ByKat Hours Updated
Comments 504 Comments

Weekend Open Thread

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

3" chino shortSomething on your mind? Chat about it here. I forget where I saw it, but I recently saw a picture of Kelly Ripa in her favorite weekend garb: apparently these neon pink chino shorts from J.Crew. They didn't look overly bright or crazy at all — just kind of perfect with a simple white t-shirt. J.Crew makes them in a LOT of different colors, as well as different lengths — these are 3″, but they're also in 4″, 5″, and — only available online — 7″ and 9″ chino shorts. The 3″ neon pink ones are $44. 3″ chino short (L-2)

Sales of note for 3/10/25:

  • Nordstrom – Spring sale, up to 50% off
  • Ann Taylor – 40% off everything + free shipping
  • Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + 20% off
  • Eloquii – Extra 50% off all sale and select styles with code
  • J.Crew – 40% off everything + extra 20% off when you buy 3+ styles
  • J.Crew Factory – 50% off all pants & sweaters; extra 50% off clearance
  • M.M.LaFleur – Friends and family sale, 20% off with code; use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – Flash sale until midday 3/14: $50 off every $200 – combineable with other offers, including 40% off one item and 30% off everything else

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

504 Comments

      1. nice color! I have a sweater dress in a similar color. I like to pair bold or contrasting colors so for this I would go with a mustard jacket/burgundy belt OR ivory jacket/coral belt. Or you could go with safe neutrals and do a navy jacket with a dark brown belt

      2. I think a skinny belt in a bright color – maybe coral or green – would look really nice with that dress.

      3. Thanks all! Looking for a bright skinny belt now! (Already have a navy blazer).

  2. Random question for the CrossFit or Paleo ladies on here. SO and I are both trying to eat healthy and lose weight. I am focusing on making healthier meals for us. He is doing Crossfit and has been suggesting Paleo recipes for us to try (for example from everyday paleo). Problem is that when I plug these into SparkPeople the nutrition these recipes from everyday paleo seem to be pretty high in calories, definitely higher than my usual dinner budget. Is that usually how it goes? I’ve looked into Paleo for me, but I don’t think it’s the right fit.

    1. Yes, Paleo requires massive amounts of calories from fat and protein. I had to switch to fatty cuts of meat and frying everything in oil.

      I went Paleo for a few months but it was a nightmare for me. Turns out, some people (ahem) have a protein sensitivity where eating massive amounts of meat triggers migraines. This was way worse than a normal insulin withdrawal or my insulin addiction is more like a meth addiction than a caffeine addiction. So to head off the migraine, I’d instinctively carbo-load at my next meal.

      My compromise to this was to eat Paleo for breakfast and dinner with my now-ex-bf and have a normal lunch. I gained 40 lbs in 6 months doing this. The Paleo meals weren’t huge but they were deceptively calorie-rich and he liked to really indulge on cheat days. I’d have to “cheat” with him too. Plus, according to Paleo, if you are going to eat dairy, eat the full fat dairy. Wowza!

      Either go Paleo all the way or don’t go Paleo at all. It took 6 months after breaking up with that guy to stabilize my weight and a year to start losing weight again.

      Honestly, the best shape I was ever in during Crossfit was when I was eating cheese pizza every night for dinner. I was a size 2, going down to a zero. I was a size 8 four months after starting to try to Paleo and ended up at a size 12 when I finally dumped that guy and Paleo altogether.

    2. I’ve done paleo and it works for me for weight loss, but I also limit my dairy. I feel so much better and more energetic when I stick with the paleo diet. I eat mainly lean meat (actually a lot of chicken breast and a lot of hard boiled eggs) and not so many of the fattier cuts.

      “Clean Eating” (magazine) has good recipes that are either paleo or paleo-ish.

    3. hey I’ll just chime in with my experience:

      I posted awhile back re how my husband was going paleo and it was kind of freaking me out. Anyway, i ended up deciding to do a month long paleo challenge with him (whole 30) to see what it was like. I lasted about 3 weeks. During that time, I didn’t notice any weight loss and I think I actually gained a pound or two. However, my skin looked fantastic. I think it was either cutting dairy or cutting sugar, or both. Also, it helped me kick my fake sugar habit, which was pretty nice. Anyway, my husband finished the full month, but he didn’t lose any weight at all either, and was pretty disappointed. Since then, I’ve gone back to eating my normal, all-inclusive diet (but with a little less dairy) and he’s gone back to eating low-carb, atkins-style (not all the way atkins, but very low carb). I’ve lost the pound or two I gained on Paleo and he’s lost several pounds eating low carb.

