That’s actually the only Aeropress I own so I’m not sure if the original one is actually less portable, but I like how compact the whole thing can get, which is ideal in common areas where you do not want to take up too much space

The reverse method is still a little too messy, especially if you need to do it outside home, so I guess I’ll stick with the normal method.

It’s still pretty simple and easy to do, and if finally saved me by local Italian over-roasted espressos 🙏

I want to switch from my current gmail address so I thought it might be worth it to finally get a custom address for portability reasons

However I have no idea which service to choose Most of all, I really want to find a solution from EU, in particular that doesn’t involve any kind of USA companies

I decided to finally get a proper bike to start commuting and bike more in general but I’m a bit lost so I need some advices or at least some tips

I live in the Bolognese province, so in the countryside but reasonably close to other towns. The road is too dangerous for bike commuting, so if I want to go somewhere by bike I must follow dirt roads or even grassy paths before reaching asphalted roads or bike lanes.

As far as I know, a gravel bike might be good for me, but honestly I have no any more clues besides that. For sure I will ask informations to a local bike shop owned by a guy which it happens to be a very athletic cyclist so I’m confident he’ll be able to help me, however I’d like to gather some informations before, in order to have a clearer idea of the kind of bike I need

For sure I’d like to find a proper bike ergonomically-wise, that could allow me to commute and to make some small trips too, considering that my longest trip was 60km long. I expect the needed budget to be somehow high, however I’m hoping to find something for no more than 2k euros

I use a gas stove so I pour water from the kettle straight from the stove. The thing is, am I supposed to put the kettle on the stove again while waiting for the next pouring?

I’ve being curious about baba ghanoush since when I listened to BABAGANOUSH by Madame. The first time I made it cooking the eggplant in the home oven, but it didn’t come out good. So I’ve found this article on Seriouseats.com and managed to make a great baba ghanoush with very low effort

The recipe is available on the website, I’ll just share some thoughts.

Roasting the eggplant was the key for the recipe. Luckily I have an outdoor gas barbecue, and I roasted the eggplant for 35 minutes at about 200/250°C However, the articles doesn’t mention this, but you really need to make some cuts on the eggplant skin otherwise it will likely explode due to water turning into steam too quickly. It actually happened to me, but it didn’t turn into separate pieces, so I was still able to cook it

Unlike the article’s recipe, I used mint instead of parsley, mostly because I had the impression that mint was more “traditional”. I think it combined really really good, and together with lemon juice greatly balanced the highly smoky flavour of the roasted eggplants.

I don’t know if this is common knowledge, however recipes as baba ghanoush or hummus as well seem to taste better if you eat them only after letting them cool down in the fridge for a while. I made baba ghanoush yesterday, and right after making it, it tasted really good but the smoky flavour mostly covered the eggplant taste. I eat it again today and I find that the different flavours are much more detectable, so if you can, try to cook it a couple of hours before serving, I think it is really worth it

The article is in Italian, so I’m pasting the translation below

It was made automatically with an LLM, so it may be incorrect somewhere

The "Gigantism" of European Cars Puts Vulnerable Road Users at Risk
Andrea Siccardo | June 25, 2025

The "epidemic of gigantism" in European cars is a problem—and it doesn’t just harm the environment but also endangers pedestrians and drivers. According to a June 2025 study by the European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) and the Clean Cities Campaign, the size of vehicles sold in Europe has increased significantly. Specifically, the average height of vehicle front ends has risen by seven centimeters between 2010 and 2024. This reduces driver visibility and makes collisions more dangerous for pedestrians and vulnerable road users, such as cyclists—and even drivers themselves.

"Tall hoods put pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers of smaller cars at serious risk. In many cases, children standing in front of these vehicles are completely invisible to the driver," said Esther Marchetti, Clean Transport Advocacy Manager at T&E Italy. "With car manufacturers increasingly focusing on SUVs and large vehicles—where profit margins are highest—at the expense of road safety, the problem will only worsen unless clear limits are introduced as soon as possible."

