Fanboy moments: Dining (kinda) with Michelle Obama
That's right. We were kind of near her.
Article Tools
The New York outpost of The A.V. Club is just down the block from Gramercy Tavern, where, if you haven't heard, Michelle Obama had lunch today. We saw the word on Twitter and immediately ran down to the restaurant and nabbed a couple of seats at the bar. The experience didn't disappoint. Some notes from dining in the same restaurant as the First Lady:
—Michelle Obama (obviously) has tight security. When we walked in, we were frisked and scanned with metal detectors. Soon after, the Secret Service and the NYPD closed the street (20th Street between Broadway and Park) and refused access to the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. By the time Obama exited the restaurant, a crowd of hundreds had formed across the street.
—Michelle Obama doesn't hide from the crowds. She sat in a corner table, but she sat facing out toward the dining room such that everyone could see her. When she left the restaurant, it was out the front door, and the dining room erupted in applause upon her departure.
—Michelle Obama doesn't make reservations. According to our bartender, the Secret Service appeared around 9:30 a.m. this morning, checked out the restaurant, and told the staff that Obama would be dining there for lunch. Quoth our bartender, "If Michelle Obama comes in, you find a table."
—Michelle Obama goes for seasonal cuisine. We spoke with chef Michael Anthony after Obama left the restaurant, and he reported that she ate "a light seasonal meal," and emphasized a preference for items sourced from nearby. She also told him that her campaign to encourage healthy eating and local food had "just begun."
Now hold on while we continue to bask in the glow...
