Obamas enjoy Valentine's Day dinner in Chicago (SLIDESHOW)

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CHICAGO — President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, spent Valentine's Day at an upscale restaurant Saturday in their hometown.

The Obamas are spending a long weekend in Chicago for their first real break since he became president on Jan. 20. Aides say they have no public events.

The couple left their Hyde Park home on Chicago's south side Saturday evening for a quiet dinner at Table 52, a restaurant owned by Oprah Winfrey's former chef, Art Smith. The menu features traditional Southern fare such as grits and sausage and catfish jambalaya.

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The trip came with a minor hiccup: Obama's motorcade left without the small group of reporters who travel everywhere with the president. The motorcade pulled out of the neighborhood and left the president without media coverage for about 45 minutes, unusual for the news organizations covering Obama and the White House.

Earlier in the day, Obama began his weekend with a familiar trip to a gym in a friend's apartment building. Between his election and inauguration, Obama made the daily trip to his friend's gym. Obama didn't speak with reporters.

Obama's weekend break came as he savored his first big victory in Congress and celebrated Friday's passage of the $787 billion economic stimulus bill as a "major milestone on our road to recovery. "

Officials said he would sign the measure on Tuesday in Denver.

Comments

[neworleanslady68]

Dear Chicago and HuffPost:

F.Y.I.: Catfish jambalaya is not traditional. It may be yummy and it may be a creative twist on more traditional jambalaya bases, but it should not be called traditional. Traditional bases include seafood (shrimp and crawfish), chicken, and local sausage (andouille).

Thank you.

[Ecoutez]

Rockster, for your dissertation also check out (if you haven't already), the film, "The Feast of All Saints." E.Franklin Frazier's Black Bourgeoisie and the fictional books by Frank Yerby who I didn't know until recently was a Black man. He wrote "The Foxes of Harrow," and many others. Good luck in your research.

[Buddhabman]

Just what a normal couple might want to do on Valentines day if they can afford it and get a babysitter. It's cool that Michelle is carrying some leftovers or a desert for later, or maybe something for Grandma, practical and thoughtful as usual.

[trudem2]

They leave with leftovers?! God, I love it!! Hey...... it'd make a great lunch the next day, you know?...
just pop it in the micro for a few minutes...­.and there you go! LOL!!

[QueenCeleste]

I love that they are carrying doggie bags. Why waste food?

[jtmoney]

BOs wasn't carrying food, it was probably the football..­.

[Randall Gregory]

Our economy is in a death spiral. The climate is at a tipping point. Food Banks refusing people due to lack of funds.

Could you please reconsider using the world's largest private jet? It consumes 22,000 lbs. of fuel per hour while dumping tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

Three cargo planes larger than the 747 ferry the limo, helicopters and other assorted vehicles.

Mr. President, Air Force One is "Spiffy", but is it possible to consider a less expensive mode of transportation for non-essential travel? Or take the C5 's out of the equation? Maybe keep a spare limo in Chicago. Keep the 747 for international flights and use a 727 or smaller jet for domestic flights. Americans would appreciate the gesture while sending the message that you're really care.

Alternatively, maybe invite some of your friends to the WH for a BBQ or Luau. Shoot hoops at a nearby school. Invite Sam Choy to prepare a famous Hawaiian dish.

Your trip could have saved; How many homes out of foreclosure? Newly homeless families could you have provided food and shelter for? College educations would your trip have financed? How many jobs could have been created? How much in medical treatments and medicine to families that lost insurance.

I hope you ask yourself; What would Abe do?

I wish you all the best.

[montecarlo408]

How do you suggest he get around? On the flying bike from The Wizard of Oz? Perhaps live in the slave quarters? How about some chitterlings and hog malls for supper with a side of corn pone? Every Presidenial family we have ever had has stormed into the White House and engaged in enormous excess. Michelle Obama recycles outfits, decorates their living quarters with Pottery Barn (expensive for most of us but cheap for Washington elites), and our President is so genuine, he hasn't even bothered to re-decorate the Oval Office (something every President is dying to do the minute he gets in there).

He is the leader of the free world. He worked his butt off to get there, and he deserves the things that are provided to him via his job, especially and including your and the rest of the country's respect.

[noudidnt]

He is black, so unlike G W Bush and the other 42 presidents before him, he doesn't deserve to be treated like the President of the United States.

[conniedogs]

Good point!

[HerbTee]

Having some serious rac.i.al and men.tal issues watching a African American man who is POTUS and leader of the free world flying in AF1 don't you? Yeah, we get it.

[noudidnt]

I mean...for real!

[Bocado]

How about we protect our new President, who is possibly one of the most intelligent, hardest working Presidents that we've had in a long time and give him the same treatment that all other Presidents in the past have received?

I think he deserves it.

[billbee]

I suppose you mean well, Randall. But where were you when Bush was running us into the ground, making no effort to conserve? Where were your timely suggestions for Bush?

Amazing how the first African American POTUS is suppose to do all the impossible, and get it done on terms not asked or expected by the 43 presidents. Moreover, so much of these insane expectations come from those claim to support him.

