Happy Midsummer's Day! We're celebrating with an open thread poll, as (nearly) always. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, a perfume you love but the bottle is too ugly to buy, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Spring Poppy [background extended and color adjusted] by Verdance at flickr; some rights reserved.
Hi NST Family, hope everyone is having a good weekend!
Yesterday we had some storms here, it felt quite exhilarating. Today the sky was covered with cottonpuff clouds and the temperature was pleasantly mild.
Few days mom bought me a pot of Lavandula Angustifolia, it scented the entire room. I was tempted to match it by wearing my favorite summer lavender – Rania J. Lavande 44 but in the end I’m wearing Jul et Mad Aqua Sextius.
What a nice gift, and I’m glad your weather has improved. I have a big lavender plant on my patio, and love to smell it. I think it’s French lavender (whatever that means).
Generally speaking we have a OK weather here where I live. Some other regions had more storms and we got a sample of it yesterday.
Lavender smell is so peaceful.
I love lavender… It’s a tempting idea but I have other plans for today perfume-wise.
Hm… I think I actually do not mind storms – as long as it’s nothing extreme and I can stay inside.
I find storms to be very refreshing
I love a good thunderstorm (when I’m inside my house safe and dry).
Me too
Likewise, especially at night. I like turn off the lights, open up the blinds, and crank up Mozart’s requiem.
SOTD: Jo Malone’s French Lime Blossom. No substitute for Mac’s Naked Honey but I feel obligated to finish the bottle.
Enjoy the stormy weather….
Love lavender! What other lavender fragrances do you like, Lucas?
For example: HdP 1725 Casanova, Chanel Boy, Anatole Lebreton Grimoire, Le Galion Cologne Nocturne.
Thank you for that list! I recently tried Jersey (which I think also has lavender in it) and liked that the best out of the Exclusives I was testing at the time. Eventually I will get around to trying Boy. Casanova I could probably sample in a Sephora 🙂
Jersey indeed has lavender but I prefer it more creamy, like in Boy. I would probably have it in my collecton if it wasn’t for the fact that we don’t have a single Chanel Exclusifs counter in Poland…
I guess I’m early today also. I am wearing Hummingbird from a sample that was included when I ordered Civet recently from Zoologist. Hummingbird is awfully sweet, I’m afraid!
I enjoy almost all the Zoologist collection, loving some very much, but I find Hummingbird too sweet, too.
Testing Lipstick Rose and Un Rose
Who wins?
Team Lipstick Rose, reporting in!
🙂
Lipstick Rose…but thankfully, I don’t need a full bottle….I really want to adhere to my no buy.
Good then!
scent eating skin has done its job so now I am wearing Tonka Imperiale…YUM!!! Does anyone ever crave sweet and ambery vanillas in the summer?
I do! I do! I just have to go easy on them since the heat really makes them bloom.
Hi NST! I’m back from vacation (boo) – Svalbard, Iceland, and London. Saw lots of polar bears, walrus, birdlife, arctic foxes, and even a blue whale. Fabulous.
But I know what you’re thinking: “That’s all well and good, but what about perfume??” I did reserve a day in London at the end of the trip for sniffing and shopping, and dragged DH around in the sweltering heat for hours (he’s a sport) (that day, anyway).
First stop was Jo Loves, where I finally picked up my FB of Mango Thai Lime (their only scent that’s not available in the US, and of course, their only scent I wanted). Lovely SA’s, and lovelier air conditioning.
Next stop was Harrod’s, for tea (No 34 Empire Breakfast Blend, and a blind buy of ‘Strong Breakfast’ as recommended by the SA). And the perfume hall of course, which put my brain on perfume-tilt. Sniffed a bunch of things from Roja Dove (another charming SA there), didn’t buy. I think if I lived near Harrod’s, I’d wander thru and spritz something new every day. No need to ever buy 🙂
And finally Perfumer H, which was the complete antidote to Harrod’s. Spare, modern, limited selection. Wonderful SA. I spent about an hour there and came away with:
– Vetiver : bergamot, grapefruit, bitter orange, lavender, nutmeg, Haitian vetiver, bourbon vetiver, patchouli, cedar moss, tonka
– Mediterranean : bergamot, lemon, orange flower, cypress needle, water melon, bitter fig, red pomegranate, cedar, ginger, frankincense
– Orange leaf : orange, eau de brouts (petitgrain), basil, angelica, elemi, frankincense, cedar
I wonder if I’d have picked different scents if it hadn’t been a billion degrees out… several other scents seemed nice too, just a bad fit for the day. Anyway… thanks to whoever recommended Perfumer H (Holly?)
So, back to reality: unpacking, laundry, bills, and playing with kitties who are very happy to have their people home 🙂
That sounds like an altogether fabulous vacation! Bears and walruses and whales, oh my!
Great rundown on the shopping experiences, too; sounds like you scored some really nice summer scents.
Yay for happy cats…
If only they wouldn’t express their joy by head-butting my face at 3am…
Wow! Sounds like a great trip. What is the scent you picked up at Joe loves smell like?
Mango and lime, bright and summery 🙂
Sounds amazing! Iceland is forever on my list.
What fun! Congrats on your new bottles, and so glad to hear Perfumer H is decent. The Orange Leaf sounds wonderful!
Orange Leaf was perfect in the heat.
O M G! I’d love to see a white fox!
We only saw foxes in their summer coats (mix of brown and white) but someone else on our tour did see one still all white.
I saw one once while I was rowing on a river in Ontario. No one else in my 8-person crew saw it, but I saw it three times that morning. It was so striking and kind of eerie.
Svalbard envy! So glad you had a good time
Glad you had a good time! How was the kayaking?
Good! A minke whale popped up next to some of the kayakers — not us, sadly, but we did see it from the ship.
Muck boots make excellent pacakaging for transporting perfume bottles in suitcases 🙂
Wow! What an amazing trip! Does Svalbard have a big tourist industry? Were you on a tour, or did you go it alone?
It does — though we’re not talking ‘big’ like Acapulco, or even Alaska. We saw only one other ship during the week, a Russian vessel. You need to be on an icebreaker-class ship to see anything much (overland is possible in the winter, but really hard; not really feasible in summer). So a tour is pretty much required. We went with Lindblad / National Geographic, they do a nice job.
Sorry you had to come back (though happy for your kittens) 😉
It sounds like a good vacation. Enjoy your new perfumes. As to living next to Harrods, I think SAs would have started recognizing you soon – and you’d feel pressured to buy something 🙂
As Donatella knows, I indulge in buying regularly 🙂 But I like to pretend that I could display self restraint 🙂
Ooh, polar bears and arctic foxes… and shopping in London! So envious of your visit to Perfumer H. Welcome back!
Ooh! Sounds like you had an amazing vacation! You’re right, it was me than mentioned I’d go to Perfumer H if I was visiting London, so I’m glad it worked out for you. I’ve been interested ever since Lyn Harris opened shop and it seems the only way to try her stuff is to visit the store in person.
It was you, thanks! Yes they only sell their scents in person from the store. No mail order even. Want some samples of the scents I got? Ping me at emc dawt 7 1 1 7 in the land of geeemayle.
What a wonderful holiday!
I’ve never heard of that perfume shop, will have to pop in next time I’m in London!
Wow! What a fun vaca!
Love the sealife you experienced. And Harrod’s is always a lovely shop to explore. Welcome home!
Your trip sounds amazing! I really want to see all of these animals.
Ooh, what a fantastic holiday! And a great welcome back home:)
Ironies of life: if you did live near Harrods, you wouldn’t have to go and spritz…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/constructionandproperty/11299195/Which-London-landmarks-command-the-highest-neighbouring-house-prices.html
That’s so interesting, thanks for the link!
That Jo Loves sounds delicious for summer.
Pixel, back when hajusuuri was in the UK, I posted information about Perfumer H several times, hoping she would check it out, but I think I was posting too late in the day for her to see it.
I love several Miller Harris fragrances, and it’s great to hear that her own line is good, too.
I’m also curious, are the bottles all the hand-blown looking ones pictured in the NST announcement post, or do they sell the perfumes in regular glass bottles?
Glad you had a great trip and seized the opportunity to visit Perfumer H.
She has an interesting packaging scheme. The perfumes are all available only in 100ml, in a Le Labo style bottle, with a screw cap top. Then they include two 10ml spray bottles labeled the same as the 100ml bottle, and plastic syringes. So the idea is that you fill the 10ml spray bottles from your 100ml bottle.
And then they also sell the fancy hand-blown glass bottle, which has a glass stopper/dabber. If you get the fancy glass bottle, it’s empty, and comes with the standard 100ml screw top bottle, a glass funnel to fill it, and the two 10ml spray bottles. For a hefty markup over the plain bottle alone 🙂
I ended up getting the fancy glass bottle for one of my scents and just stuck with the plain bottle for the other two. TBH if my brain hadn’t been fried by the heat, I’d probably have passed on the fancy glass bottle altogether since I’ll most likely only ever use the 10ml sprays anyway. (At least I was thinking enough to only buy one fancy glass bottle…)
BTW, the fancy glass bottle is seriously heavy. If nothing else, I could use it for self defense 🙂
It was very fun visiting Perfumer H. I was really wanting to try to find only-in-London scents, and this definitely fit the bill.
