Happy Thursday, and a very happy birthday to Tilda Swinton! What fragrance are you wearing today?
I am wearing Etat Libre d'Orange Like This.
Reminder: tomorrow will be Enabler Pin Friday: bestow a pin on someone who convinced you that you just had to try (or buy) a fragrance. And of course, wear the fragrance!
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2015, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Loved Tilda in “I am love” the Italian film. Amazing actress.
I am in Petit Guerlain today.
Would like to brag about my splurge yesterday at the Guerlain spa- treated myself to a mommy to be day: massage, facial, and nails. I have been in some pain recently, so it was nice to forget about it for a couple of hours. Also splurged on the holiday 2015 collection. Lipstick, terracotta powder, and the meteorites from the collection. Loved the vintage perfume ads in the spa- lovely day overall.
Petit Guerlain reminds me of the Tinkerbell cologne from the 80’s- I am sure it’s better quality – it brings back childhood memories
Your day sounds lovely and it’s important to treat yourself – well done! Have you tried the meteorites yet? I’ve been considering buying them…
And I adore Tilda, of course.
I love the meteorites-it had a teeny tiny bit of glitter- but it’s mostly shimmer. For me it makes my face look more open and gives me the glow I am looking for. For some people they don’t notice the difference at all. Also use a brush or one of he pearls directly on my eye lid for a eyeshadow and on my clavicle bones if I am wearing a low cut top. Hope that helps!
It does, thank you!
I’ve always told myself that Tilda Swinton and David Bowie are brother and sister or maybe the same person in different disguises. Admire them both.
What a wonderful day you had!
I’ve never smelled Petit Guerlain . I will have to check it out this weekend when I visit the Guerlain boutique in Disney.
How lovely — so glad it was relaxing.
Speaking of Guerlain -Robin did you happen to hear they are discontinuing Nahema, the perfume version?
Just saw that on Monsieur Guerlain at Facebook! Sort of surprised it has made it this long, it cannot be a big seller.
Speaking of Tilda herself, has anyone seen her movie from 2013 called Only Lovers Left Alive? Link to imdb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1714915/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_10
I’ve been curious about this film and wondering if anyone has seen it and can comment
I haven’t-but it looks good!
I have and I loved it, Tilda is wonderful in it and I’m a huge Tom Hiddleston fangirl as well. But I’m sure it’s not everybody’s cup of tea. Have you seen anything else by Jarmusch?
I’ve seen Broken Flowers and Coffee and Cigarettes and liked both. Unsure if those are representative of Jarmusch’s style.
I love Tilda. And I love off-kilter vampire stuff (not a fan of the sexy, rich, sleek and elegant type of vampire stuff, I like Penny Dreadful and Byzantium, etc)
I’d say you should see it. It’s not a masterpiece – both movies you mention are objectively speaking better films – but it’s fascinating. As Elisa P says, the visual style is great, the characters are great and if you don’t expect the vampires to sparkle in the sun, you might enjoy it.
I did see that movie. It was visually beautiful, very languid characters, enjoyable for the most part. I’m a big Jim Jarmusch fan, but this was not a favorite for me amongst his other work.
Oooooh – lovely! That sounds amazing. I’ve never been to a spa before – perhaps something to consider. I take it you’d recommend the Guerlain one.
You need to treat yourself -do it
I used to go to a spa a lot more when I was in my 20s than I do now – less extra time and income. But it is a wonderful thing to do for yourself. It makes you feel so good that you believe (and I still do) that regular massage treatments should be part of our health care system. An excellent massage therapist will change your life.
and a hot stone massage on a cold day is such a treat. I used to go more often too…
I agree Ann! Massage and human touch are so beneficial and healing. Sometimes a massage and a good cup of tea or water afterwards is better then popping a pain reliever.
And not to get all sobby, but I have a bad connotation with spa’s and my fathers passing. I was waiting in a steam room before my treatment when a lady came to fetch me with an important phone call from a family member that was tracking me down that my father had passed. So, my spa days have become not as frequent as they use to be..
Sounds blissful. I’m enjoying it vicariously!
Fabulous – you deserve it!
