Friends on the phone, posing for this photo at Friendsgiving!

I’ve seen some horrible guest etiquette in the past that made me cringe. It includes a guest thinking she could go ahead and cut herself a slice of the wedding cake before the official cutting and guests helping themselves to the dessert bar before dinner was served. Thankfully, someone stopped the woman before she sliced the cake and the guests eventually stopped munching. Don’t become a horror story other guests tell later! To follow up my post about ideal host etiquette, here are some dos and don’ts to be a wonderful event guest. Similar to the host tips, these are general guidelines, and would be adjusted based on the kind of celebration (like weddings vs. small dinner parties) and group expectations/traditions.

Guests: your goal of the event is to enjoy the party and the company! Easy, right?

RSVP early or at least on-time.
There are many things that go into planning an event, including finalizing the guest count to order the right amount of food and make sure every guest has a seat. Many times, restaurants, rental companies and caterers have deadlines for the host to put in their final order without a penalty. Not getting your RSVP in on time may result in additional charges or losses for your host, so save your host the stress. If your schedule is up in the air, communicate honestly with the host and see what he/she says to do. Don’t fail to show up after you’ve RSVPed or show up unannounced!

Arrive on time or at most 20 minutes late. Try not to arrive more than 10 minutes early.
One time, my family and I got lost driving to the church and snuck in to our seats right before the bridesmaids were supposed to go down the aisle. Oops! I’ve also been an hour late to a friend’s party. Now that I’m older and wiser, I understand the rudeness that comes with being late and try to be as respectful as possible, especially when the event involves a meal. If you will be late, it’s always a good idea to give the host notice, no matter if it’s one minute or twenty minutes. As for arriving early, the host may be putting on the final touches of the event, so it may be awkward and/or stressful. Wait out in your car a few minutes or keep yourself occupied.

Don’t start eating until the hosts say so.
Digging into a buffet, dessert bar, wedding cake, or anything set out before you’re given an ok by the bride and groom, event planner or someone official is a big no and very tacky! Keep your ears open because someone will make an announcement when it’s time, even if it’s your host telling you to dig into dinner at her house. Usually, cutting the wedding cake (or whatever the chosen dessert) will signal when it’s time. In this situation, it’s better to be a follower than a leader.

Dress appropriately.
Don’t wear white, cream, or crazy outlandish clothes to a wedding. Traditionally, white is reserved for the bride and a wedding is all about the couple’s special day. Unless instructed by the hosts, be fashionable yet modest so that the focus is on the right people. Likewise, be clean and groomed at any event.

Don’t invite guests unless given the ok.
Hosts will tell you if you are allowed to bring a plus one. For weddings, it’s usually on the invitation as “YOUR NAME plus guest” or they will put the number two for guest count on the response card. This guideline goes back to the point about RSVPs and guest count. Feel free to ask the host if an additional guest or your kids are permitted if it’s a house or dinner party.

Read the room and act accordingly and responsibly.
Avoid being a hot mess by being aware of your alcohol limits. Be in good spirits and try not to bring everyone down with depressing topics. Don’t be a party pooper. Join in the fun and participate. Yes, we know you hate congo lines, but just this once for your favorite cousin Kate, please? Be present and thoughtful. A lot of planning went into the wedding or event. Be appreciative of the opportunity to make some memories.

Be aware of your photo-taking.
It’s usually better to be present and in the moment by watching the happenings with your own eyes than through the phone or camera screen. Chances are, there are professionals taking way better photos than you who will be sharing them later, so get out of their shots! You may have seen the viral wedding videographer’s ceremony video with a guest in the aisle the whole time? Cringe! The hosts have paid for and trust these professionals to capture their event. Let them do their job well. Also, put down your phone and enjoy the event! You’ll have time to post photos later!

Now, after all of these guidelines, don’t be nervous about doing something wrong. Remember these tips, go with the flow and have fun!

I know you all have some good stories about a guest’s bad behavior! Tell us in the comments or share a tip not on this list.

The post 7 Tips to be a Wonderful Event Guest appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Did you know there are more than 300 unique types of honey (named for the bee’s floral source) available in the U.S.?

Did you know one-third of the human diet is derived from insect-pollinated plants, and honey bees are responsible for about 80% of this pollination?

Did you know you can use honey as a natural beauty ingredient, natural sweetener, natural cough suppressor and natural energy boost?

There are many, many interesting facts about bees and benefits of honey and I got to learn all about them at a fantastic community event by the National Honey Board last week.

Held at an event venue called Vuka, the space was decorated with beautiful photos of bees and honey. There was reading material and recipes available at every table. (You can find most of this information on their website Honey.com.) Of course, the signature drinks and all the bites had honey in it. I loved these bites made by Pink Avocado.

