Sexy Lingerie

It’s rare to find a global fashion brand with a true family-run feel, but Quoddy footwear is one. The Maine-based Shorey family has been handsewing shoes, boots and moccasins for men and women since 1909, heavily influenced by the superb craftsmanship of the neighboring Passamaquoddy tribe. Times have obviously changed dramatically since the early 20th century but Quoddy continues to make functional, high quality shoes that last. For gentelemen, there are sturdy leather docksiders and boots (below); for ladies, snug suede and sheepskin ankle boots (above) that could well overtake UGG in the style – and comfort – stakes this autumn.

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One of Dubai’s favorite boutiques, Soirée recently announced the opening of its Essa boutique in Dubai. Local designer of Indian origin, Essa is known for his colorful traditional kaftans made with a contemporary twist. He often incorporates such materials as chiffons, found vintage fabrics, silk and lace to create his vibrant designs.

“It is my honor and privilege to have such as an esteemed designer join the Soirée family. On this special evening, Soirée inaugurated an entire section dedicated to Essa’s extraordinary creations,” said Mariya Kassam, owner of Soirée Boutique.

Soirée carries Asian designers Umar Sayeed, Umar Batul, Deepak Perwani, Maria Khan, Nadiya Kassam, Mehdi, Maheen Karim, Sania Maskatiya and many more. They have worked through the summer months to bring you these fabulous Eid collections. We also offer our Arabic clientele offerings by Essa, Wafa Saifi, and Glamonyou who have created spectacular ensembles, kaftans, jalabeyas and abayas. ??Mariya Kassam welcomes clients during Ramadan, “We’ll be offering new collections for our patrons to choose from for their festive activities and parties. There will be something for everyone from a traditional Emirati dress to contemporary evening wear to shalwar kameez for our Asian clientele.  Soiree has a unique piece to tantalize the appetite of every fashionista in the UAE.”

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The first day of school is fast approaching and for many young ones the day looms large with separation anxiety and with fears small and large of stepping into a new space with new faces. To tap into the memories of those first days of school, the Citizen reached out to an array of Greenwich individuals to share some of their first day of school memories. Their wide-ranging responses follow.

Bob DeAngelo, executive director, Boys and Girls Club

I have great memories of my first day at school. I went to St. Roch School across the street from Hamilton Avenue School. My dad would take me to school on his way to work. We wore uniforms at Catholic school . . . white shirt and navy blue pants with a brown St. Roch’s initial tie . . . a perfect knot since it was an elastic tie.

Miss Stearns was my kindergarten teacher, and it is really special because I still see her around town now. I was an adventurous kid — so school was a new adventure. Chocolate milk at lunch and then a nap on the mat. I played hard at recess, and Miss Stearns was really nice. I still think even today that life was great back then going to school!

David C. Ridberg, chief of police, Greenwich Police Dept.

I remember my first day of Byram School. It was first grade, and Mrs. Armitage was the teacher. I had gone to Christian Day School for kindergarten, so I didn’t really know anyone in the class. I wore a dress shirt and slacks the first day. What I really remember was the “Dick and Jane” book, which I had already read in kindergarten, and that Mrs. Armitage complimented me on my reading. My mother told me that she brought me to school the first day, but after that I walked to school with a group of kids from my block. I would guess that the school was half a mile from my house, but cutting through a path behind the neighbors’ homes cut that in half. It was nice that I was so close to both my elementary school and Western Junior High School, so it was easy to walk to school for nine years.

Debra Mecky, executive director, Greenwich Historical Society

I remember my first day of school after moving mid-year to Grosse Isle, Mich. The third-grade teacher asked me to read out loud from the history textbook, and I eagerly jumped in to show my skill. “Sir Francis Drake was a darling man,” I read. To my great embarrassment, she corrected me, saying, “Our new student thinks Sir Frances Drake is darling. What do you think, class?” I don’t remember too much else about this English hero (or pirate depending on your point of view), but I do know he was a daring man.

