Whether it's the lack of snow in San Francisco or my own lack of ruggedness, my winter adventures tend to consist of hunkering down, drinking tea, reading, and learning. If my winter-survival reading-material wishes are granted, my apartment will be full of fascinating ideas and delicious things…
- Oh, Onion, why have you forsaken us? The Onion, a staple of mine since high school, is no longer available in San Francisco. My dad saves as many issues as he can for me each time I visit Chicago, but it's just not the same as a weekly fix. A subscription would keep me entertained (and super-informed on world events, of course).
- I'm determined to re-learn Spanish this year, and Vogue Mexico would be the perfect treat after more serious bouts of studying. However, while my subscription to US Vogue was $20/year, a Vogue Mexico subscription costs $258/year!
- We're lucky to have mild winters here in San Francisco, but still — any excuse to turn on the oven! I would love to be able to bake bread half as good as Tartine's, so Chad Roberson's book Tartine Bread will keep me motivated, warm, and fed all winter.
- Hot fresh bread demands fantastic jam, and the masterminds at San Francisco's Blue Chair Fruit Company surely have some amazing wisdom to share. And just look how cute their cookbook is!
- The Mission District where I live is full of amazing Latin food, but unfortunately there's a lot of it I don't eat. Spurred on by my recent success making homemade tortillas, I am determined to master tamales and empanadas and more. Viva Vegan! by Terry Hope Romano can teach me!
Images: 1. Tess Wilson, 2. Who's Dated Who, 3. Tartine Bread & Indiebound, 4. Terrain at Styer's, 5. Andrea's Easy Vegan Cooking
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Magazines subscriptions are awesome presents for people you want to get something for but don't know what to get. They are relatively cheap 10-20 for a year. They cover just about any interest from knitting to guns and ammo, I like wired and home decor ones, hint hint. and your recipient remembers you every month when they get a special gift from you. It's like an 'item' of the month club.
And you can often find mag subscriptions for CHEAP (like $5/year) if you scout on ebay (and the magazine is desperate).
The $ sign is used to represent Mexican pesos too. You can afford it!
i adore cooks illustrated mag. such geeky food love! nice alternative to the glossy food ones ...
great great idea! Good deal on both the giving and receiving end!
You will love Viva Vegan! It is a FANTASTIC cookbook; full of information and great recipes from all over Latin America.
My wishlist, ahem Tess, the source for that fabric or wallpaper in the background - gorgeous.
But yes, being a mag addict, I would love this as a gift, even cookbooks, they're something you don't really want to buy for yourself but isn't so extravagent that it's a waste (scented soaps anyone?).
sarrazak: I think it is decorative italian paper. You can find it at art stores or online like here: http://www.paperstudio.com/catalog2.php?category=Decorative%20Italian%20Paper
mjr: Thank you so much for the peso tip! I can't believe I didn't know that. Vogue Mexico, you will be mine!
sarrazak & snowellechan: the background in the first photo is actually a vintage Japanese tray- I love it so much! There are beautiful Italian papers at Flax in SF with gorgeous, very similar designs.