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1000 results for “Matts_Bytes”
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does anybody know how to join communities on other instances on #memmy ? for some reason I can't seem to figure it out 😕 I have tried searching for the community ID but it just says can't find anything
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@gadgetboy it would be interesting to know how much having less relays affects the amount of content you get in your feed, I think it will only effect followed #hashtags and not account follows, also you know you can purge media after an amount of time from cron?
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@gadgetboy it would be interesting to know how much having less relays affects the amount of content you get in your feed, I think it will only effect followed #hashtags and not account follows, also you know you can purge media after an amount of time from cron?
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@gadgetboy it would be interesting to know how much having less relays affects the amount of content you get in your feed, I think it will only effect followed #hashtags and not account follows, also you know you can purge media after an amount of time from cron?
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@ssfckdt @hughster @dtgeek @mike I had forgotten about #digg, and #revision3 and #diggnation. those were the days ...
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@literalgrill thats pretty bad, whois going to moderate the site when its forcefully reopened? trained monkeys? 🙈 🙂 #redditstrike #redditdark #RedditMigraion
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@Rjmcgarvey who needs #chaosmonkey (https://netflix.github.io/chaosmonkey/)? when you can go old school 😆
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@neil @doot @alexis you just reminded me of this christmas video https://youtu.be/agYHiSXple0 😁 #AAISP
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@neil @doot @alexis you just reminded me of this christmas video https://youtu.be/agYHiSXple0 😁 #AAISP
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@jan that's upsetting 😕 I was thinking about #selfhosing #vaultwarden. atm I am still using a #keepass database that is synced around the place. Am I right in thinking you use #bitwarden clients for vaultwarden?
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@adrianjwilson @feditips something like #twitodon might be able to help, https://twitodon.com/ i've never needed to use it tho so prob won't be able to help much (I never used #twitter)
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@[email protected] I used to use https://mesos.github.io/chronos/ for a bit for that type of job scheduling but I think it relies on a #mesos cluster, not sure it can run standalone
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Exploring WebMention sources
Today, I took some time out of processing the loss of my dad to do some nerdy tech stuff with OpenMentions and WebMention sources.
I was interested in which sites sent the most mentions to the openmentions.com endpoints.
This is not especially important, but it could indicate who the most active and interested people are. For a writer, knowing you have people who are pleased to hear from you is pretty important, so I figure this might be an important tool for Author Buzz UK further down the line.
For OpenMentions this is a step towards a sort of thing Technorati used to be (for blogs). For now, I am avoiding the question of mentions to topic-specific sites outside of the OpenMentions blog. That’s a bigger question for another time.
As OpenMentions uses WordPress, step one was just getting an SQL query that gives back an ordered list of mention comments per domain name.
The first hurdle to overcome was to get just the domain names when that data is not stored. Fortunately, source URL is stored and with some substring magic, I was able to get the domains from it. My pride would love me to say I figured it all out on my own.
I did not.
I looked up the answer and found it on StackOverflow.
Next, I had to filter out a few things. Mostly things that mask origin by way of helping, or were a thing that Elon Musk owns, and I didn’t want any data for.
That took a bit of trial and error as I figured out what data I wanted to filter.
Sorry brid.gy, you were not good for this dataset, but you were a great proxy for filtering Bluesky content. So I am grateful for that.
My first version pulled from the comments table only, but the source of the mention did not always get recorded. So I “left joined” the comment meta and looked up the domain there.
The result was a gloriously hacky SQL command.
You can see the SQL here: https://gist.github.com/lordmatt/31f4f0b508b2dcf353c36ab23f907eea
The top 10 domain mentions sources from OpenMentions
- lordmatt.co.uk
- node.lordmatt.co.uk
- openmentions.tumblr.com
- replying.isbrill.com
- matrixdreams.com
- muse.authorbuzz.co.uk
- tory-government.ispants.com
- elons-twitter.ispants.com
- doctorwho.isbrill.com
- openmentions.com
No big surprises here. The biggest users are all things that I am involved with and could push the idea to most readily.
What’s next?
The next thing to do will be to use this data to generate some pages of interesting domain data. I’m not entirely sure what data I want to show or how I want to store it. That’s all yet to come.
What would you do with a list of websites with authors who like to respond to your stuff?
Syndicated to: #IndieWeb #MySQL #Webmention #WordPress -
Considerations for adding an AMA feature
My initial question was “What is the best way to add some AMA (ask me anything) feature (like on Tumblr) to one or more of my websites?” I’d thought about it for all of ten seconds before I realised that “best” was entirely subjective.
If you already know what we are talking about, feel free to skip to the ideas section. For the rest of us, let me briefly introduce the concept to you.
What is this AMA thing, then?
On the hybrid of social media and blogging that is Tumblr, users can enable the option to ask questions. When the user replies to the question and the answer appear together as a single post.
Questions can be anonymous, answered privately (if not anon) or answered as a public post.
Why would you want something like that?
An AMA (ask me anything) can be a great way to build a sense of community with your readers. For example, an author with an AMA can interact with fans but in their own time while creating content that the wider community will probably enjoy looking at. While yes, this is far from common, I think more artists of words and of images should do this more often.
