.The Fun Between My Legs.

(B)OOTD: Purple for my Paw

2012-02-20T00:04:00.001-05:00

New sweater!: LYS- $25

Handbag/leggins: Bongo-$6..yes on clearance!

Bike necklace: One of my most fav Etsy shops!’

Today would have been my dear old Dad’s 51st Birthday, and what seems like half my life without him here, it was by far the easiest one in 7 years. The Hubb brought home some of his favorite roses, and a cupcake to light as a little memorial;

Purple being his favorite color(he always did want a Purple electric Bass..), and seeing how I snagged a new purple sweater, handbag and a purple eye shadow(in the most AMAZING belated bday package ever!) I wore all the purple I had for todays bike ride

Big Thanks to my babe Tesko for the awesome TokiDoki eye shadow! Killer Candy it is<3 A B and the F post on that soon!

We are eccentrics..and are well aware of this fact.

After scoring some presidents day sale priced crap, we head home. Nothing special, nothing big..but its what dad liked to do.

A very, merry UN-Vday

2012-02-15T20:19:00.001-05:00

The Hubb and I don’t really believe in the Hallmark hype that Valentines Day has become, you don’t need one day to shower your loved ones with flowers and chocolate. For those lucky enough to have a man who does romantic things all year long, V-day can be…off-putting. What do you do on the day, when everyone else is out to dinner? Get dressed up in pretty things, head to Greenwich Village, and get a new piercing…..OF COURSE!

There was two OOTD’s actually..since we went out the eve of, and the day of V-day

V-day eve, Hubb and I enjoy a burrito from Chipotle..now this is my idea of a dinner-date.!

I love how unconventional we are <3

The very next day, we head back downtown and the first stop is Unimax Supply…if your big on the tattoo/piercing/body modification scene; YOU KNOW THIS PLACE!

total candid shot..jesus my legs look THAT strong?

Since we were already in the neighborhood, we drop in our old shop and I decide it’s time for a piercing!

I’ve been in this chair countless times..but Tino never minds!

Totally happy with my bling, Hubb and I decide it was warm enough for a Texas-sized frozen drink :)

took this time to get a shot of the bling and play with Instagram..why the Eff haven’t I had this in my life till now?!

We walk around the LES(buzzed as hell) and just took in our most favorite of neighborhoods;

I may not agree with it, but I love the colors of V-day<3

TIGER TRUCK!! ROAR!

I love New York City…born and raised, so I’m biased, but this really is the greatest city on Earth. People from all walks of life, all kinds of styles, bustling and scurrying trying to keep their busybusy schedules…its great to watch, when your not the one in a hurry :p

I hope you all who celebrates had a love-filled V-day, and here’s to hoping no one has any new cavities!

xoxo

The Chubby Cruiser

Oh yes, it’s ladies night!

2012-02-13T15:04:00.001-05:00

Know what’s kinda sad? I don’t remember my last girls night. Honestly. I’ve been consumed by other things, I suppose..but that’s not a good excuse! So after a long-awaited return to the night-life, Friday was the day to step on out!

My BOOTD(bike outfit of the day) pretty much are things you’ve seen before

Sandy D. on the 6 <3

Being the city-dweller I am, I often take my bike on the train. It’s an easy way to get away from your neighborhood, and tour all that the other four boroughs have to offer! Also $2.50 for a mini-getaway ‘aint too damn shabby :) Regardless of that, IT’S A PAIN IN THE ASS!!! And my long-time, back-to-biking, babe M found that out today!

Killin the “bike on train” strategy!

WITH them boots…haaaaawt

We take the 5 train to Borough Hall in Brooklyn, which is really the only area of BK I’m familiar with, and map out our bike ride from there to the event. We took the Dean Street Lane all the way there!

yes, we’re going the right way!

only one good panda was taken :/

After about a half hour of pedaling, we arrive, park our bikes, and headed inside this quaint total-DIY studio!

A little background on the straight awesomeness going on here:

Sue Rock is an amazingly generous and wonderful person who is doing something something so noble for the community-

Sue Rock Originals is an eco-fashion brand of "back to basics" separates which are flattering to every figure! Be a Sue Rock Original! Sue Rock Originals is a Brooklyn based green clothing line available at high end boutiques throughout the New York area.

There are classes on knitting, crocheting, sewing your own clothes all for women who were victims of domestic abuse, as well as the general public. But todays Ladies night was surrounded by sorting through BAAAAAAAAGS of bras/undies/nighties(ALL DONATED AND NEW!) in preparation for a lingerie sale coming up!

Dude…this wasn’t even 1/4th of the donations….

Sorting bras by number and size gets a girl thinkin’..women are more obsessed with boobies than men! Think about it…Aren’t you always looking at your own, seeing if they look good? Looking at other women's, in comparison? YEP YOU DO ;) Anyhoo, these were brand new underroos, either samples or completely tagged so its not like these donations were taken from just anybody. Besides helping a great cause, the night was filled with food, wine, and great people! Every woman there was just beautiful, inside and out!

O where to start?

how adorbs is Jess? GAH!

Jess, PJ, and Myrna <3 Finally got meet PJ, she’s been my friend on Facebook for the longest!

It was really good for my soul..to be helping a cause and hanging out with such cool women. It was just what I needed! Never again will so much time pass before another girls-only event! If you’d like to help out this fab place do some fab things and are a New Yorker here is the address:

1069 Bergen Street
between Nostrand and Rogers Avenues
Crown Heights North
Brooklyn, NY

Lingerie isn’t the only thing offered here either…but you wouldn’t know that by looking at what I scored for 20 bucks!

Mina-chan even likes what I scored :)

Other greatness I MUST mention:

I took part in the “I Stand against Weight Bullying” Campaign by author Marilyn Wann(of FAT!SO?) This is been a HUGE reaction to the Georgia’s fat-shaming ads:

Regardless of where you personally stand, I took part of this as the little girl growing up being teased and ridiculed back in school, who is standing up for herself and others like her. We are all people, and need to be treated as such…my sister-in-ink Melanie knows the deal. I cannot be more proud to have had this made and to be part of the backlash and revolt against this “Strong 4 life” BULLSHIT!

health, wealth and love at every size

xoxo

The Chubby Cruiser

BEAUTY & THE FRUGAL; 1st installment!

2012-02-08T23:08:00.000-05:00

If you remember, back in December I had an idea for starting a segment to this blog dedicated to my two loves; makeup and inexpensive makeup! So, with much anticipation, here is the first ever post ever for-

“BEAUTY & THE FRUGAL”!

First up is one of the maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaany makeup products for Christmas, Too Faced Chocolate Galaxy Glam eye shadow in Cocoa Comet. I use this all the time, I have to stop myself before its all gone too soon! Its ultra-velvety and rich and goes on without caking it on. Named accordingly for its swirls of browns, mint greens, pink and silver…it truly is like looking up at the night sky through a telescope :)

It comes in a total mirrored pot..

Like I had mentioned, it has become a favorite…it was the eye shadow I used on 25th Berfday…along with my magnificentttttt Domino Dollhouse dress-

I cannot waaaait to wear it again!..but where..oh maybe The Kid’s 7th bday at school! Those little girls are gonna bug out and call me a cupcake..omg what if cake spills on it?..or soda? OR….kid..drool?…eerrrrm, moving on-

Being that I have a tawny complexion, not only did I add an extra layer or two, but I used primer. I cannot sing the praises of primer enough, it’ll make your color stay vivid all damn day! Because of the velvety texture, its easily blendable and perfect for adding a pop to you smokey eye!
So that it! Overall, great eye shadow, I’m quickly becoming a fan of Too Faced :) I have plenty more products to review, and articles to find, and tips to write down so I hope you stay tuned for the next installment!

!SEND ME YOUR FAV MAKE UP PRODUCTS, I’M ALWAYS EXPANDING MY COLLECTION!

