Entertainers Elton John and Barbra Streisand joined business executives, lawmakers and other US celebrities at the White House on Thursday to fete British Prime Minister Tony Blair.Some 230 guests turned up for the lavish dinner that featured a main course of grilled salmon filet served with a selection of American wines. Actors Tom Hanks, Harrison Ford and filmmaker Steven Spielberg were also on hand for the official dinner that capped Blair's first day of meetings here. Following the dinner in the East Room, guests were to gather in a tent on the West Terrace to attend a concert by pop artists Elton John and Stevie Wonder.
John, whose rendition of ``Candle in the Wind'' at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, struck a chord with grief-struck Britons, received a knighthood last month. Wonder, known for his popular hit ``I Just Called to Say I Love You'', was a long-time activist against apartheid who has since focussed his attention on AIDS awareness and famine relief. The publishing and media worldwas also well represented with heavyweights John Kennedy Jr, Editor-in-Chief of New York's George magazine, and Anna Wintour, who heads fashion bible Vogue.
Astronaut Michael Foale, who spent nearly five months on board the trouble-plagued Russian Mir space station last year, was also on the guest list released by the White House. A few Labour leaders rubbed shoulders alongside high-powered business executives including John Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labour -- Congress of Industrial Organisations) and Morton Bahr, head of the Communications Workers of America.
Senators Jesse Helms, Thomas Daschle, Edward Kennedy and Trent Lott as well as speaker Newt Gingrich were among the Capitol Hill contingent to attend the affair. Clinton and Hillary also welcomed chief executives of Sony Corp. Howard Stringer, and Ford Motor Company, Alex Trotman.
The menu featured honey mango glazed chicken with spicy vegetable noodles and herb tuile as a first course, followed by thesalmon filet served with oven seared portebello mushrooms, tomato shallot foundue and baby vegetables with balsamic reduction. A third course of marinated fresh mozzarella was served with roasted arichokes and basil tomatoes, salad of mache and arugula and lemon oregano dressing. For desert, guests enjoyed strawberries and cream with a devonshire sauce.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
