I had the pleasure of visiting Sightglass during my last trip to San Francisco. Kiya was kind enough to bring some of their freshly roasted beans to me last week (at the expense of making all his clothes smell like coffee, which is not a bad thing in my mind).

I’ve only made two pots of the coffee thus far, but I’m really enjoying it. I taste some light fruity notes (though not as strong as an African bean) with a chocolatey finish.

While spending time at my parents’ home this weekend, I ventured into the basement to dig around. There are always little treasures to be had each time I look… here are the things that came home with me this time.

I was surprised to discover that Swingline’s factory was originally based in Long Island City.

I have no idea where this box came from… neither of my parents are attorneys.

This Chesco hex key set will be put to good use.

This little pickup truck was my favorite matchbox car when I was a kid.

I just received these Bass Barret Taupe Suede shoes in the mail today. I’m quite happy with them, especially given their price. They are very comfortable and will function nicely both with jeans and with casual wedding attire this summer. It took me a while to settle on a pair of summer shoes, and it looks like I’ve found them.

A few weeks ago, Kiya told me that he and Demitra were  venturing up north for the weekend, and that along the way they were going to be visiting a gun shop that had a cigar lounge in the back (he mentioned this knowing my affinity for cigars). The following week, I got a package from him:

Inside the package was a Colibri Enterprise, easily the nicest lighter I’ve ever seen. It’s got a burled wood handle, single action ignition and a 7mm stainless steel punch on the bottom.

The triple-jet flame the lighter produces is intense.

Whenever I’m vacationing or trying something new, I’ll often think of family and friends who’d enjoy what I’m currently experiencing. It’s nice to have friends who feel the same way.