The weekend, yay! We’re lazing around with our standard open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, the last shower gel you bought, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Bundleflower II (Explore June 28, 2015) by Anne Worner at flickr; some rights reserved.
I love that photo! I’m wearing Escentric 2 today, and it matches the fresh green vibe in the picture.
Have a wonderful day!
Have you seen the matching body washes over at Luckyscent?
A thank you for reminding me about Hanami which I am wearing today
SO SO good in the scorching heat!
I am working this weekend. Only 3 of us here, so it is quiet and peaceful.
I am wearing Corsica Furiosa my latest green love thanks to Robin and Deva. Hot and humid day here again, so CF is working fantastic.
Twisted Lily has 20% off today and tomorrow. Coupon code: SUMMERNOW18. I have been trying to be away from their website and I hope I can keep sitting on my hands.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Sorry our finger crossing didn’t work this time. We are weekend working twins, but i go in late today. Glad it’s at least quiet for you.
Hi twin! I guess next time toe crossing is going to be needed also, LOL! I might also be working later than usual. I hope your weekend goes very smooth. Hugs!
Hi twin! I guess next time toe crossing is going to be needed also, LOL! I might also be working later than usual. I hope your weekend goes very smooth. Hugs!
Ooh, thanks for the info on Twisted Lily–I just found I can get my darling Grace Coddington cat bottle there and use this coupon! Terrific!
So glad you can use the coupon. I have never tried the perfume, but the bottle is soooo cute! Enjoy it! ????
It’s a very pretty fresh light rose.
Great tip, thanks!
????
Corsica Furiosa is quite unique in my opinion. A great green scent for sure.
Corsica Furiosa is indeed unique and beautiful! So refreshing!
Hope your working-day doesn’t suck toooo much!
X
Thank you Johanob! ????
Corsica Furiosa!! ???? That one is my Main Summer Squeeze! Hope it keeps you cool as a cucumber today!
I understand your love for it. It is soooooo good!
Just looked this one up–sounds lovely! How prominent is the tomato leaf? That’s such an unusual and fabulous note.
The tomato leaf is prominent on me as well as the hay note. This is a super green perfume, no flowers at all. Very refreshing. I would get a back up bottle when I finish what I have. If you would like to try it I can send you a sample. monica67@aol.com.
How sweet of you! I would welcome giving it a sniff. ????
I’m sorry you had to go in to work today! In my experience, the only saving grace when working a weekend is that I could get more done without the crowd around, and it made Monday just a little bit easier.
I’m glad it’s quiet, at least. :\
As you said, I get more work done during the weekends. We get very busy between June and August, since it is the time that the biggest repairs in the schools take place (no kids around). Site inspections increase and therefore the amount of work also. Busy summers for us…
Got that coupon email too. I’ve got one thing in my cart but not sure I’m ready to “click” purchase. Recently bought some vintage Diorissimo hoping to love it and also make my husband happy.
I’ve not tried Corsica Furiosa yet, which is crazy as I’m a fan of the brand and wearing their Osmanthus Interdite today. Need to rectify that!
I have not even checked their website since I do not want to keep breaking my non-purchase resolution. I have been failing badly again.
Corsica Furiosa is a really good perfume if you like greens. If you are interested I can send you a sample. My email: monica67@aol.com
I’m sitting on my hands this weekend also! Let’s be good. ????
We will survive! ????
Awww, that’s kind. Thank you. ????
You smell great! I got mine in a swap with the divine Ms. Deva.
I hope you weren’t outside during that torrential downpour!
Thank you! Isn’t CF good?
Fortunately, I was inside!
Hi all!
Trying to stay cool as a stone in Dzongkha today. Absolutely one of my top perfumes ever, and perfect for summer.
Have a great weekend.
I really want to love that one, for a bunch of different reasons. But, alas – on me it is unwearable. You, however, likely smell cool, mysterious and lovely.
I hope so! ACs are working overtime here in Houston. I’d rather be cool and mysterious than sweaty and mussed.
Sorry this one doesn’t work for you. Can you wear Timbuktu?
Full day of softball with granddaughters playing. Hoping to last through the sunny, hot afternoon. At my age, it’s a toss-up! Cristalle for some cool vibes. Have a nice wk-end and smell great!
Enjoy your day out. Cristalle is perfect for hot summer days. You smell great!
Sounds fun! Wish I had had my grandmother at my softball games.
Hey Twin–with this crazy weather, I have been reaching for Cristalle nearly every day!
I am wearing Marni today and drinking a cup of seven blossoms tea. Its a very quiet Saturday morning
Best kind, and you smell great.
I love seven blossoms tea!
I’m wearing Prada L’Homme L’Eau from a decant that arrived just before I started my long weekend. It’s a great scent and I’m already seing it as a review on my blog.
In the meantime – has anyone given a sniff to new VC&A Neroli Amara? I really want to sample it but it’s not available here yet.
I’m dying to try that one too!!
Me three! I wonder if it’s in Bergdorf yet.. I’ll be over that way later today. Hmm.
Please report back if you happen to spot it and smell it! ^_^
The VC&A line needs a revamp at Bergdorf! It used to be displayed prominently by MFK and Kilian and now it is on plain glass shelves by the Estée Lauder counter and NO ONE is ever there to answer questions about the line – sad!
Shame
Yesterday was my day off, so I did the usual, paid bills and bought groceries. Then my car engine light came on, ugh… I made an appointment to bring it in but I need all fingers crossed that it’s something small and cheap. It’s both my kid’s birthday month. Also last night in one of my dreams, Bear was there ???? he was showing me how to wash a lasagna pan???? anyway, ready for work and properly scented in Oud Bouquet, it’s cool out so I shouldn’t sufficate anyone. Wishing everyone a great day!
Very good luck with the car repair! Too bad Bear wasn’t showing you how to fix your car
Ha! That would’ve been something !
That’s the worst, surprise car repairs! Good luck.
Thank you!
Fingers crossed for you Lillyjo! I hope the repairs are not expensive. Still missing Bear. Hopefully, he will be back one of these days!
Hopefully our fingers work this time! Lol
Hope the damage to your wallett is not too big!
I miss Bear!!????
Thanks, my wallet is damaged enough!
