Brands and Stuff That You Love (Emphasis on Quality)

[pretzelb]

That's pretty cool: I had no idea people roasted their own beans.

It's really easy too. The only drag is that most home roasting machines only do a small amount at a time so you end up doing a few batches each week. I started with the entry level roaster but you can even use an old air popcorn popper I think. The other drag is that you do need to baby sit the beans because they could burn if you don't watch them or set the timer too long. It's also not the best smell and results in smoke so you need to do it outside. Gee, it's starting to sound like a major pain now that I talk about it.

But it has turned me into a coffee snob because I can tell a difference. I can almost taste some of the subtle flavors in some of the beans. I'm not perfect at the process but there are times when it comes out really good and you really enjoy the cup to the point you feel like an actor in a commercial.

It should also end up being cheaper. The site I use averages around $5 per pound of green beans and usually you pay around $10 to $12 for a roasted bag of beans. I used to think I was saving money by brewing my own but now that I roast too I should really be saving money.

The other drawback is when I evaluate a bag I have to account for my coffee thermos and my water bottle.

[Darcy]

I'm not perfect at the process but there are times when it comes out really good and you really enjoy the cup to the point you feel like an actor in a commercial.

Heh! There's a coffee place in Seattle that roasts beans on site. The first time I went there the coffee was amazing - way above average. The second time...not so good. I think maybe the person who had roasted beans that day was new. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes.

[Akilae]

I suppose I'll add two to this list.

For my backpack, I shamefully admit I use a non-Bihn bag as my preferred bag of choice: The FAST Pack Alpha made by TAD Gear. They carry a few brands, but their own stuff is generally well-designed and well-manufactured. My FAST Pack has been with me for five years, from hauling my T61P and textbook tomes to class, to clothing and camera gear for trekking/photography trips, and it still looks like the day I bought it. Since TAD caters to the military crowd, the FAST pack also comes with MOLLE straps, making it a very modular bag. It's interesting in that I had originally ordered an ID for my laptop, and had figured on relegating my FAST Pack to hiking trips. Then the textbooks started piling up and I realized a backpack was still the ideal way for heavy hauling. Nowadays the ID lives with a Freudian Slip and is quite happy as a general document/office bag.

My other recent obsession has been shoes. After five years of wearing nothing but sandals and Merrell mocs, I finally fulfilled one of my dreams and bought a pair of Alden 405 "Indy" boots. Alden is one of the last American shoe makers in the North Eastern states. All their shoes are hand made in the US and generally cater to an older crowd, i.e. at least 20-nearing-30-somethings. Customer service is top notch. The original pair of Indy boots I bought had a construction flaw which resulted in pain in my ankle. Alden immediately took the shoe back and issued me a pair of replacements, no questions asked. They even gave me a better-sized pair after listening to me talk about how my feet felt. The Indy boots I bought are more famous for being the boots than Indiana Jones wore in all of the movies. Being famous movie boots aside, they are wonderfully comfortable, durable, and stylish boots that go well with either jeans or dress casuals, probably one of the more versatile pair of boots I've ever seen (other than White's Semi-Dress... but that's another story).

[Darcy]

Juniper Ridge products - made out of wild harvested sage, juniper, fir, and cedar, with no extra scents or additives.

[jay_imok]

....an older crowd, i.e. at least 20-nearing-30-somethings.....

i am absolutely speechless.............




well, i guess not entirely. please excuse me now, i have to drive off the edge of the world...

[PM4HIRE]

I'm struck dumb, being 64 y/o.

[Akilae]

i am absolutely speechless.............




well, i guess not entirely. please excuse me now, i have to drive off the edge of the world...

lol. I wrote that after coming from a thread where people in their teens were asking about shelling out $500 for tasselled mocs, and everybody was trying to convince them they were much, much too young to be spending that kind of money on shoes that most likely didn't go well with their lifestyle.

yeah... my apologies...

