ByKat Hours Updated
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Coffee Break – Chloe Suede Pump

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Ash Chloe Suede Pump, PurpleHey, you guys know me: I love a purple pump. They're a great basic that's just a bit jazzier than a black. I'm not familiar with the brand Ash, but I like the look of these purple suede pumps — especially the price. The shoes were $200, but are now marked to $99, with an extra 30% off, bringing the price down to $69.30. There are a ton of other colors (in suede and leather) for similar prices. Ash Chloe Suede Pump, Purple Psst: Check out more great deals at the Corporette Bargains page, including a round-up of previous recs now on sale.

Sales of note for 12.5

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

146 Comments

  1. Hurricane Sandy is making avoiding unnecessary online shopping really difficult… Love the purple pumps though!

    1. Indeed. I’m avoiding buying anything by updating my Excel spreadsheet that I’ve called the Ultimate Wishlist. I’ve been culling the list into semi-finalists and finalists.

      If I buy all of the finalists (19 items), I will spend $2528.50. I’m happy to sleep on this list, though, and if my past consumption patterns continue, I will probably buy half of the “finalists” but over a period of 6 months.

        2. Sure.
          Not posting URLs to avoid moderation. Use your google-fu to play along at home.

          1. Alexis Bittar – Teatro Moderne Large Radiant Dust Bracelet in “Warm Gry” $325
          2. Anthropologie – Goldleaf Cocktail Dress $258
          3. Ann Taylor – Spaced Geo Print Keyhole Peplum Shell $68
          4. Mango – Contrasted belt lace dress $119.99 x 2 (I want to get this dress both in black and in the cobalt blue shade)
          5. Mango – Herringbone combi dress $99.99
          6. Paper London – Rayleigh Dress – in multi 375 GBP

          Uh oh, the lights flickered and I may lose power soon. Just wanted to post a part of it. Hope you enjoy looking up these items. :-)

          1. Shimmata! Moderated even though I didn’t post links. Maybe it was dollar signs? I’ll try it this way:

            Use your google-fu to play along at home.

            1. Alexis Bittar – Teatro Moderne Large Radiant Dust Bracelet in Warm Gry – in U.S. dollars – three hundred twenty five point zero zero
            2. Anthropologie – Goldleaf Cocktail Dress – in U.S. dollars two-hundred fifty-eight point zero zero
            3. Ann Taylor – Spaced Geo Print Keyhole Peplum Shell in U.S. dollars, sixty-eight point zero zero
            4. Mango – Contrasted belt lace dress – in U.S. dollars, one hundred nineteen point ninety nine x 2 (I want to get this dress both in black and in the cobalt blue shade)
            5. Mango – Herringbone combi dress – in U.S. dollars – ninety nine point ninety nine
            6. Paper London – Rayleigh Dress – in multi 375 in GB pounds

            Uh oh, the lights flickered and I may lose power soon. Just wanted to post a part of it. Hope you enjoy looking up these items. :-)

      3. I love this idea! I am trying to be more thoughtful about purchases and take more of a wardrobe building approach rather than jumping at every single sale. But it’s been a challenge.

    2. I can’t decide between the purple vs the prune (plum) color! Feel like the purple is more statement color whereas the prune would go with more outfits…what do you guys think?

      1. I’m drawn to the purple because it looks more intentional as a “pop of color”. I also tend to wear a lot of bright colors that wouldn’t necessarily look good with the prune, so it might just be my personal bias :) Both are lovely.

  2. Pretty shoes, love purple! If I wore heels more than 5x a year I might consider these.

    Sorry for the immediate TJ but given the fact that its been raining for days here and is supposed to rain for days more, its time for me to admit that I need a raincoat beyond just top layer of my ski coat with the hood up. Any suggestions for a quality raincoat with a hood that doesn’t look ridiculous? I know unhooded with an umbrella might look more professional, but given the amount of stuff I carry I don’t always have a free hand for an umbrella.

    Suggestions? I’d like to keep it under $100, although thats negotiable for a quality piece that will last me for years. Needs to come in plus/borderline plus sizing (16-ish). Belted might be good since I’m hoping to lose some of this lingering baby weight.

