Our fourteenth annual holiday gift poll. Here are the three questions:
What is the fragrance-related gift you’d most like to receive this year?
Let’s say you were going to ask for just one unsniffed fragrance this year, what would it be?
Are you giving any fragrance items for gifts this year, and if so, what?
I still have family in town so I am terribly behind...I am going to add my answers on Sunday!
Note: top image is Kid talking to Santa Claus [cropped] by Rawpixel Ltd at flickr; some rights reserved.
1) I’d like to receive a BUB of MVP. Please Santa, pleas! 🎅🏼
2) Hmmm, not sure about this one, so many I’ll never get a chance to sniff…maybe a classic Guerlain, Dior, or Chanel extrait…?
3) No one I know is interested in perfumes, so probably not. Taste is very personal, so a fragrance gift would probably be at the bottom of my list for fear they wouldn’t like it. That being said, I did gift a bottle of FM Bigarade Concentree to a friend and he and his partner both loved it, and finished off the bottle in less than a year.
I need crochet prayers please! I’m loving my velvet yarn, but boy howdy! It’s a real pain to work with! Doesn’t help that I purchased a darkish color and have limited daylight. Currently, it’s all pulled out (again) and patiently waiting for me to stop cursing it. 😅
I did make a few purchases yesterday, which surprised me as I’m not much of a Black Friday shopper. I stocked up on all my Paula’s choice items earlier in the week, and yesterday saw some great deals on CT website (40% off) and also bought some pants and a shirt at DTC (25% off).
No more perfume purchases for a while. I haven’t spritzed yet today, but most likely it will be Guerlain SDV. Rainy and dreary again today, so that should warm me up!
Hope everyone in recovering well from the holiday. For those that have had conflict this year, you are not alone. I’ve been talking to people at work about their family get togethers and it seems this year there’s a lot of friction…😳
You’re right about the increased conflict. Our Thanksgiving was more fraught than it had been in a while. It’s like all the family drama was bottled up during lockdowns and we pulled the cork for our first get-together in two years! Not terrible, but not as much fun as I would prefer.
Yeah, I’m surprised but also not surprised. You’d think if people have gone almost two years without get togethers, they’d be delighted to see each other again in person and avoid conversation that might get people in a tizzy. Sheesh. One person I was taking to said that an invited family member had just tested positive this week and was coming anyway…!
Ugh. I’m sorry to hear that. I’m grateful that we didn’t have any COVID drama at our celebration, and I’m hoping that now we’ve done one normal-ish holiday, maybe Christmas will feel less heavy. Fingers crossed for all of us!
Sending you helpful crochet vibes for patience and no finger-cramping. I can imagine velvet yarn would be very difficult to work with! So much traction.
Thank you! It’s very slippy and fuzzy- almost impossible to see your stitch and it slides around like mad. 😬
Oh, a friend is an avid knitter, she collects some of the most lovely yarns! Absolutely gorgeous stuff.
You’re right about conflict, our gathering at a friend’s was fun, but there was definitely conflict, add in small kids on lots of sugar and adults on alcohol and oy, the drama ensues…
That’s when I happily head to the kitchen to ‘help’ wash dishes.
Alcohol does it every time.
Yep.
Good luck with your crochet project!
Thank you! I’m hoping I can complete this before summer arrives..!
1. Fragrant-gift? I think I want more fancy bath things. Maybe some wonderful shower gel or bubble bath. A body lotion that is fragrant enough to last but not so much I can’t layer another fragrance on top of it when the mood strikes? I don’t have any particular products in mind. Feel free to make suggestions for the Christmas list.
2. Unsniffed? How about something really old, still in its box. A classic is nice–Emeraude, Guerlain, or an old Chanel, but honestly, I’m open to being surprised!
3. I don’t do holiday shopping anymore. I take photos all year and turn them into a calendar, and then I bake stuff. So, if holiday baking counts as a fragrant gift?! I like to give traditional holiday cookies–lebkucken, Mexican wedding cakes, iced butter cookies. I made Danish coffee rolls to give at Thanksgiving, heavily scented with cardamom. They’re lovely.
Those Mexican Wedding Cakes (or Russian Tea Cakes, or Snowballs, or whatever you happen to call them) are so delicious!
One of my absolute favorite cookies! My late step-mother made them with local hazelnuts, so I will often make them that way in loving memory of her–and it makes them especially rich and flavorful!
It’s funny about all the names. When I first went looking for a recipe to start making them for myself, I was so confused at “which one” I needed! Now I see they are all the same thing.
They’re my favorites too and must be amazing with good fresh hazelnuts!
I’ve been doing baked/homemade goods rather than purchased gifts for years — cuccidati or Mario Batali’s grandma’s bittersweet chocolate walnut cookies, or biscotti, or pannettone, or chocolate truffles, and everyone gets a jar or two of homemade jam and a bag of our walnuts. Little Biscuit, of course, gets purchased things (a new bicycle and some plush toys are currently keeping each other company in the back of my closet). Nothing I’d rather receive than good food things from someone who really knows how to cook!
I would happily receive homemade treats as gifts from others, too! I used to feel sort of sheepish about it, as my homemade treats started as an alternative when my resources were far more limited. But now, I happily continue to the tradition because I love having the opportunity to bake treats I otherwise wouldn’t make.
You make your own pannettone?! I’ve only ever had it once, in Rome at Christmastime, and it was so delicious! Is it trickier to make than other breads?
It takes a lot of time — the risings are slow because of all the butter and eggs and yummies in it, plus the candying of citrus peel beforehand — but I don’t find it hard to make at all. Maybe I’ll make some this year; it’s been a few years!
