It's another Monday, and also, Tequila Day and J Lo's birthday. What fragrance are you wearing?
If I had any J Lo Glow left, I'd be wearing that, but I don't. Instead I'm wearing Sultan Pasha Nankun Kodo, which I've been wearing all weekend. Thank you to the very kind reader who sent me the sample! You can find a detailed review at Kafkaesque.
Reminder: 7/28 will be Nathalie Friday...wear a perfume by Nathalie Lorson or Nathalie Feisthauer, if you have one.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2017, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is Kamikaze cocktail, mosaico [cropped] via Wine Dharma; some rights reserved.
I’m in the Robin@NST-approved layering of Eau des Merveilles and Eau Claire des Merveilles (pat. pending). Happy Monday!
Ha, then of course you smell great!
When I was in Brussels a couple of months ago I went to a wonderful store called Parfum d’Ambre to look for the Nobile 1942 Petit Chocolatier set (he was sold out) and ended up buying Habanita: the owner gave me a big handful of samples including a trio of scents he himself recently launched, all based on sustainably sourced ylang-ylang (he works with the growers). Today I’m in his Anjouan, equal parts vanilla and ylang with bergamot at the top and sandalwood at the bottom, and it is heaven, pure warm summer sun.
Oh, that sounds wonderful!
Ah, I’ve walked past that shop many times. It’s on Rue du Bailli, which also is home to one of my favourite tea shops in Brussels.
That sounds truly wonderful.
I might be forced to look that one up!
Heh, the Petit Chocolatier set was part of my first order ever from LuckyScent, along with Lab on Fire What We Do in Paris is Secret. I must have good taste if you are looking for the same thing 🙂
Wearing SMN Acqua di Cuba thanks to a kind fragrance friend.
What a lovely tobacco and honey scent that is spicy rather than the sweet these scents are usually rendered as.
This one might just have to go on my full bottle list
Monday already!?
SOTD: Anyway from Juliette Has a Gun
Should have sprayed this sample on my wrist before going straight for the neck. Could have saved the skin for something better but it’s nothing heavy or cloying so I guess it will fade before I know it.
Guess I should go and pick what to wear next!
Anyway is really a good name for it. It does disappear pretty fast.
I’m wearing AG Myrrh Ardente. I only have the body lotion but it’s strong enough to last a few hours. Very beautiful.
Monday. Well. That photo is oh so appropriate today. I may be ingesting an adult beverage myself this evening, although it won’t be as classy as the drink pictured. It’ll be the gauche Not Your Father’s Root Beer and I will thoroughly enjoy it!
SOTD is CSP Amour de Cacao in an effort to sweeten my bitter disposition. Also, tomorrow I’m attending my first spin class in 7 months, so if you never see a post from me again, it’s probably because I died on a spin bike. ????
Not Your Father’s Root Beer is really good, and deceptively strong for something that tastes as if it had no alcohol in it.
It is strong! I had two once with dinner and I was certifiably drunk! The fact that it doesn’t taste like alcohol is exactly the reason I like it, too.
Ha! Good luck and make sure they know where the defibrillator is.
No kidding!
After 7 months, ease into it, Deva!
LOL… I hear those spin classes are tough. Good luck!
Oh dear, I read about the dangers of excessive spinning just last week in the NYT: rhabdomyolysis! So: don’t overdo it!
I really like Not Upur Father’s Root Beer, which really surprised me when I tried it. Their ginger ale is also really good if you like that sort of flavor.
I saw that and also the cream soda. Limiting myself to the root beer at this point, but may try the others at some point.
I am so out of it — never heard of the Root Beer & will have to go google.
Maybe better if you didn’t! I was camping back in March and a couple camping near me introduced me to it. They fed me, offered me firewood, and started my love affair with NYFRB. Lovely people!
If you bought a series of spin classes, only do a max of 2 per week- they are really tough and can cause issues. Good luck!
I used to spin for an hour 6-7 days a week and have even done back to back classes for 2 hours straight. I stopped in January because I was so busy with the van and getting prepared to travel that I completely gave it up. Sadly, my waist line is expanding at an exponential rate, sort of like the universe. Now, I have to suck it and get back in gear. Slowly. ????
“sort of like the universe”
lol!
Ha! I feel you- this is why I revised my eating habits this past spring and slowly got back into my routine! Ah the waistline- it never lies!
