Puma Drift Cat -- Until recently, I didn't know that "drifting shoes" existed. If I had, I wouldn't have bought them. But some friends knew about our upcoming trip to Europe and the plan to drive a new BMW west from Munich on the Autobahn (more on that in a few weeks) and they were kind enough to buy me a pair of Puma Drift Cats.

These are probably the coolest shoes I've owned since those red, checkered Vans high tops in 1985. These skinny shoes look a bit like they belong on a boxer or a ballerina, but their grippy bottom and tiny soles are perfect for performance driving (or looking like you enjoy performance driving).

I haven't had the opportunity to try them out at 135 miles per hour, but you'd better believe I will. If you're a driving snob and you know about "double clutching," then you owe it to yourself to shell out the $80 (or to find a friend who will on your behalf) and buy these super-cool suede, leather and oil-resistant rubber shoes. --Andy Tarnoff

Breakfast at the Riverwest Co-op -- It used to be that you could only get the deliciously prepared breakfast items at the Co-op, 733 E. Clarke St., on weekends. Now, the volunteer-run vegan / vegetarian café connected to the co-op grocery store is severs breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. weekdays. The extended weekend brunch hours are now 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sure, the eating area is small, but it's always worth the wait for a table. I definitely appreciate the five extra days to indulge in the veggie scramble ($6.50), vegan biscuits and gravy ($5.75), vegan French toast ($5) or one of six fruit smoothies. --Julie Lawrence

Josh Kelley's "Two Cups of Coffee" -- OK, so he's married to a chick from "Grey Anatomy," which instantly makes me want to revoke this post. But, I like Josh Kelley's latest disc, so I'll take the good with the bad. His "Two Cups of Coffee" is solid pop, not too sing-songy and not too adult alternative. It's a great single and nice kickoff to a good overall listen, his new "Special Company." iTunes has it for $7.99 or gank it free from your favorite source. --Jeff Sherman

The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook -- I've always found it ironic that I'm Italian and I can't cook. Until recently, that is. This cookbook -- based on the PBS show "America's Test Kitchen" -- has taught me more about cuisine in a month than I've picked up during my entire adult life. The book features 1,200 recipes, and the ones I've tackled so far are very well written without taking any prior cooking knowledge for granted.

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