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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 136 Comments · by

Coffee Break: Greer V Neck Necklace

Coffee Break· Under $150

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Gorjana Greer V Neck Necklace I'm digging this simple “V Neck necklace” from Gorjana — it looks delicate, but is much bolder than a pendant necklace or something. Very cool. It's $58 at ShopBop. Gorjana Greer V Neck Necklace

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Comments

  1. ouch

    I’m in the process of interviewing for my dream job. I had a second interview and they said they’d let me know if I was invited to the third round this week. One of my references just emailed me to tell me they contacted him. Oh my god, jumping out of my SKIN right now. Surely this isn’t a *bad* sign right? How good of a *good* sign is this?

    • InfoGeek

      I think it’s a sign that you’re definitely being considered for the 3rd round.

      If you weren’t being considered, they wouldn’t contact references after the 2nd round.

    • momentsofabsurdity

      It’s a good good sign but definitely not a “you got the job” sign. No one bothers to call references of definite nos, so I think it’s great they’re calling, but that being said, it might just be SOP that before the third round, they always call references and they’re calling everyone’s who has made it this far.

      Good luck though! I hope you get it!

    • Divaliscious11

      Yes, its a good sign but not a slam dunk. So be hopeful, but don’t start packing your office…unless you already have because you are interviewing….

    • Brant

      I’ve served as a reference for colleagues before and gotten called at this juncture. Often it is to hear more about what they’ve picked up on so far- to see if they’re reading you right, as well as flesh out some concerns. Example, I was called and told the hiring company loved the candidate but thought he came off as quite reserved. This candidate was excellent for the job and quiet at first but a great team player and very personable. I could hear the hiring manager breathe a sigh of relief and te candidate got a call back.

  2. Sydney Bristow

    I know we’ve discussed this before, but my Google-fu is failing me today.

    My sister-in-law is having a baby this summer and I’m trying to decide what to get her for the shower. I’m buying something off the registry for my new nephew, but I’d like to get something for both her and my brother as well. I was thinking of a gift certificate for a week or 2 of a meal delivery service, but I can’t seem to find one that would work. If anyone has specific suggestions for that in Portland, Oregon, I’d love to hear it. I’m open to other ideas as well though. As new parents, what were things that you received that you loved or were super helpful in the weeks after having the baby?

    I live across the country from them, so as much as I’d like to go there and just hold my nephew so they can shower, eat, etc, that can’t really happen. Any ideas that I can do for them long-distance would be awesome.

    • Portlandian

      Dine In 2 Nite is a meal-delivery service in Portland. It’s very reasonably priced and the menu always looks good! The delivery is consistent and convenient. Food seems to range from decent to very good. It does not seem as if they do anything for vegans, gluten-free, etc., but I’m not sure.

      www dot pdx dot dinein2nite dot com/#

      • Sydney Bristow

        Oohh that does look good, thanks. It requires a 4-week minimum subscription, so I’ll see if anyone wants to do it together with me since its a little out of my price range for the full 4 weeks.

        Do you know of similar places that would allow something like a gift certificate for a specified number of meals instead of a subscription? I suppose I could get them gift certificates for various restaurants they like that deliver too.

    • Another in Portland

      I had Dinner at Your Door recommended to me. Looking at online reviews appears that they had a groupon-gone-bad experience, but the person I know who used the serivce was happy.

      Unfortunately restaurant meal delivery is spotty at best in PDX, but take-out is an option. You could give them gift cards for nearby restaurants.

      There are also some ‘prepare your own freezer meal’ places. I know someone who used Thyme Management and was very happy.

      • Another in Portland

        Bah, it’s To Your Table that was recommended to me. Which explains the disconnect between reviews. www [dot] toyourtableonline [dot] com.

    • CJ

      If you can’t find a meal delivery service, you might consider a big Safeway giftcard with a note that they are “required” to use it to have groceries delivered. I know it isn’t as convenient or easy as meals delivered, but I think packing up the baby and traveling to the store is a big part of the hassle. They could get fresh fruit and vegetables and meat that way.

      Also, Delivered Dish is a delivery service for lots of restaurants. However, there is a $20 minimum food order and up to $10 for delivery charge, so it isn’t very practical.

      Dream Dinners is another make your own meal place that has branches in Portland.

    • Saacnmama

      What about one of those services that will pick up carry out at many restaurants in town, so they can choose what cuisine they want each night? Make the gift card big enough to cover meals for a couple weeks, and they can choose if they want them all at once or spread out.

      A similar idea of making parents life easier might be hours of babysitting with some service you know they trust. Give them a bottle of champagne or some movie popcorn with it, so they get the idea it’s for date night.

    • Kj

      I had a lot of people deliver meals to me. The thing I found most useful was having a family member that paid to have a cleaning person come once a week for a month or six weeks. I think that would be comparable to meal delivery (at least in my area), and something a little “out of the box.” Honestly, I became a bit overwhelmed with all of the meals.

      • Sydney Bristow

        Oh, that’s an awesome idea too! Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll definitely look into that.

  3. Anon for this

    I’ve been in litigation my entire (fairly short) legal career, but I’m strongly thinking that it’s not the best choice for me, and I want out of my current job. I’ve applied for a job that would be transactional and regulatory in nature (in healthcare, at a medium sized firm). I realize this sounds dumb, but I’m having trouble conceptualizing what that actually means. Explain it to me like I’m five years old – what would this change actually mean for my day to day work? What do transactional attorneys actually do all day?

      • Anon for this

        That’s basically all that I know (it was a fairly sparse job listing). But I’d like to sound like I know what I’m talking about should I get an interview. From studying up on the firm, it sounds like they have clients in the health industry, and handle whatever they need. Their website mentions business formation and plans and regulatory compliance.

        • Anon for this

          Oh, and I did study a lot of healthcare law in law school (I had intended to specialize in it before the economy went to cr@p), so I have the knowledge, just not the practical experience.

        • mascot

          Do they represent providers? Think federal/state fraud and abuse considerations, payor issues, licensure/certificate of need, operational issues like medical staff, HIPAA, etc. From the business side, you would likely see employment agreements, corporate structures, sales of practices, that sort of thing. It depends on how big the practice group is as to how much an attorney specializes in any of those individual areas.

