There’s no argument that I’m a big fan of gadgets, especially those which are superficially pleasing. However there’s always that problem with function forward v. aesthetic forward design - very few companies are able to successfully blend the two. One such company that does this beautifully is Apple Inc., and a close follower - although with a heavy bias toward function rather then aesthetics(not to be confused with ergonomics) is Logitech.

When people ask me for a mouse recommendation, I’ve never hesitated to recommend Logitech’s products - they feel great, lead the industry in design as well as function, but above all - they work. Mice have become essential tools of today’s productivity, therefore one might say one’s only as productive as the functionality of one’s mouse. So when I realized it was time to retire my well used Logitech LX8, I quickly turned to Logitech to see what they had out and the Logitech Anywhere MX stood out.

Enter Apple’s Magic Mouse. The moment this mouse was unveiled, jaws dropped, the room silenced with awe, and eyeballs were never rounder. It’s gorgeous. Smooth seemless lines, leading edge navigation, and the choice between wireless or bluetooth. Not to mention it’s a fraction of the size of my current mouse and not much taller then my iPhone. Stunning, and at $69.99 - competitively priced, actually identically priced to the Logitech Anywhere MX.

Now I had a conundrum. Should I stick with a trusted company that I’ve used for mice & keyboards for years, and through generations of products or should I once again take that miraculously leap to a company that has transformed my perspective on computing (over and over again)? To answer this I had to analyze just how I used my mice; and the fact that I have not owned a desktop for over half a decade now. My notebooks are also not desktop replacements (well, maybe one is), they travel about every 14-20 hours - along with my mouse. I needed something portable, emphasis on utility and the Anywhere MX had one feature the Magic Mouse lacked - something Logitech called ‘Darkfield Technology,’ or the ability to work on glass (and glass-like surfaces)!

Those of you who have traveled or have attempted to work on a glass table with an ordinary laser mouse understand how incredibly frustrating it is - often we must source a piece of paper, or a manila folder, or the ever left in the 90’s mouse pad. Not to mention the Anywhere MX comes with a nifty carrying case and a micro-wireless adaptor, one that the user is able to just leave in their notebook. In addition the Anywhere MX has that familiar rubberized finish as opposed to the Magic Mouse’s delicious gloss white finish which I’m not convinced would do well in my messenger bag.

Now with all this in mind, which mouse did I choose? To be honest, I haven’t solidified my decision yet - the Magic Mouse with its come-hither lines is just magnificent, but the utility and function forward design of the Anywhere MX is leading the charge. I’ll dwell on this for awhile longer, and let you know what I end up with…both would be a good possibility.

[ via Apple Magic Mouse ]
[ via Logitech Anywhere MX ]

-Wallace

Trying to run a mobile business presents its own challenges; most recently how to stage proper conference calls in less then ideal locations - we’re talking coffee houses, random meeting rooms, at home, or even in your living room. In an ideal world there would be a broadband wifi connection, four mobile sound dampening walls, and a polycom within an arm’s reach anywhere and everywhere. Sadly, this is not the case. After a few conference calls with my iPhone’s speaker phone, and a couple with a partner’s Blackberry Storm - a mobile solution had become a necessity.

This solution worked decently at best in a controlled meeting room, absolutely terrible in any open setting. The caller would really need to focus to hear us in the meeting and we would almost always speak right over the caller - it was just not working.

A few days ago my paths crossed with the Spracht Aura Mobile BT at Fry’s Electronics. Curious about it, as it seemed to offer a solution to our specific issue I did a bit of research and found very little real data on this unit. Priced at about $80 it wasn’t terribly expensive especially if it performed as promised.

So how did it do? Not terrible, once one’s used to the function buttons it’s quite easy to use. Bluetooth sync is simple, I could use it with my iPhone, or via Bluetooth on my Macbook for Sykpe. Voice quality is not bad at all considering it’s size. Some complained that it’s bulky but I’m not sure who would attempt to carry this thing in their pockets, anyone with a ‘mobile office’ has some sort of bag system and that’s where mine dwells. It’s a smooth shaped puck, and fits perfectly in one of my Chrome Messenger Bag’s pockets.

The Bad? There is nothing necessarily bad about the unit, for $80 I thought it was a bargain. However, 3 things:

1. The rear visor clip is flimsy, and looks like an afterthought. I’m afraid I’ll accidentally break it one of these days.
2. No USB charger. It is unreasonable to expect many of us who travel often to add yet another DC charger to are massive array already. A USB cable would be clearly beneficial, especially if we could connect/charge via notebook.
3. Although inaudible at a distance the unit makes a ‘fan’ noise when powered on. Absolutely not sure why this is, or what function is serves. It would be annoying if any louder.

So would I recommend it? If you find yourself on lots of conference calls, and running mobile teams, If you call Starbucks your ‘office’ (and you’re not unemployed), or If you just like gadgets (like I do) - definitely. It solves a solution that either only a select few of us currently have, or the rest of the world have yet to realize their speakerphone function on their mobile device is not a replacement for a polycom - the Spracht Aura Mobile on the other hand, truly is.

[ via ]

-Wallace

So yes, it’s that time of year again. Crystal and I fortunately got our H1N1, aka oink, vaccines but the cold bug got me good on Friday. You know how people always ask others to define true love? How about sticking around knowingly one will catch whatever funktified virus another’s got going on? Crystal slumped around on Saturday after the SF Chili Cookoff (more on this later) taking care of me, I told her it wasn’t necessary and I should leave her alone - her response was, ‘It’s ok, I’m sure I’ll catch it anyways.” Wow…I love this girl!

Speaking of this year’s SF Chili Cookoff I decided to make a tray of Habanero Cornbread. Without an actual recipe or game plan in mind I set off to Whole Foods blind. Seven habanero peppers and one large orange bell pepper later I was ready to tackle this frightening feat.

First thing I did was roast the peppers. While the peppers were roasting I made a standard 2 to 1 flour to cornmeal batter. After pulling the peppers out of the oven I gave them a Martin Yan dice then added them to the batter, mixed it up and poured it into a buttered tray. 25 minutes later, voila!, Habanero Cornbread!

What did people think? I’m not sure, I know Rich and Brooks said they actually liked it - I think they might be just too good of a friend. Alycia asked what was wrong with me, Justin just stood there attempting to contain his sweat, and quite a few including Crystal wouldn’t touch the stuff. What did I think? I had a bite and with flashbacks of the candied habanero experience, I quickly tossed the remainder of my piece away. It was sweet, savory, and had HEAT. Really did not feel like pushing the line here, especially in my sickly condition.

Not quite sure what the rest of the Chili Cook Off thought as voting is still going on, but when we left the tray was more then half gone - quite amazed.

So this was pretty much our weekend in a nutshell. Today, both of us are working from home due to this cold. Hopefully the sky will change tomorrow.

-Wallace

Anyone who’s ever gotten, I mean really gotten, into cycling knows that finding a good shop is like finding a really delicious coffee shop - one is delighted, comes back often, and thinks twice about telling those who seem content with Starbucks.

Well, it may be a bit extreme, but I’ve been dropping by Mark & Tom’s shop for over a year now and they have provided nothing but excellent conversation, service and the most grand assortment of road cycling products of any local cyclery.

Many bicycle shops are utilitarian, such as the bicycle shop I purchased my first road bicycle from, but for many road cycling has taken on a higher calling - one almost akin to that of an lifestyle. This is where Velotech really shines, from the gold glitter threaded pillow depicting a barreling bicycle racer adorning the red leather couch downstairs, to the vintage huffy pursuit bike with full vintage Campagnolo components, the Pegoretti’s out by the door and the Colanago’s in mid-shop - this was an alter dedicated to the cycling elite, the weekend warriors, and the all too common the once in a blue moon cyclist (like I’ve become).

