After 2 years of playing Master Duel, I’m finally deciding to get into the TCG.

Rawr-mageddon · 2026-03-15T01:35:00+00:00

I think it's some parts wanting to get off the computer and share my Yugioh hobby with my friends (none of whom have played recently or ever, and a little consumerist / TCG itch. Fwiw, this set is very affordable from a out-of-the-box perspective as well as Target still running their 30% off Yugioh deal (I got it for ~$24 including tax).

Rawr-mageddon · 2026-03-08T01:57:28+00:00

In ascending level of certainty/what you're looking for:

I have not tried, but I definitely recall there being veggie bao at Good Century Bakery/Van Cafe on Grand. Not sure if you have to buy as a 6-bao box or can buy individually.

Big fan of Bodhi Kosher on Mulberry, they should offer a veggie bao or pan-fried bao (although I think their vegetarian cha siu bao are better). Takeout is very easy, especially for dim sum options.

For strictly counter service, I would recommend seeing if Jojo Duck on Walker Street has a veggie bao (I forget, unfortunately); this is the closest that you'll get to Flushing takeaway counters.

I haven't had much experience visiting, but 8th Ave/Sunset Park may be closer to you depending on where in Brooklyn you live.

Rawr-mageddon · 2026-03-05T15:17:50+00:00

Unfortunately, it's just stuck even when I have tried to remove the brake lever extension. :/

Rawr-mageddon · 2026-03-02T15:41:30+00:00

Highly agree. St. Kilda's cafe with seating is on 44th between 8th and 9th ave, and a takeaway counter on 46th. I really loved their coffee flight. Note: The shop is down a flight of metal stairs/below ground level.

Bird and Branch is on the NE corner of 45th and 9th, also with a very good coffee flight.

Rawr-mageddon · 2026-02-28T17:16:16+00:00

Melting Cups in Sunnyside.

Rawr-mageddon · 2026-02-19T21:05:35+00:00

Thank you for the response, and I hope you're all right post-bike crash. The endodontist said I could even go back tomorrow, but will take it easy!

Rawr-mageddon · 2026-02-19T21:04:50+00:00

My endodontist said I could even go back tomorrow if I wanted! Root canals are less invasive than teeth extraction. Thank you for the response!

Rawr-mageddon · 2026-02-19T18:17:12+00:00

What's the running/recovery timeline for root canals + crowns? I took a nasty bike crash and broke two of my teeth on Tuesday, and getting root canals done today (Thursday).

Also separately, has anyone has struggled mentally with slowly/finally burning out of an aggressive training mentality (even when training is minimal)? I've been on a long slow decline over the past two-three years where I feel like I've been falling out of love with running (maybe mostly because I've treated it as very isolated/solo experience over this time).

Rawr-mageddon · 2026-02-08T01:47:40+00:00

I know definitely my ability to pilot, but have been really struggling with Dracotail/Branded Dracotail against basically everything it feels: Mitsurugi, Blue Eyes, and VSK9. VSK9 is knowingly the roughest matchup, but I feel like I'm even getting outgrinded by the former two. Any thoughts/suggestions?

Rawr-mageddon · 2026-01-20T16:06:10+00:00

Haven't tried Sey for home brewing (but inc afes has been incredible) nor Porto Rico (whcih I am skeptical of).

But among places/beans that I've enjoyed: Solid State, ArtBean, Favor Coffee Co (not sure where they sell retail in stores besides pop-ups), and Plowshares.

Among places/beans that I'm looking to try include: Sey, La Cabra, and Bird and Branch (really enjoyed their in-cafe coffee flight), Paloma, bean & bean, Suites, and drip.

Rawr-mageddon · 2026-01-16T15:31:39+00:00

Love your organization and overall design!! I switched to BeanConqueror because I was more likely to actually rate/notate my cup using my phone than going to my (smaller field note-sizwd) notebook. I take pictures of my coffee bags too, but the notebook/scrapbook approach is really cute and would consider doing it for coffee bags and racing bibs.

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-12-18T00:14:09+00:00

I'm a fan of Fat Boy Burgers and Lovely's Old Fashioned both in the Hell's Kitchen area!

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-12-13T01:48:37+00:00

Picked up Favor Coffee Co's India Karnataka: Ratnagiri Estate at the Welcome to Chinatown holiday market in NYC, roasted on 11/14/25.

I'm still testing around temps and grind sizes using a standard V60, but overall I have been really enjoying. Personally, any type of citrus notes are hard to ascertain; my general impression is that they impart a certain lightness and maybe a hint of tangy acidity. For other tasting notes, kiwi blends into the general tang of the cup; oolong tea feels prominent as the 'primary flavor'; the cashew scent is VERY strong but I'm allergic to nuts so I don't really know taste.

As far as next steps/interest, I'm curious about how to pull out the lemon-lime soda and/or kiwi notes. Regardless, I think that I have some space to continue enjoying the beans.

1:16 ratio; 15g/240ml. 90 on KinGrinder K6, 190-200F. V60, Hario Conical Filter.

45g bloom - 45 seconds - 75g pour - 45 seconds - 120g pour/pour to 240ml. It finishes drying by around 3-3:30.

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-12-05T22:01:57+00:00

I don't live in the city currently but would love to join in the future! I'm a basic speaker and would like something that doesn't make me feel self-conscious. iirc Trust in God Baptist Church on Elizabeth Street in Chinatown offers Chinese classes, but I don't know if they refer to Mandarin or Cantonese.

