President Barack Obama's second inauguration takes place Monday, and there's a lot going on. In an effort to keep you up to date, we'll be bringing you a daily round-up of interesting news, notes and stories -- from the best way to get around (bicycle) to how to honor a president with alocohol (a Blue Hawaii, naturally):
- In 2009 the only thing harder to get than a ticket to Obama's inauguration was a hotel room in D.C. Four years later, with the nation having already inaugurated "the first black president," much smaller crowds are expected, and lodging is way easier to come by, according to ABC News.
- Even with smaller crowds, the city will still be overflowing with lobbyists, tourists and secret service agents. “The only sane option seems to be a bicycle,” says the Washington Post, but be prepared, as the forecast for Monday calls for a mix of sunshine and clouds. The high will hit 40, with a low of 25.
- Regardless of how you're moving about D.C. on Monday, Twitter can, as always, be a valuable source of up-to-the-minute information on what's happening around town. Everyone from @MichelleObama to @marineband to @DrGridlock can help.
- No matter where you are on Monday, you're gonna get thirsty. With that in mind, the Washington Times has s a round up of the cocktailing habits of more than a dozen Commanders in Chief.
- “Have you got goose bumps?” For a sense of what the first day of a new administration is like, here's a collection of reminiscences from the past 36 years, from the Washington Post.
- Of course, not everyone is excited about Monday's proceedings. Obama's biggest foes tell the Washington Post they "don’t pay much attention to illegitimate things," and claim "Obama is a Marxist who wages class warfare."