Tiffany Nielsen

Dining Etiquette, Business Etiquette and Children's Workshop

Dining Etiquette Class

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Are  you confident in fine dining enviroments?  Do your kids squirm in their seats and ignore your call for manners?  Are you looking to impress your date? How about simply feeling comfortable? Understanding dining etiquette increases self-assurance and sets the stage for a fun time minus any embarrassment.  Your favorite etiquette enthusiast Tiffany Nielsen will present an interactive, far from stiff and boring event, all while enjoying a carefully selected course dinner prepared by a French Chef.

Class participants will learn American and European styles of dining, how to navigate a place setting, the silent signals of dining and more!

  • Can I sit anywhere I want?
  • I’m late for dinner. Now what?
  • Pass left or pass right?
  • Help, I’m allergic!
  • It’s okay to use my cell phone at the table, right?
  • Who pays the bill?
  • Which bread plate is mine?
  • Oh, goodie I get to put my elbows on the table, but when?
  • Does it matter how I hold my fork?

This dining workshop has helped hundreds of local men, women and kids gain added confidence and appreciation for the joy of eating. Parents hope their children behave while out for a dinner. Teenagers care about their image and want to impress their friends and peers. And, one third of business is conducted over a meal. Make time to enhance your dining skills because manners do matter and etiquette is a social skill to be mastered. A person can have all the right technical skills, but without social savvy it’s hard to get anywhere.

Date, Time and Location:

 September 19, 2011
5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Monet’s Restaurant in Exeter, CA.

 

“Tiffany Nielsen’s dining etiquette workshop was both a fun and informative component to my client dinner.  Tiffany was perfect, accessible and knowledgeable about the challenges of modern etiquette, and connected with everyone at dinner-regardless of age or background.  Everyone left having learned key pieces  regarding dining etiquette and the event still comes up in conversation, months later! Thank you, Tiffany, for making our   dinner and educating us on modern dining etiquette!”
–     Elizabeth Newman, Google

Fee: $45.00/person. This fee includes dining etiquette instruction and a scrumptious four course meal (tax and gratuity included).

Pre-registration is required. Seven seats left! Open to families, couples and singles.  

Please register over the phone by calling Tiffany at (559)280-9859.

“Thank you so much for coming out to our troop meeting. I know the girls really enjoyed it. I had one come in the next day to eat with her family and as I watched her I could tell she was practicing what she learned.”
–     Adela Montgomery, Pixley Girl Scouts, CA

Mealtime Manners: Is it Peace or Chaos at Your Table?

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Setting the Table is Fun!

As keepers of our tables, we do have a say as to how table manners will be dished out over all mealtime gatherings.   Sometimes, it may feel pointless to keep asking little Sally to stay seated when it’s the ten-thousandth time you’ve asked her to stay in her chair. It doesn’t help if big brother is licking his knife. The trouble parents go through to command a little table respect is a task that can bring blessed peace to the family dinner hour.  After all, you deserve it after busting your tails getting food on the table, right?

Back to Basics: These ought to sound familiar and, I’m sure, are in full expectation at your gracious table:

  • Elbows off the table
  • No chewing with your mouth open
  • Set the table correctly and pass food to the right
  • Put salt, pepper and butter on the table

To get the ball rolling for more peace at your table, start by creating a game that teaches kids how to set your table correctly. This lets the kids know what is being served and what utensils, etc… need to be on the table to make polite eating possible.

One child per meal, describe the meal to the children in great detail. Use descriptive words such as “golden mashed potatoes, Hereford steak with a secret sauce and sweet cherry tomatoes.”  Then ask them to assess the menu and determine what goes on the table. Learning how to set the table according to what is being served teaches them to ask questions about the food and how to work a place setting which will come in very handy when sitting across from a potential employer sizing them up for employment!

