Our usual weekend open thread: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the fragrance you can't believe everyone else likes, the flowers that are blooming in your garden (or your town), whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Spring Flowers [cropped] by Abaconda at flickr; some rights reserved.
Daffys are fully open, scilla are still scampering throughout, the first peony shoots are inching their way up, forsythias – and goldfinches – are in full yellow plumage, and the first kinglet has appeared. And I’m on my way to my first baseball game of the season – that’s how I know it’s really spring! – swathed in Le Baiser du Dragon’s body creme. His kiss today is full of sunshine and 60 degree temps!
Happy weekend to all!
Ha! My dad just sent me a picture of his tulips, which have finally bloomed. That’s how he knows it’s spring.
Happy Spring, Laila!! It sounds like you survived the nasty weather. What state are you in? Which baseball teams do you follow? I’m in California, and I follow the San Francisco Giants.
I’m in Illinois, and, yes, we survived but it was quite an anxious night. The major TV networks pre-empted their prime-time evening shows and instead tracked the storms for 3 hours! Multiple tornadoes touched down in the area, one heartbreakingly decimating a small farm community an hour or so away from where I live.
I’m a die-hard White Sox fan, grew up in the shadow of the old ballpark, though I haven’t lived in the city for many years. I have a soft spot for the Yankees – love you Mariano and Derek – and other teams that my favorite Sox players move to. I enjoy watching the Giants, you have some great players, I have a special fondness for Peavy, his grit and his passion, wish we still had him. Actually, I’m a complete baseball nerd – currently I’m reading “The Joy of Keeping Score” – and pretty much follow most of what goes on in the MLB. It’s a passion for me!
Peavy is pitching right now. The Giants are up 2-0. I started watching baseball after I saw Ken Burns’ History of Baseball in the early 90s.
Today, my husband led a birding trip in a really beautiful area. It has unique soils and several endemic plants. Here are the highlights:
-The top highlight for both of us was a Blainville’s Horned Lizard.
– Lark Sparrows (one of North America’s most colorful sparrows) copulating and nest-building.
– An adult Bald Eagle
– Some other birds: Nashville Warbler, California Thrasher, Western Bluebird, Ash-Throated Flycatcher, Hutton’s Vireo, Violet-green Swallow; Rufous-crowned, Bell’s, and Chipping Sparrows
– At least 7 species of butterfly
– Wildflowers with names like “Fairy Lantern” and “Pretty Faces.”
– Several species of endemic plants. One of them is a sage, which made the area smell great.
Wow, awesome. Thank you!
My husband stayed up until 1 am last night watching the Red Sox play the Yankees in the Heart of Darkness, on TV. The Sox pulled it out by one in the NINETEENTH INNING, so he’s happy… but tired.
Minor league baseball hasn’t started here yet.
I got home late and found people still tweeting about it!! I am something of a sports-hater, but I can only assume that a nineteen-inning game is no longer a sporting event but some kind of Marina Abramovic, longue durée performance piece
This totally changes my outlook.
Haha! Marina Abromovic! I love it!
I feel so provincial-I never knew about her before. I love this place.
My guy packed it in at midnight. Fine with me, binge watching the other game (of thrones) in the other room.
Mine gave up at midnight, too. Too bad he’s in Boston and not here in Portland on PDT. :-/
I love the scent of Orange Blossom Water, as well as orange blossom scented products (like the newish Lush conditioner, Happy Happy Joy Joy, for example, or Rub Rub Rub, etc.). However, a lot of orange blossom (or white flowers in general) fragrances have a very unpleasant smell in my nose/on my skin, kind of plasticky. It’s the case of Jo Malone Orange Blossom and Elie Saab Le Parfum, for example, while I can perfectly wear Atelier Cologne Grand Neroli and L’Artisan Séville à l’Aube.
Can you guys help identify what differentiate the formers from the latters? Any orange blossom fragrances recommendations that you think would work for me?
Thanks!
I cheaper option may be Tarocco Orange by Crab Tree and Evelyn. I use the shower body wash and it like taking a trip back to the coast of Italy.
An expensive option Granada by Memo- give it a spray or sample and let me know what you think!
Love C&E Tarocco Orange! Not very floral to my nose but smells amazing in any case!
I never heard of Memo before. I’ll try to find it.
The Tarocco Orange line sounds right up my street! Could be good for layering
Botanical Cologne of Love/Eau Aimable by Le Couvent Des Minimes is an inexpensive, long-lasting, non-indolic, non-soapy, and very pretty orange blossom fragrance.
That looks lovely (and very reasonably price), although I’m not sure it’s available in Canada. But I might ask my brother to bring me some next time he visits!
Le couvent des Minimes used to be available a Shoppers Drug Mart, i haven’t checked in a while, but you can also order the line from Shopstyle.ca
I have an earlier version of this by LCDM and it’s just as you describe. I’m not a big orange blosson fan, but this is cheerful, simple and refreshing (and, yes, not expensive
).
