DEAR HARRIETTE: I was invited to go to an important dinner meeting with my company. I want to make a good impression, and I’m a bit worried. I have a lot of food allergies, so dining out is somewhat problematic for me. The last thing I want to do is draw attention to myself because of my food limitations. How can I handle this in the most discreet way? -- Food Allergies
DEAR FOOD ALLERGIES: You might consider printing up a business card-sized list of your food allergies. You can give that to the waiter discreetly before the meal begins and ask him or her to speak to you privately about food choices rather than engaging the whole group. You can call the restaurant in advance and give them a heads-up that you have dietary restrictions. You can figure out what you can eat in advance and preorder it. You may also want to alert your manager and make it clear that you have it covered so there is no worry.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)