Just when I thought I couldn’t find any more reasons to love my (newly discovered) hair salon Rocket Science, I was proven wrong. Sitting in the waiting room of the shotgun-turned-hair-salon, it is easy to lose oneself in the eye candy that is its interior. Lovely Chinese lanterns line the ceiling, unique furniture pieces are arranged in what I imagine a feng-shui master would smile upon, and trinkets and products line the walls to appeal to anyone who may walk in. As I waited for my trim, I noticed a magazine I had never heard of before on the coffee table — Lucky Peach. The cover art lured me in immediately, and as I felt the rough grainy paper with each turn of the page, I felt that this magazine was unlike any other.

This specific issue was entirely structured around what to cook and eat and protect and do peri-apocalypse. It had a humor that is lacking in many other current forms of written literature. I enjoyed the raw honesty it set forth in its interviews with the likes of Ted Nugent (you just have to read it!) What struck me the most was the generous section of art pieces, all speaking to the central theme. What was this wondrous thing, and why hadn’t I seen it before?!

Well, after some digging, I learned that Lucky Peach was created by NYC chef David Chang, and the title is the English translation of his restaurant momofuku. Voted 2011’s Best New Food Magazine, the first issue wowed readers on the topic of a classic food item — Ramen! I would love to get my hands on the Ramen issue as Anthony Bourdain writes a piece for Chang. Luckily, he is also featured in the upcoming China Town issue. Given that it costs $28 for a year’s subscription of four, count ’em four, issues, this isn’t something to dive into if you’re not sure about its contents yet. However, I hope Lucky Peach’s fresh creativity appeals as much to you as it did to me.

If you’re in search of a similar flavor with a more conventional monthly output, check out The Believer.