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Coffee Break: Harloh Leather Shoulder Bag

hobo-harloh-shoulder-bagIf you're looking for a quality bag and “designer” isn't important to you, I know many readers have had a lot of love for Hobo bags and wallets over the years. I like the classic, almost vintage vibe to this shoulder bag, as well as the Italian leather, fun, colored lining, and kiss-lock pockets. The bag is available in five colors for $228. HOBO ‘Harloh' Leather Shoulder Bag (L-all)

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197 Comments

  1. I am an Indians fan living in the Chicago area. The CEO offered me a ticket to go with him and some others to Game 3. That sounds great, but I am also in the midst of negotiating salary for a new job. I am not ready to give notice and I will be here for a few weeks or maybe even months more, at the least. Am I stupid for feeeling guilty or should I go and enjoy the game?

      1. Of course you should go. Do NOT be silly. Enjoy the game even if you are NOT for the Cub’s. Dad is also a Cub’s fan b/c he was stationed near Chicago for years and also taught at the University of Chicago’s Busness school. Dad said I should get my cleint’s to take me to a game, or at least get me a hat, but I said that hat’s mess up my hair. FOOEY he told me!

    3. Go! I guarantee you no guy would be thinking — I’ll feel guilty going and then giving notice in 2 weeks. They’d be like – I get to go to the WS! Or at most they’d be thinking – if I do leave, this dude remains part of my network, what better way to stay tight with him than enjoy a WS game in the last few weeks.

      1. +1. I truly though the question here was going to be “Am I putting my job/safety at risk by rooting for the Indians instead of the Cubs?”

    8. Go! This is a classic Constanza moment for you–enjoy it and then you will have an awesome story to tell your friends!

  2. Vicarious travel planning, please! DH and I are celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary next year and want to go on a mini-getaway from our midwestern home. Due to child care logistics, we can probably only be gone Thursday daytime through Monday or Tuesday night. I don’t care that much about a beach b/c we can do a beach with kids — I want to do stuff we CAN’T do with kids. Caveat: we are not skiers but I’m open to learning. We’ve done NY and Boston together already.

    I’ve thought of Sedona, Aspen, Santa Fe, NOLA, Savannah, and somewhere in California. I just feel paralyzed by all of the options with no great way of picking a spot. Any recommendations? We are moderately active but mostly I love the idea of staying in a grown up hotel, eating great food, taking tours that my kids don’t have the patience for, wandering around, and eating All Of The Food.

      1. Sorry, I will elaborate. You can get screaming good deals on absurdly amazing hotels because they’re all in competition with each other. There’s spectacular food in every direction, the most luxurious spas, amazing shows, side trips to the Grand Canyon or Hoover dam if you want, and you really don’t want to be in Vegas more than four days anyway.

      2. I really would not go to Vegas. It’s so touristy and kitschy and there are so many more interesting, beautiful, and historic places to visit. It’s fine for a few days but I think there are better options (e.g. SF, NOLA, etc.).

      3. Vegas is actually great for kids! I mean, sure you won’t be hitting the clubs and you won’t be spending all day every day gambling if you bring your kids, but Vegas is a surprisingly kid-friendly destination.

      4. I love Vegas but it’s very much a love-it-or-hate-it place and I’d be hesitant to recommend it to a first timer for such a special trip. If you do go, make sure you take advantage of all the high-end dining (and shows, shopping and spas, if you’re into that). Vegas IS surprisingly kid-friendly, but you won’t be doing five-course meals with the kiddos. I’d save the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon (plus the incredible Valley of Fire State Park) for a repeat trip with the kids.

      5. Vegas is a great couples option. Fantastic food, great shows, lots to see and do. Splurge and get a suite. The spas are fantastic as is the shopping. Go enjoy, buy some slinky things, get your spa on–super fun couples trip. If you need to recharge–rent a car and go explore Red Rock Canyon–stunningly beautiful–lots of hikes.

        1. +1. Those saying that it’s kitschy and touristy have maybe never left the strip? Vegas is a really interesting place – you just need a car and access to Yelp to find the good stuff.

          Vegas is an amazing food city, both with its high end dining on-strip as well as its abundant (and CHEAP) ethnic food off-strip. I don’t think there’s anywhere else in America where you can get legitimately good/authentic tacos, pizza, pho, bagels, etc. all in the same place. (And I say this as someone living in NYC.)

          If you’re looking for relaxation, hit up spas like others have said, and pamper yourself with a nice hotel and fine dining. See a show. Order room service. Sit in a hotel bar and people watch.

          If you’re looking for outdoors stuff, Zion National Park and Death Valley are both a 2 hour drive. Grand Canyon and Bryce are both a 4 hour drive. Valley of Fire State Park (which is gorgeous and underrated) is 1 hour. Red Rocks is 30 minutes. The list goes on.

          1. +1 I’m well traveled in the Vegas area. Zion is definitely my favorite side trip from Vegas, but we use it as a launch pad for many vacations. Nothing better after a long hike than a swanky Vegas hotel soaking tub and some great food.

          2. I hated Las Vegas but loved my side trips to Zion/Bryce/Valley of Fire while I was in the area. The strip is fine if you stay in the hotel but it was much nicer to go a little farther out and rent a little house to visit the parks.

      2. +1. And add a day or two in wine country if you choose SF and can get the time. I’m biased, because I live here, but it’s an amazing place for a adult foodie trip.

