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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
Goodness, guys, it's 2017! (Haha, and I just typed “2012” first.) Veronica Beard's blazers are always beautiful, in that LA-kind of way, and this wrap blazer is unusual for her but I dig it — the stripes are interesting, the wrap effect is flattering, and I like how it looks great with jeans but would also look nice with simple navy trousers or a colorful pencil skirt (a nice solid jewel tone perhaps, like red or purple). (I'd wear a t-shirt beneath instead of a camisole/shell, but you do you.) The ivory and navy blazer was $550, but is now marked to $358 at Forward by Elyse Walker. PAMONA BLAZER
Update: Ooh, it's even lower at both Shopbop and Veronica Beard, where they have it for $275.
Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com.
(L-all)
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:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
long day healthy eating help
Happy New Year, hive!
How do you deal with healthy eating on a typical long workday with tons of temptations and unpredictability? It’s easy enough for me to do on my week off. I sleep 8-9 hours so I can go to bed before the cravings hit. I have time to cook healthy meals and chop vegetables. And I can distract myself by going for a midday walk or whatever. But at the office, I’m trapped. I work in an office with tons of unhealthy snacks brought in, constant donuts, and catered lunches popping up all the time. People are constantly nibbling like scavengers (myself included).
I already pack my breakfasts (either Ziplocs of oatmeal with a little brown sugar, dried cranberries, and almond slivers OR Greek yogurt with berries and almonds) and lunches 90% of the time. And I do just fine until like 3 PM… and then it all falls apart.
Example: I start craving something. I tell myself, just have some tea! So I make tea. This works for maybe an hour. Then at 4 I’m ravenous.
Adding to the problem: I like to exercise after work. This means I do not usually get home until 7 or even 8. I can’t make it from lunchtime until then without a snack, so I justify snacking. But an apple and peanut butter is not enough! I almost feel like I need another meal in there and maybe a lighter dinner?
So THEN I have the light snack and exercise… and get home and eat half a bag of popcorn or pita chips after dinner because I never feel satisfied. It’s a vicious cycle.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated! TIA.
pugsnbourbon
It sounds like your meals themselves aren’t satisfying enough. Try adding more fiber – add flaxseed to your yogurt or oatmeal, mix in some beans with your salads, add sprouts to your sandwiches, or pop one of those steam-in-the-bag packs of veggies in the microwave. Lobbyist’s suggestion of sweet potato is good, too. Avocados have a surprising amount of fiber, too, and the good fats will help you feel fuller.
anonshmanon
completely agree that you can’t make it from lunchtime to evening (plus working out!) without eating something. So, having just a tea is no solution. Try having a larger snack in the afternoon, I’d do a slice of bread with cheese, plus the apple with peanut butter, or a handful of veggies and hummus plus a small sweet (obviously I am not looking to cut carbs so YMMV). I’ve shifted some of my calorie intake to mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks and found it surprisingly easy to make the dinner portion smaller.
If you feel constantly unsatisfied, you might want to track calories diligently for a week or so. It is possible that you aren’t eating enough healthy food, and then your body takes what it needs in the form of donut calories.
Anon
I have this problem as well, including being hungry before working out in the evening. I find that I have to eat way bigger lunches than I think I do in order to stay full until late afternoon. I also eat what is basically a small meal at 4 or 5 before I go workout, usually with a fair amount of fat and protein. My go-tos are full fat Greek yogurt with granola, avocado toast, nuts, cheese, or olives. I usually accompany some combination of those items with a piece of fruit (apple or clementine) and a cup of green tea. The combo of the fat, protein, and little kick of caffeine get me ready for my workout.
Anon
Check out Whole30. You don’t have to do one if you don’t want, but if you could switch some of your meals to be larger, protein-and-veggie focused plates, you would probably be a lot less hungry with more sustainable energy than after eating oatmeal with sugar. I always feel full for way longer after eating a frittata with veggies than after eating a pack of instant oatmeal, although I do enjoy the latter for the ease of making it.
Anonymous
Eat a second lunch around 3-4.
Jane
I’d add a meal in the mid to late afternoon as several people suggested. I’d also change your breakfast, which is very heavy in simple carbs and low on protein. Oatmeal + brown sugar + dried cranberries (which are full of sugar) is basically a meal of sugar for your body, which also may be contributing to your afternoon hunger. Try something protein heavy like an egg dish for breakfast.
