President Barack Obama’s busy trip to the Los Angeles area — which included an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” a couple of fundraising events and the designation of three new national monuments in the California desert — wrapped up Friday morning.
Obama spent the night in Westwood, where Metro buses could be seen blocking the intersection of Hilgard Avenue and Le Conte Avenue near the W Hotel Friday morning.
Air Force One departed Los Angeles International Airport at 10:45 a.m. Friday, taking the president to Palm Springs.
He golfed Friday afternoon in Rancho Mirage with three high school friends, according to a pool reporter. The president had no public events through the weekend.
On Monday and Tuesday, Obama was expected to host a summit with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Rancho Mirage, according to the White House.
He departs from Palm Springs to return to Washington on Tuesday afternoon.
During the president’s visit, rivers had been warned to avoid a couple of areas where traffic was likely to be congested on Friday morning:
- The area around Wilshire Boulevard between the Westwood Village area and the 405 Freeway from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
- The area around South Bundy Drive between Ocean Park Boulevard and the 10 Freeway from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
The president arrived at Los Angeles International Airport Thursday afternoon and quickly boarded Marine One en route to Burbank.
While in Burbank, Obama taped an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” at Warner Bros. studios. The episode was set to air Friday.
At one point, Obama joked about giving First Lady Michelle Obama a Valentine’s Day massage while she watched Ellen’s new design show.
Afterward, Obama attended a Democratic National Committee fundraising event at a home in Hancock Park before stopping at a $10,000-per-plate dinner at another Hancock Park home.
During his L.A. visit, the White House announced the president’s plan to designate three new national monuments in the California desert.
