Corporette.com

Updated: Jan 27, 2022 113 Comments · by

Coffee Break: BooBuddy

Coffee Break

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

A woman (with head, arms, and legs cropped out) wearing a gray sports bra and black band over it

As someone on the bustier side, I had heard of these weird bands for YEARS but resisted buying them until recently. I finally did, and I heartily recommend them — particularly if, like me, you have your “casual exercise bras” that are good for walking or weightlifting or the stationary bike, and then you have your “stiflingly uncomfortable but nothing's moving” bras for aerobics or running.

(I could also see it great for something you keep in your gym bag at work!)

As I've written about before, as far as sports bras go, I love the Enell, Freya, or Panache for running/aerobics — but for a bra to work it has to be crazy tight, which also means that it's better for those days when I get dressed, immediately work out, and then immediately shower or change into other clothes. Over the past two years, though, I've fallen into the habit of rolling out of bed, putting on workout clothes, INTENDING to work out, and then either getting to it mid-afternoon or not at all.

So I primarily wear my kinder, gentler sports bras like Glamorise or Syrokan. But then if I finally do get around to working out and I'm in the mood for an aerobic workout, or if the workout I thought would be low intensity involves things like jumping jacks, then it's less than ideal from a bra situation. (Here's a funny New Yorker comic about the bra situation.)

{related: the best strength-training programs to do at home}

Anyway, the BooBuddy is the perfect compromise. I can wear the comfortable bra up until I work out, and if I choose a higher impact workout or there are a few moves that are higher impact, I can just add the BooBuddy on top of my current bra.

Does it look great? No. Does it work? Yes. And I'm ok with that tradeoff for comfort/flexibility/support.

The BooBuddy is available in seven colors for $25 at Amazon.

This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

Sales of note for 9.10.24

Sales of note for 9.10.24

Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…

RSS Error: WP HTTP Error: cURL error 60: Issuer certificate is invalid.

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. Anon

    Has the person who photoshopped the product onto the model ever even SEEN boobs? What on earth is it supposed to accomplish sitting above them?

    • Anonymous

      That was my question–shouldn’t this be worn underneath, not on top?

    • Sunshine

      I’m not large in the chest, but I definitely need control on the top when I run or do jumping exercises. I never understood the scoop neck workout bra; I need a fair amount of support and material above to keep everything in place.

    • anon

      I do not understand this product at all. I don’t even understand the problem it’s trying to fix. Just change your bra before you workout, FFS.

      • Anon

        I don’t understand people who take the time to comment on a product clearly not meant for them, if they can’t imagine why this is necessary.

        • Anon

          I’m just skeptical. If I wear a bra that really and truly fits, it’s better than any sports bra I’ve ever tried, and feels normal to me. So it feels like a solution for a poorly fit bra. But maybe I just don’t mind a tight band; I’m not sure.

  2. AIMS

    Why can’t you just change bras? This seems like a solution without an actual problem.

    • Anon

      Agreed. I’m large chested, so all of my sports bras are tight. I have never found changing my bra to workout to be a problem that needed to be solved. Also, I want to get out of the sweaty bra immediately after the workout, so I would need an extra bra on hand either way.

      • No Face

        Same. I am a 34 G/H. I have heavy duty bras for exercise, and I need to immediately take all my exercise clothes off because I sweat.

    • AZCPA

      And if your bra is “stifling uncomfortable” then it’s not the right bra (or doesn’t fit correctly). I’m a DDD, so I need plenty of support, but my jogging/cardio dance bras are still comfortable.

      • Anon

        +1. 36F. Some of my running bras are so comfortable, I prefer wearing them over my everyday bras.

    • Anon

      I don’t think you’re truly large of bust if you’re asking this question. If you’re something like a G or H cup you don’t “just” go out and buy the perfect supportive sports bra. They are like a needle in a haystack, and when you find one, it’s like $80. And I agree with the post, my tight but properly fitting sports bra that keeps my GGs from bouncing is not a pleasure to wear and I often dread putting it on.

      A little extra help from an elastic band seems like a good idea to me.

      • Anon

        I agree, I used to be ~32 E/F which was large in the cup but ultimately I could wear many bras comfortably. Now I’m much bigger and it’s a whole different ballgame. I need bras that have some serious engineering if I want true support and I have found none of them to be comfortable.

