What's it like to live in Philly, from this California girl

When I told people we were moving to Philadelphia, it was certainly a big surprise and the immediate reply was always something along the lines of "you know it snows there, right?" 

Right. It snows in other parts of the country. I sort of knew what I was getting into. I think I had a pretty good handle on it, actually. I knew it wasn't going to be the easiest transition, but I really didn't expect it to work out this well. After making the decision to move to Philly, I was pretty scared. I couldn't really believe what I had done, and I sort of sat in denial between late September (when I decided to move) and January 15th when we finally left.

Getting in the car and actually driving away made it very real. We had a pretty good time driving across country, we saw so many cool things, ate really good food and just had fun visiting places we'd never been to. When we rolled in, it was in the middle of the Polar Vortex of all things. I knew it would be too good to be true when my friends in Philly told me the last few winters had been super dry/warm. But to be completely honest, it's not that bad. Yeah, 20 degrees is cold. It actually felt much colder when we got here. Now, I'm feeling sweaty when it's 55!

The food is Amazing with the exception of a good ole' Mission Burrito, of course, but otherwise we've been eating delicious foods (if you follow my Instagram, I try to snap pics of all the tasty meals) and having fun finding new places to dine.

Overall, there are many things that I really love so far about Philly and those include (but are not limited to):

• East Coast Diners and the Food! Every diner we go to has a 10+ page menu with everything you can possibly think of. So much to choose from that I find it difficult to choose every time. And there are way more open 24 hours, which was difficult to find in SF. We've found so many cool places to eat and there are more to try every day.
• Historical architecture and culture. Everywhere you go, there's some kind of landmark or historical event that's permanently embedded in the city streets with a signpost or plaque with a cool or crazy story. This is the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence. You can drive by Betsy Ross' house, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and more. I also am in love with the classic, European influenced architecture of the row houses, brownstones and the like. Almost every street is ridiculously cool and beautiful. Although I was born here (as were my brothers), I don't think I truly appreciated the history that this country was founded on. I look forward to learning more about the events that shaped our independence and how this city contributed to the final outcome.
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• Snow. I know it sounds crazy. But I kind of Love it! I can't wait until Christmas time, well I can't wait until summer actually. But I have a feeling this city is going to be ridiculously beautiful around the holidays with trees, snowflakes and other holiday accessories.  I'm one of those who loves layering up and wearing warm sweaters and scarves, I love dressing up for winter!
• My neighborhood, Bella Vista. We got so lucky with our apartment, it's 5-10 minutes from everything we need. It's a great mix of suburban and city living. Lots of restaurants, shopping and things to do right around the corner. I really can't wait til spring comes so I can get out and explore a bit more.
• No Turn on Red. Most intersections here don't let you turn on Red! Love it.
• Dogs. You can see from the pic above that Benny is having a blast at the dog park. Philly people love their dogs, and there are a ton of them everywhere. People bring them everywhere too!
• Diversity. One would think that SF would've been a really diverse city. Sort of, but not really. Lower and middle class families (especially minorities) are fleeing like crazy. Because you can't live there for less than $100k/year. I like seeing all different colors and classes of people wherever I go. With all the universities and colleges here, there's a nice diversity of people from all over the world.

Okay, now to the not so fun parts. Which, I don't love but aren't going to drive me to run back to San Francisco! These are things that I hope to see some changes on in the next 3-5 years. Fingers crossed, but I know it's a longshot.

