Yep, it's Bittersweet Chocolate Day — a holiday I prepare for all year. In other news, it's one week until our first freebiemeet of 2015.
Meanwhile, our usual weekend open thread: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the perfume that serves as a substitute for another perfume you can't afford, the last wonderful chocolate bar you had, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is The Choqoa Sampler 2009. Discover Real Chocolate by EverJean at flickr; some rights reserved.
Was heading out for the weekend,when I got the message that Tama Blough had passed away.Sad sad news.Condolences to her family and friends,and the perfume community who knew and loved her.
I’m so glad you mentioned this. I just saw the news myself. I have found it phenomenally heartwarming that our community rallied around one of our own, and that Tama could stay at home with her beloved cat and surrounded by her perfume collection, just as she wished. She was much beloved.
That is just so sad. I remember many wonderful comments, descriptions and reviews Tama made on NST and other fragrance blogs, as well as her own.
The first time I heard of Tama was a few weeks ago thru word of her illness.
It speaks well of her that so many were compelled to lend a hand in her time of need, it speaks well also of the men and women who belong to this community that they reached out in the way they did.
She’ll be so missed.
Incidentally, I don’t think that Tama’s cat, Buster, has a new home yet, and he needs one. If you’re on the West Coast of the US and could use a cat with a large and terrific personality, please think about it. (He has mild asthma controllable with quarterly vet treatment, and does best as the only pet.)
Thank you Mals, for mentioning this. Buster is one big sweet cuddly lap cat and needs a forever home.
So sorry to hear about Tama…it makes me very sad to know that she is no longer with us. Condolences to her family. She will be missed.
Last week Squirrely and I had amazing hot chocolate at Marie Belle– we were going to go to Lauderee for a pick me up but it started snowing and hot chocolate seemed more appropriate. Mmm…
Wore Cafe Cacao yesterday so I don’t need to wear chocolate perfume today
If any NY area people want to get rid of some perfume without dealing with shipping come to our meetup on Friday night– it will be lots of fun with nibbles and wine and laughter. Email either me or missionista to RSVP (our screen names are our yahoo addresses)
I used to buy the Marie Belle banana chocolate bar but never see it anymore.
Hope the meetup is fun!
I am excited to come to this event as a newbie! Can’t wait to meet all of you.
Can’t wait to meet you and the others
I’m up early and doing an arm-to-arm comparison of Caron Tabac Blond edt and Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque, because the CM reminded me of the Tabac Blond when I tried it by itself. Side by side they’re similar but distinguishable – the Caron is slightly sharper, and the Lutens is softer and more noticeably leathery (and has no tobacco note that I can detect). They’re both lovely, and a FB of Cuir Mauresque is likely in my future (unlike the Caron, which I can only find at STC in decant form).
Seeing as it’s Bittersweet Chocolate day, I believe it’s time to make a dent in a gigantic bag of chocolate chips my husband brought home over the holidays, and bake cookies!
Save me a cookie
Absolutely!
Currently swooning over Thierry mugler miror des voluptes. Testing it for the first time today.
I never tried any of the TM mirror scents. Not sure they’re still making them?
I’ve only seen and tried des majestes and des voluptes. I haven’t even seen the rest so not sure about them. They are still making these two I think though.
PS: I hope you’re going to enjoy lots of good chocolate today Robin! I might too later.
Thank you, I have good chocolate every day! To practice, mind you.
Extensive training is very important
Heading out for lunch soon, and planning on wearing PHI-une Rose de Kandahar, which pretty much knocked my socks off when I first tried it. Normally I have a rule about the amount of time I have to wait before buying something, but because I was late to the party, I’m fretting a bit now about whether I need to buy a bottle before they run out. Limited quantities certainly make it hard to be practical!
Oh, one of my all time favorites! I am going to be a total enabler and say you should buy a bottle (if it doesn’t cause financial stress, of course) because PHI is a very special scent IMHO. I bought a bottle last year (might have been 2013- whatever year it first came out) and wear it often and am so happy I splurged on it- just a gorgeous scent!
YES to what Deva says, AND it is such a powerful scent, that even a sillage-queen like me only needs a few sprays to feel full of its beauty. Based on Kevin’s math, that’s gonna last you 245 fragrance days!
I love the concept of “fragrance days”! Such an important distinction that 245 fragrance days is not the same as a perfume lasting eight months–that could be five years, easy! (Five years even if it’s a favorite–often I don’t even wear my favorites once a week!)
Why, thank you! Although in fairness, it can be fragrance mornings and fragrance afternoons, too! Unless I’m wearing some good, stinky vintage Shalimar or something!
In any case, I do think those of us who can’t imagine wearing the same scent for five years need an alternative way to do the math.
