Wednesday’s Workwear Report: Bonnie Layered V-Neck T-Shirt
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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
Are you still on the hunt for office-appropriate T-shirts? We’ve got you covered. This layered V-neck tee from Reiss looks so much fancier than your basic crewneck.
I would wear it with some delicate jewelry underneath my favorite suit for a formal day or with slouchy trousers and loafers for a more business casual look.
The shirt is $125 at Reiss and comes in sizes XS–L.
Sales of note for 2/7/25:
- Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
- Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
- Boden – 15% off new season styles
- Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
- J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
- Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+
I’m a lawyer who is usually in dresses – sheaths or midi dresses from Ann Taylor or Lauren Ralph Lauren. I’m visiting a client site for a full week in August and need to wear long pants and closed toe shoes every day. It’s a heavily male-dominated industry, I’ll be one of the only women and the only lawyer. I have dark rinse skinny jeans and high waist black and maroon pants (like Eileen Fisher, but the pull on style from Loft). I am not worried about being “stylish” per se but want to look polished. What should I wear for tops/blazers? Will have some setup each day so bending/leaning- nothing low-cut (today’s pic is out), tight, or baggy… I just struggle with the long baggy blazer look, but don’t have time to tailor. All of my formal suit jackets look weird to my eyes paired with jeans and nice sneakers/loafers. Ideas? Budget ~200, 250 total.
Do you need to worry about weather or will this be like, meetings with factory tours in air conditioning? A gray non-suit blazer would pair well with each of those pants. The JCrew Going Out Blazer is a perennial favorite for this.
Underneath I’d go with crewneck or boatneck knit tops.
+1 to this.
Those skinny jeans with an oversized blazer- sleeves rolled up- and a short-sleeve, black b@dy$uit would be perfectly appropriate to tour say, a carpet factory. I feel the oversized blazer needs less volume elsewhere to balance it out, IMHO.
Do you know how casual everyone else will be? I have my eye on the pique jacket at ann taylor. I think a tan blazer/jacket can be good for mixing and matching with with jeans and nicer pants. My general rule for those kind of situations is 2 things are matching, 1 is contrasting. So same color top/blazer, different pants or vice versa. I think 250 will be a hard budget if you need tops and blazers, so maybe see which you have more of to reduce what you need to buy. For tops i often like a sweater tee, as that can read more polished than just a basic tee.
Personally I’d wear the Eileen Fisher pants with a cotton knit blazer, such as the offerings from Quince or Land’s End.
I’d recommend reaching out to the other women in the group to get a better understanding of the expected attire and any specific rules related to safety. If this is a factory environment, loafers will not sufficiently cover your feet, even though they are closed toe. You will also likely need full length pants and/or socks that fully cover your ankles. The men organizing these sorts of events don’t generally understand how specific they need to be. You don’t want to end up spending a week in the factory’s loaner socks and shoes.
Agreed. Tbh you would be fine with sneakers. If you have black running shoes, I would just wear those. Your contact at the factory should have communicated if you need steel toed shoes or not, and if you do, they should have steel shoe covers.
I go to factories a lot in business attire. XenaWorkware shoes have come in real handy to have “normal” looking safety shoes. With my luck, the steel toe covers are always way too big for my feet.
I love Xena!
+1
I have a post in mod, but I did have to borrow loaner steel toed shoes with socks I bought at a convenience store once. Don’t be me – it’s a funny story now but was super stressful at the time.
I work in an industry like this as an in-house lawyer. The dark wash jeans are fine; I’m not sure about the Eileen Fisher style pants, you want clothes with structure for this that don’t flow. Every corporate woman in my industry ends up wearing the style of shirt that sends a comment to mod (o-x-f-o-r-d with b-t-t-o-n-s) in a heavier fabric than you are probably used to. The heavier fabric is because you will probably sweat a lot and the shirt needs to disguise that part. Some facilities require full-length sleeves but others allow for bracelet length or elbow length, which I prefer. I wouldn’t wear a blazer in August on site; it will just look weird in the heat and you run a real risk of passing out from heat exhaustion. Your client doesn’t care about fashion and will only notice your clothes if they are causing problems. Bring a hair tie in case you need to put on PPE or a safety helmet and socks in case they make you change to steel toed boots borrowed from a colleague, and leave all dangling jewelry at home.
Good point about the heat. My company’s factories require full length pants, safety shoes, socks to cover any exposed skin near the ankles, kevlar sleeves, cut proof gloves, ear plugs, and safety glasses to go out on the floor at all. People with longer hair are required to tie it back. Some areas in the factory have additional requirements. Anyone who shows up in an additional layer like a blazer or cardigan takes that off immediately, even in the winter, because the kevlar sleeves are cumbersome and warm.
The salaried workforce in the factories generally wear jeans, safety shoes, and dark colored polo/golf shirts. The hourly factory workers are generally in t-shirts instead of the polos, but look pretty similar. In the past, they used to just tell visitors “Wear long pants and closed toe shoes,” then would seem confused when people showed up not understanding the details of what is required. In recent years, they have been better about giving clear instructions on the dress code.
I think the crucial question is what is the site? Inside or outside? Is it a hard hat environment? What is the setup aspect – just getting chairs or are you putting things together?
You need work clothes not fashionable clothes. Bootcut jeans, belt, and a button down shirt – likely Columbia PFG (or equivalent) if you will be in the field or in a manufacturing facility, otherwise plain cotton shirt. If you will be outside, bring extra shirts and where a sports b## instead of a normal one. Double check with the client if steel toes will be required to access any areas while you are there. Most places say they can lend you a pair, but (1) they rarely have them in women’s sizes and (2) do you really want to borrow shoes.
I love my Safety Girl steel toe boots: https://www.safetygirl.com/safety-girl-womens-light-pink-steel-toe-boots.html?
+1 Dress for safety, not style.
Check if you need actual safety shoes, and if that’s the case your money is better spent on the shoes than a blazer, unless you have men’s sizing on your feet. I’m a US 6, and have learnt to trust that the site will not have my size on loan unless I double check (aka they buy shoes for me).
I’d probably get a couple of pairs of the express editor pants, those work with my older suit jackets, sneakers and loafers. I’d also look at Target for a couple of blazers. Or if you want to spend a little more, the Spanx travel blazer is pretty great and packs up well.
I worked for a manufacturing company straight out of school and typically wore chinos , collared cotton shirt, and boots when on site. My steel toes were ariat but there are brands that make more affordable options.
Basically what the guys were wearing. It was by no means cute but it kept me from melting or worrying about getting grease and dirt on my nice work clothes.
Agree with other comments that you need to figure out what type of closed toe shoes – having worked in shipyards and other manufacturing environments, I can tell you that some places have VERY specific guidelines to what you can wear, even down to safety toe vs. steel toe. When I used to work out there, I wore slim cut jeans, a polyester or wicking type polo shirt, steel toe Timberland boots, and a hard hat. Short sleeves were allowed but they aren’t always. If you are unsure, I highly suggest reaching out to the facility and asking if they have a visitor packet, safety guidelines, or something like that. Places with strict dress codes will for sure have one.
I just moved to the South and I am really struggling with finding a motivation to get out of the house. My only exercise previously used to be a (not very fast) walk for 15-20 mins each day after lunch and now of course it is too hot and muggy to do that. I know technically i could wake up an hour earlier to squeeze it in before work but i am just not a morning person and I keep making excuses/sleeping back and bashing myself. The sun doesnt set until closer to 9p and it is VERY hot until 930p or so… i have never been a gym person and hate going to the gym (other people, i feel watched/judged for my large body). I know i sound like a bag of excuses, but would appreciate some kind advice. What would you say to your daughter/sister/close friend in such a case?
walking mat under your desk?
I would tell her it’s too hot to walk but the perfect temperature to swim!
