As always, answer as many or as few as you like, or, likewise as always, feel free to talk about something else altogether.
1. What fragrance are you wearing today?
2. What's your favorite fragrance for a rainy day in April?
3. What's your favorite spring flower, and if you have a favorite perfume based on that flower, what is it?
4. Share something wonderful with us! It can be anything — a great movie you saw, something delicious you ate, something fun you did recently — really, anything.
Note: top image is Tulip [cropped] by webhishek at flickr; some rights reserved.
Hope you’re feeling better today, Robin!
1. A Lab on Fire: The World is Yours. It’s… Wow!
2. It’s raining today, but I usually wear something big and 80’s on these days. I love me some vintage Samara.
3. Hands down, hyacinth. I don’t think it grows here in Houston, or at least not publicly. I would grow a field of it if I could. I think Chamade’s hyacinth is perfect as part of the ensemble. I loved the top notes of Bas de Soie but the base was a bit crude for me. Basically, still looking if you all have any recs!
4. I just finished a two wonderful books (I have a friend who manages a bookstore and she’s always offering me ARCs. The first was In the Distance by Hernan Diaz, about a Swedish immigrant who gets separated from his brother and tries to make his way from San Francisco to.New York during the Gold Rush era. It’s a bit graphic as there’s a lot of survival, but it’s a compelling book.
The other was The True Deceiver by Tove Jansson. I don’t know if I’ve ever read such a tense 180 pages.
Re: Your #3
https://freebox.it.com/2018/04/14/demeter-hyacinth-new-fragrance/#comments%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Coincidence, or not? ????
I was thinking the same thing! I’ll definitely try it, though Demeters usually don’t fully scratch my itch.
I am tired but definitely on the mend, thanks Coumarin! And will look up your books.
I’m glad! I appreciate you updating the blog despite your illness. 🙂
By the way, I always like to hear your answers as well.
I will do answers tomorrow — I swear I am going to be well enough to want to wear perfume tomorrow 🙂
Fair enough! 😀
AND…didn’t quite happen, and spent whole day on taxes anyway and never got back here! But adding my answers below now…
Vintage Samsara is perfect on a rainy day!
Agreed.
Great book recommendations, will write them down! And I love vintage Samsara.
Let me know if you end up reading them! I’d love to get another opinion!
My friend said In the Distance was one of the top picks of her store’s staff. That must mean something. 🙂
Just finished reading In the distance, one of the best books ever! Thank you so much. Please send me more recommendations from your friend from the bookstore!
I love hyacinths too and found a scent that really captures them for me: Jo Malone’s Blue Hyacinth, from last year’s Bloomsbury set of fragrances. You can still find it online.
Ooo, great tip! I’ll keep an eye out for it.
I think I remember MDCI’s Un Coeur En Mai having a beautiful hyacinth note! Have you tried that?
Hello from a rest stop between Chenonceaux and Paris! Today was spent speeding through some chateaux in the Loire Valley. I’m a slow sight-seer and was quite disappointed with how little time I got in each château, but I’m thrilled not to have had to organize a trip out here myself 🙂
1. I’m wearing Niral again today from the sample I got at Jovoy, in an effort to make SURE I’m not interested in a bottle. It’s nice, but I really don’t think it’s full-bottle-nice. Maybe if it comes out in a Take Two?
2. It is indeed raining today, and I wish I had some En Passant. Well, I am a stone’s throw from the Frederic Malle shop, soooooo maybe?
3. Lilacs are some of my favorite spring flowers! So, see #2.
4. I mean—I’m currently on vacation in Paris, so that’s pretty great. I had foie gras a couple times and loaded up on jamon iberico de bellota from my favorite little Spanish meatery and spent time in my old neighborhood and saw friends from grad school. I’m not complaining.
Happy weekend, all!
What fun, all of it! So glad you’re having a good time.
Get one of those travel sizes of En Passant! I love it too. And lilacs.
I’m glad you’re having a great time. Enjoy it, and make sure you hit that Frederic Malle store!
I’m enjoying your trip posts; it all sounds great!
Lilacs are a favourite of mine too but nothing compares to sticking my face into a bush. Btw, if you are into fries, the best I’ve ever had are at the Bistro d’Université. Discovered this little restaurant last week.
1. Inspired by floralgal yesterday, I’m in AG Ninfeo Mio
2. BF Au Dela Narcisse
3. Tulips
4. The OOE and I went to Point Reyes National Seashore this week, and the timing was perfect because everything was in bloom! Entire hillsides covered in yellow flowers of different species. (We won’t mention that the majority are invasive and not too helpful in protecting against erosion!) Shameless plug, photos on my instagram @vantasticviews ????
Oh that does look beautiful!
It is gorgeous!
Thanks for the link to the photos . So nice to see T Rex and all the places you have been.
Thanks!
lovely stuff, Deva! (and what a happy pupster on that beautiful beach.)
She loves the beach! And interestingly, while you posted this comment I was over on your Instagram, being amazed by your lifting dedication! ????????
You smell wonderful!
Thanks!
Point Reyes and Tomales Bay akways beautiful and have you spent time at Jenner Beach, Deva?
The seals and their pups are there.
No, unfortunately I can only go to very specific and limited places with the dog here in California. But, I don’t think the seal moms would appreciate T-Rex barreling up to her baby with an invitation to play anyway, so it’s all good. ????
Oh wow. Those pictures are great and T-Rex is a supermodel!
(Most dogs we had tried to put their nose in the camera when you wanted to take a pic haha)
Thank you for sharing!
She does think very highly of herself, and will do just about anything for attention, so I think your “supermodel” label is very appropriate!
Wow, Ms. Deva! Thanks for the IG link. You’re an excellent photographer!
It’s my phone, I have nothing to do with it. Plus, can’t really take a bad photo when Mother Nature throws her best at you ????
Nice photos! T-Rex is one adorable doggie.
Thank you! She has all the charm I wasn’t born with to boot! Managed to have a whole family on the ground playing with her on the Panera patio this morning!
Really love your IG!
Thank you! ????
Thanks for the link to the pics. T-Rex kinda looks like the lead dog in Isle of Dogs. You two should go see it together. 😀
She’d probably be the best date I’ve had in years????
I love your Instagram!
Hello brothers and sisters in l’eau!
1. I’m in Jul et Mad Terrasse a St-Germain today.
2. Any time it is raining I love Prada Purple Rain. Duh!
3. I would say mimosa – despite it doesn’t grow in Poland I love to smell it in perfume in spring. Brosseau The Poudre or Prada Infusion de Mimosa are best.
4. My Esxence 2018 report is slowly being written. I published part 1 earlier in the week and part 2 went live today.
Let’s see what Undina says about #3…
Purple Rain for a rainy day is perfect!
:)))
I had both answers (mimosa and Purple Rain) before I read yours and Lucas’s responses. But just to add some variety, I’ll go with Jo Malone Mimosa & Cardamom – though I like both mimosas you, my perfume triplets, suggested.
Really enjoyed your write ups of Esxence (but how stressful with the flights!)
Glad you finally made it to Milan!!! Enjoyed your reports, so much to sniff.
Good morning!????
Hey all, can I please ask for names of perfume houses that have screw tops on their bottles, therefore making the decanting process easier?
Right off the bat, I can think of Atelier Cologne and Maria Candida Gentile.
And as for the questions…
1. I’m in Jo Loves Pomelo, from a Sephora sample. Like, but do not love. There’s just a skosh too much cumin in it, but I will use it up because *citrus*.
2. Iris Nazarena for a rainy day in April. actually, for any day in April.
4. Something wonderful….I planted an herb garden a couple of days ago, the first herb garden in our new house! ???? We’ve been here for three years, but haven’t had the chance to do much with the yard until this spring.
