boys y bikes y coffee [à la Meli]

One of the best things about riding a bike around town is getting to check out other people's bikes (let's call it OPB, yeah, you know me). I met Zack in front of Whole Foods in SoMa last week.



Here's his cool bike. There's a special name for this kind of bike. He said you can pedal backwards and forwards to go. I can't remember the name anymore. I just remember Zack.



And then I went for un cafecito served by Gabe.



If you haven't heard, Saint Frank is a new pop-up coffee bar at the PUBLIC Bikes shop in South Park. This is Kevin, the owner.



Benjamin makes a mean cappuccino. First time customers get a free cuppa.



Enjoy your weekend, y'all.

café à la meli

Café con Seabiscuit, @ Rapha Cycle Club in Cow Hollow

Here's a little ode to my pal Meli of Bikes and the City. Anytime I drink a cafecito, I think of you, amiga!

xoxo!

vélo en famille

I recently ran into my neighbor, Meg Lynch, the founder and former owner of my neighborhood haunt Velo Rouge Café. A few years ago, she sold her business to pursue some personal projects.



Namely her husband Adam and daughter Ella.



And how about this tri-tandem with a big girl seat for Ella when she gets a little bigger!? For now, that head rest for naptime along the ride is ingenious.

Hip hip hooray to another two-wheeled young lady growing up riding the streets of San Francisco with confidence!

Ride on!

café avec vélo

Recently I was interviewed by MSNBC about bicycle-themed cafés here in San Francisco. The article was published today and follows the transmigration of the bicycle café from Europe to spots all over North America. A great read by writer Tanya Mohn. I told Tanya that bikes and cafés go hand-in-hand. You get hungry and thirsty and want to stop for a refresher. It seems natural. Also featured is Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious.

Sol Stylin'

On a not so sunny day, I met Sol coincidentally right in front of Cafe du Soleil, one of my favorite SF hangouts (AWESOME pain au chocolat and a nice selection of wines by the glass). It was right after the Holland v. Brazil game. Though not dolled up in World Cup spirit, Sol was chic'ed out from head-to-toe with an ultra-feminine look. Any cyclist wearing a crinoline under her dress gets extra points - going the extra mile to catch some air as she billows down the block. Very Vogue!

Oranje and Black Attack!

World Cup 2010 Quarterfinals... KT roots for the SF Giants brother team - Dutch Oranje! Joined by Rob and Dan from PUBLIC Bikes, it's an Oranje and Black attack comin' at ya! SF love direct to Amsterdam!

red gold and greeeeen!

(lyrics to what popular song from the 80's? Anyone? Adrienne?)

Red.


Gold.


Green.


Red and gold on green.


Close up on the striped cotton mary janes + green frame - too cute to pass up!


(Hope that juice was yummy!)

who's zoomin' who?

Totally diggin' this chica's paparazzi tee outside Mojo Bicycle Café this past Sunday.


Here's a half-profile of Caz, while we sipped our cappuccinos and took in some sunshine and the hoppin' bike culture on Mojo's famous parklet built upon a former parking spot on Divisadero!

I had the pleasure and honor of riding to Sunday Streets with the lovely Caz of London Cycle Chic and the illustrious Shelly of Riding Pretty. To be continued...

some b. spoken evening

Oh, a while back (but not too far back), B. Spoke Tailor threw a fab knicker fitting/holiday party at Mojo Bicycle Cafe on Divisadero to try on some of Nan's sweet designs. I quite like this red plaid women's suit...


... and these tartan gloves!


I persuaded Carlos to try on some of Nan's cool threads. So he went all out for the reflective suit.


Now don't we make a cute couple?


And how do those knickers fit anyway? Well, you can ask David.


Navy blue with red pinstripes. So stylin'. And his gray armwarmers are made from repurposed second hand cashmere sweaters.


What a fun night - getting together with cycle chic-istas for some holiday cheer.

Nan, Gwen, KT & Meli.

Whatever fashion fits your fancy--plaid, tweed, psychedelic or mod--always choose style over speed.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

I saw this flier on the wall next to the bike racks at Rainbow Grocery. Do you think it's an intentional pun that the man is inviting the woman to the Revolution? Is it that Revolution or this Revolution? If it's the former, is SF (and the world) ready for it? Check it out tonight at 6 pm at Justin Herman Plaza!

outside the VRC

I've been hanging out a lot at my favorite SF cafés lately (singing the unemployment blues). Half of the time you will find me at Velo Rouge, located on the Arguello Street bike lane just a few blocks from my house. It's both bike-themed and bike-friendly, and in my opinion, has one of the best cappuccinos in the City. They always play cool music too.

I was hanging out there sans appareil photo a few days ago when I saw this pretty girl in red chatting with her buddy just outside. My new cell phone has a halfway decent camera, and I think this shot, with the afternoon sunshine streaming down, came out quite artistically.

VV Profile: Thomas Liebe

This one's enough to make Meligrosa's heart go pitter patter - a barista...


who also cycles in the snow!


Thomas is an industrial designer from Thun, Switzerland, who is also one of the world's top baristas (I believe he told me he was rated 17th best barista in the world). He won a design award in Switzerland for a laser he invented, but he's also known for designing a machine that he claims brews the best espresso you've ever tasted, especially when he's behind the bar!

Here's what Thomas told me about where to find the best coffee in SF:
My last day in SF I visited a Blue Bottle coffee shop. I enjoyed a real delicious fresh brewed long coffee. The blend was The Three Africans.

Maybe next time Thomas visits us, Lilia, Meli and I can take him on a Tour de Café de SF. Any suggestions for our itinerary?

photos submitted by the subject

black is the new black (at funerals)

I saw this event posted at Ritual Cafe, I don't know why it's the last Bike Posse - to tell you the truth, I didn't even know a Bike Posse existed - but it would seem fitting for a bicycle hub like Ritual to have one! A nice excuse to bust out your black, in whatever form that might take (mod, goth, whatever) and join the ride to the dark side.

saturday morning vogue

Certain cafés in San Francisco attract cyclists, Velo Rouge on McAllister and Arguello being one of them. I spent the majority of the late morning/early afternoon there yesterday. The bike path that leads to the Golden Gate Bridge passes right in front of the café, and cyclists sporting all sorts of attire pass by. Here's a lovely blonde cyclist donning a green patterned dress on her green Bianchi, fit for springtime.

le mellow johnny

Lance Armstrong of Tour de France fame is opening a commuter bike shop and café in Austin, Texas called Mellow Johnny with the vision in mind of making that city more bike friendly, much like Portland.

I love this quote from Lance: "There are times I ride in Austin, and I'm afraid of cars. Imagine what the beginner cyclist must feel like?"

Lance wants his shop to the be the "coolest bike shop in the world." Imagine this corner peppered with stylish cyclists sitting in the outdoor terrace, sipping espressos and San Pellegrino.

vélo rouge|vélo vogue

In SF, café culture is often linked to bike culture. And both are linked to haute couture.

So I give you the fabulous Meg Lynch, owner of the Richmond District's bicycle-themed and green business certified café, The Vélo Rouge, riding up to work in a long slimming khaki skirt and black linen blouse on her signature red cruiser.