STC has a few orange blossom sample sets, and the “perfume description” in the link below is helpful in understanding the differences between what is extracted from the bitter orange tree.
http://surrendertochance.com/orange-blossom-comprehensive-luxury-high-end-orange-blossom-sample-set-14-samples/
I think these are two very good guides:
http://perfumeposse.com/2012/10/08/orange-blossom-perfume-guide-2012/
http://thecandyperfumeboy.com/2013/01/07/the-candy-perfume-boys-guide-to-orange-blossom/
I adore orange blossom, and if you’re willing to DIY or just interested in sniffing straight-up unadulterated ob, the Eden Botanicals neroli sample pack is a wonderful way to experience the different scents and discover what you like.
Thank you so much for those helpful links!
I seem to have half a Lush store in my bathroom, so I went and sniffed…
To me Rub Rub Rub has only a bit of an o.b. smell- to me it smells a bit like the divine Clementine room spray L’occitane had years ago, while HHJJ smells fresher and more like neroli than ob (which it has in it). The sea salt hair spray is also full of neroli oil and has the same fresh smell but stronger. Neroli and orange blossom are the same except neroli is from the bitter orange and ob from sweet orange- maybe it’s a matter of which type is used??
It seems like neroli is the common denominator between al those scents I like!
Fragonard has a lovely orange blossom fragrance! It’s my favorite. Not cloying at all.
After the BWF week, I’ve now gone in a different direction with Azemour less Orangers.
A (male) friend of mine wants to know what women’s perfumes smell like glazed doughnuts. Any ideas?
No idea for the glazed doughnuts, but I was wondering if the Azemour Les Orangers corresponds to the fragrance listed under Azemour only on STC?
I’d suggest emailing STC to be certain! (but my hunch is yes–it’s the Parfum d’Empire scent, correct?)
Yes, and that’s where I got my decant. It’s lovely!
Great! (One more thing in my virtual basket!)
surely half the mall offerings could be glazed doughnut?
Hah! Probably, but I haven’t done a thorough study of those.
I find lily solifleurs (sp…) to smell of powdered donuts, but that’s not exactly what you are looking for.
That might be close enough.
Try Cartier Baier Vole, then!
Will do!
Immortelle smells a bit like glazed donuts. Try AG Sables.
Ooh, thanks!
I wonder if Kenzo Amour might do (for glazed donuts). Lubin Korrigan is also very edible.
*les. You’d think my phone would know French by now.
(Although Azemour less orangers is sort of funny!)
(It is!)
To my nose Azemour is less oranges after an hour
Ha!
SOTMoment is Cuir de Lancome, which will suit my needs just fine this morning and seems easy-going enough that should I want a change this afternoon, I have some options.
This week, Mr. Spicebomb completed turning my spare bedroom into his baseball card-TV-sports posters-baseball bats-etc. room. (He thinks the term “man-cave” is demeaning, and he hasn’t warmed to “den,” yet!) That meant we could discuss the relocation/ return of my perfume cupboard, which had been in that room. I like having it downstairs, where the temperatures in my house swing less dramatically, so it is now back, tucked in with all the dude stuff. Mr. S doesn’t seem to mind. (Although he laughed at me last night when I came down to put on my “bedtime scent.” Apparently, it’s odd to want to smell good for the 10 minutes before you sack out!)
Thank him from me for not using “man-cave”. I don’t know if it’s demeaning, but the term has always bothered me.
There’s definitely *something* wrong about it!
I hate the term “man-cave!” He sounds like a keeper!
Ah, I’d expect no less from Mr. Spicebomb! (On the man-cave front. He’ll learn, about the perfume!) What else could you call the room–TV room? Sitting room? Parlor?
I have some relatives who have a room like that which they call “The Museum” but I find that a little bit unbearable 
(although I feel very certain you guys would carry that off with a great deal more humor than they do!) I suppose “Hobby Lobby” is now more politically charged than anyone would like in their home! Oh, does anyone say “rec[reation] room” anymore?
Re: “Hobby Lobby”: Mr. S. wants me to inform you that he doesn’t allow the sale of contraceptives out of his TV room, either.
Hahaha
Haha thanks for nothing Mr. Spicebomb!!
Den is the official term isnt it? Or did i just used to watch too much Brady Bunch as a kid?
Most of my cultural references are AT LEAST that old, so “den” works for me!
If you’d like to go back even further in time, I always thought a “study” was a nice-sounding room. He can study baseball memorabilia and you can study perfume.
I vote for “study!”
Ooh study. Well done.
I’m stealing that one.
We’re fumie cousins this morning – my pre-shower scent is Cuir Mauresque. Will probably switch to Les Azemours later on, inspired by another post here.
On the subject of men’s lairs, some of them (the one in my house, for example) really are best characterized as “caves”. My darling spouse needs his own space in which he can throw clothes on the floor, not use coasters, etc., etc., and believe me, I enter that room with care! But it makes him happy … and *kind of* keeps the messy clutter corralled to a single space in the house. Sounds like your sweetie isn’t quite that bad, but I’m cynical and suspect that Mr. Spicebomb is in that phase where he’s mostly on his best behavior.