Not just mustard, Randall, Grey Poupon goddammit, same as for all the others! BO endured more crap than any other candidate in history to get here. He got dumped more problems than any other president. He's already kept that ugly ass carpet the oval office. I say that's enough!

[randman2009]

Obama sold himself and his followers hold him up as the Messiah. He is just being held to a high standard because thats what he promised. And hes failing miserably at reaching the bar he set. So much for an open and transparent government. The Stimulus was the epitome of backroom dealing out of the public realm and he was fine with it. How does that not outrage the perpetually outraged left? They hid the bill from congress and the American people until hours before the vote, and Obama didnt object.

No one criticized Bush for flying somewhere for a Valentines dinner because he didnt preach about the coming apocalypse due to global warning. Obama claims to be so concerned about global warning and fears it will change the world as we know it, but when he and Michelle want Valentines dinner at their favorite place in Chicago, pack up AFO, the limo, and God knows what else and fly back. His one weekend probably exceeded some people's annual carbon footprint. That makes him a raging hypocrite.

[matthewsavage]

he promised the impossible. why else would people say the didnt think they had to put gas in their car and have to pay for their mortgages anymore because the messiah promised the impossible

[River0007]

I want to know who took the pics.

[River0007]

How nice, the press took pics of our Presidents boottty.

[Carsy]

I have no complaints.

[bbflute]

me likey...

[rcwblessed]

That photo definitely caught my eye =p

[Just2stressed]

Yes, they are a great couple, but I wish the media would give them some privacy. It would appear as if they are STALKING the President and his wife. This is just getting to be way too much.

A sexual references posted are just disrespectful. Lets have some class.

[randman2009]

Privacy? Are you kidding? He is the President. That job comes with an army of body guards and a few dozen of reporters whose entire purpose is to document your every move.

[Seven7s]

The trip came with a minor hiccup: Obama's motorcade left without the small group of reporters who travel everywhere with the president.

^^^^

I doubt that was accidental.

[greymom]

How can they call them elitist when they bring home a doggie bag? I love it that they are such ordinary people. Hope those ribs were just as good the second day.

[Babele]

Not sure if it is a doggie bag, but even so, you would never catch the Bushies with a doggie bag. I love doggie bags!!!

[RButler]

I once ate at a seafood restaurant and my date didn't finish her lobster. She asked for a 'dolphin bag'.

[Solph]

You are kidding right? It is an upscale restaurant. I know someone who went there last fall paid upwards of $350 for their meal for two. The food is incredibly overpriced. So, wouldn't you bring home a doggie bag considering what you've paid, and I found it hard to call it doggie bag when the food is so pricey?

[notthistime]

"The trip came with a minor hiccup: Obama's motorcade left without the small group of reporters who travel everywhere with the president. The motorcade pulled out of the neighborhood and left the president without media coverage for about 45 minutes, unusual for the news organizations covering Obama and the White House."

lol yea, call it what you want. i think you were ditched so they could have a moment of privacy.

[diamond83]

The last picture...­hmmm hmm hmm... See that @ss?! Lovely!

[notthistime]

lol

[ChaiKat]

LOL, I was thinking the same thing.

[AChicagogirl]

I'm sorry but I find the sexual comments about the President to be a bit . . . weird.

Yes - President and Mrs. Obama are an attractive couple but that should be the end of it. This sort of makes me think of that NYT essay in which all of these women confessed to having sexual dreams about President Obama. Ick.

He's the PRESIDENT. I hope and he his wife are happy - they look like they are and that is wonderful! But that is between the two of them - they deserve privacy.

This sexualization of him is just disrespectful.

[Just2stressed]

TOTALLY in agreement with that you said. I couldn't have said it better.

[Bocado]

My better half goes on about his gentleman side and his admiration for Michelle, that's about it.
I have to agree with Chicagogirl on this one, the "booty" talk is a bit disrespectful and demeaning.

[noudidnt]

It is creepy. Folks go to www.match.com with that garbage.

[robin50]

Honestly, I knew we had a very handsome president. I had no idea a cute butt was part of the package either.

[Rusty 9696]

BAMA said he would let all bills be open for public review for 72 hours before he signs them. He was criticized for not doing that on the SCHIP bill, nuff said.

[jeun28]

its on the congress site the entire 1100 pages; interesting stuff in it

[ebanks84]

It has been available for review all week and weekend, way past 72 hours. If anyone wants to read it, help yourself.

[RealPlumber]

Hey "Rusty" what ebanks said....nu­ff said?

[Rockster]

It could indeed be dessert for the girls or left overs. What does it matter? -- Doggie bags were invented by and for black people who could not eat in segregated restaurants. (NOT -- LOL) And yes, its a black thang. you wouldn't understand!!

[NoblesseOblige]

Hey, I do understand. White people have used "doggie bags" for years, too. LOL

[Biolante]

lol doggie bags were not invented by or for black people! Who told you that?

[RationalDubSteppa]

What on earth are you talking about?

[noudidnt]

Stop making ish up!

[randman2009]

What? That is one of most idiotic things I've ever heard. Doggie bags were invited by someone who couldnt finish their meal and wanted to bring it home. Dont turn it into some great social struggle throwback. Geez.