HELL TRACK 4: RAILPATH SPRINTS.

Man I love my city. Hands down, Hell Track, combined with BFF, combined with a giant after party at Bike Pirates = one epic night. Check out this awesome edit of the sprints put together by our buddy Nick Iwanyshyn.

INTERBIKE ARTCRANK!

This September, ARTCRANK is happening for the first time ever at Interbike in Las Vegas, otherwise known as the largest bicycle expo in North America. And last week I found out that I've been selected to exhibit!

This is the first ARTCRANK showcasing work from the international bike community, and one I'm so excited to be a part of. Also, $5 from every poster sold, goes to People For Bikes, which is pretty rad.

So, now for the late night bike-themed poster making! Let's just say mine's an elegant interpretation of a quote by everyone's favourite Toronto mayor...

Bikelordz

Bikelordz is a short documentary about the self-taught, self-invented bicycle culture which young people in Accra, Ghana have created and passed on to their younger contemporaries over time. It follows crews of these young bicycle gurus as they try and use their skills to make money, gain recognition, and live on their own terms.

Bikelordz : Stunts and Styles from Accra, Ghana from Bikelordz on Vimeo.

This team needs money to make this movie and their dreams happen! Show some love! <3 $ <3 $ <3

BIKE VANCOUVER!

Vancouver is exploding with bike fun!

Tonight the Zenga's are showing their film GROW UP at the W2. After that is the decentralized bike-dance party. Tomorrow Namtron and I are headed up to Pemberton's slow food cycle. Then on Tuesday there is this Paper Girl event...



It's a make-art, deliver art on your bike project. I have no idea what this really is, but it's a free event at a rad venue and I'm going. I'll report back with photos soon!

xo

SECOND STYLE SPIN TONIGHT!

Well, it's taken a full week to recover for the insanity that was last weekend, but we're ready to go again!

Tonight is our second Style Spin tour of the summer! This time we're getting a behind the scenes look into the studios of Philip Sparks, Paper People Clothing, Haley Stolee Smith/Hillary Sampline, and Janet Bike Girl - who's awesome print making is shown above.

So meet us at the Drake Hotel for 6pm, cheap beers & a FREE GIFT from Totto Alverados sunglass collection! Even the Metro News thinks you should come!

Also feel free to wear neon this time around. We definitely will be.

Bikes Are GOOD

While working for Momentum Magazine, I got to know a bit about Cliff bars as I was investigating them for potential advertisers. Talking to a former employee, I learned that getting them as a print advertiser was next to impossible, as they tend to fund grassroots projects and things like recycling bins at races. Well, I see why they stick to their guns about grassroots. These guys are freaking awesome. Here is why:

"In the U.S., it's estimated that 40 percent of all urban trips are two miles or less. Unfortunately, 90 percent of those trips are usually by car, which adds up in fuel and carbon emissions. CLIF Bar created the 2 Mile Challenge with the goal of replacing 100,000 car trips with bike trips. In addition to preventing hundreds of pounds of carbon emissions, the 2 Mile Challenge will award $100,000 in grants to nonprofits doing inspiring, impactful work for bicycle advocacy and fighting climate change"

So I am a follower of GOOD Inc, the positive based Californian media company that is most famous for it's infographics and thought provoking videos. GOOD running a rad competition with Cliff to allocate some of these 2 Mile Challenge funds.



Go to their website to learn the simple three steps that could earn you $5k for your favourite charity!

This is going to be tough for me.... Going through all the Nightshades Photos and choosing one may be hard!

Lovelovelove....

BFF TO DAY III & IV: SCREENINGS & DANCE OFFS.

The Bicycle Film Festival here in Toronto is in full swing. Tonight's screenings are going to be great with 3 different programs at 5, 7 & 9pm at the Royal Cinema - specifically the 9pm screening of Urban Bike Shorts, including the Canadian premiere of our film FABRIC BIKE. Then don't forget to come dance your face off at our closing party Let's Get Cranked at Hard Luck Bar.

It's going to be hard to top last night, but I think we can do it. Friday was fantastic with amazing films from all over the world. My favourite short of the night was definitely "Of Steel" directed by Ben Ingham. Check out the trailer below. We then raced and danced the night away at Bike Pirates, screaming our way through goldsprints, flooding the dance floor & out into the back alley. I seriously can't wait for all the photos from the last few days to surface.

