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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 159 Comments · by

Splurge Monday’s TPS Report: Convertible Collar Tweed Jacket

The Personal Shopper (TPS)

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Santorelli Convertible Collar Tweed Jacket | CorporetteOur daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. OK, now I feel guilty: I saw this gorgeous tweed blazer a few weeks ago — and somehow I kept deciding to post other stuff. Now there are only a select few sizes left… but look how purty! Love the black, blue, and white crosshatch pattern, the three buttons, and the tall collar. It's full price at $650, but note that there are a few very similar blazers from the same brand over at Nordstrom Rack for much less. Santorelli Convertible Collar Tweed Jacket Here are two similar plus-size options. Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com.

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. MJ

    PSA: All jeans and cords are $25 at Gap today. Take a chance or stock up. Excellent for the tall ladies :)

    • Froggerz

      Thank you!!! I took a chance on the black jeggings and the black distressed denim. I love gap jeans. Good for my short curvy fit too!!

      • Anonymous

        Thanks for the heads up. The UK gap was running the same sale, bought a pair of cords for my husband for 20 quid.

  2. anonymous

    I’m thinking of taking advantage of jcrew’s 30% off sale to finally get a lady day coat. for those who pay close attention to such things, how much better do you expect sales to get without venturing into final sale territory or severely limited color and size selection?

    • MJ

      I watch these pretty closely. Hard to know…sometimes the common colors sell out in common sizes and only the special colors are left, other times the opposite is true. They do tend to have quite a lot left the day after Christmas and they are much cheaper then. The JCREW webs*te is quite glitchy on the 26th at times though. (Yes, I shop too much!).

    • Hildegarde

      Between Thanksgiving and Christmas they usually do a few 40% off specific categories sales, and one or two 40% off everything sales. If I remember correctly, selection is usually still good. I think the 40% off everything last year was immediately after Thanksgiving, and then immediately before Christmas (like, the 24th). So, you could probably get a slightly better deal if you’re willing to wait a bit, but I doubt you’ll get more than 40% off unless you wait for them to hit final sale, with the attendant selection limitations.

      • anon

        +1

        I already own a lady day coat and every year I stalk them on sale and then convince myself I don’t need another one.

      • AIMS

        This sounds about right. I’d add that you should also take into account what size you are – some sizes sell out much faster than others. In my experience, the smallest and largest sizes offered tend to stick around the longest. If you’re worried about missing out, you could always get the coat now, and hold off wearing it till December — if price gets lower, you can return yours and buy another (they usually only do price adjustments within 1-2 weeks).

        • anonymous

          Do they do price adjustments at all? In the details section of all of these big sales it says that the sale doesn’t apply to previously purchased items

          • AIMS

            I’ve gotten price adjustments within a week or two of buying an item. I am not sure if they’ve had a policy change or if this has always been discretionary, but you can always call customer service and say that you’d love to buy X item but you’re concerned they will have a better deal on cyber Monday and what is their policy with that. Can’t hurt.

          • Rural Juror

            Technically they only do price adjustments for items that were purchased at full price. Once or twice I have made a big enough fuss that I have gotten them to give it to me. If it is possible for you to return the one you bought and buy it on deeper sale (as in, your size/color are still available) they will give in to you because you will effectively be giving yourself a price adjustment by doing the return/repurchase.

    • Anon

      I got an amazing coat from Banana Republic dirt cheap on Cyber Monday two years ago. It was my first time buying anything on Cyber Monday and I was surprised at how good of a deal it was.

    • EK

      Am I the only one who buys it now, then if it goes on sale for a bigger discount later, I buy the exact same thing again (at the lower price) and return the new one with the old receipt? Works like a charm unless you have a place that has a strict 30 day return policy or something, which seems to be rare these days.

    • Diana Barry

      I think I bought it (2 yrs ago) for the 30% off – I was worried about it selling out later. But otherwise I would do the price adjustment or buy again as EK suggests.

    • Anonymous

      I went to do that too but the Lady Day isn’t included in the current 30% off winter stuff. :(

  4. NYC winter dress: nude hose v. black tights

    What goes with a black skirt suit in winter in NYC biglaw in winter: nude hose or black tights?

    I am a non-NYC attorney in a business casual (verging on pajama casual) office. I have to go to NYC for a biglaw sitdown (not an interview).

    • LeChouette

      If it’s quite cold, tights are fine. I think nude hose look better but once it’s sub 30s they are really not warm enough. Lots of women wear black skirt suits with black tights around these parts in the winter.

      • Diana Barry

        +1. I go to NYC in winter for a banking event where the dress code is v formal (the women must wear skirts) and all the women wear black tights with their suits. Looks fine.