Thanks for clearing up the mysteries of this line, Pixel! I don’t think I was able to find any reviews, even, or at least none by bloggers I was familiar with.
FYI, everyone, here’s Robin’s post on Perfumer H, which shows the beautiful but impractical looking stoppered bottles:
https://nstperfume.com/2015/08/28/perfumer-h-new-niche-brand/
Good to see you back!! Your vacations sounds like fun
Wow, this post made me so happy. I love the sound of your vacation. So exciting to see all that animal life and then a day sniffing in London on top of everything. Great writing, too. Welcome home!
Perfumer H is great. Lyn Harris herself was there when I went. I didn’t buy any but I’d like to try some more.
How cool! I hope you do, and please report back. They all sound so interesting.
Welcome back, pixel! The weather here has turned mild for your comfort 🙂 The wildlife you saw sounds AMAZING and I hope to check those places out someday.
Perfumer H sounds interesting. I quite like Miller Harris, so I have high hopes for this line, even though I’m not big on their aesthetic. What’s their rationale behind the screw cap + 10-mL sprayers? That it keeps the fragrance “healthy” longer?
That vacation sounds amazing; I read what your wrote about and yelled at Mr. Aparatchick, “We need to go!!!!”
Mr. G and I are enjoying our morning coffee and weekend crossword puzzles outside on this gorgeous breezy morning, and as predicted I am in liberal sprays of Mediterraneo (which I am fully ready to refresh often as the high today is supposed to be near 100).
We’re having a similar morning sitting in the yard, drinking coffee, trying to avoid the numerous bumble bees. My husband is doing the crossword. I’m afraid I only attempt Monday through Wednesday of the NYT crossword and an occasional Thursday and Sunday.
Thursday NYT puzzles are fun because there’s always some “cleverness” that, once you figure it out, helps with solving the rest. We generally do (or at least TRY to do) the Thursday and Friday ones on Saturday, and the Saturday and Wednesday ones on Sunday. The Saturday puzzles are HARD!
They are haaard! Which is why I mostly don’t bother anymore. We use the phone app which times you and we discovered a while back that my husband does them(Mon-Wed) in almost exactly half my time!
Ya, those Saturday ones are hard to the point of not being very fun. It helps to have another brain working on it with you, though.
I used to do the Sunday fairly regularly. I come from a big family of crossword puzzlers and I’ve always been in the minority in my preference for Will Shortz over Mearl Reagle (RIP.)
My husband is a crossword junkie. He’s not half bad, but it’s always fun when you turns to me for my expertise on subjects I know.
Been years since I did NYT crossword. I used to do it daily, along with Wash Post (I had a very undemanding job). Back then, I did it pen. I bet today I’d struggle mightily. But they really are relaxing. Sounds like a lovely morning.
We are also having a lovely breezy morning, all the windows open, and we’re going to stay in the low 80s today. I’m sure we will “switch” weather soon enough!
Oh, low 80s – I’m envious.
I think this falls under the category of being careful what you wish for! 😉 After Cindy and a simultaneous cold front, we’ve gone from 90s and 90+% humidity to 70s for the next week!
70’s — even better! 😉 I’m a lifelong Pacific Northwesterner, and it shows!
Farmers market has an abundance of lettuce, kale, & chard. Picked up some zucchini and blossoms. Compost and textile recycling , Saturday morning daily grind.
Picnic at Central Park amoungst the Linden blossoms.
Songes today, fits this upcoming week community theme of a beautiful bottle.
Perfect picnic day! I need to get over to CP and smell the linden. Not sure I ever have.
A friend of ours is in Paris and apparently Paris smells like Linden blossom as well..
Apparently you can make tea with it, I never have
Dried linden blossom makes very distinctly smelling and tasting “tea”. I like it very much.
Songes is beautiful from every angle. You smell wonderful. Yesterday I realized my purse spray is empty. Today I will enjoy a few moments of peaceful, scented concentration while I refill it – mustn’t spill a drop! 🙂
If you need more let me know
You’re so kind! 🙂 But I am working my way through a splash bottle of Songes. I prefer to spritz so will refill my purse spray right away.
I am having NYC envy.
How if the weather in the bay been?
Around Oakland it’s been cool in the mornings and sunny in the afternoons, but nothing too extreme. I’ve had doors and windows wide open all day. But my husband was at a golf tournament fundraiser (lest that sound remotely glamorous, his foursome, which was a threesome because one woman did not show, came in third in the coed category and a man in the group that came in fourth complained that something or other had not been fair….????) yesterday and he said it was in the high 90s on the course.
Wanna switch? You give me Manhattan for a weekend, and I’ll give you the SF Bay?
yes..apartment swap!
What is textile recycling?
When you have textiles that aren’t good enough for the goodwill, instead of throwing them away NYC has a textile recycling program at their farmers markets. Here is the website if you are interested or want to read about it further.
https://www.grownyc.org/clothing
Oh! My husband’s job site provides bundles of t-shirts and other textiles for employees to use as rags. I’ve always wondered where they come from – now I know!
It was really disconcerting at first when they’d turn up in the laundry – random clothes that I knew weren’t ours 😉
Nice! Perfect park weather, although I’m sure everyone is thinking the same thing. Hope you found a nice spot 😉
Oh yes, Songes does fit the theme of bottle porn!!! At one point I had amassed about 20 empty AG bottles in all sizes (1/2 oz to 3.4 oz)…sadly I threw them out during a minimizing period in my life…now I wish I had saved just a handful or maybe one in each size…because they were also refillable!
and I am glad that the EDP was to your liking. I kinda figured it would be.
I am getting low on my Angelique Noire bottle, I often wonder if I will toss it or should I hang on to it because its very beautiful. We shall see!
Hang on to it 🙂
We came to visit my MIL and are by the pool now. Beautiful weather after lots of rain last night and this morning. We will be here most of the day and then we will have dinner out. Wearing Bond No. 9 Fire Island and drinking iced lemonade. Enjoy the weekend everyone!
Sounds like a lovely day. A pool would make my nice morning even nicer. Enjoy!
Thank you Elisa P. Your morning also sounds fabulous and the weather is great! Enjoy!
I made mint lemonade yesterday, de-lish
How do make it? We usually crush mint leaves and add them to the the lemonade. If we do not have mint handy we use few drops of mint water.
I do the same, but squeeze fresh lemons, water and add some sugar.
Great! Thank you!
I love pools. Period.
AGREE!!! 😀 😀
How do you like the Fire Island? Is it very beachy?
It is very beachy. Smells like suntan lotion, but not like Coppertone. It is flowery, with notes of tuberose and jasmine.
Lazy Saturday morning here. It rained very early and now it’s sunny, breezy, drier, and beautiful out.
Thanks to all for your input on Hawaii yesterday. We’ve booked our trip to Kauai for mid July! I knew I could count on NSTers for expert travel advice ???? I’m very excited since we haven’t had a proper vacation in I think a couple of years.
I got a little swap package yesterday and I’m testing D’Orsay Tilleul on one arm and Oriza Legrand Jardins d’Armide on the other.
The Tilleul is nice but intermittently reminds me of cleaning products-nice cleaning products-and it’s faded pretty fast. And the bottle I had in my Parfum1 cart for about a month is gone and no longer available. So that settles that.
The Oriza is a lovely full-bodied cosmetic powder scent. Retro and voluptuous. Lots of iris powder, not too sweet, probably not for this weather, but I’m enjoying it. Reminds me of MCG Burlesque which also has been sitting in my cart for a long time.
Congrats on your trip! Kauai is truly a paradise.
Thank you! I’m very excited (except for the anxiety of leaving the kitties since I’ve had some bad cat sitting experiences). I’ve been to Hawaii twice but I was like 8 and 10 y.o. so doesn’t count.
I visited Maui and had a great time. Did a horseback ride into a volcano, found some amazing waterfalls, and had the whole island life experience.
Our neighbors are honeymooning on the island everyone suggested, enjoy!
Sounds amazing. I like horseback riding but I always seem to get the horse that wants to take off or not go anywhere, lol.
Hawaii!! So exciting, I hope you have a fabulous time. You’ll be the best smelling gal in the island ????
Thanks! I’m hoping the uslsnd smells better than I do???? I think Hawaii should be on your contract list. I know a nurse who took one there and hasn’t come back!
Taking notes on the Oriza; also still want to try Burlesque. Up for splitting both if you plan purchases *wink wink*
I wonder if Hawaii still has those tourist-trade tropical flower perfumes and balms and waters and whatnot? In my mind, it’s what people bought in the 50s, back when PanAm would give you a free travel bag and lei when you disembarked onto the tarmac.
