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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 185 Comments · by

Splurge Tuesday’s TPS Report: Bruna Tweed Skirt

The Personal Shopper (TPS)

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Lafayette 148 New York Bruna Tweed SkirtHappy Day-Back-from-Long-Weekend, ladies! I love the ombre, speckled look to this tweed skirt from Lafayette 148 New York. It has leather accents at the waistband and pockets, and, I think, is just a killer A-line skirt. I'm seeing it with a purple twinset, for some reason, but I think it would also be great with a black silk turtleneck (or, you know, pretty much anything). It's $498 at Bloomingdale's. Lafayette 148 New York Bruna Tweed Skirt Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-2)  

Sales of note for 10.10.24

  • Nordstrom – Extra 25% off clearance (through 10/14); there's a lot from reader favorites like Boss, FARM Rio, Marc Fisher LTD, AGL, and more. Plus: free 2-day shipping, and cardmembers earn 6x points per dollar (3X the points on beauty).
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale (ends 10/12)
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything plus extra 25% off your $125+ purchase
  • Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
  • Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
  • J.Crew – 40% off sitewide
  • J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site, plus extra 25% off orders $150+
  • Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
  • M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
  • Neiman Marcus – Sale on sale, up to 85% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 50% off 2+ markdowns
  • Target – Circle week, deals on 1000s of items
  • White House Black Market – Buy one, get one – 50% off full price styles

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. parker - boardroom belles

    For those who were Interested a few weeks back in a community on the web catered to MBA students we created a section on our blog in resposne to that. Its called mba mondays and we discuss everything surrounding mba programs, applications and careers for mbas there.

  2. preg anon

    Pretty pretty. And now for a threadjack: I am having analysis paralysis about whether to hire a nanny or send my little guy to day care, and I’d love your thoughts on how you decided. A nanny is obviously expensive but we could do it if it is worth it. We interviewed a woman last night who we both really liked, but I’m still having a hard time imagining handing my baby over to someone else full time. On the other hand, we should be able to get into what is considered the best day care in Houston. What are your thoughts?

    • Anon

      First thought: You are really lucky that you can get your baby into great day care on such short notice. (I’m 10 weeks preg in DC and in the panicked process of getting on as many multi-year waitlists as possible.)

      Second thought: All other things being equal, I think I would prefer a day care center over a nanny. I think I would feel more comfortable knowing there are multiple in charge of my child’s care rather than trusting just one person alone with the baby. And as the baby gets older, I like the socialization aspect.

      • preg anon

        One other relevant factor: We’re thinking of hiring the nanny for a couple of weeks while I’m home, so I’ll be able to watch her with the baby.

    • marketingchic

      Maybe a combination? You could use a nanny at first, then transition to daycare. I’ve seen real benefits in socialization and pre-reading/pre-math skills when my kids were in a good daycare, particularly from age 1-3. My youngest could count, identify shapes, speak some Spanish and Chiinese words, before age 2 thanks to a strong curriculum and good teachers.

      • preg anon

        Our problem is that all of the good daycares have waiting list, so they don’t let you do part-time (unless you pay the full rates). So it’s really one or the other. :(

        • Bewitched

          I think marketingchic was suggesting the following combination: nanny while your baby is an infant, then transition to daycare for the toddler years. I don’t know if she was suggesting both at the same time. It’s not too uncommon to have a nanny for infants, then to move your toddler to daycare.

          • preg anon

            Oh, got it. Duh. One other factor: Our nanny will speak Spanish to him if we want, which we do, so he’ll likely learn Spanish better with a nanny than he would at daycare, even if they teach it (I’m not sure if they do).

    • mascot

      Either way you will be handing your baby over for care. Pros of a nanny: flexibility of schedule which is nice if you work long hours or travel, child can still get care when home sick, nanny can handle appts and child-related chores like laundry, lots of one on one attention for the child and ability to cater to individual child’s needs. Pros of daycare: not reliant on the wellness/vacation needs of one care-giver, feeling of accountablity for caregivers, socialization and interaction with other kids without extra cost of enrichment classes, child exposed to more teaching styles and stimuli.
      We chose daycare. Yes, it can be hard to get out the door some days for timely pickup and we did get the standard slew of illnesses that first year. But, overall, its been the right fit.

      • Diana Barry

        +1. We lucked out into having a reliable nanny (almost never sick etc.) which is hard to determine in advance. For my schedule, a nanny was almost the same cost of daycare for 1 kid, and less expensive for 2 or more. Cost and convenience were the big drivers for us – I didn’t want to worry about getting the kids out of the house in the morning.

    • TBK

      We’re strongly considering the au pair route (in large part because of finances — two infants in day care in DC is like paying for a year at Harvard!) and two things I like about the idea are that we don’t need to do the get ready in the morning thing (dressed, food packed, lugging babies out to the car, driving to the day care) or worry about pick up in the evening, and second if the babies get mildly sick (cold, slight fever), we don’t need to stay home with them or worry about back-up childcare, nor do the mid-day rush to the day care to pick up a sick baby. At this point, even if money weren’t an issue, I think we’d go with a nanny over day care just for the convenience. Plus, most kids with nannies I know still get socialization through classes and play dates.

    • elz

      In Houston too and just my 2 cents- we tried both and preferred day care for our children. We liked that everyone was vetted by the state, trained, and that the hours posted were the hours they’d be open. We liked the accountability and the socialization you get with daycares. The wide variety of activities and exposure to different children, different customs, etc. was also a huge plus. Additionally, we believed that our girls would transition to school much easier since they would have already been exposed to rules, teachers, etc. (plus, all the germs). Lastly, we have heard way too many horror stories about nannies leaving families in the lurch-we know five families who had to scramble after nannies unexpectedly left for various reasons. Trying to arrrange back-up nanny care is not easy.

      I’m not certain which is the “best” daycare in Houston. But, I can attest that there are a number of very good daycares in town. I highly recommend Southampton Montessori in the Village, in our opinion, it is the Best.

      • preg anon

        Thanks. I don’t know that it’s actually the best; that was really just shorthand. We’ve been on the waitlist at Cathedral House since the first week I was pregnant, so I think we should be able to get it. I wonder if we could still get into Southampton Montessori. I still have a few months before I have to go back to work.

        • Anon in Houston

          I had your same dillema and went with day care (also Cathedral House, which I love.). Sometimes I think that if I had a second, I may do a nanny for the first year, then transition to day care. The hardest part for me for day care is getting out the door in the morning and dealing with being sick (us and our baby). Something I really like about Cathedral House (which at this age may be more for the parents’ benefit) is the cute arts and crafts that they send home with you.

          • Anon in Houston

            (The arts and crafts is just an extra benefit that I wasn’t expecting and something that would depend on the nanny. It’s not that big of a deal but I really enjoy it.)

            Can any of the Houston posters recommend a night nanny? Or has anyone ever used one?

    • MissK

      I don’t have a personal experience making this decision, but I know several people who do. The biggest deciding factor for my sister-in-law was that they were willing to pay extra for the nanny becuase what they really wanted was someone who could help around the house in addition to caring for their children. However, their nanny only comes 3 days a week and they have day care the other days so the kids get some outside the home socialization with other children. On the days their nanny comes, she does some cleaning and sometimes gets dinner started depending on what my sister-in-law’s work schedule looks like that day.

      My husband and I have talked about what we would like to do when we have children, and if I’m having someone come to my home, I’m willing to pay more for that but I also expect more out of them then I would a day care provider. Just my .02 cents.

      Good luck!

    • PSP

      If you have access to quality daycare, I would go for that, or a combination if you can swing it. I had great nannies (the joys of living in a country where live-in help is cheap and plentiful) but I think the time I spent in daycare really benefited me in terms of social skills and getting along with other kids, especially since I’m an only child.

