Roll into Twenty-Eleven

We hope everyone had a blast for new years. I personally think there should be rules that new year's eve celebrations must include sparklers, disco lights, and as many fairy lights as you can plug in.

For successful new year's eve parties I also recommend mass party migrations down to the nearest fireworks vantage point, a swim at 2am, watching Labyrinth (oh Bowie) then heading out on your bike with the friends who are rad enough to have lasted!

01/01/11 was a beautiful sunny day, perfect weather for new year's day. Our lovely Feather Brigaders E and A joined us for a trip to the markets and the search for precious, new year's day gozleme.

(The guys in the car behind E and S totally wish they were in our bike gang :P)

We then made our leisurely way back home to dump ourselves into the pool again with everyone's favourite party mascot, Milky Joe.

New Year's Resolution: Have more lovely days like this, filled with friends and bikes.

j.xoxo

Muse

I hope everyone has been making the most of the summer weather, and tactfully ignoring the few random days of winter that we've had. Did you all ask santa for a bike for Christmas? Or, if you already have a bike did you ask for a Bedazzler? (because bikes and bedazzlers together are like old school chums)

I'm here to provide you with a second dose of summer cycling inspiration in the form of one of my all-time favourite people of all time, Uschi Obermaier.

Oh my, what a babe! Here's a quick background for you... Throughout the 60's and 70's Uschi was a model, actress, groupie, musician, sex-symbol, activist, she lived in a hippie commune, she was one of the first women to appear nude on the cover of a magazine, and she traveled through Eurasia, the Middle East, and India in an RV. She has "retired" to become a jewellery designer in New Mexico.

She also had a bike:

Release your inner Obermaier and enjoy the holidays, seasons greetings, merry chrismakwanzaahanukka and all that. Make sure you cycle down to the harbour/bay/beach closest to you to check out the new years fireworks. Party on, my hippie friends...

j.xoxo

Safety... its about more than helmets! And it involves monkeys...

Tis the season for road craziness, heavy traffic and dangerous driving. Hence we are posting our Christmas safety reminder to all you stylish cyclists out there...

Stan and Trigly



Find out what happens to these little monkeys who forget their road safety in the following educational video from the 1950's

(What! No helmets??)

So be a doll... be safe. Whether you are a Betty-Lou-May doll or more of an Ebony Lolita type. Watch out for the primates on the road, sitting in their cars frazzled by their day of shopping and distracted by their offspring fighting in the back seat. But by all means smile as you bypass the traffic jams and car park lines.

We would like to see you safe in the New Year

feathers and all xx

Pish Tosh xx

Milky Joe's Guide to a Successful Picnic

We the Feather Brigade do firmly adore organising a picnic. Our picnic mascot Milky Joe knows exactly what is needed to make a picnic a success...

1. Pack for your picnic...

2. Always get there in style...

3. Invite friends and make sure they turn up!

4. Make sure you have your camera with you...

5. Music is also a must...

6. Choose a great location and breakout the blankets...

7. Don't forget to wear your mum's tablecloth...

.

8. BBQ your way into people's hearts...

9. Eat fantastic picnic food...like my all-time favourite "pie on a stick"!

10. Get creative when essential items are forgotten...

11. And don't forget drinks on those hot, thirsty days...

12. Then with the business end of the picnic out of the way, its time for fun and games...

(riding around and around and around)

(Silly string fights)

(Air Guitar playing)

(Dress ups and photos with props)

(Making faces from your food)



(Tree-hugging)

13. But don't forget to leave time for just hanging out...

After all if you follow all our tips your friends may approve and even attend your next one.

Or move to Canada... Thanks Megan!

Pish tosh xx

Sonia Rykiel Hearts Bikes Heart Sonia Rykiel

J-Bot's Stylish Summer Cycling Inspiration:

Sonia Rykiel's collaboration with H&M last year was a very nice little collection, but I have to admit it wasn't the clothes that caught my attention as much as the launch party. The show was held in a theme park setting around a giant light-up replica of the Eiffel Tower. It was like a crazy, whimsical circus had come to town with marching bands, ferris-wheels, geese, chandeliers, parade floats and girls with massive hair on bikes...

These photos are from all over the internet, including these places.

No angry Sydney motorist would dare hurl verbal threats at me as I whizzed by on my bike looking oh, so carefree...

I keep coming back to these pictures again and again. Yes, I know the range is verging on more winter than summer, what with all the stockings and knits and what-not, but there is such a lovely, fun Parisian-chic vibe to the styling. To me, it's a 'summer' influenced range, and that's what I'm going to be channeling for these lovely warmer months. Anyway, who wouldn't want to be part of Sonia's bike gang? No-one, that's who!

So this summer, do as Sonia Rykiel's bicycle girls do: paint on the red lipstick, pull up those stripey socks, fluff that hair and smile!

j-bot.xoxo