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Fashion Focus Chicago Unleashes Windy City's Chic Set

October 2, 2009 at 2:42 PM | by Heidi Atwal | 0 Comments

Chicago may have lost out on its bid for the Olympics, but its fashion scene is getting just as much attention as any gold medal athlete. For that they can thank, in part, First Lady Michelle Obama, whose long standing relationship with boutiques like Ikram has earned The Windy City fashion credibility and inspired a thorough article about its style in a recent issue of The New Yorker.

But it's the city's independent designers who are truly trailblazing a sartorial path—those emerging names whose work you might see on the rack at major department stores in the future. In celebration of LBDs (that's Little Black Dresses, for you non-fashion followers), elegant draping, and everything else Chicago has to offer on-and-off the catwalk, Fashion Focus Chicago (October 22-25) will dedicate four full days to shopping events, industry seminars, and runway shows from designers like Horacio Nieto and Michael Alan Stein.

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The 'O Team' Heads To Copenhagen To Push 'Chicago 2016'

October 1, 2009 at 9:36 AM | by JetSetCD | 1 Comment

Tomorrow is the big day! On October 2, the Olympic Committee will announce the host city for the 2016 Olympics, and it's a hot race right down to the last minute for finalist cities Chicago, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, and Madrid. These final 24 hours have been particularly important to the decision-making process, as each city flew their star-power spokespeople to Copenhagen, Denmark to make final pleas before the Committee.

While soccer star Pelé did what he could for Rio's case, Chicago's representation was a bit more impressive with both Oprah and Michelle Obama stepping up to the podium to pitch The Windy City. Oprah might rule it these days, you see, but Michelle was born there and remains a Second City gal, even if her residence is now the White House.

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Michelle Obama Begins Locavore Crusade at NYC's Gramercy Tavern

September 25, 2009 at 9:31 AM | by JetSetCD | 0 Comments

President Obama might be making his first presidential visit to Pittsburgh today for the G20 Summits, but before heading off for some serious work-time, Mr. and Mrs. Obama hit up New York again for a couple days, creating mass traffic confusion, but some actual excitement when Michelle lunched at the famed Gramercy Tavern restaurant.

In all fairness, Michelle had to eat alone since Barack was not in town for tourist activities like usual, but instead addressing the United Nations. Gramercy Tavern is an excellent choice for the First Lady, even if she may have gone because the chef behind the restaurant also catered the UN activities. It is upscale, rather exclusive and hard to get reservations for, and is known for being a cheerleader of American cuisine.

She didn't make reservations...

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The Obamas Make A Solemn Stop At A Ghana Slave Castle

Where: Accra, Ghana
July 13, 2009 at 1:34 PM | by JetSetCD | 0 Comments

After a happy few days in Italy, making gelato and visiting with antiquity, the Obamas headed south to Ghana for President Obama's first official visit to Africa. It was a solemn trip, and Obama chose Ghana over Kenya—where he has family ties—because of Ghana's dedication to democracy.

The whole family made the trip along with Barack, and Michelle and the girls even accompanied him on a tour of Cape Coast Castle, which, in the 1600s, "served as Britain's West Africa headquarters for the trans-Atlantic slave trade, which saw European powers and African chiefs export millions in shackles to Europe and the Americas." It's not exactly a tourist attraction either, unless you're set on re-tracing your own family history through the slave trade.

Obama's visit not only to Ghana but to the slave trading headquarters is poignant; it illustrates, in one stop, how far the world has come in shedding racism and taking up equality.

Related Stories:
· Obama's visit to fort a 'full-circle experience' [MSNBC]
· Dear President Obama [Globe and Mail]
· The Sort-of Return of the Prodigal Son: President Obama Arrives in Accra, Ghana [Obama Foodorama]
· When In Rome, It's Gelato And G8 For The Obamas [Jaunted]
· Presidential Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: AP via HuffPost]

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When In Rome, It's Gelato And G8 For The Obamas

Where: Rome, Italy
July 10, 2009 at 9:27 AM | by JetSetCD | 2 Comments

When it was announced that President Obama would make a visit to Rome and The Vatican this week, we couldn't hardly wait to see goodies the Eternal City had in store for them, and Rome didn't disappoint. As the whole family moved on from their museum-hopping in Moscow earlier this week, some casual sightseeing and of course, a few scoops of famous gelato, were in order.

