ByKat Hours Updated
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Kat’s Favorite Coffee Breaks of 2020

As you guys may or may not have noticed, 2020 was a weird year. Accordingly, our Coffee Breaks were kind of all over the map, instead of the usual pattern of bag + shoe + accessory/office decor. So I've done a general roundup of the general categories of things I liked the best, including shoes, home/office type of things, and then something I've cleverly titled “bits and bobs,” broadly meaning “more stuff you wear.”

These were my favorites of 2020 — if you’re curious about older ones, here were my favorites from 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2010. 

(Please note that anything marked below with an asterisk is still available!)

Some of our Favorite Shoes and Slippers of 2020

Clockwise from top: hot pink/purple/red shoes / sequined slippers* / red feathered slippers / blue bow flats* / beige mules / gray suede booties* / black heeled booties* / black, gray and beige sandal*

Home Office Items (Kind Of)

Clockwise: blue chair / felt desk organizers* / yoga mat* / file folders* / secretary desk* / sunrise alarm clock*

Other Bits and Bobs

Clockwise: blue handbag / moonstone earrings / CBD stiletto lotion / pink coat / black backpack / gray unitard / cross-stitch patterns for book lovers / scarf / burgundy handbag / floral wine tumbler / amazing gel for curly hair

Sales of note for 12.5

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

199 Comments

  1. Wow — those magenta/orange heels are almost my platonic ideal of a shoe (I take my fashion cues for shoes from Barbie; my feet, however, are in hot disagreement on this).

    Random question: hair strainer for tub with a pop-up tub stopper (no lever to raise/lower, so if stopper is not engaged, it is raised a bit). Amazon has way too many “tub stoppers,” none of which seem to work on how our drain is configured. If there is one you have that works well, can you post a description so I can hunt down just that? I’ve removed the stopper for now, but it is a pain to reinstall for periodic baths.

    1. I can’t visualize your tub so I did a quick search on “hair catcher for tub”. So many options!

    2. I don’t have a solution but I ha e the same problem so following with interest.

      I almost wonder if the only solution is to take a regular hair catcher and flip it upside down and put over the stopper like a cap…? Might try that…

    3. If you only need a stopper very occasionally, could you do an easy version and just get one of those silicone travel plugs? The ones that people bring to do their laundry in hotel sinks? And a loose hair catcher as well?

      For my tub, I use a steel kitchen plug strainer that fits perfectly in the plug hole as a hair catcher. Supereasy to remove to clean, or to switch for the plug in seconds, I have a very straightforward plumbing situation with an oldfashioned plug on a string, though.

    4. Get the OXO Good Grips® Pop Up Drain Protector. It’s available at Bed Bath and Beyond under exactly that name (and probably many other places). We have it in two tubs and need to get a third. It catches so much hair. I love it.

      1. I second this. I bought this and the Tub Shroom but so far have only tried the OXO because it’s working great.

      2. I third this. I bought mine on Amazon. You’ll be amazed and horrified at how much hair it keeps from going down the drain.

        1. There is a product called OXO Good Grips® Shower Stall Drain Protector. We have this in our shower stalls with a flat drain cover. I don’t really find it to be as effective as the Pop Up Drain Protector, but I also have not used it in my shower. Maybe my kids using it just don’t lose as much hair as the rest of us do? Hard to know. But it is the “flat drain” analogue.

          1. I have the OXO Good Grips Bathtub Drain Protector for a flat drain in a tub and it works wonderfully

    9. I don’t have a hair filter solution but I share your love for Barbie aesthetic shoes that my feet can’t wear.

  2. Jumping off the closet pare-downs… for those of you who mastered light packing before the shutdowns, how did you do it? What is an example long weekend bag look like? I find myself tied up with things like shoes, extra outfits – and never fit in just a backpack, especially if I need to bring a laptop, as well.

    1. Like for work travel? My stuff for that is a work bag (holds laptop, cord, etc.) and wheelie bag (the smallest Away one; old style w/o external pocket); never just one bag. And when I fly/train on weekends for fun, generally the same gear gets brought (including if traveling by car).

      For actual backpacking, I wouldn’t trust my laptop in it, but stuff often gets tied to the outside (camp chair, sleeping pad). When I car camp, I seem to just throw random things in my car, like a case of water, etc., which is how it is when I go on a week of vacation at the beach and need to bring linens (that seems to take up half a car), starter groceries, and laundry / kitchen cleaning supplies.

    2. If it’s for work, then essentially two bags: a backpack for laptop and charger; and my old Longchamp for clothes and toiletries.
      If it’s for personal travels then the laptop stays home because I mostly just use my phone. Even for European vacations I used to only bring a backpack and do laundry mid-trip. It hinges on packing utilitarian pieces that can mix and match instead of five different dresses, but it’s so much easier to travel on buses and trains if you have multiple destinations on your itinerary.

    3. In one of those endless Buzzfeed listicles about funny tweets I saw one that was essentially “why do I pack for trips as if I plan on s—tting myself twice a day.” The most important thing is assuming you’ll re-wear stuff/only pack things that are versatile. And for stuff you “might need” – how much do you actually need to pack and bring with, vs. how much could you buy while at your destination if needed?

      What’s in the bag obviously depends on the type of trip (ski cabin and cooking in? beach trip? city trip? visiting friends that will have toiletries for you? etc) but generally for 3-4 days, 1 set of PJs and socks, 1 set of ‘staying in’ loungewear. Max one top / swimsuit / base layer per day, max one bottom (beyond travel outfit which should be your bulkiest pieces and include a sweater/wrap you can layer over everything else you brought). For shoes, same thing, wear the biggest on the plane (boots? sneakers? Winter boots?). If it’s a ski or beach trip I bring only my ‘minimum’ makeup.

      I also highly recommend packing early (like the weekend prior) and then just tweaking as necessary for the weather forecast the night before. It’s easier to pack light when you have time to be thoughtful about your plans and the weather, vs. throwing stuff in the suitcase on the way out the door.

    4. For an extra long weekend I never travel with just a backpack, I just bring my same small overhead-compartment size suitcase like I do for a work trip. Often on my weekend travels I’m doing something where I want my most fun, cutest outfits :) (pre-COVID) so see no need to arbitrarily cut it down at the expense of feeling great about what I’m wearing. I do try to be synergistic at least about shoes (like multiple outfits that work with one pair of shoes), but don’t make myself stick to that if it doesn’t work. I DO absolutely map out every outfit down to the bra that goes with each one I’m going to wear so I don’t bring random shirts etc. that I don’t end up wearing.

      1. p.s. this answer doesn’t obviously apply to actual “backpacking”-like camping (which I just don’t do) but I didn’t get the sense that was necessarily what you were looking for, just that you wish you could get weekend trip packing into a backpack? Maybe I misread.

    5. You have to accept that you might have to buy something if you had forgotten.

      Two nights away for me might look something like this, for a city break with two nights out, and two days of sightseeing/shopping/visiting. Work would be less casual, but similar amount.

      Travelling in: nice dark/black jeans, comfortable but dressy boots (Chelsea boots or similar that can be worn with dress as well), comfortable dressy casual top, cashmere wrap for warmth on plane/train/car, appropriate for destination outerwear used every day/night.

      For first night out: change into dressy top, refresh of makeup, jewelry.
      Nighttime: pyjama of some sort, warm socks (best way to keep warm in a cold hotel room!)

