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I Experimented With 10 Crazy Espresso Mixers So You Don’t Have To

By Jordan Stratton
Espresso Mixer - Champagne
(Jordan Stratton)

Discovering the perfect mixer for espresso is tricky; there’s a fine line between tasty and terrible. Sure, you can always go with the tried and true splash of milk, but where’s the fun in that? You’re not boring—you’re a dang latte pioneer like me!

So whether you’re a new parent fighting to stay awake after being up all night, or just looking for something to help you make it through your Wednesday afternoon staff meeting, it’s hard to go wrong with a quick shot of espresso: The magical brown liquid that somehow manages to bring everyone from dirty, judgmental hipsters to baby boomer Wall Street folk together. But why spend your hard-earned cash on a macchiato from Starbucks when your can make your own caffeinated concoctions at home (in this scenario, like me, you also have an overpriced espresso machine in your kitchen that you’re desperately trying to justify to your wife).

I spent the last week getting suggestions from some helpful—and somewhat sadistic—friends, and experimented with several alternative mixers to possibly discover the next new coffee craze. Could some of these combinations completely revolutionize the espresso industry? Possibly. Could some of them taste so terrible they make you want to stop drinking coffee forever? Very likely. But that’s why I do these things—so you don’t have to.

Orange Juice

Espresso Mixer - Orange Juice
(Jordan Stratton)

Probably the most popular non-coffee-based breakfast beverage, orange juice was an easy choice to try with espresso, if only for matters of convenience. Plus, the idea of getting my daily allotment of caffeine and vitamin C all in one sitting gets me all giddy just from an efficiency standpoint.

Good news: It actually works! The OJ is pretty overpowering, but it blends surprisingly well with the added shot of espresso. This drink is bright, energizing, and tastes how I feel when I watch golden retriever puppy videos.

Champagne

Espresso Mixer - Champagne
(Jordan Stratton)

Adding espresso to champagne seemed like an easy way to #MakeBrunchGreatAgain. A boozy breakfast cocktail with a caffeine kick—I was prepared to make a fortune with the Four Loco fan boys. Unfortunately, something about this combo just tastes off. The fermented sweetness of the wine with the earthy coffee flavors makes for an almost rancid beverage that I look forward to never drinking again. Also, disclaimer: Have extra paper towels handy if you decide to whip this one up.

Maple Syrup

Espresso Mixer - Maple Syrup
(Jordan Stratton)

While not a drink in itself, maple syrup is as much a staple of breakfast as bacon and eggs. Plus, it comes from trees. You know what else comes from trees? Coffee. This logic was bulletproof and I expected perfection.

 

Ok, so it wasn’t perfect. But it wasn’t bad either. The bitterness of the espresso and overt sweetness of the syrup were a little too intense on their own, but a little splash of milk totally transformed it into an adorable little iced maple latte… which I drank… like a man.

Iced Tea

Espresso Mixer - Iced Tea
(Jordan Stratton)

The heated battle between tea-sippers and coffee-guzzlers has gone on long enough. For one especially potent pick-me-up in the middle of the day, I tried combining a shot of espresso with a glass of unsweetened iced tea and was met with surprisingly pleasant results. Something about the earthy quality of both of the drinks turns it into something even better than the sum of its parts. It’s strong, yet refreshing—like a coy grin from John Cena.

Coca-Cola

Espresso Mixer - Coca-Cola
(Jordan Stratton)

This combo that, in theory, makes so much sense, it makes you wonder why Coca-Cola R&D isn’t bottling and selling it by the millions yet. Bitterness balanced by incredible sweetness. Roasted, earthy undertones matched with light, bubbly effervescence. It feels like it should just work, right? I don’t know why I’m drawing this out so much—it is good. Like, really good. I want to drink this every day, forever. I’m literally drinking another glass of it while I type this and, frankly, you should be too.

Lemonade

Espresso Mixer - Lemonade
(Jordan Stratton)

Nothing about this beverage sounded good when a friend, half jokingly, suggested I add it to the list. I could just imagine all the horrible ways the fruity tartness of the lemonade would wreck havoc on my taste buds as it blended with the savory, roasted traits of espresso.

 

Well, I’ve never been so happy to be wrong. This is a weirdly wonderful drink that I anticipate will totally sweep across picnics and barbecues next summer. Lemonade does nothing but accentuate subtle citrus notes in the coffee to brighten up the beverage as a whole.

