Summer - Spring Mix

Loving the outfit. Definitely a nice ‘going out to meet at the café’, kind of look.

A bicycle when you need it–Bicycle Rentals

If your city has a bicycle share program you already know where to get a bicycle.

If not, then Bicycle Rentals are perfect way to get mobile for the day. These being the private enterprises they are, expect a fairly good offering of bicycle styles and choices.

I’m starting with some here in San Francisco. I will happily be adding more places as I go along.

San Francisco

Stow Lake Bike & Boat Rentals: 50 Stow Lake Dr. (752-0347)

Golden Gate Park Bike and Skate: 3038 Fulton St. (668-1117)

American Cyclery: 510 Frederick St. and 858 Stanyan St. (664-4545)

Avenue Cyclery: 756 Stanyan St. (387-3155)

Park Cyclery: 1749 Waller St. (221-3777)

Skates on Haight: 1818 Haight St. (752-8375)

Bicycle Chic & Tough Times… Bicycles for CHEAP

I’ve shopped the bike swaps, craigslist to score when my prior bicycle(s) where stolen and coincidently I was super low on funds and couldn’t afford to replace my high ticket bicycle right away.

Perhaps this following scenario has been your experience too. You’re new to bicycling, you walk into your local bicycle shop, get your heart set on a beauty only to discover you have to go into a payment plan to possess her. So while you’re waiting to afford your heart’s desire, or waiting for a delivery from Europe and delivery is x amount of weeks…what to do? Invest into a rusty true love. My rusty true love is a 40’s Japanese Jet Wind I got for $25.00 (craigslist). Just a beautiful backup bicycle for me.

Any women out there who would love to bicycle but suffer zero extra cash problems? Are you a potential chic bicyclist on foot and bussing it (or worse yet, still driving short distances like to the corner store)? Don’t want to buy a used bicycle? No matter how cheap…because you’re thinking bicycle repairs can cost a lot and you just don’t want the headache. Two ways to get help…check for a bicycle program that offers / donates free bicycles. Second option; repair services like Bike Station and Street Level Cycles. Both will teach you how to do your own repairs! Check your own city and see if these type programs are offered where you live. (Let me know and I will list the programs in your city).

College Ave - Afternoon

Sandal Weather is here.

'Be Cointreauversial' party hosted by Dita Von Teese, New York

4/23/08
The spring social season is officially here! (I think it actually "officially" arrived for me last week, but whatever...) And what better way to welcome it than with my good friend Glenn, "Cointreauversial" cocktails, and the lovely Ms. Dita Von Teese.

The burlesque babe hosted a fabu party Tuesday night with Cointreau liqueur at the Angel Orensanz Foundation Center in the Lower East Side (a beautiful neo-gothic building originally designed as a synagogue in 1849). While I'm still not 100% sure, I understand the party served as the U.S. debut of Dita's new burlesque performance, which was sensational, and the debut of Cointreau's new cocktail in honor of Dita called the "Cointreau Teese" (Dita is the face of Cointreau, in case you didn't know).

Dita Doing Her Thing:
A woman (literally) sparkling from head-to-toe is a woman who wins my respect! Dita's costume couldn't have been more spectacular. Unfortunately my photos of her in full costume didn't come out (here, she's already in full swing, having removed half her gown), but you can see it on Confessions From the Velvet Ropes.

Dita's performance ended with her inside the giant glass sipping her own Cointreau Teese and servers coming off the stage holding silver trays full of Contreau Teese cocktails to the audience. Bravo!

Now for the rest of the evening...

Glenn and I, pre-Cointreau Teese cocktails

Richie Rich

Susanne Bartsch (right) and friend


Designer Zaldy (right) and friend





Glenn and Michael Schmidt

A little later, Dita enters the VIP area looking stunning in a fuchsia strapless gown.
Awaiting her...?