Also a HUGE thanks to all my new readers and followers via My Tumblr..all of you are totally tubular! I HIT THE 5000 PAGEVIEW MARK BECAUSE OF YOU ALL! Hope you enjoy all the fun we’re gonna have this year!...between my legs ;p

xoxo

The Chubby Cruiser

Riding a bike is just like…..riding a bike

2012-02-01T00:16:00.001-05:00

Granted, I haven’t have a ride for about 3 weeks so it’s not like I can forget any skills, but it has been too long for my taste. In those 3 weeks, there was rain, snow, and coooooooold ass weather! Our bikes sleep in the yard covered by a tarp(which almost made me cry on a snowy night, I was gonna bring Sandy Dee inside to sleep), so they aren’t sufficiently protected from everything.

This past weekend, I rolled her out to clean her up, and JESUS! she was dirty…and rusty :(

She is not even a year old yet, and look at that wear-and-tear! I have already replaced parts over the course of riding her, but I honestly did not expect to be replacing the fenders so soon.

My seat needed replacing too, but I knew this for months. A nrw seat must be able to hold my awesome(London Metro!) license plate!

I may have neglected her for under a month, but she looked like hell. If I can be brutally honest? I wouldn’t recommend my bike for long term use. I have replaced too many things, had quite a bit of trouble with the right brake and seat post, so she may have cost $180 at the store, but after pumping in all the extras its more like $260. Yes, she is gorgeous to look at. She has a whimsical retro feeling to her, but if your looking for an all terrain transport, this is not the bike for you. If you know me, you know I love my bike..she makes me happy as fuck. I just felt the need to put my concerns out in the open, for mental clarity and reference purposes for anyone interested in purchasing a Schwinn Wayfarer. Besides cleaning and turtle waxing her, I get her a new seat and mirror as a way to apologize for my neglect;

with the help of The Hubb, SD gets her new accessories on good and tight

and for the next two days, test out the new seat

I got the Schwinn quilted comfort cruiser seat, my rides are super smooth!

We are having Spring weather here in NYC this week, I picked a great time to spruce up my ride and get back in the streets! I was hit by the blues a little after my birthday, which is not all that uncommon during the winter, but after riding my bike 2 days in a row my mood has definitely changed. Todays 57 degree bike ride was truly wonderful, I know I was smiling the whole way!

*Off-topic; but if you notice a change to my hair, that’s cause I ripped off the extensions and am back to my natural locks! I’ll be blogging my journey, so look out for hair posts!

The Chubby Cruiser

Quarter Century survived!

2012-01-22T23:31:00.001-05:00

q

My Birthday outfit <3

I put a lot of thought into my birthday this year; the outfit, the outings, and even the perfume! I knew exactly what I wanted this year, which may not seem like a big deal, but after the last 6 birthdays without my Dad I finally felt that birthday specialness. Birthdays were always a huge deal in my family, we always got a weekend to celebrate, a countdown, and(usually) a homemade cake from Dad. I tear up every time I reminisce about those days, but I now realize more than ever that I am lucky enough to have an amazing husband! And boy, this man listens:

I ask for everything Hello Kitty..he makes it happen

Started off with the Balloons

and even the holder :D

cake deco, cookie cutter, a candle and even mega blocks!

what birthday girl doesn’t love a tiara?

My whole Hello kitty-themed birthday was brought up when(a few months prior to my birthday) I was hit by the “holy crap adolescence is done with” brick. I enjoyed my teen years, my youth. After 25 there's nothing but 30 and beyond! Its true that age is nothing but a number, but what I will miss the most is the good times. You know, those times where you dive in head first, no matter what the consequences? That crutch called “just being a kid”? GONE. No more of that! I can rent a car now, all that’s left to wait for is Medicare….*Le sigh* This is the driving point behind my “reliving youth” themes birthday…pink, pretty clothes, tiaras, tons of gifts and doing whatever I want. Ok, maybe it wasn’t that different than any other day, only the fact that it was the day I busted onto the scene ;) Here is a breakdown of my outfit:

My dress, aptly named the “birthday bash dress” is a Domino Dollhouse smash hit

The picture I posted on my Tumblr Blog was reblogged by the awesome Tracy! and its my most popular pic to date :)

I topped off my beautiful dress with the Chubby Bunny x Sanrio bow..its huge and super kawaii! My ring and giant plushie were gifts <3 just like my Barbie Necklace-

I kept my makeup and hair simple…all I really cared about was the dress!

My actual birthday fell on Friday(the 13th!), I took that day to get spoiled by my hubb, an get surprised with a cake from my mom..

mmm Italian mousse <3

Saturday was my night-out-on-the-town, Beauty and The Beast in 3D came out the day of my Birthday, so of course seeing it was a must! Where? Times Square of course!

My cousin and my 2 of my besties came out, THANKS FOR BRAVING THE COLD GUYS!

Besides seeing one of my fav Disney movies, I needed to stop in the Sanrio Luxe Store!

Little Cuz loved my bow so much she got the one in pink!

Twinsies :D

The Birthday girl with the Birthday haul

After a fun night of frollic and feeling like a tourist, I head home, unexpectedly to one sexy man! The Hubb took the night off for me, and had pink drinks waiting for me when I got home-

Sunday, Hubb and I slept in till we decided we should go out for Dinner. I re-wore my dress, cause I sure as hell would not spend all that money on a dress and only wear it once. I didn’t do it for my wedding, I wont be doing it now!

I paired it with my new Vivitix Hk Basket bag I got 50% off the night before!

Its adorable, its Japanese, and its one of a kind..plus a nice place for my Hawaiian plushie<3

The night was filled with drinks and huge plates of food that were barely touched

My birthday lasted longer than the weekend and was equally as great. I cannot thank my amazing husband enough for all the time and effort(lets not forget money) he put into making me feel like royalty the whole way through..YOU ROCK LOVEMUFFIN! Not to mention a big thanks for all the love, comments, calls, visits, cards, and of course all the HK any true girl could ever want-

Purses and makeup and plushies galore..its an overload! But I appreciate every last thing<3 all this and more can be found on Hello Kitty Junkies page

Here’'s hoping 25 is grand!

Year-end clearance is the best kind of clearance!

2012-01-10T22:42:00.001-05:00

Shopping as a plus size girl is not a walk in the park…scratch that, if you’re the AVERAGE sized woman in America(14/16) its hard to shop. You get to places that carry a range of sizes, and if your like me, your sizes are gone and only left with either too small or too big choices. LAME. If your even more like me, you see things like this:

and get a bit more angrier. Not at the shape wear..never at the shape wear! It’s the marketing that pisses me off. I love what these products do, but why put already in-shape women wearing your products? Its us girls with love-handles, and muffin tops who buy these!! Ok this isn’t a rant post, I just needed to let that out..I'm good now :) On to the great stuff I would not have gotten if not for the massive markdowns;

Left to right:

2 Infinity Scarves- $7 each

Double buckle faux-croc belt- $5

Sparkly skinny belt- $5

Sweatpants- $8.50

Graphic Tees- $6.50 each

Hello Kitty Fleece- $20(not on sale I think but I needed it)

!the best old navy find that day!

I gasped so loud, people came to my aid..I am a huge Grease fan! $8.50

and this leopard fleece for $3..yup 3! FYI: that was a bike outfit on a VERY cold day..terrible ride, just terrible..

That’s it for Old Navy, on to Macy*s…my cousin had gotten me this GAWJUS dress for Christmas!..in the wrong size :/ Damn junior plus sizing! Hubb and I take a leisurely bike ride to the nearest Macy*s Sunday to find a replacement for the lovely garment..no dress :( But I did get goodies from a designer I LOVE but could never afford!!

I have been dying for ANYTHING BJ for too long! 50% off is the best reason to finally get some things

Its pretty big right? Glitteratzzi wallet- $35 orig. $59

Picked up these ultra-soft, super cute, slipper boots also half off;

Beddy-bye boots- $15 orig. $30..had to get another pair for that price..black and pink ones!

After getting my Betsey fix and saying bye to that dress( :( ), I pull out the gift card she gave me as well, and head over to the beauty counters!