I often make candied citrus peel this time of year. One of my favorite treats, and it makes everything else seem so fancy with a curl of candied orange rind as decoration! Which I guess is my way of saying you aren’t talking me out of it! Do you have a favorite recipe you can link to?
I use a recipe out of Bernard Clayton Jr.’s The Complete Book of Breads. I can’t find the recipe online, but send me an email and I’ll send you a scan: c a l i n d a 4 at the hawt male.
Oooh, this reminds me that I need to start thinking about candying citrus peel for stollen.
Also…love Bernard Clayton Jr. His Lenora’s Yeast Rolls are exactly the cloverleaf rolls my mother used to make, and I just made them — I make them every Thanksgiving. (I didn’t have my mother to ask when I was a teen / adult about her recipes, so any time I find one that recreates something she made, I’m happy.)
This is sounding like a good excuse for a new cookbook! If I don’t buy one, Isabella, you will be hearing from me. Thank you!
Important question–do you have the original book from 20 years ago or the “New” one?
The original — it was my mama’s.
Ohh, lebkucken? Oh my lord I do love those! I found a catalog that has GF lebkucken, I’m soooo tempted.
Lebkuchen is fairly easy, as long as you don’t care about having it the traditional way, on the wafers (Oblaten). (I haven’t been able to figure it out with the wafers — I use them but the cookies usually spread far over them, or not far enough. I guess I should try a German recipe.) There’s a good recipe for Lebkuchen on Seriouseats.
I don’t know about Lebkucken baked on wafers! It’s not part of our recipe. Found this: https://www.food.com/recipe/german-lebkuchen-with-german-baking-wafers-oblaten-88038 That is very different than ours, although the flavors sound right.
Do you have a recipe for lebkuchen you could share?
Yes! My family is Danish-American, and our recipe is different than what I’ve seen elsewhere (the German kind, I think?), but they are delicious and a family favorite! Let me go digging. . .
Aunt Myrna’s Lebkuchen
1. Mix in a sauce pan and bring to a boil: 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup molasses.
2. Beat 1 egg in a mixing bowl. Add 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 Tbs. lemon juice and 1 tsp. lemon zest. Then slowly pour in hot honey mixture, whisking constantly to temper.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp each cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg.
4. Stir dry ingredients into wet until completely combined. Chill dough overnight.
5. Roll a small amount at a time to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into oblongs 2 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inch (I do this on waxed paper, since it’s sticky). Place 1 inch apart on a greased (or with parchment) baking sheet. Press in half a walnut or half a candied cherry into the top. Bake about 10 minutes, or until they begin to firm up but still show a slight imprint when touched.
6. Meanwhile, make icing by cooking together 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water until first indication of thread appears (230oF). Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar. Brush onto warm cookies. When it begins to crystalize, you can “soften” it again by returning it to the heat a moment and adding a tbs. of water, if needed.
7. Once cooled, store in airtight containers a while (I’ve heard a few days to a few weeks) to allow flavors to meld.
Yields about 6 dozen 3×2 cookies.
Yum!!! Thanks so much.
I’m testing Jo Malone Starlit Mandarin & Honey, their Christmas limited edition for this year. It is quite pleasant, though light like all JM are.
I don’t think any scented gifts are in plans for me.
I would try my luck with Tauer Sundowner or Diptyque Kyoto.
I plan on getting Bleu Noir by Narciso Rodriguez for my dad.
Picture is not my sotd bit I’d share anyway 😉
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWyF-cfIGIm/?utm_medium=copy_link
I’m out of the loop–there’s a new Tauer I haven’t tried?! Off to go find out about Sundowner.
Good morning! I’m in Wood Sage and Sea Salt this morning, and my sweater cuffs are in the remaining dregs of Memoirs of a Trespasser, so it’s a bit muddled here, scentwise. My poll answers:
For fragrant gift(s), I plan to wrap the bottles of WSaSS and Champaca that got ordered during the Black Friday madness, and pretend they’re from Mr. G. We don’t exchange gifts with each other anymore, so he will be surprised even if I’m not. 😂
For something unsniffed, perhaps an Imaginary Authors scent – The Soft Lawn or Falling Into the Sea are two that have always intrigued me, and somehow I have never sampled those.
I’m gifting a couple of people with Thymes Frasier Fir candles, but that’s about it. My immediate family does a gift-card exchange thing, so gift-buying is minimal for me.
I like the idea of Mr. G being surprised by your present from him
Email me through gmail at eabrit to give me your address. I’ll send you a sample of The Soft Lawn.
A fragrance-related gift would be a bottle from my list, possibly Bengale Rouge to be realistic, but a few from Puredistance if money was no object
Unsniffed? Not something I let myself think about too much, there are too many things I can’t get my hands on, but maybe the new Tom Ford, Ebene Fumee.
I won’t be getting scented gifts for anyone, but might put together a few samples for my mother’s 93 year old cousin who loves perfume.
That’s a great idea for your (second cousin?? I can never remember).
Nope, it’s your first cousin, once removed.
Mr. Smokeytoes and I don’t exchange gifts often. We usually pick a charity or two and donate. This year, it’s a local cat rescue and a horse-rescue in AZ.
1-The fragrance-related gift (for me), would be probably from Sonoma Scent Studio, Jour Ensoleillé. Backup would be Tauer’s L’Air du Desert Marocain. I hesitate on the Tauer, my recent sample of LDDM didn’t quite smell the same, but it may be those pesky hormones!
