Coffee Break: Top Grain Leather Watch Band
Where are your favorite Apple watch bands from? I've been on the hunt because I haven't had great luck with mine — a lot of the watch bands that I've bought in the past (including the “nice” one from Missoni) have cracked or separated or generally just been a pain.
I wound up finding some recommendations for Barton watch straps from a variety of sources, and for around $30 it seemed worthy of the try. (I should specify that I'm looking for a leather watch strap, which maybe I should not be — there are a lot more options for canvas, nylon, silicone, or stainless steel.)
In any event, it just arrived — the color I got (Gingerbread) is a gorgeous light beige, and the leather and the stitching both look to be of great quality. I'm a bit concerned about the light beige suede looking dingy after a month or two, but that's my own fault for picking a light color.
You can find a lot of options in the Barton Watch Bands store on Amazon — but for the biggest variety look at their website. The pictured one is under $40 normally, but currently has a 20% off coupon.
(I was also eyeing the watch straps at Quince — I'd love to hear if you've tried those!)
Sales of note for 1/1/25 (HAPPY NEW YEAR!):
- Nordstrom – The Half-Yearly Sale has started — up to 60% off! See our roundup here.
- AllSaints – Now up to 60% off (some of the best leather jackets!)
- Ann Taylor – Semi Annual Sale! Up to 40% off your purchase; extra 60% off 3+ styles
- Banana Republic Factory – The Winter Sale: 50% off everything + extra 60% off clearance
- Boden – Sale, up to 60% + extra 10% — readers love this blazer, these dresses, and their double-layer line of tees
- DeMellier – Sale now on, free shipping and returns — includes select options like Montreal, Vancouver, and Venice
- Eloquii – Semi-annual clearance, up to 85% off; extra 60% off clearance
- Everlane – Sale of the year, up to 70% off — reader favorites include their scoop tee, Dream Pant, ReNew Transit backpack, silk blouses and their oversized blazers!
- J.Crew – 25% off full-price styles; up to 50% off cashmere; 70% off 3+ sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 60% off winter faves; extra 25% off $100+
- L.K. Bennett – All sale half price or less
- M.M.LaFleur – 30% on almost everything with code
- Rothy's – End of season sale, up to 50% off fall and winter styles
- Sephora – Extra 20% off sale items for Beauty Insider members
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off, plus free shipping on everything (and 20% off your first order)
- Summersalt – BOGO sweaters, including this reader-favorite sweater blazer
- Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale – 40% off + 25% off, sale on sale!
- Universal Standard – 25 styles for $25, 1/1 only
Could having a 10-12 oz glass of (really delicious, pure) OJ relatively close to bedtime be the culprit for why I’m sleeping like s hi t? It was a low-impact, sweet tooth satisfying habit I developed over the summer, before I noticed the sleep disruption. I skipped it the last two night and slept like a rock. Two days of data is hardly causality, I know, but I wonder if I’m on to something. Is this my blood sugar talking to me? FWIW, I’m newly 40, insulin resistant and have been on metformin for a very long time (though I’ll admit I still have a limited understanding of how all of this interplays…. clearly).
OMG. Yes, absolutely. Orange juice is super high in sugar and right before bed isn’t ideal. Could you maybe have a couple of whole orange slices instead to satisfy the craving? At least the fiber in the orange would slow down the absorption. Alternatively, what about something like golden milk with unsweetened almond milk and cinnamon? Ten to twelve ounces of OJ is quite a lot!
I’m almost afraid to ask, but what is golden milk?
It’s just milk with tumeric. Nothing gross.
That sounds incredibly gross.
It’s a little more than turmeric and milk. Here’s a good recipe that I’ve tried. Imho you do need a sweetener to make it not gross.
https://downshiftology.com/recipes/turmeric-milk-dairy-free/
If you haven’t had it, you shouldn’t knock it until you try it because it IS better than you would expect. It’s also a strong taste.
