Basket Shop

This is from the courtyard in front of the church looking toward the Basket Shop that is so well known and poplular in Old Town.

Experts in Skincare

I saw this life-size display in a Marionnaud storefront a couple of days ago. It is a German-language Clarins advert and the text reads: "your experts in skincare".

You can't quite see this here, but the model's underpants are semi-transparent. And the poster is sized and positioned in such a way, so that the viewer's gaze is directed at the space above the bicycle saddle. Right.

In terms of the psychology of advertising, I think this poster is very Austrian: freikörperkultur, health as the path to sexiness, sun worship, golden hair, long legs, lean muscles, and a symbol of an active lifestyle - in this case a sporty bicycle. Whoever came up with the ad was clearly trying to evoke stereotypical cultural ideals. I don't suppose too many people notice that the saddle is set too low...

Saving With An Electric Range

This Pepco ad featuring my mother appeared in 1950 in the Washington Post.

The Surest Sign of Spring

Although Friday surprised us with a fresh foot of snow, it was nonetheless a glorious weekend. The plows made their rounds, the sun shone in a clear blue sky, the temperatures rose, and the scarves were distinctly loosened. Navigating through the still snow-covered streets, I could feel something new and fresh in the air - unmistakable signs of Spring.






There was the wet snow, softening under the sun's warm rays.





There were the delicate buds, with their promise of new leaves in the weeks to come.





There were the fences in need of mending, having unburdened themselves of heavy snow banks.






There was a fresher, younger quality of the afternoon sun's glow.





There were the pothole lakes cheerfully reflecting cerulean skies.






There were the colourful chairs on the lawns of local college campuses.





There were the freshly liberated bike lanes.






And perhaps the most noticeable change of all, were the dozens upon dozens of bikes. They emerged out of hibernationen masse, heralding the official start of Spring.






Some of the bikes I had seen in the neighbourhood before, but not since November.





Oh hello again, slate blue Mercier mixte. You look positively radiant!






Long time no see, copper Raleigh Lady Sports. Warming those old bones?





New handlebar tape this season, Bianchi Nuovo Racing?






Oh, but what's this here? You are new this year, aren't you, oh teal Dutch Gazelle with full chaincase?






And you, Babboe cargo trike? I haven't seen you around before. Have you moved to this neighbourhood over the winter? Welcome, welcome.






A local university recently installed bicycle racks along the entire length of their rather expansive Science Center. After sitting largely empty since their installation, on Saturday the racks were suddenly 3/4th full - snow storm of the previous day notwithstanding.






It was not a coordinated effort, but it surely felt like one. The neighbourhood bikes have had their say. And they've declared it the official start of Spring.

Trompe L'Oeil Lugwork

Having mentioned the idea of doing this as a joke some time ago, imagine my delight when I saw it in the wild: trompe l'oeil lugwork! Standing in the parlor of local pickelleur (randonneuring Dill Pickle bag maker) Emily O'Brien, when I first saw the bike across the room the illusion looked quite real. I figured it was an old beater frame, with the lugs spray painted to contrast the tubes. Then I got closer and realised the lugs looked unusually flat, and finally it hit me: They'd been cut out of tape and wrapped around the welded frame joints.






And lest you think this project is only about the fabulous looks, it does have practical merit: The tape is reflective. Just imagine the beautiful lugs glowing in the dark... A fun DIY idea to spruce up a boring frame in any event.








Apparently I am not the only one to have been fooled from a distance, as cyclists stop Emily all the time to ask about the interesting bike, usually assuming it is something vintage and Italian. Any guess as to what this bike is? Hint 1: It's a ubiquitous modern steel bike. Hint 2: The fork crown is lugged for real.

Sackville Trunksack: How Fitting for a Rear Rack!

I have talked ad nauseum about my Carradice Barley bag, and so I thought it was time to review my other bag, the Sackville Trunksack. As far as I know, it is available exclusively from Rivendell, and you can read their product description here.

The Sackville Trunksack is a handsome box-shaped bag, in a dark-olive waterproof canvas with golden-brown leather trim and brass hardware. The large size is designed for the rear rack. It fits Pletscher-style racks perfectly, neither leaving portions of the rack uncovered, nor overhanging from any part of the rack. It looks great on many different types of bicycles, including the Motobecane mixte above and the Raleigh Lady's Sport on the first photo.

Here are some views of the bag. The zipper closure with two separate zippers is very convenient, as it allows you to open and close the bag from any side while remaining seated on the bicycle.

The leather flaps hide the zippers from view and prevent rain from entering.

3/4 view. The colour of the leather flap is an exact match for Brooks "honey" (pictured ont he 1st photo of the Raleigh here) and a shade lighter than the Brooks "brown" (above). The reflective strip is an extra benefit.

