Caterina

Agreed but you have to keep in mind import taxes and county or country sales tax. Hence prices.

Stretch: Try the Wijnhuis Restaurant on church street in Stellenbosch, SA. I was part of the team in 1997 worked in SA there for 2. 5 years! Paarl and Franschhoek find great simple food made with passion and have some great eateries also. Beautiful wines and terrior plus outstanding weather and landscape.

To check out...Top Bar Lounge NYC to add to list... 1. Death & Company 433 E 6th street 2. Flat Iron Lounge 37 W 19th 3. Little Branch 20 7th Ave/Leroy

Trummer's on Main. Phenomenal! Beautiful! Historical landmark. A memorable dinning experience overall. Offered dinner at the bar, nice! Try. Trummer's Cocktails a learned craft: The Titanic Trummer's the signature drink and The Sage. Yum! The whole team, Stefan, Victoria amazing team, exceed expectations, anticipate your needs are all very charming and hospitable. Clayton, Chris and Tyler remarkable talented team. Elevated enhanced by the fun and friendly team. Note: The restaurant was crowded. Go check it out. Worth the drive.

O'Connell's Irish Bar on Stora Nygatan in the Old Town 112 king street Old town Alexandria. Out side dinning. very busy/crowded. near water front. Everybody loves an Irish Pub, especially when it is authentic, ... O'Connell's is located on King Street two blocks from Old Town's ...

Every person in this chain adds a mark-up to the bottle: broker, importer, supplier, distributor. This means that the $11.17 bottle most likely costs $1-2 at the source and has been marked up by everyone involved. So that is the bottom line. I could not have agreed more. Mark is the advocate of wine buying. Brilliant! I will come visit you at Rays in VA and we can drink the Macon-Loché without any politics and red tape. We have a date with destiny. BTW- when I was the original wine director at 2941 Restaurant, VA, I fortunately had come up with a plan, buying directly from the source. Wine labeling laws were a challenge. Painfully, I can't do this so easily but I am working on making more changes. Salut

Juice "Content": Speaking of which, from my retail wine shop experience. Retail pricing also varies from one outfit to the next. I.e. Whole Foods (W.F.) have a wine specialist working in their wine department. The wine specialist controls quality and value and is an expert wine buyer. Each W.F., wine department is run independently. The same wines are not mimicked in every W.F., wine department. Hence, I did not find the same wines in Alexandria vs George Town. I.e. W.F. in Alexandria have great pricing and fair markups on their selection of wines, is the overall consensus. It's excellent! I also found many great wines carried in W.F. that I have seen throughout many restaurant's lists, at great prices, which is no surprise to me. These same wines, as the wine market shifted, gradually made there way from restaurants to retail, or vise a versa, i.e.,. W.F. or other retail outfits that specialize in wines. Generally speaking, the bottom line is finding quality and value and having the expertise or specialized wine consultant, knowledgeable in their market and listening to their customers. Wine pricing and mark ups have always been controversial, and vary from wine to wine, at the end of the day, I am also concerned as a buyer and consumer with the actual cost of the wines that I purchase. I always ask for a fair price. I am also paying attention, listening and very concerned for our customers. You will definitely find a selection of wine gems on both sides of the river. There is a big difference in the sales tax also. Anyway enjoy the wine your drink. Has anyone noticed the wine prices in restaurants abroad? It's more of a challenge, interesting and fun, for me to find wines under $20-$30, "esoteric." Thank you Cheers!

Singling out Cafe du Parc, in all of DC because it was tangential to your point -- to raise issues about high wine prices across the board and the perceived value of what you're getting for your money, is very interesting. A winemaker's skill is reflected in the wholesale cost, not in the price the bottle that is marked up in a restaurant. Not knowing what the wholesale cost of the wine is in the restaurant. Normally, if you're paying a standard markup on wine, the restaurant should provide knowledgeable service, good glassware and a wide selection of wines, served at the proper temperatures. Curious: since we are on the subject, knowing that there is also markup on a Mixed Drinks, throughout the hospitality industry, which in some circumstances this also can be considered as a topic for a hot debate. On a positive note, at least, you can feel like you are rewarding a specialized field or artistry of the bartender, mixologist or sommelier. Thank you for your comments very much appreciated.