The trend of automakers producing increasingly massive vehicles, known as "carspreading," has led to the average car hood height rising from 76.9 cm in 2010 to 83.8 cm last year—an annual increase of half a centimeter. This growth is largely due to the spread of SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles). While they accounted for just 12% of sales in 2010, by 2024, they made up 56%.

Italy has seen the most significant increase. Last year, the average hood height of cars sold reached 85 cm—a paradox, considering that in 2010, Italy had the lowest figure among the surveyed countries at 76.3 cm. This surge is attributed to the expansion of Jeep (Stellantis Group) sales, which accounted for 5% of Italy’s total in 2024, compared to just 1% in Europe overall. Currently, there are no European or national regulations limiting a car’s front-end height.

Increase in the average height of the front of new cars sold in Europe

The figures so far reflect averages—but it’s worth examining the largest vehicles, the true road giants. The most massive light vehicle sold in Europe is the Ram TRX. This American pickup, though not certified for the European market, can be imported through "individual approval"—a process the study’s authors deem far too lenient. Its hood stands at 130 cm tall. Smaller but still imposing are Jaguar Land Rover (up to 115 cm) and Jeep (up to 123 cm), the two largest models with front ends exceeding one meter that are officially approved for Europe.

Beyond undermining transport decarbonization goals, the T&E and Clean Cities study highlights the dangers to road safety. As mentioned, collisions become far riskier for pedestrians and cyclists. T&E reports that cars with high front ends strike adults above their center of gravity, increasing the likelihood of fatal organ damage. Additionally, at an impact speed of around 50 km/h, taller cars are more likely to push pedestrians under the vehicle rather than to the side, making crashes far deadlier.

A study by Belgium’s VIAS Institute for Road Safety, analyzing 300,000 road users, found that increasing front-end height (from 80 to 90 cm) raises the risk of death for cyclists and pedestrians by 27%. It also showed that when massive SUVs (like pickups) collide with regular cars, occupants of the latter face a 20–50% higher chance of severe injury.

Cars with a higher front often push pedestrians under the vehicle instead of sideways

Taller hoods don’t just make crashes deadlier—they also make them more likely by reducing driver visibility. T&E’s tests found that a Ram TRX can completely hide a 9-year-old child (average height: 136 cm) standing in front of it. Meanwhile, a Land Rover Defender driver cannot see a 4.5-year-old child (110 cm tall).

The higher the front of the car, the bigger the blind spot

T&E and Clean Cities urge the EU and UK to regulate vehicle dimensions and set a maximum hood height by 2035 as part of measures to curb oversized vehicles. The study suggests an 85 cm limit, pending "further research."

Other proposed measures include disincentivizing large vehicle purchases. National and city authorities could adjust taxes and parking fees based on weight, size, and emissions. Examples include Paris, Lyon, and Aachen, which already tie parking costs to these factors.

"An epidemic of four-wheeled monsters is spreading through our cities," said Claudio Magliulo, Clean Cities’ Italy Campaign Manager. "Vehicles marketed as off-roaders are routinely used for short urban trips. These mega-SUVs endanger children and exacerbate the decades-long takeover of public space for driving and parking. Mayors must act faster—through parking policies and restrictions on certain vehicle types—to limit oversized SUVs, reclaim public space for people, and prioritize everyone’s right to safe mobility."

Finding good roasters or coffee shops, especially local, isn’t always easy, so I think it would be good to share the places we discover

Here’s my list of local and not-local favourite shops, hope it’s helpful.

Kicco Caffè Pieve di Cento, Bologna, Italy

This is my closest roaster, it’s a very small business working mainly with Italian-style blends and roasts, however it also sells a small but nice selection of monorigin beans, which changes during the year. They also sell a variety of tools for many brewing styles.

My favorite coffee there is the Ethiopian Sidamo

Forno Brisa Bologna, Italy

Forno Brisa is a local chain of bakeries that in recent years embraced the specialty coffee wave, becoming a roastery themselves. Even though baked products are their main activity, you can find very good roasts there. In the physical shop, the staff is well trained and they can explain you in detail the characteristics of the coffees on the shelf.

