TMZ Likes The Buff, Dirt-Eating President

Football and swimming photos from Hawaii vacation: "Pretty ripped for a 50-year-old"...
Gossip site TMZ today posted a whopping 121 "exclusive" photos of President Obama playing football on the beach during his tropical Christmas vacation. The photos had the headline "President Obama EATS DIRT in Shirtless Football Game," and TMZ said they were taken on New Year's Day at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. (Above: A screengrab from the site)

TMZ praised the President for his physique, calling him "pretty ripped for a 50-year-old," and also lauded the Presidential "cajones."

"Don't let anyone tell you Barack Obama lacks cojones -- because this weekend in Hawaii, the POTUS himself sacrificed his body to make a diving catch in a hardcore beach football game," TMZ wrote.

Obama daughters Malia and Sasha also appear in some of the photos, which depict a family romp in the surf of Kaneohe Bay. There were far less physical First Family activities the rest of New Year's Day, the last full day of the vacation.

On New Year's Day, the President arrived at the Base at 7:41 AM, and the temperature was "about 70 degrees, with light to moderate rain, plenty of clouds but also some peeks of a rising sun to the east," pool reported. Held far from the action at the local Starbucks, the pool had no idea the President was playing football or taking a swim with his daughters, rather than working out in the Base gym. The President and his entourage departed the Base at 9:18 AM.

"Obama -- who's pretty ripped for a 50-year-old -- makes some shockingly athletic plays ... diving for catches, tossing up some Hail Marys, and juking people all over the place," TMZ wrote.

The President celebrated his 50th birthday on August 4, 2011, with a big party at the White House.

TMZ sent the photos out to all news media after posting the images, with instructions that they can only be used until January 11, and posts in electronic media must link to their site. Obviously: View more photos here on TMZ. Above, The President eats dirt....

New Year's Day Dinner: President Obama Visits Nobu Waikiki Restaurant

The end of a family day spent honoring the Dunhams...
After spending a quiet New Year's Eve in his rental compound in Kailua, President Obama capped a New Year's Day filled with paying homage to his maternal family, the Dunhams, with dinner at one of the best sushi restaurants in Hawaii, Nobu Waikiki. The first Presidential dinner of 2012 came after a visit to the grave of Mr. Obama's grandfather Stanley Dunham, and a visit to an exhibition of his mother Ann Dunham's field work in Indonesia, at Honolulu's East-West Center. (Above: The First Family, including a niece, at the East-West Center)

Joined by First Lady Obama, family, and friends on Sunday evening, the President arrived at the chic restaurant at 7:55 PM. Located in the "perennially hip" Waikiki Parc Hotel, the restaurant, an ultra high-end global chain, bills itself as "yet another canvas for Chef Nobu Matsuhisa to display his legendary dishes."

The Presidential dinner, close to three hours long, included Lobster and Foi Gras in the chic dining room under sea-urchin inspired chandeliers. The New Year's Day menu was a special multicourser for $15o per person. It opened with Ozoni soup and Yamaimo Tofu, with Caviar, Uni & Wasabi Umami Gelee, followed by a "Seafood Duo" of an Oyster Shooter and Salmon Ceviche with Ikura.

Next was Seared Oh-toro with Yuzu Miso & Crispy Carrot Salad, and Butter-Poached Lobster with Curry Foam, Lobster Essence & Thai Basil Oil. A Duck Trio finished the rich mix of tastes: Duck Rillette, Crispy Tuile, Blood Orange Gelee; and Roasted Duck Breast, Baby Bok Choy with Mushroom Chips & Ginger-Soy Reduction; and Seared Foie Gras with Apple-Pear Compote & Toasted Hazelnuts. Assorted sushi was served in between the courses.

The Presidential motorcade returned home after 11:00 PM. The visit to Nobu was the third Presidential fine dining outing of the vacation: He also took family and friends to Alan Wong's Restaurant and to Morimoto restaurant, both in Honolulu. There was also a shave ice run to Kailua's Island Snow, an annual pilgrimage.

A day of Dunham: A visit to Punchbowl Cemetery and East-West Center...
The President's day began with a morning visit to the grave of his maternal grandfather in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. Mr. Dunham and his wife, Madelyn Payne Dunham, raised the President from the age of ten on Hawaii, while his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, worked in Indonesia. Mr. Dunham passed away on February 8, 1992. (Above: A photo of the President in Hawaii with his grandfather, mother, and sister)

Arriving at 10:39 with his family, the President spent 11 minutes at the cemetery, located in the Pu'owaina Crater (Punchbowl), known as the "Hill of Sacrifice" in ancient times. It has dramatic views of downtown Honolulu. The Dunhams hailed from Kansas, and during a recent trip there to give an important speech on his economic policy, the President hailed his family as "the Obamas of Osawatomie."

The First Family, joined by the President's half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, then traveled to Honolulu's East-West Center at 11:00 AM, to view an exhibit on the anthropological field work of the President's late mother, "Through Her Eyes: Ann Dunham's Field Work in Indonesia." Dunham was an East-West Center graduate student fellow in the 1970s. (Above: The President and daughter Sasha at the East-West Center)

"At the president’s suggestion, the family also made an unscheduled visit to the Center’s Japanese garden, where the family held a memorial service for Dunham after she passed away in 1995," noted the Center on its website.

"The Obamas spent a few moments looking at the carp in the stream, and the President spoke of his parents meeting on the Manoa campus. He told his daughters that he had played in the garden as a child."

Soetoro-Ng has worked as a consultant for the East-West Center, and now teaches at a local university.

From the Center's catalog on Ann Dunham's work: "This exhibition includes photographs taken during her years of field research in Indonesia as well as personal artifacts which include examples of metal smithing, jewelry, leather work, textiles, ceramics, and basketry made in the villages of Indonesia. Dunham’s personal art and artifact collection has been augmented by some recent purchases, in order to give wider context to her work in Indonesia. She was not only concerned with connoisseurship, she also purchased common items that reflected what people made and used."

The First Family departs Hawaii on Monday to return to Washington, DC.

Information: Nobu Waikiki is located at 2233 Helumoa Road Honolulu, HI 96815. Phone: 808.237.6999.

*Top photo by AP/pool; second East-West Center photo courtesy of the East-West Center.

Private New Year's Eve For President Obama

Kailua, Hawaii: President Obama did not leave his rented vacation compound the entire day on Saturday, and marked New Year's Eve in private with his family. After dismissing the press pool shortly before 4:00 PM, the White House did not release details of how President Obama bid 2011 farewell. The First Family usually has an impromptu talent show on New Year's Eve, with skits and songs.

Early on Saturday, the President signed the controversial H.R. 1540, the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012," having it sent to Hawaii so he could sign it personally rather than by auto pen, according to aides. The President immediately issued a 13-paragraph statement about provisions he objected to, and vowed to "interpret" the measure.

The vacation has been relatively quiet, and included a visit to Pearl Harbor to lay a wreath at the Memorial. There have been two dinner excursions in Honolulu: The President dined at Alan Wong's Restaurant, and at Morimoto restaurant the night he arrived, on Dec. 23. There was an annual pilgrimage to Island Snow for shave ice; four rounds of Presidential golf, daily workouts, and plenty of beach and tourist time for the President and First Family. Christmas was the President's only major 'public' outing; after celebrating with his family, he visited troops and families at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

Mrs. Obama brought daughters Malia and Sasha to MA'O Organic Farms for a pizza party with Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass and local chef Ed Kenney at the beginning of the vacation.

The President's final weekly address for 2011:



The President is scheduled to return to Washington on Jan. 2, 2012.

