Meccano at the Olympic Park

Something rather large and wonderful is being made down the road from where I live. Not that I’ve got an Anish Kapoor in my back garden, but almost.

The Olympic Park is a short bike ride away - and we often cycle down to the Container Café adjacent to the 2012 Olympic (building) Site for coffee and Brownies (believe me - they do the best Brownies). 

The View Tube as it’s known is a haven for other cyclists and mummies and daddies with toddlers who want to watch the big diggers build the Olympics. But it’s also an Education Centre, a hub of Green Fingered gardening/reclaiming projects and an exhibition site for local school arts projects and artists.

The Anish Kapoor sculpture ‘Orbit’ which is being constructed next to the Olympic Stadium is coming along a treat. I’ve not heard any locals say a good thing about it other than it’s bloody huge, but I love the colour - real liquorice shoelace red and I’m really quite in love with it. 

It puts me in mind of roller coasters and a Meccano trumpet tied in knots. 

And judging by the small piece already in place … yes   it   will   be   massive.

Do go and take a look!

The Retro Bicycle Post

I nipped out on my bike this morning to buy some fabric from a local haberdasher and instantly wished that I’d worn ear muffs - it was bloody cold. I’m usually quite good with bike attire, in so far as I wear appropriate clothing - I’ve got nasty waterproof trousers and matching amorphous waterproof jacket for when it pours, I always wrap up warm and tend to wear trousers rather than skirts. Earmuffs are a problem though as they muffle traffic noise and I want to be able to hear what’s thundering up behind me.

I love my bike - I'm sure you can see why.

It’s a modern version of a vintage classic and generally turns heads when I’m pedalling along and of course there's a ton of accessories I'd love to add - Vintage Schwinn bike enthusiasts take a lookee here.

I can guarantee it’s the bike that causes the interest, not me - there is a dearth of stylish cycling attire out there, especially for Britain’s climate. So imagine my surprise when I walked into a cycle shop in London only to find amongst the inner tubes, a rather beautifully cut swing coat with a nipped in waist and wait for it - detachable hood. See below.

Water Off A Duck's Back, waterproof coat.

The bike shop guy registered my surprise and gave the low down on the coat, a new range by designer Antonia Maybury her company is Water Off a Duck’s Back stylish coats for women who want to look good and stay dry.

This is the answer to the prayer I’ve often muttered - decent cycling outerwear with integral reflective tape. I’ve gone so far as to source reflective tape myself in order to design and make such a jacket.

This mac has a reversible belt, one side reflective - flip up the collar and roll down the cuffs for more of the same. It buttons in such a way as to keep the fabric far from the back wheel. I was too busy to try the coat on that day and the £130 price tag just before Christmas meant I’d have to be content just to drool. But my hat goes off to Antonia, an innovate design and a market gap well and truly exploited - I hope she extends the range.

There is quite a classy range of cycling capes and cycle hats to be found at Cycle Chic Clothing, along with some fancy panniers. 

CycleChic, panniers.

I don’t like to spoil the clean lines of my bike with bulky panniers and simply hang my Mexican made plastic shopper from the handlebars.

Note the wonderful Sunburst front gate which I bought online last year. I’ve had a long love affair with Beach Cruiser bikes ever since I saw Pee Wee’s Big Adventure many moons ago. These are two from my stable that I’ve since said farewell to - one stolen, one sold on to an enthusiastic Cruiser newbie. 

For the ultimate in cycling in style - and heels - check out this lady whose blog I’ve followed for quite a while as she cycles around NY on her pink Hello Kitty bike. Sheryl’s blog is a fitness and weight loss blog - not something I aspire to - I simply got hooked on her ballsy attitude to cycling alongside lycra clones whilst wearing fishnets and corsets!

So back to my earlier bike trip to purchase fabric, I bought some blue check suiting which is pre-washing as I type. This is what I’m going to make - and yes I hope to cycle in them, watch this space!

(NB: I had a really glitchy time composing this post, Blogger wouldn't give me consistent font size or let me delete white spaces. Hope it looks OK on your browser!)