Nike shox running shoes

Thousands of people are lacing up their running shoes, taking place in the annual Canadian Derby Marathon.

The event expects to see nearly 4,000 runners hitting city streets - drawing people from as far away as Kenya to participate.

Running Room founder John Stanton says the annual marathon is a “destination marathon” because of the beauty of the River Valley.

“The River Valley was also something that scared some of the runners away when we used to go up and down Groat Road,” says Stanton. “They can now enjoy the River Valley and enjoy that scenic vistas without actually going down those hills and having to come back up them again.”

Thousands of spectators are expected to line the marathon route. The marathon has staggered start times depending on the type of racer, but things get underway as of 6:30am Sunday.

The event is also used as a Boston Marathon qualifier.

Foley said that Pawlenty’s withdrawal from the field was no bad thing, and suggested others struggling in the polls should soon follow. “It clears some of the wood and allows people to say, ‘hey there’s a good set of candidates we can choose from.’

Remember in June when Shania Twain fell on her way up to the CMT Music Awards stage? She was on her way to present the male video of the year award, walking to the tune of her own “Man! I Feel Like a Woman,” and her feet just kind of gave way. She got up and laughed it off — because she’s awesome. Later that night in a video on her website she said, “I never want to see those shoes again.” And now she actually wants you to have them. So she autographed them and has put them for sale on eBay. (The proceeds from the sale will go to Shania Kids Can, which helps underprivileged children in Canada.) There’s a catch, though. You need tiny feet and a gigantic bank account. These strappy BCBG satin 3-inch heels are only a Cinderella-ish size 6, and the bids already exceed $6,000. If you win, may you have better luck walking in them than she did.

Kanye West has become known for his relationships with high end fashion designers, as well as noted for his great friendship with designer Tory Burch after attending the Costume Institute Gala together this year. Beyond Ye’s designer friends, the Chi Town rapper is prepping his own women’s wear collection, set to debut at this fall’s Fashion Week.

Now, there are a few more suspicions rising about his involvement with high end shoe designer Giuseppe Zanotti. The Italian designer has alluded to Ye’s involvement in the design and shoe making process, claiming that he has spent much time in the factory working with the brand’s employees for more upwards of 10 hours a day.

“Kanye is always here in my factory. In the last three years, he has come here maybe every month and worked with the employees 10 to 12 hours a day. [Kanye] loves learning about shoes, both the design and construction, and we’ve tried to design something together. In a couple of months, he could have his own special collection out.”

Can you imagine what a ladies’ pair of shoes designed by Ye would look like? The Watch The Throne rapper has already collaborated once before with Louis Vuitton and has his own Air Yeezy shoe by Nike. He’s into model chicks, and he spent quite a bit of time with Amber Rose– we’ll just have to wait and see how this one pans out.

IN a commercial for Velveeta Cheesy Skillets, a new line of just-add-meat pasta dinner kits by Kraft, a casually dressed woman in a suburban home says, “Let’s go, kids,” opens the front door and gasps.

“Were you looking for this?” says a brawny 19th-century blacksmith who wears a leather apron and holds an uprooted metal box with wires dangling and “Order here” printed on it.

“Seems the drive-through is closed tonight,” he says, raising an iron skillet and a box of the new product. “Instead — Velveeta Cheesy Skillets.”

They are then transported to the blacksmith’s shop, where he helps her prepare the dish.

“Just brown the meat, stir in the noodles, seasoning, then smite them, smite them with the liquid gold until there can be no more smiting,” says the blacksmith, played by David S. Lee with the precise diction and syntax of a Shakespearean actor, as he ladles the Velveeta cheese sauce included with the product into the pan.

The spot closes with screen text that says: “Wield the skillet. Forge the family dinner.”

The commercial, which was first shown on Monday, is by Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Ore., and is part of a broader campaign that includes online advertising and social network marketing.

In another spot, expected to first broadcast in mid-September but already uploaded to YouTube, a woman is pressing buttons on her microwave when the blacksmith grabs her wrist.

“Reject these cold technological contraptions,” he says. “Would you want the shoes of your horse forged in a microwave? Your stove: Use it!”

Adam Grablick, the brand manager for the Velveeta convenient meals division, said the new ads, and the Cheesy Skillets line itself, would resonate with consumers who wanted simplicity but had misgivings about meals that were too simple.

“Our consumer doesn’t want to be slaving away in the kitchen, but she may not feel great about just pulling something out of the freezer and putting it in the microwave,” Mr. Grablick said. “She wants the meal to be hands-on, and for the meal to come from her hands and her heart.”