      So, my takeaway is that paleo can be cool for certain things- like if gluten gives you headaches or stomach problems, or if you want to cut processed food. But it’s not necessarily a weight loss diet at all. That said, they do have some cool recipes once in awhile. We made paleo muffins with tapioca flour that were good, and I’ve tried “pizza” made with cauliflower crust that was also good. So it’s not a bad place to get ideas, but i don’t think the full diet works for me. Oh, and the reason I only lasted 3 weeks was because I got really tired of eating so much meat and eggs. I prefer a more varied diet with lots of vegetables, occasional ice-cream, wine a few times a week, meat a few times a week, beans, and pastries on the weekend! I can maintain my weight that way, so it works for me.

      Good luck!

    4. I lost 60 lbs easily doing paleo. For me, the trick is 100% no cheats. Read “Why We Get Fat and What You Can Do About It” By Gary Taubes (sp?) for an explanation. I think it all really depends on how your body is wired. Also, you need to be careful of what you are replacing things with in your diet – Taubes talks about this in both of his books. Ie, if you cut out refined flour but replace it with sweet potatoes, you will not see results. I don’t eat any paleo treats – no sweeteners, no flour substitutes, nothing. For me, its a great way to eat. I’m Italian/Scottish and I just cannot tolerate carbs or sugars. But for other people, it may have little effect. My husband is really one of those guys who can drink 4 beers a day and not gain weight.

  3. Any suggestions for a simple, short, one shoulder dress for a beach wedding would be much appreciated. Found one I really liked at Bloomingdale’s on sale but it had a wide elastic band that was a total deal breaker. TIA!

    1. Can you link to the Bloomie’s one so TCFKAG (and the rest of the vicarious shoppers) can get a feel for what you liked?

        2. Okay, search the Notte by Machesa, you won’t regret it.

          Now, I’ve seen this one on a few different sites, and its okay, but its poly which I don’t love at even this price.

          http://www.cusp.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod270883&eItemId=prod270883&cmCat=search&searchType=GUIDED&parentId=cat110001&icid=&rte=%252Fstore%252Fcatalog%252Ftemplates%252FP3E.jhtml%253FNo%253D72%2526parentId%253Dcat110001%2526itemId%253Dcat110001%2526N%253D4294965449%252B4294962344%2526menuPath%253Dcat000000_cat110001_cat110001&ecid=CUALRJ84DHJLQkR4

    6. Seriously, google the Notte by Marchesa Embellished one-shoulder silk dress until it comes out of you know what. Its just lovely and I think with the right accessories could look utterly beachy but still classy.

      1. Thanks TCFKAG n all! That Notte dress is gorgeous! Didnt find the one I found at Bloomies online to link to but it was Grecian style with a little sequence/beading at the shoulder and an unfortunate wide elastic band at the waist. It is a good deal ($155), but is definitely missing the elegance of the Notte dress.

          1. You know, this is going to sound ridiculous because I have no plans to get married again, but if I did, I’d know exactly what I wanted now. When I got married I didn’t have a clue.

          2. BTW. NOLA, I still love my original wedding dress. I just ALSO love the Notte. So I’d have a completely different wedding where the Notte would be appropriate.

            Or maybe I could find it in cobalt blue or something and wear it to parties….you know, in the world where I was wealthy.

          3. Oh I loved mine at the time! It was beautiful – white silk with pearl beading. It looked very vintage and romantic. I guess I feel like I’m a different person now (16 years later!) and my style is so different and I’m much better informed. When I went dress shopping, I didn’t have a clue what I wanted – I just started trying dresses on and ended up with something very different from what I expected.

        2. I think I saw that one a few times — is it that one at cusp I linked to? Its okay but I see what you mean about the elastic band.

          But…I also know what you mean about budgets! I also check out some bridesmaid lines, they will often offer their dresses in white. Might be able to find something you like there too.

  4. does anyone have experience applying for a tourist visa to france? I am based in NYC but the only visa appt I could find that would work with my trip dates is with the french consulate in DC. Their service area is MD, DC, Delaware, VA. So I have no shot at getting my visa there, right? They let me book an appointment though.

