Hearst at 125

Given my past history with newspapers and magazines, I've always been fascinated with the Hearst family. Hearst Corp. celebrates its 125th anniversary this week.
It's grown from its first publication (the San Francisco Examiner) to a worldwide empire that includes newspapers, digital marketing services, magazines, TV stations, cable networks, online businesses, real estate and more – including my former employer Elle Decor. That's 200 businesses in over 100 countries.

This September, Hearst will publish a commemorative book to celebrate the anniversary. Meanwhile, here are some titles about the founder, William Randolph Hearst, to keep you entertained:

Making Money Is in Vogue

Say what you will about Anna Wintour, she and her crew know how to make a buck. In a day when magazines have been winnowed down to the strongest survivors, she always seems to make headlines (and bottom lines).

This week, every time I turn around I see another newsbreaking item about Vogue. On CBS' Sunday Morning, Anna and Company were interviewed about the new Vogue archives, where you can access every single page of every issue in the magazine's 120-year history. Click here to see more. There is just one catch: You'll need to pay $1,575 to access the archive vault. Wow.
Then there is the new book, Vogue: The Covers from Abrams. The $50 tome showcases 300 iconic covers from 1892 to today. My favorites are posted below, but you can see more here.
Finally, just in case that wasn't enough, there's the Meryl Streep cover. Evidently, the actress is the oldest cover girl in Vogue's history. Savvy move, Ms. Wintour. Streep has street cred with the younger crowd, thanks to roles in movies like Mama Mia and Julie & Julia, and she is definitely a hit with (ahem) more seasoned folks. We'll see if the January issue becomes one of the top-sellers for Vogue; but regardless of that, the many extensions of the magazine's brand should help keep the fashion book (and La Wintour) in the forefront for years to come.

1909

1926

1939

1952

1958

1964

Top Holiday Covers

For my ongoing holiday week posts, I started gathering up my favorite magazine covers for December. Having been a magazine editor myself in the past, I can tell you that holiday covers can be the bane of any publication. You have to walk the line between all of the religions that celebrate in some way this month, while also avoiding as much cliche as possible. And, even if you are tired of the topics yourself, it is almost a requirement that you have articles on gift ideas, decorating tips, and holiday recipes.
Here are a few of my favorites this month.

Martha Stewart Living

There are two things I love about this cover. First, it is so clean and has such a beautiful photo that you would almost want to frame it. Second, this is not one of those over-the-top Martha projects that looks deceptively simple, but is impossible to reproduce. It's just a lot of lights on a bare tree. Lovely.
I have a little love/hate thing with Ms. Stewart, so it takes a lot for me to admit that I love the cover. You see, there was once an incident with me and a cranberry wreath that was supposed to be a "Good Thing," but turned into many bloody fingertips, a scary temper tantrum, and cranberries all over my front yard. Enough said.

Better Homes and Gardens

Okay, there's a dog. And he's the cutest dog in the world. He even looks like he's reading the cover lines.
Add in the red door and a stunningly abundant garland, and you've got yourself a winner.
I also like the position of the type and the typefaces used. Nice job.

Woman's Day

I have to admit that I am not a regular reader of this magazine, but the cover stopped me in my tracks.
The wreath is adorable, and then I read that it's made of paper straws. Genius.
The red-and-white palette is also a winner (and seems to be the most popular for magazines), and the photo also shows the type of decor that even a klutz like me could achieve.
Smart.

Real Simple

Wrapping the cover has been done before, but this one is done very well. The idea that the ribbon has been wrapped over the title gives it a little 3D effect.
The clever "Open Me" tag is my favorite part.
I also appreciate that the editors understand that not everyone may have a "happy" holiday, but they do it in a gentle way with "inspiring stories" that give a nod to tough times.




Southern Living
I'm a sucker for the holiday recipe guides, I'll admit it. Southern Living usually has a good one, and they seem to always have cake on the holiday cover. Who doesn't love cake? The only way it could be better is if it was a pie (see previous posting last week).
I also love the idea that there are 50 gift ideas that "every Southerner will love."
The photo isn't as visually arresting as some of the others, but there's a big chocolate bomb right in the middle to distract you from the fussy decorations.

Influential Magazines

In economic times such as these, I find myself pondering why I majored in journalism. It certainly wasn't for the fame and riches.

I had an existential moment this weekend and honestly looked back at my youth to find those triggers that made me so excited about journalism in the first place. There were a few Pulitzer-winning articles and some newspaper reporters that sparked my interest, but I know that my first real love was magazines.
Girls my age in the '80s were into Seventeen or Teen Beat. Not me. I found my calling in the pages of Vanity Fair and Spy.
I still remember buying the first issue of Vanity Fair in the early '80s and thinking "could I ever write like that?" Forget the use of the F-word (which was pretty shocking at that time) and the bon mots, it was the hard-hitting articles, the controversial photos, and the fearless look at our world that pulled me in.
But my all-time favorite magazine was Spy. One thing those two magazine had in common was Graydon Carter, one of the founders of Spy and the current editor of Vanity Fair.
Named for the faux magazine that Jimmy Stewart's character worked for in The Philadelphia Story, Spy was ironic, satirical, funny, well-written, and ready to poke fun at any institution that took itself too seriously.
Donald Trump hated it, so you know it had to be good.
It wasn't all fun and games. Spy addressed topics that other magazines steered clear of, and it uncovered corruption, greed, and hinky politics along the way. Not bad for an entertainment magazine.
Google Books is offering back issues of Spy online here. Some of the more topical articles may not translate, but I'm sure you'll find enough on-target satire to make you laugh out loud - or perhaps inspire you.

