Simple Living

Coffee Experience: Renew Coffee in Frisco I recently decided to change up my drink order and tried Renew Coffee in Frisco. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by my experience! What I Tried Hot Matcha Latte : This was the standout drink for me. I found it to be expertly prepared, with a smooth texture and well-balanced flavors. I would rate this a solid 8/10 . Iced Cappuccino : While decent, it didn't quite measure up to the Matcha Latte. It was enjoyable but lacked the same level of quality and flavor. Other Coffee Shops in Frisco So far, I've identified three decent coffee shops in the area worth checking out: Summer Moon - Located on Main St, known for their unique moon milk. Starbucks Reserve - At Legacy West, offering a premium coffee experience. Renew Coffee - Off Main St, definitely a place I’d recommend for their Matcha Latte. Renew Coffee is certainly a spot I’d recommend trying for anyone in Frisco looking for a quality coffee experience.

Coffee Experience: Mozart Bakery Visit I recently stopped by a local bakery, not expecting much, and my instincts were spot on. Coffee Plain Hot Coffee : Unfortunately, it was just your standard drip coffee from a Bunn brand machine. It was the kind of coffee you might find at places like Denny's or McDonald's—nothing special. Bakery Treats Walnut Puff Cookies : On a brighter note, the bakery items were decent. I enjoyed some walnut puff cookies, which added a nice touch to my visit. Overall Impression If you’re looking for a great coffee experience, this place might not be the best choice. However, if you’re in the mood for some baked goods, the cookies were enjoyable enough to make the visit worthwhile!

Magnolia's Affogato Experience I can never get enough of Magnolia's, and their espresso drinks have consistently impressed me. Affogato Delight Affogato : I recently tried their Affogato for the second time, and it was just as delightful as I remembered. The combination of rich gelato topped with a shot of hot espresso creates a perfect pairing that balances sweetness and bitterness beautifully. Overall Impression Magnolia's continues to deliver quality espresso drinks, and the Affogato is definitely a standout. If you're a fan of coffee and gelato, this is a must-try.

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 credit for getting 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.

It Shouldn’t Be This Hard It shouldn’t be this hard to close all three activity rings for my Apple Watch, but this is only my second time ever, and the first time was almost four years ago! My goal for the rest of 2022 is to make this happen 12 more times in the final 12 weeks! Then keep it up in 2023 and onward. Update - 5/14/23 This is hard! I only got my fourth consecutive ring just now this week in May 2023. The last time I achieved this was in October 2022. I’ll keep trying and will hopefully get it a few more times this year.

Time for a Refresh in 2022 I currently have 44 items in my wardrobe with plans to add 7 items (1 jacket, 1 pair of 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 2022 Acquisitions and Replacements: 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 I picked up a pair of Air Jordan 1 Low and a Red BR Crew Sweater . I’m done for 2022!

The Utility of a Simple Pair of Scissors It’s the utility of a simple pair of scissors that makes a 58mm Classic Swiss Army Knife probably one of the best options for urban EDC. While a knife can work, the scissors just work better in most situations. Bottles, bottles… The one drawback of a Classic is the lack of a bottle opener, which is remedied with the similarly 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 practical EDC tools. It also simplifies my choice of complementing the Classic with a separate knife folder; I find a 91mm Camper or my 111mm Trekker to be 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 a...

Shoe Review: Nike Court Vision Low I’m feeling bummed about the quality of Adidas shoes, having gone through three pairs, all of which wore out within a year. Both pairs of Superstars developed a hole on the right foot on the outer side below the little toe—the tailor’s bunion. My Stan Smiths developed tears on the upper sole. To change things up, I’m giving Nike another go and added a pair of Court Vision Low to minimize usage of my Air Force 1s and prepare for eventually getting a pair of Jordans. Court Vision vs. Air Force 1 The closest comparison I have is with the Air Force 1s , and the Court Vision are a cheaper version. The build quality looks coarse, and I’m not entirely confident they’ll hold up as well as the AF1s. However, at half the price, they’ll serve fine as a beater pair of white shoes. I’m planning to aim for a pair of Jordan 1 Low in the classic red/white/black colorway. From what I’ve read, it’s best to go with either lows or highs for Jordan 1s, as the mids might...