Check out today's WE ARE ONE concert ...

Initial Talent Line-up Confirmed for Today's Lincoln Memorial Event

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) is pleased to announce the producers and initial talent lineup for WE ARE ONE: THE OBAMA INAUGURAL CELEBRATION AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL, the Opening Celebration for the 56th Presidential Inaugural, to be presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday, January 18 (7:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT). The event will be free and open to the public, kicking off the most open and accessible Inauguration in history.The special will be executive produced by George Stevens, Jr. (The Kennedy Center Honors), and produced by Don Mischer (Olympic Ceremonies) who will also direct the special, and Michael Stevens (The American Film Institute Salutes) who is also writing the special, and will be a production of The Stevens Company in association with Don Mischer Productions.Musical performers scheduled for the event include Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Bono, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, will.i.am, and Stevie Wonder. Among those reading historical passages will be Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington. The Rt. Reverend V. Gene Robinson will give the invocation. Rob Mathes will be the music director and arranger for the backing band, which will support all of the artists. Additional performers will be announced as they are confirmed.“Our intention is to root the event in history, celebrating the moments when our nation has united to face great challenges and prevail,“ observed George Stevens, Jr. “We will combine historical readings by prominent actors with music from an array of the greatest stars of today.““This is a great opportunity to capture an historic event in a very meaningful setting,“ noted Don Mischer. “We will have the statue of Abraham Lincoln looking down on our stage and a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people lining the mall—a tableau any director would relish.““We have found that the great artists are eager to take part and each one is working with us to find music that expresses the optimism and hope that people bring to the Obama inauguration,“ said Michael Stevens.Televised to the nation, the Opening Celebration will be a declaration of common purpose and new beginnings. The Sunday afternoon performance will be grounded in history and brought to life with entertainment that relates to the themes that shaped Barack Obama and which will be the hallmarks of his administration.HBO will televise the event on an open signal, working with all of its distributors to allow Americans across the country with access to cable, telcos or satellite television to join in the Opening Celebration for free.The 56th Inauguration promises to be the most inclusive in history, and the Opening Celebration is one of a series of inaugural events that reflect that commitment. On Saturday, the President-elect, Vice President-elect and their families will journey to the nation’s capital via train, holding events that are free and open to the public along the way. They will be joined by a group of everyday Americans they met along their road to the White House. On January 19th, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President-elect Obama will call on all Americans to make an ongoing commitment to serve their communities and their country. A new website, USAservice.org, makes it easy for Americans to organize service events or find existing events to participate in. To date, nearly 5,000 events have been organized across the country. That evening, Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden, and their families will host a free “Kids’ Inaugural” concert to honor military families, broadcast live on the Disney Channel and Radio Disney.This spirit of openness will continue on Inauguration Day, when, for the first time in history, the entire length of the National Mall will be open to the public for the swearing in ceremony. Local D.C. students have also been given the chance to receive tickets in front of the White House for the Inaugural Parade for themselves and their family members based on the submission of essays answering the question, “How can I contribute to my neighborhood through community service?“On the evening of Inauguration Day, the first ball that President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will attend will be the first-ever Neighborhood Inaugural Ball. The ball will be broadcast live on ABC and over the Internet, bringing together neighborhoods across the country in the spirit of unity and celebration.The sum of these public events is an Inauguration that allows more Americans than ever before to come together as one nation and one people, united in our resolve to tackle our greatest common challenges and move this country forward together.For the latest information on the 2009 Presidential Inauguration, please visit http://www.pic2009.org/

Inauguration Day Schedule

Inauguration is exactly one week away. Here is a run down of of Inauguration Day.

