[Sincere apologies for the very late poll; I am out of town and having minor technical difficulties.]
Another weekend, finally! We're marking the occasion with our usual open thread: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the perfume you'd be wearing if you could only find it, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Victorian Woman [cropped] by funky_abstract at flickr; some rights reserved.
Had to take my cat to the vet this morning for an emergency visit– she hadn’t eaten in a couple of days and was wobbly and weak. Vet got her to eat a little after giving her fluids so I think she’ll be okay. Weather is now perfect so I put on a little Samarinda– warm and comforting
Hi thegoddessrena,
I hope your cat is ok.
Grab4less
I’m glad your kitty is doing better! And you smell wonderful.
Prayers for your kitty. Hope she’s all better soon!
Glad meow is on the mend. Seemed like she had something similar right before you moved!
I hope your kitty is feeling better soon.
Oh give her a scratch under the chin from me. I hope she is feeling better!
I’m so relieved you’re okay! I was very concerned as I know you and your family were not feeling well this past week.
So, I want to say thank you so much for all you do, Robin. I truly appreciate you and this lovely community of contributors and commenters. I am very grateful for you all.
Yes, I agree!
Thought something bad happened since we’ve come to expect, even on vaca! a post from Robin.
Grateful as well.
Me too. Thanks for all you do for us, Robin.
Me three! I was afraid someone was feeling really terrible.
I’m so sorry. I am actually all better, but made an idiotic mistake this morning and thought I’d posted this but hadn’t. Was very surprised late afternoon to discover it wasn’t there! And thought I’d try not dragging my laptop with me this time since it’s a short trip, but that turned out to be a mistake.
And thank you all!
I kept refreshing the page and worrying about my sanity. Because how can it be Saturday if Lazy weekend poll isn’t there? And if it’s not Saturday, what else I’m being wrong about?
Glad to hear you’re OK.
I confess, I had a similar feeling. I had to double-check the calendar. Who knew that the sun rises and sets based on when Robin puts up the weekend poll….? Now I do!!
And I thought I’d posted the poll way early (we had to leave our house for the airport at 7:30 am our time) and everyone would be surprised to see it 3 hours or so earlier than usual. Figures, I cannot function that early on a Saturday.
We appreciate the effort.
Must be something in the air. My deck contractor said he texted me and was waiting for a reply and found it odd I hadn’t gotten back to him. He went to text me again and saw he never sent the first text.
Glad you’re feeling better and that the late saturday poll was just a technical glitch and nothing more serious.
So glad you are better Robin. Like Annikky, I kept hitting refresh to make sure it wasn’t my laptop. I was soooo sad. The Lazy Weekend Poll is like a Saturday ritual for me. Lately, I have been so busy with work during the week that I don’t get to comment as much as I would like to. But Saturdays, commenting is part of my routine. Anyway, so glad you are okay. I so appreciate what you do and can’t image not having NST around. Thanks for all you do Robin.
I’m glad everything is ok too. After I worried, and double checked my own human error, I had decided that hey, maybe you just wanted a day off.
Hello Robin,
I hope that you & you’re family are all feeling a lot better.
I work on both Saturday & Sunday at the moment, but am finishing the last weekend in September, I can’t wait to start looking forward to Fridays again, & spending the weekends with my husband & little ones!
Perfume is really lifting my spirits at work, & I wore L’air de Rien for the first time this year today. This would be in my top 5, definitely, I don’t really get any thing dirty from it tho, I guess it’s different on different skin.
My husband is still in recovery, but my son and I are better. Nasty virus (worst I’ve had in years) and hope none of you get it!
no worries, Robin, just walked in & found I didn’t miss a thing! Samples arrived this a.m. and I wore Salome pretty much all day, and no one recoiled from the animalics! It doesn’t seem very skanky to me, but I’m assuming I’ve a high tolerance. Initially get carnation & birch tar, and a lot of tobacco in the far drydown. It reminds me quite a bit of DSH’s Le Smoking, but probably longer lived. I may do a side by side comparison tonight.
Popped into Nordstrom and spritzed Jour Gardenia. The opening is really pretty, but it rapidly devolved into original Jour’s screechy base, so am trying to get rid of it now.
