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Updated: Oct 30, 2018 154 Comments · by

Coffee Break: Uber Clutch

Coffee Break

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Pink Clutch: GiGi New York Uber ClutchI was just gifted a cobalt blue clutch from GiGi New York, and it may be one of my favorite clutches ever — the blue is bright, the leather is supple but not so delicate, and the clutch is big enough for all my stuff. For work I'm more a fan of this slim clutch, which works particularly great if you have fashionable after-work events (date, girls' night, whatever) with a big tote full of work stuff to lug around before that. The clutch is $170. GiGi New York Uber Clutch Here's a lower-priced alternative. (L-4)

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Comments

  1. AnonForThis

    I hope this doesn’t come off as completely ignorant, but if so, tell me and I will learn!

    I do not understand swimsuits. Like, how on earth do people feel comfortable wearing such little clothing outdoors?

    My company is having a barbecue with a pool….people will be in bathing suits around coworkers? I just…can’t fathom. I don’t think less of people who wear bikini or speedos or whatever, I just don’t know how they have the guts to do so (just like nudist colonies boggle my brain).

    I am not religious, but do dress fairly modestly. I don’t believe women should only wear skirts and I certainly dont think everyone needs to dress like me…but I cannot for the life of me imagine going ANYWHERE wearing a swimsuit.

    I was thinking of getting a Burquini/Burkini. Is this a horrible appropriation of religion/culture, or just fine for someone with modesty issues even if not tied to religion?

    • Samantha

      I agree that it’s strange to wear so little clothing around people in a work setting.
      However, I do think a burqini seems inappropriate. It’s really the head cover portion of it that has religious overtones.
      Would you consider wearing rash guards/sun protective swimwear instead? A full sleeved swimsuit top and maybe loose shorts or longer pants.

    • Anon

      Lots of previous discussions on the s!te about this situation that you could search- for me the take home was to just wear something casual and just ignore the pool aspect!
      I’m definitely in the horrified camp.

    • DC Anon

      Yeah, most people just don’t get in the pool. In my experience, these things are usually family-oriented events and the kids (and maybe a couple of the parents) will be the only ones in the pool. Everyone else is wearing normal casual clothes.

    • CHJ

      I completely agree that swimming and work events don’t mix. But you don’t need a burkini. Just wear a regular sun dress or shorts and a t-shirt, and fire off some resumes to companies that don’t throw pool parties.

    • Anonymous

      What? Like, srsly what? Have you just never gone swimming? Ever? Like srsly what? I don’t get this bizarre fixation on modesty at all. It’s not immodest to wear clothing suitable for the activity you are engaged in. It is coming across as ignorant to me to literally not understand how people do this. We pick swimsuits that cover our boobs and butts and have at it. Why wouldn’t we? What are you ashamed of? Why can’t you wear one of the plethora of swim short and sleeved rash guard options from Lands End instead of a swim burka.

      For the company party no prob, no need to swim or wear a swimsuit but just for your normal life I’m horrified. And I beg you not to pass your issues onto your kids. Comfort in the water is a major life safety issue.

    • Senior Attorney

      I guarantee you people will not be in the pool or in bathing suits. Just wear summery clothes and you will be fine.

    • lost academic

      The pool is just there, like a decorative fountain. I imagine people will be in dressy casual clothes – sundresses seem appropriate, or shorts and shirts, etc. If this were my company, or any of my previous companies, I would bet good money that no one would even have BROUGHT a bathing suit let alone be wearing one.

      • Anonymous

        Perfect description. t is also my experience that the pool is a decorative fountain. No one is getting in the pool. Wear summery clothes.

    • Anonymous

      If you want a more modest swimsuit, get a rashguard and board shorts. But yes, nobody will get in the pool and you can wear your usual casual clothing to the pool party.

    • Susan

      Sounds like you might like to go caftan shopping!

      I would not particularly like to go swimming with co-workers, but as for wearing a swimsuit/not a lot of clothes … who cares? It’s just my body. It does amazing things for me and I’m lucky to have it. I don’t care if people see it, or what they think of it.

    • LAnon

      I’ve been to lots of official and un-official work events around pools. Sometimes people do swim, especially if it’s a family event and there are kids there. But most people are typically wearing summery clothes and you would not look out of place at all in a sundress or shorts and a t-shirt. Even people who get in the pool typically cover up when they get out.

    • Anonymous

      1. I would be naked all the time if I could, so I’m totally fine with wearing a bikini in most swimwear appropriate situations, BUT

      2. I wouldn’t wear one around most of my coworkers or at a company event. I’d only wear one in front of coworkers I have a non work relationship with in a non work situation.

      Work pool parties are just weird.

    • Anonymama

      Many of us spent a lot of time as children at the swimming pool or the beach in the summertime, and thus grew up wearing and being around others who were wearing typical western bathing suits.

  2. Tetra

    Hello ladies, what are your strategies for cooling down after a lunchtime workout?

    • Anon

      In a pinch, run your wrists under cold water. The blood will circulate and cool down the rest of you.

      Ice pack on your neck if you plan ahead and bring one.

      • Ellen

        Yay Kat! I love this clutch, but would onley use it when I go to formal dinner’s, which is NOT that often. But it is cute. I onley wish that I had a professional HUSBAND who would be abel to take me out to formal affair’s. The only places guy’s want to take me is to their apartements, and then they want me to do stuff I am NOT comforteable doeing with them. FOOEY!

        As for the OP, I cool down by sitting, and takeing a nice COLD bottel of Poland Springs water, and drinkeing it very slowley. Occasionalley, I will take a bottel and put it on the back of my neck (still closed) in order to cool off my neck. This cool’s my whole body and it is very much a wake up call for me. I do NOT do it much when Frank is in the office b/c he get’s excited when he sees me sweateing. FOOEY on men that think of me as a sex object. I wonder if the HIVE has similar probelem’s with their CFO’s?
        FOOEY!

    • Anon

      Since I have my own office, I sit for a few minutes with my shoes and socks off.

  3. Clementine

    After reading this morning’s thread regarding financial stability and/or instability, I have been thinking about my personal financial habits and those of my generation. I’m on the older end of the Millenial generation and have noticed that very few of my friends carry credit card debt and most have at least something in savings. In my own personal bubble of self-selected cross-section, this crosses both blue and white collar individuals. I’ve also read a number of articles that discuss my generation’s spending habits and overall fiscal restraint with regards to purchasing.

    Any other Millenials out there agree with me regarding our generation’s attitudes towards money? Are we ‘better’ with money than the generations before us?

    My personal feeling is that we saw our older siblings get in trouble with credit cards, then saw our friends get in trouble with real estate, and now are seeing our parents in trouble with retirement savings and are learning from those experiences.

    • Anonymous

      I graduated from college in 2007 and law school in 2010 and I definitely feel like a lot of my classmates are penny pinchers because we graduated into such a terrible economic climate. Especially law school, because even at my top 20 law school the majority of us were jobless at graduation. Many college friends who did graduate degrees ended up in a similar situation. Even friends who started working in 07 when the economy was still good, saw many of their colleagues get laid off or in some cases were laid off themselves when the economy tanked, so everyone has been super frugal since then. It may be a feature of having a lot of friends in finance, consulting and law, all of which are industries that were hit pretty hard, but I definitely feel like even 8 years later, everyone remembers ’08 like it was yesterday and wants to save every penny.

