Saturday marks the halfway point of meteorological winter, and it’s also Martin Luther King’s birthday.
We're carrying on with our usual open thread poll, just a bit colder (where I am, anyway). Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, the fragrance you're thinking you need to sample next, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Northern Mockingbird [cropped] by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region at flickr; public domain.
So we are halfway toward Spring already – yay!
I’m testing Shalimar Philtre vs Shalimar MVP today. The Philtre is more citrusy and animalic; the MVP definitely sweeter. In the drydown phase they become more alike.
You smell wonderful – thanks for the test report. I have and enjoy Philtre very much.
It’s so great and thankfully easier to find then MVP
We are not halfway to spring solstice, though! I think that’s a couple more weeks. Meteorological winter ends at the end of February.
And actually, I think of psychological winter as being pretty much the same as meteorological winter…So by March 1 things seem more hopeful even if it’s still gross out.
This is true
It is interesting how different places measure Winter (and that’s ignoring the tropics and the S. hemisphere).
Here in Spain, AEMET counts Winter as from the solstice to the equinox, and anecdotally that’s pretty much how it feels. Although to outsiders, complaining about our Winters here in Malaga Capital is very much Spoiled Brat territory as we have a fair number of sunny days and temperatures around 15-20C (59-69F). But you should pity us because there’s often a cold easterly wind and we have to wear, like, a light scarf and a gilet. ?
In the Irish language October is “Deireadh Fomhair” or “Last Autumn” and November/Samhain is the start of Winter (hence Hallowe’en). New planting begins on St. Brigid’s Day, 1st February. The weather stays rotten through until April though. ?
Having been to beautiful and charming Malaga I agree that there can be no legitimate winter whining
Cannot wait for spring!
SOTD Elizabeth and James Nirvana Amethyst
I am not feeling it so I may switch to something later.
It is very cold here, no farmers market for me!
Chanel foundation today, Bobbie Brown eyeshadow Byredo lippy
I have no place to go, but putting on a little color makes me feel better
Hey LTSG, what’s your recommendation for espresso makers? We need a new one in our house.
Do you have a price range?
I have recommended DeLonghi dedica to a few friends, and they have purchased and haven’t come back with any complaints. I have had mine for years ❤️
I live in the city so counter space in the kitchen is an issue, so this particular machine takes up little counter space.
And no affiliation to this brand
And Brad Pitt is the ambassador but doesn’t come with the machines
Well shoot 😉
Let me know what you think and if you need something bigger or smaller let me know. I prefer manual ones because the pods are un-necessary waste, but I can recommend you some
I need to chime in even though noone asked me:
We love our Gaggia Carezza Deluxe! It’s fairly compact. I bought mine used off Craigslist, but they are in the lower-ish price range.
My husband has not one but two Breville Barista Express machines. (One at home and one in his office.). He loves them so much.
Did you find your future ☕️ maker?
That Delonghi looks perfect, we don’t have a lot of counter space. But husband has to ‘research’ it (he has been known to research stuff so long the model gets discontinued). I will give him a coupla weeks to ponder then order it anyway 🙂
I made it through a Friday of seemingly endless Zoom meetings — thanks for sending me all of that positive energy, people.
I’m wearing what I suspect is either L’Artisan Mandarin or L’Artisan Mandarine Tout Simplement. It’s an unlabeled decant from years and years ago, and it smells exactly like that moment when you first begin to peel a tangerine. Lovely. If I recall correctly, though, this is going to fade in about 15 minutes.
Have a great weekend, everybody!
That sounds lovely and sunny
Have a great weekend too, Lisa D! Glad you survived all your Zoom meetings.
No scent yet — soon it will be Paint by Benjamin Moore, lol. I have *finally* finished all the paint-prep work for the office closet I’m organizing. So today is painting, and I hope tomorrow we can finally install the new elfa system I bought last week. And then I can get all the STUFF back in the closet where it belongs.
That sounds like a great project – glad it’s moving along.
Yay! Hope it looks great when you’re done.
what’s the color? I have spent way too much time looking at BM paint samples….
We are boring: China White. It’s been our go-to white for 30+ years. Used to get it at Spag’s when we lived in Massachusetts, anybody remember that store? It had… character.
BUT because this is the project that keeps on being a #@^#^, guess what, the old paint was no good when I opened the can. Fortunately husband was already out erranding so he picked me up a new can of paint (from Ace: no character) so MAYBE I can start painting this afternoon…!
Aww, the ACE in our neighborhood is tiny and full of character and the sweetest people ever. I’m sorry yours isn’t that way!
We have two: Rural Supply which is interesting, and a generic one which is just generic. But Spag’s was in a different universe altogether. It was a massive rabbit warren of ramshackle buildings, and they had *everything* — if you could find it. But you couldn’t find anything without the help of the staff, who were right out of central casting for oddball New Englanders. It was always entertaining shopping there.
We have one like that too. Plus, only place to get Benjamin Moore near me.
Good luck painting! I redid the office closet with Elfa some years back, and am still reaping the benefits (I put a second desk in the closet for sewing, etc., and now the kid, who refuses to have a desk in her room, uses that desk). It’s SO nice when its all done!
Ugh, that was meant as a response for @pixel.
🙂 Yeah I did one closet many years ago, love it. Now I’m doing the home office closet — finally decided that (duh) I should do something about the problem of stuff falling out on me every time I opened the closet doors.
Oh, you mean all the stuff falling out every time isn’t normal? Ruh roh.
What a cheery photo up top! I’m in PdN Baikal Leather Intense for the moment, doing crossword puzzles with Mr. G and working through a mountain of laundry. The good news of my week: our interior painting work will commence before the end of January! As I’ve droned on about previously, I’ve been doing little bits of painting here and there, but some of our walls are very tall and have sharp alcoves where odd angles come together so professionals are required. (Plus there’s the water damage caused by our less-than-stellar roofers. Grrrr.) And we have sunshine trying to peek through, so I’m happy!