The anti-inflammatory effects of turmeric + pepper are legit. I was having persistent finger achiness a few years ago and did about 6 weeks of daily turmeric shots – turmeric, pepper, ginger, mixed with orange juice in a shot glass amount. The achiness went away. I preferred the shots to the golden milk because it was fast, but the turmeric + pepper is the key.
It’s pretty good actually. Don’t knock it til you’ve tried it! The name reminds me of breastfeeding (I feel like at least back when I was breastfeeding they called colostrum “golden milk”) so the name is kind of off-putting to me, but the drink is good.
I am a different Anon, but it is actually pretty good if the milk is steamed.
It’s an anti-inflammatory drink made with turmeric and ginger. I’ve had it and it’s delicious.
Trader Joe has a turmeric and ginger tea that is very nice.
It’s kind of like chai with turmeric.
yeah I’d think you’d be setting yourself up for a sugar crash in the middle of the night which means you’re hangry and not sleeping well
I usually have a cast iron stomach, but OJ is one of about 3 things that can give me ridiculous heartburn. It may well be the sugar, but it could also be heartburn from drinking something acidic and then laying down. Either way, yeah, I’d ditch the OJ and see if things improve.
Orange juice gives me terrible heartburn so I’m going to say yes.
Well, if I drank a glass of OJ before going to sleep, I’d have to wake up to pee or a mild pee-urge would disrupt my sleep a lot.
And agree with others that OJ is one of the emergency drinks for hypoglycemia and is just sugar sugar sugar so seems like not the best choice if you are insulin resistant. The bedtime snacks they tell you to have (if you can’t hold out) are the opposite – high fat/protein. Like nuts/peanut butter + apple etc..
I have insulin resistance and have needed metformin before. If I had a glass of orange juice before bed, my blood glucose would rise, and my insulin would respond by rising in turn, but my insulin resistant cells wouldn’t get the message right away, and then even more insulin would be pumped out to try to get my blood sugar under control, and then my sugar would actually drop lower than it should be, and then my brain would release adrenaline to get my liver to raise my blood sugar from glycogen stores, and I’d wake up. That’s how my doctor explained it. She also referred me to a dietitian so that I wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel on this.
That would give me enough heartburn to wake me up so it’s definitely possible.
OJ is my preferred emergency source for sugar when my blood sugar is dropping too low. Definitely not ideal for your situation, even aside from the sleep issues.
Used to be married to a Type 1 diabetic and can confirm. We kept a canister of frozen OJ concentrate in the freezer at all times for this reason.
100%. Oranges are gold in the morning, lead at night.
Recommendations for an artist to do a pet portrait? Looking for a real person/small business vs. a big online company.
Alexandra Schmeling Fine Art out of Alexandria, VA!
https://www.shopmadeindc.com/product/custom-pet-portrait-kit-alexandra-schmeling-fine-art/5370?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=53
If you’re into the line art look, I’ve used VenadaDigitalConcept on Etsy before and was happy with the result. It was pretty inexpensive and I liked being able to print it on my own.
I may be late but check out Samantha Hall Art on the gram. She does commission work and is super talented.
Recommendations for budgeting software/apps. I’ve used YNAB and it just doesn’t work too well with credit cards, which we use every month and pay off. I’d like something like that that maybe also does retirement accounts/networth stuff..
hmmm, I use YNAB with credit cards (which we use exclusively but pay off every month) and retirement accounts and that’s always my recommendation because I think it is great. Are there are other features that you’re looking for or find frustrating with YNAB?
+1. Have you watched the videos about how to do credit card accounts on YNAB? Once I understood, it was really easy
+1. If you are “floating” on credit cards (even paying off in full) it may be frustrating. You have to get 1 month ahead of cash in the bank and then it’s smooth.
I starting using Monarch when Mint shut down and have been pretty happy with it. I don’t like their net worth calculator and other reports as much as I liked Mint’s, but they’re pretty good about constantly improving and adding features.
