Modern Simple Living

Food & Drink Coffee Experience: Renew Coffee in Frisco A refreshing new stop for matcha lovers in North Texas 2 Drinks Tested 3 Shops Identified 8/10 Matcha Rating Section I The Renew Coffee Experience 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 — The standout drink. It was 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. Tip: If you visit, the Matcha Latte is definitely the drink to order for a high-quality experience.   Section II Frisco Coffee Shop Comparison So far, I've identified three decent coffee shops in the area worth checking out: Shop Name Location Specialty Summer Moon Main St Unique moon milk Starbucks Reserve Legacy West Premium coffee ...

Food & Drink Coffee Experience: Mozart Bakery Visit *A candid look at expectations versus reality at a local bake shop.* 1 Stop 1 Coffee Tested 1 Pastry Tried Section I The Experience I recently stopped by a local bakery, not expecting much, and my instincts were spot on. While the atmosphere was inviting, the quality of the offerings varied significantly between the beverage and food counters.   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. 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! Item Categor...

Food & Drink Magnolia's Affogato Experience *A perfect balance of rich gelato and bold espresso* 2 Visits 1 Dish 10/10 Quality Section I The Magnolia's Experience I can never get enough of Magnolia's, and their espresso drinks have consistently impressed me. They maintain a high standard for quality that makes every visit worth the trip.   Affogato Delight I recently tried their Affogato for the second time, and it was just as delightful as I remembered. → Affogato — The combination of rich gelato topped with a shot of hot espresso creates a perfect pairing that balances sweetness and bitterness beautifully. Tip: If you're a fan of coffee and gelato, this is a must-try. Item Key Characteristic Profile Gelato Richness Sweet Espresso Temperature Hot/Bitter Combined Texture Balanced Section II Overall Impression Magnolia's continues to deliver quality espresso drinks, and the Affogato is definitely a standout. Stay tuned for more coffee discoveries on ModernS...

Food & Drink I Thought, A Buck 25? Testing the limits of budget grocery store coffee $1.25 Price 1 Rating 2 Preference Factors Section I The Experiment Why not? That was the mindset when I picked up some bags of coffee from H-E-B for just $1.25. The results, however, were "meh" at best. While I’ll give them credit for getting the flavoring and aroma right, the actual quality of the coffee itself is sub-par.   Why It Missed the Mark I suspect it isn't just the quality of the beans, but a personal preference for a darker espresso roast. If you typically drink your coffee with a heavy hand of cream and sugar, this might be your jam. For my palate, however, it just doesn't make the cut. → Aroma — surprisingly accurate and pleasant upon opening the bag. → Flavoring — well-executed, though masking the base bean quality. → Roast Profile — too light for those who prefer a bold, dark espresso finish. If you are a black coffee drinker, proceed with caution. This budget...

Gear Review It Shouldn’t Be This Hard Closing activity rings is harder than it looks 2 Total Milestones 12 Annual Goal 4 Consecutive Records Section I The Challenge of the Rings 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.   Progress Update — May 2023 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. Milestone Phase Status Date Context Initial Goal In Progress 2022 Period Recent Update Achieved May 2023 Future Target Ongoing Remaining 2023 The journey to consistent movement continues.

Everyday Living Time for a Refresh in 2022 A strategic approach to streamlining my personal wardrobe 44 Current Items 7 Added Items 50 Target Total Section I The 2022 Wardrobe Refresh 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 Projected Wardrobe Composition Once these additions are finalized, my wardrobe will be structured as follows: Category Total Count 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 — acquisition → H&M Green Chore Jacket M — acquisition → Green Varsity Jacket L — retired to car kit → Air Jordan 1 Low — acquisition Update - 12/10/22: I picked up a pair of Air Jordan 1 Low...

Gear Review The Utility of a Simple Pair of Scissors Why the 58mm Swiss Army Knife is the ultimate urban EDC companion 58mm Size 3 Models Mentioned 91mm Complementary Size Section I The Case for 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.   Addressing the Bottle Problem 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. → Classic — The standard 58mm model featuring the signature scissors. → Rambler — Adds a bottle opener to the 58mm form factor. → Manager — Essentially a Rambler with the addition of a retractable ballpoint pen. Size and weight are key factors in dubbing the 58mm Swiss Army Knife one of the most convenient and pr...

Gear Review Shoe Review: Nike Court Vision Low A budget-friendly alternative that doesn't quite match the comfort of a classic 5 Pairs in Inventory 9.5 Size Tested 8 Months Durability Section I Transitioning from Adidas 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 ...