The_D

Is this their website? http://www.shoe-repairs.co.uk/

Yes, that's them.  Like I said, I haven't used them myself yet, but based on American Classics' recommendation and the email they sent me, I'm going to send them my GTs for repair.

Does anyone London based have experience of John Rushton Shoes repair jobs? I have a pair of Red Wings that need re-heeling.

My 9014 GTs are in dire need of a resole and reheel, and the guys at American Classics recommended First Class Shoe Repairs (online).  I emailed them and they responded straight away, saying this: "We stock all original red wing sole units and repair as new from the manufacturer.  We stitch the soles on as they would have been when you bought them"  I haven't dealt with them yet, but if what they say is true...

Don't normally do this, and it's been a looong time since I even posted over here, but I had to add to the chorus of praise about Left Field.  Great customer service: ordered a pair of Black Maria Greasers last Wednesday afternoon, which arrived in London this morning.  That's 2 working days; I can't get stuff within the UK that quickly most of the time.   [The jeans are great, obviously - lovely stiff black denim currently soaking in the bath (to get those travel creases out before I put them on for next six months)]. 

For anyone coming to London soon, I was just in Anthem on Calvert Avenue, and they told me they're going to be stocking Kapital from next week. They're already stocking 45rpm, as of this season. First time I've heard of either in the UK. Apologies if this is old news...

I really regret not getting the 201XX when they were available. Anyone know where I could get my hands on a pair 38W 36L?

Rivet Head, this might sound like an astoundingly stupid question, given that you've been completely specific about the size you're after, but what size do you actually wear? I have a pair of 36/34 201s that I bought from Cultizm a couple of years ago, which I was expecting to shrink a lot to a 34w with a hot soak, but the Japanese denim barely shrank at all, so I bought a pair of 34/34 and never returned the 36/34... so if you were looking for a pair of 38s that would shrink to a 36 waist and 34 inside leg, I might be able to help! Sorry, that sounds convoluted, but that's what you get when I post 'in the evening'... Obviously I can give you specific post-soak measurements if you need them.

Ecozone eco balls (seriously...) will wash stuff without bleaching dark colours. If it's delicate fabric you're worried about though, they're not so ideal (clunky plastic balls banging around in your drum...). Dr Bronners is available in quite a few places; if you're in Soho, Whole Foods on Brewer Street still stocks it, I think.

has anyone purchased a 1915s from the current batch ( i know it's a different batch because the sizing is more accurate than the one i bought sometime back)?

any improvement in the back-cinch buckle?

Yep, I bought a pair. I hadn't actually read all the talk here about buckles before I bought them, and I was stunned at how duff the buckle was. I cut the bar off to file it to points, and it disintegrated. Complete cack. I was going to make one myself out of silver, but in the end I used a pair of jeweller's pliers to bodge the existing one so the pins can no longer come out. But seriously, what a piece of cack.

But... dear Lord, the denim. When I soaked them and pulled them out of the water, the fabric was literally sticky with indigo, which came off all over my hands. I've not seen anything like it from any other LVC denim, nor from any Japanese repros. It was uncanny. But I guess you all know this already...

No badge. You had to pay extra for that, I think...

i got a red ribbon in school

Damn you. I only got a blue; came second.

p.s. if you go the Marshall Street baths, have a curry afterwards at Masala Zone, two doors down the street. Veg thali with undhiyo.

Bang in the middle of town, the refurbished Marshall Street baths:

http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/leisureandculture/active/marshallstreet/

There's also Oasis, on the corner of Endell Street. Great swimming there in the warm outdoor rooftop pool with the rain falling all around you (this is London...). I haven't been there in a while, but it used to be a good place.

Two more...

and a plug for the shirt im selling http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?p=2645637#post2645637

Carl, did you sell that grey chambray jacket on ebay? If so, I think I bought it... Funnily enough, I have it hanging up right now, to wear tomorrow in sunny London. I LOVE that jacket.

If I didn't buy it off you, I have an identical one; which is obviously much less interesting...

moulded shoe has done shell on the modified last many times?

also, that don't look like no horse butt

And they're still doing so: I bought a pair of modified-last toe-cap boots in no.8 cordovan from Moulded Shoe last November.

Does anyone know where I can still find a pair of Kato? Looking for a size 30/31

Reckon your best bet is to get Hide-San at Sharp Service to proxy for you:

http://kato-aaa.jp/brand/brand-kato-basic.html

All the major museums in London are free. The Barbican often seems to have free music in the foyer area (although it's hit and miss as to whose taste it's aimed at). The Prince Charles cinema, just off Leicester Square, is pretty much the cheapest place to see films. And if you want free food, go to Borough Market on Thurs/Fri/Sat and work your way round all the stalls tasting the samples. The traders hate people who do this, but there's not much they can do about it. Pick up a copy of Time Out (forgive me if this is screamingly obvious) for listings of all the many free things going on. And buy your groceries at Lidl or Aldi...

William, are there going to be any UK stores selling the things from your Hill-Side collab? Superdenim?

The 10th is a bit of a khazi, in my opinion; but others think it's up-and-coming. Good for kebabs, I'll say that. So, yes, you'll want to move around a bit.

The metro is the best way to get around; avoid taxis unless you like sitting in traffic. The metro is cheap - just buy a 'carnet' of ten tickets and keep them in your wallet. You can travel any distance with one ticket and it works out just over a Euro per trip.

