Etiquette Tuesday: To Say or Not to Say
©JohnnaKnowsGoodFood
One way to ruin the conversation before it starts is with the wrong opening line. I had to chuckle when I saw this in The Freixenet Social Survival Guide. Freixenet toasted the launch of their food truck tour in the District with cocktails, tapas and games. After playing a game similar to Wheel of Fortune, I won this handy guide on dining etiquette. The perfect prize for Johnna Knows Good Food. This tip should have made my list ages ago but it slipped totally under my radar.
The guide highlighted some opening lines to avoid and I had to share this one in particular with you:
“Is that your real hair?”
Who does this?!? This week’s Etiquette Tuesday is clear as day: what not to say. Dining out should be an enjoyable experience and certain subjects are just not enjoyable to share in certain social settings. If you’re at a hair show, “Is that your real hair?” may be totally acceptable but I only speak to dining social settings. In the latter settings, this could be grounds for an awkward moment and why invite this drama into a night that should be remembered as full of fun. Avoid personal questions such as this one in social settings unless (*there are always exceptions) you and this person have this type of relationship. Key indicators of this type of relationship will beam like a red light based on the amount of conversations you have had, the amount of intimate time spent together and the comfort level you have with that person. It is also important to remember who else is around even if you are comfortable talking about this with that person, they may not want to share their Yaki story with you in front of that person.
Use discretion in this situation and you should be A-Ok. *Snickering*, “Is that your real hair?”…
Category: Etiquette Tuesday
About the Author (Author Profile)
Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