I third what everyone just said. A generous nst soul sent me a small decant of PHI which I loved. So I bought a fb in November and I am already thinking of getting a backup bottle. If I could have only one perfume this would be it.
I’m struggling with the back-up bottle notion as well. I have one set aside at Our Lady that I need to decide if I want to release it back to the wild or buy it. I’ve used maybe 15 mL of my first bottle in the year+ I’ve owned it. So, I won’t need that back-up for maybe 3-4 years. . . but then, will it still be available?! It’s very distressing!
I know. I’m going nutty over the same thing. My spidey sense is telling me to get it, but my rational brain wants me to calm the heck down. It’s a case of perfume paralysis.
Get it, girl. If down the road, you end up deciding to divest yourself of it, you’ll find a taker in a snap–but I am very doubtful you’ll want one!!
You’re such a reliable cheerleader!
Easy in your case–you actually use up bottles and you have a really clear and focused set of preferences in your perfume! Your purchases always make far more sense than mine
Wow that is a voncept! If I could only have one bottle of perfume, what would I choose? IDK- I’llthink about that.
.
Per Andy, it is basically gone. Run, don’t walk!
Say more–not coming back or in hiatus or . . . ?
Andy posted it on his blog on January 3rd: “PHI – Une Rose de Kandahar is basically gone.” It is still available for sale on the site, though, and at Luckyscent.
. . . and like that you spend $160!
What Holly said. I took the plunge last weekend. It took me a couple of tries with this one, but I love the way it morphs around. I kept going back to it, loving it more each time. Plus, l hate to be left out.
Sounds like you made a call to Our Lady. Are they on speed dial? If anyone else is curious, The Perfume Shoppe in Scottsdale has some.
Worse than speed dial. THEY call ME!
Hahaha Marjorie Rose! That would be disturbing if it wasn’t so strangely admirable…
I almost blind-bought a bottle when I read that the last batch was running low. The only sample I had was buried in a box in a closet. (Don’t ask!) I decided to buy a 5ml decant off evilbay instead, which I am now testing. Either I have to give it more time, or any sophistication I could ever claim has evaporated. I swear, on me I detect something I can only describe as pungently urinous, and for a few minutes there was a waft of a farty odor, followed by sulphur. You probably have to be old, like me, to recall days when boys found lighting their farts with matches to be highly amusing. Since I’ve read (Robin) that PHI is not always immediate love, I will be brave and soldier on! All that being said, I agree with others that you should certainly buy it if you can, as it will sell out.
“…was a waft of a farty odor, followed by sulphur.”
I am DYING laughing over here! Best comment EVER!
And, I hate to say adult boys do the same thing…True story: A GI MD that I worked with told me a story about when he was doing his fellowship and another MD in the program (an ADULT MAN!) did this exact thing and suffered some serious burns in unmentionable areas.
One would think being an adult male, an MD and currently in his fellowship would indicate that there were a few active brain cells…but apparently not
Oh, thanks for your comment. I DO tend to blurt and I didn’t intend to offend anyone so I’m relieved!
Ah yes, the adult men are prone to similar experiments. But that poor fellow – what an embarrassment that must have been! (tee hee)
I’ve been sufficiently encouraged/enabled in the best possible way! Purchase: made!
Mission accomplished!
Post spin and shower and now warming up with some Dark Chocolate Hot Chocolate with a TON of mini-marshmallows! Yum!
For some reason my heat is not working, but lucky for me its supposed to warm up today and I’m hoping to get some yard work accomplished. It is just WRONG that I need to mow the grass in JANUARY! Maybe its a sign of the coming apocalypse…
SOTD is L’Ambre des Merveilles which is really hitting the spot today.
Hoping you all go forth and conquer a delicious chocolate treat this weekend!
It’s wrong that you have to worry about heat AND mowing the lawn at the same time! Yikes.
I doubt I’m going to get through this winter without eventually buying some Ambre des Merveilles.
Me too – I’ve just discovered this and love it.
Me three – that and Eau de Merveilles, both are just lovely.
I haven’t had hot chocolate with marshmallows for years now. Sounds delicious – the drink and the perfume!
I’m wearing 4711, but after the rain, if it cools a little like I hope it will, I’ll put on some Marron Chic, for the bittersweet chocolate fix. (I’d possibly die if I ate any today. Well, I’d have to drink it, because it would melt in nanoseconds.)
4711 is such a great fragrance. I am due for one of those liter bottles this summer!
It is! just works, reliably.
I put a couple of almost full bottles into the Freebie meet this morning because I wore both of those during the period of time I got divorced. I bought new recently and now even after 15 years, I end up crying every time I wear either of them! So they have to go!
This morning I put on True Vanilla from Library of Flowers which smells lovely but is practically gone 4 hours later. Since I got it half price, I don’t mind-I’ll just put on something else!
Just answered you there, but that’s last May’s freebiemeet. The next one is coming up next Saturday.