    1. I can’t recall if you’ve previously indicated your nationality, but are you sure that you need a visa? There are a whole host of countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa-requirement to enter the Schengen area for up to 90 days (which includes France and most of western Europe, etc.), including:

      Albania*, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Bosnia*, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Israel, Macedonia*, Malaysia, Mauritius, Monaco, Montenegro*, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Serbia*, Seychelles, Taiwan (passport bearing identity card number), Uruguay (*bearers of biometric passports only)

      As well as: Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, United States, Venezuela, bearers of passports of the Hong Kong special administrative region (People’s Republic of China) and the Macau special administrative region (People’s Republic of China).

      http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/france/coming-to-france/getting-a-visa/article/foreign-nationals-holding-ordinary

      1. Ah, sorry, I know: you’re confusing embassy (generally only in the country’s capital) with consulate – bureaucracy in many locations. You never need an embassy for a visa.

    3. I travel a lot, although I am not of a nationality that requires a visa for France, so I can’t provide advice specifically for France. Just to make sure I understand: you’re of a nationality that requires a visa for France, you have to be interviewed before you can get the visa, and the NY consulate did not have any visa interview appointments available prior to your trip so you scheduled one in the consular services section of the DC embassy instead, right? (It seems a bit strange to me to need an interview for a tourist visa, but I’ll assume you know what you need to do.)

      It shouldn’t matter where you have the interview. The service area just indicates which states the consulate staff serve; it doesn’t matter that you don’t live in one of those states. If they ask, just explain you couldn’t get an appointment in NYC. As for your chance of getting a visa, be meticulous in making sure you bring everything you need for the application, including proof that you intend to return from France (proof of employment, your lease, etc) and proof that you have enough money to pay all your expenses on your trip (bank statement, pay stub). If you have everything you need to apply, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get the visa. The most common reason for delay is incomplete application or lack of proof of intention to return.

      Enjoy your trip!

    4. Thanks you all. So I definitely do need a visa – I traveled to France 10 years ago and got a visa then. But yeah, I booked an appt in DC because there wasn’t one available in NYC for weeks. I didn’t think the service areas would matter but they seem to have inconsistent info on the consulate pages for DC and NYC. The former one asks for proof of residence in DC, MD, Delaware etc. Bluejay, I am hoping they’ll accept my rationale that I couldn’t get an appt in NYC. Fingers crossed – I have waited too long for this vacation!

      1. It doesn’t follow at all – the necessity for a visa follows the whims of politics and changes frequently. I’m French/US and I know of at least a dozen changes within the last couple decades. There were no visas needed either way, but after Chirac’s public disapproval of the invasion of Irak the US started requiring one, then France required one right back. But I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if that had changed in the last couple years, now that diplomatic relations have relaxed. The past is absolutely no indication of what may be happening currently. You need to look at the consulate’s site and read some current information..

        I’d be exceedingly surprised if a French bureaucrat went with you assigning yourself to another geographic area, that is doomed to failure. The correct procedure would be to talk to someone in NY and give them your presumed departure date and beg to be snuck in further up the line. That’s assuming you do need a visa, and also assuming that people with business imperatives and family emergencies don’t take up the entire beginning of the line.

  5. Hi C0rp0r3tt3 moms — I’m almost 9 weeks pregnant with kid 2 and the last time I did this was 3 years ago. I went through my maternity clothes last night and was pleasantly surprised (I know! That sounds weird to say), but I’d still like to get a few “filler” items. Baby is due in February and our first kid has a December birthday, so I’m lucky in that I don’t have to worry about buying different seasons of clothes.

    Specifically, though, I want to stock up on leggings and long tops for the weekend. Where was your favorite place to buy this kind of maternity wear (note: leggings cannot be see-through!), and what other weekend basics might you recommend? Thanks ladies!

    1. I got leggings from Asos, but they were a bit see through on the rear. Maybe try shopbop or boden, but those are likely to be $50 or $80 instead of the $20 I paid. :) Boden also has maternity tunics that are nice.

  6. Ladies, what do you do to fight off a fierce attack of the lonelies? I know I’m not alone in feeling alone, and I keep trying to remind myself that people aren’t out of town this weekend to spite me (because the world does not revolve around me) or that they just aren’t free for whatever reason because they don’t like me, but I realized I’m going to be alone with all plans all weekend after thinking all week I’d have people to hang with. The lonelies are the strongest pull for me to slip into Depression Ditch so I need to fight this off ASAP. I do have some actual work to do to keep my brain occupied, but it’s all post-law school job search related, and that’s terrifying and depressing all by itself. Is there anything you all do to fight the feeling you’re being left behind? (I’m the youngest, single-est friend in my crew and it really blows sometimes)

    1. that’s no plans, not all plans. lol, that would solve the problem.

