More Cake-Loving Cyclists and The City...

What do you get when you cross the opportunity to ride around one of the nicest boroughs in London with the chance to eat some rather lovely cakes? A lot of keen cyclists attending the first public BikemindedRBKC Cake & Coffee Cruise!

After the success of the inaugural ride for invited Bloggers, me and The Boy* attended the public ride last Saturday. Tickets sold out for the event which was brilliant news! It was fantastic to see such a huge turn out for the ride (and Super-Kathryn above, checking them all in) especially knowing what an absolute treat everyone was going to get for their £5...

The meeting-point for the day was of course Pedlars for the 1st Coffee of the day and a chance to meet even more cyclists... and catch-up with friends!

It was wonderful to see some of my favourite cyclists including Sam (top photo with The Boy), Adrian (Left) and Mr Ibikelondon.blogspot.com himself Mark (right) - all of whom I'd not seen properly since the Tweed Run earlier this year!

There was a slight cycling twist to the day for us - we did the ride on Boris Bikes instead of the Pashley and the Cannondale! Due to after-ride plans we'd made, we had to leave our beautiful bicycles at home and hire these for the day. I must admit, it felt like I was cheating on my Pashley being on another bike all day, but was incredibly handy... and I have to say my Tights seemed to match the bike - one iconic London Landmark with a bike that is fast becoming another London icon ;)

Head Scarf: Tie Rack

Earrings: Topshop

Denim Jacket: Gap

Knitted Jumper-Dress: M&S

Beig Ben Tights: Henry Hollans

Bag: Vivienne Westwood

Necklace: Tatty Devine

Shoes: Topshop

Speaking of fashion - I have to mention the most Dapper Chap on the ride - Mark! His outfit along with his classic Bicycle and Panniers was the perfect combination...

... and I admit to having serious Brogue envy, even if they are Men's shoes - they were utterly gorgeous!

The route, cycling pace and the cake-stops were fantastic - but the best part about the ride this time round was watching everyone enjoy themselves and the wide range of people and bicycles who came to the event. There were mature cyclists, some very young riders and a variety of bikes - including quite a few Boris Bikes too!

It just goes to show the absolute ease of taking part in a ride such as the Cake and Coffee Cruise - it's open to anyone & you are guaranteed to meet the like-minded via Bikeminded and make new friends along the ride. 

Once again, a massive "thank you" must go to Kathryn for getting me involved in such a wonderful cycling project & I hope we get to work together on something again soon.

Further pictures from the Cruise can be viewed on Flickr here.

*and as always, a special thank you to The Boy - without your photography skills and general support, a lot of this wouldn't happen. 

Creativity and Cocktails - the Tatty Devine Book Launch Party...

It has been a rather busy week so far... and I'm pleased to say that it has all been fun social events & not work related now the mad period in the office has finished!

The first thing to keep me happily busy was the official launch party for the new Tatty Devine book, "How To Make Jewellery With Tatty Devine".

(picture courtesy of Tatty Devine)

I received a tweet from Team-Tatty inviting me to the event, so I got together with my lovely Tina and headed over to the event on Wednesday evening. The launch party was held in Drink, Shop & Do (a lovely boutique that I must make a cycle return on the Pashley to at some point), and the atmosphere was fabulous. The order of the night was a Tattytini Cocktail, which carried all the hallmarks of TD: glitter (which I'm still finding on my person days later!), pretty colours and of course a unique fashionable edge... the Cocktail Stirrer doubles-up as a hair pin...! I get the feeling I'm going to turn mine into a brooch :)

Tattytini in hand, we headed though to the workshop which had been set-up in the very well decorated back room. It was lovely to finally meet Sonja (who gave me the honour of being Customer of the Month earlier this year) & chat with the other wonderful ladies of TD. The Workshop Agenda was to make your own Tape Measure Rosette Brooch - something which I was really looking forward to!

Getting to grips with making the Brooch was rather fun - we both got the hang of it (and thanks to a lot of help from Lucy which I admit I needed!) I produced my 1st very own piece of Tatty!

I couldn't just leave it at one - there was custom made Tatty Devine Tape Measures all over the table in different colours, just begging to be turned into accessories... and I had a specific reason for needing more than one of them too. In between sipping on Cocktails with Tina & trying not to prick my finger through the laughter, chatter with other guests and fun we were having, I managed to make a few more Rosettes - result.

Of course, the main event of the evening was The Book and finally having the chance to meet Rosie and Harriet, who are a huge inspiration to me as a young woman trying to make my own way doing what I love. Without doubt, they looked as stylish as ever & have given me yet more inspiration for my cycle wardrobe - and the accessories that will go with them...