      • Anonymous

        There’s probably some unconscious self selection of friends going on so I am not sure if this is true across the generation…but yes, I have totally noticed this going on as well. We can so easily see how small but consistent careless money management leads to big problems down the road. We went through a small financial crunch a few years back but it would have been a life-altering disaster without our then-substantial emergency fund – the whole experience reinforced my already frugal nature.

      • Clementine

        My university/grad school dates line up with yours and my friends across nearly all industries graduated into just that miserable climate.

        And with regards to self-selecting, everyone picks their ‘bubble’ to live in and mine is fairly colorful and includes quite a variety of incomes and positions, but I was wondering what others’ bubbles look like.

    • hoola hoopa

      I’m also on the very upper edge of millenials, and I would not agree based on what I know of my social circle’s finances (which admittedly is not much). We were old enough to be hit by the recession, so much of the strain started then and has not been recovered (ie, filed for bankruptcy in 2009, then acquired school loan debt to transition careers). Although I also know several others who seemed to weather the recession without any major pain and yet are pretty open to the fact that they spend their entire paycheck each month or carry some pretty significant credit card debt (ie, dropping that they haven’t paid off their last three international vacations).

      • Clementine

        Interesting point about timing and the recession! Thinking about it, most of the people I’m thinking of weren’t established enough to be hurt long-term by the recession.

      • nutella

        Another millennial here and have found the oppos!te/ agree with hoola hoopa. Most of the people I know either graduated in 2007-08-09 and didn’t think twice about saving, but rather just getting by or trying to get *ANY* job/trying to pay rent OR they then went on to some grad program incurring giant amounts of debt and (not a joke) think ‘what’s another 25k in credit card debt when I’m already 200k in debt from school?’ What’s crazy is now these same friends are trying to buy houses and all that debt just seems so… limiting and debilitating. My SO and I are extremely frugal/big financial planners (both from the way our parents raised us) and can’t believe how much debt our friends live with, but of course keep mum about it because it is none of our business. (Although we do use it as a moment to revisit our finances and talk about goals, spending habits, how much we have saved, etc.) It seems strange to hear a friend can’t afford a trip home for the holidays but can afford the newest cell phone, computer, kitchen gadget, multiple bachelore++e parties, etc. but ultimately we each prioritize how we spend and save our money differently, so to each their own!

    • Anonymous

      I think greater student loan debt burdens also play into this. People graduated into a terrible economy and started out thousands of dollars in the hole. Makes it pretty clear that you aren’t entitled to nightly fancy cocktails and lavish vacations every other month.

      • Anonymous

        This. I’m also on the upper end (possibly a Gen X-er depending on the guide you’re looking at) and I think you’re right that a lot people in my cohort are living frugally. That said, they may not have credit card debt, but they have significant student loan debt and most are in that for the long haul (10-30 years).

        • Old Millennial

          This. Also an old Millennial. My closest friends are credit card debt averse and count every penny, but a majority have enormous student loan balances. Some of said debt was for higher degrees that were pursued for lack of any other option in 2008/2009 and added next to nothing as far as job prospects and marketability, which they’ll admit. Further, some of the same friends with said debt jumped into the mission-driven or startup world and are also taking on relatively low salaries even in the face of huge debt, which some are ok with and others feel like they have no other options.

        • Clementine

          You’re totally right. There’s something about paying a huge chunk of your income in student loans that makes it hard to justify a daily latte.

        • Anonymous

          I’m 31 and have seen the opposite with fellow grads who have large student loan debts. They put their loans on the 30 year plan, or IBR with either the 20 or 25 year forgiveness if it doesn’t get taken away. Mentally they see the loans as something that will be around for most of their working life, and with autodebit it’s sort of how some people view withheld taxes–they forget it exists because they never really had their hands on the money as something to spend.

          These same people take frequent vacations (perfectly nice albeit not 5-star), go out to scene-y $$$ dinners a few times a week, pay for bottle service for birthdays roughly once a month (not kidding), and are now starting to buy homes using down payment money from their parents. They also work traditional 9-5 hours but still pay for housecleaning, grocery delivery, and other outsourcing expenses that I thought were more commonly associated with people working long hours. All the while complaining that they are soooooo POOR and exploited in their $80k/year jobs, and will never have their loans paid off or be able to retire.

          That said, they don’t really carry credit card balances–they do pay it off every month, but they’re not saving a dime because the bill is so high.

          • Clementine

            Anonymous at 4:28 and Nutella- is this regional or a large city/small city thing?

            The people in my life have who live this lifestyle both live in a very high COL west coast city.

          • Anon at 4:28

            The ones I know are all in large cities. Region and COL varies. I’d say most are medium to low COL–not small town Midwest “low,” but still very affordable compared to places like NY/SF.

          • nutella

            I’ve seen it in large cities, but on both coasts – NYC, LA, SF, Houston, and Chicago.

    • anon

      I agree, with the caveat that self-selection of friends is in play and I don’t really know the full picture of most of my friends’ finances. I graduated from college at the beginning of the crash and grad school during it, so I, like many of my friends, struggled mightily to find a job. That experience created a sense of fear and corresponding frugality that I expect will be around for a long time. I look at my salary now (which is quite adequate) and still feel afraid to buy things that are totally affordable because *what if I get fired.* I make $135,000 and a $1,500 vacation makes me anxious. I also have lots of student loans- not unmanagable, but enough to really impact by ability to save. Now that I’m several years out of grad school and have been employed for a few years, my salary feels like monopoly money- I have this salary that’s high, so I can go buy myself a cocktail or jcrew sweater, but I owe the government 80k. So there’s a lot of mental checks on spending and I see myself as person without long-term financial security and I question my potential to get there. I’m in regional biglaw. If it was 2000 I bet I’d be singing a different tune.

      I think that my generation was raised with an awareness of some of the pitfalls of the choices made by boomers and gen Xers made- I and my peers are aware of the risks of things like buying more house than you can afford, of not being able to afford rent on one salary, of carrying credit card debt, of trying to “keep up with the joneses,” of the idea of “golden handcuffs.” I have no credit card debt and have never carried any.

    • Anon

      I completed my grad school in December 2008 and I don’t think the impact of recession will fade with time for me. I am striving for financial independence from that day I started working. But, I do see lot of people who were impacted my recession got over the far and have expensive cars and homes now (along with children).
      Also, my parents were frugal and very open with me and my sister about money. They used to do their monthly budget in front of us so we knew where every penny was going. We both would not ask for anything from them once we saw that there was so less money left after accounting for everything.
      Recession and my parents made an impact on my money habits, but I can easily see how these cannot have any impact on others. So I think it is the nature and to a lesser extent nurture that shapes a person’s long term money habits than the circumstances they have been through.

    • Dulcinea

      Another factor is that credit is not nearly as easy to get now as it was 10-15 years ago. (the easy credit/subprime lending is part of what lead to the recession in the first place). So millenials don’t have the same “opportuinties” to run up huge credit card balances in the first place.