Even if community building (or platform building if you want to call it that) cn be a goal, AMAs can just be a fun way to stay connected. In that regard, it feels like a most IndieWeb idea (even if it probably isn’t). (I like IndieWeb stuff BTW)
I think an AMA would be fun. I want to add the feature somewhere.
Where would you use this?
I see five use cases for my own use.
- Author Buzz UK user blogs (like this one)
- isBrill/isPants as an optional feature
- My social node
- My music blog
- My health blog
Where would you use this?
Authors and other creatives wanting to build a rapport with readers should consider such a feature. The easy answer is to start a tumble blog, but of course, I wouldn’t be your favourite old geek with a cop-out answer like that.
Chatty folks with IndieWeb personal websites featuring a blog or forum might be a good fit.
Anyone who likes answering random questions, I guess.
What about you? Pop into my comments and leave your use case.
Ideas for AMAs, depending on what exactly you want
Now we come to the brainstorming part. I’ve divided this up into potential solutions to explore the relative strengths and weaknesses of each approach along with how copyable the idea is. After all, if I’m having fun with AMAs, I bet others would too.
AMA built on existing IndieWeb stuff like WebMention
If you are already set up for WebMention, this should be dead simple. Make a page which accepts mentions, call it Ask Me Anything. Let people mention said page when they want to post questions to you.
The good
- Easy to set up
- No new code needed
- Will probably work just fine
- Very IndieWeb
- Super easy to copy
- Low effort
The bad
- Not private
- Not anonymous
- Not inclusive for passing average citizens
- A bit of a faff to maintain
- No private replies
Conclusion on WebMention
If I am honest, I imagine an AMA built on WebMention will end up like the guestbook pages I have done this with – rarely used by humans but regularly attacked by spam bots. WebMention is great, but I do not think it is the tool for this task.
I would be delighted to be proven wrong if someone wants to implement AMAs this way.
AMA via ActivityPub (Mastodon inclusion mode)
The next approach I considered was to lean on ActivityPub. After all, most of my websites implement it (mostly via a WordPress plugin). For me, this would take the same approach – slap up an ActivityPub-enabled page and call it AMA.
The good
- Compatible with the WebMention approach
- A bit more inclusive
- Easy enough to set up
- No new code needed
- Easy to copy
- Low effort
- Use the WP Reply block to display the question
The bad
- Not (entirely) private
- Not (entirely) anonymous
- Only inclusive for Mastodon ActivityPub users
- Still a bit of a faff to maintain
- Not really what ActivityPub is for
- Quickly lost in the timeline’s history
- No private replies (sorta)
Conclusion on ActivityPub
With the plugin for ActivityPub I use on my WordPress blogs, this would probably be the least effort approach that would kind of display the way I would want it to. Mostly. It would be close enough that I could live with it.
However, a strong AMA launch could start with lots of questions as ActivityPub replies, but I can picture it tapering off in fairly short order. For most users, this will be a single toot in an avalanche of content. Thus, soon lost and forgotten.
Just use a forum or group for an AMA
This blog is part of Author Buzz UK (for now). I could just create a group with an AMA forum or add an AMA thread to an appropriate forum or group. That’s how the Reddit AMA works.
The good
- Low effort
- Easy to replicate
- Can be taken to PMs for privacy
- Sort of what a forum is for
- Easy for passing average citizens to understand
The bad
- Forces users to create an account
- A massive faff to turn into blog posts
- Not private
- Not anonymous
- Looks dead until sufficient uptake
- A lot to set up without an existing forum in place
Conclusions of using a forum
This approach could be good for some people. If there is a forum or community that is okay with AMAs, you could set up shop there and just copy and paste back to your blog or personal website. This is mostly in the spirit of IndieWeb, I guess.
My problem with this is that I’m taking visitors off-site (sort of) and I can’t replicate this on sites like my social node, my music blog, isBrill, etc. as none of them have a forum. Also, this is not really in the spirit of the Tumblr feature I want to implement. It is more of the meme, “we have AMAs at home…”
Just use an AMA WordPress plugin
In this section, I’m going to take a look at the plugins and/or themes that implement AMA for WordPress specifically. All other platforms will have to roll their own.
Let’s see what I can find.
Spoiler: I found a lot of listicles about plugins to run a full-on Q&A forum/community. Not features to allow people to post a paragraph for you, the author, to reply to.
The also ran that was ask-me-anything-anonymously
A lot of blog posts (including WP Beginner) recommend this plugin. Except it was last updated about a year ago and has been closed due to security concerns (or WP Drama, one of the two).
The source code is on GitHub, though.
Conclusion: Nope.
CM Answers
CM Answers is a QnA plugin. It has a free and a pro version. Like many plugins it seems to take the kitchen sink approach. If you want to run something a bit like Stack Overflow or Quora, I’m sure this is fine. For an AMA feature, this is not the tool for the job.
Conclusion: A cannon to swat a fly
OMG WTF?
Searching WordPress.org was a hot mess of unrelated plugins, forums, and things no sane person should add to the WordPress install. Seriously, WTF?
Conclusions on “just use a plugin”
After a bunch of searching, I came up dry for a plugin that just implements “asks”. What I did find that seemed to be what one might want were thinly veiled adverts for AMA sites, code that should never be used in production, and a lot of irrelevant search results.
