Social & Lifestyle Etiquette

There is an urban myth about the guest who drank from her finger bowl, thinking the clear liquid was a kind of soup. In order to put her guest at ease, the hostess did the same. While finger bowls may be a thing of the past, they do exist in many private clubs across the…

  Are you worried about being “politically correct” when talking to someone with a disability? Are you afraid you might inadvertently offend a disabled person? If so, you are not alone. Disability is a broad term. It can mean a physical condition, a mental condition or a learning disability such as dyslexia (which is my…

Anyone who visits department stores, shopping malls or lives in a metropolitan city, encounters the ups and downs of elevators and escalators in office buildings, subways, and the like. Refresh yourself with these rules of common courtesy the next time you go for a ride. Escalators • Stay to the right to stand, and walk…

  It’s the little things that count with manners, including the proper way to eat bread and butter when dining in company. These tips will make you a pleasant and knowledgeable dining companion: • A basket with rolls, sliced breads, crackers, and/or breadsticks may be passed at the table, or a roll may already be…

  There’s a reason Emily Post wrote the book on manners. She said, “The woman who is chic is always a little different, Not different in being behind fashion, but always slightly apart from it.” Of the over one hundred etiquette subjects I have taught, dress and etiquette are always in the top ten. Dressing…

  Don’t Weight! The New Year is well on its way to springtime. If you haven’t bought into the infomercials about dropping two sizes in a week or taking diet pills, try the old-fashioned way: exercise. Here are some tips for exercising outdoors and in the gym: Outdoors • Do check the weather before leaving…