A repeat of a poll we did in 2016. The pandemic is over, and you're going on a road trip. You can go anywhere that you can reach in about a day's driving from your house. Tell us...
1. Where are you going?
2. What's the perfect fragrance to wear in the car?
3. What other fragrance(s) will you bring with you, and what will you do when you get there?
4. Is there any perfume shopping at your destination, and if so, what will you buy?
Note: top image is Country Road [cropped] by Crysis Rubel at flickr; some rights reserved.
Oh! Well, Mr. Spicebomb and I have been talking for years about a roadtrip down the east coast. Let’s make it a real fantasy trip and start in Montreal, work our way down through Boston, NYC, Philidelphia, down into the SE and see all sorts of places I’ve never explored before. I think we need a month, and a convertable, and for it to be May, so I guess I get a break from work somehow!
I would like to wear something sunny like Lys 49 (41? I never remember the number).
I like jasmine, tuberose, linden, airy roses and such in warm weather, so I’d probably make little decants of things like that.
I have no doubt we could find lots of perfume shopping along the way. Mr. Spicebomb kindly goes along with me whenever I add perfume outings, and I will go to up to 2 baseball games in a week. That’s our agreement. 😉 NYC seems like the obvious perfume shopping stop, but if we ever make this happen, I will ask you all to chime in! Oh, I’ve never dropped into Ari’s shop, so Arielle Shoshana has to be on the list!
Oh shoot. Just realized that I broke the rules. A day’s driving from my house? Well then, we’re heading up to Canada to visit friends in Vancouver. Probably don’t need the convertable for that trip. 😀
Heh, I was about to ask if you read the rules ?. If you’re ever in these here parts, I would love to meet up, perfume sniffing or not! I suggest the Plaza to sniff the Krigler line (no other place to do it in the U.S. and maybe in the entire world).
Yeah, well, I’ve never been very good at following the rules and coloring between the lines. ?
Haven’t even heard of the Krigler line! What are your faves from it?
I liked Subtle Orchid the best. It’s vanilla! No FB though.
You know we do not enforce rules around here very much. I liked your trip!
Thanks, Robin! I still think it would be a great trip, too. 😀
Happy Weekend! I’m wearing the lovely Tauer PHI Un Rose de Kandahar. Delicious!
1) Going as far north as I can and as high an altitude as possible, even if I need to bring my own O2 tank!
2) Anything works for the destination I would imagine, but preferred scents would be spicy, warming, comforting- basically Kenzo l’Elephant ticks all the boxes.
3) I’ll bring them all because that’s the purpose of a traveling perfume box, no?!
4) Probably no perfumes, per se, but plenty of evergreen, pine, crisp air, etc., to smell. If I could bottle it, I would.
You smell great
You do indeed smell great!
Ha! Love your traveling perfume box!
Have you smelled American Perfumer DSH Colorado? Ticks all your boxes.
I haven’t, but it’s on my long, long list of perfumes to sample!
Whenever you get to your next destination, hit me up!
sounds like a most excellent road trip!
Another hot day here, but this time with some rain so it’s super humid right now. I’m wearing Eau de Neroli Dore. I find this hot-n-cold fragrance to fit this kind of weather perfectly.
In a day I could perhaps go to Amsterdam and do some sightseeing. I’ve never been there. My transit fragrance would be something inoffensive, maybe Le Jardin de Monsieur Li? I would also take some marine-aquatic-incense with me, like Un Air de Bretagne.
Amsterdam probably has more than one niche perfumery but I don’t know any. No idea what I could buy there.
Happy weekend.
Lucasi, Can I please sit beside you and sniff you discreetly all day?
Feel invited to travel with me
The last 36 hours of our honeymoon were spent in Amsterdam, New Years Eve. It was fascinating and crazy. I would love to return during more normal times, and when we can actually sleep at night because the sky isn’t exploding!
Now I feel envious that you’ve been there once. Yes, need to wait for the better times to travel again…
I love that Amsterdam feels like a city designed by engineers and artists, which I guess shouldn’t be a surprise, since it was. There’s something so magical about human spaces created with such optimism and thoughtfulness.
As a side note, we stayed in the Hotel Pulitzer, which I was thrilled to see plays a short “role” in Ocean’s 12. I have been watching mindless movies this week to help me relax in my downtime moments, and it made me smile to be able to say, “hey, I’ve been there!” Hope you get to be able to say that soon, too, lucasai!
last summer my sister and I stopped in Amdam on our way home from Tanzania. It was world cup plus pride month and wonderful in every way. We stayed at the Hotel Esthera on Singel Canal and it was lovely. A perfect end to a perfect journey.
Amsterdam! In better times, maybe I’ll meet up with you there. I have been there twice but it’s one place I would enjoy revisiting!
You know that I’d love to meet you and Undina in person sometime, doesn’t matter where 😉
Amsterdam, each year its on the list, but I haven’t visited yet…..
I spent a week in Amsterdam too long ago to count. I have never been to Poland though!
I can be your tour guide in Poland 😉
Hiram Green has its base in Gouda so I’m sure he’d have retailers in Amsterdam! I’ve often though about that in a potential trip there ??