Be detailed, descriptive and energetic about this game. Other siblings, friends, parents or make-believe friends can cheer on (or egg on) the player. Add a timer to the game to see if they can beat their time when it’s their turn to go again! And, if they miss something, like salt and pepper, they have one extra job after dinner like taking mommy’s plate to the sink or wiping down the table. When they master the place setting, they win the prize of being served first and someone else taking their dirty plate to the sink.

Kids and adults like games that make fun of what, otherwise, might seem boring and stuffy. Anything that creates peace at the table without hindering the learning of everyday good living is well worth the effort.

And, if you want another smashing idea to keep mealtime peace filling your cup, how about attending a dining etiquette class where someone besides you gets the tasks of teaching manners? Sign up for this one-of-a-kind class and enjoy seeing the change happen overnight!  To register, contact Tiffany Nielsen at 559-280-9859.

Tiffany Nielsen shows men and women of all ages how to stand out-not stick out socially and professionally. She is the President of Premier Etiquette, a full-service etiquette and image training and consulting company, and co-author of The Power of Civility and Incredible Business.   Visit her website at www.tiffanynielsen.com to learn more about how you can thrive socially and professionally!

Copyright 2011 Tiffany Nielsen. All Rights Reserved.  To reprint, please contact Tiffany Nielsen at tiffany@tiffanynielsen.com for permission. www.tiffanyynielsen.com

Mixing Tea and Business: Persnickety or Not?

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Mixing Tea and Business: Persnickety or Not?

A dining expert says in his blog to “avoid ordering tea while dining with clients because they might think you are persnickety.”  When I read this, I scrunched up my forehead in a state of confusion and asked myself, “What does “persnickety” mean and how does drinking tea make me appear persnickety in front of business clients?”

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of persnickety is:

  1. fussy about small details
  2. having the characteristics of a snob
  3. requiring great precision

A snob? How ordering tea over coffee or espresso is considered snobbish is beyond me. But, if the dining expert refers to the fact that making a perfect pot of tea takes great precision, then perhaps a client might see attention to detail as a good quality in a business partner.

Preparing tea is an art. I’m comfortable in saying that a client who doesn’t appreciate “art” during a business dinner may be drinking too much coffee and be better off with a glass of Port.

Tiffany Nielsen shows men and women of all ages how to stand out-not stick out socially and professionally. She is the President of Premier Etiquette, a full-service etiquette and image training and consulting company, and co-author of The Power of Civility and Incredible Business.   Visit her website at http://www.tiffanynielsen.com/ to learn more about how you can thrive socially and professionally!

Copyright 2011 Tiffany Nielsen. All Rights Reserved.  To reprint, please contact Tiffany Nielsen at tiffany@tiffanynielsen.com for permission. www.tiffanyynielsen.com

Conference Call Etiquette

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Conference Call Etiquette
Public or Private?

According to a new survey, 81 percent of respondents say it is somewhat/completely inappropriate to take a conference call on a cell phone while in public. I personally can vouch for this majority opinion!

Before there was Premier Etiquette, I worked in corporate America.  At one point in that previous career, I dialed into a conference call while sitting in a hotel lobby.  Big mistake!  As you can imagine, the background noise was streaming through my phone straight to the CEO’s landline and it was horribly loud.

The CEO, who I once thought was cool and collected, stopped the conference call comprised of 30 people to bark loud orders to the fool not on mute who muttered, “Duhhhh, Tiffany.”  Embarrassed –  and I think I even chuckled – my fingers found mute and I sat, not moving for fear of making another mess of a situation that could have been avoided if I had participated from the safety of a quiet hotel room.

Ah, the business we learn the hard way, speaking of which, make it easy to stand out-not stick out professionally and socially by joining my next public dining etiquette class:

Family Etiquette Night: Dining at its Finest!

Date: September 19, 2011
Time: 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Monet’s Restaurant in Exeter, CA.
Fee: $45.00/person. This fee includes dining etiquette instruction, a scrumptious 4 course meal (tax and gratuity included) and a perfect opportunity to create a treasured lifetime family memory. 
 *Open to families, couples and singles.

