It’s the weekend, and we’re repeating a poll we’ve done for the past few years around this time. As always, answer as few or as many as you like, or just talk about something else.
1. What fragrance are you wearing today?
2. What’s your favorite holiday (any holiday) food, OR, what’s the best thing you cooked in 2023? (Feel free to share or link to a recipe!)
3. Did you make any perfume-related resolutions for 2023, and if so, did you stick to them?
4. Possibly related to #3, what’s the next fragrance you are itching to buy?
5. Share something wonderful with us! It can be anything — something delicious you ate, a great movie you saw recently, the last good book you read, any fabulous news you recently received — really, anything…
Note: top image is holiday decorations [cropped] by liz west at flickr; some rights reserved.
I’m wearing DVN Soie Malaquais. Favorite holiday food is cookies. My last batch made with mini M&M’s was too sweet so I’m going to try something else this week. I’m also experimenting with homemade raisin bread
I’ve been trying to cut back on perfume buying with little success but I’m determined this year I will actually do it. 🙂
I’m not itching to buy anything but curious about next month’s Guerlain release of Néroli Plein Sud.
Nothing particularly fantastic going on but we are all healthy right now so I’m going with that.
Hi there, I’m impressed by your baking! What would be your top five 2023 releases from the ones you’ve tried?
I don’t keep track by year of release, so I had to do quite a bit of digging to figure out what I bought that was released in 2023. Here’s the ones I could find (I still have a big pile of untested samples!):
Meo Fusciuni Viole Nere
4160 Tuesdays A Flame in Your Heart, Hush Hush, Sonnet No. 1
Guerlain Jasmin Bonheur & Iris Pallida extrait
SL Écrin de Fumée
TRNP Embers Renaissance
Francesca Bianchi Encounters
Nice to see the SL made the list. Thank you!
1) SL Cuir Mauresque
2) Favorite food is the whole Thanksgiving or Christmas meal made by my mother. So much good food, the sparkling table, the candlelight, the flowers, the wine…she cooked it and we cleaned, assisted by my dad who hand washed all their crystal and antique china, then lastly mopped the kitchen floor. The dogs (dachshunds always!) were waiting in strategic places for falling gems, which they usually fielded mid-air. Those were the days…☺️
3) No resolution per sé, but I did tell myself “No more perfume!” Now, I’m waiting for 2 travel size perfumes from Divine, so you can see how much attention I pay to my own directives…😬
4) Not itching to buy perfume at the mo due large expenditure at the beginning of the year for electronics upgrade on the camper.
5) I’ve found a lovely spot here but only able to stay until Monday due to work credentialing. It’s windy as all get out again (yesterday saw a semi flipped over on its side on I10) but we are going to bundle up and take a hike and see if we can find and thunder eggs. Apparently, if you find them, you can keep them..!
5) Forgot to mention last night a local retired professor and some local astronomy geeks gave a free lecture with telescope time. I saw Saturn and the rings- breathtaking! So much better than looking at a photo. Also saw the brightest shooting star. 💫They’re back tonight so I will go again. 🪐
Very cool. I would love to attend that!
It was very unexpected but totally cool. Apparently, this is regular happening here but hardly any people attend, which is a shame. The professor was pretty dry, but the amateur geeks were amazing! Very fun conversations.☺️
The peak of the Geminids is coming up on Dec 13, and is supposed to be really good this year, as there will be no moon out to interfere (the new moon is the 12th).
Yes, they mentioned that! I wish I was going to be here to see it, but will be in/around Tucson so a lot of light pollution at that time. ☹️
So awesome! I’d definitely do that if I were near dark skies.
I’m sure Colorado has some dark sky locations, especially in the SW of the state near Durango and Mesa Verde? It’s totally worth visiting a spot like that. You feel so small and so big at the same time. On the walk back from the “astronomy show” it was so dark I couldn’t even see the road, was going based on “feel” of the pavement. Of course I didn’t bring a flashlight. After wandering off the road, I remembered the light on my cell phone. That is the ONLY reason we made it back. T-Rex was useless, trying to take off after a bunch of cows she got wind of (this is open range here and there was a large herd of black angus grazing nearby). I stopped and had a serious discussion with her about this behavior, turned my phone light on, got back on the road, and finally back to the camper.
Durango and Mesa Verde will be a bit of a haul from where I will be at.
Used to see dark skies going north in CO towards WY, but that’s long gone. I can’t believe how much has been built in that area.
So cool!
