Hubba Hubba

I haven't ridden this one that much yet, but I'll tell you some reasons I love her and even though I've only ridden her about fifty miles, I did sit on her every day for the first entire week she was here. Even if I just sat on her for a second or slowly and gingerly rode her a tiny bit inside the apartment.

The first time I rode this bike, I was five miles out of town before I knew it. It's so light and easy and fast! I had to use the GPS on my phone to find out where I was, got scared, and went home because I had absolutely nothing but my phone. No tools, no lights, nothing.

So I don't have very many informed opinions but I can remark on first impressions.

Fonts. Her fonts are magnificent. The color-scheme too.



It's a speedy road bike that's actually designed for women. And the Trek "Women's specific design" logo is good.

For some of my shopping process, I thought I was going to end up with a men's bike, because they're not actually that different- these treks. This one being so sexy and women's specific design helped me pull the trigger. 

I just love this sticker. It's telling you A helmet is not an option. A helmet is standard operating equipment. The end. 


The thoughtfulness of the designers putting that turquoise on the inside of the fork.


I also love that it weighs about as much as a kitten's eyelash and the mostly-black and white color scheme will help me match my gear and get-ups. 

I've bought some bike clothes from Aerotech Designs. Beware! The website looks dorky at first, but there are some good things in there. They have affordable, Made in USA bicycle clothes and I'm very happy with the items I've bought. 

I also will do a post about the shopping experience for this bike, because it was totally radical and deserves internet broadcast. 

Rippin' and Runnin'

I was rippin' and runnin' on Saturday. Couldn't be mad at this in the bicycle lane. 

Saturday before 7am. It's wonderful how empty the streets are at this time.

Saturday was full of busy goodness. I was all the way downtown to the Lower East Side before the sun rose. Tons of litter on the sidewalk and people getting out of their cabs saying "Goodnight" as I was getting my coffee to take to my volunteer shift at the Planned Parenthood. (I am an escort volunteer. I just help people get in the door with minimal distraction from the protesters.) If you're curious about my starbucks order, I had the new blonde roast with steamed soy and I carried it in my hand on my bicycle for at least 9 blocks. Thank goodness I was the only person on the street at this hour.

Sidenote: People are surprised that we have K-Mart in NYC. There are 2 and one is at the bottom of this building. See the little red K?

My shift wasn't too chilly for the first Saturday in February. The other volunteers are usually fantastic company. 

Our weekly standard protester got her sign stolen before 8am, but she's one of those who has a trunk full of gory posters. We don't mess with the protesters but we are delighted when people in the neighborhood support or thank us, and we were tickled that her sign got stolen literally right out from under her. 

Outside Bowery Diner. 

My shift was over before 9, but I had to my heart set on breakfast at the brand new Bowery Diner. I caught up on magazines until they were ready to serve me this feast. This was an awesome meal. 

Afterward, I had a little mission in China town/Canal Street.

I needed to kill more time until this art gallery opened at 11am. 

I got this super-cute brown & cream hearts umbrella. My husband leaves all our umbrellas at bars. It was a little dicey to ride it on my bike all that way, but it worked out fine.

After 11 I was able to see Sandro Kopp's paintings of his friends over Skype. He's Tilda's boyfriend. I realize we sat behind him that night we saw Tilda speaking about There's Something About Kevin at MoMa. There was video of Tilda holding a spaniel dog as part of the exhibit. I died. Red and white freckled dogs are my absolute favorite. 

Matt and I ran into each other when I was heading home and he was going to catch up on some work. 

I had this jacket on in the morning and I wore it again to the show later in the night. I get more compliments on this one... 

I needed a nap, but I also needed fat-hell super bowl groceries so I rode my bicycle up to target after I changed out my faux fur for a lighter jacket and lighter gloves. 

My bike got some fucked up crazy problem and this made me very mad and disappointed. Metal was screeching together and embarrassing me in public. Never OK. My brakes became very sensitive, and then I thought they were falling apart. At one point my back wheel couldn't even roll. I walked it to a shop and they cleaned out the rear-wheel hub and said it's just a cheap wheel. Again, I'm irritated at the amount of trouble I've had with this bicycle in 8 months of ownership. Thank goodness she's cute. 

I made it to target, got my supplies (Rotel is hard to find in my neighborhood, I was to nervous but harlem Target had all kinds, bless them) I was so hungry that I had to tear into the fritos before I got out of the parking lot. I felt like a car-having person eating fritos out of my bicycle basket. So Hungry. Did not care. 

I had a good laugh at the line for taxis outside of the target/costco shopping center. I threw my stuff in my panniers and probably got myself all the way home before the people at the end of this line got a taxi/car service.

