White House Hosts "Quintessentially American" State Dinner

At the request of the Chinese Delegation, the White House arranged a “quintessentially American” State Dinner Wednesday evening, complete with a menu, decor and entertainment that reflect some of the nation’s most recognizable offerings.

The menu included a d’anjou pear salad with goat cheese, fennel and black walnuts, followed by poached Maine lobster, with orange glaze carrots and black trumpet mushrooms, then a lemon sorbet. The entree was a dry aged rib eye with buttermilk crisp onions, double stuffed potatoes and creamed spinach. Dessert is old-fashioned apple pie with vanilla ice cream.

American jazz was featured with performances by Chris Botti, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Herbie Hancock, Lang Lang and Dianne Reeves, with support from the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz.

The First Lady wore a red petal print silk organza gown by the late British designer Alexander McQueen.

Guests seen arriving included:

Actor Jackie Chan (no tie) “I’ve been listening the whole morning. They’ve never mentioned about the movie business - how many movies are coming to the US and to China.”

Skater Michelle Kwan, wearing a short dress (skater’s legs) “It’s by Herve Leger”

Justice Stephen Breyer

Honorable Brent Scowcroft

Thomas Friedman

Designer Vera Wang (wearing herself and a stunning necklace, also by herself) - told us the First Lady was not wearing her

Kenneth Roth (Human Rights Watch) “These days the Chinese accept that human rights is a legitimate topic of conversation. They simply don’t implement the principles that they’ve adopted in their own laws and constitution.”

Honorable Henry Kissinger

Secretary Timothy Geithner

Senator John Kerry (D) asked about the change in tone in Congress “You can’t come here with a scorched earth policy and expect to do the nation’s business and serve our greater interests. People need to look for a way to get things done, which is what we did in that month of non lame duck.

James Brolin

Barbara Streisand “It’s my own design.” She was last at the White House during the Clinton years. Asked why she had been invited tonight “I worked in a Chinese restaurant”.

Christiane Amanpour

Honorable Zbigniew Brezezinski

Ambassador Susan Rice

Vogue Editor Anna Wintour (wearing a short Chanel suit) “Will he invest money in Chinese fashion?”

Ambassador Jon Huntsman (rumoured to be running for president against President Obama in 2012) when asked if he will run: “we’re loyal to our country and our President”

Cellist Yo Yo Ma “It’s very exciting”

Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey (R) when asked how he feels as there are not many Republicans coming to the dinner “It just makes me unique once again”

Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago “Go Bears”

Honorable George Schultz

Senator Richard Lugar

Actor B.D. Wong  “Honored, very excited, getting ready and sharing it with my mother”

Representative James Clyburn