Happy Bastille Day! You're celebrating in Paris, of course, so please make the following choices for your (imaginary) day:
1. What new French perfume will you buy?
2. What vintage French perfume will you run across at an amazing price?
3. What will you eat?
4. Tell us anything else you want to about your day in Paris, or, as always, talk about something else.
Note: top image is Feu d'artifice du 14 juillet 2017 depuis le champ de Mars à Paris, devant la Tour Eiffel, Bastille day 2017 [cropped] by Yann Caradec at flickr; some rights reserved.
Bonjour!
I will purchase Rue Cambon – new for me or perhaps a cloche of chergui.
Vintage – samsara
Eat vegetarian tagine at a small Moroccan bistro with my sister.
Visit old friends who live near Bois de Bologne and walk and talk and show pictures of children all grown up and coffee at zinc bar.
Not exciting, but lovely and fulfilling.
Your day in Paris sounds perfect.
thanks johanob,
I find most days in Paris pretty perfect. I am never disappointed with a visit to the city of lights.
“Not exciting” days ARE usually the most lovely and fulfilling. Sounds perfect!
1. I’ve never tried Jovoy Psychedelic, so this would be my chance to try and buy. I would also stop in at Dior to try their 12 new fragrances which I hear are in a lighter style than the previous La Collection Privée.
3. I would rent an apartment, keep the fridge stocked with wine and champagne, and eat cheese and baguette for breakfast every day. ????
Ooh! That covers all the most important food groups…
I thought you would approve. ????
I approve, too, as long as we add the other important food group: macarons!
Macarons are EVERYTHING
lol
What, no croissants?!
almond croissants! and financiers.
Ditto on cheese and baguette all day.
1. SL Rose de Nuit
2. Mitsouko and/or Shalimar
3. Pastries
Yes, yes, and yes!
New perfume: smallest bottles of all the Dior Privées I really like – that would add up to just one of their regular, if honking big, bottles. Old perfume: Dioressimo edp or Diorling. Evidently, a very Dior-centric trip.
Food: if I am not in SunnyDay’s apartment I’d be in a neighbourhood bistro where they don’t mind my awkward French and I can people watch.
Activities: a museum, possibly a non-crowded, oddball one. After that, either a fripes store or a boot sale. Oh, and I’d pop into a pharmacy, which next to a hardware store is my favourite foreign store to visit. Evidently, the fanciest part of my trip would be the perfume, which sounds about right.
I wish Dior did a set like Chanel did,of all the perfumes in the Privè collection.Glad I got my hands on the Chanel set!
I’d be happy to join you at the pharmacy. They are my first stop on any trip, something about foreign everyday products is endlessly fascinating.
My sister swears I fly across oceans just to go to pharmacies.
+2 on endless fascination with pharmacies in foreign countries if only to compare HABAs.
The struggle is real!
I was obsessed with pharmacies in Korea!
me too!
So tickled to see in not the only one who loves pharmacies in other countries!
I “need” at least one small bottle of Dior, so I’m joining you on that trip
I’d buy something from Uncle Serge, probably La Myrrhe.
My computer is acting up, I wasn’t finished with my comment!
I’d find a big honking bottle of vintage L’Heure Bleue at an amazing price.
I’d have croissants and café au lait for breakfast, raclette for lunch, and bouillabaisse for dinner with a crusty baguette to soak up the broth. Then I’d take a walk in one of the older sections of Paris and look at the amazing architecture.
Today I’m wearing a perfume born in the Chicago suburbs, MadHat Mysore Lime. Perfect for a 90F day.
your day in Paris sounds fabulous. I’d go to see Parfums de Nicolai too…
Sounds like a perfect day.
Do you know what’s silly? I’ve had infinitely more bouillabaisse in California than I have in France. I can’t recall ever seeing it on a menu in France. Hmmmm.
Bastille Day! Enjoying watching the Tour de France on TV; I’ve seen the Tour of California in person but kinda doubt I’d enjoy the crowds for TdF.
If I were in Paris, I’d be staying in a small hotel on the Ile St Louis as we did years ago. We’d eat dinner out at a cozy local place, and we’d have whatever the plat du jour was… whatever is in season.
But instead, we’re going out for fancy dinner tonight for my anniversary. Squint as hard as I can, I doubt I’ll mistake Oakland for Paris, but I’ll try. I’ll be sure to wear a French perfume… Niral most likely.
I see that the newly-revamped Dior Collection Prive is finally on their website:
https://www.dior.com/beauty/en_us/maison-christian-dior/the-perfumes
Wonder if it’s in the US stores yet… I’ll have to go sniff at my local Dior shop (I am still amused that I have a ‘local Dior shop’)
Recently I’ve been testing some Hajusuuri-sized samples of Solinotes scents. Considering they cost $20 for 50ml, the cost of a bottle is verging on the cost of a standard sample. Anyway… color me impressed; I’ve smelled far worse for 10x the price. Nice bottles too. My mini reviews:
– Yuzu : Yuzu, bergamot, slightly sweet white florals. Nice.
– Fleur de Figuier : Pucker up! Blackcurrant, grapefruit, fig. Tart!
– Pomelo : …well 2 out of 3 ain’t bad. Orange and a limpet-mine of laundry musk, supremely tenacious.
I might try a few more someday… avoiding the ones with musk in the note list.
Happy anniversary! I agree with you about the Tour de France crowds – I often find myself yelling at the TV when spectators aren’t giving the riders enough room.
Terra Bella and Rose Gipsy sounds wonderful!,
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary! Enjoy your night out.
Thanks for the mini reviews. I have been eyeballing those for a while because they are insanely inexpensive. If you try any others please let us know….. and happy anniversary ????????????
Congrats on your anniversary!!! I hunk the exclusifs were supposed to show up at the stores on 7/10
Congratulations on your anniversary! And ???? on the SAMPLES!
Happy anniversary!
Happy anniversary! How was your dinner in Pari… I mean, Oakland?
Happy (belated) anniversary!
Bonne fete de Bastille pour tout les NST!
