Taking a Swing at Diplomacy on the Greens by Nickolas Theros Every good diplomat knows that the practice of international relations does not at end at five o’clock each afternoon at the office. Unlike other careers, diplomacy is more of a lifestyle than a job. However, rare is the diplomat who can successfully combine his love of sport with his official duties. In his 35 years in the foreign service, Ignacio Arcaya, Venezuela’s newly arrived ambassador to the United States, has been practicing his golf stroke while tending to the more delicate affairs of state.... The Diplomat's Guide to Golf Courses Sultry City Seductive, Secure Salvador da Bahia in Brazil Offers Colorful Cultural Mix by Marty Leshner Copley News Service Thanks to a splendid South American itinerary aboard the elegantly intimate new cruise ship Silver Shadow, I found myself walking along the cobblestone streets of Salvador da Bahia and conjuring images of a powerful colonial past. The Power of Red Artist Ona B.’s Exhibit Is Haunting, Powerful and Amusing by Serena Lei At the opening of the new art exhibit at the Austrian Embassy, a woman tentatively lifted the hem of Ona B.’s red dress and then, to the artist’s amusement, disappeared under the great folds of fabric. Granted, Ona B. was not wearing the dress at the time, although she has before as part of a performance piece. The oversize red dress, fashioned from discarded communist flag fabric purchased in Prague, stands in the middle of the all-white main room. The installation is titled "Dressed to Kill." Spirits in the African Night —Gary Tischler

Midsummer Night in S weden Raises $2 Million for Washington Opera by John Shaw and Katherine Tallmadge On a spectacular early June evening, the 600 guests attending the 43rd Washington Opera Ball were joyfully immersed in the sounds, tastes and sights of a Midsummer Night in Sweden. The Opera Ball, one of Washington’s premier social events.... A Diplomatic Artist Former Ambassador of St. Lucia Focuses on Painting, Poetry by Gary Tischler Joseph Edsel Edmunds is not your average diplomat. A former ambassador, scientist, poet, painter, artist, drummer, and self-described "citizen of the world and humanist," Edmunds is proof that renaissance men still exist.... Rising Stars With New Film Tykwer, Potente at Forefront Of New German Cinema by Ky N. Nguyen German film director Tom Tykwer and actress Franka Potente were thrust into the international limelight with the worldwide sensation "Run Lola Run," a lightning-paced thriller illustrating multiple "Rashomon"-like possibilities.... Dining: An American Production — West End Café by Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana Events Film Reviews: Death of a Prophet ‘Lumumba’ a Chilling Political Thriller About Congo Leader by Ky N. Nguyen Film Directory Cinema International Film Clips