It's Tuesday and International Carrot Day. Birthdays: Dorothea Dix, Muddy Waters, Marguerite Duras, Maya Angelou. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm in Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Souvenir de Malmaison, and my tea at the moment is Kusmi Anastasia.
Reminder: on 4/7, for Billie Holiday’s birthday, wear gardenia, or wear one of her favorite perfumes (Coty Emeraude and Bourjois Evening in Paris) or wear a fragrance inspired by her (Serge Lutens Une Voix Noire, Maria Candida Gentile Lady Day, Strange Invisible Perfumes Lady Day, Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Don't Explain, to name a few).
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2023, where I'll try (but usually fail) to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: the Vista Alegre Teapot Emerald ("In the golden era of the Art Deco movement, metals and precious stones were elements usually associated with the geometrization of the patterns, reflecting opulence inherent in artistic creation. This teapot is embellished with gold accents") is $215 at British Isles.
Lovely teapot! I love Art Deco anything. I’m still wafting a bit of CSP Vanille Café but it’s mostly a memory by now.
Masking at this facility is now optional for everyone, both patients and staff. I was the oddball still wearing one last night. Go figure.
Headed very soon to my rolling home, a shower, will choose a new perfume, and then fall asleep to my most recent Cherringham cozy. I love them, very vanilla and each story is about 3 hours. Love the narrator’s voice which sends fairly quick to the land of nod…😴
I’m with you on masking. There was an outbreak of covid in my congregation last week that caused the weekend meetings to be on Zoom, it was a weird feeling to recall the quarantine. Because of my mom, I’m masking again.
I’m not really masking against Covid at this point. I’m going to continue to wear a mask when working because patients, either by lack of courtesy or because of chronic respiratory issues, cough directly in my face. I have stopped listening to lung sounds anteriorly because of this. Along with the coughing comes saliva and I’m just not doing it anymore. I’ll listen posteriorly and that’s it. I can creep up from behind to listen to their heart. Done deal. 👍🏼
I be creeping just like TLC!🤣
https://youtu.be/LlZydtG3xqI
Thanks for the song. Oh how I miss the 90’s!
I want to go baaack! 😭
So I creep, yeah…!
(shoutout to TLC!)
And I mask on the mass transit – either bus or train. Until the pandemic I did not realize just how many sick people just cough and sneeze without covering their mouths or noses, and never have a pack of kleenex or take advantage of the paper towels on the bus.
I have not had a cold since 2019, and I am okay masking on the train/bus if it means lessening the odds of catching something.
Totally get this! 🚍🚉
I still mask in public. Like other folks have mentioned, so many people can’t be bothered to cover their mouths and noses when they sneeze or cough. Bleah!
And I have noticed that all my health care providers who do those particular checks will listen to my heart and lungs from the back side. Makes perfect sense.
Today the circus comes to NYC. I will stay in my hood and out of the way of all of it.
Simpson & Vail tea
Here is the spring mix (no affiliation) https://svtea.com/products/copy-of-spring-blossom-green-tea
I was inspired by perfumelover67 I am Nobile 1942 La Danza Delle Libellule. Apple, vanilla and very playful. Even with all the hoopla happening in NYC I can’t be in a bad mood when I wear this..
You smell great!
Good to stay away from all the extra “noise” the city will have today!
This is such a beautiful perfume. Perfect for the weather today too..or anytime 🙂
I’m fitting the CP in Honour Woman from a sample. All I smell is gardenia. I am not a fan of gardenia. I wanted to try it because I am a fan of rhubarb. No rhubarb that I can smell.
Sorry the gardenia got to you!
Continuing my week of incense in Unum Relvquia. A very warm, dark, deep, smoky incense perfume. Another one that I love. One more wear and I will be done with my sample.
Happy Tuesday! 🌻
Incense with Easter coming if you celebrate is very fitting, in any event I bet you smell great.
I celebrate Easter and commemorate Holy Week, so incense is definitely part of my ritual every year. I burn it at home and wear my incense perfumes, among some other traditional things. Very spiritual and uplifting.
Incense perfumes are calming and grounding for me. Excellent picks for a “Keep Calm and Waft On” situation!
Incense perfumes are the best for me also when I am very stressed and I need a calm feeling. If I don’t get bored, I will continue with them for another week or so.
You know things are nuts when boring sounds good.
Sampling PdE Le Cri today (thanks Nancyleandros!)