O how I love the displays <3

and a man who can stay hardcore surrounded by pretty smelling things and carrying pink bags <3 I end up at the Juicy counter and give in to my needs…

I’m a perfume lover, since I couldn’t spring the big beautiful bottle, getting the sampler seemed like the way to go..all three scents; Viva La Juicy, Couture Couture & Juicy Couture for $38

I think I have indulged my designer sweet tooth for now…my leopard one too

Shirt, embellished tank., booties and heating blanket

The week leading up to my birthday has been great…3 DAYS LEFT! I won’t blog till after , but I’ll be sure to blog about every memory of my 25th :) Special hello to my new followers, love you all!

xxoo

My (half)year by bike

2011-12-30T19:40:00.001-05:00

Mothers Day 2011..the day I got Sandra Dee.

This blog is still so very new, I only started it early June! So reading all the blogs on my roll(and then some), I notice that writers like to sum up their year with one last post before the clock strikes midnight. Since I’ve only had 6 months worth of blogging(or at least trying too), I thought that I wouldn’t be able to write much….upon lookin9g at ALLL my pictures, an backtracking some posts, I’ve had quite a busy biking year!

So I joined the rest out there in the blogosphere and decided to recap the joyous(and maybe not so much) months with my Sandra Dee!

June:

Only one post back in June, and it was an introduction to my reason for starting this blog as well as topics I wanted to cover. I was brand new to blogging..and biking! There was SO much out there I wanted to learn, and not enough hours in the day to learn it all!..o yeah and I had blue hair :)

and some great riding partners <3

July:

I was in a pretty gnarly accident

skin clean off!

That had me down…but not for long! There was trips to the park, the market, and even to Queens to visit my Father

It was him who gave me the balls later that day to say; “Lets cross the bridge and ride Manhattan!” Thanks Daddy <3

August:

This month was a big and busy one! We had a mini-vacay to
Connecticut and our bikes came with I met the coolest people on the bike trail who took my pic!

Drew and Sue..you guys made my whole vacation!

Summer Streets was SO much fun! I’m looking forward to car-free Manhattan streets next year! This year we only did 2 out of 3 Saturdays, next year its all three :) I met some of the other LadyBikers(and blogger fame-dom) of NYC those Saturdays as well!

Riding and meeting Sheryl was like meeting a celeb! Keeping up with her was like something off my bucket list!

Julie, Malaika, Me, and Kimmy bear! Not pictured; the mega-sweet Maureen!

Regg and I even got shot by famed #BIKENYC photog Dmitry @ his Summer Streets booth!

The Kid took off his training wheels this hot and sweaty month too-

This is the smile of a very proud two-wheeler :)

We even scored an invite to a Hindi wedding!

September:

We started off September with a Birthday bike date to Riverside via the West side Greenway

This is pretty much the view for the entire ride…amazing

I got my mom to get back on a bike!..and got some pink in my hair!

Not only was that one for the record books, My outfit the day before is still one of my fav bike outfits to date!

I was such a golden goddess..I miss sunbathing!

I had the best luck too this month…I won/was given SO much bike-related goodies!

October:

was a freakin’ HECTIC month! Started with a bang when I completed my first bike tour

Amy the Awesome mom was just one of the many riders I met that day!

My darling Husband and I made one year married this month!

He’s the coffee to my crème…

I love you so much Hubba!

We also did our trick-or-treating by bike

*A review of mine on my Detours Transit box was featured and linked on the official Detours site!*

During this half-year by bike I:

got in a crash
went through 3 bells and 2 mirrors
had one tune-up and no flats
completed my first bike tour
crossed 3 bridges and 4 boroughs
became a spectacle in my neighborhood, and in turn inspired some other chicks to get on their wheels
met other awesome biking/blogging people, and learned about the cycling community of NYC
discovered the joy and freedom of a bike again
learned to love the awesomeness of a fat-bottomed girl on a bike…and
STARTED THIS BLOG!

Speeding up to the present month, December one of my best blogging months, I’ve gained a few new followers and readers! I can only work at growing as a writer, cyclist, and woman in this upcoming year. There is no end to learning, and I hope to learn all I can in 2012!

Last BOOTD(bike outfit of the day) or 2011!

Thank you all for reading and I hope I continue to deliver some entertainment with a side of attitude in this new year! HAPPIEST OF NEW YEARS TO YOU ALL!

xxoo

The makeup gods have blessed me!

2011-12-29T20:23:00.001-05:00

Ok well maybe it was my husband, but that does not hinder my delight!

After a post on overpriced makeup, I cannot help but have a foot-in-mouth moment after having our Christmas eve morning unwrapping session!

I got a few things from NYX;

The Haute Jersey Couture palette may be based loosely around a show I want nothing to do with, but hot diggity I LOVE THIS PALETTE!

One side is the eye shadows and a mirror..with a message..

The other side of the palette comes with more goodness-

For the money, it’s a good deal you can get a variety of looks out of

I also got the Butt Naked Palette;

I’ve been needing to perfect my smoky-eye, and this kit is ideal for a novice

Shocked, I unwrapped some great shit from Too Faced!

The Pink Leopard Brightening Bronzer is simply amazing. This is the first bronzer I have ever, and will ever use! The compact is adorable, the colors blend like magic, and is a great base. You can add some blush an contour away!

Next up, is the Galaxy Glam chocolate collection eye shadow in Cocoa Comet;

I always did love Astronomy class…its like I’m looking in a telescope!

The niftiest lil package for the smoothest, velvetiness, slightly iridescent eye shadow! I want the other two in the collection SO bad

lastly, two ultra-glam(and ultra-hilarious) glitter pots!

Kitty Glitter in “Pussie galore” and “Cat fight”

*Drum roll please* and last but most of not least….!!!

The Hello Kitty Noir Palette(according to my connection in Sephora I didn’t know I had!)was such a huge hit this season…can you blame any of us? If you love HK you should want this!…and this-

for the life of me, I could NOT take a good picture of this thing…its too damn reflective! But the brushes are cute and soft! * Both of these items are exclusive for Sephora

So I think I’ve done enough bragging for tonight..Hope all your wishes came true this Holiday!

*'I have reviewed each product online. I also will post individual blogs(possibly vlogs) posts on them in the new year!

‘Twas the season; An unorthodox Holiday

2011-12-26T20:24:00.001-05:00

let me start by thanking all my new readers and followers and commenters! I promise to get back to your messages and comments as soon as I can. Im squeezing SO much into this last week of the year! 2011 is almost here!

IFB is a fabulous community for bloggers looking to connect with other bloggers and promote themselves!

Tales of a Chubby Cruiser is worldwide :D Thank you to everyone who truly enjoys reading my blog, it means a lot!

I’ll be featuring a few of my new fav reads..If you would like to be one of them, contact me!

Screw it, it’s the Holidays! We wait all year for it to be over..so eat up! Life’s too short to worry all the time.

The Christmas spirit took its sweet time getting to my house this year..it almost felt like it would never come. Growing up I prepared for Christmas in July! I knew how I’d decorate ever last inch of the house..every year. Becoming more and more of an adult. I’m realizing that things like Christmas and even Birthdays get a little less alluring. Which really blows. Good thing I have a step-son! He may not be biologically mine, but its true that they keep you young, his excitement and smile is what its all about.

As of our Christmas shopping; there was practically none…except of course for The Kid. He was spoiled because he deserved it. 100’s on every test since beginning 1st grade in September? O yeah…this was gonna be a good Christmas for him :) Hubb and I did our shopping by bike as usual. The weather hasn’t been that bad on bike…just yet I suppose. Damn East coast winters!

one of my fav panda shots to date!

thank goodness I married an improviser..I would have never thought of this! We both did what we had too:

The eve of Christmas eve, we baked cookies and decorated the tree. Since Hubb had work on Christmas and the eve of, and the kid was going out of state for the day, we were one day ahead of the rest of the world. In retrospect, its not as weird as I felt it was…it was pretty rad!

