A kiss isn’t always just a kiss when it comes to social protocol. Claire Howorth on the many ways to peck properly.
As summer draws to a close, a certain set is packing up their canvas totes, straw bags, and Louis Vuitton steamers, departing their summer homes, and preparing for September. Now begins the social season: fundraisers, fashion week, red carpet premieres and literary parties. In other words, a lot of meeting and greeting that beg the complicated question of pecking protocol: To kiss or not to kiss? And then, is it to kiss-kiss, or to kiss-kiss-kiss?
The Daily Beast sought out Lizzie Post and a handful of other social pros for authoritative answers.

1. ONCE IS OK, BUT TWICE IS NICE.
Post, who heads her great-grandmother’s Emily Post Institute, said Americans do it less. “A kiss on the cheek just once and it’s done,” she said, but added that some, influenced by Europeans, have begun to bring two into popular use.
Power publicist Lorenzo Martone, (and former boyfriend of designer Marc Jacobs), said it’s a judgment call. “I try to read the person’s energy—in a split second—before making that decision.” He, too, believes that geography matters. “I was born in Brazil so I always have the excuse for going ahead and kissing the other person—clichés of a culture. And always twice—the chic and sexy people I know always kiss twice.”
For some, only thrice will suffice. “I’ve always found that the European triple-cheek kiss is my preferred method for everyone, but very close friends and lovers,” said Brooke Geahan, a Manhattan girl-about-town who founded the Accompanied Library Society. The “warmth” and “sustained contact” of three kisses “gives one a chance to remember the person’s name as well as recollect where you saw them last.”
Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev and East German leader Erich Honecker exchange kisses after Brezhnev was honored with the title “Hero of the German Democratic Republik” and the “Karl Marx Medal”. Credit: Helmuth Lohmann / AP Photo2. SPACE ON THE FACE? CHEEK NEVER MOUTH.
A brush of lips to cheek is an acceptable greeting around the world—even among Communist leaders.
“The right place to kiss is a little ways off the corner of the mouth, to where the face begins to round out,” said Post.
“Never mouth-kiss—no way,” warned Lisa Eisner, the Los Angeles photographer and socialite. She prefers the single kiss. “But I used to live in France so sometimes I forget, and then it gets messy.”
The “lip-slip” is certainly confusing.
Neel Shah, a writer on NBC’s upcoming sitcom,Friends With Benefits, said that, on several occasions recently, he has been on the receiving end of “a closed-mouth, lip-to-lip kiss.” As he said: “It’s thrown me every time it’s happened.”
“L.A. seems to me to have a much more lax greeting-kiss-culture than does New York,” said Neel Shah, who spent five years doing “the ‘double kiss hello’” at NYC cocktail parties.
3. STAY TO THE RIGHT
In New York, greeting and kissing has lately become very perplexing. “It’s become sort of Euro with two kisses – right cheek first, then left,” said Marjorie Gubelmann, founder of Vie Luxe, and a Manhattan social fixture. “Sometimes people do left then right…so you have this awkward moment where you almost kiss on the lips.”
The way to go? Right side first—just remember, it’s the same side as a handshake.
4. HUGS ARE JUST FOR FRIENDS.
Hugging, on the other hand, should be saved for friends only.
“A hug is more intimate because you’re inviting someone completely into your personal space,” said Post.
“I only hug people I really feel like hugging,” agreed Martone. “For acquaintances, a handshake will do.”
5. TURN THE OTHER CHEEK
And then there are moments that call for no touching or smooching.
“Refrain from kissing and hugging in more serious business situations, or if it’s your first time meeting someone,” said Post. A handshake does the trick, She added.
6. WHEN IN ROME…
…do as Martone does. The publicist doesn’t change his style according to location. “I carry my protocol with me everywhere I go,” he said. “Unless I’m meeting the queen, I won’t change my kissing.”
Shah, for his part, has been thrown by how differently people greet on the coasts. “L.A. seems to me to have a much more lax greeting-kiss-culture than does New York,” said Shah, who spent five years doing “the ‘double kiss hello’” at NYC cocktail parties. But when he attempted to do the same out west, he encountered “awkward nose bumping.”
And then there are the contrarians.
“I do the double-cheek to girls, especially square American ones who act a little shocked,” said John Taki Theodoracopolus, a Brooklyn-based artist. “If you’re in a room full of Euros, and even the dudes are kissing each other, it can also be fun to go shake the prettiest girl’s hand.”
7. THE KISS-OFF
Do make sure there’s physical contact. Kissing thin air is not comme il faut, especially among Europeans.
“Air kisses look and feel disingenuous,” said Post.
8. UNLESS YOU’RE SICK
That rule, however, carries a health warning. If you’re in the throes of swine flu, or you’ve got a cold, by all means kiss just the air.
Eisner, who lives in a city obsessed with health, has noticed that people have gotten quite germ-phobic. “Now [they] don’t kiss or hug, but do a knuckle-clunk.”
9. PREEMPTING PECKING
There may be times when you don’t want to greet others as intimately as they’d like to greet you. “Quickly extend [your] hand to start the process immediately, before the other person has a chance to kiss,” advised Post.
“Social kissing is the bane of my existence,” complained Taki Theodoracopolus, the Greek shipping heir, gossip columnist and father of John Taki. “Old women with pulled faces seem to indulge in social kissing to the extreme. The only time it’s acceptable is when it takes place among the young. Otherwise the halitosis of the old, their extreme make up and the heavy jewels they wear on their tired ears, get in the way. Old people should bow to each other and keep physical contact to a minimum.”
Eisner has had her share of uncomfortable moments. “It’s always weird when women have bad boob jobs and they like to kiss and hug, and their boobs are hard,” she said, adding that encounters with men can be equally bad, like when “you feel a little penis action.”
10. AND BE PREPARED TO FAIL
It’s awkward but just remember, you’re not the first and you won’t be the last.
Claire Howorth is the Arts editor at The Daily Beast.