        • s-p-c

          Have you looked at attorney bios on the website? Even in my small healthcare group, we canvas so many different topics (FDA, Sunshine Act, False Claims Act, Stark Law, Anti-Kickback investigations, compliance programs, Medicare reimbursement, etc.). If you looked at some bios in the firm – or if needed, maybe the bios of other similar firms in the area – you may get a better sense of what types of things they do on a day-to-day basis.

    • Ellen

      I am an expert in BOTH litiegation and transeactional work, but perfer litiegation b/c I am abel to think on my feet and look good in court. YAY!

      When I was stuck doeing do diliegence in Saint Louis, all I could think about was my stabel of cases and everything I had to do on them. Haveing Jim make stupid jokes did nothing to make me like transeactional work any better. FOOEY ON THAT!

      Depending on what you are goeing into, you must remember that transeactional work is alot more boring, and there are NO judge’s doing the work. On the OTHER hand, as a NYC litiegator, I know I have to look good and wear nice clotheing to court. You do NOT have to worry if you are just looking at DOCS all day. Peeople just sit alot doeing transeactional work, while litigieators are on their FEET! YAY!

      You NEVER see a TV show about transeactional lawyers, b/c it would be to boring. FOOEY! That is why I am NOT doing any do diliegence any more.

      The manageing partner left early so Myrna is stoppeing by in an HOUR and we are walkeing up to Bloomingdale’s and stoppeing at 40 KARATS for a frozen yogurt. YAY!

    • Anon for this

      Oh, hey, I did get an interview! (I just sent the materials in this morning.) Scary!

      Should I lie to my office and say that I have a doctor’s appt? (My office is small and up-in-your-business, so the assistants will ask me all about it – out of care and concern, but still.)

      • Anon

        I would just say I have an appointment and if pressed, that it is personal. I would not lie and call it a doctor’s appointment.

      • LackingLuster

        I agree. I wouldn’t lie. I would try to take vacation time or personal time but not sick time.

  4. Anon

    I need some financial advice! DH and I have managed to save about 75k over the past two years, but its just sitting in our savings account at our bank. We have a savings and checking account (with a debit card) at the same bank. Someone was telling me that if my debit card were to be compromised, someone would be able to drain both accounts (not sure if that’s actually true, but the thought made my stomach drop!)

    We’ve been saying for a while that we need to figure out what to do with this money, but there was never any urgency. Now I want to get that cash out of there! But we’re not sure what do with it. At what point does it make sense to have a financial planner/advisor? Does this seem like it’s the sort of thing we could just do ourselves?

    I’m still a student, so this isn’t really something I talk about with my friends since most of them have student loans. We’re debt free and have no plans for kids or homeownership within the next 4 years. Any advice would be SO appreciated!

    • Sydney Bristow

      There are a ton of books out there that are helpful and I think you could do it without a financial planner. Check out I Will Make You Rich by Ramit (totally blanking on his last name), The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need, and books by Suze Orman.

      Also, if you haven’t already maxed them out, make sure to put at least some of that mney into retirement savings. My understanding is that you could each do $5000 into an IRA for 2012 until April 15th of this year and then $5500 for 2013 (assuming you are eligible).

    • anonforthis

      I would go talk to a financial adviser as you might be able to earn more on that 75k rather than having it sit in a simple savings account. Do you have retirement investments? What about investing in some stock? Or some short-term CD accounts to earn higher interest rates on it?

    • InfoGeek

      You should be able to make sure that your debit card is not linked to that account. For that to help, though, I don’t think you can use the savings account with the $75K in it for overdraft protection on your normal checking account. So, in the short term you may need 2 savings accounts — one for some safety money and one for big money.

      I do agree that unless you see a short term need for this money it should probably be in something with a chance of bigger return than a savings account.

    • Anon

      Please don’t use a debit card EVER if you can help it. They look/act like credit cards, but once the money is drained, it’s MUCH harder to get back, unlike a credit card where the charges are there but taken off if you report, “hey, this wasn’t me!” Also, credit card companies are often much better at detecting fraud.

      • Anonymous

        When you say debit cards, do you mean the VISA/MC-branded debit cards that function like credit cards, or just the bank-issued true debit cards?

        • k-padi

          All debit cards–even if you can press “credit” at the card reader. The VISA/MC branding really only indicates that it’s accepted at VISA/MC places.

        • Sydney Bristow

          I think it is true for both since they are both tied to the money in the checking account. It might make a difference if the transaction is processed as credit or debit, but you’re still dealing with the money being gone from the account during the time it takes to fix an issue.

      • Saacnmama

        My bank has been very good each time someone used my debit card number. They see the irregularity, let me know, and put funds into my account to cover what was taken while they do an investigation. Every time, they have determined that the account was indeed hacked, and send a note saying the temp deposit is now permanent.

    • k-padi

      Yes, you can do this yourselves. Or you can hire a financial planner. I’d read up on personal finance or take a class even if you do end up hiring someone.

      Search this site, there’s been a lot of posts on personal finance. I DIY through Vanguard (lots of us like them on here) but other companies like Fidelity, Schwab, etc. are also highly recommended.

      Also, putting that money (less a small emergency fund) in an investment account instead of savings will unlink it from your checking account/debit card. And, if you can, use a CC for daily purchases and pay it off every month. The consumer protections are so much better even before earning rewards, miles, etc.

    • Penelope

      Assuming you guys are maxing out your retirement options (401(k) and IRA, or whatever), and don’t have any loans, first of all, move $X into an online savings account with a higher interest rate (whatever is currently offering the highest rate). The $X should be your emergency fund — 6 to 12 months’ worth of expenses, assuming you both lost your jobs and couldn’t find new ones. Whatever $75K – $X is, put into a mutual fund (I do Vanguard, which is easy to use online and has very low fees). You can do more stock if you are risker, more bonds if you are more conservative (and like very low interest rates), target retirement dates if you want to start risky and get more conservative…none of these is a bad option, whereas keeping in your Chase/Citi/WF/etc. account and earning 0.01% interest is likely not the wisest for someone in your situation. And it probably doesn’t make sense for you to have a savings account at your checking account bank (unless your checking account is at a place like Ally or CapitalOne that has relatively high interest rates on savings accounts).