Go for a brief run at 9:30 pm? I would never, but I’m a morning person –maybe night people are up for this? It would feel nice to take a cool shower after and then go to bed.
Maybe a winding down yoga routine before bed? Assuming you can throw all the windows open then.
What about going to just do laps in a Walmart or Target or whatever big box store is available to you? There will be A/C. Buy a bottled water or something if you feel weird about walking out with nothing.
(We did this hack in reverse when I lived in North Dakota – including taking the dog for a short “walk” in the Tractor Supply when it was too cold to go for a walk outside.)
Where I grew up in the Midwest, my grandparents would go mall walking. The malls even opened early (before the stores) for mallwalkers to get their exercise in.
Midwest and can confirm mall walking is still a thing.
Long live the mall walkers in their Lutheran wool socks!
This! I think that the South is why mall power walking was invented. Lots of people in my office do laps in the building during lunch because it’s way too hot to go outside!
I’m also in the South & the heat was a contributing factor to me getting a Peloton – when the weather is cooler I will gladly go for a walk, but when it’s hot & muggy, I do yoga/strength/cycling inside.
Do you have space for a small treadmill? If you’re just going to use it for walking, it does not need to be a fancy one.
You can walk indoors at a mall or through a store if the heat is your main issue. You can also find other ways to exercise in your home if getting movement in is your main issue.
I walk late evening or after dark. You do get more used to the humidity after a while and since I know I’m going to need a shower if I set foot outside, might as well get exercise in right before my evening shower anyway. If you’re near a mall, you can also walk laps there. But honestly part of the reason I have a gym membership is for the treadmills when it’s hot. If you want a gym where I assure you no one is judging you, I find the YMCAs in my town have a very diverse membership of all body types. The downside is they don’t tend to be open as late compared to other gyms.
Why do you need to wake up an hour earlier for a 15 minute walk? Couldn’t you just wake up 15 minutes earlier? Sorry if that sounds condescending, but just trying to remove barriers here. Extra bonus is that morning sunlight on our retinas is great for circadian rhythms and sleeping, so the more you do it, the easier you will likely find it to wake up and do it again!
If its anything like here, it’s not about the time the walk takes, it’s the timing of the walk. I have to wake up an hour earlier, because any later than that and its already hot.
I think you’ll have to make peace with being physically uncomfortable, at least until your body is acclimated. That’s my tough-love speech.
Yup. I work out outside several times a week. There’s about 2 months a year when it’s truly comfortable to do so. Otherwise it’s too hot, cold, humid, rainy, icy, etc. You just have to suck it up and make do.
Its 90F at 6am in the shade. I work out inside instead late June-September, then I spend the rest of the year outside. I was just providing a reason why it might be more than 15 minutes for a 15 minute walk.
Presumably it’s hot and OP will need to take a shower, etc?
If you are in a neighborhood where it is safe to be out at 9:30 PM, can you just go at 9:30? I used to run at crazy hours and was rarely alone-there were other walkers and runners. Once your eyes adjust, you can see pretty well even that late. I never used a flashlight or head lamp. Also, the humidity here is insane right now; it will get better.
I live in Dallas. At 9 today the temp will be 95 degrees (high of 105). It is cooler before noon. This is pretty much everyday all summer. Evenings are not significantly cooler.
Yeah, the morning is better for this because it’s been cool all night long, whereas in the evening the earth is still working to cool down from the late afternoon highs.
+1. Also exercising that late can rev you up and mess with sleep. Not the case for everyone, but definitely the case for me. I can’t exercise after about 5 pm if I want to be asleep by 11 pm.
This! But please use lights. They’re not for you. They are so drivers can see you.
Headlamps are for runners to see. There are plenty of options for runners to make themselves visible to drivers. I prefer wearing a high vis (neon yellow) reflective vest that lights up.
Honestly, I’d tell my daughter/sister/close friend to go to the gym. You can walk on the treadmill if that’s what you prefer, or maybe switch it up and do the recumbent bike sometimes. And throw in a weight machine or some dumbbells on top, making it a more well-rounded workout. If there’s a community rec center or YMCA near you, you might find the clientele less intimidating to be around than a typical commercial gym (I am pushing 40 and typically the youngest in my rec center gym by a couple decades).
FWIW, when I see someone at the gym with a larger body I’m definitely not judging them! I’m inwardly super impressed and cheering them on because I suspect they think they are being judged. The people I judge are the obnoxious gym rats who admire themselves in the mirror between sets.
Get used to the idea of sweat. You can still walk when its hot. A 15-20 minute walk won’t dehydrate you or otherwise overexert you, even in the heat. Particularly early or late in the day, there are sure to be some shaded routes unless you live in Phoenix or another desert city.
Part of your heat intolerance may well be your overall lack of condition. Instead of moving your single bit of movement to a different time of day, add to it a few times per week by walking a 2nd time during cooler parts of the day.
That reads a lot harsher than I meant it to, sorry for that. Provided you’ve been checked over by your doctor and are healthy, acclimatization and conditioning are what you need and that means getting out there and walking the walk.
Treadmill at home? Mall walking? But truth be told, I am better off with morning workouts in the summer because I can’t force myself to even go on a walk when it’s in the 90s with 90% humidity.
I’m in NYC so definitely not as hot as the south but the humidity will get you! Also it’s supposed to be in the 90’s today. I’m also training for a half marathon so morning runs or the treadmill are the only option! I think you need to decide if you want to workout at home, outdoors, or in a gym. Since you just moved to the south and probably don’t know a ton of people, I would join a gym, yoga studio or other type of studio. It might be nice for you to meet people with the added benefit of AC during a workout. Also, they’re not as intimidating as you think and if you’re in a class you can go to the back of the room.
I just moved back to florida from chicago, so i hear you on the heat/humidity. I loved my outdoor walks in chicago, so transitioning here has been hard. I hate the gym, but have been using my apartment gym and i am getting used to it. I am also larger, so i get your concerns. Putting in my headphones and using the peloton app with the walking workouts has helped me stay focused on those workouts. Another option to try and get morning walks in.. Try to sleep in something you can go for your walk in so you don’t have to change. I am trying to get into morning workouts, and removing the changing thing has helped, as has having my phone away from my bed so i have to get out to shut off alarm.
Would you be open to exercising at home? I got my biggest bang for my buck during the pandemic with an old school step and firm videos (body sculpting system 1) picked up on eBay/Amazon.
When I lived in very safe suburbs, I’d regularly go for runs after sunset (just wear bright / reflective clothing or a high vis light up vest).
If you don’t feel safe doing that in your neighborhood, could you get home exercise equipment. If you just want to walk, get a walking pad. Spin bikes (or a trainer for your regular bike) and treadmills are great too.
If you’re really limited on space, why not some weights and an aerobics step? There are plenty of routines available online for free for both lifting and aerobics.
Obviously depends on where you are in the South and what your heat / humidity situation is (Virginia is different than Louisiana!) but could you acclimate to walking during the day. I’m in DC, so it’s plenty hot and humid (but obviously not as hot and humid as it could be), but I still walk at lunch and run right after work. Don’t mill yourself and start slow, but a 15-20 min walk should be doable. Especially when you can walk in your neighborhood and immediately cool down with AC and a shower.
Are there pools with lap swimming near you? I’m sure a pool would feel excellent, and obviously swimming is great exercise.
Any shaded hiking trails?
Finally, no I’m at the gym cares about anyone else’s workout, fitness level, or size. Everyone’s just there to do their thing.
If it were my friend, daughter, or sister I would take the tough love approach. There are plenty of alternatives, you’re making excuses, and you know it’s good for you to exercise so find a way that works for you: swimming, the gym, at home workouts (with or without equipment), mall walking, braving the heat (in most places it’s still doable to walk), or working out early in the morning or late at night. So many options, there’s no excuse for not even finding 20 minutes a day to move.