Cherry Kool-Aid Mix

Espresso Mixer - Cherry Kool-Aid Mix
(Jordan Stratton)

Sprinkling sugar into espresso is a common practice, and Kool-Aid mix is basically just flavored sugar, right? Immediately upon mixing this concoction, I could smell it. It’s dead-on cherry Tootsie Pop scented, which got me really excited to jump in. Big mistake.  This is beyond terrible. It tastes like an ingredient scientists would add to something toxic to make sure children don’t drink it. I think I need to go get my stomach pumped.

Beer

Espresso Mixer - Beer
(Jordan Stratton)

Since using coffee in beer isn’t exactly revolutionary when it comes to stouts and porters, I decided to grab a pumpkin ale from one of my local breweries and plop in a shot. Newsflash: It’s hard for a drink that is 90% beer to be bad. I actually had to try the original sans-coffee version along with it in order to notice the differences because it just kinda works. The espresso cuts some of the spicy sweetness, but adds an additional layer of complexity that sets it apart for a pleasant experience. Oh, and serious foam warning for anyone combining espresso and beer.

Red Wine

Espresso Mixer - Red Wine
(Jordan Stratton)

For those who are far too sophisticated for the frat-tastic beer latte experience, adding a bit of java to your devil’s grape juice seems like a worthy alternative, right? Wrong. Really, you couldn’t be more wrong. If I hadn’t made it myself, I would have assumed someone had blended a cabernet with a healthy tablespoon of dirt. This tastes like mud and sadness and I don’t like any of it. Combining coffee and fermented fruit is a lost cause, people.

Bourbon

Espresso Mixer - Bourbon
(Jordan Stratton)

Ah, yes. Coffee and whiskey: The choice cocktail of beat cops and office alcoholics everywhere. Initially, the strong alcohol flavor simply overpowered any hint of coffee. However, much like a typical bourbon on the rocks, as the ice melted and diluted the drink, the flavors became much more mellow and nuanced. It’s different, but I found myself enjoying it more and more as I continued to sip it. Of course, that could just be the bourbon and unhealthy amount of caffeine talking.

Eddie Murphy Is Returning to Stand-Up Once the Pandemic Has Passed

By Mark Chalifoux
Eddie Murphy Standup Return
(Getty Images/Jeff Kravitz)

He was the biggest comedy star in the world. And then he wasn’t. As Eddie Murphy’s star shot outta this galaxy in the 1980s, he could write his own ticket, which he did to a lucrative movie career (there’s never been a better-animated donkey). But the stand-up comedy itch, his first showbiz passion, never left him. And now, he’s talking about his return to the stage.

He spoke to Kevin Hart on a SiriusXM show and mentioned he was planning to return to the stage in the near future. Like everything else good in the world, his stand-up return was delayed because of COVID.

“My plan was to do Dolemite (his Netflix film), Saturday Night Live, Coming 2 America, and then do stand-up,” he said. “And then the pandemic hit and it shut the whole shit down.”

His movies and SNL appearance are behind him, clearing the path for him to pick up the mic again. Murphy was one of the most influential comedians of all-time and owns the highest-grossing special of all time in addition to several Grammys. While his comedy has aged (like his leather suits and honestly much of pop culture from 30 years ago), so have Murphy’s comedic sensibilities, as you can tell from things like his appearance on Jerry Seinfeld’s Netflix show or on SNL.

Murphy returning to stand-up would make him immediately one of the hottest draws in live entertainment. Of course, live entertainment is an industry currently in shambles, looking to rebuild itself as the world starts to drag itself out from the global pandemic.

“When the pandemic is over and it’s safe for everybody to go out and do it, then the plan is to do it,” he said.

While it’s been years since Murphy has done stand-up, he has kept up with the comedy scene and kept an interest in it. We’ve also seen comics take time off before and come back stronger than ever. Some point to Chappelle’s rebirth as a stand-up after his success with his sketch show, but even that layoff wasn’t that long.


But there will be no shortage of people who want to hear what Murphy thinks about life now, and see how he can be funny in 2021.

Robin Williams Made Companies He Worked With Give Jobs to Homeless People

By Mark Chalifoux
Robin Helped the Homeless
(Getty Images/Peter Kramer)

Robin Williams was one of a kind. There’s no better way to describe him, other than to say he truly and fully embodied a cliché that is typically used flippantly. While battling his own inner demons, he was an incredibly kind person to most everyone he came across, and he was a great dad.

Williams’ enduring legacy has a way of keeping him in the minds and hearts of fans even years after his passing. That was the case earlier this month when a Reddit thread evolved into a series of anecdotes praising the late comedian, and one oft-overlooked story about how Williams had a clause added to his contract that required companies he worked with to give jobs to homeless people.

