Happy Friday and happy Plant A Flower Day! Our community project for today: name a favorite flower that you grow in your garden (or in a pot?) or that grows locally, and wear a fragrance with that floral note.
What fragrance did you pick? As always, do chime in with your scent of the day even if you’re not participating in the community project.
In a nod to the honeysuckle on our side fence, I'm wearing a whole garden: Diptyque Olène.
Reminder: 3/19 will be Foody Friday...wear a gourmand or foody fragrance (this is a repeat project from 2015).
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2021, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is Flor Madreselva Bokeh [cropped] by Juan Antonio Capó Alonso at flickr; some rights reserved.
My favourite local flower is the lilac, which will bloom in immense profusion in about 10 weeks, but to my nose there’s never been a fragrance that truly smelled of lilacs: that magical scent can’t be duplicated. So no community points for me today, because I said to heck with it and wore vintage Cinnabar, which (hot take) I think is better than the Opium it copied — less deliriously aggressive, more restrained, and (I just recently noticed) MUCH rosier. It’s almost a spicy rose scent, and it is so beautiful.
You smell great!
Vintage Cinnabar is gorgeous! You smell great!
I prefer Cinnabar to Opium tools and the vintage is so good, enjoy it today.
Oh, it’s not just me, then!
After several thorough alcohol sanitizations and a couple of hand-washings in the last six hours, I can still smell it. It is extraordinary durable stuff.
now I want to smell this – I haven’t had luck with the EL bases though. Still – on the list it goes of “fragrances to keep an eye out for”.
I find the FM En Passant a very realistic Lilac!
Jean Patou Vacances is a pretty lilac but the best is vintage Helena Rubinstein Apple Blossom, very close to lilac in bloom.
I am here for this hot take- and you smell glorious, simply glorious.
You smell wonderful and reminded me I haven’t smelled vintage Cinnabar in ages! Lilacs are also a huge favorite of mine; my favorite lilac fragrance is the long-d/c YR Pur Desir de Lilas. Simple and a bit green, it’s the closest I’ve found to the real flower.
Have you ever smelled Highland Lilac? A few years ago I was trying to find the perfect lilac perfume that truly replicated the smell. I thought this one nailed it.
https://highlandlilac.com/
We need a better lilac perfume!
Opardu? Admittedly, it includes other flowers.
Soivohle had a “Lilacs and Heliotrope” EdP that is simply gorgeous. I haven’t seen it on the website for a while, though.
Happy Friday!
I chose Serin by January Scent Project to salute all the marigolds that are planted in my neighborhood. Apparently they repel deer, and there are a ton of deer that wander through because we live next to a nature preserve.
I hope everyone has a wonderful day.
I plant marigolds at the edge of my vegetable garden and they do seem to keep the inquisitive bunnies out as well.
We do too, although the bunnies couldn’t care less
I wonder if marigolds would repel squirrels? I know from a friend’s experience that hot chili pepper does NOT work!
Just read yesterday’s comments: Happy Birthday, Yasmina! May time treat you kindly. And lilyjo: The best thing that I can say about getting older is the trite “it’s better than the alternative”. But I’m not a graceful older person. Perhaps because we’re young at heart?
Worn this week: A la Nuit and Bas de Soie (which was pretty hyacinth forward and not very iris-y)
Today in Chamarre for lavender.
I started swimming again this week- almost exactly a year after stopping last year- and realised that perfume smells different on my dry swimmer’s skin. Have a lovely weekend, everybody!
Two things have been in my thoughts lately (I’m a month away from a reasonably Significant Birthday). One was when my dad turned 60, and said, “Getting older is great, because every year you’re smarter, which means that every year life can be more fun.” The other arose from the way that my own mortality has become more front-and-center in my awareness through the pandemic. I realized that American culture places such a premium on youthfulness and treats ageing like a misfortune, when in reality, to be able to grow older, to live a long life, is the greatest good luck in the world!
Hi Isabella! Your dad was wise. I like where I am mentally ( a friend called me “ornery” this week and we both knew that I’d take it as a compliment!), but I hate that I’ve lost that “anything could happen, life could really surprise me in a good way” feeling. If I think of life surprising me these days, I kind of dread it!
Ohhh, I’m envious of your swim! I miss heading to the pool, swimming is so relaxing and great for the mind & body.
In all honesty, there are hardly any people around and they’ve shut down the steam rooms, most of the lockers etc. I actually felt that I made the right decision to go back. Though I forgot my cap and goggles the first time!
Hi Amyitis! Don’t get me wrong, I am actually o.k. with getting older. I just don’t like my body reminding me of it. I just can’t work like I used to psycially. My knees and feet mostly can’t take the long hours like they used to. I’m happy every day to not be the alternative! Lol ?
Good for you with the swimming!
I’m super creaky too. Tried to do yoga and had to stop as there were OMINOUS sounds coming from my knees and hips. Perhaps I should sign up for water aerobics when I’m not swimming!
