Why They're Worth Every Penny: John Fluevog Shoes

Guide by John Fluevog $299

If you’ve ever been to Village Shoes, it’s easy to see (and feel) why some of our shoes have a higher price point. You’ll find that the majority of our shoes are made of quality leathers and are constructed by masterful artisans in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and even the US. When trying a shoe on, you’ll notice that they feel much different than the shoes you’ve most likely purchased in a department store. Sometimes people come into the store, run towards a shoe that caught their eye, and gasp when they flip it over to see the price. Yes, they’re expensive, and yes, they’re worth EVERY PENNY. The last time I was in an upscale department store, I did a little investigating and found that the majority of the shoes I picked up were the same price points as our shoes, but lacked the craftsmanship and quality by a long shot. I found it a bit surprising, but I reminded myself that when shoes are mass produced to that extent, they aren’t going to be made from the best leather or by the most skilled craftsman or…well…machines?

One line in our store that I’ve always been really impressed with is John Fluevog Shoes. Watch this video so we’re on the same page:

Crazy, right? That is what you’re paying for when you fall in love with one of his styles. You’re paying for a shoe made by an artist. His shoes are made from the best leathers in the world, and dyed using vegetables, which is 100% eco-friendly and doesn’t produce any toxic waste.  Of course, his shoes aren’t cheap. His shoes don’t retail for less than $200, and it’s completely understandable once you’re aware of what goes into making that shoe. If you’re wondering why such awesome shoes aren’t available in your favorite department store, how many of these shoes do you think his shoemakers can pump out? Not that many. We order our John Fluevog shoes about 6 months in advance because they’re made to order. These shoes have limited availability, so when I tell a customer to not wait too long to make up their mind on a purchase, I’m not pressuring, it’s just a matter of fact. A funny side note about handmade shoes is that we will have three size 8s of one shoe in stock and they all fit a little differently due to human error. One piece of leather could have been cut slightly smaller, creating a tighter fit, versus the next being cut a little outside the line making it looser. It’s not unusual for us to bring up multiple pairs in one size and let a customer pick what fits best.

Assured by John Fluevog $295

Another thing that makes John Fluevog shoes so worth the money are his designs! I love looking at his website. His shoes are truly little pieces of art. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying I’d wear all of his styles.  I think it takes a bad ass to pull off something like the Malibu and quite the confident woman to make a shoe from the Munster family work, but he truly has something for everyone regardless of your style.  I believe a lot can be said about someone’s personality based on the Fluevogs they wear.  I also believe that wearing Fluevogs gives you a bit of confidence, and that is why, above all else, they are majorly worth it.

To learn more about John Fluevog shoes and to browse his entire collection, visit Fluevog's site.

What Fluevogs do you have and what do they say about your personality? And most importantly, were they worth every penny? (If you say no, I'm going to hunt you down.)

post by Amanda

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Somebody Make Me: Corn and Cheddar Pudding

You know when you go to some Mexican restaurants and they serve a little scoop of that sweet corn stuff? Well, I think that stuff is AWESOME and I believe that this receipt is that plus cheese on top which equals yum. Yum squared. Halle and I were browsing through recipes and decided that someone should really make this for us. We also decided that that someone should be Halle's boyfriend. (Seriously, Shawn. We're not joking.)

We found this receipt on the Budget Bytes blog.

Corn and Cheddar Pudding

This recipe is a little indulgent with the cream, cheese, and eggs... but every now and then I think you're allowed. It's all about moderation, right? Right.

Corn pudding is another one of those recipes that can go so many different ways. Originally, I wanted to use poblano peppers (my fav) but my local grocery was out. So, instead, I decided to go the honey and cayenne route. It's a little sweet, a little spicy, very rich, and definitely delicious. If you're not all about the spicy stuff, leave out the cayenne and you'll still have a nice contrast between the sweet honey and salty cheddar. You can also try dicing up some regular green and red bell peppers for extra color. There are many possibilities!

Total Recipe cost: $3.57
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Cost per serving: $0.45
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 1 hr. Total: 1 hr. 10 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
3 cups	frozen corn	$0.89
1.5 cups	milk	$0.56
1/2 cup	half & half	$0.36
2 large	eggs	$0.32
1/4 cup	cornmeal	$0.06
2 Tbsp	honey	$0.30
1/2 tsp	cayenne (optional)	$0.03
1 tsp	salt	$0.05
4 oz.	cheddar, shredded	$1.00
TOTAL		$3.57

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Allow the corn to thaw (this is very important). Place the milk and half of the corn into a blender or food processor and puree.

STEP 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the corn/milk mixture, half & half, cornmeal, honey, cayenne, salt, and the rest of the corn kernels. Make sure to whisk really well so that the egg is fully incorporated or else you'll end up with chunks of baked egg in your pudding. If your corn is still frozen, the honey will not dissolve so make sure the corn is no longer cold.

STEP 3: Shred 4 ounces of cheddar cheese. Stir half of it into the corn pudding mixture. Coat a 8x8 (or similar size) baking dish with non-stick spray and pour in the pudding. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

STEP 4: Bake in the preheated oven for about one hour or until the center of the pudding shakes like a bowl full of jelly. Check the pudding at about 50 minutes by shaking the dish slightly. If the center wiggles like a liquid, let it cook just a little bit longer.

STEP 5: Allow the pudding to rest for about five minutes after baking. Serve warm!


Step By Step Photos



Allow the corn to completely thaw. Puree half of the corn with the milk. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


Whisk together all of the ingredients except the cheddar. It is probably easiest to whisk together the pureed mixture, eggs, cornmeal, honey, cayenne, and salt first, and then add the whole corn last.


Make sure to whisk well so that the egg is well incorporated or else you'll have pockets of baked egg in the final product.


Shred 4 ounces of cheese (half of a regular sized block). Stir half of that into the corn pudding mixture.

Pour the batter into a baking dish coated with nonstick spray and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.


Bake in the preheated 350 degree oven for about an hour or until the center of the pudding barely wiggles when you shake the dish. If it wiggles and waves like a thick liquid, let it bake longer. I usually check the it at 50 minutes just to be sure. Every oven is different!

Let the pudding rest for about 5 minutes before serving.


It's good. It's REAL good.

OM NOM NOM NOM! (Shawn, we expect this by the end of next week.)


post by Amanda
content courtesy of Budget Bytes

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