Don't these look fabulous!
Enjoy
Friday, November 9, 2018
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Northwest Tea Festival in Seattle
I gave a speech at the Northwest Tea Festival in Seattle and a couple of days later I received the nicest letter from Debbie and Tracy. They took my class at the festival and sent me:
How thoughtful!
NEW ONLINE TEA ETIQUETTE TRAINING AVAILABLE!
Ms. Bernadette M. Petrotta
Founder & Director
Polite Society School of Etiquette
Authored Books:
The Art of the Social Graces
The Art and Proper Etiquette of Afternoon Tea
EMMA The Etiquette Cat: Meet Emma
Website: PoliteSocietySchool.com
Email: PoliteSocietySchool@Whidbey.com
Blog: PoliteSocietySchool.blogspot.com
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Friday, April 6, 2018
Polite Society School of Etiquette - "Manners"
"Manners"
Handshaking - The Ultimate Greeting: Shaking hands creates a favorable impression and influences others to do the same. The handshake is important because it is the accepted greeting in almost all countries. Always shake hands when: introduced to a person and when you say goodbye, when someone comes into your office to see you, when you meet someone outside your office or home, when you enter a room, when you leave a gathering, when you congratulate someone who has won an award or given a speech, and when you are consoling someone. Hand shaking is not exclusively for males. Women, too, are encouraged to offer their hand when an introduction is made. A firm but not overpowering handshake is usually a good idea. Be especially careful of how much pressure you exert if you are shaking hands with an elderly person or if you are wearing heavy rings which might bruise, but be sure your handshake is both firm and brief. Count to three and let go.
Say Hello to the hostess before you accept any drink.
Taking Your Seat At The Table: Men and women are expected to enter and sit in a chair from their left sides. This prevents bumping the neighbor when seating. The exception is when the chairs are too close to enter from the side and must be pulled out to sit. Exit the chair the same way you entered. Do not forget to push the chair back in when you leave. A gentleman should seat a lady by standing behind her chair and pulling it back with both hands. When she is half-seated, the chair should gently be pushed forward so that her chair is under her hips. After seating her, the gentleman takes the seat to her left. Good posture is important; do not slouch. Put your back against the back of your chair. Whenever possible, pushsleeves up above the elbows before eating.
NOTE: Men are seated to the left of the woman so as to have their right hand available to assist the woman.
Sit Up Straight. Push your back against the back of the chair.
Push Sweateror sleeves up above elbow before eating.
Rest Your Wrists On The Table. No elbows on the table.
Your Space At The Table: Your spaceshould be confined to the imaginary box around you. If you must move your feet, do so in your own foot space (close to the floor and within the chair legs). If you are not eating, your hands should be on your lap or on the table right in front of you. While you are eating, try to put your non-eating hand on your lap. If you must rest your hands on the table, do so with your wrists only. Place your wrists in front of you on the edge of the table. Do not put your elbows on the table.
Purses, Briefcases, Eyeglasses, And Eyeglass Cases: Do not place any item on the table. A small purse should go on your lap, under the napkin. A large purse, briefcase, and other personal items should go under your chair, out of the way. Never block the path of other guests or the serving staff. An eyeglass case belongs in your purse or pocket. Never put your eyeglasses on the table. Your cell phone should be set to vibrate or switched off and put away. It is extremely rude to make or accept a phone call (or text) during a meal.
Lavatory: Women go to the “powder room” and men go to “freshen up.”
Proper Way To Leave A Dinner Party: The general rule for leaving a dinner party is approximately forty-five minutes after dinner is over.
NEW ONLINE TEA ETIQUETTE TRAINING AVAILABLE!
Ms. Bernadette M. Petrotta
Founder & Director
Polite Society School of Etiquette
Authored Books:
The Art of the Social Graces
The Art and Proper Etiquette of Afternoon Tea
EMMA The Etiquette Cat: Meet Emma
Website: PoliteSocietySchool.com
Email: PoliteSocietySchool@Whidbey.com
Blog: PoliteSocietySchool.blogspot.com
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Polite Society School - "Manners"
Manners
"You have been invited to someone's home for dinner"
What to do??
Be Fashionably On Time: Arrive
at a formal dinner party thirty minutes before dinner. At a less formal event, the general rule
today is to arrive no earlier than twenty minutes before dinner. Gifts are not expected unless it is a birthday
or a celebration of some sort. You may
bring a special bottle of vintage port, champagne, or sparkling cider. Never suggest or mention that your wine be
served. The host or hostess has decided
which wines should accompany his or her menu.
Flowers should not be given to the hostess because she or
the staff will be too preoccupied to arrange them. The flowers, like the wine, have already been
chosen. Instead, it is thoughtful to
call the hostess several days before the dinner to say you would like to send
her flowers in advance and ask what are a few of her favorites as well as her
preference in color.
Make An Entrance: Almost everyone watches the entrance of a
room. Enter the room with good
posture. Do not rush into the room, even
if you are late. Do not slouch. Do not speak loudly or expect everyone to
stop what they are doing and greet you.
