Happy Almost-Friday! It’s also World Introvert Day and National Science Fiction Day, plus the 9th day of Christmas (ladies dancing). What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm in Prada Candy for the "desire for comfort" and "level of thoughtful indulgence".
Reminder: on 1/3, wear a fragrance to match Mocha Mousse, Pantone's color of the year for 2025: "For 2025, the Pantone Color Institute selects PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse, a warming, brown hue imbued with richness. It nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort. // Underpinned by our desire for every day pleasures, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse expresses a level of thoughtful indulgence. Sophisticated and lush, yet at the same time an unpretentious classic, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse extends our perceptions of the browns from being humble and grounded to embrace aspirational and luxe."
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2025, where I'll try (but usually fail) to have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image via Pantone.
Happy New Year! May it be a lovely one! 💖
Today I am in Hermés Eau de Neroli Dore, for desire for confort, like you Robin.
Excellent, you smell great today NinaV!
Happy New Year NinaV!
Happy New Year!
Hello NST and Happy New Year! Had some friends visit from out of town for the holiday. Was nice.
I have been wearing Samsara quite a bit this week. It sure is lovely with the cooler weather.
I was thinking to reach for it again but reached for a different Guerlain, Shalimar Souffle Intense.
Have a lovely day everyone! 🌹
So glad you had a good visit!
Happy New Year Omega!
Happy New Year to you as well, Jalapeno!
I’ve had a rose craving for the last week or so, and I’m in an old favorite, Gres Cabaret.
This morning I chose Omnia Ambra. I associate this one with a cocoa-brown color because of the spices in it, and the color of the juice itself is a lovely dark brown. Then I reread Pantone’s description and realized that Ambra also fits “sophisticated and lush” and “unpretentious”.
Aha, maybe I will wear Bvlgari Omnia tomorrow for the same reasons…the juice is not brown but the original bottle had brown accents, plus, mess of brown spices 🙂
I hope everyone had a good start to the New Year. I’m back in the house by the river, listening to the rain on the roof, and not much else by way of sound. It’s a very dry part of the island so rain always comes as a relief. I’m wearing Kiel’s Musk for the CP layered with a dash of Devotion, for sweetness. Yesterday there was a large second hand book sale in town, a community fund raiser. The local hall was filled with trestle tables of books ( lots of Stephen King and microwave cookbooks from the 1990s). I picked up Virginia Woolf’s Jacob’s Room and Sigrid Undset’s Kristin LavransDattar. The latter won the Nobel prize in literature but is an author I’ve never read. So my plan, today, is to sit in a room with a view of the river and hills and read.
That sounds idyllic. I’ve never heard of that author either but will be interested in your opinion of the book.
I’ve never been able to get through Kristin Lavransdottir, but it has been decades since I last tried. Please let us know what you think — I bet I still have a copy on the shelf.
I read the whole trilogy when I was younger, don’t think I could do it now! It is probably raining in the novel as well, so might be a good fit.
That rain sounds wonderful.
I’m in need of comfort as well, so I’m wearing the not so mocha Paris YSL.
Happy 2025 everyone!
You smell beautiful!
I hope you have a good year and a happy outcome with work changes, and easier time with your parents…and good holidays!
Thanks Kanuka!
Post-mammogram I think I’ll wear Theorema today. I always find myself in a contemplative mood after a mammogram; 53 years ago when I was 18 I lost my mother to pre-menopausal breast cancer. I always wonder whether she could have survived if the treatments available now had been accessible to her then. In the last year and a half I’ve had several mammograms and a biopsy due to some calcifications we’ve been keeping an eye on, and they’ve been declared non-threatening, which is obviously great, but I have thought of her even more often than usual. Theorema is a calming and meditative fragrance for me, so perfectly suited to my mood today. If you will forgive my getting on a soapbox: please, please get your mammograms when you should, in spite of how uncomfortable and inconvenient they can be.
Yes — to the mammogram endorsement. And I can identify with how you are thinking about your mother; mine was also killed (when I was young) by a disease for which there are now astoundingly better treatments and prognoses. It can be hard to think “if only…”. Sending hugs your way.
Thanks, and hugs back. It’s odd how long-ago grief, even with its layers of scar tissue, can unexpectedly feel quite acute at times.
I hope your day passes peacefully and all your results are clear
Theorema is wonderful. I have my mammogram next Tuesday. Thanks for reminding all of us!
