cupcakes » Let's Go Ride a Bike - life on two wheels: simple. stylish. fun.

Sprinkles

Posted by Dottie at 08:37 commute diary 5 Responses »

Feb 022012

As the mild weather continues, I’ve been dressing for spring and removing my light jacket during rides. This weather really feels like April.

The warm weather also makes it a good time to ride with friends and take the long way home, instead of the usual winter feeling of “Get me home as soon as possible, Ms. Bike!”

After work on Tuesday, I met up with my friend Sara downtown and we meandered home up the Lakefront Trail, riding side-by-side and chatting.

But not before fueling up on cupcakes at Sprinkles.

Yummy! So even though it literally started to sprinkle a tiny bit on our way home, I was feeling good and grateful that the sprinkles were not snow flurries.

Happy February!

Bike Lane Love in the New York Times

Posted by Dottie at 23:47 media, news 10 Responses »

Nov 082011

It’s too bad that so many New Yorkers still complain about the bike lanes’ contribution to the inconvenience of urban driving instead of promoting them for their obvious role in helping solve the city’s transportation miseries, and for their aesthetic possibilities. I don’t mean they’re great to look at. I mean that for users they offer a different way of taking in the city, its streets and architecture, the fine-grained fabric of its neighborhoods…On a bike time bends. Space expands and contracts.

Check out this beautiful article about New York’s bike lanes, Pleasures of Life in the Slow Lane, by Michael Kimmelman in the New York Times. (Hat tip to reader David B. for forwarding it to us!) As Chicargobike said in her post about the article, the prose will make you swoon.

Reading a glowingly positive article about bike infrastructure in the mainstream media was refreshing and a lot of the author’s optimism can be applied to Chicago or any other city that’s beginning to take bikes seriously. I was especially interested to read that “London has lately turned into a bike capital too.” I’d love to hear what any Londoners out there think about that statement.

Speaking of New York, I found a little bit of NYC in downtown Chicago yesterday. There is a new Magnolia Bakery on State Street.

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, Chicago already has lots of delicious cupcake bakeries and doesn’t need New York’s second-hand ideas. On the other hand, CUPCAKES! :)

Lazy Weekend

Posted by Dottie at 15:20 Uncategorized 3 Responses »

Sep 252011

This is all that’s going on chez Dottie the last couple of weekends.

Plus books and old TV shows on Netflix. At least I biked a little bit – to get the cupcakes.

And yes, I am a cat person, why do you ask?

A Delicious Cupcake Ride!

Posted by Dottie at 23:57 events, style 20 Responses »

Jun 272011

Ride to eat cupcakes, eat cupcakes to ride.

On Saturday, that’s exactly what a celebratory group of 18 bicyclists did, navigating 8 miles to visit 3 bakeries and consume countless cupcakes. All in the best summer finery, of course.

After setting off from Wicker Park, we stopped first at Alliance Bakery, my personal favorite of the day. Such delicious and beautiful confections!

The group got a little sidetracked by a very pink sidewalk sale at a boutique next door…

But we soon got back to serious cupcake business.

Next we biked through Wicker Park and Bucktown and across the river to Roscoe Village for our second stop, Bleeding Heart.

There we visited with a bicyclist who would have joined us for the ride, if she had not had to work at the bakery that day. Hi! :)

We took a break at a park across the street, as we began to realize that eating more than one cupcake in a row can be quite a challenge.

Then after riding through Roscoe Village, Lakeview and Lincoln Park, we arrived at our final bakery, Sweet Mandy B’s. A final round of cupcakes was ordered, because we’re hardcore like that.

Finally, we parked ourselves at the beautiful rose garden in nearby Oz Park for a picnic of … cupcakes! And champagne! A lovely combination.

Merci Beaucoup to my partner in crime, Sara. I literally could not have done it on my own, without her enthusiasm and route-mapping skillz. And mucho gracias to our adorable yet badass corker, Ash.

Thanks to everyone who came out! You’re all awesome!

What kind of ride should we do next? Perhaps some gelato and ice cream? Perhaps!

{Cupcake} Training Ride

Posted by Dottie at 19:58 random rides 19 Responses »

Jun 222011

Recently, I talked about my goal to take a few substantial joyrides this summer. I got lots of great suggestions in the comments, but so far I have not mustered the energy to do anything about it.