Photographer Steven Klein

Designer Catherine Malandrino

Later, later...we head over to Bungalow 8 where the scene is much more intimate and relaxed (ahhhh). And Glenn and I finally get a close-up with Dita.

Catherine as she bids her farewell to the party

Dita with Glenn...on his who-knows-how-many-Cointreau Teese's later

Me with Dita

How Far Is It ? Walk Score Tool

Use this Walk Score Tool next time you're want to see how far it is to bicycle to where you want to go. How rideable or walkable is your neighborhood? This makes a big difference. You may be surprised just how many places are under a mile to bicycle and get yourself to.

Janet Bicycle Girl - Toronto Events

I just received this: Fashionable goings on in Toronto…. Janet has a whole calendar of events including CineCycle Movie Nights, Vintage Bicycle Photography Exhibits and her own Open Studios featuring her Bicycle themed art work.

Nice Valet @ Earth Day

She was retrieving her Bicycle from Valet Service @ Earth Day, a service provided by BFBC. She offered me some of her fair trade organic chocolate and then she was off.

The Art of Bicycling…Art Rides!

There are some great Art Rides to go out and enjoy. Join what’s called a ‘crawl’, only on this one you ride your bicycle going from one art gallery to the next. Have fun, let your self be all chic and ‘arty’ when picking out what to wear for the evening. I’ve seen some amazing ‘looks’ that people have sported for these (usually) monthly occasions. Plus… less I forget to mention it, imagine the intriguing art you may well find your self discovering. I also included music rides as well.

Art

Art Murmur-Oakland

Spoke(n) Art-LA

WichitaArt Ride –ArtoftheBicycle

DowntownArtRide-LA

Music

Cycle Punk –Manahattan (1 time event-- New York's Bike Punk band night of punk bands celebrating the opening weekend of Bike Month NYC.)

Rock 'n Roll 'n Ride-LA ( explore the many musical roots of Los Angeles through a bike ride around Silverlake’s musical venues and sites. Come out dressed as your fave rock star, hear some great local DJ and BANDS)

Slow Rides

Where are some of the best and most leisurely bicycling routes? Places where speed is definitely not a requirement. A ride, where you’re inspired to promenade about dressed in your pretty, floaty dress (which makes you feel so ultra feminine wearing it!), then stop and settle down …spread out a nice picnic lunch.

So, I’m starting a list. Please feel free to send along any faves you have.

San Francisco

Stow Lake & Strawberry Hill --Golden Gate Park (any day you like)

Car Free Sundays – Golden Gate Park (*note* ‘Lindy in the Park’ dancing on Sundays as well… for all you ‘vintage’ loving girls)

Red Boots -- Earth Day

Fresh from the Farmer's Market and stopping off at Berkeley's Earth Day Festivities.

"Cocktails and Cufflinks" hosted by Patrick McDonald @ the Verdura Salon, New York

4/17/08
New York 'Dandy' and fashion fixture Patrick McDonald hosted a swanky cocktail party Thursday night at the Verdura Salon on 5th Avenue to celebrate the launch of their new cufflink collection. Guests, a mix of fashionistas, industry insiders and high society peeps, were treated to free flowing (and extremely yummy) prickly pear martinis and an up-close-and-personal view of Verdura's insanely beautiful jewelry collections (ring for $49,000, anyone?). While I've never been one to wear fine jewelry (I'm more the 'ghetto gold nameplate earrings' type...), I was lucky enough to try on a few pieces, and lets just say I 'get it' now. A $100,000 necklace could make anyone look fabulous! (Verdura jewelry has been coveted by royalty, Hollywood and high society for nearly a decade.) Being there with my date, the always fabulous Mr. Glenn Belverio, however...PRICELESS.

Host Patrick McDonald and guest

Kenny Kenny

Lovely Ladies: Nancy Baicich and Laren Stover

Love the shoes, Nancy!