      • Anon

        I’m a 30G and my holy grail sports bra (Panache High Impact Underwire) is currently $42 on Bare Necessities, as long as you can tolerate weird colors and prints.

        • Anonymous

          Ooh, thanks for the tip! This the best bra. I’m a 32FF in british sizes (32H in American).
          I don’t understand how putting on the boo buddy is easier for Kat than changing bras but whatever works!

      • Anonymous

        Yup.

        I’m a cup size L in US sizes (not L as in “large”, I mean the L that comes after DDD, E, F, G etc). There is no alternative for a 28L sports bra that is comfortable for high impact sports – for the bra to actually work, it needs to be very, very tight. It’s more uncomfortable to not wear a sports bra – but that doesn’t make the bras comfortable.

        I’ll happily try any silly gimmick to get a better sports bra situation and more support on top would be great, but this band does not come in small enough sizes for a 28 back, so would just lie on top of the bust as a scarf…

    • JHC

      I’m a G cup. I wear one over a sports bra and have found that the combination works well for me, better than just a well-fitting bra.

  3. Anon

    Posted very late on the morning thread: the fact that my boss is talking about me behind my back (not in a good way) to other department heads is a huge red flag and a sign that I need to loom for a new job ASAP, right?

    • Anon

      It ain’t good, but it’s also not necessarily immediate doom. My boss was talking a lot of $hit about me behind my back because he was really frustrated about pandemic-related childcare disruptions decreasing my productivity and causing me to take some time off, but I continued getting decent reviews because there was nothing objectively bad he could say about me. You can’t really write a review that says “1 star. This employee took too much of her legally permitted leave and I didn’t like it.” I ended up getting transferred to a new manager, I think because he wanted to get rid of me, but it was a win for me to because the new guy is much better. But this boss sounds miserable, so no harm looking for a new job, right?

      • Anon

        Hah. I had a supervisor who told the employees at a staff meeting that no one should be taking all of their earned, annual leave. Government agency.

    • Anon

      Yes, with the caveat that if you are certain you have support elsewhere in the company, and if you are certain your boss’s opinion doesn’t carry a lot of weight, you may be able to move elsewhere in the company. That’s the case only if you have networks and longevity at your company, your company is large enough that you can find shelter elsewhere, and you have a solid reputation and your boss doesn’t. But getting out is likely the best answer.

    • Anon

      My boss was talking shit about me to other managers but then also began CCing me on the emails to other managers talking about how terrible I was. Then she quit and I’m still here.

  4. Anon

    Favorite European cities to visit in August? August is my least favorite time of year to go to Europe because it’s hot and mobbed with tourists, but this is a family trip that we had no say in scheduling. The family trip is a cruise, so we’re looking to spend 2-3 days on our own in a city of our choosing before or after.

    • NYCer

      August is obviously the highest of high seasons, but I would still pick Cote d’Azur…. Lots of options for home base: Cannes, Antibes, Eze, Saint Paul de Vence, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, etc. Fly into or out of Nice (big but easy airport with direct flights to JFK and Newark).

    • Anonymous

      Scandinavia is nice in August. Tromso is nice in the midnight sun and Helsinki is always refreshing.

    • Sloan Sabbith

      Reykjavik! Not hot. Mobbed with tourists, but so is everywhere. But really it was nice to be somewhere in the 60s/70s on the warmest day after being in hot weather at home for months.

      I also liked Amsterdam, I went in early August.

    • CB

      I wouldn’t do Edinburgh until August because if the festival, but scotland more generally would be great. Potentially wet, but that’s fine.

  5. Hysterectomy

    I’m scheduled for a total laparoscopic hysterectomy next week (keeping my ovaries). Nervous, but will be glad to have my issues resolved. Anyone BTDT who can offer prep or recovery tips?

    • pugsnbourbon

      It wasn’t me, but someone said a wedge pillow was a huge help following a laparoscopic procedure. I had my tubes + an ovary out in 2020 and that sitting up movement was tough.

    • Anonymous

      Given my experience with other gynecological surgeries: prunes, be prepared for right arm and shoulder pain (relates to anesthesia somehow), and get wirecutter’s Rec for hot pad. Good luck!

