It’s Hump Day and National Banana Bread Day. Birthdays today: Samuel Pepys, W. E. B. Du Bois. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm copying tiffanie, with Fendi Theorema for George Harrison's My Sweet Lord, from All Things Must Pass, 1970.
Reminder: 2/25 is George Harrison's birthday. Tell us a favorite George Harrison or Beatles song and wear the fragrance that matches the song. (Adapted from a suggestion by Old Herbaceous. We did a similar project for John Lennon in 2020.)
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2022, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Bonus watch: the official video for My Sweet Lord, with Fred Armisen and Vanessa Bayer (plus Mark Hamill, Ringo Starr, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Rosanna Arquette, Jon Hamm, Olivia and Dhani Harrison, and many more). Released for the 50th anniversary of All Things Must Pass. Sorry but you will probably have to sit through an ad.
Good morning!
Banana Bread Day. Reading that makes me crave some. I happen to have some pretty ripe nanas sitting on the counter, I might whip up a loaf this afternoon and maybe toss in a handful of chopped walnuts for some crunch ?
Sotd is TF Rose D’Amalfi. I am really enjoying this gentle vanillic, slightly powdery pink rose.
House Twins
House triplets?
Copying Happy888Cat above with Tom Ford-I am in Neroli Portofino
C. Tillbury eyeshadow YSL lippy in red but more like blotted to a stain after all the coffee..
I am wearing Hermes Cedre Sambac and drinking a cup of Shalimar tea. This Guerlain canister containing the tea says its expiration date is May of 2018, but it still tastes great. I was using it sparingly, but now I am thinking I’ll just enjoy it and drink up
You smell great! And tea lasts long past its expiration date, I wouldn’t worry.
I have teas WAY older than that.
Ditto.
I’m wearing the last of a decant of Rosa Magnifica. I think that this is one of the first decants I ever acquired. Pretty rose.
Yes, very pretty, you smell lovely.
On this unexpectedly warm* and sunny February day, I’m in Etat Libre d’Orange Antihéros. Aggressive lavender, plainly done: there’s nothing in it that doesn’t complement the smell of freshly crushed lavender flowers. Usually I want a lot of complexity and layers, but sometimes I just want to smell like one insistent thing.
* (12°C! Tonight it will plummet to -12° and stay subzero for at least a week. That’s more like it.)
I was out early yesterday morning for a walk and noticed I could see my breath which was a bit unusual for February. Now we’re at 13C so much more like it. Dark in the mornings now, sunrise around 7am.
I’m highly amused that it’s National Banana Bread Day, after baking my very first (and possibly last) batch of it yesterday. I used a recipe from a ‘40s-era cookbook (the Woman’s Home Companion Cookbook, in case you’re curious), and it required nearly every single measuring cup and spoon we own, not to mention 3 different mixing bowls. It did turn out well, despite not being able to find my loaf pan and using an 8-inch square baking dish instead.
Commando so far (I’m dragging a bit this morning), but I suspect I’ll go for something warm and cozy since it’s 25F out there.
Hmm. That sounds like an overly complicated recipe. Maybe track down another and try again?
My FIL — age 97.5 — is famous in his senior complex for bringing banana bread to the Friday social gatherings. He does use a mix, but doctors it up with fresh mashed banana and who knows what else.
Hmm, maybe I should try a mix.
I have never read recipes from the 40s! Do they use methods like creaming or melted butter like we do now? Curious.
This recipe did call for creaming the shortening and then adding the sugar to that, so yes. Melted butter is one of my favorite things and appears often in my kitchen. ?
Way too complicated! Banana bread is one of those things for which I’ve substituted plenty of ingredients, all with edible results. I never would have survived in the ‘40’s, I guess!
My sister uses applesauce instead of butter. It’s yummy.
The recipe I used didn’t call for walnuts, which scandalized Mr. G — he made me add them. If I ever get up the energy to make banana bread again, I’m thinking of adding some golden raisins.
I wonder if there is such a thing as a one pot (baking dish?) banana bread? ?
