President Barack Obama and his wife and daughters arrive Friday in Chicago for a weekend at their home in the Kenwood neighborhood, most likely celebrating a wedding and certainly markingFather's Day, if only briefly.
The trip is their first to the city as a foursome in two years.
As president, Obama has made it home sporadically -- sometimes just for
campaign events -- but he's been stopping by more often lately. His 15th trip
to Chicago, this is his third visit in a month.
First lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia, 13, and Sasha, 11, will
accompany him, and they're believed to be bound for the nuptials of Laura
Jarrett, daughter of top White House adviser Valerie Jarrett.
Arriving Friday night, the Obamas will stay until Sunday, when the
president heads to Los Cabos, Mexico, for the G-20summit and the first lady
goes west to deliver an afternoon commencement address at Oregon State
University in Corvallis, where brother Craig Robinson is the men's basketball
coach.
It was on Memorial Day weekend in 2010 that the four Obamas last visited
Chicago together. Dog Bo joined them then on his inaugural visit to Chicago,
and the family attended a party for Laura Jarrett's graduation from Harvard
Law School, the alma mater of the president and first lady.
On Saturday, the young lawyer will marry fellow Harvard Law grad Tony
Balkissoon, though the White House won't confirm if the Obamas will be among
the guests.
"There are no public events scheduled at this time," the White House said
in a statement. During personal time on previous trips home, the president has
gotten his hair cut, played basketball and descended on his favorite dining
spots. The first lady also savors Chicago food.
"Chicago has some of the best restaurants and the most diverse cuisine,"
Michelle Obama told USA Today last month. "So I miss being able to go grab
some Garrett Popcorn and then get some deep-dish pizza -- which I did while I
was home at NATO. I think I did all of that in a day, and felt a little sick
because of it. I went overboard."