    • Anonymous

      A friend had it in Sept and is so happy now. At the time, she took 2-3 weeks off. Couldn’t fit in regular bras or pants for a while—evidently significant bloat. I think she was on exercise and lifting restrictions for 4-6 weeks.

    • Oh so anon

      I had this done nearly 12 years ago, but I had my ovaries out as well. TBH, the worst part of recovery was nausea. Pain was minimal, especially compared to the issue that was being addressed. I went back to work six days after my surgery. It was not nearly as big a deal as I was expecting!

    • Essential+in+Texas

      I had this done 4 years ago (including ovaries). Rest and fluids! Shoulder pain is common after any similar surgery because of the gas they use to inflate your tummy. That was the hardest part of my recovery. Well, and the menopause for the next 10 months. Rest and fluids! You got this.

  6. Anon

    NYC trip advice. For early June, we want to fly into Allentown to visit my parents there with my kids (everyone is vaxxed). We will be renting a car (will garage it in Weehawken/Hoboken while in NYC). My spouse and kids have never been to NYC. I grew up in a town with a bus to Port Authority, so NYC was my playground. For tourist teens and adults who have never been before, and with maybe 60 hours to spend, I’d like for them to see one play there (something like Six) and a couple of museums (kids like art and history). Is the Cloisters too much of a haul? MMA too generic? Intrepid? I think I have a connection to stay at the NYAC, but if not, would appreciate any recommendations. I used to go to only cool spots, then only Midtown for work, and now I feel like I am starting from scratch and drawing blanks. For older kiddo, might tour Cooper Union (mainly to see what an urban college looks like, although classes will probably be over) and I like walking around NYU (but would not encourage a tour b/c it is too expensive for us).

    • Marshmallow

      I would not recommend the Cloisters unless it has religious meaning for you. I love both art and history and I found it stifling, boring, and honestly kind of oppressive. And as you point out, it’s also kind of a haul.

      The Whitney will be having its Biennial exhibit while you’re there; that’s a great area for walking along the High Line, lots of great restaurants if you are foodies. Your teen who is into history might really enjoy learning about the evolution of the High Line and the surrounding neighborhood. And we live in a town similar to where you grew up, so we go into NYC a lot (including for work), but still love the big classic museums: Natural History, the Met, MoMA. If your family tends toward bookish, I also recommend The Morgan— even just walking around the old historic mansion is cool, but they have an interesting slate of rotating exhibits and, of course, an incredible library with historic first editions.

      • Anonymous

        The Cloisters is un-air conditioned too! Probably not an issue in June but FYI.

    • Cat

      maybe restrictions will be lifted but Cooper’s tours are currently suspended FWIW.

      The part I always liked best about visiting cities as a teen was not feeling like everyone was watching me be a tourist – so, planning nice walks outside and then cute restaurants to eat at and people watch, more absorbing the scene than Touring Museums. So for 2.5 days I’d pick one “tourist thing” per day and otherwise plan to explore different neighborhoods.

    • Elle

      If it’s their first trip to NYC, I don’t think there’s such a thing as too generic. I would look into Citypass which is a great value IMO and book 3 things off that. One tall building (my preference is Rockefeller but whatever makes sense for the part of town you’re in), one of the art museums, and the intrepid/natural sciences depending on their interest. I think between those, a show, and some walking around you have a pretty full 60 hours.

      • NYCer

        +1. This is what I would recommend as well. I would probably do the Freedom tower vs. Top of the Rock, but all of them work (including The Edge at Hudson Yards).

    • Anon

      The tenement museum may be fun for older teens who like history and close enough to NYU if you’re going to be near there. The Museum of Chinese in America is a fun museum and never busy.

