Life

My day job is the only one I’ve ever had in which the employees never socialize outside of work— it’s also the only one I’ve ever had in which all of the employees’ families live locally. Coincidence? I can’t help but wonder: do all of the family recitals, parties, graduations, brunches, and favors take up so much time that there’s little-to-none left over for a non-family social life?

I love books. From a very young age I’ve been surrounded by them, and the feel and even the smell of books is something I find incredibly comforting. I love them so much that I wrote a manifesto about how, even if the printed word becomes technically obsolete, I’m never letting go of my books. And then, about a year ago, on the eve of a six-week trip to Europe, I made an uncharacteristic decision: I decided to get an e-reader.

Dear Alice, I live alone in a large apartment building in the city and usually this would provide some level of anonymity, however, a new couple just moved into the unit next door and they won’t leave me alone. I’m an introvert and I really prefer to keep to myself. I’m happy to nod politely and say a quick hello to other residents that I see in the lobby or the elevator, but I really don’t feel the need to get into long conversations every time I step out of my door.

Hi Alice, How do I ask a neighbor to pick up the dog poo from their yard more often because it is smelling up my yard (front and back) real bad? Do I go straight to 311 or do it face-to-face or is there a better suggestion? I’d like to cause the least amount of embarrassment/awkwardness/ill-will while still getting the shit taken care of. Flies, man, already and super-humid Baltimore summer coming … Thanks!

Dear Alice, I live in an apartment building with pretty thin walls and thus I can hear the couple next door fighting…a lot. It’s not physically violent (as far as I can tell) but it’s certainly unnerving to hear these two yelling at each other all the time. At this point, it’s gotten to be that they have a fight at least twice-a-week (and at least once every weekend).

There are several reasons you could need to stretch $100 through an entire week. Maybe you’re saving hard for a vacation or maybe you had some unexpected emergency expenses and are low in your checking account until your next paycheck. Whatever your personal reasons for embarking on an extra-frugal week, here are some budgeting tips to help make $100 last all seven days. If you know you only have $100 and a week, you need to be extremely deliberate about where that money is going.

Dear Alice, I am in a long distance/weekend relationship and unavoidably spend every other weekend with my boyfriend’s family (we take turns visiting each other). Unfortunately, they aren’t exactly hospitable. The weekends I stay there are the ones my boyfriend has to work during the day. His parents always fix dinner for us, and sometimes they also invite me for breakfast – if I’m lucky.

Being sick sucks, pretty much universally. But it can suck just a little bit extra when you live by yourself and don’t have anyone to help run out and grab meds or soup. If you live solo, here’s how to survive being stuck at home sick. Nothing’s worse than waking up with a terrible sore throat, stumbling over to the medicine cabinet and finding it empty or full of expired meds.

Hi Alice! I recently moved into an apartment building that allows cats. Although I am severely allergic, I never thought it would be a problem— why should a cat confined in a separate apartment bother me? Then, the day I moved in, I met a neighbor who happily told me I moved to the “cat floor.” Uh oh. I wasn’t confused for long: my neighbors open their doors and let their cats roam around the common area by the elevator!

I had the pleasure of spending time with Ali McNally while working on a House Tour of her New Orleans home, and the Toronto native is as gracious as she is gorgeous. And what a powerhouse! In addition to doing all the buying for Neon Heart—the boutique she owns with her husband Chris Scheurich—Ali is a fashion stylist, model, and frontwoman for the pop band YYZ. The girl has style for miles, so I asked her to share her take on fashion with us.

I used to be a night owl. A midnight movie? No problem! An after-after party? I was there. But, in an interesting turn of life events, I’ve begun getting drowsy embarrassingly early these days. Obviously this means some of my late-night habits have had to change (hello 10:30 bedtime), but when I know I’m going to have to stay up late? I do this stuff.

It’s true that old habits die hard, but it seems like it’s equally impossible to start a new one. No matter the goal–if you’re trying on a consistent gym regimen, or just wanting to make the bed everyday–there is one small tip that might help you get on track. Can you guess which day of the week sets you up for success in kicking off a new good habit?

