Midsummer Is Here—And So Is the July/August Issue of Sophisticated Living St. Louis

Compiled by Grayling Holmes

Record-breaking temperatures are expected to sweep across much of the globe this July. Paris recently reached an unprecedented 105.6 degrees, while heat waves continue to grip North America, Europe, South America, and beyond. If it feels like the world is on fire, perhaps it's time to cool down with the July/August issue of Sophisticated Living St. Louis.

Whether it arrives in your mailbox or you pick up a copy at one of our advertising partners, this issue offers an escape from the summer heat. From the moment you turn the first pages and gaze upon the tranquil waters of the Chesapeake Bay, you'll find yourself transported to a world of quiet anchorages, breathtaking sunsets, and endless horizons.

Publisher Craig Kaminer and his wife, Debbie, recently introduced readers to Va Bene, their latest vessel to carry the name of a beloved yacht they have owned through multiple incarnations. Their story celebrates a passion for life on the water, where the beauty of the sea offers the perfect antidote to the relentless pace—and rising temperatures—of everyday life.

As you continue through the magazine, serenity gives way to excitement. You'll discover an exhilarating look at the rapidly growing sport of padel, a dynamic cousin of pickleball that is capturing the attention of athletes around the world. Already hugely popular in Spain, Argentina, Mexico, the Middle East, and throughout Europe and Latin America, padel is now gaining momentum across the United States, particularly in Miami, Southern California, Texas, and New York. Here in St. Louis, the city has quietly positioned itself at the forefront of the Midwest's padel movement with the arrival of Padel + Pickle in Olivette.

Whether you're mentally cruising the calm waters of the Mid-Atlantic or imagining yourself sprinting across a padel court, this issue invites you to experience the very best of midsummer—both in St. Louis and far beyond its borders.

Click here to enjoy a virtual edition of the July/August issue of Sophisticated Living St. Louis.

Excerpt

A Marriage at Sea

By Craig Kaminer

I became captivated by the idea of self-sufficiency at sea. The challenge. The seamanship. The romance of navigating by weather, wind and instinct. There’s something deeply appealing about disconnecting from modern life and relying on skill, preparation and judgment to move across open water. The more I learned, the more consumed I became. Debbie, meanwhile, observed this evolution with a mixture of support, amusement and occasional concern.
When I suggested we go to sailing school in the early 1990s so we could charter bigger boats, she agreed with admirable enthusiasm considering she had absolutely no reason to believe this hobby would quickly become expensive, uncomfortable and mildly dangerous. As it turns out, it became all three.

Excerpt

St. Louis Enters a New Racquet-Sports Era

By Lou Ann Wilcox | Photos by Zach Dalin and courtesy of the St. Louis Shock

Even as pickleball continues its rapid expansion, another racquet sport has quietly begun establishing itself in St. Louis. Padel — pronounced “pah-del” — combines elements of tennis and squash on an enclosed glass-walled court slightly smaller than a traditional tennis court.
Globally, the sport is enormous. In Spain, padel trails only soccer in popularity. The game has exploded throughout Argentina, Mexico, the Middle East and parts of Europe and Latin America. Increasingly, it is arriving in the United States, particularly in markets such as Miami, Southern California, Texas and New York City.
St. Louis may seem like an unlikely addition to that list. Yet the city has quietly positioned itself ahead of much of the Midwest through the emergence of Padel + Pickle in Olivette. The facility bills itself as one of the nation’s largest indoor padel and pickleball venues, featuring six dedicated padel courts alongside extensive pickleball offerings.

Excerpt

The Ozempic Aftermath

How the GLP-1 Revolution Is Creating a Golden Age for Plastic Surgery

By Craig Kaminer, Photos by John Lore

St. Louis surgeons Dr. Michael Nayak and Dr. Charles Nathan

A decade ago, few people outside endocrinology circles had heard of GLP-1 medications. Today, drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound have become cultural phenomena, transforming not only waistlines but the broader conversation around health, aging and self-image. For millions of Americans, these medications have succeeded where diets, exercise programs and countless weight-loss trends failed, producing dramatic and sustained weight loss that was once nearly impossible to achieve without bariatric surgery.
But as patients celebrate dropping 30, 50, 70 or even more than 100 pounds, many are discovering an unexpected reality: the weight may be gone, but the physical evidence of carrying it often remains. Loose skin, facial volume loss, sagging tissue and changes in body contour have created an entirely new challenge — one that is driving a surge in demand for plastic surgery across the country.