The Best of SoCal / Los Angeles Times Magazine

To Our Readers: Still basking in the glow of all that newness? The new year, new century, new millennium? We thought so. With apologies to those few hangers-on who believe 2001 is the magic start date, the staff of the Los Angeles Times Magazine would like to join the celebration of all things new by introducing some changes in design and content.

Let’s start with the cover: We’ve redesigned the magazine logo. Then turn to our So SoCal pages and you’ll note a revamping there, with a bolder, brighter presentation--most appropriate for pages that reflect the vibrant nature of Southern California.

In this issue, we’re also introducing a new columnist, James Ricci, a feature writer at The Times for the past three years and a former columnist and editor at the Detroit Free Press. His mission? To look for significance in the ordinary and convey it with verve, humor and passion.

Finally, please note a new rating system that accompanies our restaurant reviews (four stars, outstanding on every level; three stars, excellent; two stars, very good; one star, good; no stars, poor to satisfactory). The stars, says restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila, “create a greater interest in the reviews and give readers a stronger point of reference.” In addition, Virbila explains, the stars will “make it clear how restaurants stand in relation to each other and ensure that the best restaurants are recognized for their dedication.”

We hope that you will enjoy this first issue of the Los Angeles Times Magazine in the year 2000. And stay tuned for further improvements.

Alice Short