After having two kids I can’t do jumping jacks or any sort of up and down movement. Just joining in with the venting of hating when your body fails you.
Jealous of your swim! Our pool would be the university one and there is no incentive for them to open that up to the public again unless they really had to….so that’s not happening for a good long while.
Flower note twins today!
So nice to hear of Chamarre…it seldom comes up! I love how cosy it is, but it does go quite skanky on my skin. It could really give Jicky a run got its money ?
I’m wearing Tauer’s Hyacinth and a Mechanic for the hyacinth, which is quite lovely.
Flower twin, but with Chloé Innocence!
And of course, you smell amazing, even if “lovely” isn’t quite the way I would describe what Hyacinth and a Mechanic does on MY skin.
It’s been a while since I’ve worn this, and when I sniffed the cap, I was taken aback. But I remember that I liked it, and went ahead and sprayed my multiple sprays. At first I smelled the combination of hyacinth and leather and was not impressed, but by the time I had finished dressing and was walking out my door, I was getting the hyacinth and the leather was giving it an edge that a hyacinth soliflore wouldn’t have.
I haven’t smelled this, but it is a really cool name for a perfume.
I really like that one! I spent several years in Ankara, Turkey back in the seventies, and it smelled of hyacinths and greasy coal dust in the spring. It was so weird and wonderful to discover that same essence in a perfume.
Happy Friday, all! I went with Seville A l’Aube to celebrate the flowering orange trees I grew up with and that would saturate the warm, night air in the Sierra foothills when I lived and worked in the mountains. Taking most of today off work to bake a carrot cake for my dad’s birthday — he’s coming for a rare visit this weekend. And it’s sunny out, so there’ll probably be some garden puttering. Still scentless in my garden, just CA poppies and anemones, but the new leaves on the roses, the brand-new tips of the peony plants that just popped through the soil, and the healthy buds on the lilacs are hopefully a promise of sweet scents to come!
You smell wonderful! And I enjoyed imagining your garden.
You smell lovely!
Orange blossom- a wonderful and regal scent- how magical to be surrounded by that scent growing up!
Am with you with excitement of spring flowers coming through!
Happy Birthday to your dad! Have a wonderful visit!
Happy Birthday to Dad and have a wonderful visit! Though my peonies and lilacs will appear later than yours, your post reminded me of the thrill of seeing those tiny pink shoots emerging from the soil and the tiny green buds ever so slowly turning purple. I can’t wait!
Enjoy your Dad’s Birthday visit!
I’m wearing Temps d’une Fete today, one of my top 5 perfumes.
I’m surrounded by daffodils on my walks at the moment, they never fail to uplift me. ?
So many beautiful scents on everyone today ?
My favourite flower, no flower expresses the hope of new beginnings like daffodils do!
I agree on the daffodils – is there a ‘happier’ flower? Mine are just coming up, can’t wait to see their smiling faces!
Tgif everybody!
Since I live in an apartment, my scent today reflects the osmanthus trees in my parent’s garden. LV’s Étoile Filante, a gentle osmanthus tea scent with a light fruity opening.
I love the scent note of osmanthus but have never smelled a real one. One day I hope to!
Sotd is Une Rose in honor of my Mr. Lincoln rose.
It has struggled along since I planted it a few years ago but hopefully it will grow by leaps and bounds this year, especially knowing it’s getting all this special attention.
Fingers crossed for Mr Lincoln!
He and I thank you!
I totally forgot about the CP ?
SotD is Etruscan Water from a sample.
As for the CP…
I live in an appartment and I dont have a garden. in my living room I only have some potted plants. And on my balkony…it varies by year or season. But nothing perfumy most of the time.
But in my neighborhood there are always narcissus and daffodils to be seen in spring. Next to the roads and in parks, but also for sale in all sorts of varieties in the supermarket.
So I would have picked Dryad, or Romanza or Narcisse. ?
Apartment buddy!
The only green thing I have is the broccoli in my fridge…
Ahahahaha! I currently have houseplants I’m looking after (Lord help them) in my friend’s apartment, but this is VERY much my usual sentiment! Indoor plants do not flourish in my own care, much less that of my curious cats!
??? hahaha. But broccoli is very healthy!
And, actually, I think it smells great! ???
What do you think of Etruscan Water? It’s one of the Francesca Bianchi that I’m yet to try.
I like Etruscan water a lot! Its my third wear and i realised today I wouldnt mind a bottle of it ?
That sounds like my response to quite a few from that brand!
?
I have Tyger Tyger (such a fun and positive scent) and The Black Knight.
I also like Sticky Fingers a lot.
Wearing Penhaligon’s Ostara.
Back to read comments later.
Happy Friday!
Twins!
Hi twin! We smell great! ?
You and Lizzie B smell great!
Thank you! ?
Triplets! My daffodils are starting to come up!