1. Chanel Paris – Venise (OR Paris – Deauville)
2. Would love to catch a waft of vintage Iris Gris in some uber French cafe that plays some live ‘offroad’ music.
3. Macaroons! MACAROONS baby!
4. I’d love to go to the Grand Musee du Parfum but learned few days ago it is closing down
SotD is VC&A Neroli Amara.
Looking forward to your review of Neroli Amara!
1. Incident Diplomatique Jovoy Paris for women and men
2. YSL Rive Gauche
3. Kouign Amann
4. Celebrate the 6-year anniversary of meeting my life partner!
oh, happy anniversary to you both!
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary!
Very happy anniversary to you both!
Happy Anniversary! That pastry!
I thought it was Quebecois, that pastry. Is it French?
It’s French (Brittany) according to Wikipedia.
Ah, thanks.
Happy anniversary!
Kouign Amanns have gotten super popular in the Bay Area in the past five years. They tend not to be as good as the ones in Brittany, though.
New perfume – probably a full bottle of Lubin’s Epidor. It’s dreamy! Or a bell jar of Chene.
Vintage? I’ve never tried Apres les Ondee, so how about that one?
I would be eating fresh bread, cheese and drinking red wine. Bliss!
On a not-Paris related note, I’ve decided to create a subset of the use it up challenge devoted to using up the samples and decants of scents that I now own in bottle form. I did not follow the excellent advice of using the full sample before buying a bottle. In some cases it’s ridiculous – why do I have 5 samples of Baccarat Rouge 540? So, I will start using those tiny backups up. Today: Santal Massoia. Two samples to finish.
Have an amazing day!
I’m liking your USE IT UP!!!-system!I also started today,with a Diptyque sample,one of the 34-something-something flankers.Pretty good,and definitely fb-worthy!
Welcome to the “Use it Up” club!
I love BR 540 lol! I wish I had 5 samples! I hoard my one. It’s on my FB list.
The EDP or the extrait?
I’ve only ever sampled the edp
It doesn’t get a lot of love here but I have super happy connotations with it lol
I just sampled it yesterday…very nice…I can see why you love it.
I always put my unfinished samples of perfumes I’ve bought FBs of in my purse stash. That way I know I’ve got something on hand that I like
They’re also good for traveling. The last 2x I was on the road I brought Chanel minis that I now have FBs of and that was the perfect way to travel, especially since the trips were both a couple of weeks long.
I don’t know what I’d buy, but I’d visit Serge and Parfumerie Generale and By Kilian and MFK for starters. I’d pick up some drugstore lotions and I’d shop for food and clothing as well, and I’d visit all the museums. Because I have lots of time and money on my imaginary trip.
After that, I’d be in a plaza drinking cafe au lait or wine deciding which perfumes to buy and just catching my breath because I would have walked all over.
Then I’d take a little trip south to Provence and shop at all the outdoor markets and eat at delicious little bistros.
Oh, good call on PG. I’d try to get them to sell me their last bottle of Cuir d’Iris. Maybe I’d also pick up 30ml of Arabian Horse.
I would also be sure to to visit Grasse while in France.
Let’s go!!
For new perfume – Violaceum. For vintage – Jolie Madame. For eating – violet macarons. Keeping it all in the family! Today I’m in Une rose, inspired by my red knit dress.
Mmmm macarons
Bonjour!
Nice win for Belgium today ⚽️
Fo’ah, still draining my sample
We are eating baguette with tomatoes, mozzarella and ???? basil.
Tomorrow we will gather with all of our french friends for the game but I will cheer for Croatia and try not to focus on all the good looking players ????
oh..forgot to answer the question:
1. Encens Mythique
2. Shalimar or the discontinued Vanilla flankers
3. Berthillon ice cream
4. Walk down Rue Cler and find an outdoor cafe, sit and people watch
I thought the baguette was your answer, but you meant that’s really what you’re eating! Yum.
I will also be going for Croatia. However I will not be trying not to focus on all of the good looking players. ????
OMG how about that French goalie?? Speaking of hotties.
I will be sleeping tomorrow during the game (or at least part of it), but I’m also rooting (in my head) for Croatia.
Oh, I doubt I will eat French food for Bastille Day, but it really sounds good. We went to a Bastille Day celebration at a French restaurant near Pike Place Market the first summer we moved to Seattle. I also remember the weather being pleasant and in the70s unlike the 80s of today. No perfume yet, but I can smell remnants of last night’s 10 Corso Como. It may be my favorite sandalwood. It does beat Tam Dao on me.
1. Not sure what I would buy, maybe something affordable like Cap Neroli. I would definitely go to the PdN store and also try to sniff all the pricey Serges. I wouldn’t mind smelling the newer Louis Vuittons.
2. I’d go for a vintage bottle of Caron Narcisse Blanc.
3. I would eat everything – all the baguette and fromage and steak frites and pastries and Lauduree macarons and tuna nicoisse salad.
4. Try to find a time to go to museums when they aren’t crowded, just walk around and take everything in, go to pharmacies, check out some antiques and vintage clothing, even though I certainly can’t afford what they sell in Paris.
I do love 10 CC. I want the bath products badly! And YES to all of the food in Paris.
SotM = Terracotta, day 6
Woke up thinking “something smells good.” The dry down of last night’s L’eau de L’artisan is a wonderful herbal-woody thing.
Paris!
New = Histoire d’Orangers
Vintage = Après l’Ondée
Eat = chausson aux pommes, une religieuse, and a few palmiers
To do = long walks, gawk in the Louvre then lunch on the terrace there, people watch in parks, wander through open air markets, refuel with chocolate, climb up to Sacre Coeur, ride a Bateau Mouche at dusk, sleep deeply.
I love your to do!
oh, thanks! my wishful to do list for Paris is the opposite of what I did the times I visited in the past when I allowed other people to dictate many “must do” activities and highly scheduled days there.
I’m there with you, walking side x side, enjoying Paris!
And we’d smell fabulous after hitting many, many perfume counters.
Not sure about perfumes but I would go to churches and gardens. Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle, and Tuileries and Luxembourg Gardens, and oh I forgot, cemeteries, Pere Lachaise, to see all the famous people’s graves and all the kitties. I would spend my whole time taking photographs.
Pere Lachaise is always so interesting.