You smell cozily fantabulous!
Thanks!
Did you ever get to Las Cruces? I was curious what you thought of it.
Yes, I went through it yesterday. I’m sure it’s a lovely town. I ran a bunch of errands and did laundry, so that’s all I saw. Oh! And they had a Dunkin’ Donuts so I stopped for coffee and a bagel and a couple of munchkins for the munchkin. I really don’t spend time in towns unless it’s for something in particular or I’m on a contract. Generally speaking, being in town means money is going bye-bye when it doesn’t need to- either for food, entertainment, parking, or shopping. Plus I have a larger vehicle that can sometimes be problematic to park in cities. I have the dog to think of as well so if dogs aren’t allowed, I don’t go. I avoid large gatherings and crowds as much as possible. I’ve been very focused on trying to rein in spending and see how much I can comfortably live on these past few months. The best money I spent was for the NM Annual Parks Pass, and I’ve camped basically for free except a small charge to reserve a spot if reservations are required at a specific park. By focusing on the State Parks, I think I’ve seen the best that NM has to offer, at least for me and what my interests are. Even though I’m technically on vacation, I’ve treated these past few months like a sociology/financial experiment rather than a sight-seeing/shopping expedition. Very long answer, I know, but while I did “see” Las Cruces, I didn’t “see” it in a way that most people want to know about. 🤷🏻♀️
Well, I can understand the need to stay away from the cities with T-Rex and a large vehicle. It does sound like you have gotten to stay in some nice parks in New Mexico during your vacation. I always found it to be a nice state. I think you will enjoy the warmth of Arizona this winter. Continue to keep us apprised of your travels.
Which Divines did you get?
Oh Dachshunds, so much affection and temperament packe inside such a small package!
Really hope your new job will be “tolerable”
I purchased the travel spray of the vanilla and bergamot one-can’t remember the exact names. I would have liked to try a couple more, but really I don’t even need these for less two or three more..
Yeah, dachshunds are a pistol! We always had 3 or 4 when I was a kid. All standard, mostly smooth, but then wires and longs as my mom got more into showing. One year we had so much snow they were able to walk up the drift and right over the fence. A lot of scrambling to track them down after that! 😬
What a lovely memory of Thanksgivings! Mine were similar, but with labradors milling around the kitchen :).
Labs! 🥰
1) CSP Abricot Vanille. I think the top notes have gone off (it’s pretty old), but it smells good now.
2) Fave holiday food: Stollen. It’s on my list to make soon.
3) I always give myself a budget for the year. Do I always stick to it? No. But it does help me keep things under control.
4) Chergui, and I always have a lengthy “want to sample” list. 🙂
5) Got our Christmas tree yesterday (in the pouring rain, I might add. And that’s just wrong, should at least have been snow. There was no standing around chatting with a cup of cider, that’s for sure). Youngest son, wife and baby are coming for lunch today to help decorate the tree.
Do you put marzipan in your stollen?
No, I haven’t done that. I guess that would be more traditional. I put sliced almonds in with the candied fruit.
… only you … 🤣🤣🤣
😜🤪😂
1. SOTD is Angels Share
2. Drinks: Egg nog with Stoli Vanilla on ice, you can do whip cream on top or sprinkle nutmeg/cinnamon. Hot toddy with scotch and fresh ginger & tea
3. What is that????
4. Journey Woman (enable to Kanuka) and those extraits from Guerlain
5. I went to a private screening for a movie called Boy on The Boat. Very good! I am learning how to crochet. I am taking a class but it ends soon. I hope they will bring it back in the new year…
Scent twins!
SOTM (and possibly all day) is Omnia Ambra. Still in lurve. 😍
Favorite holiday food is pumpkin pie. I’ve made a few over the years and a couple of them turned out spectacularly well. Mr. G is the chef around here (and he is very territorial about it), but he doesn’t bake. Baked goods and roasted red potatoes are generally my only (permitted) culinary contributions Chez G.
Not a “resolution” exactly, but those of you who check in here regularly may recall that I recently swore to finish a sample of my SOTD before purchasing (which oath I promptly broke), and then swore to wrap up the new bottle for Christmas (which I did, but not before making a decant to tide me over).
Another new infatuation is Francesca Bianchi’s Under My Skin. I’m not itching to buy a FB, but I am definitely considering the notion of acquiring more samples. Not that I really need more leather perfumes, but when one stumbles across a good one it’s a shame to ignore it.
