When's the last time you found a magazine that was so good you carefully planned a time to read it so that you could savor every word and wring the last drop of enjoyment from it. It's been a long time for me. But happy days are here again. Sactown has arrived.

I had been hearing rumors for several months. There's a new magazine coming to town. The owners are from New York and have national magazine experience. And the naysayers began, "All the other magazines in town better watch out". (In fact one that was about to release its premier issue, never did). "There'll never be enough advertising revenue to go around." "They have underestimated how much funding they will need." Etc. etc. etc. And I hoped, really hoped, that Sacramento was big enough to welcome and celebrate a great new entry. After all, competition only makes things better and we needed better as we get bigger.

But never once in my wildest dreams did I think the new magazine, now known as Sactown, would be as good as it is. From the moment I saw the cover, I wanted to dig in. And dig in I did - from front to back. It's hip, it's irrevent, it's funny, it has great photographs, it gives due credit to philanthropy, it appeals to a broad base of readers and the national experience of its founders is obvious on each slick (in the best sense of the word) page. Yes, it's all those things, but what shines throughout is the genuine love this husband and wife founding team has for Sacramento and what hope they see in the bright future ahead. And the pride they feel in this city that many of the rest of us carry around like a chip on our shoulder.

Cases in point:

The total irrevence of the event photos. Who ever saw Randy Paragary look anything other than serious before? You know what? An icon can look like a normal person in cities that feel comfortable with themselves.

The article rebuking Arnold for not ponying up for a Sacramento spread. "Sometime during the first week in January, Arnold Schwarzenegger will pop into Sacramento, take the oath of office for his second term, then pretty much beeline it to the airport for the short flight back home to LA." You know what? If Arnold wants the biggest job in our town, he needs to act like he deserves it by living here. One of the magazine's suggestions: "...the three of you (Joe and Gavin Maloof and Arnold) can strike a man-to-man-to-man deal over one of those $6,000 hamburgers. You get a mansion in the old SP railyards, they get the concession rights, and your CHP security detail promises to give the new coach a ride home whenever he needs one, no questions asked." That's funny and irreverent and Sacramento is big and bad enough for us to poke fun at ourselves.

Who knew that the famous Eames chair was designed by a Sacramentoan and a woman at that? Know what? We live in an amazing town with amazing people, an amazing history and an amazing future and why don't we act like that everyday? If we don't think it, who will?

My hat is off to you Rob Turner and Elyssa Lee, founders and editors-in-chief. I think you got it exactly right. And the rest of us better make sure there is enough advertising and funding because this is too good to lose. I am signing up for my subscription now.

Gillian Parrillo
The Sacramento Executive