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Must Shun Signature Sneakers

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Sadly, I must accept the fact that I need to shun signature sneakers. While I love the tech, design, and branding of the kicks worn by LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Kobe Bryant, I have to realize that their signature shoes are, well, made for them – their style of play, their body mechanics, the anatomy of their feet.

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Nike Kyrie 2

If your style or body doesn’t match the marquee players then you’re just out of luck. Got flat feet like me? LeBron don’t so don’t expect arch support in the LeBrons or Soldier lines. Historically, Kobe rocked the low tops so guess what you’ll see in the Kobe lineup (but not since his Achilles surgery)? Slash and drive like Kyrie? That’s why his shoes feature a propelling curved sole.

For me, Kobe’s low tops feel like they’re going to slip off my feet. Even with the impressive strap system of the LeBron Zoom Soldier 9, I couldn’t manage a lockdown that didn’t irritate my (non-)arches. Kevin Durant feet must match his lean, lanky frame. It’s like you need slim feet to properly fit the KD7.

Now, the exception to this, of course, is Air Jordans. All Air Jordans somehow fit my feet, even if they’re half a size different. It’s weird. There’s never been an Air Jordan that hasn’t fit me. Gotta be the shoes, right? 😉

So my personal takeaway is that I must shun signature kicks except for Air Jordans.

Almost Got Pink Kicks (Again)

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Remember the last time I was allured by pink kicks? I eventually resisted, but the temptation returned when I saw these KD7 shoes on discount at Sports Authority. Technically, the colorway is not pink, rather hyper punch, but hey, if you had to describe these shoes, I think you’d say they’re grey and pink.

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KD7 Calm Before the Storm

Doing a little bit of research, I learned these are the “Calm Before the Storm” launched in August 2014 for $150. Unlike my first pink temptation, these are for men (with a strong sense of confidence). Unfortunately, these didn’t work out for me. It’s not the confidence part, it’s my flat feet. Or maybe, it’s really Kevin Durant’s arched “skinny” feet. Since these are his signature shoes, they’re molded for his foot anatomy.

While the shoes look big and spacious, they are fairly narrow. The width of the toebox was okay but the my flat feet were squished in the mid region. And the tops of my feet were feeling some pressure. Loosening the strap helped a tiny bit but not enough. So even though, the Calm Before the Storm was in pristine (and discounted) condition, I didn’t want to get shoes that would hurt wearing them.

Pink kicks foiled again.

CPK Goes Island Style

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California Pizza Kitchen New Chapter

From California to the global scene, CPK has a refreshed look and an updated menu as it enters a New Chapter. CPK’s New Chapter menu highlights local flavors, and for Hawaii, our selections include the revamped menu along with these Ahi dishes:

  • Crispy Ahi Tuna Egg Rolls. Wild-caught Ahi tuna, avocado, nori and shaved cabbage hand-rolled in a crispy wonton with our house-made tamari ginger dipping sauce.
  • Wild Caught Sesame Seared Ahi. Sesame-crusted Ahi tuna steak with seared baby bok choy, over a stir-fry of roasted farro, Shiitake mushrooms and red chili.
  • Poke Chop Chop Salad. Marinated fresh Ahi tuna served over baby bok choy greens, spicy Kimchi pears, fresh arugula, cucumber and cilantro, tossed in our house-made black sesame vinaigrette.

These Ahi specials are only served in the five Oahu, Hawaii locations. No where else. How’s that for a new island style chapter for CPK?

While I’m a fan of CPK’s pizzas, I do love their different salads, and the Poke Chop Chop Salad is no exception. While I haven’t had a chance to sample the New Chapter yet, I’m already thinking about Kimchi pears paired with poke – all in a salad!

Here is the CPK New Chapter press release.

CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN’S ‘NEXT CHAPTER’ MENU ARRIVES

ON OAHU

Ala Moana, Kahala, Kailua, Pearlridge and Waikiki CPKs Feature 

New Next Chapter Menu, Along With Several Dishes Found Only in Hawaii

HONOLULU – California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), the authority in creative dining with a California vibe, announced the arrival of its new “Next Chapter” menu to its Oahu locations. With a focus on high quality, fresh and seasonal ingredients, inventive main plates, hand-crafted cocktails and locally brewed beers alongside classic CPK favorites, the new and expanded menu is part of CPK’s transformational “Next Chapter” initiative, currently rolling out to CPK locations nationwide. Additionally, CPK’s Oahu restaurants will be the only venues throughout CPK’s global system to offer several new, exclusive Ahi dishes.

“We are upping our game with this transformation, which we call the Next Chapter,” said  

G. J. Hart, CEO of California Pizza Kitchen. “We’ve taken the best of our history and soul, and innovated to make it current for today’s sophisticated guest. The new menu and experience create a space to relax and unwind in a welcoming neighborhood environment.”

CPK Hawaii Regional Partner Eddie Spencer added, “Our new menu offers fresh, seasonal dishes that take inspiration from local and global flavors. We’re excited to welcome in our loyal guests and newcomers to experience what’s new at CPK, including our amazing new Ahi dishes you can only find at CPK’s Oahu locations.”

CPK No Ka Oi: Exclusive Hawaii-Only Ahi Delights

Celebrating the island’s fresh seafood, these five CPKs will be the only restaurants within CPK’s family of nearly 300 restaurants to feature several exclusive Ahi dishes. These include:

·       Crispy Ahi Tuna Egg Rolls: Wild-caught Ahi tuna, avocado, nori and shaved cabbage hand-rolled in a crispy wonton with our house-made tamari ginger dipping sauce

·       Wild Caught Sesame Seared Ahi: Sesame-crusted Ahi tuna steak with seared baby bok choy, over a stir-fry of roasted farro, Shiitake mushrooms and red chili

·       Poke Chop Chop Salad: Marinated fresh Ahi tuna served over baby bok choy greens, spicy Kimchi pears, fresh arugula, cucumber and cilantro, tossed in our house-made black sesame vinaigrette.

Fresh and Inspired Flavors, from Small Plates to Mains

Alongside classics like the Original BBQ Chicken Pizza, highlights of CPK’s new menu include a Fire-Grilled Ribeye cooked with house-made pinot noir sea salt, topped with creamy bleu cheese butter and served with roasted fingerling potatoes and lemon-garlic wild arugula salad. Another new favorite is the Hearth-Roasted Halibut, wild caught from Alaska and roasted on a cedar plank with butternut squash farro, grilled asparagus and baby kale.

Seasonal offerings for fall include the Brussels + Bacon Flatbread, with Nueske’s Applewood-smoked bacon, sweet caramelized onions and creamy goat cheese; the Harvest Kale Salad, with tender baby kale, fresh Bosc pears, roasted butternut squash, spiced pecans, goat cheese and cranberries; and the Sunny Side Up Bacon + Potato Pizza, with Nueske’s Applewood-smoked bacon, caramelized leeks, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and two fresh sunny-side up eggs, atop CPK’s hand-stretched pizza dough. For the complete menu, visit www.cpk.com/reimagined.

Craft Cocktails, Premium Wines and Local Brews

CPK’s new hand-crafted cocktails feature premium alcohols with fresh fruit purees and herbs, like the California Roots, made with fresh avocado, shaken smooth with Svedka vodka, mint and lime, with a fennel salt rim; and the Blueberry Ginger Smash, with fresh muddled blueberries, lime and cranberry with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Domaine de Canton Ginger. CPK’s Oahu locations also feature Kona-brewed Longboard Lager from Kona Brewing company, and the new wine list includes California premium wines like Buena Vista, Mark West, Sonoma-Cutrer and CPK’s custom blend by KOZ.

