An Homage to Jessica Alba’s Superhot Bikini Body

As a little girl, I heard this kind of criticism all the time. I was always told to eat properly and was taught table manners gradually as I was being brought up. “Where are your table manners”, a remark I heard all the time.

Now that I am grown up, I realize how much I have been blessed to have a family that valued etiquette and manners. As I look around, I see how these have become rare in our time. I walk into people’s houses and see a mess. Where are your manners people?

They are eating with their fingers, licking them all over, spilling on the table, no napkin on their lap and sometimes a napkin is not an option at all! I can't help but wonder; where have these beautiful manners gone? Where are elegance, courtesy and grace of our parents and grandparents as they ate their dinner?

You would see a perfect dining room with all the plates and flatware placed to make a beautiful table setting with shiny silverware and napkins folded in swan shapes. There would always be a tasteful bouquet in the center and you would have your dinner elegantly, listening to the sound of the light music in the background and talking about your day. Everyone would be smiling. Everything would be so graceful.

Of course, there would be things not everyone can afford today. The dressed up tender who would be in charge of bringing in the meals in order from appetizer to dessert is one thing. But what about the things everyone can afford to do at the comfort of their homes? Why don’t we all make a pact today to train ourselves and our children to eat properly and gracefully? Deciding to have table manners is easy and fun. The feeling of elegance and courtesy that is associated with it is priceless.

Set the Table

Start by setting the table. Never compromise the table setting; it is where everything starts. When you are setting the table, make sure you have all your tools in hand; dinner plates and soup plates all from the same pattern and color, the glasses, the flatware; forks, knives, spoons, and salad forks (slightly smaller) and finally the table cloth and napkins. The best napkins are usually the ones that are of cotton. You can buy these at any home accessory or linens store near you. To make things more perfect, try to find ones that come with a matching table cloth, also made of cotton. Or if you would like to make a stylish throw, get napkins of a slightly lighter color tone than your table cloth, same material though. (For example; brown table cloth and beige napkins)

In front of each chair, place a dinner plate and a soup plate on top of it. Then, place the fork on the left side of the plate and a salad fork on its left. The knife should go on the right side of the plate, with the spoon on its right. The shaft of the knife should be facing outwards. Fold the napkin in any shape you like and place it on the left of the plates. You can add a napkin ring if you want to make things even more sophisticated.

The glasses should be placed on the right, right above the spoons. And the bread plates should be on the left next to the forks.

We've all gone to a dinner and used our neighbor's fork, glass, bread plate, or husband. My, how embarrassing! But if you get confused, remember liquids (e.g. your water) go to your right, and solids (e.g. bread plate) go on your left.

Table Manners

Unfold your napkin and place it on your lap. You want to wait for everyone to be on their chairs and for the host to unfold her napkin. Once you sit to have dinner, NEVER put your elbows on the table. It’s either you place your hands on your thighs, or you slide down your elbow so it’s off the table.

If there is soup first, take your spoon with your right hand and gently, without slurping, sip it from the side of the spoon. If the soup is too hot, let it rest until it cools but don’t blow in it. Eat bread by tearing off small bite size pieces and buttering only the piece you are preparing to eat.

When dinner is served, take your fork with your left hand and your knife with your right hand. Normally, you should mount the bite to your mouth using your left hand as well. But if you have to eat with your right hand, then cut your bite, place the knife down, shift the fork to your right hand and eat it then switch back. Do not hold the fork in your right when cutting your food. And last but not least, rice must be eaten with a fork, and not with a spoon like most of us do. Yes it’s hard on some people but if you want to eat properly you have to get yourself to do it.

Cut your food into small bites, chew slowly always with your mouth c-l-o-s-e-d. Never speak when you have food in your mouth. If someone asks you a question, you don’t have to answer right away with your mouth full. You need to swallow first, and then speak. Don’t you worry about having him wait for you for if he’s familiar with table manners, he’ll understand! And if you are eating in small bites as we agreed, chewing and swallowing shouldn’t take much time.

Now, the tricky part that no one knows about; serving the food to your plate.

Normally, in every serving plate there will be a serving spoon for this item alone. Don’t serve two items with the same spoon. Don’t serve food with your hands. Don’t touch food with your hands. If you must (like with some fruits) you have to take whatever you touch. Never touch something, check it out, decide you’re not going to eat it and return it back. And finally, take the food that is on your side of the serving plate. Do not look around and pick the best pieces to yourself. If you need something you cannot reach easily, just politely ask the person closest to it to pass it to you.

Also a dilemma, what to do with your utensils when you are not using them? Well, the right thing to do is to lean them on the sides of the plate while you are talking, then to take them back when you are ready for your next bite.