Our tree had cool ornaments (and adorable stockings!)

He loves Thomas the Tank Engine…this years ornament had him elated. And dancing!

Our cookies were funky

Our gifts were color-coded/coordinated

And smiles too big to capture by camera

I couldn’t bring myself to edit this picture in anyway. You can see how much fun he had through all the blur in the world.

Funny story about our Christmas eve morning;

I tell little man, that Santa had emailed us saying he will be bringing his gifts to our place earlier, since he wasn’t going to be around Christmas morning! It was a fun experiment that was a huge success…so who knows how many Santa emails we will be forging in the years to come :p

Christmas day OOTD:

You all have seen the poncho, boots and petticoat before. The best parts about this outfit was the flower, the bag and the scarf! Although we didn’t do our Xmas Bike ride, I wore this for lunch with the family :)

HOPING IT WAS A NICE HOLIDAY FOR YOU ALL!

((Bloggers Rock the Colors of Christmas: White&Red))

2011-12-20T16:58:00.001-05:00

Santa isn’t the only one who can pull these color off ;)

Thanks to a few new awesome bloggers I follow;

(The fiercely fab Kristin & the ultra-chic Colette), I had discovered and joined along on this awesome holiday-themed group post. Here are the rules:

“So what do you have to do, you ask?
Seeing that the most popular colors of Christmas are Red, Green, White, Gold, Silver & Blue........you just need to post an outfit to your blog on Tuesday, December 20th wearing the Christmas color of your choice listed above. Easy Peasy.
You do not have to commit to an outfit color now, I have high hopes we will be able to cover them all:)
I will have a link tool displayed in my December 20th post with a thumbnail for you to grab & post on your blog along with your outfit.
I think it will be super fun to see how everyone styles their Christmas colored outfits. The outfit doesn't have to be your "Christmas best", casual and jean outfits are of course welcome! (Please just make sure the prominent color of your posted outfit is one of the colors listed above)

Please join!”

..so I did!

I’m a sassy Mrs. Clause! I don’t need no reindeer..I have calfs of steel :p

(Bike!)OOTD breakdown:

Knit Poncho – Bongo for Kmart $10

Red Leather Gloves(great for winter-cycling!) – Macy*s $17

Belt – Rainbow $6

Dress and Leggings – Old navy $25-ish combined

“Jubilee” Booties – Jaclyn Smith $20

Helmet – Bern $65

Glasses – street vendors (<3)

Thanks for allowing me to be part of this Colette! Looking forward to future games and posts!

Christmas day in New York City is drawing closer and closer….I HAVENT EVEN BEEN DOWN TO ROCKEFELLER CENTER YET! If all goes well, Hubb and I will be taking our first ever Christmas Bike Ride this year!

I’ll pimp out Sandy Dee like Santa’s Sleigh ;)

I don’t always have $12.50 to spend on a single lip gloss.

2011-12-19T00:18:00.001-05:00

I won’t go off on a (complete)tantrum here, but, what's with every single “beauty” blog solely using MAC makeup? Or NARS? I can honestly say that I would love to use these brands 24/7, but let me I must face reality; I’M A BROKE BITCH. I have priorities and no credit card. I go to my local Beauty Supply store and raid the hell out of it.

Where my collection resides: A Monster High cosmetic box..I love it :)

I can’t help but become apprehensive towards blogs or websites that only feature high-end cosmetics/brands. They cater to a crowd I do not know much about. I’m not an over-privileged less-than-appreciative Upper East Side housewife….those bitches piss me off! I mean, I’m almost 25 and NEVER walked into a Sephora.
Even if I could afford lip gloss that costs as much as NYX eye shadow, primer AND 2 or 3 lipsticks, I’ll make “a pimp decision” and go for the more bang-for-my-buck option. I know a HELL of a lot more women who are sick of the pretentiousness of makeup tutorials, I’m one of them, instead of waiting to see if someone can make the same looks for less… I’ll be the one to break the mold :)

I don’t own much, so this is as much a learning experience, as much as its point-proving. Er excuse the poor quality of the photos, I have yet another camera to get used too!

So, there will be another topic to be covered in my blog. and it will be called;
“BEAUTY & THE FRUGAL”
^{Any new beauty-finds, tips I come across, or comparisons to higher-end products will be put in blog posts starting as such. Vlogs are also being considered.}

2012 is almost here, bringing about new ideas, connections, and opportunities…IM NOT LETTING A SINGLE ONE PASS ME BY!

Baby, it’s gettin’ coooooold outside

2011-12-12T23:36:00.000-05:00

December is here and brought the nippy with it! Hubb and I are adding cold weather apparel to our cycling arsenal, since there is no sign of us stopping our routine yet :) We’re milking everyday we can, if it ‘aint storming, we out riding!

My new cape is the bee’s knees, I never thought I could pull one off, but here I am rockin it ;)

New gloves were attained

I feel so classy in the red leather ones, the fingerless funky ones are a trip back to tweenhood!

The cutest skull scarf(Joe Boxer)for 50% off? MINE its soft as hell too

Hubb is stocking up on knit hats since his helmet is a summer helmet. If it comes with a visor, it’s a BIG plus!

Im a boot-bitch..didn’t you know?

These Route 66 lined boots can be worn two ways:

and were on sale!

These are the newest Uggs in my collection, I wore my green ones for the Tour De Bronx and my black ones need cleaning. I remember saying “I’ll never wear those UGGly things!” That’s before I got the hookup and found out how comfy they were!

and cycling-friendly..minus the grease stains(ugh)

I remember there being a time I dreaded shopping, maybe because I had my mother dressing me, but mostly because bigger sizes weren’t always available in the junior section. Shoe shopping was awful too, my feet were wide. Plus being a growing girl I needed new shoes every few months…so it was pure torture I had to endure. Being a young adult, I appreciate how far clothing has come for the plus size gal, I can now take solace in the fact that I will always find something in my size virtually anywhere I shop :)
..O yeah…you may have noticed but I took my hair in a different direction;

My Facebook followers were quite vocal about “losing the bike-riding cotton candy” I must admit, once I was done going back to brunette, I shed a tear….maybe more!
But ya know…I kinda like it…Its shorter, darker, choppy, but still has some color in there. Not bad for doing it myself eh?

But badass rebel Barbie will be back….she will be back..

The “F'” word

2011-12-06T23:14:00.001-05:00

I, like many other people of size, steer away from this word. I only call my cat “fat”. Being “the fat girl”, “the tall girl”, “the tomboy”, the freak” for most of prepubescent years has had an unexpected effect on me. I swore up and down that I wasn’t effected at all by this; I was still the brash, rough and tough, daring me I had blossomed into. Now, ask the 13 year old me if it bothered me…uhm duh, of course it did. Being called things like glutton, ugly, giant, beast, Mankind(look him up) will eventually get to a person. Especially if it’s a daily occurrence. I didn’t make waves, I raised my hand to answer questions. I didn’t start fights, I was too busy singing the pain out in choir or playing sports. Little did I know, that the now grown me would come to find that the reason her hair was a little thicker, her tummy rounder, her hips narrower, her shoulders wider, even the damn food cravings I would get is because of genetics. Fucking genetics. Think that would have been a valid argument to bring up to other 13 year olds? 13 year olds who don’t care about the feelings of those being teased, instead care too much about the laughs their words got from others? As if. It still isn’t valid in 2011, If your overweight'; ITS AUTOMATICALLY YOUR FAULT! No if’s and’s or but’s about it. Your ass has cellulite? YOUR fault. Your arms are jiggly? YOUR fault. You gain weight mostly in the middle? YOUR fault. Why must there be something to blame? Why do we need to look for things we can use as a crutch?