My sample of Salome should be here today and excited to try this and a few others I ordered. Notes sound intense in this one.
My sample arrived about four minutes after we left today so it’s baking in the mailbox. I was planning on offending my in-laws with some Salome today
oh, well.
I’m in Assam of India. Over applied AGAIN… geesh… sometimes I think “moderation” is not among my physical skills at all!
PS. I will never finish this bottle, so if someone wants a sample, pls email me at ann dottiness eisenberg attagirl comcast dottiness
net (Sorry, no elephants w the sample !)
Fun! Been wanting to try after Robin’s review.
V. happy to send you some!
That’s a nice one, I just tried it a couple of days ago.
Did anyone ever try any of the others in this set?
Nope. I caved for the bottle…
It’s a darned cute bottle.
I cannot believe it’s over a third of the way through September already. I was in a store this morning and Halloween decorations were out. It’s hot hot hot here today so I put on Chanel Gardenia this morning but it’s gone now, think I’ll do California Reverie for late afternoon.
I noticed them this morning in stores too! I don’t mind Hallowe’en decorations per se, but Hallowe’en decor for grownups seems like a complete cash grab. Us folks over here can definitely think of a better use for the money.
What would be a Hallowe’en perfume? There’s the pumpkin-y Like This, but it makes me think of Thanksgiving. I think there’s a perfume actually called Halloween, but I remember it was a caloric ocean wave.
Prada Candy?
I think there’s a J. Del Pozo called Halloween, but I’ve never smelled it.
Yes, althought the connection to Halloween isn’t entirely clear to me. I used to like it in my pre-perfumista days, not really surprising, as I can see now it includes violet, tuberose and magnolia, some of my favourite notes. But it has that watery-aquatic feel so typical of the 90s that is a dealbreaker for many people.
I have a small bottle that someone gave me. It’s a watery violet, rather cold and somewhat sharp, I don’t wear it often or care for it much. Somewhere I remember reading it received its name only because it debuted at Halloween time but otherwise has no other connection to it, I don’t know if that’s true or not.
I haven’t smelled it for a while, but it would probably be too synthetic-smelling for me now.
On Halloween I wear my vintage Must de Cartier parfum. I love the strong galbanum top note (there is something witchy about it) and the resins, leather and vetiver (feels the woods in the dark).
Best of all — it sprays on orange!
Oooo, you smell great on Halloween!
I think anything and everything from the “dark” perfume houses might qualify as a Halloween perfume!Laurent Mazzone,BPAL,Solstice Scents?Doesn’t Demeter and Smell Bent also have some in the category?
Had my first taste of candy corn yesterday, and loved every one of them! I’m very seasonal with my sweets and so it’s been a year since I’ve enjoyed these.
I love candy corn. I’m going to be craving it all night now that you mentioned it.
Oh no! So sorry!
No worries. It’s on my shopping list for today.
I love candy corn! As soon as people started talking about Halloween I started looking forward to it
I am glad I am not the only one!
Where I live Halloween decorations (and candy!) were out in mid-August when it was 90 degrees. So was everythig pumpkin-flavored. I was still into lemonade and iced tea!
That is rediculous! But it might explain my husband’s eternal confusion between Halloween and Thanksgiving (he’s from somewhere else) as they are marketed and sold simultaneously from Sept onward.
Where is spell check when ya need it!
SOTD is Bois des Iles parfum. We have perfect fall weather right now. Hubby is taking me out to dinner tonight, so will probably layer with the L’Air de Rien that he got me in London. Still kicking myself for forgetting to ask the SA at NM to put in a sample of the new VCA Ambre Imperial when she sent the BdI (beauty event!). She was really generous with lots of other samples. Is it greedy if I text her to ask her to send me some of the VCA once the hubbub from the beauty event settles down? It sounds just up my alley.
I know that’s annoying. I periodically order samples from Luckyscent or one of the decanters and always end up kicking myself for something that I forgot. Which is silly because the ones that sound the most enticing often don’t work.
I don’t think you are greedy, but I’m not sure of the best approach. If I were going to contact someone, I’d probably wait until she was less busy.
