Michelle Obama will host dinner for spouses of the G20 in Pittsburgh at Teresa Kerry's farm

[karynnj]

The First Lady is getting ready to roll out the red carpet for her international counterparts. Tomorrow, she heads to New York to watch the President's United Nations General Assembly address. Later that day, she'll attend lunch hosted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's wife, before she and the President host a reception for Heads of State and Government that evening.

But the real work comes Thursday, with the start of the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh. She and the President welcome the leaders and their spouses at the city's botanical gardens. That evening, she hosts a spouses dinner at Rosemont Farm, the estate of Teresa Heinz, Senator John Kerry's wife. Mrs. Obama has advocated for eating locally grown foods and so the dinner will feature produce and livestock from the farm.

"My family and I hold Rosemont Farm close to our hearts," said Mrs. Heinz in a statement released by the White House, "I look forward to sharing our Farm with our honored guests from across the world and am thrilled to have the opportunity to show them the natural and local beauty Pittsburgh has to offer."

The Pittsburgh Philharmonic Orchestra's Jazz Trio will also be on hand to entertain the group.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/09/michelle-obama-international-hostess.html

[livetohike]

1. Such a showcase for my hometown....they will have a great

visit :-). The leaves are changing and it's a beautiful time of year to be here.

[MonteLukast]

26. I'm a little late to the thread, but...

I love this news! Who better to promote good local food than Teresa?

This came out just before the 2004 election and I can't believe I missed it then...

[livetohike]

27. Thanks for this link

:hi: I didn't see this article before. Theresa Heinz Kerry defines class. Too bad she didn't become our First Lady.

[karynnj]

28. She really does and the media (other than a few things like this) completely distorted her

One of the articles on the selection of Pittsburgh spoke of how their revitalization was started by their philanthropists and that it was Teresa, in the 1990s, who initiated the effort. ( http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09258/998065-482.stm?cmpid=newspanel1 ) In addition, Teresa was a major force in making Pittsburgh the greenest city - leading by example - making her office green and pushing for the convention center, that she among others funded, green. In addition, she has founded and hosted an annual conference that deals with issues like environmental toxins, women's health and cancer.

None of this made it in to common knowledge. How anyone could have compared this brilliant, accomplished, serious, caring woman negatively to Laura Bush is beyond me. She and the Senator make an amazing couple.

[Cha]

2. That will be nice

to see some pictures from Teresa's Rosemont Farm.

How nice to have all this come together with the Kerrys and the Obamas on so many levels.

[LisaM]

3. This really sounds excellent

I really like Teresa Heinz Kerry. I thought she would have made an excellent First Lady. I suppose it's a little bittersweet for her to host this, but she is very gracious.

[karynnj]

4. She really became a friend to Michelle during the primaries

In Pittsburgh THK introduced Michelle, who spoke of how supportive THK was when she was criticized by the media as they twisted her words. I think, like Michelle, who is a wonderful First Lady, people would have been shocked at how wonderful Teresa really is.

It is interesting that this year, she went with Kerry to Pakistan, Sudan, Syria, Israel and the Gaza strip. I was impressed that she went with him to the Gaza strip even though they were not allowed to take their security people. That visit meant a lot in the Arab world. She also went to China with him. In many of these country's her background as well as who she is likely helped.

[LisaM]

6. Wasn't she UN translator?

Which makes this a natural event for her.

[karynnj]

9. Yes - before she was married

She was said to speak something like 5 or 6 languages fluently.

[Captain Hilts]

5. I agree. She - like most Dem spouses - was unfairly trashed by the press.

At the Quebec Conference:

ER: What a drag!
CC: I'm bored shitless too!

[Phx_Dem]

7. They get to do all the fun stuff (pout, stamp foot)!

:cry:

Sounds awesome and I can't wait to see the pictures, Jackeens! :*

[monmouth]

8. Mrs. Heinz Kerry would have been more precise, but I'm just picking a nit....n/t

[karynnj]

11. Absolutely correct

I should have written it that way. She even signed my "This moment on earth book" as Teresa Heinz Kerry.

[monmouth]

12. Hahha, the Heinz Farm, Mrs. Heinz...Easy enough to do...n/t

[wisteria]

10. Oh, it sounds like a wonderful time for all. These are the times I wish I had money,

so that I could hobnob with these important people.

[PA Democrat]

13. The botanical gardens they are visiting are at Phipps Conservatory

http://phipps.conservatory.org/about-phipps/index.aspx

[karynnj]

14. Wow - gorgeous!

That looks like a very classy fairy land.

[PA Democrat]

17. It is near the campuses of the University of Pittsburgh and

Carnegie Mellon. It's one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh.

[karynnj]

18. If entrance to it is free or inexpensive for students it has to be a

wonderful place for a break when things get hectic.

I can see why it is one of your favorite places.

[PA Democrat]

19. It's free to Pitt students.

When I was a student there, I loved to wander around the conservatory and surrounding grounds. It was a little piece of paradise.

[Cha]

15. Thank you, PA Dem, for

those gorgeous pics of the Pittsburgh Botanical Gardens!

[TwilightGardener]

23. Yep--love Phipps.

[PopSixSquish]

16. Wow - I'll Bet That's Going to Be a Beautiful Event

Putting in my request early for a Jackeen's picture thread...

[politicasista]

20. Yay Michelle! Yay Momma T!

Sounds like an awesome event. :kick:

[goclark]

24. I am so jealous! Ms. goclark would love to be there

I would come out of retirement to spend a month helping to plan events for Michelle Obama.

That would be so magical ~ that staff must be awesome, just awesome!

Everything seems to go so beautifully and with such class and yet down to earth.

[politicasista]

25. I am so jealous too.

Being Michelle Obama's dinner party planner would be an ideal dream job. IMO.

I am glad they are doing this. This sounds like it's going to really memorable. :hi:

[Iwillnevergiveup]

21. Everyone is in for a grand time

with Teresa Heinz Kerry and Michelle Obama working behind the scenes. Whatta class act.

I went to Pitt undergrad and fondly remember schlepping off to the Cathedral of Learning from the dorms above Forbes Avenue, running up to Squirrel Hill where I once saw Ike & Tina Turner, and going to Panther games. Good education, good times.

[ensho]

22. kick for the Botanical gardens and spouses dinner at a farm

super