When I was in high school, one of my best friends was named Natascha, who often went by the nickname Nat. She got married last year, and her husband’s name is Matt, so they are frequently referred to as MattandNat. So I always giggle when I visit the site Matt & Nat, which seems like it should be their site, but  is in fact a company that makes fly vegan purses. Generally priced in the $250-$300 range, these purses are every bit as fashionable as the ones by Fendi/Prada/Chanel etc. but are cruelty-free. Plus they come in fun colors like magenta. I’m digging the small Jorja purse pictured above. I love the way it looks, and I’m ready to invest in a quality purse that will last, since all of my inexpensive (cheap?) target purses are falling apart. Maybe I’ll get this one as a gift…

As you know, I’ve long been a proponent of Sigg’s non-leaching, reuseable water bottles, and I’ve been carrying my cute purple one around so long it’s all banged up and well-loved. Apparently Jessica Alba has jumped on the Sigg bandwagon, and is carrying around my exact same water bottle. It’s a good thing I have two! (I also have a giant blue one.)

So, the folks at Peta supposedly created this ad for the Superbowl, which NBC rejected on these grounds. But since Peta is known for its attention-getting antics, I have to wonder if they made it too racy intentionally, just to cause a stir about it getting banned and getting more people to visit their site. I’m happy either way. Anything that gets the message out about vegetarianism is good, and using sex to sell a concept is a proven method. So what do you think? Is this too racy for TV, or are the NBC censors being silly? I find it kind of ironic that a commercial about women loving vegetables has been deemed inappropriate to air during an event that features grown men playing an extremely violent sport. Ah, violence before sex. It’s the American way.

I’ve never been to New York City, but I keep saying that when I go, the one thing I’m for sure going to do is eat at Pure Food and Wine (or at least get a take-away snack at the juice bar). I’ve mentioned before that PF&W owner Sarma Melngailis is one of my raw food inspirations, and I definitely want to check out her restaurant. I also occasionally peruse her inventory at One Lucky Duck, which is an online resource for raw foodists. One item I keep revisiting is the Eat Raw Live Long shirt. I love the bright colors, 3/4 sleeves, and the retro vibe. If anybody wants to splurge and buy me a $25.00 shirt, that would be totally cool.

Are you familiar with MBT sneakers? They’re those funny-looking (and expensive, they run about $250) shoes that are designed to keep you fit as you walk. MBT stands for Masai Barefoot Technology, and the premise behind the shoe is that it improves your posture and gait and reduces joint stress, while simultaneously activating the butt and thigh muscles. I think the name stems from research done on the Masai tribe of Africa; they’re a semi-nomadic tribe, so I guess they know a thing or two about walking, and evidently the shoe mimics their barefoot gait. Anyway, MBT shoes made a splash on the fitness industry, with celebs like Debra Messing endorsing their effectiveness. 

Naturally, the success of the MBT has spawned an entire new shoe category. Victoria’s Secret sells the Walkstar sandal, which is much more affordable ($49.95), and in my opinion, a lot cuter. It makes the same basic claims as the MBT shoe: reduced joint pain, greater muscle activation and tone, and improved posture.

And finally, there is the Shape-Up Shoe, which I keep seeing on those weird advertising pages in the back of magazines. Again, we have the same fitness premise, this time in a truly ugly sandal. These are the least expensive ($39.99), but they might also be the cheapest, if you know what I mean. In addition to the flip-flop, they also come in Croc style and a very weird boot. To be fair, I’ve never seen them in person, so they might be great. They just seem funny to me.

I’ve never tried any of these fitness shoes, but I’d like to. I’d definitely go the VS route; I like the look and the price is right!