Autumn
I eat every 2 hours. So, I bring an array of food and snacks daily with me to satisfy me during a 10 hr workday. For snacks, I like: green apples, carrots, string cheese, hard boiled eggs, siggis yogurt, nuts. I weigh everything in the morning with my food scale and use myfitness pal to keep track. I never feel deprived, because I’m constantly eating stuff I like. I think packing more snacks eating more often will help you.
Shoppng
Um….. healthy snacks? Fresh berries in Greek yogurt, radishes, bananas….
Three meals a day doesn’t work well for me. I do my best when I have several snacks lined up ready to go, so I don’t have to think about what to eat when I take a break. Also, do you keep track of what you eat? I’ve lost 30 lbs so far, and am certain that My Fitness Pal helps. I use it to figure out if I’ll hit my targets if I eat that cupcake. Putting in new foods, or finding the right one in the database, can be a pain. That alone can dissuade me from eating “just half a brownie”.
Since you don’t have time for food prep after work, why not cook ahead when you can? Freeze soups and casseroles in the right portion size for you.
EM
I have faced similar issue while training heavily for marathon. I have performed better with having protein-based breakfast (egg omelette with goat cheese and fresh cilantro). I had lunch outside of office (but we have great options of eating out healthily and fast) at about 11am and had something substantial at about 4pm (salad with protein in it or a protein shake in case I forgot to prep or was in a rush), which was roughly 1,5hrs before my run/workout. I had a box of protein powder at work in case I felt ravenous – simply to prevent from eating cr*p.
To be honest, you need to figure out what works best for you (trial and error), but it is worth it and doable. Generally speaking, high-protein meals will keep you full for much longer than carb-rich meals and snacks.
Shoppng
I use protein powder too–buy a quart of Greek yogurt, mix in a few scoops of powder right away, and forget about it. OP, how do you feel about hard-boiled eggs? You said you eat breakfast at the office, right? So you probably can’t do much cooking right before you eat. What about rice n beans, making the beans ahead and the rice the night before or while you’re getting ready? You could go South of the border style and eat them with tortillas, or just ignore breakfast conventions entirely.
Anon
What about a brothy vegetable soup in the early afternoon? That will help fill you up so snacking is less appealing
Marshmallow
I had to learn that sometimes to be healthier, you need to eat MORE. Especially more protein. To get through long workdays, I keep a huge tub of mixed nuts with a 1/4 cup scoop in my desk drawer. Pre-packaged olives and a scoop of nuts is a really good snack. Also try keeping cheese in the office fridge, yogurt, hummus, etc. It doesn’t work well for me to plan and pack a different snack every single day, so I try to just keep a lot of options in the office.
Lobbyist
Maybe a 4th meal at 4 pm of chicken breast, veggies, and half a sweet potato? Filling enough to keep you from eating junk food, yet not so heavy that you will get sick when you work out? Or a meal of greek yogurt, PB 2 and a banana? I have the same problem when I eat healthy I get hungry but if I can keep eating healthy food when hungry (as opposed to junk) I lose weight and feel better.
Ski clubs
Reposting from last week when most people were gone (thanks to those who did respond!) Does anyone have experience joining a ski club, i.e. a social club that maintains a lodge near ski country where you can stay overnight and sometimes have meals with the group? I’ve seen a few around and have heard about one (much older) friend having a nice time with one on the East Coast, but I’m looking to find some more opinions on whether they’re a fun, affordable, and not-too-party-centric option for skiing. I’m in the Bay Area. Thanks!
New Years Resolutions
Happy New Year!
Apologies if this was already a thread last week, but what are everyone’s resolutions for this year?
Mine is to stop drinking except on weekends. I’m doing it to be more healthy and save some money. I just stocked up on teas and Soda Stream CO2 cannisters so that I have something to sip on in the evening!
Anon
I have several, but one of my top ones is to use my phone less. I’m getting new batteries for my old alarm clock, moving the phone out of the bedroom, and aiming to multitask/check texts/check social media much less throughout the day.
anonshmanon
sing everyday, along to the radio or in the shower. Makes me happy but I don’t do it enough!
Anon
Make our bed everyday.
Read 75 books.
Exercise consistently (I get on these kicks where I’ll work out 5-6 days/week for a month or two, but then life interferes and I stop completely. I’d rather get into a consistent 3-4 day/week routine that’s more manageable when life gets crazy).
Practice gratitude more often.
Sloan Sabbith
1. Read 52 books. Using the Popsugar 2017 Challenge as inspiration, but I also have a lot of books on my to-read list.
2. Learn to knit and knit a scarf for my grandma.
3. Journal 275 times. I used to journal every day and then it completely stopped sometime in late 2015. I want to get back in the habit, as I think it helped me a lot.