Good luck, Deva! and have a “root beer” on me 🙂
I am wearing Hot House by Smell Bent. I have four Nathalie fragrances, so today I just chose one to enjoy. This one is a green powerhouse.
Smell Bent makes some lovely scents
Thank you to everyone for the positive vibes and good curses last week. You all are the best, and best smelling! I colored my hair and put on my big girl panties, so ready to fight the good fight. Inspired by the weekend scrubber poll, and to not take things so seriously, I am wearing MJ Decadence. Some say a mess, but I say a damn hot one, lol
Good attitude! Knock ’em dead.
I live Decadence, you smell great, lillyjo! !
Now.- go kick some, A$$ !!!
😉
like
like
like
Not live.
Is the ghost in the machine trying to tattle on me?
LOLOLOL. 😉
Ah…but I thought you live it too 🙂
😉
YAY.
I like Decadence quite a bit- it’s just not very…decadent to me!
Go lillyjo!!
I am wearing Perles de Lalique by Nathalie Lorson. Dry, cool, aloof peppery patchouli.
I’ve got a bottle of that somewhere – I’m going to hunt it down and wear it today. Thanks for the reminder!
Lalique bottles are lovely!
I have only a hand-made sample.
Ah, Monday. My first day back to work after 2 weeks off. Dreary, rainy day to match how I feel, but I’m enjoying the cool-down today. Only 71 degrees! Annick Goutal Musc Nomade is hitting the spot.
At least you smell great! Hope it helps you get through the day.
Welcome back to reality! At least the temperature is gorgeous and you smell amazing in Musc Nomade.
Smelling great today!
Went for my first 100km bike ride yesterday so I’m having a rest day today. Lots of Mitzah and naps.
Wow – If a rest day and a nap was all I required to recover from 100 km bike ride, I would be incredibly happy.
Congrats on the accomplishment, and you smell amazing
That’s impressive! Enjoy a restful day!
Epsom salt bath and massage those legs!
Mitzah…mmmm……
Yowza! Just thinking about that makes my rear hurt. Good for you and enjoy your well deserved nap.
You earn a yellow jersey for that effort
LOL… not even close but I appreciate the sentiment. Professional cyclists amaze me, could not do 1/100 of what they do.
Wow! Good for you! The most I’ve ever done is 30 mi, and my legs were pretty sore for a couple days afterwards.
Oh wow 100 km! Thats amazing!
A 100 km bike ride??? Wow, that is really impressive! Are you training for something?
Well, actually I’ve been training for this 100km ride. But now with that achieved, I will be helping my husband train for a 2-day 280 km ride scheduled for Aug. 19. We’ll see how much I can do.
Most impressive! Great job.
I am having a short ‘staycation’ (i think i learned that word over here haha) this week, so i spent the day in t-shirt and sweatpants (these are my pyjamas) til half an hour ago. 😀
I was wearing Dilettante this afternoon while reading the first pages of The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.
Just took a shower and now getting ready for drinks and diner with former colleagues.
So I’ll probably wear a scent that is not too loud and heavy, but i crave flowers…white flowers…haha.
I love staycations! Have a spritz of a bwf! 🙂
Big clouds appeared and I switched to something warmer….2 light spritzes of Ormonde Jayne Woman.
Luckily it di
…did not rain. The sun appeared again and we had drinks outside on the terrace of the restaurant.
My dad introduced me to her “The Lottery” when I was kid, and I loved it. I’ve never read anything else by her. Should look into her other work!!!
It’s my first Shirley Jackson.
I really like the horror/suspense genre so its about time I give her work some attention!
So, like Oakland Fresca, and I think most American schoolchildren, I read “The Lottery” as a child. I still have nightmares about it, and still haven’t had the courage to read anything else by Jackson. My Kindle library suggested a book of her short stories to me yesterday, but I just couldn’t get myself to click on it. How are you liking Jackson?
So far I am liking it a lot!
But I like scary stories, so that probably helps ;).
And its my first Shirley Jackson, so I can not compare it to her other work.
Never has a book led to nightmares, but when I was a teenager I read some of Stephen King’s short stories and they really impressed me to the point of making me uneasy for a while around certain machines…
SOTD L’air de rien and I’ll have to pass on the Nathalie day; I checked through the lists and I do not have one of their scents, not even as a sample..
Twins! Mine is from a decant from a lovely NSTer.
Same here…not even a sample…I will be wearing random stuff all week.
You smell great!
SOTD random Sephora sample grab: Clean Sueded Oud.
