This Friday, after breaking out of work (hopefully a little early) and beelining it down the Shore (hopefully without traffic), pop into Queen Village’s very own Bus Stop Boutique, where owner Elena Brennan is throwing a Sex and the City party from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
As if we needed another reason to come in and scoop up the latest from Repetto and Farylrobin, the party will have cocktails and nibbles, plus SATC trivia and prizes (free movie passes, anyone?)
If you’re not familiar with Cole Haan’s G Series, allow me to educate: The geniuses at Cole Haan take cute, fun and work-appropriate heels and flats and add perfectly concealed Nike Air technology. Meaning: walking, dancing or cocktail-hour-ing in 4-inch wedges looks pulled-together and feels like heaven on your dogs. Not surprisingly, they come with a hefty price tag, which is how Kushyfoot walked into my life and saved said puppies and my bank account.
These foot covers — they sorta look like peds — are available in a buncha forms, from athletic socks to open toe styles in basic colors like black, white and nude. (Although we’ll admit the new black lace ones are like trying to make Granny panties hot. It just doesn’t work.). What makes them special is that a padded foot bed massages and cushions achy feet all day. They all cost less than my daily wrap and iced-tea lunch and a heck of a lot less than trying to keep up with Cole’s latest styles. — Andrea Carayiannas
Available at CVC, Rite Aid, $3.49 to $7.99.
Not that I needed extra reasons to hop over to Rescue Rittenhouse Spa these days (or any day, for that matter), but as I found out at a recent visit, there’s even more goodies now to lure us in.
Besides the usual skin-saving facials from Danuta, the owner, and well, face-saving eyebrow shaping sessions with Nives Riddle, makeup artist extraordinaire — and oodles of Biologique Recherche, Valmont, Chantecaille makeup and KeikoMecheri perfume — the spa has now got their own little reusable chocolate-brown canvas bags, and yummy-smelling SedaFrance candles, all marked with the Rescue logo that we Center City-ites have come to associate with the ultimate care and relaxation.
And one of my favorites, of their newest treats? These OKA b. flip-flops — with massaging beads on the cushioned footbed, they’re also antimicrobial (the material stays super clean — and you can toss them in the dishwasher if they need a rinse!), completely non slip, and made right here in the US.
That’ll be me, soon, down the Shore with the black Malibus (pictured).
This Friday, J. Karma Boutique in the city is turning one (congrats!) and they’re celebrating in usual birthday style — music, cake, punch; the works — but are throwing in such a lovely treat for the rest of us: 15 percent off everything full-price in the store!
If I were there, I would be (well, besides standing near the birthday cake) scooping up flats and wedges and sandals and pumps (like these lovely beauties by Carlos Santana), and probably visiting with Therese-Ann D’Ambrosia, who will be in attendance, and making custom jewelry for party-goers right there on the spot.
They’re turning one, but we get presents. I like it.
Well, I did it. As promised in last Thursday’s blog, I took my “sore from constantly wearing heels” tootsies to local specialty running stores (gulp). I was scared that an alarm would sound the instant I walked in, that they’d take one look at me and immediately call me out on my fish-out-of-water status: “What are you doing in here? You … a runner? Ha!” So I made my running buddy, Jane, tag along. Just in case.
In celebration of Converse’s 100th birthday, we at Good Life would like to highlight some of our celebrated Philadelphicons who rock out these most iconic, trend-enduring kicks. — Luke Sirinides
Julius Erving
He spent the last ten of his fifteen-year basketball career playing for the 76ers. And always in his Chucks.
M.I.A.
Although this hottie funk/rap artist is Sri Lankan-born and London-raised, she did actually live here for a while. Local DJ Diplo mixed tracks on both of her albums.
Will Smith
Admittedly an often-referenced icon. “West Philadelphia born and raised”…and all that. Nevertheless, Will keeps it real in his chucks.
Benjamin Franklin
Were he’d born 200 years later, you know he would …
Tina Fey
Obviously this Philly goddess of comedy rocks Converse.
You
If you’d like to join the hip parade, Converse is unveiling their Century footwear collection, featuring throwback designs and re-vamped classics. Also, the company is teaming up with (PRODUCT) RED and The Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Help your fellow man and look good doing it. Now that’s cool, man.
I have a not-so-little obsession with shoes. And ever since it became an addiction, I’ve seen my bank account dwindle down to pennies. Thankfully, our area has tons of budget-friendly stores turning out trendy goods for students like me. My latest “I have to have it, but still need to eat” obsession? Payless ShoeSource.
The footwear chain has strengthened its marketing campaign and brought in exciting guest designers, including Patricia Field (who made Sex and the City just as fabulous as SJP) and Laura Poretzky from New York runway favorite Abaeté.