      The Cloisters are a bit of a trek but you could make an UWS day out of it: first stop, Levain cookies!, after your sugar fix stop by the NY Historical Society (next to natural history museum, but smaller and may be more interesting to older kids), eat at any of the great restaurants in the UWS, then head uptown. Like bubble tea? Shiny Tea is literally a hole in the wall and/or stop by the Hungarian pastry shop for desserts, afternoon bagels at Absolute Bagels, climb up St John the Divine (if open), see Columbia (no need for a tour, the campus is pretty self explanatory!), then go up to the Cloisters and Fort Tryon Park. End the day with Dominican chicken at Malecon (175th st) or ramen/oysters/cocktails at ROKC on 141st

    • AIMS

      I probably wouldn’t do the Cloisters (although it’s great!) and I don’t think the MMA can be too generic to someone who has never been! Also- I’ve been going to the Met for over 30 years and I still love it (and taking my kids is a whole new layer of fun b/c I get to re-experience even the well-known parts all over again). In June, make sure you go up to the roof. There is always a different installation and it’s m maybe my favorite view in all of NYC.

      I would actually lean into all the touristy bits.

      – Go up top to the Empire State Building, Rock Center, or Freedom Tower (ESB is my least favorite of the three but it’s the one most 1st time visitors want to go to).
      -Get tickets to whatever show is at the TKTS booth (check to see if the one in the South Street Seaport is open & if yes, go there b/c it never has long lines). They also have an app so you can see what’s available.
      -Have lunch in Chinatown … get Korean food on W 32nd … eat all the pizza (Rubirosa is my go-to for visitors, tons of other options, too, obviously).
      – Walk around Washing Square Park/West Village/East Village. The dosa cart near NYU law in WSP is great for lunch in the park, if you see it.
      – Take the ferry around –> you don’t need to do the Circle Line (although no judgment!) but NYC ferry service is really fantastic now! For the cost of a subway fare you can really get an amazing experience. If you want to go to BK (and you should!) this is a good way to get there/incorporate the ferry into the experience.
      – Check to see what programs Lincoln Center is doing – often they have outdoor dance stuff in the summer and you can just hang out for a bit and enjoy (impromptu random performances are one of the best things about NYC).
      -Obviously you’ll get to pass thru Times Square when you go see a show.

      In terms of other museums (and I wouldn’t overdo it because I think you can just have fun enjoying the city), the Guggenheim is small and fun, MOMA is obviously a huge destination (but not my favorite), the American Folk Art Museum is right near NYAC and kind of neat. Lots of people here seem to love the Tenement Museum on the LES. If you post your kids/husband’s interests here – I am sure you will gets tons of other recommendations.

      • Anonymous

        Pretty good list you’ve got, but for OP I’d also think about dropping by Central Park and AMNH if you’re already going to the Met. Cloisters is definitely a bit of a haul for a first trip to the city. especially if everything else you do is closer to midtown/downtown Manhattan.

      • roxie

        OP, if you’re parking in Hoboken just take the ferry to wall street so you get the amazing water tour while you commute! then you’re practically at the seaport and can walk around there, over to Freedom Tower, or right to Brooklyn bridge. Big fan of that Hoboken ferry!

    • Anon

      Just FYI there are daily buses from LVIA to NYC, if you’d prefer that to driving. Check the Trans-Bridge company schedule.

    • Anon

      ACK comment stuck.

      Just FYI there are daily buses from LVIA to NYC, if you’d prefer that to driving. Check the Tr@ns-Bridge company schedule.

    • Anonymous

      I agree that the Met is a worthwhile classic – it is so huge that there is something for everyone, and their rotating exhibits mean there’s always something new. I really prefer it to MOMA, which looks kind of empty (of art) to me since it expanded. The Museum of Art and Design near Columbus Circle is smaller and more off the beaten track, but it has some really interesting exhibits that veer more towards fine craft and can be more accessible.

      I think the Tenement Museum could be great for older kids; if it is hot, you might want to skip it as tenements are authentically un-air conditioned (probably bearable in June).

      The Guggenheim has a manageable scale and is fun to look at, even if you don’t love the exhibit.

      Depending on where you are coming from, the Natural History Museum might be worth doing. It is kind of old school – very taxidermy forward, and while beloved, I think it is not as cool as, say, the Natural History Museum in DC. It also gets very crowded, with long lines for entry.

      If your kids are into planes, the Intrepid is worthwhile; it isn’t really my thing and it is kind of a PITA to get to. If you go, maybe combine that with a visit to Little Island – see if there are any outdoor performances when you will be in town.

      Other things to do – ride the Staten Island Ferry or any of the water taxis for a cheap boat tour. Go people watching in Central Park.