Well, I hope they just forgot to reset it last time you had work done on it or an oil change. Those light are programmed to come on every so many miles, so I’m hoping ???????? It just needs a quick reset!
I’m hoping it’s something stupid like that.
Oh no! ????it is something small and cheap. Car troubles are the worst!
Cars and dental work, it’s always something!
Dreams are crazy! Love this one, and has Bear been MIA? I’ve not been around much myself.
Yeah, he’s not been around most of this first half of the year. Hopefully all is well with him.
Hmm. I hope so too.
These blogs are hard this way in that you mainly build relationship just within this group and unless you have some form of other contact when someone drops off that’s it, they’re gone. Where did that person go! Makes me sad..
But, in a way, that is the nature of this blog. In my over three years of being a regular commenter can count on both hands twice over the number of “regulars” ( Bear included) who have suddenly disappeared. I guess sometimes life happens or priorities shift…just like in real life, friends and acquaintances come and go.
Makes me feel sad too. I know people come and go, here, and irl, but generally speaking I don’t like it.
Speaking as someone who drops in and out on a pretty regular basis, it’s almost always work getting busy and sapping my time/strength to devote time to NST. Possibly similar stuff for everyone else.
I hope it ended up being nothing, lillyjo. I was just thinking I am overdue for an oil change!
Sotd: Fleur Nocturne
This is my newest love! A wonderful blend of white flowers. Gardenia is front and center but not over the top. ????
That’s the Isabey? Glad to hear it is good!
Lovely poetic photo you picked for today, Robin!
My sotd is Liquorice Vetiver, again, by Sven Spritzkoleit.
Today I bumped into the new trio of colognes at the Chanel counter. They were nice but not very exciting.
But dont take my word for it. I am not a big cologne fan, and not a big Chanel fan either.
The girl behind the counter began to tell me about Gabrielle and what she did in Deauville.
(Why are they doing this? The marketing/sales is all about Gabrielle storytelling, it annoys me and it is boring… )
I told her I once visited Deauville, and I really wanted to bore her with a story about the beautiful race track there
, but then she all of a sudden was not interested in me anymore….haha.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Lol at you wanting to bore her with your story! I just love a good passive aggressive move. I’m also not a big cologne fan, but I won’t ever see those here anyway.
Yeah it always annoys me when they only want to send information.
Good PR and sales is about interaction right?
Thanks for the info about the colognes. Good to know they are not memorable. Money saved.
Have you tried the Astier de Villatte colognes? They are gorgeous, imho. Babassu carries them, so can be sniffed quite easily.
No, but I will check them out next time I am at a Babassu.
I also want to explore the Berdoues colognes more, I tested the one with the green leaves on it (something with Brazil in the name haha), and it was quite good.
Have you tried the 4 classic Guerlain colognes: Eau de Guerlain, Eau impériale, Eau des fleurs de cédrat and Eau du coq? They have more curves than Chanel’s cologne and as result I like them much better!
Oh that sounds good as well!
Thank you.
Yeah I could do with a good cologne, especially if the weather we had last week returns….
(I love to wear Eau de Narcisse bleu when it gets warmer, I consider that a cologne style scent as well)
Let me know if you have trouble finding the Guerlains, I might be able to help out.
Hermès has some great colognes as well. Narcisse is great and I can see why that would work really well in hot weather.
Ha! I love this Chanel story.????
I’d love to hear about the racetrack in Deauville!
Last autumn I visited Deauville in the afternoon, I took a quick peek at one of the racetracks, La Touques.
(Fun fact: they have TWO race tracks /hippodromes there, the other one is called Clairefontaine)
A few horses were doing their training rounds. Unfortunately no races were scheduled for that day
Its an old track, build in 19th century, so it has lots of character.
If you google images, you bump into stuff like this:
https://goo.gl/images/zMXcpF
Next time I visit Deauville I’ll make sure to catch a race there!
Thanks for the link! Beautiful. (Though I suspect this is territory that’s as controversial as a discussion of the designer who owned a shop there…)
Yes it is. I am aware of it.
But nowadays it seems every subject/person is potentially polarising….
I have even encountered pretty explosive discussions online about the correct way to hang your toilet paper….(I did not know there was a wrong way hahaha).
LOL. I have very strong opinions about how toilet paper is hung in my own bathroom
but I gave up arguing on the internet long ago 
You had me at “liquorice”! That sounds amazing!
Yes, Chanel is very much about the storyline of Chanel since she is the brand, even this many years later. I’d wish they’d get over it too.
Yeah Liquorice Vetiver is very good! It works in warm weather as well. Its one of my favourite discoveries this year.
Good thing about Sven Pritzkoleit, it/he offers travel sizes…and also, free shipping worldwide (with an order minimum 30 euro)
(no affiliaton btw
but I just found out about the shipping…i am exploring my options. Because when my sample is gone, I may need a travel size or a fb).
???? / thanks for the encouragement!
I don’t think they’d want to talk to me about Gabrielle Chanel. It’s the part they leave out in the marketing ????
I think I know what part you mean…..
I recently read a biography of Ms Chanel to better understand why so many women are critical of her. I still don’t quite understand from whence the deep and emotional loathing comes, but it does appear that there is a lot of conflicting information about her out there and very little that can be confirmed – by intention. But at least on perfume boards, people are very opaque about what exactly which facets of her life they object to, so it’s difficult to know what exactly the criticism is.
My guess: the criticism is about her ties to the Nazi’s. The wikipedia page about Gabrielle Chanel has a few paragraphs with notes/sources on it. So if that part was not discussed in the biography, you can start there.
Chanel, the brand, is always a mixed bag to me.
I think their recent perfume releases (from last two decades) are not interesting.
I dont like their skin care. But most of their lipsticks are good though. And their famous nailpolish Rouge noir is on my toenails right now. Haha.
I’m aware that there are allegations that she was a Nazi collaborator, but it seems that that is not the only objection. Her wartime activities are covered in the book I read (by Lisa Chaney) and while the author is far from an apologist, she does suggest that the story is more complex and nuanced than that. It is clear that there were many in her circle who were collaborating, however, and some were prosecuted. FWIW, she was interrogated by the Allied Forces, British, and the French Resistance on suspicion as a German agent and was cleared. But there were political, social and economic forces at work – both surrounding the allegations and her avoiding prosecution. So my reading is that it is not entirely clear what she was up to. She most certainly was having an affair with a Nazi collaborator, which may be objectionable in and of itself.
