![[footprints graphic]](gfx/footprints.gif)
It’s okay to quickly apply lipstick at the table if you’re with close friends or relatives in a non-business situation, and at a non-deluxe restaurant. In general, personal grooming should be done in private for the simple reason that it can be annoying and it’s tacky. But putting on lipstick without using a mirror and without fanfare is one grooming ritual that can sometimes be performed in front of others. Still, think first! When in doubt, don’t do it, such as when you’re at a business meal or with people you don’t know very well.
Technically, food is passed around the table in a counterclockwise direction, or to the right. The reason there’s even a guideline for this is to provide some sense of order when passing food. Common sense comes into play, too. If someone only a few places away from you on your left asks for something to be passed, by all means just pass it to the left instead of sending it all the way around to the right. In general, what’s important is that when several dishes are being passed at the same time, they all go in the same direction.