      • Clementine

        This is true. During the time I was in college, it became much harder to get credit cards. For me, my friends didn’t have credit cards that they used regularly until they graduated.

    • anon

      I graduated in 2007 and I will say the one really healthy consequence of the downturn in my circle, I think, is that we have almost no investment in status spending. We brown bag lunch, thrift shop, and have drinks at each other’s homes when socializing. We were actually talking the other day about how there are whole categories of things that don’t even register as things you would spend money on, like furniture. I’m 30 and have never in my life bought a new piece of furniture. It’s all craigslist and second-hand, and I can’t imagine that changing any time soon. I don’t know how much of that is a function of living in NYC, where everyone talks openly about rent (so far as I can tell), how much of that is a function of years in grad school where everyone was broke and so there was no shame attached to it, and how much of that is awareness of systemic problems. No one moralizes finances because everyone is on the same page that we were born into a period of wage stagnation that is affecting the entire country. I suspect that would appall people like my parents, who absolutely believe finances are a reflection on you as a person and that talking about systemic problems is an abdication of personal responsibility……but the plus side of that is no one thinks owning stuff matters or is a reflection on you. You just do the best you can and everyone gets it if you say dinner is out of your budget or your chairs don’t match because they came from a garage sale.

    • Trish

      I am amazed at much my younger co-workers (25-35) spend on personal grooming like laser hair removal.

  4. Anonymous

    I’m having one of those days where I have lots to do but it’s kind of paralyzing so I’m playing online instead. Ugh.

    • Clementine

      Go set a timer for 20 minutes. At the end, set a timer for 5 minutes of internet play time. Do this until you’re done for the day. If you don’t cheat, you get a prize.

      (I suggest a glass of wine in the shower.)

    • Jennifer

      Obnoxiously broken down to-do list is my resolution to this. {Obnoxiously meaning: 1) open the email 2) read the email 3) hit the “reply” button 4) write salutation/pleasantries as needed 5) etc etc} Once I have everything open and a train of thought running it is harder to step away and procrastinate.

  5. TO Lawyer

    Has anyone ever done a Contiki trip before? I’m 28 so not looking for a crazy party spring break type of trip but it would also be really nice to travel with similarly minded people who would be fun and easy to get along with.

    • Anon

      Then Contiki would not be your speed. Get to a travel agent and ask them about this. There is another group travel company that caters to urban millenials. just cant remember the name

      • matilda

        agreed. contiki is a party scene. i did like a rei trip i did with mostly singles – much more adventure minded

        • Anonymous

          G Adventures is another one that’s adventure and nature-oriented. I haven’t gone with them but friends have said good things.

          • Anonymous

            I went to Peru for three weeks with G and had an absolutely wonderful experience! I can’t recommend it highly enough. I have to say, how much you enjoy yourself will probably depend on the specific group you get, but it caters to a more mature but adventurous crowd on the whole.

    • Anonymous

      I haven’t done one personally but Contiki has a reputation as quite party-oriented. There are a ton of group travel options and I think you need to do some more research to find one that fits with what you want.

    • Anonymous

      Try Gap Adventures – it’s a Canadian company that does small group tours all over the world. I haven’t done any of their tours but I’ve heard good things.

      • Anonymous

        adding that they are possibly called ‘G Adventures’ now – too lazy to google

    • contiki

      I’ll be the voice of dissent – I did Contiki trips at 26 and 30 and I’m not a crazy partier (although I was interested in seeing some nightlife). There was such a huge variety of personalities on both trips that I easily found people who were at my speed. I met 2 of my now-best friends on my first Contiki trip and we travel together multiple times a year. Do it!

    • TO Lawyer

      Thanks everyone for your feedback. To be perfectly honest, I haven’t looked into this too much (a friend suggested I try it). I just wanted to do something and didn’t want to let the lack of a partner/friend that I can bring with me to get in the way.

      I do like partying, just don’t want it to be the focus. I’ll keep looking for something that seems perfect!

      • Anonymous

        TO Lawyer – DEFINITELY go with G! G is from Toronto. I’m a Torontonian and have travelled with them – I loved my experience. There was a good mix of partying/adventure and a varied group. It made things really fun and interesting.

  6. anon

    Anyone familiar with the NYC yellow school bus system? My kid will be in kindergarten next year, and it appears that he’ll qualify for yellow bus transport. If he is assigned to a bus route, is it OK if we use the bus sometimes and take him ourselves sometimes? I’m envisioning taking him by bike during nice weather, and using the bus when it’s too rainy or there’s snow on the ground, but I don’t know if that’s allowed (or if they even keep track of usage). Any other bus tips, warnings, etc. would be appreciated!

    • NYNY

      No kids, so take this with a grain of salt, but I have a neighbor who does exactly that. She rides to work most days and takes her elementary-aged son with her in good weather, drops him at the bus stop in bad weather. I see them while I’m walking to the subway.

      • anon

        Thanks! I’ll confirm with the school later, but it’s nice to have an idea now whether or not this is possible.

  7. Closet Redux

    Remember the scene in Clueless where Cher is picking out her school clothes using a computer program that shows her wearing all the items in her closet? Is that a real thing? Like, is there an app I can get for that? I in no way have a Cher closet; much to the contrary I am trying to streamline my clothes and keep a small capsule. But I would love a way to inventory what I have and put together some mix-and-match outfits by shopping my closet. Have any of you done something similar?

    • ace

      Following as that would be amazing if it existed.
      I wonder if taking pictures of various outfits (or yourself in those outfits) — then saving into a particular photo file on your phone or computer might be one way to come up with outfit ideas? Maybe doable with a smaller capsule wardrobe? That’s the closest I can come with replicating Cher’s awesome closet — yay for 90s nostalgia!

      • Runner 5

        Taking this further you could stick a picture of each item onto a playing card.

    • Anonymous

      Every time I watch Clueless I ask myself how the h3ll it’s 2016 but I don’t have one of these yet.

    • Anonymous

      I haven’t seen Clueless, but… could you do something similar using Polyvore? Would be a pretty big time investment up front (saving clothes similar to what you already have), but then you’d have pictures of all the items in front of you to play with.

    • On Target

      StyleBook? Cloth? Closet+? they are all a little different, so you would have to decide which one really optimizes the features you want.

    • Senior Attorney

      You Look Fab dot com has something semi-similar. You can upload your items into the “Finds” section, then there is an “outfit generator” button that will randomly put together items from your collection.

    • I keep forgetting my fake name

      I’ve always wanted this. There is an app game that I play (I know, I know) called “Covet” where you basically pick out outfits for imaginary scenarios and it really reminds me of that. Like online paper dolls, with infinite combinations of shoes, bags, and clothes. Any other ‘rettes play? It’s a fun fashion indulgence. It uses real brands, and you can buy the clothes IRL.

  8. Snick

    There were a couple of comments about grey cardigans yesterday and now I want one. Any recommendations? I’m looking for a lighter weight, lighter shade for spring/summer wear. Ideally a v-neck.

    • Winter is my colors

      Yes, I am also interested in this. My urgent grey cotton cardigan reminds me too much of a sweatshirt. What is it missing to look more lux? Different shade? What fabrics?

    • Runner 5

      I just got a lovely thin grey cotton cardigan in the Gap sale. I also have one from H&M last spring which is fantastic.

