Red Carpet Manners – "An Eclectic Mix of Moments at the 84th Academy Awards"

After last year’s attempt to “hipify” the Oscars and bring in a younger demographic with hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco, this year mega producer Brian Grazer, promised to deliver an awards show that stayed true to its brand.  Blending a veritable mix of Hollywood tradition with a few innovative twists, the show made its best attempt to remain entertaining throughout. The biggest pitfall, however, was that the show was just simply too long.  Although, Grazer made a promise to end on time, between the cameos of actors speaking about their love of the craft and the lengthy focus group bit from “Wizard of Oz,” it just wasn’t possible. 

While audiences came together to honor film’s greatest achievements, the most anticipated performance of the night was that of Billy Crystal who was asked to occupy the hosting position after comedian Eddie Murphy bowed out. Sticking to what has worked in the past, he launched into his requisite man of a thousand faces as he embodied the starring roles in each of the Oscar nominated films.  Although, he was the one who in fact started this Oscar tradition, the montage felt a bit contrived and flat. Sometimes even when we think we want the same, we yearn for something different. The greatest laughs, however, included a silly cameo from Justin Beiber, a nod to the younger demographic of 18-24 year olds, and a sarcastic reference to the current state of the economy and the night’s celebration of millionaires presenting each other with statues. Giving it his best shot, we have to say Crystal looked “mahvelous” for his 9th stint as Oscar host and kept the pace moving with his quick wit and natural charm. 

Noticeably new were the livelier jams choreographed by singer Pharrell Williams and drummer Sheila E. who played the intro and outro musical interludes instead of the dated house orchestra of years passed.  It may have been overreaching, but the night’s biggest show-stopper was unlikely partner, the Cirque du Soleil troupe, whose acrobatic performance paid homage to a night at the movies and received a standing ovation.  The “In Memoriam” tribute had a certain freshness to it as songstress Esparanza Spalding’s lingering rendition of “What a Wonderful World” resonated while billboard-sized photos shown faces of Hollywood royalty from Elizabeth Taylor to Whitney Houston. 

The eclectic mix of moments occurred both on the red carpet beforehand and in the theatre during the awards ceremony.  Here’s our list of the night’s red carpet manners leading hits and misses.  

The Cheapest Shot.  Sasha Baron Cohen struck again with his threat to shock and disturb the tides at the typically glamorous Oscars ceremony.  The publicity had been building on whether he would attend as his character “The Dictator” to promote his upcoming film.  There was even speculation that the Academy did not approve and that they would be appointing high security to look out for him in character. And so it happened, half way through the arrivals he appeared on the red carpet accompanied by two female guards and carrying an urn with the ashes of North Korean leader Kim Jong II. His victim, Ryan Seacrest, totally unaware that he would be the recipient of this childish prank, was not prepared for the pouring of ashes (really pancake mix) that proceeded to spill all over his tux.  Clearly pissed, but handling it like a pro, Ryan proceeded to dust himself off while Baron Cohen was removed from the scene by security. 

Most Heartfelt Acceptance Speech. Although everyone loves the timeless Meryl Streep, her acceptance speech felt rehearsed and understated in contrast to the more emotional and heartfelt speech from Octavia Spencer.  As she accepted the award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in “The Help” a stream of tears ran down her face feeling blessed just to be in the moment.   She thanked everyone from her family, to the cast and even the state of Alabama for her achievement.  Her list of thanks would have continued if not for the request to “please wrap up” appearing on the teleprompter.

Most Exaggerated Pose.  The typically poised, Angelina Jolie, will now forever be known for her overly exaggerated pose at this year’s Oscar ceremony both on the red carpet and while presenting during the show. The high cut slit in her skirt may have encouraged her to flash her gams, but the complete extension of her leg was taking it too far.  Her incredibly toned figure was on display, but it quickly became a distraction that led to imitations of her pose and a particular mocking by the screenwriting team for “The Descendants” who mimicked stance as they accepted the award from her on stage. 

Most Genuinely Funny Schtick.  Chris Rock, who was just being himself, presented the award for Best Animated Feature and had the audience rolling with his hysterical story about how little effort is required to work as an actor in animation and how insanely much they get paid! He certainly speaks from experience as the voice of “The Donkey” in the animated Shrek series among others.  His humor was a welcome note, in contrast to the completely humorless scripted intros by such dynamic pairings as Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. and Ben Stiller and Emma Stone.

Best Playing to the Camera.  Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz like to have fun and it is evident in everything they do as they presented for Best Costume Design and Best Makeup. The understated Michelle Williams and gloomy Rooney Mara could stand to learn a thing or two from these veterans who have paid their dues in Hollywood and still retained their humor and lightness.  The audience loved their radiant smiles and when they turned their backs to flash their curvaceous booties, they adored them even more.  Now that’s how it's done ladies!!

What did you think of the 84th Academy Awards?  Did it live up to the hype?  Who were your top faves and disappointments and who would you like to see host next year?  Share your thoughts with us, we’d love to hear from you!

Manners Monday - Longing for the Days of the Grapevine

Anyone who's experienced carpal tunnel from tapping through an ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend's photos on Facebook knows firsthand the "Don't Tell Me, I Don't Want to Know" syndrome recently uncovered in an article in the New York Times. Back in the day before social networking, one had to hear the gory details of what was going down with one's ex through the good ‘ole grapevine, the only resource for reliable information. There were no visuals to peruse unless you paid a private investigator to take the photos for you. If you wanted to know what your ex was up to, you had to do your own private investigating and reach out to your own personal network.

Nowadays technology has made us privy to the most inane and intimate details of our loved ones (both current and ex) and friends, even those we barely know, and it is getting out of hand, not to mention a little creepy.  Knowing when to pull in the reins is becoming increasingly more difficult as the lure of voyeurism takes hold and we just can’t break away until we see one more photo of our frenemy at the fabulous party that we weren’t invited to. 

With too much information available at our fingertips, it can oftentimes feel debilitating.  If you find yourself stuck in the muck and in need of a little help navigating your way out, we have a few options to offer you.  Trust us, it is possible to chart a new course and keep yourself poised in the process.

Stop torturing yourself.  If you are feeling low, a bit self-conscious and insecure, do not start fiddling through your Facebook or any other social media site du jour.  It is inevitable that you will eventually come across someone or something that will stick in your craw and may make you feel inferior, and who needs that?  Just the thought of your girlfriends out on the town while you’re at home in bed with your cat might send you over the edge. Ignorance is bliss so stop torturing yourself and put a self-ban on your technology (at least until you feel you are in a better place).

Show some restraint.  If a colleague at work is posting a play-by-play on the ingrown hair he had removed from his back at the dermatologist, resist the urge to patronize him with your remarks of disgust for all the world to see. Remember everyone is able to read your thoughts and sometimes things are just better left unsaid, especially when it comes to keeping the peace at our workplace. Rather than putting in your two cents, keep your comments to yourself and just focus on getting the visual out of your head.

Find a hobby.  If you discover that your high school buddies are organizing a reunion without you, do not allow yourself to wallow in self-pity.  Step away from the computer and set the restart button on your life.  Find a hobby that takes all of your attention so that when reunion time approaches, you could care less because you are busy preparing for your solo gig at the House of Blues with the guitar you just learned how to play.  This will not only make you feel better it offers you an alternative career to fall back on.

Throw an occasional bone.  Those that post incessantly on social networking sites do so to be heard and validated.  While you're busy tooling around their Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages, take a moment to add a pleasant comment every now and again. After all, we are only human and we all want to feel that our lives are fabulous and fulfilling.  A genuine complement that is from the heart is all that is needed to make someone’s day.

Don’t believe the hype.  Not everything we see and read on social networking sites should be taken at face value. Sure there may be a friend who is particularly tight with Gwyneth Paltrow and is photographed with her having lunch, or perhaps there is a colleague at work who was invited to a State dinner you would have killed to attend, but that doesn’t mean that everyone else is living a more rich and satisfying life and you should go bury your head in the ground.  It simply means they are naturally talented at crafting their own PR and have carefully decided how they wish to be viewed online and that’s all.  Try not to give it any credence Clarence.

Red Carpet Manners – Grammy’s 2012 – “A Bittersweet Mix of Music & Memories”

A night that had been building as a celebration and coming out party for the multi-platinum artist, Adele (who had been keeping quiet after a much publicized battle to save her vocal cords), took a tragic turn on the eve of the Grammy’s when the world learned the incredibly heartbreaking news that Whitney Houston had passed at the young age of 48. Yet another life taken before her time following in the footsteps of such amazingly talented artists from Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain to Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse.  The pain and pressure of life in the spotlight apparently too great a burden to bare.

