Coffee Break: Mobile Foodie Survival Kit

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mobile foodie survival kitMy mother was just extolling the virtues of something I got her at Uncommon Goods (these beer sommelier glasses, if you're interested), so I was perusing the site again recently, and found this fun spice kit. If you're traveling for business (or working crazy hours), you're often at the mercy of the hotel kitchen (or Seamless), and eating well can either be boring (scrambled egg whites or plain grilled chicken again?) or, well, complicated. The kit includes Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Cayenne, Onion, Basil, Cinnamon, Oregano, Garlic, Thyme, Curry, Rosemary, Ginger, Dill. Yummm. It's $26 at Uncommon Goods. Mobile Foodie Survival Kit (L-3)

Sales of note for 2/7/25:

  • Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
  • Boden – 15% off new season styles
  • Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
  • J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
  • J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

51 Comments

  1. Wow, I like this for home. Most of my spices are several years old (yikes!) and should be tossed.

  2. I’ve posted before that I’ve just started a new job. There is a great gym at work and I want to start working out during the day here. I’ve never really been able to pull that off before, so I would love some advice for ladies who do it – what essentials they need to have with them to do it, any tips or tricks for showering quickly (I’m one of those people who can keep sweating even after a shower – in George Costanza’s words, it doesn’t always take – and I have long, thick hair that is not easy to blow dry), or making the most of limited time in a work gym, etc. In the past I’ve never even showered at my gyms, always went home for it (not an option here unless I work out right before I leave the office). Pretty much a complete newbie at this, so all advice is appreciated. Thanks!

    1. When I briefly worked out in my office’s gym, I basically did limited cardio (concentrated on lifting), which kept sweating to a minimum, and really only did a quick rinse-off shower (without getting my hair wet) if a shower was a necessity. My essentials were deodorant and dry shampoo. I also have thicker hair and have found that if I pull back loosely, I can usually blow dry right around the roots and add dry shampoo to make it through the rest of the day.

    2. I also have crazy thick hair that can take forever to blow dry, but the spa I went to recently had Braun hairdryers that got my hair dry incredibly quickly. I got my hair dry in about seven minutes, I think, when usually it takes well over fifteen.

      I’m a big fan of the combined shampoo and conditioner for showeing at the gym/ pool – some of them are surprisingly good (I like Pantene)

    3. How often do you wash your long, thick hair? I have long (to my bra strap) thick (as in lots of it), fine (as in narrow hair shaft diameter) hair. Washing it once a week is plenty; I often go 10 days. Right now it’s not looking so great–I keep planning to swim (ie wash after swim) & getting rained out–but I often get compliments on it from friends & strangers. If you add on one day every time you wash your hair, you should be able to cut a huge chunk off your getting ready time! It’s actually healthier for long hair to be washed less often, especially if that means you are doing it when you can let it air dry and avoid the blow dryer.

      What temp do you shower? If I’m hot & I take a hot shower, it does no good whatsoever. I have to go as cool as I can stand, and then down one more notch. Even then, I find my face isn’t ready for powder blush & eyeshadow right away–is there a place close to your desk where you could do that step?

    4. I am a sweater but I have issues showering places that aren’t my home (I hate it!) and it takes me forever, so I knew from the get-go that if I worked out over lunch I needed a different solution. I purchased exfoliating cleansing towelettes (glorified baby wipes) and an extra deodorant that I keep in my workout bag. We have private changing rooms and after working out I strip down, wipe off with the towelettes, dry off, reapply deodorant, and get dressed. I have long, thick hair and stopped washing it everyday a few years ago – I used to think the world would end if I did this but once I tried it I realized it will just dry and look fine. When I get back to my office I touch up my make up (powder and lip stick/gloss) and call it good.

  3. How much of a recruiting fee does a typical (non-exclusive) recruiter get for placing a law firm associate at a different firm (or in-house)? I’ve heard that it’s a percentage of the annual salary, but what would be that percentage?