I actually thought of you with the Oriza. I think you’d like it. And Burlesque. I’d probably do the 15ml MCG which with the additional current 25% off at parfum1 makes it a good deal-except the shipping cuts into the discount. Love the Oriza bottles but 100ml is way too much for me-even with a split.
My vague memory from Hawaii in the 80s was the leis they gave you on arrival. PanAm 50’s is much more romantic than TWA 80s.
If you’re picky about your sunscreen, pack a lot with you: I was surprised but they do not carry most of the regular brands, to which you might be used.
I am, so that’s good to know. I’m loyal to Coppertone Waterbabies which is unscented, mineral and chemical and doesn’t pill up under make-up like other’s I’ve tried.
Congrats on the Hawaii trip! I’ve not been myself but definetly on my list of places to visit.
Thanks! I hope ypu make it there someday.
Have a great trip!
Thank you! I hope to.
Hi Elisa P, I can tell you a few things we have learned in the few times we’ve been to Kauai and stayed on the north side in Princeville (and my in-laws go at least twice a year–time-share). The farmers’ markets are great. They sell these bananas called apple bananas that have regular ones beat all to heck for flavor and texture and they last longer, too. And you can buy a coconut that the local vendor will whack right open with a machete to drink from. The papayas and mangoes are great, too. You can absolutely buy locally made perfumed oils. Being greeted with a lei is a thing of the past unless you are being greeted by friends, family or a tour group. Hanalei is beautiful and fun for sea kayaking. Not so great for swimming since the current is much stronger there. Iniki Beach is a great family beach on the northwest side–not crowded at all and safe swimming. We saw a sea turtle there! Much more safe swimming around Poipu on the south side. Canoeing and hiking around the Hanalei river are great and very lush, green and scenic and you can go horseback riding around Princeville. Hawaiian shave ice is divine–light, fluffy and a million flavors. The Koloa Rum company is a fun tour and there is also a nearby chocolate plantation that’s fun to visit. Pretty sure there’s also a coffee plantation. And I wouldn’t worry about forgetting sunscreen. Lihue has a Walmart supercenter, which is also one of the best places for getting inexpensive souvenirs and buying staple foods if you are staying in a condo and will be doing your own cooking (see also farmers’ markets!). That’s all I remember off the top of my head. I hope you have a great time!
I’ve only been to Kauai once (last summer) but I agree on swimming at Poipu and the lovely fruit, and hiking around Hanalei.
Highly recommend a boat tour of the Na Pali coast if you have a free afternoon/evening. Kauai Coffee offers tours as well as selling locally produced beans.
My in-laws (who are wonderful) paid for us to go on a helicopter tour of the Na Pali coast, which was gorgeous and I think we might have had a view of Waimea canyon, which I haven’t otherwise seen but have heard a lot about. Since we were staying at the extreme other end of the only road around the island, we didn’t get around that far. My aunt (who lives on Oahu) isn’t a big fan of helicopter rides because she feels they crash too often. There is also a neat rock formation going up the east side of the island on the way from Lihue to Princeville called “King Kong” because it really looks like a gorilla’s head in profile!
The boat tour sounds great! I’ll definitely look into that.
Thanks for all the info! Very helpful and taking notes. We’re staying in Popoi but we rented a car so we can get around. My husband body surfs so good to know where the rougher currents are. I seem to recall from reading that Hanalei is a surfing beach? I’m also hoping to find whale watching. Anywhere you recommend?
Unfortunately, you are going at the wrong time of year for the whales. They migrate south for the winter and then go back north, so whale watching in Hawaii is November to February. IIRC, Hanalei is good for surfing. There is also a very cute little green, wooden church there where my in-laws always go on Sunday when they’re there. They’ve been going for years, so are pretty much members of the congregation.
Oh, and if you spend any time at all on Oahu, I strongly recommend the Polynesian Cultural Center. Beautiful drive to it past farmland and a much less commercial part of Oahu and you get exposed to all the different cultures, dances, etc and can go to their luau and see the night show.
Haven’t decided about Oahu. I think if we do go to another Island, maybe the Big Island. We’re only there a week and of course I have big plans, but realistically probably won’t be able to do it all.
Wow. enjoy Hawaii! I have never been. I have 2 first cousins, with whom I get along, who live there.
Sounds like those cousins need a visit!
Torrential rain woke me up early, but the weather is gorgeous now.
Summertime and the livings easy…….
Acqua di Sale Profumum Roma.
Saltwater, myrtle, and a burnt sugar aroma. On my skin. YMMV
Reminds me of day trips to the beach, or Cedar Lake, as child.
Lots of swimming and sugar.
LOL. 😉
Triple strength coffee.
Carpe Diem. Peace.
You smell fantastic Bear. I will wear Acqua di Sale later today since I do not want to smell it in the office 😀 😀 :D. Enjoy the day!
Thank you perfumelover67!
You do the same! 😀
You smell fantastic! 🙂
You smell great!
I’m getting myself psyched up for a Saturday cleaning bender right now with coffee and a high-protein breakfast. Wearing Aedes de Venustas’ Pelargonium for the first time and I quite like it. This is the first geranium in my tiny collection of scents.
Good luck! And if you want to take your bender over to my house, you are welcome 🙂
I really like Pelargonium too – it has a bit more weight than what I would usually think of as a summer fragrance, but it’s also not too heavy in the heat.
It’s definitely got more heft than I expected, which was a pleasant surprise. I tested it last week when temperatures were up around 100 degrees here in LA and it managed to be refreshing even in that level of heat. I’m going to have to explore geranium notes in perfume soon.
Weekend citrus experiment: Eau des Merveilles on the left and Orange Sanguine on the right, an idea inspired by perfumelover67’s wearing of OS yesterday while I happened to wear EdM.
Generous dabs, splashes really, on boths wrists. EdM is salty orange, OS is juicy orange, both are delicioius. Dry down will provide sniffing entertainment this morning.
Tomorrow I will try these scents layered, a hajusuuri suggestion. Fun stuff.
Happy fragrant weekend wishes to all.
definitely do a blending tomorrow…i bet it will smell really good!
oh yes, I think EdM tends to bring out the best in other fragrances. 🙂
And I find that Orange Sanguine layers nicely on top of many other fragrances. And Dame New Musk and BFMV serve as great bases!
I have a sample of BFMV that I’m setting aside to try with an Orange Sanguine boost. Thanks for the blending pro-tip. 🙂
Half twin? I’m only wearing Eau des Mervielles. I bet you smell great.
We always smell great in Eau des Merveilles. 😉
Oh! That combo sounds amazing! I need to try it. Please, report back when you layer them!
It works!
Eau des Merveilles + Orange Sanguine =
extra-orangey-salty-deliciousness
Yeah! That’s great! Thank you! My SODT for tomorrow!
I am cranky and tired this AM. Our gorgeous but very dumb grey striped tabby did not come home last night. So I was up and out of bed all night going to our back deck and calling him. He thinks the skunks and raccoons are other cats and happily bounds after them. I worry that late at night one or the other will get fed up with having him in tow, and will turn on him. He wandered in at about 8:30 this morning like that was completely acceptable behavior. Now he is out cold on our bed, and I am alternating between petting him and glowering at him.
I still can smell the remnants of Zelda that I applied last night, but think a long hot shower–tempting to include the cat!–is due.
Oh Zelda! I’m determined to wear her soon, possibly tomorrow. Those cats! So inconsiderate ????
abominably!
This interspecies friendship sounds a little TOO unlikely- we’re going to need some photographic proof!! 😉
I accept that challenge! Actually, I could have gotten a great pic of Fabio (his name is Festus, but Fabio seems more apt) just the other night hanging out at the birdbath with a raccoon. Neither animal was remotely fazed by the other. If either had glanced towards the house, they would have seen four curious humans peering at them through the windows. My husband lost his nerve first, and ran outside yelling, which sent them running in opposite directions. My husband looked most unAttenborough-esque yelling, “It’s gonna end in tears!” and shaking his fists in the direction of the birdbath.
I’m with your husband!
I can testify to cats and raccoons being buddies. Our big boy cat arrived as a stray in our backyard with a raccoon friend. They’d show up together and eat side by side. We adopted the cat and brought him in. Not the raccoon….
Yikes! My very protective terrier dog went after some raccoons once and suffered pretty serious injuries. I could see bite marks up and down his legs that went down a good 1/4″. It was a long recovery.
It is unfortunate that a lot of people see raccoons as cute and cuddly; there’s always some nutjob in the neighborhood who’ll set out food for them and create problems for everyone else. (I saw a raccoon doing just this the other day. It was pointed out to me by the postman, who couldn’t deliver the neighbor’s mail, since the raccoon was snacking away on some food in a dish on a table by the front door.)
We had a problem with raccoons population in our area and tried to use a service but after a while they refused to put out the cages on the public territory because some “nice” neighbors were freeing (!) caught anymals and breaking cages. Idiots.