Hmmm a road trip in California. I think I would head down to La Jolla or Torrey Pines.
I would wear Idyllwild and have the sunroof open on my car.
Lots of wonderful little shops in La Jolla. But less for fragrance than picking up a small handmade necklace or earrings.
SOTD will be Chanel something.
Of course none of this will happen because everything is on fire.
The sky outside is that strange smoke ash color.
I was in Napa two years ago when there were some local fires, and it was just horrible!! It was actually painful to breathe. Can’t imagine what much of California is like right now, with fires up and down the state.
Chanel “something” is always perfect. ??
We were in the Santa Rosa & St. Helena area after the Camp fires in 2018, it looked like a war zone. It was so awful.
Oh Geez, we are hoping some rain from the Hurricane headed towards Mexico (Marco?) will bring you some relief!!!
It must feel so weird. I remember the smell in the air 3 years ago as Yosemite’s fires could be smelt in Montana and Wyoming. Haze everywhere. It’s such a strange phenomenon, and to be living in it? Can’t imagine.
Does it keep your instincts on alert?
I’m so sorry for what California is going through with the fires and I’m freaked out by all the flooding those storms in the Gulf of Mexico are sure to cause, if only those situations could combine.
I adore La Jolla! Love everything about it. Great shops, good eating and the sea..doesn’t get any better.
Those fires are so scary. Stay safe apsara!
Chanel is like chocolate.
Please stay safe!
thank you all, my poor, beloved Golden state. The only thing I fear is fires. They whip through the canyons like nothing I have ever experienced. Earthquakes I sleep through.
I do not miss CA fires. They’re horrible and terrifying.
I love California. Keeping you all in my thoughts! I really want to visit again soon.
SoTD: Guerlain Spriteuse Double Vanilla from the split meet! It’s cozy as I cook my sourdough bread today.
These loaves are not my best work, I over proofed my dough, hence no raise in the oven, I must have exhausted yeast – ha – they are just like the rest of us!
Happy Saturday All.
So, I would drive to an east coast beach with blinding white sand, maybe the gulf coast? I would look for aquatic scents, perhaps Profumum’s Acqua Vive or Yuzu Fu and Le Jardin Retrouvé Verveine d’été to stay cool, in my convertible.
AngelaB, have you ever tried punching down overprooved dough and reforming it for a new rise to see if it improves? I don’t do sourdough often, so I don’t know how feasible that is, but with my standard yeasted breads, that’s my solution when I ignore the formed loaves for too long by mistake. Might work for you, too!
Regardless, I’m sure they taste absolutely delicious, which is what matters most! Homemade bread is a whold different animal, as my late stepmother would say, to the store-bought stuff.
Thanks Marjorie Rose! I will definitely look into that. Boy it didn’t raise much (we lost a/c last night so I had to throw it into the fridge overnite on top of leaving it too long on the counter). I did get more sour flavor though.
I may ask you more advice soon.
You smell great! I’ve had two decants of that one and they both evaporated so quickly! I’d keep an eye on that.?
Oh boy, good to know, thanks madtowngirl.
I’m baking on a 90F day so I’m wearing splashes of cold Jean Nate from the refrigerator. Zucchini casserole and zucchini snack cake, must be August 🙂
1. The UP of Michigan, specifically Pictured Rocks in Munising.
2. Imaginary Authors Yesterday Haze.
3. Not much, a simple musk for evenings. The air smells too good not to take it in.
4. Very doubtful. Some native agate & copper jewelry.
I grew up just south of the UP! I’ve never been to pictured rocks, but the porcupine mountains in the fall are really beautiful.
That’s where we were planning to go this fall but doubtful we’ll make it this year. Fall pictures of the porkies are just stunning.
Yum to zucchini casserole and cake!
Yum, I wish I had an excess of zucchini but I didn’t plant any 🙁 What I do have is an excess of beans. What am I supposed to do with 4 lbs of beans? There are only so many beans a girl can sauté.
Freeze and use later for green bean casserole?
We’ve gotten pickled green beans at the Common Ground Fair in Maine. My daughter loves them. Easy to make, and you can add hot pepper if you like spicy pickles!
I’ll take a road trip over to visit my college daughter at my old alma mater. It takes about 2 1/2 hours to get there and it’s one of my favorite drives. I hate freeway driving and much prefer the backroads that go through cute little towns. This particular drive goes through what is referred to as the driftless area, a part of the country that was untouched by the glacier and has deep rolling hills and valleys. There is the prettiest little stream that runs along the road at one point and in the summer it is so green. I just love it. I’ll wear Tam Dao, which is always my keep calm and travel on perfume. I’ll stop at my favorite coffee shop along the way and get the best housemade chai tea out there.
I’ll stay at either a cute Airbnb or the boutique hotel along the Mississippi River. No perfume shopping, just strolls along the river and through my old neighborhoods and campus.☺️
That sounds lovely ?
Can I come? That sounds fabulous!
Me too please!
