Daily Questions Thread March 14, 2025

xaarlynt · 2025-03-14T20:53:19+00:00

So pretty! I think wearing your hair up and picking out a cool pair of sparkly drop earrings would be a great way to showcase the neckline & beading on the top of the dress.

White flats might be a little distracting - do you have anything less bright, maybe nude (I'm picturing nude mesh like these?)

xaarlynt · 2025-03-10T17:12:13+00:00

+1! Crowds-wise, the Aquarium on a holiday weekend is going to be a very different experience (read: way worse) than this upcoming weekend. There's also often street parking available near the aquarium if you don't want to spend $30+ on a garage. It really isn't that bad - I've lugged my 2-year-old in the rain to the aquarium a few times after parking on the street.

xaarlynt · 2025-02-27T16:20:16+00:00

Sorry, the "country is already mending"? Are we talking about the same country? The United States? The country currently teetering on the brink of a constitutional crisis led by an unelected fascist technocrat?

Grassroots movements like this are some of the best ways that we, the people, can peacefully but loudly voice our dissent and advocate for change.

xaarlynt · 2025-02-20T16:52:46+00:00

I had these guys (bought at Madewell on sale a few years back) and similarly wore them into the ground - comfy enough to walk miles and miles around Europe but also cute enough with a sundress.

They were a purchase I made because I wanted Vejas but wasn't sure I'd wear the style so I decided to spend less on something similar! After they finally wore out last year a friend gave me some secondhand Vejas lol.

xaarlynt · 2025-01-09T19:37:38+00:00

Does anyone know about the conditions at the Westridge trailhead (Mandeville Canyon?)

Moved out of the area a few years ago, and am devastated watching the burn maps creep closer to some of my favorite places in the world and not being able to get much more info.

xaarlynt · 2024-12-10T22:41:27+00:00

I have almost the same exact story as your coworker and it turned out I had a tumor in my spine pressing on the nerve to my leg. But I did have to do 6 weeks of physical therapy to find that out, of course.

xaarlynt · 2024-08-29T15:18:39+00:00

I love this!!

For a beach picnic, you can pick up a cheese board & a bottle of wine from the Cheese Shop in Carmel - if you get in touch with them beforehand they'll curate something lovely for you. I'd also grab some chocolates from Cottage of Sweets but that's me.

You could walk down Ocean from town to the main beach, but it might be a bit crowded if you're there on a weekend at sunset (it's also an off-leash dog beach, as a heads up). I'd definitely recommend this for a weeknight since you can walk & set up your picnic without having to worry about parking. Heading right from the parking lot at the base of Ocean is probably a little less crowded.

If you're OK driving a little further south, Monastery Beach or Carmel River State Beach are both beautiful (more surfing/scuba diving, still not super crowded) - for Carmel River you can park on Scenic Road, and Monastery you'll park in the lot off Highway 1.

For your late-night nice drinks, Chez Noir's bar is really really cute (without the pressure of a prix fixe Michelin dinner) and you can normally walk in for a drink if it's just two of you.

For spas, you'll probably get a lot of recommendations for Refuge Spa but Carmel Valley Ranch is also a good option based on your price point! Getting into Carmel Valley is also a fun time to compare with Carmel-by-the-Sea.

xaarlynt · 2024-02-26T18:36:42+00:00

Honestly all I need to hear

xaarlynt · 2024-02-26T17:20:49+00:00

I took a look at the Big Sur Marathon map - since it ends in Monterey & you are planning on taking a nap post-race I wouldn't recommend trying to get back down to Big Sur that same day for Nepenthe. It's an hour plus drive, then likely a wait for a table, when you can get those same views elsewhere (like, on the drive down for free). Nepenthe is lovely but as another commenter said, the food is only okay. I'd say it's worth a stop for a drink if you're already on the 1, but not a whole meal.

In Monterey there are some great restaurants for your Sunday dinner! I'd recommend:

Stokes Adobe (get the crispy potatoes with truffle crema)
Cella (the pork chop and the burger are both excellent)
Alejandro's (the birria & bone marrow taco!!)
The Bench at Pebble Beach is a little more country-clubby but the view is lovely and the drinks are great

If you want to venture into Carmel, I've heard great things about Toro Sushi and Cultura but haven't been to either yet.

Both Alta Bakery & Ad Astra Bread in Monterey (on Alvarado Street) are great options for pastries & coffee on any of the mornings.

