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Holiday Weekend Open Thread (& Gift Idea)

Something on your mind? Chat about it here.

Happy long weekend, and Happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate! If you've got a difficult-to-buy-for guy in your life, I highly recommend this UGG hoodie — it's thick and crazy soft on the inside but doesn't look particularly all that different on the outside.

In my husband's “fancy hoodie” wardrobe he has this one, a Barefoot Dreams one, and (from years ago now) his American Giant hoodie, which readers here turned me on to as a great hoodie for guys. The AG one is very thick, and not particularly soft — if you have a guy who wants a hoodie as a coat/winter layer, that's the one to get. The Barefoot Dreams one is ALL soft, squishy bamboo — it feels very much like a lounge sweater and kind of looks like one. The UGG one was a surprise hit — it's kind of middle ground between the two. It isn't stiff and bulky like the AG one is, but it looks nicer as nice with jeans as sweats, something the BFD one doesn't really do. It's my husband's top hoodie choice at the moment.

Nordstrom offers them in five colors right now, and at full price they're $95.

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151 Comments

  1. Are there any good low carb Thanksgiving sides? My mom is on a very low carb diet under doctor’s orders and I’d like to have at least one thing she can eat without feeling terribly guilty.

      1. The olive oil is wonderful for my skin and it is not to high in calories, but Dad says nothing works if my tuchus doesn’t shrink, meaning that I will become a spinster with a big tuchus that will never be married b.c of my tuhcus! FOOEY on him.

    4. I’m also on a low carb diet on doctor’s orders. I am at 70 carbs in a day (so I’m not staying under 20g for the whole day, but I am staying under 20g at a time).

      On my diet, green bean casserole is really easy to do low carb (less onion, more mushroom, plenty of butter/cream, sprinkling of almond flour).

      Pumpkin pie filling is actually pretty easy to do too; you’ll find a lot of pumpkin mousse or pumpkin cheesecake recipes w/almond flour crusts, though they’re pretty good even crustless.

      Brussels sprouts are easy. Orange extract is amazing for getting some orange flavor into traditional dishes without sugars. Cranberries are lower carb than you might guess (and easy to sweeten w/non-caloric sweetener).

      Sugar-free Jellos is easy if Jello is traditional in your family.

      Drinks are really easy if you have a good non-caloric sweetener.

      Decadent salads are easy (I like to do Boston Bibb lettuce, blue cheese, some pomegranate if carbs allow, and nuts toasted and sweetened with Lakanto non-caloric sugar).

      1. And you said sides, but since I make the entire dinner low carb, I also use a low carb bread mix to make stuffing, and people who aren’t on my diet say it’s legit. I load it up with celery (which I love anyway).

        I used mashed cauliflower and daikon radish instead of mashed potatoes. Sometimes with some turnip or rutabaga (again if carbs allow).

        I make low carb gravy thickened w/blended onions instead of a starch.

    5. Creamed spinach, which was a go-to side for Thanksgiving at my grandma’s house long, long before low-carb diets were a thing. I happen to love it but realize it may not be everyone’s fave. Even a basic recipe should be low-carb on its own, but there are lots of keto/low carb blogs out there with recipes also.

    9. I’m not sure what’s considered a carb in this setting, but we are making a carrot ginger soup to go with a salad or something to start.

      And I second the roasted Brussel sprouts.

      1. Done right, I can’t tell the difference between mashed potatoes and mashed cauliflower, especially under gravy… yum

  2. UGH I am so sick of the mental load! As soon as I clear my plate at work I need to tackle everything at home. It just never ends. I want someone else to be in charge! Totally relate to the poster from earlier this week who went to the grocery store and screamed in her car.

    So wish I could outsource all the life admin sometimes!

    1. Is it bad that I’m looking forward to my prep and colonoscopy as a day and a half of no mental lifting (during which I will apparently have the best nap in my life)? And I’m doing it during the workweek (IDK that I had a choice — it’s the doctors’ work week also).

      1. I totally understand. I’m realizing that taking a day off is not always the answer because life obligations immediately creep in. I don’t have kids, but I get why some of my friends say a slow day at work is ideal because you’re technically where you’re supposed to be and the kid stuff can’t creep in, but if it’s slow at work you can actually slow down yourself.