Final Push For "Dinner with Barack and Michelle"

President Obama, staff send e-mails & tweets as contest & finance quarter end at midnight...
UPDATE, Jan. 6, 2012: Second "Dinner with Barack" contest turns into lunch
The final push for 2011 Campaign donations was on Saturday, with tweets and e-mails from President Obama and OFA staff as the midnight deadline loomed for the fund raising quarter in general and the "Dinner with Barack and Michelle" contest in particular.

On vacation in Hawaii, the President sent a brief e-mail to supporters: "About the deadline tonight: It matters," he wrote. $3 got auto-entry into the dinner contest, the third time the President has raffled himself off as a dinner date. Deputy Campaign Manager Julianna Smoot also sent an e-mail about the dinner for eight.

"If you're interested in potentially sitting across from the President and First Lady for a meal sometime soon, this is your very last chance to throw your name in the hat," Smoot wrote.

The Campaign introduced a way to donate directly off cell phones on Saturday, and National Finance Director Rufus Gifford also sent an e-mail, with the subject headline "I know, I know, I know," since OFA is aware they are in overkill mode.

"Trust me: Nobody here wants to be a bother. But we're counting on everyone..." he wrote.

The First Lady e-mailed supporters on Friday. Former Obama aide Reggie Love is the latest from the President's inner circle to promote the dinner.

The President dined with the four winners of the first dinner contest in October at The Liberty Tavern, but has yet to dine with the four winners of the second contest. OFA recently released a new video of the Eater in Chief talking about the first dinner, which followed five previously released videos. Entries don't require a donation, and the assigned retail value of the dinner, $1,600, which includes airfare and a one-night hotel stay, is taxable to the winners.

The President's e-mail had the subject line "Hey."

The text:

XXXX --

About the deadline tonight: It matters.

If you can, please give $3 or more today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Midnight

To 2012,

Barack
###

Smoot's e-mail had the subject line "Enter by midnight tonight."

The text:

XXXX --

Today, the last day before 2012, we want to make sure you take the chance to be part of something special.

Before midnight tonight, donate $3 or whatever you can to be automatically entered to have dinner with the President and First Lady sometime soon.

And, don't forget -- if you're one of the winners, you'll get to bring a guest along with you.

So, if you're interested in potentially sitting across from the President and First Lady for a meal sometime soon, this is your very last chance to throw your name in the hat.

Donate $3 to be automatically entered to have dinner with Barack and Michelle:

https://donate.barackobama.com/By-Midnight

Good luck, and happy new year.

-Julianna

Julianna Smoot
Deputy Campaign Manager
Obama for America
###

President Obama's Last Weekly Address 2011

Transcript & video...
On vacation in Hawaii, President Obama on Saturday wished Americans a "Happy New Year" as he made his last address of 2011 from his rental compound in Kailua. He called on Congress to finish its job with economic legislation in 2012, and vowed to protect the middle class.



The transcript:

Hello, everybody. As 2011 comes to an end and we look ahead to 2012, I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year.

The last year has been a time of great challenge and great progress for our country. We ended one war and began to wind down another. We dealt a crippling blow to al-Qaeda and made America more secure. We stood by our friends and allies around the world through natural disasters and revolutions. And we began to see signs of economic recovery here at home, even as too many Americans are still struggling to get ahead.

There’s no doubt that 2012 will bring even more change. And as we head into the New Year, I’m hopeful that we have what it takes to face that change and come out even stronger – to grow our economy, create more jobs, and strengthen the middle class.

I’m hopeful because of what we saw right before Christmas, when Members of Congress came together to prevent a tax hike for 160 million Americans – saving a typical family about $40 in every paycheck. They also made sure Americans looking for work won’t see their unemployment insurance cut off. And I expect Congress to finish the job by extending these provisions through the end of 2012.

It was good to see Members of Congress do the right thing for millions of working Americans. But it was only possible because you added your voices to the debate. Through email and Twitter and over the phone, you let your representatives know what was at stake. Your lives. Your families. Your well-being. You had the courage to believe that your voices could make a difference. And at the end of the day, they made all the difference.

More than anything else, you are the ones who make me hopeful about 2012. Because we’ve got some difficult debates and some tough fights to come. As I’ve said before, we are at a make-or-break moment for the middle class. And in many ways, the actions we take in the months ahead will help determine what kind of country we want to be, and what kind of world we want our children and grandchildren to grow up in.

As President, I promise to do everything I can to make America a place where hard work and responsibility are rewarded – one where everyone has a fair shot and everyone does their fair share. That’s the America I believe in. That’s the America we’ve always known. And I’m confident that if we work together, and if you keep reminding folks in Washington what’s at stake, then we will move this country forward and guarantee every American the opportunities they deserve.

Thanks for watching, and from Michelle, Malia, Sasha, Bo and myself, Happy New Year.

###

Shave Ice Run: President Obama Visits Island Snow In Kailua

The President loves the frozen treat, and the store's logo t-shirt, too...
President Obama's Christmas vacations in Hawaii are a series of deja vu outings: He visits the same places each year. Last night, with the First Lady and a group of family and friends, the President dined at Alan Wong's Restaurant in Honolulu, as he's done each year of his presidency. Today, he brought the First Family for their annual pilgrimage to Island Snow, a surf shop that serves the best shave ice on Oahu. It's located in a small shopping mall in Kailua, close to the Presidential vacation compound. (Above: Last year, the White House released this photo of the President's Island Snow run on Dec. 27, with daughters Malia and Sasha and friends)

Mr. Obama wore a Chicago White Sox cap and sunglasses as he entered the store with a party of about fifteen after arriving at 3:35 PM. They spent about twenty minutes browsing and ordering shave ice, which is like a sno cone, but with crushed, fine ice, doused with fresh tropical juices. It's also served topped with sweetened condensed milk, called a "snow cap," or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The President doesn't like such additions, however.

"I'm a plain shave ice guy," he announced during last year's visit. His "favorite" combo is cherry and lemon-lime.

The visit came after the President spent four hours at Pyramid Rock Beach on Marine Corps Base Hawaii with his family and friends. Mrs. Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha visited Island Snow earlier in the vacation, before the President arrived.

A mob of about 60 gathered in the parking lot and on the sidewalk in front of a row of shops next to Island Snow, armed with cell phone cameras held over their heads to try to get a photo of the President. (Above: The President wore a t-shirt emblazoned with the store's name on Wednesday afternoon during a visit to Sea Life Park with Malia and Sasha).

While on island, Mr. Obama has remained out of public view--and out of the press pool's view--for most of his vacation, and there was no hand shaking with the crowd as he returned to the motorcade after the shave ice run. He departed at 3:58 p.m. Christmas was the exception to the privacy rule: After celebrating with his family, the President had a mess hall meet n' greet with troops and their families at the Marine Base.

The motorcade had more than a dozen vehicles, including nine Chevrolet Suburbans, pool noted. (Above: The President waves from the motorcade)

Other food outings: Last Friday, the President dined with family and friends at Morimoto restaurant in Honolulu. Mrs. Obama brought daughters Malia and Sasha to MA'O Organic Farms for a pizza party with Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass and local chef Ed Kenney at the beginning of the vacation.

The President has played three rounds of golf since arriving on island, and worked out at the Marine Base daily. He has no public events scheduled, and is due to return to Washington after Jan. 1.

Information: Island Snow is located at 130 Kailua Road, #115, Kailua, HI. Phone: (808) 263-6339.

