Wishful Shopping - Wakouwa Deck Shoes

Wakouwas in the window at Anatomica (Paris)

I'm heading to London in a week for London Edinburgh London, a 1400k randonnee.  I've just assembled all my bike gear (which includes many non archival, ziploc packed servings of powdered nutrition).  Sadly, I'm going to have very little space in my luggage for non cycling garb. At the moment I'm boiling my travel garb down into a single outfit I can wear on the plane and than for five days in London. What I'm missing is the perfect pair of comfortable canvas sneakers. Many of my pals prefer Superga, Tretorn or Chuck Taylors.  What I want is a pair of  made in Japan, Wakouwa deck shoes. I've been wishfully shopping for Wakouwas since I spotted them in the window at Anatomica in Paris.  You can buy them through a few US stockists but alas, most don't sell them in smaller sizes for women.  At Mohawk General Store, you can even buy them in Yves Klein blue.  If you have a secret Wakouwa source, or could suggest a stylistic alternative, let me know.
 

Shopping from 1945 - American Lawn Tennis

 

  

  

Archival Permanent - PDX

In Randonneuring, a perm is a permanent route you can schedule to ride at any time. On Saturday, I rode Michal Young's scenic Alsea 200k loop with several friends from the Oregon Randonneurs. On Sunday, I dragged my friend Bruce up to Portland for what I would consider my favorite Archival shopping perm.  The loop starts somewhere around Eye Styles, migrates over to Little Tee for lunch followed by gabbing and gawking at Blake, coffee at Barista, more aspirational shopping at Lizard Lounge and than a post meal retreat to Cinema 21. Though I rarely make purchases on my perm, I  consistently catch and release the same evidential photos: Japanese eyewear, FWK Engineered Garments, heritage footwear,  denim and print ephemera from the movies.  Contact me if you wish to recreate my route.  I will provide you with a start time, a list of controls and a few informational questions to confirm that you followed the correct route.   Here is some evidence of participation from my weekend:

 

Theo taking a white line nap next to his lovely MAP custom 

Vanilla and Map randos outside John Boy's Alsea Mercantile (via Theo Elliot)

  

Our rando mob (photo by Asta C.)

 

Bruce modeling Barton Perreira...

  ...matching suede green Quoddy mocs

  

Croque Madame at Little Tee

  

Sport footwear check: Oak Street and Arche

  

  

 

Aspirational FWK at Blake

  

  A rare patch from the Jantzen swimwear company

 

Sam's Yuketen boots 

Spot watch check: a Filson rep's Marathon chronograph

Neil sampling frites and cidre at Irving Kitchen

Mildred Pierce at Cinema 21

Shopping from Pillpat

From Pillpat, a cryptic French playing card games involving beautiful objects. 

 

 

 

 

Archival Field Trip - PDX

  

Over the weekend, I made a quick trip up to Portland to shop for eyewear, catch a film and check in on a few of my favorite shops.  Here are some visual notes from the trip:

 

New S/S Engineered Garments at Blake

 

  

Brand obsession - Masunaga eyewear from Japan (via Blink)

Original Archival Flap Musette on tour 

 

Bike rack Ira Ryan custom porteur

 

Julian boots for Reveille

Aspirational Yuketens

Sugar Cane Brown Beach Jacket

 

Reveille

  

  

Shopping for yet another Hario brewing device

 

 

Now Playing - Blue Velvet at Cinema 21