Hot ham and rolls from Sciortino's -- For nearly seven years, we've attend Sunday mass at St. Hedwig Catholic Church on Brady St., Never, though, until this past Sunday have we picked up hot ham and rolls from Peter Sciortino's Bakery, right across the street. Wow. You get a pound of hot, tasty and nearly melt-in-your-mouth ham for $5.95 and six hard rolls/buns. Easy to eat and easy to love. Add a few Italian cookies and your Sunday is made. --Jeff Sherman
The Definitive Rod Stewart (Rhino) -- Because there are just five tracks from the Mercury years on this two-disc plus DVD set (co-produced by Milwaukee native Cheryl Pawelski), I admit that "Reason to Believe," the Mercury package from a few years ago is more to my taste. However, there are seven tracks from the late '70s Warner Bros. discs -- "Atlantic Crossing," "A Night on the Town" and "Foot Loose & Fancy Free" -- which were radio mainstays during my youth. So, Disc One may spend a fair bit of time in the CD player. But I likely won't even get a single fingerprint on Disc Two, which covers the '80s and '90s. The booklet has loads of photos, the DVD collects 14 videos, and this package is certainly aimed at the more casual Stewart fan. The stalwarts, after all, will already have all of this -- except, perhaps, the previously unreleased 1989 tune, "Two Shades of Blue." --Bobby Tanzilo
Kamora coffee liqueur -- In these tough economic times, we all have to make sacrifices. For instance, it's this time of year that I enjoy drinks made with things like Bailey's and Kahlua, but damn, those bottles are not cheap. A few weeks ago, however, I was excited to discover Kamora, just one shelf down from the Kahlua. The basic principal and ingredients are the same: coffee liqueur made from fresh brewed coffee, though I found it to be slightly less sweet, which was welcome. The best part? At around $10, it's about half the price of the more commercial Kahlua. Mix with vodka and cream and enjoy! --Julie Lawrence
Punkrockdogg.com -- What do you buy the deviant dog that has everything? A shirt, toy or collar from Punk Rock Dogg, of course! Your pup will be the most badass of all the butt-sniffers with one of these iron cross T-shirts or a skull-and-crossbones chew toy. The only thing missing from this site are paw-sized combat boots, but you can always spark up the punkers' DIY spirit and make your own. --Molly Snyder Edler
Welch's 100% Black Cherry and Concord Grape Juice -- With twice the antioxidant power of orange juice, the new 100% Black Cherry and Concord Grape Juice from Welch's is a great way to start the day. My grandpa drink grape juice daily and lived well into his 90s. So, that's good enough for me. No sugar added either. About $3.98 per 64 oz. bottle. Good stuff. --J.S.
The Life and Times of Bill Janovitz -- Buffalo Tom is one of my all-time favorite bands. A few years ago, I had a chance to meet BT's guitarist, Bill Janovitz, through my BBWAA buddies Jeff Horrigan (now a Milwaukeean) and Peter Gammons. Bill was / is a delightful guy. Intelligent. Articulate. A fan of both music and baseball. And, a terrific songwriter to boot. He's recently started a blog, which includes an occasional mp3 of a cover song. I don't know how long it will take before some jackbooted, soon-to-be-fired record executive tells him to stop, but check out the blog while you can. It's a good read. --Drew Olson
Rupena's at the Milwaukee Public Market -- Rupena's opened at the Milwaukee Public Market last month. And, I'm here to say it's a welcome and friendly addition. They brought all of their family charm and specialty eats, too. Ask them to grill some poultry, Angus beef, pork, hand-made sausage, corn fed-chicken or just a burger. It's great and inexpensive. I've tried their sloppy joes and thin crust pizzas too. Both are excellent. Thanks, Rupena's for making the Market even better. --J.S.
$10 tickets -- Wipe that recession frown from your face and get out this weekend. My tip is an easy one. If you are under 40, The Rep, 108 E. Wells St., has tickets for all shows in the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater for only $10. An option to upgrade to prime orchestra seats brings the total to $20 per ticket. That's right, 10 bucks to see a show. And, if you haven't seen the Bucks play this year, they also have seats for only $10. All upper level seats, in December, will set you back only 10 bucks. What are you waiting for? --J.S.
"The Greatest Album Covers of All Time" -- If there is a music lover on your shopping list, you should consider getting them this coffee table book compiled by Barry Miles, Johnny Morgan and Grant Scott. It contains 500 memorable images, chosen by a panel of 50 experts and accompanied by commentary. You can find the book at Barnes and Noble or online for between $15 and $20. It's a perfect coffee table book to buy now, before everyone forgets what it was like to actually buy an LP and study the artwork and liner notes. --D.O.