  5. Yellow

    My boyfriend and I are going to be visiting Charleston for a long weekend in late March. Any recommendations for cant-miss sights or restaurants?

    So far we’re thinking of going to Cru Cafe, FIG, and Slighly North of Broad for dinner. Hoping to hit Charleston Grill, Husk, and Magnolias for lunches/brunch. Thinking of stopping at Peninsula Grill one night for a post-dinner drink and a slice of the famous coconut cake.

    We’re going to be doing a walking tour, a carriage tour, and seeing Fort Sumter. We’re also going to try to see some of the homes/planations on our own.

    Thanks!

    • JK

      Definitely go to the Gin Joint on East Bay Street. They have handmade pre-prohibition craft cocktails that are great. There is a big menu of drinks or you can order whatever– but they only use mixers and liquors from the prohibition era. It’s a neat spot!

    • Another S

      Good call on FIG. So, so, so good! Also, unless you know you’ll love Fort Sumter, you might prefer to do a harbor tour that passes/circles the island but doesn’t stop. That way you get to see a lot more of the area in a lot less time.

    • Coalea

      Sounds like you are pretty well set for restaurants, based on your list. Others that I would recommend would be Amen Corner, Mercato and High Cotton.

      I highly recommend cocktails at the Pavilion Bar (on the rooftop of the Market Pavilion Hotel). Gorgeous views! (There is also a rooftop bar above the Vendue Inn, but I prefer the Pavilion).

      Have a fabulous time!

      • Lilly

        I second her recommendations. To the Pavilion rooftop bar rec, I’ll add this – dress up a little bit; order champagne. I’ll add Gaulert & Maliclet, aka “Fast and French” to the restaurant list. It’s located on Broad Street near the intersection with King, and is especially useful for a breakfast that is more than a roll but is not some gargantuan, epic breakfast. And the coffee is excellent.
        If you’re up for some shopping, be sure and check out the non-chain clothing stores on King Street. Sadly for me, I’m more familiar with the gentlemens’ options: Berlin’s, Grady Ervin and Ben Silver.

    • sweetknee

      There is a good place on Meeting Street for brunch called Toast. I had a great bloody mary there. It had bacon flavored vodka in it ( what could be bad about that ?!)

      If you have a chance, try to catch a southern cooking class at “Charleston Cooks”. We are from SC but spent a weekend in Charleston last fall, and had a great time doing that. There are classes where you participate/eat, and those where you just watch/eat. Both are fun. It’s like live Food Network channel.

    • ohc

      Oh, man, FIG is delicious. Enjoy!

      I went to Charleston over the summer with my sister and her boyfriend and we really got a kick out of doing a walking ghost tour one evening–the stories were kind of far-fetched (and to make it better, our tour guide definitely was a conspiracy theorist), but they were fun and we saw some hidden historical corners of Charleston that I’d not been through before.

  6. KLG

    I apologize if this has been discussed recently, but any federal ‘ e t t e s out there concerned about sequester? I got my dream job at a federal agency at the end of the fiscal year (after 19 months of job searching) and have been blindly assuming Congress will reach yet another 11th hour compromise. My agency has been telling us they are well-prepared for a small budget cut but they’ve been mum on what the plan will be if no compromise is reached and sequestration begins. Obviously being furloughed is vastly preferable to losing my job and I’m starting to wonder which of those will happen…

    • L

      Take a look at the OMB’s sequester memos for your agency (WaPo has a whole breakdown by agency). I’d bet on not an 11th hour deal, but one probably a few weeks later given that the CR expires on the 27th. I’m expecting somewhere around a week or so before, we’ll see some compromise that involves funding and dealing with the sequester. Given that bet, I would carefully assume agencies would likely furlough a few days, but would imagine serious cuts/job loss if nothing is done by mid-april.

      just my assumption for what it’s worth.

    • Anon Fed

      Yes, I’ve been getting more and more worried as the days roll on. Just FINALLY got word that my agency doesn’t plan to do any furloughs, but we have several MOUs with other agencies that we provide services for, and no idea how those agencies will handle the cuts. It’s a funky situation. My biggest consolation is that my particular job isn’t dependent on those funding sources (some others are), but that might not mean much…who knows.

    • Wife of a fed

      Yes though if my husband is furloughed, I have plenty of work for him to do on an hourly basis at my law firm LOL. It is just so unfair to keep so many middle class employees in the lurch like this. Many of us are lucky and have two income households with adequate savings. Many federal employees do not and work blue collar service jobs making it march harder to save an emergency cushion. A “short” shutdown could mean bills unpaid for many people. Sequestration, I have heard, will lead to 22 days of furlough, spread out throughout the year. It still results in almost a month less pay which can be devastating for many. I can say that outside of the government though, few people seemed that worried or care. We are in the middle of a home refinance and our lender didn’t even blink an eye over the fact my husband is a fed.

      • L

        Your last point is so true. It’s terrifying to me how so many people don’t seem to think this is a big deal because they don’t understand the critical functions of government. I certainly hope we don’t get to the point where we see the impacts in day to day life, but I do hope this whole experience wakes people up to the fact that there are bigger issues than a few thousand people taking a pay cut (as if that wasn’t big enough!).

        • gov anon

          Not to mention the trickle down to contractors and State agencies. My agency, though at the State level, has lots of joint fed-State funded programs. Sometimes the fed funds are tied directly to a certain employee’s job. So in addition to State budget cuts, we’re going to loose fed funds. And people will definitely be loosing jobs.

      • Anon

        While I get that the sequestration cuts are designed to be across-the-board spending cuts, I struggle with how else to deal with the federal budget deficit. I saw a headline (I will admit, I didn’t read the article, so who knows how accurate), that even with these cuts, it will only slow the debt increase down by 2 years before it hits the debt ceiling again. Obviously, something has to be done, but everyone seems to be saying “not my [job, project, etc.]. I spent a lot of time working in government, so I get that it plays an important role and am certainly not an all-government-is-evil person. But something has to give, doesn’t it?

        As a young-ish American, it pisses me off to no end that my parents and grandparents to some extent, got their cake and got to eat it too, and now their kids and grandkids have to pay the price of wars, healthcare, etc. that they financed on our backs.