That’s exciting about the painting! You may have mentioned but what color(s) did you decide on? Also, that’s terrible about the water damage!
Like pixel, we’re going with Benj Moore paint — Crisp Khaki for the downstairs (living room, dining room, entry and hallway), Cream Fleece for the upstairs (hallway and built-in bookcase surround), and Cornucopia Tan for the living room fireplace surround, chimney flue, and one wall in the dining room that connects to the FP surround. The khaki is just a nice, neutral, pale tan, the fleece is a very pale cream that barely leans yellow (but not enough to actually read as yellow), and the Cornucopia Tan is very similar to terracotta but slightly less orange and somehow simultaneously brighter and more muted. We’re replacing very dated-looking yellow-ish paint colors that we liked when we bought the house in 2005 but have come to really detest. ?
That’s a nice, wintry scent, although I’ve worn it in the spring too.
I’ll bet it’s nice in spring! I’ll have to try it – I didn’t own it until a month or so ago.
I can never resist looking up paint colors when people mention them. Those are so pretty!
Thanks! I hope they look as nice as I think they will when it all gets done. ?
Hurray for getting painting done! And your color scheme sounds beautiful. Boo on water damage.
Boo indeed. They managed to screw up in two different places — buffoons. ?
Wearing CSP Vanille Café today, which is warming on a coldish morning.
I’m probably the only one not looking forward to spring and down right dreading summer. The thought of more record breaking high temps, forest fires, and heat related deaths is making me cringe.
For right now though, I’m in the zone with perfect weather for being outdoors and wearing all those warm orientals and gourmand perfumes in my collection.
Sad to see many of the nicer “artsy” stores in town closed or are closing soon. They are/were great places for local artisans to display and sell everything from jewelry to fiber arts to photography and paintings. ?
Also feeling for all the medical people who were fired because they refused or were unable to get Covid vaccinations (most had legit reasons). Now of course the CDC is saying it doesn’t matter- if you’re a health care worker and Covid positive, you have to come to work anyway.
Stay well and stay out of the hospital if you can! ?
I am loving your adventures. I too would be sad seeing the indie stores close; they give personality and good vibes to a neighborhood. Although not the same, one of the stores I really love is closing its store in the next week or so. The one salesperson I usually work with is not certain if she wants to transfer to another store as it is a longer drive for her.
I hear you, Deva. Summers have felt cruel and terrifying for the past several years, and every time I take a step and the ground goes “squish,” I feel so fortunate. I do still feel like spring, especially late spring, is a blessed time, when the land is still green and flowery but it’s warm and balmy out — nothing will burn, but we can wear flip-flops. 🙂
So, we have managed to do really well so far avoiding arguments here about vaccines. Deva, I know you meant that comment well, but please let’s keep it as neutral as we can, ok? And just a warning to anyone else, we are NOT going to argue vaccination policies here!
I dread the summers too, Deva, and the hurricane season. Winter used to not hold much anxiety for me, but the Big Freeze last February has me watching the weather closely. One day at a time.
As much as I hate my winters, I could not handle the stress of hurricane season. You guys are a tough bunch!
I went to Ulta this morning so I am wearing Chanel No.1 on one hand and Arianna Grande Thank You Next on the other hand.
I get a lot of jasmine from the Chanel. It’s very nice. If they lied to me and called it an edt instead of a fragrance mist I might buy it. Lol.
I got a weird piece of junk mail from one of those jerks that want to buy my house for cash.
In it there was a hand written note and a dollar bill. It says the dollar is to remember to think of him when I am ready to sell ( which is never) what the heck?! Part of me wants to mail the dollar back but the other part wants to ignore it and throw it all in the trash. Thoughts?
Throw out the letter and spend the dollar.
Looks like you liked the Chanel No.1 better than I did. I don’t love it and think it will be a good layerer. Are you able to get it with Ulta points? The red bottle is gorgeous!
I did like it, and so did my daughter. I don’t have enough points yet, but maybe by my birthday. Although I am still wanting that TF Jasmine Rouge edt. Lol.
Oh, just keep it and buy a gumball! ?
I used to get those for years… the housing market has been ridiculous since the early 2000’s and everyone wants to buy, flip, and sell at huge profits. One of the reasons many Americans can no longer afford a mortgage…the people that bought my house were “investors” who were buying houses all over the area I lived in, “modernizing” them, and then selling for huge profits. “Investors” are the only ones who can afford to buy now…
I agree, I think (without any evidence, lol) that some of the current shortage of affordable housing, and rent increases, are because of investors who own multiple houses. Including large investment funds that own LOTS of houses.
I would be happy to take that dollar off your hands, lol! Just use it to save for some Santal Carmin. Although it will take a number of those letters to truly help…
My mom has a piggy bank just for money she gets in the mail. My parents used to make lots of charitable donations and she still gets stacks of mail every day, some enclose a nickel, dime etc as an incentive to donate which I don’t understand but this piggy bank is close to full. Your dollar sounds like a full on scam.
Adding that I can’t wait to try No. 1 L’eau Rouge. I checked a local Nordstrom, but it wasn’t there yet. Do you think most Ultas have it?
they have at my ultas here in SoCal
My guess is they do. I saw and tried it in Green Bay WI. If it’s there, it’s likely everywhere. It smelled very Chanel to me.
Give the dollar to the next homeless person you see and tell them it’s payback. Enjoy your weekend and keep cosy!
Seconding Kanuka’s excellent suggestion.
What a marvelous suggestion!
That was one of my plans. I feel like spending it might bring me bad luck. Or enter me into some kind of contract with this creep.
Wait there’s a whole new numbered Chanel??
It’s a fragrance mist. I found it at Ulta.