Wonderful you are also wearing Ostara! Our daffodils are still sleeping here, but they will be showing up soon!
Twins!
Welcome to the Ostara club! ?
?I haven’t got any daffodil emoji’s
How is Yei doing?
Thank for asking about Yei. He is doing better. He will be on antibiotics and anti-nausea medication until next week. Crossing fingers he overcomes this crisis soon.
I live in an apartment so I am doing iris week
Tenue de Soirée by Annick Goutal
Thrift Outfit of the day
Frame jeans, white t-shirt,
leather motorcycle style jacket https://images.app.goo.gl/aDPah8dYiLbAycRR6
pointed toe ankle boots
I’m a total sucker for these types of jackets and finally got myself a buttery soft beigeish-pinkish one in a consignment store pre-pandemic – it hasn’t seen any action in the past year – but I think it’ll come out of the closet soon enough!
I also have a beige /pink one too
Happy Friday! My SOTD is vintage Chanel No. 19 extrait, my father grew bearded iris (and hyacinth, narcissus, daffodils, LOV, lilac) – it reminds me of his love of flowers and gardening.
He used to pull weeds once a week, opera (usually Wagner) on the radio, scotch on ice. He thoroughly enjoyed his garden.
I’ve walked 7,000 steps every day this week, even the rainy day. I’ll head out in a wee bit.
Everyone have a great day!
Enjoy your day too, SmokeyToes, sounds like your father had a great zest for life in the garden.
Dad also had a zest for scotch and napping in the garden! He really was a character.
? ?
Your father sounds like my kind of guy!
My dad was a teacher at a local H.S. for 35 years. Although I’m very sad he’s gone, many of his former students stopped by to tell a story or favorite memory. Many were of practical jokes they played on him (he was a good sport about it). He had a habit of helping people and never telling a soul, he was a very private, reserved person; it was a blessing to know my father from the POV of other’s experiences.
He sounds like a lovely person!!
Bravo on all the stepping!
I did approximately 12,000 steps both Tuesday and Thursday because the weather was so nice, but in addition to some workouts across the week, my legs are VERY much protesting this morning!
Your fitness level is through the roof and I salute you!
Congrats on the steps! Woo hoo! I found this exercise routine on Youtube, cardio, light weights, and yoga. I was a little tender the following day but it was a great workout! Her website Nourish, Move, Love is pretty great.
https://youtu.be/ZgCujn57OgA
Good luck with your eating plan!
You smell wonderful, I also did No 19 today but went with Annick Goutal
Oh, Annick Goutal anything is lovely. I had an old bottle of Mon Parfum Cheri, par Camille by Annick Goutal that I (regrettibly) swapped away.
Yes, I’m kicking myself….
ouch. That is hard to find.
Annick Goutal in general is hard to find in the states now
I agree, someday perhaps I’ll find another bottle.
I saw some at Neiman Marcus, but wasn’t ready to pull the trigger yet.
Does Neiman still carry this line?
LTSM, unfortunately, no they don’t. *sigh*
Lovely reminiscence of your dad and his garden.
Wearing the incomparable Nahema to finish my rose week and yes, I do smell great!
Yes, you do! ?
Honeysuckle is so lovely but I’ve yet to find a fragrance I’d wear with this note. Honey is tricky for me in general.
Happy Friday indeed. I’m beyond ready for the weekend. Will push through as best I can today and stay away from working on the couch
SOTD: Vanille Absolu by Montale
I do like Olene but I doubt I would ever go through a whole bottle. I *would* go through a bottle of AG Le Chevrefeuille, but I haven’t got one
Join you in being ready for the weekend!
This was a weirdly draining week for me, too.
Ostara twin with pl67. No flowers in my apartment, but it is that time of year where daffodils start to show up in the little plantings in the streets and all over Central Park.
You guys are a whole club today
SOTD sample of Les Immmmmmoooooodaaaableeeeeees
Havane Vanilla
just cause it came in the mail last night.
Isn’t it lovely?
its so lovely I keep sticking my nose down my hoodie.
its also pretty expensive. The first hour or so I thought, nope I am good with Tom Ford. But now…it’s getting more lovely by the hour.
what to do
what to do
pay taxes? buy fragrance?
pay car insurance? buy fragrance?
All of the above ?
i suppose eventually yes, to all the above!
Yum, you smell great Thats one of my favourites from les Indemodables!
No actual blooms in my garden yet, but one of the roses has a bud on it now! My favorite of the things that will eventually be blooming in my garden is the swath of French lavender. I love the scent they throw off, but not actually on my person, so I will likely go with Chanel 19 today in a nod to the nascent rosebud and the irises that I HOPE will come up this year (they were absent last year and may need replacing). Happy Friday everyone!
Oh, hope somebody did not eat your irises!
Me too! We don’t have deer or larger animals here, but we do have bunnies occasionally.