      3. Second NOLA! DH and I just went for a big birthday (his), and it was all about great food, great music, and an awesome hotel room. We stayed at the Ace, which was super sexy. You basically get a stocked cocktail bar and full-size fridge full of beer & wine as your “mini bar.”

        Just avoid Bourbon Street, unless you like Times Square with extra puke smell.

    3. Wine tour in Napa or Sonoma? There’s awesome hiking in the area, and you can also rent bikes to visit wineries by bike. The food and wine are also awesome. I would say it’s a great area for mixing light out-doorsy-ness with eating.

      1. I would second this idea. You can get great food and great WINE. Can’t do that with kids :) Get a driver/car for the day and have fun!

      2. +1 million.
        Napa Valley, hands down. Amazing food, great wine, super romantic, nice walking/biking if you want to do something active and much harder to do with kids than a National Park or a major US city would be.

    5. With the caveat that I have not been to either place, I think Napa or NOLA would be ideal for the kind of trip you’re looking for.

      With respect to Sedona, I got engaged there so it holds a special place in my heart, and of course it’s gorgeous (and if you do pick Sedona, check out L’Auberge de Sedona – we had an amazing stay there), but there’s not really anything to do there that you absolutely couldn’t do with kids (I mean, some of the hiking trail stuff is a bit more technical than I’d do with kids, but it doesn’t sound like that’s the kind of activity you’re looking for anyway).

      1. And as a flip side to this: We are planning a trip to Arizona next spring WITH our kids because it is one of those places that we want to show them and is a fun family trip.

        I would go with NOLA: The food is amazing and there is a lot to see for adults that I wouldn’t necessarily want to have to explain to kids. I absolutely want to show NOLA to my children (DH lived there for 2 years while we did a long distance thing), but not until they are old enough to understand a bit more.

    6. You didn’t say what time of year, but NOLA or Charleston would be my spring/fall picks and Seattle or Portland would be my summer suggestion.

        1. Asheville has some great food. Plus a lot to do outdoors and some good galleries and concerts depending on the time of year. Skiing is close too.

          1. You could, but it is just the sort of thing I’d like to do without kids. Like hang out all night listening to music and wandering around downtown. I have never brought a baby sitter on family trips and have never used ones that hotels / resorts could arranged. But I’d love to be able to go out on a date when away from home and always feel grounded after the kids go to bed (and a bit tied up before).

            Just dreaming for when mine are old enough to leave behind in their own hotel room.

    7. I have been to all the places suggested so far, except Asheville, and I vote for Napa. It’s the most romantic, imo, of all these places and also the hardest to do properly with kids (assuming you want to do the traditional wine tasting thing – if you just want to eat, relax and enjoy the outdoors it’s as kid-friendly as any of the other cities).

    8. If you decide to do CA wine country, I highly recommend home basing in Sonoma County instead of Napa County. You can visit wineries and restaurants in both areas, but Sonoma is so much nicer and less touristy. Check out the Healdsburg Hotel and Healdsburg (the town) generally….

      1. Ooh, or Madrona Manor! Supremely romantic and I think they still have a Michelin star for their dining room.

        1. Madrona Manor is gorgeous, and there are no tvs in the rooms. Good for LGPs, unless you need some gardening shows to get going.

      2. Less touristy is true, but “nicer” is a matter of opinion. I live in the Bay Area and I much prefer Napa county. Sonoma is not as charming and doesn’t’ have the same concentration of excellent restaurants that Napa (especially Yountville) does.

      3. Agree. MacArthur Place in Sonoma is a lovely hotel. You can rent bikes there to go to wineries. Super cute spa.

    9. If you’re in the Midwest, my choice would be NOLA because the flight wouldn’t be too long. If you leave Thursday afternoon, you could get there by evening.

    10. I know it wasn’t on your list, but I was in Nashville this summer and it. was. AWESOME! Lots of fantastic food and SO much to do! We were there from Wednesday evening to Sunday morning, and one of those days was a day trip to Memphis for Graceland and Sun Records (my friend and I are mega Elvis fans!) If you are music fans, this is a fantastic trip. Even if you are not country music fans per se, so much music is rooted in Nashville that the exhibits at the Country Music Hall of Fame will hold your interest and guaranteed, you will learn some fantastic history, and the short tour of RCA’s historic Studio B is fascinating (and if it does not give you goosebumps, you probably need to check with your local coroner as you are likely dead.) There is always something going on there and you will find something geared to your interests. I would recommend not going when the Titans are in town — I’ve heard that it makes getting around and finding a hotel room a royal PIA.

  3. TLDR: what to do with my parents who are visiting me in Chicago this weekend?

    Long version:
    I’ve been living in Chicago for about 3 years and my parents come to visit 2-3 times per year. They’re from a small western city, so coming here is very different from their hometown. They are coming this weekend and I have completely drawn a blank on what to do during the day. Since they’ve been here so often, we’ve exhausted the touristy go-tos. When I’ve asked them what they want to do this weekend, they just respond, “we’re easy, we just want to hang out with you!”. My typical weekend involves running errands, working out, and going out for dinner/drinks with friends or staying home and watching Netflix with my cats. So it’s not like I just want them to tag along. My parents like to “do” things, though museums tend to put us all to sleep. They’re good walkers and adventurous eaters and travelers, and it’s supposed to be a beautiful/crazy (go Cubs!) weekend. We have our nights pretty much figured out (nice dinners followed by drinks at the local dive to watch the games), but I’m at a loss on what to do during the day. I live in the Roscoe Village/Avondale/North Center area, and they’re getting an AirBnB close by. We’re happy to walk/Uber/CTA anywhere in the city, but I’d rather not drive to the suburbs. Things we’ve done in the past include:

    Mag mile/Millennium Park
    Millennium Park concert
    Architecture tour (twice)
    Lunch/shopping at Eataly
    Field Museum
    Art Institute
    Museum of Science and Industry
    Lincoln Park Zoo
    Second City (twice)
    Blue Man Group
    Self-guided art tour downtown
    Biking along the lake path
    Ball game at Wrigley
    Drinks in the Signature Lounge (twice)
    Shopping pretty much anywhere.