So sorry you’re feeling sad. My mother also had breast cancer early when I was six, she had an eighteen year remission though. We can count ourselves lucky that it is no longer automatically a killer because it is better detected. We can get some comfort knowing our mothers would be glad for us of these improvements.
Hugs! Mammograms always make me think, too; my mom died 40 years ago last month from pre-menopausal breast cancer, while I was a tween. I’ve also been through irregular tests and a biopsy, all fortunately negative in the end. I second you on getting mammograms done if you find any lump, as in my mother’s case she might have lived longer had she not gone to a military doctor who told her she was too young for cancer and refused to test. Getting the test done and pushing your doctors when you know something’s wrong are still very important!
Hugs scaresbears. And thanks for the mammogram reminder. It’s important to do, even if it seems that like is getting in the way.
*sigh* That should be “LIFE” not “like”.
Bvlgari Allegra Magnifying Patchouli
Chai ☕️
I’m not familiar with your SOTD, but I’m intrigued 🙂 Love the omnia series.
All hail National Introverts Day!
I’ve been keeping busy getting things sorted in the camper, napping, and reading. We’ve had a couple of windy, chilly days which the doggo hates because it blows sand and dirt in her eyes. So, she’s been napping and dreaming and I’ve been reading. Back on my Sebastian Barry kick, starting and finishing “The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty” and “The Temporary Gentleman,” both excellent reads. I also finished “Annie Dunne” in the recent past, so keeping my eyeballs busy. But strangely, twice when I was out on walkabout, my eyes crossed and I saw double for about ten minutes. A little nerve wracking, so I’ll set myself up for an eye exam as soon as my insurance kicks in. I had a few surgeries in my right eye about 10-12 years ago, so I’m a little paranoid about my ocular function.
As for scent of the day, I’m wearing CSP Vanille Café, which in my mind is a cuppa joe with vanilla cream, creating that brown mousse color. It’s not my favorite color, but when it comes to coffee, I’m all for it. ☕️
I saw it was National introverts Day and immediately thought of you. ( after I thought of myself) lol.
Happy New Year, Deva!
I may have mentioned that I am the only extrovert in my immediate family which made life somewhat of a challenge.
I hope your prep work is going well and give the doggo a hug from her auntie!
And I was the only introvert in my family so we had similar but different difficulties! And a very Happy New Year to you and yours! I’m including all the 🦉’s !!
I wonder if goggles for dogs are a thing?
There is something called “doggles”. A friend had them for her pup.
http://www.doggles.com
I’m in The Different Company Bergamote today for the bergamot/ginger combo. This is one of my very oldest bottles, but I’ve lost track of how much time that is, but it’s quite a while.
The CP pic above immediately put me in mind of iris petals, although I don’t have an iris fragrance that conjures up shades of brown. Maybe a combination of iris and chocolate would be interesting? A flick of coffee in it would be even more intriguing. Now my mind has drifted to Theo Chocolate Coffee Toffee bars. Hm.
All of the mocha mousse pics make me hungry!
Commando — I have a medical checkup later today., followed almost immediately by an exercise class. I am actually a little worried that my Lush hair products, especially the Candy Dream conditioner, are too heavily scented for the doctor’s office.
Sunshine here in Western NY — we are enough west of Syracuse not to be getting their snow. (Yet.)
I forgot that we are neighbors! The polar vortex is coming, and the lake isn’t frozen 🙁
Polar vortex.. 2 of the worst word’s in the English language.
“Atmospheric river” is also up there. 🙂
As is “Tornado Warning”.
Adding Bomb Cyclone and Flash freeze!
I’m in Pekji Ruh from the sample stash and I’ll plan to finish this one off early in the year. There’s probably one or two more wearings left in it. I rediscovered it in my stash during the Turkey CP, as this is a Turkish perfume company and perfumer. It is saffron, rose, coffee, and oud among other notes and a very nice one. I think I sprayed a couple too many sprays this morning though because it stuffed up my nose a bit. Damn this sensitive nose of mine!
Like ringthing, I watched the movie The Apartment yesterday. It was my first time watching it, and it was a delight. Though it was very easy to get frustrated at both Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine for their poor decision making. It was also fascinating to see how much the show Mad Men was inspired by this movie. Also, a fun fact is one of Jack Lemmon’s grandsons briefly worked at my company. This was during covid so I only interacted with him virtually a couple times, but during the new employee meet and greet thing we had, he noted who his grandfather was. He was a nice guy from what I could tell.