I’m also happy with monarch. I also have used empower in the past but prefer monarch by far
I was a power user of Mint. Tried Monarch but it was too buggy for me. Switched to Simplifi and have been happy with it.
If you and your spouse both WFH, is it normal to get sick of being around them, not to want to eat lunch together or talk during the workday, etc.?
OMG yes.
I think so! Human beings aren’t meant to be together 24/7.
I wfh full time, my husband wfh about 70% of the time when he’s not traveling (although he travels a lot lately) and we certainly don’t eat lunch together every day or talk frequently during the work day. We have a brunch or lunch date maybe once every two weeks but otherwise don’t interact much during the work day. We’re…working.
Totally
I don’t think I could tolerate it, actually. And if my spouse was needy and wanted lunch time together I would consider finding a work space away from home.
Ha, yes. I WFH nearly full time and my husband is 2x/wk and he wants SO MUCH interaction during the work day that I had to have a bit of a come to jesus with him that no, he couldn’t just pop into my office randomly to chat and totally break my focus. I also would regularly take solo walks/eat alone in my office for a ‘break’ during Covid just to maintain some alone time.
I had to do the same thing during Covid. We both had to work together in the living room (small condo). UGH. He wanted to chat so often, talk about plans, and he snacked constantly. I thought I might kill him. We have more space now and it’s so much better, but I still can’t have him interrupting me constantly. The trick that works for me is that when he approaches my work space, he pretends to knock on a fake door and I say “welcome to the accounting department, how can I help you?” or “please return to the department in 10 minutes,” etc. I think it makes me feel better because it gives a veneer of control over the interaction and it acknowledges that I’m busy and that he’s interrupting, but in a cute and friendly way. Cuts off my initial impulse to say “WHAT NOW” and roll my eyes.
Yes, totally normal. Also normal: having these feelings not be in sync. There are days when my spouse wants to grab lunch with me and I need more distance and vice-versa.
It’s a little different than your situation, but I’ve worked with my husband for 15 years and we both really enjoy it and are successful at it. But a key part of this working well is that on most days we are not in the same office/space all day together. So yes, you’re definitely normal.
We have a second property and I am thrilled when my husband goes there for the weekend every few weeks to do lawn work. Also, recently rented work space. So, yes.
We had a big adjustment period around this at the beginning of lockdown when we both suddenly found ourselves WFH.
One: just because I’m home now and you’re not used to it doesn’t mean you can get handsy with me in the kitchen every time I walk in to get more caffeine. I was really starting to feel like a piece of meat.
Two: when my office door is shut, please treat it like a wall. It’s shut for a reason.
We still struggle with Two from time to time but it has gotten a lot better.
I’m sure he has issues with me being around all the time too, but those were the big ones for me.
One: just because I’m home now and you’re not used to it doesn’t mean you can get handsy with me in the kitchen every time I walk in to get more caffeine. I was really starting to feel like a piece of meat.
OMG it’s not just me! I feel so bad but I finally had to tell DH it was like having someone grab my butt at the copier… I am in work mode and so my first reaction is AAAARGH GO AWAY.
My husband calls me every day when he gets lunch and I don’t even like that. I am in work mode, and I do NOT care what is going on for him at that moment. I actively try not to wfh when he’s here, for all the reasons mentioned above. He has an uncanny knack for wanting to talk to me right as I finally get over the procrastination I have been sitting on and get down to work.
It works for us, but we’re probably the exception and not the rule. We wfh, eat lunch together, and exercise together at the end of each day.
Please share your opinions about the Cartier Tank watch! I made partner and I want to buy a classic watch as a token of celebration. I know nothing about nice watches so I figured this was a good group to ask.
No opinions from me on the watch, but just wanted to say – WELL DONE!
You deserve it.
Congratulations!! I love the idea of a fancy watch as a memento. If you’re in a major city with a Torneau or a certified pre-owned watch store I would start there. I tried on lots of different styles and found that I preferred a much different face than I originally thought. I’d suggest browsing around on a quiet weekday not long after opening so that you can have time and not have to compete with others for attention.
