Print vs. online media: how about both?
Working in the magazine world has made me so much more aware of how much great — and bad for that matter — print media is out there. But as the internet becomes more and more integrated in our everyday lives, even excellent print magazines have to make an effort to have an online presence. Nothing will ever replace sitting down on the couch to delve into your favorite magazine, but here are my two favorites whose online content is just as good as the printed version, giving you the best of both worlds.
Good Magazine
Good Magazine’s whole premise pretty much stays true to its name. Spending just 5 minutes browsing through an issue makes you feel like you too can make a difference. Published every two months, 100% of your membership — you choose the price — actually goes to a non-profit of your choice. In the online world, their blog is one of the most comprehensive, bringing you news from the worlds of culture, environment, politics and art.
Plenty Magazine
Ok, Plenty Magazine is another green mag, but this one has solid and informative content on a regular basis. And it’s not just for the devoted environmentalist; there’s a good about of green celebrity gossip and fashion tips to keep us from getting too down about the world state of environmental affairs.
And of course there’s always Wend Magazine whose blog is updated frequently with the best of the outdoor and environmental world… but then again, I’m biased… and don’t have a problem with shameless self-promotion!
Matt Gross wraps up his European Grand Tour
It’s hard not to be jealous of the New York Times’ Frugal Traveler, Matt Gross. This summer he had 13 weeks to travel around Europe on a budget of 100 euros a day for his Grand Tour series. Although in places like Paris 100 euros may not seem like a lot, I personally wouldn’t complain about having 13 weeks of travel fully-funded (and he got to write about it!). In any event, after his summer adventure, Gross has come up with some conclusions which I thought were worth posting as they are good travel tips, some of them applicable no matter what the destination:
- Think like a local
- Make yourself useful
- Go beyond the Eurail Pass
- Rely on the kindness of strangers
- Generosity trumps frugality
- Redefine “Europe”
Read the whole Grand Tour wrap-up here.
Tuesday eye-candy: Up and coming Swedish designers
My two current favorite Swedish designers are young women, fresh out of school and full of inspiring ideas.
Hanna Nyman with her three-dimensional wallpapers.
Lisa Bengtsson. Born in 1981 Lisa obviously hasn’t wasted any time on being creative.
Friday Photo: Morning sunlight
Had to capture the morning sun just outside of the kitchen window.
Back to the grind
A three day weekend means it’s been a little hard to get back in front of the computer and start attacking real work once again. Despite a three hour drive to get back to Portland in the morning, and a full day of Wend work, today was still my day to post at Written Road… fortunately I remembered that the deadline for the Solas Awards for Best Travel Writing are coming up soon!
With a crazy summer I haven’t put aside any time for personal writing (I know… that’s bad), but the deadline for the awards reminded me of last year at around this time when I was putting together my own submission. It ended up winning Gold in the Family Travel category… which reminds me that I probably should be committing more time to crafting decent narratives (where does all the time in a week go??) So in honor of sitting down with pen and paper and elaborating on travel experiences instead of getting stuck in the daily grind of the blogosphere, and to give myself a bit of writer’s encouragement, here is an excerpt from Everday Parisian Theatrics:
Theater and film are almost as essential to the romantic Parisian image as Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. Acting has always played a revered role in French culture, and from grandiose theater productions to cinema classics, the rest of the world has had the chance to taste the artistic delicacies that the country is known for. We have all been seduced by French film. Some of us are drawn to the amorous sounds of the French language spoken between young idealists, dressed in black, their souls engaged in debates on existentialism. Others glue themselves to the screen to consume the simple oddities that paint the picture of Paris street life, infused with the character that the city is so well known for. And some are merely enticed by imagining that such a world actually exists beyond the screen. We fall in love with French cinema, because the screenwriters that the country is known for magically bring together everyday simplicity with cosmopolitan complexity.
Read the rest here.
Bikes to Rwanda
These people are doing good things… if you like coffee you should definitely give this video a look. Check out BTR here and fall in love with the organization just like I did.
I am not a Paper Cup
I refuse to buy coffee if I don’t have my own mug with me (unless the cafe gives me a real mug to drink out of). And I don’t buy bottled water. Call me a Portland freak, but it’s probably doing a small part to reduce waste. That’s why this mug caught my eye; it’s green and creatively designed…. looks like a horrible disposable cup, but really it’s made pf porcelain. And won’t burn your hands. Obviously the company is banking off of the whole “I Am not a Plastic Bag” craze, but I am sort of hooked on the idea. You can buy one at the momastore.
[Via 1plus1]
Friday Photo: Puget Sound, WA
It’s funny how when you leave home you appreciate it so much upon return…
Sometimes you need a break
Today has been a long day of computer and technical frustration, making me look quite forward to a weekend away at my parents’ quiet house in the forest. Writing in this day and age entails a lot of time on the internet, and sometimes I am frustrated how much less time I spend with an actual pen in my hand a piece of paper in front of me. Today was definitely one of those days… I needed a photo series to remind me of the wonders of summer, and here I share it with you. A little juxtaposition of city and country life. Here’s to a weekend away!
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