Personal Legends

I’m currently reading Paul Cuehlo’s the Alchemist. I actually had no idea what this book was about. All I knew was that when I asked if this book was worth reading to someone who read it, they became rabid in me telling how fantastic it was. They were right. The book is great. Cuehlo’s fairy-tale style, coupled with his Siddhartha-like themes is enough to sweep you into his world. I can’t say that I appreciate his g-d overtones since I myself am not religious, but hey it’s a good story.

The Alchemist is about a young boy’s journey to discover and attain his personal legend – Cuehlo’s corny way of saying true quest in life. According to the book, once you discover your personal legend, the universe conspires to help you achieve it. I’ve been captivated by this book not merely for Cuehlo’s interesting writing style, but also because I am seemingly experiencing the same sort synchronicities now that I have chosen to attend culinary school.

Just this week, I received all the materials to ready myself for the first day of school. It’s so exciting. The timing of my program is bringing back memories of grade school. This week I shopped for my chef’s uniform.

The Shoes
I am tasked to find black chef’s clogs so I perform my research and ask my culinary friends on the best shoe to buy. Dansko clogs become an almost unanimous answer for the best clogs out there. Birkenstock is a close second. They are both around a hundred dollars, but I decide that I will suck it up and spend the necessary cash. I am also told that I don’t want Crocs because they have holes and no protection for your ankles. The last thing I need is a painful lesson about hot liquids on feet.

I do some research and realize that Crocs do have a professional line of clogs for chefs – and what’d ya know? Mario Batali has a special signature edition of his famed orange clogs. Can anything be lamer? I was wondering what he had in common to be friends with Rachel Ray.

I decide to look for Crocs anyway, against my better judgment. I should at least know how they feel before they are completely out of the running (excuse the pun). So I go to Paragon in Union Square to see what’s available. All Paragon has are the holey ones. I also don’t find any Birkenstock clogs. My next stop is West 8th Street. Surely one of the many shoe stores will have a decent clog selection. I stop for a second and reflect on the fact that I am searching for clogs. Ugly, ugly clogs.

I walk up West 8th and don’t see much beyond Chuck’s and some very alluring work pumps, but I refuse to be seduced and keep walking. Then out of the corner of my eye I see, “Clearance Sale! Store Closing! Everything Must Go!”

“Browsing a clearance sale can’t hurt,” I tell myself.

The remaining shoes were displayed at the center of the store. There was hardly any inventory left, but the ugliest of all shoes…CLOGS! How serendipitous. All clogs that were previously over hundred dollars were now all $50. I found the professional oiled Danskos that my friend, Meg, spoke of. For a clog, especially the forest green, Danskos were actually not bad on the eyes. But I had to get black, and they had none in my size. Then lo and behold I see another type of Danskos with a rubber bottom that sort of resemble my doc martens from high school, and I also spot another pair of clogs of even uglier caliber by a brand I have never heard of, Ariat.

I am surprised by the clog. They are one of the most deliciously comfortable shoes I have ever sunk my feet into. I see why chefs swear by them. Additionally, both have rubber bottoms to maintain traction on slick kitchen floors. I’ll deal with their uglier-than-a-nun’s-shoe-quality for the comfort. I decide that the Ariats are more padded and decide to purchase them.

I have a slight feeling of buyer’s remorse after the resounding Dansko fandom of my chef friends. So I do a bit of research and find out that there is in fact a small faction of chefs out there that believe Ariat clogs are more comfortable and stylish (if that’s possible) than Danskos. Ariat is an English equestrian boot company that also has a line of clogs. Well who knew? Further research tells me that my pair is a few seasons old and that the cheapest I can get them online are for $90. I still saved forty bucks.

But then I can’t stop thinking about the great deal. So I go back to the clearance sale and decide to buy the Danskos just in case (whatever that means) because when will I ever find Danskos for that price ever again? My boyfriend decides that he wants to buy them for me as a starting-culinary-school-present. Even better. At the store I find out that it is true: I will never find these shoes for $50 again. The store is even more desperate and the same shoes I tried on just a few days ago are now $40.

Thank g-d for the universe. And English cowboys.