It's June — time for the annual summer reading poll!
Please recommend a great book to add to our summer reading lists, and tell us what fragrance we should wear while reading it.
I have just finished two sad / nostalgic books, both excellent: About Alice by Calvin Trillin (on my to-read list since it came out, oh, 10+ years ago) and Between Them: Remembering My Parents by Richard Ford (which came out last month). Alice Trillin never wore perfume, but if she did I'd say something like Hermès Calèche? Just before those two, I finished The Black Russian by Vladimir Alexandrov, which Victoria at Bois de Jasmin recommended to me years ago, and Cold Earth, the latest in the Shetland mystery series by Ann Cleeves.
Note: image shows Lin-Manuel Miranda (in the hammock that should surely be the setting for all summer reading) reading Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, via @Lin-Manuel at Twitter.
Is it OK if I just comment on my SOTD?
pre yoga- Timbuktu
post yoga- Amour Nocturnes
later tonight- Fleur de Narcisse
It was a challenging class and I cannot think straight and pair a good book with perfume at the moment…but I am eager to read everyone else’s responses 🙂
for those living in an area with expected heat waves, stay cool!
I will go ahead and recommend The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu here then!
And it’s non-fiction! My library has it…I will check it out 🙂
Yay! I found it utterly engrossing!
Adding this one to my list!
🙂
oh..Holly, that is good….thank you!!!!
You’re welcome! 🙂
No book recommendations as I am reading French language Québecois novels right now. Gorgeous sunny day though! Enjoying it in Lancome Jasmins Marzipane.
I like the name of your fragrance…are you enjoying it?
Yes, it’s quite nice, found it at Nordstroms. Not much talk about it but I enjoy it, it’s part of their Grands Crus collection.
Well, unless you are reading very bad French language Québecois novels as a sort of penance, why not recommend the best of them? There are several francophones on NST, and a certain number of people who like the idea that they might someday read a novel in French. :^)
…just like I fancied myself as being able to read a novel in Spanish 🙂
Becoming fluent in Spanish is on my list of life goals!
I’m one of those who would like to read a novel in French one day. Took two years of it in college (and read Le Petit Prince in it!), but have lost most of it lo these many years later. I’m doing Duolingo to try to refresh, but it’s slow going. I’m endlessly envious of all of you multilinguals out there.
I’ve forgotten so much of my college French. I like to watch movies in French (with and without English subtitles). It’s lovely to hear spoken French for a long stretch of time and feel re-acquainted with the cadence and inflection. Here’s some great suggestions:
http://www.fluentu.com/french/blog/learn-french-movies/?lang=en
Loved watching Jiro Dreams of Sushi (Japanese) as well.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi was so lovely! I really enjoyed that one and wholeheartedly second the recommendation. 🙂
Such a great movie!
Jhumpa Lahiri wrote a fascinating memoir, “In Other Words” about discovering her voice whilst learning to speak and write in Italian.
Im a big fan of hers but missed this one. thanks!
You’re welcome!
Thanks for the reminder, I’ve been meaning to read that one. Bernard Pivot had a fascinating series on TV years ago called Double Je where he interviewed artists who had chosen to live and work in French. The Canadian author from Calgary, Alberta, Nancy Huston is one of them.
Sorry, didn’t mean to sound snooty – actually I am reading a novel called Le Plongeur by Stéphane Larue which a neighbour loaned me, but I don’t care much for it. The main character has a gambling problem and I always feel anxious reading stories where people are being self-destructive. I can however recommend the trilogy of Marie Laberge: Gabrielle, Adelaide and Florent are the titles of the three books. I like historical novels.
Some time ago I read “The Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas. It’s a mix of adventure, fantasy and romance. I think Hiram Green Arbolé Arbolé would be a good scent to wear while reading it.
And my scent of the day is just Arbolé Arbolé.
Bad news from last week – whole management of my company in Poland got fired.
Good news – I got a little pay rise.
You smell great and LOL on your bad news / good news!
I know. The whole situation at work is very confusing lately
Just added this book to my reading list, thank you for the recommendation!
Sorry about the bad news! Sarah Maas is great the following books in the triology are even better.
I read them too except of the latest one as it’s not available in bookstores here
Really enjoyed The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. And, although I didn’t think of it while reading, I would recommend Ormonde Woman to go with it.
Had not heard of that book, will look it up!
Oh, that was good! Such good characters and their relationships to one another really rang true to me.
Cool, I picked this up at Goodwill today after seeing your recommendation here. 🙂
I’m the oldest of three girls, so this is going on the list. Thanks!
And I still haven’t found what I’m looking for,
Actually I have, Bono.
Sandalo Lorenzo Villoresi, balsamic, green, with oakmoss in the base.
Organizing my perfumes, thats enough free time thinking!
LOLOLOL. 😉
Soundtrack for a sunny afternoon : Duran Duran Notorious, Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti, The Beatles Rubber Soul.
Hey !! No bogarting the Vodka marinated watermelon!
LOL
Triple strength coffee too!
Carpe Diem. Peace.
Hey Bear! Are you organizing by house? type of perfume? Love to Time-for-it-to-go?
Hello hajusuuri!
House, precipitated by never finding the Chanel Exclusif ( I only have six ) I wanted to wear.
Somehow they had migrated into every room,.
House, flankers, then “unloved’ but I very stubborn about banishment.
LOL. 😉
Thanks for asking!
———
Now the party don’t start ’til I walk in………..
😀
Sandalo redux.
Venti black eye.
Triple strength coffee, before.
Carpe Diem. Peace.
Ack !
I am more articulate than that post.
Editing function, Robin! !!
LOL
JK
🙂
Sorry!
What a great soundtrack you have for today!
Great soundtrack!
Lol! I don’t even know what I’m looking for. Excellent music today!
Totally forgot the term “bogart.” Maybe cuz I did in days gone by? 😉
Bogarting will cause forgetting what bogarting is, Holly!
LOL. 😉
Fun always has a price, dang it!
LOLOLOL
Thanks for the soundtrack love!
Shoulda been a DJ. !!!
😉
SOTD = Chanel No. 5 L’Eau but will probably add something else later or just re-up. I have dinner plans at an ice cream parlor / diner that serves American comfort food.
R.I.P. Adam West. He was my first crush. For a girl, I was an avid watcher of Batman re-runs. I guess side-kick Robin was not quite mature enough even for me at my tender age.
I have one more Freebie available – the Pour Homme pack
https://nstperfume.com/2017/06/03/the-freebiemeet-episode-8/#comment-619490
I will recommend 2 books that were recommended to me. I am picking them up from the library this afternoon. Yes, despite having all the e-book contraptions, I still find pleasure in holding and reading a physical book:
1) The Black Book by James Patterson and David Ellis – I don’t recall the last time I read James Patterson. I liked his earlier books and then I got tired of them just like I got tired of Mary Higgins Clark. I also did not like the books that he co-authors with someone else…like the co-author was just cashing in on name recognition to boost sales for C writer. In any case, a library worker said she couldn’t put the book down and I thought, why not? I don’t have to finish the book if the first few chapters do not hold my interest. I will report back.
(2) Theft by Finding: Diaries (1997 -2002) by David Sedaris. I think it was flopper who first mentioned this. David Sedaris is one of my favorite authors and is also, by far, the FUNNIEST writer…so much so that I laughed hard enough while reading Me Talk Pretty One Day while commuting home that I peed (a little) in my pants. TMI…but he was THAT funny.
Marshalls perfume sighting worth mentioning: (I did not buy anything and yes, I am feeling just fine)
1) lots of Burberry. I considered buying Burberry London for Men
2) Demeter New Baby – one lonely 30mL bottle
3) YSL M7 Oud Absolue – I have vintage M7 and nothing new will surpass it
And finally, a question. For those who wear foundation, do you use your fingertips (me), brush or foam? I am considering getting the foam applicator but the pricing is all over the map: Sephora $20 for the regular sized egg shape applicator and Marshalls $4-6 for slightly smaller. A PSA – The eBates Cash Back for Sephora today is 8%.
Have a great weekend everyone. It will be a SCORCHER. I am reconsidering mailing out the freebies…it is supposed to get to the 90s!
Yes! David Sedaris – I finished reading Theft by Finding! As far as foundation applicators, I’ve been using the Tarte Airbrush Finish foundation brush. Have had it for 5 years at least – I wash it often. Lately I’ve been using the L’Oréal lumi cushion foundation, and it has a little applicatior pad and that works well for me. With liquid foundations I’ve tried the beauty blender but i couldn’t get it to work for me. Stay cool! ❄️ Your dinner plans sound fun!
David Sedaris is brilliantly funny. On foundation, I use my fingers. Tried foundation brushes for a while but found them too fiddley, and cannot make myself believe that those cushion things would work at all (or be worth the money). Probably I’m just inept. 🙂
David Sedaris has been on my to-read list for ages, I’m still on a sci-fi kick but I’ll be sure to read his stuff next!
My least favorite part about liquid foundation is the mess, which is why I switched from using my fingers to a brush. I tried to Beauty Blender but despite how easy it is to clean, it still worries me that bacteria could grow in the sponge. I love the Urban Decay Good Karma optical blurring brush, which is think is now part of the pro series. It’s actually really similar to the Tarte brush that Flopper recommends!
I like a foundation brush, an example being MAC’s 190. I put on foundation with one flat side of the brush and then blend with the other side. Haven’t had success with the beauty blenders.