    • anon

      I would go with black hose- looks more fashionable than nude nose (plus you don’t look like you’re wearing bare legs in the winter) or black opaque tights, IMO.

      • NYC winter dress: nude hose v. black tights

        I hadn’t thought of those (and their friend, “off-black,” which seems to be a roundabout way of saying gray). I used to hate them (not warm, like nude hose) + runs easily (on par with nude hose) + runs are obvious (subpar, compared with nude hose). I think they’d be +1 on the number of spares I usually put in the OG shoe pockets for emergencies.

        Thanks!

    • Ellen

      Yay! Pricey Monday’s! I love Pricey Monday’s and tweed blazers from Nordstrom’s Rack! I used to have a tweed suit w/slack’s but the slack’s were poorly lined and it was VERY itchy! FOOEY b/c no one wanted to see me itch your tuchus off with tweed!

      As for the OP, yes of course you can wear black tights! I do even tho I have to change at work so that the manageing partner can see my leg’s but it is worth it NOT to freeze your tuchus off. Dad drove into town and picked me up and Myrna and we went with him to a place in New Jersey where he picked up a 65″ FLAT scrren tv for his house. When we got to LI, he put it all together in about 15 minutes. He said it was easy, but he is still fiddeleing with all of the remote control’s. We watched sport’s on TV and it was very nice, but I perfer my flat screen TV, which is onley 46″. Of course, I live in Manahattan, and the room’s are alot smaller then they are in LI, so my 46″ TV looks HUGE for my apartement. Dad say’s my TV is NOT a smart TV, but it is as smart as I need it to be. I turn it on and it work’s! YAY!!!

      Myrna is goeing to back an apple pie tomorrow nite for our Thanksgiving meal, and I said I would come over and help. She is VERY talented, so I think she will be abel to find a guy to marry her easier then I will, b/c I absoluteley can NOT cook or bake and I do NOT like to do dishe’s. That is why Alan probabley did NOT marry me, but that turned out to be a good thing b/c he turned out to be worthless. I do NOT think he would even have been abel to impregnate me, b/c he was drunk almost all of the time, and when he wasnt, I do NOT think his winkie was working anyway.

      I hope the HIVE has a VERY nice Thanksgiving. I have to meet with the manageing partner this week about my 2014 performance. Hopefully he will give me a big bonus when I do 7200 hours this year! YAY!!!!!!

      • Fern

        I hope Myrna’s pie is appreciated by Ed and Dad. Both seem very demanding and annoying. And you hang in there, girl, as there is a guy for you who will appreciate you and provide you with all that you need.

  5. AIMS

    So my thanksgiving contribution this year is stuffing. I am thinking I’ll make the Smitten Kitchen apple one that was posted recently, but curious about any other favorites I may be overlooking. Anyone want to share a go-to stuffing recipe?

  6. Anon

    I have a question for the married ladies – two of my closest friends got married about a year and a half ago (not to each other). I’m still single. Since then, I’ve noticed a significant decline in the quality of our friendship, as well as the amount of times we see each other. It’s basically only big occasions now (birthdays and baby/wedding related events).

    Is this normal? Part of me is feeling really hurt and upset that my friends don’t put in the effort to see me alone anymore but maybe I just need to realize that their friendships have changed and I need to consider spending more time with my other friends instead?

    • 2 Cents

      When I first got married, I admit that I wasn’t around as much for my friends has I had been previously — because yay marriage! But once things settled down a bit — I’d say around the 18-month to 2-year mark, we all started getting together again much more regularly (I was one of the last to get married, so the others understood). If you make attempts to get together and they keep rebuffing you or insist that Chesterton and Westerfield must attend with them, I think you might have to find other friends to supplement your time…

    • anonymous

      I have had the same experience. I’ve been very close to someone and then we all but stopped talking when she got married. I felt like a makeshift husband replacement until she actually got a husband. She told me (not specifically about me, but a general statement) that she just didn’t need to see friends as much (and didn’t see friends much at all without him) anymore. I’ve had friends tell me that I’d understand when I got married. I did get married, and my friendships (both the quality and time/effort I invest) have continued to be great. So I think it’s “normal” in that a lot of people just invest less in friendships after marriage, but having been married myself, this phenomenon really bothers me.

    • Anonymous

      It really bothers me too. I am still single and nearly all of my friends are married. None of us live close to each other anymore, but we used to have much more contact (phone/email) than we do now, and it’s not for my lack of trying. They’ll text back when I text them, but I always feel like I’m interrupting something. It makes me sad.

    • anon

      I remember this well from my 30s. My married friends all disappeared into some married person parallel universe. Then they had kids and I really never saw them again.