Hmm well I am not a Chanel expert, so not sure what other reasons people have to hate/dislike her.
But was it a good read? The Chaney bio?
I still want to try new Chanels
And you should try them!
If you love colognes and the current Chanel-style (light, breezy and classy) i suspect they could be a hit.
I love the bottles btw.
I can’t try them in Poland because of no Chanel boutiques here. I will try to swap with someone from abroad
I bumped into them in a department store, not in a Chanel boutique….
If I can get my hands on some free samples I’ll let you know!
Lovely sunny and warm-ish Winters’day over here.I went to the Saturday farmers’ market for some fresh produce,and potting soil.Along with some beautiful little pots at 10% off for replanting some succulents in those pots.It is time I “decorate” the balcony as well.Cannot wait for Spring to go wild,planting pansies and hydrangeas,also some foxgloves and nasturtiums.I am nursing a Cycad as well,it’s doing really well and also replanted it into a bigger pot.
Life is grand.
SOTD Lush Vanillary.Cozy yumminess.I’m having coffee and a huge bowl of tapioca pudding with cinnamon and honey.Yum.
Happy Saturday all!
X
Correction!
Hyacinths NOT hydrangeas…Lol
Please, send me some of that delicious tapioca pudding to have it with my coffee! I need it to stay awake! ????☕
Coming right up!????????????????❤️
Farmer’s market twins! I shamefully did not get any fresh produce though, just cheese curds and donuts.????
You do smell cozy in Vanillary!
Well I went for fresh produce which I did buy,BUT!!Dinner was Tapioca pudding with lots of honey,cinnamon and a dollop of clotted cream.Haha!
No other place to comment but here…I am loving that you are offering up a Tracy Reese bottle in the freebie meet……years ago I worked for a CPA firm and she was one of our clients
Made me smile when I saw that she actually had a perfume too!
Wow! Very cool! (It was an attempt to like white florals, I failed.????)
You mentioned foxgloves! My co-worker friend is a huge gardener and she has graciously gifted me with many plants that she has divided.
Her mother lives with her and together they share 1/4 acre property. Debbie’s Mom thought that I needed some foxglove; I’m pleased to say she was right and the plant is now happily in my garden. What a great plant; yesterday I noticed a bumble-bee buzzing in and out of each little ‘tube’ gathering pollen ????
Ah! I was recently trying to remember the gardener’s name for what I can only think of as digitalis
English is my second language,so here is my afrikaans version of foxgloves for you:”jakkals(fox)handskoentjies(little gloves).Quite a mouthful!Haha!
The common name is the same (literally) in Afrikaans and English? That is so surprising and wonderful to me!
Yes Marjorie Rose!Lol.
Snapdragons however is called Leeubekkies(Little lion mouths literally,lol)in afrikaans
Such a cute name!
In dutch we also call it ‘vingerhoedskruid’ (vingerhoed tranlated as ‘a thimble’ i think) or judas beurs (judas purse).
I love learning about all those common names in different languages.
Ok, so does this phenomenon continue with animal names? Leatherback turtle? Three-toed sloth? Red-bellied newt?
Jiji,as you probably know,afrikaans is often called “kitchen dutch” because it’s a simplified version of dutch,with some similarities here and there.I’m first generation South African,both my parents were born in our ancestral countries,The Netherlands and Germany respectively.I can speak a little Dutch as well,and I love the language!
Marjorie Rose:I’m not quite sure if the phenomenon continues to animals quite as much.A sloth in Afrikaans is called n luidier(lazy animal…lol),Giraffe is Kameelperd(Camel Horse).a Zebra is a Zebra though.Haha.
I love foxgloves.We always had them in the gardens when I was a kid.Both my Mom and Grandmother were excellent gardeners.They do attract the bees!Love it.
Oh, cycads are pretty amazing plants. That’s great yours is doing well. We have them around here in Houston including one out by our community fishpond. When it blooms or sends out its big spike-cone thingie, every few years, it’s amazing!
Yes,it really is a beautiful plant when they get to the bigger sizes.Mine is but a baby still,but going strong.The cones are gorgeous,this one pushes a cone that becomes a fiery red color.I hope I live to see that one day!
Another beautiful photo!
Today is a day of rest for me because I found a great dog friendly hiking spot just south of here (Briones Regional Park) and did a proper hike yesterday. 7 miles which isn’t a great distance, but OMG!! Those hills just about killed me! Hill is not even an accurate description- more like an unending staircase that only goes up. I think I broke my feet.
SOTD is SSS Forest Walk to remind me of the damp green of Oregon and western NC. It’s dry and dusty here, with huge cracks in the baked earth. They mowed the local park of the beautiful long grasses, but I suppose they have to because of the risk of fire. I could go for a bit of refreshing rain.
I have a cousin who lives near that national park and posts pictures of it on Instagram. It looks spectacularly beautiful. Enjoy your day of rest!
It is gorgeous but very hot this time of year. I saw a family of wild turkeys and the chicks were so fluffy, awkward, and adorable! Also saw a deer, a lizard, and the back end of a snake that I almost stepped on. I think it was a garter snake. Also, particularly enticing to T-Rex, were many big fat healthy black bovines chewing and mooing. I had second thoughts about hiking through them, but since I like to live in the edge, I kept on. Halfway through, I realized one was a bull! ???? Thankfully, he completely dismissed us.
Yeah hiking 7 miles in the hills or mountains can be very very tiring.
Add some snow or ice in the mix, and 1 mile can last you a lifetime haha or at least thats what if feels like (yeah I had that experience once).
But the gorgeous views are always worth it and sooo rewarding right?!
Glad you found a dog friendly spot, and enjoy your day of rest.
Hold the snow and ice! I’ll take 72F, partly sunny, low humidity, and a cool breeze instead. Can you arrange that please, Jiji?! ????