When I was a senior at Sarah Lawrence College I took singing lessons in NYC.  I would take the train from Bronxville and arrive at my instructor’s apartment, take the rickety elevator up to the 7^th floor praying all the way as if that would ensure my safety.  I would then enter the apartment and have to fight off the mice that seemed to scatter about in the beautiful, but old historic building. Finally, I would open my sheet music and my instructor would begin playing and I would do my best to belt out the lyrics.  I remember one of my favorite song’s to rehearse was Whitney Houston’s, “The Greatest Love of All.”  This song brought back memories as I remembered my parents playing the original George Benson version back in the 70’s.  Still nothing compared to the vocals of Ms. Houston as she reached the highest high notes and lowest baritones with such ease. I could only aspire to hold a candle to her incredible voice and her songs will forever be engrained in my mind. 

Grammy night opened powerfully with Bruce Springsteen setting the tone singing the lyrics to his latest hit, “We Take Care of Our Own.” Who knew his words would ring so true as the music community came together to mourn the loss of one of their most treasured members.  After eight years of having no host at the helm, rapper LL Cool J then took the stage and addressed the one thing on everybody’s mind. Going off script, he asked the audience to join him in prayer as he recounted a few words to acknowledge the life and song of their “fallen sister” Whitney Houston. After the somber note, he reminded everyone that life is full of joys and sorrows and that it was time to let the music and memories of the evening do the healing and that is exactly what happened. No one pulls it together better than the music industry and this was evident throughout the telecast as countless planned and unplanned tributes took the forefront providing a therapeutic effect for all.  Here are some of our Red Carpet Manners highlights and a couple of missteps.

Host with the Most.  The remarkable LL Cool J handled himself with amazing grace and poise as the night’s emcee.  Under tremendous pressure and scrutiny, he struck the perfect balance able to pay homage to the late Whitney Houston and encourage celebration as each of the night’s performers took to the stage.  His request to lead the audience in prayer was astute and unprecedented giving the musicians the permission to acknowledge their feelings and then move on to a celebration of music and creating memories.

Feel Good Moment.  Bruno Mars got the evening started off right with a performance of his hit “Runaway” from the Doo-Wops & Hooligans album that harkened back to the 60’s, fancy footwork and all. Owning the stage in a gold blazer with his signature hairdo and flashy smile, he was able to instantaneously lighten the mood in the room and get the audience to their feet. A nice change of pace after a reverent and somber introduction.

Best Acceptance Speech. After cleaning up with countless awards for their rock album “Wasting Light,” Dave Grohl, former drummer for Nirvana, felt encouraged to share with the audience how important the human element is to making music.  He was trying to make the well-deserved point that you don’t need fancy equipment and computers to make great music, all that matters is what goes on in your heart and your head.  He went on to say that they recorded their album in his garage with only “some microphones and a tape machine.” What a nice change of pace considering so many acts nowadays are all about grandeur and spectacle.  Nicki Minaj?  

Most Rewarding Comeback. After months of silence and recuperating from vocal cord surgery, British diva Adele was back, and with a vengeance.  She swept every category wining a total of six awards from the evening and then graced the stage with an honest and raw rendering of her hit “Rolling in the Deep.”  Adele is a beautiful woman and we love her eloquent accent, but her demeanor seemed more reminiscent of Eliza Doolittle.  We found her speeches to be slightly brusque and she appeared to be chomping on gum during a couple of them. Upon accepting the final award for Best Album, she mentioned “a bit of snot” that was coming out of her nose then proceeded to thank “all of you lot.” Rewarding yes.  Refined, not so much.