4. Save $1000+.
5. Average 7500 steps per day.
6. Run a mile. I walk a mile regularly, but hate running. So this is a legit goal.
7. Go to bed by 10:30 5x/week. I think I need to leave my phone outside my bedroom…
I'm Just Me ...
How did you come up with 275 as the number of times to journal?
Sloan Sabbith
It’s 90 days short of 365- I can miss about 3 months if I journal every day.
Anonymous
Gym goals: bench press my body weight, dead lift and squat double my body weight
Appearance goals: Take better care of my hair (last year my resolution was skin, and the improvement has been night and day); build and winnow a capsule wardrobe and take excellent care of it
Compliments
Late reply, but mine is to accept compliments. That is, say “thank you” instead of deflecting or getting uncomfortable. If someone is nice enough to compliment me, I should be secure enough to accept the praise and thank them for their kindness, not imply that they’re wrong.
anon
+1. My friend told me she liked my new Cole Haan coat yesterday. I said thanks but I wish the hardware was silver instead of gold. Why can’t I just say thank you?!?
Cb
I like Laura Vanderkam’s quarterly work/family/self approach, but add in home as well.
Work: Finish and submit PhD and submit 3 articles for publication
Family: Foster a relationship with my in-laws (it isn’t bad, I just don’t feel close to them and I know it is important to my husband) + make our family of two a family of 3
Self: Get back to my yoga practice once I’m out of the first trimester (and don’t always want to vomit
Home: Make a home capital investment plan, Konmari, and get the flat painted
Lyssa
Debt-free but the mortgage. I’m *this* close to getting the last student loan paid off (probably next month), but had a car accident last year that necessitated buying a new (to me) car and wound up taking out an auto-loan and putting the insurance check on the student loan instead, so I’m still carrying that, but (knock on wood), I should be able to pay both off by mid-year bonus. This is going to free up so much of my budget I can’t even believe it.
I’m also hoping to get the house organized, room by room, and make a good list of things that we need to start acquiring to really “finish” it.
PrettyPrimadonna
My overarching theme for 2017 is Be More Disciplined.
(1) Follow a consistent bedtime routine–I hate being frazzled in the morning and it throws my entire day off. I am hoping by getting some things done at night, my mornings will be smoother and less frantic.
(2) Save more–less shopping, more intentional spending, packing breakfast and lunch, etc.
(3) Work out consistently–my aim is for at least three times a week.
(4) Journal more–I’d like to write every day, even if just a short ditty.
Running headphones?
I am in desperate need of new headphones that are suitable for running (won’t fall out of my ears, won’t short out that easily from sweat). I’m not an audiophile – more concerned about protecting my hearing than the “best” sound quality. Any and all recos welcome!
AZCPA
I love my Plantronics Backbeat Fits. They hook over the ear so they stay put during activity, and they are designed for running, so they don’t block out all sound around you (you can hear cars and other background noises enough to be safe). They are bluetooth so no pesky cords to get tangled in, they pair easily to your phone, and a charge lasts 7-8 hours of listening, Plus you can answer and speak on your phone from them. They also happen to have darn good sound for an earbud, There were good deals on Amazon for a while, and Costco had them cheaply over the holidays, so that’s worth checking too.
Constant Reader
I really like my Plantronics Backbeat Fit wireless headphones. I can’t wear earbuds, and these stay on and I don’t notice them. They pair reliably with my iPhone and iPad and I’ve never had problems with dropped connections, etc.
EM
I run often and I am happy with 2 options:
1) In-ear headphones (I have basic Philips headphones), which do not fall out while running and surprisingly, they protect your ears from beastly winds and cold. I have noticed that due to sweat, each headphones lasted approx 1-1.5years. So no reason to splurge. Another benefit is that you can insert just one plug into ear, in case you want to stay alert (due to tragfic or safety). I still wear these in summer.
2) I am now running with my over-the-ear headphones (Bose noise-cancelling bluetooth headphones) since it is cold outside. I am able to put them over my running cap/headband and I also enjoy better sound. I do not like wearing these headphones in hot weather as I fear the sweat will hurt the headphones.
RGH
Bose earbuds don’t fall out of my ears (no others stay in)! And have gone through the wash accidentally twice!!
Cat
My husband likes the Yurbuds soft plastic covers (you can put them on any earphones). They’re shaped like your ear so they stay in really well and also block sweat from reaching the electronic parts, and they’re actually designed NOT to block all ambient noise which is better for safety.