    • NYNY

      Nic & Zoe linen & viscose 4 way cardigan. I have it in black, and am thinking about getting a lighter color (there’s a pale grey called “phantom”). Super versatile, super flattering.

    • Susie

      I just got a thin merino wool one from Banana in a nice light grey. I think it’s crew neck though.

    • Io

      I recently bought two woo lovers card is and was quite pleased with the quality, fit, color. I’d check their options.

  9. Anonymous

    Anyone want to vicariously shop for me? I’m looking for summer work dresses for an office that is more business than business casual (full suit not required but I typically wear a blazer and jersey-type dresses would not be ok). I have and like a ton of Limited Collection suiting dresses, but a) I’m getting sick of pretty much just rotating through those and b) the colors are mostly what I consider wintry (navy, black, dark gray, burgundy). I’d love some dresses to wear in the summer that are more seasonally appropriate. Further complicated by the fact that I’m pretty tall (the Limited’s tall sizes with 41″ hem is about as short as I can go).

    • Anon

      Boden or Lands End both have tons of dresses in tall & will have summery styles right now.

      But your dark colored suiting dresses are nice too. They are not wintry because they are dark. Lighten up the accessories – like a chunky silver necklace or turquoise earrings – and they should transition fine.

      But don’t let me stop you from shopping. New dresses are fun

    • Anonymous

      Black Halo runs long. If you haven’t tried BR tall recently, the last few things I tried in tall sizes were way longer than they used to run. I had to exchange some for regular sizes.

    • Anonymous

      The thing about “wintry” colours is really wintry fabric, I think. You can totally wear a black dress in the summer, but maybe a cotton or linen or silk blend instead of heavy wool or tweed. I stick to neutral colours year round and this is my general rule of thumb. So you might not need to totally discount all your dresses.

    • Anonymous

      J. Crew has some nice stuff right now – lots in tweed, but they look to be summery tweeds and they do have talls. Look in suiting and then sort by dresses. I have a similar dress code and it doesn’t sound like Lands End or much of Boden would suit.

      Ann Taylor also has some nice blush coloured suit dresses.

      I’d get a blush dress and a white one and wear with my navy and grey blazers and nude shoes to summer everything up.

  10. X

    Head desk.

    Just went to verify that computers were set up correctly in the lab for the software training I’m conducting tomorrow. It’s a big deal. I’m at a university. I’m training faculty and staff.

    Notified the woman who is coordinating the training that I would be making sure that the machines were set up correctly. She met me there. Not only was the software not installed, she said she didn’t know that software needed to be installed. She was the one who requested the software training and asked that I conduct it at their school, instead of in our training room, which is set up correctly.

    Moreover, even if the machines had been set up correctly, there would have been no way to verify it because we couldn’t login. What exactly did she think would be necessary to verify that the machines were set up correctly?

    Gahhh! Now I have to hope that the University IT group can install the software correctly in less than 24 hours and keep myself calm so I can lead this training…

    • NYNY

      Reschedule the training now for an available date in your training room. You did your due diligence, but the client failed to do hers.

    • Coach Laura

      Sometimes you have to hold people’s hands.

      Develop a checklist for future training sessions that you can give to the coordinator. Include things like: Reserve training room, install training software, verify login details, access system to test everything 72 hours before start of training, verify user/trainee passwords and distribute to users.

      • X

        I know, but this person is the Director of Information Systems for this school, which is a very prestigious graduate school

  11. Anonymous

    I really need some advice. I work for a government agency and several months ago, I requested a promotion. At that time, I did not ask for a specific raise because I understood that it was always the minimum salary for the next level or 10 percent, whichever was greater. The 10 percent would have been applicable in my case. I just found out last week that my promotion was finally approved. When I asked my new salary, they said it was only 5 percent. I’ve never even heard of a promotion this low before. I was shocked. My boss was out of the office for a few days so I emailed him and asked if we could discuss why it was so low. He said we should discuss in person early next week. It’s now Tuesday and I’m guessing he won’t bring it up, so I’ll need to bring it up again. Any tips for how I approach this and what I should say? I don’t want to burn any bridges, but I’m very insulted by this meagerly promotion.

    • Anonymous

      I think you should have confirmed this at the outset, but I think you can say just what you said here – you understood it to be X, now it’s Y. Is X an option?

    • Anonymous

      how sure are you about the 10%? Five percent differential is standard at my government agency.

  12. allergy help

    Any others have serious allergy issues at the moment? This is a new problem for me in the last few years and I am really struggling this week! I’m taking 24 hour claritin and nasal spray but its just not working. Does anyone use anything else that you have found more effective?

    • CountC

      I prefer Zyrtec, but there are times when it’s so bad nothing gets rid of all of the symptoms. You have my sympathies.

    • Anonymous

      When Claritin stopped being powerful enough for me, I started taking Reactine and it really helps. On bad days I take it morning and night (instead of once a day). On the really, REALLY bad days, I take it in addition to a non-drowsy cold medication like Advil Cold & Sinus. This is the only way I survive the summer.

      If it’s a new problem, it might be worth seeing an allergist and finding out what exactly is causing the reaction.

      • Anonymous

        Sorry, I meant to say that I believe Reactine is the Canadian version of Zyrtec.

    • Delta Dawn

      I’ve been having a lot of trouble with this– finally clearing up after over two weeks of constant congestion, cough, etc. I prefer Allegra to Claritin, if you want to try something different. If your nasal spray is OTC, that is half-strength of the prescription ones. You might make a trip to the doctor for a Rx for the full strength spray, and depending on how long you’ve felt yucky, to see if it has turned into a sinus infection or (if you have a bad cough) bronchitis. If it has, you’d be in antibiotics territory, which could give you a speedier recovery. Hope you feel better!

    • MJ

      A few other general allergy tips:

      * limit your outside exposure (no running outdoors) and keep windows shut. Run AC with an allergy filter only
      * change clothes worn outside immediately when you come home and put said clothes straight into a contained hamper to limit bringing pollen into the house
      * wash your pup frequently if you have a pup rolling around in the grass and whatnot
      * take a shower before bed so you don’t take the pollen to bed with you
      * consider an itchy-eye drop like Zaditor (it’s amazing and OTC).
      * sleep on 2 pillows so that the post-nasal drip, drips OUT, not down into your chest to cause a chest cold

      My allergist has said it’s fine to “layer” Claritin and Zyrtec, but just know you need to drink a ton of water when doing so.

    • Anonymous

      When are you taking the meds?

      When I had seasonal issues (they’ve since gone away), once I was getting symptoms (runny nose, itchy eyes, etc) the only thing that worked to stop those was Sudafed. Claritin (only one i tried because the others weren’t OTC at that point) didn’t do anything to STOP my allergy symptoms. Claritin worked more at preventing symptoms from starting (I think) so I would take it prophylactic-ly in the morning, every morning during my allergy season.

    • Pound

      Sorry to hear about your troubles. Nasal saline rinse 4x a day +/- a short course of intranasal steroid spray will really help. Especially the nasal saline (drops or Neti pot will work too).

