CoffeeStudyTalk

I’m surprised so few people have posted comparisons between these two iconic shoes: Air Jordan 1 Low Air Force 1 ‘07 Both are basketball shoes and famous in their own right and they share similar price points of $110 with comparable materials and build qualities. Versatility - Air Force 1 I give it to Air Force 1’s.  In Triple White colorway it can match so many outfits and styles… A close second are Jordan 1’s in certain colorways can make a bland outfit really pop.  The one exception, Air Force 1's look better with baggy jeans as they are a chunkier shoe profile.  Jordan 1's can pair with slimmer jeans. Comfort - Air Force 1 I’ll have to break in the leather on the Jordan 1’s as they are stiffer than Air Force 1’s.  But with the thicker sole and air unit my feeling Air Force 1’s will win out for long haul treks.   I'm sure after the stiff leather on the Jordan 1's break-in it'll be just as comfortable as the Air Force 1's and remind me of breaking in a pair of

Went with a classic colorway of Red/White/Black with my first pair of Air Jordan 1 Low.  I’ve always wanted a pair of AJ1’s for quite some time; ever since I tried a pair of Air Force 1’s made me curious about the Air Jordan’s. I’m glad I waited as initially I was going to get a pair of Mid’s, but decided the Low’s are more versatile and can match more outfits in my wardrobe. Looking forward to wearing them and seeing how they go.  I’m anticipating buying a few more Air Jordan’s as I want different color ways. Future Planned AJ1’s Green/White/Black Black/White UNC Blue/White Purple/White/Yellow — LA Lakers Red/White Undecided if they will be High, Mid’s or Low’s.  Types of materials and so on…I’ll figure that out in future years. Collecting shoes is kinda fun. 6 months later these AJ1’s have traveled the globe

I’ve grown tired of trying to find good coffee shops and spending $5-7 a pour.  So, I invested in a Nespresso Vertuo machine selling for $140 at Costco. It came with 30 pods and a $40 coupon that I used to buy 40 more pods at the Nespresso store.  I also bought another 100 pods online to get the welcome gift with 10 more pods and 2 free coffee mugs. In total, I’ve purchased 180 vertuo pods for this machine!  And at the rate of my consumption easily knocking back 2-3 a day and about 3-4 days a week.  So 6-12 a week.

Finally paid a visit to Otto Coffee in the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas.  It’s a very nice old world style establishment with dark wood panels and leather seating. I tried the Latte, Cappuccino and the Texas Pecan Sticky Bun.  All were excellent. I give this place a 9.0 out of 10 Cappuccino Rating. I’m taking notice and Otto uses the La Marzocco for espresso.

Change of pace and got a Boba Milk Tea from FULLL (yes 3 L’s).  It’s rated 4.6 stars on Yelp and it’s accurate, it’s good and good price too. I prefer mine minimal sugar and did 30% and less ice.  Yum. Tiger Sugar is #1 in Dallas so far.  FULLL is 2nd, but beats Tiger on price.

Mr Brown Coffee is one of my favorite canned coffee.  They are not gourmet and likely bad for me, but I love ‘em.  They finally brought out a sugar free version (or at least very low sugar) cold brew and it’s perfect. Sometimes, I just want a plain iced coffee, no sugar, no cream, plain black.  This hits the spot and at $1.49 is a convenience vs brewing and chilling my own.

Moving up to $40 wines and trying the Darioush Caravan - Cabernet Sauvignon.  It was definitely better than the cheaper wines I’ve had thus far. It didn’t impress me as much as the $40 Flowers Pinot Noir, but I’d likely give Darioush another go.

I’ve had to change my drink order and gave Renew Coffee in Frisco a try and was pleasantly impressed by their hot Matcha Latte. I also tried their Iced Cappuccino and that was decent, but the Matcha Latte was the standout. Giving this place 8/10 rating for their Matcha Latte. So far there are 3 decent shops around Frisco, this is one of them worth a try. Summer Moon - Main St Starbucks Reserve - Legacy West Renew Coffee - off Main St

Wasn’t expecting anything special and was correct as I ordered a plain hot coffee.  The bakery is decent and enjoyed some walnut puff cookies. Their coffee is regular drip from a bunn brand machine, stuff you find in a Denny’s or McDonald’s.

I can never get enough of Magnolia’s and their espresso drinks have been good so far.  My second round of an Affogato and it’s like a perfect pairing between gelato and espresso.

I thought, A Buck 25?  Why not and picked up some bags of coffee from H‑E‑B.  Well…it’s meh at best.  I’ll give them they did the flavoring and aroma right, but it’s sub-par coffee. For those who drink coffee with cream and sugar this might be their jam.  Not for me.

