Giving Garden & Gun OR touting the South

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One of my favourite magazines to come out in the past year or two is GARDEN &  GUN. It brings so much of the Southern aesthetic to Southerners, curious Northerners-& humour aside- honestly, anyone who appreciates tradition with a SLANT (emphasis on the slant). All the pretty photographs are there, the good writing- but it is the top notch substance that  makes GARDEN & GUN special.

When the magazine first appeared on a clients coffee table- my eyes and hands went right to it. Though I am certain my client was saying something immensely important-It went something like this "blah blah blah."
I was distracted.
THAT Magazine?
I reached.
I needed to see what was inside- I needed to subscribe.

Several months later- I mention the magazine to a friend- her reply went something like this "I can't believe You have already subscribed to that magazine? I thought I would beat you to it and sent you a subscription."
Oh well- You'll have to think of something else.

Since its inception some pretty great endorsements and honours have come GARDEN & GUNS way.  It has buzzed about the internet. Its title? All the info is out there in the blog annals.

Last year I sent an old (in the sense that we have known each other since grade 1) friend and her husband a gift subscription for Christmas. When I mentioned it-Her comment went something like this-" I saw a copy in my dentist's office-It looks great." I know she loves it- how could it miss. She lives smack dab in Virginia hunt country.

One of my friend's appeared in the magazine as one of 50 people that make us proud in the feature BEST OF THE NEW SOUTH.

The magazine has had its share of struggles. It has been the year of magazines demise. You miss them too. GARDEN & GUN can't slip away. It would be a doggone shame! One funny story about the magazine's placement in a noted book chain store- the Magazine was shelved with the Guns and Ammo publications. Funny-but sad too. Obviously said store does not know or understand its content.

This from the magazine's NEWSLETTER just Friday-

Hanging Tough

Dear G&G Friends, Fans, Subscribers, and Club Members,
I don’t have to tell you that this has been a tough year for magazines and media companies. We have seen some great ones go down, including Gourmet and Southern Accents, among others. But we have built something special at Garden & Gun, and we’ve been determined to weather this financial storm by being nimble, creative, and aggressive in securing our future, and in continuing to deliver this great publication. 
To help shore up our business for 2010 and beyond, we recently made the difficult decision to skip our October/November issue. This was a painful thing for the G&G team, and we hate to disappoint you, our loyal subscribers. However, please rest assured that you will receive the full number of copies you ordered when you subscribed or joined one of our club levels. (We will handle that for you, so no need to call our customer service.) And know this: We will never compromise on the quality of the writing, the photography, or the beautiful paper that Garden & Gun is printed on.
The next issue you receive will be a December 2009/January 2010 issue (above, right) that will be mailed to subscribers in late November (and that will appear on newsstands December 8). It’s an issue we’re very proud of, and it will be loaded with great writing, great photography, and timely content, including a special Southern holiday gift guide. In 2010, you (subscribers and club members) will receive a full run of six issues. And if you have joined the Garden & Gun Club at any level, you will receive all of the benefits and privileges for which you signed up.
We hope you understand the necessary steps we’ve taken to move into 2010 in a strong position, and we trust you’ll stay with us as we strive to capture the Soul of the New South in print, on the Web, and through an expanding array of auctions and events. Thank you for believing in the mission of Garden & Gun, and for your commitment to preserving the best of Southern culture.
Rebecca Wesson Darwin
President and Publisher


I applaud their decision. I can not say enough good things about this magazine. Along with the magazine- the GARDEN AND GUN website is chock full of content: Two great blogs-Belle Decor and Big Bad Chef , podcasts, videos, magazine articles and archives & amazing Luxury Auctions. I know this magazine will survive.

It could not miss as a surprise gift subscription in any friend's mailbox. I am giving it to a list of friends.Do the same.

& one more thing-here's a story about Chapel Hill, just down the road a piece.
& another thing- 100 things you simply must eat before you die

here are a few takes on the mag from fellow bloggers
Cote de Texas
Lucindaville
An Aesthete's Lament

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