Karla Mi Lugo sweetens the streets of SF with song

Le Rouge et Noir and I were in the Lower Haight this past weekend, when we heard the sounds of an accordion, the official instrument of San Francisco, brightening the air.

And then I saw her -



Meet Karla Mi Lugo, a quintessential San Francisco street performer - a creative, free-spirited soul - who can play music and sing and juggle, sometimes all at the same time.



She bought her gorgeous vintage accordion from the same shop where I bought mine, the Accordion Apocalypse.



Ms. Mi Lugo totes her accordion from the Haight, to the Sunset, to the Embarcadero, to Union Square, to the Mission and beyond, all on her trusty steed, her bicycle, of course!



Karla's music and artistry keeps the soul of San Francisco alive. So when you see her, please show her how much you appreciate her by dropping a dollar in her hat, and thanking her for enriching our lives.

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a guest post from .nobi my friend in paris...


"its safe to say it's spring in paris after a couple of days with weather hitting the 20s [celsius]...was on way to buy an evening baguette from my favorite boulangerie (she's so patient with my bad french) after having a coffee with a friend in the république district...seems i wasn't the only one biking..."

Check out his photo website here: .nobi.

Follow .nobi's instagram feed and follow this vagabond photographer on his world travels.

Wanna come over and borrow my chain whip?

Just in time for your Friday Night! Use and abuse these 25 pick up lines for cyclists.

Any of you creative readers care to add your own winning phrase that pays?

May the road rise to meet you...

and may the wind always be at your back!

Never too late to wish you a little Luck o' the Irish! Here's a pic of my cousin Tim in Florida representing the Motherland on his new set o' wheels.

Hope you all enjoyed a beer on St. Paddy's Day and celebrated who you are.

The Disposable Film Festival Bicycle Muse

The Disposable Film Festival 2012 kicks it off Thursday night at the Castro Theater. Check out their trailer (above), featuring a bicycle muse meandering through the great SF neighborhoods on an orange PUBLIC bike granting disposable inspiration to all!

Put the fun between your legs

Loved this sweatshirt!

it don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that STING

Sunday Streets: Made Possible By Susan King

Sunday Streets, a few hours a few times a year when selected surface streets are closed to cars, continues to be the best event in San Francsico. Susan King is the director of SS and is pictured here looking cute while eating some Girl Scout Cookies.

When it comes to fashion,  for Susan it's all about the bike.  She produces stellar basket installation art for her ride.  Her most recent creation, Crab Catchin'.

Susan be careful that net stays out of your front wheel! love, ramona

This is San Francisco: The Embarcadero

Welcome, dear readers, to our new series - This is San Francisco. Just like that book from the 50s. Only revised and improvised for the new decade. Seen from two wheels by a handful of your favorite bike bloggers - moi, Ramona, Adrienne and Melyssa.

My first installment is The Embarcadero - the strip of boulevard that hugs the San Francisco Bay on the eastern side of our beautiful city. Sunday Streets 2012 started off here, and so, away we go!

The Ferry Building - one of SF's many iconic landmarks.



Home of the 2010 World Series Champs - The San Francisco Giants.



On days like Sunday Streets, or even at any given Farmers' Market here, you should be able to catch some live music from a local band.



So take the load off and give a listen.



And you can catch views of both bridges that connect San Francisco to the North and to the East.



Feeling a bit tired? No worries, pedicabs came to The Embarcadero a few years ago, and they're here to stay.



Need a pick me up? Tcho to the rescue! SF's very own chocolatier.



Get yourself a "Tcho shot" - pure molten dark chocolate goodness.



That should be just the jolt to get you back on your bike and enjoying the sunshine of one of the most beautiful streets of San Francisco.



This has been San Francisco.

A Tale of Two Children

Let two pictures speak for themselves and remind you of the joy that riding your bike brings.

Be present. Be free.

sunday streets: susie!

the first sunday streets of the year opened the embarcadero for a six hour celebration of glorious car free public space. Susie was my favorite person of the day, a new commuting cyclist and paralegal whose firm reimbursed her for her ride. yay, for employer supported cycling! Decked out in red boots, houndstooth wool, and a union jack helmet, Susie is style.

we want you

the bloggarazzi, Kristin and Adrienne in action at Sunday Streets.

nothing says classy like

a pair of brogues, argyle socks, and dark wash jeans.

help the other Kristen meet her LifeCycle goal!

My friend Kristen is riding the LifeCycle this year from SF to LA to contribute to the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. She has almost met her goal but needs your help to go the extra mile!


photo by Richard Masoner

Kristen badly wanted to participate in LifeCycle last year but was injured from an unfortunate accident while commuting. So she had to put off her plans until 2012.

And so now that time has come! I ask you to please pitch in what you can to help her meet this goal.

Click here to donate. Merci!