You know all the conventional advice: Keep a dark room and lay off the snooze button. But for the stubborn sleepers–the ones who would sooner give up an arm than their snooze button–here are three hacks for getting a good night’s sleep that you might not have heard yet. Real talk: Your smartphone is ruining your sleep. Besides the fact that the last thing you see before bed is a bright lit screen, I have to imagine it’s also bad for your snooze habits.

Dear Alice, I am living with my family in a high-rise apartment. I am new to this country, Germany. My child is three-years-old and I am having trouble getting him adjusted to this new environment, but he is doing much better than in the beginning. Our upstairs tenants have a problem with my kid crying as it is loud and echoing at times. This happens especially when my son is inside the bathroom, as it is small and opposite to the bedroom.

Your brain is a pretty powerful thing, and yet, you can’t seem to remember where you left your keys last night. There’s a lot to be said for having a routine and keeping things in the same place every time (can you say “landing strip”?). But sometimes, you just need a good, solid memory trick.

Confession: I have a lot of anxiety about shopping for new clothes. I love adding new pieces to my wardrobe, but historically, I haven’t always been good at judging when I actually should or shouldn’t buy something.

Thrift stores carry a lot of, eh, “interesting” pieces on their racks. Bedazzled evening dresses from the ’80s rub shoulders with floral sundresses from the grunge era; sweater vests mingle with mom jeans, and Peter Pan collars throw you back into a time where Twiggy ruled the magazine stands.

New crib, new crib mattress, new rug, new curtains, new rocker, new wall art, new bookshelves, new dresser, new change mat—no doubt about it, the nursery business is big business. But do we really all need to buy into it? I mean, is it possible to just do no nursery? Would that be okay? How would that work? Well, ultimately, the answer to that question is going to be personal. And by personal, I mean it’s going to depend on you.

Have you heard of Eurogames before? It’s a subgenre of board games classified by two major features: their attention to design and theme, and focus on serious strategy. Competetive folks, take note: Put away the Scrabble set and try on one of these board games for size. Besides the great artwork and complex mechanics, another defining feature of Eurogames is that nobody is ever knocked out of the game (looking at you, Monopoly).

I sense that I’m in the minority here, but I’m quite fond of seeing children at weddings. The smaller the better. Because even if they cry during the ceremony or interrupt the first dance, you at least get some really adorable pictures of tiny children in formal wear. So… even? If you’re planning a wedding, you can use these pictures as inspiration for flower girl and ring bearer outfits.

The mind is a powerful thing. Instead of agonizing and cursing your way up the 64 dreadful, tiring stairs to your walk-up apartment, you jovially tell yourself that you’re getting a great workout. That you’re in way better shape because you climb these flights to get back home every night. It makes the trek up and down each day–actually, a few times a day–way more bearable. But is it true? Trying to convert steps climbed to miles walked or run is an inexact science.

Planning a wedding can bring about conflicting emotions. On the one hand, your romantic side finds warmth in the idea of being surrounded by the people you love, on a truly beautiful day that appeals to all your stylistic sensibilities. But your practical side remains firmly rooted in the grit, reminding you that it’s just one night of your life and not worth taking out a loan the size of a luxury vehicle. But you can have both. And these ten couples will prove it to you.

Let’s pour one out right now for all the personalized matchbooks and mesh-wrapped Jordan almonds of the world. They get left behind on wedding reception tables and probably tossed in the trash at the end of the night. Not what you had in mind for your gift to your guests, huh? Here are nine better ideas for wedding favors that your guests will love to take with them. The most important thing when choosing wedding favors is this: Know your guests!

It’s the third challenge, and we’re down two Personalities-with-capital-Ps—is one of these six remaining contestants going to step it up and provide crazy faces and/or biting commentary? Let’s find out. What’s behind the curtain?? Is it Ellen? Nope, just dishes. This week, the designers draw their inspiration from a literal wall of china. Not the Wall of China—but actual place settings. Their task? Design a dining table to complement their place setting.