That would be great! I’m not a big fan of pre-made mixes in general but I might have to try one, if only to avoid all the washing up of measuring cups. ?
I use the Joy of Cooking recipe, much simpler.
You know, I looked at our copy of Joy and its recipe is nearly the same — it subtracts the baking soda but adds grated lemon rind, so same number of ingredients overall. I didn’t look at measurements to see if as many measuring devices (one cup, third cup, quarter cup, half teaspoon, quarter teaspoon) and steps/bowls (creaming the shortening in one bowl, double-sifting of the flour in another) are involved. I’ll give it a try next time (if there IS a next time!).
I never bother with adding the lemon rind or sifting the flour. I just dump everything in and mix, turns out fine.
I don’t remember the recipe that my Mom used for banana bread being terribly complicated. She used the one from the 1972 version of the Betty Crocker cookbook.
My earworm today is While My Guitar Gently Weeps and I’m wearing Patchouli Antique to at least reference the era.
Now I’m hungry for banana bread. I was shopping for bananas yesterday and they were green as pine trees.
LOL! They are like that at Costco. They they all ripen on the same day.
My brother has had the same exact thing happen to him with Costco bananas! ?
Bottega Veneta, and the sample spray goes “thunk.” I am having trouble connecting this with a George song, but now want to listen to All Things Must Pass — haven’t played the whole album in years. (And have neither the album nor a turntable right now, so there’s that.)
Ireland is set to lift mask and social distancing mandates on Monday; we are waiting for word from the university on whether it will retain some policies.
You smell great today!
Getting rid of my turntable and records is still one of my biggest regrets.
the ex-husband took the turntable. I have every one of my albums.
Ha!
Sotd is vintage Miss Dior inspired by “I Me Mine” – this evocative fragrance feels both personal/contemporary and historic. My mother, like many women of her generation, wore Miss Dior and now it has become “mine.”
Perfect!
A healthy six sprays of Gucci Bloom today. I like it, but it doesn’t really distinguish itself in the Tuberose world, in my opinion. I have a small bottle, which I’ll probably give to my sister, an avid Do Son fan.
Thank you for the skincare recommendations yesterday! I ordered some trial sizes from cosrx—starting there because they’re so darn affordable.
They really hook you with all those trial sets! I ordered several of them.
Yup! Same here.
Drinking hot chocolate and wearing Femme.
Yum. I have really been on a hot cocoa streak lately, it’s become my afternoon treat.
Yum! I found a really good chocolate place nearby that makes real hot chocolate, not like those powdered mixes. So good.
And the hot chocolate I had from the machine at work was yuck. I may have to bring my own mix!
I’m in Chanel no 18 again.
Thanks for the fingers crossed and good vibes yesterday. My son does not need a bone graft. He will have his labrum repaired in April. Now ?his shoulder stays in place til then!
Single digits again this morning, but warming for the weekend!?
?crossed for him. I hope he’s not in alot of pain.
Thanks lillyjo! He tells me he’s not, so that’s good.
Great news. Was the consult near you or back where he lives?
Near (in the same fancy new building I work in), he is back home for a few months.?
That’s terrific news!
Thanks!?
Great news!
Thanks!?
Glad to hear that your son had good news
Thanks Kanuka, me too!?
Glad of this good news.
Thanks Aurora!?
Excellent news! Now all your son has to do is stay in one piece until his procedure… ???
Right!??
Brr chilly here today. Yesterday we got a bit of rain, a bit of hail, a bit of snow. There’s still snow on my back deck.
Digging myself out of the snowdrift of samples. The Akro discovery set is on deck for today.
Hail, ugh!! Enjoy the sampling regardless.
In Tom Ford Black Orchid parfum on this below zero day in the Midwest.
I am sorry to tell you we went over 60…gorgeous here, hope that weather gets to you soon!
