Books, music, beauty and booze. There's not much more you can ask for, and we provide all this and more in this week's OnMilwaukee.com Recommends.

"Mindfulness: An Eight-week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World" – The stillness of meditation has always fascinated and frightened me, perhaps because I've never had any formal instruction on the practice. Meditation may appear to an observer as if it is doing "nothing" when, in actuality it is doing so very much. Then, I received "Mindfulness: An Eight-week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World." This wonderful book by Mark Williams and Danny Penman delivers step-by-step instructions for cultivating a mindfulness meditation practice that can truly transform your life. Even just reading this book will give you insight into habits that may be detracting from your happiness. If you invest 10 to 20 minutes a day in the guided meditations included, the results are compounded. This book provides detailed instruction backed by research, real-life examples and anecdotes for harnessing the power of meditation in your life. Learning to sit, cultivate awareness, observe and ultimately accept (everything, including yourself) is sequentially taught in this progressive program. To learn more and experience free meditations from the book, check out franticworld.com. Also check out the Milwaukee Mindfulness community for local resources, classes and events. – Lindsay Garric

Niney the Observer reissues (17 North Parade/VP Records) – VP Records' vintage reissues imprint 17 North Parade unveiled five CDs worth of music created by legendary Jamaican producer Niney the Observer recently. Four of them are packaged in a 5-inch square box called "Deep Roots Observer Style." In that compact box are individually sleeved reissues of Dennis Brown's' "Deep Roots," The Heptones' "Better Days" (recorded after Leroy Sibbles' departure), an I-Roy set called "The Observer Book of I-Roy" and the killer "Observation of Life Dub." There's also a booklet with an informative essay by Harry Wise. This set is a great tribute to Niney and is packed with great '70s roots music. The fifth disc is a stand-alone reissue in a cool mini gatefold sleeve of "Live at the Turntable Club," recorded in Kingston in 1975. I can't say for sure whether or not it was actually recorded live; to me it sounds quite obviously like a studio recreation of a live record, but I love it anyway for the great vocal performances by Delroy Wilson, Big Youth and Dennis Brown and the inclusion of a couple tracks by the rarely heard Bottlehead (aka Alexander Porteous, now resident in Germany), an instrumentalist whose chosen axe was the head of a bottle. I've never seen it action, but it sounds like a mix between a kazoo and a horn. – Bobby Tanzilo

Sidecars – On a rare social bar outing, my friend and I stopped at JoJo's Martini Lounge for a round of drinks in fancy glasses. I wasn't really up for ordering a something-tini so I instead opted for a sidecar. Frankly, I don't know why I hadn't been drinking them sooner. A perfect blend of citrusy and boozy, sidecars are a simple mix of brandy, triple sec and lemon juice. They're so easy to make, in fact, I went out the next day and bought supplies for DIY cocktails, and you should too. Combinations vary and you can tinker with your own amounts, but I've found a 2:1:1 ratio works just fine. Or, make it even easier on yourself and just order one next time you're out on the town. – Renee Lorenz

Vbeauté – Traveling is the perfect excuse to try vbeauté's travel sized skincare regime. The "It Kit," which comes in a chic, gunmetal clutch, ensures nothing will spill in-flight. It includes five products infused with vbeauté's very potent concentrate of Swiss Alpine Rose Botanical Technology, an "age-antagonist that provides antioxidant protection in relation to UV damage." Why concentrate and utilize the genetic essence in the Alpine Rose? Well, this beautiful fleur has an inherent resistance to the harsh elements, altitude and climate of the Swiss Alps. Vbeauté has harnessed that beautifying power and infused it into every product included in the It Kit: the Evidence Eraser Gentle Foaming Cleanser, Rub Off Gentle Facial Exfoliator, Buying Time Everyday Crème, Eye Never Nourishing Repair Eye Crème and Undercover Agent Anti-Wrinkle Protecting Serum. These are extremely concentrated products – a little goes a long way. The It Kit has lasted me almost a month with daily use and the results are fantastic. Perhaps you'll use your next excursion as an excuse to tote along these little wonders and try the It Kit yourself. Learn more and purchase online. – Lindsay Garric