Here are OnMilwaukee.com senior editor Drew Olson's favorite things of 2008.

Album: "Real Animal" -- Alejandro Escovedo's ninth solo album, co-written by Chuck Prophet and produced by Tony Visconti, stayed in my car's CD player longer than just about anything else this year. Escovedo, who is fluent in arranging punk power chords and string quartets into a pleasing palette, creates 13 soul-baring songs that one critic described as simultaneously "introspective and reflective." It's just great stuff. Other albums (does anyone else still call them "albums," by the way?) that I liked included REM's "Accelerate," Drive-by Truckers' "Brighter Than Creation's Dark," The Raconteurs' "Consolers of the Body," Black Keys' "Attack and Release" and "Stay Positive" by The Hold Steady.

Concert: Picking a Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band show is a no-brainer for me, of course, but which one? I enjoyed the Harley-Davidson extravaganza at the Lakefront, but not as much as the St. Patrick's Day at the Bradley Center. I had seen Bruce and the band the previous night in St. Paul, and the Milwaukee show was considerably stronger. I loved that Bruce and the gang trotted out "Streets of Fire" for the first time in five years, and kicked off the encore with "Loose Ends," a rarity requested by Steve Van Zandt. Another highlight was an appearance by renowned jazz bassist and University of Wisconsin professor Richard Davis, who played on "Meeting Across the River," just as he did on "Born to Run." I enjoyed watching Pat Riley rocking to "American Land."

The complete set list from the March 17 show:
No Surrender
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
Streets of Fire
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason to Believe
It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City
Prove It All Night
She's the One
Livin' in the Future
The Promised Land
Cadillac Ranch
My Hometown
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands

ENCORE
Loose Ends
Meeting Across the River (with Richard Davis)
Jungleland
Born to Run
Ramrod
American Land

National event: I'm sure plenty of Americans felt burned out during the long election season and nearly half the country was displeased with the result, but I like a spirited debate and think our democracy depends on it. The magnitude of Barack Obama's election hit home for me when I talked to a friend -- an African-American gentleman in his 60s -- shook his head and said "I never thought I'd see it in my lifetime."

Milwaukee event: Nobody who was at Miller Park on Sept. 28 will forget the afternoon that the Brewers clinched their first playoff berth since 1982. Lefty CC Sabathia, making his third straight start on three days' rest, pitched a gutsy four-hitter and Ryan Braun belted a tiebreaking homer in the eighth to lift his team to a 3-1 victory. When it ended, thousands of fans stuck around to watch the Marlins beat the Mets on the scoreboard TV, clinching a wild-card berth for the Brewers. Sure, they lost in the playoffs to eventual World Series champion Philadelphia, but the celebration that Sunday was unforgettable. My favorite part was watching long-time Brewers employees like Bob Uecker, Bill Castro, Tony Migliaccio, Barb Stark and Gary Vanden Berg celebrate the victory.

Comedians: It almost seems unfair to label Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert as comedians, because the work that they do is far superior to most guys telling jokes in front of brick walls in smoky nightclubs. Maybe "social satirists" is a better label. During the election season, Stewart and Colbert were on top of their games and their writing staffs deserve any and all awards that come their way.

Gadget: OnMilwaukee.com publisher Andy Tarnoff has always been an unpaid cheerleader for everything Apple, and his zeal for the iPhone played a huge role in my decision to buy one. I owe you a beer, Andy. The phone is as cool as you said it would be and I can't imagine being without it. I'm not as geeky as Mr. Tarnoff, but I do recommend it to everyone who asks.

Team: This one isn't even close. The Incredibles, my little one's first soccer team, didn't win every time out. But they played hard, had fun and improved and bonded as a group before our very eyes. Many members are now playing for the Stars, and they're a riot to watch.

TV: I was glued to the cable news shows and political roundtables, but "Entourage" was the one show that I couldn't miss. Jeremy Piven's outrageous take on Ari Gold, the maniacal Hollywood agent, is worth the price of admission.

Interview: There were plenty of them, but the ones that stand out include Mike D. of the Beastie Boys, Ken Casey of Dropkick Murphys and fellow UWM mass commer Frank Caliendo.

New Milwaukee landmark: The Bronze Fonz got enough coverage this year, so I'm going to have to select the new Harley-Davidson Museum. I like the architecture and general feel of the place and the fact that you don't have to be a motorcycle junkie to appreciate the history of one of the city's great exports.

Charity: There are so many worthy causes out there, but my favorite remains the MACC Fund (Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer).

Cool new place to have a drink: The bar inside the Iron Horse Hotel is so sleek and trendy that you don't feel like you're in Milwaukee. I'd say that dinner at Conejito's and a jaunt over to the Horse is a perfect way to start an evening in Milwaukee.

Wine: I tasted several outstanding offerings from the Ridge Winery during a tasting dinner at Dream Dance, but the 1999 Monte Bello Cabernet was spectacular.

Junk food: My willpower evaporates when I'm in the presence of Cape Cod Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt potato chips. Put them next to a turkey or tuna salad sandwich in Great Harvest bread (with Tenuta's mustard, spicy mayo and alfalfa sprouts) and I will be one happy sofa spud.