I’m wearing Tam Dao today, trying it out. Nice sandalwood, bit of a skin scent on me. I can see wearing this throughout fall.
Tam Dao is nice even if it is a bit of a skin scent. I like 10 Corso Como too for a similar woody perfume. That one lasts a wee bit longer on me too.
You know, I recently got a sample of the 10 Corso Como and I was really disappointed until I started reading that the reformulation from the original butchered the scent. It sounded so up my alley but was nothing like what I expected from the notes and reviews on its original formulation.
Scored one of the small gem bottles of Omnia Crystalline at Marshall’s last night; it’s pleasant to hold as well as wear. Also got a backup bottle of L’eau de Chloe (one of my all time summer favorites), a small bottle of Pure DKNY (not an amazing scent, but also nice to wear in hot weather), and only because it was $10, a big ol’ bottle of A Dozen Roses Angel Face. It’s a nice enough gourmands fruity thing; I’ve been wearing a lot of perfumes this year I would have looked down my nose at in previous years, I’m going to give it a few more wears before I form a final opinion.
A cheerful celebration of finishing a VERY long week and the end of a month of being ridiculously, miserably sick. Yay for surviving!!
Congratulations on surviving and on your bargain finds!
They are making me ridiculously happy! I probably shouldn’t have spent the money but I can’t feel bad when I’m so tickled with the results.
Sick for a month! That’s not a fun way to end the summer. I’m happy to hear you’re on the mend.
Yes, I was also really PISSED that all my end of summer was shot! But I’m trying to be zen. I was really happy when I stopped just getting worse and worse and worse. It’s bleak when you feel like you’ll never get better, but then when you DO it’s like “Hey! Everything is awesome!”
This is exactly how it is
Yes that is the only upside to being so sick, is just being well feel fabulous!
And I’ve been complaining like mad about being sick for 5 days! Glad you are better.
Hey, you have the right! I think it’s crucial to get sympathy when you’re sick. Being sick alone is the scariest thing. So you keep on reaching out for that sympathy! And I hope it feels good that everyone here is rooting for you. (And take care of yourself!)
Isn’t it funny how amazingly good it feels to just be normal for a few days after you’re sick? Then you forget, again, to feel thankful.
And yes, always helps to get sympathy.
Glad you’ve recovered!
Getting better every day! I’m happy also just to *feel happy* again!
Congratulations for shaking off whatever afflicted you. As you say, yay for surviving, and double yay for scented surviving!
I think my longest running would-try-if-it-were-easier-to-find is Jul et Mad Stilettos on Lex. There are four online sites that I rely on for samples, and it seems as if everything shows up there eventually, except this brand. Nonetheless, I am now noticing it on a fifth site, so I should go order immediately before it slips my mind.
I’ve been testing Chyprissime from of the Thierry Mugler Les Exceptions collection. I wouldn’t have identified it as a chypre, but I think it may be related to some of the masculine chypres that I’ve not spent much time with. It smells pleasantly masuline, and somehow familiar – like Bel Ami, for example??? Or is it reminiscent of Miller Harris Fleurs de Sel??? It’s fair to say it continues the theme of remixing and modernizing.
I’ve also tried the Over the Musk, which is a pleasant musk with a touch of Chyprissime. Not a laundry musk; closer to parts of Kiehl’s, but not dirty.
So far I’ve liked Oriental Express the best (as have most of the reviewers have), followed by Supra Flora. I still have Fougere Furieuse to test (and there is already a new leather one that I don’t have in my set).
These are somewhat expensive at $225 for 2.7 oz, so I’m not likely to end up with a bottle. I’m glad to have the nicely packaged sample set and will at least seek another sample or decant of Oriental Express.
noz, where did you find samples of the Muglers?
I’m very interested in that information as well…
I got mine on ebay (US). I’ve noticed on the Mugler USA site, if you buy a bottle of one of Les Exceptions, you get the 5-sample set. Also, if you buy anything on the site, you can select five complimentary samples from a long list that includes individual Exceptions samples. There doesn’t seem to be any way to buy the samples there.
I’m not registered on or a member of the site, so there could be more that I can’t see or special offers for members.
