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Coffee Break: Isone Necklace

Art Deco-inspired necklace with overlapping horseshoes of different sizes

I think this is such a pretty necklace! I like how it's a statement, but not TOO big of one because everything is relatively delicate. (Plus, there's no bling like jewels or whatnot — just the gold-filled design.)

According to Etsy, the necklace is named after one of Jupiter's moons, and “designed so the clasp stays at the back of the neck.” NICE — I hate when necklaces twist around.

(Apparently, Jupiter has 80 moons — wow.)

The necklace is $60 at Etsy from seller HartmannJewelryWorks, who notes that she handcrafts every piece with in her studio in Santa Cruz, California.

Sales of note for 12.5

90 Comments

  1. I’ve posted a few times about my husband needing a career change after doing construction for 15+ years. Well, today he started a job as a building inspector with a nearby city – he finally has benefits, a retirement package, a great salary, and is doing work that is much easier on his body. A big thank you to those of you who recommended career paths!

    3. That’s WONDERFUL! I remember your post. So glad he’ll have a long-term career path that’s a much better fit now. So happy for you guys!

  2. Any way to get rid of post nasal drip – like any particular med or spray or home remedy?

    Stayed at my parents very grassy and wooded property last week and had that drip feeling every time I’d go outside but was largely fine. Problem cropped up when I washed my car before leaving as it was covered in layers of pollen – led to a coughing fit and all kinds of dripping right there. And once I got home to my city apartment, sinus on one side hurt badly. Had no cold or allergy meds at home, so I just did the steam on my face thing like 2-3 times this weekend and everything feels pretty normal again. Except a small amount of drip continues. Any way to just get rid of that altogether?

    1. Have you tried rinsing with Neil Med? Make sure to use distilled water. I use it every am and pm, and it really helps. I buy the box with a bottle and some packets in it.

    4. Mucinex, taken with a full glass of water. Also, wash hair and remove and launder clothing that may have been exposed to pollen.

  3. Has anyone taken a hot tub out of their yard and replaced it with something else? Looking for ideas – ours has a leak and may be expensive to repair and we don’t use it much.

    1. My friends had one that was in a hole in their deck. They had the hot tub hauled away and replaced the deck boards for a much larger deck.

      I don’t have one and always want a hot tub! But everyone I know who has one says they barely use it! That’s the only thing keeping me from pulling the trigger.

      1. If you get cold winters then it’s very expensive to heat year round. Most of my hot tub owning acquaintances only use it when they have company. For some people this means they use it weekly, for others it’s rare enough that they seldom bother heating it.

      2. We have a hot tub and I love it. We are in Massachusetts so it isn’t cheap to heat in the winter but really…not bad. Maybe $50/month more? Less? We ski and our kids play sports so we have lots of sore muscles.

        We bought it new and got a huge one so we can very comfortably fit 5-6 adults (technically it seats 8-10 but that’s…cozy). I was in it last night on Mother’s Day!

    2. We’re about to remove ours and hopefully build some kind of outdoor kitchen/grill thing. IT came with the house. Though it works it’s tiny and can barely fit one person in there. We think it was installed for medical therapy for the prior owner per convos with some neighbors. Biggest question is how the heck to get it out of there. It’s sort of wedged in a corner.

    3. A sauna? I have friends who replaced their hot tub with a playhouse for their kids.

      (Note: I also want a hot tub)

    4. I have not done this but in weighing hot tub against firepit, I’ve been leaning firepit. Maybe no one uses those much either though.

      1. If you build a fire pit that you can put your feet up on when not in use, can confirm it will be used as footrest as long as the chairs are comfy.

      2. We use our fire pit all the time! But, we must be fire people because we also use our indoor wood-burning fireplace frequently.

      3. I bought a fire pit last October and have used it 0 times because it turns out the window of weather it’s cool enough to want more warmth but warm enough to want to be outside is small… I still have s’mores hopes this summer though.

    5. We have both and use the fire pit much more often. I concur that it’s nice to be able to put your feet up on it, also nice to be able to put your drink or apps plate on it.

      1. Interesting! We have both and use our hot tub much more often! Our fire pit is wood though, maybe gas would get used more since it is easier to just turn on.