Today I had to wear the Mohur extrait I just got in a split (from Meredifay). I smell amazing!
Isn’t it nice to smell amazing?
It is!
You do smell amazing! Isn’t it fun?
It’s really fun. Thanks for making it happen!
You do! And I want to smell amazing more often. More Mohur soon.
Forgot to put any scent on in the morning, but happened to have my La Pausa bottle in the office, so wearing that. No regrets.
Chanel La Pausa is so beautiful!
Excellent backup plan 🙂
That’s a great place to store a bottle of La Pausa!!! 😉 I keep a small baggie of samples in my desk for emergencies.
Wish I had remembered my baggie of samples today. I could have sworn I put it in my purse last night! Being unscented is making me crabby.
Same here!
I finally resorted to using a magazine perfume sample!
SOTD = Champagne de Bois
I’ve been wanting to test CdB. However, the cart at SSS has been closed for quite a while.
Others would know better than I, but I have the impression that if you email, Laurie might take orders even when the cart is down!
You are right CH. I did see that notice on their website. However, I also want to sample a few of their other scents too. Thank you though. If the cart continues to be down next week, I may just try email. 🙂
I think Laurie has had some health issues (which is usually the case when the cart goes down). But if you email, she might be able to do something for you.
I didn’t realize that Laurie has health challenges. That’s too bad. I’m glad you told me. I can wait until she puts her cart back up. I don’t want to bother her if she’s not feeling well. Thanks Mals
No trouble! I think the thing about having the cart up is that in the interest of customer service she can’t fulfill all the orders the site can take and doesn’t want to disappoint a lot of people – but she might be able to manage a few here and there.
Her blog suggests that the site may be up and running soon; she’s also had some things done in her lab so that might be part of the reason the cart is down.
gorgeous!
Love that one. Wore it last week, and then twice more on the sweater I’d had on that day 🙂
It has an extremely long half life!
Gorgeous! And it lasts forever.
I’m in Jour d’Hermes for the light, woody florals later on. Right now the initial blast of grapefruit is waking me up, which is also nice.
Yum.
My SOTD is Miller Harris Geranium Bourbon, courtesy of the very generous Petunia. I am enjoying this scent so much.
When my children were younger, I took them to see The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Tilda Swinton was breathtakingly beautiful in that movie.
Such a great book too!
Enjoy! You smell great! 🙂
Really want to try that one! love many MH scents.
GB was a challenge for me too. I’m so glad that Barqs is giving it some love.
My favorite geranium.
I agree about TS in LW&W movie. No one else could be such a good queen as her. I love her ridiculous shrill character in Coen Brother’s Burn After Reading. Geranium Bourbon is a great fragrance too!
Another fan of GB piping up!
trying out Kilian’s Amber Oud
Oh, I used up a sample of this in short order but have been dwadling about ordering a decant. It is the time if year for this. Do tell how it works on you?
I’ve really been enjoying it all day. Wishing I had more…sigh.
I’m not a big fan of either amber or oud, but I liked this one very much. It’s very silky and light.
I’m a fan of this one too. Though always puzzled as I get neither amber nor oud. Lavender, yes. Oud, no.
Sorry! I should have had my coffee first. Totally read “Nicolai” instead of “Kilian”! Please ignore my comment ;-/
I really should have enough ambers for my lifetime, but I want to try this one, too! I’ve been enjoying a large sample of his Rose Oud.
I love the Rose Oud as well.
Today I’m wearing Neela Vermeire Ashoka, my tribute to fig week.
I’m moving in two months and during an overly-ambitious packing session last month, I boxed up all my perfumes, save “only” a dozen fall/winter scents. This morning I finally broke down and freed my NV minis. And Dior Ambre Nuit. And Lolita Lempicka. 🙂
Scent twins!
Yay! You smell great. 🙂
Now I want to know what had made the first cut, if those didn’t!
Ha, let me mentally go through my shelf.
