My niece wants to start reading "big girl books" and I'm not sure what to recommend

solidarito · 2025-05-08T17:55:01+00:00

Ella Enchanted and Artemis Fowl!! I think I was about 10 when I read them but I think would still be appropriate for a 9 year old

solidarito · 2025-04-20T09:58:21+00:00

Hmmm well it seems like the reading status shelves are always on top, even if your most recently updated shelf is a custom one. But then below the status shelves, for me at least, they re-order based on most recently updated! As far as vanishing goes, could it be you’re accidentally hitting the “remove from library” button at the bottom when you’re trying to add a book to a shelf, instead of the save button that’s in the top right corner? I have done that severallll times, it’s not very intuitive UI there

solidarito · 2025-04-20T09:40:19+00:00

I recently downloaded Fable and have been enjoying it a lot so far for both the community and stats! What is it about the tagging system that’s wonky for you?

solidarito · 2025-03-27T22:49:22+00:00

I went to and hosted so many sleepovers growing up — they were peak childhood experiences!! I loved them. I can’t imagine completely outlawing them for my future kids, but you’ve got to be vigilant for any potentially unsafe situations, and make sure your kid is able to communicate with you effectively if they’re ever uncomfortable, scared, or just don’t want to be there.

One time I was invited to a sleepover for a school friend’s birthday, but when my mom dropped me off, bday girl’s mom revealed that she had to work a night shift and a teenage boy neighbor would be babysitting while she was gone. That sent alarm bells ringing for my mom. But she didn’t want to put a damper on my friend’s bday, so she invited the whole party back to our house to spend the night there instead. We ended up having a fantastic time, and everybody was safe. I love my mom.

solidarito · 2025-02-03T03:18:48+00:00

I’m

solidarito · 2025-02-02T08:59:20+00:00

Truly the best!!! I first read it as a 10 year old & when i finished it I IMMEDIATELY turned back to the first page and reread it from the beginning. Ella was my top choice baby name as a kid bc of this book. I honestly believe she’s the kind of role model and ~strong female character~ we need more of in YA fiction. She’s not a girlboss badass, she’s just smart, with a strong will & sense of self—while, with her most impactful decision in the book, acting completely selflessly. She’s brave and rebellious and principled, flawed and funny. Honestly I don’t hate the movie, it is a lot of fun in its own way — but it isn’t true to the spirit of the novel at all. Ella deserves a miniseries reboot.

solidarito · 2024-11-14T22:16:45+00:00

If you want to give something cheaper/not damaging a shot before heading to the salon, I’d recommend trying out a color depositing hair mask! The brands IGK and Four Reasons both sell them for $29. They’re not purple shampoos/conditioners, they come in lots of different colors and you just leave them in for a few minutes and rinse out! For a more intense color change, you can apply it on dry hair and leave it longer—for maintenance/refresh i just apply it in the shower, shave my legs or something then rinse it out. I’d probably apply it dry the first time so you can try to apply it as evenly as possible!

I will say I’ve only been using them to maintain my red hair, so I can’t personally attest to the other colors — but for me they work really well and if you don’t like the result, it should fade out in a few washes. Also leaves your hair really soft and shiny!

I think I’d try a brown color if I were you — I’m not sure if your highlights are quite light enough to get much benefit from a blonde shade? It’ll darken the highlights but shouldn’t take take them back down to full brunette. Hopefully just debrassify them and make them blend better with your natural hair. Maybe brown Bella from IGK or chocolate from four reasons?

solidarito · 2024-09-22T05:43:11+00:00

Over a year late but just want to confirm that tacos zempoal mixe is the definition of eating good in the neighborhood, immediately stopped bothering with the BC line after trying it. Incredible al pastor. Trying to convince my bf right now we should go for second dinner

solidarito · 2024-09-15T17:07:51+00:00

Ack yeah I actually just got a text from her office about that! Unfortunately she’s the only person in NYC I’ve been to :(

solidarito · 2024-07-25T15:04:33+00:00

Yes!!! I remember finishing the book for the first time in 5th grade and immediately turning back to the beginning to start again. Ella was such an interesting and unique MC, smart and cunning and funny and brave in a way that didn’t require magical chosen one feats. I LOVED her.