Aside from the incredible space and stockpile of exotic frames, lusty grouppos, LAS helmets, Nalini clothing, and my favorite product - The Sinz bike stands, the personality of a shop is really that of its owners - In this case Mark & Tom.

Mark’s the front man and usually the first person to greet you as you walk into the store. He’s usually entertaining a client or two and always has a bright, light hearted smile. If anyone was an optimist, I’m sure Mark was that person. He can chat with you on just about anything, recommend you products that you didn’t even know you needed (in a good way of course), and happy to show you his near-vintage Pinarello - which is usually somewhere on the showroom.

Tom on the other hand is most comfortable in the rear of the store, where his work shop, or space rather, is set up. Tom’s blunt, opinionated, and will tell you exactly what he thinks and why in regards to bicycle parts, technology, and philosophy. Tom also rides a pimp’d out Bamboo Calfee converted for commuting duties.

So is Velotech Cycles a shop everyone should go to? Yes I would. The concept of “one gets what one pays for.” does not shine any truer in a bike shop then at Velotech. They’re not cheap, but they certainly are not unreasonable - especially in downtown Palo Alto. Compounded with the plethora of eye candy, quality of service and personalities behind - it’s no wonder this is my favorite bicycle store. I hope it will become one of yours as well.

Also, check out their super fresh website. One needs a strong store to match that ego crushing hot pink website of theirs.

[ via Velotech ]
[ via Flickr ]

-Wallace

After Napa we decided to spend a day out at the Ritz Carlton at Half Moon Bay. Crystal’s never been, and I haven’t been either in years - so I figured since we had the Prius we should make a day out of it. It took less then $20 to fill the Prius up on 87 and we were heading north.

We drove up HWY101 then headed west on HWY92, past the Christmas Tree Farms, the pony rides, and countless pumpkin patches. A lot of other people apparently had the same idea, the road was nearly in gridlock, but we did make progress and was strolling through downtown Half Moon Bay in no time.

The quiet downtown was ramping up for the big annual pumpkin festival, which was ironically just this past weekend. While we strolled along I wanted some hot chocolate, as the winds made walking barely tolerable. It was one of those moments with the cashier, “Whip?,” she offered…

I replied, “no, but thanks.” - Her, “Yes?” - I, “No, no.” - Her, “Oh, ok.”

When the drink was finally delivered it had a nice crust of none other but thick whip on top, not being one to argue or fuss about I made with it. Meanwhile Crystal was returning from the woman’s room.

Anxious and excited she looked at the whip for a second then decided to take a sip. If any of you ever tried to nab a cube or two from an emptied fountain drink only to have the entire reserve of ice cubes, melted ice, and soda come rushing toward you…you could pretty imagine what just happened to Crystal. Standing there in total shock, covered in milk chocolate and mouth a gape with a whip cream mustache, she looked like she was going to scream, panic, or both. I quickly grabbed some napkins, while she was still speechless out on the sidewalk.

By the time I got back she re-discovered her voice, and the stammering began. Hilarious now, but really wasn’t so funny then. We blotted her off, then she marched right back into the coffee house nearly scaring little kids and with a quick flick or her wrist and the aid of a couple stir sticks she whipped out the whip into a waiting garbage bin. Satisfied, she found a cap - stuck a lid on the hot chocolate and marched right back out.

It’s a good thing she forgives so easily, and we both had a good laugh walking back to the car - hot chocolate still in hand.

We toured the Ritz’s meticulously manicured grounds, and only wished the weather was warmer. Other then that with a Fat Tire in hand, and Crystal a spicy Zin, we watched the sun set as the Pacific swelled. The hot chocolate incident all but a forgotten memory by now.

[ via Flickr ]

-Wallace

Before any of you ask, no I don’t know why their logo is a giant muscular purple funnel horn’d unicorn - but what I do know is they make some pretty awesome funnel cakes. I haven’t seen Jeff in over a year, but he invited us over for a funnel cake party, intrigued and armed with a free afternoon we went.