Heloise and Abelard together…. that was a dream for me to see, being a philosopher. Such a tragic love story.
I love Luxembourg Gardens.
I want to come with you!
I forgot to mention food! Like everyone else, pastries and cheese. I remember trying to order “Tarte rhubarbe” which is incredibly hard to pronounce if you’re not good at French. Contrary to the image of haughty Parisians, the lady in the little shop kept encouraging me to improve my pronunciation, as I practiced over and over again, and we all got a big laugh out of it!
I don’t have any new perfumes I want now, but for vintage I wouldn’t refuse Climat by Lancôme.
Food… Probably some cheese.
I have a question: has anyone tried PdN’s original Odalisque and from the last 2-3 years’ batches? How has it survived the reformulation? (I assume it has been reformulated but do not know that for a fact).
Fond memory of time spent in Southampton UK:every Saturday there was a French market on the town square.We used to sample EVERYTHING.my favorite was a goatmilk cheese with dried cranberries and coarse pepper.Wonderful.
Now I want goat cheese
I tried a sample of Odalisque within the last two years and it went right into the “meh” pile. On me it has a slightly rotted melon note that does not work at all. I don’t think it’s supposed to have that note, so either my nose misread some of the citrus, or Luckyscent sent the wrong thing. Or the reformulation went very badly indeed.
There should be no melon… At least, there is none in my ~8 y.o. sample (I strongly dislike melon in perfumes so I wouldn’t miss it).
I worked at a perfume shop in the 1990’s we sold Annick Goutal and PdN. Sacre Bleu and Odalisque were our top sellers.
PdN’s older version of Odalisque was beautiful, floral/chypre. Later versions aren’t as well-done.
It’s a pity… Which teaches me to go for perfumes I like when I like them – or get new samples before buying bottles of something I tested and liked a while ago.
I have a small sample that I ordered from STC in the past year f – I’d be happy to send it to you if you have any interest – just let me know your email
I’d likely buy a beautiful SL bell jar, one of the limited edition ones. Because it’s my fantasy, it would be Douce Amere, and the jar would be intricately engraved or otherwise covered in gorgeousness. I would find a bottle of Gobin-Daude Nuit au Desert, somewhere. I would be eating bread and cheese, all the long day, interspersed with endless meandering in museums.
They beautiful those engraved ones.
I hope you get your wish.
Bonjour NST!Bonne fete de Bastille mon ami!!Vive la France!
How I miss the streets of Paris I walked as a youngster…
New Perfume?Not sure what is new in French perfumery I would desperately want to buy.I would love to swing by Guerlain and gawk at the beautiful bee bottles,maybe swing by Sylvaine Delacourte to sample her independent new offerings.I will DEFINITELY seek out two places though:Au Pays de la Fleurs d’Orange for my Neroli fix,Hermès to add a little something to my tiny scarf collection.
I will stumble upon a boot sale,where a crumpled old french Madame in tattered Moulin Rouge costume hands me a pristine,sealed bottle of Jacques Fath Iris Gris…and then she disappears.
What will I eat?Oh pastries of course…little glazed apricot tarts,eclairs,Pierre Hermè Macarons….I shall ask around to find the best patisserie for the best ever(!!) version of a Madeleine.
After all my shopping and eating,my French lover and I shall take a midnight stroll along the Seine,sipping Champagne and talking untill sunrise.Bliss.
Sounds good?Hell yes
Just a sidenote,and I feel I should start a Hajusuuri-inspired mini thread on Dating-woes…lol.Recently single again,went on a date tonight.WHY(!!!!) this guy decided to pick the noisiest,most popular Italian restaurant for a first date,only he would know.I could not hear a word he said,telling me in 200000000000000 words about his career,and to my left,there was a wall of wine,with rope lighting around it which kept flashing different colors.After an hour I just could not take it anymore and abruptly stood up and excused myself.I probably should have suggested another place when the date started,but I kinda knew when we sat down it was going to be a very short date…Lol.Next victim!Haha!✌????
So sorry there wasn’t a match. At least the date gave you material for an entertaining story.
Haha!Thanks!At least I never lose my sense of humor about these things…????????♂️????????♂️✌????
????????! Sorry your date did not go well, but I would have flown from that place as soon as I had stepped in. “A wall of wine, with rope lighting around it which kept flashing different colors”. (LOL!) You really made my day with your woe! Good luck with your next date!
Lolz.Thanks M!Glad I could make you chuckle a bit.✌????☺️
I just love how you turn a negative into something humorous and positive ????
Haha!Oh well,what else can one do?Lol.Plus there has been wayyyyyyy worse dates in the past,Lol!????
Love your date story. At least he showed his preferences and they did not mesh with yours.
Not sure what he showed me,but it sure was NOT “a good time”,LOL
What perfume were you wearing to that unfortunate date?
Haha!luckily not something in my Top 2000 of all time:Zara Man Black Intense.So no bad associations in the forseeable future.The Zara is in the pile for JUST USE IT UP.Maybe I’ll downgrade it now to aircare in the bathroom…Lol
Oh, dear! Good on you for being able to excuse yourself. I can’t deal with monologuists and imagine I could just replace myself with a cardboard cutout of myself and walk away and they wouldn’t know the difference, lol!
I wish I had a doppelganger for moments like these,who can replace me with the click of a button or an emergency SOS call…lol
Sounds good to me! Did you used to live in France?
I spent some time in France during my gap-year straight after high school,yup!
That sounds amazingly good! Your date sounds amazingly bad. I hope the food was at least OK, and you had a good drink to wash down the boring conversation.
Oh noooo…I did not hang around long enough to eat anything!Came home with a McD’s takeaway/comfort food.Lol
Hilarious! McD’s after all! At least you found comfort in your food! ????????????????????.
At least,yup!????????♂️????????♂️????????✌????
Uuuuggghh that all sounds amazing!
Let’s GO Kelly!☺️????
zomg your date! LOL! Always best to get straight to NO, no? Better luck next time!
As I’ve gotten older,my patience for sitting through an obviously horrible date/event/movie/whatever has become very very low.I have a reputation for just leaving.This guy was lucky I spent a full hour there.Lol
French for today and I was naughty with something French yesterday. I guess I should explain!