    • anon

      I noticed it (most pronounced) in friends who wanted babies RIGHT AWAY. That seemed to be a big activity (so not wanting to go out drinking if they *might* be pregnant; being pregnant but under the radar (so person was tired and going to bed at, like 5), etc.

      If you’ve never been that boat, it is very weird to be shut out from someone you used to see a lot.

    • Anonymous

      this is so odd to me- are they people who didn’t live together before marriage? I just got married and am so happy to be married but feel like exactly zero has changed since we have been living together and making a life together for years.

      • anonymous

        I feel the same way. I dont think much changed when we moved in together, and certainly nothing changed after getting married. I have noticed some friends vanish after moving in with their boyfriends, and the ones that don’t seem to be impossible to meet up with alone/ without boyfriend in tow.

      • Anon

        +1 One of my single friends made a comment to me that I’m the only one of our married friends who is generally available to hang out regularly. I spend plenty of time with my husband, but I do things with my mom/sister or just my girlfriends 1 or 2 times a week. I seriously don’t get this. I love spending time with my husband, but that doesn’t mean I want to be with him 24/7 when I’m not at work.

    • Anon

      I got married recently and noticed a shift like this. A big part of it is living in a very small space and not having much privacy for phone calls. I feel like I can’t share much, since my husband can hear every word. (This goes for phone calls with parents, as well as friends.) Also, I’m less available for “spontaneous hanging out” than I was before I got married. That’s mostly due to respecting the time I’ve set aside to spend with my husband, and keeping to a general schedule that we’ve sketched out for our week (and weekends). For me, setting up a household had a major impact on my free time and general availability. Investing in my marriage is my first priority right now. I hope my friends understand that while we may get less time together, the time we do spend with each other is still quality.

    • oil in houston

      I made a conscious effort not to let that happen to my friends, but it’s true that you have to work at it, on both sides if I may. my friends sometimes assume I can’t join because I’m married, which is a bit unfair really….

    • Anon for this

      I stopped seeing friends when I moved in my with boyfriend (now-husband) for the following reasons:
      1) If they were friends I primarily used to go out with, I saw them less because I genuinely no longer wanted to go out to bars for heavy drinking on Friday and Saturday nights.
      2) If they only wanted to talk about their life as a single person and expressed no interest in talking about my relationship.
      3) If they expressed discomfort ever spending time with my partner and me together – i.e., felt like a third wheel.
      4) As I got older my work became more demanding and my free time was whittled down and I simply wanted to use more of that free time for one-on-one time with my partner.
      5) I met more people that I had more in common with (not just based on relationship status) and older friendships faded. It sounds harsh, but it’s just the way it goes.

      These reasons didn’t apply to all of my pre-relationship friendships, but it did whittle them down. The married/partnered-up friend isn’t bad or mean if this happens. But, they are obviously making the statement that you aren’t a priority in the way you used to be. That does hurt (it’s happened to me for many reasons, including getting married, having kids, etc.), but it’s just life. I would focus on the friends who can give you what you want out of a friendship, but don’t completely write off your married friends.

      • CA Admin

        As a married lady in her mid/late twenties, #4 & #5 have been especially true for me. I have less and less in common with my friends from high school, so I’m not making an effort to spend time with them. At the same time, my husband and I have gotten a lot busier with work, so I don’t have as much time to go around. That means that a few friends with whom I have a lot in common still see me and at almost the same rates, but everyone else has taken a back seat.

      • anon

        Geeze. You sound like a frustrating friend, and exactly the kind of “married friend” that single people roll their eyes at. I understand that everyone’s priorities shift throughout life, but your post is a shining example of married people that treat their friends like they were just something to kill time with until the marriage.

        Consider that your single friends probably feel the exact opposite from you- I’m tired of listening to long, LONG diatribes about my friend’s relationships, but the mere mention of single life is met with some dismissive remark. And yeah, sometimes being a third wheel really isn’t fun. Not everyone is as delighted with your relationship as you are. If your friends feel like a third wheel, the problem is likely with you and your husband. It sounds harsh, but that’s why people write off married friends.

        • Anon for this

          Someone is sounding a bit bitter . . . . I’m getting the sense we wouldn’t be great friends. :)

      • A.non

        To be frank, your former friends seemed more like activity partners. I am grateful for married friends or friends with children who still make time for me, although the actvities are less likely to be focused on late nights at a bar. Also, it seems like some people act as if singe = boozy late nights and married = boring trips to the hardware store.

        A person’s interests do not always strongly correlate with their relationship status. What about hobbies? If a person participated in cycling groups as a single person, why not go on couple’s rides when coupled and safe rides with a trailer when the baby arrives? CA Admin’s approach makes sense.