      2. It’s not weird! The prep is not super fun but not that bad and the colonscopy day itself is really nice – a great nap and then a great meal and then another nap at home. At least that’s how it was for me, and that beats a work day for sure!

        1. Oh my god, you are the luckiest person in the world. I have a GI condition and so do many of my friends and universally the most loathed thing is the prep. However you do it, I salute you.

          1. Prep is definitely worse than the colonoscopy itself, assuming you’re sedated for the procedure. I’ve only done it once but I didn’t think the stuff you have to drink tasted that bad and I have a very strong gag reflex. Obviously going to the bathroom all the time isn’t fun, but I didn’t really experience any cramping or pain – an average bout of food poisoning is worse, and the c. diff I suffered from on and off for 6 months was much much worse than any food poisoning I’ve had. Sorry it’s so miserable for you.

          2. Ironically, I’ve had c.diff and an food poisoning and will agree both are worse than the prep, but the misery from the prep is completely self-inflicted (in the sense that I was making myself sick on purpose).

            Blessedly, once they take out your colon, you no longer have to do traditional preps*

            *Not a good enough reason on it’s own to get half your intestines removed, but it was a surprising side benefit.

      3. A friend and I both had to go under general anesthesia last week. Both of us looked forward to the time without kids needing us and the nap. If this is wrong, I don’t want to be wrong. And despite the cancer / the crap she’s dealing with, we were right. It was lovely.

      4. I look forward to the dentist because I get to relax while still being productive.

  3. Any gift box ideas – something like fab fit fun? It is for my sister who has everything (including a subscription to fab fit fun).

      1. Unfortunately no pets but I might use that idea for a friend, so thanks! She is late 30s and lives alone, kind of a homebody. She likes fashion, beauty, crafts, a little bit of baking and pop culture.

    3. Is she into nerdy stuff at all? My brother got me a three-month subscription to Loot Crate one year and it’s a pretty cool mix of fantasy/sci-fi, comics, movies, and stuff like that. And it wasn’t just figurines and merch, there were interesting books and things like that too.

    4. If you really want to do a beauty box type thing, I personally think the Allure box is the best and they probably have a Black Friday deal right now. I like Allure because they use real brands, often high end, and not made-for-beauty-box brands like a lot of the others ( I p s y and b o x y, looking at you)

      I also think a Beauty Pie plus membership would be a great gift.

  4. Son is turning 4 in December and I’m out of ideas for his birthday. We have a lot of toys and stuff, including more Lego than we could ever need (although Lego is his favorite). He also loves books, Halloween, Minecraft, and somehow teenage mutant ninja turtles (through daycare?).

    Help me get inspired? We also have an older son, so a birthday gift of, say, an aquarium or play space membership would benefit the family and I’d feel weird about it being a joint gift.

    1. 4 and already into Minecraft? Wow. Advanced. What about a bike or scooter? And books.

      2. Comments like this are how I know someone doesn’t have kids, and also has never played Minecraft.

        1. I’m not the person who made the comment, but I didn’t read the “Wow, advanced!” as sarcastic. I also have a 4 year old and don’t know any 4 year olds who can play a complex game like that. My kid definitely doesn’t have the attention span or the fine motor skills for something like that. Doesn’t mean I’m judging OP for her kid being into it.

          1. Seriously, don’t know why Cat got her undies in such a bundle, I didn’t read it as sarcastic at all. But it’s definitely more fun to jump down somebody’s throat.

          2. Lol sorry if i got the tone wrong, based on the following words (emphasis on getting the kid outside or reading) it sounded sarcastic. Like think “Wow. Advanced” as sung by King George III.

            But I’m in the midst of the deal from hell- hence commenting on a Sat night while awaiting IRL comments to a doc… so if that’s tainted my judgey-meter, sorry!

    3. If he loves Ninja Turtles, how about some NJ pajamas or t-shirts, or maybe a backpack? I’m sure there is plenty of age-appropriate NJ stuff out there.

    4. Magazine subscription (ranger rick, National Geographic kids, the week junior, Muse, Cricket). Magnatiles are awesome and don’t take up a ton of room.