I have zero recommendations I am willing to make here.
Well, I guess we have to roll our own or something
I’ve reflected on a few ways to code this up. Let’s start with the least effort idea.
Just a form that creates a draft post
My first thought was that the least effort would be a form on the front end that anyone can fill out. The back end then does a few basic checks and puts the sanitised text inside a quote block in a draft post.
The good
- Not all that much work
- Would work as intended
- Easy to copy
The bad
- Spam would be a nightmare
- Infrequency asks could get lost in the drafts section forever
- Open to abuse
- So much abuse potential
- Dear lord, the possible abuse
Conclusions on just adding a form
On reflection, this is a terrible idea. There are many other ways to do this and almost all of them are better.
Okay, let’s spec this thing out properly then
It was at this stage of the rabbit hole that I thought to actually draft out what exactly it is I am looking for. I even went and found a quote to go with my work.
Write down this vision and clearly inscribe it on tablets, so that a herald may run with it.
Bible, Habakkuk 2:2b
I do like a good quote to go with things.
The vision: What I want this to be
Must haves
- A form people can submit “asks” via
- Strong anti-spam and abuse mitigation
- An admin page with all pending asks ready to be turned into “ask posts”
- Track which asks have answers (posts)
- Asks are private until published in a post
Nice to haves
- Option to private reply
- Optional anonymous asks
- Obvious link back to asker
- Can work with WebMention
- Can work with ActivityPub
- Uses microformats
Running with it: How to make this happen
The way I see it, there are three possible approaches: (1) A custom post type, (2) a custom database table, (3) a third option that we already passed over.
A custom post type would store a lot of cruft in the database and come with a whole host of security and privacy problems. Posts are designed to be looked at so a custom type that is entirely hidden, while doable, is not really in the spirit of what these are made for. Also, it would be a lot of work, and I am lazy.
A custom database table solves a lot of problems. Each ask has a row to itself, and we could run the text through the input validation and sanitisation built into WordPress. Tracking which post contains the ask would be as simple as adding a field for post ID. Not the worst idea. Certainly workable.
The idea we walked right by is to just use a single page called AMA. Hear me out, now. Think about the spec I have just listed. Does that remind you of anything that already exists? It sounds a heck of a lot like the user comments feature. A plugin that just nominates a page and tracks its comments would benefit from WebMention, ActivityPub, and spam filtration as they are already built in (assuming you also use those plugins like I do).
Okay, smarty pants, how do we do that?
The page itself would have to have a custom template to skip showing comments. Plus or minus a few mitigations to stop them from showing up on “recent comments”. Other than that, and the post tracking, this is basically just native comments that don’t get published.
WordPress comments can have a comment type applied to them. If we set a hook that checks the page ID, we can modify incoming comments for that page to take the “ask” type. Then, I imagine there is a filter we can hook to remove that comment type from anything other things do with comments (like display the most recent ones).
Comment meta is a thing. In there, we can store any extra data such as which post contains the answer, if the ask has been closed, privately replied to (via email), or whatever.
Pair all that up with an admin page and a site can take asks. Go a step further, and you could probably make that a per-user ask. That’s only one more comment metadata point – user who is being asked. The list filtering for active users might not be screamingly fast but this is low enough use that this should not be a problem.
I’d want the admin area page to have a button to turn the ask into a post (a simple enough automated copy and paste into a quote).
In theory, you can then take AMAs via fediverse, WebMention, or onsite. You can use the existing tools to decide who gets to “comment”.
Could this work?
Theory is a great place; everything works there. In theory, this is a great idea. Use comments as asks. An idea that could be copied to most any CMS or software. My question now is, would this work?
Are there any gotchas waiting around the corner that I’d want to know about?
Please do criticise me on this as much as you feel is necessary.
Where does this leave us?
In this post, I looked at a number of ways to implement the AMA “asks” feature of Tumblr. I skipped over WebMentions and similar ideas as not going to work, but came all the way back to, with a little effort, maybe they could.
What I do know is that WordPress does not have a plugin that I could find to implement this. A modified page template could be a good solution. I can see this needing a custom template per theme to look really nice, but an out-of-the-box page with some custom CSS would probably look okay.
By reusing existing structures, there would be less work and more features. I’m not going to try coding this myself just yet. Tiredness is kicking my arse right now. I need to have my head on and brain working to do this myself.
I’d love it if someone else took my idea and made it a thing, but I’ve been around long enough to know that I’ll probably have to do it myself.
TL;DR: Anything that takes comments could probably be made to take asks with a little faffing about.
Thoughts?
I want to know what you think. I thrive on interactions – comments make me happy. In this case, I have a bunch of questions, but any thoughts in your head – please share with me.
- Are you familiar with Tumblr’s asks?
- Would you want an AMA on your personal blog or website?
- Of the things I have explored, which seems to you like a good fit for adding asks?
- Should I (or some cool geek) make this?
- Do you wanna take a crack at it yourself?
- What have I missed?
- Is there anything I have overlooked?
Whatever you have to say – let me know. Please reply, mention, or comment – I want to hear from you. (Also share or boost if you are feeling particularly kind.)