Rather, look for the honoree, the host, or the hostess and greet them
politely while complimenting the hostess on some item of décor, her costume,
etc. It is true you only get one chance
to make a first impression; be careful that your impression is a good one. Always be sure to greet the host or hostess
before you accept a drink.
NOTE: Shoes
off at the front door can be done very comfortably by providing
slip-ons for indoor use or shoe covers.
You can put a basket by the door filled with surgical booties. Also have a bench or chair nearby so guests
can sit down and either take their shoes off, put slip-ons on, or put booties
over their shoes.
Remove Gloves: Remove your gloves before
you shake a person’s hand. Unless there
is a reason not to, it is best to remove your gloves as soon as you arrive at
an event.
NOTE: Gloves are often thought of as
something born of the Napoleonic era. In
fact, they’ve been worn for over 10,000 years.
Of course, the earliest uses were not for fashion but more utilitarian
in purpose. Gloves protected one’s hands
from harsh weather or hard labor. Even
thousands of years ago, they were not worn during dinner service. This is understandable when you consider that
until the 1600s, food was traditionally eaten with fingers.
More coming soon...
NEW ONLINE TEA ETIQUETTE TRAINING AVAILABLE!
Ms. Bernadette M. Petrotta
Founder & Director
Polite Society School of Etiquette
Authored Books:
The Art of the Social Graces
The Art and Proper Etiquette of Afternoon Tea
EMMA The Etiquette Cat: Meet Emma
Website: PoliteSocietySchool.com
Email: PoliteSocietySchool@Whidbey.com
Blog: PoliteSocietySchool.blogspot.com
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Thank-You Notes...
THANK-YOU NOTES
The ultimate purpose of Writing Thank-you Notes is to offer a great deal of insight into when you should send a thank-you note.
A thank-you note is a written message to show appreciation for something someone has given you or done for you. There are an endless number of daily situations in which a thank-you note would be unexpected, but deeply appreciated. Let your conscience be your guide.
Someone has done something nice for you, whether it was giving a thoughtful gift, preparing a nice dinner, or lending a hand when you moved, and you would like to say "Thank You." Thank you for thinking of me, thank you for your help, thank you for being my friend, thank you for your extravagance, thank you for making my favorite dish, thank you for entertaining me - well, you get the idea!
Writing a thank-you note makes a connection and brings a relationship full circle. It may seem like a simple thing, and it is, but it is often the simple things that make life worthwhile.
NEW ONLINE TEA ETIQUETTE TRAINING AVAILABLE!
Ms. Bernadette M. Petrotta
Founder & Director
Polite Society School of Etiquette
Authored Books:
The Art of the Social Graces
The Art and Proper Etiquette of Afternoon Tea
EMMA The Etiquette Cat: Meet Emma
Website: PoliteSocietySchool.com
Email: PoliteSocietySchool@Whidbey.com
Blog: PoliteSocietySchool.blogspot.com
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Nina's - A French Teahouse with Royal Charm
Marie-Antoinette
NINA'S is a very famous teahouse in Paris. Tea Time Magazine devoted an article about this popular tourist attraction. The website is beautiful - http://www.ninasparis.com
This luxury tea salon resides along the Seine River, the Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries, and Le Palais Royal. With a history that dates back more than three centuries, Nina's of Paris offers tea drinkers an exclusive and royal experience in each cup.
The intertwined history of Nina's with the famous French royal started in 1672, when the company - originally called La Distillerie Frères - started producing essential lavender oil fragrances. Eventually, it became renowned for the ability to craft and create different aromas, and its distinguished reputation made its products very popular with King Louis XIV, the Court of Versailles, and Marie Antoinette. Over the years, the company transitioned to infuse its popular aromas into a line of uniquely blended teas still sold today.
One aspect that makes Nina's blends truly one-of-a-kind is the source of ingredients integrated in their teas. In keeping with their ties to the royal court, Nina's has an exclusive partnership with the King's Kitchen Garden at Versailles. The company continues to use and incorporate fresh fruits and flowers from the garden in its teas and jams.
Instead of serving a traditional three-course afternoon-tea service, Nin's French Royal Tea echoes Marie Antoinette's famous words, "Let them eat cake!" Guests enjoy a pot of Nina's Original Marie-Antoinette Tea with a slice of the tearoom's Marie Antoinette cake, which incorporates the same rose and apple flavors found in the signature tea.
This decadent treat, along with a pot of tea, makes for a refreshing cake break for tourists in need of a brief idyll from a day of sightseeing...
NEW ONLINE TEA ETIQUETTE TRAINING AVAILABLE!
Ms. Bernadette M. Petrotta
Founder & Director
Polite Society School of Etiquette
Authored Books:
The Art of the Social Graces
The Art and Proper Etiquette of Afternoon Tea
EMMA The Etiquette Cat: Meet Emma
Website: PoliteSocietySchool.com
Email: PoliteSocietySchool@Whidbey.com
Blog: PoliteSocietySchool.blogspot.com
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
TEA TRADTIONS.....Enjoy a cuppa tea
TEA TRADITIONS...
