It's Toni Morrison's birthday! We're celebrating with our same old weekend lazy poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, the fragrance you think best fits your favorite Toni Morrison novel, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Hello everyone,
it’s been a busy week for me, so glad weekend is here. I’m working on many projects at the moment and a lot of stuff is changing at work too.
After her surgery my mum had her stitches removed this Thursday, everything is healing properly and mum is getting more and more mobile.
From pleasant things, I’m having hard time deciding what perfume should I treat myself to for my birthday, which is next week. I need a serious brainstorm.
Glad your Mother is on the mend, lucasai.
Thank you
Happy upcoming birthday–it’s so fun to have an excuse to splurge! We’ll be eager to hear what you select.
Forgot to mention I’m in Cierge de Lune today
Glad to hear your mom is doing well, Lucas. Birthday perfume? Mohur Extrait!
That is out of my budget
Also glad your mother is on the mend and wanted to alert you that a Mohur Extrait is available on the Splitmeet in case that is of interest…no affiliation…I am trying to not buy it myself…
Happy birthday, Lucas! What are the candidates for the birthday perfume?
Hiram Green Arbole Arbole oraz Chanel Boy are some serious contenders but I could think of a couple more
Good to hear your mother is healing. Happy weekend!
I’m glad your mother is well and that you have a birthday approaching. Whatever you choose as a gift for yourself will be gorgeous. Happy birthday in advance!
So glad to hear your mum is on the mend, and hope u find the perfect birthday perfume, (choices, choices!)
Glad to hear your mum is doing well. The Arbole would be a nice choice, although someone else mentioned a Chanel price increase so maybe Boy would be more crucial.
Man, another price increase already? That semi-evil Chanel…see my comment below.
Still I do love their product.
Have a wonderful Birthday! And glad to hear your mother is progressing well.
Glad to hear your mother is doing better. Arbole Arbole would be my personal choice for my birthday present. Any one you chose will be fantastic.
Hope your mum continues to mend properly and that you have a very Happy Birthday!
Glad to hear your mother is recovering/healing well!
Rose Noir, day 5.
Should be early spring-ish temperature wise. I’m loving this scent.
Compliment , kinda, from yesterday.
Went to the local Italian deli for a hoagie mid-morning because the sesame seed rolls sell out early.
The only other customer was a woman, mid 60s. As I’m leaving, one of the three counter people states: ‘What is that wonderful smell? ‘
2: ‘I smell it too, it is great’ .
3: ‘It’s that woman. Miss, what is the perfume you’re wearing? ‘
As I’m exiting she states, ‘I don’t wear perfume’ .
My work here is done.
Triple strength coffee.
Carpe Diem. Peace.
LOL
Which Rose Noir is it? I wish I lived somewhere where there were Italian delis worth trekking to before the sesame seed rolls sold out. *sigh*
I have renamed POAL, Rose Noir, in my mind.
Portrait of a Lady is too Victorian for me. Femme and Woman are great names, LADY conjures up Jerry Lewis. LOL
“Hey, LADY! !!!”
Lol, Bear! POAL has never called my name loud enough for me to want to try it. Now, your descriptions this week, have it screaming at me:)
Liking patchouli and rose is required to enjoy Rose Noir, lillyjo.
I’ve always liked patchouli, it’s prominent rose that I’m not to familiar with wearing. I’ve also been trying to break out of my fragrance comfort zone.
Oh, got it! I love Jerry Lewis, but yeah – not exactly the person you want associated with your rose noir (or any perfume, really)
I always call it POAL, and I think it would be spectacular on a man.
The first time I wore my sample I put my wool coat on immediately after application, and the scent stuck. Three weeks later, the male cashier at the pharmacy leaned over the counter with his eyes wide and wanted to know what I was wearing and where he could buy it. YAAAAS. Here’s the rest of my sample, dude, and wear it in good health.
I love it! Spreading the wealth and the love. POAL is a really brilliant fragrance. One of the few patchoulis I truly enjoy.
I was grocery shopping this morning and as I walked past a lady she started coughing and shouted, “OMG, someone BATHED in perfume today!”, and gave me a dirty look. My SOTD – a couple sprays of POAL! Whoops
Melinda – and you should have yelled “and someone is COMMANDO” then smirk as you leave.
Haha! – I really wanted to say “at least I don’t look like I haven’t showered in 3 days” or “wow, that must be such fun picking out energy drinks with your kiddo!
Boom! Mic drop! I think PoAL is really nice, but my husband doesn’t share my appreciation.
Great story!
Thanks for the comments, Everyone.
A teddy bear. 
Maybe I will wear it again the next time I go (in a few months,
Italian hoagies ain’t cheap calorie wise – LOL).
I suppose I was eliminated because rose reads feminine even in 2017, and I may smell like a ‘lady’, but I sure don’t look like a ‘lady’.
Beard, muscles, scowl………………LOL !!
Guerlain Bouquet Numero 1 sample from a generous NSTer
Was reading the WSJ this morning and sipping on homemade chai, the article in the magazine about Karl Lagerfeld was very interesting. A nice break from all the news in the actual paper.
I still have tendinitis in my foot and trying not to let it get me down. Its so swollen I missed out on the farmers market today.
Oh, very sorry about your foot. Can you wrap it somehow to help bring down swelling? I have constant leg pain after a problem with hip replacement surgery, and it’s worse in rainy weather, which meant I was somewhat laid up yesterday. So I can sympathize.
I am meeting with a physical therapist, he suggest that I wear my sneakers a lot but I didn’t need to wrap it.
I use ice and do my stretches and take a pain reliever everyday, but I see no improvement. I know it takes time.
I am sorry about your leg!
Sorry about your foot!
It’s awful when feet aren’t working. Sorry!
I hope your foot feels better soon.
So sorry about your foot. I had plantar fasciitis once, very painful, so I can relate. Hope it is better soon!
Oh this is what I had too! It was dreadful dreadful dreadful and lasted a long time. I am terrified of getting it again but think I know what caused it. I hope yours is long gone.
I’m wearing my sample of Bombay Bling and enjoying it. It may be a bit too potent though. Even the dabs are projecting strongly so I’d worry about what a real spray might do!
I find it very potent too!