Register by calling Tiffany Nielsen at (559) 280-9859.

Tiffany Nielsen is a sought-after speaker, trainer and author whose wit and wisdom engages, inspires and motivates audiences. She is the President of Premier Etiquette, a full-service etiquette and image training and consulting company, and co-author of The Power of Civility and Incredible Business.   Visit her website at http://www.tiffanynielsen.com/ to learn more about how you can thrive socially and professionally!

Copyright 2011 Tiffany Nielsen. All Rights Reserved.  To reprint, please contact Tiffany Nielsen at tiffany@tiffanynielsen.com for permission. www.tiffanyynielsen.com

How to be the World’s Most Gracious Host!

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House Guest Etiquette
How to be the World’s Most Gracious Host

If your home is referred to as “The Inn,” meaning the light is always on and the door open, you must be the world’s most gracious host! July seems to mark the busiest month for traveling which brings to mind how we can help guests feel welcome at our “Inn.”

Going to visit your friends and family should be a breeze, and having company should be fun! Having a game plan before guests arrive at your home helps smooth the preparation, gives you a chance to be creative and insures you are fully stocked for the unexpected. Here are a few worthwhile tips to keep you the world’s greatest host.

Is the Bathroom Stocked? More times than not, toiletries get left behind. Rather than leave guests digging quietly through your cabinets so as not to disturb you or even make you wonder what in the world is going on in the powder room, stock useful items you know you would need if traveling:

Q-tips
Kleenex
A powerful blow dryer
Curling iron
Toothpaste, toothbrushes and floss
Disposable razors
Sunscreen, lotion, shampoo, conditioner
Lavender soap (personal favorite)
Brushes and combs, clean towels that are free of mascara stains
Hairspray, feminine products, etc….

Place these much appreciated items in baskets or in the cabinets, and be sure to show your guests where to find them should things go wrong in the night. That reminds me; plug in a night light to avoid weary guests crawling back into the wrong bed.

Is the Bedroom Stocked? It is always a good idea to keep guest bedroom sheets and bed coverings separate from your own master and kids’ room linens. This keeps the sheets stain free, in better shape and like “new” each time you make the bed. Spoil your guests with the best quality sheets you can afford, provide quality pillows and dust under the bed before they arrive. Feeling creative? Dress up furniture with bottled water, magazines, pen and paper, and fresh flowers. Make space in the closet, including hangers, for your guests to hang enough clothes to avoid room clutter, and provide an extra blanket just in case the temperatures dip too low for their liking.

Make a Menu List Some guests are picky, others not (thank goodness). A good hostess insures there’s plenty to eat and meets the likings of all. Do a little investigating beforehand to find out if there are any dietary issues to consider. For example, “Mom, I’m so excited you and dad are visiting us in July! When I go to the market to pick up dinner for Friday night, is there anything special you’d like? Is there anything I can get you while I’m there? Is there anything I should avoid picking up for you?”

As the economy shifts, more people are choosing to spend time with friends and family. To have good company means to be good company. Use your home as a place to play, laugh and enjoy all life’s comforts without having to bust your bank account. By the way, nothing lovelier than all members of your “Inn” greeting guests at your front door with open arms. Peel the kids off the couch and make it a family affair.

Tiffany Nielsen shows men and women of all ages how to stand out-not stick out socially and professionally. She is the President of Premier Etiquette, a full-service etiquette and image training and consulting company, and co-author of The Power of Civility and Incredible Business.   Visit her website at www.tiffanynielsen.com to learn more about how you can thrive socially and professionally!

Copyright 2011 Tiffany Nielsen. All Rights Reserved.  To reprint, please contact Tiffany Nielsen at tiffany@tiffanynielsen.com for permission. www.tiffanyynielsen.com