Random thoughts and observations from a guy with a lot on his mind…
Similar to the function you get on iOS (Apple) Smart Folders allows you to stack files on top of each other to automatically create a folder. Check out the video below for more info. This is a function that should be built into the next version of the Windows OS.
You can download the application at the bottom of this page.
Every once in a while a product exceeds my expectations so much I have to tell the world about it. This is the case with my latest Every Day Carry (EDC) item the “4Sevens Quark Mini 123” flashlight ($39 retail price).
Not only is this one of the smallest flashlights I have ever used it far surpasses my old standby the Surefire 6Z that I reviewed back in January 2009. I first learned about the Quark Mini 123 while looking around on the Every Day Carry site.
The EDC site is a place for people to submit photographs of the items they carry with them every day (tactical and otherwise). A common theme of these user submitted photos was the Quark Mini 123.
With my curiosity piqued I did some searching on the web and found several reviews on YouTube, all of which were very favorable regarding this flashlight. That was enough for me to order one to see for myself.
I’ve included the specifications of this flashlight at the end of this review but here’s one spec you need to know. This little light can produce 180 Lumens of light, and it only uses a single 123 sized lithium battery! The Surefire with LED head produces 80 Lumens (and uses two 123 batteries) and I thought that was bright enough!
How bright is 180 Lumens? Remember those AA MagLights we all had at one point or another (or still have)? That light produces 15.2 average Lumens and a run time of 5.5 hours on alkaline batteries. A three D cell MagLight model produces on average 76.8 Lumens with a run time of about 9 hours.
Something to note about the above comparison is that the MagLights are using incandescent light bulbs (filament inside of a vacuum). Most “modern” flashlights are now using LED bulbs that produce an incredible amount of light given their size and power input. I upgraded the Surefire to an LED head to get the 80 Lumens of output (it produced 65 with its incandescent bulb from the factory)
LED bulbs also generate a lot of heat to prolonged use can cause the light to get a little warm (hot in the case of the Surefire 6Z) LED bulbs are not easily replaceable in the field either. The good thing is they last a lot longer than incandescent bulbs.
To activate the Quark MiNi 123, tighten the bezel clockwise. The light will turn on when the bezel is fully tightened, and turn off when the bezel is loosened. Turning the light on/off quickly will activate the 3 output settings (Low/Med/High). Cycle through the output settings twice (within about 5 seconds) and you will activate the “special” settings (Strobe, SOS, High/Low Beacon).
I can’t say enough about this little light. It’s about the size of an average thumb and easily fits in any pocket. The included lanyard is a good way to keep track of the light because it’s easily misplaced.
I still keep my Surefire in my EDC bag but the Quark Mini 123 is my preferred light just about every time.
4Sevens Q Mini X 123 Specifications (from the 4Sevens.com site):
Seven Output Modes:
Dimensions:
Included accessories: Lanyard, split ring for keychain attachment, spare o-ring.
When I think about comfort food Chinese take-out is on the short list. Although I consider myself a decent cook this is one cuisine I just can’t seem to do very well.
There are a limited number of options in the immediate area of my office and the other day I suddenly got the craving for Pork Fried Rice. Having passed the Happy Dragon on E 71st street several times I decided to give it a shot (and write a brief review in the process).
Happy Dragon is located in the standard strip mall setting, has the usual walk up counter, and seating for about 20 people. Per the norm for any place like this the counter is complete with a 4-inch high stack of 11×17 menus and take-away boxes stapled to the wall indicating the size options. Nothing unusual here.
Already knowing what I wanted I just glanced at the menu. Thinking back on it I’m not sure what I was looking for because I think these menus are the same in every Chinese take-out establishment.
I had come in for Pork Fried Rice and that’s what I was going to leave with (I’m stubborn that way). After placing my order, around $4.75 for a small container, I took a seat. Like clockwork my order was ready in about 4 minutes with its cardboard cube packed so tightly that it weighed much more than you would expect given it’s size.