    • ANP

      We can’t afford a nanny but I would have strongly considered it were our finances different. We do have our kids in what is considered to be the best daycare in my medium-sized town, open only to employees of a specific group of companies. I second what others have said about the accountability and socialization aspects of daycare — I was not in daycare as a child but the amount of stuff my daughter has learned is seriously amazing.

      I’d love the convenience of a nanny, but the fact that daycare is ALWAYS available to us (even for drop-in care on days when our kids aren’t regularly scheduled to be there) is hard to beat. I’m not sure how flexible your job is but it’s also easier to be left in the lurch by a nanny’s schedule/sickness; daycare is always open. There are essentially pros and cons to both, I suppose!

      • Gus

        Sure, the daycare is always open, but you can’t take your kid there if he or she is sick. And daycares have pretty stringent rules about how long a child has to have been fever-free (or done throwing up) before they can return to daycare. I think if you compared the average number of days that an otherwise healthy adult is sick during the year (i.e., your nanny) with the average number of days a child in daycare is sick, you’d find that there’s no contest. Either way you go, there are going to be occasions where you’re stuck dealing with a childcare emergency because someone is sick, but unless your nanny is particularly sickly, it’s likely to be way fewer if you go the nanny route.

        • cara

          Hello from Houston! My husband wanted to go the nanny route but I had trust issues. We ended up going the Montessori route and loved it. We spent 10 years at Cypresswood Montessori and aged out of the montessori. We are now at a small private school which we love as well. I liked having trained teachers work with our children and it’s amazing what kinds can learn at young ages. Good luck with your decision.

          • Equity's Darling

            I went to a Montessori school when I was younger, and loved it- mine was very free-form, and I think it works well for naturally curious children. I was well ahead of my peers when I finished at mine.

        • mama of 2

          I agree with Gus on this. Nannies get sick, sure, but way less frequently than your kid will get sick and be unable to attend daycare. (At least in my experience, YMMV, etc.)

    • Two Cents

      We just went through this decision and ultimately chose the daycare route. Finances were not an issue, as our daycare is considered the best in the area and as a result, just as expensive as a nanny.

      Pros – biggest plus is the accountability that comes with having a day care director, several instructors watching out for your baby, etc. Center is clean and bright with lots of toys for stimulation, way more than we could provide (or want to provide) at home. I also thought that the socialization aspect was key – not so much at this age, but as he becomes a toddler.

      I just did not feel that one person alone could do all that my day care center does (ie: someone comes in to sing music, there is art teacher who does projects with the kids, etc.). I also thought that it was a lot to ask one person who is not my relative to watch my child all day, every day. Every person has an “off” day, even the most loving person. I did not trust just one person to have sole responsibility for my baby.

      Cons – definitely takes time to process your baby in the morning and out the door. However, I will say that now that we have done it for a month, it goes by a lot faster and we also try to pack his stuff (milk, clothes, food, etc.) the night before. You also have less flexibility in case you are running late from work with a daycare, as I presume a nanny will stick around in the evening for as long as you need her to.

      Another con which I did not consider about daycare is my son’s nap schedule. It is all over the place, and he often does not nap well at the center because of all of the stimulation, noise, etc. That means that when we pick him up from daycare, he is usually super tired. This is not always a bad thing (he sleeps longer at night as a result) BUT can be hard when you want to play with him for a bit or feed him and all he wants to do is go to sleep. :) I’m hoping his napping will improve as he is there longer.

      Bottom line, I’m very happy that we chose daycare. I see how happy he is there and the teachers are all very loving and affectionate. Another big plus I noticed is that he used to get very fussy and cranky when there were a lot of people around (ie: a party at a friend’s house). Now, that has completely gone away and I suspect this is because of the fact that he is comfortable with lots of people/babies around at his daycare.

    • Maddie Ross

      I think it’s a really personal decision and depends a lot on your personality and your husband’s. For us, I always (always!) thought we would use a nanny or arrange for family care for our little one at least for the first year or two. But ultimately, I realized I don’t even like the cleaning people coming into my house and sharing my space. I don’t think I would like someone else just “being” in my house all day, dealing with my dog, etc. I know that some people love and trust their nannies, and it’s not necessarily a trust thing, as much as just a comfort thing. My space is my space. We ultimately put our little one in daycare and love it. The other personality issue that has really come into play for us liking daycare is that times are non-negotiable. Husband and I are late to everything. Not super late, just always running 5-10 minutes behind. With daycare, you just can’t do that. I have a set time I need to leave each day now. With a nanny, I could see how I would be lulled into 5-10 minutes extra each day, then a little more, etc. For us, we needed the non-negotiable.

    • Samantha

      There are pros and cons to both so I won’t take a position (we did both), but will mention a point that hasn’t been brought up yet.
      Kids in daycare get sick a LOT. To the extent that many of them end up getting ear tube surgery for their constant ear infections. There was an article in the WSJ about the prevalence of this I think. One of the doctors on this board can chime in about this, but what I gathered from my reading is that kids who are kept home for the first year or so cope better with daycare subsequently because their nasal & ear passages have grown a bit by then and are less susceptible to infection/risk of unnecessary surgery. I’m putting this badly, but – for the first year or so when your child goes into a group care situation with other kids, whether this is first grade or daycare at 3 months, they are going to be very sick. So it may be worthwhile to postpone this first year of sickness to when they are a little older and better immune developed.

      Having said that, I totally understand nanny trust issues, the lack of oversight etc. so this is a very personal and complicated decision.
      Do weigh the sickness issue in the balance though, and if you go the daycare route I’d suggest carefully evaluating what they do to wash hands/prevent the spread of infection. I’ve toured daycares where they *tell* toddlers to go wash their hands when they come in from outside, and some of them go splash a bit at the faucet, the others don’t, and nobody enforces it.

      • anon-oh-no

        My husband and I were talking about just the opposite of this yesterday — our kids were in day care and hardly ever sick. And to say that many day care kids wind up getting ear surgery is a serious overstatement. I’ve known one kid to have that (8 combined years of day care — 5 for my son and 3 for my daughter) and my kids have had a total of 1 ear infection between the two of them.

        And totally anticdotally, i noticed that the kids who were not in day care before they started pre school got sick a lot right at first, whereas the kids who had been in day care didnt get sick at all.

        And for what its worth, we have used both day care and a nanny. the nanny was great and more convenient, but even with a structured program and teaching experience, our kids learned way more at day care. And for that reason, as well as others, id choose day care if i had to choose over again.

      • Samantha

        I’m glad your kids have had a healthy experience at daycare. I do know kids in daycare who have hardly ever gotten sick also, and I’m not saying kids with a nanny won’t get sick (maybe still exposed to infections through playdates/library/outings). However, this is all anecdata, and single examples could be affected by reverse causality (healthy kids get sent to daycare) or other biases.

        Scientific studies give us much more reliable information, and I am aware of at least one study that finds that kids in daycare get sick a lot more than kids at home. (New York times article from Dec 2010 that says daycare kids get sick more then, – but – fall sick less often in later years in school).

        Both your experience of other kids coming to daycare at a later age getting sick more, and this study, are consistent with my previous comment about the first year of any group care situation resulting in more sickness than in later years of group care. That’s when they build up immunity and after that first year of exposure they are better equipped to deal with future infections they come across.

        I’m not commenting at all about the learning that happens in daycare, the socialization, the cost, or any of the other pros and cons. I think others have done a great job of that. And I’m not at all anti-daycare or pro-nanny. Just pointing out that sickness is an issue, and you may be okay with that (since it is going to happen anyway, earlier or later, in any group care situation). You may want to delay/postpone it, or minimize the effect of it in daycare by picking a daycare that is good about handwashing.

    • WestCoast Lawyer

      Either can be great. For us it was a combination of cost (daycare is still expensive, but not quite as much as a nanny where we are) and the fact that I felt really nervous about leaving a stranger (even one with great credentials/references) alone with my infant who wouldn’t be able to tell me if anything was wrong. I figured at least at daycare there are several adults in the room at any time, plus the frequent comings and goings of parents dropping off or picking up kids, so I was pretty certain nothing truly terrible was happening.

