Enjoyable Saturday Morning at Circle Coffee Co Eating Breakfast, Drinking Coffee, and Reading

Prosciutto & Gouda Danish with Coffee

Carrie and I were able to visit a new coffee shop on Saturday and it was wonderful. In August 2022 I had posted that we had visited a new wine bar and new coffee place in Topeka (see post) and in the same update I had talked about the new place opening up on 17th Street near Washburn University and that we were hopefully going there soon. Well, it is now March 2023 and we finally made it to the “new place”.

Circle Coffee was completely packed when we arrived mid-morning on Saturday. The parking lot was full with no spots and people were parking in the street. Carrie wondered if there would be any space for us inside as we were walking up. We went to the counter to order two lattes and some breakfast. We found one table that had just opened up where we sat and spent the morning enjoying ourselves.

Circle Coffee has some good options for breakfast with pastries, rolls, etc. We both ordered chocolate croissants with our latte. Then we had prosciutto and gouda danishes after we sat and read for a while. It was good to have a lazy Saturday morning drinking coffee, eating, reading, and in a busy breakfast place in Topeka. 

It was a perfect morning hanging out with Carrie. I look forward to going to Circle Coffee again on another Saturday morning. Going to coffee shops reminds me of going to study back when I was doing my masters program when Carrie and I would go to hang out for hours at a coffee shop while I researched or wrote papers. Coffee shops rank up there with ending up at a brewery in the afternoon and having a wonderful time sipping beers, talking, or reading.

I highly recommend stopping by Circle Coffee to get breakfast and coffee. Very good!

Ahead of schedule on my reading for the year. My goal for the year is 25 books and yesterday while at the coffee shop, I finished my sixth book of the year. I am two books ahead of schedule, so I am feeling good with my progress and I think I will hit my goal for the year.

Until next time, have a wonderful week!

Visiting New Wine and Cocktail Lounge Plus New Coffee Shops in Topeka and Future Ta Co Coming to Downtown Topeka

A new place by us opened back in July and we finally tried them Saturday night. The new place is called Salut Wine & Cocktail Lounge. We had a great time and the place was packed. We sat on the reservations side even though we did not have a reservation. Good to have connections with Erin. Salut went into the location where a baking shop (Josey Baking Co) was previously located, so it is a small space taking up two store fronts. One side has the bar and some seating and the other is the reservations side.

Salut has a good selection of wines and cocktails as well as items to eat. I had a cocktail that was not a typical Old Fashion, but it sure tasted like one. Salut is within walking distance from our house, so I could see Carrie and I walking there one weekend night to get a drink. We did ask and they are dog friendly, so we could take Oliver and enjoy a drink on their patio. Well, that’s if no other dogs are there or else Oliver would become territorial and try to protect us from the other dog.

Other new businesses have opened recently in Topeka which is fun. We have three new coffee places that have opened. Last weekend Carrie and I went to the Coffee Bar located across the street from Washburn University in the location where PT’s Coffee was formally located. We had breakfast and coffee and spent the morning reading. Similar set up to what PT’s was previously, although more options for breakfast. I had the biscuits and gravy which was some of the best I have had out. I believe the Coffee Bar recently opened within the past month or two, so they are having some learning to do as they lost our coffee order and had to enter it again. We were also disappointed that our cappuccino, and later drip coffee, were served in disposable cups. Next time we go there, I will make sure to ask for a real cup as that is part of the treat of going to a coffee shop. Overall, it was very good and I look forward to going back.

Another new coffee spot that opened recently is Circle Coffee. We have not been there yet, but it looks like a spot we will go soon. Circle Coffee went into the location where a laundromat had been for many years behind Dairy Queen on 17th Street. The place looks great from the outside and they have a nice patio that we have observed. Carrie noticed they have a garage door that can roll up for their patio which would be fun to visit as it gets cooler. 

Not a coffee place, but we were excited to read recently that Ta Co is coming to downtown Topeka. We went to Ta Co when it was located in Lawrence, but closed down in May. As reported by WIBW, the building at 735 S Kansas Ave will be demolished and then a new building constructed with Ta Co being on the top as a rooftop restaurant. Sounds so fun and we know Ta Co is a good spot, so happy to hear it is coming to downtown Topeka.

Fun to see new places opening in Topeka especially after the past few years were tough and some places closed. It is good for Topeka and I cannot wait to try out the new places. Enjoy and let me know what you think of the new places and your experience at the new places.

New App Called Anchor for Social Networking and Discussion Plus March Madness

Testing out Anchor which allows for back and forth conversation almost like voice messages. Interesting concept. In a recent #blogchat on Sunday evening, we discussed how Anchor could be used in our blogs.

Using Anchor to start a conversation regarding #MarchMadness and linking to Tournament Challenge post from the weekend to sign up for the group.  Here my Anchor and chime in with your own.

Viewing Recent Released Movies and Problems with DVDs that are Scratched

I have been a Netflix customer for a number of years.  Primarily for the streaming service, but every once in a while there is that movie that I cannot get through the Netflix stream and then only have a few options on obtaining that recent released movie.

1. Add the DVD option for Netflix.
2. Go to the local video store.
3. Pay to watch the recent release for 24 hours through Dish, iTunes, Amazon, etc.
4. Go to the not so legal side of sites to watch the movies.