      1. That’s the worst. When that hits I try to at least get outside with a book or something, where it’s a bit harder to feel sorry for myself (which I’m prone to when I’m in that state). Or do something you’ve don’t think any of your friends would be that into, like that weird art show or whatever. Hugs.

    2. Dont feel bad. When I first came to the city, I was feeling ALOT like you, so I started to chanel my thinking to positive things. The FIRST thing I looked up were the places that had things to see where other peeple went.

      Shopping is the best, but the next BEST place is the MUSEUMs–specifacly the NATURAL HISTORY and the MET, where you can see mummies. There also are alot of guy’s there. You DO have to put up with their fake line’s and them stareing at you instead of the stuff they are suposed to.

      Things will get better, so for now cheer up and shop or go to the MUSEUM’s!

    3. Just a question – instead of assuming “people” would be around, did you actually try to make specific plans with anyone? Holiday weekends usually take a bit more work, because of a tendency to want to travel. And in any case if you want to see someone there’s nothing quite like inviting them, in due time, to do something.

      1. Yeah, i did, specifically telling people I’m going to be unavailable myself for a while so i wanted to do something now. (I have family coming in for the 4th). Because of my summer work situation I live in two locations back and forth; I’m down at home base where i know more people, but no dice this time. I know it just doesn’t work out sometimes but i really struggle with loneliness when it does.

        1. I don’t know if this is helpful, but I just want to say that at some point in your life, you’ll be thrilled for some downtime alone. My friends and I all work a lot and don’t see each other as much as we’d like because we have to fit in all of our personal stuff (laundry, cooking, cleaning, groceries, errands) on the weekends or we’re just tired when we’re not working.

    4. Pro Tip: Making yourself a gin and tonic and sitting on your couch muttering repeatedly to yourself “I’m going to be alone forever” while ignoring the small furry animal who wants to snuggle does not, in fact, help at all. Not that I speak from experience, or anything.

    5. I struggle with this same thing too, and in fact am remembering this weekend exactly one year ago when I let the lonelies absolutely get the better of me and was very down-in-the-dumps for days. Do you live in a nice neighborhood where you can take a long walk? Or maybe get some form of exercise – yoga classes, go for a run, a bike ride, or something? Lounging around reading/watching t.v. never makes me feel better when I start to feel blue like this – it just lets me fixate. I’d say get yourself out of the house and into some fresh air!

      1. It’s roughly 105 degrees here today, so I’m going to stay in and beat the heat–I am going to work out indoors in a minute though. And possibly hit up some sales this afternoon. Thanks, y’all. The reminder I’m not alone even when I think I am is tremendous. :)

        1. Maybe an air-conditioned afternoon matinee? It can feel slightly awkward the first time going to a movie alone, but IMHO it’s well worth getting through that initial awkwardness. We’re not meant to be talking to other people during the movie anyway!

          1. Good idea! Go see Magic Mike or something else fun and distracting.

            Someone else posted about this recently (probably about a month ago, maybe?), so try Googling this site and “lonely” or “alone” to find the thread. There were tons of great tips about things to do on your own to take your mind off of things.

          2. gahhh haha we were trying to arrange a Magic Mike oogling trip. Oh well.

    6. Are you in DC (based on your comment about the weather)? Would be happy to grab a drink with you sometime.

      1. Ditto this. If you are in DC shoot me an email at anonymousinthedistrict at gmail dot com. Would live to get together

      2. I’m from DC but don’t live there now (flyover state, lol). Thank you, though, that’s super sweet! (Did you lose power? My mom texted that they were sweating to death last night)

    7. Are there any free events you can go to in your city? Depending on the activity, the other participants can be a lot of fun. I discovered a Chinese sky lantern event in my local park tonight. Even though I went with my husband, it was the kind of crowd that I could have enjoyed by myself because of all the laughter and everyone helping each other with their lanterns. There were several other options that I found online that also could have been fun by myself. I really needed to get out today because I was feeling stir crazy, but with the weather, I looked for something either indoors during the day (i.e., museum, exhibit or theater event) or outdoors at night.

  7. Career advice/hopeful words? I’m an assistant in a finance firm and I’d like to make a move away from an admin role. I’m worried that it’s not possible and that scares me — I’m wondering if anyone on here has or knows someone who has?

