Bavarian Inn fish fry -- I know, I already blogged about this, but we returned and had an even better experience. Although I still find that single, small piece of fish served on the regular fish fry to be sort of solitary, I can't say I left hungry thanks to the warm bread, corn muffins, soup and salad bar (and the happy hour noshes out in the bar while we waited to be seated). Pianist Jean Rex was accompanied by a zither player and we had a front row seat, much to the delight of our youngest diner, and you can't beat the decor and the atmosphere. Next time, we'll try to get there on a Friday that features the polka band, because I suspect that will change the vibe a bit. --Bobby Tanzilo

The new and improved MLB Gameday -- I don't have enough focus to listen to, much less watch, my beloved Brewers during day games when I'm at the office. Now and then, I tune into the sweet sounds of Bob and Jim, but usually, I just turn it off, as I find myself staring into space (and not working).

Instead, for the last few years, I've logged on MLB Gameday through the Brewers' Web site. This year, they gave the application a substantial upgrade, including free video highlights and some other Web 2.0 increased usability features. I still think it's ludicrous that Major League Baseball doesn't offer live audio and video free -- what they'd sacrifice in revenue would be made up with increased fan interest, which translates into ticket sales. That said, the Web interface is almost as good and dazzles with enough stats to keep even Bill James geeks satiated. Play ball, baby. --Andy Tarnoff

"A Long Way from Tupelo" -- Paul Thorn is the son of a Pentecostal preacher and a former pro boxer who once traded punches with Roberto Duran. Oh, and he's one of the more talented and underrated singer-songwriter-storytellers making the rounds today.

Thorn, who plays April 10 at Shank Hall, is witty like John Hiatt and down home like Joe Ely. He sings a bit like Delbert McClinton. He's passionate like Steve Earle (but less angry). His newest album, "A Long Way from Tupelo" is full of well-drawn characters battling tough times.

From the CD opening "Lucky 7 Ranch" to "All About People," a song about a stripper, Thorn colors his songs with interesting characters fighting their demons against a backdrop of greasy guitar riffs, Hammond organs and clever turns of phrase.

It's a long drive from Mississippi to New Jersey, but Thorn is like Springsteen; when you hear his records, you want to tell your friends so they can tell theirs. --Drew Olson

Café La Scala calamari -- Café La Scala is an open-to-the-public restaurant inside the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St. We eat there often with my full-blooded Northern Italian mother and always find the food to be very good. The calamari, however, is exceptional. An order ($7.95) includes a heaping pile of lightly fried squid seasoned with Parmesan, pepper and parsley, a side of rich marinara sauce and plenty of lemon wedges for increased flavor. It's like eating delicious festival food when festival season still seems far away. Café La Scala is open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. --Molly Snyder Edler

Alterra and STAM in Wauwatosa -- Although we can walk there in summer, the corner of 92nd Street and North Avenue is a brief drive for us most of the time. That makes these great stops -- one, of course, an outpost of Milwaukee's own coffee roasters and the other the first Wisconsin location of a legendary Dutch chocolatier -- closer to us than most anything else. Consequently, we get to them both quite a bit. After an initial equipment-related hiccup, the gelato at STAM is good, if not quite as tempting at the 12 or so feet of countertop lined with sumptuous chocolates. The Alterra is a small-ish location for them, but only rarely do we stop in an find ourselves unable to sit. So, sit we do. (And just what is a "lower fat" scone? Clarification please!) --B.T.

Attending a Wave home playoff game -- The MISL championship team will have to go through Milwaukee. Literally. The Wave has been chosen to host the 2008 Time Warner Cable MISL title game at 6 p.m. April 26. Now, they just have to qualify.

With a dramatic 18-12 victory over Detroit on Sunday, the Wave (21-7) clinched a first-round bye for the playoffs, which begin next weekend. The Wave, which tunes up for the post-season with a game Saturday night, will host a semifinal game at 2 p.m. April 20.

I went to the game Sunday, and it was full of action, a big come back and two amazing 3-point goals, Wave soccer (especially this time of the year) is one of the best sporting events you can attend. Trust me, get to a Wave play off game. You'll love it. --J.S.

Chocolate Light Silk Soymilk -- Some of my earliest memories of childhood revolve around Saturday morning trips to the neighborhood bakery, where we sat at a counter and indulged in fresh donuts and a delicious glass of chocolate milk. I thought about that recently while drinking a glass of Chocolate Light Silk Soymilk. I won't pretend that this stuff even approaches the taste and texture sensation of those glasses from decades ago. It's watery and there is an aftertaste, so it's not what you would consider thirst-quenching. With half the fat and fewer calories of regular soymilk, it's a reasonable (and healthy) approximation of a treat. If you can get used to diet soda, you can handle the chocolate soymilk. --D.O.

Original Godzilla cartoons -- Hanna Barbera's "Godzilla" cartoons originally ran in the early ‘70s, and are now archived on DVD. Recently, my 5-year-olds got a copy of volume one, which features adventures from Calico, an ocean ship under the command of Capt. Carl Majors and his crew. When in need, the dinosaur-esque Godzilla is never far away, nor is his trusty, winged mini-me named Gadzooky. The old school animation flips the nostalgia button, but best of all, the cartoons have very little violence or mature content. Get ‘em on Amazon.com for about $5. --M.E.