Honestly, this is why I left the SEUS. The heat and humidity made me completely and utterly miserable. I’m more active, much happier, and lost 40 pounds. I know this isn’t an option for everyone, but that just wasn’t the way I wanted to live my life and I was willing to make compromises on other things to change that.
Do you like exercise videos? I generally don’t, but enjoy dance videos when going outside isn’t appealing.
If mornings are ok for a walk, I’d try hard to get a few minutes of outside time in the mornings, even if it’s not the full 20 minutes you usually take. I need outside time, though.
There is no magic solutions that will allow you to make it cooler outside. Pick an option:
1. Exercise inside ( home, gym, mall walk)
2. Exercise outside and try to minimize heat (wake up earlier, swim, adapt to the heat)
3. Don’t exercise
If you have excuses why 1 and 2 won’t work, the do 3. Only you can decide is exercising is important enough to you to deal with the inconvenience (waking earlier, being hot, feeling uncomfortable in a gym).
This.
I work out ~8 hours a week. It’s a big part of my life and I really enjoy it. It’s still at times inconvenient and oftentimes uncomfortable (which, duh that’s the point). You just have to decide if it’s a priority or not. If it is, you find ways to make it work, even if it’s not always convenient. If it’s not, you make peace with that and accept that you won’t get the benefits of exercise.
You have to decide what’s more important to you.
No one has a magical solution for making working out easy and convenient all of the time.
Can you buy a walking pad and set it up in your office? Walking while working helped me lose twenty pounds without inflaming a hip injury. I slept better, too.
I also hate the heat (thus why I live in the PNW) but I would do indoor walking in the evening (get a $300 walking pad or go somewhere air conditioned like Costco, a mall etc) or indoor video workouts (yoga, barre, You Tube Sydney Cummings or heather Robertson)
Why can’t you workout at home, which is presumably air conditioned?
There are no shortage of free exercice routines and videos for home workouts . Many of which require no equipment.
Lifelong resident of the south here. This time of year is terrible for outdoor activities that aren’t around water, especially if you are not acclimated to the heat and humidity. This year, just put on some music at home and move and dance around for aerobic activity. Add some yoga, maybe some crunches. If a good treadmill is in your budget and you have a place to put it, look into that. Next year, start early in the spring and spend active time outdoors every day that it’s not storming. You will somewhat acclimate to the miserable heat and humidity and will then have outdoor options.
I would say, think about changing your mindset first. You don’t want to “work out” and that’s ok – try to give yourself a break and not feel guilty/down on yourself about that.
Try focusing on what you DO like to do and build some activity around that. Do you like animals? Volunteer at a shelter – you’ll be active caring for kittens or walking dogs. Do you love to read? Volunteer at the library and be active walking around shelving books, etc. Do you love Target? I do. Grab a friend and go shopping together.
It doesn’t have to be “working out”. Just start moving for a reason that brings you some happiness and honestly, once you start, it’ll build from there.
Do you care about walking 15 mins a day or do you want to get in shape?
If you just want 15 minutes of movement, can you set an alarm every hour to get up and walk around your house for 2-3 minutes? Do jumping jacks or mountain climbers?
If you want to actually get in shape I recommend at home workouts (plenty of great YouTube videos!) or the gym.
I think Im sitting on way too much cash in my low interest bank account, but theres something scary to me about moving most of that balance into my brokerage accounts. Tell me its the smart move?
single, live alone, late 20s. pretax 92k salary. I max out my 401k contributions annually. Monthly spending is roughly 3.5k, (rent, meals, wifi,etc). I have about 90k in an old 401k accout from Old Job that I check once a year at tax time. Current 401k is at the same broker as my individual investments, currently 54k 401k 75% vested/130k variety of index funds/40k money market.
Ive historically moved 8 to 10k to the brokerage account annually.
Besides the 401k contributions being automatically made, I have paycheck just going to my bank account. Theres 54K in the bank account that gets pennies a month. I should move most of this to the money market for the better interedt, even if I dont do anything further?
This feels like such a duh decision. I think I have a mental block around this and hate the idea that I need to actually manage my finances.
I keep a lot more cash than that on hand, but right now there’s a lot of high interest savings accounts. I’d just move it to one of those. And I wouldn’t worry about it. There’s a lot of risk in the market and having some cash on hand is a good idea.
We love our HYSA (it’s through a local bank or I’d recommend it to everyone).
Ally and Capital One both have good rates and good customer service.
Ally puts you through a rigamarole if someone commits fraud against your account, even if it’s their fault, FWIW.
I get lazy about this too, but you are 100% right, put that money to work.
See if the bank that you have a checking account with offers a HYSA. My savings account at my bank has a 4.15% interest rate right now, so if you can open something like that at your current bank and move most of your checking account money to it you can still have the money easily accessible while earning close to $200 per month on it in interest.
Other option, my bank does a HYSA for Christmas holidays. I normally just dump money in there during the year, it deposits it all into my checking around November, then I repeat the process. Gives me comfort because in an emergency, I don’t have to wait to transfer into my checking, but gets a decent rate.
If you want that money earning interest but more immediately accessible, put it in a high interest rate savings account. They’re around 4-5% now and you can get the money out within a couple of days if you need it.
I made peace with the fact that I feel better with an emergency fund of 12 months, since I am verrry risk averse. The best money management strategy isn’t going to work if it makes you skittish and you abandon it prematurely.
That being said, you are young enough that the prevailing wisdom is that investing is the best long term thing you can do. You don’t have to move it all at once, you can just do 5k at a time and ease yourself into it. I’m not clear on whether your money market account is part of your 401k or just happens to be with the same broker. If it’s the former, I’d start a separate account so as not to not mix up your retirement savings with your other savings.
Are you interested in buying a house at some point? If so, it’s worth holding on to some cash to save up for a down payment, but definitely move it to a high interest account. You should be able to get at least 4%. I’d also think about a Roth IRA, as it sounds like you’re not contributing to one now? You can always withdraw those contributions penalty free, so no need to worry about contributing too much to retirement and not having access to it if you need it.
+1 to the Roth IRA.
Citizens Access savings account is paying 4.5% interest rate. I have 100% of my cash there. I can move money in/out of there to my primary bank, which is not Citizens, very easily. Highly recommend.
Your brokerage likely has CDs from a range of institutions, look under the Fixed Income tab. You can do a CD ladder. That’s easier than opening another account
hysa are offering 4.6-5% interest
I do this too – I have like $225k in cash or CDs right now, mostly in high yield savings accounts. I’m self-employed so I’m saving for taxes and retirement, both of which are mostly in big lump payments once a year, along with our emergency fund of about $90k… but still, way too much in cash.
for you i’d definitely do a CD for $10-$15k of that and lock in the great rate for 18 months. check again in 3-6 months and do another CD for the same amount if rates are still good. set up some automatic investments for some of the other stuff to invest automatically in an index fund or target date fund.
why do you have 40k your 401k in money market?!?! that’s got to be earning next to nothing. stick it all in an index fund or target date fund if you’re really conservative.
also – you’re eligible for a roth, right? absolutely max that out every year, you can always take the principal out tax-free.
OP here. The 40k mm is in my individual brokerage account, seperate from my employers 401k, all at the same broker.
I just took a look at my banks apy on my current checking account and its 0.03%. The mm is higher than that… which is why I parked it there for now.
Thanks for the advice all. sounds like theres options to keep a liquid balance handy but have it do something for me until I need it. My banks hys accounts are around 4.3%. Ill take a look at opening one. Their CD and fixed rate options seem limited but my broker may be the better route for CDs.
I dont really have a savings goal like a down payment at this point. Owning feels like a dream at this point and Ive gotten lucky on my rent staying low relative to my area so Im not really motivated to move right now. My biggest spends recently have been vacations around 2-3k/year plust 1k for travelling to visit family.
