It looks like President Obama learned his lesson from the criticism he received by giving a bunch of DVDs to Prime Minister Gordon Brown when they first met. The Obamas arrived in London with some nice, thoughtful gifts for their hosts – gifts for both the Browns and the Queen.

The cable news channels are doing non-stop coverage of the G-20 summit (which actually doesn’t start until tomorrow). In case no one saw the royal visit (or would it be the presidential visit to the royals?), Michelle wore black and white, with a lovely pearl necklace, while the Queen wore pastel pink.

Anyway, everyone is going crazy. I’ve seen CNN’s special report on how the British people adore Michelle Obama. It was a bit of fluff journalism, and I was totally ashamed that CNN ran with it. But now People Magazine has a really good scoop – what the Obamas gave as gifts. The president gave the Queen an iPod. Which might be crass, but he also gave her “a rare 1951 printing of a 243-page Rodgers and Hart Songbook – signed by Richard Rodgers.” Now that’s more like it. So what did the Queen give the Obamas? A photograph of her with Prince Phillip. I was really expecting a Corgi puppy with a red ribbon.

So what do the new kids on the block give the woman who has everything?

On their maiden European tour as President and First Lady, Michelle and Barack Obama put a little of their signature youthful flair into what is usually stuffy old protocol: the exchange of gifts between foreign leaders.

For Queen Elizabeth? An inscribed iPod fully accessorized and loaded with the “ultimate Broadway” collection of 40 tunes, including “People” by Barbra Streisand, “Aquarius” by Ronald Dyson and songs from a wide range of shows from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes to Rent and La Cage aux Folles.

And just in case the Queen, 82, and her husband Prince Philip, 87, are more in the mood for a sing along á deux, the Obamas included a rare 1951 printing of a 243-page Rodgers and Hart Songbook – signed by Richard Rodgers – and including music and words to toe-tapping tunes from 22 Broadway shows and two films.

“It was a fun and very welcome gift,” a palace spokesman tells PEOPLE about the iPod, which also contains photos of the Queen’s state visit to the U.S. in 2007.

Returning the generosity, Her Majesty presented the Obamas with a silver-framed, signed photograph of herself and Prince Philip – the traditional gift often given to visiting heads of state.

The President and Michelle Obama had a private audience with the Queen and Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday afternoon – part of a series of high-level, closely watched diplomatic meetings for the Obamas. Their first stop Wednesday morning was 10 Downing Street, official residence of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, his wife Sarah and their two boys – identified in official U.S. trip documents as “Master John” and “Master James.”

There were gifts for them, too. Mrs. Obama selected a personal style favorite for Mrs. Brown – a broach (to be specific, it was a “crochet black flower brooch with pearl accents”). John, 5, got a baseball bat signed by Derek Jeter, a baseball signed by President Obama and a book titled Classic Baseball.

For younger brother James, 2, there was a collection of 10 Dr. Seuss books. As for talks between the President and the boys? “We talked about dinosaurs a little bit in between discussions of Afghanistan and Iran,” Obama said with a laugh. “So we’ve had a wonderful time.”

[From People Magazine]

Wow, the Obamas really stepped it up a notch for gifts. Dr. Seuss books, a brooch, something signed by Derek Jeter. Much better than a sack of DVDs.

There was an old Time Magazine article that discussed the various gifts the Queen has given world leaders over the years. One of my favorite gifts was a special present she gave to Boris Yeltsin. The Queen and Yeltsin had bonded about gardens, and she gave him an intricate glass case full of seeds from her own Buckingham Palace gardens. That was a thoughtful present. Perhaps the Obamas will get something better next time.

Here are President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Philip during an audience at Buckingham Palace today. Images thanks to WENN .

Can you believe it’s been almost a year since the world was shocked – SHOCKED! – by the nuptials between Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey? Though the couple’s first anniversary won’t be until the end of April, Nick has already gotten his wife her present – a Jack Russell terrier puppy named Cha-Cha. I’m 95% sure this was just to get the “oooh, they’re practicing for a baby!” rumors going. Which certainly worked on Us Weekly.

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon – who celebrate their one-year anniversary in May – are prepping for parenthood: They bought a dog.

