Barack of Love

Take that, Emeril!

obamniac — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:50:11 +0000

We always knew the Obamas were eatin’ good in the neighborhood, but we didn’t realize how good until last night’s special Iron Chef America, which pitted Emeril Lagasse and Mario Batali against Bobby Flay and White House Chef Cristeta Comerford. The secret ingredient: anything from the White House Garden. The four chefs scavenged the garden for their pick of seasonal produce, then returned to the DC set of Kitchen Stadium to make good on Michelle’s challenge: create a meal that inspires Americans, and focuses on eating healthy and locally.

Fashion faux pas survey: To match your Crocs to the First Lady's dress? (AP Photo)

Team Flay and Comerford won handily with: a fennel and apple salad with oysters; Fresh garden salad with fried lobster and squid in carrot juice, sweet and sour eggplant with pine nuts and currants; Broccoli clam “chowder” with a hint of ginger; all American BBQ with pork, slaw, collard green tamale, cauliflower gratin and watermelon radish pickles; sweet potato tart with honey, topped with pecan brittle and ginger ice cream.

Isn't it considered cheating to smear caviar all over your dish? (Food Network)

This wasn’t Flay’s first interaction with the Obamas, though. Our POTUS got a little training in the art of grilling from the master…

The POTUS Express

obamniac — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:00:03 +0000

Obama spread a little holiday cheer with a visit to the Boys and Girls Club in northeast DC, where he read “The Polar Express” and shared a basket of cookies with the kids. He also took the opportunity to chat about the meaning of Christmas. Although the cookies don’t exactly fall in line with FLOTUS’ children’s nutrition work, can you blame POTUS for handing out Bo-shaped cookies?

I was up baking these all night! (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Obama expressed surprised at the technologically advanced gifts the kids were hoping for. His response to hopes for Playstations and cell phones? “Whatever happened to like, asking for a bike?”

The Breakfast Club

obamniac — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:03:34 +0000

Apparently, being ignorant of White House tour policies (none on national holidays) or failing to check your calendar can get you everywhere. Such was the case for the Dardens of Hogansville, GA. The couple mistakenly arrived a day early for their White House tour (on Veterans Day), and ended up having breakfast with POTUS and FLOTUS!

Breakfast Crashers? I think not! (Robin Nelson)

Since they already had tour-required security clearance, the Secret Service allowed the couple to join a breakfast hosted by the First Couple for veterans (of which Mr. Darden is, incidentally). The Dardens were so surprised by their good luck that they didn’t breathe a word about the First Breakfast until well after it happened (which was smart considering the soon-to-follow Salahi debacle).

Mr. Darden’s final thought on the meal? ”I felt kind of funny because I was the only man in the room that wasn’t dressed in a coat and tie.”

You think this was on the menu? (AirBed & Breakfast, Inc.)

All I want for Christmas…

obamniac — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:37:09 +0000

Obama’s no grinch, that’s for sure! He’s playing Santa to more than just those bail-out recipients. Six-year old Jasmina Anema, who has leukemia, was scheduled to meet the Prez over Thanksgiving, but fell ill and had to be admitted to Children’s National Medical Center. She wouldn’t be deterred, though, and made it back to the White House to lay claim to her Make-A-Wish Foundation wish–to meet our POTUS.

Her visit couldn’t have gone better, either. Obama chatted her up about books and reading while holding Jasmina’s IV bag, and didn’t let her leave without a box of presidentially sealed M&Ms, a yoyo (old school!), and a big hug with the promise, “You can write me any time. I’ll get it.”

What did Jasmina tell Obama she wants for Christmas? A violin.

I really wanted to play with Bo, but I guess meeting you is okay, too. (White House Photo, Pete Souza)

Born to run (the US)

obamniac — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:56:57 +0000

The Kennedy Center was abuzz last night with yet another red carpet event–who needs LA when you’ve got the glitterati visiting DC every week? The Honors went to Bruce Springsteen, Robert De Niro, Mel Brooks, Grace Bumbry, and Dave Brubeck. Attendees included everyone from Eddie Vedder to Nancy Pelosi to Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Of course, the First Couple were in attendance looking glam as ever. At the reception, Obama showed some respect, saying “On a day like this remember, I’m the president, but he’s the Boss.”

Lovely, as usual! (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst, US Politics Entertainment)

Hillary's in heaven--who wouldn't be when sandwiched between the Taxi Driver and the Boss! (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Just remember who the REAL Boss is... (AFP/Mandel Ngan)

Even Wonder Woman made an appearance! (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

MODOC and FLODOC-Mayor and First Lady of the District of Columbia, of course! (Kris Connor/Getty Images)

POTUS: Cloudy with a chance of…

obamniac — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:34:21 +0000

If you’re like us, you wake up and dress for sunny skies, only to be hit umbrella-less in afternoon rain and frigid temps. Turns out you can now get your daily forecast AND some Obama QT. How, you ask? With Obama-weather.com!

