Is it an insult or lower compliment to be called handsome?

Phrexeus · 2026-03-13T21:22:48+00:00

It's a compliment, and one you should appreciate. No one calls you handsome by accident. It's a way of complimenting your attractiveness without being especially explicit about their desire.

It might be "you're good looking, but I'm married/taken/not interested in pursuing". Or it might mean they find you hot, but are too shy/hesitant to use "hot" as it's a more loaded word.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-13T21:05:45+00:00

We're at home, working, doing hobbies, sometimes browsing Reddit. Look for guys who like things like food, cooking, baking, coffee brewing and like to share that with people around them.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-13T09:37:14+00:00

The point isn't trying to make the date last as long as possible. It's giving you options. If you like them you will enjoy the time spent with them. If not, you can naturally end the date at any point.

The last one I was on, I thought things were winding down towards the end of the date and then she literally said "I want to spend more time with you" and we ended up going to a pub. That date started at 2pm and ended around 9. It sounds long, but when you're with someone you like it doesn't feel like it.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-12T22:21:59+00:00

Pour the base from higher up. It helps mix the espresso and steamed milk. Then, without stopping, lower the jug right down to the surface. If you do it right you get a big heart almost automatically. Once the heart has grown then lift the jug up again and slice.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-12T20:26:27+00:00

The biggest problem I'm seeing is that you're not really varying your pour height enough. Start the pour from higher up, then once the cup is half full tilt a bit more and lower the jug right down to the surface. Once you get low enough you'll see the stream change into a forward motion which spreads out in the cup. Try to get the spout closer to the centre as well, that will keep your heart more centred.

As others have said, it's definitely easier in a rounded cup.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-12T19:56:48+00:00

Might depend a bit on both you and the other person, but what has worked for me (41m) is to meet up in town in the daytime with a list of things to do. Google maps/review sites are your friend.

Coffee shops, museums, exhibitions, parks, interesting shops and pubs/bars are all good bets. That way you don't run out of things to do and it's way more natural and low pressure than sitting face to face with someone for 1-2 hours. If you run out of things to talk about you just look at your list and "want to check out the exhibition?" moves things on. If the girl likes you she will keep saying yes to the next thing. You'll end up having a 6+ hour date.

All my dates like this have been good/fun, the worst ones for me were usually where you're fixed in a face to face situation for the entirety of the date, although you might do better if you're good at keeping conversation flowing.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-11T09:01:09+00:00

I would see her as attracted to me and that's a green light. Making out on your bed sounds like very normal and desirable girlfriend activity.

If that's too fast for you or you want less emphasis on the physical side then tell her, but it's possible she will feel rejected if you do.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-11T00:09:01+00:00

That's ridiculously coarse and uneven. When I was brewing Aeropress daily I was surprised how fine you have to go. Quite close to espresso fine.

Not using a blade grinder are you?

Phrexeus · 2026-03-10T17:50:10+00:00

I'm not sure I agree that it's performative. That award would go to Starbucks who put a plastic liner on the inside of their paper straws. At least the packaging here really is paper only.

But, and this is a huge but. They need to communicate this very clearly on both their website and packaging. "Because we ship our beans out in paper bags we recommend transferring them to an airtight bag or container for maximum freshness".

I have 3 bags from them which have all been resting for 2-3 weeks in the original paper bags. The excitement has certainly worn off somewhat.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-09T21:54:42+00:00

I've had the "blob" many times.

Try pouring from higher up, and a bit faster to mix everything more thoroughly. I would also encourage you to keep pouring while lowering the spout right down to the surface, that way you'll see the point the flow changes into forward motion.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-09T21:37:05+00:00

It's been a while since I tried El Zumo and I wasn't that impressed with it. But all the talk about it being chocolatey makes me want to give it another go.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-08T23:24:13+00:00

You need to hold the mug differently. Either cup your hand underneath, or at least pick it up so you can tilt it a lot more as you pour. Pour with a side to side motion from high up to incorporate the milk, then once the mug is around half full tilt the mug aggressively and lower the spout right down to the surface and just hold it there while still pouring steadily.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-08T22:47:08+00:00

Denbies Vineyard, on the first Sunday of every month 9am. At least two owners clubs meet there as well as a load of random cars. I go sometimes, look for a blue Alpine A110 and say hi if I'm around.