Re: makeup. I like the Real Techniques sponge, which is cheaper (and just as good imo) knock off of the beauty blender. Really makes foundation look flawless. The super cheap knockoff at other places are no where near as good.
As far as reading goes, I’m eagerly awaiting the next Louise Penny novel.
I read her first novel because it was the “One book, one Community” choice here. (The theory is everyone across Canada reads the same book at the same time.)Didn’t do it for me, though, I really only liked the dog.
I really like some of their brushes. I use a lot of cream formulas and they’re great for that.
Yes, I’m a fan too????
Interesting! I just realized I have not read a James Patterson book in over a decade. Perhaps this summer.
David Sedaris is marvelously funny. I’m on the wait list at my local library for his newest book. He has an article in the Paris Review (June 5th).
I am lazy with makeup and use fingertips for blending. I am attempting to up my grooming game. Aging is not for the faint of heart.
I am on the wait list too!
And so sorry about Adam West, did not know.
I’ve had to change up my skincare and makeup game pretty drastically on an almost yearly basis since I turned 40. Things change so fast it can be hard to keep up (and by “things” I mean my increasingly saggy, dry, and wrinkled skin.) Nope – it ain’t for sissies. Nor is it any kind of fun. At all.
I concur! It seems every morning I see a new “issue” and while I don’t really have a problem with the cosmetic changes that aging entails, it seems a dark harbinger to the physical decline that has already begun, and surely will speed up as I get older.
Oh good, its not just me. The skin under my eyes has changed noticeably.
The skin above my eyes has changed noticeably! There’s so much drooping there that I’m beginning to look like a Bassett Hound.
Droopy above my eyes, too! Eyeshadow is starting to become a one and done look. And jowls. I have the beginnings of jowls. Really unhappy about that.
I have a dark spot I’m trying to get rid of with a chemical exfoliant – P50. And a couple of chin hairs ????????????
I envy your “couple of chin hairs.” I am on my way to a full beard and moustache 🙁 An epilator for my face is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
It depends on the formulation – I use my fingers for the foundation I use right now (MUFE Water Blend), but for my other foundation (MUFE Mat+) I use a brush.
I loved that Batman series, too. A local station aired it just as I arrived home from school right around grades 3-5, and I watched it every day. So did a friend, and we’d play Batman on the playground (Kapow! Pop! Wham! Zowie!) 😉
As to foundation applicators, I have a wide array at my disposal and the one I use depends on the foundation. With a new foundation, I’ll experiment to see which works best. I started to get the best results when I figured out that applicators are really just a way to get the product on the skin. So regardless of which tool I use, once it’s on, I pat it into my skin, let it set up a bit, then blend it out/remove excess with a Beauty Blender. (I am a big fan of the Beauty Blender, but I use it dry.)
I also love this thing: http://www.sephora.com/press-play-foundation-touch-up-pen-P385111?skuId=1573088&icid2=products grid:p385111. Handy, quick, portable. I usually mix my foundations with liquid bronzer and/or luminizer, and this way I can have it premixed and ready to use.
I’m a little bit jealous of your weather out there (it’s cooled way off out on the left coast) but I know it’s probably pretty miserable :/
PS – I dibsed your remaining freebie. Will email soon.
My son was about 4 and not able to read when he would watch that Batman series and he would ask one of his sisters to sit with him to read the “Bams” and “Kapows”. It had the added appeal that his name was Adam too.
I’m looking forward to reading the new Devid Sedaris. My favorites are Me Talk Pretty One Day and When You are Engulfed in Flames. I really would love to go see him in person. He’ll be at BAM in Brooklyn on 11/21!
Oh, and I’m a fingers user. I’ve tried using blenders, sponge, brush but find that it actually blends better when I use my fingers. YMMV of course.
We saw him in person last year, it was great fun.
Tuesday of Thanksgiving Week may be a good day to go gallivanting in Brooklyn 🙂
Love David Sedaris! For foundation I switch between using my fingers and using a Real Techniques sponge/blender. It’s a Beauty Blender “dupe” that can be had cheaply at any drugstore, and it works really well.
Sad about Adam West, but 88 yrs old is a good, long life. I got my boys DVD’s of the old series and it’s fun to listen from the front seat. I haven’t read any David Sedaris, but I love listening to “The Santaland Diaries” every year on NPR. Would love to listen to him on audiobook. Will have to put that on my list. Saw your forecast. I will wait until it’s cooler to send chocolate to you!
I prefer listening to reading him as well. I’ll have to pick up some audiobooks!
Avid foundation wearer here (that and blush the only make up I wear so that have a collection).
It really depends on foundation as someone mentioned. Beautyblender is the best but only if you use it wet – it is not soft enough to use it dry (and there are way better options for the dry version). I prefer a brush for my foundation or CC/BB, and wet beauty blender for powder based products. I have a couple of brushes that are great -Sephora’s brushes are excellent, Edward Bess makes a really good brush and so does Armani (that one is on the pricey side but I had mine for 10 years now and it is in great shape). Both MAC, Hourglass and Cover FX make amazing brushes. Paula’s choice sister website, beautypedia has good reviews and so does nonblonde blog. http://www.thenonblonde.com/p/makeup-brush-guide.html?m=0#.WTxDK4VlCaM
I only use foundation and then occasionally blush. I can’t bother with eye make-up because it requires some precision and it requires too much handling of the eye area which I think contributes to stretching / sagging and wrinkling.
Oh, and I’ve just always used my fingers for foundation. I tend to be pretty minimal with my makeup routine and I’m too lazy for brushes or sponges, and it’s easier to keep my hands clean than something else.
I have zero information or experience with make up or appropriate make up application but I asked a younger family member and she likes those egg sponges for foundations and concealers..she has used very expensive (Sephora) and very cheap (Walmart for 4-5 dollars) and she says the inexpensive works just as well.
Just looked at the name of her inexpensive…Real Techniques, which apparently is recommended by others.
I use a foundation every day and have tried all kinds of sponges and brushes. I usually use my fingers to apply it then take a round flat sponge (like from a powder compact) or one of those triangle sponges to blend. I clean them with a bit of soap and water every few days. Plus they are cheap enough to throw out eventually.
I’ve found the beauty blender sponge a bit annoying and finicky to use, plus I don’t usually have time in the mornings for all that trouble when the final result is the same. Plus they seem to be a bit harder to wash or keep clean.
Up until last month I used my fingers for blending. I’m now using a sponge, and it has made an improvement. So far I’ve only tried the Real Techniques brand.
Like others, I’m a fan of the Real Techniques orange sponge. I’ve also used the Beauty Blender, and the RT is just as good.
One tip: to set your foundation, spray a bit of MAC Fix+ on your sponge and bounce it lightly on your face. It’s less messy than spraying directly. Even if you don’t use a sponge for foundation, it’s worth it to get one just for this trick, IMHO. And it really helps in hot weather!
Yep, the spray and bounce method is very good.
I need to check out this MAC Fix substance! I have the Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 45 to set foundation and reduce shine during the day.
Thanks you all for your comments on foundation and application method. I bought the Real Techniques sponge and added the Sephora Press Play Foundation Touch Up Pen to my Sephora order to get to free shipping…now, I just have to start using!
I use a combination of fingertips and a blending brush. Fingertips to dot the foundation on my face and the brush to blend. The brush I use is from Sephora.
Courtesy of Spring Pansy, I’m in My Sin extrait. I’m in a voluptuous, aldehydes, vavavoom perfume jag. Last night I wore Chamade extrait to a gala thingy. SP also sent a sample of Superstitious, which I suspect I will enjoy more than Angela does, or Spring Pansy for that matter. I even wore White Linen recently, so it must be aldehydes season…at least for moment.
I’m reading “The First Impulse” by Laurel Fantauzzo, which tells the “true crime” story of the murder of two film critics in Manila in 2009. It is really a discourse on otherness, and being inside and outside a culture. The author shares the mixed origins (Canadian/Italian and Filipino) of one of the victims. The common day interactions with the people the author meets while conducting her research are great. I’m a little impatient with her more “lyrical” language about the love between the two victims–the romance and the cultural displacement parts could be the best, but to me feel written in cliches.
But if you are interested in a great piece of writing by a Filipino America, don’t miss Alex Tizon’s story about his family and their “live-in nanny.” Tizon’s article in the Atlantic, “My Family’s Slave” should win all sorts of literary prizes. Sadly Tizon passed away earlier this year. Here’s a link if you’d like to read it: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/06/lolas-story/524490/
That article was incredible, and so sad.
You’re in good company with liking Superstitious — Kafka is back and she mentioned liking the first 3 hours 🙂
http://www.kafkaesqueblog.com/2017/06/10/life-coming-back-blogging/
I skimmed The Atlantic piece and what I read has my blood boiling. While not quite as drastic, there are MANY similar stories that could be told without crossing borders.
My Family’s Slave was amazing. Did not know he had died.
I’ve now read it in more detail. How ironic that she was named “Lola” which means grandmother in Tagalog. Sad.
The article was sad and I was surprised at how many people had such differing opinions on the matter.
I am currently between projects, that means in the last 4 weeks I have read 3 months worth of magazines and decided not to renew any more, sold tons of things on Ebay and am generally getting 9 hours of sleep and going to gym every day. It will end soon.
I drive a lot in LA so listening to books is much more important than reading. I feel desperate if I don’t have books lined up to listen to lest I get stuck with a bad commute and nothing in the car. I just finished Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig, I have LaRose by Louise Erdrich lined up and then the Golden Son.