Syndicated to:#AMA #asks #blogging #IndieWeb #makeWhatYouNeed #planning #SocialMedia #thinkingThroughAProblem #TumblR #WordPress
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Updating for readability
I was in the middle of previewing a post when I got annoyed at the line length and readability of my blog.
This is what it looked like before:
The change I made was this
article { line-height: calc(1ex / 0.32); font-size:20px;}The result was this:
It is not exactly going to change the world, but it sits in the overlap between what best practice* says is good for mobile and what the same says for desktop. *(By best practice, I mean what a website that looked like it knew its stuff said)
Your thoughts?
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Updating for readability
I was in the middle of previewing a post when I got annoyed at the line length and readability of my blog.
This is what it looked like before:
The change I made was this
article { line-height: calc(1ex / 0.32); font-size:20px;}The result was this:
It is not exactly going to change the world, but it sits in the overlap between what best practice* says is good for mobile and what the same says for desktop. *(By best practice, I mean what a website that looked like it knew its stuff said)
Your thoughts?
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Updating for readability
I was in the middle of previewing a post when I got annoyed at the line length and readability of my blog.
This is what it looked like before:
The change I made was this
article { line-height: calc(1ex / 0.32); font-size:20px;}The result was this:
It is not exactly going to change the world, but it sits in the overlap between what best practice* says is good for mobile and what the same says for desktop. *(By best practice, I mean what a website that looked like it knew its stuff said)
Your thoughts?
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April 2024 Divestment
It’s that time again – time to share the links and other stuff that I’ve been sitting on but have yet to do anything with.
In case you missed last month’s divestment post, I have a problem with keeping too many tabs open and a general tendency to have far too many files sitting around waiting for me to do something with them. Divestment […]
#ActivityPub #blogging #books #brainDump #closeMoreTabs #divestment #DungeonsAndDragons #gallery #Minecraft #PHP #RaspberryPi #RSS #Spore #story #WordPress #ProjectsAndIdeas
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Matt’s Big Breakfast
It’s interesting how even the most adventurous eaters tend to be conservative about breakfast. People who gladly consume foods from outside their own family traditions in the afternoon and evening often revert to familiar dishes like eggs, bacon, pancakes, and waffles in the morning. Matt’s Big Breakfast, having recently expanded yet again with a new flagship location next to its old one, continues to embrace the familiar but does so with a high standard that emphasizes high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients and a hand-crafted approach to their preparation.
waffle and baconMatt’s current flagship is just two blocks from Roosevelt/Central station on the B Line and is the third version of the restaurant to exist on the same block of First Street during the restaurant’s two decades of operation.. Bike racks are found at the corner of Garfield and First with many more found among the surrounding blocks. Although this location is the biggest Matt’s yet and the first location with extensive shaded patio seating, there can still be a wait for a table during peak weekend hours. Solo diners or pairs can often be seated at the counter immediately.
griddle cakes with blueberriesThe menu offers both classic breakfast fare and lunch items offered after 11 AM.. Daily specials are on a separate sheet labeled “Matt’s Traditions.” Expect generous use of butter, whole milk, eggs, white flour, and pork products in many dishes. At Matt’s, “big breakfast” seems to refer not only to generous portions, but also an ongoing trend towards re-embracing some formerly taboo foods. The results are hearty dishes like the Chop & Chick, which combines a pork chop and two eggs or the Five-Spot, a breakfast sandwich with eggs, bacon, cheese, and onions on a roll.
French toast with sausageThe other eggs dishes all come with toast, served with fresh local fruit preserves, and a choice of potatoes. The home fries are big chunks of Yukon Gold with rosemary and onion cooked in olive oil and sprinkled with ground black pepper. The hash browns are simpler — a rectangular cake of julienned tubers griddled in butter until crisp on top while still tender beneath. For anyone seeking a Southwestern touch, Matt’s offers a hearty Big Papa Burrito stuffed full of three eggs, Schreiner’s chorizo, roasted potatoes, pinto beans, jalapeños, and cheddar cheese.
hickory burger with chipsThe breakfast menu, which is served all the way until the 2:00 PM closing time, also has a few choices that focus more on carbs than protein. The griddle cakes are light, fluffy, and slightly sweet. There is a generous dollop of butter on top, and real maple syrup on the side. The waffle is supple and generously sized. It comes with two slices of thick-cut bacon while the griddle cakes, like everything else on the menu at Matt’s, can be supplemented with a side of bacon, sliced ham, or sausage, available as pork “country” links or patties or as chicken apple links.
Matt’s Reuben with macaroni saladAlthough Matt’s core appeal is found in hearty diner-style food, the restaurant has made a few concessions to lighter eating and contemporary trends. A big bowl of steel-cut oats has long been on the menu with simple toppings of brown sugar and raisins. A newer addition is the seemingly ubiquitous coffee house favorite avocado toast. In this case, the emphasis on fresh, local ingredients is expressed via a colorful assortment of cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, and microgreens placed over a smooth layer of mashed avocado on a thick slice of multigrain bread.
avocado toastWhile most customers seem to come for breakfast, the lunch menu is available beginning at 11 AM. A longstanding signature item is the Big Butter Burger topped with American cheese, and the Hickory Burger, accessorized with Canadian bacon, cheddar, and onion is a recent menu addition. The chicken sandwich contains grilled breast marinated in pesto and paired with provolone and romaine. The chili is described as “Midwestern style,” meaning, in this case, ground beef with a mild spice level, shredded cheddar, diced onions, and oyster crackers.
