ask-lea

Refusing Food When You’re a Guest

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Dear Lea, I have certain dietary restrictions that make it difficult to accept dinner party invitations without a certain amount of anxiety. When I’m cooking in my own home, I do fine to avoid the foods I can’t eat. But inevitably when I’m a guest in someone else’s home, I’m confronted with a dilemma: eat the food I am offered and feel sick later? Or decline but risk appearing rude? I don’t want to be rude, but I’m also tired […]

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formalities

How to Introduce Yourself to a Complete Stranger

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There seems to be a national epidemic of awkwardness and insecurity when it comes to introductions, especially when it involves introducing one’s self to a chattering circle of guests at a party or business event. Here then is some advice on exactly how to do this. Do not be afraid! Anybody can do this. It’s not a gift that only a few are born with, but a skill to be learned, like driving a car or painting a room. First, […]

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food

Laura Bush’s Salmon Orzo Salad

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I don’t know about you, but at this time of year I need some greenery. Since there’s not much of it outside, a colorful and healthy meal can go a long way toward getting past the January blahs. (This really is my least favorite month. It’s like a thirty-one-day hangover from the holiday season, a month to overcome, rather then enjoy.) Of course, this requires an attitude adjustment, because why spend a whole month of your life just waiting for […]

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