Time for a refresh in 2022 and currently have 44 items in my wardrobe with plans to add 7 items (1 jacket, 1 shoes and 5 shirts). I’ll retire a logo T-Shirt to keep my wardrobe to 50 pieces. My planned 7 items: Green Bomber Jacket - $30 - DONE Air Jordan 1 Low - $110 - DONE Uniqlo T-Shirts (3 Black, 2 White) - $50-100 - Hold for 2023 My wardrobe would then rest at: Shirts - 18 Outerwear - 14 Pants - 12 Shoes - 6 For 2022, I’ve already acquired and replaced a few items to add to this list: Adidas - Superstar Shoes (replaced in 8 months…) Nike - Court Vision Shoes 9.5 H&M Green Chore Jacket M Green Varsity Jacket L (retired to car kit) Air Jordan 1 Low Update - 12/10/22 Picked up pair of Air Jordan 1 Low.  A Red BR Crew Sweater.  I’m done for 2022!

It’s the utility of a simple pair of scissors that makes a 58mm Classic Swiss Army Knife probably one of the best for urban EDC.  While a knife can work, the scissors just works better in most situations. Bottles, bottles… The one drawback of a Classic is the lack of a bottle opener that is remedied with the similar sized Rambler or Manager. For me a Manager, which is essentially a Rambler with a retractable ballpoint pen is my ideal urban EDC. Size and Weight are also factors in dubbing the 58mm Swiss Army Knife one of the most convenient and therefore practical EDC tools. It also free’s up simplifying my choice of a completing the Classic with a separate knife folder and Im finding a 91mm Camper or my 111mm Trekker ideal. But the awl… The only additional tool I could find useful on a 91mm SAK is maybe the awl.  It’s surprising how valuable it is to make a hole in a plastic lid using an awl. That said, the Cellidor 91mm awl is in an inconvenient location in the bottom tools and can ea

Bummed on the quality of Adidas having gone through my 3rd pair and all wore out within a year.  Both Superstars developed a hole on the right foot on the outer side below the little toe; the tailor’s bunion.  The Stan Smith’s developed tears on the upper sole. I’m going to give Nike another go and added a pair of Court Vision Low to minimize usage of my AF1’s and also to prepare me for eventually a pair of Jordan 1’s. Court Vision vs AF1 The closest comparison I have are with the Air Force 1’s and the Court Vision are a cheaper version.  Build quality looks coarse and I don’t have confidence it’ll hold up as well as the AF1, but at 1/2 the price, it’ll do fine as a beater pair of white shoes. I’ll see how they go and likely go for a pair of Jordan 1 Low in the classic red/white/black color way.  From what people are saying go either lows or highs on Jordan 1’s as mids build quality might not be up to par. Inventory Check 2022 Converse - All Stars White - Beaters Nike - Court Vision Wh

Joe’s Bakery is worth a stop for breakfast.  They have some pretty good Mexican food mixed with classic American Bacon & Eggs. The scrambled eggs is amazing and the Barbacoa wow.  It’s like a perfect match with some tortilla’s. Very affordable.  I did small half price plates too and was filling for me. Also, my first few photos with the new 14 Pro’s camera.  It’s an improvement over the 11, not a leap above like the 11 was vs the 6s, but still better.

Still searching for a good Cappucino in Dallas.  Tried Kona Reserve in Frisco and it’s meh.  They slightly burnt the espresso, but surprisingly that helped it not taste like a cup of warm milk. Excluding the coffee, place is very nice, friendly staff, great parking.  Most coffee shops in Dallas at least have that going for them…but still searching for a good Cappuccino. Cappuccino rating 5.5/10

Got my Taco 🌮 fix and decided to enjoy Labor Day by knocking back a frozen Margarita.  It was $12.99 for the Margarita which cost me more than the Taco Plate. I was able to finish it and get pretty buzzed.  Next time, I’ll try the smaller size.

How is Lemma Coffee rated 4.7 out of 5 on Yelp?  That’s the same rating as Summer Moon.  You can’t trust Yelp anymore even with 115 reviews. If they are giving high marks for location, ambiance and staff then yes it’s a 5, but the coffee…it’s a 3.8. So far the dozen Frisco Coffee Shops I’ve tried with exception of Summer Moon all seem to think a Cappuccino should taste like a glass of warm milk. I must be ordering it wrong? Cappuccino Rating ( 5/10) Update - July 2023 - Tried again.  Nope, espresso is just way too bitter. Core issue with Lemma is their espresso shot.  It’s just too bitter and difficult to drink.  Should be more creamy and closer to dark chocolate than just bitter. I’d have to drop the rating to 4 in 10 for espresso shot.

I'm still on a lookout for a good Tonkatsu spot (Pork Katsu).  I've tried the food court one at Mitsuwa in addition to Kurobuta and obviously, this one is better. You get quite a bit with your meal at Kurobuta, which can be good and bad.  While flavorful and tender, it just lacks something on the panko batter and the sauce. Still, this will work for now as my Tonkatsu fix.

I dine at Fuzzy's Taco way too much.  This has become my go to place for my Taco fix.  Tuesday's are obviously the best time to order some tacos, but otherwise the Taco Plate special is reasonable. The chips they use for the Queso are hit or miss, but when they are a hit with the seasoning it’s delicious.  I'd prefer the Queso dip from Torchy's, but otherwise I rather order Fuzzy's than Torchy's. It’s not the best tacos in DFW, but they are delicious and worth a try.  Ranking them 6.5 of 10.