If Summerfest and other endeavors have left you tired, why not invest in a Roomba (pictured) to take care of a cleaning chore? That device, along with a sandwich, a book and "green" car wash soap are on this week's list.
The Roomba -- Until I received a Roomba as a gift last weekend, I had never seen the little gadget in action. A Roomba is a robotic vacuum cleaner made by iRobot, which scores points for being a robot, but is the type of expensive ($400-$500, depending on the model) accessory I would normally never consider. Why buy something to clean your floors when you can do it yourself free? I'll tell you why. This nickel battery-powered contraption can run while I'm gone, has a dirt-sensor that somehow detects and focuses on the dirtiest spots, and makes my hard-wood floors look like I don't own the fluffiest white cat in the world. The best part is that it's only six inches tall and can get under couches and low tables where the fur balls often collect. Frankly, my house has never been so clean. Then, like a good little bot, it finds its way "home" and docks itself for charging. Brilliant. It annoys the crap out of my cat and makes a slight hum as it works, but it has totally changed my life. --Julie Lawrence
Spaghettini -- I am in the process of writing a full article about Fuel Cafe's new food menu, but here's a quick shout out to the Spaghettini, "an entire Italian dinner in one sandwich." This sandwich ($6.95 with El Rey chips and a pickle) features spag noodles, marinara sauce, meatballs (soon they will have veggie meatballs available, too), giardiniera peppers and melted mozzarella grilled on a sub roll. It's a starch-lover's dream come true. --Molly Snyder Edler
Biodegradable car wash -- Until recently, I guess I never gave much thought to the environmental impact of washing my car. Sure, it takes some water, but I didn't know that the soap that's used goes down the storm drains and into Lake Michigan untreated. It makes sense, though: gutters are designed for rain, not for chemicals. Of course, there are bigger offenders out there than the occasional weekend car washer, but for less than $4, you can sleep better knowing that the soap you use isn't harming our great lake. I picked up a bottle of Green Earth Technologies at Target, and it's on Amazon.com for $3.88. This 16-oz. bottle of hydrophobic (whatever that means) soap works just as well as the stuff I used before. Their bottles are made from recycled plastic, but most importantly, the soap breaks down completely. The company makes a bunch of green products, from motor oil to wheel cleaner to odor eliminator. Similar products are available elsewhere from Simple Green, too. --Andy Tarnoff
Tomato powder from The Spice House -- Sometimes, cutting a tomato for just one slice isn't worth the effort or risk of wasting the rest of the fruit. Luckily, The Spice House takes some tasty, sweet tomatoes and grinds them up into a fine powder called, you guessed it, Tomato Powder. Great stuff, and for only $3.98 you get plenty and you'll quickly find a ton of uses for it: pizza, pastas, salads, sandwiches, etc. Get it at The Spice House on Old World 3rd Street or in the Milwaukee Public Market. Store in the fridge as humidity makes it clump. --Jeff Sherman
Reach Access flosser -- I received one of these from a hygienist at a recent cleaning (maybe it was a hint) and instantly came to like the gadget. The disposable floss inserts snap into place easily and the long, toothbrush-style handle is angled and makes it easy to reach back teeth. Want to try one? Click here for a freebie. --Drew Olson
Stone Creek Coffee's new Milwaukee Blend -- I love companies, like the fine magazine you are reading, that embrace the "Milwaukee love." Stone Creek Coffee is one of those. Its new Milwaukee Blend is not only a delicious, dark roast but its label (the first of several rotating local images) is a tribute to Brew City's corner bars and taverns. Says Stone Creek on its site, "This blend pays tribute to the great city that we have called home for the last 15 years. We hope to rotate the labels that represent this blend to highlight different aspects of our city that make Milwaukee a unique and great place to live." Pick up a pound today. --Jeff Sherman
"Letter to a New President: Essential Lessons for Our Next Leader" by Sen. Robert Byrd -- The title isn't misleading. The senator from West Virginia draws on nearly six decades of experience in Washington to offer advice and encouragement to the next president. The book / letter, written with Steve Kettmann (full disclosure: Kettmann is a former baseball writer and personal friend) is full of interesting stories about former presidents who soared and stumbled in the most important job in the world,
Conservatives will cringe when Byrd refers to George W. Bush as the "most divisive, most nakedly partisan president in my lifetime," but they will then cheer when Byrd dresses down Bill Clinton for his arrogance.
Politics aside, Byrd's takes on faith, humility and the power and responsibility of the presidency are timely, interesting and should be required reading for his colleagues, Barack Obama and John McCain. --D.O.