      Now that my oldest is in school, I can say that he really benefited from the daycare experience. I think the transition to public school was much easier because (1) he is used to being around large groups of children, navigating playground relationships and sitting still to listen to the teacher and (2) he knows several of the kids at his new school from the daycare he attended.

      As for getting sick, the first place we had him was insane with how often they washed hands. They even made me wash his hands when I dropped him off (which is tough – just try holding your infant over a sink and trying to wash their hands with soap) and he still had a cold for most of the first year he was there. But now he has built up a lot of immunity and rarely gets sick.

    • marketingchic

      Good points about daycare and sick babies. Your kid will get sick, especially in the first 6 months. The payoff is that they’ll be sick less often in preschool and after. My older child didn’t miss a day of “school” from age 3 through kindergarten.

      Consider whether you can work from home or will have back-up care for sick-baby days. I was lucky to have in-town grandparents as back-up.

    • Bursting Out

      Seems like the consensus is headed toward daycare, which can certainly be great. We just re-upped with our nanny (SF Bay area) for a second year (even though we had the opportunity to send our daughter to a stellar daycare AND our ped strongly recommended sending her to daycare) because:
      1) convenience – not having to rush out of the house in the morning
      2) getting baby laundry done during the day
      3) having things done our way: cloth diapers, early potty training, veg/ organic food, etc.
      4) the wonderful bond that has developed b/t the nanny and the baby – the stability and consistency seemed important to us, and even the good large daycare centers have turnover – you don’t always know who is going to be there.
      For this route, it seems important to get personal recommendations. Our nanny had cared for a colleague’s child. Also, I work at home fairly frequently and can get a good sense of how things go from being around.

      Good luck with your decision!

    • Mary

      This is a long shot for an old post, but would you mind sharing what you consider the best daycare in Houston to be? I am moving there and pregnant and trying to learn as much as possible! It would be really appreciated!

  3. Ellen

    Yay! What a skirt, but I can NOT go to BLOOMIE’s, b/c they know me there. Mabye the one in Westchester when I visit with Rosa and the babie’s!

    What a weekend I had at the manageing partner’s place in the Hamton’s! Roberta picked me up right at 5:45 and we headed for Jim’s place. He was not ready, so we had to get him up. His place smelled terrible–kind of like old Cheeze and Cheeze Doodel’s combined. I think he had dirty laundry also, which made it worse.

    Once we got on the road it was 7:15, and Roberta was annoyed at Jim. Jim also kept stareing at me b/c he was sitting in the back seat and I was up front with Roberta. I was wearing a halter top and that MUST have encouraged him. FOOEY, but it was HOT out and I was NOT goeing to wear a sweat shirt so that he could look elsewhere.

    The road’s were busy so when we got to the manageing partner’s place in the Hamton’s it was almost NOON and other’s were there. Sam, Harold and his Dad and Willem, a new cleint were talking to Madeline and they said go into the pool. There were some peeople I never saw before, and they were busy with the manageing partner, who had a chef’s hat on and was cookeing on his new WEBBER Grill. There were some other pretty girl’s there who I think lived locally and they were talking to Willem and Harold. Harold drank alot of beer’s and was tipsey by noon, and he and Sam got into an arguement I think over me. Harold I think told Sam he used to date me, and Sam said I was dateing him now. It was hot out and Sam did not have a batheing suit, so he just wore his underwear in the pool. Because Harold was drunk, he went in the pool with his clotheing on and then he took his pant’s off in the pool. His dad got mad at him and told him to get out, and when he did he took ALL of his clotheing off, and Madeline saw everything. Then he must have gotten self consichius, and he pulled Sam’s underwear down so that Madeline could see Sam also. I do NOT think Sam was circumscribed and that was weird! Anyway, both of them had to go inside to dry off and put new clothe’s on. The manageing partner lent both his clothe’s which were MUCH to big for them and they looked silly.

    We went on the boat after lunch and Sam and Harold kept pokeing at each other verbaly, and Harold said Sam sounded feminine. Sam assured him he was very masculeine, and that Harold must not be a straight arrow, b/c he had to pull Sam’s pant’s down. Again Harold’s dad had to move Harold to another part of the boat, and by then Harold started to throw up over the edge of the boat. FOOEY! I remember Alan vomitting just like that. FOOEY!

    On the boat Sam told me I looked good and said he would like to date me. I told him he should have thought about BEFORE inviteing himself to the party and talkeing directly to the manageing partner. Sam said my dad wanted him to date me, but I said my dad does NOT choose my date’s. Sam then said that he would even consider marrying me if I would date him and he assured me that I would not be disapointed with him in bed. I said I do NOT sleep with men on a trial basis and that my last boyfreind was a disapointment. We all went back for Flank Steak and Sam ate veggie’s. When it was time to leave, Sam said I should drive back with him but I said NO, I was already with Roberta. I wound up talkeing with Willem alot and he said we should meet in the City. He is a little older (40), but still interesting to me. He is a banker too, tho he work’s in Brooklyn. I do NOT know what kind of banking goe’s on out there but he was very impressed that I may become a JUDGE. He said he never dated a Judge before. Jim kept stareing at me all the way home and I was exhausted when Roberta dropped him off at 11:30 at night. Roberta agreed Jim had issue’s but that he was an old freind that she could NOT dessert now that he was over 50. Roberta and I agreed to meet this weekend and she would take me out for deli. YAY! I am busy now prepareing for my court apearance tomorow, so I have to get ready. Welcome back to the HIVE. I am exhausted! DOUBEL FOOEY!

  4. LitiGator

    Relocation advice needed!

    I’m a 3rd year litigator who is considering relocating to another state (specifically from Florida to North Carolina). I practice labor and employment law, and I would love to consider practicing in that area. However, I want to find a firm/company that has more work-life balance because these 60-80 workweeks are killing me. I have perused job boards but have not seen many postings.

    Some of my questions are: (1) Would you recommend taking the NC bar before applying for jobs?; (2) When relocating to another state, is it best to use a headhunter?; (3) Does anyone have any thoughts on the Charlotte job market?

    Thank you in advance for the advice!

    • Raleigh-ite

      No personal knowledge or anecdata on Charlotte, but from what I understand from my law school (in NC) it is still pretty slow. I am in Raleigh and it took me about 8 months to find a job while searching at my clerkship. I would suggest using a headhunter.

    • J

      I’m not an attorney, but we’re relocating to Charlotte later this month. The finance market is hoppin’! I am waiting to handle my professional license once I’m in state. I applied for jobs both on my own and with a headhunter. The headhunter, quite frankly, was worthless. I talked with several, but they didn’t seem to happy to be working with someone relocating. I found my job on my own.

    • Anon in NC

      Also an NC attorney. You may have better luck finding a job since you have experience, but otherwise I second Raleigh-ite’s comment. I know several people from law school who were/are looking for jobs in the Charlotte area, and some have been doing doc review for over a year now while they look for something long-term. But, again, it may be easier for you to find a mid-level position.

    • Gail the Goldfish

      I’m about the same year as you and took this July’s NC bar for the same reason. I’m waiting on results (which should be here in the next day or two-eek!). I’ll let you know how the job search goes if I pass, but my sense from talking to people is it’s not a great job market, but slightly better if you’re not right out of school, and better than where I am (New York). That being said, I’m expecting it will take me 6 months to a year to find a job. (I’m also going to concentrate on Raleigh and Durham first, then try Charlotte if I can’t find anything there).