    1. I think its around 20-25% of the first year salary. But, that can fluctuate based on firm and if this type of candidate is bringing in a premium (for example, midlevel real estate associates are hot commodities right now in some markets)

  4. Anyone here ever deal with a chronic medical condition that forces you to quit your career?

    I am a 8th year associate in BigLaw. I have been having a major skin rash for the last 6 months. Until a month ago, antihistamines worked. Now they don’t. My doctor has done a number of tests and has diagnosed it as stress-related. He (and the doctor I got a 2nd opinion from) has recommended that I quit my job.

    I can’t even wrap my head around this. I don’t have another job lined up. Plus, even if I do quit, there is no guarantee this will clear up. So I might be quitting a career and gain no health benefit.

    Help?! Should I seriously be considering quitting my job?

    1. I imagine quitting a job with no other source of income lined up would also cause stress…. Maybe just step up efforts to find a new job? And get a third opinion. Or take some FMLA time if possible.

    2. Well, if it’s stress related, what can you do to reduce your stress? Reduced hours, different firm environment? Dedicated meditation and yoga/exercise? Therapy to develop between coping mechanisms?

    3. Does the rash impact your ability to do your work (either to sit comfortable or concentrate)? If so, you may be ability to get disability coverage (assuming you have that type of insurance). If it were me, I might try some lesser alternatives before full on quitting – yoga, therapy, even perhaps some type of anxiety medication.

    4. There’s definitely an in-between here! Take a vacation or temporary medical leave. See if it clears up. If so, start working with your firm to reduce your hours and/or stress level BEFORE you return, and simultaneously start looking at other opportunities in case the firm is not receptive.

    5. See if you can get disability time off from work – while you’re off, get therapy, get rest, maybe work with a coach (life coach or career coach). Then make major decisions with the benefit of a clearer mind. If the doctors are recommending that you quit, they will probably also support your request for disability leave to figure out your next steps. Depending on your job, they may also support you in finding a lower stress position so you can become a happy “alumni” of their organization instead of a disgruntled ex-employee.

      I’ve had the “major stress related rash” before. It was no fun. Best wishes.

    6. Don’t quit if you can help it. I don’t have any logistical advice beyond temporary disability/ FMLA/ reduced hours to give you a break and see how your body will recover, but I’ll add a little bit of anecdata.

      My mother started to develop some chronic health issues during a stressful work time in her life (she was approx. 45), one of which was psoriasis. Her doctors believed that the onset of the psoriasis, as well as other concurrent autoimmune conditions, was triggered by stress. She was dissatisfied with her job in any event and so decided to quit, and 13 years later has not resumed work. I doubt she ever will at this point. She triaged her health issues to some degree by not working, but they never fully resolved and I can tell you that the stress of not having a job (mentally, socially, financially) is NOT pretty and I would suggest doing any thing you can to avoid that.** I like Roses’ and NewMomAnon’s suggestions. I’d look at quitting your job as a last resort- once you quit, you have no idea how long it will take you to recover, what that will look like, and whether it will flare right back up again. The stress of job searching/unemployment won’t help you heal from a stress induced rash. I’d think it’d also be risky to lose the momentum you’ve built up as an 8th year associate- it might be easier just to segue to a less stressful job/hours than to quit and restart.

      **My mom is divorced and lives alone so doesn’t have a strong support system/financial safety net, so YMMV.

    7. Maybe you’ve done this already–but look into contact allergies. For an entire year I struggled with a sudden, incorrigible skin issue, not fully helped by steroids or a million other things. I finally had patch testing by a dermatologist that helped me figure out that I was really allergic to some of the main chemicals in shampoos, liquid soaps, and laundry detergents. I avoid those things, bought some different soaps, and voila skin is cleared up. Your condition might be stress-related, and folks have given good advice on that. (Personally, leaving a job without a new one would cause my stress to skyrocket.) But it might be something else, and leaving a job seems like a drastic, last resort.

