Happy Almost-Friday and happy Margarita Day! Plus, happy birthday to Kyle MacLachlan. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm in Hermès Épice Marine, primarily for the marine aspect, to match one of the books I currently have out from the library: Sarah Perry's The Essex Serpent.
Reminder: 2/23 will be Library Friday...honor National Library Month with any sort of fragrance association you can think of.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2018, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is Library Stuttgart [cropped] by Sönke Biehl at flickr; some rights reserved.
I’m wearing DK Chaos, which I find quiet and calming, like libraries.
Sounds like Chaos is poorly named, then!
Ha, yes I always interpreted it as an antidote to chaos!
Sounds handy! 😀
I think I had a small bottle of that in the ’70s–was it out then? I loved it and then lost it. Like everything else in the ’70s.
No, she didn’t start releasing fragrances at all until the 1990s! I don’t even think she was doing clothing in the 70s. Now I wonder what it is you had and lost….
I’m trying out CdG Wonderwood today, no library connection, but just because a generous NST-er sent me a sample. Nice one, soft and gentle.
Great choice ????????. I will have to pull out my sample and wear it again soon.
Inspired by a NSTer that wore this this the other day GOURMAND COQUIN! Since it’s sweet maybe it could be a Proust in the library relationship since he liked sweets
Tea is Shalimar tea
You smell yummy and I like your literary connection. 🙂
Thank you..I remember reading several pages of run on sentences about his love for madeleines
Oh, that sounds good! Where did you buy your GC, it seems to have less distribution that others in the same line?
Its from a sample. Have you tried it yet?
no, but I can’t imagine not liking it!
Coin-op: email me at eabrit in the land of Gee mail and I can send you a sample.
Must wear it while reading Proust 😉
In Fendi Theorema. For the first time after an hour of spraying it I only smelled a big amount of raisins and chocolate. Never before. Even now after 4 hours they are still there mixed with the milky woody notes that I always enjoy. Heavenly! It could not be better on a cold, gray, rainy, busy, etc, etc, etc day!
Who’s doesn’t like raisinettes?! Sounds delish✌????
Raisinettes! That is exactly what I got! ????
Great choice! ???????? The men’s version lasts all day on me.
It also lasts the whole day on me, but as a skin scent. I had one spray on my sweater so I can smell it more. ????. I have never tried the men’s version. How does it compare?
It’s been many years since I tried the feminine version but the men’s on me lasts and lasts and people have told me I smell great eight hours or so after spraying.
Thank you! Need to try that!
Ooh, I might need to look into this! Thanks!
Yum! Love Raisinettes!
Me too! Wish I could have some now! 🙂
I recommend the dark-chocolate covered raisins from Trader Joe’s 🙂
Wonderful! To my Trader Joe’s shopping list for this coming weekend. Thank you!
Oh, those are delicious!
I don’t buy them anymore because I would eat the entire container in a few days. Sigh.
Trader Joe’s is just so darn good at covering things with chocolate. Although my TJ discovery of the week is gojuchang almonds, which if you like a spicy/sweet/salty combo are basically the holy grail.
HAH! I was *just* going to post this 😉
I adore Theorema!
I did not like it much at the beginning. Now, I find it really beautiful!
Robin, nice connection!
I’m disconnected with Bvlgari Omnia for work today. Got cancelled all 12 hours yesterday, which has its pros and cons.
I drove up to Portland yesterday to do a walk through of a SWEET travel trailer, but forgot it had snowed a bit up there. Snow and ice on the roads and thank god for engine braking! Both the van and I escaped unscathed. I really do not like driving in that!
Stay warm and dry! Those experiencing uncommon warmth in the middle of winter, now is a good time call in sick and take advantage of the weather!
???? ????????❤️???????????????????????????? Some emojis for Bear if he happens to be reading. ????????
Glad to hear you and T-Rex are fine!
Missing Bear also. Hope he is ok.☕☕☕
Me too! I hoping my over use of !!!!!! will bring him out of hibernation????
missing Bear too
Carpe Diem
Indeed!
Glad you made it back ok!!
Me too! Snow + ice + hills = ????????