      Day 1: Fresh pair of jeans, casual top or two layers depending on weather, merino crew sweater is a travel favourite. Nice casual sneakers like Allbirds or similar.
      Nighttime: Dress, tights and boots. Change of underwear (assuming a shower).

      Day 2: Whichever of the two pairs of jeans are in best condition, casual top (basically travel day again, just new top), whichever pair of shoes.

      So in my suitcase: 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair of sneakers, 2 casual tops (or two layers), 1 dressy top, 1 dress (poly wrap sheaths travel very well), 1 pair of tights, 1 pair warm socks, 2 pairs regular socks, 3 pairs knickers, 2 bras, pyjama, a necklace or other casual jewelry.

      Also: a small TSA size bag of toiletries with travel size (decanted) shampoo, soap, toothpaste, cleanser etc as well as liquid make-up like mascara, foundation/BB. Stick deodorant and small make-up pouch (powder, blush, pencil, 1 eyeshadow, lipstick in my bag). Small hairbrush.

      Kindle, headset, cord for my phone goes in my handbag.

      I might also bring a small emergency travel pouch. I have a very small pouch with just-in-case stuff – a few compeed, a few tampons/condoms, plasters, bottle opener, nurofen, needle and thread (wrapped on a cut bit of a straw), safety pins, a couple of tea bags, battery for my headset, things like that – this little pouch just goes in the suitcase and then I’m done planning for emergencies.

      1. I used to have a career where I had to bring tons of materials overseas for workshops so I mastered the art of packing for 3 week trips in a carry-on. Scrubs for pajamas as they fold very light. Everything coordinates with everything else. Two pairs of shoes only – wear the heavier/larger ones while traveling. No jeans — just pants. Nars Org**m stick serves as lipstick, blush and eyeshadow in one so cuts down on toiletries. I never bothered with bringing travel size shampoos, moisturizer etc. because every hotel I’m staying in is going to have those things. Always-packed and ready to go small toiletry bag. The secret IMO is to roll your clothing, not fold it. You can roll clothing into *very* small pieces and get lots in.

    6. No extras!

      For a long weekend in winter in a city I usually do jeans, which I wear, comfortable boots, which I wear, and pack a sweater for Saturday, a nicer top for evening, and a long sleeve shirt for Sunday. Socks and undies as needed.

      You do not need options.

    7. For a long weekend (3-4 days): 2 pairs of pants or jeans, 1 shirt per day, socks and underwear for each day, 1 bra, sneakers, toiletries. If I’m going to a nicer restaurant, I add 1 nice shirt and ballet flats. No other extras.

    8. I live in Philly and pre-covid did several weekend trips (leaving directly from work) to friends in NYC/Boston/Baltimore/DC via bus/train or trips down the shore/mountains via personal car or carpooling with a friend and would normally pack in a backpack or tote bag.

      Leaving on a casual Friday in fall/winter, I’d be wearing jeans, sweater, booties, and jacket to work. I’d pack PJs, a casual top/sweater for Saturday day, a pair of jeans, a white v neck, and 1-2 nicer tops for night (depending on our plans). I’d pack one bra, and underwear/socks for every day plus ab extra pair. I’d mix/match the Friday and Saturday day clothes to wear home on Sunday. You could easily do it on one pair of jeans, but I’m clumsy so I’d likely spill on them. Booties are versatile so I would plan on wearing them all weekend and not pack other shoes. I’d bring some toiletries (pared down skincare and makeup routines, brush, deodorant, toothbrush/paste, etc) but borrow others (shampoo/conditioner/body wash; towel; if I do my hair (unlikely) I’d borrow a hair dryer/straighter from a friend). I have a pouch of things I always travel with (bandaids, a hair tie, Advil, lotion, lip balm, a granola bar, etc all those minor things you don’t want to be caught without) I’d wear the same jewelry and accessories all weekend. I wouldn’t bring a laptop, but would bring a kindle and my phone for the bus + chargers. I leave my work bag at work for the weekend, but transfer some things from the work bag to my weekend bag (water bottle, sunglasses, gum, AirPods, etc)

      In the summer, I’d likely bring two sundresses (sat + sun) , one outfit for going out, and a jacket/sweater for night + everything else as above.

      If I’m planning on hiking/going to the beach/working out/a specific activity (bridal shower, etc) I’d bring one outfit for that. Even with the extra outfit, it’d likely fit in a backpack.

    9. I am very light packer – single tote bag for weekend, single backpack or small suitcase for 1-2 week trips. I always bring my work laptop, even on personal travel, and never do laundry while traveling.

      My biggest piece of advice is to pare down the number of shoes: they take up a ton of packing space. I usually bring 2 pairs of shoes, maybe 3 if one pair is ballet flats, and always wear the largest shoes while in transit. For clothes, I know some people take the exact opposite strategy, but I rely a lot on dresses: I find that solid color dresses can easily be dressed up or down with the right scarf, earrings, sweaters, etc so they can be my fancy dinner outfit one night and my sightseeing attire the next day. Most of my clothes fall into the same general color schemes when not traveling, which makes it easy to have a range of mix and match outfits when I pack, but almost everything matches together in shades of navy, orange, pink, and white for me on leisure travel and black, grey, or navy on business travel.

      One of the best realizations I had was a few years ago when I realized my “workout” when traveling was the miles and miles I walked every day, and stopped wasting time packing workout clothes and sneakers on leisure travel, and for work travel deciding I’d be just as happy doing a barefoot streamed barre or pilates class in my room rather than going to the hotel gym. I also accept that I may be using a worse blowdryer if that’s all that the hotel provides and don’t bring my own.

      1. Have you tried decanting liquids into smaller containers? That was a game changer for me.

    11. For a weekend/multiday conference, my activities are usually densely planned, so I can plan outfits. I minimize shoes, usually one practical pair and one nice pair, but I compulsively overpack socks and underwear. My work is very casual, so I can usually fill my small duffel 1/3=clothes, 1/3=socks and underwear, 1/3=toiletries.

      My medicines always stay in their designated bag, and I like to keep that where I can see it. That bag has space for healthy hotel-freindly breakfast foods if I want to bring some. That bag and my spare shoes tie onto the top of my duffel or tuck under the handle.

      I usually travel by public transit and carpool, not by plane, so these may not all apply. But I always get comments from my coworkers about how light I pack, FWIW.

    12. The only way to do it is to plan outfits. I had a 25-75% work schedule depending on the month, so I had an investment in work clothes that I used for trips. I liked separates that coordinated with each other. So some weeks it would be black basics, some weeks navy basics, and grey went with both. I also had some deep green to coordinate with the navy.

      For a weekend I’d pack one pair of jeans or pants, in addition to the ones I was wearing, two tops, one jacket or hoodie, two pairs of socks, three underwear, on set of sleep clothing, and one swimsuit. If there’s a night out, then one dress, stretchy, or a nice blouse that goes with the pants. Wear the bulkiest shoes to travel in, and pack maybe a pair of flip flops for swimming/pajamas, and maybe one pair of shoes for the dressy outfit if needed.

      I know it’s tempting to think you’re going to be some magical Weekend Getaway Me, where you wear all those things in your closet you’ve never worn, but don’t do that. You’re not wearing those things for a reason. Pack your tried and true pieces.

