Journos (and the people that love them) headed to Sesto Senso last week to toast new U.S. News Editor Brian Kelly. Old pals and current friends (like Fox’s Major Garrett, Michael Barone, David Maraniss, Kelly’s old publisher Bill Regardie, USNWR Publisher Bill Holiber, and his Amazon book coauthor Mark London) stopped by.

Among the many USNewsers there were Paul Bedard and Kelly’s newly appointed managing editors, Margie Mannix, Ryan Thornburg and Tim Smart.

Kelly gave a little thank you chat but mostly left attendees to mingle over good red wine, pizza, cheese and other finger foods.

Earlier in the day, Kelly held his first full staff meeting since becoming the top editor. There, Kelly and Holiber described, what one source called, “a pretty decent plan to move the magazine a little more into our trademark ‘News U Can Use’ franchise: education, business, health and politics, of course.”

They suggested that the staff cutting, after five years, was at an end (but hasn’t that been said before?). They also said that their website was really starting to hit its stride, but the print folks will have to write more to fill that hole. They suggested that USNWR might soon see a big magazine promotion. And they said that the magazine is in its best financial shape in 10 years.

USNews.com Managing Editor Ryan Thornburg is leaving the magazine/website this summer to take a teaching gig at UNC-Chapel Hill. He may, however, do some consulting for U.S. News as they continue to build up the website.