Happy to hear that you both survived your “Bogus Journey”. Driving on untreated roads is definitely a white knuckle experience!
Glad you got back safely. Stupid winter!
This year has been especially bad!! We will get snow, then ice when it warms up and melts, then re-freezes again. Then back to the whole routine over and over. If I was an Olympic skier l might enjoy it more.
Picked out Teo Cabanel Alahine and surprised this on is identified as “feminine”. Totally unisex to me and the notes smell great on my skin. Glad I’m getting past my hang ups about feminine versus masculine and going by notes.
Have a great day. ☺️????☺️
Which version did you try, the old one or the reformulated one?
Must be the reformulated. I’m definitely a fan.
Yay for getting beyond “masculine” and “feminine” labels! Mr. Spicebomb will try anything, as long as I don’t call it “perfume.” Ha! So many great scents I love to smell on a fella, if only they are brave enough to go beyond the usual marine/sport/calone family.
…you can come sit next to me all day
Smelling good!
Cuir Ottoman for me today, the smell of leather chairs in an old private library. The Byredo rep at Nordstroms said they would be getting their Bibliothèque perfume in soon, unfortunately he had no samples yet either. I hope someone wears it tomorrow! Also, their Suede hand lotion was nice and leathery. It would be great to layer under a perfume if you want to amp up the leather note.
You smell wonderful 🙂 I should wear Cuir Ottoman tomorrow.
Mmmmm. You smell great! I adore Cuir Ottoman.
Oh, love that one! Wishing for 30-50 ml bottles…
You smell divine!
I have a sample of Bibliotheque ready to go tomorrow!
Going for the super obvious today and tomorrow: Amouage Library Collection. Today is Opus II which to me is a lavender plus cardamom. It’s nice but I’m hoping it wears off quickly, as split packages have started to arrive and I have many explorations to begin!
I really need to give those a proper try. The names put me off so much, though! Lavender + cardomom sounds great!
Agreed! The names are lame! How am I supposed to keep any of them straight in my head?
I’m not normally a huge lavender fan when they’re too classically “men’s cologne” smelling but this one was different enough from that stereotype that I enjoyed it.
I just pulled out an old sample of this and I’m wondering now if it still smells the way it should? It’s definitely got a little funk going – do you have the same experience with yours?
Yeah I might be inclined to agree with the ‘funk’ characterization at least for the beginning! I first thought “cumin” but then when I looked at Fragrantica I decided that what I was smelling was the cardamom. Definitely a spice thing, if that’s what you are pointing to? It changed pretty quickly and that part of it went away. It almost got a little bit lavender-jammy for me within the first hour.
Hmm, I think my sample may have gone off, the funk definitely lasted for a few hours. :/
Opus 1 is amazing. My fave of the Library Collection. Love lavender and fougeres, but 2 didn’t sit well. Lavender is challenging.
On theme and wearing Jo Malone Black Cedarwood & Juniper. It’s woodsy and creamy, and a little piney. I have a weakness for Jo Malone scents; they are so easy to wear 🙂
Yesterday I wore AC Camelia Intrepide, which was even more on point because of the powder, tea and leather notes. I am looking forward to trying it again in spring.
Have you tried the new JMs?
Oh, you should try the English Fields series! I think I may have a weakness for the Honey and Crocus if I can get over the rough patch maybe 1/4 of the way in – gets almost urine-y on me.
Do you get marzipan or almonds from it?
Not that I was specifically looking for, but I’m not good at identifying almond aspects in fragrances. Something about almond notes never actually smells like almonds to me, and the honey was strong enough that I wasn’t paying attention to other sweet notes. There could certainly be almonds in there though!
And it was nutty, so there’s that. The dry down made me think of really upscale honey but cheerios
Thank you!
Home home home yippee slept in my own bed last night.
Chilly and beautiful in LA this morning, Post shower will be JM whiskey and cedar wood from the Bloomsbury Collection.
Hello house twin! How fitting 😀
That’s a nice one. Enjoy home.
House triplets! w00t!
I’m wearing Narciso edt today, which i have tried only once before. I really like this one.