It’s a chilly day today, so I’m going to go with the warming effects of Kenzo Amour Le Parfum. One of you fabulous folks gave this to me quite some time back, I think (chime in if it was you), and it’s wonderful. A bit of a heavy-hitter, it has all of the terrific notes from the original Amour, amped up with patchouli and incense. I’m wafting.
I really though Amour would last longer (into flankers) than it did! The Le Parfum was nice but I could not finish my bottle.
Wearing DSH’s Colorado. When I got this bottle a few weeks ago, it didn’t smell like much but apparently it was just shocked from. Being shipped the the cold or something. Now I love it. Right now it is in a slightly incensy phase, but it will slide back around to pine trees or meadows or something in a while.
Colorado sounds lovely — glad the cold-shipping damage wasn’t permanent!
We’re TWINS!!!!
Rain all day and night yesterday, still very chilly and windy today. Mila and I are snuggled up on the couch. I’m wearing what I think was a limited edition 4160 Tuesdays scent, Amber Takes Violet to the Woods. As the name implies, it is an amber with woods & violet. It smells a bit incensey to me, but a lot of ambers do. Great for cozy time at home on this blustery day.
Cozy time at home is the best!
21 degrees here and heading to work. I am wearing Do Son to see if I need the limited edition bottle. Lol.
My car warranty expired yesterday. I’ve been looking into getting an outside warranty but so far reviews have not been great. Does anyone have an opinion or advice?
I know, I love the blue Do Son bottle but don’t like the scent.
As for warranties, I haven’t had good luck. Better to just have a savings account you build up over time for repairs and eventual replacement.
No one in my family has ever bothered with warranties. Just kept a savings account or slush fund handy for “stuff”.
I think I got an extended warranty as it was a pretty good price but I did not extend it further.
I adopted the Consumer Reports attitude years ago: never pay extra for a warranty for ANYTHING and you’ll come out ahead in the end, even if you end up paying for repairs or replacements.
My father always told us not to buy the warranty, and I never have. And then I ran a “co-brand” credit card where the partner was a large electronics retailer who shall remain nameless. Credit cards, warranties, and cable sales were managed by the same group at the partner, and we as the credit card partner couldn’t get the time of day from them, because the credit card revenue they made from us couldn’t come close to their revenue off warranties (or cables). They made a KILLING off warranties, and also did everything in their power to make sure they didn’t pay on warranties, to keep the profits crazy high.
Just save money to cover any emergencies — don’t bother with a warranty.
All the reviews I’ve been reading say it is almost impossible to get anything covered. I had an extended warranty from the dealer which was very easy to use but apparently I can’t extend it. Thanks for the info!
Apple scruffs, Apple scruffs, how I love you, how I love you.
Slept 12 straight. Having coffee on sofa under cozy throw. Sunny but cold in LA.
Dinner out tonight will wear Silky Woods.
I bought a travel size SL fille de anguilles with case on the SL site for 50 clams.
Mmmm, Silky Woods. Have a great dinner meet up!
Nice purchase with that SL!
I’m in Eau de Snow right now. Will apply something warm and toasty in a bit, pobably Ummagumma. Love the incense in that one on a cold day.
Very saddened to hear one of my favorite singer/song writers died yesterday. I’ve followed him for years, and I’ve always loved his writing, especially his older songs as he was grappling with addiction, family fallout, and a host of other issues. He sings a sad song like no one else and I’m a sucker for a sad song. His voice is reminiscent of whisky, 5 pack a day smoker, and the rending of the human heart, all rolled into one. I’ll miss him.
One of my favorites of his with PJ Harvey:
https://youtu.be/dHZovvTWr88
Such a terrible loss, and way too soon.
Thanks, I love that rendition. And great description of his voice. I really like this one, also: https://youtu.be/zP4TNxistAQ
And YES for Ummagumma!
He and Isobel made some great music together. He had people from all genres lining up to collaborate with him. Such a shame. And yes, it IS Ummagumma Day! ✌?
Deva I thought of you immediately when I heard the news. I’m sorry.
