Over the past couple of years we have made a concerted effort to expand our baseand make Washington Life more accessible to a wider range of readers. Our Web sitewww.washingtonlife.com is well-visited and the magazine is now on the Washington-NY-BostonDelta and USAir Shuttles.

Washington is a transient town, so much so that sometimes it seems as if the onlything that is constant is change. Still, there are many apparent similarities between whenwe began and today. I cannot help but note a few obvious examples. Today, as a decadeago, a president named Bush governs the country. Ten years ago, the Ritz-Carlton Hotelwas a hotspot, and it was the location for WL’s launch party. Today, the hotel is still hot,although under new management and in a new location at 22nd and M Streets, andthey will host our ten-year anniversary celebration. Much as today’s economic indicatorssuggest a slowdown, ten years ago when Vicki launched Washington Life, the economywas in a recession. Few people thought we’d make it then, but be it Bush or Clinton,boom or bust, either way Washington Life is here to stay.

While some things at Washington Life will remain the same, we are also committed toadvancing and improving our publication to serve the growing diversity of our readership.Looking back at the first three covers of the magazine, there are many familiarfaces who have exhibited staying power such as Senator Ted Kennedy, Vernon and AnnJordan, Stuart and Wilma Bernstein, J. Carter Brown, and James Wolfensohn, to namea few. However, we also now cover a new generation of twenty- and thirty-somethingsthat have emerged on the scene and continue to make a difference in the city.

To ensure that Washington Life remains an integral part of the community and a publicationthat people look forward to reading, we are expanding our feature interviews,starting a new column called FYI DC, and teaming up with Saks Fifth Avenue, TysonsGalleria to recognize ten Washington men of substance and style who have contributedto the community. A local nonprofit organization, Heads Up, A UniversityNeighborhood Initiative, will benefit from this stylish event.

Still, WL will always remain grounded in covering embassy, art, dance, theater, music,literary, political, and charity events, as well as private parties. In a town where publicpolicy and other serious issues dominate the day, our magazine remains true to its originalmission: to capture people when they are attending the capital’s most exclusive events.

I would like to sincerely thank our advertisers to whom we are indebted. Many havebeen with us since the beginning, and all have assured that the magazine reflects thelifestyles and interests of our readers.

To all our readers, thank you so very much for your continued readership and support.