I like that one, too. You smell great!
From a generous NSTer, I am the perfect library scent for the first time this week. What’s more library than a vintage Dix-ionary?
(If you are groaning… ahem. I apologize 😎 )
????
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Excellent!
*clap clap*
Slightly off color but. . . I think it was on “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me,” the public radio program, that a story was shared about a school district that was removing the dictionaries from all of the elementary school libraries because of the foul language and pornographic writing in dictionaries. One of the panelists suggested that they simply edit out the concerning language, and then of course call the book “Tionaries” to avoid any naughtiness in the title!
Ha! I love it!
They could put the naughty words in an apenDIX
I will never look at the word appendix the same. Nope.
After yesterday’s unseasonably warm weather, we are back to usual winter fare. SOTD is Calypso by Robert Piguet because I needed something soft and easy today. There are a few books with Calypso in the title. So this is my library connection.
And it works!
Almost wore that today. I gave the nozzle a good long sniff. You smell lovely!
????
Another cooold morning here. Most mornings I waffle a bit before deciding on my SOTD, but not today; the hand went, as if on autopilot, to Ummagumma. ????????
Love when the hand goes autopilot! It never fails! Smelling wonderful in Ummagumma!
Great choice to have on autopilot. ????
Mmm… waffles ????☕????
I’m wearing Serge Lutens Santal de Mysore, which I believe, in my humble option, is an underrated gem from this house.
I’m not coming up with any literary connections, so I’ll just mention one of the, ahem, five or six books I’m currently reading: Love and Louis XIV by Antonia Fraser. It’s outstanding.
Only six? 😉
My SOTD is Halston Couture by Halston. A throw back to the woodsy/thorny rose perfumes from the 1980’s.
I work in a library, but it isn’t as cool-looking as the one in Germany! While I love modern aesthetic, old libraries such as The Bodleian library at Oxford call to me.
I initially thought the library photo today was from a futurist movie like The Matrix or something (reminds me of the final scene with The Architect for some reason). But no, it’s real! Germans know how to do design. That photographer that Robin linked to has some truly lovely architectural work. There’s definitely something special — even sacred — about those old university libraries though! I prefer my libraries not to look like an Apple store I think. 🙂
And there are some fantastic group sets of library photos on flickr too — you can lose hours. At least, I did.
I could look at library pictures all day, seriously one of my favorite places to be!
I’ve lost hours looking at public pools in other parts of the world. *sigh*
I find it astoundingly beautiful, and also went to look at the photographer’s page. Gorgeous work I appreciate both aesthetics, library-wise.
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Looks like another 3-4 inches came down around my place last night. And, in good Oregon fashion, there’s a sheen of ice to go along with it. We made it out to a hockey game on clear roads last night, and it was snowing, but not sticking as we drove home. Today is supposed to get well above freezing as well, but not until afternoon. And snow plows are an endangered species in these parts. SO, another day at home. I feel like I should be organizing my sock drawer, or something, but I’ll probably read instead.
SOTD Santa Maria Novela Ambre. I smell thick and chewy. 🙂
I love your enthusiasm about the snow…me, I am on the opposite end of loving it 😉
My enthusiasm is strictly conditional. It’s a novelty in these parts, so a brief break from the norm (grey, cloudy) is welcome. When I lived in MN, I would nearly cry to hear about my dad’s daffodils this time of year, knowing I had MONTHS of winter ahead of me. I am much better suited to this climate. 🙂
I know 🙂
I think I would miss it as well if I no longer got to experience it…but once a season would be enough-LOL!
It’s the shoveling and attempting to drive in it that annoys me.
Last winter, we got a foot of snow that stuck around for maybe 10 days. Everything shut down, total snowpocalypse. It was kinda funny with my midwest-trained eyes, but it was truly a once in a generation storm for out here! Much easier to take lightly with that perspective.
Sorry to mention daffodils when it’s not even March. It was insensitive of me. 😉 (Drive safely.)
Great pick, Robin! I think Cora Seaborne would like it too. 🙂
I’m in Anima Dulcis from Arquiste. It’s dreary and damp in New York today so I went for something warm and spicy!