Grilled Honey Glazed Shrimp
Flatbread with Melted Manchego, Rosemary and Honey
Cold Chinese Noodles with Spicy Honey Peanut Sauce
Velvety Honey Chocolate Pudding
Also pictured: Sriracha and Honey Stuffed Eggs

My friend, fellow Austin-based blogger, and natural beauty and skin care expert Mary Helen Leonard demoed how to make a honey grapefruit salt scrub. It was super quick and easy to make. It only needs four ingredients: honey, grapefruit juice, olive oil, and salt. This scrub helps retain moisture, which gives your face a natural glow and keeps away wrinkles.

Beekeeper Brent Barkman was very informative about the myths about beekeeping (they’re not a fan of African bees but they aren’t really destroying bee colonies) and explained the process the bees go through to create honey. He even had live bees (secured in a box with glass panels) we could look at.

Nurse Barb Dehn was excellent in explaining what medical research with honey is currently going on and she explained the natural cough suppressor recipe she created. Also, honey sticks are perfect for small portions to-go (quick drizzle on yogurt or boost before working out) or to give to kids as an alternative to candy.

Lastly, cookbook author and food writer Marie Simmons gave us a honey tasting while explaining great pairings. It was a beautiful spread of cheese and chocolate and it was interesting to really taste the differences in the honeys. We tried Alfalfa, Orange Blossom, Tupelo and Buckwheat honey. Next time you’re at the grocery store, read the label to find out what kind of honey it is!

We received Marie’s Taste of Honey cookbook in our goodie bags and I’ve already begun digging into it. It lists the many kinds of honey and provides many recipes for different meals. Yep, there are already some desserts I’m eyeing!

I knew bees were important and honey was good for me before this event, but learning more about honey has inspired me to try substituting sugar with honey when possible, especially baking. Perhaps I’ll take what I learned and my goodies, especially the cookbook, to throw a honey-themed party!

If you want to learn more about honey, there’s a wealth of information on the National Honey Board website, including recipes and tips.

How do you like to consume honey? Do you have any great recipes to share?

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Becoming a leader is no easy task. That’s why Denise Morrison, the CEO and President of Campbell’s, created Camp Campbell, a program that is empowering the next generation of female leaders by inspiring thought leadership and fostering creative collaboration. Last month, I had the opportunity to launch Camp Campbell’s Austin chapter by participating in an engaging discussion during a family-style dinner with a group of smart Austin ladies, Denise Morrison, Dave Stangis (VP CSR and Public Affairs), Chuck Vila (VP Consumer & Customer Insights), and a few others from the Campbell’s team. I thought the event was successful and the following elements in particular, made it shine.

Event Design

The Campbell’s team did a great job with branding the private dining room at Olive and June. Red pennant banners with ‘Camp Campbell’ on them were hung, relevant hashtags and Twitter handles were displayed in the middle of the table, and every seat was personalized. A poster with the company’s purpose – Real Food that Matters for Life’s Moments – encouraged attendees to start thinking about the discussion.

Family-Style Dinner

There was no need to fuss about placing our orders, and subconsciously, I think the passing of plates gave guests an extra connection to each other. Olive & June served a lovely Italian dinner of fried ravioli, crostinis, brussels sprouts, arancini, rigatoni, roasted carrots, spaghetti, and roasted acorn squash. We ended the meal with chocolate budino and goat cheesecake (see photo below), which were delicious! The dinner service was seamless.

Jeffersonian Dinner

I hadn’t heard about Jeffersonian Dinners before this event, but I thought this format was smart. Based on what Thomas Jefferson did at his dinners, these dinners included a small group of people who shared a particular interest. The main rule is that all guests participate in a single conversation so that everyone is listening and engaging instead of engaging in multiple side conversations. Guests are asked to prepare an answer to a pre-given question, and everyone gives their answer at the start of the dinner. Moderators introduced new questions throughout the dinner, and at the end, all attendees shared their big takeaway from the dinner. This format allowed us to hear all perspectives and responses and helped us get to know each guest better.

Important Insights

Our discussion centered around how brands and organizations are creating authentic presences in the marketplace and how to be leaders. We discussed our favorite food-related traditions, how food has changed from generation to generation, and brands that are authentically telling their story. As a woman who has worked her way up to become a CEO, Denise had some great insights and reminders on personal and professional development. Here are some of the insights:

• If you know who you are and what you stand for, you can authentically lead others and have more impact.
• Declare where you want to be and who you want to be, then find the steps to that goal. Find people to help you get there. Be strategic about your journey.
• Service is an example of leadership.
• Ask for help. It’s not a sign of weakness. Ask for exactly what you need, and don’t forget to ask what you can do for them in return.

Networking

Before and after dinner, we had some time to chat with our fellow attendees. It was very interesting learning about each other’s lives and passions.

Favor Bags

As we were leaving, favor bags full of Campbell’s goodies were handed out. Favors are a great way for guests to take home the experience, and in this case, it was also a good way to introduce attendees to Campbell’s products they may not be familiar with currently.

