Elbows off the Table

Ask someone to name a fact or two about presidential dining, and he or she is most likely to regurgitate something about that time the elder Bush became famously ill at a state dinner, or perhaps how Dolly Madison was the first First Lady to serve ice cream. Barry Landau, however, can regale you with facts about executive-branch eating like no one else can. Author of The President's Table, a well-received history of the evolution of dining from George Washington through George W. Bush, Landau visits the Central branch of the St. Louis Public Library (1301 Olive Street; 314-241-2288 or www.slpl.org) at 7 p.m. this evening to discuss the rarified world of diplomatic dinners. His visit coincides with the traveling exhibition The American Presidency, which features more than 80 artifacts relating to presidential dining and campaigning. Admission is free, and copies of the book will be available for purchase.
Mon., March 10, 2008