Yes I saw. Sorry to be bumbling around!
No worries! And if you find takers that’s fine too
You’re not the only one–I went to have a look at what you’d posted, and then failed to navigate back here before posting my SOTD! Need more coffee…
Oh,thanks for posting! You made me feel better. And coffee always helps, of course.
I was given some perfumista homework over the holidays that is apropos to today’s chocolate celebrations. A co-worker asked me for some samples that have a chocolate note to them. I went to Nordie’s and picked up samples of Jo Malone Blue Agave and Cocao and Angel. Then I went to Our Lady (TPH) and Tracy gave me a sample of Montale’s Chocolate Greedy. Verdict so far? She’s only sampled Chocolate Greedy, but she LOVES it! Best compliment from a student, “Ms. N–, you smell like cookies!”
My SOTD is Angel. It never grows old : )
It’s a classic! I also figured it was a good one to throw into the mix because it has so much else going on. I wasn’t sure how much she really wanted to smell like CHOCOLATE vs. maybe a touch of chocolateyness to her fragrance!
You reminded me to spray some of my Mandorlo Cioccolato By Terri… Bought a little bottle awhile back but haven’t worn it much.
It’s 25 out – can’t think of a very good reason to venture out. All this talk of chocolate tells me to make a cup of my Swiss hot chocolate I got for Christmas from Holy Chocolate. Not bittersweet, though…very milk chocolate.
Yay, happy bittersweet chocolate day! I polished off a bar of Venchi’s salt, orange and lavender chocolate. Delicious. And I am going to take a nice warm shower using Jo Malone’s blue agava and cacao bath oil.
I LOVE the Blue Agava and Cacao. I tend to wear it late winter (March) and fall (September, October). It’s really wonderful. It is basically the only other scent that I wear aside from Atelier, and Tom Ford Neroli Portofino.
I don’t think I have any perfume with a chocolate note, except for the hint of white chocolate in Coromandel. Last night I ate some Lindt Intense orange chocolate. I was sniffing it and remembering a body butter made by Fresh that smelled like chocolate orange that I used to use for spa massages. Does anyone remember that one?
I don’t know that body butter but chocolate orange body butter massage sounds amazing!!
It was hard as a rock in the jar but on contact with skin it melted and became drool inducing ambrosia. I just googled it and found it has been discontinued. I hope they decide to make it again.
I just splashed out on some body cleansing oil from Josie Maran. It’s on sale at Hautelook. I haven’t smelled it, but the fragrance is listed as warm fig vanilla.
I got a deluxe sample of that cleansing oil in a holiday kit featuring all JM products. I didn’t care for the cleansing oil so much. I didn’t realize it was fragranced, which I don’t like in facial products, and it really didn’t “cleanse” very well- still had traces of mascara and eyeliner even after quite a bit of massaging it in. I will stick with my Clinique Cleansing Balm- it gets EVERYTHING off with a gentle massage and has no fragrance at all. Hope you have better luck with the cleansing oil than I did.
Oh bummer. I guess I can use it as a body product. In any case it was cheap.
I haven’t tried any of the ancillary JM products yet, will be curious to hear how you like it! A Sephora points reward did convert me to argan oil, does amazing things for my hair, but the price was so brutal, I would up switching to a different brand (Elma & Sana) that works just as well and cost 60% less! So the markup scares me a bit, but from Hautelook presumably it’s not so bad!
I use JM argan oil blush and concealer, both are great. So I went ahead and got cleansing oil, an eyeliner and a cute little pot of lip balm from the Hautelook sale. I was very tempted by a bar of rose scented soap, but have already found my holy grail shea butter rose soap at wholefoods for $3. Sorry I feel like I’m violating the rules policy all over the place today.
Oh god yes. I miss it bitterly.
While I love chocolate in all shapes, flavors and sizes, chocolate in fragrance has not to this point worked well for me. I imagine if I tried hard enough I’d find one I liked…. sometimes it gets a bit clausterphobid for me (I’m looking at you, Theorema!). Maybe it’s cause I’d rather just eat some than wear some!! Right now I’m kind of post holiday obsessed with downmarket Hersheys milk chocolate nuggets (“Nugs” as my sister calls them). But they are almost gone and then I have to go on a chocolate fast. Bittersweet is almost like an espresso to me – too much caffeine, but perfect after lunch. I wish I could eat chocolate all the time!
I had the same reaction to Theorema. I bought a big decant, expecting to love it, and something about the sweet gourmand notes made me feel claustrophobic. I had to swap it away immediately.
I swapped all mine away too. It’s better to get it to someone who really loves it than just horde it away.
I have the same reaction to chocolate in perfume. Just No.