I also noticed that Nordstrom has Les Exceptions, so one might be able to get samples at the stores.
Thank you!
We liked the same ones. I still have not tried the newer leather.
Wearing Tom Ford noir extreme.
I almost wore Noir pour Femme today. Still strongly considering a FB.
Sampling Tauerville Incense Flash today. Pretty nice… as always, I like the dry-down phase best for his scents. This one might be good for layering.
I also tried Monoscent G which Twisted Lily threw in my package. Their website notes that ~30% of people can’t smell this. I can smell something but it’s quite light. I’m wondering if it really IS light, or if my nose is just missing something? Anyone have any experience with this one?
I had a frustrating first half of the day: had to go to the office for something that was supposed to take 15 minutes, ended up spending 3 very annoying hours trying to make things work. By the time I finished, the butcher was closed and my plans for dinner ruined (I had in mind to make Persian-style lamb). So, I sprayed myself liberally with Feminite du Bois, mixed a G&T (with orange blossom and lavender tonic!) and cooked a rabbit in cider, with tarragon, garlic and onions. Plus, I used my mini cocottes for making little leek, cream and blue cheese side dishes! Feel much better now.
Could I come over for dinner? Sounds delicious!
You are welcome to come
Wow! Love to be your neighbor. Not sure I’ve ever seen rabbit available in NYC. I’m sure a good butcher carries this but those how practically disappeared.
This is one thing I like about Brussels: you still find butchers and other speciality shops in many areas, although less than in the past. This is the plus side of the inefficency of old Europe:) But rabbit is widely available in supermarkets and one of the cheapest meats, I cook it often (especially in the autumn).
I’d love to get your rabbit recipe! My neighbor raises meat rabbits and I just end up frying or stewing them. Your recipe sounds much tastier.
I hope Robin doesn’t mind this, but if you click on the link in my name and search for “autumn stew”, you find the blueprint recipe for this.
Yesterday’s version was slightly different (I keep trying variations, otherwise it gets boring): I took six rabbit shoulders, browned them on a pan and transferred to a casserole. Seasoned with salt and pepper, added (I think) 5 crushed garlic cloves and two roughly chopped onions. Poured a bottle of proper apple cider on top, brought to a boil and let simmer very gently for two hours (if you are in a hurry, even an hour should be enough), adding a bunch of fresh tarragon towards the end of the cooking. The meat is very, very tender by that point and you can easily stop here. But if you have guests and side dishes (I had oven potatoes and roasted long red peppers, in addition to the leeks), you maybe don’t want to drown them (the dished, nit the guests) in the stew liquid. So I poured most of the liquid to a small saucepan, added butter, mustard and some chopped tarragon and reduced it to a thicker sauce.
I’m sorry, got a little carried away… But autumn is such a good time for cooking.
Autumn and winter are the best times for cooking. I can’t wait until it cools off a bit here and I can start cooking comfort foods again.
Many thanks, Annikky!
Your blog is very interesting, even for a tropical gal who wears a uniform.
Thank you, solance, I really, really appreciate you saying this. And I’m in awe of people who wear uniforms. What’s yours, if you don’t mind me asking?
And now I’ve gone and mis-spelled your name. I’ll better go to bed before I cause a major incident.
Don’t worry, it’s not even my name!
Black T shirt with either dark jeans or some hippie skirt and a black leather jacket. But I do wear dresses sometimes, too, with said leather jacket. And black boots. When I was into Physics there was this Chinese gal in the lab I worked who wore a uniform, and I so admired her. For me, wearing a uniform is a time saver, a stress avoider and, most importantly, a way of saving up for beautiful perfumes.
I completely get your logic, it’s just that I’m not able to follow it myself – it’s like asking me to wear a signature scent. Or only florals. Anyway, your uniform sounds very cool to me.
Everytime you post I get hungry.
Oh my gosh, that all sounds delicious! Yay you!
If you like the sound of it, do try the recipe (see abouve)! It’s easy, although not super-quick.
And I think it would work for chicken as well…
It does. Not with the filet, of course, but otherwise it works very well.
