We’re really sad to tell you that we’ve scratched our entry for the Hay Festival this year.  It’s not entirely bad news from our point of view – it’s because we’ve had a massive rush on ZIMS over the last few weeks and our stock levels are too low to justify a stand at Hay.   But it was such fun last year and we will miss being there and also meeting all our supporters and fans.  We’re sorry to disappoint everyone.   Our stock levels are due to be replenished but not in time for Hay.   And lots of new things will be happening to ZIMS so watch this space!

Stop press!!   Due to popular demand we’re bringing ZIMS to Hay again this year which will be quite an event as it’s the 25th anniversary of the first Festival.  How things have changed - yes.. we at ZIMS are old enough to remember when it started!  We must have been among the first festival-goers and I doubt anybody would have predicted how amazingly successful it has become and of course we’re  proud to be there too.   We’re looking forward to seeing our old friends and making new ones on 31 May to 10 June.  Not long to go and lots of work to do…..

How about this for versatilty – in the past two months ZIMS have been spotted in Moscow and Jaipur - talk about one extreme to another!  We hear that they were worn constantly (really?!) and were much admired in Jaipur.  And we know for a fact that the Moscow ZIMS are perfect for changing into from a -18 C  Russian winter to  a  20 C +  heated appartment.   You will rarely see a Muscovite wear outside shoes inside their homes and ZIMS are a perfect solution over the winter months.   

Judging from recent orders it looks like ZIMS will be spotted in even more exotic locations – maybe we should have a competition… watch this space!

But perhaps we should have done some marathon training for this week at Spirit of Christmas Fair at Olympia.  Thank goodness for ZIMS – they’ve certainly been put through their paces over the past few days.  We haven’t sat down for hours on end and our feet and our shoes have survived.  Fantastic atmosphere here – very buzzy and busy with lots of enthusiastic ZIMS fans including regular customers who have dropped in to add a pair or two of our new colour range to their collection.    Emma Forbes began her first Uncover Beautiful Gifts workshop by featuring a pair of fuschia ZIMS as one of her top ten gifts from the Fair and we were thrilled to be picked out of the hundreds of companies here   A great bonus of being here is meeting all sorts of interesting people – not just the customers but also other stand holders from all over the country selling all sorts of gorgeous things from beautiful silk pyjamas to stunning sculptures from Zimbabwe.   When we get back to our office next week we’ll get some photos up – perched on the edge of a bed in what is probably the world’s smallest hotel room it’s something of a challenge just to get these few words up on line!  But we can’t wait to share some of our Olympia experiences with you – watch this space!!

Contrary to popular opinion we haven’t been spending our entire time dining out in Ludlow’s best eating houses.  Actually we’ve been practically drowning in ZIMS and shoe boxes (where do they all come from?) getting them all ready and packed up to take to Olympia tomorrow.  We’ve had new stock delivered from our factory in Spain and we’re delighted with the new colours – we can’t wait to show them off.    What’s more, we’ve just heard that Emma Forbes is going to feature ZIMS as an original Christmas gift in her workshop at the Spirit of Christmas Fair which is really exciting for us.  If you’re coming to Spirit of Christmas we’re at Stand GR10 on the first floor – not far from the entrance to Mossiman’s Restaurant!  So white van loaded to the gunwhales and off at sparrows’ tomorrow!  Hasta manana!!

If you had looked under a certain dining table in a certain delightful location not far from Ludlow you would have seen at least two pairs of  ZIMS attached to some very happy gastronomes relishing every minute as guests of the Marches Supper Society.  The three talented and creative chefs came up with this inventive menu and produced a meal every bit as delicious as the words suggest.    A lovely warm and welcoming atmosphere, the homemade elderflower champagne  and the almond, mint and anchovy paste appetisers promised an interesting and enjoyable evening ahead.  And we weren’t disappointed.  The  tender and succulent  pigeon escabeche  was an unusual combination of spicy flavours absorbed in a bulgar wheat salad.   The delicious breast of lamb with sweetbreads and chard was a clever reconstruction of the animal and not for the faint hearted.    We would have liked to imagine our nobel cooks out there on the Stiperstones picking every wimberry going for the tart and icecream but we hear that Ludlow, naturally, can supply such delicacies although  we hear on the grapevine that La Becasse has cornered the market.  Scrummy gooey chocolate  treats rounded off a memorable meal in excellent company.  Happy and replete ZIMS!

Sole mates

 
Avoid holiday PR meltdown – always remember to pack your ZIMS!

 Daily Mail 1.8.11

Bit late …  but we’ve only just seen official Hay blogger Simon Mundy’s blog about us on the Hay Festival site. 

“Snippet 3. Mundys are spread fairly thinly around the globe, let alone around Radnorshire, Brecknock, Hereford and Shropshire, so it was with a raised eyebrow that I spied two of the only three others in the local phonebook, Nick and Lindsey, selling their own brand of shoes in a tent on the festival site. Last time I saw him, Nick was a lawyer. Now he and his wife are the grand designers of ZIMS shoes – made for them in Spain, frightfully comfy, and a hell of a lot more elegant than flip flops. Going like hot soles here:”

Thank you Simon!  And if you want to read more witty and perceptive words  from Simon go to Hay Festival blog.

We love happy customers and we pride ourselves on giving the a personal service so it’s fantastic when we get positive feedback….  “The Zims are indeed comfortable and I will be giving them a thorough ‘test’ when on my holiday in Cornwall in a week’s time..I am most impressed with the service I have received from you – 10 out of 10.”   Just one of the enthusiastic comments we get from customers all over the world!  We’ve come out in a bit of a warm glow!