I’m not much for wearing chocolate perfume on my person, but a very kindly soul gave me a sample of the Jo Malone Bitter Orange & Chocolate, and it’s so divine that I regularly find myself pulling it out just to sniff the vial! I was just saying something similar to Marjorie below–it’s a funny thing that not all the smells I like are things I want to smell like!
I’ve not heard of bitter orange and chocolate, but now I want one of those chocolate “oranges”!!!
Yup, those chocolate oranges, you’ve got the idea!
Here’s Robin’s review for the Bitter Orange & Chocolate scent if you’re curious to hear more (with loads more chocolate perfume suggestions in the comments): https://nstperfume.com/2013/03/21/jo-malone-bitter-orange-chocolate-fragrance-review-and-a-quick-chocolate-perfume-poll/
Ann, have you tried the SSS natural Cocoa/Sandalwood one? If you’d like, I’ll add it to your package. Very dry, not foody.
No, not yet – I need to do some serious catching up with Laurie’s “newer” releases. I was cruising around the SSS website just the other day. I would love to smell it!
Coming your way!
This morning I added a couple of tsps of Mariage Freres French Breakfast to some regular Eng Breakfast, and it definitely adds a chocolately nuance. My current fave chocolate bar is Chocolove Organic Fair Trade 73% dark. Naturally, it’s harder to find than the other varieties.
I find more Chocolove online than I do in person…Vitacost has a few of the unusual ones, at good prices.
I always find a good selection of Chocolate at Cost Plus World Market.
I am partial to the ginger.
I eat part of a Chocolove bar every day – the one with crystallized ginger is my favorite.
Last night I ate half of a Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Coconut Caramel bar. Here’s the thing – I love chocolate. I also love caramel, and coconut. I figured that all three together would send me into dizzy spells of gleeful content. However, the caramel was that sort of liquid, oozy stuff that you can’t help but dribble onto your chin when biting into the bar. Anybody else object to caramel “sauce” in a chocolate bar? I like my caramel bite-able, and chewy!
Yes…never liked any of the Vosges caramel bars — wrong texture.
Ugh yeah. caramel sauce inside chocolate is gross. I bought some Lindt “truffles” for my office. the were sitting in a dish near the hot towel warmer. The insides of the truffles melted to a thick liquid. I think a big part of the pleasure of eating chocolate is the textural feel. Slimy liquid caramel or chocolate is revolting.
I don’t like the liquidy stuff either, EXCEPT for hot fudge or hot caramel sauce on ice cream.
Exactly – hot caramel sauce whose PURPOSE is to flow and drape around mounds of frozen cream, so that you get the wonderful one-flavor-warm/one-flavor-cold thang going on. But it’s not supposed to be inside my chocolate bar!
I love your description- one flavour warm and one flavour cold!
Hot – cold is wonderful! Same goes for me for hot bread & cold butter.
Aw, gooey caramel inside chocolate is my favorite form of caramel delivery. I seem to be in the minority here, but I thought I’d put in a vote for the other side.
I’m with you, Eleebelle, I love it!
Well, as with perfume – you like what you like and I like what I like. Not judging, just stating preferences.
I don’t like liquidy caramel either. I like super chewey. Does anyone remember from the 70s those “Marathon” bars of braided chocolate covered caramel? OMG – my sisters and I just went nuts whenever my Mom would actually buy one for us. I think she did it to keep us quiet for 45 minutes, lol!
Ooh that sounds just like what we have! CurlyWurly! Lol
OMG I LOVED THOSE!!!!!
YES! Marathon bars were abso-frickin-lutely delicious.
As perthgirl said, these are still available in other parts of the world (but not, sadly in the US – though you can get them through Amazon), as Curly Wurly bars.
GOOD TO KNOW!! They would be an awesome stocking stuffer for Xmas next year for my sisters. Ha!
Or for me!
My new favorite is Lily’s organic chocolate, 55%. It’s made with stevia so you don’t get the sugar spike and extra calories. I’m really picky about chocolate and this one tastes fantastic.
Oh dear. Normally I am a huge fan of not-sweet chocolate, but feeling quite logy, if not downright guilty, after the holidays. Wearing Guerlain Encens Mythique D’Orient with casual weekend clothes.
Mr. Spicebomb and I bought some super yummy chocolate when we were in your neck of the woods a few weeks ago–Cadbury’s Caramel Popcorn flavor! Yum! After trying one, I went back to the market for a few back-up bars to bring back with us (and a bag of ketchup chips, which Mr. S inexplicably loves).
We can’t get Cadbury’s chocolate except at Easter, and I prefer it over Hershey’s. Not bittersweet, of course, but I’m pretty much a milk chocolate kinda girl, unless we’re talking chocolate chip cookies.
Ketchup chips?? Marjorie Rose, I have never heard of these. But my husband eats fries just so he can eat ketchup, so I need to find these for him!!
