YVONNE&YVETTETIQUETTE

Listen Up, We're On New School Radio!

2012-05-23T06:31:00.000-04:00

On a sunny, warm Sunday afternoon, Roy Paul of WNSR invited us to talk about etiquette. Hear what we had to say. http://wnsr.parsons.edu/2012/05/20/yvonne-yvettetiquette/

DOORMEN & DOORWOMEN, THE ONES NOT TO TIP

2012-05-16T08:29:00.000-04:00

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ABOUT YOUR PERFUME

2012-05-09T09:02:00.002-04:00

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Who Wears Short Shorts?

2012-05-01T13:45:00.000-04:00

In the past, we've talked about the importance of buttiquette when there's little maneuvering space on an airplane, for example. Recently, we've seen another version of poor buttiquette, women and girls wearing the shortest of shorts during their travels. There's nothing wrong with dressing comfortably since air travel has become so uncomfortable lest you're traveling on a private jet or

SPRING BREAK

2012-04-18T06:46:00.001-04:00

TALK TO THE HAND, I HAVE A COLD By Yvonne

2012-04-09T21:31:00.001-04:00

The other night, I went to greet someone at a dinner party I hadn't seen in a while. My arms were wide opened, I was smiling. She said, “Don’t come near me, I don’t want to give you my cold." I had no intention of giving a French kiss, or going anywhere near her lips. I was planning on a good old-fashioned cosmopolitan air kiss. I know she didn’t mean it but "talk to the hand" gesture put me off

When Size Manners Matter

2012-04-03T00:37:00.001-04:00

I once belonged to a group of women whose purpose was to learn the secrets of healthy relationships. The meetings took place in a different home once a week. One of the women was quite nice and trying hard to come out of her shell. She appeared to be younger than most of us, she was certainly bigger. She weighed about three hundred pounds. At the end of each meeting we'd figure out where we

DINNER WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA By Yvonne

2012-03-19T22:05:00.000-04:00

President Obama signing The Tobacco Bill Don't get excited, I haven't been invited to the table, yet. However, I would note that he's left-handed and I should sit to his right so that we wouldn't knock elbows. I wouldn't tick off a list of other people I know who are left-handed to make small talk. And if soft drinks were the only drinks, I wouldn't ask, "You have any liquor in the house?"

PET PEEVES AND THE LOSS OF CIVILITY

2012-03-11T20:22:00.034-04:00

In light of the huge show of the lack of civility in the political arena, we asked a few friends to share their pet peeves and thoughts on civility. Our friend, Terry Kidder, coined a new word for one of his, device-iveness, He defines it as a catatonic obsession with checking devices, holding devices and even caressing them in the hopes of staying connected while disconnecting from life’s

WHAT NOT TO SAY TO A PERSON WHO FINALLY FOUND WORK

2012-02-26T16:17:00.000-05:00

Recently, we’ve heard from friends who happily found a great job or project. Upon reporting this good news to supposed friends, instead of good wishes they get snarky comments in return. “Hope they’re paying you.” “Really? Good luck, I’ve heard things about that company.” “Are you happy?” “Good luck, you’re going to need it.” “Make sure they pay you.” WHAT TO SAY TO A PERSON WHO

CARPOOL OFFENDER NO. l By Yvonne

2012-02-20T13:42:00.002-05:00

“Oh, please, you have to tell your followers about me. Tell them how I break all the rules of carpooling," Car Pool Offender No. l begged me. Your wish is my command. • She insists on joining conversations she’s not been a part because of her manic texting. “What was that about the man who lifts his legs and pees on women’s gowns?” The driver and I, in the front seat, were

The Email Of No Return

2012-02-06T09:08:00.001-05:00

Is there an email in your inbox waiting for a reply? Is it from someone looking for a job? A response is in order. “Let your fingers to the talking,” says a writer friend of ours, Terry. “It’s simple and easy to be polite – ‘Got your email, thanks.’" Terry suspects that when one doesn’t respond to an email there’s a power thing involved. “It’s a passive-aggressive way of saying, ‘I’m too busy

Busing, According To Yvette

2012-01-29T20:18:00.003-05:00

I think I’m a courteous rider; I don’t hog the empty seat next to me with bags. I give up my seat to the handicapped, elderly, pregnant women, and anyone else who should be sitting. If I’m in an aisle seat I don’t have that, “Don’t you even think of asking me to move look.” I do have a pet peeve with some window seat riders. I’ve noticed that riders just can’t seem to express in words their

The Fork and Knife Don't

2012-01-25T12:30:00.000-05:00

Please don't do this under any circumstance. It looks as though this diner thinks someone is going to come and snatch his steak from his plate, notice how he's holding his fork.

