NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hands off a football to Mrs. Obama in New Orleans at the Let’s Move! Campaign and the NFL’s Play 60 Campaign festivities.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hands off a football to Mrs. Obama in New Orleans at the Let’s Move! Campaign and the NFL’s Play 60 Campaign festivities.
Yesterday (September 8, 2010) Michelle Obama hosted the inaugural event of the White House Dance series which started with a day of workshops for young dancers and ended with rousing performances and a tribute to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s artistic director Judith Jamison who is retiring next year after two decades of leadership. Sasha and Malia joined their mother for the event. Mrs. Obama chose a multi-print, black and white dress by Byron Lars. Here’s the full story.
The First Lady’s portrait is part of a new exhibit, “Americans Now,” at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington. The exhibit on display through July 2011 features famous names from science, business, government, and the arts.
Inspired by Andy Warhol, artist Mickalene Thomas is credited for this screenprint of Mrs. Obama which is simply titled “Michelle O.”
Other names in the collection include Martha Stewart, LL Cool J, Toni Morrison, LeBron James, Willie Nelson, and of course President Barack Obama.
President Obama and the First Lady visited Maude Smith and her grandson at their apartment in Columbia Parc Apartment Development in New Orleans yesterday (August 29, 2010). The entire Obama family visited New Orleans to mark the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
PS – later this week we’ll have a full recap of the Obama family’s trip to Martha’s Vineyard.
Everyone knew of the Obama family’s day trip to the Gulf Coast. What everyone didn’t know is if the President would take actions to prove his reassurance of the region’s safety by actually taking a dip in the Gulf waters.
The official answer is yes. Yesterday, the White House released a photo of the President and 9 year old daughter, Sasha swimming in the Panama City Beach. However, according to the Associated Press, the Obamas swam off Alligator Point, which is in Saint Andrew Bay, not the Gulf.
Regardless of how and where the swim took place, the residents, politicians, and businesses of the region are relieved and delighted. This photo represents a stamp of approval for the rest of the nation who doubted the safety of the beaches.
Other than that newsworthy moment, the family spent much of their time at their hotel. They visited Lime’s Bayside Bar & Grill where they ate a lunch of fish tacos, chicken tenders, and burgers. Later in the day, they played miniature golf. They’re expected back in Washington this evening (Sunday).
Michelle Obama marked the end of a posh and controversial Spanish vacation with lunch today with Spain’s King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia at the family’s summer home, Marivent Palace, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Mrs. Obama and Sasha arrived at tthe palace before 1:00 PM. Lunch included Andalusian-style chilled gazpacho soup, chargrilled turbot, veal escalopes with mustard, Oriental rice with sauteed mushrooms, a Mallorca-style vegetable ratatouille and sliced fruit with ice cream, accompanied by wines from the northern regions of Rueda and Rioja.
As parting gifts, the king gave Mrs. Obama seeds for the White House garden and the queen presented handicrafts typical of Mallorca.
The Obama group hopped on Air Force Two shortly after leaving the palace to head back to the U.S. (and face the media backlash that awaits).
The Spanish excursion continues for ½ of the Obama family. Today Mrs. Obama, daughter Sasha, and friends were photographed in the city of Ronda. They toured Santa Maria, a sacred church and treasured city monument dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Later they were seen dining for lunch at Del Escudero which is considered the second-finest restaurant in town. The baronial styled 19th century villa originally was built as a private home. Menu prices range from $13-$38.
Tonight the group is expected to attend a charity event hosted by actors Antonio Banderas and Eva Longoria.
Wearing a one-shoulder top by Jean Paul Gaultier, Mrs. Obama started her Spain vacation by strolling through the streets of Granada sightseeing and enjoying the cultural attractions.
Today she, Sasha, and company were granted a private stretch of beach in Estepona to relax and enjoy the Mediterranean Sea. As you can tell from some of the photos, it was anything but “private” with dozens of curious onlookers and security keeping watch.
Back in the states, the luxurious mother-daughter trip has been heavily criticized by the media.
To sum up all of the criticism into one critique, New York Daily News writer Andrea Tantaros compared Mrs. Obama to a “modern day Marie Antoinette” for taking such an extravagant vacation when the US is still suffering from the economic crisis.
She and her entourage are staying at the five-star Viala Padierna, one of the world’s top 30 hotels. Rates start at $400 – $2,500 per night. They reserved 60 rooms. The newspaper El Mundo reported their first dinner in Spain cost approximately $66 per head.
Not only is this vacation’s price being questioned but also the quantity of vacations the first lady has planned. According to Lynn Sweet, Mrs. Obama will have taken eight vacations by the end of the summer.
Yes, Mrs. Obama picks up the tab for all of the personal expenses but taxpayers are responsible for staff, Secret Service, and air accommodations which are by far the most expensive part of the trip.
So, what do you think about this Spanish vacation? Bad timing or well-deserved?
Former US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice is scheduled to appear at the Atlanta History Center on November 3, 2010 at 8:00 AM for a book signing and lecture. During the breakfast event, she’ll share stories from her new memoir, Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family.
According to the press release, the book traces Rice’s life back to growing up in Birmingham in the 1960s, during the turbulent civil rights era and how her parents’ love and support encouraged her not to set limits on what she could achieve.
Rice was the first black woman to hold the office of Secretary of State. Prior, she was the first woman to serve as National Security Advisor. She currently teaches at Stanford University.
Admission is $40 which includes coffee and light pastries and an autographed copy of the book. Reservations are required. To make a reservation or receive more information, call 404.814.4150.