Five questions for a December weekend. As always, answer as few or as many as you like, or just talk about something else.
1. What fragrance are you wearing today?
2. What's your favorite holiday (any holiday) food? (Feel free to share or link to a recipe!)
3. Did you make any perfume-related resolutions for 2018, and if so, did you stick to them?
4. Possibly related to #3, what's the next fragrance you are itching to buy?
5. Share something wonderful with us! It can be anything — something delicious you ate, a great movie you saw recently, the last good book you read, any fabulous news you recently received — really, anything.
Note: top image is View On Black [border extended] by Caroline at flickr; some rights reserved.
Commando at the moment, not a real fan of conventional holiday food, my resolution is to stop making them, Reglisse Noire, and just finished listening to the audiobook version of How to Change Your Mind, by Michael Pollan, which I recommend to anybody – I found it fascinating.
“my resolution is to stop making them” Lol. Yes!
I hadn’t heard of that book and had to look it up. It does sound fascinating. I read an article in the NYT awhile ago on microdosing, which I had not heard of previously either.
Reglisse Noire!!!! you smell great.
I heard a long interview with him about that book this summer, maybe with Terri Gross? Anyway, sounded fascinating and then I forgot all about it, so thank you.
It was an intriguing listen. We tend to have a cultural bias against psychedelics, formed, it seems, by relatively recent political agendas. The science, though, strongly indicates that they could be used in so many beneficial ways, not the least of which include addiction treatment, a wide array of mental health therapies, and ease during the imminent end of life for those with terminal illnesses.
If the subject interest you, I enjoyed the documentary From Neurons to Nirvana which I saw a number if years ago along with a panel of psych professionals, mostly from NYU. who were doing research studies on multiple psychedelics. I’ll have to check out this book as well.
I will watch that, thanks for the recommendation!
1. Memo Tiger’s Nest.
2. Salmon roe on buttered bread and champagne for New Year’s Eve.
3. No.
4. I want to buy a decant of vintage Tendre Poison as a backup for my mini.
5. I am on my way to Baroque music concert where a friend of mine sings in the chorus for the first time. I am very excited to hear and see her sing. It’s a Christmas themed concert held in a church, so I think my amber incense perfume fits nicely.
What fun, enjoy your concert!
Thank you, Robin! I did. 🙂
Dear Glannys, any tips on where and how to buy Memo in the US? (too little time left here for online). I crave their discovery set, which I saw at Heathrow – and didn’t buy – but when I passed through again a few weeks later, it had sold out. I am in Washington DC today and very briefly in NYC tomorrow, 17th. As you can probably tell, I travel a fair amount through work, and don’t have much possibility of finding gems where I live, in South Africa.
Ida, unfortunately I have no tips on buying in the US, because I am in Eastern Europe and have never been to the US. 🙁 I got my sample from a split in my own country.
Maybe other posters here will be able to answer your question.
In NYC, they carry Memo at Aedes Perfumery.
Bergdorf Goodman’s and Osswald perfumery as well…
Thank you, Glannys, Sistsine and Elisa P!
Love my Saturday mornings. Found my DSH Gingembre so am wearing that for our CP yesterday. Later it may be Dzing!
I love to bake and am making my own version of Stollen right now. It was a favorite as I grew up (my Dad made it) and it’s become a family tradition for us as well. I think Dorie Greenspan’s whole lemon tart is on the agenda for later: . https://www.pannacooking.com/recipes/lemon-tart-recipe-dorie-greenspan/
I did make a resolution not to spend more than $350 including samples and I have stuck to it (thankful for splits and swaps!)
Nothing immediately on the agenda to buy, but always a wishlist.
Haven’t read much lately I’m sorry to say, but we’ve enjoyed watching the Durrells in Corfu, River, The Great British Bake-Off and the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
We loved The Durrells too!
I read Gerald Durrell’s books set in Corfu long ago and loved them. The acting in this was great and the stories lots of fun. So many funny lines.
Wow! YOur dad made stollen! I am impressed! I polished off two loaves of it that my parents brought me from Aldi’s in less than two weeks all by myself…I love it.
I was just at Aldi. No more Moser Roth chocolate covered marzipan BUT there were many loaves of stollen with marzipan, just sayin’.
Well, my dear, I have single handedly eaten two huge loaves of stollen with marzipan in the past two weeks…I have three more to go and my parents are bringing me five more….plus, the kids and I devoured the one marzipan log that I had gifted to me for Christmas by a close friend last night 🙂
Congrats on sticking to your budget!
Oh my dad used to make stollen too! What I would really love to eat again is the challah he used to make. I’ve had many good ones since, but not freshly backed and to be torn apart by the braid in over thirty years.
Love Maisel and the Durrell’s! I have a feeling I’d love the Great British Bake-Off.
1. Casmir! And lots of it! I no longer have to hoard the last drops of my bottle because thanks to a generous NSTer, I have a back-up bottle! My first ever! I feel like a real perfumista now.
2. Peanut butter blossom cookies- the kind with the Hershey kiss in the middle. Yum.?
3. Hmm….I don’t remember, but probably not.?
4. I know it’s not even the shortest day of the year yet, but I am already thinking about spring scents (too soon?)….I am debating over OJ Champaca, Un Jardin Mediterranee, or La Chasse. Thoughts?
5. 1. The sun is out!? 2. The bigs will be home this week!!? I got a text from my daughter yesterday after her first final and she said it went well. I will see her in just a few more days.
p.s. I have been up drinking coffee for hours, which may explain all the expression marks and emojis. Have a happy Saturday everyone!
I totally know that feeling! ☕️ ???????????
Mmm, those cookies are the best.
Those scents – are you thinking about buying? If yes, try to find a good deal on the old packaging from L’Artisan if/while still available. If no, then be in a lookout for the OJ’s deal: they run those at least a couple times a year. If no, see how you can improve your Hermes purchase (I’m not sure if they are sold now at discounters). But all are great choices. Out of the three, OJ is probably my biggest favorite.
You might like this variation of that cookie- place balls of peanut butter cookie dough in mini muffin tins. Cook until light brown and puffed up. As soon as you take them out of the oven, push a small Reese’s pb cup into the middle of the hot cookie. So easy and fun to make!
Another variation is using sugar cookie dough and rolo’s.?
Oh, yum. I like both of those ideas.
I have not tried la chase, but have tried champaca and the jardin. They are very different to me – I love champaca, easy to wear, with a fun foodie vibe, compliment getter. I loathe the jardin – reminds me of the Trader Joe’s all purpose cedar cleaner. At any rate, to me that one skews way more masculine. I am of course, very subjective as many here love the jardin.
Regarding #4, I recommend Tom Ford Champaca Absolute, it’s great.
Loved all of this!
Hello all! Having a bit of a lazy day today as I’m sleep-deprived after a Christmas party at work last night. I’ve had some nice food, wine, danced a bit – it was fun.
1. Prada Marienbad from Olfactories collection
2. Gingerbread or my secret holiday vegetable salad
3. I had one – to wear more often some rare stuff that I love, before it’s off. My bottle of Iris Pallida is almost empty.
4. Guerlain Iris Ganache or Jo Malone White Moss & Snowdrop – it is gorgeous
5. At the beginning of 2019 I’ll have another go to join a perfumery school.
So, what are the ingredients of your secret salad? 😉
Good luck (in advance) with the school!
It has usual veggies and mayo but I add cinnamon among other spices nad herbs to season it
Oooh on #5! Will your current employer sponsor you? How long will it take?
Absolutely not, actually my employer knows nothing about it and I’ll quit should I be accepted.