    1. Just a guess, but I bet Lands’ End has exactly what you’re looking for.

    3. Boden! They’re British, they understand rain. They have some understated options but lots of cheerful options as well.

  3. Apologies for posting something completely unrelated to the hurricane or the Giants (see what i did there?) but:

    SF Meetup This Weekend!!

    Sun Nov 4
    1:30pm
    Rosamunde, 2832 Mission Street, SF
    Near 24th & Mission BART
    http://rosamundesausagegrill.com/

    Beer and Sausages and Bad-Ass Chicks! (Vegetarian sausage options available)

    p.s. don’t tell anyone at work that I’ve been sitting waiting for the coffee break thread so i could post this, sshhhh

    2. yay! Can’t wait to see everyone again!

      I’m putting off my application to the fancy-shmancy, for-women-only, Silicon Valley Club until tonight (3 essays!). But I am totally putting these meet-ups down as my one and only “leadership activity”! Re: my “awards and recognitions”, hahaha! The only way to get awards at my level is to bill 2400+ hrs/year. To misquote Meatloaf, “I would do anything for (patents). But I won’t do that. Oh no. No I won’t do that.”

      1. I’m so excited that you’re doing this, karenpadi. We will want to hear all about it!

        1. Hahaha. I doubt I’ll get in. I’m not a very high-powered person. But why not try? If nothing else, I will hopefully get some networking visibility out of the application “process”.

          I’m following my personal motto: what would I do if I were a man? I’d totally apply for things that I’m not qualified to do! (other acceptable answers: ask for forgiveness, not permission; make a silly argument with perfect confidence; and go ahead, ask a bigwig out to lunch)

          1. Way to go, karenpadi. After you get in, you can wiggle me in too, mmmk?

      2. I was also intrigued and checked out the article, website, and application. Do you think the Club is relevant to 30-something women who aren’t in tech and aren’t in Silicon Valley? I sort of thought, oh, that’s not my deal.

  4. Ptooey on suede shoes with this rain, Cat! It is bad in the hurricane to wear suede! But I admit they are cute!

  5. Okay, who here wears rain boots on a regular basis as part of an outfit (i.e., not for commuting)? What are the rules? Does it have to be actually raining for you to get away with wearing them? What kinds of events would you wear them to? Shopping? A party at someone’s house? A dinner at a restaurant? Obviously festivals and outdoorsy stuff would be perfectly appropriate, but I worry that they would seem out of place at other occasions, and my lifestyle just doesn’t involve enough music festivals to make them worth it (i.e., none). I’d love some advice!

    Thanks, friends.

    1. Well, as someone who basically lives in a rainforest, I wear rubber boots all the time. They are a practical and necessary part of life here, and I wear them everywhere. When they are a necessity, fashion sometimes takes a secondary role, to be honest, but I have been known to wear rain boots grocery shopping, to the mall, to the gym (though obviously I change footwear when I get there), etc. I would never wear them inside someone’s house (due to the wet/mud) or to a classy restaurant.

      I generally wear my boots with pants tucked in, or with a skirt and tights.

      In my view, it does have to be raining or otherwise wet or muddy to justify wearing rain boots, but then again, it is pretty much always raining here so take that for what it’s worth.

    2. I only wear them if it is actually raining or threatening to rain (but like Nonny, live in a place where rain is always a possibility) but mine are pink and red stripes. I think some of the neutral color Hunters look nice for everyday life.

    3. In PNW. I consider them only appropriate on days where rain is likely or there is standing water, but it doesn’t have to be currently raining. They are appropriate for outdoor events (farmers markets, dog parks, and u-pick farms), running errands (groceries, stores, bank, post office, libraries), and for coffee shops and casual eateries. Quick in and out trips. I think it’s odd but not necessarily inappropriate when people where them indoors for a substantial amount of time. I would never wear them to a nice restaurant or inside someone’s home. You should obvious hose off mud and gunk from outdoor events at home before going indoors to shops etc.

      I do recommend going with something neutral and grown up if you want to wear them for more than walking the dog. I personally feel like the crazy prints are equivalent to pajama pants – fun, but juvenile in public spaces. That doesn’t mean you have to buy black; green, deep purple, deep red, burnt orange, tan or grey patterns are fair game. Just avoid anything that looks at home in a Dr Seuss book or preschool.

    4. Cole Haan made some rainboots last year that didn’t look like wellies. They were more of a structured boot with a low wedge heel, but made out of rainboot material.

      I envisioned wearing them all weekend for running around doing errands, taking my kids places, walking to the shops in my neighborhood, etc. But they didn’t fit my calves, waaah!

      I could not have come up with a way to wear them to work, though.

        1. They also came in a dark grey last year, and those were the ones I really wanted.

          I was planning to wear them either with skirts and tights or leggings. My idea was to have waterproof boots that were OK to wear outside during the rain, but that looked good enough to be worn indoors & not need to be put on and taken off again all day long.

    5. I wear mine during my commute when it is raining or threatening to rain. I also wear them to the barn when it is rainy and/or muddy. I have a pair of berry colored Hunters that I enjoy wearing because I think they are fun! I wear them either with jeans tucked in or with a skirt.

  6. When is your meetup planned? Is it coming up soon? Looks like I may be going to Toronto in the latter part of next week so if I am there at the same time as your meetup I would love to attend. Let me know!

    1. I think we were canvassing dates for the week of Nov 12… nothing is settled yet. Does that work for you or are you here the week before?

      1. I’d be coming next week – on the 7th or 8th, possibly staying over the weekend but I’m not sure yet.

        1. Hm. I’m in Toronto the 9th to the 13th…I hope the finalized date and location gets posted; I’ll try my best to make it by if I’m in town (I only go home once or twice a year, so I have to pack in a lot of running around while I’m there…but I’d sure like to meet you all!).

  7. Can I squee for a moment? Just started seeing a new guy (the one who has no furniture) and I really like him. Especially since this morning.

    He called to see if I had the day off or was stuck at work or whatever (because of the hurricane). He told me to stay safe and then said, “By the way, if the power is knocked out for a few days, just expect that-”

    I interrupted him to say, “No of course, if the power’s out for a few days I don’t expect you to text me. Definitely conserve your cell battery for emergencies.”

    He went, “No! What I was going to say is if the power’s out for a few days, expect me to come by and check on you and make sure you have supplies.”

    He’s such a nice kid. I’m really excited to have met him!

    1. awe that is adorable! You can definitely squee… I almost “awww”ed out loud…

    2. Oh, that is so sweet. He definitely sounds worth sticking with. You just need to convince him to get some furniture. :-)

    3. Awww. Squee! Maybe I have to formulate an exception to my “no furniture” dealbreaker…

    4. Awww. He sounds like what my mom would call “a keeper”. Some boys don’t do interior design. That’s fine. That just means in your theoretical future you get to choose furniture (there are worse problems to have in a relationship).

      1. Yes! The upside to a guy with no interior design preferences is that your stuff and style wins out ;)

      2. Oh it’s not just design. It’s… all furniture. Except a bed. But yeah, at least my taste takes priority over no taste? Haha.

    5. I meant to post this earlier but don’t think I did, but today is a great day for cute not stories, two on the morning thread and now this! Yay!

    9. True story — first time I had a sleepover at my now husband’s house, I was horrified to find that his bedroom situation was basically a twin mattress on the floor. When I was leaving, I tried to nicely mention that the bed was a bit on the small side for two people. The next time I came over, the crappy twin mattress had vanished and in its place was a giant king bed. I seriously don’t think he ever thought about bedroom furniture and whether his college leftovers were still appropriate until I pointed it out.

    11. May I just say that it is refreshing to hear young women get excited about a man who thoughtful and nice? And maybe a little dorky?

      Good for you ladies.

      1. I think I am finally starting to get a handle on what IS important to me (listens to me, thinks I’m funny and not in an “aw you’re a girl trying to make a joke, well that’s just cute” kind of way, caring, etc) and what I think SHOULD be important, but actually isn’t that great (cool, tough, thinks he knows everything, etc). I think this is leading to me picking better dates/boyfriends over the past year or so, and overall, to me being happier.

        So who knows? Maybe I’m growing up!