SOTD = Kilian Lemon in Zest
From a sample. It’s the Lugano, Switzerland exclusive but of course, it is available in every Kilian boutique and also occasionally at Kilian counters at some department stores. It is very lemony, more bitter than citric, with a patchouli-Vetiver-vanilla drydown. I don’t smell anything boozy eventhough Fragrantica lists Brandy. Funny though than when I got home, I thought the drydown was boozy vanilla until I realized that the Antica Farmacista Vanilla, bourbon and mandarin room diffuser in my powder room blended in very nicely with Lemon in Zest. Conclusion – nice, but I can get the same effect with layering my existing perfumes.
Speaking of which, I visited the Kilian boutique downtown and bought the refill bottle of Noir Aphrodisiaque. Besides the bottle, I came home with 9 samples, including Lemon in Zest. I didn’t get a hug but I’m OK with that ????
I went to Trader Joe’s this morning…and enabler pins go to:
– Koyel for mentioning canneles
– Foxbins for mentioning they’re available at TJ. They’re frozen and come in a box of 4 for $3.99. Defrost for 20 minutes and enjoy. I have not yet opened the box.
– tiffanie for being the most recent person to mention dark chocolate peanut butter cups. I’ve bought them before but it came to the forefront because of her
– QUESTION! I saw a box of packets of coconut oil in the bath & body products section as well as in the aisle where the olive oils are located. Has anyone tried these packets. Other than the convenience of carrying around single use coconut oil, is there anything special about this particular coconut oil?
The 12 mile drive there was uneventful except for the person who decided to stop in the middle lane because he forgot to go to the right lane to turn right into one of the strip malls. Glad there was no pile-up but that truly was an accident waiting to happen!
Paris
– I don’t have anything current I’m itching to buy that’s exclusive to a Paris boutique ????
– something vintage – I would love to stumble upon a hole in the wall shop that carries vintage Caron
– I would love to go back to Le Souffle, where the entire menu consists of soufflés from Appetizer to Dessert. Come to think of it, they probably had other preparations on the menu but I whooped it up with soufflés.
No hug? I guess Hermes is just a bit friendlier than BK ????. Nice haul, though.
Heh, or maybe it’s the Canadian air ????
I love that you are handing out food enabler pins now ????????????????
We’re an enabling bunch, aren’t we…with some exceptions, of course.
You might just get an enabler pin from me tomorrow because the college where my son is taking his summer class is a ten minute drive away from an Aldi’s (did not even know that it existed in my neck of the woods) so I might just hang out there tomorrow when I have four hours to kill!
Do tell once it happens ????
the individual TJ coconut packets are fine. They are just tidier than a jar.
I use them for travel.
Do you use it to moisturize or to clean (make-up?)?
Moisturize. I cannot put on face, I don’t like the feeling of coconut oil on my face.
I have been using Kate Sommerville cold cream since it came out… NO AFFILIATION!!!… and it’s kind of wonderful. I look forward to using it every night.
The Kate Sommerville cold cream I saw on the Nordstrom website is for cleansing. What is the specific one you use for moisturizing if you don’t mind me asking? (P.S. I don’t have your email address or I would have emailed you instead!) Thank you.
The cold cream is for cleansing. It’s delicious and when I use it to take off my eye make up it doesn’t leave me all blurry eyed. It’s so softening. Then I wash my face with Cetaphil or Purity or any gentle cleanser and put on Paulas choice 8% solution then top it all off with Kate Sommerville Wrinkle warrior. My skin looks great, I have to admit. Most people think I am 48 not 65.
There a KS set for sale at the Nordie anniversary. I snapped it up. I was never a user of any Kate Sommerville anything, but these 2 products great.
Yay for TJ’s, their dark chocolate products are consistently delicious. I buy too many. Sometimes I write a note at the top of the grocery list: NO MORE CHOCOLATE.
One can never have too much dark chocolate!
That!!!
They are. I am planning a trip there today and chocolate covered nuts and raisins are high on the list. For PB cups, however, I’m a Justin’s convert. I usually buy them from Vitacost but it occurred to me that they may not travel well in the summer heat. So maybe I’ll have to get some TJs in the meantime…
If you’ve never had the TJ’s, definitely give them a try, the peanut butter is so smooth and creamy. Now, if they would just make a version with almond butter in the middle- I would be in heaven!
chocolate covered almond butter cups? SWOON! I just emailed TJ’s and suggested that as a future product because I’m crazy like that.
I am right there behind tiffanie!
I buy Justin’s Almond Butter packets and eat it with flatbread. Yumm!
well, I lost 25 pounds but I did get dark chocolate pb cups on my way home from gym just now at TJs BECAUSE of this food enabler thread.
One per night. My mother would approve.
I heard Kilian is gearing up for a massive price hike, was the Noir Aphrodisiaque $195 as usual, or has it gone up already?
It has gone up already – $220 when I bought my bottle yesterday ????
Yes I read this as well. But there is also going to be a “cheaper” version of the line…new scents, I think, trying to entice the younger market.
I’m not so sure that cheaper necessarily means a younger target market but one never knows!
Soufflé!!!! TThere used to be a place in San Francisco that only had soufflés for main course and desert. It was run by an old lady, and was very French – usually by the time you order, you are done with a first bottle of wine. Dinner there would easily take at least 3 hours but that was there best soufflé ever. It was sad when she retired and closed down the place. And talking about dates – I should have known when a date complained that he had a 3 hour dinner during which he pretty much ate variations of omelet. Date became a husband a quickly became an ex-husband, but that was a major warning!!!!
LOL re: date, husband, ex in quick succession
I really do love souffles but you are so right that it could take a long time!
I’ve never been to Paris, or anywhere in Europe at all, so my fantasy day has to be inspired by those of you who have. For new perfume, I will be tempted by Caron but will likely come home with a bell jar of De Profundis. For vintage, johanob’s grizzled perfume seller with the pristine Fath will unearth a still-sealed, perfect-condition bottle of Diorling parfum, take one look at my awed expression, and just hand it over without a word. For food and other activities, I will doubtless wander around wide-eyed and completely forget to eat until I stumble upon a bakery wafting the scent of fresh baguettes and french-press cafe.