Then you’ve got nothing to lose by asking if they would be willing to sponsor you.
My company used to pay for tuition with no strings attached except passing the course. Now, the tuition assistance is in the form of a loan, a third of which is forgiven for every year you continue to work at the company.
No, no, no. The school belongs to a different company
Good luck with going back to school!
2nd that — good luck Lucasai!
1/ Vintage Coco EDT. Love love love the drydown.
2/ Dutch Christmas almond paste rolls, or roulades (‘kerststol’).
3/ Nope.
4/ Anything ancient I stumble across at antiques or op shops. I last bought 70s vintage Diorissimo EDC in mint condition for £6.50. Its USP was the ‘retro’ packaging and not the scent . . . the more people think perfume has a ‘use by’ date the better it is for the rest of humanity 🙂
Wow, congrats on your find!! Old Diorissimo holds up pretty darned well.
I haven’t posted in a few weeks…my dad passed away the middle of November and it has been tough. 🙁 I have been wearing good perfume though which has been comforting.
And I wanted to pass along an Ebay 15% off code PICKUPSALE good today. 🙂
Oh, She-ra, I’m so sorry. It’s so sad to lose a parent.
So sorry for your loss, She ra
She-ra, I am so sorry for your loss, especially during the holidays. It is good that you are finding some comfort in your perfumes. Sending hugs!
And thank you for the Ebay code. As usual it comes at the right time.
I’m so, so sorry about your dad. A loss like that is huge, and grief can be so disorienting. Thank goodness for small comforts to provide a bit of grounding.
So happy to see you post, I’ve been thinking of you and what a hard time you must be having. Sending you lots of fragrant hugs.
Warm thoughts your way, She-ra. Take any comfort you can from anything around you – perfumes, friends, food.
I’m so sorry She-Ra. Lost my Dad earlier this year and it’s very hard. I hope you find some comfort and, yes, joy this season in the midst of grief.
So very sorry your loss and the hard time you’re going through, She-ra.
She-ra, I have been thinking of you and missing your posts. I wish you some peace and comfort this holiday season. I know it is very hard, and I’m sorry.
I am very sorry She Ra.
So very sorry, hugs She-ra.
I missed you and I’m glad you de-lurked. Losing a parent is tough and I don’t think one ever fully heals from it, speaking for myself. Earlier this week was the 4th anniversary of my dad’s passing and it’s still raw.
I think you’re right, Wednesday will be 7 years for my mother, and I’ve been tearing up all week. Hugs to you, Hajusuuri. ❤
Hugs to both hajusuuri and lillyjo. I’ve been in that place too.
I’m sorry too about your loss. I do know that the whole first year of holidays, birthdays, etc. is especially hard. Sympathy to you and your family.
Oh She-ra, I am so sorry to hear that.
So sorry!
She-ra, I am very sorry about your dad’s passing. Arm around your shoulder, big hug.
Sorry for your loss, She-ra – I hope you have family and friends near you for support.
So sorry for your loss She-ra. Sending hugs and comfort.
So very sorry for your loss! Wishing you vanilla-scented comfort.
I’m happy to see you but so sorry to hear about your dad, she-ra. I still miss my dad and often think of his beautiful piano playing and bread baking. I wish he were here to try the stollen that I now make because of him.
I am so sorry about your father She-rah.
I’m so sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts.
So sorry to hear this She-ra. Many hugs to you
My deepest condolences to you She-ra, on your dad’s passing. Some days are going to be hard, but I hope that there will be good days as well.
So sorry for your loss, she ra.
Even though it is right that our parents go before us, it is proud and I still miss my mother and my dad. I will keep you in my thoughts.
She-ra, I am so sorry for your loss. Hugs.
She-ra, I’m so sorry to hear about your Dad. I hope you find some comfort with a few favorite fragrances.
Be kind to yourself and take a few moments alone when you need to.
Happy Saturday! I’m commando at the moment, but am thinking about wearing SSS Pacific Forest for package wrapping and laundry-doing later.
Favorite holiday food has to be pumpkin pie, as long as the crust is homemade. The store-bought stuff we had this past Thanksgiving had the glue-iest crust ever. Blech.
I think I might have made a perfume-related resolution at the beginning of the year and so promptly forgot about it that I can’t even remember what it was now.
Fragrance-related itches are temporarily sated after finally finding a bottle of Autoportrait to buy last week. I’m sure it’s a temporary condition. 😉
The last book I finished was a re-reading of Wuthering Heights. I was sure I had read it in high school and remembered the gist, but it turns out not. I had forgotten so much and been so confused by the plethora of Cathys and other similarly named characters that it was as if I’d never read it before. What a bunch of loathsome people! But the poll asked for something wonderful, didn’t it. Okay, here it is – I am now re-reading Pride and Prejudice (for the 40th or 50th time) and savoring Elizabeth’s clever wit and command of language, and looking forward to the highly satisfying end of the story.
Sounds like a perfect scent for wrapping.
I read WH so many years ago and should try it again. I disliked the characters so much, it was a struggle. But Pride and Prejudice is another story. Austen is a great observer.
I’m curious how I’d like Wuthering Heights now. I read it first in high school and really liked it and I think I re-read it in college. Agree that no one was likable, but somehow it didn’t hamper my enjoyment.
Is Pride and Prejudice your favorite by Austen? I can never seem to figure out my favorite. I’ve read all her novels except Emma because I felt too familiar with the story already. I’ll remedy that someday. Possibly Sense and Sensibility or Mansfield Park could be my favorite, but then I like P&P, Persuasion, and Northanger Abbey so much too!
My favourites in order (very hard to separate the top three):
1 Pride & Prejudice
2 Persuasion
3. Emma
4. Mansfield Park
5. Sense and Sensibility
6. Northanger Abbey
Interesting list! Really I think my favorite is whichever one I’m reading at the moment, but it is true that I probably read P&P the most.
Same here exactly.
Pride and Prejudice is definitely my favorite Austen. It was the first of hers that I ever read, and my first several times through was from an abridged, young-reader version that my grandparents gave me when I was in grade school. I read the full version for the first time in high school and was sort of amazed that the abridged version managed to retain so much of the wit and humor.
Pride & Prejudice!
I have read Wuthering Heights more times than I can caught. I know that the characters are all awful, but the passionate energy of the language pulls me in every time.
I agree, there’s never been anything remotely like it, it’s such an oddball and wonderful.
Me too. I read it once a year and dislike most all of the characters but somehow still love the book.
1. Tentations by Paloma Picasso. I visited one of my least visited shops and knocked right into it. Gorgeous, though Coco is probably my ideal oriental.
2. Sweet potato casserole. I would rather eat that over any of the traditional desserts. Haven’t had it yet this year side I skipped thanksgiving.
3. I didn’t for 2018, but 2019 is a different story. I went nuts this year.
4. I’m planning on getting a second bell jar after years of dithering. I’m waiting on some samples though to see how my old favorites smell. El Attarine and Borneo are my top picks but I’ll have to see how they have fared.
5. It’s been a rough year so hopefully the good news is an smoother time next year.
Borneo has been reformulated and thinned out. Haven’t smelled El Attarine, but in general I would not buy any Serge Lutens before resniffing the current version. Too many bad reformulations have occurred.
That’s what I’ve heard about Borneo, too. I still have to try it though, as maybe I’ll still like it? You were gracious enough to sell me some of your El aserrin, which is long gone now. I hope it’s still in good shape. I understand reformulations have to happen, plus I have so many perfumes. I try not to let them wear me down.
I hope next year *is* smoother!