When you are finished, place your fork and knife on the plate perfectly parallel to each other across the plate so that their tips are pointing towards 10 o’clock and their handles are pointing towards 4 o’clock. Grab the napkin, wipe your mouth if you need to, and then place it neatly to your right. Don’t fold it but don’t wad it up either. Don’t leave the table until everyone is finished. Return the chair after you get up.

Bon Apetit!

The impact of a previous partner on our current lives may very well depend on a number of reasons. Why the relationship ended? How it ended? Is the relationship really and truly over for both partners? Did both partners achieve the closure they were seeking? The magnitude of a break-up drains both partners' emotions to a great extent. Unfortunately, the only thing left they have to offer is usually exchange of name-calling, spreading rumors, or even complete avoidance of one another.

Picture the following situations for a moment. You walk into a place and find your ex, so you a) find the nearest guy to talk to in a semi playful/flirting manner, b) completely shun your boyfriend and act as casually as possible, c) try to show off by doing something that will grab the attention of everyone in the place d) go talk to everyone of his friends, without ever acknowledging his existence. If you found yourself in one of these situations then you need a serious attitude adjustment.

Women with bad break-ups can be categorized into two groups, those who have moved on, and those who pretend they have. However, my article is suggesting the same steps for both groups, because regardless of which group you fall into, or your reason for splitting, nothing can stop you from achieving a pleasant and gracious break-up. The following steps might show you how.

As it is the case with any problem we encounter, the first thing you need to do is to understand it. You need to be absolutely clear on why the relationship ended. Whether it was betrayal, emotional abuse, falling out of love, or even falling for another, you have to establish the main reason for the split. Once you do that, you should put yourself in your partner's shoes to understand how the 'other' person is thinking, what they need to know and how they could be feeling. This will outline you the necessary questions and explanations needed for your closure. When you realize this, you need to schedule a meeting with your ex. I suggest somewhere nice and quiet, but also suitable for avoiding the public's attentions in case things get loud. It is crucial that you take some time to cool off before the big talk. As most of the ugly feelings and hurtful talks are usually disposed during the final stages of a relationship, a lot of anger and resentment are experienced along with it. If you choose to talk immediately after the break up, chances are, both of you will only be snapping back at each other and looking for the quickest, meanest come backs instead of working on finalizing the relationship. Therefore, a couple of days to collect thoughts and dispense revenge are the best way to go.

Once the big day has arrived, it is absolutely crucial to stay on the topic. It is more likely that you would feel a lot of bottled feelings and angry thoughts. Also, the main subject is likely to get stamped on by a number of anger, hurt feelings or even other pending topics. Nevertheless, you should always remind yourself why the relationship ended and explore it accordingly, rather than going back and forth examining problems that no longer come into play.

Try to avoid assigning the blame, rather focus on explaining how certain problems led you to your decision. Pointing the finger will only make matter worse, and it will lead you down a dead end road. After all, it wouldn't matter who was more at fault and responsible for terminating the relationship, it would only matter how you can take it from this point onward to a smooth split. Once you have achieved the closure you desire, you should end your conversation on good will. You can wish him well, or look forward for you next meeting, anything that can indicate that you are taking the highroad and moving on properly. This paves the way for your next encounter, whether it is planned or unexpected; it will make it easier for you to greet him with class and grace since most of the ugly feelings would have been washed away.

With the constant changing world we live in, it sometimes seems extremely difficult to keep a successful relationship; especially, when we keep hearing of break-ups and divorces on a regular basis, headlines of lovers killing one another, and songs asking where all the love disappeared. Well, I believe that love still exists, but like everything else in our environment, we are abusing the last of it. We should seriously take a close look at ourselves and ask what we could be doing wrong and work on it. The above mentioned steps are good guidelines, but they are not magical.

Although these steps might seem like you are giving up, or portraying weakness on your part, as politeness is usually perceived as such. However, this only shows that you are mature and strong enough to handle a tough break up with class and poise, instead of the low manner most people choose. It will make you gain status and great deal of respect among your- and his friends. It will also say a lot more about you as an mature woman and the way you are capable of handling your relationships. Chances are, your previous partner will realize you for what you really are, a lady who should be treated with the utmost respect. So ladies, always remember 'politeness hurts a lot more than rudeness.'

As a little girl, I heard this kind of criticism all the time. I was always told to eat properly and was taught table manners gradually as I was being brought up. “Where are your table manners”, a remark I heard all the time.

Now that I am grown up, I realize how much I have been blessed to have a family that valued etiquette and manners. As I look around, I see how these have become rare in our time. I walk into people’s houses and see a mess. Where are your manners people?