Those soft leathers really play well with others, don’t they?
Ha! I do wonder how much of how we are together is “good behavior” and how much is who we are. There hasn’t been a dramatic shift thus far, in any case. . .
I LOVE the best-behavior phase! Ignore me and enjoy each phase as it comes along – I’m just envious.
My husband calls this “the boys room”. I like that it contains all his collectibles and junk so I don’t have to see it around the house. If I find he has left things lying about the house, I just open the door, toss them in and shut it again. Problem solved.
He he he. Sadly, this is how my guy deals with my clutter.
I’m also the messy partner in the relationship
Happy Weekend! Headed to a street fair here in NYC-love the smell of smoking food, grilled corn on the cob and cotton candy.
Today scent is Baghari by Robert Piguet
Enjoy the day
Oh fun! My former partner is from Midtown, and we enjoyed the 9th Avenue (???. . . pretty sure that’s right) Fair with his father one year. So neat to see the streets closed to traffic for a time!
I was just wondering when they’d start up again. I enjoy the first few but then they become increasingly bothersome week after week, one avenue and then the next.
I do look forward to the candy apples, however..
I love Baghari! Have a great day! Sounds fun!
After several days of hazy white skies, today is a perfect spring day here in Washington, DC! The sky is blue, soft clouds are drifting along, and it’s 63 degrees and sunny. Best of all, the cherry blossoms are at peak right now and it’s such a stunning display that I hope everyone gets a chance to see it one day. If you’re anywhere close by, it’s worth the trip this weekend!
There are so many fragrances that would be wonderful on such a day. I was considering Shiseido’s Murasaki or Inoui as appropriately Japanese, but honestly I just don’t want to be distracted by anything other than the view. Commando it is!
I do miss the cherry blossoms! Although last time I went it was so overwhelmingly crowded…
How beautiful!
I’m following the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s cherry blossoms blooming situation right now on their website. Most of them aren’t even at first bloom yet, but I’m hoping they will be ready for a visit next week.
I had the wonderful pleasure of experiencing your cherry blossom trees in full bloom just one time, but it was memorable, even if it was gloomy and raining that one day I was there, it was intoxicating!
Goodness, Mr. S is going to be on a perfume learning curve! Of *course* there’s such a thing as a bedtime scent! I wore mine yesterday as my (not-big) white flower, namely Anais Anais, and it felt a little like wearing pyjamas outside of the house.
Ah, to think of all the perfume joy that’s still ahead of him!
LOL! (It might be the evil laugh, cuz Mr. S. is looking over at me in a nervous sort of way!)
Mwuahahaha!
Actually, while we’re on the subject! Did you end up picking out something new for him? I know you were considering options a few months ago, anything stick?
No, nothing really rose to the top during my explorations, although I haven’t given up on sampling as things wander past me!
If I’m being really honest, what I wish would happen is that I’d find something interesting and different and that *he too* would show some enthusiasm for it! But what I got each time was, “oh, that’s nice,” or “it’s fine.” He’d be happy to wear anything I was excited about, but I guess I don’t want to feel like I’m making that decision for him! (Doesn’t he realize how important this stuff is?!
)
So funny how certain scents are too intimate for certain situations! Or, too public for others, for that matter!
Nasty cold continues. Ugh! I must be feeling a little better because I just couldn’t stand it to stay in the house one more day. So I put on another classic, Apres l’Ondee, and came to the grocery store. Now I am sitting on a bench, gathering my energy to go actually shop. I can’t really smell it, but I know I smell good!
Apres l’Ondee is so lovely. Need to get my small decant out and wear it!
But dont you hate it when you feel too well to stay at home anymore so you set out on a big shopping mission, only to realise that it’s waaay more exhausting than you thought it was going to be and you realise that you arent all better yet
But you do smell great!
Got home from shopping and slept all afternoon. Ate salad for dinner and took a nap. Now going to take a hot shower to steam my sinuses a bit and go to bed. I have this nice “stress therapy” bath gel with juniper and orange and mint and menthol that helps. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to smell something tomorrow. Bleh!
Oh! I forgot to tell that yesterday I went to Holt Renfrew at the Chanel boutique and the SA was kind enough to give me a sample of Misia. I’m wearing it right now and I’m still unsure about it. It’s less rose more powder than what I thought it would be. However, it gave me a chance to sniff the other Exclusifs I didn’t know yet and I fell in love with Beige! My fiancé seemed to like it too (wedding scent candidate?). Now I kind of wish I had a sample of this one instead
Beige would be a wonderful bridal scent. It wears so well, and is just lovely.
It felt like it would!
I really like Beige a lot also. I am probably one of the last perfumistas who hasn’t sampled Misia yet. It is definitely on my list to try.
I haven’t tested Misia yet!
Okay. I don’t feel so bad.
Yep. Me neither!
I wore Beige for my wedding! Did you get a decant of Beige?
No, not yet. But it’ll definitely be part of my next samples order (along with a decant of Bois de Iles, and maybe a touch of the extrait, and…..)