I grabbed a few packets of assorted sauces and went on my way. I forgot how truly awful packaged soy-sauce is. It has no flavor and if you’re not careful you’ll end up wearing some of it when the stubborn packet decides to pop open in the midst of your 3rd attempt at opening it. What I failed to do is take advantage of the bottle of Kikkoman soy that was sitting on a side table. It’s not my favorite soy (that honor goes to San-J) but it’s guaranteed to have some flavor to it.
Back at the office I was ready to dive in after smelling the fried rice in the car for the last 5-minutes. Per the norm, the box was packed tightly and little pieces of rice fell all over my desk as I carefully opened the top. I had to dig around a little with a fork to loosen things up. I was pleased with the amount of pork in the dish as well as the overall preparation, nicely cooked rice and just a bit of that char that’s all but impossible to replicate in the home kitchen. This dish was exactly what I wanted and had craved just a short time before.
I’m glad I ordered the small size because I almost couldn’t finish the order. I tried a few packets of soy (yuck) as well as duck sauce and spicy mustard. All of the other condiments tasted great. Happy Dragon also has hot sauce which was pretty good on the fried rice.
The Pork Fried Rice from Happy Dragon was a solid dish. Compared to other alternatives in the area it’s inexpensive, filling and quick to obtain. I’m going to have to add this place to my rotation of lunch spots in the area. I’m also going to take a closer look at the menu next time to see if there’s anything on there that lures me away from the ever favorite Fried Rice.
When I was told the oil change on the Honda was going to take upwards of 2 hours I decided it was time to go find a place to sit down, eat some lunch, and get some work done. Luckily the dealership is right across the street from Scotty’s Brewhouse on 96th St. in Indianapolis.
I’ve been to Scotty’s several times and have always had a good experience. The food is consistent and the service is always very attentive. I especially like the terry cloth “napkins” which you need for a lot of the dishes they server here.
On this visit I went with “The Shewman” a $10.50 burger with a side (I chose Mac-n-Cheese). according to the menu The Shewman was once voted by Indianapolis Monthly as one of Indy’s top 25 burgers.
To make this award-winning burger you need these ingredients:
To the unadventurous this might sound like a big mess on a bun and it is, in a good way. I was warned by my server that the Shewman is spicy. I like spicy so I was expecting a little more heat than I got from the pickled jalapenos. If the peppers would have been freshly sliced the heat could have been awesome.
I ordered mine med-well (unless I’ve ground the beef myself this is my preferred doneness). I’ll go more pink if I know all precautions have been taken to make it safe.
Believe it or not the peanut butter is not that prominent on this burger. It’s there in the background and it adds an interesting texture to the sandwich. The burger was grilled to the proper temperature and all of the other ingredients were fresh and plentiful. It was juicy enough with all of the toppings to require judicial use of the towel/napkin.
The Mac-n-Cheese was good but nothing spectacular. The addition of some Cajun seasoning to the top did help a little. FYI, the BEST Mac-n-Cheese I’ve had in a LONG time is at Famous Dave’s BBQ (it has corn and jalapeno bits in it).
All in all the Shewman is a solid burger and not as weird as you would think. It’s going to be hard not to order it again when I return in 4-5,000 miles.
After shopping the Friday night a week before Christmas my daughter and I stopped at Yogokiss for a little treat. She’d spotted the store on our way to the keystone Mall (from the sneaky back way on 96th St.) and mentioned she wanted to try it.
Having worked in a locally owned Frozen Yogurt store in the 80’s (what goes around comes around) The layout of Yogokiss was very familliar. Put a couple of dual-head freezer machines along he back wall, setup your topping station, and offer a few drink alternatives. I did not see (or smell) the traditional waffle cones but they did have a waffle (ala Eggo) maker for what looked like some kind of diet busting YogoWaffle sandwich.
Since spending time behind the counter of one of these establishments my fondness for frozen yogurt has been pretty lackluster. I ate enough of it back then to set me for a lifetime. Having been a while since I last had frozen yogurt I decided to give it another go.
Yogokiss had all the traditional flavors that evening; Chocolate, Vanilla, Coconut… They also had two I had never seen; Soy Vanilla and Taro! I’m a Soy Milk fan but the Taro flavor caught my eye. I’ve always wanted to try Hawaiian Poi and hoped this was a close, albeit frozen, substitute. I asked for a sample and it was love at first taste.