At Forno Brisa I’ve tasted one of my favourite coffees ever, the Colombian Campo Hermoso

La Libertaria - torrefazione autogestita Galbiate, Lecco, Italy

This store in particular was recommended by a Fediverse contact of mine. It’s a roastery that imports a variety of beans from small farmers, carefully selecting supply chains that ensure good working conditions for the farmers. They contribute to many projects focusing on cooperatives and specific areas facing various kinds of issues, such as the Chiapas state of Mexico.

Sprout Roasters Eindhoven, The Netherlands

I’ve found this roastery while looking for a shop selling good quality decaf coffee. This one in particular offers a wide selection of beans, decaf included, and also sells the decaf projects kit by James Hoffman.

It’s a shame that delivery costs from The Netherlands to Italy were so high because I really loved their coffee, especially the Colombian decaf one

Bloom coffee Trieste, Italy

Currently I’m buying my coffe from them as it provides a good selection of single origin coffees with also a Mexican decaf. A nice feature of their online shop is that for every bag you buy you can choose the roasting profile between light, medium and dark, so you are not forced to choose some coffees for your preferred brewing method

I’m still exploring they coffees, which I’m almost exclusively using for cold brew since in Italy is hot as hell outside, but generally I’m very satisfied. My last brew was prepared with El Lorito from Honduras and it came out really really good. In the photo you also see Queen Ketiara from Sumatra and the decaf Morpheus from Mexico (good but not as good as the one by Sprout Roasters). You can also appreciate the beauty of their packaging, each one featuring animals from the origin country of the beans

Arctic already keeps a draft of a post I’m writing if I swipe down the editor panel, however if open some other app and sometimes the Arctic app will “refresh” and I lose the draft forever It would be nice if the drafts, at least the last one, could be saved permanently

Il Bar Mediterraneo dei Nu Genea è l’idea di uno spazio comune, dove le persone si incontrano e si fondono. Un luogo con le porte sempre aperte ai viandanti e alle loro vite, sempre esposte ai capricci della sorte. Lo si prova ascoltando la moltitudine di suoni che caratterizzano i brani: strati di strumenti acustici, voci e sintetizzatori che si uniscono in una miscela unica di timbri.

Aprendo alle voci di tanti popoli diversi, separati dalle lingue ma uniti dal mare e dalla musica, la Napoli dei Nu Genea si fa vero luogo d’incontro. Si sente nei versi tunisini e nel flauto Ney di Marzouk Mejiri che spezzano il cuore di malinconia in Gelbi; nel canto dell’artista Marco Castello che, in Rire, attraversa lo Stretto di Messina per donarsi alle agrodolci parole di Napoli; nei versi francesi di Célia Kameni che sfilano sinuosi tra i vicoli di Marechià; o ancora nella batteria del compianto Tony Allen che accompagna i mandolini di Straniero.

La passione dei Nu Genea per la cultura napoletana si espande in questo album attraverso l’adattamento di una poesia del 1931 di Raffaele Viviani, le cui parole cantate da Fabiana Martone si posano sul pacato groove jazz-funk di La Crisi. La stessa ricerca si nota anche nei versi di Vesuvio, una rilettura per il dance floor di una canzone folk napoletana degli ‘E Zezi, storica band operaia di Pomigliano D’Arco: qui, i Nu Genea, hanno registrato le voci di un coro di bambini di Napoli, che aggiunge alla canzone una dimensione tribale e insieme evocativa.

Il disco è stato anticipato dal singolo Tienaté, dove la potenza vocale di Fabiana Martone si unisce con sintetizzatori ed archi, impregnandoli con le matrici musicali del Sud-Est del Mediterraneo.

Da Il nuovo album Bar Mediterraneo - carosello records.com

Ascolta e acquista

Since I live in the Bologna area, I was asked for some advices about coffee places in the city. I tried different places so I thought a post on it own could be helpful for other people loving and travelling here.

