Apple, this year's pardoned turkey, enjoys the view from the W Hotel's roof deck.
Being the traditional presidentially pardoned turkey may be a pretty good life—this year’s bird will live out the rest of his at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate—but the bird never had accommodations as nice as he did the night before his White House visit.
The California-raised “Apple,” along with the alternate turkey, “Cider,” was the centerpiece of a tradition begun in 1947 under President Truman, in which American turkey growers have presented a bird to the White House. This year, the fowl duo had a special treat: their own room at the W Hotel, a block from the White House, complete with wood chips instead of furniture and a W “munchie box” filled with treats including cornmeal, acorns, and cranberries rather than the chocolates and pretzels that welcome most guests.
While Apple’s human chaperones—National Turkey Federation chairman Yubert Envia and Ira Brister, a production manager at the birds’ home farm—looked on, he even roamed the hotel’s roof deck overlooking the Mall. That perch affords a better view of Washington than nearly any turkey has ever had, seeing as the domesticated versions that end up on dinner tables mostly can’t fly.
This article first appeared in the January 2011 issue of The Washingtonian.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
This Year’s Pardoned Turkey Spent a Night at the W Hotel
Hello, is this room service?
Being the traditional presidentially pardoned turkey may be a pretty good life—this year’s bird will live out the rest of his at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate—but the bird never had accommodations as nice as he did the night before his White House visit.
The California-raised “Apple,” along with the alternate turkey, “Cider,” was the centerpiece of a tradition begun in 1947 under President Truman, in which American turkey growers have presented a bird to the White House. This year, the fowl duo had a special treat: their own room at the W Hotel, a block from the White House, complete with wood chips instead of furniture and a W “munchie box” filled with treats including cornmeal, acorns, and cranberries rather than the chocolates and pretzels that welcome most guests.
While Apple’s human chaperones—National Turkey Federation chairman Yubert Envia and Ira Brister, a production manager at the birds’ home farm—looked on, he even roamed the hotel’s roof deck overlooking the Mall. That perch affords a better view of Washington than nearly any turkey has ever had, seeing as the domesticated versions that end up on dinner tables mostly can’t fly.
This article first appeared in the January 2011 issue of The Washingtonian.
Subscribe to Washingtonian
Follow Washingtonian on Twitter
More>> Capital Comment Blog | News & Politics | Party Photos
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
Most Popular in News & Politics
Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall
Smaller Crowds, Big Emotions for Army’s 250th: What We Heard Around DC
MAP: Road Closures for Trump’s Military Parade
Man Jumps From AU Radio Tower in Apparent Suicide
DC Pedestrian Killed by Truck Carrying Tank From Trump’s Parade, Kristi Noem Went to Hospital for Allergic Reaction, and Most Virginia Primary Results Are In
Washingtonian Magazine
June Issue: Pride Guide
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
How Would a New DC Stadium Compare to the Last One?
The Culture of Lacrosse Is More Complex Than People Think
Did Television Begin in Dupont Circle?
Kings Dominion’s Wild New Coaster Takes Flight in Virginia
More from News & Politics
Trump Roams White House in Search of an Audience, Dismay in Richmond Cost Levar Stoney, and Miss Pixie’s Will Close
DC Pedestrian Killed by Truck Carrying Tank From Trump’s Parade, Kristi Noem Went to Hospital for Allergic Reaction, and Most Virginia Primary Results Are In
Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall
Army Says Tanks Didn’t Damage DC’s Streets; Trump Attends, Leaves G-7 Summit; and an Alligator Got Escorted Out of Fairfax
5 Things to Know About the New Trump Smartphone
PHOTOS: Army 250 Festival and Parade
Trump’s Damp Military Parade Overshadowed by Weekend of Political Violence, Protests; Dems Turn Out Early for Virginia Primary; Washington Post Journalists Hacked
How Would a New DC Stadium Compare to the Last One?