Stephen G. Walko, chairman, Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation

The year is 1975, the old Byram School. I am entering kindergarten and pre-school was virtually non-existent, so this will be my first experience dealing with multiple kids without the assistance of my brother who is entering third grade. I am wearing my favorite shorts, white socks pulled almost to the knees and brand new white sneakers, probably Nike with the simple red swoosh.

I am scared and excited — all at the same time. The large stairs leading up to the big brick building are imposing. Once I finally reach the top of the stairs and enter the door I thought I had just conquered Mount Everest. I am led to the kindergarten room where kids are playing — especially around the play kitchen, which was tucked into an old brick fireplace.

Colors, words, numbers and shapes abound. Mrs. Grogan will be my teacher. She takes my hand and introduces me to a few kids. Nobody says anything except maybe a simple “Hi.” As the day moved along, my memory of the events fade. The rest of the day must have been uneventful until the final bell rang, when I remember we were able to run out to our parents. I have never been so glad to see my mom and fall into her arms exhausted from what seemed like an extraordinary long day. Relieved and tired, I find my brother and race to get home to tell Dad all about the day I had.

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Ralph Lauren knows a good opportunity when he sees one, and his new jeans concept Denim & Supply is the perfect thing to fill the void that Abercrombie & Fitch is leaving in the retail world.

Because for ages now, the company that brought us naughty black-and-white catalogs and perfectly comfortable poloshirts was riding high on a wave of its customers’ brand loyalty and aspirational blindness. Teenagers looked at A&F and saw an idealized version of American youth that celebrated vacations to Montauk, reckless abandon that didn’t come with any circumstances and jeans that looked like you’d been beating the hell out of them for years before you even got a chance to put them on. But after getting sued for not treating its black employees the same as its precious white ones — to say nothing of getting called out for producing child smut and racially insensitive statement t-shirts — the company has been in decline stateside. We hear they’re doing well in Europe, though.

But Ralph Lauren is an all-American company, and its people realize that young kids who don’t have a whole ton of money to spend still want dependable, well-made, stylish clothing. That’s why the Denim & Supply line is so special. Its clothes aren’t unapproachably high fashion, but they’re not so basic that they’re boring, either. And the prices are good, if not affordable for absolutely everyone. There’s nothing that costs more than $300, and most of the jeans are under $100. Part model off-duty, part reformed preppy kid who’s moved downtown, the clothes just look really easy to wear and understand.

And maybe that’s because the marketing behind it is so intensely targeted. The video you more or less have to watch when you reach the line’s website says, “We embrace scruffiness! We aren’t annoyingly shiny or happy, but damnit we look good!” We can’t wait to see what it looks like when it gets its own freestanding stores. We have a feeling you’ll be able to get the same ripped up jeans you loved when you were in high school, and you can buy them without having to walk past greased up shirtless boys who make you feel bad for having that extra spoonful of affogato instead of doing 200 sit-ups after dinner last night like you know you should have.

Denim & Supply is currently available at Macy’s stores nationwide and online at Macys.com. Take a look at a few of the brand’s first pieces, and tell us what you think.

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Running shoes used to be all about cushioning, period. But with the recent emphasis on form and injury prevention, trail running, ultra-running and barefoot running, shoe choices have exploded. The alternatives seem endless: minimal shoes, maximum shoes, super-cushioned shoes, no-cushion shoes. Here’s a sampler of some standout designs for different categories of runners.

Ultra-running on a cloud

Hoka One One Bondi B: Designed to reduce the cumulative damage of ultra-running, One Ones offer a lineup rarely, if ever, seen in a running shoe: an oversized, 2-inch-thick pile of cushioning, a relatively flat rise from heel and forefoot (40 millimeters, one-third that of normal running shoes), lightweight (10.5 ounces in size 9) and no medial posts, high-density foams or other stability devices.

Likes: It’s like running on a cloud — extremely comfortable and shock-absorbing. Although I normally run barefooted or in minimalist shoes, I found that these were conducive to a soft forefoot landing and fairly stable (probably due to the extra-wide bottoms). The plush cushioning is particularly effective in reducing impact on long descents, which are staples of ultra-running races.

