Hillary Treats Herself to a Post-Election Round of Power Dining

Immediately following the election in November, Hilary Clinton disappeared from the spotlight for a few weeks. But now, after logging some quality time hiking around the hills of Chappaqua, NY, the former Secretary of State is back on the scene, attending a string of fabulous dinners and events in Manhattan with her family and famous friends. The Times notes that these public appearances are “much to the delight of New Yorkers who have embraced her as a battle-scarred heroine.” Over the last few weeks, Instagram has been flooded with photos of Hillary fans posing with the former senator at restaurants and venues around Manhattan.

On December 13, Hillary attended a dinner at almost-impenetrable East Harlem Italian restaurant Rao’s with Harvey Weinstein (the rapper Fat Joe was also in the room that night, at a separate table). Later that week, Clinton hit up another clubby haunt, the Polo Bar, where she was spotted eating cheeseburgers and ice cream sundaes with Ralph Lauren. On December 17, Clinton and her family attended a jazz performance at the ritzy Cafe Carlyle, where singer Steve Tyrell dedicated Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” to Hillary as the show’s closing number. And just last week, the Clintons had dinner with Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen at spendy Manhattan Greek restaurant Estiatorio Milos.

Mike Smith, a former Times reporter, describes the scene in the dining room of the Mohonk Mountain House when the Clinton family sat down for dinner the day after Christmas: “Everyone was buzzing but being respectful, keeping their distance... But once Bill and Hillary got up and moved to the hallway, people started standing and applauding and, at that point, they stopped, and started greeting people.” The following morning, Smith snapped this candid pic of Hillary waiting for her family to arrive for breakfast:

Hillary’s rep did not offer any comment about her dining jag around the greater New York area. But if you happen to spy her eating at your favorite splurge restaurant, don’t be afraid to ask for a selfie.

• Wait. Is That Hillary Clinton? Let’s Go Say Hi. [NYT]
• Hillary Clinton and Mary Steenburgen Dined With Their Husbands at Estiatorio Milos Last Night [ENY]
• All Coverage of Hillary Clinton [E]