        I think some people are only participating in the bar scene not because they like it, but because they are still looking for someone to be homebodies with.

        I think community is important, and expecting one person to be your “everything’ is unrealistic. It’s good to have otehr people in your life, including those you’re not related to. From the perspective of a single friend, a married person’s spouse will be around the next day, week, month, year, decade etc., so why does the single person keep getting blown off, especially if she is flexible about the type of outing?

        Having said that, I used a relationship to fade out a friend that I found to be petty with different values.

  7. Minkoff?

    Been hunting the Minkoff Bowery Satchel.

    It’s on sale at ebags. Other than signing up with my email to get an additional 20%, will there be any other sales on ebags?

    Any personal reviews of this bag that you can share? Various places classify it as “medium size” and others as “large.” Thoughts? My current bag is 12″ long and I’m cramming in/out my checkbook style wallet. Bummer.

    But nice to move from Bucket 3 to Bucket 4 category…

    link to bag here

    http://www.ebags.com/product/rebecca-minkoff/bowery-satchel/278757?productid=10324828&sourceid=ADWPRODUCT&couponid=94790994&gclid=CjwKEAiAy8ujBRCY6c-hveijhFASJAAcyGicrc1DMFpRPh3Oo5eYS9e9PtukS4Gi0sHn4SAr8rO4mxoCUDbw_wcB&kwid=productads-plaid^105117383298-sku^10324828-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^50532682698

  8. anonymous

    for those of you who wear glasses or contacts, how did you know you needed corrective lenses? I should get my eyes checked soon, but I’m finding it harder to see things clearly at very long distances, which used to be easier. What kinds of symptoms did you experience before needing glasses? I’m 27, if that matters.

    • January

      I was in elementary school. I started having trouble reading things at a distance. I may also have had more headaches.

      • lucy stone

        Also the same. I was in first grade when I got glasses and I remember being so excited on the way home from the glasses store because BILLBOARDS HAD WORDS! and I hadn’t ever realized that before.

    • Anon

      I was at a hockey game when I was 14 and realized that I couldn’t read the scoreboard.

      • Miss Behaved

        My sister and I were at a football game with my parents when they realized we couldn’t see the scoreboard. I was 11 and she was 9.

    • Anonymous

      I found it harder to see things so I went to the eye doctor.

      That’s all there is to it.

    • In the Pink

      Although I started wearing glasses in 3rd grade, and then wore contacts from high school onwards, by the time I was in my mid 30s, I started having more trouble with distance as well as mid range. Tranferred into progressive lenses (think varilux) to avoid the dreaded trifocal look. It was nearly seamless and I would not do it any other way…

      my DH could not adjust to the progressives, so it is a case by case.

      At any age, it seems to be a case of the person feeling a change in the ease of their vision and focus.

      Go and have it checked.

    • ml

      Although I started wearing glasses in 3rd grade, and then wore contacts from high school onwards, by the time I was in my mid 30s, I started having more trouble with distance as well as mid range. Tranferred into progressive lenses (think varilux) to avoid the dreaded trifocal look. It was nearly seamless and I would not do it any other way…

      my DH could not adjust to the progressives, so it is a case by case.

      At any age, it seems to be a case of the person feeling a change in the ease of their vision and focus.

      Go and have it checked.

    • MJ

      I would say this is a sign you might need glasses. For me, it was if I couldn’t read road signs from afar, or see much detail in the leaves of trees. Please know that if you are experiencing headaches, wrinkling your forehead/squinting to see things or can’t see things the people you are with can see easily, it’s time. Also, even if you just _suspect_ you should go. Waiting can make your eyes worth. Also note that eye health (besides eyesight) is checked at these appointments, so it’s a good idea to get your eyes checked periodically no matter what.

    • anonymous

      So I guess a better way of phrasing this question would have been how do I know what’s just eye strain from spending more time than usual staring at my computer screen vs. vision problems. Any way to tell besides going to get eyes checked?

      • Wildkitten

        I guess you could completely stop looking at screens to see if your vision returned to normal. For me it’d be much easier to just go to the optometrist.

      • BB

        Check your vision with something far away on a day when you’re not on the computer + you’re well-hydrated. My eyes get tired and out of focus much more easily when I’m dehydrated.

      • lucy stone

        Go get your eyes checked, but if you’re worried about eye strain, I use a great app caused WorkPause which reminds you to rest your eyes every 20 minutes.

      • Anonymous

        Make an eye doctor appointment. Even without vision issues, you should still get your eyes checked routinely for glaucoma, cancer, etc.

