Elvis Costello: My Aim is True (Deluxe Edition) -- I've bought Elvis' debut at least four times since I discovered it that 1978 between grade school and junior high (LP, Columbia CD, Ryko CD, Rhino CD). "My Aim is True" is one of a mere handful of records (The Clash's "London Calling," The Beatles' "Revolver," The Jam's "Sound Affects," among them) that manage to actually sound even better as they age. With its pub rock sound, Costello's snarling humor and 12 great tunes (13 on the American version), Costello's debut heralded the arrival of a major talent -- arguably THE major talent -- for my generation of music fans. This latest version is on two discs. The first has the original LP plus four outtakes and eight demos recorded at Pathway Studios. Disc two has 22 songs recorded in 1977 at London's Nashville Rooms after Costello hired The Attractions, who hadn't recorded the LP with him. The booklet has lyrics and photos (although no E.C. essay like previous reissues) and the disc allows you to log on to the Web and download a 1982 interview and some non-musical goodies. --Bobby Tanzilo
Maryink -- Maryink is a crafty little collection of screen-printed tees, totes, votives and jewelry created by artist Mary Hampton. You might have seen her owl, bird, and other vintage animal printed wares at the last Art vs. Craft Fair, of which the former New Yorker comments in her blog, "Milwaukee is great. Beautiful, cool, and fun. Who knew? We had a fabulous time at Art vs. Craft last weekend. Awesome show -- tons of cool stuff and super talented vendors." Now you can find her totes at Paper Boat Gallery & Boutique for a modest $15, or online at her Etsy Shop. -- Julie Lawrence
Whole wheat raisin walnut bread -- Piacentine's Artisan Bread, located in the Milwaukee Public Market, bakes some wonderful breads. I've tried many, but love the whole-wheat raisin walnut bread. Great stuff. Trust me. Buy 12 and get one free with their punch cards. -- Jeff Sherman
Dean Markley Blue Steel acoustic-electric guitar strings -- The top of the package reads "cryogenic activated." I don't know what that means. The back of the package says something about re-aligning and re-organizing the molecular structure to achieve a more reactive configuration. Whatever. These strings sound good and they last a long time. That's all that matters. -- Drew Olson
HBO's "Tell Me You Love Me" -- After the premiere episode last weekend, I'm already looking forward to the next one (Sundays; 8 p.m.) The show centers around three married -- and one about-to-be-married -- couples. It's completely stripped-down, and I mean that both ways: the show is shot with hand-held cameras and without background music, and there are bushels of raunchy, full-frontal-nudity sex scenes. This is the closest television gets to depicting real-life marriage and the show will ring true with anyone, including those who have suspected infidelity, struggled with infertility, stopped feeling attracted to their spouse or are still enjoying oral sex at 60-something. -- Molly Snyder Edler
Vegetation Ramblings Blog -- This food blog is written by a passionate vegetarian who is allergic to soy, and therefore has to be very choosy about what she eats. Thankfully -- for her and for us -- she's quite savvy and keeps a tempting (and tasty, I've tried a few things) recipe index of vegetarian and vegan foods, complete with photos and notes. From chocolate chip banana bread to eggplant and potato rolls, this girl is a daily guide to eating fabulously. She is also gracious enough to accompany each entry with tags, placing each into one of 20 categories -- i.e. casseroles/stews, lunch, patties, vegan, vegetables. Happy eating! -- J.L.
Nike Dri-FIT T-shirts -- Designed to wick perspiration away from the body, these shirts are excellent for working out. But, they're also great to wear under an oxford or a sweater. They are lightweight, comfortable and available in an array of colors. -- D.O.
Chartreuse liqueur -- In the film "Grindhouse," Quentin Tarantino's character, Warren, says Chartreuse is "the only liquor so good they named a color after it." That was enough for me to seek out this highly alcoholic French liqueur that's flavored with 130 herbal extracts and made by monks in France's Chartreuse Mountains. There are two kinds to choose from: green Chartreuse and yellow Chartreuse. The yellow is milder, sweeter and lower in alcohol, so naturally we went with the green (110 proof or 55%). The key to enjoying this unique beverage is to drink it ice cold, and let the ice melt a little bit to dilute the liquor. At first taste, it's a blast of rocket fuel at best, but after a second or two, distinctive herbal flavors begin to surface and the drink tastes a little sweeter, more refreshing and like nothing else you've ever swallowed. It's definitely a drink to sip, and at $40 a bottle, that's a good thing. -- M.E.
