What: Pecha Kucha Night Vancouver – Volume 14

Frank, Hubs and I rolled over to the Vogue last night for another rousing evening of Vancouver fable making at PechaKucha (PKN Vancouver). Hosted by Cause & Affect – the brainy powerhouse design team behind MOV’s recent rebrand – PKN Van is part of a global movement aimed at connecting and showcasing the varied talent and imagination present in all cities.

Last night’s edition featured a riotous and provocative mix of authors, bloggers, do-gooders, and sex makers & purveyors. True to its PKN lineage, the evening also presented several designers currently shifting and redefining Vancouver’s built environment. As someone who spends most of her waking hours surrounded by architects, I was thrilled to discover the enthusiasm and fresh vision of young designer Matthew Soules and botanical artist Mike Weinmaster – both of whom are pumping out intriguing works aimed at redefining our perceptions of the urban realm.

Crystals Racquets & Sports Academy. Rendering Credit: Matthew Soules Architecture

Mike Weinmaster's living Semaihmoo Sky Garden. Credit: Mike Weinmaster

The next edition of PKN Van is scheduled for February.

Progress for Frank’s upcoming New Zealand trip is moving along at a FEVER pace. We’ve loaded up on a whole assortment of fine new components which are, as we speak, being mashed onto the old boy’s frame. One month and counting ’til liftoff!

Frank's new grill

Who: Origin Design & Communications Ltd.
Where: Whistler, BC & Montreal, QC

Now, I don’t normally make it my business to promote other non-bike businesses, but I’ve just discovered one I couldn’t resist – ORIGIN Design & Communications. Working out of Whistler and Montreal, ORIGIN is a full service agency offering a mix of marketing strategy planning, online and print design and social media services.

What sets ORIGIN apart from the other MAD MEN is their unique focus on the world of mountain sports – and all the GLORIOUS biking and skiing bliss that entails. Over the years the agency has amassed a killer clientele including such heavy hitters as Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Solomon Canada, Whistler Blackcomb, Tourism Fernie, and Atomic to name a few. The campaigns pumped out by ORIGIN are consistently fresh, visually ON and armed with sharp and effective copy aimed to captivate and lure their clients’ niche audiences. In a world run rampant with ‘marketeers’, ORIGIN is one of the freshest voices I’ve seen (this Rider is a comms nerd by day) in ages.

Photo Credit: Origin. Whistler Bike Park ad campaign.

Some cyber stalking tells me ORIGIN has also just added one hella amazing copywriter, Lisa Richardson (@pembygrl), to their team. Richardson, the former PR whiz kid behind the TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival, brings to ORIGIN a wealth of mountaineering experience and writing. Her blog, Lisa Richardson Bylines, offers an informative and entertaining take from someone who lives, breathes and carves mountains year round.

Strategic focus. Sleek design. Smart copy. Job well done ORIGIN kids.

Photo Credit: Origin Design & Communications. Whistler Bike Park ad campaign.

Ronson’s Bike Song

Thanks to Shane, my cute as a BUTTON friend, for sharing!

I’ve been hearing a lot of mad raving lately about an inventive multimedia biking project taking place in NYC; titled Downtown From Behind (DFB). The amazing brain spark of photographer Bridget Flemming, DFB is ambitiously seeking to capture the zeitgeist of life in the Big Apple by photographing regular New Yorkers, from behind, while exploring their locales on bike.

Photo Credit: Bridget Flemming, Downtown from Behind

Focused on the 200+ streets & roads located below Manhattan’s 14th Street, DFB cleverly showcases the beauty, curiosity and diversity that lies in everyday NYC moments – as assisted by the two-wheeled wonder.

I suspect we’ll be hearing about this for quite some time – to follow along, go to: http://downtownfrombehind.tumblr.com/

Photo Credit: Bridget Flemming, Downtown from Behind

Photo Credit: Bridget Flemming, Downtown from Behind

What: The Copenhagen Wheel

Creators: MIT’s SENSEable City Labs

Not content to rest on its urban cycling laurels, Copenhagen is looking to up the ante once again in a bid to get even more of its citizens riding. Enlisting the brainies over at MIT’s SENSEable City Lab, the city of bikes will soon see the Copenhagen Wheel, an electric hub which converts regular bikes into hybrid e-bikes, hitting its happy biking streets.

Copenhagen Wheel Photos by Max Tomasinelli http://www.maxtomasinelli.com

Most impressively, the Copenhagen Wheel is controlled via smart phone devices allowing users to lock/unlock their bikes, change gears, and track road conditions amongst a long-list of interactive features.

Currently in final prototyping, the Copenhagen Wheel will be available (for $600 US a pop) in June 2011.

Project inquires can be made to: senseable-cph@mit.edu

Frank: You look fine.
Me: You have to say that, you’re my bike.
Frank: Look, you’ll be grateful for the extra padding.
Me: Yah, but c’mon it looks like I’m wearing a diaper!
Frank: Well. Kinda. Yes

Rider's nightmare

I’ve broken a personal vow and bought my first pair of real padded cycling shorts. Now, I’m not entirely opposed to others wearing the stuff – I get the aerodynamic speedy speed argument. But personally, I just don’t like how Lycra feels on my skin, as if it were choking the life out of every pore with its stretchy embrace. AND did I mention, it looks hideous?

Up until now I’ve had no real need for the stuff – my rides with Frank are rarely that grueling, and when with Kika – my sweet girl – I’m most often standing or enjoying pleasure cruise like riding on her most delightful suspension.

With a longer trip ahead of us though – where saddle sores are a real possibility – I’ve finally thrown in the towel and surrendered to Lycra’s coup d’état on the cycling world.

Rider’s ego needs your support today readers.

Just listed Happy and The Bike on the blog aggregating site, Bloglovin. Yep, Frank is getting fancy … tra la la!

Add us if you deem me and the kiddies worthy of joining your other bestie blogs (Old man Frank thinks he is of course. He also laughs at his own bad jokes and is kinda FULL OF HIMSELF).

p.s. if anyone can give tips on how to add a thumbnail on bloglovin – the ‘edit my blog’ route doesn’t seem to be working – please give me a shout … we’re looking very unhappy and faceless over there.