These books do not come off a printing press. They are one of a kind, limited editions.

These books are not made of bound paper. They are made from graham crackers, Twinkies, flour tortillas, marshmallows, Phyllo dough, spinach, cheddar cheese, matza, lefsa, roast beef, gravy, wasabi, and nori, just to name a few.

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While most people wouldn’t expect to spend their St. Paddie’s Day in an auditorium full of fifty-somethings, anxiously awaiting the arrival of a dozen eclectic musicians from Portland, Ore., I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

In the minutes leading up to the Pink Martini show at The Pabst, the stage was strewn with a cornucopia of musical appendages. From stringed instruments like harps, violins and guitars to stranger fare, such as a series of drums and knickknacks that I’d never seen before, the audience could feel that they were in for a unique experience.

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The city of Milwaukee got its first taste of singer songwriter Jose Gonzalez’s hauntingly beautiful melodies on March 18 at the Pabst Theater.

It appeared that promoters had underestimated the Swedish native’s local fan base. What was advertised as a lower-level-only show quickly filled balcony seating well before opening act Mia Doi Todd was halfway through her set.

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After years of unquestionable innovation in the music industry, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails seems to give a nod to Aphex Twin with the release of his new online album “Ghosts I-IV.”

According to Reznor, the album is the result of a ten-week-long recording experiment in fall 2007 with longtime collaborator Atticus Ross.

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It’s been close to eight years since the hip-hop community has seen a solo effort from Del tha Funkee Homosapien. Sure, he’s collaborated on some tracks in the meantime, most notably his work on the “One Big Trip” soundtrack and the 2003 sophomore release from his crew, the Hieroglyphics, entitled “Full Circle.” But what exactly has the Funkee one been up to all this time?

It turns out that Del has been listening to the wisdom of his elders, deciding to learn music theory in order to preserve the “funk.” He did so by learning the harmonies of scales and perfecting melodies. This funk preservation is apparent on his new album “The Eleventh Hour,” which he recorded alone at his Richmond, CA home and produced nearly all of the tracks, which feature minimal guest appearances.

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One of the most memorable scenes from the film “Superbad” is the infamous “dick drawing scene.” Seeing the fourth-grade Seth working on his penile masterpieces is something that warms the heart yet unsettles the stomach.

Fans of the film, and there are many, cite their favorite penises whenever the film is mentioned. Questions arise about the artistic skill of the 9 to 10-year-old Seth and his skillfully drawn shafts.

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When life or school is overstressing, there is nothing quite like a light-hearted flick from the 1950s or 1960s to lift your spirits. Enter “Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine.”

Much like the detective story spoof “Murder by Death” I talked about in my last column, “Dr. Goldfoot” puts a campy spin on this familiar movie genre. This time it is “Dr. No” mixed with “Goldfinger,” with a splash of “Beach Party.” Norman Taurog, better known for directing Elvis Presley films like “Blue Hawaii” and “Girls! Girls! Girls!” brought the same pop rock sensibility to this film, which manages to be delightfully of that genre, while at that same time making fun of it.

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People die. There’s no changing that.

The first quarter of 2008 has held witness to a startling amount of deaths in the film industry.

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Sometimes it’s best to go for drama. When growing houseplants, there is nothing more dramatic than a carnivorous plant, each species of which has evolved its own particular insect snatching method.

While many carnivorous plants can be hard to grow, if you keep some basic rules in mind, you should be able to maintain a few popular varieties with no more effort than it takes to keep your pet goldfish happy. Venus flytrap, sundew and pitcher plants are recommended for beginners, and these species have similar requirements.

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I’ve been trying to figure out a restaurant category to put Beans and Barley into. Upscale is definitely out and casual just doesn’t do the food justice. So I decided to make up my own category: a modern bohemian diner.

Let me explain. “Modern” because the food caters to all of these new eating habits that people are patterning themselves on lately. The vegan, the vegetarian, the red meat vegetarian, the gluten-free and the lactose-intolerant in us all can enjoy a perfect meal here.

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