Wednesday's Cookbook: Cook's Illustrated

The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook

by Cooks' Illustrated magazine
I've always wanted to visit America's Test Kitchen, the massive cooking gallery in Brookline, Mass, and the publisher of Cook's Illustrated magazine. My mom introduced me to this bimonthly publication and its no-nonsense approach to recipes and cooking.
I particularly love the tips, like best ingredient substitutions, the right way to marinate meat, or how to freeze garlic.
After 20 years, America's Test Kitchen has gathered its best tips, recommendations, and 2,000 recipes for its first cookbook, aptly titled Cook's Illustrated Cookbook.
Guaranteeing "foolproof cooking," the cookbook is organized in my favorite way: with each meat, each type of dessert, and each grain in its own chapter. I never thought cakes should be in the same group with pies. They are two very different things.
Recipes include the Brined Thanksgiving Turkey that started a nationwide trend, and the Foolproof Pie Dough that includes a shot of vodka.
If you're a fan of the magazine, this cookbook gathers the very best of what that publication does. If you've never seen it, I promise you'll want a subscription after you go through the book.
For step-by-step cooking videos, rankings of kitchen equipment, and taste tests of ingredients, be sure to see the America's Test Kitchen website (click here). (2011 - America's Test Kitchen)

Print Power

There's nothing like the resounding whomp as a big, fat, healthy magazine hits your desk. It makes me absolutely giddy to see cover lines like "758 pages." Are we back to the good old days? If you have seen the September Vogue, you might think so.

It is exactly 758 pages, and it weighs in at a hefty 3.5 pounds. Yes, pounds. Can you imagine the postage bill per issue? But don't cry for them ― they have so many advertisers in the issue that you don't hit editorial until after the 200th page. There also are enough blow-ins and fold-outs that it's actually hard to turn the pages.
But I love it. I adore the scent of ink (when I can smell it over the hundreds of perfume samples). I love to feel the paper the way a Bergdorf's associate smooths cashmere scarves ― and I can tell you the difference between 80-pound and 100-pound paper in a second.
I love pixels and picas. I can throw around terms like "CMYK" and "process color" with the best of them. I like to debate saddle vs. perfect binding, and I love dipping into the well. If you know what I mean, you're in the print club. If you don't understand what I'm talking about, poor you.
Once you have ink in your veins, it's hard to remove it. I am not so old school that I don't see the allure of the new toys in the digital age, but I am enjoying the resurgence of the print world and the celebrations of the written word.
My favorite example right now is the new Pilcro collection of clothes at Anthropologie. The line has found some fun names for its pants ― Serif, Stet, and Superscript. Makes me want to get out my red china marker and go to work.

Tuesday's Magazine

I'm still in love with print. No, I'm not a dinosaur - I have a Nook and I read Vanity Fair on an iPad. But I do still enjoy the feel of a nice glossy magazine and the smell of newsprint.

I especially like design publications of all types - interior design, art, graphic design. I recently saw a post on one of my favorite blogs about a new design magazine that is the most "green" magazine I've ever heard of.

It's called Wrap, a large-format illustration and design publication that combines a magazine to read with a product you can use - wrapping paper.

The magazine features interviews with artists from around the world, as well as examples of their work. Each issue is produced without staples or stitching so the pages can be used as wrapping paper once you've finished reading it. Currently, you can find Wrap in stores and museums throughout Europe. If your budget isn't up for an overseas trip, the magazine is sold in a store in L.A., or you can buy copies of current and former issues online.

Nourishing Reads

Many years ago, my friend Julie and I started a newsletter called Nourishing Reads ― a pre-blog blog. It combined our two favorite things ― books and food. The basic premise was that we would provide book reviews paired with recipes inspired by the book that was being reviewed.
The newsletter was an instant hit and, most importantly, was a lot of fun for both of us. We soon had readers all over the country who wanted the newsletter mailed to them. Yes, mailed. It was that long ago.
Recently I decided that a blog would be the perfect place to revive the concept of Nourishing Reads. That's the genesis for this blog. Julie will be in an advisory capacity for now ― but I will continue to pester her to be involved sooner or later. I'll wear her down.
Meanwhile, I've set up a general schedule that hits the highlights of what our readers really liked about NR:

• Mondays ―I'll serve up short bites of books with quick recommendations
• Tuesdays ―The business of words will be on tap, including items about newspapers, magazines, and blogs.
• Wednesdays ―A mid-week special that will focus only on cookbooks.
• Thursdays ―Thoughts (and maybe a couple of rants) about reading and books.
• Fridays ―The blue-plate special day with a full book review and a recipe inspired by the book.

I probably won't read a lot of romance novels or sci-fi, so if that's your genre, this won't be for you.
I may throw in a couple of interviews and inspirations, but that's the general gist of the blog. I hope you enjoy it ― feel free to let me know what you think. And pass the link to the blog along to anyone else who might like it. That's how Nourishing Reads grew so rapidly, by appealing to like-minded people. To me, that's the best thing about blogs and social media, too.