Velveeta, which declined to disclose the cost of the new campaign, spent $7.6 million on advertising for all its products in 2010, up from $4.2 million in 2009, according to the Kantar Media unit of WPP.

Sarah said she took home a ton of stuff and has worn everything except for one pair of dress shoes.

Her favorite is a red and cream patterned skirt that she says she wears every other week.

“It’s comfortable material, the colors are great, and I can wear it with a variety of shirts,” Sarah said. “I can dress it up or down and wear it to work or the lake.”

Swaps don’t have to be limited to just clothing, it’s also a perfect way to exchange books, jewelry, purses and household goods since anything can be traded. People can always use new household goods like wine glasses and carafes or throw blankets and pillows.

The key is to be sure everything is in good condition and in style unless it’s a vintage-themed party.

Timing can help with attendance, too. Early spring, for example, is a good time because people are typically cleaning anyway.

Sarah thought it was great to take home items beyond clothing.

“From clothes to sporting equipment, jackets and lots of stuff that will work great for school this coming year,” she said. “It was fun to go shopping without any money, and I cleaned out my closet. It was neat to watch people walk out wearing my clothes that I love, but had no purpose for anymore.”

When Shultz told her mom, Dawn Betts, about the party Betts wasn’t sure what to think.

Being a petite woman, Betts didn’t find a lot in her size at the party, but she was happy to leave with one item and enjoyed the evening nonetheless.

“The range of different kinds of clothing there made it so there was something that everyone could use — that was pretty cool,” Betts said.

She says having a holiday glamour party would be fun since so often women buy something fancy and only wear it once.

Everyone said the economic value made the party appealing. Betts says clothes swaps are a perfect way for families struggling economically to get gently used items without denting their checkbooks.

Maier says these parties can also save time for busy parents.

“I think they are appealing for busy parents or people with time-consuming jobs, which includes a lot of people in Helena, because they don’t have to require a lot of planning and they give people an opportunity to stop by and socialize for a bit, even if they can’t stay the whole evening,” she said. “Also, for people like me who enjoy shopping for new clothes more than they should, it’s a good way to give the credit card a break.”

Johnson said it’s a good time to learn a lesson about purchases not well thought out, and items hard to let go of.

“Clothes swap parties are a great way to share your hard-to-let-go treasures with other people who will actually wear them, and perhaps find a new item to add to your wardrobe,” she said. “It’s also a great opportunity to reflect on all of those spontaneous purchases you’ve made, and vow to never do it again.”

There is no hard, fast rule about the number of items required to bring. Some say the same amount taken should be the same as the amount brought, but in all honesty cleaning out the closet is a household chore that should happen with or without a swap. So whether it’s because the closets are overflowing and need purging, or you have a few special items you are certain someone else would love or you just want to get together to visit with friends, a clothes swap is sure to be a hit for all.

Experience Seoul

Stand in Gwanghwamun Plaza between the mighty statues of King Sejong the Great and Admiral Yi Sunshin and you are not more than 20 minutes in most directions from a cultural or shopping destination in and around Seoul.

If you have only limited time in this great city you will need to make choices to use your time wisely. Do you want lots of culture, lots of food, lots of shopping or a mixture? For my friend and me, this was an opportunity that might not present itself again for quite a while. Where to start?

Leaving Gwanghwamun Plaza with King Sejong the Great and Admiral Yi Sunshin standing guard (each has an exhibition hall underneath noting, among other things, what these great men have done for Korea) we made our way to the Cheonggyecheon Stream. Restoration work began in July 2003 on the stream and it was reopened in October 2005 as a functioning 5.8-km stream/recreation area.

At its beginning, Cheonggya Plaza, a cascade of waters from Namsam, Inwangsan and Bugakson mountains gather before flowing along the stream to run into the Han River. It is located below street level so there are 22 sets of stairs to access the banks of the stream as well bridges above ground to cross. It also has groups of steppingstones you can use to crisscross the stream at intervals without having to climb to street level to get to the other side.

It has become a regular meeting place for locals and an exciting attraction for tourists. During the day elderly men sit beside the stream to chat with their mates, young mothers take toddlers walking, students use it as a shortcut, and groups of more mature women seem to use it as an exercise path. In the evenings there is a light show, and the coolness of the stream sees many couples sitting along its banks enjoying the quiet and darkness to talk quietly and hold hands.

At each bridge and access stairs is a map showing what attractions are available aboveground. I found information regarding one of the city\’s many tourist-information booths, where you can pick from a kaleidoscope of maps, booklets and leaflets to help find your way around, as well talk to a well-informed guide.

