The Joys of Small-Town Life

We just returned from a week at Amelia Island in Florida, and I have to say, small-town living can be very attractive! I always felt I was a big city girl, but after being here for a while, I may change my mind. Allow me to explain…

For starters, I did not have time to get a mani/pedi before I left Atlanta so I decided to have one in Florida. Not only did I not need to book an appointment three weeks in advance, but I paid half of what I pay in Atlanta! What a great surprise. I then went to the post office to mail bills that had been in my purse for three days. What a delight! In Atlanta, when you walk into my branch of the USPS, the line is about 20-25 people deep (I’m not exaggerating) and there is only one clerk behind the desk. Here, it was just the opposite: our clerks, one customer in front of me, and a postal service employee smiling at me and asking me how he could help. No line, a smile, and a great attitude to boot! And, mind you, it was April 15th, Tax Day. In Atlanta, my post office stays open until midnight that day and requires three or four Atlanta policemen to control traffic. It was refreshing to avoid that kind of chaos.

Later on that evening, I realized my printer was out of ink so I ran to Staples. The store manager and a young man were there ready to help as soon as I walked in the door. They both helped me, tested my printer, and offered to help me to my car! The young man seemed to be young enough to be a high school student working there part-time., but he was very customer service-oriented and I made a point to tell the manager how lucky he was to have such a great employee.

Amelia Island is very small and you can get anywhere in 10 minutes. Try that in Atlanta, where the average commute is over an hour. Oh, and not only do they sweep the streets here, but they sweep the highways too!

Small-town living as portrayed on TV always looked hokey to me, but after a week here, I think I could get used to it! I bet people live longer here. No wonder people retire in Florida!

Susan Boyle: Lesson Learned

Everyone in the world seems to be talking about Susan Boyle, the enchanting singer who appeared on “Britain’s Got Talent.” Beyond her beautiful voice, Susan’s story reminded me of a valuable lesson in how we treat others…

It was interesting to see Simon Cowell, fellow judges Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan, and the entire guest audience on “Britain’s Got Talent” snicker when Susan walked on stage. They were doing what we all do subconsciously: judging Susan’s singing ability based on the way she looked.

Making value judgments after 3 to 10 seconds of meeting someone is not fair, but it’s human nature. It goes back to the flight or fight syndrome. We are programmed to react to people almost instantaneously to find out whether we like them or not, whether they are friend or foe, and whether we want to talk to them or not.

However, there is another expression that exemplifies Susan Boyle: “Never judge a book by its cover.” Although this seems fairer and more open-minded, it’s not what we usually do as human beings. No matter how many times we tell ourselves we will not judge others, we cannot help it—it’s part of our make-up. We seldom give people a second chance and when we do, it takes a lot of work from the other person to convince us otherwise. Let’s remember Susan Boyle when we start judging people and not be so quick in our judgments. You never know when you’ll be surprised—right, Simon?

Dinner Party Etiquette

Do you always feel intimidated when you get invited to a classy dinner party or lunch meeting with clients or your boss? Having a good understanding of proper dining etiquette will help you feel more at ease and confident, so you can focus less on making a faux pas and more on the business at hand.

 

Remember these points of etiquette the next time you are heading out to a restaurant or dinner party:

 

Napkins: There is a lot of controversy about where to leave one’s napkin. When you leave the table to go to the restroom, you should leave the napkin on the seat of your chair. Some etiquette consultants say that’s very unhygienic because you don’t know who sat there and you should place it on the back of your chair. However, most of the gurus of etiquette, such as Leticia Baldridge and Emily Post, recommend you place it on your seat. The reason for that? When people are eating, the sight of someone’s soiled napkin tossed on the table is very unappetizing. 

 

When you leave the table, a waiter should fold your napkin while you’re gone. At the end of the meal, you should fold your napkin (not necessarily neatly) and leave it on the table to the left of the plate to indicate that you are done.

 

Passing the Salt: You should always pass the salt and the pepper together even if only one is requested. Remember, the salt and pepper are married.

 

Bread: When at a business luncheon, do you know which is your bread plate? Is it the one on the left? Yes. Should someone take the bread from your plate, don’t say anything. You never want to embarrass anyone.

 

An easy way to remember which one is your bread plate and which one is your water is the acronym BMW. The bread is to your left; the meal is in the middle; and the water is on the right.

 

If the bread is in front of you, pass it to the right. Do not take a piece until the basket gets back to you. Hopefully, there will be bread left in the basket!

 

Finally, never, EVER talk while you are chewing your food. This is such an unappealing habit. If someone asks you a question right after you have put a forkful of food into your mouth, politely raise your hand and wait until you are done chewing before responding; be sure to say “excuse me” once you start speaking. This works both ways—be observant and don’t ask a question of someone right after they have just taken a bite of steak!

 

Other pointers:

 

-Try to pace yourself as you eat. Do not wolf down your food or nibble at it like a bird. It is awkward when one person has finished their meal while the other has barely touched their plate (and it can also be a sign that one person is talking too much!). If you notice that you haven’t made much progress on your meal, ask your companion a question so that you can eat while you listen.

 

-It is considered polite to leave a small portion of food left on your plate, to show that you are completely satisfied. Cleaning your plate may indicate that they haven’t provided enough food.