SOTD is L’Artisan Navigatuer, it’s where my hand landed.
When I have downtime, I catch up on magazines as well. I was an avid reader when I was younger but rarely read books anymore.
I download lots of snippets to my kindle, and fall asleep usually within 3 minutes!
I just read books 12 and 13 in the Maisie Dobbs mystery series by Jacqueline Winspear. They are set in 1938 and 1939 Britain and during the rise of the Nazis and the declaration of war. Maisie is wealthy but not very fashion conscious, though her friend Patricia forces her to go shopping at Selfridge’s and in Paris. I think Maisie might not wear perfume but Patricia would probably wear something like Vega or Sous le Vent and the young woman pilot who has to escape from Munich would have to be wearing Vol de Nuit! I’ve found that series somewhat uneven but both of these were good entries to it, full of dread and detailed context.
And for today, I may have to get out my own bottle of Sous le Vent later, but for now am still doing the fruit theme with Miller Harris Figue Amere. Nice one!
I should have given the titles.
Book 12: Journey to Munich
Book 13: In This Grave Hour
I love period-set mystery series and I’m adding these to my list! Thanks!
I’m halfway through the first book in the series and am really enjoying it! Maisie wouldn’t be able to afford perfume in this volume nor would it be appropriate for her work as a nurse during WWI.
I’m reading A Place of Greater Safety, by Hilary Mantel, about the French Revolution.
Not sure about the fragrance — wikipedia tells me that the house of Houbigant predated the revolution, so perhaps one of their perfumes? I don’t own any Houbigant and can’t recall ever having sniffed any, so perhaps someone could chime in with their own specific recommendation.
Or maybe we could scent each of the main characters:
Danton: Muscs Koublai Khan
Desmoulins: Tubereuse Criminelle? Some over-the-top rose perfume?
Robespierre: Gris Clair, maybe. I’d like to give him something with an orange note, but the only orange perfumes I know are happy and bright, and wouldn’t fit.
This is maybe my favorite Mantel book. Would Fracas be too on the nose?
Kevin loved that book too. I think it might be my crappy command of French history that kept me from loving it as much as her Tudor novels? I am going to give it another go, though. So far have never made it past the first third of the book.
My knowledge of French history is very sketchy, and I have to admit the novel was tough going at first. I resigned myself to resorting to wikipedia every few pages. So, it’s taking me forever to finish the book, but it’s well worth it so far.
I think it might help to approach it like a fantasy novel or a Stoppard play or something, rather than historical fiction. But, I don’t really care for the Cromwell novels. Maybe our tastes are just different and irreconcilable! 🙂
I really liked her contemporary book, Beyond Black.
I never made it that far either, Robin. I love her Cromwell novels (are we ever going to get book 3?).
Boy, we better. I just rewatched the series, too, and loved that all over again. I wish she would finish it and wish Mark Rylance would do another series.
I need to look for this. Loved the Wolf Hall books.
Me too! I saw Hilary Mantel speak at a conference about historical fiction recently, and she was just as smart and funny and interesting as you would guess from her novels.
What a wonderful thread! I highly recommend the novel “Queen of the Night” by Alexander Chee. Ideally, one would wear 19th century Eau de Lubin like the main character and the courtesan who inspires her, but where one would find some, I do not know.
Queen of the Night was very good. Have you seen the film Lola Montes? If you haven’t, you ought to try and find it!
I will look for it, thank you!
After I read the book I went on a search for Eau de Lubin (of course). TPC had some if I remember correctly, though I ended up talking myself out of the purchase. However, I recall one afternoon spent reading Queen of the Night after spraying Dilettante and that scent, to me, was the perfect paring.
Wearing Louis Vuitton Millefeux and baking a sour cream rhubarb streusel pie, not reading.
Pass the pie!
That pie ????
Yum! I’m a fan of anything rhubarb, especially when it’s NOT paired with strawberry.
Yum! Just made a rhubarb pie myself. Summer is here!
I’ve been listening to the audio book of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory, by Caitlin Doughty. It’s a very engaging listen, by turns highly amusing and thought-provoking. I’m tempted to suggest something super smoky to wear, but instead I think I’ll go with L’Artisan Mon Numero 10.
That is a very thought-provoking book, and she’s done a Ted talk too:
Warning y’all!: If you’re uncomfortable with the subject of death and/or burial practices, skip watching this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcMj4Az1MwE
The confrontation with thoughts of death and burial practices is one of the reasons why I found the listen so engaging. Most of us do everything we can to avoid dwelling on thoughts of dying, death, and burial, and so listening to this book felt, in some weird way, very healthy for me.
I grew up in a family owned funeral home business and saw it all from a young age. My grandparents lived above the funeral parlors. such an old fashioned word, parlor.
I think more than rituals what stayed with me was the dynamics of family at a death.
I saw people sit on opposite sides of a room keeping a life long argument in place at the death of a parent.
I saw people come together after decades apart.
I saw a couple married 70 years die within 24 hours of each other.
And I have one parent buried and one who chose cremation. So, I agree with you Lisa D, it informs and helps us to have realistic thoughts and plans because no one gets out of here alive.
Was it in LA? When I lived there I attended some movies at Hollywood Forever but never explored the cemetery as much as I attended to.
A girl I went to HS with worked for her family burial business doing makeup and loved it. Incidentally, I also have a friend who the heir to a cemetery business in the Midwest, but I don’t think he ever worked in the industry.
kpaint – the funeral home was in NY. It’s still there. I had to travel to NY after 9/11 for business and a colleague of mine said, we aren’t going to meetings today, we are going to all the places you grew up as he knew I had not been back to the home I grew up in.
We spent the day visiting my original home, my dads home when he was a boy, the funeral home that still bears the family name, and other spots.
My mom started by doing hair and makeup and became one of the first women to get an embalmers license in NY. This is my mom who just died in Feb @ 95y/o.
I put a holiday picture book together that year for my parents and aunt as I did not think they would see these places again. And they did not.
So, I’m grateful for the people who let me in to take pictures. Mary Roaches’ books are all great!
My favourite name of a funeral home in Niagara Falls New York is the Amigone Funeral Home. Something a little ironic there.
I just read “Being Mortal” which I would recommend for anyone who is in the “sandwich generation” as something to spark a conversation with elderly parents.
Absolutely.
I am definitely adding this to my reading list. Thanks for the recommendation! In a similar vein, “Stiff” by Mary Roach is another deeply-engrossing and darkly hilarious book on death and the decay of the human body, focusing primarily on what happens when you donate your body to science. It’s nearly fifteen years old at this point, but I would highly recommend it.
Love” Stiff” and many others from Roach, particularly “Packing for Mars” and “Gulp” and the recent “Grunt”.
Will add this to my list! It is an uncomfortable subject for most and I do see a lot working in end of life care-similar to aspara’s observations. I’m particularly interested in cultural attitudes towards death and cultural ritual. I found the Japanese movie “Departures” a very poignant portrayal of Japanese burial ritual.
One of the reasons I liked it was because the consistently humorous attitude made it easier to think about the concepts presented. I’ll have to look for “Departures.” My mother is from Japan, and she has an amazingly chill attitude toward dying.
departures was great.
SotM = Chanel Eau de Cologne, when it burns off I will play perfume mad scientist and sniff sniff sniff. Must get the sample sea organized again into piles of keep, meh, maybe, and oh-no.
books! I love books!
Currently reading A Paris Apartment, by Michelle Gable, in which an NYC furniture appraiser flees her cheating husband, lands in Paris to catalog the contents of a demi-mondaine’s apartment left forgotten for 70 years, and (of course) flirtation and romance ensue. Wear a favorite Chanel while reading. My pick is Beige.
Also reading My Grandmother asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Swedish author Fredrik Backman. I choose Byredo Gypsy Water to wear while reading this one. I think Granny would wear it, too.
I’ve got that book on my list. The movie too. (Ove) I see it is on Amazon Prime…it is subtitled?
My grandmother is the daughter of Swedish immigrants and because of my heritage I have so wanted to love the Byredo line. Gypsy Water is nice, but so far nothing from them has jumped out at me. I’ve only tried a few, so I’ll keep trying!
I’ve got it on my list as well. Did we all end up having it recommended to us when searching for perfume books on amazon? 😉 Which film are you referring to?
My grandmother is the daughter of Norwegian immigrants, and now I’m wondering if you and I look alike. LOL. Do I recall correctly that you live in the Midwest? My grandmother’s mother was actually born in Minnesota, shortly after her parents arrived there from Norway.
I’ve not been a huge fan of the Byredo scents I’ve tried so far (or their prices) though I’ve only smelled a couple. But were they not on the front lines of the simple, clean, minimal bottles that have become so popular? (Particularly for “exclusive” series that so many houses have released of late.) I love that aesthetic, but it’s become a bit overdone now.
Tiffanie recommended the movie A Man Called Ove earlier this week, also by Frederik Bachman.
Yep! Your recollection is correct, I’m in Madison. My grandma is from the Twin Cities though so it looks like we have a Minnesota connection. ???? I think many Scandinavians settled there.
Yes, I would agree that part of Byredos appeal, for me anyway, is that minimalist packaging.
Lots of Scandinavians in the Seattle area as well, which is where my great-grandfather’s family settled.
A Man Called Ove is subtitled in English, worth watching.
I’ve wanted to try more from Byredo but have only sampled Gypsy Water. Will get to them someday. 🙂
Oh! and had to smile when I saw mention of an IKEA / Byredo collaboration in the works.
gah! and Pulp, forgot that one is a Byredo scent.