Off the top of my head:
Oriza Legrande
Serge Lutens (at least the old style bottles are)
Guerlain Bee bottles
Mugler Les Exceptions line
Aroma M Geisha (other than the nice paper outer wrap, the bottles are the plain ones you could get at any of the perfume supply stores)
Refill bottles (available for some perfumes in the line) – Mugler, Hermes, Kilian
CB I Hate Perfume
Demeter
MPG
Annick Goutal – I don’t know about the newer bottles
I’ll add if I think of more.
Oh man, I hope the new Serge bottles are screw-top!
Ugh, me too!
Thank you for this info, hajusuuri! I have no clue how I could have forgotten about Serge…and the Aroma Ms, of course. They definitely look like the spritzers could be removed.
For screw top bottles, the ones that come to my mind are the Serge Lutens export bottles and The Different Company. The TDC bottles are cleverly done – they don’t look like the would unscrew, but they do. The SL bottles come with two tops, one a sprayer and one not.
Companies that make screw top refill bottles for at least some of their scents: The Different Company, Thierry Mugler, Hermes, Cartier.
Screw tops: Serge Lutens, By Kilian, Guerlain boutique collection, Le Jardin Retrouve, Annick Goutal (though I’m not sure about the new packaging), Antonia’s Flowers.
Jo Loves at Sephora??! Is it in the U.S.? Where?
Yes! I was in one of the larger Sephora stores in Houston, and they had the same sniffing station for the standard Jo Malone fragrances that they do at Nordstrom.
They also had a small sniffing station just for the Jo Loves. They had Pomelo, Red Truffle 21, Green Orange&Coriander and White Rose&Lemon Leaves available to test/purchase.
They had the JM blossom fragrances, also.
I was so tickled to find them in store! This is actually another answer for question #4. ????
Oh yay, hope they come to the one near me!
Profumum Roma (or Profvmvm Roma, if you prefer) also has screw caps. Good for splitting since the bottles are big and expensive.
Olympic Orchids little angled cube bottles are screw top with no atomiser.
Profumum Roma
Though I think the renewed their bottles and dont know if they still have the screw tops….
Yay to herb gardens!
Thanks everyone, for the suggestions. Now I have some options to focus on for the next splitmeet! ????
The brown, apothecary-ish bottles used for the L’Occitane masculines, many of which are great for anyone (Eaux des Baux, Eau de Cade, etc.), are screw-tops… I am not sure if all of their fragrances are though.
1. What fragrance are you wearing today? right now Van Cleef Ambre imperial might go Memo Lalibela later this evening
2. What’s your favorite fragrance for a rainy day in April? Annick Goutal Après un Matin d’orage of course!
3. What’s your favorite spring flower, and if you have a favorite perfume based on that flower, what is it? I don’t know it is a spring flower but L’artisan nuit de Tubéreuse is my jam
4. Share something wonderful with us! It can be anything — a great movie you saw, something delicious you ate, something fun you did recently — really, anything. Everything in a bowl …. I have this thing that I like to eat everything in a bowl, Poke Bowl, Cereal, Ramen Soup you name it …. LOL
There is something about the curve of a bowl that is very appealing.
Just curious – do you prepare your own poke or do you buy? Our cafeteria at work carries pre-made poke bowls delivered from a restaurant. I have taken to eating them once or twice a week. I asked the cafeteria manager what they do with the bowls they don’t sell. Her answer was they get a delivery every Monday and Wednesday. Based on this, Mondays will be my only poke bowl day until I find out what happens to the bowls left on Tuesday – I hope they don’t mix them with the new Wednesday delivery.
I do my owned poke bowl, only purchased one time and was kind of underwhelmed, as i do mine with a lot of hot sauce LOL
I have this cooking magazine (Zeste French Canadian magazine) and they did a whole issue on bowl so I take my inspiration from them. but look around on the web and you will find a lot of recipe. I usually do them with shrimp, tofu and tempeh. I did it once with saumon. Good luck!
LOL, I thought I was the only one who prefers to eat everything (except sandwiches) out of bowls!
I like LAP nuit de Tubéreuse very much, too, and maybe the others you mention IIRC. I’ll be paying attention to your posts, Val4Mal, to see if we are scent twins.
I have a 99¥ bowl with painted carp all over it. Bought at 99¥ Store in Osaka. I eat almost everything including scrambled eggs last night out of my blue bowl.
Wonderful!
Yummy sandwich (my first love) 😉 If you are curious to know my taste in perfume I have the same name on fragantica.com sooo be my guest. 🙂
I’ll take a look (assuming that’s possible without having an account) — thanks!
Good morning, all! I’m wearing Dior Escale a Portofino this morning because it’s cold and rainy here and I wanted something to remind me of sunshine. Normally I’m happier in warmer fragrances when it’s rainy (Tam Dao or Alahiiiine or some leather or other), but today I went for almondy citrus. Go figure. My favorite spring flower has to be the Japanese irises I planted in the back yard – they’re gorgeous, but very fleeting. And do I have a favorite perfume based on iris, you ask? Do I have to keep it to just one? 😉
My fun lately has consisted mostly of daydreaming – about what I’m going to plant this spring, places Mr. G and I might go when I finally get to retire, new paint colors to try in our house … it goes on and on. Maybe I’ll stop by the paint shop while running errands later and get a sample or two to test.
I hate painting but I love the result, and I just love playing with paint colors — I can spend ages on the Benjamin Moore site playing with the thingie where they show any color combo you like in the room.
Yes! I use the Sherwin Williams one – they let you upload your own photos and “paint” them on-screen. I did end up going to the paint store, but only came home with chips. The color rendering on my ipad isn’t quite accurate, it turns out. 🙂
Oh, that’s even better than the Benjamin Moore then!
1. I had planned to wear Reve d’Ossian. But my beloved got a whiff from the tassel on the bottle,–Oriza L. Legrand packaging is so pretty, if you dig the belle epoque style–and declared it good. So he’s wearing it instead. So I was wearing Aeon 001, which–like all the Bogue scents I have tried–I find endlessly fascinating, the way they shift and overlap their paragraphs and chords. And then I got horribly distracted and procrastinatey when working on (another!) conference paper proposal and remembered the magic 1970s bottle of Diorama EdC that lives in my study… ok, the first minute is entirely off, but oh! from there on in it’s so lush.
2. Most of my perfumes have to work with rainy days: I live in Scotland.
3. Hyacinths and narcissus. En masse for that heady, almost overwhelming scent.
4. Taking the train from Florence to Zurich–particularly the four hours through the alps on the Bernina Express. Spectacular climbs up through the pass, with deep drops to the valley floor. An incredible experience.
p.s. on 2: I love Ostara for all-in daffodil pepper-to-sap goodness, but I would dearly love to smell Brosius’s narcissus absolute.
BTW, I love your screen name. I always automatically think “Oh crickey” which brings a smile and makes the day better.
🙂
Glad you are on the mend Robin. Take it slow…relapses are awful.
1. I’m in Idylle Love Blossom today. I think I’m going to head out to get some GS cookies, as the husband is on pins and needles watching a football match. His beloved Fulham is on the cusp of promotion, so every game is of life and death importance. If not this year, it could all fall apart…
2. Not sure. Thinking maybe Ostara. There’s a dampness about it.
3. As far as looks go, I love the varied tulips. But for scent and emotional reaction, it’s lilacs. So, my scent today is right there.