      • Meg Murry

        I’ve worn glasses since elementary school, so for me it was when I had to squint to see the board. I’m taking my son for an eye exam this week, but since I don’t have vision insurance on him right now it’s going to be $100 for the exam. $100 well spent for the piece of mind, in my opinion.

        Just make an appointment. If nothing else, it will give you a baseline for where your vision is now. You can also ask the optometrist about eye strain from too much staring at a screen – they may be able to give you some tips on how to reduce it.

        • Mpls

          Just a thought, assuming you haven’t looked into it – but does your health insurance cover eye exams? My coverage does, though it doesn’t do anything beyond the basic exam. It is one of those things that falls under preventative care, so may be a new thing with the ACA upgrades to plans.

      • Lynnet

        I finally went to the eye doctor after my husband got tired of reading the texts on the screen in House of Cards to me. I thought it was just eye strain from the computer. It was. Eye strain from looking at the computer all the time with eyes that couldn’t see the screen very well. I was so shocked when I got the glasses and realized my monitor actually worked.

        FWIW, I went to the Target eye center and got the glasses, frames, and exams for (I think) less than $200. So, a lot, but less than most of my dental visits.

    • LilyStudent

      I’m long-sighted, but it was when I realised that I was having issues with close-up books, and indeed seeing the face of the person sitting next to me on the train when I was really tired (yup.) I was 17.

    • Terry

      Banged my eye (as an uncoordinated 14-year-old). I started covering each eye alternately to see if I had done any damage. No damage from the accident (according to dr) but one eye had significantly worse vision that the other. I simply hadn’t noticed before because I always used both!

    • Idea

      27 might be the new 45 for eyes, given all the screen-reading that we do.
      If you’re squinting, if you’re misreading things, if you’re not seeing something so well when driving and all of a sudden it pops into view, or vice-versa. Do you know your family history? If your siblings need glasses. If you feel like oh, I can’t read that in this light, or because the font is too small or has serif or doesn’t, or is fuzzy…

      … then you might need to visit an optometrist. (apologies to Jeff Foxworthy)

    • wintergreen126

      I realized as a freshman in high school that unless I was sitting right in front of the board, I couldn’t see what my teacher was writing. Even just a few seats back and I had to squint like crazy to see.

      Make an appointment with the eye doctor, it can’t hurt.

    • Gail the Goldfish

      I was in elementary school and started having trouble seeing the board. But what you really notice when you can’t see and then get glasses/contacts is that you can actually see individual leaves on trees, as opposed to them just sort of being a giant blur.

    • Rogue Banker

      In fourth grade, sitting in the back of the classroom and being unable to read the board. Got glasses at that point, and contacts starting in sixth grade. I agree with the other posters, the realization of “OMG! TREES HAVE LEAVES! THEY’RE NOT JUST GREEN BLOBS!” was the defining moment. :P

    • Brant

      I was in elementary school and one day remarked to my mom that the letters on the clock radio looked fuzzy. They’ve been fuzzy ever since ;)

  9. Ugh Clients

    I need to vent so I’m pretending that I’m writing a letter to the client I actually have to write a letter to.

    You, Mr. X, are an entitled, intellectually stunted man-child. The world owes you nothing. Take responsibility for your f*cking actions, and stop bothering me with ridiculous questions and rants about how you were unfairly wronged. You weren’t. UGH.

    Ok, I feel better now and will actually go write him a letter that won’t get me fired.

  10. wolverine

    Can anyone recommend a good brand for snowshoes that I can buy on Amazon or 6pm or Zappos (or any retailer that does free shipping/easy returns)? Waterproof, able to withstand Chicago snow/cold, at least mid-calf length, comfortable and looking to spend about $80. The reviews for the most common brands on these sites – Totes and Tundra – are not very positive so I am looking for other options. Thanks!

    • YouSaucyMinx

      Bogs & Sorel are great. They can be pricey, but 6pm usually has good deals

      Lands End also has great snow shoes and have great return policies

    • Mpls

      I first read this thinking about the big woven paddle shaped snowshoes (used for walking on top of snow drifts) rather than snow shoes/boots. And then I wondered if Zappos even carried those.

      But yes – Lands End, Sorel, Columbia, North Face are all brands that should work. I actually have a pair of BareTraps (from DSW) that do pretty well. They aren’t totally waterproof (no puddle jumping), but are resistant enough to walk outside in the snow. I’ve had mine for multiple years and they are holding up fine.

      • Lavinia

        Haha, had the same thought at first, too. I was going to say that I like my Tubbs snowshoes…

    • Lynnet

      I have sorel boots that I got when I was 15. I’m 29 now, and I kind of wish they’d wear out so I could justify boot shopping, but they still look like I got them this season.

