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See the '50 Shades Of Grey' Condo
What did you picture Christian Grey's Seattle condo to look like while you read 'Fifty Shades of Grey?' I absolutely pictured this - a penthouse for sale right now in Seattle's REAL Escala building. Check it out here to see pictures. So who do you think should play Christian Grey in the upcoming movie? Click here to see who Mix listeners are suggesting.

Would you secretly laugh at this?
Wow - admit it, there's a little bit of you that wants to laugh. Come on, it's a $225,000 car!

Perennial Garden Renovations - The Garden Mix
Give your tired perennial garden a boost without a total renovation. Topdressing your garden with compost every year or two provides most if not all the nutrients your perennials need. Pull back the mulch if needed. Then spread an inch of compost over the soil surface. You can buy a quality compost or make your own. Leave the compost on the surface or lightly mix it into the soil. The earthworms, ground beetles, and other organisms will take it from there – moving the compost into the soil and around the plant roots where it is needed. Or, do a bit of vertical mulching. Use an auger bit on your cordless drill. Simply drill holes into the soil between plants. Then fill the holes with compost. This gets the compost closer to the plant roots and soil organisms that will help mix it into and improve the soil. Soil preparation and repair will help transform your garden. A bit more information: Apply a plant strengthener such as JAZ spray to increase plant vigor and their natural ability to tolerate environmental stresses, insect attacks, and disease problems. These natural products aren’t fertilizers or pesticides. They can be applied to established plants at the beginning of the season to boost their ability to deal with stress or as soon as problems arise. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

The 411 on Vegas
Here's what I learned about Las Vegas after my first trip there: 1. Vegas always wins 2. It's the Kardashians meet the WI State Fair type of people watching 3. Whoever says Vegas is cheap is lying 4. Definitelya must do! 5. What happens in Vegas DOES stay in Vegas (Photo: My picture of the Bellagio)

Weather Warrior
Are you like Kidd or Elizabeth when it comes to thunderstorms?

Dancing with Donald VIP Party!
WISN 12 INVITES VIEWERS TO A VIP DOUBLE D DANCE PARTY FOR A LIVE VIEWING OF THE "DANCING WITH THE STARS" SEASON FINALE MILWAUKEE, (May 15, 2012) – Donald Driver is in the finals for "Dancing With The Stars" and will compete against Katherine Jenkins and William Levy for the Mirrorball Trophy next week! WISN 12, partnering radio station 99.1 The Mix and Potowatomi Bingo Casino are throwing a VIP fan party at the casino on Tuesday, May 22 at 6:30 p.m., to cheer Double D on to victory. Two hundred fans will be chosen to watch the two-hour season finale from the Wild Earth Banquet Hall next week. Individuals can enter tonight for tickets on the WISN 12 Facebook page. Ticket winners will be announced on 12 News This Morning through Tuesday, May 22. WMYX Radio Personality and WISN 12 News Contributor Kidd O'Shea will host the event. Selected fans are encouraged to dress for the occasion, wearing Donald Driver apparel and other Packers' gear. Pom-Pons and signage will be provided, along with appetizers, soft drinks and a cash bar. WISN 12 will be shooting live cut-ins at Potowatomi throughout the evening. For more information on how to enter for a chance to win a VIP ticket to the Donald Driver VIP Fan Party, go to WISN 12's Facebook page or listen to 99.1 The Mix weekday mornings at 7:55am.

The Devil Inside Interview.
If you like scary movies like I do, then 'The Devil Inside' may be right up your alley! It's out on BluRay/DVD today! Back when the movie hit theaters, Brent Bell (Writer/Director) and Matthew Peterman (Writer) joined me for a chat about the film, what went into making of it and what people can expect! In Italy, a woman becomes involved in a series of unauthorized exorcisms during her mission to discover what happened to her mother, who allegedly murdered three people during her own exorcism. http://www.TheDevilInsideMovie.com

Win tickets to The Mix Sneak Peek of Men In Black 3.
We continue to get YOU into the best new movies FIRST! This time around, we are sending you to The Mix Sneak Peek of Men In Black 3 starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Josh Brolin. I don't know about you but I'm kinda excited for this third MIB flick! You'll see it before anyone Wednesday, May 23rd at the Marcus Majestic Cinema. Listen all this week between Noon-4pm for your cue to call in and WIN! (414.799.1099) Did you know the first Men In Black movie came out back in 1997. That seems like a lifetime ago! Take a look at the trailer and Pitbull's song for the movie, "Back In Time" below. Enjoy and good luck! Want more Summer Blockbuster movie trailers? Click here.

WI HUMANE VISIT
So cute! visit WIHUMANE.ORG

VIDEO: Amazing LMFAO cover
If you're a fan of LMFAO's "Sexy and I know It" -wait until you hear this cover:

Water Problems in Your Landscape and Solutions - The Garden Mix
Don’t let standing water, seasonal flooding, and poorly drained soils stop you from growing a beautiful landscape. Try one of these strategies to manage the excess water and create a healthy environment for your landscape plants. Raise the plants above the water. Create berms and raised beds so the plant roots are growing above the seasonal standing water. Create a traditional French drain in areas subject to flooding. These gravel filled trenches capture excess water and hold it below the soil surface so it can gradually seep into the ground below. Or create a rain garden. They’re designed to capture runoff from roofs and hard surfaces that occurs after a rainstorm or water that naturally collects in low spots in the yard. They direct rainwater into the ground instead of the storm sewers. And always call 811 before digging in. This free utility locating service can save you money and even your life. A bit more information: For areas with damp soil select plants tolerant of moist or wet soils. These include plants such as dogwoods, chokeberry, elderberry, swamp milkweed, turtlehead, Ligularia, marsh marigold, Japanese and Siberian iris, sedges, and rushes. Make sure the plants are hardy to your area and tolerate the light and other growing conditions in that part of your landscape. For more plant suggestions, review lists of garden plants for your region. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

Take a ride on Six Flags Great America NEW X-Flight Roller Coaster.
After months and months AND months of waiting, I finally got to ride the BRAND NEW, state-of-the-art coaster that is X-Flight. If you have a season pass you'll be able to ride it THIS WEEKEND at Six Flags Great America / Hurricane Harbor in Gurnee, IL! Otherwise you're just gonna have to wait til it opens to the WORLD May 16th. Lemme just say this coaster DOES NOT mess around! Smooth as a baby bottom and like nothing you've ever been on before! Check out the video below and take a ride for yourself! YOU MAY ALSO LIKE... April 13, 2012 - ANOTHER UPDATE - Six Flags Great America Tests NEW coaster...click here. March 20, 2012 - UPDATE - Six Flags Great America's NEW Roller Coaster...click here. Sept 1, 2011 - New Roller Coaster Coming To Six Flags Great America...click here. October 27th, 2008 - FIRST LOOK at Dark Knight Coaster at Six Flags Great America...click here.

Carnations for Mother?s Day - The Garden Mix
Mother’s Day and flowers go hand-in-hand and this is especially true of the carnation. The fragrant, beautiful, and long-lasting carnation has long been a part of many Mother’s Day celebrations. This tradition dates back to the early 1900’s, when Anna Jarvis, gave away 500 white carnations to honor her recently deceased mother. Each mother attending Andrew’s Methodist Episcopal Church in West Virginia received a flower. A few years later the official Mother’s Day holiday was established and many churches and families continued the carnation tradition. Anna selected carnation because of their symbolism of love. Give light red carnations to someone you admire and dark red ones to convey love and affection. Share a white flower to signify purity or for a bit of luck and pink to show your gratitude. And if you want the tradition to continue throughout the growing season, add a few annual, biennial or perennial carnations to your garden or containers. A bit more information: Add some greenery and spring flowers from your garden to give your carnations a bit of homegrown beauty. Hosta leaves, evergreen boughs and ferns make nice green backdrops. Then add some color with Bleeding heart, hyacinths, tulips and branches of spring flowering shrubs. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

Three Sisters Planting Tradition
Try a Native American tradition of planting corn, squash and beans - the three sisters’ method - together in your garden this year. The Native Americans believed that corn, squash and beans were special gifts from the Great Spirit. Each of the crops was protected by the spirit of one of the three sisters. These sisters loved and needed each other just like the plants. Plant the crops in raised areas called “hills” three feet apart. Each hill contains corn and beans. Every few hills contain squash. Mixing crops like this, called interplanting, reduces the risk of insect and disease problems and increases the production. Plant several seeds of corn in each hill. Plant the pole beans and squash once the corn is 4 to 6 inches tall. The corn provides support for the pole beans. The beans take nitrogen from the air to feed the plants and the squash forms a living mulch. A bit more information: If space is limited, try planting just a couple of hills and use bush type squash. You won't be harvesting much sweet corn, but you will have plenty of beans, squash, and memories to share at the end of the season. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

WI HUMANE VISIT
It is Be Kind to Animals week and you can do your part by clicking here

Viral Video: New Gotye Cover
One of my favorite songs "Somebody That I Used To Know" covered by acoustic group Pentatonix.