Today is feeling like a lazy Saturday indeed. It’s overcast, which is never especially motivating for me. I do need to make a checklist of things to get done over the next week and start working on it. madtownteen graduates one week from today.????I guess it is time to move beyond the denial stage of grief. I’ve got til September to get to acceptance. I can do it.
SotD is Narciso edt. I really like this one. I love White Cube, but I actually think I will wear this one more, as it feels easier to wear….if that makes sense.
Middle CM8 is heading for college as well (nursing student like the eldest and you too !!!)….the first one leaving is always the hardest…don’t grieve…she will be fine and so will you…
When I tried the Narcisos, I chose the edt. I think you’re right, it’s a little lighter and easier to wear. There was something white flowerish in the edp that didn’t work for me. Thanks for the reminder – I haven’t worn it in a spell.
It’s hard to see the young ones leave, I know! The first time I looked in my daughter’s room after she left for college, I just had to concentrate on *breathing*. It helped me to try some new activities and get out of the house. And your kiddo will be back home on school break before you know it.
Agree that black cube is easier to wear, though it’s the slightly disturbing angle of white cube that drew me to it. I bought Black Cube to wear in warmer weather. Hopefully we’ll get some summer-like weather soon where I am, so I can fully transition to summer frags, but I’m not counting on it.
I can’t keep any of those cubes or bottles straight. The effort to do so seems monumental to me and I’m thinking the payoff is a possibly decent, unexciting perfume. Esthetically, I really find the cubes and upright bottles attractive.
Happy weekend, everyone! SOTD is Frau Tonis Linde Berlin, because it’s June and I wish I were somewhere pleasantly warm with linden trees.
I have a question to throw out to all of you — hoping for some help: I live in a row of townhouses with small patios out back. I love my little patio! It’s the only space I’ve got in this city. Being townhouses, though, our patios share air- and sound-space. And now it seems my neighbours (who’ve always been known to smoke weed in their house) are taking to their patio to smoke cigarettes, which I can’t stand. (Love tobacco notes, hate the smell of secondhand smoke.) Grr!
So, I figured I’d try to fight back through scent. Any ideas for a fabulous scent/delivery method for outdoors to create my own cone of breathability? I used to have these giant backyard incense sticks that were supposed to ward off bugs (but pretty much didn’t). I can’t seem to find anything like them now. I’m not sure my Papier d’Armenie will be strong enough outside. Anyone have any good ideas?
Can you plant some border trees – like cypress or something along those lines? I’d think a “filter” would be more effective than using scent to cover over another scent.
This is where my thinking goes, too. If there’s room for a star jasmine, small potted daphne, or other fragranced plants, I would want them to help out a bit and break up the stink.
And maybe turn a fan on outwards to blow the air back at them.
Well you can always fight back with uber-fragrant plants like wisteria or jasmin.Plus eventually they will block out the views if there is a way for you to let them grow on a trellis or something.
That is so frustrating. Hopefully, you’ll get some good suggestions here.
If you need quick growing, you can try planting a variety of bamboo. This can provide a ‘wall’ and some nice greenery.
Honeysuckle (which is a vine) may be nice; there is also blacklace (elderberry) which provides pretty pink flowers and I believe smells like anise. Also clematis can climb over a fence and are pretty fast growing.
Good luck. Living in a townhouse complex ourselves, we had to plant something by the back fence; decided on a ‘Saskatoon’ bush because we always had kids hopping over it (and subsequently walking into our yard). The plant is now over 8 feet tall and provides the robins and other birds with berries to eat and us with good entertainment watching them. Plus it’s a good privacy screen from the people walking on the street/road behind us.
Good thoughts! We already have a border of sorts — solid fences separate each of the patios. I’ve got a star jasmine on the fence on the other side from them, and it’s just about to bloom. I have a honeysuckle in a pot, though — I’ll try moving it over to the other side that borders on their place, so at least that scent will blow the same direction. Absolute worst case, the fan’s a great idea.
Fire up a generator at about 11pm and let it run all night! Wait, that might be overkill…! ????
Ha, I don’t think it’s overkill. I’ve had neighbours like that before. Great thought!
Well, you could go all in and line the boundary with tall tiki torches full of citronella! Re plants as screens, though — depending on how much space you have, there is a juniper called Blue Arrow that can get to 12-15 feet high but only 2 feet wide. It is a Virginia juniper (Juniperus Virginiana) and they are often fragrant in a woody, cedary way. I think it’s a very attractive tree. If you want a vine, Clematis Armandii is evergreen in milder climates, grows VERY fast to cover fences, and is covered with fragrant white flowers in the spring. But it only blooms once a year. I do think a big outdoor fan might be the most help, though! Good luck!
I went for a 30 minute walk about an hour ago, and boy was that unpleasant. I need to get up earlier, so I can eat a little something earlier, so I can walk earlier! Which means an earlier bedtime, which is really the hard part.
I’m in many spritzes of rose water from the fridge…will chose something from the June perfume tray after a shower.
I hope everyone is staying cool and comfy this weekend.
Oooh — I wish I were somewhere warm! (And then not…
) But rosewater from the fridge sounds perfect.
And I truly do wish I were somewhere warm… ????
As to waking up earlier, and falling asleep earlier, Nancy – after spending a couple of weeks on Eastern time and returning to early Pacific time sunrises, my sleep clock seems to have shifted. I can’t sleep past 6:30 these days, which is a phase I tend to go through this time of year. The difference this year is that my falling asleep schedule has fallen in line with it. I have a hard time staying awake past 10:30 – for the first time in my life, including when I’ve had to get up at 6 a.m. for work or school.
I truly wish I could send you 15 degrees of this heat!
And we’re just getting started. ????
I feel like I sleep better when my sleep schedule skews earlier. Even when I only get 7 hours of sleep, I just feel better when I hit the hay at 11pm rather than 1am.
15 degrees added to the 65 here = perfect!
It’s been ages since I’ve been up until 1 a.m. (fortunately) but it’s always been hard for me to fall asleep before 11 regardless of what time I regularly rise. I will say that unless I’m terribly sleep-deprived I do feel better waking early – a big change for me that only happened around the time I turned 40. Mornings were always miserable, and alarm clocks reviled. Life is a lot easier since mornings became easier. Chalk 1 up for getting old, I guess?