2-One un-sniffed fragrance is difficult, things can go sideways quickly. Probably Bee’s Bliss, by SSS. I sure wish Opal by SSS would be returned to the lineup.
3-Perfume gifts so far are Libre for my bestie and a new bottle of Hiris for the MIL.
My SOTD is Dior’s Dune, today felt perfect for it. We already got our chores done, shopping and laundry off the list. Now it’s time for a little homework and perhaps a movie later.
Oooh, SmokeyToes, email me and I will share some SSS Bee’s Bliss and anything else we may discuss!
Thank you, just a smidge please?
I misplaced your email. Mine is ldetrich at the land of yodeling dawt com…
You can just click on my username to get my email.
20% off SSS scents until 12/1 with THANKFUL20. Just sayin . . .
oh, 20% off is tempting. I may get Velvet Rose for a friend. It’s her signature note.
1. I’d love to find some Ginestet Botrytis — not a bottle for purchase left anywhere in the world, apparently — under my non-existent Christmas tree. Eau de Hongrie is currently filling my need for honeyed fragrances reminiscent of dessert wine, though, and it’s a satisfying substitute. A little less deep and warm, slightly more transparent, but it’s got a similar vibe.
2. Can’t pick just one — I’d need an Ormonde Jayne discovery set, or something like that. Oooh, maybe one of those ridiculously expensive but really charming perfume advent calendars!
3. Probably not giving any fragrance gifts; my peeps are more about food. Frankly, I probably won’t even manage my usual food gifts this year, either. I like to make caramels, and chocolate dipped orange peel, but I can hardly manage a grocery store outing to feed myself at this point, so I will probably be purchasing any gift items.
A perfume advent calendar would be such fun! I hovered over the to-buy button for a hot minute at LuckyScent but talked myself out of it.
It’s raining again (still) and I’m wearing the delicious warmth of Mazzolari Lui.
I would like some bath products. I have a tub in the condo (shower only in Portland) and I miss soaking in bubbles and scent a little bit.
Unsniffed, the Dusita line interests me, and don’t they have an Iris? I think I’d like that if it’s not too carrotty.
The lady who does my eyelashes likes fragrance, I’ve given her Coco Mad body oil in the past, and a little decant of Hummingbird, but no scented gifts this year I don’t think.
Just me and the kitties for Thanksgiving, so no drama.
“Just me and the kitties” sounds like a perfect Thanksgiving, foxbins!
Having a tub was a requirement when we went house shopping this last time, and it was surprisingly limiting! Apparently lots of homes took out their showers during remodels for a while there.
1. Since I’m not expecting many gifts this year, I already treated myself to the fragrant gift I wanted, which was a bottle of Slowdive. Thank you, self.
2. Maybe a mini of Sundowner? I’m always uneasy about buying Tauers unsniffed, though. Some of them (L’ADDM, Phi, Les Années 25, Rose Flash, Lonestar Memories, various other glories…) are among my favorites, and some (er, Orange Star) are *appalling* on my skin.
3. I’m the only person I know who’s into fragrance, so no plans for gifts of this sort, but if my mother was still alive, she’d be in for so many perfume treats! I owe my love of perfume (and good sheets, and champagne, and silk clothing, and schmancy lingerie, and crawfish boudin, and fierce independence) to her.
Testing Les Indemodables Musc des Sables today, and liking it rather a lot. I plan to wear it to a prescribed burn tomorrow, soak up a lot of smoke in my curls, and end the day smelling like Ghengis Khan.
Only here could smelling like Genghis Khan be understood as #lifegoals.
So true!
Ooh, smokey warrior! Cool.
1) I’d like a full bottle of Sundowner as a gift. The decant I have is lovely.
2) Unsniffed? Maybe something from Sana Jardin – Berner Blonde or their Incense one?
3) My mom asked for a rollerball of Amazing Grace, so that’s the extent of my fragrant gifting.
Be well everyone!
What do you like about sundowner? I have a mini ( as well as a mini of au coeur du desert) waiting to be shipped to me from my mail service. I was expecting more comments and info after it was released but have heard little…😳
Me too — I’m imagining that either everyone is too busy happily sniffing to report back, or loathe to give voice to disappointment. Fingers crossed that you’ll give us a full report when your mini arrives!
To me it’s like some of his earlier spicy scents with no jagged edges. It isn’t linear, but it’s smooth all the way through and it smells amazing to me. I do get the tobacco, which makes me very happy. My husband says it’s his favorite perfume I’ve worn lately.
Oo, that sounds lovely. Thanks for the description!
Oh, your review is ringing all my bells! Thank you! 😊
Happy Saturday everybody! My big errand today was to go to the optometrist and have someone adjusts glasses. They’ve been slipping and irritating my nose. Much more comfy now! Such a thrilling post, I know.
I’m in Akro Dark, which I wasn’t too keen about during the warmer weather, but wow. I love it now that it’s 58 degrees out!
1. I’d love a bottle of Goldfield & Banks Silky Woods if you please Santa.
2. I’d blind buy SL Borneo 1834. Heard so much about it, but never tried it.
3. Hmm, I was planning on gifting some B&BW hand sanitizers to my DIL, but she has Covid right now, and might take it wrong. Maybe I’ll exchange them for shower gels instead. Maybe I’m the queen of overthink. 😕
Maybe add a candle?
I thought about that! She used to have candles around a lot before the babies, but they have two under five now, and I’ve not seen a candle out in a very long time. I’m perusing some flowering tea sets right now – might go with that idea.