        • Wife of a fed

          I absolutely agree that something needs to be done but it needs to be done carefully and planned. As currently described, some cuts are absolutely ludicrous. For example, IRS Revenue Officers may be furloughed. Revenue Officers are collections officers out in the field bringing in literal checks for back taxes every day. One RO I know brings in more than his paycheck on a WEEKLY basis. Furloughing an RO will cost the government money rather than save it money.

          To your overall point of “not my project” there is a great Ted Talk by Jonathan Haidt about how common threats can bring opposing parties together. He showed graphs of fiscal issues (some) democrats deny and graphs of environmental issues (some) republicans deny. The graphs showed the same trajectory – disaster in twenty years. I think his talk should be required reading/watching for all members of Congress and it might help them reach across the aisle.

          I think there are some on both sides of the aisle hoping a shutdown/sequestration happens so they can say “see, I didn’t give in!” to their constituents.

      • Wife of a fed

        Ugh. That is awful. At least health benefits aren’t going to be suspended. How many days are you projected? 22?

        • Fed Family

          14 days each. And to the commenter above, obviously the federal budget cannot be balanced on the backs of civil servants. Congress needs to deal with the big monstrous money-suckers, including social security, medicare, medicaid, and the military, all of which are exempt from the current budget cuts. Interesting article by Nate Silver here — http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/16/what-is-driving-growth-in-government-spending/. We are close to the point where the majority of government spending will be on entitlement/insurance programs.

          • Commenter Above

            Totally agreed. I think I mostly wanted to rant about entitled baby boomers wanting it all with low taxes, and now retiring late so that younger workers have fewer and fewer jobs as options, and expecting us to pick up all the slack.

      • anon for this

        To elaborate, got prelim details today, notices to come later in the week (22 days, but hopefully it will end up being less).

    • AnonDC

      According to my source on the Hill – Sequester is definitely happening. I feel for all of you Feds!

  8. Marissa Mayer

    I found this interesting.

    www. guardian [dot] co [dot] uk/technology/2013/feb/25/yahoo-chief-bans-working-home

  9. ABC

    Attention Boston ladies…. What do you like best and worst about living in your fine city?

    I have visited numerous times, but I may be relocating there for a new job, and would love to hear some of your thoughts. I am coming from another big city – but one that is significantly warmer!

    • RADanon

      Good Things – Boston has character. It’s an old city with loads of history and many residents have lived in the area for a long time, are passionate about the sports teams, the city itself, etc. It’s a fairly walkable city because it’s so small. The weather in the summer is pretty great, and there is easy access to nearby beaches. It’s also nice to be fairly close to nature (NH/VT/Maine/Berkshires) and to other big cities (NYC/DC). There are also some decent restaurants/museums/cultural events in the city.

      Bad Things – The weather in the late fall/winter/early spring. Because so many people grew up in the area, they often have already established friend groups that it can be difficult to break into. Drivers in this area are awful. Boston has a a history of discrimination, and it is still a pretty racially segregated city.

      Overall, it’s a nice place to live. You said you were coming from a warm climate, so I assume you are not coming from New York. It’s definitely not like New York – it has a much smaller feel to it. Let me know if you have more specific questions – happy to answer them!

      • Diana Barry

        I wouldn’t say the winter etc. is a bad thing. I love snow! I love cold! I also come from the frozen north, so (from my childhood) I am used to it being much colder than it is here.

        THe #1 bad thing about the city, IMO, is the parking. We had street parking when we lived in the city and it was murder finding a spot. We would drive around for an hour sometimes looking for a parking spot. Sigh. I still find there to be much too much traffic, but if you are coming from ATL or similar place with a lot of traffic, it is not as bad.

        I like everything else! :)

    • Fiona

      I love pretty much everything about Boston. It’s physically a small city, so you can get everywhere very quickly. It’s walkable and easy to live in a neighborhood where you can get to great restaurants, grocery stores, shops, etc. on foot. The people are smart and educated, and I like that the culture is fairly introverted and reserved so you can just do your own thing and be left alone.

      What I don’t like is that it is an expensive place to live. Not as bad as New York or San Francisco, but not that far off either. Condos in the city (or Cambridge/Brookline) are really expensive for what you get, and the suburbs are either wildly expensive or have a difficult commute. It gets old. It’s also not very dog-friendly if you want to rent instead of buy. All that said, we do rent a nice 2BR in Cambridge with a dog and things are great. But sometimes we think about bugging out to a lower cost of living area because it is just plain expensive to live here.

      • new york associate

        Anyone want to put in their plug for a place with lower cost of living? As someone who has lived in Boston, NYC, Washington, and SF, I am starting to get thoroughly sick of paying this much for basic living costs. People always say “Oh, move to Austin or Houston.” Any other non-Texan cheap places to live that you just love?

        • Monte

          Places that I love: Chicago and Denver. (And Austin!) Both are big cities, and not dirt cheap, but much better COL-wise than the places you mentioned. I have heard great things about Boise, actually, but it is too small and too ethnically homogeneous for it to be a good fit for me. I surprisingly liked Milwaukee, and I really like Madison — again, both small, but I think I could have a decent time in either, and if I were married, they would definitely go on the list.

        • Cincinnati!

          Cincinnati is a great city! It has a low cost of living, neighborhoods with character, great architecture, a strong arts scene for a city its size, good parks, big companies to work for if you like big companies, and the people are midwestern and so very nice.

          Not a great place to meet ambitious single guys, though; maybe better to move here if you’re already married.

          • St. Louis

            St. Louis has similar qualities as Cincinnati. It’s a great place to raise a family, especially if you prefer suburban living where the schools are better. If you are single and no longer in school, good luck, as people marry at younger ages here.

            As someone from L.A. it is too small and ethnically homogenous for me, as I am a big city girl at heart.

    • wintergreen126

      Best: it’s a mostly walkable city. And for all that I hate the T sometimes, it’s really not that bad, and it pretty much gets you to everywhere you need to go, and the Commuter Rail is pretty decent, too. Also, great seafood! Because of the heavy student population, it manages to keep a young vibe, so to speak. And if Irish bars are you thing, there are plenty here! The best way to see the Boston skyline is by kayak on the Charles.

      Worst: The heavy student population is also something that drives me crazy. Venturing into certain areas is like being in college all over again. The T doesn’t run all night like in NYC. It stops sometime between 12:30-1am.