One of the better Clean Reserves imo, but I find it mildly nauseating. I think the ickiness comes from the warmed up clean musk? To retry in cooler weather..
I recently got a sample of this too and surprised myself by liking it (Clean is not usually my thing). I really like oud, though.
oud is very hit and miss for me, the drier the better! It might be a tad too warm in Sueded Oud. I am surprised a CLEAN scent is not clean enough for me 😛
Isn’t that an oxymoron? Clean/Oud
I agree, the entire Clean Reserve line doesn’t really make sense re: branding. Clean(the brand) scents are usually super light and, well, clean. I guess one could argue that the reserve ones are sorta ‘clean’ in the sense that most of them are very inoffensive? 🙂
Now that your pictures in the papers being rhythmically admired,
And you can have any man that you have ever desired,
All you gotta tell me now is,
Why Why Why! ?!?
Triple strength coffee.
One spritz of LUSH LUST in my coquettish (why doesn’t spellcheck help with the difficult words? , I’m pretty sure that’s incorrect) decolletage, to counteract nostril hairs that still smell chlorine from spending 84 consecutive hours swimming.
LOL. 😉
Chlorine et Jasmine. CDG ? ELDO ? Ya listenin’ ?
🙂
Why did A Farewell to Arms have to end that way ?
::’ -(
Carpe Diem. Peace.
Triple strength coffee.
Extra long workout.
I like routines.
YMMV
😀
I used to swim competitively, and I kinda miss that chlorine smell. Probably need to just suck it up and join the Y.
I think you spelled “coquettish” correctly, but it’s one of those words that looks as if it’s been misspelled. I’d be down to try Jasmin et Chlorine if someone made it!
Me too- that sounds like a perfect summer scent, actually.
Dang it! I had to look up the lyrics. I’m just a rock n roll poseur standing next to you. And lol at coquettish décolletage!
I read A Farewell to Arms in college – I had no idea about the ending and started sobbing in the library. WHY DID IT HAVE TO END THAT WAY?
Am I going to be eviscerated if I say that it was Hemingway’s statement that a woman’s “lot in life “, is more difficult than a man’s ?
Childbirth versus war ?
Has anybody EVER eviscerated you here?
Or maybe, just that everybody is going to die.
Plus:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/9378446/Ernest-Hemingway-wrote-47-endings-to-A-Farewell-To-Arms.html
Thanks for that article, Robin.
I would like to think that all 3 lived happily ever after.
Fine.
🙂
At the time I thought of it as a statement about the universe being ultimately chaotic and cold. War is violent and nonsensical, but so is everyday life. I should re-read, but lately I haven’t had a taste for heavy books/movies.
That’s how I understood it too.
It is a refreshingly cool day after a week of heat and high humidity. Hooray! I’m in Mugler Cologne.
Today’s tunes provided by Radiohead. Somehow I’m only just now getting into A Moon Shaped Pool.
I hope we will get some refreshingly cool, soon. You smell great. Or you did, I’m late again.
I hit the jackpot at an antique store yesterday so I’m wearing a serious dose of vintage Poison Esprit dd Parfum. I wish it was it a spray bottle but I’m sure the sillage from that would be lethal.
I also found a 1/3 full vintage Opium EdT and a mostly empty vintage Paris EdT. I got all three for… Under $15! Perfume miracles do happen!
The perfume gods were with you yesterday! Those are all great finds, even the mostly-empty Paris. You smell great!
I say mostly empty but it’s probably 15-20ml. I definitely got very lucky still.
Just went through the lists: no Nathalie fragrances, though come September I might get myself a small bottle of Le Labo’s Poivre. One of my absolute favorites from the line.
Awesome finds!
Thanks!
Lucky!!
Thanks! I was so excited that I nearly droppedthe Poison. I’m honestly not sure which I’m most proud of.
Over the weekend I pulled out about a dozen summery decants and samples that I do not want to pack up again come fall, and I am forcing myself to wear them until they’re gone. Discipline! Today I’m in my last few drops of SL Bois de Violette and resisting my urge to snag a bottle. More discipline!
If you have Feminite du Bois, there really isn’t much need for a bottle. I like Bois de Violette but I found it too similar to FdB to be bottle worthy. Why spend $300 when you can spend $100 or less on FdB.
I haven’t tried Feminite du Bois! I have worn Bois Oriental, which I liked a lot, but not quite as much as Bois de Violette. Maybe I need a Bois showdown . . .