Society. That’s why

The above image is of the model I had posted a pic in my last post. This image was taken off of one of the many sites she models for by some poor child with a severe case of bulimia and anorexia. She ruins this gorgeous picture with the message she is conveying, that if you eat food your gonna get fat, and if your fat, there’s no reason to live. I’m serious, check out this disturbing Tumblr. Its your blog, do as you like, in no way am I bashing skinny people. They have it tough too…thanks to society in the western hemisphere-YOUR OK IF YOUR RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE-but being on either end of the superficial scale is a no-no. Where does personal taste come in? Is it the default setting for the vast majority of this day and age?

Is there certain things about myself I want to change? Yes. Is there certain (physical) traits I wouldn’t change? Yes…yes there is, whether its my eyes, or my legs, or my height, I can honestly say I do like something about myself. There will always be something that irks the back of my brain, but that’s ok, its gonna happen as it does to everyone. My hair won’t look the same two days in a row, but I’ll make sure its combed! I will put that wide foot of mine in front of the other one and work with what I was given. I’ll dress how I want, put on makeup how I want and put on that brave face I found back when I was 13 and take on the world. Will I ever like it as a whole? Well, its not improbable. You like what you have, work on what you don’t, and never ever EVER subdue to outside forces. Just live your damn life.

I will not be shamed for being any less(or more;) than who I am.

Its like I‘m always playing catch-up

2011-12-04T00:58:00.001-05:00

Whether its with paperwork, gym work, reading and even seeing friends! Keeping a blog means being consistent with posts, and I feel like I can do a better job. One of my resolutions this year is to make time for blogging, there is many different topics I want this blog to be about; fashion, cycling, body positivity, city life, road to a healthier me..in order to cover them all, some organization is needed.

Besides having a typically great Turkey day, here’s what has been getting all my time lately..

I joined a new gym!

like my old gym, its quick to get there by bike

I quickly found my parking spot

Here’s some shots of the lobby

Inside set-up

It’s a far cry from Planet Fitness….I made a pro and con list:

Pros

Classes!
Welcoming vibe even if you’re a new member.
Easily accessible by bike, and not far from the house.
Change of surroundings
All the freebies, and even birthday Zumba classes! I may do it for mine next month.
Same membership price.
Success stories within the members of the gym, I met a girl doing WW during a workout, just another sign to get my ass to WW!

Cons

Old equipment
Minimal weights over 50/60 lbs.
Having to sign up for cardio machines..I’m lucky if I get an elliptical for a whole hour *ugh*
The hours of operation:

Mon - Thurs: 8:00am-9:30pm
Friday: 8:00am-8:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00am-2:00pm

Seems as the pros outweigh the cons! Don’t you love when that happens?

I wore my Tour de Bronx Tshirt for the first week..if finished 25 miles, in the condition I was in, I COULD DO ANYTHING..wearing this reminded me of that.

Besides that, I’ve been shopping around, still revamping my wardrobe.

I am going coo-coo for petticoats lately so I ordered one!

My petticoat from Hips&Curves came before Thanksgiving, after stuffing my face I just had to try it out on Sandy Dee. Did it again for Fridays ride,‘cept I wore the petticoat alone;

Posing is still pretty awkward for me…I’m still getting comfortable with full-body shots, but progress is progress right? I felt like a child riding around in a pretty poofy skirt, my smile could not be contained :)

The first skirt if from City Chic, the second from Domino Dollhouse. My main focus on a petticoat is fullness..I plan on pairing petticoats with my two gorgeous corsets :)

Speaking of progress, Tumblr threw this at me and I couldn’t help but think of all the girls out there embracing themselves. No longer hiding. No longer caring the words that spew out of peoples mouths.

I’m proud to be part of this revolution of confident women who know that a number doesn’t define who you are. Being healthy surpasses being thin(ner). Everytime :)

One leader in the revolution: Tess Munster. A true inspiration.

Corsets and Bicycles Part I: Corsets

2011-11-10T20:03:00.001-05:00

A corset is a garment worn to hold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes (either for the duration of wearing this item, or with a more lasting effect). Both men and women are known to wear corsets, though women are more common wearers.

Fashion, as ever-changing as it is, something's just don’t die. The little black dress, a pair of sling back heels, fishnet stockings, the perfect shapewear…a go-to outfit for any woman. While times have changed, women’s needs have not. We are all looking for clothes that we feel great in, and in turn, look great in. I doubt my journey for the perfect jeans will never end. But best believe I will never stop shopping for them, because once I have it, I will probably never want to take them off. Which is the way I feel about my newest additions to the revamped armada of garbs..

Top images: The Baronessa steel-boned corset

Bottom images:The Ainsley raw silk steel-boned corset

Hips and Curves is a plus-size lingerie company based in California and from the first time Hubb sent me a link from their site, I was stunned. They have great shit and offer a range from 1x(the smallest) to 6x(the biggest, but special sizes can be ordered). The models are gorgeous, curvy, and aren’t generic looking in anyway. I know my + size girls out there know what I’m talking about. It’s good to see curvy and chubby girls NOT look as if they are in their 40’s..but look my age.

!THE ERA OF BIGGGER SIZES ONLY COMING IN GRANDMA-STLYE CLOTHING IS OVER!

These may not be the first corsets I have worn, I own an underbust corset to which I plan on using to start up my Waist training(or tight lacing). These are however, my first OVERbust corsets, meaning they cover the breasts(adding some va-va-voom if you get my meaning ;) For a HC’s construction and sizing of Corsets click here and here.

*If you are new to Corsets, sorry for all the jargon that I have and will be throwing around in this post.*

Opening the box was Christmas come early!

Tag attached to Ainsley Corset.

wondering why you see no skin behind the laces? The corsets from Hips and Curves come with a “modesty panel”- you choose how much to skin to show!

"To put on a corset properly is as much of an art as to make a corset properly." -- Anna Held

Lacing and tightening a corset on your own is difficult. With practice is can be done, but its ideal to have someone help you; Hubb has become quite used to tying me up *teehee*, so I’m lucky in that department..but I found this guide(along with cute drawings) on self-lacing.

I’ve referred to this video countless times..

A big(if not main) reason I covet shapewear, is because of the body shape I was bestowed. I am the dreaded “apple shape". I use corsets, girdles, extra high panties, slips, cinchers, belts and something called the “Torsette”(which has changed my life!). Typically we apples gain weight in the tummy and face, but blessed with slender limbs….had to give us something right? Not to mention most apples are buxom to boot…anything giving me a wait is total thumbs up.

Body shapes are usually compared to fruit or actual shapes:

Knowing your body helps with dressing it to flatter your assets!

Part one of this two-part post down. Next up: Lady bikers of yore and their corset-wearing history.

Product Review: The Detours Toocan Transit Box

2011-11-07T22:03:00.000-05:00

Back in August I had won a giveaway from the awesome gals at Cycle and Style Magazine. The prize being a brightly colored alternative to a clip-on pannier:

Detours, a company based out in Seattle, Washington has a wide selection of bags. Some for the Urban spandex wearing cyclist, where function surpasses looks. Some for the style-conscious everyday commuter, where bags and panniers must prove themselves against the elements, all while keeping a certain flair.

The people at Detours were kind enough to give away one of their Transit box bags, and I was lucky enough to win! I’ve been in the market for a pannier or bag since I got S.Dee, and right when I was getting bummed at the prices at most of them, I win this sweet bag!

I aptly call it; “The Trunk”

The Toocan transit box straps securely onto a rear rack using some super strong Velcro. I admit; this worried me at first. But, after 2 months of using it with no shifting or moving of the bag at all, I ride carefree.

Pretty simple system

The inside is lined and comes with some organizational pockets. Always a good thing when it comes to a bag. The inner zippered pocket came with a nifty rain cover and a note from one of the Editors of Cycle&Style Magazine:

Besides its blatant practicality(it also comes with a removable strap for easy transport), The Toocans most distinguished features is its woven design. It’s made out of recycled juice boxes! No doubt this bag gets plenty of attention and questions. What I love mentioning to each and every person that asks is how this bag is made in the Philippines by independent business women. Profits of every bag sold, goes to keeping these women open for business! I did not buy this bag, but for $45.00 and a good cause, I would have…if I didn’t win it that is!
This trunk bag has been my gym bag, my tour bag, my commuting bag and to my surprise, can fit quite a lot. Even my gym shoes and a jacket!

