Preppy Podcast
The Preppy Podcast features interviews every Tuesday with the brands, businesses and influencers who are keeping the modern preppy lifestyle alive.
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Thirty years ago, Kathy Wise learned to play mahjong from a friend's Jewish grandmother while she was a law student at The Ohio State University (Go Bucks!). She spent a decade as a litigator before deciding to pursue her original passion, magazines. In 2016, she joined D Magazine, where she currently serves as editorial director. Under her leadership, the magazine has won numerous national awards, including CRMA awards for General Excellence and Excellence in Writing. Kathy has personally won a CRMA Award for reporting for “The Most Lawless County in Texas,” a feature about a Collin County judge who was convicted of a crime she didn’t commit, and a Folio Award for “The Rogue Shepherd,” a profile of Bonton Farms founder Daron Babcock. Inspired by the recent resurgence of mahjong, she decided to found a new national publication dedicated to the game she loves. When Marshall McKinney agreed to come on board as the creative director, she knew they were about to create something remarkable. Order at https://mahj.com/
You're listening to the Preppy Podcast, and I'm your host, Patricia May Olson. I'll be interviewing the brands, businesses, and influencers who are keeping the modern preppy lifestyle alive. Each Tuesday, I'll bring you a new episode, but if you're craving more preppy, then shop the merch and listen to past episodes at thepreppy podcast.com and be sure to follow at the preppy podcast and me, Patricia underscore May underscore Olsen on Instagram. So I had to have Maj the Magazine's Kathy on today for the podcast to learn all about her love for Mahjong, where that started, and her decision to start a magazine all around that. It was so fun. We even chatted about some Mahjong trends that she's seeing. I just really enjoyed this episode. She has so many wonderful stories and tips for getting started with Mahjong and so much more in between. So before we get started though with this interview, just a few reminders. Think of things like wine tastings or crafting or trend forecasting, all sorts of fun preppy activities done virtually and led by experts. You also get a little gift in the mail from me each month: things like twillies or tote bags or exclusive notebooks. It's a wonderful community and I would love to have you guys there. Lastly, we have two camp preppies left for 2026. The next one being October in Kenny Bunkport. There are just a few tickets left there. Um it's going to be a beautiful time of year to head up north, check out the leaves, and just enjoy New England. Then we have our last one, it is going to be end of November, and that is at Barnsley Resort in Georgia. All holiday themed. I've wanted to do a camp around the holidays for so long, and this is it. So if you want information on any of those upcoming camps or club preppy, please go to thepreppypodcast.com, or you can always just send me a direct message on Instagram, my personal one, Patricia May Olson, or The Preppy Podcast. I'd love to chat with you and help you. All right, let's get into this week's episode. Okay, so why don't you first let everyone know who you are, where you live, and what you do.
SPEAKER_01My name is Kathy Wise. Uh I live in Dallas, Texas, and I am the founder and editor of Maj the Magazine, as well as the editorial director of D Magazine, the City Magazine for Dallas.
SPEAKER_00Excellent. Well, I am thrilled to have you on. Um, offline, we were chatting a little bit about how I think I started following you on Instagram and discovered the magazine, got it in my inbox, and then just have been enjoying it so much. And as someone who I work in PR full-time, I like appreciate a good print magazine. So I'm so excited to chat with you today.
SPEAKER_01Well, I love to hear that, Patricia, because I obviously love print magazines too.
SPEAKER_00Totally. So let's start at the beginning. Tell me a little bit about your childhood. Were you someone like as a kid that was making their own magazines, um, or someone that was like an entrepreneurial kid, like selling things at the end of their driveway, or just creative? What was your childhood like?
SPEAKER_01I was absolutely not entrepreneurial. I was always like the worst Girl Scout. I sold the least number of cookies. They were all to my mom. I hated, you know, like anything in that realm scared me. I was terrible at it. But um, I was a writer from the beginning. I loved books. I read all the time. My mom was an English teacher and also an artist. I did not pick up the artist gene. But um, yeah, I've got things that I, you know, wrote, was writing poems and kindergarten and and on from there. So um that's really where my love was, but not not entrepreneurship at all. I listen to your podcast all the time, and I'm like very impressed by all these people that had the had the business bug from the get-go because that was an album.
SPEAKER_00That's so funny. Um, I do it's funny though. I was listening to something else a few days ago, and like, I remember we used to have to sell like wrapping paper for school. We had to sell like pizzas for my gymnastics and dance classes. Like there was Girl Scouts. I'm like, why were they pushing us to sell so much as kids?