SOTD is Chloé Innocence, which not only includes one of my favourite flowers, hyacinth, but which also has a very personal meaning to me, given that it was what my late mother bought as her very first bottle of perfume at the tender age of almost 60.
I haven’t smelled this, but cute story!
2nd that!
SOTD: Chanel Egoiste, for all the herbal notes. I always make sure to have fresh herbs mixed into my gardens/outdoor planters. Lavender, rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano–they’re all mixed in with my roses and other perennials.
This scent is playing well with the anise in my coffee this morning. Yum!
The turmeric on my coffee yesterday was great! Thanks for the tip! ?
Yay! Spices keep me from making every cup of coffee a mocha.
Egoiste is a strangely wearable metallic carnation on me. Should have grabbed a bottle of it a few years ago when I saw it in a department store.
Interesting. I don’t get any of that pepperiness I associate with carnation. There’s a big sandalwood at the base that can go synthetic to my nose, and could imagine that as striking someone as metallic.
Nothing blooming yet here but in En Passant. I love Lilac and don’t see it as a dominant not too often.
I love lilacs too, and En Passant is one of the prettiest perfume names ever.
Happy Friday all! I’m wearing Eric Buterbaugh’s Apollo Hyacinth, my favorite hyacinth perfume by far. It’s prohibitively expensive, but I was lucky enough to get in on a split a few years ago. Once the pots of hyacinth bulbs make an appearance here, I’ll definitely buy at least one!
I’m taking partial points for wearing just a whole bunch of flowers in MFK Amaryis Femme Extrait (none but the iris grow locally here). I do smell great, though!
I love reading about everyone’s flower loves and memories.
I knew which house I would want to wear for this week’s CP today but not which scent until I decided just a little while ago: Parfums Delrae Amoureuse. A couple of other ones tempted me, as they are all so utterly gorgeous and rich. I chose this one because it has jasmine, a fragrance not in my own garden but growing all around Houston on hedges along fences. Sadly, most seem to have been killed by the big winter storm a few weeks ago. I’m going to miss that perfume in the air so much this spring. Amoureuse is one perfume that I feel is just too beautiful for little old me. I’m not gorgeous or vamp or elegant enough for it, but we can all dream, right?
For a picture, see my IG page. https://www.instagram.com/p/CMU0e-NHygoJ6kTBHr56YWUmLC1P0WX8CJS2600/
It’s private, but if you send a note of request I’ll let you in.
lovely photo
Calypso, I ‘m sure no perfume is too beautiful for you. And you smell totally wonderful!
Aw, you are too kind. After all, I share a birthday with Mae West! ha ha!
I love pansies (surprise!) and am wearing my sample of CB I Hate Perfume Wild Pansy. It’s not my typical kind of fragrance, but it’s lovely, very green and springy. Despite not sleeping well, I got up for my early, live but online, yoga class that I had signed up for and am glad I did. Happy FriYay, all.
I didn’t sleep well either. I felt so anxious and kept tossing and turning.
This is an easy one for me – Iris Prima! I live in Montclair, NJ which is home to the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. According to the Essex County Parks department, it is the largest iris garden in the U.S. It is run by volunteers. The Presby Gardens website says that “the iris gardens contain over 10,000 irises of approximately 1,500 varieties and produce over 100,000 blooms over the course of the season.” It is absolutely gorgeous every year. I can’t wait for the end of May!
Go, Team Iris!
It’s a beautiful day here and I was ready to pull out my spring scents. Yay Team Iris!
How did I not know about the Presby Gardens? I have lived within a half hour of Montclair for 15 years! Thank you for the tip, Susiebelle – I’m going to check it out this spring.
Definitely take a ride and stroll through the gardens. It’s really stunning!
It must be a spectacular place.
It’s really an incredible place. The flowers are amazing but what I also love are the artists who set up their portable easels to paint, the photographers and school children of all ages learning about the irises and oftentimes drawing the flowers.
Thanks for the heads up on that iris garden! I didn’t know about it, either.
I’m joining the “I didn’t know about it” club. Thanks for the info!
I’ll talk to Dad, and maybe we can check it out in May. His side of the family is from that area of New Jersey, and he’s very familiar with Montclair, Bloomfield, Verona, etc.
Wearing some Who Knew? which is probably my favourite floral.
I’m wearing gucci eau de parfum today, I dont know what it is I’m smelling. Maybe the heliotrope? I’ve never smelled a heliotrope before so I’m just guessing.
the best part of living in Florida is driving through the orange groves at just the right time. It will blow your mind!
My favorite flower is orange blossom but thats a daily wear around here
Is that the one in the clear bottle, or the brown bottle?
In the short, squat, clear bottle.
I have that one too! I get lots of caraway with that one. Heliotrope is powdery and kind of leans towards a vanilla-scented floral to my nose.
That must be what I’m getting, then! Lots of sweet vanilla powder.
I am wearing danish oil. Fell down the wood refinishing rabbit hole. Favorite local flower is butterfly orchid. Favorite scented is tea olive.
