By OnMilwaukee Staff Writers   Published May 01, 2008 at 5:32 AM

Artichoke a la mode pizza from Pizza Man -- This pizza is one of my all-time favorites, and comes loaded with artichoke hearts, sliced tomatoes, optional garlic (get it!), blobs of cream cheese, red sauce and mozzarella cheese. I recommend ordering it with green olives -- or at least half of it with olives -- for a deliciously, salty element. The crackery, thin crust completes this exotic and orgasmic pie, but the decadence -- and price ($23.75 for a large) -- will most likely keep it in the special treat category. For an extra $2, Pizza Man delivers. Even to Riverwest. --Molly Snyder Edler

RCA's Small Wonder -- Sure, your phone and / or digital camera probably has video. But do you really want to load up the memory and kill the battery? And, if you don't want to lug that big camcorder around, pick up the RCA Small Wonder ($90 on Amazon). Weighing in at less than a pound, it features a flip-out, 1.5-inch color display with 180-degree rotation and captures up to 60 minutes of video. Easy to use, battery operated and plugs into any TV, DVD player or VCR with an audio / video input. It's not the greatest quality, but if you need an inexpensive way to capture simple video, pick up a Small Wonder. --Jeff Sherman

"Crystal River" by Mudcrutch -- Thirty-five years after escaping Gainesville for L.A., Tom Petty reunites with his pre-Heartbreakers band for a collection of country-fried rock and blues, recorded live in the studio with no overdubs. If it sounds familiar, well, that shouldn't be a surprise. Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench join Petty along with Mudcrutch alums Tom Leadon and Randall Marsh. The highlight of the CD is this 9 ½-minute song, which features a jamming, Allman Bros. meet Grateful Dead-type spirit, a false-ending coda that evokes "Layla" and other classics and will make you pine for the days of big headphones, giant combs, WZMF and that Peaches Records and Tapes baseball jersey T-shirt. Midway through the song, you'll feel like you are laying by "Crystal River." --Drew Olson

Clam chowder from Eagan's -- In this election year, I cast my vote for the clams, cream, tender potatoes, carrots, celery and other spices mixed together in delicious soup-like mixture and available for lunch every day of the week  Not the tomato based Manhattan clam chowder, but the creamy, buttery New England style clam chowder. Just as a martini isn't a martini if it is any color except clear, clam chowder is not clam chowder if it is red. Catholics can now satisfy their chowder Jones without having to wait until Friday. As for taste, it is chock full of chowdery goodness. Roll down to 1000 N. Water St. and try it with a couple slices of Italian bread -- on a Thursday or any day. --Kevin Brandt

"A New Earth: Awakening To Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle -- As you might have figured out already, I'm a sucker for pop spirituality books, especially when they sit at the top of The New York Times Best Seller list. This particular book went to a new level, with thousands of people logging on every Monday night for a 10-week, online discussion with the author and Oprah. Although I did not have the time or interest to visit the virtual classroom, I did manage to whip through this book in a couple of days. I found Tolle's writing dry, but it was easy to read thanks to the simple, direct language and I learned a few things, too. Most of my findings are better explained over cocktails, but I will divulge that after reading this book, I've concluded that my big, stupid ego often gets in the way of my life goals. Damn, I hate when that happens. --Molly Snyder Edler

Parking garages at Whole Foods Market and the Milwaukee Art Museum -- Storing your car at the Whole Foods Market on the East Side and inside the Calatrava-designed structure at the Milwaukee Art Museum is inspiring and pleasurable. Both are examples of what all parking structures should be: bright, airy, colorful (white's a color), well lit and safe. The music is a nice touch, too, at Whole Foods. Never been in either garage? Try one this weekend, you'll love it. --J.S.

Svedka vodka -- I've been so pleased with Swedish music lately (Jose Gonzalez, Jens Lekman, etc.) that I decided to try Swedish vodka. And I'm happy to report it's ABBA-solutely delicious. The Internet tells me the smooth taste comes from a centuries-old Swedish vodka-making tradition that includes bushels of Swedish wheat and takes more than 40 hours to distill. All I know for sure is that it tastes very refreshing with lots of ice and a splash of tonic. --M.E.

Gelatida Limoncello -- Gelatida is a brand of Gelati Co., a Minnesota corporation founded in 1995 by David Cannon, a "gelatiere" (Master class Italian ice cream maker). Cannon was at Metro Market a few weekends ago and I could resist trying his "Italian ice creams." The Limoncello is lovely. With Sicilian lemons, it's zesty, refreshing and sweet at the same time. Pretty low in fat too. Try it. --J.S.

Kashi Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Tasty Little Cookies -- When you need something healthier and more satisfying than a trusty Chips Ahoy, this is a great option. The label indicates that each cookie contains seven whole grains and three grams of fiber, along with no hydrogenated oils and zero grams of trans fat. I just know that they taste good and are pretty filling, which reduces the urge to eat a whole box in one sitting. --D.O.