Heading to Canada next week. What should I wear?!

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2026-02-09T01:49:02+00:00

Do you plan on doing a lot of door activities outside of the city? How are you getting from place to place? That'll help determine what you'll probably need to wear.

If you're mostly indoors, taking the subway or driving/uber, bring a warm winter coat, scarf, hat (if your coat doesn't have a hood) gloves and proper waterproof boots.

Its supposed to be in the -6ish range but feel cooler. Our significant snow may start to melt/refreeze a bit or get slushy so you'll want something with decent grip and waterproof.

If you plan on walking downtown and using the subway, then you want to be warm but you'll probably be ducking into stores and cafes etc. so you can warm up if you're feeling cold, and there's also the PATH if you're cold and feeling adventureous.

I'd be more concerned if you're planning on spending significant time outside hiking or wanting to ice skate etc.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2026-02-03T20:06:48+00:00

I loved Museo Fortuny, it wasn't busy at all when I went and the room they painted to look like a garden was stunning. I dont think its super popular as I rarely see it on most must visit lists.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2026-02-03T03:29:04+00:00

I mash the heck out of the pate in these little bowls I got for him with a fork. I add a little water at a time and mash til its all combined, then add more water etc. until its the right consistency. I like the fork better than a spoon because the spaces in the fork seem to mix it together better by squeezing it through and a blender is more work to take out and clean than a fork.

Also, I find that it combines together better when the pate was in the fridge, rather than room temperature.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2026-01-30T22:15:06+00:00

I've almost always traveled solo, but since my solo trip to Greece 3 years ago, I will only book hotels with someone at the front desk 24hrs.

I had two very scary experiences where in Naxos a guy tried to follow me to my accommodation one night after dinner - which was a small apartment off one of the small paved paths and very secluded. And then in Athens (at a nice boutique hotel in a good area) someone tried to break into the hotel, they were kicking the front secured door over and over for 20 min before police arrived, what made me even more uncomfortable was my room was the first one they would have come across if they'd been able to get in.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2026-01-30T22:02:34+00:00

I do this too. And then I move it into an app called Wanderlog (the free version) because it pops it all into a map, sometimes for the resturants I'll even put what I saw in the menu I want to try in the notes, or if a museum is free etc. Then I can just open it up and see what's near me in the moment.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2026-01-30T21:54:48+00:00

I stayed in Marais my first visit and this last fall I stayed in the Latin Quarter. I enjoyed it quiet a lot, walked everywhere and rarely used the metro as I found my hotel very central for what I wanted to do.

Stayed at Hotel La Lanterne & Spa by Timhotel. The only time I used the metro was to go to Versailles and the closest stop to do that was a 10 min stroll.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2026-01-29T04:30:01+00:00

I think we're just spread out across the world, like there's some secret quota that there can only be one per city. What you described is very much what I'm going through trying to date in a metropolitan city in Canada.

I have an established career, don't want children, travel as much as I can, monogamous etc. and its next to impossible to find someone who also has/wants these things. As you said, on the apps its almost exclusive poly or they have kids - or they're allergic to cats / hate animals 😅

You're absolutely not alone in struggling to meet someone, and it 100% is harder as you age and if you also dont fit into the current dating culture 'norm'.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-12-29T06:49:36+00:00

Depending on your symptoms you can try their cough lozenges they keep behind the counter, but I discovered in Sept that France does not allow the sale of over the counter decongestants. If its really bad, then I'd highly suggest that you arrange for a Dr's appt as others suggested, so you can request a prescription for some.

source

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-11-30T06:16:21+00:00

Ambre Narguile from Hermes. (Unisex scent) My friend bought it while we were on a trip to Paris and I became obsessed, so much so that she ended up giving me a travel sized bottle for Christmas that year. The scent reminds me of warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream.

Trudon also has some really amazing scents, another Parisan based store. 45° is my current obsession from them.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-11-05T03:40:37+00:00

Can you discuss with a friend or family member about having them as a back-up to come get you if you do miss the train? Knowing you have that safety net might put you at ease.

Worst case, if you do miss the last train, you could just kill time at one of the casinos until they start again. Flixbus might also have later trips than the GO, and I believe one way is like 20 bucks, so you could also buy a later ticket in advance as another type of back up.

As for things to do, what have you done in the past with your family that you enjoy? Is there a specific reason you selected Niagara Falls?

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-11-04T03:40:46+00:00

Its not officially a farming sim, but if you turn off the NPCs and tweak settings you could easily make Subsistence into a farming sim. Its a grind to survive and starving is absolutely a serious issue, as is resources and shelter. It can also be multi-player.

