Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit! Plus, a very happy April Fools Day to you all. And a few PSAs: the Nomenclature lumen_esce giveaway is still open, and Donatella will be dropping by on Tuesday for the 1st quarter damage poll.
Today, our same old open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, your favorite foolish fragrance, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Pug Easter Bunnies [cropped] by DaPuglet at flickr; some rights reserved.
Wearing Donna Karan Gold EdP on my sweep through discontinued perfumes that one can still find. I like it a lot but it’s kind of quiet on me.
You smell great!
I like it as much as Vanille Galante. If they cost the same, I’d be hard pressed.
You just caused another blind buy
Let us know when you try it!
Definitely (and as soon as I get it from eBay)! I went for an EdT since I don’t get much winter here, but imagine your EdP is more distinctive (in addition to having a nicer bottle). Any chance you compared the two?
A lovely one.
I’m really sad that this style didn’t proliferate. I love these golden honey florals.
Such a lovely one, I haven’t tried Vanille Gallante, but DK Gold is such a bargain!
Colder today after an entire day of rain yesterday. Breaking out my new bottle of Alahine, my first FB of 2017. Love the pugs– they look about as happy as my beagle does when we put any kind of costume on him!
You smell great!
It’s a good first purchase for the year. If it’s the only one, you’ll have a guilt-free chat with Donatella
Oh, you smell wonderful.
Mön Guerlain
Off to a Pysanka workshop
Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit
I bought Mon Guerlain because I love the lavender and it’s not at all sweet on me. Plus I got a candle as a gift with purchase. It’s a good end of the day scent, too.
It just worked perfect on a gray day today…
I want more lavender..and I layer it with lavender lotion
Did you try any of the body products?
We don’t have a guerlain counter ( or any designated perfume counters ) so we never get the body products. I have layered it with angel muse and that was good. On its own I prefer it sprayed on my sleeve rather than my skin. It seems less harsh that way. It’s a ‘good working in the library’ perfume as it doesn’t distract but works nicely with old papers
Ok! I was interested in how the lotion smelled
This perfume does stick to your clothes I noticed..the sleeves of my jacket smell like Mon Guerlain
Greetings from the city of light Paris!
Short city trip (3 nights), but fun is almost over, heading home to tonight by train.
Its my 7th visit to this awesome city and it never fails to excite.
We had great spring weather.
There is a gorgeous. exhibition in Musee d’Orsay, Au-delà des étoiles.
Gorgeous landscape paintings. Its on til june, if you are nearby, go see it!
I also recommend Musee Gustave Moreau.
And april is also heaven for scent lovers, the gardens in the Grand palais were full of daffodils/narcissus (is there a difference in english language?) and hyacinth, it smelled sooo good. Lovely blossoms in the jardin des plantes. And the Tuileries were also full of flowers.
Lucky you, enjoy your last day!
All of it sounds lovely!
Totally forgot to mention my sotd. Probably because there are more than one today.
I went to Jovoy. Of course. What a great store, lovely staff.
So much better experience than the perfume department at Galeries Lafayette. It was so crowded there and Givenchy had a promotional stand where they were playing very bad techno music, obnoxiously loud.
I tried Corsica furiosa and Osmanthus interdite on my skin. But I ended up buying something that was already on my wish list, Romanza, by Masque.
Corsica furiosa is pretty good by the way.
Jovoy is such a wonderful shop! So tranquil and one delight after another. My fondest memory from Paris.
Yes tranquil it was, even though it was a saturday afternoon.
They gave me samples of the whole Masque collection! Now that’s how you create fans.
I love Corsica Furiosa and was inspired by Deva to try it. I was an early fan of Romanza, and am always glad to know that someone else appreciates it. To me it embodies the hope and brightness of spring while also expressing a certain melancholy.
That’s a good description if Romanza.
I ordered a sample the moment it was available, but it did not turn into an instant buy. I guess it had to grow on me. But the moment i drained my sample I knew I had to have more. Such a wonderfull scent!
When i was in Jovoy there were two men who also bought a Masque bottle, I could not see what it was and did not dare to ask….
Yes, daffodils and narcissuses are two different flowers. When I was in Paris in April 1994, a freak cold front had descended from the British Isles and it was about 10 degrees C. for three weeks. It felt like minus ten! I have been to the Musee Gustav Moreau.
BTW: I saw on the news today that it’s National Pillow Fight Day. Is this an April Fool?
LoL pillow fight day! My first thought was April fools, but there is also a brownie day…so i would not be surprised if it is for real.
I am going to investigate the difference between a daffodil and narcissus. My perfume obsession will also turn me into a botanical expert. In more than one language
haha
I think you’re mistaken: all daffodils (plants) are narcissus (genus), though not all narcissuses (plants) are daffodils.
I always get confused with the daffodils, narcissus, pseudonarcissus, jonquilles and what not. But they are all beautiful!
I have a few small, butter coloured ones on my balcony. The petals have a bit of a folded/crumpled paper look. The trumpet thingies (i have no other word for it haha) are not that pronounced. For such small flowers their scent is pretty strong.
Thank you for this !
What are nasturtium ?
Nast – ursch – um.
One of my favorite words !
Yes, word nerd here ! LOL
I love actual nasturtiums, too: those cheerful colors and weird lily pad leaves.
And u can eat them! , they’re very peppery, give salads in summer a nice fresh kick.
Thanks, Undina for straightening this out. I’m always open to learning. It’s kind of like all dolphins are whales, but not all whales are dolphins.
Ah thanks for clearing that up Udina. And probably its different in dutch language.
Oh well thats why they have those awesome latin names!
Oh, I miss Paris! I’d be at that landscape show if I were there. Best city outside of NYC!
Yes, cities like Paris, NYC, london and Tokyo are like heaven for art lovers. They have the top art collections and always have big and important exhibitions. And dont forget Berlin, madrid, Washington dc (i really need to visit the nat.gall. there one day).
Though the netherlands was blessed with some important once in a lifetime shows as well. The big Vermeer overview almost 20 years ago, and last year the Hieronymus Bosch one.
But the Au-delà des étoiles exhibit was just awesome.
Besides well know Van Goghs and Monets, also fantastic work from Odilon Redon (one of my fav artists). And I discovered interesting Canadian painters as well!
I love Odilon Reddon, there’s some lovely work of his in the musseee d’Orsay permanent collection isn’t there, and if u visit Lodon, his stunning Ophelia Among the Flowers is not to be missed!
His Ophelia is great, but not always on display…probably because its a pastel and sensitive to light.
I really do not need more (art) books. Must clean up a few shelves before I allow myself to make a new purchase. But I am willing to make an exception for an Odilon Redon book.
I have to put in a word here for Spain and Italy! Top art collections–The Prado, Florence as a whole, Seville… Not to mention Vienna, also not on your list!
Ah yes, Calypso, you are totally right of course!
(hey I mentioned Madrid ;).
I consider the whole of Italy an open air museum haha (also Siena, Bologna, Turin…and the list goes on and on).
And south of Spain is still unknown to me, I really need to visit Sevilla, Cordoba, granada soon!
And also jewels to be found in smaller towns, and on other continents of course.
But my po
But my point, to be more precise:
Generally speaking when it comes to bringing together the best from the whole of art history (also chinese/egyptian/greek/persian and so on), or hosting big important art exhibitions, I think NYC, paris and London have a bit more to offer than a city like Florence.
There are always exceptions of course. For example I discovered a really interesting collection of japanese samurai stuff in the Stibbert museum in Florence a few years ago.
It is not that well known like the Uffizi or the Palazzo Medici, but it is really worth a visit!
+ shout out to Musee Rodin!
Oh yes indeed! Its been a while, but i remember the garden there was also bliss.
All this talk of narcissus is reminding me of my old farmers market in Nor Cal. There was a guy who sold them…you could smell his stand throughout the market. I’d buy them for the kitchen and they’d last for days. He apparently had multiples acres and said the fragrance was overwhelming until he basically went nose blind.
Acres of narcissus..wow. That would be interesting to experience. But when you work in it all the time, i can imagine it must be numbing on the senses
Jiji: My original thought was that narcissuses are white petaled flowers with an orange center, while daffodils are all yellow. This is a sweeping generalization, I know, but that’s what I thought.
Running errands and then staying in the hospital with my dad for the rest of the weekend. SOTD Alahine, thanks to some generous and wonderful NSTers. You girls really touched my heart. Cold and gray in New York. Where is Spring? Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Sending love
Thank you!
Sending hugs!
Thank you Elisa.
You smell wonderful. Hugs.
Thank you. I hope you are feeling better by now.
Stay warm in that beautiful perfume.
????
Take care of yourself during the hard days ahead. Wishing you well.
Thank you Kanuka.
Hugs to you. Waft that Alahine!
Thank you Hajusuuri.
Take care. Sending hugs…
Thanks ????
Oh, that sounds like a rough weekend. I hope you take care of yourself, too.
Rough, I find some comfort and feel more relaxed reading NST and all your supporting comments. Thank you.