      1. Sorry to tj but I also discovered a contact allergen/fragrance allergy with laundry detergents. Have you had any luck with replacements that deal with body odour effectively? Limited options in deodorants and laundry detergents are seriously limiting the shelf life of my tops.

        1. I use a fragrance free sensitive skin detergent and add a splash of vinegar to kill any lingering body odor.

          For my really stinky clothes (see: sometimes I like to run 20 miles and smell disgusting at the end), I’ll do a pre-soak in a vinegar and water solution.

          1. If you have really stinky clothes, amonia in the water (along with or instead of vinegar) will take out any residual funk. You’ll need less soap (and you don’t need much any way) as the amonia increases the suds.

        2. We have really hard water and sensitive skin, so my laundry combo is:

          1 scoop (I think it’s a tablespoon, the green one that comes in the package) Charlie’s Soap powdered detergent
          1-2 scoops Borax to deal with the hard water and odors (for everything except handwash sweaters)
          1/2 to 1 scoop Oxygen Bleach from Charlies Soap (it’s pure Oxygen bleach, not mixed with other stuff like Oxiclean is) for anything that isn’t super delicate – so I use it on my kids clothes and my socks and grubby tshirts, not my work clothes

          And then vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser – or you could put it in one of those Downy balls if you don’t have a rinse aid dispenser

          No dryer sheets at all – they add buildup on clothes which doesn’t come out easily, plus I’ve found it doesn’t really make a difference as to static with or without dryer sheets.

          The only thing Charlie’s Soap can’t handle is if a load of clothes gets left wet in the washer for more than 12-24 hours – it can’t get the mildewy smell out. Those clothes get re-washed in Fragrance-free Arm and Hammer liquid detergent, and then the washer gets a bleach cleaning cycle. Otherwise, we are super happy with Charlie’s Soap – especially since it is on Subscribe and Save from Amazon so it just shows up on our doorstep every 2-3 months.

    8. I had a chronic condition that was triggered by stress as well, and I was getting the same reco from my doctor (quit your job). Couldn’t find an ideal job change, so I basically went for a lateral position (doing the same thing but at a different firm). Helped immensely being in a new environment with nicer, more supportive colleagues. People who totally “get” that I have a life outside of work and can do quality work nonetheless. There are other firms (biglaw, midlaw, etc.) where the culture is totally different. I should have made the change years ago.

    9. Do not quit. As the others said, get reduced hours and temporary leave to see if this helps. You can also get a government job where you are at work 40 hours/ week but work a lot less. I worked summers for the government but did LITTEL to no work. I just had to steer clear of guys that wanted me to show my boobies to them. FOOEY on those lawyers!

      If after all this you still are with a rash see if you can get SSI disability. So many Abel bodied people are getting it since O’bama brought in his cronies into HHS, dad says.

      You should also find a guy to marry you while you are young. I read an article in the NYTIMES magazine about Larry King. He married a younger woman and is not afraid to fart in front of her. You are no different. Take control of your life! You can do it! YAY!

    10. I had a serious health issue that I dealt with for over a year and ultimately had surgery. During the entire time, my doctor kept telling me that I needed to find ways to reduce stress including evaluating my position at that time. I hired a career coach and resolved to change things post surgery. i changed jobs and my health is doing much better. I didn’t stop my career but went to a smaller less demanding employer and set clear boundaries.

  5. A few family friends will be hosting an engagement party for me in the coming weeks, and I would appreciate any ideas for thank you gifts. I will be sending the thank you gifts after the party, rather than presenting them at the party itself.

    I am trying to keep they around $50 each, as I have a few to buy, and am looking for something more interesting than just sending flowers. These are classy ladies in their 50s, so I want something nice, if not too expensive. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

    1. Tocca candles? Or I do think flowers are such a good catchall for this kind of thing.

      1. Just a quick follow up, to piggy-back on anonymous below — I think IMO the key with this kind of gift is making it a consumable. These are likely women who don’t want or need another tchotchke. I personally like the quality candles, because they can be burned (or frankly regifted).

