Becky Mortensen

As frequent travelers know, or just about anyone who’s ever stayed in a hotel, you’re pretty much guaranteed some reading material in your room. 

The Bible can be found in more than half of bedside tables in hotel rooms. Largely thanks to Gideons International, which has donated over 1 billion Bibles worldwide.

Lake Effect recently traveled to the Cabot Theatre, a stage in the Broadway Theatre Center that's in the heart and soul of Milwaukee's Third Ward, for its latest Lake Effect On-Site. In this performing arts themed show, we learn how the Third Ward transformed from vegetable warehouses to an artistic hub. It was also Bonnie North's farewell show, marking the end of her 14-year career at WUWM.

Lidia Bastianich is an Emmy-winning television host, a successful chef and restaurateur, and a best-selling cookbook author. She made her name by introducing American diners to the dishes of her Italian childhood.

Bastianich spent the first 10 years of her life with her grandmother in Croatia. “I was grandma's little helper sort of running things,” she says. “I grew up in that setting of food you know, cooking with grandma, feeding the animals.”

About six years ago, a group of Milwaukee musicians got together to form Panalure. The band is Americana with a touch of blues and Celtic thrown in. Some of the members had played together in different configurations, but the group came together when bassist, Ken Hanson approached frontman Fred Ziegler.

Fatty foods, alcohol, and overeating are hallmarks of holiday feasts. Overindulging can be a recipe for heartburn and acid reflux, especially for those living with gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD.

The site of the proposed Couture building has been plagued by problems for more than half a century. It was once the site of the historic Lake Front Depot, which heralded guests on Chicago-Northwestern rail lines for more than 80 years.

The cold weather that settled in earlier this month was unexpected for people and gardens. Snow came unexpectedly while people were still dealing with fall cleanup, which didn't allow for regular winterizing of gardens. However, there's still work that can be done.

Gardening expert Melinda Myers first recommends getting fallen leaves that may have been covered by snow and frost raked up before the deep freeze really sets in.

Liz Gilbert sees the Democratic National Convention (DNC) as a huge opportunity for Milwaukee and Wisconsin. For many of the 50,000 people expected to attend, this will be their first time visiting. Gilbert, the host committee president, sees it as a chance to shape people's perception of the city.

"When we talk about the amount of influence this convention can have on stories and messaging about this town and about this incredible state, the opportunities really are endless," she says.

Many of us cook every day. But we probably don't put a lot of thought into the scientific makeup of our food.

Humans are perhaps the only animal that actually cooks food before consuming it. Some scientists believe our ability to manipulate food has had a profound effect on our evolution. The science behind cooked food may be just as profound, according to UW-Milwaukee physics professor Paul Lyman.

He explores everything from how cheese is made, to how the scientific makeup of an egg allows it to be cooked and then consumed.