Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with weekend

People in Europa / Ciao ciao bella, Monaco

mippy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:53:03 -0800

April. Europe. Our first proper holiday, and I haven't left the country in eight years. Where to go? On the shortlist are Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, and, um, somewhere Scandinavian or Italian.

As the pound is worth little these days, and I have to pay £80 to renew my passport, we need to know cities and places to stay that aren't hugely expensive (hostels are fine as long as they're safe), and food too. We like museums, art and graveyards, interesting urban architecture and culture, shopping (ie. things that we can't get in the UK - we like crafts and boardgaming, and I like thriftshopping), pubs rather than clubs, nice cafes, things to see and do and photograph. Neither of us can drive, but I'm a beginner cyclist so we can get around that way.

Where can I go for a long weekend?

dearleader — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:24:28 -0800

NYC-er looking for an extended weekend break late November. Europe's good but seems a little far (e.g., with jet lag, etc.), but would like to skip the country a bit. Have been to much of Mexico (though not Maya Riviera, Yucatan), a bit of the "other" Caribbean (Cuba, Trinidad). More culture/nature than clubs, etc. Warmer would be better than colder (though Iceland does call). Am basically trying to maximize the short time I have — given short time budget less important. Anyone got any suggestions?

quiet beachy birthday romance

pearl228 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:41:49 -0800

Awesome, romantic getaway in proximity to nyc? Secluded, autumn beach spot preferred... So, I'm looking to take my man on a sweet trip outside of the city for his birthday this weekend. I can rent a car, or we can take a train then rent a car. I was thinking Montauk, which remains a possibility, but would prefer something a little more unexpected if I can figure it out.

Does anyone have any specific suggestions in terms of towns, transport, lodging, and things to do when we're not taking long walks on the beach..?

Thanks in advance!!

Advice on building a ramada

TorontoSandy — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:30:53 -0800

Construction newbies would like to build a backyard ramada. We're thinking of an open structure, similar to an arbor. The plan is to use 4 4x4 posts set 8 feet apart. The roof will be a slatted top with a 1 foot overhang. Since this is termite country, I'd like to anchor the posts in a cement footing using a J-bolt. My question concerns the size and depth of the cement tube forms. Do you recommend an 8 inch or 12 inch form and to what depth should we dig the post hole? We will have a motorized posthole digger, but we will be digging in caleche.

Cheap driving trip from LA?

ValkoSipuliSuola — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:03:00 -0800

Where can I go in SoCal for a 3 day weekend? My husband has next Monday off and we would like to take a driving trip somewhere. We live in LA and would like to see some nature - at least what hasn't caught fire yet. A 3-4 hour drive would be ideal, maybe longer.

We don't have any camping equipment, but could conceivably purchase some. The biggest problem is we have a Miata, which has a very small trunk. I'm not sure we could fit a tent and cooler in there even if we wanted to. On the plus side, the car is a hoot and a half to drive, hence the desire to drive somewhere. We also need to do it on the cheap. Any suggestions?

We've looked at Big Sur and Yosemite, but everything's booked.

Bad-at-Romance-Filter: Chicagoland Weekend Away

Oktober — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:05:00 -0800

Gotta-Get-Away Filter: I'm trying to book a weekend away with my darling fiancée in late september or early october for our combination birthdays/two year anniversary. We're looking at more of a spa/resort type of situation more than a B&B. We'd like to get a couple's massage, relax in a hottub, and generally lounge around a lake with a good book. We're trying to fit this into a regular weekend, so a max, 4-5 hour drive from Chicago. One of our friends recommended Heidel House, but the reviews seem to swing wildly, especially off-season.

How do you spend time?

Anonymous — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:21:22 -0800

How do you divide between spending time with your partner on the weekend and having the opportunity to pursue your own activities? The division we have doesn't work for me. I have been with my boyfriend for three years. We live together. We both work full time.

He has a hobby/interest that he spends much of his spare time at the weekend on, often away from home for much of both Saturday and Sunday. I like that he has something he enjoys doing, but I feel like he doesn't make time to spend with me.

