Mad Libs -- Some friends and I revisited the simple word game Mad Libs recently -- yes it was late in the evening and liquor was involved -- and it provided half an hour of stupid fun. We purposely made ours X-rated, but this weekend while visiting the new Urban Outfitters, 1937 E. Kenilworth Pl., I noticed they actually sell "adult" Mad Libs. Guess what select friends are getting for Christmas? -- Molly Snyder Edler
"Milwaukee At Mid-Century" -- A while ago, my colleague Bobby Tanzilo told me about a collection of slides he'd seen at the Milwaukee County Historical Society. It was an amazing group of thousands of color photos, taken between the 1930s and the 1980s by an amateur photographer named Lyle Oberwise. Oberwise kept the photos in his attic until his death in 1993, never revealing his decades-long hobby to more than a few close friends. He didn't have any heirs, and when he died, the collection could've been lost. But in 1994, a husband and wife team bought the 43,000 photos, en masse, in an estate sale, and eventually sold them to the Historical Society. This Hanukkah, I received "Milwaukee At Mid-Century," which is a coffee table book version of some of the best of Oberwise's photos, and it's a fascinating look at scenes of the city that no one knew still existed. From Downtown shots to special events, these color photos remain in pristine condition, and are accompanied with short explanations. In many cases, these buildings are clearly recognizable; in some, they're long gone. What strikes me most is both how similar and how different Milwaukee looked 60 years ago. Run out and buy this book today. --Andy Tarnoff
Weight Watchers Lemon Cream Pie Yogurt -- The strawberry-banana is strong. The key lime pie is tart and tasty. But, the lemon cream pie is creamy and delicious. It's a terrific dessert replacement, particularly if you're not into counting points (the yogurt only counts for one) and want to sprinkle in some granola or chocolate chips. --Drew Olson
"$port$Biz" -- Set, graphics and logo deficiencies aside, I enjoy Marty Greenberg's show on Time Warner Sports (Channel 32). He's had great guests and is easy to listen to. There's a huge void for local interview shows, so if you like sports and the business of it, tune in to or TIVO Greenberg's show at 6:30 p.m. Monday. Look here for listing info. --D.O.
Roundy's organics -- Like many Milwaukeeans, I can't afford to do all of my shopping at The Outpost or Whole Foods even though I would like to, so I am grateful that Pick 'n Save house brand, Roundy's, now features organic products as well as free-range eggs. Actually, I've always found Roundy's products to be decent quality, organic or not. --M.E.
The Gilligan's Island cocktail -- With snow on the sidewalk and ice on the roof, why not mix a drink to trick yourself into thinking it's summer? Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in 1-1/2 ounces of vodka and 1-1/2 ounces of peach schnapps. Add three ounces of orange juice and three ounces of cranberry juice. Shake well, pour over ice into a tall Collins glass (or half a coconut shell), garnish with an orange slide and an umbrella and daydream about a beach vacation. It's cheaper than jumping on a plane for Puerto Rico. --D.O.
Jars of Clay's "Christmas Songs" -- Many like to poke fun at "Christian rock," but Jars of Clay has also delivered with a crisp, upbeat sound that's sold more than 5 million discs and earned them three Grammy Awards. It's somewhat odd, though, that it took the band so long to do a Christmas album but this one is well worth the wait. It features three new and original tunes, "In the Bleak Midwinter," "Winter Skin," and "Evergreen" while putting creative seasonal twists on classics like "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Wonderful Christmastime," "Gabriel's Message," and the traditional Irish melody "Love Came Down at Christmas." A solid collection and a perfect stocking stuffer. --J.S.
Stonefly Brewery fish fry -- We tried it recently and thought it was very good. The deep fried cod comes with delicious dill-flecked tartar sauce, fresh, crisp green beans, homemade apple sauce (made with beer), mashed potatoes or fries, marble toast and a fat hunk of butter. The rest of the new menu looks good, too, like the Sloppy Jofu sandwich. Stonefly's address is 735 E. Center St. and their fry costs $9.75. --M.E.