SPEAKER_01And I'm I'm a little I'm a little bit older than you, Patricia. But um, yeah, back so like now it just seems to have escalated because there's so many school activities that need to get funded. But uh yeah, back in my day it was Girl Scout cookies and the occasional lemonade stand, but I was terri I was terrible at all of that stuff.
SPEAKER_00That's so funny. Well, I love how you enjoyed writing though, even from a young age, it sounds. Um, so then tell me when it came time for college, where and what did you end up studying? Did you go into journalism or do something else and later find your way there?
SPEAKER_01So I went to a college in Ohio called Miami University, and they had uh it's a great setup. They had a side campus. It used to be a women's college that the university, it's a state college, uh, um, and the university took on this beautiful campus that was literally just like across the street from Miami University, and they had to come up with a uh, you know, who they were gonna put out there, and they decided to put uh make it a liberal arts college. Um and uh so kind of this hippie school that was all about, you know, learning all kinds of things and being creative and and uh engaging in um, you know, political issues, and just it was just this fabulous, magical place. And then they they needed to put somebody else out there with the hippies, and so they decided to put the architecture students out there. So it was this and the architecture students, of course, you know, like they're super intense and they're like super like work hard, party hard. They were just like they pull all nights all the time, and then you know, and then they're surrounded by all these like hippies that are writing poems and and you know, going on marches and and all of this stuff. So it was it was just this fabulous, fabulous place. Um, but yeah, so during that time I was I was totally an English major um and uh part of the um Association for Women Students, and then ended up running, we had a magazine um that we put out for that. And so um, yeah, that was I that was like a highlight of my college career, but never, never thought it would be an actual career. I just like it was it was so much fun.
SPEAKER_00I love that story. That's so funny. I just had someone on the podcast a little bit ago, and they were thinking about architecture too to study. And then they said they went and toured a school and they had cots, like that they didn't leave the students, their students like just stay there. And so then she was like, you know what? I'm gonna do something else. And I was like, yeah, that's pretty intimidating.
SPEAKER_01It is, I mean, it's an intense program. And if I ever and uh and just like such smart, interesting students um that go into that. And most of them just like they were ones that knew from the get, you know, from day one that they wanted to be architects. But um, yeah, it was a really, it was a really fun mix for for college.
SPEAKER_00Definitely. Oh my gosh. Well, it sounds like you enjoyed yourself. Um, and you were a little bit of a self-starter, it sounds like too, with um writing while you were in college. So after college, then did you go right into journalism or kind of what was your career journey um to lead?
SPEAKER_01I had a I had a crazy career journey. Um, as I said, my mom was an English teacher, but my dad was a lawyer. And he told me from the beginning that um, you know, I was never gonna make a living as a writer. So uh when I graduated from undergrad, it was kind of like do I go get a master's in Russian literature? Do I join the Peace Corps or do I go to law school? And uh so um at the time I thought it would be um, you know, make the most sense to go to law school because then I could go in the Peace Corps or I could do something else. Uh so that's where where I started out and um ended up going into public interest law. So I worked for uh legal aid in a rural county in Ohio um for several years uh before my wife took a job with American Airlines and we ended up moving to Dallas. And so then um kind of continued my legal career with the uh city attorney's office here in Dallas. Um, and uh, you know, but kind of knew I didn't want to do it forever, but um enjoyed it and was good at it. And uh um, but then we had a really uh difficult case, and um my mom died suddenly. She was 65 years old and I was 35. And it was just one of those moments where you're kind of like, okay, what do I really want to do with the next, you know, 30 years of my life? And um, it was not practicing law, but I was in Dallas, Texas, and a friend was like, Well, you know, if you did something else, what would you want to do? And I said, funnily enough, I've always wanted to go into publishing, but like I'm not moving to New York. So I just I don't see how this is even gonna happen. Um, but she was like, Oh, well, I know somebody who uh has a magazine in town, and you guys should um get together and meet each other. And uh yeah, so that's kind of what happened. I met Margaret Brown, who is the editor-in-chief of a luxury Western Lifestyle magazine based here. Um, and uh she took me under her wing and got me a job with another publishing company initially, and I learned the ropes there, and then she brought me into the magazine and taught me everything there is to know about magazines, and I haven't looked back.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, I love that. Well, first of all, I'm so sorry about your mom, but it does sound like you said that she was an English teacher and stuff. So maybe her leaving like inspired that in you, and she kind of pushed you then to um pursue this career that it sounds like you were a little bit more passionate about then, right?