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My mother passed away when I was only 12 years old and she was only 47. She was more of a ball buster than a ballabusta. Needless to say there weren’t many recipes passed down from generation to generation, there wasn’t any time or she might have.
I like to cook, and my family likes to eat, and they appreciate my cooking most of the time. I always look for inspiration when cooking. This weeks inspiration…The Jewish holidays. Nothing says Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippor than kugel.

Kugel, which means “ball” in German, originally referred to balls of noodle dough encased around fruity filling and steamed in covered pots. Kugels evolved over time into baked casserole dishes. Today there are recipes for both sweet kugels (generally dairy) and savory kugels (usually pareve).

My girlfriend Gayle is very fortunate to have her mother come up from Florida and cook for her and her extended family. For days she cooks, preparing the perfect holiday meal. In a panic, I called her for some of her recipes which she lovingly wrote out be hand. I will save these for the rest of my life.

I made the noodle kugel and received a standing ovation.

Ingredients
1. 1lb medium egg noodles
2. 1 cup sugar
3. 1 1/2 sticks of margarine melted
4. 2cups Apricot Nectar (juice aisle)
5. 2 cups Coffee Rich-(in freezer) I used heavy cream
6. 6 eggs lightly beaten
7 . 11×13 pan -sprayed with Pam ( I used one than you can throw away)

Topping

8. Melt 1 1/2 sicks margarine
9. 1/2 cup sugar
10. 1 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs (baking aisle)
11. 2 tsp cinnamon (sprinkle on top)

Procedures
1. Boil noodles al dente (drain)
2. Add ingredients 2-6
Pour in pan and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees
3 While cooking mix topping together
4. After 30 minutes lower temp to 350
5. Put topping on kugel
6. sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
7. put back in the oven for 30-40 minutes
8. cool for at least 4-5 hours.

I served it warm.
I also reheated the leftovers in the microwave the next morning and had it with my coffee.

Maybe, I should just move my treadmill into the kitchen.