 

-Do not do any personal grooming at the table. If you’ve just eaten a steak or corn on the cob and feel that you might have souvenirs caught in your teeth, don’t pull out your compact, gnaw on a toothpick, or pick at your teeth. Instead, excuse yourself, grab a toothpick from the hostess stand (or some floss if you’ve brought some), and head to the bathroom to check your smile. Don’t flash your teeth at the person next to you and ask if you’ve got anything in your teeth.

 

-Don’t cut your meat up all at once. That’s fine if you are a toddler, but not if you are a full-grown adult. Cut a bite-sized portion of your steak or chicken, chew it, then cut another.

 

-If you are part of a large group dining at a restaurant, it is best to clarify with everyone beforehand whether you will be asking for separate checks. If you are, make sure your server is apprised of that as soon as you order. It can be a major headache when one person pays the bill and is then charged with the duty of calculating the cost of what everyone owes them—it never adds up! Always account for tip and tax. Never suggest splitting the bill into equal parts if you notice that some dining companions have only had a modest amount of food. Money is tight for many people these days, and it’s rude and pretentious to have someone who ordered a salad and water to foot the bill for your porterhouse steak and bottle of wine.   

SingleMindedWomen.com Fashion Tips for Job Interviews

I’ve written an article for SingleMindedWomen.com about appropriate attire when interviewing for a job. Please check it out by clicking the link.

The Myth of the Rude New Yorker: My Notes from NYC

Hello all! I’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to New York City with my husband and thought I’d share my experiences with you…

 

I’ve been going to NYC at least once a year since I was 12, but every trip is like the first time! As soon as I step into that taxi at LaGuardia Airport, my heart starts skipping. I cannot wait ‘til I see the Manhattan skyline as we ride into the city.

 

One of my quests on this trip was to find all those “rude New Yorkers.” If you recall, my husband and I went to France last year in pursuit of a rude French person—but never found one! Would New Yorkers exceed our expectations too?

 

You bet. We were treated like royalty from the time we arrived in Manhattan. 

 

NEW YORK CONFIDENTIAL

 

Two of New York’s best-kept secrets:

 

1) If you are a power bargain shopper as I am, make sure you go to Century 21—wow! It’s a huge store, full of great prices, great clothes, and great bargains…you can find designer items at 50% off or more. 

 

2) Most visitors know they can get Broadway show tickets discounted by up to 50% off by visiting the TKTS discount ticket booth at Times Square. But did you know there is another TKTS at South Street Seaport? And unlike the TKTS booth at Times Square, you can buy tickets for the next day. While you’re there, take a stroll through South Street Seaport. You’ll find great stores, restaurants, events, and more.

 

WHAT ARE NEW YORKERS WEARING?

           

Most women wore jeans tucked into boots: short boots, knee-high boots, lace-up boots…you name it. Others wore tights with long tops and boots.

 

For a city that “only wears black” I saw lots and lots of red jackets.

 

Also, everyone was wearing a scarf, often loosely around their neck and other times just to keep warm. I felt like I was back in Europe!

 

THE EXCITEMENT OF THE CITY

 

As I get older, I appreciate the everyday life of New Yorkers more and more. While visiting the MOMA, I found a window overlooking 51^st Street and stood there watching New Yorkers go by. New York is a great walking city. Nothing stops New Yorkers; it was raining buckets but they were still out there with their umbrellas. When is the last time you saw an Atlantan not only walk, but walk in the rain?

 

While my husband was at the Kandinsky Gallery of the Guggenheim, I discovered a small café on the 3^rd floor. I ordered a macchiato and stood at the window overlooking Central Park. New Yorkers were jogging, walking, and pushing baby carriages, and I felt like I was in one of the hundreds of movies that have been filmed in NYC. WOW! To live here!

 

MY TRIP TO SOHO

 

By the third day, we still had not found a rude New Yorker, so we went to SoHo. That’s the day we found a cab driver who was joking and laughing with us. So much for rude cab drivers…

 

One of my favorite stores in SoHo is the DKNY store, which is where I discovered the Cozy. I bought one in red and have worn it several different ways. 

 

We then discovered an Ugg store. Yes, there’s a whole store and they carry much more than fur-lined boots! My husband bought a great pair of sandals and I found a great hat and a handbag. Did you know you can find sheepskin in most of their women’s sandals for extra comfort? Some have sheepskin on the inside of the heel and thong sandals have sheepskin around the toe area—so comfy!

 

We also walked in front of an eyeglass store called Ilori. We were looking in the window when a John Legend look-alike motioned us to come in. We had fun trying on all sorts of eyeglasses and finally broke down and bought a pair each. Farah Burns, the stylist who helped us, went out of her way to show us different styles (another “rude person”). After paying for the glasses, she asked us to come to the lower level with her and we found a beautiful lounge, leather sofas, two glasses of champagne, and French chocolates waiting for us. At first, I was a little leery wondering what was going on. Well, it was customer service at its best! No, we did not spend thousands of dollars for this—just got the two pairs of sunglasses! I told Farah I felt like a princess and she told me I was. Frankly, she was the princess. Here’s her photo.

 

Later, we laughed when we found out that Ilori is owned by Lenscrafters—who knew they had a luxurious side?

 

So did I find a rude New Yorker? Nope, not one…but I sure had a lot of fun looking for one!