You really should test the whole Bois line.
I think you should try them all, but I found BdV different enough from FdB to own both.
Trying out Nick Buterbaugh Tuberose for the second time. To my nose it’s a short-lived fancy shower gel.
Cold brewed coffee with yogurt for breakfast while I help my boyfriend get ready to start his new job.
But a very pricey shower gel!
My scent-of-half-of-the-day (because I overslept in the morning, forgot to spray perfume on & spent 8 hours at work without a fragrance)
First thing I did after coming back home was to spray Chanel 31 Rue Cambon. Is my sin forgiven? (Donatella, speak to me!)
WHAT????? LOL 🙂
It is forgiven! You smell glorious!
Trying out Creed Tubereuse Indiana today, from the generous flopper! I put on four solid sprays. It went on lovely, but now, just an hour later, I can’t smell it at all. Hmmmm.
I’ve given up on smelling any more of the Creed, and dabbed myself with the only back-up perfume in my purse: Dame Cassis, Rose, & Sandalwood. It smells like very nicely scented shampoo. I’m not sure how I feel about that as a perfume. Maybe I’ll get some unscented body oil and dump in my sample. Or just dab it in my hair after washing it. Or leave it open to diffuse into the air.
Agree on Creed – nothing to see here. And Dame stuff smells like functional perfumery to me.
I don’t have a lot of Nathalies, as it turns out, so I’m working on “samples with only a tiny bit left that aren’t inappropriate for summer.” 😉
Today–LL Musc 25.
Same here…finishing up random samples all week
Me three! I have about 12 samples/decants that I am NOT packing up again this fall . . .
Wearing Monserrat today, just the teensiest spritz.
Forgot about both Nathalies and am wearing both 1000 by Patou and 24, Rue Faubourg by Hermès (EDT and EDP). The Hermès is winning. And no I haven’t gone mad, at least no more than is ususal for me, but I had already put on 1000 and while doing some sniffing decided that I really needed to try both versions of the Hermès on skin.
I tried Patou Vacances for the first time this weekend and I think I’m lost.
Yum, I love 1000- very, very 70s and so chic.
Ditto on the chic. I wear mine with jeans!
PERFECT with jeans, a white shirt and big gold or brass jewelry.
In honor of tequila day, I’m wearing Coney Island by Bond No 9, which has a fresh tequila and lime note. I love the mix of fruity notes (melon & guava) mixed with the foody dry down (caramel, cinnamon and dark chocolate).
Although, this could also be my downfall, a coworker just brought in a fresh bowl of candy into the office – I’m already tempted at 8:45am!
I. Must. Resist. The. Chocolate.
I’m at home today, enjoying my day off. Pre-shower, I am wearing L’Heure Bleue EDP. Now since I am about to hop in the shower, my pick for SOTD is going to be Deneuve.
You smell pretty in L’Heure Bleue. Heliotrope is one of my favorite notes.
You smell really lovely!
I’m in the underrated AG Les Nuits d’Hadrien. It’s also a neglected bottle, which I could say about all too many of mine. My decant buying habits of the last few years means that I typically work on using those and disregard my bottles. Sigh, too little time for all the perfumes.
That’s a lovely one and I think that is really perfect summer perfume!
I have the same problem with choosing decants over bottles
Monday!
1) SOTD: infusion d’iris : Fleur d’Oranger. A nonsweet, almost bitter seeming orange. It’s quite lovely, very refreshing actually. I can see this being used to scent a hanky.
2) Busy weekend- two street fairs and a combo of about 40 miles biked over two days.
3) I saw Valerian. Don’t make the same mistake.
I’ve had my eye on a mini bottle of the Infusion Fleur d’Oranger and your mini-review is exactly what I was hoping it would be!
Yay!
ALSO! Did you know that this SOTD was from a mini? I bought a mini set from Fragrancenet. The one I bought is sold out BUT here is the link for another sample mini size if interested ( I makes no money, honey):
https://www.fragrancenet.com/perfume/prada/prada-infusion-variety/6-piece-mini-variety-with-iris-and-iris-cedre-and-fleur-doranger-and-oeillet-and-amande-and-vetiver-and-all-are-eau-de-parfum-spray-vial#290688
Ooh I didn’t know there was a sample set on FragranceNet!! This may have just ruined my attempted no-buy 😉
But . . . if I LOVED The Fifth Element, I can still see Valerian? Or not even then?
