adalaio's Profile

I second the comments about Stephen Fry in the HP series, as well as Davina Porter in Outlander. Both are outstanding. I must also put in a word for Emilia Fox reading Pride and Prejudice. I listened to several versions, and hers is the absolute best.

Truly, do you all need to be so mean? I think that whoever accepts to be in this website (I mean all of the Apartment Therapy websites) has to subject themselves to vicious scrutiny. Does her scarf matter? Get over it.

The host that wants shoes off in their house must warn guests in advance. I'll not be happy about it, but at least I will be prepared. I think it's clear from what we see here that different houses have different rules in the US, so don't assume that I will carry a pair of socks in my purse everywhere. I don't want to wear your slippers, and I do like to think about my outfit, so let me prepare.

Americans like to think that the US is the land of freedom, but I find them often too ready to dictate how other people should live and behave. Yes, it's your house, your sanctuary, whatever, but you are restricting my freedom to choose how I will dress. Be aware of that.

I am Brazilian, and I was never asked to remove my shoes in Brazil, so count Brazil as one of the countries where it is not common to have such policies. By the way, even the concept of having house "policies" sounds presumptuous to me.

As a host you should treat your guests as adults. They should be able to choose how to behave. If you associate with civilized people they will always wipe their snowy shoes very well before entering, they will not smoke without permission, they will keep their voices down when it can bother your neighbors, they will not get so drunk that they are obnoxious, etc. Sometimes somebody will not be so polite. Just live with this. Don't treat the rest of us as children because somebody scratched your floors with their ruined heels, or dragged mud inside your house, or got drunk and threw up in your bathroom. Take this as part of the risks associated with everything that is good in life, something can always go wrong.

The same goes for those that have problems with people taking their shoes off in their house. The same way you should let your guests keep their shoes on, you should let them take them off. It's their choice, allow them their freedom. Dirt, smells, even scratches, are all small prices to pay for the biggest American value of all.

Hi soozle, sorry I misunderstood what you meant.

Second darlingcaro. I like my shoes too much, so I am careful where I step.

soozie, that is your standard, your view of "go with the flow." I could just as easily ask why don't hosts "go with the flow" and let guests wear what they want?

Frank, the point is your guests comfort. I "graciously accept," but I am not happy. It's not about the socks, it's about the outfit, the walking without support, the cold feet, etc.

I don't think that removing shoes is common in "most cultures." I have been asked to remove my shoes far more often here than in any other country. I know that this is the standard in some countries, but certainly not most of the western countries, which are culturally closest to the US.