I don’t think you choose to have a restaurant wedding as much as a restaurant wedding chooses you. You have to be a laid-back couple who are after a relaxed affair. The type of wedding planners where “great food” is the most important item on the list of what you want for your big day, and second is “not really having to decorate.” If that sounds like you, there are some big pros to hosting your wedding reception at one of your city’s finest eateries.

It seemed like only recently, the limited options in the wedding dress world were all fitted, strapless balls of white chiffon. Thankfully, designers have caught up to what real brides want: Dresses that look and feel more like the things they wear every day. (Your favorite stores might even have started bridal collections.) These three different bridal trends are rooted in reality. And as for how to pull them off, here’s the secret: There is no secret.

There’s no match for the ingenuity of a creative bride with a tiny budget. That’s when you get brilliant solutions, like the ten included in this post that use common IKEA marketplace finds to create beautiful DIY wedding details. These tiny plastic frames are a bargain and can be used all over the wedding to share messages (like in the shot at top from IKEA via My Little Secrets, or above without a paper insert in a wedding from Ruffled) or, you know, photos.

If the stress of wedding planning is enough to make your head explode, you and your beloved might just be the ideal candidates for a short, sweet and itty-bitty city hall wedding. There’s a long list of “pros”: Courthouse weddings are affordable, they come together quickly, and they can still be just as drop dead gorgeous as the bigger bashes. They’re more personal, too.

The bedroom is a sacred space for a relationship, but it’s about more than just a good mattress, tranquil wall color and comfortable sheets. You need also to keep consistent bedtime habits with your partner–the kind that almost dare you not to go to bed in total bliss. Here are four bedtime rules & rituals that happy couples swear by: Going to bed together is a sacred time, and a great opportunity for couples to connect and download their days.

Hello Alice, The problem is, my husband and I still want to spend time with my family but these occasions always focus around my mother’s cooking. My parents don’t believe in going out to eat, and we’re not sure if we can politely bring a dish or two and have my husband eat only that. It seems rude. Any good advice on how I can approach my mom about this again, or ways around this?

When some bride out there in the wedding world puts together a small army of crazy talented vendors to create a picnic wedding or a BBQ wedding, there are bound to be some stellar ideas that come out of it. And you can absolutely steal–er, borrow–some of those ideas to really impress at your next get-together. Above from photographer Michaela Rae: What’s cooler than a cooler for serving drinks? A DIY beer bar made from wood and painted cinderblocks.

The third episode of Girls saw one of the major characters, Shoshanna, relocating to Japan for a new job. This led to some interesting new storylines, and, of course, lots of interesting fashion and design. From the opening scenes with the taking alarm clock and that incredible, playfully designed apartment building, it’s not hard to see why Shoshanna loves Japan. We’ve tracked down some of the best pieces from the episode so you can experience it too.

Let’s face it–some weddings can be, well, boring (especially if you’re not the dancing type). You’re probably happy to be there, just to support the couple as they commit their lives to each other forever. But sometime between the rubbery chicken dinner and the encore performance of the Cha Cha Slide, you’re bound to be sitting there thinking to yourself, “This wedding would be so much better if there was a bounce house.” And you know what?

Bride & Groom: Ashley & Ca’Ron Wedding Date: June 12, 2014 Venue: Maison La Vigne Bed & Breakfast in Hapeville, Georgia Number of guests: 6 “Don’t be afraid to go small.” That’s bride Ashley’s best piece of advice for future couples looking to tie the knot with a sweet and simple ceremony.

Funerals, of course, are not a happy occasion, but they serve an important purpose: they give the bereaved a chance to celebrate the dead person’s life, to mourn together, and hopefully, to begin the healing process. When a pet dies things are a bit murkier. For a human death there’s an accepted script to follow: for a dog or cat, no so much. But anyone looking for a fitting way to mourn Fido or Fluffy might be heartened to hear that cat (and dog!

