4th of July Fun Facts =]

We all know the fourth of July is the day of independence, family fun, BBQs and fireworks. But we thought it would be fun to share a few fun facts having to do with the 4th of July that you may not have known.

Speaking of BBQs...

• This 4th of July, an estimated 150 million hot dogs will be consumed. That's roughly 1 dog for every two people in the U.S!
• Ironically, the majority of the nation's flags and patriotic paraphernalia is produced in China. Nearly $349 million dollars are used each year to import in the flags, banners, decorations, and emblems. (You know what else is made it China? Your favorite Jambu's™ ;))
• The 4th of July wasn't declared a national holiday until 1941.
• Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national animal - he was outvoted when John Adams and Thomas Jefferson chose the bald eagle.
• Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on Independence Day, July 4, 1826.
• The Declaration of Independence, didn't even get signed on July 4, 1776. The official event occurred on August 2, 1776, when 50 of the 56 men signed it. (John Hancock was the only person to actually sign on July 4, 1776 - go John!)

Do you know of anymore fun facts you'd like to share? We'd love to read them!

We hope you and your family have a great 4th of July :)

Fourth of July Treats

As the Fourth of July is just around the bend, we want to share with you some treat ideas to make for this wonderful outdoor holiday. As people around the United States celebrate our independence from Britain, we will be sipping root beer floats. This delicious yet refreshing treat reminds us all of our childhoods. From our kitchen to yours, here is a simple recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups root beer
• 1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream

Instructions:

1. Slip on your Jambu's so that you're comfortable (your feet will thank you!)
2. For a 16 oz. glass, use one scoop of ice cream.
3. Pour in enough root beer to cover.
4. Add another scoop of ice cream to the top, if desired. (for ice cream lovers like us, add two scoops :) )
5. Serve with a spoon and a straw.

This recipe makes one serving. While wearing your Jambu's and drinking this delicious treat, your stomach and feet will be thanking you! Stay tuned this week for more July 4th ideas!

The Troy by Jambu™

This week was a great week for our 'Troy' sporty wedge. It is one of our best-sellers from the Spring '10 line, and was recently reviewed by two sites! Thank you to Barkingdogshoes.com and Planetshoes.com. Check out what they posted :)

To read what they wrote, and to check out other great posts on great shoes, follow their blog or Twitter!

Watch what Blair from PlanetShoes had to say about our Troys :)

Also, follow PlanetShoes on Twitter and become their friend on Facebook!

A little more about the shoe:

At a 2 ½ inch height, the Troy Sporty Wedge is both glamorous and comfortable. It features a smooth leather/nubuck or vegetable leather/naked leather materials and has a quick-closure bungee lacing system. Its memory foam contoured foot bed cradles and supports the foot, which maximizes comfort. The troy has a signature translucent mid sole design and toe and heel bumpers that provide protection against the elements.

A Bohemian "Journey"... great outfit ideas!

With so many great Jambu™ styles out there, we know you can get overwhelmed choosing an outfit to wear on a fun summer outing. And even though Jambu's™ can really be perfect with just about any look, we thought we'd offer a fun "Bohemian Journey" outfit to wear with your favorite Journey shoes by Jambu™.

The 'Journey' shoe comes in a bunch of colors - so pick your favorite to go with a cute maxi dress and grab that cute summer tote you've been waiting to sport. (If long dresses aren't your thing, Journeys look great with short dresses, too!) Add some cute accessories, and your Bohemian look is complete. This look will keep you comfortable and cute for these hot summer days =)

Shoes Around the World

Most designers in fashion look for inspiration in history, fashion, art and other cultures. Footwear across the globe embodies just about all of the above. When thinking about different shoes around the world, many styles come to mind. I remember the fun wooden shoes I fell in love with at Disney World's "Its a Small World" ride as a child. Oh those crazy wooden clogs, unbelievable right?! After some research I found out they were worn by the Dutch, in Netherlands, in Belgium, and in Sweden. The clog was originally made as type of protective footwear for factory, mine, and farm workers... which makes sense of why the whole shoe is made out of wood.

Now we see variations of this clog all over in fashion! In our culture "clogs" often translate into comfort slip-ons. At Jambu™ our designers really ran with the clog silhouette and have made a modern variation of this eccentric shoe. Jambu™'s Paris, is a modern, comfortable fashion forward rendition of the old school wooden clog. The Paris is even made with partially recycled rubber outsole's with a light weight midsole and a memory foam footbed for extreme comfort. And just as Jambu™ promised, it was made for the woman on the go... psssst by the way, thats you!

A Few Easy Gift Ideas That Will Keep Dad Smiling :)

Men love the attention they get on Father's Day. So why not let them soak it up on the day set aside just for their efforts? We thought it would be a good idea to share some quick and easy gift ideas that will allow Dad to relax (at least for one day :)

• Everybody loves a hammock! There's no better way for Dad to relax. Set up a hammock in the backyard, and let him enjoy the beautiful weather while he can.
• All men love sports. Give him a great way to kick back and watch his favorite team with a his teams logo on a bedrest. They're easy to find in sports stores or online, and they're super comfy!
• A one time "coupon" to mow the lawn for your man. Not the most fun for you, but this is a free and easy way to show your man you appreciate his mowing all year long!
• Get him a magazine and/or newspaper subscription. There may be a magazine that he loves to read, but never got the chance to order it. Many newspapers offer 'once-a-week' subscriptions, which make great gifts if he already has a favorite paper.
• If you really want to go all out, he will love his own reclining chair. It may not look perfect with your decor, but having his own chair to relax in will keep him comfortable and happy.

You already enjoy the all day comfort your Jambus™ have to offer, now you can help your man relax on a day just for him =]

Father's Day Traditions

We were interested in getting a bit more of the history behind origin of Father's Day. After some research we have found that the earliest record of a Father’s Day celebration is in the ruins of Babylon. A young boy carved a Father’s Day card into clay 4,000 years ago. Due to this act of kindness for his father, this tradition continued for thousands of years. Ever since this day in Babylon, the world honors father’s all over the world, expressing their love and affection for them.

Many cultures around the world celebrate Father’s Day, although what many people don’t know is that Father’s Day is recognized on different days in different countries. Not only are the dates of Father’s Day different, customs and traditions may also be different.

An interesting tradition we found for celebrating Father’s Day was in Germany. It is always celebrated on Ascension Day (the Thursday forty days after Easter), which is a federal holiday. Regionally, it is also called "Men's day"or "Gentlemen's day". It is tradition to do a males-only hiking tour with a small wagon, called a "Bollerwagen", which is pulled by the men. The wagon is filled with wine or beer (according to region) and traditional regional food (Leberwurst (Liverwurst), Blutwurst (Blood Sausage), vegetables, eggs, etc.) Many men will use this holiday to get their drink on. This holiday usually results in groups of men celebrating, many of which are buzzed, roaming the streets all day.

In the US we are more accustomed to the tradition of Father's Day being spent with family. Although we had fun exploring how other cultures spend their Father's Day. Please share any of your unique Father's Day traditions with us, we would love to hear!

Have a great rest of your week planning for Father's Day... and do it comfortably in Jambu™'s!