        1. Yes, EXACTLY. This is exactly it. At the time I first met my husband, he wasn’t as impressive on paper as some of the founders/execs of successful startups or venture funds, with their extreme levels of self confidence that I found so appealing. Objectively, they were total catches… lock one down and have Robin Leach doing voiceovers for the home movies… which made me “look” good too, but these guys didn’t really make me feel good personally on a consistent basis. One especially did the “aw you’re a girl trying to make a joke, well that’s just cute” thing. Meanwhile, my DH thinks my really stupid jokes are actually funny.

          I beat my single friends over the head with this stuff now. Really? You’re not going to see Mr. Saturday Night again, who you thought was cute and nice, because he didn’t hold the door for you? Because he didn’t call you within 24 hours even though he told you he’s on a huge M&A deal closing this week and works for scary big firm? Because he isn’t close with his siblings? Because he eats veal? Because he’s never been outside the US? Because he doesn’t have furniture even though he works hard, and ambition? Really? These are dealbreakers? Are you SURE? I bet you weren’t perfect on the date either, dear friend. Some things are changeable, like furniture ownership. Some things just don’t actually matter, even though you do disagree about it. But some things are not changeable, like being a selfish jerk. A guy that makes you feel badly? That’s the real dealbreaker.

    12. He sounds really nice and I’m so glad you’re excited! One logistical question: where is he keeping his emergency supplies if he has no furniture? I’m imagining a pyramid of canned food and water in the middle of the floor surrounded by a ring of candles…

      1. OMG. I sure hope that’s what hes doing. I actually have no idea. And I should qualify – by no furniture, I mean in his one bedroom apartment, there is a bed, two boxes in his living room, and his computer monitor on the floor. And… that’s it. So basically, yes, he might be building a satanic circle of emergency supplies in his living room.

        1. Canned Soup Pentagram! It’s like a horror movie where they go down into the deep dark creepy basement and find an organized and well-stocked pantry/root cellar instead of ghosts.

    2. Adorkable is the perfect word. I asked him if he had the day off and he went “the office closed at 10am but I’m still here. I’d much rather be stuck here through the storm than go home!”

      … Yeah, so we’re clearly not on the same wavelength about that.

  9. I have decided that I cannot buy anymore new clothes/shoes until I can put away the things I already own like a grown up. I ABSOLUTELY HATE putting away clothes/shoes. I have no issue doing laundry, or cleaning up, it is just this one thing. Can you hire someone to put away your clothes? Can’t I just be like Lady Mary and have a ladies maid set out my clothes for the day and take care of the rest? Please someone tell me the secret to getting this part done.

    1. I suffer from this too, I do tons of laundry and then end up with piles of stuff on the shelf in my closet rather than hanging up. Also I have a serious problem with ironing and only ever iron anything if I want to wear it that day. But in all fairness you can get your cleaning lady to the for a bit extra!

    2. Make it as easy as possible for yourself. Do things get folded, but just end up stacked on top of the dresser, instead of in the drawers? Then get rid of the drawers and get shelves to put stuff on – either re-purposed bookshelves, or a wardrobe/armoire that has shelves instead of hanging space.

    3. I try really hard to fold and put away each load after it is done drying. It doesn’t take long this way. It is when there is laundry mountain that I become discouraged.

    4. A lady’s maid would totally make my life so much easier!

      I get changed as soon as I come home from work, but instead of putting my work clothes back where they belong, I toss them in a pile on top of my hamper. When the pile threatens to topple over, I pick it all up and dump it on my guest room bed. Not until the mess reaches epic proportions do I finally put everything in the closet and dresser.

    5. This is my exact problem. I used to have a woman come clean once a week and she would so laundry and put stuff away. I miss her! Sometimes I consider hiring a cleaning person again but it would be hard to find someone who can do that – I feel like it takes time to find someone who knows where things go.

      Not sure about you, but my main problem is I don’t have a lot of space to put things away. I think (or imagine) that if I had big, organized California Closets, I would put things away all.the.time. So if it’s feasible, consider re-organizing your closets/getting more storage space (new dresser?) to make putting things away easier.

      Since this is not an option for me, what I do to trick myself is buy flowers for my apartment. Somehow, having flowers makes me want the whole place to look prettier which forces me to put away my piles of clothes.

      2. I used to think this, too, but I recently moved into a new apartment where I have a giant closet. My hanging clothes fill only about half that space, and I have ample shelf space for folded items (so, empty shelves, too). I still at this moment have a big pile of clothes on the chair in my bedroom, next to the closet. From looking at it you’d think I change clothes three times a day.