I purchased a bottle of Akro Dark a few weeks ago. Agreed, it’s not the best in hot weather! I think I first sampled it this summer, and it was a “no” at that time, but I had a feeling I’d like it better in the cool. I’m glad I tried it again this fall!
I have a bottle of Borneo and will bring it for you to sniff sometime when we get back to meeting up!
That would be just lovely!
I’m sorry she’s sick! Those flowering tea sets are lovely, I gave one to my late mother some years ago and she really liked it.
My DIL is a major tea fan. The more I think about it, the more I’m thinking it’s the best choice.
What is a flowering tea set?
Idk for sure but I assume they mean something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Numi-Organic-Tea-Flowering-Packaging/dp/B000FFIL92?th=1
Lots of brands have them. Glass pot or mug, tea balls that open into a flower shape.
1) I love a big bottle of the sold out Guerlain Shalimar. I’m a greedy girl.
2) My skin reacts so badly with many perfumes, not in an allergic way, more a stinky way. I buy, nor do I want anything I sniffed. That’s a guarantee for disappointment.
3) I’m a food giver. I stopped buying years ago, now friends and family get home made food items. Cookies, jams, chutneys, infused liquor.
On another note, I started my Guerlain Advent Beehive early. Okay, I’m a child and couldn’t wait 😂 so the day after Thanksgiving was the unofficial launch.
Day 1 a tiny 10ml bottle of Rose Barbare perfume. A real bottle!
Day 2 a fig votive in a black glass cup
Nothing UNsniffed.
The “sold out Shalimar?” Was there a nice, new flanker this year?
Yes, the MVP one. Super intense vanilla. It’s been SO on the Guerlain site and most places for ages. It briefly reappeared a couple of weeks ago and again was gone in less then a day. I have a small sample which is now empty, just the scent left. One of the few frags I’d gladly splurge on a full bottle. IF I could find it.
Sounds lovely! I never test new Guerlains unless I travel somewhere with a boutique, which means I always miss the limited editions. I know they’ve made some wonderful variations of Shalimar over the years. I hope you find a surprise bottle somewhere!
I hope they make it a permanent addition given it’s popularity
So happy you can enjoy that Guerlain Beehive. It is adorable.
Thanks so much for the feel-better wishes from yesterday — they worked! Unlike yesterday, today I have been able to do some work (grading and working on the syllabus for a new course) AND put on fragrance — LaVanilla Vanilla, holiday-appropriate and non-threatening.
The poll:
1) Already bought it! My lovely FB of Winter Palace. I hope it arrives by Christmas.
2) Mitsouko. (Or, for something probably far less risky, Paris-Edimbourg.)
3) No fragrance gifts. Like others, I have tended toward food gifts, and since I will be spending Christmas frantically packing for Ireland* and preparing the house for our house/cat-sitter, the food gifts I send will not be homemade this time. Last year I made springerle for the first time, and while it wasn’t as hard as I’d expected, it was time-consuming, and time is the thing I really lack this year.
*If the Omicron variant doesn’t shut down our program. If it does, it will be my fourth consecutive program abroad to be cancelled because of the pandemic (to date: summer ‘20, spring ‘21, summer ‘21). It will be a real disappointment for me, but even worse for the students, some of whom are seniors and will not have another chance for this kind of extended living/studying experience in another country.
We HAD planned on moving to Florence in the spring of 2022 for 3 months, starting in March. Since it’s too risky and up in the air right now we postponed our adventure and moved our apartment date to 2023. I can understand your disappointment, planning overseas living takes months of prep and you mentally get in a groove. I hope your move happens and your students get the experience. There’s nothing like really living somewhere, not just vacationing, to immerse in daily life.
Florence in spring for 3 months. Sigh.
Sighing with you, Marjorie Rose.
Oh, I am so sorry that your plans have been disrupted. I do hope it works out a year hence — what a treat!
Wow, Florence for 3 months! And in the spring; it must be so beautiful then. My hubby and I visited Florence for the first time in summer 2019 and loved it (of course). I brought back several perfumes!
Fingers crossed that your program goes forward and you can go to Ireland! Such a beautiful country.
Ireland is magical
1. I would like a vintage bottle of Femme from the early 70’s.
2. I think I would blind buy anything from Xerjoff or Memo.
3. I have 4 adult children and 7 grandkids and not one in the bunch is into scents of any kind.
Today I wore Shaft of Light from a sample, but after I finish cleaning I will shower and put on some Tiger’s Nest.
Sending perfume hand pat for no family members who care about the wonderful world of perfume – excepting I do have my dear and only sister who “gets it” although she is more into other hobbies. Don’t give up! That wonderful group of grandkids may yet reveal a perfumista.
I’m feeling slightly optomistic about my youngest grand daughter and her 6 year old brother. The brother has asked for “cool clothes” for Christmas. I bought him books.
I don’t really have the nerve to ask anyone for it, too expensive. But I would love a b/u of my Mitsouko extrait, which is getting down to the dregs.
After all the hoopla yesterday about the Vagabond Prince Enchanted Forest, I am a-hankerin’ tho I’ve never sniffed it! Also, Pixel mentioned Antiheros by ELDO. I’d def get that one blind. It is not offered on ELDO’s US site so it will have to wait for a lucky discovery.
So far my fragrance gifts include a box of Bruno Fazzolari soaps, which may have been the last box for sale anywhere on the planet—I eventually found one box at some overpriced giftshop/kin stuff shop in SF, where they charged me $20 to ship the soap across the Bay–that for my mum who really loved the collection when I got it for her last year. And I bought those DS & Durga air freshener cards for cars or wherever–I plan to give those to a few people as stocking-stuffer type gifts. And I bought two of the scented erasers from Luckyscent. Not sure yet who will get those–but I am sure whomever I give them to will roll their eyes at me!
