My sister turned 30 today, we headed to longrain for lunch with the family (her mates party will be at Wagaya tomorrow night, that’ll be killer!). Food was as awesome as I remembered it from when it first opened. “Wow! It’s like having Thai for the first time!”. Why can’t all Thai restaurants lift their game?!
Cleanest food tank you’ll ever see (poor Barra!).
This monster was parked outside, seen a few different iconic cars promoting beers lately.
1st ride with my new lights. More pics and info here.
My Alba chop is picture of the day at DAN.GEROUS.NET (LOVE your work Dan! :)).
I just got to interview Sam Hill (he finally replied!). Interview is now up on BMU!
Christina and I did more nesting this weekend (hehe). Valentines day rules out any riding in any case, not to mention the crappy weather.
On Saturday we checked out the plethora of designery interior shops in Surry Hills. Rugs at $4,000, lamp shades at $750 (on sale too). Hey we didn’t buy any of it but it’s always nice to drool and dream.
We caught up with my good mate Liz (Happy B’day Liz!) and she took us to The Book Kitchen in Surry Hills, an awesome little cafe that reminded me a lot of Melbourne.
Suga and Liz.
Oven baked Spanish eggs!
The day was pretty successful as we scored an Aeron chair for Christina from Living Edge who really looked after us on the price, and a nice little bin too (slowly but surely!). The Ikea desk is already bowing in the centre so I’ll be refunding that this week.
Speaking of Valentines Day: I had no fucking idea what Valentines is all about. I asked Chrisinta and she said something along the lines of “you know, St Valentines?” and that was the extent of it. Liz said the same thing. I did some Google on it and there were a lot of references to this St. Valentines, and apparently many saints were called Saint Valentine back then, it’s all a bit confusing (the info that is) but I gather that it’s got something to do with some nice saint who helped to pass on love letters between two people who weren’t meant to be seeing each other, or something like that (now it’s sounding like Romeo and Juliet?!).
Anyways, Suga and I are falling into this pattern where one of us drives, and the other gets drunk. So for Valentines we booked in to our local restaurant, the Pool Cafe, we walked there and after a great meal and nice bottle of Momo (NZ wine!) we stumbled home. Perfect!
So I walked in to MCC today to buy a chain for the Oxford road bike (see post below) but I walked out with a bike!
More pics and comentary here.
I picked this bike up on the side of the road yesterday. I’ve become the bike saver! I’d much rather see this bike being ridden by someone rather than being flattened at the tip.
Geo ain’t too bad!
Fancy lugs and headbadge.
Shimano Thunderbird II!
Oxford stamped saddle.
Shimano Positron! Check the cabling, 2 cables feed all the way from the shifter to the derailleur. One cable for up, one for down. Unusual! Best thing is it’s perfectly in tune!!!
After some research I’ve found out that it’s most likely a Japanese bike, brought over then assembled in Australia. The date of manufacture is stamped in the rear stays as June 1977 and the Shimano Positron gear dates back to 1975. It’s pretty special gear as it’s Shimano’s first mass manufactured “index” gearing. That’s SIS today, clicking into gears as opossed to old style friction gearing.
“The whole system represented a serious attempt to take indexing mainstream. The chain and freewheel were especially good. A heroic failure, but lots of the incidental details – shaped chain links, shaped teeth, incompressible cable outer – lived to become integral parts of SIS”.
A bit of elbow grease, a new chain, and she’s now ready for a new home.
FUCK YES! They look (and feel) soooo amazingly awesome. I love them. The 3 colour print cost me an arm and a leg but I think the result is way worth it. $30 shipped anywhere in Aus. If you want one (please do help. I hope I can at least break even on these!!!) click here.
The Hoff gives 2 thumbs up.