      Also, the NC bar exam was bloody hard. Like, dear-god-I-hope-I-passed-and-won’t-be-surprised-if-I-failed hard. It may have been that I was working while trying to study this time around instead of having the entire summer off like when I took NY, but even the MBE I felt was much harder than the last time. Also, it’s super expensive (and double the amount for attorneys admitted in another state than non-attorneys–I swear they have the most protectionist bar in the country) and has a very early application deadline with lots of annoying documents you have to get (fingerprints, driving records, 20-something references, etc). So if you think you want to take the February bar exam, start getting stuff together NOW.

      • Gail the Goldfish

        Oh, and I decided to take the bar first on the theory that it might make me more employable there. I work in a fairly small field that I don’t really want to stay in, so I thought I’d need the edge.

      • ABC

        Gail… If it is any consolation, I also took the bar exam this summer for a second jurisdiction (not NC). I thought the MBE was much, much harder than the first time I took the bar exam 5 years ago. Like you, I am not sure if it was a result of studying less this time (thanks, work), but regardless, it was hard!

        Unrelated, I accidentally clicked the “Report” button instead of “Reply” — I hope you don’t get a message that I reported your post or anything. Oops!

    • NC Gator

      Florida native / Charlotte lawyer here – I’d recommend taking the NC bar first, because it lends credibility to your desire to move. Hiring needs in the lateral market tend to be immediate, so most firms won’t consider an attorney not yet barred in the state (especially for litigation, if you’re not licensed in the state you are approximately 6 months away from being immediately useful to a firm).

      As far as Charlotte, it’s probably easier to jump as a lateral than a new attorney, but I wouldn’t say the legal market has recovered (and from what I’ve seen, the majority of lateral openings are in financial services). If you’re looking for a more livable work week, I would tend toward no recruiter (you’d probably find a better fit at a smaller office, and smaller offices tend to avoid recruiters because the fees are too high).

      If you’re a UF law grad, we may have been classmates…I’d be glad to talk via email if you’d like. Good luck!

      • LitiGator

        Thank you everyone for the advice!

        NC Gator, I am also a UF grad, so we may very well have been classmates! My email is lelitigator@gmail.com. I would appreciate any insight you can give me!

  5. Shopaholic

    Styling suggestions needed ladies!

    I bought these shoes this weekend (will post the links in reply) in the leopard print and also the wine and I want to make sure I get good use of them because they are so comfy. Suggestions?

    TIA!

  7. Veronique

    Love this skirt! The details (ombre tweed, leather waist) add some trendiness but it’s still a very classic shape. Now it just needs to go on sale…

  8. Seattle Reccs

    Ladies, any reccs for places to stay and awesome things to do in Seattle? I am surprising my SO with a trip there and we’ll be going at the beginning of October. Thank you in advance!

    • TBK

      We loved Matt’s in the Market. Great place for dinner after a wander through the market during the afternoon.

    • lawyermomoffour

      We were in Seattle this summer for a few days. The highlight of the visit for me was the Chihuly Glass museum, near the space needle. The garden, in particular, was spectacular at night. Google Chihuly Garden and you’ll get the link.

      • Seattle Reccs

        Wow, that looks beautiful. We may have to check that out during the evening. Thank you for the recc!

    • eagon

      Go for a spin on the new ferris wheel on the waterfront the same day as you’re check out pike place market. For shopping and food check out Fremont and Ballard. Try the underground tour in Pioneer square and get dim sum in the international district at Jade Tree. Take the water taxi to West Seattle and walk along Alki Beach. California ave in west seattle also has great shopping. Get ice cream at the Husky Deli.
      Check out capital hill for a date night – lots of bars (from dive to dancing) and nightlife as well as really great restaurants.
      October is great for Pho – Vietnamese noodle soup. My fav is by the Than Bros. They have restaurants in many local neighborhoods. It’s tasty and $6.
      See what bangs are playing at Neumos, the Sunset Tavern, the Crocodile cafe (seattle institution). For fun stuff going on about town the time you are here check out The Stranger’s calendar of events. That’s a local paper that has God recommendations for theater, music, food, etc.

      • eagon

        Oh dear. GOOD recommendations, not God recommendations.
        It’s not that great of a paper :)

        • eagon

          And bring a rain jacket with a hood. The hood is essential. Though ask can’t go wrong packing a pair of boots. My go-to Autumn outfit here in Seattle is jeans boots top sweater and hooded jacket. Also giant purse to keep jacket in if unneeded … at the moment :)
          Also, second the glass museum. From there take the monorail to downtown. It was built for the ’62 world’s fair and is super fun. Tons of museums to check out around town as well. I love the Frye art museum and the Henry art gallery as well as the Asian art museum.
          Seattle is a fun city with great food – you will have a blast!

          • TBK

            And a fleece. We went in October and bought both rain jackets and fleece, and I bought gloves — it was much colder than we’d expected!

    • Anon Seattle atty

      If you like Sushi, definitely go to Nishino in Madison Valley. Best in the city.
      For a nice view and outing, Volunteer Park – climb the water tower for the views, visit the Seattle Asian Art Museum (and appreciate the great Art Deco building) and check out the Observatory (free or donation).
      Another great free option is the Frye Art Museum. Best downtown bakery – Macrina. Best coffee – Cafe Ladro!

  9. Equity's Darling

    Is it wrong to wear summer colours in the fall if the weather is suitable?

    I’m wearing a coral shirt, and I think its probably fine because it’s 30C today, even though it’s September, right? I do the same thing with winter clothes into April, because it’s still snowing, so even though it’s spring (by month, if not in weather), I’m wearing opaque black tights.

    • Veronique

      Nothing wrong with that! Plus, technically it’s still summer until September 21st. Don’t let the marketing machine fool you! :)

    • NOLA

      That’s so funny – we do the opposite here. We start wearing lightweight clothes in fall colors because it’s still so darn hot. It’s back to being sauna-like here. I say if coral makes you happy, wear it.

    • Mpls

      As a fellow northerner – follow the weather, not the calendar. FWIW – fall doesn’t REALLY start until the end of Sept, so you are still technically in summer :)

      • CKB

        I agree. Dress to the weather. This is something we have to drill into our kids. Just because March 23 is the first day of spring doesn’t mean the weather got the message and yes, you probably still need to wear your winter jacket. I’ve seen snow in every single month of the year in Alberta, so nothing that the weather throws at us surprises me anymore!

        • Equity's Darling

          Does that mean I can wear a bright yellow summer dress during chinooks?!

          One can only hope…

          • Mpls

            I’d say, hell yes. A brief breath of summer after a long winter is richly deserved.

          • CKB

            During chinooks I definitely bring out springy type clothes! Usually ones that still look OK with tights & a cardi, though ;)

        • AnonPara

          Now that ragweed has stolen all my energy, just the thought of trying to figure out what to wear in this transition month (low 60s this morning, but 90s later this week) is exhausting.

    • Olivia Pope

      The first day of fall isn’t until the end of the month and it’s hot outside. Work that coral!

    • Jordan

      We were just talking about this over the weekend. It seems like it stays hotter longer and colder longer so everyone agreed that the Labor Day rule no longer applies. Rock that Coral.

  10. Miz Swizz

    I found out yesterday that Soma stopped making the underwear I like. Can any recommend some cotton hipsters that don’t give VPL?

    • LR

      No one answered you yet so I thought I would ask…which line was discontinued? I think they got rid of their cotton undies last year. I like Soma’s vanishing edge line, but they’re sort of a microfiber. They do have cotton lining though, and I find they breathe just fine if that’s why you prefer cotton.

      I’ve got 15-20 pairs of the vanishing edge line and wear them all but exclusively.

  11. 3L

    What are some of the skills that separate really outstanding lawyers from good lawyers?