What does E.L. James think of "50" madness?
Besides being a fan of the trilogy "Fifty Shades of Grey" I'm also fascinated with the writer's back story. E.L. James, is a forty something wife and mother of two teenage boys. She's never written a book before and was inspired by the "Twilight" saga to start her fan fiction, that has lead her to her "Fifty Shades" stardom. Here's what she REALLY thinks of all of this new found fame, click here to read more. And who do YOU think should play Christian Grey in the movie version of "Fifty Shades of Grey?" See what other Mix listeners are suggesting by clicking here. (PHOTO: Me at the "Fifty Shades" book signing to meet E.L. James in Chicago on April 30, 2012)

Girl Fails at Hot Pose
Always check behind you before you pose.

Do You Like...
Do you like a good glass of wine? Well, now you can smell like one. The Kelly & Jones Wine Notes collection features 5 different scents inspired by different wines that you can wear. If you are thinking what I'm thinking it's sounds pretty crazy but you really can smell like your favorite wine. Because nothing is more attractive than a person who smells like the've been drinking all day..lol!

Frame up a Bit of Living Art ? Mini Green Wall - The Garden Mix
Frame up a bit of living art to brighten a wall, soften a hard surface or add a focal point to your outdoor living space. Owners of Distinctive Gardens converted a picture frame into a bit of living art. This small, easy to construct green wall will fit in any landscape, large or small. Start with a shadow box or other deep display box or picture frame. Drill some holes in the bottom for drainage and on top for watering. Then fill with a well drained potting or succulent mix, depending on the plants you will be growing. Incorporate a slow release fertilizer at planting. Cover the potting mix with a piece of weed barrier to hold the soil in place. Cut x’s into the fabric where succulents, sedums and other small scale plants will be placed. Anchor the weed barrier in place with the frame or staples. Hang your living artwork in the proper amount of sunlight for the plants. Water thoroughly as needed. A bit more information: Make it an edible piece of art. Try growing colorful greens in your picture frame. Harvest the outer leaves when they are 4 to 6 inches long to keep the plants producing. Use heat tolerant varieties and reseed as needed. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

VIDEO: '50 Shades' on SNL
Might be the funniest thing I've seen on SNL lately - especially if you're a fan of "Fifty Shades of Grey" like me!

Cinco Da Mayo
What are your memories of riding the giant red pepper at La Perla? Leave your comments below.

New Apple Variety for Small Spaces - The Garden Mix
Don’t let limited space stop you from growing your own apples. Give the new Urban Columnar Apples a try. Whether grown in the ground or a large container, this is a great way to bring the beauty and flavor of apples right to your backdoor. The urban columnar apples grow 8 to 10 feet tall, but less than 2 feet wide. The main stem is loaded with short branches and lots of fruiting spurs. These healthy and disease resistant trees will start producing the first year as long as you have two varieties for pollination. Expect larger harvests as the trees mature. The flowers are either pink or white and the apples are red or green and sweet or tart. Include at least two varieties for fruit production. Use the plants as an edible screen, tall hedge, vertical accent, or focal point in the landscape. Plant them in a sunny location and water thoroughly as needed. A bit more information: These apples are hardy in zones 4 to 9.Those gardening in cold climates will need to provide extra winter protection for container-grown fruit. Insulate the roots from temperature extremes by surrounding them with bales of straw or moving them into an unheated garage. Added root insulation will be beneficial there as well. Water overwintering containers thoroughly whenever the soil is thawed and dry. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

Pole Class 411
If you've ever thought about taking a pole dancing class, do it. I signed up with my BFF and it's been a blast so far. It's a GREAT workout and everyone in the class is extremely supportive. I will admit The women in the class are from all different walks of life, different sizes and all different ages. And bottom line, you don't have to be super fit to enjoy this class. You will feel more confident and more beautiful when you leave no matter what your circumstance is - it's all about having fun!

CINCO DE MAYO: Cool Jello Shots
CLICK PLAY TO LISTEN TO KIDD & ELIZABETH Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with these fun jello shots! Cut limes into halves and hollow them out, then place them in a mini muffin pan. Stir a package of lime jello and tequila (your call on how strong you want to make these!) in a saucepan over medium heat and pour the mixture into the lime halves. Refrigerate your tray of goodies overnight. Serve on Saturday with a small bowl of sea salt or sugar.

Add Grace to your Garden with Papyrus - The Garden Mix
Papyrus has been an important crop throughout history used for food, shelter, fiber, and medicine. In more recent times it has been popular as both an indoor and outdoor plant. Include a few papyrus plants in your water gardens, container plantings, or flowerbed. It makes a great vertical accent while adding fine texture and motion to plantings. Grow plants in full sun or part shade. They need moist soil and tolerate wet conditions. Hardy in zones 9 and 10 the straight species grows 5 to 8 feet tall in most gardens and up to 15 feet in its native environment. King Tut is a dwarf variety that only grows 3 to 5 feet tall and Baby Tut is shorter at 18 to 24 inches. Grow these plants indoors in bright light, moist soil and high humidity. Many gardeners grow papyrus in a well-drained potting mix with the container resting in a saucer filled with water. A bit more information: Start new plants for your garden from cuttings or divisions. Cut an 8 to 10 inch stem with leaves attached. Then place the cutting, leafy – yes leafy – side down in water. In a few weeks new growth will appear near the leaves. Divide mature plants into 2, 4 or 6 pieces and repot into a container slightly larger than the root ball or mix with other plants in a larger pot. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

Bachelorette: Meet Randy Lee
What does his Mom think about him being on The Bachelorette and what kind of girl does she want him to end up with? Get all the details...Just CLICK PLAY and hear what Randy's Mom has to say.

Jack's APPS: Bling Your Background
My 9-year-old nephew Jack called the show today to fill us in about a new must have app!

Train & Kelly Clarkson Headline Summerfest
Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. officials are excited to announce the tenth major performer slated for Summerfest 2012. Train and Kelly Clarkson will headline the Marcus Amphitheater on Friday, June 29 at 7:30 pm along with special guest Brett Dennen. Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 12 at 11:00 am CLICK PLAY to listen to our Mini-Concert

VIDEO: At the 'Fifty Shades' party

Must See Photo from 'Fifty Shades' party
This is the closest we could get to taking a picture of "Fifty Shades of Grey author" EL James last night in Chicago in the book signing. She was extremely gracious and just a ball of energy, she and I were giggling the whole time she signed my book! (photo: I'm on the left with my friend Leigh who's on the right, EL James is in black at the table in the background) Check out what she wrote in my book by clicking here. So who do you think should play Christian Grey, join the conversation and see what other Mix listeners think by clicking here.

My Caprese Salad
This is my favorite salad this time of year. It is so refreshing and EASY to make. The secret to making it extra tasty is to chill the salad in the fridge for a 1/2 hour before serving it.

WI HUMANE VISIT
visit WIHUMANE.ORG for more

Meeting 'Fifty Shades' author...
Last night was a dream come true. I was able to get into the 'Fifty Shades of Grey' book signing party with the author E L James in Chicago! She was so gracious, funny and absolutely lovely. I told her that this book was changed my life and she replied, "thank you so much." And the crowd at the party was incredible. There was definitely a flirtatious, fun energy in the room and the cheers and screams from the crowd would have anyone outside the building thinking that Brad Pitt was inside. She was very giggly while signing my book and she seemed very down to earth. My autograph reads: "Elizabeth Laters Baby EL James" So who do you think should play Christian Grey, join the conversation and see what other Mix listeners think by clicking here.

DANCING: Donald Chats With Seacrest
Find out who Donald Driver had to ask before he was allowed to take his shirt off on Dancing with the Stars.