I was able to browse and try on a lot of different watch brands and styles in Vegas, of all places.
my parents got me one when i graduated from law school and 30 years later i still wear it daily. congrats!
Makes total sense! Lots of people wanting to spend their winnings :)
I know someone who bought an Omega while on vacation in Vegas, but when there were problems with the watch his local dealer wanted him to go back to the Vegas store to get it fixed!! It was a very frustrating experience.
I think it’s gorgeous and classic, but make sure you’re a watch person before you buy it!
I bought myself a nice watch and literally never wear it.
This is the watch I always said, as a junior associate, I would get myself when I made partner. It’s beautiful. But when it actually happened a few years back, I decided to get nicer/upgraded diamond stud earrings instead. I realized that I’ve barely worn an actual watch in the last 5 years (I wear an Apple watch with a nice/fancier band every day). I wear a pretty/basic Movado a few times a year with fancier outfits where the Apple watch may stand out too much (basically at weddings or black tie events only). Last year, my husband asked if I wanted the Tank as a 10 year anniversary gift and I again said no (and asked for another jewelry piece instead). So I say go for it but only if you actually wear a regular watch. If you’re a bag person, a couple of my friends bought classic Chanel flap bags when they made partner. Congratulations!
Ironically, when I was a junior associate I told myself I would get a class Chanel flag bag. Now I barely carry a purse, but I like to wear a watch.
Before 2020 I noticed that everyone was wearing Apple watches in every situation, but lately the tide seems to be turning back to real watches for workwear, especially among attorneys.
Yes, me! I bought a fancy Apple watch – the Hermes one, a few years ago, and swapped it out last year for a real one. I enjoy being more disconnected now.
I posted below, but I became a watch person once I bought my Cartier tank. I wasn’t before.
I got one when I hit the c-suite at work and absolutely love it. My advice is go try them on in person to get a size and style that looks best on you. I didn’t end up with what I would have picked online. I wanted a tank watch forever and it was the perfect reward gift to myself.
Watch nerd opinion:
Cartier Tanks are always a great, classic choice and if that’s what you want then you should get one and wear it proudly.
It wouldn’t be my choice because I see a lot of them and would want to get something a little more off the beaten path (but then I am a watch nerd and get a little obsessive about this stuff).
Another classic tank watch you might consider is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso:
https://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/us-en/watches/reverso
The Reverso has that classic tank silhouette and a neat gimmick of having a watch face that you can turn. It comes in both duoface (a different watch on each side — two watches for the price of one expensive one!) and monoface versions (only one watch for your money with this one but you could engrave the other side).
If you don’t mind buying gray market you can pick up a used one from this site, which I’ve had good luck with:
https://www.chrono24.com/jaegerlecoultre/reverso–mod148.htm?dosearch=true&query=Reverso
Congratulations on making partner! And thank you for giving me the opportunity to nerd out. I’m sure whatever celebratory gift that you choose for yourself will be wonderful.
Thanks to you and everyone else for your comments!
I’m late to answer but I have a Tank Francaise and love it. I would buy it again in a heartbeat. It is a great watch with professional clothes and I wear it every time I go into the office. Make sure you get the right size for your frame/style. I’m thinking about getting another Cartier watch (Santos) when I get to the next level. Congrats! And I second the JLC Reverso recommendation. It has a similar look, but is a much more serious watch. Also on my wish list.
It’s funny that you’d bring this up because my stylish male cousin noticed mine on Christmas Eve and complimented me, asking if it was new. I couldn’t help but gush that it’s about a million years old but still my absolute favorite thing. I think they even changed it since I got mine. My husband chimed in to say it’s his favorite thing he’s ever gotten me too. I know it’s super popular but all my friends wear apple watches for everyday, which is not for me. Seriously, texts on my wrist are an actual nightmare. In my very humble opinion a tank is timeless and chic without being too flashy. All in all I’d highly recommend as an everyday watch but I’d maybe hesitate if you’re going to wear an Apple Watch daily. Mine is stainless steel and lovely but not a special occasion watch or a trophy piece. Like all of my “nice” things I plan to wear it into the ground or at least bequeath it to a loved one who is touched at the gesture but then immediately horrified by how well worn it is. Congratulations on all your success!