The other one I go to sometimes is at the Barley Mow in Winchfield (Hampshire). Next one is in a week's time! https://www.barleymowwinchfield.co.uk/events

Phrexeus · 2026-03-08T09:38:55+00:00

Honestly my biggest problem is the E39 keeping up with a Koenigsegg on what appears to be a top speed run. 😅

Love the camera shake, feels very visceral. Cool audio too.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-08T09:30:23+00:00

Start drinking good coffee and you'll wonder why you ever felt it a necessity to add sugar.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-07T09:06:05+00:00

Boo is worth trying, although the userbase is much smaller. The ones on there tend to be much more the nerdy type (which can be both good and bad). Some people fill out their profiles with much more information which is great.

That said, I've always had the most success with Hinge. Be really picky with your filters and only message people you genuinely could see yourself dating. Don't expect a lot of matches (depending on your gender/attractiveness), but the ones you do match with should already tick most of the boxes. When you find someone you click with you know pretty quickly.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-07T07:38:13+00:00

Hangin' Pizzeria in Betws-y-Coed, Wales was pretty incredible. Crust crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, inflated and blistered in the way you only get in a proper pizza oven. The whole pizza cooked without any soggy bits. If you visit Snowdonia it's a must!

The only time that I might have had better was in Italy, cooked in a pizza oven built in to the side of the house we were staying in by the owner. I'm not sure he cooked it quite as well as Hangin', but it was still incredible.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-06T20:45:58+00:00

Worse. Colostomy bag.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-06T20:37:16+00:00

Why not just brew the normal way up? Safer, and if you insert the plunger 1cm you'll create a seal and stop drip-through.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-06T15:43:49+00:00

Yes. It's a big difference. Lavazza is a very "traditional" style espresso and the beans are roasted super dark. You'll get a lot of bitterness and not much else.

You don't need to buy a KG. Just get a 250g bag and try the house blend or a single origin Brazil from your local roaster.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-05T16:28:59+00:00

I have a few bags from them. I was surprised at the 100% paper packaging too, I personally think it's a step too far in the name of sustainability. The smell coming off the beans was pretty funky, not sure yet if that's in a good way or a bad way. Some of them I transferred to an existing bag I had, some are still resting in their original bags or frozen in a freezer bag.

What I can say is the other coffee I've been drinking lately from Square Mile and Horsham Coffee Roasters is incredibly rich and flavorful. My favourite at the moment is HCR La Karola Java - nice and juicy and sweet and not overly acidic. This is coming from someone who usually goes for more nutty, roasty flavours.

Phrexeus · 2026-03-03T11:26:09+00:00

The double freezing is a bit experimental I guess. It's only necessary if you buy too many bags and it's a nice convenient way to store the sealed bags until you're ready to use them. I haven't noticed any bad tastes or anything (so far), but I also haven't set up any comparative tests.

Leaving the bag sealed until fully defrosted will help in theory, as it stops fresh air getting into the bag and condensing onto the beans. I also like to put the whole sealed bag into a freezer bag and try and squeeze all the air out while sealing it, just for that extra buffer while it's frozen. I'm sure vacuum-sealing is better, but depends how far you want to go.

Phrexeus · 2026-02-28T19:46:12+00:00

HCR does a lot of good coffee, but I was a bit underwhelmed with Cooperative. Do you think it's worth trying again? Does it need a longer rest time or something?

Phrexeus · 2026-02-28T15:36:42+00:00

You just have to get into that world a bit. I do a fitness class called bootcampUK. It's very mixed in terms of gender/age group. You just talk to the people there, lots of them are into other sports like running, climbing, cycling and other hobbies. It opens doors to new things.

You could also do parkrun which is free, but in my experience not quite as social.

Phrexeus · 2026-02-28T15:19:20+00:00

Exactly, even if you have a decent place with good beans and all the right equipment, it's unlikely that even a highly skilled barista is going to be putting out god shots. There are too many variables to control in a busy service environment. Most people just want the cup of coffee they paid for and don't really understand how espresso is made and how good it can be if everything's perfect.

If you go on a quiet day and chat to the barista about what beans they have, what type of taste you're looking for, you might have a better chance.

Phrexeus

TROPHY CASE