Oh! And how did you find it to perform on your big day? Was it in the summer?
It was in June! Summer weddings are fab
I need to try both of these…
After my shower, I will be off to meet with my crafting buddies. I’m crocheting a lightweight scarf for my mother-in-law’s birthday. The yarn’s color is “Tender Shoots,” and it’s a lovely springy green multi with just a skosh of sparkle. My SOTD will be Essences Insensées (Diptyque).
Spring has sprung! I occasionally compose haiku based upon what I see during breaks. Here are two from this week:
Cedar Waxwings are
Devouring the loquats
Tenth Street comes alive!
Black Phoebes nest in
Capitol View Luxury
Mini apartment
The Black Phoebes nest every year in one of two locations at the Capitol View Luxury Apartments
I am very fortunate to have a few quirky co-workers who will respond to my haiku with their own!
I *love* your spring haikus! Now you’ve got me thinking…
Lovely!! And the yearly haiku challenge is coming soon!
Oh, I look forward to that!
Love the haikus! And cedar waxwings are our favorite birds. We have a big crabapple tree in our front yard and the waxwings always come and devour the rotting crabapples in the fall. They get so drunk on fermented fruit they just sing and play and act crazy! My kinda birds.
Hee, hee. Cedar Waxwings are so beautiful and so nattily dressed … but not always dignified
kindcrow, for teaching me two new words today – ‘loquat’ and ‘skosh’ – I give you this:
http://bardball.com/category/nl-west/san-francisco-giants/page/5/
Thanks for the link, Laila! What fun!
I think that I first heard “skosh” in a Levi’s commercial in the 70s or 80s. They were introducing a new line of pants “with a skosh more room in the seat.”
Went with Jardin en Med this morning. Sometimes I really love it, and sometimes most definitely not. Unfortunately, this morning it is a big thumbs down. I’m glad this is just a pre-shower dose.
Does anyone else use Lush’s Big shampoo? I love the scent, which reminds me of some spring-flowering ornamental. Can anyone identify it?
I’m wearing Santal Carmin, nice for another cool and cloudy day on the shores of Lake Ontario (well, close). A bit of green in the lawn, tulips leafing. Just a few warm days …
I love Big shampoo, but I love the smell of the conditioner more. Sooo good!
According to the tub, it has a mix of citruses (lemon, lime, neroli, mandarin, orange blossom), coconut oil and vanilla, and then ‘perfume’ at the very end… I’m sniffing away at it here, and it may just be what soft citrus and vanilla smell like together?
I never use conditioner, which kills the Big effect my hair needs. Is the scent similar to the shampoo? Too bad.
Lol! I use Big shampoo and the big solid conditioner which isnt too heavy, and then the Sea Salt hair spray which i love and gives heaps of volume. I dont like flat hair…
oh and the conditioner smells better!
Don’t know what happened to the rest of my message.
Or to this one!! Grr
The news in these parts (currently meaning Brussels): 1) magnolias are in bloom, 2) asparagus season has started, 3) I read in the UK Vogue that Jo Malone is launching the White Lilac and Rhubarb candle, 4) I tried Penhaglion’s Ostara today and found it interesting, daffodil seemed very realistic at some point (need to try again) 5) otherwise wearing L’Ombre Dans L’Eau EDP.
Thanks for the interesting news – you’ve been busy! I was wondering about Ostara – must sample.
You’re welcome! I don’t think Ostara is going to be everybody’s cup of tea, but definitely worth sampling, I’d say.
Washed my hair with the honey lilac WEN, so put on some Gucci Guilty to go with that. Unpleasant dental visit to kick off my weekend, but I smell pretty.
SOTD is Blanche Immortelle (again!) from a generous swapper. This one works just fantastic in the heat and humidity here and gracefully walkes the tricky line between too fresh/light and too sweet/cloying.
I almost wore my decant of Box of Eels from another generous swapper, but I seem to be blowing through that pretty quick and decided to put the breaks on so I don’t run out before springing for a FB, which sadly won’t be until at least July . So frustrating because patience is not one of my virtues! I totally blame my mother and father for the fact I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth!
And apropos of nothing, has anyone tuned into the “Wolf Hall” series on PBS? I just realized last night I could watch it on-line (I don’t have a TV) and was thrilled, but haven’t had a chance to watch yet.
Wolf Hall is on my watch-list. I try to stay away from Henry VIII dramas (too much agony there), but in the end I can’t look away.
Box of Eels! **snerk**
Yeah, I’m not big on rolling heads either but just recently heard an interview with Hilary Mantel on Fresh Air. She is not overly sympathetic to Anne Bolyn’s loss of her head, stating that Henry ensured she had a quick and “painless” death, the only requirement being Anne must kneel and be completely still.
I love “Box of Eels” – both the actual perfume and the man who named it (pixel’s hubby maybe?).
I loved the first episode (and also loved the book). Really fantastic casting.
Yes, I enjoyed the book as well and my first thought was “oh no! A TV series?!?”
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, I will watch the first episode tonight.
