It's Tuesday and Veterans Day. (Plus, a handful of literary birthdays: Carlos Fuentes, Kurt Vonnegut, Shirley Graham Du Bois, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Mary Gaitskill.) What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm linking the water lily pond Monet created at Giverny with the "water feature" in Hermès Le Jardin de Monsieur Li. Tea at the moment is Jasmine Pearl Tea Co Bombay Breakfast.
Reminder: on 11/14, for Claude Monet's birthday, wear a fragrance that reflects the spirit of Impressionism (Wikipedia: "characterized by visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage of time), ordinary subject matter, unusual visual angles, and inclusion of movement as a crucial element of human perception and experience") or scent a favorite Impressionist painting, or do something else creative with the theme.
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: the Monet Teapot from Haviland & Parlon ("Colorful pastels summon the light artistic spirit of French impressionism. Produced in Limoges, France in Haviland & Parlon's world-renowned factory dating from 1924") can be special ordered from Gracious Style, $725.
This morning I’m reveling in Oriza L. Legrand Horizon, my bottle of which arrived yesterday afternoon. No points for me — this is almost the exact opposite of an Impressionist painting — but enabler points for Jalapeno, therabbitsflower and Daniel (by way of Kafkaesque) for focusing my attention on this one.
And for those who missed late-breaking developments yesterday, the Forest Quest appears to be satisfied, if not fully over. I will never stop loving and exploring new-to-me forest scents, but LVNEA’s Holy Oak is exactly the conifer forest I’ve been hunting for lately. So more enabler points for therabbitsflower! 👑
Whoa.
Congratulations on the end of your quest, and your new bottle!
🎉🎉🎉 congratulations!
!!!
I’ve been away a lot lately and unfortunately missed most of your Forest Quest. I’d love to hear a run down of contenders and finalists, if you are so inclined.
I was on a similar Forest Frag quest a few years ago. MMM Replica’s Soul of the Forest and RdF’s Falling Trees were among my finalists. But I have been meaning to check out the Pineward Perfume line as that seems promising. The new RdF Black Spruce is tempting too (if only it weren’t so expensive!)
Oh man, I’ll try to do this from memory (or through checking my “orders” email file). First there was Liis Bo, which didn’t fill the bill at all, despite the alleged redwood note. Then Fischersund 101, which is lovely but more dry and smoky than I was hoping for. Then Bois d’Hadrien, also lovely and Hadrien-esque, but on me the evergreens are paler than hoped for. Then I stumbled across Jorum Studios Boswellia Scotia and fell hard for it — it’s not the answer to the Forest Quest, but it is fir balsam and frankincense and many magical things. (Actually, Boswellia came before BdH, but I’m too lazy to go back and edit.) And THEN, therabbitsflower suggested several things from the LVNEA line that might work, and I ordered sample sizes of three of them, Holy Oak in EDP format, Ghost Pine in perfume oil, and Amber Forest in solid perfume (they call it “perfume crème”). All three are absolutely beautiful, but Holy Oak is the one that solves the Forest Quest. Despite my need to get out of the Wild Acquisition Mode I’ve been in lately, I can see adding more of all three of these to the collection.
Well done you! And all the enablers.
Thanks! Enablers are the best sometimes. 😁
Congrats on your forest finds…hope you will continue to enjoy Idyllwild, still one of my faves.
Love Idyllwild! It’s one of my favorite deciduous forest scents, along with Dryad. 🙂
Congratulations on reaching the end of your quest, SheriG, what a happy day! Now it’s time to immerse yourself in forest bathing. 🌲
I’m off to order a sample from LVNEA now, as I’ve had my off-and-on forest quest as well. Enjoy!
Thanks AnnE! I hope you love something from LVNEA — they won a soft spot in my heart when they sent an extra sprayer and cap with my travel-spray size of Holy Oak, just in case I had any trouble with the “pre-installed” one. I’m guessing they’ve been having issues with the 10 ml size bottles, and it was just really nice of them to be proactive. Plus, so far anyway, they are absorbing tariff costs rather than passing them on. Really nice people!