Rear view. The leather strap in the back is positioned perfectly for mounting a light, providing a great solution for rear lighting (if you recall, this was my only criticism of the Carradice Barley).

Close-up of the light attachment. Very secure; no wobbling or slanting even during very bumpy rides.

The complete lack of wobble is one of the biggest benefits of the Sackville Trunksack. This is achieved by the tight and precise attachment system: leather straps with snap closure.

The brass hardware is rather attractive.

Inside, the Trunksack is like a large box or chest: There are no compartments. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing. It is good in the sense that you need only to open it once, and all of your stuff is immediately accessible. And it is bad in the sense that, especially if you are messy, your things will soon become jumbled due to the lack of compartments. For me, the benefits of the ease of access outweigh the drawbacks of the lack of compartments - but this is a personal preference.

My one complaint about the Sackville Trunksack, is that it has no structural support and therefore does not retain its form unless it is full. You can see that almost all the photos show various degrees of sagging. We are trying to make a support for it either out of wire or plexiglass, but it is not yet complete. In the meantime, I try to keep it maximally filled.

To sum up what I love about the Sackville Trunksack:
. It fits my rear rack perfectly, securely and free of wobble
. The box shape and the colour scheme are aesthetically appealing
. It is very roomy
. The single zip closure provides easy access
. It is waterproof
. The rear light attachment is excellently designed

And what could use improvement, is the sagging issue.

Edited to add: As of April , I no longer own this bag - having traded it to a fellow collector for another bicycle-related item. I liked the bag, but ultimately prefer Carradice-style saddlebags.

Lake Superior Ice Ornaments

Yesterday while walking the shoreline to photograph the first sunrise of the new year, I found countless fascinating ice formations hanging from the rocks at the water's edge. These particular formations were my favorite. The first thing I thought of when seeing them was "they look like Christmas ornaments!" The sun was just starting to hit the rock on the upper right. The "ornaments" were still in the shade had this beautiful blue color. As the water lapped at the ornaments, they would momentarily lose the blue color. When the water receded, they once again turned blue. You never know just what you're going to find when you're out exploring in nature :-)

The Geldings

Tucker and Caesar are Desi's geldings. Tucker is a big boy. The tallest and heaviest of the horses.

The Heat is On...

Saturday, April 2nd - - Since Butler University, located just five miles from downtown Indianapolis, was playing in the Final Four, I splurged and spent the night in a Motel so I could watch the game! Old news now, but Butler won and will be playing (for the second year in a row) in the Championship Game! My first cousin, Ralph V. Reiff, is the play-by-play announcer for WISH-TV in Indy. I was hoping to be able to watch the game on TV and listen to his calling of the game at the same time but no such luck.







Sunday, April 3rd - - Still heading West, I came across this “tribute” to the Texas Longhorn.



I stopped for the night at Copper Breaks State Park (west of Wichita Falls). Though not far, the drive had been tiring - lots of wind with gusts from 35-50 mph and it was hot! Really hot.





The photo above was taken at 5:24 pm at the campground; the van was in the shade! Yep, it was hot. I did manage to go for a very short walk (about 10 minutes) after driving up to an overlook to get this picture(below)of the lake. The “lower” campground where I stayed was on the left side of the lake. Being lower didn't provide any relief from the wind or the heat.







The sun was completely hidden beneath the hills but for a few brief moments it lit up the clouds like they were on fire, appropriate for such a hot day. The setting of the sun provided little relief from the heat. Even with doors and windows open, it was perhaps one of the most uncomfortable nights spent on the road thus far. Relief did arrive, however, when after midnight a front moved through and the temperature dropped dramatically. When I got up the next morning it was a chilly 48 degrees! And still windy.

Prickly Pear Cactus

This is our local wild prickly pear cactus and a blossom with a green bug in the center.

Sunday Morning Sunrise

The pictures below are for Susan. As we were having lunch the other day she wondered what pictures I had taken that would show what it was like in Indiana while I was there but at the time I hadn't taken any. These were shot this morning, south of Columbia City on highway nine, as I was driving down the road. A little snow. Lots of cold.




Yes, I went back home for a few days. I had some things to take care of before I got further away. My sojourn in Louisiana lasted two weeks. Thank you very much, Ruth, for your hospitality. It was cold the first week there but we managed a few short outings. The last couple of days in Monroe were quite nice with the temperature reaching 70 degrees. Then I went north. Where the temperature never got above 20 for the week. A big Thank You to my brother Jack and his wife Beesa and to my friend Cindy and her husband Bill for allowing me to invade their homes for a few days.

The journey has resumed. I'm heading south again, still hoping for some warmer weather.

Lau Pa Sat festival dining and what happens when you overeat!