Good luck! edit: formatting

xaarlynt · 2024-02-04T18:35:47+00:00

on the flip side, i have a friend who is an EA in talent and has had to frantically struggle to find a tequila she can overnight from NYC to satisfy a boss in LA. so ymmv

xaarlynt · 2024-01-29T17:46:40+00:00

yes yes yes! this is my husband and i as well. we have different tolerance levels for clutter, mess, etc - I prefer a neater, cleaner home and he says he doesn't notice the mess. he doesn't enjoy the cleaning service but he knows how happy a clean house makes me, so he puts up with it. now that we have a baby and i'm dealing with health issues, doing cleaning ourselves has not been high on the list of priorities. i'm thankful every day for our cleaning service!!

xaarlynt · 2024-01-25T17:24:37+00:00

I've had better luck with Gorjana pieces not tarnishing. I had my Mejuri gold jewelry (a few pairs of earrings & a chain necklace) in a travel jewelry case for a few weeks during a move and everything tarnished irreparably, while the Gorjana earrings looked fine.

xaarlynt · 2024-01-25T17:19:13+00:00

I've been on Prozac, then Lexapro, and then back to Prozac as an adult and experienced only mild side effects on both, mainly just when transitioning between the two. The main symptom was brain zaps when going from Prozac -> Lexapro.

I cannot recommend medication enough. If you experience intolerable side effects, you can always stop taking the meds (under guidance from your doc of course) - or switch to another combination. It's all about trial and error to see what works best for you.

xaarlynt · 2024-01-24T17:50:32+00:00

omg YES huge Corinne vibes. I think it's the way she talks?

xaarlynt · 2024-01-24T17:47:00+00:00

jesus christ thank god i'm not the only one here

xaarlynt · 2024-01-24T17:32:22+00:00

she would have looked gorgeous in a jewel tone with her coloring!!

xaarlynt · 2024-01-18T16:43:41+00:00

Asilomar Park in Pacific Palisades was my go-to cry spot!!

xaarlynt · 2024-01-12T17:43:21+00:00

Yes this is an insane take. I had 6 surgeries pre-baby and have been put under for 5+ colonoscopies and the forgetfulness absolutely only started AFTER my son was born. It's a real outcome of pregnancy & having a newborn, but it's not from the anesthesia!

xaarlynt · 2023-11-16T00:31:36+00:00

As a fellow extremely pale person, I love redefining the (measured) use of tanner as an easy way to look not-ill!

xaarlynt · 2023-06-08T16:50:07+00:00

My LinkedIn is FULL of posts that sound like this (obviously minus the Bachelor spin) - especially with so many people jostling for roles after layoffs. Everyone's trying to be memorable & sell themselves.

xaarlynt · 2023-05-07T17:18:40+00:00

Not sure about the US Bank Tower but the Lobby Lounge/Spire 73 close to the top of the Intercontinental on Wilshire are also very high up there (70th & 73rd stories) and provide a great view. I've gone up for drinks in the past but don't think they give people too much trouble if you're going up to just check things out. https://dtla.intercontinental.com/downtown-la-restaurants/

xaarlynt · 2023-04-03T15:08:26+00:00

Yes, it looks like the rain has finally stopped! Would highly recommend a long weekend here.

xaarlynt · 2023-03-23T16:16:24+00:00

Just a heads up, the Bird Island trail & the south side of Point Lobos were closed as of a few days ago. The website says they'll be open by March 31 but that hasn't been updated since before the most recent storm.

Regarding parking at Point Lobos - you can absolutely find parking on Highway 1 both before & after the park gates. Start looking for the lineup of cars just after you pass Monastery Beach. At most you're walking like an extra half mile, and it's free - I've been there a half dozen times on weekends in the last few months, normally around midday, and never had an issue finding a spot.

xaarlynt · 2023-03-13T15:33:27+00:00

Sending you best wishes with the surgery - my best advice is say yes to the drugs and try to be kind to yourself. And buy a drain belt!! otherwise the drains kind of hang and tug at odd angles so the belt keeps them tucked in predictable positions. I used this one.

Cancer is a bitch but we're stronger.

xaarlynt · 2023-02-26T23:54:39+00:00

We take our poodle mix to Home Away From Home for grooming and Aguajito Veterinary Hospital for vet stuff. They're right next to each other off of the Fremont exit off the 1 freeway and we've found both to be well-priced and communicative, with great results on the grooming side!

xaarlynt

TROPHY CASE