    • Gus

      Love it! I didn’t grow up here, but wouldn’t live anywhere else. I guess if you come from a warmer climate, the winters may be an adjustment for you. On the other hand, summer is glorious — mostly 70s and 80s, and not humid like DC and the South. I didn’t find it hard to make friends here at all — through work and through getting involved in community activities in my neighborhood. Even though I live right in the city, there’s a real sense of neighborhood that I think you don’t find in lots of other big cities. Yes, it’s expensive to live in the city, but so worth it if you can for access to great restaurants, museums, theater, etc.

    • ABC

      Thank you everyone for your responses so far. I do have some friends (maybe acquaintances is a better word) who live there and they seem to echo a lot of what you are saying.

      This may be a dumb question…but where do young professionals generally live? I think that I would enjoy living in the city. And do most people have cars?

      • Sutemi

        Many young people have cars and many don’t. I’ve lived here for 14 years with 1 car for a 2 person household. I bike and the buses/T are decent.
        Where to live depends somewhat on where you work. I live in Cambridge and have friends living in Alston, Brookline and Boston. Suburbs aren’t much cheaper than living in the city if you do it well. I would rent an apt in the city for the first year and then choose a long term place to buy, the neighborhoods each have individual character and commute times.

      • momentsofabsurdity

        I would say if you can avoid having a car (if you’re planning to live in the city, I mean), I would. Sometimes it’s unavoidable and you need to own one (it is for me) but it’s really not worth the hassle, impossible parking situation, rise in your insurance, and inevitable dings and scratches from narrow street driving/parking, etc.

        Young professionals do live all over the city but there are certain areas that are very undergrad populated – such as Allston-Brighton, which is really the “student hood” of the city. Of course, it’s Boston, you’ll find undergrads everywhere you go but depending on your budget, a lot of young professionals live in Back Bay, Beacon Hill, South End and Brookline, as well as a lot of parts of Cambridge.

      • Anon

        I LOVED Boston! I lived there in law school and then four years in biglaw. We lived in Charlestown and absolutely adored it. We were within walking distance to the North End and it is easy to get downtown in the mornings for work. Another commenter said that Boston isn’t that dog-friendly and that can certainly be true, but we found Charlestown to be very dog-friendly (lots of dogs of all sizes and a great dog-park). For the four years that we lived in Charlestown, DH had a car for driving to work in the burbs but I never had a car (and never drove) and got around really well. Parking can be a nightmare so we were happy to have just one car.

        Also not sure if you are moving into the legal market, but I will say one thing about the Boston legal market: It is very weary of outsiders. Most places want you to have a connection to Boston and are weary of people coming from outside of New England. All in all, I loved Boston and would move back in a heart-beat given the chance.

      • RADanon

        Don’t forget about Somerville. There are many young professionals living in the Davis Square area. It’s definitely more of a hike into the city than if you were living in Boston proper or even in the Harvard/Central square areas of Cambridge, but you’re right on the red line, so once you’re on the train, it’s probably less than 25 minutes into the city.

      • Fiona

        As for where to live, it totally depends on your personality and what you want:

        Are you coming from a dense city and want a lot of restaurants, walkability, and a classic Boston feel, and you’re willing to trade space/money to get it? Then the South End or Beacon Hill might make sense. (No cars).

        Do you love books and like being around intellectuals, and want more space for your money without losing walkability/urban feel/restaurants? Then go to Cambridge. (Cars ok).

        Did you recently graduate from college and want to meet lots of boys? Then Southie could be good for you. (Cars needed, but so is off-street parking).

        Do you have kids but want to be in the city? Check out Brookline. (Cars ok).

        Do you want all the benefits of city living but need an even bigger apartment and you’re willing to ride a ways on the subway to get there? Check out Davis Square. (Cars ok).

      • Diana Barry

        When we lived in the city, we lived in Back Bay and the South End. We had 1 car(for 2 people) and in the south end, street parking (baaaaaaaaaaaaad – see above). Depending on where your job is, you don’t need a car if you live there or on Beacon Hill. I walked to my job in downtown every day (25 minutes), and only took the T if it was below 10 degrees.

    • anon

      I used to live there for several years and married a local. There is a lot I miss about Boston. I found it really livable. Boston proper is small, but so many surrounding cities and towns are really nice to live in and commute from. I find there can be a big divide between the transplants and the natives. On the con side, the natives can be very provincial and, honestly, the transplants (usually very educated) tend towards the snooty side of crunchy, if that makes any sense. Overall, there is still a “small town” vibe that can be really great, or, depending on your personality, can get old fast. We always used to roll our eyes every time someone mentioned the Blizzard of ’78, which happens ALL THE TIME and, people, it was 1978! But that’s the local way, which can be hard to crack as an outsider.

      • Fiona

        My secretary mentioned the Blizzard of ’78 just this morning! (As in, this weekend was no Blizzard of ’78, that’s for sure).

      • Divaliscious11

        For those of us who were kids in ’78, its was pretty traumatic… and completely awesome…..

        • Miss Behaved

          Totally. We lived out in Western Mass and could jump off our roof. And we lived in a modern a-frame style, not a ranch.

        • Blonde Lawyer

          I always here the story of a National Guard tank rolling down my parents’ street in the blizzard of ’78 to pick up my neighbor who was a doctor needed at the local ER.

        • Divaliscious11

          I’m from Western Mass too, and at the time lived on a street with a big hill….. man, the fun!!!! But we didn’t know anything about snow plowing and all of the rough parts of big blizzards. Its warped my thinking… I live in another cold part of the country – though trying to get back to NE – and every time they say blizzard, I am like yeah, right….

        • Saacnmama

          Blizzard of 78 covered a huge area. My sister and I had a blast building tunnels in the snow, & I remember thinking my dad was so important because the hospital had someone come out on a snowmobile to take him in to do surgery. Lots of people remember the snows that year, not just Bostonites.