SPEAKER_01Yes, yes, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00Um and I feel like I hear that a lot with my husband's an attorney, and I think a lot of times attorneys do get a little burnt out and look for more of a creative outlet eventually down the line, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And I think we a lot of lawyers tend to, they, they uh have both that left brain, right brain thing. Um, and so they because uh so much of the job is logic and and um problem solving and all that kind of thing, but there's a real creative element to it as well. And it's it's been really funny um for me because I think ever since I've left the profession, so many people are always asked, you know, do you regret it? Don't you miss it? Um, don't you miss being a lawyer? And uh the one thing that's really surprised me about it is that I every single skill I learned as a lawyer, I use as a journalist and writer. So um I absolutely don't, you know, regret going down that path. I think it's exact, you know, that's what got me to to where I am today. Um, but yeah, it's just a huge amount of crossover between what I do now and and what lawyers do every day.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, you have to be a good writer to be a lawyer too. They write a ton, right? So um that makes total sense. So now, where does mahjong come into the picture? I think I read that you'd been playing for years. Um, so tell me about like when you first got the mahjong bug, how you learned, who taught you, that sort of thing.
SPEAKER_01So I learned years ago. I funnel I learned back in law school. My good friend from undergrad, uh, her family lived near, I was going to law school at Ohio State, and her family lived in Columbus. Um, so I would go over and and have dinner with her family on weekends and and hang out with them, and it was great when she was home on holidays. And her grandmother, Nilda, um, was a big mahjong player. And I I grew up in the Midwest. I'm a huge card player. I love, I love games, um, but had never encountered Mahjong before. And so I was fascinated and I totally wanted to learn. And so uh Nilda um, you know, taught me, and I laugh now because the mahjong instructor world, like it's just everybody is so kind and so lovely, and they have cute little sayings and like rhyming phrases, and like that was not that's not how you learned back in the day. It was like you were thrown in the deep end of the pool, and if you screwed up, you were dead-handed on the spot. There was like no sympathy and no patience. But I love that. I love the abuse, I love the the, you know, you had you had to keep up and you had to learn to play quick. Um, and so I was kind of hooked, and that was 30 years ago, and so I've been playing off and on ever since then.
SPEAKER_00I love you were like way ahead of the trend, and I love how kind of all things go back to law school that we and like it is, it's really funny.
SPEAKER_01Um, but yeah, so then and then uh there was a big issue during um COVID around 2020 when the Mahjong Line launched. Um, there uh was like kind of at the crux of cantile culture and and cultural awareness and um you know uh Asian American, um, anti-Asian American sentiment, and all of these things were kind of converging. And so uh when the Mahjong Line launched with their tiles, there was this huge backlash um about how you know uh how dare they um kind of do what they were doing and and create these uh tiles that they were doing. And I became fascinated by the story. Having been a longtime Mahjong player and um having come into the Mahjong world through kind of the through the Jewish space, um right, and that whole culture of the game and American Mahjong. And um, yeah, so I was I was fascinated by the tension and um so started digging in and thought that it might make a great story for D magazine. Um and at the time the founders of the Mahjong Line, uh Annie and Kate, who are amazing, um, weren't quite ready to go on the record because things were still so chaotic. Um and so the story idea kind of died out, but during that time, I just like I learned so much, you know, more than I knew just as a player about the history of the game and what was happening in the world and what was happening in um the American Mahjong world and all of that. So so I just kind of became obsessed with with all of it, but couldn't really do a story. Um and so then fast forward a couple years, and I'm playing uh Mahjong in uh my best friend's pool, Sam Murphy. Um, and we were playing around and we're like, oh, we should, you know, we should do something with Mahjong because it's now it's just like insanely popular. And maybe we should do a cookbook or do just do something fun. Um, and so we were like, oh yeah, that would be so fun to do a cookbook. And then uh a couple days later, um, I'm getting ready for work, and I was suddenly like, you idiot, we you know, you know, you know uh magazines much better than you know cookbooks. And um, so like this could be this incredible thing. Um and uh I just assumed that um my uh boss was gonna be like, okay, this is crazy. Because you, you know, magazines are a struggling industry with social media and the digital age and everything else, the heyday of print media is um, you know, sadly uh behind us. And a lot of print media companies are trying to figure out, you know, what what do magazines look like going forward? And do they have a place in this world and what should their function be? Um and uh I obviously, because of my job, I'm a firm believer in magazines, and I think there's something special about having a finite curated uh physical thing that is not an infinite scroll and is not, you know, is is is not this endless thing that is not written by AI, that is um something special and thoughtful. And uh and I just felt that with Mahjong, when that light bulb went off, I was like, here's this tactile in-person game, and um and it just felt like the natural fit. And there have been magazines in the past, right? Like there have been collector magazines and kind of those kinds of things, but not really a lifestyle magazine that touched on all the things I love about the game. So the travel and food and entertaining and history and and um strategy and all of those pieces putting it in one place. Um so yeah, so after after having all of these thoughts bouncing around in my head, I showed up in our uh D magazine is a um women-owned company, and it's actually a mother, mother and daughter-owned uh magazine, which is very unusual also in this world in this space. It was founded by Wick Allison, and uh um his wife, Christine Allison, uh, is now um runs things, and her her uh daughter is the president. Um and they are just this amazing, super smart pair that have been in media from day one. Um and uh neither of whom played Mahjong. And uh so when I marched into Christine's office and was like, hey, I've got this idea that we should actually start a new magazine and it should be all about mahjong. Um, I was expecting her to be like, yeah, great. Um, but no, no. And um, she immediately was like, Oh my god, I think there might be something really there. And then um nobody, nobody else. I kept waiting for our CFO to tell me no or somebody, you know, or other than uh it just never happened. So next thing I knew, we were off to the races.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, I love that. And uh, you know, it makes so much sense because mahjong is something, you know, you you do with your hands, you play, it's tactile, it's strategy. Um, and it's about uh taking time away from a computer screen and enjoying one on or you know, time with other people and community. And I feel like that makes so much sense then to have a magazine around that because it they go hand in hand, right? Right. Um so then tell me kind of what the next steps were. Like once once you had this idea, you got it approved, like how long did it take to go from idea to having your first copy? Like, what did that look like? It sounded like you have a you had a vision from the start, but like getting it out there. Tell me about that.
SPEAKER_01So uh the ideas sprouted, it was probably about um this time last year, would have been July last year. Um and then uh, you know, I kind of mapped out I had the concept from the get-go that I wanted it to be uh organized around inspired by seasons and winds. And so each issue kind of revolving around a place and obviously being in Dallas, that that was the natural place to start, especially since Dallas is currently kind of the epicenter of uh Mahjong, um certainly American Mahjong and American Mahjong companies. I mean, they're just like I mean, there are dozens and dozens of women-owned mahjong companies that are coming out of the Dallas area, which is just astounding. Um but uh yeah, I needed the first the first big thing I needed was a um creative director to have as a partner to actually design and come up with the vision for the magazine. And um so yeah, so that was that was a hard one and kind of thinking through um what I wanted the magazine to be like, and in my head, um I wanted it to kind of be the opposite of uh other magazines that I've worked on. Um I wanted it to have very few, if any, advertisements. I wanted it to have a flow, almost I'm gonna date myself again, but like a mixtape. Ums into the next thing, and it's um that if you you can consume it in pieces, but if you consume it as a whole, it's an entirely different experience and an elevated experience, right? Um, and so I needed somebody who uh was willing and interested in thinking outside of the box, and our creative director at um D magazine, uh Stephen Arevelus, who's uh amazingly talented, he was like, You should call Marshall McKinney, who is the founding creative director of Garden and Gun, who's just like if you're in the magazine world, he's he's just an icon. And I was like, Marshall's not gonna take my call. And uh Steven was like, no, no, you should really reach out and give him a call. And I was like, okay. So I did, and he immediately was like, Great, let's set up a let's set up a time to talk. And um, we got on this call, and his energy, you know, like I was so excited, and then he was responding to all of my energy, and he immediately was like uh spouting off all these ideas. Um, and it was just this crazy synergy. And um, I remember we hung up the phone, and I immediately like I I just I laid, I literally laid down on the floor because I was so stunned um at what had just happened. And Steven was like, Are you okay? What's happening? And I was like, No, I am just completely overwhelmed that like I think this is going to happen, and um, I think this is gonna be amazing. And so, yeah, so then I think it was like the end of September that uh Marshall came on board. Um and uh then we just then it was um creating the brand. And I've never actually created a magazine brand from The ground up. And so that was a really, really incredible experience. And he's he has, I mean, he did it with Garden and Gun. Um, another one where, you know, at the time, you so many magazines kind of resemble that magazine now, but when that first came out, it just broke the mold. It was, it was this totally different thing. Um, so yeah, so that was in September we got started pulling together what we wanted it to look like and what the logo was gonna be and what the color scheme was gonna be, and um how we were gonna put in content and what the sections you know were. And uh so that was just hugely exciting. And then our first issue um came out in March of this year. So that's when we launched with the first spring issue for Dallas. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's a really quick turnaround, especially like one thing to you know create an issue in that time, but to build a brand, create something, and also put out a print physical issue is that's quick. That's amazing. Um, and I liked, you know, one thing about that story is to to take your chance, right? You reaching out to Marshall, you're like, I don't know. And he said, Yes. So you you you have to reach out and try because first thing he could have said was no, right? Um, so I love I love that in that you know it worked out. That's amazing. Um now I'd love to talk about what's inside the magazine because I think A, like the photography is so beautiful. I love the thickness of the pages. Like, and I think this is probably intentional, but it it's like a collector's piece. You know, there are some magazines that you toss because they're full of advertisements, or I don't know, they're just thin and flimsy, but this is beautiful. Like you want to display it on your coffee table, you want to keep them, go back to them. Um, so tell us like what's inside.
