Bicycle Accessories

(photos from their respective sources. washi tape from pugly pixel)

Here's a roundup of some bicycle accessories I've had my eye on.  It came together quite easily as I've been dreaming of owning a bike for a while now!  The majority of them are from small or independent businesses, too.

Clockwise from top left: nutcase helmet, brooks basket, baggu backpack, death and texas handlebar bag, cupcake bell, keds, monogrammed bicycle grips.

Gratitude - July 19

(taken with my iphone)

+ hiking a trail I haven't used since high school (above)

+ girl talk over sushi, coffee and tea, then beer, when everything closed on us and we had no choice but to go home!

+ doing lots of research over the perfect bicycle and accessories

+ Tony's Italian Deli

+ diced pickles from Tony's, seriously the best pickles I've ever had

+ stationery progress! (slowly but surely)

+ reading an amazing book 
+ making my own version of Chipotle's burrito bowl and having it all week (so simple and delicious)

Hope this past week was good to all of you.  This week I am looking forward to Renegade Craft Fair!  Is anyone else going?

My Future Bicycle?

I've been dreaming of owning a bicycle for quite a while now.  Years, probably, when gorgeous girls on bicycles started popping up on The Sartorialist and photos reblogged Copenhagen Cycle Chic showed up everywhere.  I imagined myself riding to the farmer's market, holding everything in panniers hanging from the rear rack with fresh flowers in my basket. I dreamed of riding along with friends for a bite to eat. But most importantly, I envisioned myself car free!
Romantic visions aside, I knew I wanted a dutch/vintage style bicycle but had no idea how much they cost or where I could find one.  The only type of bicycles I thought were available to me were mountain bikes and cruisers.  Thankfully riding bicycles has gotten more popular in the US, whether for style or environmental reasons, and more options have become available.  After extensive googling, I've come up with some promising prospects.

Linus Dutchi 3-Speed

Raleigh Roadster

Flying Pigeon (photo from joe-bike)

Batavus Old Dutch

I'm hoping to check out Flying Pigeon LA  in the next few days.  I'll let you know how my search goes!  Next up, a post on all the accessories I'd love to deck my future bicycle in.  (photos from their respective sources)

Garden Progress

My tomatoes!  Aren't they so cute?!  It's so much fun watching them grow day by day.  I only have one tomato that's bigger than the one's shown above, but it's in a hard spot to take a photo of.  Can't wait until they're ready for eating!  My basil, mint, and newly acquired cilantro are all thriving as well. 

Here's a photo of the view outside my balcony.  The mountains are so pretty, but unfortunately the smog gets in the way!

Do any of you have a garden going this summer?  What kind of plants are you growing?  I wish I added some zucchini as well!

Gratitude - July 12

+ hanging art work (above)
+ working mornings!
+ this song... on repeat all weekend long
+ starting on my quilt
+ whole living magazine
+ reform school and intelligentsia coffee
+ 8 tomatoes on my plant!

Fools Rush In

Love her voice.  (via Design Is Mine)

Trying to be happy a lot of the time

Isn't this print by Sarah McNeil one of the most darling things you've ever seen? Every bit of it makes me feel so happy.  I've had my eye on several pieces in her etsy shop, especially those porcelain brooches!  I can't decide between the owl or squirrel. (photo credit: Sarah McNeil)

[links: blog, shop, flickr]

Goodbye, Fish

This morning I found one of my fishes... certainly not alive.  It's not the one pictured above, I don't have any photos of him (her?).  I'm not quite sure why but I am rather affected by his/her death.  I never even gave him a name.  Maybe it's the circumstances in which he passed (far too gruesome to post here).  Whatever the case is, RIP little fishie.  Thank you for eating up all the algae and keeping the tank clean. 

Gratitude - July 5

+ Saturday farmer's market
+ another barbeque with the family
+ girls night out, and making it out to the Valley for the first time and not getting lost!
+ green tea boba and long afternoon chats
+ three delicious pizzas in the span of 1 week
+ fred 62's bossa nova waffle (waffle + dulce de leche + ice cream + whipped cream)
+ being inspired by my amazing friends
+ um... solitaire on my iphone?!  best thing ever.

Lemon Bars

Yesterday I tried out a lemon bar recipe from a recent Donna Hay issue.  I had all the ingredients at home so I thought, why not?  It's my first time making lemon bars (excluding the boxed kind), and they taste great!  I also made batch of heart shaped one from a silicone mold, but this is the only one that came out looking good.  Now I'm wondering what recipe I should try out next.  Perhaps something savory, all these sweets have an awful lot of sugar...