I failed to take a nap and felt extra-tired and we had tickets to a show, and we waffled on whether or not to go. I was reminded that the initial reason I wanted to see the show in the first place was that Kathleen Hanna had done the set design so we got dressed at the last possible second and got a cab and rode down to The Kitchen for this show about Juggalos. I had been advised to watch the Juggalo documentary before we went. I'm glad we did. The show was nuts but the most fulfilling part was enjoying crazy shit-shows as a part of our life in NYC. 

We were desperately hungry so we got some juice and skittles to share in the cab home. 

You bet we passed right out.

If you need more photos of this busy day that had a lot of time-killing in the morning, feel free to check my flickr archive. 

I've got a guest post coming up on BikeMinded about NYC bicycle fashion, and I have another fun bicycle assignment coming up for Momentum. I also have an entry prepared for Lovely Bicycle's Bobbin bike give-away contest but I'm not entering til' the last minute. 

Stuff I've Bought That I Love Overdrive

Completely out of control Stuff I've Bought That I Love going on here. Every single item, high & low, is something I absolutely love and am completely satisfied with its purchase.  -Bicycle, dollar store bicycle lock, $20 bicycle basket, Billabong faux-snake purse, new bag of make-up from MAC... Love it all.

That little brown & white striped bag... was full of new make-up from Bendel's. I finally went and cashed in a gift card. I got some fall eyeshadows and I got this WHOREY, ORANGEy-RED Nail Polish because I feel like I need to rebel against all the matte, earth-toned nails going on. The other stuff is pretty tame. I'm trying MAC's SPF Tinted Moisturizer for the first time. 

I LOVE make-up tester hands. And $1 jewelry store rhinestone bracelets.


My outfit was kind of off today due to the miserable heat & humidity. These pants are pretty un-flattering and they're hemmed for a very short-legged person, but I just love the acid wash. And the fact that they were $8 in Arkansas.


For any make-up enthusiasts, this is MAC lipcolor in Chatterbox.

Under Twenny-Mini

I'm sick for real.

I spent 1.5 hours shopping the new Forever 21 in Times Square.
Looking/Feeling Beat/Sweaty.


It's almost 100,000 square feet. I only came out with 2 things. One of them is this under- $20 mini - It's ruched all over and useful.


Here's my "high on sinus medicine" look. Botties seemed appropriate since I'm showing so much leg. And it's rainy today.


We have free passes to see "Dinner for Schmucks" tonight. I hope it's cute! I'm going to stuff my purse with candy before we go!

To Arkansas & Back

I think I should have put up a warning post - I have been away. I've been pleasantly "unplugged" as well. No real internet for days and days. I refused when offered.
This farm was an exhilirating sight for my NYC dirty-sidewalk-and-greasey-pigeon eyes.

I did a lot of thrift shopping but I mailed almost all of it home. It will be several days before it gets delivered and cleaned or aired out and worked into the wardrobe, but I'm excited to take pics and share the goodness!

My first morning in Arkansas, I had a euphoric Wal-Mart Experience.
All of this wonderful booty was less than $50.


$15 wal-mart outfit! I asked a few people and no one believes in Keds. It's almost like - I didn't ask you - I'm telling you - adorable girls in New York City are wearing Keds and the fact that wal-mart has these cute ones for $5... and you don't care? Get into it.

The romper is OP at Wal-Mart and it's a size 11 - 13 from the girls section. Fake wal-mart keds $5.
I think I'm the skinniest I've been since I was 20 and had a crazy summer break-up and sad time where all I did was go running and go to my ONE summer school class.


I tried to eat "well" in Arkansas. It's super hard! But I barely ate Sonic. I went into Kroger grocery stores MANY TIMES to buy huge containers of cut-up fruit to eat, but of course, I fell into the arms of fat-hell a few times. When I did fall, I only ate half of it.

My blog gets traffic from people looking for "Skinny Girl Snacks" and I have news for you- It's fruit. Fruit is the #1 Skinny Girl Snack in the world.
This "coffee drink" at McDonald's made me want to cry, it's so fat-nasty. This is like a sugar water with a "pump" of fake coffee flavor in it. I drank some of it then added diet coke to make it less horrific. It tastes amazing but I wanted to cry because I was putting it in my body. (I ran the next morning, literally, around the neighborhood.)


Peaches for breakfast -

Then I peeled an orange and ate that sucker!

Of all the price comparisons I did - NYC vs. Arkansas - Fruit prices weren't really cheaper than NYC. Sad.
A banana is $1 at Sonic and a banana is never ever more than fifty cents in New York.

Weekend Make-Up Report - (Dirty, Dirty Hair)

I haven't washed my hair in days. I'll have to think hard to remember the last time I washed it. I'm on a hard core Monday + Thursday wash schedule. But this edition is about my weekend Make-Up.

I've definitely been to the make-up store twice or thrice since the last time I washed this mop.

Learning new things and freshening up the kit - The lipsticks were free on Back 2 MAC.


This might seem excessive, but it's going to last me a long time and cover my zits and imperfections without imperfection. I bought my shade of concealer - NC20 - in 2 different forms. A little tube of liquid and a pot of cream.