Nah, friend! I thought the very same thing!
1) The opening sequence, set to Major Tom (Bowie), is actually rather deeply beautiful and moving. Rutger Hauer delivers a gorgeous soliloquy (because that’s what Rutger Hauer does)
2) And then, goddamn, it turns into a hot mess, and not an enjoyable one. The male lead, Dane DeHaan, sucks the goddamn joy out of every line beat. Cara Delvigine acts with her impressive eyebrows. Rihanna is wasted in CGI. Unlike Fifth Element, where Willis, Jovovich, Tucker et al acknowledged the utter absurdity of the universe they were in and EMBRACED it, the leads here are too reserved, and don’t have that swaggering touch that you need in a movie like this.
3) There are some problematic character designs – based on the comic book, but not so awesome all the same.
4) There is a plotline that serves as the entry to the ‘Thousand Planet” but in seeking resolution it does not give enough time to explore the station.
5) I could go on. But yeah, give this a hard pass.
3) Haha, thanks for the time-saving warning 🙂
On the neck is Sotto la Luna (reminds me a bit of PHI which I like!)
On my wrist a new blend I made from the homemade vanilla bean oil, lavender, orange essence, tangerine murcott, frankincense and dark patchouli…so far so good but I know that it, like all other essential oil blends, will morph over time (both hourly and monthly as it marinates in the bottle)
Which one, Gardenia or Tuberose? I love the Tuberose one.
I love the vanilla bean oil idea, need to do that myself.
You know, my best friend who gifted me the sample asked me the same thing!!! I don’t know as the vial has a homemade sticker and all it says is Tauer- Sotto La Luna…I am guessing it is the tuberose as I also sampled the gardenia not long ago and I think I remember it smelling slightly different.
And do try the vanilla bean essential oil…it is so easy to make! and a lot cheaper than some other scented body oils out there.
Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt
YUm. Beachy!
I woke up this morning strongly feeling that I should completely get rid of all my perfume collection and get new perfumes or none at all. Bored about everything I have, which is A LOT!. Nothing moves me. I grabbed a bottle without even looking what it was: O de Lancôme and sprayed lavishly. One of my big favorites for summer and I found it annoying. I hope this does not last for too long……..
have you thought about picking just one that you really like and wearing it for an extended amount of time? i did that last summer with Assam of India..wore it seven weeks straight…it was a palate cleanser..and when the summer was over I was ready to go back to wearing other stuff. Might also make you feel good to actually drain a bottle 🙂
I like your idea of wearing just one perfume for a long period of time. I have already finished 3 full bottles and some decants and samples this summer and it is relieving! I guess I am just feeling anxious not being able to reach all I have.
Hmmm, that is an interesting phenomena.
Could you store your collection in a secure place like a relatives house to see how you feel with out it? And then you could keep note of the fragrances you wish you had access to.
Or maybe go on a fragrance fast for a set period of time.
When you say you wanted to get all new perfumes, did you make a list of them?
It is just a dream to buy everything new, but it will not happen. Impossible! I have a long shopping list, but I decided to focus on my own collection after overspending in perfumes last quarter. Your suggestion to go on a fast it is also another alternative to be very well considered.
I like Tiffany’s idea about EO’s too. Focus more on scents rather than acquisition for a period of time. If you like spices you can cart around small containers of pepper or cardamom, etc. Burn candles, smell things at the supermarket, etc. Good luck!
Thank you Dear. I hope to overcome this uneasy feeling soon.
You know, coin-op, that is actually a brilliant idea…letting someone else babysit your perfumes and see which ones you crave or don’t . it is similar to the minimalists concept of putting things in boxes and leaving them there for several weeks…if you don’t open the box you know you don’t really need the item and it is time to send it to a new home. maybe perfumelover67 can do this and then start afresh with a very limited perfume collection…this is what I did for many years…only a few bottles in rotation (no decants or samples because in the 70s and 80s they were not purchasable online) but it was ONLY bottles that I truly adored.
All your ideas are really good. They will all help me approach this situation better. THANK YOU!
I am glad you shared this feeling, because I keep making these “essential” lists – and they are different every day – I have yet to find any perfume that I cannot live without, but I’m not willing to buy endless bottles either
Thank you chocolatemarzapan8 for recognizing my genius idea ????
I am happy to provide a home for your collection or for anyone else’s 😉
Fragrance ennui is no fun. Could it be the Monday blahs? Hope you turn the corner soon.
