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.

Image via AP

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.

 Source and images via AP

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.

We’ll be the first to admit it. We are slackers for not reporting daily coverage of the Obama family’s 10-day vacation on Martha’s Vineyard. Please forgive us and accept this recap as a peace offering.

For the second year in a row, the family opted to stay at the multi-million dollar, 28 acre Blue Heron Farm. The estate includes a private stretch of beach, basketball court, pool, and a gym which came in handy because it stormed almost half the time the Obamas were there. In addition to staffers, the family brought along a few friends including  Eric and Cheryl Whitaker and Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett and daughter Laura.

August 20, 2010

Image via AP

President Obama and First Daughters Sasha and Malia started the first day of their vacation by visiting the popular Bunch of Grapes Bookstore in Vineyard Haven. According to the store’s owner, Dawn Braasch, they purchased Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, John Steinbeck’s The Red Pony, and an advance copy of Freedom by Jonathan Franzen when the President inquired about its availability. He also signed copies of his book, Dreams From My Father, for the staff.

Image via spectator video

Later that afternoon, Mrs. Obama, Sasha, and Malia  stopped by Mad Martha’s Ice Cream in Vineyard Haven (the President opted to golf at Vineyard Golf Club in Edgartown). It’s  rumored one of them tried the coffee and macademia-flavored “Barack My World” - the “flavor” of the week.

August 21, 2010

The First Family enjoyed a picnic lunch at a private beach near Oyster Pond located only a short drive from their vacation home. No further details or images were available.

August 23, 2010

By this time, heavy storms have pretty much put a damper on the vacation. According to reports, everyone was confined to the estate up until 3 PM when the President went out briefly to play ball for a couple of hours at Oak Bluffs Elementary with Eric and banker Robert Wolf and his two sons.  Mrs. Obama, Sasha, and Malia also went out as well.

Images via the Huffington Post

Later that evening, the First Couple, the Whitakers, and Valerie dined at the Sweet Life Cafe (contemporary French-American cuisine) in Oak Bluffs for a couple of hours.  The President enjoyed beef tenderloin and short ribs while Mrs. Obama opted for the beef tenderloin and a lobster tail. The group shared four desserts including a creme brulee.  Mrs. Obama chose a black and white Narcisco Rodriguez dress for the occassion.

Side note: Have you wondered what to expect if a President ever wants to visit your business? Well, Sweet Life owner Susan Guering shared her experience with the Vineyard Gazette.  Guering said a man called to reserve a private room so he could propose to his girlfriend with both sets of parents present.  However, the already suspicious Geuring realized her guest was the President when two Secret Service agents showed up with a bomb sniffing dog.

August 24, 2010

 
Image via spectator video

Disregarding the rain, Mrs. Obama dined with BFF Cheryl Whitaker for lunch at the ultra exclusive private club, The Boathouse, overlooking Edgartown Harbor.

Image via the Huffington Post

For dinner, the First Couple chose the one-year old State Road restaurant. The Whitakers and island residents (and long-time Clinton friends) Vernon and Ann Jordan accompanied them.  The restaurant ‘s menu includes entrees ranging from $19 (burger)  - $44  (wood-crusted sirloin). Mrs. Obama wore a bold multi print ”collage dress” by London-based designer Duro Olowu.

August 25, 2010

 Candid images via AP

The First Couple and friends enjoyed a fried seafood lunch at Nancy’s Restaurant in Oak Bluffs. In business since 1960, the casual restaurant claims to have the “Vineyard’s best lobster rolls, fried clams and hand cut skinny onion rings.” After exiting the restaurant, they greeted the throngs of onlookers. The First Lady’s lavender watch got a lot of coverage (shrugs). The gift from the President is a Neon Plasteramic ToyWatch in ultraviolet. It retails for $195.

August 27, 2010

Images via The Huffington Post

The First Family took advantage of the great weather by going on a 6-mile bike ride through the 5,100 acre Correllus State Forest. The First Couple, Alan and Sophia King, and Valerie were spotted at the Beach Plum Inn Restaurant for a dinner outing.  

August 28, 2010

The family spent over five hours of their last full day on a private stretch of beach in Egartown

August 29, 2010

Images via AP

The First Family, staffers, and friends left Blue Heron Farm at 9:35 AM.

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. 

Image via AP.

PS – later this week we’ll have a full recap of the Obama family’s trip to Martha’s Vineyard.

Image via White House

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).

Images via AP

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.

Images via AP.

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?

Images via AP.

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.