Thursday, June 26, 2008

Oh, The Dilemma!

I love to read magazines, and I subscribe to many that I can not find at my local library. After a year or two, I sometimes do not renew my subscription, as there are always so many to choose from, and I like to try something new. There are just so many magazines that one can read in a month, and as it is my pile of those partially unread is growing ever taller.

So, what do you think happened when the new July issues of a few magazines that I was ready to allow to lapse were delivered to my house today?

They were wonderful!

They were the best issues they released in a long time, full of the people, places, recipes and information I enjoy!

"Food and Wine," was almost 300 pages thick, and full of even more tempting recipes and articles about new chefs and wine basics.

"Ireland of The Welcomes," is under a new publishing group, and although it retained its wonderful array of photos and information about Ireland, it also added more features about current famous Irish people such as author Maeve Binchy and actor Colin Farrell.

"Yankee" magazine was chock full of seaside themes, such as hosting a clambake to gardening by the sea and an article about Thoreau's Walden Pond.

Oh, the dilemma! To renew, or not renew -- that is the question!

I'd love to know what your favorite magazines are, and why. Happy reading!



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27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so with you on this. I feel some warped obligation to read a magazine from cover to cover, and I just don't have time.

I currently only subscribe to two, and my husband to one. I try not to let my eye focus on the newsstand.

Tara said...

Pat

You know, reading online articles is just not like lying in the hammock with a magazine under a tree! Just isn't! My fave current magazine is Food & Wine...great recipes and highlights restaurants and chefs around the country.

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

I subscribe to:
Country Living (American Version)
Country Living (English Version)
Country Home
Romantic Home
Cottage Living
Victoria

I buy them for inspiration, for my own home as well as my business...I read them all..
Penny

Kathy said...

Renew Pat, Renew, I should not encourage you, but it is a weakness of mine to, your mags look very interesting, I always get a copy of House and Garden and Country Living when in England also Prima (which is packed full of everything) and I grab a copy of Sainsbury's Mag (full of yummy recipes)that is only three or four copies a year so not to bad!!.
Here I like Living, Traditional Home and I subscribed to Domino, which looked really interesting on the leaflet they sent to me but I have not been very impressed to tell the truth. Opera news on-line and I have just discovered Southern accents on-line to and Italymag.co.uk.
WOW I really do have a problem, don't I, no wonder I don't get anything else done, I am a professional magazine reader UGH. Hope you are having a wonderful weekend, Ciao for now, Kathy.

Michelle said...

Isn't that the way it always is? I enjoy Country Living for decorating ideas and my cross stitch magazines..

Have a wonderful weekend,
Michelle

Gina said...

I have subscribed to 2 Australian cooking mags: Donna Hay & Delicious, Gardening Australia and a couple of home mags: Better Homes & Gardens and Inside Out and also a Scrapbooking mag.. I only have 2 going at the moment.. but figured it's worth it as you save quite a bit on the newsstand price.
Your mags look great...esp the food & wine one! Gx

Gina said...

Forgot to say I bought my hubby a subscription to Fine Homebuilding (a US mag) and he regularly buys Fine Woodworking which is by the same crowd, Gxx

Vee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vee said...

I thought I recognized Maeve!

Uhmmm, I gave up all my magazine subscriptions except for "Country Living," which I have received as a Christmas gift from my parents since its inception. Believe me, I am buried in the things, but have trouble parting with them. I like the old magazines best because the paper has changed so much and it's altogether a different magazine than the one it once was. I'm conflicted!

Hope that you're enjoying a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

I don't really read mags anymore unless I'm in a doctor's waiting room. There's just so much great content on the web these days. But some of the mags you mention are very good :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Pat so glad you liked the parcel. It was fun putting all the bits together. Now did I read that right that you are a stamp collector? I asked the lady at the Post Office especially if she could use stamps instead of the impersonal stamping machine and she said she would see what she had. I am so pleased you liked them too. I have been hoping to come across a stamp collector as being a hoarder I've not been able to bin some unusual stamps. As soon as I'm back on my feet properly, I'll get them in the post to you.

My mag subscriptions are for "Poirot" with DVD and "Current Archaeology".

Just A Girl said...

Don't you hate when that happens! Every time I'm ready to give up a magazine they have an amazing issue. I think I have 5 subscriptions...it's an illness with me :0! Oh! All my subs are about design.
Have a great Sunday!
Cori

Lavinia said...

Very interesting Pat. I sometimes feel that blogs are like magazines, only they are updated far more frequently...

To answer your question....My daughter's school had magazine subscription fundraising drives for 2 years in a row. The first year I subscribed to Wine Enthusiast, and enjoyed each issue. This year, I chose Food & Wine! So I of course recognize the cover that you have in your photo today. I enjoyed the article "Understanding Wine: Scent & Sensibility".

It's a great magazine.

I also like Architectural Digest, Vanity Fair (sometimes), Tatler, Archaeology Magazine, Town & Country, and a small magazine that my mother subscribes to, called "Angels".

Proud Italian Cook said...