      And the same goes for skincare/makeup/haircare. This is not the time to try out those random samples. Pack your usual stuff, decant into 3 ounce bottles of they’re larger than that.

      Don’t overpack! For a weekend you really should be able to get everything into a duffel unless you’re bringing stuff like ski equipment.

      You don’t need “options” on your trip. Go through the options when you’re packing and only bring the final choices.

      Last tip, no matter where I go or what time of year, I bring a warm cardigan and some sort of big scarf/wrap. Meeting rooms and hotel rooms can get really cold. Airplanes too. I most often needed my pashmina on airplanes in the middle of summer.

    13. The Vivienne Files (website) has tons of weekend getaway in a tote bag articles. The website skews old, though, so it may not appeal to you, fashion-wise, but should be helpful. It includes helpful links, ideas, packing help etc.

      I can go for a weekend in a backpack that is meant for travel, like the Ebags Motherlode Travel Backpack. Eagle Creek, Tom Bihn and Rick Steves have similar bags. Heck, I could even go on some European trips (and did) with just that bag and a tote bag to carry what I might need during the flight.

    14. Work travel – two weeks in a carry-on. Use St. John’s dresses + blazer for most of the heavy lifting + few pairs of pants that match the blazers and tops and a healthy amount of hotel laundry. Personal travel, I’m a hot mess with two bags checked for a one week trip.

  3. Beach/vacation house Q:

    For years, we have been renting a beach house with my husband’s family each year since we live far apart (combining vacation and family visit). It’s not the sort of house we could afford to own. We could afford a very small house near the beach (like you might have to drive or walk a ways to the water), like with a master bedroom and a second bedroom with bunk beds with it for kids (maybe a third bedroom, depending on budget). [The deciding factor is dogs — now that we have them, we’d like to have them on vacation with us and in our area, we could use a beach house year-round for a break from our city, not that the water is warm other than in hurricane season.] But would it be weird to have a house you couldn’t really invite family to? My sense is that kids bring friends to vacations sometime to help with boredom, especially this year, but you can’t really get adult couples to sleep on bunk beds or couches in public areas (even if for a free beach trip; I get that if our house were this small, people would probably prefer to stay at a hotel).

    [This is sort of theoretical and sort of not, as the $ I’d set aside for private school isn’t needed now due to wait lists being decades long, so we could do a month-long dog-friendly rental to test the waters now that remote work has been so normalized. A permanent cost though might change the way our vacations are and also change family visits, which had been combined in a fun location previously vs where the inlaws actually live.]

    1. We bought a small vacation house with no real guest space. We had friends want to come for one night and they slept in the two person hammock. They were up for the adventure and loved it. I am OK with no guest space. There are rentals not far away, if we really want friends to join us and clearly the hammock is an option!

    2. Forgive me if this is location-specific and I’m missing something, but does the math on the vacation house work? In my experience, even with wishful thinking, I cannot make to costs of a vacation home make financial sense when compared to keeping my money in an index fund and spending x on vacations that year. Plus, with the second home, you’re locked into a location and specific home which, as you pointed out, might not work for every vacation every year. I understand that not all rentals are dog friendly, but in my experience, a lot are, at least where I’ve looked to rent. To your point,yes, it seems unfair to request that adult friends and family sleep in the living room on vacation. I’d imagine that would not go well with my family.

      Finally, a smaller home sounds…not ideal for off season stays with children and dogs while one parent is attempting to wfh.

      1. My husband and I would not want to sleep in your living room but we would have no problem sleeping in separate beds if you only had twins/bunkbeds. We would just want an actual room.

      2. DH and I slept in the living room on vacation with his family once B.C. They didn’t do it to make me uncomfortable, but I really was. Something about having to keep your underwear in the same room where your in-laws spend all of their time…

        1. I’d be fine sleeping in a bunk bed with my husband in the bottom bunk, and our kids on an air mattress on the floor, but would not want to sleep in someone else’s living room. I’d want a private space to change and to whisper over logistics with my husband.

      3. (I’m not OP): Lilau, I hear what you are saying. There is a popular vacation destination a few hours from us that I always dream of owning a house in (and plenty of people do) so I think about this a lot. But then I also start to think about the mathematical reality you mention, and with all of the non-investment (i.e. “throwaway”) money that would be put into it between closing costs, property taxes, upkeep, insurance etc. I always joke that my end conclusion is we could stay at the Ritz at this location a few weeks a year and still probably come out ahead (depending on the house value appreciation).

        But here’s the thing where human nature comes into play…despite my jokes we don’t ACTUALLY go stay at the Ritz a few times a year, because it’s all of a sudden a variable cost and is hard to justify. Whereas if you own the home you can and will jump in your car any old weekend and get away. I think there is some value to that even if it doesn’t pencil out as an ROI.

        1. This is a really key point. If you’re talking yourself out of taking vacations, you aren’t doing yourself any favors, and having a place that’s easy and ready for you all the time can really improve your quality of life. This is what happened with our vacation place.

          1. This IS a really great point. If you actually go on more vacations, then my cost analysis is less important.

      4. We have a half ownership in a tiny ski condo with REALLY no room for guests — just one bedroom and a pull-out sofa in the living room. It’s frustrating because we almost never use it and I feel like we would use it a lot more if there were another bedroom for guests. We keep it because my husband has had it for years and it costs almost nothing, but certainly I’d never choose to buy something with no guest room.

        On the other hand, we rented a big house for my birthday this year and invited a friend to stay with us and it was fantastic. (This was when it was safe and legal to do so in our state.) So I vote “rent the bigger place” all the way.

      5. Our vacation home is less than a two hour drive, so we are there all holidays and vacations… We are probably there 30+% of the time. We would not vacation nearly that often. The vacation house is so easy because everything we need is already there! I wish we had done it sooner.

    3. A three bedroom would work if the kids don’t mind doubling up when there are guests.

    4. We’ve done the math (and other pro/con) on this and decided renting is better. No stress about hurricanes or storms. No maintenance or insurance cost.

      Renting enables us to get a big enough place that everyone has their own bedroom and bathroom — essential for comfortable long term stays as a group (from the perspective of gathering with grown children and spouses in a variety of rentals, having relatively equitable “space” for people to retreat to is key).

      Ability to easily walk to the beach and set up means no one is waiting around for others (there’s always one kid or group that runs later than the others, right? If you’re close to the beach, you can tell them to meet your there. If you’re sharing a car, nope.)

      1. I know people that have a small condo in an area where they can ski in the winter and hike year round and use it at least monthly b/c it is 2 hours from our city. In the condo there isn’t maintenance to do and they find that they use it a lot with their kids since there are linens and kitchen basics already there (and they can bring their dog). IDK if I’d budget separately for a trip + 2 hotel rooms per month, which seems spendy, but $1K/month total for the condo made it go into the “not-unreasonable” bucket.

        In 2019, for our family, the 6K beach rental for one week (split 1/3 SIL’s family, 2/3 our family) was nice, but also more of a family visit than a vacation (they are lovely, but our kids’ ages are different and our parenting styles are different and we don’t see each other enough to mesh well together for a week). The family-only true vacation we took was still more $. Ugh. But after this year, I do not want to just “stay home” once we are able to go someplace again.

        1. That’s fair about the condo, but it’s also a totally different analysis than the question you posed. “Place to crash as a family for regular long weekends” is a different goal than “place to stay as a family for long trips and possibly host others.”