Another vote for keep the dollar and toss the letter. I think it is horrible the way various organizations send all kinds of things, especially to older people, to create a sense of guilt and obligation! My MIL thought it was polite to send some small donation, and as a result she was flooded with note pads, cards, stickers, and a few other random things. She knew it was kind of a scam, but at least she never sent more than she could afford to. End of rant.
I think it’s funny that anybody thinks ONE DOLLAR will make you remember ANYTHING. Now, if somebody sent me $100 or $1000, I might remember it.
Hey, how about sending the bozo a dollar in Monopoly money and put the real folding money into the kitty for coffee later?
I need to go try that new Chanel!
Shred that letter and keep or donate the dollar.
SOTD = Mugler A*Men Pure Coffee EDT
It’s good unless you are looking for coffee. I am not getting much coffee and smell more like musky cedar patchouli. All the A*Men bottles are difficult to spritz.
No IG pic until later but I am trying to see if a tiktok video link can be included here. I promise it is very safe for work and will make you go awwwwwww….
https://www.tiktok.com/@scarymommy/video/7044325665121914117
In other news, I read the NYTimes article on the nasal ranger (Robin posted about this a few days ago). I try to read the comments because you never know what nuggets you can glean or cause you to hate someone. I found the latter who thought she is better than everyone else on the planet. Babies, dogs and cats love her because she doesn’t wear fragrances. Her diet is “superior” and she feigned surprise that her cat bites visitors who wear synthetic fragrances. ??♀️
Hey, we’re coffee twins! ?
Addendum: But mine smells like actual coffee..
I don’t even think I have a sample of it! That said, I can always layer on Coffee Addict by Theo Kalotinis.
Those AMan bottles even harder to make decants from!
Probably just as bad as the bulb atomizers!
lol, I read that comment too, and snorted!
And she left 2 comments although I pretty stopped reading the comments after the 20th one.
” or cause you to hate someone”
Lol! So true.
That video was extra cute!
Another blizzard yesterday and overnight: it’s over now but the sidewalks are still piled high and it’s -26 out, so we are quite sensibly staying in. I’m wearing CSP Vanille Peach, which is warm and sunshiny, very nice on a cold day (even if you’re not going out in the cold).
Wait! Is that -26F..?!?
-26C, which is -15F. I live in eastern Canada. We’re used to this sort of thing. -40C with the windchill is not unheard of (and that’s also -40F, in case you were wondering — -40 is the point at which they intersect).
Omg. I can’t even imagine -40* and I was born and raised in a suburb of Chicago, where winter and wind make for any ugly mix. I hope you get a reprieve soon…?
Cold cold ?
I do NOT miss those kind of super cold temps in the slightest.
You have a mind-meld with Deva and CSP Vanille “X”!
I know! I have a bunch of vanilla CSPs, my go-tos when I can’t decide what to wear, because they never offend and they always suit my mood.
Oooh. Vanilla peach? I love a nice peach note, especially if it’s sunny rather than too sweet.
Another dreary winter day–am leaning into it with L’Eau d’Hiver.
Disappointed to discover that my breakfast staple, Fage yogurt in the single serving size, has shrunk from 7 oz to 5.3 oz. Know I could get the larger tubs and create my own portion, but am still annoyed.
My favorite yogurt too, and aren’t shrinking portions at the same price irritating? I was noticing that our toilet paper rolls are narrower than they used to be! Any way to maximize profits, I guess.
Weird, there was a sign at my local health food market this morning explaining that they have been unable to get Fage at all for the past couple weeks.
Well, Little Biscuit and I were all packed up and headed to the beach (with Mama wearing, unimaginatively, Beach), when I saw the tsunami advisory. So, unpacking, and re-thinking our day! I think we’ll make a blackberry cobbler, which had been our plan for tomorrow.
I saw photos of the waves in Tonga. Good idea to give the beach a miss. Hope you have lots of fun on higher ground!
Oh darn – maybe tomorrow or the next day for the beach?
We’ll try tomorrow — today wound up being considerably colder and greyer than forecast, anyway.
Blackberry cobbler is a spectacular back up plan!
We basically filled the freezer with blackberries last summer — today’s cobbler barely put a dent in them!
Glad you guys got the heads up BEFORE you got to the beach!
Enjoy that blackberry cobbler, yum. Have you ever tried putting in a touch of lime zest in one of those?
Oo, no, but that sounds good!
It is! I’ve run the experiment before. ? For whatever reason, I used lime instead of lemon once in a cobbler, and it worked out really well.
When I stepped outside around 6am there was something noticeable in the deep golden light on the tops of the hills and the chill in the air that made me feel as if summer was beginning to turn. Feels like we are tipping towards autumn although generally February offers up the hottest days down here. Wearing Songes as I haven’t worn it for ages.
I’m reading a great book called Revelations. It’s a collection of personal responses to the books of the Bible by a wide range of authors, from Nick Cave and AS Byatt through to Richard Holloway and the Dalai Lama. It’s very mixed but interesting. Every summer I read a “classic” and this year I set myself the challenge of reading the Bible as I never have. I have two versions: the King James and ( the easier to understand) NIV.
https://canongate.co.uk/books/445-revelations-personal-responses-to-the-books-of-the-bible/
The Revelations book is a collection of all the small, individual essays that were put out by Cannongate years ago. They were really beautifully presented back then.
Although I have read much of the Bible, I’ve never read Revelations. Maybe this is the year. The book you mention sounds very intriguing.
I also have The Brick Bible which is stories from the Old Testament made from Lego bricks which I really enjoyed.
https://www.wired.com/2011/12/the-brick-bible/
That sounds very interesting!
Wearing Ummagumma. I love that chocolate/incense thing it has. I also find it a bit fruity in a very nice way, but that might just be my nose. Hard to explain. I did do Foody Friday this week, but didn’t get around to posting much. Wore Queen by Queen Latifah, SDV and Tea for Two and then Ummagumma quite a bit.