Something wonderful … hmm. I have recently rediscovered the Ellery Queen mystery novels, and they are pretty wonderful. And you did notice the mention of Mr. G as chief cook and bottle-washer up above, didn’t you? That’s pretty wonderful too. (He is currently concocting a ham and potato scramble for us. Yum.)
I’ve read a number of the Ellery Queens as well. My favorite mystery author is Agatha Christie, but I have read all of hers, so I am having to check out others. Ellery Queen is perhaps my second favorite mystery “writer” (actually, it was a joint pen name for two men), although I find the female characters to be a a bit two-dimensional. I tend to think that female writers are generally better at writing male characters than male writers are at writing female characters
Have you read Ngaio Marsh, from the same period as Agatha Christie and Ellery Queen?
Not yet. Most of what I am seeing online seems to be used copies, so I am not sure if any of them are currently in print? I read physical books and don’t plan to go to e-books anytime soon. Agatha Christie has a distinct advantage in that all of her titles seem to been more or less continuously in print for many years, so they are easy to find. Some of the Ellery Queens I have read have been recent reprints, but some have been “vintage” paperbacks in less than stellar condition. I have a read a couple of Dorothy Sayers mysteries, but they are definitely a bit harder to find. I have also read some Nero Wolfes and some of the A.A. Fair novels, but I didn’t find those quite as engaging–too many of the characters come off as “types” rather than individuals, especially female characters. I really should read more books now that I have time, but I find it challenging to settle down and read for an extended period of time.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Ngaio%20marsh
Mostly new paperbacks
There’s also Powell’s Books, a brick-and-mortar store here that also sells online (powells.com). They stock both new and used books, and the used listings include a very helpful description of the book’s condition.
1. I’m wearing a new perfume to me by Jones Road called Shower. It reminds me a lot of a discontinued Bobbi Brown perfume I used to have called Bath. I had been considering getting it and the recent review on this site, the reasonable price tag of $42, and a $6 discount code from my shopping browser made me get it. I’m happy I got it and I can imagine it will be very refreshing during the dog days of summer.
2. A recipe I cooked and liked very much is Herb-Crusted Salmon by Cook’s Illustrated. I’m not so into the holidays.
3. I made no perfume resolutions for 2023. I do however want to make some resolutions for 2024 such as setting a budget for it, going on a no-buy until next November, and making a dent in the perfume I already have.
4. I got the perfume I was itching to buy…See my answer for #1.
5. The last book I read was A Discovery Of Witches, but I don’t know if I’d call it great. A great book I read in 2023 was Anna Karenina.
Anna Karenina would be in my top 5 of books. The first time I read it I thought it was “the one” .
As much as I read, I really need to read this one.
1. You know how you’re looking through your collection and one scent waves its arms and says “ME ME PICK ME”? That was TF Lost Cherry today, and it was just the right thing, too. It’s really good.
2. I love eggnog, even the boughten kind — I haven’t made my own in ages — and I have been trying to eat a lot less fat and sugar this year, but I might get a litre when Christmas gets closer. We’ll see. (The commercial kind is always too thick, so I thin it out with some milk: it’s less deadly that way.)
3. I resolved in January to not buy anything I didn’t need, including fragrances, and I failed rather spectacularly on that front, although I’m excusing myself, a little, because we were in Paris in October and obviously I am going to buy some scents: I’m not made of stone.
4. If the limited-edition stuff shows up at Lush, which I think it will not, I’m probably going to end up with something. I’m not going to buy it blind online, which is the only way it’s currently available to me.
5. I’m eight years late but I’m reading Jon Ronson’s So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, which is terrific, highly recommended. I don’t read nearly enough books any more: another January resolution was to read a two a month, and I started off strong but petered out shamefully fast. Maybe this year, he said with nearly delusional levels of hopefulness.
Same here with Lush; I’ve tried enough of their perfumes in the store to know that I probably shouldn’t blind buy, and definitely not at the limited edition price. (That said, Turmeric Latte was a successful blind buy, but it would be hard to mess that up.) But I’d love to try Kerbside Violet and a couple others.
It’s been ages since I’ve heard someone use “boughten”! I used to hear it all the time when I was growing up. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
I love some old-fashioned words like “aviatrix” and “apoplexy”: I know language changes and words die out but I will keep using my favourites, even if they were already outmoded before I was born.
“Aviatrix” is so good!
1. I am wearing Messe de Minuit today.
2. Pecan pie or cream puffs. I make cream puffs more often, they are easier and I can just make a few. If I make a pie, it goes stale before I can eat it all.