At the moment, T-bills are an even better route than CDs. They are paying more and much shorter term. I would look at us T-bill ladder through treasury.gov.
I wouldn’t do T-bills anymore – they adjust the interest rate every 6 months, and the most recent interest rate wasn’t great, with worries that it’s going to keep going down. You’re locked into it for 18 months at least, and it’s a PITA to track and move the money. I put $10k in last year and $5k in January, but I think I’m done with T-bills for a while.
T. Bills are short term. Look at the 13 week and 4 week rates. Your money frees up again in four weeks. You may be talking about I bonds. I’m just talking about straight treasuries.
You might think about auto-depositing part of your paycheck into your brokerage account/high yield savings account. It’ll reduce your mental effort for next time.
What is your health insurance situation? Are you eligible for an HSA?
As a poster above said, I have consolidated/rolled over everything possible to Fidelity and I love having one stop to make decisions. Plus, they have some of the best customer service I’ve ever encountered.
We just moved money to CIT bank – 4.875% interest
Where is your 401k at?
Do you have a Fidelity account?
I use Fidelity as my bank. All of my cash is kept in very high interest money market funds. I have an account that I use like a bank account that I use for bill pay/writing checks, and can use all outside bank ATMs for free. My interest rates are all > 4.5-5+%. I move money around easily from cash-> money markets->buy more index funds etc… I have automatic deposits of paychecks, automatic transfer of funds to keep my bank accounted funded for bill pay/cash account etc… I am a bit lazy so I go in and balance things around every so often to make sure I’m always getting the highest interest rates.
It’s nice having everything in one place. But when you have a lot of cash, which is fine, just know there are lots of easy to access options for cash that have great interest rates right now.
If you decide to move it into investments (mutual funds, whatever), you can approximate dollar cost averaging by moving it in tranches – say, 25% every three months or similar.
Anyone have a dishwasher they absolutely love? Mine is a KitchenAid that came with my house (and I’m pretty sure was new when I moved in two years ago) and I HATE it. It’s hit or miss if my dishes get clean (usually a miss) and we’ve tried so many things to make it better and nothing helps. I just want to open my dishwasher and be able to put things away, not have to inspect and hand wash everything! I also hate the layout of ours-family of 5 and we can never fit enough in. I don’t want to junk a new dishwasher but at this point it’s a nearly useless appliance with no indication that further repairs will improve its performance. Taking recommendations, please help!
We have a Miele and adore it. Pricey but fantastic.
+1. Miele are the BEST. I also recommend Bosch. Get the one with the silverware drawer on the top (not a bucket).
Yes, we have this Bosch and love it!
can I ask how long you have had your Miele and if it has held up over time? I have a Miele vacuum cleaner I adore that is 5 years old and runs as good as the day I bought it and would love to get a Miele dishwasher (if I can justify the price).
My Miele vacuum cleaner is over 20 years old. It has been repaired once (you can have them repaired!) and it’s still perfect.
Re Miele dishwasher – we bought our house inheriting it as a maybe 5 year old appliance, and we haven’t had a problem in our 10 years of use. We have the model with a 3rd drawer at the top for silverware and it’s SO effective.
+1 on Miele. They’re said to last longer than most, too.
We have an 11-year-old Maytag that’s been amazing. Knock on wood.
Also, I’ve heard universally terrible things about Kitchen Aid dishwashers, so it’s not just you!
Maytag and KitchenAid are both made by Whirlpool. These are essentially the same machines with slightly different features, color, racks, etc.
Anti-rec for Boshe. It’s quiet but we hate everything else about it.
Ditto.
Same. People rave about them but I kind of hate mine. I have a higher end model. It is quiet, I like the silverware rack, and it cleans well. But the configuration makes is bad. Hard to load anything but flat plates. So much wasted space.
Same.
We have the top of the line KitchenAid and love it. It gets literally everything clean, even after leaving things sit for a day or two. I’ve handwashed one or two things in the 2 years we’ve had it. Have you had an actual service call to troubleshoot?
This is the one, it is amazing. The light inside seems like something you don’t need, but once you have it, you’ll never go back.
https://www.kitchenaid.com/major-appliances/dishwashers/integrated-control/p.44-dba-dishwasher-with-freeflex-third-rack-and-led-interior-lighting.kdtm804kps.html
This is the one we have too and we really like it. Our only complaint is that the silverware rack slots are two different sizes – and our silverware only fits in the larger slots, so we can only use half of them. We use the jet dry rinse aid though, I think there was a noticeable difference when we ran out for a bit.
+1 My KitchenAid performs like a champ. I do have to clean the spinners on occasion, but that’s a few times a year. I don’t rinse the dishes before I put them in or anything.
After much research, we got a KitchenAid two years ago and I LOOOOOOVE it. It’s quiet and cleans everything. and has a third rack.
My biggest recommendation is to get a dishwasher with the skinny top rack that slides out, for flat cookware and flatware. We have a Thermidor and like it fine.
How much food is still on your dishes when you put them in the dishwasher? Because I grew up with a crummy dishwasher that basically would not remove any food residue, I’m in the habit of rinsing/wiping my dishes extremely well before putting them in the dishwasher. Mine might be fully capable of getting crud off, but I’ll never know. Also, even if a dishwasher is capable of getting off the crud from freshly used dishes, I don’t know how good it would be about dried on stuff (I live alone and run mine about twice a week – I doubt any dishwasher will remove food that’s been dried on there for 3-4 days). I fully understand that the point of the DW is to clean your dishes so you don’t have to, but I think you need to do SOME cleaning beforehand.
I’m the poster that mentioned my KitchenAid above, and I never prewash anything. Just scrape off any big food chunks, and into the dishwasher. It gets everything clean, even if it has been sitting for a couple days. Modern dishwashers are way, way better than what we had 30-40 years ago. It is important to know how to load it so each dish can get sprayed by the water jets. We cram ours full most loads and don’t have issues.
What detergent do you use? The only one that gets my dishes clean is Cascade Platinum. It is tablet form, pricey, but worth it. I would try different detergent before buying a new one. And we scrape but do not pre wash the dishes.
Thank you to everyone who has replied! Yes, we have tried multiple detergents (including Cascade Platinum) and service calls and the problems persist. Husband is voting Bosch or Miele; I’m happy to pay $$$ for something that actually works, but I’ve been so disappointed with most dishwashers in my adult life that I’m skeptical *anything* is worth the money.
A friend of mine had a dishwasher that wouldn’t clean, so they eventually replaced it. Then the new one wouldn’t clean either, so they called service. The service tech diagnosed the problem as being with their drain connection causing the machine to siphon out the water during the cycle. Once they got that fixed (by a plumber, I don’t know exactly what they did), dishwasher worked well. Turned out that the old dishwasher probably didn’t have anything wrong with it either. You may want to look at your whole installation setup and see if there’s something going on before buying a new one.
Has the trap been cleaned? We have a Bosch, which is generally great, but it has a trap/filter on the bottom that needs to be cleaned regularly. I notice dishes don’t get as clean when it’s due for the filter to be washed.
We have two Askos and love them. I looked at the Miele after my more than 15 year old Asko dies, and I bought another Asko instead. I would definitely recommend that you consider Asko-it’s so reliable and so quiet we can’t really hear it run!
Several comments as to troubleshooting dishwashers (as a former dishwasher industry person).
KitchenAid and Bosch are the gold standard in the industry.
Make sure that the top rack arm can rotate freely (on the underside of the top rack). We check every time before we start the dishwasher as sometimes it gets caught up on tall plates/ silverware that sticks out. If it gets stuck on something, your dishes won’t be clean.