And NYE I watched Sunset Boulevard finally for the first time. Wow, what a film. It lived up to all the hype and expectations I had.
I love Mad Men so much. I’m going to have to watch The Apartment now.
Yes, do seek it out. The primary influences I saw for Mad Men were the office design and layout and the philandering men at the company at the center of the movie.
I read the most interesting thing about that opening scene, where it shows all the desks and all the people. The first few rows were adults behind desks. Then came the section where it was children (cheaper labour) in specially sized costumes, made to look like adults. Then came the smaller sizes of dolls, behind doll sized desks. I thought that was pretty cool.
Oh wow, that’s super interesting. I still have a couple days of having the movie checked out from the library on Hoopla so I’ll have to rewatch that opening scene to take that all in again.
I love Ruh. I love the bottle. I loved The Apartment.
Slept like crap-ola.
SOTD is le labo Hinoki from the big tub.
Started watching Missing from Harlen Coben on Netflix.
Listening to A Little Life in my car – 26 CDs.
Sorry about your bad sleep. I hope tonight’s is much better.
Let us know how that Harlen Coben show is once you’re farther in.
Aw, too bad your nose decided not to play nice today.
Thanks, it’s not bad now so it didn’t last all day.
These cool, clear, sunny mornings just call out for Chanel, for some reason. Feeling more elegant than I have a right to be in 31 Rue Cambon.
Great scent! Funny that I just put my bottle of that out on my perfume mirror tray this morning.
Elegant is the perfect word to describe 31RC.
I slept in this morning and just took down the Christmas tree. It’s cold here with a windchill temperature of 13. I’m smelling cozy though in my new combination of BBW Blueberry bundt cake and Dolce and Gabbana Devotion. I just need some hot chocolate.
I hope you have a really good year Lillyjo. Less stress, more fun
Thank you Kanuka! I would love less stress.
That’s an interesting combination. Do you like it!
I like the blueberry lemon combo. The bbw doesn’t stick around long though because it’s a mist and not the lotion.
Happy that you started with a well-deserved sleep in. Your combo sounds good enough to eat.
It is a very foody combo!
Mmmm, hot chocolate! I beat you by one day by replacing my door wreath with another one (Valentine’s).
I need to get a Valentines wreath! What do you put up between Valentines and spring?
Easter! I have a nice bunny door decor.
Yay for sleeping in!
I am not at all ready for Valentine’s Day stuff. I got mad when I saw it out in the stores a couple weeks before Xmas. Too soon!! 🤬😡
We started getting Valentines in the store the first week of December. We kept it on the back shelves though.
I think the Color of the Year is not suited to me. I would look terrible wearing it, and if my house walls were painted that color I would hate it. It’s a nice color for a dessert, or a suede chair, maybe. On today, the 2nd day of 2025, I am wearing Ginger Biscuit. There was a vivid rainbow here this morning that made me very happy.
I’m in agreement-that colour doesn’t suit me at all, and I wouldn’t care for it for a room colour.
The color would not suit a car either! I almost hurled when my sister said that her (my BIL’s) niece’s car (okay, there were 3 people in that car and we each said someone in that car owns it) was brown.
I like the color of the year, although for wearing on me, I’d prefer a deeper brown. I’m wearing Mx. which I think works for the cp. It even has a little cacao in it.
I’ve been really sick (11 days now) since we hosted our lovely grandson (a little over 1.5 years old – who had a bad cough and runny nose) while his parents were at the hospital having a sister for him. I wouldn’t trade that time with him at all (we had a blast), but my immunity is apparently not what it used to be. Appt with my ENT next Tuesday and afterwards, my mammogram. Having both of those appointments together must mean I get a milkshake afterwards, right, Allo? It will feel good on my throat!
And Happy New Year, all!
Oh dang springpansy.. you get 2 milkshakes! I hope you feel better soon.
Ha – thanks!
Exactly what I was going to say. No way is just one milkshake enough.
I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been sick! Like lillyjo said, you definitely get 2 milkshakes, and you know where to get them!😋
Thank you and yes, I do know where. 😀
Three milkshakes and you’ll be good as new. Hope you feel better soon!
Thank you very much, hajusuuri!
Get well soon, eleven days sound a long time.
Thanks, Aurora. Mr. SP is reminding me that even though I am still sick, I was much worse in the beginning. So at least there is improvement.
