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Christmas in the White House: Presidential Trees Throughout the Years

Filed under: Decor

Beautifully decorated Christmas Trees are a longstanding tradition in the White House. The first known decorated, indoor Christmas Tree was displayed in the Yellow Oval Room during the Benjamin Harrison administration.

Jacqueline Kennedy launched the tradition of thematic Christmases in the White House in which the First Family chooses a motif in which to highlight. In 1961, First Lady Kennedy chose to decorate the White House Christmas Tree with a "Nutcracker" theme derived from the Tchaikovsky ballet. The tree was decorated with toys, birds and angels (see gallery).

Themes for White House Christmas Trees throughout the years have ranged from the Regan's theme of Mother Goose theme in 1986 to "Home for the Holidays", which was the Bush theme in 2001 (see above).

This year, the Obama's Official White House Christmas Tree is a beautiful Douglas Fir from Shepardston, West Virginia (see gallery). According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the Blue Room Christmas Tree was officially presented to First Lady Michelle Obama by Christmas Tree growers Eric and Gloria Sundback. The Sundbacks earned this honor by winning the National Christmas Tree Association's (NCTA) national Christmas Tree contest held in August 2009 in Chattanooga, Tenn., and becoming Grand Champions.

While there are typically several Christmas Trees on display throughout the White House during the holiday season, the one located in the Blue Room is traditionally the "official" tree. Members of the National Christmas Tree Association have presented the official White House Christmas Tree for display in the Blue Room since 1966. For decorating ideas, see "Tips for Decorating your Christmas Tree".

Gallery: White House Christmas Trees Through the Years

Tags: christmas, christmas tree, president, president bush, PresidentObama, white house

Rothko, Diebenkorn and Degas join Obama in the White House

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Celebrity Design

The world's latest Nobel Peace Prize winner also has excellent taste in art. President Barack Obama has skipped the staid portraits that are usually pulled to adorn White House walls and instead opted for three dozen pieces with a bit more of an edge. Works have been pulled from the National Gallery of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the Smithsonian American Art Museum to decorate the building the symbolizes executive authority in the United States.

The Obama family is definitely leaning modern, with Rothko, Degas and Diebenkorn among the artists represented. They've also included a word painting by Ed Ruscha. Not wanting to deprive the public of the opportunity to view works on display, the Obamas limited their choices to artwork in museum storage.

There's now a lot of money hanging from those White House walls. "Red Band" by Rothko, "Berkeley No. 52" by Diebenkorn and "White Line" by Sam Francis together are estimated to be worth between $20 million and $30 million. Throw a piece by Jasper Johns into the mix – specifically "Numerals, 0 through 9" – and you get a sense of the collection the Obamas have assembled.

Even with access to a collection of that caliber, though, I'd still never take Obama's job. And, there aren't enough Rothkos out there to change my mind.

Source

Tags: art, art collecting, art collection, art museum, art museums, ArtCollecting, ArtCollection, artist, artists, ArtMuseum, ArtMuseums, artwork, barack obama, BarackObama, degas, ed ruscha, EdRuscha, hirshhorn-sculpture-garden, jasper johns, JasperJohns, mark rothko, MarkRothko, michelle obama, MichelleObama, museum, museums, national gallery of art, NationalGalleryOfArt, nobel peace prize, NobelPeacePrize, obama, president, president barack obama, president obama, PresidentBarackObama, PresidentObama, rothko, smithsonian, smithsonian american art museum, SmithsonianAmericanArtMuseum, white house, WhiteHouse

Jaquet Droz President Manuel Emch Resigns

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Just as I anticipated, the stream of fallen luxury watch company heads continues. This time it is not from the Richemont Group, but from Swatch Group's boutique luxury brand Jaquet Droz. No one is particularly happy about this news, and I am sure Maunel Emch himself suffered for long enough before calling it quits.

Why the departure? Sources seems to indicate that new company for Swatch Group (acquired in 2000) president struggled with the heavy hand of conservative and old school thinkers who simply could not conceive the needs of the modern watch market landscape. Emch is 37, while the average age of a watch company executive is much older. The poor economy likely resulted in a slew of bitterness and resentment, not to mention oppressive and unnecessary micromanagement when it was undue. Emch is well regarded as the one who made the Jaquet Droz brand as interesting as it is, but I must disagree with the giant plastic glasses. He took some risks, but overall made the brand what it is today. Despite what looked like success for the brand, the pressure on Emch was apparently too much. We can add his name to list of recent watch company casualties. Who will be next?