    I’ve come to finance late – I fell into private equity by accident after leaving a tenure-track job as a humanities prof and I’ve been working for a small, entrepreneurial firm for 1 1/2 years (I’m now mid/late 30s). THe more I do and learn — including financial accounting classes at night — the more I enjoy this field. I don’t know anyone who’s made a career transition in their late 30s that goes from humanities to finance, or from assistant to associate (front or back office), and I’m struggling with feeling trapped as a permanent admin.

    There seems to be a real chasm between admin and professional — am I trapped? Am I just too old for finance or a new professional career? Feeling quite alone and would welcome any replies — thank you!

    1. It’s possible, but not necessarily common. The only way I know of is education.. Check out your local university extension for part-time certification programs.
      One thing I’d caution is that even though it looks like you should stay put, in fact you should be prepared to move once you get a certification in order to change roles. Once you’re cast as an admid, you often aren’t seen as quite fully equal, and it’s easiest to get over that hurdle by simply going elsewhere. That’s a gross generalization, and I hope for your sake that you’re in one of those supportive places that encourage and help their staff to fully develop, but don’t bet on it.

    2. My aunt started as a secretary at a corporation. They noticed she was bright and hardworking, sent her to finish her bachelor’s. She eventually got her CPA, then an MBA from a top business school. She’s now a CFO at a publicly traded company, and has previously been controller at a couple of big companies.

      No advice, just inspiration. It can be done!

      1. Thanks M C and Bluejay! Education is probably the surest way — and there’s definitely no way to move within firm — but after getting the PhD my students loans are huge and I’m not psyched about more classes, as much as I like my accounting class. But it’s nice to know it’s not totally *impossible*.

        1. No totally impossible at all, I should have mentioned I’m a rescue-secretary myself :-). Decades later admittedly, but I know it’s still possible, it’s just less common because there are many fewer admins now..

  8. Tonight does not suck because…Olympic (trials) gymnastics is on! Nothing makes me happier! I just got home from work at 10 pm on a Friday night after a rough week, and I get to sit on my couch with a glass of wine and watch my favorite thing. I did a lot of gymnastics for years and years, and though I was never that good, it just makes my heart swell. Floor was my jam and a great tumbling pass just makes my eyes well up. It’s dorky, but it makes me feel young again to watch. I am loving Gabby and Jordyn, hope they make it!

      1. Oooh! I can literally smell the chlorine when I watch swimming and feel my arms burn!

      2. Former swimmer here too! So excited to pass along my love of swimming and cheering our team on to my kids. Also pretty sure we need to install intermittent flames on our pool deck. Of course we’re also watching the gymnastics too.

      3. Another swimmer here, too! It seems like Dan Hicks stands too close to Rowdy Gains. DH is definitely a close talker and I feel like Rowdy is about ready to deck him.

      4. The swimming trials are in my hometown, so it makes me proud to know that y’all are watching. :)

    3. The power is back on and seems to be staying on :D. No tv or Internet. :( And, no trees landed on my rental property. Phew.

  9. Dear Rite Aid,

    I know that you are the only good pharmacy in town, and I know that my mother and I have the same last name. But that does not excuse your calling her, at her house, where I do not live, on her phone number, which I never gave you, to announce that my prescription is ready. Twice, in two weeks. Especially because the second time happened one week after I had a conversation with your head pharmacist about the first time, and he promised it would never happen again.

    I have spent my entire life trying to enforce boundaries and carve out some privacy from her. She hates that and spends a lot of effort trying to scare up information about me from third parties, which your phone calls make too convenient for her.

    STOP IT.

    Also, I am not encouraged that you cannot ensure that it will not happen again and so have set up a false name for me to use at your pharmacy to make sure there are no more mixups. That’s the best you can do?

    1. Contact the district manager, and or post on their Facebook page if they actively monitor comments to have someone contact you. That’s totally unacceptable.

      1. Definitely. How is this not a HIPAA violation??? Email corporate customer service, and post on their facebook page. I had a problem with a specific location of another chain, and after not getting traction with that store’s management, I emailed national customer service and Facebook posted generically, and Facebook messaged more specifically. I heard back from the district manager for that store within 48 hours and the problem was immediately resolved. Time to bust out the c-tte hammer and show these fools what’s up.

        1. I sent an email to RiteAid’s corporate privacy officer. If I don’t hear from them by COB Monday, the next step will be a whistleblower complaint via their ethics sharepoint system. I don’t want to get anyone in trouble, I just want it to stop. And, really, that should be possible.