    Any local gals have any new suggestions? Or has anyone visited recently and done something they really enjoyed? TIA!

    1. Randolph’s Street Market Fest. Fall fest at the LP Zoo. Andersonville is having a Dessert Crawl (never been, but looks fun).

      Haunted Houses. Escape Rooms. Eat at food trucks. Picnic in a park or along the lake front. Maybe look up some local theaters and catch a random production of whatever.

      1. +1 to Escape Rooms. They are my DH newest favorite thing. We did two when we were in New Orleans a couple weeks ago and now he really wants to do the ones around where we live.

      2. I’ve been to the Randolph Vintage Market and personally thought it kind of sucked (in that everything seemed junky and overpriced).

        Maybe tea at the Ritz or the Drake (both iconic)?
        Tour of local breweries
        Chicago Distilling Co does a great tour

    2. Oak Park – Frank Lloyd Wright.
      Morton Arboretum or Botanic Garden.
      If they are active, there is a ropes course (Go Ape) in a forest preserve in the western burbs.

      1. Oh yes, the Morton Arboretum or the Botanic Garden – and it’s supposed to be good weather this weekend. Do you have a car – there are a lot of great apple orchards to visit, too.

    3. Food tour. You can google something like ‘best donuts Chicago’ and come up with an itinerary. It’s a great way to explore corners of the city you they may not have seen yet. There are organized ones if that’s easier (Chicago Chocolate Tours come to mind).

    4. Thanks for all of the suggestions so far! Brewery/food tours might be the way to go….maybe an apple orchard if we’re feeling a bit city-crazy (although I tend to avoid driving out at all costs since I have to commute to the NW suburbs every weekday).

    5. Theater

      See a play either Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Look at Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Goodman theater.

      Chicago is really outstanding for theater.

      Also… Chicago Symphony Orchestra,

  4. Help hive! I’m 34 and had a baby last year. He sleeps through the night so I’m not really tired but I look exhausted (old?) all the time. My skin just looks droopy and no amount of eye makeup can counteract my undereye circles. I feel like I aged 10 years in six months. Is this a restalyn / Botox problem? Do I go to a med spa or a derm? Do I just go to sephora? I’m losing the baby weight and feel good but i really could use a pick me up. Anyone been here?

    1. Could it be the weight loss? Maybe you’ve lost weight in your face and your skin just needs some time to bounce back.

    2. It sounds like general kiddo fatigue to me. Our LO sleeps well but I’m still always tired. I feel that post kiddo, I’m always running off somewhere and never have time to relax during the day.

    3. Maybe just go to a spa?

      People tend to plump up when pregnant — maybe we just have a lot of extra fluid? But I know what you’re saying. My skin was just smooth and glowy. And if you can have plump skin on your face, I had it (and not a pre-eclampsia thing, just a pregnant thing, for me at least).

      Also: are you exercising? I find that when I bounce around a lot and get sweaty, my skin just looks like it has more life in it. It’s less dull. More youthful looking. Maybe that + spa?

    4. No kids, but crazy under eye circles (thanks, genetics). I’ve had great luck with Bobbi Brown cosmetics for that region. It’s a two step thing – I think they’re called a ‘pigment corrector’ and a concealer. Hope you get more rest soon!

    5. Do you have a regular skincare routine? Are you drinking enough water during the day? I have dry skin and notice my undereyes looking baggy/wrinkly when I’m not adequately hydrating– either from the inside out with water, or outside in with a good eye cream. I’m like a different person when I carry around my liter bottle and refill it during the day. Also try a retinol product under the eyes if you’re not already using one.

    6. Vitamins really help, especially vit B12 and folic acid, not to mention iron if your stomach can take it. Although it’s a myth that having a baby and breastfeeding sucks all the vitamins and minerals out of you, most new mums are depleted…. Also Diorskin Nude bb cream to cover and nourish all at once.

  5. So, for me 2016 was a complete dumpster fire. One of my best friends died in February, and I’ve been dealing with a very draining and seemingly never-ending family health crisis that started in May and is just now resolving. I have a toddler who is a delight, but also a handful. On top of things in my personal life, all the political negativity and election garbage is bumming me out. I am so burned out and grumpy all the time and I don’t like it at all. So I’ve starting thinking forward to next year and I want 2017 to be a year of good humor. I want to watch comedies, read funny books, and work on having more or a sense of humor about things.

    Does anyone have recommendations for funny books, TV shows, or movies? I’m okay with stupid humor. Really just anything to get me laughing would be great.

      2. Veep is my amazing but not sure it would help with election burnout. The parallels between that show and the 2016 Presidential election are a little disturbing…see Selina and Trump making the same Nev-AH-da pronunciation gaffe.