It’s not what I expected at all! Opens very herbaceous in a familiar yet unidentifiable way… rosemary perhaps? I smell rose and cedar predominantly beneath that herbaceous front. Enjoying it so far.
Still no gardenias in my collection sadly, so I shall make this my week of sampling new scents.
I reapplied Le Cri since I was enjoying it so much and now I get the incense.. reminds me a bit of Timbuktu, a long lost love!
I don’t think I tried Le Cri but I do love Timbuktu 🙂
I just looked up the notes of Le Cri and Timbuktu and they have nothing in common! Wondering why it brought up that association now.
❤️❤️❤️
No CP points for me in Imaginary Authors Slow Explosions. Another good transitional scent.
Yes it is!
Dame Rigur de Gardenia, from their generous free sample. In fact, I got two free samples, sent about a month apart. The perfume’s backstory does not evoke anything to me, since I’ve never been one to go clubbing. Some Fragrantians mentioned Mahora, and I do see that. I enjoy the just slightly screechy opening, with lily of the valley, strawberry, and gardenia. A few hours into a liberal spritzing I am getting a tea-like gardenia. If I press my nose to my wrist, I still notice the strawberry. This a sample that will call me back, but not an instant love the way Labdanum Doux was.
Your post reminded me that I have a trio of gardenia perfume samples from Dame.
In my last couple of drops of Anné Pliska, an amber which is like vintage Obsession refracted though a funhouse mirror. I love things that are a little bit weird, not quite as you expect them to be. Wonderful stuff.
It IS wonderful stuff and you smell perfect. Will you hunt down another bottle?
Don’t tempt me!
It’s Day 3 of the week of incense that I’m doing along with pl67, and my selection for today is Papillon Spell 125 from a dabber sample. I didn’t care for this on the first try (last summer), but now in cooler weather I love it. Its incense is frankincense, combined with pine, hemlock, sandalwood, ylang and ambergris. I can definitely imagine Billie wearing this slightly smoky wonder, so unexpected points for me today. 🙂
Oooh, that sounds wonderful!
Hmm, I need to give that one another go in cool weather. I also tried it in warm weather, and it was fine but didn’t wow me then IFRC.
There was a lot of talk about that one here when it came out, iirc. Was it a limited edition?
I don’t think so — LuckyScent has it, and there’s no indication that it’s a short-timer.
I have never tried Papillion Spell 125. It sounds really good! To my sample buy list it goes.
For the CP, I’m in Olivine by Olivine Atelier, which is based on Hawaiian gardenias. Another favorite is James By Rose Jane, which is a mostly natural perfume. I wanted to love Serge’s Une Voix Noire, but it just didn’t move me like I expected. I guess I prefer my. gardenia as a soliflore.
I like the Gardenia in Fracas so I don’t require a soliflore I guess. But I should try Olivine…
Currently in Deneuve extrait today. It’s going to be fairly warm for the next few days but with thunderstorms.
Warm here too Dawn…we are expecting 80 and thunderstorms on Thursday.
That’s a beautiful teapot, Robin! I love Art Deco style. And such a lovely shade of green. 💚 Today started with coffee, then an extra dose of caffeine in the form of August LA’s Jet Black tea. (Both with milk.)
BWF frags are not my thang, so I have little in the way of gardenia. We’ll see what I can come up with later in the week.
SotD is my perfume purchase from my visit to NY, Royal Earth from The Harmonist. I found my HG iris! 🎉 It’s the first one I’ve found that’s not “too” something- not too sweet, green, or rooty. It is powdery, but the angelica really lifts it up.
It’s funny that both times I’ve seen this line in person was while traveling. I was impressed with them when I tried a few at Parfumerie Nasreen in Seattle, and now at Bergdorf’s. The SA, Richie, (who is also the line’s business manager), couldn’t have been nicer or more knowledgeable. Plus, the line was having a promotion and BG was having a sale. How could I not buy it?
Aside from that bright spot, the trip was somewhat disappointing and I hit a slump after coming home. I think I’ve hit a late-life crisis. Turning 65 and Mr. E retiring at the same time has been a huge change. Some days I’m happy with it, but a lot of the time I simply feel o-l-d.
Glad that you found a gem at Bergdorfs but sorry to hear that the trip was disappointing! Bergdorf service is always great in my experience. Hope you enjoy the new perfume. I shall have to seek it out as I also love iris very much!
Thanks, pfsh! ❤️ It’s definitely worth it to check them out.