And then you’ll send me a decant of the Diorling, right?
Absolutely! I didn’t know you were a Diorling fan too. I wore vintage EDT of it today, and it’s just now fading away after a good 9 hours. Heavenly.
I like Diorling, but admit if it were sitting next to a vintage bottle of Dior Dior and I could only have one, I’d take the Dior Dior!
http://www.barstalker.de/en/herbarium-paris-2/
I was looking for info about plants/herbariums and happened across this – a cocktail/perfume bar in Paris called herbarium, where you select your cocktail by sniffing testers, choosing the one you like the smell of.
I would visit stationery and art supply shops. I would get a sketchbook and a beautiful tin of coloured pencils, a fountain pen, grey ink ( and those Annick Goutal pencils) and then buy some morbier cheese and bread, some fresh dates and some sparkling water and go and find a very quiet spot and spend the afternoon sketching. I would find a bottle of Feu d’Issey. Later I would have a pernod on the Hermes rooftop garden and then roll out my sleeping bag and sleep under the stars.
http://youmaybewandering.com/2013/06/a-secret-roof-garden-in-paris.html
Photos of the Hermes garden
Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness!!!! That is so lovely.
Oh wow, I would LOVE to visit Herbarium.
I also love to visit art and stationery supplies stores in new places! (heh, even in these here parts, I can’t resist browsing the stationery section of Target and Walmart when I have a little time before I have to be somewhere)
Museum shops are so great for stationary. I have some from V&A gift shop that must be 30 years old. I love to send them and have people say ” when did you get this” where did you get this”
Stationery stores are a dangerous place for me
Pick up a pack of the Goutal pencils for me!
If I were in Paris, I would smell everything, but probably purchase one of the new Diors, maybe the patchouli one. For vintage, maybe Champagne, LouLou or first formulation Angel or No.22, or….. lol. I could survive forever eating bread and cheese and chocolate! That’s really all I would do, eat and smell perfume. I’m boring, I know. I’m off for 2 days and enjoying it, sotd is Alien Flora Futura. It didn’t impress me the first time I wore it, but I’m likeing it more today.
Enjoy your days off! How would you describe Flora Futura?
I’m so bad at description, but after wearing it yesterday, it seemed to be more of a relative to Aura, than Alien but no menthol or rhubarb . For a Mugler, it’s pretty light. I got a nice woodiness in the drydown, which to me was ceder like. It’s very casual.
It sounds good to me! I will try it when I see it in store!
I was thinking just recently how much I’d like to smell the very first Angel formulation – just to compare the memory to the reality.
I’ve been thinking the same thing. I have Angel from about 2 years ago. It’s definitely weaker.
I think that’s the only reason I can wear it now. I would love to smell the original again.
I have some left from early 2000s. I think it’s not the original formula but it’s different from the current one. If you want, I can send you a small sample “for reference”
That would be awesome, thanks!
Enjoy your days off!????
Thanks!
I would be going to Jovoy and trying Niral, if that didn’t turn out to be a love I’m sure I’d find something there.
For vintage, I’d snatch up a pristine and nearly ancient bottle of Mitsouko.
Foodwise, the sky is the limit. After a croque madame and a half litre of wine, we’d stop by Bon Marche and buy cheese and cured meat and more wine. No day in France is complete without a stop at a patisserie for baguette and pastries (especially raspberry tarts). Oh and is this an outdoor market we’ve stumbled upon? That melon looks great, gotta get one.
After stopping in at the pharmacy for some exploration, and a little nap in the park (exhausted by now!) it would be back to the rooftop deck for more wine and the treats purchased earlier. Whew! What a great day!
Heh, I was thinking Bon Marche in Montreal!
I wouldn’t mind a decant of Niral but Mohur Extrait is still tops for me.
Happy Bastille Day!
I’m wearing Caron Frencg Cancan in parfum from their new Collection Privee that I purchased in June in Paris. I also purchased Acaciosa, both are very well done and the 30ml spray parfum bottles are gorgeous. I like it more than the old splash Caron bottles.
I went to our local La Boulangerie French bakery in Forest Hills and treated myself to baguette, coffee eclair for tonight and apple turnover (chausson aux pommes) for tomorrow.
Forest Hills in Queens? That’s my old stomping ground… haven’t been there in over 20 years and always wonder how the neighborhood is now.
Austin St and Ascan area is very nice today, it’s diverse, more expensive than ever, we got a couple of great wine bars, you no longer need to go to the City for everything like 10+ years ago. I’m on Jewel Ave, I got the Express bus half a block away from my house to go to Manhattan, and we’re 20 minutes away from the North Shore of Long Island. I’m quite happy here now.
Wow. It sounds even better than I remember!!! My childhood friend still lives in Woodside. One day I will convince her to come with me to Forest Hills. My first apartment was in Kew Gardens behind the court houses and I would walk to Forest Hills all the time. There was an amazing restaurant on Austin called My Kitchen. It was four tables and you would watch the owner/chef cook your food..farm to table before the term existed. I envy you for living in such a great neighborhood ????
You should definitely go one of these days to Forest Hills. The whole area between Ascan and 69 Road has restaurants, stores, gyms, drugstores, bakeries, etc. I go often to Martha’s Bakery, have coffee and pastries or take some home. I spent plenty of time in the area almost every week, since my mother loves to take walks around.
Pl67, you have talked me into it!!
I also went to La Boulangerie this morning and had a banana crepe with coffee and grabbed some baguettes with pastries to take home. A really nice place. I spent half of the day in the area since I live nearby. As you said it has become expensive, but it has everything is needed.
On Austin St., is there still that ice cream/dessert place with the pastel colored walls? It was on the corner of Austin and something, not far from where Barnes and Noble used to be but on the other side of the street.
Too exhausted to answer the poll questions. Spent over two hours in SFA on 2 in the city and tried just about everything I had wanted to. The highlight was Darren the SA for Butterbaugh who was so incredibly knowledgeable and funny and gracious .. he gave me a huge sample of the Lavender one without me even asking and told me that Donatella stops in often to buy candles from him. I tried all the new Hermes including the oils on my skin and they lasted about ten minutes. And I got a mini of lartisan ambre for free. Did not make a single purchase. While I liked what I sampled nothing really moved me which is a great thing.