    5. My SIL and BIL had a vacation home with no guest space, and they sold it after a few years. There was one bedroom plus a loft space for kids (no privacy), and the loft was small. The kids stopped wanting to come if they couldn’t bring their friends, and the loft space wasn’t suitable for adult guests.

    6. I think you’re phrasing this indulgent luxury decision in weird ways. No. Other adults are not going to likely want long vacations on a couch. And? Why do you care?

      1. I know families where families have to share a room in a grandparent’s vacation house (like your kids stay with you in one room that maybe has a double bed or queen bed and room for air mattresses that are twin sized in the floor)). I’d be Ok with this but I know some people who would refuse this even on a free trip (and yet those people never get suites when they stay in hotels). They want a private room and a private bath.

        1. I mean I’m kind of like this. I have a tendency to have tummy troubles when traveling. I’m ok sharing a bathroom with the people I already live with, though to be honest we often spring for a separate room for the kids – like a suite or adjoining rooms – but I don’t want to monopolize the one bathroom in a tiny shared vacation house with friends or extended family. I would get a hotel room in this situation.

    7. I’m unclear from this post if you have kids, and if so how old are they etc? If not and you are planning on having them and trying to think through how things will look then….I would personally hold off. I think that could change how you view things in general substantially. Unless you are really viewing this as part of an investment portfolio and think there is too much opportunity cost to waiting, but I don’t get that sense.

    8. If it’s a location you love, buy! Location wise I’d consider driving distance/ease from your full time home and then the best location you can afford in your chosen town (close to beach or town, etc)

      My poor immigrant great grandparents were able to eventually buy a modest shore house (and ran it as a boarding house in the summer). That was sold and my grandfather bought a different house in the 1970s for like 50k. It’s now worth about 3mil. It’s always been rented for at least part (if not all) of the season to pay taxes/upkeep, but the family has always used it for a week or two (minimum) + weekends in the off-season. My dad and his brother now co-own it (grandparents have passed). We’re all blue collar, and would never be able to afford renting, let alone owning, in this location had my great grandparents hadn’t kicked this off 90 years ago.

      The family house is larger, and so it is a gathering place for extended family, but in order to accommodate people we’ve definitely slept people on coaches, on air mattresses, etc. However, as previously said- none of us could afford this vacation destination on our own so we all understand that our option is air mattress or no vacation. If your family/friends are unwilling to do that, then maybe they can find a nearby rental.

      I’d try to buy a 3 bedroom, and then rent it out on occasion to offset the cost of the larger house. Depending on appreciation and your own financial situation, you can also buy a smaller house now and try to upgrade to a larger house in 10 years.

    9. Here is what I see:
      — families who get a small vacation place for just the nuclear family (mom, dad, kids; kids may take friends if older; this is generally not also used for family or group vacations but more as an escape from a very small city apartment)
      — families where a grandparent has $$$ and has a vacation place so that all kids + grandkids can visit (ideally, at holidays for the whole family; parents and random kids visit throughout the year)

      If you are #1, I wouldn’t sweat also trying to be #2. And if people want to come visit for free, I think they can deal with that free is often worth what you pay for it (or stay nearby overnight and visit at your place during the day; we did this one year by renting condos in a beachy place and it was great — separate space and togetherness).

      I’d love to have a Kennedy-type compound, but will never happen.

      1. +1 most people I know with vacation homes big enough to host a bunch of people, the home is grandparent-owned.

    10. We own a small vacation house. When people want to visit/join us, they’re the ones who get an AirBNB, and we have preferred cottages we recommend to our friends and family. It’s actually nice for everyone to have a place to retreat to at the end of a long day for some quiet and privacy.

    11. So we do this currently and I think depending on circumstances and expectations it can be fine. We bought a smallish and shabby ocean front home across the country but where I come from. We don’t currently have great guest space. We bought it because it is a unicorn property (think gorgeous quaint village living like Martha’s Vineyard but with swimming, world class golf and mountains etc) we have four kids (and would like one more) and don’t want to holiday extensively anywhere else (my whole family is there and it is a natural wonder it is so gorgeous). We are also in the military and can be sort of without a solid base as we can move a lot and we also have defined benefit pensions worth a fortune and don’t want more money in the market. The property was pretty cheap (paid 175k and put another 40k into repairs) and the annual carrying coats are low compared to what it would cost to rent something. We would need a minimum of three bedrooms in an airbnb and would never find a rental as good a this one and the rental would cost about $2500 per week and we often go for three or four weeks per summer and the house can be as cheap as $11k a year to carry.

      We have flex space and three bedrooms for six of us. We can pile the kids in one and give the double bedroom to guests, we also have a pull out in the living room, and a tiny box room that can fit a nice robust hotel cot. But we also have an enormous barn with a fully serviced second story that we will convert to a kids loft this summer. It is full of construction crap right now but that is our plan for the summer now that are kids are the age when they can sleep out by themselves. We have also had people pitch tents and pop up trailers. If my in-laws come they will just rent something rather than piling in. Lots of options and we don’t regret it.

    12. We vacation in the same spot every year and try to rent the same house year after year, though some years we don’t get the house and try out another. We also sometimes go to the same spot for a long weekend in the winter. It’s a 2-3 hour drive from us depending on traffic.

      We thought we should just buy the house, but then we put pen to paper and figured out that we are financially MUCH better off just paying rent for the times we go. I love the idea of owning a house and passing it onto my children but honestly, I’m better off just investing my money and letting them inherit cash. Vacation homes can be very hard to sell when the time comes, even if they’ve appreciated on paper, and dealing with maintenance and possibly being a rental owner from a distance is a time-consuming, stressful thing I don’t want to take on. Yes I know you can hire a manager. Like anything else, there are good managers and bad managers, and if you get a bad one it’s another headache and nightmare.

      So for those of you willing to take on the owner role, bless you and take my money. But to OP, do this with your eyes very wide open and be sure you’re being realistic about what it involves.

      PS the absolute biggest family drama in my friend circle involves a vacation property the parents willed equally to three adult children. Who uses it when, what condition they leave it in, maintenance costs and efforts, one sibling wanting to sell, etc.

    13. If you did this I’d get a 3 bed since that solves the problem. If you can only afford a 2 bed I’d want a house where the “kids” bedroom was large enough to fit a bunk bed with a single bed over a full/queen bed. That way if friends come to stay they get the bedroom and you kick the kids out into the living room on a pull out sofa/air mattress. Even better if the living room is L shaped and you can put a murphy bed in the L part to give the kids a semi private sleeping space (especially if they are younger and might go to bed earlier than the adults).

      1. Good point. I’d get a bedroom for each of your kids because ideally you want to keep the place into their adulthood and have them all join you for family trips. Maybe with their own families. That is, if you’re going to do this. Because I think it makes more sentimental sense than financial sense.

        1. A three bedroom house is not going to be big enough for two adult children and their families, plus OP and spouse.

  4. Age spots on hands. Does anything o er the counter work for them? What?

    I have always applied sunscreen even in the city but not on the backs of my hands until these spots appeared in my early.30s when I spent a summer outdoors pushing a pram and not realizing how directly exposed the backs of my hands were. Have protected them ever since but they keep coming, presumably with age too. I am in my 40s now and they bother me a lot more.

