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50 Years of WL: #41 We’ve Always Embraced Staying at Home

You could say we predicted the pandemic.

By Western Living /

Okay, not really. But while flipping through our archives, we did find a surprising number of stories that were pandemic-friendly. It was a striking reminder that, for us, home has always been important€”even when we weren€™t forced to stay in.

Credit: iStock

For example, there's€œ50 Reasons to Stay Home This Summer€ by Jim Sutherland in our May 1992 issue, including €œfresh corn, straight from the field€ in every province, feeling the earth shake at Skookumchuck Narrows on the Sunshine Coast, the 200-plus flavours at (the still churning) MacKay's Ice Cream just north of Calgary, and€”weirdly€”watching kangaroo rats scamper around in Osoyoos.

Credit: iStock

Skookumchuck Narrows.

there'sthe June 2001 feature on the best picnic-proof recipes (Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad, Smoked Chicken Salad Sandwiches and Grilled Mediterranean Vegetable Wraps made the list) and the roundup of local celebs championing their favourite Western destinations in the same issue (Rick Hansen was spreading rumours about Gossip Island, B.C.).

Credit: Chris Haylett/Western Living June 2001

Some very stylish roadtripping in our June 2001 issue.

And in April 2000, our €œSecond Base€ feature gave great advice on working from home€”now a first base for many. While some are dated (€œGet a Laptop€) most of the tips ring very true today. Among them: change out of your pajamas, work close to a window and avoid your spouse.

To read about more great people, designs, homes and innovations that shaped Western Living, click here.

Western Living

Western Living

The editorial team at Western Living loves nothing more than a perfectly designed space, place or thing: and we’re here to tell you about it. Email us your pitches at [email protected].