I love a cover where you want to be in it (and it’s not so far removed from your own life that you could be). What She’s Having is not technically a magazine but a collection of essays and stories on women and food from Dear Damsels. But from the cover I imagine it isn’t heavy going – doughnuts are not serious food. The title suggests both the classic When Harry Met Sallyline as well as the curiosity that we all have when, having placed an order in a restaurant, we peer at the tables around us to whet our appetite for what’s to come. This cover did the same for me.
Reviewed by Lisa
What She’s Having is a collection of fiction, non-fiction and poetry about women’s relationship to the food we cook, eat and share. Inside, you’ll find an ode to an elaborate meal for one, meals in bereavement and the joy of eating with your hands. £9.99.
You can also check out the Dear Damsels Annual here.
Three reasons why I love this cover:
- A splash of colour. It’s so nice to have this splash of vibrant red on the shelves.
- I love that dress/blanket/haute couture masterpiece. For one thing, it looks like such a tactile fabric, it makes me want to reach through the print and touch it. For another, it’s got that conceptual ‘high fashion’ intrigue to it – what’s the story behind it. Is it a wedding dress? Evocative of the natural environment? It’s from a stunning photo story inside called, ‘Materials, Matter and Minerals’ which I keep coming back to again and again.
- Not technically just about the cover but the whole look of the magazine. It’s 2cm thick, perfect bound and just a wee bit taller than most mags, giving it this whiff of elegance that desperately calls to be hanging out on your coffee table.
Reviewed by Fiona
Luncheon (‘A Cultural Serving) is a biannual magazine all about art, fashion and food. It’s structured like a menu, with apertifs, hors d’oeuvres and main dishes and features long lunch style conversations with artists and photographers. A great feature this issue is on Lebanese artist, Nabil Nahas, who talks about the devastating economic crisis and Beirut blast and watching the world from afar. Luncheon captures the genial spirit of Nahas (who I hadn’t heard of but am glad I have now) with candid photos of him and his work, so you almost feel like you’re having lunch with him yourself.
You can check out Luncheon no.11 here. £18
The first issue of JRNY isn’t one to travel with. It’s a huge weighty tome and sure to incur an excess baggage charge. It’s definitely my favourite cover this month though (Oh was a close second, I do love Jago Silver’s illustrations).
This cover kind of sneaks up on you. The colours are muted and the image (of the Huangshan mountains in China) needs a little time before it fully reveals all the detail and layers hidden within. The lovely thick, matt paper also helps to give texture to the image. I found myself stroking the paper, its a very tactile experience. Thankfully the issue delivers on the promise of the cover, but that’s for another time. Or maybe just go right ahead, buy one and start planning a trip…
Reviewed by David
JRNY is a new annual travel magazine created by a group of very talented freelance travel writers and photographers. Issue 1 takes you to (to name but a few) King Penguins in South Georgia, the Banana Islands of Sierra Leone, an archaeological expedition to Columbia and the “sea gypsies” of Malaysian Borneo. £20
Where The Leaves Fall AND Wild Alchemy Journal
So…. this month I really couldn't pick just one favourite cover - honestly I couldn't! Where the Leaves Fall seduced me immediately… It was giving me a modern take on the old masters thanks to Tamara Dean’s photographs:‘she presents human beings immersed in ecosystems, as mammals threatened by environmental degradation just like any other species’her images are hauntingly beautiful, evocative and mesmerizing!
However I couldn’t not mention Wild Alchemy Journal *eyes like saucers.* This incredible large format mag grabs your attention immediately thanks to the Cover sleeve which doubles up as a poster by the talented Ju Mu @jumumonster. Wild Alchemy Journal is all about Nature - Science - Esoterica. The second issue in their elements series, this issue focuses on Fire; and through 72 BEAUTIFULLY printed (and sometimes scented) pages, we are introduced to the Firebird from Slavic folklore, there are cut out fire oracle cards to keep and call upon, a brief lesson on Osiris becoming Horus and how we can use Fire as medicine - natural recipes and remedies using heat and fire to ignite and awaken the soul.
Dim the lights, light some candles and settle down to get lost in the Wild Alchemy Journal.
Reviewed by Olivia
WTLF is a beautifully put together publication exploring humankind's connection with nature, born out of conversations at OmVed Gardens. £12
Wild Alchemy Journal is produced by Wild Alchemy Lab, a multi-sensory platform for 'seekers, makers and imaginators,' from London-based experimental botanical studio, Mama Xanadu. £17
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