Losing my mind. Was it you Calypso who just bought the Rahele?
Yes! That’s why I have the other NV samples to try now including this one (Bombay Bling).
I was just going to say that I’ve gone in on Clarissa’s split on Rahele, but if you’d like a few extra mls of Pichola, I’d be happy to send you some.
Oh yes I would! I am cfreeland followed by four nines at yahoo.
Ugh, interested in selling a split?! I saw clarissa’s split after it was already closed, and am still kicking myself about it
Glad you’re enjoying the Bombay Bling 
I love Bombay Bling so much and admit I spray with abandon. Oopsie. Might be gassing others!
Looking forward to a lazy day this Saturday.
I’m planning my first ever trip to NYC, so exciting! I have a question for those familiar with the city…any opinions about a good pick for an area to stay in? Looking for what any traveller wants, restaurants/bars, shopping, transit, comfort. TIA!
Are you opposed to sharing a bathroom? If not then I would suggest the Larchmont. I have stayed there myself when visiting NYC and recommend it to friends visiting me that are on a budget. Close to Washington Sq and Union Sq, subways, cafe’s, and I got married right near there..JM garden. The money you save you can spend on walking to Aedes
for some perfume shopping or anywhere else in the city.
Also this hotel is close to one of my favorite places to eat Alta..
Thanks for your recommendation. I’ll put Alta on my must-check-out list too!
Make a reservation in advance.
Over the decades I don’t think I have ever stayed in another NYC hotel than the Excelsior…. It used to be a bargain. They fixed it up, which did improve many of the rooms… But it also brought the prices up. Still, it is a block from Central Park, across the street from the Natural History Museum, straight through the Park is the Met, it is near great shops and restaurants, and if you get a room with a view (need to stay on about the 6th floor or up I think) you won’t be happier anywhere else. The Excelsior is on the upper west side, and every once in a while you can find it on a discount site, but rarely.
Sounds great! Thank you and it is quite reasonable comparatively.
The Excelsior used to be a deal – sigh. I still like it for its location; the B & C trains are right there.
I have to admit I often think of Toni Morrison’s novel by the same name when people are wearing Beloved, but that’s probably not the association they want to make.
Heading out to a double-header art exhibition (2 big exhibits; 5 hour tour.) Thought about wearing Angel Muse, and also about Love, Chloe. Whatever I end up in, it’d be nice if it lasted all day (tall order for me.)
Enjoy the weekend!
It’s hard to avoid the association, I think of it too.
Enjoy your art day — that’s a long tour!
This sounds fun! Have a great time!
Hope it is not too crowded.
Enjoy, kpaint !
Wow, a 5 hour art tour, have a great time!
I was down yesterday with a bad headache, caused by the massive drop in barometric pressure. Very high winds and rain – it was the proverbial dark and stormy night – but things are better this morning. Wearing an old favourite, Byzance.
Glad you’re feeling better. Heard the storm was much worse in SoCal than here in NorCal, where it was bad enough. Our next storm is due tomorrow… arg
The 10 to 15 or so massive trees around our house were twisting and turning ominously in the heavy winds yesterday. How are the roads out where you are?
Our remaining roads are holding up… fingers crossed.
We got trash pickup today, first time in 2 weeks, yay! …ah, the things that thrill me these days.
“Our remaining roads are holding up” sounds funny but I know it means you’ve got roads that got washed out!
Yikes! Stay safe – you and all the other Californians!
You have my complete sympathy!!!! Hope the dark and stormy night was followed by a cool, refreshing dawn.
Thankfully it was. But the clouds are rolling in for another round. Hope you all up in the bay area don’t get washed away!
Love Byzance – it and I used to be monogamous, back in the day. You smell spicy!
I had a bit of a headache yesterday from the storms in LA myself. Glad you’re feeling better!
Glad things are better cazaubon!
My head has been hammered this winter – or whatever it is – too. All sympathy to you.
Glad you are feeling better…it was really some wind yesterday, huh? Hopefully we can now return to our regularly scheduled program of temperate sun.
A rare Saturday off for me. (For now, anyway) I feel a little guilty because since my store has been in liquidation, Saturdays have been a crazy nightmare. I am shocked at how seemingly nice people turn into Vultures at the sight of a liquidation sign. Anyway, enjoying the sunshine. Wearing my favorite layering combo, Korres Jasmine lotion, and NR L’absolu
Don’t feel guilty! Enjoy!
Out food shopping with Mom. I try to male Saturday late morning / early afternoon hers although I have to admit being impatient when she takes 10 minutes to pick a papaya or makes me pull out every single item with an expiration date to pick the one with the latest date.
Continuing my Month of Roses with SOTD = TF Noir Pour Femme. It is not rose forward but since Fragrantica lists rose as a note, it qualifies
I will be posting splits later!
If you have a weak stomach or if you are currently eating, don’t read the rest of this.
I mentioned before that one of my pet peeves is people spitting on the street. If that isn’t bad enough, some couldn’t even be bothered to blow their nose with a tissue; instead, they squeeze their nose, blow out and let the snot and its trails decorate the ground. Ugh!
LOL!
It takes me FOREVER to pick fresh fruit and vegetables.
I get aggravated with myself.
Trying NOT to read last para!
I am one of those annoying slow pickers (spell check changed it to ‘puckers’ but I caught it!) too. We have a great farmer’s market near Chinatown that has been there since long before hipsters discovered farmers markets–which are now all over Oakland. I used to watch the old women with quick flicks of their hands and fingers pick through the merchandise thoroughly to find the best string beans or cherries or whatever. Masterful! I try to do the same myself, but I am not as fast (at being slow). Drives my husband nuts but he appreciates the blemish-free fruit and freshest produce when it is time to cook.
I read the last paragraph, and I have seen people do that with my own eyes. Why? Why would you ever do that?!
Well, there are some cultures where they are appalled that we would blow our snots into a tissue and then carry it around with us… ;^)
Ha! Don’t watch sports live. There is a lot of this going on in my experience. The nose thing, not the fruit picking thing.
Yes! I watch professional road racing (bicycle racing) and this is de rigeur.
It would make some sports more interesting if fruit choosing was part of the game!
