Artichoke a la mode pizza from Pizza Man -- This pizza is one of my all-time favorites, and comes loaded with artichoke hearts, sliced tomatoes, optional garlic (get it!), blobs of cream cheese, red sauce and mozzarella cheese. I recommend ordering it with green olives -- or at least half of it with olives -- for a deliciously, salty element. The crackery, thin crust completes this exotic and orgasmic pie, but the decadence -- and price ($23.75 for a large) -- will most likely keep it in the special treat category. For an extra $2, Pizza Man delivers. Even to Riverwest. --Molly Snyder Edler

RCA's Small Wonder -- Sure, your phone and / or digital camera probably has video. But do you really want to load up the memory and kill the battery? And, if you don't want to lug that big camcorder around, pick up the RCA Small Wonder ($90 on Amazon). Weighing in at less than a pound, it features a flip-out, 1.5-inch color display with 180-degree rotation and captures up to 60 minutes of video. Easy to use, battery operated and plugs into any TV, DVD player or VCR with an audio / video input. It's not the greatest quality, but if you need an inexpensive way to capture simple video, pick up a Small Wonder. --Jeff Sherman

"Crystal River" by Mudcrutch -- Thirty-five years after escaping Gainesville for L.A., Tom Petty reunites with his pre-Heartbreakers band for a collection of country-fried rock and blues, recorded live in the studio with no overdubs. If it sounds familiar, well, that shouldn't be a surprise. Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench join Petty along with Mudcrutch alums Tom Leadon and Randall Marsh. The highlight of the CD is this 9 ½-minute song, which features a jamming, Allman Bros. meet Grateful Dead-type spirit, a false-ending coda that evokes "Layla" and other classics and will make you pine for the days of big headphones, giant combs, WZMF and that Peaches Records and Tapes baseball jersey T-shirt. Midway through the song, you'll feel like you are laying by "Crystal River." --Drew Olson

Clam chowder from Eagan's -- In this election year, I cast my vote for the clams, cream, tender potatoes, carrots, celery and other spices mixed together in delicious soup-like mixture and available for lunch every day of the week Not the tomato based Manhattan clam chowder, but the creamy, buttery New England style clam chowder. Just as a martini isn't a martini if it is any color except clear, clam chowder is not clam chowder if it is red. Catholics can now satisfy their chowder Jones without having to wait until Friday. As for taste, it is chock full of chowdery goodness. Roll down to 1000 N. Water St. and try it with a couple slices of Italian bread -- on a Thursday or any day. --Kevin Brandt

"A New Earth: Awakening To Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle -- As you might have figured out already, I'm a sucker for pop spirituality books, especially when they sit at the top of The New York Times Best Seller list. This particular book went to a new level, with thousands of people logging on every Monday night for a 10-week, online discussion with the author and Oprah. Although I did not have the time or interest to visit the virtual classroom, I did manage to whip through this book in a couple of days. I found Tolle's writing dry, but it was easy to read thanks to the simple, direct language and I learned a few things, too. Most of my findings are better explained over cocktails, but I will divulge that after reading this book, I've concluded that my big, stupid ego often gets in the way of my life goals. Damn, I hate when that happens. --Molly Snyder Edler

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