Biltmore club with coleslawMatt’s Reuben features thinly sliced corned beef placed between two slices of marble rye, griddled with just a little butter, and dressed with Swiss cheese, thousand island dressing, and plenty of sauerkraut. The Biltmore Club is built with roasted turkey with bacon, havarti, tomato, and romaine on toasted sourdough bread. All of the lunch sandwiches are served with potato chips by default, with the option to upgrade for a few dollars to either a creamy coleslaw or a macaroni salad with a nice sprinkling of black pepper to enliven this normally plain side.
chili bowlThe beverage selection is limited, but the fresh-squeezed orange juice, always sweet and slightly pulpy, is a dependable choice. Honey lemonade strikes the right balance between tart and sweet notes and can be enhanced with muddled strawberries or blueberries. Cola and other sodas on the menu, some from small batch producer Boylan Bottling. Coffee is available with unlimited refills, but don’t expect any espresso or matcha drinks. It’s just good straightforward coffee, roasted in Cave Creek and yet another ingredient of local provenance.
strawberry honey lemonadeWith several suburban locations scattered throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, as well as an outlet at Sky Harbor Airport, Matt’s Big Breakfast has grown well beyond the confines of its original building in Downtown Phoenix. There has even been some talk of potentially franchising the concept outside of Arizona. That’s quite a departure from the modest and minimalist origins of the restaurant, but a testament to its success as well. For many, breakfast may often be the most cautious meal of the day, but at Matt’s, there is no reason why it can’t be the best one.
817 N 1st St., Phoenix AZ 85004
http://www.mattsbigbreakfast.com#avocadoToast #breakfast #breakfastBurritos #breakfastSandwiches #EvansChurchill #hashBrowns #pancakes #reuben #RooseveltRow #sausage #waffles
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Matt’s Big Breakfast
It’s interesting how even the most adventurous eaters tend to be conservative about breakfast. People who gladly consume foods from outside their own family traditions in the afternoon and evening often revert to familiar dishes like eggs, bacon, pancakes, and waffles in the morning. Matt’s Big Breakfast, having recently expanded yet again with a new flagship location next to its old one, continues to embrace the familiar but does so with a high standard that emphasizes high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients and a hand-crafted approach to their preparation.
waffle and baconMatt’s current flagship is just two blocks from Roosevelt/Central station on the B Line and is the third version of the restaurant to exist on the same block of First Street during the restaurant’s two decades of operation.. Bike racks are found at the corner of Garfield and First with many more found among the surrounding blocks. Although this location is the biggest Matt’s yet and the first location with extensive shaded patio seating, there can still be a wait for a table during peak weekend hours. Solo diners or pairs can often be seated at the counter immediately.
griddle cakes with blueberriesThe menu offers both classic breakfast fare and lunch items offered after 11 AM.. Daily specials are on a separate sheet labeled “Matt’s Traditions.” Expect generous use of butter, whole milk, eggs, white flour, and pork products in many dishes. At Matt’s, “big breakfast” seems to refer not only to generous portions, but also an ongoing trend towards re-embracing some formerly taboo foods. The results are hearty dishes like the Chop & Chick, which combines a pork chop and two eggs or the Five-Spot, a breakfast sandwich with eggs, bacon, cheese, and onions on a roll.
French toast with sausageThe other eggs dishes all come with toast, served with fresh local fruit preserves, and a choice of potatoes. The home fries are big chunks of Yukon Gold with rosemary and onion cooked in olive oil and sprinkled with ground black pepper. The hash browns are simpler — a rectangular cake of julienned tubers griddled in butter until crisp on top while still tender beneath. For anyone seeking a Southwestern touch, Matt’s offers a hearty Big Papa Burrito stuffed full of three eggs, Schreiner’s chorizo, roasted potatoes, pinto beans, jalapeños, and cheddar cheese.
hickory burger with chipsThe breakfast menu, which is served all the way until the 2:00 PM closing time, also has a few choices that focus more on carbs than protein. The griddle cakes are light, fluffy, and slightly sweet. There is a generous dollop of butter on top, and real maple syrup on the side. The waffle is supple and generously sized. It comes with two slices of thick-cut bacon while the griddle cakes, like everything else on the menu at Matt’s, can be supplemented with a side of bacon, sliced ham, or sausage, available as pork “country” links or patties or as chicken apple links.
Matt’s Reuben with macaroni saladAlthough Matt’s core appeal is found in hearty diner-style food, the restaurant has made a few concessions to lighter eating and contemporary trends. A big bowl of steel-cut oats has long been on the menu with simple toppings of brown sugar and raisins. A newer addition is the seemingly ubiquitous coffee house favorite avocado toast. In this case, the emphasis on fresh, local ingredients is expressed via a colorful assortment of cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, and microgreens placed over a smooth layer of mashed avocado on a thick slice of multigrain bread.
avocado toastWhile most customers seem to come for breakfast, the lunch menu is available beginning at 11 AM. A longstanding signature item is the Big Butter Burger topped with American cheese, and the Hickory Burger, accessorized with Canadian bacon, cheddar, and onion is a recent menu addition. The chicken sandwich contains grilled breast marinated in pesto and paired with provolone and romaine. The chili is described as “Midwestern style,” meaning, in this case, ground beef with a mild spice level, shredded cheddar, diced onions, and oyster crackers.
