Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and days of old lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
Have a safe and happy New Year!
For those of you who celebrate it, have a Christmas full of merriment and joy. I hope you are all able to spend this time with those you love.
I’m sure BTG isn’t the only one who has delayed his gift purchases until the last possible moment. If you find yourself in want of a proper children’s gift, worry no longer. I happened upon the books pictured above at Anthropologie. They are reprints of Munro Leaf’s classics “How To Speak Politely And Why” and “Manners Can Be Fun”. Their lessons will provide a solid foundation in speaking and polite behavior for even the youngest child. They can also act as a reminder for adults who over the course of time may have let a few things slip.
Back when our founding fathers were still young lads, the desire for literature on manners and etiquette experienced a surge. The aristocratic protocol of the courts in England and Europe influenced the land owning class in colonial America. In fact, a young George Washington recorded lessons in civility which have now found their way into a book titled “Mind Your Manners! George Washington’s Rules of Civility”.
The book was compiled and annotated by James Henry II, the descendant of a Scotsman who served on the Continental Congress and who once loaned money to George Washington to finance the Revolutionary War. There are 110 rules contained within; each entry includes a modern interpretation by Mr. Henry.
What better subject to share in my inaugural Modern Manners Monday than the first President of the United States? We will begin with one that is quite dear to me:
Rule 18
“Read no Letters, Books, or Papers in Company but when there is a Necessity for the doing of it you must ask leave...”
We exist in a world of modern conveniences and in many ways we are better for it. Cell phones, BlackBerrys, iPods and Kindles abound. Something happened, however, on this bullet train of technology. Immediacy has usurped civility. I suggest we take a cue from President Washington:
When in the presence company, keep all distracting devices at bay. Only under circumstances of extreme urgency, excuse yourself for any third party communications. In no time you will realize how inconvenient it is to continually take leave of your party for trifling matters.
They both embody an old-world, patrician grace which is somewhat incongruous in today’s world and epitomize classic, refined style. They also share the name Carolina Herrera. There is something enduringly captivating about this pair.
Carolina Sr., the polished, Venezuelan designer, was on best dressed lists even before she founded her eponymous clothing brand. An inveterate traditionalist, she is known for her trademark white button-down shirts. Aside from formal gatherings, one is hard-pressed to locate evidence of her without one.
Looking as if she’s arrived directly from a sitting with Sargent, Carolina Jr. is a contemporary interpretation of the original. She serves as inspiration for her mother’s designs and has also led development of the brand’s fragrances.
I’m influenced by both, not only in the way I dress but also in the way I live. They prove that elegance is far more enchanting than scandal.
I had the pleasure of dining at A16 in San Francisco last week with a dear friend and amateur gastronome. For weeks she had gone on and on about the cheese, so much so, I was convinced this cheese held mystical properties.
For those of you who have never tasted proper, fresh burrata, I weep. It was quite possibly the most uncomplicated and yet most pleasurable morsel that had ever crossed my lips. Flown in daily from Gioia Cheese in Los Angeles, burrata is a paragon of artisinal craftsmanship. Native to the Puglia region of Italy, burrata is handcrafted from traditional mozzarella in a process which optimally lasts only ten seconds. It must be devoured fresh as it has a shelf life of five days.
I implore you: visit Gioia’s online store, purchase a pound, and serve immediately with a sprinkling of sea salt and a dousing of extra virgin olive oil.