As Barack met with G8 leaders, Michelle quickly took in the Colosseum with her daughters and the Capitoline Museum, which houses ancient Roman art and archeology, with the other G8 wives. Then the adults promptly headed deeper into the Abruzzo region to the town of L'Aquila, which suffered that fatal earthquake back in April.

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More Museums For the Obamas As They Take Moscow

July 6, 2009 at 4:06 PM | by JetSetCD | 0 Comments

As President Obama continues to tour the world, we love that he's including his family and allowing them to be cultural ambassadors while he's tied up in meetings, like today's talks with Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev over arms control.

While Obama conducts business in the Kremlin, Michelle and the girls are literally down the hall with first lady Svetlana Medvedev, who took them on a tour of famous tourist sites within the palace, such as the Cathedral of the Assumption and the Amory Museum and its 190-carat Orlov diamond. The girls even took tea in the Winter Garden; we are so jealous.

According to the Russian paper Pravda and USA Today, the Obamas might however be sleeping outside of the Kremlin walls at the Ritz-Carlton, since the hotel has suspiciously blocked off reservations for July 5 thru 8. There's yet another clue as to the Obamas' hotel sleeping arrangements: "In its lobby, the Ritz-Carlton installed an over-sized, chocolate statue of an American Eagle and a Russian Bear in honor of the visit." Our jealousy sees no end.

Related Stories:
· US first lady Michelle Obama tours Moscow's Kremlin as summit talks kick off [LA Times]
· President Obama's likely hotel choice while in Moscow: The Ritz-Carlton [USA Today]
· Presidential Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Stringer / AFP / Getty ]

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The Obamas Take Paris: A Guide To Their Family Weekend Getaway

Where: Paris, France
June 8, 2009 at 10:02 AM | by JetSetCD | 1 Comment

None of that constantly hanging out indoors and sticking to all business for President Obama; his last few stops on a whirlwind tour have included some quality tourist time as he takes in more than just the interiors of conference rooms and embassies.

This past weekend when he swung by France to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, he flew in the whole family for a little interlude in Paris. It was the first visit to Europe for Malis and Sasha, as well as Sasha's 8th birthday.

Before arriving, Obama hinted at his touristic ambitions by saying that "American people love all things French, you've got the food, you've got Paris," and sample the city and its cuisine he and the family did.

To do Paris in three days a la Obama, check out our guide to their hotspots from their visit:

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Handshaking Abroad: Know What the First Lady Didn't

April 2, 2009 at 4:34 PM | by egw | 1 Comment

Now we know why our invite to Buckingham Palace keeps getting lost in the mail: First Lady Michelle Obama unwittingly exposed the British taboo against touching the queen, causing cultural critics to bemoan the end of friendship between both copies but ultimately resorting in nothing worse than a string of adorable photos.

The Obamas arrived in London this week bearing gifts (including an iPod for Her Majesty) and plans for the forthcoming G-20 Meeting. As the First Lady met the Queen, she curtsied, but then shook her hand firmly, a huge no-no. And later, when posing for pictures, she even touched the Queen. But soon enough they had their arms around each other's backs like old camp buddies, and other world leaders were jealous.

Is the take-away here that the Obamas, unlike most travelers, can do anything they want abroad and still be adored? Hardly; it only takes one disastrous state dinner to ruin his international face. But here's what Michelle Obama didn't do: Get flustered and over-apologize. Maybe she had words with the queen, but she treated her with the same warmth and grace that she treats everyone. And hey, at least it wasn't a fistbump moment again.

Still, we say you should always be prepared to know what's acceptable in terms of hand-shaking abroad and what's not--provided that you aren't meeting royalty or germaphobes.

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Missed Connections in Southeastern Virginia: Y'all Is a Plural Edition

September 19, 2008 at 1:30 PM | by egw | 0 Comments


Potential First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama visited Paula Deen's studio in Norfolk, Virginia this week to tape an appearance on the Southern cooking show. Deen is originally from Savannah, but Virginia is still very much a swing state, which makes it already one of the most traveled states by both campaigns.

If you're in town on (political?) business, do a little grassroots outreach at one of our hot spots:

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Possible First Lady Travel: Michelle Obama Getting Her Southern Cooking On

September 18, 2008 at 10:00 AM | by BS | 1 Comment

Michelle Obama has been noticeably missing from the headlines over the past few weeks while her hubby deals with the rise of that other lady.

But at least part of Michelle's absence can be attributed to a secret meeting with one of the country's prominent, er, tastemakers.

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