*Top photo by Pete Souza/White House; second by AP pool

Honolulu: President Obama, First Lady Dine At Alan Wong's Restaurant

Special Chef's Tasting Menu: A three-hour dinner with friends and family at a favorite island haunt...
A long day of Hawaiian golf on Wednesday gave President Obama an appetite for dinner at what is regarded as his favorite island fine dining establishment: Alan Wong's Restaurant in Honolulu. The chef himself told Obama Foodorama last month that he was expecting a visit from the President and First Lady Obama during their Christmas vacation. (Above: The President arriving at Wong's last year for dinner; it is an annual vacation tradition)

"They're adventurous eaters," Wong said of the Obamas. The acclaimed chef, who sources locally and sustainably for his modern Hawaiian cuisine, cooked the special APEC Leaders Dinner the President and Mrs. Obama hosted in late November at the Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu.

The President was personally greeted by Wong when he arrived with Mrs. Obama at the restaurant at 8:00 PM, and they dined on a special five-course Chef's Tasting Menu, for a party that lasted almost three hours. The First Couple were seated with ten friends and family at their "usual" table in the main dining room, what Wong describes as the "feng shui" table. Mr. Obama's half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, who lives on island, was in the party.

Everyone enjoyed the special 5-course tasting menu. Wong typically offers tasting menus at the restaurant, but this one was specially created for the President: "The tasting menu normally offered to regular diners is not being offered tonight due to demands on the kitchen," pool reported. The Presidential tasting menu featured the "Sassey Salad" and bacon-wrapped pork loin. There was also an appetizer of 3 kinds of special butter, sourced from 3 different local dairies. The tasting menu was priced at $75 per person, or $105 with wine pairings.

The President's favorite entree at the restaurant, according to Wong, is Twice Cooked Soy Braised Short Ribs with Ko Choo Jang Sauce. His favorite dessert is called "The Coconut," and is Haupia Sorbet in a Chocolate Shell fashioned to look like a coconut, with Tropical Fruits and Lilikoi Sauce (passion fruit). Wong served both at the APEC Leaders Dinner.

Other patrons were also in the dining room as the Obama party enjoyed their evening. The restaurant is on the third floor of an office building, and offers no views of the ocean--but it is highly secure. Attempts by fellow diners to take Presidential photos were discouraged by White House aides. The President and Mrs. Obama departed after 11:00 PM to return to their island rental home in Kailua, about a half hour's drive across the island from Wong's restaurant, which is located near the apartment President Obama lived as a boy.

Wong has guest-cheffed at the White House, cooking for a huge South Lawn luau the President and Mrs. Obama hosted in 2009. A post about the President's visit to Alan Wong's in 2009 IS HERE.

The dinner outing is the President's second of the vacation: Last Friday he dined with family and friends at Morimoto restaurant in Honolulu. Mrs. Obama brought daughters Malia and Sasha to MA'O Organic Farms for a pizza party with Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass and local chef Ed Kenney at the beginning of the vacation.

The President's partners earlier in the day for a 7 1/2-hour game at at Ko'olau Golf Club in Kaneohe were island friends Mike Ramos, Greg Orme, and Bobby Titcomb. The President has played two other games of golf during his vacation, at the Klipper Course at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

CNN reporter Peter Morris happened to be dining at Alan Wong's on Wednesday, and gave insider details as the President's press pool was held outside the restaurant for the entire time, "enjoying" the humid Honolulu evening from their location by local fast food joint Zippy's, up the block from Wong's: "Pool did not see POTUS leave the restaurant and was not close enough to even make an attempt."

Information: Alan Wong's is located at 1857 King Street, Honolulu, HI, 96826. Phone: 808-949-1939.

President Obama's Message For Kwanzaa 2011

"Blessings for a happy and healthy new year"...
From his holiday vacation in Hawaii, President Obama today issued a statement sending "our warmest wishes to all those celebrating Kwanzaa" on behalf of himself and First Lady Obama. Apparently the First Family is marking the African American holiday, which begins today.

"We celebrate Kwanzaa at a time when many African Americans and all Americans reflect on our many blessings and memories over the past year and our aspirations for the year to come," President Obama said.

He noted that though many Americans are suffering right now, challenges can be overcome through "the spirit of unity, or Umoja."

"As families across America and around the world light the red, black, and green candles of the Kinara this week, our family sends our well wishes and blessings for a happy and healthy new year," President Obama said.

The President worked out this morning in the gym at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, before taking his family and friends on a hiking excursion through the hills above Kailua Bay, on the Lanikai Pillbox Hike. After, he returned to the Base to play golf with companions. A post about the Presidential Christmas celebration is here.

The President's full Kwanzaa statement:

"Michelle and I send our warmest wishes to all those celebrating Kwanzaa this holiday season. Today marks the beginning of the week-long celebration honoring African American heritage and culture through the seven principles of Kwanzaa -- unity, self determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

We celebrate Kwanzaa at a time when many African Americans and all Americans reflect on our many blessings and memories over the past year and our aspirations for the year to come. And even as there is much to be thankful for, we know that there are still too many Americans going through enormous challenges and trying to make ends meet. But we also know that in the spirit of unity, or Umoja, we can overcome those challenges together.

As families across America and around the world light the red, black, and green candles of the Kinara this week, our family sends our well wishes and blessings for a happy and healthy new year."
###

CLICK HERE for all 2011 White House holiday posts. CLICK HERE for all Holiday Photos of the Day.

History Of The 2011 White House Menorah

While President Obama celebrated Christmas in Hawaii, the White House did not forget that it's still Hanukkah, which ends on Dec. 28th. This new video, released today, gives the background on the special menorah that was used for the President's Hanukkah reception, held in the Grand Foyer on Dec. 8th before Hanukkah began.

The menorah is dedicated to General Joseph T. McNarney, who served as the Commander in Chief of United States Forces in the European Theatre from November 1945 to March 1947. It was created in a displaced persons’ camp after World War II, the White House said, and loaned to for use by The Jewish Museum, New York.

The Presidential Hanukkah reception featured a kosher menu with very different dishes than were served at all other Presidential holiday receptions, and last week, the White House released a video showing the kitchen being koshered for the event. The President's Hanukkah greeting is here.

CLICK HERE for all 2011 White House holiday posts. CLICK HERE for all Holiday Photos of the Day.

The Obamas Celebrate Christmas 2011 In Hawaii

Dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; gifts, caroling, church, and baby wrangling at Marine Corps Base Hawaii...
President Obama celebrated Christmas with the First Family and a close circle of friends in Hawaii, caroling, opening gifts in the morning, and enjoying Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner at his rental compound on Kailuana Place in the town of Kailua, on Oahu. The most amusing moment of Christmas came as the President held 8-month-old Cooper Wall Wagner for a photo op during a Chritmas dinner mess hall meet n' greet at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The baby stuck his fingers in Mr. Obama's mouth as his parents, Captain Greg Wagner, 25, and Meredith Wagner, 27, looked on, laughing. (Above: The baby in action with the President, in a White House photo)

The President smiled and joked that the baby was thinking "I want some of that big nose.'"

Another baby, Adeline Valentina Hernandez Whitney, remained asleep as the President held her, while First Lady Obama cooed appreciatively.

"She's very excited to meet the president,'' Mr. Obama deadpanned about the one-month-old.

The White House released broad details about the Presidential Christmas.

Christmas Eve...
“After making holiday telephone calls to U.S. service members last night, the President sat down with his family for Christmas Eve dinner," the White House said. The President called ten service members. Mrs. Obama also worked the phone on Christmas Eve, taking questions from kids wanting to know Santa's whereabouts through the NORAD Santa Tracker. (Above: A White House photo of the President making his calls)

Mrs. Obama told one young caller that she and the girls had been praying that the President "would be able to be with us" in Hawaii for Christmas; he'd been trapped in Washington, DC, by the House Republican standoff over the pay roll tax cut extension.