We have been lucky so far, but I think it can only be a matter of time. Our much smarter cat did come home with gashes along his back one night. We spent hours in the waiting room at the animal hospital. The cuts could have come from another, larger cat, or something else. We never discovered how he got hurt.
As for feeding wild animals, we currently have a psycho squirrel that sneaks into kitchen and eats our cats’ food. A carniverous squirrel is seriously creepy. I’ve screamed and banged pots at it. It scurries away for a day or two, and then it is back. Predictably, the cats are useless and are happy to loll about watching the squirrel come in and out of the house, another “cat” in the hood.
Pity we live so far apart, I have a champion squirrel-hunter Papillon dog. She would love to take care of your intruder!
I’m glad the cat is back! I’d be worried crazy had it been my cat. Luckily, so far he and raccoons stay on the opposite sides of the door window.
Oh my that does sound scary. My mom’s cat (she is up in Michigan) went outdoors once and came back after getting skunked. We had to bathe her and it was a nightmare.
I’m so glad the cat came back unharmed. I hope you get a chance to relax or take a nap this afternoon.
Hi everyone. I am new to the group. I am a retired/ lawyer/ ballerina. I teach ballet and am a total frag head/ addict.
“Just for fun” and out of curiosity I worked as a fine frag SA in a department store for a few months last winter.
My name tag said “Ethel”. Last name Maltol.
It was not fun and the frags were not so “fine”. But I actually developed a tolerance and then a hankering for mass market fruit-choolis. Funny how that works. I now do not mind bathing in the juices that actually repelled me at first!
Although I have not been in the store for several months, my mum says that she can still smell the ethyl maltol on me.
Do I need a 12 step programme? Hmmm
Now wearing: Black Opium
AMA.
Welcome! In the spirit of AMA, which do you miss more: ballet or the law?
Hey hiya! All the fruitchoulis in the universe welcome. Although if you’ve come here to dry out, you may be out of luck. This may be the sorriest group of fundamentally fragrance financial enablers you’re bound to come across. Appeals for help resisting new perfume purchases fall on deaf ears, and no matter what secret perfume shame you have, five others here no doubt have it too–loud and proud ????
Lol! Amen to that!
I’m all for fruitchouli. What are your favorites?
And, welcome! Like Oakland said, hold on to your wallet! 😀
Welcome! A good fruitchouli is just fine by me.
I’m curious if you had any interesting customer experiences working at the fragrance counter
Hi Ethel! The group can “help” you – but only if you want. If you don’t – we’ll help you to cultivate your love to whatever you want: tastes are so different that you’ll always find someone else likes same perfumes as you.
Welcome!
Hello hello, welcome!
Hi! Nice to have you join in. I did a stint at a fragrance counter when I was a teen. Learned a lot and great memories of helping people pick out fragrances.
Welcome! You’re definitely in the right place (or the wrong place depending in how you look at it ????)!
Welcome!
:: waves ::
Hi, and welcome! And please do share your SA experiences with us!
hi there and welcome! adding my interest in hearing any tales from behind the perfume counter. worst and best customer? and where are the samples hidden? 🙂
Welcome! Glad to meet you.
Welcome!
Welcome! We’ll do our best to errrrr ummm help you get deeper into the rabbit hole 🙂
Hi! Welcome to our “scented community”. I too would love to hear some of your stories. I am a school counselor, but one of my dreams is to go work in the fragrance department at Neiman Marcus. 🙂
Welcome!
Hello! What’s your fav fruitchouli?
It’s supposed to rain all weekend here in East Texas. I don’t complain about rain in June, because it means less chance of drought conditions later this summer. I’m wearing a new Smell Bent fragrance called Hot House. The name perfectly represents our local weather. It is a spicy, but vegetal scent, very interesting.
I’ve had my eye on that one – is it good interesting, or just weird interesting?
It’s good interesting. It is supposed to be floral notes, green notes, and earth. Mostly I am getting herbal notes, with a faint sweetness that may be the floral notes. No real earthy notes. If you like green fragrances you might like this. And really $7.00 for a 4 ml travel spray is worth trying it.
Thanks, PriscillaE! I adore green fragrances, and Smell Bent’s Florist’s Fridge is a spring/summer favorite so I figured Hot House might be right up my alley.
I second the Florist Fridge and I have you to thank for turning me on to that one! Also, Demeter’s Flower Show.
In Arielle Soshana courtesy of the wonderful perfumelover67. This scent is really easy to wear. I tested this on skin and my shirt sleeve, and for me it works way better on skin. Enjoying cooler temps today in my part of Texas.
Apologies. I misspelled Arielle Shoshana
I really need to email her for a sample! It seems everyone on here loves it. So happy for Ari.
You can purchase a sample on her website…free shipping! Hoping she will eventually come around to making travel sizes…then I will break my no buy 🙂
I’d pick up a travel size in an instant!
Oh, me too.
Candidate for splitting!
Good to know…how long is you no-buy period? Not through 2017?
Coin-op….the last full bottle I purchased with my own money (no gift certificates or freebies) was for a milestone birthday two years and two months ago. And, yes, through 2017 and beyond (if I can do it!!!)
I am glad you like it and are enjoying it. As I said before the opening is so gorgeous!
We’ve had a nice reprieve from the 90 degree weather, haven’t we?
And yes, I think the NST gang could support at least one split of AS, if not two!
Prairie Nymph again: carnation and honey but has a clove/rose vibe, almost clove cigarette-like. Just reading about prairie nymph flowers which are in the iris family and bloom for only a few hours before dying.
Massive fail on the midwinter carnival. I was planning to go but downloaded My Name is Lucy Barton at around 4.30pm ( intending to read for half an hour )…Next minute I was stretched out on the couch with a sleeping bag draped over me and the the dogs curled up on my legs, next minute a glass of wine appeared, next minute a plate of snacks … and more wine….so, Lucy Barton was my mid winter treat.
Question: Scented candles or difusers? I have never tried the latter because the ones in boutiques, hotels etc. always seem quite synthetic and garish and vanilla. But are there good ones out there, like that Diptyque one?
Sounds like a lovely lazy day! I haven’t got a recommendation on the room scents as I prefer to be the scented thing in the room.
Haha, I like the way you think!
I’m with you on that 🙂 My bedroom also always smells good – eau de everything, from multiple sprays throughout the day.
I like both scented candles and diffusers. I’ve had good luck with Diptyque’s, they’re definitely less garish and synthetic than some of the downmarket ones I’ve tried! Worth the investment as they last a long time, too. I’ve also had fun making my own out of cheap bamboo skewers from the grocery store and various essential oils.
I’ve only used the steam diffusers partly because you can keep changing the scent, and partly because you can’t “turn off” the other kind. Not sure I want a constant, persistent scent.
I prefer candles because you can control when you want to scent the interiors. In case of most diffusers, once they start going, you can’t stop the diffusion.
That sounds like a lovely evening! I’m a candle person for the reason Lucasai names. Control over when I want scents in the room other than the people and the cats.
To be honest, your evening sounds like my idea of heaven. I like candles instead of diffusers because of the ability to turn them on and off but also because of the light itself – the flickering candlelight really grounds me and brings me back to my center when I need peace.
I like both candles and diffusers. Cats and a dog, so with a diffuser it’s steady scent. A candle adds an instant hit of something nice. Plus I’m sometimes forgetful, so diffusers are safer in my case. I like the Baltic Amber scent from Voluspa in both candle and diffuser. Archipelago (I found at Hemispheres) Tabac &Oudwood scented candle. This one is super strong. Not sure your location, I also like Tyler candles I find in Texas.
Thanks for the helpful advice everyone! I always think that candles create a cosy atmosphere so that will probably help with my decision. And then there’s incense…
Yowza! Incredibly hot here! I woke too late to get any yard work done this morning so I have been inside doing more culling of household stuff, trying refurbish an old cheap MDF adjustable desk, and blowing up the SUP.
I peeled off all the laminate off the desk and sanded it down, so will head out to Michaels after the sun goes down and pick up some paint, glitter, and epoxy. I want to make it look like constellations and galaxies, my uneducated nod to astrophysicists past, present, and future. Ultimately, I will detach it from the frame and use it in the van as a work/prep surface.
Worked up a sweat inflating the SUP, but it went quickly! It seems to be made of the same stuff those zodiac boats are made of. T-Rex and I have been bouncing up and down on it, she got a lot of praise and treats, and I got nothing! ????
Wearing SSS Forest Walk which is so cool, green, and mossy! Perfect for a blistering day. I was looking for housing on Airb&b recently and just realized Bait and Switch is alive and well in he USA. So disappointing, was hoping I would not have to be stuck in a hotel again for my next contract. Oh well.
Happy Wafting through the Weekend NSTers!
Not Utah?