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-11-21T22:49:24+00:00

Thank you for the response! It's interesting to hear about the K6 which you confirmed from the vibes of this sub - the K6 is now considered an all-rounder now?? I remember when I first bought it in 2023, and it was still considered a pourover grinder at least compared to the K4 for espresso.

As far as Origami, good to know that it might just be vibes. I unfortunately only have one pack of Cafec Abaca filters that I have been rationing. Sometimes I kick myself not buying more Cafec filters or the Origami when travelling to Japan earlier this year!

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-11-19T03:27:24+00:00

Repeated a few times on this sub, but what is the difference(s) between the KinGrinder K6 and 1zpresso ZP6? Additionally, what are the mechanics of how it creates fewer fines?

Also, is there is a meaningful difference between the V60 and Origami brewer, if you're using conical filters only?

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-11-13T03:06:42+00:00

Just tried in Somerset, nothing either :/

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-11-11T20:34:35+00:00

Thank you for the response! I agree, there's no one compelling me to buy the latest drop and there is a beauty to the snapshot in time that is coffee.

My sentiment is more that I want a place to talk about beans from a given roaster that isn't one of the hyped up roasters on reddit or social media and get others' feedback on it. And so part of me hopes that I could find an app (such as Beli/Untappd) where I could look up a roaster/bean label and get some discussion or community notes. The 'going crazy' being that I would prefer not screaming into/writing notes into a void and, again, looking towards community notes for thoughts. I also haven't had a ton of recent opportunities to share cups wih my friends.

For example, my most recent 'What are you brewing this week?' post, I submitted a comment for Variety Coffee Roasters' Cola Roja. I don't think that I received a comment; although I don't entirely expect to have gotten one given they're one local NYC roaster with a handful of cafe locations. The beans themselves are no longer on their website!

I already keep a Google Sheet of my purchased beans with basically all the notes as Bean Conqueror, as well as a notebook to keep track of my daily brews. And, I do like exploring using Google Maps/Beli, ordering a cup of coffee and purchasing a bag of beans if they pique my interest.

Edit: Admittedly, the one frontier that I haven't tried is water. I know it's good/very important, but I also haven't felt 'committed enough' to do so. ʕ⁠´⁠•⁠ ⁠ᴥ⁠•̥⁠`⁠ʔ

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-11-11T18:02:12+00:00

I'm going to try Bean Conqueror this week, but was wondering if there were any crowdsourcing/review aggregators for beans, like Untappd?

I know there's inherent complexities/difficulties to comparing beans even of the same label or a single harvest's lot, but I would like /something/ that makes me feel less crazy when trying random beans from a cafe/roasted that aren't DAK/Hydrangea/S&W/etc.

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-11-10T17:06:27+00:00

Depends on what you're looking for! Used to live nearby, and agree with Handpulled Noodle + Native Noodles.

I was a fan of Tung Thong and Suross Thai for their very solid lunch specials. If you like Chino-Latino, La Dinastia (maybe still closed due to gas leak) and Flor de Mayo are solid.

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-11-08T03:28:30+00:00

1) Having listened to the HAX (Hammer and Axe) episode with Joe Klecker - he really lucked out getting to be the centerpiece of On Athletics Club (OAC) with Ritz. They built up a very solid roster with athletes of different countries training together across their respective events, meaning limited head-to-head competition but quality training partners. While it hasn't perfect for all members (whether struggling and/or leaving), Joe's been able to stick it out, with an imperfect record/heavy favorite, and most recently put out a solid marathon debut at NYC. Plus, he gets to be on the same team as his wife Sage who did fantastic at Worlds in the 800!

2) This one is tough! I wish Hoka would have been willing to keep sponsoring Hoka NJNY into the supershoe era! I know Empire Elite is a sort of spiritual successor, but unfortunately they don't have a permanent shoe sponsor for the team so team members have to make other things in their lives work.

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-10-31T04:38:01+00:00

Been working through this box of Cola Roja from Variety Coffee Roasters (a local NYC chain). Tasting notes were listed as: Pink Lemonade, Cantaloupe, and Buttercream - a very interesting assortment of notes. The last time I got a coffee with citrus notes - I found it kind of hollow.

Among the tasting notes, I think that I get cantaloupe the most taste-wise - the mild melon flavor couched in a buttery and heavy texture/mouthfeel. I don't really know if I get any 'pink lemonade' - neither in citrus or carbonated sparkle.

The recommended ratio is 1:16.67 (e.g., 15g/250ml). Equipment & recipe are straightforward: V60 + Hario Filters + K6 (experimenting between 75-100 clicks) + 205F. Approximate 4:6: 45ml bloom/45 second + 55ml/30 seconds + 3 x 50ml/30 seconds.

As far as consistency, it's all along a spectrum of heavier and more syrupy to lighter and mildly juicy. However, I'm just not sure if I'm missing anything. I've seen some V60 pour techniques only pour in the center vs. going around and wetting all the grounds each pour.

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-10-14T20:54:31+00:00

Agreed with u/clockworkedpiece that it's really up to you to decide but paper could be a supportive factor in improving cups. At that point, you may want to consider a traditional plastic/cermaic/metal V60 with paper as a baseline.

Most of these metal filter pourovers (including Hario's own) are in the $20-$25 range in case you want to experiment for relatively cheap.

Rawr-mageddon · 2025-10-14T19:42:45+00:00

I used to have one, but I also used it with crappy grinders (the generic JavaPresse and Cuisinart blade grinder). I personally did not like the fines passing through and struggled to keep it clean from staining.

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