One-skillet meals
What are your favorite one-skillet meals (with a focus on fast and easy)? I prefer to eat Paleo-inspired (not 100% of the time) and I’m hoping to build up a repertoire of really easy protein-focused weeknight recipes so I don’t fall off the wagon as much as I currently do. I prefer not to cook chicken (unless it’s in the slow cooker) because I don’t have a dishwasher and am worried about raw chicken quality/cross-contamination. Any other ideas would be great!
anon
Not a direct response – when I am cleaning things associated with raw meat, I group them together, wash with the hottest water (gloves make this work for me), and then I zap my sponge in the microwave for 2 minutes to kill whatever might have survived. Also, I don’t rinse any meat – it’s pretty much pointless anyway and that also cuts down on potential cross-contamination.
One-skillet meals
I don’t have a microwave (I replace sponges weekly or every two weeks), but thanks for the tips! Will try the gloves thing for really hot water.
Cb
I boil the electric kettle and pour it over the knife / cutting board / sponge in the boiling water.
Anonymous
Not one skillet, but assuming you have an oven and broiler you can cook most types of meat really quickly. If you line your cookie sheet/bottom of the broiler with tin foil it’s super easy cleanup.
ck
Salmon cooked in paper. Essentially, steamed salmon + veg.
Piece of parchment, drizzle a little olive oil. Place on top – salmon, asparagus, a few tiny potatoes cut or another veg of choice. Drizzle olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs de provence or any herbs or a hunk of lemon. Fold up, and seal edges well. “Bake” in the oven at 400-450 for like 10 minutes (varies depending on thickness of salmon).
I really love steamed salmon. Sometimes I use Asian flavorings.
Turkey chilli
Chicken stew
Beef stew
Bean stew
And get a good Indian cookbook. Heaven.
(Former) Clueless Summer
Shakshouka. Paleo (as long as you don’t eat with bread), easy, fast, one skillet and no potential meat contamination.
I start with sautéing an onion in oil, add garlic and jarred harissa once onion is soft. Saute til fragrant, then dump in a can of tomatoes (I like the fire roasted kind) and a can of tomato sauce. Cook for 10ish minutes, season to liking (salt and pepper, cumin, cayenne, etc. I like a splash of balsamic although that’s not at all traditional). Then crack however many eggs you will eat into little wells, cover and simmer for 8ish minutes (depending how done you like the centre of your eggs). Serve with chopped cilantro.
MargaretO
Seconding this! I also like adding some spicy sausages in at the onion/garlic stage for extra protein.
Constant Reader
A skillet works for stir fry (according to Cook’s Illustrated and my personal experience) — beef with broccoli, shrimp with broccoli, any protein with assorted vegetables (zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, bok choy, onion, etc.).
This is my go-to lazy sauce — 1/4 cup dry sherry, 2 TBSP oyster sauce, 1 TBSP sesame oil, black pepper, some sambal if you want things spicy, or red pepper flakes. Mix it up ahead of starting to cook. This plus garlic, fresh ginger, and shallot at the beginning
Heat the pan, add oil (hot pan, cold oil) — I start the meat for a few minutes before adding the garlic/ginger/shallots because garlic is easy to burn. Then add the garlic mix and vegetables once the meat is nearly done. Cook’s illustrated uses the “stir and then let sit for a minute”, repeat, for a skillet instead of a wok. When the vegetables are done to your liking, add the sauce , stir for another 30 seconds to a minute. If you want to avoid rice, just eat as-is or put over cauliflower rice.
Slice your chosen protein thin and across the grain — half frozen works best to get thin slices that cook fast. Flank steak works great, so does pork loin, shrimp, tofu — all are suitable for this recipe. I buy bigger pieces of meat and then cut them into the proper sizes and freeze them so they are ready to go.
I like this recipe because it is super adaptable — whatever protein and vegetables you have can work, if you don’t have ginger on hand, leave it out, etc. The only constant for me is the sauce.
Anon
You can buy a packet of skin on chicken thighs or breasts and put them into the pan directly from the packaging. No cross contamination. Salt the skin side right in the package after you tear off the plastic, then put them skin side down in a hot pan and salt the back side. Don’t move them until the skin is really crisp, at least 10 minutes. Flip, add broth or white wine to the pan about half the height of the chicken pieces (not covering the skin) and cover and steam/simmer until done.
This is a basic recipe which you can jazz up with spices other than salt and/or fresh herbs.