      1. My 5 YO LOVES Click, the Cricket subscription aimed to his age. It’s a big deal when they come in our house.

    5. Dress up things? Like a TMNT costume? Or a construction hat? My four year old loves his construction hat.

    6. The Book with No Pictures- HUGE hit with all the kids I know in that age range. The idea is that a book with no pictures might seem dull, but since the grownup reading it has to say whatever the book says . . . wackiness ensues.

      Be prepared to read it, and read it, and read it . . . .

      1. Thank you very much for this idea for my cousin’s kid, which will be way more fun than AMC gift cards.

    7. Wrap up a box of sugar cereal (whatever his little heart longs for) and put the balance you’d spend in an index fund or individual stocks as a fund for when he turns 18 or 21 (school, travel, living expenses supplement, etc.).

        1. So honestly i like this idea although you don’t have to go THIS inexpensive. My grandparents did something similar when I was a kid. Christmas and birthday gifts from them were small and simple. But they also invested money that turned out to be $3000 or $4000 a year in gifts each year of college, which was an amazing surprise.

          1. Yeah we don’t go this extreme but we basically only buy my 4 year old small/practical things. My parents usually give a big toy like a play kitchen or an expensive experience like a zoo membership. Other family and friends give smaller toys. Kids this age are truly delighted by simple things. Someone on the moms page a few weeks ago mentioned everyone in her circle getting each of their kids $500+ gifts. I don’t think we’ve ever spent more than $100 total on our kid per holiday and she has what seems to me to be a LOT of stuff.

        2. Not at all, I do this for my kid every year – at that age she’s thrilled to get her favorite cereal and over time the gift fund will grow into a nice chunk of change.

      2. Tell me you don’t have kids without telling me you don’t have kids.

        It’s possible for families to give their kids gifts AND also save for their future; we have done this. My son always got birthday and Christmas gifts and he has a decent college fund that should see him through four years of college.

        I will say that 4-year-olds can be very happy with pretty simple gifts like board games and books. For OP: our son loved to play dress-up at that age, and so some of his favorite gifts were superhero or occupational (fireman, astronaut, etc.) costumes or accessories. He had a fireman costume complete with hat and boots and we spent a lot of time running around the backyard “putting out fires” with the garden hose. Ditto building “spaceships” out of cardboard boxes and “blasting off” into space.

        1. Good grief, how rude. And of course you can do both, that’s why it’s not a suggestion to put it in a college fund but rather a pot of fun money for when they’re older. Most kids don’t need more stuff, and this is an easy way to celebrate.

          1. Okay. Sounds good. Please post back the update when your teenage/young adult children call you into family therapy to discuss the fact that you gave them cereal instead of gifts when they were small; can’t wait to hear that story. I’ll get the popcorn ready.

          2. My parents used to wrap up stuff we already had in the house for me to open. We weren’t poor, it was just a way to extend the “present opening” part of the day without flooding our house with new stuff we didn’t need. I wasn’t traumatized and promise I’m not in therapy for it now :)

          3. I promise you no one is deprived. And I grew up that way, too – went to therapy for a lot of things, but not that.

          4. I just wrapped up a box of Hanukkah candles for my 3 year old to open on Sunday. She may need therapy in the future, but it won’t be for that.

      3. I just wrapped up a box of Hanukkah candles for my 3 year old to open on Sunday. She may need therapy in the future, but it won’t be for that.

      4. When I was a kid, my parents never bought sugar cereal. However, we received whatever box of sugar cereal we wanted in our stocking. So it was a treat to get it.

    8. Magazine subscription! All my niblings are getting Owl/Chickadee/Chirp or National Geographic Kids this year. Mail addressed to them has been a huge hit.