I love going to Borders and sitting down with a cup of coffee and grabing all the Italian food magazines like "la Cucina Italiana"
and browsing through for inspiration.But as Maryann said the web is a great source of information that I often use now.

Knitting Mania said...

Afternon Pat...thanks for your visit today..

Well I too enjoy the, "Food & Wine" magazine. Also, Travel, Traditional Home, Martha Stewart Living, Victoria to name a few.

I really like receiving the catalogs though from all the unique shops and stores around the country. I don't know how I get on all those mailing lists, but I do, hmmm maybe it's because I buy from some of them...da!!! :)

My favs are, Anthropology, Sundance, Restoration Hardware, Doonye & Bourke, Williams Sonoma, Crew, Chico's, Knit Picks, Domestications, Brighton, etc. ect...as you can tell I get too many of them, and those are the ones I'll save and thumb through when I get the time. Mine pile up too. Such a dilemma!!

Have a good Sunday in NY!!! Oh I bet I never you told you that I lived in NY for two years back in the early 70's in "Yorktown Heights", on the Hudson, pretty place it was!

PAT said...

I'm visiting a bit this afternoon. I see myself in your post.

The one magazine I keep renewing faithfully is Architectural Digest. Just about the time I decide to let the subscription lapse, something grabs hold of me and I renew! These magazines are so beautifully put together, they're like books! I have copies going back to the 90's. Some I bought and some from a friend who collected them for years.

Other favorites are Southern Accents, Traditional Home, Coastal Living, St Louis Home. I used to get St Louis Homes and Lifestyles, then I learned about St Louis Home from Dana, at Dana's Design and so happy I did. Love that magazine. We've just renewed a subscription to Missouri Conservationist. This one is free to Missouri residents. Our state has a fine conservation department. Once in awhile I'll pick up a copy of Romantic Home or Romantic Country, if one of my blog friends has written an article. I don't subscribe though. You should see the stack of magazines I stored in a trunk when we did the studio makeover. I can't bear to part with them!

Have a wonderful week!
Pat

Tess Kincaid said...

I subscribe to:

Vanity Fair
Opera News
Elle Decor
Gourmet
The English Home

Why? Because they're wonderful!!!

Joanne Kennedy said...

I love magazines too. I like Romantic Home, Romantic Cottage, Tea Time, Paula Dean, Country Living, Victoria, Budget Travel and so many others. I like to go to the book store and check out all the magazines. I often find ones I've never seen before. So I get them all. Oh I also get whatever my new Hobby is at the moment. I was into Rubber Stamping so I got that one, Cake decorating so I got a few of them and now I'm into thrift stores and flea markets so I find those kind.

Edie Marie's Attic said...

Hi Pat!
That's always the way isn't it? Just when you think you can do without the magazine, BAM!, they do the best issue ever thing to you! Happens every time!
My favorite magazines are Romantic Country and Romantic Homes. Can you tell where my head is? Decorating ideas! I actually read them cover to cover. They are a mini getaway for me. I like to sit down with my new magazine, some iced tea (or hot tea in the winter) and a couple of chocolates and I'm in heaven for a bit. I also like a mag called Wild Birds. Hard to find.
Thanks for your prayers Pat! I appreciate them more than you will ever know. I'm so relieved that Mom is doing well in a safe place that actually likes the elderly. We have been very blessed recently!!
Hugs, Sherry

steviewren said...

I love a good magazine...or 3 or 4 or... I have a weakness for printed material and magazines are no exception. Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion is one for which I never let the subscription expire.

Unknown said...

Hi Pat
I don't have magazine subcription but buy way too many magazines, esp travel mags..and well, almost everything esp gossip ones imported, which are very expensive here.


Happy week ahead :)

nanatrish said...

I love Home Companion, Victoria, Country Living,Real Simple, Martha Stewart's Living and some art mags. I spend way too much money on magazines.

Unknown said...

Great post Pat,
I enjoy Southern Living and Mississippi Magazine because of articles on the south.

I also enjoy People, Ladies Home Journal, Better Homes and Garden and Goodhousekeeping.

I would probably come out cheaper if I had a subscription....but I buy lots of magazines at the grocery store and discount store!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Thanks everyone for letting me know what your favorite magazines are. I learned about a few that I din't know about, and I feel better that most of my fellow bloggers enjoy magazines as much as I do!

Hugs to all of you! You all make my day a little brighter! :-)

Pat

Rue said...

Hi Pat :)

Oh I love magazines so much that I have to be very careful. I subscribe to Allure because I think it's the most normal and informative magazine for women as far as fasion and beauty, but I haven't looked at one in months. (I do that when I feel chunky LOL)
My other favorites are, Country Living, Romantic Country and Country Home. I guess I like country LOL

I used to love Traditional Home, but it's not what I aspire for anymore, so it doesn't interest me.

Off to read more...
hugs,
rue

Rue said...

Oh! and Victoria, of course! :)

Louise said...

The blogs are my magazines now. I do pick up copies of our supermarkets own store magazines which usually contain lots of lovely recipes, photography and articles, and they are free! x