Hermès hosts a special preview of "Pannonica de Koenigswarter: Jazz Musicians and Their Three Wishes".....Madison Ave.

10/31/08

Last night I attended a private preview of "Pannonica de Koenigswarter: Jazz Musicians and Their Three Wishes" at the Hermès store on the Upper East Side. The photo exhibit, which officially opens today, features original polaroids Pannonica—a.k.a. the “Bebop Baroness” (and FYI of Rothschild family fame)—took in the ‘50s and ‘60s of the jazz scene, as well as amazing personal photos of jazz greats like Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus…to name a few. The exhibit is also to celebrate the English-language reprint of the book Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats.

The party was all one would expect from Hermès: fancy miniature hors d'oeuvres, male models moonlighting as servers, free-flowing wine and champagne, a live jazz band and, of course, ladies with very expensive taste in handbags. (See more from the evening on Confessions from the Velvet Ropes.) On a personal note, it also served as the debut of my newest fabulous purchase. Drumroll please...


Tada! Introducing my over-the-top sparkling necklace. I just love her! On my right: The always sparkling Mr. Glenn Belverio.

Just in case you couldn't see her...

Photographer Andres Serrano

It's in the Bag: A girl's gotta have her Prada...

and her Chanel...

...and her Gucci

...and, of course, her classic Hermès!

Artist Melodie Provenzano

Shadow Girl...Happy Halloween!

Kinda Creepy just for Halloween.

This was my attempt to photograph a girl on a Fixie flying down Market St. in SF. I was shooting out of a car window (of course being the passenger) when she seemed to note my camera's eye upon her. She turned her head ever so quickly and the motion was captured in a very ethereal way.

I use my trusty old 3.3 megapixel /8 year old camera. It's time for a new camera I think, if I want to catch the fixie flyers! Anyway I do like this shot for Halloween and bumped the colors to make it even more spooky.

"For biking, I need...Louboutins..."

photocredit/source: Elle Magazine

"For biking, I need a shoe with substance. These Louboutins have a not-so spindly heel."

This is in this month's (Novemeber) ELLE magazine. Along with her 'must wear it now' pencil shaped skirts, this Hollywood co-producer, Samantha Thomas rides her bicycle across the ABC lot.

"I figured I wasn't going to get very far walking in four inch heels....But I can get anywhere fast by bike -- without changing my shoes!"

Hey I've seen you before...

Funny how when you take a second look. This is the same girl in the post about Mopeds here...
(and strangely enough of all the zillions of girls in SF) she is the same girl I posted way back months ago right here.

We laughed. She said she'd cut her hair shorter.

Probably can't tell but the flower print in her dress had orange flowers which matchy-matched the orange of her bicycle.

More Story to the story ...Moped Tricycle ...Moped 1977

The Moped Tricycle is from these guys at Moped 1977 .
Neon painted colors on these mopeds frames are hanging in the window... in case you were wondering if these neon wheel things were some kind of sculpture installation.

Tricycle ... Rocky Horror Show...Mopeds Recycled

This tricycle is made from old Moped parts. It was so intriguing and given where it is parked makes it even more interesting.

Shopping @ The Ferry Building

Shopping at the Ferry Building...she's by Cow Girl Creamery (wonderful artisan cheeses) where she was standing with the bicycles.



Here's a close up of her riding gloves and the headbadge of her Schwinn bicycle. I just had to do a close up of these details...

The riding gloves were in the softest and finest knit, like an angora or cashmere. I love the mother of pearl buttons, nice touch.

Her Schwinn bicycle, a nice vintage and a lovely green.

Valencia St. ...old Slanted Door

Right in front of the old Slanted Door (a fine eating establishment now moved to the Ferry Building) I spotted a fashionable girl in this urban gray on gray look, worn with a nice leopard print scarf for contrast. The stylish gray bag had hints of gold thread which glistened in the sun as did her aviator sunglasses.

Valencia Street

Street Artists. These are really fabulous. I was wondering if I could get my bicycle panniers custom painted by this artist.




Two cruisers in the Mission, the Val Corridor. You rarely see very many cruisers, mostly what you see are fixies by far....with some mixtes coming in at second place.

What didn't exactly show up well in this photo is the pirate flag which is only half unfurled. Also a fun bicycle bell. Anyway lots of personal style.

Hayes Valley ...Capital "T"

There is a sweet shop right across from this Hayes Valley park. While waiting, (the BF was in the shop selecting some treats) I looked around and saw her strolling out from the park.

She told me her bicycle was from PedalPower. I thought she had the perfect fall weather ensemble and her bicycle so seems to fit her style to a "T''...