    9. IDK if you’re still reading at this point on Sunday night, but:

      – Stomp rockets (buy a few extras, esp. the glow in the dark kind)
      – Magnatiles
      – Jammies, lunchbox, baseball cap, comforter, decorative pillow, winter hat, kid’s wheely suitcase, or backpack with Minecraft or TMNT characters on them
      – Sleeping bag (b/c it’s cool to sleep on the floor when you’re little!)
      – Bike or scooter (we like the micro mini/maxi for the latter)
      – What about outdoor stuff? Not sure of your climate, but a kid-sized soccer goal and ball or yard games could be cool
      – Box of fave/”forbidden” treats and/or foods you don’t buy b/c they’re unhealthy, but that he’d love

  5. Asked in the AM thread-what are your favorite winter jackets/coats to stay warm in New England or similar environs?

    1. Eddie Bauer, North Face. I have a Moncler puffer bought for $100 at an upscale resale shop and I’m pleased with it.

    3. I have a burgundy Marmot jacket with a faux-fur hood that I got a few years ago and I can’t find the exact version but it is something like this one. But I also find that in the winter up there the most important thing is layerings because it can go from cold to hot to cold very quickly so I will sometimes wear a slightly lighter weight winter coat with a sweater underneath instead of the parka.

      https://www.marmot.com/women/jackets-and-vests/insulated-and-down/womens-chelsea-coat/AFS_889169666261.html

    5. Upper midwest- I have a coat for practically every weather situation. My current favorites are from Eddie Bauer, a light puffer and a heavy parka. I have also had a Duluth Trading down that I liked. North Face doesn’t fit me well, too narrow through the hips. Patagonia is nice, but can run short on me. There is a puffer at LLBean that I’m eyeing when mine wears out. Layering is important, so get a size that you can layer under. Activity counts too, so lighter coats when you are shoveling snow or working out, heavy coats for standing around outside. Waterproof may be more important if you get lots of heavy wet snow, but puffers are usually fine for lots of powdery snow. You may find you need several coats to fit your needs,

  6. Help! This is my first year at a London firm and it has a black tie optional holiday party. What brands / styles can I wear that won’t break my bank completely? Black usually goes well on me but I tend to dress somewhat conservatively (business formal office) so I don’t want to look like I just threw on my work dress. Apple shaped, 5’7. Thank you in advance!

    1. The Mom Edit has some great party dresses. I got the pleated one at (I think) Saks Off Fifth (or Nordstrom Rack, etc.) that was <$100. They are good for ideas, even if you're not a mom. Banana Republic Factory has a pleated dress with sheer-ish sleeves that might work (skirt is very long). Put a faux fur jacket over?

    3. Holiday parties here in London do tend to be glitterier. I actually think M&S and John Lewis do a good line in holiday dresses. Add some sparkly earrings/necklace and you’re good.

      1. I was going to suggest going to one of the big branches of John Lewis (Oxford Street or Stratford Westfield?) and getting a personal shopper

      2. I have a work Christmas party, but it’s with younger colleagues (think the interns/junior associates, not the partners or anybody with more than two years since uni, but for a non-biglaw company), in London. Would a black sequinned skirt (knee-length ish, A line) and black top/jumper be okay?

        The dress code is black tie / smart casual (yep – those two combined), so I’m guessing that proper black tie would be ridiculously overdressed (think clubwear, but office appropriate?)

        HELP!

  7. Any recs for a cute and comfy bralette that can be purchased on Amazon? Not looking to spend a lot. Thanks!

    1. I like the Dobreva bras and bralettes for small ribcage+ B C D chests. We can help better if you say what it’s for (lounging only? or are you also walking a dog in it?) and approximate size.

      1. Thank you! Will check that brand out! I wear a small. Just looking for an everyday one – don’t need a lot of support.

    2. The Warner wireless ones are the best. There are a couple of kinds – the no bulge ones are comfy but don’t have munch of a band underneath, so I prefer the the cloud ones. They are comfy, cute and inexpensive.

  8. Just thinking about the poster from earlier this week who was waiting on biopsy results. Hope you got benign results! Sending good karma!

    1. Thank you! It’s not benign, but it did at least finally come back, so we can have a productive appointment with the oncologist Monday! (Finally! Two months since initial lump! And only because we focused on getting in at the cancer center — it’ll be at least another week through our hospital system). Anyway, it’s not so scary that we have to start chemo immediately, which is awesome. Thanks so much for checking in :):)

    2. I’m so sorry you’re going through this, Curious. I do have an appreciation for the relief in getting your next steps planned and not being in a state of waiting. Fingers crossed that your oncologist is awesome!

