CoffeeStudyTalk

Visiting NYC for a week in May and planning my itinerary.  I’m focusing on specific areas of Manhattan for each day to minimize travel times.  Giving me a chance to hit 12 neighborhoods in 7 days. Day 1 - Arrival/Times Square/Midtown South Day 2 - Midtown East/South - MoMa/Summit One Day 3 - Midtown West/Upper East Side - Central Park/Highline/Met Day 4 - Lower Manhattan/Brooklyn - 911/Staten Ferry/Dumbo Day 5 - SoHo/Greenwich/Upper East Side - Guggenheim Day 6 - Upper West/East Side - Central Park/ANM Day 7 - Times Square/Departure I. Planning & Checklist To prepare I did about 40 hours of research watching primarily YouTube videos, blogs, various online sites and maps.  I did it over a span of several months spending about 2-3 hours per week. Lesson learned from past trips is to bring enough cash and have methods for easy access to more as needed. Safety Common Scams Map Manhattan Subway System Videos Subway - LGA to Manhattan Subway - Times Square to Staten Island Ferry Top attr

Im liking white wines more and more.  Sometimes I do want something chilled and I’m gravitating towards those with a dry finish and found the Santa Margharita Valdadige hits the spot with their Pinot Grigio. I’ve learned this Italian wine is from Tyrol up north and the grape is identical to the Oregon variety called Pinot Gris.  Oregon’s is a bit sweeter from the few I’ve sampled so I’m partial to this Italian one.  There is also a French Pinot Grigio/Gris and I’ll try some to compare. When it’s on sale I try to buy several as these pair nicely with many dishes from pasta to steak.

My next stop in the world of Champagne brings me to House Tattinger and I look forward to compare it with my previous tastings from Veuwe Cliquot and Bollinger. I’m preferring dry wines with a hint of apple, pear or citrus.  Looking forward to see how this one tastes.

Since expanding into wine, I’ve also enjoyed food pairings and one of my favorite has been dipping bread in balsamic and olive oil. My favorite combo has been: Frantoi Cutrera - Primo - Extra Virgin Olive Oil DOP Guiseppi Giusto - Aceto Balsamic Vinegar IGP (red label) The Giusto Red is a lovely thick balsamic and blends nicely with the Frantoi Primo olive oil.  I’ve tried other brands, but always end up back to these 2. Oils has 3 levels of quality assurance: DOP - most strict and for Balsamic vinegar must be Italian and 100% grape must and no more tha from 7 grape varieties.  Also aged for a number of years. IGP - medium strixt ans for balsamic vinegar allows minimum 20% grape must, 7 grape varieties but can be grown anywhere in world.  They allow for other ingredients like caramel coloring and 60 days minimum aging. Commercial - pretty open category.  The rating system doesn't guarantee its the best, only the minimum standards.  There are many IGP that surpass a DOP.  So the

Exploring other coffee spots and gave PJ’s a try.  The vibe is of a franchise and they had an overwhelming menu so opted for a cold brew. Cold Brew They suggested the pecan flavored and I added some whole milk.  It was quite nice and better than a regular iced coffee.  I’ve only had cold brew a number of times and mostly from Starbucks. I wouldn’t mine stopping in again, but tend to prefer non-franchise.  Starbucks while decent has made everything taste the same.

Nespresso isn't cheap and I'm averaging $1.50 per serving.  While its still cheaper than a coffee shop, its benefit is more convenience than a good cup of coffee.  Still there are some flavors I'm finding pleasant and really enjoy the Pierre Homme Hazelnut and Double Espresso. I'm also really loving the iced coffee options and addicted to the LE Coconut and will need to pick up more when they restock.  And since experimenting with the PH Double Espresso, I'm finding almost every strong Espresso pod like Altisso and up are perfect mixed with hot water into an Americano. That's basically it for me a couple Espresso's for an Americano base or the LE Coconut on ice.  Doing it that way helps me keep the cost down and enjoy the convenience of a Nespresso machine.  I can then ration about 1 sleeve per week and limit my consumption for the weekends when I hit 2-3 pods per day. My favs: Coconut LE PH Hazelnut PH Double Espresso Kona Espresso LE Any strong Espresso (A

Found a great bagel shop in Texas.  Beats Einstein Bro in quality although the price is higher, but it’s worth it when you want a quality bagel. Got the Salmon Lox on Onion & Chives Schmear and a classic Bacon & Eggs.

I forgot what I ordered but wanted to record it here I had a decent Negroni and some Watermelon energy cocktail.  Was good.

Sometimes I just want a margarita and some chips.  Mi Cocina is most elegant choice.  It’s not the best margarita, but it’s decent and strong.

It’s actually difficult to find good Chinese food in Dallas and only dim sum spot I could find is in Richardson.  Apparently it’s very popular so parking lot and tables fill up early.

Ordered the steak and it was excellent.  Had a bunch of appetizers and amazing Old Fashioned.  This place has got it all.  Prices were not bad for the drinks.

I had some time again in Dallas for work and stopped at Nest Craft.  Love trying new coffee spots and the Cortado was delicious, but the Old Fashioned with Toki Whisky was meh.  They used simple syrup rather than muddling of fruit so it tasted more like sugar and scotch.  Strong yes, but wanted a proper drink. I plan to visit DFW quite a bit for work.  Love the per diem.

Enjoyed a delicious Barbacoa Mexican Breakfast.  Reminded me of Austin where I got something similar.  You can tell it’s gonna be good when the chips & salsa are good.  Coffee wasn’t too bad.

Had a nice lunch at Platia Greek Kouzina in Frisco, Texas.   Got the Brizola Steak and it was delicious.  I’d have preferred some fresh veggies as it was overwhelming carbs, but the pita bread is amazing and so was the hummus dish.

Updated my EDC over the years, but settled on some basic brand names. Card Wallet concerns.  For the longest time I’ve owned a Coach card wallet but always was nervous to use it as I found myself it falling out of my pockets at home.  I finally found a way to clip it to my inner pocket and weigh it down next to my keys.  I may try other attach point options to clip it to my phone. Another reason for downsizing to a slim wallet is to keep my back pockets empty as it’s painful during long drives and a nuisance to be mindful to relocate my larger wallet. March 2024: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Casio A168WG Victorinox Manager Victorinox Huntsman Coach Leather Card Wallet

My next bottle of champagne I wanted to try a Bollinger Special Cuvée as I learn more about this brand’s history and contribution to the craft.  They developed the riddling process that help usher in the production capacity of champagne. I’ll save it for a special occasion and see where this fits in my recurring rotation. Tasting Review This is a delicious drink and I’m getting hooked on champagne.  It’s better than the Veuwe Cliquot I had previously.  It’s perfectly balanced in terms of dry and hint of fruit.