      For theater tickets, you might look at the TodayTix app – it fills the same niche as the TKTS booth and means you don’t have to stand in line. Unless things improve a lot before June you should be able to get tickets for a song.

      Note that due to the pandemic, a lot of the museums have started to require people buy tickets online in advance, and they do sometimes sell out (probably not a big problem mid-week). You will also have to show ID and vaccine cards to get into museums, theatres, and restaurants. Subways are still running with less capacity. All of this means it seems to take longer to get places and get into places than it used to pre-pandemic.

  7. Anon

    I need to do serious work on my feet. No matter how much I scrape with a pumice, slather with lotion, wear socks, etc., I can’t get rid of the callouses on my heels. I almost tore a fitted sheet once… Would you recommend doing the “baby soft” sloughing treatment and just vacuum all the time or go to a good salon and pay extra for the extra treatments and work the poor lady will have to do?

    • AIMS

      I have no experience with either but just wanted to recommend the Aveeno cracked heel cream in the big jar. It really is amazing. I somehow cracked my heel last summer and no pedicure helped (the woman at the salon literally TSK’ed at me and then shrugged) but this totally fixed it in about a week.

    • BB

      Not very helpful here, but commiseration! I have the same problem with my feet over the past 2 years. Thanks to advice here, I got moisturizing socks and wore them constantly for a week with Origins heel cream. Then I got a Diamecel foot file and soaked/scrubbed at the end of the week. My heels felt great! First time in 2 years that my feet felt normal. Then…it all basically went back to the way it was within a week :( I tried to do the socks+moisturizer at least once a week, but that didn’t seem like enough. It’s annoying because I hate wearing the socks so it’s not something I want to do all the time.

    • Anon

      Slugging. Let thick lotion soak in, over-coat with a light layer of Vaseline or Aquaphor, cover with all-cotton socks, wear to bed.

    • No Face

      All my hard work at home never matches a professional pedicure. The home scraping and sanding just helps prolong the time between visits. Just tip really well!

    • Anon

      Make sure your lotion has urea. I would look for a pretty high percentage too, like 10%

    • Nora

      The amlactin lotion made the biggest difference to my feet
      The green prolinc Callus Eliminator + pumicing helped a lot. What really worked was doing a lot of callus eliminator / Amlactin on my own, and then going to a salon to get the last part done. The salon lady was still a bit horrified and I was like “this is several times better than what I started from”

    • Anon

      Last spring my feet were really crusty but after a friend of mine got a pretty scary skin infection from a (very reputable, high-end, fancy-schmancy) nail salon in town, I haven’t been too keen on nail salons. Plus, I just feel bad for the technicians dealing with my gnarly feet (I feel the same way when I have too much tartar and the dental hygienist has to scrape a lot).

      I got a pretty good result from doing a Baby Foot peel (I followed all the instructions about soaking my feet first and I left it on a full hour and a half), going through the peel phase, pumicing and scrubbing and all that, and then doing a Baby Foot again a month later. After the second peel my feet were really soft and even the worst calluses were gone. Will caution that if you have sensitive skin on the tops of your feet this may not be a safe (or comfortable) move; always patch test first obviously. And then make sure to sunscreen the tops of your feet when you do start going outside in sandals.

      For me, the peeling from the Baby Foot peels is best managed by wearing socks 24/7 through the worst days of the shed and then being diligent about scrubbing my feet in the shower; I wear smooth socks (if you wear socks that are fluffy on the inside, be prepared to throw them out) and change them twice a day. Turn inside out to wash.

    • Anon

      I file them dry. With a regular file and then one of those Amope power tool things. Then soak and do it again. The Baby Foot thing never gave me great results.

      • Anonymous

        Agreed. I needed a file ultimately. Baby peel, lotions, slugging, pedis, did nothing.

    • Anon 2.0

      I highly recommend a glass foot file. It is much better than a pumice and can easily be purchased over on the River for under $15.

    • Of Counsel

      I am a little surprised at the people saying the salon is better than Baby Foot. That has not been my experience at all. When my heels were really bad I had to do it twice (2weeks apart) but Baby Foot did more for my feet than any pedicure and did not hurt. It helps to soak your feet before you use it and keep it on twice as long as the instruction say.

    • Anonnymouse

      The only thing that has worked on my heels is the microplane foot file – used dry.