I am a very picky chooser of anything with expiration date, as well as fruit and vegetables. If I am to let something into my home, I should get to know them well first
Ah, yes, the tissueless nose-blow. It’s always been known as a “snot rocket” ’round here. ???? It’s very common, as Amy mentioned upthread, in sporting events.
IT’S THE WEEKEND!!!!
I worked so much this past week that my carpel tunnel is flaring up again. Boo Hiss! But now it’s a 3-day-weekend… which is a Good Thing even if it’s a dank rainy chilly 3-day-weekend.
I received my Personal Chanel LE Counter in the mail this week. It’s so dang adorable I can hardly stand it
All those little 4ml bottles lined up 
I will be savoring a slow exploration thru them, comparing them to the prior formulations… should be fun.
Right now though, I’m sampling Shalimar Parfum Initial L’eau. Hmm, not bad….
Enjoy that Chanel counter! (I feel ya. The closest Chanel boutique to where I live is a good five hours’ drive away.)
Mine’s a mere hour and a half away, but who can do a decent sampling of 15 scents while standing in the store??
… plus, mini’s
small = adorable = precious
Enjoy your Chanel treasure chest.
Enjoy the personal chanel LE counter!
I do not need it myself but someone very nearby with one of those would be handy.
The store is an hour way from me, but those high end designer stores can be a little intimidating….
Enjoy! I couldn’t get to Saks this past week…next week!
Happy weekend and personal Chanel counter!
Congrats! I know you will enjoy it.
Enjoy the Chanel coffret. I am sorely tempted by it too.
I am thrilled for you and anyone else who ends up with their own mini
Chanel counter. That would be enough to make me jump out of bed every morning!
Oof, take care of your wrists
I am wearing Rahele (sample) and it smells very elegant!
It sure is too elegant for me but I am very glad I tried it.
Flowers, bit of fruit, hint of spices and a very very soft leather. After 2 hours it’s almost powdery. A very subtle, calm and warm scent.
Oh and its smooth from start to end, no scratches or false notes.
Its like an elegant piece of classical music (think Bach, not Mozart or Beethoven).
…oh and I have never read anything by Toni Morrison
Maybe I’ll pick her for our book club next time. So if anyone has a recommendation.
I personally loved The Bluest Eye, but having read the majority of her work I honestly don’t think you could go wrong! She’s an excellent writer.
And you smell great today! I ordered in a sample of Rahele and am waiting for it to show up. I don’t have very many “elegant” scents. Your description of it as classical Bach reminded me of the discussion in the comments of Bois de Jasmin’s recent Recommend Me A Perfume post!
Thanks for the recommendation!
My choice’ll depend on availability (dont want to send the others on a mission impossible to find tje book),
And not everybody reads English, so there needs to a translation. But my guess is all of her work is translated to Dutch and widely available.
Beloved is her best book, I think. I really liked her recent-ish novel A Mercy, too.
Thanks ajellyfish!
I agree about Beloved, but would also like to give a strong recommendation for Sula.
I loved Sula. Was going to say I had not read her last 2, but it’s actually 3, so I’d better get reading.
You smell amazing. For a primer in the intensity that is Toni Morrison, read her short post-election piece in the New Yorker.
Elephants and Roses, from a nice sample I got from generous NSTer. I get lots of roses and not much elephant. It seems very pretty to me, and I am putting it at top of my sample rotation. It seems like a good scent for changeable spring weather.
I wonder if I am not noticing the elephant just because a good part of my days are spent around the horses and the chickens…
I had a similar thought last week, because animalic, slightly fecal/urinous and indolic notes do not bother me most of the time.
Always had dogs, cats, birds, and chickens around. And a rat. And two small turtles.
Sometimes I love them because the remind me of animals I spend a lot of time with (the horse-y vibe I get in Sarrasins is great) and sometimes I do not even notice them.
Ah, now I need to go find Sarrasins! I love the info I find here!
SOTM is a dabbing of Comme des Garcons Red something. Carnations with a capital C. I think I might prefer my carnations diluted by something else – I’m finding it to be a bit too much of a good thing. Anyone have a good layering suggestion?
The red series Carnation and Rose must be two of the most powerful smelling scents ever made. Maybe you could ask a next door neighbour to wear it on your behalf, or attach a scent sprayed piece of silk to the tail of a kite and smell from a safe distance.
Brilliant.
Alternatively you could spray it on a cotton swab and wave it in front of you, or tuck it into your bosom.
CdG Red Carnations is very short-lived on me and smells primarily of bubblegum and I do love it!
Long lived carnation is interesting to me! Thanks for the description!
It’s the weekend, and the kitchen cabinets had their final coat yesterday. The painters promise to put everything back together on Monday. They look amazing.
I was sad to see that George “The Animal” Steele died. I have fond memories of sitting with friends on weekend mornings watching WWF wrestling, it was so fake it was fun. Mr. Steele’s tongue was dyed a lurid shade of green and he was known for tearing the turnbuckle covers off with his teeth and appearing to eat the foam underneath. IRL he was a high school coach and teacher in Detroit.
I have a Grand Soir split going, and I’m wearing Panthere de Cartier today. I might have to do a little sniff expedition downtown later on, I’ve been stuck in the house all week.
Added a Mohur Extrait split, because why not?
Everyone should have a little Mohur Extrait in their collection! (No affiliation, just a huge fan! HUGE! LOL! Oops, sorry…really, Mohur Extrait is the perfect rose for me…)
Is there a possibility you’ll do smaller decants on the MFK? I’d love to get my hands on 5 ml, or even 3.
I might consider doing 5mL if the split doesn’t fill. Email me!
Big congrats on your cabinets. Fresh paint is a treat for the eyes (and nose).
Inspired by the Splitmeet, I may wear some of my precious French Kiss, which I suspect I have been neglecting because I don’t want my little decant to run out. I have a reprieve from work this weekend and so plan on moving slowly, staying warm, seeing friends, and reading a lot. Just about done with the Essex Serpent. I think I’ll read a light mystery next….
My oldest is in the trenches slogging through writing a paper on Iraq/US history during the Cold War. He is so much more cynical than I was at 15 about US foreign policy. His thesis is that the relationship was never about Soviet spheres of influence, and always about oil. I have been trying to decide whether it is a good thing or a bad thing that all foreign relations for young people now boils down to financial/business transactions. Are these kids wiser than us, or have we misled them at their peril?