4. Had a long, lovely walk in Central Park yesterday afternoon. Sat in the gardens eating half a sandwich, then wandered through the North Woods ravine. Visited with a friendly and sweet Rottweiler. My husband and I had a reunion dinner Thurs night. Made his favorite dish, which is pasta tossed in olive oil, topped with asparagus, mushrooms, pine nuts and grated Parmesan. So simple, yet he loves it. Tonight, we are headed to see a young woman we know perform in Coppelia tonight as part of a Columbia U. group.
pasta and Coppelia, perfection.
Enjoy the performance! It think Ostara is appropriate for a rainy day!
You smell lovely, of course!
1. Sultan Pasha Irisoir attar – it smells like heaven on earth
2. I’ll copy Lucas with Prada Purple Rain
3. I don’t know which flower goes with which season so I will pick the easy one and say mimosa. Prada Infusion de Mimosa would be my pick for a fragrance with mimosa
4. Something funny and cute – we recently opened a bottle of olive oil which I got from Aldi. My mom asked if I detected slight bitterness and I said yes. She then went on to say that slightly bitterness is a sign that the olive oil is the Real McCormick. Since I was actually in another room, I got up to ask her if she actually said the Real McCormick and she said. I had a laugh and gently told her that the expression is the Real McCoy. Moms – you gotta love them!
Oh irisoir, you smell heavenly indeed!
Thank you!
???? for moms
Yes!
Hmm. I actually need some olive oil right now and am planning an Aldi run. Good to know.
Val di Mazara Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 16.9oz for $7.99
My husband is the king of malapropisms/dyslexic word choices. Sometimes I have to think for a minute to figure out what he was trying to say.
My mom rarely does it but when she does, it is funny.
My husband does that too but he got it from my M-I-L, who was hysterical. When we were dating, if I called my husband when he was wasn’t home, she’d tell me to call him on his xylophone. ????
Haha! That’s cute ????
I thought so, too!
+1 for Mom! Why should the McCoys have all the fun, anyway? 😀
Ha! Cute mom story!
1. Safari, parfum concentration
2. ….i dont know, sorry!
3. Narcissus
Romanza, Narcisse (original formulation), Eau de Narcisse Bleu though I suspect Safari also has narcissus, i cant decide….help!
4.
My mother. So glad she is still among us and doing great. It is just wonderful! And she wore a lovely scent today. I hugged her and I immediately mumbled ‘white flowers…mmmm i detect orange blossom..jasmine…spicy sandalwood.. what is it????’
Well. It turned out to be …Twilly…she received a sample.
It smelled so good on her. And I think I gave her the ‘sample and smell everything’ virus 😉
(Weird thing I did not get a lot tuberose when I smelled it on her)
3. ..au dela narcisse Is awesome too 😉 haha
Yay for your mom! I’m glad she’s doing so well.
My mother loves Twilly as well! I never pegged her for a white floral lady, honestly. She went through a decade wanting to smell like a grapefruit, after all.
How wonderful about your mom! 🙂
Your #4 is wonderful!!
I’m glad your mom is doing well!
Yes!
I just read your story about your mother, moms are the best!
It also reminded me of lots of funny moments with my husband, he can never remember names or expressions and makes stuff up himself (i think his dyslexia has something to do with it)
#4 = treasure.
It’s not a virus when it brings pleasure! Yay, mom!
Yay for your mom!
Sotd is MH fumee again.
Not a lot of rain in socal in april, but I do like Phi Rose, just because.
Favorites flowers were lilies of the valley when I was very young. I think that has to do with a May birthdate and having them grow wild in the backyard.
Favorite spring flowers now are tulips, califorina poppies on full display and anywhere in Japan during cherry bloosom festival.
To do the philophers walk in Kyoto slowly as we wish while in conversation with my sister as travel companion as the blossoms fall all over you. Japanese have a word for the falling of the blossoms “fua-fua”
as it is close to the fluttering sound.
That philosophers walk sounds wonderful!
Omg Deva, my sentence was so badly constructed I can’t believe it.
1) No SOTD yet. Thinking Ouarzazate for this evening…
2) Rainy April days? Dune, perhaps.
3) Lilac and LOTV are up there. The crocus always give me a thrill since they tend to be that 1st exciting sign of Spring. I’m loving Diorissimo and Idylle LB this year.
4) Ukulele recital for me tonight! I missed the last one since we ended up in Sacramento. Been practicing some today. Nothing complicated: my teacher and I are doing a duo of Angie (Rolling Stones). Wish me luck!
A ukulele recital! How exciting! Good luck!
Thank you!
Good luck! What fun you will have.
Thanks! It’ll be fun once I get past the butterflies.
Fun, I’m sure you’ll knock ‘em out with your mad ukulele skills????????
Well, if I can remember the song it’ll be an accomplishment.
Nice choice – you smell great in Ouarzazate! And good luck tonight. ????
Thanks! I ended up with Jaisalmer. It has a little more oomph.
Oh, how super cool! Such a good song. Is it full instrumental, or singing too? Good luck, you will be great ????????
Yeah, no singing. A) I can’t really sing B) I can’t sing and play at the same time. I’ve tried, but it messes me up! I do love the song, though.
Good luck! I bet you’ll sound amazing.
Thanks Sistine!
Uke recital–excellent. you will smash it!
Thanks! I was joking about smashing my ukulele at the end ????
That’s great! Have a wonderful recital!
Your Ukelele recital sounds fantastic! I am sure you did amazing and everybody enjoyed it!
It was a good time!
So glad it went well Elisa!
1. No scent yet, but I’ll get there at some point today 🙂
2. Can’t say I’ve ever thought about what to wear on a rainy day in April. Guess I’d better figure that out by Monday, since we’re supposed to get rain then…
3. Love my daffodils, though after 5 years of drought I don’t seem to have nearly as many as I used to. Will need to do some replanting next fall. Also ipheion, I have a bunch of those in my yard… pretty, even if they do smell like garlic 🙂 Best of all, at the moment, my lemon and lime trees are in bloom, oh heaven!
4. Something wonderful… went to a Rob Kapilow “What Makes It Great” performance this week, about Duke Ellington. I love his shows. Fun AND educational!
I had not heard of Rob Kapilow — looks interesting and I love Duke Ellington but could not answer the Q what makes it great. Did you learn a lot?
I’ve seen several of Kapilow’s performances before. He works with a live group of musicians, breaks down the music into components, and gives you some history on where the music came from. Then he takes phrases and demonstrates what the standard or traditional phrasing would be — and how the composer changed it to make it his own. Which is What Makes It Great. 🙂
Also… Kapilow has written a couple of books on the topic, and posted a bunch of YouTube videos of his shows.
Which Ellington pieces did they play? It probably wasn’t this, but I heard a full symphony play Harlem recently and I. Was. Floored. It’s now one of my favorite pieces of music, period.
Thanks Pixel, I will investigate!
The concert covered “It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing”‘; “Peanut Brittle Brigade”; “Such Sweet Thunder”; “A Single Petal of a Rose”; and…. oh rats I forget the 5th piece!
“Harlem Air Shaft”!
Off topic: Pixel’s Personal Freebiemeet. I’m in a clear-things-out mood. If you’re interested in any of these, ping me at emc dawt 7 1 1 7 in the land of geeeeemayle. Shipping to US only.
1. Annick Goutal Ambre Fetiche, 15ml, slightly used
2. Donna Karan Gold, 30ml, slightly used
3. Fath de Fath “shower bath” 50ml and “treating body milk” (don’t ask me what that means, other than: apparently a thin lotion) 50ml, unused
Free to a good home!
Sending you an email about #1. Thanks.
#1 and #3 are claimed.
#2 – DK Gold – is still looking for a new home!
Hi! I’d love the DK Gold if still available. Emailing now
… and #2 is claimed as well.
