Swiss Cottage in Ireland
Swiss Cottage
This morning we visited a several hundred year old restored country Swiss cottage, owned by a "very rich" family. This ornamental chalet-like thatched building is located in the Kilcommon Demesne, a walled park of some 800 acres at the heart of the Butler of Cahir estate. The Heritage Council had done such a beautiful job with the restoration. ‘The Cottage’, as it was originally known, was built c.1810 to the design of John Nash, Royal Architect, for Richard Butler, Baron of Cahir (from 1816 1st Earl of Glengall). Its interior contains a graceful spiral staircase and some elegantly decorated rooms. The wallpaper in the Salon manufactured by the Dufour factory is one of the first commercially produced Parisian wallpapers. Situated on an elevated site with access by stone steps. Actually this cottage was used strickily for entertaining 6 to 8 guest and the "very rich" family that owned the cottage never slept there a single night. Servants were brought in when the family entertained and gardeners were kept on staff year round looking after the grounds. Hunting, fishing and lawn games filled this "special invitation" day.
For lunch, we ate at a cutery which is so Irish. Food is presented cafeteria style. You point to the items your want and the server plates your meal. This was our first experience with a plate of meat, potatoes, whole and mashed and carrots (Lots of potatoes and carrots) this is actually the food I thought I would be having for lunch and dinner, while in Ireland. Bland would be a good description of this hearty meal.
Steve and I look forward to tomorrow and new experiences. Everyone is so friendly and anxious to help us find our way.
Cows and Turbines?
L
isheen Castle is positioned on a hill surrounded by beautiful green pastures. Looking out our bedroom windows, there are hundreds of cows grazing peacefully in every direction. Oddly enough, in the distance are lots of wind turbines so my views for miles around are cows and technology. Small towns surround us in every direction.
Today, we visited Cashel and had a five star meal at The Palace Hotel. My first course, which I had never tasted before was goat cheese with red sweet onions on top, baked in a thin pastry shell. This work of art was resting on organic greens, with cucumber and grape tomatoes, also marinated black olives. A sweet sauce was drizzled over this creation and my taste buds went crazy. It was so delicious!
There is much formality and multi courses if you are eating in a pricey restaurant. Of course all bets are off if you are in a Pub. No food is served in Pubs and we will visit one over the next few days.
Cultural Experiences in Ireland
Lisheen Castle
This week, Steve and I are in Ireland with 12 friends. One of the best ways to expand your etiquette knowledge, as well as your horizons of life, is to visit and participate in another culture.
We have rented Lisheen Castle, an 18th Century structure on the outside and a totally 21st Century renovation on the inside. With 9 bedrooms, everyone has plenty of space.
Don't ever let anyone tell you that the food in Ireland is just potatoes and carrots. Even though we have been here 3 short days, our meals have been fabulous.
One observation is that in Ireland, the take-home leftovers that we do so often in America are not customary here. There were no boxes, so our delicious extra food was placed in tinfoil.
There is so much to tell, and I look forward to sharing with you while we are in Ireland!
The Perfect Gift….
In December 2009, I was interviewed by a reporter on what did I suggest as a great gift going forward for 2010.
My response was to give gift cards. Many times we don’t really know what someone else would enjoy, and a gift card seemed to be a perfect answer. I suggested gift cards for dining, gas, groceries, department stores, books, theatre tickets etc. But now, I’m not sure that was the best answer. The latest statistics about gift cards are eye opening.
Ben Woolsey of CreditCards.com, a seasoned expert on credit card consumer product and industry trends, says about $5 billion worth of gift cards issued during the 2009 holiday season will be lost to fees or expiration dates, misplaced or forgotten. That is a lot of money that will go to waste and makes us pause to think about the type of gift card as well as the recipient.