"We were all praying and praying, and asking Santa, and the tooth fairy, and every fairy they could think of," Mrs. Obama said.

Christmas Eve dinner for the First Family typically is steak, macaroni and cheese, vegetables, and pie, according to Mrs. Obama. "We only have steak" on Christmas eve, the First Lady told a a group of young patients during a holiday visit to the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC.

"Our girls love macaroni and cheese," Mrs. Obama said. "We have pie. Loooots of pie. The President looooves pie."

White House assistant chef and Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass arrived in Hawaii last week with Mrs. Obama, and was reportedly on cooking duty.

The President also played golf at Marine Corps Base Hawaii for almost 5 1/2 hours on Christmas Eve, joined by Kass, his personal aide Marvin Nicholson, Chicago friend Eric Whitaker, and Hawaii friends Greg Orme, Mike Ramos, and Bobby Titcomb. Ramos and Ticomb are boyhood friends, and attended Punahou School with the President. Titcomb, a commercial fisherman, was arrested in April on suspicion of soliciting a prostitute, and it makes headlines anew every time he joins Mr. Obama for golf.

Christmas Day...
The First Family gathered on Christmas morning "around 8 a.m. to open their gifts," the White House said. No gift details were released, but last week President Obama made a shopping run to an Alexandria, VA Best Buy, where he purchased "Just Dance 3" and "The Sims 3 Pets," which he said were for daughters Malia and Sasha. (Above: The First Couple poses with a family)

The Obamas "ate breakfast and sang Christmas carols before departing for church services," the White House said. They arrived at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay Chapel at 11:08 AM local time, clad Aloha casual for the religious observance. The President wore a navy polo shirt and khakis, while the First Lady and Sasha wore sleeveless floral dresses. Malia was in a white dotted swiss dress.

The President and Mrs. Obama returned to the Base at 3:36 PM to greet troops and their families in Anderson Hall, where the President had his run in with the babies. The Obamas had an outfit change from church: The President was dressed casually in khakis and a checked dress shirt with sleeves rolled up; the First Lady wore a yellow-green cardigan, teal camisole and a green patterned skirt.

The First Couple went from table to table, where the troops and their families were enjoying a Christmas dinner that included ham, potatoes, and stuffing. They greeted families, signed autographs, and posed for pictures, wishing all 'Merry Christmas' and 'Mele Kalikimaka,' the Hawaiian version of the salutation. President Obama asked a boy and a girl what they had gotten for Christmas (Legos and dolls, were the answers).

"Feliz Navidad," he said to a Latino family.

In the evening, the First Family celebrated with Christmas Dinner at home, according to the White House. No menu was released, but the White House in 2010 released a Christmas Day dinner menu that read, simply: "Steak, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans, Pie."

The President arrived in Hawaii on Friday evening with First Dog Bo in tow, exactly a week after Mrs. Obama arrived with their daughters and aides, including Kass. No time was wasted in celebrating the start of the vacation: The President took family and friends out to dinner on Friday night at Morimoto Waikiki. The chic sushi/Asian fusion restaurant in Honolulu is owned by chef Masaharu Morimoto, best known as a star of the TV show Iron Chef/Iron Chef America.

Mrs. Obama, Kass, and the girls last Monday visited M'AO Organic Farms, where they had an aloha-style pizza party, joined by local chef Ed Kenney, who cooked Mrs. Obama's APEC Spouses Luncheon in November.

The President will be in Hawaii through January 1, and has no public events scheduled.

CLICK HERE for all 2011 White House holiday posts. CLICK HERE for all Holiday Photos of the Day.

*Updated

*Photo at top, by Pete Souza/White House was Photo of the Day for the White House website on Dec. 26; inset photo by Pete Souza/White House; others by Getty/AP pool.

President Makes Christmas Calls To Troops

Mele Kalikimaka from Hawaii...
President Obama "made phone calls to 10 American service members stationed around the world from his vacation rental home in Kailua, Hawaii," on Christmas Eve, according to the White House.

The President and First Lady Obama's Christmas message for 2011, released on Saturday, focused on thanking the troops, and this season the holiday celebration at the White House was also focused on the military.

Mr. Obama was clad in golf gear as he made his calls: The President got in a 5-1/2 hour Christmas Eve game on the course at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, joined by Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass, White House Trip Advisor Marvin Nicholson, Chicago friend Eric Whitaker, and Hawaii friends Mike Ramos, Greg Orme and Bobby Titcomb.

Mrs. Obama was also busy on the phone on Christmas Eve: She took questions from kids wanting to know Santa's whereabouts through the NORAD Santa Tracker.  The First Lady fielded queries and advised kids to go to bed for almost forty minutes.

The President arrived in Hawaii on Friday evening with First Dog Bo in tow, exactly a week after Mrs. Obama arrived with their daughters and aides, including Kass. Held up in Washington, DC, by the Republican House Members' standoff over the payroll tax cut extension, no time was wasted in celebrating the start of the vacation: The President took family and friends out to dinner on Friday night at Morimoto Waikiki. The chic sushi/Asian fusion restaurant in Honolulu is owned by chef Masaharu Morimoto, best known as a star of the TV show Iron Chef/Iron Chef America.

The President will be in Hawaii until January 1, and has no public events scheduled.

CLICK HERE for all 2011 White House holiday posts. CLICK HERE for all Holiday Photos of the Day.

*Photo By Pete Souza/White House

Michelle Obama Answers Phone Calls From Kids With NORAD Tracks Santa Program

In Hawaii, First Lady helps hi-tech Santa tracking operation...Transcript of the calls...
While President Obama hit the links in Hawaii on Christmas Eve, First Lady Michelle Obama took calls from kids across the US who were looking for Santa Claus with the NORAD Tracks Santa program. Above, in a White House photo, Mrs. Obama reacts while talking on the phone; she answered the kids' calls for about 40 minutes from Kailua, where the First Family is staying in a beachfront rental. The holiday program is run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

“It is wonderful to be part of this holiday tradition. I love answering calls from children who were anxious to learn where Santa was and when he would arrive at their home," Mrs. Obama said in a NORAD statement. "I passed on to each child the current location of Santa and reminded them that he would come to their house only after they were in bed sleeping."

Mrs. Obama answered the calls, "Hello, this is First Lady Michelle Obama with NORAD Tracks Santa. How may I help you?," then gave the kids Santa's location using NORAD's global Santa Tracker. She asked about Christmas wishes, and advised the kids that Santa doesn't show up until they're in bed.

"Santa only comes to your house after he knows you're asleep. So no matter where he is in the world, you've got to be asleep, okay?" Mrs. Obama told more than one child.

Santa was flying between Finland and Turkey during Mrs. Obama's stint as NORAD operator; Hawaii happens to be the last stop on his global gift journey, and he's carrying a payload of a magical 73,500 pounds, according to NORAD. Mrs. Obama participated in the annual event last year while on vacation, too, and advised kids to leave cookies for Santa and veggies for the reindeer. She gave the same advice this year.

The NORAD Tracks Santa website receives millions of unique visitors from hundreds of countries and territories around the world, and a live Operations Center is occupied for 25 hours with more than 1,200 volunteers each year who receive hundreds of thousands of phone calls and emails, according to the White House.

President Obama golfed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii after arriving on island to join his family on Friday night, when he took friends and family to dinner in Honolulu at Moritmoto Waikiki. Senior Policay Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass was in the golf gang; he arrived with Mrs. Obama last week.