I sometimes take the chicken pieces out after the skin side step and put them on a plate. Then I sauté a chopped onion and scrape up the good stuff form the pan, then sauté about a cup of white rice, then add the proper amount of liquid for the rice (wine, broth or just water). Then put the chicken pieces skin side up on top of the rice and cover. When the rice is done in 20 minutes the chicken is done too.
Anon
Adding, you can also put some cut up veggies around the chicken pieces to steam / simmer along with the chicken. You just have to know when to put them in. Carrots will probably need the full cooking time. Broccoli should be taken out before it turns khaki colored.
CHJ
This dish is great. I will often add Italian sausage (brown it up as an added first step). You can use any greens you have and it’s a great way of using up that last 1/3 bag of spinach or kale.
http://orangette.net/2015/10/on-short-notice/
AIMS
Cook hearty greens like kale or spinach with some garlic, add white beans to warm through, put an egg on top.
The easiest, healthiest and most satisfying supper I make. Bonus is that everything is more or less something you can have on hand. I like to sprinkle a little parm on top and add in whatever herbs I may have lying around but that’s all optional.
Anonymous
How long does it take to do your professional/daily hair? Please include time to wash/dry/style, and briefly explain your routine.
LilyB
I only wash my hair every other day (or sometimes every third day). On mornings when I wash my hair, it takes me about an hour to shower, blow dry/straighten my hair, put on lotion/face cream and makeup, and get dressed. Shower takes 10 minutes, drying my hair takes about 15 minutes, and straightening takes another 15.
On mornings when I’m not washing my hair, it takes me about 5 minutes to brush my hair and touch it up with a curling iron or flatiron.
Samoyed
I have wavy-swavy, just below shoulder length hair. My routine is wash (shower is usually 15 min for me), brush & blowdry (blowdrying takes ~5 minutes with a babyliss). I just fluff blowdry/use my hands, then brush through after and add some argan oil. If I am putting my hair up, it’s usually into a gibson tuck or low bun, and that takes a bit longer, maybe ~10 minutes extra.
Anon
I have a short layered bob cut with thin, fine, very straight hair. I shower and wash my hair every morning, put in volumizing mousse, and let it dry maybe 75% while I have coffee/breakfast, do my makeup, and get dressed (half an hour or so). Then I blow dry it straight for about 2 minutes, shape with a brush, spray some hairspray, and walk out the door. So start to finish, probably 45 minutes, but active hair styling time is like 5 minutes.
hair
Interesting… What length is your bob? Is the final result very straight/close to the face, or can you trick it into having a little bit of bounce/shape?
Anon
It’s just a bit shorter than chin length at its longest point, but I also have layers that are only 4-5 inches long. (On a good day, it’s somewhat similar to Gwyneth Paltrow’s hair in A Perfect Murder). Without a volumizing mousse and hairspray, it’s totally flat. But because of the cut and products that I use (mostly Aveda), I can get it to have some body and movement. My hair is so ridiculously straight and fine that having my hair any longer than my chin makes it look weighed down and straggly.
Anon
I have your exact hair, and my routine and cut is pretty much the same. Do you have bangs? I’ve had them for my entire life, considering actually trying to grow them out…
Edna Mazur
My hair is pretty straight. I wash my hair every other day at night and try to let it mostly air dry. In the morning after a wash I usually spend about 3 minutes touching up with a straightening iron or under ten minutes curling. on the off days, I usually comb it, sometimes not, so about 30 seconds.
Edna Mazur
Oh, washing doesn’t take too long, unless I’m hiding in the shower to escape the kids, I can get in and out in about two minutes. Mostly air drying takes about an hour.
Not That Anne, The Other Anne
I put my hair in a bun every day, so depending on whether it’s a braided bun or non-braided, about 5-10 minutes. I don’t use hairspray or any other products.
When washing is needed, I wash it at night and let it air-dry in a loose plait overnight. If it’s not quite dry in the morning, that’s fine. It makes it easier to bun anyway.
Anon
10-20 minutes, depending on if I’m washing it or if I’m restyling dirty hair. I have mid-length naturally straight fine hair, but a lot of it. I’ve finally “trained it” so I wash it every third day. Unfortunately, I can’t sleep with wet hair because it ends up looking really creased/crazy.
Day 1: Wash with shampoo and conditioner. Brush with a wide-tooth comb and let it air dry slightly while I put on my makeup and pick out my outfit. Put in mousse and heat protecting spray; blow dry (basically I just rough dry it with my hands since it drys mostly straight, and then touch up the ends/any weird parts with a round brush at the end). Takes roughly 20 minutes.