The thing that really impressed me about the Yogokiss product was the texture. It was probably the smoothest and densest frozen yogurt I’ve ever had. I’m sure that’s attributed to the ingredients and the machinery used to freeze the product. If I had to guess the frozen yogurt machines are churning very slowly to minimize the incorporation of air into the product. It’s difficult to quickly produce any kind of large quantity with this method but it’s worth the outcome.
Toppings ranged from the traditional nuts and candy to fresh fruit and the not-so traditional Mochi pieces. My daughter ordered a small Coconut with coconut flakes, almonds, and chocolate chips. I ordered a small Taro with mochi, peanuts and chocolate chips. Both flavors were very good but the chocolate chips became quite hard after being chilled by the yogurt. I think I’ll opt for something softer next time.
Prices at the time of our visit (all come with your choice of 3 toppings):
Having been out of the frozen yogurt scene for years I’m glad to see it coming back (or did it ever leave?). I’ve never been that big of a sweets fan and one of the things I always liked about frozen yogurt was the low sweetness factor. Yogokiss has me wanting to eat more frozen yogurt!
It’s the Christmas season and I found myself in Chicago for a one day project management seminar by the David Allen Company. I drove up the night before and did a little sight-seeing before dinner.
I wanted to go to the Purple Pig but the waiting list was too long especially given the Chicago lake front weather (and the outside waiting area) so I resorted to a family favorite and our preferred dish right down the street.
The Grand Lux Cafe (owned by the Cheesecake Factory) is located on the south side of Michigan avenue right above the Ann Taylor store. One thing I love about Chicago (and big cities in general) is how they make use of every available square inch of real estate (out of necessity). You really have to look around or you’ll miss things.
The Grand Lux has several dining areas, one of which is a large round room overlooking Michigan Avenue. It’s the prime place to sit and worth a short wait to experience it.
Since I was dining by myself it was easy to get a spot at the bar. After ordering a 312 (one of my favorite Chicago beers) I quickly glanced at the menu. Since I already knew what I wanted I decided to look for any new additions.
The bartender delivered a large basket of freshly baked multi-grain wheat bread and plenty of butter and I placed my order for the “Shaking Beef” entree.
The Shaking Beef dish contains thinly sliced Beef tenderloin, Red/Green onions, Sauteed with a spicy marinade and Served with steamed rice. The dish, curiously enough, comes with a small ramekin of citrus (lemon?) juice. It’s not listed on the menu but it complements the beef and onions very well.
On this visit the beef was tender and very flavorful and had a nice char on the edges. The green onions were nicely Sautéed as well. The red onions, however, were VERY strong. I like onions so for me to say this tells you something. I could taste the onions 2 hours later even after brushing my teeth.
After the beer, bread and beef i was full. I almost ordered the New Orleans Beignets (they are OUTSTANDING) but that would have pushed me over the edge and into a food coma.
For $29.36 before tip I think that was a solid meal in a city full of great places to eat. I’m glad I had a stand-by place because with the low temperatures and blowing wind I did not have a lot of time to wander around looking for a place to eat.
Located in the heart of Fishers Rivera Maya has found a way to be successful in a building that’s changed hands no less than 5 times in the past 10 years. There’s no shortage of Mexican restaurants in the area and they all pretty much look and server the same thing. Riviera Maya does set itself apart in a few ways.
Upon entering you are immediately greeted with a friendly staff member who will seat you right away (if there are tables available of course). This place has been known to get very crowded on Friday/Saturday nights and I recommend reservations if you are going to have a big group or limited time.
Overall the place feels really big. It’s very open with high ceilings and plenty of decoration in the Mayan motif. In typical Mexican restaurant style, you are immediately served tortilla chips and salsa while looking over the menu and picking out your food.
The chips and salsa are pretty standard and always fresh. I always have to watch myself because it’s easy to ruin your appetite on the free appetizer. I always equate the chips & salsa to the bread basket at other places (and it’s usually better).