I’m going to see the stage production in NYC tomorrow with one of my close friends from college. So excited!
Oh, lucky you! When you live in a backwater like me, a “stage production” sounds like a high class evening.
Down here we basically listen to the gators booming during mating season and spend the in between times swatting mosquitoes. Very intellectually stimulating
LOL! We once visited our grandfather in Florida and went for a canoe paddle. One of my sisters, already not keen on how tippy the boats were, asked our grandfather what that sounds was. He told us later.
Smart man!
It’s finally sunny here! Half the crocuses in my yard are done, half are still blooming. The forsythia is blooming. There are hyacinths and daffodils up in the neighborhood. The peonies are peeking out of the ground, and the oregano and thyme from last year is coming back!
SOTD is Tam Dao … I’ve fallen for this one big time! I have to get some work done today, even though it’s so nice out and super distracted. Hopefully the sandalwood will help me focus …
I was bad today and bought more perfume. I have cut back massively considering what the past 5 or so years have looked like, but i go to Morocco in 3 weeks and shouldnt be spending $…
But.. I had to get Aesop Marrakech Intense to take with me… then I saw L’Artisan Jatamansi edt cheap and I love that smell and have wanted some for years! and Baiser Volé edt was less than $40 and I had to pay for shipping so i
thought i may as well make the most of it
Oh yeah.. and Annikky’s blog convinced me that fancy toothpaste and violet shaving cream were totally covetable
They are! And to give credit where it’s due, it was actually Angela on this blog who convinced me of the superiority of Geo F. Trumper’s shaving products. I link to her review as well, I hope she doesn’t mind.
Strangely, I’ve never tried Aesop’s fragrances, although I like several of their products a lot. Must get to it.
Aesop only have the one fragrance currently, they had 2 oils before but I was told they are working on this area now
I dont use the face products as like you, I find they can be a bit heavy. But the shower gels, body creams and hand creams I love! Really strong scented and beautiful scent combinations. (and the body and hand creams come in tubes 
)
I love their body stuff, too, and the rose hair mask. I bought a tube of the vetiver hand cream, but I can’t apply it as liberally as I would like because it’s so highly scented. And I’m not known to be the one who wrinkles up her nose and says, “oh, it’s too strong” when it comes to scents, lol!
Hi. Where did you find the Jatamansi? I’ve been wanting to get my hands on that. Thanks!
Fragrancenet have some cheaply, and Strawberrynet not quite so cheaply. It seems they’ve merged it into the standard line-up with smaller bottles and edt rather than l’eau. Im not sure if that means it’s more concentrated or not, but Im happy either way!
I had a look at annikky’s blog there – love it! I’m curious about the toothpaste and violet shaving cream too!
I own wear a lot of perfume and try loads but I can’t find any that I absolutely love! Sweeping statement I know:) I try stuff , really like it and then shortly afterwards it’s all “meh” or “I wish I didn’t buy that!”
It doesnt happen too frequently for me either- the instant, total loves- but they do happen. Most of my collection is likes, and likes a lot. Some of the mehs have moved up in rank over time too! Lol
Looks like the decanting services are made for you, then
I’m fickle, too, so I try not to buy without thoroughly testing first (I don’t always succeed, of course). One mistake I’ve made and have seen others make is that often there is something we really-really like, but it’s too expensive, difficult to get, etc. So we buy half-loves instead, but it generally doesn’t work. I have learned to splurge on real favourites and at least try to hold back on the rest. Again, not necessarily succeeding 
(And thank you for reading.)
Yes, I’m definitely at that point as well. It’s fun to explore, but I just don’t want to own all that stuff that doesn’t hit the mark. I’m finally okay with waiting for the right thing, thank goodness! It took looking at my closet and realizing I had WAY too many pairs of black pants, purchased each in turn because the previous pair wasn’t quite right!
Saturday and nowhere to go, nowhere to be.
I’m using this quiet day to sample Le Chevrefeuille and Eau de Camille along with Wit and La Chasse aux Papillons all at once.
I almost never try more than one fragrance at a time, but these fragrances remind me of spring, so why not?
I dont think I’ve ever read a comment from anyone NOT liking or loving Wit.
Hope you enjoy your meditations on springtime
Now that is a recommendation, isn’t. I love Debut…guess I better get a sample of Wit!
Wit and Debut are two of my favorite florals, Amoureuse as well. I don’t get along with Bois de Paradis, though, but 3 out of 4 loves from one house is phenomenal — almost can’t lose with Parfums DelRae.
Thanks, Perthgirl! I love the mild weather of spring and fall, and these fragrances are wonderful companions at this time of year.
After sampling these yesterday, I decided that a perfectly fragrant day for me would be Le Chevrefeuille in the morning (citrusy sunshine on spring flowers), an afternoon with La Chasse aux Papillons (photorealistic honeysuckle flowers with a hint of the green vines), and Wit for evening (narcissus veering into a touch of diva-ish ylang).
Still thinking about Eau de Camille . . .
