The end

I just found out that Gourmet magazine is closing. The publisher, Conde Nast, is apparently responding to the lousy economy by closing several of its lifestyle magazines, including Modern Bride and Elegant Bride. I would have to agree with those two - how many magazines dedicated to seating charts and bridal shower do's and don'ts do we really need?

But Gourmet? I immediately thought of Ruth Reichl, whom I vilified here back in July. She was the bon vivant editor who twittered incessantly about her envious, never-to-be-attained-by-anyone-else life. Maybe she should have taken Albert Brooks' advice from the scene in Broadcast News, when Holly Hunter asked, "What do you do when your life exceeds your wildest dreams?" Brooks replied, "You keep it to yourself."

Her last tweet was Saturday:

Foggy fall afternoon. Cup of lemon tea. Outside the window a deer is munching on the lawn. About to start the Saturday puzzle. Happy.

Even the mundaneness of her everyday life is magical. Here's my Saturday tweet:

Seven loads of laundry. Cat box needs to be cleaned. Sloppy Joe's for dinner. Again. My ass is flabby.

I'm sure Ruth will be just fine - I think she has a TV show in the works. Of course.

But the rest of us will miss a venue for great food writing, interesting recipes and beautiful food photography. I, for one, am really sad to see this one go.