During a recent after-work Payless visit (and by work, I mean this no-pay internship), I spotted these yellow Kailey Patent Pumps and they made me swoon. While I did wonder if I would hate that color in say, three minutes, the under-$20 price tag was enough to make the purchase guilt-free. Plus, when these shoes are worn thin from Philly’s concrete jungle, I can head back to Payless to buy my next new pair (I’ve been eyeing-up the blue Lindy Patent Peep-toe Pumps anyway). Best of all, the more-than-reasonable price allows me to deposit a few more pennies into my piggy bank for those ever-classic Louboutins, which will never go out of style. How many hours until lunch break? — Elena Chin
Kailey Patent Pumps, $19.99, Payless ShoeSource, Various locations throughout the tri-state area, payless.com.
Image, payless.com
If you’re as avid a shopper as I, you are in quite a tizzy right now with all the holiday sales going on.
And, if you’re trying to be organized and hit all the right spots before the good stuff is taken, let me invite you to put this one on your list: Bryn Mawr’s State of Grace (owned by buddy-of-mine Amanda Barton) is having a sale (20 to 30 percent off) on tons of merchandise this entire month — think sweaters, tops, dresses — and has picked up a few new adorable lines to kick off 2008: Kritik is super cute, trendy active wear (you’ve seen Jessica Alba wearing it) and Ashley Watson leather bags (I love the Warbler, pictured) are made totally from recycled leather jackets.
I am going to need a bigger closet.
State of Grace, 1029 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, 610-525-0100, stateofgraceboutique.com
On a certain Center City street corner, there sits a shop with a museum-worthy collection of stop-you-in-your-tracks shoes. Stiletto — or, as I like to call it, Heaven On Earth — has shelves lined with überfancy footwear most would deem only red-carpet appropriate.
Shoes with embellished heels that raise skyward even the most vertically challenged fashionistas. Shoes with rhinestone-encrusted T-straps. Shoes that can be rung up and run out to you while you wait, double-parked (they understand how horrendous parking can be, so you can call ahead and have them place your pair aside). Shoes that proclaim, “There may not be a red carpet rolled out on Market Street, but I’m going to strut on like there is.” Shoes like these yummy Giambattista Valli chocolate-brown crocodile ankle boots lined with goat fur. Mmm.
So roll out your imaginary red carpets, girls. Let’s get our strut on.
Giambattista Valli ankle boots, $2,950, Stiletto, 124 South 18th Street, 215-972-0920, and 907 West Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, 610-525-2200, stilettostyle.com.
Instead of a Mao bag, maybe Cameron Diaz should’ve worn these to Peru a few months back. Perfect for fall, which apparently is now here, these olive-green boots with fur lining are part of a new Adidas line heralding “Materials of the World” — and they just arrived to the South Street store last week.
Inspired by Peruvian ponchos, they’re sophisticated enough that your stodgy boss won’t blink, but street-cool enough to fetch a second glance from a bicycle messenger.
Adidas Originals Store, 436 South Street, 267-514-1952
This Friday, after breaking out of work (hopefully a little early) and beelining it down the Shore (hopefully without traffic), pop into Queen Village’s very own Bus Stop Boutique, where owner Elena Brennan is throwing a Sex and the City party from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 
If you’re not familiar with Cole Haan’s G Series, allow me to educate: The geniuses at Cole Haan take cute, fun and work-appropriate heels and flats and add perfectly concealed Nike Air technology. Meaning: walking, dancing or cocktail-hour-ing in 4-inch wedges looks pulled-together and feels like heaven on your dogs. Not surprisingly, they come with a hefty price tag, which is how Kushyfoot walked into my life and saved said puppies and my bank account. 
Not that I needed extra reasons to hop over to 
A party and a sale? I wish I weren’t out of town. 
Well, I did it. As promised in last Thursday’s blog, I took my “sore from constantly wearing heels” tootsies to local specialty running stores (gulp). I was scared that an alarm would sound the instant I walked in, that they’d take one look at me and immediately call me out on my fish-out-of-water status: “What are you doing in here? You … a runner? Ha!” So I made my running buddy, Jane, tag along. Just in case.
Julius Erving
M.I.A. 
Benjamin Franklin
Tina Fey
I have a not-so-little obsession with shoes. And ever since it became an addiction, I’ve seen my bank account dwindle down to pennies. Thankfully, our area has tons of budget-friendly stores turning out trendy goods for students like me. My latest “I have to have it, but still need to eat” obsession? Payless ShoeSource.
If you’re as avid a shopper as I, you are in quite a tizzy right now with all the holiday sales going on. 
On a certain Center City street corner, there sits a shop with a museum-worthy collection of stop-you-in-your-tracks shoes. Stiletto — or, as I like to call it, Heaven On Earth — has shelves lined with überfancy footwear most would deem only red-carpet appropriate. 
Instead of a Mao bag, maybe Cameron Diaz should’ve worn these to Peru a few months back. Perfect for fall, which apparently is now here, these olive-green boots with fur lining are part of a new Adidas line heralding “Materials of the World” — and they just arrived to the South Street store last week.