    2. I second that flowers are good for this type of thing. Also, I have gotten people a basket of food type items from William Sonoma or nice soaps and hand towels for the powder room. For my baby shower, I gave the multiple hostesses one of the cute aprons from Anthropologie, and that seemed to be well received.

    3. I am a (hopefully classy) lady in my 50s and I agree that consumables are the way to go here. I am a wine girl but candy, fruit, candles, cookies — any of that would be nice.

      1. I love sending and receiving H a r r y and D a v i d Pears for this kind of thing.

  6. Whatever you decide to go with, I think it’d be nice if you can personalize it a little, like everybody gets a nice basket of stuff for the bathroom, but the person who entertains often gets the hand soaps for guests, and the one who likes a long soak in the tub gets bath salts, etc. A series of identical $50 gifts otherwise screams out “corporate”, imh 49 yr old opinion.

      1. Wait – did I actually not go into moderation for using the s-word above? Is that no longer verboten?

  7. Okay, let’s just talk among ourselves until Kat gets a post up!

    I can’t believe it’s September already! Who has fun plans for Labor Day weekend?

    I’ll start: My gentleman friend has organized a weekend trip to the California Central Coast area three couples including us. The guys are bicycling buddies so they will do two long rides (Sunday and Monday) and then we will all meet up in the evenings for dinner. Also there will be a winery tour for all of us on Saturday afternoon. The ladies will do a spa trip during one of the rides, and a nature walk during the other ride. I’m excited! Plus it’s so fun to be with a guy who makes things happen!!

    1. That sounds fun, SA!

      My BF and I are meeting up with another couple in New York. We just moved, so it’ll be nice to get away for a few days and see dear friends.

    2. I am trying to make this weekend a weekend of few plans. So far I have managed to keep Friday night and Saturday free for me, which means I will likely hit the vineyard for a glass of wine and some reading Friday night, then run and ride on Saturday and otherwise relax. Oh, I may go out on my friend’s parents’ boat on Saturday night if I feel like being social. Sunday, I am going to do a kayak float on the river with some friends. Monday and Tuesday I have off work and have no plans other than to get some runs in and ride my horse.

      Come on fall!!

    3. I think I’m going to take Tuesday off work. I may go with my parents to the beach. I may decide I’m too lazy to drive 7 hours to meet up with parents and just sit on my couch and marathon something on netflix. Either way, it’ll be a good weekend.

    4. It’s my 1 year wedding anniversary this weekend and because of insane work hours lately, we have no celebration plans set and I still haven’t gotten my husband a gift….

      Any anniversary gift suggestions for an early 30s male that can be bought/delivered quickly?

      1. The traditional gift for the first anniversary is paper. With this in mind, I bought my husband a copy of one of my favorite children’s books (“The Westing Game”–it’s a chapter book about a murder mystery so not babyish–a great book I highly recommend) and he really liked it. That was 14 years ago! I think it was one of the only times I got him a gift at all. Another nice paper idea might be a subscription to a magazine he would like.

      2. I made a husband a slide presentation of different options for grills… This both afforded him the flexibility to pick what he really wanted and meant I didn’t have to actually buy anything in advance. I played up the nerdy power point thing :-)

      3. Oh and the modern one year gift is a clock, so I bought him a watch the first year. May be something you can easily pick up at a nice jewelry store…

    5. I’ll be doing my first-ever fun not-for-trying-to-run-fast race and going to an all-day concert/mini music fest type thing. I’m so excited for fall! I love it so much and am sooo ready to break out the boots and sweaters, and have allllll of the pumpkin things.

      1. Can we be friends? I too love fall and want ALL the boots and ALL the sweaters and ALL the pumpkin. Good luck on your run and have fun!

    6. I wanted to keep the coming weekend low-key, but the holiday means all kinds of cool stuff is going on. Friday night we’re seeing a bluegrass band, Saturday we may check out a seafood festival at a local park, and Sunday will be the last food truck rodeo of the season in Durham.

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