It’s been an incredibly busy month with book events, writing (every day), the Derby, friends and family gatherings, and of course the cats (who expect us to be at their feline beck and call 24/7). The stack of magazines on my kitchen counter (my dear nieces and nephews all seem to have magazine drives at their schools at the same time) was reaching toppling proportions, so I decided to take a magazine binge break, jump in the pool, and read (and have I mentioned how warm it is here, a water respite was my only cool option). Laptop and phone were left behind, sunscreen applied, reader glasses positioned under my sunglasses, iced diet Dew in my plastic glass, I was ready!
I divided my reading stash into the following literary piles:
Bon Appétit: This is a new magazine for me—I love food and cooking and this magazine does not disappoint (their food pictures are guaranteed to make you drool–good thing I was in the pool…). I learned many new things in addition to the wonderful recipes ( yummy butter basted steak, smoked fish chowder, spicy creamy chickpeas with runny eggs and prosciutto, lobster shepherd’s pie) such as:
how to tackle a buffet in Las Vegas (don’t load everything on a single plate–tackle one station at a time )
the A, B, C’s of building a better sandwich (M—so many Mayo’s, not enough time, D–cut on the diagonal for easier bites, X–factors such as adding crispy bits, using chunky almond butter, brush on guajillo paste(a new one for me))
how to summer like an Italian—great set of articles on skipping what you know, drink local; make breakfast an occasion, the longer the lunch the better the day, you don’t have to eat at the table…sage advice and page after page of lovely locations and spectacular foods. Ciao bella!
Town and Country: Always a great read on the latest and greatest of the wealthy and celebrity la-de-dah (the pictures, travel destinations, fashions and jewelry are exquisite and give me almost royal inspiration for my writing). I was pleasantly surprised to read an article featuring Ashley Judd being interviewed by Salma Hayek as they discussed their experience with the #MeToo events of 2017—these are some very brave ladies. I love Ashley’s quote :”Forgiveness is no favor. I do it for myself…” Right on Ms. Judd.
Vanity Fair: Ok I was way behind on reading my VF issues—I just now looked at the VF Hollywood cover featuring the brightest stars of today (I now understand all the articles on the failed Photoshop for this cover–Oprah’s hand on Reese’s waist is 3-times its normal size, oops…). I enjoy the VF commentary (may not agree with it all the time but it’s always good to get another perspective). I love reading the interviews with actors, their talent for constantly changing personas for their various roles is inspirational, and it’s nice to find that behind all the glitz and glam there are some very down to earth folks in this career field (Ma-ma would approve). VF didn’t fail with this month’s issue–Love & Royals, ‘They Do”. This issue set my almost royal heart aflutter, giving all the details of the upcoming #RoyalWedding (they will also have a wedding re-cap in their May 25th issue). I can’t wait to watch all the coverage (beginning at 1am here on the west coast)–I’ll have my almost royal PJ’s on (and maybe my crown 🙂 ) Something not royal but just as exciting (to me) is PBS’s upcoming Masterpiece series based on Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, I’ll be watching this for sure (May 13).
Parade Magazine: My hubby slipped this one to me since it’s cover featured the #RoyalWedding. I love Parade’s soundbite reading approach—you get just enough information to be dangerous—but that’s OK, not all articles have to be a lengthy tutorial (and how can you not smile when you see a #RoyalWedding article right next to a bathtub ad?). 🙂
I spent a few hours in my magazine binge zone and it was quite worth it. I’ve made a vow to not let things pile up and go unread for so long. The real sadness is that I hadn’t stopped to at least take some mini-breaks, allowing myself the escapist enjoyment of a simple magazine read. I get too caught up in trying to do it all, when the simple fact is, you can’t. It’s not only hazardous to your health, but it’s deadly for your imagination. You need to take the time to discover and plant those creative seeds, and nurture them into the next set of beautiful ideas.
The next few months will be spent writing book 3 in my series. I’m excited to get back to Gemma’s world, there are some exciting twists and turns to come. My writer’s mind is re-charged and ready to start writing (and re-writing, and editing, repeat). I’ll be changing the schedule for my blog starting next week. I’ll be blogging on Tuesdays and Thursdays only through the summer to give myself a bit more time to take on this next book. I’d love to hear from you! Do you have favorite magazine’s you’d recommend? Keep reading and unwind, Gemma would approve 🙂
Crowns and Kisses,
Veronica
P.S. Special thanks to Bon Appétit, Town & Country, Vanity Fair and Parade magazines for all the great info and inspiration. What are your plans for the summer? Travel? Reading? Cooking? Gardening? Dying to know 🙂
Comments