Remembering My Visit to the White House and What’s Been Lost

 

Rose Garden, 2012

It’s been a while since I’ve written here. The last time I posted was to mark the ten-year anniversary of one of the most unexpected and special moments this little food blog ever brought me — an invitation to the White House on October 19, 2012. This week marks that anniversary once again, and recent headlines have brought it all rushing back.

Photo credit: Debbie Fenelon Photography

Some of the very spaces I stood in that day — the East Wing and the Rose Garden — are now gone. Seeing those photos and messages from friends who were there with me sent me scrolling through old snapshots, remembering what it felt like to walk those paths, to stand in the rain smelling the roses, and to take in the beauty of the historic space.

White House Fall Garden Tour Group Shot

I was invited to the White House back in 2012 for a special social media event connected to the Let’s Move! campaign. We had to apply and they were looking for social media influencers who were passionate about food, health, and community. We were told later that over 1,000 had applied and only 50 were selected. I still remember the excitement (and disbelief) when that email arrived telling me I’d been picked! 

We were treated to a private tour of the White House grounds, including the Rose Garden and Michelle Obama’s Kitchen Garden. We heard from Bill Yosses, the White House pastry chef, and Sonya Hebert, one of the official photographers at the time. 

Photo credit: Debbie Fenelon Photography

The grounds superintendent and horticulturalist shared how the gardens had evolved over the years and how the produce from the Kitchen Garden found its way into state dinners. It was fascinating, and the pride in their work was contagious. It was raining most of the day, but nothing could dampen our spirits. We were simply thrilled to be there and to be part of something that celebrated the connection between food, family, and public service.

Aimee, Joe, Me, Deb and Kelly

Now, seeing the East Wing torn down and the Rose Garden paved over feels like watching a piece of our  nation's history erased. The Rose Garden was a backdrop to countless historic moments. When places like that disappear, something in our collective memory dims too.

Preserving our history matters. The buildings and gardens we inherit tell the stories of who we’ve been, what we’ve valued, and how we’ve grown. Once they’re gone, we can’t get them back.

Preserving our nation’s history isn’t unlike preserving our own personal history and it is one of the reasons I started this blog. Amy's Food Revolution was written to create lasting memories in the kitchen, so my kids could remember the times we cooked together and the dishes that were their favorites. It’s about keeping those moments alive for decades to come, just like the memories that live in historic spaces.

That 2012 trip reminded me how powerful it is to experience history in person — to see, touch, and feel it. The White House truly is the People’s House, and that day we were reminded, again and again, that it belongs to all of us.

I hope you enjoy some of my favorite photos from that day. They feel even more meaningful and important now, a small glimpse into a day I’ll never forget.