Thinking of you. Take care.
Thank you lillyjo.
Thanks Meredifay. Enjoy them!
Hope you’re Dad is comfortable, and taking comfort from you’re lovely scented presence. Sending prayers and good thoughts.
Thanks you.
Wish I could give you a hug in person, but I’m thinking of you.
Thank you ScentSpirit, that is so sweet of you.
Sitting in the hospital with a loved one can be so wearying… Hope things get better for you all!
Thank you.
Bedside vigils are most difficult, physically and emotionally. I know from recent experience. Please do your best to sleep and eat a balanced diet, although that is hard! My heart and prayers go out to you, dear. ❤
Thank you NL. Trying.my best to keep up with this situation and my daily routine. Hugs
Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit! I finally remembered to say it! (I’d never heard of this before NST, but I’ve now been trying and failing to say it for over a year.) Rewarding myself with Diorissimo on this beautiful, sunny day.
Happy weekend everyone!
LOTV power to you!
I laughed so hard reading that thread the other day. Live On The Vegetables to you too!
I’ve been trying to remember to do Rabbit! Rabbit! Rabbit! Ever since I’ve heard of it here too, but still hVe never managed to make it happen
I may have taken my son’s multicolored stuffed Easter bunny from him and set it on my nightstand as a reminder.
Extreme measures, but I desperately need my luck to change.
I love Diorissimo. You smell great!
Thank you. It worked so well yesterday that I’m wearing it again today. It finally feels like spring.
I’ll wear it today to keep you (and Spring) company
The sun is out!! And the ducks are back to torment our little dog. ???? I’m sampling FM Superstitious thanks to a fab Malle sa from Barney’s. Two hours in and it’s quieted down to a lovely jasminey rose. I can see a bottle joining the family soon…. ????
Oh I am drooling. Is it just in Malle boutiques or can it be found in other places.
This came from Barney’s (NYC) Was told there is a gwp coming in a few weeks. ????
Noticed Barneys is offering a 10 ml spray for preorder ($72). Very smart of the brand to offer this size from the get-go.
Frederic Malle will be at the boutique in the Village on April 13th. For the privilege of having champagne with the man himself as he unveils Superstitious, you pay an entrance fee of $40 good as credit for a future purchase.
The $40 must be to keep the riff raff out:)
I didn’t even think of it that way but that makes sense! On a somewhat related note, I feel bad for Sprinkles that opened a little store at Penn Station. That particular area is rife with belligerent homeless people.
Penn Station has become the go-to place for good fast-food.. Shake Shack, Magnolia’s Bakery, Pret, and now Sprinkles!
I agree, though, it does have quite a number of homeless people that hang out there. I’ve not experienced any problems myself, but I can imagine issues arise.
Is Krispy Kreme still there?
Yes, still inside in the same spot. Sprinkles is right on 7th Avenue / 32nd by the escalators / stairs going down to the corridor that splits NJ Transit and LIRR.
Wow! Quite a food hub. Wish they’d renovate already!
Ha! Consider me riff raff then ???? I think it’s probably to limit the crowd size as well. It’s a small store.
I would love to meet Monsieur Malle! Are you going? Please go and tell us all about it!
I’m considering it
In case anyone’s interested, I noticed STC already has Superstitious.
(I bought a sample.)
So nice that they are selling individual travel sizes of this one!
Not gonna confess to anything, but Chris Isaak has a song, Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing, that may or may not be applicable to my recent behavior concerning Superstitious.
LOLOLOL.
ha, rock on with your bad self…very superstitious, writings on the wall…
You just bought a large sample
They make 100ml samples, am I right? ????
Great song! Chris Issac is sex.
I’m wearing Aroma M Geisha Rouge. It is really more for winter than spring, but I saw on Arielle Shoshana’s sight that there is a special Aroma M event today and I was wishing so much that I could be there that I needed to wear it as a consolation prize. Too bad I live several hundred miles away. (Obviously, no affiliation) And anyway, it is pretty wintry outside, in single digits.
The event at Arielle Shoshana was lovely, just as they always are. A number of NST friends were able to attend, and it would have grand to have you there, too, ScentSpirit! Maybe for the next one we could Skype or something… Geisha Rouge is marvelous; so happy you “joined us” in wearing it!
SOMEDAY I’m going to get to Arielle Shoshana. I only live six hours away.
Hope that day will come soon for you. Arielle Shoshana completely blows my sensory circuits… in the nicest way!
Girl. Y’all come up now, here? We’ll do you right.
It was so nice to see your there!
I didn’t try Geisha Rouge, but it smelled very good on some of the other ladies at the event. It’s so cool that you were with us in spirit!
It was so great to spend time with you!
YES! Looking forward to the 13th already.
I thought of all of you whenever I caught a whiff of my spicy, clove-y self, and I drank some green tea too.
Hello everyone! I missed you! Back from 98 degrees India for a very snowy March. I can’t believe there’s snow coming down April 1st!
Well anyway my divorce is going forward. It is amicable but still very emotional.
SOTD: Sideris
Very brave of you… new beginnings… I totally support people who are unhappy and have the guts to change.
I have been married for 10 years and think we will never get a divorce. But then again, maybe its because we have children and I can t imagine my life without him. Hope it doesn’t change.
Good luck!
Yes new beginnings are great and I’m also very excited about starting one! Thanks for your support. On the other hand if you are happy in your marriage you are very blessed.
Welcome back! Sorry to hear you’re going through that. Change is hard even when it’s ultimately positive, I find for myself, at least. Wishing you much healing. Xo
And you smell great, of course.
Thanks Elisa P.
Perfume is so comforting to me and I’m so lucky to have all the great frags from swaps (I think some from you) and the NST community.
Welcome back, Sajini! I can’t say I know what you’re going through but wish you the best with what you need to do.
Thanks! Good to be here.
Well hello there! 98 to snow, what a swing.
I’m sorry for your pending divorce, not easy even if it is amicable. Wishing you well the coming weeks and months as you figure things out.
Thank you floragal. It’s such a strange time for both of us and a lot to figure out. We were together for almost 11 years and our lives are very entwined, so it’s like doing everything in reverse to “untie the knot”.
So nice to see u here again, and sorry for what u are going through, perfume is a small but wonderful comfort when going through big life changes, I find.
Welcome home! I thought of you during Holi; I assume you joined in the multi-colored fun… Sorry to hear about what’s ahead for you, but “bon courage”…
Thank you, FM. I wasn’t there during Holi, I came back in the first week of March to the mega blizzard! It was really surreal along with everything else. I’m so grateful that I have a warm place to stay and friends have been so kind and generous. Hopefully the divorce will be done and over in a few months.
I’ve been where you are with the divorce. Take it one day at a time and each day will get a bit easier.
Oh thank you! Right now it seems like legal limbo so that is very encouraging
I wish you to go through everything as painless as possible. Try to find perfumes that would support you through these emotional times but that won’t be tainted/lost for you going forward because of the current circumstances.
Words from the wise. Actually perfume has been a huge comfort for me since I came back. So glad I didn’t do the great reduction plan because there are perfumes in there didn’t used to get much wear that I am reaching for now. All the comfortey ambery and gourmand stuff. It helps to augment all the stress eating..
Welcome back Sajini!
Good to be here! (and HERE on NST)!
Welcome back Sajini. Something better will happen in your life. There is always a good reason for things to change. I wish you the best in your future life. You smell wonderful today!
Awwwwww thanks (sniff)
Oh gosh, yeah…that’s tough. Poignant times, but you can handle the challenge. Sending hugs.
Yep we still love each other but it just aint working. While we were together he got into wearing fragrance, so I have been giving him some of the masculine scents from my collection. He has a nice mini rotation of Coach Leatherwear 2, PdN New York, vintage Grey Flannel, Dark Horse and Elizabeth W Vetiver.
Welcome back!
Welcome back. Sorry to hear about your divorce, though…
Glad to have you back at NST. Absolutely understandable that this is an emotional time – grieving the loss of what you had hoped it could be. Hope you can hold on to the thought that every crisis holds within it an opportunity, and you can be gentle with yourself right now.
Hi everyone.
I can’t believe it’s week already since I came back from Italy. Esxence was so much fun! I wish I could spend more time with my friends from abroad.
On the other hand weekend has started with a lovely weather and pleasant tempetature (almost like in Milan) – yesterday it was even above 20*C.
Today I’m testing Rose Royale from Nicolai. It’s almost a soliflore rose, quite pure and innocent but I like it. And it has this nice accent of black currant note.
Thanks for your wonderful post about Esxence last week!
Happy you liked it. My narration from day 2 will be up on the blog tomorrow
Yay!
It was great fun to read for me as well! Felt a little like I was there with you.
Is it open to the public or invite only?
Out of 4 days there were 2 open to everyone who wanted to come
Is rose your second favorite note, after Iris?
Oh yes, definitely
I love a blackcurrant rose.
Good things always end before we want them to (those are bad things that linger ;)).