3. No resolutions in 2023, and none for 2024, either.
4. I’m not itching to buy anything at the moment.
5. I have found two good book series! Tracy Clark writes about two female police partners in “Hide” and “Fall.” And for fans of Nero Wolfe, a female sleuth and her sidekick (who does the footwork) are fun to read in Stephen Spotswood’s Pentecost and Parker mysteries.
Secondly, Bertie Wooster’s arthritis pain is apparently blocked by the new medication he’s on. He is running around like a kitten!
Aw, so happy to hear about Bertie! Hope his zoom-zooms continue! 😻
What happy news about Bertie.
Wonderful news about Bertie!!!!!
Yay for Bertie!
Great news about Bertie kitteh! 😻
Thanks for the book mentions! I’m always on the lookout for detective series. By the way, I think pecan pie would freeze very well. Just sayin’ 😉
1. I am wearing Bien Aimé, Fleur d’été, my friend brought me some samples from Paris and they are all great, so delicate and beautiful!!
2. I love all festive desserts, mostly Armenian and Turkish ones.
3. I always have resolutions for the upcoming year but I don’t think I ever accomplish them
4. I am itching to buy several things , trying to resist the itch.
Celine peau nue, Bien Aime Fleurs d’été and Jours Heureux. Lots of new books on my list too.
I signed up for perfume courses with Victoria ( bois de Jasmin) , looking forward to that.
I think I will request Celine Dans Paris for my birthday. Last year was Black Tie.
I bet that will be fun attending Victoria’s courses. Let us know what they are like after you are finished.
It was so windy yesterday and during the night that the ground beneath our flowering rata tree ( bright red flowers, popular with honey eating birds and bees ) was littered with wind blown and exhausted bumble bees. I picked them all up and put them in a sunny, sheltered spot with a shallow dish of sugar water and they all revived after a short while. That made my day. At this time of year you sometimes find mass deaths of bumble bees beneath lime/ linden trees, due to a variety of causes. Perfumes I would like: Amouage Material ( would be a blind buy), Memo Winter Palace ( still on my list after years, Vagabond Prince Enchanted Forest ( still on my list), Camel, Grand Chalet ( especially as the lime trees are just coming into flower) and Vol de Nuit. Favourite holiday food? Well, it’s cherry and strawberry and raspberry season here, so any of those.
https://otagomuseum.nz/blog/deaths-cruel-sting/
You have a way that makes me think of enchanted fairytales. I’m even imagining tiny little bowls for the sugar water just big enough for bees to sip from. 🧚
I didn’t know this but bumble bees generate much of their body heat from their wing movement. If they get cold and can’t fly they get even colder, and
Then unable to fly. And if they can’t fly due to weather they also get cold, and then can’t fly to warm up.
Amouage Material is really good, a safe blind buy in my opinion if you like MFK Grand Soir.
That’s such a sweet story about the bumblebees. And the linden link is fascinating.
1. DSH December again. I have been enjoying getting to indulge in ample sprays of this one now that I have a FB. It really does smell like Christmas to me.
2. Maybe the best new recipe I have found is this super easy bread recipe:
https://alexandracooks.com/2012/11/07/my-mothers-peasant-bread-the-best-easiest-bread-you-will-ever-make/
Just six ingredients (including the butter to grease the pan(s), less than three hours from beginning to end, no kneading, no fancy equipment, and you get a loaf of genuine yeast bread with a satisfyingly chewy texture.
3. No perfume resolutions this year. If I make any for next year, it will be simply to enjoy my collection. As a retiree, I can apply lavishly as I don’t have to worry much about offending anyone else with my scent choice, at least on those days when I will be mostly at home.
4. Not itching to buy anything just now, but I do still want to sample Hey Jude. I will probably order a sample of it when I buy another bottle of the Ancient Resins body oil.
5. I have had some good news with regard to my health. Blood tests for various markers for arthritis all came up normal (I have a family history of arthritis, so this is a particular concern for me). I have also had several minor but annoying things spontaneously improve or resolve since I retired earlier this year. I am sleeping better and more consistently, I feel better, and I am just a lot less stressed.
Great news about your health. And thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for the bread recipe!
I have made that bread! Super easy, and tastes great toasted.
So happy to hear you’re feeling better! And as a sourdough baker failure, (although I haven’t given up yet!) an easy loaf is right up my alley…
Yay you on #5! If someone were to ask me the best thing about retirement, being less stressed would be my answer.