Yes, it would suit her completely! Probably more than it suits me 😉
Good morning Y’all!
Trying Yves Rocher So Elixir Bois Sensual for the 1st time…..GORGEOUS. Really beautiful! The only problem might be that I dabbed one too many dabs on, and it’s wearing a bit heavy at the moment. Hopefully it will calm down before the Perfume Grinch walks by! 🙂
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfesKXqBX7G/?taken-by=jadainga99
I’m wearing Bruno Fazzolari Ummagumma today where it’s below zero in Jackson Hole, WY. Perfect chocolatey/patchouli comfort scent for this arctic freeze.
Really nice for a cold day. Can imagine this would smell great in a fisherman cable knit sweater. ????
I think you’re at least the 3rd person today to mention Ummagumma — I must try this!
I was thinking the exact same thing. And how come no one split this?!?
Because it’s available only as a 30 ml bottle – not the usual 100 ml vat that is readily split-able – I suspect that for some of us who’ve made the splurge and bought it, we know it’s one we will easily use up ourselves! Mea maxima culpa ????.
This! Bought a bottle, not sharing, not sorry!????
Ahh, gotcha. And goodness, no need to apologize! That makes total sense! People are really enjoying it, and that does my perfume loving heart good. ❤️
And I’m wondering about Bruno Fazzolari. Never heard of this house. This must be what happens when I step away from NST for a year or two. . .
You should explore it!! They have a very nice sample set and it is hard to find something that is not likable. A definite fav! (p.s. Lampblack is the best).
Hard to refuse a good sample set! Thanks for the rec! 🙂
Hey, you didn’t mention it comes with a coupon for $20 off–that’s makes a full bottle practically free. 😉
Yes! I have a necklace that says, “I believe in 398.2 (fairy tales).”
So got mixed up,,, didn’t mean to place this here!
In Hedonist Iris by Viktoria Minya today.
I just saw the announcement of a new Berdoues – Peng Lai, focusing on osmanthus. Gosh, that bottle is stunning!
Ooooh, that bottle is a good one. Peng Lai is now on my must-try list.
I’ll give it a sniff as soon as I can, I like osmanthus. Benzoin and tonka too (both are listed)
thanks! I hope to read your reaction to Peng Lai. My google search took me to a Russian page that when translated to English lists the notes as osmanthus, benzoin, and “beans thin” which must be the tonka though I wondered for a moment if it might be vanilla.
YOU ARE KILLING ME HERE (I am on a no buy….but I will investigate anyway 😉 …)
Gorgeous bottle…only note I saw listed was the osmanthus on the Berdoues website…I am so behind…haven’t tried the Russkaya, Massai or Cuba ones yet….looking forward to a review from you on Peng Lai if you can get your hand on a sample.
I loved Maasai, hated Cuba one
yes, I remember that you wrote that…I think Massai would be my cup of tea too as I love labdanum essential oil…the Cuba sounds a bit too dry and I am not sure about the Rousskya…some say it is powdery but others love it. A large part of the appeal for me is the bottles…thus far we have four full bottles in the house…two are almost drained….
Same! I am trying so very hard not to buy but Berdoues is really testing me. 😉
Ha! this is the problem with me reading…I would not have known about this new one had Lucas not mentioned it!
From Maison Vanille I’m wearing Vanille Givree des Antilles and the Madagascar one today.
The VGA is quite the dupe of Angel plus some honey.
Still. Can’t. Get. Enough. Vanilla.
I am trying to remember which one I liked from the MdV set, and I can’t remember! I’m sure you smell delicious though.
The photo above reminded me of Gucci Envy. So, that’s what I am wearing today.
However, now that I have sprayed it on, it is much less cold and austere than the library pictured. I love libraries, but I like them warm and welcoming.
I love the look of that library, but I’d probably rather read in an old cozy library. Our local library is neither — just sort of dull. But the books read the same 🙂
Right? Which library aesthetic I prefer is moot, as the ones available to me are the opposite of architecturally stunning. lol
Timbuktu today for the papyrus note. Not my usual genre, but I’m enjoying the ride.