Speaking of ELDO, I’m in Roland Mouret Une Amourette today. Love this one.
In other aesthetic news, I am so excited about a print my husband bought yesterday. We woke up early and headed out to Point Reyes (which is a place I love so much and has so many happy memories for me) to visit an artist who was holding an open studio event. His name is Tom Killion, and he does wood prints of views from up and down the Northern California coast using a Japanese technique. Anyway, I love his work, which I discovered hunting for cards one afternoon at our local bookshop. Traced the artist of the pictures etc. Anyway, it turned out he was selling the last of a set of 95 laser printed (pretentious French name is giclee) large-scale prints of one of my favorite woodcuts of his. And my husband bought it for me as a holiday gift! We’re going to put it up over the fireplace today. Here is what it looks like, sort of as in person it is radiant!, if you are interested. https://tomkillion.com/gicle/the-city-from-yellow-bluff-pt-cavallo I keep glancing at it and it makes me so happy!
That print is beautiful! Love the poppies.
I love Tom Killion’s work so very much! Having lived and worked for years in both Point Reyes and the Sierras, I so appreciate how sensitively and accurately he captures the landscapes dearest to my heart. The one I wish wish wish I could have in my life is his big print of McClure Meadow: https://tomkillion.com/gicle/evolution-valley-ii-mcclures-meadow
Yes! Yes! Exactly. And the photos on his site don’t do justice to the prints in person. From the 1 minute I chatted with him–he was very warm, and seemed absolutely delighted that I was getting a print that I love so much. His son Kai was helping him with the open studio—and there were wood cuts laid out with prints of the different steps, so that visitors good rifle through his process and look at a print through all the stages of development. I am envious of your living in Point Reyes. The best part of visiting most of the artists’ studios there was seeing their homes and their daily views.
I’ve always meant to catch his open studio event — if I didn’t have to work tomorrow I’d run out there for the last day of it! I’ve only seen a couple of his original prints in person, at my dad’s framing shop, and they’re so vibrant and gorgeous.
Oh man, that is absolutely gorgeous!!!
That’s beautiful! I love woodcuts. I’m so glad you have a print you can see every day to bring you joy.
That is beautiful. What a wonderful and meaningful gift.
Love the print!
I bet that looks excellent over the fireplace…congrats!
What a gorgeous piece. You must be thrilled. Years ago, my husband gave me a print by a Sonoma artist, Jack Stuppin. It has traveled with me as a reminder of that beautiful place.
I wasn’t familiar with his work. Looked him up. What striking paintings. His work looks like textiles. Tactile. Makes you want to touch the canvas. Thanks for pointing him out!
I would like a bottle of le labo tea matcha. I have tested it already and find it would make me happy. it’s not urgent.
I really really want a bottle of Shalimar MVP. or Les Immondablessssssss Rose Jamal or Amber Supreme. But not full price.
Gifting an Aerin Rose de Grasse because the wearer likes it.
Had 50 clams of Sephora gift card so got a set of Vanilla Incensee with a candle. for moi. Since I will not get my mitts on MVP.
Have really enjoyed vanillas these past few months.
I like your choice of wants!
I want Ambre Supreme too, will wait for an eventual discount code next year at Indigo Perfumery.
There’s a code now at indigo.!
I know, but Ambre Supreme is excluded as a new release.
Well, crap.
SOTD = Diptyque Kyoto
So good! Fruity earthy vegetal incensy and lightly floral 🥰.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWye_NFpXob/?utm_medium=copy_link
I must have won the Whole Foods lottery. I keep getting the cashier that gave me attitude. Today, she took her sweet time to get to her spot to check out my stuff. She was creating double bags of bags – how many do you really need? Ok. I was not in a hurry. She started the checkout and after every few items, would stop and count the number of items. 🤔 No clue why but I’m pretty sure she was not counting the blueberry and tomatoes she shoved to the side after she checked them out. When she was done, she started to bag my things but the bag she used had a broken handle so I said I don’t want that bag because of the broken handle. I mean seriously, one side of the handle was sticking up straight! She then looked at me as if I insulted her and she basically gave up and had the floating bagger bag my stuff. You know what? I did not let this bother me and I have decided that I will haunt her every time I go to Whole Foods which is once a week. 😈
Oh my gosh you have me laughing! I can just picture the whole transaction! This is one passive aggressive cashier. Is this the one that likes to slam pasta?
More importantly that red bottle and reindeer go great together!
And before I forget… I have been reading general reviews of air fryers. Have you noticed any plasticy smell while using yours?
The pasta slammer works at Home Goods. And I actually don’t remember what she looks like though so I’m still in danger if I decide to buy pasta 😆.
As to the air fryer, mine is stainless steel so no plasticky smell. I would hope they tested the plastic under extreme heat but of course it is possible that some with more sensitive noses may detect some of that.
1. What is the fragrance-related gift you’d most like to receive this year?
lol, a professional perfume organizer! As in, a knowledgeable person who could come in and organize my collection. But for actual fragrance, I already know some I’m getting as gifts, so nothing more for now.
2. Let’s say you were going to ask for just one unsniffed fragrance this year, what would it be?
Probably Parfums Dusita’s Cavatina, which I haven’t tried yet. I love lily of the valley scents, and I remember how beautiful her Splendiris was when I tried it some time ago. I also liked her Anamcara, another floral.