It was his booking agent who initially revealed the tender request from Williams’ rider, and that it made him look at every Williams movie differently after that.

“I’m sure that on his own time and with his own money, he was working with these people in need, but he’d also decided to use his clout as an entertainer to make sure that production companies and event planners also learned the value of giving people a chance to work their way back,” he said.

Robin Williams left behind an incredible movie and comedy legacy but was just as influential to the people he encountered and in the way he treated people. Everyone who worked on one of his movies has a great story about how he went out of his way to treat people nicely, and Williams was also a dedicated USO performer for more than a decade, touring the globe to bring entertainment to soldiers overseas.

And when it came to his rider, he wasn’t worried about what color M&Ms he was going to get or what meals he’d be served, he saw it as a chance to help the poor and give someone a break who might not have had many in his life.

Fellow comic Lewis Black once described him best, saying “his spirit of generosity was as boundless as his comedy.”

It can’t be said enough. Truly one of a kind.

Study Shows Being a Hands-on Dad During the First Year Can Improve Mental Health

By Yael Meshulam
Hands-on dads study
(Getty/Jaunty Junto)

Becoming a parent changes nearly all aspects of life, but preparing for those changes is nearly impossible. Extensive research has been done in the area of postpartum depression for women, but recently, scientists have been paying more attention to dads’ mental health after the birth of their children. Studies show that men are also susceptible to forms of postpartum depression, and unsurprisingly, taking on a more active parenting role has proven beneficial to new dads.

Psychologist and father of two Olajide Bamishigbin Jr from California State University, Long Beach has become increasingly curious about the psychology of fatherhood since becoming a dad himself. “I am a father of two young boys myself and research is oftentimes me-search. Generally speaking, I think fathers are important in the family. However, in our field, historically, they have been understudied, especially racial/ethnic minority fathers,” Bamishigbin told PsyPost.

To address this often-ignored subgroup of parents, a study was conducted among 881 low-income dads in the US. At one month, six month, and one-year intervals after the birth of their child, dads self-reported information on their parenting habits. They disclosed information on three parenting areas: time spent with their baby (both alone time and time in general), parenting self-efficacy, and material support for the baby (diapers, clothes, toys, etc).

High self-efficacy, in most cases, was associated with dads who spent more time with their babies and dads who provided more material support. Essentially, spending more time with your baby and feeling like you’re providing for your baby makes you feel more confident as a dad. This confidence when it comes to parenting skills was associated with fewer depressive symptoms and better overall mental health. This insight translated across the board in terms of dads, whether or not they were married or living in the same house as their babies.

“In general, I think there are two big takeaways. First, involvement with your child is not only better for the child, but it’s also better for the dad. So, dads, get involved with your kids early and often!” Bamishigbin told PsyPost. “Second, I think it is important for everyone to understand that paternal depression is a serious issue that requires attention. It affects fathers thereby impacting the entire family. So, it’s important that we take it seriously.”

Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell Honor Daughter To-Be on International Women’s Day

By Yael Meshulam
Bindi Irwin Chandler Powell Women's Day
(Instagram/chandlerpowell, bindisueirwin)

Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell, like any new parents, are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first baby. The couple used International Women’s Day to honor the important women in their lives, and of course, their future daughter. Bindi Irwin has been a vocal activist for conservation, a wildlife warrior in her own right. Bindi and her husband Chandler are now excitedly looking to the future, anticipating the next generation of strong women – starting with their very own baby wildlife warrior.

“Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them,” Bindi shared on Instagram.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)

The inspiring quote accompanies the perfect photo, one that brings its sentiment to life. Bindi stands with her mom Terri, as both women’s hands lovingly cradle Bindi’s baby bump. Terri Irwin moved from Oregon to Australia, partnered with Steve Irwin on both conservation efforts and in life, and continues carrying out their legacy to this day. That strong woman went on to raise Bindi Irwin, who fully embodied the spirit of what it means to be a wildlife warrior – furthering conservation efforts and even publishing a book about the Australia Zoo and her family’s history. In Bindi’s Instagram photo, two generations of Irwin women look beaming towards the next.

Chandler Powell, Bindi’s husband, took to Instagram to share his own tribute for International Women’s Day. He wrote, “This #InternationalWomensDay and every day I’m thankful for the amazing women in my life. My beautiful wife, mom and mum-in-law are incredible.”