Most Moving Rendition. Not a dry eye was in sight when Jennifer Hudson took the stage.  Called at the eleventh hour to pay tribute to one of her childhood idols, she stepped in stronger than ever.  In a controlled and personal performance with only a piano to support her, Jennifer’s interpretation of Whitney’s hit, “I Will Always Love You” was felt deep and wide. Her absolutely flawless rendition served to solidify her position as one of the strongest performers in today’s music.  Here's the link in the event you did not have the opportunity to view it http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2012/02/jennifer-hudson-tribute-to-whitney-houston-the-must-see-video.html

Insanely Inappropriate Performance.  In contrast to Jennifer Hudson’s completely enveloping and appropriate tribute, Nicki Minaj’s insanely ridiculous and scary performance of what looked like an exorcism was beyond inappropriate, not to mention, horribly distasteful.  That “Exorcist” movie scared the bejeezus out of me and I was not anxious to relive any part of it, especially in song at the typically PG rated, Grammys!  Between the ominous vocals, the body possession and levitation, I was done, done, done!  Somebody must’ve been possessed to give the green light on this one!

Most Satisfying Finale. I was surprised to find that my favorite performance of the evening was the medley of songs from “Abbey Road” provided by Sir Paul McCartney.  I found myself stomping my feet and clapping along enjoying every moment of the music.  Sir Paul’s voice at the ripe age of 69 is as strong as ever and the energy and joy he conveys through his music is contagious.  The guitar collaboration with Dave Grohl, Bruce Springsteen and Joe Walsh at the end brought the house down and sent the Grammy’s out with a bang. 

So long Whitney, we will always love you!

Manners Monday – “How to Survive Valentine’s Day as a Single”

Not everyone is perfectly paired off for Valentine’s Day. Once upon a time, I’m sure even Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie experienced a lonely night or two when the fateful holiday came around and there was no special person waiting for them in the wings. Valentine’s Day can be a tough holiday for a singleton and we’re not gonna sugar coat it by telling you to keep your chin up and put down the tub of chocolate ice cream you have been devouring with a shovel. Instead, we are going to politely point our finger at you and say, snap out of it sista!  

Trust us, it is a thousand times more pleasant to hang by yourself or with a friend than to grin and bear it with a male stand-in just to save yourself from being alone. For goodness' sake, don’t beat yourself up either! Better to embrace the holiday and use it as an opportunity to spend some quality time taking care of you.  After all, a thousand self-help books will confirm that you must love and accept yourself first in order to truly love and accept another. 

On the bright side, it’s not like the perfectly paired off couples are in a constant state of bliss.  They too have their share of real problems, even on Valentine’s Day. So pick yourself up, dust yourself off and take a look at our five inventive ways for reclaiming your self-confidence to ensure you come out of this holiday, not only with your dignity intact, but smelling like a rose.

1.  1. Be a Good Friend. There is nothing like a good female bonding session with your single friends on Valentine’s Day. Although it may seem last minute, play hostess to your girlfriends and invite them to a party at your place complete with mood music, scrumptious food and chick flicks. Purchase some decadent chocolates and French champagne to celebrate your singlehood and the value of supportive friends.

2. Raise Your Glass. Put on an eye-catching dress and head out for an evening on the town.  Arrange to meet a single friend at a nice bar where the two of you can share a toast to your fabulous selves.  Now that you’re relaxed and feeling good, test out your meet and greet skills by introducing yourself to a few new people. Engage in conversation and be sure to listen.  You never know who may be sitting beside you.  A future boss, companion, friend?  

3. Pamper Yourself.  Arrange an evening of pampering so that you feel your absolute best. Treat yourself to a blow dry at DryBar, take in a makeup lesson at Neiman’s, make a massage appointment at a spa, splurge on a mani/pedi including the paraffin wax for extra softness for your skin. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to take a class on painting or sculpture? Whatever your fancy, live it up because you certainly deserve it!

4. Do Some Soul Searching. Make this night all about you and a deep soul searching of what you want out of life.  We’re not telling you to stroll through the bookstore for the latest self-help book, instead we’re telling you to respect yourself and take action.  Grab some magazines and glue and begin creating a vision board, start journaling, write a love letter to yourself citing all of your positive attributes or do some mindful meditation.  Any one of these exercises is guaranteed to make you feel more confident and content come morning.

5. Break Out of Your Comfort Zone. In order to be a person of the world, you have to take risks. Use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to be adventurous and book an impromptu trip!  Take a drive in the car, hop on a plane, make arrangements to get out of town and take in a new environment.  If you don’t feel brave enough to go it alone, visit a distant friend or relative. Either way, the change of atmosphere will do you good.  When we open our minds, our hearts soon follow.