3. Are you giving any fragrance items for gifts this year, and if so, what?
No, because my family have very nicely let me know that they’re all set for fragrance right now, due to past gifts! Most of my gift-buying this year has been for our church’s “giving tree”; I picked three kids’ lists and my own young adult children helped me get the items this weekend while they were home. For my colleagues, I usually get something edible, or potted amaryllis bulbs. The amaryllis have been a big hit!
Cavatina is lovely, I picked it up for 25% off at Niche Essence this weekend.
1. I would love to have Santal Carmin, or Cristalle edp. I think about them all the time.
2. TF Bitter Peach and Diptyque Eau Capital.
3. I’m looking around for bath bombs that are inexpensive and not glittery to give as stocking stuffers for my daughter.
I sometimes wish that my loved ones would just go to Macy’s and test perfumes and surprise me with what they think smells like ” me” this will never happen, but I think it would be interesting to see what comes to mind about what fits me smell wise.
My sotd was Tobacco Vanille. I smelled great for the first scary snow driving of the season.
I hope no snow comes this way although that may be wishful thinking. You smell great in TFTV!
My brother shocked me this spring by going to Sephora and picking out a fragrance for me, Tom Ford Metallique. This has never happened in the 52 years I’ve known him. So miracles can happen!
Wow! Thanks for restoring my belief in miracles. 😊
That is so sweet! I bet you love it for the thought no matter what you think of scent (I’ve never tried it–so no opinion here about it!).
Miraculously, it is a scent that I enjoy and didn’t already own!
Hi Lillyjo, I have a large supply of l’Eau Capitale if you would like to try some! You can reach me at standing dawt armsakimbo at geemale.
Not snow!! You can do it!
Maybe:
https://www.target.com/p/macaron-bath-bomb-set-4pc-7oz-more-than-magic-8482/-/A-75662537#lnk=sametab
Target does seem to have lots of reasonably priced bath bombs.
1. I would love the Shalimar MVP or more Lyric body products. The new Shalimar probably count for #2 as well.
3. My grandmother is getting CK Euphoria, my dad Eau Savage and Light Blue for my mother.
I am still currently commando since we dropped my grandmother off. Been an a tiring few days. She was constantly up and down, always demanding someone to get her stuff, making sure she doesn’t fall and I am none too happy with what she did to one of the bathrooms. I will spare the details and just say it was a biohazard. Just got that cleaned up. I am getting into the shower and will apply some Jicky later.
Hope the rest of the weekend has been more restful, Dawn!
And meant to say, thank you for not giving us the details
1. I’d love a full size bottle of Chergui!
2. Gotta second lucasai and say Diptyque’s Kyoto for an unsniffed buy
3. No fragrance related gifts for friends or family this year. I have a few friends who are very sensitive to scent and while I’d love to get perfume for another I don’t think I’m going to manage to get her into a Sephora or department store before the holiday. That said she’s a big fan of bergamot and if anyone has bergamot forward perfumes they’d like to recommend me, I’d love to know about them!
Today I was wearing Tam Dao yet again!
We’re Yet Again twins today! 😊
Oops, this is your comment from yesterday. I clearly need a cup of tea. Or two.
I mean chances are I’ll put that on again… But tea sounds nice, enjoy it!
No SOTE at present. SOTD was Azemour because I needed to get out of the house quickly this morning and it was a no brainer.
Rain, rain, go away…not happening any time soon here. Another “atmospheric river” is supposed to be in tonight, after a full day of rain (that apparently wasn’t as hard as it will be tonight), and then we’re supposed to have another storm in Tuesday. As if we don’t already have gas rationing and empty grocery stores because all the local farms have been inaccessible. I’m used to rain here in November, but this has been just crazy.
1) In a world where money was no object, I’d take FBs of Jubilation 25, Lyric, or Cri de la Lumiere. But…money is an object.
2) I’m kinda all over Cumming and 2nd Cumming / After Party after having been listening to Alan Cumming’s podcast, his Christopher Brosius interview, and going into something of a black hole with Cabaret recently when my kid asked about it, plus some mentions of the perfumes here. So I’d try either unsniffed. Or Imaginary Authors Fox in the Flowerbed, since it doesn’t have to be a huge investment. Or…based on all the love here, I’d try Shalimar MVP or Le Lion.
3) I got my sister onto MCMC fragrances, which are right up her alley. She’s out of Maine, which is her favourite, so I bought her a new bottle, along with some Cloud Cover room spray. Also I ordered her a bottle of Santa Maria Novella rosewater because she’s been getting really into spraying rosewater recently.
I don’t want to smell like Cumming or 2nd Cumming, but when those were being released, I was so charmed by the advertisements! Alan Cumming–what a treasure!
Those ads were hilarious!
Agreed! For anyone who missed them, here’s the original.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmdJEjJxYOY
Right there with you swimming in the atmospheric rivers. Enough already. I hope you all stay safe.
Good morning and happy Sunday! It’s another overcast and chilly day here, so I’m staying in Akro Dark…and the sample is now plinked. Weather will be back in the 70’s next week, so I’ll be i back in lighter weight things soon.
We’ve finished off most of the holiday leftovers at this point. Veggie frittatas, bean soup out of the dip and BBQ pork sandwiches were had. I’ll probably make quesadillas out of the rest of the pork loin, either that or put it in black bean and sweet potato chili.
Whatever your plans are for the day, stay safe and warm, folks! 😊
We had 2 separate family dinners and will possibly be eating leftovers through Tuesday…so I am jealous that you are done, and way jealous of the 70s weather!