    • Sacha

      I have a great pair of Sorels, but they are completely useless on ice. I’d be better off in wool socks. Probably less of an issue up in Chicago, but I’m back in the market because the tread on these is just plain disappointing.

  11. Leap of Faith

    Have any lawyers out there successfully transitioned from one practice area to another early in their careers? I’ve come to realize lately that I’m not at all happy with the transactional work I’ve been doing in my small firm (T&E with no client contact whatsoever). I’d like to make the leap to family law, which was the area I always wanted to practice in. I’m worried I’m already pigeon-holed into T&E (even though I realize there are some overlaps) or that I won’t be competitive because I have little court experience. I’m about 1.5 years into practice if that helps.

    Any advice or anecdotes greatly appreciated!

    • anon

      Lordy, isn’t T&E just family law for people with enough $ to have tax problems?

      [Former T&E lawyer who went the transactional tax route. I think you’ll be fine. Outside of govt practice/legal aid, no one has litigation experience of any signifigance as a 1.5 year attorney.]

    • Sacha

      This transition should be about the simplest transition you could make in the law. Nearly everyone I know currently practicing family law started out doing something else. And at 1.5 years you are not expected to have court experience, nor will anyone hold it against you that you changed your mind about what you want to be doing in your job. Plus–what anon said.

  12. turkeyturkey

    I’m hosting a very small Thanksgiving dinner this year and so I decided to buy a turkey breast instead of the entire bird. I’m a little worried about cooking it though, thinking that without the greasy dark meat, it might get a little dry? Any tips or recipes for roasting a turkey breast?

    • NytoCO

      I don’t think there’s much you can do that would actually increase the moisture of the breast except getting a meat thermometer, researching the minimum temp it should be cooked to, and roasting it to exactly that temperature.

      Possibly also dry or wet brining several days in advance.

    • Cat

      We do this – I think it’s easier than roasting a whole bird because it’s easier to get the whole thing at the same temperature. Ask your butcher to cleave it for you for extra oven space (they can then lay flat and also overlap each other a bit in the thinner areas, again helping with consistent temperature throughout).

      Just g**gle the recommended cook times for the weight, and check frequently with an instant read thermometer as the suggested time gets close. Just like a “normal” turkey you will want to build in some resting time post-cooking.

    • BB

      Serious Eats! They have great turkey breast recipes – including ones where it’s baked in stuffing.

    • Beth

      Slow cooker! I love cooking turkey breast instead of a full turkey because it fits into my crock pot. Low and slow for 8-9 hours and it is still moist and delicious.

    • Anonymous

      Turkey breast meat dries out because you’re over cooking it to get the dark meat done. Not an issue when cooking just a breast.

      • Anon for this

        Yep. Shouldn’t be a problem if you’re just cooking the breast. Just use a thermometer and make sure you are cooking it just until it’s done (and not longer) – also don’t forget that it will go up another 5 degrees once you take it out of the oven.

    • Anon in NYC

      Steam and then roast it. Jacques Pepin had a steam/roast recipe in the NY Times within the past few years (it’s easily google-able). He uses a whole turkey, but my husband and I used the method with a bone-in turkey breast and it was amazing. We modified the steam and roast time based on the weight of the turkey breast relative to the weight in the recipe. His recipe calls for a 30 minute steam based on a 16-18 lb. turkey, which roughly translates to a range of 1 min., 30 seconds – 1 min., 45 seconds per pound. We used that as a basis for calculating how long we needed to steam the turkey breast based on weight. Then, for roasting, his recipe roughly translates to 5 minutes – 5 min., 45 seconds per pound.

      With the glaze it looks like a Norman Rockwell turkey.

    • turkeyturkey

      Responding to individual comments is getting me into moderation so I’ll just say thank you to all of you for the helpful responses!

    • Idea

      You could put bacon on top of it – pork, beef or turkey bacon would help to keep it moist.

    • anne-on

      Buttered cheesecloth draped on top is one method to help ensure it doesn’t get too dry. You could also try tenting it with foil.

      • anon

        +1 to butter

        worked much better than all of the pork-type products we’ve tried over the years

    • Rogue Banker

      My mom’s trick is those Reynolds Oven Bags – the heavy-duty plastic cooking bags. She flours the inside of the bag so it doesn’t stick, then puts the whole bird in the bag and ties it off. It really seems to keep it moister, and I’ve had similar results with cooking the breast only in my oven (boo for spending thanksgiving 1500 miles away from family).