I’ll trade with you any time! Actually thinking of trying for a contract next time in Washington state. It must be the white Western European in me because I just can NOT do heat. 91 here today. ????
Hello everyone. My SOTD is Zoologist Moth. It’s an odd one but I love it. I’m getting some writing done today, then later on will head over to a friend’s house. She’s got a broken arm in a huge cast. We will order in food, commiserate, and watch a movie.
That sounds like a lovely plan, especially in this heat. I hope you enjoy your day.
I was looking at the notes for Moth. Is the smoke note very strong?
No, I don’t find it that strong. It’s strongest right at first. There are also spices and honey. It morphs quite a lot while you wear it and also my various experiences of it have been pretty different. It’s hard to pin down (pun intended)! But I definitely recommend trying it.
Sounds fascinating. Thanks for the feedback!
Oooh, I don’t know that one, but any time the word “odd” comes up I’m intrigued, especially with a smoke note. Going to look it up!
Beautiful morning out in NYC today. Warm, sunny but the humidity has dropped, thankfully. I’ve been keeping up my hour-long walk/jog Fri-Mon and the secret to this has been starting off walking with a cup of coffee from my favorite artisan coffee shop and also listening to podcasts.
This morning I was delighted to be walking in an area by the Hudson where a guy was mowing the lawn! which is such an unusual sight in this city. The sound of this and the cut grass smell made me so happy and brought back memories of many hot summer days cutting our lawn.
SOTD: Osmanthus Interdite by PdE
Enjoy the weekend!
Oh, wow! That is a rare sight. There really is something soothing about the sound and smell of grass being cut. And thus the beauty of taking walks – you experience the world in a way you can’t from any other way of motation – riding a bike, driving a car, sitting on a bus…
Yes to this!
Yesterday, one of my neighbors was mowing the lawn. He does it frequently. I usually engage in small talks with him when he is doing it, just to enjoy the smell of fresh cut grass. One of the best smells ever.
It’s so invigorating!
I love podcasts! It’s nearly taken over for the HOURS of public radio I used to listen to on the weekends (although some of my fave podcasts are made by the same folks). What are you listening to these days?
I love the voices, and how intimate they sound. I love the intro music and flow of programs. They’re really such an “add” to my life.
I like a mix.. but I prefer shorter podcasts. Currently enjoying Pop Culture Happy Hour, Fresh Air, Flour Hour, & some faith based ones. Fun to try a new one every week or so.
What do you really like?
Oh my goodness, so many! I like a mix of current events (I hate TV news, so any other way to get info is preferred), fitness, investigative (like Serial and In the Dark) and escapist storytelling podcasts.
My husband turned me on to a funny/motivational fitness podcast called The Dumbbells, and I’ve gone back and listened to most of the backlog over the past few months.
I love all the longer-form storytelling ones I’ve come across–Homecoming is fantastic. Alice Isn’t Dead. Sandra. The Truth has a new, usually dark, short story each episode, and they are well-made and interesting.
And I’ve gotten sucked into the world of True Crime Garage, even though I can find that it plays with my head a bit and can increase my anxiety if I listen too long, or too close to bedtime.
Is Flour Hour baking? I keep looking for a food podcast that really speaks to me. . .
Good recs! Thanks!
Love this osmanthus
My favorite! Lasts all day too.
I feel like today is going to be a fabulous day! My mother-in-law just gifted me a bottle of Musc Ravageur, which I can’t wait to sniff! Unfortunately, it’s going to be in the mail for a few days and I’m sad to see that we don’t have a review of it here at NST.
Has anyone here tried Musc Ravageur? What did you think?
Nice! I love Musc Ravageur and it’s always one of the first perfumes I pull out for fall. There was a community project with the theme of animalics (or something along those lines; can’t remember exactly what it was) that led to lots of discussion of MR. Some find it filthy dirty
but I’m in the camp who finds it comfy cozy.
Filth in MR?! I don’t get that at all–although I’d welcome it, if I did! Now, I have some Shalimar from the 60’s which has its days . . .Let’s just say I dare not wear it when I need to smell respectable!
Yup. I want to say it was about 50/50 Filth/No Filth.
I’ve got lots of vintage Shalimar (oldest bottle from late 60s/early 70s) and have never picked up any naughtiness in it. I’ve actually got a fairly large vintage perfume collection but most days can’t wear any of them as something (hormonal, I suspect) has made my olfactory system massively amplify animalic notes. (It’s like a cat has wrapped itself around my head and all I can smell is fur – and I mean this in the most unpleasant way possible.) Shalimar, however, is the exception. I’ve never had any problem wearing any of my bottles. Chanel No 5, though – that’s another story. Oof. And not one most people would pinpoint as an “animalic.” Weird, right? *sigh*
How interesting that your perceptions have changed! I hope that doesn’t happen to me. . . I am at the beginning of my second round of puberty, and so far, I “just” have to deal with increased migraines and other symptoms of irregular hormone cycles. In any case, I can imagine No. 5 smelling dirty, actually. I have a bottle of edc from some while back (hard to say with Chanels, but I’d wager it’s about 40 years old), and it definitely has more of *something* than the newer formulations of edp.
I love the original formulation of MR–a super cozy, spicy tonka/ woody musk! I sniffed a newer bottle and thought it was a bit lighter, with less going on in the heart notes, but still cozy. It is absolutely unisex with a similar vibe to Tea for Two (without the cloves cigarettes) or L’Occitane Eau des Baux (but spicier).
Yep, I get zero filth or musk (although maybe I’m amnostic?) and get a boatload of spicey spice.
Is that like agnostic?! I meant amnosic. I think…????
I’m agnostic to musk too. Maybe it exists, or maybe it doesn’t, but it doesn’t change my experience of life that much. ????
“Happy” Gun Violence Awareness Day everyone.
I am wearing orange but otherwise don’t have a way to acknowledge and commemorate.
My plan for the day (including driving out to Sauvie Island for the first Hood strawberries of the season) has been sidelined by a sudden cold. I’m all congested, and with my malfunctioning immune system, it means my body is rebelling in lots of fun ways (my mouth and throat swells, amongst other unusual side effects). Blergh.