Those are interesting questions you raise at the end. I think there’s a level of truth to both theses, and I’ve always wondered if the need to find the “one real reason” why something happened isn’t a bad instinct to foster. On the other hand, cynicism and adolescence are natural partners in crime after all!
Perhaps both.
I got a decant of French Kiss too…haven’t tried it yet but am looking forward to it.
Push comes to shove,
almost always,
follow the money is the paradigm.
Unfortunately.
I think all conflicts get down to economics in the end.
Happy birthday Toni Morison. Back in the early 80s I was doing a Masters in American Studies and a wonderful Fullbright professor named Loretta Carillo came over from Texas and offered a paper called ‘ Black and Chicano Literature’. We couldn’t get any of the books in NZ , they weren’t in any of the varsity libraries, so had to order them all and then wait three months for the shipping from USA. Meanwhile we worked from photocopies of the professor’s own copies (Zora Neale Hurston , James Baldwin ) Eventually, we got The Bluest Eye ( and The Colour Purple ) in the post . It was incredibly exciting to read these books….they were stunning. The sense of discovery and the thrill is kind of hard to understand now because it is so easy to access books but it was a life-changing experience to read these voices. We were also protesting a lot against US nuclear ship visits so it was a very political, exciting period. So, happy birthday Toni Morison and thank you Loretta, wherever you are! Journey for me, today.
That’s a great story about those photocopies!
That sense of discovery must have been wonderful! I remember sneaking into my older sister’s bedroom and secreting away her copy of Mine Eyes Are Watching God as a preteen, it really changed my life in a lot of ways. Then I got an “A” on my paper years later when it was assigned in my literature class, from the same teacher who’d assigned it to her class years earlier. James Baldwin is an amazing writer too.
Their Eyes Are Watching God, goodness I need coffee
I still remember discovering that book as a teen too, although now I can’t remember how.
I did, too, come to think of it. I think my older sister must have been reading it for a class. I read it again in college. Poor Tea Cake.
You know, I already felt lucky to have access to Morrison and Hurston and everyone, but your story has made me feel that even more acutely. Thanks for sharing it.
What a great story! I was only 17 when I started college as a naive, sheltered, middle class white girl. Taking women’s studies classes from Angela Davis at San Francisco State University was quite a revelation.
Wow, I bet it was.
That must have been amazing!
That’s amazing.
She is actually quite soft-spoken, many people think she is loud and brash because so many photos were published of her with her mouth open. Observing her words and ways of interacting with people very different from herself taught me important lessons.
Whoa! Opportunity of a lifetime.
Wow!! I’d love to take a class–on anything–from her!
I wrote a long response about a similar early 80s scene, but lost it. Regardless, all hail Toni Morrison.
The funny thing is that not long afterwards a Women’s Bookshop opened up in town and suddenly all the Toni Morison and Alice Walker books were available. But it still took three months if you ordered anything.
Took a wonderful class in college while pursuing my Art History degree, African American Art. My professor, Mary Ball Hawkins was not content to merely show us images from the visual arts but also required us to read many wonderful books I had never been exposed to including the work of Toni Morrison. We read Iceberg Slim, Zora Neale Hurston, Donald Goines and Sister Soulja, to name a few. We listened to jazz and Hip-Hop. I fell in love with the story quilts of the artist Faith Goldring, who I was fortunate enough meet several years later. I was changed profoundly by this class and that really is the power of education.
That’s so well said. Thanks!
Exactly. Quality education does change you profoundly. Several of my teachers marked me deeply and one changed the trajectory of my life. I wish he were still alive so I could thank him, I know he would be proud.
I recently reached out to an old law professor of mine to thank him. With the internet etc. it is not difficult to track someone down. He’s won many awards and accolades since I was his student, but he wrote me lovely email back, and now . . . Dum ti dum dum daaahhhh, we are friends on Facebook
!
Oh, how nice!
My BA is in American Studies. I got the idea that that’s what I wanted to major in when I read Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire of the Vanities (he has an American Studies degree.) The university I went to didn’t offer it as a course of study, so I picked the classes I wanted to take and designed my own program. What made you want to pursue a Masters Degree in the subject?
The department was small ( only two students at Masters level), the papers and research options were so interesting ( and covered literature, history, religion, politics, art ), and the lecturers were brilliant, great story tellers …. And they had fantastic American accents, beautiful voices. They just had the ability to tell stories rather than give lectures and that was so different to English ( plodding through Dover Beach or symbolism in D. H. Lawrence), history ( Charlemagne again ) and art history ( I did an art history degree,too) .My favorite lecturer got arrested for protesting against the ships, the university received complaints about the anti-American Studies dept…we all wanted to go to Cuba. Loved it. Eventually the dept. got shut down.
Yes, that thrill of discovery of something like that, while at the right time and place! …Oh, so many copies. And I had at least one photocopied *textbook*!
Love this post Kanuka! Love learning new things-education throws open windows doesn’t it?
I’m testing Chergui for the very first time this morning. (Yes, that’s pretty pathetic for a perfumista, I know.) Right now I only have one drop on my arm because my nose is operating at about 15-20% capacity. If my allergy/sinus meds ever kick in, I’ll apply more because what I can smell now is freakin’ delicious. It’s a perfect scent for today’s cloudy, rainy forecast.
The only Toni Morrison I’ve read is ‘The Bluest Eye’. I’m sure I could match a fragrance to it, but…. No. Too depressing and messed up.
Enjoy your weekend, all!
You smell great, even if you can’t enjoy it yourself! Chergui is wonderful on chilly days.
Thanks! What I could smell was gorgeous.
Not pathetic at all!
But a fun NST question for discussion–confessions! Faking it. What scents have you not tried yet that you think really you should have?
I like that!
Good idea, added to list!
Great suggestion!
I admire Toni Morrison very much, but I admit that I never reread her books. They tend to leave me depressed for days afterward.
Exactly. That’s why, especially since I read quite a lot of bummer nonfiction, I don’t choose ‘challenging’ fiction. So I really don’t want to end up associating a scent with the tragedy of Pecola Breedlove!
