fandomhigh | Cultural Appreciation, Week VII [Wednesday, Periods 4 & 5]

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Cultural Appreciation, Week VII [Wednesday, Periods 4 & 5]

The students had ~~handwavily~~ been sent a notice that today's trip required a dress code, and when they met today, the portal took them to Citronelle in DC.

"Since last week was fall break, and this weekend is Homecoming, I doubt I can hold your attention for too long," Ghanima teased as they entered the restaurant. "So today we focus on something which will be important in your adult lives, if not very important this weekend; proper etiquette for fine dining."

Once they were in and seated, Ghanima took the opportunity to address the class. "A formal restaurant is different from a fast food place in terms of expected etiquette," she said. "The price is higher in a formal type restaurant and the group of people are usually different. There are many different types of restaurants in existence, ranging from a "mom and pop" restaurant to a $500-a-plate restaurant. The etiquette is different and different behavior is expected in a formal restaurant than in an informal restaurant. Rules can even vary between regions, but there are a few basics that transcend location into simple good manners."

"Firstly, turn off your cell phone or switch it to silent or vibrate mode before sitting down to eat, and leave it in your pocket or purse. It is impolite to answer a phone during dinner. If you must make or take a call, excuse yourself from the table and step outside of the restaurant. I know that many of you enjoy the hyper-connected feeling of this era, but a phone does not belong in a formal dining setting."

"Gentlemen, pull the chairs out for the ladies. Ladies, do not take this as an implication that you are incapable of moving a chair or serving yourself. It is a sign of respect, and do not be surprised if an older gentlemen stand up at any time a lady does at the table! This is not seen much anymore, but it was once basic etiquette for all gentlemen to stand when a lady excuses herself for a moment, and is still considered appropriate among the older generation.

"Never use the knife to cut something and then put it on the table. After using the knife, put it on the plate so it is not touching the table. If silver is dropped on the floor, leave it there, and the server will replace it."

"Enjoy the food and eat slowly. Yes, Mooby's fries can be easy to chow down on very fast, but keep the pace slow at a formal restaurant. The food is excellent, so enjoy it. This is a social event, not just food-as-fuel. And when it comes time to go, please remember to give a generous tip! Most of the wait staff in a formal restaurant will serve well, so a generous tip is expected. Throwing down a bunch of change doesn't qualify; you will want to leave a 15-20% gratuity, at minimum, with 25-30% for excellent service."

"Now, we have the space to ourselves to practice today, as this establishment was kind enough to open for us." The perks of being a Princess Royal of one of the Great Houses; Ghanima had enough personal income to throw around for things like this, without even blinking. "Order what pleases you, and if you have any questions about the proper way to do something, please do not hesitate to ask."

[OOC: THIS POST NOW OPEN FOR NOMMING.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Raven cringed back against the wall. "I watch over you with my gifts," she admitted. "I cannot see or hear, of course, just...feel. So that I will know if you are in danger, if you are hurt or afraid or angry. So I can come help you."

"What part of last night made you think I was in danger?" Karla growled with anger that was at least half made up of embarrassment. Possibly more.

"Because what you did could lead to other things!" Raven protested. Gateway vibrators, don't you know.

"Like what?!" Karla hissed. "In fact, I think it would...stop...me from doing other things! Because then I'm not dependent upon...anything else to do that for me!"

Darkness, if she wasn't so ticked at Raven right now, she'd be banging her head into the wall at the thought of even having this conversation.

"Or embolden you to seek more before you are ready!" Raven said. "I do not want you to be hurt or broken!"

And she wasn't jealous of what Karla would be seeking. AT ALL.

"Raven! We have rules in place to keep anything like that from happening," Karla said, frustrated. "I'm not going to take the chance of breaking myself, just because what I'm doing feels good."

She stepped forward and poked Raven in the chest. "In fact, I think if you were doing what I did last night, you wouldn't be upset with me!"

Raven blinked in confusion, looking down at Karla's finger and then back to her face. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I am saying that maybe if you got your nubbin tickled a bit, you wouldn't be so Darkness bedamned worried about what I was doing with mine!"

"...my what?" Raven exclaimed.

"Do you really want me to give you an anatomy lesson right here and now," Karla asked, raising her eyebrow. "Darkness help me, I will."

Raven turned bright bright red. "That is not necessary," she murmured. "I think I understand what you are implying now." And it totally wasn't true!

"Then what's the problem, Raven?" Karla asked, raking her hand through her hair. "I mean, really?!"

"I am just concerned that you may do something unwise," Raven said, staring down at the floor. "If you wish me to be your Court Healer, then I must guard your safety."

Karla bent sideways, trying to catch Raven's eyes with her own. "I'm still confused why you think this will lead to something unwise. Don't you trust me, Raven?"

"I trust you," Raven murmured. "But when emotions are strong and there is a need for comfort and pleasure, you could do something rash."

Because she didn't speak from experience there at all, no.

"Not that rash," Karla muttered, before saying more loudly, "Raven, we're talking about something that could leave me broken and Craftless. Just that thought acts like a splash of cold water."

She sighed a little and turned away, holding her elbows in front of her chest. "What happened last night...that's a healthy and normal thing. The coven says so, 'Dite says so. I had to get past a lot of baggage just to try. It hurts that you're reacting this way."

[WTF, LJ, I ALREADY POSTED THIS!]

"I do not wish to hurt you!" Raven protested. "That is that last thing I would want to do."

"Then maybe eavesdropping on--private moments and then taking me to task for them isn't the best way to convince me of that!" Karla flared.

She sounded angry, but Raven would be able to tell how much of that came from being completely mortified and turning to anger in defense.

Raven cringed back. "I am not -- I will never do such a thing again," she said quietly.

Dammit, Raven was cringing. That always made Karla feel so little and awful inside. She let go of her humiliated pride and reached out, trying to pull Raven into a hug.

"Hey," she said more quietly. "Don't do that. Please. I'm--I shouldn't have yelled."

"I have embarrassed and hurt you," Raven said softly. She allowed the hug, though her body was still stiff with tension. "I am sorry. It will never happen again, I swear."

"Yeah, but you did it because you were concerned for me, which isn't actually a motive I can argue all that much with," Karla said, refusing to let go until Raven hugged her back. "It's just...it took a lot of courage for me. And I was unprepared to get called out on it in class."

Or at all, really.

"And I really think you'd have a different opinion if you tried it." Oh, Karla. When will you learn to stop talking when you're ahead?

Raven finally relaxed enough to hug Karla back. "I just do not want you to make the same mistakes that I did," she said. Warren, at least, wasn't Chuck, but still.

She wasn't sure just how to respond to the second part of what Karla said.

"Your reasons and mine were very different," Karla reminded. "I am in no hurry to rush headlong into bed with Warren."

Not without pants, anyway. Not yet.

"Thank you for watching out for me, though."

Raven nodded. "I will...support you if you do decide," she said~~, since her attitude had to change between now and the preplay in Kaeleer, la~~.

Cultural Appreciation, Week VII [Wednesday, Periods 4 & 5]

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.

Re: NFB--even though I'm the squirrel and we're off-island.