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DESTINATIONS WASHINGTON DC | THE US


w travelweekly.co.uk


hen people notice that the Obamas are


here, there’s suddenly a mad rush for the bathroom as you can catch a glimpse of them on the way,” says Rina Rapuano, director of marketing and PR for L’Ardente restaurant, with a smile. She points out Barack and Michelle’s favourite table in the glitzy Italian restaurant where we’re dining – a petrol- blue velvet booth facing the restaurant’s open kitchen and gold-plated pizza oven. Its position means the couple have their backs to fellow diners to avoid too much attention. “They come for date nights and


Mrs Obama sometimes joins us for nights out with friends,” Rina says. I ask for a recommendation from the menu based on the Obamas’ favourite. “They often order our lasagne, which has 40 layers and takes two days to make,” she adds. The showstopping dish soon arrives at our table in a rich sauce with a cloud of parmesan shavings at one side.


I’m in Washington DC,


America’s capital, taking in its city-break highlights. Visiting in the months before the 2024 presidential election, I knew election fever would be in full swing. But it was a particularly hot topic during my trip as two days before I arrived, there was an assassination attempt against Donald Trump, and two days after I’d left, Biden dropped out of the race. Everyone from taxi drivers to tour guides could be found speculating over what might happen in the coming months.


HEART OF THE ACTION Political drama is nothing new for Washington. Iconic buildings, memorials, monuments and traces of its rich history are everywhere. As well as dining like the Obamas, I stay at The Hay-Adams, the hotel where the family lived before moving into the White House. This is a perfect recommendation for clients looking for elegant luxury – and the kudos of sleeping under the same roof as past political greats. While admiring²


19 SEPTEMBER 2024


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