No Utah! The start date was prior to the end of my last contract. However, when I see the temperature there, I’m not sad! Instead, I will be headed to the foothills of Appalachia, woods, rivers, and lakes, many shaded hiking opportunities and water for SUPing in upstate SC. I think it worked out for the best. The struggle is always housing and I thought I’d try airb&b this time, but I’m really disappointed in the process so far.
That sounds lovely! Sorry about the housing frustratiin. Hope it works out in time.
I think you got more done this morning than I did in the past month. 😉
Haha! Me too.
You smell wonderful! Love that one!
Second this! I love Forest Walk.
That table is going to look amazing.
Forest Walk!!!! Smellin’ good, Deva!
Triple digit heat expected here so I am watering my plants early and then heading for the farmer’s market. I’m wearing Azemour les Orangers, my purchase from Fumarie when Waterdragon was here. If you don’t know it, it’s a lovely orange chypre, both green and warm.
Triple digits?! A hex on any temperature over 80F!????I have a small decant of Azemour. I admit I didn’t love it at first, but it really grew on me. Wish he’d bring back smaller bottles…
You smell wonderful. Looking forward to ordering Corsica Furiosa from Fumerie when I get back to the US. Can’t find anyplace in Canada that carries it.
CF????
I thought I disliked this one, tried a small decant I had again a few weeks ago and now love it. Even bought a bottle! It’s beautiful.
Glad you gave it another chance! Still one of my favorites.
Happy weekend, all! I smell of Arabie from splitting the bottle for our little un-NST-sanctioned splitmeet 🙂 It is glorious stuff. Also, now I get to keep the bottle!! My prize for splitting. (Luckily, SL isn’t hard to split, because the top comes off. Wins all ways.)
A good perfume with a bottle too ugly to buy? Hmm. I can’t think of one off-hand. There are plenty of bottles that look tacky to me, but I have yet to want the juice inside one.
Keep cool, those in the northern hemisphere!
Holy cow! ????
Oops! This does not go here! Lol
Yay on the split!
It’s all ready to be mailed out! I just have to get to the post office 🙂
I’m in Tom Ford’s Shanghai Lily today, thanks to some generous samples from Elizabeth! I do love lily in perfumes, especially when it’s spicy. I would love to find a perfume that smells just like a Casablanca Lily – it’s a hypnotic scent.
As ever, it’s ridiculously hot here in the Mojave, and the Shanghai Lily is blooming quite nicely.
You smell great.!
Thanks, apsara – hope you are wearing something equally beautiful. 🙂
Hmm… well, if I owned this bottle, I don’t think I’d put it out for display.
https://www.parfum-outlet.ch/WebRoot/Store17/Shops/62708177/5309/01F7/91A7/0EED/FF6E/C0A8/2AB8/A4A7/azz_now_wom.jpg
Oops, how’d this end up here? I was trying to reply to Koyel.
Holy cow! ????
Holy cow! Indeed. Hilarious.
The same thing happened to me! It’s a conspiracy! ????
Yikes! That’s one truly awful bottle.
????????????
That is seriously awful…and the. Imagine what it’s like when you spray .
Right? OW!
Wins the bottle porn category
Snort.
LOL! and yet, it would be “interesting” to own, eh?
Oh dear lord. What were they thinking?! A dual function product has its advantages, I suppose.
I’m guessing the thought process was something along the lines of, “why the hell not?”
Also available Pour Homme:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yrjdtwAFDHo/U9VXgTsVWyI/AAAAAAAADog/-0FyNIIgAdw/s1600/AzzaroNowMen1.jpg
For Two (though oddly not double-sided):
http://stat.homeshop18.com/homeshop18/images/productImages/116/azzaro-duo-women-edt-for-women-80-ml-large_f80a7b6552831fd93ff69a1eb6b2855b.jpg
In a, uh, sister scent:
https://fimgs.net/images/secundar/o.38214.jpg
And for the “international” market:
http://i3.sinaimg.cn/lx/beauty/p/2007/1102/U1653P8T1D577922F913DT20071102160627.jpg
I feel obligated to add here, possibly NSFW. Though they are actual bottles and advertisements, they may fit the Bottle Porn theme a bit too literally.
And great for mothers day gift …or for that special schoolteacher
Haha! That makes me happy.
As a schoolteacher, I can’t imagine how I would possibly react if I received that as a gift. Horror?
Lol! Hee, hee! This comment made my day!
O.O My goodness, that is…wow. I’ve never tried that scent, and now hope I never do, just in case I like it.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow. Just wow.
OH……….MY……….GOODNESS! I’m speechless!
Umm…does it come with a set of triple A batteries?
MPG Iris Bleu Gris this morning for a trip to the Belle Isle Aquarium… a great fit! Though I do think it would be better on my husband. I just have a sample that is almost gone – I’ve had it for probably 4 years so probably not one I need to buy, though I think it’s lovely.
I think I may be almost past the stage of acquisition… it’s not that my collection is huge, or even big by perfumista standards, but it’s… enough. Ask me again next year and I may have a different answer, but that’s how I’m feeling today!
I got there too, eventually. It’s very hard for me now to buy anything, even when I want it and there’s a discount.
A gorgeous mild sunny day here in Quebec. Today is the provincial holiday, St. Jean Baptiste day, and there are parties going on in the local parks, including the one in front of our condo. Went for a bike ride this am and walking over to my favourite artisanal ice cream shop for strawberry cheesecake soft-serve in a little while. Wearing Amouage Fate today and feeling lucky indeed after a little NST birdie helped me locate those elusive Jo Malone Poptastic bottles I have been on a wild goose chase to buy. Thanks for the hot tip!
Strawberry cheesecake soft serve…. YUM! Enjoy!
It was sooo good… may have to go back for another one this week. 🙂
Mmmm, strawberry cheesecake ice cream is one of my favorites. I sometimes sneak into a Rite Aid drugstore to buy a single scoop of that flavor of Thrifty brand ice cream.
Loved the look of those Poptastic bottles. Congratulations on your find. 🙂 Today I’m smitten with the Blossom Belle image on the Jo Malone web site. That floral headdress is over the top!
Yes, very pretty image! We don’t have that blossom collection here in Montreal yet.
After all that I’m glad you got the JM bottles!!! Saw they’re available online at Sephora now!
Yes, that’s where I got them!
Oh I have a good perfume with a bottle too ugly to buy–Sisley’s Izia. I got a sample during the Freebiemeet and was surprised by how easy to wear it is, and by how much I liked it. But the bottle is just hideous! There is no way I’d pay that price to keep something so ugly on my dresser. I’ll just have to find a different fragrance with similar notes I guess!
There is a 6.5 ml purse spray, but so far have only seen it in a coffret with the bigger bottle. But they do show up on eBay!
Yes! Looks like paramecium!
I tried it at Nordstrom and thought it was lovely, the SA said “isn’t the bottle lovely?” I lied and said yes 🙂
My lovely husband took a detour via Kusmi teas to buy me a tin of BB Detox tea (green tea, mate, rooibos, grapefruit and guarana), had a mini tin of this last summer, it’s so refreshing and smells so good! He also went to Les Sentaurs to pick up some samples for me (free!) Sweet Redemption, nice, but as I have Seville a l’aube I don’t feel I ‘need’ it.
Au Coeur du desert; lovely, but don’t need it, Incense Rose keeps position on pedestal, but I’ve recently fallen for Maroc Pour Elle too.
i still have Vetiver Extroadinaire, Eau de Magnolia, and Corsica Furiosa to try.
Just finished off yummy Red lentil, couliflour and courgette curry I made yesterday, relatively mild for the kids, but lots of flavour, and added extra salt and dried crushed chillies.
Recipe for this curry?
The recipe is from allrecipes.co.uk I add some passata or a tin of chopped tomatoes, and u can use different veg, depending on what you’ve got on hand.
U might not see this now, so will let u know it’s here on SOTD tomorrow. ????
Oh and it’s very quick and easy!
BB detox is one of my favourite Kusmi teas! 😀 extra lovely in warm weather.
Nice sample stash by the way. Vetiver extraordinaire and Corsica furiosa are on my fb-want-list. Maybe not in top 5, but I would not mind at all if one of those bottles fell in my lap. 😉
Hee hee- me too!
My first weekend off since starting my new job, and it’s the perfect summer day! I’m wearing NR for her L’absolu. This is absolutely lovely, and layers perfectly with Korres Jasmine body lotion. I actually bought this blind for the bottle, the burgandy color is gorgeous. I lucked out and loved the fragrance, otherwise I would have returned it.
Is it going any better at the new job?
Thank you for asking, I am making the best of it. I took some initiative so I can have little more say in the work I am doing. Getting more familiar with my coworker’s. The hours are still awful though, but..what cha gonna do?
How does this compare to the original NR? I love the original scent.
This is heavy( o.k, moderate) on the jasmine, lighter on the musk. Also, I find it sweet, but not like candy. I wish I was better at description.
Ooh, now I am remiss that I didn’t do a blind buy when I saw it at Nordstrom rack the other day! They also had the original 5 oz (5 oz!?!) for $66. That burgundy bottle is gorgeous.