Grow Your Own Soybeans - The Garden Mix
Add a bit of fiber to your garden and diet. Consider growing edible soybeans in this year’s garden. Soybeans can be grown in a variety of soils and climate. They tolerate adverse conditions, but perform best in warm temperatures, full sun, and moist well-drained soils. Add organic matter to less-than-ideal soils to improve drainage and increase the water holding capacity as needed. Plant and manage edible soybeans the same as you would lima beans. Try growing one of the edible soybean varieties such as Green Legend, Lucky Lion, Giant Green, Verde, or others suited for home gardens. They have a better flavor and are more suited to your garden and recipes than field varieties. Harvest the soybeans when the pods are plump, green, rough, and hairy. They are usually ready to harvest in 99 to 120 days, depending on the variety. Check frequently and pick when the seeds are fully enlarged, but before they get hard. A bit more information: Don’t wait too long to harvest. You’ll taste the difference as the flavor and quality quickly declines. And since the seed filled pods usually ripen at the same time, you can pull up the whole plant and harvest the seeds from the pods while sitting on a chair in the shade. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

Healthy Snack: Hummus
Hummus, Pita Bread, Apples. Simple and sweet. I have noticed I'm more likely to eat well when I find foods that are easy to prepare. You can't go wrong with this high fiber and protein snack. Share your healthysnack ideas below and cheers to good health!

Your boy band crush decoded
Have you ever had a crush on a boy band? Who hasn't?! A blogger dissected which boy band member you loved and what it really says about your personality and who you're with today. She used the boy band New Kids On The Block to test her theories, but you can really substitute any band with the study. For the results, click here.

VIDEO: Ellen reads '50 Shades'
This is HEELARIOUS!!! If you're a big fan of "Fifty Shades of Grey" like me, then join the conversation. Who do YOU think should play Christian Grey? Read what other Mix listeners think by clicking here.

2nd Graders
Thanks to Mrs. Kin's 2nd Grade Class at Jeffery Elementary in Kenosha, WI for inviting me to their class last week. We had a lot of fun reading radio scripts and talking about radio and TV.

The Cleveland Show Interview w Mike Henry.
I loves me some animation! So much so, that in high school I wrote a 50 page research paper on the art of animation and got an "A" on it! From Tom & Jerry to Regular Show and everything in between, I'm there! So if you know me, don't even bother calling me on a Sunday night because I'm most likely watching some Animation Domination on FOX. Another one of my favorite shows is "The Cleveland Show (9:30pm ET / 8:30pm CT on FOX) and since the beginning I've had the honor of talking to co-creator Mike Henry every season, This season is no different! Find out how season 3 wraps up and you won't believe who will be guest starring on Season 4! click on the player to listen to the interview w Mike Henry. www.fox.com/cleveland

Celebrate Arbor Day - The Garden Mix
Celebrate Arbor Day by planting new trees or caring for your established ones in your landscape and community. Spring is a great time to add trees to the landscape. Select healthy trees suited to the environment and available space. Start by calling the free underground utility locating service at 811 at least three days before digging in. It can save you money and possibly your life. Plant trees in a shallow hole at least two preferably three times wider than the rootball. Dig the hole only as deep as the distance from the root flare, the place where roots join trunk to the bottom of the rootball. Then backfill the hole with existing soil. Water thoroughly as needed to encourage deep roots. Protect new and existing trees from mowers and weed whips. Plant perennial groundcovers under the tree or cover the soil with 2-3" of shredded bark or woodchips. Be sure to keep the mulch off the trunk of the tree. A bit more information: Take a walk through your neighborhood, botanical garden or arboretum to look for champion trees. The American Forests Association is the organization that documents and records both native and naturalized tree champions in the United States. Visit their website for details on measuring and reporting champion trees at http://www.americanforests.org/our-programs/bigtree/ For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

Create Instant Beauty in your Garden - The Garden Mix
We all need a pick me up now and then and so do our gardens. Here are a few things you can do to add a bit of instant beauty to your landscape. Fill in voids, replace tired flowers, and add season long color with annuals. Select varieties that blend well with perennials and your overall garden design. Consider plants like Blue Horizon ageratum, pentas, and classic zinnias. Move a container into the garden. Set a favorite, unique or colorful pot into the garden and fill with flowers and grasses that complement the planting and container. Elevate smaller pots on a stack of steppers, pedestal, or an old chair. Plant a few surprises. Combine old favorites with a few new varieties that require the same growing conditions. This also helps stretch your plant budget by using the more economic old favorites as the base or backdrop to the often-pricier new introductions. Or create new combinations with old favorites for a fresher look. A bit more information: Create a focal point and add color with garden art, a birdbath, funky chair, or a great boulder. These can be added to existing gardens or the impetus for creating a new garden bed in your landscape. Then light it up. Colorful glass orbs, lanterns, and lights add beauty while lighting a path, bird bath, or outdoor living area. And consider up-lighting a tree or shrub to show off its colorful bark or interesting form. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

TOPIC: Mistaken Identity
Find out what happened to one lady when she was going through the TSA line...How would you have reacted? This listener gets mistaken for a man EVERYDAY...find out how she handles it.

A 'Fifty Shades' party
Check out how nuts these women are for the author of Fifty Shades of Grey at a book party. I admit, I'd be be pretty nuts as well if I was this party since I LOVE the series. So, who do you think should play Christian Grey? Join the conversation and read other Mix's listeners suggestions by clicking here.

Baby Gifts... To Give or Not To Give
I am meeting a friend for lunch today who I haven't seen since she gave birth to her baby boy a year ago. Do I have to bring a gift? Leave your comments below. Thanks! Kidd's Baby Friend Dilemma: Advice on what you should do if this ever happens to you.

AUDIO: 50 SHADES... Everything Grey
Here are just a few things we talked about on today's show when it comes to "50 Shades of Grey." Please leave your comments below about how this book has "changed" your life. Has this book done this to you? Find out what happended to Kidd's sister. Find out what happened to one mix listener after reading it? Who will play Christian Grey? Ryan Seacrest may have the scoop.

Do you let your man do this?
How do you feel when your man checks out another woman? Well, 57 year-old Lisa Gail from Texas put together a song about it. She calls it the "3 Second Rule." Do you agree with her rule? For more, click here.

Possible leak: Will this guy play Christian Grey?
Ryan Seacrest sat down with Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder and the topic of him playing Christian Grey in the movie version of Fifty Shades of Grey came up. Here's what he had to say:

Garden Your Way to Fitness - The Garden Mix
Like many of you I try to squeeze way too much into one day. In order to accomplish many of my goals I try to look for ways to double, even triple the benefits of everything I do. This is why I combine my gardening activities and fitness program. Gardening can help you burn calories, build your health and well being, while you take care of your landscape throughout the year. Drink plenty of water and stretch before you start digging, raking and other garden activities. Slow easy bends can warm up muscles and help avoid strains. Further avoid strain and injury with proper posture. Standing straight and using your core muscles will help avoid injury. Keep movements close to your body and your hands in a neutral position to avoid strain and injury that often occurs with repetitive movements. And even better, gardening can burn anywhere from 155 to 260 calories per hour. A bit more information: Don’t let arthritis, bad knees, and back problems keep you out of the garden. Look for adaptive tools and equipment to help you keep gardening. Consider incorporating raised beds, containers and vertical wall gardens as part of your landscape. They position the garden within easy reach, allowing you to keep moving and gardening. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

Will there be a 4th '50 Shades' book?
As a fan of the trilogy "Fifty Shades of Grey" I was BEYOND THRILLED when the author, E.L. James talked about a possible 4th book! Watch the video below (the answer is at the :35 mark). video platform video management video solutions video player

Celebrate Earth Day ? Conserve Water - The Garden Mix
On April 22nd people around the world will celebrate Earth Day. Get involved by making a change in your own backyard. A little change in our habits can go a big way to make a difference. As gardeners we do this every time we plant seeds and grow our own food or design gardens for birds and butterflies to enjoy. But consider new ways to conserve our precious resources, such as water, for your garden. Collect water from your dehumidifier and use it to water houseplants or outdoor containers. It’s not only free, but free of chlorine and fluoride found in tap water. These compounds can cause leaf tips to turn brown on some plants. And those with water-cooled air conditioners may want to start collecting this water as well. The Recycleholic estimates he collects 800-1000 gallons of water from his dehumidifier and air conditioner during the summer months. A bit more information: Keep a five gallon bucket in the bathroom. Use it to collect the water that would otherwise be wasted when waiting for the water to warm up for your shower. Pour the water into a watering can and use for watering your indoor plants and outdoor container gardens. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

How does this make you feel?
OMG I found this picture today and it made me feel old. Is it just me, or is time flying by and life is passing us by. So, I've decided to slow down and enjoy more things that I like to do...maybe you should consider doing the same? This picture certainly brought back great memories but life needs to slow down...