  10. There’s a good chance I’m going to be offered an internal promotion early next week. This comes at a time where I almost turned in my notice last week with no job lined up because of my toxic boss situation and upper managements assurances that they would fix, yet year and a half later no real action. They also promised to work on a well deserved promotion for me and yet again not updates in more than a month and a ton of other’s were promoted.

    I’m considered a key person in my current department, I pull the work load my boss doesn’t and pretty much does her job. I anticipate backlash and potentially a counter offer to keep me in my position. I don’t want to stay, short of a major restructure and firing of my boss and immediate promotion, nothing is going to fix the problem.

    Yet, I can’t exactly say that when / if I’m approached and asked about why I want the new job and if offered a counter why I won’t accept. Obviously, everyone will know the real reason but I feel the need to save face. Can someone help me come up with a sound bite? And how do I divert questions about “are you leaving because of X” even if everyone knows it, I don’t want to come out and say it at this point…

    Positives about new job:
    – Promotion and siggnificant raise
    – Defined growth path
    – New division / ability to learn different skills (been in current role 5 years)
    – Current skills, experience and internal relationships strongly transfer

    3. I like the first two suggestions. You could also emphasize that the new position will give you a chance to learn new skills and maybe tie that in with the five year plan answer.

      It sounds like the new position has enough positives that it would be very appealing even if you weren’t looking to leave your current department. If not for the horrible boss, I wonder if anyone would question your motives for moving to the new position at all. Seems to me that even if everyone knows you want to get away from horrible current boss, all that’s really needed is a fairly standard “looking forward to new challenges” type answer.

  11. Seeking advice from NYC gals –

    I’m going to NYC for a weekend in July (and can’t wait!!). My friend and I are going to stay in an apartment in the West Village we found on Airbnb. My question concerns an icky topic. Bedbugs. I’ve heard that bedbugs are common in NYC. Should I be concerned about the place we are staying having bedbugs? If so, is there anything I can do to prevent bringing them back to my home? Any advice would be appreciated. If I’m being paranoid and crazy, please let me know.

    1. You’re not paranoid. I live in NYC and they do happen. There’s a bedbug registry (google it) and you can check if the building you’re staying in is on it. Once you’re there, check for them. I was more terrified before my bf had them and I realized that you can see them–check the the headboard, under/between mattress an pillow. If you see them or detritus -walk out! In the time he had them, though, *i* never got them from him or while staying with him or he me. I would keep bags/luggage away from bed/ couch though. Also, remember that they aren’t a virus (they dont spread like ebola or something) an the bites are annoying but don’t carry disease. Enjoy w village!

    2. You’re not paranoid, but your paranoia is misplaced. The problem isn’t NY, it’s been 10 years since it was the focus of the revival, it’s hotels everywhere. And registries are usually very limited, because the situation can have completely changed while you get there. I’ve had bedbugs twice in my life and have only actually seen one, I certainly wouldn’t rely on inspection alone. This is much like interrogating potential sexual partners won’t work to protect you against AIDS, you should be using condoms every time. It’s much wiser to assume you might run into bedbugs, and prevent bringing them home with you.

      I like to put my suitcase in the shower, or at least off the ground and away from the walls on a luggage rack (or unupholstered chair). Don’t put your clothes or handbag on the floor. That alone will do more to protect you than anything else. If you have any doubts, like mysterious bites, be sure to isolate your bag on your return home, and thoroughly wash everything and dry in a hot dryer. Then you don’t need to worry so much.

  12. I went shopping and got SO MUCH good stuff. Including a new bikini at Forever 21 and Wet Seal. It’s this one:

    http://origin.kaboodle.com/hi/img/b/0/0/1c6/6/AAAACy4u6PwAAAAAAcZgaw.jpg?v=1330118343000

    But the bottom was either too small or wayyyy skimpier than I was comfortable with and they didn’t have a size up for me to try so I’m going to wear it with my bright purple bottoms (which I love). Plus I bought a maxi dress and a big floppy hat at Gap to wear to the beach tomorrow — so ready!

