Withering Glance: These are 40 or so of our favorite things

Rick Nelson and Claude Peck dispense unasked-for advice about clothing, etiquette, culture, relationships, grooming and more.

RN: The advent of spring has hurled me into a fine mood. I say we concentrate on the good things, Claude. What's making you happy right now? Rattle them off. Go.

CP: Nights when my neighbors are not having a death-metal, cigs-and-beer-and-"dude!" party out back.

RN: Or any p.m. when you don't have to call the cops on said neighbors, right? I'll go next. Trees sprouting on downtown sidewalks. Dancers Eddie Oroyan and Mary Ann Bradley. The Iowa Supreme Court. Luke Macfarlane on "Brothers & Sisters."

CP: Finding a flight you want that can be bought with miles. Jon Oulman & Son's new downtown boite, the 501 Club.

RN: John Singer Sargent's "Luxembourg Gardens at Twilight" at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Michelle Obama. Pedaling my tuchus off as our gym's spinning taskmistress, Laura Van Bellinger, blares Blondie's "Call Me."

CP: Lean Cuisine. Google docs. Drink prices at the 19. Greta Oglesby in "Caroline, or Change."

CP: The Mike Leigh movie "Happy-Go-Lucky." All Mike Leigh movies. Mike Leigh's movie-making process.

RN: Lilacs. Balanchine's "Symphony in C." The chocolate-covered eclairs from Butter.

CP: A half-empty flight. Thirteen-year-old Bobby in "King of the Hill," whose fondness for things like warm laundry and cotillions fall short of making him gay, but are plenty irksome to his dad.

RN: "The Splendid Table." SPF 30. A steady paycheck. Target Field's architectural swagger.

CP: Jessica Lange in the HBO "Grey Gardens." Drew, too.

CP: Tater Tots at the Saloon. The line, "Grace to be born and live as variously as possible." (Frank O'Hara.)

RN: I like that. I'd add Lift Bridge Brewery's "Farm Girl" ale. Screen porches. Zachary Quinto as Mr. Spock in the new "Star Trek."

CP: May.