Personal Tipping & "House Calls"

Personal Tipping:  From hair coloring to manicures to bikini waxes, a beauty regime may seem relentless at times, but the payoff is always worth the trouble.  Your tipping tells that person that you were especially pleased with the service you received.  If you can't afford to tip everyone, then tip the person who spent the most time on you.  It is customary today to tip the owner of the salon/spa when they provide you a service, but remember to tip the employees before the owner if you must make that choice.  Tips are private - your tip is between you and your beauty service provider only.  Once you find a regular stylist, manicurist or esthetician, tipping them will become routine.

Stylist, Barber or Colorist - 15%
Stylist's Assistant - $2-$5
Manicurist or Pedicurist - 15%
Facialist or Esthetician - 15%
Massage Therapist - 15%
Car Wash Attendant - $2
Dry Cleaner/Tailor - no tip

"House Calls" - Home deliveries and house calls come in a variety of forms and so will your tips.  How much you tip will depend on the item or service, and the amount of time the service provider spent in your home.  A delivery person who brings pizza to your doorstep won't stick around for long (small tip), but the guys bringing your new sofa might spend a lot of time in your home before they leave (larger tip).  If you have booked in-home entertainment for a soiree, then tip more for the added convenience.  For a rush or last-minute service request, tip more to recognize the accommodating service.  Always tip in cash, and give a bonus at holiday time (double your average fee).

Delivery person - $2-$10
Floral Delivery - $2
Movers - $10/person
Personal Care Providers - 15-20%
Baby sitters - no tip
House Party Entertainer - 15%
Bartender/Caterer - 15%
It is legal for a U.S. postal worker or letter carrier to accept a cash tip of up to $20.
Weddings and other special events are under different protocols, as are cruises, casinos, and international travel.

Transportation & Lodging Tipping

Transportation:  Getting from here to there, whether for business or pleasure, is a necessary and unavoidable part of  modern life.  Many people are involved in getting you from Point A to Point B.  How you tip will depend on the type of transportation you choose and the quality of service you receive along the way.  From the skycap who helps you check your large bags to the taxi driver who makes sure you arrive on time, they all help to make your journey safe, timely and hassle-free.  Tip them for their service, as you would a waiter or bartender, and keep in mind, the more expensive the mode of transportation the more you will be expected to tip.  Suggestions for appropriate tips:
Cabdriver - 10%
Airport Skycap - $2 per bag
Airport Cart Driver/Wheelchair Assistant - $2-$3 per person
Tour Guide -  $1-$10 per day
Shuttle Bus Driver - 15%
Limousine or Car-Service Driver - 15-20%
Train Redcap or Porter - $1-$2 per bag, or service
Train Dining-Car Wait Staff - 15%

Lodging:  Any experienced traveler knows that the quality of one's stay is in the hands of the hotel staff.  Unfortunately, people often forget to budget for tips as they plan their trip.  To avoid surprises, include tipping in your budget ahead of time, and tuck 15-20 $1 bills into your pocket to cover your tips upon arrival.  When staying at a hotel there is a whole range of services and people available to you - from the doorman who welcomes and assists you with packages to the concierge who gets you into the most popular restaurant.  How you utilize each person and the services they offer varies greatly as well as the tipping protocol.  Here are some tipping suggestions for you:
Doorman - $1-$3
Bell staff - $1-$2 per bag
Concierge - $5
Front-Desk Clerk - no tip
Housekeeper - $2-$4 per night
Room Service Staff - 15%
Poolside Attendant - $2-$5

Have a great vacation!

Tipping When Dining Out

Whether you're dining in style at a five-star restaurant or grabbing a burger at a local eatery, tipping will be part of your dining experience.  For the restaurant staff, your tip is a direct and vital report card for their overall level of service.  But how much should you tip, when and to whom? 