You need to use both dishwashing detergent AND a rinse aid. They are two separate things. Even though the packs contain all those colors, you still need both to get good dishes, otherwise you will be left with residue/ spots.
Occasionally, you should use a dishwasher cleaner (or just vinegar/ citric acid) to clean out the hardwater deposits that may occasionally build up. Also check the filter basket on the bottom of the dishwasher to make sure it is not filled. Good luck!
No, you don’t need rinse aid.
Good morning! I am renovating our entry way/mudroom and have decided on tiling the floor. But I am stuck on the type of tiles, what materials to use and what color to use. The wall will be light blue/grey and the cabinets are white. We are in NY and have kids/dogs so something durable and low maintenance would be wonderful. We also take shoes off in the entry way before going in the house. Is porcelain a good material? Should I go for a darker color and darker grout so we don’t need to clean as much? Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Impossible to say without seeing your space, but I just love a checkerboard floor and would do one in a white and medium gray personally.
Here’s a quick example
https://pin.it/6zE5lrw
We installed a mudroom with similar paint and cabinet colors and used gray/blue hexagon tiles, a medium shade. Dark grout is very important. Here’s the tile we used:
https://www.wayfair.com/home-improvement/pdp/merola-tile-textile-hex-9-x-10-porcelain-wall-floor-tile-w009292939.html?piid=2139873968
Oh I bet that turned out great!
What about bluestone or slate?
We have dark grey slate hexagons with dark grey grout. The slate wears better than tile and any damage just looks like natural wear and tear.
Another vote for dark grout, no matter what you choose. LIght grout gets dirty and is impossible to clean.
Ask me how I know…
Slate or slate-like. It’s a classic neutral that you’ll never tire of and won’t offend a buyer in 20 years. And whatever you choose, choose the darkest color grout that’s workable with the tile with the smallest grout lines possible. In an area that high-trafficked, you want minimal opportunity for dirt to show.
Something you may want to consider – I tiled my entry way and regret it. I live in Maine and when it’s wet out, the tile is insanely slippery. I’ve almost fallen a million times to the point where I ended up buying a giant 6′ x 3′ rectangle Water Hog floor mat from LL Bean to cover the main path through the entry way. I wish I had done something differently as I do love the look of the gray 12″ x 12″ tile but it’s crazy slippery.
Those of you who get regular gel manicures-do you wear sunscreen or those UV-blocking gloves? I’m enjoying getting more regular manicures and non-gel pedicures as a way to feel more put-together but would like to avoid damage from the UV light.
Also, what are your go-to colors and mail shapes just for fun? I’m a fan of dark, navy blue, shades with a gray tint (I.e not bright or pastel), chrome/silver metallics or oxblood/aubergine in the cooler months. Surprisingly found black polish chic as well. My nails are short and squarish.
No, I don’t wear sunscreen or gloves. Life is too short to worry about micro issues like that.
Micro issues like skin cancer?
Like minimal to no increased actual risk, yes.
You sound very young.
My age spots and I agree.
Sounds just like me when I was younger, back when it was normal to go to tanning beds just like hair and nail appointments. My biggest worry was whether to add a sticker or not to show off a good tan. Those were the days! (Although maybe there was something to it–I’m being treated for cancer now but it isn’t a skin cancer. So there is that, I guess.)
I have horrible dark spots just on the back of my hands, thanks to not knowing about this issue. Don’t be me.
I also love black and dark polishes. I have a lot of black strappy sandals.
I don’t get gels any more but the place I went put fingerless gloves on their clients before putting on polish so that helped.
I always liked shades of blue when I had it done. Always on short nails.
Most places aren’t using UV lights anymore. Instead, they are using LED lights. You could check with your salon to see which ones they use. Some places that still use UV will provide gloves automatically or upon request. I think I saw an article recently that said it’s unknown if LED lights are risky or not. I’ve decided to only use the LED lights and hope for the best.
I have rather short nails that are naturally a square-oval shape. I keep them short because I have long nail beds, so any amount of length makes them look very, very long, which I don’t want, but that is just my personal preference as I can’t type with long nails and hate when long nails are not all an even length.
For colors, I mainly use OPI gel, and I use many of the most popular, in no particular order: Russian Navy, Lincoln Park After Dark, Got the Blues for Red, Complimentary Wine, Malaga Wine, Black Cherry Chutney, Good Girls Gone Plaid, Isn’t it Grand Avenue, Pink in Bio, Coastal Sand-tuary, Lisbon Wants Moor, Let’s Be Friends, Hue is the Artist, Love is in the Bare.
Yep, the nail salon I go to pnly uses LED.
The salon I go to has clients wear fingerless gloves. I get manicures maybe twice a year and get gel pedis monthly in the summer.
I have a gel kit at home and I rarely use it but when I do I put on sunscreen.
I mostly DIY dazzle dry nails at home though, so no spf needed.
I prefer mauve, burnt orange, or brown nails. I do square nails that extend just beyond my fingertips.
I don’t. I’m nearing 40, never sun tanned in beds in the 90s in high school when everyone else did. Never applied baby oil and laid outside with a tin foil reflector shield. Never even put Sun In on my head to bleach my hair blonde (poorly). I wear sunscreen every day. I think there are always risks in life, and this isn’t one I’m going to worry about.
We’d like to go to Lake Tahoe for either our kids fall break in early October or their spring break in mid April. What’s a better time of year? Mostly just want it to be hot and sunny enough for water activities.
Both of those times are more likely to be quite chilly. Tahoe is only really hot in the summer, like July and August.
+1. It definitely will not be warm enough water activities at either of those times. The highs in October will probably be around 60 and in April around 50-55. Lows in the 30s. For refence, Tahoe ski resorts were still open in April this year (yes, I realize this was a much snowy year than usual, but still).
Even in a normal year, they’d probably be open through part of March, meaning April will be either still ski weather or gross from the snow beginning to melt. I’d go for October if you’re married to Tahoe.
I was just there in June and it was chilly.
Tahoe is a cold lake (high, deep, snow fed), so it needs to be hot out to balance the water enough to make it pleasant.
It’s lovely there all year, but I never really did water activities.
It may still be snowing in April and it definitely won’t be warm enough to swim in the lake. Early October is a better bet, but no guarantees it will still be swimmable. In my experience, the summer season in Tahoe basically goes from July 4 through Labor Day.
Neither. The average high in April is 54 and in October 62. Tahoe is really only “hot” (upper 70s, low 80s) in mid-late summer, July and August.
Pre-crazy wildfires I would have said October is better – you can’t swim, but you have pretty foliage, nice weather for hiking and much lower risk of snow. But I think fires have thrown a wrench in that. I would expect it to be snowing in April and wouldn’t go then except for skiing. (It was snowy once when I drove through in late May.)
Neither of those times.
I feel like you may be thinking California, so therefore warm. But South Lake Tahoe is over 6000 feet, so keep that in mind climate-wise.
As others have said, Tahoe is mostly cold all year except late summer. For an alternative, check out the Russian River – it’s woodsy, has a lot of water activities (but no speed boats or water skiing if that’s your thing) and nice weather for much more of the year. October and April are still a bit of a gamble there, but it’s off season so you’ll find reasonable places to stay, fewer crowds, definite cabin vibes, and you could hit some lovely weather for kayaking and canoeing.
I’d never think of Lake Tahoe as being “hot”.
October you run a greater risk of wildfire smoke/wildfires interfering with your trip. April, you run a greater risk of snow/avalanche risk interfering with your trip.
I wouldn’t swim at either time of year, but you might be ok for kayaking, etc. in October (but call the resort!). In that region, I need a wetsuit to make swimming comfortable in July. I’d expect the risk of hypothermia from capsizing to be too great to make kayaking, etc. a reasonable plan for children in April.
If you want hot in October in Northern California, you could try Carmel Valley or wine country.