The First Family typically enjoys a Christmas Eve dinner of steak, macaroni and cheese, and plenty of pie, Mrs. Obama said during a holiday visit to the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC.

"We have pie. Loooots of pie. The President looooves pie," Mrs. Obama said. "All kinds of pie."

The President and Mrs. Obama's holiday message is here.

CLICK HERE for all 2011 White House holiday posts. CLICK HERE for all Holiday Photos of the Day.

More on Norad, from the White House: The NORAD Tracks Santa program began in 1955 after a phone call was made to the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The call was from a local youngster who dialed a misprinted telephone number in a local newspaper advertisement. The commander on duty who answered the phone that night gave the youngster the information requested - the whereabouts of Santa. This began the tradition of tracking Santa, a tradition that was carried on by NORAD when it was formed in 1958.

The transcript of the First Lady's calls:

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the First Lady
_____________________________

For Immediate Release
December 24, 2011

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY

TO CHILDREN

WHILE TRACKING SANTA WITH NORAD

Via Telephone

11:03 A.M. HAST

OPERATOR: You're connected, ma'am.

MRS. OBAMA: Hello, this is the First Lady, Michelle Obama. How may I help you?

MRS. HARRIS: Hi, I have my daughter right here. She'd like to speak to you.

MRS. OBAMA: I would love to speak to her. Is her name Summer?

MRS. HARRIS: It sure is.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, I'm ready for Summer.

MRS. HARRIS: Here she is.

SUMMER: Hello.

MRS. OBAMA: Hi, Summer? Is this Summer?

SUMMER: Can you tell me where Santa is?

MRS. OBAMA: I can. Right now, I am looking at the tracker and I can see a dot on the satellite screen. It says that Santa, right now, is flying over Finland. So right now --

SUMMER: Wow.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah, he is over Finland. And I can see a glowing light, and it looks like, from the satellite, that he's got all nine reindeer with him, and it looks like his sleigh is pretty full. It looks like a full sleigh of toys. So I hope you've been good this year. Summer, have you been?

SUMMER: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: What are some of the things you want from Santa?

SUMMER: A Clawdeen Monster High Doll.

MRS. OBAMA: Uh-huh. Sounds exciting.

SUMMER: With a pair of shoes.

MRS. OBAMA: With the shoes? Excellent. Well, it looks like Santa has got a lot of toys ready for good little boys and girls, so -- but Santa only comes to your house after he knows you're asleep. So no matter where he is in the world, you've got to be asleep, okay?

SUMMER: Okay.

MRS. OBAMA: I know it's an exciting night, but you've got to settle in, cuddle up, and in the morning, Santa will arrive, okay?

SUMMER: Uh-huh.

MRS. OBAMA: All right. Well, merry Christmas, Summer. Thanks for calling.

SUMMER: Thank you, First Lady.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay. Bye-bye, sweetie.

SUMMER: Bye.

OPERATOR: Okay. Hi, ma'am.

MRS. OBAMA: Yes.

OPERATOR: We have Owen and Kaelyn Brayden on the line. I'm going to patch them through.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, sounds good.

OPERATOR: Thank you.

MRS. OBAMA: Hello?

MRS. BRAYDEN: Hi, is this Mrs. Obama?

MRS. OBAMA: Yes, it is. This is Mrs. Obama. How may I help you?

MRS. BRAYDEN: Well, we were just calling to see where Santa is at right now.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, well, let me check the tracker, because -- do I have some callers on the line who are interested in finding out where Santa is?

MRS. BRAYDEN: You do.

MRS. OBAMA: Who's there?

MRS. BRAYDEN: (Inaudible.)

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, my goodness. Have they been good all year?

MRS. BRAYDEN: They have this year.

MRS. OBAMA: That's excellent. Well, it looks like, from the tracker, that -- I see a little dot flashing, and it looks like Santa is just flying over Estonia.

MRS. BRAYDEN: Oh, okay. Well, my kids wanted to ask you a question; so did my brother, if you don't mind.

MRS. OBAMA: Sure.

MRS. BRAYDEN: Well, thank you.

KAELYN: Hi, Mrs. Obama.

MRS. OBAMA: How are you, sweetie?

KAELYN: I'm good. How are you?

MRS. OBAMA: Good. What's your question?

KAELYN: I would like to know, how many fireplaces do you guys have in the White House?

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, gosh, that's a very good question, and I should know. There's almost a fireplace in every single room, and there are dozens and dozens of rooms.

KAELYN: Oh, my gosh. That's really cool.

MRS. OBAMA: But the fireplace that we -- that Santa usually comes down in our -- in the White House is in the Yellow Oval Room. Yeah, that's where we put our Santa tree. And he usually comes down that one, and that's where Malia and Sasha get their gifts. What about you? Where's your Christmas tree?

KAELYN: It's in our family room or our living room.

MRS. OBAMA: That's exciting. Isn't this, like, the best night of the whole year?

KAELYN: Yeah, I'm really excited. (Laughter.) If you don't mind, my little brother would like to ask you one more question.

MRS. OBAMA: Sure.

KAELYN: Okay, have a merry Christmas.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, you, too.

OWEN: Hi, Mrs. Obama.

MRS. OBAMA: Hi, sweetie. How are you?

OWEN: Good. How about you?

MRS. OBAMA: I'm doing great. Just excited that it's Christmas Eve. Aren't you?

OWEN: Yes, so am I. I was wondering, when will Santa be in Abbottstown, Pennsylvania?

MRS. OBAMA: He kind of moves -- right now, he's over Estonia. But generally, he can hop all across the globe at any time, because he doesn't get to your house until you're asleep, and kids go to sleep at different times. So right now he's in Estonia, according to the NORAD tracker. But he will be at your house as soon as every child in the house is asleep.

OWEN: Okay.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah, so you want to make sure you get to bed early, and the sooner you go to sleep, the sooner he'll be there.

MR. BRAYDEN: Well, thank you for the advice. What do you want for Christmas this year from Santa?

MRS. OBAMA: Who, me?

MR. BRAYDEN: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, my goodness. I have what I wanted for Christmas: the President is here with us, and we're all together as a family. I think we were all praying and praying, and asking Santa, and the Tooth Fairy, and every fairy that they could think of -- that's what Malia and Sasha were doing -- that he would be able to be with us on Christmas.

MR. BRAYDEN: So cool. How nice to talk to you, Mrs. Obama. We really appreciate it.

MRS. OBAMA: Thanks so much. You all have a merry, merry Christmas.

MR. BRAYDEN: You, too. Have a great Christmas, Mrs. Obama.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, we will. Bye-bye.

KAELYN AND OWEN: Bye.

OPERATOR: Hello, ma'am, I'm going to connect you with Victoria, Tenabrie, and Victor.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, sounds good. Hello, this is the First Lady. Who's on the line, and how may I help you?

MRS. BATTLE: Say, "Victoria."

VICTORIA: Victoria.

MRS. OBAMA: Is it Victoria? Are there some other kids on the line as well?

MRS. BATTLE: Tenabrie, Victor --

MRS. OBAMA: Sounds great. How are you guys doing on Christmas Eve?

VICTORIA: We're doing good.

MRS. OBAMA: Are you excited?

VICTORIA, TENABRIE AND VICTOR: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: So, we've got a house full of excited kids over here. (Laughter.) How can I help you? Are you looking for Santa?

VICTORIA, TENABRIE AND VICTOR: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: All right, let me look on the radar tracker. So, okay, I've spotted a little dot, flashing dot that is over -- right now, Santa's sleigh is over the country of Latvia. And he's delivering toys there. It looks like he's got all nine reindeer with him. And it looks like that sleigh is pretty full -- yep, that's what the experts here are saying. We're getting a close-up shot, and it looks like he's got a lot of toys in his sleigh. Pretty exciting, huh?