So, in rethinking my gift card suggestion, you may have to do a little work to find just the right gift. If you know something about the individual, of course that is easier. If they love cooking and entertaining, that is a slam dunk because of the wealth of products associated with that person’s hobby. If, on the other hand, you know nothing about what the individual likes, scout out some connections to that person and do due diligence. For example, a boss’ assistant knows so much – what he/she likes, where he/she dines, what kind of books they read. If the gift is for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah or Sweet Sixteen, ask a parent or relative what would be appropriate.
If connections cannot be found, there are some great sites on the internet with wonderful gift ideas. One of our Facebook friends, Cool Mom Picks, offers excellent family minded suggestions! I’m sure you know of a few yourselves, or ask your friends.
Each situation is different and I will still continue to give gift cards, but now I’m going to be more targeted. I will also wrap my gift card in a box instead of enclosing it in an envelope. The box may be easier to house the card than an envelope and boxes are always more fun to unwrap!
Do you have any suggestions that might make gift giving better?
...because that would Make Momma Happy.
The American School of Protocol
...where training is our passion
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Changing Lives..
We have had so many graduating classes over the years and during our 5 days working closely together, new friendships are cemented. But friendships are like flowers; they constantly need fertilizer. So, here at The American School of Protocol, I began a new procedure several months ago.
I decided that I would select one class of graduates each week and personally call each one to touch base. How exciting these last two months have been with wonderful stories from so many graduates.
One is actively working with children on an Indian Reservation, another with autistic children, another in a drug lock-down facility, an etiquette cruise ship director, a children’s dress shop owner who teaches etiquette classes in her store, an attorney who donates time to work with wards of the state, a dozen or more graduates who teach on college campuses, several graduates who write for publications online and in print, and the list goes on and on.
I heard stories about graduates who have experienced life changes such as births, divorce and deaths and are currently not able to teach. There were also graduates who have been greatly affected by the economy in their areas. Regardless of the reason, almost all stated that their training helped them focus on opportunities that improved their visions for the future. To all these remarkable graduates I say ‘ hang tight’. You remain in my heart and as you know, we are always here to help and to counsel. That’s what we do!
What a fabulous difference our graduates are making in their communities whether they are teaching or not. Our school is about changing lives and what a wonderful feeling and honor it is to hear these life changing stories from them.
Do drop by our Facebook Fan page to meet a few of them or perhaps you are ready to change your own life. Our next 5 Day Children’s Certification training is May 2-6, 2010 in Atlanta. We would love to have you join us!
and that’s What Makes Momma Happy!
The American School of Protocol
...where training is our passion
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Trouble on the table, can you help!
To: Faye Van Langen <etiquetteschoolofmb@gmail.com>
Dear Mrs. Van Langen,
I'm in desperate need of help. I had an etiquette problem at our table this morning.
It seems that Mr and Mrs Pepper are having problems. It seems like Mr. Pepper is a wanderer. I caught Mr. Pepper with Miss Cinnamon and Sugar this morning and Mrs. Salt was way at the other end of the table. What should I do about this.
Thanks for any advice you can give.
COMMENTS:
Dear Mrs. Wesley,
Thank you for seeking advice on this critical issue of Mr. and Mrs. Pepper.
Have you tried using Velcro?
I think they need to be reminded that they are married and must stay together. I also think that you need to remind those around Mr. & Mrs. Pepper to encourage them to stay close by each other. Others will try very hard to separate them, but you must be very diligent in your efforts to keep this couple married. As for Miss. Cinnamon and Sugar I would suggest that you find a very special place for her. Encourage others at the table to keep a close watch so that she remain in her own territory. She must not be allowed to intermingle with Mr. and Mrs. Pepper since Mr. Pepper has a wandering eye. This intermingling could cause Mr. Pepper to become discouraged with the plainness of Ms. Salt, which would cause Mr. Pepper to wander more often. Miss Cinnamon and Sugar have such class in their color that it is difficult to keep ones eyes off such beauty. Perhaps Ms. Salt has lost her savor and that is the reason Mr. Pepper has been wandering. Check it out and refresh her flavor if needed. Also, remind Mr. Pepper to flee youthful lusts and enjoy the wife of his youth!