Try Oliver Peoples. I love it . Sistine and I seem to be the only ones in the world who have tried it.
clarissa and I have tried it…but a NM snafu nixed the split.
Since you like Fredrik Backman’s work, you might also like Weathering by Lucy Wood, and The Monk Downstairs and the sequel The Monk Upstairs by Tim Farrington.
Thanks, Holly, I’ve added those to my reading list. My branch library has a copy of The Monk Downstairs. Yay for libraries! 🙂
🙂
Today I tried the vintage route with Patou ‘1000’ and then later a spray of Caleche. Both from the 1970s. Wasn’t feeling it, so I sprayed on 24 Faubourg. I always feel uplifted when I smell this.
Looking forward to seeing some book recommendations. ????
Ha! Last weekend I wore Patou 1000 and bought a bottle of Caleche. 🙂
I’ve actually always had a very difficult time with chypres, and surprised myself by actually enjoying Patou 1000. *perfumista landmark moment* 🙂
Ha oh wow! That’s really cool! The 1000 is really nice – it might be the warmer temps that’s making these perfumes somewhat difficult for me to wear now.
SOTD is Atelier Cedrat Enivrant. Gin and tonic without the hangover.
Summer is here! We are supposed to hit 90 over the next few days with humidity to match. Was up early and down to the farmer’s market before the hot hit. Enjoyed a good cup of coffee, some people watching and fresh produce. In these temps, perfumes I normally love can make me feel a bit queasy. Since I’m not much of a floral girl, I turn to citrus.
Summer reading…hmm…I recently went to see Chuck Klosterman speak on his book release and signing tour. Interesting guy, I will give that a read. I’ll be watching everyone else’s recommendations today.
SOTM is Dior Homme. Book rec is Half Broken Things by Morag Joss, which I am currently midway through but had to set aside because, while fascinating and very well written, it is a deeply unsettling character study. Wear a comfort scent while reading, and remember to look up every so often to remind yourself of your real surroundings.
Oh, and Robin, I meant to mention that you inspired me to check out the Shetland mysteries – am starting with the first book in the series. So thanks!
If you like the books, you might also like the BBC television series, which is streaming on Netflix. Gorgeous landscape.
Good to know – thanks!
Oh, they are fun! And I do like the TV series too, but they’re different from the books, to me. And I like her other series, Vera — in that case, I actually like the TV better than the books.
Brenda Blethyn is great in that role.
Yes, I think that might be the whole thing. She makes the character even better than it was on the page.
I read Elif Batuman’s novel The Idiot a few weeks ago, and if you don’t mind books where nothing happens and people don’t seem to know how lucky they are, it’s a very good example of the genre. Also, Feminité du Bois gets name checked – but I don’t think it’s really the perfume to wear while reading the book. You’d want something by Olivia Giacobetti, I think – maybe Safran Troublant.
SOTD: Civet.
I’m reading this right now and I cosign your review. But who knows, maybe I will love the last 100 pages?
I thought the parts of the book set in Hungary were the worst (just a list of names and quirks, really – and not enough Svetalana!) but I also didn’t find her thing for Ivan totally convincing. Not because Ivan was a bad target . . . I think it makes sense to spend the book going, “this guy?” but I wanted to believe Selin’s absorption a little more. It’s DEFINITELY too long. But I did really enjoy it.
I sense that the book is very autobiographical, and the narration feels very much like an older person’s fantasy of what they were like at 18, rather than the authentic voice of a teen/young adult. Also, it spends much time exploring the line between self-deprecation and humble-bragging imo. But I do like the comic tone and rambling nature of it. Def a summer book.
Finally opened my Atelier perfume palette after waiting three months, I’m amazed at my own willpower and super excited to have more scents! SOTD is Rose Anonyme.
Books:
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor: It’s technically a sci-fi short story, but it talks about being a cultural outsider in education and is SO beautifully written. Wear something warm with jasmine, which is a key scent in the story!
Enjoy! I’m pretty sure I bought the same palette specifically to try Rose Anonyme and ended up falling in love with Sud Magnolia instead.
I’m wearing Lys Carmin this drizzly, cool morning. The spices say “warm” but the flower says, “Spring.” In Waterdragon’s honor I will vacuum today, and maybe make some little cakes to have with tea/coffee.
Recently my reading list has been all about not killing my new plants, but mixed amongst the “how-to” books were a few that stuck in my memory.
Shoot Like A Girl, Mary Jennings Hegar. A young woman enlists in the Air Force to become a pilot and encounters discrimination and other obstacles on the way to her goal. I think she’d wear No. 19–backbone, not “perfumey,” smells like outdoors only better.
The Stranger in the Woods, Michael Finkel. A man leaves everything behind and lives in a tent in the Maine woods for twenty-seven years. He’d wear anything he could steal from other people’s vacation cabins.
Lincoln in the Bardo, George Saunders. After the death of his son, Lincoln goes to the graveyard. The inhabitants of limbo there comment on him and their former lives as he grieves. This is a toughie–I have no idea what a grieving Lincoln would wear, probably nothing, and the ghosts can’t wear anything because they aren’t corporeal. What smells like a graveyard? Black March, maybe.
Have a great Saturday, all, and I’m looking forward to more book recommendations.
I should mention that A Stranger in the Woods is non-fiction. He really did live in a tent, in Maine, year-round, for 27 years.
That man’s story is utterly tragic and fascinating.
Love Lys Carmin!
Make sure you show her the car mats, too. Have fun!!
My car mats are #1 on the “Things Waterdragon should tell Kanuka about Portland” list. 🙂
Yes and the vegan strip joint/ homeless shelter
I promise to report back!
Taklamakan again. It’s a crown pleaser????
As far as reading goes, I’ve been reading escapist trash on the very rare occasions I read at all.
Without getting political, I have to admit I have been consumed by the political situation here in the US and around the globe, and reading is not my priority.
Me too. I think I need to detox from that stuff for a while.
Me three. There have been many many days when I cannot drag myself away from the tv. It’s a lot to process.
I’m so curious about Taklamakan (and love the name.) Is it evocative of the desert/sand dunes? And best worn in summer?
I prefer it in summer(night). I do get a hot sand sensation in the very early stages. May be the power of suggestion, though.
I’m the opposite. I have listened to just enough news to avoid ignorance and then escaped to audiobooks in my car.
Yes to audiobooks! Here’s a great list:
http://bookriot.com/2017/05/31/hilarious-nonfiction-audiobooks-to-power-your-summer-road-trip/
here’s a live stream of kittens. it made me feel better:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DspXEuLx_8M
Kittens make everything better, don’t they?
Yes! =^..^=
Sotd is Angel Muse. I don’t have any book recommendations, but I am looking to buy a new Atlas book for my daughters birthday this month. She loves learning about other countries. Every night she falls asleep studying her maps.
Fun! I love reading atlases and looking at maps and globes. My husband does as well, and actually, we had a globe-viewing moment on our first date that clinched it in my mind that we’d eventually get married. (We were both land surveyors at the time, which requires interpreting and creating maps.) I love that your daughter enjoys analog maps – electronic/internet maps just aren’t the same!
There’s a great map store where I live that has an online shop, btw: http://www.metskers.com/ They could surely make some recommendations if you called their B&M store.
Love Angel Muse. I actually thought about wearing it last night.
She is always looking up places on line, but is really enthralled by the Atlas books. I think she has every country memerized. I will check out the website. Thanks!
Ha! I was just going to recommend Metsker Maps! I was there last month when I was home in Seattle. Great, great store.
If she likes maps in general, she might also like something like Mapping the World: The Story of Cartography, or Great Maps, by Jerry Brotton. Beautiful illustrations (though not always accurate), with history, as well.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I was a numismatist in my youth and it taught me a lot about geography and history, two subjects I don’t really enjoy.
Cheers!
YMMV
😀
Let’s see. I really enjoyed Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen and I would pair that with something floral and herbal, like a Jo Malone (not sure which since lots of her range would be a perfect fit). I have a feeling a lot of NST folks would love this book–it’s in between a southern Gothic novel and magical realism, and has a lot of scents being lovingly described as well as a great plot.
My scent of the day today is vintage Opium! Ah, I’m so happy and excited about this. I received it from a lovely woman through the freebie meet and it just showed up in the mail yesterday. It’s wonderful, exactly the kind of spicy and loud oriental I tend to favor. Thank you so much, flopper! I already treasure this!
You’re so right about the Jo Malones. Many of them would be a great fit for that book!
The Rebel Angels by Robertson Davies is a wonderful book (first volume of the Cornish trilogy, nothing to do with Cornwall). Observer review on the back of my copy: ‘a novelist whose books are thick and rich with humour, character and incident. They are plotted with skill and much flamboyance. He’s the kind of writer who makes you want to nag your friends until they read him so that they share the pleasure.’
Maria might wear – L’Attesa by Masque Milano? Or although I’ve never tried it, I kind of imagine Aedes Iris Nazarena suiting her even better.
The Rebel Angels is such a good book! I really love Robertson Davies. The Deptford Trilogy is also great if you’re wanting more of him after finishing the Cornish trilogy.
Thanks! I’ve just ordered the Deptford trilogy, so good to know you recommend it. I’ve read vols 1 and 3 of the Cornish one a couple of times and vol 2 once.