VICTORIA, TENABRIE AND VICTOR: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: So, he's out there -- he's out there working hard; his busiest night of the year. So right now he's delivering toys to the good little boys and girls in Latvia. Have you guys been good this year?

VICTORIA, TENABRIE AND VICTOR: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah? What are some of the things you want for Christmas?

VICTORIA: I want an iPad.

MRS. OBAMA: You want an iPad? What else?

TENABRIE: An Xbox.

MRS. OBAMA: Xbox -- (laugter.) Sounds good. Sounds very exciting. Isn't this the best night of the year?

VICTORIA, TENABRIE AND VICTOR: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah. Well, we're very excited. And I know -- it sounds like you guys have been good kids, right?

MRS. BATTLE: Mrs. Obama?

MRS. OBAMA: Yes?

MRS. BATTLE: Victoria has a question for you, please.

MRS. OBAMA: Absolutely.

VICTORIA: Is Rudolph on the -- with the reindeers?

MRS. OBAMA: It looks like the -- because there's a little flashing light on this tracker, and the experts think that it is probably Rudolph who's leading the sleigh this year. So he's out there. (Laughter.)

MRS. BATTLE: Good to hear. We called earlier, and he was over China.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, well, he's moving fast. But now he just passed -- he comes to your house after you've gone to sleep. So he can pop all over the world, so as soon as you guys are asleep he'll be in your neighborhood, okay?

VICTORIA: Okay.

MRS. BATTLE: We're going to bed early tonight.

MRS. OBAMA: That sounds like a great idea. I think we're going to have an early bedtime, too.

MRS. BATTLE: Well, thank you for taking the time to --

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, this is one of the best things I get to do every year. You all have a very merry Christmas, okay?

VICTORIA, TENABRIE AND VICTOR: You, too.

MRS. OBAMA: All right.

MRS. BATTLE: Merry Christmas.

MRS. OBAMA: Bye-bye.

OPERATOR: Ma'am, we're connecting you to Jared Smith, from Wichita, Kansas. And his mother just wanted to let you know that he is special needs.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, absolutely.

OPERATOR: All right, and here you go.

MRS. OBAMA: Hello, this is Mrs. Obama. How can I help you?

MRS. SMITH: Hi, my name is Annie Smith, and my son, Jared Smith, he's special needs, and I'm sure he'd like to talk to you. And he wants to know where Santa is.

MRS. OBAMA: Absolutely, I would love to talk to him.

MRS. SMITH: All right, here he is.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay. Hi, Jared?

JARED: Hi.

MRS. OBAMA: This is the First Lady, Michelle Obama. How are you?

JARED: Good.

MRS. OBAMA: Are you looking for Santa?

JARED: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: Let me take a look at the satellite tracker. I'm here with all of the experts; they've got all this special equipment. Wait a second, I see a flashing light -- I see one, and it looks like -- yep, yep, the light is Santa. They're closing in on it, and they see his sleigh. There are nine reindeer pulling it, and it looks like it's full of toys. He's over the country of Lithuania right now. Wow, he's all the way in Lithuania. But he's moving pretty fast -- lightning speed. But this super-special equipment here can track him at any speed; they can track missiles and satellites, and they can track Santa as well.

So he's out there, working hard. Are you ready for him to come to your house?

JARED: Yeah, ready to come to my house.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay. Well, he only comes after you've gone to sleep, okay?

JARED: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: All right. I know you've been very good this year, right?

JARED: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah, well, then he's going to come -- he's going to come. He's got your name on the list. Okay?

JARED: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: Well, thanks so much for calling, Jared. I know you're going to have a merry Christmas, okay?


JARED: Okay.

MRS. OBAMA: All right. Take care, sweetie.

JARED: I will.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, bye-bye.

JARED: Bye.

MRS. SMITH: Thank you so much.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, my goodness. Thank you all, and have a very, very merry Christmas.

MRS. SMITH: You, too. Be blessed, and have a good year.

MRS. OBAMA: You, too. Take care.


MRS. SMITH: All right. Thank you very much. Bye-bye.

MRS. OBAMA: Bye-bye.


OPERATOR: Hi, ma'am. Yes, we have -- we've got Taylor and Logan on the line.

MRS. OBAMA: Taylor and Logan, all right.

OPERATOR: Okay, we're connected.

MRS. OBAMA: Hi. Taylor, Logan, are you there? This is the First Lady, Michelle Obama. How can I help you?

TAYLOR: I see you watching TV.

MRS. OBAMA: Are you watching TV? Are you waiting for Santa to come?

TAYLOR: Uh-huh.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah? Have you been good this year?

TAYLOR: Uh-huh.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah? Tell me one of the best things you've done this year.

TAYLOR: Help my mom out with Logan.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, awesome, awesome. Well, that's exactly the kind of good little helper that Santa brings toys to. Do you want me to tell you where he is?

TAYLOR: Mm-hmm.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, I'm going to look at the satellite. They have a lot of cool machines here that track Santa. Oh, look -- oh, I can see a dot. I can see a dot. It's Santa -- it's definitely Santa. And he's over the country of Belarus. He's all the way on the other side of the planet, but Santa is fast, and he can get to any house in seconds. And he's going to come to your house after you've gone to bed, okay?

TAYLOR: Uh-huh.

MRS. OBAMA: All right. You've got to make sure you're fast asleep though. Are you going to leave Santa some cookies and milk -- maybe some vegetables for the reindeer?

TAYLOR: Uh-huh.

MRS. OBAMA: All right, awesome. Well, you keep being a good boy, okay? Keep helping your mom out, all right?

TAYLOR: Uh-huh.

MRS. OBAMA: And have a very merry Christmas, sweetie, okay?

TAYLOR: Uh-huh.

MRS. OBAMA: All right. Bye-bye.

TAYLOR: Bye.

OPERATOR: Hi, ma'am, I have Samantha and Patrick on the line for you.

MRS. OBAMA: Samantha and Patrick, okay.

OPERATOR: Okay. I'm conferencing you in.

MRS. OBAMA: Hello? This is the First Lady, Michelle Obama. Are Samantha and Patrick there?

SAMANTHA: Hi.

MRS. OBAMA: Hi. How old are you guys?

SAMANTHA: My brother is five, and I'm seven.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, great. Are you excited about tomorrow?

SAMANTHA: No, I'm already seven.

MRS. HANDRIZAN: No, are you excited about tomorrow? (Laughter.)

SAMANTHA: Yes. I'm very excited about tomorrow, because I want presents so bad.

MRS. OBAMA: It's so exciting, I know, I know. Well, I can tell you where Santa is right now -- you want to know?

SAMANTHA: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, I'm looking at the satellite screen, and he is over the country of Ukraine. Wow, that's a far, far away place. But I can see from the Santa tracker that he's got his sleigh full of toys, and -- oh! He's got all nine reindeer pulling the sleigh. He looks very busy. But they are -- they're out and about. Santa is delivering toys as we speak. Have you been a -- have you guys been good boys and girls this year?

SAMANTHA: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah? What's one thing you want for Christmas?

SAMANTHA: I always wanted a (inaudible) and a (inaudible).

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, that sounds good. Great.

MRS. HANDRIZAN: What else would you like for Christmas?

SAMANTHA: And a snow ball with reindeer.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, wow. That sounds great. Well, I know that you are going to have a very exciting Christmas. But you know what?