You smell fantastic!
Perfume twins with Robin in Epice Marine matched with Joseph Conrad’s Victory and the scents of Malaysia.
Yesterday was my first hat and gloves dog walk of the year. Sunrise at 7am and lots of boletes poking up in the pine forest.
Hey twin! I don’t think I’ve read Victory — anyway, I don’t own it and I don’t remember it.
It’s nice being twins. I feel like my standards must be raising (or yours are dropping?!!)
It’s a good book with a bit of a weak ending. My favourite Conrad is The Return. A pretty brutal, claustrophobic drama between a husband and wife.
LOL!
I have not read The Return either! I own Lord Jim, and Chance and Heart of Darkness, and I read Nostromo many moons ago. The New Yorker did an interesting piece on Conrad last year and I was thinking I should read more…but of course then I forgot all about it.
I was in Dzing! yesterday, layered over Safran Troublant (thanks to a fabulous NSTer and the freebiemeet), and the combo was just perfect. So, will be repeating this today!
Good news on the health front: I have an evaluation appointment next week with the orthopedist, and it looks like he will definitely recommend an MRI for my shoulder. So, I’m relieved the wheels are turning. Thanks, y’all, for your kind words of support. It really is a comfort. ????
good to hear! And, you smell fabulous 🙂
Thanks, Coin-op!
Yay!
Nancyleandros, email me at Luanne dot teall and gee male dot com and I will send you a drop of Ummagumma.
ScentSpirit, are you in Canada? I’m in the US, so the shipping might be high. I do appreciate the offer!
Hurray for folks getting it in gear!
Iris Fauve today from a sample. Nice longevity so far considering the dabbing. It’s quite different from all of the other irises I have been trying, and were it not for the price it might go on my list.
Hey MMK – wondering about how it’s different – can you elaborate? (Not that I should be inquiring further when you already mentioned price…!)
There’s cinnamon in there, and incense… most of the iris perfumes I have tried are either floral/sweet or woody.
Wearing Guerlain’s Encens Mythique D’Orient which puts me in mind of any number of books on the Middle East
It is also going on my FB list 🙂
That one actually smells like old books to me. Old books and a snuffed our candle.
Continuing my month of roses with Chloe, which showed up in my Sephora Play box yesterday. It’s a nice polite rose, very pretty but not exciting.
I got Chloe in my box yesterday too! I agree that it’s not exciting.
As far as library pix are concerned, this one really boggles the mind and stuns the eye: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/14/futuristic-eye-shaped-library-12-million-books-opens-china/
Excellent, thanks for the link!
This one actually gives me a bit of anxiety.
Whoa.
In the library, this Amouage would be filed in 213.
Myths?
The only Dewey Decimal I have memorized is 811–Poetry, a favorite section when I was little. 🙂
She wins!
Well played!
Or filed in BL, if your library uses the LC system 😀
I am actually on theme today! Wearing Smell Bent One, which smells like old books. A nice not too sweet vanilla, for anyone in the market for that!
I’m wearing that one today too! I quite like it.
English Pear & Freesia – first Jo Malone i’m sampling – Just a 1/2 spritz on the back of my hand. Wow, this is surprisingly powerful. smells just a little bit, like 10%, of Coco Mademoiselle.
You smell beautiful! Now I’m wondering if there’s something in it I can’t smell since I find it so light. Lasts a while, but I can’t smell myself unless I move or my arm is close to my nose.
thank you! huh, that funny – i was expecting a very light scent, but no – and to me it gets a lot rosier in the dry down – i’ll try it on another day and see if it is any different!
SotM = L’eau d’Hiver from a sample
I was hoping for iris, but this morning L’eau d’Hiver smells of flowers and honey, which reminds me of Chanel Beige, then J&J baby shampoo. Not a bad thing to my mind.
Robin and Kanuka, I salute your scent choice for today. I usually get along very well with Jean-Claude Ellena’s scents, but Epice Marine was unsettling. It almost made me angry. Must try it again, when I’m up for a scented challenge. 😀
That made me laugh. Have we had a Perfume Rage/ Anger Management community project?