    • TBK

      I’m from around Boston so I LOVE IT, and I second what everyone else said. But one other thing to be aware of is that the buildings are old, and so most of them are kind of cr@ppy. Charming and beautiful, but there’s a fair amount of cr@ppiness going around (not more so than NYC, I don’t think). So things to be aware of, especially if you’re coming from a newer city: forget in-unit laundry, even in-building can be hard to get; central A/C isn’t always a thing — people often just have window units (or no A/C); closets can be small; there can be just one outlet per room, meaning lots of extension cords snaking around behind furniture; you might have things like radiators, which are charming, but do take up a lot of wall space (but are great for putting snowy gloves and hats on, if you don’t mind the wet wool smell). This won’t be true for every building, but there are modern conveniences you take for granted at a certain price point in, say, DC, that just aren’t a given in Boston.

      • BB

        Ditto on this for the most part, especially if you choose to live in Boston-Boston (i.e. Back Bay, South End, Beacon Hill). I LOVE these neighborhoods and just moved from Back Bay to Kendall Square, which is another great young professionals place. There’s a lot of startup, biotech, and MBAs here. And the bonus is that it is all new construction, so you do get big closets, central AC, underground parking, and in-unit laundry. We want to move back to Back Bay eventually, but are saving up to have enough to buy a place that has all those things.

  10. TO Lawyer

    I’m ashamed to admit how little I actually know about basic personal finance etc. – I just today opened an RRSP (retirement account) because the contribution deadline is March 1st and just basically transferred a chunk from my emergency savings to the new retirement account so I’d hopefully get some sort of tax benefit. I’m meeting with an account manager in a couple weeks to talk about this but have to admit (only to you ladies!) how little I know. And while all the personal finance articles around here are useful, I feel like they’re not completely applicable to a Canadian context so here I go to try to figure it all out…

    • Marilla

      Just opened mine a month ago too! I try to read the personal finance pages in the paper and so on, and we’re good with budgeting and taxes and knowing what the difference is between RRSP/TFSA, etc., but I am a bit at a loss with investment advice, how I should be mentally dividing savings between house, retirement, emergency, future child expenses…! I just opened up a high-interest RRSP savings account – not a mutual fund or investment account or anything.. so I’m sure I could be getting better returns somewhere else.

      I keep meaning to book an appointment with an advisor too. Would love to hear how your meeting goes.

    • Nonny

      Have you read Gail Vaz-Oxlade’s book, “It’s Your Money: Becoming a Woman of Independent Means”? It is a really good personal finance book for women, with a Canadian context. I am not a financial role model by any means but I learned a lot reading her book.

  11. SoCal Gator

    I just bought a mint green Vince Camuto jacket and need styling help. Will post link in next comment to avoid moderation. I would probably wear it to work with pants.

    What color pants and shirt? I was thinking navy — I have a nice navy and cream pleated shell, but then navy pants? Suggestions welcome. The color is so lovely and springlike but a real departure from my usual colors.

  12. lawsuited

    Eloquii TJ – Does anyone have experience with how long shipping takes with orders from Eloquii? I need it to get there by Saturday, and don’t know whether I should pony up for $15 2-day shipping?

    • Sydney Bristow

      I think Eloquii’s standard shipping went through USPS, or at least it used to. My experience was that it left the warehouse pretty quickly (1-2days) but delivery ultimately took awhile because it was through the post office. I haven’t ordered from there for over 6 months though so that might not be the case anymore.

    • JessC

      Can’t speak to Eloquii specifically, but I order from The Limited fairly often. I’d recommend getting the 2 day shipping. Locally, what’s started happening is that the package will ship UPS and then get transferred to the local USPS for final delivery to my apartment. Once it gets handed over to USPS, I’ve had it be delayed another 2-3 days from when it first got handed over to USPS.

    • Anon

      That was probably me :) I have them in multiple colors. TTS for me but they are definitely a narrower cut (which works well on my body type).

  14. LikeWayAnonforThis

    I found out over the weekend that a while ago the admin staff in our office put about a rumor that I was in a same-sex relationship with a co-worker. I am hetero and I was certainly not in a relationship with her–she was married and we were good friends who had lunch at work together and worked on some of the same stuff. I have no idea what to do about this, but I would like to find some way to ensure this doesn’t ever happen again, and would appreciate any advice the Hive has to offer. (Lest I inadvertently offend anyone, I don’t think being labeled as g a y (not sure if that word will land me in moderation) is an insult at all; I’m angry about a potentially reputation-damaging rumor being put about, as I don’t date people at work and definitely don’t date married people.)

    • ouch

      Honestly, I think ignoring it might be the best policy, especially because it’s so outlandish. If anyone mentions it to you, smile and say “isn’t that ridiculous?” The world is really like junior high sometimes.

    • JessC

      Unless (a) you know exactly who spread the rumor or (b) this is part of a pattern of conduct among your admin staff, I’d just ignore it. If either of those are true, then I would bring it up to HR so they can talk to talk to the guilty parties.
      Or you can go the route that one of my colleagues went (when one particularly catty/gossipy staff member was spreading a rumor about my colleague and someone else at our firm) and demand that the person explain to you exactly why they thought saying those things was necessary and if they ever do it again, they will be hauled in front of HR/management so fast their head will spin. Maybe not the most professional way to handle it, but that staffer never uttered another peep about it.

    • CW

      Whoa. Can you identify who started this rumor? If you can identify the person I’d be inclined to take it up with HR, if you have an HR department, or their supervisor.

      • CKB

        Even if you can’t identify who started the rumor I’d consider talking to HR. Just so there’s something on the record in case things get out of hand. Which I really hope they don’t!

    • Hmmm

      “(Lest I inadvertently offend anyone, I don’t think being labeled as g a y (not sure if that word will land me in moderation) is an insult at all; I’m angry about a potentially reputation-damaging rumor being put about, as I don’t date people at work and definitely don’t date married people.)”

      if this is the case then why do you open with “a rumor was started that I was in a same-sex relationship with a co-worker” and “I am hetero” rather than just “a rumor was started that I was in a relationship with a married coworker.” seems like the gender/orientation does matter at least a little bit. handle it how you’d handle someone saying you were dating a married male co-worker.

  15. Sad anon

    I just suffered my second miscarriage in a yr. and I’m feeling wretched today. Part of the problem is I don’t feel like this is a subject I can discuss with my girlfriends IRL. A part of me wants to shout from the rooftop my feelings while another tells me to bury my feelings of shame that my body is failing me. Also, at this point I’m not sure where to turn. Is this an issue my OB/GYN can handle or do I need to see an RE? So lost and the info out there is very overwhelming

    • mintberrycrunch

      I have no advice for you, but am sending so many hugs and positive vibes your way. I know this must be so very hard.