I’m currently making my way through a collection of Tolstoy novellas (Family Happiness, The Death of Ivan Ilyich) and am now up to the Kreutzer Sonata about a man on the train who retells the story to a stranger passenger of how he ended up murdering his wife and is basically an argument for celibacy. Although my recurring thought is : ” if I were sitting next to someone who was going to tell me 30 pages worth of his life story, I’d have to get up and change seats” lol. Maybe Parfums d”Empire Ambre Russe or Cuir de Russie.
And am also perusing ” Kingdom of Olives and Ashes” which is a collection of essays and people’s experiences of living under occupation. This was the brainchild of Ayelet Waldman and her husband Michael Chabon( loved Wonder Boys book and movie!). This was the book reading I went to a couple of weeks ago and one of the contributors is a young Israeli former soldier who shares how his experiences as a soldier shaped his outlook on the situation. I won’t post any opinions since this can get political, but the stories are engaging and thought provoking for anyone interested in the subject matter.
My SOTD so far is Kuumba Made Persian Garden which is a barely there just showered smell. I have a pot-luck birthday celebration to go to tonight and the birthday girl posted a google doc of items to sign up for to bring. Made me slightly anxious to tell you the truth and didn’t want to seem lazy by picking something easy, but I noticed no one volunteered the scallop ceviche, Teotitlan mole, or the jicama slaw with cumin lime dressing. I guess I wasn’t the only lazy bird! The beverages are all taken so I did volunteer guacamole and chorizo. Not sure what perfume will go with the Mexican theme. Maybe I’ll wear ELDO Fils de Dieu…
I LOVE Persian Garden! I’m pretty sure I’ve consistently had a rollerball of it in my purse for the past four years.
🙂 Honestly, I can barely smell it when I wear it. I think my sinus issues in recent years are dampening my sense of smell. Or I’m having a harder time smelling the musk because I seem to recall being able to smell it more (or the oil has been hanging around to long and lost its potency?). Anyway, it is too hot here for anything heavy so this works today.
I hear you! I actually barely wear it myself anymore, but I still just like to take it out of my purse sometimes and just sniff it to boost my mood.
But oddly, it lasted through a shower. Very sneaky. And did that cat just appear in your gravatar? What a gorgeous fluff ball!
Hahaha yes it did! I’d been meaning to add an actual photo for a while. Was actually trying to add a particular one of my dog, but it wouldn’t upload correctly on the mobile WordPress site, so I picked one of my cat Layla instead. Guess I’ll just have to rotate through pics of each of my pets from time to time. 🙂
I am 0_0 at the google doc. I’d be tempted to just walk in with a 6-pack of Corona.
It gave me flashbacks to a friend and her future ex-husband’s wedding registry some years ago. They used a site where you made cash contributions to their honeymoon. I.e., $100 toward hotel room, $50 for arrival brunch, $75 for celebration dinner. I don’t think it went over very well with people, especially since it was a destination wedding. And come to think of it, they never went on that honeymoon…
(Said ex went on to found Uber and there’s another story about the wedding registry for his 2nd marriage, but I’ll leave it at that for now.)
I can see walking in to a wall of beer cans! I’m sure she won’t be resentful, but I have to say I was slightly taken aback. I guess I’m used to the usual “just bring whatever” or more general “snacks, dips, bevvies, etc.” She’s a very organized, driven doer, and I’m sort of her polar opposite.
Wow. That’s a story. Does the founder of Uber really need a wedding registry (unless that was pre-Uber)?
Ya, that is wayyy too much (if not a bit bizarre.) And post Uber (!!!)
Adding Olives and Ashes to my list. Sounds good. Love Kreutzer Sonata.
That is hilarious. A mole was specified on the list? That stuff takes **time** to make. It’s not pot luck fare.
Yeah, the devil on my shoulder would tempt me to take a six pack of PBR. ????
The cut up fruits and the frozen grapes for the Sangria were my most ambitious pot luck contributions. My friends have come to expect me to bring ready-made stuff from Wegmans and I never disappoint 🙂
Am today comparing Chanel Coromandel edt and edp. I keep vacillating as to whether they’re so different one could justify owning both, to thinking not much has changed.
At any rate, my quick take is that they took measures to make the edp lighter and airier. It’s more aromatic and drier, with the chocolate and patchouli pulled way back. I love the dense, rich, baroque heart of the edt but I can see how the edp might be easier to wear and more multi-seasonal.
That said, if I weren’t comparing them side-by-side I don’t know that I’d notice any changes. And the edp is absolutely gorgeous.
Oh, and I posted this yesterday, but I’ll repeat it here: the Chanel perfume dept at the downtown Seattle Nordstrom still has 3 Personal Chanel Counters (coffrets) in stock.
Currently reading “The Secret History of Wonder Woman” by Jill LePore. Not making great progress because I am reading at bedtime and inevitably get sleepy. So far, it is mostly about women’s suffrage and William Marston’s development of lie detector tests, both of which figure into his creation of Wonder Woman. Hoping to see the WW movie tomorrow. Which begs the question–what would WW wear? Something bold and independent, but evoking nature, I think. Any suggestions?
Just finished “The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon” from the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall-Smith. Have been listening to the series in the car. Just a gentle way to relax. I think the main character, Precious Ramotswe, would wear something with sandalwood like Santal Massoia. Her partner, Grace Makutsi, would wear some kind of BWF like Fracas, and her friend Sylvia Potokwani would wear something spicy like Opium or Coco.
My best friend recommended Alexander McCall Smith a few months ago, and I started with the Isabel Dalhousie series first and got addicted! I proceeded to devour all of his stuff, with the last series I finished being the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. I love your perfume pairings for Precious, Grace and Sylvia!
HBO did a great series of the No 1 Laidies Detective Agency some years back. It’s still available to watch on HBO Go and On Demand last I checked.
I don’t get HBO. I wonder if you could stream it somewhere else like Netflix.
Alexander McCall Smith is my all time favorite author. I have read so many of his books at least two or three times each. I second Holly in recommending Isabel Dalhousie series and also the 44 Scotland Series and Courdaroy Mansion series.
Just started reading Isabel Dalhousie and will probably make my way through all his work.
Courtesy of Elisa P. and the freebiemeet, I’m in PG Isparta and HdP Veni.
Veni: Lavender and spice is nice! Sometimes lavender can be sharp, but not in this one.
Isparta: Whoa, whoa, Nellie. Lots of berry and rose in this one, a really full and rich rose, then the patchouli joins in. The roses I have are Eau Rose and Stella, and a sample of Un Fille de Berlin. Isparta is similar to Fille, and now I need to AB Isparta and Fille.
Sorry for the run on sentence.
I’m having way too much fun here.
Thanks for letting me drone on; Y’all have a great weekend! ????
Oops, books I’ve been reading:
1. The A-Z Guide, of course. The one star reviews are hilarious, but…ouch!
2. Chai: The Spice Tea of India, history of tea and lots of good recipes, from the extremely easy to way too complicated for me. By Diana Rosen.
3. The Love and Lemons Cookbook, by Jeanine Donofrio. Great vegetarian/vegan recipes organized by the main ingredient, rather than type of dish. Great for when you get too much of something at the farmers market.
Sorry y’all, I curl up and read through cookbooks like most people read novels! ????
My husband does most of the cooking so is always reading cookbooks. He’s very scientific about it and most of the cookbooks have the word “science” in the title. I’ll have to take a look at the veg/vegan one. I’m a carnivore but have several family members who are veg. And friends.
Isparta reminded me of a less agressive, friendlier version of Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady. And glad you’re having fun with the samples 🙂
Has your husband read The Food Lab? Best scrambled egg recipes EVER. Really.
Why yes, we do have it! He made a meatloaf from there that was delicious. Don’t know what else he made from there. I’ll need to tell him I need scrambled eggs 🙂 He makes a lot of omelettes which are also delicious.
I really am having fun and learning a lot from them. Thanks again! ????
Have you read the Mandy Aftel and Daniel Patterson book Aroma? About using essential oils in cooking, so a perfume cook book.
Sorry, I meant The Art of Flavour by Mandy Aftel
SOTD is Atelier Cologne’s Jasmin Angelique. Getting ready to dive into The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (not exactly beach reading, I know :P) and will probably cleanse my palette afterward with my yearly read-through of all of the Harry Potters.
It also just occurred to me while wracking my brain for an actual summer book/scent rec that if you’re not already on the Handmaid’s Tale bandwagon that now might be a good time to breeze through the novel (it’s a pretty quick read) while wearing ELdO’s Jasmin Et Cigarette. 😀
Love your fragrance today !
AND your new avatar 🙂
Thank you, thank you 😀
Not beach reading, but perhaps timely. I tried that AC but couldn’t pick out any jasmine. Is it just me?
On me at least, it’s not a smack-you-in-the-face jasmine, but it definitely has a presence (although like a lot of the other AC’s, the citrus is still pretty overwhelming.) Then again, I’ve only had it out of my one decant, so for all I know, I may not even be experiencing the real deal anyway. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I sprayed on some 4711 to run errands this morning, with the intention of showering and putting on something else, but I have not yet made it to that shower.
A few book recs:
If you like dark/grim/horror: The Daylight Gate by Jeanette Winterson
If you like mysteries: Cara Black’s Aimee Leduc series
If you like novels: J.G. Farrell’s The Empire Trilogy
Wholeheartedly second the JG Farrell — in fact might need to re-read those soon. And possibly NST’s Erin is the one that originally told me to read those?