    Does anyone have an OTC solution? Or prescription solution? No laser or anything similar.

    1. Talk to your dermatologist. Some of the OTC bleaching creams may help. But I just religiously stay out of the sun and have to religiously use sunscreen on the backs of my hand. I found that once I started getting the spots, they return SO FAST once they are gone. Like one day of sun exposure will bring them back.

    2. I know you said no laser, but it works really well and can often times be cheaper than buying tons of creams and otc stuff.

    3. This is probably similar to laser, but my doctor burns them off with liquid nitrogen.

      1. I think that’s for keratoses, which are textured flat bumps, and not for areas of normal skin that are brown, correct?

        To OP, it’s laser or something like a retinoid, but laser will be the guaranteed thing. I feel you, I have one on my hand the size of a pencil eraser and it drives me nuts.

      2. She’s done it for normal brown spots. You have to have a light touch lest it leave a scar, but she’s got it down.

    4. I put tretinoin on the backs of my hands at night, just like I do on my face. It fades spots over months, but it takes diligence. You need to consistently use SPF (or gloves if you prefer) too, or you’re just undoing the work.

  5. What do you do with worn boots, sneakers, pilly sweaters… things that aren’t in good enough shape to donate? I know the obvious answer is “throw them out” but it feels wasteful. Is there a better way to handle this?

    1. Fabric recycling (H&M has stations in its stores) and shoe recycling (the rubber can be recycled). Some donations places will take things that are only suitable for rags.

    2. Fleet feet or another running store may recycle tennis shoes. I’ve heard that H&M has a textile recycle. I’ve also heard that Goodwill will take old clothes to turn into rags. You may want to call/check Goodwill & H&M website for confirmation.

    3. I recently learned that Goodwill recycles clothing it receives via donation that is not fit for resale. So that made me more confident about donating to them. But +1 for H&M’s textile recycling as well.

    4. Check with your city’s waste services; my town recycles textiles, but you have to take them to a specific waste center. If it’s towels or sheets, animal shelters might take them.

    5. No, throw out those old shoes. Things like towels and cotton t shirts get saved and cut up for rags in my house. In terms of waste, recycling fabrics uses energy too so I do not feel guilty throwing out synthetic items that don’t make good rags.

    6. I actually use a sweater de-piller and keep sweaters for a much longer period. The de-pillers work very well. Or I just change where the sweaters are in my rotation. So a nicer sweater becomes a weekend sweater etc…

      I also think that I wear shoes, and definitely boots, much longer than most people. I take care of them with end of season cleaning/leather conditioning/cobbler visits etc.. I have boots that are decades old and still in great shape.

      And sometimes after simply cleaning/depilling items are in better shape to donate and sometimes.. even sell.

    7. It feels wasteful because it is wasteful, but I don’t think there’s anything else to do with them.

    8. Honestly, I’d just throw them out or give to Goodwill. If they aren’t good enough to be worn by anybody, they’ll wind up in the waste pile anyway.

    9. A lot of times I’ll put them in a blue plastic recycle bag and then give them to Goodwill. The idea being that everything in the bag will hopefully be recycled and is of low quality. If you look into it in your locality there may be companies that take old sneakers and boots to recycle the rubber, take old natural wool to reweave it, etc. If it’s denim H&M will collect it and give you a coupon.

  6. Has anyone bought dresses from here? I am looking to get casual dresses that are in a nicer material than Old Navy but have the same vibe (not Boden, which is too pretty/fancy and seems to highlight my tummy). My social media feeds are featuring a lot of this (wool/nylon fabric, which sounds ideal) and a lot of crap that is probably some fast fashion nonsense that I want to avoid. The wool stuff is not inexpensive but might help with my goal of not getting a cheap item in 3 colors and then feeling like the items look pilled/sad/bad enough that they never leave the closet.

    1. Watching with interest. I am a huge fan of merino wool and have been wearing it for work and play for decades. I would love to support Wool& but all of the styles seem really baggy. I am just too short to be able to wear clothes that have no shape. If anyone has a good source for merino wool clothes, other than the usual Ibex, Smartwool, etc., please share.

    2. A blogger I really trust has a couple of their dresses and seems to like them. The name of her blog is weird so you have to search it in quotes or you will get some seriously strange results. Look up “goblin shark” and wool &.

    3. I bought something from them and returned it. I think for casual dresses it would be fine, but I was trying to go for business casual. The fabric is pretty casual but nice. The dress was not flattering on me– I’m short-waisted and it just didn’t work. I think the wool material would work for some climates better than others. For me, in the SEUS, I only wear dresses in the summer, and the material was way too hot for that.

    5. I have the Clara dress and love it – it is 100% wool and it has held up beautifully, and it is really comfortable and flattering. I used to wear it to work and felt very appropriate in it, although I wish it was an inch longer. The fabric has a good weight to it. I got the Rowena long (it isn’t long, the original Rowena was crazy short) after work from home started and I love it at home but I’ll have to see how I feel about it in the office. The fabric is a little less substantial – it’s pretty and comfy but feels like wearing a thin tshirt although it drapes nicely. I don’t think I would wear it to the office without anything else, but I think it would work well with a cardigan and maybe a belt. I don’t think it will be the sort of work dress that is an effortless outfit on its own though. Both dresses have worn like iron though!

    6. I have the long sleeved black one but it’s too big so I wish I hadn’t gone up a size per their size guide… I enjoy it! (I like my cool I bar one better bc of the sizing issue, but I would buy again!)

  7. Best salad dressing recipes? One of my small, achievable goals is to eat salad or soup for one meal a day, but I want to up my dressing game. I’m dairy-free and largely plant-based, so not concerned about a higher fat dressing, particularly as my salads are a giant pile of rocket, spinach, cucumber, etc. My storebought faves are the mandarin ginger and honey mustard vinagrette.

    1. I like the Skinny Bitch Dijon mustard with agave syrup and their tahini based salad dressing recipe.

    2. Keep some high quality olive oil in a small jar with a few cloves of garlic (I replace mine every week). Emulsify that with various vinegars such as balsamic, raspberry, rice—the proportions will vary based on the vinegar. Grainy mustard is a good add in. With rice vinegar, add a few drops of sesame oil. Ginger is also good. Lemon is also a good for a basic, fresh taste. No recipes needed—just taste and trust yourself.

      1. I know this is written with good intentions (I cook like this too) but so many people don’t, they only know how to follow a recipe. Instructions like this to less culinary adept people results in inedible food.

        1. Ha ha, that would apply to me for sure. First I’d have to Google what “Emulsify” means :)

      3. +1. I wouldn’t know what that means and I am not skilled enough to “taste and trust myself.” But then again, I just buy salad dressing in bottles like a commoner, what do I know.

        1. DIY is so much cheaper… I do use the bottle from a store-bought dressing, though!

      4. Do not make your own garlic oil like described above, (unless you really know what you’re doing).

        Putting garlic in oil and keeping it for later is a serious botulism danger. This kind of oil MUST be consumed very quickly, the same goes for pesto.

    3. vinaigrettes are very easy and easily varied. for a good honey mustard vinaigrette, I use olive oil, apple cider vinegar (in roughly 50/50 proportion ), a dollop ea ( 1 tsp or so) of honey and dijon mustard, then a pinch of salt and pepper. You can either let it sit with a garlic clove in it for a while, then remove (maybe 30-60 min ) or just cut a garlic clove in half and rub it on the storage container before you start (basically the way you would grease a baking dish).