Server - 15% - 20%
The server's basic duties include answering questions about the menu; taking your order; delivering your food and drink properly; and bringing necessities such as condiments, napkins, and an extra plate to the table in a courteous manner.  Your server should check back to see if everything is all right or if you need anything else and should present the bill in a timely fashion at the end of your meal.  The server should never disappear for long; he or she should stay nearby in case you need another drink or the check.  If these services are performed well, a tip of no less than 15% is justified.  Always tip your server at the end of the meal when you are paying the bill.  Tip on the total amount before tax.  When paying cash, take the tip from the change you receive  and leave it on the table.  If you feel you have received exceptional service, it's nice to hand the tip to your server directly and say thank you.  When paying by credit card, fill in the tip amount on the credit slip and leave it on the table.  If you have a server who provides you with especially attentive or helpful service such as assisting with elderly guests, accommodating special food requests, or helping you get your children seated and settled in, tip him or her extra.

Certain situations call for extra tipping.  A server or host who anticipates your needs or spends extra time assisting someone at your table, perhaps helping your elderly aunt with her coat, or bringing your kids crayons or toys, deserves added recognition from you.  And remember, an extra tip doesn't always have to be paid in cash.  Notes, cards, and letters to the management are appreciated.

Other tipping:
Bartender:  15-20% or $1 per drink
Bus Person:  no tip
Sommelier:  20%
Counter Person:  15-20%Coat-Check & Washroom Attendant:  no tip
Host/Maitre D':  no tip
Parking Valet:  $2

Tipping Etiquette

Let's face it: tipping can be confusing, embarassing and awkward.  Whether you want to convey your satisfaction or disappointment, tipping can often seem like a mysterious ritual with no written rules.  Now more than ever our lives seem busier and as a result we want faster and better service.  As we demand more services, there are, in turn, more people to tip.  Suddenly a short list of tipping recipients that was once limited to hair dressers, cabbies, waiters, and hotel doormen has expanded to include everyone from dog groomers to the cashiers at your local coffeehouse.  Deciding whether to tip for these basic services has brcome a bewildering process. 

We all want to be courteous and do the right thing when it comes to thanking someone for good service, but you have the right to know what you are paying for, what the appropriate tip is, and how not to waste your hard-earned cash.  How you express your appreciation (or lack thereof) will be remembered by the people who provide you with the services.  The greater you show your appreciation, the greater the likelihood that you'll receive excellent service from them in the future.

"A fair tip, or one on the generous side, will leave a pleasant feeling and respect for you in the one who receives it.  A lavish one will create a secret disrespect and add to the reputation Americans have for trying to buy their way into everything."  Eleanor Roosevelt

The origin of the practice of tipping is unclear, but it may have begun in the late Middle Ages with the idea that a sum of money might be given in exchange for something extra, whether it be services of effort.  Some sources state that in sixteenth-century England bar "tavern" patrons would toss coins off the table to get better service. 

Dining Out - my next blog post for restaurant tipping.  Check out "The Itty Bitty Guide To Tipping," by Stacie Krajcgia and Carrie Rosten

Cash Gifts & Graduates

Perfectly Polished: Cash gifts & graduates: Whether it’s marking the end of middle school, high school, or college, graduation is a thrilling time. It’s a moment to celebrate, t...

Almost Amish by Nancy Sleeth

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Looking forward to Nancy Sleeth's newest book "Almost Amish" and simplifying my life and teachnology!

Sugar Makes You Stupid

Sugar makes you stupid

A dear friend just sent this article to me, and my eldest daughter just wrote a blog about clean eating.  Food for thought?

Tea 101 - Tea is Healthy

Tea contains a high concentration of polyphenols, compounds that slow down or prevent damage to the body caused by free radicals.  Free radicals are oxidants (unstable oxygen molecules) that harm cell structures and contribute to the occurrence of cancer and heart disease.  Polyphenols are credited with preventing the buildup of fatty tissue that can block arteries and precipitate stroke.  Green teas in particular contain catechins, powerful polyphenols that are thought to help reduce cholesterol by helping the body decrease the amount of fat absorbed into the bloodstream.  Black tea may inhibit the growth of skin cancer and tumors in the digestive and urinary tracts.  Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), found only in green tea and more powerful than vitamin E, has been shown to prevent or inhibit the growth of tumors in certain cancers, including breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers.  EGCG may also slow down flu-causing viruses and the bacteria that cause bad breath.

