This update did more than just change the look of the site. As you may have already noticed, there are no "Tidbits" and "Fun Stuff" categories anymore. All posts have been consolidated into the "Stories" category. In addition to that major change, there is no ‘breadcrumb’ listing where you are on the site anymore. With the reduced complexity, it seemed unnecessary.
As for the visual changes, the solid header bar is gone in exchange for an open branding area that flows into the navigation and site content. The navigation has larger images now that there are fewer categories to take up space. The new color scheme is much lighter and feels happier to me.
The last little addition is a new ‘signature’ at the bottom of every post now. I think that will be something that gets continued in future designs of the site as well.