Biltmore club with coleslawMatt’s Reuben features thinly sliced corned beef placed between two slices of marble rye, griddled with just a little butter, and dressed with Swiss cheese, thousand island dressing, and plenty of sauerkraut. The Biltmore Club is built with roasted turkey with bacon, havarti, tomato, and romaine on toasted sourdough bread. All of the lunch sandwiches are served with potato chips by default, with the option to upgrade for a few dollars to either a creamy coleslaw or a macaroni salad with a nice sprinkling of black pepper to enliven this normally plain side.
chili bowlThe beverage selection is limited, but the fresh-squeezed orange juice, always sweet and slightly pulpy, is a dependable choice. Honey lemonade strikes the right balance between tart and sweet notes and can be enhanced with muddled strawberries or blueberries. Cola and other sodas on the menu, some from small batch producer Boylan Bottling. Coffee is available with unlimited refills, but don’t expect any espresso or matcha drinks. It’s just good straightforward coffee, roasted in Cave Creek and yet another ingredient of local provenance.
strawberry honey lemonadeWith several suburban locations scattered throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, as well as an outlet at Sky Harbor Airport, Matt’s Big Breakfast has grown well beyond the confines of its original building in Downtown Phoenix. There has even been some talk of potentially franchising the concept outside of Arizona. That’s quite a departure from the modest and minimalist origins of the restaurant, but a testament to its success as well. For many, breakfast may often be the most cautious meal of the day, but at Matt’s, there is no reason why it can’t be the best one.
817 N 1st St., Phoenix AZ 85004
http://www.mattsbigbreakfast.com#avocadoToast #breakfast #breakfastBurritos #breakfastSandwiches #EvansChurchill #hashBrowns #pancakes #reuben #RooseveltRow #sausage #waffles
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Matt’s Big Breakfast
It’s interesting how even the most adventurous eaters tend to be conservative about breakfast. People who gladly consume foods from outside their own family traditions in the afternoon and evening often revert to familiar dishes like eggs, bacon, pancakes, and waffles in the morning. Matt’s Big Breakfast, having recently expanded yet again with a new flagship location next to its old one, continues to embrace the familiar but does so with a high standard that emphasizes high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients and a hand-crafted approach to their preparation.
waffle and baconMatt’s current flagship is just two blocks from Roosevelt/Central station on the B Line and is the third version of the restaurant to exist on the same block of First Street during the restaurant’s two decades of operation.. Bike racks are found at the corner of Garfield and First with many more found among the surrounding blocks. Although this location is the biggest Matt’s yet and the first location with extensive shaded patio seating, there can still be a wait for a table during peak weekend hours. Solo diners or pairs can often be seated at the counter immediately.
griddle cakes with blueberriesThe menu offers both classic breakfast fare and lunch items offered after 11 AM.. Daily specials are on a separate sheet labeled “Matt’s Traditions.” Expect generous use of butter, whole milk, eggs, white flour, and pork products in many dishes. At Matt’s, “big breakfast” seems to refer not only to generous portions, but also an ongoing trend towards re-embracing some formerly taboo foods. The results are hearty dishes like the Chop & Chick, which combines a pork chop and two eggs or the Five-Spot, a breakfast sandwich with eggs, bacon, cheese, and onions on a roll.
French toast with sausageThe other eggs dishes all come with toast, served with fresh local fruit preserves, and a choice of potatoes. The home fries are big chunks of Yukon Gold with rosemary and onion cooked in olive oil and sprinkled with ground black pepper. The hash browns are simpler — a rectangular cake of julienned tubers griddled in butter until crisp on top while still tender beneath. For anyone seeking a Southwestern touch, Matt’s offers a hearty Big Papa Burrito stuffed full of three eggs, Schreiner’s chorizo, roasted potatoes, pinto beans, jalapeños, and cheddar cheese.
hickory burger with chipsThe breakfast menu, which is served all the way until the 2:00 PM closing time, also has a few choices that focus more on carbs than protein. The griddle cakes are light, fluffy, and slightly sweet. There is a generous dollop of butter on top, and real maple syrup on the side. The waffle is supple and generously sized. It comes with two slices of thick-cut bacon while the griddle cakes, like everything else on the menu at Matt’s, can be supplemented with a side of bacon, sliced ham, or sausage, available as pork “country” links or patties or as chicken apple links.
Matt’s Reuben with macaroni saladAlthough Matt’s core appeal is found in hearty diner-style food, the restaurant has made a few concessions to lighter eating and contemporary trends. A big bowl of steel-cut oats has long been on the menu with simple toppings of brown sugar and raisins. A newer addition is the seemingly ubiquitous coffee house favorite avocado toast. In this case, the emphasis on fresh, local ingredients is expressed via a colorful assortment of cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, and microgreens placed over a smooth layer of mashed avocado on a thick slice of multigrain bread.
avocado toastWhile most customers seem to come for breakfast, the lunch menu is available beginning at 11 AM. A longstanding signature item is the Big Butter Burger topped with American cheese, and the Hickory Burger, accessorized with Canadian bacon, cheddar, and onion is a recent menu addition. The chicken sandwich contains grilled breast marinated in pesto and paired with provolone and romaine. The chili is described as “Midwestern style,” meaning, in this case, ground beef with a mild spice level, shredded cheddar, diced onions, and oyster crackers.
