I received the October 2008 issue of H&H today. It had good weight to it and a beautiful cover. With DH at work and the kids at school, I was able to set myself up with a coffee and enjoy a cover to cover peek. I don't read too much the first time I 'walk through' my issues, but the Editor's Page is an exception. I ALWAYS read Cobi's page. I don't do that with any other magazine.
And so there it was, "Leaving Home" printed up top in big letters. I wondered what that meant. Surely not her 'new' home with the great kitchen I still think about. Maybe the cottage? Something to do with her new cottage? Leaving home for the cottage? I dropped my eyes to the print and read the first words:
"This is not an easy letter to write as it will be my last."
Wow, that hit hard. I continued to read the full letter with the words "OH MY GOD" repeating in my head (or was that out loud?) the whole way through it. I'm really going to miss her.
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I too like Cobi very much, so down to earth and a wealth of knowledge. I had to laugh at some of your comments....I agree Lynda Reeves can be snooty, but I like to watch her. As for Suzanne Dimma, well that is snooty and I am still waiting to see even a slight glimmer of personality, she doesn't seem confident of her choices and needs to validate them with her photographer, I find the Style Department totally boooring. The worst show I have seen is on W Network, Colour Confidential (Jane Lockhart), what has she done to herself.?...and choosing a colour scheme from a tray of shells, buttons, ribbons and twigs....really??!! My fav is Sarah R, she's the best.:D
Count me as one who thinks Coby Ladner was the best thing about H & H. She will be missed. I also agree with others' assessments regarding Lynda and Suzanne. Cold and pretentious are the two characteristics that come to mind. I predict it's all downhill from here.
I agree with all that you have stated Joanne. I was interested to see Suzanne's show as I liked seeing her on Cityline as a guest but couldn't enjoy her show at all. I really wanted to like it and watched a few times but there was an attitude about Suzanne that was not complimentary to the show.
I also read all of Cobi's columns and enjoyed each one of them. I will miss her and do hope that she will resurface once again where we will be able to enjoy her once more.
Well, I will reserve my judgement on Suzanne Dimma until I see a few issues, however I really did not like Wish at all!!! As for her TV show, I watched it maybe twice and have no desire to see it again. I agree that she seems to be a mini-Lynda....'nuff said!! Like the rest of you, I always read Cobi's editorial, and felt like she was a "friend". There certainly is a "naturalness" and confidence about her, unlike the other two, who seem to try too hard, and come off unnatural and self conscience.
I hope that Cobi will come back...somewhere!!
Change is never easy, Cobi was always so easy to relate to. I too have that "feeling" about Suzanne Dimma. The first reaction that most people had when they heard she was taking over was "oh no!". There were very few interiors at Wish that I could have related to. Her work at H&H a few years ago was ok but there was a pretentious attitude. That is not a judgement , that is just what she emotes, even in person. Some people can take that kind of person well, some people cannot. Personally, I think the last thing H&H needs is more pretension, so I hope Suzanne can move past that and work with plain, builder white, suburban sprawl homes that many people live in. I wish her the best and hope she can bring a breath of fresh air to House&Home and maybe do something about these beige on beige rooms dominating the pages and covers lately.
I concur with all on this forum, about missing Cobi. Her editorials were always the first page I turned to....I enjoyed her stories very much and felt in many ways her triumphs and struggles paralleled many of our own lives. Similar to Marilyn Dennis and Sarah Richardson you definitely felt a connection with Cobi, they are the "every" woman that we Canadian women can relate to: funny, down to earth, unpretentious, relatable.
I couldn't agree more regarding Suzanne Dimma and Lynda Reeves....know Suzanne worked on CH&H a few years back and aparently Lynda knew Suzanne since she was a child. But to me they are both come across as snooty and extremely pretentious. Can't stand the show Lynda Reeves appears on....to quote Lynda "eeeewwwww!" She couldn't be more condescending or obnoxious to her guests, her staff or those two poor men Gordon and Cameron, similarly Suzanne seemed to have the same approach on her "Style Dept" show. She and Cobi seemed like polar opposites...but obviously something worked as they were a team for 15? years.
Wish Cobi all the best, hope we will see or hear from her in the magazine or television world again soon.
Cobi's page was always the first one I turned to. What a shame that she's leaving. I certainly wish her all the best.
In the past year or so Chatelaine & Canadian Living both had their editors leave too.
I have to admit that Cobi was good at what she does BUT I don't find her appealing to watch on TV. If she took over as host on Cityline I probably would have a very hard time watching it. I'd give it a shot but the odds are great that I would turn it off.
ps I think she was the brains and talent for H&H not Lynda.
Thanks Janet...since the channels have changed I haven't checked the new listings...I will definately check it out :)
sweetpea, i have cogeco cable and i get it, mind you since they switched channels i think i may have seen one show
smiles
janetc
I wish Cobi all the best!!!
It is funny..I get lots of magazines and her page was the only one read out of all of them.
That really is sad news. I, too, found Cobi to be very down to earth and knew waht the readers wanted. I suspect that is why so many of us always read her column.
I must say I am not sure I am all that excited about Suzanne Dimma. I seem to be rubbed the wrong with her. I am not really sure what it is. It actually is the same feeling that I often have when watching Lynda. It also isn't all the time that I get the yucky feeling...
I wish Cobi all the best!
Cobi appeared to be very down to earth and I enjoyed the shows (issues) where she showed the renoviations in her own home and her decorating of her summer home in PEI. Very natural in her style and basic. I enjoyed her very much and wish all the best for her. Family commitments can change a lifestyle and make you look at where you want to go and what your priorities are!!!! She has and all the best to her.
[I]
(I don't have my copy, yet, thank you for sharing)[/I]
Suzanne Dimma has been in this business a long time will be good for the job,,,,,I believe she did the" Ask A Designer "column at one time.
I just read this too...I really like Cobi ...like Dawn, Cobi's is the only editorial that I read...Cobi has lost alot of weight and is looking pretty good ,maybe City Line has picked her up...I don't get City Line but wish we had it on Cogeco cable....I would think Lynda Reeves will miss her very much as she contributed so much to the H&H mag.
She doesn't go into great detail in the letter, which is more of a farewell. I snooped around online and found this aricle which has a bit more:
[url]http://www.mastheadonline.com/news/2008/20080610809.shtml[/url]
Also, I found this article which announces who will be the new editor of H&H:
[url]http://www.thestar.com/article/473234[/url]
i picked up this issue last night, and i was shocked to read the letter. I was given the impression that she may want to slow her pace down a bit. I really like Cobi too and have always enjoyed her editorials.
Samking, mmmm wouldnt that be something, Cobi just may be a great person for the job as long as she isnt too serious, that was the beauty about Marlynn and which i think is one reason why it is hard to still picture someone in her place.
smiles
janetc
,,,,so am I really jumping to conclusions that she would be the new CityLine host replacing M. Denis
??
Can you tell us why she is leaving? I also have seen her on Cityline and enjoyed her very much.