On Tuesday, French President Francois Hollande has been honored at a lavish White House state dinner, the first since 2011.
State dinner menu:
First course: American Osetra Caviar, Fingerling Potato Veloute, Quail Eggs, Crisped Chive Potatoes
French President Francois Hollande has been honored at a lavish White House state dinner
Second course: White House’s Winter Garden Salad
Main course: Rib Eye Beef, Blue Cheese, Charred Shallots, Oyster Mushrooms, Braised Chard
Dessert: Hawaiian Chocolate-Malted Ganache, Vanilla Ice Cream and Tangerines
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President Barack Obama has welcomed France’s President Francois Hollande to the White House for a day of meetings culminating in a state dinner.
Francois Hollande was greeted by a military honor guard and blaring brass band on the south lawn.
Barack Obama and Francois Hollande are expected to discuss issues ranging from trade to Iran’s nuclear program.
The visit sets the seal on a new era in US-French relations, which sank to a low a decade ago over the Iraq war.
“More nations must step up and meet the responsibilities of leadership, and that’s what the United States and France are doing together,” Barack Obama said with Francois Hollande by his side at the White House.
Francois Hollande highlighted the historic ties between the two nations, saying: “Each of our countries knows what it owes to each other – its freedom.”
Francois Hollande was greeted by a military honor guard and blaring brass band on the south lawn of White House
Among the French leader’s engagements on Tuesday are: a press conference at midday with Barack Obama followed by lunch with Vice-President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry.
The main event will be a black-tie dinner held in Francois Hollande’s honor on Tuesday night in a big white tent on the White House lawn.
Invitees will dine on American caviar, quail eggs and rib-eye steak, while dancing to the music of singer Mary J. Blige.
During his time in the US, Francois Hollande will also travel to San Francisco and meet chiefs of Silicon Valley giants including Facebook, Twitter and Google.
Francois Hollande’s long-time partner Valerie Trierweiler did not travel with him, after the breakdown in their relationship following reports he had an affair with an actress.
Following Francois Hollande’s arrival on Monday afternoon, he and Barack Obama flew to Monticello in the state of Virginia. They visited the home of Thomas Jefferson, one of the founders of the US, an envoy to France and the third US president.
They toured Thomas Jefferson’s home, stopping by his study, the kitchen and the quarters of slaves who helped build and run the estate.
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President Barack Obama and Miss Israel Yityish Aynaw, an Ethiopian Jewish immigrant, dined together at an official state dinner in Jerusalem, where the White House had requested her presence.
Barack Obama was in Jerusalem as part of a four-day trip to Middle East, visiting Israel, Jordan and the West Bank.
Yityish Aynaw, who goes by “Titi”, made history last month by becoming the first black Miss Israel.
After the dinner, Yityish Aynaw gushed about meeting President Barack Obama in an interview with the Israeli publication Yediot Aharonot.
“He’s an exciting man, a world-class hunk, charming and an extraordinary gentleman,” she said.
Yityish Aynaw and Barack Obama were introduced by Israeli President Shimon Peres
Yityish Aynaw and Barack Obama were introduced by Israeli President Shimon Peres.
“You are very beautiful,” Barack Obama told her, according Israeli media.
“And Michelle would have been very happy to be as tall as you are.”
Yityish Aynaw, 22, said she recalled learning about Barack Obama in high school.
“I did a research project about him in high school and I know he is a very powerful man, charismatic, and he achieved a lot on his own by virtue of the fact that he believed in himself and this stuck with me,” Yityish Aynaw told CNN.
She was working as a sales clerk when a friend entered her name into Israel’s beauty pageant.
Yityish Aynaw has lived in Israel since she was 10, when she was orphaned and went to live with her grandparents.
She recalled going to an Israeli boarding school without knowing a word of Hebrew and said some of the kids there made fun of her Ethiopian name.
“What is <<Yitayish>>? This is my name. But it sounds weird,” she told reporter Daniel Estrin in an interview.
“There were times they’d call me <<Tayish>>. In Hebrew that’s a kind of animal. You know?”
More than a quarter of all Israeli TV viewers watched Yityish Aynaw, who became an army officer after graduation, win her crown a couple weeks ago.
“It’s time that someone from my community, someone with my skin color, who is Israeli just like everyone else, represent the country,” Yityish Aynaw said.
“I feel like I made history, that I blazed a trail.”
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