Monday morning update
Here we are with some of our favorite people - including Varthur on far left, the first and seemingly ever-present smiling face at Hotel Rouge.
First, I must plug our hotel, the Hotel Rouge. It is funky and fun and oh so considerate! Katharine says it’s the best hotel she’s ever stayed in and I agree.
The service is amazing. After Delta lost our luggage, they really looked out for it and got it to us as soon as it arrived. They served free Chandon champagne on Saturday night. They already plan to give us hand warmers tonight to take to the Mall tomorrow. I love this place!
This morning we will be wandering around and taking in the city until the 2pm reception at the Library of Congress hosted by Reps. Wexler, Klein and Wasserman-Shultz. After that we head over to the Willard Hotel for the New Hampshire State Society reception.
We decided to defer our day of service until we get back. Our plan is to host a sandwich-making party for St. Ann Place, which serves lunch to a couple hundred homeless people every day. We’ve done this before - we pick up free, donated bread from Entenman’s and then add the fixings, package the sandwiches and then take them over to Sister Oliver to put into their freezer for the following week. We hope some of you can join us for that in a couple of weeks! Also hope folks are finding some great service projects at home to honor Dr. King’s memory.
We will meet up with some Palm Beach County people at the reception later and I will send back some pictures and news from them. We found out yesterday that trying to meet anyone at any of these big events would be a hilarious exercise in futility. Part of the fun, though, is meeting all these other people who are flying high with us, giddy at the chance to be on the Mall tomorrow.
I’m writing this long blog now because I won’t be near my computer all day, and sending back emails from my iPhone is tough.
FROM ELLE:
Okay so right now we’re eating breakfast, and this hotel is just amazing, like, I really love it!!!
Today, like my mom said, we’re probably going to just walk around the city and look at stuff, like the memorials, and then later on we’re going to the reception (FOOD!) so we can celebrate, well, you know! Obviously, for the next couple of days, every store, every restaurant, everywhere, every deli, all of the streets, are just going to be JAM PACKED with people from all around the world!!!
We were talking to the taxi driver like, two days ago, and he said that there were people coming from Japan, Argentina, Europe, etc and that the next couple of days, the taxi drivers and bus drivers are going to be rushing in and out of the mall, and business is just going to be FLYING!
Did I already tell you about yesterday’s concert? Well, it had 400,000 people, we read in the newspaper.
Last night we were watching this documentary on Obama’s life on MSNBC.
EVERY NEWS NETWORK HAS SOMETHING GOING ON ABOUT OBAMA! It’s amazing!!! It’s like everywhere you go, it’s about the Inauguration! I guess that I can’t blame anyone, because this is gonna be an awesome couple of days.
I’m POSITIVE that the whole entire city of Washington DC is just going to be just a HUGE party.
So anyway, just to wrap everything up,
WATCH OUT FOR THE CROWDS!!!
Yours,
Elle 
I thought the concert was awesome - Tom Hanks reading of Lincoln’s words moved me to tears.
“Climb every Mountain” - ditto
Garth Brook’s song that he wrote and performed - ditto
Beyonce singing America the Beautiful - ditto
Hi guys! Sounds like the inaugural weekend is amazing. I wish we could be there! Thought you’d like to know that with you in mind, Wendy Harrison and I are sponsoring a sandwich making event at Whole Foods today for St. Ann’s. We posted it on the national servicet web site and are getting more volunteers than we ever imagined. We should be able to drop off tons of sandwiches at St. Ann’s tomorrow. Of course, we’ll join you in your belated sandwich making extravaganza when you return. Hopefully, with slides from the inauguration. Have a great time and tell Katherine we’ll be looking for her at the ball tonight. I hope she’s wearing the red dress so we can spot her on tv. Love Adrienne and company
Ah, my darling daughter! You are such a good reporter. Thank you for all the stop the presses kind of stuff you are sending. SAM and I kept running into each other’s room to cry and hug all during the concert yesterday, and we nearly died when Garth started in. I almost ran and got my “Rednecks for Obama” button but I had to get another box of tissues instead. I’ve got it DVR-ed and can watch it anytime I want from now on. MSNBC is filling the whole day today with inauguration coverage it seems. I can’t wait to hear what Chris, Rachel and Keith have to say about all this, and look forward to your further reportage. Love and kisses, Yo’ Mama
Unbelievable! I have goosebumpbs when I ready the details from my friends and watch the television!! I can’t describe the feeling. Barack is really BIG! The dinner for McCain, including folks under the tent who don’t agree with you, whew!!
Tai is collecting books, many from her room, that she does not ready or use anymore to donate to a school in Western Palm Beach County.
Go Steelers!!!
The concert was phenomenal and I have to agree that Garth Brooks was incredible. My favorite speaker was Samuel L. Jackson. I can’t decide if I liked Stevie Wonder or Will.I.Am best. My only disappointment was that Bono did NOT sing, “No one’s as Irish as Ba-Rack Obama!”
What a great occasion! We are there with you in spirit. Look forward to seeing LOTS of pictures when we’re in Florida.
In the meantime, ENJOY!