****update: the bicycle is from Pedal Revolution, a non-profit bicycle shop in the Mission!

Green Bikes

These are left over from an art installation .... Green Bikes
A bunch of kids had been doing trick rides with the bikes all afternoon. The artist and organizers were getting ready to store these bikes away which is when I happened upon them.

Monarch Butterfly ...when I look out my studio window

...this is what I see.

There are 4 redwoods outside my window that soon will have hundreds of these Monarch butterflies nestled in them. I use to see just one a day, then more and more. Now I see 2 and 3 fly in at a time. In the eucalyptus grove down the road from me, Monarchs will gather in the thousands upon thousands.

Finished up this week and shipped my samples off to Ireland for the Cycle Chic Fashion Show. What a joy it was to look out my window and see these Monarch beauties flitter by.


Starting tomorrow I have some new street shots to post and share. I celebrated by taking off for a nice weekend in San Francisco where I found some amazingly stylish riders.

On the street...Meatpacking District, NYC

10/15/08

There are several things I love about this girls' outfit. 1) The jumpsuit: a one-piece wonder. I definitely plan on having more of these in my life. 2) The shoes: you can never go wrong with a pop of color against an all-black ensemble, especially when it's south of the ankles. 3) The J.Crew flower headband: I recognized it from a mile away. It's that perfect little something to polish off an outfit.

A Shoe Moment...

...I'm having a major one (more so than normal). Look at these?! They're so fabulous it's ridiculous. (I'd be at least 5' 6" in these babies.) I can't wait for spring '09!

Gucci, spring '09

Glove love @ Valentino, spring '09

There was some seriously spectacular arm candy coming off the runnway at Valentino. How fabulous are those jewel encrusted fingerless gloves?!! I love it with the pale color palette...magnifique!

A Field Guide to the New York City Bicyclists vs Britain’s Bike Tribes

photocredit/source: NYTimes/Alex Williams

"The Vintage-Bike Fashion Gal"...(as pictured above)

"The Noble Rider"

"The Fixed-Gear Rider"

"The Weekend Warrior"

These describe what you'll be able to spot with your handy dandy "New York City Bicyclist Field Guide " by your side in the streets of NYC.

Reminds me very much of the "Wheel Life: A guide to Britian’s New Bike Tribe" which I blogged about here.

I did a Bike Tribe series in honor of the Independent article. I started spotting a few examples of various Bike Tribe Riders right here, here here, and here.

While we're on it, there is also appearing in the same NYTimes Style section a piece on panniers. Several styles and makes are given a test ride. See the article and slide show here in the NYTimes "Physical Culture / Gear Test" by Stephen Krcmar. I personally would have liked to have seen a bit more fashionable type of panniers and definitely in more interesting fabric selections.

Some suggestions from my archives for panniers. To see an example of really retro, recycled and unique panniers, click here. To take a class where you to learn to make/design your own panniers (Bay Area Classes only) click here.

Finally for fantastic panniers in outstanding patterned fabrics go check out 1) London Cycle Chic's pannier offerings, 2) Basil panniers. Both are presenting at the Cycle Chic Fashion Show In Cork, Ireland.

Busy in the Studio..Getting Ready for Cycle Fashion Show...Cork, Ireland

photolink: CycleChicFashionShowExhibitors

I promise I will be posting soon again and with regularity. Right now I'm buried in my studio working away. I think I'll post pictures next of the Monarch butterflies and sweet, little migrant birds that are flying by, then stopping to rest themselves in the trees... I look out from my studio window and I am awe inspired by these creatures. So they are good company for me while I slave away.

Anyway...the photo above is the 'look' I chose to represent my designs and work overall for the upcoming Cycle Chic Fashion Show in Cork, Ireland. It happens on Nov. 1st!!!

The helmet cover in the above photo certainly is a most whimsical and fun one! Oh, and the model is Micol. She is a chef extraordinaire, hails from Tuscany, Italy and is a huge Slow Foods Advocate. She is also a fine artist and painter.

Stayed tuned....I will be back!!!

Urban Legends bicycle fashion show video

Follow the big bold link to cyclelicious....You'll a find the video of Momentum Magazine Urban Legends Art and Fashion show that happened at Interbike 2008 which is posted there. Thanks and a tip of the bicycle helmet to Cyclelicious who posted this first...

Urban Legends bicycle fashion show video - Cyclelicious

A self-propelled cycling art and fashion show bringing the urban bicycle culture to life. Cycling for transportation is one of the hottest sectors in the bike industry today. A change is happening on the streets and people are integrating bikes into their everyday lives. 'Urban Legend' is about expanding our perceptions of what it looks like to ride a bike. See new urban cycling trends and a range of stylish, smart, sexy and professional looks that fit into everyday life and work great on a bike. Full fashion show program available at Momentum Planet.