Oh, so they’re Canadian… that makes things difficult…
Quiet and overcast here. Out to the farmers market with a little Rive Gauche.
Second try to post, now with more caffeine
SOTD Cartier Zeste de Soleil–thanks Robin for adding it to your winter citrus poll, which made me finally pull the trigger on a bottle (well that and Fragrancenet selling some testers so I got it at a great price per ml without having to buy the 6.7oz vat of it!) I seemed to have misplaced my sample, so I bought it without retesting, and worried a little that the novelty might have worn off… But it’s even more cheerful than I recalled and I’ve worn it with great delight three times this week! Nice to have something happy in a week that’s had so much sorrow.
Scent twin! I received a bottle as a Christmas present and wore it for the first time today. I like the first lemony burst and the much warmer scent left hours later.
Oh so glad you’re enjoying it too! I’m liking both stages too–sometimes citrus scents can be too astringent for me but this one is juicy enough at the start, and then as you say, a bit warmer as it dries, so I’m enjoying wearing it throughout. Had assumed I’d never get through even this “smaller” 100ml bottle, but now I’m thinking I’ll be able to make a pretty good dent in it!
Hey, glad someone else finds it as cheerful as I do!
In addition to my first test of Une Rose de Kandahar today, I am trying out Le Galion Iris having been intrigued by Lucas’s review. The Le Galion website is up and running (yippee!), and 6.5 ml samples of the whole line are available for 9 euros each. I like this one enough to want to try the rest! Here’s the review:
https://chemistinthebottle.wordpress.com/2014/09/19/le-galion-iris/
I was going to do a blind buy of Le Galion Iris and/or the Discovery Set but was annoyed that the shipping was €40 to the U.S. — that’s another whole bottle of something else!
Oh no! Darn, I never got as far as the shipping charges to the US. Sigh. I bought my Iris decant off evilbay.
But you know, if we pool together and buy a bunch of stuff, we can split the cost of shipping and it won’t feel as expensive
Oh man! My first day delurking after many months away and I’m in trouble already! Not only am I being encouraged to blind buy, but I was forced to go on evilbay! The 7.5 ml sizes are available for $21.99, free shipping, offered by the same seller I bought the Iris from. Comes out to about the same price when shipping is considered.
I have decants of the Le Galion Tubereuse and Whip, and the Tubereuse is faaaaaaaabulous, something along the lines of Beyond Love but maybe a touch greener.
Whip is leather but it has so much lavender and geranium in there as well that I find it too masculine for my (notably girly) taste.
Thanks, good to know! Tuberose is my nemesis, so strike that one out. I have notably girly taste in scents, too, so strike out Whip. I love the name Whip for some reason, which probably indicates an area of my psyche that has remained unexplored. I do have Demeter’s Riding Crop which one commenter on the Demeter site mentioned s/he layers with Holy Smoke. So I bought that one too. I found the connotations immensely fascinating…
Just let us know when we have to start addressing you as Mistress Holly
Eek! Well, ok … but aren’tcha sposed to beg or something first?
I loved Whip, it was probably my favorite of all the Le Galions! It was close enough to AdP Colonia that I don’t feel I need it (fortunately for my wallet). But crisp and gorgeous, perfect for summer!
A co-worker friend gave me a bottle of Lacoste Pour Femme and I can’t decide if I l hate it (except for the drydown) like it or if I’m swapping it.
Anyone tried it?
I haven’t tried that one but there’s a d/c’ed Lacoste I do really like called Inspiration…haven’t worn that one lately, I’ll have to pull it out! It’s def not my most highbrow scent but I enjoy it
But you can’t decide if you hate it or like it? That it inspires ambivalence is interesting!
Lol. I think part of me feels obligated to like it because a sweet friend thought of me. The opening smells like mall-floral-teeny-bop but the drydown reminds me of one of my first loves- Infusion d’ Iris….we’ll see.
I know, mine’s kinda mall-scent-y too…but I’m likewise in love with the drydown! And also, now that I’ve got a lot of much more “serious” perfume, I feel a little more affection for my mall scent–it fills a niche in the collection, you know?
yes, I know. I still love my Ralph Lauren Glamourous : )
I still love Glamourous too! It’s interesting that an American company chose the British spelling of “glamour” the noun, but the OED lists the adjective spelled as “glamorous”!
If you want to smell like a chocolate bar, how about Guerlain’s Gourmand Coquin, which is rum, chocolate and cacao?
It used to be my signature scent, happy to see it mentioned here! I wore it in2004-5 I think, and liked it a lot. It seemed a bit unusual to me then, floral but with a dryish, almost salty feel to it. Now I only keep the dregs of my old bottle for old times sake, and my tastes have both expanded and changed. I still think it smells good though, and would wear it if I didn’t have all these other options…
I’m with you on the changing tastes. 4 years ago this may (or may not) have made me swoon. Its not that it smells bad- just kind bland compared to what I normally go for.