When he came home after a three day weekend recently and said "That was fantastic, every weekend should be like this one", I pointed out (in a joking tone) that he hadn't spent any of it with me.

His response was that 'my family things' have taken up lots of time this year and he has gone to those. We have gone to Christmas lunch, Easter brunch, a special birthday event for an older relative, and a Mother's Day/combined birthday event.

I asked him about two months ago to set aside some of each weekend to spend with me, because well, I would like to spend time together! He said he would try, but that really, weeknights suited him better and he would do things then. He said that the bad situation at his job (which he left 18 months ago) took a lot out of him, and he really wants to focus on doing something for himself.

I have since asked him to do things on weeknights, and he has said he is too tired (honestly, a lot of the time, I am too). He made an effort for a few weeks to spend time together on the weekend, but it left a bit of a sour taste. He would front up at the time he said he would be home and say "Well, what have you got arranged? I could be doing other things.". This really didn't make me feel like he enjoyed or valued spending time with me.

Because he is out much of the weekend, I also end up doing the grocery shopping and a lot of the house cleaning alone. By the time he gets home on the weekend, he is often too tired to do anything (whether than is doing something together, doing something erm.. in bed, or catching up on the cleaning).

I have my own interests and friends, and do enjoy spending time alone also (reading, cooking, going for a walk, seeing films, browsing bookshops, volunteer work). I have lived overseas several times without many family or friends, and have enjoyed my own company and found entertainment (we don't live overseas now). I am really not sitting about in a tower ringing my hands and waiting for my knight to return. But when I am out and about, and see other people spending time with their loved ones, I feel a twinge that I would like that.

I sometimes spend some time on his interest (going out with him while he drives around to pick up things, or talking to him while doing something), but it really isn't something in which I can muster any further interest. He also professes that he would rather stay home and pursue his interest, than go on a holiday somewhere (which I have defined as broadly as "wherever he would like to go").

Any ideas on how to try tackling this issue again? Is this 'wake up and smell the coffee' territory?

Help me avoid Memorial Day weekend eastern seaboard gridlock!

inkyr2 — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:22:32 -0800

Traveling Baltimore to Boston Friday of Memorial Day weekend. Help! Best time to leave Baltimore to avoid gridlock? (I'm flexible) Best or alternate routes?

Travel San Antonio

lockestockbarrel — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:53:54 -0800

San Antonio this weekend: stuff to do, restaurants, etc. Tell me all! Driving up on Sat, driving back on Mon. What should we do? Where should we stay? Where should we eat?

Young couple looking to do fun stuff to do, not uber-expensive, but it doesn't have to be on the super-cheap either. Priority on cool local places to eat and interesting things to see.

Eastern Shore destinations?

Morrigan — Fri, 01 May 2009 18:51:52 -0800

Can you recommend a nice/interesting place for a weekend away on Maryland's Eastern Shore or thereabouts? Especially interested in gay-friendly accommodations.

Leave a Message After the Tone

Xhris — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:06:40 -0800

I've become intrigued by the idea of these weekend meetings that the companies/government have to decide to rescue, buy, take-over each other. I understand that it's wise not to release the news whilst the stock markets are trading, but so often we hear about the US Fed meeting with banking execs 'over the weekend' and deciding such-and-such. How do they get them together? Does somebody somewhere maintain a big list of who's who and what their contact numbers are? Do companies of a certain size and type always have access to staff over weekends and the executives whereabouts 24/7 ?

I just would like to hear some details of how the mechanics of getting all these important folk together on the weekend actually works. I mean what if some CEO is fishing in the mountains, or still drunk from last night's swinger's party and has his mobile phone off? Do they lose out the chance to buy ABC bank for $1 ? (or whatever is the subject of the weekend's issues).

Who exactly does the Fed call? (no point calling the main switchboard number of my bank after 8pm on a Friday night!!). Do the company's legal departments or company secretariats organize 24/7 coverage just for emergency goings-on ? Is some poor admin assistant on duty all the time?