I’m in a celebratory mood today! I am off work this next week and the kids are on spring break from school. The yard is popping with the cherry tree in full bloom, and camellias and hyacinths creating bursts of color. The chickadees are having a party and busily building a nest in a bird house that is occupied each spring. My birthday was last week and my husband bought me Daphne plants as requested! One is a ground cover/shrub type which I haven’t seen before and we’re about to plant the one that is more like a bush. It is so incredibly fragrant and I couldn’t be more thrilled.
SOTD is from my sample of Terracotta. I went online to order it from Nordstrom last night and it shows it is sold out! I just called my local Nordstrom and there was one bottle left. I’ve bought it as a birthday present to myself.
I have to thank all the NST commenters a few weeks back who recommended the book Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. It was an incredible story and written in such a unique way!
Happy weekend and happy spring!
What a nice birthday for you!
Enjoy your daphne plants and Terracotta!
Thank you floragal!
What a lovely extended birthday you’re having!!
kindcrow, I’ve noticed the crows are in total nest building mode! I have seen them flying with lots of twigs and watched one pull a small twig off a tree! They seem amazingly smart!
It’s so fun to watch nests being built! You are right — crows (and ravens) are very intelligent — so intelligent that some people call them “feathered apes.” New Caledonian Crows even manufacture and use tools. When I look at a crow or raven, I feel like it is looking right back at me, studying me as much as I am studying it.
American Crows more or less mate for life, and older siblings sometimes help raise younger siblings. You can watch a Nature episode on crows for free at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/a-murder-of-crows-introduction/5838/.
Here is a story from Seattle about a kid who receives gifts from crows. She gives them peanuts and they give her shiny trinkets.
The Girl Who Gets Gifts from Crows
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31604026
I am completely amazed – thanks for sharing both links!
Happy belated birthday and what wonderful scented presents, Daphne and Terracotta! Enjoy, and have a wonderful year ahead!
Thank you, Laila!
Happy Birthday! Daphne is a lovely gift.
Earlier this spring, I would sometimes feel like Pepe Le Pew on my evening walks around the neighborhood – my nose would be leading me around in the dusk as I tried to catch the scent trail to find the shrub it was wafting from.
I did the same thing – and insisted on seeking out the Daphne for a sniff, even though I know exactly what it will smell like!
AnnE, have you tried Wit?? If not, I couldn’t recommend it more!
No, I haven’t, and I see thT I must remedy that situation. Everyone is talking about it lately!
Did a little late morning shopping, stopped in Bergdorf to try some of the new Jo Malone scents and was sadly disappointed. I wanted the Osmanthus to work but they did give me a sample to try at home. Sometimes the scents in the store compete with so many other scents.
So pretty out today.. Spring has arrived!
Floragal,
I did exactly what you did this past Tuesday at Nordstrom’s. I thought that I would fall in love with Osmanthus Blossom or even “like” the other two. But, to no avail, I was extremely disappointed. They have hyped up these three “limited edition” fragrances so much, I should have known I wouldn’t like it. Normally, I’m never disappointed with any JM fragrance, but this time around, it was a no-go for me.
Wow, and you are a die hard JM fan!
I will say trying it later at home it was a little more enjoyable and I could better make out the Osmanthus.
Osmanthus Interdite is still my #1 pick for this flower.
LOL! I am a die-hard JM fan! I think that my nose is beginning to appreciate so many other scents and I have been venturing out. But, I will always have a special place in my heart for JM.
I have been impressed by the “rock the ages’ collection. I like two and am even considering the geranium and verbena for future purchase. That is, if they are still available in September…
Keeping the BWF week going today in A La Nuit for a day of household chores and errands. Also, last night I bought a little bottle of Versace Blond parfum on ebay after comments here piqued my interest. The notes sound wonderful. Any thoughts on the differences (if any) between the parfum and edt?
I’ve only tried the parfum. Which is nice, but I don’t wear it often.
I’m not yet scented today, but I’m deciding between Rose Jam (already used the shower gel this morning) because it makes me happy and Fleur de Narcissefor a themed scent of the day. It’s my birthday, and my boyfriend and I are about to head an hour north to the Tulip Festival! There will also be iris and daffodil fields, thus the idea to wear FdN. I’m winding down on BWFweek, having worn Hiram Green Moon Bloom yesterday and Guerlain Jardins de Bagatelle on Thurs.
But really, I’m sure Rose Jam will win because it’s an instant mood booster.
Happy Birthday! I hope your day turns out to be everything you hope for!
Thank you!
Happy Birthday, and what a wonderful way to spend it, surrounded by flowers!
Thanks, that was my line of thinking too. :). I saw plenty of tulips, but it was very crowded so didn’t get to see the irises. Daffodils were already withering, but there were some in bloom still.
Happy Birthday! Hope your bday weekend is awesome.
Thank you! It has been so far.
Adding to birthday wishes!
Thanks!
I’m so glad Rose Jam found a happy home with you! Hope you had a wonderful birthday!
