An airbag saved my life

Jacket: Vintage

Tank: American Apparel

Shorts: Vintage Jordache cutoffs

Tights: American Apparel

Hat: From a vendor on St. Marks

Shoes: Capezio dance shoes

Backpack: Muji

On my way to Yasemin's for a Mexican themed birthday party for our friend Dave. The smashed up car behind me had been sitting on 7th Ave. facing the wrong way for almost a week. It was kind of like a real life version of the cars in Cai Guo-Qiang's I Want to Believe exhibit that was at the Guggenheim last year. Post title is courtesy of Radiohead. Happy weekend!

How can we sleep when our cranks need turning?

Spring time is bike time, and New York's new biker friendly attitude is bringing out more bikers than ever. From fixed gears to mountain bikes to vintage frames, plus Jack Spade's bike shop on Bleeker St. and Club Monaco's venture in velo territory the city is teeming with stylish cyclists. I ride a rusty red Ross that was given to my by a friend at an old job. I've had Ross for about 2 years and I pretty much ride her year round. I often toy with the idea of getting a new lighter (I think Ross weighs more than I do) bike, but I feel like it would be bad bike karma. Ross has been so good to me for so long, and considering she lives on the street and hasn't been tampered with or stolen (I for sure just jinxed myself) - I figure, why tempt the fates/ NY bike theifs with something shiny and new.

But its always fun to look, right? Two amazing but totally different bike manufacturers were recently brought to my attention. My very cool, stylish, beautiful-sweater designing, friend Maja just ordered a customized ride from Republic Bike ( the bottom image is one of their super fun creations). And Mikael at Copenhagen Cycle Chic gave me a link to Velorbis (the top image is of one of there super sexy and sleek designs). I think I am more of a classic frame kind of gal, but there are certainly times when I could picture myself on a something more playful and modern - I suppose one can never have too many bikes. What kind of frame's pedals would you like to push?

Girl in Booties + Boy in Boots

On Mir:

Jacket: Vintage military jacket from the Carhartt store on Broadway

Sweater: Hemp Sweater from Organic Avenue

Purse: Vintage Gucci from Paris

Booties: Minnetonka

Jeans: Balmain.....just kidding.

On John:

Boots: Red Wings

Jeans: Helmut Lang

Sweater: Stanfield's

If I were taller I would have a pied-à-terre/ live full time in Gramercy. It is such a magical neighborhood. John and I ambled around last night admiring the loveliness and looking for a new place to eat (we settled on a Naples style Italian place and had super delicious pasta and pizza). One of the buildings I especially dig is The National Arts Club -checking out an event that is open to the public at the club is now on my list of things to do. On less delicate note, Stanfield's is an awesome company -based in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada, Stanfield’s Limited has been making hardcore underwear/workwear for burly people doing burly things since 1856. Walking around Gramercy isn't exactly burly, but John sure is a burly guy, so it works.

Nice Barn

I've spent a lot of time in The Big Smoke the past few weeks hanging out with my brand new nephew and have enjoyed re-discovering my home town. The photos above are of a new development called the Artscape Wychwood Barns. Located near Bathurst and St. Clair, at the site of an abandoned streetcar maintenance and repair facility, the indoor and outdoor development consists of 5 barns that includes live/work apartments for artists, a gallery, theatre spaces, a production greenhouse with a classroom and commercial kitchen, a farmer's market and lots of park space. Although it is not perfect (the amount of much needed revenue this venture will provide to the city is questionable, as is the volleyball net) the Wychwood Barns development is pretty bang on. Aesthetically, its is awesome. I love that the developers incorporated the historic structure along with some of the original signage of the streetcar facility while building a truly modern and multi-purpose space. The Barns will definitely be a destination for me and the little guy.

Wolfman's Brother

Everyone agrees that wolf, horse, unicorn etc. t-shirts are rad, especially this guy (check the reviews). Happy long weekend!

short shorts and a long jacket and a killer sunset

Jacket: Muji men's
Shorts: Joe Fresh
Ballet Flats: Joe Fresh
Black racerback tank: Space FB

Rooftop photo shoot at my friend Alysha's building. Alysha's roof is sick- as was the sunset we were able to enjoy from said roof. Alysha is a wizard with words and a master in the art of thrifting. Joe Fresh and Space FB are both Canadian stores. Space FB is from Montreal and kind of reminds me of American Apparel (which was born in Montreal as well) but not as awesome and a bit overpriced. Joe Fresh is kind of Old Navy-eque and is a branch of the Real Canadian Superstores- basically the largest grocery store operation in Canada. Is buying orange juice, gardening tools and ballet flats in the same place weird, or brilliant?

Ulysses Everett McGill + Courtney Love

I spotted this perfect couple strolling in Tompkins Square Park on a lovely Saturday afternoon. I love her lined but faded lips and the fact that his pants can zip off into shorts, I wonder if they are waterproof too.

Trash Talk

The can on top is located somewhere on St. Marks, not in front of the De La Vega store, but in front of an apartment building close by. All of James De La Vega's work makes me smile- it is full of humor and is sometimes a bit controversial. I love the look of the can but not its functionality. New York's lack of recycling/composting is actually despicable. It blows my mind that this city, the most populous in the U.S., offers the public nowhere to dispose of newspapers, magazines,empty bottles and cans other than with regular garbage. The bottom 3 images are of Toronto's brand spankin' new garbage, recycling, and cigarette disposal device. Toronto has been ahead of the recycling/composting curve for a long time now, but I question the genius of this new design. Designed by Astral Media ,"Toronto's official and exclusive supplier of nearly 27,000 pieces of street furniture", the device is made of plastic (not the most eco-friendly material), is kind of fat (taking up valuable sidewalk space, a concern in city full of Bugaboos) and the nifty press to open peddle is most likely going to get jammed in the slushy/snowy winter months (which kind of suck and don't need to interfere with Torontonians' lives in any additional way).

If only someone could create a receptacle with the attitude of De La Vega's can and the functionality of Astral Media's device and then put it in all major cities in North America (Mr. Bloomberg, are you there? Its me, Miriam). I mean, who wouldn't want to put their trash in an environmentally advanced garbage receptacle covered in words of wisdom?

Photo Essay: Dance + Parade

There was a Dance Parade Saturday in the East Village. It was awesome- as the combination of two of life's greatest pleasures, dancing and parades- aught to be. I went with my friend Lindsay (she's tall, works part time as a barista and sometimes scores free croissants from work). Saturday was my favorite kind of day, the kind that just gets progressively nicer. The parade ended in Tomkin's Square park where Lindsay and I took part in a public Bhangra dance lesson (which I think is as close as I'll ever get to experiencing a real life Bollywood dance sequence out of the blue like the closing sequence in Slumdog Millionaire). My last photo is of Lindsay learning a very integral Bhangra move. Following the parade, Lindsay got a bike, for about 170.00$ all in, which is pretty awesome for this island we live on. Following the bike purchase and just in time for that magic hour before the sun sets, Lindsay, Bill, and I played a pretty kick ass game of scrabble on her roof. Lindsay won, but only by a few points.