I just got a tsunami advisory warning on my phone from King County Emergency Management–due to the volcano that erupted near Tonga. I hope the islanders are safe and all on the west coast as well.
Oh, and for you coffee perfume lovers, I think Akro Awake is the best one I’ve smelled.
My BFF in Aberdeen also got a Tsunami Alert today.
Good afternoon!
Sotd is Hedonist from a sample. Got complimented every time I wear it. I think I need a bottle. Ha.
Couldn’t fall asleep last night and then kept tossing and turning. Ended up sleeping for around 5 hours? I am hoping for a deep, long sleep tonight. Right now I am powered by coffee, strong and black.
No plans today, just the basic grocery run. Thinking of steak and baked potatoes tonight.
I remember when that one launched. I got a sample and loved it but I think I was also heavily swayed by the bottle with all the crystals floating around…?
Hi everyone. It’s a beautiful sunny day here – all the winter storms are missing my area so yay although I’m sorry for those who have to deal with all the snow – but it’s very cold. I’m thrilled to know we’re halfway through winter. Wearing Fox in the Flowerbed, I ordered my travel bottle yesterday so I’m thunking my sample. To me it smells like a cold morning in spring. Love the bird picture, Robin.
I absolutely love the name and idea of Fox in the Flowerbed. I’m just not much of a floral lover in general, although I do love a few. Will try it at some point.
I get jasmine at first with hyacinth joining soon after. I thinks frankincense helps contrive the “alpine air” note. I’m not a big floral fan either but I like this one.
Ooh, that sounds lovely!
I’ve been tempted to buy that one for the bottle illustration alone! Jasmine, hyacinth, and an incense-inflected take on alpine air sounds quite lovely.
I wanted a full bottle for the label but can’t justify it when there’s a smaller size available.
That didn’t stop me – I ordered it blind for the packaging & name. LOL. Fortunately I do like the scent!
Took Jake to the vet this morning. He is still in the land of the living. But to lose almost 20 pounds in 3 weeks is a little worrying. He has been off his feed for about 3 weeks. Jake is naturally week because of this. Vet is doing a full blood panel to see if there is a reason. Right now it’s Pepcid and let him eat people food if that is all he wants. Monday is when we should have an answer. Currently commando because I wasn’t sure if Jake was going to be coming home, alive, from the vet. I think that I might pull out FdB.
Hoping for the best for Jake.
I hope there’s an answer to Jake’s eating problems.
I hope he’s OK.
So sorry to hear this Dawn – I hope you get a good answer early on Monday.
Sending positive energy your way to support you and Jake.
Hoping for a positive answer for Jake!
So sorry to hear about his health troubles! Fingers crossed for a good outcome.
oh Gosh, hope Jake and you are better. sending good wishes!
Poor Jake! I hope he feels better soon.
Oh no, I hope he feels better soon! It’s so hard to have a sick pet.
Wishing the best for Jake.
Hope the Pepcid works!
I’m so sorry. I had a sick cat at the vet yesterday and it’s always so worrying. I hope he improves soon!
Hope your doggie gets better!
My hugs to you and Jake.
Oh, that’s so stressful!! Big healing vibes to Jake and a hug to you.
Thinking of you and Jake over the weekend. Hope that you get concrete answers soon. Not knowing sucks.
I hope you get good answers on Monday, and that he accepts some people food this weekend, Dawn.
I hope this is a temporary set-back!
Joining the chorus late but hoping that Jake is okay.
I hope Jake gets stronger this week
I’m hoping for good news with Jake!
That’s a big weight loss. I hope he can be helped asap.
A lovely sunny day here, always a bonus when that coincides with the weekend. When we go out for a walk shortly, I’ll wear Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Figue-Iris, one of the perfumes that helped send me down the rabbit hole.
Hope you had a lovely walk Gaynor! My husband braved a walk here right before the snow started, but I opted out 🙂
Clear frigid day for the playoff game! I’ll be staying inside, feeling the aftereffects of my booster yesterday.
Champaca on one arm, and PG Peau d’Ambre on the other. I need to stop sampling and start using my bottles. But I’ve got three discovery sets in my luckyscent cart ;-P
Go Bills!
I hope your team won!
It’s so cold here, even the cat is huddled under blankets! I’m keeping as warm as possible in L’Eau by Diptyque. I did some yoga this morning for the first time in well over a year!
I keep trying to climb back on the yoga wagon — it’s been hard to commit to making the time with my go-to studio closed for the pandemic. This week! Hold me to it!
I’ll be your accountability twin if you want – I am also struggling to make the time “for me” to practice.
I think if I block out the time on my work calendar, like I used to when I did in-person classes, I can make it happen! Let’s report back at the end of the week. 😉
Isabella, I keep *thinking* about trying to climb back on the wagon. Ha.
I had to laugh at “even the cat is huddled under blankets!”. I know that my 2 would definitely do that.
I had my 3rd jab on Thursday and apart from a big of pain in my arm I didn’t have any other bad symptoms, so yay me.
I’m wearing Bulle de Rose again today.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYwB8GrI_cF/?utm_medium=copy_link
I always love your photo compositions, and this one is no exception – well done!
I agree, that’s a particularly nice photo!
Yay you! Good job.
I am wearing Guerlain L’Initial EDP today. It is currently 63 degrees, but cold weather is moving in really fast. It will be a high of 50 degrees tomorrow for the whole day, and also very windy.
Have a nice weekend everyone !
Have a nice weekend too!
Working on the unlabelled DS&Durga decant and ignoring the household chores needing to be done.
The right way to spend a Saturday!?
Sotd is TDC I Miss Violet.
I tracked down a bottle after Perfumelover67 included a sample in a swap (thank you!) Love at first sniff!