Biltmore club with coleslawMatt’s Reuben features thinly sliced corned beef placed between two slices of marble rye, griddled with just a little butter, and dressed with Swiss cheese, thousand island dressing, and plenty of sauerkraut. The Biltmore Club is built with roasted turkey with bacon, havarti, tomato, and romaine on toasted sourdough bread. All of the lunch sandwiches are served with potato chips by default, with the option to upgrade for a few dollars to either a creamy coleslaw or a macaroni salad with a nice sprinkling of black pepper to enliven this normally plain side.
chili bowlThe beverage selection is limited, but the fresh-squeezed orange juice, always sweet and slightly pulpy, is a dependable choice. Honey lemonade strikes the right balance between tart and sweet notes and can be enhanced with muddled strawberries or blueberries. Cola and other sodas on the menu, some from small batch producer Boylan Bottling. Coffee is available with unlimited refills, but don’t expect any espresso or matcha drinks. It’s just good straightforward coffee, roasted in Cave Creek and yet another ingredient of local provenance.
strawberry honey lemonadeWith several suburban locations scattered throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, as well as an outlet at Sky Harbor Airport, Matt’s Big Breakfast has grown well beyond the confines of its original building in Downtown Phoenix. There has even been some talk of potentially franchising the concept outside of Arizona. That’s quite a departure from the modest and minimalist origins of the restaurant, but a testament to its success as well. For many, breakfast may often be the most cautious meal of the day, but at Matt’s, there is no reason why it can’t be the best one.
817 N 1st St., Phoenix AZ 85004
http://www.mattsbigbreakfast.com#avocadoToast #breakfast #breakfastBurritos #breakfastSandwiches #EvansChurchill #hashBrowns #pancakes #reuben #RooseveltRow #sausage #waffles
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Matt’s Big Breakfast
It’s interesting how even the most adventurous eaters tend to be conservative about breakfast. People who gladly consume foods from outside their own family traditions in the afternoon and evening often revert to familiar dishes like eggs, bacon, pancakes, and waffles in the morning. Matt’s Big Breakfast, having recently expanded yet again with a new flagship location next to its old one, continues to embrace the familiar but does so with a high standard that emphasizes high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients and a hand-crafted approach to their preparation.
waffle and baconMatt’s current flagship is just two blocks from Roosevelt/Central station on the B Line and is the third version of the restaurant to exist on the same block of First Street during the restaurant’s two decades of operation.. Bike racks are found at the corner of Garfield and First with many more found among the surrounding blocks. Although this location is the biggest Matt’s yet and the first location with extensive shaded patio seating, there can still be a wait for a table during peak weekend hours. Solo diners or pairs can often be seated at the counter immediately.
griddle cakes with blueberriesThe menu offers both classic breakfast fare and lunch items offered after 11 AM.. Daily specials are on a separate sheet labeled “Matt’s Traditions.” Expect generous use of butter, whole milk, eggs, white flour, and pork products in many dishes. At Matt’s, “big breakfast” seems to refer not only to generous portions, but also an ongoing trend towards re-embracing some formerly taboo foods. The results are hearty dishes like the Chop & Chick, which combines a pork chop and two eggs or the Five-Spot, a breakfast sandwich with eggs, bacon, cheese, and onions on a roll.
French toast with sausageThe other eggs dishes all come with toast, served with fresh local fruit preserves, and a choice of potatoes. The home fries are big chunks of Yukon Gold with rosemary and onion cooked in olive oil and sprinkled with ground black pepper. The hash browns are simpler — a rectangular cake of julienned tubers griddled in butter until crisp on top while still tender beneath. For anyone seeking a Southwestern touch, Matt’s offers a hearty Big Papa Burrito stuffed full of three eggs, Schreiner’s chorizo, roasted potatoes, pinto beans, jalapeños, and cheddar cheese.
hickory burger with chipsThe breakfast menu, which is served all the way until the 2:00 PM closing time, also has a few choices that focus more on carbs than protein. The griddle cakes are light, fluffy, and slightly sweet. There is a generous dollop of butter on top, and real maple syrup on the side. The waffle is supple and generously sized. It comes with two slices of thick-cut bacon while the griddle cakes, like everything else on the menu at Matt’s, can be supplemented with a side of bacon, sliced ham, or sausage, available as pork “country” links or patties or as chicken apple links.
Matt’s Reuben with macaroni saladAlthough Matt’s core appeal is found in hearty diner-style food, the restaurant has made a few concessions to lighter eating and contemporary trends. A big bowl of steel-cut oats has long been on the menu with simple toppings of brown sugar and raisins. A newer addition is the seemingly ubiquitous coffee house favorite avocado toast. In this case, the emphasis on fresh, local ingredients is expressed via a colorful assortment of cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, and microgreens placed over a smooth layer of mashed avocado on a thick slice of multigrain bread.
avocado toastWhile most customers seem to come for breakfast, the lunch menu is available beginning at 11 AM. A longstanding signature item is the Big Butter Burger topped with American cheese, and the Hickory Burger, accessorized with Canadian bacon, cheddar, and onion is a recent menu addition. The chicken sandwich contains grilled breast marinated in pesto and paired with provolone and romaine. The chili is described as “Midwestern style,” meaning, in this case, ground beef with a mild spice level, shredded cheddar, diced onions, and oyster crackers.