Via Business Montres (in French).

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: jaquet droz, JaquetDroz, maniel emch, ManielEmch, president, resign, swatch group, SwatchGroup

Barack Obama's Vulcain Cricket Anniversary Heart Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

I reported that Swiss watch maker Vulcain was going to present President Obama with a Vulcain watch, and here is finally what the specific watch looks like. We know that Barack Obama typically wears his Jorg Gray 6500 watch most of the time, but he does have other timepieces. Vulcain has been giving out watches to US Presidents since the 1950s and the latest timepiece they've sent to the oval office is quite stunning. President Obama received a stainless steel Vulcain Cricket Anniversary Heart watch. The watch is part of the classic Cricket watches named as such for their loud alarms. The mechanical Vulcain Cricket V-18 movement is one of the loudest (if not the loudest) mechanical watch alarms on the market. The alarm complication is easy to set via the upper crown on the right side of the watch using the central ring on the dial. The watch also features a beautiful partially skeletonized dial - now popular on many luxury timepieces. The case is 42mm wide and water resistant to 50 meters.

The sides of the watch case feature a larger coined edge, while the overall styling is classic with the modern touches being reserved for the dial. The watch is easy to read and a good mix between formal and sporty in style. I happened to actually think the style suits President Obama quite well. Funny enough the black and steel tones of this timepiece match those of his Jorg Gray 6500 watch - creating similar looks. Let's hope he wears the watch on nice occasions. The retail price of the stainless steel version of the Vulcain Anniversary Heart watch is about $6,500. It is unclear whether versions such as the pictured one with the message to Barack Obama will be available at all to the public, as it is likely a one-off version reserved for the President himself. The Vulcain Anniversary Heart watches come in various tones as well as in 18k gold.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Vulcain Anniversary Heart watch for Obama

Tags: anniversary heat, AnniversaryHeat, barack obama, BarackObama, cricket, President, vulcain, watch

Lincoln Stamp Collection Fetches Close to Two Million Dollars

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

At the Spink Shreves Galleries in New York, an auction proved that stamp collectors are still willing to spend money. A stamp collection centered on President Abraham Lincoln brought in almost $2 million (including commissions).

The stamps came from a collection by a retired executive from accounting and consulting firm KPMG. William Ainsworth inherited his father's stamp collection more than 40 years ago. Until 1977, he paid it little mind, but a meeting with a former postmaster general changed his thinking. Ainsworth began to build upon the already substantial collection, with a particular focus on Lincoln.

The collection included 19th and 20th century American stamps with the sixteenth president, along with tax stamps, private issues, proofs and test printings. A mint-condition set of 90 cent stamps (issued in 1869) pulled in $149,600, and a 1909 registered letter with a pair of blue 5 cent Lincoln stamps (sans customary perforations) was good for $77,725.

Source

Tags: abraham lincoln, AbrahamLincoln, auction, auction-house, auctions, philatelist, president, stamp, stamp collecting, StampCollecting, stamps

Jewelry for the Obama Inauguration

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Diamond and Pink Sapphire Cherry Blossom Brooch

The 2009 Presidential Inauguration is inspiring special commemorative clothing and jewelry all over the world. We found two jewelers in/near Washington D.C. whose pieces are truly extraordinary: Ginger and Chas Schwartz & Son.

Featured in our gallery are cherry blossom items, like the pink sapphire and diamond Cherry Blossom Brooch you see here ($36,000), silver and gold monuments, and a $10,000 diamond Obama necklace or brooch certain to create some real Obama Drama.

The designers include Chas Schwartz & Son as well as Suzanne Somersall and R-Nichols, both available from Ginger (in Bethesda, MD and Winter Park, FL). If you've never bought inauguration commemorative jewelry before, perhaps 2009 is the year for a change.