SotD = Berdoues Vanira Moorea
I’ll up the ante with more VM + Assam of India + 4711 as the day unfolds. It is warm and a little humid here, a bit unusual. August is more often just plain HOT.
Road trip! I’m all in, starting in La Jolla to say “hi!” to apsara then heading north to Monterey, please. 😉
Perfect car fragrance is the gentle Iris Ukiyoe.
Another few travel bottles, probably Vanilla Galante and Le Jardin de Monsieur Li, are in my backpack. I’m wearing a mini of Eau des Merveilles on a cord around my neck. Yay for Merveilles and Yes to Hermes 😉
There must be perfume shopping in Monterey, but I don’t know where. As soon as I get there I always head to the water for a view of the bay:
https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams/monterey-bay-cam
Saturday mini rant – recently decided to quit FB as things have devolved into madness for some folks I know. I don’t need to get in that boat. And now IG is super-annoyingly showing me Suggested Posts all the time? no thanks! Perhaps it’s the end of socialmediaworld as I know it, which is not a bad thing.
ok, friends, you are made of magic and perfume, and the world is a better place because of you! Now I’m off to get an oil change and have the tires rotated. Mwah! 🙂
Are they Goodyears? I won’t say any more! ?
Hahahaha!
hahahhahahaah!
😀 hahahaha I have no idea what kind of tires are on the car, I take whatever the Pep Boys give me.
good one calypso!
I feel dumb, but…what’s the joke…?
I didn’t get it either for a minute, but I think it’s a political reference that I can point to but not discuss 🙂
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/19/trump-goodyear-boycott-maga-attire-ban-398469
Ahhhh thank you!
I had to ask my husband what it meant, too. Usually when I’m out of the loop, it’s a social media thing.
That IG thing ticked me off, too. Apparently, it’s a “test” run of adding accounts to your feed based on who/what you’re subscribed to. I went through every one and labeled it “spam” and/or “offensive.” Maybe they’ll the picture, but I doubt it. ?
ugh, not a nice “test”, the developers could at least let people opt out or turn the suggestions off somehow. Most of the suggestions I got are for businesses related to things I’m interested in, but still I really don’t need more ads, and when they’re disguised as posts it feels creepy to me.
I like Vanira Moorea, wore it for the creamsicle challenge.
I wore Vanira Moorea last week, too! It’s a lovely creamsicle fragrance. And I love the atomizers on the Berdoues bottles, they create a perfect mist.
I just found I had a sample of that.I am going to try it today.Thank you!
Yeah the new Insta format is so stupid.
Happy weekend!
hee hee, “so stupid” sums up insta perfectly at the moment. 🙂 I hope they get message that people aren’t enjoying the changes.
Enjoy your weekend! I hope spring time loveliness comes your way.
Yes to Hermes! And to Monterey. A friend of mine did an internship
at the aquarium and was able to get me in for a behind the scenes tour. It is one of my favorite places ever.
that aquarium is one of my most favorite places too! 😀 I wish it had been there when I was a kid, though I have to admit as an adult I still feel full of wonder when I’m there.
I was a rare FB user…stopped during the 2016 election, never went back and I am no worse for the wear. 🙂
Are you in southern CA? I am in San Diego. If I win the lottery someday, I plan to open a nonprofitable perfume store in La Jolla. It’s not going to be easy b/c I don’t even play the lottery but still like to dream. 😉
agree, FB is not necessary! especially at this moment in time.
I am in soCal 😀 when you hit the lottery can I work in your shop? Got plenty of background in sniffing. 😀
So cute!! Sounds dreamy.
Ok so take us with you?
ok yes! let’s make it a group trip, we can borrow my friend’s Winnebago 😉
+1 on social media.
Waft away Tiffanie.
😀 thanks for the support, I feel like I’m swimming up stream!
Great choices for SOTD, I need to pull out my Berdoues. I like VM a lot.
Berdoues is a great house, for me at least 😀 glad you enjoy VM too!
The drive from La Jolla to San Fran has got to be one of the prettiest on earth. Would love to do it again.
It is! 😀 I’ve done it a few times in my life and would do it again (and again) in a heartbeat.
Indeed it is.
Equally beautiful is from Tomales Bay all the way up to Oregon.
But not right now.
And I have not done that portion, would love to. Have only been to Portland once, via plane, and never to Seattle. Next time will start in La Jolla and do the whole thing.
Well, a place that I could go in a day but haven’t yet is the Grand Canyon.
Fragrance on the way there..something light and citrusy maybe Moon Fever or Eau de Hadrien..or maybe something like Dune or Sahara Noir..Reveal by CK..for some salt idk. Pack samples of all of these scents if I had them lol. Grab a bag of Munchies and some Cucumber Lime Gatorade and of course, water. Lol
I would breathe the air, take pictures have a picnic by the canyon. I don’t believe there is any perfume shopping there lol but who cares:).
I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon and it is on my bucket list!
Come on down H! Then after we can meet in Vegas for perfume shopping lol.
Just visited the Grand Canyon last October, and Sedona as well. An amazing trip that I wouldn’t mind repeating.
If you go to the North Rim (my favorite of the 2) there is virtually no shopping at all, it’s lovely.
