Welcome to #WeWant, a weekly selection of the stuff OnMilwaukee.com editors and staffers love.
Ride with them: Boombotix Boombot2
These palm-sized, bluetooth-capable mini-speakers are a blast on your bike. You can clip them on to your bag or belt or they can free-stand on their own. They're a safer, yet stylish way to add tunes to your commute that don't block out the sounds of traffic like ear buds do. For longer trips, you can pump GPS directions through it. It even has a microphone to deal with incoming calls or voice helpers (like Siri), hands-free.
The rechargeable battery lasts for hours, the design comes in multiple colors and decals, and the ruggedized manufacturing ensures abuse and water resistance. And volume capabilities prove there is such a thing as "too loud." As an added bonus, it comes in handy while you're lounging around the house giving your iPad speakers a boost. You can find them locally at Coast in Bikes at 703 S. 2nd St., in Walker's Point. -- Jason McDowell
Drink it: Salute American vodka
Want to enjoy a cocktail and do some good at the same time? Salute American vodka – distilled from corn and grain in Rochester, N.Y. – is the solution. Distilled four times, Salute is a nice clean mixer that pairs nicely with tonic and a lime -- or whatever you choose. This American-made spirit – the bottle's made here, too – won the silver medal in the best buy category at the Beverage Tasting Institute in 2012. Best of all, a dollar from the sale of every bottle is donated to projects that benefit veterans. Get the full story at saluteamerican.com and get the vodka at your local liquor store. -- Bobby Tanzilo
Charge with it: EasyAcc
Whether travelling or forgetting to charge my phone, portable phone chargers have been a life saver for me. Basically an external battery, just charge it up and keep it around for some on-the-go power when you need it. I recently lost mine so it's time for an upgrade. I'm going with an EasyAcc 10,000mAh model. Its small profile hides a massive charge - 10,000mAh is enough to charge your phone twice or two devices at once via the extra port. Small, powerful, and most importantly comes in orange. It's perfect. -- Nick Barth
Build it: Japanese garden puzzle
The long, cold winter turned me into a few things, including a puzzle geek. As a person who has a tough time slowing down, I find puzzles to be the perfect combination of productivity and relaxation. Recently, I found this one – shaped like an Asian fan – and I realized I have never done a puzzle that wasn't a square or rectangle. I'm intrigued. And considering the chilly summer we're having, I might not wait until winter to buy this, either. Sadly, a cup of tea and a puzzle are an appropriate July activity this year. -- Molly Snyder
Wear it: A USS Milwaukee T-shirt
The U.S. Navy christened its newest littoral combat ship, the USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) in a ceremony at the Marinette Marine Corporation shipyard in Marinette in January. The 388-foot long littoral combat ship – which can reach speeds above 40 knots – is the fifth such vessel to carry the USS Milwaukee name. And, now you can carry the name, too, by wearing one of several very cool T-shirts that were designed by Brew City right here in Milwaukee's Historic Third. Check them out(belt buckles and hats too) and buy one here. -- Jeff Sherman