The best map I picked up was one in English showing just museums, tourist sites, shopping districts, walking tracks, main subway stations, major universities and colleges, places of interest and various major landmarks to help the clueless (me) tourist from getting horribly lost (yes me again, sorry dear traveling friend) while venturing out and about this part of Seoul. Not all the streets are shown on this map so you will have to pick up a different one for that.

Opening out this map we could see Gwanghwamun Plaza and Cheonggyecheon Stream were pretty much in the center of our location for all the sites we wanted to see. I also picked up Korean Travel Guide and Seoul Best 100 to explain the various sites we would be seeing. Here are some of the places we visited over the few days we were in Seoul.

Bukchon Hanok Village: Seoul Best 100 states the village has “999 Hanok homes with five historic sites, three natural monuments, five folk materials, three tangible properties, one cultural material and three registered cultural assets” (I love how they explain things).

You can get a map showing a walking tour of this area and the different cottage industries you can visit, such as Dongnip Knot Museum, Seoul Fowl Museum and Bona Museum for Korean Traditional Accessory. Each place has an entrance fee, which ranges from 1,000 to 5,000 won and you will have to take your shoes off to go into the houses.

It\’s a very pleasant stroll around an area of Seoul determined to maintain its architectural history. It is a residential area and you will be reminded by signs on the walls to respect this fact and keep the noise down.

Mary Gasper’s job is part receptionist, part travel agent, part manager - and all about the customer.

Gasper is the new manager at Dodge County Airport. She started working at the airport in 2002 and was offered the manager position in May.

She said her main focus throughout it all has been the customer.

“In the morning, we count the drawer and we prepare the coolers with ice for the drinks that we sell,” Gasper said. “If anybody needs to be pulled out of the hanger early in the morning, then we do that. When people start coming in, we take care of the customers.”

In addition to the pilots flying into the airport, Gasper also keeps track of the instructors and student pilots who are taking planes out for lessons.

Taking care of the customers can mean anything from answering telephones to making car reservations to greeting pilots as they fly in.

“I make hotel reservations or car reservations,” Gasper said. “I put food out when people start coming around late morning. We get the vehicles when they come in for their cars. I have to make copies of their driver’s licenses and credit cards and have them sign the contracts. I do invoicing in between and whatever else the customer requests that we can help them out with.”

She said taking care of the pilots who come in starts before they have landed. She greets them before they hit the runway and gives them advisories.

Hundreds of pilots have been greeted with the words, “Welcome to Dodge County Airport. Will you need any services today?”

Pilot requests include fuel, tie-downs, hanger space when it is available, car rentals and sometimes just a simple bathroom break.

“I love customer service,” Gasper said. “I like doing whatever I can for the customer.”

Service becomes more challenging when the weather can dictate having no customers, or suddenly having a rush of pilots needing to land.

“Mother Nature plays a big part in when people actually get here,” Gasper said. “What we do depends upon the weather and customers and the planes coming in or leaving. We had a student that was supposed to fly this morning, but that got cancelled because of the cloud coverage.”

She said another challenge is having a rush of people in line.

“I don’t like to have a customer wait,” Gasper said. “When I have several things going on, that’s a challenge. I prefer taking care of the customers the best I can, as quickly as possible.”

She said the best days are the ones when everything goes smoothly and her staff can accommodate most of the customers.

The worst day would be if they had an incident, crash or accident. None has happened since she has been there.

Gasper said she is finishing her last semester of classes focusing on health information technology: If she weren’t at the airport, she would be working in the medical field.

Like a shopaholic hunting for the perfect pair of shoes, Nordstrom has tried on more than a half-dozen possible locations during its decade-long search for a New York City store, but it still won\’t commit.

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Rob Bennett for The Wall Street Journal

Nordstrom will open a concept store at 350 W. Broadway.
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After years of browsing, the Seattle-based department store, known for its shoe department and customer service, is flirting once again with Manhattan.

In the coming weeks, Nordstrom will open a two-story concept store on West Broadway in SoHo, with profits going to charity. The store, called Treasure & Bond, will be a small, independent store with no visible Nordstrom branding.

That\’s not enough to satisfy city shoppers.

