Small Gifts

It's a small and lovely gift when Central Park is closed to vehicular traffic. It really gives me a little thrill when I turn the corner to enter the park and find out that it's exclusively for bicycles and people and doggies. (It is closed to cars on the weekends and late night, but not M - F on my commute to work.) I guess all that snow on Saturday was the cause for this treat.

I saw this double-scary stuff right before the park - DIRTY SNOW + DUMP TRUCK so I stayed back. Yuck. Getting dirty will not be tolerated.


When I saw the barricades at the Park I was so happy. No cars. Peaceful.


It set me off to a great start on Monday morning.

I pull my glove/pot-holder off with my teeth so I can operate my camera.
A red jacket is excellent for visibility. 

I never take pictures of this view of Central Park South because it's usually too stressful and congested.


Before I put my helmet on, I took pictures of my all-the-way-around-my-eye eyeliner. I never do eyeliner on the bottom and wanted to check it in the camera. I blurred or smudged it pretty well. I thought I looked more EMO but I look ok in the picture. My outfit was all black. I wasn't trying to be EMO, but I do like themes.


Monday I also tried out some new super-cheap-o glitter oxfords.

These guys are pretty excellent bicycle shoes. 

Booties for Bike Ladies

I know Forever21 is sweat-shop city... But damn, I'm killing shoes being a rough & tumble bike lady.

I ordered these and they turned out super-awesome- so I also ordered this taupe color.
Who cares if I beat the shit out of them this winter riding bikes?

They got tested-out on a late, 8mi bike ride on Saturday night.
We went to the Duane Park supper club because I'm hopelessly devoted to Murray Hill and who doesn't like fancy dinners and burlesque?

Matt rode in TOMS and switched to fancy shoes before we headed into the restaurant.
I love that he pulled such a girl-move. I carried his shoes in my trusty, though out of season, panniers.

Firsts and Bows and Bows and Bows

First morning commute. With my new Linus Dutchie whose name is not yet determined.

A favorite photo spot in Central Park, as you may recognize. 


First trip to the shop that received me and my mangled Schwinn on Friday. They approved of this bicycle and got me our first basket. This is the same Wald basket my Schwinn Cream had.

The only thing my guy at City Bicycle said about my new bike situation, was that it was dangerous for me to ride around with all that crap hanging on my handlebars. 


Dangerous like this:

First morning commute Panda portrait!


First outdoors in New York City lock-up spot! This is maybe 45th Street near Times Square. I wanted to pop-in to Forever 21. The massive one.


It's so hot now that I could not stand one more ride with all my bags on the handlebars.
Misery guiding it and Misery knees scraping the bags. Glad I went with this little basket again! She's cheap! And it works well with bungees. I put 2 bags plus my shopping bag in there for my ride home tonight. 

First cute shopping shoes it carried home- the Basket & and the Bike:


Bows! 


More bows on the Linuses first ride (and my personal second) over the Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn.



I think I'm going to take me and my new bike on a date this weekend so we can bond.
Just me and the bike. 

Parsons Sr. Thesis Show

Today was awesome! My friend Gilda did her senior presentation at Parsons. Parsons is Fierce. I've seen the FIT Student show and this Parsons crowd kicked that ass! (Con-Ed classes are like $500 - owww!)

I don't watch Project Runway but I kept thinking this was like real life project runway.

Each student had 10 minutes to present a fall 2010 line. The front row was a panel of judges/professors/jurors if you will. I was able to leave work early since I went in before I officially started to do some fit modeling. I was free to enjoy all the presentations but I don't know how to control my DSLR camera and the pics aren't that hot but here we go!

Here's Gilda!

She is going to be really legit one day. She already is. I think she'll be famous. Or, I should say, her brand will be famous!

This boy is going to be high-profile. He had such a wonderful, funny personality. He talked about the care instructions. I loved that he cared.


I feel yucky comparing him to Austin Scarlett, but that's who he reminded me of. BUT - This guy was really outgoing and smart and I love him. He's the only white person in the class. Maybe I could go on a minority scholarship? Hmm....

I loved the technical structure and details in all the garments. These people know how to mother'fucking build some clothes, damnit!


This girl (right) had it going on. I want to copy her blouse that she has on.

She was sponsored by a silk company! So many of these guys were ultra-professional in their thinking. It was so awesome.

You can see my photo set on Flickr here. It's about 50 photos.

I had a realization today - I don't hate fashion anymore. I'm at a good place. Vogue came in the mail and I didn't sneer and shove it away from my face. I pored over the fashion spreads and enjoyed it. I don't hate fashion anymore. I think I'm back in the spectator seat. It's not smothering me with a pillow in my sleep anymore.

I ride the bus across 5th Ave every day now. There's a clear hand bag in the window at Prada that I want to get to know, but I know that's a horrible idea. I need to stay on the bus. I took a bus up Madison Ave yesterday and it was really heart-wrenching. It's too much fun up Madison Avenue. So many wonderful, horribly expensive things.

Today was just really nice. The technical seamstress at work is Chinese and she offered half of her lunch to me and it was homemade dumplings and they were DELICIOUS! I wolfed them down and enjoyed Teen Vogue while I ate 'em up!


I took a pin that I got for 50 cents in Arkansas and turned it into a necklace:


And here's my outfit of the day - with jacket:


No jacket but even worse photo quality:


Days like this - really awesome days - make me want to stay in New York City forever!
Oh wait, there's even more! I got a new ride!



It's not quite ready yet, but I'm so excited! It has the teeniest bit of pink trim. It's a Schwinn Cream. Can't wait! Summer of Velocouture is on!