“I got her a short-haired Jack Russell terrier — a girl, named Cha-Cha. She’s 8 weeks,” Cannon, 28, told Usmagazine.com Saturday at a concert in Coconut Grove, Fla.

He and Carey, 39, secretly wed in Eleuthera in the Bahamas last spring.

Cannon said being married to Carey is “the most amazing thing ever. I couldn’t wish for anything else. She’s the most incredible woman. Being in a strong union and being there for each other is something that I’d never really experienced before, so to experience it with my wife is remarkable. We’re together as one, and that’s important to me.”

He was mum on their anniversary plans, but told Us, “We never went on a honeymoon, so I guess I can tell you we’ll probably go to Barbados.”

Asked if there are any babies in the near future, he laughed.

[From Us Weekly]

For whatever reason, I like Mariah Carey. I think she has better staying power than most. But she strikes me as the sort who’d do best having several dogs that are like her kids. Mariah is a known diva. To the point that I’m sure she was one long before she was ever famous. I just have a hard time imagining her being able to tend to a child the way they’d need – especially once they weren’t small and cute. But tiny dogs? Those things stay small and cute forever. I think that’s the perfect present. Mariah and Nick are currently in Barbados – I guess on their belated honeymoon. It’s also her 39th birthday. Despite the dog, something tells me those baby rumors are going to triple by the end of the month.

Here’s Mariah and Nick during Fashion Week in New York on 5th. Images thanks to Pacific Coast News.

I never thought I’d say this, but I am really impressed with Lindsay Lohan. At least for her. If you were to hold Lindsay up to a regular person, probably not so much. But considering she’s nearly on par with Paris Hilton, she’s made some pretty big changes in her life – for the better. Lindsay’s relationship with DJ Samantha Ronson has really seemed to mellow her. She’s been acting much more mature lately, focusing on her work, not getting into any car accidents, and seemingly not drinking to such a ridiculous extent that she ends up in rehab. All big steps for her.

And it seems pretty clear that Sam is just as in to Lindsay. For her 22nd birthday last week, Ronson bought her a $22,000 diamond ring from Cartier. Not too shabby.

Samantha — the sister of super-producer Mark Ronson — reportedly splashed out the hefty amount on a Cartier diamond ring for Lindsay’s 22nd birthday.

Lindsay was later seen sporting the band when she and Samantha were shopping in LA. A source says, “Sam took Lindsay shopping to celebrate her 22nd birthday.

“Although Lindsay is the major breadwinner, Sam has her own money and is very proud.

“It’s not an engagement ring – simply a token of her commitment. Lindsay is thrilled and she and Sam are very content.”

[From Showbiz Spy]

According to a good deal of internet gossip, Sam not only pays her own way, she generally pays for Lindsay too. Considering the rumors of money problems that have been hounding LiLo for well over a year, that’s not too surprising.

Lohan made a cryptic comment about her birthday wish to Ryan Seacrest – and everyone is saying it’s as good as if she actually admitted that she and Sam are together.

“I just wanna live a happy, healthy year, continue on the path that I’ve been on and be with the person that I care about. And my family.”

[From the Mirror]

Samantha also posted a picture of the two of them kissing on her MySpace page. I’m not sure what else the two of them can do to make it more obvious to us that they’re together. You know, except actually publicly acknowledging it.

Here’s Lindsay and Samantha on their way to eat with friends at La Scala in Beverly Hills on July 2nd, Lindsay’s birthday. They went to Cartier earlier that day. Images thanks to WENN

Nicole Kidman is one lucky woman. Not only did she somehow manage to gestate without ever having a belly that indicated anything more severe than a little bloating, but she’ll probably come out of the whole thing with nary a stretch mark. And if her labor is as seemingly low-key as tiny as her pregnancy, she’ll pop the kid out in under half an hour. And for all that, she’ll get quite the “Thanks for having my baby” present from husband Keith Urban: a $73,000 Cartier ring.

With Nicole Kidman due to give birth in early July, Keith Urban has purchased a surprise present to give to his wife in the delivery room — a $73,000 Cartier Trinity ring! “It’s three rings intertwined, so it’s very symbolic,” the insider says of the popular design, which is set with multi-colored pavé diamonds and is meant to represent the three stages of a relationship: yellow gold for friendship, rose gold for love and white gold for fidelity.