Jessica Sick, 33, a digital marketer at a paper company, recently moved from Miami. It wasn\’t until she received a gift card for Nordstrom that she realized New York City didn\’t have one. \”In New York where you\’re supposed to have everything,\” she said. The gift card \”just stays in my wallet, mocking me every day.\”

Instead, she took the card on a trip to Chicago and spent half of it on Kiehl\’s cleanser. \”I asked the saleswoman, \’When are we going to get one?\’ She said they were actually looking for spaces in New York.\”

Meanwhile, Ms. Sick jokes that she\’s looking on Nordstrom\’s behalf. \”I often walk along the streets looking at buildings for sale and think, \’Is that big enough for Nordstrom?\’\” she said.

Nordstrom\’s own hunt began 10 years ago, when it considered becoming a major tenant in Related Co.\’s Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle. The chain has since looked at sites from Sixth Avenue to Rockefeller Center. Just before the recession hit, Nordstrom came close to a deal at 600 Madison Ave. and to anchor a planned 70-story tower at the Drake Hotel site on 57th Street and Park Avenue.

The retailer also talked with Related about filling the retail space at Three Columbus Circle, directly across from the Time Warner Center, when that developer had proposed a new apartment tower on that site.

Nordstrom declined to confirm that it looked at any of these locations. Through a spokesman, the company said it has \”nothing definitive to report —we wish we did.\”

But after teasing the city for years and even opening a discount Nordstrom Rack in Union Square—which aficionados dismiss as a pretender—the company says it\’s now eyeing a site that just might fit the bill.

The retailer is now talking to Related about anchoring the retail portion of the developer\’s Hudson Yards site on the far West Side, according to sources familiar with the matter.

\”I think they would be great on the West Side. It\’s right up their alley. The consumer is probably spot-on for them,\” said retail broker Karen Bellantoni, an executive vice president of Robert K. Futterman, who doesn\’t work with Nordstrom. Though it may not open for years, the location, she said, would draw both a hip Chelsea crowd and professional women coming from the Upper West Side.

QUESTION: I have bunions on both feet. They’ve recently become more severe, and I can no longer wear high heels. Even in flat shoes, walking for long periods is painful. What causes bunions, and how can I treat them?

ANSWER: A bunion is a deformity of the joint where the big toe meets the foot (the metatarsophalangeal joint). A bunion develops when the first metatarsal bone of the foot slants outward and the big toe points inward, causing the joint to jut out.

Most shoes don’t accommodate the resulting protrusion, so they put pressure on the misaligned joint. Eventually, the fluid-filled sac that surrounds and cushions the joint becomes inflamed, and the joint becomes stiff and painful.

Some types of feet are more prone to bunions than others. Low arches, flat feet and overly flexible joints all increase the risk. Bunions are also associated with arthritis, which damages the cartilage within the joint.

Shoes (at least some of them) are also linked to bunions. Shoes with narrow toes can promote bunions. High heels aggravate the problem because they tip the body’s weight forward, forcing the toes into the front of the shoe. This may help explain why bunions are 10 times more common in women than men.

Without treatment, the misshapen joint becomes progressively more uncomfortable and harder to fit into shoes. Fortunately, bunions can often be controlled by conservative measures. Unfortunately, your days of wearing high heels are likely over for good.

To relieve joint pressure, shoes should have a wide, flexible sole to support the foot and enough room in the front to accommodate the bunion. Sandals, athletic shoes and shoes made from soft leather are good choices. Shoes should have a sturdy back that keeps the heel of the foot snugly in place. Heels should be no higher than an inch.

You can protect the bunion with a moleskin or gel- filled pad. Your doctor may recommend orthotics, shoe inserts that help position your foot correctly as it strikes the ground. You can also wear a splint at night to hold your toe straight and ease discomfort.

When the bunion is irritated, warm soaks, ice packs and anti-inflammatory drugs (like aspirin or ibuprofen) may help. Whirlpool, ultrasound and massage therapy may also provide some relief.

If conservative measures fail and you still have pain that interferes with daily activities, you may need surgery. Never undertake bunion surgery merely for cosmetic purposes. Surgery won’t necessarily get rid of all your symptoms, and a complete recovery can take a year or more.

The aim of surgery is to relieve pain and restore normal foot function. Your doctor will take X-rays and make measurements to classify the bunion as mild, moderate or severe. The more severe the bunion, the more complicated and difficult the surgery.

For mild deformities, the surgeon will probably choose bunionectomy: shaving off the enlarged portion of the bone and realigning the muscles, tendons and ligaments. To correct severe bunions, the surgeon makes a cut at the base of the metatarsal bone, rotates the bone and fixes it in place with pins or screws. This procedure is called an osteotomy. Bunionectomy and osteotomy may be performed on an outpatient basis, usually by a specialist foot surgeon.