I have got to try this bread. It looks too easy to be good. Apparently, not though. I saved the link so thank you.
It does sound too easy, but I have made it several times, and it really is quite good. I use regular unbleached all-purpose flour. I am wanting to try some variations now that I have made the basic recipe successfully several times.
Thank you for the recipe link! And getting great news re: one’s health is d@mn near priceless. Congrats!
Such great news! What a nice way to welcome the holidays and a new year🥂
Cheers on #5! 👏🏻
Tested a nice fragrance this morning that was citrus dominant. Now it’s faded so lashings of Cristalle EDT which is pretty much all I’ve been wearing these days. I’ve used one fourth of my bottle already
Favorite holiday food will always be marzipan and anything that contains marzipan
No resolutions for 2023 or 2024
Not itching to buy anything
Good news is three mini marzipans are doing great career wise and health wise and the feline grandchildren continue to bring me boundless joy
Verenique DubaiEau de Jour which is a wonderful citrus
All good stuff! 🙂
👍
Maybe you need a BUB of Cristalle while it is still gettable?
You are naughty lol But seriously I have thought about it. I’m hoping that it stays available for a while.
IIRC, Cristalle was something very special for you.
Seconding the need for marzipan in all holiday desert offerings! Confession: Sometimes I even make my own rough-hewn marzipan in my food processor (powdered sugar, almonds, vanilla extract, tiny bit of oil) and eat it with a spoon.
Yum yum yum!! I am coming over with my own spoon 🥄
Have you ever had this kind before? https://norwegianfoodstore.com/products/nidar-gullbrod-65-gram
It’s my favorite! Expensive, but not too sweet and the texture is perfect IMO. I often get one for Christmas :).
Good news about the minis and the kitties!
Just popping in to say, if you haven’t tried them, Rittersport makes an excellent bar of your username. I just finished one. All on my own. 😋
Les Néréides Imperial Oppoponax
It’s a tie between mulled wine with a mince pie and British Christmas cake
I had decided to go on a low buy and I have nearly halved my quarterly amount so it will be the same next year
It’s health related and not much fun but I have stopped a medication I was taking since 2012.
Oh, I forgot but it’s Chloe Rose essentielle intense which I tried this summer at the duty-free.
That’s excellent news on getting off the meds!! Better to not have to take meds because there are always side effects. So many of my friends are trying to get off various meds for this reason
Thank you. You are right, it was the side effects which influenced the decision.
Glad that your “Low Buy” was a success! I will try to follow your example for 2024.
1. SOTD = Le Labo Vanille 44 – my bottle is dwindling! Barney’s (R.I.P.) used to have a program where you get 20% off a refill if you bring back the bottle.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C0pbk1txtc7/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
2. Best thing I cooked – hmmmm … I don’t have a favorite. I’m looking to get inspired!
3. What?
4. Assuming I am sticking to my resolution for 2024 of low to no buy, I have none. I am marking down on my notebook who may have said something to this effect and I will try to dissuade you. The only way to avoid the temptation is to stop reading perfume blogs, but I don’t have it in me to do that so you still have to contend with me.
5. Something good / I had a great time yesterday at my cousin’s daughter’s wedding. The ceremony was just the right length and it was great to catch up with relatives (whom I do see several times a year). The flower girls, both of whom I know, were so adorably cute. The reception started in the early evening and of course, not to get trapped into eating too much, I moderated my intake and did not feel like I deprived myself. The only negative news was that my aunt (wife of one of my uncles) was recently diagnosed with cancer and she will start radiation and oral chemo on Monday. She is 86 and we’re all hoping for the best for her.
I am counting on you to keep me on the straight & narrow this year! 🙂
I wanted to hear more about the BIL.
Sending positive vibes for your Aunt!
I would sorely miss “contending” with you💗 And besides, I would replace “contending” with “being inspired by” anyway😇🙏
I’m glad it was a nice time. All the best to your Aunt.
Re: #4, I’m not quite sure if you’re saying you’ll dissuade us from purchasing (and thereby support “no buy” resolutions), or if you’re like an Enabler Demon/Pixie/Fairy/Goblin who will dissuade us from the virtuous path and tempt us with scented delights.
LOL! But I think h. is going to keep us on the virtuous path.
1. I reached for Kyoto today, because I’m making Japanese food tonight, but then Avignon seemed like a better fit for today. (Which it was. Freezing rain / slushy snow all day. Ugh.)