I am wearing Oriental Lounge, since TDC comments reminded me of it. I like to wear an iris during rainy spring days, although I like to wear an iris many kinds of days throughout the year…
Will go with daffodils, mainly for their cheery little faces. In rl they just smell of (fortunately non-sneezy) pollen. Too bad Ostara has such a plasticky note on me — the label is so spring-like.
I have been pretending it’s warm enough for G&T season, and came across a wonderful gin: Brockmans. It’s slightly…orange? and tasty enough to sip as a liqueur, which I have never done before with a gin.
Thanks, I had not heard of Brockmans and should try it. I am not really a gin lover but do like Hendricks.
Thanks for the gin recommendation, AnnieA! I’m almost ready to begin G&T season, but we’re not quite there weather-wise. Last spring I came across Broker’s gin, which I enjoyed all summer and I have to confess the bowler hat on the bottle was a big draw for me ; ) (though the gin inside is quite good, also). Will definitely try the Brockman’s to add to the rotation with Hendrick’s and Broker’s. Happy Sunday!
1 SOTD Sideris
2 Chanel 19
3 lily of the valley. I love me some muguet de Bois circa 1970s
4. On my way via uber via bumpy Cambridge streets to a memorial at BU for an elderly client who passed last summer
Smelling good, Sajini!
1. Le Rivage des Syrtes for this beautiful, sunny day here.
2. Plum. Plum is my go to cheerful, works wonders when it is damp outside, scent.
3. Bougainvillea, wisteria, and poppies. No scent associations, but I love the over the top colors. For scent, it is the jasmine bushes that are in bloom everywhere now, and smell heavenly.
4. Big wonderful thing today is that my son moved back into his bedroom. We reinstalled our living-room as a living-room…and the treat to myself is that we replaced our rather worn old rug with a brand new silky shaggy area rug in off-white, curtesy of Overstock.com. My son says it looks like a giant polar bear is on our floor.
Fantastic news. And Plum is great.
It’s funny one. I never crave it on a warm day, but it hits the spot on long grey days.
Oh, it sounds as if things are nearing normal! ????????
Weeeeell not exactly normal, with the clomp clop clop of his walker ever-present, but he is back in his own room with his books and his cards, and his big window that looks out on trees–much better!
Happy to hear this!
You smell wonderful, and yay on no. 4!
I kinda do. Some generous NSTer send me this decant, but I can no longer recall who (if you are out there, thank you!).
I’m so glad that everything is heading back to normal! The rug sounds fab.
It is! Bought it for a song, but it looks great. It is super, silky soft too.
Yay for #4!!!!
Hooray for this milestone!
That is great news! You must be so happy to have some semblance of normality returning to things!
So glad for you and your son! Amazing what a new rug will do for a space-I love the sound of that one. I have rugs in carts at Overstock and Wayfair.
Yay, big progress!
#4 is very encouraging! Your son will enjoy the privacy of his own room again, and you’ll love having your living room set to rights again — win-win!
Our sort of book group is meeting at my house this evening (‘sort of’ as we are only on our second book in about four months!) and we will sit in the living room. Haven’t been able to do that for quite a while. So happy.
Yay for your son’s recovery! I am terribly envious of your polar bear-look rug 🙂
I love bougainvillea but it doesn’t grow up north here. Also love wisteria, which does, but one doesn’t see it very often so a sighting is always exciting!
So, i begin most days with a long walk through a pine forest and native bush section on a hill above my house and recently i have become very attached to a single fly agaric ( the red toadstool with white spots as in fairy tales) on the side of the track. The pine forest is a carpet of fly agaric but this one is special because it is pushing its way up through rock-hard, compacted clay and I don’t know how it does it. I have tried to scratch/dig a hole in the ground with my hand and it is like asphalt but this one toadstool is slowly slowly crowning, probably millimetre by millimetre and it’s taking weeks. It sounds silly but i really hope it makes it. Unfortunately, most of the toadstools by the track get kicked over by people once they appear (why?) so there is an element of suspense…i can imagine that after weeks of effort it could easily get smashed to smithereens.
Anyway, the oak trees and poplars are golden and the leaves are incredible. Wind roaring this morning. Bapteme de Feu again.
Your daily walk sounds wonderful.
What a brave fungus! A lesson in fortitude there! Your description reminds me of trees I have seen growing out of craggy rock, the roots wrapped like gnarled fingers clutching bare, frost cracked boulders up in the Cascade Range. I’ve always been fascinated by areas that are so inhospitable to humans, yet many other species not only endure, but are able to flourish. I hope your shroom lives a good long life✌????
Cheering for the agaric with you. You smell great.
I’m totally cheering for the toadstool. Good luck little fungus!
Oooh, I love Bapteme du Feu. So familiar yet strange. Great stuff.
1. SOTD: L’Heure Bleue. I save my “challenging” (to the general, non-perfumista and possibly allergic public) fragrances for Saturday, since I tend to spend Saturdays at home.
2. How about an ice-stormy April day? 🙂 It is on the way, we are told.
3. Tulips and peonies. I think ours are so late this year that the predicted ice storm won’t destroy them.
4. Yesterday was a terrible day, and I got through it! And am planning to make a very small batch of chocolate chip cookies a bit later on.
Glad you made it through yesterday, enjoy those cookies! I’m ice storm twins with you, and our tulips are late too. Stay safe!
We are waiting on a snowstorm/freezing rain too. I am making chocolate chip cookies as well. 🙂
1. SOTD is Smell Bent’s Gypsy. I like this a lot, but like other SB perfumes, it doesn’t last on me. Is this true for others?
2. Iris, particularly Prada’s.
3. There are so many wonderful spring flowers, but I think my favorites are daphne or jasmine, both Bay Area memories.
4. I am finishing the second of two forgotten Herman Wouk novels about the Second World War, vast works crammed with details of everything from the naval war in the Pacific to Hitler’s mad extermination of the Jews in Europe. Wouk is best known for The Caine Mutiny, and he is still alive at 102. He deserves great acclaim before he is gone.
I’ve only read Marjorie Morningstar. Must try to read a few of his other novels.
I read that when it first came out–in the ’60s?–but then apparently ignored Wouk. He’s not a subtle writer, rather heart-on-his-sleeve, but I greatly admire the heart he poured into his two war novels.
That’s the only one I read, too, but I really loved that novel.
I remember those novels! The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, right? He really brings the era to life. And his Henry family has an amazing aptitude for turning up just wherever and whenever history gets interesting.
Yes, those are the titles, and the Henrys were deployed wherever there was action!
SOTD is La Belle Helene. I smell like spiced pear compote.
Favorite for a rainy day would be anything with cozy vanilla–Shalimar…Mexique and Organza Indecence come to mind.
My favorite spring flowers are all the bulbs like tulips, daffodils, hyacinths. And our lilac bush is blooming. Bas de Soie for hyacinths and Aerin Lilac Path are both really lovely.
Joy of the moment is a kid-free 24 hours or so while the boys are on a Boy Scout campout. It’s a survival campout and the low tonight is supposed to be 27F, courtesy of a freak spring cold front. But I think they are adequately dressed and kitted out, so I will only worry about half as much as I otherwise would. Hubby and I are going to whip up some chicken korma tonight (courtesy of a jar of sauce from Aldi) and watch a movie that we wouldn’t watch with our boys around (maybe Girls’ Trip–I have a good hubby).
Ha! I saw that Chicken Korma sauce but did not get it because it looked spicy . I love how Aldi carries some unexpected stuff!
It was a risk since I hadn’t bought it before, but it tasted pretty good. It actually wasn’t spicy at all, but the texture was a little weird and grainy.
#1. Today I wore Paul Emilien “Une belle journee” because of #4 below.
Top: lime, rose, mint, iris and mandarin;
Mid: violet leaf, pink pepper, peony, rose, immortelle, geranium and jasmine;
Base: jasmine, leather and oakmoss.