Shalimar, Mitsouko, Bois des Iles, Coromandel, AG Ce Soir ou Jamais, SL 5 o’clock au gingembre, Byredo Black Saffron, Burberry Brit Gold, Hermes Ambre Narguile, PdE Ambre Russe, FM L’eau d’hiver, Dior Gris Montaigne, Chanel No 5 (edt and vintage extrait), and Joy extrait. Okay, that’s a bit more than a dozen. Plus I’ve acquired several samples lately. 🙂
Oh, and my beloved Coco.
Which is what I am wearing today and like more and more every day.
🙂
I remember a similar decision and emotions during my move. 🙂
Today I remembered to do a fig perfume. I am sampling Ashoka, which right now 4 hours in, is a very soft powdery hinting of coconut of all things..sounds a bit odd but smells wonderful!
Happy to hear you’re enjoying it! Odd but wonderful is an apt description. My nose has been plastered to my wrist all morning. I need to remember to apply more next time. I usually have a light hand, but 4 sprays is not enough Ashoka for me.
No figs for me so I chose Au Della by Bruno Fazzolari today. I have a decant of Like This and would have worn it if I had known. Happy Thursday everyone!
Au Delà is a pretty one. It reminded me of Mitsouko–which is weird given the notes (but notes schmotes, right?). What is your impression?
I kind of stink at describing scents but AD was instant love for me. I got a free sample of it with a perfume order and bought it within a few weeks of testing. I haven’t smelled Mitsouko yet although I keep meaning to. However, I will get a sample tout de suite because you’ve made me curious now. I would say AD is a modern chypre with a bit of sweetness and mossiness. Sort of a muted orange blossom chypre. It’s not smokey. I think of it as pretty with an teeny, tiny masculine edge. I just realized I spelled Au Dela with two Ls… Oops… Proper names.
I have Mitsouko in the extrait, but I don’t think that would make that difference. If you do get around to sniffing it, I’d love your thoughts vis a vis it and Au Delà. I still have some of my AD sample left… hmmm. I may wear it tomorrow.
Are you in the US? If so, I’d be happy to send you a sample of the Mitsouko! Email me at ann dotp eisenberg atp comcast dotp net
Since PerthGirl mentioned this yesterday, and it is among my top 5 of all time….I’m wearing sotd: Profumi del Forte Roma Imperiale and enjoying every second of it.
Already trying to figure out where in the city I might go to smell this one.
If “in the city” you mean NYC, then I think Bergdorf sells this brand.
Sorry- bad habit! I promised myself that I would never be one of those people that behaves as if New York is the center of the universe, and yet I get caught saying things like that. Oy. Yes, I did mean NYC, and thanks for letting me know ! I’ll go in search when I’m there next.
Are you based here too or just knowledgeable about our perfume purveyors?
I’m in New Jersey. And even when I lived in Boston (for most of my life), “the city” mostly meant NYC. I think for all of American “the city” means NYC! Because let’s be real, NYC truly is The City in the US.
Lol.. if you’re going to do it you need the strength of your convictions, and make it THE city 😉
and thank you so much for your sweet reply 🙂
Hope you can find RI. I usually wear it in warmer weather but I think it’s awesome year round 🙂
When I moved back to the Bay Area I had some serious years of city dissonance. The City here, of course, is SF… I have finally become aligned with the lingo!
It IS the center of the universe, my dearest, because you’re there 🙂
My two wrists are worlds apart, fragrance-wise, and yet my scent eating skin ensures that they don’t conflict. I need to put my wrist to my nose to smell either – Rose Omeyyade by Atelier des Ors on the left, and the original Jean Louis Scherrer on the right. Loving both.
Also, for Perthgirl, as she may not have seen my final comments yesterday – thanks for the lovely compliments! I also said – I’m delighted to know that I brought you and Natori together. I have *no* doubt you’ll wear it well.
Robin, you may already know and love Scherrer, but I smell this and think “this is a Robin scent”. Have you tried it? Am I wrong/right?
