There is no denying it, the cool winds are blowing. We’ve felt it too, even in Los Angeles. If you find yourself chilly, warm up to these new threads and beat the chill.

Now, the secret to surviving the cold is to layer. The Fair Isle Poncho is the perfect cover-all for your fall outfit. Put up the hood and tighten the pom pom tassels for extra protection.

Thicker scarves are another great option. We found this super soft pom pom scarf that’s like a cloud around your neck. It red hue also helps keep us in the mood for the coming holidays.

For those with perennial cold hands (like me!) the pocket scarf is a great way to keep warm. No gloves needed. What I love about this too, you can share with your other half… if you want.

Check out our new fall wear on poketo.com.

Bicycling can sometimes be like marching in a parade- there is solidarity among the group, synchronicity, it’s so much fun, and group rides are a force to be reckoned with. When was the last time you stared in awe of dozens or even hundreds of riders barreling down city streets? It’s a sight to behold. When artist Joe To’s artwork of a motley group of animals and people riding bikes presented itself…. we fell in love, it was a perfect Poketo pairing for our bike collection and our celebration for CicLAvia this Sunday, October 9th.

Joe went to school at California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. He began as a painting major, but found his way to illustration as well. Joe’s work is amazing, super detailed and often very humorous, whimsical (just like this Poketo shirt!).

We asked Joe what inspired such a fun design and here’s what we got:

When did you first learn to bike? What was the experience like?
I think it was probably around when I was in junior high. My parents bought home a semi-rusted heavy red Huffy from the salvation army. I fell a lot but I loved it.

How did you get hooked on cycling?
My folks got me a mountain bike when I went off to college. That was how I got around for a couple of years.

What’s the best part of riding?
Riding with friends. Coasting down a long hill after a long climb.

Could you share one of your favorite memories of biking?
A thanksgiving ride maybe close to 10 years ago, I rode with my brother and his friend up and around Mt. Tam. It was a struggle to get up the mountain. I don’t get to spend as much time as I’d like with my brother, so this was a really great ride.

What’s the strangest type of bike you’ve been on?
When I got on a tandem bike with Rob Sato, an artist friend of mine. That was a great day. I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in a while.

If you could see anyone (person, animal, object) on a bike, who (or what) would you want to see?
I love the visual of animals on bikes, especially bears but I’m not so sure if the animals would appreciate it so much.

I also love the look of Victorian era bikes (at least I think they’re Victorian). The image of folks in fancy dress bikes with a mixture of large and small wheels makes me laugh.

Check out Joe’s shirt on poketo.com. Unisex and womens styles.

You can also get this shirt on the CicLAvia route this Sunday October 9th!

Find more of Joe To on doodlebang.com.

We love Nathalie, (and you’ve seen here often on Poketo). Aside from her love of printmaking and cookies, she’s also a San Francisco wanderer on her trusty bicycle.

When we asked her for a great bicycle-themed graphic for our shirt, she whipped up an awesome vintage-inspired typography that we just can’t take our eyes off of. We love the bicycle silhouette embedded onto to the word “Coolin’”–not to mention the slightly upturned, happy angle of it. Seeing this just puts us in a good mood.

Such a great design probably has a great story, so we asked Nathalie to share a bit of her bicycling history with us.

Hi, Nathalie. When did you first learn to bike?
First learned to ride a bike in the yard of Fairburn elementary school alone by trial and error. I just kept trying until I finally got it.

How did you get hooked on cycling?
I got hooked riding down a big hill in Santa Cruz on a starry summer night. That refreshing breeze on my face was irresistible.

What’s the best part of riding for you?
Freedom to go where I please at my own speed.

Could you share one of your favorite memories of biking?
Riding around the monuments at night on a visit to DC wth my friend Chris. The weather was mild, so many bike paths, no one around, we had all the statues and fountains to ourselves.

If you could take your bike anywhere in the universe, where would it be?
I would like to ride on the astral plane.

Check out Nathalie’s shirt on poketo.com. Or, if you are going to be cycling this Sunday in LA for CicLAvia, you can get this on the route!
Find more of Nathalie at headphonerecord.com

Books and coffee… done! That’s all we need. We were in literary heaven inside Echo Park’s new and used bookstore/cafe while shooting our latest Fall Collection we introduced last week. We sat down to chat with Liz Garo, who co-owns the store with Claudia Colodro. Here’s the backstory on Stories:

Hi, Liz, so what’s Stories Books & Cafe all about?
Stories Books & Cafe, we hope, is about good books, coffee, a comfortable community space. We sell new and used books, gift items, cards, coffee, baked goods, sandwiches, and have readings and music out on the patio. Hopefully, we’re a place that people want to be.

What inspired you start this shop?
Both Claudia and I have experience working in book stores. She had the idea to do a store and through a mutual friend we were introduced. I had always wanted to do a cafe and a store of some kind. Claudia had more of the plan and I sort of pushed myself on her to be part of it.

Antique Keys eco-pullover.

Why did you choose Echo Park?
I book the Echo and Echoplex clubs and could see the change in the neighborhood; and selfishly, it was easier for me because it’s close to the club. But both Claudia and I have lived in the Silver Lake, Atwater, Echo Park areas and knew we wanted to be over here.

Echo Park has wonderful neighborhood charm and history and it just felt right. We originally were going to be in Silver Lake and then when that space fell through we just kept looking at everything along Sunset Blvd. going towards downtown.

What your favorite thing about the neighborhood?
Personally, I love walking around the hilly residential areas and looking at the different houses; love the old commercial buildings, it has a lot of character but is very subtle; really excellent people watching and how everyone interacts with each other.

What is the most satisfying thing about being part of the Echo Park Community?
The neighborhood has been very supportive to us; l like that we get a mix of everyone that is part of Echo Park – residents who have lived here for years, the Latino families, the hipster kids, college students — it’s a really good mix. People have embraced the store and that means a lot; they seem very happy that we are here and it’s just a good sense of feeling like you’re contributing .. even it’s just creating a place where people can meet for coffee. That can be a real purpose.

Hang out at Stories Books & Cafe (free WiFi too!). Check them out at storiesla.com.