Having said that, Paris is a great city to see on foot, if the weather is good. There aren't any 'no go' areas in the city itself, but there are plenty of parts that are a bit dull and either residential or full of strange crappy shops that leave you wondering how they survive; and there are places in the suburbs (which you're unlikely to visit) where you probably wouldn't go on your own if you weren't a local. You might want to avoid the Bois de Boulogne at night too... Worth taking a taxi around the centre at night - driving down the Champs Elysees and around the Concorde when everything is lit up is just fantastic, especially if you've got a big buzz on.

It's really worth picking up a Paris guidebook. One of the great strengths and weaknesses of Paris is that is absolutely and categorically unhip; it really doesn't change much. So there isn't ever a 'hot new area' to explore. It's always the same places worth checking out: the Marais, the Left Bank, and so on. It all depends what you're after.

If you want traditional food, there are two places that, while a little touristy, can be relied on: Bofinger, and Chartier. Both old-school French, the first a traditional brasserie, the second an old working-man's canteen, although it's obviously not that now. Also, slightly corny, but a long-standing favourite of mine, is Au Pied du Cochon, in the 2nd; it's a 24-hour brasserie, and nothing beats their onion soup (which is a meal in itself) at 4 in the morning.

I've not stayed in it, but I walk past St Christopher's Hostel on Borough High Street all the time, and it looks good. It's in a relatively central location (a short bus ride to Spitalfields, Shoreditch, the West End, or Brick Lane), and it's across the street from Borough Market, so you get to eat decent food. It's also just down the street from The George, one of the most historic pubs in London. And you can walk to the Tate Modern from there in about 15 minutes along the river. Also nearby is a great street called Bermondsey Street, which has some good restaurants (including a brilliant new Italian called Zucca), another good pub (The Woolpack), the Fashion & Textile museum (not so great, in truth), and various other curious shops, including one that sells bespoke dog-collars (for dogs, not priests (or sub/dom types)).

The usual suspects for shopping are Colette, which coincidentally is just round the corner from the only 45rpm shop in Europe. Merci is also really worth checking out; it's like a bigger French version of the shop at Bluebird. All the usual major luxury brands have big stores in Paris; if Hermes is your thing, it's definitely worth visiting their flagship. If you're staying at the Meridien Etoile (which is a bland business hotel - no hate, it's where I always stay when I'm in Paris, because it's close to our office; don't eat there), then you're really close to the Champs Elysees, which is corny, but you've got the shop in the Publicis offices towards the top of the Champs (unless it's closed - haven't visited it in a while), and it's quite fun just to stroll down the street there; there's a massive 24-hour Sephora there if you need cosmetics/mainstream perfume (if you're into perfume, then don't miss Serge Lutens shop, which is the only place you can get his special stuff that he does for Shiseido). If you're not super-rushed, you can walk down the C d'E, past the Crillon Hotel, along the rue de Rivoli, then up on the rue St Honore, to go to Colette, buy expensive chocolates etc. Along the way, you can stop in Laduree to eat overhyped macarons, or drink amazing hot chocolate at Angelina's. All a bit touristy, but hey, why not? Around the Jardin du Palais Royal, there are some dusty old shops selling all kind of crazy shit, and the Galerie Vivienne is nearby, which is one of the old Victorian galeries, which is well worth strolling through if you're in the area (Gaultier's flagship store is there, if you're having an 80s flashback). Of course, all of that (apart from Merci) is north of the river, which leaves another whole world to explore.

Worth checking to see what's on at the Pompidou Centre and the Palais de Tokyo, for exhibitions. Even if there isn't a show on at the Pompidou, the permanent collection of 20th-century art is great. There's also the Contemporary art museum of Paris, right next to the Palais de Tokyo, which also has a great 20th-century collection.

Nice find, thanks. I'll see if I can send them a pair from the UK for repair.

DDML, can you resole Blundstones? Where? I have a knackered 20-year-old pair that are my all-time favourite boots (against much more expensive competition) and I would love to get them resoled. I'd always assumed they weren't worth bothering with, but I kept them, regardless.

The Garbstore is definitely worth visiting, as is DSM; you'll see a lot of stuff there that you can't get anywhere else in the UK. Personally, I think the Hideout is rubbish; generally a poor selection from over-hyped Japanese brands, at over-inflated prices. On a tenuously related note, there's a good Japanese noodle bar (Taro) nearby on Brewer Street.

Funnily enough, I'm think I'm going to Liverpool on Friday. What's worth seeing at the moment?!

45rpm has its only European shop in Paris. On rue du Marche St Honore, just round the corner from Colette. Take someone else's credit card, though; if you think that stuff is expensive in Japan or the US, the prices in Euros will make your eyes bleed.

He and his wife run ARN Mercantile. Some of the clothes (e.g. shirts) are not a million miles from the shirts you could get from Kato outside Japan.

Not many stockists that I've come across. Oki-ni stock their stuff, and I think Daniel Jenkins and Kiosk 78 have literally a couple of things. When Present first opened, they had some of their shirts, but I didn't see anything there last time I was in.

Presume you both know Kastoori in Tooting? LOVE the food at that place. Samosas and dahi & sev puris are the best I've eaten, and the Oro (baby aubergines) on Sunday is wonderful.