BBC Online :French President Francois Hollande has been honoured at a lavish White House state dinner, capping a visit to the US aimed at renewing the partnership between the two long-standing allies.His was the first official state dinner at the White House since 2011.At the party, Hollande and US President Barack Obama toasted the nations’ centuries-old friendship.They have suggested the bad feelings over US spying and French opposition to the Iraq War have been soothed.Among the guests at Tuesday’s state dinner were diplomats and dignitaries from both governments, as well as leaders in the media and business.Hollywood luminaries in attendance included Bradley Cooper, Mindy Kaling, Stephen Colbert, Julie Louis-Dreyfus and director JJ Abrams.The roughly 300 guests dined on caviar, quail eggs and rib-eye steak, later listening to a performance from singer Mary J Blige.After being welcomed to the White House by Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Hollande was seated between the couple at the dinner table in a heated tent on the South Lawn.The move was seen as a tactful way to handle the fact that Hollande arrived alone after an ugly, widely publicised split from long-time partner Valerie Trierweiler following reports he had an affair with an actress.The highlights of the evening were toasts given by the two presidents.With a glass of white wine in his hand, Obama opened by quoting French writer Alexis de Tocqueville’s impressions of 19th Century America, recalling to humorous effect his bafflement with American cuisine and his underwhelming impression of the White House.”We Americans have grown to love all things French – the films, the food, the wine,” Obama continued. “But most of all, we love our French friends because we have stood together for our freedom for more than 200 years.