    • TBK

      (1) The Fear, that pit in your stomach that makes you check every single item just one more time because you’re suddenly convinced you missed something;

      (2) Judgment, especially knowing what you know and being confident that you can give a real, grown-up lawyer answer to a question or that your memo on an issue really is right, and knowing what you don’t know, meaning that you ask for more time to research something or know that it’s time to call in an expert (e.g., I know that I know just enough about bankruptcy law to know when I need the advice of a bankruptcy lawyer);

      (3) True Love of the law, so you honestly enjoy thinking through every issue in detail and chasing every possible lead down every rabbithole (true, there are times where it’s efficient to avoid the rabbitholes, but the great lawyers will still see them and want to go down them);

      (4) Empathy, which allows you to see the other side’s position and what they might want, or project what issues might come up if a contractual relationship goes bad, and enables you to work those concerns into your process, whether to be a more compelling negotiator, or to write in clauses that proactively address the issues.

      • Frugal doc..

        What a great list.

        I feel like it applies well to my profession (Medicine) as well!

        • TBK

          Looking through it again, I think it might actually be just a list of what makes a good professional, gleaned from my particular experience as a lawyer. I could see this applying to engineers, architects, academics, scientists, etc.

          • January

            Hah – I read it and thought it was a great list, and then immediately felt sad because I think I only have 2/4, and that’s if I’m being generous to myself.

          • Susedna

            Completely agree about its applicability to other fields. It certainly works for mine (investment management.)

      • Anonymous

        How do we all feel about #1? I agree that it’s a great trait – when kept in check. I’m not an attorney, although I work with them often, but I do appreciate when people know to call off the “search”. I have tons of Fear about my profession – it’s the ability to assess when to stop that is harder, I think. I wonder if this has a gender element too – thinking about some of the lack of fear I see around me in my mostly male colleagues.

        • KLG

          My fear is what made me leave private practice. I was constantly panicked about making mistakes or committing malpractice and after 5 years I wasn’t willing to hang in any longer to see if I could overcome that fear.

        • AnonInfinity

          I tend to agree this trait must be kept in check. You can really drive yourself insane otherwise. And I know both women and men lawyers on both sides of The Fear. I work with a man who is a great lawyer, but he drives himself crazy. He literally has high blood pressure because of it. When I look around at the highly regarded partners — rainmakers — they are not as severe with rechecking and obsessing.

        • Em

          I think #1 is a serious problem if not tempered by the judgment described in #2. I’ve seen lawyers who are brilliant and know their stuff better than anyone but whose effectiveness is seriously limited by an ability to say “enough” and to commit to a course of action.

      • Nonny

        Excellent list, and I agree with it, but would add #5: Humility. I think the best lawyers recognize their own limits, surround themselves with really smart people and aren’t afraid to listen to them. This is a little different than The Fear but they kind of go hand in hand.

        • Abby Lockhart

          Agreed. Humility is also a key to the client relationship, which I believe is actually important to being a great lawyer. In my experience, however, those without humility tend to dismiss/diminish this element as relevant to the measure of excellence.

    • Diana Barry

      Outstanding/successful is different from outstanding/general excellence, IMO. TBK’s list is great, but rainmaking is what makes success.

      • AnonInfinity

        I agree. Looking at the most successful lawyers in my firm, a lot of them lack The Fear and often proceed with a more fly-by-the-seat-of-the-pants approach. Though they usually do team up with associates and junior partners who provide plenty of The Fear.

  12. Anne

    I’m a litigator in NYC and currently applying to clerkships. I’m applying to a few judges in New York, but also planning to apply around the country, because I think it would be fun and interesting to live somewhere else for a year.

    Some places I am considering include San Francisco, San Jose, Denver, Seattle, Madison, Providence, and Portland (Maine). I am sure there are plenty of ‘r e t t e s who live in these cities and I would love to get your thoughts! My primary criteria are (1) cities that are very different from NYC (different region of the country, different vibe) and (2) relatively outdoorsy/active, both in terms of the people who live there and opportunities to get outside. I might add Boston to the list but I’ve lived there for a few years before so it wouldn’t be as much of an adventure. Some basic things about myself: I’m 30, single, liberal leaning, love interesting food/culture, like to be active, generally good at meeting new people as long as there are opportunities to do so. Would describe my personal style as preppy/classic/feminine (Portland Oregon sounds cool but I think I am not nearly hipster enough to fit in there). So… any thoughts? Should I move to your city? Add any others to my list? TIA :)

    • Killer Kitten Heels

      I applied to clerkships after litigating for a few years, and found that it was difficult to “sell” myself to out-of-state judges. I found that generally, when judges are looking for candidates with a few years of experience under their belt, they’re doing that because they want clerks who can hit the ground running, and don’t need to be filled in on local procedures/law/customs/etc. Unlike a straight-from-law-school candidate, I don’t think “it looks like fun to live somewhere else for a year” would be a good way to sell yourself to these judges, since they’re likely in the market for someone who is already involved in (or sincerely wants to become part of) the local legal community. If you’re interested in permanent relocation, I think you could have success with marketing yourself as wanting the clerkship as a sort of launchpad to starting your career in your new city, but I’d avoid mentioning that you view your relocation as temporary.

      (As background, I ended up with a clerkship in EDNY, which was my “home” jurisdiction, and struck out in Boston and Baltimore in spite of having previously lived in Boston for seven years and and having strong family ties to both areas.)

    • Clerk

      If you’re just in the applying phase, apply everywhere you might be even slightly interested in moving, because odds are you won’t get more than a couple interviews, if that.

      Also, I am a permanent federal clerk, and I work closely with my judge on hiring. I agree with Killer Heels above that you really have to finesse the location issue. Many judges feel that it’s part of their public service to offer opportunities within the local community, and in turn, to train lawyers who will become part of that community. No judge is going to be particularly compelled by your desire to have an awesome time in a cool city, so unless you come up with a great way to address this in a cover letter, or you are The Best Candidate Ever, you should be prepared for a chilly reception.

      Hope this didn’t come off as too negative. I think you should go for it, but also manage your expectations. And apply broadly!

      • Wondering

        Clerk – how many years are you out of law school? Do you plan on being a permanent clerk indefinitely or are you looking to do something else afterwards?

        My dream job is to be a federal appellate permanent clerk but am worried it would be a career staller in needs of trying to do something afterwards. I loved my appellate clerkship – the work, the hours, and the challenge.

        • Killer Kitten Heels

          I’ve heard stories of permanent clerks who were stranded in long-term unemployment following the retirement of the judge for whom they clerked, because they were too senior for the standard post-clerkship entry-ish positions, but didn’t have the experience/book expected of someone coming into a firm as a senior associate. If the permanent clerkship was a pool assignment (meaning not dependent on a particular judge), I think it’d be good, because if/when you’re ready to leave, you could do so at your own leisure and take as much time as you need to find a new position, but if the clerkship was with a particular judge, I’d be concerned about landing options in the event of the judge’s retirement/departure from the bench.

          • Wondering

            Yes, this is exactly my worry. I think it’s a fantastic job if you want to stay there for the rest of your career, less so if you want the option of doing something else afterwards (besides another clerkship). Thanks.

        • Clerk

          Wondering, I’m 9 years out of practice. Did a prior clerkship, biglaw, and a government litigation position before landing here. Plan to stay indefinitely.

          This job takes you off the track, no doubt. I’ve seen people transition back to private practice, but never back to biglaw (I’m talking after taking 3+ years to clerk; obviously many people step out for a year or even 2). You really have to sell yourself to be hired to practice again; rightly or wrongly, firms and agencies think you’ve gone soft or haven’t kept up your skills.

          I’m happy to be “stuck” here because I do NOT miss being a litigator. Happy to be rid of having clients and interacting with opposing counsel. My judge is on the young side, so I don’t feel too vulnerable here. I’m not sure I could do ANY job, even this one (which is awesome) for more than 20 years!

      • Anne

        Thanks very much for the advice, Kitten Heels and Clerk. It’s helpful and a bit sobering. I was not planning to mention/discuss that my relocation may be temporary (especially because I’m not sure it will be — I do like NYC but I don’t know if I see myself spending the rest of my life here — I could fall in love with one of these cities and just stay), but it is good to know that even if I demonstrate a desire to move and stay somewhere it will still be hard without particular connections to a city. I think this means that I should apply fully in the NYC area (instead of just to a few judges I particularly like) and also look at cities where I have family/have lived in the past. My plan right now is to apply as broadly as possible.