SPEAKER_01Well, good. That's the that's the goal. We spend a lot of time picking paper and looking at at paper stock and figuring out what was going to go on the cover and what was gonna be inside. Um, and all of that, you know, our paper is is sourced in the United States, or uh we print in the United States out of Quad in in uh Wisconsin, which is a big magazine publisher, but they do it on a special, call it a sheet fed press. So it's a small print um run, which allows us to do even better quality uh inks and and print process, which is incredible. Um but then yeah, so each each issue, because we're looking at a place, we kind of do a deep dive into you know cool places to go and shop and eat and stuff that kind of relate to mahjong. So there are a lot of hotels now and resorts that are doing special mahjong events and and uh mahjong stores and those types of things. So um we've always got uh that in the book. We always have a history component, um, we always have an entertaining and kind of recipe um section, which again, going back to my my cookbook inspiration, I I love to cook. And so that's um something that I really enjoy. And it that's ended up being one of my favorite play pieces in each of these magazines is we're able to kind of profile um somebody. And as you know, for mahjong, you need food that you can eat with your hands, that you don't have to stop and you know, that it's not greasy and messy, and that you don't need a fork and a full plate set. Um but the stories of these women, I'll uh um give you an example. We're working on our New York issue right now, which is going to be for fall, and there's this uh an incredible chef, Carol Wynne, who's actually based in Dallas, Texas, which is how I originally knew about her. She's got a Michelin um recognized restaurant here called Nan. Um and then I heard that she was opening a second restaurant in New York, and I was like, oh, well, that could be a really incredible, you know, tie-in for our New York issue. And so um we uh interviewed her and had her come up with a menu for the issues. She's like, the restaurant is this gorgeous, it's a two-story corner um restaurant in the East Village, and it's just lovely, and the food is amazing. Um, but when I was interviewing her for the story, I had no idea that um her daughter, uh, who lived in New York um had gotten ill. And uh Carol had been sending her care packages. Um and uh because her daughter was like, you know, it's the one thing that makes me feel better. And then Carol was like, you know what, I can't just keep sending care packages and have her get this cold food. Like I really want her to have, you know, mom's cooking hot um at her doorstep. So that's how she decided to open the New York restaurant, was to be able to cook for her, to cook for her daughter. Um, and now her her daughter is is fully recovered, and I think she just ran a marathon. And so, but it was just this amazing, amazing story. And so that's I mean, that's one of the things that I love most about magazines and um Maj the Magazine is just, I mean, the stories are just astounding, and um, being able to dig in that and then share it with other people is just incredible.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, what a heartwarming story. Um now, you know, obviously you have experience writing and in the magazine world, but being a founder is completely different. Like, what was the hardest part of that about starting the magazine even today? Like, what would you say is the hardest part most challenging for you? And then what's your favorite or the best part? I'm assuming it's sharing these stories, but you tell me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, sharing the stories, it's um I think with a startup, it it's just it's the volume. It's the the um, which is also one of the greatest things. Like once you, you know, once we kind of open the door and and let people know that we were entering this space, um, the response was just so warm and incredible. And um, and then yeah, and then the people that want to collaborate and and tell their stories and be involved, um, that just snowballs. And so uh kind of figuring out how to how to manage all of that um uh and keep up with it, but that's also the absolute blessing. Um, and I don't know if you've I for a number of your entrepreneurs, I one of the things that's been astounding for me in the mahjong space is the um the like almost unconditional support across brands. I know we're not we're not a direct competitor as a magazine, but um, you know, we've done events and and uh worked with a bunch of different people, and it is just amazing to me that everybody is looking to lift everybody else up and sees that you know, the the more people are involved in the mahjong and the more people are excited about the game, um, the better it is for everybody. And so uh I I think there can't be that many entrepreneurial spaces where um even competing brands are supportive of each other. And so that's that's was a very unexpected piece of starting this that I did not did not see coming.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, the community behind Mahjong is incredible, it it's wild. Um, what's like a trend that you're currently seeing in Mahjong right now? Like, for example, I saw I don't even know what they're used for. We have a Cam Preppy coming up, and so Vale Mahjong's doing it. And so now apparently there's these little like objects that I don't know what we're using them for anything.