Day 2: Spritz with a heat protecting spay; curl with 3/4 inch or 1 inch curling iron (depending on how curly I want it to be). Brush out gently, hair spray, done. Takes 10 minutes or less.
Day 3: Same as day 2, only with the addition of dry shampoo before I curl. Takes 10 minutes or less.
CountC
I have three different looks. My hair is naturally curly, but not coarse, medium body, medium thickness. It’s color treated as well, making it dry. It’s layered and falls about 2 inches above my bra strap, give or take a 1/2 inch depending on the last trim.
(1) Down and straightened – In the winter I wash my hair max twice a week and will do a blowout on Sunday night. In the morning it is restyling only. I blow dry it through to get out the majority of the kinks sometimes with dry shampoo, which takes about 3 – 5 minutes. Then curl the ends, which takes about 10 minutes. Total: 15 minutes. I do this every day of the week when the blowout lasts the full five days. Occasionally, it will be pulled back into a ponytail on day 5.
(2) Pulled back wet in a low neck bun – This is my normal summer hair because the humidity and sweating while running outside kills a blowout. If I don’t blowdry the front layers, this takes about a minute. If I do blowdry the front layers, it’s 5 minutes max. Blowdry layers (or not), pull back into a low pony, twist into bun, and go. I spritz with hairspray when done.
(3) Sock bun while wet – yes, I know this is not for everyone and not appropriate in every office. This can take me 2 – 5 minutes depending on how persnickety the layers are being about being rolled. I use a pomade type product for stickiness and flyaway coverage. High pony, roll, spritz with hairspray and go.
Ellen
I wash my hair when I get HOME every nite after goeing to the NYSC Sports Club where I work out and get all sweatey. I know that mean’s that my hair is not freshley washed in the morning, but I will NOT go out with wet hair in the winter. Beside’s, I would have to shower 2x a day if I were to do this, b/c I will NOT go to bed with sweatey hair.
So when I take a shower, I then put conditioner in, and wait 10 minutes before washing out the conditioner. This leave’s my hair very silkey. After rinseing, I then blow dry my hair on LOW, so that it does NOT get to dry. Once it is dry, I then brush it GENTLEY so as to avoid SPLIT end’s. Once I do 100 brush stroke’s, I then wrap my hair in a CHAMMY towel and go to sleep with the CHAMMY towel to cushion my hair, so that I do NOT look clunky in the morning.
In the morning, I put a littel hair spray on to make sure it look’s good, brush my hair lightly and then go to work (with a nice cap on in the winter). I have NEVER gotten any complaint’s from anyone on my look, which is alot like Gwinneth Paltrow’s. Tho I do NOT have kid’s like she does, YET! YAY!!!
Cat litter box behavior
Is it normal when a cat spends a lot of time in the litterbox every couple of days digging around, scratching, and banging the walls? I’m not sure if this is some kind of anxiety thing or if it’s a normal routine of some kind. She’ll go in, spend about 3-5 minutes doing the above, and then come out as if everything is fine.
HSAL
Are you scooping it daily? If not maybe she’s trying to find a clean spot.
numbersmouse
Is this a new behaviour or a new cat? Some cats are just particularly anxious about their litterbox, so if this is a new cat (or even if you’ve recently added a new pet to your household), it’s probably normal. However, if this represents a change in behaviour, it may be indicative of some health issue; check that she is indeed pooping/peeing and be on the lookout for any other signs of trouble (ie. peeing outside the box). Take her to the vet if she goes 24 hours without eliminating.
EM
I have only had 1 cat so take this with a grain of salt, but this does not seem normal to me. My cat goes in, digs a hole, does the business, covers up and leaves. We clean the box in the morning and in the evening. It seems your cat is trying to find “an unused spot”. If you feel it is anxiety-related, check whether your cat has a proper hiding place (where she can get lost from sight) and a scratching pole.
LM
One of my cat does that about half of the time especially at night. We scoop daily, we switched types of box, types of litter and nothing has helped. She started doing it when she was less than a year old and has been doing it ever since. We wrote it off from being abandoned as a kitten and being generally stupid…
New Tampanian
hahaha “being generally stupid…” hahahahhaha I love this.
S in Chicago
Mine has done that both times when he got a urinary tract infection.