If you are down in the dumps, just Google Valentine's Day television episodes. I guarantee you'll find levity in the hundreds of sitcoms dedicated to a night of high expectations that went horribly awry.  

Manners Monday – “Dressing Appropriately for the Occasion & Beyond”

My daughters are eight and ten and they are slowly beginning to grasp the concept of dressing appropriately for the occasion.  After years of hearing me rant and rave when they attempt to leave the house in shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter or wear a miniskirt that exposes too much leg to a birthday party, they are finally beginning to listen.

Dressing should be equal parts common sense and individual style.  I think if you have one without the other, you get into trouble.  One should be able to determine when to throw on a scarf to keep warm and when to go easy on the cleavage to avoid becoming a distraction.  It is also imperative to learn how to dress for your particular frame.  Fashion stylists drill this rule into our heads and it is truly the first step to consider when dressing appropriately for any occasion.

This issue of what is appropriate and when to wear it has been popping up on our radar with more regularity. Most recently, we have been working with our clients going into their closets to streamline their wardrobes and establish which key classic pieces to add and our work has not been limited to just the United States, as I was recently contacted by a young women in the Philippines eager to learn what outfit to select for the woman on-the-go. 

You may not love Posh personally, but you gotta give it to the gal, she sure knows how to dress.  She rocks a drop-dead figure, but she never crosses the line of indecency.  She is always fashionable and polished looking and strikes a careful balance of makeup and accessories to enhance every look.  Whether you are an ideal size zero or a more realistic size six, heading to a job interview or dressing for a night out on the town, our guidelines below will ensure you avoid any missteps in the wardrobe department.

For Success. The perfect suit can land you the perfect job and the office is the number one place to err on the side of formal.  Go with something that has classic lines and choose a neutral color such as black, navy, brown, grey or beige. It can be a skirt suit, pant suit or dress suit. You can add a bit of color with your blouse, some accessories or a scarf.  The only time you can get away with dressing down is if you are interviewing with an Internet company and you are convinced that their corporate culture is casual.

To Impress.  When courting someone, we always want to make sure we are presenting our best self, not our best slutty self.  It is much more alluring to leave a few things for the imagination, so don’t feel you need to bare all.  Your hidden assets are best kept hidden.  A stylish dress paired with elegant heels that enhance the leg or a dark pair of jeans, a cute top and classic blazer are looks that can take you anywhere.  Less is definitely more, especially on the first date.

For Comfort. Rather than reaching for the washed out raggedy yoga paints and faded comfy tee. Invest in relaxing attire that you could wear not only to yoga, but to breakfast afterwards. You don’t have to break the bank by buying Lululemon, although they are a personal favorite, Target offers a similarly trendy selection. Purchase a pair of black (because they look the most slimming) stretch pants and pair it with a colorful tank and zip up jacket and you’ll be ready to go.

For Weather.  There are certain items that every girl must have in her arsenal.  A few scarves, a pair of gloves, a couple of hats (one for the beach and one for the snow), a nice trench coat for rain and a nice ¾ length coat for cold weather. I am a coat fanatic so I actually have plenty of coats on hand for all occasions.  When it comes to weather, it’s quite simple, dress accordingly. When it’s cold, put on a sweater, take a scarf and coat to keep warm. When it’s warm out, wear lighter clothing that breathes so that you are not sweating threw your silk blouse. Not a good look on a lady by the way.

Based on Age.  There is a company called Not Your Daughter’s Jeans for a reason. Moms, it just doesn’t look right to have your butt crack showing on the preschool playground.  Madonna may have gotten away with sporting black leather over-the-knee boots in her 50’s, but that was for Super Bowl, this is not what a 50+ year old should be wearing in real life! You can still look smart and totally put together dressing for your age.  In fact, you may even look more chic than you did in your 30’s. The key again here is classic lines with good tailoring. The more tailored an item of clothing is, the better it will fit on your frame.

The bottom line with dressing is that we want our outer beauty to reflect our inner attributes and paying attention to wardrobe selection helps to communicate the right message.  For an easy to comprehend list of wardrobe staples every woman cannot afford to live without, read here http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/wardrobe-staples-women-must-have-among-their-clot0.html and then run, don’t walk to the stores!

