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Photograph by Matthew O'Shea
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You’re holding not just the largest St. Louis Magazine of the year, but also the most popular. This is likely both because health is a critical subject that affects all of us and because the sheer size of this issue means more of everything—food coverage, profiles, cultural previews, essays, even party photos—for the same price of entry. Put another way, no matter what’s ailing you, this 368-pager offers some appropriate treatment.
Acute Naked Bike Ride Anxiety? A veteran of this August Tower Grove event delivers the skinny (p. 38). Chronic Planning Paralysis? As always, our “Agenda” (p. 42) lays out the month’s best bets. Fashion Funk? Our style editor details her six wardrobe essentials (p. 58)—buy them, and call us in the morning. Post-Slumdog Indian-Movie Withdrawal? Ladue millionaire Shri Thanedar is mixing up his own screen story (p. 60). Facebook Phobia? Learn how to cope with your partner’s oversharing (p. 70). Midmeal Malaise? Your steak-and-potatoes routine is stuck on repeat—break from the “main course” monotony, and build a contemporary meal with the best “small plates” in St. Louis (p. 176).
More seriously, this issue’s main course is without question the “Best Doctors 2009” feature (p. 83), which this year includes not only the largest number of peer-selected physicians, but also the most health-related articles we’ve ever published. Our goal was to go beyond answering the question of who’s impressive within St. Louis’ medical scene and report on what’s impressive: a unique “mini medical school” for the non-MD’d among us; university researchers preparing St. Louis for any number of future pandemics; a new pediatric simulation center—the region’s first—that is enabling doctors to better care for real patients in a way they couldn’t even a year ago. Across all of this feature’s articles, there are three consistent elements: serious knowledge, inspiring innovation, and the shared mission—no matter the doctor or institution—to simply make our lives better. Is it any wonder the issue’s so popular?
Stephen Schenkenberg