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A good friend introduced me to this Rosh Hashanah Fesenjan Persian Chicken with Pomegranate Walnut Sauce recipe a few years ago, and it’s been a New Year staple of mine ever since. To say that it tastes divine is an understatement. As a matter of fact, my book club has me to bring it to our annual holiday party every year. They think I am an outstanding cook. Little do they know that this is one of the only dishes I make really well.

You don’t use real pomegranates in the recipe, rather you use pomegranate molasses. This isn’t as hard to find as it sounds. You might find it at your local Kosher shop. I choose to drive to a wonderful Middle Eastern shop in White Plans called Yaranush (322 Central Avenue) so I can pick up other goodies like Israeli spices, tea, rice and other delicacies that I can’t get anywhere else. I always look forward to the trip. Everything else in the recipe is straight forward and it’s very easy to make.

The recipe feeds about 6-8 people. I usually double it and freeze what we don’t eat. It’s good to have on hand for other occasions.

All you need is:

2-1/2 cups of walnuts

2 large onions minced

1/4 cup oil

5 lbs. of chicken pieces

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. fresh black pepper

2 tsp. salt

1/2 can of tomato sauce (2-3 tbs.)

2 tbs. fresh lemon juice

4 tbs. sugar

2-1/2 cups of water

1/3 cup pomegranate molasses/paste.

Directions:

Skin and bake the chicken pieces for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

To make the sauce (which can be made the day before or the day of), grind the walnuts in a cuisinart until very fine. Then roast them in an iron skillet, stirring constantly. When the nuts turn brown and give off a nice smell, dump them in a bowl.

Cut the onions very fine. Saute them in oil over medium heat until they are clear (not brown). Use a large, heavy pot.

When the onions are cooked, add everything else to the pot, except the chicken.

Cook this for an hour or so over low heat.

Then add the chicken and cook it until you serve it (can’t be cooked too long). Stir in occasionally so that it doesn’t burn.

Serve with Persian or White rice.

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BALLET CELEBS LAUNCH CaleCo BALLET STUDIO IN WESTCHESTER FOR KIDS AGES 3 to TEEN
Maria Calegari and Bart Cook, World-Famous Dancers & Instructors, Offer Aspiring Dancers Classical Training with a Competitive Edge  Maria Calegari and Bart Cook, legendary former principal dancers of the NYC Ballet, are announcing that they are bringing their high caliber training methods, enthusiasm and experience to a new venture, CaleCo Ballet Studio, opening Tuesday, September 14, at Union Hall, 2 Keeler Lane, North Salem, NY.
“We understand what our older students and pre-professionals need because we have taught in so many companies and schools,” Maria said. “We adapt to teaching younger students by breaking down what we have learned, with creativity and imagination, with story, play and performance.  We hope to create a unique and personalized environment.”
Maria and Bart continue to coach professional companies in the U.S. and internationally in the works of famous choreographers George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.
In-house demonstrations open to students’ families and friends will be scheduled throughout the year, as well as a spring 2011 performance.  Details will be posted on Caleco’s website: www.CaleCoballetstudio.com along with a full schedule of classes.
Please contact Amy Gagnon, CaleCo Program Coordinator, for additional information, 845-519-8858.

Website: www.CaleCoballetstudio.com

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Complete Nutrition has opened in the center of Bedford Hills, across from the train station.  The store offers the latest nutritional supplements, hand picked by owners Fred Bartasek and Douglas Sedlmair.  They offer Major Brands such as New Chapter, Solgar, Country Life and Natures Purest just to name a few all at discounted prices. They have a protein smoothie bar featuring City Blends smoothies as well as some of the best tasting bars out there not to mention they are also good for you. They are always adding items to the store such as last month they brought in the line of Dr Hauschka skin care. The store is always updating. Fred and Doug have a combined 20 years experience in the health and fitness field not to mention they are both master level personal trainers. Bonnie LaRaus rounds out the team as a certified holistic couselor. The staff members at Complete Nutrition offer a high level of knowledge and service. The combination of nutritonal counseling incorporating supplements and training can make you feel better, look better, and perform better. Complete Nutrition for you and your family.

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