The dad-to-be concluded by honoring his future daughter, stating, “This year @bindisueirwin and I are also celebrating our gorgeous daughter who will be arriving soon.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Chandler Powell (@chandlerpowell)

The Puma and Thundercats Collab Is the Purrfect Match

By Mike Julianelle
Thundercats Puma Sneakers
(Puma)

I’m not much of a sneakerhead, but I do love Thundercats! It might seem strange to lump these two things together, but it wasn’t strange to Puma.

Puma created a line of footwear inspired by the classic 80s cartoon, and they look incredible.

The Puma website describes the Puma X Thundercats collection:

“It’s time to rewind in the first-ever PUMA x THUNDERCATS collaboration. We dusted off the VHS tapes and pulled this one straight out of the archive, fusing futuristic PUMA silhouettes with vintage inspiration from some of the most cult-classic characters of all time. Collection silhouettes feature signature graphics and color references from fan favorites Lion-O, Cheetara, and the Cat’s Lair.”

Puma also released trailers for the new shoes, displaying them inside a ship clearly modeled on the one from the show:

Lion-O’s sneakers are blue and orange, just like the young leader, Cheetara’s include her signature spots, and the Cat’s Lair sneakers are black and white. They are available for adults, juniors, and little kids/toddlers, in case you want to indoctrinate your children into the majesty of the Thundercats.

Get them here and buy them up! If these sell well maybe we’ll get some Panthro, Mumm-Ra, and Snarf editions next!

Ewan Mcgregor Might Play Obi-Wan Kenobi in a Second Star Wars Show

By Mark Chalifoux
Kenobi in Andor
(Lucasfilm/Disney)

Obi-wan Kenobi is a beloved Star Wars character, some people even worship him. But no one loves him more than the man who played him in the prequels, Ewan McGregor. McGregor has been vocal about wanting to play Kenobi again and his wish was granted during Disney+’s explosion of Star Wars shows, as he got his own miniseries (more on that in a second). But, that may not be all, as ANOTHER Star Wars show is reportedly adding McGregor to the mix as a recurring character. We may be getting more Kenobi than we bargained for.

According to several reports, McGregor will be bringing his Jedi master to “Andor”, the Star Wars spin-off featuring Diego Luna’s Rebel Alliance pilot/intelligence officer, first introduced in the smash hit “Rogue One.” With Kenobi in the mix, it gives rise to the theory that Andor will be exploring the early days of the Rebel Alliance, giving the standout spy a ton of territory to explore, especially if he crosses paths (or teams up) with one of the most notorious Jedi Knights still standing.

Another possibility is a timeline much closer to Rogue One, and therefore much closer to A New Hope, but that would require a much different Kenobi (he was an ancient Alec Guinness by the time R2D2 returned to Tattoine). So let’s hope we get more of the younger Kenobi, with a lot more room for the story to grow. The reports also indicate that Rosario Dawson could be bringing her force-sensitive, former Jedi to the mix as Ahsoka Tano (after a kickass debut in The Mandalorian). She too has her own miniseries, so this could be Disney+s way to connect a few of them.

As for his own miniseries, Kenobi is picking up steam. McGregor said in a recent interview that production on the show is officially kicking off this spring, and will debut on the streamer in 2022. We also know Hayden Christensen is coming back as Vader, which is truly incredible. We also know the show has cast Game of Thrones star Indira Varma, who played Ellaria Sand. Her role in Kenobi is unknown.

As for McGregor, he’s excited to pick up the lightsaber again.

“I’m thrilled to get the chance to play him again,” he said. “I’ve always felt there was a story between my ones and Alec Guinness’ ones and that’s what we’re gonna do. It should be really interesting.”

Fortunately for us, there may be more than just one story.

These Mint M&M Ice Cream Sandwiches Will Sweeten up Your St. Patrick’s Day

By Yael Meshulam
M&M's St. Patrick's Day ice cream sandwich
(Mars Wrigley)

Even during years when our celebrations aren’t rudely interrupted by a raging pandemic, arguably the best part of many holidays are the novelty foods that they inspire. There are a few guidelines, however, that must be in place in order for a holiday-themed food item to be successful. They don’t need to taste good, they don’t even need to make logical sense – they just need to be overwhelmingly reflective of the holiday. What’s the easiest way to make a seasonal food item painfully obvious? That’s right, dye ‘em.

M&M’s is on-point with their colorful branding, dying their exact same candy-coated chocolate various colors for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween – honestly, it’s a genius move and they should be proud. This year for St. Patrick’s Day, the folks over at Mars Wrigley (M&M’s parent company) are kicking things up a notch. Not only are they going green, but they’re also going full Shamrock.

