Hu enjoys a taste of America
Source: Agencies |
January 21, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
Michelle and Barack Obama welcomed a mix of Hollywood A-listers, businesspeople and prominent Chinese-Americans to the White House as they threw a "quintessentially American" state dinner for the president of China, complete with apple pie and ice cream, and jazz music for the entertainment.
The first lady was clad in an elegant red shoulder-baring gown that swished around her in soft folds and Obama sported a tuxedo as they welcomed President Hu Jintao on Wednesday on a red carpet on the White House portico. An honor guard stood to attention behind them.
Celebrity star power arrived in the form of singer Barbra Streisand, her husband and actor James Brolin and action film star Jackie Chan.
Big business turned out in force, too, including Microsoft's Steven Ballmer and JPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon, among others.
Among the big names were fashion's Vera Wang, Vogue's Anna Wintour, artist Maya Lin, Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan and Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. Former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter were also in attendance.
The 225 guests were spread out among three rooms: the State Dining Room, Blue Room and Red Room, then everyone went to the East Room for the entertainment.
Large video monitors were set up in the Blue and Red rooms for guests to catch the dinner toasts.
Beloved pandas
The two presidents' toasts featured the promises of better relations all around, and Obama used the moment to highlight an agreement that will ensure the beloved giant pandas from China remain at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington for another five years.
The Obamas opted against bringing in a high-profile guest chef, instead putting White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford in charge of preparing an all-American dinner, at the request of the Chinese delegation.
On the menu were d'anjou pear salad with farmstead goat cheese, poached Maine lobster, orange glazed carrots and black trumpet mushrooms, dry aged rib eye with buttermilk crisp onions, double-stuffed potatoes and creamed spinach.
Dessert was old-fashioned apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Obama is known to be an avid eater of pastry chef Bill Yosses' pies.
Streisand, who also made the guest list for an afternoon luncheon at the State Department, said she was making her first appearance at a state dinner since the Clinton years.
The singer, who helped raise money for Obama during the presidential campaign, said she had "a lot of friends here."
Asked for a thought on why she was invited, she quipped: "I worked in a Chinese restaurant."
Wintour said she hoped to talk to Hu about - what else? - fashion, and specifically about investing in Chinese fashion.
The first lady was clad in an elegant red shoulder-baring gown that swished around her in soft folds and Obama sported a tuxedo as they welcomed President Hu Jintao on Wednesday on a red carpet on the White House portico. An honor guard stood to attention behind them.
Celebrity star power arrived in the form of singer Barbra Streisand, her husband and actor James Brolin and action film star Jackie Chan.
Big business turned out in force, too, including Microsoft's Steven Ballmer and JPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon, among others.
Among the big names were fashion's Vera Wang, Vogue's Anna Wintour, artist Maya Lin, Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan and Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. Former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter were also in attendance.
The 225 guests were spread out among three rooms: the State Dining Room, Blue Room and Red Room, then everyone went to the East Room for the entertainment.
Large video monitors were set up in the Blue and Red rooms for guests to catch the dinner toasts.
Beloved pandas
The two presidents' toasts featured the promises of better relations all around, and Obama used the moment to highlight an agreement that will ensure the beloved giant pandas from China remain at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington for another five years.
The Obamas opted against bringing in a high-profile guest chef, instead putting White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford in charge of preparing an all-American dinner, at the request of the Chinese delegation.
On the menu were d'anjou pear salad with farmstead goat cheese, poached Maine lobster, orange glazed carrots and black trumpet mushrooms, dry aged rib eye with buttermilk crisp onions, double-stuffed potatoes and creamed spinach.
Dessert was old-fashioned apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Obama is known to be an avid eater of pastry chef Bill Yosses' pies.
Streisand, who also made the guest list for an afternoon luncheon at the State Department, said she was making her first appearance at a state dinner since the Clinton years.
The singer, who helped raise money for Obama during the presidential campaign, said she had "a lot of friends here."
Asked for a thought on why she was invited, she quipped: "I worked in a Chinese restaurant."
Wintour said she hoped to talk to Hu about - what else? - fashion, and specifically about investing in Chinese fashion.
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