ENJOYING A CUP OF FABULOUS TEA
White Tea is named after the tiny white
or silver hairs that cover the bud as it develops at the tip of each tea
shoot. The teas are usually made from
just the unopened bud. The caffeine
content of such teas is minimal and the lowest of all tea types.
Yellow Tea is China’s rarest. Similar to white teas, they are made from the
skillfully picked new buds which are then piled and left so that the heat
generated from the natural oxidation process dries them out and prevents any
further decomposition. There is more
caffeine in the infusion than in the brew from most green teas.
Green
Tea is not oxidized at
all. The leaves are steamed after
picking to prevent fermentation. These
leaves produce a delicate brew that is very light in color. Mothers have used green tea for centuries to
help upset stomachs, and there is increasing medical evidence that drinking
green tea provides unsuspected health benefits.
Oolong
Tea is a compromise between
black and green teas. Fresh shoots with
one new bud and three leaves are gathered as they reach their peak on the bush
and are immediately processed. It is a
partially fermented tea whose leaves are greenish black. The brew produced is lighter in both flavor
and color. Oolong teas contain more
caffeine than green teas but less than black teas.
Black
Tea is completely fermented
tea. This is achieved by withering,
rolling, oxidizing (drying the leaves with air which turns them a beautiful
copper color), and finally firing the leaves (a process of treating them with
blasts of very hot air). Black teas
produce rich, hearty brews which are very popular.
NOTE: White tea is sundried, picked in early
spring, unopened buds covered with white down.
Green tea is in the natural state then fired. Yellow tea is also used in the natural state,
but you wait one day then fire. Oolong
tea is not fully oxidized. Black tea is
completely oxidized. From white to black
– from delicate to damaged.
Puer Teas
are in a category of their own because of their unique and complex
processing. Made from the larger leaves
of the plant, they can be either sheng
(raw, uncooked, green) or shu
(cooked, black), and finished as loose-leaf or compressed into a variety of
shapes. If stored properly, puer teas
are the only teas that improve with age and are often used as investment
opportunities. Collectors have special
caves, in which puer cakes mature for decades.
Some people age puer cakes to save money to pay for their children’s
college, or because they consider it a safer investment than the stock market,
although more recently the puer market deflated sharply. Because puer teas can be worth many thousands
of dollars, the puer market is prone to counterfeiting, just like the
Darjeeling or the Longjing markets.
Decaffeinated Teas have become
very popular. Tea contains less caffeine
than coffee; one cup of coffee has 100 mg, cola packs about 80 mg, and per cup,
tea has 40 mg of caffeine. Today, most
tea manufacturers no longer decaffeinate their teas through a chemical process
– they use sparkling water instead.
Those who use this process let you know, so read the label. Also, a word of caution: If the tea box lists “Mate” in its ingredients,
the tea has caffeine. “Mate” is a South
American caffeine plant.
Herbal Teas are not really teas at all. They are considered to be infusions, or in
Europe, tisanes. (Infusion – the act or
process of infusing, the continuous slow introduction of a solution into a
vein) An herbal tea is made from a
combination of herbs, leaves, flowers, plants, berries, and spices. They are
naturally caffeine free, and provide a wonderful alternative to caffeinated drinks
and carbonated sodas, and are good both hot and cold. Rooibos
(pronounced Roybus – long o and short u) or sometimes called Red Tea is a
product from South Africa. It is
sometimes spelled Rooibosch in accordance with the Dutch etymology, but this
does not change the pronunciation. It is
also caffeine free. Honeybush is a
sister of Rooibos, with just a hint of honey flavor. In South Africa it is more common to drink
rooibos with milk and sugar, but elsewhere it is usually served without.
Traditionally used as “medicines,” herbal teas can act as mild
digestives, help lift depression, soothe you to sleep, and slenderize the
physique. The myriad benefits of herbal
teas also carry with them an element of caution. Exercise care in the amounts and kinds of
herbal tea you drink. In the interest of
safety, you should limit your intake to two or three cups per day, moderation
being the key. Not all herbal teas are
safe to drink as a beverage.
Beverage-Safe Herbs
Alfalfa
Catnip
Chamomile
Chicory root
Elder flowers
Fennel
Fenugreek
Ginger
Goldenrod
Hibiscus
Lemongrass
Linden flower
Nettle
Peppermint
Rosehip
Red and Black
raspberry
Red clover
Spearmint
Slippery elm bark
Yarrow
Roots
Ginseng
Turnip
NEW ONLINE TEA ETIQUETTE TRAINING AVAILABLE!
Ms. Bernadette M. Petrotta
Founder & Director
Polite Society School of Etiquette
Authored Books:
The Art of the Social Graces
The Art and Proper Etiquette of Afternoon Tea
EMMA The Etiquette Cat: Meet Emma
Website: PoliteSocietySchool.com
Email: PoliteSocietySchool@Whidbey.com
Blog: PoliteSocietySchool.blogspot.com
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