        Love the flowers idea, though.

    6. i hear you. I just have to keep up with it every day.

      During open enrollment, I was reading up on benefits. My health insurance pays for a helper and in my mind I made the case for why I need an assistant to help me with getting ready, putting things away, carrying things, etc. etc. Of course, I would be nice and I wouldn’t be like Mariah Carey or anything.

    7. I used to hate putting away the clean dishes until I started timing it. What felt like 15 minutes turned out to be about 150 seconds. It completely turned my attitude around.

      1. I compete with myself to see if I can accomplish a task in a given timeframe. Can I empty dishwasher and put everything away before the NPR news 4 minute update is over? Can I fold all of this laundry before Jon Stewart brings out his guest for the evening? Etc.

    8. The only way I can make myself tackle the laundry mountain is to reward myself with audiobboks. I throw it back in the dryer in large batches with a damp t-shirt since it’s usually gotten wrinkled sitting in Mt St Laundrypile, then break out the hangers and get to work. Bossypants is a good audiobook for laundry day, as is chicklit fluff like Jennifer Cruisie. I also hang up EVERYTHING except pj pants, sock & underwear – I spent some of my clothes budget on skinny hangers, portable clothes racks and stuck closet bars in every random alcove in my house. Right now my laundry pile is proba ly at it’s worst, as it’s full of tshirts and lightweight clothes in addition to the warmer stuff I just started wearing. I wonder what the going rate for lady’s maid is? Probably more than my salary, I would suspect.

    10. ZOMG I totally need a lady’s maid. I have a big wardrobe and I like to play with my clothes and it takes a surprising amoung of effort to keep everything clean and mended and pressed and nicely put away.

      Heh. Like my support staff (shrink, trainer, colorist, haircutter, hair straightener, waxer, mani lady, pedi lady, cleaning ladies, garden guy, other garden guy, army of health care professionals, etc.) isn’t already shockingly huge…

      1. As long as we’re getting maids like Lady Mary can I have a lady’s maid AND a housemaid?

    11. Is your closet too full? your drawers overstuffed?

      My ex MIL, who drove me nuts, used to say, “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” That drove me nuts, too, but the older I got the more I realized she was correct. If there really isn’t a good and easy place to put something away, it doesn’t get put away. (PS she was only correct about this one thing.)

      I had the problem with putting my clothing away when I was in my twenties but then I realized how much drycleaning I was paying for simply because I hadn’t hung my suits back up. So now everything goes on a hanger the minute I take it off. It might live on that hanger on a hook on my bathroom door for a while rather than on my closet rod, but it really works much better this way.

      So – can you weed out your closet and drawers so that they are not overstuffed? Can you install a hook where you get undressed and leave some hangers on it to force you to hang your stuff back up?

      1. I’m the same way. Undress and put everything away the minute I walk in the door. It makes my cat crazy because she wants her treats the minute I walk in the door but I make her wait. I even put my shoes back in the boxes and reshelve them.

    12. If you live in NYC you can certainly pay someone to do that. I was a nanny in college and my duties included arriving an hour before the kid got off the bus, picking up/dropping off the dry cleaning, putting the dry cleaning on the proper hangars, doing the grocery shopping, meeting the kid at the bus, getting kid a snack, starting the kid on homework, preping/making dinner, and then hanging out with kid. And while it may sound obnoxious to hang up other people’s clothes, they were the best employers I’ve ever had.

      And the dry cleaning part of the job was just two days a week.

  10. Has anyone tried sugaring for hair removal? I’ve read about it and found several recipes but I’m hesitant. Any stories?

  11. Is anyone going to the ABA Labor & Employment conference in Atlanta later this week?

  12. I’m considering starting work as an independent contractor at a private practice… I’ve gotten a copy of the 2 pg contract I’d need to sign… A couple of questions:

    1. What’s a standard lawyer fee to have it looked at, just to be sure there’s nothing in the legalese that I don’t realize would be bad for me to sign? What kind of lawyer does that?

    2. Does anyone work in such a position (as an IC) and have any advice for me? I know I’ll need to figure out what percentage of taxes I’ll need to withhold myself and that I’ll need to find my own health and malpractice insurance.