They are eating with their fingers, licking them all over, spilling on the table, no napkin on their lap and sometimes a napkin is not an option at all! I can't help but wonder; where have these beautiful manners gone? Where are elegance, courtesy and grace of our parents and grandparents as they ate their dinner?

You would see a perfect dining room with all the plates and flatware placed to make a beautiful table setting with shiny silverware and napkins folded in swan shapes. There would always be a tasteful bouquet in the center and you would have your dinner elegantly, listening to the sound of the light music in the background and talking about your day. Everyone would be smiling. Everything would be so graceful.

Of course, there would be things not everyone can afford today. The dressed up tender who would be in charge of bringing in the meals in order from appetizer to dessert is one thing. But what about the things everyone can afford to do at the comfort of their homes? Why don’t we all make a pact today to train ourselves and our children to eat properly and gracefully? Deciding to have table manners is easy and fun. The feeling of elegance and courtesy that is associated with it is priceless.

Set the Table

Start by setting the table. Never compromise the table setting; it is where everything starts. When you are setting the table, make sure you have all your tools in hand; dinner plates and soup plates all from the same pattern and color, the glasses, the flatware; forks, knives, spoons, and salad forks (slightly smaller) and finally the table cloth and napkins. The best napkins are usually the ones that are of cotton. You can buy these at any home accessory or linens store near you. To make things more perfect, try to find ones that come with a matching table cloth, also made of cotton. Or if you would like to make a stylish throw, get napkins of a slightly lighter color tone than your table cloth, same material though. (For example; brown table cloth and beige napkins)

In front of each chair, place a dinner plate and a soup plate on top of it. Then, place the fork on the left side of the plate and a salad fork on its left. The knife should go on the right side of the plate, with the spoon on its right. The shaft of the knife should be facing outwards. Fold the napkin in any shape you like and place it on the left of the plates. You can add a napkin ring if you want to make things even more sophisticated.

The glasses should be placed on the right, right above the spoons. And the bread plates should be on the left next to the forks.

We've all gone to a dinner and used our neighbor's fork, glass, bread plate, or husband. My, how embarrassing! But if you get confused, remember liquids (e.g. your water) go to your right, and solids (e.g. bread plate) go on your left.

Table Manners

Unfold your napkin and place it on your lap. You want to wait for everyone to be on their chairs and for the host to unfold her napkin. Once you sit to have dinner, NEVER put your elbows on the table. It’s either you place your hands on your thighs, or you slide down your elbow so it’s off the table.

If there is soup first, take your spoon with your right hand and gently, without slurping, sip it from the side of the spoon. If the soup is too hot, let it rest until it cools but don’t blow in it. Eat bread by tearing off small bite size pieces and buttering only the piece you are preparing to eat.

When dinner is served, take your fork with your left hand and your knife with your right hand. Normally, you should mount the bite to your mouth using your left hand as well. But if you have to eat with your right hand, then cut your bite, place the knife down, shift the fork to your right hand and eat it then switch back. Do not hold the fork in your right when cutting your food. And last but not least, rice must be eaten with a fork, and not with a spoon like most of us do. Yes it’s hard on some people but if you want to eat properly you have to get yourself to do it.

Cut your food into small bites, chew slowly always with your mouth c-l-o-s-e-d. Never speak when you have food in your mouth. If someone asks you a question, you don’t have to answer right away with your mouth full. You need to swallow first, and then speak. Don’t you worry about having him wait for you for if he’s familiar with table manners, he’ll understand! And if you are eating in small bites as we agreed, chewing and swallowing shouldn’t take much time.

Now, the tricky part that no one knows about; serving the food to your plate.

Normally, in every serving plate there will be a serving spoon for this item alone. Don’t serve two items with the same spoon. Don’t serve food with your hands. Don’t touch food with your hands. If you must (like with some fruits) you have to take whatever you touch. Never touch something, check it out, decide you’re not going to eat it and return it back. And finally, take the food that is on your side of the serving plate. Do not look around and pick the best pieces to yourself. If you need something you cannot reach easily, just politely ask the person closest to it to pass it to you.

Also a dilemma, what to do with your utensils when you are not using them? Well, the right thing to do is to lean them on the sides of the plate while you are talking, then to take them back when you are ready for your next bite.

When you are finished, place your fork and knife on the plate perfectly parallel to each other across the plate so that their tips are pointing towards 10 o’clock and their handles are pointing towards 4 o’clock. Grab the napkin, wipe your mouth if you need to, and then place it neatly to your right. Don’t fold it but don’t wad it up either. Don’t leave the table until everyone is finished. Return the chair after you get up.

Bon Apetit!