Thanks, they do sound like a great company. I wonder if they have a sample pack….
Wow, Forest Quest came to an unexpected conclusion! SO nice to hear you found exactly what you were looking for.
I’ve been tempted by Oriza L. Legrand, too. Can’t quite justify it at the moment, though.
Woohoo, celebrating with you again! 👑
I’m commando since I am going for an MRI this morning of my left shoulder (it has bad arthritis and I suspect a replacement is in my near future). But for our CP I”m thinking of something that will tie in with one of my favorite topics of Monet’s paintings, the haystacks. For a scent, there’s hay of course, but anything having to do with seasons, weather, snow, sunlight, animals nearby…. soil, whatever!
Monet was always wonderful with water and flowers, and with cathedrals, but the subtle variations of his haystack paintings makes them my favorites. (There’s one room in the Chicago Art Institute with several of them displayed in a row, which is wonderful to see.) Here’s a link that comments on them and gives lots of great examples: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haystacks_(Monet_series).
Love his haystacks. Good luck with the MRI. I hope it goes smoothly and doesn’t take too long.
Good luck with the MRI! And thank you Calypso for the excellent article on the haystacks.
Hope the MRI goes well!
Haystacks, Brin de Reglisse -> thank you!
Haystacks! That’s a great idea, and I love that room at the Art Institute. I hope the MRI goes well.
I will follow you into ‘hay Monet’ territory as this morning I sampled Sultan Pasha Joyeux Extrait, which has a prominent hay note (as well as lavender). Thanks to the NSTer here who sent me the sample.
Robin, a big belated Happy Birthday to you, cha cha cha.
Good luck with your MRI! 🤗
I love the Art Institute. Best of luck with the MRI.
Best wishes for the MRI.
Good luck with the MRI, Calypso. The Chicago Art Institute is one of the great museums for Impressionist artists in this country, I think. Plus, you’ve given me an idea for scent-wearing this week with the mention of hay, too. 😉
Hope that all went well with your MRI, and you get positive results from it.
I think I’ll go for PdN Amber Oud today, since it has wormwood. This would be for Manet’s “Absinthe Drinker” and “Bar at the Folies-Bergère”.
That picture! That was the table I absolutely would have killed for when I got married in the mid-’90s. In fact, I own a tablecloth in that exact pattern, and still have it today, though we mainly use it to sit on when we’re outside.
I love it too, ockeghem.
Unwrapping a bottle of Angels Share that has been sitting here for five years?
Chilly and foggy here this morning.
Our tickets to East Africa are purchased, gotta manifest this one doesn’t get cancelled.
You smell wonderful if you have gotten around to opening the bottle!
East Africa sounds very exciting, when are you going?
Good luck with your exciting travel plans!
When is East Africa?
Next September.
So much has changed in travel these last few years and we try to go during part of Great Migration but not during the busiest times.
Flights were already booked. People are booking 335 days out due to less flights available.
So we will land in Nairobi on 9/22, my sisters 75th birthday and travel on from there.
This fragrance is very nice. Cozy.
My fingers are crossed for you both!
Yay for bottle unwrapping and travel! 🤞🏻
https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/artworks/coquelicots-1010
I’m matching Monet’s Poppy Field from 1873 with JM Poppy and Barley. Given the choice I’d take the painting over the perfume.
I had an idea for a CP….to match a personal hobby ( or activity) to a perfume. Lots of us seem to have hobbies/ interests ( concerts, quilt making, knitting, reading) and so could match with a scent.
I like that CP idea. Lots of perfume folks are very talented!
That’s a fun idea! I could do water color painting or k-dramas, haha!
Exactly! A winning combination!
Noted!
Fascinating idea Kanuka!
Oh, brilliant idea as poppies are also on point for Remembrance Day.
Nice reminder. I like that term for the day, as opposed to Veterans Day here in the U.S. I always used to get the little paper poppy pins for a donation.