    • CB

      I use those peel booties. I get mine from beauty pie but they are pretty widely available.

  8. AIMS

    I probably wouldn’t do the Cloisters (although it’s great!) and I don’t think the MMA can be too generic to someone who has never been! Also- I’ve been going to the Met for over 30 years and I still love it (and taking my kids is a whole new layer of fun b/c I get to re-experience even the well-known parts all over again). In June, make sure you go up to the roof. There is always a different installation and it’s m maybe my favorite view in all of NYC.

    I would actually lean into all the touristy bits.

    – Go up top to the Empire State Building, Rock Center, or Freedom Tower (ESB is my least favorite of the three but it’s the one most 1st time visitors want to go to).
    -Get tickets to whatever show is at the TKTS booth (check to see if the one in the South Street Seaport is open & if yes, go there b/c it never has long lines). They also have an app so you can see what’s available.
    -Have lunch in Chinatown … get Korean food on W 32nd … eat all the pizza (Rubirosa is my go-to for visitors, tons of other options, too, obviously).
    – Walk around Washing Square Park/West Village/East Village. The dosa cart near NYU law in WSP is great for lunch in the park, if you see it.
    – Take the ferry around –> you don’t need to do the Circle Line (although no judgment!) but NYC ferry service is really fantastic now! For the cost of a subway fare you can really get an amazing experience. If you want to go to BK (and you should!) this is a good way to get there/incorporate the ferry into the experience.
    – Check to see what programs Lincoln Center is doing – often they have outdoor dance stuff in the summer and you can just hang out for a bit and enjoy (impromptu random performances are one of the best things about NYC).
    -Obviously you’ll get to pass thru Times Square when you go see a show.

    In terms of other museums (and I wouldn’t overdo it because I think you can just have fun enjoying the city), the Guggenheim is small and fun, MOMA is obviously a huge destination (but not my favorite), the American Folk Art Museum is right near NYAC and kind of neat. Lots of people here seem to love the Tenement Museum on the LES. If you post your kids/husband’s interests here – I am sure you will gets tons of other recommendations.

  9. Anon

    Recommendations for places to stay in Denver for a long weekend at the end of April? Either neighborhoods and/or specific hotels/Airbnbs?

    • Anonymous

      I would look in Cherry Creek North. Downtown is overrun by homeless now – which is really unfortunate. The Union Station area is particularly bad. Cherry Creek has several newer hotels, great restaurants and shopping (all walking). Look at Halcyon, Clayton Street and Jacquard Hotels. There’s also a JW Marriott.

  10. Recs for Richmond, VA?

    Recommendations for restaurants or things to see in Richmond? DH and I are looking at a weekend getaway in early March. We’re likely staying at the Jefferson, and don’t know Richmond at all. The Fine Arts Museum is on the list already.

    • anonamouse

      I like the botanical gardens, even when it’s not peak flower season. Hiking trails along the river are also lovely and not too crowded.

      Definitely get pastries at Sub Rosa (order ahead online). We enjoyed dinners at Brenner Pass and Mantu, and cocktails and light snacks in the lobby bar/restaurant at the Quirk Hotel.

    • RVA resident

      Stella’s for excellent Greek food. Make a reservation now as they quickly fill up. Lunch/Supper for Southern. We have a ton of breweries and a few cideries. Hardywood brewery for live music. Blue Bee Cidery has a cheese shop built in and often has events and live music. A cooking class at Publix or Mis En Place could be fun if that’s up your alley. Hollywood Cemetery has great views of the city.

    • Anon

      I know Richmond has this reputation has a renaissance city, but we went on a Saturday a couple weeks ago and we weren’t wowed. Its attractions are mainly Civil War-focused because that’s really the only thing that’s ever happened there. The Virginia Museum of History and Culture is closed for renovations. You could head southeast of the city to the James River plantations from the colonial era? Tuckahoe, Thomas Jefferson’s childhood home, is just west of the city along the James – it’s only open Sundays 1-4. Maybe you could go a little later and do the Richmond segment of Historic Garden Week? https://www.vagardenweek.org/tours/

      • Anon

        Your post below says you’re looking for a romantic weekend. Would renting one of the colonial buildings at Colonial Williamsburg interest you? Lots to do in that area.