Turns out that him and his room mates have been busy cooking up, of all things, funnel cakes and naturally thought about taking a weekend hobby to the next level. First up was the Hot Cocoa Powder, topped with whip then dusted with semi-sweet Hot Cocoa powder and served with a side of vanilla ice cream. Looked scrumptious, and it tasted as good as it looked. I’m a fan.

So, part of the fcake logo is due to this spout thing they use to pour the funnel cake batter with. Those of you who do not yet know what exactly is a funnel cake, like Crystal, it’s a batter that’s flash fried - usually poured in a crisscross pattern then topped with powdered sugar, whip and some type of topping or syrup.

My favorite has always been the whip and strawberries, although I am partial to the chocolate syrup as well. Jeff and his team has re-worked those and have come up with exotic variations such as Gilroy Garlic, Green Tea Macha, or Baked Potato.

There were about 20 samplers which gathered in and outside Jeff’s Sunnyvale garage, all excited to see what the next funnel cake out was. There were three on the menu; Hot Cocoa Powder, Classic Strawberry, and the holy of all holy fcakes, the maple bacon fcake.

Funnel cake is one of those foods where one finds in very casual environments such as state fairs or higher end restaurant dessert menu’s - usually deconstructed and presented as 3 or more separate components. It’s fun to put an ‘everyday’ spin on such a classic dessert, and I thought FCake did a wonderful job blending the traditional with the wild.

If I had to choose one FCake to sample again it would have to be the Hot Cocoa Powder. The ice cream was able to balance out the heaviness of the funnel cake and when is chocolate ever a bad thing? Although good, I thought the Classic Strawberry and Maple Bacon FCakes could use some help, which is why FCake had this tasting c&c party anyways!

So, hopefully coming to a taco truck near you! The FCake crew!

Good Luck Jeff!

[ via Flickr ]
[ via FCake Blog ]

-Wallace

Ran across something somewhat disturbing this evening; found out that Fikse Wheels shuttered their doors. Yes, we lost another one of the good ones. First it was HRE, then we lost Kinesis (well, they sold out rather then continued to be independent - sacrificing quality and innovation).

I’ve always loved their FM5 and FM10 modular wheels, but before I go any further - what’s so special about Fikse? They were the last of a breed. One of the first and highest quality American manufacturers of forged modular (multi-piece) wheels - the other two were HRE and Kinesis. Today there are only a handful of these businesses left, most notably CCW.

Nice knowing you Fikse, thanks for the memories. Guess I’ll have to scour eBay now.

[ via ]

-Wallace

Taking full advantage of our full size kitchen we collectively prepared breakfast at all about 10 o’clock. Florentine Scramble with Thick Slab Bacon, English Muffins, and Pillsbury Grands.

We also took full advantage of the fact that we were on the fairway and the weather was exceptional. Brunch outside made this weekend feel like a vacation, well…except the fact that Luis was half bothered by the missing UPS truck containing their tickets to the USC vs. Cal game later this afternoon. We wished the both of them luck, and with that packed up and split to spend the remainder in Napa alone.

The first winery on today’s agenda was CADE. I’ve been wanting to experience CADE since I’ve heard about it in the SF Gate. CADE is the area’s first LEED certified winery, and currently seeking the LEED Gold designation. What this translates into is function based architecture where the structure provides more then just shelter - it is designed to work with the environment in an collected effort to be self sustaining. That being said, what do you think about our aptly placed Prius?

They of course had to show us up, a Tesla charger no doubt - probably the only one in the area.

By the time we strolled to the actual tasting room I was already trying to catch my ambitious heart, it loved every inch of CADE. The segmented walls, 90 degree edges, and especially the implementation of rust - everywhere. As we walked thru CADE’s glass doors, and before our first pour, thoughts of ‘must have‘ were ravaging through my medulla oblongata (yes, I been wanting to say this ever since Kanye’s lyric).