Agreed. North rim is preferable to south rim.
Thanks for the rec..North Rim is slightly closer to me too:).
I can get to Corpus Christi in 5 hours and would like to go there. It has such a beautiful long stretch of beach and I could cross over the bridge and visit Padre Island, which is reminiscent of Cape Cod. And also Aransas State Park with lots of wildlife. The air will smell of the humid salty Gulf. The water will be warm and relaxing (I’m assuming there won’t be blue jellyfish, which I have actually swum with there before.) Not really any special places for shopping there, but I will eat very fresh fish and shrimp on the deck of some little restaurant. Maybe I should wear Squid, haha! I’ve been planning a little getaway to Galveston, only an hour trip, but no beach vacations will be happening soon with two hurricanes in the Gulf!
The Gulf looks crazy scary on the amped up weather channel. We have lots of family and friends from Galveston to Cape Coral FL.
Corpus Christi has a great beach and I’d love some super fresh shrimp. Thanks for sharing your road trip and safe wishes.
Lots of things happening with the convergence of two weather events. Stay safe Calypso!
Sounds so good, and warm! I hope you are okay and have enough lavender jam supplies to see you through a storm
Stay safe and dry Calypso!
I’ve been wanting to hit Corpus Christi in the off season in cool weather due to the beach camping, but just haven’t managed to be in the right place at the right time. I hope Houston gets a big miss by both of those weather systems in the gulf. If you do have to evacuate, do you have a plan for you and your mom?
Thanks for asking. My mom’s place has evacuation agreements with sister facilities in Dallas and San Antonio. But they didn’t flood during Harvey which is a good sign. My home has not flooded either during Ike or Harvey so I will plan to shelter in place. I have a standing invite to Austin, but would never want to leave my cats behind.
Can’t imagine leaving the cats, either. Had to evacuate in 2005 and trundled along with two dogs and a cat in tow. Glad to hear your mom’s place has an evacuation plan if necessary. I guess flooding would be the main worry, but I was thinking electricity being down in this heat. But I’m sure a place like that has generators to maintain A/C, refrigeration, etc. Here’s to hoping it just fizzles out completely!
Well, I’m cheating a tiny bit because it’s closer to a 2-hour drive, but I would head to Newport on the Oregon coast. I think I would wear Iroaz on the drive, because it’s not too big for an enclosed space and it smells of beach roses and salty air to get me in the mood (as if I wouldn’t already be!). And I’d take Eau des Merveilles with me (because it’s salty and beautiful), and Cristalle EDT (in case we catch decent weather), and SSS Pacific Forest (to amplify the evergreen scent of the coast range). And probably something iris-y, just in case I’m not in the mood for any of the above. Wow, this is really making me want to actually do this trip. Sigh.
SOTM is Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile EDT for laundry- and puzzle-doing.
I love Newport! Let’s meet up at Nye Beach! 😉
It’s a deal! I’ve never seen perfume shopping there, but Nye Beach is home to my favorite little shop, so full of interesting items that it takes at least twice through to see everything. Antique furniture, scarves, jewelry, dishware, carved African masks … you get the idea. And oh wait – it sometimes has a small selection of Tokyo Milk perfumes. So there IS perfume shopping in Newport! ?
That sounds like a fun shop! I like to walk through all the local art shops, hoping to discover great local, undiscovered artists.
It’s my retirement fantasy to go live on the coast and sell my mediocre paintings at one of those shops whenever I leave teaching. I only need to sell enough to afford the rent and studio time. 🙂
May I join you? One of my ideas is to drive south through Oregon along the coast. Nye Beach for the win!
Absolutely! That’s a gorgeous drive, for sure.
Gorgeous!, as long as you don’t get stuck behind some monstrous camper the whole way. Then all you see is their bike rack or vehicle in tow. . .
I drove to the Oregon coast from the south for the first time recently, and discovered one of my now favorite drives ever- Highway 38 along the Umpqua river. It is so beautiful and there’s a cool elk viewing spot along the way. Highway 38 ends in Reedsport and you can take 101 N from there.
Some of the most beautiful scenery is on those secondary roads through the coast range. They’re windy and slow, but that just provides more time to drink it all in.
My favorite place to stay there is Sylvia Beach Hotel.
Happy weekend all!
Fantasy road trip sounds awesome! So many places to see so it’s hard to choose, but for right now it’s a toss up between fall leaves in the north east or down to the gulf and the beach. I have to be choosy with what scents I wear in the car ( my husband is sensitive to perfume, especially florals). I’m sampling Zoologists camel and it’s perfect for a fall with sweaters and cool morning drives. For the beach I’d pick my sample of Paris*LA with that sweet cola vibe, then once out of car (i. e. away from my husband’s sensitive nose)some of my aqua universalis, maybe. And for either I’m really really enjoying a sample of SL Rahat Loukoum.Lol, guess this is the year of the sweet tooth scents for me. I’m a little bummed that I just found out I can’t order the 2x15ml travel sprays that are half the price of the 75ml bell jar, all because I live in the US. If anyone knows of a decently priced decant I’d be really really grateful to hear about it! hope everyone is doing well!
