Sunday, February 15, 2009

Here on the Rock...

I kept getting calls from Monica stuck in her car on Friday evening "turn on the TV and find out what the heck is going on! The traffic is shut down and there's all these helicopters...!!
The president and his family came home for the weekend. He said they will come to Chicago as often as they can to visit. That's cool. I'm sure providing security for this president presents some new and challenging problems for the Secret Service. It certainly provides some excitement and challenges for his hood. In addition to all the barricades and huge police presence, they shut down the Drive while the helicopters touched down in the park and the motorcade whooshed the first family home.
Lake Shore Drive being shut down is a pain, yall.

I'm sure the Obama girls will have fun visiting the lifelong friends they had to leave when they moved to Washington, and Michelle can see her family.
The media has been camped out since Friday morning. In addition to when Obama will head out to play some basketball, the big thing was where the president would take his wife for Valentine's Day? A local Obama favorite like Dixie Kitchen or a fancier downtown fave such as Spiaggia or Topolobampo? There were folks camped out at these places hoping to glimpse the prez and his wife on their Saturday night date.

The Obama's selected Table Fifty-Two, an upscale Gold Coast establishment on Elm Street. The dining room embraces a cottage chic decor with a stone bar, hickory flooring and a pressed copper ceiling.
The menu features decadent southern fare such as pan-seared catfish, low-country shrimp with stone-ground grits and buttermilk fried chicken. Red velvet cake was the dessert special Saturday evening. Mmmmm mmmmm that's comfort food and a comfy setting for a long relaxing, romantic dinner.
Reports are that the Obama's managed to give the press the slip for bout 45 minutes when they took off for their date. Good for them.
Welcome Home.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was so mad sitting on that Lake Shore Drive! i left work at 3:30 and didn't get home until 6:30that night. But after I realized why I was inconvienced all the anger melted away. I watched a clip of them walking out of the restaurant on the news and I still can't believe it-an African-American president and first lady! And a very happy African-American president and first lady. That dinner must have been REALLY good!!

Jackie said...

Well you wouldn't have been caught up in that traffic if you hadn't been off getting a surprise for me for Valentine's day.

Yep, haven't seen Michelle smile like that since November 4th. Tasty food and good company will do that.

Ann Brock said...

Thanks Jackie for the up date. I saw a clip were people was camp out at one restaurant waiting on the Obamas. I guess Chicago want be the same.

Dustin said...

It's very nice to get such a personal perspective from those who live in President Obama's neighborhood. Thanks for the update.

Monica Roberts said...

We had our moments with presidential security in H town when Bill was in the white house. He used to frequently visit Houston, and there was one day I was at work and all air traffic was shut down for 30 minutes until Air Force One had vacated the area.

Even with the inconvenience, it still must be the bomb to know the prez has a house in your 'hood.