I had to go consult my notes — I don’t think I have tried it, or if I did, I neglected to write it down. Just looked at V’s review on Bois de Jasmin and it does sound like me 🙂
I’ve decided to ask for a bottle for Christmas and I’ll make you a sample when the time comes. I just feel like it’s something you need to try. 🙂
It’s not so tricky to find the good, green chypre vintage stuff out there. A little mini of the parfum from the thrift store started me on this whole perfume nonsense a few years ago. I got the vintage EdP (? or T?) on Ebay for cheap with a slightly faulty nozzle…
Keep your eyes peeled. Much more mossy and less synthetic than current.
Well thank you!
I too forgot to put on perfume this morning, and as I don’t keep perfume at work, it looks like my day will be mostly free of perfume. I put on some Caudalie body oil this morning, which helps a little.
I learned my lesson yesterday and will be bringing some samples to work, just in case! I’ve never tried Caudalie body oil but have heard that it has a very pretty scent. I think Victoria at BDJ mentioned it in one of her reveiws?
I think Victoria reviewed the parfum that was launched recently. The parfum isn’t mucht to my liking (same goes for the Nuxe parfum) but the oil is very, very nice.
I completely agree!
I have the Nuxe and Caudalie body oils and much prefer the Caudalie. It has a beautiful fragrance.
I may like both equally but my favourite is the Lierac 3 Fleurs Blanches. Very, very nice.
I havent even heard of that. Must do research 🙂
I think I have about 5 or 6 different dry oils. They are just so nice. I hope you can find the Lierac in Australia, I got mine in France.
SOTD is Olfactive Studios Flash back. Yesterday’s TPC flash sale got me thinking that I would like to try the other scents from Volnay, since I love Brume d’Hiver so much. TPC and STC don’t have them but it turns out that the company offers a sample set for €10 and free shipping! Score!
That’s a good deal.
After yesterday’s fig overdose, I decided to celebrate violet week today with Bois de Violette. First time wearing it outside of the house and I’m loving it so far. I love violet, but some of them are sickeningly sweet. Not so, with M. Lutens’ version. Plenty of wood notes to lend some weight. Now if it will last through lunch, I may have to track down a larger quantity. Could this be my holy grail violet??
Have you tried Caron Violette Precieux? It isn’t sweet at all, but has more of an earthy iris damp garden feel, if you like that kind of thing 🙂
I have not tried that one, but it sounds right up my alley! Thank you! Adding to my wishlist now…
Kurbside violet is a good non sweet one too.
Been dying to smell Kerbside Violet! If only I could get my hands on some. Lush is being very stingy with it. Does anyone have a lead on how to obtain it in the USA?
That sounds wonderful. I will not resist.
I’m making a mental note to try this the next time I’m at the SL counter!
Longevity update: BdV was pretty much a memory by lunchtime. Topped up with Iris Silver Mist (I never leave home without it, as the saying goes).
I am wearing the last of a BPAL imp, Siren.
SOTD is MFK Oud. Simply delicious.
I haven’t tried that one but the sample I had of silk oud mood was delicious. (Or maybe it was satin…)
I liked Satin Mood, too, but I haven’t had the chance to try it side-by-side with Oud to compare.
The satin is pretty nice.
Wearing Eric Buterbaugh Apollo Hyacinth, from a sample (which is likely all I could afford from this new, uber-spendy designer house). It’s lovely. Not terribly floral, just fresh like green growing things, very natural-smelling. I love the spicy accent of many hyacinths, but this does not have the spice.
It also does not have that metallic edge that so many hyacinth fragrances can have (TF Ombre de Hyacinth, Bas de Soie and Calandre, looking at you) and which I dislike so much.
Sounds great and the aesthetic of the brand is so beautiful. I’m sorry if I’ve asked that already, but where did you get the sample? I’m dying to try the entire line.
I’d also love to try the rose one. And the tuberose. And the violet! (I think that’s why I stopped with just one EB sample, I figured I’d want FBs of them all if I tried all of them.)
I think it came from StC, but TPC has it as well.
Thank you! I haven’t ordered from them for a long time, but these are so tempting.
I am so looking forward to trying all the Eric Buterbaugh samples. Just waiting for a good STC opportunity. Also have to get through a bunch of samples I just got from Luckyscent. How did the election turn out?
The CEO won 60-40%, thanks for asking.
If you get all the Buterbaughs, let us know how they are!
