The best summer mags for your every interest

Whether you’re catching some poolside rays, passing the time on a long haul or attempting to… Whether you’re catching some poolside rays, passing the time on a long haul or attempting to stay conscious in your un-air-conditioned apartment this summer, nothing quite passes the time like a first-class glossy read:

What to do: City Paper. True, it’s not technically a magazine, but what would Pittsburghers do without the weekly “BIG LIST” of theater, art, music, comedy, festivals, fund raisers, poetry, politics – you get the idea. Nothing quite embodies city living like this baby – it’s kind of like a hush-hush handbook to what’s hot and happening. The interviews and stories are pretty sweet, too.

Fitness: Oxygen. Chock-full of healthy recipes, tips on health and nutrition, and expert advice to readers’ gnawing health questions, Oxygen puts every other fitness magazine to shame. A good read for ladies new to the weight training scene (bye bye frail femmes, hello muscular mamas!), the “training” section offers clear, step-by-step workout programs with corresponding photographs emphasizing proper form. Flip to the “nutrition” section and you’ll find mouth-watering recipes made from wholesome and natural but simple, easy-to-find ingredients. Words of warning, though: Do your best to ignore the annoying and unremitting ads for fat-loss supplements. You can only stare at those dreadful “befores,” airbrushed “afters” and bogus miracle-drug claims for so long.

Fashion/Shopping: Lucky. Shopoholics, beware. Lucky is for those itching to buy (not just mull over) the hottest seasonal garb. And the best part of all? A full page of sticker tags labeled “YES!” and “MAYBE?” – Just in case you lose track of those to-die-for royal blue sling backs on page 94.

Politics: Ode. According to its website, the magazine stands for “positive social, environmental and economic change”- who doesn’t want that? This one’s for everybody and bridges the divide between democrats and republicans, liberals and conservatives, young and old. In our increasingly bipartisan nation, Ode is a breath of fresh air. You’ll find stories about planet-saving grassroots organizations, religious and spirituality debates, along with my personal favorite – the vivid, emotionally charged photography.

Women’s Magazine: Jane. Hands down, this one receives an award for “most clever writing voice in magazine history.” Who other than a Jane staffer would review Katherine Dunn’s book “Geek Love” with the simple claim that “If you don’t fall in love with the albino hunchback dwarf by the time she murders her daughter’s evil benefactor, then you’re a cold-hearted bitch”? Not to mention they’re valiant enough to give an underground yet on-the-rise starlet a helping hand by making her their June/July ’07 cover girl: enter Zooey Deschanel.

Men’s Magazine: Maxim. Not yet gone are the days of young, scantily clad pop idols gracing the covers of many a men’s magazine in a desperate attempt to gain celebrity status through sex appeal. And although Maxim is no exception, it does include some neat-o easy reads like two-page max celebrity interviews, music reviews and summer road trip destinations. The July issue even contains a guide in its “Counter Intelligence” section on how men can “neutralize the creature” that women’s magazine advice turns their girlfriends into – A few words to the girlfriends: Let’s face it; it’s shameful but true.

Music/Film/Pop Culture Extraordinaire: Interview. In a classy, good-ol’-days kind of way, instead of those “who’s dating who, who’s skinnier, who’s in rehab?!” last-minute grocery store buys, Interview puts the spotlight on actors’ and singers’ art as opposed to their personal lives. What a concept. Founded by our very own hometown hero, Andy Warhol, it includes big name celebrity-on-celebrity interviews (Alicia Keys and Gladys Knight, Don Cheadle and Matt Damon) and breathtaking portraits and couture ads reminiscent of classic Hollywood. Positively divine.