Interesting. I have to think about that. I have not re-ead her books much either, but offhand can think of quite a few authors I do periodically reread even though they’re depressing.
I’m wafting the fabulous Incense Rose from a sample, the first Tauer fragrance I’ve tried. Thank you, kpaint!
Dreary day here, calm after the wind and rain. Thankfully it is now quiet. I was tempted to sit on the couch in my fluffy bathrobe all day. Instead I’ve seized the to-do list and am trying to power up, power through, and get-it-done. First items crossed off: (1) get dressed, (2) hair, (3) make-up, and (4) SCENT, the only task written in all caps.
Let’s have a great day, NST people.
Ooh, you smell great! I hauled myself out to a very intense yoga class and am now going to join you on the couch.
Enjoy your couch time, I’m having some now that I’ve knocked off a good number of to-do items for the day.
And thanks for the scent compliment. Incense Rose is amazing, it has a depth I wasn’t ready for. A few hours on I realize it reminds me of a past experience and place that I can’t quite recall. Tantalizing.
That kind of response is what makes perfume so compelling for me. I’m so happy you’re enjoying it! I’m one of those in the PHI-only Tauer rose camp, though I like many other scents from his catalogue.
I have only done (4) on your list so far.
hee-hee, you hit the most important to-do item of the day.
I like to put easy things on my task list, crossing them off is motivating and helps me push onward through the rest of the day.
Happy Birthday to Ms. Morrison – one of my favorite writers.
Enjoying a gray & rainy desert day in Histoires Ambre 114. It’s nice, but no amber can compete with Ambre Sultan, my desert island favorite . . .
114 is very lovely. I think my favourite might be Ambre Précieux.
Just watching some coverage of the storms in California – what a mess. I hope all the NSTers in that part of the world are surviving. No perfume yet this morning, as I’m aboit to go and clean the bathroom, but I can still smell the remains of last night’s Noir de Noir.
I am avoiding the news so far today, I guess I should go look.
Attened my uncle’s funeral today. Wearing Neroli and Basil by Jo Malone. I felt it was appropriate for the occasion. The weather is about 80 plus degrees outside. Now I have another one to attend for my cousin on Monday. Its a shame how I dont get to see a lot of my relatives until someone paases away. Everyone is so busy. Got to do better..
My condolences to you and your family. Take care.
I’m thinking of you and your family, and wishing you had a happier occasion to see them. Hugs to you.
I am so sorry for your loss. May their memory be a blessing.
So sorry!
Oh that’s a lot. Take care of yourself.
You smell fabulous, and do take good care. I hope you’ve given and received many hugs today.
Thanks so much everyone for the kind words and support. It is appreciated mire than you will ever know.
So sorry for your losses.
That’s close together-So sorry for your loss!
Hoping the family gatherings and memories bring you great comfort.
Good morning, good morning! It’s now fully five days since I have see the moon set or the sun rise….I’m sleeping! The nights are black, the days are bright. And short, as it turns out–I didn’t wake up today until nearly seven, and that was a reluctant surfacing occasioned by Dakkie’s insistence that his inner purr needed food NOW, this minute, immediately if not sooner or he would get the union onto me, and the Prime Minister, and, if he had to, would take the matter all the way to the Privy Council (Dakkie’s grasp of the legal system is very limited).
Anyhow, to matters at hand. Yesterday was hot and very humid, the sort that makes makeup run and hands sticky, and I never did quite get rid of Mon Parfum Cheri. I did force it into an early drydown, and then it was quite lovely in the heat, a bit like summer itself, but once is enough. I wanted an antidote today, something that would suit my oldest, softest jeans and linen shirt, so I’m in Cristalle, which is almost a summer cliche, I suppose. But who cares, when it’s a crisp, cool cliche? The dear man has just given me a crafty cuddle and told me I smell super, and I completely agree with him.
Be well, all, and spread the fragrant word.
You smell great, and I’m glad you’re sleeping again!
You inspired me to wear MPCPC today. It’s glorious in the chilly late winter weather here today. Cristalle is a good palate cleanser, so you smell great again!
“Palate cleanser” is the perfect description! It’s a sorbet of a perfume!
I think I first read it in The Guide about the Aveda perfumes. And sorbet is just the right word to describe Cristalle.
You’re sounding quite chipper, glad to hear you’re sleeping!
Being able to sleep is the best, isn’t it?
May the sleep force be with you!
Have to admit, I’m dead curious what med your doctor prescribed, if that isn’t too personal.
(Ulterior motive–I have a lot of sleepless patients in my practice.)
Surely. I’m taking Amitriptyline, a 10mg pill that I slice in half, with the idea that if doesn’t work, I should up the dose to a full pill. I daresay my system might adapt to it eventually, but right now, I have this really marked difference happening in the quality of my sleep. The pill doesn’t make me sleepy, but it does seem to make me sleep darkly, if that makes sense to you. I’m supposed to take it three hours before I think I might want to fall asleep, but last night I started reading a book Anniky recommended, and I was enjoying it so much that I read for ages. After doing something like that in the past, my mind would have been racing and excited, but this time I thought peacefully about the characters for a few minutes, then I turned over and slept all night. I’m deeply grateful for these last few nights!
Ah–good old amitriptyline. The 3-hour ahead-of-time advice is good. Unfortunately, there is kind of an age cut-off for prescribing it in the U.S. There is a whole list of medications that are deemed unsafe in people over 65, most of which is due to sedation. I find it very arbitrary. Most people over 65 can tolerate things pretty well as long as they don’t have dementia. But I actually get graded on the percentage of drugs on this list out of all my prescriptions to seniors. It limits use of some very useful things. Judgement only counts for so much.
Goodness me! I’m about to be 65 (end of May). I’m not sedated with anything, though. It does seem to be quite arbitrary for such a useful med — I had another really good sleep last night, and it was very hot and muggy. What a huge pity!
Today is my second visit with Civet (two sprays, right in the center of my chest – well, I’m feeling indulgent!). There’s something about this one that reminds me of the BPAL scents I really loved as a teenager. I mean that in a good way! I also really enjoy the tarragon note at the start. Are here any other tarragon scents?
Toni Morrison is marvelous. I’ve been meaning to read Sula again, actually.
