--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I attended a dinner party where the…" description: "\"“I attended a dinner party where the hostess kept the bottle of water sequestered under the table, guarded by her feet during the entire meal. Midway t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/david-lebovitz-45906_dinner-party_i-attended-a-dinner-party-where-the-host_1784208.jpg" --- # I attended a dinner party where the hostess kept the… ![“I attended a dinner party where the hostess kept the bottle of water sequestered under the table, guarded by her feet during the entire meal. Midway through dinner, completely dessicated, I could hold out no longer and summoned up the last bit of moisture in my mouth to form the words to ask for a…” quote by David Lebovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/david-lebovitz-45906_dinner-party_i-attended-a-dinner-party-where-the-host_1784208.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/david-lebovitz-45906_dinner-party_i-attended-a-dinner-party-where-the-host_1784208.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/david-lebovitz-45906_dinner-party_i-attended-a-dinner-party-where-the-host_1784208.jpg) > ““I attended a dinner party where the hostess kept the bottle of water sequestered under the table, guarded by her feet during the entire meal. Midway through dinner, completely dessicated, I could hold out no longer and summoned up the last bit of moisture in my mouth to form the words to ask for a sip. With some reluctance, she reached down to extract the bottle and poured a tiny trickle into my glass. Right after my ration was doled out, she screwed the top back on and stowed away the bottle.”” [David Lebovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lebovitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A host’s excessive control over a simple request can reveal power dynamics and social discomfort. **In simple terms:** Over‑controlling hosts can make guests feel powerless. Key Takeaway Ask for needs respectfully, observe boundaries. Themes hospitality control social etiquette Mood awkward observational Type essay cultural commentary When to use this quote - dinner parties - client meetings - team lunches Key Concepts power dynamics communication Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when needs are withheld? - What signals indicate a host’s discomfort? A Different Perspective Hosts may fear loss of authority; balance generosity with respect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attended Dinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attended-dinner-1888975/) [Bottle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottle/) [Bottle Poured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottle-poured-1888974/) [Dinner party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dinner-party/) [Hostess Kept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hostess-kept-1888977/) [Kept Bottle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept-bottle-1888976/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [Not only the wine but also from which bottle it is being poured, I am concerned with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/not-only-the-wine-but-also-from-which-bottle-it-is-being-poured-i-am/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Tuesday, March 3 \[Meetings with economist Arthur Burns regarding China, and with President Ford on economy; message from Pope John Paul II expressing general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/tuesday-march-3-meetings-with-economist-arthur-burns-regarding-china/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [When we're discussing who to invite to a dinner party, my wife Chaz and I sometimes use the shorthand, 'good value for money,' which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/when-we-re-discussing-who-to-invite-to-a-dinner-party-my-wife-chaz/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“I'd rather cut off my own balls with blunt bacon scissors than host a dinner party.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derren-brown/i-d-rather-cut-off-my-own-balls-with-blunt-bacon-scissors-than-host-a/) [Derren Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derren-brown/) > [Often you see a famous actor who says they produced something, when all they did was claim to have an idea at a dinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/often-you-see-a-famous-actor-who-says-they-produced-something-when/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [It is very vulgar to talk about one's own business. Only people like stockbrokers do that, and then only at dinner parties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-very-vulgar-to-talk-about-one-s-own-business-only-people-like/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [New York is like a big dinner party. You have to be very careful about what you say and do because you never know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-moore/new-york-is-like-a-big-dinner-party-you-have-to-be-very-careful-about/) [Susanna Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-moore/) > [Telling people at a dinner party you drive a Nissan Almera is like telling them you've got the Ebola virus and you're about to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-clarkson/telling-people-at-a-dinner-party-you-drive-a-nissan-almera-is-like/) [Jeremy Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-clarkson/) > [Try this. At a dinner party sometime, kick off the conversation with: "I believe that the most important objective for every human being is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-white/try-this-at-a-dinner-party-sometime-kick-off-the-conversation-with-i/) [Robert White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-white/) > [If I were invited to a dinner party with my characters, I wouldn't show up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/if-i-were-invited-to-a-dinner-party-with-my-characters-i-wouldn-t/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [I love to cook. I'd have a dinner party, and someone would be like, 'Can you do this at my house?' So my catering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meta-golding/i-love-to-cook-i-d-have-a-dinner-party-and-someone-would-be-like-can/) [Meta Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meta-golding/) > [A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/a-revolution-is-not-a-dinner-party-or-writing-an-essay-or-painting-a/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [“I am very, very sorry to leave you hanging like that, but as I was writing the tale of the Baudelaire orphans, I happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/i-am-very-very-sorry-to-leave-you-hanging-like-that-but-as-i-was/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“As we prepared for sleep that night I noticed that Lisa was staring at her reflection in the mirror. She looked as young now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-n-drake/as-we-prepared-for-sleep-that-night-i-noticed-that-lisa-was-staring/) [S.N. Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-n-drake/) > [My girlfriend and I went to a dinner party the other night and we ended up playing charades. There was another couple there that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-galifianakis/my-girlfriend-and-i-went-to-a-dinner-party-the-other-night-and-we/) [Zach Galifianakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-galifianakis/) ## More by David Lebovitz > [“You never feel more American than when you leave America.