SO, fruit stand berries from down the valley will have to do. And I’m not sure the gym will see me this weekend, either. Maybe after I laze about a while I’ll feel up to it.
I’ve been reading Angie’s first book, and it’s making me want to wander through some vintage shops and find a cute dress. Come this summer, I might go on an adventure to some of the better ones in the area. Eight more days with kids, two more weeks, and my life will be my own for a bit. Yippee!
Oh, and SOTM is SSS Nostalgie, which has enough heft to waft through the congestion and help me feel pretty despite the crud.
Alas, at 5’10” wandering through vintage shops and finding anything that might fit (either body or foot) is something I gave up on long ago. I do love other vintage items, though, so still enjoy poking around in shops even if I rarely buy much.
Hope you feel better STAT! Or at least in time for your summer vacation
Ha! Yes, I am 5′ 8″ and understand some of what you say. A bigger issue, as it were, are my hips which are nearly 40 inches at the hipbone. Only really flared skirts and dresses work with my curves! I do better with the 50’s and early 60’s than anything created for the slender fashions of later decades.
Oh, and meant to say, thank you! Yes, if things go according to the norm, two weeks will be just about when I finally feel back to normal. JUST in time for summer break!
Hopefully you’ll be up & at ’em much sooner than that ???? (but ya, that kind of stuff tends to linger forever with me, too…)
We made it to VA yesterday, just in time for a very impressive thunderstorm. I don’t think I’ve been that close to lightning before!
We attended the little pre-wedding cocktail party last night which was lovely and at a very nice inn in Orange VA, which is where the wedding will be later this evening (the brides sister was very wasted and just a little embarrassing. Hope she can keep it together tonight). Opardu, Eau de Magnolia, or Arquiste Ella? Haven’t decided yet, but I wore CdG Lily today since it’s good for hazy, hot, and humid.
Just got back from visiting Monticello. It was nice, but my patience for guided tours isn’t tremendous. It’s just good to be out of The City, though, and see some greenery and horses and stuff.
Ah, I’ve always been curious about Monticello, but it might hold a different kind of fascination for someone who lives in a state of a newer vintage, as it were.
What’s a wedding without a crazy drunk person in the family? At least there was only 1.
Enjoy the weekend away –
Drunk people are so entertaining! ????
My pick is the magnolia. Enjoy your getaway!
sample of the morning = CdG Vogue 125
This is wonderful and weird. Chemicals (instant film, ink), florals (lily of the valley, peony), and something toasted. Yeah, I think the Vogue offices could smell like this.
Vogue 125 got a wearing today because it was on top of the pile when I accidentally tipped over my box of samples yesterday.
This morning I sorted the samples out and realized I have many duplicates. I thought I was doing so well, being efficient, keeping track. But, but, but . . . there are even samples I’ve not yet tried. I think they’re inviting their sample friends over, or somehow multiplying when I’m not looking.
Gosh, I’m tired, and super glad it’s Saturday.
Haha they were having a sample party
Vogue sounds interesting!
Samples do love to party! lol
The Vogue 125 fragrance is unusual. It was released to mark the magazine’s 125 year anniversary. I had no idea Vogue has been around for so long.
Oh, I’ve never heard of that CdG, though I’m admittedly rather ignorant of most of their catalogue. Sounds interesting (and has me curious about the toast connection.)
There are a couple of documentaries about said periodical on amazon – The September Issue, and The Editor’s Eye. I’ve watched both more than once, and would recommend if one is interested in that kind of fare. Not Vogue-specific, but in the same vein, is The First Monday in May.
And on the same note, is The Fashion Fund ever coming back? Anyone know?
Vogue 125 is unusual. The toastiness comes from a faint whiff of something brown, not quite coffee, nor is it a nutty smell, and not quite a bakery aroma. Let me know if you’d like to try it, I can pop the sample in the mail to you.
Thanks for the mention of the documentaries! I enjoyed The September Issue and will add the other two to my watch list. And I wish the Fashion Fund would come back. I bought the last season of Project Runway All-Stars to watch on Amazon and never finished watching. It just isn’t as fun as it used to be.
I am intrigued to smell Vogue 125
I hope you can find a way to sniff Vogue 125. It has contrasting notes that are surprising.
I smell of Eau de Freebiemeet – lots and lots of a little bit of this and that. Will hit the shower soon and head out for the evening with my H. Dinner and a show – tonight’s being a local production of the Disney musical of Hunchbank (I think that’s the gist – a musical theater production of the Disney film?) I’ll wear Putain des Palaces, which is my designated musical theater perfume. It may not be just the right match for Hunchbank (not sure what would be?) but I’ve been craving Putain lately, so am looking forward to it.
I wish I could participate in the Freebiemeet,as giver and receiver!
I did in the past,before the restrictions on mailing perfumes became so ridiculous here in S-Africa.
The last freebiemeet I did dibs on stuff from the US but it never made it to me.Alas.
It feels good to share the bounty on NST though.
Oh no, Johanob, I think those samples were coming from me. I’m so sorry they didn’t make it through.
In your opinion what notes really stand out in P des P?
I’m commando today (in ACLS class this weekend) but on Monday I’m taking the family up to Portland, OR for a short trip. If anyone has any sniffing recs for the area please let me know! Fumerie is on my list so far. I hope everyone is having a great weekend!!!
Oh nice.Enjoy the ACLS!It was fun for me about a month ago.
Just renewed mine a couple weeks ago. Such a delightful four hours! ????
Fumerie is an absolute must. Two folk from the Perfume House had a schism from Our Lady of the Scented Wrists, and I fear I am part of the lost flock, so I have not returned there to see how it has changed. (Translation, the two best and most knowledgeable SAs from TPH left and started Fumerie.) However, I suspect it could still be an impressive stop, albeit likely more mainstream. They used to have a broad assortment of Serge Lutens, Amouage, and other harder-to-find houses as well as some great vintage stuff to admire. It is only a mile or so north of Fumerie, so if you’re in the neighborhood, it’s an easy jaunt over to check and see.
Another good stop is the “big” Nordstroms downtown, if you don’t have something like that in your home area–there’s Bond No. 9, Jo Malone, and other similar houses that can only be found in luxury department stores. And of course, the usual Nordstrom policy of plenty of samples.