SPEAKER_01I've seen like people Yes, this is a Texas thing and a southern thing. It was so funny because we had an event in New York. Um, we were there for the New York uh Jewish Mahjong Festival last month. And so when we had a we had a table there and we had we had so much fun, but in the south, for you uh I've like I don't have one, I've got one downstairs. Um, but for anytime you go to an event, if you win mahjong, the host will have little like little plastic trinkets. Um and so that you get you get a little plastic trinket, um, you know, so when when you get maj. But then what happens is then people accumulate them, and a lot of times they're themed. And so uh, you know, like if we do a Western one, we might have little horses, or we've got for Charleston issue, we've got little pineapples. And so then people will accumulate, they'll even get little um token trinket bags where then they collect all the trinkets. But then the funniest thing is you'll go to you'll go to events or tournaments and stuff. And so some of the some of the like, you know, good players, if they want to intimidate other people, they'll like line up all their little trinkets on their on their rack just to show like like that they've won, they won a lot. So it's it's a totally fun piece. But when we had them in New York, everybody kept we had little pizzas and um apples when we were in New York. And everybody would come by and they'd be like, What are those? We'd be like, oh, they're you know, I mean, in this case they're good luck trinkets because we're handing them out not for not for wins, but um, yes, that is a very, very southern and especially Texas thing.
SPEAKER_00Okay, I'm thrilled you explain that because I was like, what are these? And I message her. I was like, I'm like, what is this? And she's like, Oh, I'll tell you all about it next week. And I'm like, I still like I need to know. They look like for people uh listening who aren't familiar, like almost, you know, um, the coin, um, you put a coin in and you like turn it and you get a little prize as the kid, like they look like they would come from that, like these little cutesy things in the mouth.
unknownYes.
SPEAKER_00Um so what other trends or like things like that are you seeing, would you say?
SPEAKER_01Um other trends I'm saying, and so I don't are where you play, do people do the the um dice bowls? Do you see people with the dice holder? Yeah, so that's beautiful, yeah. Yeah, so that's that's obviously a a big trend and having the um having the table lamps at the table. Um we're seeing a little bit of a shift. I think we there's so many gorgeous uh creative sets out there um that you know go with themes, and it might be uh wine country or it could be gardens or it could be tomatoes or whatever, you know, whatever it might be. Um, but I think we're we're starting to see a trend and a return to uh more traditional sets. Um because uh like if it's not your own set, people that play a lot, if they're constantly playing with the creative sets, it takes a second to learn the tiles. And so people sometimes are getting frustrated with that. And so I'm seeing more brands kind of return to more of a straightforward design that's that's uh you know easily recognizable. Um but also, you know, we got a piece coming up on uh Lauren DuPont and Loen Co. And um she's got it's the first time I've seen a lot of people are doing tablecloths, but she's got these, uh they're gorgeous, almost like fitted. Uh they they um kind of fit to the side of the table with a ruffle around the edge, but they're these beautiful floral um designs, very preppy for anybody that's got a preppy table. Look at look up uh low and co. Uh and so I think that's an interesting thing that we might um see some more of. And uh also the um the tables now. You know, you can there are a lot of people that are doing really amazing things with tables. Um the one that we've just uh we got a sample of um for uh La Messe en Fete. Um they're doing a collaboration with Center and Spring, and it's a beautiful Ratan uh portable table. And right now it's kind of a lower, you know, sit-on-the-floor kind of uh play table. But I think the they're going to be coming out with a um full-size standing um one. But um, yeah, lots of stuff, lots of fun things coming on the in the table world.
SPEAKER_00I love that. I think a like a sit-on-the-floor table sounds so fun to play Mahjong that way. I haven't seen that yet, but I love that idea. Um now I'm curious, who inspires you? Like, where do you get inspiration?
SPEAKER_01Oh gosh, that's a good question. I think it's just um it's all like at this point, it's just always around me and it's always coming to me. Just um, you know, in in the Mahjong space, most of the entrepreneurs are women and um they are uh all taking big swings and kind of starting from scratch in the space and doing really cool stuff. And so um I'm constantly inspired by all of them and um the beautiful products and designs that we come across. And um yeah, I find constant inspiration from all of that. And then um gotta say, Marshall McKinney, um my right-hand guy, he's he's always coming up with surprising stuff that that gets me thinking and excited about other stuff.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, how amazing. Um, it is cool. Like, there's so many mahjong brands out there that we mentioned, but I do think it's so great that there's so many creative ideas from all of them. Like everyone's tiles are different, everyone's mats are different. Like it's so fun to see how creative and like the different themes, the different designs, um, and the collaborations between people as well.
SPEAKER_01Patricia, what's your style? Do you have a certain style scent?
SPEAKER_00I have a lot. I have a couple sets. I have a couple from Oh My Mahjong, I have Bamlet's Mahjong, their holidays. I love the Christmas sets. Like I love a fun theme like that. So their holiday scent is a favorite. Um, my friend Sunny from Tigra de Tartan, I love her mats because she collaborates with a lot of artists, and her mats are just so beautiful and detailed. So I think her um when she has like bunnies playing tennis, and that's like a current favorite of mine. But yeah, I and I love the um, oh my mahjong, like their pearl um tile set is one that I love right now, and I have it with that bunny set because the colors complement each other so nicely.
SPEAKER_01So oh, I love that. I love that. Yeah, that bunny mint is a really good preppy mat.
SPEAKER_00Yes, yes. What about you? What's like your current favorite right now? And I'm sure it changes all the time. And so even though you're saying your favorite, it's not like you're picking favorites, it's just like a set you're playing with right now. That's right.
SPEAKER_01So my my standard at home set is uh I probably have three favorites right now. Um, my standard at home set is the mahjong line, their classic line of tiles, which are more traditional. Um, and for the Charleston issue, I had that the um it's a low country life, uh has this beautiful mat that's kind of inspired by Rattan and it has cranes, and um, it just goes beautifully together. So I'm obsessed with that. And then we got a sample from um Brooklyn Mahjong um for the New York issue, and their tiles are just they're so much fun. They're these huge fat brown, they just like look like chunks of chocolate. And so they're and they feel amazing, and the colors are are really interesting. Um, but then uh their mats were all sold out, so then I ended up getting a um mat from the mahjong line. They have a new bandana mat um that's like a western brown uh bandana. It it looks really cool, and so I've got that paired with the um Brooklyn Mahjong tiles, which I'm excited about because we're gonna be having our first um Maj the Mag retreat in Stevensville, Texas, um, in two, a week, a week from tomorrow. Um yeah, and so I'm very excited about having that that Western set up for that. But those are probably those are probably my two favorites right now.
SPEAKER_00Definitely. Well, I feel like Western and like bandana prints totally having a moment, not just in mahjong, but like fashion and bags. Um, I'm seeing it everywhere. Now, if you could, I always ask like if you could collaborate with anyone or if anyone could have your product, like who do you want it to be? So I'm almost thinking either who do you wish, like who would be your dream to have your magazine in their home, or like is there someone that you'd love to interview or you'd love to like feature down the line in the magazine? Like, what would be a dream?
SPEAKER_01Well, I'd love to have Julia Roberts as a as an avid, as an avid mahjong player. I would love to have Sarah Jessica Parker, avid Mahjong player. I would love to have uh Michelle Yao. Um, I think that would be uh absolutely um incredible. And uh um Samantha B, I think she's a big player, and Savannah Guthrie. Those would those would probably be on some of the the tops on my list to have either you know show up in my feed holding the magazine or uh be be featured in the magazine, I think would be incredible.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh. Or could you imagine all of them playing with each other and against each other? Like that's what I'm gonna do.
SPEAKER_01That would be fabulous.
SPEAKER_00Well, like okay, well, we're putting it out in the universe. So now, since this is the preppy podcast, I always ask everyone, what does preppy mean to you? So how would you describe preppy?
SPEAKER_01So I came of a I'm a 70s baby, and so I grew up in the 80s, so that was prime preppy, though it was a prime preppy time. I was not a cool kid, so um I tended to uh you know aspire to be like some of the preppier girls, but I had my little, you know, J. Crew um skirts and and uh my whale ribbon belts and those kinds of things. But I I think of it almost like classic Americana with sass. Like that, you know, that it's the brighter colors and um with the plaids and the pinks and greens and the um all those all those fun things. But yeah, to me it's kind of that it's that mix of classic, but with a little bit of attitude and fun.