I recently rejoined the interwebs for a bit.I do enjoy Facebook Fragrance Friends,and I’m almost certain a couple of regular NST’ers also lurk there?Anyway!It’s a great and fun group,I like the topics and Scent Me posts as well as their regular SOTD posts.I’ve been a very well behaved perfumista.I’ve sold off some excess perfumes-I mean who really needs 3 bottles of Beloved just sitting there,right?Lol.Also got rid of the GORGEOUS 24 Fauborg,Byzance,Mystère vintage,Tocade and some others.Rochas is not my brand it seems.Lol.The 24 Fauborg:it really is soooo beautiful,but I cannot wear it!Headache,profuse sneezing…even with moderate sprays.It went to a lovely new home.An interesting thing happened;I went for dental surgery on Tuesday,but because of an old heart condition I had to take a heavy dosage of prophylactic anti-biotics and steroids.The one side effect of the anti-biotic is sensory distortion,e.g smell/taste and even some disturbing echoes in my ears.I really felt uncomfortable not being able to smell my perfumes “right”!Oscar de la Renta’s white floral LIVE IN LOVE suddenly had a prominent immortelle note,the hardcore leather in Tom of Finland disappeared alltogether,and I had no joy wearing my beloved Nuxe le Parfum.After these three I went unscented for most of the period,as I got worried it might be permanent.Luckily since Thursday everything seems back to normal!Phew.Lol.Happy Weekend NST!
It’s scary to think that one may have lost one’s sense of smell. I’m glad yours is back!
What an experience – very interesting in retrospect. Good to see you again!
I’m very late so you may not see this …. but are you sure it’s the antibiotics and not the steroids? I have exactly the same problem being caused by steroid eye drops at the moment, and remember suffering similar effects last year when on oral steroids. Although having said that, I have experienced nasty things with antibiotics too! Whatever the cause, glad you’re feeling better.
SOTD = VC&A Amber Imperiale
My sample was pretty small and I also did not want to ovverwhelm anyone in case it was strong so it was 3 really tiny spritzes. It had the signature VC&A base (which I like a lot) and then I got Tang with faint wisps of amber. I will wear more next time. It smelled gorgeous on the SA though so I have high hopes.
Oo, this sounds interesting, I will have to look for it to try at Sniffa.
Well, having sworn off sample purchases has definitely been a good way to bring into sharp focus what I’d like to try if I could find them closer by!
Neela, DSH, MDCI, Providence Perfume Co…
But in more accessible perfume news, a quick shopping report–my TJ Maxx this week had a few Guerlains, I noticed Idylle Eau Sublime and Aqua Allegoria Nerolia Bianca. I’ve never smelled either of these so I passed, but in case anyone’s been looking for one or the other!
I like Idylle Eau Sublime, which is a dewy rose. I’ve also seen it for cheap on discounters and Amazon. It’s a shame Guerlain did nothing to promote it.
I went to a Hello Kitty food truck earlier today, and wore a bit of the original Juicy Couture mixed with a bit of BonBon V&R. I wanted to be sweet and cute, so thought they were perfect. Haha! Yes, I’m a dork! And the truck could not have been more fun! Tasty Hello Kitty shaped/decorated treats galore! Totz random, but totz wanted to share. Haha!
That sounds delightful – thanks for sharing this experience!
Yeah! And it really was! Just plain old fun! Haha!
Hello Kitty food truck! I want one!
I wish one upon your neck of the woods Robin! So fun!
Sounds wonderful! I’m a HK dork and so is my mom (who looks like a fluffy little old lady so it’s extra cute).
Aawwwwww.
Oh, I want to try that! (I actually have a Hello Kitty panini maker I’ve never used?
You’re my kind of dorky.)
I confess I have purchased Hello Kitty toiler paper in Japan.
I love that so much.
I used to have a colleague whose wife prepared figurative lunches for him to bring to work every day. She’s a fabulous cook (and caterer) and so artistic. I think her characters were mostly made up, but they shared that kawaii aesthetic. Everyone looked forward to that guy’s lunch!
Hello, everyone and happy weekend! I spent today travelling and am now home: so, so pleased to be here with my dear one and my mad purrs but missing the tranquillity of my sister’s garden, the land, the trees, the physical work outdoors, the dogs. I’m more than ever ready to leave this central city life behind and return to heartlands!