I love Paris*LA! That’s such a great scent. Both of your possible trips sound great.
Whoops, didn’t see the days travel limit on the prompt. Still the beach drive is “technically” in there. One great thing about Oklahoma, it’s about a days(s) drive to mountains, beach, desert, pretty much anything. ?
It all depends on how fast you drive, right? ?
Lol! Or “what” you drive – if you happened to own a lear jet, for instance. 🙂
Sometimes the travel sprays show up on Fragrancenet, just sayin’ ?.
Happy Birthday to your son,Robin!
SOTD Paco Rabanne Paco,in the metallic flask bottle.Green,fresh and kinda speaks of Spring that is definitely mere hours away…YAY!
Roadtrip will be down to the south coast of South Africa,about a 6 hour drive to Ballito.White sand and brilliant blue seas…bliss
We are on level 2 lockdown which means life is still restricted,but “normal” as can be.Masks are compulsory still in public.Our curve and recovery has been phenomenal,considering where I live.
Happy Weekend boys and girls!
Always reading,I have just become more silent.
XO
Good to see you here!
Thanks!
And Hi!✌?
Glad spring is springing! It is so great to see new growth, and colour again.
Yesss.Peach tree blossoms and clivias opening up all around me on the estate!LoveLove
Happy to hear your country is efficiently managing things, and youR fellow country men/women are smart enough to comply with mask policies! Not so much here, and if things don’t change in November, I’m heading out of this country as soon as the borders open! Do you want a house guest? ?
Yes,sadly my friends Doug and Matthew who lives in New York tells me all the miserable details from the US.Ridiculous and sad.
Come on over!If you have any Ophthalmology experience,even better!
Plus wayyyy too muxh roaming space for T-Rex on the estate!Haha!
Stay safe Deva.
XO
Thank you johanob!
And always lovely to see you, of course.
My sister has spent a fair bit of time in South Africa so I have seen her beach pictures…it does look lovely.
Nice to be here,where we mostly talk about beautiful things and lovely smells!
We do have some of the best beaches,absolutely!The Wild Coast and Bantry bay in Cape Town are my favorites.
XO
1. I’m loading my girlfriends up in the car and we’re heading to LA for a taco truck tasting tour.
2. No heavy spritzing (because car), but I think Osmanthe Yunnan would be a good choice.
3. No additional fragrances, because I don’t like my perfume to get in the way of my food, and we’ll be eating our way through some of the best tacos north of the border: pastor, asada, carnitas, barbacoa…..
4. I think a visit to Scent Bar would definitely be in order. I could finally smell Tam Dao (I know – gasp), and maybe spend an hour sticking my nose into those glass cloches that cover the Cire Trudon candles. Heavenly.
Sign me up!!
Tacos, Oh what a blast. Yes do go to the Scent Bar, it’s like Christmas in August.
Enjoy!
Tacos!!! I am there and not just on Tuesdays!!
Oh great idea!
Can I come? I don’t think I’ve ever had a taco, tho I love Mexican food!
Wow, never? That is amazing. Not even Taco Bell or something like?
Do watch Taco Chronicles on Netflix, it will make you go eat a taco.
Cool poll!
1) I’m going to drive down the Washington state coast through Oregon and into northern California. Or I could drive across Washington (which has lots of interesting geology) and into Idaho and western Montana. I’d love to do either of those.
2) I’d likely wear my CJ Scents Vanilla Incense which is probably my most “me” fragrance and subtle enough for the car trip (and is also what I’m wearing today).
3) I’d also bring various samples to fit the mood. We’ll hike and camp and get to know little towns off the beaten path.
4) Unlikely to find perfume shopping on either of these trips, but I always keep my eyes open. Maybe there will be a garage sale with a bottle of Fendi!
I would love to do that trip. Sounds perfect.
Oregon State Parks are the best I’ve come across yet. Clean, neat, scenic, well managed, etc.
Sadly, this year they started charging out of state campers an additional fee. It’s become ridiculous across the country as parks charge entrance fee, vehicle fee, out of state fee, then extra for any Amenities like electricity, water, showers, etc., that can quickly add up to 75-100 per night. To camp. Glad I like to boondock.
Wow – I had no idea. That makes it much more difficult. I guess I’m still remembering the old days!
Your #1 is one of my favorite drives too. So beautiful. I wish it was here in Canada 🙂
There is a drive across Vancouver Island out to the coast that is another beautiful & fun drive. I’ll have to do that again soon.
Can we stop for some Native American jewelry shopping? The North Pacific& islands artistic style is so special!
Oh, and I thought of another unicorn from yesterday’s poll. Some kind swapper in the distant past included a small manufacturer’s bottle of Goutal Le Chevrefeuille in the box. I always liked it, but really fell in love with it this summer. I can’t find it new online (haven’t checked ebay yet), but last winter when we thought we would be meeting friends in Provence, I promised myself that I’d find a special perfume in France to commemorate the trip. I would have looked for Le Chevrefeuille if we were going, but of course, we’re not. Goutal says its online website will be up this fall and then I’ll need to decide. I’d love to wait for a trip to buy it in France. But we all know how fickle perfume houses are and how much the market changes or how reformulations occur… and I don’t know when I’ll get there, so…
Oh, man I understand wanting to wait but I would suggest ordering it in the fall and then finding another special perfume when you finally get to go to France.