        1. I hate politics but I love VEEP. It’s a trainwreck, but it’s not real. Also, it’s not dark (see House of Cards). And the clothes are so pretty. So pretty.

    2. Silicon Valley on hbo. A lot of it is crude humor, so keep that in mind. They are 30 minute episodes though so it’s easier to fit them in.

      1. We just finished Silicon Valley and I loved it. I’m sad I’ve got to wait until the next season to get more. It’s a nice break from the normal rotation of doctor/lawyer/politician/family shows that are out there.

    3. Shows: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
      It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, if you like your humor ridiculous, over the top, and mostly about people being the worst people ever

      Books: The funniest thing I’ve read recently was Lady Susan. Austen’s sarcasm level in that novella is so perfect. I genuinely laughed out loud multiple times. Love and Friendship was an excellent adaptation of it, in my opinion, and also laugh out loud funny.

    4. Rita – Danish Comedy about a schoolteacher on Netflix. It’s hilarious. I’m watching it right now and I just turned my parents on to it…

    5. It’s always sunny in Philadelphia- gross and stupid but I laugh so hard…

    6. The dumb movie that delighted me, against all odds, was Role Models. I will never not laugh at that movie.

      1. Mine is “Superbad.” “He’s what’s his name’s brother — the SINGER!” These eyes….

    7. Books: Is Everyone Hanging Out without me?, Where’d You Go Bernadette, anything by David Sedaris
      TV: It’s always sunny in philadelphia, The Office, Modern Family
      Youtube: Bad lip reading of the debates

      1. Yes! I was reading “Is Everyone Hanging Out without Me” on a plane, and I was laughing so hard, but trying to keep quiet at the same time, I just looked like I was crying and startled the woman next to me. When she realized I was just cracking up, she started laughing as well.

    12. A few suggestions: New Girl and Veronica Mars are my go-to comedies. I also feel the same as you sometimes, and I find that certain genres provide a better feel-good escape than just comedies. I like family dramas where it shows people overcoming problems and bonding together–like Parenthood and Friday Night Lights. I also like books with YA fantasy series where good triumphs over evil. There are some great ones out there now, like the Red Rising trilogy by Pierce Brown.

    13. For shows, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Silicon Valley, The Good Place (just started on NBC), Parks and Rec, Bob’s Burgers, Master of None, Don’t Trust the B in Apt. 23, The League, Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Garfunkel and Oates, Broad City

      For books, I love Jenny Lawson’s memoirs (they can get serious-ish but are mostly hilarious) and the early Jen Lancaster memoirs (Bitter is the New Black, Bright Lights Big A$$, Such a Pretty Fat, and My Fair Lazy are my favs, and also her fiction is solid, though not great). For fiction authors, I like Stacey Ballis, Catherine McKenzie, Whitney Gaskell, Maria Murnane, Laurie Notaro, Maria Semple, and Plum Sykes – not all are laugh out loud funny, but they’re all fun and light.

    14. I’ve been loving Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Jane the Virgin. Silicon Valley, Veep, and Kimmy Schmidt are all good too, plus Parks and Rec if you haven’t seen it.

    15. New TV comedies: This is totally YMMV but Lovely Husband and I have been watching Son of Zorn and we have laughed out loud at every episode. Also enjoying The Good Place.

    16. Favorite comedy movie is old and technically a teen rom com, but I don’t care and I love it: 10 Things I Hate About You

    18. The Mortified Podcast! They record live stage events where adults read their childhood writings in front of an audience. It’s mostly lots of middle and high school kids’ journal and diary entries, but I’ve also heard readings from letters to Santa, short story and novel drafts, AIM chat transcripts, letters to parents from camp, and awful fan fiction. It’s never mean spirited, since the authors are reading voluntarily; super relatable, especially if the author is around your age and his or her writing mentions pop culture or world events that were part of your teenage years, too; and it makes me cry with laughter almost every time. Like, have to pause on my walk home and stand to the side of the sidewalk, bent double, cracking up with tears streaming down my face.

    19. A good, funny movie I watched with my folks while my dad was recuperating from surgery was “A Walk In The Woods” with Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. Two old guys deciding they’re going to hike the Appalachian Trail while being ill-prepared for it. Not 100% politically correct, but we all laughed ourselves silly. My dad and I have re-watched it a few times and passed it along to my sister and brother-in-law who have since gone out and bought their own copy to re-watch.

      I sit with my mom during the evening and we discovered reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond. Never watched the show when it was current, but it’s our favorite show to watch now!

      And there’s always I Love Lucy. I never get tired of Lucy and Ethel’s antics. If Lucy can’t make you laugh (old Lucy reruns snapped my Gramma out of a depression after my grandpap passed away – Truth!) NOTHING will make you laugh!

  6. I commented this morning on the gas stove discussion.

    I’m thinking of getting an induction range because my HOA will never approve a gas line to the unit (high rise building, no gas lines to any of the units, everyone else would want one too so logistical nightmare, etc.).

    I am hesitating because I heard that induction ranges are not very good and that my electric range is better than most induction ranges on the market in terms of heat output. I also heard that induction ranges are getting better than they used to be and, as long as I don’t buy the cheapest one, I should be fine. I like to make basic food like soups, pasta, and stir-frys.

    Anyone have an induction cooktop? How is it working for you? Anything I should consider before taking the plunge?