Rose and black currant sounds exactly like something I’d like – thanks for the heads-up!
Think you’d like that one
Your post was a great read! Thank you. Looking foward to the next part.
Thanks for reading
Love the picture!
It’s hair day always a good thing and a 7th birthday for a granddaughter.
Think I’ll spray on Chinatown for a change.
My gateway drug down the fragrance rabbit hole and never fails to make me smile.
Chinatown is so nice for a party like that! I lived in Malaysia for several years (a million years ago) and it always reminds me of the Night Market in Kuala Lumpur. I even did a blind sniff test with my dad and he picked up the same vibe.
If the gods came down out of the heavens and took away ALL of your scents, save for a single one, which would you chose?????????????
Shalimar, because I’m predictable that way. ????
+1
I think mine is En Passant
Great choice…so sophisticated
I was thinking something along that line last evening, and couldn’t do it. Narrowed it down to Beige, Seville de l’Aube and Memo Italian Leather. And maybe either Diorissimo or En Passant.
I’d fight them off!
Ha ha! I love it! I will stand behind you. You can take my purses, my shoes, even my make-up, but nobody messes with my fragrances! I think you would have a whole lot of perfumistas who would stand behind you as well, Kanuka.
Perfume girls to the front!
That was my first response as well!
We’d be like those dudes in The Lord of the Rings but with atomisers and Chanel
I think that for fighting those Gofd off we should use something nuclear like Angel
The Gods Must be Crazy ????
But probably no 5! I keep shocking myself every time I say that about no 5.
So claasy!!
Whaaaat??? What Kanuka said: I’d fight those gods!
Me, 2.
I was thinking of this about a week ago and wondered how folks would answer it. Such a tough question for a lover of perfume. I think I’d join Jiji & Kanuka and take on those gods!
Maybe spraying perfume at them would be poisonous to them and they would have to fly away on the wings of their dragons
Maybe spraying perfume at them would be poisonous to them and they would have to fly away on the wings of their dragons
Poison girl…right in the nose
I would want my one to be my Basil & Neroli by JM. It seems lately, this is my go to fragrance when I can’t make a decision on which fragrance to wear.
I thought for sure you would pick Nectarine Blossom & Honey….in my mind I always think of you when I think of or wear that fragrance.
Never smelted this. Will be on the hunt.
Dzing! I’d be unhappy to lose the others, but I really can’t imagine life without Dzing!
I started recording all of my scent-wearing on basenotes on January 1. Based on the stats there, my most worn scent is Eau des Merveilles. And that’s the fragrance that I reached for in my mind when I read your question. I’m predictable, even to myself.
I just got my first sample! Gna shower and try!!
Hope you enjoyed the sample of EdM!
I LOVE IT…I BOUGHT IT TODAY…..have you tried the body cream???? I saw mixed reviews on it. Also, it’s Martina McBride’s signature scent, I read!!!!!
I’m so glad you love EdM! Congratulations on your new bottle.
EdM body lotion is wonderful and smells like the perfume. I haven’t tried the body cream but I’m tempted. The jar is beautiful.
Thank you, I was shaking with joy and excitement. (I am 46- felt like a young girlady on her birthday!!!!)
I always think of you when I see Eau des Merveilles.
Yay for Eau des Merveilles!
I like Kanuka’s answer, but if that didn’t work, it would be L’air during Desert Marocain without a doubt.
Oh, autocorrect, how you annoy me!
L’air du Desert Marocain, not “during”.
That’s a great choice, works beautifully in all sorts of weather & occasions.
Wow good question. I was kind of shocked but the first thing that came to mind was the big ol whopper bottle of Sideris
I hope the gods never come with such a crazy idea. But just in case they lose their mind , I would keep Chanel No 5 extrait.
Going with Kanuka’s answer first of all. But if worst came to worst, I’d want to keep my vintage bottle of Ivoire. It was the first “grown-up” perfume I bought for myself. Losing the others would suck, though.
Sampling Marni Rose this morning thanks to an unplanned but serendipitous swap. It’s very nice – the cumin (or maybe nutmeg?) note is especially prominent on me. I’m quite enjoying it – that, and a full day of doing not much besides sitting around and sniffing my wrists.
Cardamom! That’s what that note is. Love it – I used to sprinkle it over the ground coffee before brewing. Mr. G hates coffee made that way (he’s a purist) so I had to give it up.
I love cardamon in coffee. How is the massive hole in the road ( hope I remembered right and it was your road )
I think it might have been pixel whose access road got wiped out. Our roads are in pretty bad shape after two Snowpocalypses with all the buses having to have chains on – looks like little grenades went off up and down all the main drags – but nothing as severe as the entire pavement disappearing down a hillside.
Oh, sorry for the mistake but sounds lime you got hit pretty hard, too. Not a breath of wind or rain here. I am lucky never to have experienced a major weather event.
Have you ever tried mimosa and cardamon? I like it.
Oh, and I meant to ask you whether your area was impacted by the cyclone that hit Queensland. Looks like you should be far enough away to have escaped relatively unscathed, but that was a massive storm.
Mimosa and cardamom – do you mean a fragrance (which sounds lovely – Jo Malone?) or the classic brunch beverage (champagne and orange juice) with a sprinkle of cardamom? Actually, they both sound wonderful.
I meant JM but the drink is going on my must try list
I”m wearing Santa Maria Novella Violetta which I was fortunate to receive in the recent Swapmeet. Love it! It’s taken me years to realize how much I love violet. For instance, it’s what makes Chanel Misia so irresistible. Better late than never! Have a great weekend.
Have you tried Violet Disguise by Imaginary Authors? It’s a nice violet.
I have yet to try any of the Santa Maria line, but I have heard great things about it. I didn’t realize that I like violet into recently. I tried Misia and thought it was nice, but it wasn’t for me. I ended up giving it to my mom. But, I am now wanting to try other violet scents.
I’ll give Violet Disguise a try. Thanks!
I have to try this. I appreciate SNM!
SMN Iris is really good.
I’d like to try this. I think I’m heading into a violet phase. Didn’t love Sous le Toit de Paris when I got it, but now I’m quite loving it. Sniffed Kerbside Violet yesterday and was quite taken. Need to pull out that little decant of Misia. Another note that once was ignored and is now intriguing…
Happy Saturday and April Fool’s Day! Renewed my lease today, speaking of fools. I can’t believe I’ve been here a year. At the current rate, don’t think my plan to never move again is realistic.
Relaxing pre clean-up and sampling the Ormond Jayne samps from a swap. First time trying any! So far, the winners are (in order of winning-ness): Champaca, Tolu, and Frangipani. Tolu smells very much like Ambra Nera (Farmacia SS Annunziata) to me, which I don’t own, but should.
Champaca makes me want to sit outside in a hut surrounded by dry grass and exotic flowers on a late summer’s day, maybe somewhere in Asia. Love! May need to get that travel spray set and make Donatella proud. Props to Amateur Dilettante for the samples!
You make the Champaca sound wonderful. I have never tried any Ormond Jayne but I will one day. Have you ever worn the CdG Champaca? Any similarities?
The OJ Champaca really is taking me to a place and a vivid setting. Straw, tea, subtle yellow flowers, a bowl of rice…
I do have a decant of the CdG which is more pretty white floral to me, without much atmosohere really. I like how it smells, though. If anything, it’s maybe more similar in smell to the TF Champaca Absolute, IIRC, though something bugged me about that one.
I’d say the OJ reminds me in some ways of ELDO Fils de Dieu, if you’ve tried that one -I guess the Asian theme is the obvious connection.
Thanks
If you like Tolu, I can make you a decant. Just let me know.
How sweet! I may take you up on that. Don’t you have that lifetime supply of Tolu? I forget the story exactly.
Rents.. don’t get me started.
Glad you’re having fun with your new samples!
It’s getting crazy! I’m not sure what I was thinking when I took this place. All I saw was a back yard and a dishwasher and I was taken. I forgot to fast forward.
Oh, but backyard!
YES, backyard!
My son is about to move from an apartment in Prospect Heights with a HUGE yard and landscaped garden including a kitchen garden, laundry, dishwasher, two fireplaces, infinite storage including a kitchen pantry and a full finished basement, on the ground floor, and an amazing landlord. He’s going to a smaller apartment in Manhattan, and he and his girlfriend have decided the walk to work versus the commute is worth it. I asked some helpful mom questions to no avail. The kind where you’re trying to “guide” them somewhere they have no interest in going. Sigh…
Commutes are a big deal in NYC. I work from home on Mondays and Fridays now and don’t have to commute to downtown and it has drastically improved my quality of life. It’s stressful getting to and from work, so I completely understand being willing to let go some of those perks in order to make the commute easier. Plus, Manhattan has a different energy than Brooklyn. Not better, just different.
I ended up in my neighborhood mostly in order to walk to work (after experiencing an hour commute each way for a number of years). That and a fairly close subway that had good options for east side, west side and other boroughs. But….his place in Bklyn sounds amazing…
How does Frangipani strike you? I was on the Ormonde Jayne site the other day and saw that shipping for samples is free, but you can only ask for 4 per order. Hard to decide!
