What is it about the holiday season that brings on nostalgia so strongly? Today I can’t seem to get my mind off of the amazing issue of Southern Breeze magazine that I designed 11 years ago. Southern Breeze magazine was a glossy travel & lifestyle publication covering Lake Charles, LA to Apalachicola, FL that I art directed for 4 years. It was really a fantastic team… from the editor and editorial assistants to the contributing writers and photographers I worked with to produce the magazine every quarter, and I loved every minute of it. But the Holiday 2008 issue stands out as one of my most beloved. Maybe it’s because I researched, planned, styled, and art directed the photoshoot and then designed the cover and cover story. But doubtful, as that’s pretty typical when I work on a publication. It could be because we did an extended recipe section for this issue to highlight a New Orleans Holiday menu. Can I tell you how much I love and enjoy designing culinary sections? (As an aside, anyone who wants to design their recipe book should contact me immediately, haha.)
Honestly though, it’s probably because I asked my mother to come along as my setup and styling assistant to stage the lovely little beachside cottage I chose to feature in Seaside, Florida. I remember the photoshoot was VERY late in the production schedule because we had to wait until the off-season when the property would be empty. So it was possibly this same weekend 11 years ago that we were there. We worked our tails off for sure, but we enjoyed every minute of it. Plus it was a wonderful opportunity for some mother/daughter time that I didn’t get very often. Ah, good times! I think I’d like to go back to that beach cottage. If you’ve never been to Seaside, I highly recommend you should, and soon!
The entire Southern Breeze Holiday 2008 issue was exquisite, and I will probably share more of it between now and Christmas. But for today, I’ll just focus on the cover and recipe stories… Who all is dreaming of a white Christmas (with a N’awlins menu)?!