Or do those things actually happen Mon-Fri with days and days of warning? And the whole idea that XYZ Corp decided to spend $99 Billion to buy ABC Corp based on a quick chat at 6pm on Sunday night, just a bit of exaggerated drama to feed to the masses ?

Anybody got any real life anecdotes or experience of this?

A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and Lyon singing in the wilderness.

mdonley — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:21:07 -0800

I'm going to Lyon this weekend and will be free from late Saturday evening to about noon on Sunday. I'm into food and photography but am on a super-tight budget, so I'm looking for both some cheap, tasty delights and some particularly pretty little corners of the city. I'm staying in Vieux Lyon, going to a concert in Villeurbanne, and can speak French.

toronto options for weekend bursitis treatment

maudlin — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:51:48 -0800

What options do I have for what seems like a sudden acute bursitis attack in my right shoulder? I'm in Toronto and have an appointment for my first cortisone shot Tuesday (I may be able to successfully beg a shot on Monday), but I don't know if I can wait that long for my clinic to open again. It hurts a lot and I can't even sleep through the night. It's been getting worse since waking up Friday morning, not better. lefthanded and lower case from here on, sorry.

have been under treatment for LEFT shoulder since fall (rotator cuff, tightness, referred pain and mild bursitis) which has limited m y cycling but is getting better.

my RIGHT shoulder has been mildly sore at point of shoulder for months, and ultrasound in december showed some very small bursa inflammation . it has been slightly sore on waking for a couple of days, but after sleeping in an awkward, constrained position thursday night, i woke up bilaterally stiff and sore friday. while my left shoulder was soon fine, my right shoulder got worse throughout the day.

i'm limiting computer work (full day of work friday probably not a good idea), i've been icing nearly constantly and maxing out advil, and trying GENTLY to keep up range of motion to avoid stiffness, though that might be a mistake -- i don't know.

after three hours of careful sleep, i've woken up and can barely move my arm without stabbing pains. more ice. more advil in another 2 hours.

emerg? st joe's says they don't do cortisone shots, and best i could get would be meds. naproxen, if i get it, is somewhat stronger than advil, but i don't know if god knows how many hours in emerg is worth the trade-off.

i'm trying to find any sports med clinics open saturday, and have emailed these people to see if i can get an appt. are there any other places i can try that are open saturday?

i'm afraid that the longer i leave this, the worse it will get. please help me figure out what to do.

Spending a long weekend alone.

inatizzy — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:25:50 -0800

I'm off work the next four days over the New Year's holiday & weekend. I am usually a very social person, but I live alone and I don't have much of anything planned this weekend. And I'm worried about spending the whole weekend alone, because I think I will get really lonely and unhappy. How can I enjoy myself? I've reached out to a few friends to hang out, but have no commitments yet and may get none. I usually go out swing dancing on the weekend, which gives me lots of social interaction, but there's nothing this weekend. I live alone in a 2-room studio that can sometimes feel a little claustrophobic/isolating and I get cabin fever if I spend too much time alone there, especially if I don't have something social to look forward to.

So I'm worried about getting bored and depressed and feeling lonely the whole time this weekend, which would be pretty awful and unbearable. I usually keep myself pretty busy outside the house, probably in order to avoid this type of discomfort, so with this weekend not having much in the way of busy-ness, I'm at a loss for what to do with myself and how to cope.

I have the option to spend a few hundred dollars and go away to a dance conference at a hotel for these days, which would surround me with people and activities. (Mostly people I don't know, but there’d be a couple of friends.) But I am afraid I'd just be running away from a problem that I would benefit from solving.

It can get pretty bad with long times alone at home without plans. Feeling very sorry for myself, like no one loves me, like I am all alone and no one cares, like I am wasting my time, like I am trapped there alone and unhappy. To alleviate this on normal weekends, I often go to a cafe with my laptop just so I can be around people. But I can only do that for so long (not for 4 days!) and we're looking at bad weather this weekend (snow and extreme cold) so it won't be easy to go out of the house. Plus, most public places will be closed tomorrow for New Year’s holiday.

