White House State Visits – State Dinner Edition!

White House State Dinners are the most exclusive, elegant events in Washington, and the highest-level expression of diplomacy and protocol.  And even with all that, they’re a lot of FUN!

The planning starts with the guest list, and this may be the hardest part – ‘cause EVERYONE wants to come, and there’s just not enough room.  The State Dining Room is the traditional venue, but it only seats 140 at round tables of 10.  That may sound like a lot, but it’s not when you factor in all the politicians who have to be invited, the diplomats from our government and the guest country, the major supporters who naturally expect an invitation, and the celebrities who liven up any dinner party.  Diplomats and politicians by themselves would make a mighty dull party, so let’s hear it for the actors, actresses, musicians, writers, poets, painters and assorted creative people who spark it all up!

To make room for more guests the dinner can be moved to a tent on the South Lawn, and that’s what the Obamas are doing, with 400 guests coming on Tuesday for the PM of India.

The Social Office solicits guest suggestions from major White House departments, and I remember sitting in some of these meetings as names were offered and accepted or cut.  I especially remember the meeting for Hungary, when someone suggested a major film maker of Hungarian descent.  I couldn’t believe my ears – this guy had produced and directed a scummy movie about strippers, and then went on TV to urge young teens to evade the NC17 rating by sneaking in to his movie.  Not a perfect White House guest, and I let them all know it.

Beautiful calligraphed invitations go out about a month before, and there’s still plenty of begging from people who absolutely, positively HAVE to be on that list!  Sometimes that works, but usually not.

Major planning begins months in advance on the menu, décor and entertainment.  The White House chef does research on the taste preferences and dislikes of the visiting Head of State.  State Dept has to ask about allergies, ‘cause God forbid a guest gets sick.  Sample menus are suggested to the First Lady, and the dishes that appeal to her are prepared for a tasting, with the Social Secretary and anyone else they want to include.  The pastry chef does research too, and is expected to come up with something so spectacular the guests will all gasp when it’s brought to the table.

The White House has its own Flower Shop, and there’s a new head florist this year who’s also doing her research about what colors and flowers are appropriate for a specific country.  White, for example, is not a good choice for Japan, because there it’s a color of mourning.  Which china will Mrs. Obama choose – the Reagan red and gold, or the Hillary Clinton pale yellow and gold?  Maybe both, to serve 400 guests!

It’s a great honor for an entertainer to be asked to perform at a State Dinner, even though they only get about 20 minutes (Washington politicians have short attention spans.)  And they don’t get paid; they do it for the prestige.  Sometimes the performance is about purely American styles of music and dance, and sometimes it’s about the traditional forms of the guest country as they’ve been adopted and adapted by American artists.  The King of Morocco loves jazz, so he got the Modern Jazz Quartet.  The President of Argentina got an American ensemble, QuinTango, playing tango, and American actor Robert du Vall dancing tango with his Argentine fiancé, and famous Argentine tango dancers Pablo Veron and his elfin and elegant partner.  Since Hillary knew I loved tango, she asked me to arrange the entertainment, and it was the most exciting night of my life!

More about this in the next blog post!

I dance with tango god Pablo Veron at the Argentine State Dinner