Biltmore club with coleslawMatt’s Reuben features thinly sliced corned beef placed between two slices of marble rye, griddled with just a little butter, and dressed with Swiss cheese, thousand island dressing, and plenty of sauerkraut. The Biltmore Club is built with roasted turkey with bacon, havarti, tomato, and romaine on toasted sourdough bread. All of the lunch sandwiches are served with potato chips by default, with the option to upgrade for a few dollars to either a creamy coleslaw or a macaroni salad with a nice sprinkling of black pepper to enliven this normally plain side.
chili bowlThe beverage selection is limited, but the fresh-squeezed orange juice, always sweet and slightly pulpy, is a dependable choice. Honey lemonade strikes the right balance between tart and sweet notes and can be enhanced with muddled strawberries or blueberries. Cola and other sodas on the menu, some from small batch producer Boylan Bottling. Coffee is available with unlimited refills, but don’t expect any espresso or matcha drinks. It’s just good straightforward coffee, roasted in Cave Creek and yet another ingredient of local provenance.
strawberry honey lemonadeWith several suburban locations scattered throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, as well as an outlet at Sky Harbor Airport, Matt’s Big Breakfast has grown well beyond the confines of its original building in Downtown Phoenix. There has even been some talk of potentially franchising the concept outside of Arizona. That’s quite a departure from the modest and minimalist origins of the restaurant, but a testament to its success as well. For many, breakfast may often be the most cautious meal of the day, but at Matt’s, there is no reason why it can’t be the best one.
817 N 1st St., Phoenix AZ 85004
http://www.mattsbigbreakfast.com#avocadoToast #breakfast #breakfastBurritos #breakfastSandwiches #EvansChurchill #hashBrowns #pancakes #reuben #RooseveltRow #sausage #waffles
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£1,000 donation helps Matt’s Café serve hundreds of meals a week in Swansea
Matthew’s House says donation is a “game-changer” for food storage and planning
Matthew’s House, based in a converted church on Swansea’s High Street, is home to Matt’s Café — a community space offering hot meals, showers, laundry, clothing and support to anyone who walks through the door.
The café operates on a “pay what you can” basis and is open three times a week, with no eligibility criteria. Guests are welcome regardless of their circumstances, and many are facing homelessness, mental health challenges or financial hardship.
Now, thanks to a £1,000 donation from UKSE’s Community Fund, the charity has been able to purchase a large freezer to store donated food more efficiently.
“It’s a game-changer for us,” said Project Leader Tom Lynch. “It allows us to plan and organise our food storage more efficiently. We are very grateful to UKSE for their support.”
Supporting Swansea’s most vulnerable with food, dignity and warmth
Matthew’s House was launched in 2017 by The Hill Church Swansea and has grown into a multi-service hub supported by over 150 volunteers. In addition to meals, the charity provides emergency packs, hygiene items, advocacy, and a welcoming space for those who need a chat or a moment of peace.
Much of the food served at Matt’s Café comes from the Fair Share scheme, which intercepts unsold supermarket goods that would otherwise go to waste.
UKSE Regional Executive Alan Jenkins said the company was proud to support the charity’s work:
“We are delighted to assist the wonderful work done by Matthew’s House and, along with their many other supporters, to enable them to bring hope to people who are struggling — especially at this time of year.”
How to support
Matthew’s House continues to rely on donations, volunteers and community partnerships to operate its services. More information is available at matthewshouse.org.uk.
More on Matthew’s House
Matthew’s House named among Big Issue’s Top 100 Changemakers
Swansea’s “beacon of hope” recognised nationally for its work supporting vulnerable people.Matthew’s House launches ‘Hope in Swansea’ app
New smartphone app connects people in need with local support providers across the city.Swans Big Sleep Out fundraiser with Matthew’s House
Swansea City AFC Foundation partners with Matthew’s House to raise awareness of homelessness.Donation station set up for Matthew’s House
Yorkshire Building Society in Swansea collects food and essentials to support the charity.Browse all Matthew’s House coverage
Explore our full archive of stories about Matthew’s House and its community impact.#FairShare #foodWaste #HighStreet #homelessness #MattSCafé #MatthewSHouse #Swansea #TheHillChurch #UKSE #UKSECommunityFund
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Oh wow it snowed
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OMG, I accidentally turned on light mode on my Mac.. The blandness of the UI is shocking. At least when using dark mode, you do not notice the same way how flat, minimal and boring all UIs have become.
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Things are getting so much worse and so steadily that Reagan’s famous line can be used against Trump with any timeframe:
Are you better off than you were a year ago? A month ago? A day ago? A minute ago?
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🎵 Pull it out a paper sleeve:
Matt Cameron - Cavedweller
📅 Released: 22 Sep. 2017