So I guess my question is, is there a way that I can overcome this loneliness/sadness/worry this weekend and really enjoy all this unstructured responsibility-free alone time? How would I spend the time? It sounds like it should be a wonderful thing but it is just making me really anxious, as you can tell.

Or would it just be better for me to give in to my need to be around people and go to this dance conference? Sorry for the length; I appreciate your advice!

What's a good destination in the U.S. Southwest for a weekend get-together?

Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 14:33:55 -0800

What are some good destinations in the Southwest (U.S.) for a weekend get-together for four guys? We are coming from No. California, So. California, and Southwestern Arizona and would like someplace central and easily reached by car. (Vegas is the easternmost limit.) Vegas is the obvious choice, but we are open for more exciting and different suggestions. There are some caveats inside. At least one of us is out of shape, so anything that requires strenuous activity (climbing, long hikes) is not recommended. A cabin somewhere might work, if it doesn't require a long trek, but the date is in February and we don't want to freeze. We do not have camping gear, and do not want to purchase any. We would also like "neutral" ground, so L.A., the Bay Area, and San Diego are out (Southern Arizona is okay, though). Are there places on the coast that would be fun? Skiing is an option, but where? (None of us is familiar with this region.) Thanks in advance for all your ideas!

Long Tall Weekend

LSK — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:10:27 -0800

I want to accomplish something over a long weekend. I have off of school until Tuesday, and for the first time in years I have no impending assignments. I want to accomplish something, but I don't really have any ongoing projects either. Any ideas?

Traveling by train from Seattle to Vancouver, BC.

bamassippi — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:31:33 -0800

Traveling by train from Seattle to Vancouver, BC. I'm planning a weekend getaway across the border from Seattle to Vancouver BC and looking to travel by rail via Amtrak. Why does the Seattle-Vancouver BC route only offer train trips once per day?

Is this only temporary?
Why the odd hours?
Have any of you traveled to BC via Amtrak?
What was your experience?

London's calling, and it's my turn to pick up the phone

The Shiny Thing — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:10:17 -0800

What can I do with two spare weekends in the Square Mile? I'm about to head over to London for three weeks, yay! But what should I see while I'm there?

Home base will be roughly near Mansion House tube station. This is terribly convenient on weekdays, but apparently that part of town is kinda dead on weekends.

So my question is, what can I do on my weekends off that will fill my brain with culture?

I'm mostly looking for cultural things - museums, bookshops, old buildings, and anything that's a little bit different, or off the normal tourist track. (Interesting photo opportunities would be cool, as well.)

There's the Tower of London nearby, sure; and the West End as well (although I don't know what specifically would be worth seeing). And having rummaged through some old threads, starting the day with a coffee at the London Review Bookstore sounds kinda awesome. But is there anything I'm missing?

(And I'll be at the meetup.)

weekend trip from Boston?

lalalana — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:40:51 -0800

My boyfriend, our two small dogs, and I would like to take a weekend trip in the Boston area soon... We want cost-effective, swimming opportunities, quaintness, dog-friendly, nature... Any suggestions? It's a been a crazy summer for work, and we just want to go somewhere relaxing with the dogs. We also want somewhere CHEAP if at all possible. I know it's the season, so cheap is not the easiest, so any places that aren't necessarily big tourist destinations would be fine.

Saw this one, but emphasis on cost-effectiveness and dog-friendliness rather than commute...

Planning the romantic weekend of a lifetime.

scrute — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:24:39 -0800

My friend is looking for a romantic weekend getaway from London. Cheap flights are a possibility, the main requirement is that it be really special and memorable. Suggestions? A good friend of mine is moving to London this fall to live with her long-time, long-distance boyfriend. To celebrate the occasion (honeymoon-style) she wants to surprise him with a weekend away that he'll never forget. The weekend in question will be in November. He's British (she's Canadian) and he's done all 'the usual' England things, so if it's in the UK, it needs to be special (Wales? Scotland? Lake District?).

Short flights are within the realm of possibility, but he travels a lot around Europe for work, so it still needs to be pretty special if its outside the UK (for example, a weekend in Paris is not, in itself, a big deal for him.) They're both very active - diving, skiing, hiking are all good things as long as they involve a wonderful romantic retreat at the end of the day. It can't require visas for him though, since she needs to plan it without his knowledge.