  9. This post is timely because my husband has asked for a lightweight, full zip hoodie – he essentially wants one that feels like a long sleeved t-shirt with a zipper and hood. Actually, what he wants is my Vuori hoodie, but they don’t make a mens’ version. It sounds like the Ugg and AG ones recommended above will be too heavy and I can’t find a solid color of the BFD one. Any other places I should look?

    1. Try skater brands, like Supreme, Vans, or Noah. The thin hoodie aesthetic is very much in line with skateboarding.

    3. This may be too late for you to see this, but try Nike too. They always have tons of versions of a zip hoodie. Look for the “dry fit” ones. I can’t remember if they do a zip hoodie, but anything from the Nike men’s yoga line is so incredibly soft.

  10. Warning on the American Giant hoodies: they are definitely thick and high-quality, but the zippers are similarly heavy-duty and thus incredibly sharp. Borrowing DH’s hoodie is like putting my long hair through a meat grinder. If I wanted AG products for myself (which I kinda do, once my current sweatshirts wear out) I would definitely go with a pullover style.

    1. I have a number of American Giant hoodies in different fabric weights, and don’t have any issue with the zippers. The classic heavyweight gets softer over time, but I haven’t found the zippers at all sharp or unusual. I wear an American Giant hoody almost every day in cool or cold weather, and they re excellent— high quality, comfortable, warm, and long lasting.

  11. Gah! If I could just turn into a Kodak Dad I might stay sane. But this pandemic has been kicking my butt at work and after kids being home from school from 3/20 to 8/21, middle schoolers are kicking it the rest of the time. They are good kids (but so emotionally needy, probably doubly so since the pandemic started, in a way that I really had not anticipated; no wonder in Victorian novels teen girls are sent to other families as servants and boys in other cultures are sent into the woods on vision quests). Serenity now!

  12. Anyone else struggling to come with Christmas ideas for yourself? My parents expect a shopping list, but it gets harder every year because of their Boomer requirements (they won’t shop online, they won’t buy anything not made in America, it goes on).

    Trying to muster up the nerve to ask if we can stop buying each other stuff and just have the holiday meal, but I don’t think it will go over well. We’re CF so it’s not like we can say “just shop for the kids”.

    1. Maybe y’all can do what my family did last year – instead of traditional gifts, we all bought each other awesome/special stocking stuffers. We don’t have any kids in the family so it was a way to make the gift-giving more fun and creative.

      1. Great idea! I also really want Pyrex to replace my plastic food storage. That’s made in America too I believe

    3. How about a membership to a local museum, zoo, historical site, park or similar? Or a gift certificate to a local restaurant?

  13. Anyone know of a truly odorless body lotion that’s still rich and thick? I’m shopping for someone with fragrance allergies. Everything I find advertised as unscented either smells weird and plastic-y, or else is watery and useless.

      1. I was also going to suggest Vanicream. It’s a great body lotion and I’ve had luck using it on my dry, cracked heels. I buy it at Walgreens

    4. Cerave body cream is my favorite. For fragrance-free options, check videos/recommendations by Dr Dray on YouTube.

  14. Missed your question about induction yesterday. Just wanted to add my two cents that I am SHOCKED everyone was saying they love induction. I moved about 6 months ago to an apartment with an induction stove and I hate it. I would absolutely choose gas again in a heartbeat. I would honestly prefer even a standard electric stove over this. Maybe it’s an issue with this particular induction range, but it can’t go on high heat because it “overheats” and shuts down. Unless you already have induction-ready pans, you have to go out an buy new pans–and then even when you do, they still may not work (one of mine specifically says induction-ready and doesn’t work). The black glass surface also got really badly stained, which isn’t a problem I’ve ever had with a gas stove.

    1. I have a gas stove and I am preparing Thanksgiving Dinner for me and Myrna. We did not go out to Dad’s b/c Grandma Trudy is not feeling well and we did not want to do anything to get her sick, as I haven’t yet got my booster shot and Myrna did, but she is also a little sick. I am trying to perfect the Chicken dinner b/f I branch out to turkey, and Myrna already is a good cook and has attracted guys, but she only wants them for s-x. She thinks that is all they are good for b/c she already makes alot of money and men are otherwise useless. I agree, but I want them to impregnate me also.