#2. We haven’t lacked for rainy days this April. Hermes “Vetiver Tonka” was very nice in practice, and Parfumerie Generale “Indochine” would work very well also.
#3. This time of the year, you can tell the dedicate gardeners as they are the ones with tall tulips waving above an underplanting of wallflowers. A beautiful combination which has to be planted well in advance, so lazy gardeners like me can’t cheat and buy them in the garden centre!
#4. Today we had our first warm and sunny day of the year. TOMK walked north into the city centre along the canals and I went south to a farmers’ market. Then we both went home along the canal, meeting at Bournville (Cadbury factory) and walked the last stretch together.
TOMK wasn’t too impressed with the Paul Emilien. For the late evening I changed to 3 little sprays of Frederic Malle “The Night” and that has just made things worse. I think it smells like pigshit and TOMK is getting a headache. I better go and wash it off! :^D
What a great post. Walks along canals, tulips, sunshine, ending in pig shit. A full day!
I thought The Night was dreadful as well. I just sniffed it on paper, fortunately.
Jeeze Louise, go wash it off! ????
????????
I’m relieved it’s not just me who did not like The Night at all.
1. Berdoues Assam of India. It was a perfume Goldilocks morning; everything else was too heavy, too floral, too whatever. Assam is just right.
2. Rainy April? Our rain here is the torrential downpour variety that comes and goes swiftly. Can’t think of what I’d wear for that! Back when I lived in the PNW, a softly raining April day meant Rive Gauche.
3. Favorite spring flower is either Hyacinth or Lilac. So I’ll go with Vacances, which has notes of both.
4. I just downloaded Iona Whishaw’s “It Begins in Betrayal” the fourth in her series about Lane Winslow, a British ex-spy living in British Columbia just after WWII. If you like a strong female character, a real sense of place, and a good mystery, you’d probably enjoy this series.
That series looks interesting, thanks!
Today I’m wearing a big favourite, Naomi Goodsir Or du Sérail. Wish it came in bottles bigger than 50 ml.
Rainy April scent would be Silver Iris from Atélier Cologne.
Flower is jacaranda in southern California, lilac in Montréal, and wisteria anywhere in the world.
I was so happy yesterday to see my first tiny patch of crocus! Hope they survive the freeze this weekend.
We had big jacaranda trees in front of our house in SD. So gorgeous!
Oh yes! I forgot about the Jacaranda trees. They always seem otherworldly to me when they are in bloom. I don’t recall seeing them here in northern Cal when I was growing up, but they are all over now.
I looovvvvveee jacaranda.
When I moved to LA, I mentioned to a co-worker that I thought the southern CA fauna was really beautiful (thinking: jacaranda, all the beautiful deciduous trees, year-round bright red geraniums in bloom.) It’s so lush and colorful there despite being a desert. She assumed I was referring to palm trees (which I’ve always disliked) and went off on a tear about people getting excited about palm trees.
Yay for the crocus sighting! Spring is just around the corner 😉
Today I’m wearing Bvgari au the bleu, and it’s matching well with the april rain/sleet. I pretty much like all flowers, but really like lilacs, I’m pretty sure I don’t have a lilac perfume. Liz Claiborne Vivid used to be lilac smelling, i think. I also like Daisies and dandelions, which remind me of my mom. A good thing today is I’m off work and home with my family, being lazy. My son is in his room laughing and my daughter is napping. I love these kind of days. Minus the crap weather of course ????
Stay warm and enjoy your day with the kids! (Popcorn and a movie sound pretty good right now.)
1. SL Chene, just a little bit, and it’s great as ever to smell like a freshly-sharpened pencil.
2. Mythique is nice. Irises in general are. Does anyone know of a scent with a roasted sesame note? The way some scents have almond? I think it would be delightful. As long as I didn’t smell like tahini.
3. I am not good at names of flowers, but I know I love camelias? All sorts of beautiful flowers that grow in bushes/hedges instead of directly in the ground?
4. I am almost finished with a month of crazy deadlines. 2/3rds through. So, semi-wonderful.
Kedu Memo Paris has a sesame note!
Have you tried it? Did you like it?
The entire Memo Paris line is too too. I don’t know what I am smelling from one to the next. Kedu stood out though with the sesame seeds presenting as nutty (my nose could be broken). I haven’t warmed up to any of the fragrances. I will try to score a sample for you at Sniffapalooza. I signed up for Saturday (4/28).
ooh la la, thanks.
Sesame is a whim, but could be amazing? My true, HG forever search will remain coffee haha.
Diptyque Florabellio has sesame and coffee notes.
Holy moons, must find this!
I haven’t tried it in years, but I used to use Nutragena light sesame body oil that I loved–the scent was a very wearable sesame.
Hey, I think I used that in my youth. Wonder if they have it here.
I have just discovered a wonderful flower walking to school with my kids. It’s called glycine. It is purple and the smell is lovely.
For rainy days I like to wear parfum de Nicolai Sacrebleu.
Gabriela, I think that might be wisteria in English — are the flowers hanging down gracefully from a woody vine?
https://boisdejasmin.com/2017/04/under-the-wisteria-the-art-of-perfume.html
Yep! That’s it, just checked it. Thank you!
Such a lovely flower.
They really are! I do like that scent, too.
#1 Marni Rose from our latest swap meet–excellent
#2 Something with iris, No.19 or Dove Grey or Gris Clair…
#3 I love lilacs, but the lily of the valley always make me think of my mother. She had a May birthday and was May Queen (it’s a catholic school thing!), so she was partial to LOTV. Both grew in my childhood garden, so I say both!!!
#4 One of my dear book club members just got good/benign news after a cancer scare, so we are all happy and grateful for that.
Glad that the news was good for the book club member. NYPD mentioned to me that this book club had been going on for a loooong time so the members feel like family!
SOTD is Eau des Merveilles.
I love Hiris on a rainy day.
My favorite spring flowers are tulips and lily of the valley.
Wonderful news? Not wonderful news first – my dad was re-diagnosed with bladder cancer. But he got the best prognosis possible, so I consider that wonderful news.
Secondary: my husband has agreed that a trip to Nepal (my ultimate dream trip) sounds fabulous. So I may get to make my ultimate dream trip!
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Keep smelling fabulous!
Your attitude towards your dad’s diagnosis is inspiring. Positivity is good! And yes for Nepal!!
Best wishes for your dad. Nepal – sounds like an exotic vacation!
Best wishes for your dad’s treatment! And how exciting for your dream trip. 🙂
I am inspired by your deep drink of your half full glass. Planning the Nepal trip (and going of course!) will be wonderful.
Sotd: MH Fleur Oriental to comfort me because we are back to cold and rain here, waaaaahhhhh! ????
~Yesterday was warm and rainy and I wore Sous le toit de Paris. It really seemed to fit a gray spring day.
~Tulips are my favorite spring flowers! Love all the varieties. I like La Tulipe but I don’t get the connection to the actual flower. ????
~Looking forward to a short getaway to NYC in a few weeks.
Robin, hope you’re feeling increasingly better each day!
Will you be in NYC on the 28th. If yes and if you have time, I would love to meet up even for just a quick chat! It’s Sniffapalooza Saturday and I will be in midtown NYC!
No, we will be there May 6-8. What a bummer! I would love to get together with you irl. Sniffapalooza sounds like such a great time! ????
Happy weekend, all!
1) Wearing Micallef Gaiac today
2) Today IS a rainy day in April, but I still prefer warm gourmandish woods to a light floral on a cool rainy day.