I feel a bit of a fraud, posting right now, ‘cos my contribution is very mere. My SOTD isn’t really: it’s the tattered remains of 19, which I thought was good for travelling; I’m tired and thirsty and I have no useful or interesting observations to make, except that those of you whose perfumes I recognise smell wonderful, and Anniky’s cooking sounds utterly delicious. Enjoy your tomorrow!
Thank you, Waterdragon! And the remains of No 19 are a worthy SOTD in my opinion.
I agree with Annikky in that the remains of the 19 are worth mentioning and so is all the other stuff. It’s nice to know what everyone else is up to even if it’s not totally about perfume.
Thank you, Anniky and Poodle. I must admit I enjoy the snippets of other people’s lives too, their pets, jobs, joys, but yesterday I posted mainly because I felt frazzled, and that was rather self-indulgent.
And now I have to face the results of another form of self-indulgence: I gained almost a kilogramme while I was in Australia! Sigh. My sister’s husband is nearly as good a cook as Anniky, and I was weak-willed, dammit! Modest eating must prevail for the next couple of weeks. I will have to depend on Anniky’s recipes and rich perfumes for vicarious foody pleasure! Speaking of which, my SOTD is Black Cashmere.
I love hearing about everyone’s day-to-day stuff too. The perfume is great, don’t get me wrong, but knowing even a tiny bit about the people discussing it takes it to a whole different level.
I think that some of the people with whom I have more in common make perfume recommendations that I’m either more prepared to step out of my comfort zone for, or that just work well for me. It also sometimes gives insight about what mood a perfume has, if that makes sense.
Actually, I think you’re exactly right about the recommendations and the comfort zone. I remember thinking about someone’s response to a perfume: I’d read the review and was a bit iffy about whether or not I should spend energy tracking it down, and then some NSTites (in my mind, that’s pronounced “Nisstights”, by the way — it’s a whole new race of beings) gave their reactions and ideas, and I was emboldened/enabled? and finally bought. I really appreciate the reviews, and pore over them, but the sharing, NSTite-to-NSTite, is one of the best things about being here.
Still commando. Wish I could find my sample of Ylang in Gold. Going to the zoo with a load of kids today, So I might wear Dzing!
Supposedly Obsession for men is a favorite scent of the big cats.
Interesting information, thank you, Poodle. The white tiger was super active this morning, we were all crazy about him. I ended up wearing Putain des Palaces. I know this sounds deeply wrong for a day out with the kids, but it actually worked quite well against the animals’ funk (which I adore, btw).
Have a great week.
Rose Chypree for me today. I am a Tauer fangirl! I need to vote with my pocket book and buy a FB of something of his. But which one?
Incense Flash!!
This morning I have sprayed on some old Estee Lauder Intuition. I used to wear it constantly back in the early 2000’s. It became associated with bad memories and divorce and I have hardly touched it since then. (Yes, my bottle is that old.) I actually still kind of like it–the citrus/amber combination is very nice. However I don’t think I will begin wearing it again. It’s still sort of ruined for me by the bad associations. Too bad to lose out on something good for such a reason but I have plenty of alternatives that come without emotional baggage!
I also have a hard time with scent and memories. Around 1999 or so during a particularly bad time in my marriage, I actually threw away most of my perfumes. I did have a full bottle of Hypnotic Poison and body products that I found a home for. I try now, but still cannot wear it. I have learned that when things are not going well to stop wearing the scents I truly love. I wish though, that I would have kept my bottles like you kept yours.
I have that reaction to two long time favorites, Samsara and Jardin de Bagatelles! Tried to wear them again but 20 years later, they both just make me cry, and not in a good way! Good thing there are other things to test and to love…(both perfumes and mates…).
Same here.
There are some divorce days fragrances that cannot be here in house no mater how much time has passed. I do still have a tiny, empty bottle of Joy that is now 40 years old tucked away.
There are some my brother in law died unexpectedly I cannot wear around my sister.
I always hope I can get to a place bitter yet sweet and be okay but nope, just like meridifay said, there are other things to test and try.
SOTD – CdG Black. I forgot I had it!