HA! Like the anger you feel when you test your perfume and its been reformulated or gone off!
Same here! I got this as a sample and reading about it, I thought I would love it – but I couldn’t take Epice Marine at all. “But I must love this! Jean Claude Ellena made it! What is wrong with me?!” I think I cannot take any aquatic notes (are those the calones?).
Ditto for me. And I was in a Hermes shop and the clerk was waiting expectantly for my rapture!
Exactly! Epice Marine knocked me sideways.
I have definitely experienced Perfume Rage from Iso E Super overload. (Looking at you, JHAG and Ormonde Jayne…)
ooh, yes, let’s do! Perfume rage for all the horror stories, anger management for the perfumes that calm the beast within.
It does not make me angry, but I’d agree with unsettling!
Wearing Burberry Brit Rhythm today. Getting a bit of dustiness, so I guess that is like the dark stacks in my University main library. They had individual light switches at the end of the rows.
Beautiful walk yesterday evening along the East River from Gracie Mansion south to our place. We so enjoy stopping by the dog runs there for the free entertainment.
Fun walk!
That is a nice walk, and a good amount of walking, like 30 blocks?
Yes. North -> South is a little over 30 blocks. We added in some east/west to make it about 2.5 miles total. A very pleasant walk also.
I’m in Avignon today- every time I wear it I’m reminded how much I love it….it’s just what I need today. My library association is that to me, Avignon is calming and meditative, much like strolling through and reading in a library.
Great choice..
It’s fun reading about everyone’s clever connections today and many of these scents sound great! I decided to work on trying all the freebie meet samples I got and put on some Kohl Gris by DSH. Turns out the dog underneath the desk cancels out the perfume pretty much – eau de dog park is going strong this morning.
My library connection: I just finished a really great book – Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. It’s the story of two strands of a family from the African coast, starting in the 1700s to more or less present day – one strand ending up in the States because of the slave trade, the other heavily implicated in it – it’s well written, and an emotional read at times, but well paced and fresh as well. Highly recommend!
Oh, I read something about that book then forgot all about it — adding to my list, thanks!
A couple people yesterday reminded me of Kelly Caleche, so that’s what I’m wearing. I feel pretty, oh so pretty…
It is pretty! 😉
You do smell pretty!
I drained a 50 mL bottle of the EDP. I’ve graduated to the extrait and will wear it sometime before the end of the month!
Chanel No 19 edt with a cup of delicious warm peppermint tea.
Very classy and classic today!
OMG Robin, I loovvvveed The Essex Serpent! You’ll have to tell me what you think.
SOTD is 31 Rue Cambon because it makes me feel like a badass librarian.
I am reading it slowly because I’m reading several other things at the same time, but really enjoying it!
No library connection for me. Went with Suleko Djelem simply because it matched my heathered celadon-colored shirt and the texture of my very soft long grey cardigan. Cozy and easy on the nose, but interesting nonetheless.
That library looks like the library Ikea would have if they had one.
Are you imagining librarians removing the shelves from boxes, trying to find the right screws and brackets for each, assembling thousands of them, then realizing none of them sit at 90 degree angles? 😉
Hahaha! The horror! An Ikea nightmare of the worst kind. Except that’s happened IRL
Love the beautiful bottles. These scents sound amazing…where did you find them?
I also love the bottles but I have the travel spray with the 50ml refill bottle so not quite as nice, but the textured porcelain cap on the travel spray is pretty.
I actually bought it in person at a chi chi clothing boutique here that carries the line. But I think she still sells sample sets from her website and she ships to the US from NYC inventory.
Awesome. Thank you.
OMG Scott & Elisa I wish I had not come back to this thread today. I read through both of your comments and went off to google and found THIS:
http://suleko.com/shop/index.php?id_product=33&controller=product&id_lang=2
Why did I do that??? Oh no, I’m worried this has just planted itself in my brain as a true obsession. I’m not sure why I find that to be so beautiful.
I am going to resist.
Ok, now I know the first purchase I will make when my lottery cheque comes in.