SAMANTHA: What?

MRS. OBAMA: Before Santa comes to your house you have to be fast asleep, okay?

SAMANTHA: No, I'm always asleep. I always snore.

MRS. OBAMA: All right, that's good. That's great. Well, if you do the same thing he's going to be there in the morning when you wake up, and it's going to be great!

SAMANTHA: Yeah, but can I say something?

MRS. OBAMA: Yes, please.

SAMANTHA: Once, when I was downstairs, I ran up the stairs and then I turned on the light and I saw Santa.

MRS. OBAMA: Did you see Santa? What did Santa say when you saw him?

MRS. HANDRIZAN: What did he say?

SAMANTHA: He said, merry Christmas, and put me to bed. (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA: Well, you are a lucky little person, because not many people get to see Santa delivering toys.

SAMANTHA: And I didn't even get to see (inaudible). (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA: Well, you all have a very, very merry Christmas, okay?

SAMANTHA: Okay. Merry Christmas.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay. Take care, you guys, and happy New Year.

MRS. HANDRIZAN: Merry Christmas. Happy New Year to you, too. Thank you.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay.

SAMANTHA: Wait, wait -- can I -- I want a (inaudible) that I can put everything to get.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay.

SAMANTHA: But most -- we both wanted a humongous slide so he can zoom all over the house and stuff, where we want it.

MRS. OBAMA: Wow, that sounds cool. You guys are some lucky kids.

MRS. HANDRIZAN: Do you want to say merry Christmas, too?

SAMANTHA: Merry Christmas!

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you, guys. Merry Christmas.

SAMANTHA: Thank you.

MRS. HANDRIZAN: Thank you.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, bye-bye.

SAMANTHA: Merry Christmas!

MRS. OBAMA: Merry Christmas.

OPERATOR: Okay. Ma'am, I have little Isabella, from Indiana.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay.

OPERATOR: Too cute. Okay, here we go, patching you through right now.

MRS. OBAMA: Hello?

MRS. STEIN: Hello?

MRS. OBAMA: This is the First Lady, Michelle Obama. How can I help you?

MRS. STEIN: Okay, I'm going to let you talk to Isabella here.

MRS. OBAMA: All right.

ISABELLA: Hi.

MRS. OBAMA: Hi, Isabella?

ISABELLA: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: How are you, sweetie?

ISABELLA: Good.

MRS. OBAMA: Good. Are you excited that it's Christmas Eve?

ISABELLA: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah, this is a very exciting night, isn't it?

ISABELLA: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: What can I do for you?

ISABELLA: Nothing. (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA: Do you want to know where Santa is? I can help you with that.

ISABELLA: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay. All right, let me look on the satellite tracker. We've got some really great equipment here, and it tracks everything in the sky, so -- oh, look, I see a flashing light. Oh, my goodness -- oh, my goodness, it looks like it's Rudolph pulling Santa's sleigh. And it's full of toys. And right now, the sleigh is over the country of Romania. Wow. Isn't that cool?

ISABELLA: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah. Well, it looks like Santa is out and about, and he's busy this year delivering toys to all the good little boys and girls. Have you been good this year?

ISABELLA: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Yes? What is one of -- tell me a good thing that you've done this year.

ISABELLA: Clean my room.

MRS. OBAMA: You cleaned your room? That's awesome. I mean, that's just the kind of good little helper that Santa loves to bring toys to. So it sounds like you're going to have a very merry Christmas, right?

ISABELLA: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Well, thanks for calling, sweetie. Is there any -- do you have any other questions?

ISABELLA: No.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay. Well, you have a merry Christmas, sweetie, okay?

ISABELLA: Merry Christmas.

MRS. OBAMA: All right. Now, you've got to be asleep before Santa comes to your house, okay?

ISABELLA: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: All right, so have a good night's sleep. And when you wake up, it's going to be an exciting morning! Have fun, okay?

ISABELLA: Okay.

MRS. OBAMA: All right. Bye-bye.

ISABELLA: Bye.

OPERATOR: Hi, I have a Bella Mertz -- M-E-R-T-Z -- calling from North Carolina.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay.

OPERTOR: All right, here you go.

MRS. MERTZ: This is Michelle Obama -- it's President Obama's wife. That's so exciting.

MRS. OBAMA: Hi, this is the First Lady, Michelle Obama. I hear that Bella is looking for -- has some questions.

MRS. MERTZ: She does. Hold on one second.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay.

MRS. MERTZ: It's really nice talking to you. Hold on.

MRS. OBAMA: It was great to talk to you.

BELLA: Hi.

MRS. OBAMA: Hey, is this Bella?

BELLA: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: How are you?

BELLA: Good.

MRS. OBAMA: How old are you?

BELLA: Six.

MRS. OBAMA: Six? Wow, you're a big girl this year, huh?

BELLA: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah. Well, you want to know where Santa is right now?

BELLA: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: I'm looking at the radar screen, and it looks like -- oh, Bella, this is so cool. I can see Santa. They're closing in on him. He's in the sky. He's got a sleigh full of toys, and right now he's over the country of Romania. And it looks like -- oh, Bella, it looks like Rudolph is pulling the sleigh! Oh, my goodness, this is so exciting. Santa is busy this year. He's coming to all the houses of good little boys and girls. Have you been a good girl this year?

BELLA: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah? Have you helped out with mom?

BELLA: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah? What's one of the biggest helper things you've done this year?

BELLA: Folded the laundry.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, wow! That's a lot of work for a six-year-old. That sounds like just the kind of helping that Santa is looking for, and I know you're going to have a great Christmas tomorrow, okay?

BELLA: Mm-hmm.

MRS. OBAMA: Uh-huh. Do you have any other questions?

BELLA: We went to the White House this year.

MRS. OBAMA: Did you? What did you see when you went to the White House?

BELLA: Lots of pretty rooms.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah? Did you see the Red Room?

BELLA: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah? That's one of my favorite rooms, the Red Room. Did you see the Blue oval Room?

BELLA: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah. Did you see the South Lawn? Did you see the garden? Did you look out the windows?

BELLA: Mm-hmm.

MRS. OBAMA: That's very exciting. Well, we're so excited. Malia and Sasha are excited about Christmas, too. So -- but the one thing that we know is that Santa only comes to your house after you're fast asleep -- you know that, right?

BELLA: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: Anywhere he is in the world, the minute you close your eyes and you're fast asleep, he pops to your house and delivers toys. So you've got to make sure to get a good night's sleep tonight, okay?

BELLA: Mm-hmm -- that might not work so well.

MRS. OBAMA: Why, is it -- it gets a little tough going to sleep when you're so excited?

BELLA: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: Well, even if you get a moment's sleep, Santa knows. Because when I was little, I used to have a hard time going to sleep on Christmas Eve, too. It was just too exciting. But you know what you do, is you just close your eyes, and think good thoughts, and count to 100 really slowly -- sometimes you just fall asleep. You want to try that tonight?

BELLA: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay. Well, you have a very merry Christmas, sweetie, okay?

BELLA: Merry Christmas. Bye.

MRS. OBAMA: Bye. All right, thanks for calling. Bye-bye.

BELLA: You're welcome.

MRS. MERTZ: Hello?

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah?

MRS. MERTZ: Hello.

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you so much.

MRS. MERTZ: Thank you.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay. You all have a great Christmas and happy New Year.

MRS. MERTZ: You, too. Merry Christmas. Thank you.

MRS. OBAMA: All right, take care. Bye-bye.