Hi AnnE!
So glad you reunited with Royal Earth in NYC and are enjoying it so much.
I’m sorry to hear that the trip wasn’t what you hoped and that this life transition is a particularly hard one. I find transitions to be challenging and agree that aging adds another layer. I hope that better weather and more sun help lighten your load and soften these life adjustments☀️🌸💕
Thanks, allo. I appreciate your kind words. 😊 Yeah, transitions are tough! Even our dog hates them, lol!
Royal Earth was what I picked too from The Harmonist line! BYW, I think your life is just restarting!
That’s a positive spin on it, thanks Hajusuuri! I’m going to write that down so that I can keep reminding myself. ☺️
Another Royal Earth fan, love it. I guess I’m a booster now, haha.
Thinking of you, AnnE! (My 65th is coming right up, too.)
That’s right! Ah, Medicare! 😂
Those milestone birthdays can be both a cause for celebration (yay, you made it to that age) and brutal!
And having a spouse underfoot all day can get on one’s nerves in a big hurry. Ask me how I know… 👹
So, how do you know? 😂
We’re working it out better than I had expected, in fact. He finds things to do outside the house, plus he helped me with laundry today. ⭐️
Mr. Jalapeno has been working from home since March of 2020. His job went fully remote and is staying that way.
Well, at least he’s got work to keep him busy. 😬
Hope Royal Earth will carry you calmly through the new changes, AnnE.
Thank you, Robin! It does feel like a very grounding scent. And I can always use that, because I’m Miss Ohisawabutterfly. 🦋
You smell fantastic! Sending you hugs.
Thanks, Vee. Hugs back for you and your auntie. How’s your new niece?
She is a cute little tator tot but oh man, she fights with all her might not to fall asleep. 😂
Oh, dear. Just like me. 😄
I’m doing a week of indolic jasmine because I don’t have much in the way of Gardenia and my bottle of Grandiflora Madagascan Jasmine came yesterday. I think Billie would approve. It’s a beautiful fragrance, though not as long lasting as another favorite, Perris Monte Carlo Jasmin de Pays which is quite a heavy hitter for perfumer JCE.
I’m sure Billie would approve of your new fragrance!
😊🌸
A week of indolic jasmine sounds pretty darn good to me! Yeehaw!
Greetings, twin indolic jasmine lover!
Trotting down a separate perfume path, so I have finished off the decant of ELO Eau de Protection.
Thunk!
You and I were thunking twins today!
I am wearing Chanel Gardenia. This one is no doubt one of my favourites.
Beautiful ! Is this the Cruel Gardenia
It is an old Chanel bottle, only Gardenia, before the exclusives.
I think it is now available in the exclusives.
I was thinking of Guerlain
I’m wearing Absolue pour le Soir. My sleep schedule is still off-kilter, so I’ve been up a while. I’ve been grocery shopping, and have taken down the living room curtains to wash. I am curious how long this energy spurt will last–I may end up taking a nap this afternoon.
I had one of those spurts over the weekend — cleaned out the pantry. So many expired items! I found some vanilla extract from a trip I took to Mexico in the ‘90s, and a package of pancake mix that had a “best by” date in 2001. Yikes.
Well, I’m enjoying this CP because it got me to dig into my boxes and unearth my vintage mini of Bourjois Evening in Paris (worn yesterday) and my decant of vintage Emeraude PdT (today). I feel like it’s always a pretty safe choice for me to wear one of my vintage treasures. I’ll see if I’m up for gardenia tomorrow and Thursday. Friday I’ll be working onsite so no perfume for me until I get home since we’ve got a scent free policy. I probably could get away with something really subtle though so we shall see. The coworker picking me up for a carpool smelled pretty strong last time I was in an in-person meeting with her, so she clearly didn’t get the memo. I think sometimes people don’t realize how strong their lotions are and that they act as perfume!
I love the blue glass on those Evening in Paris bottles. So special.
I agree. It’s a really nice bottle.
We have a fragrance-free policy too but no one enforces it. I do half (or fewer) sprays of my usual dosage.
Pretty sure the entire world could not survive the wrath of hajusuuri being denied perfumes! (And owls! 🦉) 😉
You know I used to be that way pre-pandemic and would just do one spray to each arm under sleeves or one spray to the chest under a shirt. And I wouldn’t wear my strong perfumes. But I started feeling more self conscious with fewer people in the office and masks and such. Plus I go to the office so infrequently, probably just once a month typically. I might venture to wear a damn of something though this Friday.
