Eating, like so many other things, is not done well in a hurry.  There’s an art to it, there’s the sport of waiting, the science of timing, the talent in taking ferocious feelings and not letting them show. 

Ask a server, it takes years to learn how to properly serve. 

Things that may or may not happen at the table and how you could respond to maintain politesse fills volumes of etiquette books. 

While open concept homes have become very popular in the last several decades, the dining room is still a defined space in some homes. 

Try not to use it as a dumping ground for laptops and notebooks, that will turn the table into a desk and ruin the vibe. 

I’m a rigid-ish person so I like dinner at the same time every night, with everyone at the table. This is the reward for menu planning and cooking. Listening to the silence as the food takes over the attention. 

Even if you bought take out or had food delivered taking it out, putting it on plates, and eating it at the table can add so much to a meal. As in any activity, the anticipation, the waiting for the right moment to dig in, is amazing. 

Here’s some great advice–\”If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him…the people who give you their food give you their heart.” Cesar Chavez