Hivemind, please help my friend find a wonderful way to celebrate the beginning of her new life!

Help Me Find a Sexy Weekend Bag (For a Guy)

jimmyjimjim — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:17:32 -0800

I am the unproud owner of the world's most hideous weekend bag. I'd like to right the wrong by moving up to a really sexy-looking weekend bag (I'm a guy). View this photo to experience the fugly, shiny, lumpy dismagnificence of hideous weekend bag (HWB). The bag measures 22" x 9".

The problem is that in terms of utility, i can't find anything as good as HWB. Its flaccid softness makes it easy to overstuff. And I like the zippered side pockets - also overstuffable - that can fit a shoe each, or separate dirty laundry. I like the flush-fitting velcroed outer pocket for documents and maps.

Is there anything out there that's also got lots and lots of space, with shoe/laundry-accommodating segregated pockets, but that's gaspingly masculine and sexy? Or shall I stick with function-over-form?

Oh, one thing: please, no conspicuously expensive leather that will get the thing stolen within the first month!

The Patagonia MLC isn't great looking, but its got the space, segregation, and overstuffability.

The Patagonia lightweight tote is perfect, but nearly as ugly as HWB

This banana republic pebbled leather duffle is awesome looking (though lacks segregated space for shoes/laundry)...but it seems oh-so-stealable.

This nylon weekend bag from banana republic seems like a decent compromise.

Is there anything perfect out there?

hip hippie honeymoon

TrixieRamble — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:01:15 -0800

Please suggest destinations for an off-the-beaten-path weekend honeymoon this June. Criteria: close enough to St. Louis to fit a trip into three or four days including travel time; $1,000 to $2,000 total; somewhere beautiful, ocean is best; romantic but not in your standard champagne-and-strawberries way. We love the outdoors, arts and culture, great food, the environment, and discovering unexpected treasures when traveling. We will probably take a big international trip in the next year but want to do something fun and relaxing right after our wedding. We are considering a few places we already love or think we would love: Ten Thousand Waves, Orvis Hot Springs, or Ojo Caliente, but we'd like to try something new and maybe get a little less land-locked. (Hot springs are not required, it just happens that some of our favorite places have them!)

We did an all-inclusive resort vacation in Mexico once and had a great time, but we would prefer something a little more unique that lets us make our own way and maybe meet other people like us.

Is there somewhere perfect on the west coast we don't know about? A resort in Hawaii that doesn't feel too corporate resort-y? Funky towns in beautiful places we haven't thought of?

Thanks for your ideas!

Which blogs do you read on the weekend?

mrunderhill — Sun, 11 May 2008 12:34:02 -0800

Which blogs do you read on the weekend? Most blogs I read have limited activity on the weekend..

Hobo dreams

doift — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:39:17 -0800

Please recommend me some day/weekend trip destinations from NYC, especially if they involve trains and don't require renting a car. My husband grew up in relatively car-centric, train-free areas, and now that we live in the East he really wants to go on a long train ride and see the rolling countryside, etc. Being more experienced in the ways of train travel than he is, I pointed out that his original suggestion (just get on any random train and ride it all day) is boring and a bad idea. But it would be nice to have some Saturday or whole-weekend trip ideas in reserve, so we're looking for destinations.

We like: food, museums, movies, theater, interesting shopping, quiet beaches, interesting scenery, longish unstrenuous walks, going to states that we haven't been to yet (which includes most of them), activities and amusements that are usually intended for children, and not spending very much money.

We don't much like: when walking becomes hiking, froofy B&Bs, having to rent a car.

Where should we go? Where should we stay? What should we do?

Things to do in Norfolk....

le morte de bea arthur — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 08:49:52 -0800

Suggestions for places to stay or visit on a weekend visit to North Norfolk (UK)? Norfolk isn't a part of England that I've visited before; any advice on activities/places that my partner and I (and our 20-month-old) might enjoy would be most appreciated.