I’ve been eyeing those samples too!
Deep, creamy floral. A tad green in the opening. But I went back to sniff myself and all of them are a barely a whisper! I applied straight out of the vial by dumping a little. Probably needs a hefty spray.
I didn’t like Zizania, Orris Noir, or Osmanthus much.
Thanks, it’s good to hear your thoughts.
Since you’re paying for samples (and those are not particularly cheap) AND the shipping is free for the set of 4 samples, nobody says that you cannot place 2 or 3 separate orders
Yeah, I thought that too.
They used to have a whole sample set (with 10 to 12 samples), but its not on the site anymore.
Kicking myself for not ordering it right then.
Frangipani is lovely, gave my sample to my mother because she likes fruityfloral more than i do. She thought it ended up a bit too sweet.
Donatella is proud and she always forgives
That picture reminds me of how much I adore the Cadbury “Easter bunny” tryout commercials. I ignore most commercials but a lion in bunny ears is just too good to pass by. Today’s scent is Cartier de Panthere–I thought I might go to the movies this afternoon but the civet in this is really prominent, so I might wait until evening. And yay! to Sephora for stocking Berdoues–now I can get a sniff of them all.
Thanks for the info on the Berdoeus!
Super lazy today, and I mean lazy. Woke up at 10:30 this morning and hung around in my pj’s until 1. Now that I am freshly showered, I’m about to wear no 22 and head out the door to go to Malley’s to get some chocolate.
Perfect day! However I might lay down for an afternoon snooze before going to Malley’s.
no 22 is beautiful
Hi Everybody!
I’ve been away for so long and miss you all so much! I’m wearing vintage Shalimar, because it’s me. I bought three bottles of it for myself for my birthday. One is a fairly recent EdP (the new EdP is too harsh, IMO), EdC in the disc shaped bottle with glass cone stopper, and EdT in the kind of bulbous bottle with the label towards the bottom and a frosted crystal stopper. The two older ones were still sealed and smell fantastic. They’re both 100ml and one still has the original price tag – $6.50!
I used to avoid the quarterly damage poll, but as my collection has grown so has my rampant cynicism (stage 5 Perfumista?) and I just don’t feel as driven to acquire or even sample as much new stuff as I used to. I do want to catch up again and hope that there is something new under the sun to sniff and love. ????
So nice to see you and your avatar here again! Hope you are well.
Welcome back, and congrats on your lovely birthday presents!
Wonderful to see you!
Happy Shalimar birthday, too.
I loooooove Shalimar!
Shalimar = my mom, and that’s a good thing. Boy does she know how to spray it!
SO good to see you! I have often wondered how you were.
Such a lovely birthday present!
Welcome back! Good to see you!
It’s wonderful to see you, Julia! That EdT is my favorite Shalimar, and it was my gateway to the others, as well. I love that particular Guerlain bottle, as well.
I like your picture! The lady with the perfume bottle is perfect!
SOTD – Iris Fauve. Love it!! It might be an overkill for errands at Costco but who cares
PSA 1. Costco.com has Bronze Goddess oil for way less than Nordies. Also they now carry Bond no 9 (selected frags) and Lipstick Queen (limited choices). You have to be a member to shop.
PSA2
Notino has a coupon for 10% off, code US-VTGA, if anyone is interested.
Heh. When I contemplated JOTD, dressing for a Costco and Nordstrom run, I landed on wearing a blue hoodie, jeans, accessorized with a pair of hanging diamond daisy earrings
Actually, Nordstrom run was later…it was a Costco and Wegmans run earlier!
I heard a rumor Wegmans might open a store in NYC. I’d move just to be close….
REally? where?
Looked it up. Brooklyn Navy Yard but not opening till sometime in 2018 (they hope)
Harried Costco shoppers should be grateful to fellow customers who totally class the place up with Iris Fauve and diamond earrings!!!
Uhoh. Dangerous lemming info!
Furze today. Haven’t worn it for ages and it’s great. It’s been very mild here and last night we sat outside Looking at Orion and the Southern Cross and saw shooting stars…so lucky to have darkness and aurora southern lights down here.
Man, I laughed when Robin cleared up the LOTV mystery. It is so obvious once you know. Mind you it took me months to work out SOTD. Now I have those two sorted I can advance to stage two of my perfume education. There should be little progress badges or coloured belts to mark the stages…stage one, the cologne badge. Then the EDT, the EDP, the P and then the Golden Attar.
With extra ribbons for Blind Buy Mastery, Lemming Incitement, and Enabling Expertise.
Now you’re talking! And the golden perfume bottle …the highest award of all.
I’d love to see the Southern Cross some day. You definitely are lucky to be able to see the aurora. The stargazing conditions here have gotten noticeably worse. Grr, I hate light pollution! It’s sad to see it increase anywhere, but it’s all the more infuriating in an astronomy town, where people should know better and actually care.
I really need to update the lexicon, but if you’ve never seen it:
https://nstperfume.com/2008/04/25/a-perfumista-lexicon/
Very good! The other ones that trip me up are things like MMK or something like like, might have a V in it.
Also Waterdragon’s POID …that’s a keeper.
Kanuka, when I’m stumped on a brand or perfumer acronym, I click on Robin’s handy alphabetical index of Perfume Houses or Perfumers and look through the list.
I tend to abbreviate brand names myself, so I apologize if I’m creating difficulty.
I just make things up in my head – knowing that most brands are unavailable here anyway. I see FM, MFK, and SSS and go, ‘Oh, in another world far far away.”
I just make things up in my head – knowing that most brands are unavailable here anyway. I see FM, MFK, and SSS and go, ‘Oh, in another world far far away.”
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary
Oh, is that what it is? I thought it was a weird version of ‘yum’ …like some East Coast U.S. thing
I had no idea what that meant either…Holly explained it to me.
I always thought that it was a common abbreviation, I’ve never connected it just to the Perfumeland.
I’ve never seen it before! I have to remember that sites are not books: they keep changing even after you’ve finished reading them.
May I suggest two more abbreviations? PoaL for FM’s Ortrait of a Lady and LDDM for Tauer’s perfume that I still can’t remember how to spell even though I own a bottle of it.
Lucky you, there is so much light pollution here seeing stars is a treat. Fortunately in my travels I have seen the Southern Cross and the Aurora Borealis. Do you get an Aurora Australis in NZ?
Oops, missed that you said you did. One day I hope to visit NZ and see them myself!
http://www.dunedinaurora.nz/
I am always in bed, asleep but have seen a few
You had an LOTV mystery, I had a Box of Eels mystery. I missed the original post, and for a few days I was frantically googling for that new indie perfume.
Too funny! Me too!
The NZ long finned eel is my spirit animal – but it doesn’t know that, of course.
Me three! But then I asked
Yes, somewhere on my ‘to be sampled’ scraps of paper…lives Box of Eels. Luckily, I now know it also lives on my dresser.
This is also fun:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXvZicq7eTw
Thank goodness I don’t have someone recording me!
This is great! I never watch video reviews, but maybe I’ll give Fragrance Bros. a try now.
LOL
Haha great video! I like the facial expressions he makes. LOL @ top 10 parking scents
Thank you! It was hilarious
SOTD = Cuir de Lancome
2 sprays from a decant received from a swap from way back in 2012, I think. On me, it is softly floral leather, like a well-loved leather jacket worn so often that it had acquired a melange of scents. I also have a FB.
Vancouver perfumistas: it’s still 3 1/2 months away but I want to mention that I will be on Vancouver on July 13 and 14 (pre-Alaska cruise) and would love to meet up for some fun, food and ‘fumes. I have not been there in 20+ years and would love some recommendations on things to do. Also, thoughts on St. Regis vs The Fairmont? Truth be told, the attraction of The Fairmont is partially the Le Labo Rose 31 bath products. I have to confess that I have a first cousin in Victoria but since my sister does not feel like going there and it would be awkward for me to show up by myself if my sister is also in Vancouver, I have opted not to go to Victoria.
Grocery shopping pet peeve: What’s up with people in the checkout line dragging their cart behind them, making it impossible for me to put my items on the belt until they are almost done being checked out?
Note to Creosote: I pulled out Mohur EDP. For science, I will do a side by side comparison with the Extrait. They are not the same for sure and not just the concentration.
Would be a delight to meet up with you Hajusuuri! There are a few of us that meet up around here and it would be fun to show you the sights.
I’ve never been in the rooms at the St Regis but have stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront which is lovely. I think there are three Fairmont Hotels downtown…which one were you looking at?
I was thinking of the one downtown but perhaps the waterfront one would be more practical if it is closer to the cruise terminal.
The Hotel Vancouver and the Waterfront are only a few blocks away from each other but the Downtown one is more in the thick of things so depending what you like it might be easier to get to places from downtown. It is a classic grand old hotel
Thanks…will finalize my logistics in the next few weeks and contact the Vancouver perfumistas – Gi, AnnieA, jlook, SunnyDay (I think) to make further arrangements.