“It’s three turned into one and that’s how it will be with Keith, Nicole and the new baby,” notes the insider. Cameron Diaz owns the same ring, as does Katie Holmes, who received hers for Mother’s Day. The Trinity ring was created by Cartier in 1924 and is still one of its most recognized designs today.

[From In Touch]

It’s a slightly odd choice given that Nicole’s ex-husband’s new wife has the same ring – but I’m sure she’s not complaining. It really is a lovely piece of jewelry. I made the mistake of looking at it on Cartier’s website – that can really get distracting. I would definitely be willing to have just about anyone’s child for that. Joking. Mostly.

Nicole is expected to give birth anytime. She hasn’t been specific about a date, other than that it’s in early July. Though if I were her, I’d put a rush on it. Jewelry is totally worth it.

Here are Nicole and Keith at the Academy Of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on May 18th. These are the only photos I could find of Nicole where she actually looks pregnant. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Mariah Carey really is the epitome of tacky. After she and Nick Cannon fairly randomly flew off to the Bahamas to get married, everyone assumed they’d have some kind of local celebration when they got back here. There’s been a ton of gossip about it – but so far, nothing has materialized. That hasn’t stopped Mariah and Nick from registering for outlandishly expensive gifts. Which in and of itself is fairly tacky. But the absolute golden rule of wedding registries is that you don’t broadcast your gift list – you wait until you are asked where you’re registered. Of course that didn’t stop Mariah from having her assistant send out registry information to a hundred of her wealthy friends.

Mariah Carey’s friends and colleagues weren’t invited to her impromptu wedding to Nick Cannon, but they can still send a gift. According to an insider, “Mariah’s assistant, Gina, sent out over 100 e-mails to her wealthy friends letting them know that she’s registered at Bergdorf Goodman if they want to buy her a present. It’s odd because she’s not even having a big wedding party or anything. It was assumed they’d have a big celebration when they got back, but no. They just want the gifts.” On the list are “fine china, very expensive silver stemware” and other items. Carey’s rep declined to comment.

[From the New York Post]

I wonder if Mariah could figure out a way to register for some class? I think if anyone would sell it, it’d be Bergdorf’s.

Here are Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon at Operation Smile’s 5th Annual Event at Skylight Studio in New York on May 15th. Images thanks to WENN.

50 Cent and I clearly have a different definition of friendship. And I think I like his a hell of a lot more than mine. While I always thought it meant being there for the other person in good times and bad, occasionally drinking too much with them, complaining about men together, and having the occasional naked pillow fight, 50’s idea of friendship involves lavish vintage gifts. And I think that makes a hell of a lot more sense.

50 Cent knows how to treat his costars. Not content to drop off a basket of sugar-free muffins with a note saying “You were totally in the moment,” the rapper-thespian gave his Streets of Fire costar Val Kilmer a car, according to In Touch Weekly.

And not some tax-write-off clunker, either.

Fiddy bestowed on Kilmer a 1965 Chevy Impala said to be worth $100,000. The two, who play police officers dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, bonded over their appreciation of classic vehicles, which led the rapper to give one of his very own autos to Kilmer.

Really? “Yes he did,” Fiddy’s rep told us. No word on Kilmer’s thank-you plans, but you can be sure of this: Muffins just ain’t gonna cut it.

[From E! News]

Sounds like the start of a bromance to me. And what a way to kick it off. At first I thought 50 might have some kind of non-sexual crush on Val Kilmer, a la that famous Seinfeld episode. But then I saw a picture of Val Kilmer, and… I have a policy of never making fun of someone’s weight. But let’s just say that if there were ever a time I would consider breaking that rule, it’d be right now. So I’m pretty sure there’s no crush going on here. But I think that explains E!’s joke about the sugar free muffins.

Either way, I think it’s very important that I star in a film with 50 Cent. I’d just like a Honda, thanks.

Header of 50 Cent performing live in Sydney on April 23rd and Val Kilmer leaving Sushiya restaurant in L.A. on March 5th. Images thanks to WENN.