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lebovitz/you-never-feel-more-american-than-when-you-leave-america/) [David Lebovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lebovitz/) > [“Speciàl" is one of those elusive French words that means something (or someone is...peculiar. The use of it is one of the rare times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lebovitz/speci-l-is-one-of-those-elusive-french-words-that-means-something-or/) [David Lebovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lebovitz/) > [“Although I’ve come to love the precision of the “hose” that the French favor for taking a shower, I can’t fathom why many homes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lebovitz/although-i-ve-come-to-love-the-precision-of-the-hose-that-the-french/) [David Lebovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lebovitz/) > [“Shaping the mounds of dough is easiest to do with a spring-loaded ice cream scoop, although you can use two spoons or a pastry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lebovitz/shaping-the-mounds-of-dough-is-easiest-to-do-with-a-spring-loaded-ice/) [David Lebovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lebovitz/) > [“The Bastille, where I live, is best known as the site where the infamous prison was seized and ransacked by the masses, igniting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lebovitz/the-bastille-where-i-live-is-best-known-as-the-site-where-the/) [David Lebovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lebovitz/) > [“Although I considered not replacing the dishwasher and resigning myself to the drudgery of hand washing, my painter-pushing friend Randal slapped some sense into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lebovitz/although-i-considered-not-replacing-the-dishwasher-and-resigning/) [David Lebovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lebovitz/) > [“Parisians are always in a big hurry, but are especially frantic if they’re behind you. They’re desperate to be where they rightfully feel they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lebovitz/parisians-are-always-in-a-big-hurry-but-are-especially-frantic-if/) [David Lebovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lebovitz/) [Explore all 8 David Lebovitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lebovitz/) ## More Bottle quotes > [A bottle of wine begs to be shared; I have never met a miserly wine lover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/a-bottle-of-wine-begs-to-be-shared-i-have-never-met-a-miserly-wine/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [There is no need to put your heart in a bottle, then you will die. - Ty from Stolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-christopher/there-is-no-need-to-put-your-heart-in-a-bottle-then-you-will-die-ty/) [Lucy Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-christopher/) > [Forget about tomorrow, tonight we're drinking from the bottle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-harris/forget-about-tomorrow-tonight-we-re-drinking-from-the-bottle/) [Calvin Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-harris/) > [Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/gimme-a-pigfoot-and-a-bottle-of-beer/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [If I really like the smell of something - a piece of tar or my goddaughter's plastic doll - I put a tiny piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mika/if-i-really-like-the-smell-of-something-a-piece-of-tar-or-my/) [Mika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mika/) > [Into this pour the purified juice: and put it into a pan of water come almost to a boil and continue nearly in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lind/into-this-pour-the-purified-juice-and-put-it-into-a-pan-of-water-come/) [James Lind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lind/) > [In comics, there are depths that don't reveal themselves immediately, and the stuff that you might consider anal about 'Watching the Watchmen' - like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gibbons/in-comics-there-are-depths-that-don-t-reveal-themselves-immediately/) [Dave Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gibbons/) > [I'm really addicted to water. I carry a bottle of water everywhere I go. I know people think I'm a nut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andie-macdowell/i-m-really-addicted-to-water-i-carry-a-bottle-of-water-everywhere-i/) [Andie MacDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andie-macdowell/) > [Take that bottle to the head, and let me see you fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/far-east-movement/take-that-bottle-to-the-head-and-let-me-see-you-fly/) [Far East Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/far-east-movement/) > [History--the product, not the raw material--is a bottle with a label. For many years now, the emphasis of historical discussion has been laid upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-ascherson/history-the-product-not-the-raw-material-is-a-bottle-with-a-label-for/) [Neal Ascherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-ascherson/) > [Uh, I do not wear a wig in 'Star Trek' like I did in 'Bottle Shock,' thank God. 'Bottle Shock' will be the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/uh-i-do-not-wear-a-wig-in-star-trek-like-i-did-in-bottle-shock-thank/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [“The nice thing about crowds is that someone can throw a bottle and you don't take it personally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/the-nice-thing-about-crowds-is-that-someone-can-throw-a-bottle-and/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“The world was all magic, and he had a special bottle of it in his right hand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/the-world-was-all-magic-and-he-had-a-special-bottle-of-it-in-his/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [Cop: Ma'am, what's in the bottle? Me: Just some water. Cop: Ma'am that's wine... Me: Jesus did it again!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cop-ma-am-what-s-in-the-bottle-me-just-some-water-cop-ma-am-that-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“One day Orafoura and I were walking along and I turned and said, "I wish I could capture the weather in a bottle." Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/one-day-orafoura-and-i-were-walking-along-and-i-turned-and-said-i/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) [Browse all 295 Bottle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I attended a dinner party where the hostess kept the bottle of water sequestered under the table, guarded by her feet during the entire meal. Midway through dinner, completely dessicated, I could hold out no longer and summoned up the last bit of moisture in my mouth to form the words to ask for a sip. With some reluctance, she reached down to extract the bottle and poured a tiny trickle into my glass. Right after my ration was doled out, she screwed the top back on and stowed away the bottle.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Lebovitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lebovitz/i-attended-a-dinner-party-where-the-hostess-kept-the-bottle-of-water/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bottle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lebovitz/i-attended-a-dinner-party-where-the-hostess-kept-the-bottle-of-water/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/david-lebovitz-45906_dinner-party_i-attended-a-dinner-party-where-the-host_1784208.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/david-lebovitz-45906_dinner-party_i-attended-a-dinner-party-where-the-host_1784208.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/david-lebovitz-45906_dinner-party_i-attended-a-dinner-party-where-the-host_1784208.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I attended a dinner party where the hostess kept the bottle of water sequestered under the table, guarded by…” — David Lebovitz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Lebovitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lebovitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I attended a dinner party where...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lebovitz/i-attended-a-dinner-party-where-the-hostess-kept-the-bottle-of-water/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lebovitz/i-attended-a-dinner-party-where-the-hostess-kept-the-bottle-of-water/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```