Turquoise Tights

First I noticed the color of her bright stockings/tights against the red, slick lines of her bicycle.
Next the pixie haircut was just too cute. She reminds me of Mia Farrow back in the day.


***Bicycle Fashion Riding Attire-Trend Spotting: bright tights

DIY…Convertible Rain Cape..Weekend Designer...Bicycle Fashion

Everything you need to know to make this fabulous rain cape is here. It includes the materials needed plus very good instructions as how to make the pattern all by yourself.

‘The waterproof rain cape is excellent for touring or commuting; in just a couple of seconds, you can slip it on over whatever you’re wearing, and you are protected from the rain’

So below is the actual pattern for the rain cape. Of cource you will need all the "how to's " to make this, so go visit the Weekend Designer.

photocredit/source: Weekend Designer

NOW ... I will also include this from Instructibles if you want to make a super simple rain poncho out of old (yes old as in used) shower curtains click here

OR maybe you could do as I was planning which is to sort of combine the pattern from weekend designer along with the shower curtain idea. Or a second thought was to use vinyl or plastic picnic table cloths. In case my thrift store hunt fails me, just this once I was thinking of buying new shower curtain in some very Scandinavian designer prints like ones I’ve seen at IKEA

Whatever you do if you decide to use just a fabric, don’t scotch guard your fabric. See the comment I left over at Sweet Georgis Brown in her very clever DIY pannier post.

This it too funny….over at ChicCyclist you can find a great posting on making a riding cape. Talk about synchronicity… I’d been holding off posting my rain cape until we had our first rains here. I wanted to go get some photos of girls in rain wear to go with it! So in synchronicity with ChicCyclist up went this timely post!

Cycle Chic Fashion Show ....Nov 1ST... Ireland

Cork, Ireland is hosting this event!!!!
Saturday, November 1St

For the first time in Ireland, the CYCLE CHIC Fashion Show will present how cycling can be fashionable and stylish. European and local designers will show you their latest innovations of trendy bikes, smart clothes and funky accessories.

Turquoise Tandem

Out for a coffee, bicycling together tandem style on this fine bicycle.

Yes, it's definitely starting to cool off. I noticed her cable knit sweater vest and thought how it was just the right amount of cozy to keep warm with when the chill wind kicked in. Otherwise and weather-wise we're still having our beautiful Indian Summer.

Nice & Roomy...Designer Style Bags

Straight away I spotted the stylish bags. Big enough for all sorts of things. Why do women really love them so?... A great bag can yell 'fashionable' and give an outfit a 'look' before anything else does.

When asked why I wanted to take their photo, I explained I was looking for stylish bags being worn by bicycle riders that day (interestingly no sooner had I thought this, than these two came riding along!)

We talked a tiny bit. I learned that both were avid bicyclists and one said she'd ridden her ENTIRE life. This unlike 'por moi' who rode as a kid, plus a few years during college, than briefly during a 'get fit' & lycra /wanna be racing period that lasted a few short weeks.

Ultimately... myself could only 'see' myself riding like I did as a kid & during college. Meaning I rode most always girly(when I was little), wearing dresses, little outfits, then onto vintage and so forth. So that's exactly what I did when I returned to bicycling.

**** don't adjust your monitor. I'm just experimenting with sepia coloring

So VOGUE...Electra, Pedicab, & Tandem

photocredit/source: Vogue Magazine

photocredit/source: Vogue Magazine



photocredit/source: Vogue Magazine

photocredit/source: Vogue Magazine

'Belles on Wheels...For The Modern Woman'

These are all featured together on a page in the current issue of VogueMagazine

Bicycle Pin-up Inspiration #4

photocredit/source: sam rapp/preen magazine

From time to time I post these pin-ups. It's a 'just for fun' category I've named bicycle chic inspiration -- pin-ups. You'll find a smattering of little finds there.

Little Details.. things I noticed today

Bikini top worn with jeans...it is starting to cool down.




Helmet, yet barefoot freedom

On the street...Elizabeth St., NoLita

10/1/08
Random Wednesday night, out and about in NoLita...

Spotted this girl while having drinks at Peasant. She's so chic in her Diane von Furstenburg dress and her perfect haircut...

...But what really got my attention was her amazing Balenciaga shoes!

Her friend, working a street safari look. I can dig it.

The look of the day: cropped pants for men. Outside of Cafe Habana on Prince St. This is photographer Montana (...just Montana) rockin' a plaid and camo combo.