Congrats! All the hard work paid off.
Will do.
SOTD is the vintage Jean Patou Sublime that I got in the swapmeet from the lovely Foxbins! Thank you so much. It is perfect for this day when I want to feel elegant, but also laid back. It’s gone strait to the sandalwood and oakmoss which is fine with me today.
Nice
So glad you’re enjoying it!
😉
Lovely!
It’s my day off and it’s the perfect weather here in Boston–high 60s and clear so I am wearing one of my all-time faves– Haie Fleurie du Hameau
Interesting, I’ve not heard of that one.
Discontinued from L’Artisan. I have about 80 ml of this plus approximately 140 ml of it as Haie Fleurie. Over 200 ml should hold me for another few decades
You smell beautiful!
Thank you
Thank you for the heads up on The Birthday. I think SWINTON is divine. I still remember the delightful shock of first seeing SWINTON on film as Orlando oh so many years ago.
I have carefully wrapped and sealed my sample of Like This because the immortelle overwhelms me, but I will wear it today and think SWINTONLY thoughts.
I love that movie! I thought she was amazing in that role.
I watched that movie over and over. Loved it. Now i feel like watching it again. I still haven’t read the book although I have a copy.
Do read it! In fact, I should reread it myself.
Oh the wonderful watching of that movie as a young person. Reason enough to bust out my sample of Like This for the first time.
No perfume could be Orlando-ish enough for me, but this is a dandified, extra French take on her.
Though the packaging leaves a little to be desired (it’s hard to see the names on each sample, or pull them out without opening them) the ELdO sampler from Sephora is a steal.
Another favorite today; the lovely 31 Rue Cambon. Woke up with a cold sore (ugh!) and trying to disguise it with RC’s silky elegance.
SOTD is MFK Aqua Vitae Forte. I never would have sought this one out or even reached for it in a shop, but I got a sample in my Sniffapalooza goody bag. It’s aquatic without being calone-y. More floral, citrus with enough benzoin or vanilla and vetiver in the base to ground it and add warmth and a hint of salt. I’m surprised at how much I’m enjoying it!
Like This is a favorite of mine, but since I wore it recently I decided to put something else on and I reached for Miller et Bertaux A Quiet Morning. which has some interesting notes.
Happy Birthday Tilda! I’d like to know her age…
Today I needed a big, bold scent and went with Amouage Fate Woman. One single spritz of this lasts forever and scents my whole house as I travel room to room. So glamorous (in my imagination!) as I dust, mop, and scrub the toilet! In my yoga pants and t-shirt no less. Pretty sure I am not an example of Christopher Chuongs ideal Amouage demographic, but oh well.
Day 4 of enforced staycation and so I have plenty of time to surf the net and do some perfume research. The Sephora VIB sale starts tomorrow and I am looking at a bottle of Nirvana Black spray oil. I love spray oils in the winter and really enjoyed the Bergamot and Oud by JM, but don’t really want another bottle. Has anyone tried the Nirvana Black spray oil? If so, what do you think, or do you have any equivalent suggestions?
Cheers!
Sephora VIB sale–uh-oh, looks like I may have the nudge I need to get the TF Noir pour Femme. What does it entail?
Starts tomorrow and a hefty 20% off everything including fragrances. I got my code yesterday in an email. My basket is getting a bit overloaded 😉
Unfortunately, don’t think I have bought enough to qualify. I only have lowly Beauty Insider status. Money saved.
Sapphire, it’s a generic code so I dont think it matters. My e-mail is taiga101 at the yahoo palace dawt com. I’d be happy to share the code with you, thus possibly earning an enabler pin 😉
I better check my email because I thought it starts on Nov 13th!
55 candles on Tilda’s moodily thoughtful non-cake today. Or perhaps she would have cake?
Mind boggled. 😀
55? Wow, I never would have guessed that, thanks!
I read somewhere a while back that she keeps the long-term husband and has a young, sexy lover too- with hubby’s approval.
So it sounds like she has cake, and eats it. 😉
Ha! Perfectly sums up SWINTON.