Borrowing ockeghem’s Absinth inspiration and wearing Masque Milano Romanza.
Absinthe, pardonnez-moi.
Borrowing a cp idea is a time honored tradition 🙂
Glad to be of service. 😀
Hi everyone 👋
I need to do some research for the CP. No points for me today in Amouage Opus VI, possibly the favorite of my brooding perfumes. It smells deep and spellbinding with all that incense.
It’s still January in November here. More snow, more ice, more cold. I am thrilled not to have to go anywhere.
Can anyone compare Youth Dew and Tabu for me? I’m looking at older bottles.
Brooding…
Spellbinding…
Love these words.
To me- Youth Dew is spicier than Tabu. Old bottles.
Thank you! It seems to me that I preferred YD back into the day.
Monet’s Haystacks number 6?
https://masterpiecesofart.pixels.com/featured/6-haystacks-claude-monet.html
Or The Cathedral In Rouen (after a quick glance).
I love your question about Youth Dew and Tabu! As aspsara says, I too think Tabu is spicier and I would add sweeter spices. Youth Dew has more floral notes and generally more complexity. SotD Tabu since you mentioned it and I really enjoy it. I have older and newer versions of both. I love smelling both, but both fall into that realm of perfumes that wear me.
I too remember Tabu as sweeter. I have an old bottle and the sprayer doesn’t work properly but the drops I get are great! I don’t recall YD much.
I’d be happy to send you some Youth Dew! Let me know same email as before kclb…
Yes, my mailing address is still the same. This is kind and generous of you, thank you!
Happy Tuesday, all!
Finished my Classic 1970s Week yesterday. So many perfumes from which to choose – I never even got to Opium, N°19, or Cristalle!
A big surprise was vintage Gucci No.1, from 1974. A bit of a mess in the first moments, probably because of the age of my tiny bottle. But after a few minutes, it really came together. Green notes, citrus, rose, musk, amber – a wonderful ride. Wish I had more of this one.
Vintage “Coriandre,” from Jean Couturier (1973) was also fascinating. Herbal, floral, and musky, this one felt of another era. (I think it’s still around, and I’m kind of curious to see how much it’s been reformulated.)
Vintage “Skinny Dip,” by Leeming Pfizer, (1974.) More going on here than I expected. Soft, creamy (if synthetic) lemon, with a hint of incense, flowers, woods, and musk. Doesn’t last long, but while it’s around it’s oddly charming.
Vintage “Z-14,” from Halston. I learned of this one from an interview with Frederic Malle, who said it (along with Aramis) was a favorite of his in his teenage years. (This old stuff is terrific, but a more recent bottle shows the effects of reformulation: it’s recognizable, but thinner and harsher.) Z-14 is definitely a descendant of Aramis – citrus, green herbs, spices, leather, patchouli, and oak moss. The Aramis style continued with perfumes like Azzaro Pour Homme, Puig Quorum, Perry Ellis For Men, and probably many more.
Today, I’m in Vetiver Royal Bourbon from Oriza L. Legrand, one of my favorite recent discoveries, and one of the best vetivers I’ve ever worn.
I can promise you Coriandre from even 10 years ago was very different from Coriandre in 1975ish. No idea what it is like in 2025.
Thank you for all the reviews and reminders of your ‘70’s week! I had to smile at the appearance of Skinny Dip whose then tagline was “Makes a Girl Feel Pretty.” My sister who gamely embraces my perfumania nabbed me a pristine box and bottle of SD. Your description is what I’d say too. The now tagline would be, ah, different, but the scent has the same cheerful appeal! 🌼🌸☀️
Very nice mini reviews, thank you Daniel. Another vote here for the vintage Halston Z-14. A perfumista friend got a vintage bottle and we all goggled at how good it was.
Your post is reminding me that I *really* should dig out my vintage perfume samples and start using them.
Yes, don’t wait! Scent is more fragile than we expect.
Hey Daniel, you’ve had a great week, scent-wise. I remember the original Coriandre very well, and it’s permanently imprinted with the wearer in my mind. Great stuff! Thanks for the trip in the way-back machine.
