isn't she lovely?

Getting her to Denmark was not easy! There's only one Pashley dealer in all of Denmark and they didn't reply to my inquiries, so I went straight to the source and focused my search in the UK. Most UK shops won't ship to Denmark and the few that would were out of stock with no known ETA, but I finally found my Princess at Fudges Cyclestore.

She shipped within a couple of days, but it took over 2 agonizing weeks for her to get here. I'll spare the details, but the shipping and delivery process wasn't what it should have been.

She arrived in pieces, with a generic instruction sheet that pretty much didn't apply to any part of the assembly process. But, thanks to the Dutch bike, I've been honing my bike mechanic skills and I managed to put her together.

Now onto my Pashley Princess Sovereign review...

I would like to ride her everywhere, but I'm not comfortable locking her up at the bus stop, so I use my Dutch bike for that, and the Pashley for errands.

One of the questions a lot of people have is about the weight of the bike. Yes, she's heavy. I'm 5'2", 30" inseam and I ride the 17.5" frame. I keep her in the basement and get her in and out through an outside door that has 4 steps up and down. It's a struggle, I wish she were lighter, but then she wouldn't be a Pashley!

A few words about frame size. The 17.5" fits up to an 31.5" inseam, the 20" frame starts at 30", which is my exact inseam. Inquiries to several dealers as well as to Pashley directly all confirmed that the 17.5" is the correct size for me. It felt too small at first, but I was used to a 50 cm Dutch bike with 28" tires. My seat post is showing about 2.75", mathematically, 2.5" would be just enough to make me fit the 20" frame. After much stressing, I'm happy I got the 17.5" frame because a smaller bike is easier to maneuver and a quarter of an inch isn't much to play with, so I have more room for adjustment with this frame. I still wish I could've taken both frames for a test ride to know for sure, but I really do think that the 17.5" frame is the safest and most suitable size.

She rides like I'd hoped the Dutch bike would, but I guess you don't get that in a $300 bike ;) The Princess has 5 speeds, which is plenty, more than enough in Denmark, actually. Once she gets going, she just rolls along, which I suppose is an upside to the weight. And she's solid, no issues with ratting or shaking when I ride over cobblestones or curbs, the drum brakes stop on a dime, and I could stare at the Brooks saddle all day!

She of course has an enclosed chain case, skirt guards, fenders, lights, and a rear cargo rack, which are pretty standard on European city bikes, so there's not much to say about those.

She came with a very large basket on a metal frame that holds a lot and is well supported. I'd like to find a nice wine crate for the back, but for now I have a basket that attaches to the rear rack with spring clamps, so I can haul plenty.


And the bell! It goes "ding-dong" and sounds more like a doorbell than a bike bell, but riding in traffic, I want something that gets attention. And it's pretty :)

Overall, she's everything I thought she would be, but there are some disappointments...

The chaincase is plastic, which I did not expect on a bike of this pedigree. Actually, I'm pretty sure that the chaincase on the Pashley is the same as the chaincase on the Dutch bike :(


All of the Pashley branding marks are stickers and they're not even under the clearcoat, just slapped on top like an afterthought. I think it's sloppy :(


She has an O-lock, which is pretty standard on European city bikes, but my Dutch bike actually has a better lock because I can keep the key on my keyring with the rest of my keys. On the Pashley, I can only remove the key from the lock when it's locked, so any sort of keychain would rub and scratch the paint, while I'm riding it, and I have to carry the key loose, which makes keeping track of it kind of a hassle.

There are some scratches on the paint and handlebars that I'm not thrilled about, but can live with, but there's a dent in the back fender that's definitely not cool and Fudges has not gotten back to me about it, so next, I will take it up directly with Pashley because a bike in this price range should not come dented!

And finally, most Dutch bikes have 28" tires, the Pashley has 26" tires, which is the British standard, but I think they're less efficient for commuting and would prefer the larger tires.

Before I moved to Denmark, I drove both a Toyota Yaris and an Audi TT. My Dutch bike is light, tinny, and gets me from point A to point B in an economical way, much like the Yaris. The Pashley is a solid stunner, and a pleasure to ride, much like the TT.

Expect to see more of her, I think I've found my muse :)

she's here!

It's my Pashley Princess Sovereign, and she's everything I thought she would be!

Eye candy and a full review coming soon :)

side street

A random side street in the city center...

thrifted coat rack

The entry to my flat is very narrow, so a hanging coat rack is out of the question, and buying this standing coatrack was an easy decision!