        1. Yes, we had a gas line run to our fire pit. It was stupidly expensive but so convenient!!

        3. I have never had any luck with outdoor wood burning. The smoke always ends up in my face, no matter where I sit. I’m like a magnet. It’s part of the deal when camping (and “smoke follows beauty” used to make me laugh) but not what I signed up for on a regular weeknight, especially when I don’t wash my hair daily.

          2. Solo stoves are amazing if you don’t have a fire pit and there is less smoke, but not none.

    6. Thanks everyone! We actually have a firepit too and use that all the time. Good things to think about here . . .

  4. I need a c*cktail table (the small sort, just to hold a drink on, maybe slightly larger, but not big due to space constraints). If I had time, I’d go from store to store. Now, I really just want *something* b/c it is getting annoying having to have a drink on the floor and bending over to reach it. West Elm? Somewhere else?

    1. If you type “small cocktail table” into your search engine you will find a million options. Wayfair seems to have the lowest prices and Pottery Barn the biggest selection.

    3. I have a couple Chinese ceramic drums in the house for this. Also use for additional seating when needed.

    4. I have two side tables from west elm, one of them for 10+ years, and I’ve been happy with them. But I would advise you to look at the measurements carefully — one was a lot shorter than I had realized. I liked it and kept it anyway but it didn’t work where I initially had wanted it.

    5. Anthro has a cute one on sale now. Design within Reach has some fun ones too.
      I would avoid the entire west elm/PB family; their shipping is super delayed.

      1. Or, if you find one at WE or PB, you can get very cheap over-the-couch tables at Target and Amazon as placeholders. I got one for $20-30 that works just fine for the moment.

  5. Someone posted in the morning thread about not being able to organize trips with friends. Over the past couple years I have used the Troupe app to organize trips. Everyone votes on the dates they are available, destination, vacation homes and activities. I’ve used it to plan three girls trips and now I am planning a family reunion! I’m a big fan of Troupe.

    1. Thanks for the recommendation – I really could have used this last year in planning a group trip with some friends!

    2. I haven’t used Troupe, but the best app to use on group trips is definitely Splitwise! I love that it can handle any subset of people within your group, so you can use it for every shared expense during the trip and just have it figure out the payout at the end.

  6. Where in Colorado should I go for a solo week this summer, might be pregnant, want to breathe fresh air and fall asleep with my windows open listening to nature. Not an AirBnB. I’m not into vertical gains in hiking but love long outdoor walks and enjoy taking a chair lift up a mountain and walking trails at the top. Budget is not top of the line

    1. I mentioned this place previously, the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs. The grounds are beautiful and you can wander around the Garden of the Gods a short drive away. Was reasonably priced when we were there in 2018.

  7. Has anyone developed a lactose intolerance as they’ve gotten older? Is that possible?

    2. Yes, incredibly common, most adults lose their ability to tolerate lactose as they age out of childhood.

      Lactose enzyme pills (Lactaid), naturally low lactose foods, and recognizing your triggers are your friends.

      1. You can research the lactose content of different dairy products. Generally the harder the food (parmesan, pecorino) the less lactose it contains. Softer foods (milk, ice cream, ricotta, brie) are high lactose. You might be able to handle some better than others. FYI I do not recommend dairy free ice creams. They usually contain filler ingredients that have a laxative effect. You’re better off with naturally DF products like sorbet.

    3. Very common. Several friends and my mom have had this happen.

      I’m not lactose intolerant, but developed a few food allergies as an adult that I didn’t previously have.

    4. Yes! With the bonus of — mine comes and goes and is vaguely related to my general stress levels. Lactaid pills are really effective for me but mostly I just avoid trigger foods for a few weeks and it passes. It comes back once every 6 months to two years, and lasts a couple of weeks to a couple of months.

      If this is you, give your gut a few weeks to heal and then try small amounts of dairy and see how it goes. Learn which dairy is lactose free — like butter! It makes life a lot easier.

    5. you can develop an intolerance or allergy to ANYTHING when you get older. one of my best friends suddenly found she couldn’t eat shrimp.