Ornamental Edible Landscape ? Fruit Plants - The Garden Mix
Round out your meals with some fresh from the garden fruit. It is easier than you think to grow your own apples, plums, and berries. Start by throwing out your old visions of an apple orchard or patch of strawberries. Instead look for creative ways to incorporate these edibles into your landscape. Substitute disease resistant tree fruits suited to your climate and landscape design for more traditional ornamental trees. The flowers, fruit, and often fall color will provide seasonal beauty. Use shrub-type fruits as hedges, dividers, and backdrops for other gardens throughout your landscape. Just be sure to leave enough space around the plantings for maintaining the plants and harvesting their fruit. Grow strawberries as groundcovers throughout your yard. You’ll harvest an abundance of fruit from minimal space. Plus, the white flowers, tasty red berries, and beautiful fall color will brighten up the landscape at your feet. A bit more information: Gardeners who like a challenge or lack even a balcony can try growing a few things indoors. You’ll need a bit of space near a sunny window and supplement with an artificial light for even better results. Consider starting with a Meyer lemon. Many gardeners have success growing these lemons indoors. Plus, the fragrant flowers are a nice addition to your indoor living space. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

Who should play Christian Grey?
Yes, I am OBSESSED with Fifty Shades of Grey. I'm already onto the second book, Fifty Shades Darker and I'm hooked. There are rumors a movie may be in the making. That would be great, but wouldn't they have to rate it NC-17? Everytime I read the book all I pictured was Ryan Gosling as Christina Grey. But now that I'm reading it a SECOND time, I picture Max Irons. Not sure yet, who I would cast as Anastasia Steele. But I'd love to see Sharon Stone as Mrs. Robinson. Who would you cast? Apparently I'm not that far off, check out this article, by clicking here.

Will this be the next 'Bachelor?'
A friend sent me this 'Bachelor' audition tape that's on YouTube. I give him two thumbs up!

Packers 2012 schedule
The Packers schedule is out: pre-season: 8/9 at San Diego Chargers 8/16 vs Cleveland Browns 8/23 at Cincinnati Bengals 8/30 vs Kansas City Chiefs Click here for the regular season and the ful schedule

"Fifty Shades" Meet the Author
Are you OBSESSED with "Fifty Shades of Grey" like I am? What does the author of the hit trilogy "Fifty Shades" have to say about her new fame and success? And why does she think women are falling in love with these books? Click here for ALL the answers. The full interview with the author, E.L. James will air this Friday on 20/20 on ABC at 9 p.m. CST.

Packers Announce Regular Season Schedule; Coach McCarthy talks.
Here we go Packer fans! The 2012 Regular Season Schedule IS OUT! We open up against San Fran...AGAIN and have five games in PRIME TIME! For the sixth time in seven seasons under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, the Packers will open the season at home, this year against San Francisco on Sunday, Sept. 9, in a matchup of the top two teams in the NFC in 2011. What does Coach McCarthy say about it? “Just like everybody at this time of the year, we are excited when the schedule comes out. It’s always great to play at home. Your home opener is always special and to start the season at home will be great for our football team, our organization and our fans. We have an excellent opponent in the San Francisco 49ers, and I think it is a great way to start the season for both teams. “Then we go right into a short week, which is a challenge. I think it is definitely going to be a test for our football team from a preparation standpoint. But our guys are up to the challenge. We’re a mature football team, and anytime we play the Bears it is a lot of fun, especially on national television.” Speaking of national TV, The five prime-time games (subject to flexible scheduling) would be a franchise record, topping the previous mark of four contests on several occasions, most recently in 2010 and 2011. Coach McCarthy? “I think that is a reflection of our football team. That’s really a credit to what we have been able to accomplish in the past. As you know, every year is a new year. It’s our responsibility to take advantage of those opportunities to play on national TV, which is an honor. To play in front of the big audience is something our team thrives on.” CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT and PRINT OUT THE ENTIRE SCHEDULE! What game(s) are YOU looking forward to? Lemme know in the comments! GO PACK GO!

Good Feeling

VIDEO: Behind the world of "Fifty Shades"
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

VIDEO: Sweet Brown
The latest viral video to take the internet by storm.

Coolest Cat Ever!
You will fall in love with this cat. You can find her at WIHUMANE.ORG and thanks for supporting The Wisconsin Humane Society.

VIDEO: MUST SEE if you're over 30
A great parody of "We Are Young" from Fun. - it's called "We're NOT Young"

Plants for Both your Indoor and Outdoor Gardens - The Garden Mix
Add a bit of greenery to your indoors. Then extend your enjoyment by moving these beauties outdoors into a container or in-ground garden when the weather is suitable. Grow ferns indoors in a bright location with high humidity and keep the soil evenly moist. Outdoors use them with other shade lovers like begonias, coleus, and impatiens for some contrasting texture in the garden. Though not a true fern, the foxtail asparagus fern is another good choice. Grow this houseplant in the sunniest window available and water just as the soil starts to dry. Outdoors grow this member of the lily family in partial shade to prevent yellowing of the foliage. The interesting and colorful foliage of Rex Begonias are a real plus in containers for shady gardens outdoors. Grow them in bright light indoors and shade outside. Keep the soil slightly moist, but avoid excess moisture that can lead to root rot. A bit more information: Many indoor/outdoor plants can be propagated by cuttings or divisions, making it easy to expand your collection for the outdoor garden. As the growing season approaches consider taking cuttings of ivies and the Tradescantias or divisions of your ferns so you have a few more of these versatile beauties for your outdoor enjoyment. Click here to watch Melinda’s Garden Moments Starting Plants from Cuttings for more details. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

MUSIC REVIEW: Fun.
I went to the FUN. concert in Chicago over the weekend and had a blast. You need to see them the next time they are in Milwaukee. The show was so fun! Here are a couple of my favorite songs from the show.

Ellen in 'Titanic 3D'
Believe it or not, Ellen DeGeneres was supposed to be in the original 'Titanic' but her scene was cut - until now.

Fitz and The Tantrums rock Coachella TONIGHT; Summerfest 2012
They are one of my favorite bands! Fitz & The Tantrums rock Coachella tonight at 6:45pm CT and you can watch LIVE for FREE! Thanks to the music festival and YouTube they have a pretty rockin' stream that you can check out...click here. As for Fitz & The Tantrums, I got to hang with the group backstage at Summerfest last year AND at Rock The Green in September. They are awesome! It was amazing to see them work the crowd and win them over at both festivals. Not hip to Fitz and The Tantrums? Check out my interview and find out all about them. Watch them rock it tonight at Coachella and then get ready to party with them at Summerfest again this year!

ANOTHER UPDATE Six Flags Great America Tests NEW coaster.
May 5th...that's when Six Flag Great America opens for another great season and on May 12-13 season pass holders will have the FIRST CHANCE of riding their NEW state of the art roller coaster called X-Flight! On May 16th it opens to the WORLD! You can get more information on that at www.sixflags.com/greatamerica. I've been following the progress of said coaster since the annoucment of it coming to SFGA back in September, 2011. So here we are April, 13th and less than a month away from what I like to call "COASTER TIME!" and I'm ready to go after seeing a test run! Take a look below. The countdown IS ON! 22 days til Six Flags Great America Opens! I CAN"T WAIT! :) Will YOU be riding X-Flight this upcoming season? Excited for some Great America? Lemme know in the comments! YOU MAY ALSO LIKE... Best of 2011 - Sept 1, 2011 New Roller Coaster Coming To Six Flags Great America...click here. March 20th, 2012 - UPDATE - Six Flags Great America's NEW Rollercoaster...click here. 99.1 The Mix - Get My Perks DEAL – Thru Monday 3-16-2012 MIDNIGHT: KeyLime Cove Resort Stayover for only $99.95...click here for more information.