Im pursuing dual Italian citizenship (my grandparents were both born there) for my teen children to have options for living/studying in the EU at some point and as a potential retirement destination.
Those of you have considered this/are doing this, any significant downsides or reality checks I may be ignoring? What I mean is that I’m aware of a tendency to idealize Italy/the EU in contrast to the current state of things in the US, but that there are likely significant cultural or other aspects I’m overlooking. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
The only one I can think of at the moment is any impact on security clearance (I’m not sure if there is but if you need one it would be worth checking). Also for your kids I might be worried about a draft. Also tax implications. Not sure if any of those are actually issues, but I would check them out.
Security clearance is correct. In my (indirect) experience, getting a security clearance will be hung up forever until someone remembers to tell the applicant to denounce their second citizenship.
Depends what level clearance. When I had a secret clearance I had several coworkers who had dual citizenship. They didn’t have to renounce their citizenship but did have to surrender their passports as long as they had a clearance.
A quick google indicates that Italy doesn’t have mandatory military service anymore.
No draft. No taxation on income earned overseas like in the US.
I’m so jealous of all of the dual citizenship stuff. It’s made me realize how thoroughly American I am, I guess. Part native, part immigrant a long, long time ago.
You should join one of my many US/Italy dual citizenship groups on FB. This question has been discussed a lot. People in the group reported they’ve obtained security clearances without renouncing the dual citizenship. I’m pursuing it now.
Holding assets in both country is means you may need to file taxes in both in at a minimum you’ll probably need to file at bars in the US every year as part of your taxes. The penalties for not doing so are very steep and they are aggressive about pursuing them.
It will also make estate planning very, very difficult. We are trying to settle in in-laws estate and they were dual citizens and it’s been awful. Every call involves lawyers from two countries and a foreign language.
Depends. If its just dual citizenship with all assets in one country, its generally not bad. So long as the non-resident country doesn’t make you file taxes. I have dual citizenship. If I even move to the other country, I will renounce my US so I don’t have to deal with two places.
Holding assets in two countries is a headache for estate planning regardless of citizenship.
Dual U.S-Other citizen living outsize the U.S., and TBH I’d rather deal with my annual FBAR and tax filing obligations than risk being denied entry into the U.S. because I no longer have a U.S. passport. Renouncing my U.S. citizenship is always on the table, but it’s not a move I plan to take any time soon at all.
Everybody’s mileage will vary, of course. I have many ties back in the States and I return often. If I didn’t have so many ties, then renouncing my U.S. citizenship might seem like a more reasonable proposition.
Pet peeve of the day: if you’re on an email chain with a bunch of people trying to schedule a meeting together, and you’re not the first one to offer dates/times, then LOOK at the slots others have provided. Do not simply ignore everyone else’s emails and offer only times that others have already said they are not available. If you are unavailable at all of the available times then say so! And the group will adjust accordingly.
Email exchange last night:
A: I’m available any time next week
B: I’m available any day except Monday
C: I’m available Monday at 11 am
That is not helpful!
Who is only available Monday at 11am! I’d consider early morning or late evening time slot in this case. People need to accommodate others when necessary.
Person C is letting you know when they are available, just like everyone else did. A and C can meet on Monday at 11 and loop in B later.
I mean, what do you want those people to do? If C is available only Monday at 11, what are they supposed to say? I think your ire is misplaced here.
Same, I’d rethink the necessity of this group all talking at the same time.
I addressed this in the post: “If you are unavailable at all of the available times then say so! And the group will adjust accordingly.“
Maybe we look at more dates. Maybe the group meets without C. Or if C is the important one then we work around it. Different circumstances require different solutions. But it is always rude to ignore other people’s emails; acknowledge that you aren’t available during the open slots, and either offer a solution or if you don’t know what to do then ask.
Okay, but if the group is going to adjust accordingly, they’d need to know C is only available Monday at 11. C is telling you the information you need, just in different words than you want, and you’re getting upset about it. I think you need to adjust your expectations.
No one is ignoring the emails. Someone letting you know they are only available on Monday at 11:00 lets you know they are unavailable the rest of the week. They are proactively telling you when they are indeed available.
Depending on the seniority of c and how meeting heavy their job is, I don’t read their email that way. I think it’s just as likely that they miss read B’s email and thought B said they were only available on Monday. Nothing in C’s email indicates that is the only time that works for them
Disagree on this. Most likely scenario is just laziness in reading the others emails and adjusting schedule. If someone truly has a schedule that tight, there’s usually some sort of nod to that.
Totally agree with you OP. It is annoying.
My pet peeve is email chains like this and the inbox clutter it creates when trying to coordinate larger groups. For work meetings when I have visibility to calendars in outlook, it works much better in my world to propose a promising looking time, and if needed communicate directly with anyone who appears to have a conflict. For personal meetings, I default to picking a date or two and evaluating responses then, or even use doodle or similar to pick a date, rather than having a dozen book club members bouncing ideas back and forth.
I agree, though in this case it’s only a couple of people and no one has access to anyone else’s calendars.
do a doodle poll
+1
+2 doodle poll is the way.
Sounds like the only issue is C’s phrasing. If they had said “I’m *only* available Monday,” would that have been fine? Because that is then letting you know that theres a conflict between B and C and you can adjust accordingly.
Alternatively, C misread B and thought Monday was the good day, which is a different problem.
I use Calendly polls for this. I think even the free seats do this. Doodle also does this and also probably a few other calendar programs.
You also don’t even have to connect calendly to your calendar to use this feature in case your company doesn’t allow it. You just reference your calendar while you select times for the poll.
Using polls improved my life significantly.
These email chains are a waste of energy for everyone. Strongly recommend including a link to WhenIsGood or a similar coordinating system.
Pro tip if you must use email to find times: insert a table. Row headings are time slot choices, columns headings are ppl involved—can also add note if they’re required or optional.
Too much of my life is taken up by scheduling. I ask for preferences and dates that people are not available. Then I pick the best one.not
I went from being a top performer at my job to really hurting, and while I think this is recoverable + possible to get back on the path to partner, I am really going through sh*t right now. that’s all, just screaming into the void.
Similar boat. It’s hard. One day at a time and try to give yourself the same grace you would give others. (and thanks for posting, I need this advice today, too)
Hey – you’re definitely not alone in this. Hang in there, and I hope things start looking up.
You’ve proven you’re capable of being a top performer. You will get through this and become a top performer once again. A couple of meetings with a career/performance coach might help. (I went through this once and my firm hired such a person to help me get past the block that led to the poor performance.)
This was me during the pandemic. Do what you can and don’t beat yourself up too much.
I always wonder how sometimes I am a star and sometimes I’m a loser. I’ve always been the same person with the same work ethic and intelligence. It’s just circumstances not you. It will pass.
You’re not alone. I, too, was considered a top performer for years but, due to burnout and other factors, am not performing on all cylinders lately and it’s been noted. Ugh.
Can you take some vacation and clear your head? That’s what I’m planning to do if I can swing it.
I’ve heard some folks describe 2023 as their flop era, which made me feel very seen! Sometimes screaming into the void is the best we’ve got.
Hang in there!
Now that the weather is hot, I’d like to wear my collar bone length hair in a ponytail but I can’t figure out how to make it look elevated and professional. High pony seems to casual, and low pony looks a bit sad because I only have about 2 inches. My hair around crown and face are somewhat loose because I don’t like my face with slicked back hair. Will a good hair accessory elevate my pony? Help!
When my hair was that length I’d do a low barette clip, gold or tortoise shell. It looked polished.
Neither. Claw clips.
Maybe it’s my age (38), but I cannot get on board with these making a comeback. Put them in the same camp as high-waisted jeans, fanny packs (belt bags), or anything else that screams 90s to me.
