EnBooo Podcast

Episode 75 • Fancy

75

Black tie event

Gown

Tuxedo

Table manners

Hors d'oeuvre

Story

Woman: Oh sweetie. Come here, mommy’s got something very important to tell you. Mommy and daddy have been invited to a very important black tie event this Saturday, alright? And we’ve decided to take you with, okay? Look, Mommy is going to wear this beautiful gown she just bought and you… look what I got for you? This tuxedo! Do you think it will fit you? C’mon, let’s put it on! Alright, let’s see… Okay, so… just a few things… Table manners are really important at these events… The last event I went to, Mrs Archer’s son wouldn’t stop touching all the hors d’oeuvres with his dirty little fingers, ugh, disgusting, I couldn’t eat anything after seeing that… Also, try to be quiet… I know you’re a good boy, but sometimes you can be a bit loud… Alright, one more button and… that’s it! Oh, my gosh! Look at you! You look adorable in this tuxedo! Let’s show daddy. Honey, look at Alfred! Doesn’t he look cute?
Man: Sweetie, why is our dog wearing a tuxedo?
Woman: Because he’s coming with us, he’s part of the family now! Don’t worry! I told him he needs to behave.
[Barking]

Questions

What did you think of my dog impression? I practiced it a few days ago. I was sitting on the couch and I just barked without saying anything, because I wanted to see if I could make a dog sound, and my boyfriend, turned around, and he was like, "What the hell is happening?" I'm pretty proud of my dog impression, I hope you've enjoyed it.

Black tie event

'Mommy and daddy have been invited to a very important black tie event this Saturday.'

• Is a black tie a formal or informal event?

A black tie event is a formal event.

• When is a black tie event usually hosted? In the morning or at night?

It's usually hosted at night, so we're talking about like in the evening, around dinnertime.

• If I’m invited to a black tie event, do I have to wear black?

No, even though it's called a black tie event, that doesn't mean that you have to wear black. Black tie just means formal, so the dress code is formal, but you can wear other colors, it only refers to the fact that it's a formal event.

• Have you ever been at a black tie event or can you think of any famous black tie events?

I've never been to a black tie event, thank goodness. I said it a few episodes ago that I don't like to dress formally, it's not my style. I think one of the best examples of a black tie event that everybody can relate to, or not relate to. I'm talking about the Oscars, I'm talking about the night of the Oscars. I don't think we've ever participated in the event, but we know what it looks like. The dress code is very formal there so it's a black tie event.

Gown

'Mommy is going to wear this beautiful gown she just bought...'

• Is a gown normally worn by women or men?

A gown is a clothing item that's usually worn by women.

• Is a gown a long dress or a short dress?

A gown is a long dress, so it goes all the way to almost the floor.

• On which occasions are women usually expected to wear a gown?

Well, like we said, you should wear a gown at a black tie event, or at a formal event. You can also talk about wedding gowns, so at your wedding, a lot of, obviously you don't have to wear a gown, but the long white dress. That is a wedding gown. Even at weddings, many women will choose to wear a gown, even if they're not getting married.

Tuxedo

'... and you… look what I got for you? This tuxedo!'

• Is a tuxedo normally worn by women or men?

Again, anybody can wear whatever they want to wear, but normally, usually, it's men that wear a tuxedo.

• Does the term tuxedo refer to just the jacket or the entire suit?

The tuxedo, it refers to the jacket, most importantly, so it's that very nice very formal jacket. It's usually black but again it can be in different colors. It can also refer to the entire suit. When you're wearing the jacket, the dress shirt, the tie, the nice pants. The whole thing can be referred to as a tuxedo and that's usually very, very expensive.

• What color can a tuxedo be?

It can be black, it can be blue, it can be burgundy, green, I don't know, I guess, lots and lots of colors.

• Does a tuxedo look comfortable to you?

It's not that uncomfortable, I'm sure there's a lot of, I guess a gown would be more uncomfortable because it's very long it's not as easy to walk in it. At least you're wearing pants so it's not too bad. I would wear a tuxedo. I would prefer to wear a tuxedo than to wear a gown.

Table manners

'Table manners are really important at these events…'

• Does the term ‘table manners’ refer to the way you act before eating or while you‘re eating?

Table manners, refers to the way you're supposed to act while you're eating, the things that you're supposed to do while eating, and the things that you're not supposed to do while eating.

• What are some examples of good table manners? What about of bad table manners?

A few examples of good table manners would be chewing with your mouth closed, or excusing yourself before getting up to go to the bathroom. These are good table manners. What about bad table manners? Putting your elbows, I guess, on the table while you're eating. Again, speaking with your mouthful that's a bad table manner. That's actually, I think it's pretty rude.

• Do you think you have good table manners?

I think I have okay table manners and it depends on who I'm with. If it's just me and my boyfriend or it’s just me and my family. I guess I don't really care. I'm not going to burp in front of everyone. I’m a little more relaxed. I guess if I'm with someone that I don't know or my boyfriend's family. I try to act a little better. I try to be a little more careful with what I do, or what I don't do.

Hors d’oeuvres

'Mrs Archer’s son wouldn’t stop touching all the hors d’oeuvres with his dirty little fingers...'

Now, this is a tricky word to pronounce, it’s a French word and it's pronounced hors d’oeuvres, so the H is silent, in this case.

• Are hors d’oeuvres served before the meal or during the meal?

Hors d’oeuvres are served before the meal begins.

• Are hors d’oeuvres often meant to be eating by hand or with a fork?

Are hors d’oeuvres often meant to be eaten with your hands, or with a fork? Because hors d’oeuvres are usually so small, you can eat them with your hands. It's not too messy. They're usually meant to be picked up with your hands, and that way you can put them directly in your mouth. You don't need a plate or anything. There's many different types of hors d’oeuvres, it can be anything. It can be fish or meat or a combination of both or vegetables.

• Are hors d’euvres normally sweet or savory?

Hors d’oeuvres are usually savory. Because they usually come before the meal. You don't want to have, I don't know, chocolate cake before you have pasta or meat or, I don't know. Yes, they're usually savory. Again, fish, meat, vegetables, a combination of these things.

• Do you serve hors d’oeuvres before a meal?

Not really, I feel like hors d’oeuvres are usually more common at fancier events. Sometimes you have even waiters with a platter, with a bunch of hors d’oeuvres on it, and they just walk around and the guests can eat whatever they choose to eat. At least in my family, we don't do that we just sit down, put everything on the table from start to finish, so we have appetizers, the first course, the second course, sometimes even dessert right there on the table and you just eat whatever you want, whenever you want. No hors d'oeuvres in my family at least.

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