3) My favorite spring flowers are daffodils–altho I also love pansies, of course ; ). And the only fragrance I have that has some of that smell for me is JAN from SmellBent (a delicious fresh stemmy green with some vanilla).
4) I’ve been having crazy fun with my New York Times recipe subscription. So many incredible recipes and fun/helpful/silly comments to go with them.
How do you like Guaiac? I find that I am attracted to fragrances with the guaiac note. I’ve wondered about Micallef, but someone on Fragrantica compared it to By the Fireplace, which I did not get along with.
Love it. Warm and woody with a little sweetness. I am not familiar with By the Fireplace, but I don’t find the Micallef smoky or campfire-ish if that’s what they were saying.
LOVE love love NYT Cooking. I have discovered SO many great recipes and have had a very, very high success rate with everything I’ve tried. This is saying a lot (for me, I guess?) as I’m a trained cook and pretty hard to impress.
1. SOTD is Bvlgari Black’s warm rubber and vanilla for another wintery day.
2. Well April is autumn here so usually something warming and spicy like Five O’Clock au Gingembre or leathery like Galop.
3. Tulips!
4. A warm snuggly kitty taking advantage of the weekend to achieve maximum lap time…
Methinks you and I may be scent twins. Dune…and now Bvlgari Black which I wore earlier this week.
Well we are certainly on the same fragrance wavelength this week!
1. Nothing yet. I’ve been out working in the yard all day.
2. I’ll get to decide tomorrow, as rain moves in for a couple of days.
3. Lilac and lily of the valley.
4. Being refreshingly, deliciously clean after being dirty and sweaty (see #1). I’m just out of the shower.
Good for you for getting yard work done, we have done almost nothing this year. The weather sure hasn’t helped!
1. I went commando most of the day, but I’m now wearing L’Artisan Mon Numero 10, because I’m expecting some friends for dinner, and I find this to be almost gourmand-ish, but not so much so that it will interfere with my food.
2. No rain here – I’m in the high desert. I can count the number of times it rains in a year on one hand.
3. I really like tulips, especially after they start to open a bit. I saw a very cute photo spread a couple of days ago, with lots of little mice cavorting in the flowers:
https://www.boredpanda.com/cute-harvest-mice-in-tulips-photography-miles-herbert/
4. I am making a new recipe – banana tart – from my new Modern French Pastry book. It’s been almost an all day process, what with the several steps (curried, and then flambeed, bananas make up one part of it) and I am anticipating some serious scrumptiousness!
Oh my, the field mice with tulips look so cute!
Adorable pictures! Thank you for sharing the link!
Squeeeeeee!!! So cuuuuuute!!!
How did the tart come out??
Tart was good last night, but it’s proving to be better this evening – I might finish it off by myself. 🙂
YUM.
Today I’m wearing Kaze by Di Ser, a Japanese natural perfume line from Hokkaido, Japan. Last summer, a friend was traveling to Japan and asked if he could bring any Japanese fragrance back for me.
I asked everybody on NST and Bois de Jasmin for ideas, did a lot of internet research, and came across this review of the Di Ser line by Mark Behnke:
http://www.cafleurebon.com/new-fragrance-review-di-ser-kaze-japanese-elements-at-elements-showcase/
I was captivated by the idea of a natural perfume from Hokkaido — Japan’s snowy and forested far north — and chose Kaze because Mark had liked it best, and because it contains several essential oils produced in Hokkaido by Di Ser’s parent company.
Perfumer Shinohara-san was delightful to correspond with. He shipped Kaze from Hokkaido to my friend’s hotel and very kindly and generously sent me samples of other Di Ser fragrances, too.
A few months ago I saw Mark at Arielle Shoshana and told him I had gotten a Di Ser fragrance as a result of his review. We realized that, at that moment, we might have been the only two people in the US who experienced these scents. I imagine the Japanese have a poetic word or phrase for that lucky-sad feeling.
So, my wonderful thing to share is that I just saw that Luckyscent has begun to carry Di Ser!
They don’t have Kaze, so I’ll have to retest my samples in order to say which of others I like best. Actually, my second favorite is Kyara, but it’s based on the highest grade of oud in Japan, and just a sample is $25, so I can’t recommend that one lightly. None of them are inexpensive, TBH.
You can read Mark’s other suggestions in the review. As you would expect from a truly Japanese perfume, the fragrances are very soft, much more transparent than most natural perfumes, and they stay close to the skin. If you like very subtle perfumes, such as the Satori brand, this indie line is worth a look. I’m just delighted to know that Di Ser is no longer impossible to try here.
Happy spring, everyone!
Loved the story. Thank you for sharing.
Another reason to go to Japan… my list is enormous. Plus I’m in love with matcha tea.
Thanks for sharing.
Interesting. Thanks for your thoughts on this line.
Oy! Another line to lemming. Thanks for sharing.
1. I wore Ostara.
2. I do not have a favorite, but Tauer L’Eau and Guerlain Apres l’Ondee work nicely for me on April rainy days.
3. I always enjoy spring and all its flowers. It is so uplifting to see so many colors after enduring winter every year. I love heart bleedings, cherry blossoms, magnolias, tulips, lilacs, lotv, irises, etc, etc, etc…..
4. I had a nice time today with a friend that I had not seen for a couple of years. We met for brunch. We laughed, cried, fixed the world, unfixed it later and I ended up drinking much more than expected. I was almost drunk. Being in such a great mood when I came back home I ordered a full bottle of L’Atessa. I was dying for it for a long time. Even though I am not supposed to have extra expenses for a while, I DO NOT regret it. I will enjoy it in full!
Robin, good to hear you are feeling better. Thank you for keeping NST running besides all the discomfort of being sick.
Thank you!
Good to see you, pl67! I know just what you mean when catching up with friends one has not seen in a while. For me, it often feels like we are continuing an interrupted conversation.
Enjoy your bottle of L’Atessa!
Thank you Hajusuuri! It is always so rewarding and relaxing for the soul and body to meet long time friends. So much fun!
Oh hey now! Sometimes you need to cut loose a bit! I hope you enjoy your bottle of l’atessa✌????
Thank you Deva! It was really, really good!. I will enjoy every single drop of L’Atessa.
I think it was a good decision. And I’m saying it not just because I did the same a month ago but because you bought something that is beautiful and of a great quality instead of getting something just because it was cheap. Enjoy your new bottle!
I love Atessa and it was on my full bottle list of expensive perfumes to buy for a long time. I felt that I needed something beautiful in my life now.
It will be beautiful on its own, but it will also remind you of a wonderful friend. I’m so glad you got it!
Thanks! ????
I’m glad you got to spend time with an old friend. I love how you said you fixed and unfixed the world. I don’t know the perfume you got, but I’m sure it’s beautiful. ☺
It was nice! ????.
L’Atessa is a gorgeous iris perfume. Beautiful! If you would like to try it let me know. I would really love to send you some. monica67@aol.com
Sounds like a great day. I agree with Undina. Enjoy your L’Attesa. Sending ♥
Thank you Springpansy! ❤
So nice to see you here and that sounds like it was a great day. Congrats on your new bottle-L’Atessa is quite beautiful!
Thank you Elisa P. It was a refreshing day so much needed! L’Atessa is my very early anticipated birthday present. No other fb’s in the horizon after.
Re. #4: Glad your spirits were lifted!
????
So happy to see you!
Thank you KellyC!
1. SOTD: Le Feu d’Issey; I’ve been very curious about this and found some reasonably priced samples online, so tried it today for the first time. I like it a lot! Will write more about it when I’ve worn it more than once.
2. Favorite fragrance for a rainy day in April? Anything really green: Vent Vert, Bandit, Envy, Chanel No. 19.
3. What’s your favorite spring flower, and if you have a favorite perfume based on that flower, what is it? Daffodils, and Ostara in April! In May I’m all about muguet and I love Muguet Porcelaine, Muguet Blanc, and Diorissimo.
