**** Official 2012 Countdown ****

[DonaCatalina]

I liked what they've done to the Holly Field area. The new Legendary candle shop looks awesome! Sandlar was still plastering Saturday morning but their shop is nice too.

Was good to see recovery of the area and how they paid tribute.

Don Juan and I left some green ribbons on the fence in remembrance. It looked like a few others might have as well.

[bsdmon]

I used my free tickets from the fof pass to take my parents. They have been a couple times before but usually missed a lot, Plus this time wasn't as hot as usual which was nice. They saw cast in bronze ,the maypole dance, and the joust for the first time and we caught a good chunk of nature of mercys show which I had never seen.  They had the whole crowd rolling. Also caught the new bagpipe and drum group "Tartanic" I think they said it was their first year at scarby? I plan to start purchasing some of my garb from pendragon next weekend when I get paid YAY! Found out medieval moccasins were not at scarby this year as my mom wanted to pick up another pair of their shoes.

The improvements on some of the buildings were very nice. I couldn't recall exactly which buildings had burned. But we assumed whatever had fresh wood was new. The building that is housing the dress shop near the stage this year that is just new construction isn't it? We noticed we didn't seem to get harassed by the actors and employees as much this year I'm curious to see how that giant clay block will look when it is a finished ship.

[Hercules]

Found out medieval moccasins were not at scarby this year as my mom wanted to pick up another pair of their shoes

Medieval Moccasins are there. Two of the prettiest ladies in Scarby are there to help. Right around the corner from Pendragon.

[bsdmon]

Yeah I knew we saw them in the program but I guess they moved their shop. I still don't quite know how the booth numbers run. We asked the guy at catskill mountain moccasins and he said he thought they had pulled out of a couple of faires. Which i'm sure is true but obviously scarby isn't one of them. Thanks.

[raevyncait]

Yeah I knew we saw them in the program but I guess they moved their shop. I still don't quite know how the booth numbers run. We asked the guy at catskill mountain moccasins and he said he thought they had pulled out of a couple of faires. Which i'm sure is true but obviously scarby isn't one of them. Thanks.

Medieval Moccasins is at the only booth I've ever known them to be in, over in Pecan Grove, near the children's joust ride.
As an aside, I wouldn't trust anything Catskill says about MM, simply because when a friend tried on one of their sandal styles, as the young man removed her obviously well-worn & much loved MM sandals, his comment was not something gently persuasive such as "Milady,  I think you'll appreciate the additional cushioning that the thickness of our sole provides". It was instead and I quote "once you put our sandals one, you'll never want to put a crummy MM on again".   Well, he absolutely lost a sale, and customers forever, because we are of the opinion that it is absolutely poor form to say ugly things about other vendors, ESPECIALLY those on site. 

[Hercules]

Yeah I knew we saw them in the program but I guess they moved their shop. I still don't quite know how the booth numbers run. We asked the guy at catskill mountain moccasins and he said he thought they had pulled out of a couple of faires. Which i'm sure is true but obviously scarby isn't one of them. Thanks.

Medieval Moccasins is at the only booth I've ever known them to be in, over in Pecan Grove, near the children's joust ride.
As an aside, I wouldn't trust anything Catskill says about MM, simply because when a friend tried on one of their sandal styles, as the young man removed her obviously well-worn & much loved MM sandals, his comment was not something gently persuasive such as "Milady,  I think you'll appreciate the additional cushioning that the thickness of our sole provides". It was instead and I quote "once you put our sandals one, you'll never want to put a crummy MM on again".   Well, he absolutely lost a sale, and customers forever, because we are of the opinion that it is absolutely poor form to say ugly things about other vendors, ESPECIALLY those on site. 

I agree! I have several pairs of Medieval Moccassins and I always recommend them to new folks coming to faire. However I can't walk by Catskill without having to ignore their snide comments about my choices. I'll buy from Sandlar before I buy from Catskill. Least Sandlar shows some professional courtesy.

[lys1022]

Personally, I love Sandlars.  The soles on them are thick enough to protect my feet from stone bruises (which I am horribly susceptible to) and they are extremely comfortable.  I have very fat feet (probably because I'm fat! *LOL*) and they conformed to my feet very quickly.  I've never been able to put a pair of boots on and walk around faire all day with them without them hurting...til I bought my Sandlars.

The MM are a bit too thin for my personal tastes.  I like something that gives me better support.  That said, I would never put them down nor would I respect any vendor who puts down another vendor's product.  If you can't sell your own product on its own merits without dissing the competition, then you shouldn't be in business.

[Al-Nimer]

Well said, Lys, I totally agree!  I love my Sandlars & MM, as well as my Slashed Shoe boots (although they've not been in business for a few years now.)  I wear them all regularly at Faire, but I do wait until warmer weather to get out the MM.

[lys1022]

I loved my Slashed Shoe stuff!  Terry was great at fitting people!  I was very bummed when he left the faire, but totally understood why.  I always enjoyed stopping by his booth to visit, and he was kind enough to let us use it as a prep and post-fight rest area the year that we did a lane fight to open Scot's Court every day. 

[bsdmon]

Yeah well being as I've only been a couple times I wasn't for sure where they were. I found them saturday and got her a new pair. There was a lady in the shop who was still wearing a pair they made for her ten years ago, a style they no longer carry, which she was quite pleased with. My mom has fibromyalgia but found the mm shoes very comfy, which is saying a lot considering she usually needs a thick sneaker. She tried one of catskills shoes on when we couldn't find mm the first weekend and her jaw kind of dropped when they told her the were over twice as much as the mm. She said the lady seemed almost put off when she didn't buy them lol. If she ever finds she wants a thicker sole we can have another sole added.

I think some of catskills boots look frigging awesome. But yeah quite the premium on price which I understand is because they are "custom" but meh. Considering I can buy a brand new pair of gortex lined danners *not ren boots* for $300ish which are hand made in washington, $600+ is hard to swallow for a boot I figure won't last nearly as long with hard use. But they do use vibram soles like danner.

[Bonny Pearl]

Okay, it looks like we will make it on closing weekend!  Hotel room is booked; now just need to figure out what to wear. 

[SirRichardBear]

Well said, Lys, I totally agree!  I love my Sandlars & MM, as well as my Slashed Shoe boots (although they've not been in business for a few years now.)  I wear them all regularly at Faire, but I do wait until warmer weather to get out the MM.

I like my MM my Wife loves hers and wears them with jeans too.  However I can't wear mine marching to many times I got stone bruises doing heavy on the left over the bridges.  For marching and bad weather its Sandlars all the way never gotten a bruise even when I know I've come down hard on a stone and never have gone home with wet feet even when its rain all day and the mud was two or more inches deep and also never slipped or slide during parade. 

I also wouldn't put down a vender at faire but if asked will direct to vendors I've had good dealings with.   

[Merlin]

Okay, it looks like we will make it on closing weekend!  Hotel room is booked; now just need to figure out what to wear. 

Yay ! Wear the pirate stuff.

Tell your weed-puller I said Happy Culloden Moor day !

[Bonny Pearl]

I will Merlin!  It will be good to see everyone! 

I don't know about pirate garb, it is going to be hot that weekend.  I may just do gypsy/belly dance/garb lite lol. 

[Merlin the Elder]

Well, hallelujah and pass the crackers! We will get to see you this year after all!