“Do you always eat this way?”

I recently gave a dining etiquette presentation to DECA leadership participants. DECA hires me every year to speak to these bright young people because they know it’s important the students have good dining etiquette and table manners for success in their careers and social interactions.

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What George Washington knew about etiquette

The concept of etiquette and civility has been around for a very long time. I recently finished a novel called “Rules of Civility” that included mention of George Washington’s Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation. Apparently, at age 16, young George (yes, eventual first president of the United States) copied by…

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Thanksgiving (and other meals) dos and don’ts

Can you hear it? It’s the sound of busy hosts shopping, prepping and cooking Thanksgiving dinner. I’m thankful my sister is one of those hosts. She usually hosts Thanksgiving because she has the bigger house and bigger family. The rest of us get to enjoy the gourmet bounty and family gathering in exchange for bringing…

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Dinner party lessons

My husband and I made a New Year’s resolution in December to have people over to dinner at least once a month. With the exception of a scheduling snafu in January, we have enjoyed the company of four people every month. It’s been such a wonderful experience. Not only are we seeing people we haven’t…

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Help, which bread plate do I use?

I attend a lot of luncheons and dinners where usually the tables are full of utensils, plates and glasses. It can make it hard to know which items belong to you and which belong to your neighbor. At these events, I often see someone take a piece of bread from the bread basket and look…

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How to impress family and friends at Thanksgiving

We often pull out the linens, nice china and silverware for Thanksgiving and other holiday meals. The formality of the table and the occasion can sometimes be intimidating. Follow these guidelines and your family and friends will be mightily impressed with your lovely manners.

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Are You Helping Your Child To Succeed?

The other day my husband, Eric, and I grabbed a fast dinner at Whole Foods Market. We love the variety of options and how easy it is to get a quick meal. As I was enjoying my chicken mole I noticed a very nicely dressed family sit down near us with their dinner. They must…

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The Hesitant Host

I sometimes get invited to a business lunch as a potential client. Interestingly, at the last two lunches I’ve encountered hesitant hosts. That is, after sitting down with our food, the host has waited quite some time to start eating. The etiquette is for the guest to wait for the host to start eating before beginning,…

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Etiquette Questions and Faux Pas

When you are an etiquette consultant people love to either share with you their etiquette horror stories or ask for etiquette advice. I love that my friends and business associates want to tell me their stories and trust me for advice. I thought it would be fun to feature some of the etiquette faux pas and…

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