PM Singh and his wife reported to be staying at Willard Hotel, not Blair HouseThe photo above wa
s shot earlier today; it's workers at the White House constructing a massive tent for President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama's first State Dinner, to be held next Tuesday in honor of India and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Most details of the dinner are being kept under a tight lid of secrecy, but the massive tent is one that obviously can't be hidden. About 400 guests are expected for the dinner, which has been in the planning stages for months. No word on the menu!Indian media is reporting that PM Singh, his wife Gursharan Kaur, and the India contingent are not staying in the White House Guest quarters, the Blair House, but that they'll be staying at the Willard Hotel, which is across the street from the White House. They're expected to arrive in Washington on Monday. It's nippy and sunny in DC today, in the mid-fifties with a bit of a wind. Tuesday's weather forecast is for highs in the low 60s, with a 30 percent chance of rain. That won't impact the dinner, given the secure nature of that tent.
Related: New York chef Marcus Samuelsson will be guest cheffing in the White House kitchen during the State Dinner. Former White House Chef Walter Scheib III dishes on State Dinners past here [video].