Yes, it is the wave of the future. We are pushing for change and challenging the bottom line. Thank you for your comments.

Thank you, Mark Slater. Cheers go to the Enlightened One. Very well stated. I agree with everything he said. Caterina

I believe Calvert Woodely might have a way to cut out the middle man. Also they buy in more bulk volume. Which allows them more leverage. I don't believe you can find The Macon-Loche, Domaine Celine & Laurent 2006 everywhere. Just specialty wine shops. 2006 vintage it retails for under $30! Prices are reflected on vintages, what vintage was $16.99? Thanks for the tip I can buy my wines there! If you can find it locally. This lovely lemon-gold Macon offers aromas of apple skin and hazelnut, ripe flavors of lemon citrus. A honeyed taste, with moderate acidity and a firm finish. It's also biodynamic. Importer is Elite Wines. My apologies for your mixed experience.

On The Scotch Bar and Jim. Enjoy! Jim Hewes Educated Drinking: Lessons on Scotch Flavors SCOTCH MAY BE associated with Grandfather's coctkail hour, but the amber libation is no longer inaccessible. The Willard InterContinental recently opened the Scotch Bar at Round Robin with more than 100 malt whiskies. Bartender Jim Hewes, who developed the menu, says, "There's a mystique to it, but [understanding it] isn't rocket science." The menu, divided by region of Scotland, includes a range of ages — the youngest is 10, the oldest more than six decades. "I tried to create a collection that has what people expect to find and also what you can't find anywhere," he says. "Those aren't necessarily the top end, but whiskies that are 10 to 12 years old that they don't make anymore." The "expected" list includes the Glenlivet, while a "prestige" list includes the Johnnie Walker King George V Blue Label, which re-creates the Johnnie Walker blending style from King George V's era. There are four flights of scotch on the menu, but Hewes says he doesn't encourage people to order them. He and the other bartenders can help people figure out which scotch they'll like by asking what other types of liquor they prefer. "I like to let people sip, taste and experiment on a one-to-one basis," he says. "I can tailor a flight for someone based on their tastes." Scotches are available in quarter-ounce ($3-$20) and ounce servings ($10-$75), which gives patrons a chance to try several whiskies at a time. The menu also includes cocktails, such as the Rob Royale, a combination of champagne, malt whiskey and honey. With only a few tables and several seats at the bar, the Scotch Bar is a cozy spot to settle in for the evening and pretend you're taking a vacation to Edinburgh. It's open daily from 4:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. » Willard InterContinental Round Robin, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; 202-637-7348. (Metro Center)

I was so excited for Mark I submitted twice.Yea!

Mark is a maverick. Working with him, a walking wine encyclopedia. Most talented expert in wine that walks our planet. Mark is a great teacher and inspiration. I believe you, this is going to be a great opportunity and more flexibility. No doubt. He will definitely make it one of the best destinations for wine in the nation, "a national destination for wine lovers to explore and discover new and exciting wines." I have a feeling it's going to be amazing! Mark is a great investment! Bravo Team!

Congratulations to Mark, Mark you are the king, this is undisputed. Hope to see you in part two. Exciting! Congratulations to Kathy!

Chefs that are not in the spotlight (yet). Perhaps Chef Nicolas Legret is one of the many best chefs in DC but you haven't heard of (yet). The Willard Room Restaurant has been around for years. Executive Chef at The Willard Room. He’s worked at several of France’s top Michelin-blessed two and three star restaurants, in Paris, in rural France and in Cannes. Chef Legret also worked in the starred-restaurant world, installed at the five-star Mobil-rated Le Bec Fin. Legret was there three years, and helped open Le Mas Perrier. Then he moved as Executive Sous Chef to Sofitel Lafayette Square where Chef Antoine Westermann, the three-star Michelin chef who acts now as consultant for The Willard and who was responsible for bringing Chef Legret on board. We are very fortunate to have him as the Executive Chef at The Willard Room Restaurant. The Willard Room Restaurant is located at the Intercontinental The Willard, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, (202 637 7326)

The Willard Room's Alsatian Chicken Baeckeoffe The Washington Post, February 4, 2009 2 generous servings • Course: Main Course Summary: This “undercover” dish is made in a large ceramic baeckeoffe, but a Le Creuset-style oval Dutch oven can be used. The dough seal helps make the dish authentic; it can be omitted if you tightly seal the pot opening with a piece of aluminum foil, then cover it with a snug-fitting pot lid. The recipe calls for preserved lemons; see the related recipe for Quick Preserved Lemons, or you can buy preserved lemons at some Whole Foods markets (an olive bar item) and at Middle Eastern markets. Frozen artichoke bottoms may be substituted for the fresh ones and are available at Whole Foods Markets. 2 generous servings Ingredients: For the dough collar (optional) • 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups flour, plus more for the work surface • 3/4 cup warm water (about 85 degrees) • 1 teaspoon plus a small pinch of salt • 1 large egg yolk, for glazing the dough collar For the chicken and vegetables • 1/2 preserved lemon (see headnote) • 1/4 cup lemon juice, for acidulating the artichoke soaking water • 3 small (about 12 ounces total) artichokes (may substitute 5 ounces peeled celeriac, from which 1/2-inch-thick curved pieces are cut; reserve in acidulated water until ready to use) • 1 1/3 pounds Roseval potatoes (may substitute Yukon Gold fingerlings; see NOTES) • 2 medium (about 9 ounces total) vine-ripened tomatoes • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 6 (about 8 ounces total) button (baby) or cipollini onions, peeled and trimmed • 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled • Salt • Freshly ground black pepper • 3 pounds young chicken, preferably air-chilled, such as Bell & Evans or Smart Chicken brand, excess skin trimmed • 2 sprigs rosemary • Leaves from 1 sprig of thyme, finely chopped • Leaves from 2 stems of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped • 2/3 cup homemade chicken broth, preferably rich chicken broth (see NOTES) • 1/4 cup store-bought chicken glace, such as Glace de Poulet Gold brand • 6 1/2 tablespoons dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc Directions: For the dough collar: Combine the flour, water and salt in a large mixing bowl; whisk to form a smooth, soft dough. Let it rest in a cool place for 1 hour. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll the dough on the surface so that the dough is 6 inches wide and about 1/4 inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap, folding it over on itself, and refrigerate until ready to use. For the chicken and vegetables: Rinse the preserved lemon half several times with cold water, then remove the rind without any of the white pith. Flatten the rind and cut into large dice. Chef Legret does the next step to make sure the saltiness of the preserved lemon half is completely eliminated: Place the lemon rind in a small saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 1 minute. Drain the lemon rind and place in cold water until ready to use. Place the lemon juice in a bowl large enough for soaking the artichoke bottoms and add enough water so that it will cover the trimmed bottoms. Snap off the woody ends of the artichokes where each spear naturally breaks. Discard the leaves, then the heart. Use a paring knife to trim the rest of the bottom and stem fully, leaving only a green part, looking almost like a bare flower. Cut the artichoke bottoms in half and place them in the bowl of acidulated water to prevent them from turning brown. Peel the potatoes, then use a paring knife to shape or “turn” each potato, if desired, into a small oval or football shape, placing them in a bowl of cool water as you work to keep the potatoes from discoloring. Have ready an ice-water bath. Peel the tomatoes by first scoring their bottoms with an “X,” then placing them in a bowl of just-boiled water for 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer to the ice-water bath. When they have cooled, discard the skins and cut the tomatoes into quarters. Discard the pulp and seeds; lay the remaining tomato pieces as flat as possible; the pieces should resemble slightly rounded, elongated diamond shapes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Have ready an oval Dutch oven or ceramic baeckeoffe. Use paper towels to pat dry the artichoke bottoms and potatoes. Heat the oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat until the oil emits wisps of smoke. Add the potatoes, artichoke bottoms, onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the Dutch oven or baeckeoffe. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper to taste, then place it breast side up on top of the vegetables. Arrange the tomato pieces around the chicken; place the rosemary stems inside it. Sprinkle the pieces of preserved lemon rind and the chopped thyme and parsley over and around the chicken. Add the broth, glace and wine. Place the lid on the Dutch oven or baeckeoffe, then use the dough to seal around the edges of the lid, pressing the dough to create a band that is a few inches wide. Whisk together the egg yolk with a little water in a small bowl. Brush the mixture all over the dough collar as a glaze. Bake for 65 minutes, then transfer to the stove top (off the heat) and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, crack the dough collar and discard it. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board; let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Detach the legs and thighs. Carve the breast halves away from the bone, then cut the breast meat on the diagonal into 4 or 5 slices. Discard the rosemary sprigs. Place the vegetables and the lemon and tomato pieces from the Dutch oven or baeckoffe in the center of 2 plates. Surround with the pieces of sliced breast; divide the remaining chicken pieces between the plates, and pour sauce from pot lightly over and around the chicken. Serve hot. NOTES: Roseval potatoes are used in this dish as it is prepared in the Willard Room but might not be easy to find. They are slightly larger than fingerlings, with dark-red skins and yellow flesh. Here the chef refers to a rich chicken broth, which he makes with vegetables and equal amounts of meat and bone; the ingredients are first long-roasted for added flavor. The broth is cooked slowly and never boiled; it is skimmed during cooking and strained before cooling. Recipe Source: Adapted from Nicolas Legret, chef de cuisine at the Willard Room in the Willard InterContinental Hotel in downtown Washington. Tested by Steven L. Katz and Bonnie S. Benwick for The Washington Post. The Willard InterContinental The Willard Room Restaurant 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC USA, 20004 Tel.202.637.7440 The Willard Room Restaurant Menu inspiration by acclaimed Michelin 3 starred Chef, Antoine Westermann executed by Chef de Cuisine, Nicolas Legret http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinen...ondc-thewillard

Ahh never mind...but...check this out...Inaugural memorabilia may fetch big bucks does this constitute as gouging? Just in case you were curious, you never know....? Inaugural memorabilia may fetch big bucks, By BECCA MILFELD | 1/20/09 4:10 AM EST In 2003, Steve Ferber turned Inauguration trash into treasure — he helped sell a 500-pound Bush podium placard that is now worth $1,500. But don’t dive headfirst into every garbage can along the Obama parade route looking for loot to hawk on eBay. Before you grab a piece of bunting, laminate your Inauguration ticket or rip down a fancy sign thinking it’ll be worth something, consider this: The value of the item will depend on how rare it is and how popular Barack Obama ends up being as president. A number of other confounding variables apply. Contact with or proximity to the president-elect is always a boon. A bound program book belonging to a John F. Kennedy aide who was present at Kennedy’s Inauguration sold for $300 last year through Heritage Auction Galleries. The same goes for anything issued by the official Presidential Inaugural Committee. This includes Inauguration invitations, tickets and posters. On Ferber’s political collectibles website, a ticket for Jimmy Carter’s Inauguration ceremonies lists at $20, and a ticket for the inaugural platform for Kennedy’s Inauguration recently sold for $75. So the button sold by a street hawker won’t have great long-term value, but perhaps the front-row ticket that belonged to a member of Congress will. But the cardinal rule of political memorabilia is that it’s hard to determine ahead of time what will be valuable. “Speculation is speculation, and you need to keep things that mean something to you,” said Marsha Dixey, a historical expert at Heritage Auction Galleries. It’s not necessary to have an Inauguration invitation to snag a keepsake. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has issued millions of Inauguration fare cards with Obama’s image on them — marking the first time the transit system has put a president-elect’s face on the card. But a saturated market means reduced monetary value, and with 5 million paper cards and 40,000 plastic SmarTrip cards available, the Metro ticket machines won’t be spitting out financial windfalls. That hasn’t stopped collectors such as Cary Jung, a Sacramento resident and founder of the Obama chapter of American Political Items Collectors, who has ordered two sets of Metro cards from WMATA’s website. He plans to keep one and sell or trade the other. Some of the cards, which can cost as little as your train fare, were already making a slight profit Saturday on eBay, where nearly 65 sellers were hawking them. The same holds true for special publications. In the days following Obama’s election, newspapers announcing his victory sold for up to $100, according to Ferber. “After the hysteria is over, it will be a lot of years before that same copy will be worth $5,” Ferber said. John F. Kennedy’s election and Inauguration newspapers are now worth only $5 to $10 because so many people bought and kept a copy. The Washington Post will print 2.7 million newspapers — comprising three different editions — Jan. 20 and 21. Washingtonian magazine has upped its newsstand circulation from 75,000 to 155,000 for its January Inauguration issue. These aren’t going to be the type of items that appreciate greatly in value, but they’ll be coveted keepsakes. The streets are already flooded with hawkers. The Washington Post reports that 550 street peddlers have the green light to sell food and mementos downtown — five times the number that came out for George W. Bush’s 2005 Inauguration. Or for a minimum of $949 a night, a stay at the Willard Hotel will get guests a handful of swankier memorabilia, such as complimentary silver inaugural pins from Tiffany & Co., and Pick-Up Sticks for picking up the economy. “We haven’t seen such interest in the 35 years we’ve been in the business,” Ferber said, adding that as long as Obama doesn’t “screw up,” his memorabilia should increase in value. Just how much is unclear. “If you wanted to start collecting, this would not be a bad place to start,” Jung said.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Its Inauguration Weekend, though it may be hard to believe it's finally here. Inspired yet? Ready or Not, Inauguration Weekend is Here Last Edited: Friday, 16 Jan 2009, 7:29 PM EST Created: Friday, 16 Jan 2009, 7:29 PM EST SideBar Related Items Videos Links >> A Capital Change: Inaugural Coverage By Beth Parker FOX 5 reporter Any way you slice it, businesses, residents and visitors all over D.C. are busy getting ready for the main event. "Our goal is to go beyond everybody's expectation," said Courtney Goldian, the pastry chef at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel. "We want to wow every guest." She will do that with elegant white chocolate White Houses filled with chocolate truffles. One will be in each room especially for their guests. The wow for Barry Smith is the weather. He usually pedicabs at Universal Studios in Orlando. He came here hoping to make some extra cash, but he's not sure how that'll go. "Just the amount of people we've heard - ya know," said Smith. "The numbers have varied so much we don't really know what to expect." But somebody's cashing in. Kelly Karr and Dea Napen are Canadians visiting D.C. They considered sticking around for the Inauguration - until they found out what happens to the price of their hotel on Sunday night. "Saturday was a $139 and Sunday was $649," Napen said.

