Etiquette Boss: Restaurant seating – a gentleman’s guide

I have observed that many gentlemen take the seat facing the restaurant door, without paying much attention to their female companion’s seating position. An etiquette violation occurs if the gentleman’s seating position requires his female companion to face the wall.

In social situations, ‘ladies before gentlemen’ is a consideration that goes beyond entering an open door. However, this no longer applies to business dining, which is considered ‘gender neutral,’ the person of higher rank being given the best seat, regardless of gender.

Social dining still requires that the lady face the restaurant, so that she has a good view. A good table would present both parties with a proper view, and this can be secured when reservations are made. Sometimes men sit without even looking at the lady, but a gentleman seats the lady to his right by pulling out her chair and helping her closer to the table before being seated.

To some this might sound old-fashioned, but I have found that what sounds old-fashioned in one social setting is still the norm in another, so it is always advantageous to have a choice regarding behavior.

Beauty Tips – Facial Exercise

I would like to share a facial exercise that gave me positive results in five days. Unhappily, the corners of my mouth had graduated from lines into folds. Vanity would not allow me to accept this condition, so I immediately did these two mouth exercises, and I am very happy with the results.

The first was to fold both lips over top and bottom teeth respectively. I held back the corners of my mouth with my two forefingers, while bringing up the bottom lip (folded) to touch the top lip as far as it could extend, while jutting out my bottom jaw slightly. I started at 20 reps twice per day, and am now doing 50 once per day. In a few days I will attempt to do 50 twice per day (morning and evening). It is building up the muscle around my mouth.

I also placed both forefingers (after washing) into my mouth and extended it while trying to pull in my lips against the outward pull of my fingers. This I also started at 20 and am now doing 40 reps. If your sagging is more advanced, it will take longer to see results, but start slowly and stop when you feel discomfort.

Phillipa Morrish is the president of Etiquette Training International.