In the market for a tasty local meal, a great Green Bay Packers read, a way to pretty up your pout or fancy up your coffee? Find your solutions for all this and more in this week's edition of OnMilwaukee.com recommends.
Green Bay Packers: The Complete Illustrated History by Don Gulbrandsen (MVP Books) – If you read my rants and raves you know that other than send me off into blissful sleep, football does nothing for me. But, yes, I'm recommending this "Championship Edition" hardcover history of the Packers – with an foreword by LeRoy Butler – because the holidays are upon us and, certainly, you, like me, have a fair number of Green and Gold fans on your list. No need to check twice, because this 200-plus-page book. From 1919 and Curly Lambeau to 2010 and Aaron Rodgers, this heavily illustrated book traces the Acme Packers' highs and lows and even catalogs the teams records across the decades. Fans will rightfully swoon. – Bobby Tanzilo
Exude Lipstick – When stylist to the stars Rachel Zoe puts her name on something, I always take notice. Zoe is the brand ambassador for Exude Lipstick so naturally, I had to try it. The unique, revolutionary thing about Exude lipstick? Its genius applicator – a lipstick-shaped dispenser that lets the creamy, liquid formula glide onto lips while always retaining the perfect, angled shape for each application. The result is an opaque, silky wash of color that doesn’t bleed and wears beautifully. Exude generously sent me a sample of their universally flattering neutral shade, "Nude." I’ve actually been wearing "Nude" over long wear lip stains; it adds dimension and a bit of shimmer making the lips look fuller and totally kissable! I suggest Red #1 for a fun, festive holiday season pout, Brown #4 for a warm, fashion forward look and Pink #2 for a natural sheen. Check it out and virtually "try on" all the shades at http://exudelipstick.com. – Lindsay Garric
All-you-can-eat mussels at Triskele's – As a new resident of Walker's Point, I only recently discovered the cozy, high-quality Triskele's, 1801 S. 3rd St. I would love to expound on the entire menu, but quite honestly, the first time I went I ordered the mussels and can't bear to order anything else. So here's the deal: every Tuesday night for $8, diners can get bowl after bowl of perfectly steamed mussels in their choice of two broths made with seasonal ingredients. My favorite so far is a honey / porter / shallot broth but the garlic ginger is quite delicious, too. Servings come with about 16 mussels per bowl. I have only managed to devour two bowls at one sitting so far, but a server told me a customer once ate 17 bowls. (I'll work on it). Triskele's also has 2-for-1 taps of their mostly local beer offerings. Is it Tuesday yet? – Molly Snyder
Aroma Hot Froth X-Press – This countertop milk frother has brought me back to cappuccino in the morning. I'm partial to the stovetop Bialetti Moka espresso pots and that's how I make my morning coffee. I like milk in my morning joe and so I usually heat some and make a quick latte. But this little baby is a dream ($29.99 at Target) and lets me make a frothy cappuccino in the same amount of time. Pour in milk up to the measuring line (trust the lines to prevent overflow), push the button and barely a minute later you've got hot, warm or cold milk froth. Change out the mini attachment and you can use it to quickly heat milk for a latte. The motor is entirely sealed, so you can rinse and clean it out easily, too. – Bobby Tanzilo
Melthouse Bistro's The Athena grilled cheese – After reading all the praise Melthouse Bistro's been getting from the rest of the staff, I couldn't resist stopping over and giving it a try. I fell in instant love with The Athena when I saw it on the menu and it's more than worthy of its heavenly name. More sandwich than grilled cheese, this 'wich comes with grilled eggplant, Wisconsin feta, red onions, tomatoes and a kalamata olive tapenade, all on foccacia bread and served with tzatziki sauce and a choice of sides. Made with fresh ingredients and finished off with a perfect grill, The Athena is quite possibly the best non-grilled cheese grilled cheese I've ever had. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. – Renee Lorenz