I adore the smell of danish oil. My grandfather was a master carpenter. He always smelled so good after working in his wood shop.
I have been refinishing a bunch of stuffs, including some odd apple shaped wood things with carving. I don’t even know what they are for, but I will never strip paint off carved wood again. What a mess.
My theme this week (well, from Tuesday onwards), has been Daffodils, or Narcissus.
My favourite flower, and one of my favourite notes in perfume. Today’s choice is Ostara, which smells as uplifting as I find the actual flowers that inspired it.
I don’t remember if I’ve ever smelled Ostara. I guess it’s just as well now that it’s discontinued. What were the other daffodil perfumes you’ve worn this week?
La Haie Fleurie, a Jasmin with a jonquille note, First VCA, an aldehydic Jasmine floral with some Narcissus thrown in, Le Temps d’une Fête and Ostara today. I also have full bottles of Myths Woman and samples of Au delà Narcisse and Mont de Narcisse, but only decided on daffodils later in the week.
A great review: https://boisdejasmin.com/2016/01/penhaligons-ostara-fragrance-review.html
5 stars, no less. And those prices she mentions (in 2016) almost seem from another universe. Thanks for the link.
And I am impressed with your choice of narcissus perfumes ?
Wearing Lust by Lush because though I do not quite keep jasmine in my garden, I do have a couple pots by the window.
Pots by the window count!
Well, I don’t grow iris but I would if I had a garden.
I thunkedmy sample of Gallivant Bukhara to honour this thought ?
You smell nice. I went with iris too!
Failed the brief entirely. I’m in Narciso Musc Oil, overlaid with a generous lashing of Korres Saffron Orris.
You smell lovely and huggable none the less!
I really like that Orres. How do they keep the saffron going for over 8 hours!
Wearing La Rose Angel. Before I moved a few years ago, I had a dozen rose bushes in my backyard, along with honeysuckle and a mini orchard of fruit trees. My own postage-stamp sized Eden. My new place has a much bigger yard, but lots and lots of deer, so I haven’t planted anything yet. We are fencing the backyard this year, and I cannot wait to plant rose bushes again.
Question for the NSTers – I am about to order from Luckyscent for the first time (a FB plus way too many samples). Any tips? Should I call it in and try to start a relationship with a sales associate there? Any recommendations for a particular sales associate? I live reasonably close to NYC and, post-pandemic, expect I will pop by their Scent Bar storefront every few months when I happen to be in the neighborhood. Thanks!
Ordering online is easy and they are very fast., I’ve never called mine in.
One tip once you get to go in person: If there is something specific you want to smell, call ahead so they can try to make sure they have it for you.
Excellent tip! Thank you
Oh, your old place sounds like the description of Islam Paradise, with roses and fragrant honeysuckle. Good idea to fence your yard- deer LOVE to nibble on everything!
I order from LuckyScent but from the LA stores. They are not commissioned and are VERY sweet, friendly people; it’s a tight crew so everyone will help.
Oh, our deer are relentless! Last autumn, one walked up a half flight of stairs to my back door landing just to munch on potted mums. They only things they let be are our holly, boxwoods, and herbs. Everything else would be lucky to survive 24 hours.
Good info to know about LS! Thanks
You smell super good, it’s my favourite garden of stars.
I’ve only ordered samples online from LuckyScent. I agree with springpansy that things came rather quickly.
Good to know! Thanks
Wearing Iris Torréfié again today. Nothing is blooming locally yet, but iris will grow here eventually.
Nice one!
You smell great! I wore Iris T yesterday. It does not last that well on my skin (or maybe it just turns into something I can’t smell anymore) but on fabric I find it lasts all day and it’s very nice the whole time.
Interesting! It lasts all day on me, but I top it up anyway because I like the top notes
Trying Felanilla thanks to a generous NSTer. A spicy, herbal vanilla to my nose.
Had my PT consultation yesterday and neck is a bit sore today.
I will do the couple exercises given to me and have another appointment on Monday.
Had a very good time on the Sniffapalooza Diptque Zoom yesterday and quite liked Orpheon but haven’t tried it on skin yet.
I am kind of wiped out this week and glad it’s Friday.
I tried Felanilla only once and at that time didn’t have a good reaction to it – but I see it mention here so often, I need to re-appraise it now that I am older and wiser!
Spicy herbal vanilla sounds WONDERFUL.
I hope you have a good and restful weekend.
I don’t recall getting herbal notes with that one when I tried it. It smelled just like one of my cat’s fur, which made it a bittersweet experience.
I like Orpheon on scent strip. It turned more rose musky in the drydown. Vetyverio turned nasty something died here while Eau de Minthe turned clean soapy.
Yes, I shall be curious to try on the skin too. Agree w/ your other thoughts on the others too. Also reaffirms just how good Tempo is. I know you have a bottle and I have two b/c I stumbled upon a reputable cheap one on Ebay shortly after I bought my first when I had even more reformulation fear. ehaehaeh I have tried to let some of that fear go.
