Looking for the perfect gift for hard-to-shop-for pre-teens or the adult of legal drinking age? Perhaps you need a cheap bike repair or escape from the daily routine ... we've got you covered with this week's suggestions from the OnMilwaukee.com editorial staff.
Here are a few of our favorite things this week:
Magic Hat's IPA on Tour program -- Vermont's Magic Hat Brewing Company likes to keep things interesting. It's kicking off a year-long tour of sorts, cycling through its past catalog of IPAs and re-releasing a different brew each quarter. Summer is off to a good start with Blind Faith, a crisp, well-balanced IPA that is a treat for any hop head. One of these days the weather around here will catch up to the seasonal beer releases. -- Julie Lawrence
Herban Renewal's line of Livi.Lu.Lu "Graphic Gift Sets" for pre-teens -- It can be tough to shop for girls in their "tweens." The Disney princess stuff is passe and musical tastes can change in the course of a week (Goodbye, Jonas Brothers; Hello, Justin Bieber). Herban Renewal makes things easier with a reusable bag that features lotion, shower gel, lip balm and fun nail polish. It's a "grown up" gift that is perfect for a young lady in her "tweens." Check them out online. -- Drew Olson
HGTV's "Selling New York" -- Real estate and home television shows are a dime a dozen. But, "Selling New York" on HGTV is pretty good and entertaining. It shadows Manhattan brokerage companies Core and Gumley Haft Kleier as their agents and brokers work to sell wildly expensive homes in New York City and its surrounding areas. It's a bit sensational and loves to drop celebrity names, but, hey, it's New York. So, if you like name dropping, big price tags, cool homes, designers with rich clients and even some crazy negotiations -- this show is for you. -- Jeff Sherman
Bike repairs at the Milwaukee Bike Collective -- I picked up a new/used bike a little while back and it needed some work -- new tire, brake and deraileur adjustments, etc. -- and was somewhat concerned about my purchase after getting tune up estimates at a few local bike shops. OnMilwaukee.com designer Jason McDowell referred me to the Bike Collective, where I was able to get one heck of a good deal. Pay just $5 per hour for stand rental and bargain prices on used but more-than-usable parts and tune up your bike for a fraction of the cost. The volunteers don't just fix your ride, either. If you're willing to get your hands dirty, they'll show you how to do simple repairs and maintenance, too. Not a bad deal. The collective is open Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons. -- Andrew Wagner