  13. I could use some advice. I’ve put myself in an annoying situation, and I’m trying to determine if there is damage control I can do. It basically boils down to me trusting a colleague enough to have some serious bitch sessions about issues at work and realizing too late that my confidence may have been misplaced. I’m usually pretty selective on who I share my opinions with, which is something I told this person on more than one occasion while also indicating that I would appreciate him not sharing our discussions with other people. I considered him an experienced professional, and I was interested in his opinion on things. I was also at a breaking point with certain issues and was glad to have someone to talk to. That said, I always thought he was a little odd but mainly in a harmless way. Recently, several worrisome aspects of his personality have popped up – one of which being that he seems to take in information and process it into a different reality and then share that reality with people as if it is the truth. He has said several things to be that I know now are not true or to be mischaracterized. He also seems to be a gossip — or at least a sharer of a lot of what he learns about people. I am very concerned about how things I’ve told this person may be presented to my colleagues – both in my office and in other offices where I don’t see people as much but he may have opportunity to. I learned from one colleague that this person did say things that he attributed to me but, due to the circumstances, I didn’t ask what those things were. I’m pretty sure there’s nothing I can do except learn a bitter lesson but I’m hoping some of you wise ladies may have some thoughts that may help. Thanks.

    1. I think most people probably have observed the same things that you have about him, i.e. that he takes in information and processes in a different reality. If he has attributed certain statements or opinions to you, frankly, I think it would be to your benefit to just deny deny deny and most likely people will assume he was full of it and believe you. And yes, let this be a lesson to keep your mouth shut and only vent to people who don’t work with you.

      1. I like Bluejay’s advice – deny all along the way. And look sad, sigh a bit, and tell an anecdote of something he told you that turned out to be patently untrue. That should do it :-). Just be more careful next time, at least try to vent -outside- of work..

  14. Hello all – I’ve been in a bit of a slump the last couple of months and am mustering the courage to go see someone about the depression. I’m completely clueless about how to go about searching for someone – do I need a psychologist, psychiatrist, some other kind of therapist? Can some give prescriptions and others can’t? Thanks to anyone who’s gone through this and can help!

    1. Psychiatrists are MDs and can prescribe medications. They typically do not do talk therapy, but should be able to provide recommendations regarding counselors/therapists/etc.

      Psychologists are PhDs and cannot prescribed medications (except in Louisiana and New Mexico, last time I checked). A psychologist should be able to refer you to someone for a prescription, if he/she determines this is needed. The combination of therapy + medication is one that has worked for a lot of people, myself included.

      There are other professionals who provide therapy – social workers, for example. It’s all a matter of finding someone you feel comfortable with.

      It’s great that you are getting ready to take this first step! Best of luck!

      2. BTW, the prescription privileges in Louisiana for psychologists are hard to obtain – they require a special certification – and I don’t know many who have done it, other than the one woman I know who was part of the charge to get the privileges. I know a lot of psychologists – used to be married to one.

    2. Good for you–this is a brave step and well-worth the investment in yourself!
      -Psychiatrist–MD or DO; they rx meds. Because they are often in short supply, they may work in conjunction w a psychologist or social worker.
      -Psychologist–usually a PsyD degree. Does counseling but not rx. May work in conjunction w Psychiatrist or Family Dr who takes care of rx.
      -Social Worker–usually MSW; no rx but does counseling. May work in conjunction w Psyciatrist or Family Dr who will do rx.

      Don’t let lack of “prescriptive power” dissuade you from seeing a psychologist or social worker. Talk therapy is excellent treatment for mood disorders and most family docs are comfortable treating “garden variety” depression and anxiety with meds, if needed.

      Be proud of yourself for taking this step! Go for it!

    4. I went through this recently – I just called my insurance and asked for an appointment with a psychiatrist. You can also call your regular doctor if you have one (whoever gives you your annual exam) and ask for a referral if you have to have one first.
      For me it was a lot of annoying bureaucrazy (misspelling intentional) to finally get a prescription. I knew from experience talk therapy would do nothing for me but I was forced to go through that for a few sessions first.
      You know yourself and will know if you need talk therapy or a prescription.

    5. I *finally* started therapy after many years of thinking it might be a good idea. I’ve been going for about two months, and I am sooooooo glad I’m going!! I’m seeing a social worker, insurance covers part (I still have a copay), and it’s just great. So congratulations for taking the first step.

  15. Anyone have any bathmat recommendations? We have a long bathroom and am hoping to spruce it up!

    1. I really like the microfiber mats at bed bath and beyond. They are cushioned but sleek and they look luxurious.

    3. I like those BBB mats as well, but they have always ripped after a few washes for me, if those are the ones I am thinking of. We have a bathmat from Costco that is really soft and plush.