DC hotel opens bar inside a bar In Washington, DC, there is something new besides an administration. The prestigious Willard Intercontinental Hotel's Round Robin Bar is now featuring its own bar, The Scotch Bar. It's a special alcove with its own intimate bar, small seating area and a very broad selection of newly compiled Scotch whiskies, including dozens of labels and ages from each of the regions of Scotland. You can get all the details on The DCist.

Are you a Bahamian? Have you ever been to The Super Bowl, The Olympics even a Rock Concert, ah...how are the prices? Supply meets demand. Millions of people showing up at once at your door, tourists and locals, imagine if you had to serve them and go above and beyond the call of duty and WOW them all? Bahamians hyped over Inauguration? Historical Event for the Nation's Capital. For those businesses and people that worked this event it was a lot of hard work yet exciting. This event created lots of additional if temporary jobs. For those establishments that were OPEN or had to be OPEN celebrating the Bahamian hype this was a huge money trail for local DC. Lots of revenue for the DC local economy for locals to thrive in DC. This event not only supported local business all around. I did not notice any gouging or mark ups in most restaurants or bars, as prices were moderately the same as usual. The streets are closed off, can you imagine working around that? It felt like the Olympics in DC. This was HUGE Event for DC!

It's shocking.

"Nothing to fear but fear itself..." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt .... FDR loved the misquotation and never let it go.. Easily attachable Republican Slogan created and exploited by Democrats. Most slogans get coined or repeated, misquoted all the time...Employment for the unemployed and "a chicken in every pot" were the themes of the times. ... It fits the time and it's Chicken.

