Scents, sports, sculptures, straps and more in this week's edition of OnMilwaukee.com recommends!
Somerset Meadow eau de toilette by Crabtree & Evelyn – Why do I love this perfume? Because it smells the way I imagine Jane Austen did. Perfume is such a tricky thing, and in a market oversaturated (literally) with the fragrance lines of dewy-faced pop stars, it’s so easy to go so wrong. That’s why classic scents (emphasis on "class") like Crabtree & Evelyn are so refreshing to me. Somerset Meadow, their latest collection, debuted on May 1, and even if you’re not an Anglophile like me, you’ll love the subtle, calming floral fragrance which features hints of bergamot, blackberry, ivy and fern balanced by a creamy musk, willow and moss. The 2 oz. eau de toilette retails for $40, but the line also has a parfum gel, bath and shower gel, body lotion and hand therapy treatment. – Colleen Jurkiewicz
Brewers home games – The Milwaukee Brewers host the rival St. Louis Cardinals today at 1:10 p.m. at Miller Park. The Brewers hand out bobbleheads at this game, but more importantly, this weekend's final two games will keep the Brewers around the top of the National League Central at the start of May. – Jim Owczarski
Circadia App - It was the App "Pick of the Week" recently at Starbucks, so I downloaded it. And, as someone who doesn't play a ton of games I'll say that I really like this audio and visual puzzle. It's so very simple at first but quickly gets challenging in a really fun way. Find it here. – Jeff Sherman
"Eternal Flesh" show at Walker’s Point Center for the Arts – This strictly figurative exhibition takes a look at "bodies that never die" with assemblage sculpture by John Balsley, Demitra Copoulos, Dan McGuire and Kendall Polster. Aluminum robots and intricate paper structures combining fish with skulls and a bronze head of hair with a bald head beside it are just a few of the unbelievably unique and provocative pieces in this show. Although many of the contributions make deep, reflective statements on culture and stereotypes, the whimsical element of the majority of the pieces make this show a great one to share with the kids. It runs through June 8, 2013. And if you go, be sure to visit WPCA’s new "little free library" outside the building. – Molly Snyder
Andrew Hill CDs on Blue Note – OK, I know it's impossible to wrap the 16-plus CDs pianist Andrew Hill made as a leader for Blue Note Records into a short paragraph, but if you're looking for an intro to some high-octane 1960s jazz, you can't go wrong with anything Hill did at the label...and he did it all. From the brilliant and sublime "Point of Departure" with reedsman Eric Dolphy to the inventive harmonic structures of "Judgment!" and "Black Fire" to records like "Compulsion" and "Smoke Stack," that found Hill working to push out the boundaries, Hill made nary a misstep with the label. He even dabbled in soul jazz on "Grass Roots." A Mosaic Select triple CD adds a few dozen outtakes, too. Don't miss Hill as a Blue Note sideman, either. He juiced up sessions with vibesman Bobby Hutcherson (the amazing "Dialogue") and tenor men Joe Henderson ("Our Thing") and Hank Mobley ("No Room For Squares"), too. Each more recommended than the next. – Bobby Tanzilo
Button-Stud Weekender strap – The Timex Weekender is an interesting little watch. Stripped-down, cheap and casual, it’s fun with its nylon strap, and I’ve enjoyed mine for months. But for another $45, you can make this most basic-looking timepiece a thing of beauty. The form•function•form button-stud watchband is a beautiful slice of Horween Chromexcel or Veg Tan leather. It slides right under the watch face like it’s been there all along, becoming more personalized as it naturally weathers ("Don’t handle with care, we can take it," the attached tag reads). I have both the Natural Chromexcel and English Derby straps – I personally prefer the lighter English Derby color – but both are gorgeous and distinctive. Plus, you can swap back the original nylon any time you need something more waterproof. Hand-crafted in the designer’s small Florida studio, this simple strap is spectacular. – Andy Tarnoff
