4 Etiquette Rules You Never Knew

etiquetteFor some reason, I’m always the “go to” girl for etiquette questions at the office. Etiquette extends far beyond the rules of holding doors and proper forks. I actually rather like etiquette but there is so much I don’t know! Experts like Emily Post, author of Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and at Home, know much more than I do so I checked out their advice on these interesting etiquette questions.

1. Ladies first, right?  Nope — not when we’re talking about a revolving door. Men should actually go through a revolving door first so they can push it for a woman. Don’t believe me? Lizzie Post has become my go-to for etiquette questions on twitter. Check out what she has to say!

Revolving Door Tweet

 

 

 

 

 

2. To drink or not to drink:  If you bring wine to a dinner party, it is considered a gift and the host does not have to open it. Experts recommend that if you want the bottle you brought to be opened that night, you should offer to be the one bringing wine to the party in advance.

3. While there are major disagreements about this, most experts say that you do not have to give a gift if you are not attending a wedding. As a matter of fact, some experts say that it is not required to give a gift even if you are attending. The gift is traditionally meant to support the marriage, not the wedding itself. But if you ask me — I say go with the gift no matter what.

4. You don’t have to stop wearing white after Labor Day. Lizzie Post recommends switching over to winter white when it starts to get chilly!

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What etiquette questions have you always wondered about?

Best Food Apps

Salumi e vino lucchese.

Salumi e vino lucchese. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s no secret — I love food!  For someone who works in television I don’t actually watch it that often but when I do I’m always watching a cooking show.  I love talking about food, eating it and planning out menus.

So when Mindy Kobrin of Meals on Heels asked me to write a guest blog for her food site I was thrilled!  I decided to write about some apps that make planning, eating and enjoying much easier.  Here’s a look at that blog post: 5 Must-Have Food Apps.

Bonus App

While on vacation in Italy and Paris recently I found another useful app that I didn’t include in my guest post.  It’s called Delectable and it’s a wine app that is very smart.  You just snap a photo of a wine that you’re enjoying and the app does the rest.  The photo is sent to a database that identifies where the wine was produced, what year it was, what type it is, etc.  And it even tells you where you can buy the wine.  It’s a clever and practical app for wine lovers.  It definitely came in handy in Tuscany.  More on that trip soon.  But I hope you find these apps helpful in the meantime.

List for Making Sparkling Wine Cocktails

Jay and I belong to a wine club and we get shipments of wine every few months. We love it because we get to try all kinds of wine and don’t have to carry them up to our 9th floor apartment.

(We have an elevator — but still!) I still need to figure out when we will be hosting a wine tasting party. But in the meanwhile — my wine guru friend, Wendy Crispell, put this list together for us for the summer!

List for Sparkling Wine Cocktails, Refreshing Summer Sippers

by Wendy Crispell

In the extreme heat we often just want to relax at the end of the day or on the weekend with a refreshing cocktail.  I find in the dog days of summer I like a lighter style that is a bit lower in alcohol and also uses the best of summer’s fresh fruits and berries available at your local farm market. Experimenting with flavors can be fun with a few friends. Using these basic ingredients, add your own touches or use my favorite recipes. Read more

How Not To Be Bored

I’m almost never bored. I can always find something to do.  Not because I’m a super busy person (some days I am) but because I like doing a lot of things.  I have a lot of hobbies and I hardly ever tire of doing the laundry list of things that I enjoy doing:

  1. Drink Tea
  2. Watch the Golden Girls
  3. Eat Guacamole
  4. Write Blogs
  5. Connect with Friends
  6. Call My Mom
  7. Watch Oprah
  8. Paint My Nails
  9. Drink Pinot Grigio
  10. Read Magazines
  11. Read Anything on my Kindle
  12. Make Lists
  13. Watch Chick Flicks Read more

List of Ingredients to Spice Up Your Cocktails

It’s almost the weekend and I’m always looking for new drinks and spritzers to try. Entertaining guru Mindy Kobrin has been great in the past with giving me some ideas for ways to throw a fabulous outdoor party. Now she’s helping me again — with some ingredients to turn up the heat in the kitchen for a little romance.

Pantry Potions List

by Mindy Kobrin

Foods and ingredients that make you feel and look good might just be the treasured secret to kitchen romance! So hurry up and don’t wait for Valentine’s Day to feel tempted with some of my full-proof ingredients and pantry potions.

CHAMPAGNE

The bubbly is perfect for setting the mood with its happy carbonation that helps keep your arteries open and blood flowing. Practice safe sipping as noted in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, “It provoketh desire, but takes away the performance.”

POMEGRANATES

In ancient times, foods that resembled seeds or eggs were often thought to be aphrodisiacs and promote fertility. Pomegranates, full of seeds and loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, are in abundance from October to January. Here are just a few of this fruit’s magical benefits: Read more