If you see it there again you should try it. Nordstrom rack has a good return policy on perfumes.
Gorgeous sunny day here, which almost has me thinking summer’s arrived and it’s time to pull out my seasonal clothes. A glance at the 10-day forecast tells me I’d be jumping the gun, though. 🙁
This morning’s Carnal Flower has faded, and I just sprayed some TF Neroli Portofino Acqua. It’s awfully light – especially for Tom Ford (didn’t know “light” was in his vocab. I *just* put it on and it’s already at skin-scent status. (Then again, I’ve been having sinus issues, so it could be me.)
Post-shower will wear Misia, as we’re going to the symphony, but this time I might switch it up and wear the edp instead of the edt. Livin’ life on the edge!
The biggest conundrum will be what to wear. It’s supposed to hit 80 today, but the symphony hall is kept at a frigid 60 or so. Even bundled up head-to-toe in the winter, I get cold in there. I can bring a warm layer for up top, but will still need a long-sleeved shirt, and fully covered legs and feet. AC I curse you!!!
I could not live without a/c, but likewise hate it when it’s hot out and you still need to carry a sweater! But do enjoy the symphony.
Slept in a bit, coffee & the paper with hubbie and now out and about on this absolutely gorgeous day.
Stopped by the J.Crew, extra 30% off, sample sale (no good finds) and now in little Korea having lunch. Next stop, a button shop to hopefully buy some new buttons to dress up a sweater I bought.
SOTD: yet again, Rose Rebelle Respawn
Enjoy the weekend!
what is going on with Jcrew!? no good finds at a sample sale is not good news for that brand. Madewell, however, I can spend a lot of money at.
Well it was day 5 of the sale so I probably missed all the good stuff.
Thing is, prices at the SS were the same as what’s in the store so only made sense to go on the xtra discount.
Morning, all. I envy you your midsummer as I shiver down here in 11 degrees of squally showers. The dear man is keeping himself warm by contemplating the All Blacks’ win over the Lions, but me, I couldn’t care less. On the subject of rugby, my mother once famously said to my father, ” Really, dear, thirty grown men rolling around in the mud creating All That Washing…it shouldn’t be thought of!” Knowing mum, she said it for effect, but whether she meant it or not, it certainly rendered my exuberant father speechless.
To perfume: today is a Beloved day, from Kanuka’s amazing gift. Oh my goodness, how I love this! Flowers and slight skank, then rose and more skank, and then skank and flowers and rose, then skanky powder and then gone, leaving just the memory of scented pleasure. I like to wear Beloved in summer, when heat and humidity pull depth from the gauzy floral top, but I have discovered that cold weather brings out something else, a green note that I hadn’t noticed before.
Dakkie yodelled loud and long: his personal anthem is clearly “All Through the Night”. We are now actively in pursuit of a kitten for him, a smart little Alpha-personality female (we think) who will organise his life and give it some structure so that he doesn’t need to entertain himself, us and (most importantly) the neighbours by sitting on the bookcase singing endless songs to the moon or Bastet or whatever.
Oh gosh, I’m glad I wasn’t drinking tea when I read your mother’s comment re: rugby! I would have spewed for sure. 😀
Good luck on the kitten search!
I wore Beloved to a brunch today (light application) and was surprised how well it did in the heat. It’s one of those rare perfumes that works all year.
I’ve never been able to decide what perfume “family” it fits into. Sometimes it even smells like an incense fragrance to me.
I won’t but Christalle even though I like it because of the bottle – and the name doesn’t help either. No. 19 same problem. It’s dumb, but I have so much perfume at this point it doesn’t really matter.
Wearing Violaceum 2 today, which has a lovely bottle and smells fab.
Agree, the Cristalle bottle is rectangular in a mildly agressive manner. It’s a bit off-putting at first glance.
How interesting that you see the Cristalle bottle like that. I love its spareness, the feeling that it is doing exactly what it should, with no unnecessary embellishment at all. I’m off to look at it again with new eyes….
It’s the big plastic looking – to me at least – spray mechanism that puts me off, not the bottle shape so much. No idea why. I’m usually not finicky about bottles.
And the spray mechanism is pretty shoddy. I have the no 5 EDT and have some problems with it and when it comes out, it’s in sad little squirts.
I think the bottle fits the fragrance nicely. Cristalle is beautiful with strong, square shoulders, too. 🙂
I do, too. But I love all the Chanel bottles, and the fact that they’ve stayed true to their spare, modern aesthetic for almost a century. Niche and “exclusive” lines have adopted their approach, but Chanel did it first and still does it best.
That said, I recently bought a 100 ml flat/rectangular bottle of Cristalle edp and it is massive – almost too big for its own good. It rather resembles a paperweight and I do wonder if more petite women would be able to spray from it with only one hand. But it’s a thing of beauty nonetheless 🙂
I had to look it up, but I feel the bottle matches the juice. (I don’t like either.)
I’m very fond of simple bottles, though, like the Serge Lutens bottles.
Me too. And I love the Malles bottles which also close with a very satisfying click.
So true!! Now if only I could afford the juice within….
Good morning from a much colder place – sunny and clear this morning, which is a nice change from yesterday’s cold and wet. I tried a spray of Bandit yesterday for the first time in years, and found that I quite liked it – I first tried it back in 2009, I realised when I checked my emails from TPC. Either my tastes have changed, or Bandit has, probably both. Many people lament that it’s not what it was, but I’m not one of them 🙂
I’m going in to work for a while this morning, working on Sunday doesn’t appeal, but the mad panic tomorrow would be even worse. I think I’ll comfort myself with Fille en Aiguilles – I’ve got a backup bottle on the way from Fragrancenet.
Bandit is great! :^)
Hello, I’m back, later in the day, and have a question.
Tomorrow I will be taking my four foster kittens to the adoption center. It will be sad sad sad to tell them goodbye.
But I have a big trip planned for later in the week–to Australia!
So my question is for anyone familiar with Oz, do you have perfume shopping tips or is there something available there that I should try? I will be in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. Looking forward to cooler weather.
Thanks!
No travel recommendations, but have a wonderful trip. Thank you for fostering the kittens – without you, they wouldn’t have had the chance to find wonderful forever homes.
I’m sure if you asked Portia over on Australian Perfume Junkies he’d be happy to give you some shopping tips.
Have a wonderful trip!
Calypso, there are specialist shops in Melbourne and Sydney, including Chanel and Hermes boutiques), but I don’t think thatvyou will find perfume ones there that you can’t readily experience in the US(?)or Europe. What you might find, however, is that the exchange rste of the US$ or the € makes it worth your while to shop there. I have to bite the financial bullet to shop anywhere, because our dollar runs low against most currencies, and in A-NZ, the prices are loaded to account for our tiny market base. However, if you were here, and you fancied (this a completely random selection), MONA Di Orio Myrrhe Casati (75mls), it would be NZ$249. If you convert that to US$, it’s $175. Compare the prices and see what you think.
Yeah, check out APJ at http://australianperfumejunkies.com/
Enjoy your trip!
Calypso,
I enjoyed reading your updates on your foster kittens; such a generous thing to do!
Thank you so much, it was such joy! Yesterday two neighbor girls came to visit and play. It was so sweet! Here’s a picture of it in case you are interested:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/94283635@N00/35343538212/
Adorable; thanks for sharing!!
https://www.peonymelbourne.com.au/store-location
Peony in Melbourne . Public transport is super easy and Peony has brands like Naomi Goodsir.
Jurlique in Adelaide…not perfume as such but wonderful skin products grown/made in the Adelaide Hills around
Aesop …pretty much everywhere in Oz
Big department stores like David Jones have the usual suspects
You will have such fun! In Melbourne there is a fabulous private collection museum cLled the Johnston Collection, and I think they have a really good animal in art series at the moment. You have to book and they pick you up from the Hilton…as the house is in a residential street so no walk-ins. Heide park for a sculpture garden. All the galleriesand museums are great.
Sydney is a bit more sprawled out and variable but fantastic.
Sydney has good shopping in Woollahra ( can’t spell it, but past Paddington) top of Oxford St…the posh boutiques
Naomi Goodsir in Chippendale in region of university
Glebe Point Road …Glebe books, great
Newtown funkier
Manly establishment , wealthier but cool to visit by ferry
Art gallery NSW super
And the botanic gardens are fabulous, hug the harbour from the opera house
Oh, and there is a hotel with a cocktail bar on the 30th floor with best views of the harbour…it’s amazing.
Blu bar in Shangri-la hotel. Seriously amazing view
Thanks so much Kanuka for all of these tips! I will actually be speaking at Art Gallery NSW! I’m keeping a list of all of your suggestions.
Oh, wow! Do I remember correctly that you’re in academia? (Or maybe I completely made that up?)
http://www.juliadeville.com/julia-deville/news/the-johnston-collection/
This is the Animal Kingdom show at the Johnston collection…they do amazing exhibitions Melbourne and collection is from the Pullman not the Hilton
Wow, and weird, and hmm! I’m definitely putting this on my to-do list!