This one is definitely you. Classy and gorgeous!
Awww, that’s so sweet:)
Happy Saturday!
SOTD is from a sample set by South African brand Cape Island(yes,still giving the local brands the benefit of the doubt…lol).
This one is called Summer Vineyard,I can smell some fynbos and indigenous plants like cape malva.It’s a slightly confusing brand because they mostly do home scents and candles,but these little 5mls were marked as edt…so either I have room spray on me or I don’t know….Lol.
I posted a video review of another local brand-Wick Fragrances-on my Instagram.I took the plunge as I am REALLY socially awkward,but what the heck,there it is!(cringe-worthy,but whatever!haha!)
XO’s
Oh,the Wick review is on a new product they are launching,a sugar butter bodyscrub,that I really enjoyed.It’s scent is Reine du Volcan,I have the edp of the scent and it is really really gorgeous.South African brand that has been doing it right!
I enjoyed your review. It was nice to hear you speaking. Well done. Charming accent, by the way! wink wink
Haha!!Thank you for watching!!?✌?
Johano, what is your IG account?
Hi lillyjo you can find me @johanobotha76.Are you also on Insta?
I’m not, but my daughter has one. So I use hers whenever someone wants to share something they have posted.
I just watched!??❤
Yay!???✌?
I enjoyed your review!
Aww thanks LizzieB!
XO’s
I’ve connected with a couple of NST friends on Instagram already,but please leave your username for insta here if we have not as yet!Mine is @johanobotha76.I don’t post that often,but I like the format of Instagram.
XO’s
You know you can also make your user name here a link to your insta account, if you want!
Oh great!Thanks,I’m on it asap!✌??
Just watched your review, johano! Very well done, and not cringeworthy! It sounds like a lovely scent and product.
Thanks for checking it out!
I first discovered Wick Fragrances when they launched their two debut perfumes last year,and I was really impressed.They started out doing candles,wax melts and diffusers,but I am so glad the owner decided to branch out to perfumes and other peronal care products as well.Not afilliated,but I was one of 15 lucky people to receive the scrub and to give an honest review.
I’m in Gaiac, by M.Micallef this cold, blustery Saturday afternoon. Having chili for lunch along with the obligatory fizzy water. Something about eating Mexican food requires fizz.
Our microwave has been tripping the breaker the last couple of days, so we pulled it out of its cubby. Plugged it in to a different socket and it’s been working fine so far today. So, it’s probably a wiring issue (please no) or a bad breaker. I’m so hoping it’s not the wiring! ?
You smell great today.
Why thank you ringthing!
Yay for Gaiac!
I’m loving this, especially the drydown. ❤️
Fingers crossed for a bad breaker!
We really need an easy solution right now.
My microwave has to be plugged in to its own outlet with its own breaker, if that makes any sense.
Makes sense. They do pull a lot of current. The hubster has wired entire homes in the past, so we may be able to handle it ourselves.
12 hours sleep wrapped in duvet like a burrito.
We have diseased trees and five have been removed close to me in the last 10 days. It makes the light filter differently and I am not happy about this.
A total of 80 eucalyptus trees in the greenbelt I live on will be removed. Plus the buzzsaw and woodchippers are going from 8-5 every day. It’s like the last scene in Fargo, but different.
The trees will be replaced, but for someone who does change management for a living, I do not like this change.
SOTD is Scents of Wood Plum in Cognac. I smell amazing.
Two weeks and one day till my sister arrives! not that I am counting down or anything. Doing laundry and we have rain which is needed.
No tsunami warning here. Mani pedi later this afternoon.
I would mug someone in an alleyway to get 12 hours of sleep! Sounds like heaven, especially with the burrito duvet.
So many people around here who’ve lost homes or otherwise had their properties impacted by recent wildfires have then had to deal with daily woodchipper noise, week after week after month — I can’t imagine how excruciatingly stressful the neverending noise pollution must be! I get all squirmy when someone in my town has a tree worked on for one day…
Oh no, that’s so many trees!! ? What disease is affecting them?
they have some sort of bug that attacks their leaves leaving a sticky white film and the tree trunk gets sick and weak. We had one tree go over during some Santa Anas’ during the year.
it went into the street and not into my neighbors house. That tree brought beautiful shade to my bedroom. I miss it.
At least you got good sleep! You smell really great. I ended up getting a FB of this.
its a beautiful fragrance.
Hi all. I”m wearing Safran Troublant. We dropped thirty degrees since yesterday! No more sitting out on the porch with wine and a book in the afternoon. I’m finally reading The Perfume Thief and enjoying it. It’s interestingly written, though badly edited (if that makes any sense–I mean, I notice small typos and malapropisms).
My comments are short because when I fell a week ago I broke the little finger in my right hand. It’s not a bad break but it hampers me.
It looked pretty darn painful on Insta,but I am glad you are OK!
Sending Hugs!
You smell amazing.
I hope your finger recovers quickly!
Ouch, hope it is better soon!
Hey Calypso. I saw the pic of your hand … it looked painful! I hope it is healing well. Iknow whatyou mean about poorly edited. At least one perfume blog by a somewhat famous blogger (or maybe he just thinks he is) really should be edited.
Oy vey, please excuse the inadvertently connected words!
Haha!You highlighted my own discontent with poorly edited blogs perfectly by doing that!?????
There is one “reference” website which I think most of us have used to check on a perfume’s details,english is not my first language,but oh boy…some of their essays are just a complete mess.
Sending you a gentle hug, Calypso. I hope your finger mends quickly.
I hope your finger heals quickly . Sending you a hug!
Oh dear, joining in the good wishes! That really must make typing hard.
The day started gray and gloomy but the fog burned off and the sun has come out a bit. I made a peach galette this morning and couldn’t wait for dinner to eat it, so lunch was a big piece. SOTD is Cuir Cannage.