Anonymous
If this is new behavior I would get one of those color changing crystal pack things to see if she has a UTI. Mine sometimes does this when to box is getting dirty for him, but I only scoop 1-2 times a week (I know…I know…).Mine also LOVES to dig when the litter is super fresh. Sometimes he will spend upwards of 10 minutes just flinging cat litter across the floor, but this is always immediately after I scoop or change the litter. Immediately as in, I am still scooping the box when he hops in. I think some cats are just diggers. Also I always assumed that the reason mine scratches against the wall of the box and/or floor is because he is “special”.
Sur la Table
I have $200 to spend at Sur La Table and don’t know what to get. It was intended to be used for a couple’s cooking class but we don’t have a location convenient to us. Any suggestions? Eyeing the GreenPan’s but I can get those anywhere.
MargaretO
The sur le table house brand tri-ply is really nice and much cheaper than all-clad (and appears to be on sale right now). I have a piece of it that I love, I highly recommend it! http://www.surlatable.com/product/prod660304/Sur+La+Table+Tri+Ply
CHJ
My brother got me a bunch of their seasonings and prepared mixes for Christmas. I really liked the salted caramel pancake mix and the brussels sprouts seasoning mix. I wouldn’t spend $200 on them, but it’s an idea to use up the last $20-30 depending on what else you get.
Sur la Table
Both great ideas. thanks! My basket is a hodgepodge of stuff people have recommended. Excited to try it all out.
ArenKay
The fabric on this jacket looks like the hideously scratchy couch we had in the ’70s. No thanks.
Anonymous
Does anyone have recommendations for a place I can get the handles on a cole naan bag repaired around Boston (south shore preferably)
Shoppng
https://m.colehaan.com/service/repairs.html
Emlen
A friend of mine has had several pairs of shoes fixed at LaRossa Shoe in Weymouth, and mentioned in passing that they seem to do luggage/bags. She raves about what they’ve done with her shoes.
University of Chicago Public Policy
Does anyone have experience with University of Chicago and particularly their MPP programme? Especially for someone who is not from and has never been to the U.S. And wants to pursue a PhD/do policy work in the EU. I would enter the second year of this course directly after a year in my local university.
Hope I’m not breaking some unspoken rule by posting such a specific question, I don’t know anyone from the U.S. In my country so I thought of this place as a go-to for education/career advice from high-achieving ladies!
Shoppng
I don’t know that specific program, but I have to ask how you chose it. I would think it would focus on US laws and people, making it difficult to transfer easily back to Europe.
University of Chicago Public Policy
I became aware of this programme because my local university has a partnership with them (I can do 1 year here and 1 year there and get 2 degrees at the end) but had not heard of it before. After doing a bit of research it seems that the department is well-regarded (top 5 – 10 for the subject in the world depending on the source) and since I am thinking of pursuing a PhD afterwards I thought it would be good to gain global perspective, meet different academics than my local university, have an additional degree from a more prestigious university than my local one etc. I am not sure if my reasoning makes sense so far so I am discussing this with my mentor of sorts (who is MPP director here at my local university) soon. Sorry for the long-windedly reply!!
shopping
The university is well-regarded in general. Is your mentor there aware of your desire to continue on to a PhD? If you are certain that’s what you want to do, why worry about the other degree in the meantime, instead of just taking courses? But I do like your idea of getting international experience–it’s becoming increasingly important.
cbackson
Are you looking at a US PhD or a non-US PhD? This type of program will not help to make you more competitive for a US PhD program.
JD/MPP
The MPP is a terminal degree for people interested in doing applied research or working in government. Do not waste your time and money on an MPP if you plan to pursue a Ph.D. The only way it might possibly be helpful is if you don’t have the necessary quantitative preparation for the Ph.D. and the MPP program has a strong quantitative bent, but even then you would probably be better off just taking the specific quant courses you need through a postbaccalaureate program.
Anonymous
I applied to, and was accepted to, that program about a decade ago. My undergraduate advisor, an economics professor I respected deeply, gently argued against it for reasons she didn’t explicitly articulate. She didn’t deny that both the school and the program are extremely well-regarded, but didn’t like the vibe there. I doubt that this helps you, since it was (a) a while ago and (b) the advice was directed at me personally.
So all I can do is confirm that it is well-thought-of even by people who don’t care for its politics/personnel.
(As for me, I was accepted by programs that offered me more financial aid and a better chance at a job upon graduation, so I went elsewhere.)
Sharon
Hi all. For New Year’s, I want to become more organized in my home. However, the biggest source out there appears to be Flylady, and I just can’t with all the cheesiness, corniness, Comic Sans font, assumption that everyone is a white Christian SAHM, and two dozen emails a day. Is anyone aware of a Flylady-like system that is more geared towards professional women in tone and manner? Thanks in advance.
