The Inauguration Weekend Superlatives
Inauguration weekend was an absolute mind scramble.
Every night became a blur of fabulously attired people cracking politically correct jokes while hovering over embarrassingly overflowing buffet spreads or waiting in line to drain dry the wealth of open bars.
Wildest Political Statement
Rapper Lupe Fiasco, much to the chagrin of perplexed corporate sponsors and other bigwigs, used his First Amendment right to incessantly lambaste President Barack Obama during StartUp RockOn’s party at The Hamilton. Fiasco drilled the crowd with the same anti-Obama lyrics, culled from his incendiary “Words I Never Said” track, for more than half an hour, a loop that eventually wore down the once upbeat attendees at Saturday night’s party.
Mics were cut, sponsors stormed out, security surrounded the stage. Fiasco kept at it until he was physically forced from the stage.
Most Scrumptious
Mind you, we would be perfectly happy to spend every evening nibbling on savory meats and stinky cheeses, but there was so much more to devour all over town. Did we audibly cheer when we encountered the freshly shucked Choptank Sweets and chilled lobster tails in the 2013 Green Inaugural Ball’s VIP section? Yes. Did we indulge in more than one slice of the striking pear and blue cheese pizzas passed around the home of Atlantic Media Co. baron David Bradley? You betcha.
But our mouths were happiest at — surprise, surprise — the Chefs’ Ball hosted by Art and Soul restaurant. The most moving morsels had to be the delectable chicken and waffles — zesty bird, maple-kissed batter — skewers and heartwarming one-shot ramen bowls.
Best Music
The Root’s Inaugural Ball fed its guests a steady diet of Motown’s finest, featuring classic tunes from The Commodores, Jackson 5 and Stevie Wonder. Couples, young children, senior citizens — heck, even one HOH reporter — could not help but shake their groove thing.
Most Tattooed
As expected, there was a whole lot of body art spread across the youthful, alterna-crowd throwing down at the Planned Parenthood/Rock the Vote inauguration show at the 9:30 Club, as well as the Nevermind the Inauguration event at the Warehouse Theater. But, we must say, there was a surprising amount of ink peeking out from behind the flowing ball gowns and tailored suits floating about the Green Inaugural Ball at the Newseum.
The Big Payback
“This is your moment. America owes you,” Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. told the
Latino Inaugural 2013 event hosted by actress and activist Eva Longoria at the Kennedy Center on Sunday night.
Biden spoke to the star-studded crowd about the contributions of Latinos to the United States — and particularly the effect that the Hispanic vote had on the outcome of the presidential election.
Biden brought his family along for the occasion in a move that looked — and sounded — remarkably like a campaign event.
“You are about to become, and already are, the most powerful force in U.S. politics,” he said to the audience.
The night marked the first time a vice president has attended the Latino Inaugural event, emphasizing the growing and critical role of the Latino vote in presidential elections.
It was a sentiment Obama echoed in his inaugural address Monday, saying now was the time for changing the immigration system.