, there’s just a few sizes left. Or you can get a black patent pair with a 4 1/2″ heel at Net-a-Porter, $495.

Specialty shoe salon Linus Lounge in the news again

October 23rd, 2008

Dallas’ own LINUS LOUNGE received a veritable avalanche of web activity with recent post “shoe lover opens shoe lounge” in Canadian Press. The article also appeared on The Star Press and Seattle Times, to name but a few.

Dallas’ own LINUS LOUNGE received a veritable avalanche of web activity with recent post “shoe lover opens shoe lounge” in Canadian Press. The article also appeared on The Star Press and Seattle Times, to name but a few.

With an impeccably edited collection of stunning shoes, Linus Lounge provides a brief respite from the hustle of Dallas’ nearby shopping venues. The shoes are grouped together on shelves which sit in front of mirrored walls, or proudly displayed low coffee table. Owner Kristen Radovich has great taste in furnishings, too!

This fall, she offers the casual chic styles of Banfi Zambrelli, wildly interesting wares from Brazilian designer Franziska Hübener and Serbian-born shoe designer Dusica Sacks of Dusica Dusica.

Millennium Travel plans for 2009

Earlier this year shuzsociety enthusiastically began a mission to plan an exclusive shoe shopping trip of a lifetime to Italy. Stay tuned for 2009 dates. Besides Italy’s finest dining and accommodations, we’ve also arranged visits with distinguished designers on the docket; Salvatore Ferragamo and Caligarius in Florence, Rossimoda (Celine, Christian Lacroix, Marc Jacobs and Donna Karan) in Venice and Casadei, Luciano Padovan, Claudio Merazzi and others in Milan.

Upon a recommendation, shuzsociety selected 30-year travel veteran Michael Mastrocola at Millennium Travel, who has lived in Italy, and now specializes in ultra-luxury vacations, adventures, groups and cruises, many of which feature world famous vintners and chefs in glamorous international destinations.
Millennium - Michael Mastrocola

Many of Michael’s clients prefer Silversea Cruises, voted “Worlds Best Small Ship Cruise Line”, with a 6-star rating and a partnership with Relais & Chateaux. Silversea intimate ships feature all suite oceanside rooms, all-inclusive nature (including onboard beverages, spirits and gratuities), luxurious amenities such as Frette linens and Bvlgari toiletries, quality service, the accessibility of smaller ports, and large-ship features such as open-seating dining, alternative restaurants, casino, fitness center and spas.

February 21 to March 1: Argentina – Uruguay – Brazil
Hosted by Chef Kurt Grasings, Grasings & the Carmel Chop House, Carmel-by-the-Sea
• Buenos Aires ~ Montevideo ~ San Paolo ~ Rio de Janeiro •
Find the pulse of Latin America with consummate host Kurt Grasings in an exploration of the vibrant cultures and foods of South America. Argentinean wines are gaining worldwide respect and it’s a great time to see the region. These lush tropical areas can have surprising old world charm and be quite cosmopolitan with diverse foods, cultures and landscapes. Pack your bags and prepare for this gastronomic delight.

May 21 to 28: France – Italy – Monaco – Spain
CANNES Film Festival & Grand Prix Auto Races
• Nice ~ Portofino ~ Monte Carlo ~ Porquerolles ~ Barcelona ~ St. Tropez •
Could there be anything more glamorous than being in Cannes for the film festival? How about being in Monte Carlo during the Grand Prix Auto Races? Enjoy the simple luxuries, immaculately prepared meals, wines and champagne while in the midst of some of the most anticipated cosmopolitan events anywhere in the world.

June 16 to 26: Italy – Croatia – Malta – Spain
Hosted by Eileen Crane, Winemaker & President, Domaine Carneros Wine Group
• Venice ~ Zadar ~ Dubrovnik ~ Valletta ~ Gozo ~ Mallorca ~ Valencia ~ Barcelona •
Spend 10 days in the Mediterranean. Plenty of stops interspersed with two days at sea, leave you all the time you could want to appreciate the amenities onboard and the natural beauty, history, local wines and oils, and of course, the shopping. Eileen Crane will make sure that your time onboard is well spent with wine pairings, receptions and plenty of bubbly.
Millennium Camel
July 20–Aug 1: RT San Francisco to Alaska
Co-hosted by Eric & Arel Wente, Wente Vineyards
Co-hosted by Gregory Short, Executive Chef, Masa’s Restaurant
• San Francisco ~ Ketchikan ~ Juneau ~ Skagway ~ Sawyer Glacier ~ Wrangell ~ Victoria •
To explore the wine regions closer to home, you’ll sail under the Golden Gate Bridge on this leisurely 12-day cruise which gives you three days to explore San Francisco and the wine regions just beyond. Onboard the Silver Shadow you can sit in on incredible cooking demonstrations by Chef Gregory Short. This cruise travels along Sawyer Glacier, spends a day in Victoria, BC and visits four ports in Alaska; Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Wrangell will a give you a deeper insight into Amerindian culture and the exuberant history of this vast, mostly wild, state.