I do hope that these suggestions will help in keeping Mr. and Mrs. Pepper married. If you need any further advice, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Van Langen
The Etiquette School of Monterey Bay
A Graduate of:
The American School of Protocol
...where training is our passion
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Fish Smell After 3 Days, Do You?
When you live in the North and like to travel south to Florida in the winter, Atlanta is the perfect place to have friends.
I always chuckle when I read a “Dear Abby’ column about house guests who wreck the family schedule by staying too long, expecting to be entertained and use the family’s personal things without asking.
I’ve never experienced this scenario in our own home and I’ve always thought that nobody could be that bad, but my neighbor came over last night and shared how hard it had been to have ‘passing through’ house guests for a long weekend. They weren’t close friends, they were people they once lived near in another city and with whom they’d ‘loosely’ kept in touch. My neighbor and her husband both work full time and they have children in school, so they have limited time and keep a routine going. The long weekend turned out to be a marathon of meal preparing – breakfast, lunch and dinner. On the evening they did go out to dinner the house guests did not reach for the check. And on afternoon excursions they did not offer to pay for the parking or the admission to the museum or, or, or.... it kept going on. They helped themselves to things around the house, in the pantry, in the fridge – all before being offered. The straw that broke the camel’s back was the morning that my neighbor walked into her kitchen to find Mrs. LongAgoAndFarAway on the family laptop, which contained plenty of private information. Can you believe this behavior? And it happened next door – not in a newspaper column. So yes, people really can be that bad!
My Mom used to say “Fish begin to smell after 3 days”. That is a great gauge for people who stay in someone’s home. Leave before the visit begins to smell and you may well get asked back! Being a good house guest ...
...now that Makes Momma Happy!
The American School of Protocol
...where training is our passion
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Girl Pals…
Last night, one of my close girlfriends invited a group of us to come over for dinner. Becky, Anne, Janie, Faye and I have known each other for many years. In fact, we have been celebrating all of our birthdays together for 30 years. During that time we have been there for each other’s children’s births, children’s birthdays, illnesses, divorce, remarriage, new jobs, starting a business, children’s weddings and, this year, the first death of a husband.
Well, our wonderful evening together was filled with tons of girl talk. Things like upcoming marriages of our children, grandchildren, travel, latest books read and many more topics. The evening had a warm glow of girl buds savoring the friendship of the past and looking forward to the future.
My husband has a Guy Saturday Morning Breakfast that has been happening for 15 years. I always want to know what they talk about because I hear how much fun they have. Well here goes ... they discuss football, any other sport of the season, politics, latest stock market trends and hot tips in the business world.
Why don’t guys have fun things to talk about? Probably because as women we are the relationship builders and nesters. It’s ‘Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus’, isn’t it?
But aren’t we thankful that we can still celebrate and tolerate our differences?
... and that Makes Momma Happy!
The American School of Protocol
...where training is our passion
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Meet our graduate Yasmin Navarro
The journey at The American School of Protocol was enlightening. Lee opened our eyes to look into the endless horizon of social media!
My favorite part was finding out the many ways to get exposed on the worldwide web.
Thanks everyone!
Yasmin Navarro, certified graduate, February 2010
The American School of Protocol
...where training is our passion
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Bethany Miller comments about her TASP training in Peggy’s home!
Having had the privilege of attending both the 3 Day and the 5 Day TASP Train the Trainer Classes, I would highly recommend the 5 Day! Both were outstanding classes yet the entire 5 Day class was held in the very warm and welcoming environment of Peggy’s home vs. in a hotel conference room.
Peggy was extremely professional in her classes and made all excited in starting our new businesses.
Thank You for Everything!
Bethany Miller, Certified Graduate February 2010
The American School of Protocol
...where training is our passion
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