Planning the inauguration, part 2

A while ago, I was daunted by the prospect of trying to provide security for the presidential inauguration. Then I ran across this article from the Washington Post about what planners at the Ritz-Carltons in D.C. are putting together for events in their hotels.

Ten high-level company executives hunkered in a subterranean meeting room one recent afternoon, a flip chart at hand and objects of the discussion laid out on the glossy finish of the oval conference table. Their focus on details in this critical campaign session evoked the celebrated attention of Karl Rove.

Key agenda items: white chocolate cowboy boots, yellow roses, and red, white and blue cocktails with a special "handmade" Texas vodka. The hats the staff would wear. In every room, a half-filled vase of water so guests would have somewhere to place their yellow roses without having to think about it.

Not surprisingly, these guys are going all out to make sure both their inauguration-related visitors and their other guests understand the true meaning of "putting on the Ritz"!

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