SOTD = DSH Scent of Hope
OMG, is it good or is it good! I had gone for the large size “sample” (read: blind buy) as I can’t see myself spending $23 for the traditional sample. Reminds me of my beloved SL Iris Silver Mist. Those who like ISM will likely love this. For those who hate ISM, stay away from this one.
In other news, it looks like I missed the Bergdorf spend $X get $X deal so I guess I’ll have to defer my JAR purchase – it would have been a very nice early birthday present. Had I been able to leverage the deal, the “discount” would have been ~ 23% (assuming that the deal is that I must get the gift card instead of having the $X taken off of my purchase).
Chocolates – the darker the better and I don’t necessarily have a favorite brand. I bought some artisan organic chocolate bars made locally in Brooklyn from the holiday shops at Bryant Park and they are waiting to be savored by moi.
Scent of Hope is really nice – and friendlier than ISM, if I might say so.
Mals, I agree with your assessment that Scent of Hope is friendlier. I do equate it to being approachable vs. the cold and aloofness of ISM.
Happy Birthday Mals. I hope you are having a very fragrant and special day.
Thanks for the warning. I’m one of the ISM haters so I’ll be sure to steer clear of this one.
Which JAR were you going to get?
Poodle, do try Scent of Hope when you get a chance even though it has similarities to ISM. I tried I Love Les Carrottes a year ago and while it reminded me of ISM, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. You will never know how you feel about smell-alikes unless you try them.
Forgot to answer the JAR question. I would like to get vintage Golconda. I’m taking my chances waiting as supply is very limited but hey, if it runs out, it runs out and the non-vintage version is also very good at about half the price.
Finally settled on my SOTD. After wearing Reverie au Jardins last week from my new Explorer Set, I decided I needed even more lavender! I pulled out my neglected bottle of Gris Clair to rectify the situation! Very nice and comforting on a cool, blustery day.
I’m on a lavender kick too! At the same time that I bought my Zeste de Soleil bottle, Fragrancenet also had a Penhaligon’s Lavandula tester–I’d only sniffed it once prior, which totally breaks my rules…but I couldn’t find it on any of the decant sites and it was half off the full price bottle…so I went for it! Happy to report it’s worked out really nicely. Lavender had been a note I struggled with a bit–herbal perfumes in general, for that matter, even when I like the scent objectively, it usually still doesn’t feel like what -I- want to smell like. But this is warmed up by some subtle vanilla, so I find the entirety really appealing. Nice when you find “your” version of a note!
Today I’m sampling Hiram Green Shangri La. I loved Moon Bloom and had high hopes for this one but it has a distinctly peach note that is going on and on. I love peaches but not in my fragrances.
As far as chocolate goes, for Christmas I was gifted a box of Saunders ice cream toppings–Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Extra Dark Chocolate, and Caramel. I grew up in the Midwest US and Saunders candy was locally made and the sundaes in their stores were TDF. The toppings are thick and rich and make cream puffs or ordinary vanilla ice cream something special. I’m halfway through the Dark Chocolate jar already.
I adore Moon Bloom as well, but Shangri La kept reminding me of peach potpourri (if there is such a thing).
Comparisons to Mitsouko made me wary of Shangi La, but peach potpourri sounds rather nice.
About to put on Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries Mi Corazon. (That’s a mouthful.)
Then go watch football. Don’t ask why I need a BWF to watch football.
OF COURSE YOU NEED A BWF TO WATCH FOOTBALL.
I’m only getting out of the football-watching because my husband is about to take me out to dinner.
When is was in college I wore big florals like the (old) Oscar by Oscar de la Renta to outdoor football games. I loved to think I could fill up an entire stadium with my sillage, and nobody would know it was me.
And . . . now I want to go to a football game, and I really want my old Oscar back. Perhaps Mi Corazon would fill that void in my life.
Before the holidays I found a fabulous deal on 5 lbs of Scharffen Berger chocolate and made some Chocolate Tassies with some of it yesterday. They are so great with a good cup of coffee or tea
Cold and snowing here today and after sauna and shower I just had to apply some Malle Eau de Magnolia. It is perfect whatever the weather.
Found a local chocolate maker in Arkansas called Martin Greer’s Candies. I had taken the kids to Mickey D’s for breakfast after an 8 a.m. basketball game (way too early). Drove out of the parking lot and there it was in the next block, and they were open. Naturally, we had to go in and look. I bought a box of mixed chocolates to try (blind buy of sorts). Have to wait until the DH gets home tomorrow evening from running a marathon in Mobile to try them, though. Hopefully they’re good. I like to support local small businesses. SOTD is SL Clair de Musc.