Hope you have a great visit to our lovely city! Roses are in full bloom and gardens are resplendent. I recommend a walk through Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens and/or the international rose test garden. Wish school was out and I could offer to play tour guide!
Thanks for the info! We do plan on going to the rose garden and I’ll add the Rhododendron Gardens to my list. I’m in a bit of a perfume desert (poorly stocked Nordstrom and Sephora about an hour away) so I’ll be sure to hit the Nordstrom. Thanks for the tips–we’re all really looking forward to the roses and some great food!!
Hi all,
Moved this from the freebiemeet: I’d like to offer to send a foot of parafilm to up to 5 NSTers in the US who’d like to give it a try for sealing bottles/decants/etc. Please email me at katykatt at gee male.
Love to try it! Thanks
So generous! I’d love some. Will email.
Thanks so much – I’d love to try. Am emailing you now. Happy Sunday.
SOTD = Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Mimosa
Well, I only wore 2 spritzes as it was right before I went food shopping with mom. It lasted a few hours. Lovely. I got my bottle yesterday from Marshall’s., along with Green Tea Yuzu. Each 100mL bottle was $9.99. I was tempted to buy Green Tea Bamboo and Green Tea Neroli Blossom since they were basically free, but I restrained myself. I actually asked for and got 10% off the Mimosa as the box was already opened. The person at the next register commented that that they’re all open and I almost asked her to mind her own beeswax.
I decanted Tom Ford F-cking Fabulous and Tauer Les Annees 25 and the combo became my SOTROTD (props to the person who guesses what this stands for). If I may say so, this combo smells crazy good!
And speaking of shopping, I have 2 enabler’s pins to award!
1. Lillyjo – 2nd pin in as many weeks! She mentioned zulilly had Tom Ford Fleur de Chine and a bottle is now on its way to me. At this rate lillyjo may end up sending me to the poorhouse!
2. Robin – she mentioned haw haw flakes and…I saw some at 99 Ranch today and got it to get to another 5% “discount” in the form of a $1 coupon for every $20 spent. (I looked for White Rabbit, but no luck.)
Commuting Woes No. 431:
I am loosely using this category since it involves driving —
Just about the worst type of vehicle to be stuck behind in bumper to bumper traffic — a filled cement truck with the churning thing rotating. I was behind one this afternoon and I was expecting wet cement to spew out any minute.
Also this afternoon, a police SUV had its lights and sirens on and I dutifully pulled over to the right. That SUV actually had no business going that fast in a busy one lane road. It came thisclose to hitting my car.
On the bright side, I saw a car that made me smile! On my way home from the library, I was behind a royal blue Volkswagon beetle with Daisy-shaped rear lights, and 2 large Daisy decals decorating the rear hatch. I’ll look for a picture and post it. Now I want a car like that in apple-green!
SOTROTD=Scent of the rest of the day. (Are we thinking alike?)
You are correct, foxbins!
I am glad my pin was for the cheapie!
Oh yay! I’m so glad you saw that PSA, it was late when I posted. From what I understand, it’s hard to come by, I hear it’s gorgeous. And I’m also so glad that the SUV missed you, that’s so scary!
Haw Flakes! Gah. Now I am craving them. Been years since I stuffed my kids pockets with them for trips to the zoo or hikes… thanks for the flash back.
I could try this Green Tea flanker
Would love your take on the new Tauer!!! I must smell that one.
I went for a hike this morning and now after a shower I don’t know what to wear; Box of Eels is very tempting.
Box of Eels blooms beautifully in the heat!
Oh! Yes! Miss this one.
It’s after 10:30 PM on Sat night and I am relaxing listening to Mary Black on the CD player and reading NST. Friday night I got home after 1 AM (I guess technically Sat morning). In a momentary loss of sanity, I volunteered to chaperone the seniors’ graduation party for the kids at my son’s school (parents of juniors are supposed to do this every year). The party was in a massive (think six or seven airplane hangars) building containing every imaginable indoor game and sport–bowling, laser tag, mini-golf, ginormous play structure, arcade games, even a 60′ high, maybe twice as long “American Ninja Warrior” type challenge that the kids had to wear harnesses on some of the crazier challenges… Music blasting, recent high school grads… And I was on the EARLY shift. And then this afternoon we had friends in from the East Coast, so we were cleaning and cooking all day. It was a lovely dinner out on deck. They left about half an hour ago and my husband is finishing the washing up. Can no longer smell the Ananas Fizz I applied late in the afternoon. Just cilantro from the vestiges of the 6-advocado guacamole I made. I think I’ll apply the last of my decant before I go to bed. Happy weekend all!
Wow, I gotta say, you’re kids go to the coolest schools. I can’t believe you fit in all that plus having guests!
Sounds like a fun and busy couple of days! Hope you get a good rest today????
Oops! This is in response to OF above.
I was woken at 7am today with a paw to the face…grrr!
Now enjoying a bagel with nuclear strength coffee and wearing PdN Veryyver. Hope everyone has a restful and rejuvenating Sunday! ✌????
I am laid up with sciatica and looking for comfort in scents, good reading? Nothing I have feels right now. any ideas?
I just finished our own Angela M. Sanders’ first book in the vintage fashion series–The Lanvin Murders. Charming, delightful and absolutely something I would read while stretched out with a cup of tea. Spritz something vintage or maybe some My Sin in honor of Lanvin! Hope you feel better soon.
Hey, we’re book twins! I just finished it, too! Like last night. ???? I enjoyed it as easy, quick-reading and totally fun!
Great suggestion, Jepster. Thanks.
Spent this morning finishing The Woman in the Window. Very good debut thriller. Bound for film rights I’m sure. Wearing 1 spritz of my beloved No. 22. I guard this one with my life, and like to enjoy it alone, doing nothing but daydreaming and reading. It takes me to another place and time. Good thoughts your way.
Ooh, I love No. 22 too! I wore it in my 20s, put it aside for years, and it now has pride of place again on my dresser.
Oh, No. 22 edt was so beautiful! The edp version, not so much. I should have gotten my hands on some when I had the chance. On the other hand, I just got a sample of Coromandel, which used to be chemical soup to me, and now smells good.