I just do a low pony. My hair is above the shoulder. It’s fine.
I just do the low pony. It’s fine even though it’s short.
I always feel like low pony on me is more Founding Father than Meghan Markle. (She makes it look good!)
Hahha why I use a claw clip. Up is better than down for me.
Same! Claw clips 5ever, thank you Gen Z for bringing them back.
While we are talking appliance recommendations (taking lots of notes on dishwashers now) – what do we love for a smaller counter depth fridge? I currently have a french door Maytag that is super reliable but the worst laid out design I have ever dealt with. This week, the veggie drawer mechanism broke so now I just have drawers sitting on a shelf, so it may be time. Due to silly kitchen layout for the size of the house, am tied to something no more than 32 inches wide and counter depth. My only must haves are a water dispenser and a layout that allows me to store taller beverage containers on a shelf as I usually have iced coffee and iced herbal tea in larger pitchers living in my fridge at all times.
Following with interest. The gigantic fridges that are en vogue are invariably annoying to me somehow and we’re about to move into a smaller house with a silly kitchen layout.
So I know you said water dispenser is a must have but I would strongly recommend against it as those often harbor mold and bacteria.
Personally my fridge is the LG LBNC15231V and I like it because the shelves are glass and moveable, the freezer has drawers, it’s counter depth and it’s taller and narrower than most fridges so it looks sleek rather than a chunky blob in my kitchen.
I just got the GE 18.6 CU counter-depth french door – it is 32.75″ wide, so that may be a dealbreaker, but this model has a shelf that can be slid back to allow tall beverage containers. The water dispenser is internal, in the door. I’d look at other GE fridges to see if they have that same tall beverage option – but most french doors have tall beverage storage in the doors! Maybe the Frigidaire 31.5 in. 17.6 cu. ft. Counter Depth French Door Refrigerator would work for you
I just acquired a Bosch refrigerator and a Fisher Paykel refrigerator. The FP is compact and lovely. I’ve been happy with both.
https://www.bing.com/search?q=bosch+refrigerator&cvid=22d68b4a50744fe486ad94c6bce7af6a&aqs=edge..69i57j0l8.4719j0j1&FORM=ANNTA1&PC=U531
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/fisher-paykel-activesmart-13-4-cu-ft-bottom-freezer-counter-depth-refrigerator-stainless-steel/6196814.p?skuId=6196814&ref=212&loc=1&ref=212&loc=Bing&&&&&gclid=953e65711298163d0f5801dfe04da70d&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=953e65711298163d0f5801dfe04da70d
halp i keep going back and buying stuff in the Prime sale. sigh.
what are you buying, I have some credit I want to use up.
I just bought three pair of the cheap sunglasses recommended by Wirecutter. (I may or may not have a sunglasses addiction.)
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/sungait-vintage-round-sunglasses-review/
Link in mod but I bought the Sungait Vintage Round Sunglasses recommended by Wirecutter.
dumb stuff like rechargeable batteries, sriracha sauce, an air purifier for my allergic kid’s room, workout shorts… it’s a lot of stuff that i’ve bought before and know i’ll use. plant stands. protein chips and powder. go through your orders history and click on “buy it again” tabs and eventually there will be a screen with stuff you’ve bought before with the red Prime decal or whatever.
I just did this – thanks.
Here is what I bought outside of that: lego sets for DH and DS #1, a melissa and doug toy for DS #2, bentgo lunch box for DS #1, and then I bought a new nonstick pan (not a prime day special) because we need one.
They’re having a really good sale on Asics Gel Cumulus running shoes, my go to for the past few years.
Another KitchenAid dishwasher question (something is in the air today)!
I have a week that is pulling me in a zillion directions. I was annoyed this morning and pulled the top rack of my dishwasher probably too hard. Now it’s all misaligned. I tried to get it back before I left for the office but I could not – now it’s in there, but it’s very stilted/won’t roll out all the way without messing up. I’m not sure if we’re missing a rack part or what. Any tips?
There are flaps that hold the top rack in position so mess with those – they’re in the back when you pull the rack all the way out. You can see pics in the manual if you still have it, or you can find your manual online.
I do this all the time – I guess I’m like HULK, SMASH when I’m dealing with the top rack, and my husband is always fixing it for me.
Is it an adjustable height rack? You may have one side at the upper setting and one side at the lower setting. Look around at it and see if there are adjusters.
Can anyone recommend a good/reliable town car service to pick me up at JFK airport? TIA!
Legends Limousine.
Random question, is there somewhere I can buy a Cotopaxi Allpa or similar backpack, in person, in Boston? I’m staying in the center of town and don’t have a car. Is there a, like, an outdoor shop in the city somewhere?
Yes! There’s a REI right outside Leachmere (green line) and a couple outdoor stores on the seaport, depending where you’re staying in the city.
REI is in Fenway. accessible on the green line.
Perfect, thank you both!
The Fenway REI is bigger than the one near Lechmere. I’d go to Fenway for a backpack. But, if Lechmere is much closer, you could try calling them first to see what they have in stock.
Totally aware that I may be seeking a unicorn here, but has anyone ever found a wireless strapless bra that stayed up? I don’t need a ton of support, just a little firming up. 34B, wide-set, and my ribs stick out under my boobs in a way that makes underwires impossible. I need it for a wedding in September, but I know that will come up fast, so I’m trying to get on it now. TIA!
Are you sure you’re in the right band size? I’d recommend taking your measurements using the Reddit “A Bra That Fits” calculator, then reassessing. 34B is a common “wrong size” size that people wear when they haven’t been fitted properly.
Yes, I’ve been professionally fitted at an independent bra store and done the ABTF measurements, and really am a 34B. Why do you think it’s the wrong band size?
Because you say you can’t wear any underwire and all your bras fall down. Which suggests you’re in the wrong size.
Oh no, the “stays up” is just based on my decades-ago experience with a strapless bra (underwire, btw). The bras I wear on the regular stay up fine, even if I drop the straps. Unfortunately, dropping the straps isn’t an option with this outfit, which has a camisole top and a high-ish v neck. I tried every bra I already own and none work with the outfit. I’ve considered going without, but I feel a little exposed.
Yes – your comments sound like your band size is too big.
I swear by wacoal for strapless. Soma also has a good one. I think fit is super important with this kind, so go somewhere there is a person who can help ensure you get right size.
I will check those both out. Thank you!
I hate those giant padded monstrosities. 2 things, one is a bustier. The longer line of it makes the cups stay in place and they’re usually not padded. Second, if you have a Demi cup or a balconette bra that fits you well, just wear it with the straps down. Those usually fit better than regular strapless bras.
Alternative: Have a seamstress sew in padding so you don’t need a bra.
What is your outfit neckline like? Would a stretchy molded-cup bandeau work with it? If so, I’d do that and stick it on with fashion tape.
I’m with you on the strapless difficulties. Is it a dress/outfit where a seamstress could sew in those cutlet things so you wouldn’t have to wear a br@ at all? They also make those stick on br@s that don’t have an underwire…I’ve never used one before but maybe that could work?
Unfortunately it’s lightweight silk, so sewing it in won’t work. I’m also leery of the stick-on type, because my skin is sensitive to adhesives and I tend to break out in a rash.
I swear I’m not usually such a princess!
Have you considered a longline bra? They’re strapless but have some boning that goes down to your waist. The extra support really helps it stay in place without being pinchy-tight.
I always thought I needed long line bras for strapless, but I got fitted for a strapless bra at a lingerie store and was told to get a regular, not longline strapless bra but go for a band one size smaller than my actual band size. So for you that would be a 32C instead of your actual 34B.
I would experiment with tape first … it’s come a long way and lots of tutorials for how to
I’m going to be in Minneapolis in mid-October. Any ideas for fun things to do, places to eat, and places to stay? Options are wide open at this point. I will have my kids (9 and 13) with me. I’d like a mix of outdoorsy things and sightseeing; definitely hoping for something chill and relaxing.