        While we’re on the topic of the clerking aspect of this, do you have any ideas about how to get information regarding the personalities of individual judges? I have many friends who have clerked for judges here in NYC, and I have access to reviews from alumni of my school (and might feel comfortable cold-calling an alum to ask), but there are many judges I’m considering who have never hired a clerk from my school. I have heard a few horror stories of people who ended up hating their judges. How does one go about finding out that info?

        • Clerk

          Again, I think you’re getting ahead of yourself. I wouldn’t worry about a judge’s personality until you have a concrete interview offer. Then do the best you can to get info from word-or-mouth or, the local bar groups’ judge evaluations, or, if you take the posts with many grains of salt, a site like the The Robing Room.

    • Lady Harriet

      I grew up in Madison, and so long as winter sports will satisfy part of your need to be outdoors it sounds like a good fit. The winter is long, cold, and dark, so you’d want to try skiing, snowshoeing, &c. if you want to consistently get outside November-March. There’s a good chance it will be snowy as well as cold for that part of the year, so biking or running would be hard to impossible. The city and surrounding area are beautiful during the summer, and there are lots of opportunities for biking, hiking, boating, & c. then. Madison is definitely liberal, so you’ll fit in fine on that account. There is some good food & culture there, but the city also tends to get an over-inflated sense of its own size/importance relative to the rest of the country, so it’s not as amazing as people there might tell you. If you like to dance, especially folk dancing, it’s a GREAT town for that. Chicago is also a 3-4 hour drive away, so if you do want to visit a big city sometimes it’s fairly easy to do that. I don’t know anything about the legal market there, so I can’t give you advice on that. Ultimately, I was miserable living in Madison, but it sounds like it may be a good fit for you!

    • lawyermomoffour

      I would add Minneapolis to your list. Meets all of your criteria, plus a very sophisticated practice and bench.

    • AIMS

      As long as you’re applying, I would try for Alaska and Hawaii — hard to beat for adventure (although not sure what courts are actually there).

      • Alaska Courts

        I live in Alaska. We have a Supreme Court, an Appeals Court (only for criminal appeals) and the usual trial courts. We also have 3 U.S. District Court judges and one 9th Circuit judge (saw her at the grocery store the other day). I did not clerk myself, but I have heard of people clerking here after working for a while. Our Supreme Court tends to attract adventuresome lower-48 types of clerks. Judges here are appointed for life, subject only to periodic recall votes. We only have 50 years’ worth of case law so there are a lot of issues of first impression. It Quite a few lawyers here came to Alaska for a clerkship and ended up staying afterwards. Quite a few people also clerk for a year, go back to wherever they came from, and always look back fondly on their year in Alaska. It’s way less hipster than Portland, way redneckier than NY, but overall it’s a nice place.

    • Pest

      I clerked for a federal judge in the Caribbean. We were able to identify the applications of candidates who thought they could just sit on the beach for two years. You should reference your willingness to relocate for the clerkship, but focus your cover letter on how much you want the job itself, how long you have had the goal to clerk for a U.S. District Court or U.S. Court of Appeals Judge, etc.

    • LH

      Not sure you’d be a huge fan of San Jose based on your description of what you’re looking for. It’s really not much of a city, its very spread out and suburb-like and has tons of families. There is a downtown (where the federal courthouse is) but its very business-y and is basically completely dead on evenings and weekends. Most single people I know in the bay area who want a “city” environment live in San Francisco. The bay area is certainly in close proximity to a lot of outdoorsy stuff (Tahoe and Yosemite are only a few hours a way and there are lots of hikes and parks in the area itself) but SF seems way better suited to you than San Jose. San Jose is a nice place to raise a family but all the young, single professionals I know there have either moved to the city (SF) and/or been really unhappy in San Jose.

      I think of all the cities on your list, Denver and Portland Maine match your description best. I’m biased because I love Maine but there are tons of outdoor activities there, in both summer and winter, its a beautiful place (and close to even more beautiful places like Acadia and the Moosehead Lakes region), great downtown, lots of young professionals, people are friendly and the cost of living is low. I’d move there in a heartbeat if I could. Other places to consider if you’re ok with a long, cold winter: Chicago and Minneapolis.

    • MH

      I live in Portland, Oregon and would describe myself in almost the exact same way. I wouldn’t completely write it off, particularly if you are looking to maximize your options. The outdoor opportunities are amazing, food is great, people are laid back. There are a lot of non-hipster people in Portland, and the legal community is definitely less hip than the rest of the city :)

      I think the bigger problem is Portland’s lack of eligible single men. Most of my single girlfriends (late 20s, early 30s) are having a horrible time dating. Go to Denver. There are a ton of outdoorsy single men there who are gainfully employed.

  13. Brooklyn Paralegal

    Fall 2014 law school applications were made available this week, I’m taking the LSAT in a month, and I am on the verge of truly and utterly panicking. I keep kicking myself for not doing as well as I should have in undergrad (I graduated two years ago, so it’s not there’s anything I can do); I want to apply early decision to NYU Law–I’ve wanted to go there since I was 18 and walked by the law building every day–but I’m terrified of rejection. I know there’s nothing to do but go for it and hope for the best, but I just wish I could allay my anxiety about everything.

    • TBK

      Re LSATs, I highly recommend taking several of the real tests under timed conditions. If you’re taking a class, you might already be scheduled to do this. But this was what really alleviated my anxiety. My score was ultimately right in the middle of my practice tests. Make sure you get the real, actual old tests, not the “practice tests” in the Kaplan or whatever books. I found the “practice” questions to be awful because they were often simply not well-written (I freaked out because for several of the argument questions, there were multiple answers that really were right and I could not see how those were different from the ones the book said were right — in the real test, the answers are more clearly right and wrong).

      • B

        Ditto taking it under timed conditions. And this may sound odd, but make sure you do 5 sections every time, even though only 4 are scored for the LSATs. I did one or two every weekend in the month leading up to my second LSATs and it made a huge difference.

        I did not realize how getting tired on the 5th section would affect my score (by 5 points!), and once you’re in the 165-180 range, every single point counts!

        Also, Kaplan 180 and all of the extreme difficulty practice tests help you hone that edge!

        Good luck!

        • TBK

          Other people told me about how Kaplan was hard on purpose, but I wish they’d focus on being actually difficult and not just difficult because poorly written.

          • B

            Ah, I can’t speak to the quality of the other Kaplan products, but I used that one book after exhausting my Powerscore/Real LSATs/LGBible resources.

            I don’t recall if that book was more difficult to poor writing, but that may have been the case.

      • Veronique

        I took about 20 practice tests while working full time (evenings and weekends, straight through all 5 sections with no break). My mom said that I was “obsessive” about studying but I ended up scoring in the mid 170’s, which was right in line with my practice tests. I did most of my practice exams at my kitchen table, but it might be a good idea to find a classroom or study room in a library to replicate exam conditions. I figured if I could do well in the kitchen with the phone ringing and people passing through, I would be fine on the real thing!

        • Brooklyn Paralegal

          Yeah, I’ve been taking old tests like crazy, and I also work full time. Since I began studying my score has improved by 8 points, so I’m at a 165 now and hoping to really hit a home run and get above a 170 if I can. My anxiety isn’t for lack of studying at all–instead, it seems to be proportional with my preparedness. TBK and others above–thanks for the advice, especially re: 5-section tests. I’ll be sure to adjust at least one of my tests to reflect that.

          Thanks!

          • Cornellian

            More than one of your tests! Seriously, all of your tests should have 5 sections. The fatigue difference is amazing and can really surprise you.

            In a similar vein, I’d take them under testing conditions (with whatever the food/drink/break regulations are now).