Um... this is my natural face to go to Michael's & Target in the Bronx:


I love this new lip-look- Dervish Liner and Shy Girl Lipstick on top:


And I had a good lash day - They aren't even curled. This is the YSL Volume mascara. Its days are numbered on the 3-month scale, so I need to use her up. I'm also pumping my new Grey Utility Eye Liner.

I've got some new Brow Set on in "Girl Boy." I like it. I think when I do pencil, my brows look too severe. They are severe with nothing on them.

SATURDAY! Shopping, Shopping, Shopping Manhattan.




The following are eye lashes coated in the $14 MAC Opulash Mascara. I'm dying/Living actually, because it's HALF THE PRICE Of the YSL Mascara!!! It's badass. I'm in $14 Love.


Dirty hair is working well for me.


I ate a lot of healthy food that I prepared at home and Matt and I ran the Reservoir 2-Laps together on Sunday, talking mad junk all the way about people not following Central Park Reservoir Etiquette. Go Counter-Clockwise, people!

We did 2 laps = A 5k in 32 minutes. I declared "I'm a freaking' Elite Runner!" after that.
I'm feeling good when I work out, I just need to do it more often.

Walking home from running in the park, I saw this little-girl dress up place in our neighborhood with this magnificent, huge, beautiful Sea Horse in the window.

Fresh little cut

I love my salon + it's/my girls (Eva Scrivo Salon - Gwynne & Amanda.) I didn't know what my hair needed exactly, but I emailed and got a next-day appointment. I sat in the chair and talked aimlessly, and got up and demonstrated how I look at the back of my hair to my colorist. She actually paid attention to my crazy paranoid hair issues. We started looking at it, and decided the real solution was a cut. My colorist does not cut hair. At all. I was about to beg her to just cut it a little bit in a few places. Turns out my cutter was in the house and completely not expecting to see me - she was actually getting her hair colored/glazed, but she was totally down to give me a bit of a cut.

I got a fresh Glaze put on and a little but cut. Very cute! She cut 2 key places and that really fixed me up.




Today I got out of work at 2pm for the Holiday and I rode up to West Elm on the Upper West Side. Upper West Side means I needed to ride across Central Park to get Home. It was AWESOME! No traffic means SO MUCH LESS BICYCLE commuter STRESS!


Nothing but carriages (which STUNK! Horse Poops!) other bikes and joggers/walkers and rick-shaw taxis.







Helmet, always! I'm still loving this bike. I wish my lock wasn't so heavy because I can never-not-have it. Boo! I think it weighs 6 pounds.

So today when I came home, I parked my bike in the courtyard and carried my purse, basket and bag of new super-clearance West Elm towels upstairs then carried a pretty naked bike down the stairs into the storage room. Bicycle commuting is a whole new world of strategizing.

Shopping requires strategy too. You have to find a place to lock it up, then secure it and carry all of the crap you were previously carrying into the store to buy more crap to carry. I've been lucky tying on cloth grocery bags.

And here's my work/bicycle outfit for today - Ultra casual day at work:


I've gotten my money's worth out of these $4.99 flip-flops! I wish I could find more of them.

Bloody-Mouth Tiger Skirt

I found this skirt at a Good Will in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I got it shortened a few inches. It's was one of those finds that make you feel so good about the hunt. The hunt for sweet vintage goodness. In about a month I'll be in Arkansas and I'm going to find some hot stuff. I just know it!


It was pretty nasty & rainy today, so no bicycles were ridden.


Man! I went to one of my favorite places - Claire's Boutique! - after work. I got some important stuff. Really important heart-shaped, cheap jewelry and denim-look leggings to cover my skanky bruised legs. I'll post pics soon because Claire's sells such high-class wonderful stuff. But seriously, it's awesome stuff! If you look really hard and at every single item. it's a "leave no stone un-turned" situation.

In Skinny Girl News - Cutting way back on dairy, without really thinking about it - has been pretty successful. It's only been like, a week, but whatever. It's a good test. Almond Milk is rad. Rad, rad, rad!

Matt makes oatmeal almost every day and sometimes he leaves an outrageously messy mess or funky pan and I want to stab him, but lately I've been eating some of it. This breakfast went to work with me and it was something I thought I should "write home" about.

Irish oatmeal with mashed up berries, honey and VEGGIE SAUSAGE! The veggie sausage is what turned it into a bowl of solid GOLD.


I went to the gym tonight. I did some serious business there. 3 miles of running on the tread and a few weights. The weight-room is over-run with guys who care way too much, so I don't make any eye-contact, I wear a hat and I keep my head-down and get the hell out of there!

Matt was trying to go to sleep, but he woke up to check out the $10 t-shirts and $20 sweatshirts on the Claw Money sale, so get into it! Power, Money, Sex for the whole family!