Obamas Honor Stevie Wonder

They may even grow hops in White House garden

(NEWSER) - The Obamas turned heads in the beer world when word broke that they’d served something called White House Honey Ale at their White House Super Bowl party. It turns out that ale was indeed brewed by White House chefs, using homebrewing equipment the Obamas bought out of their own pockets and honey from the White House beehive, the Obama Foodorama blog reports. And there’s more to come. More»

Obamas host celebration of Detroit sound

(NEWSER) - The White House grooved to the Motown sound at a star-studded celebration Thursday night. Before artists including John Legend, Seal and Jamie Foxx took the stage, President Obama called Motown music "the soundtrack of the civil rights era" and credited the Detroit sound with helping "blur the line between music that was considered either black or white," AP reports. More»

Michelle Obama wore Naeem Khan, and other tidbits

(NEWSER) - Didn't have a ticket to the country's hottest social event? No worries. Here's the who and what of last night's state dinner honoring Indian PM Manmohan Singh:

• The outdoor tent was decorated with local, sustainably harvested magnolia branches and ivy; centerpieces of hydrangeas, roses, and sweet peas evoked India's state bird, the peacock.
• Obama greeted his guests in Hindi.
• Michelle wore a strapless, silver-sequined, cream-colored gown custom-made by Naeem Khan; it reportedly took three weeks to complete the dress—with 40 people working on it.

Mayda Del Valle, ELEW among invitees

(NEWSER) - Check off another campaign promise. President Obama is hosting the White House’s first-ever poetry slam, part of his vow to open up “the people's house” to artists, WNBC-TV reports. The 100 guests include actor James Earl Jones, writer Michael Chabon, jazz musician Esperanza Spalding, and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda. “To see our nation’s talent and be part of history is amazing,” says one guest. More»

White House social secretary brings marketing savvy to the role

(NEWSER) - The White House is the jewel in the crown of the Obama brand and it’s her job to promote it, White House social secretary Desirée Rogers tells Amy Chozick of the Wall Street Journal. Rogers has taken the event-organizing role to a new level, Chozick writes, and unlike her predecessors, has made herself a powerful presence in the West Wing as well as the East. More»