Dia Woman!
Also Jubilation 25 and Jil Sander #4. Interestingly, I own all of these and love them all. Maybe I have a previously unrealized attraction to tarragon (I do love to cook with it)!
Thanks! You’re well-supplied with treatment for dragon bites, then.
SOTD is Nicolai “Patchouli Intense”.
Top: lavender, geranium and orange;
Mid: cinnamon, rose and patchouli;
Base: sandalwood, amber and vanilla.
I am behind the times and only this week discovered that Notino (formerly Beautyspin) has a UK website. I got a bunch of samples of things NST folk have mentioned over the months.
Atelier des Ors “Larmes du Desert”
Majda Bakkali “Mon Nom est Rouge”
Byredo “Pulp”
Etro “Messe de Minuit”
Etro “Palais Jamais”
Annick Goutal “Songes”
L’Artisan “Dzing!”
L’Artisan “Dzongkha”
L’Artisan “Traversee du Bosphore”
Also noticed the Chanel coffret is available in BHX airport duty free for £185, which is a good price. They warned that Chanel prices were about to go up by 7% though.
7% more? Jeez.
In the UK, due to The Wisdom Of Crowds and Taking Our Country Back. (Your capital is at risk. The value of your investment may go down as well as up. Historical returns are not a guarantee of future performance).
Chanel is really going to price themselves out of my comfort zone if they aren’t careful.
It’s because the £GBP has sunk against the €EUR as the markets price in the reduced prospects for a post-Brexit UK. Thankfully the $USD should be safe from similar political foolishness. Bwahahahaha! :^D
This time, I have a question. I’m looking for a good travel atomizer. I like Travalo because you can pump fragrance directly from a spray bottle into the base of the Travalo atomizer, avoiding waste or getting perfume all over. However, I didn’t use it frequently and them found that, after some time (months or a year), the perfume had evaporated.
Has anyone found a better option?
Seal your bottle with parafilm when you are not using it. It helps prevent evaporation.
That’s a good idea – thanks, austenfan.
Yep, parafilm everything.
I always parafilm myself as well. Saves drinking
I’m laughing out loud, even though I’m not 100% sure I know what parafilm is.
Would prevent wrinkles,too, no doubt. ????
http://scienceservices.de/en/parafilm-m.html
This provides a useful picture!
It’s in the 60’s in Cleveland and I am in a short sleeve shirt. It’s supposed to be warm for the next week, what’s up with that? I’m commando at the moment for some reason but thinking of wearing either Memoir, Lyric or Jubilation 25 today since I think I will keep with the Amouage theme today. But Beloved might work today as well.
Ever since moving to California I’ve found myself missing the capricious weather of the Midwestern United States. Especially warm days in winter, and the way the thawing of snow and soil smells. Enjoy the unseasonable warmth!
I’m wearing, and very much enjoying, MPCPC. I tried Galop d’Hermès today for the first time. It’s very good, but I’m not smitten. Which I’m glad about, another bottle I will not covet
Moulin Rouge 1889, I wish more houses did these darling 15ml bottles. So happy with my most recent purchase!
I do, too! (Hear that, perfume houses?)
I’m wearing Hiris today. Love!
Question – I’m lucky enough to be visiting another school in San Diego next week. I haven’t been in San Diego since 2003 (when I was there every other weekend) so can anyone recommend a must-see/ do if I have a few free hours? I remember absolutely loving the gardens in Balboa Park.
I am in San Diego – Balboa Park is a good choice. Lots of museums and lovely gardens. Ping me if you want a tour guide or anything else.
Just coffee and Iris Nobile Sublime so far today. The soapy part in the very beginning dissipates quickly, and then it’s just…pleasant. Allowing for a slow Saturday after a bunch of busy days.
Lys 49 today. I needed to imagine summer. I am sick of being cold and of it being dark outside! Sunny, easy, buttery tuberose to the rescue!
*phew* Just ordered wedding invitations, rsvps and enclosure cards. One more task off of the list!
Yay for crossing things off the list!
It’s a long list!
Lys 41 is just so gorgeous.
Agreed! I bought it a bit on impulse while on vacation this winter, and I have been wearing the heck out of it, since! I thought it might get tucked away until warmer weather, but apparently, I like a little extra sunshine in winter.
Love Toni Morrison. Such an immensely gifted author and I’ve lost myself in a number of her books over the years.
I’m wearing Dune today.. been too long.
Just a perfect weather day. Hope all you Northeasterner’s have had a chance to enjoy some time outside today.
Grateful also for the 3 day weekend!
Yay, weekend at last!!! Unfortunately, I continue to be rather under the weather — this past week has been a doozy. Still feeling weak and wonky after a several-days migraine, so no perfume yet today. At least there’s a little sunshine today, and the feral plums that blanket this part of the world have started to bloom. It’s actually quite beautiful out there — pink and white trees and outrageous mimosas in full bloom and lit up against a backdrop of inky clouds above the mountains. Wish I felt up to getting out in it, but at least I can admire it here from the couch, with my hot water bottle and new Jane Austen book.
Oh I hope you feel yourself soon. It’s been a terrible month or more for flus and headaches and colds.
Nice that you’re feeling a bit better. Which Jane Austen are you reading? I’m midway thru Emma, for the nth time
Oh, I’ve read Emma n times, too, and Pride & Predjudice n-squared! I just started Penguin’s collection of her “Juvenilia,” Love and Freindship and Other Youthful Writings, and just finished Persuasion. I may have recently gone on a small buying spree regarding the Coralie Bickford-Smith hardcovers…
Oh-oh-oh… those look lovely. I was just thinking I should treat myself to a proper set of Jane Austen hardbacks, I just have one of those el-cheapo-all-her-novels-in-one-big-book things, and the paper is SO yellowed, it’s just sad.
I’m also mid-way through Emma right now. I’ve been on a straight reading binge of JA and only have Northanger Abbey to go. Also looking at (lusting after) a nice set of hardcovers. Might make a good birthday present in a few months.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/201833739/devoney-looser-jane-austen-and-roller-derby
You might like this interview. I heard it yesterday – about Jane Austen’s family. The professor is also a roller derby player who goes by the name of Stone Cold Jane Austen.
