A HEALTH AND WELLNESS REVOLUTION

Nancy Reynolds Bagley

There we were, Soroush and I, last month at beautiful Maya Tulum resort in Mexico, intent on finding balance in our busy lives through yoga. Paradise, you say? Think again. Yoga guru Baron Baptiste's Personal Revolution Bootcamp had us up at sunrise, working through full days of yoga, detoxifying (which consisted of consuming more avocado and tomato than I ever thought humanly possible) and finally - this was perhaps the most challenging part of the trip - trying the keep each other from using our Blackberrys in between (and sometimes during) sessions. It was an experience that left us both transformed physically and mentally. And neither of us have touched a cigarette since!

We thought we'd share some of our positive health and wellness energy with you in this, our first ever summer issue! We profile Baron Baptiste this month as well as take you on a tour of the D.C. area's top personal trainers and yoga studios.

We also send you to health and wellness resorts at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Mass and Sea Island, Ga. Polo lovers get to go to the Ambassador's Cup where Salvatore Ferragamo and Ralph Lauren model Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras entertained fans on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in The Plains, Va.

In the director's chair
As the official magazine sponsor of the SILVERDOCS AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival, WL was in Silver Spring for the festivities from opening to closing night. We rubbed shoulders with Al Gore at our joint party with Current TV at Ceviche and spoke to the former Veep about his new film An Inconvenient Truth along with a number of filmmakers, industry insiders and festival brass. You can read our complete coverage of the festival inside, including a wonderful têteà- tête between legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese and indie icon Jim Jarmusch at the 2006 Guggenheim Symposium.

Ahoy, mate
WL makes style waves this issue in "Society on the High Seas," where we travel to Annapolis to provide you with the summer's finest nautical fashions. A special thanks to Maryland First Lady Kendel Ehrlich, Carolyn Middleton and the midshipmen who helped make our nautical shoot go swimmingly.

Keeping with the summer theme, in WHAT'S HOT we match the season's most refreshing cocktails with the season's most stunning cocktail rings, while in TREND REPORT we show you short shorts are in! Perhaps the only thing hotter than a mid-Atlantic Summer is the area's property market. As always, we take you on a guided tour of the area's top real estate trends, properties and design in RE NEWS, INSIDE HOMES, DESIGN and OPEN HOUSE.

Get away!
We also take you on a unique summer vacation this issue - Managing Editor Michael Clements asks the question "Is it back?" as he tours post-Katrina New Orleans. Speaking of The Big Easy, a warm thank you to outgoing Dutch Ambassador Boudewijn van Eenennaam for penning "Dutch on the Delta," which details how the Netherlands is helping the Crescent City rebuild their levee systems.

Events, Balls and Galas
We have all the hot coverage of Spring's best events inside, including the much-welcomed return of the Washington Ballet at the WL-sponsored Beatles Ball, the Shakespeare Theatre's Will Awards honoring Kevin Spacey, and events celebrating the opening of the Venetian Masters at The National Gallery. WL was proud to be a participating magazine sponsor for all three.

For you jet-setters out there, WL has compiled a list of the world's best summer festivals and events. Whether it's tennis (Wimbledon in July) or Jazz (Newport Jazz Festival in August), we've got the lowdown on the festivities in seven different countries. So, stay healthy (and fashionable) this summer and see you in September!

Nancy Reynolds Bagley