I am so tired today. This is the first “Saturday” in over a year that I had to work. The school district that I work for had our annual job fair this morning. I didn’t do it last year because I was out for my knee replacement surgery. Since I am considered an administrator, I had to be in attendance. I wanted to wear a fragrance that was pretty, but not too overpowering. So, I chose Chloe. I got several compliments, so I guess I made the right choice.
Now, is it nap time yet?
Working Saturday is the worst. I’m an educator as well, but the only time I have to work Saturdays is to chaperone Junior high dances, which is sort of fun in a drama-filled kind of way. I usually go perfume-less for these events so I’m not in competition with the mass quantities of Axe and whatever that crap is they sell at Rue 21 the girls immerse themselves in.
So funny! I used to teach middle school for 6 years before I became a counselor. I remember those days and dances well! (LOL) The boys drown themselves in Axe because they claim the girls love it. And the drama……..lol…..so theatrical!
I’m wearing Imaginary Authors Yeaterday Haze. Again. I love this stuff! Perfect for a rainy, blustery spring day. Any recommendations on fragrances that are similar to this? Maybe even something with a bit more florality, if that’s a word?
I can’t recommend anything, but just wanted to agree with you. Love Yesterday Haze! Great fragrance!
I agree with both of you. Yesterday Haze is one of my very favorites.
Of all the many bottles of perfumes that I own and all that I have sampled, I can’t recall any that are similar to it…and yet it reminds me of something I have smelled before…if that makes any sense. Perhaps that is why it’s called “Yesterday Haze”!
Jo Malone Blue Agave and Cacao on this lovely lazy Saturday.
Funny, I got a sample of this scent today in the body cream. It’s a nice cocoa scent.
You don’t hear it mentioned much.
Can you help me?
I love the thick-soft-sweetness of Santal Carmin and Cuir Beluga (esp Cuir Beluga) can anyone recommend another similar fragrance? Maybe a leather heliotrope?
Cuir d’Ange, maybe?
Maybe. I’ll have to order a sample and give it a whirl
I’ve been wearing L’Heure Bleue a lot from a recent swap. It’s heliotrope and iris–might be worth a try.
You know, I never did get heliotrope from that one. I’ll have to pull out my sample again.
I sprayed on Cuir D’Ange today and liked it. I had the Monsieur LI on the other hand. I think that turned a little sweet on me for my taste. Also trekked up to Frederic Malle. Only one in there, which is a bit intimidating. I liked the new Cologne quite a bit.
Cuir D’Ange is gorgeous, and I’d love to get in on a split of this.
I totally know what you mean about the FM shop. I visited there once and found it to be quite unwelcoming. It’s such a shame when it should be a fun and enjoyable experience. I’d much rather visit Barney’s than that boutique again.
Fragrant greetings all.
Quick question……..!
Mitsouko in the summer or Mitsouko in the winter ?
I reach for it for its warm buttery peachy note that i adore in the warmer seasons.
Does anyone love this classic in the cooler months ? I’m not sure where it falls in relation to season category.
Thanks.
I like it year round sometimes a little more in the summer- seems the peach ripens a bit more ; )
I mostly wear Mitsouko during winter.Living in South Africa the summerheat can be tenacious,so mostly the Edc’s or lighter perfumes appear in my rotation.But it’s great for an evening out,no matter what season it is!
I prefer wearing it in autumn
Mostly fall and winter for me. In spite of the peach note, it feels too “buttoned up” to wear in the summer.
I wore it (EdP) for the first time today, starting very early when it was still a crisp spring day. As the day warmed up, the perfume was just becoming a skin scent, and it was glorious. I am on the lookout for some more of this one, and a chance to try the extrait, and I plan on sampling it in every state and season!
Thanks all x
Well, I did switch to Azemour les Oranges, but for some reason the bitterness was just too front-and-center for me today (maybe my nose was set on “more smooth, less bitter” by the Cuir Mauresque). Didn’t quite scrub it, but washed it off a bit and added Diptyques Tarocco to tame and sweeten it. Very nice effect, really.
I don’t find Azemour bitter, but I do find that the juicy sweet orange dries up fast and it is a very dry scent for the rest of its course. I’v tried bolstering the orange with a variety of scents without success, but now I’m going to see whether the Diptyque helps. Thanks for the tip!
I finished decanting and packaging for the last swap and the last split so I smell like a melange of perfumes! I wore Cuir de Gardenia this morning while grocery shopping but it was no match for Indochine and Bois des Iles
My modem died yesterday and I thought I was confined to using my iPhone until I recalled something about my cell phone service provider enabling iPhones (and probably other similar devices) acting like a personal secured hotspot. The service utilizes the data minutes but since I barely use 1/10 of a month’s allocation in a typical month, I should be OK as long as I’m disciplined about turning off the hotspot when I’m not using it.
Bummer! But you’ll be able to get the modem replaced? Sounds like a good emergency strategy but not a long term fix.
Also go Cuir Gardenia
My modem will be replaced by the service provider. They’re good tbat way.
Does anyone know of a perfume that smells like Johnsons Baby powder?