[Darcy]

Recycline products are brightly colored, very cool, and Made in USA. Their products include colanders, toothbrushes, plastic tupperware, razors, cutting boards, etc.

[S Anderson]

Anderson-Little

Hey Darcy, Scott Anderson here, President of Anderson-Little.

Thanks for the plug for my company! I really appreciate it.

If anyone has any questions for me, feel free to ask. I love my product and am always up for getting to know Anderson-Little fans.

[Darcy]

Hey Darcy, Scott Anderson here, President of Anderson-Little.

Thanks for the plug for my company! I really appreciate it.

If anyone has any questions for me, feel free to ask. I love my product and am always up for getting to know Anderson-Little fans.

Welcome, Scott! Do you have any plans to make a women's blazer?

[backpack]

It's difficult to find women's blazers/jackets made in USA.

New recommendation: Guittard Chocolate. Their chocolate is still made in San Francisco. It's the best baking chocolate (cocoa powder, chocolate disks, chips) that I've used.

I second the difficulty of finding stylish women jackets made in the U.S.A, especially in plus size.


I also use the Recycline products, the toothbrush are especially easy to find.
They are at all Trader Joes and at Kroger but I cannot find razors!
Anyone knows of a retailer which carry the razors?


I have not mentioned the chocolate because I probably had some, I used to live in the Bay Area.
If I get a Proust moment, my next grocery shopping trip is going to include lots of chocolate items, plentiful at this time of the year and better left out on the shelf than in my stomach and then as an extra topping on me.

soooo tempting

[Darcy]

I also use the Recycline products, the toothbrush are especially easy to find.
They are at all Trader Joes and at Kroger but I cannot find razors!
Anyone knows of a retailer which carry the razors?

I've seen them at Whole Foods and Recycline now has an online store! Woohoo! http://www.recycline.com/catalog/pro...products_id=35

[timothy]

I don't think anyone's yet mentioned Dr. Bronner's soaps. Nutty labels: I first became aware of the brand 20 or so years ago because of a book -- I think it was either "Big Secrets" or "Bigger Secrets," somewhat in the style of The Straight Dope newspaper column / website -- which went into some depth on the content and significance of the label. (About which, see Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emanuel_Bronner)

The label is a neat hook, but people swear by it for all sorts of uses, to a few of which I can personally attest (hand / body soap, and washing random objects that can fit in the sink); I have yet to shave with it, or use it as shampoo, or wash clothes, or spray plants in the garden ...

It's neat stuff: highly concentrated ("Dilute! Dilute! OK!"), and available in sizes from just a few ounces to gallon size; a tiny dab gets my hands feeling cleaner than a big squirt of conventional sinkside hand-pump soap. My favorite variety is (I think) the original, peppermint, but there are many others available.

I'll be taking some with me on my upcoming travels, decanted into a small TSA-friendly container, and may even get brave enough to brush my teeth with it; I'll also try laundering with it first. Would be good to shave off a few ounces of travel weight by dropping at least one of those little bottles from the toilet kit.

timothy

[Sco1t]

Caterpillar Boots

The build quality of the original "Colorado" Caterpillar boot is unsurpassed in my opinion. They are the only boots which have ever stood up to the abuse I heap on them, well worth the money.

Regards,
Scott

[puddin]

my bag collection has 4 brands i believe in.

the newest is Tom Bihn - the Super Ego is clearly a top notch quality product.

Maxpedition - the Jumbo Versipack is an ideal man-purse
Eagle Creek - can't beat their carry-on wheelies.
Lowepro - solid camera bags. i have 2 of theirs.

for flashlights - Surefire. I only have one but i believe it will turn on everytime i need it to. the surefire e2L cree is what i have.

for tequila - patron

for footwear - Merrill. their boots have lasted me for years and years. also Gola - for comfortable and stylish sneaks.

for a multi-tool - Leatherman. good stuff.

for shades - Ray-Ban and Serengeti. Good quality optics and superior tints.