Modern, Rustic Design with a Focus on Sustainable Materials

In addition to the new menu, the Kahala restaurant sports CPK’s Next Chapter design, guided by the use of sustainable materials. The warm, rustic décor features reclaimed wood, stone countertops, fabrics and décor made from recycled materials, and artwork that celebrates both California and Honolulu lifestyles.

Satisfaction Guaranteed

The New CPK menu encourages diners to seek unique and seasonal flavor combinations with a Menu Adventure Guarantee: if a guest tries a new dish and is not satisfied, it will be replaced with his or her favorite item from the CPK menu. For those with specific dietary needs, CPK also has options that are under 650 calories, vegetarian or gluten-free. We also provide allergen information to those with food sensitivities.

CPKids Parties

CPK offers a special program that allows kids to play chef and make their own pizza from the freshest ingredients, getting creative and learning about food along the way. Perfect for birthday parties, CPKids parties include a VIP-style behind-the-counter restaurant tour, a meal and dessert from the award-winning CPKids menu, souvenirs and a certificate for a free CPKids Meal for each child’s next visit.

Follow CPK on Twitter at @calpizzakitchen (#NEWCPK), Instagram at @californiapizzakitchen and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/californiapizzakitchen. Download CPK’s Pizza Dough® Rewards app for iTunes and Android and check in to begin earning rewards for dining creatively.

About California Pizza Kitchen

In 1985, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) opened its first restaurant in Beverly Hills and introduced diners to innovative California-style pizza. Since then, CPK has launched what has become a global brand known for creative California cuisine. Today, CPK is approaching 300 restaurants in 16 countries and 218 cities around the world and has served over 15 million pizzas to more than 43 million guests. For more information on California Pizza Kitchen, visit cpk.com.

The five Oahu locations are:

  1. CPK at Ala Moana Shopping Center
  2. CPK at Kahala Mall
  3. CPK at Kailua Town Center
  4. CPK at Pearlridge Center
  5. CPK at Center of Waikiki

Thanks to Karsha Chang of karsha chang public relations for the info about the New Chapter of CPK, especially the Hawaii-only Ahi creations. You know where I’ll be dining during the holidays!

 

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Raspberry Pi Retro Arcade Buying List

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Researching building a retro arcade gaming system using a Raspberry Pi.

Software

Looks like RetroPie is a good start for the software emulation.

Tutorial

Follow this tutorial to get RetroPie installed and running.

Hardware

Here’s a hardware list I’m looking at:

  1. The basic hardware including WiFi. CanaKit Raspberry Pi 2 Complete Starter Kit with WiFi
  2. Controllers. Probably getting 2. I don’t have any Bluetooth controllers from other gaming consoles. Gamepad F310

Game ROMs

Anyone have any suggestions about this? You can DM me on Twitter @geewhy.

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Star Wars Socks

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There’s no denying that the next installment of Star Wars will have all our attention on December 18th. Right now, you just can’t go wrong with Star Wars-themed merchandise such as these socks from Stance.

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Stance already makes awesome socks of good quality and great design, but socks depicting droids, the Jedi, and all your favorite characters will truly awaken the Force within you. Heck you can even get a mixed pair featuring R2D2 on one foot and C3PO on the other. Or how about Jabba and Leia?

The best “value” however belongs to the Stormtropper trio for $25. That’s three socks featuring different Stormtrooper looks. Otherwise, all pairs are $20.

iTunes Match vs Apple Music

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apple-music-for-youI’ve been a subscriber to iTunes Match since its inception. All my music in the iCloud available to all my connected devices. Not a bad proposition for $25 a year. But now there’s Apple Music which has similar features as iTunes Match but is different. Apple has had to explain the differences between iTunes Match and Apple Music as well.

While I’ve been satisfied with having access to my music ala iTunes Match, I admit that I enjoyed the free, three-month trial of Apple Music. I learned of and listened to several new songs thanks to Beats 1, but really, that “For You” musical suggestion engine is the appeal. Based on my personal music collection, suggestions were ear-opening as I discovered new tunes from new artists like this remix from Jon Hopkins featuring Lorde.