A few stats from the Detours Website:
Best uses: Touring, commuting, around town, event rides
Volume: 600 cubic inches
Dimensions: 12 x 5 x 8 inches
Average Weight: 1 pound 2 ounces

(The Toocan Transit box also made SeattleMag.com’s Out Door Gear Worth Splurging on list)
All in all, a fab bag to have in my arsenal!
K.

Prepping for Winter cycling

2011-11-06T00:36:00.001-04:00

It’s early November, just before the dead of Winter hits the Northeast Coast, and cold-lovers such as myself rejoice at the briskness. Being born in January I’m inclined to love the cold. I really love the snow, the wind, the fashion possibilities! Being a rekindled cyclist living in what’s supposed to be the fashion capital of the world, I’m still a bit lost when it comes to how bad it can get out here on a bike, therefore making mistakes fashion-wise is going to happen.

Yesterdays bike date outfit:

Old navy dress-15 bucks
Old Navy Scarf-6 bucks
LYS for Kmart Cardigan-20 bucks
Jaclyn Smith for Kmart Booties-30 bucks
Gloves-gift from mom :)
Beret- 7 bucks

Yesterdays outfit got me thinking; I’m here promoting myself as a chubby cruiser, being a plus size chick in itself is tough enough. Being a fashion forward, confident, CYCLING one is an even tougher challenge. I ride in regular clothes, dressed-up/going-out or not, I strive to keep my sense of style intact. With the weather getting colder, there comes more preparation. It’s not crazy cold just yet, but its cold enough to break out gloves and tights and hats and scarves! My kinda weather! My camera(yes the not even 6 month old one) is kaputz…like seriously, I’m stressing how will I photograph rides and such without one?

Sighhh…I did manage to snap some of my new(and new fav) things to wear cycling in the cold:

I’ve been riding in these tights and booties alllll week…perfect for fashionable function.

I wore my Uggs for the tour de bronx..they proved to be quite functional on this 25+ mile ride.

Hubb recently called me “glamorous”..really? even when I’m all laid-back boho chic like in these pic? possibly

this is my go-to jacket. Scored it at this great army-navy surplus store in Greenwich Village for 30 dollars! just so happened to be a 50% off sale at the time, couldn’t pass a rare German mole hair jacket for that price!

I call this scarf my “arab wrap”. Mainly because I get mine from actual Arabians, but mostly because they are great to cover your face with.

Besides being a bit vintage, these gloves are my new fav gloves for riding. Thanks mom! They match my grips!

my new awesome watch isn’t exactly a fall must for riders…but it is a must for HK lovers! excuse the low image quality, my camera died :(

Leggings, boot(ie)s, chunky scarves and sweaters, knee-length dresses and skirts, pretty gloves and wraps are on my list this Fall/Winter.

So is this:

never would have even considered a cape because of my V-shaped body(I have wider shoulders than hips), but I’m taking more “fashion dares”.

I hope to show more plus size chicks that you can do what I do…ride a bike, look stylish, and have the balls to tackle on the streets of New York City.

It can be done.

The busiest two weeks ever(Week 2)

2011-11-03T13:24:00.001-04:00

Right after the completion of my first bike tour, it was onto the next milestone; My first year wedding anniversary!

A whole year already. I try to muster up the emotions I felt the day I married my soul mate, and its just impossible. We were finally joining our lives together within a long standing and traditional institution, and we both couldn’t have been more sure that this is what we wanted to do all along. We said “I do”, partied with friends and family, then moved into our new(current) apartment! It’s my kind of American dream; simple :) The first year has had its ups and downs, not with our marriage but in life generally, and we kept at it. He is my best friend, my support system, and my inspiration to better myself. Which is nothing short of my expectations of a husband to his wife. I never was the little girl planning her dream wedding all including a huge(ly expensive) white dress. Marrying was never on my priority list until I met him, got to know him, got to fall in love with him, and decided he needs to be with me forever <3

We decide to have a good ol fashioned costume party! Everything was going as planned, until the weather decided to skip a few months AND SNOW! Really??? Snow??? In October??? Hubb and I say it at the same time: It’s like The Nightmare Before Christmas! So we took it in stride, put any worry of no one showing-up aside, and cleaned the house in preparation for our guests. And there was a few! I can’t thank them enough for showing up, freak snow-storm or not!

We had a costume contest, jaeger bombs, pizza, and people refusing to leave..it was a good time! Thanks to officer Jess for taking all these great shots, I was too busy being a hostess to be a shutterbug! Sincere thanks to all of our guests, the gifts and the memories you have shared with us on our day!

Here’s to more happy years together babe!

The 29th being our wedding anniversary, Halloween is the anniversary of our moving into our awesome apartment! It was a weekend long celebration! On Halloween Day, we get a bit dressed up and pick up The Kid..by bike of course!

I just thru this costume together..and it all started when Hubb had the idea of attaching my witches broom to Sandra Dee!!

I dubbed myself the “can-sometimes-be-wicked-but-only-means-good” witch of the South Bronx! I felt great…better than I did for the party, and I had on a brand new corset! This costume came together on the whim, and looked fantastic! All I need to do is add a hat, a broom, and some extravagant eyelashes, and I can be in costume any day! People who knew me in my regular get-ups were happy to see me dressed up and STILL riding my bike, so Hubb and I decide to start a tradition: Trick-or-treating by bike!

Lashes and Booties(which I am in love with) intact; we were off to pick up our little Mario!

caught a few photo-ops:

went home and switched his scooter for his bike:

then off to show off our rad costumes round the neighborhood!

With much praise, we do our little roundabout, and decide this needs to happen every Halloween! We are definitely the more original in our neck of the woods, so this was a total spectacle for our neighbors. As is most of what (we) do :)

We had a great time..all weekend.

Now that you readers are all caught up, stay tuned for some product reviews, and awesome bike-related gifts I’ve been receiving! As well as a few fall bike dates and cold-weather preparation :)

The busiest two weeks ever (Week 1)

2011-11-02T01:22:00.001-04:00

As readers know I took part in my first bike tour on October 23rd, a tour I was about to skip entirely. Even with getting my period the night before! I did it…bleeding and all. 25+ miles all along the Bronx, talking, mingling, and a bit of sweating(only a bit). I had praise all along the way…from the public to my fellow riders. My many nicknames include: Hello Kitty, Barbie, Pink, Red(by the colorblind obviously) and of course the ever cliché Sexy, baby, nena and all that jazz a woman in NYC can possibly hear. I LOVED IT ALL..any other day..I wouldn’t have. Today was an exception, I wanted people to remember me, and ask to take pictures with me and they did! I was even photographed by the Daily News, but I never did get to see it :(

I’m trying to lean this blog towards the plus size fashion area for some time now, so here is what I wore;

Leopard Blouse-Old Navy-15 bucks
J’adore shoes Shirt-Old Navy-about 15 bucks
Sparly Beret-Kmart-10 bucks
Ugg boots-custom- a gift!
sweater leggings-Rainbows-4 bucks

I was comfy, yet trendy, and got plenty of compliments on my outfit that day. All while bleeding like a stuffed pig and bloated as hell…..who knew?? I felt great that day…if I can bottle the emotions up, I’ll never sell it. The human brain is amazing, regardless of what my body was going through, I had the drive to do this. I sure did do it! My pre-tour gift from Hubb came along with me, and got just as much attention:

The plushie came with me…my flowers and lashes stood home :)

I met up with riders IMMEDIATLEY! I rode to my train station, got on the platform and was greeted by dudes from the Puerto Rican Schwinn Club of Brooklyn. They had such sweet Schwinns! all custom! Being a Schwinn lover and user, this was a great start to a long day!

Cyclists were everywhere! all over the trains, platforms, it was a sight to see…biker hoard in the bx!

