Often times if you're bored, the other person is probably bored too.

I grew up in the Midwest, so I have sort of an honorable moral code. But I moved to a city and joined a sort of fast crowd. A lot of people who grew up in the city sort of arent aware of manners and other ways of life and common decency.

Talking, texting or tweeting on your phone is the worst in any social situation. I went to a lunch during Paris Fashion Week, and I managed to steal a few moments with Lee Radziwill - who I think is perhaps the classiest woman alive - and she said this is her biggest pet peeve too. So I'm in good company.

If it is a cocktail party, I think bringing your partner, husband or wife is fine. To a certain extent, when someone throws a party, they expect to have people over. If it's a seated dinner, though, you should check beforehand. Asking to bring your partner is fair. Asking to bring eight friends from college is not. A good hostess will always accommodate extras and stragglers, but she'll never forget who brought them.

A good party is one that is designed to entertain and bond friends. The bad parties I've been to are the ones that are held to impress other people.

If you are going to worry all night, you should let the hostess know that you're coming for cocktails and leaving when everyone sits down for dinner. If you do need to call to check in, people will understand, but excuse yourself from the table and head to the ladies room to do it.

Getting last-minute cancellations can put a black cloud over an event before it has even started. If it's a large, casual cocktail party, then I'll often not say anything until the next day. But if you're not able to make it to a small, seated dinner, you have to call the host - there's nothing worse than an empty chair at a table.