Apparently Crystal has similar thoughts, as she forced, “I want to move to Napa!” as soon as we strolled inside and took in the view of Napa’s rolling vineyards, beams of sunlight, and vast expanse from CADE’s floor to ceiling windows. Soon after we were instructed to choose an area and enjoy ourselves - I thought, “Enjoy ourselves? Is he kidding?!”

What I did not realize was the only thing that could have made the experience up until this point better - was in fact wine. We were in Napa, and I had completely forgot about the vino. We started off with a screw cap sauvignon blanc - tasty as expected. Following were a 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Cuvee and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain - upon first taste I preferred the Cuvee, however after letting the Howell Mountain breathe for a good 10 minutes or so we ended up purchasing it for our racks. I wouldn’t say it was miles better then the Cuvee, but a good measure none the less.

DJ (Nielsen), CADE’s Hospitality Manager, took exceptional care of our visit and left us with an additional splash of the Cuvee which we took outside. In the leather-clad butterfly chairs that dotted the courtyard we chose a pair which overlooked the rust lined infinity pool and although Crystal’s mind never stops churning - mine melted away with the wine, view, air, and smells. This was a moment for I wished had no end.

However, end it did when we realized we had a reservation at Paraduxx and only a half hour to wind down the mountain and make our seating. With that, we stayed at CADE - well, at least snooped through their caves. This winery was all about the details, as am I.

We arrived at Paraduxx with some 10 minutes to spare, I guess that Prius was a lot speedier then I gave it credit for.

One sees Barcelona Chairs everywhere in Napa, but wooden ones? This was the first time I’ve ever seen or heard of wooden Barcelona (inspired) Chairs anywhere. Pretty cool, but we were here on business - onto the wines!

Paraduxx is the sister winery of Duckhorn, and carries a tradition of exceptional wine craftsmanship. Although a solid wine, in comparison to CADE and some of the other wineries we’ve visited upon previous trips - it remained in the shadows. However, do not let this discourage you to open a bottle for dinner, guests, or even a special occasion - it is delicious.

Next stop was lunch. We crossed through Yountville Road and ended up at Bouchon Bakery - the line was a friggin mile long. I don’t know about Crystal, but my stomach wanted to jump out and eat everything in sight by the time we crossed the wooden threshold.

Crystal was on a mission for Bouchon macaroons and I was on a mission to stuff myself silly.

Under Crystal’s ever observant eye, and since she was buying lunch, I only made out with a ham sandwich, iced coffee, and a macaroon. Best. Lunch. Ever.

Meet’s Crystal’s approval.

It was getting late in the day now and with a dismal stop at Folie a Deux’s tasting room we were in a race with time. It was hedging 5pm and we wanted to touch 2-3 more before we called it a day - Alpha Omega had a huge sign, “Open till 6pm” it said. Perfect.

Upon further inspection Alpha Omega is a winery conjured by quick profiting silicon valley venture capitalist pirates. Cleverly, but thinly veiled as an upscale winery to part the greenbacks from the misinformed affluent. A quote from Sullivan Cellars shown true - “some buy wine because they enjoyed it, some buy wines because others tell them it’s good, and others buy wine for the pricetag.” We were discussing this in the context of Kendall-Jackson selling out after it was spotted on the counter of Obama’s Chicago home in a recent issue of People). Despite my thoughts, Alpha Omega is quite stunning - the branding and marketing, is superb. The only wine we enjoyed here was their flagship “Era,” a $140 bottle of red.

We stopped by a few other wineries, all failing to taste before succumbing to an all too necessary pilgrimage to Dean & Deluca. Certainly one of my favorite stops in Napa, and one of Crystal’s favorite destinations for bleu cheese stuffed olives.

I contemplated over salt slabs, exotic herbs, and a variety of teas and coffee beans. Crystal on the other hand made quick work of the deli counter having them package paper thin slices of cured meats and of course her much sought after olives. Meanwhile I ordered a cappuccino.