With my copy of their book to hand, I headed over to them to say "Hello" and get my book signed. Now, you can call this my geek-out moment if you must, but I was absolutely gob-smacked when Rosie asked "Should this be made out to Lady Vélo then?" Goodness me - they knew who I was!

That was HUGE for me & I think my reaction must have told Rosie and Harriet that too. It's incredibly touching and an honour to know that two women who I admire so much knew who I was and what I do - and for that I will forever have this smile in my mind.

As I said, I had a specific reason for making more than one of the Rosettes... of course they make a fabulous edition to my wardrobe, but why stop at adding them to your clothing?

Even the Pashley can rock a bit of Tatty Devine :)

I love how these look on the Basket and making these, along with reading through the book, has given me more inspiration for a project that I'm working on... more on that later.

Thanks Tatty Devine for a fantastic evening... and if Lucy remembers what I said about The Boy and his Cupcakes, we're working on that for you all... ;)

The Cake & Coffee Cruise with BikemindedRBKC...

After all the ideas and planning, the inaugural BikemindedRBKC Cake & Coffee Cruise took place on the 24th September. Having taken part in the practice-cycle with Kathryn a few weeks ago, I was very excited about how the event would go with the group of invited cyclists & bloggers on the day. The Boy* and I arrived at Pedlars which was the meeting place for the Cruise, and were welcomed by a scene of bicycles & a lot of chic looking cyclists! Beautiful sunshine and smiles appeared to be the order of the day as we had a meet-and-greet session outside over some Flat Whites with our fellow riders.

This was a fantastic opportunity to meet other cyclists and put faces to Bloggers & Tweeters that I follow. It was excellent to finally meet Andreas of LondonCyclist (I didn't manage to get a picture of you - sorry Andreas if you're reading this!) & Tom of I Bike London & CycleHoop, who also provided the amazing Car Bike Rack for all of our bicycles for the day! I also finally met the lovely Jemma of "Help! My Chain Came Off!" and Tillie from "Tillie & Coco" - a blog that I recently found & am fond of already.

For just over two hours, we cruised around Kensington & Chelsea at a nice relaxed pace on our bikes. Assisted by the Marshals Bikeminded had organised for the day, there was the chance to ride through the traffic & quiet back roads and have the chance to take in some of the beautiful architecture and sights the area has to offer. Of course, the main events of the cruise were the delicious cake-stops that were planned for the day - essential sweet-sustenance to keep us all going!

Our first stop was at Buttercup - a lovely little independent bakery that focuses on mainly on Cupcakes. We were treated to these dainty Chocolate and Zucchini ones, which were amazing! They were quite an intense hit & a really interesting flavour combination - certainly worth the cycle...

The next stop was one that I can't deny being rather excited about... the Pierre Hermé boutique in Knightsbridge! After having a taste of them on the test ride & falling utterly in love with the Macarons, & knowing that French Vogue once dubbed Pierre as "The Picasso of Pastry", I couldn't wait for the return visit...

The group was given an informative talk on the history of Pierre & his Macarons and was then invited to choose a flavour to taste. Although very tempted to have an Olive Oil and Vanilla one again, I simply had to try the Pistachio...

... this is my favourite flavour of Macaron and as I didn't try this the 1st time round, it was only right to sample the nutty delight... and it was absolutely delicious!

Cycling on from Knightsbridge and heading to our next cake-destination, The Boy kindly took a photo of my cycle-wardrobe for the day. I guess being so pre-occupied with sweet-treats I was a bit distracted to remember to do this! As it was a sunny afternoon, I went with a touch of yellow...

Aviator Sunglasses: Chanel

Gold Tusk Earrings: Topshop

Dinosaur Necklace: Tatty Devine

Dress: Miss Selfridge

Leggings: Topshop

Sandals: Carvela

(and if you look carefully, you can just about see my new Tattoo...)

Riding on, our next destination was Cocomaya, a beautiful Artisan Bakery which could lure you in just with the aromas wafting from the shop! 

We were treated to a lovely Sponge Slice , which was very moist and  packed with fruit... and yes, it really was as yummy as it looks!

Before arriving to our final destination, I had the chance to cycle with the ultimate Chelsea Girl blogger, who is also one of Bikeminded's Bike Heroes - the fabulous Miss KingsRoadRocks!