To this point, I have primarily targeted options one, two, and three above.  We have actually used option three a number of times through the past few years.  It is easy and quick to get that recent release and watch it when we want.  The problem is that usually just for that one movie it is easily $5.99 (or more) to rent that movie.  Paying for the convenience and so that whomever is selling it to you can give it to you is why they are so expensive.  

So, every now and then I get the idea to pay for DVD delivered to the home from Netflix.  Or, sometimes we get the idea to go to our local video store and pick up a DVD.  Sure, the prices are cheap to go to the local video store, but usually the recent movies are picked over.  Netflix has a descent selection of movies, but even those you have to wait for to get if they were just released.

OK, so why the post?  Yes, I was wondering the same thing about this point.  My point is why do we still have DVD or BlueRay discs?  Nothing is more frustrating than to get that perfect movie for movie night, pop it in the player, press PLAY, and 30 seconds into the movie it pauses... or it just stops playing... or jumps to the end of the movie.  Seriously?  We have a old DVD player and have not given any thought to buying a BlueRay device.  Why would we when it is frustrating to watch movies that pause, jump, or stop playing and get the same problems with BlueRay too?

So the discs are easy to produce and easy to use.  Easy for the stores (video store, Netflix, etc.) to be able to distribute to their customers.  Bottom line is that the discs are easy to track.  It seems that other than going to the illegal area of streaming that it would be possible to distribute a code that would change each time the "disc" is rented to someone new that would allow that person to watch the video through a streaming service.  Thinking of Netflix, it seems this could be done with a code that is sent through email and entered on streaming device to watch the new release.  A one-time code that would allow access to the movie.

I have read numerous articles regarding Netflix and that they still have millions of customers that subscribe to their DVD service.  I understand that there are a lot of people that do not have Internet or only have means to watch movies on their physical player requiring a disc.  Or, maybe those individuals just like the old school way of watching movies. 

Netflix DVD membership has dropped to 5.3 million subscribers (see 4 Reasons Netflix DVD Rental Isn't Going Away) and that number will likely continue to drop.  I have not read anything about a new model of delivering new content from Netflix or other services other than what some are already doing with paying $5.99 or more to rent the movie.

For now, I will go back to streaming only from Netflix and it will likely be a while before I get another DVD from a store either.  I will continue to rent recent releases from iTunes, Amazon, or Dish. I will be interested to see how Netflix will work into their service to be able to watch those new releases without having to get DVDs.

I would love to hear your comments regarding your experiences with streaming new movies or trying to watch DVD or BlueRay movies.

Enjoy your streaming shows and movies....

Blab Blab Blab... A new Social Media Site to Check Out

During the weekly #blogchat last week, a fellow #blogchat participant introduced me to site Blab.  Marc Miller introduced me to Blab by way of his blog posting back in October 2015.  Blab is still in beta, so it is still being tested.  I was intrigued as soon as I visited the the blog (Boomer Job Search with CareerSherpa and CareerPivot) and saw the demo of how Marc was using the Blab service.

At first glance of Blab, it appears to be a simple video chat.  With deeper investigation (and use) it is similar to Google Hangouts, but this was different in that anyone could tune in and watch the conversation.  Not only can anyone tune in and watch, but they can also chat with anyone in the "room".

I admit, I have not done a lot with Google Hangouts.  I have visited the site and participated in one or two Hangouts.  Although, usually when I have taken part in a Hangout, it was through a YouTube video where someone was doing a Google Hangouts and then broadcasting it via YouTube.  I think the last time I tried using Google Hangouts was in 2011 or 2012.  Sure, I see them from time-to-time when visiting various sites or when browsing #live streams on YouTube, but it has not been something I have been involved in at all.

From what I know of Google Hangouts, I remember it would allow up to ten people doing video chat.  No one else can join in on the call to watch those ten people chatting.  Only those ten people connected are able to video chat and see one another in the chat.  This is where I believe Blab is different.

Blab only allows for a maximum of four people to video chat at one time.  The difference is that anyone can tune into the Blab to watch and even interact with the "blabbers" in the chat.  A complete description of what the site is about can be found on their web site at https://blab.im/about.

The site is currently in beta, but so far from what I can tell, it is working fine.  The site does only currently work with Firefox or Chrome.  It does not work with Internet Explorer or Safari.  I am hopeful as they build and develop the site that other browsers will work with the site too.  Possibly the HTML engine of the two browsers they have selected that allow for the video chat to work where IE and Safari do not allow for it to happen.  Regardless, to gain popularity I hope that other sites can be used too.

The site went to beta back over the summer of 2015 as indicated on the About Blab page.  It appears they have had some good publicity from presidential post debates as well as Big Brother chats.  Yes, the first time I hear about it was during a weekly #blogchat when a fellow chatter mentioned it to me.

I am certainly interested in what the site is about.  I see the potential for a lot of events.  No, not necessary me doing them at this point, but looking through the various categories, it already appears to be catching on to TV and radio hosts to allow interaction for their shows.

Interesting point that Marc Miller suggested in his Blab chat, what it can be used for office hours for faculty.  The site allows anyone to jump into the video chat and the entire class, or anyone interested, and that has the link to the video chat, can tune in and take part.  They can take part by jumping into an open seat (remember there are four spots to video chat) or they can take part in the chat.

They have an app for Apple and imagine if it continues to grow there will be apps for other mobile devices too.  Certainly a interesting concept they have put on the web.  I would never have known  about it until the #blogchat last week.

What cool and different sites to you visit each week that you are not sure anyone else knows about?  Feel free to share in the comments or send me a tweet.