The starting lines were jammed, but I eventually found my way around

I met up with Amy the Awesome mom plus met a few cool Lady Bikers!

even more impressive was how Amy literally just got this bike, and is riding it for the first time since childhood in this 25 mile ride! GO GIRL! After a message from the Boro Prez, we were off!

We hit the best parks in the Bronx…some I haven't even been too yet!

besides finally biking around the city I have been residing in for 3 years, I met so many great people! I ran out of business cards not even halfway thru the tour, so I hope the people I met remember my blogs name at least! Its quite memorable, don’t you agree?

My content smile evokes this blogs title

My face remained thusly the whole way…even when it got hilly and even ended up at what seemed to be the end of the line. Running on no fuel for such a long amount of time, all whilst “losing fluids” was tiring. But my will to finish was overpowering every sleepy bout!

There were three rest stops along the way, where I met up with fellow lady biker-bloggin Maureen!

There was awesome people, awesome bikes and super cute police escorts! I did get escorted for a few miles with some cute guys

My dream came true! I got to ride my bike on a highway!

this awesome family were the first to dub me “Hello Kitty”…saw them a few times and this is the only good pic I got of them, hope they had fun! I lost them right when we were entering a park that me and Sandra Dee are all too familiar with; Soundview!

Sandra Dee and Amy’s bike-Lenny-taking a break riverside, then off to another familiar greenway..

The line to get the free shirt and pizza was long as hell! But I was getting my shirt dammit!…all that way to the finish when I could have headed home midway? I earned this shit!

Before I took my tired ass home, I had to say her to Bitchcakes and give her a Hello Kitty thank you card that I hope she liked :) She got this badass picture of us:

it was cool seeing her again :)

Finishing gave me a second wind…or maybe third? Either way I may have been running on nothing but pure adrenaline and pride when I thought I could bike home. I was wrong. But lucky me I had escorts to the train station, I cannot remember their names! at the time, I was buzzing with happiness and accomplishment!

thanks for a rad ending to a fun tour guys!

Getting home was quick because I had ended up talking bikes, bike tours and cycling in the Bronx with a hardcore cycling chick..I didn’t know there were any! I seem to be the only one (besides the few popping up, thanks to me I wager) who is seen more on a bike than not. It was refreshing and made the ride home as memorable as the tour itself :) I got home, looked at the pictures I caught, gushed to Regg and took a fish oil capsule for my aching knees and other miscellaneous joints. It works, I cannot recommend it enough for post-tours or runs!

Doing this, in the condition I was in, should cure my constant self-doubt. I did it, I really did. I would do it again! I actually can’t wait to do it again! Next time, I’ll be preparing thru training, hopefully revealing a whole new me to the rest of the cycling community.

It’s goal setting(and keeping)time!

Preppin for D-Day

2011-10-22T21:32:00.001-04:00

The eve of the Tour de Bronx is upon us. Throughout all the struggle to condition myself, and struggling with the feeling of failing at it(surgery or not), I am still doing this bike tour. With encouragement from my Twitter and Facebook followers and of course my wonderful husband, I decided to not flake out on my original goal. I am not going to stop myself anymore, with anything. The only person stopping me; is ME. No longer. Three months from now it’ll be my 25th birthday, and as realization sets in , I come more and more to turn with the notion that I will never be a teenager again. I rather enjoyed teen-hood! I have great memories, lessons, stories, and quotes to pass on to my successors! Leaving the folly of childhood behind is putting me in a place where I am sad, but also content with the woman I am (still) becoming.

I have been neglecting my bike something serious…NOT ON PURPOSE THOUGH! Detoxing all the meds I have been on made me feel even more sick! Is that even possible? Could there have been that big of an impact on me? I admit I am no pill-popper…for anything really, not even cramps! Ugh anyway, Sandy Dee was dirty, she needed some things replaced, and was not making her debut at a tour looking horrid! So I took this morning to take care of her and make her pretty…hoping all the while if I would look just as good as my bike. Its hard to keep up with divas sometimes..

Made this list WEEKS ago!

S.Dee’s rusted and weather worn mirror…ick

Stuff off, ready to wash! Turtle was is fantastic for glossy finishes and minor scratch removal.

Not quite sure when I decided to have S. Dee stay inside with me tonight instead of outside with the rest of the family bikes…but she’s staying inside with me tonight!

is that a box wearing a tutu? Yes! and its part of my Halloween costume!

Freshly taped handlebar grips and London Metro License plate!

As I pick and lay out an outfit for tomorrows cold start(58 degrees!) to the somewhat possibly sweaty finish, I am looking forward to seeing some lady biking and blogging friends, as well as see the borough on the best transport ever. BICYCLES!

Hope I can sleep tonight..

Testing out a new look + getting back to my old self <3

2011-10-17T00:45:00.001-04:00

I’m trying out a new look for the blog, you likes?

Besides my ever-changing styles, I got on Sandra Dee Sunday and rode a bit with the Hubb! Felt great! I know we missed each other, as the neighborhood missed its almost daily viewing of me zipping back and forth. I need to start writing down what people say to me, it gets a bit outta control. Even my bro-in-law(who lives quite a few blocks away) heard people singing my praises by his ‘hood! “It’s crazy how you’re like a celeb around here!” he tells me on a visit few days ago. I have so many mixed emotions about it, I have always wanted to be invisible mainly because I get so much damn attention. I did take Psych in college, so this probably stems from me being teased in my childhood and constant reclusion into myself to deal with it. I know I ask for it by dressing the way I do, but trust me I rather blend in, but, to stick out in the crowds of NYC is something to be happy about right?…..right?? No matter how old you are there will always be an insecure little girl inside fighting to get out. I'm too old for this shit I tells ya.

Anyway, Sunday was great, here’s some fav shots of today(taken with a broken camera mind you)

We love Kmart..we are always in there

apparently there was a giveaway…mention FREE and we allll over it!

I love my nurse Hello Kitty beanie baby that also helps a country I have mad love for :) She went for a ride on a bag my bestie Jacob brought back from London!

We also went to Old Navy, where I always seem to score great shit at! A leopard Blouse, a Pink a-line pleated skirt, blue bow headband a new bike goodie bag, and an adorable new jewelry box and a sparkly beret!

ill take a pic in the full outfit..may be my Tour De Bronx outfit :)

also got to test out my new Bell Wo Light set..in a word GREAT-SHIT!

If you’re a girl then you must agree..Shopping is the best therapy!

I'm back in action baby...The chubby cruiser will never be down for long ;)

Wang Chung: I hardly knew ye

2011-10-15T22:52:00.001-04:00

While in what seems as the final stretch of my recovery from surgery, I cannot help but feel I have been neglecting so much. My blog, my bike, my sanity. I have much to catch up on and even more to make better. I’m taking advice on Blog appearance and even subjects I should cover. Still being a newbie, I am very open to suggestions from vets. But I digress, this post is about an old bike of mine. We didn’t have much time together, but it was a sweet affair. Here we go:
Last year Hubb brought me home a (very) used Globe Bike. And when I say used I mean USED. But good lord I was so happy! I rode him for a bit during the Fall of last year, mostly around the block and down to a blacktop to get back into the groove of being on wheels. Not nearly used as much as Sandra Dee, but did have a few

I change like the seasons I swear..Late summer ‘10

At the time we had roommates, this was right before we got hitched and moved the hell out, and the day he brings the bike home one of em goes “Which restaurant is missing a delivery boy?” I cannot help but agree, this bike is used, and dinged up as if it was used to deliver Chinese Food around the ‘hood. Hence is name..Wang Chung.

Hubb, The Kid, and little brother giving him a spin..fun day

W.C is a memorable bike. Ratty as he was, I loved him and our short time together. He was even a big part of my wedding last year; I rode him to pick up the keys to our new place, and again as I toted the last bit of crap from our old place on that glorious moving day(witch's hat and all..it was Halloween watchu want from me :p?) So thanks for the memories W.C! and the basket…I kept it as homage to you

UPDATE

2011-10-11T21:59:00.001-04:00

DUE TO UNFORESEEN EVENTS, I WILL BE ON HIATUS TILL NEXT WEEK.