Tuesday, Jan. 20 -- Inauguration Day:
The president-elect and vice president-elect will participate in the traditional inaugural ceremonies and events. For the first time ever, the length of the National Mall will be open to those wishing to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Festivities will commence at 10 a.m. on the west front of the U.S. Capitol and will include:
Musical Selections: The United States Marine Band, followed by The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus
Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks: Senator Dianne Feinstein
Invocation: Dr. Rick Warren
Musical Selection: Aretha Franklin
Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will be sworn into office by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, the Honorable John Paul Stevens
Musical Selection: John Williams, composer/arranger with Itzhak Perlman, (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet)
At approximately 12 p.m., President-elect Barack H. Obama will take the Oath of Office, using President Lincoln's Inaugural Bible, administered by the Chief Justice of the United States, the Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr.
At approximately 12:05 p.m., Obama will deliver his Inaugural Address.
Poem: Elizabeth Alexander
Benediction: The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery
The National Anthem: The United States Navy Band “Sea Chanters”
After Obama gives his Inaugural Address, he will escort outgoing President George W. Bush to a departure ceremony before attending a luncheon in the Capitol's Statuary Hall. More Details
Starting at about 2 p.m., the 56th inaugural parade will then make its way down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House with groups traveling from all over the country to participate.
In the evening, the Presidential Inaugural Committee will host 10 official Inaugural Balls, including:
Youth Inaugural Ball – Young Americans aged 18-35; Washington Hilton
Obama Home States Inaugural Ball – Illinois and Hawaii invited guests; Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Biden Home States Inaugural Ball –Delaware and Pennsylvania invited guests; Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Eastern Inaugural Ball - CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT, PR, and USVI invited guests; Union Station
Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball - MD, VA, DC, NY, NJ, WV, Dems Abroad, and invited guests; Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Midwest Inaugural Ball - KS, IN, IA, MI, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI, and MO invited guests; Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Southern Inaugural Ball - AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, and TX invited guests; National Guard Armory
Western Inaugural Ball - AK, CA, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY, AZ, CO, NV, NM, UT, OK, GUAM/AS invited guests; Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Neighborhood Inaugural Ball – DC residents, additional guests; Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Commander-in-Chief's Inaugural Ball – Enlisted active duty and reserve military; National Building Museum

A Little Inauguration History ...

Since George Washington's appearance on the balcony of New York City's Federal Hall in 1789, the term of each American president has started with a single sentence:





I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
The affirmation of the oath is like the first line of a play, a national drama that's slated to run for four years – barring events which require an understudy to fill in. How that drama unfolds depends upon the person entering the executive office and the era in which he (or she) lives...but the oath remains the same.
Although many promises are made as presidential candidates vie for votes, the oath is the first one that really counts. It transforms a citizen into a president and, according to the second article of the Constitution, signals the beginning of a new administration.
Although the Constitution includes the inaugural oath, it does not dictate where that oath should take place. On April 27, 1789, the Senate's Inaugural Committee on Ceremony decided to hold the first oath in an "outer gallery adjoining the Senate Chamber." This gallery, part of a balcony in New York City's Federal Hall, overlooked Wall and Broad streets and provided the public with a chance to witness George Washington's inauguration.

For more information about inauguration history, etc. check out http://www.inauguraltickets.com/.

Gearning up for the Inauguration

With the inauguration 9 days away, several activities will be taking place, including the Inaugural Parade.

Parade Route Entry Points

The following public entry points will open at 7:00 a.m. on January 20, 2009, and will remain open until the parade route can no longer accommodate additional people.
2nd St. NW and C St. NW
3rd St. NW and C St. NW
Indiana Ave. NW between 6th St. NW and 7th St. NW
7th St. NW and D St. NW
10th St. NW and E St. NW
12th St. NW and E St. NW
E St. NW just east of 13th St. NW
13th St. NW just North of E St. NW
14th St. NW just North of E St. NW
12th St. NW between Constitution and Pennsylvania Ave.
10th St. NW between Constitution and Pennsylvania Ave.
7th St. NW between Constitution and Pennsylvania Ave.
Constitution Ave. between 6th St. NW and 7th St. NW Access to the parade route from south of Pennsylvania Avenue, including the National Mall area, will only be available via 14th Street NW or 12th Street NW at Constitution Ave.Individuals attending the Inaugural parade may enter at any of the designated entry points on the north or south side of Pennsylvania Avenue. Between 7 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., the following intersections will be open to the general public as crossover points:
3rd Street between Constitution Ave and Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Ave between 6th Street NW and 7th Street NW
Pennsylvania Ave between 11th Street NW and 12th Street NW

The following roads in Washington, DC will be closed and off limits to vehicles without a law enforcement escort 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20,2009.

Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 18th St. NW to the U S Capitol

I St. NW from 18th to 12th St. NW
H St. NW from 18th to 12th St. NW
G St. NW from 18th to 12th St. NW

F St. NW from 18th to 12th St. NW
E St. NW from 18th to 6th St. NW
D St. NW from 18th to 6th St. NW
C St. from 18th to 2nd St. NE
Constitution Ave. from 17th St. NW to 2nd St. NE
Madison Dr. NW from 15th St. NW to 3rd St. NW
Jefferson Dr. SW from 15th St. SW to 3rd St. SW
Independence Ave. from 14th St. SW to 2nd St. NE
Maryland Ave. SW from 6th St. SW to the U S Capitol
17th St. from I St. NW to Independence Ave. SW
Connecticut Ave. NW from I St. NW to H St. NW
16th St. NW from I St. NW to H St. NW
Vermont Ave. NW from I St. NW to H St. NW
15th St. from I St. NW to Independence Ave. SW
14th St. from I St. NW to Independence Ave. SW
New York Ave. NW from 18th St. NW to 12th St. NW
13th St. NW from I St. NW to Pennsylvania Ave. NW
12th St. from F St. NW to Independence Ave. SW
11th St. NW from F St. NW to Pennsylvania Ave. NW
10th St. NW from F St. NW to Constitution Ave. NW
9th St. from F St. NW to Independence Ave. SW
8th St. NW from F to D St. NW
7th St. from F St. NW to Independence Ave. SW
6th St. from F St. NW to Maryland Ave. SW
5th St. from D St. NW to Independence Ave. SW
4th St. from D St. NW to Independence Ave. SW
3rd St. from D St. NW to Independence Ave. SW

Restricted Roadways Access into Washington, DC will be limited on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 on the following roads.

14th Street Bridge – Buses and Authorized Vehicles Only
Roosevelt Bridge – Buses and Authorized Vehicles Only
Memorial Bridge – Pedestrians and Emergency Vehicles Only
Key Bridge – Mass Transit Only
Chain Bridge - Authorized Vehicles and Mass Transit Only, no charter buses
South Capitol Street Bridge – Buses and Authorized Vehicles Only
Southeast/Southwest Freeway – Emergency Vehicles Only
Rock Creek Parkway – Open to traffic from Beach Drive to Virginia Avenue NW
Clara Barton Parkway operating under Holiday schedule (2 way traffic all day)
11th Street Bridges – Buses and Authorized Vehicles Only
Sousa Bridge – Open to all traffic from east of the river to security checkpoint in Capitol Hill; Barney Circle closed to all vehicles
East Capitol Street – Open to all traffic but roadways around RFK will be filled with tour buses
Benning Road – Open to all traffic
New York Avenue – Open to all traffic
3rd Street Tunnel – Closed to all vehicular traffic and restricted to pedestrian use only.Note: Authorized vehicles include taxicabs and limousines with valid licenses.
Virginia Restrictions

On January 20, 2009, personal vehicles will not be permitted into Washington, DC from Virginia.
I-395 north will be closed to general traffic. Northbound I-95 traffic will be diverted onto I-495 North (Inner Loop) or I-495/I-95 East (Outer Loop) at the Springfield interchange.
Eastbound I-66 lanes east of the Capital Beltway/I-495 will be closed to general traffic. Eastbound traffic on I-66 will also be diverted onto I-495.
Only authorized vehicles – emergency vehicles, buses, taxis and for-hire limos - will be permitted on I-395 North and I-66 East within the Beltway.
Memorial Bridge will be open to pedestrian traffic only. No motor vehicles will be permitted to cross the bridges.
Key Bridge is restricted to mass transit only.
Chain Bridge is restricted to authorized vehicles and mass transit only, no charter buses.
The Woodrow Wilson and the American Legion bridges will have no traffic restrictions.
North Washington Street at Montgomery Street (City of Alexandria City) to Reagan National Airport will be closed.

Looking for a good way to warrm up today?

Sat, Jan 10, 2009 - Looking for a good way to warm up this weekend. Stop by Breaux Vineyards.

Guests will enjoy 6 vintages of Breaux Cabernet starting with a barrel sample and ending with a reserve vintage. An introductory wine will start the day followed by a 90 minute educational, fun and interactive lecture with our winemaker, Dave Collins. A 3 course gourmet chefs pairing will accompany the wines and the day will end with a surprise course (chocolate & Cabernet anyone?) Discount prices on all Cabernets in tasting will be offered to vertical attendees only. This is a seated event that takes place in our tank room. Please call ahead to reserve.
Event Time: Seatings at 12pm, 2:15pm, and 4:30pm
Admission Fee/Ticket Price: $45/Club Member, $50/Non-Member
Breaux Vineyards36888 Breaux Vineyards LnPurcellville, VA 20132546-686-6299 ext. 203

http://www.breauxvineyards.com/