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May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
Give your guests the right to shoes
By
Cindy Hoedel
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
(MCT)
ove me, love my shoes.
I may not have a closet full of Christian Louboutins (Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo are so last year), but I'm attached to my party footwear all the same. Attached at the ankle strap, that is. Meaning: If you invite me to your home, I don't want to do a shoe strip tease in the foyer.
Don't make me peel off the peep-toes, dump the pumps, fling off the slingbacks, put the wedges on the ledge, give the boots the boot. I beg you.
Asking guests to remove their shoes is one of those annoying practices that seems to come in and out of vogue. Someone needs to shove a stiletto through its heart once and for all.
Instead, a Web site out of Seattle, floppingfish.com, touts upscale "witty yet authoritative" signs designed to coerce guests into baring their tootsies. Most feature the word "shoes" over a downward-pointing arrow on a graphic background.
Talk about trespassing on good taste. Fancy fonts don't lessen the inherent uptightness of the message.
Of course there are all kinds of solid reasons for wanting to de-shoe guests: Tramped-in dirt can soil rugs and wood floors; rubber soles can leave scuff marks on vinyl and tile; stilettos could leave tiny dents in polyurethane finishes.
But guests are just as likely to transfer pet hair from their clothing to your upholstery, spread germs from the supermarket cart to your sink handles and snag your silk pillows with sequins and zippers. The only surefire way to prevent guests from damaging your property or health is to make them shower and slip into hospital gowns upon arrival.
I subscribe to the Miss Manners theory of friends and possessions. In one of her many indispensable etiquette books, Judith Martin (aka Miss Manners) wrote, and I paraphrase: If your stuff is better than your friends, you need to get different stuff or different friends.
There are other variants of the putting-possessions-first school of entertaining, of course. Hosts who refuse to remove plastic protectors from dining chairs or don't allow guests to consume red wine come to mind. But confiscating footwear is even more egregious in my book.
For one thing, what if your spotless wood floors snag my $20 Donna Karan stockings? Or am I supposed to peel them off, too? And offering me terry-cloth guest slippers or cable-knit slipper socks to wear with my little black dress is a crime against fashion. I don't fork out half a car payment for bling-y sandals so everyone can admire how they look in a basket.
Don't get me wrong: Some of my closest friends have sole-patrol tendencies. I can understand in an abstract way the impulse toward tidiness. Here's my advice to them: Don't put up a sign. Make it clear to guests that your shoe-removal policy is voluntary. And still love me when I'm non compliant.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Cindy Hoedel is a columnist for The Kansas City Star.. Send a note by clicking here.
Previously:
Forced Family Fun serves its purpose
Expert advice helps take worry out of choosing exterior paint color
Take guesswork out of being a good guest
Natural lawn, garden worth the labor
You can rely on these landscape plants
Selling stuff on eBay can test patience
All set for things yet to come
Laminate flooring can be a good value
A whiff of vinyl
Storing, handling old photos
© 2007, The Kansas City Star. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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