Neil attended a White House summer luau, hosted by President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on the South Lawn on June 25, 2009. Neil said the Hawaii-born president "had a great time" and joked with his guests, saying that he couldn't take everyone to Hawaii, so he thought he'd bring Hawaii to Washington, D.C.
Neil also reports that the food by island chef extraordinaire Alan Wong and entertainment by Tihati were terrific and big hits. A popular item on display was a wooden surfboard which served as a backdrop for many of the guests, said Neil.