Winter wonderland over here ❄️❄️☃️ I will try to enjoy it and not wish it were summer. Still many months ahead.
The most likely fragrance gift for me to get is a gift card to a perfumery because my family and friends realized a long time ago that it’s not safe to gift me actual perfume 😆
I would buy the new Les Indemonables unsniffed. Everything I have tried from this line has been so fantastic.
I recently gifted a friend Baccarat Rouge body oil. The perfume was too strong for her but the oil smells really close while being easier to wear
Waving from summer wonderland! That body oil sounds gooood.
Waving back! Send some 🌞
In the last dregs of SDV which sustained me through a wicked shift.
The cherry on the top was when a patient told me I was an incompetent Jack As*! He got further annoyed when I just smiled at him and nodded “Yes” in agreement. That really put him off his game. 😂
Ugh – I’m sorry Deva. That’s just not right
Ugh. What a bummer of a human. I hope you’re relaxing now!
All is good, thanks!
Touché! Great response.
In my brain I was singing George Michael’s Careless Whisper “I’m never gonna dance again the way I danced with youuuu!” Cue the sax 🎷
🤣
What the patient said was terrible, but great response from you!
Love your response!
😉
At least you can walk away at the end of the day, whereas he has to live with himself being a total d@#k.
Hey, I enjoyed looking at the Darn Good sari skirts. Thanks for sharing that link
Glad you liked them!
Patient: I have a complaint.
Supervisor: What happened?
Patient: I called her a j-ck-ss and she agreed with me.
Supervisor: 😷 💭🤣
He was bellowing and snorting like a bull, intimidating all the youngsters I work with. All of them watching wide eyed and appalled. Lots of unnecessary DRAMA. In my head I was singing to them the BTO anthem, “Baby, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”
😄
Deva, once again I would like to apologize for humans! I feel like there should be somebody standing outside the hospital apologizing to everyone who works there as they come off shift. Probably restaurants and airports need this service also.
Oh, no need for any apologies. People can be complicated. And you’re right, people in the service industry are very often targets.🤷🏻♀️
My SOTD is Dzing! It’s just great. Getting ready for the school say tomorrow is no fun, but at least I smell fabulous.
You do smell fab – maybe I’ll wear that today, also. Good luck with school tomorrow! Boo Mondays.
I’m wearing an oddball perfume I think only Pixel and I have, Step by Step by Kev perfumes. Bought from the American Perfumer shop. My husband loves it. The ingredients list sounds like a kitchen sink floral, LOL.
I would like a bottle of Les Indemodables Ambre Supreme. My blind buy success rate is abysmal, so I will pass on that. And nobody wants perfumed gifts from me. I have no idea what I’m going to buy, I hate exchanging gifts. We’re all too old and have too much stuff already to enjoy it. Bah humbug.
Too much stuff twins! But I never say no to books, champagne and flowers!
Well, at least two of those things are consumables that disappear after a week. :-). And I’ve taken to reading a book and leaving it in a public place when I’m done, to pass it on.
I splurged and bought myself a Christmas perfume gift — a sample set from Amouage! It wasn’t too expensive and includes several of the new ones I tried and liked, such as Boundless and Meander. No one gives me fragrance gifts, alas. What I would like to have unsniffed is Zoologist Chipmunk. The notes sound neat and that little guy in the illustration is so darned cute! I generally give some friends a Penhaligon’s soap set and another friend likes the Nest candle called (I think?) Sicilian lemon…. I’ll recognize it in the store when I go there to shop. Yesterday I wore CdG 888, the Gold one, which I always forget because it doesn’t stand up in the perfume cabinet tray. But whenever I wear it I quite like it. I think I’ll put it on again today. I’ve got just a bit of the turkey breast I roasted for Thanksgiving left and it will go for a sandwich and some cat snacks.
That’s a good gift. When I lay awake at night I sometimes wonder what creature I would chose if I was making a zoologist scent, and what the notes would be.
A beautiful still morning and I was woken by a tui ( nectar feeding bird, native) at 4.37am . It likes to have the audience to itself as it sings in the dark.
Perfume related gift: an invitation to work alongside Bertrand Duchaufour to create a perfume of my choice, based on the smells encountered on my hillside walks.
Unsniffed: Where to start!!? Grand Chalet has been on my list. Vol du Vent. Silky Woods.
Gifts to others: Need help here. My son always compliments me on my perfumes ( he likes Nuit de Tubereuse) and I would like to buy him a perfume. Any suggestions?
What kind of smells does he like, besides tuberose (which he probably loves on you but would not wear himself)? My husband likes woods, tobacco/smoke and musks, so he wears SL Fumerie Turque, TF Tobacco Vanille and L’Instant de Guerlain homme.
I was thinking about Wonderwood. Or even an CK or Issey Miyake…I.e. light and clean as he’s a perfume virgin. But your suggestions are great and I will check them out. I will probably end up wearing it whatever I buy.
I love when our early bird the Robin starts up his song around 4:30 or 5:00 in our Midwestern US spring! Even if he wakes me up!
I love your perfume related gift!
As you probably already know, NdT is by Duchaufour. Hard to say what to give your son, but what fun that he likes the herb and spicy oddness of NdT. Maybe the gift could partly be a blind sniffing adventure through some of your favorites. If you were in the US, I’d suggest getting him the Neela Vermeire discovery set, but I don’t know if it is available in NZ. Those all share DNA in my not-a-professional! opinion with NdT, but go in different directions.