Dislikes: Expensive; questionable durability due to the typical breakdown of foam cushioning and lack of hard rubber on the sole; and inherent imbalance. Though its thick cushioning theoretically cuts injuries by greatly reducing shock, it also reduces road feedback and balance, increasing the potential for long-term joint strain. Also, the huge cushion encourages heel striking.

Price: $169.

The bubble shoe

MIzuno Wave Prophecy: Wild-looking, complex “wave plate” design for heel-strikers that replaces a normal shoe’s midsole foam with two molded, varying-density plates arranged in four plastic, see-through, shock-absorbing suspension arches.

Likes: Effective and durable. The wave plates absorb shock as advertised, and the lack of foam to break down portends a long life for the shoe. The wide toe box is very comfortable. The fairly low front end provides decent ground feel when compared with the Hoka One One.

Dislikes: High cost and weight — 13 ounces in size 9. The tall heel (13/8-inches) encourages the high-impact heel strike the design is meant to minimize.

Price: $199.

Barely there sandals

Invisible Shoes Connect: Minimalist, economical running sandal for wannabe barefoot runners that is made of a thin, cupped rubber sole pre-punched with two reinforced ankle holes and an intricately threaded lace. After September, it comes with a free hole puncher.

Likes: An almost-barefoot feel, but with some protection. The 4-mm-thick sole (about 5/32 inch thick, including lugs) of soft, pliable rubber provides barefoot-like balance, letting you feel every contour in the road or trail but without the momentary stabbing pain of a sharp pebble. It’s so light — 4.3 ounces in size 9 (compared with about 6.5 ounces for a Vibram Sprint) — that you hardly feel it. The slightly cupped, curved-up toe and heel zones keep feet from catching on the ground; the soles can be custom trimmed with scissors. I ran a 5K in them and appreciated the extra protection (and speed) over the course’s rougher sections.

Dislikes: Requires you to measure the length of your foot, punch your own big-toe hole and tie your own laces — a potential challenge for some. Misplacing the do-it-yourself hole punch could mean a waste of money. The company will send you a customized pair for an extra $15.

Price: $24.95; $29.95 for the thicker-soled, 6 mm Contact model.
The original alternative

Nike Free Run +2: A barely changed version of a transition-to-barefooting shoe that was first created in 2004 to mimic the injury-fighting benefits of barefoot running. To encourage a soft forefoot landing and tactile ground feel, it features a low profile (3/8 inch at the ball of the foot and an inch off the ground in the heel) and a soft, flexible foam midsole/sole segmented by deep cuts.

Likes: Better-than-average ground feel and comfort. That’s due to the low forefoot positioning; a stunning flexibility that allows the shoe to be rolled up like a pill bug; a reinforced, sock-like upper; and an asymmetrical lacing system that’s said to reduce pressure over the top ridge of the foot. Solid rubber sole patches under the big toe and heel keep the sole from wearing out too fast.

Dislikes: For a “barefoot” shoe, it carries a major flaw: a too-tall heel that encourages you to heel strike.

Price: $90.

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The New York Times editorializes on what FoxConn’s plans to install one million robots in its Chinese factories will mean for China. In particular, they wonder what will happen to economic opportunities for China’s population.

Even with this kind of wage pressure, pay is still very low. A Department of Labor study estimated that manufacturing workers in China earned $1.36 an hour in 2008 — about 4 percent of what an American worker made and less than wages in Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines and even India.

It’s hard to believe that hundreds of millions of Chinese can move quickly up the economy’s “value chain” to become tomorrow’s nurses and engineers. In the meantime, as robots take over more work, the millions trapped in the countryside will have even fewer opportunities.

I’d argue that this loss of opportunity would extend to urban areas in China, as well. Not only are opportunities for rural workers going to go missing, but urban workers are going to lose jobs and opportunities as well. This will be especially true if, as I’ve suggested, cheap robot labor makes Western countries more attractive to locate factories to, because there are more educated workers and a better infrastructure for high tech. If that turns out to be the case, then that would impact higher skilled jobs, as well.