I’m trying to figure out how to fit more exercise into my day. I would love to throw in a 15 minute yoga routine during lunch, but I’m not certain about location. I have a reasonably sized office cubicle where the door closes and locks, but the walls don’t reach all the way to the ceiling so sound travels to all the other office cubes. Are earbuds the way to go here? Something else? I’ve always used headphones for calls and listening to music because I find them more comfortable, and I don’t want to spring for some and find out they won’t work.
I would just go for a walk. Getting out of the office/change of scenery has as much benefit for me as the exercise itself.
I agree that this is generally good advice, but my office is in a very bland neighborhood and wandering the parking lots brings me no joy.
It doesn’t have to bring you “joy” visually. Getting your heart rate up a little and moving your body can bring you some joy. You can listen to music or a podcast if it helps your mind escape boring scenery.
+1
And it is the fresh air/sun exposure that can be key for your mental health.
I hear you though.
I used to think of it as “urban cross country”, rather than bland, decaying parking lots. Look closely for little spots of beauty even on cruddy days. They are there.
Even if it’s just the sky.
What about doing a chair yoga routine? Lots of those on video. I find that taking small breaks to walk really adds up. And the breaks help me think better.
i don’t do it every day but i do a 15 minutes office yoga on youtube reasonably regularly. for these kinds of questions, my feeling is always OWN IT. it’s good self care and no different than doing wordle or reading TMZ or whatever else people do at work for a little break.
I practice yoga a lot. Earbuds definitely work – my AirPods are tried and tested – but I don’t see why wireless headphones that fit well wouldn’t work.
adding one thing – if you don’t want your head/hands popping up above the cube walls, you can do a whole lot of good in a floor based yoga class. Core workouts are almost always exclusively on the floor and 15 minutes of core a day sounds amazing….like I might steal that idea!
Is there a wellness room or something you can reserve? Don’t take up space in a pumping room, but some offices have a place for private calls or meditation.
I know you’ve said yoga is your preference, but I’ve also found that 10 minutes of going up and down the stairs in my building is a great workout! They’re pretty empty and not creepy, but you know your office best.
When I worked in the office I used to use the restroom on a different floor and go up and down a few extra flights of stairs whenever I went. Our stairwell was pretty lightly used so no one ever noticed that I was doing extra flights.
This is what I do and those steps really add up.
I’ll admit that I have been tempted to use the pumping room, given that I’m the only person who has ever used it in the 3 years that it has been in existence.
Regarding Apple watch straps – I just ordered two from Quince and I’m really impressed with the quality. I didn’t order the leather, I ordered an acetate band (really pretty but I decided not my style) and stainless steel chain link (love it–so dressy). I liked these so much I just ordered another because a gal likes to have choices
Ooh, good to know that about Quince! I ordered one of the leather bands over the weekend and I can’t wait for it to arrive.
I’ve heard good things about their leather bands. Please report back.
I recently bought one from Burga and so far I love it.
The post about the person who traveled to NZ and got flack from her family is giving me pause. I’m going to be traveling to another city in the U.S. for a three day leisure trip. I am planning to see an old friend who lived in my city for a few years before moving to the new city. I also have a cousin I’ve seen maybe 2 times before in my life (and I am in my late 40s). If you were me, would you track down the cousin and try and meet up? I don’t have her contact info and have never even traded emails with her, but I have seen her sister a few more times. The only reason to meet up with be that our dads happen to be brothers (and I am not close to her parents since we had little contact growing up on opposite coasts of the U.S.). I will have my teenager with me and my teen does not even know that this cousin exists, nor her name.