SOTD is vintage Givenchy III. The construction guys are here remodeling one full bath and the kitchen. It’s only day three and I am so done with this whole remodeling stuff. There is just something about having strange people at your house that freaks me out and they are ripping my kitchen out.
We had our kitchen and master bath redone about 5-6 years ago. It’s an ordeal, but the results are so nice. Hope all goes smoothly so that it’s a short-term hassle for something that will really give you pleasure long-term. Hang in there!
Total freak out. Good luck & best wishes your contractors are as square as your corners. BTW – I was just thinking it was time to bust out the GIII to help ward off the winter blues! Dreaming of spring!
I sympathize with you. I’ll be going through the same thing in a few months. Not looking forward to strange people in the house. Do let us know how it all goes.
Monday will be beginning the 8th week of a bath remodel. The room is 5×10 and no plumbing was moved, just a lot of miscommunication between the subcontractors, wrong tile ordered, delayed inspections. Honestly, I could have covered the whole thing with hand-applied gold leaf and be done before this. I am joking about it because otherwise I’ll be so angry and upset.
Hope your reno goes much more smoothly than mine!
OMG. I would be having a meltdown I think. That’s what I’m fearing with the kitchen. I’m having plumbing moved too so it will turn into a 3 ring circus I’m sure. The cabinets are on order so the earliest they’ll start is March which isn’t too bad because using the grill will be more of an option than it is now in these cold temps.
I hope they finish yours soon. Having a bathroom torn apart for that long is not fun.
I’m having the flooring replaced soon on all three levels of my house. No plumbing moved or anything but y’all are making me nervous anyway…
I didn’t have a single scrap of chocolate in the house yesterday (a record, possibly) so I will make up for that today. I like the chocolate bars I get at BB&B but can’t remember the name of them.
I am going there later and will scout out some but I am all set with chocolate for possibly the next 2-3 months. I am sadly allergic to chocolate; however, over the years I’ve learned to not overindulge to the point of getting hives.
Glad you can still enjoy at least a bit of the good stuff!
I get all twitchy when people I know look through my kitchen drawers and cabinets for stuff. (And slice cheese on the counter without a cutting board. Grrrrrr… But I digress…). I can’t imagine having to deal with strangers. Even if you did hire them to make their mess. I hope the results are lovely and worth the hassle.
I hear ya.. I have so much Tupperware it has to be stacked and arranged in a very definite manner- other people NEVER put things where they go!
Mr. Lucy makes me feel like it’s a problem I need to work on. I’m so glad to hear I’m not alone.
I’m testing out some SSS Cocoa Sandalwood, and definitely getting the cocoa note!
One of my favorite winter activities is to go to LA Burdick’s in Harvard Square for hot dark chocolate. It’s incredibly rich, so I order the demi size (which isn’t on the menu).
Mmmmm. I love Burdicks and haven’t been there yet this year for hot chocolate. What is wrong with me!?
A favorite of mine too. You know what else is amazing in terms of winter treats–and I was so heartbroken when their Mass Ave storefront closed–but Toscanini’s hot vanilla is high up there on the list of things I miss most from Cambridge!
Sajini, you probably haven’t been to Burdick’s yet because it hasn’t been that cold until last week. C.H., the Tosci’s on Main in Central Square is still open, so there’s still hope for hot vanilla!
Thank goodness
Still bummed by how many chain stores and restaurants have replaced local businesses in Harvard Square but at least Toscanini’s isn’t gone from Cambridge entirely.
My sweet MIL came over to give me my birthday present a day early… it included a bar of Hershey’s Special Dark. (There are other bars I prefer, but since to her “a bar of chocolate” means milk chocolate, I really appreciated the kind thought.)
SOTD is Shalimar Light.
How nice of her!
Happy early birthday then, Mals! And many mooooorre!
Happy Birthday tomorrow!!
I hope you enjoy a happy birthday with extra chocolate and generous fragrant spritzes.
And thanks for reminding me about Shalimar Light. It’s on my list of unicorns to chase along with Shalimar Eau Legere and Eau de Shalimar.
Happy Birthday tomorrow!
Happy Birthday! Do you have a birthday perfume, the way you have Alahine for Christmas?
Happy Birthday Mals86!!Hope you have a fabulous day!
Happy Birthday, Mals.
Happy Birthday, Mais. Wishing you a wonderful scented year ahead full of good health and happiness!
Happy Birthday Mals! May all your fragrant dreams come true. Cheers!
Hope you’ve been enjoying a grand birthday today!
I was going to make oatmeal cookies with dark chocolate chips last night. I got lazy and now it’s a cake instead, but it turned out pretty good.
As for perfume… I’m commando right now because I bought cut tuberose at Whole Foods the other day, and my living room smells like it’s wearing Carnal Flower. It’s pretty great.
“My living room smells like it is wearing Carnal Flower! ” What a scent image…lol.