    Thanks for feedback!

    1. In an ideal world, you want an employment lawyer, but a decent corporate/commercial lawyer could also review it for you.

      Based on my experience, though, a 2-page contract sounds scarily skimpy. Don’t be alarmed if your lawyer adds a bunch of stuff to it after reviewing it. They aren’t deliberately trying to jack up the price of their review – they are trying to protect your interests.

    2. K in transition – I can’t help with the lawyer stuff but the Dummies books have “Freelancing for Dummies” and there is this that should be helpful: “Working for yourself: Law and Taxes for Independent Contractors, Freelancers and Consultants” from NOLO (not to be confused with our wonderful NOLA). www [dot] nolo [dot] com They might even have these at your local library, or something similar. Good luck!

    3. If it’s a simple 2 page contract, you probably don’t need a lawyer to look at it. What you need is to read it very carefully, take out all the legalese that you don’t fully and completely understand, and replace it with what you understand the agreement to be.

      i.e. if you think the agreement is that you will do x kind of work, that you will work 15 hours per week at x times per hour, that they will pay you on Friday of every week and that you are free to work for other companies, etc., then the contract should say exactly that and nothing more/different.

    2. Great find. I agree that these will age much better. Suede heels just cannot last unless you are only wearing them indoors. The reviews also look pretty good.

  14. Okay, super excited. Am in London and stopped by Marks and Spencer for some slightly more upscale basics – and decided to get a bra-fitting. I haven’t had one since my mum took me around the time I was eleven/twelve and have since then just gone by fit.

    I thought I was a 85 C, and had measured myself recently and thought I might be a 90 C. (Which is almost impossible to find), and it turns out I’m a 85DD instead. Which is also not very easy to find, but easier than 90C. I ended up buying way too many bras.

    And wearing the proper bra it definitely makes me look slimmer and taller. Yay.

    2. If you are in London and can go back to M&S, check out their tights (if you haven’t already). I LOVE them – they are the best.

      1. I have got three pairs, based on one pair I bought at M&S in Paris in September. Super nice tights. Taking one last trip in there tomorrow after work to see if I need anything else from them until next time.

    3. I love M&S. The woman who works the auto checkout in the food hall knows I come in every Monday for lunches for the week. I think she laughs at my extravagant lifestyle (ha, I live in halls) but she always asks me how my weekend was.

      Weirdly their tights hate me! They are too short and low rise but their nylons fit me perfectly! I think I am just weirdly shaped (not small but pretty straight up and down ) and maybe they are meant for people with a bit more curve. They have some cute work dresses but I can’t quite stomach £70 for M&S when we have a John Lewis down the street.

      1. Ahhhhh M&S ready meals – I lived on those through university. I know them all :D

        1. I alternate between the salads: fruit couscous, veggie couscous, the super foods salad and orzo with tomatoes if I am feeling a little splurgy. My flatmates laugh because my fridge has salads, carrots, peppers, yogurt, and a bottle of bubbly.

      2. I’m a huge fan of the M&S cooking sauces. When they go on sale for 99p, I end up with an entire cupboard of jars…

  15. No work today and no work tomorrow, either! Go, Sandy, go! (Of course, “no work” means no going into work. Still working, but at least it’s in my yoga pants on the couch with Mr. TBK, who’s also working. Once our dog dries off from his latest foray into the yard, we’ll bring him up on the couch, too. Family couch time!)

  16. I want to wear a kelly green pencil skirt with a AT black & cream abstract print cardi I picked up when I was in Houston last week. I’ll be wearing black tights & shoes or boots. What color top would you wear? I’m thinking yellow? Any other ideas? I’m working on combining more than one color in an outfit and sometimes need a little help.

    Oh, and I loved my visit to Houston. The weather was perfect for me in the evenings (I was in meetings during the day), everyone is so polite & friendly, and the food was good too.