      1. I basically make a little jar of this every month or so. Instead of apple cider vinegar I tend to have balsamic vinegar at home, so I use that. I squeeze in some lemon juice as well and stick it in the fridge. Give it a quick shake and drizzle over my salad.

    6. I make this dressing all of the time – I know my grandmother was making it in the 60s I don’t have actual proportions (it’s just been passed down verbally), but I’m not much of a cook and even I can make it taste good by just guessing proportions.

      Olive oil – this is your base so more of this than other ingredients
      A few spoonfuls of red wine vinegar
      A spoonful of lemon juice
      A dash of Salt and pepper
      A few shakes of celery seeds
      A dash or two of sugar
      Whole grain mustard (optional)

    7. Consider using nut oils, particularly hazelnut. Pomegranate vinegar is also great.

    8. I like Martha Stewart’s Caesar.

      Anchovies or anchovy paste (or fish sauce if you’re anchovy shy) + crushed garlic + lemon juice + mayo + olive oil + dijon mustard + Worcestershire sauce, served on Romaine.

    9. My favorite combo is arugula or mixed greens, sugar bomb tomatoes, tons of lemon juice (I buy the bottled kind at the store), olive oil, and a little kosher salt.

    10. Squeezable tahini and squeezable lemon juice! I’ve eaten it almost every day in lockdown!

    11. The Leon house vinaigrette is amazing – I keep a sticky note with the proportions on my fridge and will send you a picture.

    12. Skinny taste.com writes a recipe for a salad dressing on each of her salad recipes. I rarely follow the recipe for the salad (they are good, but I just use whatever I have) but I often follow the recipes for the dressings. There is plenty of variety!

    13. A very simply dressing can be made in the salad bowl. First, put in a slug of oil – someone else mentioned nut oils, and walnut is good; I usually use olive oil, often an infused variety such as lime or herb olive oil (Saratoga Olive Oil company rules) – and some salt and toss well. Then add the acid ingredient, such as a nice balsamic vinegar, a flavored balsamic, lemon or lime juice, and then toss again. Voila.

      One of my favorite salads is lettuces (with at least some romaine for crunch) with avocado, tomatoes and tomatillo, tossed first with plain olive oil and salt and then with lime juice.

    14. If you like tik tok, the Salad Lab posts a different salad every day. The dressings are all homemade and she puts the recipe in the comments.

      For me, I like to make a vinaigrette like this:

      Dice a shallot small. Splash it with vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit 5 minutes or so, usually while preparing the rest of the meal. Then whisk in a good amount of olive or walnut oil and enough additional vinegar or lemon juice so that the ratio of oil to vinegar is 2:1. Then a tiny bit of Dijon mustard, some fresh or dried herbs (I like fresh chives or dried oregano or both) and plenty of salt and pepper.

      You could make this in quantity and store in a jar but to be honest I usually just make it in the bottom of my salad bowl, then add my salad greens. I toss and taste for seasoning. Sometimes it needs more acid, sometimes more salt.

      For a sweeter dressing you can use fresh orange juice in place of the vinegar/lemon juice, and use honey in place of the mustard. Or you can use some of each.

      Hope this helps!

  8. So many people here are posting about closet clean outs and having too much stuff. What if you have the opposite problem? I shop a lot, but end up returning most of it. This has become very annoying since I am trying to do everything online at this point. I want clothes that “spark joy” but it seems like nothing out there does that for me. I feel in shape and do not have any problems with my body type–so it isn’t that things don’t look the way they should on me. I just like nothing.

    2. Some thoughts come to mind;
      – are you buying for an imaginary lifestyle/body?
      – are you trying to find stuff at the same retailers as always? Perhaps time to switch up your sources?
      – are you buying colours that don’t really suit you?
      – are you buying for work and other constrictions but feel that is not who you are – if so, can you sneak in your true style with accessories or on weekends?
      – do you have champagne tastes on a beer budget? If so, thrifting helps a lot!
      – do you expect your clothes to make you feel a certain way that you could actually better achieve otherwise (ex. buying bohemian clothes instead of taking that relaxed roadtrip, buying sporty clothes instead of actually learning a sport, buying business clothes instead of taking a career-enhancing course)?

      Perhaps most importantly – do you perhaps feel you *must* enjoy shopping and clothes because of cultural and other expectations, but actually don’t care for them as much as you feel you ”should”? Its perfectly OK to have a simple utilitarian wardrobe and spend your energies and find your pleasures elsewhere.

      1. This was me a few years ago, and I finally figured out that I’m just not fashionable. My mom, sister, and both SILs are fashionable, so I always had it in my head that I needed to be fashionable. I finally found some silhouettes, colors, and combos that I liked, and then I just bought those all the time. Yeah, sure, I look “the same”, but if it works, it works. I like blue, I feel good in blue, and I look good in blue, so I own a lot of blue tops, skirts, and dresses in various shades of blue. We used to joke that if I went shopping, I wasn’t “allowed” to buy another blue dress. Except, blue works for me! So now I just buy the blue dress if I want it. Sometimes I mix it up with scarves or shoes or something, but if I find a shirt, skirt, or dress that I like, I buy it in all the colors that work for me. Sure, this dress in black, navy, and burgundy with a denim jacket is basically the exact same outfit, but I like it, it’s comfortable, and I think I like nice, so I wear it and call it style.

      2. thank you-this is helpful. I think it may be a combination of buying for an imaginary lifestyle and continuing to buy from the same retailers, but maybe I am expecting the clothes to do more than what they can

    3. Maybe you don’t actually care about clothes that much!

      I realized several years ago that I do not find joy in clothing and it changed my life for the better. One less category of things to think about and spend money on. I wear a very limited color palette so all my clothes match. I visit a high-quality thrift store twice a year to replace worn items and fill in gaps. That’s it. If my clothes can adequately accommodate my size, the weather, and the occasion, I am satisfied.

      My real joy comes from eating and cooking, so that’s where my energy and money go.

      1. This is me too. There is a reason high school Sunshine loved wearing a uniform. It was easy and I didn’t care it was the same every day. Likewise, one of the best parts about this full time WFH life is that I wear leggings and a t-shirt every single day. I don’t care about clothes! So for work, casual, and exercise, I have created easy uniform type looks and quit shopping for something that might spark joy because clothing doesn’t do that for me.

    4. I’m starting to find silhouettes and patterns that I like again, but there were a solid three years where I flat out hated all the trends: wide leg cropped pants, kick flares, pointy chelsea boots, cropped shirts, etc. I just didn’t buy much. For 2021 I’m going to try a “buy only 21 items” challenge. Shopping online is hard! I ended up returning 4/5 items I purchased in 2020. I’ve also self-imposed a ban on buying items from Target (they either look horrible, fit horrible or fall apart after one wash), and JCrew Factory (quality is so meh). My most loved and worn items I’ve purchased this year have been from quality stores and at full price. I just need to be more disciplined. I have a full wardrobe (well now I have two: office and WFH) so I don’t need a lot of new items. I might invest in some quality denim this year. Tl;dr – It’s ok, maybe even normal?, to just like nothing for a while. I say this as I sit here in a ratty fleece and joggers from Amazon so…not an instagram model obviously.