          • Brooklyn Paralegal

            Thanks. Does anyone have any advice for general anxiety? I know this sounds ridiculous, but I haven’t felt this kind of gripping fear of rejection in so long, and I’m now getting to a point where I’m hardly sleeping because my mind is going a mile a minute.

          • AIMS

            @Brooklyn Paralegal:
            The most helpful advice besides practicing, I think, is to sign up for the test early so you have your choice of test centers. NYU Law is actually a great center if that’s a convenient location for you (I took mine there). It really makes a big difference in terms of comfort and convenience (close to home is always good). My rule of thumb is to always try for a nice university or a private school. I took a similar type test at a public high school once because it was the only center available (Lincoln HS in BK) and it was horrible, all the time was kept by screeching bells (not proctors) and it didn’t matter if everyone was 1 minute late from the bathroom break because time wasn’t kept by proctors and even if you got that extra minute you were finishing up through screeching bells. The amount of needless anxiety over those stupid bells…

            Also, don’t try to figure out what the “practice” section is going to be – treat all 5 equally and just do your best. If your weakness is logic games (mine was), just keep doing as many as you can and you’ll figure out how it works. They seem impossible and then they just make sense.

            Finally, not sure if this will help you with anxiety but keep in mind that a lot less people are going to law school now so your undergrad grades are not going to be as important as they would have been just a few years ago. It’s still competitive and you should still study, but take it from someone who applied the year that there was a record number of applications, it is much easier now. Good luck!

          • Anne

            Have you considered talking to someone about the anxiety issues? A few sessions with a therapist might help you work through some of your fears, and if it’s keeping you up at night, a psychiatrist can prescribe something that will help you sleep (anxiety-based sleeping pills are different from the OTC stuff). I went through some issues several years ago while in school and talking to someone and a few weeks of pills really helped a lot.

      • Anonymous

        I used to teach for Kaplan. It is a great program. However, I will completely agree that you will benefit more from using the real tests than any program’s simulated questions. I sometimes got very frustrated with the self-generated questions because some of them were ambiguous in a way real exam questions are not (and if they are, they get thrown out at scoring). If you take the Kaplan course, the timed exams will be real tests and there is (or was back then) a bank of all available real tests with books with explanations for every question that you can use outside of class. This is the goldmine. (I actually studied myself with a Princeton Review book, so not trying to compare one provider or method over another.)

    • lucy stone

      Just tell yourself you’ve prepared the best you could and trust in your hard work. Ditto everyone who said take every practice test timed and with five sections from here on out. What section are you losing points on?

      • Brooklyn Paralegal

        I surprised myself in that I’m strongest at logic games. I’m at the point where I regularly only get 1 or 2 wrong in the entire section. Logical Reasoning I’m pretty decent with, but it’s Reading Comprehension that gets me, and I don’t know why! I’ve been studying like nuts, and I know that it’s just a matter of breathing deeply and just doing the best that I can. Man, I had forgotten how stressful applying to undergrad was, and this is even worse!

        • TBK

          I had a lot of trouble with reading comprehension, which was surprising because that was always a strong suit of mine. I found that marking up the text as I read helped a lot. It just got the words into my brain in a way that just looking at them didn’t.

          • Brooklyn Paralegal

            Thanks! I’m in a similar position now–I was a literature major for undergrad and have always done pretty well with reading comprehension, but I think that I’m struggling with rewiring my brain to look at passages in the way the LSAT requires you to. I’ll definitely make a point to mark up the text more.

            Thank you to everyone for your suggestions/thoughts. I really appreciate it!

          • TBK

            I was an English major, so it sounds like a similar problem. The LSAT passages are just really dense and require different reading skills than literature requires.

          • Anonymous

            On the flip side, I was business major and did well on the GMAT reading passages but found myself getting distracted during the LSAT passages. It’s possible the act of scrolling through the GMAT passages kept me engaged (I took most of my practice tests on the computer to “keep it real”). Marking up the text is a great way to stay engaged on paper. Of course, it requires you to take your fingers out of your ears, which I found necessary on test day because the girl next to me read aloud.

          • Brooklyn Paralegal

            @Anonymous In my LSAT craze where nothing else matters, someone next to me reading aloud is my greatest fear.

  14. Famouscait

    Hi Hive. I think my post-miscarriage hormones have settled down a bit, and although every day is different, I think I’m making good emotional progress. One thing that has helped is that I JUST GOT AN AWESOME PROMOTION!!!!!! I’ll be moving into a great job that intersects my personal passion for the performing arts with my professional work fundraising. The more flexible schedule and very large pay increase are all toppings on this very hard-won sundae. =)

    And, a new salary means we can finally put real travel back on the table, and so my hubby and I are considering hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu over Christmas. Does anyone out there have any recommendations for a good tour operator?

    • TBK

      I’m so happy to hear you’re feeling better! I was going to email you this week anyway to check on you. Congratulations on your promotion! No advice on travel, but it sounds like you’re going to have an amazing trip!

      • Famouscait

        Thanks, TBK. I appreciate you checking in. Having something to look forward to (new job, fun travel) is helping me feel more positive about the future.

    • Diana Barry

      Congrats on the promotion!!!! I’m glad to hear you are feeling a bit better. Hugs!

    • Anon

      I’m pretty sure that one of the blogs I read– Julie from PBFingers– did that trip. She blogged about it and I imagine would be willing to email with you about it as well.

    • Anonymous

      I’ll second Llama Path. They were amazing! If you are looking to spend a couple of weeks in Peru I would highly recommend Kuoda Tours. They will organize private tours for you and booked Llama Path for us. We did the Amazon, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Inca Trail and spent time at the beach afterward and Kuoda organized all of it for us.

    • Trixie

      I loved Peru! If you want to hike the trail, definitely worth getting in decent shape before you go. I was in OK shape when I did it (I could run a couple miles on the treadmill and play a few games of tennis but wasn’t in great shape), and felt like I was at about the minimum fitness level for enjoying myself and not being miserable. There were some folks in my group who were definitely suffering – they were happy at the end and felt it was a good accomplishment but were pretty miserable during and very exhausted after. Also, getting in shape for a vacation is sort of fun – I find it much more motivating to think “I need to be in good shape so I can climb a MOUNTAIN!” rather than “I need to keep running so I can burn off that Milky Way I ate after lunch.”

      • Famouscait

        Thanks ladies for the recommendation of Llamapath. I think at this point I have to decide whether to do the Inca Trail, or one of the alternate routes to Mach Picchu. I think December is the heart of rainy season, but we’re pretty seasoned hikers, so I figure rain is rain is rain. I’m sure I’ll check back in for more advice if/when our planning moves along!

  15. Dr. Lyn

    Hi there,

    Does anyone know of a blog that discussions fashion/sub-cultural issues for Women doctor/scientist types?

    Asked by one always trying to figure out how to be comfortable, practical, and stylish in a white coat and when on my feet all day.

  16. Leigh

    Can anyone recommend any good running blogs? I am training for my first half marathon, and would love to find a blog with helpful tips, etc.

    • Equity's Darling

      I have been lovng “It’s a Dog Lick Baby World”, she’s so funny, it kills me.

    • Blonde Lawyer

      I follow a bunch of running stuff on twitter and find it very motivating. Some of the individuals I follow followed me first or were re-tweeted by the corporations I follow.

      I follow:
      Health Magazine @goodhealth
      Women’s Running @womensrunning
      PromaxNutrition
      Runner’s World @ runnersworld
      mapmyrun (love the app)
      Charity Miles (highly recommend this app) (earn 25 cents/mile for charity on your run)
      Boston Marathon (I just do 5k’s but I like their tweets and links)

      Individuals I’ve stumbled on:
      @NeonRunnerKat
      @bigandya
      @bendoeslife (love his blog)

      I also just downloaded the RoadID app which is great. Lets you send a link to someone to track your run on a map and it alerts them if you stop running/walking for more than 5 mins.

