Today is Independence Day and I can’t seem to think about anything but barbecue, beach and fireworks! Feeling nostalgic and longing for ol’ times I going to start a week of posting about some of my favorite family traditions. I’m going to cover some family favorites from footwear to fudge sauce. Add in seven more days of Summer Picture Fun and I think you are going to get your fill of modchik this week. (I promise some good stuff people.)
Last night I was reminded what summer does to me…. it gives me leg cramps. Why? Because as soon as temps rise above 70 degrees I LIVE in flip flops. I slip them on first thing in the morning and they are the last thing I fling off when I collapse into bed (usually between midnight and 2am). I have a pair at every doorway.
I grew up in Southern California and moved here the same year Rainbow Sandals started back in 1974. When I was a kid there were two choices… the molded plastic ones you found at Thrifty’s Drugstore that blew apart the moment you attempted anything faster than a brisk walk…. or Rainbow Sandals.
my 5 year old 4 layer leather strap Rainbows
In the 70’s rainbow anything was DY-NO-MITE! I had rainbow suspenders, rainbow stickers, rainbow towels, a rainbow mobile and of course rainbow socks complete with toes.
The only thing that lasted was the sandals.
I recently had the opportunity to visit Rainbow Sandals with Suz Broughton of OC FAMILY and met founder Jay “Sparky” Longley. 35 years ago with two hundred dollars in his savings he decided to make a better flip flop that lasted and he did and now he owns one of the top 3 sandal producers in the country!
come sign the sandal!
We were welcomed to his outlet store in San Clemente and given a full tour of their local operations.
If you are in Southern California you MUST include this on your “have to visit” list. Only 30 minutes south of Disneyland off the Pico Ave. exit you will find all of the Rainbow Sandal products at a discount (25% off retail pricing). They have every rainbow sandal made under one roof and next door is where they produce about 60% of all sandals. What’s important to Jay is that we get the most use out of our sandals eliminating the need to costly replace them year after year. In fact your Rainbows are guaranteed for the life of the shoe. Think of all the rubber you won’t be putting back into our eco-system!
Bring the entire family they have sizes to fit everyone even kids!
Rainbows are also available online!
(free ground shipping)
yep you can buy a JUMBO rainbow sandal too!
check out the Rainbow Sandal Museum as you enter
Sparky feeds you when you shop too! you don’t think I left empty handed did you?
my new pair! I am partial to the layered wedge! I also picked up a pair for my husband because this is what happens when you leave a NON-Rainbow pair of flip flops in the 110 degree heat.. the glue literally melted and they de-laminated which Rainbow said WILL NOT happen to their sandals even in that heat!
PS.. (the good stuff) while writing this post I searched rainbow sandals facebook page (click) …which lead me to Katy Harper’s post about flip flops and love (click) which leads me to her desire to see the new Tilda Swanson movie I Am Love (click) which leads me to a sidebar of recent tweets “More on I Am Love: Tilda Swinton still looks like the spawn of David Bowie & a praying mantis. But the dreamy cinematography. Sexy. Go see!” by canarycrayon (click) find her tweeting about rainbows and um intercourse with footage (CLICK!) and viola… a totally G-rated video to end my post. If you don’t laugh hysterically something is seriously wrong with you! … full on double-rainbow video now if that isn’t serendipity folks I don’t know what is. enjoy.
DOUBLE RAINBOW DUDE
#ADHDneveradullmoment
Readers really…. what DOES this mean?
The last paragraph instantly reminded me of “If you Give a Mouse a Cookie”… Maybe that mouse had ADHD too. 🙂
is that why I get all anxious when I read that book? BAH!
Oh, yeah! Great Post!
It was so much fun to learn more about the brand we love.
I could go on and on about my sandals… they should be the official footwear of So Cal. That was fun thanks for letting me tag along your kids are ADORABLE!
That was a powerful moments for the gentlemen filming the rainbows. I could not help but wonder if he had some special ingredients in his brownies or found some interesting mushrooms to try.
Cute post. You should have called me on your trip there…you know I’m just up the street. 🙂