Often our favorite television series and films showcase dreamy apartments that are quite unrealistic for the characters who inhabit them. You know, the ones where your quintessential broke 20-something somehow affords to live in the lap of luxury despite being in financial ruin? That said, here are five TV and movie characters with practical, realistic apartments that look like mine and yours. Finally, a break from all the apartment envy.

If you think getting eight hours is going to solve all your sleep problems, I have some bad news for you. Getting enough sleep is one half of the battle. The other half is getting good sleep. It’s time to refresh your bedtime and wake-up routine and banish these bad bed habits for good. I’ve had tremendous success controlling my sleep with this tidbit: A person’s sleep cycle is, on average, 90 minutes.

When investing in a healthy home, one of the most important purchases you can make is a water filter.

Dear Alice, My boyfriend and I have been living in a small, lovely apartment for a year or so now. A few months ago new neighbors moved in below us and we can hear them talking- not every word, but the murmurs of their conversations. We can sometimes hear walking or cabinets, but what really gets to me is the talking. We have an area rug in our hard wood floor living room, but our bedroom, where we can also hear them sometimes, is carpeted so I am not sure if that is much of a factor.

Here’s a tiny (and very smart) dwelling that proves that little houses can be just as stylish as big ones. Called the ‘Artisan Retreat’, this little trailer is just bursting with beautiful details and clever solutions. And if you’re hunting for a home, it can be yours — for only $70k. The house, a creation of Matt at Handcrafted Movement, measures 250 square feet, including the loft.

Theresa Delaney is from the East Coast, but she’s fallen completely in love with Tucson, where she shares a cute apartment with her Tucson-native boyfriend James (and two rowdy pups). She writes: “We love being a quick ten-minute drive from downtown or the University of Arizona, and minutes from our favorite spots in the foothills. The large yard, quiet neighborhood and desert scenery don’t hurt, either!” Today, she shares some of her favorite spots in Tucson.

It’s never been easier to connect with people than it is right now. Social networks reach across the globe in seconds, and there’s a video phone in every person’s pocket, as if we’re all living in an episode of Star Trek. But for all the things that modern technology has done to make it easier to make and stay friends, there are just as many pitfalls to friendship in the digital era. How many friends do you have? A few hundred? A few thousand?

With the election a few weeks away, you might need a quick reminder that politics can be a backdrop for some really great humor. Here are nine (well, technically ten) films that will offer you an escape—and your best chance at fighting election fatigue. The quintessential summer blockbuster (let’s agree to forget about the sequel), this action film will remind you that however much this election season is stressing you out, at least there aren’t aliens. And President Thomas J.

When you’ve been hustling a million miles an hour all day long, the idea of collapsing on the couch and unwinding is like the Holy Grail. Decompressing from the daily grind is easier said than done, though—in order to unwind, your brain might need a nudge. Here are a few simple strategies to boost your mood and help put a stressful day behind you. Literally.

Nobody wants to show up empty handed when they’re invited to celebrate a birthday, but if you don’t know the person all too well, buying a gift can be sort of a minefield. What not to give: Tired gifts like decorative soap, picture frames or candles. Instead, put one of these five presents on your list. Each one is common enough to be a crowd-pleaser, but can be easily dressed up with a pretty or personal touch.

Get more sleep. Yes. Eat better. Of course. Get regular exercise. Well, duh. We already know all the things we need to do to be healthier (whether we do them or not). The question mark is more the issue of how, and finding ways to reinvent ways to stay motivated can often be the biggest challenge. So, I’ve gathered together five “how”s that have made things easier for me to stay on track with my wellness lately. This probably sounds odd.

In imagining the ideal wedding venue, the corporate headquarters of a Silicon Valley company wouldn’t exactly be at the top of most couples’ lists, but for Ben and Noa it couldn’t have been more perfect. Married a little over a month ago in Airbnb’s light-filled atrium on July 6th, the couple first met in 2014 when Ben made several attempts to book Noa’s space in Tel Aviv on the vacation rental marketplace.