      I wanted to wish Happy Thanksgiving to the entire hive. I am missing out on Rosa and the Kids, who are coming into NYC to see the balloons for Macy’s Parade. I have done that more times then I can remember, but want a baby this year as it’s kind of my last chance. If anyone in the hive has any suggestions, please let me know. Yay Kat! Her babies must be ready for their bar mitzvahs soon! Yay!

    2. Definitely thought you were talking about childbirth induction until the third sentence, lol :)

      1. Same! I’ve done it both ways and going into labor naturally is way better (except for when you have prodomal labor for a week, which I’ve also had)

        1. I had a really blissful induction as a first time mom (<12 hours from start to finish and no pain because they let me get the epidural as soon as I got uncomfortable) but I've definitely heard some horror stories.

    3. Is it installed properly? I have never had my induction shut down for overheating. And I use boost (max) all the time. As a working mom of 3, nothing beats being able to go from cold water to pasta on the table in 6 minutes (1 min to boil water, 5 mins to boil pasta).

      The pots thing is an issue if your pots are older but many many current pots work with induction.

    4. We put an induction top into a kitchen we remodeled in 2011 and while it was much better than the WHITE electric top that was there before, it was really quite mediocre. The pans thing was a pain but we had our trusty Ledge dutch and one hand-me-down All-Clad, and then added a 3 pan+pot set from Ikea so it was low investment. But the stove was still just fickle and never got as hot as I wanted it to. The superheat zone was one and only and it was small, so while boiling a few cups of water was a blast, working up a pot of chili took longer than the old electric and doing proper one-pan stir fry was out of the question. I could never get the setting right for low heat simmer. I was so happy when we moved into our new home that had a gas stove and all of these problems disappeared and I could cook anything as hot or slow as I wanted, and if I wanted to leave something on when I was away I’d just put it into the electric oven – the perfect combo. I’ve heard much more complimentary things about induction stoves lately. Perhaps the tech in your condo and our old home are just first gen?

      Speaking of childbirth induction (because I totally thought the same), I still feel like mine was not strictly necessary at 41 weeks because at the time I got pregnant, I had crazy long follicular phases and they dated my pregnancy back almost 4 weeks (so by two weeks after ovulation I was considered 6 weeks pregnant vs the standard 4 weeks). I don’t think there was a dating scan. So technically is it possible the child “baked”only 37 weeks vs the required 38 because of this odd pregnancy dating scheme? So weird and I had no luck finding good materials about this subject at the time. (The kid is perfect and old enough to brag about it.)

    5. I think the mix of posts about labor induction and induction cooktops is one of the most entertaining mashups in the history of Corporette.

    6. Mmm I had a 50 dollar IKEA induction single cooktop + IKEA pots in my tiny flat and it always boiled water way faster than my electric kettle or any gas stoves. Perhaps it’s not installed properly?

  15. Gift ideas: sister, mid 30s, geriatric nurse. Currently single and occasionally dating, has been married and divorced. Has a dog. Weight in serious flux so no clothing and ideally no consumable gifts (I send a bix of fruit to everyone in dec anyway). No alcohol.

    Ideas? Would love recs for books, Lux makeup or bath items she won’t buy herself, maybe shoes? She has nice slippers.

    1. For bath/body: Molton Brown; Rituals; or Lush. I especially like the Molton Brown gift sets with the different shower gels (and they are all on sale now). Rituals hand cream and body oils are wonderful. And I’ve never found an equal to Lush bath bombs. Bonus – all cruelty free.

    2. Maybe a nice tote for work? Earrings to wear on a date? A gift card for one of the nursing apparel stores in her area, so she can treat herself to a great pair of work shoes (my sister works in the medical field and is on her feet all day and good shoes are crucial – and expensive.).

    3. For books, I thought of “The Secret Diary of Fredrik Groen” and “The Thursday Murder Club” – but maybe she doesn’t want to read about old people, even funny, clever old people – in her free time.

      For skincare, I love all of the Drunk Elephant stuff that I’ve tried. They have sampler sets right now, too.