Anon
I think there is something called unf**k your habitat or something like that, more snarky and less assuming you are a housewife.
shopping
Try the January Cure at Apartment Therapy.
shopping
I should’ve mentioned that even though it’s called “January”, it guides you through setting up various spaces in your home so they “work” and are easy to keep in order all year. There is also some decorating in it, because that’s what the blog is about. So instead of scrubbing your sink (I, too, have flown away from that lady), you’ll be setting up a landing strip (yes, they really were that clueless) by your home’s entrance to drop your keys, mail, etc. If you sign up for their emails, there are occasional mentions of The Cure at sporadic other times of the year.
Anonymous
YES I do this every year. Love it.
shopping
Me again. Look what just popped up on my Facebook, for the first time ever. http://www.dailyom.com/cgi-bin/courses/courseoverview.cgi?cid=532&aff=92&ad=2016090203&img=4
ace
Un f*ck your habitat? Could be a bit remedial depending on your needs.
Godzilla
unfcuk your habit?
Frozen Peach
+1 million on UFYH.
Also recommend a book– “The Hoarder In You”–really really great.
Walnut
Not a system, but my single best tip for forcing daily uncluttering is to minimize/remove surfaces to set things unless you’re designating that space for “setting”.
I removed the occasional chair from my bedroom (aka my chair closet) and immediate dump clean laundry on my bed and move the laundry baskets out of the bedroom to eliminate laundry basket closet. Clean laundry will still occasionally migrate over to the guest bedroom bed, but most of the time actually gets put away in the actual closet, because using the floor closet runs the risk of more dog fur than I’d like my clean clothes to have.
lsw
This is amazing and I feel like you are me, except from the future. (Including the dog hair part)
Emmy
It looks like…a bathrobe made out of a drug rug.
anon
What’s a drug rug?
Emmy
It’s what I’ve always heard those woven sweatshirts that rich college students buy when they go to Central America to do drugs called.
Anonymous
Thinking about going to Bermuda but I want to go when it’s hot but not too crowded. I was there in early October and it wasn’t crowded which was great but it was cooler than I’d prefer. Does early June make sense?
Anonymous
Is there anything that can be done about insomnia during pregnancy (first trimester)? My first doctor’s appointment isn’t for a while, so just wondering what the doctor could do for me. Or is there anything over the counter?
Cb
I’m taking unisom and b6 for nausea and the unisom does seem to take the edge off. I’ve got my midwife appointment tomorrow and hoping she’ll give me something stronger. I’m not throwing up so I doubt it but spending your entire day gagging isn’t sustainable either.
Anonymous
Weird that there was a post yesterday, which was a holiday for many people, but not today, which is not a holiday…
Starting to Date
AHHHHH, I am starting to date again after a year out of the game and had a nice date last Thursday, followed by a very casual post-work hangout at my house on Friday. Texting went through Saturday afternoon, but hasn’t been steady since. There is NO REASON for him to text me constantly at this point! None. That said, I am used to 800 mph ramp ups with dating so I am having ALL OF THE ANXIETY. Let it be clear that none of the 800 mph ramp ups have worked for me and I want to do something different this time around.
I keep reminding myself that I am ascribing bad intent where I have no evidence there is any, that I need to presume good intentions, that even if he never texts/calls again I will be okay, that none of this is the end of the world so take a deep breath and go for a run. I plan to text later in the week if he has not reached out and suggest we get together.
Aye yi yi. Yes, I have a therapist, yes, I have anxiety meds. Dating is stressful.
AIMS
I’d just text him now.
Shoppng
Did you post about this a few days ago? Glad to hear you had another successful date!
What I do in a different relationship to keep from blurting things out is literally make up a schedule. So far it’s just in my mind, but could be written it down. When I want to say x, knowing that there is a specific time for me to do that feels much better to me than having it be open-ended. It spares me thinking through whether it’s time yet every time I think of x.
Puppies
I’m hoping for advice from some other lawyer ladies here! I’m a mid-level associate and, while I like practicing law, I’ve realized that I really miss the academic side of law. One of my New Year’s goals is to try to start writing/publishing legal articles in my area of law. But, I’m not sure where to start and the attorneys I work with don’t write or publish much. Are there any lawyers here who have written/published articles, or see the value in doing so? How would you suggest a junior attorney start? How do you come up with topics or find places to get the articles published?
AIMS
Is there an app or webs*te that will let you upload a floorplan and play around with arranging furniture? Thanks.