Thanks, scentsenior. Great ideas.
Now that I have disc issues and it affects my sciatic nerve down to my feet I really sympathize with you and others who have this pain.
Hard to push thru and do life with the chronic pain.
I like comfort scents for this, tonka & vanilla notes, but not sweet. Safran Troublant maybe? I also find Black Cashmere comforting for the woody/hazelnut mix.
Hope you’re finding relief soon.
Thanks, floragal.
I like mimosa scents for comfort, maybe JM mimosa and cardamon. . And a comfort book for me is something quiet, and well crafted like Stoner by John Williams.
Kanaka, I like mimosa, too. I’ll look into Stoner.
Ouch, I hope you get better soon!
I have found short story collections to be perfect for short bursts of reading, specially important if you have to remind yourself to not be stationary to avoid worsening back issues. I recently borrowed The Best Short Stories 2017 (edited by Meg Wolitzer) from the library and got halfway through before I had to return it. This “Best of” and other similar type of collections (e.g. O. Henry Prize Stories) with stories written by different authors is perfect for when one prefers to not commit to a longer book.
https://www.amazon.com/Best-American-Short-Stories-2017-ebook/dp/B01N7HZA3K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528057165&sr=8-1&keywords=American+short+stories+2017
I found short stories to be indispensable when I was severely depressed and my attention span was greatly reduced. The 19th century novels that were my bread-and-butter as an English major were unmanageable.
Short stories are great ideas. thanks, LaurelS.
If you like English history and murder mysteries, I’ve enjoyed C.J. Sansom’s series about Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer in Tudor times who acts as a sort of detective. Or you might like Josephine Tey’s “The Daughter of Time”, in which a 20th century detective — also laid up in bed — tries to solve the crimes alleged to have been committed by Richard III. I hope you feel better soon!
Josephine Tey is an all time favorite. I will look up cute sansom.Thanks, old Herbaceous.
If you need a laugh (and it sounds like you might need one), then I highly recommend the Spellman Files series by Lisa Lutz. As for perfume, I recommend Vanilla 44 by Le Labo or Artemisia by Penhaligon’s.
Thanks, missionista. Great perfume suggestions. I’ll look into the Spellman files.
How did it get to be Sunday morning already!! Finishing an omlette and a pot of coffee. So many house chores and no motivation. Time t put on the 80’s pop station and get cracking. Will smell like Mrs. Meyers Basil for a bit, then after my shower maybe some Cristalle.
Love Mrs. Meyers Basil fragrance. Although I would choose to blare some of my dad’s old records. In fact, maybe that’s what I need to get me going with my lunch preparations for the week? Thanks for the suggestion! ????
Happy Sunday, all!
I am not feeling better, but at least I’m not feeling worse! So, maybe I’ll take foxbins idea and spray a little Box of Eels. Sunday morning is my chores time–prep breakfast and lunch for the week, prep Sunday dinner. Maybe clean up after myself.
Usually I run Sunday mornings as well, but I have learned this isn’t awesome when I’m congested and my autoimmune disease is flaring. So, my cardio will be “rucking” during chores. (A totally nerdy fitness activity where you wear a packed backpack for daily activities, going on walks, etc.) I don’t pack the backpack very heavy–maybe 12-15 pounds. I am still building up my upper body endurance for it! With any luck, regular rucking will make a hiking trip in August more enjoyable.
Rucking sounds like a great idea!
It appeals to my desire for efficiency, but I admit, I feel a bit silly wandering about the house in my backpack. ????
Busy weekend. The hubs power washed both houses yesterday on a hot and extemely humid day. Today is a gorgeous day It’s much less humid and a perfect 70 degrees so we cleaned the exterior windows. It’s nice to get these chores done. SOTD is Beige. Mostly the EDT but I also used a spritz of the EDP. Still think I prefer the EDT but the EDP is pretty good.
And it’s a chillier 60 degrees. We’re just missing the sunshine or it would be perfect early spring weather!
I had an interesting experience on a panel yesterday with a perfumer talking about the approaches to interpreting scents …as perfumer and writer…and the language involved but also about ‘craft’ and processes of transformation ( through perfume/text ). One of the most interesting aspects was talking about ‘ intention’ which I guess relates to craft as much as anything…and themes. It was also interesting to learn about NZ global lifestyle brands and how many of them are focussed on cooler/ outdoors/mountain environments ( icebreaker ) rather than water/ summer / concepts. The perfume I am wearing is really nice: mimosa kowhai and manuka with freesia pear . Best of all I am meeting Lady Waterdragon this arvo for a chinwag and chanel.
So that is interesting to me, intention that is. Probably not on the nose (pun intended
) of what s/he was talking about, but I have always been curious about the idea of a perfume brief–that is someone or some company describing what they want in a perfume to a perfume designer/nose. What is the mileage between the brief and the final product? And also, what about perfumers exploring scents and note combinations. Is the outcome always a refinement of the rough cut a perfumer started with? Or do perfumers ever just “double, double toil and trouble,” and love something they’ve made, slap a name on it, and THEN describe the notes in some appealing way that has a correlation to the perfume’s smell? Perhaps listing the notes is part of the art of it as well? There are so many time I smell a perfume and with the power of suggestion (the notes that are listed) I can pick out plum, rose, lime blossoms, galbanum, and tonka. Or (for the same perfume) rose hips, red rose, mock orange, linden, and vanilla–if that is what is described. Or do perfumers really start out intending some blend of (to go back to my first notes) plum, rose, lime blossoms, etc. and then wind up with it–tweaked of course to emphasize different aspects of the chosen notes, and by the addition of other notes, which altogether temper and twist into the final scent? Maybe this is like asking a novelist, do you start with an outline of your story and then fill in the details, or do you just start and see where you wind up? Answer, I guess, is that it depends on the novelist.
Continuing this summer’s theme of wonderful weekends. This weekend involved brunch and dinner with friends, spur-of-the-moment kayaking, one rather disappointing rummage sale, and one rather fruitful rummage sale, and a fair amount of lazing around. Wearing Verveine on the hot day, and Diorissimo on the less hot day. Life is good! Hope you are all doing well.