    Bonus: I just checked and my current pots and pans have magnetic bottoms so I’m getting excited.

    1. Everything I have heard about the newer (high end) ones is that they are amazing. I know a number of people who have bought one recently; praise is so high for them that I ordered one for the home I’m currently building (it is all electric, so gas wasn’t an option). I would look carefully at reviews though, to get one that people like, and plan to spend a good amount (more than to just get the ‘not the cheapest’ one).

    2. My mom, who is a serious cook, has induction and LOVES it. Not kinda likes it. She flat out loves it and says it’s better than any gas range she ever had. Hers is a Viking that she bought about four years ago. However, she has had chronic problems with the oven portion of the appliance.

      1. My mom is also a serious cook, and her induction cooktop is currently her pride and joy. My mom’s cooktop is separate from her (gas) ovens, so that may help a bit.

    3. That is so good to hear! If high end is the way to go, I’m going to wait another year, save up, watch the sales, and plan to splurge.

      Thanks!

    4. My parents put in a five burner Wolf induction cooktop (along with a two burner Wolf gas cooktop) three years ago when they redid their kitchen. It’s super nice and easy to cook on – heat adjusts instantly, etc. Nothing like cooking on a traditional electric stovetop. I personally prefer it to the gas (which is also what I have at my apartment) – none of the issues of an open flame, suuuper easy to clean, when you turn it off, it’s off. If I were designing a kitchen, it’s what I would install.

    5. I have heard they can be difficult for stir-fry, because they heat where there is contact with the pan, and because of the wok’s sloped sides (and the fact that people using a wok often move them around/take them off the burner) they are not as good for this. I was considering one and bought a plug in portable single burner just to get a sense of how it works. I ultimately decided I preferred gas, but it might give you an idea of whether you like it or not. I think my portable was $80-100 on Amazon.

    6. I went to cooking school in France last year and was amazed that the school used induction cooktops. Our instructors told us they prefer them at home and that many restaurants in France use them because the kitchen stays so much cooler than than it does when using gas or electric. I’m a diehard gas stove user but would seriously consider induction cooktops if I were building a new house.

      1. You went to cooking school in France?! That is one of my dreams! Would love to hear more about it.

  7. Hello,

    I’m a recent law grad and I have an upcoming interview for entry level in-house counsel position. (Health related company) I’m really nervous and I really want this position. Any tips for an in house counsel interview? Any suggestions for thoughtful follow up questions? Thank you!!

    1. I will be a broken record right now but…

      1) Do your research on all parties with whom you will interview.
      2) Do research on the company – especially any recent news related thereto
      3) For follow up Q’s

      – What are the challenges your department is currently facing? How do you see me being able to assist?
      – What do you find most satisfying about your position? (people like to talk about themselves, also gives you an opportunity to pull out something personal that you could use for your thank you note)
      – Is there anything that you are concerned about with my resume or experience? Is there anything you would like me to elaborate on more? (the key here is to try and get from them what might be holding you back so that you can address it immediately – as opposed to not knowing and that still be a question when you leave the interview)

      Send handwritten notes. In-House hiring takes quite a while usually. I would prepare the envelopes in advance (if you know who you are meeting with) and write the thank yous immediately after the interview(s) if possible. Send them the same day. They will arrive within 2 days and will make a good impression.

      Be prepared to wait a while. Good luck!!!!

      1. In house here.

        We have never hired a candidate because they wrote good thank you notes.

        But we have not hired numerous candidates who managed to f–k up their thank you notes. Misspelled names, slightly-incorrect company names (think WalMarket or similar), spelling errors, blatant grammatical errors, etc.

        Also, we forward all thank you notes to the point-person for the vacant position, so if you send 10 very similar to identical notes, we know.

        Just – don’t. We’ve hired numerous people who didn’t send a single thank you note. It’s not counted against you.

        1. Counterpoint: If the decision is between you and another candidate, you do not want to be the candidate that did not send a thank you note.

        2. This can be generational. I don’t give a damn about thank you notes, but others in my department do a side by side comparison.

    2. Ask them why they like working there. The answers will also help you interview them.

      Be prepared for “what’s your interest in [thing the company does]” type questions. Just be prepared to relate it in some way to your experience or something. You don’t have to have reams of knowledge–they’ll expect you to have a learning curve on the job. But you should be prepared with an answer for why you’re interested in the industry.

      1. Use this question! I had someone ask what we liked about our jobs/the organization in an interview. Everyone loved answering the question AND it gave him a huge leg up in the second interview because he knew how to tailor his answers to the organization’s values. We hired him and he’s been great.

    3. I would try to understand what areas of the law you will be working in. Health-related company can mean you are working on anything from HIPAA to trademarks/IP to employment issues to litigation to contract drafting. Along those lines, depending on the size of the company, some still have small legal departments, and I think the expectation is a more practical, common sense approach to things. Law school may teach you ‘you can sue!’ but you are balancing the risks and obligations of the company. This is a different mindset than law school and from law firms. I think legal departments have less of a formal training culture than law firms do, which means I would want to show that you have a good attitude and that even if you didn’t learn how to do it in law school, you will give it a try. You want to show you have a can-do approach, that you ask questions to learn methods but not without trying to figure it out first. Generally, you want to show that you will be able to handle a variety of different matters and fields of law. I would also want to see that you recognize that your client is your colleague a few departments over who needs a contract drafted or HR who needs help with an employment issue.

