Manolo says, it is Monday and you are back your desk and the Manolo is finally back at his, and all is right with the world (assuming that you do not read the newspapers, and really, who does anymore?).

Oy, but the news from the world of the economy is bad, with the bankruptcies, and the failures, and the bailouts, and the falling markets, and the fat-gato bankers having to cut back to lighting their cigars with the Ulysses S’s instead of the Benjamins.

Still, it could be worse, you (and the Manolo) still have the desks. You are not out on the street, selling wormy apples from the wooden handcart. And you still have the internet, yes?

And, thank goodness for the interwebs, for they can bring us pictures of shoes. And, now more than ever we require the curative power of shoes, beautiful, happy, cheerful, wonderful shoes!

Look! From the Maestro Manolo Blahnik, purple!

Do they not turn your frown downside up?

So fun, so festive, so frivolous.

Athough..perhaps to yourself, you are saying, “Manolo have you not heard that there is the Recession on? And $800, it is is horrifically excessive for the pair of purple sandals, no?”

Indeed, the Manolo understands that perhaps the money is tight, and that even in the best of times you would not spend so much on such shoes, however beautiful.

And, yet, just because you cannot now buy such shoes, does not mean you cannot look and dream of the day when you can.

Indeed, even in the greatest depth of the Great Depression, when your brother could not spare the dime, Fred Astaire would still put on his top hat and dance lightly across the movie screens, entertaining us with scenes of luxury and frivolity and lightness.

But enough of this! Look, Red!

And, Fuchsia!