I think one of the biggest take-aways for me was the subtle reminder of the power of face-to-face meetings and thoughtful discussions. As the coasters in our favor bags say, “to slow down over a meal and converse in the art of conversation is a gift.”

While this was the only official event planned and attended by Campbell’s in the near future, Camp Campbell’s Austin chapter is looking forward to planning its own meet-ups. Camp Campbell’s Austin chapter is the program’s ninth, and chapters have launched in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago and Dallas.

Have you ever participated in a Jeffersonian dinner?

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I was super excited about going to Austin Food & Wine Festival this year since it was my first time. I sadly had work commitments for a lot of the weekend, but here are some of my highlights from the festival. 

My festival experience started with Taste of Texas, a showcase for Texas’ talented chefs. My favorite savory dish was the tender and flavorful Pastrami Beef Cheek by Chef Blaine Staniford of Grace in Fort Worth, and my favorite sweet dish was the dessert duo by Philip Speer of Uchi in Austin. Here are just a few of the creative dishes:

Philip Speer of Uchi (Austin)

Blaine Staniford of Grace (Fort Worth)

My highlight for Saturday was Andrew Zimmern’s balls demo where he taught the crowd how to make Duck Tsukune.

Another highlight was stopping by the fire pit for some of Paul Qui’s grilled pork tongue.

Rock Your Taco on Saturday night was full of many, many delicious taco creations by local and national chefs. While Richard Blais walked away with the best taco honor (he created an octopus and lamb taco), my personal favorites were Bryce Gilmore’s goat taco and Tyson Cole’s fish taco.

Bryce Gilmore of Barley Swine/Odd Duck

Tyson Cole of Uchi/Uchiko

Overall I thought the Austin Food & Wine Festival was a fun event for food lovers to geek out at and eat their fill. I loved exercising my palate, learning about celebrity chefs and getting to experience everything the talented chefs brought to the table.

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This past weekend, I headed out to “the country” (ok, so it was only about 25 mins from downtown Austin), to indulge in food, drinks and fun at the 3rd Annual Wine & Swine event, which the Austin Food & Wine Alliance did a great job putting on. 

Twenty-one different chef/restaurant teams put on quite the show for all our senses: seeing whole pigs being roasted, smelling the charcoal fire pits, hearing ourselves ooing and ahhing, getting our hands dirty with all the bites, and of course, most importantly, tasting all the delicious swine-themed creations.

My favorite dishes included: The Carillon’s spare rib, Ramen Tatsu-Ya’s Chili Cheese Ramen, Swift’s Attic‘s Inside Out Pork Tacos, Franklin Barbecue’s South Carolina Style Whole Hog Sammies, Congress’ Brioche Beignet with Banana Pastry and Cream, and Jeffrey’s Deconstructed S’Mores. Unbelieveably and very sadly, we somehow missed trying the winning dish, voted by the crowd, Jason Dady’s Thai-inspired dish.
(Lacking many food photos because I was too busy eating!)

I didn’t indulge in the alcoholic beverages but there was also a wide selection of wineries, breweries and cideries in attendance.

Although it was a short drive out of town, Ceres Park Ranch was a great place to host the event. There was plenty of room, parking was easy, and the pavillion was a beautiful set-up.

The clever décor didn’t go unnoticed. Twinkle lights and chandeliers decorated the ceiling. Country chic bouquets of cotton and wheat, horseshoes and antlers decorated the picnic tables and all had a pizazz of pink to tie in the swine theme.

Completing the event were an awesome photobooth with swine props by Max Photography, a low-key and entertaining band, and a merch table.

Overall, it was a well-executed, seamless event with plenty of delicious food and drink, seating and space and creativity!

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is one of the top places on my travel wishlist.  It seems like a travel dream. From pictures and articles, I’ve learned that it has breathtaking views, delicious food, a fun and cultural atmosphere, historic sights, the Amazon, and beaches! So, when Linda asked me to join her at Central Market’s Passaporte Brasil preview event, I knew I was in for a treat! With delicious Brazilian cuisine, the event got me excited about visiting one day and about Central Market’s Passporte Brasil festivities. Here are some of my favorite tastes.

Coconut Water

Coming straight from the coconut, this drink was so refreshing and delicious. It’s nothing like the coconut water you buy off shelves. As good as the bottled stuff can be, drinking straight from the coconut gives you the purest taste and it’s much more delightful to your palate.

Romeu e Julieta (Romeo and Juliet – Guava Paste with Carnaval de Lunas Artisan Cheese)

Did you know: Brazil is one of, if not the, world’s largest guava producers? Paired with cheese, it’s even more delicious!

Camarao com Chuchu (Shrimp with chayote)

Lots of coast=plethora of seafood

Pastel de Espinafre (Empanada with Spinach)

Salmon with Cheiro Verde Marinade

Brigadeiro (Chocolate)

The most delicate truffle-like bon-bon that melts in your mouth.

Passaporte Brasil festivities will be April 24 – May 7 at your local Central Market, so go enjoy!

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