If I get my perfume wish with Duchaufour I will invite you! Thanks for the suggestions. I am very interested in those , now. Lemming. He really likes Japanese and Russian movies so I might try and think of something to match?
A travel trio from L’Artisan of all Duchaufour scents? Pretty sure you can still buy the trio without the leather holder but admit I did not check.
I’m back from my week away at my parent’s. And drowning in the usual laundry and unpacking, but somehow it’s not bothering me and I’m enjoying chore day. My trip must have been a good refresher!
The only fragrance gifts I get nowadays are ones I specifically ask for, not a bad thing I guess. But somehow it feels easier to just buy them for myself than to have to give my husband VERY specific instructions! 😉 I would love a bottle of Shalimar Philtre. As for blind buys, my list is mighty long, but I’d go with Nahema because it’s Guerlain and rose! I rarely ever give scented gifts, unless it’s just bath/body products or candles. I find it very intimidating to buy perfume for anyone. My mom and sister get samples from me, but neither are big fragrance users…. too bad!
tulipani, are you CONUS? I’d be happy to send you a decant of Nahema from the new bottle…let me know at kclberry on the shores of the netty scape dot net. Happy Holidays, right?
My husband always shops from a wish list, easier for both of us! Or lately he just tells me to buy it with his CC.
SotD Bruno Fazzolari Au Dela from the recent Swapmeet – love it. December 1 ends a No Buy and I will be checking out other Fazzolari scents at https://american-perfumer.com/collections/american-originals. Very thankful this week for so much, but also sad because two of my long-time neighbors (in their 90’s) passed away this past week; three in the last few months. All were loved and cherished by their families and friends and yes had full and happy lives, still a loss for many. My heart goes out to everyone caring for elderly family and friends.
Hugs to you on the loss of your neighbors.
Thanks, cazaubon.
Sorry to near this MossyBerry. Hugs to you.
Thank you hajusuuri.
Au Dela is a complete delight! You smell wonderful! Sorry for passing of your friends. Yes, A life well lived, but what a loss all considering their vast experiences and thoughts. I feel that when older people pass, it’s like a thick book that we’ll never be able to read. Who knows what magic was in those pages?
So true!
Oh, I forgot to answer the questions:
What is the fragrance-related gift you’d most like to receive this year? Eyeing Sundowner, and Tauer’s soaps.
Let’s say you were going to ask for just one unsniffed fragrance this year, what would it be? Neandertal Light.
Are you giving any fragrance items for gifts this year, and if so, what? No; my immediate circle is just not into fragrant things. I gave my sister my BUB of YSL Cinema when I saw her recently. That’ll do.
I yearn for a Tauer soap! Still grateful for the year I won a Tauer sampler scent for his advent giveaway, but I still had wanted to be the winner of the Day of the Soap.
Santa arrived very early for me, in the form of a friend who, out of the blue, sent me a bottle of Arquiste Boutonniere earlier this autumn.
My unsniffed choice is a pristine, vintage bottle of Diorling. Technically I did sniff it, but it was years ago and I only remembered that I liked it. This has not gone well in recent year, with purchases under the category of “Well, I *thought* I liked it” so while I am at it, this magical bottle will also be as wonderful-smelling as I thought of it at the time.
Oh, and as usual I generally only give perfume to people who I know like a particular scent, plus Yves Rocher shower getl or the like.
I want Diorling and Dior Dior! And yes, may they smell like my memory.
Since Shalimar MVP is done, I’m tempted by L’Artisan Sur L’Herbe just based on a sample I had sometime back. But I wish they did smaller bottles.
I’m curious about SMN Rosa Gardenia.
Not expecting to give any fragrance things this year. I have done in the past…candles mostly. Brooklyn Candle has their 20% off, and I love their candles. There are some high top shoes from Onitsuka I kind of want so I may need to nudge my husband again.
Beautiful snow here yesterday. Roads quite clear today. Friday night was our local tree lighting. Santa arrived on the fire truck, took photos with every kid. Cocoa and cookies were served and the tree was lit while some songs broke out. It was very well attended and festive. Went to the holiday markets in a nearby town today and had an insulated wine tumbler filled with Swedish Glogg. Oh my. Where have you been all my life?
We had that same tree lighting on Friday! And Santa has gone by again on the fire truck every day since, so I guess the town is going all out this year.
He’s a busy man. In the town/small city where my husband grew up, the fire department took Santa on the back of a ladder truck down literally every street in town in December. The schedule was available so you could know when he would be on your street. He said it was very exciting as a kid. He just looked the other day, and the town still does it.
Hello everyone!!
Well the most ultimate gift anyone could ever give me is any fragrance from The Vagabond Prince. This is my biggest signature and I even keep one bottle of Swan Princess unopened just for treasuring. Vagabond Prince perfumes are my holy grail and my niche within a niche. So just saying any extra bottles are worth it’s weight in gold to me:)
But I would also be very happy to FINALLY get my hands on a bottle of Winter Palace. That has been on my wishlist for too long – I should have had a bottle already.
Unsniffed surprise bottle? Creed Fleur de The Rose Bulgare.
Fragrant gifts? I wanted my real life perfume friend to have a L’Artisan bottle for Her collection so I ordered Her a bottle of Mon Numero 10 for the looks of the bottle plus because the notes should match Her taste. Also still have a Diptyque Rose candle for another friend. My Dad will be getting the concentrated Sauvage by Dior, the highest strength since He wants a perfume that will last forever. My Mom is not into perfumes so She is getting an Abeille Royale face cream and some pants because I always buy Her pants for Christmas and believe me – they fit too!!