I signed up for the next one too…some person/house I have not heard of. ehaeheah but it was fun.
Friday!
1) Very sunny and with cerulean blue skies. Great walking/running weather!
2) SOTD: Am in Red Apple, Peony & Cashmere woods from Beauty Pie. Very floral and with a blast of apple sweet, very nice to wear.
3)I just bought a bunch of peony starts and of course I have to figure out where to put them! I am refreshing the hell strip garden- so taking out a lot of straggly dead stuff, bolted items, trimming the lavender, mint, parsley, burnet and thyme, and refreshing the soil with plenty of compost and (gulp) manure. And instead of doing green starts, this year I am going to direct sow.
4) Next week, the powder room redo!
good luck with all your projects. I should be doing a bunch of these things in my garden – notably the mint pruning.
Eau Premiere, I needed something easy because I have a teeny headache. And I guess it fits because of the rose?
I had an almost normal day yesterday (just with masks on for a good part of it) – left he house at 9.30 to film a virtual field trip, spent all day with my tech person and the tour guide face to face, then had drinks with two colleagues and got home at 9pm. I was wiped out, but how nice to be out again!!
That does sound like a normal day (masks notwithstanding). Boy, do we need more of those…you smell lovely.
Ostara for me today, in honor of the daffodils blooming! They are open all over my neighborhood and in my garden.
Your daffodils are ahead of the ones in the UK.
Mine are just barely peeping out of the ground — but they are there, and I see green, so all is well.
No perfume yet for me, as I hope to check out some new things at the local perfumery. I got a call a couple of weeks ago to tell me they had some new things in, I rushed in last Saturday only to find that delivery had been delayed.
I’ve no idea what they might have got in, but I’m keen to find out. I like to a support local business, but their prices are grotesque, so the support isn’t frequent.
Let us know how it went!
I’m off today and just finished my errand running. I bought some iced coffee from the grocery store, but I don’t have any ice, lol. I’m wearing Korres Lilac, Iris and Powder. I wish I had lilacs in my backyard, but don’t. I smell good though?
Glad you can rest today, your perfume sounds pretty, I have no experience of Korres.
It’s a great line, both their body and skin care products. I haven’t tried any of their perfumes but the scents of the shower gels and body creams are lovely. Today I am using their Basil Mandarin Body Firming Serum Spray combined with L’Occitane Verveine Mandarine – the fragrance that came out at Christmas 2020. ?????
I think Korres has recently introduced some new shower gels that match their perfume offerings.
Happy Friday! I’m lying in a field of irises eating chocolate. :-). Guerlain Iris Ganache!
You are in smelly heaven! When travel to Paris/ holidays become possible I would love to visit to the Guerlain boutique and see if it is still available. My sample is almost finished but I still dab tiny amounts from it and swoon..
That sounds lovely…
Robin, you smell lovely.
I only have geraniums which will go on the balcony in late spring. I feel encouraged to make the most of my big balcony this year after having read all the comments this week.
I chose Houbigant Essence rare, it’s my favorite floral perfume, with rose, jasmine, iris and a beautiful lily of the valley note. How JC Ellena managed to do it with the restrictions on materials is fantastic (and I didn’t care for his Muguet Porcelaine).
I did an amazing amount of balcony gardening when I lived in So Cal, but it was easy there. In Washington DC, everything I put on the balcony died
Daphne odora is my absolute favorite local flower that’s currently blooming. I don’t have a garden or any flowers beyond an African violet, so all my sniffing has to occur in my neighborhood. I went for a walk with my friend last night, and we got to sniff plenty of daphne. We walked by a house and she asked me what is that smell? I had a bit of a stuffy nose from allergies and had to lower my mask but then I could smell the daphne right away. I couldn’t see right away where the plant was because it was about 15 feet away but was still scenting the whole area around us. We continued walking and found a daphne bush close enough that I could make her stick her face in to smell. I love converting the non-scent obsessed to be more curious and take it upon themselves to learn new scents.
I’m wearing the gorgeous and so sadly discontinued Parfums Delrae Wit for my daphne fix. I think this weekend I’ll order a sample of L’Aromatica’s Daphne and scour the perfumosphere for other daphne perfume options I should try. Any recommendations?
You smell wonderful and I’m jealous of your blooming daphne!
Delrae house twin!
We share a love of Daphne! I have little vases of them everywhere – at home, in my office and I just took a tiny bouquet to the San Juan Islands for the weekend.
A major perfume regret is not buying a bottle of Wit. I can still remember being at Essenza and Rachel who worked there saying “You’d like this perfume since it’s inspired by the Daphne flower.” What was I thinking not buying it on the spot???! Of course this could be said of so many fragrances.
I tried Demeter Daphne but it was disappointing – too sweet for me and didn’t really smell enough like Daphne.
