Vegan footwear

Montara, CA

I decided I need some new shoes (vegan, of course) but wanted more variety than I might find at local Pacifica stores selling vinyl or canvas shoes.  I also didn’t feel like running around the Bay Area for a wider range of stores and shoe selection and playing twenty questions.

I’d heard the online retailer Zappos had a good selection, and that others had positive experiences ordering from them.  So, I decided to shop online from my little coastside corner of the Bay Area.

It took a little bit of exploring, then I finally found my category — “vegetarian shoes“.  It was a pretty big selection, in a wide range of styles and prices.  The big downside to ordering shoes without trying them on is the uncertainty of whether they will fit, and then having to pay postage to return them.  I’d had a bad experience with this a few years ago.  Zappos, however, offers free return shipping.  I know this is factored into their selling price, but it is still a nice feature.

Zappos Earth Lazer Vegan

Zappos Simple Satire

It was actually quite interesting to spend a few days reviewing all the shoes, reading the comments, comparing prices.  The Zappos website has excellent photos of the shoes, and shows different angles for them.  The shoe photos shown here are from the Zappos website.

When I finally narrowed down my selections then I had figure out what size would be my size.

In the end, I ordered two pairs of shoes — the Earth Lazer – Vegan and a Converse-style tennis, the Simple Satire – Hemp .  I decided to order the Earth Lazer shoes in two sizes to increase the likelihood of getting the right size on the first order.

The increasingly beautiful weather on the mid-Peninsula coastside and my current lack of hiking boots reminded me to look online at Zappos.  Within hours, I had placed my second order with Zappos for Garmont Kiowa Vegan hiking boots.

Zappos Garmont Kiowa Vegan

The ordering process through the Zappos website was very easy.  I could log-in to check the status of my order, and also get the tracking number for the packages.

My orders arrived quickly, and it was a bit like Christmas come early. My decision to order two different sizes of the Earth Vegan shoes was the right decision to get the right size.  However, I didn’t like the way the shoe looked. For the Simple Satire, the shoe was cute but didn’t fit right on my foot. For my second box, the hiking boots fit well and I decided to keep them.

The return process was as simple as Zappos said it would be. Log into my account, print off a (free) return shipping label, then drop it off. Once Zappos received and processed my return, they posted a credit to my credit card.

Now to inaugurate my new boots and take them out hiking!

Organic Tomatoes

Muir Glen and Trader Joe's Organic Diced Tomatoes

The best tomatoes are homegrown, picked at their peak flavor.  By comparison, ordinary grocery store tomatoes taste like red water balloons.  Just ask any gardener who grows tomatoes, or anyone who lives next to a tomato gardener.

I’m looking forward to this summer’s tomato crop, and the wonderful dishes that can be made simply with fresh tomatoes and fresh herbs.   But until then, canned tomatoes, organic, of course, are a big staple item in my pantry.  I used to buy Muir Glen tomato products exclusively, then Trader Joe’s introduced their own organic tomato line, at their everyday low prices.

Manufacturer's Stamp - Muir Glen, Trader Joe's

I’ve been satisfied with the organic Muir Glen and Trader Joe’s products.  I haven’t really done any scientific tests, just used them interchangeably, although I do favor the TJ brand since it’s Muir Glen counterpart typically costs 50% more.

A couple of weeks ago, within days of each other, I purchased 28 oz cans of diced tomatoes from Trader Joe’s and my local health food store.

Muir Glen stamp

Trader Joe's stamp

The cans are the same sizes, but that’s not the only thing they have in common. They’re both stamped with an expiration date and some type of numbering code. I thought they were identical numbers at first.  Then, after close inspection, I noticed that on the second line, of the four sets of numbers, one was different.  It’s “0553″ on the Trader Joe’s can and “1624″ on the Muir Glen can.

I think it is far more than coincidence that these two cans of diced tomatoes have nearly identical numbers. I’d venture to guess that they’re being produced by the same manufacturing company, who then just sticks different labels on at the end of the production line. On my next shopping trip to Safeway’s, I’m going to have to check out the stamp on the O Organic 28-oz can of diced tomatoes. Until then, I’m happy knowing that I’m getting the same quality of tomatoes for 50% cheaper.

Signs of the Dog

NO Dog

NO DOGPOOPING

POOP POLLUTES

The first sign made me smile. It’s original and cute. Although if I were to pick nits (which doesn’t sound like something a vegan should do, does it?), technically dogs can’t read so they will ignore the sign anyways.  Plus, the real behaviour that needs addressing here isn’t the dog’s actions .. it’s the human’s!  Or, to be more precise, the human’s inaction.

In a different yard on a different street, the second sign reflects the same sentiment as the first, just not as craftily done.

This third sign has got it right — urging humans to pick up after their canines.