Vintage mini’s, yay! I’ll keep my fingers crossed that they’re still good!
Yes, they’re still good!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I’ve spent the day in Quartz de Molyneux for the first time this year, waving to Jalapeno, and tonight it’s Jolie Madame from the cylindrical bottle which has a temperamental sprayer so I ended up with more perfume than I was aiming for.
A little more Jolie Madame is never a bad thing!
😀 It was really heady at first but it’s now perfect and I will still smell of it tomorrow morning.
It’s definitely warm enough to wear Quartz here!
Yay for good weather. I bought Gala apples today, almost as good as the Ariane variety.
I should get more of the apples I like while they are at my grocery store. Some of the varieties that are always around aren’t the best, tbh.
Great fragrance choices, Aurora!
VCA Gardenia Petale for what feels like a warmish morning. Off for a flu and Covid bivalent booster today (haven’t told my arm yet and I already feel sorry for it). We still have to spend 15 minutes Post- vaccine shot in the vaccination centre ( which is a regular chemist shop/ drugstore) and last time, in my boredom, I ended up browsing and buying nail polish ( lime green), a Karen Walker perfume, a coconut ice scented soap, AND some Roche Posay products. Plus I was taken by the yellow shoes of the woman beside me which led to more aimless searching of local shops….so, healthier but poorer.
Sounds like you also need to have a talk with your wallet … 🤣
Hope your arm forgives you Kanuka!
Fingers crossed your arm doesn’t hurt too much after the poke!
Hey all!
Am in a combo of Champagne Toast body cream and Orange Absolute EDT from Beauty Pie. I smell like sexy herbal marmalade.
Finished the upstairs paint project. I now under why professional painters charge what they charge- they have earned EVERY PENNY. There is some finish brush work, but overall, the effect is just wonderful- a beautiful, subtly glowing pearly white grey. The morning light just GLOWS in the hall way & stairwell. But now? All the trim looks dingy, even with being cleaned!
Next up: Redoing the stairs and upstairs carpet!
Painting is hard work–congrats on finishing!
Thank you!
My shoulders hurt so much!
Hey, Ede! Congrats on finishing your project, what a pretty description.
Love your scent combo, yummy.
Thank you! It’s a great pick me up on a very chilly spring-ish day ( we still have frost and just got hail the other day!)
*I now understand
Typing on phone is YEESH
I’m so impressed you did it yourself! I never could, but especially not now with my bad knee and hips–no ladders for me. I’m getting my kitchen redone now in two shades of white. Your pearly white gray sounds lovely! Would you mind telling us the name of the color (paint)?
I am so fortunate to have my mobility- but not gonna lie, I did get a bit of vertigo climbing my 7 foot ladder!
The color is Benjamin Moore Seapearl 961, and I got it in eggshell finish.
Velvet Gardenia is my favorite gardenia but it’s too strong to wear to work so I’m wearing it today since it’s my day off
There’s nothing like wearing your favorite scent on your day off!
Hey all! I’m burning a gardenia candle and loving it. And I’m testing something very different, Uncle Serge’s La Proie pour l’Ombre. At first I thought it was a real gourmand, but now it’s mostly salty, smoky leather. Interesting, but not something I’d buy.
It’s thundering and the wind is blowing, but the rain hasn’t really started yet. I think we’re going to get pummeled pretty soon though! I’m glad I have the day off today and am just cozy at home with my dog. I’ll have to leave at some point to go vote for our new mayor, though.
Hope your weather didn’t get any wilder than thunder and gusty wind!
Wearing Jungle l’Elephant today, mainly because I haven’t reached for it lately and I wanted to get a wear in before the weather warms up too much.
Off to confess to Donatella!
Off to read your confession!
I don’t think I have ever tried The Elephant in warmer temps. Maybe I should run the experiment?
Holy moly, it’s WARM here today! My weather apps are saying 76 or 77 degrees F, which is “end of May” temps. Pollen counts are off the charts as a result. 🤧
But Teflon kitty and Spooky are loving it. 😻😻
SOTD = Aqua Allegoria Rosa Rossa EdT. Thunk!
We got to 80F here – cough, cough as pollen blows into open windows! But – colder and storms tonight.
I have a couple more days of absurdly warm temps.
The pollen hasn’t gotten to the point where everyone’s cars are turning yellow-green. But it is coming! (Insert “Jaws” theme!)
