Answer the question
What do you consider part and parcel of a successful friendship?
Part and parcel of
His plan to impress her backfired on him miserably.
To backfire on sb
I am busy with work
I have a lot on my plate = I have a lot of plates spinning / I am snowed under with work
His actions are always in ... his values.
alignment with
I'm (on the same page with) my best friend on most things.
I see eye to eye with my best friend on most things.
On the flip side, what challenges do you face in your job?
It was a long-winding trip through the mountains.
Long-winding trip
Plan went wrong
fell by the wayside / fell short/ went south/ went down the drain/ went awry / went pear-shaped
She tends to see the world through ... glasses.
rose-tinted
(When I feel the craving), I have to eat chocolate.
When the urge hits me, I have to eat chocolate.
Has anyone ever bailed on you?
To bail on sb
Don't skimp on quality when buying important items.
To skimp on smth
I paid a lot
I splurge on it/ splashed out on it / I forked out on/ for it (= I had to pay) / I paid through the nose
My dad is a real ... when it comes to spending.
penny pincher
The presentation (went seamlessly) without any technical glitches.
The presentation went smoothly without any technical glitches.
Are you brimming with ideas for your next project?
Brimming with ideas
She followed the recipe to a T and it turned out perfectly.
To do something to a T
To improve my skills
to hone/ enhance/boost my skills/ to take my skills up a notch
It's his responsibility to ... bacon.
bring home the
He exercises (diligently) every morning before work.
He exercises religiously every morning before work.
How do you stay bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the mornings?
Bright-eyes and bushy-tailed
Having lived there, she knows the city firsthand.
To know something firsthand
I realized that...
It occurred to me that...= It dawned on me that….= It came to me that...
We always ... market to get the best price.
haggle at the
Social media can be a (mixed blessing), offering connection but also distraction.
Social media can be a double-edged sword, offering connection but also distraction.