SPEAKER_00Yes, no, for sure. Um, and I think a lot of people always say preppy is like having hobbies, it's appreciating the past, it's that sort of thing. And I think mahjong goes along perfectly then with that, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00In magazines. I mean, magazines like we're talking about. Yes, like this beautiful artifact, if you will. So totally preppy. Um any like uh suggestions in terms of is there a great recipe? Because I know you love to cook, and like we said, the the magazine features different recipes. Is there like a go-to recipe if you're hosting Mahjong or like cocktail recipe that you would suggest people try or check out that's always a hit?
SPEAKER_01Oh, I um personally am a huge gin and tonic person, and um there's a bar in Dallas called the Mansion Bar that has that makes their own tonic, which then inspired me to start making my own tonic. Um, so that that is the that is the drink um at my house. Um, but I'm also uh I'm having a a um dinner party tonight, Mahjong dinner party tonight. And when it there's a um this isn't actually in the magazine, but it's so it's top of mind because I was getting ready to do it. But there's a recipe in the New York Times, it's called the Murricane, and it's basically watermelon juice, an elder flower liqueur, and uh bourbon. And it's the best summer drink. It's just those three ingredients. I think there might be some lemon juice in it as well. Um, but there's no, you don't even have to make simple syrup and anything else. So look the New York Times cooking, it's the muricane. I think that's one of my favorites. Especially for summer, the summer heat.
SPEAKER_00Yes, yes. Okay, good one.
SPEAKER_01So And it's a beautiful, it's a beautiful pink, which goes with all preppy things.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yes, for sure. Just like my background. Um, my one more question is why any sneak peeks, like anything you're working on, I know you teased the next issue, be New York. Anything else you want to like tease or plug that people can look out for?
SPEAKER_01I will tease because this is this was a um this was an absolute unexpected surprise. But for and it it'll it'll be in our um winter San Francisco issue, um, even though this doesn't take place in San Francisco. But um while we were in New York for the New York Jewish Mahjong Festival, um, Greg Swain had uh reached out to me. And um, for those who don't know Greg, she is just this icon in the Mahjong world who is a fountain of historical knowledge and um one of the original collectors of tile sets. Um and so she like her her knowledge of um Asian art and the history of Chinese tiles um and all of that, it's just she's just a walking encyclopedia and a fascinating woman. Um and so uh she had reached out to us and um said that we should we should stop by her um home on the Upper East Side while we were in town for the conference. And so it was like, oh my god, yes, yes, please. So we went um we went into her home and she was so gracious, and uh she's got this beautiful apartment that they've lived in forever, um, and uh specially remodeled her dining room to showcase all of her antique sets. So she's got these, you know, showcase glass shelves that are all lit, that are holding just these incredible, incredible sets. And um, while we're there, and with our photographer Elizabeth Laven, who um I also have to give props to because she's the one that makes all of these images look so good. Um, but Greg's just pulling down sets and telling the stories, and Elizabeth's taking photographs, and it was just this magical, magical moment. And so we're going to have an interview with Greg and um showcase some of her um just you know, one-of-a-kind historic mahjong sets. And so I'm super, super excited about that.
SPEAKER_00I can't wait to see that because it sounds like it was so natural and like not super stage, not planned. So I'm sure like the images, the story, all of that's gonna be beautiful.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I'm really excited.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so final question is where can people find you? Let them know where they can buy the magazine, where they can follow along on social media, anything like that.
SPEAKER_01Mosh.com is uh where you can buy the magazine. Um, subscriptions are open, and we've got uh single copy sales of our premiere issue are also available there. As subscribers, you get um invited to all sorts of exclusive events, including things like our interstate and retreat. So um there's lots of stuff that kind of comes with the subscription. But you can also find us at Maj the Mag on Instagram and Maj the Mag on Facebook. And we have um some videos we haven't done a ton yet, but um some videos, especially with Modern Majhang, on uh Maj the Mag for um YouTube as well.
SPEAKER_00Oh, excellent. Perfect. Well, thank you so much, Kathy. This was such a joy chatting with you. Um I love talking all things mahjong and hearing how you started. Oh Patricia, this was an absolute treat. I love your podcast, and this was so special. Thank you so much for listening to the Preppy Podcast. I hope this put a little prep in your step for the day. Please subscribe, rate, and review on wherever you listen to your podcast. And follow along with at the Preppy Podcast on social media.