Conveniently timed to line up with the St. Patrick’s Day holiday, Mars Wrigley is releasing two new flavors of their unparalleled M&M’s cookie ice cream sandwiches. One new flavor features rich vanilla ice cream between two chocolate cookies, while the other features mint ice cream between two chocolate cookies. Both, of course, are sprinkled with mini M&M’s candies.

Though the green mint cookie sandwich comes out just in time for St. Patrick’s day, it isn’t branded as such. This is amazing news for mint-lovers everywhere, because it means that these drool-worthy cookie sandwiches won’t be disappearing from freezers as soon as the holiday season passes. These new additions to the Mars Wrigley ice cream line will be available in major stores nationwide, starting in early March.

Jayesh Shah, Ice Cream Marketing Director at Mars, said in a press release, “We’re excited to expand the joy of M&M’S colorworks to the Mars Wrigley ice cream line, starting with a minty green treat for St. Patrick’s Day. These new flavors add even more options alongside our fan-favorite M&M’S Vanilla and Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches – offering a fun and enjoyable treat for any occasion.”

Woman Gets Second Job as Nursing Home Custodian So She Can Be With Her Dad

By Mark Chalifoux
Nursing Home Custodian
(YouTube/KARE11)

As spring settles in, the horror show from the last year is starting to give way to a more optimistic chance at a return to normalcy. For some, the vaccine brings a chance to reunite with family members they haven’t seen in a year, due to restrictions. And others during that time went to new heights just to stay close with loved ones. One woman in Minnesota wasn’t able to see her dad in a nursing home, so she decided to take a second job as the nursing home’s custodian. It wasn’t the extra income she was after, it was being able to see her dad.

When Lisa Racine’s 87-year-old father saw her walk into the nursing home, he was shocked. “I was kind of dumbfounded, how did you get in here?” he told a local news station. He called seeing her walk through the doors one of the happiest days of his life.

Lisa is a project manager by day, but by filling in as a custodian at the nursing home, she filled a big void as they said it’s been very difficult to find people that are willing to work there during a pandemic. Nursing homes were among the communities hardest hit by the virus and its effects.

“I could take a yoga class or go to happy hour, but I’d rather come and mop the floor and clean dishes so I can see my dad… He’s cleaned up plenty of messes after me in the past.”

That right there is a sign you were a great dad. When you get towards the end of the line, and you have a kid who thinks like that and is willing to mop floors in a medical community during a global pandemic, just so you aren’t alone…yep, you were a great Dad. And to a great dad goes the greatest reward…spending what time he has left with his children.

Father Figures: Attaboy

By Mike Julianelle

“This isn’t about my husband or my boyfriend, but one of my best friends, Ryan.

I’ve known Ryan for a couple years now, and one of the things that drew me to him as a person was his amazing love and skill at fatherhood. He’s a single, part-time dad, and sees the kids as often as he can. Sometimes for days at a time, sometimes for a spontaneous afternoon for sledding, and of course, the every-other-weekend.

It’s not just what he does, it’s the grace, competency, skill and felicity with which he performs those tasks and fills their days with joy and structure.

He teaches these two little girls budgeting with chores, indulges (quite a few) of their whims reasonably, Facetimes with them at every opportunity, while carrying the weight of a household on his back; the dogs, the laundry, the cooking, the adventures, the bills, time management, a full time job – all the blessed burdens we all hope we accrue some day.

There is always some debate raging about how we praise fathers. For every ‘attaboy’ or pat on the back, inevitably there is a backlash surrounding that; that men just doing their jobs as dads shouldn’t require the praise, that if a mom was doing it, nobody would be praising her for just performing her duties as a parent.

And yes, those arguments are valid. But a parent, any parent regardless of gender or biological sex or the complexity of their family systems, deserves a big, fat ATTTABOY for not just completing tasks and keeping the kids alive and entertained and in warm clothes but attending to them with such joy.

Hats off to parents who have rediscovered themselves through their children, that were made whole by parenthood and the day-to-day minutiae that comprises it.

The unplugging of Legos from nostrils, the joy of an afterschool pick-up, the midnight bad dreams, the perfectly-toasted grilled cheese, the early morning kisses and the overflowing diapers.

You all deserve an extra scoop of praise, and I’m leading the pack by presenting the best example of a parent I’ve ever known or known of, Ryan.”

– Bo Johnson

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