EMERGENCY SURGERY, FAMILY CRISIS, AND A BROKEN CAMERA= A NOT HAPPY ME

I'M AIMING TO GET EVERYTHING BACK ON TRACK BY THE END OF THIS WEEK..HERE'S HOPING TO A QUICK RECOVERY AND A FEW BLOG POSTS. I MISS SHARING MY STORIES AND PICTURES, EVEN IF ITS BEEN ONLY A WEEK.

I CAN'T STAND SET-BACKS....BUT LIKE SOME GUY FROM A MOVIE SAID...

I'LL BE BACK

K.

Week 2 and a solo rain ride.

2011-10-03T22:09:00.001-04:00

Today was definitely a Monday. My camera screen cracked, I felt too weak to hit the gym for some reason, and had a good ol fashioned marital spat. The latter is a rare occurrence I’ll admit, which is why it threw off the rest of the day. ALAS! One week in my regimen, and I’ve lost a fluctuation 5-8 lbs. I fluctuate like crazy…this is no surprise. But a loss is a loss, and I know exactly what the problem is. I LOVE SWEETS! Hubb thinks I lost all water weight. I’m not too sure if I am the water-retaining type, but I think the loss is more because of the purge on all junk food I did. Friday the scale said 10 lbs even! I could NOT believe it…until the scale crept back up after a weekend of snackage :/ There it is! The culprit! Damn you! With a mix of the stationary bike, treadmill, and elliptical, the Tour de Bronx will be a piece of cake!

Sandra Dee has been REALLY helping with burning extra calories..I’ve been riding her as often as possible. To and from the gym to start :) Speaking of riding, I had a quick rainy one to the market for some soup. The weather calls for it!

Layered up and ready to go

It wasn’t that bad :)

I’m happy I got to use my rain cover for the toocan transit bag I won a month or so ago!

The soups and croutons fit perfectly in it :) even had room for a treat I picked up for me and Hubb

I was so confident riding in the rain, I’ve gotten much more confident in general. Picking up The Kid from school by bike, riding to the gym, to meetings, to the market, to friends houses. ITS HELPED SO MUCH! Cars have been respecting me, no new boo-boo’s, climbing hills with more ease..it’s a grand thing :D Tackling the elements on a bike is something you can’t read about, you just have to face em head on.

I am loving fall riding so far, minus the drizzle would of course be ideal but, I love jackets and scarves and gloves! THIS IS GONNA BE SOOO FUN! Especially when I can substitute a helmet for a cute hat:

but only in parks and on greenways! Safety is first!

Peace&Love

(1st week: –5/7 lbs.)

The name behind the bike

2011-09-28T00:33:00.001-04:00

Sandra Dee…My pretty bike. So feminine, so lovely. It didn’t take long for me to name her. I don’t even remember there being another name to consider…it just stuck. I vaguely remember saying “look at me! I’m on a bike again!” And lightning hits! I make the connection! My favorite musical(Grease) has inspired something great(again)! I go off singing Rizzo’s song “look at me, I’m Sandra Dee!”, and there it is…SANDRA DEE…She’s pretty, classy, easygoing, retro and ultra-feminine. I search the name and come to find that Sandy Dee was a model/actress in the 50’s! Coincidence…I think not :) Here’s an excerpt from the Wiki bio(which can be false…don’t trust Wiki so damn much):

In popular culture

One of the popular songs of the Broadway musical and 1978 movie Grease is "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee", in which the rebellious Rizzo satirizes new girl Sandie's clean cut image, likened to Sandra Dee's. Dee's life with Bobby Darin was dramatized in the 2004 film Beyond the Sea, in which Kevin Spacey played Darin and Dee was played by Kate Bosworth. Sandra Dee is referenced as a sex symbol in Mötley Crüe's song "Come On and Dance" from the album Too Fast For Love. She is also mentioned in Waylon Jennings' 1980 hit "I Ain't Living Long Like This" in the third verse where Angel the road house queen is compared to Texas Ruby and also mentioned in Felix da Housecat's song "Everyone Is Someone In L.A”
You learn something new everyday! Here’s the rest of her Wiki bio. Just thought it would be cool to share the history behind the name I bestowed upon my bike :)

Sandy and Sandy..how cute are they both??!

One month goal: Train for the Tour while recharging my routine.

2011-09-26T17:07:00.001-04:00

For the next month I will be blogging about fitness and health, on top of bike blogging, since I am back on my routine for the Tour De Bronx. All summer I haven’t cared what I ate, haven’t gone to the gym, didn’t take one vitamin..all in all didn’t give a crap. All I wanted to do was ride my bike to new places, hang out with hubb and pals, and just enjoy the summer. I haven’t had such a great summer since Daddy was around so trust me, I don’t really care how neglectful I was. I usually hate summer, but because of my bike(and Hubb), I actually had a great summer! SO LONG SUMMER! Autumn is here and I cannot be happier! My heart is in the cold months <3. On top of the excitement for Fall riding-I’m uber anxious for my one year wedding anniversary costume party this Halloween! I’m going frantic with ideas and such…expect a post on that!

Today I started off my conditioning training for the Tour, Hubb and I ride over to the gym(best warmup EVER!):

Ready for the gym! (that basket liner is a gift from the fab BITCHCAKES!)

We live between two highways and along a busy avenue..this does not intimidate me anymore though, CONQUERED!

locked up and ready to sweat

I’m declaring this my “before” shot…Lets see how far I get in a month.

45 minutes on the treadmill…20 on the stationary bike..I could of gone for another hour!

Your eyes are working fine…I took one of my famous panda shots while on the stationary..I couldn’t help it ;p Wore my Century tour shirt I got for free at Summer Streets…I plan on doing that Tour next year!

mission complete!

Bikes, scooters and Heidi braids

I didn’t get enough exercise it seems.. I ended up biking to The Kids school to pick him up. My body seems to have missed activity, I have way too much energy for my own good.

I feel compelled to mention this: I am not doing this for vanity. NOT AT ALL. Although I am pretty healthy(doctor confirmed), I am the type that always reaches for the better. I believe there’s always room to grow, always room to make better choices, and this is what this is about. I am not a self-hating plus chick and never will be, I am a self-improving chick.

TOTAL CALORIES BURNED TODAY: 600-700

Great start!

A few new blogs and bloggers I follow :)

2011-09-20T21:50:00.001-04:00

I have been pretty active on Twitter lately. I’ve seem to got the hang of updating and harsh-tagging and all those mentions..FINALLY! I know many who are against the very idea of Twitter, and I was too at first. But today is a great reason to love it; I have been introduced to 3 new blogger gals, got a free week at Lucille Roberts gym, and won some cool-ass bag from Yoek Fashion over in the Netherlands! Regardless of what people say, Twitter is proving to be quite beneficial These blogs are not relatively bike related, but I support all kinds of things here, my well run pretty damn deep y’all!!
First up is Amy the Awesome Mom who blogs about raising special needs children and life as a Supermom, all while biking, working out at the gym, stayin on track with her Weight Watchers program, and dealing with all the bs in between! Is it no wonder people call her Supermom? ON TOP OF THAT!!..she also blogs on her weight loss and fitness!! DANG GIRL!

Amy and her troop!

Next up is a ultra-stylish, fashion-blogging lovely plus babe named Olivia! She is a chic Aussie who blogs over at WaitUntilTheSunset. By day a Nurse, by a night a fierce “fatshionista” painting the town red in her awesome + sized wardrobe! Her message is refreshing and so is her spirit, I am very happy to have stumbled upon her blog!

Go’on with ya bad self babes ;D

Last but not least is Ms Kitty Babble. An author who is working on a totally edgy(and so up my alley) called Confessions of a Serial Masturbator. Which will be up for download on the Kindle network soon! I unfortunately have to wait for the paper back since I’m old school (wah)

Thanks for the support girls! Means a lot!
Bloggers unite!
K.