    6. Yes! Last year at age 34. It felt like it happened quite suddenly, although in hindsight it probably wasn’t as sudden as I thought.

    9. Lactose intolerance is an almost immediate side effect of anti-depressants (SSRI as well as tricyclic). Mine lasted a little over a year, then went away.

  8. If you had 5 weeks of vacation + the week between Christmas and New Years off, how would you use the time? There are separate sick days (12 a year), so no need to save any vacation for sick time. I am mostly in-office, but can WFH 1-2 days a week (so don’t need to take PTO in the event I need to be home for maintenance, for example). PTO does not roll over, and as a rule I always use every day allotted to me!

    Single, late 20s, annual travel budget of approximately $1500-$2000 + Chase Sapphire Preferred points. I live in the same metro area as my family, so no need to travel for holidays or family visits. Friends are mostly either local or a quick and easy weekend trip away (2-3 hours driving on on Amtrak). Might occasionally take a long weekend to visit a further away friend, but that would only be 1-2 PTO days a year for that.

    In the post-COVID world, my travel has been limited to friends’ weddings and bachelorettes but my next several weddings are local!

    I occasionally like to take a few hours or a one off day here and there to either chill at home, do something fun local, or knock out a hair appointment. I generally prefer to take PTO to travel or do something fun, though.

    I do have access (for free!) to an extended family lake house about 10 days each summer, so am excited to capitalize on that.

    1. As someone who has kids, I would say to use the PTO in early-February or September, as those are times without really any school vacations and thus it’s quieter and cheaper. Early February (or late January after MLK) is an especially bleak time of year most places, so that’s my fav time to get away.

      1. Early February is a school vacation week in New England I thought? It’s also such a yucky time of year to travel. I like April-mid May and September. Weather is nice in most of the northern hemisphere then and very few kids are out of school then (my kids get out May 20 and I think that’s considered very early).

    2. This is my PTO situation in higher ed. I have a much higher travel budget than you, so I do 2-3 trips to Europe, 1-2 trips to the Caribbean and a week at a family vacation home. On a tight budget, I’d look at cool destinations within driving distance and maybe see if a friend wants to split accommodations. Flights will destroy that budget, especially recently, but it’s easier to go budget on accommodations. But definitely take the days even if you don’t have the budget for travel. They’re your days and you’ve earned them.

      2. +1, I knew the Covid-era cheap fares were not forever, but flight prices this year are UP with all the demand. I would prioritize using your points for airfare since the ROI for flying on miles is still pretty good and sometimes you just want a whole change of scenery that a driving-distance trip won’t do, and then find inexpensive lodging.

        If you go somewhere that most people go for a short trip, you can sometimes get good long stay discounts that help with the budget. We got a weeklong Airbnb in Venice for the price of 4 nights I think.

    3. That’s basically my situation! I prioritize one exciting trip a year and then try and do one low key trip and then just take a bunch of random days off. Like there’s a day spa I love that’s busy on weekends so I like to take a random Wednesday and go, I add a day to every long weekend etc. I wish I could roll over more days but since I can’t I do my best to enjoy the at home days too. In the summer it’s easy- mid week beach trip with no traffic yes please, or just a pool day. I also refuse to spend money traveling to weddings so I can afford personal travel. Other people’s weddings come below living my own best life in my list of priorities.

    4. I have the Christmas NYE week off and we used to travel then, but I’ve since decided I really prefer to stay home that week. For one thing, prices are crazy that week, especially if you want to go anywhere tropical or snowy. But I also really like cocooning at home and doing cozy wintry things like baking cookies and driving to see lights. And I don’t even celebrate Christmas. It can be a hectic time of year and it’s really nice (for me, at least) to just pause and go into the new year feeling refreshed and rested.

  9. I was never much of a Tums person. I got pregnant and it was all Tums, all the time. The theory was that being short with a short torso, it was just reflux from pressure on my abdomen. That kid is now old enough for a learner’s permit. PCP and OB/Gyn think it’s NBD and I’m still getting a ton of calcium from the Tums. Has this happened to anyone else? My nails are great and no bone density issues (yet!), but it’s a PITA to have Tums in the car, Tums at home, Tums in my bag, etc.

