Editor’s Note

Editor’s Note

For a long time, I truly believed that I was going to climb Mount Beacon every morning before work. In fact, I was so sure about it that I proudly announced my intentions to my office colleagues as though it were already a fait accompli. It made perfect sense: I love hiking the 1,531-foot mountain on weekends, and had even led group tours up the steep incline for Scenic Hudson. I couldn’t think of a better way to combine a vigorous workout and pump myself up for the day ahead.

Four months later, and I have yet to go anywhere near the mountain on a weekday. What went awry? It must have been the pillows. At around the time that I was fantasizing about my newly toned body (would I have to buy all new clothes?), my husband brought home two luscious new pillows — you know the kind, the ones that magically mold to your head. Suffice it to say, my time with these beloved bedmates is limited, and I’m not willing to share it with the mountain.

      Oh, well. It’s a new year and there will be other workouts. I love reading about health and beauty and all the new ways we can improve ourselves both physically and mentally. In this issue, we reveal how you can pamper yourself — and conquer flaky winter skin — with steaming hot treatments at local spas. We also offer some simple tips that may help prevent breast cancer. Then we dive into the world of noninvasive cosmetic surgery. Even if (like me) you’re the type of person who has always said you would never, ever, consider plastic surgery, you may well be intrigued by the new crop of procedures being done in the Valley. They’re cheap, easy and can be done during your lunchtime. At the very least, it will be fun to look around your office and try to guess who actually ordered up a thread lift instead of a turkey sandwich.

       So whether your New Year’s resolutions have to do with starting a new workout, eating better or deciding to have cosmetic surgery, don’t be too hard on yourself. There’s always a new idea for improving your life right around the corner.

Happy New Year!

Olivia J. Abel

Editor in Chief

oabel@hvmag.com