Drink Tea - Be Healthy!

To Garnish or Not to Garnish...That is the Question

Mother's Day is tomorrow and you may be preparing to pamper your mother with a lovely brunch and tea. My favorite way to display and serve finger sandwiches and sweets is on a tiered serving plate. Here are a few tips to make your "plain" tea time instantly into something memorable, simple, and creatively beautiful. Let's take a moment to talk about garnishing your tea tray.

Shape, Color & Type
* One way to dress up a tray is to use different breads and sandwich shapes. This way you can enhance the appearance of your tea tray even without garnishing. Squares, long rectangles, triangles (I use a cookie cutter for making cute kids sandwiches, heart shapes, etc.) and a variety of breads - white, pumpernickel, rye, herb, and mini croissants (great for chicken & tuna salad).

Sandwich Garnishing Ideas
* My favorite is growing my own herbs and edible flowers (nasturtians). Right now I have pots of violas on my back porch waiting to be snipped and added to the tea tray for today's tea. Flat parsley leaf is nice too - place one leaf on an open-faced sandwich.
* Dried parsley mixed with sesame seeds/basil/lemon zest - sprinkle on edges of the chicken salad.
* Pecan halves - just place one on an open-faced sandwich.
* Cucumber - can be shredded, sliced, diced, quartered or triangle shape, sprinkle with lemon pepper. * Watercress.
* Olive slice - green or black olives, sliced and sprinkled with lemon pepper or paprika.

Dessert Garnishing Ideas
* Drizzle melted white or dark chocolate over dessert bars, cookies and cake slices. It adds a touch of pizazz with very little effort or heavy frosting.
* Dip half a cookie into melted white chocolate.
* If you use whipped cream on your dessert, sprinkle a little cocoa, turbinado sugar, cinnamon or lemon zest curls on top.
* Use a raspberry or blueberry in place of frosting.
* Try dusting a piece of cake or mini bundt cake with powdered sugar instead of frosting.

Flowers & Leaves for Garnish
* Wash all flowers and leaves well. Use them sparingly. Some of my favorites are geranium leaves, lemon leaves, rosemary, lavender, violas & nasturtiums from my own garden.
* Mini carnations, statice and baby's breath add a bit of color and turn your plain tray into WOW. Place a mini carnation on top of a geranium leaf and place that combo around the sandwiches. Use 2 or 3 for best effect.
* Just remember to let your guests know which are edible or inedible flowers and foliage. If a flower is on top of a sandwich, it is best if it is edible. It's amazing how well-placed flowers and foliage around the sandwiches and desserts adds class and beauty to your tea tray.

Enjoy and Happy Mother's Day!

Where There's Tea There's Hope

Eat, Drink & Be Merry continued

My personal recommendation is that for business dining occasions, it's best to avoid finger foods - fried chicken, corn-on-the-cob, messy sandwiches - and keep to a menu which can be tackled with utensils.  Here's a few more tips:
1.  Steer your conversation to topics that won't cause others to feel uncomfortable or squeamish.  "Politics" and "religion" might lead to an argument; and an account of your recent surgery or illness might make someone ill.  Talking about weight, pregnancy & birthing highlights, costs of clothing, etc. are equally discouraged.
2.  The waitstaff deserves your respect and an occasional "thank you" especially for extra service.  You need not offer thanks for every service.  I will soon be posting a blog about tipping, so stay tuned.
3.  If you drop a fork or piece of food, it's best you don't make even the slightest scene.  Casually scoot the article to an out-of-the-way spot, and, if convenient, quietly retrieve it after the meal.
4.  Never move your own dishes or stack them.  This is to be left for the server to do.
5.  Toothpicks should not be used in public.
6.  After being served what to you might be a "tricky" food (example:  lobster, artichoke) either slow down and notice how others proceed, or request guidance from a nearby acquaintance.  Most people are pleased and able to provide instructions.
7.  Most foods are cut and eaten using the knife and fork.  Unless your host decrees otherwise, only at picnics do chicken, french fries, etc. become finger foods.  Strawberries, grapes, other fruits, and olives are most often eaten using the fingers.
8.  Spaghetti should be wound around the tines of the fork.  The key is to leave no ends hanging that need to be sucked into the mouth. 