So I switched (for now). I let my iTunes Match expire and jumped on the Apple Music bandwagon for $10 per month. Instead of buying Kid Cudi’s latest, Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven, for $15, I’ll stream the tracks instead (and wonder what happened with this album???). And I’m relying on My Music to uncover more great hits.

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Kicks at Bloomingdales

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So the froyo at Bloomingdales was good with some service issues, but what about the kicks collection at Bloomies? Not bad, not bad at all. Besides the usual array of cross trainers, there were some interesting pieces to admire.

The pinnacle had to be the classic Air Max 95 in neon. I didn’t check, but these have to be the July retro OG.

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These 574 Outside In look cool.

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But I prefer these 710 Outdoors instead.

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These 1550 REVlite have a Roshe toebox look to them.

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In the children’s section, there were a few kicks. I liked this New Balance 574 Fresh Foams.

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So the lesson here is don’t discount Bloomingdales for some interesting kicks pickups.

Froyo from Forty Carrots

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40-carrots3Went to Forty Carrots in Bloomingdales to try out their frozen yogurt. The froyo was good, especially the strawberry, but there’s a few kinks in service that need to be worked out. We wanted to split a large size between kids which was said not to be a problem by the cashier. They’d even split it for us. Great! Then another employee makes the froyo… in a single cup. I guess he didn’t hear or understand what was just discussed. The cashier apologizes but then several employees congregate to discuss something assumedly with our large froyo split into smaller sizes.

After some confusion, our large is finally split. Sadly, the original large in single cup wasn’t offered up as an apology. The workers took it to the kitchen to dump or to eat. Not sure. What I am sure about is if they gave us this “mistake,” I’d have positively glowing remarks to make about Forty Carrots in Bloomingdales. Instead, I’m telling people the froyo is good. Here’s my Yelp review.

Oh, the also sell water in boxes, not plastic bottles.

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And their food inspection placard is very nicely framed.

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Note to Self: Target Hawaii Does Not Price Match Amazon

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Just a reminder to myself that Target locations in Hawaii do not price match online stores. They’ll price match target.com but not other sites like Amazon.com. On the mainland, it’s a different story, but be wary of the “except Alaska and Hawaii” exemption clauses.

So if you ever need to upgrade your cable modem to take advantage of Oceanic’s newer faster speeds, you can’t just go to Target, hoping they’ll sell you the $120 Motorola SB6183 cable modem at the $90 Amazon price. Just won’t happen. Even with a 10% electronics coupon, Amazon is still cheaper.

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: LEGO Slippers

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Any LEGO fan or family member of a fan knows the agony of stepping on the indestructible edges of a LEGO brick. No matter the shape or size, when you step on a LEGO piece, you feel it.

Thankfully, LEGO wants to help prevent these acute accidents by protecting your soles with these LEGO branded padded slippers. Unfortunately, getting these slippers for a gift is extremely unlikely. These are limited in quantity and availability. Only 1500 of these slippers will be made, and they’re available only in France. Even then, you can’t just buy them. They’re randomly given away to online shoppers on the LEGO France web site.

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If only UGG partnered with LEGO to make these. Then there’d be a larger supply of ugly but comfortable footwear for LEGO protection. Just imagine those UGG boots in red and yellow!

More Pulpconnection Holiday Gift Guide 2015



Holiday Gift Guide 2015: UGGs

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I’ve conceded that UGGs are ubiquitious. For all these years since I first saw the boots with the fur, I thought they were a fad. Here today, gone tomorrow. But nope. UGGs are still around and thriving after all this time despite their “classic” looks.

Ugly but built for comfort, UGGs are on Oprah’s Favorite Things list for 2015 (making them multi-year favorites of the Oprah) cementing them in the mainstream forever.

So why fight it? Give a gift of comfy UGGs, also available for the guys.

More Pulpconnection Holiday Gift Guide 2015.



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