Gallery: Inauguration Jewelry

pink sapphire and diamond Cherry Blossom Brooch from Oscar Heyman at Chas. Schwartz & Son

Sterling silver cherry blossom drop earrings

Sterling silver cherry blossom charm necklace

Tags: 2009, brooch, brooches, charms, chas schwartz son, ChasSchwartzSon, commemorative, ginger, inauguration, inauguration day, InaugurationDay, jewelry, necklace, necklaces, obama, pins, president, r-nichols, suzanne somersall, SuzanneSomersall, washington dc, WashingtonDc, white house, WhiteHouse

Obama's First Meal As President Has A Lincoln Theme

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Barack Obama may not be able to keep the trim physique he showed off in Hawaii recently for long based on some of the food he'll be served in the next couple of weeks. The menu for the Inaugural Luncheon has been announced. The luncheon traditionally features food from the home states of the new President and Vice President, as well as the theme of the Inauguration. The 2009 inaugural luncheon has been designed to commemorate the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12, 1809) and will feature foods Lincoln would have eaten or enjoyed. The first course will be served on replicas of the china from the Lincoln Presidency.

The menu for this year is:

First Course: Seafood Stew
Duckhorn Vineyards, 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

Second Course: A Brace of American Birds (pheasant and duck), served with Sour Cherry Chutney and Molasses Sweet Potatoes
Goldeneye, 2005 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

Third Course: Apple Cinnamon Sponge Cake and Sweet Cream Glacé
Korbel Natural "Special Inaugural Cuvée,"
California Champagne

Source

Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, inauguration, joe biden, JoeBiden, president

Continue reading “Obama's First Meal As President Has A Lincoln Theme”

South Korea's New President To Donate His Salary

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity

South Korea's new president Lee Myung-Bak seems determined to prove to dedication to the poor. Not only did he pledge during his election campaign to donate his entire fortune (estimated to be around $30.2 million) save for a retirement house in Seoul, but now he has said he will donate his presidential salary to help the underprivileged. CNN reports that he made the pledge during a meeting with reporters on Sunday. He made his fortune as a CEO of an engineering and construction company and when he was the mayor of Seoul from 2002 to 2004 he also donated his salary. He will be donating his salary each year of his five year term. Korea.net says that he received about 16.5 million won ($16,640) in his first presidential pay packet on March 10. Now if only our Presidential candidates would make that kind of pledge.

Source

Tags: expire-images:2009-4-1, Lee Myung-Bak, LeeMyung-bak, president, south korea, SouthKorea

Eat Like A President For $500

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Have you ever wondered what kind of food Presidents eat? Well you now have the chance to find out. The Waldorf Astoria has hosted every U.S. President since Herbert Hoover and they're now offering a four-course presidential menu complete with wine in order to share some of their best presidential creations. The meal includes:

1st Course: Seared Scallop with Osetra Caviar and Potato-Chive Mousseline (Served to President Clinton at the Heads of State Dinner in 2000)

2nd Course: Poached Turbot with Caviar-Champagne Sauce (Served to President Reagan at the Heads of State Dinner in 1985)

3rd Course: Roast Rack of Lamb with Saffron Potatoes, Candied Eggplant and Pickled Onion (Served to President George H.W. Bush in 1992 while entertaining Prime Minister John Major)

4th Course: Chocolate Extravaganza (a favorite of President George W. Bush)

The tasting menu will run you $500, which includes private butler service in a room decorated with U.S. flags and some complimentary presidential amenities/souvenirs. Yum!

Source

Tags: dining, president, waldorf, waldorf astoria, WaldorfAstoria

F.D.R.'s Clock Could Sell For $1 Million

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Auctions

A Pierre Cartier clock that belonged to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is scheduled to go up for auction on December 4th at Sotheby's in Manhattan. Cartier gave the onyx clock with several different time zones (specific to key Allied forces locations in World War II) to the President back in 1943. Letters between Cartier and President Roosevelt regarding the gift are not part of the sale but can be viewed in the FDR Presidential Library in Hyde Park, New York.

The clock comes with a red leather presentation box inscribed with "F.D.R" and is expected to sell for as much as $1 million dollars.

Source

Tags: auction, cartier, clock, F.D.R., FDR, france, french, pierre cartier, PierreCartier, president, roosevelt, sotheby's, sothebys, World War II, WorldWarIi, WWII

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