When I have less interest in perfume I switch to essential oils. I like citruses, lavender, and peppermint for a mood boost. They disappear in a few hours so are an easy alternative when perfume grates on my nerves.
Oh! oils and body lotions I already have might work perfectly. That would help me finish many of them!
tiffanie- that is an excellent idea 🙂
I understand and sometimes feel the same. I’ve been hesitant to buy FBs lately. Although decants can be really pricey and they evaporate.
The fact that I neglect my full bottles for the decants exasperates me greatly. I enjoy everything the most, but I have come to the point where I do not know what to grab anymore! And still I want to try new things? Crazy and confusing.
Almost 20 years ago now, i actually did throw out all my perfumes, except for KL, which was already getting hard to find. I realized much later that my feelings really were not about the perfumes. I stopped wearing anything for awhile and then i missed it. I suggest putting some away, you might just need a break.
For sure something is not right with me. Like you I worry I might miss them later on, if throw them. A break is another option and I think I need it badly.
Hello from Hawaii! And it’s Monday for me too 🙂 . We had two Thursdays coming here, and will lose a lot of Tuesday/Wednesday going back. Crossing the date line makes things a bit wierd. I’ve been wearing lots of Le Temps d’une Fete here, it’s lovely in the heat. And the heat is lovely – I’ve never been in such a warm place before, and the contrast with the New Zealand winter is amazing. I’m not looking forward to going back to that.
Enjoy your trip! Have tons of fun! 🙂
I hope you have a great time! I’m going in October.
Happy Monday! Warm weather…bliss.
Just missed you! And crossing the date line was disorienting, but we adjusted quickly. Hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy the wedding. Which island are you on?
I love Hawaii so much. Enjoy!
Have a wonderful time!
Enjoy!
Lucky you! Enjoy your tropical escape!
SotD = Infusion d’Amande
Had a craving for Infusion d’Amande last night and decided to go with it again today. It’s an easy, comfortable choice for a tired Monday.
I hope you perk up. Its a rainy day where I am and the temps have dropped. It would be so nice to take a nap. ????
Thanks, Petunia. This too shall pass. And yes to naps, they are always a good thing.
I started the day wearing Opardu, which I love. It faded away and I’m testing Iris Cendre by Naomi Goodsir. Although I do like it, I am happy to report that I have iris scents that I like better. Happy Monday!
I also don’t love Iris Cendre, and you’re right – sometimes it’s happy to find out we don’t love something.
I really like today’s photo–it looks like how I see the world when I”m not wearing my glasses. If I could paint, I’d be an Impressionist. I’m wearing Amyris femme for a day of not biking, spinning, or exerting myself beyond trying to find Not Your Father’s Root Beer at the grocery. It’s supposed to be 90F here and I worked out hard over the weekend. It’s a rest day!
Me too! Rest day. We are having cool rain, a good day to curl up with a puppy and a book.
ha! good luck finding that root beer…it’s worth finding 🙂
Yesterday I noticed that the air smelled different from the last couple of weeks…a bit more lively and sweet, like spring. This morning it’s back to winter with a slick layer of ice outside. I am tossing up between Galop and TF Sahara Noir and will probably wear both, and then some.
Lovely choices. Stay warm!
Very good morning, all. Inspired by Bastet, I’m wearing Myrrhe Ardente: sweet, but not in a gently girly way. In fact, I find it slightly tough, which I love, but don’t ask me what toughens it, because I have no idea. I like it as a leather-jacket-and-jeans scent, and wear it often like that. Today, it’s wafting and coiling round me, holding the cold at bay. It is rich without being cloying, and it seems to match my velvet tunic well.
So. Thursday is winter graduation. Someone who truly hates me has organised me to call the graduands to the stage. I hope I don’t make an utter fool of myself, and infinitely worse, dishonour the students by mispronouncing their names. Friday, we shoot down to Whanganui to visit the dear man’s mama, Saturday we return, Sunday, at 2 o’clock, we go out to Helensville to pick up Titus. Eric has his snip tomorrow and his last vaccine next week, and he will be added to the Waterdragon household the following week. Yay! I’m as excited as a child before a birthday party! The only cloud on the feline horizon is that Eric has a grade 2-3 heart murmur. He may grow out of it or he may not live long: we don’t know. We decided, though, that we would take him anyway and love him while we can. We understand Siamese very well (as much as anyone can, that is) and will do everything we can to give him a good life while he has life.
