The Savvy Shopper
Member Since: March 8, 2011Reviews
TOMS Shoes Canvas Classic Slip-Ons
Blake Mycoskie, the remarkable founder of TOMS shoes is showing all of us how to make a difference. Mycoskie started his company in 2006 because he wanted to do something to help children in impoverished countries who have no shoes to wear. The... +
Blake Mycoskie, the remarkable founder of TOMS shoes is showing all of us how to make a difference.
Mycoskie started his company in 2006 because he wanted to do something to help children in impoverished countries who have no shoes to wear. The idea came after he visited Argentina and observed that without shoes, poor village children are susceptible to cuts and sores that are painful, plus dangerous if infection sets in. They also suffer from podoconioisis, a soil transmitted disease that gets into their systems through the soles of their feet and leads to very serious health problems. In addition to disease, Mycoskie noticed that barefooted children are not allowed to attend school. So he created TOMS, short for “Tomorrow's Shoes,” as a sustainable company with the important goal of donating shoes to those who need them. With every pair of shoes you buy, TOMS gives a new pair to a child in need.
TOMS Shoes are patterned after traditional Argentinean shoes. Often made of canvas with rope and rubber soles, they are light, airy and comfortable. There are 100 different styles, and many sell in the $45 range.
According to various media reports, to-date the company has provided over 600,000 pairs of shoes to children in the United States, South America and Africa. And if you thumb through celebrity magazines, you'll catch well known faces like Scarlett Johansson, Keira Knightley and Brad Pitt wearing their TOMS. You can find TOMS Shoes online and at Norstrom and Whole Foods.
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The Loveless Cafe
Nashville's Loveless Cafe opened its doors in 1951. That's when Annie Loveless first served a batch of her prized scratch biscuits – using a secret family recipe – along with her homemade preserves and fried chicken. Soon cured country... +
Nashville's Loveless Cafe opened its doors in 1951. That's when Annie Loveless first served a batch of her prized scratch biscuits – using a secret family recipe – along with her homemade preserves and fried chicken. Soon cured country ham was added. Over the years the business changed hands, but a dedicated group of Music City locals kept it open and continued serving up it's smokehouse specials and country relishes and condiments. Today it has a thriving “Hams & Jams” mail order business, but Carol Fay, who started working at the cafe 30 years ago, and her cooking crew, still make everything in small batches. Peach, blackberry and strawberry preserves are slow cooked – 72 jars at a time – using Annie's original recipe of just fruit, sugar and 4-6 hours of simmering. Each jar is poured, labelled and packed by hand. Over the years, Carol Fay mastered many jobs and worked her way up. Today she is the keeper of the secret biscuit recipe and the face of the Loveless Cafe. If you stop by to eat, you can say “Hello” to Carol Fay.
The Loveless Cafe is known around the world for its hospitality and delicious Southern home-cooked breakfast, the best of the best. Outside of Nashville, you can call, or go online to order gift packs of smoked, favored bacon, country ham, Vinegar-Pepper BBQ Soak & Marinade, Loveless Seasoned Salt, or the cafe's [secret recipe] biscuit mix. You can butter your biscuits by ordering the cafe's scrumptious apple or pumpkin butters and satisfy your sweet tooth by sampling their heavenly confections, like homemade spiced pecans, caramel sorghum popcorn, or famous Tennessee T-Cakes, made in Nashville using a century-old recipe.
And visit the gift shop – either on your way out or online – where the cafe's cheeky slogans like “Our Butts Are Smokin” are sure to put a smile on your face.
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