Practice good eating habits at home so you will be feeling like an expert when attending a business function.  Relax and enjoy! 

We all have to eat & drink - let's be civil!

A positive business dining experience is an important skill to master.  The goal is to be familiar with dining etiquette so you won't have to focus on it, rather focus on the purpose of the business dining occasion.  Dinner poise is one more indication of your education.  Modern rules are designed to help you show consideration for others and to make eating together an enjoyable, comfortable occasion.  Excessive strictness, however, appears to no longer be the norm, but I promise that inappropriate table manners will be remembered!  Here are a few quick suggestions:

1.  If you are unsure how to proceed with a dish or which spoon to use, wait a few moments.  Someone else at the table will likely initiate the action and you may then nonchalantly follow suit (unless you are the etiquette consultant...and then everyone is watching you...).
2.  The rules governing the use of flatware are:  start from the outside fork or spoon and work in as each course is served;  keep used flatware on the plate, not on the tablecloth;  place the knife and fork side by side on your plate to indicate to the waiter when you have finished your meal.
3.  You may find a finger bowl on the table at very formal restaurants, which may appear before or after the meal.  Dip only your fingers into the water and dry them with your napkins below table level.
4.  Place your napkin on your lap shortly after being seated.  Unfold it to a comfortable size (usually so that it is still folded in half) and use it as needed to remove crumbs from your mouth before drinking.  When finished, place it unfolded to the left of the plate.
5.  Bread or rolls should be broken into only the size of one bite and then that piece buttered.  Do NOT make a "butter sandwich" nor use a roll to wipe a plate.
6.  Be seated and unseat yourself quietly, and always from the right of the chair.
7.  Excuse yourself if you leave the table for any reason.
8.  Maintain good posture.  Don't support yourself with your elbows.  An elbow on the table is permissible before and after the meal and between courses, but not while eating.
9.  When wearing lipstick blot your lips in private before dinner to avoid getting lipstick on the water or wine glasses.
10.  Refrain from reaching across someone.  If an item is not within reach, politely ask for it to be passed. 
11.  To ask for something to be brought, or to request a change in improperly prepared food, firmly yet politely address the waiter or attendant without bringing your request to the attention of other diners.
12.  Don't slurp, smack your lips or speak with food in your mouth.  These errors are more common than you think.  Accidental slurping or spilling is easily handled with a quiet apology.
13.  Drink slowly and noiselessly after sweeping your lips with your napkin to remove particles that may stick to the glass.
14.  The soup spoon is moved away from the body during formal dinners.  To extract the last bit of soup tilt the bowl slightly away from you and spoon it out.  Then rest the spoon in the bowl or on the plate under it.
15.  Eat the main course using the larger fork and knife.  To learn more about the American or Continental methods of dining, please ask for a consultation with me - Tea 101 to the rescue!
16.  To remove pits or bones from your mouth, cup your fingers to hide the food, bring the napkin to the mouth, and place particles discreetly on the side of your plate.
17.  Never spit out food that's TOO hot.  Strategically and calmly take a drink.
18.  Drenching food with salt & pepper, catsup or other bottled sauce can be viewed as an insult. 
19.  First transfer pats of butter (using a fork) or jams/jellies (using a spoon) to your plate, then spread them onto your breads using the butter knife provided with your table setting. 
20.  Stirring or mashing food on your plate is offensive.  A baked potato is generally eaten as it is forked from the shell.

These are just a few of the tips I have to share - more to come on eating fried chicken, corn on the cob, spaghetti and using toothpicks!