Napa has become one of our favorite ’staycation’ destinations, and I believe we’ve found a handful of new favorites on this trip. Looking forward to our next stay.

[ via ]

-Wallace

Places we visited:

CADE Winery
360 Howell Mountain Road South, Angwin, CA 94508-9663
www.cadewinery.com

Paraduxx Winery
7257 Silverado Trl
Napa, CA 94558-9430
www.paraduxx.com

Folie A Deux Napa Cellars
7481 Saint Helena Hwy
Oakville, CA 94562
www.folieadeux.com

Bouchon Bakery
6528 Washington St
Yountville, CA 94599-1397
www.bouchonbakery.com

Alpha Omega Winery
1155 Mee Ln
St Helena, CA 94574-9792
www.aowinery.com

Louis M. Martini
254 South St. Helena Highway
St. Helena, CA 94574
www.louismartini.com/

Dean & Deluca Market
607 Saint Helena Hwy S,
St Helena, Ca 94574
www.deandeluca.com

Luis and Lisa are two friends from Los Angeles, Luis is a USC Alum and Lisa a Cal Alum - so when USC played Cal at Cal they were obligated to make an appearance. We joined them the prior day in Napa, as Luis had never been and Lisa only once prior. We started the day off at Sullivan Cellars where our host Bill was one of the most laid back, up front, and captivating pourers we’ve ever encountered.

After Sullivan we trekked our way over to Peju. Peju is a winery that I’ve heard over and over, but everytime we’ve been we became turned off by the wait. This time the wait was short and we made it to a tasting.

Peju is an experience, the fact that they have six or seven tasting stations makes things even more interesting. Rather then the usual one or two counters at these wineries, Peju had a whole system in place to max profit in min time. Genius I thought. As for the wine? ok. We did leave with a bottle of 2003 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon though. Luis successfully negotiated 1 bottle for 2 tastings.

Richard also gave Luis a hard time for a) being from Los Angeles b) being a Dodger’s fan - all in all it was a good time, filled with laughs, bickering, and smiles.

We stopped by one last winery, a small tasting room called ‘Elizabeth Spencer,’ per one the recommendation of one of Crystal’s colleagues. They had a phenomenal syrah.

Next, Brooks met us up for dinner at Yountsville’s Redd. Everytime I’m at Ad Hoc I wonder about this restaurant. Glad Luis pushed for it, one of the best scallop dishes I’ve ever had.

Brooks, Luis, Lisa, Myself & Crystal

Post dinner we retreated to our place at Silverado Resorts. Luis soon realized he was drunk and dutifully passed out, that went about the same for the remaining three of us as well. Big thanks to the staff at Silverado for another fantastic place to stay. Hopefully I’ll get day 2 up soon.

[ via ]

-Wallace

Places we visited:

Sullivan Vineyards Winery
1090 Galleron Rd
St Helena, CA 94574-9540

Peju Province Winery
8466 Saint Helena Hwy
Napa, CA 94558-9732

Elizabeth Spencer Tasting Room
1165 Rutherford Rd
Rutherford, CA 94573

Silverado Resort
1600 Atlas Peak Rd
Napa, CA 94558-1425

Redd Restaurant
6480 Washington St
Yountville, CA 94599-1294

I’ve been lusting after this bike. Sure it’s not an exotic such as an Colnago, Pinarello, or De Rosa, and not a rare breed such as an Pegoretti, Vanilla, or even 3Rensho but something about this bike just grabs me.

Full carbon construction paired with a Gates carbon belt drive finished in a Darth Vaderish matte and gloss black paint scheme. It’s just captivating.

If only they came in a size 52, and if only they didn’t want $3,359.99 for it. I’d throw on a pair of Camillo Zero Gravity’s, a pair of Campy Record brake levers, a Carbonlord spindle, Fizik Arione, and my 50mm carbon deep section tubulars. Hot.

[ via ]

-Wallace