NEWSOK!'s 'Ask Heather' Advice Column: The 'RHOC' Star Answers Your Burning Q's Every Week
April 22 2013, Published 5:16 a.m. ET
Real Housewives of Orange County star, actress, mother, wife, and entrepreneur Heather Dubrow is dishing her best advice each week in our OK! column: Ask Heather!
Last week Heather solved your appropriate dressing queries and this week she's tackling your gift giving q's—read on for her pearls of wisdom...
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OK!: What do you do if you see the person paying for the check left a bad tip? —@lori_antone
Heather Dubrow: Personally, I don’t really look to see what someone is doing, but if I’m with someone who is notoriously not a good tipper and it’s a place that I go to a lot, I may very quietly leave something on the side. There's no reason to make someone else feel bad that they didn’t tip enough though.
OK!: What about when you are getting a mani/pedi—how much should you tip your manicurist? —@moon3077
HD: I think twenty percent will always work except if it's a really inexpensive process like a manicure—sometimes the manicure can be five dollars and you’re not going to leave 50 cents. It really needs to be based upon what you are having done. If you are having your hair cut or colored, I think a twenty percent tip is appropriate. If you are getting a manicure or a pedicure, I would tip a little more.
OK!: What about if you are unhappy with any of your services? Should you still tip?
HD: I feel like you always tip. If the service is really terrible, you have to speak to manager and one would hope that they would comp one or all of your services, but personally I would still leave the gratuity.
OK!: How much should you write a check for as a wedding gift? —@lizezep
HD: I think it depends on where you live and who is getting married, but I don’t give cash gifts for weddings. I think buying a gift is a more appropriate, like something from their registry or a beautiful sterling picture frame. I don’t think that people should engrave things for wedding gifts though because typically you will get more than one item at times, and if everything is engraved, you can’t exchange it.
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News: Heather's Advice on Appropriate Dressing
OK!: Do you prefer Terry to buy you something hinted at or surprise you? —@ttracyh
HD: One of the cutest things he did was Valentine’s day twelve years ago. I really wanted this gift and I hinted at it, but when we sat down at dinner he gave me a box that wasn’t the right shape. I opened it and it was something different, but he had this amazing story behind this gift, and I was so appreciative that I forgot about that other gift. It turns out that he bought me that too, but Terry has great taste in jewelry, so I’m happy with whatever he gives me.
OK!: What's the best way to "hint" at something you want from your guy?
HD: Put together a wish box—whenever you see something that you like, rip it out of your magazine or print it off your computer and put it in the box. That way, when your guy wants to get you something, he just has to go to the wish box. Make them from all different price points so if it’s just a little thing he wants to give you, there are all kinds of different things in the box.
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OK!: How do you approach certain uncomfortable tipping situations within a group?
HD: My feeling is when you are going out with a group, you split the check. Period.
OK!: Do you prefer to give a gift card or an actual gift for friends & relatives? —@ttracyh
HD: I would never give gift cards except for two times, for teacher gifts and for boys around ages 8 to 12 because they like to be able to spend their own money. Other than that, I think a personal gift is always a better idea.
News: Heather's Advice on Party Planning!
Don't miss the newest episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County TONIGHT on Bravo at 8/7 C and tweet your q's about relationships to @OKMagazine with the hashtag #OKAskHeather and she could answer you in next week's column!