  8. I want to host friends on Election Night. Any ideas for fun creative themed foods and drinks? I’ve done some Googling and I’m not feeling inspired.

      1. And maybe look up the candidates’ favorite foods and see if any of that is inspiring?

    2. I’ve been pondering the same thing! We’re only hosting a few friends and I’m planning on making red and blue shooters (as in, shots of very very weak cocktails) for everyone to take when states get called. Haven’t decided on food yet, but I’ve made layer flag cakes for fourth of july before and might do one of those again (something like this: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/red-white-and-blue-layered-flag-cake/9aaef2a0-b01d-4cb8-9bab-c0d0451a1065) plus maybe the same sort of appetizer and snacks you’d have for a superbowl party? For some reason that seems very “America” to me, haha. This is the sort of thing where I have several ideas for desserts and none for actual food…

    6. The last election I had a party for was the McCain-Obama election, so I did theme drinks of Blue Hawaiian and Arizona Sunrise, so maybe something New York-related this time around? Manhattans? Long Island Iced Teas? I also (outing myself to anyone who knows me) had donkey, elephant, and statute of liberty (for the libertarians) sugar cookies iced in the appropriate colors.

    8. DH and I are hosting our friends for election night this cycle. We are having a make your own taco bar, with hot sauces and peppers for Hillary. We are providing a giant block of cheese that our friends have to grate themselves (Make America Grate Again!) and separating the taco bar from snacks and desserts via a “wall” that we haven’t figured out yet. Still working on cocktail ideas…

      1. These ideas are fantastic. I shall henceforth use “make America grate” whenever possible.

  9. I’m going to a professional wrestling event tomorrow (not WWE, but, not sure that matters) – any idea wtf to wear? Jeans and a t-shirt? It’s just a social thing a bunch of my friends are going to but would like to change from work clothes.

    1. It is hard to find any sort of dress or undress to be inappropriate at a professional wrestling event. But I’d treat it like any other sporting event. It *feels* more like a hockey crowd than, say, an NFL game or even baseball. If it’s WWE, it’s like the drama of opera with large men (who have had major laser hair removal).

    2. It’ll run the gamut. Some women will be in Vegas mini-dresses, others will be in shorts and t-shirts. I’d coordinate with your friends.

  10. I need a super comfy reading chair for my new living room. I’m usually an internet shopper but reviews like “it matches my couch!” are useless. Can you curl up in it? Sit sideways? Fall asleep reading comfortably? Reach for my coffee easily? I know I need to get up and go to an actual store, but please tell me where you found your favorite reading chair?

    1. Chairs are all about ratios. When we were in the market, we measured our favorite chairs in our own house or in stores and then tried to replicate those measurements. Some of them you can find on line, but not all – for example, for me, there was an optimal difference between the height of the seat and the height of the arms, and an optimal seat depth. Once you know your comfortable ratios, you can shop a lot more productively online.

      We ended up getting something like this from Crate and Barrel, with an ottoman, and ten years later, they’re still the perfect chairs for me.

      http://www.crateandbarrel.com/elyse-chair/s365304

      I also really love the Pottery Barn Manhattan Club Chair – it’s a big leather chair and would be perfect for reading.

    2. Yeah, you’ve got to go to a real store. I buy my furniture online but if you care more about comfort than how it looks you need to see it in person.

  11. I just found out that I will be taking an unpaid 6.5 week sabbatical starting very soon. Other than travel (which I can’t do now for various reasons plus I don’t have the funds), what ideas should I be thinking of? I want to use this time productively and not just eat chocolate and watch Netflix all day :).

    1. Be a tourist in your own city. Go to museums, explore parks, that kind of thing.

      2. And if a book isn’t for you but writing is appealing, you could start a blog. I think the hardest part about getting a blog going is to create a habit and a lot of back content, so time off would allow for plenty of time.

      1. I think cooking a book would be a great thing to do. Select a cookbook and then cook your way through it.

    4. Start doing that volunteer work that you always wanted to do. Years ago I took a sabbatical and spent one day each week at an animal shelter, building a house for Habitat for Humanity and at Planned Parenthood. I still had plenty of time for myself and I felt productive.

      1. I already volunteer twice a week plus an additional twice a month, but maybe I can find something for those weeks, good idea.

    5. What do you *love* to do? Is there anything you’ve always wanted to do but put off because of career demands? Not just knit a scarf or something, but a *big* project or skill that you’d need to really immerse yourself in? I’d use this time to reconnect with a part of your life that’s been neglected, or maybe learn something new. If it were me, I’d want to go be an artist in residence somewhere (not exactly an easy goal, but I’m fantasizing so whatever), or at the very least do some serious art work.

      Pick up an instrument again? Learn photography? Ballroom dance? Volunteer somewhere? Plan and implement some interior design your home’s been needing? Reconnect with family members you haven’t seen or talked to in a while (aunts/uncles, cousins, etc).

      1. Hmm, actually I’ve been wanting to learn Spanish for a while. I’m just overwhelmed with all the options out there.

        1. I am on maternity leave and to keep myself sharp, I have used the Duolingo app to try to learn Spanish. It is going pretty well! It won’t take up a huge amount of time but it is something…

          1. I have Duolingo as well but it’s just teaching me some random vocabulary words for the most part. I’m intersted in finding someplace actually now to try to take an actual class.

      2. On the subject of big projects, I would love to digitize or archive all of the family photos and create meaningful photo books or scrap books or something creative.