Oh Really...... But Franklin Roosevelt was elected to the New York Senate in 1910. .... Employment for the unemployed and "a chicken in every pot" were the themes of the times. ... The Question: Which president promised "a chicken in every pot"? The Answer: It wasn't just chicken. During the presidential campaign of 1928, a circular published by the Republican Party claimed that if Herbert Hoover won there would be "a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage." Despite a landslide victory over Alfred Smith, the first Roman Catholic to run for president, the Republican Party's promise of prosperity was derailed seven months after Hoover took the oath of office. The stock market crash of 1929 plunged the country into the Great Depression and people eventually lost confidence in Hoover. During his administration, however, there were several impressive accomplishments. He increased the acerage of U.S. national forests and parks by five million. He also worked out the engineering and funding of San Francisco's Bay Bridge, and re-organized the FBI. Despite these undertakings, American voters couldn't be persuded to elect him to a second term. With the Depression at its lowest point, voters elected Franklin D. Roosevelt to replace Hoover in 1932.

January 19th, 2009 Bahamians Hyped Over Inauguration By Macushla N. Pinder Down to hours, the hype surrounding the historic inauguration of US president-elect Barack Obama has not dimmed to any degree across America and for some Bahamians, the excitement began long before he was even nominated. According to Diana Wallace, manager at Destinations Mall at Marathon location, bookings for the January 20th inauguration in Washington, D.C. event began as early as June 2008. Mr. Obama did not win the nomination for the key post until August. "People just came in and said they want to go to Washington. ‘We are going for the inauguration.’ And this was back in June. I asked if they were absolutely sure? But, they bought their tickets and booked their hotels," Ms. Wallace said. "Shortly after that, you couldn’t find anything. And back then it would have been a whole lot cheaper than it is now." According to Ms. Wallace, in early November, Destination’s roundtrip airfare to Washington was around $340. If you haven’t booked a ticket and we are hoping to leave on Monday, January 19th, a return date would be difficult to secure. "If you were to leave on January 19th and return on January 22nd – there’s nothing available before then – you may get something for almost $900. But that’s airfare alone," Ms. Wallace said. "We can get you there for a cheaper cost if you’re willing to stay a night in another city." According to an employee of Premier Travel, little over 100 people booked with the Collins Avenue travel agency to attend the January 20th event. "A few people even booked online the same night Obama was elected president," the employee told the Bahama Journal. "I think our bookings began as early as November." Bahamasair promoted an $899 package that included the airfare into Virginia, lodging and transportation at the Renaissance Hotel. US Air offers a non-stop flight to Washington. Today (Monday), that flight was sold out with 124 passengers. In fact, reports are that the flight was oversold by three passengers. For those who were hoping to catch a US Air flight to Washington on January 18th, the only available return was Saturday, January 24th. When last checked, that ticket fare was pegged at $330. Hotel rooms have also reportedly become scarce across Washington and in the neighboring states of Virginia and Maryland. US reports indicate that hotels located along Pennsylvania Avenue, the traditional route of the inauguration parade, have long been booked. "I got calls from Bahamians as far away as Europe, who wanted me to find a hotel in Washington for them. They were willing to stay within a one-hour’s drive. Of course I wasn’t able to find anything, except maybe a Red Carpet Inn in Baltimore, but this wasn’t to their satisfaction, so we didn’t pursue that anymore," Ms. Wallace said. "This was in mid-November. By that time, it was much to late to find anything….Unless you have some family member, I don’t think we would be able to get you anything nearby." Confirming as much were representatives from the historic luxury Willard Hotel in Washington. "Hotels in the entire Washington D.C. are sold out. In fact, our Jefferson Suite, which is very popular because it faces the inauguration parade route, was sold out four years ago for the inauguration, the Journal was told. According to one of the hotel’s reps, the Willard’s standard rooms begin at the inagurual price of $949 a night for a minimum of four nights. Several inagural guests have also reportedly spent thousands of dollars on a special four-night package that entitles them to gifts each evening, including one from Tiffany the jewellers. Reports are that The Fairmont Hotel is offering an "eco-inaugural" package, which includes four nights in a suite filled with organic materials, a ball gown from an organic designer and the use of a hybrid car. It costs $40,000. The US government has printed 250,000 tickets for the swearing-in ceremony. Apart from official inaugural events, including the swearing-in ceremony, parade and balls, many other activities are reportedly scheduled to allow more people to participate. Mr. Obama is expected to join his Vice President Joe Biden on a celebratory train tour to Washington via Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Wilmington, Delaware, and Baltimore, Maryland, on Jan. 17. At last count, a crowd of 4 million strong was expected to attend the historic inauguration of the United States 44th president, Barack Hussein Obama.