Poor thing! I hope you feel better soon.
I have migraine weeks like that. Periods of bad but bearable followed by unbearable fork in eye, followed by blow to the back of the head with baseball bat.
The trees sound very beautiful. I was on an Austen jag not to long ago too. It totally cheered me up.
I have been compulsively refreshing the Splitmeet page all day
but did find time to break into the Rose Delight body oil.
It is a treat. Sweeter than I expected. In the vein of Rose Flash but less lemon/citrus.
I am supposed to be on a no buy but apparently it doesn’t apply to splits. And I may cave and get the Mohur Extrait. I haven’t sniffed the EDP for that matter but the reviews are so solid…seems like the only logical choice really…
I was gifted the extrait untested and while I don’t regret it – it’s beautful – I do prefer the EDP. You might want to test and compare first.
You raise an excellent point…I really should just invest in samples of both.
But the heart wants what it wants…was that Emily Dickinson or Selena Gomez?…maybe both…
Well they are both beautiful!
Yeah and I could really sample the entire line and see what my heart truly wants too. I really lose my mind when perfume is involved.
Thanks for your insights.
I actually disagree: if you do not love Mohur Extrait, you shouldn’t buy it in a split (unless you plan to buy just a 1 ml sample but even then you should see if it makes sense to pay the price + shipping). If you tried it and liked enough to think of paying its price, why to try Mohur EdP – or any other perfume for that matter? What’s the ultimate goal?
Ah I thought she hasn’t tried either, now realizing it isn’t clear one way or the other.
If you end up not liking it, I’m sure you can easily swap it away :-). Foxbin’s price is fantastic.
I went for it.
Get it. Buying perfume you haven’t tried before is no different to buying books you haven’t read, or travelling to countries you haven’t visited, or changing jobs, having babies etc etc etc …or many other new experiences. If we only bought what we knew, or did what we have done, life would be very static.
This is so true.
+1, plus a million
Points well made… I succumbed…YOLO and all that.
Did you get the extrait? Hope you love it
Yes, I did.
I agree whole heartedly Kanuka!
Wearing stilettos on lex today, my most annoyingly named perfume, but I like it so much a got an 18ml spray regardless.
My attempt to get my own personal Chanel exclusives counter has been quite the adventure. I ordered it on line and the next day received an email apologizing that it wasn’t going to arrive as quickly as they had said. (I hadn’t even noticed what they said, so no worries from me on this.) This was followed by an email that it had been mailed. Ok all good.
But *then* I received an extremely apologetic email for the delay in shipping and a promise to refund me the entire price of the discovery set *and* send me a free gift. I thought, well, they must have run out and it’s not coming. But I have a tracking number and its nearby waiting to be delivered on Monday.
And then on Friday I received a free 100ml of No. 5 L’eau.
So to be seen: will the set actually arrive? And will they actually refund me the $250? And why? Given that this is Chanel and so I don’t have to worry about their company finances, I won’t ask to many questions!
Lie low, enjoy the L’eau, hope the set comes and watch your credit card for a refund. What fun and shenanigans from the semi-evil Chanel!
I love Chanel but still find them to be semi-evil with their takedown of products from the decant sites, etc. although that has been abated now.
Keep us informed.
Good for you, Amy !!!
Enjoy the L’Eau, and it is only good customer service (remember THAT?) to reward you for their incompetence.
If I am ever near a Chanel boutique I will test the EDPs,
but they have cured me of wanting the “Coffret”.
but there is no perfume called Coffret!
Indeed!
LOL
How can one purchase something that doesn’t exist ?
Ooh….I didn’t know there was a new Chanel called Coffret. I’m excited to try it;)
Wow! Enjoy the freebie!
I’m a nerd. I once calculated the cost of a $6 Zappos.com order when the company messed up — $85. I ordered a recyclable tote bag using a free shipping coupon. The package was returned to Zappos because I supposedly refused delivery (hmmm and why would I do that when I ordered it in the first place). The damage? — 8 emails, 2 free books (Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh), my $6 refunded, 2 free tote bags and a $35 coupon for a future order.
A similar thing happened to me once with a Michael Kors perfume. I hope it all works out in your favor.
I’d consider firing off a few nasty emails just to see how many free personal Chanel counters that might result in…
I agree about Stilletos on Lex. The name is dumb, the juice is quite enjoyable and I have it on my get a decant list.
Wow Amy! I hope you end up with a
hugely discounted set! Let us know how it turns out.
Hello everyone, I just posted a split for Aftelier Wild Roses EDP. Email me if you would like me to mule samples since I am placing an order anyway. Just email me and we can go from there! I plan to place the order on Monday 2/20.
I just have to share this with someone… I’m a realtor and was showing houses to a new client for 3 days now. I have missed perfume (I don’t wear much when working with clients unless I know them well because you never know how someone will react). Anyway, we walked into one house and as we were looking around I noticed on the owner’s dresser, she had a lovely mirrored tray with perfumes on it! Mostly Elizabeth Taylor’s White Diamonds and so forth but it made me so happy, this little collection of perfumes. To know that whoever she was, she enjoyed it and wore it just made me happy.
And my client picked a house, so it’s been a good day indeed!
Congratulations on your sale! If you showed my house (condo) you’d have to open the refrigerator to find my collection!
Nice! Congrats on the sale and it’s always nice to find another perfume lover in the wild.
SOTD for Sunday is Arquiste “Nanban” from a FB. One of my first loves after getting into all of this perfume nonsense.
Top: black pepper, saffron and black tea;
Mid: osmanthus, coffee, myrhh and leather;
Base: olibanum, styrax, sandalwood, juniper berries and copaiba balm.
AFAIK I only have one CdG perfume sample left (I ran through all the incense series last year) so I may do that for the next Friday community project. For the other days I may run through the Blooms pack for January – but they have moved to just 1ml samples which is usually not enough for me.
You smell wonderful today. I love Nanban.
It is gorgeous! :^)
Happy Sunday, or Second Saturday to those who get President’s Day off tomorrow!
I have been busy the past few weeks, and I didn’t have time to note it when it happened; however, I had an NST dream a week or so back! I don’t remember all the details anymore, but I remember clicking on the daily poll and it had over a thousand comments! I remember thinking, “wow, the community sure is active these days!”
