Etiquette, style and class is always attractive and appeals to one and all. Elegance is once again trendy again. And #LikeALady #LIkeAGentleman are popular hash tags.
Finishing schools are experiencing more success than ever, and Vancouver is no exception to this trend. On Saturday June 9th, I attended Vancouver’s Queen of Style (Cynthia Pace), group etiquette lunch. Rarely do I use the word flawless but in this case, the shoe fits.
Talk about perfect timing, organization and execution of an event.
I was impressed. And not because a tall blonde Barbie actually knew which fork to use. But because I already pride myself on being a lady yet I left knowing a little more than anticipated. And it was so much fun!!
Cynthia made the event fun and relaxed, while keeping it informative; providing plenty of etiquette tips.
Gone are the days of old ladies cracking the whip. Or spinsters with glasses looking down making you feel small. Today’s etiquette still complicated, yet modern and relaxed. And only a bad teacher could make learning while eating, a snooze fest. Making people comfortable is part of etiquette as is respecting the space of those around you.
Cynthia made each etiquette lesson entertaining. And the menu was five star! The chef and the Shangri-La Hotel is good. Each of those 5 course delicious menu was a delicacy. As if that wasn’t enough, she passed out fancy cookies with one of her quotes on it.
“A bad mood is no excuse for bad manners”. We also received a grad paper when we left - I guess we all passed when re received our certificate of passage as a basic 101 etiquette grads. She thinks of everything.
The entire afternoon was beautiful. And I cannot think of a better way to learn than by doing so in a natural environment. I enjoyed the practice and the group interaction. It was also an opportunity to network - There were plenty of conversation starters as we practiced our fine dining skills, with out dining mates.
Etiquette can take years of study. And it is impossible to learn everything during a two-hour lunch. We learned a lot but we’ll have to wait for August for her group “Dinner Etiquette” event to learn about dinner. There we can learn about wine ordering, and all the in-depth proper formal dining tips. She promises the dinner to be even nicer than her lunch was. I can barely imagine nicer as this was one of the most exquisite I have had the opportunity to experience.
Her top 5 etiquette takeaways:
1. Place your napkin on your lap as soon as you take your first sip of anything. That signals the beginning of your meal.
2. Place your Napkin on your chair is you’re leaving the table if planning to return. When finished your meal, place napkin neatly to the side of your plate or bowl. This signals you’re finished your meal.
3. Avoid using utensils and cutlery as instruments to point at things or people.
4. Keep your mouth closed when chewing. Avoid making noises such as slurping, clinking your glass or cup, or talking with your mouth full.
5. Do not blow on your soup or food and don’t play
with food. Allow foods and liquids to cool down first. And leave food where it is unless you plan to eat it.
If you’re into self improvement, want to present a more polished self and seek out fun while learning, I highly recommend you contact etiquette coach Cynthia Pace. She teaches private one on one etiquette lessons. She also does small private group events / etiquette dinner parties.
Her large public group dinner event coming up in August as well!! So much unexpected fun while learning the rules. A lot of teachers could learn something from her style of teaching, her kindness, and her sense of style.
You can contact Cynthia at her website: www.cynthiapace.com – She is also on facebook, Instagram and aboutme.
https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.pace1,
https://www.instagram.com/styleandimagewithcynthia/
https://about.me/cynthia.pace