Yes, that’s probably what I will do.
For a time, AG was releasing those florals (Violette, Chevrefeuille, can’t remember the other) on some sort of LE rotation, so one would be on the market and the others wouldn’t, then the next…does that make sense? So you just had to wait. But don’t know that they are still doing it.
Maybe you can call the boutique in Madison Ave?
https://mackenzienz.com/scenic-highlights/dark-sky-reserve/
Lake Tekapo is about four hours from my home, part of the Mackenzie Country in the South Island. It is a wide open area , tussock land, bordered by hills on one side, the Southern Alps (12000 foot Aoraki/Mount Cook) on the other. The lake is glacier fed and the water is milky, the colour of Tiffany packaging, teal/turquoise . Lupins cover the roadsides in summer. It is one of the few Dark Sky reserves in the world as there is little light pollution so there are incredible night skies: the Southern Lights ( purple and green shimmers), the milky way, planets, matariki , orion and the southern cross. At this time of year it is freezing cold , so very glittery with frost on the ground.
The air is fresh and clean and sharp and dry, almost metallic in winter so I think Copper would be good for being there, also JM lupin and whatever it is for its light spiciness. I woukd also wear CDG sherbert cinnamon as it has a kind of Issey Miyake fresh air vibe .
No shops. In normal circumstances it has become part of the tourist circuit but not now.
What I would love about New Zealand camping/hiking is not only the stunning surroundings, but the lack of cougars, bears, coyotes, and wolves- all things that would kill and eat my baby T-Rex. We have to take real precautions here to avoid/deter this kind of wildlife interaction. Many of these animals are attracted not only to foodstuffs, but also to personal hygiene products like toothpaste, deodorant s, etc. ? ? ?? Not to mention potential surprise encounters with moose, elk, and deer that can stomp a little cow dog…
I’ve totally woken up to a bear eating my bar soap while camping.
I remember seeing bears when I was a kid camping in the Rockies. They seemed very big!
Lucky for me, and my soap, I’ve mostly had to only worry about American Black Bears, which are no so terribly big. In the Rockies, you can have black bears, but you might have also seen Grizzlies, which are much bigger and harder to scare away.
A bear eating your soap?? Gulp.
😯
Yup. All the food was secure, but I didn’t think to pack away the soap. I woke up to grunting noises that could not be mistaken for anything other than a bear nosing around. I stayed in my tent a little longer than planned that morning.
That has to be a chilling experience! I am not sure I’d be brave enough to camp in bear territory (I find the mastiffs that look after cattle already terrifying) even with a good supply of pepper spray. But you have such a beautiful wilderness in North America..
Mostly, it’s pretty safe. I find I deal with bears more where there are more people. The more isolated the location, the less likely they’ll be brave enough to interact with a campsite. Make enough noise, and they keep their distance! We also have cougars, coyotes and wolves, although I only had to worry about wolves east of the Rockies. They’re pretty rare still in Oregon. Reportedly there were moose in northern Minnesota, but I wasn’t lucky enough to see one on any of my trips up there (or lucky enough, depending on how you think about it)!
The problem is that dogs/ cats are not permitted in any national parks and very few conservation reserves, or on private land. It is very hard to find places where I can camp with my dogs so travel with dogs is very, very limited and almost no fun.
The same here in national parks. Sadly, some irresponsible owners ruin it for the rest of us. I think we will see more “no dogs allowed” in other natural areas as well in the near future.
My mom is totally one of those irresponsible dog owners. We got kicked out of the San Diego Zoo once because she snuck her (miniature Dachshund) dogs in under her coat.
Marjorie Rose, this made me laugh.
I love my mom, but I gotta call it like I see it. 😀
Dogs are fortunately allowed in Canadian national parks.
I have seen it riding on a bus en route from Christchurch to Queenstown (I think), and it was stunning! The Who,e landscape was! My friend said it reminded him of Montana, where I’ve never been. This was back in July of 1993.
Yes, you would have gone through the whole Mackenzie Basin and seen Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki. And then over the Lindis Pass which is all golden tussock hillsides.
Mr. SmokeyToes keeps trying to take me camping. I told him no thanks, this Jewish Princess doesn’t camp (doesn’t he realize who he married??
I’ll happily make reservations at the Ritz Carlton and cocktails and room service in my big fluffy bathrobe; he can join me when he needs to take a shower.
There’s a lot to be said for that kind of camping! ?
It sounds like heaven. I do hope I will make it to NZ one day. It seems like such a wonderful country.
It would be great to see you. I hope you had better luck with your movers
I still haven´t got any boxes or the official quote that I need to eventually be reimbursed by my new employer.
I love dark sky places, when you can see what’s really there it is amazing.