Sick for 11 days and counting? Yikes! Sorry to hear this. But glad to hear things are getting better for you.
Definitely get those milkshakes!
SOTD is FM Iris Poudre.
Obviously, I am not compliant today with the CP. Since I have no chocolate or coffee scents, I may go with Coco Noir again tomorrow for the patchouli note.
You smell gorgeous. I gave this to my friend for a special birthday present-she loved it. I love it when she wears it.
It is beautiful! What a nice gift.
You can’t go wrong in Chanel.
I agree for the most part, but am finding I am getting tired of some of the No. 5 iterations. I think I like the L’Eau the best.
I’m in Annick Goutal’s shower gel Tenue de Soiree, followed with one spritz of Mon Parfum Cherie, Par Camille. Love its red bottle and black silk ribbon. I love this scent and never wear it. Not really work appropriate but tried to keep it subtle.
It is a big scent, and yes, lovely bottle!
I’m going to wear Mxxx., inspired by springpansy wearing Mx. We sure smell good 💕
We do! Mxxx. is also wonderful!
SOTD = 4160 Tuesdays Metaphysic EDP
A spicy little number from the 4160 Tuesdays January Joy Box project- perfect for Mocha Mousse methinks.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DEVfFMfxxjI/?igsh=MTd1MWNxZmhtcDJiMw==
Has anyone ever gone to a Brazilian restaurant Fogo de Chao? This Saturday, several friends and I are going to one. It will be my 4th time and I know to go there hungry 🍖 🥩! A bonus is that if it can be arranged, we will be going to a friend’s house earlier so we can be schooled in the art of using a homegrown retirement expenditure spreadsheet. I’ve had the spreadsheet for almost a year now but have not been strictly motivated to use it. Now that I’ve somewhat tracked my expenses for a full year, I think I will be ready!
Also, I know that you’re probably sick of me steering you to choose traditional Medicare when the time comes, I will find a way to summarize an article from a (now) monthly newsletter. More to come.
It means you care, so not sick but it makes me realize I live in a country where healthcare is essentially free, I felt almost guilty when I was hospitalised to get wrist surgery by a specialist surgeon and didn’t pay a penny.
Crying over here! So MANY people can’t afford healthcare and /or meds here. Literally, people DYING and it makes me so angry and upset! I’m very conflicted about even being part of this “system.” 😢
Same!
Good for you … but, are there different tiers of free healthcare? I’ve read about cases where one could wait for a long time for an appointment or perhaps that was Canada?
No tiers but yes, periodically I read that non-emergency surgeries have long waiting lists these days although it hasn’t been my experience.
I’ve gone to Fogo de Chao in a couple of locations: Philadelphia and King of Prussia. Both were quite nice. Excellent cocktails, too.
I would recommend NOT filling up on the salad bar! Also, pace yourself when the servers come around with the various meats on their swords.
I have to be careful with the cocktails! The salad bar has good stuff but you are right to not fill up with it!
I can’t remember if the chicken and sausages are worthwhile. Almost every cut of beef was, though.
I’m not terribly CP-compliant today, wearing Hiram Green Shangri-la, which was a Christmas gift. The rain has begun again here, and apparently will be here all weekend, just in time for my sister and family to visit for the first time in years. Not sure what to do with them now that the kids are teens, as most of the attractions around here for teens and adults are outdoors.
January’s already getting busy, and it’s only the 2nd. It’s worse, of course, because I’m the only one around at work and I’m fielding a bunch of questions I don’t have answers to. 🙂
Shangri-la is a fabulous Christmas gift!
Hoping you won’t be on your own at work tomorrow. Movie theater for the teens?
It got colder here, sunny but I think it’s snowing up north.
Alissa Ashley Musk today, my bottle is vintage, it’s more floral than Kiehl’s musk which is fruitier, they’re equally good and neither are expensive. Tonight for the CP, Missoni Gianduia, the color of the juice matches and it’s a chocolate amber scent. Maybe I should have saved it for tomorrow, once I discovered Gianduia I knew it was no longer necessary to test chocolate perfumes, this is the best, I do have one or two others I like for tomorrow.
I had a recent version of AA Musk but ended up giving it away. It has similarities to Mugler Over the Musk, and I would overlook it.
Oh, Over the musk must be spectacular. I’ve ‘rediscovered’ musk after a smashing class with Victoria, we covered so much ground, and the participants were all so friendly.
sotd = Wrappings
Feels like such a strange scent sometimes, but I had a hankering for it this morning.