2. Stuffing. My favourite is currently this one: https://www.seriouseats.com/classic-sage-and-sausage-stuffing-or-dressing-recipe. That said, I’ve done it twice this year already and I’m going to try a goose for Christmas this year, so I’m going to do a different stuffing at Christmas.
3. No real resolutions. So I definitely stuck to them. 🙂
4. Ummagumma. (I have a sneaking suspicion I am getting Wode from Santa, so Ummagumma is probably my next lemming.) And yes, my wish list includes very few really, really recent perfumes. I’m trying some in my advent calendar, but nothing is knocking some of the classics off the list.
5. Christmas concert and running around season seems to be over! Yay! I’m looking forward to a chill Christmas, unlike last year’s illness-infused jaunt around Munich and London.
Freezing rain?!? YUCK. 🤮
ALL. DAY. And a lot of it.
Freezing rain is the worst!
1. Byredo Rose of No Man’s Land with BBW Dark Kiss body cream on legs. Love it ❤
2. Lefse, which is a Norwegian flatbread that looks like a tortilla. It is made with riced potatoes, milk butter and flour. It is usually buttered and then white or brown sugar is added. It is rolled up and eaten. Other options include spreading it with butter and adding cinnamon, lingonberries, peanut butter or lutefisk (a traditional fish). I don’t make lefse myself, but many people in the Midwest do. My parents used to make it for church bazaars. It is very time consuming to make and I don’t have the patience for it. If someone makes it, I am more than glad to eat it.
3. I think I said in 2023 that I was not going to buy any perfumes as I didn’t need anymore. However, that lasted for a week or two. I think I will do better in 2024-maybe.
4. I am not itching to buy anything as I just received my Mitsouko EdT today that I have been waiting for since last month. I like it, but it really reminds me of Zoologist Civet. Does anyone else think so?
5. Well, I think #4 is wonderful, but I did just finish a good book. It was Bright Young Women. It is a thriller/fiction that is based on Ted Bundy murders.
You smell lovely!🌹
Now I’m going to do a side by side of Civet and Mitsouko…🧐
Yes, let me know what you think please.
I like lefse, too. Mr. Springpansy has many Norwegian relatives so we get to enjoy lots of Scandinavian treats.
There are many Scandinavian treats during the holidays. It’s just that most of the people I knew who made them have passed on😢
A friend just brought me some vegan lefse, which I found underwhelming. I think it needs the milk and butter. Lots of lingonberry jam helped though.
I have not had vegan lefse so not sure how that would taste.
Lefse twins!!! My mom makes it, as I said below. I should learn how so I can take the reins eventually.
I saw your post. I know it is very time consuming and unless you have several people and several griddles it would take forever. Luckily, I have a friend that makes it so she gave me some this year. We do have stores that sell it, but not sure how good it is.
Yes, making lefse is a real labor of love! We’ve had store-bought lefse too; I think the kind called Jacob’s is good. Ingebretsen’s is a bit too thick for my taste, but still yummy!
Never heard of lefse until this poll. NST is also an educational resource, it seems. 😉
You may see it when you get to Colorado, but not sure. It is mainly in the Midwest where a lot of are of Scandinavian descent.
More folks in CO of German descent than Scandi. But I never saw anyone in my family making Stollen either, and that’s very German.
1. New Guerlain Feve Gourmande. The chocolate is delicious in this one.
2. Stuffing! Give me a plate of it with gravy and I will be a happy camper.
3. Like many others my plan was to save, but that’s gone out the window and into the universe far far away. I do love what I got though so it’s alright!
4. Feve Gourmande!
5. Made some new friends this past week. All very nice and gentle people. I am happy to have met them.
YAY for new friends!
1. New-to-me Weil de Weil. This is rivaling my beloved Ivoire for my favorite vintage.
2. I love my homemade cranberries. It’s basically cranberry jam, and I preserved a jar of leftovers for next year.
3. Thunk some bottles; and a no-buy for the month of November. I didn’t manage to do either (see #1).
4. On a huge vintage kick this year, so there are many: Leonard, Aliage, Madame Rochas…
5. My living room renovation (new floor and baseboards, new paint, my BF and I built a sideboard out of kitchen cabinets) is almost complete. Now onto the laundry room and a new washer/dryer in 2024.
Oooooo!!!! Aliage!!! Wore it back in the 70s/80s when it was called a sport spray. Always wondering how current formulations smell
Oh, and itching for that Zara Leather Jardin!