  13. Woods-comma-Elle

    Calling the ladies of LA (*special wave to Senior Attorney) – looking for bar and restaurant recs for upcoming trip with SO. We’re staying in Santa Monica but will have a car and happy to travel for good food. We are omnivores, but good sushi places and more upmarket but non stuffy places in particular would be appreciated.

    • Hollis

      For great Japanese food, I recommend any number of places in the Sawtelle area of West L.A. It’s like a little Tokyo, but actually better (and closer to Santa Monica) than the real little Tokyo. If you are willing to drive into downtown, I personally love Phillipe’s, which is an icon and has the best French dip sandwiches ever. Best Mexican in my opinion is La Serenata de Garibaldi.

    • Senior Attorney

      The hottest place downtown right now is Otium, next door to the Broad Museum. I haven’t been able to get in but I hear it’s great and if you have enough lead time maybe you can make it happen.

      In Pasadena my forever fave is the Parkway Grill (and if you come out this way I would love to meet up!). Sushi Roku in Santa Monica is part of a chain but I really like it anyway. Water Grill downtown is great for seafood and has been remodeled to be non-stuffy.

      Don’t know if you have a place to stay yet, but I love the Georgian Hotel, which is right across the street from the beach and just up from the pier. And the Getty Villa is a short drive up Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica and is a great way to spend a spring or summer day!

    • Susan

      Eater’s Heatmap is a fairly accurate picture of what’s new/hot in LA right now.

      http://la.eater.com/maps/best-new-los-angeles-restaurants-heatmap

      I would recommend a lunch by the pool at Chateau Marmont and a dinner at Eveleigh on Sunset, but that’s more Hollywood.

      In Santa Monica, check out Farmshop, Huckleberry (for breaky), Cassia. Venice is just down the road and it’s crazy with lots of new places.

      I would go to Sugarfish for sushi. It’s consistently Sugarfish.

    • LALaw

      Some recommendations in Venice, which Susan correctly called crazy and full of new places. It’s true!

      Gjelina or Salt Air on Abbot Kinney for dinner or brunch. Everything at both places is just amazing. Abbot Kinney is a great street to stroll down, lots of boutiques, Salt n Straw ice cream, yuppy hipster coffee, and amazing people watching.

      If you go to the boardwalk or Santa Monica bike path, there is also some great people watching. I recommend sitting in the beer “garden” at On the Waterfront Cafe, about a mile south of the Pier to people watch, listen to live music (played by our friendly neighborhood jam band/vagrants), and have a beer in the sun.

      A couple of other great restaurants in the middle of an area you can explore on foot –

      Gracias Madre on Melrose – vegan, but I swear you could never tell. Amazing vegan mexican food

      Goldies on 3rd Street (by the Grove) – trendy small plates, with a cute outdoor patio. There are a lot of yummy options on 3rd. I’d also suggest hitting up the Farmers Market on 3rd street, next door to the Grove – it’s an old collection of food stalls and farm stands built in the 1930s, with updated and upscale new vendors thrown in. Fun to explore. Insanely well-stocked hot sauce store and fresh baked goods.

      • Susan

        Haha!! Gracias Madre is amazing. Gorgeous patio, tasty beverages. Get the cauliflower! Do not order from the happy hour menu.

        I also love Goldie’s (it’s the same people who own Eveleigh ;)

        And while we’re on the topic of beautiful patios … AOC is beautiful and yummy. Slightly older crowd though.

  14. CA anon

    It’s not upmarket, but Tacos Punta Cabras on Santa Monica boulevard has amazing fish tacos. It would be a good lunch spot if you’re looking for something more formal for dinner.

    • CA anon

      This is a reply to Woods-comma-Elle, obviously. Or just a general shout-out to Tacos Punta Cabras…

  15. Martha's Vineyard

    Has anyone been to Martha’s Vineyard? I was planning on doing a three day weekend trip sometime next month with some friends. So I was thinking we could take a boat ride, do some shopping, and just relax at a nice Air BnB. Any recommendations?

    • Opal

      Yessssss!

      You can easily take a ferry from Hyannis or Woods Hole into either Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs. From there, there are plenty (plenty!!) of easy bus routes or taxis available to take you wherever. Oak Bluffs is nice to visit, but not where I’d stay or spend more than an afternoon. Vineyard Haven is a working port/harbor, so not much to see there. Edgartown, however, is where it’s at!! Lots of shopping, food, bars, etc.

      Apart from the “major” towns, rent a bike and explore the island!! State Beach between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown is where Jaws was filmed. There’s also Bad Martha Brewery, just outside of downtown Edgartown which is new and on the rise – definitely worth a stop. On the south side of Edgartown is South Beach – just a long, beautiful beach that’s nice to check out (nothing to do but enjoy the scenery) and relax on, regardless of the season.

      Apart from that, the bike paths on the vineyard are extensive. You could rent a moped, also, if you don’t want to peddle around. Gay Head (Aquinnah) is at the far west end of the island, and the views are beautiful.

      May is a good time to visit. Most of the seasonal restaurants and stores will start to open after May 1. You likely won’t see everything open, but you’ll have plenty to see and do.

      • Martha's Vineyard

        Thanks!! I will look into all of this, especially the bike idea – that sounds like a fun way to explore =)

        • Opal

          It’s absolutely the best way to see a lot of the island! Don’t be afraid of the bus system, though – -it’s very easy, and very tourist-friendly. The island is about 20 miles end-to-end – it’s a lot to bike in a weekend if biking isn’t your jam. But, the bus can get you all over the place for just a buck or two per ride. Enjoy!!

      • JP

        Ha, I disagree about Oak Bluffs versus Edgartown. I was in MV at the end of May last year and it was a great time–we never had a problem getting restaurant reservations, but everything was open for the season, and it wasn’t too cold. For us, Oak Bluffs is a fun area to stay, less expensive than Edgartown. There’s a lot of interesting African-American history in Oak Bluffs that we really enjoyed learning about. Even if you don’t stay in Oak Bluffs, go there for dinner one night because you MUST go to Back Door Doughnuts and eat an apple fritter. BDD is the back door of a bakery in a parking lot–it opens each evening around 8p and sells donuts hot out of the fryer. The apple fritter is the most amazing thing I’ve ever eaten in my life.

        You have the option to either have your car on the ferry or go on foot. We loved having our car–we threw our bikes in and used them a lot, but it was easy to drive to Chilmark/Gay Head/Menemsha, South Beach, and Edgartown when we didn’t feel like biking or it was too dark.

  16. Zelda

    Suggestions for at home teeth whitening? Lately I’ve been noticing that my teeth are in need of a boost, but I’m not ready for dentist strength products yet.

    • Hollis

      Have you tried the Crest whitening strips? I did it before my wedding and hated how they felt (kind of gooey and made my teeth sensitive).

      • ITDS

        I just tried them again for the first time in a few years, and they’re much less gooey now. They are very sticky, and did good whitening job.

    • Anon

      I started using plain ol’ baking soda. 1/2 teaspoon in the palm of your hand, dip in the brush and scrub. Rinse and brush with normal paste after. Couldn’t believe the nice, natural, not-blindingly-white difference.