I like it when I wake up with a scent already in mind for the day.
Wishing you all a fabulous almost Friday! 💖
Happy New Year tiffanie!
thank you, lillyjo! 😊
I wish you a wonderful New Year 🎉
Hiya scent twin!
hi there, jalapeno, we smell greeny spicy herby wonderful! 💚😊
For sure! 🥰
I’m again wearing my new Rosine LeSnob 1, with rose, orange and the most delectable plum note, which I’m concluding is one of my fatal weaknesses in perfumes. I went out for a nice lunch and got some much-needed groceries (including basics like eggs, coffee, yogurt, salad stuff, and fruit). It’s very gray here and a bit chilly for us, well, only 67. Ha ha. But next week will be COLD!
Yesterday I had no ambition and I binged the first five episodes of Squid Game. I hadn’t liked Season 1 and did not expect much of this season but found it unexpectedly interesting, with some clever twists and weirdly funny parts, and more intriguing social interactions. The political satire is pretty heavy in it but I don’t mind that (it does hit home too hard though at times). I will finish it this afternoon; there are only 7 episodes. It’s actually only a half a season they’re palming off on us with the rest to come sometime later this year. A really great cast! It continues to be very violent, be warned.
Us-Uzac Immortal Beloved is a nice, but boozy, long lasting plum scent. More rich, Christmas pudding plum ( or dark jam plum) than Mary Grenell’s simpler Plum.
The first Natori perfume also had a plum note, IIRC.
Robin, a quick heads up that the final paragraph is from yesterday’s post and mentions the very fancy silk shawl. It isn’t about today’s photo.
Oh, thank you, I got very confused by that! But I did really love those shawls that I found at the link! I worried I was just missing something.
Sorry Calypso!!
But gosh, doesn’t that store have lovely things??
HA, and it is only 10:44 pm as I read this!! Thank you.
Love the shawl from yesterday. I didn’t get around to reading the description of it at the time. I like the Mocha Mousse depending on the application. Not sure what I am wearing reflects it, though. Was testing at the mall. LVEB l’Elixir on one hand-straight up violet with rose and leather. Nothing at all like the original. Devotion Intense on the other. Liking both, but need to go back and compare Devotion Intense to the original. I love the Devotion bottles, so want to get a small one of one of them.
You are right about the L’Elixer being nothing like the original. I keep retesting it.
Lots of cleaning for me today: 2 loads of laundry so far, and a load of dishes in the dishwasher. Not taking down my Xmas lights, though. They stay up until January 6.
So yesterday my brother and I had New Year’s Day dinner at his house. He grilled up more gigantic steaks, while I brought cauliflower, roasted baby potatoes, and ice cream mochi to round out things. After we ate, we watched some anime. A nice, low-key day to start off 2025.
The terrestrial radio station I listen to has been playing music to celebrate National Science Fiction Day. Of course, the Star Wars Theme has made an appearance. Heard a really cool song by the Rolling Stones that I don’t think is played often enough: “2000 Light Years From Home”. It’s surprisingly modern and could pass for electronica, despite being recorded in 1967.
SOTD = back in Wrappings again today.
Tacking a couple of songs onto my post for National Science Fiction Day:
https://youtu.be/_YL7ALghfi8
https://youtu.be/DL-HvfVwZKM
Omg I love the Heavy Metal song and soundtrack! Awesome Jalapeno!
This is one of the songs I would play on my boombox while riding my 10 speed around the neighborhood. Lol.
I have the CD for the Heavy Metal soundtrack and have ripped it onto 2 of my computers.
My brother used to use it to check if the aftermarket stereo he had in his truck was performing up to his standards. 😉
I could eat roasted potatoes all day.
I’m a huge Stones fan but haven’t thought of that song in year’s. That’s cool it got played.
Wrappings sound perfect!
I need to remember to try it during the summer out here!
Wow. I would have heard all of Satanic Majesties Request multiple times in the 70s/80s but the only song that stuck with me was She’s a Rainbow…no memory of 2000 Light Years From Home at all. Thanks, was fun and might go listen to more of the album.
I’d never heard “2000 Light Years From Home” before today. I’ve been missing out!
Glad you had a fun throwback for Thursday.
Sounds like you had a lovely start to the year. Yes, January 6 is the last day, in France we eat galette des rois which is so delicious.