    • TBK

      I haven’t had your experience, but it seems like a visit to the OB is definitely the right place to start. (Maybe I’m mistaken, but I thought a visit to the OB/GYN post-miscarriage was standard — is that not right?) The OB can then give you a referral to an RE, but can also get you started on any tests right away. (This might also not be applicable. We’ve been TTC for 10 months and so now have an appointment with an RE next month, but the OB has ordered a bunch of tests for me to do before since they have to be done on specific days of your cycle.) How is your partner in all of this? I think you probably know intellectually that there’s no shame involved in any part of this. People’s bodies just do all different things. But maybe finding some women to talk to who’ve been through the same thing would be helpful, just to get someone to walk you through some of the feelings and let you know you’re not alone. I guarantee your OB has some information on support groups or just message boards that deal with just this issue.

    • Anon

      I am so very sorry for your loss. Lots of hugs, warm tea and rage for the unfairness of it all — to you.

      Others will have more to say, I’m sure, on where to go. I will say that I would not hesitate to turn to an RE. Your OB/GYN may indicate that s/he can handle it, but I liked the confidence and experience of seeing an RE when I ran into problems. Think of it as turning to a specialist.

    • RoRo

      Oh big hugs to you. I had one miscarriage in December, and that’s bad enough. I’m sure two would be really really horrible. I found it surprisingly helpful to talk to people, more so than I would have expected, but I’m sure it varies by person. I’ve heard that doctors don’t get serious about figuring out whether there is an ongoing problem (compared to just terrible luck) with multiple miscarriages until you have more than two. If you feel up to it, I’d urge you to try to get answers now, whether that’s through an RE or your OB, rather than waiting. I have one friend who had three in a row before they figured out she had a very fixable hormone deficiency, and she’s now due in April (healthy pregnancy) — it kills me that she had to go through everything before they figured that out. Good luck; we’re all sending positive thoughts.

    • Hollis Doyle

      I don’t have much advice, but I think asking your OB/Gyn about it would be a good place to start. I would also encourage you to talk to your girlfriends about it and not bury your feelings. I’m sure they will be very supportive and happy to help you in any way they can whether through listening, buying you a drink, or spending time doing fun things with you to take your mind off everything.

      I’m so, so sorry you’re going through this.

    • Silvercurls

      Sorry that this has happened twice and is causing you such pain! You deserve information and answers to help you find a way to deal with the situation, whether you want to connect online or in person with others who share your experiences or to find specialized professionals for help in strategizing and pursuing solutions.

      Second the suggestions to start with your OB/GYN’s office and one or two very close friends. If they can’t help or you want to look further, does your health care provider have a help line or web site, or does your workplace have an EA program? More thinking outside the box: try calling the reference desk of your public library, or the library in a nearby location if you’re in a very small town and want to protect your privacy. (You can program your cell not to reveal your name & number before you make the call. I don’t know how to do this–check your phone manual, check online, or contact your cell service provider.) Librarians are supposed to be able to connect people with information without being nosy or judgmental.

      If anyone along the way says something that causes you more pain, take a deep breath, grieve as necessary, but don’t be deterred. People sometimes react weirdly when they hear sad news, but that’s not your long-term problem. You are entitled to find the information that will help you live your life.

      • Silvercurls

        Also, totally support your wanting to find more medical answers even if your OB/GYN or PCP doesn’t think it’s “time” yet.

    • Sugar Magnolia

      I am so sorry for your loss. And you can feel free to cry/vent/etc here.

    • CKB

      I am so sorry for your loss. I had a similar experience – had 3 miscarriages in 2.5 years, many years ago. It is so hard to deal with.

      Now, I’m in Canada and our healthcare system is very different, but if you were here in Canada I’d tell you to definitely start with your OB and ask about testing, and then if something turned up go to an RE. Back when I had my losses conventional thought was to wait until after 3, but it seemed to be turning. My OB did a ton of testing on me after my 2nd because of the timing of the losses (13.5 weeks, 12 weeks and after a heartbeat on ultrasound). I remember reading somewhere that there was no benefit to waiting until after 3 losses instead of after 2 losses to do testing.

      Finally, take care of yourself. Allow yourself time to grieve. Vent here all you need to – many of us have gone through one or more miscarriages. (((HUGS))) and cookies.

    • EC MD

      I am so sorry for you. I miscarried, and I think that one of the worst things about it is that so many women miscarry (as you can see by the responses) but most feel as though they can’t discuss it. I still haven’t told my parents, I only told a friend who I knew had miscarried, and it is way more isolating than it should be.

      Also, I’m not an OB or and REI, but my attitude is that if you want to conceive, and you are having trouble, you should see and REI. There may be no good answer for why, but I find that whole hormone thing very complex and I’d like someone who’s used to looking at all the bloodwork, labs, etc to be the one to look at it. So speak up and ask for the referral if you want. Also — the REI will definitely have resources for social workers or therapists that work with women who are having trouble conceiving (if you happen to be in Seattle, I know a great one) who can help you with the many complex emotions.

      The last thing I’ll add, and I hope this in no way minimizes your current emotional state, which is expected and justifiable, but many many women have had miscarriages (or more than one miscarriage) and end up carrying beautiful healthy babies to term. I am so sorry for your loss.

    • Flying Squirrel

      I’m so sorry for your loss. I suffered two miscarriages last year, and, while I obviously don’t know exactly how you’re feeling, I can definitely sympathize. Especially with the part about not feeling like you can discuss it IRL. We were already seeing an RE in order to conceive, but for the second m/c (which happened earlier) I didn’t even tell the couple of friends who knew about our IVF treatments. It’s hard, and lonely, and I wish I knew a way to make it easier. All I can say is take care of yourself, and take it one day at a time. I know it’s impossible to believe now, but it does get easier to carry on with your days over time.