  17. Review

    I gave a staffer a bad review last year because her performance was really awful, but her performance has greatly improved in recent months. I’m leaving my position and won’t be able to give the staffer a review this year. I’ve told her manager how happy I am with her performance and I promised to send her an email so there is something in writing for the file. Should I copy the staffer on the email too, or just send it to her manager?

    • Anonymous

      I’d definitely send it to her manager and ask that it be put in her file for this year’s review cycle. As for whether you send it to the employee directly — I tend not to be too comfortable with that, but you can cc her or better yet just verbally express it and tell her you’ve sent it to her manager.

    • WestCoast Lawyer

      I would cc her. I always appreciated when people cc (or forward) emails with praise for my work (and suppose it would be especially welcome if it indicates she took steps to resolve the prior issues). It could also come in handy if, for some reason, your email doesn’t make it to her file (for example, if her manager leaves before review time) and she needs something to back up her assertion of the improvements she made this year.

  18. Calling all London ladies

    Last minute, last ditch attempt to try to figure out plans for a short trip– any help appreciated!!! I’m heading to London for about 4 days tomorrow. I’ll be working Thursday/Friday, but would like to get restaurant recommendations for Thurs/Fri nights as well as sightseeing recs for Saturday and Sunday morning. I have been to London once before, but bf has never been. We don’t want a jam packed weekend but would like to get some local flavor.

    I’ll be working out of my firm’s London office which is across from St. Paul’s, but our hotel is close to Hyde Park, which appears to be a 30 minute subway ride away. Because of the time difference, I may stay at the office late-ish on Thursday, and my bf (who is also there on work) may not be able to join me for dinner that night. I’m not used to traveling or eating alone so I’m a little anxious! I also HATE seeming like a tourist so walking around with my google maps/yelp app out is not super appealing.

    Specific questions:

    *Any vegetarian-friendly lunch recs near St. Paul’s which won’t break the bank but where I can sit down and enjoy some people watching (totally understand it’s not warm enough to sit outside)? I’m fine with a pret-a-manger type place but something less chain-y would be great as well.

    * Any vegetarian-friendly (but satisfying to carnivores as well) restaurant recs somewhere between St. Paul’s and Hyde Park (I know this is a bit of a broad question) that I can get to via tube, not too expensive, where dining alone would not be strange, and where I either don’t need a reservation or can get one on short notice?

    *General vegetarian-friendly restaurant recs that do not require reservations weeks ahead of time and which are accessible by tube? I’d like to visit Notting Hill and Covent Garden while I’m in town, so anything in those neighborhoods would be awesome.

    *We’re thinking about checking out Broadway Market on Saturday morning– good idea or no?

    *Aside from Tate Modern and the National Portrait Gallery which I already saw and loved, any must-see (and free or cheap) museums? Is the Natural History Museum worth seeing?

    But really any suggestions you can offer, given the time of year and our short stay, would be awesome!

    • Calling all London ladies

      *Just realized that it is bedtime for Londoners currently, but if there is anyone awake/any U.S.-based ladies with London experience, your recs would be great!

    • Runner 5

      Not cheap (£10ish per head) but the London Transport Museum is absolutely fantastic. It’s more London specific than most of the other museums (I would also recommend the Museum of London which is near St Pauls and free) and provides an excellent social history of the capital. It’s in Covent Garden

      • Cb

        And even if you don’t go in, the shop is excellent. Was there yesterday and really enjoyed strolling through Covent Garden market.

    • Anon

      We had excellent veg meals at Ottolenghi restaurants, def worth a lunch or dinner if you can.

    • Anon

      Manna, in Primrose Hill, is one of my fav veg recommendations overall, though.
      There’s tons of stuff near St. Paul’s/One New Change, depending on what sort of cuisine you like. Generally, I’ve never had issues with restaurants here not being veg friendly, so feel free to repost and ask after specific types of cuisines? If you needed GF that would be one thing, but London is not a tough place to be veg, in my experience.
      Broadway Market wouldn’t be my first rec given how far you’ll be staying, but I do love it (also Maltby Street Market, and Borough Market if you get there early enough to beat the crowds).

    • MJ

      I lived in London for several years.

      For off-the-beaten path museums, I love the Cabinet War Rooms (St. James) and also Sir John Soane’s House. (Old dude died and willed that his house should stay exactly as he left it…very cool).

      Here’s my London Rec sheet that I give friends. It’s been too long for me to give up-to-date restaurant recs:

      • Buy a pocket A to Z guide (pronounced A to ZED!, accept no imitations) at the first newsagent you see—it should be about GBP7, and you won’t be lost—it’s so worth it. Otherwise, all other maps (especially giant folding ones) don’t really cut it. London is a rabbit’s warren of streets—it was never modernized like Paris). One tip—as you take the Tube, each station has multiple exits. Make sure, before you leave, to check the walls of the Tube—there’s a map that is local that shows the next few blocks and attractions. If you find that map, it will tell you which exit to walk out of. Otherwise (trust me, I even have a great sense of direction) you will be all turned around and lost, all the time.
      • London is quite confusing. There are neighborhoods that sometimes do and sometimes don’t correspond to the Tube stop they are near. For instance, Bloomsbury is a part of London, but there’s no Bloombury tube. So you kinda just have to find wherever you are going via closest tube and clutch your “A to Z” to get there exactly. The neighborhoods are historical, and there’s no way you’ll really get your head around it as a tourist. I didn’t even fully figure it out until I lived there a second time. So, that’s not saying you don’t have to try, but…it’s hard.
      • Take the Heathrow Express in and out. You get into Paddington (Pink and Yellow lines, upper left of Central London). If you do buy an OysterCard (and I recommend you do), you only need Zone 1…nearly everything you’ll want to see is in Zone 1, and you can “top-up” to Zone 2 as need be.
      • Cabs (though pricy) they are cool during off-peak times and a good way to see the city. Cab drivers are also really fun to talk to. Ask them to talk to you about how they get qualified to be a cabbie—it’s called “The Knowledge.”
      • Museums:
      o National Gallery (Picadilly/Trafalgar Square, free, just pop in);
      o Victoria & Albert (known as the V&A) (Tube: South Ken or Knightsbridge; this is also very close to Harrod’s if you want to pop in and check out the Food Court at Harrods (a sight to behold in and of itself)
      o Tate Modern (not super-close to any Tube, but a short walk along the South Bank from London Bridge Tube);
      o (Original) Tate Britain (Tube: Pimlico); One thing that’s cool is that you can take a boat from the Tate Modern to the Tate Britain. It’s only a few pounds and is a fun way to see the City—highly recommend.
      o My favorite museum is Sir John Soane’s House (Tube: Holborn—kinda hard to find—make sure you have a map). Basically this rich old eccentric dude died about 100 years ago and decreed his whole house needed to stay exactly as-is. Very cool. You’d love it. They have candlelight tours which are also really cool.
      o My second favorite museum is the Cabinet War Room—this is where Churchill and crew hid, underground, and directed the war. This also was left largely as it was and is a really cool way to step back into time and understand the blitz. Near St. James/Westminster tubes.