Ooo but I did have a Parisian almond croissant from the Zabars in GCT
And bringing home macaroons ????????!!!
And Darren is actually the manager…he wrote a sweet little note which was where he attached my very large sample to….my guess is about 4 ml and he filled it to the top!
The Buterbaugh SA in the Calgary SFA is also a delight. She is such a lovely woman. Weirdly, when I was in Canada EB florals were priced lower than they were in the USA. I see hey’ve fixed that now.
How is the lavender scent?
It’s soft and a bit herbal… I really like it.. the other brands new one the name escapes me.. something flower is also good.. very green and fresh and the Hyacinth Apollo also good. Right now they sell 10 ml for 75 but I was told that in the future they would be GWP only. They do have smaller size bottles though
It’s called Future Bloom and it really is quite lovely.
Sistine I will test the velvet Lavender on my skin soon
Sistine I tried it last night. It is sweet on my skin and not as powerful as the other five I tried in the store. I really like it. Sniffing the scented pink ribbon strips this morning of the six that Darren sprayed for me I have to say that out of the 30+ fragrances I sampled the Buterbaughs are my favorite…they really smell divine….the new one that is exclusive to SAKS is my favorite…they are well constructed and seamless (if that makes any sense) and remind me of the gorgeous vintage fragrances I wore years ago. Darren also told me that they actually sell flower bouquets as well as candles if any one in NYC is interested.
EB Florals Future Bloom is the one.
and I made a list this morning….35 fragrances sampled either on skin or carded…many of which so many NSTers love.
CM8! that sounds so wonderful! glad you went.
I am glad that I went and that I literally left my credit card at home LOL ????
I am so glad that you had a nice time at SFA 2nd and did not find anything worth enough to buy. I am sure you will enjoy the macaroons much morw. I am happy to hear that the Hermes oils are not long lasting. I didn’t try them when I went there just to avoid unnecessary temptation, especially trying Musc Pallida.
I thought I would be tempted by the Musc but it really wore like a skin scent and then faded. You and I have scent eating skin so it might be better on someone else.
Lavender one is the only one from the line that I liked (and I got a decant from the ScentBird).
I’m glad you enjoyed your day and didn’t break the “no buy” resolution.
… When I read “Donatella” I genuinely expected to read further that he said she would forgive you when you report in the next NST’s quarter poll
LOL! I almost told him about the poll!!! I did tell him that most perfumistas prefer smaller sizes so they should consider keeping that in the line up. He told me that they just introduced the 65 ml bottles and he was pressing the owner to further market and develop this size….honestly, no one wants a 200 ml flask unless there is a split happening
and Undina thank you for reminding me that Scentbird has several from this brand. I am very impressed with the fragrances….not enough to buy (yet-LOL!)…but I think they are very well made and above and beyond some of the other stuff I sampled yesterday from other brands….I did not hate anything (I did get to sample T’aif!!!!) but did not truly love anything either. I think I might actually be in a “Robin phase”
If you want to “adopt” whatever is left in a couple of small spray samples of violet and tuberose (our SA from that brand was also nice but those were regular size sample vials), I can send them your way.
Thank you so kindly for your offer but for now I will pass as the weather is so hot and I am still working on the USE IT UP mission
….I think I will also be making a few more trips into the city and will definitely try those as well as some of the other brands I missed…never got to Serge or Guerlain or Dior….but there is always next time!!!!! 
and Chanel! next time I will sample the new Chanels…..
You need to let me know when you will be in because we are fated to meet!
If I ever report going in feel free to email me for a meet up!!! This was a last minute thing…the kids wanted to go in to meet my parents before the two eldest head off to college next month…I was going to just stay home but then decided last minute to go and just spend the time in SAKS. I promise when I go next time I will let you know, even if it is last minute
Oh yay, I have a namesake phase! I am honored.
Oh yes you do
and I will be using it quite often because I really AM in a “Robin phase”
If I were back in Paris, I would go to the famous flea markets just a metro ride outside of the city center and bargain my way to some new/old treasures. I would convince Parfums de Nicolai to find a bottle in the back of Le Temps d’un Fete which would then become mine. At Hermes, all of the scarves that I like would be on clearance and included in my shopping bag very generous samples of all fragrances and body lotions. By now, I would be tired so I would retire to my favorite outdoor cafe table in the 5th and drink vin ordinaire.
In real life, I had some croissants and cherries for breakfast…SOTD, Cristalle of course.
Oooh, wonderful. One of my silly life goals is to find a beautiful Hermes scarf in a second hand shop. Or have a pile of scarf-and-perfume fun money to spend on a visit to Paris.
I’m with both of you on the Hermes scarf lemming!
1. What new French perfume will you buy?
Yves Rocher Secret d’Essences Neroli. Already used up a 50mls, 2 x 15 travel sprays and halfway through my second 50mls bottle. Amazing stuff.
2. What vintage French perfume will you run across at an amazing price?
I’d say 1940s Mitsouko parfum extrait but only in imperfectly perfect state. If that fails I’d like a bottle of maybe Ysatis for 1 euro, just because because I fancy one. (plenty a lot more in this category.)
3. What will you eat?
Steak and chips a la mayonnaise like the Dutch do.
4. Tell us anything else you want to about your day in Paris.
Go through Avenue Montaigne, shop at Dior and buy stupid and stupidly expensive clothing, drink a few too many Kir Royals, stagger through Galeries Lafayette and decide l’Artisan is the greatest. Then bunk down at the local Campanile and get massively drunk on whisky & vodka at the disco next door. (Speaking from experence, this one.) ;D
Sounds fun! Will you dance at the disco?
Probably but can’t really remember. I’m sure I smelled alright though.
Perfection.And HOW did you know about the steak and chips with mayo???(certified dutch boy here…lol)
I’m Dutch
The Dutch eat their chips with mayo, not ketchup. I was also married to a filthy old rich bastard, hence my frequent stupid shopping trips to Paris.
Haha!Wonderful!I bet you have many a tale to tell about the marriage AND your shopping trips to Paris!
Kir Royale ????