Wow, that is incredibly gorgeous! But I’m afraid it would not survive living with our 3 cats…
No library connection for me either. Box of Eels EDT on one hand and EDP on the other hand. Failing to see the difference 🙁
Well, that means you don’t have to go hunting for the EDT!
My ski bus got cancelled this morning due to poor driving conditions in Portland, so today I’ll be making a fire, baking some cookies, and reading. I had a bunch of books I had requested from the library show up at once, so today and this weekend will be devoted to making a dent in the pile. SOTD is Mirabella. The library connection is that Mirabella magazine was published when I was too poor to subscribe, so I used to look at it when I was in the library checking out books.
Can I come over? That sounds like the perfect day.
I’m usually a snow hater, but it’s so pretty and bright and white here that I’m quite appreciating it. The roads are clear, though – if they weren’t I’d be cranky. 😉
Mirabella, yum.
Almost a gothic library in Portrait of a Lady, just needs some dreary woods to go with it. 🙂
Perfect!
I’m in the perfectly cozy Pacifica Breath Taking perfume oil today.
An offer: I blind bought a 4ml tester of Pepper Ylang from Smell Bent and it’s not my cup of tea. Anybody interested in swapping a different Smell Bent mini with me?
In the gorgeous Aroma M Geisha Noire. No library connection.
I put up another split if anyone is interested. I bought a travel set of Mona di Orio Vanille 10 ml rollerballs and have one to share.
Happy almost-Friday!
What do you think of The Essex Serpent? Oddly, I bought it hardcover from the UK, based on a review I read, before it was released here, and I’ve tried to start it about eight times and never got past the first 20 pages, even though I didn’t dislike the opening chapter. Strange for me…
That sounds more like me than you! I am finding it a highly enjoyable read, but probably not something I’ll ever read a 2nd time. Are you put off by the universal admiration, maybe?
Didn’t really know there’d been universal admiration — honestly, I did just get it after reading a single review in a UK paper. Ha! I guess I’ll have to try again….
LOL, ok then. Well, I’d say the reviews are pretty overwhelmingly fantastic, maybe a shade more fantastic than warranted. I do think it’s a good book, and she’s a good writer, but I am always suspicious of so many good reviews — where are the curmudgeons?
And a surprising number of them mention the great cover art, which is sort of dispiriting.
Today I found The Perfume I Truly Hate. I thought I hated some perfumes in the past, but no – compared to today’s experience it was something like a moderate dislike.
The name of my nemesis is Giardino Benessere Sandalo e Mirra. I like sandalwood and myrrh. The other notes (like cinnamon and lavender) also sounded nice. And the perfume smelled lovely from the vial – like a cherry jam. It began transforming as soon as it touched my skin. How can I describe this horror? Acrid and pungent odor of rubber, glue and plastic is the closest description I can offer, but believe me it was nothing like CdG ‘industrial’ scents. I washed it off, but the scent lingered faintly on one on my wrists. And the more I looked at that vial the more I realized that I do not want it to remain in my apartment. Normally I would give a sample a second chance and then gave it away to somebody. I could not do it with that one. So I went out to a shop, bought some sweet comfort food (chocolate, ice-cream etc.) and put the vial in a garbage bin of another house. I hope I did not put a curse on people living there.
Well, I am back. I washed my wrists again, used a wet wipe and sprayed Portrait of a Lady. Now I am drinking tea with sweets and more or less back to normal. 😀
On a more serious note, it would be only fair to mention that I saw some good reviews of Sandalo e Mirra, so it is probably just me.
Sorry for the long comment. I had to get it out of my system.
That is so funny…and yet strangely familiar somehow.
I suppose it happens sooner or later to all perfumistas. 😉
And now I am wondering if there’s an equivalent to a scented Voodoo doll. Spray the dolly, and someone stinks against their will . . . :}
Especially effective if you spray the doll with a scent your victim hates! 😈
Sigh. The scrubbers always linger.
I actually had some polite ones who tactfully left when asked.
But this one is tenacious (and unfortunately I got some on clothes).
I blame the sandalo. There are some sandalwood aromachemicals that turn to blech on my skin.
