Celestial - Akiro
Banquette Invitations - If you’re invited to a banquette (a rare honor), you should take along a small present of flowers, pastries or chocolates. Gifts of food or drink aren’t generally well received unless they’re highly prized. Flowers can be tricky, as some people associate them with certain things (e.g. chrysanthemums for cemeteries), but a florist will be able to advise you. It’s common to send a small note or gift the following day to thank people for their hospitality or kindness.
Titles should generally be used when addressing or writing to people, particularly when the holder is elderly. Dottore is usually used when addressing anyone with a university degree (dottoressa if it’s a woman) and employees may refer to their boss as director (direttore) or presidente. Professionals should be addressed by their titles such as professor (professore), doctor (dottore), lawyer (avvocato) and architect (architetto). If you don’t know someone’s title, you can use signore (for a man) or signora (woman); a young woman may be addressed as signorina. Presentation and impression are all-important and are referred to as bella presenza or bella figura (literally ‘beautiful presentation or figure’). They generally dress well and appropriately, tending to be more formal in their attire. Bella figura refers not only to the way you look, but also to the way you act and what you say. It’s important to look good and be seen in the best light, always appearing to be in control and not showing ignorance or a lack of savoir-faire. It’s important not to show disrespect or ridicule, even if it means biting your tongue on occasions.
