On the Etiquette of Mobile Phones

Etiquette has been on my mind a lot recently. As you know if you’ve seen my YouTube video on Great Etiquette Books, etiquette is a favorite topic of mine. The reason I felt compelled to do the video (and I hope, many more on the subject) was because that morning when I did my routine walk with Gatsby and the baby, a man who was also walking down the sidewalk belched quite loudly, then looked at me and winked.

I wanted to say back to him “A simple good morning would have sufficed!” but alas it was too early and I wasn’t thinking on my toes yet. So instead I just stood there frozen with shock.

It seems etiquette is a topic on a lot of people’s minds lately, not just mine. Why just this week a woman was ejected off an Amtrak train for speaking loudly on her cell phone in a ‘quiet car’ for a 16 hour journey. I could not help but feel a little justice was served after reading that article.

You all remember my first trip to the manicurist after having the baby. I was so looking forward to relaxing during the spa treatment but instead became privy to the lady next to me who was speaking loudly on her cell phone, revealing all of the gory details about her titillating life.

People are starting to get vocal about it too. Just yesterday I talked to my cousin, who lives in New York, on the phone. While we were talking a man interrupted her conversation and asked her to get off the phone. “Where are you?” I asked her. “I’m on the elliptical at the gym!” she laughed. I had had no idea. I felt slightly guilty being an accomplice to this cell phone faux pas. Oops!

Yes, cell phone etiquette – namely not speaking on the thing in inappropriate public places- is a prevalent issue now. Recently I popped into a new tearoom in Santa Monica called Funnel Mill Rare Coffee and Tea that had a strict no cell phone policy. What a quiet little haven it was! People working on their laptops and speaking in soft tones while classical music was playing. It was so nice to enjoy my cup of tea in silence, read my kindle and not have to listen to a man next to me complain about the price of his self storage unit and his broken muffler.

It is all very good that we regulate our own cell phone etiquette, but how do you tell a good friend that they have a problem? A few years ago I took a friend of mine (who shall remain nameless) to tea in the Tudor House Tea Rooms to celebrate her birthday. She put her blackberry on the table and it kept ringing (loudly) several times throughout our tea together. Occasionally she would answer it. I was so stunned by it all I couldn’t even call her out on it (she is an old friend of mine so it would have been quite all right if I did so). I still haven’t brought it up with her but suffice to say- I won’t be taking her to tea any time soon!

After all of these incidents it is safe to say that now I am quite paranoid when talking on my cell phone in public. I generally only do it in wide open spaces while on a walk or inside the comfort of my own home- and of course I never use it while driving anymore (that’s just bananas!) If I am about to get into an elevator, about to pay for a purchase in a shop or am in a room with strangers I simply get off the phone. Not only would it be rude to subject strangers to the intimate details of my daily life but I don’t actually want them to hear it anyway (especially since I've gone on the quest to maintain my air of mystery)...

So there you have it. I would love to know… what is your stance on cell phone etiquette?

Be sure to watch this week's video on My Two Favorite Concealers. You can watch the video by clicking here , looking in the sidebar of this blog, or by visiting: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

Also this Thursday look for a special post reviewing a trio of my latest discoveries...


The gold wreath pictured above is Greek and dates back from 300- 100 B.C. The leaves are modeled off of the laurel tree, also known as Apollo's sacred tree. It can be found at the Getty Villa in Malibu.

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