Prevent Problems in Your Vegetable Garden - The Garden Mix
Try a bit of preventative care in this year’s garden. You’ll increase your landscape’s beauty and productivity with less work on your part. Improve your soil. Start with a soil test to be sure you are adding only the nutrients your plants need. It’s better for the plants, environment, and your budget. Plus, excess nitrogen promotes lush succulent growth that is more susceptible to insects and disease. Add organic matter to improve drainage in heavy clay soils and water-holding capacity in sandy and rocky soils. Healthier plants are better able to tolerate seasonal stresses and pest attacks. Mulch the soil to help prevent soil born fungus from splashing onto and infecting plants. Plus, you will conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and improve the soil as the organic mulches decompose. Remove weeds as they appear. Not only do they compete with your plants for water and nutrients, they often serve as hosts, attracting insects and diseases into your garden. A bit more information: Gardeners now have a new tool to help their plants tolerate environmental stress, insect attacks, and disease infestations. Plant strengtheners, like JAZ spray, act like an immunization for your plants. Scientists found that plants under stress produce certain enzymes. They isolated these enzymes and applied them to other plants. The treated plants were better able to tolerate stress and attacks by insects and disease. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

BUZZ: Werid Laugh
Who has the weirdest laugh in TV? MUST HEAR AUDIO: You be the judge! THE FULL STORY: Anderson Cooper busted up laughing while reporting on Polish Celebration ‘Dyngus Day’ for 360, offending the Polish by saying ‘this is so stupid’. Anderson replied: “I am concerned to hear that some people believe that I called Dyngus Day celebrations ‘stupid’ or in any way criticized this holiday. I did not. While in the midst of a silly giggle fit I said ‘this is so stupid’ in reference to my inability to stop laughing.”

VIDEO: Bully
Will take your kids to see this movie, "Bully?" I get choked up just watching the trailer - it makes me wonder what kind of schools will my kids be attending one day.

DID YOU KNOW: Friday The 13th
Fun Friday the 13th Facts The morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th is called “friggatriskaidekaphobia” or “Paraskevidekatriaphobia”. As many as 21 million Americans may suffer from “friggatriskaidekaphobia". Both the sixth day of the week and the number 13 have had foreboding reputations since ancient times. The tradition of 13 being unlucky is believed to originate with Hindus in Asia -- holds that it is bad luck for 13 people to gather. A variation is that if you have 13 at dinner one person will be dead in a year. There were also 13 people at the Last Supper...including the one who betrayed Jesus. The Friday the 13th uneasiness is believed to be the most prevalent superstition in the US. A 1993 study in the British Medical Journal determined that although fewer people drive on Friday the 13th compared to other Fridays, the risk of having to go to the hospital because of a car accident is 52% higher. Having 13 letters in your name is a bad sign. Just ask Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy, Albert De Salvo and Jack the Ripper. In the time of the Pharoahs, the number 13 was a good thing. There were 12 stages of life, followed by the 13th afterllife. Unfortunately, the theory goes, the 13 eventually became a symbol of death. On Friday, October 13, 1307 mass arrests took place targeting the last few thousand of the Knights Templar. One theory holds that this Friday the 13th became a symbol for ill fortune. Although dark omens have long lurked with both Fridays and the number 13, it turns out there is not much evidence before the 19th Century of “Friday the 13th” being that big a deal. Some think it’s mostly a 20th Century creation spurred on by the public media. The earliest known documented reference in English occurs in Henry Sutherland Edwards' 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini. The 12 Friday the 13th films have grossed $465 million according to wikipedia.

How Do You TIp?
I was out to dinner with friends last night and we got in a debate about tipping pre or post tax? What is the correct way to tip?

New J.Lo music
What do you think of Jennifer Lopez's new song "Dance Again?" I do like seeing her new boy toy in the video, he's a hottie!

West Side Story Interview
West Side Story, arguably one of the greatest musicals of all time, is in town thru THIS SUNDAY at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Jon Drake (Action) & Alexandra Frohlinger (Anybodys) join me in studio to chat about the show and what you can expect PLUS they both have advice for young thespians out there! Take a listen. Get tickets and more information at: www.MarcusCenter.org

She's cute but...
My little dog Tessie is so adorable BUT I've never had a dog that actually woke me up because she snores so loud! In the middle of the night I have to yell "Tessie stop" that doesn't help. Does anyone else have a dog that snores? Don't let this picture fool you...she's not letting me sleep!

Masking Declining Bulb Foliage - The Garden Mix
Tired of looking at the fading foliage of early season bloomers? Mask the ugliness of these declining leaves and increase the beauty of your landscape this season. Mix spring bulbs with perennials to extend bloom time and mask the fading leaves. Select early-blooming perennials that flower with your bulbs to double the floral impact. Or select a later blooming perennial to extend the flowering season. In either case make sure the new perennial provides season- long foliage that will mask the fading leaves of the early bloomers. Or add a few warm season annuals. As the early bloomers fade the annuals grow, masking the declining leaves and filling in voids left by early bloomers. Combine plants with similar leaves. Daffodils and daylilies make great planting partners. They are equally assertive and have similar foliage. As the daffodil leaves linger throughout the summer the daylilies grow through to flower and combine with the remaining daffodil leaves. A bit more information: Combine daffodils, Virginia bluebells, and hostas for an attractive shade garden display. The daffodils and Virginia bluebells make an attractive spring display. As these spring beauties fade the hosta foliage emerges to mask their declining foliage. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

Live a BETTER life
The 15 Thing You Need To Give Up To Be Happy ... I agree with EVERY point on this list. DO you?

Be in the Summerfest TV commercial
As part of the 45th Anniversary, Summerfest is celebrating festival fans and giving them the chance to be part of their 2012 45th Anniversary TV commercials. WHAT: Summerfest Casting Call Event WHEN: Sunday, April 22 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm WHERE: The Garage at the Harley-Davidson Museum®, 400 Canal Street, Milwaukee HOW: Fans should print the form at: Summerfest.com/tvcastingcall2012, complete it and bring it with a photo to The Garage at the Harley-Davidson Museum® on April 22 between 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Summerfest is looking for their favorite Summerfest memory in 150 words or less. Fans can enjoy live music and win prizes courtesy of Mambo, the Harley-Davidson Museum® and Summerfest. All attendees will receive one FREE 45th Anniversary T-Shirt and one FREE Summerfest ticket valid on July 4, 2012. Fans that cannot make the Casting Call on April 22 may submit their information online at: Summerfest.com/tvcastingcall2012. Visit Summerfest.com for more information

VIDEO: My new favorite song
I LOVE this song and the video is even better! It's Rihanna and Drake "Take Care."

Earth-Kind Landscaping - The Garden Mix
You can have a beautiful landscape and be kind to the environment by adopting an Earth-Kind landscape philosophy. Introduced by the Texas Agrilife Extension Service, Earth-Kind’s goal is to help gardeners create easy-care landscapes, while preserving and conserving natural resources and the environment. These research-proven techniques combine the best of organic and traditional gardening and landscape practices. The strategies are designed to work in your landscape. The process starts with selecting easy-care plants suited to the growing conditions. This will yield beautiful results with minimal water, fertilizer, pesticides and work for you. Proper placement will not only improve plant performance, but can also help reduce heating and cooling costs. And, if you put the right size plant in the landscape, you will need to do less pruning and have less plant waste to manage. Recycling fallen leaves and prunings into compost, wattle fences, and mulch will help you put this resource to work in your garden, while reducing waste sent to the landfill. A bit more information: Take the Earth-Kind challenge at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/challenge/ and find out if your landscape is contributing to a healthy and sustainable environment. The quick test will evaluate your current landscaping practices and provide ideas on how you can adopt Earth-Kind landscaping principles in your garden. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

VIDEO: Clay Matthews SHOCKING commercial
Clay Matthews is now sponsoring Depends. OK, I guess that make sense?! Not really! He is doing it for charity so that's cool!

OPENING DAY: Klement's Racing Sausages
Do you want to be a Racing Sausage at Miller Park? Are the races rigged?

OPENING DAY: Has This Happened To You?
Ladies has this ever happened to you?