Be well, all.
I have been wearing Myrrhe Ardente from your sample and find it has a grittiness to it.
Good news about Titus and Eric, your reward for the Whanganui trip.
TWO new kitties for you? How wonderful! I hope Dakkie will be so absorbed in learning about his new housemates he’ll stop yowling in the middle of the night.
Hurray for your new furry family members! I hope that you have many wonderful years with them.
I’m in Mojave Ghost, from a sample I think I picked up from Pixel this weekend. To me it smells like hair conditioner that you know is really good for your hair, but you wish smelled a little nicer. . .
Koyel +1, Pixel, Clarissa and I spent an enjoyable hour on Saturday at the Aftel Archive of Curious Scents. Here is my extremely quick review. I hope the others will weigh-in as well:
Ostensibly, the exhibit is housed in Mandy Aftel’s converted garage—however calling the viewing space a “converted garage” is a little like calling Vesuvius a converted mountain top. It is a beautiful room with blonde wood floors and wooden display shelves lit by natural light coming through several windows and doors. Despite the handy card each visitor is given with instructions on “Making the Most of Your Curious Visit,” it took me a few minutes to figure out how to begin. Mandy wisely limits the space to 6 guests per hour. Unfortunately, when we arrived, the prior guests did not depart, with one or two lingering at the perfume organ well into the 30+ minute mark of our visit.
The archive is an archive of scent, not of perfume, which makes it doubly illuminating. Ever wonder what castoreum really smells like? Now I know (errrr not so good up close and personal!). There are bottles of essences and drawers of dried materials with inviting signs telling the visitor to touch and smell. We were bidden to open drawers, flip through pages of books, roll resins and leaves in our hands. Despite the chocolate samples and freedom to choose three essences from the perfume organ to test and take home on dipping paper, the real luxury of the experience is the generous way the historical, scientific, and scented items are displayed for viewing, smelling and touching. Frankly, I am a little nervous about the items and hope that every visitor is respectful of the instructions that are tastefully displayed next to each item. There is a desk with beautiful old books on making perfumes, cosmetics, and medicines—most are antiques. The visitor is invited to sit and browse through the books. I somehow managed to dislodge the copper bookend on the desk, sending the bookend and several books crashing to the floor. Before I could blubber my apologies, the docent jumped up and began apologizing to me for the arrangement and reassuring me that no harm had been done. If too many like me come through, it won’t be good for the museum!
As for perfume, the space is almost perfume free. In one display space, Mandy has arranged scents in three tiers—top notes, middle notes, and base notes—with each tier’s notes combined in a vial as well. Once you work your way through the deconstructed notes/essences for each tier, you can smell the final product, called “Curious.” As a perfume, I wasn’t tempted by Curious, in part because I could not separate the final product from its individual pieces. However, as a lesson in perfume construction and skill behind being a nose, it was another extraordinary experience in the archive.
Towards the end of our hour, Mandy herself popped in to see how we were faring. She was helpful and enthusiastic about the space and exhibits. In fact, her enthusiasm is what sums up the archive—walking through, you feel as though someone very knowledgeable and generous is coaxing you through her very personal memory palace of scent.
Nice! Thanks for sharing.
Wow, that sounds like a really cool experience. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
Oakland Fresca, this is a great description. It was enjoyable, and it was great to smell all these essences. I completely agree on the Curious part – the final product felt less than the sum of its parts.
Sounds like you need more than an hour? What a fantastic experience
We had fun 🙂
http://www.aftelier.com/Articles.asp?ID=256
I’d add that the perfume organ — shown in the article — has literally hundreds of little bottles of scents. Fascinating. Now I know what ‘elemi’ smells like, all by itself. Also she has other displays with current and vintage bottles of the same note — amazing the differences!
It’s definitely worth the hour visit if you’re in Berkeley.
Yummy chocolate too 🙂
Thank you so much for the report! So glad to hear it is just as wonderful as it sounds.
SOTD is Penhaligon’s “Blenheim Bouquet”.
Top: lavender, amalfi lemon and lime;
Mid: nothing, nada and zilch – there are none listed;
Base: musk, pine and black pepper.
This has a weird vinegar effect on me. It’s like the juice left in an emptied jar of pickled flowers. Wish they’d used the Mid notes for Top and Base too. :^D
Omg K! You’re killing me. I’ve been wearing a lot of BB this summer???? If I start to smell pickles now…
I wasn’t sure I was going to have anything for this Friday’s theme, but turns out I have one from each of the Nathalies.