Thanks lillyjo.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/dec/20/this-thing-was-trying-to-dismantle-me-mark-lanegan-on-nearly-dying-of-covid?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
An extract from his memoir Devil in a Coma you might like?
Thanks for the link. I’ve also been meaning to read Sing Backwards and Weep for ages…
Wow, I had never heard of him so I clicked on the link. His voice and style of music remind me of Daniel Lanois.
He died so young ?
Yes, only 57 but his body was probably around 110. He led a rough life.
Woke up with Bois d’Armenie lingering from last night and wanted to layer a creamy gardenia over it. Saw an article about JM Vintage Gardenia getting re-released, so I went with that. the combo is a creamy, ice cream version of a gardenia, and I love it.
Drinking a Clipper Ship Earl Gray Creme in a london fog, so it is extra creamy to compliment my SOTD. I am supposed to start a large, multi-week project of our own choosing in my stained glass class tonight. I know that I want to make a panel to cover the bottom half of a bathroom window as a modest screen, but finding a pattern that is simple enough for a beginner but complex enough to push me to develop skills while I still have a teacher to provide real-time guidance is proving difficult. Analysis Paralysis!
Interesting re Vintage Gardenia and funny that I posted about an old JM, too, without reading your post first. Good luck with your stained glass project–it sounds so cool.
I hope you find some inspiration. What a fantastic course.
It is a lot of fun! Especially for someone like me who can barely draw a stick figure and can paint only (bad) abstract pictures. This gives me an opportunity to be artistic with a method that I can do.
Are you doing it with lead or copper foil? You can do a lot more complex designs without increasing the difficulty with copper foil.
We’re using foil (although I would like to learn how to use lead at some point). The main difficulty for me is cutting intricate shapes. I’m comfortable with the running pliers, but I’m finding the grozer pliers difficult. I want to use this project to get more practice with them, but not so much that I dread working on the project.
Just grind as much as you need to.
I had 2 bottles of Vintage Gardenia and gave away one of them!
The Euphorium Brooklyn event was good and very unusual with showings of “vintage” films which are really a series of photographs. The 2 scents we tested Chocolatl and Flocked & Gilded started out overwhelmingly strong but had a very cozy drydown. I have not seen the email on the specials yet but I may just have missed it — too many emails!
As to your functional stained glass, is it better to do it like a quilt so if a piece ends up getting damaged, it doesn’t impact the whole by much?
I have about 15ml of Vintage Gardenia left, so the re-release is coming at a good time for me to re-up.
Yes, stained glass (at least the technique we are using) is essentially quilting, but with pieces of glass and solder rather than patches and thread.
Good luck with your stained glass project! Your idea sounds both practical and pretty.
Hump day! I’m in Tea for Two which I should definitely have worn yesterday (Twosday and tea day on NST). I also have a tiny spritz of Dzing on my chest. ♥ Olivia!
In other news, I see that JM Blue Agava and Cacao is back (online only and 100 mls only). I’m tempted as I used to love that one. Am I the last to know that some of these are back again??
I am beyond ‘last’. You can always count on me for knowing less than you.
Haha – maybe. But we may tie for knowing the least.
What does seem to be true at Jo Malone is that (nearly) everything comes back around eventually!
I have been watching the John Adam’s series and greatly enjoying it, such great performances. This is not a new series but the one with Paul Giametti. Also just finished Brian Cox’s autobiography which was interesting regarding Scottish and British theatre and his observations on acting techniques. Quite sparky, too. Now we’re on a Fassbinder kick (Rainer not Michael) … we’re making our own fun as the local film society is postponed because of Covid. And yesterday we also watched Doctor Zhivago ( first time for my son). That ice house! Created using melted wax, cellophane and salicylic acid and soap flakes apparently.
https://quintessenceblog.com/dr-zhivago-the-story-behind-the-style/
Wearing Diorella . Think I might be turning Dior. It’s a thing!
We loved that John Adams series. Really makes them “real” people, doesn’t it?
It was great. Loved Tom Wilkinson as Franklin and Stephen Dillane as Jefferson.
