A Shoe Extravaganza for a Good Cause

Indulging in a shoe crush can be a very dangerous thing...

... especially when there's chocolate involved!

But thankfully, the recent shoe extravaganza attended by DC on Heels wasn't only about the Badgley Mischkas!

Check out those heels!

Amid a setting of gorgeous shoes, beautiful accessories and chocolate-covered Oreos, the party's hosts -- Siobhan Davenport, Executive Director of The Rocksprings Foundation and philanthropist Ione Jamison, along with online boutique owner Lesley Elliott of New York City's ShoeCrush.com -- committed to raising funds and awareness about a unique program that provides scholarships for underprivileged youth to explore the great outdoors through our national parks. 

From left to right: Ione Jamison, Siobhan Davenport and Lesley Elliott
with beneficiaries of the 'Youth to Parks' program. 

So women shopped with a cause, and a portion of every sale went to the National Park Trust's Youth to Parks Scholarship Program.    

And to sweeten the deal, the hosts invited three young men from the St. Ignatius Loyola Academy in Baltimore who have benefited from the program to speak on its behalf. 

This young man was happy to see
the ladies shop for a good cause!

All three young men gave impressive speeches, in which they acknowledged that if it wasn't for the Youth to Parks program, they may have never had the opportunity explore national forests -- excursions that broadened their horizons beyond Baltimore City. 

Grace Lee, Executive Director of National Park Trust

The organization's executive director, Grace Lee, says there is medical evidence to show that children who spend more time engaging with nature in outdoor activities do better socially and cognitively, than children who do not. 

And on that note, she encouraged the more than 75 ladies who had gathered at Davenport's home in the suburbs of Washington to shop, shop, shop for the cause...

Markette warming up to a pair
of exquisite Bettye Muller pumps. 

Ione takes a shopping break
to snap a pic with Markette. 

There was a shoe for every occasion!

All smiles with party attendees.

Dr. Ianessa Humbert snuggles up to Buddy Bison,
the mascot of the National Park Trust.

Charlie's Angels?
The kids of the 'Youth to Parks' program may think so!

Want to get involved in the philanthropic shoe action? Go here to make a contribution, then go to ShoeCrush.com and enter the promo code: SHOECRUS10 to receive 10 percent off your next purchase!

xoxo,

Markette

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Shoes & Porn, and why Jessica Simpson is no dummy!

So, my managing editor, Madge (an old-school journalist who believes women who want to be taken seriously at work should not wear make-up) walks over to me the other day and says:

"Honey, the only way you can make money on the Internet is by selling shoes or porn."

Uh... Gee... Thanks, Madge! She had totally burst my bubble of thinking that my job as a multimedia journalist could actually bring the company huge profits someday. Feeling a bit depressed, I headed over to the mall at Pentagon City for some shoe therapy... and it was there that I had an epiphany.

Browsing through the hundreds and hundreds of sandals, stilettos and peep toes, I felt myself being drawn toward the Jessica Simpson Shoe Collection. Then, it dawned on me: Jessica may not be the dumb blonde that everyone thinks she is.

Although she is known for her "blonde" moments -- famously asking her then husband, Nick Lachey, if her Chicken of the Sea canned tuna was chicken or fish -- J. Simps is no dummy.

Long after her reality-TV career fizzled, her movie roles dried up and her album sales waned, the one viable enterprise that has steadily contributed to her estimated $55 million net worth is her Internet shoe sales.

Meanwhile, her former husband has been reportedly struggling to pay the bills, which has allegedly halted him from throwing a huge wedding with his new love, Vanessa Minillo.

Hmmmm.... maybe Jessica was right... maybe she was eating chicken! Nick may have teased her for making a dumb comment, but it is Jessica who is laughing all the way to the bank -- and in her platform heels, nonetheless!

So back to my epiphany:

1) Jessica Simpson is smarter than we all may think.

2) I need to start selling shoes on the Internet instead of writing about them!

3) I need to buy some sandals from the Jessica Simpson Shoe Collection -- they are so cute!

xoxo,

Markette

California Kicks

Where do you go in L.A. if you're in need of a HOT pair of sneakers?