OPERATOR: Ma'am, I have Liam on the line for you. Just one second and I'll conference him in.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, thank you. Hello, this is the First Lady, Michelle Obama. How can I --

LIAM: Hello.

MRS. OBAMA: Hi, is this Liam?

LIAM: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Well, how may I help you? This is the First Lady, Michelle Obama. What can I do for you?

LIAM: I would like to know where Santa is.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, I'm going to look on the satellite tracker right now, and -- oh, Liam, you know what I see?

LIAM: What?

MRS. OBAMA: I see a flashing light, and they're pulling in closer. Oh, my goodness -- it's Rudolph; his nose is blinking and he's pulling a sleigh! Oh, my goodness -- it's Santa; he's right here -- he's flying right now, Liam. Santa is flying over the country of Turkey -- right now, as we speak. He is delivering toys, and it looks like his sleigh is full. He's got all nine reindeer with him. He's laughing, so he -- Santa is in a very good mood tonight, Liam. It looks like he's got a lot of toys for good boys and girls. Have you been good this year?

LIAM: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Tell me one of the good things you've done this year.

LIAM: I helped my parents.

MRS. OBAMA: That's awesome. That is so awesome. Well, you're going to have a great Christmas tomorrow, right?

LIAM: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Are you excited?

LIAM: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: It's very exciting. This is the most exciting night of the whole year, isn't it?

LIAM: Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah. Well, you've got to have a -- get a good night's sleep, because no matter where Santa is in the world, he only comes to your house after you're fast asleep. And he can get anywhere in the world in seconds, okay?

LIAM: Okay.

MRS. OBAMA: So you've got to get a good night's sleep, okay?

LIAM: Okay.

MRS. OBAMA: I know it's going to be hard when you're this excited, but just close your eyes, and when you wake up it'll be Christmas morning, okay?

LIAM: Okay.

MRS. OBAMA: All right. Well, you have a very merry Christmas, sweetie, okay?

LIAM: Okay.

MRS. OBAMA: All right. Bye-bye. Thanks for calling.

LIAM: Okay. Thank you.

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you. Bye-bye.

OPERATOR: Go ahead, ma'am.

MRS. OBAMA: Hello, this is Mrs. Obama.

MRS. CASELLA: Hi, ma'am, this is Joyce. I've got Anthony and Gianna on the line.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay, terrific.

MRS. CASELLA: One moment.

MRS. OBAMA: Hello?

GIANNA: Hello.

MRS. OBAMA: This is the First Lady. Who am I speaking to?

MRS. CASELLA: Anthony and Gianna.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, my goodness. How old are Anthony and Gianna?

MRS. CASELLA: Gianna is five; Anthony is nine.

MRS. OBAMA: Wow. Two excited little people tonight, huh?

MRS. CASELLA: Exactly. And sure I am yours are as well.

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah. (Laughter.) Oh, it's one of the most exciting nights of the year. So how can I help?

MRS. CASELLA: We want to know where Santa was.

MRS. OBAMA: Well, I happen to be looking at the NORAD tracker as we speak, and I -- I do see a flashing light. And it looks like, if we pull closer in -- I'm going to ask the guys to pull closer in -- it does -- it is Santa. It is Santa, and he has nine reindeer pulling his sleigh, and there's also a flashing light -- they believe that that light is Rudolph. He is pulling. He's leading the sleigh. Santa is looking very happy. He is over the country of Turkey right now.

MRS. CASELLA: Wow. He's on his way!

MRS. OBAMA: He is on his way. Have those two little people over there been good this year?

MRS. CASELLA: Oh, yes they have.

MRS. OBAMA: Well, I am sure Santa is going to rush to get there as soon as he can, as soon as they're fast asleep. All right?

MRS. CASELLA: Exactly. Well, thank you so much, Mrs. Obama, and we wish you a very merry Christmas.

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you so much. It is my pleasure. This is one of the best things I do every year. And you all have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

MRS. CASELLA: It's absolutely heartwarming. Thank you so much.

MRS. OBAMA: All right. You guys be safe, okay?

MRS. CASELLA: Thank you. You, too.

MRS. OBAMA: Okay. Bye-bye.



END
11:42 A.M. HAST

##

*Photo By Pete Souza/White House

Dinner In Hawaii: President Obama Visits Morimoto Restaurant In Waikiki

Sushi restaurant is owned by Iron Chef star; First Lady, White House Executive Chef appeared on show in 2010...
President Obama's family has been in Hawaii for a week, and a celebration was in order when the President at last landed on the island of Oahu on Friday evening to start his own vacation. Mr. Obama arrived in his rental compound in the town of Kailua at 6:45 PM, and less than half an hour later took his family across the island for dinner in Honolulu at Morimoto Waikiki, the eponymous operation from chef Masaharu Morimoto, the star of Food Network's culinary competition TV shows Iron Chef and Iron Chef America. First Lady Obama made a cameo appearance on Iron Chef America in 2010, when produce from her Kitchen Garden was featured as the "secret ingredient" for a culinary battle starring Executive Chef Cris Comerford.  (Above: The President greets well-wishers in Honolulu)

The Presidential dinner at the ultra chic restaurant included friends, and lasted close to three hours, meaning the President was perhaps nodding into his noodles by the end: It was after 3:00 AM Washington, DC time when the meal ended. Morimoto is located in The Modern hotel, and specializes in the chef's signature sushi dishes and Japanese/western fusion cuisine. On offer is the Morimoto Omakase, the "Chef's Choice" menu, which allows diners to "experience the essence of Morimoto's cuisine." At $120 per person, it features oh-toro, anago, unago, and maguro, among other items. (Above: Morimoto at work at the sushi bar in June)

There's also a vast selection from the raw bar, sold at market price, and a la carte items, including noodles and soup; download the menu.

The President and his party departed at 10:09 PM local time. Pool reported that it didn’t get to see President Obama enter the restaurant because “our bus broke down several times on the way and we lost the motorcade.” The President last had dinner in Honolulu on November 12, when he hosted a dinner for the APEC Leaders at the Hale Koa hotel.

Iron Chef at the White House: Stunt Vegetables
Mrs. Obama filmed her cameo for Iron Chef America: Superchef Battle when the TV show visited the White House in the Fall of 2009 (the episode first aired in January of 2010). Comerford teamed with chef Bobby Flay to beat chefs Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse in the cooking competition.  The foursome were filmed harvesting vegetables from Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden, which were then used in the show. (Above: Mrs. Obama with the chefs, from l Flay, Comerford, show host Alton Brown, Batali, and Lagasse)

Except the cooking battle in the Kitchen Stadium in the show's New York studio was filmed a week after the harvest, and "stunt" vegetables--fresher slections--were swapped for the White House vegetables.  It caused a media scandal, because this swap was not mentioned onscreen during the TV show, where host Alton Brown--and everyone else--kept referring to the vegetables as having originated in Mrs. Obama's garden. The White House ultimately blamed Food Network for misleading audiences. A recap of the entire drama is here.

The motorcade returned to the Obama's rental compound after dinner at 10:54 PM. On arrival in Hawaii, Air Force One touched down at Hickham AFB in Honolulu at 5:52 pm after a flight of 8 hours and 52 minutes. President Obama was greeted on the tarmac by Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz, Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle, Admiral Robert Willard, Mrs. Donna Willard, and Col. Sam C. Barrett, Wing Commander.

The President walked to a group of people behind some barriers, including several young children. He shook hands and wished all a "Merry Christmas."

Information: Morimoto is at 1775 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI, 96815. Phone: 808-943-5900.

Top photo by AP/Pool; Morimoto photo by Jason Genagabus/Honolulu Star-Advertiser; Iron Chef photo from Food Network