        Perhaps you have a large photo collection, music collection, recipe collection that could use some attention?

        1. Omg, thank you. Yes, I should totally digitize my parents’ stuff!!!!!!!!! And this will be perfect because then I can give it to them for the holidays as a gift.

    6. Work out every day – whatever your favorite type of work out is. I would be practicing yoga every day for 60-90 minutes, aiming for 4 days at home and 3 days in classes. Or if I could swing it financially, all the days in classes.

      1. Sooo I should do this. But…..I hate working out. That’s the honest truth. Maybe I can find a dance studio or something though.

        Good ideas everyone, keep them coming (please)!!!!!

  12. Just here with a lawyer gripe I’m sure other lawyers will appreciate. A partner is annoyed with me because I did not immediately see and reply to a client email that he (partner) considered urgent. I didn’t see it because I was meeting with another attorney in the firm that partner had asked me to second chair a trial with. I was in other attorney’s office. I didn’t have my phone with me because I realized I’m the only one that checks my work emails while meeting with other attorneys and I didn’t want to appear rude.

    Partner was mad because he was looking for me to tell me to reply and couldn’t find me even though the receptionist knew I was in the building. I had told her where I would be and who I was meeting with but I guess she didn’t remember when partner asked.

    To top it off, partner claimed he waited 2 hours for me. I pointed out we received the email at 2:30, he found me at 3:15 and I had sent a reply by 3:30 and was away from my desk ON BUSINESS for less than an hour. Rather than realizing he was being unreasonable he said “I’m not going to debate it with you.” Right, because there is nothing to debate. You are wrong. RAWR.

    2. Why would he spend a bunch of time looking for you instead of just answering the email himself if it was that important that it get answered?

      Also, speaking as the client (I’m in house), I don’t think I’ve ever sent an email that was so urgent that getting a response within an hour wasn’t timely enough. If it was that urgent, I’d call. Someone needs to dump a bucket of water on this a$$hat’s head to put out the fire.

      1. LOL. Thank you. I needed that. He is actually normally a great person to work for and this is out of character for him. Because of that, it stings more for some reason. Like when a parent says “I’m disappointed in you.” I know he is being totally unreasonable and what I did was fine but I hate being in the dog house. In the past, he has later apologized when he’s gone crazy and hopefully it happens this time too because this is bonkers.

        1. I really admire that you pointed out how wrong he was on the timing. I work for a partner who rewrites history when she’s annoyed with me – “It took you 6 days to complete this!” (It took me 2.5) or “You didn’t check in with me for 4 days!” (We talked every single day) and I never know how to tell her she’s literally making stuff up.

      2. This is all too common in law firms. A partner decides something needs to be done instantly, but it’s not “partner level work” so s/he tries to find an associate to do it and goes ballistic if the associate of choice isn’t instantly reachable. It’s crappy, but very, very common.

      3. it would be awesome if all in house counsel were like you. unfortunately, they are not. I have many, many clients that expect immediate responses. and if you don’t get back to them immediately, the ask again, and again, and again.

    4. Ugh – I don’t debate this stuff. It made my life so much easier. No partner will every tell you, “You’re right. I’m being unreasonable.” Now if something like this happens, I say something like, I’ll try better next time, or maybe “how would you like me to handle a situation like this in the future?” Then he either says nothing or realizes that there is no real answer to the question. But it doesn’t turn into A Thing.

      1. I like “how would you like me to handle a situation like this in the future?” and will be using that in the future. My go-to right now is to just say “ok” repeatedly until they run out of steam.

  13. I need sheath dresses for work, and I need them now! Going through some medical issues that have caused me to gain just enough weight that my go-to wardrobe has been reduced to about 5 dresses on rotation week after week. While I love my Brooks Brothers & Hugo Boss dresses, I can’t afford to add 5 of those to my wardrobe at the same time. Apart from Ann Taylor, Loft, Banana and Jcrew, where can I find conservative, black/gray/navy sheath dresses for ~$100 each? I need reasonable, but not out of this world, quality (a la the four brands already mentioned). I’m now a size 14 in AT, if that helps calibrate. Halp!

    2. I’d go onto the Nordstrom website and filter by color, length, price and see what you come up with.

      Also, check out The Limited and Tahari.

    4. Try 6 p.m. and look for your favorite brands. Here’s one:

      http://www.6pm.com/tahari-by-asl-3-4-sleeve-crepe-sheath-w-side-ruche-black

      And Nordstrom has some of the Adriana Papell sheaths on sale:

      http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/adrianna-papell-pleated-crepe-dress/3494837?origin=related-3494837–4-WIS1-Rich_Relevance_Recs_API-49&recs_type=related&recs_productId=3494837&recs_categoryId=&recs_productOrder=4&recs_placementId=WIS1&recs_source=Rich_Relevance_Recs_API&recs_strategy=49&recs_referringPageType=wish_list_page

      I’ve been eyeing this one, but it’s a bit higher than $100:

      http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/tahari-bi-stretch-sheath-dress-regular-petite/4104576?origin=saveforlater

    5. I just found out the C21 in the tri-state area (and online) have Hobbs! They also have a ton of CK and Tahari. Talbots does really well in this category as well. Also, I rotate about 5 and I feel fine about it.