      • Equity's Darling

        I used to love Bendoeslife, but his blog has been awful recently, and there’s been a ton of controversy over his diet bets.

        For the OP, I should have also said that I’ve found Smashrun to be really motivating, I love seeing all the data and earning all my sweet badges, I’m pretty obsessed with checking my stats/ranking, etc. It has really motivated me to be more consistent in my running, which I think has helped a ton.

        I’ve also heard good things abou Strava, though I haven’t tried it yet, mostly because I’m too focused on Smashrun badges.

        • Blonde Lawyer

          Ah, I actually haven’t read Bendoeslife in a long time though he is on my Twitter role. My info is probably out of date.

    • sweet as soda pop

      I really like Peanut Butter Fingers, Fannetastic Food, and Carrots n Cake. They’re not specifically running focused, but Anne is training for a marathon now and recaps her training.

  17. RegularGoingAnonymous

    Going private for this but would appreciate some thoughts from the group. How often do recruiters ask you for your current salary? In my experience, it’s pretty infrequent, and I really hate to give this info because I don’t think my salary is what it should be and I’d be moving to a geographic area with higher comp. I don’t want to get a lower offer just because I’m currently underpaid – any thoughts on this? Am I being weirdly private to not give this info? What’s the norm? Thanks so much!

    • Veronique

      I was in the exact same situation (underpaid, moving to higher compensation). I didn’t mind sharing with external recruiters because their incentive is to get you the highest compensation possible (the higher you make, the higher they make). I tried avoid sharing with internal recruiters or HR people unless absolutely necessary. Ask a manager has several good posts on this.

  18. Ciao, pues

    suggestions on how to style a royal blue sheath without looking like janet reno?

    • TBK

      I wear mine with a navy suit jacket (i.e., not the boxier Chanel style so popular in DC) or a navy cardigan.

    • Blonde Lawyer

      Green blazer, beige blazer, gray blazer, patterned blazer, tons of options!

  19. Vegetarian-friendly places in Chicago?

    Planning a 4-day weekend trip to Chicago and wondering if anyone has suggestions for restaurants? I am a pescatarian and my boyfriend is a vegetarian. We don’t have specific neighborhoods in mind, as neither of us have visited the city before (despite living in NYC… it’s a belated visit). Anything from $ to $$$ are fine. TIA!

    • Vegetarian-friendly places in Chicago?

      Whoa grammar mistakes galore. Blaming the long-weekend. :)

    • AnnonFoo

      If you like Indian food, you can try Jaipur, it is in West Loop, very close to downtown (short cab ride or quick walk from Green line train station). It is one of my favorite Indian places in Chicago, and has lots of vegetarian options. easy to get seating even on a Friday/Saturday evening. Their mango lassi martini is delicious. They have great brunch menu (pre-fixed $17-$18 per person) bought to your table rather than a huge buffet that gets cold.

      • Vegetarian-friendly places in Chicago?

        Sounds great (we do like Indian food). Thanks for the suggestion!

    • espresso bean

      Try Mana Food Bar in Wicker Park. It’s delicious and reasonable. The mushroom slider is one of my favorites.

    • NatalieR

      Taxim in Wicker Park is Mediterranean/Greek and has tons of fish and vegetarian options (and is delicious), plus it’s pretty romantic. We got all small plates and had a really interesting meal.

      I always enjoy Carnivale (Latin American fusion), which has more seafood options (seriously great ceviches) but also a fair number of vegetarian choices. They source locally for the most part, too, which is amazing for such a huge and busy place.

      Other fun places with good vegetarian/pescatarian options: Piece (pizza), Revolution Brewing, Belly Shack (Urban Belly is a related restaurant but their veg options are fewer), Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba (tapas), Bakin’ and Eggs for breakfast… I could go on forever. Chicago is great fun and great for eating. Enjoy!

    • OP

      Thanks everyone for their suggestions! Can’t wait to check these places out.

    • abogada

      Chicago Diner
      Ethiopian Diamond
      The Gage (good fish, I’m not sure what vegetarian options they have)

      I’ll have to check out Jaipur. I usually go to Devon for Indian; it would be great to find a closer place.

  20. patent leather agony

    I bought a beautiful pair of camel colored Kate Spade pumps with a pointed toe. After wearing them 5 times, there is a small spot on the tip of both toes on which the patent has been flaked off/worn away completely. I almost never buy patent heels for this very reason, but these were too pretty to pass up–now I’m kicking myself!

    I will try taking them to a shoe repair guy to see what he can do, but in general, am I missing something about how to care for patent shoes? Should I just stick with regular leather from now on if I’m bugged by the little chips and scratches that seem to be so difficult to repair in patent leather? Arghghgh.

    • patent leather agony

      I just read that painting in the hole with a similar colored nail polish can work. Has anyone tried this? This is assuming I can find camel colored nail polish…

      • abogada

        I do this with my pointy black boots. It usually last for 2-3 wearing before needing painted again. Black is an easy color to match though.

    • Bonnie

      I’ve had that problem with all pointy toed shoes, not just patent ones. It’s just an easy area to scuff. For nicer shoes, I have a cobbler put on toe taps before I even wear the shoes.

  21. Yellow

    Does anyone have a Chanel wallet on a chain or the classic flap bag and have any opinions? I’m trying to decide between the two and would love some thoughts.

    • Anonymous

      I don’t, but I’ve been researching quite a bit for an end of year purchase (most likely the medium/large classic flap). If you haven’t already been to the Chanel subforum on the Purse Forum, it’s a great resource–there are various threads full of photos of posters’ bags (the bag by itself and being “modeled”, which is great for seeing how the size looks on a particular frame) as well as threads of “what’s in your bag” so you can get an idea what it will fit. They also track current pricing, which can sometimes be difficult to obtain if you don’t have ready access to a store and would be traveling to make this purchase.

      I don’t know specifically what you’re looking for in your bag (feel free to respond–I love purse chatting :)) but one thing that’s factored into my decision is that Chanel prices have gone up a lot in recent years and are going to continue increasing. I’m at an age where I don’t know that I would wear the flap a lot now, but I’ve wanted one for a long time and am going to buy now before the prices make it no longer justifiable (if I end up not wanting it 10 years from now, I can always sell it). The WOC prices will go up too, but not to the same degree as a flap–so if you think you will someday want a flap, I’d get that now and save the WOC for later.

  22. Question for fed attorneys....

    Do federal agencies reimburse for state bar dues? Google is failing me in figuring this out….

    • KLG

      Bar dues, CLEs, and loan repayment depend on the specific agency. Some reimburse and some do not.

    • Anon

      No. Welcome to the federal government, where you pay for your own bar dues, CLE, coffee, water, and sometimes even office supplies.

      Although, I supposed it wouldn’t hurt to check with your agency, but I have never heard of any agency doing this.

      • Question for fed attorneys....

        Somehow I’m not surprised…thanks for the info though!

  23. TCFKAG

    You could pair this dress with the Kate Spade licorice pumps in black suede with gold flecks and you’d be dressed as the NIGHT SKY. Expensive halloween costume, yes, but totally worth it. (link in subsequent post).

    P.S. For anyone who is wondering (which by now may not be very many of you) I’m trying to shake off my “god its august and NO ONE ELSE is working and I don’t feel like doing anything” blues and part of that is getting back to posting on my blog. So check out the new posts if you’re interested.

  24. Yellow

    In an ideal world, I’d get the flap in black and the WOC in red (one of my favorite accent colors, but only in small doses!). Thanks for reminding me about the purseforum- I was on there a lot when I was trying to narrow things down! I’m going to be in Paris this spring and was thinking of getting it while I’m over there, but I should do some research to see if it would actually be cheaper to get it in the states, especially if I could get it somewhere with no sales tax.

    Are you thinking black or another color?

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