And I was sooo sad too yesterday when I looked for the weekend updated thread. I am between consulting contracts right now, which is delightful to have break and not travel every week for a month and I have been able to get in lots of NST time. thanks Robin, for all you do to knit us together!
Luckily (or not) my bad memories are tied to music, rather than fragrance. And they wear off eventually.
Well, my SOTD is Pear &Olive by Slumberhouse. This has actually been my go to scent for the past 3 days. I just received my FB of it mid-week. I had been wanting to get it for so long, but my spending on perfume this year has been outrageous! So, I gave in and got it. Have gotten so many compliments on it. Had a late dinner with an old friend on Friday. When she hugged me, she wouldn’t let go. She said I smelled so good. This scent has got some major staying power on me (extra bonus for me). I have been feeling a little yucky the last few days, but nothing like some of you have experienced. I know why I feel bad. I went to the doctor Friday morning because they have been monitoring my blood pressure (I’ve suffered with high BP and been on medication since I was 18) and tweaking my medication. Well my doctor said, “Since you’re here, you might as well get your flu shot”. I usually get one every year since I am an educator and work with kids all day. But, each time I get it, I get a slight cold. So, today, I think I’m just going to stay in bed and take it easy. Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend!
Rest up. Flu shots always make me feel crummy too but better than full-blown flu! It’s still too warm for Pear + Olive here but I’m glad I got a bottle before it was axed since it’s the only Slumberhouse I enjoy wearing. It should last me forever since a little goes a long way and I’m so fickle.
Yeah, I just found out this morning that it got the axe. I was reading some posts from last week and someone mentioned it. I just purchased a bottle. I would love to go and buy another, but this stuff doesn’t come cheap. It does go a long way, but I am still heavy-handed when it comes to spraying. I will have to ease up on it so my bottle will last a bit longer. Sure hate that Slumberhouse is discontinuing this one. Such a great and unusual fragrance (unusual in a good way)!
I just finished one blog post and right now, I’m experimenting with vintage Bal because I’m forming an idea for another post. On wone wrist is the vintage PdT from a bottle I got off E-Bay and the other has the same perfume but from a decant that I got from Surrender to Chance. It seems like the opening of both are very different but from start to finish, both seems to be different. The decant smells a lot more floral than the actual spray bottle. But I’m just a little annoyed right now and just going to hop in the shower and wash it off and just go to Shalimar.
Good plan!
Last night I went to a swing dance event which was themed as a celebration of the end of World War II, so I did the full vintage look with hair, makeup, clothes, and scent. I wore Joy, though I made sure to put it on earlier in the day so that I didn’t overwhelm my dance partners. I ended up smelling more like hairspray than anything else, though. I also wore a carnation in my hair, which wasn’t heavily scented, so now I’m wearing Oeillet Bengale to satisfy that craving.
Yesterday I watched a movie called From Time to Time which is partially set at the end of WW II. It was a sweet story. Loved the costumes! I think Oeillet Bengale would have been perfectly in step with the times.
Plus my daughter enjoyed spotting the actors who are in the Harry Potter movies, my mom and I enjoyed spotting the Downton Abbey actors.
That’s the movie with Maggie Smith, right? I enjoyed it, too.
Oh, I love Oeillet Bengale! I have only worn it once within the last few months. Since Fall is near, I am looking forward to pulling it out more to wear its spicy – goodness.
SotP4Ds (scent of the past five days) has been lavender essential oil. It is simply refreshing and smells perfectly clean in warm weather.
On Wednesday an electrical transformer in our neighborhood shut down due to the extreme weather. I live with family members and pets who are sensitive to the heat, so all 10 of us moved to my parents’ home for the duration.
The lovely Victorian lady at the top of this weekend poll has me wondering how I would have survived life with air conditioning. Not a pretty or sweet-smelling situation, I would imagine.
Hope everyone is enjoying a comfy weekend wherever you are.
och, should be SotP5ds since I used so much lavender I can still smell it today . . .
Oh, dear, I hope this gets repaired quickly, if it hasn’t already.