Mouth watering,..
I had to google “peach galette” being a total zero in the kitchen(a gay man that cannot cook or bake??Impossible!!Lol.Well here I am!??)
It does look delicious,and I love the sugary crust of some of the versions.And I have eaten something like that,I just never knew it was called a galette!YUM
Oh yum! The peach galette sounds scrumptious.
I would not wait either!
Saturday!
1) Was going to work a shift today at the hardware store, but had a fall down the stairs. It was a sudden bit of vertigo, and despite being dressed to go, I decided to call out.
With rest and a consult with the doctor, I should be okay to work next week.
The house needs putting away from Christmas decor and generally tidying, which I have been doing in bits.
2) SOTD is Idole.
3) There are Tsunami waves coming to the coast (from the explosion in Tonga) and I do hope our coastal communities are ready. Combined with the issues of the pandemic our coastal communities have been taking a big hit!
I hope the coastal areas don’t suffer too much. I’ve seen some astonishing videos of the volcano and the tsunami when it first happened. Stay safe!
So far my friends in Tillamook and Lincoln City are doing okay- they are *just* out of tsunami range, but they were still at risk. Fortunately they are okay!
Ouch to the fall down the stairs! I’m glad you’re okay.
Thank goodness for carpeted stairs!
Ugh to your vertigo and fall! I hope you can rest up and feel better soon.
Ouch! Take it easy. I had vertigo for a brief but extremely memorable period and know how dreadful it can be.
The dizziness was shocking- literally felt out of nowhere! I was feeling so good before!
Oh no! I hope you weren’t hurt! My sister-in-law had it and there is some kind of “home remedy” instead of going for vestibular therapy.
Just some bruising, and will be visiting my Pilates instructor later on (she is also a registered PT) to to get looked at and do some stuff on her Reformer and possibly on the Gyro machine.
I hope you feel better today. We had a bit of damage up north, with boats coming off moorings and being washed aground. Down here we got a bigger swell which pleased the surfers. But the national radio was a steady broadcast of updates from Tonga yesterday as communications have been largely cut and there is a large Tongan population in Auckland desperate for news of family.
Thank you!
*sighs* I am really hoping for the best for the Tongan communities in reaching their loved- or at worst, knowing what happened to the communities back home.
Hope you are feeling better today!
I love that photo, Robin! There’s just something about birds in a winter landscape. I have two double-sided suet feeders out in my garden, but so far they haven’t attracted much interest. Some years, they are covered with little birds!
These birds-in-winter photos are the acme of the genre, for me: https://mymodernmet.com/red-winged-blackbird-kathrin-swoboda/
The first goldfinches of the year have arrived here — they seem to be enjoying the fact that I haven’t mowed my lawn in a while and a bunch of little groundsels have had a chance to bolt (I think that’s what they’re eating).
What are groundsels? I’ve never heard of them before.
They’re a little weedy Asteraceae thingamabobby. Senecio vulgaris, if you like.
Those blackbird photos are wonderful! I love goldfinches too. One of my cousins, who lives in Maine and is a great photographer, actually saw and photographed the visiting Steller’s sea eagle: https://www.npr.org/2022/01/14/1072706921/one-of-the-rarest-eagles-in-the-world-has-birdwatchers-flocking-to-maine. Sadly, his photo wasn’t as good as his usual, because the eagle flew by so suddenly and quickly, and at a distance. But what an adventure!
My husband keeps talking about doing suet feeders, but so far has not. Mostly he goes out and feeds individual peanuts to birds he likes. They are all semi trained now and come when he goes out the back door.
I’m luxuriating in my 4-day weekend over here :). Friday through Monday! I did some errands yesterday, so today I’ve done very little.
I’m trying out Amouage Portrayal Woman from a sample, and I’m trying to figure out what notes I’m detecting without looking at a description. It’s hard! It smells very rich, I will say that.
Okay, now I peeked at the description, and I don’t know what elemi smells like. Fragrantica has it under Resins and Balsams, and that’s a group I don’t know well in general! Except that I used to play the violin, and I had a block of rosin to rub on the bow strings. It had a faint smell if I remember correctly.
You sure sound carefree! I don’t know what elemi smells like either.
Elemi is sorta, kinda incense-y. I wish I had a better description than that for you.
Yes, it’s got a lemony aspect like frankincense. It’s been a long time since I’ve smelled the raw material, but I did just read that it can be used in place of frankincense as a less costly alternative.
Interesting! I wonder if the raw material is hard to get for non-perfumers.
Geisha Noire for me today. Such a good vanilla.
The husband drove down to a men’s breakfast thing this am – gone before I woke up. He texted that about 6 miles south of us it was snowing and blowing, so a bit hairy driving. Amusingly, it was sunny at our place.
Frustrating online chat with Costco yesterday. They, in effect, said the recent online order snafu was because the billing zip code in their system didn’t match my credit card zip code. One had the extra 4 digits, the other didn’t. Seriously?? It’s not really a viable explanation for the problem, but I finally realized I was wasting the service agent’s time in my challenges. Left a really bad taste.
Laughing over the whole discussion of spring and how soon it arrives. In my new home, I’ve learned we wait until mid to late May. So, for me, winter is just starting. LOL.
Oh…and I’m still being competitive with my husband on Wordle. I texted him today that I got it in 3 tries. Waiting for him to play…
Wordle is fun, and addictive.
Last year, we had garden-killing frost into early May, and then 95-degree heat literally two weeks later. Spring was sort of a calendar concept, rather than an actual season!
Oy! Did you place another order?