SOTD = St. Clair Scents Pharaoh’s Passion
I’m starting Dealer’s Choice – wear a perfume that joined my collection since June 1st!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEM4-kKBq-9/?igshid=4a3li6ecjlai
Poll answers:
1) Road trip to Boston, Rhode Island, Montreal
2) If road tripping with others, probably none, because car. If by myself, which is very unlikely, Chanel No. 5 L’Eau to keep it simple as it may be the only perfume I’ll bring and I have the best mini travel spray.
3) Eat, drink (only if next activity is sleep) and whatever I fancy. Rhode Island will be the only one where I need to plan my route to do the estate tour.
4) Perfume shopping will be incidental but I will certainly mark the occasion with one memorable purchase
In other news, if you use or are interested in Kiehl’s products, please chime in below. ?
That estate tour in Rhode Island is worth the trip….even just driving along the coast road to look at the mansions and the ocean is amazing.
In other news: I use several Kiehl’s products, I am partial to the Midnight Recovery Serum and Silk Groom in the winter for my hair–no static and keeps in the moisture.
Good to know about the Rhode Island estate tour! Thanks for your Kiehl’s comment.
Visiting Newport is one of my favorite travel memories.
Kiehl’s avocado eye cream! 🙂
I’ve never been to the NE United States, except for one quick trip to NYC a few years back.
I’m a fan of Kiehl’s Creme de Corps. ❤️
1. I can just about make it in a day to Lake Geneva, Provence is a little too far off to be comfortably reached in under 12 hours.
2. I tend to wear things that I find calming like Paris YSL, Aromatics Elixir, Rien or Bois d’Encens.
3. A hodge podge of decants and samples and a bottle of Eau d’Eté.
4. Not that I’m aware of. I will just go cheese shopping and go to my favourite book shop in Evian, visit an exhibition in the palace there and get some eaux-de-vie in Bernex. Potter around Yvoire.
I lived just out of Bernex once and loved Geneva, and would gladly live there again. I haunted the art supply and stationery shops and the wonderful book shops. I love the plain covers of the French novels . And the art books! And the small galleries in Geneva. And morbier!!!
I spent a week in Thollon les Mémises last year and was well and truly smitten. I had visited Bernex in 2011, spent 2 weeks there in September. I love the lake so much, it is stunning and I just never tire of gazing at it.
I´ve driven through Geneva so often but have never ever visited there and I know I should.
Morbier is excellent, but I love many of the Jura and Alpine cheese. Beaufortain, Abondance, Tomme de Savoie, Comté…
I went to Yvoire a couple of years ago for a day trip from Rolle – we had my daughter’s friend with us and wanted to get “France” in as one of the countries she could then claim she had visited. Cute town – busy with tourists!
Very touristy but also really lovely. I bought some very nice earrings from an independent artist when I was there.
Also enjoyed my visit of the Jardins des 5 sens.
After I got off work last night, I spent time cleaning up the clutter in the kitchen and a bathroom then dusted my room. I didn’t want to spend all day today cleaning. While I was dusting my room, I organized the perfume bottles that I have out to make some things easier to see and organized the candles. Finished a candle last night and trying to figure out which one to burn next. Commando right now in terms of perfume but happy the vacuuming is finished. I think I should put on some vintage BaV. If I were to do a road trip, it would involve a place where I could easily pick up a bottle of Cormandel since it is next on my to buy list.
Any of the big cities could work – how about Chicago?
That would be an idea. It seems like Ohio is a dead zone for a lot of things.
Armchair shopping … ?
I have heard horror stories of actual Chanel boutiques. Look it up on YouTube. I just want to see how true it is.
I don’t go often but the one on 57th between Madison and Fifth is not snooty. You can always do online and they do a great job with the packaging.
I’ve had good experiences shopping in boutiques in Las Vegas, I think because anyone can look like they might have money to spend. In any case, the two Chanel boutiques I’ve been there, I was treated well.
Don’t go to the one in Boston. Not friendly at all. New Englanders have the reputation of being cold and unfriendly already (we wave to neighbors), but the Chanel boutique is next level.
Oh wow, and my experience at the Boston boutique was sublime!
It’s almost 12 hours away, but I would drive south to Key West. I’ve never been, but I’ve always wanted to go.
I would take Fils de Dieu… and that’s probably it. I like to just wear one perfume on vacation – it just makes life easier. I have no idea if there’s perfume shipping there or not – I just want to sit at a beach bar with a cocktail and watch the sunset.
SOTD is Kelly Caleche. Today I’m officially 2 months into my yearlong no-buy. It’s ridiculous and awesome how much I’m enjoying discovering old friends from my collection. I occasionally want to look at perfumes for sale for stress relief but have learned to acknowledge that and move on.
“I occasionally want to look at perfumes for sale for stress relief but have learned to acknowledge that and move on.” Insert “homemade brownies” for “perfumes for sale” and you’ve described the work I’m trying to do on myself right now. 😉 It can be a relief to know we have other strategies. Glad to hear you’re enjoying your established perfume friends!
I do the same thing….”shop” around but don’t buy….I am trying to enjoy what I have and divest rather than add to my stash.
Key West is worth the trip, I would like to go back someday. The Hemingway house and cats were a highlight for me.
