Magnolia

This winter, Magnolia Journal is making space for connection—and all the shared experiences that deepen our understanding of ourselves and one another. Find a guide to Christmas lights, gather around fondue, and design a dining room that invites everyone to stay awhile.

The Magnolia Journal

A Letter from the Editor

Magnolia Post: Flourish

Jo’s Summer Favorites

Chip’s Summer Favorites

Let Summer Flourish • Every calendar year gifts us 90 sweet days to spend in the sunshiny embrace of summer. Here we celebrate this brief—yet potent—window of time with a list of 90 things that stir the carefree nostalgia and heart-lifting fun of the season.

Flourish on the Fly • Often there is confidence to be found in the details. Knowing we have what we need to make it through the day can be the lift that allows us to give it our best. Choose the bag you love, fill it with essentials, and prepare to enjoy whatever the day might bring.

It Starts with a Seed • YOU’RE LIKE THE SEED FROM WHICH A PLANT GROWS: ALMOST EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO BE FULLY WHO YOU ARE IS ALREADY INSIDE OF YOU—WAITING FOR THE THINGS THAT NURTURE YOU, THE THINGS THAT BRING YOU TO LIFE.

Richard Antoine White • WITH MUSIC AND IMAGINATION, HE CREATED A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS.

Made in the Shade • LET THE SUMMER OF CITRUS COMMENCE WITH AN ICE-COLD LIMEADE FILLED WITH FRESH-SQUEEZED JUICE. ONE PART TART, ANOTHER PART SWEET, AND READY FOR ANY FLAVORFUL EXTRAS YOU MIGHT CHOOSE.

An Occasion: Apricot Tart

Stack up the Freshest Bites of the Season • It can start with something very simple—the sight of summer cherries at the store or, perhaps, peaches spied at the Saturday farmers market. That one experience, or ingredient, can then take you on a flavor adventure to mix and match the freshest tastes of summer into a lunchtime masterpiece. Whether you create your own combinations or get inspired by our suggestions, we hope this summer is the season you build the best thing since sliced bread.

For You and You Alone. • What if you did something just because it delights you? Not because it serves some great purpose. Not because it’s needed or useful or required by someone else. Stop in the middle of a day and do something outside your norm—simply because it lifts you out of routine and makes you feel so bright, so alive. Do something just for you and you alone.

Grounded in Place

A Note From Jo: Have a Fun

We Find Ourselves in the Center of a Great Unfurling

The Power of Plants • Design a landscape that speaks to your soul—and your climate.

The Great Fry Debate • If it’s not too bold, we’d like to suggest french fries are one of the greatest foods of all time. Whether eaten at a restaurant or drive-through or homemade in your own kitchen, cut long and skinny or short and curly, dipped or not dipped in a sauce, french fries hold a special place in our hearts—and equally, our taste buds. So, we set out on a quest to find what makes french fries such a favorite food. And here’s what we discovered: There isn’t just one thing. There are many, and everyone has their own distinct perspective on what makes them great. Here, we’ve collected recipes, techniques, and opinions that rose to the top—and showed how much possibility a single potato holds.

An Unfolding: What It Means to Flourish • WE ARE WHAT SHAPES US, BUT THE STORY DOESN’T HAVE TO END THERE. WHETHER WE’RE MEANT TO BREAK THE MOLD OR FILL IT WITH SOMETHING ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT, TO FLOURISH IS TO FIND OUR OWN WAY IN A WORLD THAT’S BETTER FOR IT. WHEN WE TRUST OUR INNER SPARK, WE MAKE ROOM FOR OTHERS TO DO THE SAME. IT’S A MYSTERIOUS YET BEAUTIFUL KIND OF UNFOLDING, FUELED BY WHAT IS AND WHAT COULD BE.

The Heart of Hospitality • Designed with thoughtful details, a cozy cottage nestled in the heart of Texas...