Have you seen La Vie Claire (the Clear Life) on your local magazine rack? It is a scrumptious magazine conceived and produced by Claire Murray (famous for her colorful hooked rugs and folk art). Every page is beautifully designed, and it has the sensibility of a fine French, Australian (Donna Hay), or British publication. Not just a shelter magazine, but also lifestyle, cooking, and travel. Expensive, but think of the cost of those caffe lattes.

Not new, but freshly changed. Natural Home is now Natural Home & Garden. Covers cooking, green consumer goods, gardens, healthy housecleaning, innovative homes, conservation and more. This is the fruit of Linda Ligon's convictions and vision and reflects her hopes for the world. Linda founded the Herb Companion (and other fiber magazines) and Interweave Books.

Cottage Living follows closely on the heels of the ever popular Coastal Living (same publisher). Interest in cottages and bungalows has skyrocketed in the past few years, and this publication hones in on what works and what doesn't. It also helps that two of my best friends, Lynn Karlin, photographer, and Becky Sawyer Fay, writer, have been involved with this magazine since the first issue.

Fine Cooking , "for people who love to cook," is a Taunton Press (Fine Gardening, Fine Woodworking, etc.) publication. I like its reader friendly recipes, (things we can actually prepare without going out to refurbish the existent spice supply), photographs ,and timely articles. I loved their pudding cake recipes, and I like the side-bars where readers test recipes and give their honest opinions about them. I subscribed for myself and sent a subscription to one of my best friends in Maine.