It's of course secondhand, and I got it for 95 DKK (about$16 US). At first I was planning to paint it white, but I kind of like the splash of color it gives to the corner, so it will stay orangy red :)

thai vegetable soup

I was raised on American 50's cuisine, so my palate has been somewhat limited. A year ago, I didn't like Indian food and based on one experience, I didn't like Thai food.

But Denmark is changing that. Now I'm the one trying to sell the group on Indian takeout instead of pizza, I have 3 types of curry paste in my fridge, I know which shop has the best price on coconut milk, and I can even identify lemongrass!

This is my base recipe for thai vegetable soup with coconut milk and curry. The veggies can be tweaked to what's in season or what you've got on hand.

olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed
3-4 T minced fresh ginger
3-4 carrots, sliced
12 oz cauliflower florets
1 1/2 cups chopped green beans
1 red pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

curry paste (to taste, I used red)
14 oz coconut milk
6 cups veggie stock
1 cup white wine
3 T veggie stir fry sauce
2 T soy sauce
2 T chopped lemongrass
sweet chili sauce (to taste)
3/4 t tumeric
1 cup brown rice, cooked

Heat a bit of olive in a soup pot, then cook the onion, garlic, ginger, and carrots until tender. Add everything but the rice and simmer for 25- 30 minutes. It's best to go easy easy on the curry paste and adjust to taste, the heat sneaks up fast. The soup will be very thin.

Puree about half of the veggies in a blender or food processor with a little bit of the broth and add the puree back to the pot. This will give you a nice combo of a rich, creamy texture and whole veggies. Stir in the rice and it's done!

batavus flying dutchman

I snapped this photo outside a secondhand shop...

It's a Batavus Flying Dutchman. It's old, it's rusted, and it's still being ridden. That's how so many of the Danish city bikes are. They get you from point A to point B, they stay outside in the rain, and they're ridden forever.

veggie enchiladas

I love Mexican food but there's only one Mexican restaurant in this city. I'll admit that one is better than none, but they charge well over $20 US for a veggie burrito. It's an ok burrito, but it's not mindblowingly delicious, and I doubt it will star in any of my future food fantasies.

It the absence of Taco Bell, or a reasonably priced Mexican restaurant, I've been making my own Mexican food at home.

All things considered, these veggie enchiladas aren't too bad from a fat and calories standpoint, and they're muy delicioso...

The chances of finding canned enchilada sauce in Denmark fall somewhere between slim and none, so I make my own:

2 T butter
2 T flour
5 t chili powder
1 1/2 t cumin
2 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
2 1/4 cups veggie stock

Melt the butter in a sauce pan, then add the flour, and brown to make a roux. Add the spices/seasonings and tomato paste, stir until blended with the roux. Gradually add the veggie stock, stirring constantly and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.

The enchiladas...

1 onion, chopped
1 red or green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 1/2 cups black beans (drained & rinsed)
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup creme fraiche
1 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
cayenne pepper (to taste)
corn tortillas
enchilada sauce
shredded cheddar cheese
olive oil

Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet, then add the onion and pepper and cook for a couple minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and oregano and continue to cook until the onions and peppers are soft. Stir in the black beans and salsa, cook until heated through. Mash the black beans a little, leaving some broken and some whole, then add the corn and cook until it's heated through. Stir in the creme fraiche.

Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray, then coat the bottom with enchilada sauce.

Spoon the filling mixture down the middle of each tortilla, then roll closed, leaving the ends open and place them seam side down in the baking dish. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes, or until it starts bubbling. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar and bake uncovered until the cheese melts.

thrifted sofa

I think I used up all of my good sofa karma when I found the vintage velvet sofa back in April. It's totally my dream sofa, but I also wanted something a bit bigger and more cozy. I've been diligently stalking the thrift shops since early May to no avail.

I contemplated buying something new, but I'm naturally drawn to older things, so I waited it out. In Connecticut, I had a house full of pretty new things that never felt comfortable.

For once I felt free to wait for the perfect thing and the perfect thing wasn't at all what I'd expected. I was drawn one afternoon to an antique bed. It's a twin, and I already had a bed, but instead of a sofa, why not have a sort of daybed in the living room? Yes!!! It's perfect :)

The bed with mattress was 350 DKK delivered (about $60 US). I spent another 600 DKK (about $100 US) or so on pillows and a quilt, and viola! A "sofa" I love for well under $200, I gave some money to charity, and this bed has another life. Its a win-win-win :)

It's a perfect spot for reading, knitting, watching movies, snuggling Opie, and pretty much everything! Visitors love it, I have a comfy sleeping place for houseguests, and all of a sudden the prospect of the long Nordic winter doesn't seem so bad when it's spent snuggled up with a purring kitty on a cozy daybed next to the fire :)

Things are shaping up around here...