I’ve also been on a vintage kick this year.
Homemade cranberry relish/jam is delicious!
I’m wearing MPG Ambre Tibet today, which is gorgeous. Sadly it’s from a decant as my FB is lost in the mail, and MPG is ignoring my emails. Will try to phone them tomorrow before filing a chargeback.
That sucks your MPG bottle is MIA.
It’s lost in the sorting station in Los Angeles but the PO won’t even look for it because it’s « hazardous material ». Ugh.
Hi folks!
1. SOTD is Bottega Veneta, from my new bottle from Jomashop. I had major FOMO since I heard it’s being discontinued, but it’s still there in the 30mL size, which is perfect for me.
2. My favorite Christmas food is homemade lefse, which is like a Norwegian potato-based tortilla. My mom learned how to make them using the traditional griddle and everything, and they’re so delicious rolled up with a little butter.
3. Perfume-related resolutions? Well, I just broke my “no new big bottles” vow that I made a few months ago, so… not really!
4. I wish the older L’Artisan Parfumeur scents were still available, in the 50mL bottles, and at the older prices. Drole de Rose, Dzing, and Thé pour un Eté come to mind.
5. Something wonderful: Amtrak! When I bought tickets for me, my brother, and his wife to go from Chicago to Minneapolis for Christmas, they cost $179 per person, one way. A few weeks later, I got an email from Amtrak saying they were having a big sale, and when I checked the price for that same trip, it had come down to only $34 per person!!! I called Amtrak to see if we could get the new price even though we’d already paid, and they were super nice and issued me a refund of $435!!! Isn’t that incredible? No airline would ever do that.
Off to read the rest of the comments now!
Wow on the Amtrak refund! I also snagged a BV 30ml once I heard about the disc. Phew. You smell great!
Thank you! Phew indeed!
The original Bottega Veneta is SO good!
Good job, Amtrak!!👏🏼
Glad I am not the only one who loves lefse. You need to add a little white or brown sugar to your butter.
I am guessing you live in Minnesota. That is where I grew up and then worked at a hospital in the cities for years before I left Minnesota.
I agree with you on your #4.
I’ve had lefse with white sugar, but never brown, I’ll have to try that :). I grew up in Minneapolis and my parents still live there, plus my mom is Norwegian, so we have lots of Scandinavian foods over the holidays. My parents worked at the VA hospital and HCMC! You’re in SD now, right?
I am in SD now, but grew up in Albert Lea and when I lived in the cities I worked at Fairview Southdale in Edina.
Oh wow! Some of my doctors are in the Fairview medical center, and we’re often in the area for shopping :).
1. SOTD Saturday was Dzing! Whenever I think of it, I crack up at the memory of the SF Bloomie’s SA doubling over in laughter when I told him I wore this. Told that story here years ago. (He wasn’t mean spirited and I wasn’t offended.) Sunday (so far) is Timbuktu. Maybe I’ll complete the tour of my L’AP FBs with Tea For Two later or tomorrow.
2. There aren’t any dishes that I reserve for holidays. So, going with the best new (to me) recipe cooked in 2023: Suspiciously Delicious Creamed Cabbage. Google those 4 words and you’ll find it on Food52.
3. Yes, about a month ago I said I wouldn’t order any new FB until 2024 unless it was already on my Wishlist and also on massive Black Friday sale. I also vowed not to order any more samples until 2024. 😂 I succeeded on the sample ordering bit. Overdid the FB buying during Black Friday sales. Donatella will be proud of me this quarter.
4. Next on my FB list, one that’s been there a while: Bois des Iles. I may have a few decant sprays left.
5. My Mom has been anticipating a bad neurological diagnosis for my step-father for a few years now. She finally got him to go to a neurologist. Actual diagnosis far less doomsday, got on a drug a day later, and pain symptoms he’d been secretly suffering with (and hadn’t shared with her until appointment!) reduced 75%. In short: What she thought was neuro was a combination of pain/depression (depression due to pain), and root cause of pain is treatable. Phew.
Yeah, that chronic pain can really mess you up. Happy that the Dx. was less worrisome than originally thought and he will hopefully have the pain under control soon.
I haven’t had creamed cabbage for years. My grandma used to make it and I loved it!
Yay for #5!
That recipe sounds yummy, and yay for your stepdad’s better-than-expected results!
#5 is wonderful news!
Gloomy rainy day here. The only saving grace is that the temps are quite warm for December; 61 degrees F! But there is a Flood Watch in the area until tomorrow afternoon.