Hey Ann! It’s been a fun week, for sure. My sample of Coriandre is very old – I can’t imagine it smells just like the original – but of course I never smelled the original! I definitely need a way-back machine. 😊
Wore no 5 edp yesterday and it was a little rough last night after I got off work last night. Wearing Cheirosa 62 today and going to work today.
A made a mention of my bottle of Arabie getting all sorts of messed up and I don’t what happened but it’s now it’s not messed up. I think something might have leaked onto the cap and messed up the cap but not anything else. It’s a good thing too. I don’t have to save up over $300 for a bell jar.
Oh yay for your Arabie!
Good news about your bottle of SL Arabie!
Today actually going for a post-impressionist connection, Van Gogh’s Starry Night along with Iris Cendre. This wears well on chilly days.
I would quite enjoy hearing why this fragrance evokes Starry Night as I’m unfamiliar with both the house and the scent.
Excellent.
Our on again – off again spring is on again. I’m wearing Patou’s 1000 to celebrate the general impression of spring flowers.
Yay, lucky you!
I’ve got Barenia on one wrist and Barenia Intense on the other. The regular smells like sun-warmed-and-dried sand and clean patchouli to me, whereas the intense has a menthol-like note that feels sharp and cooling in my nose. I prefer the warm vibe of the regular to the cooling sensation of the intense. This is my first time giving Barenia a true test and I can’t think of anything that strikes me as similar. I’m impressed.
Tea today is a black tea with chocolate notes and flecks of orange peel.
Thanks for the compare and contrast between Barenia and Barenia Intense!
Remembering Veteran’s Day today in the U.S. Thank you in the NST community for your service. Remembering my Uncle Mitch (Army) and Cousin Len (Army Air Corps) who served in WWII in Europe. Cousin Lenny (Air Force) who served during the Korean War. Uncle Harley (Army) who served in Vietnam. And Mr Engineer (Navy) who served in the first Gulf War, then later in the War on Terror.
Sotd Oribe Desertland for a late Plink Monday. Layering w matching Desertland body crème.
You have lots of veterans in your family! My father was in the army air corps (ww2), my uncle was in the coast guard (not sure when) and one of my stepfathers was in the navy (korea).
The Army Air Corps was intense! Have you watched Masters if the Aur in Apple TV+? Cousin Len was a ball turret gunner at 19. After watching that show and seeing what btg’s did, I was in awe.
Ah, and my dad was a radar operator, flying from Saipan. Will look for that show, thanks!
Also remembering Veteran’s Day and my great Uncle Mickey a bombardier who died in WW II when he was 28.
Wearing Angélique Noire today.
I have sold a couple unloved bottles on EvilBay recently and it feels good to say sayonara. ☺️
So young! Do you know what he was flying and where? My dad was a radar operator on the b29 in the Pacific.
Congrats on selling your bottles!
Thanks, Robin. Yes, too young. Below is a good summary I found online. My mom thought they may have encountered enemy fire but could have been mechanical too.
On 11 April 1944 he was on the crew of the B-24H Liberator #42-52754 during a mission to bomb the war industry at Bernburg, Germany. They experienced mechanical problems and were forced to turn back before reaching the target area. It is believed they crashed into the North Sea with no survivors.
God bless Great Uncle Mickey! May his memory always be a blessing!
Remembering my Dad today for Veterans Day. RIP
I had a very Shalimar day, and wafting in the extrait and the new essence.
I got a spot at the Waldorf for 100 years of love for Shalimar! I am so happy I did. So beautiful and informative !! Plus a goody bag
How does the resident Shalimar expert like the L’Essence? Is it really similar to MVP or does it stand on its own?
The extrait was so so beautiful! It’s sold out and there was a waitlist!
But since it was dabbed on the wrist there was very little projection.
The Essence was Shalimar with a tooth 🦷 cavity- so sweet! But the projection was beautiful in the cold weather!
