CLICK HERE TO GO HOME

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME

CRUMBY SPOKES

A collectively-organized* annual tradition

Crumby Spokes combines an abiding affinity for both delicious baked goods and surprise missives with the steadfast belief that community-based art projects play a critical role in localized movements for social and environmental justice. A delightful, collectively-organized, annual tradition begun by a handful of “Crusty Steeds” in 2018, this project takes place on Valentine’s Day, with the lofty goal of at least partially reclaiming the holiday from the corporate forces that seek to define it as a hetero-consumerist orgy of self-loathing. Instead of languishing in that cesspool, the Crumby Spokes-people spend the day baking heart-shaped, chocolate-chip scones and bicycle-delivering them (in costume!) to friends and lovers all over New York City. Each order comes with a screen-printed card featuring an illustrated pun about baked goods and inscribed with a personalized note. Collecting donations for a total of eighty orders annually, we give all the proceeds to small, inspiring organizations doing radical and important work locally. Text written by Patrick Costello.


Thanks to our growing Crumby Spokes community, to date, we have given over $10,000 to a growing list of groups: Within Our Lifetime, Equality for Flatbush, Black Trans Liberation Kitchen/FIG, Red Hook Art Project, The Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op, COVID Bailout NYC, Frack Outta BK, Picture the Homeless, Bronx Freedom Fund, Claire Randall Fund for Education and Empowerment, New Alternatives for LGBTQ Youth, and New Sanctuary Coalition.

2024

Our 2024 team included giant heart shaped scones, a sugar daddy, a heart-eyes emoji, a romantic picnic attacked by ants, and much more.

2023

Our 2023 team included a giant doily, a singing cake, forbidden fruits and serpent, prince charming, a giant Hershey's kiss, and much more.

2022

Our 2022 team included love me knot, a rose sniffing nose, an anatomical heart, self love 3.0, some rose tinted glasses, and much more.

2021

Our 2021 team included Shakespearean lovers, pizza my heart, self love 2.0, a fountain of love, a sweet potato, and much more. We organized out of various COVID safe baking hubs across NYC.

2020

Our 2020 team included a love is everything bagel, a sexy fruit, a silver fox, a love wizard, and more!

2019

Our 2019 team included a tuff luvr, self-love, a love vampire, a cootie, a giant bouquet of flowers, and more.

2018

Our 2018 team included a love witch, sexy cow-person, love octopus, and more.

POSTERS

Posters lovingly made by Patrick Costello (2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) and Sarah Lammer (2019).

Crumby Spokes descends from a long-standing community project called Bake ‘n Bike, begun by the brilliant Shelly Stern in 2003. Over the years, Bake ‘n Bike’s evolving cohort of devoted volunteers and scone-lovers has made the event into a beloved Charlottesville, VA tradition. In keeping with those roots, we use Shelly’s recipe (adapted from the Earth Heart Cafe in De Pere, WI) to bake all 400+ scones in one oven, with one heart-shaped cookie cutter, beginning at 5 a.m. on Valentine’s Day.

Thanks to our community sponsors, who graciously donate all the baking ingredients, snacks, and copies we need to make this happen: Baked, Brooklyn Whiskers Bakery, Clementine Bakery, Four & Twenty Blackbirds, Margaret Palca Bakes, Park Slope Copy, and Trader Joe’s.

*Crumby Spokes’ Crusty Steeds include Lizzie Hurst, Jude Shimer, Rebecca Zakheim, Patrick Costello, Annie Dunckel, Mitchell Dose, Alex Nathanson, Calvin Stalvig, Joseph Markell, Ben Simon, Dana Bennewitz, Laura McMillian, Mads Moore, Kristina Schmidt, Benni Zaminer, Claire Beaumont, Andrew Otto, Isaac Lalisic, Kira McDonald, Jessi Li, Mad Todd, Beryl Perron-Feller, Felipe Castillo, Josh Bisker, Aida Mas Baghaie, Gabe Gordon, Peter Cevallos, Adam Brody, Maggie Sullivan, Agnes Borinsky, Phil Shipman, Sarah Lammer, Jessica Tang, Becky Sellinger, Taryn Jones, Patrick Mohundro, Rachel Hillery, Eva Gertz, Ernesto Gomez, Jackie Rivera, Jessica Tai, Monica Hunken, and many many more wonderful people!