theWHAT

preparing to multiply

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:28:35 -0500

preparing to multiply

In a dream:

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:23:35 -0500

My dog reproduces asexually and keeps splitting into more elliotts.

I has a hat

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:55:43 -0400

I has a hat

my DIY Toddy style cold brewer

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:52:37 -0400

So I put a hole in the bottom of a $6 storage container from Target, plugged it with a modified wine bottle cork, and called it a Stoddy.. heh. First trial run last night.

(0.5 lb beans + 4.5 cups water) * 16 hours = 600 ml coffee concentrate

It’s not the smoothest toddy I’ve had, but not a bad trial. I planned for it to brew 12hrs, but didn’t really time that right for when I’d be waking up today. The coffee was some Guatemalan Antigua that had been lost in my cupboards for a good 2+ months. Also, I need a cloth filter! I used 3 prerinsed unbleached paper filters, but I think the cloth will be superior. The real Toddy home brewer can do 1lb at a time, and I think I can only get about 3/4 lb, but mine also doesn’t cost fourty bucks. With the box of 12 mason jars it cost about $17.

Also, about half the liquid runs out after uncorking, and then the other half slowly drips for a while. I was impatient and figured out that if I put the sealable lid on top at an angle and press to close it, it forces the rest out much faster. AeroStoddy? :P Kidding.

But this is good because now I have something useful to do with aging leftover beans besides sacrificing them after running Grindz through the grinders.

Just in time for a Toddylicious summer. :)~

“Stoddy” :P Get it?

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:31:36 -0400

“Stoddy” :P Get it?

waiting for their shots

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:58:07 -0400

waiting for their shots

DIY portafilter pressure gauge

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:28:55 -0500

The idea of this is from a thread on Home-Barista that is often cited in topics about brew pressure, yet I’m too lazy to find it.

While i was waiting for the gauge to come, I tried to estimate and adjust the OPV without one (using blind filter, measure ml/s from valve on my digital scale, convert units). Turns out i got pretty close to the 9 Bar that way.. :) I use my scale for EVERYTHING now, but i wish it was accurate to a tenth of a gram and not just whole grams.

This has a bleed valve that you adjust to something like 2oz in 25s in order simulate a typical shot. Not the same dynamics as with actual coffee, but more accurate than nothing (otherwise would be expected to be something like 1 to 1.5 Bar higher). The photo of the gauge in action was after the actual measurement, just opened a little for the picture, and not the actual brew pressure.. but kinda close anyway.

Note: Dog does not measure pressure. Photo included just because Marta is mad that I don’t post pictures of him.

“Hey man, are you still in Pittsburgh? I need a fake mustache by Wednesday.” I like...

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:49:12 -0500

“Hey man, are you still in Pittsburgh? I need a fake mustache by Wednesday.”

I like that there are just some people from whom a serious request like this does not seem unusual at all. Apparently Pittsburgh has the best mustaches.

cat finds tiniest box ever sat in

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 03:15:06 -0500

cat finds tiniest box ever sat in

I also has..

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:26:06 -0500

A crazy awesome set of signed and numbered cups/saucers from Illy! It was a gift. The cups reflect the art off of the saucers. There are 6 and each are different. Here’s the one with a kitty.

And check this one out, with a shot that was actually pretty much drinkable.. ;)

So far the highlight has been when I tried to knock some bubbles out of the steam pitcher, and shot a rocket of hot milk straight up into my eye. lulz!

Oh, btw.

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 13:46:34 -0500

mmmhmm..

hahahahahahah..hahah.. hah… ohhhhh.

so in love with this grinder already.

muy. muuuuyyy.

two things i’m not crazy about. 1) The straight arm steam wand. It’s on a 360deg joint, but the range of motion is still pretty small. 2) The tiny drip tray!

cute hot water dispenser

also exciting: the brush that Mazzer included matches my knockbox, cup, toaster, microwave, autodrip, kettle, pot holders, etc. ;)))

he’s just a little guy, fits on the drip tray for storage!

This is a really great thing to see in the morning.

"If it makes you throw up it’s gotta be good."

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:41:46 -0500

“If it makes you throw up it’s gotta be good.”

- marta

Thwarted.

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:21:31 -0500

Big Kitty attempted to add “Glass Eater” to his long list of skills.

so, I’m sitting on my couch. i have a blanket over me. on top of the blanket is a cat. and...

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:31:12 -0500

so, I’m sitting on my couch. i have a blanket over me. on top of the blanket is a cat. and on top of the cat is a 17” macbookpro.

i guess the battery keeps him warm.

waiting in election lines?

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:58:49 -0500

sucks for you guys! brian and i left the house at like.. 6:30 or 6:40 AM, voted, and were back home at around 7.

BOOYA!

It’s hailing.

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:01:33 -0400

It’s hailing.

it’s not easy being a Rock Band superhero

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:44:36 -0400

it’s not easy being a Rock Band superhero

This afternoon I was driving down MLK Blvd listening to some happy music. It’s a cool day,...

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:45:06 -0400

This afternoon I was driving down MLK Blvd listening to some happy music. It’s a cool day, but the sun is shining and the breeze is fleeting. I was feeling good as I anticipated my espresso and debated whether I should get an oatmeal-raisin cookie, or maybe some kind of muffin to accompany it.

THEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME’S FUCKING WHEEL FELL OFF!

His front-left wheel completely just came off. The weird thing is that it wasn’t like this sudden, oh shit, everyone crashes and things explode kind of moment. His vehicle thunked as he pulled over with a kind of rolling / dragging combination. I stopped. On-coming cars stopped. The wheel rolled. It rolled past a car, hit the side of the underpass thing and flew into the air as we watched it.

This is one of those moments where you’re watching a thing happening as if in slow motion and you’re thinking, “ok, let’s say there are Many Worlds, so there are different universes in which the outcome of this thing is different. WHICH UNIVERSE AM I IN?” Alright I’m lying. You actually think, “TIRE.” But you still get to see what universe you’re in. :) In this one, the wheel bounced and rolled around, but didn’t hit anything or anyone before it flopped onto its side in the grass.

Also, there was this guy on the other side of the road, pulled over, taking pictures of the bridge and the park and stuff. Facing us. How cool would it be if he happened to get a shot of the wheel flying toward him? Heh.

On the moon, we blog while we drive. That shit is on CRUISE CONTROL.

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:49:00 -0400

On the moon, we blog while we drive.

That shit is on CRUISE CONTROL.

What do you do when you find yourself in proximity to a guy who looks like it could be this one guy...

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:31:00 -0400

What do you do when you find yourself in proximity to a guy who looks like it could be this one guy you sorta know, except you don’t really remember that tattoo, and his beard probably would not have grown that much in a week. Hey, what if he’s that guy’s brother?

Man, that looks like that one guy!! I’m going to go ask somebody.