      1. Yes, also this. I think I am too old to be trying some of these trends (or too old for them to make sense to me), but not yet old enough to want to be conservative all the time.

    5. I am in the process of replacing my wardrobe for my postpartum self and this is me. Ann Taylor is making fast fashion crap. The Limited is out of business. Nordstrom discontinued its Classiques Entier line. Brooks Brothers is hit or miss and the outlet near me has an absolutely miniscule women’s section.

        1. The Limited is now a house brand at Belk. I can’t speak on the quality but it does still exist in some capacity.

    6. My thoughts: 1) I hate to say it, but the trying to do everything online is probably part of the problem. Obviously during COVID you do what you have to do, but if you are finding that is just not working for you I think you need to head to store a couple of times a year when you feel safe to do so and really try things on. 2) Are there any real life fashion influences you like that you can try to stick to? For example, I love The Mom Edit and that has helped me really narrow down what I order and get. I’ve found for me personally especially Shauna, Laura and Emily on there are really my style and their full reviews/advice on how things really fit have really helped me. Not saying this necessarily has to be your source, but maybe something similar with your style/taste. 3) Not sure if I’m going to articulate this well, but there are certain brands – usually fast fashiony Amazon brands – where the models are always these super hot, bleached blond models and frankly everything looks super good on them. I used to fall down the trap of thinking the clothes were what looked good, but came to the realization it was just the models making those things look good so I either try to think really hard about what that will actually look like on ME (usually I come to the conclusion not nearly as good because when you get right down to it it’s just a sweatshirt or whatever) or I just avoid buying from those type of brands altogether. (I know, all clothing ads are on beautiful models, but the cheapy ones somehow take it to the next level of unrealistic).

    7. Are you just not really into clothes? If so, enjoy the tremendous savings of time, space, and money! I envy you! I am unfortunately into clothes, but what you’re describing is how I feel about food. What I eat is just not a dynamic or exciting area of my life, and that’s ok with me.

    8. I feel the same way. My problem is that what I feel like “me” in, is in no way acceptable for my job or lifestyle. There’s really no way to change that; I’m not about to start my career over in middle age just so I can revamp my wardrobe.

    9. I find the concept of sparking joy inapplicable to my work clothing. I will never get excited about a pinstripe. For work clothing I go with owning enough pieces in each category that I can be appropriately dressed for the next year, and call it a day.

  9. I have to book a Delta flight in the next two days for anytime next year or lose the credit. I’m guessing I may still be unwilling to travel when the time comes so I don’t want to throw good money after bad. My credits are just under $300. The credit is non-transferable/refundable.

    Where would you book with all this uncertainty? Leaving from Boston. I will not travel if unsafe but if I use the credit (it is from cancelled travel in Jan when I was too sick to fly) and it is still unsafe to fly, they may renew my credit. They already extended it a couple times and this time they are just saying book anywhere at anytime in 2021.

    Play Del Carmen in April/May or Nov/Dec? Weekend trip to see the in-laws in SC or SIL in FL or brother in San Francisco? Random spa in Arizona? I know no one has a crystal ball but what would you book in my shoes?

    1. Definitely not anything in April or May. A Playa del Carmen trip around Christmas sounds like a good bet.

    3. I’d book something for this time next year – and not Mexico etc as I don’t think those more developing places will be able to vaccinate ASAP. I also think spring is way too optimistic for OUR vaccination.

    4. Hearing from friends involved in Covid response, the general public will likely be vaccinated by the summer (that’s probably a conservative estimate, from what they tell me), so I’d feel comfortable with booking domestic travel in the late summer or later. I’d avoid international just in case borders still aren’t universally open to Americans.

      I wouldn’t put too too much into avoiding current hot spots bc a) vaccination and b) hot spots now won’t necessarily be hot spots then (ex NY in April vs NY now). I might prefer a blue state because they’ve a) tended to handle it better and b) they’ll likely have more vaccinated people to

    5. Maybe just Boston to DC (a very short flight) for a long weekend about as late out as you can book it?

      1. OP here – I was thinking this. I’d love to do all the free national sites but I didn’t know if they’d be open. Even if they aren’t, there would still be scenic walking. Plus, it should be cheap flights so I wouldn’t have to put more money towards mine. My husband is on his second rebooking of his so he has more money on his than me since he very optimistically thought back in April he could go to Vegas in December. That obviously didn’t happen!

        1. I think that the DC museums/sites will be open again by next fall. They were open for months this year at limited capacity when we were in between the surges. I think the Washington Monument just shut down again very recently. Come visit!

    6. I’d do a domestic flight rather than worry about borders, and would choose a fall itinerary. (bonus – if Delta ends up extending based on your travel dates, a date later in the year buys you even more time.)

      1. Somewhere in the continental US for Thanksgiving/Christmas. Flights are cheaper now and vaccines should make travel feasible.

    7. I think the experts are predicting we’ll be (mostly) back to normal by next fall, so if it were me, I might book a trip to Vegas next November or early December.

    8. I would book late summer/early fall travel to visit relatives in whichever location is lowest population and allows you to be outdoors more than inside.

    10. I would use it to see your in laws. With $300 you might be able to cover the whole cost. I say this because I love it when I can use credit/points, etc. instead of “real money” to cover duty trips like that. I don’t mind spending the “real money” for a trip to a destination of my choice, but when it’s just the annual “gotta see the inlaws” trip, I prefer to get it for “free”.

    11. I would book a very short, domestic flight to a place you’d want to go but not destroyed about if you can’t. I know people are trying to be optimistic, but there are so many people who will refuse a vaccine, the rollout has been incredibly slow, and the AZ vaccine isn’t a sure thing. There is no way I expect to be getting on a flight longer than 2.5 hours before mid-2022. Maybe 2023.

  10. How do you decide whether to continue with a skincare product? I finally gave the SkinCuiticals Vitamin C serum a try…and I like it but I honestly can’t tell if my skin is brighter. (I’ve been blessed to have good, glowy skin generally, and am in my early thirties, so the signed of aging aren’t that evident.) The other claimed benefits are the prevention of damage and anti-aging, and it’s hard to prove the negative. It gets amazing reviews from others, but is super pricey. I’m just not sure if it’s worth it or not. (FYI, a Dermstore sale for it ends today.) Thoughts?

    1. Eh, I’m not sure the price is worth it if you’re not seeing a massive difference. Maybe try The Ordinary or the Beauty Pie version for the next go around and see what you think?

    2. I went through this same thought process with this exact product. I decided to switch to the Maelove Glow Maker instead in the interest of saving money, and I see a brightening effect that’s more noticable from the Maelove version. My thought is that if I wasn’t sure I was seeing a benefit, I might as well try a cheaper product and evaluate from that perspective. I’m sticking with Maelove for now!

    3. I also went through the same thought process with the exact same product. I was like, maybe I’d look even more haggard if I hadn’t been using it? Impossible to know!
      I switched to Paula’s Choice C15 Booster because I could just no longer justify spending that amount of money on beauty products.

    4. I don’t know. I loved that stuff and noticed a difference, I think, but it oxidized before I finished the bottle and that nearly killed me.