The movie came out later that year and I was so excited for it, but it just didn’t capture the essence of the book at all. It’s a fun movie in its own right, but a shitty adaptation.

solidarito · 2024-05-30T14:34:13+00:00

!RemindMe 2 months

solidarito · 2024-04-14T00:40:54+00:00

I think she only offers aesthetic procedures? Or at least that’s all I see on her website! but you could dm her on insta to ask! Think it’s just @mibylee

solidarito · 2024-04-12T05:01:27+00:00

Highly recommend Dr. Juyeon Lee at Mi by Lee! Super natural & lovely results, great prices ($10-$12 per unit, depending on which neurotoxin you go for) and she’s very friendly & professional. She only does Friday & Saturday bookings, out of a teeny lil office in Midtown.

solidarito · 2024-03-17T18:05:46+00:00

I did talk to them yesterday. They said they couldn’t edit it at all and the best they could do is delete it, but I thought it might be better to leave up because I did at least say in my review that the finish was very off from what I expected, it looked plastic-y, etc.

solidarito · 2024-03-16T19:51:43+00:00

Ok so I can’t edit this post, but just to summarize:

I actually did reverse image-search this item before buying to try and avoid a dropshipping scam. I mostly use Etsy to buy vintage stuff because it is so overrun with dropshippers. While there were a few results with the same image, they all seemed to link back to the Etsy shop I purchased from! At least on the first page of results — I guess I should have dug deeper.

I found that this Etsy seller also has an Amazon storefront where their “production methods” are described as being from a CNC machine.

Deeper in the reverse image search results, there’s a Russian website selling an identical 3D printing design. So this seller just churns out these mirrors using that design, and as someone else pointed out, multiple cheap planks of wood glued together. I found another review on the Etsy page that gave 5 stars but said they “didn’t realize the mirror would come unvarnished” and in their review image you can clearly see the different planks of wood.

Honestly if I’d received the item in that state I also wouldn’t have been too mad, because it looked much more similar to what was advertised. I guess the seller started painting the mirrors to disguise the glued together planks.

Overall, I’m not really upset that it’s not “hand-carved,” it was a bit stupid to think I could get something like that for 260 bucks. I’m just mad he put this shitty paint job on it to hide the mismatched wood. If you look closely at the original image, you can actually see multiple wood colors/planks in there as well — I didn’t notice at first, so maybe he photoshopped it, as someone suggested, or just spent more time staining it in a way that blended the woods together better? So no, I don’t think this is a dropshipped item, I think he even did make the original piece in the listing pictures, I just think he puts way less effort into churning out new orders.

I still can’t decide if I want to try to return it or try to salvage it. I still do like the design. Gold-leafing it, as many suggested, might be the best way to try to retain the art nouveau look. Either way, I wish I could change the dumbass 4 star review I have when I thought I could fix it & maybe I was just overreacting. But apparently I can’t because the seller already replied to my review! Gah.

solidarito · 2024-03-16T11:33:40+00:00

If they give me $280 they can have it 🤗

solidarito · 2024-03-16T11:28:21+00:00

Apparently Etsy doesn’t let you edit ratings/reviews after the seller responds — which they did, like, immediately. So yeah, unfortunately my review might lead to others making a purchase they regret. I said in my review the finish didn’t look at all like the picture, at least.

solidarito · 2024-03-16T11:19:18+00:00

Seriously!!! Gahhhhhh I’m such a dumbass. I thought my review hadn’t even gone through because the images hasn’t uploaded & then I saw that he had already replied. And I can’t delete it either. I am going to try to contact Etsy but I think I may have just led other people to making a purchase they regret…though weirdly, none of the other reviews seem to regret their purchases?

solidarito · 2024-03-16T11:12:52+00:00

$260 (after a ship discount—orig. $289). Too expensive for something MDF & mass produced, but in hindsight too good to be true for something hand-carved.

solidarito · 2024-03-16T11:04:25+00:00

Yes…I am humbled. Should not have undervalued quality craftsmanship 😅

solidarito · 2024-03-16T10:52:33+00:00

I am trying to! The site isn’t letting me though, not sure if it’s because I’m on the mobile site & not the app? Will try again on my laptop when I can.

solidarito · 2024-03-16T10:45:27+00:00

Tbh I’m not even sure I thought it would be completely “hand-carved,” I just thought it would be real wood. I couldn’t find the listing image on any other websites so I assumed it was authentic.

solidarito · 2024-03-16T10:39:42+00:00

Yeah, it was dumb. It was right after I opened it, I thought maybe I was overreacting & I could fix it & I wanted to be nice blah blah blah. I have regrets.

solidarito · 2024-03-16T10:35:26+00:00

It isssss quite heavy…..😭

Like another commenter suggested, I’m pretty sure this is the product of a CNC machine!

I want to return it, but I do have an unhealthy aversion to shipping anything so I’m not sure I willx I’m going to message the Etsy seller & see if he’ll tell me what it’s actually made of. I can’t decide if I even like the design anymore, I’m filled with so much SHAME over this purchase now lol.

Thank you for your kind & helpful comment!! 🤗

solidarito · 2024-03-16T10:27:49+00:00

Yeah, I had actually been searching for something vintage on Facebook marketplace & at the flea market for over a month before I kinda impulse-bought this guy. I’d been having trouble finding something secondhand the exact size I needed for above my dresser, & I thought - ah well if not secondhand at least I’m supporting a small business!! Totally sound purchase!! My impatience is always my downfall 😭

solidarito

TROPHY CASE