      I would love toys for my dog, or a Bark Box subscription – I would never get a subscription on my own, so it would be fun for me, too. Or the new sweet potato treats from the 15/10 Foundation and We Rate Dogs. I wouldn’t buy them, but would love them as a gift. Or a donation to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

    4. If she is interested, you could provide her with a subscription to a dating service catering to Medical Professionals. As a nurse, she probably meets alot of MDs, and if she is interested in marriage and children, what better gift than a chance to marry a Doctor, and retire early from the profession? I recommend starting with elitesingles.com, which allows you to specify professions you are interested in dating and where. I tried it for a few months and had a number of decent dates, but the doctors were not as interested in long-term arrangements as I was. But your sister may be able to latch on to one of the doctors, since she sounds younger than me, and possibly more willing to give the doctors what they were looking for than I was.

    5. I loved the Hillary Clinton/Louise Penney novel, State of Terror. Also it’s a gateway drug to the Inspector Gamache series, which I also adore.

      Currently reading the Anomaly by Herve le Tellier and loving that, too.

      If you really want to splurge and they fit her style Office of Angela Scott shoes are amazing.

    7. For makeup, Sephora has some great kits with multiple lip glosses. They are easy to swipe on mask-dried out lips.

    8. I wouldn’t do books or lotions or slippers unless you actually know what she would like or they’re easy to return.

    9. You mention she is a nurse, so I would also consider a pair of the most comfortable work shoes you can find/afford. My father is a nurse and once he got his made-to-measure ortho shoes, he feels less tired after work. I would also consider a nice, looser cashmere cardigan, or a nice bathrobe.
      For skin/body care, I often give Lancome mascara and MAC makeup (eye shadow sets, lipgloss), Chanel lip gloss (gorgeous colors and they have great texture). Rituals sets (body, home fragrance), Kerastase sets (Extensionist or Maskeratin hair masks are always included), Paula’s Choice for skincare (exfoliant toner, calming toner for dry skin, peptide serum, retinols, moisturizer), La Roche Posay (face and body creams).

  16. How do you find/create FUN in your life? I grew up in a family that was very miserable and lean towards anxious/depressed. Two young kids, partner and a full-time job. I think the pandemic has increased my feeling that life is pretty monotonous and am trying to switch things up and lean into that life at this stage is kind of find joy in the small things (gym, coffee with a friend?) Things I’ve found some enjoyment in are planning trips, classes at the gym, thrift store shopping, hiking with the kids. But nothing will quite brings a rush if you know what I mean? Also, yes, am on anti-depressants already.

    1. This isn’t so much “fun” as it is appreciation of what life has to offer, but I try to find one thing each day that is rather random, but just makes me smile. I frequently will take a picture on my phone, to look at later in the day, to remind me. It might be a goofy dog I see while out walking, or a particularly lovely flower. It might be as simple as that first sip of coffee. Just something I can cling to and think, yeah, there’s beauty out there.

    2. Two suggestions:
      – Try to remember what gave you joy when you were a kid, and buy that or recreate it in your adult life.
      – Buy an Oculus Quest, the VR headset. It’s awesome. Beat Saber is a fantastic VR game that’s also a workout.

    3. Lol your things you like to do read a lot like mine :) one suggestion I have for bringing the fun into normal life in small ways is to go out of your way to try new to you restaurants, coffee shops, store, etc. I have my places that I love and can get stuck on them… but intentionally trying new places in my own community makes me more curious and fun. Like maybe just make a goal to try one new place once a month.

    4. Be a tourist where you live – at least once a month, try a new-to-you local restaurant, coffeeshop, workout class at a different gym (for me this is try a new yoga studio), shop, etc. I find I really love my community and have fun when I’m exploring new places at home.

    5. Can you try new hobbies with the understanding that they may be one-offs? In recent months I’ve tried and/or researched stuff that I may not stick with but that are super-fun — roller skating, photography, skydiving. I will likely not become proficient any of them, but spending time on all of them has been fun. I meet new people, find related playlists, and invariably feel truly joyful in the interim.