In the West, we’ve had over a century to adjust to automation and outsourcing in manufacturing, and one way we’ve coped with that is to divert to a more service-based economy. Developing nations won’t have that chance. As Frank Tobe and Manoj Sahi note, FoxConn’s move towards more robots will more than double the number of industrial robots in the world — in less than five years. That’s a tough adjustment for even a robust, advanced economy.

What will it mean for China’s?

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In the midst of a slow economy, store owners face an extra challenge this month: the days of August — the slowest month — when the whole town disappears on vacation.

Downtown retailers are left behind, with empty stores, but time to focus on promotions or take their own vacations. Contributing further to slower sales this month is a downturn in consumer spending, which slipped by $21.9 billion, or 0.2 percent, in June.

Sue Antoci, owner of the Flair jewelry store, has five locations including Wayne and Oakland. She opened her first store in 1992 and was taken aback by slow sales in August. Now she has sales and promotions to combat the slow days.

“We just try to keep it interesting,” Antoci said. “We send out advertisements that we’re having sales. You expect it’s slower in August, and you plan for it that way.”

Sales and special advertisements are a few ways that North Jersey businesses are drawing in customers. Other stores compensate by supplementing their business with products that draw customers throughout the summer. Paris Jewelers has been selling high-end crystal, china and jewelry in Ridgewood for 30 years.

“It’s just my everyday customers, you see they go away,” said store owner Maral Medzadourian. “There are a lot of weddings going on in September and October, and because we are a jewelry and gift shop, we sell a lot of china and crystal for bridal registries.”

Medzadourian said her customer pace begins to slow down after the annual sidewalk sale in Ridgewood, which was last week.

Thomas Hillman is the president of Ridgewood’s Chamber of Commerce, which hosts the sidewalk sale. He also owns Hillman Lighting.

Despite the decrease in consumer spending, Hillman said he has seen empty storefronts starting to fill up in Ridgewood.

“I think things have leveled off,” he said. “Sometimes the fact that people aren’t driving as much can help us, so that is actually beneficial. We’re optimistic.”

Not all small businesses are as optimistic as Hillman. The National Federation of Independent Business’s small-business optimism index fell for the fifth month in a row in July, to 89.9, the lowest level since last September.

A local business resource, the New Jersey Small Business Development Center, advises on finances, marketing and strategy. Vincent D’Elia, Bergen County regional director, said small businesses typically feel the effects of the economy first.

“Main Street is affected before Wall Street is,” D’Elia said. “The smaller businesses are more apt to feel economic pressures sooner than the larger businesses. When the banks tightened up, the fear was really set out there, and the people that gravitated to that were the small businesses looking to see what they could do to insulate themselves.”

Even businesses that have their busy season during the summer have to stay creative. Conrad’s Confectionary, an old-fashioned ice cream shop in Westwood, used to struggle on summer nights. The third-generation owner, J.J. Krachtus, decided three years ago to close the inside of the shop at night and open a walk-up window. Since then his summer business has bloomed.

“Business is good, but a lot of people are away,” Krachtus said. “It’s definitely a travel month, but it’s hot weather, and we’re an ice cream store. We’ve gotten busier over the last two years.”

Some stores shut down for a few days, or in some cases, the whole summer.

Two stores in Pompton Lakes put signs outside saying they were closed for the summer season. Francis Forte, owner of Sir Francis Cleaners in Westwood, is closing his store for a few days to vacation in Ocean City, Md.

“Summertime is just always slow in Westwood anyway,” Forte said. “August for sure is the worst month of the year. Once we get people at work again, people need dry cleaning. You have to look presentable when you go in for a job.”

Forte said he has seen the slow days last past August. Tom and Marsha Smith, owners of Pompton Lakes Florist, said things are so slow they are considering selling their business.

“Support your local business,” Marsha Smith said. “It’s so slow in August; everybody is gone. Usually we [take a vacation], but we’re not planning on it right now. It’s always slow in summer, but I think due to the economy right now things are extraordinarily slow.”

