First Little Rock Bike Date

It's been a long time since we put on nice outfits and rode bicycles to an event.


Sunday we got ready to bike a very short distance from our apartment downtown to the Bernice Garden for an Arkansas Local Food Network dinner. Which was delicious, by the way.






Matt has a bushy beard this season.


Matt's commuter bike has a busted tube and I've got to go get a spare for him. He rode his new road bike. We were eating outside and I figured our bikes would be in our sight and the threat of having bikes stolen has diminished greatly here in this car-dependent place.

For example: I'm zero percent worried my saddle will be stolen here in Arkansas. I think it's more likely that the entire bike would be stolen, and I don't feel much of a threat about that either. (I'm talking about my Linus, not my new Trek.)

Yes, my single-speed now feels like I'm riding a molases whale compared to my new road bike. 
But I still love her cargo capacity. 

Lady Biker Brunch Date

I may be married, but I'm into online dating. I brunch-date bike ladies I meet online. 
Here's my latest catch, Jen Hill. 

Um, yes! We are so fucking hardcore for riding our bikes in 22º feels like 16º weather.

I've been an admirer or Jen Hill's illustrations and ever so impressed that she illustrated Perez Hilton's children's book, The Boy With Pink Hair. That's some seeeerious street-cred.

We had a good time talking about drawing, makin' books, getting hair fixed, and how we do not welcome unsolicited bike advice from strange men - My favorite subjects.

We tried to go to one too-busy place, but were happy to end up at The Smile.

I was very happy to see that they had a whole shelf of bottled water from where me and Bill Clinton are from in Arkansas - Mountain Valley Spring Water with it's great vintage logo bottles.




Riding downtown to meet her, I used the 2nd Ave. bike lane, which is really just some paint. It's not a very official bike lane at all above 23rd or whatever, but it was pretty pleasant. I only flipped one bird at a turd in a Chrysler from New Jersey.


I captured the essence of the weather in this Frozen Mud Hole of Garbage. 

Frozen garbage mud holes are so sad.

My frozen nose and cheeks matched my fuchsia coat at the end.


Being brave in the face of the middle-of-January cold was worth it.
Thanks for a nice afternoon, Jen.

Sunday Done Right

I love this girl. She was my breakfast date to Red Rooster in Harlem.


Look at this grub! Eating here makes me excited because Obama held a fundraiser there and it's delicious. This is/was probably one of our last outdoor eating opps because October is coming soon.

We had lots to talk about per usual. Bike lady stuff, stuff we bought, other lady stuff.

I had to get to Merchant's Gate near Columbus Circle to see some Bachelor show people. Yes! I am a passionate Bachelor/Bachelorette/Bachelor Pad watcher and I jumped at the chance to see these peeps and texted friends to meet me.

The other ladies in the pics are the awesome duo who make up our BFF couple-friends. It's amazing they've not really been on here because they're who me and Matt spend most of our social/free times with.

Ames! I walked up with my phone pad open on on my iPhone and said "Put your number in here!" and he laughed and said "No! I'll get killed" I don't know who he thinks is going to kill him. I needed his number, damnit!

The first picture we took was with Michelle Money and she was so nice!

I heard about this event because I follow her on Twitter.

This event was a fundraiser for 46NYC

JP and Ashley were there!

Allie said something like "Meeting her means all our Monday nights weren't in vain" because we have been spending Monday nights getting together, getting drunk and watching Bachelor hardcore.
Getting drunk on Monday nights has actually contributed to several hangover bike rides.

We only started watching Brad's 2nd season, so I don't know old, old contestants but we know which people live in NYC and we are looking for them around every corner. My husband sees Jackie jogging.

I hope this doesn't make anyone think less of me.

Bike Times with Matt

Morning stop through Central Park - High visibility in my red tee and pink helmet.
American Apparel tee - J.Crew skirt - Forever 21 Bow flats - Pro Tec Helmet

I've been feeling kind-of down about the Pro-Tec helmet. I really miss a brim/visor/bill when I'm wearing it. It just feels a little nerdy and what's up with all this overage?

Who's head is this long to need this much slack? But I do appreciate the color of the strap - it won't show dirt. 


THE LAST THREE NIGHTS ME AND MATT HAVE BEEN OUT RIDING BIKES TOGETHER.
This is news, only because we typically just straight-up commute on our own, or I go do something but he has to go home and study. 


This is me picking him up from work. He terrorizes me riding around in shorts with dark socks and Danskos. See how he lets me photograph him when he's dressed crazy? 



