Michelle Obama

With so many state dinners and committee meetings to attend, President Obama knows a thing or two about fine dining. But watching these formal festivities got me thinking that it must be a rare occasion when the commander in chief gets to eat what he's truly craving. Likewise, the first lady aspires to a day when school lunches teem with veggies grown behind the playground, but it's undoubtedly tough to score local produce when jetting between speaking engagements. So on a day dedicated to this nation's highest office, we're dreaming up a smorgasbord of Barack, Michelle, Sasha, and Malia's favorite foods. Though we're not certain what the first family will be up to today, we hope they enjoy something good to eat!

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Beasts of the Southern Wild star Quvenzhané Wallis is accomplishing big things at the age of 9 — not only is she the youngest best actress Oscar nominee ever, but she also has a famous fan: the first lady. Michelle Obama invited the film's cast to the White House today to workshop with 80 middle school and high school students from Washington DC and New Orleans. The first lady considers the fantastical drama, about 6-year-old Hushpuppy living in the oft flooded and impoverished Louisiana bayou, one of the most important films to come out in a while. She gathered the students to watch the film and then have a Q&A with the cast and director.

The president is also a fan. He told People magazine that the film was "spectacular" and that he saw it with friends and his nieces, one of whom is only 4 years old. President Obama said, "It captivated all of them." With praise from both the Academy and the White House, Beasts of the Southern Wild, based on Lucy Alibar's play Juicy and Delicious, is racking up acclaim from high places. See photos of the cast, including adorable Quvenzhané Wallis, at the White House today.

Did you know that Michelle Obama and Bill Clinton are nominated for Grammys this year? The first lady is nominated in the best spoken word album category for her book American Grown, along with the former president for his book Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government For a Strong Economy. Another political nominee this year is TV host Rachel Maddow, who's nominated for her book Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power. In the spoken word category, Rachel follows in the footsteps of fellow political hosts Stephen Colbert (who was nominated in 2009) and Jon Stewart (who won in 2011).

Since 1959, when the spoken word album Grammy was created, it's had presidents, first wives, senators, and civil rights leaders in its nominee and winner pools. You may be surprised at the political figures — including three US presidents — who can call themselves Grammy winners. Find out more about this category's history now!

January kicked off 2013 with plenty of celebrity excitement! From the 57th presidential inauguration to the start of award season, there was plenty to keep stars busy. Kate Middleton unveiled her royal portrait, Jennifer Aniston shared a bikini-clad getaway with fiancé Justin Theroux, and Kim Kardashian and Jessica Simpson both announced they are expecting. Plus, Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis let fans in on their engagement news. That's not all that happened this month — click through to see the best pictures and the biggest news of January.

Washington DC was flooded with famous faces over the weekend for the 2013 presidential inauguration! The celebrities were more than happy to share their snaps through social media.

Alicia Keys's husband, Swizz Beatz, gushed over his hug with President Barack Obama during The Inaugural Ball. Katy Perry and John Mayer were also at the Ball and snapped a quick photo with Eric Benet and his daughter. At the swearing-in ceremony, Beyoncé Knowles sang the national anthem — but not before she got a quick pic with her mom, Tina. Wilmer Valderrama sat in the audience in front of the US Capitol to watch Obama give his big speech.

Click through for more great celebrity social-media photos from the inauguration celebrations.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama shared a special first dance to Jennifer Hudson singing "Let's Stay Together" at The Inaugural Ball held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington DC last night. Michelle wore a glamorous red Jason Wu gown for the occasion, which came after the official swearing-in ceremony and parade earlier today. Beyoncé Knowles performed the national anthem at that event, but this evening Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley, and Stevie Wonder took the stage to sing. It's been a busy few days in our nation's capitol with plenty of celebrities attending inaugural festivities over the weekend and even more famous faces stepping out tonight. Click through to see all the pictures!

The nation came together this weekend to witness President Obama's second inauguration, and we were on the ground in DC covering all the festive fun. We kicked things off on Saturday, attending a National Day of Service event at the National Mall. All across the country, Americans were encouraged to chip in some time for community service to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and at my event, celebrity volunteers like Eva Longoria, Ben Folds, and Miss America donated their time alongside hundreds of other everyday citizens who wrote letters to sick kids or military service members overseas. There was also a service fair that provided an opportunity to learn about future opportunities to get involved.

Later Saturday night, we headed to the Kids' Inaugural Concert, an event put on by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden to honor military families. Seasoned pop star Usher kicked off the show, and he didn't hold back his enthusiasm for Obama, changing the words to "OMG" to "O-ba-ma." Jill took the stage to share her experience as a military mom, since her son serves in Delaware's National Guard, and to introduce Michelle, who said giving back to military families was her favorite part of the inauguration. Katy Perry closed the show singing "Fireworks" and dressed like a patriotic firecracker!

On Sunday night, Michelle and Barack Obama spoke at the inaugural reception, and we were there on Monday when President Obama was sworn in publicly for his second term. But he and Joe Biden got a jump start on things. The Constitution dictates that the swearing-in happens on Jan. 20, so the two had private swearing-in ceremonies on Sunday. The official event was moved to Jan. 21, however, in observance of Sunday's religious significance.

Monday's inaugural celebrations began with the swearing-in ceremony, which included performances by Kelly Clarkson and Beyoncé. Then the president and first lady attended a luncheon, where Barack honored Michelle by saying, "There is controversy about the quality of our president; there is no controversy about the quality of our current first lady." Then the Obama family let loose while watching the inaugural parade ahead of the night's two inaugural balls, where Michelle stunned in a red Jason Wu gown. And finally, the first couple attended a prayer service Tuesday morning, an inaugural tradition that dates back to George Washington. See all the inauguration highlights now!