      My other suggestion is fun but meaningful volunteering — something that is important to you but doesn’t feel like a slog. It can really perk you up, whether it is at an animal shelter or acting as a docent at your favorite underserved museum. I get that time may be limited with familial concerns, but an hour or two a week for these (plus fun planning/anticipation) is well worth it it

  17. What are your easiest but ENJOYABLE meals that you eat all the time? I’m sick of everything LOL. WFM, don’t want to cook a bunch, sick of yogurt, eggs, protein bars, grilled chicken.

    1. I make my mom’s “goulash” when I want comfort food. It’s like homemade hamburger helper. Brown a pound of ground beet, maybe a chopped onion, maybe a bell pepper, definitely garlic or garlic powder (let’s be honest, mom used garlic powder). Add tomato paste and water or just a little can of tomato sauce, let simmer. Add spices to taste – salt, paprika, Italian seasoning, pepper. Up to you.

      Meanwhile boil a pound of elbow macaroni in salted water and drain.

      Mix together cooked pasta and ground beet mixture in pot/pan the ground beef cooked in. Add a bunch of grated American or cheddar cheese and mix some more. Serve in bowls.

    2. Grilled cheese sandwiches!
      Tacos (I just got the new issue of Food & Wine magazine and there’s an article that says “if you have filling and a tortilla and you fold it — you’ve got a taco!.” Words to live by, man.)
      Chili flavored ramen with lime juice, ginger, some cooked chicken if you have it, and fresh cilantro and sliced green onions (add the cilantro and green onions after it’s cooked)

    3. Big salads. Get all the nice ingredients you’d use at a salad bar/cafe – cranberries, walnuts, sprouts, baby corn, cheese crumbles, whatever, and make big, tasty salads for yourself. Buy dressing or make your own with oil, balsamic, mustard, honey, salt and pepper.

    4. Charcuterie! I’ll make a plate of cheese cubes, meats, and crackers; or olives, mozzarella, and nuts.

    5. Cheesy grits. Takes 10 min to make the grits, mix in copious amounts of cheese and butter, salt and pepper.

      Cheese quesadillas made of a heated up tortilla and melted cheese. I had some leftover homemade bacon bits and threw them in there one day and highly recommend.

      Spinach with a over easy egg or two on top, splashed with balsamic vinegar is good too. Also like to put homemade bacon bits (that I premake and keep in the freezer in a mason jar) on that.

      Sheet pan roasted sweet potatoes are delicious too, and not hard if you can get yourself to chop the sweet potato up and slather it with olive oil, salt and pepper and throw in the oven.

    7. Tortilla wrap or pita bread with avocado and fried or poached egg and tomatoes.
      Caprese salad.
      Beetroot and black bean burger with feta cheese or fried egg. (Preboiled beetroot blended with canned black beans, some sort of onion (powder is fine), seasoning and some sort of binding agent (egg and breadcrumbs do well)).
      Pasta carbonara with egg, parmesan, pepper, bacon (or deli ham if you don’t want to cook bacon) and peas (add frozen peas to pasta water last minute).
      Lentil salad with canned lentils, feta cheese, spring onion and pomegranate seeds.
      Pita bread with chevre and jarred grilled peppers.

    8. If you’re near an H mart or similar, I like easy + healthy Korean meals
      – Soft tofu (soondooboo) + ready-made soft tofu soup (Pulmuwon brand is good) + sticky rice (I just get the microwavable “Haet-ban”). Just throw two bags of soft tofu + couple of eggs in the ready-made soup sauce and you have a hot meal of soup and rice.
      – Bulgogi. Buy pre-marinated and throw on the pan. Have with microwavable rice and romaine.
      – Frozen dumplings. I usually go for Pulmuwon or Bibigo microwavable ones, though you can fry them too.
      – any of Pulmuwon / Bibigo instant Udon / rice noodles series — I add meat for protein

      Not Korean:
      – Smoked salmon, avocado, egg, arugula
      – Beef tenderloin / sirloin steak, arugula
      – Tomato, fresh mozzarella, arugula, olive oil and salt
      – Kevin’s premade meals (no additives, can get at Whole Foods)
      – Turkey bacon with egg and cheese, arugula

      I like arugula. What can I say.

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