Tuesday I locked myself out of the apartment so I needed him for his house keys.



Wednesday we went to see Mortified at the 92Y Tribeca for a friend's birthday, and took the west side greenway home.
The show was pretty good Oh! So a bunch of Matt's co-workers left (from work) before him or around the same time and we were the first ones there - BIKES are EFFICIENT! 


Here's Matt Wednesday night way downtown approaching the greenway.
At least he's got on long pants to cover-up the dark socks.



Thursday, we went to get our asses-beat up and beat-down too at a Shiatsu massage parlor.
They seriously made both of us want to cry, but it was overall fantastic. After we were dressed and on our way out, everyone lined-up to say "Goodbye" and my masseuse said "OH! You came on bike!?" -Because they spotted our helmets. 


Yeah, girl! And we rode our bikes together into the night and giggled about how much you hurt us. 

School Nite Bike Date Scrapbook

Sunday I had a little bike date planned for me and Matt/husband. 

I had 4 places I wanted/needed to go:
1. Fishs Eddy for Todd Oldham + Charley Harper 
2. The Nicola Formicetti Pop-Up shop
3. Eat dinner somewhere - anywhere?!
4. 9/11 10th anniversary Tribute Cabaret Show 

The first restaurant I picked out was closed or out of business - hard to tell the diff. 
Matt swore he knew of someplace close - he's looking on his phone... 

The 2nd choice place that I cam up with was ClOSED! 
We went into a random place not worth discussing not good or terrible

We were both losing our minds at Fishs Eddy - It's amazing! 
Matt is getting to this extra-secure place where he can say things like "We have to bring my Mom here" 

We finally got down to Nicola's pop-up shop and it was freaking closed for the day! 

We rode over to Highline Ballroom for the Cabaret show. I love going to these mix-group entertainment shows
because I always - ALWAYS- learn about a new person or group that I should follow and seek-out future shows. 
This night was a hit in my mind. It was a beautiful and fun tribute. 

We rode home using the West Side Greenway, of course. 

Bed time! It's hard on us old folks going out on a school nite.

Maria of Po Campo + Malaika & Me

Tuesday after work I met-up with my LadyBiking friend Malaika and Maria of Po Campo.

We met up at Trailer Park lounge. Yes- I really like that place. Look at how cute the front of it is.
And it's convenient from work. And they have tater tots.

Me and Malaika spotted some really cute Transportation Alternatives Bike Ambassadors.
(This was before Maria got there.)

We told them we were hatching a grand plan to start a campaign to get the West Side Greenway lit better for night times. There are parts of it that are very dark  and Malaika says there's a big sink-hole in the 90's that's poorly lit. Like around where the streets of the 90's- like 97th street, etc. would be. We are going to contact our gov't officials - city councilmen - whoever.


Malaika, Maria, Julie/Me.

We talked bike routes, brushes with danger, plans for rain gear and fall glove purchases we have in mind- Serious bike talk. Quite the meeting of the minds. I should have taken notes, but I was busy drinking beers and eatin' tator tots.


Maria gave Malaika one of the Po Campo reflective bird pins - it works!
Maria lives in Chicago and HUB had loaned her a nice vintage Schwinn to use while she's in town.

It was a very nice little meet-up. I'm so glad we did it, thanks, girls!

Malaika only rode on the sidewalk for about 8 feet and I love this pic because it's so New York to me.



I love this helmet multi-tasking. We had very little table space.

If You BIke 7mi to the Restaurant-

If you bike 7 miles to the restaurant, I think you can eat whatever you want. Google maps said our venture was about 7miles and I believe him.

I am so proud of myself for getting us to Mary's Fish Camp in the West Village with incredible accuracy, as in, door-to-door bicycle travel, because sometimes navigating the West Village is a little tricky.

The biggest portion of our ride was using the West Side Greenway which is lovely.

Matt usually rides a few feet behind me. He's very resistant to being photographed. 

This is what we look like talking and riding down the greenway. It's so chill.


We drank some cans of Pork Slap while we waited for a table seats at the bar.


Lately, Matt is biking to work in extremely casual clothes, packing his shirt, tie, dress pants and he returns home in the casual outfit. He asked me to pick his outfit for our dinner date and I chose this red vintage Lacoste shirt because it's a good color for visibility (Note to self: I should buy more red clothes!) and it matches some of the accessories on his bike.


To both of our disbelief- After beers and a lobster roll, I didn't even want to share dessert.