SEE YOU TONIGHT!

BFF PHOTO RECAP: PANEL DISCUSSION!

Here's some pictures from the amazing panel discussion on wednesday night at the Gladstone Hotel. Thanks again to James, Tammy, Dave & Shamez for speaking, and also to Yvonne for doing a wonderful job moderating. Photos by Erin Simkin.

BFF DAY II: BIKES ROCK!

Riding with headphones in, is a dangerous, but extremely guilty pleasure of mine. There's nothing like finding that perfect track to glide around your city to - so for me, biking and good music sort of go hand in hand.

Needless to say we're all super pumped for BIKES ROCK! at the Legendary Horsehoe Tavern tonight! I do love me some good pop & tiny ukeleles! So come see these awesome bands:

The Meligrove Band

Octoberman

SPIN by Evalyn Perry

Christien Summers

Doors at 8:30pm TONIGHT!

Tickets $12

And if it's half as amazing as last night was - BFF TO is off to a fantastic start! The panel discussion was wonderful & inspiring. It's so nice to remind yourself in the midst of a negative political climate around cycling in Toronto at the moment, that there are so many people who can think independently, and present themselves eloquently. That, we as the cycling community, can rally, and think, and coduct ourselves positively. (And, a huge thanks to Dave Meslin for unexpectedly using us as an example for positive action - I have a serious brain crush on that man.)

Also, the artwork & bikes are phemoninal, and if you didn't make it out yesterday, the show is hanging til Sunday August 14th at The Gladstone Hotel.

BFF DAY I: BACK BREAKS!

The first day of the BFF Toronto is about to begin! The girls just finished hanging the art exhibit at the Gladstone Hotel, and it looks incredible!

This Wednesday night is your chance to see the Fabric Bike in person, alongside amazing pieces from Mark Charlebrois, Janet Bike Girl, and so many other fantastic local artists like Dmirti Bondarenko, who's beautiful work is featured above.

Back Breaks Art Exhibit is free, and runs from 6-10 at The Gladstone - With an amazing panel discussion mixing things up at 7. The panel, moderated by Yvonne Bamrick, is discussing "How to win over a non-cyclist at a dinner party." And features this stacked line up of speakers:

Dave Meslin (Founder, Toronto Cyclists Union)

Tammy Thorne (Editor, Dandyhorse Magazine)

James Schwartz (Founder & Editor, Urban Country)

Shamez Amlani (Co-Founder, Steets are for People)

See you tonight!

HIPSTAMATIC!

The Hipstamatic photobooth photos from July's Style Spin are finally up on Curbside's flickr! Check them all out here!

Don't forget the next Style Spin on August 19th! And, we've got something awesome in the works for September's....all I can say for now is it's going to be extra dapper!

BFF COMING TO TORONTO!

Next week the Bicycle Film Festival stops in our fair city.

This year, we've been more involved than ever in helping bring the BFF back to Toronto. From Patricia & Kirsten curating the art exhibit, to Cat wrangling volunteers, to Irene's media saavy ways, to me (Laura) illustrating the promotional posters alongside the lovely & talented graphic designer Frank Maidens. And so many other things inbetween.

But next week it all goes down. art. films. parties. races. goldsprints. dancing. bikes.

Not to mention, the Canadian premiere of our short film FABRIC BIKE at the Royal theatre! The unveiling of the Fabric Bike itself at the Gladstone! AND the out of control closing party we're throwing at hardluck bar on the last night of the festival!

so. much. stuff.

Get ready for us to bombard you with blog posts... or you can check out the program & buy your tickets online HERE!

A million miles in 2 minutes and 47 seconds

The Zenga brothers continue to inspire me with their view on life. Here is Aaron's newest video.

2mins47secs from Aaron Zenga on Vimeo.

Soon they are apparently heading around the Pacific North-west you should try to say hi if you can!

Eccentrification Tour from Eccentrification Tour on Vimeo.

The Zenga's were a big part of bringing BFF to Toronto, so all ya'll in Toronto better go and throw it down next weekend!!!