Colorful geometric shapes spotted on a Thursday morning in Amsterdam.
A Saturday afternoon bike ride along the Amstel River to the sleepy town of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. Wandering the streets, a peek at the village church, a visit to the local bakery, and a stop in a cafe for a bite to eat, a bokbier, and a bit of reading before the bike ride back.
Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.
A few things I enjoyed over the last week:
1. Listening to the new album by Tom Waits on NPR
2. Entering a giveaway for a bicycle calendar by Lisa Rupp (pictured above, via unruly things)
3. Learning about the history and variations of the ampersand
4. Watching a video of the making of a fantastic magazine cover by Paperlux (pictured below, via curiosity counts)
Cycling is not simply a summer affair in Amsterdam. Yet when I see a week of rain ahead on the weather forecast, it takes extra motivation to hop on my two wheels in the morning. Having my rain gear ready (and always with me) makes it easier to bear a drizzle or downpour. My kit includes rain pants, a waterproof jacket, a hat with a brim to keep the water out of my eyes, and always leather or rubber shoes. Suffering through a spot of rain is worth the freedom and pleasure that comes with riding. Here, are a few tips for gear that make cycling in the autumn a breeze.
Above photo via Amsterdamize.
Rain cape by Iva Jean.
Rain booties from Loeffler Randall and a rain hat from Ridlington.
Rainboots, made cuter with Kove leg warmers (via unruly things)
I’m loving the photography by @amsterdamized of the bicycle culture in Amsterdam. It’s by far my favorite thing about this city and what I always focus on when other aspects of life here seem less favorable. Like when it’s summertime, but the weather has reverted to spring with sporadic rain, wind, and occasional moments of sunny warmth with a chill in the air.
Despite all threats of a drizzle, I have still been hopping on my bike to do summery things. Up this weekend, my favorite festival of the year. More on that to come. Photo by Amsterdamize
An image of collected bike parts by Sweden based cinematographer Martin Lang (via another something).
A group of people in Darlington, United Kingdom, decided to approach the problem of getting women on bikes by getting girls on bikes. The result is Beauty and the Bike, a book, a documentary, and perhaps most excitingly, a bike-share program…. It’s so wonderful to see how the girls move from skepticism about cycling to exhilaration about how “liberating” it is.
I’ve always said the moment when a woman can ride her bike comfortably around a city while wearing heels and feeling beautiful is the moment when that city has a real bike culture. Of course, another important aspect is feeling safe and the role of bike lanes in facilitating a sense of safety. The girls from Darlington visit Bremen, Germany to see how a strong infrastructure can cultivate a culture of bikes. (via SomethingChanged: WorldChanging)
Last weekend, I was able to catch the final festivities of Oregon Manifest, a celebration of the bike culture and innovation in Portland, Oregon. Part of the month-long celebration was a design challenge and an exhibition of the winning frame designs. The first place prize went to Pereira Cycles for this design, now on sale.
A gallery in the Pearl District was featuring the exhibition Dreams on Wheels: Danish Cycling Culture for Urban Sustainability, which will make its way to cities around the world including London, Barcelona, and Brussels in 2010. The exhibition looks at Danish efforts to cultivate a culture of cycling through sociological research, urban design and planning, public policy, and educational programs.
A few Danish words for ‘bicycle’:
Stålhest (steel horse)
Skærveknuser (bone crusher)
Havelåge (garden gate)
“Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel…the picture of free, untrammelled womanhood.”
— Susan B. Anthony, American Suffragist, 1886
(via Something Changed, dearsir, owlsgo)
Hurray for Amsterdam, the city of bikes! Portland is on its way too (apparently). I’ll judge firsthand when I go on a Hip Homespun Bike Tour of Portland next Sunday with a German-speaking tour guide to practice!
small sight 