      Related question – favorite things to do with the inevitable turkey leftovers? :)

      • chilledcoyote

        Every year, my dad makes “white” omelettes for breakfast on Friday after Thanksgiving, using turkey, white cheese (usually swiss), and topped with leftover cranberries. Yum.

  13. BigLaw Bonus Question

    For associates who aren’t in NYC or one of the other NYC-market cities, how do the bonus announcements impact the bonuses paid to BigLaw associates in those cities? Is there a certain % that is standard (like if NYC pays X, then Atlanta or Houston or Charlotte or whereever pays a set percentage of X)?

    • Regional BigLaw

      Not at all. No end of year bonuses at all in my regional biglaw firm.

    • Anonymous

      Associates in our non-NY offices have to bill 2,100 hours to get bonus. But if you hit 2,100 hours, you get a bonus at least as big as the NY scale for your year – normally 10-15K more.

  14. Task Rabbit?

    Somewhat weird question for the oh-so-knowledgeable hive:

    I recently went on vacation to DC, and sent my “adopted” nephew a postcard of the elephant in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. He lost it, and is broken up about it. I can’t find a way to purchase it again online. Do any of you know of a service that would buy a/that postcard and send it to me? Is this something Task Rabbit would do? I’m going to try calling the museum to see if they would do it, but I kind of doubt they would, so I figured I would check here first!

    • Fern

      I would get a picture of it off the Internet, give it to your nephew and tell him to be more careful next time.

    • Senior Attorney

      My experience with Task Rabbit is that you can find somebody to do pretty much anything. I say give it a try!

    • Anonymous

      It is definately something Task Rabbit can do. I would offer to do it myself its just an incredibly busy time for me I probably wouldnt get over there until after christmas. And I would call the Museum- I think their workers and volunteers are some of the friendliest people I have met!

      • OP

        Thank you, I think I will give them a try. They were definitely friendly when I was there, I just figured they wouldn’t have a way to mail it from the museum. But it’s worth a shot!

    • Wildkitten

      I think it’d be fine to call the museum. They might not have a way to deal with shipping a postcard, but I’m sure they’d be nice about it.

      • OP

        The only reason I hesitated calling the museum is because I doubted they would have a way to ship it, but I’m going to call in a bit and see what they can do for me. Thank you for the response!

  15. ready

    So based on browsing some old threads, I found that some people really found the book “The Hard Questions” by Susan Priver helpful prior to getting engaged. I am confident my boyfriend and I are moving in that direction, and I want to start asking “the hard questions.” I’m just not sure how to approach the issue, other than saying that I think it would be a good way to get to continue to get to know each other better and to make sure that we really are as compatible as we think.

    Anyone have any thoughts on how to make this less awkward?!?!

    • Anonymous

      It shouldn’t be awkward to have serious convos with someone you’re involved with seriously.

      • OP

        Clearly, but there are still times, even with close friends or family, where “hard” conversations have to happen. That doesn’t make it any less awkward. My point is more that there is a list of 100 questions and I don’t want to make it seem like an interview or something. Ideas on how to make it fun. One person in the prior thread said that she and her partner would email each other two or three questions a night and then email responses and discuss. It sounded fun. I’m looking for ways similar to that to make it more natural than some sort of compatibility quiz.

        • Anonymous

          Then don’t make a point of quizzing him on 100 questions. Ask questions and share info because that’s what grownups do.

          Or, sticker chart.

          • Idea

            I don’t think she’s engaged to you, is she? I trust that she knows her boyfriend best and what will work.

      • Pretty Primadonna

        I disagree. Just because you are seriously involved with, or love, or confide in someone doesn’t mean that there will never be any awkward or “hard” conversations with them. Instead, the fact that one is seriously involved with, loves, and/or confides in someone allows one to feel safe enough to broach a “hard” topic with that person despite the awkwardness.

        ETA: +1 to casually bringing up this conversation on a long car ride.

    • oil in houston

      casual is best in my opinion, and usally works best for me when we are both relaxed, like at dinner, or whilst having a walk somewhere. it shouldn’t feel like you’re quizzing him either, but rather having a 2-way conversation.
      good luck!

    • NytoCO

      I meant to reply to you but accidentally replied separately a few threads down.

    • Basics

      “A friend told me about this thing that she and her BF started doing, and it sounds really cool.”

    • Mommy Monster

      When my husband and I were long-distance dating, we played a game: the “Loaded Question of the Day” (we soon abbreviated it LQOTD) and the only rules were that you got to ask a question, but you had to answer it yourself, either in that email or in your next one. So we each could address what was top of mind or of concern, but it was non-threatening because the questioner wasn’t off the hook. I credit the LQOTD game with helping us prevent a lot of early friction in our marriage, since we discussed money, diet, religion, politics, how we handle fights, what we thought were important qualities in a future spouse, etc.