In any case, I always figure something is important to me, if it shows up in my dreams, and I wanted you all to know you were important in my life! Love ya!
Hope the wedding planning is progressing nicely.
Men have a very different view of all the “stuff” involved.
Enjoy!
Ha! Says you! My fiance is FAR more invested in traditions and froofalah than I am. If I were planning the wedding alone, it would would be about 20% of what we are doing! Instead, there’s hair and make-up, matching clothes and attendants, flower arrangements, and a whole slew of details that don’t matter to me but are important to him. I don’t MIND all that stuff, but I don’t consider them essential.
Have you chosen your perfume for the big day yet, Marjorie Rose?
I have not. I like being sort of impulsive in my fragrances each day, and I’m having a hard time planning that far ahead, when I know I might decide something feels *perfect* in the moment. As the wedding is in July, likely it will be some sort of BWF.
OTOH, I recognize that such events give a person permission to go shopping. It’s tempting to ask for advice and then buy a bazillion samples.
Work Sundays should be outlawed.
I’m making it through by wafting some serious Salomé by Papillon perfumes. My very small decant is dwindling. This is such a snuggly warm scent, the more I wear it, the more I like.
I CAN NOT even look at the news. Stick a fork in me, I’m done. ????
Sorry about the Sunday work. Any chance you get tomorrow off, in compensation?
Here is last night’s news from Sweden, courtesy of the BBC and the Aftonbladet newspaper:
A man set himself on fire at a plaza in central Stockholm;
Famous singer Owe Thornqvist (87) suffered technical problems in rehearsals for the ‘Melodifestivalen’ song competition;
A man was killed in a workplace accident;
There were road closures in northern Sweden due to “harsh weather”;
There was a police car chase through central Stockholm of a suspected drunk driver.
If you don’t know why this list of everyday events is relevant, consider yourself blessed. :^)
Among other far worse things, it’s just so embarrassing. If you happen not to be from Sweden . . .
Can we send Sweden our news? Free delivery. ????
I read the Aftonbladet article this morning. Best article ever. Seriously, it deserves an award!
Or as a friend of mine says. Fork. Eye.
Yes. Exactly. I may even be able to successfully lobotomize myself.
Hello! Monday morning, and work-wards I trot, wearing softly bright colours and Myrrhe Ardente, which is too warm for the weather but about right for the over-cooled floor my office is on.
MA is one of those perfumes that makes me say, “I must wear this more! Why don’t I wear this at least once a week?” Of course, the reason is that I have too many other lovelies. A propos of that very thought, I was reflecting as I sprayed that maybe I should re-organise my collection. At the moment, it’s roughly sorted alphabetically by house, and I think I tend to choose from my favourites every day: Chanel, Hermes, Chanel, Donna Karen, Cha…I wonder if I should try a system of “Tier 1”, “Tier 2” & “Other”, or, as E.F Benson’s arch-snob Lucia would say, “Hitum”, “Titum” & “Scrub”. Then I could run a system of 2-for-1: that is, 2 days of T2 before I get 1 day of T1. Then again, I could just keep on being impulsive…
No no no! Wear what you love!
Oops that was for waterdragon. ????
Don’t worry, on NST it works fine as an All Points Bulletin . ;^)
*snort!*
I liked it that way too.
Trust me for that — I’m far too impulsive to stick within the confines of a system, even a self-imposed one, for very long, although, I must say that my experience with MA this morning tells me that I’m not averse to my T2s. It’s just that I love my T1s more, so maybe I should….nah, just wear what I love.
How about a menu system of Entrees, Mains, and Desserts…and each day you have to have a three-course meal
That would be quite sensible. I could try that. It’s sort of what you do, isn’t?
No, I just pile everything on my plate and pig out
Just came back from Nordstrom & was horrified to discover that Hermes Eau Claire des Merveilles has been discontinued! It’s a summer staple! When did this happen?
I read it here recently. Shame.
SOTD = Chanel No. 22 EDT, No. 5’s little sister and a melancholy perfume for a Spring in Winter. It has rose so, yay, I am still in the running for a different rose perfume for each day in February. Searching for roses yielded a few perfumes that I know I will wear come March — DSH Oeillets Rouges, Puredistance Opardu, Chypre Mousse (this has just about everything under the sun except rose). And, I did not realize Dior Addict has rose!
I went to the mall today thinking it was the day I was supposed to meet up with someone for lunch but it turned out that I was a week early. Since I am going out to dinner, I decided to have a smoothie for lunch — Jamba Juice PB Choco Love with milk, chocolate, bananas and peanut butter…lip smacking good!
Chocolate milkshake for lunch, yum!
You smell lovely. That’s the sort of thing I’d do when meeting up with someone, too–except I’d be a week late.
I love that smoothie and you smell great!
Your Rose list sounds lovely Hajusuuri. At least being early you got an extra lunch out!
Actually, I realized I was unclear — the ones I listed except Dior Addict do not contain rose (per Fragrantica) and, therefore, will be worn in March once month of roses (February) is over.
Testing L’Artisan Safran Troublant today and enjoying some much-needed rain. (Pssst, hey, Mother Nature, next time cut California a break and send the precipitation straight to the SW.)
A while ago I caught a rerun of the recent Westminster agility challenge on TV. I nearly busted a gut laughing during Mia the beagle’s run. It’s worth watching if you haven’t seen it:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/02/13/westminster-dog-shows-mia-the-beagle-may-be-naughty-but-we-love-her-anyway/?utm_term=.be9ef2148d5c
Cute! How did you like Safran Troublant?
It’s quite nice now in the drydown. In the earlier stages, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t anywhere near as harmonious on me as it’s meant to be. I will test it again another day for comparison…
Oh, Mia is adorable.
Thank you! I needed a smile today.
Adorable! That beagle nose is hard to control????
I appreciate Toni Morrison. I admit I find myself avoiding depressing books though.
On a more positive note I ran across Pacifica Tibetan Mountain Temple today, shopping with one of my little ones. What a happy scent. The baby said it smells just like cookies at Christmas! It is a cheerful and yummy smell. And, it lasted quite a while. We may have to buy a bottle for the rest of winter- if it ever really comes here! ????