  16. Someone on here tipped us all to a Cole Haan sale on Rue La La in early June.

    I received a shipping notice today. My order was placed June 11. It shipped June 30.

    I called to complain about it, and here are some of the things the “concierge” said to me:

    “I don’t know what you expect me to do about it.”

    “We usually tell you you’ll receive items in ten business days. We’re just a little beyond that.”

    “We did ship it.”

    Finally, after I insisted that taking 19 days to ship was unacceptable, she begrudgingly gave me credit for the $9.95 shipping, “But I’m not sure my computer will even let me do that.”

    I’ve sworn off Rue before for losing one of my returns (they blamed UPS), but this time it’s permanent.

    2. That’s terrible! Rue has always been my favorite of the sample sale sites (I want to like Gilt more, but their prices sometimes aren’t very good). And I can’t believe they lost one of your returns – that’s a nightmare because sometimes I return really pricey things (ran and checked my return history after reading your post to make sure nothing fell through! I’m bad about following up.). I will keep a closer eye on them.

      I realize that it’s probably just easier to swear them off (as I did with Lord and Taylor’s abominable online customer service), but you might want to consider trying to go up the chain a little after two bad experiences. That “concierge” needs an attitude adjustment. (And I’d check to make sure that shipping credit goes through, since it sounds like she wasn’t even sure of how to do it.)

  18. Argh. Just found out that the sleaziest human I’ve ever worked for is getting a prestigious award for his “service to community” which amounts to lining his bank account and donating to political fundraisers and not much else. He wouldn’t serve his community if they paid him!
    This guy has his backers fooled and brags about it openly.
    So frustrating! Grrr…

  19. To celebrate passing my state bar, I bought myself the Michael Kors Very Hollywood scented pen. I’m currently studying for the patent bar and would like to (fingers crossed) celebrate passing on Thursday with a similar pen. Anyone have suggestions of fun pens? Preferably in the $25-100 range. Although, perhaps I should consider something more formal? I guess I’m open to all pen suggestions, as long as it’s something I’d like to keep forever. Thanks, everyone!

  20. Left my previous job almost three years ago. Was told to keep in contact with some of the managers in other areas. I only partially did this – only those that I had outside friendships with previously. This was because my old boss stayed there, was evil, did some things that were technically legal but others did not know about, was under the impression we were best friends when that was the only way to minimize her turning on me like she did her other employees, and I had no intention of keeping in contact with her but knew it would set her off if I was visibly “buddies” with others.

    She is now gone (people actually looked at what she was doing) and there are some people I really liked, could serve as a mentor in my new position, or would be good for networking. Is it too late to reach out to them to reestablish connections? I’m really more interested in the mentoring and getting input on some of the crazy stuff I’m seeing/how to fix them in my current position. If I do go forward, how would I do it? Some of these individuals are in HR so I don’t want to start out with “Sorry for being silent , but this chick was crazy and I wanted to ditch her”.

    1. If you do it soon after evil boss is gone, I bet the people you get in touch with will figure out pretty fast why you stayed away/are reaching out now. You could also ask how things are going with the new manager to jog their memories if it seems necessary.

  21. I am trying to find a website that I have seen people refer to on this site, but I can’t figure out how to search old comments. It has beautiful, kind of vintage style wedding dresses, more informal, I think most of the dresses were tea length. Anyone know the site I’m referring to? It’s a little expensive, the dress I liked was about $2,000.

    Also, if anyone can tell me how to search old comments on this site, I’d appreciate it. I tried using the Ligit search box, but it only seemed to give me back articles with the search term, not the comments.

    2. RE: searching comments —

      Go to google, type in “site:corporette.com YOUR SEARCH TERMS”

  22. If anyone is reading this, I would like to thank the commenter from a week or so ago who recommended the “Wonderful Edge” Gilligan and O’Malley underwear at Target. I usually wear thongs on the theory that it minimizes the amount of material that goes to wedgie-land.. but I’m 16w pregnant and they’re just not comfortable anymore. The wonderful edges are awesome! They are smooth under dresses and don’t move! And contrary to what I expected, you don’t feel the sillicone at all.. so thank you, thank you, thank you!

    1. I didn’t make the recommendation, but I agree, the panties are great (wonderful?). I bought a set after making a crack at the “Wonderful Edge” on the packaging. Bonus, they are much more attractive than my all-cotton granny panties I’d really rather be wearing. ;)

Comments are closed.