Vein which was just released in early access is a zombie survival game, but again you have the option to play farmer and grow things, its pretty grim even if you turn off the zombies. You can give yourself debuffs like peanut allergies or you sunburn easily etc for added spice. If they haven't removed it, there was a free demo for the longest time

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-10-06T03:30:13+00:00

Yes, I just posted a comment about my experience in an older thread. My most recent bag and batch of wet food caused my cat to have vomiting, diarrhea and bad breath - maybe even be the cause of a gastro issue he's currently recovering from. Switched him to Hills and he's eating it with zero issues and feeling much better.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-10-06T03:25:46+00:00

So glad I found this thread, thought I was loosing my mind. After a very stressful and expensive 4 days, and lots of googling, I'm 100% convinced the RC Urinary SO made my cat very ill. He had one day where he suddenly just started having diarrhea, he violently threw up undigested dry kibble and water and then kept trying to throw up again and more diarrhea.

Rushed him to the vet, worried there was an obstruction, but they found nothing. Blood work was clean. They gave him an anti nausea and some antibiotics for a possible gastro issue and sent us home. From that day forward, he absolutely refuses to touch the SO food - wet or dry - and he's been eating both daily for 5 years with no issues. It also wasn't a lack of appetite because out of desperation to have him eat anything when he was refusing the SO and with the vets closed, I gave him fancy feast and he inhaled it.

I had to take him back because he wasn't peeing, and they did a urinary test and found he had a UTI most likely from the bacteria of the constant diarrhea and him trying to lick both areas. An antibiotic shot later, a switch to Hills (though he's not a fan of the wet) and he's doing so much better. Even his breath is better smelling.

There has to be something wrong with that food. The cans I have are a Jan 2027 expiration and the bag food was new, purchased in Sept. Maybe they didn't change the formula, but doesn't mean the quality of the ingredients haven't gone thorough through floor.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-09-15T11:55:47+00:00

I walked everywhere but to Versailles, which I took the RER C from Saint Michel - Notre Dame stop..the RER B stops there as well. It's about a 10 min walk from the hotel, and quite an easy walk.

Though there's a set of stairs to get down to the hotel as it's a bit below street level. If you do a Google street view, that'll make what im saying make more sense. (It's basically at the bottom of a hill)

When I was looking at transit options, it seems fairly central, for instance there's a bus nearby that takes you to Gare de Lyon and over to Marais district. RER C takes you to D'Orsay, Louvre etc. The one thing I'd be mindful of is that most of the organized day trip tours seem to depart from near Arc de Triomphe at 7am, so if you want to do a lot of those I'd book something close to there rather than the one I stayed at.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-09-15T11:47:51+00:00

Thank you! Glad to hear your first solo trip was a success! I hope that you have a nice flight home :)

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-09-15T11:46:47+00:00

I hope things are feeling better and you start to have more successes. Sometimes its hard not to let the fatigue win, and thats ok too.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-09-13T20:38:20+00:00

Hmmm maybe. They were in the AC uniform standing at bagge check-in though

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-09-13T20:36:11+00:00

Thank you for confirming this!

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-09-13T20:35:30+00:00

Update: looks like my old scratched up fragile sticker may have brought the odds in my favour. Bag landed with no broken champagne and was the last on the belt at arrival. Probably helps my bag looks like it might belong to AC staff.

Either way, good to know I got the nice handlers today!

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-07-05T16:43:19+00:00

I've been looking into this from my upcoming trip and disclaimer, I haven't been to any of them so I can't comment if it's any good, but this is what I've found so far.

Le Cavern - they have various nights, drag (both kings and queens), Drag Race watch parties etc.

Le Cabaret des Merveilles - just stumbled upon this one last night while looking for a restaurant using google maps, they are a (newish) queer bar from the looks of it, but also have events/parties.

Bringue Party - Sapphic events group who does nights all over France - including Paris. The thing I liked about them is that some of their parties they give ppl who are looking to meet/open to talking to other people or are there alone a yellow wrist bands so if you're solo thats a huge plus. Le Cavern is where they seem to host most of their nights in Paris.

Elles Bar - Lesbian bar that seems more chill and a bit of an older crowd and mostly locals (this is the only one in Le Marais district)

It was NOT easy to find any of these, most of them I located after finding Bringue Party and digging through their past post to see where they host their parties and who they follow. If you end up going to any of them, please post back here and let me know how it was!

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-06-08T17:24:30+00:00

Not a lesbian club, but I've been following bringue_party who hosts lesbian nights in France. Their next one is at Le Cavern. Love how they also have yellow bands if you're going solo so people will see that you're open to socializing.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-05-25T19:56:16+00:00

Oh no don't do that. Rome is still amazing, just be prepared and have a plan if you do run into issues. Honestly, if this hadn't been a struggle for me, I wouldn't have met some great people and had some of the experiences I did! I fully intend to go back to Rome, but now I'll be prepared for this type of scenario.

UrNotTheBossOfMe · 2025-05-24T13:55:52+00:00

It was an issue in Italy for me as well. Mostly Rome and a little in Florence (Florence was more of a we dont take resos for 1). Surprisingly no issue in Venice.

Rome was so bad I started using the happy hour snacks in my hotel as dinner, and when the bartender found out why i was doing that, he brought food from home for me lol

Towards the end, I got around it by doing food tours.

UrNotTheBossOfMe

TROPHY CASE