CANDLES, THE OLDER YOU GET THE MORE YOU GET

2012-01-18T08:20:00.001-05:00

When did candles become the choice of gifts for friends and family of a certain age? Seems like they've taken the place of handkerchiefs, the old school gift for the mature set - nothing like a box of hankies for Aunt Mary and Uncle Bill. When, I, Yvonne, paid a visit to a friend's bedridden mother, I brought her a scented candle in a beautifully painted votive. When she opened the box,

My Johnny Depp Hat, Do You Like It Or Not? By Yvette

2012-01-11T09:18:00.003-05:00

I’m a hat person. I wear them well, and I know I look good in hats. I just cannot figure out why, when it comes to hats, my hats, it’s so hard for some folks to give a compliment instead of giving an unsolicited comment. No one is obligated to like my hats, but, if all one can offer is a flat out reference to some cartoon or figure from another century, well, some things are better left unsaid.

Thumbelinas and Tom Thumbs

2012-01-03T21:29:00.007-05:00

No, this isn't a post about the lack of etiquette found in fairy tales. It's about texting, the Twenty-First Century's call waiting. That convenient service that forced you to field calls in your home and weigh who was the more important caller among your friends and family. Texting isn't that insidious, it's just expensive and can be annoying. The colons and parenthesis, and the abbreviations

2011-12-21T09:02:00.000-05:00

ARE YOU A HAPPY OR A MERRY WELL WISHER?

2011-12-14T09:36:00.000-05:00

In this age of political correctness, few subjects have escaped its grip including a well intentioned 'Merry Christmas'. What do you say? Do you dispense your holiday wishes according to the receiver? If you live in a city like New York, this could be a mess. Do you say Happy Holiday to your Jewish friends and Merry Christmas to your Christian friends and Happy Kwanzaa to your African American

Re-gifting: Beware, It Can Go South by Yvonne

2011-12-07T09:49:00.000-05:00

A very good friend of mine visited me last Christmas holiday. She'd just come from another mutual friend's home and he'd given her a gift. Photo by allerleirau "What's that in the bag?" I asked, knowing it wasn't for me. We'd already exchanged gifts. "It's a gift from HIM." (From here on he shall be referred to as The Re-Gift Guy.) She whipped two books out of the bag, one was about Dorothy

Toothpicks Are Picky And Tricky And Tacky

2011-11-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

We're about to enter some serious dining as the holiday season begins, so we thought we would revisit this artifact of poor taste. (We would like it to become an artifact.) Beware of toothpicks, they are like a trick question, use one, especially in the company of others at a table, you're done. Cathy Treboux of Le Veau D'or wishes diners wouldn't ask for them. And please, covering your mouth

TURKEY TIPS

2011-11-15T23:21:00.001-05:00

Show up on time. Show up with something. Don't pile up your plate, you can always go back for more. Don't yell, "I want some dark meat". Offer to help but don't insist. If you're hosting, don't treat your guests like the help. Spare your guests from endless recipe secrets, e.g. "I rubbed the bird with roasted bourbon buttered salt." If they ask, do tell. Be grateful and gracious even if your

BABIES: YOU CAN LOOK BUT SHOULDN’T TOUCH.

2011-11-09T07:23:00.001-05:00

“I can’t believe it when perfect strangers come up and touch my baby,” a new mother told us. She understands how people find babies cute and cuddly but touching is a no-no. • If you know the baby’s parents, offer to wash your hands first before asking, and you should, if you can hold the baby. • If you’re the parent, there’s nothing wrong with you offering a sanitizer or suggesting that

SIPPING PRETTY, A STRAW VOTE By Yvonne

2011-11-01T21:34:00.004-04:00

These straws are a bit fat, imagine the slender, red elegant ones. I never really know what to do with straws in cocktails because I usually drink wine. But, tonight I had a Lillet (Okay, two.) with my friend, Tom. It came in a wine glass on the rocks with a slice of orange and two skinny straws. “Should we use the straws?” I asked. My inclination was to use it as a stirrer, not that

Carpooling Dos & Don'ts

2011-10-25T21:56:00.002-04:00

1. No eating breakfast sandwiches even if the meat is turkey. 2. No talking on cell phones, you can text. 3. Do not be late. 4. Do not talk incessantly if quiet seems to be the rule. 5. Do not complain about the choice of radio stations or make a request if you haven’t been asked. 6. Do not complain if the driver keeps changing stations and ask, “Why do you keep doing that?” 7. Do not suggest a