This was your year, DC.
Among the must-have invites during inaugural week was the party at Maureen Dowd's Georgetown house. But those row houses can get cramped. So much so that Ben Affleck, George Lucas, Ron Howard, Larry David and Tom Hanks were all spotted at one point or another hanging outside the front door, curbing their enthusiasm as they refused to brave the crush of humanity.
Lennon had Yoko. The Velvet Underground had Edie Sedgwick. As for Remy Munasifi, his muse was…the magical community of Clarendon. The local comic threw down the rhymes in his homemade "Arlington: The Rap" video, earning his YouTube channel some 30 million hits and giving brown flip-flops, Kashi and condo fees a bad name. We await the bluegrass tribute to Old Town.
Ah, the subtle art of the ogle. In a now-infamous photo, it appeared as if President Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy gave a Brazilian teenager's backside the once-over. But video evidence seemed to prove that Obama was simply being chivalrous by watching out for her footing (that's our guy). Sarkozy, on the other hand…was being Sarkozy.
Back in 2000, George W. Bush famously out-polled Al Gore on the question of who voters would rather have a beer with (even though he didn't drink). But this year, President Obama made hop-fueled diplomacy a reality, by clinking glasses with Prof. Gates and Sgt. Crowley. Next step: Elevate his choice in beer (Bud Light). Perhaps the Brickskeller is in order for the Obamas' next night out on the town.
President Obama took office promising a "new era of openness." Later this year, we learned that this sentiment extended to pop culture. In an off-the-record moment, he held forth on Kanye West, calling the rapper a "jackass" for his Taylor Swift-directed tantrum at the MTV Music Video Awards. Makes us almost look forward to the Country Music Awards.
They didn't just usher in a wave of paranoia about the president's safety. No, they also coined a new term. Within days, Hill staffers were talking about "pulling a Salahi" at upcoming holiday parties. Which, of course meant longer lines, tighter plus-one policies—and greater scrutiny of knockoff watches.