7 Etiquette Rules to Go with Your 7-Layer Dip on Super Bowl Sunday

When the New York Giants take on the New England Patriots on Sunday, it will be a no holds barred game out on the field, but that doesn’t give us carte blanche to behave like banshees, especially when we’re a guest in someone else’s home. Whether you love the teams or hate the teams, participate in betting pools or just watch for pure enjoyment, there are some basic etiquette ground rules that must be laid down to ensure that the action stays on the grass and not on the carpet.  While you’re busily making your way through each of the 7 layers of your Mexican dip, try wrapping your mind around these 7 guidelines for decent behavior on one of America’s most favored and patriotic days of the year.

1. Keep it PG Friendly.  Sunday is typically family day so most often children will be in attendance at the Super Bowl party.  To keep the atmosphere friendly and comfortable for everyone, avoid dressing in skin tight attire and sky high heels like Nicki Minaj, reserve the foul language for the street when you’re walking to your car at the end of the game and monitor your alcohol intake so you don’t embarrass yourself and want to hang your head in shame the next day. Note: You may want to shimmy the kiddies out of the room during half-time.  The lineup of Madonna, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. and LMFAO is sure to turn up the heat and sex factor.  If this offends you, organize a separate more kid-friendly option in another room or set up a fun activity outside for the younger ones to experience.

2. Compliment the Chef.  Super Bowl Sunday is the second most popular eating day after Thanksgiving and food plays a major part in the enjoyment.  Hosts spend weeks preparing the special menu of finger foods typically based around the two playing teams hometown favorites. Take a sec to compliment the chef and whatever you do, remember not to double dip! For some amazing Super Bowl recipe ideas, check out http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes?weekday=Wed or http://www.foodnetwork.com/big-game/package/index.html.

3. Don’t Block the View. Super Bowl Sunday is one of the rare times that the television should be the center of focus.  Don’t be a ninny and walk right in front of the set blocking everyone’s view as you cross the room to make your way towards the hot wings table.  Wearing a cap with your favorite team's logo emblazoned for all to see is perfectly fine, but large hats that block the view are totally unacceptable. A little reminder, blocking the view during the game is just as upsetting as during the all-important Super Bowl commercials. Millions are spent on these 90-second babies and they also deserve their just due.  For those interested in a little preview, click here http://screenrant.com/super-bowl-commercials-2012-aco-149203/

4. Stay on Topic. On Super Bowl Sunday, the main conversation should be on the game.  Know your facts beforehand so you are well-versed in the teams that are playing and the host city.  Learn the vernacular, know the difference between a touchdown and a field goal.  You want to be able to bond and converse with everyone.  This is not the time to mention a grave illness or ask for a job.  Superbowl Sunday is supposed to be fun.  Keep the tone light and breezy and pay attention to the ball.  Here’s a complete glossary to everything you could possibly want to know for game day http://football.about.com/od/football101/a/Football-Glossary.htm

5. Display Good Sportsmanship.  Wearing your team's jerseys to show your support, painting your body to prove your enthusiasm and showing the love by cheering the players on is all perfectly fine.  What will not fly on Super Bowl Sunday is shouting expletives at the television screen when your team misses the ball or picking a fight with your neighbor because he did a victory dance in the room for a touchdown for your opposing team.  Remember you are not playing in the game, you are just a fan!  Don’t make it personal!

6. Don't Bet the Farm.  There are more Super Bowl pools riding on this game then I care to imagine.  Bottom line with betting, know your limits!  If you’re an out-of-control gambler, designate a set amount for your bet before you leave the house so that you cannot be coerced into contributing more than you can afford.  There are plenty of pools to choose from and not all require a $500 ante.  You certainly don’t want to dip into your child’s college fund for a silly square on the football grid.  

7. You Gotta Give Thanks. Of course, it goes without mentioning to make sure you thank your Super Bowl party host when you arrive at the beginning of the game, as well as upon your departure.   It doesn't hurt to show up with a small hostess gift to express your appreciation.  A handy kitchen gadget, a jar of gourmet BBQ sauce or a serving tray all make great gifts and they don't have to be expensive.  If bringing a gift feels like too much, a thoughtful handwritten thank you note mailed the following day will convey the same sentiment.

Hope you enjoyed these tips.  Go Giants!!!