Interestingly 14 juillet didn’t quite happen as planned in Paris. Bits of the military parade went slightly wrong, but in a funny way.
1. Probably Le Cri de la Lumière which I sniffed for te first time today and which has created a major lemming! Alternatives would be Cap Néroli, Le rivage des Syrtes, Rose de Siwa, Songe d’un bois d’été, Absolue pour le soir and Le Labo Patchouli.
2. All vintage Guerlains, Iris Gris, and of course Coty’s Chypre, plus some vintage Carons and the original Femme. I don’t consider myself greedy in any way at all.
3. I will indulge in tea with pastry at Mariage Frères.
4. Ideally I would still be in time to visit the Chagall exhibition in Centre Pompidou, and would love to revisit Musée d’Orsay, the Louvre, the Jardin du Luxembourg and drop in at Jovoy, De Nicolaï, Lutens, Damman Frères and several pharmacies. In short: I would not be bored.
What a nice day. I love how none of us have mentioned crowded metros, noisy traffic, being too hot/cold, queues, lugging heavy bags, 2 star hotels, teabags served with cups of hot water, tourists….clearly we’re all romantics.
Whenever I visit Paris these days I make sure to actually stay outside of the city. Preferably in the Seine et Marne, where there are plenty of great B&B’s and where life is quiet. Train connections to Gare de Lyon are frequent and fast so an ideal combination of two worlds.
But some spots can get very crowded to be sure. Mind you my worst experience so far has been the gardens in Giverny where hordes of tourists were not even looking at all the flowers and beautiful colours but were just busy taking selfies. It even made me skip a visit to Monet’s house.
It’s strange how crowds work, the need to get proof of visits. I can remember going to Vaux le Vicomte and the place was almost empty , likewise Corbusier’s Villa Savoye. I remember staying in Barbizon once and it was lovely and it was great to see the artist homes and studios of Millet etc.
Vaux le Vicomte is magical, and not so crowded. I visited there in September 2015, and I was just enchanted. I want to go there again in May to see the garden at its best. Even Fontainebleau was not that crowded and very much worth a visit.
Don’t get me started on selfies, I find the whole concept slightly revolting. Plus this compulsive need to photograph everything, why not look, enjoy and maybe remember?
Yup, smart choice
I still adore Paris (especially the museums, gorgeous art collections) but France has so much more to offer. My best experiences in France are in the countryside.
And all those people taking selfies..stupid phenomenon. Will it ever disappear?
1. Nothing that I am dying for now, perhaps one of the Lutens Bell jars or the new Deauville perfumes from Chanel.
2. Vintage Diorissimo or Iris Silver Mist
3. Mostly cheese, wine and baguettes.
4. Tour around Paris, since I have never been there. I would also love to go to Grasse.
Changing the subject, I have an unopened 8ml mini bottle of Prada, that just says Prada, nothing else. Any idea what Prada perfume is it? I know it could be anything. It is floral, good sillage and longevity and similar to Infusion d’Iris, but it is not.
Is the cap off to one side or centered on the bottle?
It is centered on the bottle.
I am betting it is one of the Infusions then…they did them in 8 ml. Might be the Fleur d’Oranger infusion?
Pic:
https://www.raeboutique.co.uk/products/prada-womens-miniature-gift-set
1. I’d stop at Parfumerie Generale and get a bottle of Bois Naufrage or go to Parfum d’Empire for a bottle of Azemour Les Orangers.
2. Vintage? Oh, that’s easy. Vintage, 1970s Diorella. Nothing better!
3. Pretty sure eating would involve cheese and pastries.
4. I’d have to walk off all that lovely food; good thing I love walking around cities, nothing like discovering what is around every corner.
Not sure if I have anything French I am dying to try. A few things on my ‘try’ list are hauling from US and Italy. I think Luca Turin has said in his new guide that all the perfume innovation is coming from Italy and I agree.
I would love to try vintage Chanel.
For places to visit – I would hit the museums. And I will eat all the bread, cheese and pastries I can find and not gain any weight!!
The “not gain any weight” part is key!
I really had to think hard before I could think of a recent French release I like and want.
On my ‘to buy’ list there are no French brands at all at the moment (though I would not mind having some of the Hermés line falling into my lap, oh and Dusita is interesting)
Most purchases I made past 12 months were made in Japan, Italy and UK.
All the frenchies in my collection are older releases.
I would get a new bottle of No. 19 parfum and then I’d be so lucky to find some old, vintage Shalimar parfum of course. The really smoky, skanky kind. Then I would eat ALL of the cheese and bread and wine and macarons I could stuff my face with. ???? After all of that, I’d basically wander around and explore.
Having said all of that, I think I’ll go with some Shalimar for the evening…I’ve been commando most of the day due to yard work and house work. Now I just need to go to Paris!
Can’t go wrong with Shalimar!
Ha! I read too quickly! I thought you were wearing Shalmar to do yard work..
Like SheriG, I have not been to Paris or anywhere in Europe….yet. I’d plan the trip to coincide with the lavender blooming so I could say I’ve smelled it in France and in Texas. Isn’t it funny? I’m not that wild about lavender in fragrances, but a field of the stuff in full bloom? It’s heavenly.
Ok, fragrance….nothing specific comes to mind, so I’d go to Hermes, smell all the newest goodies and pick my favorite(s).
For vintage, that one is easy. I’d run into the mysterious woman who graced johanob and SheriG on my way to the outdoor cafe. She would drop a vintage bell jar of Iris Silver Mist into my bag and then disappear into the throng.
I’m in Orange Sanguine + Fat Electrician + 4711 today. Reek on, y’all!
Woo hoo, reek on!
Texas lavender! Do they bloom in April near Fredericksburg? I was there about 8 years ago and recalled we were close to some lavender fields.
We were near Wimberley, which is east of Fredericksburg, and the lavender was in full bloom. It was in late May, 11 years ago and my daughter and I were celebrating her birthday.
There are several lavender fields in central Texas, and they might be planted at different times, but the April/May time frame is about right.
I remember there was a little white cottage near the field where a lady sold her lavender products – lotions, creams, soaps etc. She had a couple of children who just played in the fields all day, and man, those were some blissed out kids! Huffing lavender all day…
What a beautiful memory! I wonder if there is anyone around there making lavender honey. Would love to try that.