H, you will, of course be making your way to the Perfume Shoppe, a mere stone’s throw from the cruise ship terminal. Perhaps we can all have a meetup at the shoppy, as I like to call it.
P.S. Victoria is nice, but you really wouldn’t have time to go there AND shop for perfume in Vancouver…
I could go 1 day earlier and spend 2 days in Victoria and 1 in Vancouver. Nah, this was the same cousin who asked for a live feed of my dad’s memorial service (in 2015) so she can participate while she’s on a cruise…we said no.
You smell fantastic! And thanks for the science experiment. I look forward to hearing the results. ????
Your pet peeves, rants and vexations of life crack me up!
Maybe I am just easily irritated? I have a former colleague who listened to my observations, mostly of the “Guess what I saw” variety.
Very Seinfeld!
Ha, when in New York….
Observations is probably the word I meant
BTW, you’re smelling wonderful! Good day for CdL.
Heh, I knew what you meant
Grocery cart dragging sounds truly heinous!
My nearest store is set up so that the cashiers take things out of your cart, which can be slightly annoying sometimes, but this just goes to show you never realize how lucky you are sometimes.
I will confess that I put my cart behind me. The reason is because I got tired of the people behind me literally hitting me with their carts. I use my cart for bodily protection lol.
That’s why I shop with my son. Stand here, behind me. Now don’t move , even if they knock you down! It’s character building.
Nicolai’s Odalisque this morning…yet another forgotten treasure in my cabinet. It is making me do ‘mmmm’ noises.
You smell lovely!
That’s a great one.
Today I’m in a cloud of Grès Cabochard, as the hoodie I put on needed a little freshening up. I realized I could’ve worn it yesterday, as it was another blind buy success.
Enjoy your weekend, everyone!
Ummm, you smell great!
Love Cabochard.
Anxiously awaiting the arrival of my Leiber Night perfume. I ordered it from FragranceNet a couple of days ago. This was a “blind buy” for me, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will luck out on this one the way I did with my other blind buys.
I’m at the point where I miss the original Leiber so much, I am willing to try any of the other Leibers that might resemble it at least a little bit.
Anyone ever try Leiber Night? What were your thoughts on it?
Sorry, I know this isn’t really relevant, but I’m excited to see a mention of Leiber Night! On a complete whim, without ever having smelled it myself, I sent a sample of LN to my sister along with a full bottle of something else. To my surprise and delight, my sister said she really liked the LN. Crossing my fingers along with you that you like it, too.
Thanks for your response. Knowing that someone else enjoyed it is reassuring.
PUGS!!!!!! (I’m crazy about pugs!)
I’ve just been back from L’Artisan Parfumeur with a bottle of Bucoliques de Provence. XD
Ah, lucky you!
Is Bucoliques supposed to be a limited edition? I read an article linked from here (not long time ago), and got confused.
I love the pugs too. They’re so cute and fun to be around.
Pushing through a Saturday of work. I’ve got too much stuff on my plate right now that I need to just sit and do it. Ugh.
I’m back in Fève Délicieuse and continuing to enjoy it immensely.
You smell wonderful. I should haul mine out!
The weather’s lovely today, and I’m being lazy. It’s a good thing to be on a Saturday. I’m pulling a Holly today and sampling a bunch of incompatible things: Rescue Me Rose from A Wing and a Prayer (soapy rose); Incendo from La Curie (pine smoke BBQ; 2nd try; nope I still don’t like it); and now La Chance XVI from Madhat (lavender cream soda). Hmm, what should I try next to add to the cacophony?
I like that “pulling a Holly”
I like that too
Scent #4: Maison de Parfum Berry ‘Cathedrale de Rouen’. Yup it smells like the inside of a cathedral: incense, wood, stone, dust. If my goal is to test the most incompatible scents in one day, I’m doing just fine.
The lavender cream soda sounds nice, need to try that one.
Cheers to lazy Saturdays!
Club Reek Havoc!
We had an awesome meetup today at Arielle Shoshana in the DC area, and it was great to discuss sampling methods with others. I used to take one dab of one sample and explore it the entire day. I never thought that I could get a grip on more than one, but I’ve actually found that my elimination process (granted, my goal) has sped up exponentially. I love to anthropomorphize perfume and I have always wanted to be fair and considerate and give them their due. During my sample speed-dating, I feel more confident in eliminating what isn’t me, and I’m more confident about moving on.
It was a fantastic meetup! So glad you catalyzed the group and that Ari had arranged the Aroma M event.
One of the things I particularly enjoy (in addition to great conversation, a great perfume selection, and samples) is the opportunity to smell the same perfume on different people. I learn a lot from that.
Yes to all that! We’re very lucky to have Arielle Shoshana here hosting a wonderful group. The most amazing thing I discovered is that some of us are exploring perfumes in a private way for ourselves and don’t actually intend it for others. I find there’s immense freedom in that.
When I’m in major testing mode, I usually go thru 6-8 scents in a day. I try to give each scent at least an hour, but if I’m not liking it by then — or if I hate it from the get-go — scrub a dub! Next!
Scent #5: Jo Malone Bloomsbury Whiskey & Cedarwood. Pleasant but… 30 minutes after applying I thought, “Oh, I forgot, I was going to test that JM…” oops. I *am* testing that JM. It’s so wimpy I forgot it was there.
Attention SF Bay Area folks! I just found out (thanks cazaubon!) that Tigerlily (no affiliation) is having a couple of cool events next weekend.
Friday evening, Andy Tauer will be at Tigerlily. Hyacinth & the Mechanic will be available for sale, as well as 2 new unnamed scents.
On Saturday, “over 10 artisan scent makers” will be at the shop. And they’ll be doing launches of new scents from Olympic Orchids, Dame, and En Voyage. Check out their Facebook page.
Anyone want to join me for either event? Tickets are needed for Friday’s event; Facebook RSVP required for Saturday’s.
SotD = Ostara
I bought bunches of daffodils at the market on Thursday. It’s deeply satisfying to watch the flowers open. Their green floral scent is tinged with bitterness.
Oh, fresh daffodils. Sigh.
I think it was your mention of them this week that prompted me to look for daffodils at the market. Some years I miss them – blink and they’re gone.
Daffodils are my favorite. Enjoy!
I love dafs too.
you smell like spring
oh, thank you, I feel like I’ve let the spring genie out of the bottle.
Surprise interview part 2 today, so I’m wearing the same slightly-inappropriate FdB that I wore yesterday. If it ain’t broke, right?
Does Argan oil smell olive-funky to anyone else here?
Not olive-funky, but I do get a bit of dry mushroom from it.
I don’t know about argan oil, but I am currently obsessed with the smell of Agadir argon oil mousse. My son uses it on his hair. It smells so wonderful that I put some on my wrist to huff yesterday. If it were a perfume I would buy a bottle in a hot minute. A google search says Navy and Boucheron may be similar.
I sometimes use Josie Maran’s 100% argan oil on my face, and it has very little smell at all, and it is not funky. I got a different brand once, and it smelled like goat droppings. I discovered that after I had put it on my face (((shudder))). I tossed it in the trash and washed my face.
Lazy day other than stuff around the house. I did cook lunch, so that was an accomplishment. The weather is nice, so after a nap, maybe a walk and sit on the deck for a while.
Started out the day in the remainder of my Eau de Charlotte sample but it faded within a few hours, so just a small spritz of Shalimar to make it through the afternoon. You all smell fabulous! Enjoy the day.
How are you feeling? Hope the Shalimar is helping.
Thank you, I am feeling better! A lot of the stiffness and soreness is easing up. The bruising still looks ugly but I think it’s fading.
Was fighting feeling depressed this morning about it all, but I made myself get up and get busy in the house and even weeded the flower beds a bit. Crazy how some fresh air and sunshine helps heal one’s spirits.
I am glad your spirits are up!
I know you are a fan of Shalimar. I have some Shalimar Light which was a flanker they did a while back and sadly was discontinued. It is beautiful and I’d be happy to send you some if you’d like. I can be reached at shera in socal (all one word) at gmail.
That would be amazing! I have never tried any of the flankers, only edp, edt, and the cologne (which is what I wore today). I will email you.
Hello, all. I’m pleased to be back at NST–you’ll forgive my intermittent attendance, I hope. I reached a point (again) whereat I was unfit for human company, and rather than moan and whinge, I took myself off to grumble to myself in private. But on Thursday night last, My spirits suddenly took a turn upward, because I went and did A Thing. I was presenting the last prize to my students at Awards Night and I found myself announcing that it was a poignant moment for me because it was my last presentation ever. So. I guess my retirement is now official: I’ve said it, so it must be true. It came as a bit of surprise to me, and a big surprise to my colleagues, but yay for me! Since I said it, I’ve been enjoying my food a bit more, and wearing my perfume again with full attention and appreciation, instead of the cursory spritz-and-run affair of the last couple of weeks.