Yes, I read something along those lines as well! She must have an abundance of energy 😉
I haven’t tried the oil version, only have a travel spray edp so I’m no help on that front but it’s a grwat fragrance IMO. But Fate is fab! And I like mixing glam and grunge (or should I just say “casual wear”?). I’m sure Mr. Chong would be proud 🙂
Ha, I like that- “Glam and Grunge”
Just call me GG for short 😉
I did try a spritz of the Black edp yesterday and really enjoyed the dry down. Didn’t see the dry oil spray in-store but did see it listed online. There is a perfume oil in a small bottle and a dry oil body spray in a big bottle and from what I have read, folks are saying the perfume oil is a bit weak while the oil spray is exactly like the edp, which seems a bit backwards. Thanks for your input!
I know I’ve mentioned that since I’m working in a hospital I am not wearing fragrance to work lately… but I have discovered that one squirt of Hermes Voyage under the scrubs is a perfectly non-“perfumey” way to have my cake and eat it too. It just gives me a little feeling of ambiance and I can’t imagine it ever bothering anyone. Then I get to pick out something new when I get home! But SOT every D is Voyage for the time being.
I like that about Voyage, too. For me it’s “scented skin but so much better” when worn subtly.
And the bottle is fun!
If I had to wear only one (surreptitious) perfume everyday, Voyage would be a great choice. It does have a calming feel so I think it’s a nice choice for a hospital too. Im sure no one would mind even if they could smell it.
Voyage is one of my favorites. I don’t see it mentioned much.
Violet week, day four: Caron Aimez Moi. Probably a bit much for the office while it is still in the mid-80s here, but glorious.
Always happy to see a mention of Aimez Moi 🙂
Hello, all. Today holds perfectly horrible meetings: on a 1–10 scale, they both sit at about 17.3, although the second might reach only 16.9. Sigh. How I look forward to beginning my retirement– I’m sure there will difficulties, but among those difficulties, there will not be damn beastly meetings! Anyway, to counter the anticipated dreariness, I’m wearing the golden warmth of Fate, with (I can’t quite believe I did this!) a single spritz of a Femme in the crook of each elbow. My reasoning: if I’m going to knock ’em out anyway, asphyxiation requires less effort on my part.
That’s a sound theory you clever waterdragon you 😉
oh! I forgot the rest :-/
Hope the meetings arent nearly so terrible as a 17. And it’s Friday 🙂 and you smell great (separately, so im sure you smell great combined). Im not sure that made sense.. it’s early Friday morning and im still awake… need sleep…
Sorry about the meetings, but at least it gave inspiration for a very witty comment.
Energy efficient asphyxiation. Elder wisdom continuing to improve global society.
Sorry, all, I’m having a rather dark day. Waterdragon, hope the day proves brighter than anticipated.
I’m road-testing Rose of No Man’s Land, which is quite pretty. I suspect warmer weather would suit this fragrance more. It is one of those scents I notice best several inches from my skin. Nose to wrist I am getting “floral,” but when I stop trying to analyze it I get a lovely ambient rose aura all around me.
Ambient rose aura sounds nice.
MPG Cuir Fetiche. I spent the autumn & winter rebelling against cozy scents, so now, as I knew would happen, I feel I’m missing out on them! So today was a bit cloudy and I was all ‘woohoo! I can wear leather!’ Floral leather. Fleather? It’s similar to Cuir de Lancôme but maybe a tad sweeter and more floral. The red leather corset on the bottle is a Fetiche as it gets, but it’s still beautiful.
I bought ‘Like This’ because…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKVRJj7aVOk
Unfortunately it smells a bit too savory on me; like pumpkin/onion soup. If it was more pumpkin pie I would be happier.
I am with you there! I’ve figured out that one of the top note odors that makes me go “Eww, what is that?” is pepper, pink pepper, poirve, etc etc etc. When I read spice as a note I am expecting cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, maybe clove, not a steak seasoning. LOL!
Lol!
There’s always at least a minute during Cabochard where I think I’m wearing Worcestershire sauce.
Lol!
I didn’t think Rumi could get any better, but I was wrong. Thanks for the link 🙂
Thanks for the link.