The presentation of the Shalimar exhibit was truly beautiful, but it was evident that the crowd was divided into two groups: influencers and ordinary Shalimar enthusiasts or visitors seeking an experience.
TThe gentleman was at one point, only phones, specifically influencers’ phones, in front of him. As a volunteer at the New York Public Library, I find that kind of behavior unacceptable. When someone is presenting- you listen
Yay! I know you wanted to get into that exhibit at the Waldorf so much.
God bless LTSG’s dad for his service! His memory is a blessing!
Remembering my Dad and his brothers, and my Mom’s brothers, my cousins and brother-in-law, and all who served our country. Thank you for your service. Feeling lazy, so I am stealing Robin’s SOTD and going with Monsieur Li. We smell terrific on this cold, windy, gloomy day in a corner of Pennsylvania!
You do smell lovely!
Yes we do, and wow was it cold. I had to go get my mammogram & dexa today, otherwise would have stayed indoors.
Thank your family for its extensive service! I’m from Pgh, PA (now in Lus Angeles). Where in PA?
I’m in Bucks County…but spent three fantastic years in Pittsburgh in the late 70’s (grad school at Pitt). Loved it there, and now my nephew lives in Pburgh.
The Cathedral of Learning! We lived not far in Highland Park.
Was comparing Guerlain Patchouli Paris vs Coromandel EDP earlier today. I prefer the Coromandel (I finally get it!), but lordy $$$. There are folks on ebay selling packs of manufacturer samples. Any idea if those are likely to be trustworthy? I know FB’s of Chanels on ebay are suspect.
No idea if the Chanel samples on Evil Bay are legit or not, sorry.
Hope everyone is well on NST and keeping warm for the northern hemisphere. Back from my long (two months) trip to Provence. Feeling refreshed and lighter, lost 8 pounds, all that walking and hiking, I’d never been overweight until recently, so I’m thrilled to be back to my normal weight, now I have to work on keeping it off😉.
Had a long break from perfumeland as I only have four bottles in Provence, vintage Dior Addict called my name this morning and tonight it’s Eau de Balahé, intensely vanillic and not at all a fresh Eau but it feels right with the blustery (but mild) weather today.
Welcome home, we missed hearing about scents from your vast & fabulous collection. Don’t think I’ve ever seen Leonard fragrances here.
Thank you for your warm words, it’s good to be reunited with my collection, I think too that Leonard is pretty much under the radar when it comes to classics.
Welcome back to NST and your perfume cornucopia! And congrats on losing 8 pounds!
Thank you Jalapeno, it feels good to be back with access to perfume again and perfume buddies.
Aurora!
I’m so glad you had a nice vacation. You have been missed.
Smelling great as usual 😀
Thank you Lillyjo, happy to be back among perfume buddies.
2 months in Provence, I am pretty sure I would come home with 8 new pounds! So congrats, and hope it was all wonderful.
😀Thank you Robin, the fresh produce from the market also helped the weight loss, lots of ratatouille was made.
Welcome back Aurora! You’re a saint if you can spend 2 mos in Provence and come back weighing less! Hope you’ll fill us in on more of your adventures from the trip!
Thank you LesLiesse, I cooked lots of ratatouille and walked everywhere, no doubt it helped the weight loss.
Also following Les Liesse, honoured my father’s service in WWII by respecting the traditional two minute silence on the BBC this morning.
Oh that’s nice. If they do that here anywhere, I am not aware of it.
It is a sacred tradition here with the royal family going to the cenotaph and beautiful music beforehand. They even respect it at supermarkets and work.
Was it at 11 am? I seem to recall that WWI officially ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, and Remembrance Day flows from that. I think it’s a beautiful tradition that I wish we would emulate.
Absolutely right 11am, it’s a sacred moment, this year the king had tears in his eyes at this sacred moment, the royal family goes to the cenotaph every year.
Hello NST!
For the community project, I am linking VC&A Bois d’Iris to Irises: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/claude-monet-irises
So lovely.