    1. I’m headed to Houston later this week – any restaurant recs? I think yellow sounds good.

      1. Oxheart, Uchi, and Underbelly were just named to Bon Appetit’s top new restaurants. Uchi is my favorite of the three; Underbelly is my husband’s; Oxheart has gotten the most press. There’s also a new place called Pass & Provisions that I loved, as well as Dolce Vita for more casual and delicious and authentic Italian food. Mark’s is a Houston classic, as is Tony’s. The original Ninfa’s (on Navigation) is wonderful Tex Mex (it’s very different than the chain Ninfa’s; it’s still owned by the same family). Lots of good places! Let me know if you’re looking for anything more particular.

      2. Houston native here. My favorite must visits when I head home are any of the Pappas restaurants – Pappasitos (seafood – oysters are in season and the happy hour price is incredible) and Pappadeaux (Mexican) are the favorites. Goode & Co for BBQ.

        1. Bonus: the Pappas restaurants mentioned by ADL have locations in IAH. If you are flying into Hobby instead, check out El Taqueria del Sol. Its nothing fancy, but it is SO GOOD. Also would recommend Lupe Tortilla (tex mex chain)

        2. Stop, you are making me hungry! BTW, the names are backwards. Pappadeaux = cajun, Pappas = seafood, Pappasitos = Mexican. All delicious.

        3. I ate WAY too much at Pappasitos. It was SO good! My first time having *real* Mexican because my waiter told me Chilis doesn’t count! LOL! My new favorite food is enchiladas, I think.

      3. I agree with anon on most of her recs. I’d add Hugo’s and El Real for Mexican and Haven for all around amazing eats. Reef is fabulous if you like seafood (their ravioli and cauliflower risotto is insane). Mockingbird Bistro (named GQ’s #1 in America a few years ago) has an UNBELIEVABLE lobster risotto. OMG good.

    2. I love green and yellow but think it would clash with the cream in the cardi. I’d wear it with a bright, cool color like cobalt blue or magenta or some shade of purple. Or keep it neutral with a top in cream or ivory or black

  17. TJ: Shopping help needed!
    I’m looking for an interesting winter coat/ jacket. I’ve had the classics and now want something fun to play it up.
    Budget: $200
    Criteria: Short-Medium length (I’m very petite), clean lines
    Thanks everyone!

    2. have you tried Zara? I usually find interesting yet still professional jackets there for reasonable prices. Last year I bought a bright cobalt blue jacket that I love, was warm enough for almost all of winter and was $150 I think

      1. I haven’t checked Zara since I’m now doing all my shopping online. Thanks for the reminder

  18. Is the exclamation “hear, hear” or “here, here” – or even “hear, here” or “here, hear”?

    1. Hear, hear.

      I understand it comes from the old town crier cry, “Hear ye, hear ye”.

  19. In the midst of Hurricane Sandy, someone is outside my building using a leaf blower. I just can’t even…

    1. do you perhaps live in my building? Because my neighbor was, too. He’s been randomly leaf blowing for the past 2 days. Hurricane, dude. (and blowing the leaves down into the trash area in front of my building, which I’m sure is going to block the drain)

      1. Perhaps! I’m in Brooklyn Heights… any chance you are too? And if you *actually* live in my building, let’s have coffee tomorrow while we’re both stuck from the storm.

        1. alas, I’m Astoria. Who knew so many people in NYC owned leaf blowers? (neighbor does not have a yard.)

          1. I wonder if we ever passed each other somewhere, that’s my former stomping ground! Be safe!

  20. Not sure if it’s too late to post this but…I recently had the revelation that I want to be a public defender. I’ve always *wanted* it per se–since I was in high school, actually–but the idea that I could actually do it always seemed sort of impossible and out of reach. But I’m young and I’d like to see what I can do to achieve that goal. So, everyone, does anyone know how people *afford* to become public defenders on law school debt? This is the one thing that’s making me nervous about following this path. Also, any other advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

    1. Income-based repayment and loan forgiveness after 10 years (thanks Obama!).

      My friends who got PD jobs were very very active in volunteering and interning in law school for the PD or DA or local judges. They even did juvenile outreach programs and other types of tangentially related stuff. I know it’s a govt position and they are supposed to be unbiased and all but…it sure helps to be a “known quantity” around the PD’s office.

    2. Are you contemplating going to law school, a current law student, or a law grad changing careers? I think that might change the answer re: the affordability part.

      1. contemplating law school. I have a masters degree in politics but I could see going the JD route.