4. Share something wonderful! I’ve gone mad for planting roses this spring and have eight new David Austin roses now in the ground or in pots, in addition to the three I already had, plus an Eden climbing rose, and two more shrub roses just for fun and because they smelled as lovely as they looked, especially Le Petit Prince: https://www.blog.thelittleprince.com/roses_for_a_cause/. This rose has won awards for its strong, beautiful fragrance.
Wow, that pink rose is so pure and gorgeous! How wonderful for you to have all of those roses. And a bonus to have nicely scented ones. My dad used to grow roses, and I loved the ones with the rich red smell.
I am in the pro-feu camp (but try not to be too pro, since it is very hard to find, and almost never reasonably priced)
Lucky you, I’m surprised there is still Feu to be had! And your roses sound so lovely.
I enjoyed Dzonka so much yesterday, I may choose that again when I’m dressed. Matched well with my zingy green/yellow mohair cardigan and denim flares.
2) we’ve had some chilly rainy weather recently, so Portrait of a Lady, or incense rose.
3) daffodils! Banks and drifts of them everywhere, they are spring here in the English countryside. Perfume: L’Temp d’une Fete by PdN.
Ostara is lovely too.
Finally finished my Psycotherapy first written work, such a relief!
Bought a lovely vintage liberty floral shirt dress in the charity shop last week for £7!
Love, love drifts of daffodils. Esp different types.
Yes! such a wonderful symbol of hope and rebirth!
Daffodils are perfection!
Yes! so sad they’re on their way out now, and won’t see them for another year!
Posting again just to say that I guess I missed more French food and body products than I thought, as we just spent > 200€ at Monoprix, and will still need to hit up a couple more grocery stores before leaving. Who spends that much money at a supermarket?!?? (Nostalgic people, that’s who.)
I love Monoprix and always spend a lot there!
😀 😀 😀
PSA: 24 hour Spring cleaning Flash sale at Twisted Lily. 20% off with some exclusions. Code is SPRING20
And you just earned your enabler pin. ????
Cold again today, but the snow has still not materialized. I’m in Musc Ravageur.
Darned cold here too! If it snows again I might run away from home.
I’m trying make our warm weather head your way!
I’m commando this morning so far. Not sure what I’m in the mood for, I’m trying to perk up. For rainy days in April I like to wear something with a bit of density, such as LL Poivre 23, which I wore yesterday, or Mousse de Chene. It’s truly difficult to name my favourite spring flower. I spent the first 35 years of my life in the north, and would have probably said then lilac. But I had a large garden and planted all sorts of exotic tulip bulbs including the bright ruffled kind (Rembrandt or parrot tulips) and dark coloured ones (purple-black). I miss those days. Now I’ve lived 31 years in the south and have seen amazing visions of spring, dogwoods, jasmine, azaleas, camellias (in different parts of the south). Most of those lack the distinct scent of lilacs, but I suppose my favourite southern spring flower would have to be the big magnolia, with its delicate clean lemony scent. I sometimes pick one from the low-hanging branches of the trees outside and put it in a vase inside, and it’s so divine. I’ve tried some magnolia scents, as well as lilac scents, but never found one I liked. I just don’t want to wear those kinds of perfumes, I guess.
For wonderful, hmmm, maybe I can say I’m looking forward to watching Bosch Season 4 on Amazon Prime, which just went live on Friday. I’m too behind on work to spend time on it now, but do look forward to this well-acted, fast-paced, beautifully filmed series. (I am a big fan of the books too.)
I also look forward to watching the new season (and thought it was a wonderful news but wasn’t sure how many others here would consider it such 🙂 ).
I love lilacs and their scent, and I found several really great recreations of it, but in my search I realized that while I liked the smell of this blossom I just didn’t really want to smell like it. So I prefer it in a support role in perfumes.
That’s just how I feel. I love the smell out there in the air, but don’t want it to be on me. I guess I feel like that about most florals except for rose.
OMG. I did not even know there was / is a Bosch Amazon Prime series! I’ve read all the Micheal Connelly books!
Whew, busy weekend! Hope it has been good for everyone.
1. SotD = La Chasse aux Papillons
2. A rainy day in April = Apres L’Ondee
3. I adore daffodils, so I’ll say Ostara.
4. Neighbors can be wonderful! Since my Grandad passed away, a neighbor has been feeding and consoling his cat. Kitty now spends time at both houses.
Oh, what a great neighbor! That’s something I always worry about- elderly people with chronic diseases that land them in the hospital regularly. If they pass away and have pets at home, they will probably be euthanized unless someone steps in. I hope kitty finds a loving home????
Not to praise myself over-much, but I have stepped in three times to take people’s beloved senior cats, always with wonderful rewards. They didn’t always live long, but were beautiful loving pets. I still have one of them who is now 16. She’s gotten thin and a little less agile but is still an inquisitive and sweet companion.
❤️
Good for you! ????????
I love this! And I love old cats, too.
I worry about that too, Deva! The kind neighbor who has been feeding Grandad’s cat will take care of him permanently if he will stay. He first lived with another neighbor for several years but felt crowded out by their two other cats, then moved in with Grandad for 7 years. I hope he will stick around, he’s got a good new home.
Oh, happy to hear that! He’s making the neighborhood rounds it sounds like .????
Deva, about a third of the cats we take in at the shelter come to us after their people have died or are incapacitated. We’ve found adoptive homes for cats as old as 15!
Oh, that’s so great that you were able to find homes for so many! Especially the older ones as they don’t have that immediate “cute” factor that kittens/puppies do. I’ve already decided the next dog I adopt will be an older model????
SOTD is AG Vetiver. Related to Guerlain Vetiver, but not quite twins. Still, one will have to go to make room…
TL you’re killing me!
Bigger van? ????
Ha! ????
I haven’t tried the AG Vetiver but I love the Guerlain Vetiver. I’d imagine you smell great!
Back from vacation; the weather is not springy at all, feels like winter.
I am wearing vintage Hermes Caleche
My favorite spring flower is Magnolia, the closest to the real flower is FM Eau de Magnolia for me.
The highlight of my trip to Italy was my visit to the Armenian Monastery in San Lazzaro island in Venice, finally saw the oldest manuscripts , the first Armenian printed book which are kept there, our guide played duduk for us in the old church , it was dream come true.
Oh that sounds lovely, now I want to go back to Venice! (And also, you smell great)
Welcome back from vacation! Glad you had a wonderful time.
1. Scent of the Day: Traversee du Bosphore. I had been lurking on eBay for months trying to score a bottle (in the old bottles) and finally did so. It smells like old books: specifically, like the pages of an encyclopedia I was particularly addicted to as a child, and read until its pages fell apart and I knew every entry practically by heart.
2. For a rainy April day it would have to be Apree l’Ondee or Guerlainade.
3. Lilacs. We have a couple of lilac trees, and their blossoming is an event I wait for every year with increasing pleasure. In the evenings they seem to let down great swags of fragrance that roll across the garden. That scent is is heavenly, and for that reason my associated perfume would be Guerlain’s Guerlainade, which captures it with photorealistic accuracy. It’s lilacs and nothing else.
4. I have been reading Lorna Sage’s ‘Bad Blood’, her memoir of growing up in 1950s Britain, close to the Welsh border, with a mad old vicar grandfather and his embittered, witchy wife. Superb.
Congrats on #1! What a great story and memory.
Thanks! I’m happy to have my 100mls 🙂
Why were you hunting the older bottle? Have you tried the new one and know that it smells differently, or was it just a precaution?
Regardless, congrats on your find!
