Kids' record players -- OnMilwaukee.com managing editor Bobby Tanzilo writes about getting his first record player as a kid in a recent article, and I just gave one to my kids for the holidays, too. I bid on a bunch of different models on eBay, but ended up with one that was made by LifeSavers candy. (Weird, but true.) It's in great shape with a working needle and we've had fun hunting for records. For the under-six set, operating a record player is a great lesson in being careful and gentle with a possession. Plus, it prompts my little iPodders to appreciate music in another way. Now, if I could just get Levi to stop calling all albums "CDs." --Molly Snyder Edler
"History" by Elsa Morante -- This weighty World War II novel by landmark 20th century Italian writer Elsa Morante in English is one of only two novels that I can think of that have brought tears to my eyes (the other is "The Land of the Leal" by late Scotsman James Barke) and so I'm recommending it now in case you're looking for something to read over the holidays. It was re-published in English by Steerforth Press, so it is widely available. It's not light reading -- it's the story of the wartime (and post-war) struggles of a Roman woman, raped by a soldier, trying to raise her two sons -- but it is dramatic, epic and so evocative that it is an emotional read. If that's what you're looking for, Morante (who died in 1985 and was very famous in Italy) wrote just the book for you. In case you're interested, although Barke was most famous for his series of novels based on Robert Burns, "The Land of the Leal" -- published by Canongate Classics and I see used copies online for less than $3 -- is a sweeping story of a family's life in the rural Rhinns of Galloway at the turn of the 20th century. Like "History" it traces a family's daily battle with poverty. --Bobby Tanzilo
Fried Mac & Cheese Bites -- You don't have to wait until State Fair to find this delectable taste treat. In fact, I don't even know if they've made it to ‘Stallis yet, but I tried some at Great Northern BBQ Co., 2177 Silvernail Rd., Pewaukee, and they are damn tasty. --Drew Olson
"Vespertine" by Björk -- I dusted off this released-in-2004 CD a few weeks ago, and have been, once again, completely enchanted with it. Mid-tempo, melancholy, intimate and poetic lyrics, harps, strings and choruses -- all of which make me think, maybe, Joanna Newsom is a big fan of this record, too. Also, it makes inspiring background music. I listen to it a lot while I'm writing. --M.E.
Sewing kid mittens onto jacket sleeves -- If you're sick of searching for your kid's mittens, or having to replace them because you lost one, try attaching them to his or her coat cuff with a piece of elastic. Sure, you can get mitten "clamps" at a variety of big box stores, but I've never had good luck with these because eventually they loose tension and become ineffective. But sewing the mittens to the jacket has worked like a charm. Just cut two pieces of elastic - about three or four inches long - and sew one end to the coat sleeve and one end to the mitten. It's simple, and makes getting out of the house in the morning a smidge easier. --M.E.
"Goin' Home: A Tribute To Fats Domino" -- One of the greatest thing about shopping the iTunes store is the ability to sample individual tracks while mulling a purchase. In cases like this, well, that's not a good thing. The tracks on this tribute CD, a benefit for the Tipitina's Foundation, are amazing. I got sucked in because I wanted to hear Los Lobos do "The Fat Man," like I heard a few months back at Northern Lights Theater. From John Lennon's roguish "Ain't That a Shame" to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' faithful take on "I'm Walkin'," and on through New Orleans fixtures like Taj Mahal, Dr. John, Art Neville and others, you'll find yourself sucked into this collection and rediscovering great songs by an underappreciated artist. --D.O.
