This week's list is devoted to one of my favorite pastimes in the entire earth: curling up on the couch, or in a comfy chair, or perhaps perching at the kitchen table, to peruse a glossy new magazine. Sometimes, truly nothing is better. It could even be considered therapy of its own sort!
Now, since I have developed the slightly frustrating, yet highly practical habit of calculating the exact value of an item that I'd like to have, ensuring, for example, that I can imagine at least five or six occasions where I might wear a certain outfit before I buy it, or observing the unit price of orange juice when I'm choosing between a gallon or a quart, I can say with absolute certainty that if there is a magazine that you might consider buying even three or four times a year you are inevitably better off to purchase a subscription. Most subscriptions these days are in the $10-20 range, and individually they cost from $3.99 all the way up to $5.99! You really can't beat that lovely anticipatory joy of peeking into your mailbox to see a brand new mag every few weeks, either.
Okay, since I've bored you all with a ridiculous peek into my financial obsessions, I shall now proceed to list the magazines that I cannot live without.
5. Sunset. While this is a regional magazine, essentially devoted to the West Coast and Southwest, I would highly recommend it to any foodies, gardeners, or those who enjoy traveling. Each issue is chock full of great ideas for road trips, new restaurants, and vacation spots. My edition is specifically tailored to Northern California, so each issue will have suggestions for that month's gardening, a few delicious recipes that usually feature in-season produce, and a section detailing a fun day trip, always to local areas, like Santa Cruz. It's a wonderful magazine, and I now have a binder bulging with clippings that I couldn't bear to lose.
4. US Weekly. My sister-in-law and I always talk about how this magazine is like candy, a sweet bit of fluff, gone in an instant, yet SO enjoyable while it lasts. It doesn't have the substance, or dare I say it, reputation, as something like People, but that's not really why we love it, after all. This is the one magazine on my list that would be a splurge, as all weekly magazines are. My SH very sweetly purchased a two-year subscription for me a few years ago, and I was more than sad when it ran out and we opted not to renew. Maybe this year, for my big 3-0? By the way, you should know that I loathe all things Gosselin and would have opted for another cover image, but of COURSE could not in good conscience post a cover without a bit of RP!
3. Food and Wine. What I love almost as much as eating is READING about eating, and that is probably my favorite aspect of Food and Wine. There is inevitably a beautifully written, wonderfully descriptive article in each issue of the culinary adventures or some one or another, usually in an exotic locale that I'll likely never have the chance to visit. The recipes and direct association with Top Chef only add to the appeal of this magazine.
2. Bon Appetit. I think I've determined that Bon Appetit is my favorite foodie magazine, and I've subscribed to many. I appreciate its straightforward, unpretentious format, and especially like the Prep School feature. Molly Wizenberg contributes a monthly column, and in my mind, one cannot have enough Orangette! There's plenty of global cuisine amidst all the practical recipes and advice, too. A great magazine all around, if I must say.
1. Everyday with Rachael Ray. Hands down, my favorite magazine of all, the one that I eagerly search for a full week before it's arrival, that I instantly sit down and devour, and that I have not, as you can see, been able to dispose a single issue of. I've read and reread each issue, made countless recipes, used the party ideas and menus, and even found a few new interesting websites to search for improvement of my severely lacking fashion. I really cannot say enough about how great this mag is-my saved issues are practically as important to me as my massive cookbook collection. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
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