The recently-launched site feeds information from Weather.com, and has Obama model appropriate clothing for the day and night time temps in the five day forecast. The site also provides weather updates from Angelina Jolie, House, Bender, and Bruce Lee. We obviously prefer POTUS!

Let's hope Obama is more reliable than the average weatherman! (from Obama-weather.com)

Our favorite feature of the site? The small picture of Obama at the bottom of the page, which wiggles his eyebrows at us.

Nice duds, but would Obama really wear that POTUS-tee? (from Obama-weather.com)

So, not only will POTUS bring our country peace and prosperity–he’ll bring us the weather!

Twos a crowd

obamniac — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:29:28 +0000

Poor POTUS can’t catch a break. The Salahis crashed his very successful first State Dinner with Dr. Manmohan Singh, and all Google searches of Obama’s name soon thereafter almost exclusively yielded stories about the “Dinner Crashers.”

Now, Obama’s name and his predilection for golf will be further inadvertantly “sullied” by the upcoming cover of Golf Digest, in which editors photoshopped Tiger Woods and the First Golfer onto the cover together. The article’s title? “10 Tips Obama Can Take From Tiger.” Ouch.

I'll take your golf tips, but keep the marriage advice to yourself! (Golf Digest)

Obama loves Benny Beaver

obamniac — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:58:54 +0000

The First Family apparently isn’t letting a piddly security breach stop them from rooting against the home team. The entire First Family cheered for Oregon State this weekend in their basketball game against GW. Why did they traitorously root against the home team? Because FLOTUS’ bro, Craig Robinson, is the coach, of course! All that presidential cheering must’ve worked–Oregon State beat GW 3-2. Maybe Obama and co. should start cheering for the Redskins…

Just whisper your secret to health care reform...(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Come on! Robinson's DON'T LOSE!!! (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Maybe Craig can give his bro-in-law a few tips on the art of dunking. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Gobble Gobble, Mr President!

obamniac — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:28:21 +0000

As the country gears up to celebrate Thanksgiving, Obama followed a tradition started by George Bush in 1989–that of pardoning a turkey. Courage was this year’s lucky fowl, and Sasha and Malia helped with the pardon. One may ask–what does a POTUS-pardoned turkey do after Thanksgiving? Go to Disney World, of course! After Courage serves as grand marshal at the Disney parade, he’ll spend the rest of his days there in safety and solitude.

Can we keep him, Dad? I'm sure Bo wouldn't mind! (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Later in the day, the entire First Family traveled to Martha’s Table, an organization serving DC’s neediest, to volunteer for an hour handing out pies, stuffing, fresh veggies, and turkeys (not all gobblers were so lucky this season!). The Obamas were joined by FLOTUS’ mother Marian Robinson and POTUS’ sister and brother-in-law Maya and Konrad Ng. What a family–going from a gala dinner to serving food to those in need!

Packaged biscuits? What would the Pilgrims think? (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

As for Thanksgiving dinner, the White House has been mum on plans. Maybe they’ll have leftovers from yesterday’s State Dinner?

Asian Invasian!

obamniac — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:11:18 +0000

Last night’s event can’t be considered anything less than success for POTUS’ first State Dinner! This much glamour hasn’t hit DC since…the inaugural balls?

The invitation list was a veritable who’s-who of South Asian A-listers, including Deepak Chopra, Bobby Jindal, Kalpen Modi, Sanjay Gupta, Jhumpa Lahiri, Amartya Sen, Fareed Zakaria, and M Night Shyamalan. Other guests included Colin Powell, Katie Couric, Steven Spielberg, Alfre Woodard, and Blair Underwood. In addition to Jennifer Hudson’s vocal stylings, AR Rahman, Oscar winner for the “Slumdog Millionaire” score, also provided entertainment.

Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? Hands down, FLOTUS! (Kamm/Getty Images)

FLOTUS donned a gorgeous dress by Indian-American designer Naeem Khan. The dress apparently took 40 people three weeks to custom create for the First Lady.

Is this the Oscars or the State Dinner? (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Is Katie wearing a sari??? (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

Kalpen really pulled a "Kumar" here--did someone not get the "black tie" memo? (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

We know who was there, but what did they eat? Guest chef Marcus Samuellson prepared a mostly vegetarian meal, and used arugula, pineapple sage, fresh dill, oregano and thyme from the White House Garden. Guests had their choice of roasted potato dumplings with tomato chutney, chick peas and okra or green curry prawns and caramelized salsify with smoked collard greens and coconut aged basmati for the main course, not to mention a bevy of dessert options. Yum!

Beautiful! (Mandal Ngan, AFP, Getty Images)

Wow, that's TEMPORARY? (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)