Walk a mile in my shoes...you may have to...local transportation strike, Oct. 2, 2012

Hankering for a quality pair of handmade shoes, but your wallet snaps shut like a clam just at the thought?

Tremble no more!

In the Navigli quarter of Milan you can find a wonderful pair of shoes at a 'normal' price...More......

Having complained to my friend about my difficulty in finding good shoes for my poor feet, "I know just the thing!," she chirped, and dragged me down Viale Col di Lana to "Ago e Spago" at number 12 with its little old-fashioned store front packed with beautiful traditional and youthful shoes for men and women. (Here she is reflected in the storefront window.)

Just taking a pair in your hands, you can feel the quality and care that go into their shoes. There are lots of ready-made models available to choose from, or, as you can see from their web page...in English!...on "Vamos a cliccar" (a good source for Milanese store information) it also is possible to commission a handmade pair of shoes just for you. (If you want to see the "Ago e Spago" website, where you even can order online, go here, but it's only in Italian.)

So, if you're thinking about coughing up the (reasonable) dough for a quality shoe experience, you'll be asking yourself, "What did she mean by 'normal' prices?"

It hurts, it hurts, but Euro 125+ for a good pair of ready-made lined leather dress shoes that, with care, will accompany you down the path of life happily for years is not unreasonable. Can't tell you what a custom-made pair of shoes might cost there, though I suspect probably about thrice that price, but being able to choose a pair of shoes just like I like them, and with the conditions to support my feet well...it's very tempting to try at least once.

Oh man! In looking over the web site, I'm getting an (almost) irresistable urge to splurge! (And remember, I get no kickbacks of any kind for these heartfelt plugs!)

I might make a trip to their other store on via Plinio, 16, too...in time for the next public transportation strike scheduled for the 2nd of October. In Milan, the local trains, busses, trams and metro will experience stops and slowdowns, especially from 8:45 A.M. to 3 P.M., then again from 6 P.M. 'til the end of service.

To further favor getting to and from work on this difficult day, the spy cameras for the "Area C" restricted entry zone in Milan will be shut off.

"Always look on the bright side of life!" (Can you hear the tune from the movie, The Life of Brian, that accompanies this phrase? I can! If you haven't seen this movie, it's great!)

Enjoy!