For today, I’m wearing Tea for Two.
I have more than I thought I did too.
I’m commando today. Woke up with a raging headache of my own creation- a lovely evening with friends and too much good bourbon. 😯 It’s easing up now so maybe I can spray something light this evening.
I got samples of Sephora this weekend of Eau des Merveilles, L’Ambre Des Merveilles, and Elixir des Merveilles. They are all really, really lovely to me. My favorite for sure is the original- it went straight on my FB list. After that, the L’Ambre and then the Elixir. I can see why people mention them on here, very nice…
Yay for scoring free samples!!!!! Every time you go to Sephora take your son and boyfriend with you and all three of you can ask for a sample of the original….this will hold you over and possibly keep you from having to buy an FB 🙂 (unless of course you also suffer from bottle porn-LOL!)
Great idea! I do love that bottle, but probably good to be frugal with an upcoming move. 🙂
I hope your headache went away pretty quickly! I woke up with one today too, but it wasn’t having fun. Booo.
Oooooh, Tequila Day! Sounds wonderful!
Posting late today… had some crazy weather at Stupid O’Clock this morning that woke up my husband, me, and the cats. I have not seen thunder and lightning like that for quite a while. It took a while to get back to sleep after the excitement.
SOTD = Miss Dior Eau Fraiche EdT, from the sample stash. It’s a rather nice summer “suntan lotion” scent with a few flowers blooming on its edges. I’m pleasantly surprised by this one.
When cats notice the weather, it has to be serious!
You sound like you smell very nice.
It was the kind of weather I’d expect from the Midwest, not the mid-Atlantic states! And thank you for the perfume compliment.
Stupid O’Clock ????????
Joining super late to note that my SOTD was Fils de Dieu, which I always enjoy. And it was hot today, but not absurdly hot, so there was some small cause for celebration – making FdD doubly appropriate, I think!
Your SOTD is on my FB wishlist. Maybe someday, if I don’t get distracted by something else…
Monday is the perfect day of the week for Tequila Day!
SOTD is N°5 L’Eau, staying on theme with the 31 Rue Cambon I wore yesterday for watching the final leg of the Tour de France.
You smell super!
Thank you!
Don’t mind me, I’m just sitting over here, pretending that it is NOT 95 degrees outside and that October is only a month away, wearing Rose Jam shower gel and Eau de Protection. A complete and utter delusion, but oh what a beautiful one. 🙂
A lovely smeling delusion! ????
Ack. I do want nicer weather but not October! I am sitting over here pretending all of August will be a balmy 83 with no humidity. Ha!
I’m back from a wonderful vacay and had been running around like a chicken with my head cut off. The bottle waiting for me upon my return was SOTD yesterday and today – Guerlain La Petite Robe Noir Black Perfecto in the fabulous not so cute black bottle because 100 mLs. Not having followed the LPRN series, I could not give a comparison to any version. To me, it smells like Guerlain French Kiss with less violet (or a heavier Atelier Silver Iris) punched up with a raspberry / cherry coulis and a hint of leather. So far, I have not detected black tea and I have not worn it long enough (or perhaps I wore it too diffused) to get a good sniff of the vanilla – tonka drydown; methinks I’ll get the dry down when I’m out and about in the heat. Large sample success!
More on bits about the vacation during the week.
Welcome back! Looking forward to hearing more about your adventures.
I’d happily purchase a decant of Black Perfecto if you are willing to part with some. And ditto on more vacation anecdotes please when you have time.
Yay! Welcome back and the report on the large sample. Agree it is not so cute in 100mls, I plan to buy 50mls for cute factor I think.
Welcome back! Looking forward to a recap of your travels.
Congrats on the sample success????????
Hooray for wonderful vacations! Looking forward to hearing about it.
I’m eagerly awaiting Black Perfecto’s arrival here. (Translation: It had better actually freaking arrive here, unlike Mon Guerlain! Do you hear me, Macy’s/Dillard’s/Sephora?!?)
I survived the first day at work…although it was general new employee orientation at the main campus…so tiring but easy overall.
Tomorrow I report in to my new manager and regular work location.
I wore Eau Premiere today and it worked well. Tomorrow I may go for something a bit more robust…but not too robust. 😉
Glad to hear it went well!
Yea for surviving! Hope you love your new gig!
Congrats and good luck tomorrow!