Yes, I know I’m not the only one who had a rough 2018. I hope 2019 it’s smoother for everyone.
Coumarin, where did you acquire the Tentations, if I may ask? My sister loves that perfume, but I rarely see it (and then only at quite inflated prices).
I found it at a local perfume discount store, sadly the last bottle. I tend to get lucky finding last bottles.
If you live in the US I can make your sister a decant though. You can reach me at out of grasp at live dot com (no spaces).
You’re a peach. Email sent!
Hope 2019 is great for you.
1. What fragrance are you wearing today?
I am sampling different perfumes today after I received a package this week from an amazing generous NSTer. Thank you! On one arm I just applied again a bit of St. Claire Casablanca. An orange blossom perfume mixed with other white flowers. Absolutely intoxicating and full bottle worthy. On the other arm Profumun Roma Olibanum. A beautiful incense perfume that I am enjoying greatly. Also a bit of Hermes Twilly that I had not tried before and that I am liking a lot.
2. What’s your favorite holiday (any holiday) food? (Feel free to share or link to a recipe!).
No favorite holiday food. I enjoy everything, but I cannot imagine the holidays without eggnog.
3. Did you make any perfume-related resolutions for 2018, and if so, did you stick to them?
I tried my best to reduce my perfume expenses and I stuck with it, but I could have done better.
4. Possibly related to #3, what’s the next fragrance you are itching to buy?
A back up bottle of Masque Milano L’Attesa or a decant of POAL.
5. Share something wonderful with us! It can be anything — something delicious you ate, a great movie you saw recently, the last good book you read, any fabulous news you recently received — really, anything.
Good news is that my dog Yei is doing better after surgery and there are hopes that he can recover.
4. FM Iris Poudre not POAL.
Sending good thoughts to Yei!! I always worry so about my furry family members.
Thank you Meg O! Hoping eventually for his full recovery!
Best news on Yei!!!!
?
Yay for Yei!?
Thank you!??
Healing wishes for your sweet Yei.
Thank you Cazaubon! ?
Yay for hopeful news about Yei! I’ll be thinking of you both!
Thank you Springpansy! ?
Yay for L’Attesa and for the pup!
Thanks! ?
Hooray for Yei!
??
So happy to hear Yei is doing better!
I am glad that his energy level and appetite are improving. Crossing fingers!
Wonderful news on your Yei! I hope that he(?) keeps on improving and getting better.
Thank you Jalapeno. I hope he keeps getting better!
Thats great news about Yei! I hope he continues to feel better.
And that a bottle of L’Atessa AND Iris Poudre both fall (gently) into your lap!
I brought my decants of L’Atessa and La Pausa on holiday with me; I shared both with my niece this past Thursday when we went to a hockey game in Tampa. We were smelling fine!
1. BoE
2. My mom used to make a wicked frozen chocolate cheesecake on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
3. If I did, I don’t remember them. This is one of the good things about aging- forgetting!
4. Not itching for anything right now, but would like to sniff a few lines I don’t have access to.
5. I’m ambling up 101 (planning Avenue of Giants today) and OUT OF CALIFORNIA!! ????
Congratulations on your northward journey/escape! Enjoy the majesty of the redwoods – I’m envious.
SheriG, they are amazing! Kind of like the Grand Canyon in that you really can’t appreciate the scope unless seen in person. Just amazing!
You just made Oregon better. If you will be anywhere near Portland and decide to visit Saturday Market, do tell what you think of it. It had apparently moved out of it’s old location under the bridge to fully outside by the water.
On #4, which lines were you thinking of exploring?
Hmmm, I may get to Portland but I’m pretty sure they are not cool with van dwellers there. Or anywhere in the west coast really…
I would like to sample Hiram Green and the Zoologist line because both not only make quality perfumes (so I’ve been told!), but they make travel sizes. ??
The Hiram Green travel sprays are such a nice thing to have.
I’m really happy for you getting a good assignment! Safe travels.
Me too! Thanks lillyjo! ✌?
Come to Seattle and visit! Really. We have lots of room.
Thanks springpansy! Seattle may be just a bit too cool for me right now, but spring is right around the corner! ?
Congrats on the northern migration! I love your “dogs on logs” pictures. I am thrilled to hear you’re heading back to Orgeon.
Thanks Sistine! I’m not sure what is about dog on logs, but most of them really like scampering up, maybe to get a good whiff of the prevailing winds…?
Happy to hear that you are out of California! Safe travels to you and T-Rex!
1. At the moment I’m in SL Vetiver oriental. One of the bottles I got yesterday in a massive haul lol. I was naughty and splurged on myself for Christmas!
2. I’m not really a holiday food person as I work so much this time of year that I don’t really have time to do the celebration thing.
3. I resolved to be more selective in my perfume purchases and to curate my collection a bit more logically. I’d say I stuck to it about 70%
4. Lusting and I mean LUSTING after a bottle of the new Areej Ledore Koh-I-Nor. Although I think a bottle of it might be under the tree for Christmas!
5. Won an eBay auction a couple days ago for my first bottle of vintage Shalimar extrait. I think I’ve reached a new level of perfumista-dom (?) now that I’m feverishly bidding on vintage guerlains ?
I want to hear about your haul! Whadja get?
Oh let’s see.. samsara edp, one of the newer bee bottles of vol de nuit EDT, a bottle of Amouage interlude man, a replacement for my lost bottle of Timbuktu, SL santal majuscule, SL vetover oriental, one of those travel sprays of iris silver mist that seemed to be floating around last year, and a bottle of early 80’s opium I found for a song on ebay. I’m a happy perfumed camper today!
Great stuff, enjoy!
That’s it? I thought there would be more! ???
I limit myself to ten bottles at a time lol..
Vintage Shalimar extrait is so good! I hope you’ll enjoy yours. And yes, those vintage Guerlains are a slippery slope.
Love VO and hope your most wishes for bottle is waiting under the tree!
Oh please tell about the Areej!
It’s a gorgeous old school style floral oriental with lots of deer musk, florals, and sandalwood
Thank you! I hope I can still get a sample!
I’m somewhat surprised to see people so keen on this. Not that I didn’t like it too, I did, but, pardon my saying this, it has something of a skunky note to it. I might be leery of wearing it out in public! It’s definitely beautiful, but I slightly prefer Indult, among those I’ve tried. Each one is quite interesting to try, for sure.
Woohoo on the vintage Shalimar!
1. Commando atm, but I’ll throw some Rose Anonyme or Fleur de Peau on after my workout.
2. Green bean casserole, back of the French’s can recipe ?
3. To spend way, way less and enjoy what I have…and I did! I bought a few things this year, but my last purchase was on Sept 1, and I have nothing planned for the foreseeable future.
4. Oddly for me, nothing.
5. After losing our beloved old senior kitty earlier this year, my husband and I are finally starting to get through the fog of the grief, and we’re planning on adopting a cat after the holiday season.
High five on green bean casserole from canned ingredients. I’ve rarely been disappointed by it. My friend who is hosting Christmas dinner for me and my boyfriend this year is making green bean casserole completely from scratch, so I’m excited to try it. She even makes her own fried onions!
I do like it with real green beans but the French’s onion rings are hard to beat.
Glad you are planning to give a kitty a new lovely home. Good luck with it! ?
Green bean casserole twin here. We had it for every major holiday and no one ever complained.
Keep us in the loop about the kitty adoption. I always get so excited to know that another animal has found a home. If I could, I would adopt a pal for T-Rex, but just not doable right now.
Good for you on the kitty. It took us at least two years after our twenty year old cat, who had promised me she was immortal, died, but one thing I learned is that each cat is so different there is no replacing, just more life and love.
It’s so nice to hear you’ll be getting another kitty. Do you have a preferred color, or is it just going to be whoever captures your heart?
Excellent news on getting a new kitty! ? Good luck!
Yay on the kitty!
I spritzed on a bit of Violette Sacrée early this morning, but after my shower I’m planning on joining Glannys in Tiger’s Nest.
My favourite holiday foods are pannettone and chocolate covered marzipan. Going to attempt to make stollen this year for the first time. But my husband always wants butter tarts, a Canadian classic, so I’ll make those too. I’m going to be busy.
I believe I did make a perfume resolution last year but can’t remember what it was. I do know for sure I didn’t keep it. This year my resolution is to only buy perfumes out of my paypal funds, which means I have to sell something in order to buy something new.
Next up on my purchase list is Arte Profumi Sucre Noir and maybe Atelier des Ors Musc Immortel.
This has been a very sad and difficult year for me, but I am deeply grateful for the love and support of my wonderful husband and the joy of my new puppy Mila.
OOOO!!!! chocolate covered marzipans!!!!!! and you are making stollen? I am coming to your house!!!
I am so happy that you have the joys of a new and adorable and beautiful baby Mila!!!!
If you need someone to take a few extra butter tarts off your hands, let me know!
Good luck prying them out of my husband’s grubby hands! 😉 He can eat a whole batch in one sitting.
You and CM8 with the chocolate marzipans! Last week at Aldi, I saw Moser Roth Chocolate Covered marzipans instead of the Winterlucht (sp?) marzipan logs.
And I am happy for you that puppy Mila makes you happy. Is her appetite back?
My parents have been to Aldi three times and no Marzipan! Luckily a dear friend came to the rescue and mailed me some. I literally just cut the log and we shared it….so good!!!!
They should look for the Moser Roth!
They said that their Aldi’s had NOTHING but stollen ..they bought five up on Thanksgiving (I already ate two) and are bringing five more for Christmas)…but cazaubon reminded me that I could always eat the Ritters 🙂
Yes, and she is eating like a horse now! Puppies are so unpredictable. But I am much relieved.
I usually buy Zentis in Montreal, here in California we don’t have Aldi so I end up with the Ritter bars.
Ooo the Ritter bars!!! Yes! I have access to those!!
I’m sorry you’ve had a hard year.
Thank you Calypso, losing both my beloved dogs within 3 months of each other was so painful.
???? Up for piggish puppies, chocolate, and home baked anything! Oops, I will also add ???? For supportive husbands!
I am pondering that same perfume resolution.
Wishing you a better 2019!
And I wish you the same!
I am so sorry for your sad year cazaubon.
I’m sorry this year was so rough. How nice that it’s ending in a better way.
I hope that 2019 is a much better year for you cauzabon.
I will be merciful and NOT terrorize gentle NSTers with my family’s holiday jello recipe. ?
The buy it trigger finger is definitely itching for Areej le Doré Koh-i-Noor.
My brother and I spent a lot of time threatening to make Jello molds for Thanksgiving but neither of us came through in the end. Maybe I’ll do it for Christmas – my family’s recipe involves cottage cheese and pecans.
That sounds like another classic, nicola! ?
I have a sample of this making its way to me. Now I am nervous!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!
1. What fragrance are you wearing today?
an essential oil blend from Enfleurage – champaca and sandalwood
2. What’s your favorite holiday (any holiday) food? (Feel free to share or link to a recipe!)
I like to make this appetizer recipe for fall/winter holidays:
– remove the stone from a medjool date
– stuff with a piece of parmesan or pecorino romano cheese
– wrap with a slice of bacon
– place wrapped dates on a baking tray in a 350 – 400 degree oven until bacon is properly cooked and browned
– allow to cool a bit before serving, the cheese can be lava-like
– also tasty if served cold
– great with cranberry relish or full berry sauce
3. Did you make any perfume-related resolutions for 2018, and if so, did you stick to them?
No, I knew I wouldn’t keep them. I’m weak dammit.
4. Possibly related to #3, what’s the next fragrance you are itching to buy?
Enfleurage’s blue lotus essential oil and Hermes Myrrhe Eglantine.
5. Share something wonderful with us! It can be anything — something delicious you ate, a great movie you saw recently, the last good book you read, any fabulous news you recently received — really, anything.
I’m an archaeologist, and I’ll be traveling to South Africa during the summer for the first time to excavate at a Plio-Pleistocene cave site. I’m so excited!!!!!!!
I just realized that I’ve been a member here for 10-11 years now. How time flies.
? on this entire comment!
Wow to the great news!
What a great way to spend the summer!
Holy Krakatoa! PekeFan, take me with you! I’ll dig like a DOG! ?
That’s amazing news!
Wow! Have an amazing time on the dig.
Love bacon dates (devils on horseback- great name!). And your job/dig sounds amazing!
Yum on the dates. And that dig sounds amazing. What an opportunity!
Your upcoming dig sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime event! How cool!
Loved this whole post! And that recipe sounds amazing, thank you!
1. Apple Brandy By Kilian.
2. Roast turkey skin. I’d rather eat the skin than the meat.
3. No.
4. Any hermessence.
5. No good news.
I may join you in By Kilian later – Single Malt since it is readily accessible!
1. Some vintage Vol de Nuit edt today.
2. When I get home I will make my annual Toblerone Shortbread – a double batch this time.
3. No, not any resolutions for me.
4. Nothing I have to scratch right now, although I was quite a bit itchy awhile ago. Donatella, I will have a few confessions for you shortly.
5. Watched The Equalizer 2 today. I love Denzel in nearly everything!
Toblerone Shortbread!!!!! Recipe please Gail says:
I’m away on holiday now, but back on Thursday. I can post it then if that’s not too late!
That Toblerone shortbread sounds yummy, do you have a link to a recipe?
No link for my recipe, sorry!! I can post on Thursday when I get home if that’s ok..
I will wait, thanks!
Vintage VdN EDT is so good, you smell wonderful, after waiting for a long time, I recently won a big bottle for a very reasonable price (£35).
Wow, good for you! Enjoy your treasure?
#2 more shortbread or doubling the amount of Toblerone ?
Double the shortbread and Toblerone, both. However I like the sound of double Toblerone on single batch shortbread; you may be on to something!
Yesssss to Denzel!
1. Mitsouko, which I kept promising my husband I’d wear this week.
2. Too many favorites. Pumpkin pie is a big one. The variety of cookies. And, somewhere in there we try do beef fondue with potatoes fried in duck fat and garlic.
3. I think my resolution was to not buy but to go through the samples I already have. I didn’t buy much at all, which is good. Will try to do better on samples in 2019.
4. No lemming for a next purchase right now. Maybe a OJ Champaca travel spray.
5. In the midst of the loss of my Dad this year, I drew closer to my sisters. And…I successfully replicated the Miette chocolate wafers I love so much.
French fries cooked in duck fat are da bomb.
Oh man, don’t those potatoes sound amazing?
I’m sorry about your father’s death. It’s lovely, though, when family come together in hard times.
I love that your husband likes Mitsouko!
Yes to those food choices.
And that’s a lovely outcome from a difficult loss.
He’s the one who bought it for me one Christmas. Had to take the train into SF to go to Neiman Marcus to get it. I don’t wear it near often enough.
My sympathies on the passing of your dad. It’s good to hear that you are closer to your sisters, though.
Love Champaca and your number 5 about your sisters.
1. Lashings of the Elephant..tomorrow my decant will be thunked..life is too short to not enjoy what one loves and I have no regrets about finishing it…in 2020 a full bottle will be mine…
2.I don’t bake but I do enjoy chocolate covered marzipan 😉
3. My brain/memory is so bad that I don’t even know if I made any resolutions-LOL!
4. Trying not to have any lemmings but I will tell you that I discovered some fragrances that I really enjoy such as Solstice Scents Estate Vetiver and St Clair Casablanca
5. The Marzipans are all home and all are doing well …middle one had an extraordinarily successful first semester at university and the youngest scored another A in the college class (Calculus 2) which he is taking as a high schooler at community college. PLus, I am extraordinarily grateful for my small circle of good friends- y’all know who you are 🙂
Yay for the younger marzipans! Very good news.
Thanks Robin..you already know it was touch and go at the onset for middle one but she survived 🙂 ….
Loooove #5!
🙂
1. Scent I am wearing today: Hove Rue Royale
2. My favorite holiday dessert: The yellow cake my Aunt Frances would make every year for Christmas Eve. She wold make a double layer yellow cake, with apple jelly in the middle and chocolate frosting on top. When I was little, I would have some on Christmas Eve, then some more for breakfast on Christmas morning. I am feeling incredibly nostalgic this holiday season. Maybe it is because my parents aren’t in the best of health, and we are all getting older.
3. Perfume Resolutions: No
4. Perfume I would like to purchase next: Chanel No. 18
5. I am looking forward to the Aquaman movie 🙂
#2…love it..especially the memory attached to it.
1. Commando at the moment but I am sticking with the CP and reaching for Dasin Winter Nights. It’s TIME and I adore this stuff.
2. Favorite food is an Italian cookie, Amaretti, which I may not even make this year.
3. My resolutions were to use up my samples stash which I was moderately successful at but I get distracted so easily with other new scents… and no blind buys, gulp, did NOT adhere to that one!
4.I want Mem by Bogue Profumo (want want want sooo badly).
5. We hung Christmas wreaths at Arlington Cemetery today in the most god awful rainy, soggy and sloggy weather. So many folks and kids
(little ones too) walked a good ways, and stood in the downpour, waiting in lines up to 30 minutes long to gain entry….That made me feel great. I love reading the names(they fascinate me)of these people and where and when then served, it is just so inspiring. (It was sponsored by Wreaths around America.)
We never really disappear unless we are forgotten. Blessings to you all.
I love both Winter and Winter Nights. If she did smaller bottles I would probably own at least one of them.
Thank you for doing that. My good friend’s husband is buried there and I know that family members appreciate it. He was a veterinarian who kept those Army dogs healthy.
That’s awesome!
What a wonderful thing to do — it was a cold rain, too, and so very dark and dreary today!
Kudos to you for doing that good deed. Our soldiers and their families deserve it.
Mem brings me great happiness. I hope you find some in your house soon!
1. Wearing Wrappings and watching Thomas the Train with a feverish child.
2. We used to have fondue on Christmas Eve when I was kid and that is probably my favorite holiday food memory – it’s hard for me to pick favorite foods because I pretty much like everything.
3. I actually spent very little on perfume in 2018 but I spent an obnoxious amount on makeup/skincare. I’ve vowed to not buy any more until I use what I have, and I’m intrigued to find out if I can make it all the way through 2019 without shopping . . .
4. A few things have tempted me lately – Dasein Winter and NR For Her Fleur Musc are the frontrunners.
5. I’m hosting 14 for Christmas dinner! Planning on Swedish meatballs for the main – if anyone has a suggestion for a good dessert that can be made the day before let me know! I usually make cheesecake but would like to try something new.
Hope poorly child is better soon! Trifle for pudding?
https://www.delicious.com.au/recipes/nigella-lawson-proper-english-trifle-dessert-recipe/7hhrossw
Mousse au Chocolat can be made the day before. Or espresso jelly topped with vanilla custard.
I make an easy mini cheesecake that can be made early. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Place one vanilla wafer in each liner. Then fill 2/3 full with your favorite cheesecake recipe. Cook at 350 degrees until set in middle. Keep an eye on them so they don’t over cook. Cool, then top with an assortment of your favorite pie fillings. Refrigerate until ready to serve. So easy and fun for a crowd.
1. Parquet Lutece, v. good powdery scent
2. Christmas pudding with custard and Christmas cake (a heavy fruit cake with marzipan icing)
3. My resolution came later in March, to reduce my purchasing of full bottles, I pretty much stuck to it
4, Looking for a BUB of Vacances
5. My brother is coming for the holidays, lots of good times in store
Nice to have holiday fun to look forward to!
Thank you Amy, hoping you’ll have lots of good times too.
1. And the World is Yours. Not sure how I feel about this one but the size and the price were right for a blind buy.
2. I guess my favorite holiday food is the stollen I usually bake. I use the recipe from my old Betty Crocker cookbook but double the candies fruit.
3. No resolutions of any kind. If I don’t make them I won’t break them.
4. A full size of Aftelier Antique Ambergris. Love this stuff!
5. I am playing tomorrow in a wonderful Christmas concert of medieval, renaissance, and baroque music. This is my seventh year to do it and it is my favorite part of the season.
Love #1, And the World is Yours, wish they had made it in a bigger bottle as well. If you decide you want to rehome it you know who to call. 🙂
Love your number 5- I like baroque music. 🙂
50-Roses and Glannys, Me Too! What music are you playing, and what instruments?
I play recorder (alto, tenor, and bass). We have recorders, viols, violins, harp, plucked paalteries, harpsichord, Shawn, and organ, as well as singers. The music includes a lot of medieval pieces (Edi Beo Thu, several chants, Adam Lay Ybounden, Flos Filius, etc), some renaissance (In Dulci Jubilo,). The big ensemble piece is a Gloria bu Monteverde. There are also several readings, including one in 10th century Anglo-Saxon and two in Middle English. I will be reading “I Syng of a Mayden” and trying to give it my best 15th century pronunciation. Altogether there are about 25 pieces in the concert, which runs a little over two hours.
That should be “shawm”, not “Shawn”
Enjoy your concert playing 50 Roses.
The concert sounds lovely!
And I didn’t love ATWIS which I blind bought. Too sweet/gourmand for me, but I swapped it with a generous NSTer for a decant of something I really wanted (BF Au Dela Narcisse), so turned a failure into a win ?
That Christmas concert sounds fantastic! I hope it goes/went well.
1. Lancome Parfait de Roses
2. Pumpkin Pie
3. I can’t hear you
4. DSH stuff (still building my cart)
5. I finally opened my Apple Watch package and set it up. I’m still learning it but so far, I am tickled pink with my Mickey Mouse watch face
In other news, I saw egregious behavior in retail stores:
1. An older couple made a beeline to the Marshall’s perfume section (ask how I knew). They both started looking through and tossing a bunch into their cart. While they were doing this some of the bottles fell on the floor. The bottles didn’t have far to fall since the display case was on the low side. The worst part though is that they just left them there until the female half of the couple saw me giving them the stink eye.
2. At the Dollar Tree, there were 3 cash registers open. I went to one. The cashier looked at me and left to go put something in the office. What the HE double L? Finally, the cashier the next aisle over came around to pick up my 2 items (containers for the desserts I am bringing to the office next week). She tried to stuff both into 1 flimsy bag. When I told her 2 bags, she looked at me like I just cursed her. Unbelievable!
Eventhough I had been buying things here and there, I have not yet gotten organized with the Christmas gifting. I hope to make a dent on 12/21, my first day of bacation!
vacation! Darn fat fingers!
Ha! I just assumed bacation was some new word people were saying..
Heh, I’m not that sophisticated!
I thought you were going to do a lot of baking on your vacation 🙂
Nooooooooooo ? I might burn the house down!
Vacation with bacon came immediately to mind!
Good one, nozknoz!
Wow, that’s awful. In counterpoint, we went to Walmart yesterday because I had ordered a new 43-inch Samsung TV at a great price. I never go there and was dreading it. My mom wanted a few items too. We were helped by at least three sales people who were incredibly nice and showed us where things were. At Walmart! Unheard of. There may be advantages of hanging out with a fragile looking pretty older lady!
Good for you! I cloudless being my mom as a prop ?
What dessert did you decide on?
2nd weekend of experimenting and we may have a winner: chocolate-covered Bischoff Cookie Butter filled Skinny Pop Popcorn Mini Cakes (Sea Salt flavor) sandwich! I have not tried sticking on the gingerbread man decoration or holiday-shaped marshmallows (to be picked out from Lucky Charms cereal) or the piped decorations.
Tomorrow, I will buy mini croissants from Aldi and experiment with that. I hope it works as it will make a nice variety!
I also bought hollow pretzel sticks and I thought there would be an opening but they are closed. Some split open so I may end up filling each half with the cookie butter, stick them together and cover with chocolate.
I hope Amazon comes through with the lollipop sticks or I would have to use my more expensive backup package from Wegmans. I was supposed to get a call from customer service when it came it but I never get the call so I ordered from Amazon last night and should get it by tomorrow. In the meantime, I saw them at Wegmans today so got one package just in case. And nothing todo with dessert but the Amazon order also included dryer balls which I will scent lightly for use with my bedsheets
Let me know how the dryer balls work out, I’m thinking about trying them.
Will do!
Your #3 ??
Ditto this! ??
IKR!
Heh and I don’t believe I made any resolutions as I would have broken them anyway.
You smell gorgeous! And I love the Mickey Mouse Apple watch. And #3. 🙂
And if I touch the watch face, Mickey tells the time and giggles ?
I had such a truly horrible retail encounter this week that I am not even going to recount it, but I did myself thinking, what would hajusuuri do? ?
Too funny. I do the same thing but with other people (a scary thought would be if considered hajusuuri a different person).
A couple of years ago I checked online to see if a certain travel guide was available in a nearby bookstore that posts the quantity available at each of their stores. It was, so I went there after work to pick it up. Couldn’t find it in the travel section so I asked one of the staff to look it up. “Yep… We have a copy” he said. But it wasn’t where it was supposed to be. Great. So someone likely picked it up, didn’t want it and left it lying who knows where. This behaviour drives me crazy! If you change your mind about something, please just return it to where it’s supposed to be so the person who does want it can find it. My other peeve? Empty coffee and drink cups left on the shelves and displays of stores. Come on! Is it that difficult to hang on to until you pass a trash or recycle can?
I hear you! Yesterday, I saw a fresh baked Angel Food Cake at the cereal aisle, a bag of cuties by the water and a Dunkin’ donuts cup and crumpled up wax paper by the canned olives. Really, people?
1. Calling All Angels. The drydown is especially divine.
2. I do make a special kind of cookies every year. If I can find a recipe to link, I will. But I also love to make a Brussels sprouts casserole that has a white sauce with lots of nutmeg and that I top with chopped hazelnuts. Mmmm. Of course, you do have to love Brussels sprouts!
3. No
4. Would love to get to Moscow and buy some Ciel de Gum!
5. New BIG TV (for me), all set up! My nice brother and bipolar (amateur diagnosis) sister-in-law have helped me set that up along with getting Mom nicely fixed up in my upstairs bedroom while also helping me organize my hopelessly crowded and messy study so that it will be usable this semester. She is just one of those people who is a real demon for cleaning and organizing, and I am not! Thank goodness she is the angel not the demon version of herself this visit.
I forgot, I once posted the recipe on Flickr. These are labor-intensive and very crumbly, but many people tell me they’re the best cookies they have ever eaten, and beg for them at Christmas. https://flic.kr/p/dFU4Hq
You have to click on Comments to see the recipe.
Wow, new lemming! You had me at ?!! Thank you!
Agree, they look so good!
1. I’m all vetivered up with MM Hemingway on one arm and Chris Rusak 33 on the other arm and my neck.
2. Favorite holiday foods are green bean casserole and pecan pie. No recipes though because I don’t really cook or bake.
3. I probably wanted to work on using up samples and decants and I was fairly successful. I still have plenty more to work on using up this year.
4. I am thinking of making a small DSH order during the sale, also thinking of buying a small bottle or two from indie perfumers soon, and I’m still trying to figure out if I’ll buy a bottle of Hemingway. I’m working through comparing it to many other vetiver perfumes to see if it reigns supreme.
5. I’ve had some truly delicious food today. Instead of going out for brunch like we usually do on Saturdays, my boyfriend and I snacked at home in the morning then went to a BBQ restaurant for lunch. We both had brisket sandwiches and shared a side of mac and cheese. It was the best brisket I’ve had in some time. We then walked to a favorite ice cream shop, and I had a scoop of apple brandy & pecan pie ice cream. Looking forward to hanging at home and relaxing the rest of the day.
Oh my goodness, your meal sounds heavenly! I really miss good brisket. And those ice creams??
That was just one ice cream flavor! Salt & Straw has the best flavor combos. I went there a couple days ago with a friend and had a scoop of another seasonal offering, gingerbread cookie dough. So good.
All vetivered up sounds a bit dirty, but also a lot of YUM!
I got vetivered up again after my shower. I could still smell vetiver on my arms so I put on Fat Electrician as my SOTN.
That whole meal sounds amazing and is making me hungry! Nothing like really good brisket…
My sotd is Encens Mythique. So wonderful at this time of year!
Two of my favorite foods to make over the Christmas holidays are white pizza dip (served with baguette slices) and cinnamon rolls. ?
I don’t do New Year’s resolutions.?
Can’t believe it, but there is nothing that I’m dying to have right now. And this makes me very happy! Enjoy your weekend friends!
You smell great!
Thank you!
Ok, I’ll bite, what’s white pizza dip? Sounds good.
A hot dip made with cream cheese, sour cream, mozzarella, roasted cherry tomatoes and Italian spices. Topped with provolone! So yummy?
Mm, sounds great!
It is. Also good with pizza toppings like pepperoni, olives, peppers, etc… thrown in?
Yum, yum, yum!
Oh, yummers!
Polls! Yay!
1. Wearing Ambre Loup on my left arm and DSH Cafe Noir on my right arm. I’m about to thunk the AL, but that’s okay. I have a new FB. I am incorrigible.
2. Favorite holiday food….probably monkey bread. We always had it for breakfast on Christmas morning when I was growing up.
3. Perfume resolutions…yes, I kept a few. I organized my bottles/decants/samples. I also tracked the samples/decants I emptied each month, and finished two full bottles this year. I failed miserably at assembling monthly perfume trays, and I used up exactly zero discovery sets, but I will do better in 2019.
4. Itching to buy…AG Musc Nomade. I received a partial decant of it in a swap with a wonderful NSTer, and it is just so perfectly comforting. ❤️
5. Something wonderful… we’re going to see our granddaughter after Christmas, and she’s finally old enough to cook and bake with, so it’s cookies! Cheese puffs! I can’t wait!!
Oh, your #3 made me remember I used to make old school sticky buns for Christmas morning! Nothing better than warm bread, cinnamon, butter, and a bit of brown sugar! (Imagine a drooling emoji here!)
I love monkey bread…partly because it is attached to the memory of Saturday mornings at the farmers market with all three marzipans eating monkey bread from the local baker’s booth….
AG Musc Nomade is a fantastic pick for a FB!
In Tauer’s Les Annees 25 from a sample. I like it – but I liked the candle I am burning more, (la Bougie Napa Leather) and now I can’t smell that anymore.
No favorite holiday recipe. I cook a lot and like lots of food, so it’s fun to see what others are coming up with!
No resolutions, really.
Itching to have: Well, I still would like to to get Guerlain Liu. Also Amouage Dia – I really enjoyed the sample that I got in the freebiemeet.
Fun things that happened this weekend: I won a 3 mile race this morning – it was a prediction race (winner = the person who comes closest to their predicted time, watches etc. not allowed). This was the 2nd time I ran at all this year, so I just calculated based on the first time I ran and bingo. I’m now the proud owner of a footlocker gift card, which I can perhaps use to buy shoes for dd and then spend the equivalent on perfume?
I like your perfume math. 🙂
Pretty sure I’d be belly up after 3 miles. Congrats!
Congratulations!
Congrats on winning your race Eschmeling!
I’m going to answer as if it were Sunday already, since today was a mish-mash.
1. Scent of Sunday: Jo Malone Incense & Cedrat, or Intense & Cedrat as it was called in the Ebay listing, which may explain the good deal I got 🙂
2. Going to have fancy lunch with a girlfriend and then we are going to Stanford Bing Auditorium to see Frederica von Stade and the Sonos Handbell Choir.
3. Didn’t make any perfume resolutions for 2018 but I’m pondering some for 2019. (Any semblance of restraint would be an improvement over this year.)
4. No itch at the moment since *ahem* I bought all the perfume this past quarter. ALL OF IT, y’all.
5. Wonderful? What’s that? 2018 is almost over. That’s all I got.
Dang, I can’t even get my poll answers in order! Favorite holiday food is probably cookies. Yum yum yum.
It’s kind of a relief you have ALL the perfume. Maybe now I can get some sleep ?
Ha!!!
I just got Incense & Cedrat too, but not the good deal. Good for you!
I hear you on 3, 4, and 5. 2018 was a big write-off.
That JM sounds yummy. Jealous of the concert. What a great combo. Have a wonderful time.
Home now and finnaly able to do the poll.
1. Sotd was L’tessa
2 . My mother used to make the best fudge ever. The hard chunky kind, not chewy. Unfortunately, I have not inherited any cooking/baking talent. I go out of my way to not subject anyone to my efforts.
3. I’m sure I made a resolution to enjoy what I have, and I do… but, I still want to enjoy what I don’t have yet?
4. I’m about one click away from ordering Duality from the bew Dame line, thanks to CM8 ?? however I really really like the Kimoji Cherry from KKW, and they are pretty much the same price, so… I will probably think about it to long, and end up with nothing, LOL
5. The best thing I have is my beautiful healthy children and my brand new baby grand niece. The baby was a much needed light in my family this year.
Love your #3 and #5. 🙂
As for 3., I can relate. 😀
Why not just get a sample of the Dame?
And I love your number five????
Cm8, I don’t see on the new site, how to get samples? It looks like the 2ml are oils and they are 8 dollars, which seems high to me for a sample.
ooh, I thought those were samples 🙁
Congrats on the new baby and glad they’re home and doing well!
I tried making fudge once. It was a disaster! But I can make cookies and cakes with no problems at all.
Love your answers!
Wore Boronia today and Luce Dell’Este tonight. A dinner full of laugher with very old friends, which is something good, always.
That said, holidays are not my favorite for all sorts of reasons – although no, I had delicious arancini tonight and this very friend used to always make them for NYE when I we were we kids (by which I mean in our 20s!), so I’ll say that.
No resolutions but it’s been a more restrained yet still very enjoyable perfume year. For the future, I have a sample of the April Aromatics iris coming and am very hopeful, and I can’t wait for the Dusita iris and violet release.
Since you like Boronia, you might want to sample the new Goldfield & Banks Southern Bloom, it is also a boronia scent and I found it very nice.
As always, I loved reading everybody’s comments!
1. L’Artisan L’Eau d’Ambre Extreme. Never say never. I found an amber I liked.
2. I love an old school BIG Christmas lunch. Glazed ham, slow cooked leg of lamb (spoon tender, I never warmed to pink lamb) with mint jelly, Yorkshire pudding (because I suck at roast potatoes) and lots of salads. Especially broccoli, bacon and cheese salad. The green looks so Christmassy on a plate. For afters I like a small portion of something very sweet, rich and ice cold, like a parfait or home made ice cream (you can always pour on some booze!).
3. None. I’m new this.
4. None. I didn’t buy Dans te Bras and the itch has passed.
5. Grateful for my family and the fact that my mom is still with us. We didn’t have any major tragedies this year (sincere condolences to everybody who lost fathers and fathers-in-law this year), but our 13 year old Bouvier passed away and she was a special dog. We’ve had many over the years, but every now and again a special dog soul crosses your path, and I miss her greatly. Also a year of renovations (not the nice new kitchen variety, but the “have to do this now or the house will fall down type”) and we have had four projects over 12 months, the last (unplanned) one ended THIS WEEK. Maybe we can hope for a serene 2019?
The L’Artisan is a lovely amber. I’m glad that you didn’t have major tragedies this year, but missing your special dog and awful house projects are plenty to deal with. House projects that must be done or else (and seems like they are always expensive, like a new roof) are just no fun at all. Here’s to a serene and joyful 2019! I know you’ve been posting here for a bit, but want to say welcome to the perfume community!
Thank you for your very kind words. And the welcome! I love coming to “visit” on the site, it feels like a quick hello to some very nice souls.
Here’s hoping your 2019 is peaceful and mellow!
I’ll raise an imaginary glass to that!
I’m so sorry about your dog. I lost my heart dog this year too, it was devastating. And we just found out our roof needs to be replaced pronto. Wishing you a wonderful 2019!
Great answers! You’re making me drool with your food descriptions!
Sunday morning with freezing rain and sleet…and I am in Jungle Elephant…thunk….this will be my first full bottle purchase in 2020….
Freezing rain and sleet, yuck! At least you smell great. 🙂
Yeah, I think it’s going to be a brutal winter 🙁
Wow, your weather is the PITS! And here I was, moping because it has been raining all weekend. My weather could be a LOT worse.
Yeah I would take rain any day! I don’t need to clear rain from my very long driveway-LOL!
First bottle of 2019??? Just a reminder of your “no-buy” resolution. ??.
Read to fast! 2020 sounds better! ?
Ha! I am counting on you to help me stick to this resolution!!! and keep on thunkin’ ….
Happy third advent!
1. I’m wearing Dolce garden from Dolce Gabbana, a summery scent for a snowy day.
2. I like sill, pickled herring. In Sweden, this is a holiday staple. http://www.swedishfood.com/swedish-food-recipes-starters/173-herring-three-types-pickled
and lussekatter, saffron buns https://sweden.se/culture-traditions/saffransbullar-and-pepparkakor/ that I fill with almond paste and butter and roll like cinnamon buns
3. No,
4. I’m waiting on a sample of Hiram Green Hyde, and also a full bottle of a crowd funded scent from 4120 Tuesdays, so I’m all set right now.
5. The new Shardlake novel from CJ Samson, Tombland, is very good.
I’m a fan of pickled herring, too.
My dad loved pickled herring. My oldest sister was the only other one in the family who loved it too.
Those saffron buns look amazing!
When I was very young, I loved pickled herring in sour cream sauce, which we used to buy in a jar. I have not had that in years.
1. I’m wearing Santal Massoia. Definitely a top 5 scent for me.
2. My favorite holiday food is Ginger Beef. We always had this on Christmas Eve. Alas, it only seems to be available at Chinese restaurants in western Canada, and I will not be there this Christmas.
3. I made one, I broke it.
4. Actually, nothing. I want to spend 2019 enjoying my current gorgeous collection.
5. Our new dog! I had an absolutely horrifying day at work on Friday, and instead of coming home and trying to drink it away, I took her for a long walk and felt so much better. She’s bad for my bad habits!
Definitely a therapy dog!
You smell great! And dogs are the best remedy for bad days.
Nothing better than walking your dog on bad and stressful days!
That’s great hearing about your dog being a stress reliever.
That’s awesome about your dog! It’s fun to break bad habits occasionally. 🙂 And I have never had ginger beef that I’m aware of. I’ll have to look it up.
1) Wearing PdN Cap Neroli from a sample and enjoying it on skin. Only smelled it on paper last Spring and it smelled like parsley to me. Not so much in skin, but there is a medicinal, almost mentholated smell up close.
2) Pumpkin pie is a favorite, but I’m more into the savory and love potato pancakes with both applesauce and sour cream. This year I made a variation of latke: topped with beef goulash (Hungarian style) and melted swiss cheese for my own variation of a Reuben ?. It was really good, y’all (but not very kosher ?).
3) No solid resolution, but would like to go back to my “rule” of not buying samples of things I can smell in person. I bought way more samples in the past few months than I have in the past couple of years.
4) That said, I’m considering BF Vetiverissimo as my Christmas gift to self. It would be the only vetiver in my collection. I need to have 1 at least, right?
5) Looking forward to my friend’s annual Solstice ritual and party this Friday. Always a blast! And am trying to learn a couple of Christmas songs on the uke as I want to participate in a uke caroling at Washington Sq park this week. So far I’m behind ?
I saw a recipe online for latkes with shredded brisket on top (it was a kosher site so no cheese). Looked yummy, even though I’m vegetarian myself.
And yes, everyone should have a good vetiver in their collection. So I give you my blessing to purchase. 🙂 Plus it’s basically a charitable contribution, buying from an indie perfumer/artist, you’re supporting the arts!
That does sound delicious! Next time… though good ol’ sour cream still hits the spot. I admire your vegetarianism. I muse about the prospect from time to time.
And blessing accepted ? Had I bought it directly from his site about a month ago, a % of the proceeds would have gone to wild fire relief. So would truly have been charitable.
That’s one of my rules, too – if I can try a sample somewhere locally, no ordering! It does help, budget-wise. Those little samples add up quickly.
They do add up and I’ve ordered 5 or 6 at a time and liked none of them. Sigh. Though recently have had more luck in the like/love dept.
Good luck with learning those Christmas songs!
Thanks! At the rate I’m going (partly because I don’t adore the songs) I may just have to practice smiling and sit strumming, lol.
Oh my gosh, ElisaP, you are making me drool!!!
Io by Chris Rusak! Alllll Day Long.
it’s a Happpppy Birthday Gift from me to myself – THANK YOU to Chris for making such a beautiful scent! See I DID wait…was painful tho!
Musicology blaring on the player. life is good.
‘keep the party moving’ y’all.’
I just sampled Io. Very nice and evocative!
thank you Amyitis.
No affiliation, but I am glad that you like it too.
And happy birthday! Sometimes I read too fast.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday AngelaB! Enjoy your day and your beautiful present! ???
Thank You PL67!
wishing you the happiest of birthdays
Happy, happy!!
Happy Birthday AngelaB! Indulge!!
Happy birthday! Have a healthy and fulfilling year. Great present choice!
Happy Scented Birthday! Enjoy your “gift to self”! ???
Happy Birthday!
Happy happy birthday!!!!
Today I’m wearing Queen by Queen Latifah–I really enjoy this boozy, sweetish patch, and I would never have thought I would! About to start up my baking again. Then a little yoga. Trying not to stress about work tomorrow.
Queen is fabulous! You smell great!
Enjoy your yoga! I hope it brings you peace and helps to assuage the stress of another Monday morning.
I’m baking and trying not to stress about work tomorrow also. Hang in there!
CdG Kyoto for a rainy Sunday.
Good pick!
Good one!
1. SOTD (Sunday) = JM Myrrh & Tonka, from a decant that hajusuuri gave me. I am very close to thunking it! It’s so so freaking good.
SOTD (Saturday) = Barbara Bui EdP, from the sample stash. Not sure how I initially felt about it, but oh, that drydown is gorgeous.
2. Favorite holiday food depends on my mood. Many delicious things around this time of year! ?
3. Maybe I made a perfume resolution? I can’t remember, given the huge amount of crazy that 2018 brought. But I have fewer untried samples in my possession, so maybe that counts.
4. Ugh! I wish I didn’t, but it looks like the E&J Nirvana Rose is d/c’ed. It is VERY affordable on the discount sites right now. I should retry my sample to make absolutely, positively sure that I still want a FB.
5. I received an unexpected Xmas gift from some friends earlier today! I had no clue that I would be getting something from them. I was rather touched. ??
Huh. I wonder if the whole line is d/c? The official site has none of their perfumes in stock ?
I love Barbara Bui! Such a cozy one- I wear it at night in the winter a lot.
The only EdPs I see on Sephora’s website are the French Grey and Amethyst.
Tj maxx has all off them for 59 or 69… in my area, no affiliation.
I’ve seen 1oz. bottles of some of the Nirvana scents for around $30 online. Scary tempting!!!!
Oh wow, I actually love the Nirvana perfumes (other than White which I can do without). Thanks for the heads up.
Late to the party but here are my answers! Can’t wait to read everyone else’s!
1. The remains of yesterday’s Cuir Mauresque. Wore Geisha Noire to my work Holiday party Friday- it’s always a hit with my fiancé.
2. My favorite holiday food is Cajun fried turkey- don’t judge me, I’m southern and we can make anything unhealthy ?. But when you fry it the skin gets crispy and the meat stays moist and we put a Cajun rub on it and inject it with butter and spices. It is divine!
3. No perfume resolutions
4. Itching to buy so many things but I’d like a bottle of Fire Island to remind me of summer.
5. I love baking and have been experimenting more and more with yeast rolls and breads. I’m attempting challah tonight- hopefully my braid is pretty and it comes out well! I love how the house smells!
I’ve never had fried turkey, but some foodies that I know have told me I am missing out. Bad idea for us to DIY it, though… we don’t have any outdoor space to do the frying in.
We use to do it outdoors with a propane fryer but we have one of those Butterball electric fryers now and it’s much safer haha!
#4 check out fragrancenet…last I looked it’s pretty deeply discounted 😉
1. Kingdom by McQueen. It’s gorgeous, dare I say.
2. Does red wine qualify as food? I guess not 😉
3. I did – buy less. And I did good, only bought one full bottle, Flagrant Delice by T. de Gunzburg (after much sampling)
4. Nothing! So far, I haven’t found anything that I’d like to a full bottle of.
5. I love the Cohen brothers and saw their latest movie – The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and loved it. It’s a collection of 6 weird short stories, all taking place in the ‘wild wild west’. If you like ‘weird’, I recommend it (it’s on Netflix). Also, I joined Postcrossing – a site where people send and receive postcards. It’s wonderful. It’s so good to receive mail that is not bills or paytment reminders!