I’ve been loving, really loving, La Pausa, and will buy a FB very soon. It’s dry and crisp and genderless, a beautiful un-cliched balance of iris and vetiver, and exactly right, cheering and refreshing, for these last clammy days of summer. It’s lovely now, and yet I think it will also make a perfect transition into the coolness autumn and winter. Today we are going to a family party for my nephew’s 50th. Should be fun. I’m wearing Cristalle today, because why not? It seems right for a barbecue on a warm day.
Be well, all.
Yes, indeed; yay for you!!! Here’s to spirits on the rise, and a less stressful future!
La Pausa and Cristalle are both terrific; enjoy the party and the knowledge that you smell awesome.
Thank you! I must say, I feel relieved, though I can’t claim it was a particularly cerebral decision. It just sort of tumbled out of my mouth!
I’m a blurter too, and it’s often astonishing to myself and others but the cerebral is often overrated. Good luck integrating the days to come!
Blurter, too. I once invited the former prime minister (Helen Clark) to come on holiday with me. She smiled and said she was a bit busy.
That’s wonderful!
It will be! I’ll have to finish the year, because i have commitments to doctoral students, but everything I do from now on, I’m doing for the last, or at least the penultimate time. But yes, wonders await.
Congratulations!!!
By the way, “penultimate” is one of my favorite words!
Well done!, good to acknowledge, and get it out there, great fun to come, I’m sure!
Good on you. Time to stop wading through mud…hurray! And La Pausa! Did we try that one? Roll on May when I come north again.
I don’t think we did. We smelt Coromandel and Misia, mostly. Yes, roll on May! I’m really looking forward to it.
Ferry – Chanel – Cake
You smell great..
Clearly it is time to retire! It’s amazing how much better you feel when you finally make a decision that you’ve been dancing around for ages. That’s how you know the decision is right. Good for you!
Yes, yay for you! A new chapter has begun and I wish you great fun & delight in doing so. And much perfume smelling of course!
Three cheers for retirement! Congratulations!
Thank you! I’m not dong anything as brave as you, though. I rather wish we were taking the Dak-cat and roaming free for a bit, but that won’t happen.
Yay! You know it’s the right decision when the words just come tumbling out.
Is that how it works? It didn’t really feel like a decision, just an, I don’t know, evolutionary development or something.
Yay for you!
And I totally agree about La Pausa.
It’s soooo beautiful.. it is definitely my POID of the month, and Donatella will just have to suck up the fact that I have bout ANOTHER Chanel!
Bought…bought…bought! Why can I not type properly on this stupid iPad?
No one could blame you for adding another Chanel. They’re just. so. good.
Congratulations, waterdragon!
Thank you all! I really am relishing the idea of living at a different pace, in a different rhythm, in seasons not dictated by the academic calendar.
Yay you, Waterdragon!
Wow. Hat’s off t’ya!
Congrats on your retirement!
Cheers to your retirement!
Congratulations! I’m so very happy for you!
ha ha, you have to do it now!
I know! And, what’s more, I really want to. I wish the dear man would decide as well, but he seems a bit irresolute.
Congratulations, waterdragon. I have a feeling that you may be wrapping up this particular career, but you won’t be idle in the days to come. (Well, at least all the days to come. Let’s hear it for some idle days.) I’m pretty sure you will find a project that excites you and your life will be richer for it.
Congrats!
Put on Elixir after my trip to the gym, and wore it to our local Renaissance festival (plenty of foolish fun there!), and then to the grocery store. And now I’ve accomplished my to-do-list for today, honestly – I guess I have a bit of grading, but that can happen tomorrow. A delicious do-nothing afternoon is spreading out before me!
I love getting to the end of a to-do list. Hope you were able to make the most out of that delicious afternoon yesterday!
Happy weekend NSTer’s! Been MIA recently as I have been bunny hopping busy.
A small tragedy unfolded before my very tearful eyes on March 24. I headed out of the Southern Swamps thinking I had packed my perfumes, only to realized somewhere in Georgia that NOPE! I did NOT pack them. In such a rush on the departure day, left later than I planned, feeling very harangued because things were hot and sticky and I was behind schedule…????
The only thing that has saved me is some travel sizes I found in the bottom of my purse- FM VE, Arquiste #57, the last bit of my Tauer AF body oil, and SJP Stash. That is my shameful perfumista confession.
OTOH, have been having a blast exploring, hiking, researching travel destinations, and visiting all kinds of Civil War monuments/forts, etc etc. T-Rex is currently pooped out after a morning at the beach followed by a hike in a hilly swamp.
Time for ice cream, me thinks ????
How has T Rex adapted to her new home. She sounds pretty cruisey. What about when you’re at work? Sorry about the perfume catastrophe. At least you have nature!
I think she has adapted marvelously well and very quickly. She thinks South Carolina needs to step up thier road management and repair, but other than that, nothing really seems to bother her. The first night camping in the woods shook her up a bit. A couple times she started to shake and tremble in fear, but there was some yowling going on out in the woods, and heaven knows what she was smelling. There are predators here- bears, bobcats, coyotes, and such, so this is her first exposure to those elements.
The company provides housing so she is in the apartment when I’m working. I have block scheduling so I generally work 3 and off 4, and the four days off I’m trying to camp in the van while the weather is so great. That being said, I have a 6 day spread of days off in May and I’m trying to arrange camping out on Okracoke, which is a barrier island that we would need to take a ferry to get to. She’s really a great traveler and has such an engaging personality people always stop me and ask about her, pet her, and generally fall in love with her.
I do miss my perfumes, though. I think I may have to buy a bottle to console myself????
What a great set up. Both my dogs try to get into the foot of my sleeping bag when we camp – I had to start taking a big duvet just so I could get some sleep. And all we have are possums, rats and hedgehogs. Give her a pat from me and you need that perfume!
I bought an old school xtra large sleeping bag for just this reason! It was quite chilly the first night, about 35F I think, frost on the van windows in the AM, but we were toasty. She is full grown now, I have an instgram account (vantasticviews) so you can see how big she is. Luckily, we fit nicely in the sleeping bag. There’s an Ulta up the street from the apartment, so I may peruse some FBs later today.
I’d be happy to send you some fume to play with. If you are up for it–please email me at ann dotty eisenberg attagirl comcast dotty net . I really enjoy your camping updates!!!
That’s very kind of you! I will be stopping by my home in June before I head to my next assignment, so will pick up my bottles then, but thank you for your very generous offer. ????
Forgot my SOTD!! Sun, sand, a cool breeze with a bit of crushed red bay on my boots. ????
At least you had quite a good range in your purse. I hope you find a good bottle along the way, too. Sounds like a wonderful trip!
So far, so good. I realize how deeply I’ve succumbed to perfume now that I have only a very limited choice. The decision making process was an unknown pleasure, and I miss dithering about which perfume to wear on any given day.
The small travedy is why I presciently asked about mail service
Haha! I was in Ulta today and gave myself a nice spritz of Shalimar. I may visit the store on a daily basis for my olfactory fix ????
Offsite storage! I can’t take credit for it.
Sounds like a good trip/adventure!!!
Too bad you forgot the perfumes.
On the plus side, when you bump into a nice scent while traveling around, you’ll have an extra good reason for making a purchase. And then you’ll have a great souvenir as well
True, I’m keeping my eyes peeled for something special????
Happy Weekend Y’all!! Just mowed the yard for the 1st time this season….Demeter should bottle THAT wonderful smell! Fresh grass, wild onion, and sunshine. FANTASTIC!
SOTD: Commodity Platinum Bergamot. Woody citrusy goodness!
Aaaaaaachhhhhooooooooooooooooooooo….
Perhaps a pollen note? LOL
Actually, the beauty of your idea is a pollen-free fresh cut grass scent–that smell in the sun is the best!
I worked outside in my flower beds today! The sunshine and spring weather is so wonderful and healing. I love the smell of dirt and grass etc. I planted a rose bush in memory of a dear uncle who spent all of his summers (he was an educator) in his massive rose garden.
Sounds like a perfect day to me! I’m a hot weather gal…. Always thrilled when hibernation time is over!
Gap Grass (1994) smelled just like a freshly mowed lawn. It was amazing. Then it was discontinued. It came back briefly in the 2000s but did not smell as good. Pretty sure it was reformulated.
AND it was a huge 4oz bottle for something like 12 dollars.
A glorious sunny Saturday in San Diego, put on Rosae Mundi this morning, now testing a couple of the JM Bloomsbury scents (the leather and the hyacinth) on skin.
How goes it? With the Bloomsbury that is?
!
I tested the whiskey and tobacco ones a week ago – I thought they were nice but DH did not. Today it’s the leather and hyacinth scents and I like both of them as well (DH is not home to give his opinion). I think I would purchase if they did a Hermes style coffret with 4 x 15mls but as it is for $70 a crack I don’t know that I will shell out. Part of the problem is I already have way too much perfume already, so I have difficulty justifying any purchase other than a deep, desperate love, and these are not in that category.
