may is national bike month! yay! stop using the weather as an excuse to drive everywhere and actually enjoy your ride with the perfect accessories for you and your bike.

knog kabana bike lock
$45 – various colors

especially useful in the city as a secondary lock for that other wheel. i’m not a big fan of carrying 2 bulky u-locks around and having to take my wheel on and off when i’m just running quick errands, so having a secondary lock is key to making your trip to the store smooth and efficient. i love the knog kabana lock because it is easy to carry and wrap around my seat post, a good deterrent for quick-release thievery and of course, super cute.

portland design works bar-ista
$20 – black

i’ve tried a million ways to carry my precious caffeinated beverages on my bike and every time i arrive at my destination covered in spilled milk and tears. this might just be the solution, my friends.

eddie bauer travix skort
$59.95 – various colors

it’s always a struggle to figure out how to make skirts work on a bike. when the weather gets warmer the last thing i want to do is to have to wear leggings under one. rather than flashing every whistling dude on the street, this skort gives your lady parts the privacy they need and the flexibility to pedal without the worry. it’s also moisture-wicking and perfect for days with light rain.

diy summer scarf

speaking of having your goodies oggled, when the layers are no longer required, the harder to fend off not-so-cute dudes hollering from their trucks. i’m super modest and like layers anyways, so i’ve fallen in love with making my own scarfs that are lightweight and easy to throw on so the entire world doesn’t have the chance to look down my shirt. check our this tutorial from p.s. i made this and also from lil blue boo. so easy! you don’t have to spend a dime, just find a shirt you don’t wear anymore or steal your boyfriend’s most comfortable shirt and tell him you cut it up for his sake.

bontrager convert helmet
$49.99 – white and black

i hate having to figure out what to do with my hair when about to get on my bike since i refuse to ride without a helmet. since the hairmet is only a mythical creature, i love my bontrager helmet. it sort of makes me feel like i’m from tron with it’s unique streamlined design, but there is a removable tab in the back for my ponytail. best. invention. ever. let your mane flow free, ladies.

last week actionbooth was asked to be part of 1871‘s launch party. we’ve never had that much fun at an event. everyone was excited to participate, and for the first time we did a live feed as well as learn to broadcast to several different monitors wirelessly. leave it to a tech company to inspire us to step up our digital game. heh. below are a few of my favorite shots. enjoy!

to see the rest of the gallery from the event, visit actionbooth.com.

my friends paul and claire asked me to do their wedding invitations and i was more than happy to do so. the invitations are being printed as we speak, but in the mean time i wanted to share the logo i designed for their special day.

their wedding will be on august 18th, and claire asked if there was something fun i could do to make the “8″ look like an infinity sign. here is what we landed on. she adores it, so i’m super pumped to see it on the invitations. i’ll post pictures soon!

when a musician passes away, especially one you’ve listened to for over a decade in your life, a little piece of you dies too. the beastie boys got me through high school. they kept me motivated through college. the first time i saw them live was the best concert i’ve ever been to. sabotage was my team’s song my rookie season on the windy city rollers.

i remember first hearing the news of mca finding a tumor in his throat and finding out cancelled their tour that year. i remember the video where he made it seem like not a big deal. but cancer is no one’s friend, and unfortunately not everyone can beat it.

read more about his contribution to the beastie boys, as well as the foundation he started and his independent film company in this article by the new york times.

thanks for all you’ve done, mca. we’ll miss you.

forget that i am biased and currently dating this author, but it really is a good read. conor‘s first book is now officially for sale on amazon. you can buy the paperback here or get the kindle version here.

to celebrate the end of a fairly mild winter, i leave you with the top 5 ways to ring in spring. enjoy.

one. it’s too early to run your air conditioning. go somewhere that is already running it for free.

GAME ON | March 9 – April 21 from Alan and Michael Fleming on Vimeo.

like an art gallery. currently running until April 21, Game On is on exhibit at threewalls featuring our friends Alan and Michael Fleming, brothers who attempt twin telepathy while spending their first time living apart in Chicago and New York. the collaboration which happened in two parts—part one while living in different cities, part two when reunited in New York—in which the latter is on display in the form of video, drawing and sculpture.

two. turn off the netflix. you’ve already caught up on all your MioBi episodes.

find one of the remaining bookstores in your ‘hood and pick up this book, then return to reading outside by the lake. Jonah Lehrer writes about the science behind creativity and while the creation of an idea causes specific activities in the brain, the conditions for the moment to happen are quite broad. read interview highlights with the author at npr.org. who knows, maybe your reaction the next supremely adorable puppy that walks by sparks the next multi-million idea.

three. go ahead and ride a segway.

as much as i love knocking it, i’ve heard the tours are actually quite entertaining. keep an eye out for the tour guide that has a pet parrot, he’s like the unicorn of segway tour guides.

four. be less of a nerd and just ride your bike.

it’s not too far from the city, but the palos park forest preserve offers a little less rollerbladers in your way than the lakefront. out of my way, hackers.

five. when in doubt, drink beer.

no explanation needed. the weather is forcing beer gardens out of hibernation. find one nearest you here.