Need a simple solution to cleaning up after your pet's messy meal time? How about a fun and free way to tone up, or some easy entertainment pass the time? Look no further than this week's OnMilwaukee.com Recommends.
Neater Feeder – I've got two dogs and while one is a pretty neat diner, as dogs go, the other is a sloppy, drippy drinker, trailing water around the house after each gulping session. The towels on the kitchen floor aren't attractive and are a slipping hazard. So, the Neater Feeder, a two-bowl plastic dog feeder, is a big help. A bowl for water and a bowl for food sit in the plastic rack which has a storage space beneath to hold food. The top has an edge to contain dropped food and there's a tray built in to collect dripped and spilled water. The system also keeps the dripped water out of the spilled food, making clean-up easier. The whole system is simple, easy to clean and helps contain any mess. It's made from recyclable plastic and is dishwasher safe. Comes in multiple sizes (for cats, too!) and optional leg extensions can raise it up for bigger dogs. –Bobby Tanzilo
BodyRock.tv – No time for working out? Can't afford a trainer or gym membership? No problem! As long as you have an Internet connection, you can do the grueling, effective workouts on bodyrock.tv. Hard body Zuzana Light and her husband offer fast DIY, DIAH (do-it-at-home) fitness routines, nutrition advice and forums. The super intense, full body, body weight routines use little or no equipment, creating a lean, compact physique. There is video and text that accompany each challenge to get you sweating in no time. And best of all, "bodyrocking" is free! Now there's no excuse to not be fit. –Lindsay Garric
Pit – A simplified version of olden-days grain trading, this fast-paced card game is much more fun than its stuffy inspiration. Anywhere from three to eight players can join in and trade cards – face down – between each other, aiming to collect all of one grain "suit" worth a certain number of points. Without knowing what anyone else has, each Pit round becomes a frenzied race to score the same suit the fastest to earn the most points. There are a couple versions out there, but go for the original and skip the add-on rules for a quick-study game for almost any age. –Renee Lorenz
Shiner Bock Ruby Redbird -- The new summer seasonal from Shiner is Ruby Redbird. I like this stuff. If you're beer purist and don't like the fruity stuff, well then it's not for you. But, trust me here Redbird is good on a hot Milwaukee day. Brewed with Texas Red Grapefruit juice from the Rio Grande Valley and with just a touch of tangy ginger, Redbird is sweet, but not too sweet and has just the right kick with the ginger. Try it. -- Jeff Sherman
Bonnie "Prince" Billy – There Is No God/God Is Love 10" (Drag City) – One of America's most engaging singer/songwriters is back with two songs on a similar theme stamped into 10" vinyl. The theme and the execution conjure John and Yoko. The first side is rooted in classic midtempo American roots music, has some edgy lyrics and Billy's vocal and the Rachel Korine harmony also recall the Ono Lennons. Plus, there's nudity on the sleeve. The more intimate flip side has the at first seemingly contradictory "God Is Love," but listen closely and you'll realize that songs are actually quite complementary. Proceeds from the sale of the 10" (and downloads of the songs) benefit Save Our Gulf and Florida-based The Turtle Hospital and their efforts to clean and maintain waterways. Great music for a great cause. –Bobby Tanzilo
Hofbrau Sommerbier – You'll be hard-pressed to find a microbrew in my fridge but occasionally, I like to stray from my usual Schlitz or High Life and give my taste buds an added treat. That time usually comes each year, around the middle of June, when the Old German Beer Hall, 1009 N. Old World 3rd St., releases its annual summer beer, Hofbrau Sommer. I'm not going to get all beer-snobby and try and describe every tiny individual flavor. All I will say, though, is that it tastes good, especially sitting outside on a warm summer evening. – Andrew Wagner
