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Ask HuSi: US Edition, Boston in particular

By Evil Cloaked User (Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 06:00:21 AM EST) (all tags)

Two friends of mine living in Boston tied the knot recently and I want to buy them a gift. They claim that at their post-wedding party next month, all they want is my presence, not my presents. I plan to ensure they get both. Your advice is requested.

If they were living in Ireland, well first of all, I wouldn't have to worry about it being awkward for them to take home a physically large gift, but secondly, I could just get them a voucher for this place, being as it is, quite the decent catch-all. Is there anything similar stateside? Or any other suggestions? I have a couple of hundred dollars to kick at this.

In other news, I was out last night and bumped into a girl I'd been chatting up on New Year's. I'd asked her out at the time, but she had some boyfriend/ex-boyfriend thing going on that she was unsure of the state of, or so she claimed at the time. Well, she claimed right, and they ended up back together about a week after that.

Right, back to last night. I introduced her to BlondeFormerFlatmate saying, "You remember, you met her boyfriend there a few weeks back..." Ex-boyfriend apparently. Conversation continued and I was invited, repeatedly, frequency increasing with alcohol levels, to an art college degree show that's on this evening.

Ended up walking her to a cash point and a taxi later in the night, and she came out with the fantastic statement, "I probably shouldn't tell you this 'cause I'm drunk, but sometimes I think back on what happened at New Year's and kinda regret it..."

The phrase "Oh, yeah, I regret it too," followed by a subtle pause garnered a confused look. "I mean, the restaurant I'd picked really isn't that great. I should have suggested somewhere better." And she turned that frown upside-down. "Obviously I don't regret asking you out - you're a hottie after all!"

There will be free wine at the degree show. It starts at 6:30.

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Ask HuSi: US Edition, Boston in particular | 15 comments (15 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback

Attn: Editors by Evil Cloaked User (2.00 / 0) #1 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 06:04:45 AM EST

Why do I fuck up my poll the day after I become unable to fix it? Can someone make that multi-select?

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Still, I think most of the problem is just a mental hurdle to overcome, - Cloaked User

: Who was that masked man! by Evil Cloaked User (2.00 / 0) #2 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 06:15:26 AM EST

Thanks anonymous editor person.

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Still, I think most of the problem is just a mental hurdle to overcome, - Cloaked User
[ Parent ]

Amazon? by blixco (2.00 / 0) #3 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 08:20:01 AM EST

I've not seen an all-in-one place like that. Amazon gift certificate would be closest.

Buy them a weekend at a decent bed and breakfast in, say, Rockport. This place is nice and I'm sure you can arrange something pre-paid with an open-ended reservation. Maybe. The room with the sun porch is recommended.
---------------------------------
Taken out of context I must seem so strange - Ani DiFranco

: Thanks. by Evil Cloaked User (4.00 / 1) #4 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 08:33:39 AM EST

Amazon might work - they are both nerds after all, but I prefer the thought of something more tangible, so the B&B idea is cool. I'll look into it.

--
Still, I think most of the problem is just a mental hurdle to overcome, - Cloaked User
[ Parent ]

Hm. by ana (2.00 / 0) #5 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 09:24:10 AM EST

Haven't seen anything quite that overarching, though blixco's suggestion of amazon is a good one. Many shopping malls have a kiosk that sells gift certificates good at any shop in the mall. And, I'm told, there's the possibility of a pre-paid debit card that'd be accepted wherever major credit cards are. Perhaps checking with Visa or Mastercard would be a first step.

Can you introspect out loud? --CRwM

: Pre-paid card by Evil Cloaked User (2.00 / 0) #6 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 09:44:31 AM EST

That probably surpasses the scope of the near-universal gift voucher. I'll look into it. I don't know the malls in question so I couldn't really decide which one to use. Thanks for the input.

--
Still, I think most of the problem is just a mental hurdle to overcome, - Cloaked User
[ Parent ]

are they registered somewhere? by Kellnerin (2.00 / 0) #7 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 09:46:11 AM EST

If so, you can a) get something shipped to them, most likely or b) get a gift card there for anything they missed or other people just didn't buy.

On the B&B side, I'd recommend this place. It's in Western Mass., and the food (breakfast and afternoon tea) is excellent. Fireplaces in the rooms, so maybe they want to go in the off-season (though there's less happening in town then ... fine if they just want to do the quiet weekend alone thing). They do gift certificates.

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"later" meant either "when you walk around the corner" or "oatmeal."

Not registered - I asked. by Evil Cloaked User (4.00 / 1) #9 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 10:41:14 AM EST

Finding an excellent guest house and then having to explain where I developed fantastic taste in a State I've never been to could get entertaining.

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Still, I think most of the problem is just a mental hurdle to overcome, - Cloaked User
[ Parent ]

: easy by Merekat (4.00 / 1) #11 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 10:47:06 AM EST

You researched for good reviews on the Internet. Which you did. Just in a more targetted way.

[ Parent ]

Do the fuzzy edges come included there, by ambrosen (2.00 / 0) #12 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 11:07:59 AM EST

or was the Journalist/Web developer on a Fluff and Loving in West Massachusets trip?

I was somewhere near Worcester, on the edge of the 'burbs when the drugs started to take hold.

[ Parent ]

Prepaid gift card by ad hoc (2.00 / 0) #8 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 09:54:10 AM EST

Amex has one. Good anywhere, replaceable, &c.
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Close friendships and a private room can offer most of the things love does.

I think we may have a winner. by Evil Cloaked User (2.00 / 0) #10 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 10:42:31 AM EST

I'm guessing, based on the name, that AmEx widely accepted across the water? Not so much over here ya see.

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Still, I think most of the problem is just a mental hurdle to overcome, - Cloaked User
[ Parent ]

: Not absolutely everywhere by ad hoc (2.00 / 0) #13 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 11:34:31 AM EST

but almost everywhere. Certainly all hospitality type places (hotel, restaurant, &c) and every store of any size. Come to think of it, I can't think of anywhere that doesn't take it.
Plus, IIRC, if they really want to use it somewhere that doesn't accept it, I think you can get the case from a AmEx travel center, but I may be wrong about that. Or maybe they could buy AmEx traveler's cheques with it, which are as good as cash.
--
Close friendships and a private room can offer most of the things love does.
[ Parent ]

There's this amazing concept by Breaker (2.00 / 0) #14 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 12:10:11 PM EST

Called cash that is:

Easy to use, no pin number to remember
Accepted everywhere
Doesn't go off or expire

WIPO by alprazolam (2.00 / 0) #15 Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 05:37:36 PM EST

the radio. 50%.

Ask HuSi: US Edition, Boston in particular | 15 comments (15 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback