We're celebrating this November weekend with our usual open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, the fragrance you're thinking you might pick up if there's a good pre-holiday sale, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Released (Explore October 20, 2013) [cropped] by Anne Worner at flickr; some rights reserved.
ciao a tutti (hello everyone)
SOTD farmers market pre-shower Chance Eau Fraiche
Tonight I will wear some of the coco noir body cream
I wish we had a weekend farmer’s market here…(we do have one, but it’s Friday afternoon which is not always convenient).
Saw this on FB and immediately wanted you to see it. If the link doesn’t work, let me know: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10159156181312313&set=pcb.3656145744466298
I don’t have Facebook so I wasn’t able to view this!
I’m in Chanel 19 EDP for a haircut appointment and a foray into the office to pick up a few things. And pick up some dry cleaning! My dry cleaner has very abbreviated hours now, and I never seem to be in that area at the right time.
Gosh! You must be very put together. Some years ago I vowed never to get a job that *required* a dry-cleaned wardrobe (finance, insurance), which is easy enough in tech, but I still dressed up a bit.
Now that I’ve spent 8 months working from home, I’m a total schlub.
Before March, I was pretty put together, and I had the usual number of things in the “take to the cleaners” bag hanging inside the closet. I finally decided I should take them in about a month ago, if for no other reason than to keep them from getting permanently creased! Since March I’ve been living and working mostly in yoga clothes … like pretty much everyone. I bought a beautiful cream colored silk blouse right before the lockdown began, and have yet to wear it. Sigh.
I bought a dress for work last February. It still had the tags on it last week. I wore it for the first time for a zoom call.
I have had to force myself to stop buying dresses. I love them, but truly have not worn one more than twice since COVID times began. Silly to keep adding to my closet (although it makes me happy to find something lovely)!
I keep telling myself that I should wear the lovely things, even if nobody sees them but me … and then I mostly end up in yoga pants and a sweater, because comfort!
I don’t even remember bringing something to dry clean. Usually I don’t even iron my clothes….
I hate ironing – that’s a big part of why I get things dry cleaned! 🤣
Your “needed to go to dry cleaning” pile is my 8-month old, 2-foot tall pile of “needs to be ironed” clothes that I keep shifting from one spare bedroom to the other and not tending to. At this point I should just stuff said pile in a box and shove it in the basement.
*Shifting clothes in spare bedroom twin* – I need to shift to the thrift store, methinks!
Enjoy your new-do! I scheduled my next haircut for the week of Thanksgiving. I think I waited too long. I assume they’ll have to close the shop in this new lockdown?
No, from what I’ve read, salons can just keep going under the same rules that applied before. My salon has a guy who does intake (takes your temperature, has you fill out a brief questionnaire, and then sends you into the restroom to wash your hands before heading in to the actual salon premises). And everyone is masked at all times, of course.
Oh good! I don’t mind looking shaggy for a while, but I’ve already let it go for quite a time now. . .
About three months after the first shutdown in March, our office began a never-announced-but tacitly-approved permanent casual Friday/jeans day. We are a “traditional” law firm. But I, as the receptionist, and a few of the paralegals in, say, family law, who deal with impromptu essential client meetings, do tend to wear dressier clothes. I have so many from 20 years of front office work, that it is actually easier to dress up than to dress down! Not that I have not enjoyed jeans and a sweater….oh, and we have company logo polos, too.
Before arriving to my current job, I formerly worked at a federal bank (FHLBSF), our company dress code was decidedly more formal. I do miss dressing up for work. At the University, even in a Dean’s office, the clothing can get a wee bit too casual. I had to send my assistant home because she came to work in Yoga pants and flip flops. Oy.
Yikes. A few years before the pandemic, we had to update our dress code to ban sandals of any kind that had a post between the toes. No flipflops! Apparently the slapping sound really grated on some people’s nerves. 😜
I have had students come to class in PJs. Wish I could have sent them home too
I’m a paralegal, in-house for a heavy equipment manufacturer now but spent 20+ years in law firms – those reception areas do need to look professional! My current work area is visible from my company’s main reception desk (and just down the hall from the CEO’s office), so before the pandemic I generally tried to look professional and pulled together in suits or nice skirts or slacks. But when the lockdown hit and we stopped allowing visitors at HQ, we went to an office-wide, every-day casual-dress rule. Kind of a tough transition for me!
I miss picking up freshly laundered and dry-cleaned clothes. *sigh*
It’s a very comforting thing, isn’t it. The man who runs mine reminds me of the Maytag repairman nowadays. I told him I was really glad he was still there, even if I only see him twice a year now.
Interesting comments, ST and SheriG: in fact, our firm used to have monthly pick-ups by a local dry cleaner who was also a client, and who would do billing. She wrote a “hi how are you note” on my last bill when I took a *rare* DH suit for a family wedding in to the cleaners. :/
Good morning all –
Sotd is the scent of yesterday, Promise by Dominique Ropion for Frederic Malle. Wow! Promise is right. Promise that you won’t have to wear another fragrance for days! Fortunately, it’s exquisite and since fragrance often doesn’t stay on my skin as long as I would like, this is welcome sillage.
Drinking a cup of my favorite coffee – Lopez Island French Roast Sumatra blend and hoping it doesn’t rain long enough to take a nice urban hike.
Happy weekend!
Thank you!
My husband LOVES that frag. I have caught him stealthily bringing his wrist to his nose wearing that one. It is a powerhouse. My husband, who does not frequently wear fragrance, has no trouble spraying with abandon on the few times a year he does. Spraying Promise with abandon could kill someone— but it is stunning!
SOTD is MDCI Fetes Persanes, bottle of which arrived yesterday. This will be my CP choice, as it’s both my most recent and most expensive FB.
Haven’t been getting monthly sample packs from Olfactif for a while, because I was getting sample overloaded. But they’re doing a “blind” sampling box right now, which I thought sounded fun. Box of 6 anonymously labeled samples arrived yesterday with little cards for documenting notes and impressions. In a few weeks they send a link revealing the scents.
It’s fun to test out my nose! I don’t think I have the most finely honed sniffer, but I’ve definitely learned a lot in the last year and a half.
Correction: My CP choice for 11/27. Still need to noodle on Bo Derek CP…
That does seem like fun!
You smell fabulous, Fêtes Persanes is gorgeous.
I must agree. I’ve been huffing my wrist all morning.
Hello twin! Wearing Fêtes Persanes with you.
Sounds like a fun way to sample!
I love blind samples! Let us know how it turns out.
No SOTD as my little collection is packed away for moving this weekend.
Had an eventful Friday the 13th as a tree fell onto my (luckily parked and unoccupied) car early yesterday morning.
I think this means I need to treat myself and will be ordering some samples of not too sweet vanilla perfumes from NST-er recommendations I got a couple of months ago.
Oh no! Moving and dealing with car damage at the same time – my condolences. Do treat yourself to something soothing – it’s therapy!
A tree fell onto your car – wow. Agreed – that’s definitely a sign that you should treat yourself to something!
Wow. I guess the tree falling is an indication new neighborhood is wise…
ouch! you definitely should enjoy some recreational sniffing.
best wishes for an uneventful move.
🤔 “recreational sniffing” 🤔
Thanks, everyone! Have gone ahead and ordered some samples from Indigo. I think I’ve timed it so that they’ll arrive shortly after the most difficult parts of moving will be over and they can be a nice relaxing treat!
Wow, I’m so glad your car was unoccupied! You definitely deserve some fragrant treats. Good luck with the move!
Wow, I think a tree falling on your car calls for a full bottle of something.
Sorry that happened to you Birdy16.
Wow! Scary, and so lucky the car was empty. You definitely need a comforting perfume purchase.
DITTO on what Gaynor said!
Yikes! Can’t hope for zero added stress, but here’s to hoping dealing with all of that is as minimally stressful as it need be.
Thank goodness you are safe! Hoping that your move goes as smoothly as it can and your new samples bring you comfort and a sense of normalcy.
Ack, so sorry! 😟 I’m glad no one was hurt. You deserve a new bottle of perfume!
Hope your move goes forward smoothly – I guess you can get a rental quickly???
Yikes! So sorry to hear about your poor car. I hope that the rest of the move went as well as it could for you.
Pour La Belle, a in house chypre of the now deceased Schlossparfumerie in Stuttgart… I should have bought a FB when they were still open… Luckily I found a 10ml decant on parfumo for cheap. I will be sad if it is used up.
Online scientific congress for today, while cleaning my windows and getting some knitting done.
Sounds like a productive day ahead tannina, hope it goes well!
Same here with the online congress. I remember doing a Sea Course Cruise for two weeks to the Caribbean, now it’s online on a Sunday. Yuck!
I’m wearing Profumum Olibanum, and smelling like a gothic cathedral (that’s a good thing). Later in the day, I might layer this with some Messe di Minuit, to add a little warmth while hiking up the stone crypt factor.
So very glad it is Saturday.
Messe De Minuit sadly smelled like a church loo to me, glad it does not for you
Well, let’s hope I’m not walking around smelling like a loo, and not noticing!
Spitting tea laughing!!
You must smell amazing.
I like the Olibanum a lot, particular for the first couple of hours. In the dry down it gets fairly austere, though, so I usually like to add a little something to the mix at this point. However, I just remembered that I’m due to get a perfume package in the mail today, so I might hold off on the layering and just start over with my split of Tai’f!
The arrival of a perfume package – it’s on my top ten of favorite things.
Great review of the Olibanum. Mouthwatering.
Top #10! Absolutely! As I eye my Rica package that just arrived. (fragrant body care is right there, too!)
Hello all,
SOTD is SSS Incense Pure.
Thank you to all who recommended The Queen’s Gambit. I’m 2 episodes in and like it very much.
For fans of the The Crown, season 4 will be available starting tomorrow (Sunday) on Netflix.
Yesterday I tried my decant of Initio Parfums Side Effect, which was a blind buy at the splitmeet. The notes sounded right up my alley (boozy tobacco vanilla amber) and the reviews are generally glowing, however, there is something in there that does not work for me at all.
So, if anyone missed the opportunity to go in on this split or is interested in my 10 mL decant, drop me a line at arzeznik in the land of comcast with a dot and a net. Maybe we can arrange a swap.
Have a nice weekend everybody!
We are scent twins, sort of – I have the exact same issue with Side Effect! It’s what I call a tenacity note in there, like an call caps “I WILL PREVAIL ALL DAY ON YOU”
Yes! I can still smell it on the sleeve of my nightgown after having washed and dried it today 😀
Aaargh, you too! Did you happen to get it on clothing?
We’ve been watching the Queen’s Gambit off and on the last few weeks and enjoying it, too.
There is some note—or maybe more than one, that I just read in the same way—that appears in a variety of perfume, and cannot abide. I’ve cross-checked so many notes lists and cannot identify it. So frustrating! Especially when it appears in something that by all accounts I should love. Totally understand your experience.
same here. I know that I don’t like aquatic scents, so that’s easy to avoid, but the penetrating note that I mostly associate with more masculine fragrances – not sure what that is, but I think it’ related to what some call “beast mode”? A lot of Malle scents also have that note to me, but it’s absent from all the more classic scents I tried, so it might be a newer aromachemical? Wild speculations here!
Did not know it was time for the Crown already! Boy, I am getting behind on TV, already watching at least 4 shows at once.
We just started The Queen’s Gambit, too. I was wondering how long it would take the chess-obsessed spouse to find it.
But I’m all in for The Crown! Yay tomorrow!
I am just finishing Season Two of the Crown from my library and plan to start Netflix after that so I can start Seasons 3 and 4.Should you watch all 3 previous seasons before starting to watch Season 4 or could it be watched before finishing the previous seasons? Trying to get my plan in place.
I don’t think you *have* to watch them in order. I preferred doing so for historical context and to better follow the development of both political and family relationships.
That’s too bad about Side Effect 😱.
Oh, well. Sometimes it works (see Le Lion) and sometimes it doesn’t. At least I didn’t buy a full bottle this time (see Bengale Rouge) 😀
But so aptly named it seems!
I had two lovely packages waiting for me when I arrived home last afternoon. One of them had a mini of new Dusita perfume – Moonlight in Chiangmai, which is my SOTD. It’s so different than any previous perfume in their line… At once fresh and not, with a night blooming jasmine that gives it something mystic, magical.
Have a nice and comfy weekend!
your SOTD sounds beautiful. i have happy memories of night blooming jasmine, it grows abundantly here.
I’m sure the real thing is much more memorable
That sounds lovely, must try as I love jasmine. Where do you buy your samples Luca? I know you’re based in Europe like me.
Lucas…
This sample was sent to me by the brand. In Poland I get samples from Quality Missala or Galilu.
Outside of Poland, First in Fragrance or Essenza Nobile have a great customer service.
I’m looking forward to trying this one!
Hope you like it.
SotD = L’Heure Bleue EdT
Wearing No. 5 EdP yesterday put me in the mood for another classic today.
I’m heading out to my garage to stare wistfully at the mess. I’ll tidy a few things, pull out my bicycle, then sigh and close the door again.
The weather is sunny and warming up. I’m looking forward to a long bike ride to the beach then a walk on the sand. Smoky air, hot weather, seasonal allergies, less daylight, and now cold weather are convenient excuses for taking it easy. Time to kick it up a notch.
Happy trails, fragrant friends!
Have an amazing bike ride. I wish I could go to the beach – please enjoy looking over the long horizon for me!
You smell lovely.
bike ride + beach walk = aaaaaaah, relief!
After I felt very calm.
Mmm. You smell good! I usually reach for that one in spring, though. Maybe I’ll give it a try as a fall scent. . .
L’HB makes me happy when the weather is cooler, definitely not a hot weather scent for me.
Perfect Saturday perfume
ha! yes, L’Heure Bleue feels like a weekend treat from the patisserie. It’s one of the few perfumes I adore that smells a bit gourmand.
“Stare wistfully at the mess “ = a pastime I also know well.
glad I’m not the only one! We could start a Wistful Stares Club that boycotts tidying.
Have a happy ride!
thank you, Kanuka. It was a happy feeling to pedal along again after such a long time.
Enjoy that bike ride- and I feel you on the procrastination bit to clean out the garage. After all the suff I did this year, my garage is a right mess!
It’s funny how long I can ignore the mess in the garage!
In the house, not so much.
You smell fabulous. I just got a modern version of L’Heure Bleue, and it was an instant love, even reformulated.
😄 We “clean” the same way!
Good to know about the L’Heure Bleue edt. I’ve been thinking of trying it, so your recommendation is welcome.
I recently got out my old bottle (tester) of parfum, and all the top notes had gone off, so it’s not so enjoyable anymore. Actually, I’m heartbroken; that swoon-worthy first sniff is no more to be. Wah.
Enjoy your ride!
I mentioned to MossyBerry that my L’Heure Bleue EdT is a recent version, just a few years old. It’s wonderful and wasn’t expensive.
Oh, good to know!
My L’HB is just a few years old. I love it, even though I can imagine the vintage version would be glorious.
Testing my sample set of Les Indomadables. They are really well done, but they tend to stay close to the skin and the worst part, all gone after 4 hours. Also testing my way through Teone Reinthal samples and am quite impressed with her work.
Hoping to be able to go for a bike ride. Will be testing a new brownies recipe from Ovenly. Their recipe uses black cocoa (something I have not heard about before), so very excited to see how that turns out!!
If anyone here has tried Les Indimables, curious to hear your thoughts esp on projection and staying power.
I’ve tried a couple, Rose de Jamal and Oriental Velours. I liked them both, but they’re expensive, so it needed to be intense love rather than like. I’d dabbed on small amounts on the evening, so can’t really comment on projection or longevity, but they seemed reasonable.
MMMM, save me a brownie!
whoa, we’re on the same page today!
I had a bike ride today, my daughter is baking brownies as I type. I’m very curious about Les Indomadables, lots of mentions here on NST.
Loving Teone Reinthal too I have a second sample set in the way. Which is your favourite so far? I fell in love with Embers (though it’s painfully expensive).
After spending yesterday day in CP friendly vintage 5 EdC, I put on Bois des Iles in the evening and followed up this morning with Cuir de Russie (It was between that and Sycomore, but I dreamed of a horse last night so the choice was obvious :)).
My daughter put a xmas list for herself and for the dog on the fridge, and I stuck one on there with perfumes I wouldn’t mind, just in case!
A question to you: same daughter wants a candle that smell like petrichor – anyone know of one? It rained yesterday for the first time this season. Happy weekend!
Perhaps DS and Durga’s Concrete after Lightning?
that’s a great name!
Looks like you can find quite a few on Etsy if you’re looking for something cheaper than that DS & Durga (which I now want, LOL)
https://www.etsy.com/listing/872100781/books-and-petrichor-petrichor-candle?ref=shop_home_feat_1
Also
https://onlythebestcandles.com/products/petrichor-the-smell-of-rain-and-dirt-4oz-candle
Surprised Otherland doesn’t have one, but they don’t seem to.
Thanks! We do have a lot of the Otherland candles (I buy them when they have a sale and get the 3 pack then), and apparently beets have a petrichor smell to them and we have the beet one but it’s not quite right (and also my least favorite Otherland candle).
Otherland has a beet candle? Must scurry off to look…
Ah, but is a great beet candle? I’ve been thinking about that new Loewe Beetroot home fragrance but would cost too much.
I just smelled it. To me, it definitely has a beet note, but it’s also floral and a teeny bit aquatic/ozonic – more of a chilled pink floral beet than a deep red roasted one, if that makes sense. Not gourmand at all. The candle is 1/3 burnt but I can’t say I’ve ever really noticed the smell coming from my daughter’s room – but maybe that’s because those BBW candles overpower everything!!
Personally, not my favorite of the line – but I might not be a beet candle person!
Thank you! Sounds like it is not what I am after.
Are beets having a moment? I would expect NST to discover that. A dear co-worker recently gifted me with a beet soap, which was wonderful, but very surprising to me given that beets are polarizing.
Ah, see another opportunity in the beet field for Dwight K Schrute! 😜
I think they’ve been having a small moment for a few years.
We’ve woken to a lovely sunny day, very little wind for a change, delightful. The plan is for a bit if early morning housework, then a long walk in the sunshine. This will be the first time I’ve broken out the sunblock this spring. I’ll wear Patou’s 1000, I bought a BUB when I heard the Patou perfumes are being discontinued.
Sunny here too Gaynor, but not warm enough to need sunblock so jealous!
I am on a day of chores, quite dull. Enjoy your long walk.
There’s sunblock on my nose today, first time in a while as I’ve not been outside enough lately.
oh! also wondering, is your bottle of 1000 the edp or edt?
Asking for a friend, ahem.
It’s the EdP, I haven’t tried the EdT to compare, but the EdP is what I would inexpertly describe as a rich, classic floral.
1000 EdP sounds wonderful, right up my alley.
I’m wearing Dzongkha for a very mellow Saturday.
Question: Has anyone tried Horla, January Scent Project’s newest perfume? It sounds amazing, but the short story it’s named after terrified me when I was a kid. Just curious if anyone has encountered it yet.
Dzongkha is a desert island perfume for me. I could probably do a week of it one week and be perfectly happy.
I bought this lovely rose solid perfume by a brand called Sabe Masson. The packaging is really cute and the smell is greta. Watching No man´s land on HBO, really good series.
Here in Spain we are not allowed to go out after 10 soooo lots of series!
Oh, that must be so difficult to stay in at night! My friends who’ve spent time in Spain all talk about the wonderful late (to us) hangout and dinner traditions!
Oh I love the Sabe Masson soft perfumes!And yes,cute packaging!
Ah, those are the people that used to sell under the name Crazylibellule and The Poppies, then under the name Le Soft Perfume. Have totally stopped paying attention to them.
https://nstperfume.com/tag/le-soft-perfume/
I looked them up, I think they have closed down… guess I’ll just cherish my little treat!
Cold and stormy weather finally arrived in Oregon, just in time for a renewed lockdown.
Stuck indoors by the fire with my 3000 piece puzzle today. SOTD is PHI, and I love it still! Mr. Spicebomb bought me my first bottle of this one, and it is so, so lovely.
I am thinking that without holiday gatherings perhaps I want to send everyone I love a Christmas care package of baked goods in addition to the calendar I make each year. Fruit cake has such a bad rap, but the one I make is truly lovely–dense with dried fruits, whole nuts and soaked and cured in Oregon pear brandy. I also like to make lebkucken, a heavily spiced, honey cookie. I use an old family recipe, and it makes me happy to continue the tradition.
Sorry about your weather and the lockdown, Marjorie Rose.
I love the idea of a baked goods Christmas care package (especially if I’m on the receiving end 😉) and your fruit cake sounds lovely. I think your loved ones are in for a treat.
Thanks, adanst! Truthfully, the lockdown won’t impact how I’ve been living my life TOO, too much, since I’ve beeen working from home and limiting outings anyway. And I’m grateful the governor is taking safety seriously. I think it’s just the IDEA of not getting to get out. At least last week I was CHOOSING to stay home.
I’m happy to pass along a fruitcake, if I know where it should go!
I know what you mean about having options…and you are so sweet about the fruitcake, but those require a lot of work and I’m sure your loved ones list is long.
But maybe you could share the recipe if and when you have the time 😊
I have to dig it out, but I’d be happy to share when I find it! It’s a newspaper clipping from about 30 years ago. . .
PHI is wonderful, super good choice for a Saturday.
I adore lebkuchen (and gingerbread and spice cake and fruit cake).
I agree! I love all the warmly spiced options this time of year! My aunt’s lebkuchen recipe is Danish in origin, but most I’ve seen have called it a German cookie (or honeycake). What is your connection to it?
My Danish great-grandmother Ida Thomsen was from Aarhus. She was an amazing cook and baker. Her husband died when she was a young mother of four children. She immigrated to the US and found work as a cook for a summer fishing camp in Idaho. In winter she worked as a seamstress. Her daughter, my Grandma Irma, worked in the kitchen with her mother from a very young age.
Grandma often baked a spice cookie with dried citrus peel and almonds. It didn’t have the lebkuchen wafer, but it was similarly delicious! Grandma Irma also baked thin, crisp gingerbread cookies to share with me because I was the only grandchild who loved them like she did.
Oh how wonderful! Any chance you have the recipes for either? It sounds like our families came to the US at about the same time.
My Aunt Myrna also made an extraordinarily thin, crunchy molasses cookie with sliced almonds. Sadly, I have never found that recipe.
oh, goodness, I have a cousin named Myrna. I’m laughing at the coincidence.
I do have recipes for both cookies. If you’d like me to send them to you, you can send me a message:
tiffaniedarling via the google mail.
3000 pieces! We always have a puzzle going ever since the spring but 1000 pieces is our usual speed. Though of course some 1000 pc puzzles are easy, and some are really slow going. What’s your current puzzle? We just started this one yesterday: https://www.charleyharperartstudio.com/products/puzzles-toys-games/coral-reef-puzzle.html
Oh, what a fun design! I would think that one would take some time to put together with so few variations in color across the pieces.
My current puzzle is a painting, Afternoon in Nice, by Castorland. It’s well made enough and is keeping me busy, but my real favorite so far has been a 1000 piece puzzle by Cobble Hill. The pieces were random-cut I think, creating crazy shapes that you wouldn’t expect. And the photograph was printed with very high resolution. I’ve become very annoyed with cheap puzzles with obvious pixelation on the prints! Ruins the fun to see which way the pieces go AND makes the final product less pretty. I also liked two Pomegranate “Art Piece” puzzles I’ve put together. They were BEAUTIFUL, with very thick, sturdy cardboard and precisely cut pieces. If you ever want to give a puzzle as a gift, I strongly recommend them!
Ha! You can see I’ve done my fair share of puzzles this year! I’m becoming quite the connoisseur.
Well I’m making it easy on myself by starting at the bottom where there is more color variation. I suspect the yellow and blue regions up top will be more of a challenge.
Yeah, pre-covid I owned 2 puzzles, one of which I’d never opened. Now… well it’s not as bad as the perfume situation, but…! And yeah, I couldn’t have told you anything about puzzle brands or styles a year ago, but how times have changed. Most of my puzzles are Ravensburgers. Good quality, low amount of ‘puzzle dust’.
Hey there! Fellow Oregonian stuck inside on a rainy day! I make Caribbean style fruitcake- moist and rich, ‘cured’ with plenty of rum- and send small loaves to family back home. There is never any left- the fam always eat it up by Feburary.
A great gift is Clear Creek Poire Williams- so lovely and potent!
Hello! Clear Creek makes the pear brandy I use for my fruitcake. Actually, pretty sure the recipe is theirs, too, come to think on it! The dried fruit includes dried pears, apples, apricots, etc. So delicious! Soaked in rum sounds great, too. I don’t drink and dislike the “raw” taste of alcohol, but soaking a fruitcake for several weeks allows that to dissipate and leaves behind just the nice fruity essence.
Oh yes! Clear Creek makes great products both for drinking and baking- buy a tiny bottle of the kirschwasser for making cherry or plum pie. Amazing.
And yes- adding the rum makes the cake fragrant and moist and the chopped fruits tender! Not about making people tipsy!
Mmm…lebkuchen!
😀
Another fellow Oregonian here! Mr. Birdy and I have been on the coast for the past six months or so and it has been quite stormy the last couple days!
Your fruitcake sounds delicious! I’m sure family members will be extremely appreciative.
Thanks!
Yes, my mom is in Lincoln City, and I know they have a high wind warning this week. I miss the storms on the coast–the persistent, low roar of ocean always was so comforting to me!
Oh, I’m with you on fruit cake AND lebkuchen. I buy my first fruit cake at the beginning of November and, in fact, the first one is three quarters finished already. My mom used to bake fruit cakes for the family, but I have yet to attempt one. Would love it if you would post your recipe. I do bake lebkuchen for the kids just before Christmas and always glaze them with milk chocolate. We don’t have many family traditions, but this one I’ve kept up for 12 years now. Enjoy your cozy weekend. (I’m partial to puzzles too!)
Ohhh, I adore lebkuchen!
Please share both recipes, they sound lovely! Your family is very lucky! And yes, puzzles, what a great idea, it’s been years…
I second Gabriela’s recommendation, please share!
I’ve put the fruitcake recipe below. Now off to find the lebkuchen one. . .
Done! I’ve put them below.
Puzzle lemming created; found an old one I loved on the bay, and snapped it up, LOL. Also, another fruit cake fan here!
Yay! I’ve been buying my new and then reselling them on craigslist once I’ve put them together. No one wanted to buy them over the summer, but maybe now the weather is getting cruddy again I will reduce my inventory.
Every year, before Thanksgiving, my husband begins preparing his fruit cake for the holidays. He usually makes three dark fruit cakes, which we cover in marzipan before serving. They are full of alcohol and I’m pretty sure there is a piece from last year still in the fridge perfectly fine. Each year his family ooohs and ahhhhhs when they eat the cake, marveling at the genius of the British ( they are all Scots/ British) for creating such a masterpiece. And each year, my husband politely reminds them that the recipe he uses is actually Jamaican and involves no small amount of Manischewitz on top of the other liqueurs! 😂🍷
Fantastic!
Jamaican fruit cakes are held to be amongst the very best! My family makes a version of this and *sigh*
The scientists said it wouldn’t rain this weekend. We’re five hours into rain and clouds. If I were wrong 50% of the time I wouldn’t have a job, anywhere. I found some Korres Saffrsn and Orris for 9.99 at Ross. Holy moly, it smells like what it says it smells like! A lipstick iris I hoped the Sylvain Delacourte Florentina would smell like, but without that nasty thing I think is ISO e super. This stuff is great!
You could probably get a job in politics or on a perfume counter, based on my personal experiences of both
I loathe politics. I think for myself instead of joining a herd. Couldn’t get a job at a perfume counter, because I would tell people which stinky one to avoid instead of pushing the one they make you promote. So no go there. But thanks for the career advice, I need a new job.
Argg ISO-e is my nemesis too. Most of my perfume sampling choices are based on what is less likely to contain it!
Made it a point to stop at TJX to see if we had any Korres; no luck, but looks like TJX companies are getting in more perfumes anticipating the holiday. Also, I I had to wait outside a few minutes, because the number of people in the store exceeded the guidelines for social distancing. People here are well-masked and using lots of hand sanitizer, so that’s good.
I love all the colors in that photo, Robin!
I’m in Tobak and Nordic Cedar, from Maya Njie. It’s 86 degrees out there, but these are light enough to be wearable in the heat.
Happy Saturday, everyone! You smell great. 😊
She does wonderful fall photos…I think this was day 10 or 12, now I have to find some other theme for next week.
I need to get a Maya Njie discovery set.
Did you see the Zoom that Arielle Shoshana did with Maya yesterday? She composed a new fragrance on the Zoom and answered so many questions. Fascinating!
I believe they may be posting the video later for those who missed it.
Yes, I was there! It was so interesting to see her blend the fragrance. I gasped when she dribbled all of the coconut extract into the beaker.
I did like being able to interact directly with Maya. Most Zoom meetings have everyone muted.
I was a fan of Vanilj mostly, but I think her fragrances really lend themselves to layering more than most lines. Did you have a favorite?
Happy Diwali to those who celebrate!
There is a mini-fireworks display just outside my window,I love the colors!
Orange Sanguine for a busy Saturday that included one emergency theatre case(my standby weekend),choosing and pre-ordering colors for a little paint project in my apartment and doing some Saturday-things.
XO
Drat, I didn’t know and I could have had a great Diwali photo!
Choosing the colors is the fun part
Please don’t let the date stop you — we need a week of Diwali photos!
You smell great! I love Orange Sanguine. It is the scent that kicked off my perfume hobby.
Happy Diwali! We had fireworks last night as well. My husband’s colleague sent us a picture of her beautiful puri’s. The back story is that I love puri patta and once, very proud of myself, made him text a picture of my puri’s to her. Her reply was a very dry: “I can see that that is a white person’s puri…”
Happy Diwali!
Happy Diwali!
Hi all!
Working a long day in Alaia. I’m ready for Sunday!
Stay safe everyone.
Hope Sunday comes quickly then
I’m reading a biograpghy of Patricia Highsmith but have never read any of her novels…any suggestions of where to start.
Today is the Day of the Impeisoned Writer (Nov 15) so am going to an event re. Freedom of speech, ideas etc. No perfume yet as I may pop into my offsite storage
Well you could try her Ripley series of course. Or Strangers On A Train, which Hitchcock turned into a movie.
I see you’ve already answered the question I asked below.
I need to read the replies that are already there more carefully before commenting on a post. 
I have read all 5 of the Ripleys, and nothing else…if you find another great one, do report in the next book poll!
I’ve read the biography Highsmith: A Romance of the 1950’s by Marijane Meaker, who is better known as the YA author M.E. Kerr. I haven’t read any of Patricia Highsmith’s books. Many seem to be novels with murderous protagonists, and books like that really aren’t my thing. Was the Alfred Hitchcock movie “Rope” based on one of Highsmith’s books?
On the other hand, I’ve read a lot of M.E. Kerr’s books. A number of her protagonists and other characters she’s written have aspects that make them stand out from conventional or “mainstream” society, but I’m pretty sure I haven’t read any books of hers in which main characters were murderers.
I’m long past the age of someone that YA books are aimed for, but I still read a lot of them.
SOTD is rosemary. This week I was sorting thru my spices (ahem, found a jar of mace with a price tag from a Massachusetts shop. I haven’t lived there in 25 years, so I’m thinking this one is probably out of date, no? lol). Today I decided to cut some of my rosemary to dry for use on wet winter days when I don’t want to run outside in the rain to cut fresh stuff. So rosemary it is. We had lovely rain last night and lovely sun today… I am off for a walk. Be well, all!
I am sure I have spices that old at this point!
My mother throws NOTHING away. I guarantee she still has the aluminum tins of spices that were in my grandmother’s kitchen when she passed away. Pretty sure I could sell those to a collectibles shop nowadays!
You can! I did! My mother’s spice cabinet was such a mess, I cleaned it out a couple years ago and started over but I kept those tins
I do love old-fashioned tins, of any kind, coffee, spices, crackers, cookie tins. I only have a few but I treasure them.
Ditto on both! My most prized is a “Light of Asia” tea tin.
I looove sorting through spice racks. Almost as much fun as bookshelves. 😂
In Le Lion – 😍😍😍
My parents are here visiting. The last time I saw them was Jan 2019. Trying to cram a years worth of catching up into 3 days is hard!
Wow- you smell great!
Enjoy your visit!
Have fun with your folks, yasmina!
Do either of your parents share your interest in perfumes? Anyway, enjoy the visit!!
My mom always wears perfume but doesn’t know much about what she wears. She is really into Hypnotic Poison these days
😍😍😍❣️
Enjoy the time with your parents!
Wearing Azuree today for a walk in the sunshine. It was nice to get some fresh air today.
Today has been brought to you by the letter “b”: I made banana bread, then my hubby asked me to make boursin. Plus we had black bean salad for lunch. Not sure about dinner yet..
Happy Saturday all!
Azuree is gorgeous!
Maybe beef should be what’s for dinner, to quote an old commercial.
You smell wonderful. BTW, I just got Courreges Empreinte, which first impression is “oh, this is Azuree light.”
Oh, yeah, I need to find my bottle of Empreinte. I have the Courreges in Blue, one of my favorite powdery perfumes besides AV.
You’ve got to take advantage of those nice days when they show up.
Happy Diwali!
1) SOTD is Coromandel- perfect ambery powdery, Oriental perfume, and I really need a full bottle one of these days!
2) Chilly rainy day here in Portland- just in time for our Multnomah County freeze- the COVID spikes are too much, so down we are for two weeks. I really worry about our cafes, restaurants and food trucks.
3) If there is a dry spot in the weekend, a clean up of the veggie garden is needed- I did not cover or rake the beds, and the rain has made weeds and some reseeded herbs have come up.
You smell great too! Coromandel is definitely full bottle worthy
I worry about the restaurants as well. We went to our favourite neighbourhood restaurant this afternoon, and the food was great as usual. Seafood nice and fresh, great ingredients and ample staff. BUT only three tables were occupied and the owner, with whom we are friendly, seemed very worried. The food industry employs many people, most with no other skills, and they can’t survive like this. We’ve been eating out and getting take out more than usual, but restaurants survive on the beverage sales and take out earnings don’t compare. I wish I could wave my magic wand and make Covid disappear.
It is really awful. I do takeout once a week but I miss my weekly cocktails and gossip with friends- and so many places have shut down.
Scent today is Silk Road Caravan.
Sotd is Agar Ebène, cozy and yummy. Has anyone tried Iris Shot from Olfactive Studio? Curious about that one.
SOTD = Chris Rusak Relief
Lightly smoked fruity myrrh. 😍.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHmMFNZBYSs/?igshid=opjxybbiehs
In other news, the news about COVID-19 positivity is alarming, but there’s always a but. I read this article in the NY Times about false positives due to coronavirus DNA (not COVID-19 DNA) contamination. I don’t know if it was in this forum or a different one where someone wondered about the healthcare workers doing all the specimen collection: are they COVID-19 free? And my question is are they inadvertently contaminating the specimens with coronavirus DNA? I’m not looking for a debate, just passing along an interesting article.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/health/coronavirus-testing-lab-contamination.html
I’m going for a walk with a friend tomorrow. Let’s see how others behave.
Thank you for that article, Haju, I’m too tired too read it now, going to bed soon, but what you were saying is quite intriguing.
This past August when I took a walk along the beach, hardly anyone was wearing a mask. I went back again twice this month – almost everyone was covered up. What a difference a couple of months make. I hope you and your friend find similar coverage on your walk tomorrow (today??)
Thanks, GateGirl! I so hope that more people wear masks!
Enjoy your walk!
Thanks lillyjo !
I hope that your walk yesterday was a good one.
Hi everyone! Chiming in very late after a fun day of museum and hanging with friends in our ‘pod’.
The Frida Kahlo exhibit was wonderful! It contained a few pieces of her artwork, sketches, a few videos and clothing. I think a few folks here would be interested to know that Frida loved and wore Shalimar, Chanel No. 5, and Roger & Gallet’s Jean Marie Farina Extra Vieille, her bottles were part of the exhibit.
I enjoyed a fantastic conversation with a young man about perfumes, what he loved to wear (fresh perfumes, Chanel Blue or musky/oud scents were among his likes) – I mentioned Now Smell This, hopefully, he’ll swing by to visit! He was a very nice young man and it was a wonderful conversation.
We finished the day with take out Indian from Masala Dosa and a nice glass of wine.
My SOTD was Lancome’s Magie Noire extrait.
Sounds like a great day! And you smelled fantastic, of course!
What a great outing. I love having unexpected perfume conversations in B the wild. Happens so rarely!
I drive my husband nuts, despite being an introvert, I’ve never met a stranger. I engage with everyone and wind up getting into the most wonderful of conversations.
I’m also an introvert who does this, and I refuse to be embarrassed by it. 😉
What a great sounding day, just my cup of tea! Would love to see that Frida Kahlo exhibit, touching not only her art but also all those meaningful small personal details that make it all the more close and engaging.
Must be great to meet someone you can discuss perfume spontaneously with in real life!
What a beautiful day you had! I love that R&G scent – it’s a staple for me in the summertime, along with Caleche edt.
I love the Extra Vieille and the Bouquet Imperiale. I’ve been quite enamored with the Fleurs Figue EDP. I managed to snag some of the body oil. It’s quite refreshing.
A perfect perfume for the occasion.
I am very glad that you enjoyed the Frida Exhibit.
It sounds amazing.
I’m living vicariously thru your post today. 😉
SOTD yesterday: Did a belated CP in no 5 body oil. Definitely no 5 but ylang forward and not my mother’s perfume.
SOTD: Datura Noir. My husband said: You smell nice.
Always love a You smell nice.☺️
SotD yesterday was Dune. Today I think I’ll go with Bois des Iles.
I woke up yesterday to clear blue sunny skies and I was so hopeful that it was going to be a great day. Within hours the gray skies moved in and then the drizzle started. It ended up being a great day for doing a whole lotta nothing, which is exactly what I did. Sweatpants, tea and an afternoon game of scrabble. I tried so hard to beat my daughter yesterday that my brain hurt, lol. I was ahead for two thirds of the game and I was so excited that I might actually win, and then she swooped in with a 39 point word and beat me. Of course. Man! I just cannot beat this kid!
How’s the weather today? I’m under a wind advisory.
Yeah, we’re under one too. It does sound pretty windy out there. It’s overcast and it seems like the rain is tapering off, but we have snow in the forecast!😰
The snow is staying north of me, but I was just upgraded to a high wind warning! And I am about to head into work. Fingers crossed for keeping power!
I am utter crap at Scrabble. I can nail any standardized verbal test, but Scrabble? Ugh. Your frustrating game is every game I’ve ever played. This explains why I never play, which explains why I never get better…
Scrabble is difficult for me, too. I never seem to get any decent tiles when I play. 😣
Finally, that thing called the sun. Day 2 of the 9.99 Korres perfume. Sprayed it on 10 p last night, lasted through 9am. I figure since I was looking to spend 20 for a cheap thrill I can go to the sawgrass Marshall’s and see about finding another one. It’s not like I have bought anything new in 9 months other than cheap shirts and t shirts for work.
Wow, that is decent lasting power!
I cooked a lot yesterday which didn’t do my arms any good but the eating part was yummy.
It’s so windy here with a cold front moving in that the whole house shudders. Wearing vintage Obsession.
vintage obsession! jealous
I do love vintage Obsession (dabbed). I have one of those mini bottles that looks like a Werther’s candy disc.
I’m wearing dabs of that bottle but full size, it really smells wonderful
Enjoy your eats and your perfume!
Not much to do with lock down but eat, rest and charge the batteries to go back to work in hospital next week..
SOTD was Bois d’Armenie and now have sprayed some YSL Caftan from a small decant. Both are great loves! Really liking my benzoin and incenses lately.
I hope you got the rest and recharge you needed. So much respect for you hospital workers
Continuing with Chanel in Boy today.
You smell wonderful!
Borneo for a cool sunny morning.
Finished up some cleaning on the 2nd floor. With my dogs doing their fall blowout, it seems like all I do is vacuum. I don’t want to vacuum the downstairs today but I think I will wait until to do that Tuesday. Wore L’heure Bleue vintage extrait last night and this morning. But getting into the shower so I can wear something else. My Crabtree and Evelyn hand creams arrived today. All this packaging for two small hand creams, it was ridiculous. Put those 2 new candles away and still trying to finish that Fresh Balsam candle so I can start another.
Crabtree and Evelyn revamped their line, I’m not sure I like the new look/rebranding.
I know in order to stay relevant, they needed to rebrand, but the packaging is not nearly as elegant.
I think their products are a little overpriced for what they are.
Yeah, I can totally agree with that. I miss Summer Rain, and the scented drawer liners in the matching scent. The new line just seems ‘meh’ to me.
I had a corgi years ago, and she blew her coat at least twice a year. The amount of fuzz that came off that girl….so I can sympathize!
My cats are leaving little drifts of fur all over the house right now.
My SmokeyToes is also. Between the both of us ( I have seriously kinky long curly hair, thanks to my Mom’s Jewish side of the family), we practically have tumbleweeds in our apartment!
PSA – bright20 is the DSH 20% off code, now get busy!
SOTD = TF Amber Absolute
I feel like I may be wearing this often 🥰 while it’s cold out!
Just curious – have you upsized or downsized your purse since the pandemic started? I downsized drastically but I heard on the radio that many were upsizing!
I totally downsized. I think it was a way to create some order.. at least in my purse. Even with my keyring, I used to have many, now just one.
I downsized drastically, although my purse isn’t quite the size I need – it’s a great feeling and less shoulder strain!
I downsized my purse big time. Better to not have a big purse that could make physical contact with others, and less in the interior that I have to disinfect.
I’d like to downsize my key ring, but I have to share it with the hubster, and I just don’t want to go through that struggle. That’s a good idea, lillyjo!
Funny, I’m out of the house so rarely, and I don’t miss all the junk I used to tote around.
I’d transitioned to a really small cross-body purse a few years ago. Now I only leave the house/block once a week at best. Sometimes I’ll leave just with items in pockets. I’m rarely more than 5 miles from home.
I downsized. But found a pristine vintage Coach large flap satchel on the cheap that holds my tablet, my phone, lunch, snacks, jumper cables (kidding)…might rethink downsizing….
I’ve done both at different points, depending on whether I will also have a daypack or tote with me.
I’m older, so I’m only going to essential medical/dental appointments or outdoors. When I do, I need more space for the spare masks, gloves, alcohol swabs, clothing layers, etc.
I am not very concerned about fomites as a source of infection (of course, I’m also not riding Metro at all any more). I set things aside for a day or two rather than disinfecting them. But I wear N95 masks if I’m doing anything other than walking in an uncrowded area. I’m also very careful not to touch my face.
I ended up upsizing with all the hand sanitizers and masks – plus kleenex, I wanted everything right there.
No change in my purse size. But I never carried a huge bag to begin with.
I downsized to a large wallet
Hello! My Friday bedtime/Saturday morning fragrance (because it lasted a long time) was Guerlain Encens Mythique d’Orient. Somewhere in the NST reviews I think someone notes that a more modern version is just called Encens Mythique now. I would say that the mentions of it having musky notes seems accurate to me. Also Oriental/amber components. I found it a comforting scent.
You smell wonderful…I have batch 6X01.
I’d have to look at the sample and see if it gives a batch number or date of some sort.
Sounds like that is definitely worth a sniff!
My anxiety is on high due to weather today. Bad weather has always been the straw that broke the camel’s back to me. Lol. Thank goodness for my son making me laugh today.
For context my son speaks very monotone and is always VERY honest.
Son – uh mom, did you know your hair looks like Isaac Newtons?
Me- because he had long dark hair?
Son- no, it’s protrudes the same way from the top of your head as his. It’s very poufy.
Lol! In my defense, this was before my shower.
I’m off to work now.. wearing Givenchy Organza.
We had some weather on Friday, the rain wasn’t bad but the winds caused our lights to flicker a few times. Folks were not driving wisely, not good with slick roads.
Oy out of the mouths of kids!
Joining you with poofy hair.
Have a wonderful day at work, you smell great!
Thank you!
My hair is just GIANT in the morning.
Have you tried a satin night bonnet? It works WONDERS for curly/frizzy hair. I seriously saw a difference immediately. Less frizz, dryness, and breakage.
https://www.amazon.com/Pieces-Soft-Sleep-Cap-Premium/dp/B07SQXRRZ3/ref=sr_1_9?crid=1BVKADJ8FAYLX&dchild=1&keywords=satin%2Bsleep%2Bbonnet%2Bfor%2Bcurly%2Bhair&qid=1589773259&sprefix=satin%2Bsleep%2Bbonnet%2Caps%2C230&sr=8-9&th=1
I really hope your power stays on, and your shift passes quickly!
Thanks! Me too!
And goodness knows, there are worse things to look like than Isaac Newton!
True!
LOL on your son’s hair comment! And I am crossing my fingers that you won’t lose power.
I can always count on him to tell it like it is. Lol
Ok, so I’ve dug out my old clipping of the lovely Clear Creek Fruitcake recipe that I’ve used for 30 years. . . I believe it appeared in the Oregonian all that time ago and my stepmother first found and used it. After she passed away, I’ve taken up the mantle.
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees F
2. Grease 9 8×6 loaf pans (I use the disposable aluminum ones)
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the following:
1.5 cups dried pinapple, chopped
1.5 cups dried, unsulfured apricots, chopped
2 cups dried pears, chopped
2 cups dried apples, chopped (I make my own dried apples and pears in the fall in preparation for this recipe)
2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup pear brandy (I use Clear Creek)
4. Let fruit stand for 30 min
5. In a larger bowl, sift together
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each ground nutmeg, allspice, and cloves
6. Stir into flour mixture the reserved fruit as well as:
2 cups walnut halves
1.5 cups whole hazelnuts (filberts)
1.5 cups whole almonds
2 cups pecan halves
7. In a small bowl, stir together until smooth
4 whole eggs, beaten until frothy
1.75 cups packed brown sugar
1.25 cups applesauce
3/4 cup melted, and cooled, butter
1/2 cup molasses
7. Stir egg mixture into fruit and flour mixture and combine until all fruit and nuts are coated.
8. Pour about 2 cups batter into each of the greased loaf pans. Bake until the sides pull away from the pan and they are a rich, mahogany color, about 50 min.
9. Cool loaves in pans for about 15 minutes and then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
10. When cooled, soak cheesecloth in 1 cup pear brandy and wrap each loaf until fully covered. Wrap in aluminum foil.
11. Allow to cure in cool place until ready to serve, at least 2-3 weeks.
Some notes. I changed this recipe into smaller loaves from the original, as I found these smaller sizes were perfect for giving. The original calls for only 4 loaves, which naturally take longer to bake, but otherwise you can follow the recipe as written.
One bottle of Clear Creek pear brandy is enough to make this recipe twice.
When I lived in MN, I used to put my wrapped fruitcakes into old popcorn tins with good lids out onto the 3-season porch. It was plenty cold enough to keep them happy, and didn’t use so much space in my refrigerator.
These keep maybe forever. I found some in my fridge a year after I’d made it, and it was still lovely. Maybe a bit dried out, but otherwise delicious! This makes it an excellent food to have on hand during the impending zombie apocalypse.
Oh, I have a note on my recipe that says I needed 2 packs of cheesecloth. No idea if quantities of cheesecloth vary dramatically from brand to brand, or locale to locale, but there it is, if that’s useful information.
*sends recipe to self* Thanks, MR!
You’re welcome! Do report back, if you make some and let me know how it goes!
Pear brandy sounds like the “secret ingredient” that would make this so delicious — yummy!
I purchased imported chocolates from a Russian grocery store a few years back that had a pear liqueur inside. It was so yummy and decadent.
In PHI for now. We’ve decided to go on a drive today, but still haven’t figured out where to go.
Mmm. You smell mah-velous!
So lovely, I decided to copycat! PHI day 3 for me.
Aunt Myrna’s Lebkucken (spelled with a K on the card instead of an H, but I don’t honestly know which spelling is correct, my family is Danish-American rather than German, so maybe that makes a difference?)
1. Mix together in a sauce pan and bring to a boil:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses
2. Temper 1 beaten egg with a little of the hot honey mixture, then stir together along with
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon rind
3. In a separate bowl, sift together
2.75 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp eacg cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg
4. Stir dry ingredients into wet. Chill dough in bowl overnight. (It will puff up and become spongey with air bubbles.)
5. Roll a small amount of the dough at a time, keeping the rest chilled. Roll out 1/4 inch thick and cut into 2.5×1.5 inch oblongs. Press half a walnut or half a candied cherry into the top of each.
6. Place 1 inch apart on greased (or parchment paper-covered) baking sheets. Bake at 350 oF for 7-10 min. until just firm.
7. While cookies bake, make glazing icing to brush over hot cookies.
Icing:
Boil together 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water until first indication of a thread appears (230oF). Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup powdered sugar. When icing gets sugary, reheat slightly, adding a little water until clear again.
8. Once cooled entirely, store in tins and allow to mellow for several weeks.
Yields 6 dozen 3×2 inch cookies
Thats very sweet of you, thanks!
Cooler weather blew in, whew! Celebrating 74 degrees in Indochine.
Oh, I wish it was 74 here! We did make 60 today, so at least for that.
Yesterday, the weather decided to comply with our plans. We had friends over for lunch out back. I had purchased another deck heater, so both were on. But the sun stayed in the sky and it was beautiful. I was telling them about our great horned owl sightings, and the owl decided to make an appearance about halfway through the afternoon. It cast a huge shadow over the yard as it flew. It was quite decent of the owl!
In other totally irrelevant to perfume news, I was up until very late last night doing research on the web about a family member during the war—WWII. It is all part of a deep family secret, and the stories are all incomplete and contradictory. Anyway, I was able to find the official naval histories of two of the ships we think he served on, which were declassified in 2012. Still not able to pin down the one on which he served, as there are details in both service records in the Pacific theater do not match what we think we know of his whereabouts in the months near the end of the war— but so amazing to read!
Perfume? Oh yes. Right.
I’m in Penhaligon’s The Favourite, and smell quite elegant. 🦉 🌹 🚢
What fascinating family research! It makes history come alive, doesn’t it?
I would love to see a great horned owl, lucky you. In Tasmania I saw frog mouthed owls, which were very cool
Great horned owls are truly impressive close up! 🦉
Very decent of the owl, how cool!
I’m wearing vintage Lanvin Pretexte old enough I think to have genuine sandalwood and animalics. Fall is my favorite perfume season, by far!
It is amazing how different sandalwood smells in old fragrances! I miss that.
Yes, I do also Robin. My bottle of Samsara extract is from 1990, and you can definitely tell the sandalwood is the real deal.
I am testing Jacques Fath Les Frivolites, from a sample that came with my new very reasonable 15ml bottle of Tempte Autombe. Les Frivolites claims to be fruity, but on my skin it is mildly sweet bergamot and powder, who must be the heliotrope. Not much has changed over the 6 hours I have had it on today, it is just pretty. It is a little light for the time of year, but quite lovely, in the way of really French perfume, and adorable hubby reiterated several times that it smells really good to him. Might have to get a bottle of this come spring.
I got a coffret of 12 samples with my FB, and this one is so pleasant I am looking forward to trying more of these samples.
That sounds so nice!
Last Saturday was my “Get a haircut!!” day. It felt SO good. I’d been giving all the scissors in the house the eye for a couple of weeks. Dangerous thoughts, those.
It looks like we are going to have to come up with something different for Thanksgiving this year. Mr. Jalapeno usually smokes a couple of turkeys. But he will still be healing from his surgery by the time Thanksgiving rolls around. Not an option. Time for me to put on my thinking cap… 🍗🦃🥧
SOTWeekend = Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere EdT. I still have a fair amount in my little sample. It’s gone back into the Sample Stash, and now it’s time to have fun with something else.
Have you considered order a cooked turkey? We are going to do so from a local restaurant. I am keeping it very low fuss this Thanksgiving
We are going to do the serious eats spatchcock roast turkey again this year, but a much smaller turkey than usual. Trying to talk my husband into ordering all the rest of the food — can’t get into the mood to spend the day in the kitchen.
I’m throwing a couple of turkey tenderloins in the oven and calling it good.
And now for something completely different.
Have any NSTers ordered from the Clinique website? If so, how was your experience? Would you do it again, or never in a million years?
I would say yes to the Clinique website.
First thumbs up for the Clinique website! Thank you!
I think cm8 might have ordered from clinique last year? Are you getting Wrappings?!
I am giving that idea some serious consideration. I haven’t seen Wrappings anywhere else on the Internet that I’ve checked.
No problem for me. Yes I would.
OK, this makes 2 votes of confidence for the website. Thanks!
I wore Sweet William today, and i must have sprayed one too many times because one of my co-workers said, “Is there a way to turn down the volume on your perfume?” Oops. Maybe like, one spray next time. :0
Dang.. that was harsh of them. I’m sure you smelled fabulous 😀
Oops!
What an interesting recipe, little sourdough cookies! I’ll have to try this!
I missed Arielle’s Zoom meeting yesterday with Maya Njie.
Did anyone attend? If so what were your favorites and what did you learn.
I was very excited about this as she has many scents with Cardamom as the main or atleast prominent note and I am infatuated with that now, so I am curious.
I was there, as was nozknoz. I want to say that hajusuuri mentioned having signed up, but I may be mistaken.
It was very good, very informative. Mics were open most of the time, so attendees could ask questions, although many questions were posed over the chat.
Maya created a fragrance, and identified the ingredients as she added them. She started with the top notes and then added heart notes and added the base last. The order was opposite of what I expected, but then I know nothing about the mechanics of perfume creation.
I loved Vanilj the best of the three I chose. Nice and woodsy, but almost negligible sweetness.
I’m sorry you missed it! The session was recorded, and I’m pretty sure Arielle will send it out to those who signed up but couldn’t make it.