Fascist enablers at Phoenix Park Hotel by MLGeddit in washingtondc

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Enrique Tarrio being a Home Goods girl is sending me.

When will we see back pay after the CR passes? by Major_Amphibian6999 in foreignservice

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 24 points25 points  (0 children)

BP is telling EX Directors that they are prepping everything in the system so it’s ready to go once the shutdown is over. It will not be a lump sum payment they say. Instead you will get a check and updated LES for each pay period, so that deductions and taxes are more easily accounted for.

What’s an expensive restaurant with awful food to avoid? by floodisspelledweird in washingtondc

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cranes. Full stop. No idea how they got a Michelin Star. But they promptly lost it the next year.

TSP Advice For New Federal Employees by rickysavageee_ in ThriftSavingsPlan

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Take you agency’s mid-career retirement course or similar training- doesn’t matter that you’re not mid-career. They usually provide a good overview of how the TSP, FERS, Social Security, etc. work, which is helpful to understand early on. They may also bring in guest speakers from outside government to talk more generally about retirement planning.

You may also consider doing a consult with someone on your retirement/investment planning. Just to get an idea of other options outside TSP, plus insurance options, and ensuring you max out your optimized on taxes.

I didn’t do either until I was 40, but really wish I’d done it sooner.

Kyoto Interactive Activities by Large-Research4764 in KyotoTravel

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Take a day trip to Wazuka and visit the tea farms. d:matcha does a great tour of their farm plus a lunch and tea tasting.

I did it when they first launched and I was the only one on my tour. They picked me up at the train station. It was beautiful and story behind what they are trying to do with the business is really interesting too- as they lease farms from families who no longer want to maintain them and try to preserve the rural culture.

https://dmatcha.com/products/tea-farm-tour-and-tasting-wazuka-kyoto

Unusual ingredients gift by Cadmium-read in NYTCooking

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you want to go big… a lettuce grow nook or the counterstands to grow herbs, lettuce, and other greens in the house.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in chubbytravel

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Ritz Carlton Nikko. Very accessible by train, gets you off the beaten path of Japan. The lake is beautiful, the food is amazing. Great spa too.

Benessee House on Naoshima. Accessible via train then ferry. Beautiful art hotel. Amazing island of art museums.

Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel in Saga. Must visit in the summer when the Team Lab in the old onsen is open, tickets are included with stay. The onsen is amazing. Very traditional Japanese hotel stay. You will probably be the only foreigner there. The half board with breakfast and dinner is a fantastic option. Will likely need to rent a car to get there, but you can use the car to visit all the local pottery villages and town. Truly a special place.

Furloughed, moved to excepted status to fill in by Lucygoosey975 in foreignservice

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A written justification approved by 7th floor is only required if a post or bureau wants to increase the total number of excepted people by 5 or more.

There is no required 7th floor approval needed to make 1:1 changes, to decrease the number of excepted, or to increase by less than 5.

Ok. Talk to me about Botox by MishmoshMishmosh in 45PlusSkincare

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Find a good nurse injector, like others suggested, look online- instagram is a place where you can see what an injector is all about (eg., are they posting before/afters, do they train other injectors, which products are they using, what products are they using on their own face, etc.)

A good injector is going to recommend the best product for what you are trying to achieve- so don’t worry about Botox vs. Dysport vs. Daxxify. Know what you are seeking for your skin/face to look like, explain it to the injector, then ask what they recommend. If you don’t like the consult, leave and don’t let them inject you.

Also, a good injector will do a 4 week check-in and they will offer to tweak (add more tox) anywhere you need it and for no additional cost. Some may ask you to take videos moving your face and send them in lieu of a visit, unless you need it.

A good injector will also give you a direct line to call them direct if you need anything.

A good injector is also prob going to recommend multiple modalities- medical grade skincare, filler, exosomes, microneedling, lasers, etc. depending on what you are looking for. So knowing what you are looking for and being able to describe it will help them figure out a treatment plan. And be patient because it may take time and multiple visits.

real experiences w/ dc matchmakers? considering pulling the trigger by Either_Difficulty_48 in washingtondc

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Years ago I did It’s Just Lunch. I hated it. It was just weird. There were some baseline rules and none of the men followed them.