Forced Lilies for you Indoor and Outdoor Enjoyment
Florist and garden centers are filled with white lilies for Easter and spring celebrations. Get the most out of your purchase by extending their life into your garden. Grow your lily in a cool bright location to maximize flowering. Clip off the faded blooms and move your lily to a sunny window. Water often enough to keep the potting mix slightly moist and fertilize with a dilute solution of flowering houseplant fertilizer. The traditional white Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum) is suited to zones 7 through 9, though I have grown them in protected locations in zones 4 and 5 with fairly good success. The Oriental and Asiatic lilies are more colorful and hardier. Move the plants outdoors to a sunny well-drained location after the danger of frost has passed. Plant the bulb 6 inches deep, leaving the leaves intact to produce energy for next year’s bloom. Water thoroughly. Then be prepared for beautiful blooms in next summer’s garden. A bit more information: Stop, don’t rub the lily pollen that lands on your clothing. You’ll only stain your clothes. Grab the tape instead. Place the tape over the pollen and peel the problem away. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

FIRST LOOK Katy Perry Movie
I can't WAIT for this movie! If Justin Bieber can do it, so can California Girl Katy Perry! Though I will say the Biebs' doc-flick, "Never Say Never" is a fun ride behind the scenes and it looks like Katy Beth Terry's flick will be just as good! Katy Perry Part Of Me 3D is a backstage pass, front row seat and intimate look at the fun, glamorous, heartbreaking, inspiring, crazy, magical, passionate, and honest mad diary of Katy. I am honored to give you a first look.. Will you see the movie? Favorite Katy Perry song? Lemme know in the comments. -Van

OPENING DAY: You Should Know These Guys
Mike Wickett from SportsRadio 1250 gave us 3 names we must learn before opening day...do you know all 3?

Jack's APPS: Man Saver
My 9-year-old nephew introduces us to a new App that he thinks every man must have and every woman will love.

VIDEO: What happened to this celebrity?
WOW - this is crazy and kind of creepy. Check out this video of Lindsay Lohan's changing looks over the years.

POPULAR: New Cover of "Somebody I Used To Know"
The song "Somebody I Used To Know" by Gotye is climbing up the charts and everyday it seems like I find someone else that has covered it on YouTube. Here is another great cover! I love them all!

This is crazy...
We are even fatter than we thought.and nearly half of overweight women ranked as obese in the some tests. That means nearly 60% of Americans may be obese, rather than the current 33% estimate! I don't know about you but it's hard to lose weight when you live in Wisconsin...we love to have fun and we love food and beer, right? Just don't let this happen to you...yikes~!

New Mix Music!
I love this new song that we're playing on The Mix, "Somebody I used to Know" by Gotye.

Vole Damage
Missing bark at the base of trees and shrubs, damaged perennial roots, and trails in the lawn are sure signs that voles have been at work. These small mammals thrive in grassy fields and feed on seeds, bark, bulbs, and fleshy roots of plants. Preventing damage is the best strategy for keeping your landscape looking its best. Invite nature’s pest controllers into your landscape. Hawks, owls, and fox will help keep vole populations under control. Use cylinders of hardware cloth around young trees and shrubs. Sink it several inches in the soil to reduce the risk of vole damage. Some gardeners use snap traps baited with peanut butter and oats to control these pests. Tuck the traps into PVC pipe or under cover so birds, kids and desirable wildlife are not injured or killed. But first, check with your local municipality on regulations for controlling wildlife in your community. Repair lawn damage by seeding damaged areas in the spring. A bit more information: You may want to consider a natural vole and mole repellent. Messina Wildlife’s Mole and Vole Stopper is all-natural, smells good, and guaranteed to work. Use it to prevent chewing, digging, foraging, and tunneling damage to lawns and gardens. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

PETS: Wrapped Around Your Arm
I visit The Wisconsin Humane Society each week and get to meet some wonderful animals and share them with you. Have you ever seen a puppy wrapped around an arm? If you answered "NO", you should watch this video.

NEW MUSIC: Glee "Somebody I Used To Know"
Glee is back on April 10th and they are taking on the new big Mix hit from Gotye "Somebody I Used To Know" Get your first listen now and watch Glee April 10th on FOX 6.

BREWERS: Aaron Rodgers Commercial
Green Bay Packer Superbowl Champ Aaron Rodgers is in ANOTHER commercial...this time for the Milwaukee Brewers. What do you think of the ad?Your browser does not support iframes.

WWE WrestleMania 28 HIGHLIGHTS
The eyes of the world were focused on the WWE Universe in Miami, Florida yesterday for WrestleMania 28 and as always my friends and I went all out with the food and fun. Did YOU watch? What's that? You couldn't?!? WELL...not to worry, because I GOT YOUR BACK with WrestleMania 28 HIGHLIGHTS! Check out the action and comment on what you think! :)

Spring Basket of Grass
Bring a little spring indoors by planting a container of fresh green grass. Containers of grass make the perfect backdrop for cut flowers or colorful Easter eggs as well as an indoor play field for action heroes and dolls. Plus, it’s easy to do and you’ll get quick results. Select a shallow container or decorative pot with drainage holes. Fill with a well-drained potting mix. Cover the soil surface with a quick sprouting grass seed like rye or wheat grass. Then gently tamp to insure good seed-to-soil contact and gently water. Sprout your grass in a bright location and gently water often enough to keep the soil evenly moist. Once the grass sprouts, move it to a sunny window. Then water it thoroughly whenever the soil starts to dry. Place cut flowers in floral picks and arrange them in your field of grass. Or display other spring decorations and use your pot of grass as a centerpiece. A bit more information: Break out the scissors when it’s time to give your indoor lawn a haircut. And consider growing a pot of grass for your patio or deck. Kids playing in or visiting your landscape will find it the perfect place to play with dollhouses, play sets, animals and action heroes. For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com

VIDEO: More of Max Irons
Yes. I'm obsessed with the idea that this actor/model Max Irons might play Christian Grey in the movie of "Fifty Shades of Grey."

WI Humane Visit: 24 ADOPT-A-THON

most recent audio

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 COUSINS SUBS® AMPHITHEATER

10am – Souper Sunday presented by MilwaukeeFood.com Local restaurants’ signature fall soups will be available for sampling (tickets required).

Noon – Hoop Vibes

BUDWEISER MUSIC PAVILION – 9am All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast – 12:30pm JAMIT

New in 2011, a Wisconsin State Fair staple for many years, the beautiful Natural Resources Park on the south end of the Fair Park will be utilized for Harvest Fair on Saturday from 10am – 6pm and Sunday from 10am – 5pm. At the new Pioneer Days Interactive Displays visitors can get photos taken near a covered wagon, play pioneer games, make crafts like dolls out of yarn and even do pioneer chores like rolling biscuits and snapping beans! There will also be a Pioneer Schoolhouse lesson on what school was like pre-Civil War.

Keeping with the historical theme of the area, children can also comb wool using carding combs, look through a stereoscope (19th Century 3D!), try an old-fashioned egg beater, and attempt to figure out what the other artifacts are. All artifacts are part of the teaching collection at the Milwaukee County Historical Society / Trimborn Farms and may be handled by children of all ages.

Visitors can also stop by the Natural Resources Park to see the Model Backyard exhibit and chat with the SouthEast Wisconsin Master Gardeners who will be on-hand to answer all of their gardening questions. And both kids and adults can participate in the National Archery in the Schools Program® hands-on archery demonstrations.

Also new this year, the Family Activity Center located in the Original Cream Puff Pavilion will be buzzing with activity on Friday from 5pm – 9pm, Saturday from 9am – 9pm and Sunday from 9am – 5pm. Kids can get creative at Decorating Stations, including Caramel Apples (3 tickets/apple) and Giant Cookies presented by Golden Guernsey Dairy (4 tickets/cookie or 11 tickets for 3 cookies). They can also “Leaf Their Print” on the new Harvest Fair Mural and have fun singing, listening, playing instruments and moving to music with staff from the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music on Saturday from 2:30 – 6pm and Sunday 10am – 5pm.

New demonstrations will teach the art of cooking and decorating food along with wildlife presentations from the

SouthEast Wisconsin Master Gardeners, Organic Gardening Club, Master Canners, UW-Extension and the Fish and Wildlife Service. Demonstrations will take place Saturday and Sunday from 11am – 6pm.

All kids will want to pick up a FREE Harvest Fair Bingo Board at one of the Fair Information Centers and then travel through Harvest Fair collecting stamps! Across, Up & Down, Diagonal or 4-corners wins a prize! Boards can be redeemed for prizes in the Family Activity Center.

Other new attractions include the Milwaukee Art Museum/Kohl’s Color Wheels exhibit, where kids will not only take part in fun projects, but also grow and learn through art just west of Central Park on Main Street. The Robo Fest and VexBot Demonstrations, which combine sports excitement with the rigors of science and technology. Under strict rules, limited resources and time limits, teams are challenged to fund, design a brand, exercise teamwork, build and program robots to perform tasks against their fellow competitors. The Robo Fest competition is Saturday from 9am until 6pm and continues with the VexBots on Sunday from 9am until 5pm.