We swapped bikes for the last part of the ride as I was immediately taken with her Brompton when I saw it! The colour scheme was awesome, and as I've been thinking about getting one as my "wizz around town" bike (sssshhh - don't tell my Pashley I said that!), it was fantastic to have a proper ride on one. I must say, that KingsRoadRocks looked stunning on my Pashley!

Our final stop on the Cruise was another that I was really looking forward to. We arrived at Kings Road, and locked all our bikes to the ingenious Car Bike Rack provided courtesy of CycleHoop, and made our way to the The Chelsea Teapot. Located towards the end of Kings Road, this beautiful shop had the perfect ambiance for a group of happy cyclists who all needed a perfect cup of tea after a wonderful ride.

The High Tea Chelsea Teapot laid on for us was simply stunning. From the gorgeous Bone China teacups and saucers to the delicious sandwiches, cakes and cream teas, it was fantastic. I was over the moon to see that Cucumber Sandwiches were on the table, as I'd developed quite a hankering for these after having them on the Tweed Run! I hope to do a return cycle-visit to the Teapot for lunch with The Boy... we were very taken with this place along with the very warm and friendly staff.

The brilliant news is that another Cake & Coffee Cruise will be taking place on the 8th October 2011, and it only costs £5.... yes - that's just FIVE POUNDS to sample some of the finest cakes in London, be marshalled through the traffic so you can ride at a nice, relaxed pace and meet other like minded cyclists!

The Cake and Coffee Cruise was a brilliant day, and BikemindedRBKC / Kathryn did a awesome job of organising the event. The route was enjoyable, cake stops amazing & the company brilliant. It's a fantastic way to discover parts of the Borough that you may never have known before, along with finding new places to discover sweet-treats and of course, cycle away the calories too! I'm honoured that I was able to help in the planning of this event, and work with Kathryn on such a fantastic idea.

*Many thanks to The Boy for once again providing his excellent photography skills for my blog!
Additional photos (more to be added) can be viewed in this Flickr Set.

Product Review: Grass-Shopper by Marsupial Bicycle Bags...

Marsupial Bicycle Bags is an independent company based in Brentford. Founded in 2010, their aim is to make "interesting and practical bike luggage" that reflects the personality and character of the cyclist and their bike. I'd seen one if their Panniers on display in a well known London Cycling Shop -  the design certainly caught my attention and I wanted to find out more about this very different Pannier. So, when I was contacted by them to review* one on VCG, I had to give it a whirl...

The material the Grass-Shopper is made from is something that I have never seen on the Pannier market before: it consists of a single piece of Astroturf (artificial grass) which has been carefully hand stitched and riveted into making a very sturdy Pannier.

Already unique in design, you have the option of customising the bag by choosing the colour of the waterproof drawstring liner, floral decorations & how the bag attaches to your bicycle. I opted for Purple lining, Lisianthus Flowers, and Hook attachments in order to use the bag on my rear rack.

I think the customisations are a really nice touch, as it allows you to personalise the bag to suit your own style and the style of your bicycle. Fixing the artificial flowers onto the Grass Hopper was easy to do: using the generous supply of Cable Ties provided, you simply thread them through the bag and tighten around the Stems.

Both the Stems and Leaves on the Flowers are made from flexible materials, meaning you can arrange the "floral spray" into almost any position you want on the bag.

Attaching the Grass-Shopper to my Pletcher was simple: the size of the rack was not an issue and both hooks clipped onto it easily and locked into place. With these hooks, the bag should fit on any standard sized bike rack (the 'Strap' attachment option is designed to fit outsized rack rails). Testing it with a gentle tug, the bag didn't come away from the rack and was a great fit.

The hooks are small in size and blended in so well with the colour of my Pashley, it actually looked like the bag had bloomed from my bicycle! 

Of course, it was important to know just how well the bag fared when on the move with weight inside of it & how accommodating the dimensions of the bag are. I decided a good test for this would be to use it for some grocery shopping. 

As the Grass-Shopper comes with an adjustable & detachable shoulder strap, you can take it off your bike and use it as a normal "everyday" casual bag - a brilliant feature indeed! Instead of my normal "Bags for Life", I used the Grass-Shopper to pack my groceries in. It certainly attracted a lot of lovely attention in the supermarket and didn't disappoint with the amount it could hold... (what you can't see are the two boxes of sticky Chicken Wings and a large bag of oven chips concealed under the healthy stuff!) - it held my shopping in place & still had room to spare.

While cycling, it sat comfortably on the back: it didn't knock or sway against the wheel, nor did my leg touch it when I was pedaling - I'm a tall girl, so this is a very important thing for me! The bag remained securely attached to my Pashley riding back home with my shopping.

