President Barack Obama and other leaders wait to move to the site of the official Family Photo at the APEC summit in Honolulu, Hawaii. From left: His Royal Highness Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah; Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda of Japan; President Obama; President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia; Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada. Photograph by Pete Souza
The Hawaiian flavor of this year’s Asia-Pacific summit came not from the world leaders but from the First Lady. Typically when the participants pose for their official photograph, they wear native dress, which would be a floral shirt. But this time around, everyone was in a business suit. Maybe floral doesn’t go with discussing a dismal global economy.
On the other hand, Michelle Obama gave the participants delicate and handsome gifts that according to the White House, reflect the “natural beauty and rich culture of Hawaii. With help from Hawaiian artists, each of these gifts represents a distinct part of the aloha spirit.”
One gift was a sterling silver orchid brooch by Hawaiian artist Wayne Keeth, who uses his own orchids for the casting, “creating a one-of-a-kind piece.” The other was a pair of cufflinks crafted from Koa wood, made by woodturner Keith Maile of Oahu working with designer Kara Ross. The cufflinks were engraved with the words, “Made exclusively for Michelle Obama.”
The summit ended yesterday. Today the President will wrap up his trip to his home state with—what else?—a fundraiser.
Uniquely Hawaiian Gifts at Asia-Pacific Summit
The First Lady’s picks for summit gifts represent the natural beauty and culture of the President’s home state.
President Barack Obama and other leaders wait to move to the site of the official Family Photo at the APEC summit in Honolulu, Hawaii. From left: His Royal Highness Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah; Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda of Japan; President Obama; President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia; Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada. Photograph by Pete Souza
The Hawaiian flavor of this year’s Asia-Pacific summit came not from the world leaders but from the First Lady. Typically when the participants pose for their official photograph, they wear native dress, which would be a floral shirt. But this time around, everyone was in a business suit. Maybe floral doesn’t go with discussing a dismal global economy.
On the other hand, Michelle Obama gave the participants delicate and handsome gifts that according to the White House, reflect the “natural beauty and rich culture of Hawaii. With help from Hawaiian artists, each of these gifts represents a distinct part of the aloha spirit.”
One gift was a sterling silver orchid brooch by Hawaiian artist Wayne Keeth, who uses his own orchids for the casting, “creating a one-of-a-kind piece.” The other was a pair of cufflinks crafted from Koa wood, made by woodturner Keith Maile of Oahu working with designer Kara Ross. The cufflinks were engraved with the words, “Made exclusively for Michelle Obama.”
The summit ended yesterday. Today the President will wrap up his trip to his home state with—what else?—a fundraiser.
Most Popular in News & Politics
Dognapping Is Becoming a Problem in DC. Here’s How Pet Owners Can Protect Themselves and Their Pets.
March for Our Lives Is Planning a Huge DC Protest Against Gun Violence in June
Washington DC’s 500 Most Influential People
DC Spring Animal Sightings, Ranked From Worst to Wildest
Should We Care About What’s Left of the Trucker Convoy?
Washingtonian Magazine
June 2022: 101 Reasons to Love Summer in DC
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
A Johnny Cash Statue Is Coming to the Capitol
LGBTQ Pioneer Barney Frank’s Story Is Now a Graphic Novel
Inside the Effort to Revamp the DC Archives
This DC Poet Was Once the USSR’s Biggest Kid Actor
More from News & Politics
DC Spring Animal Sightings, Ranked From Worst to Wildest
March for Our Lives Is Planning a Huge DC Protest Against Gun Violence in June
Dognapping Is Becoming a Problem in DC. Here’s How Pet Owners Can Protect Themselves and Their Pets.
Should We Care About What’s Left of the Trucker Convoy?
5 Facts About Dumfries, Virginia, the Possible New Home of the Washington Commanders
Trucker Convoy Stragglers Get Kicked Out of Racetrack, Form New Movement, Visit the National Mall, Don’t Go Home
The Trucker Convoy Has Given Up on DC Yet Again. We Tried One Last Time to Find Out What They Wanted.
Number of Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs Hits Record Low