By now, I hope you’ve become acquainted with some of the new sections and departments that premiered last month with the magazine’s redesign. If not, please join me for the grand tour.
First stop on our jaunt: First Things First (page 17). Formerly known as Talk of the County, our front-of-book section has been rechristened to reflect the immediacy of its content. It’s still home to all the same great water-cooler topics, and items about the fun, and sometimes quirky, things happening “around town,” but it’s been refreshed with new columns incorporating social media, Q&As with notable residents, editors’ favorite finds from all over the County, and more.
Next, we’ve introduced a Wellness section (page 23). With the increasing focus in our society on illness prevention and healthier living, we’ve committed to delivering a monthly compendium of the latest info, products, trends, and more from local experts, as well as resources on physical and mental health, beauty, fitness, nutrition, and alternative medicine. Our Style pages have morphed into a Shop section (page 27), in which we now incorporate service, trend, and advice pieces on style, with both fashion roundups and a new Add to Cart page (page 30) spotlighting some of the hottest non-fashion shopping finds in the County. The next stop on our tour is another brand-new section. Generations (page 38) is dedicated to parenting, education, and family life. This month, kids’ indoor play spaces around Westchester are reviewed by those who know them best—kids!
If you’re like most Westchesterites, you’re clocking increasingly longer hours at the office—often at the expense of the fun in your life. We attempt to address the “all work, no play” dilemma with our new Diversions department (page 42), in which we feature different ways to enjoy your much-deserved downtime. This month, we take a look at the retro trend of hosting game nights at home. One of our most popular departments, Ask Westchester, has been renamed Any Questions? (page 46). Our intrepid truth-seeker, Tom Schreck, is still very much on the case, tracking down answers to your most burning queries (so keep ‘em coming). Senior Editor John Turiano, who serves as the magazine’s dining and food editor, has renovated those sections, now called Eat & Drink (page 89), from top to bottom—or should I say, from apéritif to dessert. There, you will find many new, informative columns on the menu, tackling everything from odd-looking produce to obscure seasonings in your spice rack. Our restaurant reviews now give separate ratings for food, ambience, and service to offer a more nuanced critique, while our restaurant listings (Dining Out, page 100) now designate which restaurants are Best of Westchester winners.
Our next stop: arts and entertainment. Articles Editor and resident culture vulture Marisa LaScala brings her expertise to bear in her new monthly Best Bets (page 118)—her personally curated collection of all the top things to see and do around the County. Too often, the back of a magazine ends up a throwaway area that gets skimmed or skipped over. But we’ve made ours a destination well worth the trip, with several new offerings. Main Street (page 128) maps out, quite literally, the best that Westchester’s downtowns have to offer. This month, we explore Peekskill. Local history has always been a popular subject with our readers, so we are pleased to devote regular coverage to it with our new Flashback department (page 130). One of my personal favorites, our new Behind the Scenes department (page 132), takes readers to places in the County where the public isn’t normally granted access. And our Final Say interview has been replaced with From A to Z (page 127), in which notable residents give us an alphabetical rundown of their favorite things.
Each issue of the magazine now ends with My Westchester (page 156), a short essay detailing a resident’s personal experiences living in the County we all call home. If you have a compelling perspective to share, we encourage you to submit your own essay via email to edit@westchestermagazine.com.
Our editorial team is very excited to bring you this new lineup of content. Drop us a line and tell us your favorite new part of the magazine. We hope you enjoy.
Cheers.
