Thursday, October 22, 2009

Coastal Living - October 2009



Hello!

Kevin and I have been invited to write a monthly review for Coastal Living magazine, and we are absolutely thrilled about the opportunity! With so many magazines going out of business lately, and because Coastal Living is one of our all-time favorites, we're going to do whatever we can to help spread the word about this amazing and informative magazine.

The first issue we have the pleasure of blogging about is their October 2009 issue.

When we received our copy in the mail, our eyes were immediately drawn to the bold orange letters across the bottom of the cover that read, "ideas to steal!". Upon further inspection, we learned that the aforementioned ideas could be found on page 35 in an article titled, "12 Rooms, Hundreds of Ideas". Now normally I read a magazine from front to back, but this article was way too intriguing- I had to start there! :-)
The article focused on Coastal Livings 2009 Idea Cottage located in I'On, South Carolina. The photography was phenomenal, (I particularly loved the photo of the kitchen on page 38) and it was such a delight to read about the eco-friendly, classic Lowcountry cottage that truly exemplifies beach-chic charm.


Photo: Tria Giovan

Another article Kevin and I really enjoyed can be found on page 84. It's called "The Boy Who Sailed Around The World". I read the whole thing aloud to Kevin one night. By the time we had reached the articles end, we were inspired to the gills by a courageous 17-year-old boy named Zac. He circumnavigated the globe, alone in his boat, in just over a years time. Can you imagine?! It was a fantastic story and, again, the photography was breathtaking. They even included some very interesting shots that Zac took himself while on his voyage.

Check out this video Zac posted on YouTube:



What an amazing kid, eh?

"A Cure for the Common Condo", on page 90, was also a great read. Writer Melissa Bigner describes how designer Phoebe Howard conquered a washed-out palette and a down-and-out vibe by performing reconstructive surgery, and injecting a heavy dose of wallpaper, fabric, and paint to create an awe-inspiring home. The condo sits seaside in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, which is near Jacksonville.




Photo: Dominique Vorillon


Coastal Living's Heather Chadduck styled the rooms in the condo for this article, and I always get excited when I discover that she played a part in creating the look. She is my absolute favorite! I would love to assist her on a shoot sometime. Heather- if you're reading...



:-)

And because my mom's husband (Randy) is a nationally-recognized home brewer- we also enjoyed reading "October Feast" on page 100. The owners of Savannah's "Moon River Brewing Company" shared their favorite Fall-inspired menu, and named which frothy companions would best suit each dish. Their crab salad recipe made my mouth water, and Kevin thought their suggestion to pair it with a Belgian Wheat Beer sounded delicious!

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Although we've only highlighted a few stories in the October issue here today, there isn't one article in this issue that we didn't enjoy reading. We look forward to receiving and reviewing the November issue of Coastal Living. From the looks of their website, we'll get to tour another awesome Idea House and peek into Martha Stewart's beach bag too! :-)

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Wanna read more Coastal Living reviews?
Check out Lisa's review at Coastal Nest, Maya's review at Completely Coastal, Simone's review at Beach Vintage

This post brought to you by...


Tales from an OC Cottage

24 comments:

Erin said...

Excellent review. I adore Coastal Living ... I just wish they would make it a true monthly (instead of 10 issues or whatever it is) because I eat up those issues way too quickly.

If you enjoyed the story on Zac Sunderland ... you'll love to hear about his 15-year-old sister Abby who is set to take off on her own solo circumnavigation in November. If she is successful, she'll take the title for youngest solo circumnavigation away from her brother (although there a bunch of other kids planning to do the same thing so even Abby probably won't hold the title for long). You can read Abby's blog at http://soloround.blogspot.com

beachvintage.com said...

Hi Layla & Kevin. Congrats on becoming a reviewer. I really liked your review so thanks for sharing your thoughts. Thanks for mentioning Beach Vintage. I will add your link to my reviews from now on. Regards, Simone

Nancy Hood said...

Loved your review! I have been a subscriber of Coastal Living simply for the pictures and the information of what to do and see when you're near the water. So happy you and Kevin have been chosen!! and I look forward to more reviews!!

Anonymous said...

i love it! i live in jacksonville and close to ponte vedra! i would love to see where this condo is! do you have any other info? is it something i could go into or is someone living there? i would love to know the scoop on this! thanks!

Erin Southwell said...

Coastal Living is definitely my favorite! (R.I.P. Cottage Living, sniff)

And I also love Heather Chadduck!!

Fun review and how flattering to be asked to write it!!

Darlene - Our Creative Life said...

Wow you guys are getting all kinds of great opportunities lately! Congrats! See Layla God had something bigger and better in store for you than Design Star! I love watching his will for you unfold!

Lindsay @ Makely said...

Fun! My mother just sent me a subscription to Coastal Living.

Dianne said...

This is one of my favorite magazines. I live on the coast of N.C. My Nov. issue just arrived. Guess what I'll be doing tonight. :)

Mary said...

Oh my gosh! You guys seriously rock! How much exciting news can we handle from you two?? I am so happy for you, what an honor Coastal Living has bestowed on you. How very wise of them, I have to say. Your review was fabulous! I have had a subscription for the last few years, and I just love every page. I think I see another magazine feature coming soon! wink...wink... ~mary~

Donna said...

How exciting for you guys! I love Coastal Living, it's one of my fave and I'm glad it is sticking around. I agree with Darlene, God had such bigger plans for you than Design Star. Look at what all has fallen into your path!
Keep the reviews coming and the great designs!!

Anonymous said...

Great job...

I love the magazine just wish it came more often...

Kathy :)

Room to Inspire said...

I love Coastal Living - congratulations for becoming a reviewer - very exciting!

Chelsea

SeaWorthy said...

Thanks a million for the "shout-out" you guys!
I about flipped out of my chair when I got the email to be a contributor..Its an honor to be asked and even to be linked to such awesome bloggers as you Maya and Simone~~
A girl on the beach, Lisa:)
Coastal Nest

Unknown said...

Congratulations on your new opportunity.
Since the hubby and I have are no longer working the only time I read their magazine is at the public library.
I'm so thrilled that my local library has their issues!

Anna Whiston-Donaldson said...

I loved that issue! A treat for the eyes, for sure.

Amber said...

Those two blue chaise loungers in Heather Chadduck are beautiful and look so cozy I just want to crawl onto one with a blanket and a book!

TanyaLea said...

Congrats...what a great opportunity!! :) I love Coastal Living and COTTAGE Living!!

Great rewiew! :)

Leen said...

Congrats! I love Coastal Living. When we moved from Upstate NY to Coastal NC I HAD to get a subscription!

Jessi said...

Looove Coastal Living! We moved recently and my subscription has gotten lost (or the person at the old house is stealing it). I miss it!

Unknown said...

I love Coastal Living. I can just linger with them for hours...

Cassie said...

Fabulous review! I have never read that magazine but because of your review I am going to check it out, it looks very interesting!

Jan said...

One of my favorite mags! Congrats on the new gig;) Also, I nominated TLC for an award on my blog...

Amanda said...

Layla! How exciting. That condo photo leaves me breathless. You? Beautiful decor and scenery. Btw, thanks isn't enough for following me. I think my little heart flutters each time I notice I have a new follower. ;)

Maya@Completely Coastal said...

Thank you both so much for the link. I do hope that Coastal Living is not in trouble -ever! I think it's awesome that we all link to each other!!