We all have favorite scents and memories tied to different smells. Cinnamon might remind you of your grandmother’s family-famous apple pie, while the scent of fresh-cut grass takes you back to good times at summer camp. Just as those scents can evoke powerful thoughts and memories, aromatherapy with essential oils is thought to be able to impact your body and mind — energizing you, calming you, and altering your mood.

Self-care means something different to everyone, but one thing most of us can relate to is the idea of coming home from a long day and turning on the TV. We watch shows that make us laugh, shows that make us cry, shows that scare us, shows that fire us up so much we can’t fall asleep, and shows that say all the things we’re too afraid to say ourselves.

Passive aggressive refrigerator notes. Arguments about how to split the utility bill. Dust bunnies that Just. Keep. Growing. These are just a few everyday scenarios that illustrate the ways in which living with roommates can be challenging (to say the least), whether those sharing the space are best friends or total strangers. Thankfully, tech can help.

Could the right supplements help keep your skin safe all summer long? While it’s absolutely essential to use a quality sunscreen to prevent burns, these seven foods and supplements just may bolster your efforts and increase your skin’s tolerance to those red-inducing rays. Sign me—and my skin’s borderline superhero ability to burn in ten minutes—up. Wait, isn’t this the whole reason you’re out in the sun in the first place?

Unless you’ve been living under the floorboards with Lane Kim’s CD collection, you’re probably aware that the Gilmore Girls is coming back in November (!!!). In an attempt to prepare you for your dress-code-enforced viewing party, we’ve dissected each character’s iconic wardrobe so you can be the best fast-talking, tack-sharp Stars Hollowian you can be.

We all know that foods like chocolate, pizza and ice cream are borderline magical, but they do have calories — a big bunch of them. On the other end of the calorie spectrum are the good-for-us foods that yes, taste good, but aren’t chocolate, pizza and ice cream. These foods do have a couple of things going for them, though—they’re typically high in nutrients and low in calories.

We aren’t sure why Prince Charming was in such a rush to wake Sleeping Beauty from her slumber—a few extra hours of shut-eye never hurt. They call it beauty sleep for a reason. A good night’s sleep can result in brighter skin, fewer wrinkles, less puffy eyes and healthier hair. But since most of us can’t take a quick hundred year nap like Sleeping Beauty, we have to make the most out of the time we’ve got.

Ever have those nights when you can’t fall asleep because your mind is racing? Can you remember the last time you woke up with a great idea, only to forget it before you had your morning coffee? One tiny change can help you free up your mind and keep track of all your important thoughts—just keep a notebook on your nightstand.

Texting may seem impersonal at times, but for many of us it’s the easiest way to stay in touch with the people we care about most of the time. And if you’re part of a tight-knit group of friends, being a part of a group text from time to time is pretty much inevitable. Those group texts don’t have to be for specific events (like planning a party for someone) — actually, being in a long-term, no-reason group chat with your friends can have some awesome benefits.

Sitting down to create a budget is rarely at the top of my weekend agenda. But that doesn’t make it any less important. No matter your financial situation, you are ultimately the expert in managing the day-to-day (and year-to-year) of your own money matters. And if creating a budget is part of your plan, there are some questions for a little budgeting introspection that just may help you sort through those spreadsheets with a little more ease.

This week, the Wall Street Journal wrote a great piece about classic books we haven’t read, and how to get over the guilt. In it, there’s a poll asking people if they’ve read Pride & Prejudice and, as of this writing, 53% of respondents had not. As someone who’s devoured it and multiple iterations of it at least a dozen times, I audibly gasped.

Strong fashion trends are hard to recognize when you’re in the midst of them. However, give them a decade or two, and what once was funky fresh is now just…funky. Fortunately for mom jeans, what’s old is new, and everything comes back around. We’ve chronicled the typical outfit decade by decade from the 1950s to the early 2000s, so you can spot the least attractive style to model your 2017 wardrobe after. A simpler time, indeed.

I’m starting to think it’s a very sneaky secret that an engagement ring doesn’t have to destroy your wallet to be the perfect companion to a marriage proposal. Because it’s true: you really don’t have to take a hammer to the piggy bank (or your paycheck for the next three years) to find a stunner worthy of “I do.” And to prove it, here’s your very own budget-friendly engagement ring guide. Looking for classic vibes? Vintage options?