I saw the L’Aromatica Daphne and will be curious how you like it.
P.S. Your walk story reminded me how fun it is to be strolling along and smell Daphne, then search for the source.
One of my big perfume regrets is also not buying a bottle of Wit at Essenza! I wish I could go back and choose differently.
Thanks go for the tip about the Demeter Daphne. I will skip that one. I just ordered some samples from L’Aromatica, so I’ll report back. There is also Daphne Flower Room Spray from Antica Farmacista that I may blind buy. When it first came out, I’m pretty sure they marketed it as room OR body spray, so I’m not opposed to trying it on my skin. They also make a candle, diffuser, and hand and body wash in the scent.
Bois de Violette (Lutens) today. I am just going to enjoy my decant until it’s gone. Which is almost is.
Thanks so much for all the good wishes yesterday (when I was feeling punky after COVID shot #2). Today, I feel better than I have in weeks. A combo of bright sunshine and the knowledge that some level of immunity is coming my way? Anyway, the lingering tiredness I had after shot #1 doesn’t seem to be happening.
Sending more good wishes to feeling better soon. I’m sure that the increased level of psychological peace post-second shot will help! I can’t wait to get there.
Glad you’re feeling better and it’s such a relief to have received both vaccines. Enjoy the sunshine ?
Glad to hear that you are feeling so much better today!
Because I could not pick one flower, I’ve gone with a floral symphony in the form of Puredistance Opardu (the notes include tuberose, gardenia, lilac, carnation, rose, jasmine and heliotrope).
This is lush and elegant beyond words and I don’t know why I don’t own a full bottle yet (well, I have an idea…).
Happy Friday NSTers!
Could it possibly have to do with the price?
Perhaps…?
SOTD La Douceur de Siam. Very rosy but many other floral notes in there too.
Lots of favourite flowers from my garden but maybe lavender and rose? However honeysuckle, lilac, jasmin are not far behind… now that I think about it it’s my grandmother’s garden that sparked my love for smells. As a child I was always sticking my nose in all the flowers!
That’s a nice memory!
As an avid gardener, I’ve really enjoyed reading about everyone’s favorite garden flowers and the fragrances chosen to celebrate their beauty. And I can certainly understand Robin’s love for her fringe tree, which I have never smelled but will definitely seek out!
If I could, I would wear a fragrance to honor either of my two favorites that grow in my garden. The first is the Korean Spice viburnum shrub, in whose pale pink blossoms I bury my face and inhale deeply multiple times a day during their short lives in mid-May. But I have nothing that smells like that. An equal favorite are the tall, graceful Nicotiana plants that bloom late summer to frost and only release their intoxicating fragrance at night. (Only the heirloom varieties are fragrant; the annuals available at nurseries do not smell.) I planted mine years ago from seed; they readily self-seed and then transplant easily when they pop up in late spring, so I have them everywhere! But I don’t have any perfume that smells like them either.
Although I love roses and rose fragrances, I decided to skip them and instead chose my beloved potted jasmine plant I posted about the other day to inspire my SOTD, EL Jasmine White Moss, a lovely blend of white floral and green notes I enjoy so much in spring. Patiently waiting inside by the door to our little deck where they will spend the summer outside, I can already imagine breathing in the soft scent released from those tiny white blossoms that scent our bedroom each night.
I’m heartened to read that more NST’ers are finally able to get vaccinated. My son, who is a HS teacher, got his first dose this week; my DIL is scheduled for hers through her employer in a few weeks, and I’ll get my second dose at the end of the month. Which means that sometime in mid-April I’ll be able to visit them, hug my grandkids, and meet my new grand kittens ??, who were adopted at Thanksgiving but whom I’ve never met except virtually. Hope springs eternal, especially this Spring!
Happy Friday to all. Stay hopeful!
I wonder why some flowers end up well represented in perfumes, and other are left out? I know that some notes can’t be extracted from the actual flowers but that can’t be the only reason.
We planted some nicotiana last year, after not having had any about for some years. They are right by the porch where I can smell them
But the only viburnums we have at this house are unscented, unfortunately.
I have terrible luck growing flowers, though I seem to do okay with vegetables, meaning that I get some. But before I bought my house someone planted two rose bushes on the side. One has tiny pink roses and grows like a bush, so with that in mind I’m wearing Pamplemousse Rose today.
Perfect then!
No flowers growing near me here in the desert, but I’m borrowing somebody’s mention of osmanthus, and wearing Osmanthe Yunnan. It is light and lovely and cheerful.
Osmanthe Yunnan is all of those things. You smell very nice!
Nothing blooming by me yet, but the grass has more green than brown in it right now. Lots of tight buds on the flowering trees, too.
SOTD = Mon Guerlain EdT, from the sample stash. My lavender will be blooming later on this year, and it continues to send up flower spikes for several weeks at the least. I should probably remove the spent flower spikes.