Devoured a lovely Theo Dark Chocolate Almond, Fennel and Fig bar! Very tasty with some lavender tea. Today, I put the rest of tha Slumberhouse Sadanne Parfum Extrait in an atomizer, I had been dabbing. This makes a huge difference with this fragrance! I got a lot more of the Zinfandel notes and something a little sour that is not apparent when dabbing. So, give it a go if you are looking for a more interesting berry centric fragrance, but dab!
Thank you, Robin, for Bittersweet Chocolate Day! To celebrate tonight, I’ll be watching one of my very favorite movies, Chocolat – love Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp in this – enjoying some Hungarian red sipping-by-the-fire wine along with either dark seasalt caramels or perhaps just some very dark chocolate. I already chose my SOTD, YR’s long d/c Ode a l’Amour Elixir, before I knew it was Bittersweet Chocolate Day, but its deep plummy/spicy/woody notes will compliment the wine, chocolates, fire – and movie! – nicely.
Oh, and for those of you who have Trader Joe’s, I highly recommend their luscious macarons. Found in the freezer case in a variety of flavors, they are wonderful!
What a perfect evening!
Hey, you’re welcome, but I did not make it up!
My favorite chocolate perfumes are Chocolovers, Montale Red Aoud, Jo Malone Blue Agave & Cacao and SL Borneo. Love to eat it too. My latest discovery is Mink brand chocolates, an artisanal brand out of Vancouver. Their caramel, fleur de sel and rosemary bar won first prize at the American Chocolatier and Confectioners competition last year.
I prefer ultradark chocolate. My favorite is Lindt 90 percent cocoa, but this concentration has disappeared from local supermarkets.
I’ve substituted Endangered Species brand 88 percent cocoa, but it seems too sweet. It’s hard to believe I could taste a 2 percent difference, but the chocolate itself would be different, too. The only drawback to such dark chocolate is that I have to be careful not to eat it too late in the evening lest it keep me awake.
Today I am wearing White Musk for Men by The Body Shop. I haven’t worn it in quite some time, but I was in the mood for something light and comforting and nothing too complex today!
SOTD is Diptyque Eau Duelle edp from a sample. On first sniff I thought what someone yesterday called a gin-and-tonic accord was interesting, but not something I’d want to wear. It’s grown on me, though. It’s kept me sniffing my wrists, and if it’s not ideal for a chilly, rainy day, I can see how it might be great for summer. Maybe layered with La Maison de Vanille Vanille Givrée des Antilles it would make a sort of Goldilocks summer vanilla–not too sweet, not too astringent. My experiments in layering have not been all that successful, though, so who knows.
I wish I’d known it was Bittersweet Chocolate Day–my day has been, unusually, chocolate-free. I’ll just have to make up for it tomorrow.
Eau Duelle layers great with a rose solifore, esp. in summer.
SOTD is that fantastic vintage Diorissimo I got earlier this week.It’s really something.Hope everyone has a fantastic,chocolatey weekend!Nothing still beats a Mars bar,btw…(IMHO!lol)
Love chocolate but I don’t eat so much of it these days. I ate so much when I was pregnant with my first child that I think I sort of OD’d on it. Luckily he doesn’t have a sweet tooth. My fav chocolate perfumes are Musc Maori – chocolate milkshake, Santal Majuscule – sandalwood and cocoa and Borneo 1834 – patchouli and cocoa. I also really like the Body Shop chocolate body butter. Happy weekend everyone.
After watching ‘Chocolat’ last night with its allusions to Mayan culture and mysticism, I just had to wear Pacifica Mexican Cocoa today!
Oh, good movie I hadn’t thought of in a while!
Went to TJ Maxx Friday night on a lark, because someone had mentioned seeing Laura Ashley No. 1 there. Yep, mine had it too, multiple bottles, for 19.99. Bought a backup bottle. Also found a Paloma Picasso EDP for 29.99, which I blind bought. It is ridiculously gorgeous. Green and lush – this is what I had hoped Oscar de la Renta would be but wasn’t.
Sad to hear about Tama. Loved reading her posts. Hope her kitty gets some wonderful new people.I bought a bottle of John Galliano Parlez-moi d’ Amour Gold Edition 80 ml blind sat. and just sniffing it today. 10 dollars at winners. Anyone sniff this? I do not want to debate Galliano’s troubles just the fragrance. Smells like AP Maitresse with more jasmine and vanilla. It is very pretty.
So sorry to hear about Tama. It makes me sad to know that she will no longer be with us. Condolences to her family.
My favorite chocolate perfume is Amour de Cacao! Like some other people mentioned I can feel strangled by a strong and rich chocolate note. Somehow AdC has a bit of a cocoa pops malted flavor which keeps it from feeling too much.
Happy Birthday to Mals