Steve Mishos

If you know of any others, please leave a comment.

Dance With Me - Nouvelle Vague  

The Drill - The Drill  

Trampled Underfoot - Led Zeppelin  

It's Like That - Run DMC  

Loving. This.

Just watch ...

Based on my $200/month Starbucks habit, the economics of a home espresso machine seems to make sense, but there are lifestyle problems which stop me from pulling the trigger on a purchase. Here's my situation ...

• I drink coffee in the morning, but since it's always a challenge for me to get my butt out of bed, making my own coffee on a week-day morning is highly unlikely.
• I drink coffee in the afternoon, but I work and I don't go home for lunch.
• I don't drink coffee at night and I'd like to keep it that way (favouring tea instead).
• I actually like going to my neighbourhood Starbucks ... it's a social thing.

So it looks like I'd only use the machine on the weekends, and even then ... maybe not.

In any case ... since I've been researching, here's what I've found:

• the Rancilio Silvia is widely regarded as the best machine under $1000 (review, review). The Breville Ikon is also pretty well respected for about half the price, and the Nuova Simonelli Oscar seems to be one worth reading up on too (review).
• most coffee snobs point out that a good grinder is more important than the espresso machine
• many people in the know dis' Starbucks vaccum packed espresso for being too old by the time it reaches the consumer and recommend other options
• pump-based machines are better than steam-based machines
• your shot should take 20 seconds to flow through the machine. If it takes less, the grind is too course.
• different beans taste better at different water temperatures so it's good to experiment

Update (2010/11/24)

A friend asked me about espresso machines and I was going to refer him to this entry, but I forgot ... back in 2008 I decided against making the purchase. Here's an update:

• After travelling to Europe for 2 summers, I refined my taste for espresso, and Starbucks no longer lived up to my expectations.
• I bought a Rancilio Silvia and after a little practice find that it makes really good espresso.
• The best place I found for this sort of gear is the Green Beanery in Toronto (they also sell great coffee beans).
• Finding good new beans is a constant pursuit, however I find Delta reminds me of Portugal, and Lavazza or Illy are good goto options (try Vincenzo's) when I've run out of more exotic options.
• When I'm out in my local neighbourhood, I tend to pick Matter of Taste over all other options.
• I no longer go to Starbucks unless I'm out of town and can't find another espresso bar to try.

I bought this chair today from Kiosk in Toronto ... likely as a reading chair for my office.

Some photos from the manufacture's website (mine's in an orangy colour) ...

News release ...

Hans J. Wegner
CH_445 1960

New Wegner chair, 45 years old “Wingchair”, designed in 1960, continues to win awards in 2006

Back in 1960, Danish design legend Hans J. Wegner sketched an upholstered easy chair which saw only limited production. Now, Carl Hansen & Son, the Danish furniture maker, has dusted off the drawings to bring this contemporary classic back to life. With its calm, clean lines and exceptional comfort – hallmarks of Wegner’s best work – the Wingchair’s timeless appeal has already won awards at IMM Cologne 2006, where it was launched in January, and at the Copenhagen International Furniture Fair in May

According to Knud Erik Hansen, Managing Director of Carl Hansen & Son, the Danish furniture producer, the new chair is as close as it can be to the original design. “We have worked with Wegner’s original drawings and some of the few pieces that remain from the sixties, when a smaller number of them were produced by hand. And we’re proud to say that we have upheld the original construction and materials – including solid beech frames and hand-sewn piping – just the way that Wegner designed it.”

The look of the Wingchair (CH_445) is unmistakably Hans J. Wegner. Like other of his best chairs, sculptural lines allow it to stand on its own in a variety of settings. Among Wegner’s easy chairs, the Wingchair is notable for the serenity and harmony of its design. Its most characteristic visual features are the chair back’s distinctive corner angle, shoulder groove and the upholstered armrests.

However, the Wingchair is made for sitting, not just for looking, and it greets its guests with exceptionally generous comfort. “You don’t sit on the Wingchair,” says Knud Erik Hansen, “you sit in it. That is when you discover that the groove of the back recesses the upholstery at shoulder level – and at just the right angle. Sitting upright is more than easy. But should you decide to curl up your legs or lay them over the armrest, you discover that the angle of the corners of the back provides just the right head support. Being able to change positions in a chair has always been a foundation of Wegner’s ergonomics; designing a chair that combines form and function so beautifully is Wegner’s genius.”

Souce: Carl Hansen & Son

While I was always a big big fan of New Order, I only liked Joy Division a modest amount. This movie, however, was so cool and amazing that I would recommend it even if you aren't a Joy Division fan.

I picked up two of these in 'crystal' (clear) from Kiosk Mobilia in Toronto (their Dupont Street location).

20% off and they had them in stock!

I sat in this chair in a store on King East in Toronto and it's amazingly comfortable ... not just a pretty face.

The Toronto store sells them for $3600, but I've seen them online for almost half this price. I prefer the swivel base on Artifort's Apollo chair, but I haven't been able to find one to sit in.

I also sat in the F510 and it's really comfortable too ...

It's cool looking, comfortable to sit in, available in amazing fabrics and tonnes of colours ... but it'll take 4-6 months to get here from Italy. $1600 when covered in their best grade of fabric.

Leather by Mann
4553 King E
Kitchener, ON
(519) 653-7354

This article talks about Yahoo's corporate policy when responding to requests to censor their content in various countries. This has once again erupted as an issue on their Flickr service when they began censoring content for users in Germany, Hong Kong, and a few others.