50 years ago today I arrived to Toronto, Canada. I had been accepted to the University of Toronto, not because I was that good a student, but because the Swedish Baccalaureate was deemed so high worldwide. And then I forgot to go home. I remember the first Good Friday – you had better fill your car with gas on Thursday, because everything, but everything was closed on Good Friday. It was a Christian country, and quite British I might add. Toronto was the second biggest city after Montreal. Hot dogs cost 25 cents and the orange juice 10 cents at Simpsons, across from Eaton’s. Subway tokens were six for a dollar.

Today we speak 150 languages; after English there is Chinese, Italian, Punjabi, Tagalog and then all the 145. What we are still known for, fifty years later, is that we are a safe city, a clean city, a friendly city, an accepting city.  And we are known to be so polite that the Americans joke about it.  Let’s keep it that way.

When I arrived to Toronto there was the odd modeling school, but nobody taught etiquette. So in 1989 I started my company: Business of Manners. Thank you all for supporting it.  And the most asked question to this date is still: what side is the bread plate. Well, if you can’t afford a Lamborghini, do a BMW.

B – bread
M – meal
W – wine/water

In other words, the bread plate is on the left. And if someone uses your bread plate, don’t make a fuss, just put your bread at the edge of your plate. Remember, we are a polite country.

 

Upcoming Workshops

Kidiquette
Saturday, April 29, 2017
10 a.m. to 12 noon
100 Dowling Avenue, Toronto
$40; $70 for two

Teen Etiquette
Sunday, May 7, 2017
9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
100 Dowling Avenue, Toronto
Includes three course lunch
and an 8-page workbook
$140; $250 for two; refresher $70

Adult Etiquette
Please call for appointment
100 Dowling Avenue, Toronto
Includes three course lunch and quiz
and an 11-page workbook
$295, $450 for two
Refresher $150

Meals & Manners
Please call for appointment
100 Dowling Avenue, Toronto
Includes three course lunch or dinner and quiz
$175; $295 for two

 

What People are Saying

I learn a lot from your Business of Manners articles and I greatly enjoy reading them as you are such an excellent writer. I particularly enjoyed the latest one on Christmas office parties. It reminded me of the time when I was working and all the good things and bad things that happened to me at the yearly office parties. Thanks for your advice.
– Gloria Boyd

Mint mindig, csendesen, kedvesen és udvariasan emlékeztetsz, felhivod a figyelmet a legfontosabbakra. Köszönet Neked mindezért. Szeretettel :
– Marika