Your credit card woes remind me of mine with Nordstrom’s when I first got it. I was paying for a relatively largish Frederic Malle purchase and it was declined. I was at the boutique! I usually carry other credit cards so there no issue with being able to purchase. When I got home, I called the company and asked why my transaction was declined, just in case it had been used fraudulently. The CSR was hemming and hawing and could not come up with an explanation. Finally, she said it was because I used it outside of my zipcode. I just about lost it but decided to ask how I can rectify the situation. She said I need to call every 90 days to let the company know I will be using it outside of my zipcode. WTF. BTW, I never had to do it so whatever it was resolved itself.
I did. Through a very nice guy, in person, at the warehouse. Cost me an extra $70 because they’re a bit more expensive tires.
I am being totally delusional about Spring – where I live it doesn’t really arrive until May either
Same here, but it helps to think it’s not far off! At least the days are getting longer now, slowly.
that is a wildly illogical situation!
I’m not happy with Costco lately.
I bought a new washer and dryer online.
They both work great, but the delivery and installation service was awful.
Infusion d’Amande (which I adore) for a day of grocery shopping and getting my nails done and a little house work. Nothing else exciting to report for me today haha. Just going to chill and workout and such the rest of the weekend.
You smell glorious. I hope you enjoy your mellow weekend.
Winter storm moving into an area that normally has no winter, so I’ve done the prep work. We are more than fine if we lose power, and I just hope that we get lots of pretty snowflakes and no freezing rain.
A long weekend, the semester is over and I’m prepared for the next one, so it’s a true break. Today I chose Cuir d’Ange – I hadn’t worn it since Christmas 2019 for various reasons. It spoke to me today, I wore it and almost cried – lots of memories tied to the beauty of this scent.
scent memory is so powerful.
I have a bit of Cuir d’Ange somewhere, must find it!
I’m wearing laddm from a sample.
It has been too long, the scent brings back memories.
stay warm and safe. 🙂
Be careful! I’m glad you don’t have to drive anywhere!
Now feeling quite sorry for myself, because after all my recent misadventures with toothache and root canal before Christmas, and installation of temporary crown this week (which was so stressful for me that I slept for two hours after I got home; I have an irrational fear of dental work no matter how excellent) — the temporary crown came off tonight. Probably can’t get fixed until Monday, though I’m grateful that Monday is an option since it is also the MLK holiday here in the US.
Imma pull out all my most lavish fragrances tomorrow and sample them!
Oh no! For how long is the temporary crown supposed to remain?
Two weeks!
Oh yuck! My sympathies. I’ve dealt with temporary crowns in the past, and they can be a pain.
I take the whole day off for any dental work. I also find it stressful and need to ” take to my bed” afterwards. I hate it.
I wish you luck!
Oh no.I’m with you on the fear of dental work,having bad experiences and seriously painful procedures since I was a kid!Hope it gets sorted!Sending hugs!
Here’s a laugh for you…
I am terrified of the puff of air that shoots to the eyeball during eye exams!
Haha!Oh no,I’m sorry!
That scares me too.
I think you can buy temporary dental adhesive at a drug store and push the temporary back in. I once had a cap that would not stay in place and figured this out by necessity. Good luck!
I found a very kind and sympathetic dentist who will actually prescribe me some Valium for my visits. You have to have someone drive you there and home, but wow does that help.
I can relate. I take half a Valium for dental work.
Oh drat! Very lucky you can get it done Monday though.
Package with my Shalini Jardin Nocturne arrived… I raved about my fragrances on here before but I was ready to see why Shalini is so expensive? I am guessing that even if I didn’t know it’s hefty price tag I would have to say it smells very very expensive. But of course I know it’s $ value because I am the one who paid for it!!
I don’t even want to say this smells expensive as hell because that sounds like insulting this little gem Jardin Nocturne is. It is achingly beautiful it made me freeze upon breathing in this gorgeous scent. Simply the most beautiful “thing” I ever smelled. The jasmine is the first thing that steps up upon spraying BUT it appears in a navy-dark moonlit background. The visuals and colors that come to mind with this scent are insane!! The saffron just makes me loose my mind with this one and oh…. I just sniffed my wrist again… I am done
…
Just saying the sweetness of it is so sweet yet fresh like breeze… spring breeze… I am touching heaven with this one!!!! I will stop describing it now but I do not regret a single penney spent on this $$$ little sucker:)
Wow this sounds amazing! Enjoy!!
Thank You!!
Oh I love that feeling when a perfume exceeds your expectations,especially the blind buys of which I did wayyy too many in the past!
The last perfume that made me feel like what you just described was Phi une Rose de Khandehar…it still takes my breath away,and I’ve been hoarding the 10mls or so that is left in my bottle!
Enjoy your new one!!
I would love to try Phi Une Rose de Khandehar. This also seems super exclusive.
If interesting rose perfumes are your thing,I think Phi is a MUST on the try-list.
It sounds beautiful! Enjoy your splurge!
Yes I definitely will. Only little problem with splurging like that is that You can’t just close Your eyes and spray away LOL
I had a long lunch with a dear friend yesterday. I hadn’t seen her for a few months so we caught up. She gifted me with Terre de Lumiere by L’Occitane and a really nice scented body oil. They layered together beautiful becoming a your skin but better musky sheer honey-lavender. Love it.
Enjoy Your gift!! So nice and thoughtful of Your friend. Glad You had a great time with Her!!
It was! She is very generous!
What a thoughtful gift! Sounds like a great combo.
I agree…she knows I’m having a lavender moment and found the perfect gift.
Ohhhhh lavender is the best of all!!!
?
Nice! Glad you were able to catch up with your friend!
We’ve been long-time friends. It was really great to spend time together.
Wearing a gorgeous TF Plum Japonais today… Loving it a lot lot.
That’s a beautiful scent. One of the first TFs I ever tried.
I have yet to smell a TF I dislike so far. But PJ is the best one for sure.
I haven’t smelled PJ in a long time but the original is beautiful!
Isn’t it?