On to the Poll!
1. Commando today, but wearing Korres Grecian Gardenia body butter on my shins. Scented lotions have been comforting when life seems particularly difficult.
2. Favorite holiday food? At this point, it is anything made by someone else. But I am partial to sage, onion, mushroom and giblet stuffing/dressing. It’s based on what my Mom used to make. So there is a nostalgic component there, too.
3. Resolutions? Yes, I did. And I failed. 🤥 I bought more FB perfumes than I had intended to. On the positive side, I did not horribly overshoot my target.
4. Itching to buy any new perfume? Nope. Currently keeping an eye on moving expenses. Gawds it is expensive.
5. Something wonderful? Had lovely weather yesterday, so I took advantage to make a couple of trips to Goodwill. On the first trip, I was admiring a vintage Chevy pickup truck that was unloading a bunch of stuff. I struck up a conversation with the owner. After mentioning that I wished I had brought my cell phone with me so I could get a picture of his ride, he offered to take a pic of me posing with his truck so I could send it to my brother. The kindness of strangers!
Re: #5, I sent the picture directly to my brother, so my contact info was not exposed. Also, the truck owner said he would delete the picture after it was sent.
Re: #2 Yes, yes and YES!! My mom made the same kind and it was the BEST! packed the birds and had a whole bowl of just stuffing for extras..😋
Re: #5 I have found, especially since traveling, most folks are very decent. Sure, there’s some jerks out there, and a few I would categorize as definitely dangerous, but most strangers are pretty decent. Hope you keep running into the good ones! 👍🏼
I think at one point my Mom got fed up with cramming the turkey and just started baking it in a casserole dish to make her holiday cooking a touch easier. It also made the turkey cook faster.
But the stuffing cooked inside the turkey acquired such a wonderful flavor from being cooked inside the bird. If it is baked in a casserole separately, it does not taste the same. I don’t care how many times you baste it with pan drippings or whatever, it is not the same. Real stuffing (cooked inside the bird) is one of my very favorite things on Earth, but I have not had it in years. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to cook a whole turkey for just two people, but I may have to do so to get my stuffing fix.
I think that’s why I started adding mushrooms to my stuffing/dressing. For the umami.
I love dressing too and the kind I make sounds much like the kind your mother made. Now I am hungry for it😊
My Mom didn’t have the mushrooms in hers. That was an addition I made when I started making it. But she used to add the turkey neck meat in hers. What a tedious task that was!
Oh, yes using the turkey neck meat is tedious, but it is good. I always added mushrooms too and water chestnuts.
I hear you on #4. Shockingly expensive.
Gonna be melting the Plastic Fantastic for sure.
Hooray for the kindness of strangers. I hope you encounter many more too!
Thanks socks!
1. Testing DSH Amalfi Gold on one hand and DSH Chypre Immortelle on the other. Both are nice but not inspiring me to buy
2.Boston cream pie is the best thing I cooked in 2023 from the 1978 Hershey Cocoa cookbook. I double the cake and filling components so I have a pretty big cake. Probably one of my all time favorite recipes
3.My perfume resolution is to try more samples than I buy which I’m barely ahead this year. I was doing well and then went a little crazy buying samples in November
4.The last things I sampled that went on the ridiculously long wishlist are Warm Pistachio from DSH and Estate Lavender from Solstice Scents
5. One more week and I’ll be done with my 2nd trimester of school. Just have to get through finals
Mmmm, Boston cream pie…
Good luck finishing up the trimester!
Good luck with finals!
I haven’t posted anything here for several years,
Yesterday, however, I passed in front of the Caron boutique, the new one, the magic boutique on avenue Montaigne has disappeared in 2015
I just wanted to try the colognes… and then since the arrival of Jean JACQUES as official nose, I had not tested any reformulation of the classics.
I tested “Tabac Blanc”, “Tabac Noir”, “Tabac Noir” and I finally dared to go on “Tabac blond”, being sure that it was the same thing since 2011.
And there’s a little miracle… sure it’s different but the king is back.
The moment you recover something lost.
Like a phoenix, can the house rise from these ashes? I really hope so, as the salespeople say, for the moment sales of classics are increasing because old customers are coming back… they reformulate 2 or 3 classics per year… and “En Avion” is on the list for 2024.
Jean JACQUES explain that the love around the house surprise him, that each costumer has a strong story with some perfumes. I hope he does he will do his best