I was just there and very much enjoyed staying in the Mill District. The Mill City Museum is great. We stayed in a short-term rental apartment and were able to walk to that museum, to a play at the Guthrie Theater, and to several restaurants. Here’s the place we rented: https://t.vrbo.io/0gUQPyPvnBb. There’s a Trader Joe’s across the street.
Como Zoo in St Paul (free, lovely attached conservatory). Minneapolis Institute of Art. Minnehaha Falls. Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America (go on a weekday). Malcom Yards is great to eat w/kids.
+1 to the Mill City Museum, Guthrie, Minneapolis Inst. of Art, Minnehaha Falls, and Como Zoo and Conservatory. Also, the Minnesota Zoo is supposed to have a new treetop trail opening soon. Your kids are probably a little old for the zoo, but this sounds like it could be cool. I always liked that part of the zoo a lot when I was a kid (it’s the old monorail track turned into an elevated trail).
Minnesotan here, October is a lovely time to visit! Second all of the recs already shared. Depending on where you’ll be staying, I would do a short hike somewhere – the fall foliage might still be quite pretty that time of year. Potentially along the River.
We’ve been invited by some friends to do a 21-day cruise to Antarctica, South Georgia Islands and the Falklands next February. I am tempted but it’s really expensive. Anybody been and want to talk me into or out of it?
I have not been, but this is absolutely on my list when I have older kids. My mom’s sister and her family did a similar trip and they all said it was amazing. The sea can / does get very rough, that would be my only hesitation.
I’ve heard the water is really rough, I mean REALLY rough. It might be interesting to see but not “fun”.
I should clarify the roughness was crossing the Drake Passage. Maybe you can check if you will be crossing that. It’s famous for being the roughest sea in the world.
It is absolutely not a joke. I didn’t do much (ahem…barely any) research ahead of going, so the Drake was a rude awakening. I don’t get seasick easily, and even I was feeling very queasy at points. Someone gave me an extra prescription transdermal scopalomine patch, and that took some of the edge off. Once you get to Antarctica, the water calms down substantially, so it’s not like you’ll be seasick the whole time. And I think the end result of seeing Antarctica was worth it!
Also when crossing the Drake you have to stay in your room. Not safe to go out on deck. So be prepared to be stuck in a small space for 2 days.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2023/07/antarctica-tourism-overcrowding-environmental-threat/674600/
This was my first thought when I read the question! I’ve been starting to think there are places tourists shouldn’t visit, and that’s one of them.
+1,000,000
OMG DO IT. That sounds incredible.
Ahhh I’m soooo jealous! I’ve been lucky to visit a lot of incredible places but this has been #1 on my bucket list since I was a child.
But yeah the Drake Passage can be extremely rough, and I believe it’s about two to three days each way, so it’s not a quick thing. I’ve never been seasick in my life, so I’m not super worried about it and think I’d likely be reasonably ok with standard medicines, but my daughter gets seasick easily and dramamine doesn’t do much for her, so if/when I take her to Antarctica, we will fly there and then cruise in the calmer water near Antarctica, which is an option. So I think it depends on your personal history and risk tolerance.
Also given your husband’s recent health issues, I’d be a little worried about lack of access to good medical care. Many older people cruise to Antarctica for sure (because young people don’t have the time and/or money!) but it’s very remote and it’s not a place you can be quickly helicoptered back from if something goes wrong.
That’s a bucket list trip for me. One of the (many – sorry I’m not sure which) travel bloggers I follow went to Antarctica years ago and it looked amazing. She got to see penguins pretty close up! I believe Nat Geo has a trip like this, if you’re looking for a price comparison.
This is a bucket list trip for me in theory but the videos I’ve seen of the crossing to Antarctica are having a chilling effect. I think you also have to go through a decent amount of medical clearance to do it – aside from the logistics of that, not sure they would accept a traveler who had recently had a stroke? (Glad he’s doing ok!)
It’s not really a medical “clearance” – it’s just a form you fill out, and they don’t really reject anyone as far as I know. But I agree, I’d be hesitant to go 8 months after having a stroke. At the very least, worth a conversation with doctors.
Thanks for the heads up about the medical thing — I just emailed our (joint) doctor to ask if it would be a problem, and his response was “do it!” So I guess it’s not going to be a problem.
Yes I went to Antarctica and it was incredible. It’s like going to Mars or something–just so totally different to anything I’ve ever seen or experienced. The scale of icebergs was unfathomable to me, and when you get up close, they almost seem to glow blue from inside. The sheer amount of wildlife (penguins by the thousands, seals, whales, birds, etc.) was so impressive.
I would make sure that the ship you’re doing is small enough to let you go on shore or in small Zodiac boats (the big ships aren’t allowed to do that). If I was just cruising around looking from afar, it would have been interesting but not anywhere near as good or memorable.
The Drake Passage is no joke so make sure to get those Rx seasickness patches, but other than that, I didn’t have any issues.
The “big” ships that go to Antarctica are still small by cruise ship standards – less than 500 people – and they definitely have Zodiacs so you can go ashore.
You guys–I just escaped total catastrophe. I just took a load of sheets out of the washer that I threw in before bed last night. Hadn’t realized a bottle of nail polish must have fallen off the nightstand and landed in there. It made it through the complete cycle without opening, and I only discovered it when I heard a clang when I threw it into the dryer before hitting start. The funny thing is that last night my husband complained about how loud the washer is (it is–but now I know it wasn’t the normal loud!).
I feel like I should go play the lottery today.
Yikes that could have been BAD!!
Buy a scratch-off ticket for sure!
Lucky! One of my kids left two crayons in their pockets and I didn’t notice before throwing everything in the dryer and so many things got ruined!
Sometimes we get lucky! My key fob for my car has been through the entire wash cycle on two occasions, with no ill effects.
28 year old here (so I’m plenty young and newish in the work force) but holy heck some newer employees in my office are so unprofessional. They’re not on my team, I don’t know who they are or who they work for, so I can’t really say anything. But they’re pretty much yelling / laughing super loudly in the hallways. They’re wearing some very cute but not work appropriately outfits.
A few ones who work on team interacts with are better but not much: never respond to emails, late to meetings, late deliverables, dressing questionably.
My office is pretty much back to pre-pandemic status (4 days in the office, nicer business casual dress code).
I’m not a curmudgeon and I know I was in their shoes only 6 years ago, but I’m pretty shocked by their behavior (and that their boss hasn’t shut it down!). I know I had a lot to learn when I started in the work force, but I also knew not to scream in the halls!
Tell them! They’ll remain clueless until someone gives them a clue. At a recent team dinner my coworker declined the beverage menu because he doesn’t drink. Our 22 year old hire didn’t understand that you should *not* respond by asking the coworker why he doesn’t drink. It doesn’t matter if they’re inexperienced or just plain stupid, you gotta give them some guidance.
Ugh, that’s a tricky one. My boss, a partner, asked a 23-year-old staffer who she voted for in gubernatorial elections last fall, in his car on the way to a client site (so no escape!). She answered, but you could tell she was wildly uncomfortable. I wish I’d thought fast enough to intervene somehow and change the subject.
The dress issue is not your circus not your monkeys, but you can reasonably poke your head out of your door with a quick “you may not realize but sound really travels, and I am trying to work so if you could keep in down in the halls I would appreciate it.”
And if you are the person impacted by the late response/deliverables/meetings, by all means say something! “If you cannot make a meeting on time, please let me know. I am super busy right now and could use the time.” (or even my favorite passive/aggressive “is everything OK? X was due last week and I was afraid you had been in an auto accident or something.”)
But if you are not the person impacted, again it is their supervisor’s job to address it.