Demeter Baby Powder or Love’s Baby Soft. Also, you might want to check out the Clean Fragrances line.
If you don’t want a dupe so much as something with the same feeling, you could also try Sarah Horowitz Perfect Veil, The Body Shop White Musk, i Profumi di Firenze Talco Delicato, Keiko Mecheri Loukhoum Poudree, Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige
You are like an ecyclopedia!
Clean Lather comes pretty close as well.My SOTD…today!
I dug into Mt. Sample this morning and came up with Molinard Habanita. It was a blast of sexy curves at first, but now has settled into baby powder with a hint of leather. Robin’s review is spot on, if anyone is curious.
Hello and good evening everyone,
This morning I was at the office so did not wear perfume and forgot to put a little decant spray in my purse for later. So this evening I broke out the PHI and sprayed liberally. I’m learning my lesson to use and enjoy perfume while it is still fresh. My bois d’iris and pure jasmin oil both turned so I had to toss. I don’t know what I was saving them for!
Oh, that’s sad! I uncovered a number of little decants recently that had evaporated. I agree, would have been better to use them up.
That is sad
how old was the bois d’iris?
Which Bois d’Iris, VC&A or The Different Company?
I was also wondering… How old and which one? Coughs anxiously…
Arg so sorry to hear that about the turned fragrances, and thank you for sharing your cautionary tale with us all! I def need the reminder.
I visited Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens today to enjoy the perfect weather. Among other things, I sniffed the scores of orchids in the greenhouse. Most don’t seem to have an aroma, but some have interesting spicy scents.
Marjorie Merriweather Post was the richest woman in America, and her house is stuffed to the gills with beautiful Russian and French porcelain and other decorative arts – a mind-boggling collection. She looked like a charming and formidable lady. I forgot to ask the docent if she wore perfume – I’ll just have to go back!
BTW, it is possible to sail the Greek Isles on her legendary yacht, the 1931-built tall ship Sea Cloud (if you have some extra thousands lying around). That would truly be a dream vacation! What perfume would you wear on a luxurious and nostalgic square-rigged ship?
Hmmm… good question! I would think that could be a good setting for loud n proud fragrances. Definitely something vintage!
What would have been up to the moment, daring and very expensive in 1931? That’s probably what she would have been wearing…
Jean Patou launched Joy in 1930. It was promoted as the most expensive perfume in the world at the beginning of the Great Depression. She loved flowers, too.
I would have worn a fresh batch of either Jicky or L’Heure Bleue on that cruise(back in 1931!!).I can only imagine how the perfumes smelled then!Filled to the brim with oakmoss and civet,real Mysore sandalwood…YUM.1931 is pre-Chanel No. 5 right?
No. 5 was first released in 1921, so that is a possibility, too. Yes, I like to imagine the atmosphere of that ship when they all dressed for dinner.
Joining late today to share that I’m wearing Rose Omeyyade from Atelier des Ors.
That sounds interesting!
Yesterday I decided to wallow in Manoumalia’s decadent beauty another day.
I had to go to a party this afternoon and thought that La Promesse de l’Aube was probably more appropriate.
Yesterday, it was Amouage Memoir and today is a different story. I really want to wear Deneuve but for some reason my mother says it makes her nauseous and so it’s out. Chanel no 22 or no 19 it is then.
Hmm. There are fragrances that make me nauseous too, so I sympathize… Deneuve is gorgeous – I guess you can save it for times when you won’t be near your mom. (Love Memoir too, but it’s too warm here for it today.)
Mals I have a question!On your blog:when you scroll down the articles,there’s this gorgeous yellow with blue flowers-wallpaper on the background.I love the look of it,where can I find a sample to see the whole design?
Wearing a sample of Amouage Sunshine this afternoon. It is a total comfort scent – the overall effect I get is… wait for it… peaches and cream oatmeal. And I *love* it! Of course, if I concentrate, I can pick out the notes, but all together that’s what I get. My little sister had a doll when we were little whose breath smelled of peaches/apricots, and it smells like that, too…
Decided to wear L’Artisan Poivre Piquant today – not too heavy for a nice sunny day, but peppery enough to provide a little edginess. I am sad that my little 15 ml bottle is almost gone; I like this one just as much as I do Safran Troublant, and I find it even more wearable, at times. It does, though, make me sneeze if I spray too liberally.
Wearing Eau Sauvage on this, the first truly gorgeous day of the season here in southern Ontario (18 degrees Celsius and sunny all day). Every time I wear Eau Sauvage I suspect it’s a tad too “mature” for me – there’s just a hint of country club men’s lounge about it – but in comparison to so many other citrus chypres of its era, it’s very fresh, unisex and modern…and anyway, I love its (relatively) old-fashioned vibe. I could wear it all summer, but I try to ration it. It loses some of its magic if I wear it day after day.
Speaking of Lush, this time of year reminds me that I should splurge on some of their Grass shower gel. Do they still make that? It’s the only Lush product I’ve purchased more than once. A very particular smell, but as someone whose heart skips at the scent of freshly-mown grass, it’s ambrosial to me.