Cycle Café's....Oops!: 2011

Friday 30 December 2011

2011 Can kiss my ...

.....It is no secret that 2011 and I are NOT b.f.f.'s (best friends forever); far be it. In fact it is quite safe to say that this year, for at least the first 3/4 of it, was the worst year ever. Not only for myself, but for many of my friends as well. This year was filled with loss of many loved ones, accidents of friends, financial hardships, relationship woes, and training slumps. Fun times were not to be had and all the difficulties took a harsh toll. By September I had decided I had had enough and on a whim booked a well needed, well deserved one month Holiday for England.... I was *"Jumping the Pond" with no intentions, or expectations but to take a break from all the sorrow and unhappiness.That is when my Life took a turn and I met Dave

The phrase usually implies the North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe, and is most often used to describe travel between the United Kingdom and the United States or Canada.

.

....Fast forward to today. As I sit on our couch in a small town in England and write this blog and reflect on the past year a smile is now common place where earlier this year a frown had taken up residence...so much has happened since that fateful trip in September. My wee start up business of Cycle Cafe,http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Cycle-Cafe/205064406205385, focused on Uniting Cyclists with Independent Cafe's throughout the World, and my project for a Safe Road Initiative has taken off and I gleefully now spend hours and hours each day developing them both; which have been wildly successful thus far. Dave, and I are now a couple, and in mid 2012 I will be taking up permanent residence with him in England. As well training is taking off again with the hopes of reaching my goal of a 1/2 Iron Man in the summer...

So, that vaguely is starting to resemble what some may call and refer to at this time of year as a
"New Year's Resolutions". Somewhat at least. I am not a fan of making 'Lists'. I feel they serve no purpose, they get lost and often lead to feelings of stress and guilt; which to me seem rather counter-productive to the purpose of a 'list' which is to make you feel like you actually accomplished something. Am I wrong? But last month in a week moment of excitement for the New Year I started to transcribe something that may resemble said list. For me though I view my "New Year's Resolutions" as a one year plan. Just as some may have already booked their holidays, and race schedule for the coming year, I have mapped out goals that I fully indent on achieving...(a great article on the "New Year's Resolution" was written by my daughter #3 last month you may want to give it a read; she is a great little journalist. That is an unbias opinion, of course)
http://www.hercampus.com/school/utoronto/new-years-resolutions-just-do-it

So, with no further adue my 2012 New Year's Resolutions:
( In no particular order )

>Turbo, Turbo and more Turbo (that's the Trainer for everyone in America)
....It's a love hate thing but it has to be done!

>U.B.C Tri in March
...Aiming for a PR as I revisit this race hopefully without the flu this year, but bumping myself up from a Sprint race to an Olympic this year
http://www.rec.ubc.ca/events/triathlon/

http://www.rec.ubc.ca/events/triathlon/Maps/UBCTriDu11Olympic.pdf

Anyone wishing to join me on this I would love your company!

>More success with Cycle Cafe this year
....with more Cafe Tours to be planned for the New Year in the Summer

>The Launch of the Safe Road Initiative with hopes of a program being started and some city improvements being made as well hopefully to propose a 'Manditory Helmet Law' for the UK
...(this may be a lofty one but I am going to try)

>Aiming at getting a new lighter bike for the road....I have ridden a Nishiki Steel Steed for decades and it is time!

>Starting to RR in the summer

>CX CX CX....simply can't get enough of it and I love MUD!
....hoping to hit up more of my Brother & Sister in Laws race series Cross On The Rocks

> To take a picture every single day of the year "365 Photos of 2012"
....I have tried for 4 years to acomplish this endevor...this year I got close I only missed one day in March. This year is the year. I feel it!

>My family all together for Christmas 2012 with Dave in Canada.

and that would be it...

Tomorrow on New Years Eve as I ring in the New Year with the love of my life beside me (Dave) there will be no tears shed for the passing of 2011...and no better time is the old adage than
*"May Ole acquaintance be forgot..and never come to mind" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljl7Va8lEro that suits the moment.

"Good Riddance" my friend Tony has uttered this week. I think we are looking forward to 2012 and what it may bring. A fresh start is always welcome, especially this year.

*"Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And days of auld lang syne?

And days of auld lang syne, my dear, And days of auld lang syne.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And days of auld lang syne? "

Happy New Year One & All!