Nancy, that is my kinda reeking!!!!! MMMMM…….
Oh, this is a great one for me.
1. L’Artisan Parfumeur Passage d’Enfer
2. Miss Dior parfum (what is now not too far from l’originale)
3. Good heavens. Fois gras poêlé, magret de canard, cannelés, croissants. Baguettes. Just…BAGUETTES.
4. I’d spend time sitting under the blossoming cherry trees by Notre Dame, get some ice cream at Berthillon (there would be no line, despite the pleasant weather), walk endlessly along the Seine (my foot problems would’ve disappeared), poke into little boulangeries and boutiques, sit on the balcony of my tall-for-Paris hotel in the 1er or 3eme and look out over the beautiful city while sipping a full-bodied Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Ugh, I want to go back! I am not at all interested in living in France ever again, but I would so love to visit every year or two. Would that my income could keep up with my dreams.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Dream big, Koyel! ????
1. Eau des merveilles or EdMBleue.
2. Ball à Versailles
3. Pierre Hermé macarons
Oh and the best cheap food i had in Paris was Korean, Moroccan, Algerian, Vietnamese…(from my visits there as a student)
Its a busy but fun weekend here!
Friday: shopping in Antwerp.
My ‘buy of the day’ a grey Hugo Boss dress, very business, but also very summer-y. I really needed a piece likt that now it seems hot weather is here to stay forever…and ever… haha.
Yesterday bbq with my family
And today will be watching sports (wimbledon/world cup) with my brothers-in-law and their spouses and some friends.
Congrats on finding the right dress for global warming!
This morning I will be wearing my EB Florals Velvet Lavender for yoga class.
Hope yoga was fun! I have done much less yoga this week than I planned.
It was great!!! The mini Marzipans and I were the only ones there! It was like a private class for the Marzipan clan. I have been so lazy this summer and haven’t been doing much of anything (must be the heat)…it’s been three weeks since I went to yoga
I must rectify this 
I’m joining the have never been (and probably never will be) to Paris crowd. But just for fun, I will play along!
1. A bell jar, either Ambre Sultan or Chergui.
2. I have tried hard not to fall down the vintage rabbit hole by avoiding them all together, but since we’re imagining, how about some Chanel Bois des Iles parfum.
3. Some kind of fancy pastry with just the right amount of chocolate ganache.
4. If I were to ever get to Paris, I would want to go somewhere “off the beaten path” that not every other tourist would be at. Is this even possible? Something outdoors….hiking or getting on the water. I would also visit Jim Morrison’s grave.
Today, is Art Fair on the Square here. Thousands of artists from all over the country line the entire perimeter of the capitol. It’s one of those days where I wish my pockets were deeper. It’s gonna be another hot one, so I will be in Bois Blonds again.
Enjoy the art fair! We have an art competition here every year, with participants from all over. It’s a pretty big deal around these parts. I’ve never been though, because the crowds are to big for me to keep track of my daughter. My son gets to go with his class.
SOTM is Imaginary Authors Yesterday Haze, from a sample that our own Marjorie Rose gave me a couple of years ago after a Portland-area perfumista get-together. I don’t usually gravitate toward gourmands, but this is so delicious – iris, fig, tonka bean, a little woodiness. So delicious that I went straight off to find out if there’s a travel size available, and there is!
You have me sold, except for the fig. Is it really salty?
Not salty at all – it’s more on the creamy side of fig.
I wanted to tell everyone that last night I went to a prayer vigil for the family of the missing woman here I have mentioned–my friend’s sister. It was moving and not too sad, although there were some tears. Lots of prayers and positive attitudes and shared memories. People spoke of her, interestingly, in a mix of present and past tenses. I took a bunch of the cookies someone on here mentioned about a week ago–So sorry I’ve forgotten who–the oatmeal/coconut/chocolate chip ones. They are indeed very delicious! I made a double batch and they were a big hit. So thanks to NST for a small comfort passed along to grieving people in Houston.
Your presence and love will go such a long way in supporting your friend during this painful time.
That is such a horrible situation,not knowing what happened.The IF’s And But’s!You are a wonderful support to your friend.X
You are a wonderful friend.
you are indeed a good friend.
Hoping for closure on the positive side…
Late to the party, but love reading about everyone’s days in Paris. What with Bastille Day and a World Cup win, things must be sizzling in the City of Lights right now!
I’ve been fortunate to get to Paris a couple of times, so have seen a lot of the main draws/tourist stuff already. Therefore, for my fictional day in Paris, I will:
1) Buy some current formulation of a cheap and cheerful thing. I’m thinking Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanilla Apricot or something along those lines. That way I also get to play in a French drugstore. Maybe buy some mini-size bottles of nail polish, which are much more easily located in Europe. Here everything is 15mL, and that’s huge!
2) Stop off at a marche de puces, where I just happen to find a vintage pristine bottle of Amazone by Hermes. Preferably from about the late 1970s.
3) For dinner, I will be patronizing a restaurant specializing in the cuisine of Brittany–particularly savory crepes and some lovely hard cider.
4) Then, since I have recently discovered the joys of bicycling, the next day I will be taking a leisurely 20 or so mile bike ride through parks and loveliness on the outskirts of Paris, where I will stop and have delightful snacks and a picnic along the way–certainly some ice cream, but also some baguette with pate and olives, later on a break for a chocolate and/or almond croissant.
Why can’t this be real?
Oh, love your #4! I would like to join you but maybe I won’t make it the whole 20 miles…might need to rest after that baguette with pate and olives
This is NOT the Tour de France–just a leisurely meander. We do not have to do 20 miles, or even 15. We could just bike to a nice picnic spot and eat baguettes.
Vive les vacances!
Bonjour!
I will go to Jovoy and get a (new) bottle of Frapin 1270. And after that fall over a vintage bottle of Jacques Fath Iris gris.
I’ll treat myself to a cassis macaron at Laduree, around the corner from Jovoy.
After that, lunch will be an assortment of bao at boutique Yam t’cha.
After that, not sure. Probably a lot of walking and dinner outside.