  16. Anon

    I printed them off (not these specifically, but a list of questions I found) and brought them on a short road trip. I just whipped them out when we were about 30 minutes in and said I thought it would be a fun way to pass the time. My husband (like a lot of men) is totally not into having long, emotional talks but he seemed pretty into it.

    • Lynnet

      We did this too. I had some kind of book my mom gave me and just brought it along on a road trip.

      Also, keep in mind that you (hopefully) know the answers to many of the questions already. When my husband and I did it, a lot of the questions overlapped, or were topics that we already knew the answers to (we were high school sweethearts, so a lot of the history questions we could skip). Also, my husband is not typically an emotional conversation or introspection guy, but when I brought it up he was totally on board right away. I think even guys who don’t like to talk about relationships tend to be happy to be “forced” to have these conversations.

  17. Caitlin@Upswell

    a) Love this jacket! I have an old beloved tweed jacket that doesn’t fit anymore, and this has inspired me to look for a new (less expensive) one.

    b) Threadjack: I’ve officially started my own business–finally!–and I’m looking for inexpensive resources for marketing ideas, as well as any great ideas you all might have for how to attract people, interact with the world, etc., when my business doesn’t already have a longstanding reputation. I’ve done the basics–website, FB page, Twitter, promoted to my first-degree network. What no-brainer steps should I be taking as a brand-new entrepreneur? Great networking groups to join? Did anything in particular have a big impact when you started your business?

    More info: My business is teaching weight loss/wellness workshops and private coaching (in-person and virtually)–so a lot of my clients will be women, I imagine, but it’s not a given. I’m in Portland, OR. I’m still working as a lawyer full-time, so I’m ok with taking it slowly, but I don’t want to miss any obvious avenues for marketing, networking, etc.

    ( I also want to mention that I’m absolutely not posting to market myself to t h i s s i t e readers – I’ve just been a longtime lurker and know this is the place to come for insight and tough love.)

    Thanks so much for your thoughts!

    • Anonymous

      Not directly marketing, but I have no clue from your website what you charge, which I find incredibly off putting. Are we talking $50 an hour? $250? I’m not interested in having a whole convo with you about it, I just want to know how much I should be planning to spend.

      I think successful word of mouth is going to be pretty crucial for you. Might make sense to offer a free/heavily discounted program to someone who already has a big social media presence in your target audience.

      • NytoCO

        This comment made me think of something that one of my friends who was trying to become a fitness coach did– she offered her first group class (or maybe first few) completely free. I have a feeling that was successful– it would definitely be something that would bring me in as a customer. In your case you could offer a few free workshops to get started.

        • Katie

          Offering a Groupon also seems to get a lot of people in the door per my two entrepreneurial friends.

      • anon a mouse

        In addition to the lack of pricing information, I can’t tell what exactly it is you are offering. Does coaching mean conversations? Meal plans? Smoothie recipes? Exercise regimes? All of the above?

        A number of acquaintances have launched similar health “coaching” businesses which turn out to be MLM product-sales businesses, so I recommend adding as many details as you can about your model.

    • NytoCO

      Nothing is coming to mind here but I suggest reposting this in the afternoon thread to get more responses!

    • Meg Murry

      See if a company wants to offer your services as part of a company wellness initiative? Offer some kind of “New Year’s Resolution” freebie or raffle? This definitely seems like the kind of thing that will grow with word of mouth. But do not spam everyone you know on Facebook all the time about it – your actual friends will get tired of it real fast.
      Good luck with your new venture!

    • Anon

      I also feel like if you are going to base all of your expertise off of your own personal weight loss, you should post clearer photos of the bodily change

      • Anonymous

        Yeah your before and after pictures look very similar just with different clothing and better lighting. I also have no idea what your qualifications are – are you a personal trainor? Nutritionist?

      • Caitlin@Upswell

        This is all really helpful, everyone! Thank you so much! I appreciate both the ideas and the critical eye on my website. I can definitely add more detail, and I agree–I hate it when I don’t see pricing. You can see it when you click on one link, but I think I can make it much more prominent. Thanks again!

    • Celia

      Buy an ad in the Junior League newsletter. Buy ads in other non-profits’ newsletters and programs. Donate to silent auctions.

  18. NytoCO

    Not sure if this is helpful, but for us it just happened naturally– and by naturally I mean that when I feel like talking about something, I usually just bring it up in the moment. Sometimes he would be caught off guard, and in those cases we would say “why don’t we come back to this in a few hours/days once we’ve had time to think” and in some cases the conversation would just happen then and there. I was the one to bring up most of these topics initially.

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