The Great Debate Rothy’s or Tieks?

With all the debates going on right now and people quickly to take sides without thought - I believe it’s the perfect time to address the heated choice Tieks or Rothy’s? Now, if your pocket book can only afford you to have one or the other (since both shoes are quite pricey) than a little research and product reviews might help settle the problem.

Tieks Flats

• Start at $175 and go up pricewise (and never go on sale)
• They are made of Italian Leather or Vegan materials
• They are light and easy to pack when traveling
• They have great sole padding that make them quite comfortable
• They only come in rounded ballet flat style, but come in an array of shades
• They are a little more difficult to clean
• They come with cute packaging, a flower and a pouch to carry them in your purse

Rothy’s Flats

• They run from $125 and go up pricewise (and take coupons and have sales)
• They are made of recycled plastic bottles
• Not foldable, but still lightweight and easy to pack
• Machine washable including the removeable insoles
• They have six different styles including my fave the pointed flat
• They come in various patterns and colors
• They are eco-friendly

If you are like me then you know that sometimes you don’t have choose, you can have both.  Don’t let the price deter you to be quick to take sides.  I am a proud owner of both and not because I have the income to often treat myself, but because I am a secondhand shopper to the core. In my thrifting escapades I found not one, but two pointed Rothy’s in my size that had been worn maybe once.  Both pairs I got for $5.99 each and I absolutely love them.  They are super comfortable – I love them so much that I am considering ordering the Mary Jane style from the actual site.  My only complaint would be that on hot days they can make your feet sweat, but they are quite easy to wash and come out from the wash looking brand new.

I also found a pair of brown Italian leather Tieks for $7.99 which had more wear than my Rothy’s, but still were in great condition.  These I don’t wear as much because I prefer a pointed toe.  However, they are quite comfortable and I get a lot of compliments when I wear them.  I also get the comment, are they worth the high price? Since mine were thrifted, I don’t have the lovely packaging, the flower band or the bag to store them in that all Tieks come with.  Thus, I am only left with the shoes to review. I do believe that the craftsmanship, the materials that Tieks are made with and the comfort are worth the price because it’s a shoe to live in. 

Lucky for me I own both at a price that didn’t send me to the poor house.         

Quarantine: Visiting the Salon For the First Time

After weeks of quarantine I was able to finally get a haircut!  While the salon I visit doesn’t serve mimosas or has an atmosphere worth mention, I have been going to this humble establishment for years.  It is run by a Vietnamese man on a wheelchair and his posse of skilled Vietnamese women.  They are quite efficient and I think that’s what I love most.  In addition to, taking walk-in clients because when it comes to visiting the salon, I usually am quite spontaneous.  This week when I visited, I found one of my Salvation Army friends sitting underneath the hair dryer, “I have been coming here for ten years,” she proudly shared. Linda, my usual hairstylist, welcomed me with a warm smile and immediately proceeded to work on my hair, after the initial exchanges she went quiet because she knows that I am not much of a small-talk conversationalist.  In fact, I think most of the ladies are rather quiet because they get lost in their work.

As I sat in my chair, I marveled at how much I love Unlimited Hair & Nails Salon. Not being able to visit gave me a new appreciation for this hole in the wall establishment.  Usually, I never recommend the place because women usually look for a luxury pampering session and my place is certainly not that.  When busy, the hairstylist work on more than one client at a time and if you want your nails and hair done, usually you have two people working on you at the same time.  Ladies usually pay more money for slow, focused pampering.  Yet, I have never liked being at the salon for many hours, nor do I like the spotlight solely on me, so I like the speed with which they work at my place. They also don’t have the high-end equipment they don’t serve cocktails or have a television - everything is very basic.  Yet, to me walking in with a mop of a hairstyle and coming out with lighter locks is reward enough.

I had been feeling quite insecure lately.  I think when there is so much change, I can become quite self-conscious.  I mean things like not getting a like on a post lead me to speculate all types of scenarios.  These past few months I had been trying just to survive the rollercoaster of quarantine the best way I could and not being able to run to the faith things that usually balance me has been quite the struggle.  My strongest love language is quality time and during quarantine I couldn’t practice this because screens make everything so impersonal.  Though I tried to meet with bible study groups, attend Mass, see friends - virtually is not the same… Thus, when I sat on the chair to have Linda work on my hair, I felt so good.  Finally, some physical contact with someone outside my home.  When I was done, I felt like a little of my confidence returned not only because my hair didn’t look like wires, but because I saw a glimpse of life going back to normal.  I couldn’t understand how healing sitting in a salon chair felt or what the process returned to me, but I wanted to share how much I love my little hole in the wall salon.           

Life's Movement

Last year for Father’s Day, I took my dad to his favorite nursery and he picked out this beautiful plant.  After a couple of months, the flowers died and the plant dried up.  My dad so loved that plant that he found a seed from one of its flowers and replanted it.  For months he watered it and tended to it and one day he proudly showed me the first sprouts of the seed.  The other day, dad pointed proudly to the plant which looks exactly like it did almost a year ago.  Jokingly I said, “I guess this year I am not getting you a Father’s Day gift.”  As I sat in my backyard enjoying the red blooms, I realize that most things in life require care- when things are neglected - they shrivel and die. 

Lately I have been so consumed with the changes that have occurred in my life and I haven’t tended my garden.  A new job, returning to school, induction, ERWC training, quarantine among becoming a virtual teacher has taken all of my concentration.  The days have blended into each other and all of my focus has been simply survival mode.  I am not one that does well with change and these past few months have been so full of it that sometimes just rolling out of bed to perform my job has been a great success.  These past few days, I have sat in my garden thinking how devoid of life I feel- I have been so focused on getting my responsibilities taken care of that I haven’t dedicated much time or effort to anything else… But after the tempest comes the calm. This next week is my last week of work before my two-week summer break and I am so excited to have some time to finally relax.

I will have a few days to catch my breath, to reconnect with others, to do things that make me happy – to tend to my garden.  I miss the creative entries that I used to produce here, lately my writing feels stale because it has felt more like a duty than a creative outlet.  Much like my dad’s beloved plant life requires attention and care.  These past few months (like many) I have been just trying to survive but, I cannot do that anymore I need to add life to my days.  Everyone deserves a break (I am so lucky that my profession gives me that luxury) to stop and simply enjoy.  In the creation narrative, God tells us that on the seventh day He rested.  As I like to share with my RCIA students, “On the seventh day, God sat on his throne and opened a Corona to simply enjoy His masterpiece giving us the example to do the same.” 

After months of days that blended into each other- I am looking forward to the upcoming rest and the opportunity to tend and enjoy my lot.  Dad's plant reminded me that all is not lost, that with a little care new blooms do come.  Things are forever changing, but just like the movement of water in a river keep it from rotting - life pushes us to press on.  After all its the ride that helps us build character and chip away at our imperfections becoming a little less me and a lot more like Him.