My thoughts exactly! Nice but do not “need to have” – and still would have bought if those came out as a set (similar to their holiday sets).
Thanks. I won’t be desperate if I miss testing these… But I bet I will at least like the hyacinth (I am feeling very over incense and tobacco and their ilk just now).
I know what you mean about a deep desperate love. I’m in deep, deep, deep with La Pausa, and I have no problem at all about adding another Exclusif to my already crowded Chanel shelf. On the other hand, I bought a quick quite-like-it-oh-why-not Jo Malone the other day, and feel more than moderate guilt when I look at it in the morning and choose something else instead.
I bought the leather and artemisia . I like it but wish the leather was stronger. It’s a good ‘spray and go’ scent. Doesn’t require much thought and smells good. I also liked mandarin and tobacco.
Hope everyone is having a good weekend. This is the last two days my store will be open. We close tomorrow. I have about a weeks more work for clean up. I decided it would be best not to wear any perfume loves during this time, so I don’t get any bad association. Sotd was Gucci Guilty Black. I am just about to drain this bottle. I think I’ve had it about five years. I went for some retail therapy today at Nordstrom rack and found a bottle of Bvlgari Au the Bleu for $14.97! Very happy. I won’t be wearing it for another week though.
That sounds like quite a huge task and transition. Hope all goes well.
The end of an era of you. Best wishes for what will come next.
Thanks, this process has tired me out so much. I think I’m ready to welcome change now.
Best wishes and bon courage to you as you close this chapter of your life. Congrats on the Bulgari, it’s very nice!
It will be okay!
Thanks everyone! Woke up feeling a little more feisty today. I decided to “stink up” the place one last time in my glorious Gucci Rush:)
Ha! The perfume name is fitting!
I am sorry Lillyjo that I missed what’s been going on in your neck of the woods. I hope these are good tidings of great new things to come for you.
Good luck and best wishes!
I compared Coco Noir extrait compliments of the lovely Hajusuuri to the EDP and have been compulsively sniffing my forearms today…which is standard though not always in the specific name of Science.
I think the extrait is beautiful and strong but I don’t find it that terribly different from the EDP to my nose and they both follow similar paths. My bottle of the EDP is from 2012 which is the year Coco Noir came out (if you can believe it) so perhaps I am just lucky to have gotten the first formulation. Needless to say people in the dark recesses of Basenotes believe it has been reformulated and weakened already. (Psst…that is suggested about most fragrances in the dark recesses of Basenotes
)
I shall savor every drop of the extrait that Hajusuuri so kindly shared and then let the empty decant bottle sit open on my nightstand until no scent remains to honor the glory.
but happily I shall not have to seek out more. Which is money I can put toward getting some Box of Eels extrait. 
I haven’t sniffed that one yet either but I love the EDT. I wish sampling the extraits was easier. I shall check STC and TPC though…I haven’t thoroughly examined what they have in terms of Chanel now since they began selling it again.
I’ll save you from even getting a sample from any of those sites but I need to fulfill my split and swaps first
Thank you so much!
you are so generous.
I will email you a list of some splits and decants I just got to see what I can send you in return for your kindness.
I know Coco Noir doesn’t get a lot of love but I quite enjoy it and my boyfriend LOVES when I wear it. You smell great!
Ditto, and I also like it as a bedtime scent.
I like Coco Mademoiselle as well (Not as much as coco or coco noir) but had a roommate who wore buckets of it when it first came out, and since she was a little emotionally unstable i always feel like a drama queen when i wear it. And get some flashbacks. Ha.
Sometimes i check out her twitter feed just for fun. She’s still wacky.
Nice to hear the extrait isn’t a must have, I have an original bottle of the edp as well and it’s perfectly satisfactory.
Posting Really, Really late today! SOTD = the last of a sample of AG Ambre Fetiche. Luckily, I have a bottle of this, too.
Love that one, you smell wonderful!
Ambre Fetiche is one of my favorite swap perfumes!
Hey all, do you have any Jo Malone recommendations? I always seem to veer away from the that counter when I’m at the mall because it seems there are so many and its overwhelming to me (obviously doesn’t take much to overwhelm me lol). Was thinking of going on a spray adventure tomorrow and wondered which ones some of you enjoy. Thanks!
Pomegranate Noir
Myrrh and Tonka
Mimosa and Cardamon
Black cedar and juniper
From the limited number i have tried
Blue Agave and Cacao (I’m not sure if this is still in production.)
Orange Blossom
Mimosa and Cardamom
Happy sniffing!
Nice to see you, kindcrow.
Unfortunately Blue Agave and Cacao is indeed discontinued.
Kicking myself for getting rid of this one. It’s an odd scent, but the cacao note is beautiful.
To my non experienced nose Hanae Mori Butterfly has a similar vibe and it sells for a song online….I think mals likes that one too so I hope she chimes in…you might also be able to test it in Sephora or the department stores to see if it is close enough to Blue Agave and Cacao.
Are those jelly beans in your photo? Ha! You’re always changing it up, hard to keep track of you!
I’ll have to try Butterfly.. I think I recall it being strong on the almond note.
Yes, jelly beans …….I have a massive sweet tooth and I thought jelly beans go with the season…all of my avatar photos were taken by younger family members (they love food as much as I do) so I have plenty of good shots in my photo gallery.
Do give the Hanae Mori a try…you might like it.
I love Hanae Mori. It’s vanilla whipped cream with vanilla almond pudding.
Nice to see you, too, chocolatemarzipan8. After I saw your comment regarding their similarity, I dug out my rollerball of Hanae Mori Butterfly and my bottle of Blue Agave and Cacao and put one on each arm. For a couple of hours in their early development, they did seem like cousins. My favorite part of Blue Agave and Cacao is its mildly spicy dry down.
Blue Agave & Cacao
Myrrh & Tonka
Orris & Sandalwood
Velvet Rose & Oud
Wood Sage & Sea Salt
The Bloomsbury collection
Bergamot & Oud
For me, English Pear and Freesia was useful for understanding Christine Nagel’s composition style (I know it sounds weird, but I totally see it in Galop).
French Lime Blossom is one of the best linden perfumes that I’ve tried – if you like that note.
My other favorites that are still in production: Blackberry & Bay, English Pear & Freesia, Pomegranate Noir, Dark Amber & Ginger Lily and Mimosa & Cardamom.
I like French Lime Blossom too. It is a wonderful scent.
Orange Blossom
Blackberry and Bay (soap is fantastic)
Pomegranate Noir (also great in soap version)
Velvet Rose and Oud
Mimosa and Cardamom
French Lime Blossom (agreeing with Undina- my favorite linden)
Dark Amber and Gingerlily
Wood Sage & Sea Salt paired with Lime, Basil & Mandarin (madtowngirl gave me this idea and it works nice)
Lavender and Amber
English Pear & Freesia (soap is phenomenal)
Chocolatemarzipan8! Great to see you! *waving hello*
Hi Deva!!! So happy to hear that your adventure is going well!!! wishing all the best for you and please do keep us posted..xxoo
Should I have known that all it takes to get you here is mentioning JM, I would have worn one of this brand’s perfumes every day of the week (or two – I think I have enough to pull it off) and announced my SOTD daily
BTW, all these talks about the best linden made me wear French Lime Blossom yesterday. It was extremely tenacious, and I suddenly thought that I should probably test whatever sells with this name now because I’m not sure JM’s perfumes haven’t been reformulated in the last 5-6 years since I bought my bottle. The thought scared me.
LOL!
Do you really think some have been reformulated? I bought my bottle of French Lime Blossom for my birthday in April 2015 (in fact when I checked my credit card bills that was actually the last full bottle I bought for myself….all other subsequent bottles were gifts or purchased with gift certificates so I won’t have too much to report to Donatella)…..I should take my bottle out and test it….I do remember it was pretty tenacious on me too….although I seem to get good longevity from most of the Jo Malones.
My bottle is at least 7 y.o., maybe more. So now I HAVE to test whatever is in stores now: I don’t have much left in my old bottle so I want to make sure I can replenish it.
I usually cannot complain about my favorite JM’s longevity as well. Maybe that’s why we both like it?
Yes I think longevity plays into whether or not you are a Jo Malone fan to some degree. I think that is also the case for the Atelier Colognes. They last on me and I like lots of them but I have heard complaints on longevity about that line as well.
When you do get around to a side by side comparison let us know.
Nectarine blossom & honey
Blackberry & Bay
Wood Sage & Sea Salt
I’m not such a fan of the rest of the line, but would buy Necrarine Blossom & Honey and Wood Sage & Sea Salt.
I get the layering thing, but don’t have the patience. Maybe someday
Let us know how your shopping went please!
Mimosa and Cardamon
Red Roses
Pomegranate Noir
Myrrh and Tonka
Hello everyone, I’ve been a little absent due to helping my mom pack things up from her winter months in Texas to move back home to Michigan. I am up here now and it’s COLD! with few signs of spring–some tiny yellow buds on the forsythia bushes outside her window.
