What do we like this week? Summerfest, of course, but also a delicious fried food alternative, a great way to stay protected from the sun, some bonus tunes to check out and a breathtaking view to start or end your day. Read on to get the details in this week's OnMilwaukee.com Recommends.
Catalano's fruit and vegetable stand – I'm going to state right off the bat that I love my deep fried, bad-for-me festival foods, so don't take this as a slight to any of Summerfest's fries, cheese curds or mozzarella sticks. But for those occasions when I've had my fill of all the greasy goodness, Catalano's stands have always been a tried-and-true stop during festival season. Simple, healthy and affordable, Catalano's sells assorted fruit and veggie bowls at three different spots on the Summerfest grounds, plus juice and other drinks. My personal favorite, the melon medley, is also a delicious way of keeping hydrated. Even better, you can eat it with a toothpick, so you won't even feel left out of the "food on a stick" fun. – Renee Lorenz
Damon and Naomi – False Beats and True Hearts (20/20/20 Records) – As Damon and Naomi celebrate a quarter-century making music together, we get this first record of new music in four years. Spacey, poppy and introspective, the record also has an uplifting vibe, from the buzzy but understated fuzz guitar of "Walking Backwards" to the sunny balladry of "How Do I Say Goodbye" and "Embers." Tender, quiet and warm, "False Beats and True Hearts" is a great return to form after a string of retrospective projects. – Bobby Tanzilo
The view on the east end of Wisconsin Avenue – I was driving east on Wisconsin Avenue one recent morning and I came to a red light at Jackson Street. The sun had been up for just a little while and all of a sudden all the breath in my body came rushing out. I was looking at one of the most magnificent sights I've ever seen. The wings of the Calatrava were opening while, right in the middle, stood The Calling, the brilliant monument built designed and built by Mark di Suvero. It's as if both were built together, one to complement the other. I know there's lots of controversy over the The Calling and that a lot of critics bitch and moan about how it ruins the view of the Calatrava. Well, if you could take a look like I did, you would stop complaining and just enjoy one of the greatest artistic visions this city has ever seen. – Dave Begel
ParkMilwaukee.com -- Chances are you're coming Downtown this weekend or in the coming weeks. When you do, use ParkMilwaukee.com. Sure, OnMilwaukee.com developed the site. Yet, it's a pure recommendation as it's a great source to find the lots, structures and available parking in Downtown. Just enter your destination or an address and click "search." Easy as pie. And remember if you park on the streets you don't have to feed the meters on weekends! Read the signs (obey them too of course). They may not be the most straightforward signs in the world, but if you ignore the top portion (the "Monday through Friday" language) you will notice that the bottom portion does not contain the word "meter." -- Jeff Sherman
Kiss My Face and Sunbow Sunscreens – You know summer is in full effect in Milwaukee when not a soul can be found inside their office or home. Everyone has an excuse to be outside, soaking up the rays and relishing the warm weather for the very limited time we have it. Before you bolt into the sunshine, be sure to protect your skin with a quality sunscreen. I am loving Kiss My Face Face Factor SPF 50 Sunscreen. Chock full of anti-aging ingredients and antioxidants, it's water resistant and free of all the nasty stuff you don't want in personal care products like parabens, phthalates and artificial colors. It's even gluten free! Non-greasy, yet lightly moisturizing, it's perfect under makeup or alone for a hydrated glow. For the kids, try naturally formulated Sunbow water-resistant, color changing sunscreen available in "Dora the Explorer" and "SpongeBob Squarepants" varieties. Heck, even parents may want to slather on this fun product that sprays on in color, but dries clear. – Lindsay Garric
"Live From New York: An Oral History of Saturday Night Live" – I am a big SNL fan, especially when there's a host I really like. James Miller and Tom Shales chronicled the history of the show from Lorne Michael's move to New York City from Canada in the early 1970s, through the early 2000s and the Will Ferrell era. I especially appreciated that almost half the book is dedicated to the formation and stories of the "Not Ready for Primetime Players;" even for a relative newbie such as myself, it was fun to read about the most rowdy period in the show's history. After reading the book, I've found myself watching episode after episode from the first five seasons on Netflix, especially the episode that Chevy Chase hosts when he and Bill Murray got into a full-blown fist fight during Billy Joel's performance. – Alex Wendland
Cadence 4-bit binary watch – We get all sorts of unique stuff sent to us here at OnMilwaukee.com, but this timepiece goes a little over my head. It represents the numbers 1-12 in 4-bit binary code, which means something to our programmers, but not so much to me (and thus, why I gifted this to one of them). With a leather band, it's formal enough to wear at dressier occasions and is certainly a conversation starter. Just be prepared to explain what it means. The 4-bit binary watch is $90 at cadencewatch.com – Andy Tarnoff