      I don’t have a lot of brown spotting on my skin so I didn’t need that. I’ve been intrigued with coenzyme Q-10 lately, bought a little bottle of the Inkey List Q-10 and now I’m wondering if I need Vitamin C at all. I hope one of the knowledgeable skincare people can chime in, because many of the suggestions from them on here have been great. (cosrx blackhead liquid and rice spa mask, hylamide subq eye serum…)

    5. That specific serum ruined my face. It made me flush bright red and hot, and brought out broken capillaries that never went away. I now look like I have a whiskey problem. My derm says I’ll need laser to remove them.

      If you’re mostly at home these days, I’d use it on only half your face for a month, then compare.

  11. I have about $100 FSA bucks left to spend..ack! What should I get?
    I took a look at the FSA store and the options are so limited. No gummy vitamins for kids?!

    1. Vitamins and supplements can’t be purchased with FSA money unless you have a prescription, though prenatal vitamins might be an exception to this. You can buy over the counter meds now, though, thanks to the CARES Act, so pain killers, antihistamines, motion sickness meds, etc. Otherwise, a heating pad? First aid kit?

      1. ^OTCs for sure. Go through your medicine cabinet and see if your benadryl, tylenol, advil, kids’ tylenol and advil and bendaryl, mucinex, dramamine, etc. is expired and replace anything that will expire in the next few months. I can’t remember if pedialyte is covered but that’s always good to have.

    2. First, make sure your employer doesn’t allow roll over. I think mine allows the max the gov’t allows, $500? If you have $100 beyond that to spend, you could stock up on feminine products if you use those. They are now FSA eligible. Do you wear glasses or contacts? I always grab an extra box or two of daily contacts. You can sometimes get a rx for sunglasses and buy some designer frames. I had that work once and get kicked back another time. Do you take any prescriptions that you could get an early fill on? Like if you normally get a 30 day supply could you get a 90 day supply? How about stuff to make your work space or bed more ergonomic? I think the FSA store has foot rests and the like.

        1. Ooh and get the really nice sunscreen you wouldn’t ordinarily splurge on. Supergoop just introduced a daily sunscreen with vitamin C. For me, I like Elta MD Clear.

  12. I need cold weather hiking clothes now and have an Athleta gift card. Normally, I love Athleta skirts and shorts for our hot and humid summers. But I worry that cold weather items are more pretty than rigorous and may be more for the yoga crowd to wear in a car going to/from the gym (or grocery store, since it is 2020). If there are any good items, great. Otherwise, will save gift card for the summer.

    1. I love Athleta! I have a vest that I wear constantly in the winter— running and running errands.
      Fysa I think they will soon have an extra 20% off sale promo.

    2. I have the Altitude Tight in Polartec and find them very versatile (I also need tall styles, so my retailer options are limited for pants). I have them on right now to work in a chilly room, but have also worn them on all day February hikes in Arizona and will have them on again this Saturday for a couple hour hike in the DC area. I was thinking this morning as I pulled them on that I could probably wear them for cross-country skiing, but might want to put another layer of long underwear on underneath depending on the temps.

      1. Agree that their polartec tights are great for actual hiking in winter. I’m in DC area and those tights/leggings work perfectly in 30s degree weather.

      2. +1. The Altitude tights are the only actually warm ones and they are GREAT. They are basically all I wear in the winter. I also need a tall. When it is either wet weather out or very cold I put the Patagonia hiking pants over top of them, or snow pants.

    3. Their Altitude leggings/tights are fabulous. I use them for xc skiing and am plenty warm in 25 degree weather.

  13. Fleece lined tights review-
    I am an essential worker and my very casual wear work is now in person everyday, outside for at least 2 hrs everyday. In far upper Midwest, in the winter. Fun times. Cusp size, generally like tights and leggings to be a bit loose. I have:
    Athleta Altitude Fleece Tights- Very Warm, comfy indoors and out, but I think the waist runs small.
    LLBean fleece lined tights without pockets- Very Warm, size is perfect, pocket version is back ordered.
    Athleta Ranier Tights- runs small or maybe I don’t like the compression? Not very warm outside unless moving A LOT. Do like the pockets.
    Eddie Bauer Crossover Winter Trail Adventure High Rise Leggings. Lots of pockets! Runs big, quite warm even if moving only a little.
    Favorites are LLBeans and Eddie Bauer’s. Anybody have snow pant recommendations?

    1. Eddie Bauer fleece-lined joggers and pants. I have both; I think the joggers are a bit short – and I don’t have long legs – but I like the cuffed legs. Pockets are barely acceptable in size and number. Haven’t worn the pants yet.

      I hear Costco sometimes has the Eddie Bauer pants, so it may be worth checking their site, too.

    3. I looove my Patagonia snow pants :) went to Iceland three winters in a row and they were clutch for hiking in snow days and standing outside in the dark to try to see the northern lights (third time was the charm).

  14. I have outlook for mac at work, and I can’t get my google calendar show up on it (even my tech people have tried). Is there a calendar program that will read both my work and google calendars at the same time?

  15. Allbirds sizing question! I a 7-7.5 (U.K. – so I guess a US 9-9.5), EU41, narrow/ low volume feet with a narrow heel. Do I size down to the 7 or up to the 8? In the Runners, if that makes any difference.

    (I wear an 8 in the New Balance 373s, but it’s not a snug fit at all).

    1. I have the tree skimmers in size 8. I normally wear size 7.5 US in my Nike running shoes. Hope that helps!

      2. Agree that I would size up. I’m typically an 8.5 and have the 9. I love them, so hope you enjoy yorus, too, Ribena!

    2. I sized up half a size for my Allbirds runners (narrow heel, non-narrow Egyptian/Roman toes and higher volume) from EU 37.5 to 38 (Allbirds size 8).

      It’s mostly great with the extra room, but a couple of times I year I think that I’ll size down my next pair. I have to use thicker socks, and remember to wash them when they have expanded a lot (which they will do). I like the wiggle room for my toes, but I get squished in normal trainers.

      I slide around a little, but the comfort is so great that I don’t mind. If you have bad ankles and often walk on cobblestones, maybe consider sizing down.

  16. I’d like to purchase an elliptical but the number of options and mixed reviews out there are making my head spin. Please share favorites if you have them. TIA!

  17. I know that no one really knows, but what do you all think the stock market will do in the coming weeks, with both the new year and the inauguration happening? If you were going to make a withdrawal, would you wait until after inauguration or do it before?

    1. It’s sky-high right now so if I were going to withdraw I might do it now. (Or after the first of the year if there were tax liablity.)

      But obviously if any of us knew how to time the market we’d be on Easy Street.

    2. you can’t time the market. if you need to w/d money do it. the inauguration is unlikely to affect anything.

  18. Looking at elliptical options and reviews is making my head spin, does anyone have recs for one you bought and love? TIA!

    1. Maybe not up your alley, but I’ve been super happy with the gym treadmill I bought used from a gym that was upgrading. Pro quality, only a couple years old (but logged some miles, no doubt), and a fraction of the cost. Found it on FB Marketplace. It’s been a steady performer for us for the last two years – we average maybe 20 miles a week on it, so not training for marathons, but using regularly.

      1. Yes to FB marketplace! I scored a pro spin bike from a gym that bought 20 of them for outdoor event. The bike was used for 7 days, perfect condition and I managed to buy it for half price vs new. You can even call a few gyms – at least in my area, they are downsizing bc of pandemics.

    2. I have a ProForm I bought at Sears in the early aughts, and it’s still going strong. Would rebuy from the brand, though my model is no longer made.

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