My most ambitious ride last weekend involved ambling on Coco to the movie theater to see Midnight in Paris (love Woody Allen!) and stopping for a couple of cupcakes on the way home.

Hey, I know: this was a training ride! I’m deep in preparation for this Saturday’s Cupcake Ride. I take this kind of stuff very seriously. ;)

Join the Cupcake Ride!

Posted by Dottie at 22:35 events 11 Responses »

Jun 192011

Mark your calendar! Together with Sara of This Little Bike of Mine, I will be leading a cupcake ride this Saturday, June 25, at 1:00 p.m.

The ride will be a leisurely 6-7 miles, starting at the Polish Triangle and ending at Oz Park.

We plan on visiting 3 bakeries – Alliance, Bleeding Heart, and Sweet Mandy B’s. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to eat 3 cupcakes (although Sara and I are up for the challenge!). You can always share with a friend. We’ll be stopping in a couple of parks to enjoy our treats so feel free to bring a blanket if you prefer.

The dress code is “cupcakesque.” Ruffles and pastels encouraged. Per usual, any ladies-who-bike are welcome! We hope to see you Saturday!

*In the chance of rain we will announce an alternate date.

{p.s. Inspired by the lovelies at Bike Skirt.}

Magical Cupcakes on Wheels

Posted by Dottie at 12:41 Uncategorized 17 Responses »

Mar 192011

I know I blog about cupcakes a lot – here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here! – but this is an extra special cupcake bike story.

Last Friday, I stepped out of my office at the end of the day and right before my eyes was a cupcake van parked in front of Oma.

I did not know where the magical cupcake van came from, but of course I immediately made a purchase.

When I got home, I googled the company, Flirty Cupcakes on Wheels, and discovered that it’s quite the thing in Chicago. The van drives around downtown to surprise locations, broadcasts the location through Twitter and Facebook, and then after an hour or so disappears back to the magical land of unicorns and rainbows. Buying their cupcakes is like catching a butterfly in a net.

The only thing that would make this company waaaay cooler? Cupcakes by bakfiets. Somebody get working on that one and you’ll have a loyal fan forever. :)

Cupcake Attack!

Posted by Dottie at 18:52 Betty Foy, commute diary 20 Responses »

Mar 102011

My bike commutes this week have been lovely, happy and above-freezing. Spring is around the corner! I can feel it in my bones, this morning’s flurries notwithstanding.

On the way home today, Betty Foy made me stop for cupcakes in celebration of the season. She is bossy.

I then munched an entire fairy cake whilst standing outside.

Cupcake attack!

At $2.25 each, these sweet treats are a bargain compared to oil. What’s your fuel of choice?

The Sweetness of Riding a Bike

Posted by Dottie at 18:19 advice, basics, Betty Foy 29 Responses »

Aug 012010

I’ve talked before about how bicycling can help you to enjoy the simple pleasures of life and boost your body confidence. Put the two together and what do you get? Cupcakes, of course! Also, cookies, gelato and whatever sweet treat you like best.

That’s right – a major benefit of riding a bike is enjoying the sweetness of life. Many people tend to live in a never-ending state of stifling guilt, wherein they eat something decadent, feel bad about it, hate their body and berate their lack of willpower. Whether they can summon the energy to go to the gym is a make-or-break determination of their self-worth. What should be a simple enjoyment becomes a torture.

That is no way to live.

Here’s an alternative: ride a bike; eat a cupcake; smile.

Get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Let your body work for you as part of your everyday routine, not as “exercise.” Then reward your body with a sugar high. You deserve it. And ease up a little on yourself – perfection is an unworthy goal. Everything will balance itself out in the end.

Warms My Heart

Posted by Dottie at 18:00 commute diary 15 Responses »

Apr 012010

Happy April First!

Chicago’s temperature climbed to a high of 83 degrees today! While cycling the Lakefront Trail for my morning commute, I was compelled to pull over, awestruck by the gentle sunrise. Work could wait ten minutes.

I spent my lunch hour on a park bench reading War and Peace and eating the most fabulous cupcake. (Now that I’ve discovered the cupcake boutique More not far from my office, my addiction can only get worse.)