I think you might be one of the one people who took up my recommendation, R, bless you. Everybody else in my social circle is plain sick of hearing me talking up Farrell. And the latest kick I’ve gone on, is if you liked “The Siege of Krishnapur” or “The Singapore Grip”, I’m almost certain you’d also like Richard Hughes’ incredible “A High Wind in Jamaica”. I’ve never seen the movie from the 60s, but I probably should.
Argh. *one of the only
I loved A High Wind in Jamaica when I read it about 10 years ago, but I think I might find it too grim now that I have a kid. Some more good stuff in this vein: Olivia Manning’s The Balkan Trilogy (she has another set called The Levant Trilogy that I haven’t read yet) and Old Filth by Jane Gardam
Also love The Balkan Trilogy, and Old Filth. Have not read High Wind but have heard of it — pretty sure it is included in the list from a book I once read that is basically a list of books you should read, and now it is going to make me crazy for the rest of the day to think of what that book was called!
So it wasn’t Noel Perrin’s A Reader’s Delight, but I do recommend that one to anyone who likes reading short essays about books they might want to read…
Also liked the beginning of the Balkan trilogy, but have never made it all the way through. I just re-started Banffy’s Transylvanian trilogy in advance of going to Budapest in the fall, and it made me yearn to finish the Manning, but how am I going to manage 1000+ pages? Oh well, somehow.
And yes, while I find it also quite funny, A High Wind is pretty much the *least* sentimental book about childhood I’ve ever read.
Erin, not sure I ever recommended anything that good to you, so thank you!
I’m sure you have! Anne Fadiman’s writing, for one. And somehow I had just taken “About Alice” off my to-read list on Goodreads — why? why? — so back on it goes.
Alice is very short! And so is the Richard Ford.
Yay for books!
A new read: Yanis Varoufakis’ Adults in the Room. Articulate and angry, written by the former finance minister of Greece. Reads more like a political thriller than a book about European economics. Really loved it. ( Poison Girl for toxicity)
Old favourite: Robert Walser The Walk. Pretty neurotic but the tone and atmosphere ( gloomy Swiss )will appeal to anyone who likes W G Sebald ( Pohadka)
New Zealand : Geoff Chapple Terrain. A walk down the length of the country that focuses on geological features and encounters with geologists, scientists. Beautifully written. Would appeal to any Robert MacFarlane readers. ( Artist’s Studio…for the lime/ plaster aspect)
Thanks for the Hermes input yesterday. I haven’t been back to the shop as that seems the best course of action. I am most tempted by Un Jardin Apres La Monsoun ( which I’ve never tried ). Wearing Blackbird and saying hello to Waterdragon and Foxbins.
I’d be happy to have 100 ml of Kelly Caleche and Jour Gardenia, myself, but good on you and your restraint 😉 Excellent picks this week with Olympic Orchids!
I enjoy Sebald when I’m in the right mood, will look up the Robert Walser!
I have just finished ‘Rich People Problems’, which is the final part of a trilogy by Kevin Kwan. (The others being ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ and ‘China Rich Girlfriend’). All three deliciously snarky and just hilarious – perfect for summer! Highly recommended. I would suggest wearing ‘Eau d’Hadrien’ by Annick Goutal as it’s mentioned in one of the books. Or something by Serge Lutens – his name also appears!
I just got my copy of Rich People Problems yesterday! The first two novels in the series were great — the perfect combination of trashy and smart.
Oh, you’re going to have so much fun with it! It’s even more funny than the other two. I had to laugh and giggle SO often. I almost envy you that you’re about to read it. Enjoy!!!
Ooh! I loved the first two in the series, so it’s great to know that Rich People Problems is equally fun. Thanks for the rec!
I can recommend Gayasia:Travels in the Queer East by Chinese/Australian Benjamin Law. Funny but interesting investigation.
I just started Crazy Rich Asians and am loving it. So much fun.
My favorite books so far this year is The Women in the Castle, by Jessica Shattuck. This is a “don’t judge a book by its cover” (or by its title) book. Those two things would lead you to believe it’s some sort of misty romance novel, but it’s not. Set in the aftermath of WWII in a rundown estate in Germany, it has three strong female characters and plenty of ethical conundrums. Two of the women wouldn’t have worn perfume at all – either pre-WWII or after, but the third …. maybe one of the Carons?
I also really enjoyed Helen Rappaport’s non-fiction, “Caught in the Revolution” about the Russian Revolution.
Love these polls – my TBR list grows by leaps and bounds every time we have one!
My Brilliant Friend taught me a lesson about avoiding books because of covers! Probably the best thing I read in the past year or so. And that cover was way less “me” than the cover for Women in the Castle.
Those Elena Ferrante covers really are terrible, aren’t they? But the books themselves are great.
The reason I finally read them is that I read something somewhere that explained why she purposely used “chick lit” covers!
Haha I agree that book cover is awful.
Someone in my book club picked My brilliant friend and thats why I read it (and I enjoyed it).
But it would not have gotten my attention if I saw it on a table in a bookstore….
Huh. If you still have leftovers from the freebiemeet, I guess you could send them here: http://kdvr.com/2017/06/08/the-denver-zoo-is-looking-for-perfume-donations/
I wonder if there’s footage of the animals enjoying the scents? #kindredspirits 😉
SOTD has been Keiko Mecheri “Ume”.
Top: bergamot, mandarin and peach leaf;
Mid: Japanese wisteria, jasmine and osmanthus;
Base: Hinoki, mahogany, patchouli and oakmoss.
Not terrifically long lasting – maybe half a day – but it’s good stuff. TOMK and I went to the local farmers’ market, which sadly is visibly contracting each time we go there. Not enough money in our neighbourhood I think. The walk there along the Birmingham and Worcester Canal was enjoyable.
For the evening I switched to Nicolai “Patchouli Intense”.
Top: lavender, geranium and orange;
Mid: cinnamon, rose and patchouli;
Base: sandalwood, amber and vanilla.
I hope that guy on the hammock and all of the rest of you are wearing a good sunscreen! I heard a story on NPR that melanoma incidence in the USA is increasing 2% every year and that the ingredients available in our sunblocks are not as good as those in other countries. You should look for UVA and UVB blockers and also wear shirts and hats when you are out!
Yep, best to use sunscreens from Asia and Europe. They’re easy to buy on Amazon/eBay.
Any that you recommend?
La Roche Posay is very good. Look for sunscreens that include mexoryl.
That guy in the hammock is Lin Manuel Miranda!
Sorry, I don’t know who that is…?
Lucky you!
C’mon everyone! Throw tomatoes at me, I’m agile enough to make you miss!
LOLOLOL
😉
So with you Bear.
He wrote Hamilton, the musical 🙂
And Bear, I have no iron in that fire. I’ve never even seen Hamilton, although I did watch the PBS special *about* Hamilton.
I don’t mean to insult anyone, I find his famous work mediocre, at best.
To each their own.
🙂
Ha! I though I recognized that photo!
So about sun screen,
I am not an expert at all, but did quite some reading on the subject. There is always a lot of media attention on this subject here in The netherlands (with melanoma incidences on the rise as well here).
And one thing I found out and remembered: you have physical filters and chemical filters.
If you have sensitive skin/are prone to allergic reactions, you’d better avoid chemical filters. Or maybe avoid them anyways. Chemical filters are absorbed by skin and therefore can do damage or start reactions.
Physical filters form a layer on top of the skin and are therefore more safe. Especially for children.
Physical filters are ‘titaniumoxide’ and ‘zinkoxide’ (sorry i am lazy, those are the Dutch terms, but I think it makes sense in English as well).
I use brands like La Roche Posay and Biodermal, and Uncover SkinCare.
Thank you for that! I will explore to see if they are available on amazon. I need to avoid the sun but when it is necessary I like to be prepared. I was not aware that the US products are not as effective, as Calypso pointed out.
According to the NPR story which was on Science Friday, the Food & Drug Administration here has been slower to approve some of these and so they’re used in other countries but not here. They also mentioned Zinc Oxide as good, as Jiji mentioned, and one called Avobenzone (ingredients).
My dermatologist recommends a brand called elta MD. It has transparent zinc. I use the face sunscreen (also great for helping with minor break outs and hyper pigmentation) and the full body lotion. I’ve also purchased it in Amazon and am very happy with the product (no affiliation!)
Another important thing I learned:
if you are in the sun for a long time, reapply your sunblock every two hours! (Even if the product claims all-day-lasting power)
And about those filters, i’ve heard that espcially oxybenzone is kinda controversial.
If I remember correctly it was even banned in Sweden (dont know if that ban is still in effect).
I prefer mineral for face, but it’s always a challenge to avoid the resulting white cast. Am trying a tinted Clinique one for face. I like the thin liquidity of it. My body handles the chemical sunscreens fine, but my face doesn’t.
Second eltaMD – it’s whet my derm recommends, and she’s treated my for Squamous and Melanoma. Skinceuticals also has good blocks. I’m also a big fan of sun-barrier clothing from Coolibar, UVSkinz and, when I’m feeling extravagant, Athleta. UVSkinz has great options for kids.
Book: I’m a bit late to this one but Annie Proulx’ Barkskins. Depressing but beautifully written. SoTD may be Jour.
I use La Mer The Broad Spectrum SPF 50 UV Protecting Fluid as my primer. If I have to be outside in the sun, I also use in on my ears. It is very pricey but I have decided long ago that I’m worth spending money on…
There is also carrying a parasol!