      • Anon

        +1 I’ve been to Richmond several times for work. It’s a perfectly pleasant place but not somewhere I would choose to vacation, especially a romantic getaway.

      • Anon

        Oh, I disagree! It’s been too long since I visited for me to have helpful recommendations, but Richmond is just right for a weekend getaway for me. The attractions for me are art scene, food, relative walkability, and great places to stay.

      • Shenandoah

        This perspective is somewhat understandable but a bit discouraging. There is a wealth of great food and walkable areas to enjoy in Richmond! If you’re a huge history buff who happens to not care about Civil War era history, I can understand the disappointment. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is a treasure. A walk through Carytown makes for a fun afternoon to browse shops and grab bites along the way. Maymont is a beautiful park with gardens and a nature center. It’s not right downtown, but there is also Lewis Ginter botanical garden, which is well worth the trip. If you’re feeling more adventurous, a walk over the pedestrian bridge to Belle Isle gives you great views of the city and lets you experience the James River more intimately. But seriously, there are SO many wonderful meals (and drinks, if that’s appealing to you) you can have in Richmond! It’s been a while since I was there, but Lemaire (in the Jefferson), Stella’s, Kuba Kuba, L’Opposum, and Rappahannock come to mind.

  11. Richmond, VA recs?

    Things to do/places to eat in Richmond, VA? DH and I are looking at a romantic weekend in early March but don’t know the city at all. Probably staying at the Jefferson, and Fine Arts Museum is on the agenda already.

  12. Got an offer

    After more than a year of unemployment I have received a job offer today. I still have interviews this week but I am glad because the offer is from one of the companies I thought was a good fit. I have a week to give my response on the offer, the first offer from a close friend was not to accept the offer on the spot and go through the other interviews this week. The one tomorrow is actually a fourth and final interview. What else should I do before accepting the offer (or not in case something better comes up)? The offer is with a big consulting company in the IT field, the salary is within the range I gave but on the lower end, but slightly higher than previous job in academia. I will have a top-up health insurance (am in Europe so this is on top of the basic healthcare), which I did not have before so this is something I am happy about. This sounds like a dumb question but I realized in my excitement there are things I could overlook or forget to ask questions that I should ask before acceptance. This is the reason for this post.

    • Anon

      Always counter and ask for more money. The worst that can happen is that they say no. (I guess technically they could pull the offer, but that would be such a huge red flag that it’s a massively dysfunctional workplace)

      • Got an offer

        OP here: I have thought about doing this but not sure how. The recruiter called me to tell me about the offer, then sent an email with all the information. I am an anglophone so doing all this in French which is not my first language but I do speak with good enough fluency. There are templates online with advice on how to counteroffer in French or I would call the recruiter back.
        He made a mistake in his email by writing a date in January as the deadline for responding when it should be February so will point that out in my email to say yes I have received the offer and I am taking the time to study it and will give him my response before the deadline.
        And yes my hesitancy to make a counter-offer is because I am also nearing the end of my unemployment benefits so would like to have a job soonest. If I received a second offer this week I would do it more confidently because I would be sure that I will not end up with nothing. Apart from reiterating the utility of transferable skills from my previous job in asking for more I am not sure what else to add. In terms of time spent in IT consulting companies I get no points since I am switching fields, this is something they consider. Other ideas on how to go about this welcome. Thanks in advance.

        • Anon

          They have made you an offer, and countering will not lead them to withdraw the offer. Either they will negotiate something in the middle, meet your ask, or worst case reject to raise the salary. If the third happens, you can think if there is something else you want (like professional development, 2 days WFH, or something relevant to your field) and ask for that as a counter. An initial offer is just that, the company will never offer the highest they CAN pay you first.

          ‘Thanks very much for extending me an offer, I am excited about joining XYZ company/your amazing team. Based on my skills/experience/proven track record of X and market value for someone in this role, I am looking for compensation closer to X.
          I’m glad for this opportunity and look forward to hearing from you
          You

          If you are really really truly uncomfortable and simply won’t ask if you have to ask:
          ‘Thanks very much for extending me an offer, I am excited about joining XYZ company/your amazing team. Based on my skills/experience/proven track record of X and market value for someone in this role, are you open to negotiation?