For all the scents I have trouble with, this one has never been a problem. (Hey, some of them have to work.) Though I too prefer the sweeter spices.
Bvlgari Black again today, still recovering from cold. My nose is the last to recover 🙁
Wore chanel chance eau tendre yesterday, and it was nice but almost too much. Ready to get back to my heavy hitters!
Mmmmm, Bvlgari Black — LOVE it!!! You smell GREAT!
Wearing L’Instant again today as I begin the slow process of editing my book. This is my tenth novel and all my books have ‘signature scents’….perfumes that I wore during the lonely editing process when a certain degree of stillness is required ( I wear a wide variety during the actual writing ). The last novel has Jour de Hermes associations, the one before Bois de Vanille, an earlier book is Feu d’Issey. It’s one of those weird little rituals….but in years to come I can wear L’Instant and it will remind me of late 2015 and this book.
Love this ritual. Best of luck with your editing!
I used to have a bottle of Feu d’Issey… when I lived in Manhattan many many moons ago. My then-future mother-in-law gave it to me. My cat loved to knock it off my dresser, and so the orange plastic globe was held together with Elmer’s glue. Annoyingly, I cannot remember its scent–only that it gave me pleasure.
I heard a snippet of an interview with John Irving on the radio the other day. He said that he always writes the last sentence, sometimes the last paragraph, of his books first. It helps him see where he is going from the beginning. I’ve been thinking about that ever since. I am an armchair novelist in that I speculate about stories I’d like to write without ever leaving my chair to actually write anything. So I’ve been thinking about the endings of the stories I bandy about in my head, and I realize that I haven’t a clue how to wrap them up. I think I had better stay in my armchair.
All the best to you tidying and editing your manuscript. Please share with your NST fans any books of yours we might be able to read and lavish you with praise!
I heard that interview of Irving. He has a really nice voice to listen to.
The Best Last Sentence of a Book, that I know of, a line which ties the whole thing together, and turns it into a different book than the one you think you are reading all the way through, is not one of Irving’s, but Wallace Stegner’s Angle of Repose. The last line of that book suddenly makes it go from a really good book to a great book, and I remember, when I finished it, I sat there thinking, he had that last line in mind, and he wrote the whole book to that point. Wow!
Hearing that Irving does the same thing was really interesting.
I just finished Gaskell’s Wives and Daughters, which doesn’t have an ending. She died before she finished the book…Although the story is so far along that it is not difficult to see what would have happened in the final chapters, I still missed her voice telling me about it.
If I push myself to think of last sentences, the only one that comes to mind is The Great Gatsby… which I know is kind of a cliche, but still a fabulous finish…
I’m the opposite of Irving…I often don’t realise I’ve ended the book until after I’ve written the last line…so I’m like “Was that the end?’ Oh, yeah, I think so. Thank God for that! I don’t plot out my books. I usually begin with a ‘tone’ (sad, happy, bittersweet), then a place (often rural) and then a character…plot comes last.
Feu D’Issey always reminded me of bamboo shoot – but I don’t think that was one of its notes.
I can see I really need to stay very very firmly in my armchair…. But now I am thinking of a story that ends with the narrator’s quiet inquiry, “Was that the end? I think so. Thank God for that.”
I have a Terre de Hermes novel…it’s set in a remote part of the South island of NZ (Central Otago) – think big skies, golden paddocks, dry summers, freezing winters, and rock (schist ) outcrops. It’s a bit of a road trip novel and about companionship in a way – I wanted to write something gentle and spare. It’s called Edwin+Matilda (I have a boy’s name but I’m a girl). I know its available as kindle/ e-book.
Just bought for my kindle. 🙂
Does that mean I am an enabler? Aaaarrrrgh – or a self promoter! Thanks heaps, though.
Me too!
I lie. I bought the Hut Builder 🙂
Oakland – The Hut Builder is L’Heure Bleu…see, I’m procrastinating now. Thanks so much – super kind of you.
Jasmine de Provence today. Very soothing, yet also energizing. Perfect for a day of meetings.