For me specialty coffee = pour over coffee, so in all of these places you can find good pour over coffee which is what I always order, alongside more traditional methods

The list doesn’t follow any particular order. Also note that the photos are not mine but found online instead

Burō Café

Via Sant’Isaia 17/D Mon - Fri 9:30 - 16:00 Tue 9:30 - 14:00 Sat - Sun 10:00 - 14:00 Wed closed

One of the first specialty coffee shops in Bologna, it is a very fancy-looking place. The two owners took the mission to promote the specialty coffee culture in a time where only espresso existed in Bologna, so they put a lot of care in serving coffee, choosing seasonal beans and most of all informing costumers about this world.

It is one of my favourite spot in Bologna and I always had great coffees there. They occasionally hold coffee workshops with coffee experts, which are totally worth it in my opinion

You can even rent a table for some hours or the entire day to work there with unlimited coffee servings, they also serve various pastries and brunch, although food it’s a bit expensive.

As a final note, alongside V60, Chemex and Aeropress coffee, they also serve cold brew coffee, especially during the hot season, which is a little rare for an Italian bar.

Aroma

Via Porta Nova, 12b Thu - Sun 9:00 - 14:00 Mon - Wed closed

A very small shop near the city center, they serve a wide variety of coffee preparations alongside their specialty coffee choices. As far as I know they have a fixed selection of beans but I don’t know if they offer seasonal varieties. Their activity goes beyond the very coffee shop, they hold master class courses, sell manuals and participate in international competitions, so you can expect to find well trained staff there

As I said the place is quite small with a vibe totally similar to any historical Bolognese bar, and they serve classic selection of Italian pastries

Forno Brisa

Via galleria 34D Via Castiglione 43 Via San Felice 41A Via L Bassi Veratti 29B Via Nicolò dall’Arca 16 Via Jussi 18 See the website for opening hours

Forno Brisa is firstly a bakery focuses on bread and baked goods, however they have inside tables so you can sit and order products like cakes, focacce, pizza, cookies and more, plus in the recent years they added specialty coffee to their menu

I went there just a couple of times, however both of the times the staff was very good in showing their beans variety, which changes frequently, and giving advices based on my tastes. I tasted two different and very good coffees, in particular they served me a seasonal Colombian variety which was so good that I had to buy a bag to bring home.

It’s a very good spot for a breakfast, a little brunch or a break, the food is a little expensive while the coffee prices are quite average (I mean, for a specialty coffee place)

Allegra

Via Galliera 11C Mon - Sat 8:00 - 16:00 | 18:00 - 00:00 Sun 9:00 - 16:00

This place is described as a bakery, specialty coffee and natural wine bistrot If get there in the morning you will find a variety of pastries, a product this place is well known for. I’ve been there just one time and I enjoyed a very good cup of specialty coffee. Their selection was very interesting and I supposed it changes during the year. Although the place’s vibe is a little too much Instagram/hipster oriented for my personal taste, I’d still recommend it, also for the pasties

Melée Café (This link opens the Facebook page, no actual website available)

Via Zanardi 9C Mon - Tue 6:30 - 17:00 Wed 6:30 - 14:30 Thu - Fri 6:30 - 17:00 Sat 7:00 - 13:00 Sun 8:00 - 13:00

This is a small bar, totally similar to a classical Italian bar, which also serves specialty coffee and a good variety of pasties. You won’t find the same variety of the shops I listed before, however it worth a stop for the joyful atmosphere: this is more a neighbourhood place with a strong LGBT identity, so you will feel totally welcome there, for sure

Mister coffee Bistro

Via Riva Reno 65M Mon - Fri 8:00 - 18:00 Sat - Sun 9:00 - 18:00

This place offers a wide variety of coffees, also specialty coffees, but it is more specialised in Campagna-style coffees, so you will find a lot of blends and robusta alongside the single-origin choices. Although the coffee I tasted there was not as good as the other places I listed, I still like this shop for the wide variety of coffees, coffee preparations and food, since you can stop there for a good breakfast or a brunch.

I’ve just found this website while trying to find a sustainable backpack It has a directory of brands you can filter with various criteria, the most important of which is the rating, which goes from “we avoid” to “great” and is based on different factors that compose the overall sustainability of the brand. I like the approach, especially for the fact that you get a description of every aspect for every brands, which are Planet, People and Animals