All things considered, I think the Marsupial Grass-Shopper is a fantastic bag. It's a refreshing take on the world of Panniers: the design is unique, very eye-catching and makes a fashionable addition to your bicycle. The fact that it doesn't ignore the practical elements of a Pannier is also a plus: made from durable material, it has a sturdy build and should last you a very long time. I look forward to seeing more designs and products from Marsupial in the future, especially if they are as unique as this.

The Grass-Shopper can be bought directly from Marsupial Bicycle Bags, or from the following stores as listed on their stockists page.

*This bag was kindly gifted to VCG by Marsupial Bicycle Bags for a review. 

The Bikeminded and VCG Project Begins...

C&CC invitation image courtesy of BikemindedRBKC design team

Last month I met with Kathryn of BikemindedRBKC to discuss working together on ideas for future cycling projects. Plenty of progress has happened since that excellent meeting, and the first project to come from it will be the Kensington & Chelsea Cake & Coffee Cruise!

The C&CC will be a cycle cruise to some of the Royal Borough's Cafés, with the chance to sample some of the best Coffee & Cakes on offer with a degustation menu being specially arranged for the ride... including a very special luxury foodie stop along the way. With the various Coffee-Stops confirmed by Kathryn & the Bikeminded team, the next step was to get together for a practice ride of the route.

We met-up a couple of weeks ago to test out the route. It became a lovely day of group cycling as we were accompanied by The Boy*, @jackal420 and @thefixedfactor

Starting off from Portobello Road, we made our way along the planned route, taking in the beautiful quiet back roads of Kensington. There was the occasional stop to meet with some of the Cafés involved with the C&CC. Without revealing too much, we had to sample some of the delicious Coffee and sweet treats that would be part of the event... of course ;)

The practice run was fantastic & has us all very excited. The inaugural Cake & Coffee Cruise will lead on to another being organised with a larger group capacity, so keep your eyes on BikeMindedRBKC for further announcements. To those attending, see you very soon...!

*Many thanks to Ian James for the photography for the day.

More images can be viewed in the "Cake & Coffee Test Ride"set on Flickr.

From East to West: A Cycle to Melograno...

A few weeks ago The Boy and I were invited to join our friend & Photographer Paul Winch-Furness for lunch at Melograno, a lovely Deli in Holland Park where he was working for the day.

Of all my Coffee-Cycle Days, this would be my most epic one to date! Having never cycled from Newham to Kensington, I loaded up the route on Google Maps and had it ready to go on my iPhone. The usual CS3 journey was fine: we broke away from it and followed the route Google had plotted. Along the way, there was the chance to take in some sights: cycling along Embankment, through a traffic free Mall & past Buckingham Palace... then it all started to take a bit longer than expected. When we ended up almost joining the A4, we realised something was rather wrong! Getting off the A4 before it was too late, I double checked the Map... The Boy pointed out that the route was actually completely incorrect! My 1st ever Google Map / cycling route fail had to happen at some point I guess! However, I did clock-up 13.4 miles on the Pashley - which is pretty good going!

Journey fail corrected, we finally rolled-up at Melograno and met Paul - capturing him at what he does best :)

I was instantly impressed when I walked in: the layout was beautiful & the food looked delicious... already I knew this was worth the cycle. Riding certainly gives me a caffeine thirst & the hunger, so the Flat White and the triple Sandwich platter I had did not disappoint at all...

Of course, after the savoury, must come the sweet... and boy was there a lot of sweet to choose from! We were caught eyeing up (and of course Instagraming) the treats on display, and had a lovely selection of them: Cannoli, a slice of Lemon Polenta Cake & a Panettone to share :)

There was time for one more Coffee before our lengthy cycle back to East London - and of course, time to capture my cycling wardrobe for the day - the sunshine meant that I could finally wear one of my Playsuits on the Pashley!

Playsuit: Motel Rocks

Earrings: Topshop

Necklace: Kenneth Jay Lane

Elasticated Bird Belt: Topshop

Bracelets: Dorothy Perkins

Open Toe Pumps: Poetic Licence

Ring: Orelia

It was a lovely day at Melograno & is certainly a place that I would happily ride back to again. It's cycle-friendly & I certainly recommend it to any other cyclists out there who love their coffee and cakes! Thanks Paul* for introducing me and The Boy to the place... we shall return soon - next time without my map fail :) 

*also, thanks for the Instagram shots Paul, and The Boy as always for the Cycle Wardrobe shots of me.