I’m trying out two of her perfumes this morning: Faubourg 24 on my left hand and Bulgari Femme on the right (both of which I gave to her). They are both great but so far the Femme is winning. Might have to gift myself with a bottle of it, too!
I love Femme too, I had it in pre perfumista days, and must get some again!
I love Femme but it is so associsted with breaking up with my ex in my head that every time I try to wear it now I get depressed and cry. Femme and Samsara – ruined two perfectly good perfumes for me. You smell wonderful.
Feeling frazzled from a hang over from last night, then a children’s birthday party this afternoon. Keeping it together in No. 22., with the help of tea and Green & blacks chocolate.
That feeling is awful, especially when you need to be active next day. I hope No 22 with its beauty had helped you during the day. I am sure you will survive ????
Someone gets an enabler pin…not sure who though. I must have been in a mood, so I bought a travel spray of Lieu de Reves from SSS. Unsniffed, unknown. I added Jour Ensolielle, which I’d been meaning to do for a while now. Just a travel spray. Shall I just consider them large samples?? Got them yesterday…spritzed a little of LdR on this morning. It is soothing and feminine. Will need to put on more after shower.
Had Big Little Lies on hold for weeks as ebook and it came through the other day. No spoilers here, but it’s driving me crazy wondering who dies. (I’ve been tempted to skip ahead but have held off…).
Since now SSS comes in 4 ml travel sprays you can definitely consider those as big samples in nice atomizers
I confess – I was in Chapters the other day and read the last chapter. Couldn’t wait.
Love love love love LdR and was so excited that she put it back in the lineup…Jour E is also in my top ten of all time. I love that Laurie makes travel sprays and I am seconding Undina in counting them as “large samples”.
i wore LdR during rose month and may wear it again this coming week. I am too lazy to look for perfumes with jasmine because: 1) I have never had an “Oh, jasmine! I must try it” moment 2) I’m apparently anosmic to hedione aromachemical that approximates Jasmine (looking at you CdG: Red Carnation and Caron Parfum Sacre and 3) if I can smell the Jasmine, it is only because it’s indolic and smells like moth balls and therefore, yuck.
A while back in the latter part of 2016, I emailed Laurie to ask if she would ever produce Lieu de Reves again. She replied it was lingering in the archives, but she has the ingredients to produce it and would bring it out again and see what the response would be. It’s pretty amazing that she has done so, and if anyone here is a fan of that fragrance I do hope you’ll whiz over to her site to purchase cuz otherwise it will disappear. We now know that over time many of the components of perfumes we have come to rely upon are going to be eradicated by restrictions imposed by IFRA and the difficulty acquiring them sustainably. We often bemoan their loss and I doubt we can rectify the situation, but we do have the opportunity to support the artists who are currently making these rare perfumes available.
amen…could not have said it better myself
Testing some April Aromatics. I am not as wowed as I thought I would be. It may be that I am having trouble getting worked up about woods, incense and spice scents just now…. And most of the raves I hear about AA are for those. I am really enjoying Unter den Linden however. It’s a powdery white and yellow floral that promises summer is just around the corner.
The only AA scent that I loved was Unter den Linden – and them having 10 ml bottles now sealed the deal: I’ll be wearing it soon to celebrate Spring/early Summer.
I literarily gasped when I read your comment. That was a bullseye enabling thing to just throw out there! How am I going to resist?? Oh my oh my! I had a bottle in the “cart” on their website, and then deleted the whole thing. You are not helping! Did you order from Germany?
resistance is futile..go for it.
Really? That’s all you got? You are NOT helping! (Swallow hard and grits teeth) ????
but if you really really love it …..;)
I had a problem with shipping from Germany but it was resolved with an almost 4-week delay.
Yep. And it arrived before I expected it. And the bottle is very nice…
Are you still resisting?
I really have wanted to love her products, but all all I can say is that for some reason they haven’t worked for me.
Gosh, I still think Calling All Angels is pretty divine!
I love it too! It’s a great scent for fall and winter.
I’m wearing En Passant. Today would be my first husband’s 63rd birthday if he had not died 13 years ago. We got married in a little white Gothic church and filled it with lilacs that he and his groomsmen cut the morning of our wedding. This fragrance reminds me of so many good things, as does the memory of his life.
Ach… I felt a little sharp pain when I read your comment. I am 50 and love my husband so much. I really cannot fathom how you managed to pull both feet out of bed and stand after your husband’s passing. I am sure it was very hard. I hope today is a good day, lilacs, lovely memories, and all.
To be honest, there were many days that I didn’t think could, but I had 4 kids to be there for. He was an absolutely wonderful man, and his 7 younger brothers and sisters and their spouses are my best friends and strongest supporters. To be in love with our husbands after many years of marriage is a privilege denied to many, so we are both very fortunate women, Fresca.I’m enjoying the En Passant.
Your second to last line, so beautifully put. I consider myself so incredibly fortunate to also be one of those women.
And you smell lovely, scentspirit!
Here, here. I will be thinking of you and your husband today.
En Passant is truly gorgeous, and your wedding must have been lovely too. May the memories comfort you.
Just, ❤
Lovely memories of your wedding that I am sure you cherish deeply. I cannot picture my life without my husband. I hope you find comfort in En Passant. It is so beautiful.
My favarice perfume. What a beautiful memory and connection to your late husband.
Hugs to you.
Very good morning, NST. I’m mincing off to work in new shoes, colour called platinum but to my eye, a subtle green, worn with an embroidered cream silk tunic and Baiser Vole Absolute. That part of my outfit is all perfectly fine, but I say “mincing” because the skirt I’m wearing is so pencilled that I can’t stride at any time and walking up the hill is going to be an exercise of ingenuity. The dear man has already made several engineering-type suggestions for solving my problem, but since he thinks it’s hilarious, none of them is helpful. Baiser Vole is just gorgeous today: it’s twining around me like a sinuous Siamese cat, and I’m enjoying the all the sultry moods of lily.
Interlude
Solution! I’m going to carry the skirt to work in my bag and pootle up the street in just the tunic, which is quite long, a little below mid-thigh. It’s too short to wear as a dress at work, but I bet no one in the street will turn a hair. I’m mindful of my mother, who used to say, “It’s not what you wear, dear, it’s the way that you wear it.” Mind you, this solution isn’t what she meant at all, but she would probably have laughed. So. Me and BV, off to conquer the world on this long day of teaching. Be well, all.
Why do I suspect that your dear man is still chuckling?
Because he is! He shook his head at me at home, but as we parted company to go our respective buildings, he wolf whistled me, so everyone stared. If they hadn’t notice anything before, they did then!
I can imagine my husband inquiring loudly, ‘Hen? Did you forget your pants?’
Live your ingenuity waterdragon!
And your mom sounds like quite the lady.
Enjoy your super cute outfit!
Funny, but absolutely brilliant!
Hope you’re not flying on United Airlines when you go to the U.S.A.
Ma’am, put your pants on
“It’s not what you wear, dear, it’s the way that you wear it.”
Love that.
I’ve worn Chanel Cuir de Russie all weekend, and am loving it. Longevity is great, I ended up going for a second day because I could still smell traces from the night before.
This is definitely going to be sprayed on a handkerchief for my purse. Such the perfect purse smell. Especially when fragrances banned in workplace.
Enjoying the last stages of my pedicure, next is waiting for my toes to dry. There’s a wonderful nail salon a block away from my favorite coffee shop, so I am set for the morning.
DH is finishing up a sidework project and we will head to Lowe’s to pick out some new paint for the bathroom. It’s a green-grey color just now. Got to brighten that up!
Is this the EDT or EDP?
You smell fantastic!
Yaaaay, it’s finally Opening Day!!! ⚾️
SOTD is Dzing! Until someone creates an equally genius scent for baseball, it’s the closest perfume approximation–in scent and spirit–of a ballpark.
Have a fantastic day, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, NSTers! To paraphrase Jimmy Dougan: “May your feet be swift; may your bats be mighty; may your balls be plentiful.” ????
Hi, twin! It’s drizzly here, and Dzing! makes me feel like I’m wrapped in something soft (at least, on drizzly days it does). Enjoy Opening Day!
You smell great! It’s a perfect drizzly-day scent. I’ve yet to wear it on a genuinely scorching day, but it seems to work well in any weather.
Have you tried Coach Leatherware No. 1, 2 and 3?
They’re discontinued but I have all 3, bought on sale with additional discount.
No, they came and went more or less right before I fell all the way down the rabbit hole…and my Coach addiction started. ???? Kudos on snagging them–bargains rule!
Happy Opening Day to you! Outremer/L’Aromarine Vanille EDT reminds me of the ballpark because it smells like the cotton candy I sometimes get at SF Giants games.
I’ll have to look into that one–thanks! (Uh oh, we just beat the Giants. But, hey, there are 3 more games in the series this week, right?)
I’m so excited for baseball to be starting!
Love the article photo. I’m a pug-aholic.