Ok I’ve had this question for a while in the back of my mind: Andy Tauer perfumes such as 08 Une Rose Chypree and 10 Une Rose Vermeille have some kind of pebbles, beads(?) In the bottles? What are these? Some crystals? Also the prices were higher than regular perfumes in the Tauer line, am I correct?
He stopped adding the crystals a while ago because he said it was too much trouble. I’m not sure about the pricing – I think they would only be available from his website, if they are not discontinued. Unfortunately his site is down for maintenance at the moment. But both scents are very beautiful and worthy, I love them.
Actually looking at some old pics on the internet of these perfumes with crystals in plus the deep orange of the glass made them look real pretty and unique.
I didn’t even know about the beads! They are usually to displace volume to keep the perfume “less expensive” while maintains the same packaging size. I know there are several perfumers who do / did this: April Aromatics adds crystal for their positive energy (she explains it better on her website); Slumberhouse used to have a bottle type where he needed to add clear glass (?) beads to reduce the perfume volume.
By the way, thank you so much for the compliments about my IG account!
Oh sure but it is super true:)
I am pretty sure that both of those Tauer rose perfumes are discontinued, and have been for a couple of years now.
Yes and there is a third one too with lily of the valley but yea they are nowhere to be found anymore.
Having a very lazy Sunday morning sitting in the sunshine and letting my old bones warm up a bit.
Stuck my hand in my sandwich bag of samples and pulled out Nicolai Vanille Intense. Smells like rotten fruit so safe to say it’s reached the end of its life. I think this sample is about 11 or 12 years old, purchased when I was on a “perfect vanilla” hunt similar, but not as extensive, as Sha-ra. Oh well, I’ll scrub it and find something else.
The thought of sun sounds so wonderful. It’s freezing in my area. Colder than usual… The older I get, the less I like winter. Too bad about your sample. I think I sampled it as well several years ago. I quite liked it but prefer vanilla as a note more than as a main player.
https://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/new-zealand-scaup
I had a lovely hot but shaded bush walk around the reservoir yesterday and saw nesting shags and a scalp with a duckling. The water was so clear that it was easy to see the duckling as it dived and swam underwater . It was tiny but diving for ages…they are diving ducks. Later, on the way home, I stopped and watched a cricket match in our local park. Watching cricket is the sporting equivalent of birdwatching. Almost nothing happens but the moment you look away there is an “event”. It is very rhythmic and meditative though, and just right for a hot afternoon. Monday now and the summer break is over and work kicks in. Wearing La Dolce Vita again.
Scaup not scalp. Ugh.
I knew that was what you must have meant! That walk sounds so lovely. Can you define “hot”? I bet you’d melt if you ever experienced a Houston summer day!
Hot for down here is around 25C (77 F) though in February we might get way up to 30C (86F) once or twice. We are coastal so are usually cooled by the sea. Inland ( Power of the Dog location) it is quite often 32-35C (95F) and very dry, not humid. Personally, I regard anything over 20C as hot if it is calm and sunny, like yesterday. I wouldn’t cope with Houston or anywhere humid…I am such a winter person. (I remember reading the novel 92in the shade when I was a student and being appalled at the thought of such heat.)
The native bush had a wonderfully earthy/ Ferny scent with a smattering of sweetness from the honey dew on the trees.
Spring must be on the way because my grape hyacinths have poked green shoots above the ground. I am loving you home redecorators, I am living vicariously through you. One of these days I will redo the fireplace mantel, change the quarter round for real baseboards, and repaint, but not now. SOTD is Songes while I wait for it to warm up enough to go walk outside.
Wow, nice! Spring is not on the way here, that’s for sure.
I think I’ll wear Fox in the Flowerbed to go to my friend’s for brunch shortly. She’s making from scratch: cinnamon rolls, veggie burgers, buns, french fries, pickled veggies, and chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Pretty excited to eat this feast and drink champagne cocktails.
Yesterday, I woke up still feeling tired so we laid low and watched movies and took a nap midday. I wore Regime des Fleurs Falling Trees on one arm and Papillon Spell 125 on the other. Those and the FitF are among samples I received from a Tigerlily order at the end of December. I wish the two perfumes I wore yesterday weren’t so pricey or that they came in smaller sizes. They’re both very nice and foresty, woody, incense perfumes are underrepresented in my collection.
That brunch sounds delicious! I also wish certain perfume brands weren’t so expensive. Sigh.
Wow, that is a serious brunch! Hope it was delicious.
It was delicious! This friend always makes way too much food. Here’s what we actually had: veggie burgers (a recipe based on Columbus, OH’s Northstar Cafe’s veggie burger – look it up, it’s so good!), sweet potato fries, pickled veggies, falafel with tzatziki, charred roasted broccoli, and the insanely delicious two layered chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting (maybe the best frosting I’ve never had other than cream cheese frosting) and raspberry coulis.
It ended up being a lunch and not a brunch, and I was so full! Only just now, at 8:15 my time, about to eat a small soft pretzel (the frozen kind you get at the grocery) with a little cream cheese for dinner.
SOTN: Acqua di Parma Mandorlo di Sicilia
Recipe for veggie burger saved, thanks! That really is a LOT of food. So glad it was fun!
I was in the car all day yesterday, driving out to Palm springs with a friend to pick up her new puppy. Wore Tiger’s Nest, which will get a lot of wear this year as it’s the year of the tiger. 🙂
Today I’m wearing Hiram Green Lustre. Went for a nice bike ride along the beach.
Palm Springs and a Puppy!
Sounds like a great day!
Puppy!!! ?
Shalimar Eau de Cologne for me. Cold day here, my husband is gathering energy to make split pea soup. I’m intermittently dealing with decorations. Our place is very cluttered and needs a good cleaning.
Was ?? earlier because I got Wordle in two tries today. So glad it’s just one game a day.
Shalimar cologne is a favorite version of Shalimar for me. You smell wonderful.