Hm, I had some unpleasant sandalwood scents, but not to this extent… But it is possible…
Voyage d’hermes because reading always takes me places…
And also because this humid sumner weather is making me crave lemon, spices and crisp starched linen notes.
Oh, good idea — and you do smell great.
Commando for part of the day, due to a mammogram appointment. (ouch)
SOTD = JM Myrrh & Tonka, for the part of the day after said appointment. I needed something soothing and warming today. Thanks Hajusuuri!
ouch, indeed, tho’ good for you! I always schedule that medical “treat” around my birthday every year. Don’t want to forget!
You smell great in Myrrh & Tonka. JM scents are getting a lot of love lately. I’m planning a weekend trip to Nordies to sniff sniff sniff and will hit JM first.
I remembered to take a couple of Advil before my appointment today… had a tech pass along that tip ages ago. Still not the most comfortable thing, though.
I love the floating staircases in the library picture! SOTD is Arielle Shoshanna on one hand and JM Myrrh and Tonka on the other. Love both. Looking forward to ladies’ figure skating tonight. Was sorry to hear this morning that Lindsey Vonn didn’t do well in the slalom part of the super combined. I’ve been rooting for the older athletes this Olympics, so have been psyched about Shaun White, Lindsey’s bronze, Karolina Costner, and the US cross country ladies’ win from yesterday.
Partial scent twins today!
Kyle MacLachlan, there’s a blast from the past. Saw him play Romeo at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival back in, what 1981? 82? He was excellent! (Also saw Jean Smart play Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing – she was fantastic!)
SOTD is Ava Luxe Johri for no particular reason other than I like it, and our weather has been spring/summerish lately.
And I was just listening to an interview w/ him on a podcast earlier this week…he’s an interesting man.
Forgot to mention this in my original post. It looks like Guerlain is changing the packaging for Samsara EdT and EdP. No more lovely red bottles; looks like they will be putting it in the bee bottles. I noticed this while poking around both Nordstrom’s and Saks’ website earlier this afternoon. Phooey.
Ugh, I agree! The red bottle is iconic. I’m sure it has something to do with money. You’d think they’d invest more in the juice they’ve been churning out rather than messing around with the bottles.
Wouldn’t be surprised if there was a reformulation to go along with the bottle change. ????
I saw that too. I don’t even wear Samsara, (although, I think it’s wonderful, it doesn’t like me) and I’ve been thinking I should snatch up a red bottle.
Those red bottles are going for stupid cheap on Fragrancenet right now. Too bad that Samsara doesn’t like you.
PSA, though possibly too late in the day to be a very useful PSA: I have decided to split my new bottle of Galop! Yes, I have a new bottle of Galop. Yes, you correctly recall me mentioning a new bottle of Ambre Narguile yesterday. Yes, I’ve been a very very bad girl. Dear lord, I hope Donatella comes around BEFORE my trip to Paris, or my confessions will be crushing. Incidentally…I’m currently wearing Galop. Surprise surprise.
But you smell DIVINE!
SOTD = Iris Silver Mist
Woop woop! I oversprayed because my atomizer misbehaved. Instead of spraying a fine mist, it shot a STREAM of juice. I was nicely fragranced all day!
Today is my mom’s birthday. She got a robo-call birthday greeting from one of her doctors. Maybe I am just being crabby but I think that practice is crass. Birthdays are personal and so should the greeting. I know people who announce their birthday on NST get a long string of greetings, so while it is virtual, people took the time to leave a comment and that is infinitely more welcome than a programmed greeting.
Happy birthday wishes for your mom! ????????
Thank you!
Happy birthday to your Mom!
And you are smelling so fabulous in your ISM. Yay for misbehaving atomisers 🙂
I hope it was a great Birthday for your Mother!
Hope your mom’s day was a happy one. 😀
I manage the doctor appointments and visits for several family members and get many of those birthday robocalls and emails. They’re annoying so I ignore them.
An accidental over spray of perfume is a nice surprise. A few bottles I have will give me a nice fine mist when I push the atomizer quickly but will give me a big “splash” when I half-press or slowly press the atomizer. Best of both worlds.