absolut makeover

Well, there goes the neighborhood.



If you weren't en route to the playa, and were still slummin' in SF this weekend, you may have wondered what the heck was going down on Divisadero.



Haighteration gave this write-up about the Absolut Vodka commissioned street art project.



So is Western Addition the next Williamsburg?



What do you think?



Does it qualify as neighborhood beautification? Or yet another sign of gentrification? What about the art itself? Does it inspire or repulse you?



Another example of how corporations have "bought" San Francisco? I have mixed feelings. And apparently, just like Black Rock City, it's temporary. Store owners and residents will be able to decide if the art/eyesore is here to stay.

Vogue Out My Window

I've been working from home a lot. The commute is about 30 seconds from my bed to my desk [insert coffee HERE]. So I haven't gotten out much (besides from Biking to the Cup). And yet, this being San Francisco, I sometimes have nice views from my window.


Away she goes!

Seni Felic: Suspenders, Socks & Sausages

Meet Seni.


Not only does he ride his bike around town with an incredibly creative sense of style...

he is also the owner of SF Grill - a mobile sausage and burger stand that boasts some of the best local, free-range turkey burgers and turkey sausages in SF. You can catch him at the Divisadero Market on Sundays or the Upper Haight Market on Wednesday evenings.

Popular.


Bike-friendly.


So if your ride is giving you those hints to refuel, don't deprive yourself of some good eats. Get yourself an SF Grill sausage on the double!


More background about Seni Felic and SF Grill here. Also on Yelp.

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...

NOPA VELO ride on Sunday, February 28

NOPA VELO, the North Panhandle's much buzzed-about bicycling group for neighbors and friends, is geared up and ready for its second ride. Newcomers are definitely welcome.

On Sunday, February 28th NOPA VELO cyclists will meet at the Matching Half Cafe to get charged up and primed for the dastardly "Death-by-Duel" dash down the coast.

On the last day of February, VELO vibs spin their wheels in memory of the last days of David C. Broderick, the U.S. Senator from California who was shot and killed in a duel by a California Supreme Court Justice in 1859. Both Broderick and David S.Terry were Democrats, but they disagreed on abolition. Broderick was an anti-slavery advocate, and his one-time best friend Terry wanted to bring slavery into California. In the heat of arguments, they defamed each other's good name and then agreed to a duel near the shore of Lake Merced. Broderick's pistol fired prematurely, and Terry didn't wait for a second round. He shot and mortally wounded Broderick, who died three days later in a house at Fort Mason. The current resident reports that the house is haunted by the man who gave his name to a NOPA street.

After contemplating politicians who couldn't talk things through, NOPA VELO riders return by 12:30 pm for drinks and lunch at one of the North Panhandle's new restaurants, Bistro Gambrinus on Fulton near Masonic.

Heavy rain cancels; otherwise the ride is on.

Sunday, Feb. 28th
9:30 am Meet and Mingle @ Matching Half Cafe, 1799 McAllister at Baker
10:00 am Kick off for the ride
12:30 pm Drinks and lunch at Bistro Gambrinus, 1813 Fulton near Masonic

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.

shiny happy nutcase

A man with some helmet style! One of the first dudes I've seen wearing a Nutcase helmet. For a while, I thought Patricia and I had a hold on that market!
[Sorry for yesterday's silence, will give ya 2 for 1 today!]

pretty pedaling

Everyone loves a pretty girl on a bike!

And isn't she pretty in purple?

Showing off a little lace at the hemline. I love it when seasonal weather allows us to wear gauzy white cotton.

And to coin one of Mikael's favorite terms, here's an SF supermum-to-be in beige sundress on a pretty red beach cruiser.

nopalita

I had just left the Rupa and the April Fishes' April Fool's Day concert at The Independent when I ran into this pretty girl returning home.

Even my measly phone decently captured her pretty smile and classic style. I told her how great she looked and she commented on my fishnets, probably feeling like she had to return the compliment.

On stage with Rupa and the fishes, to my surprise, was Mona Caron, the gifted muralist who has transformed so many of San Francisco's public spaces, including the wall behind the Safeway on Market into the iconic Duboce Bikeway Mural.

Thanks to Mona, Rupa (and the Fishes too) and this pretty girl on her bike for continuing to pump SF with their fabulously creative energies!

labels

Some people wear YSL, some wear RL, some wear DKNY, some wear CK, and the list goes on. This cyclist, par contre, has her own signature style with a monogrammed purple messenger bag, initials AW. Anyone know her? Super cute look with the black mini, black leggings, black Chucks and white crash helmet.

bike of paradise

Another beautiful San Franciscan getting ready to hop on her bicycle, framed by a bird of paradise and other pretty spring flowers.

Grocery shopping à vélo!

And away she goes!

spoke bling

Two boys. Two bikes. Two SF neighborhoods. Two types of spoke bling.

skirts of all colors (and patterns)

I love cycling in skirts and dresses, the afternoon breeze giving your hemline a little lift.

A tweed pleated skirt (it's a pity that men don't wear more kilts):

A gorgeous colorful long plaid skirt:

Argyle ain't just for socks!

color coordination

I love it when cyclists match their bikes. Like this girl in her mustard yellow short coat with three quarter length sleeves with red cuffs and purse to match her red ride.

And this guy's turquoise Adidas reminded me of the Pleasantville special effect, the way they popped out against the grey ensemble he paired with his silver chrome frame. Bike advocacy doesn't always have to be in high heels.

And away he goes on the runway!

mini|milk carton|mode

Casually exiting the Panhandle on her pretty Peugeot, she showed off her legs in a super-cute teal mini-skirt, accessorized with a taupe scarf, Audrey Hepburn sunglasses and brown leather flats. If you don't possess the craftiness to build your own basket out of a wooden wine box, then your basic milk carton will also do the trick, but it could stand some personalization, so let that be the vogue tip of the day!

In French the word mode means fashion or style, so that's what I call a nice mode of transportation!

old-timer

Young and old were off to the Haight-Ashbury Street Fair like this old-timer en bicyclette with suspenders, Chuck Taylors and a ten-gallon hat!

poetry in motion

A little impressionistic, but since I spotted him at the very end of Bike-to-Work day, he gave special inspiration to the last leg of my trip home.