That’s funny about the ice house. We have them made out of the real thing in Canada. :-). Ice castles and sculptures at the Quebec carnaval are fun to look at, they even have a hotel and a bar.
Loved John Adams, they did such a great job. Have not seen Doctor Zhivago in years and years! I should find a copy.
I need to go back to Fassbinder. “Die Ehe der Maria Braun” has always been one of my favourites, and I haven’t seen it in a very long time, but I like all of his movies that I’ve seen.
It definitely feels like autumn here now, not so much of the late summer feeling I’d prefer. I’m wearing a perfume that suits any season, Ashoka from Neela Vermeir .
I am so sorry for you but happy for me? Of course I will steal your summer as soon as I possibly can
Partly sunny and still mild.
I was in vintage l’Air du temps edp, much more long-lasting than the current edt and perfectly fresh still, in its pretty gold canister that protected it.
Tonight I am in Aramis Tuscany per Donna, very fruity and ambery.
The Aramis version of Tuscany per Donna was gorgeous.
Yes, it’s really a great perfume, the lovely lady who gave me such a reasonable price had guaranteed that I would love it.
I had a great day!
Thank you for all the lovely comments yesterday,I just read them.
SOTD!
Byredo 1996.It was a good year,I always think of the actual year when I wear this.Another Top 20 Desert Island contender,plus a very well done Iris note!Win-win.
Happy Humpday!
Summer is still here,and tomorrow is “Friday”!!
XO’s
You smell great, love that scent!
Yay for a great day!
And for 1996… I looked fabulous! Lol?
You and me both, ha! ?
1996! I had three little munchkins running me ragged and we lived in a lovely neighborhood in Colorado. It WAS a good year!
Sampling Faun from Fantome and it’s musky and green and I was hit with a whiff of gorgeous scent when I took off my coat
Nice!
It’s quite cold today so I wanted to be cozy and Shalimar fit the bill. I’m in a decant of the parfum de toilette sent to me as a bonus in a swap. And I’m within thunking distance with it now.
I was commando for part of the day, due to a mammogram appointment. Still a little sore from that. Thankfully it’s only once a year!
Currently 71 degrees F in the house, and that’s after I turned off the heat yesterday morning. It’s been off since. The area is supposed to get a cold front coming thru tonight, so the heat will probably be coming back on before I go to bed.
SOTD = Chanel No. 19 EdP. This week has provided a great range of temps in which to test this one, and has confirmed that I like No. 19 best in warmer weather. I have yet to try it in the full fury of summer, though.
You reminded me to make my appointment! I’m a month overdue.
Ack! Get ‘er done!
You smell good! It was creepily warm today but the temps are dropping now. It will be back to old man winter tomorrow.
BTW, I sent you an email about another Chanel ?
I just checked email now… thanks for the heads up!
I was craving an almond sugar bomb today, so I am wearing Mazzolari Alessandro. It’s still going strong after a full day at school and I am perfectly happy about that. If I had to relate it to George Harrison or The Beatles, I’d say it’s ‘And I Love Her.’ I love all of those shots of the band on the cover of A Hard Day’s Night. George looks especially dashing.
So very late to the party!
SOTD = American Perfumer Colorado by DSH
I’m twins with meredifay today! I only used 5 spritzes so when I got home, I was able to try one of the Wit and West perfumes – Habari – smoky woudy amber that started as wet basement. I will need to try this again. It’s not bad but I’m not so sure I can stand wet basement.
In cleaning up news, I have an extra bag of garbage! The cleaning moxie is back although it’s not so visible since I reached into my filing cabinet for stuff. Slowly but surely!
Ew, wet basement is no bueno!
I’m reading from the bottom up and saw Jalapeños post first. I thought your basement had flooded!
SotD = Theorema!
Lovely choice, Robin. I enjoyed Theorema so much on Monday that I wore it again Tuesday and today.
Thank you for the video link. It was fun to watch. I haven’t seen it before.
Love “My Sweet Lord”! Such a beautiful song.