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The testimonials for Marshall Faulk have flowed freely surrounding his enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Les Richter’s legacy is tougher to access.

Both were Rams legends, Faulk in St. Louis and Richter during the team’s days in Los Angeles.

Improbable as it sounds, Richter might have been the more versatile player. He went into the Hall of Fame for his prowess as a linebacker, but he also played on the offensive line, served as the team’s deep snapper and spent his first three seasons doubling as the Rams’ kicker. Like Faulk, Richter transcended the traditional confines of his position.

Former Rams linebacker and NFL coach Jack Pardee summed up Richter well:

“Before Sid Gillman started throwing the football around, the NFL was all run game, and most teams played a 5-2 front. Les was one of the first true middle linebackers who could defend the run and the pass. He was an All-Pro and was the best in the business for a number of years. You talk about smart, he was the valedictorian at Cal, and calling the signals on the field and making the adjustments, that all went along with kind of establishing a new position. Les was a new breed of middle linebacker, which was part lineman and part defensive back. He could really cover, and that was the difference between him and the group in front of him.”

Richter died last year. His son, Jon, accepted on his father’s behalf during Hall of Fame proceedings Saturday. The Rams have posted a tribute video featuring Jon’s thoughts. I recommend checking it out, along with a couple stories from the Los Angeles Times.

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Taylor Swift hits the blue carpet at the 2011 Teen Choice Awards on Sunday (August 7) at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif.

The 21-year-old country cutie wore a Rafael Cennamo dress, a Ranjana Khan belt, Neil Lane jewelry, and Fendi shoes.

Taylor will be receiving the Ultimate Choice Award during the ceremony for her career accomplishments so far!

She is also nominated for Choice Female Music Artist, Choice Female Country Artist, Choice Country Single for “Mean,” Choice Love Song for “Mean,” Choice Break-up Song for “Back to December,” and Choice Female Red Carpet Fashion Icon.

During her pal Selena Gomez’s performance of “Love You Like A Love Song,” Taylor danced in the audience with Joey King. Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato were also singing along.

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A CONVICTED football hooligan landed a job at a Rainhill school after hiding his chequered past.

But Everton fan David Bradwell Walsh, 51, was rumbled during record checks after securing a permanent job as an English teacher at Rainhill High School in St Helens.

He has now been struck off and handed a two-year ban by school staff watchdog The General Teaching Council (GTC).

Despite a string of offences Walsh had been employed at Rainhill and other schools as a supply teacher.

His criminal past includes assaulting a club steward after he was refused entry to Goodison Park’s main stand during Everton’s 2-1 defeat to Tottenham on February 21, 2007.

He was convicted of battery and banned from football matches in England and Wales for three years.

He also received a 12-month community order.

His banning order expired in May 2010. They normally ban access from all grounds in England and Wales.

The previous year he was given a fixed penalty notice for attempting to steal a pair of ladies shoes from a Warrington shop.

He also has a string of motoring offences between 2001-2007 including drink driving and driving while disqualified and without insurance.

St Helens Council believes he escaped detection as a supply teachers agency’s criminal record checks pre-dated the offences.

But the GTC heard his past came back to haunt him when council staff carried out their own checks when he secured a job as an English teacher at Rainhill in April 2008.

Issuing the ban the GTC said he was guilty of ‘unacceptable professional conduct’ for not disclosing the offences on his application form.

Committee chairman Paul Bird said: “We have a particular concern as to the conviction of battery and the fixed penalty notice for theft of ladies shoes.”

He added: “We have real concerns as to the role model of Mr Walsh and the reputational damage to the profession.”

When his past came to light Mr Walsh, who resigned, told the school he ‘was not proud of the convictions’.

A St Helens Council spokesman said: “He was employed by a supply teaching agency who had carried out a satisfactory CRB check.

“It was only later upon appointment at the school, when the council carried out a CRB check, that the offences came to light which had occurred after the original check.”

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