The very first thing I tried at Riviera Maya is the dish I’ve been loyal to, The Burrito Loco. The $9.99 dish is one of the things I think sets it apart from other Mexican restaurants. Take a 12″ flour tortilla, stuff it with grilled steak, chicken and shrimp, roll it up and smother it in cheese sauce. That’s it, no vegetables, no beans, no rice, just a big burrito on a plate. I’ve had this dish probably a dozen times and it’s been very consistent in both preparation and flavor.
Each ingredient in the Burrito Loco is seasoned and grilled just right; the shrimp are especially tasty and good-sized. Something you don’t get very often in Indiana.
A”nother great thing about this place is their Dos Equis XX Dark in 16,22 and, 34 oz sizes. I like the 34 oz served in a huge frosted mug. I have never had beer so cold as I’ve had at Riviera Maya. I always like to say if you can’t lift the 32 oz mug you’ve had enough to drink. My wife says the Margaritas are very good as well.
We’ve dined at Riviera Maya several times and have always had good service. You get a lot of food for your money and the atmosphere is a lot of fun (although it can get a little loud at times). This is the only Mexican restaurant we go to in Fishers. I’m already looking forward to my next Burrito Loco!
Another great review (with much better pictures) can be found at the “Would I Buy It Again” blog. These guys are covering the city at a quick pace and their reviews are always top-notch.
My son & I ventured downtown last Saturday to check out the Indy Winter Farmers Market that’s now in the historic Indianapolis City Market. The plan was to do a little scouting around and then head to the Torta shop I reviewed the other day. The Torta shop ended up being closed because they are expanding (good news!). We both immediately decided to go back to the City Market and check out 3 Days in Paris.
We had a great experience at Findlay Market’s Crêpe Shop in Cincinnati so we were hoping for something similar. Like the other shop the food is made in front of you and it takes about 5 minutes to make it. Like Cincinnati there was a gathering of people waiting on their food and watching the crêpe makers in action.
We ordered one sweet and one savory crêpe. The sweet being one of the day’s specials ($5.00). It consisted of chocolate, bananas, marshmallows and crushed graham crackers. The savory called “Red Eggs & Bacon” ($6.50) was filled with Egg, Bacon, Havarti, Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. I put a little squirt of Siracha sauce on the savory plate just in case it needed a little flavor boost.
One of the things I like about the City Market is the ring of balcony seating on the second floor. It gives a great view of the facility and it’s out of the way of the crowds. We headed upstairs and grabbed a table with a great view.
We were both very happy with our decision to return to the market for lunch. I liked the Indianapolis version of my crêpe better than the one in Cincinnati, mainly because it had more flavor. I did end up using a little Siracha towards the end though. The sweet crêpe was very good and the dark chocolate kept it from being overly sweet.
I’ve lived in Indy for about 30 years & have never been to the Fountain Square area of the city. I had the opportunity to check out “Tortas Guicho Dominguez y el Cubanito” for lunch last week & I’m already planning to return this weekend. The name is a mouthful so I’m just going to refer to it as the “Torta Place”.
The place is small but bright and clean. The food is all made to order so it might take a mew minutes longer than you would expect (it’s totally worth it!). All of the sandwiches are named after celebrates (or you can order by number). I had the #12 named after the Mexican Footballer Rafa Marquez.
The #12 has Breaded Steak, Mexican Sausage, Ham & Mozzarella. Unless requested differently All Tortas comes with mayonnaise, tomato, avocado, homemade jalapenos or chipotle.
Two sauces and a small bowl of pickled vegetables come with the order and you can order a Mexican Coke (with cane sugar) or a Jarritos (carbonated, flavored soda). I opted for a Diet Coke but I’m thinking about getting a Mexican Coke next time.
The Chorizo on the sandwich was really good with a nice spice and very tender texture. I was not sure what to expect with the “breaded Steak” but it far surpassed my expectations. The sandwich alone was enough for lunch but I also want to try their tacos at some point as well.
If you’re already in the area, this place is a must visit. I drove from the North-East side and I’m willing to do it again.
