Maria Brady's Blog – July 2009 Archive (5)

It seems that everywhere I go lately I am held captive to conversations I have no interest in hearing. On a flight from Sarasota to JFK this past week we were delayed two hours due to bad weather in New York. The moment we touched down at JFK my seatmate whipped out his cell phone and proceeded to call everyone in his address book to inform them he was delayed. I had to hear the same story repeatedly,at a very high volume, while waiting to deplane.



How about standing in line at the… Continue

You’ve spotted them at parties. They linger by the cheese display, blocking other guests from getting near the food. They park their cars in the middle of the driveway. They monopolize the host as if nobody else were around.



Rude party guests are everywhere. And their rudeness comes from being inconsiderate. The bad news is that many of us have been guilty of that at one time or another but, the good news is, when you start to think of others you instantly become the perfect party… Continue

In today’s fast paced world many people have forgotten, or were never taught, the basics of dining etiquette. When do I touch my napkin? How do I pass? What is the charger for?



Knowing the basics of dining etiquette is very empowering because it allows you to relax and enjoy your dinner. Following are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about dining.



Your napkin goes in your lap, folded in half, as soon as you sit down. Some people will wait until the food… Continue

Whether it’s an invitation to a wedding, a shower or a dinner party, an invitation usually comes with an important obligation…RSVP!



RSVP comes from the French phrase "répondez s'il vous plaît", meaning "please respond". If RSVP is written on an invitation it means that you must tell the host whether or not you plan to attend…no problem right? But what is the proper protocol when that familiar ‘fill in the blank’ reply card is not included?



Once upon a time, reply cards… Continue

Standing by a table of guests at a recent wedding, I just couldn't help but overhear their conversation. "Which bread plate is mine?" “Is that your water glass or mine”?



It's okay to admit that you get anxious when you see a plethora of stemware on the table…and there’s nothing wrong with confessing that you're not sure where to put your bread!



Figuring out which water goblet is yours could be one of the first decisions you would be required to make as oftentimes, napkins… Continue