Author Topic: “I Don’t Think It’s Rude, But…” Etiquette Experts Perplexed Over First Lady’s Party Plans  (Read 1096 times)

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Offline happyg

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By Helena Andrews
Guests attending Michelle Obama’s 50th birthday party at the White House later this month can look forward to “a little Dougie” but definitely not dinner.

Word’s out that the lucky VIPs invited to fete Mrs. Obama at a “Snacks & Sips & Dancing & Dessert” party have been advised to dust off their dancing shoes and, more strictly, “to eat before you come.”

While it’s always nice to give the stiletto sporting crowd a heads-up, the East Wing’s “EBYC” directive has some folks in the party planning business scratching their heads.

“I don’t think it’s rude, but I do think it’s a little . . . different than what people are used to. How’s that for putting it delicately?” joked Lizzie Post, great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post and co-author of “Great Get-Togethers: Casual Gatherings and Elegant Parties at Home.”

Colin Cowie, Oprah Winfrey’s go-to entertainment guru, worded his reaction gracefully.

“To ask people to ‘eat before you come’ is not the way I would have done it,” Cowie said. “I always think of the food. When it comes to making people feel welcome we give them great music, a well-stocked bar, and excellent food — and you do it abundantly.”

Area party planner Andre Wells agreed that telling guests to grab a meal before they attend a get-together is a bit unusual.

“I’ve never seen it said straight out. That is definitely new,” said Wells, before adding that some harried hostesses might appreciate the break in protocol. “But I know a lot of people will be happy about it. They’ll say, ‘Well, if the president and first lady said it, we can certainly say it on our invites.’ ”

Not so fast, warned Post.

“My advice to people would be not to put ‘eat before you come’ on an invite,” Post said. “And this is not a specific etiquette thing. To me it just sounds so instructive. I’m still in the camp of letting them know what will be served at the party instead of what they should do.”

Whether the Obama’s “EBYC” will start a trend on the party circuit remains to be seen. In the meantime, the first lady, who told children at a local hospital that she’s going to be “fifty and fabulous,” plans to celebrate her own way.


“It seems like a very causal party, and she’s turning 50,” Wells said. “The older you get, I feel like you can say what you want.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/wp/2014/01/06/michelle-obamas-50th-birthday-will-feature-dancing-but-not-dinner-2/?Post+generic=%3Ftid%3Dsm_twitter_washingtonpost

Offline Right_in_Virginia

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I wonder if the guests are expected to bring a gift   :pondering:

Offline happyg

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I wonder if the guests are expected to bring a gift   :pondering:

Of course! A few thousand $ here and there will be appreciated by the dragon queen.

Offline EC

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Alright.

*Takes deep breath. Finds it hard to believe I am having to defend the Empress.*

What is she supposed to do?

A lavish spread, she's Mary Michelette, partying it on up while the proles eat their gruel and shoes.

Do it this way - she's a tightwad that gets sniffed at inside the beltway for not providing caviar truffles to the movers and shakers.

She's screwed either way.

Of course, the absolute ideal is a private celebration - family only. The Worm wouldn't go for that, not much of a photo op there.
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Offline Olivia

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What does anyone expect?  The Obama's have absolutely no class. 
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Offline Gazoo

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She should not be making a huge, public,movie stars-star-studded production out of her birthday-period. If she wants to pay for every cent it is then and only then, her business. Until then she is a tacky, racist, ugly woman with no dignity. And the mere fact that I despise her has nothing to do with her skin color.

Any one with a lick of common sense can see she cannot stand her traditional role as first lady and wants out. But until then us suckers are going to pay for her to live like a queen.

And no matter what she does, you're correct. She will indeed be criticized when she vacays and acts like a queen  Any first lady that does not curb her spending during a depression when people do not have jobs is a cold, arrogant person that needs to get out of our White House.

« Last Edit: January 12, 2014, 05:31:50 pm by Gazoo »
"The Tea Party has a right to feel cheated.

When does the Republican Party, put in the majority by the Tea Party, plan to honor its commitment to halt the growth of the Federal monolith and bring the budget back into balance"?

Offline EC

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Yep. Unlike the Worm though, she isn't completely tone deaf.

A huge spread wouldn't look good. A finger food buffet though? We've all done them - they are kind of fun.

I'd love to see the guest list. I have a strong suspicion she's going to do a Hillary. Run for a safe Senate seat, then try for the top slot.
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Offline Gazoo

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I heard Adele, Beyonce , Oprah, AG Holders wife.  The WH admitted we were paying the tab for her Hawaii extension. The Emily Post progressives were taken aback by the eat dinner invite the Huffington Post defends MO. If this were Laura Bush in this economy the media would be frying her as they did Dubya for golfing. Why is it okay for Obama to golf during war?
"The Tea Party has a right to feel cheated.

When does the Republican Party, put in the majority by the Tea Party, plan to honor its commitment to halt the growth of the Federal monolith and bring the budget back into balance"?

Offline mountaineer

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Quote
She should not be making a huge, public,movie stars-star-studded production out of her birthday-period. If she wants to pay for every cent it is then and only then, her business.
Amen, Gazoo.

Quote
Guests attending Michelle Obama’s 50th birthday party at the White House later this month can look forward to “a little Dougie
Did they mean "doobie"?

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Offline alicewonders

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Yep. Unlike the Worm though, she isn't completely tone deaf.

A huge spread wouldn't look good. A finger food buffet though? We've all done them - they are kind of fun.

I'd love to see the guest list. I have a strong suspicion she's going to do a Hillary. Run for a safe Senate seat, then try for the top slot.

 I think the issue is the way the invitation is worded.  In my neck of the woods what she's giving is a Cocktail Party - drinks, dancing and small plate fare.   Even us unsophisticated rednecks know that means there's not going to be a sit down dinner.  To tell people to "eat before you come" does sound kind of rude, and the people that run in her circles would know what a cocktail party means.  A definite breach of etiquette in my book, but exactly what I would expect from these yahoos.  No class.
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Offline EC

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I heard Adele, Beyonce , Oprah, AG Holders wife.  The WH admitted we were paying the tab for her Hawaii extension. The Emily Post progressives were taken aback by the eat dinner invite the Huffington Post defends MO. If this were Laura Bush in this economy the media would be frying her as they did Dubya for golfing. Why is it okay for Obama to golf during war?

She's definitely running. Leaving aside Holder's missus, hip trend setters for the low info crowd. Including Mrs. Holder - Obama is showing total confidence in Holder without having to say something he can be pinned down on. He's going to be very cautious about that after his lie of the year award.

I was chatting to a dear friend yesterday about GWB. She mentioned he's a bit of a moron. Was totally nonplussed when I pointed out that morons are rarely trusted with multi-million dollar fighters, especially ones with the reputation of the F-102, known as a widow maker because the sods are so difficult to fly. She only got her info from the MSM, in snatches while doing the usual life things.
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