From our smallest guests to veteran thrill seekers, all visitors will want to check out the new Rainbow Amusement Ride Area in front of the Exposition Center. Rainbow’s unmatched collection of Classic and Kiddie Rides will offer BIG fun for all ages. Rides will be three (3) tickets each.

A Harvest Fair favorite, the Giant Pumpkin Contest presented by Halloween Express will take place Saturday, September 24 from 11am to 3pm on the Exposition Center North Terrace, and the pumpkins will be on display through the close of Harvest Fair on Sunday, September 25.

Don’t forget about the food and beverage! In the Budweiser Pavilion families can enjoy an All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast from 9 – 11:30am Saturday and Sunday. Kids (3 & under) eat FREE, children (ages 4-12) are $3.50, and adults (13 & over) are $4.95. The Budweiser Pavilion Patio & Grill will be open throughout Harvest Fair.

Elegant Farmer’s famous pies and dessert breads will be for sale at Harvest Fair in the Family Activity Center and in a tent outside of the north end of the Family Activity Center. Pies will be sold outside until closing time.

Apple Pie Baked in a Bag®: 3 tickets/slice or 13 tickets/pie Pumpkin Pie: 3 tickets/slice or 13 tickets/pie Dessert Breads (pumpkin or apple): 5 tickets/loaf

In addition, Fairgoers can savor tasty “Harvest Fare” from 3-B Concessions, Benno’s, Catalano’s Beer &

Pizza, Catfish Johnny’s, Charcoal Grill, Cousins Subs®, Firehouse, Jayme’s Chipstix, Joey’s Seafood, Krautland, Lemon Chill, Madison SportService, MaMa Mary’s, Mary and Cali’s Sweet Shop, Mille’s Italian Sausage, Mr. Ed’s Chuckwagon, Pitch’s/Miss Katie’s Diner, Popcorn Headz, S & J Popcorn, Saz’s High Life Pavilion and Ultimate Confections.

The Wineberry Bar & Lounge in the Cousins Subs® Amphitheater and Bazaar area is a great place to sip and savor wines from Wisconsin and the Midwest, and at The Micro adjacent to Benno’s visitors can enjoy classic and seasonal microbrews.

There are several other exciting events taking place at the Fair Park at the same time as Harvest Fair. These include the World Beef Expo, Milwaukee County Fair, Just Between Friends Consignment Sale, Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation Walk, Milwaukee Tattoo Arts Convention, WI Beer Expo and Halloween Express. For more information on Harvest Fair and all events at Wisconsin State Fair Park, please visit WiStateFair.com.

Wisconsin State Fair Park is home to the Wisconsin State Fair, presented by U.S. Cellular. The 2012 Wisconsin State Fair will take place August 2 – 12. For more details on Wisconsin State Fair or any of the events at the

Fair Park, please visit WiStateFair.com.

Bango Honored at 2011 NBA Mascot Conference.

Posted in: Animals, Basketball, Bucks, Children, Milwaukee Bucks, Radio, TV, Van McNeil, Videos, Wisconsin State Fair, family, kids, milwaukee, news, sports, voting

Bucks mascot Bango can now add two more awards to his ever-growing trophy collection. Bango took home two awards at the 2011 NBA Mascot Conference, which was held in Milwaukee. Bango won the 2011 NBA Mascot Stunt of the Year award for his rollerblade back-flip dunk during the Bucks 2010-11 home opener and he also won the 2011 NBA Mascot Leadership Award for the second time.

At last summer’s conference in Miami, Bango took home the honor of NBA Mascot of the Year, which was voted on by his fellow mascots. Bango added another title during the 2010-11 season as he received the “Most Awesome Mascot” award at the Cartoon Network’s Hall of Game Awards in February. This year, Bango passed on the torch to the 2011 NBA Mascot of the Year, Grizz from the Memphis Grizzlies.

Bango has been a very busy Buck in the offseason with more than 80 appearances since May 1. Last week, Bango, along with Bucks and GE staff, volunteered at GE Day of Caring at Burbank Elementary School. He also made appearances at the annual Milwaukee Juneteenth Day celebration parade; the Badger Mutual Insurance Boys and Girls Club Tailgate Party at Miller Park; the Pewaukee Clean Water Festival at Pewaukee Lake and four Fourth of July Parades throughout the community. Bango also volunteered his time by distributing school supplies at the House of Peace Back to School Drive and helped serve breakfast and supper along with The Gathering of Southeastern Wisconsin at two Milwaukee locations. All of Bango’s volunteer efforts and appearances listed above are part of the Milwaukee Bucks Community Caravan, which spans throughout the summer and through June 2012.

Bango begins his 34th season with the Bucks and he has been energizing and entertaining Bucks fans with his high flying dunks, acrobatic moves and crazy shenanigans. The ageless Bango has brought smiles and thrills to Bucks fans at home games, appearances, parades, school assemblies, hospital visits and everywhere Bucks fans celebrate since 1977. He has performed throughout the United States, Canada and in China and will be back at the Bradley Center for the 2011-12 Milwaukee Bucks season.

2011 Wisconsin State Fair Results.

Posted in: Children, Green Bay packers, Radio, Reality TV, State Fair, Summer, TV, Theater, USA, Van McNeil, Videos, Wedding, Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Fair, addictions, beer, concerts, dogs, facebook, family, food, friends, home, kids, love, marriage, milwaukee, money, music, news, party, reunion, shopping, sports, style, vacation, voting

Wisconsin State Fair Park Officials are pleased to announce that the 160th Wisconsin State Fair, presented by U.S. Cellular, ended on a high note this evening at 10pm.

Hundreds of thousands of loyal Fairgoers came out to celebrate during the Fair’s annual 11-day run and take advantage of family-friendly pricing, diverse entertainment and fair traditions. Mother Nature was “fairly” kind this year, offering a few hot, humid days and a couple days of light rain, but mostly beautiful blue skies and light breezes, providing Fairgoers the opportunity to enjoy all that the Fair has to offer.

“It was a tremendous Fair despite the tough start,” stated Chief Executive Officer of Wisconsin State Fair Park Rick Frenette. “We are appreciative of the collaboration and efforts of the State Patrol, West Allis Police Department, and Milwaukee Police Department to assure our Fairgoers that the Fair is a safe, fun experience for our guests. We look forward to continuing to work with them for the 2012 Wisconsin State Fair and beyond.”

“The attendance this year shows, that more than ever our Fairgoers are passionate about the Wisconsin State Fair, and they showed amazing support for us this year,” stated Patrice Harris, communications manager. “We are thrilled that each year they come out to enjoy the new things we have to offer and the traditions of the Fair – the agriculture, food, music, attractions, contests and activities.”

In addition to a four percent increase in attendance, initial revenue reports reflect a significant increase of 5.6%.

2011 ATTENDANCE 911,231

ADMISSION PROMOTIONS

AUGUST 4 HUNGER TASK FORCE DAY 45,133

149,500 pounds of food donated to Hunger Task Force

AUGUST 5 DISCOVERWISCONSIN.COM DAY 5,145

AUGUST 8 SPRECHER BREWING CO. $6 BEFORE 6PM 10,047

AUGUST 9 KOHL’S FAMILY VALUE DAY 27,559 Adults

13,073 Youth

AUGUST 11 U.S.CELLULAR $5 after 5pm 4,214

AUGUST 14 MILITARY & VETERANS RECOGNITION DAY

COURTESY OF BUDWEISER 2,162

FOOD STATISTICS

Wisconsin Bakers Association Original Cream Puffs 355,478

Artic Glacier Pounds of Ice 550,425

Real Wisconsin Cheese Grill Grilled Cheese Sandwiches 52,143

Joey’s Seafood & Grill Fish Tacos 1,480

Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Chocolate Covered Cranberries

On a Stick 7,800

Apollo Gyros Deep Fried Bacon Wrapped Hotdogs 4,763

WI Cattlemen’s Association Ribeye Sandwiches 16,400

Budweiser Pavilion Deep Fried Beer 7,065 orders

35,325 pieces

Cedar Crest Ice Cream Maple Bacon Sundaes 2,500

Mille’s Sausage Sandwiches 26,000

Brad & Harry’s Cheese Curds Pounds of Cheese used 5,700

AGRICULTURE EXHIBITORS

Open Exhibitors 701

Junior Exhibitors 1579

Miscellaneous Exhibitors (cheese, meat, dogs, etc.) 371

Textiles, Horticulture, Crafts & Culinary Exhibitors 567

Total Number of Exhibitors 3218

OTHER STATISTICS

Kids Quad Jump 14,388

Ribbons and Plaques Awarded over 28,000

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Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Contest – 2011 Wisconsin State Fair.

