Fall Dispatches

There is something about the fall that reminds me what a special place Washington is. The social season is in full swing, the skies are blue - I can almost feel the leaves starting to change - and there is a crisp chill in the air ... and I'm not talking about the one between the Dems and Republicans just before the mid-terms.

There's political wrangling in New York as well this month as Roland Flamini poignantly details in his piece about the closed-door process behind choosing the next U.N. Secretary General. And, you thought choosing a pope was complicated.

The only place that seems calm these days is Embassy Row - but, surely, that's only because Washington's ambassadors and their staffs have mastered the fine art of silent diplomacy. Each October we pay homage to the diplomatic corps with our indispensable Ambassador's Directory. This year, we've added a few new wrinkles, including a look at some unsung heroes - the social secretaries and chefs - in addition to thoughts and contributions from the British, Bulgarian, Colombian, Dominican, Egyptian, French, Greek, Hungarian, Indian, Kuwaiti, Moroccan, Nicaraguan, Norwegian, Russian and Singaporean ambassadors.

Fall is also about fashion. Aside from our expanding "Trend Report" and "What's Hot" sections, we take you out of town this issue to beautiful Piedmont Vineyards in Virginia, where our style editors spin a trendy twist on the theme of "wine and country." For more twists, turn to managing editor Michael Clements' look at the surreal world of Cirque du Soleil's newest show Corteo, which will be here from Oct. 26 to November 26.

In our WL Spotlight, NBC Chairman Bob Wright and his wife Suzanne tell NBC Correspondent Andrea Mitchell about their personal crusade to find out what has caused the dramatic increase in autism - up from one in 10,000 to an alarming one in 166 children. The Wrights, with the assistance of Deirdre Imus, are now pressing for passage of the Combating Autism Act, landmark legislation to rectify federal funding for a disorder that now affects more children than cancer, diabetes and muscular dystrophy combined.

As a sponsor of the Washington International Horse Show (October 24- 29 at the Verizon Center) we offer an unbridled peek inside the pampered world of show horses. Thought your spa treatments were extreme? Wait to read how these four-legged luxe lovers get waited on hand and ... hoof.

Hopping back onto the ambassadorial trail, our Embassy Row photographer Gary Landsman headed down to the intersection of Rock Creek Park and the Potomac River this month to capture the city's newest embassy, the House of Sweden. A very special thank you to Ambassador Gunnar Lund and his wife Kari Lotsberg for their gracious hospitality.

In addition, Indebleu Restaurant and Lounge owner Arjun Rishi opens the doors to his tastefully modern condo in Georgetown. As always, we have all the latest real estate news for those in the market for a home ... or just thinking about it.

With the social season off and running, we take you to the best parties - from WL-sponsored events such as The Young Benefactors of the Smithsonian and The Creative Coalition's Celebration of African Arts to WL Exclusives like Jane and Calvin Cafritz's supper party and Camerata Cocktails for the Washington National Opera. And don't forget to mark your calendar for upcoming WL-sponsored events, including the Meridian Ball (Oct 12th), the opening night of the C'est Chic French Film Festival (Oct. 13th) and the National Italian American Gala (Oct 21st).