Creative Loafing, January 7th

Did you ever get something in your head that you just had to have? (My Mom calls this having a bee in your bonnet!) Chicken wings? A trip to the zoo. A Madonna concert? Blue cheese stuffed olives. Visiting the Greek Islands? Well for me that whole list constituted a must eat, visit, see, taste, or experience at various times in my life. And invariably I just had to check those boxes! But these past few months I’ve been on a country-wide search for cool black loafers. Not the most exciting obsession– I agree, but nevertheless, still a conquest and I was determined to score.

A recent business trip brought me back to Atlanta in December and I built in an extra few minutes to walk around the Emory campus. Everything has changed of course, but so many vivid memories came rushing back– conversations, classes, friends, fads, favorite restaurants, late night antics, frat parties, dorm life, apartment life, and that great feeling of newly minted independence.

And just as I was walking through Emory Village, I stumbled upon a newspaper kiosk– one of those freebie boxes where you pry open the oven door and take out one copy. And the name of that publication I loved so much was called Creative Loafing! We used it as the bible of social activities around Atlanta– from concerts, to sporting events, amusement parks, theater, dining, festivals, and art installations. (I’m so happy they are still in business and thriving.)

And then of course I remembered that when I was a student, I had a pair of navy blue Bass Weejuns penny loafers. I used to pair them with those heavy slouchy socks that were so on trend in the 80s. I donned those suckers everywhere until I finally wore straight though the soles. And as I stood in front of the kiosk, that loafer memory was front and center, clear as day and I laughed out loud remembering. I’d share a pic with you but back then my hair was oh so big that nothing else fit in the frame with my overpermed curls. (You too? I know, honey. It was all of us.)

When I returned home to holiday sales and after holiday sales and clearance racks and fresh new shoes, I used some of my staycation days to try on every contender within a 10-mile radius that even mildly fit my description of “cool loafer.” Ten miles might not seem that large, but remember I live in New York City, so this quest was relentlessly epic. It took a Sunday drive well beyond my initial circumference to the outlet mall at Woodbury Commons to finally produce a winner. Might I introduce my new tricked out Pembrey studs that were miraculously on sale with only one (ONE!) pair left and wouldn’t you know it, they were my size. (They’re British, but with no perceptible accent.)

I like them so much that I’ve been wearing them around the house and to watch Netflix. Michael actually bought shoes during that outing too, so we’ve been meeting in the kitchen at lunch wearing our spiffy new kicks. I love that he plays along! I even helped a good friend of mine with some marketing copy and an email campaign while wearing my Pembreys. So I think this truly qualifies as creative loafing which is just fine with me.