Maybe I’m being a curmudgeon here, but the current cultural pressure to be happy and mindful and Mindfully Happy all. the time. —it’s too much. It seems like feeling any other way is culturally unacceptable, something to feel guilty about. Yet we’re emotional beings and life can be tough. Feeling sad, crabby, or even (gasp) angry is OK sometimes! No, it’s more than OK, it’s necessary. Right?

If you’re thinking of upgrading your media station, your instinct might tell you to spend your money on a nice new flat screen TV. But if you’re shopping on a budget, or want a more creative solution for your movie-night needs, consider foregoing a television altogether to get a projector instead. Projectors come with a host of surprising benefits, and though you might assume a projector would feel a bit too outdated for your entertainment needs, don’t worry.

The words “bullet journaling” usually elicit one of three reactions from people: One: “What’s that?,” Two: “How does anyone have time for that?,” or Three: whatever the dialogue version of the heart-eyes emoji is. A bullet journal, if you’re unfamiliar, is an organizational system that combines your diary, sketchbook, to-do list and more all into one.

It seems like every year, droves of new holiday albums come out—so many that it’s hard to keep track of them all. Sometimes the best Christmas songs are right under our noses, we just have no idea because there’s too much to choose from.

Maybe it’s not that you hate all holiday music; it’s just that you’re sick of hearing the same peppy-on-the-verge-of-cheesy songs with the same message year after year. You’re tired of hearing “Jingle Bell Rock” at every single Christmas party (and really, everywhere you turn) and getting “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” stuck in your head for weeks on end.

Lest we begin this adventure with any misunderstanding about my relationship with early mornings and my alarm clock, allow me to offer this summary: I am the Queen of Snooze Buttons. My husband, parents and college roommates can all attest to this fact. But snoozing my way through the morning isn’t exactly the most productive or, frankly, healthy way to begin the day.

With all the added expenses that come with the holiday season and the time to set your 2017 goals just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get serious about your finances. Here are five money books that are chock-full of wisdom that will help you take your finances to the next level. Whether you want to mend your relationship with money, develop a wealth mindset, or start investing some of your hard-earned cash, there’s a book here for you.

Laurel Kinney’s personal styling business is much more than just the superficial. With a background in social work, she believes “fashion should support you, be an enjoyable creative outlet that makes you feel confident, and the process of shopping for a wardrobe you love shouldn’t be a rule-filled pain, but a fun and easy endeavor with positive results.

St. Florian Monastery in Austria (Image credit: flickr user Renate Dodell) cc by-nd 2.0Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA (Image credit: Joseph Sohm) shutterstockFonthill Castle in Doylestown, PA (Image credit: flickr user neverbutterfly) cc by 2.0George Peabody Library in Baltimore, MD (Image credit: Andrea Izzotti) shutterstock If you missed Disney’s live action remake of Beauty and the Beast, the dark academia deserves a look.

Rushing, stress and long to-do lists can make the holiday season turn hectic in a snap. From buying gifts, and planning parties to staying on budget and keeping a social life, it’s easy get burned out when you’re trying to do it all. When it feels like you’re working overtime around the clock, do you find yourself feeling stuck? We’re rounded up a few tips you should definitely try during the festive season when you just can’t even.

Laurel Kinney is a personal stylist, and we toured her beautiful Austin home a few years ago. She has five questions you should ask yourself before the year is up so you don’t end up filling your 2018 closet full of clothes you’ll never wear. Laurel writes: Have you ever peered into your closet and had the frustrating feeling that none of your clothes feel right anymore?

It is a truth universally acknowledged that “When Harry Met Sally” is the best romantic comedy of all time. I’ve seen it more times than I can count, but upon my most recent viewing, after a long hiatus that included a move to New York, I had plenty of new thoughts about the movie — things I’d never picked up on or noticed before. So I decided to share some of them with you. 1. They drove all the way from Chicago to New York in one go? Without stopping?