Douglas Keisler

Cator Sparks


Phillip Blonde

Blonde's Balenciagas

Master of Hair Design: Stephen Knoll

The view from the Salon


...And several prickly pear martinis later @ the Regency Hotel: Glenn Belverio and moi

Pink Helmet Cover -'Jackie O' Inspired

This is a style I'm still working on. I used recycled materials for this one, re-fashioned from a thrift store item. There is a little pocket on the back which you can just sort of make out. I love using recycled fabrics, but alas it does limit you in terms of ever being able to offer the same thing again.

* note*.. Please see me on ETSY

Bicycle Picnic or Cafe Outing & Bicycle Sharing

photo credit/source:Bicing Barcelona

Ever want to organize and invite your girlfriends for a 'bicycle ride & meet'... a way for all of you to go out and enjoy a picnic or a café lunch outing together...? What if not everyone has a bicycle? Here’s a solution to look into; Bicycle Sharing. This way you could get your guest(s) on a bicycle of her own for the day.

Does your community offer a Bicycle Share program? Here are some cities that do, or plan to. This could be a good idea for you too, if you’re planning to travel to one of these places and want to bicycle around while you’re there.

USA

Bike It, You’ll Like It!- Berkeley
Bike-Sharing

Europe
City Bicycle Share Programs

Bicycle Cafes & Restaurants

Here’s a list of places to seek out. They are all Bicycle ‘themed’ and have you....the stylish bicyclist in mind. Please help me add to list and send me your suggestions!

Bay Area
Velo Rouge Cafe
Mojo Bicycle Cafe
Chef Landria

Portland, OR
The Little Red Bike Café


***** Update:
Since first trailblazing with this 'Bicycle Cafes & Restaurants' category others have come after me with far greater diligence. I dropped the ball ball but look who has taken up the cause and sallied forth:

Bikes and the City (primarily coffee cafes in San Francisco, online since March 2008)
Coffee Cycle Chic ( coffee cafe listings' hub, online since January 2008)

Pretty Bicycle Pin-ups #2

photo source: cicle.org

These lovelies are the Ditty Bops.

CheeseCake Bicycle Pin-up

image credit:fixedgear

Just for fun...I love 'old timey' pinups so I hope you appreciate this one. Love the floaty dress.

BIKE Chic FASHION SHOW!

17 MAY 2008
BIKE Chic FASHION SHOW!

at One Colorado

During the Bike Week Pasadena Commuter Bicycle Expo Look for fashions from cycling's top designers, as well as a good mix of everyday fashions suitable for the bike~ and of course the bike to go with it!

Weekend Shopping - Berkeley

Hearts on her t-shirt, plus handle bar streamers that shimmered and shone... just like she did. She was out and about, just a little shopping.

Bikes For The World

Picture from Nyariga, Ghana showing a recipient of a bicycle.

Bikes for the World Courtesy of the Shape Lives Foundation

John Varvatos - Bicycle Chic & Cheap Trick

Photo Credit: Danny Clinch

The new John Varvatos campaign with Cheap Trick. Bicycles are vintage and 70's era ...I think.

Styled Out Bicycle

I waited around for awhile looking for the rider. I can only imagine....sigh

Look who loves to bicycle…

While I’m not a huge celebrity gawker, I love it that celebrities do help to raise awareness, and can possibly inspire us…. get us out of our cars and out bicycling.

Ladies who decide to park the car and bicycle instead.

Gisele Bundchen -“I go every day to work on my bike,” Ms. Bundchen told the Daily News a couple of years ago. “It’s faster than a car, and cheaper.”

Jerry Hall- “I ride a... bicycle or take taxis. My bicycle has an old-fashioned leather seat and basket; there are fantastic circuits in Richmond Park, which I use.”

See if you can pick out Chloe, Kate (H), Elle, Angelina, Giselle, Jennifer (G), Madonna (2 pics). And then there is Daryl Hannah, who is really working it strongly for Bicycle Advocacy.

* photo source/credit given if you want them and leave me a comment.