• Recycling. It's such a San Francisco thing to complain about, but I miss the mandatory composting and excessive recycling that San Franciscans participate in. It reduces waste and it's sad to think about all the trash I can't recycle or compost sitting in a landfill. It also seems to fill up the streets here, especially during snow days when the trucks can't make it out that week to do pickups because of the weather. It's been so long since I've seen styrofoam, I forgot that people still use the stuff. (And it'll still be here in xx,xxx,xxx years most likely!
• Burritos. I'm still hopeful that I will find something sufficient, but it's definitely going to take awhile.
• No helmet laws. I'm getting used to it, but it still bugs me. I always pray that I won't see something I can't unsee when I see someone riding without one.
• Roads. Living in the Bay Area you're spoiled with incredible roads within 15-30 minutes of you. Everything from twisty, to goaty, to dirt, to beautifully paved.  I'm excited to find a bike and start exploring, because I know there are good roads around here somewhere, I just need to figure them out! I have a feeling I'll be doing more long weekends to go riding, vs. short 4-6 hour rides which is fine with me.
• Humidity.  I have a feeling I'll be driving to work a lot this summer. I just don't know what I can do with that. I'm used to riding in 90 degree dry heat, but I don't think I'll be a fan of humidity... Meh.

But most of all, I have to say that the best thing about being here is that working at Revzilla has been incredible. I didn't know if I really wanted to work in a store again. After my last experience, I felt like I didn't have any options left and really wasn't sure how much longer I could do this. Now that I'm here, I KNOW I want to do this. I absolutely LOVE doing this. And helping customers like Cory today, who just needed someone to talk to about gear and understand what options could be available for her to get geared up was so awesome.  It felt great knowing that I could give her information and help that she can't find anywhere else, period. She left knowing that it wasn't hopeless and that she would be able to find gear that fits her. I have to give a shout out to my awesome coworkers who really kick ass at their jobs and also love what they do. It's so nice to be surrounded by people who are actually happy working where they work.

If you don't know what it's like to love where you work and what you do for a living, then you're really missing out. Leaving was really hard and incredibly sad for me to leave my family and friends. But I just know that living here for a bit, experiencing something completely out of my comfort zone (much like riding motorcycles, imo) will make me a better person overall. I don't regret moving one bit, and highly highly recommend it at least once in your lifetime, because it's all been worth it for me, in exchange for working someplace I never could've imagined 5 years ago.... a little place called Revzilla.com, where you can find the most unique, incredible selection of premium motorcycle gear.

Meet Rokker, the Ultimate Riding Jeans

 

I have never been a fan of riding jeans. Until now. Meet Rokker Jeans. The fully waterproof, technical riding pant that happens to have a really stylish denim look to it. Fully armored, with hips and knees, these are the only riding jeans I actually recommend riding (and crashing) in.

Rokker is based in Switzerland. As a result, they've been able to partner with one of the most technologically innovative companies in the world, Schoeller Textiles. I should preface this by saying that only 1 model in the Rokker line (Revolution, pictured above) offer hip and knee protection, so that is the only model I would personally recommend for that reason.

Unfortunately the women's line isn't offered in the US as of yet. But the men's line is offered here and although only a few styles are currently available, I'm sure more will be offered as the brand gains popularity and brand recognition here in the land of the free, home of the brave.

At a price point of $549, it's a difficult pill to swallow on "riding jeans". But these aren't your typical pair, that's for sure. One key difference when you look at them is that they look high fashion, designer jeans along the lines of your Original Joe's, Lucky, Diesel, etc. But there are 2 major differences between them and the Rokker Revolution Jeans.

It starts with the proprietary schoeller®-Denim-Dynatec: "a revolutionary combination of schoeller®-dynatec and denim, thus extremely high resistance to abrasion as well as a genuine Jeans-look." So it looks *just* like your typical pair of designer denims, when in fact it's a highly technical, performance fabric disguised as jeans! It's not only fully lined from the waist all the way down to just above the ankles in schoeller®-dynatec, but the protector pockets are also fully lined in this fabric and double layered along the knees. You can find schoeller®-dynatec in other high end motorcycle apparel brands such as Dainese and BMW as well.

The other material that the Revolution offers is also from Schoeller, "c_change™ membrane":  "This membrane reacts independently to changing temperatures and activities and is 100% waterproof and windproof. It closes when exposed to cold and opens in response to warmth, the prevailing humidity and body moisture are taken into account in this process. In doing so, not only temperature but also air and body moisture are balanced out. c_change™ ensures the ideal body climate."