🤧🤧🤧 is right! On top of that, one division of my company is very pro-cameras on during virtual meetings, and its like, do you guys really feel the need to watch me blow my nose every 10 seconds? Or can I please just turn my camera off already!?!
That sounds unpleasant on so many levels!
We only got 67 here. It was a nice sunny, warmish day. Back to cloudy skies and in the lower 50’s tomorrow! Patience! 🤷♀️
Wow, that’s quite the difference!
Hooray for the thunk!
I turned off the heat today and may keep it off because of yo-yo temps.
Thanks! I actually turned off the heat yesterday. The A/C is on for a bit tonight, but I will not keep it on overnight.
I am expecting 72 tomorrow but with storms.
2 thunks in 2 weeks! That has to be a record!
Latest forecast said 76-ish for tomorrow and maybe 80 on Thursday. Too @#$% soon!
Maybe I can get a third thunk in before too long? 🤔
Imagine my surprise when I saw that beautiful teapot is available from British Isles, which is a store right here in Houston! It’s definitely a fun place to visit. I bought several good friends their Christmas gifts there. Not only do they have beautiful china and tea set items but all kinds of scented soaps and lotions, many pretty glass things, fun small stuffed animals, tea towels galore, gorgeous stationery and cards, and rows of teas and cookies (I mean “biscuits!”) and jams, jellies, etc. The staff are so nice too. I do love that teapot, both the green and the Art Deco design are up my alley. I already have four or five teapots though and need to downsize as I don’t drink tea myself and only rarely have guests who do.
I am wearing McQueen Parfum, the one in the gorgeous black bottle, because the thought of gardenia led me straight to tuberose. I’m sure I have a small bag of gardenia samples that I ordered from Luckyscent last winter but I can’t find them right now. None of them really stood out; it just seems to be a really hard fragrance to capture and convey in a perfume. But since I love white florals I’ll wear some of the other nice ones I have.
I enjoyed Ede’s painting story above. My kitchen is at about a halfway stage right now, with all the cabinets primed and a whole lot of sheet rock repairs finished from various holes here and there, including the ceiling. I can’t wait for the actual painting to start tomorrow. It’s two shades of white and one will be, I hope, like the pearly gray tone she is so happy with (the other one is just called “Pure White.”) Everything will be repainted including cabinets, walls and ceiling, doors and baseboard. I could never have done it myself. The guy doing the work is cheerful and friendly and clearly likes doing what he does. It’s nice to have such a good skill–he does wallpapering too. If I have more jobs (well, I do, but when I can pay for them!) I’ll definitely hire him again.
A good handyman is worth their weight in gold!
You have a very sunny outlook!
Oh how cool, I had no idea where the store was!
I’m in another Vilhelm sample today — The Oud Affair. This one is like TF Tobacco Vanilla, but with honey and oud notes added.
Drinking my humdrum Twining’s tea bags at the office today while I try to get through the mound of old paper files that need to be scanned or shredded before we move offices in a few weeks. I support the no-paper-file approach in theory, but going through old files to actually make it happen is a painful process.
I have some files that were on litigation hold and I really should check on their status. These were notebooks that had my notes when I was working in a multi-year project. Scanned versions were not acceptable. I’m glad I did not have the proverbial food-stained napkin!
Office moves can be painful!
SOTD = Francesca Bianchi Sticky Lips
What a day! I ended up working from home today which means I will have to try to go in the next two days because I want to be home on Friday. Anyway, 8 sprays of Sticky Lips and I am in heaven!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CqoZTNHuNmd/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
In other news:
– I heard back from the Jury Duty service email and got to know that there is an online way to register my request to serve another day. I will do that! Great customer service as the website indicated that emails will be responded to with 5 business days of receipt and it was barely 1 business day.
– I had stoped by Sephora to find out about Rouge status (20% off!) and when the SA calculated my total purchases, it came to within $1.20 of qualifying! The CSR I texted with said that she and her manager will submit a form to advocate for me and Woohoo, I got reinstated!
8 sprays of Sticky Lips!? I only did 2 when I tested it and it lasted all day!
Good news on the jury duty and Sephora!
Great news on both jury duty and your Sephora status! AND you avoided the crazy up in NYC today. Sounds like a triple win to me!
My sotd was No.5 edp from the purse stash. I’m feeling like I might be coming down with something and plan to go to bed early.
Hope that you are feeling better after a good night’s rest!
I hope you feel better tomorrow!