I do this no matter how ridiculous I look in the blazing sun. I just need to find something daintier instead of my black polka dot umbrella.
You guys, I’m wearing incendio, I sample I co-ordered presumably because one of you recommended it? And now I can’t recall who did–but it smells like pinon incense, and summer, and it’s lovely.
Everything I read lately is about the Japanese Canadian incarceration, or internment camps in general in Canadian history, so I’m guessing it’s not really a beach read recommendation…
There was a good podcast on “What you missed in history class” about it lately – not that it would give you anything you don’t already know, but interesting.
I just finished Into the Woods by Tana French – the first Dublin Murder Squat series and am currently read the second book The Likeness. It is so interesting that first book is written from the perspective of one member of the murder squad and the second book from the perspective of a different member. I’ve never been to Ireland and now I have to go!
Thank you Robin, I look forward to the summer/winter reading polls.
Good! (And I liked Into the Woods)
Ahh, I love Tana French! Her latest one, The Trespasser, is my favorite yet.
I love Tana French too! I’m waiting for The Trespasser to come out in paperback to read it.
I’ve heard that The Trespasser is the best of them all. That isn’t part of the Dublin Murder Squad series is it?
Also, Black March, by CB I Hate Perfume, would be perfect for In the Woods. Not sure about a fragrance for The Likeness.
I’ve never tried Black March, but it does perfect for Into the Woods.
Just got back from the launch of Arielle Shoshana, which was fabulous! Ari had arranged a fascinating display tracing the history of the project through emails that she exchanged with the perfumer, Cecile Hua, together with samples of the mods referenced in the emails. This allowed extraordinary insight into the creative vision and process.
The perfumer noted that the CO2 extraction of passion fruit was new and being used for the first time; all previous passion fruit notes in perfume are accords constructed with other materials. This seems like a wonderful serendipity that enabled Ari to realize her vision.
The bottle is even lovelier in person than in photos.
It was a treat to see other area perfumistas again and talk perfume. And I won’t soon forget the delicious frozen passionfruit pops by the amazing Daisy, either.
Massive congratulations, Ari, and thanks so much for an illuminating glimpse into the creation of this beautiful perfume!
What a fantastic experience.
Oh yay, thanks for the report!
Sounds wonderful, nozknoz!
Daisy, who posted here, long ago and far away?
Yep! One and the same!
YES! The one and only! Daisy also has a cooking blog but I didn’t catch its name. She brought trays of beautiful, delicious, healthy nibbles. Yum!
coolcookstyle
But I don”t think she posts on a regular basis anymore.
Thanks!
marvelous report, thank you! My sample of Ari edp arrived in the mail on Friday evening. The passionfruit note is gloriously realistic, a must-try for anyone who’s curious.
Oh, I can’t wait to smell Ari’s perfume. How cool!
G’d evening, all. We’re in Eugene, not a place that has much appeal, but you know what? It’s not snowing here and it’s not a moving car, so it pretty much gets an “A” grade from me. Yesterday we went to Mt Hood -well, we didn’t; it was snowing there- and on to beautiful Bend, a town so attractive it must surely have been purpose built to be first and foremost, a pretty town. We went there because we wanted to go to Smith Rock and walk some trails, which we did, and that was great. Then we set off for Crater Lake, and it snowed….and snowed….and snowed. Truly, it was colder there in summer than winter at home. But worth it, because it was all very, very beautiful. After we pootled around there for a few hours, we took our cold feet to Eugene, where we’re staying the night before going to Portland tomorrow. It seemed to be a killingly long drive over the Cascades, but again, very lovely.
What have I been reading? I have holiday brain, and all it’s up to is Elizabeth Aston’s mad series about the impossible Mountjoy family. What perfume to wear while reading this fluffy stuff? Anything you like, I should think. Maybe a gourmand. What perfume should the Mountjoy characters wear? Anything that suggests insouciance and boundless self-confidence. What did I wear? My Chanel samples. I never thought I could reach a point of being even just the merest smidgen tired of Sycomore and La Pausa, but I have.
Be well, all.
Sounds like you need a top up at Perfume House or the new place Fumerie I believe.
My cousin moved to Bend many years ago. Based on her FB life, it was a very good decision. Beautiful. Enjoy Portland!
I have happy childhood memories of road trips with grandparents to that area of Oregon. Crater Lake is unforgettable. Enjoy your ramble. 🙂
Testing Roble Clique pre-shower…reminds me of Pink Sugar.
Post shower will start making a dent in my Chanel samples…I will start with 28La Pausa on one arm and 31 Rue Cambon on the other. Saving my Box of Eels and Cuir de Russie for cooler weather. Tomorrow I will be at a conference and will probably go with 1932.
Happy Sunday !
Well, I get zero longevity and they have both pretty much faded so I am going to go with 1932 and Beige later to see if they perform any better and then I might try Bleu de Chanel and Jersey tomorrow (I like the way they smell from the vial).
And zero longevity on those too….ah well money saved! The only thing that has lasted is the Bleu which is on my neck.
At the moment I am reading Blood Meridian or The Evening Redness in the West, by Cormac McCarthy.
I love this writing style and i love this book so far! But I guess not to everyone’s taste, its pretty violent and cruel.
Other books I read past year and recommend:
The thousand autumns of Jacob de Zoet, by David Mitchell (to evoke the setting of the novel wear Hinoki or Kyoto 🙂 combined with something very salty/marine-like and lots of animalic notes.
I also liked The devil in the white city. By Erik Larson.
My brilliand friend, Elena Ferrante.
I still need to read the other parts. But this was a lovely start!
I wore A La Nuit yesterday evening.
If those SL rumours are true this beauty will be discontinued as well. I hope its not true.
I hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Love Cormac McCarthy! I think when people read his books they fcome face to face with an uncomfortable part of the integral human psyche. Most don’t want to recognize or admit that humans are Apex Predators, but to ignore it, to let this part of ourselves go free and unchained without discernment, results in the rise of people like Idi Amin, Solath Star, Hitler, and on a smaller scale, your neighbor who abuses his dog, children, and wife.
To recognize and control it can produce amazing changes for the good in this world. Some of the most monumental human achievements have been sparked by the force and drive of human anger.
I agree Deva.
And thats why I always look for both the most beautiful AND the very ugly/real horror in art/literature.
Last summer I saw in Zaragossa the print series ‘desastres de la guerra’ by Goya. Terrible stuff, but i am kinda glad its on display all the time.
Oh, that sounds amazing! I’m familiar with Goya a little bit, but I will google this series and check it out- thanks!
Oh and Deva, what other works by Cormac do you recommend?
One of his most recent, “The Road.” The takeaway I got from this one is that the unconditional love between a father and his son rescues the characters (and the readers) from our own inhumanity. It’s bleak, violent, uncomfortable, but incredibly beautiful in the description of the very best of being human- the ability to love unconditionally and sacrifice for those we love. I read it in one sitting because I found it riveting.
Thank you, sounds great!
You might also enjoy “Station Eleven” by Emily St. John Mandel. It reminded me of “The Road” but was not at all derivative.
Blood Meridian is a real masterpiece! I’ve taught it with undergraduates and was worried it would just be way too much for them but by the time we finished it they were completely in its spell. And when they came to class after finishing it they couldn’t wait to discuss “that ending.” It’s incredible. (Harold Bloom said that McCarthy with The Judge had created the greatest American villain since Moby Dick!) I also would recommend The Road as well as No Country for Old Men (and I liked the movie too).
Calypso, good to hear his work is appreciated by young folks as well. I am half way but it is already a classic imo 🙂
No country for old men was an awesome movie!!!
And uhm wasn’t The Road made into a movie as well?
Yes it was. And while I liked the movie (hello Viggo Mortensen!) and thought it followed the book in GENERAL, there were enough changes that I was a bit disappointed. But really, who isn’t disappointed in a movie that was first a book..?
If you like novels with a stripped back style and strong sense of place (Colorado in this case) but more tender you might like Haruf Kent e.g. Our Souls at Night. Lovely writing
Oh that sounds interesting. Thank you!
I just finished “Here I Am” by Jonathan Safran Foer– easily the best book I have read in years and years. It would be hard to adequately describe– it’s a fictional account of a family coming undone, with a strong focus on Jewish identity, and a lot of brilliant insight into the human conditions. I immediately wanted to read it again and wish that I was still at an age where I could take a college class deconstructing it. It is ust brilliant and I think I missed so much.
I suppose one could join a really good book club and get more insight but (a) how to make time and (b) I alays picture book clubs as taking a cursory look at books, with many people just saying what they read online anyways. Are there good online book clubs or places to read a deep analysis?
Side note– his ex wife, Nicole Krauss, wrote an equally stunning book called “The History of Love”.
Oh good, that is already on my reading list and I will move it up 🙂
Reading bell hooks, Ain’t I a woman. Essential book.
I did the entire fruity week, though had no time to comment- working really hard.
Monday – Lolita Lempicka – dark cherries
Tuesday – Rahat Loukoum – bright pink cherry candy with a marzipan undertone
Wednesday – The Body Shop Italian Summer Fig (so sad TBS was bought by awful Natura!) – double points: coconut and fig
Thursday – Shalimar cologne – Vanilla bergamot perfection
Friday – YSL Champagne – Peachy chypre
Saturday – Kilian Fleur d’Immortalité – PEACH
Today – The Body Shop (RIP) Vineyard Peach body butter – juicy peach
Have a great Sunday!
