Modern Simple Living

EDC · Victorinox New Addition: Deluxe Climber A discontinued gem with pliers, a corkscrew, and a debatable future in the collection $26 Price Paid Disc. Model Status The Pickup What Is the Deluxe Climber? I recently picked up a Deluxe Climber, a discontinued model that's a bit more uncommon. It's almost identical to the current Deluxe Tinker, but with one key difference: it features a corkscrew instead of a Phillips screwdriver. I'm currently debating whether to sell this model in favor of the Deluxe Tinker, but for now, I plan to pocket EDC it since I do appreciate the inclusion of the pliers. I got this for a fair price of $26, which feels reasonable.   How It Compares Deluxe Climber vs. The Field Feature Deluxe Climber Deluxe Tinker Cybertool M Status ...

EDC · Victorinox New Addition: Champion Plus A discontinued predecessor to the Swiss Champ — 6 layers of appeal, one question mark for EDC $45 Price Paid 6 Layers Disc. Model Status The Pickup What Is the Champion Plus? I recently added a Champion Plus to my collection. This discontinued Victorinox Swiss Army knife model is the predecessor to the current Swiss Champ, but it notably lacks the pliers. I have to say, I find this 6-layer tool set quite appealing, although it does feel a bit impractical for pocket EDC. Nevertheless, I'm going to give it a try and see how it performs. If it doesn't work out, I'll likely stick with my Huntsman or Deluxe Climber. As opportunities arise, I plan to pick up more discontinued models in good condition to enhance my collection. I paid only $45 for this one, a decent price!   How It Compares Champion Plus vs...

Coffee & Drinks My Secret Vice: Mr. Brown Iced Coffee A guilty pleasure guide to the canned lineup One of my guilty pleasures is cheap iced coffee in a can from Mr. Brown. While my absolute favorite is the Cappuccino, I find that the others have their moments too.   The Lineup Flavors I've Tried Here's a list of the flavors I've tried or know of: → Cappuccino — The absolute favorite → Blue Mountain Iced Coffee → Iced Coffee → Black → Black — No Sugar → Macadamia Nut → Caramel Latte → Vanilla → Mandheling 8 oz Can Additional Flavors While there are various sizes available, these are the ones I'm familiar with in the Stat...

Food & Drink A Pleasant Surprise at Einstein Bros. Bagels Better than Starbucks — and it's not even close First Impressions The Bagels Wow! I didn't realize the bagels from Einstein Bros. were so great. Having been accustomed to Starbucks, I can confidently say this place beats them hands down. The coffee was decent, featuring a syrupy texture in the simple, unsweetened Americano, which made for a satisfying start to my meal.   Smear Choices Jalapeño vs. Chives → Jalapeño — The clear winner. Added just the right amount of kick, elevating the overall flavor experience. → Chives — Okay, but lacking the punch of the jalapeño option. I'll definitely stick with the jalapeño smear going forward — it's the move. Einstein Bros. Bagels · Americano + Jalapeño Smear · Starbucks dethroned

Food · Korean Delicious Lunch at Fresh K Market Seollungtang and Tonkatsu at the Carrollton food court — hearty, comforting, and worth the stop The Meal What I Ordered I had a nice lunch of Seollungtang and Tonkatsu at the food court in Fresh K Market in Carrollton. The curry was delicious; I could eat just that with the rice! The Seollungtang beef soup was excellent, providing a hearty and comforting meal that truly hit the spot.   Dish Notes At a Glance → Seollungtang — Milky beef bone soup, hearty and comforting; an excellent bowl that truly hit the spot → Tonkatsu with Curry — The curry was the standout; delicious enough to eat on its own with rice Fresh K Market's food court in Carrollton is a solid option for a quick Korean lunch — the Seollungtang alone makes it worth the visit. Fresh K Market · Carrollton · Seollungtang & Tonkatsu — a hearty, satis...

EDC · Victorinox First Experience with Victorinox Repair Service Sending two knives to Monroe, CT — timeline, cost, and results $16.67 Total Cost 21 Days Total 10 Days Actual Repair 2 Knives Repaired The Process Day-by-Day Timeline Day Event Day 1 Created a repair order online Day 1 Mailed knives to Victorinox via USPS — $5.85 Day 6 USPS delivered package to Victorinox Monroe Center, CT Day 11 Email from Victorinox confirming receipt of knives Day 17 Victorinox emailed shipping details with UPS tracking Day 18 Charged $5.41 per knife for the repair ...

EDC & Gear Getting Back into Knife Maintenance Cleaning up the collection and building a proper routine Back at It The Current State It's been a while, and I'm getting back into the habit of cleaning my knife collection. I'll need to gather some oil, sharpeners, and other tools to do this properly. For now, it's simply about cleaning off any residue on the knives and implements, as I often use them to open packages and end up with tape gunk on the blades and scissors. My Trekker sees the most action, and I'm finding the Phillips head quite useful. I'll need to consider adding a Deluxe Tinker or Handyman to my collection to include a set of pliers.   What's Needed Supplies to Gather → Oil — For lubricating pivot points and protecting blades from moisture → Sharpeners — To restore edges across the collection ...

Food · Vietnamese · Dallas La Me Restaurant A refined bowl of pho tucked into a strip mall south of Richardson 8.75 Rating / 10 The Restaurant First Impressions In the bustling area south of Richardson, tucked into an older strip mall in Dallas, I came across La Me—a modest spot that might not look like much from the outside, but it has its own charm. The place is a little dated, but it's clean, with a welcoming atmosphere that quickly sets you at ease. The Food What I Ordered Pho The food here lives up to its reputation, and I can see why some people rank it even higher than Pho Pasteur. While Pho Pasteur serves a rich, almost overwhelming broth, La Me's broth is more refined and subtle, allowing the flavors to come together beautifully without overpowering. The unique blend of ingredients adds a layer of depth, making each bite flavorful and satisfying. Spring Rolls Their spring rolls were ...

Coffee & Café Reviews Discovering Pax & Beneficia Coffee: Plano Location Review A relaxed spot near the old Collin Creek Mall, DFW The Location Atmosphere & Setting After enjoying Pax & Beneficia Coffee in Las Colinas and Grapevine, I was excited to try their Plano location, which sits conveniently near the old Collin Creek Mall. This location is beautiful, with ample parking and a relaxed atmosphere that's perfect for sipping coffee and unwinding.   What I Ordered Cappuccino & Cortado → Cappuccino — The whole milk balanced out the slightly bitter espresso nicely, making it a smooth, enjoyable drink. → Cortado — The espresso was slightly on the bitter side, more apparent here without as much milk to mellow it. For anyone in the DFW area, this Plano spot is definitely worth a visit! Pax & Beneficia Coffee ·...