>Share your 'New Year's Resolutions' here in the comments section...we would love to hear them ..Cheers!

~Cycling Cafe's Diva

"Uniting a Community; one Cyclist at a time"

This Blog and its content is copyright of Cycle Cafe - ©CycleCafe 2011 . All rights reserved

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© Cycle Cafe 2011
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*'Jump the Pond' reference from : http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/across_the_pond
*"May old aquaintance be forgot..." : Poem by "Auld Lang Syne" is a Scottish poem written by Robert Burns in 1788

Wednesday 28 December 2011

Stuffed!

mmmm fruitcake, fruitcake, and more fruitcake....that's Christmas done! As well my 3:41 a.m. wake ups seem to be passing as is the jet lag having 'jumped the pond' a week ago now...and what a fiasco that was...still have not located the two bags taken from me at YVR Airport in Vancouver, but all in all being back in England has been wonderful. I'm back home with my love and the balance that I so lack while back in Canada has returned, now that I am in the UK. Strange how that is but my British roots seem to be a comfort to me; and whilst here I seldom feel like the 'Odd Duck' that I so often do when in B.C... tea, brussel sprouts, bangers, mincemeat pies, proper tea...makes for a happy happy me. But now I have become a fine rolly polly so with the New Year fast approaching the customary "New Years Resolutions" are in order...and I put my list together in less than 10 minutes, more than a month ago...<post to follow>

~Cycling Cafe Diva

Sunday 18 December 2011

#ChocolateGuinessCake

      Did someone say Guiness? Way back in April the well known Nigella Lawson posted a recipe for Chocolate Guiness Cake, that was destined to "Blow Your MIND Hole!" #barnone. I mean really Beer&Chocolate....it's like sugar heaven.
     In October this recipe went viral on both facebook, as well as twitter.... It quickly grew in popularity and became a new favourite of many. Chocolate Guiness Cake seemed to be on a World Tour; making appearances at family gatherings, charity events, #onixtwitterrides, holiday parties, weddings, and birthdays. Basically just about anywhere you went there was Chocolate Guiness Cake!
     A dear friend passed the recipe along to me Via:http://www.domesticgoddess.ca/recipes.php?recipe=10193 ...I was very excited to try it out in my test kitchen and see what all the "woo hoo'ing" was about. As I often do I altered the recipe slightly, reducing the sugar & saturated fat content. We as cyclists may love our cake but we still want to look good in our "Spandex" (wee bit vein, us lot, we are)....the result. YUM!...

Chocolate Guiness Cake

When you pair a legendary beer like Guiness with Chocolate and mix it all together, the marriage is one blessed by angeles.

Chocolate Guiness Cake :

*Here is the original recipe as well as my personal options. I personally cut the butter in half, as well used one cup less sugar.

Ingredients:

THE CAKE:

250ml   ( 1 cup )            Guinness Genuine Draft
250g     ( 2 1/2 cups )    cold unsalted butter cut into cubes [ I use only 1 cup]
75g       ( 2/3 cup )        cocoa
400g     ( 4 cups )          caster sugar [ I use 3 cups]
1 x 142ml                     sour cream
2                                   eggs {room temperature}
1 tablespoon                 vanilla extract
275g      ( 2 1/2 cups ) flour
2 1/2   teaspoons           bicarbonate of soda {baking soda}

~ Preheat the oven to 180C/355F, and grease and line a 23 cm ( 9 inch ) springform pan.

~ Pour the Guinness into a large saucepan, and add the cubed butter. Set heat to low/medium.
Add the cubes of butter till melted, then remove the saucepan from the heat.

~ Whisk in the cocoa and sugar.

~ Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla....

....then pour into the saucepan.

~ Finally, beat in the flour and baking soda.

~ Pour the batter into the greased and lined tin.

~ Bake for 45 mins to an hour. Test with cake tester.

                    ~ Leave to completely cool in the pan on a cooling rack - it is quite a damp cake.

Frosting:

                    300g             Philadelphia cream cheese
                    150g            icing sugar
                    125ml           double or whipping cream

*My Personal Version of frosting is :

                   equal parts soft cream cheese & icing sugar ( 1 1/2 cups is plenty)
                   lemon zest
                   pinch of cinnamon
                   swig of Guiness
                  Creme Brullee Topping

~ When the cake's cold, set on a fancy plate or stand.
( I love these cake stands by ECOLOGY)

Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the icing sugar and then beat them both together. Or do this in a processor, putting the unsieved icing sugar in first and blitz to remove lumps before adding the cheese ( I often use this method). Add the cream and beat again until it makes a spreadable consistency.

~ Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.

Voila!

This peice is for me.....

      .... and this peice was specially delivered to The Shop for 'The boys' (more on them in a future blog)

*this was @roadbikedave 's favourite cake. In consideration of his wonderful generous spirit this cake is a nice tribute to his memory.


                                       ~~~R.I.P. Dave Hargrave 23.2.75 - 17.10.11 ~~~

~Cycling Cafe's Diva

"Uniting a Community; one Cyclist at a time"

Wednesday 14 December 2011

The In'famous' BLOG

   Woot! I have a Blog! I realise I am not the first person to get on the blog trend. In fact I am probably one of the very last ones to jump on the blog 'band wagon'. After loads of persuasion from friends, and followers, here I am; blogging. The wonderful thing about 'the blog' is there is no pressure. It isn't an essay or term paper due the next morning to be scrutinised by your English Professor that your GPA depends on. There really is no right or wrong when it comes to blogging. So, why did it take me so long to join this very popular phenomenon, and why now. Well, despite my very outgoing, social domineer I am surprisingly very private, and rather shy. It's true. I am a true 'wall flower', but I love to write.
    My friend Damir once asked me how I met a past love interest? I replied by telling him in a message, all the many details of that chance meeting. About 3/4 of the way into my very lengthy story (which most of my stories are) he stopped me and asked, "You know you really should write stories. You tell a damn good one." <I smirked at that remark> My reply, "I am far to busy to do that." Yet with a new business in the making and pulling 13-15 hours a day to get Cycle Cafe, as well as a Safe Road Initiative off the ground, here I am, writing a blog. I think they call that for-shadowing in the movies.
     In the midst of all the creating aspects of the business I found myself one day sitting down and writing. It occurred to me that with all the chaos and this being the beginning of the making of what I hope will be a very successful venture; that I should be journaling this time. As I wrote I found myself letting go of the buzzing, the stress of all the outside pressures faded away and I became lost and engrossed in my thoughts. The flow of the pencil on the paper had a rhythm that became almost Zen like. I still prefer to write with a pencil on paper. There is just something about how ones thoughts flow from your mind ....to the hand. Then the hand dances about on the page and forms words that describe every thought you had. It's magical really. One misses out on that experience whilst pounding away on a keyboard with a screen starring blankly back at them. Simply not the same experience.
     So, as my thoughts flow my mind has been off on it's own tangent full of ideas for Cycle Cafe...to many to keep track of really. Things have been happening so quickly. From Logo's, to Jersey designs, Artists approaching me with their thoughts and ideas to contribute to the endeavour; all appreciated. Not all of this experience has been hearts&flowers. There have been times that were a bit trying. What with unjust, unfair scrutiny, and unfavourable comments, scandal, and copycatting in public text and online it has been a challenge at times. All is part of of business I have found. I have been very fortunate to have very loyal friends, family, followers and fans all of whom have been very supportive and encouraging. Mostly it has taken a very strong character to rise above most of the trial and tribulations. As my guy would say to me, "When you have a great concept there will always be people that come along and try to mimic you. Take it as flattery and keep doing what you are doing; the cream will rise to the top". So, I have kept on carrying on.
     There is still so much to do before Cycle Cafe is ready for it's official Launch in early 2012. For now I have loads on my plate. The love of my life Dave has asked me to move to England to make a life there with him. To which I responded with a resounding, "Yes.". In the new year I will be officially 'jumping the pond' to take up a new life in the U.K. with new experiences yet still continuing with Cycle Cafe and making those most important connections with all the quality lovely cafes throughout Europe. I plan on starting to Road Race next year as well. It has always been a dream of mine to do so, but I have always shied away....no more...my first race will be in late summer. I am so looking forward to it. I can't wait to start my new life in England with Dave and I can't wait to see what comes next......until then I am "enjoying the ride!"

*4 Candy Cane's later I am done my first blogpost ever.... here I go...I am about to click the
'Publish Post' key for the first time and it occurred to me tonight that then this blog post will be visible to everyone.... I hesitated on that thought tonight, and nearly changed my mind....but here goes nothing! AUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~C.C. :)))

~Cycling Cafe's Diva

"Uniting a Community; one Cyclist at a time"