It will be good. The Johnston collection is pretty cool. Also, make sure you go tothe National Library in melbourne as it has a great domed reading room with gallery space running around the upper levels and some great art.
The AGNSW is brilliant and lots of dealer galleries in both Melbourne and Sydney. There is a gallery attached to the Mitchell library, close to the AGNSW that often has good photo exhibitions.
Melbourne can be cold and grey in winter
Have good fun
Hope you have a great time! Hopefully it will take your mind off the kitties. I’d be sad, too.
I’m a little late today, but it’s been that kind of a lazy day. 🙂 Currently commando, but I’m going to a friend’s house for dinner so I *think* I’ll be putting on SSS Citrus Vetiver. I’ve been in an orange mood lately (very unusual for me).
Enjoy your evening, NSTers!
Lazy-ish day, getting ready to travel to a conference tomorrow. Why do those tiny toothpaste tubes always disappear when they’re still half full? I swear I’ve purchased 20 of them in 2017, yet not one was to be found in my house.
In Eau des Merveilles today. I asked my husband to randomly select samples for my trip, so I have no idea what I’ll be wearing between tomorrow and Thursday. That’s my kind of gambling.
Have a good trip and enjoy the scent serendipity!
yay for Eau des Merveilles! You smell great.
Those little tubes of toothpaste hide from me too.
I’d like to please ask for advice for how to better handle a situation I had at the airport the other day. I hardly travel and have taken two trips this year. As long as I arrive safely I’m fine wherever I sit. Of course closest to the front I’m more comfortable; I have some anxiety issues. A good drink helps ???? My mom got tickets on Southwest with business select seating – priority boarding. Which is lovely and generous. Had a great trip. She had already checked in since she arrived at the airport first. She tells me to go to the priority boarding lane – no one else was in that line. There was a young girl (late teens early 20s) and with her, I am guessing grandparents or parents, waiting to check in. I asked them if they were priority boarding because I didn’t want to cut in front of them. The young girl make a comment like “we aren’t priority”, then goes on and on. I said oh then please go ahead of me and check in. The gate attendant said it would be faster for me to check in first since I was the only one in that line. But the girl went on and on to her family how they weren’t “priority”. I don’t like confrontation and it was really ridiculous. I could’ve just ignored them and wouldn’t you know, they were on my flight. There were no other issues. I think next time I’ll just keep quiet.
Flopper,
You didn’t do anything wrong. I know its frustrating when people become confrontational with you, but you can’t take it personal. Being at the airports nowadays can bring out the worst in some. That 20 year old was already upset before you said anything to her. If it wasn’t you she said something to, it would have been someone else.
I personally don’t fly Southwest because of how they do their seating. I prefer an airline where I can purchase my ticket and know exactly where I’m going to sit before I even board the plane. But, on the flip side, some people love how Southwest does their seating.
But again, try not to take it personal. It seems she wasn’t frustrated with you, but the boarding procedures.
Thank you scentfromabove! I didn’t think about how she was already probably frustrated with the situation. And I do take things personally at times – something I’m always working on.
🙂
I agree with scentfromabove that the girl had other issues before you spoke with her. I would have asked “Are you in line for Priority boarding?” and as soon as she said no, I would go ahead of them and ignored any other comments. If she continues to be belligerent, airport security will handle.
Thank you Hajusuuri! Excellent advice!
I am not an MD so shouldn’t say this, but I fly a lot and I think everyone should be handed Xanax at ticketing. It would save us all a lot of stress – and dealing with other’s stress, which definitely sounds like what you were dealing with. Oi.
In agreement that you did nothing wrong. If I were the parent, I would have told the girl to hush up. She was being rude, and obnoxious.
Thank you everyone for your feedback ???? I greatly appreciate it.
Hello All! Hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. I did absolutely nothing today except watch Netflix, YouTube, and television. I stayed at home because we have been bracing ourselves for this tropical storm. We haven’t had a really bad storm in a while and the weather forecasters say we are due for one. I hope they are wrong, but just want to be prepared.
My SOTD is Pure Gold by Montale. I know a lot people don’t really care for this one, but there’s something about it that I really like.
If anyone has ever tried this one, let me know your thoughts.
A day watching Netflix etc. sounds wonderful to me!
My MIL left today. Love her but am selfishly happy to get back to my usual routine!
Playing with a Commodity Cocktail Kit thanks to the freebie meet! Layered Whiskey and Gold today. I smell warm and cozy!
Happy weekend, all!
SOTD = Amouage Bracken Woman
A FB is in my future. It’s a galbanum bomb and shares DNA with my beloved No, 19.
Yay! I love it so much I am glad to see others do too.
Oh dear, this is getting serious. I really want to try Bracken
I just saw that Luckyscent has Amouage 20% off. ????
Similar to 19? Oh dear. I’m in trouble.
Most Amouage don’t work for me, but Beloved Woman is just insanely perfect when it does. It starts on my skins like an orchestra tuning up– discordant but clearly skillfull, and then suddenly— the music starts and it all comes together. I would love to have a bottle. But it’s also one of the only frags my husband has ever made a disparaging remark about, so…
Will have to add Bracken to the test list.
I love your description! Zoologist Macaque is a little like that on me, so I totally get it. ????
Oh hajusuuri, why did you say that?! I’ve been wanting to try Bracken and especially now that you mention No. 19!
The Black Narcissus wrote about Bracken last month. His musings were so vivid that your mention of this fragrance called them to mind instantly. I had to go back and read his words again.
Had to buy myself something, and it turned out to be a 50ml of Declaration d’un Soir for $25. “Reasoning”: the original Declaration is still enough there without too much of its “trying to be sexy” connotation, so a flanker may be just what I “need.”
Nice deal!
I think so, and was glad to read that Kevin wrote a positive review 🙂
In Jo Malone Myrrh and Tonka. Feels great now that the weather has cooled off
Testing Dans tes Bras pre-shower. Post shower will be back in Tonka Imperiale…mmmm…
Caught a really bad cold before leaving for Europe and not been able to smell much. But feeling better now and looking forward to revisting my favorite shops in Zurich in a couple of days.
Oh forgot to say did manage to try the new Eau de Merveilles Bleue. I liked it alot!
Glad you are better! And do enjoy your trip.
Good morning everyone!
We are having the most glorious weather here. I woke to blue skies, sun and 50 degree temps. It will warm into the 70’s today. This is what I call “good sleeping weather.” Windows open with a cool breeze. It feels like fall, only better because: it’s still summer!
I’m off to do some linen shopping today. The bedroom is being repainted the most lovely shade of gray. When I decided on gray I had no idea there were so many shades! More than 50, that’s for sure. Lol. Yes, this is how boring my life is that I am excited over fresh paint and a new bedspread.☺️
Anyway, I’m really feeling the citrus fragrances lately. I’m loving Le Labo Bergamote 22 and I am tempted to do a blind buy of Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune, fragrancenet has it for a song. Any input on this fragrance? I’m also very curious about Jo Loves Pomelo.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
I have worn AA Pamplelune forever. It is so good and refreshing. One of my big summer favs.
I like Pamplelune but read more than once that for some people it smells like BO.
Jo Loves Pomelo is a very juicy and believable citrus, worth trying if you like this type of perfumes.
Have you tried Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine or any other of their citruses? I know that perfumes are very subjective but for myself I’d first go for one of these (and they come in small bottles).
I second the Ateliers and they are showing up for very inexpensive at online discounters now.
Also, Pacifica has some nice citrus scents for next to nothing as well. I get them at my local health food store significantly discounted but Ulta occasionally has a buy one get one free.
Another fabulous day, mid 70’s and breezy (23C) and blue sunny skies. Wearing Etro Vicolo Fiori.
Beautiful weather in the Big Apple too. Enjoy the day!
Speaking of beautiful bottles, perfume advertising in general, and mainstream versus niche, here’s an observation with a quote from Roja Dove:
“Just like wine in the 1970s, a small number of major perfume brands still overshadow all the rest, accounting for most of the advertising and sales, and the majority of consumers remain in their thrall, never having had the chance to learn how to smell for themselves. The result, as independent perfumer Roja Dove says, is that ‘most people don’t really smell perfumes. They smell marketing.’”
https://www.wallpaper.com/lifestyle/the-makers-of-niche-perfumes-explain-why-uncommon-scents-are-on-the-rise?iid=sr-link5
Thank you for the link, that’s a must read article.
When I began exploring scent I was overwhelmed with other aspects of life, so almost all of the new-to-me scents I tried were from sample vials. No trips to the perfume counters, but I still felt influenced by brand name marketing (for good and for bad). It was simpler to sniff from anonymous little vials.
I hope everybody is having a nice/great/comfortable weekend!
