Clean Up Crew!
The Clean Up Crew!
All of us have rented cars in Ireland. Driving on the opposite side of the road is not a problem until you come to the round abouts. Also, especially in a larger city, all of us have to keep reminding each other not to step out into the road without looking to your right first instead of your left.
Each night we are cooking in our huge kitchen. Just picture 7 women laughing, talking, chopping, cooking and creating wonderful meals made straight from produce grown on surrounding farms. I felt like I was back again in my college sorority house at UGA. Cooking for 14 was so much fun but the best part was after dinner the clean up crew, pictured above, charged into the kitchen and cleaned up. Believe me, that kitchen was not a pretty place to be. There were lots of dirty dishes and lots of pots and pans. I did find out my husband, Steve, has perfected a new skill and I am happy to let him use it when we return to Atlanta!
Pubs
One of the women in our group, Julie, is a violinist who played many years for Andy Williams. She wanted to play in a Pub while we were in Ireland. The local people in the photo above have been playing together every Wednesday night for 25 years. Anyone who wants to join in and play with the group can. You just bring your instrument and pull up your chair. There is no music and everyone is improvising based on just 3 chord progressions. Our whole gang headed to the pub, on Wednesday to support Julie. As a classical violinist she needed to see what and how the locals were playing.
After about an hour Julie jumped right in and began playing. Because she is so-o-o-o beautiful, all the Pub guys couldn't keep their eyes off of her. No, she is not in the above photo.
What fun we had listening and meeting the locals. Not a tourist was in sight because this was a tiny town. No food, just booze is served in Pubs. Maybe I should suggests pretzels and peanuts next visit!
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.
A Food Court Delimma…
I am always fascinated with life’s little moments of what to do.
Earlier this week, I wrote about my associate attending a national convention. When she returned to Atlanta, she told me of another situation that caused her to pause. A group of colleagues decided to have lunch at the convention food court. There were hundreds of people trying to get lunch and finding a table was tricky. Once a table was secured, one person stayed to hold the table while others got in line to get their food. When the first person returned with his lunch, the table-holder left to get in line.
As there were so many people in line, the members of the group straggled back to the table one at a time. One person sat quietly and never touched his food. Two other people started eating immediately upon returning to the table. Two people were still in the line for food.
Should everyone have waited for all to return to the table or was it o.k. to start eating?
As the etiquette ‘keeper’, waiting for everyone to return is the rule, but there are times, due to circumstances, when the rules can be broken. The fact that two people ate quickly and returned to the convention floor was out of necessity. After all, this did take place in the food court and that usually means ‘lunch and run’.
The fact that one person waited for the other two before eating was great and showed good manners.
... and that Makes Momma Happy!
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But We Call it ‘Finger’ Food …
‘Finger’ food?
As a ‘keeper’ of the etiquette rules, so many of the events that happen in our daily lives simply don’t allow us to comfortably ‘follow the rules’.
Recently, while attending a large convention, one of my associates stopped at a booth to check out a new product. At the booth, the company had trays of pick-up food (egg rolls, stuffed mushrooms, baby pizza etc.) for guests to help themselves. My associate took a napkin and picked up an egg roll. The caterer quickly sprang forth to tell her how rude she was for not using the serving tongs on the tray. In defense, my associate explained that she purposely didn’t use the tongs because so many people ahead of her had used them and she was sure they were covered in germs on the handle. She told the caterer that she selected an egg roll with her just-sanitized fingers, without touching another on the platter.
Etiquette dictates that utensils be used to pick up food from platters, but was she right or wrong?
I admit that at large receptions and all-you-can-eat food bars, the utensils probably are very ‘germy’. In my opinion, my associate had a valid response in whether or not to use those particular utensils at that particular time. We tell all our etiquette graduates that first you need to know the rules, then you make a judgment call on breaking that rule if need be.
And that Makes Momma Happy!
The American School of Protocol
...where training is our passion
Posted via email from The American School of Protocol's Posts