I wouldn’t, but especially not for a 3 day trip.
Given what you have described, I would not bother.
I might. Similar to your situation, my father’s side of the family was pretty much estranged from us, only saw a couple times. Now that my father is gone, and I have almost no family left, I do have regrets I didn’t try to reach out earlier in life.
So I might do it, but not because I would feel guilty or something for not reaching out, but because I am curious about maintaining contact with distant family.
I wouldn’t. Honestly, I think the person on the receiving end of this isn’t always that enthusiastic about it (do we know that the NZ pen pal even wanted to spend days showing OP around? That wasn’t clear to me).
My mom and I are traveling halfway around the world soon for a similar once-in-a-lifetime trip and she’s trying hard to meet up with an old friend who lives in one of the cities we’re visiting and it seems so awkward to me. I don’t think the friend is really that interested in meeting us. I’m staying out of it because it’s between my mom and her friend, and will willingly go to the meet-up if one is organized (it would just be an afternoon at most) but if it were me I would definitely have given up after the first email when the friend didn’t seem that excited.
My mom does this, too! Particularly with second and third cousins.
I’d be torn but only because I’m very close to all my cousins and I have a hard time wrapping my head around how you could not know your first cousin!! That’s very close family in my book. But I might try to reach out a bit before the trip to gauge interest and at least see them for coffee or something quick.
If you did, I might make it very open and easy – like, “we will be visiting the local to you zoo on May 12, would love to reconnect if you are free! Look for us by the otter exhibit at 10:15, we will be there for 5 minutes and will be wearing neon green safari hats.”
What? Who would ever say yes to that??
Hopefully not you! 😉
I think this requires more commitment from each person than a 5 minute window to show up (or not) — but I agree with the suggestion to offer up a specific time and activity that you’re already planning to do (preferably free or low cost). It becomes a PIA for both people trying to meet up for a random coffee or meal, and an activity builds in something to talk about while keeping the teen occupied.
Yes, my example was very off the cuff but I’m glad you understood where I was going with it. Free or low cost, easy, something you were doing anyhow, and didn’t really depend on the other party to attend if they can’t or don’t want to.
My cousins and I generally go with a one meal policy when we are in each others cities for work once or twice a decade. We saw each other sporadically as kids, and really it never ceases to amaze my husband how similar we all are. So, I’d vote for “hey, we are staying in this part of the city, and don’t have much planned (insert time), would you want to come in to the city and grab coffee?” Or something similarly defined. Plus, you avoid the family drama of not reaching out.
I’m not close to the majority of my extended family because parents didn’t have those kinds of relationships. I highly doubt I will ever meet most of them. I think if you want to connect with your extended family then sure, look them up. But I wouldn’t be disappointed if they said no because you are strangers.
If you don’t even have her contact info, I wouldn’t try to track her down and meet on such a brief trip. I don’t consider myself close to my extended family ( we are a “see each other in person only at weddings and funerals” kind of family), but on my mom’s side I occasionally text with my cousin, my aunt and uncle send my kids holiday and birthday gifts, and we normally would have lunch when I’m in their city or they’re in mine. But you sound significantly more distant from this cousin. On my dad’s side there’s estrangement, so even though one of my first cousins lives 2 hours away from me, I’ve never met her as an adult because our parents are estranged. I have visited her city many times without contacting her.
I would try, in a low key kind of way, but I feel a great curiosity about people with my shared roots.
So why not reach out at some other time and establish contact? I’m the person that posted about writing letters in the past and how I’ve reestablished contact with family memeber. If I really wanted to get back in touch with someone I would probably write them a few lines and try that way instead of signing up for an awkward dinner or coffee. You could even say I was in x recently and remembered you lived there, I didn’t have time to find you on this trip but did ask Aunt Martha for your info when I got back. I remember seeing you when I was 5 at Aunt Bertha’s summer house, etc, etc.