      As to your question about who to see, not knowing anything else about your age or how long it took you to conceive, I would see an RE. I know that technically RPL is diagnosed after three losses, but if you’re young then having two losses that you know about (if you’re not doing treatments you don’t know if you’ve had very early chemical pregnancy losses) suggests a possible problem and if you’re older you don’t want to waste a lot more time. I know seeing an RE sounds intimidating (I definitely felt that way), but s/he will just do tests initially and take a history. An OB/GYN would probably do similar, but an RE will be much more up on the testing. Even if they suggest doing treatments right away, you don’t have to. but the information you’ll get from testing (which should include your DH as well) will be helpful in figuring out next steps no matter what. Even if you’re still deciding whether to see an RE, I recommend the book “Navigating the land of IF”. The early chapters have some accessible, practical information about fertility medicine…which may even help you decide if you want to see an RE.

      Again, so sorry…please take care of yourself.

    • anon in tejas

      I am so sorry for your losses anon. I just wanted to throw this out there. there is a pretty strong and supportive community at alt dot life message boards. many women who have dealt with miscarriage, loss and infertility have created a place to discuss feelings and come together. please take care of yourself.

    • LawChick

      I’m a little late to the party here- but I would definitely go ahead and see an RE. I just lost a baby at 9 weeks to an ectopic pregnancy three days before Christmas. I saw my GYN for my infertility issues before going to the RE and wish I had gone directly to the RE first. An RE will (most likely) just be a lot more “in the know” about the various bloodwork that needs to be done and the various other testing, like an HSG. And if you have been trying for a year already, then I would go ahead and move on to an RE.
      My loss in December was my first pregnancy and it was much more heartbreaking than I ever could have imagined. I definitely wouldn’t wait for a third miscarriage before seeking out more specialty advice and testing. My thoughts are with you and you are not alone.

  16. mamabear

    I’m late in the day and maybe too late to ask this but what the heck-

    Do any of you have a Chromebook? Are they any good for gaming? What about word processing?

    My son plays Minecraft online vs his friends and I’d like to boot him off our shared home computer. It would be nice if he could also use the thing to do school papers (essays and the like)

    Thanks in advance!

  17. Anon for this

    Maybe too late, but I’m wondering if you wise ladies have advice on how to deal with a work situation. Toward the end of the day I experienced the worst (and most hostile) professional interaction of my life!

    While remaining vague for anonymity, my job involves oversight of other organizations…so I interact with many people who don’t work at my organization, and the relationship can sometimes be strained due to the oversight aspect. Well, today I got a call from one of my POCs outside my organization that basically consisted of his swearing at me for 25 minutes and insulting my organization (and my role). I never raised my voice, but did respectfully ask him to stop swearing at me so that we could have a productive conversation. He eventually calmed down, and we were able to more-or-less sort out the issue he had called about…but the more I think about it, the more not okay I am with the entire interaction.

    He’s really lucky my DH is out of town, b/c I called him to tell him I was upset and he seemed about ready to go break the guy’s neck. I did sort of mention what happened to my boss (maybe I downplayed exactly how bad it was), but mostly in the context of updating him on the issue the phonecall was intended to resolve. DH thinks I should be more direct about what happened to my boss and ask that he tell this other person’s boss what happened. Given the relationship of our two organizations (where we’re in an oversight capacity), that wouldn’t be entirely inappropriate…but I’m still not sure it’s the best resolution.

    Basically, unless my job changes completely, I have no choice but to work with the POC I just interacted with…but I think my almost any definition the interaction would count as workplace harassment. And I suspect I’m not the only person he’s ever treated this way. Does it make sense to talk to my boss further about what happened? (FWIW, at least part of me feels like the POC resents having a woman in my oversight role, and he would never treat a man this way.)

    • Saacnmama

      Sounds like a planned strategy to get you to back off your regulatory responsibilities. Not raising your voice is admirable; make sure he’s clear that you aren’t backing down on anything else either.

    • Plan B

      I would make sure your boss understands the nature of the conversation, but you should reiterate also that you addressed it in a professional manner and resolved (or mostly, maybe) the issue that the POC raised. I would raise it more in the context of ‘while I handled this particular instance, upon further reflection I believe his actions/words were inappropriate, and I’d like your advice as to whether any further action is necessary.’

    • CW

      I was once working with a client who called up my office and he couldn’t get through to me or the more senior person on the team. He freaked out on the receptionist, who told me. I told the senior person that he needed to tell our main contact at the client (not that guy) that this guy’s behavior was unacceptable. I don’t care how stressful your job, personal life, or whatever is. You don’t treat people like that, period.

      I would absolutely tell your boss. And I would suggest to your boss that he contact his peer at this organization.

    • Green

      Good job on staying calm. At this point you need to decide whether you want your boss to do more, or save that approach until later (should it become necessary). I think my approach would be to let this person know next time you see them (preferrably in person) before you start talking about anything else, that you just want to make it clear that the last interaction you had was completely unprofessional and out of line, and that you are glad you both agree it will not happen again. If he behaves like that again, then you can to your booss that it happened once, and that you reported it / handled it on your own until it was no longer possible.

      Caveat: if you feel unsafe, and would not be comfortable sitting in the same room with this person, then I would definitely asked for further action

    • hellskitchen

      Tell your boss. This guy didn’t just swear at you (which is bad enough) but also your organization and therefore your boss should know. He also should apologize. Another reason to get in ahead of this is that he could talk about this incident tomorrow and cast it as a “conflict” between the two of you, in which you will be left in a defensive position. So as others have said, share this with your boss. You are not being unprofessional if you relay a honest portrayal of what happened

  18. Emjay

    I would let your boss know, and then contact the HR department and his boss at his company via email so there is a written account of his interaction with you. What an a$$wipe. If he does this again, you can interrupt him with a simple, “would you like to modulate your tone, or have the remainder of this discussion in front of Human Resources?”

    • Westraye

      It sounds like you handled it well, and have already told your boss. Document it if you like or have a further discussion of it with your boss if you like, but I don’t think you need to bring it up at his company, unless this is part of a pattern that is affecting your work relationship. [In my opinion, going to his company at this stage would show that you can’t handle difficult idiots but that’s only my opinion] If the POC calmed down on the call, it means he already recognizes he was out of line. Take additional steps if it happens again.

      Caveat: I have a thick skin, and I’ve been sworn at on calls before – your mileage may vary if this is something that you’re really not ok with. In my experience, being professional and handling it the way you did generally means it won’t happen again – and if it does, you can deal with it as you need to.

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