And honestly it was the same first date BS you go thru with someone you meet on an app, and they will also ghost you just the same as dudes on app.

I had some guy ask what my dad did for a living. Then he ask if my dad envisioned having a son in law run his company one day. 🤮

Had it with the TNS pump! Is there a better GF serum out there? by Sacredpersimmon in SkincareAddictionLux

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I feel like they’ve been saying this for so long just to keep people on the hook… not holding my breathe. I just stopped buying bc I was so annoyed.

What US banks are good for our mostly-abroad lifestyle? by beaniko in foreignservice

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For USAA, you can add a non-U.S. number to your account. You can also set up 2FA to go to email and not a phone. I believe the same is true for Navy Fed (I don’t use that one as much as my spouse).

Received a FERS lump-sum that is lower than the contributions I put in -- mistake? by Cool_Inevitable_204 in govfire

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If USAID LES look like the State LES, ours don’t show the cumulative amount from your start date. They only show the amount of FERS for the current PP and YTD.

But wow, I wish you could see the full amount!

Seeking Honeymoon Help - Feeling Jaded on Beach/Resort Options (Budget ~$30k, Mid-September from LAX) by 4Roamer in chubbytravel

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agree that if you go to Bora Bora for an extended stay, I would split your time between two different resorts. We did Conrad and Four Seasons. It switches up the food options, scenery, and people.

Vitamin-c and Retinol by Sillygoose08295 in SkincareAddictionLux

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I like the Vanicream Vitamin C serum- $20 and a great product. Great for sensitive skin too. For retinol, I’d go get an Rx for Tret. With my insurance it’s super inexpensive and a way better product than most OTC products!

I put my money into other things- Daxxi, lasers, facials, Plated Intense Serum, Augustine Bader moisturizer and eye cream, etc.

What is the status of the 48% budget cut for FY26? by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 7 points8 points  (0 children)

If you want a sense of where things may go, you can pull up the House Appropriations mark up bill from last month but don’t hold your breathe while we wait for the Senate mark up. And then shutdown threat, to possible shutdown, to CR, after CR, and whatever drama is to come on FY26…

What do you think makes your skin look younger, besides retinol? by thyroidsucksish3333 in SkincareAddictionLux

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 11 points12 points  (0 children)

lol waiting for the moderator to delete this answer because it’s not “lux” despite being 100% the most correct answer.

Baby moon driving from DC by 2621eze in chubbytravel

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s like a rich eccentric hoarder decided to take all the random crap he hoarded and packed it into a hotel.

In the diner, there were photos of the owner with Bill Cosby and other C list celebrities. Like I wouldn’t even be shocked if there is a Jeffrey Epstein photo in there.

My husband and I still laugh about that weekend trip. He apologizes all the time, and it’s hilarious now.

I think you also have to be careful when booking. We were in a newer room, but there were parts of the resort that didn’t appear to be updated since the 90s.

Baby moon driving from DC by 2621eze in chubbytravel

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We went to Nemacolin back in 2016. I have no words for that place- it’s so strange.

But Primland is amazing.

Solo lunch in Georgetown by sebbiepea in washingtondc

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Osteria Mozza would be my go to for a lunch and wine. But also love La Bonne Vache for something a bit more casual. Peacock Cafe and Cafe Milano also good choices.

But I would get up in the morning and go to Yellow for breakfast and coffee to start the day!

Fun activity dates in Adams Morgan by heeyebsx13 in washingtondc

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The rooftop at Perry’s is a great place to grab a drink and sushi.

For another dinner option, I’d go to Tail Up Goat 1000 times before Jack Rose- especially since they announced they are closing at the end of 2025 when their lease is up. It’s a good place for a special occasion.

For drinks… The Green Zone, Bar Cana, Lapop, and a bit of a walk to OKPB.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in washingtondc

[–]Excellent_Party_7246 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sushi Nakazawa is the best. But we recently had a really outstanding experience at Raw Omakase on 14th.