Infotainment article from The Verge: ‘the worst smells in the world, according to scientists’
https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2017/6/15/15808490/worst-smell-stench-stink-ever-in-the-world-science
ha! that’s a pretty awful stink link, thanks. There’s a link within that one to a story about a smell so bad it knocked out a nurse, and nurses can deal with the worst.
I read that article too.
I love the mention of Shalimar 😀
“I would have liked a chance to prepare myself, perhaps by drenching a bandanna in Shalimar and wearing it over my nose and mouth the entire time.”
(link to the article for anyone interested in this horrible olfactory experience: https://www.theverge.com/2015/12/6/9847858/epidermoid-cyst-smell-foul-odor-cheesy
SOTD yesterday was Amouage “Interlude Man” (I think Herr Kirsch mentioned it during the week).
Top: bergamot, oregano and pepper;
Mid: incense, amber, labdanum and opoponax;
Base: leather, patchouli, oud and sandalwood.
Each time I wear this, my attention is drawn to some new facet. This time it was the leather that I noticed, as well as the citrus and ashy incense that is always there somewhere. My decant is nearly finished so will need more.
Yesterday TOMK and I went to the Bournville Fair in the Cadbury’s Sports Grounds which was mildly diverting – mostly fun fair rides and geared to kids and young teens, the which we ain’t. Then in the evening to the theatre to see Mischief Theatre’s “The Play That Goes Wrong”. Very funny piece built around mishaps in an amateur production of a hokey murder mystery play. (I think the best I’ve ever seen in that genre, however, remains “The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production Of Macbeth”.
SOTD today is Jesus del Pozo “Arabian Nights”.
Top: rose and thyme;
Mid: cedar, sandalwood, guaiac wood, patchouli, vetiver and saffron;
Base: oud, labdanum, amber and musk.
We’ve been for Sunday brunch with friends in a Syrian restaurant and so now it is time to check in for tonights flight and finish my packing. :^)
Jeeze Louise! When do you sleep!?:)
Hah! If you check back, you’ll see we go for weeks without doing anything interesting! I know people with seriously impressive energy levels who accomplish wonders every day. I am not among them. ;^)
So for a full picture, next time I’m out in the garden I’ll need to throw away all the dead bedding plants I never got round to. Because I personally can’t keep every plate spinning all the time. I have no idea how people with kids manage it!
At the mall the other day, I stopped a woman to ask what perfume she was wearing. She said “you can’t buy it here, it’s $250 a bottle, its By Killian”. All I can say is it was sweet, maybe black cherry and some patchouli? Not sure, but it was so gorgeous and sexy smelling, and I really must have it. Any ideas to the name? I have only ever smelled Good girl gone bad, and Imperial Tea, and it wasn’t either of those for sure.
Could have been Back to Black, which is a cherry tobacco fragrance
Thanks! I don’t recall smelling Tobacco, but it was a quick interaction.
lillyjo, BK Back to Black is sort of a cherry tobacco kind of scent, very good. I would start with that one.
There are also some newer dark ones, like Black Phantom (coffee), Noir Afrodisiaque (chocolate), Royal Leather, and Single Malt that I haven’t tried, except for Black Phantom. Luckyscent offers samples of Back to Black, and I’ve seen some of the others on ebay.
Now that you mentioned chocolate, I might have caught some of that. Will have to investigate further. Thanks!
Probably Straight to Heaven.
You are SO much nicer than me, lillyjo!
“You think YOU can afford something I can’t, wearing THAT? ” The End.
Glad you are making the best of the new job.
Onward and upward!
Carpe Diem. Peace.
Venti BlackEye, because I felt like some Starbucks aggravation.
😉
Lol Bear!, I don’t know if I’m nice, it’s just that the older I get, the less I feel like engaging people.:)
Ditto not engaging! Ugh! All I want is Hello and Goodbye. I think I may have some antisocial tendencies ????
Double ditto! i say it is my middle aged crankiness at play 🙂
Yeah, I thought it was rather graceless comment as well.
I’m with you, Bear. I would have said to her, “I asked for the name, not the price.” Then I probably would of said, “I don’t purchase fragrances under $300, but it smells good on you.” People like that make my blood boil! Lol!
Good one 🙂
Also, FYI, you can get the lovely travel atomizer sets for around $160.
Gosh I’d be *thrilled* if someone wanted to know what perfume I was wearing! I’d give them a spritz from
my bottle if I had it with me. People are interesting.
I was in PdE Yuzu Fou yesterday, which I liked, but it faded rather quickly on me.
Added PdN Vetyver, and yay! This one is a winner! I think I can wear this in any season. It tips a bit more toward the masculine, but it works for me.
Both of these are FBs from the Beautyhabit sale, and I am over and out in terms of further bottle purchases for awhile. Yowsa!
Oh, you smell fabulous! I love that Vetiver, it does skew a teeny bit masculine on me as well but I love it! Can you detect the cumin?
I think so, but it may be a little of the residue from the Yuzu Fou. It is really well blended, that’s for sure. I need to try it on ‘virgin’ skin, so to speak.
And it lasts 5-6 hours on me. Does it last on you, too?
Yes, it lasts well on me, but most fragrances do, even the Hermés ones that everyone complains are short lived. I spray my clothes, too, so I think that helps. I wear it to bed quite frequently and love slipping my pajamas over my head. Yum!
VC&A California Reverie for an afternoon bus ride to Philadelphia to see a friend who is there with her family (they live in Tulsa.) It’s been 11 years, and I haven’t met her kids.
Happy and irritated with my cat Penny. She was in hiding this morning, and I found her under the couch. She seemed dehydrated and lethargic. So, I stayed home from church to monitor and see if we needed to make a run to vet. After a while, she came out to eat. And kept eating… I opened an extra can, which she was happy to eat. Then she begged for treats. She seemed much more hydrated and had her normal bounce – “helping” me change the sheets. My guess is she saw the luggage and the bustle this morning and went into a funk. Glad she’s well, but I’m sorry I missed the final sermon by a retiring pastor. Oh well, that’s what streaming is for I guess…. I’ll have her sitter keep me updated. I’m close and can get home pretty quickly. Little rat….
Have a great time with your friend!
Enjoy your reunion and have fun!
Made up for slacking yesterday by mowing the rest of the lawn and weed whacking half this morning. I have to approach outdoor work incrementally and divvy chores day by day or I WILL DIE outside.
Underestimated my paint for the table project and will have to brave the Sunday masses and get more base color. Ready to hop in the shower and after, I don’t think I’ll be able to say no to Corsica Furiosa. That bottle loves me almost as much as I love it????
Tomorrow after a dental appointment I will test drive the SUP. I’ve been watching videos on YouTube about SUP Yoga: (skip to :30 to avoid the yapping)
https://youtu.be/uyUe_zw33x4
In my imagination, the gal on top that board is me: lean and graceful. In reality, I will be a tasty chunky snack for a tiger shark after I fall into the drink, splashing about because I’m unable to hoist myself back up on the board. ????
Yeah, your such a slacker Deva, lol! I’ve done one load of laundry, and gave my kids lunch today. I’m exhausted…., I find all that you do very inspiring. My guess is you could take the Tiger Shark.
Kids. That’s the magic word. If I had kids I’d be beyond exhausted before I even got out of the bed. I’d be too tired to follow this blog. I’d be too tired to say “no” when “no” needs to be said. T-Rex would be living with another bi-pedal because I couldnt do it. Kids would do me in, lock, stock, and barrel, so kudos to for getting your kids lunch and being a great mom!
I’m wearing Smell Bent Tea House today. I smell primarily of cake, vanilla and butter.
My goodness that sounds good (and it is making me very hungry!)
I woke up early today and am enjoying the only cool hours of today. The high is 90 in Seattle! Blech. I tested a couple of samples included in a swap a while back, See by Chloe and Aerin Waterlily Sun. See is not for me at all, but I’m surprisingly enjoying the Aerin. Not enough to get more after this sample, but I didn’t have high expectations at all.
Yesterday was spent in Hermes Apres la Mousson, which is so great in the heat. Looks like I have one more wearing left in my decant, and then I’ll purchase a travel spray. Last night I re-tested TF Vert des Bois and decided it isn’t for me.
I leave tomorrow morning for my trip to Ohio and Chicago, so tonight I need to figure out which perfumes to take with me for the 7 day trip!
Enjoy your trip. I am pretty sure you will pack good fumes!
!عيد مبارك
SOTD is N°5 from offsite storage (™Kanuka).
It’s pretty darned hot in these parts. I’m glad I’m acclimated to it from having grown up here! We need the monsoons to start soon…
Enjoy the remainder of your weekend, all you fabulous NSTers!
I’m perusing the interwebs today and noticed that there is a pretty good price for Dame Cassis, Rose and Sandalwood. Just wondering if the cassis is pretty noticeable (ie – ‘cat pee-ish’) as I had a pretty bad experience with another fragrance with this note and had to leave it unattended hoping for a new owner.
Thanks for your input 🙂