Of course, wealthy families used to head for the mountains and coastlines during the summer. Also, I read in one of the Maisie Dobbs novels how even the less wealthy found ways to escape heat and air pollution. Whole families in London would head to the countryside to harvest hops in exchange for a cottage to stay in and some additional income. It sounded rather idyllic. Here’s an article about hops:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2426591/Bumper-crop-hops-stripped-bine-workers-time-honoured-fashion-just-THREE-PER-CENT-fields-remain-compared-century-ago.html
We’re home again with power and A/C, and thank you for the hops link. I have a pillow filled with hops and lavender that smells glorious. Loved Maisie Dobbs in An Incomplete Revenge!
SOTM is the newest Diana Vreeland, Devastatingly Chic from a sample. Very nice spicy carnation. Might play with some of the other DV’s later. Looking forward to the amber one especially.
Oooh, carnation! Did it last on you? Devastatingly chic may be a stretch h for me as a state of being, but I would try to live up to the title for a good carnation!
I think it lasted pretty well and got better over time.
I didn’t realize there was a new carnation one. I know the other DV’s didn’t get much love but I thought they were nice enough. They weren’t over the top or earth shattering but I found them to smell pretty good compared to some of the other stuff out there. I’ll have to be on the lookout for the carnation one.
If you like carnation, I think you’ll like it (though I am no carnation expert). Trying two more this afternoon. The amber one (Extravagance Russe) reminds me a lot of MPG Ambre Fetiche and a lot of other ambers I’ve smelled. Will stick with Amber Sultan. Daringly Different (described as an iris oud) started out with a nice whiff of iris, but has gotten very sweet and may be a scrubber.
I was planning on wearing Salome today since I finally got my sample last evening, but I also got a sample of La Danza Delle Libellule in one of those frenzied last-minute sample selection orgies that result from trying to get the total up enough to get free shipping (because, in my fantasy perfume-land that’s how one saves money). I managed to spill LDDL when I opened the vial to sniff and was shocked at how much I liked it. My inner anime-style Lolita was tickled pink to have her very own scent. I’m wearing it agsin today.
I did sample a dab or two of Salome before my shower and it is really gorgeous. I’m glad it lives up to my expectations and think it will go on the FB list unless something unexpected rears its head during a real wearing. Mr. Minion likes it too. At one point I was getting a hint of ashtray from it and stuck my hand under his nose for an opinion. He said, “smells like an old fur coat that belonged to someone who used to smoke and wore really good perfume. You should get that one.”
Salome really sounds fantastic. Every time I read something about it, I get more and more excited to eventually try it.
I don’t usually spend much time on the computer during the weekends, but I have a lot of work to catch up on by the end of the month so I’m spending most of the day in my home “office” with a mischievous kitty, trying to get stuff done. I appreciate all the good blog reading there is to do when I need a break because it’s keeping me from getting up from my computer and wandering off indefinitely.
As a late birthday present/gift to myself for working long hours, I finally gave in and decided to blind-buy a bottle of Marni Spice, which is an “if I could only find it” scent. Fingers crossed that I like it, although–famous last words?–I can’t imagine how wrong it could possibly go.
Fingers crossed for you.
Going through my recent swaps and finally having a little more time over here. Crabtree & Evelyn Sandalwood–delightful. Maybe fleeting? My lampe berger experiment with the dried up Cuir Ottoman was a huge success, any samples I find evaporated in the future will meet a similar fate. Perhaps after a brief wistful period of wishing I’d worn them more, etc.
I wore Jo Malone Orange Blossom on Saturday. I’m wearing Jo Malone Mimosa and Cardamom today for a day of crocheting at Panera Bread with my crafting buddies.
Well, once again I am late to the NST party. I don’t get much chance to comment during the work week and Saturdays are very busy days for me as well. Usually I am on the computer early on Sunday and trying to catch up. But today I was also very busy and this is my first chance to look at all the comments. I started the day off with Corsica Furiosa and ended it with Mitsouko. I have been on a Guerlain classics kick with Mitsouko and L’here Bleue. Next in line will be Shalimar and Samsara. I am also waiting for my bottle of Salome to arrive. Thus I will go from classics to the latest niche rave. I hope everyone had a good weekend and will have a good week ahead!