      • Other must-dos (not in any particular order):
      o Take High (Afternoon) Tea somewhere fancy on a day when the weather’s crap—this is a bit pricy, but super-fun and super-Londony. You often need a reservation and it should be about GBP35/$50 or so per person, but it’s worth it, because you can make them bring you unlimited tiny sandwiches. I like Claridges best (a five star hotel—dress slightly better for it). The room they serve tea in is exquisite and really Gatsby-esque. (To be fair, you can get tea EVERYWHERE in Britain, but it’s fun to go somewhere awesome for high tea.)
      o St. Paul’s Cathedral—it really is worth it to climb to the top and look at London. It’s a neat old European cathedral too. Right across the river from the Tate Modern, the bridge near it is really cool to walk across. There is also a 5pm service of Evensong (chanting/choral) that’s really cool to hear, even if you’re not super-religious. The acoustics are awesome.
      o Westminster Abbey/Buckingham Palace. I confess I’ve never been inside. Lines too long always. Really touristy. Go see Big Ben at night and it’s fun to walk along the South Bank of the river there in the evening (the North Bank doesn’t really have a walking path) (Tube is Westminster. The Westminster Jubilee (gray) line Tube stop is actually pretty cool in and of itself—very futuristic).
      o City of London—the City (old part, now the Financial District (although a lot of the banks have moved to a newer part of town called Canary Wharf, which is not worth visiting)) is a really neat old part of London. You can see a lot of churches built by Sir Thomas Wren and wander a bit. It’s easy to get lost. You might want to check for an iphone app walking tour. Best Tube for this is Liverpool Street or Bank.
      o Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens—this is just a nice stroll on a good-weather day. Head toward the Serpentine (it’s a freshwater lagoon, essentially) right in the middle. You can wander around. Another similar park for wandering (but outside of Central London) is Hampstead Heath…also cool. A lot of movies are filmed up there. Also in Central London, Battersea Park is really pretty as well for a wander.
      o Tower Bridge/Tower of London—the Tower of London (Tube—15 mins from London Bridge, across the river or right at Tower Hill). It’s kinda cool to go to London Bridge Tube stop, walk across London Bridge and then walk to the Tower of London. The Crown Jewels are on display here (stop snickering Henry!). You can go on a ½ tour given by a Beefeater (swear, this is a very cushy and prestigious military post, and there are still a lot of (military) folks that live inside the tower complex). I would try to do this on a Friday and couple it with Borough market, below.
      o London (Borough) Market (Tube: London Bridge, exit toward Borough High Street, not Tooley Street). This is on Friday and Sat mornings through lunchtime. A very cool market—you can grab breakfast and coffee or go for lunch—there’s good ethnic food and delish sandwiches. DO NOT MISS THIS!
      o Portobello Market – Tube (Notting Hill Gate or Westbourne Park) –this is a fun, kinda random market that is usually on Sundays. It literally meanders up Portobello Road from Notting Hill Gate tube (ask anyone you see for directions when you come out of the Tube). The market changes as you walk, so it starts with antiques, moves to jewelry, food, clothing. Henry—if you are further up on Portobello Road, there are several really good, fun sneaker shops for cool retro shoes. A good pub in the area is The Westbourne—a bit hipster ridiculous (makes for good people watching), great Pims, good Sunday roast (it’s what’s known as a Gastropub—so good food). It’s very close to the Westbourne Park or Royal Oak tubes at 101 Westbourne Park Villas
      London W2 5ED.
      o Wander!—good tube stops to wander from include (1) St. James’ Park (this is the Mall (pronounced “maaaal”) that runs from Buckingham Palace to Hyde Park and is the heart of all of the government stuff (2) King’s Road (this is Chelsea—really pretty architecture) (3) Angel (this is a neighborhood called Islington, and is a bit more hipster) (4) Belsize Park (really pretty neighborhoodly part of London, outside of Zone 1) (5) Knightsbridge (very posh and ridiculous, but fun to see!).
      o Days Out (British for side trips!) –pick one or two
       Oxford or Cambridge—I recommend one or the other. When you are there, be sure to go on a college tour and also to try your hand at “punting” (going down the very bucolic rivers by pushing yourself against the bottom using a stick. It’s really fun—swear. Also check out a pub or two. Oxford trains leave from Victoria station, Cambridge from Liverpool St or King’s Cross.
       Eton/Windsor Castle – this is touristy and pretty. Windsor is cool. Eton is lovely. You take a mainline train to get there and then can walk or cab it to Windsor, which is really close.
       Hampton Court Palace—this is also a quick day trip on a Mainline (non-Tube) train. A little touristy as well, but gorgeous gardens and the castle’s a neat trip back in time.
       Stonehenge/Salisbury Cathedral—this is a slightly longer trip out of town. You can take busses directly to Stonehenge or a mainline train to Salisbury, tour the cathedral and an easy local bus to Stonehenge. Stonehenge is honestly a little underwhelming—you can’t get very close, and there’s so much modern trappings of tourist stuff that it doesn’t seem very mystical. Still cool, but not a must-see.
       This isn’t really outside of London proper, but Greenwich is a shipping/port city in the SE of London. There’s an amazing park, cute high street, a museum of antique fans (actually cool) and you can go to the Greenwich meridian (0 degrees on a longitudinal map). A lot of the 2012 Olympics stuff is out that way. Your Oyster card is not good this far—you’ll have to top up as it’s past Zone 1.
      • Shopping!
      o So my favorite UK stores are Reiss (chain, there’s a few scattered about), L.K. Bennett (chain, all over—great shoes and preppy wear), Jigsaw (also a chain) and Whistles (also a chain). You can get most shopping in at Covent Garden. There’s also a good cheesemonger and a Neal’s Yard (awesome organic products). Tube is Covent Garden. You can also hit most of these in Notting Hill (near Portobello Road/Market) on Westbourne Grove
      o Another “high street” (that’s UK slang for shopping district) is Regent Street between Oxford Circus and Picadilly. Lots of fancy stores, incl Burberry flagship. All along Oxford Street and just below it, Bond Street has a lot of shopping too (Tube: Oxford Circus/Bond St.). I also like shopping in Marlebone on Marylebone High Street (Tube Baker Street (note the little Sherlock Holmes tiles in the Tube here!).
      o Department Stores—my favorites are Brown’s (24-27 South Molton St, Tube is Bond Street), Selfridges (400 Oxford St, Tube Bond Street ) and Liberty (famous for their “Liberty Print” shirts. It’s kinda cool to wander through. UK stuff is pretty pricy in general. But fun to see how attentive service is and how brands are separated by staff that cater only to that area.
      • Other things to do—catch a show on the West End (Tube: Leicester Square). There is a TKTS booth for half-price tix there (right in the middle of the square—don’t be confused by all of the other ticket booths you see elsewhere). London theater is really good. Or I should say, “theatre.” Catch an opera or ballet at the Royal Opera House (pricy but cool—Tube is Covent Garden).
      • Pick up a “TimeOut London” at a newsagent, they will have listings of all of the shows, gallery openings, etc. going on for the week. Good if you want to catch up on the arts scene. This is also online if you want to see if there are shows you want to catch in advance.
      • Food—Stick to pub food that’s safe (bangers and mash, fish & chips, etc.), Indian, Thai, or French. It’s fun to go to Brick Lane (near the City, just look it up on your map) for a curry—there’s about 1MM awesome Indian places there. If you’re out and about, Pret a Manger has yummy sandwiches (beware the British propensity to slap copious amounts of mayo on any sandwich for no apparent reason). Also, there are a lot of Marks & Spencers where you can just grab a quick sandwich or salad. Even if the one you see is a clothing store, they often have a food market in the basement. Costa Coffee (chain) has the best coffee in the AM, but almost any neighborhood will have a decent bakery too.