    1. Is it? Really? That much of a pain to have a cheap easy drug that solves your problem and has positive side effects?

      1. Actually, there are side effects and potential risks from too much supplemental calcium.

    2. I was OBSESSED with Tums when I was pregnant. I had pica and was craving chalk, and the Tums satisfied that craving (but if I had had actual chalk at home I would have eaten it). I carefully planned my day around when I could have one of my daily 5 Tums. As soon as baby was out that obsession went away though, so not much help for you. :)

    3. I use one Pepcid Complete (usually the generic) every day. I see two doctors regularly – PCP and rheumatologist – and neither of them, nor their staff members, have ever thought it was a problem. I was taking Omeprazole reflux for longer than the label said and my former PCP told me I needed to wean, but he did not have a problem with me switching to my current antacid combo.

      You might try what I use. Once in the evenings seems to be enough for me because one element of it is longer-lasting.

    4. Are you eating the tums because you like them/want the calcium or because of acid reflux? If it’s reflux, I’d get it checked out or get a second opinion. My doctor told me long term reflux can lead to other problems so better to treat it with stronger stuff for a shorter time and get rid of it. I did that and now I have a tums every now and again (usually stress related reflux) rather than relying on them.

    5. Yes, there are certain things I can no longer do after kids like drink black hoffe on an empty stomach. Have you tried omeprazole?

    6. Honestly? Go to a gastroenterologist and get an endoscopy (and a colonoscopy if you’re over 40). The endoscopy is NBD and will tell you if there’s an anatomical reason for the discomfort or if you have too much acid, etc. I had terrible reflux from pregnancy until my kid’s 6th birthday and it turns out pregnancy rearranged things enough that I developed a small hernia in my esophagus, and had so much reflux that it wasn’t ever able to heal itself. I was able to take strong prescription medication for 6 months to keep my stomach acid down enough and let my body heal. It’s amazing to eat ice cream 2 hours before bed and not have to worry about reflux while sleeping.

      1. This. Reflux can even be from too little acid but it’s not going to be easy to discern the difference without proper testing! It really helps to know what’s actually going wrong.

    7. ask a GI specialist. you may not have heartburn. or your heartburn could be caused by something else

    8. Like, you have symptoms every day? Multiple times a day?

      It is time to check in with a GI. Chronic reflux for that long is better treated with different strategies / medications and you need an endoscopy to see if you have any changes in your esophagus from chronic reflux. Chronic reflux can also cause a bunch of other issues so it is good to check in with a doctor who knows the right questions to ask. Not all people who are short with a short torso have reflux and not even every pregnant person does. Maybe you also have a congenital hiatal hernia or some other risk factor for reflux that should be treated differently, for example.

      Also, calcium interferes with the absorption of several different medications and supplements. So you need to separate taking the TUMS from when you take your daily iron pill or possibly your other meds. So that can mess things off if you reflexively pop a TUMS any time you have symptoms. Your PCP and OB don’t think about these things, because it is too hard to remember all of the drug interactions.

      Also, taking a lot of extra calcium can cause constipation or diarrhea or other GI symptoms, kidney stones and there is some debate as to whether it affects your cardiovascular risk factors if you are an older woman. So your docs usually encourage us to get as much of our calcium from food as we can, rather than taking a high dose all-at-once calcium supplement.

      But hey, it’s great it works, it’s probably fine, but it’s time to get it checked out.

  10. How do I find a good dry cleaner nowadays? All of the places around me have switched to various “eco-friendly” cleaning processes, and since then I’ve had several really nice items of clothing wrecked. An unlined wool coat got all stretched out of shape, the smooth finish was roughed up on a wool dress, color on a couple of heavy silk blouses faded, etc. I know perc is bad and it’s a good thing overall that it’s being phased out, but is everyone just supposed to give up on having high-end wool or silk clothes? Has anyone had good luck with a specific non-perc process? TIA!

    1. I’d read reviews. Overall I think it’s good that we are moving to moreenvironmentally friendly chemicals. Sounds like some of this is just bad handling. Ask on your local next door.

    2. My dry cleaner uses an eco-friendly process and everything comes out fine and less smelly. I think you just have a bad dry cleaner.

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