And of course, theres the body armor. Rokker has paired with d3o protectors so the Revolution includes the hip and knee protectors from d3o. Hopefully you've heard me talk about their armor over and over again on Moterrific. It's a super soft, pliable but strong 'rubber' like material that you will hardly notice while riding. You can purchase all the different body parts (hips, knees, shoulders, elbows, back) separately and upgrade your gear with it too.

Oh and did I mention that they're waterproof? Not water resistant, but waterproof. Schoeller also maintains that c_change is more breathable even than GORE-TEX.

I haven't tried them on because they're not available small enough in my size, but most customers immediately notice how comfortable they immediately feel (probably due to the schoeller lining) and have a hard time walking away from them because of the comfortable fit. These fit just like Levis 501 jeans, so if you love your 501s you'll probably fall in love with these too. I like the fact that there are no seams on the knees too.

Although the Revolution is only offered for men on Revzilla, I think women could definitely wear these if you're a 29" waist size (~US 6-8). The fit will certainly be like a Boyfriend jean, so not very hip friendly with a straight cut but I know a lot of women who wear men's jeans (myself included).

Would I spend $549 on riding jeans? Not just any jeans, but Rokker Revolutions, maybe. But only if I gain 20lbs, which I really would rather not do just to fit into these pants. But if I were the right size, I'd seriously consider them as my next pant purchase.

Turn AnyGlove touchscreen friendly?

Supposedly, that's what this product says it can do for your textile, fleece, fabric or synthetic leather glove. There are two options, the Original formula above, and the green formula for Leather.

I haven't tried it yet, but my friend says it worked for him..... If you've used it, what's been your experience?

Women's Motorcycle Boots for 2014

Awhile ago I wrote a blog post with recommended motorcycle boots for women. I'm updating that post by adding 4 New boots for women for 2014. 2 of these are updated versions and the other 2 are new altogether.

These are strictly updated versions of boots mentioned in that post. I've left out ones that haven't changed.

Alpinestars Stella S-MX 6

(Keep in mind that 'Stella' is just Alpinestars label for the women's line. Everything is Stella this or Stella that. The actual name of the boot is the S-MX 6.)

The S-MX 6 above is the update to the popular S-MX 5. They've actually a nice upgrade in terms of protection with a torsion control system along the ankle to help prevent accidental twisting. Much more in line with the higher level race boots that Alpinestars makes. Of course, if you're looking for full race protection (achilles heel, stronger sliders, more shock absorption in the heels, etc.) then you should stick to something stronger like the S-MX Plus or SuperTech R's, which actually work well for women with slender feet/ankles. Previous versions of the S-MX Plus are also currently on closeout.

Dainese Svelta GORE-TEX

The Svelta is slightly different from it's big sister the Siren, because it has a narrower calf space with the higher inner zipper. I didn't like the Siren myself, because the calf space was too generous for me. So if you liked the Siren but found it a little bulky, I think you'll like Svelta. And it also has the wonderful GORE-TEX breathable membrane. Keep in mind that Dainese has a narrower toe box and tapers inward along the pinky toe.

Sidi Apex Lei

The Apex Lei is the shorter version of the Vertigo Lei.  If you like the idea of a shorter street boot with maximum protection, this is the way to go. If you missed my review of the Vertigo, you can read it here. The fit will also be the same as the Vertigo Lei.

Gaerne Rose

You may also have seen photos of the new Gaerne Black Rose (left) recently that look different from the previous version (right). There are no differences, except the new girly design along the inner ankle. Still one of my favorite city boots to ride in.

Sidi Verona Lei

The Verona is a really simple city or touring boot. Basically a lower profile version of the Livia Rain. Fully waterproof, but half height. Particularly nice if you have trouble finding wider calf motorcycle boots.

And of course, you can find all of these boots at Revzilla.com :)