      • NYtoCO

        This is the longest comment, by far, I’ve ever seen here. I’m impressed.

      • Anon100

        I’m not going to London anytime soon, but after reading this comment I’m saving all the suggestions to plan my future trip.

      • Londonista

        Just a few updates:

        – Time Out is now a free listings mag, available as a giveaway outside tube stations on Tuesdays.

        – ‘High Tea’ is not a thing in hotels with cakes and sandwiches etc. If that’s what you are after, it goes by ‘afternoon tea’. I recommend the Fountain restaurant at Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly.

      • Anonymous

        I live in London and I’m saving this comment! How wonderful and detailed! Thank you.

    • Anon

      Try dishoom for delicious Indian fusion. Multiple locations and the most amazing daal I’ve ever had.

    • hwp

      Burough market for street food. Cafe in the crypt of St Martins in the Fields for mid-day tea/snack. Cafe in Crypt is near the National Portrait Gallery which I believe is free/discretionary donation. British Museum is great and also free. I love Liberty and Fortnum & Mason for homegoods shopping.

      Greenwich is an easy day trip via public transit–observatory, maritime museum and unique shops. Hampton Court is also fun for a bit of history.

      Try getting same day discount theatre tickets at the tkts booth in Leicester Square.

      And if you’re a runner start your day in Hyde Park or St James’ Park. The gardens are amazing this time of year.

      Try to plan your activities for efficient travel. There’s tons to do and you really can’t go wrong.

    • Polgara

      Don’t know if you will see this, but I always recommend Vanilla Black for a great vegetarian restaurant. It’s just near chancery lane as well so you could feasibly walk or do a one-stop tube ride from St. Paul’s. Another good Indian option is Moti Mahal near Covent Garden. Dishoom is also great, as the Anon above suggested.

      My favorite less well-known museum is the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House. That also puts you near one of my other favorite London restaurants, the Delaunay, although it may be less vegetarian-friendly. But it is not too far from Covent Garden anyways.

      If your SO needs to eat sooner, could they at least join you later and have a drink while you eat?

      Also, since you will be near St. Paul’s, Madison’s at the top of one new change will be worth going to for at least a drink, as the view is great.

      Hope you have a great time!

    • Anonymous

      TOP pick: cabinet war rooms. The underground offices during WW2. Incredible.

  19. ezt

    Does anyone shop on Baublebar regularly? How do you figure out what’s on sale? There doesn’t seem to be a sale section and when I click on each category I don’t see anything on sale, but then when I do a search for a random term (like, say, “bib” or “drop”) all these sale items pop up. Anyone have any idea what I’m talking about?

    • lsw

      Ugh, heartbreaking. A good read. It’s insane that research into addiction treatment is routinely ignored. If people are interested in learning more on this topic, I read “Dreamland” by Sam Quinones last year and highly recommend it as a fascinating and well-researched book on the issue of opioid and heroin abuse.

    • Stormtrooper

      The author of the Huffington Post article won awards for his work. It’s fantastic, but sad. He also has a pod cast now called Candidate Confessional that I enjoy.

  21. Wow Airlines??

    Has anyone heard of this carrier? I’m looking to do a trip to Europe and they are the low-cost option by a lot. Is it a la Spirit Air – pay for everything and a bad overall experience? Not sure I want the lowest bidder (by a whole lot!) for a trans-Atlantic flight….

    • SH

      They are IcelandAir’s low-cost carrier. I personally haven’t taken it but know people who have. They’ve said it’s like Southwest, but not Spirit (gets you from point A to B pretty well, no frills but not terrible customer service). Bonus if you can spend a bit of time in Iceland n your way over!

      • Io

        Check the luggage fees. That’s where they get you. I think Wow’s is almost $70 a bag.

    • Bewitched

      A family member took Wow from Boston to Iceland, no problem. Trip home, his flight from Iceland was delayed 3 hours and 59 minutes for no apparent reason (all other flights from R were leaving on time). Apparently, the EU right of carriage requires the carrier to pay you something like 600 euros if you are delayed 4 hours. In his case, he missed his connection in Boston, had to stay an extra night plus pay more than $100 in cab fare to/from airport (at midnight/6am) and it cost more than the Iceland-Boston roundtrip ticket to get him home. Wow paid us nothing and was completely non-responsive to our requests for information. If you check their twitter feed, it’s half great reviews and half stunning complaints. I’d take Icelandair if the rates are similar, Wow if they are quite a bit lower and you have no connection.

  22. I love my city but...

    I love my city but we are wimps. Everyone is talking about the ‘cool change’ as it’s finally feeling like Autumn (I’m in Australia) and today I noticed more than a few women wearing tights and men wearing beanies on the way in to work. The thing is, it’s 22 degrees C (about 72 F)! And I’m not meaning this as a criticism leveled at others and I’m in the ‘starting to feel cold’ camp too, it’s just how we roll when we spend more than half the year at 33+ C (90F)!

    Anyone else noticed their city has some ridiculous habits?

    • AZCPA

      For sure – as desert dwellers, we too break out boots and gloves at the first hint of coolness. As if it rains (even a sprinkle) it is as though everyone on the road has lost all ability to drive.

    • Anon

      Not in the city. I live in. But I was in Israel once during November and it was hardly cold. It was pleasant actually. But I saw women at work in knee high boots and coats. They were doing it just for fashion, not for function.

    • PNW

      I’m in the opposite type of climate – we’ve had three days above 80 F and a lot of people (myself included!) feel like we’re in death valley. It’s only the transplants that seem to be happy, lol.

    • MN Transplant

      On the flip side, in MN once it gets up to 40 F in the springtime you inevitably start to see people outside in short sleeves, and 50 F means break out the flip flops!

      • Anonymama

        Ha, I went to college in Southern California and we would all gawk at the Minnesotans who would wear shorts and tshirts when it was 60 degrees, while the native Californians were in coats and jeans.

    • Anonymous

      I’m in Canada, so I have the opposite- as soon as it hits 10C, you’ll see people in shorts sleeves and no jackets, we just spend so much of the year bundled up, we can’t wait to wear fewer layers!

      Plus, I think 0ur frame of reference for temperature is totally difference, since 22C is a nice summer day for us, hahaha.

    • Pound

      We have the opposite thing. It’s like 8C (46F) with a few clumps of snow scattered here and there and people are skateboarding to work in tank tops and shorts. Yeeesh.

    • NYtoCO

      We were in Spain 3 weeks ago, where the temperatures ranged from 55F (minimum) to 65F. Not kidding, 80% of the locals were wearing PARKAS. The only people dressed appropriately were tourists. This was most evident in Barcelona, where you know they experience some cold weather. So weird.

  23. violet

    Has anyone been to Colombia, the country? I’m thinking about making a 10 day trip and am wondering about tips for a solo female traveler. Would love to take some dance lessons but mostly interested in historical sites and hiking. Thanks!

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