Well, if you’re Nick Young of the Washington Wizards then it ain’t Foot Locker. Young, along with former and current Kardashian love interests, Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints and Lamar Odom of the L.A. Lakers have all been rumored to head south of the Hollywood border to the quaint, yet trendy town of Manhattan Beach, Ca. where ATEAM SHOE SHOP is located.

Family owned and operated by former Sketchers marketing guru, Adrian Vaughan, ATEAM is a hip, upscale sneaker boutique that carries up & coming brands like The Hundreds and Home, as well as national brands like Converse and Adidas.

Slowly taking the L.A. retail market by storm with its relaxed and chill environment (two blocks up from the beach) and it's friendly customer service (return clients come into the shop greeting Adrian by name), ATEAM is quintessentially "L.A." in terms of style -- laid back & cool.

"Reggie likes the black and whites," says Vaughan of the Superbowl champ's taste in sneakers. Bush, he says, bought the sneakers pictured above the last time he was in the store.

Vaughan says, much like "black and whites" shown above, the trend in L.A. these days for sneakers are "alternative" brands that are more dressy than athletic. Indeed, finely detailed leather and patent leather and suede kicks in an array of colors, from pastels to bold primaries, line the walls of ATEAM (and quickly fly off the shelves as shoppers and window shoppers flock in and out of the store).

Being born and raised in Southern California, I never really had an appreciation for the L.A. style scene until I moved to Washington. So, while I was at ATEAM I let Vaughan and my 16 year old sister, Mariah (who is a total skater chick and bona fide sneaker aficionado) help me pick out some kicks... a pair of green patent leather Supras on sale for $50 bucks.

I dunno. They swore I would turn heads in D.C. walking down the street in these. What do you think?

xoxo,

Markette

Art and Soul, Taiwanese Sensation, and Shoe Addicts Pick of the week

YA'LL COME BACK NOW YA HEAR?!: RESTAURANT PICK OF THE WEEK

Art and Soul serves up some darn good hoecakes with house-cured salmon and caviar. I fell in love with Chef Art Smith's food when I was watching him battle it out on Top Chef Masters. Just seeing his love and passion for real southern homestyle cooking made me appreciate the heart and soul he really puts into his food. The man cooked for Oprah for pete's sake-- so ya know he knows food. He also worked for former Florida governor, Bob Graham. From the menu to the execution you wont be disappointed at this southern style hotspot. This is my restaurant pick of the week.

1. 

   Art and Soul Restaurant www.artandsouldc.com 415 New Jersey Avenue Northwest Washington, DC 20001 (202) 393-7777 Get directions

Taiwanese Sensation: Youtube Video of the Week

Wow when I heard this youngster sing his rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" I got chills. Well, me and the millions of other people who have watched this video on YouTube. And of course you can't help but to make the comparison of the same sensationalism that surrounded Susan Boyle when she sang on Britain's Got Talent and blew all the judges including the "King of Mean"-- Simon Cowell away with her rendition of "I Dreamed A Dream" Now it's only natural that this is happening to Lin Yu Chun.

Of course most people will NOT just focus on Chun's vocals and how incredibly talented the youngster is. Instead they will joke about his bowl hair cut and make fat jokes. I'm sure some Hollywood exec will get his/her hands on Chun and give him the "Susan Boyle" makeover too. C'mon people focus on the voice!!

And speaking of THE VOICE. Where is Whitney?

And what does she think about all of this? Unfortunately, poor Whit is holed up in some hotel room suffering from an upper respiratory infection. She has had to reschedule various dates on her European tour. Her reps now say she will be postponing her trip to Manchester and Glasgow.

SHOE ADDICTS PICK OF THE WEEK:

Vivienne Westwood

$174.00

Keep it fun and funky with Vivienne Westwood Anglomania and 3 straps elevated pumps. These puppies are hot and just so happen to be in my favorite color PURPLE. They don't totally break the bank either staying in at under $200 dollars. And with the free shipping from Zappos, hey that's not bad.

PRODUCT INFORMATION:

• Elevate your enchanting elegance. Govern your gorgeous glamor with a thrilling triarchy of seductive straps. Beautifully buckle up in the tempestuous Three Strap Elevated shoe!
• Triple-buckle closure.
• Plastic upper.
• Synthetic lining.
• Synthetic sole.
• Imported.
• 3 1/4" heel.
• 13.00 oz.