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Wisconsin State Fair Issues New Youth Parental Guardian Admission Policy…click here.

VIDEO: Instant reaction to Deep Fried Butter…click here.

2011 Wisconsin State Fair Baked Potato Eating Contest…click here.

2011 Wisconsin State Fair – Deep Fried Butter Preview…click here.

Pigs at the fair

Posted in: Animals, Elizabeth Kay, Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Fair

I LOVE the pigs at the Wisconsin State Fair. I used to say that one day I would get a potbelly pig – they’re so cute!

My friend Matt’s family owns a pig farm in Luxemburg and these are two of their pigs. Would you believe they’re almost 300 pounds!

Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Contest – 2011 Wisconsin State Fair

Posted in: America, Reality TV, State Fair, TV, USA, Van McNeil, Videos, Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Fair, addictions, family, milwaukee, news

Fairgoers, participants and spectators always look forward to the annual Cream Puff Eating Contests on Golden Guernsey Dairy Day and today was no exception. The contests, held earlier today on the stage in Central Park did not disappoint! This year’s judges included Master Baker Dave Schmidt of the Wisconsin Bakers Association and Rick Wisconsin State Fair Park Board members Rebecca Wickhem House, State Representative Keith Ripp, West Allis Mayor Dan Devine and Aldo Madrigrano. The Wisconsin State Fair, presented by U.S. Cellular, continues through Sunday, August 15 in West Allis, Wisconsin.

Competitors in the celebrity Cream Puff eating contest were served up an extra-large Cream Puff by Master Baker Dave Schmidt and members of Team Cream Puff. Contestants were allowed to touch the plate and lift it however, their hands were not allowed to touch the Cream Puff itself.

The Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Contest commenced shortly after 11:45am on the stage at Central Park. Participants included Van “The Man” McNeil from 99.1 The Mix and Milwaukee Wave Professional Soccer Team, Stan Atkinson from B93.3 FM, Alexis Nickelotti, Fairest of the Fair, Katie Wirkus, Alice in Dairyland, Danielle Dale, Wisconsin Honey Queen, Heather Wojciehowski from the Milwaukee Admirals, Trenni Kusnierek from AM620 WTMJ, Curtis McSchmurtis from 97.3 Radio Now (2010 Champion), Dave Murphy from Oldies 95.7, Kyle Lance #16 of the Milwaukee Wave, Ryan Miller of FM102/1, Tony Clark from FOX 6, Rigs from Radio Now 97.3, Renee Lorenz from OnMilwaukee.com, and Tony “Radar” Hess from FM106.1.

Contestants taunted each other in good fun prior to the start of the competition and were all business once things got underway. Things wrapped up in just one minute and fifteen seconds with 2009 Champion Dave Murphy of WRIT Oldies 95.7 declared the winner. Murphy was awarded with a plaque and the traveling Cream Puff Trophy, a Cream Puff topped milk bottle that will be inscribed with his name.

The “5 and under” age category featured a number of excited young Fairgoers! The winner was Jeremy Conley of Richfield, WI.

The 6 to 9-year-olds took the stage next and Mykala Anchondo of Milwaukee took the top spot.

The 10 to 12-year-old heat was won by Ryan Caflisch of Sauk City.

There were two heats for the 13 to 17-year-old age group. In one, Matthew Misiewicz of New Berlin walked away the winner and the other heat produced Tyler Foster of Milwaukee as the winner.

The reigning champion in the 18 to 29-year-old category, Dom Singleton from New Berlin, claimed victory yet again dominating the competition!

There were three rounds in the 30 to 59-year-old division, including heat winners Thomas Hernandez of Milwaukee, Paul Stelter of Greendale, and Dave Zabler of Franklin.

The 160^th Wisconsin State Fair, presented by U.S. Cellular, will take place Thursday, August 4 through Sunday, August 14, 2011. The Wisconsin State Fair offers an original experience to all that attend and is a phenomenal value with 30 FREE entertainment stages, thousands of animals, endless family activities, events, contests, vendors and culinary delights. For the most up-to-date information, please visit WiStateFair.com

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Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Contest – 2011 Wisconsin State Fair.

Giant Slide Fun Facts…click here.

Wisconsin State Fair Issues New Youth Parental Guardian Admission Policy…click here.

VIDEO: Instant reaction to Deep Fried Butter…click here.

2011 Wisconsin State Fair Baked Potato Eating Contest…click here.

2011 Wisconsin State Fair – Deep Fried Butter Preview…click here.

Comments (1) | Posted by Van McNeil on August 9, 2011

Doggie Wedding at 2011 Wisconsin State Fair.

Posted in: Animals, Radio, Reality TV, Summer, TV, USA, Van McNeil, Videos, Wedding, Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Fair, dogs, love, marriage, milwaukee, news, romance, style

So, I had the honor of attending my first Doggie Wedding at this years Wisconsin State Fair…

It was different, intresting and kinda made me think, “Why hasn’t TLC or Animal Planet made a show about this yet?”, maybe they have! I’m not sure.

None the less, the Doggie Wedding of Nala and Drake was a lot of fun and everyone in the Poultry & Rabbit Pavilion had a good time.

Stay tuned to the end of the video for some SHOCKING post marriage thoughts from Nala and check out the Doggie Weddings thur Thursday.

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2011 Wisconsin State Fair Baked Potato Eating Contest…click here.

2011 Wisconsin State Fair – Deep Fried Butter Preview…click here.

Instant Reaction Deep Fried Beer at 2011 Wisconsin State Fair.

Posted in: America, Radio, State Fair, TV, USA, Van McNeil, Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Fair, addictions, beer, cooking, milwaukee

Deep Fried Beer…like the Deep Fried Butter everyone is talking about it at this years Wisconsin State Fair.

You’ve tried to imagine the flavors in your mouth and what it might taste like…

You’re wondering where you can find it and how much it costs.

I have you covered as we go to the Budweiser Pavilion and get some first reactions to the much talked about Deep Fried Beer at the 160th Wisconsin State Fair.

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2011 Wisconsin State Fair Baked Potato Eating Contest…click here.

2011 Wisconsin State Fair – Deep Fried Butter Preview…click here.

Giant Slide Fun Facts – 2011 Wisconsin State Fair.

Posted in: Children, Radio, Summer, TV, USA, Van McNeil, Videos, Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Fair, addictions, family, kids, milwaukee, news

How tall is The Giant Slide at the Wisconsin State Fair?

How many steps does it take to get to the top?

How many people ride The Giant Slide every year?

All these questions get answered in the video below!

Happy Fair y’all and get ready to work out the calves!

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2011 Wisconsin State Fair – Deep Fried Butter Preview…click here.

Instant Reaction – Deep Fried Butter at 2011 Wisconsin State Fair.

Posted in: Radio, State Fair, Summer, TV, USA, Van McNeil, Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Fair, addictions, cooking, food, health, milwaukee, restaurants

You’ve heard all about it and thought, “I wonder what THAT tastes like?” Deep Fried Butter…you’ll find it on the menu at The Machine Shed near Gate 4, next to the We Energies Stage.

If you’re trying to decide on weather you should try this or not, let me just say it’s the Wisconsin State Fair! Go BIG or go home!

My first reaction to Deep Fried Butter was, “that’s a LOT of butter”, I later slipped into a butter coma for hours and craved even more when I came to. It’s not for everyone but definitely worth a try.

Good luck!

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Everything you need to know for the 2011 Wisconsin State Fair..click here.

Wisconsin State Fair Issues New Youth Parental Guardian Admission Policy…click here.

2011 Wisconsin State Fair Baked Potato Eating Contest…click here.

2011 Wisconsin State Fair – Deep Fried Butter Preview…click here.

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Leave a Comment | Posted by Van McNeil on September 16, 2011

Wisconsin State Fair Park Board votes to keep Amusement Rides in 2012.

Posted in: Animals, Children, Radio, State Fair, TV, USA, Van McNeil, Videos, Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Fair, concerts, food, friends, holidays, kids, milwaukee, money, music, news

Leave a Comment | Posted by Van McNeil on September 14, 2011

Harvest Fair 2011 at Wisconsin State Fair Park.

Posted in: Radio, State Fair, TV, Van McNeil, Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Fair, concerts, family, food, friends, kids, milwaukee, news