Marching to a Creative Beat

Editor's Letter

We’re feeling “artsy” this month. And why not? With The Phillips Collection, The Corcoran, The Washington National Opera, The Shakespeare Theatre Company, The Smithsonian’s numerous offerings, and countless private galleries from The Ralls Collection and Govinda Gallery in Georgetown to conceptual art spaces near Dupont, we live in one of the country’s most arts-friendly cities. But we’re also a town that loves to shop. Face it, sometimes a stroll down luxury lane at The Collection at Chevy Chase trumps Picasso. Best, however, is when you can combine your art and shopping.

Which is exactly what we did for the spring fashion feature we shot at The Phillips Collection. Big thanks to museum’s deputy director, Rich Rutledge and patron’s of the nation’s oldest museum of modern art as well as Neiman Marcus, Saks Jandel, Muleh, Blink, Urban Chic and Gucci. Together we proved that spring 2006 is not only the “year of the dress,” it’s also the year of “dressing artfully.” We just hope Renoir doesn’t mind that trustees and members of The Phillips Gala Committee joined his “Luncheon of the Boating Party” for our cover. Washington Life is proud to be the exclusive magazine sponsor of the museum’s April 7th spring 2006 black-tie gala celebrating the return of the painting after four years overseas.

Soroush and I on his birthday at Sundance

Glenn Close, Pat Mitchell, Sally Field and I on Pat’s Birthday at Sundance

A strong artistic streak also runs through our extensive coverage of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. My husband and I had a fascinating time in Park City, Utah, in January at the 25th anniversary of Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute and independent film festival. It’s grown into one of the foremost film events in the world. We were joined by many Washingtonians who jetted to Utah to view, promote and discuss some of the festival’s 193 features, shorts, documentaries and panels. Notables included, among others, former PBS President and Sundance Trustee Pat Mitchell (she and my husband share a birthday so we hosted a celebration to kick-off our festival experience); Representative’s Rahm Emmanuel, Harold Ford and Cynthia McKinney; Motion Picture Association of American (MPAA) President Dan and Rhoda Glickman; Center for American Progress founder John Podesta; Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim, Philanthropists Catherine and Wayne Reynolds, Gabriela Moreno, Sarah Ingersoll, Kimball Stroud, Time magazine’s Matt Cooper, Discovery’s David Leavy, SilverDocs director Patricia Finneran and Jody Arlington who managed press for the 25th anniversary of Sundance.

Art and film themes continue through our POLLYWOOD, FINE ARTS and AUCTIONS sections. MPAA President Dan Glickman provides his thoughts on a recent VIP film screening of the late Moustapha Akkad’s “The Message,” which led to a riveting open discussion of America, faith and Islam. In our AUCTIONS section, contributors Deborah Gore Dean and Renee Drake explore our obsession with art and Kevin Chaffee reveals the intriguing back story behind European auctions of royal objects once owned by the Windsor and Hanover clans. Closer to home, Christina Wilkie takes us on a tour of contemporary art galleries on the U Street corridor.

Alas, one can not live on art alone…mainly because there are too many parties to go to! In March alone, Washington Life will be the exclusive magazine sponsor for The Capitol Hill Spotlight Awards with The Creative Coalition on March 9; The 50th Anniversary of the Washington National Opera on March 19 (Maestro Plácido Domingo speaks to WL about the upcoming Golden Gala on page 27); The March of Dimes Gourmet Gala on March 28; and The Saks Fifth Avenue White Party and Contemporary Fashion Shows and Events from March 30-April 2. And former Secretary of Agr iculture Ann Veneman previews the Kuwait Embassy’s March 9th UNICEF dinner honoring First Lady Laura Bush, one of the most prestigious events of year, and WL will be there to bring you exclusive local magazine coverage. It’s all enough to make us want to take a relaxing break to Elbow Beach in Bermuda or to London’s Athenaeum and Cadogan hotels, which we cover in this issue’s Travel and Hotel Watch sections.

Finally, in REAL ESTATE and HOME DESIGN sections we get things cooking with kitchen makeovers featuring Poggenpohl, Viking, Miele, Subzero and Gaggenau. If you’re wondering whether there is any sizzle left in the local property market, turn to our REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE and hear what top agents Penny Yerks, William Moody and Mark McFadden have to say.

In the meantime, we’ll see you at the Opera, the art galleries, the theatre… or shopping!