Green(ish) grass and buds, finally ? I know you must be ready to leave winter behind.
This winter hasn’t been too bad. Most of the snow showed up last month. So much melting this month! But I am ready for temps in the 50’s and 60’s, and gentle breezes. Hoping for a real spring this year, and not a jolt from Winter into Summer like last year.
You smell nice. I haven’t tried growing lavender but I am thinking it will suffer the same fate as my other late plants.
I’m growing lavender in a pot and it seems to do pretty well. At least, until maybe August, when most plants here tend to bite the dust.
Mine will probably have a much shorter shelf life.
Thank you! My lavender has been in a pot outside for maybe 15 years? Fairly sheltered location that gets decent light all day. It’s pretty darn close to “plant it and forget it” for me. I just water it when it’s dry. I’ve had to trim broken branches off of it, since this plant is old enough and big enough to have woody stems.
Lucky with the greener grass. Everything is brown here. My lawn looks like the lawn from Malcolm in the Middle, LOL.
Right now, the grass here is a green & brown tweed. Very menswear-y.
I had to chuckle at your “sitcom lawn”!
SOTD = Chanel 28 La Pausa EDT
I am giving myself CP credit because at least I came up with a flower. Plants do not survive my not green thumb.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMVLmlyhkyj/?igshid=1v390qtbbmbvw
In other news, I’ll be reposting my split list tomorrow. Dibs and prices will be via email only; you can check out my post from Wednesday (late) and yesterday (early afternoon) to see what I have on offer. Thanks.
It’s Friday after 5PM and I am on standby. Le sigh. It’s been a long week!
Ahhhh! I love those little guys!??
Why isn’t there an owl emoji?!
Yes there is ??
I will take your word for it since my phone won’t show me your emoji! I triple checked, I don’t have one. More insensitive to get a new phone!
Very 1970’s vibe on the Owls of the Day!
They are!
Rose and Portrait of a Lady. Now thinking I should have dug out my samples of La Rose Jacqueminot and Nahema.
Nahama – perhaps my top discovery of 2020!
SotD for CP in honor of my rescued hyacinth bulbs is Avon Foxfire. I had *no* idea about it, but when I search Fragrantica for hyacinth notes, Foxfire came up. I knew I had some from an E**y lot years back. Like yesterday’s Beyond Paradise, I had to take Fragrantica’s word that the sweet floral was hyacinth. But I enjoyed it all the same. I think I will continue the theme tomorrow with Bas de soie, a real favorite, but it shows Iris and green notes in my memory; perhaps I will see the hyacinth scent now that I am looking for it! BTW, Foxfire’s best feature was a green note, along with the typical Avonaide, which I like. Happy Fri-YAY to all!
Wore a bit of Iris Shot from a dabber sample. I noticed an almond top note right away then it morphed into a very soft iris aura. Lovely!
Weirdly, I haven’t been able to participate as fully as I’d hoped to this week. However, I’m currently experimenting with an old bottle of orange flower water. It reminds me a little of Florida Water when I open the bottle, but it seems to have settled a little now? I put some on my wrists. It doesn’t smell strong to me, but that doesn’t mean anything around here. My sense of smell comes and goes with how bad my allergies are and how badly my nose is dried out, as I’ve mentioned.
We had repairmen here today to look at the heat pump of the HVAC system, as the electric bill had been high last month. They said the defrost system wasn’t working, which explained a lot. Then they said that it looked like all the wires of the heat pump were burned out.
Mom and I went to Walmart while the repairmen were working on the system. I hadn’t gotten to Walmart in some time, and had a long, long list. It was a productive trip.
After we got back, I trotted around the yard putting labels next to bulbs I found coming up. I kind of doubted that the hyacinths in pots that I got cheaply at the grocery store right after Easter would come back, but it looks like most of them at least have leaves coming up. The ones I got from Old House Gardens seem to be very vigorous.
More of the pink tommy crocuses are blooming, accompanied on the hillside by more ‘Cream Beauty’ and ‘Mammoth Yellow’ crocuses. Enough of the snow had melted in the back yard that I could get back to the winter honeysuckle, and I snipped a few twigs of that to bring inside. I went over to the mahonia, which also has very nice-smelling flowers. The bees had discovered that, and also were busy at the snowdrops and crocuses.
I didn’t actually plant a flower today, per se. Like I said, that was kind of weird for me. I resettled some bearded iris rhizomes so the bottom half of the rhizome was properly in the ground and the top half was above the ground. I don’t think that really counts, though. Mostly I just found a lot of plants that I’d planted in the fall or in previous years.
The repairmen finished a little before dark. Mom made this sort of sucking sound of horror at the price for new wiring of the heat pump, a new thermostat, labor, whatever other parts, etc. But she said that at least we could afford it. And it will cut way down on the electric bill if the electrical power isn’t the only thing we’re using for heat.
Take care, folks!
Ugh, sorry about the bill, but nice you got a shopping trip in!