“Sorry I’m not sorry,” while a funny saying on its own, is not a good way to apologize. It’s a variation on a theme that you see with celebrities and politicians on a regular basis: “Mistakes were made.” or “I’m sorry if what I said hurt some people.” Those are weasel words, insincere and grudging. A real apology takes skill, sincerity, and a willingness to redress the situation. It’s difficult to apologize, but so important to do it properly. Apologies […]
Sometimes, while caught up in the beauty and creativity of cooking and entertaining, it’s easy to forget that not everyone can buy whatever they want to eat, or throw a party without giving a thought to whether they can afford it. Even when I was growing up and our family means were modest, we never lacked for food. One of the advantages of living on a farm was that we could grow enough vegetables to feed ourselves, and my father […]
This post may not be wildly relevant to everyone, but it has a wider application: we all find ourselves introducing mutual friends from time to time, and often with a certain amount of anxiety. Will they like each other? Will they each make an effort to be friendly and find some commonality of interests? These are all things that a hostess needs to take into account when seating a dinner party. There is protocol in every dinner. It may not […]
Some people love to hear about the tiniest details of formal entertaining, and I’m happy to oblige. At a seated dinner at the White House a guest may encounter social traditions that may be unfamiliar to them: 1.) Escort Cards and Placement: A little envelope with the guest’s name will be presented to each person as they arrive. Inside they will find their table assignment. At this point, guests usually begin comparing notes on where they are seated, wondering if Table […]
While a receiving line is usually only seen at a wedding or engagement party, we rarely had an event at the White House without one. A receiving line consists of the host and hostess – and a guest of honor if there is one – standing at the entrance to the party to greet the guests. And since the invention of the camera, the receiving line at the White House has taken on Cosmic Significance. A photo with the President […]
