Silicon Canals

There’s a secret vocabulary wealthy families teach their children to signal status—most middle-class parents have never heard of it

While most parents focus on teaching their kids practical skills and good manners, elite families quietly pass down an ...
Animal World on MSN

Fine dining and zero table manners

He's dressed for dinner, but not for etiquette. The fork is just for show—mouth still wins.
The Takeout on MSN

The historic reason your mom always told you to not put your elbows on the table

Raise your hand if you've ever rested your elbows on the table during a meal and got scolded. There's a reason why this seems ...

Miss Manners: Why are table knives placed with the cutting edge toward the plate?

GENTLE READER: It was to avoid the knives being used to attack fellow diners -- or at least to lessen that possibility.

Miss Manners: Years ago I dropped a piece of lettuce, and I’m still thinking about it

GENTLE READER: Ideally, there would be an unobserved moment when you could snag it back onto your plate with a fork or napkin ...

Miss Manners: I dropped lettuce on our first date and still wonder what to do

GENTLE READER: Ideally, there would be an unobserved moment when you could snag it back onto your plate with a fork or napkin ...

Miss Manners: If you adopt my gift-giving philosophy, you’ll never fret about thank-you cards

Gifts, to me, are not a chore and not an obligation. If I get a thank-you card, it is nice, but I do not see any obligation ...

Miss Manners: Why we turn knives inward

GENTLE READER: It was to avoid the knives being used to attack fellow diners -- or at least to lessen that possibility.

Miss Manners: Help me remember the logic behind this table-setting etiquette

(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, [email protected]; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 ...

Miss Manners: How do I honor my mother’s many titles on a nameplate gift?

In today's Miss Manners column, advice columnist Judith Martin responds to tastefully arranging a Ph.D. and four other ...

Miss Manners: I’m old-school, is it still proper to bring a host gift to my CEO?

In today's Miss Manners column, advice columnist Judith Martin responds to what gift is appropriate to bring to a CEO's ...