Our dear readers:
I thought about starting this column with a folksy anecdote about the first time I picked up Desert Magazine in an antique store and read it cover to cover. It was a precursor to this magazine and was published by Randall Henderson in Palm Desert from 1937 until he retired in 1958. It was a great read – fascinating and erudite. I won’t say we ever rose to its heights (though our photography was a bit more polished). But occasionally, we published a piece that would’ve made Randall sit up and take notice.
I am using the past tense because it is likely that this is the last issue of Desert Magazine you’ll read. We made the decision to cease publication.
Over five years ago, our former publisher, Tom Niva, resurrected Desert Magazine. Without any prior knowledge about magazines, he managed to produce a publication worthy of being called a magazine. I was lucky enough to gain Tom’s confidence almost three years ago and become editor-in-chief. I’ve had a blast working on every issue since then.
I am very proud of the magazine we produced. I was extremely fortunate to work with talented and dedicated freelance writers, editors, and photographers, including Darya Mead, William Montalvo, Judd Spicer, Ginny Gillikin, Ameer Mussard-Afcari, Olga Trehub, Daniel Vaillancourt, James Cant, and Fredrik Broden.
Magazines are a visually-driven medium as much as they are a written one. And for Desert’s consistently excellent covers, photo selection, and layout, I am indebted to our former art director, Randy Dunbar, as well as our stupendously talented current art team: Raymond Seibel, Kaity Morrow, and Hannah Patton.
I can only hope that over the last few years, we provided entertainment, informative and compelling stories, and maybe a few chuckles here and there. We all did our best and have no regrets.
A few years ago, actor Keanu Reeves appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Colbert asked Reeves what he thinks happens when we die. Reeves said he doesn’t know, but “I do know the people who loved us will miss us.”
That belief holds true for the staff of Desert Magazine.