Oh no, nothing as rational as that, I’m afraid! My reasons were much more superficial and nothing to do with the juice: I simply prefer the older L’Artisan bottles, each individualised according to the perfume. The new designs are a bit too ‘corporate minimalist’ for my taste 🙂
1. I picked up Jo Malone’s Honey Crocus at the Heathrow a few days ago. Essentially Bois Farine without the touch of cumin but not lasting at all.
2.To counter a rainy day, something citrusy and bright: Orange Sanguine.
3. Still looking for the elusive Diorissimo replacement/ successor. How I love lily of the valley…
4. Just last Saturday I was in Antwerp to see most of Rubens’ altarpieces. It just so happened that the choir at Saint Paul’s church was practising their musical numbers for Easter Sunday. One of those transcendent experiences….
Correction! Two Saturdays ago! Too many research trips of late.
Jo Malone Honey and Crocus – more is more on me and lasts all day!
Hajusuuri: Four liberal sprays for me but I may amp it up!
7 for me ????
Oh, wow, #4. Amazing.
Same, just thinking about it made me happy! Thanks AntsyArtsy.
Can I ask you how much you’ve paid for Jo Malone at the airport? I’m trying to figure out if I should ask a friend to pick it up for me.
Scent of the Day is By Kilian Criminal of Love, which I haven’t worn in ages. The bottle is exquisite!
I love amber to counter a rainy day, so I’ll go with Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan.
My favorite spring flowers are crocuses, because of the brave way they poke up from the soil so early in spring.
Something wonderful? Unpacking more books, and finding old friends among them. I’m looking forward to re-reading several right away!
Yay for re-reading old books!
1. I’m wearing Shaal Nuur as something cozy for the worst ice storm of the winter. I haven’t been outside since Friday, The back door is frozen shut and the wind is howling. Rain and ice pellets are crashing against the windows, so I’m not feeling very spring-y.
2. When it is spring, I love En Passant rain or shine because of the scent of:
3. Lilacs. They remind me of my wedding 43 years ago when the church was full of them.
4. Friday night we went to hear Southside Johnny and the Ashbury Jukes, my husband’s favourite band, in a kind of small dive bar in London Ontario. We had a blast, and the ice storm didn’t hit until we were home safe.
Man, your weather sounds utterly miserable. Stay warm and safe until it passes.
I’m in Ontario too! Have you ever tried Yaktraks? I got them for when I used to run in the winter, but now I just use them whenever there is an ice storm! They are amazing, you just put them over your shoes and you can literally run on ice, it’s like magic! An ice storm will never defeat you again 🙂
SOTD is Jour d’Hermes but I think I will have to put on something richer because the never ending freak ice storm here is turning into a snowy mess! Maybe Mon Guerlain?
I also tested new to me Le Temps d’une Fete & Odalisque by Nicolai and though I liked the dry down, something in the opening was really difficult almost sour on me! Anyone else have that problem with these?
My favourite spring perfume for a rainy day would normally be En Passant because lilacs are my favourite spring flowers! Also love lily of the valley and hyacinths, they seem to be popular on here. Stay safe fellow Great Lakers 😉
I have a decant of Mon Guerlain and almost immediately blew it off as a typical department store boring floral. It is not that at all! I’m glad I gave it a 2nd chance! It’s lovely and I’ve been wearing it a lot. Have you tried any of the flankers?
Stay warm and safe in that nasty weather 🙁
Thanks kpaint! Mon Guerlain is good right?! I love Shalimar but I was a little surprised how much I’m liking it too 🙂 Guerlains seem to be the only perfumes that have irises that work for me! Can anyone recommend other Iris perfumes for Non-Iris lovers? Lol
My dream concoction: lilacs, hyacinths, and lily of the valley. #DreamOn ?
1. Guerlain Insolence edt
2. A quick glance at my perfume diary tells me this April it has been tres Guerlain — my most-worns are Insolence, Eau de Shalimar and SDV. I’m pretty sure it’s rained every day this April, so there you go.
3. I love dogwood and wish it were more ubiquitous. I have no idea what it smells like or whether it appears in any perfumes. Cherry and plum blossoms are also always exciting to see as they’re a harbinger of better days to come.
4. On Friday I finished my volunteer stint with United Way as a tax preparer. I started working 1 shift per week, then added 2 more shifts halfway through the season. It has been really rewarding. I learned a lot, my work and time was appreciated, and it was fun. It has really changed my perspective on volunteer work, which I’d admittedly never done. I’m now looking for another PT volunteer gig. It’s not entirely altruistic, as my goals are to build my resume, get training and experience, and build relationships, but volunteering is a great way to do this.
How lovely — I did not even know there was such a thing as volunteer tax preparers or I would have come to see you 😉
Some of my favorite “work endeavors” have been volunteer.
There are free tax sites all over the country, but you have to meet the criteria (under $66k plus some other stipulations.)
I figured as much! Really didn’t know there were volunteers but was kidding about getting one (or you!) to do my taxes.
That’s a great community service. A lot of the social activist groups I’ve looked into are so inundated with unskilled volunteers and it’s really skilled pro bono work that they really need. Good luck with the hunting!
I wore Rahele on Saturday to celebrate the gorgeous weather. Today is a different story as the temps have dropped and rain and sleet is eminent. SOTD is Eau Premiere.
I guess Eau Premiere since it’s raining and sleeting here today. In warmer weather Apres l’Ondee is nice for a rainy day.
Daffodils, tulips and lilacs. I’ve been buying daffies and tulips every week this spring. Flowers really brighten the house while I wish for spring and winter doesn’t want to let go.
Just about to sit down and relax. I’ve been running all weekend. It’s wonderful to relax with a cup of tea and read NST!
Saturday was so great! But so short! Can’t believe how brief our nice weather was.
You smelled great all weekend!
Insolence EDP.
I like Apres l’Ondee in the rain.
Hyacinths or daffodils. I have an abundance of both in my garden, I love the bright yellow of the daffs and the lovely scent of the hyacinths.
Yesterday I spent over $200 to kit my son out for this year’s baseball season. I kept thinking of what perfume I could buy with that $$! The new Neela Vermeire (or even one of the old ones….)
Ya, the layout for sports was always a little 0_0. Not as expensive as my own hobbies, of course 😉
I do the same thing when I spend on something else other than perfume!
Well it IS a rainy day in April here again…but autumn not spring rain. Wearing Five O’Clock au Gingembre to comfort me because Mondays are harsh and cold wet miserable Mondays are harsher. Would be the perfect day to stay in bed *sighs*
Hope those of you who are on the sick list are recovering and those dealing with ice and snow are managing to stay safe and warm.
Hi all! ☺️Hope everyone is having a good day. Way to chilly and dry here for mid April! I’ve been sampleing some Bronze goddess and am really tempted to purchase it. My sample is apparently the body oil, is there a difference in the scent of the various formats; oil vs Eau frache vs Eau de perfume and the body cream? Iv read that some people have had issues with the oil going off or trouble applying. But I don’t want something that’s a silage monster. Any info would be a big help!????
I’ve read that some people like the body cream. I haven’t tried it myself.
1. I skipped perfume this weekend after feeling sick all week. I will be back in the saddle tomorrow!
2. The one that comes to mind right now is the new Hermes Myrrhe Eglantine, perfect for a cool rainy day.
3. Lily of the valley and Diorissimo.
4. I made a fantastic lamb curry with raisins last night and then had leftover tapioca pudding with fresh strawberries for breakfast. The combo got me through a day of last minute tax prep.
I’m glad you’re feeling better.
It would be interesting to collect something like “Favorite recipes from NSTers”.
Yes — we tried to do that in a poll once but it didn’t go as well as I hoped!