  14. I’m 21 weeks pregnant and have recently developed a pattern where I wake up hungry in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep without a snack… Any suggestions for snacks on the healthy side that I could leave on my nightstand so I don’t have to get up? I had a bowl of cereal last night, but it was kind of a pain to get up, get out the milk, etc. thanks ladies!!

      1. Or just a jar of nuts? Sometimes the chocolate on kind bars flakes off onto my desk when I eat them.* Plain nuts will also have less sugar, so would be less likely to run the risk of waking you up a bit.

        * It is possible (probable?) that this is just because I’m a spaz.

        1. No, it’s not just you! I love Kind bars, but the little shards of chocolate they drop on everything are getting to me.

          Not enough to stop buying the chocolate-dipped ones, mind you.

  15. I’m a brand new partner at a mid-law firm (100 lawyers, actual billable target of 2000). Recently I got put in charge of coordinating our firm’s appearance at a fundraiser event by another partner, who is in trial right now. I made arrangements to get the expense approved, coordinated with the organization hosting the event, and sent out two appropriately-spaced emails to the attorneys at our firm (as well as issued at least a dozen in-person invitations) asking them to come. I got a lot of “I don’t like/am not good at X” (think bowling or cooking) responses, and a handful of commitments that all flaked at the last minute unapologetically (for reasons including “my wife and I decided to go to a movie tonight”; “my kid needs some help with a science fair project” and “I heard about a CLE happening I want to go to instead.”) I went by myself and our firm forfeited for lack of participation.

    This seems to happen a lot. I consistently show up, including going to kid-centered activities where I’m the only person without children and doing activities I otherwise dislike (fishing despite being a vegetarian, for instance), because I genuinely get joy out of showing up to support my friends/coworkers/firm. Meanwhile the story above is just the latest in a long string of examples where I can’t get anyone to go with me to things. Am I just a lot less busy than everyone else (especially where I’m one of only four attorneys at the firm without kids)? Is this an extrovert/introvert thing? Probably a sign I should back off a bit?

    1. I dealt with this crap at my prior firm. The firm wanted to be well represented at community events but they only rewarded busy people so everyone wanted to feign being the busiest. They would sign up to be a team player and then they would claim a work issue made them too busy to go even though we all knew they were just on FB in their office. That was apparently the secret to success and I don’t have the heart for that kind of BS.

    2. Yeah, I think you should back off a bit. It makes sense to me that people with kids would rather be with their families than do this kind of stuff. It doesn’t excuse their flakiness, but I don’t think you can expect people with kids to regularly show up to non-mandatory events outside of normal work hours.

    3. I’ll make the effort to go if it’s a business development thing or a very important community event, but yeah, most people just don’t really want to do this stuff. I’ve worked at 2 law firms. At the first we all genuinely liked each other, so there was incentive to go. At my second firm, everyone hated other so I’d jump at any excuse to get away. I am single and don’t have kids but I’ve got friends, hobbies, exercise that needs to happen, chores to do, and downtime to revel in.

      It does suck when you put in the effort to organize/ represent that your firm will make a showing and people bail. I would a) be more discerning with the activities you push and b) choose ones where you can reasonably press for commitment (ie, tickets must be bought, have to have minimum headcount).

    4. I am a senior associate at a 25 attorney firm with super low morale right now. We had a family bowling night event where 2 partners (the hosts) and 2 associates (both had joined the firm in the last 30 days) had joined. The hosts don’t drink for religious reasons and decided to not serve alcohol at the event. For me, the decision to not go bowling came down to “no beer” + “other people’s kids” meant it was a no-go for me.

      With a 2000 hour billed requirement, your firm is, frankly, working your attorneys pretty darn hard. With my billed requirement, I have absolutely no incentive to “work for free” even if it’s “fun work” like bowling or cooking. Plus, using a “billed” requirement means that the firm gives no slack to its attorneys, which doesn’t exactly inspire loyalty among associates. So I don’t blame people for flaking last minute to help their kid with a science project or go to a movie with their spouse. Yeah, I really don’t like “billed” requirements.

      Also, what are you doing spending time helping another partner do his/her fundraising? Why not do fundraising in your name that advances your interests, to build your own book?

    5. I’m a senior associate who gets tasked with these kinds of things a lot. I handle it one of two ways – I either poll people ahead of committing the firm to get a sense of how interested people would be and/or I get a firm commitment from a partner with pull. If I do both of those things and everyone flakes at the last minute, I invite my friends. It’s not a perfect system, but it helps to gauge reaction to see if anyone is more than half-heartedly into it and getting an partner with influence on board helps get associates and junior partners who want to impress to the event.

      1. My husband’s favorite moment of my career is when he attended a firm event with me at a high end bar that was not well attended. I was talking with a couple other lawyers (who weren’t drinking) and my husband was clearly bored with the shop talk. The president of the firm came over to him and said “well, there is a $500 minimum alcohol spend for this room that I’m afraid we might not meet. Let’s go drink the good stuff.” The two of them sat at the bar ordering the top shelf crazy expensive alcohols, straight. Luckily, my husband loves good booze, is a big guy and can drink a lot without being noticeably drunk.

        1. This is a great story.

          But I agree – I hate having to do firm related stuff on my limited time off that I don’t enjoy. I’ve started skipping a lot of it because it’s just not really worth it for me anymore.

  16. In light of the car shopping discussion this morning – has anyone ever used Costco’s car buying program?

    1. We used it for our last car and got a good deal. We did take the offer to another Honda dealer though who net it and knocked off another $800.

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