Newport Manners & Etiquette: What To Wear New Year's Eve, Cellphone Table Etiquette + More
Our favorite perennial question this week before New Year's Eve is what to wear to the biggest bash of the year? Followed by who is responsible for a drunken relative, how to propose on New Year's Eve and where to place your cell phone while dining were all questions to Didi Lorillard this week at NewportManners.
What to Wear New Year's Eve
Q. What are you wearing New Year's Eve? MT, Newport
A. At the unique boutique Mandarine, 1 Bannister's Wharf, Newport, you'll find a fabulous selection of exotic -- often they are one-of-a-kind -- evening ensembles for New Year's Eve, such as this special occasion evening coat. This season we voted the special occasion party coat the most sought-after fashionable look of the year.
Cellphone Placement At The Dinner Table
Q. Where the heck do I put my cell phone at a formal dinner on New Year's Eve? I'm in the midst of the deal of a lifetime and I'm certainly not leaving my cellphone in my overcoat all night. JZ, NY, NY
A. Once seated at the table place your napkin in your lap and lay your cellphone in its place to the left of your fork(s) just below your bread and butter plate. Turn off the volume.
See the Chart Below:
New Year's Eve Proposal
Q. It's gotten complicated because I had it all planned out to propose to my girlfriend more intimately on New Year's Eve, but now she's making me go to a big party -- which has stolen my moment. Any suggestions? Name Withheld
A. Don't let a New Year's Eve party steal your big moment. You can whisk your girlfriend outside just before midnight and on bended knee ask her. Better check out the exit and exact location ahead of time to make sure the ambience is pleasing.
What Do You Do With A Drunk?
Q. What do we do about our brother-in-law who is the worst guest ever? He gets drunk and passes out. My brother and I end up taking care of him. It happens the same way every New Year's Eve. Name Withheld
A. Tell your sister that you and your brother are not taking care of her husband this New Year's Eve when he passes out. Suggest to her ahead of time that she set up an Uber account and call for a car before he utters his first slurred word.
Did Lorillard researches manners and etiquette at NewportManners for her forthcoming book.
25 Things You Must Do in New England This Winter - 2017
Whether you are skating on a pond or at one of the many ice rinks across the region like the Newport Skating Center in the heart of Newport.
The skating center provides a full schedule of activities to carry you through the winter including adult and kids skating sessions as well as activities for the entire family.
For snowmobiling enthusiasts, Pittsburg, New Hampshire might be the snowmobiling capital of New England with more than 200 trails, all filled with great adventures.
The Tall Timber Lodge offers a variety of packages that include rentals, dinners, lodging and much more. If you need a break from the trails, the lodge also consists of a spa.
Embrace the call of the wind and go up to New England Dog Sledding for dog sled tours. Tours are pulled by trained and "friendly" Husky sled dogs and are offered throughout the area.
Ultimate Dog Sledding is located just 40 minutes from Portland.
For the adventurous out there, Adventure Spirit in Vermont is your place for ice climbing. Choose from climbing at Bolton Quarry, Bristol Cliffs or even Smuggler's Notch to be lead by one of their experienced instructors.
Be prepared to spend your day strenuously climbing some of nature's frozen streams and flow offs. They also offer alpine climbing and outdoor rock climbing for those who wish to fully test their limits.
Providence Restaurant Weeks will take place from January 14 to January 27, 2018, with nearly 100 restaurants participating. Enjoy three-course lunches at $16.95 and three-course dinners at $29.95 or $34.95, as well as two-for-one specials.
Restaurants include Capriccio, Milk Money and many more.
Need to get some energy out? or get the energy out of your kids? Head to Launch Trampoline Park. They have a park in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
With dodgeball, basketball, foam pits and more, indoor trampoline parks have something to offer people of all ages. Whether you want to bring a group of children for the day or sign up a group of adults for some "xtreme" dodgeball, trampoline parks can be a great change of pace and a fun way to try something new.
The 8th annual New England Pond Hockey Classic kicks off on February 2 with final team rosters due on January 20. Get your team together and head up to New Hampshire.
If you can't make it up, grab the skates and find your local pond and play hockey anyway. BE SAFE of course.
You watch curling in the Olympics every year and you love it. So try it this winter.
The Ocean State Curling Club has your curling fix. Hosting events and tournaments or "bonspiels" at the Veteran’s Memorial Ice Rink in Cranston, RI, the Ocean State Curling Club is a "social club for anyone interested in recreational curling." The club also offers lessons for those who want to learn the sport.
Photo: dave/Flickr
Ice Fishing
Across New England
It's practically a tradition for a lot of people, but ice fishing is an interesting winter experience. Head out to the ponds and see what you can get.
But be safe, it takes 4-6 inches of ice to support a person and 8-10 inches to support a vehicle.
Photo courtesy of Dushan Hanuska/flickr
Get the House Organized
The weather isn't great, it's freezing outside. Winter presents a great opportunity to get the house organized. It's not the most fun thing in the world of course, but it will pay off and at the end of it, you will be glad you did it.
Held at Symphony Hall, the Boston Pops holiday concert is filled with food, sing-a-longs and a visit from the one and only Santa Claus!
Have some holiday cookies as the Boston Symphony Orchestra plays holiday classics for you and your family.
The seven kids afternoon shows include post-concert photos with Santa as well as special treats.
The concert runs until December 31.
Give to the Community
While the winter holidays are generally the biggest volunteer days of the year, any day of the year is a great time to give to organizations or people in need.
Items like food, clothes, and blankets are just some of the things that are needed most this time of year.
Join First Night Hartford for its 29th year of celebration! The multi-venue event will include performances by aerialists, Circophony Youth Circus, the Connecticut Academy of Irish Music, and Crafts and tours at Bulter McCook House.
Don’t forget to stay for the fireworks starting promptly at 6 p.m. with a second showing at midnight to ring in the New Year!
Soar down Mount Washington on a series of tree-top zip lines! The Canopy Tour is lead by one of Bretton Woods Adventure Guides as they describe the native fauna and flora. You'll descend over 1000 feet of elevation on this 3-hour tour. Each tour guide can take a group of up to 8, so grab some friends and zip down the mountain!
Cross Country Skiing
East Bay Bike Path, Bristol to Providence RI
Grab your poles and skis and head down to the East Bay Bike Path for some Cross Country Skiing. Of course, you can go cross-country skiing anywhere there is snow and some flat land, but the East Bay Bike Path stretches about 14 miles from Bristol to India Point Park in Providence.
Buy your ticket now for the Black Stone Valley Polar Express! Watch the popular book and film come to life before your eyes as you take a 90-minute train ride with Santa and the Conductor.
Rides will be available every Friday through Sunday with the final stop on December 23. There will be light refreshments and cookies made available, children are encouraged to wear pajamas.
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, NH offers a wide arrange of guided tours of live animal trails. A staff naturalist leads and teaches groups how certain animals are adapted to the winter climate in New Hampshire. The guided tours are run on weekends and can be a great way to experience and learn more about nature in New England.
Forget about winter by painting a picture of a tropical sunset at Paint and Vino, Rhode Island's first paint and wine studio. Bring children for family paint events and parties, or leave them at home to enjoy complimentary "adult beverages" as you paint.
Perfect for date night, girls night out or a fun Friday night, Paint and Vino's classes run for 2 1/2 to 3 hours and a spot must be reserved.