        1. In that case, pay very, very close attention to schools’ Loan Repayment Assistance Programs when you apply. There are some top 14 schools that will pay your IBR payments if you are at a public interest job with a salary below a certain threshold. Other schools (UCLA comes to mind) have special scholarships for those who are committed to doing public interest. No matter what though, the should-I-go-to-law-school advice that frequently appears on these boards still applies: whatever you do, do NOT take out thousands of dollars in loans to attend a school with crappy employment statistics, or go to a non-top-14 school in a city you don’t want to work in after you graduate.

          In addition to what everyone has said about finding a PD job, Equal Justice Works started this program a couple years ago: http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/post-grad/public-defender-corps.

          1. This. Also, remember that law is, for the most part, a regional industry. So if you live in a state where the best school is a state school, give that school serious consideration. In-state tuition goes a long way toward reducing your loan burden, and the ability to network in your state can be huge.

    3. I have been a PD for 4 years. I went to a state law school, so my debt is somewhat smaller, and I am on the Income-Based Repayment plan with 10 year forgiveness. I drive an older model car that is paid off and live in a low cost of living area. I have a family (hubby+3kids), though my husband makes about what I do so it is not like he is the primary breadwinner. But I love my job!

  21. to the poster looking for a hooded raincoat

    http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ellen-tracy-double-breasted-trench-with-detachable-hood-nordstrom-exclusive/3298965?origin=category&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=Eggplant&resultback=7889

    I have a prior years’ version of this coat and I like it. I wear a regular raincoat with umbrella to work unless it’s really storming, but I require a hood when I’m out and about with my kids, shopping, etc. Need those hands free!

  22. Vent: I should be having the best of both worlds right now: My office is closed because of the hurricane, but because of flight cancellations I’m in a city unaffected by the hurricane. Many of my friends are in this city too, and in theory I should be able to go out, have a great time, and not worry about doing work. Of course, my body decides to take this opportunity to get sick. So I’m stuck inside as if I were in my hurricane-stricken city. I suppose on the bright side I don’t have to deal with a potential power outage, but this stinks :( Trying to get up the energy to at least go get some take-out later…

    1. My apartment has 2 inches of water in it right now and we have no power. My neighbor had to go to the hospital because a tree fell on him when he tried to move his car. So feel better and be glad you are out of the storm!

      1. Are you okay? Were you able to leave the apartment and go somewhere else? I hope everything important is off of the floor!

        1. It was and it is only half my apartment, not my bedroom which is nice (weird but nice) I am worried about my furniture mostly. i got my computer and papers off the floor in time. I wont really know the full damage until the lights are back on. we went to a hotel and they were so nice. no work today so I am heading over now to check the damage. thank you for the thoughts!

      2. yikes, I’m so sorry Kiley! I don’t mean to trivialize the actual effects from the storm. I’m definitely thinking of everyone who is in harm’s way and feel very lucky that I’m not. Although I do wish I had a bit more of luck in not getting sick, I am very grateful to be safe and sound, bronchitis and all!

  23. Quick wardrobe question!

    Going to see Eddie Vedder at the Palms in LV later this week (if Sandy doesn’t scuttle our plans!).

    WTH do I wear? I know what I would have worn 15 yrs ago to see Pearl Jam play…I’d also like to knock my SO’s socks off a little, since it’s our first kids-free / non-work trip in a while. FWIW, I’m really petite and not at all busty.

    If anyone can help, the Hive can!

    1. Skinny jeans, booties and t-shirt, maybe a jacket, but I think it has been warm there recently.

  24. 3rd year PD. Went to T14 with loan repayment. School covers my IBR loans completely. Some schools have strong enough national reputations (Harvard, Columbia, NYU, Chicago…) to let you work anywhere, even in this economy. I say do it! I went to law school at 29.

  25. I rent, a plumber (not the usual handyman) just came in the hurricane and is doing work. Do I tip?

      1. thanks, I wanted to but didn’t know if it was a situation where you never tip so it would be weird. does 20 sound right?

  26. Grrr. My reply re: Ultimate Wishlist finalists was stuck in moderation despite my not posting links. WTF is up with that?

    Thankfully, though, the lights flickered but we didn’t lose power (yet). I’ll try posting this again tomorrow, if nobody’s moderating right now.

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