We were just starting our cover shoot at Porkchop and Co. Our models (from Seattle Talent, the best office neighbors an art director could ask for) were bringing some action to the scene, passing plates of greens and eggs to share, when one of them dropped the toast—a pretty thing with smoked beet spread and feta—on the table. “What do I do?!” he exclaimed. Our jovial photographer Amber Fouts laughed then replied kindly, “Well, you’re gonna have to pick it up.” It’s her warmth and gentle humor that continually draws me to work with Amber—that and her stellar skills and lightning-fast speed.

In fact, a little over two years ago Amber shot our first large format cover—a shopping feature. Flash forward to today and she’s photographed our last cover in this current size. We’re busy rethinking some physical aspects of the magazine to be more friendly to bags, mailboxes, and magazine racks, per the input from our readers. Next month, look for our usual array of big stories, albeit in a more compact package. You’ll just have to pick it up.