Your friend-of-the-family magazine starts the decade with a new look—the first big redesign in a decade.
This is more than a fresh coat of paint. The aim, from front to back, is to offer a visually pleasing experience that showcases our content while providing new ways for readers to engage.
Take, for instance, an old favorite, David LaBelle’s Great Picture Hunt. The photo column has been rebooted—thanks, Dave—to offer not only expert guidance, but a monthly “assignment” to get readers in on the fun. It is content that will be shared on our website and online.
Something new is the Adventure Awaits travel feature. You’ll notice a highly visual approach as we cover geography across the West and Northwest. It’s a page that will get you dreaming and, hopefully, planning that next trip.
We’re also putting a greater emphasis on regional gardening coverage, a seed that was planted by readers in our recent survey.
As you flip through this issue, you’ll notice changes big and small, from revamped food pages that make it easier to clip and save recipes to a new two-page feature called Up Close. It replaces Side Roads.
We’ll continue to spotlight places off the beaten path, but we’ll also cover many other interesting topics, from outdoors and local characters to difference-makers (see this issue’s Up Close Q&A to sample the new approach).
Our main January feature, Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide, reflects our 2020 vision to focus on volunteers and unsung heroes stepping up to make their communities better.
Any redesign—think about that big home remodel—requires touch-up. In that spirit, let us know what you think.
Leon Espinoza
Editor