There are things worth taking the trouble to write down. A proper thank-you, a letter of sympathy, congratulations on a new child or a note to an old friend can carry more weight than a passing message sent between errands. Our parents and grandparents understood this without treating correspondence as a hobby. Writing a note […]
A good host is remembered for his welcome, not for an elaborate menu or an expensive dining table. Hospitality was once considered part of ordinary good manners. A man invited people into his home, offered what he could and took responsibility for their comfort. That standard is worth keeping. The best evening need not be […]
There is a difference between a house that photographs well and one in which people are pleased to spend an afternoon. A gentleman’s home need not be large, expensively furnished or arranged according to somebody else’s taste. It should be clean, cared for and comfortable for the people who live there. When visitors arrive, those […]
A successful gathering is not judged by how elaborate the table looks before anybody sits down. It is judged by what happens when the guests arrive. Do they know where to put a coat? Are they offered a drink? Does the person who knows nobody find someone to speak to? The pleasure of hosting comes […]