SOTD is ELdO’s “You” for a quick weightlifting session in the garage and mowing the grass before it gets too hot. High today here in VA is 95 degrees F and I am a pale, autumn-y redhead so anything above 75 to me might as well be Literally the Surface of the Sun.
…Is it September yet?
🙂 You are not alone. I’m of the same pale genetics and heat aversion. Somehow managed to marry a sun-loving SoCal native, and now we’re arguing over where to retire. Compromise is tough!
The look on my face must have been something to behold when my husband suggested that we move to New Orleans, because he’s never brought it up again! XD
Clearly I need to practice my look of horror. 😉
So with you on horrible Virginia summer weather, jack! I feel trapped in the AC for months at a time here. 🙁
Also got a sample of You or Someone Like You yesterday in my continuing search for anything that’s bearable when heat indices are over 100.
Enjoy! It’s one of the very few scents I have that I can stand in this heat right now.
Another pale face here but I am always cold so I do prefer hot over cold weather. How are you liking YOU?
Oof, I’m the opposite! I’ll be the first person to complain about being too hot and I’ll take snowy and cold over heat and humidity any day!
I’ve been really enjoying “You!” I actually don’t love the super minty top notes, but they fade pretty quickly on me. I still long for cool fall days and my spicy roses, and wearing my WSSS just makes me sad that I’m not on a beach somewhere, but this has been a great hot-weather perfume that fits my ultra-stringent criteria of “refreshing, summery, and not Light Blue.” I had to talk myself out of buying the adorable 30mL bottle, but I’ll reevaluate once I’ve used up my travel spray.
Had a moment of panic this morning when I couldn’t find the remainder of my Naja sample! Luckily found it buried under a bunch of paperwork, what a relief. So. It’s Naja and I today. If I were to cheat on Onda, it would be with Naja. That Vero- what a gal! ????
Books, books, books! Since I admitted my lackadaisical attitude toward books due the advent of the political drama unfolding in the past year, I have decided to take myself to task and read something to make up for time lost. Just ordered Neil de Drasse Tyson’s “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry.” Also have added many mentioned this weekend to my list.
I may have recommended this one before, but it’s worth mentioning again: “On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society.” I’ve referenced this book for more than one research paper. Written by Lt.Col. Dave Grossman, it’s a book of tremendous scope that details the psychological changes wrought by combat and goes into a broader deconstruction of societal violence. It is especially helpful for people who have a loved one who has been involved combat and/or human violence. It may sound quite dry and unappealing, but Grossman has peppered the book with firsthand interviews of veterans and combatants who openly and honestly discuss the emotional weight of war, killing, and the hard task of surviving, and living in a world that does not understand the depths of horror and despair these men and women have experienced. Fabulous book!
Thanks for that recommendation!
Welcome!
Deva, I assume there have been studies comparing the respective reactions and coping mechanisms of WWII veterans and those of more recent conflicts – do you know of a good, layman’s style write-up of that?
SheriG, I’m a layman and I found the Grossman book an extremely easy (if visceral) read. Also, he does reference all historical US wars in a variety of ways from many perspectives. The psychological coping mechanisms haven’t really changed. What has changed is the increasing knowledge of human psychology and the ability to diagnose in a scientific objective manner. Hope that helps????
Thanks, Deva – sounds like it might be just what I’m looking for.
One interesting point he made is that medics experienced the same combat violence, and often more front line violence, yet they demonstrated fewer and less severe psychological shifts than other combatants. I’m paraphrasing, but the author seems to suggest that the “duty to kill” is in of itself pyschologically damaging. I hope you find it interesting ????
One could probably apply this to under-reported violence in the workplace. Even if no one got physically hurt, the possibility of getting hurt and the helplessness of not being able to do anything about it could be quite damaging and have long term negative impact to productivity.
Yes, certainly agree with you!
You can also see some very compelling video interviews of veterans in the Yann Arthus-Bertrand movie HUMAN, available on youtube.
Hi Deva, I would recommend both of David Finkel’s books – Thank You For Your Service was very moving and compassionate re. returned soldiers
I’m off to SAKS to spend my mother’s day gift card. Does anyone know how to say APOM? Is it A.P.O.M, or A-pom or do you actually say A Part of Me?
I’ve heard it as A-pom. I liked it a lot.
Thanks foxbins. I decided to pull the trigger and they were out of the smaller bottles. He gave me a nice sample though, and 2 samples of Memo’s Shams Narcissus and 1 of the new Eau de Memo.
SOTM is Bel Respiro, which I just pulled out of the winter storage area along with the rest of the summer rotation. Looking forward to wearing Mediterraneo again soon!
No scent yet, but I was briefly in Sephora yesterday (enjoying the A/C) and sprayed on Replica’s Beach Walk. My husband did a generous spray of Rhubarb Eclarte. We got on the subway and I had him sniff my arm…he liked it. Woman sitting next to me seconded his opinion. Said she smelled it when I sat down and it was really good. I could barely smell it!
I just finished re-reading Herman Wouk’s Winds of War / War and Remembrance tomes. So easy to forget the monumental suffering in WWII. I’m about to start reading some essays by Dorothy Sayers, starting with “Are Women Human?” (Subtitled “astute and witty essays on the role of women in society”).
Is a Beach Walk FB in your future?
No. It didn’t really do much for me. I’m more interested in trying the various Prada Infusions….
This Basenotes interview by Persolaise with perfumer Nathalie Feisthauer at the London launch of AdV Pelargonium is full of fascinating anecdotes and reflections, such as whether the gender of perfumers influences their compositions. Mostly she thinks not, but sometimes…
“You know, 20 years ago I was working in New York and Sophia Grojsman was the biggest perfumer. She’s one of the most talented perfumers in the world, but she’s very short, wears boots up to here, leather, orange hair, black eyes. She played on the witch look. She didn’t fit into the blond, corporate American image. And she’s made the most beautiful, feminine perfumes like Paris, Eternity, White Linen and all those. And once she said something to me: ‘As a woman who is older or fat or whatever, maybe I know more than other women about what it takes to seduce somebody.’ I thought that was very interesting.”
What I’m reading: Chuchill and Orwell: the Fight for Freedom by Thomas E. Ricks. I rarely read nonfiction, but bought it immediately after listening to this Fresh Air interview with Ricks:
http://www.npr.org/2017/05/22/529516184/churchill-orwell-and-the-fight-against-totalitarianism
Churchill wore one of the classic Penhaligons, IIRC. Orwell sounds scruffier; ELdO should do an Orwell-inspired scent.
What a great story about Grojsman!
I always enjoy researching perfume on the internet, but I swear the best finds are things I wasn’t looking for! 🙂
Forgot the link to the interview with Nathalie Feisthauer:
http://www.basenotes.net/features/3470-a-reflection-of-my-client-amp-colon-nathalie-feisthauer-at-the-uk-launch-of-pelargonium-from-aedes-de-venustas
Great, thanks!
I spend far too much time reading about perfumers when I should be working. Thanks for the links, really great.
SOTD = Prada Infusion de Rose
According to Fragrantica: galbanum, mandarin orange, neroli, Turkish rose, Bulgarian rose. It is absolutely PERFECT for today’s low humidity 90s day. Even though it is barely there, I could see myself wearing this often. I don’t have a bottle yet, just sayin’
I have one more freebie to give away to a regular reader, U.S. only – the Nordstrom Pack (containing a Kiehl’s item, refillable rollerball, 6 manufacturer’s perfume samples). Call dibs here and email me.
That sounds absolutely lovely!
I just watched a quick review of the Prada Rose on their Love to Smell youtube channel. They mentioned that the scent leans to the lemon-peach facets of rose rather than the honeyed deeper notes. Sounds like it falls in line with Les Infusions, perfect for the office and a warm day. Stay cool! 🙂
I see I was too tired last night to type coherently. It’s Pia and Nick’s Love to Smell youtube channel.
I started the day sampling Dame’s Narcissus. I had to really hold back the strong urge to scrub it. It’s opening took me back to summer camp and mopping the cabin floors. ???????? It softened up quite a bit after about 20 min. It then became a beautiful green floral. I will have to find a narcissus to compare it to at some point. However, it didn’t remind me of my L’AP Fleur de Narcisse. I need to do a side by side comparison of the two.
I am currently reading American War by Omar El Akkad, highly recommended by my DH. It’s set in the future amid the consequences and effects of another American civil war. Not sure any perfume would be appropriate. Possibly something bleak and depressing ????
Husband used to say, “You’ve never read a book in your life!” I was a voracious reader as a child: Nancy Drew, Isaac Asimov, books on all aspects of flora and fauna. AS an adult, it’s been all I could do to keep up with 3 local papers a week, one weekly paper, and the odd daily that I picked up to do Sudoku and crosswords. Well, after watching Outlander on TV in French, I got the English version from the library and now ta, da…I’m on the sixth huge novel of the eight book series!
SOTD: Diorella
She’s writing the ninth one right now!
I know and there will be a tenth to end the series in the year 1800! I can’t wait to find out what happens to the major characters. Season 3 (third book: Voyager) debuts in the fall!
I’m trying to link up reading and fragrance aspirations… I have been meaning to get my hands on a small bottle of Habit Rouge (I know, not much of a summer scent, but tried the EDT a couple of summers ago on holiday and the memory has stayed with me), and plan to read the memoirs of Balthus, who certainly seems to sum up the ineffable continental je ne sais quoi embodied so distinctly HR. I figure managing all this in a hammock after mowing the lawn will somehow keeps things helpfully earthbound.