Wonderful. I might steal your idea and wear that same perfume tomorrow! Thanks.
For sure I will steal that idea this week!
Been thinking about my Dad (and Mom) today. They’re both buried at a National Cemetery down in the Denver area. For those NSTers unfamiliar with the idea, National Cemeteries are reserved for members of the military and their spouses.
Dad served in the Navy during the Korean War. One of his brothers was at Pearl Harbor in WW2. At least two of my Mom’s brothers also served during WW2, with one of them flying Liberators over eastern Europe. Lots of cousins served during the Vietnam era. Everyone came back safe and returned to civilian life.
73 degrees today. It’s ridiculous being this warm in November.
Need to put on my thinking cap for this week’s CP.
SOTD = commando, but wearing scented lotion in the usual spots. Plus sunscreen!
Thank you for your family’s service Jalapeno.
The older generations deserve all the credit. I am just a beneficiary of theirs.
Wow, that is a lot, amazing they all came home safe.
Yeah. Military service was kind of a family tradition for a couple of generations.
So inspiring to have so many family members who served. the national cemetery where your parents are must be a beautiful place too, so touching.
Lots of green grass, mature trees, and a small lake there. Plus all the white marble tombstones shining in the Colorado sun. Lovely, but a sad place for me.
One more very cold day – woke up to temps in the 20’s again and though it warmed up past freezing the wind was sharp and bitterly cold all day. Been keeping warm with AG Nuit Etoilee 🌲
Veterans’ Day occupies my thoughts today – my dad served in WWII, stationed in England, separated from his new wife for more than 3 years; his youngest brother, a medic, killed at the age of 23 trying to help another wounded soldier; and all my other uncles who served in that war across the world. As a mother, I cannot imagine the pain my grandmothers felt, each having multiple sons fighting across the world!
Peace, peace to all ☮️!
I remember my Aunts and Uncles talking about Blue Star and Gold Star families with so much reverence when I was a kid.
My grandma had a small display of my deceased uncle in her living room. His picture, and his Bronze Star, Silver Star, and Purple Heart. I was transfixed, one of my lasting childhood memories.
It really is unimaginable for those of us lucky enough to not live through it.
The furnace guy came to give my furnace a tune up today. He ended up putting a big red tag on it and deemed it unusable. He said it was a safety hazard.
I’m thankful that he came out and checked everything but I am now more overwhelmed than ever. It’s 34 degrees here but will get into the 40’s tomorrow.
I can’t do anything about the furnace until Thursday or Friday.
Today I wore Jil Sander no.4
Lillyjo, I’m so sorry to hear that! UGH. But it just occurred to me that you might be able to get a second opinion on it. Was the serviceman who came from a company you’ve used before? But whatever happens, good luck and let us know how it goes. 🩷
I have another person coming out from the gas company on Thursday. Until then though I won’t turn on the heat.
The first guy is from a trusted company.
Oh, good!
Oh dear, so sorry lillyjo.
Yikes! Glad that you had your furnace checked, lillyjo. But so bummed out that it needs replacing. Some states have rebate programs for old furnaces. Maybe yours?
Hope you can have heat back quickly Lillyjo, it’s an unfortunate situation plus the expense, also hope you have a portable heater meanwhile.
Commando today, and I don’t know how that happened. Well, after reading here, I will wear my favorite iris frag, Harmonist Royal Earth, as my bedtime scent.
Thanks to everyone who shared their stories of family veterans. My father was stationed in the Aleutian Islands in WWII, but he never talked about it. My mother mentioned a couple of things, and I can’t imagine how awful it must have been there. What that generation went through!
That always makes me think of Dashiell Hammett, he was also stationed in the Aleutians and I think wrote a camp newspaper or something.
My dad never talked about his service either, until I got older and started asking questions.
Huh, I will have to check out that, too! I learn so much here. 🤗
People of that generation didn’t talk about what had happened. I only found out some stories about the uncles on my Mom’s side through stories that other relatives told. And it was all peripheral; stories from the home front.
That’s my experience too with my father.