Freebie Reading

I love free magazines and newspaper with good content.

It\’s quite ironic actually, because I can read lots of magazines, literary books (or basically anything that interests me) but nursing books are ignored. My husband reprimands me for this! (When he found out I finished the seven books of Harry Potter but I can\’t finish a few hundred page a driver\’s manual). I have colleagues or friends who are surprised, that I\’m oriented with \”stuff\” outside the scope of nursing. Well, I don\’t want to limit my knowledge. I\’m cool with anything my brain can absorb. It keeps me sane and level-headed.

Back in the Philippines, we have the Inquirer Libre. Copies are distributed mostly at MRT and LRT stations and are gone in a snap. Most of the time, I just borrow it from classmates who rides the train early in the morning.I was still in college when Philippine Daily Inquirer released the first free tabloid in the country. Aside from the news, I love reading the funny and sometimes-right-on-smack quotes in the horoscope.

Here in San Diego, most of the magazines are available in libraries, museums, hotels, malls, coffee shops and gyms. Most of the magazines are printed with glossy covers. The pages are like the sheets of a newspaper printed with colors for the pictures.

SD Reader and USA Today – My dose of current affairs in San Diego.

Old Town San Diego– Guide around the historic Old Town.

101 Things to do in San Diego – To know more of places to go here in SD.

SD Family magazine– Broadway productions that are in town and kid-friendly hang-outs in the county.

The thing I don\’t like with the above mentioned is the ad placement. It\’s basically everywhere! It\’s more visible than the article itself. I understand the publication survives thru ads (a given fact), so I\’m putting into consideration it might be a strategy.

When I was living in Singapore, lots of free magazines are all over the island (malls, boutiques, restaurants, museums, coffee shops etc ). I can\’t pick favorites because all of it are great. Each has it\’s own niche. Photography, content, ad placement, features are managed in a classified and non-messy kind of way. Made me feel I actually bought it. The websites are worth your time to navigate as well.

Juice – Fashion, music (local and international) and clubbing.

I-S (Inside Singapore) – Events, Restaurants, Travel, and Shopping

Catalog – I love their front covers! It\’s very graphic and conceptual that made it look playful and unique. In the website they have this flipbook of current and previous issues. Meaning I could read Catalog even if I\’m not in Singapore. Yey!

In-flight magazines publication are getting better the past few years. Maybe because travel industry has changed especially now that many can afford it. The content caters to everyone from tourist destinations, shopping, dining and places to stay. I use it as a good reference on future outings.