      • Anon

        This is not good advice. Salary is something you talk about upfront, so OP if it’s in the range you agreed to, why are you now unhappy? Check the other things that are important to you by comparing packages vs what you had previously, for example pension contributions, etc.

        Companies absolutely can rescind an offer. At least here in the US.

        This is not legal advice.

    • Anon

      Deadlines to accept are also almost always fake. You should also add, “As you know, I am interviewing with one other company. I will need a one week extension so that I can properly evaluate both of my options as the interviewing timelines are not perfectly lined up. Please let me know if this will be an issue.”

      And then….tell the place on thursday that they are your top choice but you have an exploding offer and would love to hear back from them by next Tuesday at the latest, as you have another exploding offer.

      Good luck!

  13. Anon

    So many travel Qs today! Any suggestions for where to go (continental US) for a four day weekend over Memorial Day with a 4 year old? She’ll hopefully be at least partially vaccinated by then, but I’d still prefer places with outdoor dining and plenty of options for outdoor activities. Not looking to just lounge at the beach, and I don’t have a lot of tolerance for hot weather, which I think rules out a lot of the south. We’re coming from the Chicago area and are comfortable flying (and in fact I prefer to fly rather than do a long drive – she generally does better in planes than cars).

    • Anon

      Asheville or any of the little towns in North GA will check those boxes. The weather will still be nice in the mountains.

    • InHouse Anon

      If you enjoy hiking/outdoors, Port Angeles (near Olympic National Park, fly into SeaTac) or Cannon Beach/Astoria OR (fly into Portland) could be fun. My family, incl our four yr old, spent last Memorial Day in Astoria and surrounding state and national parks and had a really good time.

      • Sloan Sabbith

        Long Beach, WA! It’s a beach, but not hot. There are multiple lighthouses to walk to, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and the views from there are cool, and it’s a cute town on a cute peninsula. It’s about a half hour drive to Astoria over a very big bridge. You can go walk around Fort Clatsop, which I think a 4 year old would probably like. The town of Oysterville is pretty and walkable- I liked it even as a little kid. And you can hunt for shells etc on the beaches!

    • Anon

      what kinds of outdoor activities do you like? Hiking? Walking? I loved Charleston pre pandemic but idk if it’s already hot and humid by then. Asheville? Park City? Philly or DC, though don’t necessarily have tons of outdoor activities

      • Anon

        I love hiking, but my kid is not much of a hiker. But definitely walking, public parks/playgrounds, botanical gardens, any kind of boat, outdoor kids’ activities like zoos and petting farms, etc. are all good. Science and natural history museums would also be great if they require masks, but I realize Covid protocols are changing rapidly so probably not worth planning a trip around museums given that mask requirements could be lifted between now and then.

        • Anon

          The Claremont in Berkeley (Bay Area). They have a kids club guests can use for free so you can even get some me time if wanted. UC Berkeley has a beautiful botanical garden; there is a free petting zoo and cheap kiddie train in Tilden Park (Berkeley); a pretty great zoo in Oakland; and generally lots of kid things to do in the area. Direct flights (even better if you can do it to the more easily navigable Oakland airport!).
          Won’t be hot.
          Obviously hard to know what COVID protocols will be, but if I had to bet my money on anywhere that will hold them on longer than most it would be here. (And regardless you can eat outside plenty COVID or not given the climate of the area).

    • Anon

      Colorado Springs. Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak via jeep tour (so you don’t have to drive yourself and can enjoy the scenery) are well worth it.

      • DB Cooper

        And it’s a short drive from Denver, which has the world’s best children’s museum right next to a decent aquarium!

    • Lorelai Gilmore

      San Diego, California. TONS of activities, including beaches, the zoo, the wild animal park, Legoland, and so much more.
      San Francisco. Tons of activities, including cable cars, the Exploratorium, eating delicious food, riding ferries, and parks — and it will be cool. Plus SF has excellent Covid protocols.

      There are direct flights from Chicago to both places. Enjoy!

      • NYCer

        +1 to San Diego. Weather might not be warm enough for the beach (but it could be), but there are tons of kid friendly activities in the area.

Back to Top

About

Work with Corporette®

Serious Stuff

work fashion blog press mentions