For months I have been craving for real Asian food, made from real Asian ingredients and spices. So while I was in the airplane from Dubai enroute to Singapore, I have been daydreaming of Asian chows, hehe. I cannot wait to indulge! I finally arrived in Singapore just before lunch and we went straight to my sisters’ place and deposited my baggage, then we set off for some grub to a nearby hawker place. I had lovely and hearty prawn noodles. Ummmm, exactly what I needed after the flight, something warm. The rest of the afternoon I slept. Massive jetlag. I have to rest and catch up on sleep because in the evening I am going to eat again! *grin*



For my first dinner in Singapore, we went to Lau Pa Sat. I have never been here and SisterJ and Myrrh were pretty sure I would love the place and the food. They live in the Central Region in Singapore and Raffles is just one ride with the metro.









Lau Pa Sat on Raffles Quay

Website: Lau Pa Sat



A quick look at the website and this is the history of the building:



‘Lau Pa Sat (or ‘old market’ in the Hokkien dialect) was Singapore's first wet market that dates back over 150 years ago to the time of Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore. It was subsequently converted into a famous gourmet paradise and has been gazetted as a national monument since 1973.’



Indeed, a taste of Singapore’s past served fresh.















Isn’t this place beautiful? So Victorian-style. Monumental I should say. I am loving the latticework going on. Wrought iron, lattice work, milky white hues. It’s like an oversized gazebo from England.



As you might have been aware of, I am a culture, history and architecture lover, so yes, SisterJ and Myrrh were right on the dot. I love the place! Thank you so much girls for bringing me here. Salamat. We will come back here though during the day, okay.



It was a weekday when we were here and we arrived quite late—blame it on me for oversleeping because of my jet lag, thus many vendors in the Lau Pa Sat main dining area were already closed. So we went outside where there’s more choices. Oooh, the excitement is building up. My mind is running. My palates are ready. I want some seafood! I also want some vegies! Kangkong!!! I want them all spicy! Ach, piggishness strikes!

















It proved difficult to order because I want to taste a little bit of everything? You can practically order from any of the food stalls, it does not matter where you sit, they will bring you the food you ordered. And the menus are long. So much to choose from, it is a bit overwhelming.



Asia is the ultimate food mecca in the world and Singapore is no exemption either being the queen bee when it comes cheap food thrills and the food hawker enterprise. The country of course has a vast array of hygienic/clinical restaurants but why would I go there when I can have these somewhere else, like back home? I will stick to the local theme of the food game and satisfy my tastebuds with local eats at the hawkers. For now, for this trip. And I know I am in good hands here at Lau Pa Sat.



This is what we finally ordered



Food for three hungry people...








Spicy Kangkong (water spinach), I missed this soooooo much.







Spicy Chilli Crab.







Chicken Pandan with lots of chilli sauce, hehe.







Stir-Fried Egg Noodles with tauge and choy sum.








Steamed Choy Sum (or could be Gai Lan) vegetables with fried garlic and oyster sauce.







Beside Lau Pa Sat building is a street that has been closed for diners. SisterJ and Myrrh told me that the street is a normal functioning street with road traffic during the day. It is only in the evening that the road is closed from traffic and transforms into a roadside extension dining area of Lau Pa Sat. Lots of vendors grill satays here. This street smells so good.



And I heard that during the weekend, on Friday and Saturday it is a festival here where many working professionals get together for booze, extend their happy hours to dinner, and into the night. Cheap beer, cheap food, al fresco dining, fun atmosphere, all in all, just cool.













The aftermath effect



After having had our fill, this is what happened....



Experiencing tummy pain. Severe pain. Bloated tummy. My sides are hurting. I could not stand straight! I had to walk slowly like a limping old woman while my sister helps me. What is happening to me?!!!



Well obviously I got sick because I over ate and I am not going to apologise for this behaviour (hehe)! If you look at the pictures though, there were really not a lot of food. I mean those 4 servings are for 3 people. How can that be too much? Unfortunately, I’m one of those unlucky people with small, sensitive and strange stomachs, so when I overeat, I will most likely get sick. Literally sick that I cannot even freaking move my body. Not joking. The cure is time, so I usually stand immobile for half an hour and then I move around a little bit (light walk) for another half an hour.



Plus the spice and chili. I had too much that my stomach went ballistic, it ballooned. This on top of the pain and discomfort. Luckily they have manzanilla back home in the apartment.







On the positive side (see I am a half full glass type of person), this is one of the reasons why I think I will never ever become too fat to handle (flabs and those little love handles are excluded okay). Because my body at some point surrenders, it cannot tolerate over eating.



Nevertheless, this looks like a [insert sarcasm] very promising start of my Singapore trip. It’s just been day 1! Goodness heavens.