Wearing something far from Tilda and Like That: Musc Ravageur. I wanted warm today and this is it.
Nice!
One of my cold weather favorites. I spend more time looking at the bottle and wishing the weather would cooperate rather than wearing it, but I love it none the less. You smell sumptuous 🙂
SOTD = CSP Amour de Cacao
Enabler pin goes to Deva! At one point earlier this hear, perhaps in early spring, she wore this many days in a row and expressed her love for it. Since our perfume tastes overlap, I asked her where she got hers, then proceeded to purchase a full bottle sample since it as only $35 (practically free). Amour de Cacao is chocolatey vanilla, has quite the presence on first application, then fades to a comfy skin scent and does not last long (4 sprays ~ 6 hours). Other similar perfumes around the same price range or cheaper include Choco Musk (only comes in a rollerball as far as I know) and Tokyo Milk Dark Bittersweet. Amour de Cacao is definitely worth trying if you like chocolatey gourmands!
Oh, I got pinned! WooHoo! Happy to enable this purchase because it’s so dang cheap, cheerful, and calming 🙂
Since I can’t participate in fig week I’m doing the enabler pin for Friday early. Thanks Kevin for convincing me to buy Fancy Nights. It’s now my go-to bedtime scent.
Woods and vanilla, plus a bit of green to keep it from getting too sweet, and long-lasting enough that I can smell it when I wake up.
I layered Coco on top and am enjoying the enhanced woods in my office. 🙂
Also, happy Birthday Tilda Swinton! Now I have the urge to watch Constantine…
First time or rewatch?
Rewatch.
Good for you :)! She was perfect for that role. The movie had several faults, but I enjoyed it anyway.
Wearing Journey woman today, always enjoy pairing this one with a beautiful embroidered chunky knit cardigan jacket , that i got for a fiver in a charity shop. It was hand knitted in Napal, cerise pink embroidered with sea green and pale pink flowers, and i like to pair it with a sea green cashmere scarf. Such a pretty perfume this bright combination is a great antidote to the horrible british weather, and i can imagine an exotic journey, if only in my head!
Your colors are making me happy.
Colour is such a wonderful mood booster!
Perfume Posse was talking about Reglisse Noire today, which reminded me I hadn’t worn it in a while and possibly never to work. It’s lasted a good four hours and is not the candy bomb it might sound like.
I’m testing Ys-Uzac Dragon Tattoo, a seriously strange perfume! If I have my nose at the right distance, it smells sort of floral and leathery, as advertised, but too close and it smells like secretions and/or excretions that dragons use to mark their territory – and I don’t mean flames! 😉 It’s not entirely pleasant, but my nose is drawn to it.
I have a set of animalic tinctures from La Via del Profumo that includes castoreum, hyraceum, ambergris, civet, and beeswax. I plan to sniff these to see if I can identify any of them in Dragon Tattoo.
I finally remembered fig week! I decided to follow through on my idea from the other day and layer Philosykos and Kyoto. And it is a really good combo! So good that you can’t really tell where one ends and the other begins.
I love both of those and adore the idea of them together. Will try. Thanks for the lovely thought!
I rushed to order a sample of Aftelier’s new Vanilla Smoke, and got a few others at the same time. I’m testing Cacao today and it is…most unfortunate on me. Having a very high tolerance for skank in my fragrances, I never really understood the “fecal” comments. Until now.
Merrily Row, have you tried Cuir de Gardenia? I don’t like fecal either but thIs one just works.
Cuir de Gardenia is wonderful, but I love it on other people more than I do on myself. I will say I am truly enjoying my sample of Vanilla Smoke. The only downside is the staying power, which is surprisingly weak given that most from Aftelier last longer than I want them to.
Starting enabler pin Friday a day early! Here is a shout out to the Natori enablers! Sampled the EDP and then purchased the quieter EDT. This decision took less then 5 minutes and cost me less than 20 clams. Layers beautifully with Bliss bergamot and vanilla lotion and I think it would be nice with Pacifica Spanish Amber and possibly Tea Rose as well. It is difficult to imagine a more appropriate fragrance for a warm, gray Autumn day.