Choosing a dog is maybe the only opportunity in life to choose a relative. (Mordecai Siegal)   Did you know that a recent study in the US revealed that more than half of pet owners surveyed said that if they got stuck on a desert island, they would rather have...

“Fish and visitors both stink after three days.”    You will make a great first impression by confirming your invitation as soon as possible and stating the day and time of your planned arrival and departure. If you are unable to confirm the invitation within one...

A Portuguese saying goes: “Visitors always bring joy – if not upon their arrival, then surely on their departure.”   Whether you’ll be hosting someone for one night or an entire weekend, long-time friends, or a co-worker, the same principles of hospitality apply...

“Happiness is when what you think, say and do are in harmony.” (Mahatma Gandhi)   At first glance, it may seem that in the age of home offices, limited gatherings and closed restaurants, dealing with social etiquette is somewhat unnecessary. After all, we eat...

"Much can be overcome by the strength of the soul, much by religion, even more by hope, but love triumphs over all.” (Jaroslav Vrchlický)   Etiquette may be a venerable lady of advanced years, but she’s still trendy and keeps up with the times. The situations she...

Restaurants are opening again, but in a slightly different style than we were used to. It is probably not in our power at this moment to predict exactly what restaurants will look like after covid, but it is certainly possible to describe a few key changes that we as...

You may be a regular reader of my blog or you may have just discovered it now. Either way, how about trying a short quiz? Just ten questions. Maybe you can manage it without losing any points! But if not, don’t worry, at least you’ll learn something new. Good luck,...

Honestly, it was not really easy to find literature dealing with etiquette in Africa. Nevertheless, I managed to find an extract by a British writer William Hanson, which is and is not about etiquette, but I thought it was interesting so I decided to share it with...

After a long period of fasting, one visit may follow another and, moreover, today is also Mother's Day. So, how to please the lady of the house and potential guests with something original and unforgettable? What about trying to make real English afternoon tea with...

Thanks to the previous blog, you know how to talk with ease to someone and swap the first few sentences. But that doesn't always mean you’re out of the woods. What if you had a great start to the conversation, but you’ve completely misjudged the person you are talking...