Aug 25 - Sept 5: RT Vancouver to Alaska
Hosted by Joseph Spellman, Master Sommelier, Justin Winery
• Vancouver ~ Sitka ~ Juneau ~ Skagway ~ Sawyer Glacier ~ Wrangell ~ Victoria •
This 9-day Alaska cruise is just the ticket for people who want a slightly shorter vacation to somewhere close to home. Join Master Sommelier, Joseph Spellman of JUSTIN Vineyards as he cruises the northwest in late-summer refinement. Joe is one of 95 Master Sommeliers in the US and his keen palate skills and ability to relate wine to food will add incredible depth and texture on this cultural voyage. With three days in British Columbia, time in four Alaskan ports and two days at sea, you will have plenty of time to learn about wine, enjoy your luxury Silversea surroundings and celebrate the grandiose natural beauty that is Alaska.

Oct 9-19: Canada – United States
Fall Foliage Cruise
Hosted by Eileen Crane, Winemaker & President, Domaine Carneros Wine Group
• Montreal ~ Quebec City ~ St. Lawrence River ~ Gaspe ~ Sydney ~ Halifax ~ Bar Harbor ~ Boston ~ Cape Cod Canal ~ Newport ~ New York •
As the summer begins to linger, many of us long for crispness in the air, a hint that autumn approaches. Join us on this brand new Silversea itinerary to watch the verdant deciduous forests produce a breathtaking display of colors in a historic and romantic odyssey along North America’s North Eastern Coast with a glass of Le Reve in hand. Enjoy the views, culture, history and shopping as we sail south from Quebec to New York City in perfect Fall colors.

Nov 12-26: Amazon River – Brazil
A Tribute to August Escoffier “Chef of Kings, King of Chefs”
Hosted by Michael Escoffier
• Manuas ~ Santarem ~ Belem ~ Natal ~ Recife ~ Salvador ~ Rio De Janeiro •
Explore the vast history and tradition of French cuisine around the world, while adventuring through the amazing Amazon River, and the beauty of Brazil, with excursions to the “Meeting of the Waters” just 4 miles from Manaus, where the Rio Solimões meets the Rio Negro to become the Amazon River. Auguste Escffier changed the course of culinary tradition to create a new French cooking style and his masterpiece Le Guide Culinaire, first published in 1903, has successfully withstood the test of decades and remains a nonpareil among cookery books. While aboard meet Michel Escoffier, great-grandson of Auguste Escoffier.

If you are interested in participating in any of these cruises, or would like assistance planning a vacation, please give Michael a call at 831.659.0151, or toll free at 800.304.6838 x 00. Email escape@mmtravel.net. For more details please go to Millennium’s site.

If Hugh Jackman is the Sexiest Man Alive, his

November 20th, 2008

Coincidently (wink! wink!) recently named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive HUGH JACKMAN co-stars with silver screen siren Nicole Kidman in the epic period film Australia.
Nicole Kidman
Baz Luhrmann’s film Australia opened this week, and making shoes news is the collaboration between the films Oscar winning costume designer Catherine Martin and “Shoemaker to the Stars” Salvatore Ferragamo resulting in an exceptional collection of “beautiful, original shoes.”

In the film, Ms. Kidman plays “Lady Sarah Ashley,” a 1940s aristocrat who embarks upon an epic journey. More than 2,000 costumes were created for the film. And according to Philstar.com, “Martin approached Ferragamo to collaborate on the design of Lady Sarah’s shoes. As Martin says, “When you think of the 1930s one of the first names of shoes that comes to mind is Ferragamo. Ferragamo is synonymous with famous persons from the past and has a long association of making shoes for films and of revolutionizing certain styling and manufacturing techniques.”
Australia Ferragamo
“One of the quintessential Ferragamo traits is their confidence to mix often exotic materials with more luxurious fabrics; the showcasing of this trait and use of materials such as shagreen is a wonderful complement to the exoticism of Northern Australia during this period.”

The glamorous evening sandal, in ruched deep red velvet with stingray accents, is offered for sale as a limited-edition style at Ferragamo stores NOW. And once the style is sold out, the shoe will return to the company’s archives at the Salvatore Ferragamo museum at Palazzo Spini in Florence, Italy.