Way to go on your no-buy, I need to recommit to that. Sometimes I look at the perfume bottles in my cupboard and think – if they were kittens would I dare to bring another one into the house? Nope! These babies aren’t getting enough play time as it is. 😉
Kudos on your no-buy! I know I need to do the same.
With no fires to contend with, I think I would like to back to Etna, CA – we spent a few days there for vacation a month ago or so, and it is about a 5 hour drive. There isn’t much there, but it’s a stop off point for the Pacific Crest Trail so the little town has an interesting mix of people. Maybe I’d bring une nuit a doha. There is definitely no perfume shopping in town!
Other destinations post-pandemic would be a trip to San Francisco, with people bustling about everywhere. I would go to Tigerlily perfumery, which I’ve never been to.
I’ve actually been pondering a day trip this weekend to find some clean air – but I think there is pretty much nowhere to go.
Off to vacuum and mop.
Etna sounds like a perfect getaway spot. I like people watching, I have t admit it. 🙂 And you’re mention of that area brought back memories of hiking as a child near Mount Shasta and camping on Lake Siskiyou. Heavenly.
I recently watched the documentary Six Million Steps. It’s about hikers on the PCT. It’s amazing what hikers do.
1. Newport, Rhode Island. The last time I was there was 5 years ago and that is a place that always brings wonderful memories of many relaxing, interesting and enjoyable times.
2. Berdoues Azur Riviera.
3. I will bring L’Artisan Un Air de Bretagne, Chanel Cristalle and 31 Rue Cambon.
4. I will visit local shops and get some local scents. I would love to go to the beaches, do some biking, visit once again the historic mansions and buildings, dine in the restaurants and have many cocktails.
We can go to Rhode Island together, then you’re on your own ?
Sounds like a good plan! ?
???
Looks like two best friends have a wonderful travel plan together!!! Hope it comes to fruition ???
We really could! I could supply the car and pfl67 can navigate because I am navigationally challenged!
Nice to see that you are enjoying the Azure Riviera decant that I sent you. Make sure to share some with hajusuuri on your road trip together ?
After the decant of Azur you sent me, another wonderful NSTer like you sent me a full bottle, so we will definitely have plenty to share on the trip!
Going to define “day trip” as one where there’s not necessarily an overnight stay. The choice at the moment would be Bellingham, Wa. to say I’ve gone to another country in the last year. It’s a cute town – last road trip we hit a farmer’s market there and and had hipster lunch, with drinks in mason jars and a picturesque stroll.
A light but enduring perfume would do, such as Bas de Soie. A visit to local shops would be in order, but confession time: Canadians love to go to drugstores and scope out items which are much more expensive or not even in our stores.
Maybe friends from down the coast could meet us there, to continue to Vancouver with us…?
I probably owe you a drugstore run. Sorry I can’t deliver in person anytime soon!
I for one would love to spend an entire year on Vancouver
Island because it looks like it has everything- cute shops, fab restaurants, and great camping when you want to get out of town. Plus, every single Canadian I met last year was unbelievably nice, courteous, helpful, funny, and an all around delight to interact with.
Vancouver, BC has an amazing food culture. One of the best meals we’ve ever had was at a French restaurant there.
Yes, Vancouver Island is lovely, and there’s a growing locavore community. Couldn’t find the blushing emoticon about the nice-Canadians comment…
You are in luck – we’re moving there next year. Do come visit!
1. I could make it to Rathtrevor Beach in Parksville, BC. This would also include a ferry ride in order to get to my destination.
2. Most likely I would wear Bronze Goddess oil.
3. I would bring BG body creme and maybe a decant of the eau fraiche to keep it simple. Activities would include walking on the beaches, doing some hiking and watching the sunset with a cocktail in hand.
4. I don’t think there would be any perfume shopping but you never know what you are going to find along the way.
I would like to join you. 🙂
Wearing Philosophy Lemon Custard lotion and Solstice Scents Chiffon today.
I like Chiffon but wish the lemon was more tart than sweet. Any ideas for a good lemon vanilla that’s on the tart side? I will enter the notes on Fragrantica and see what it spits out too. 😉
My heart goes out to those in CA affected by the fires and poor air quality. My brother is in SF and contending w/ the heat and ash. 🙁 Big hugs and stay safe.
If you find one She-ra, I want to know too.
1. The only place I want to go right now is home. Sniff. Kooky the ? and I are still evacuated due to the fires.
2. Scent would be the anticipation of home. (Sounds like a CBIHP name, doesn’t it?)
3. When I cleaned out my desk at work yesterday, I found my little EBP tins of Pacifica scents. So I’ll be bringing them home — Mediterranean Fig, Spanish Amber, Sandalwood, and Brazilian Mango Grapefruit.
4. I can shop my collection when I get home!
The fires are staying away from my house so far, which is good. More thunderstorms forecast for tomorrow night, which is not good. No idea when I can go home…
Hoping you can get home soon. And that there’s lots of rain and no lightning.
“From your lips to God’s ears” as my MIL would say.
Thank me so sorry and hoping for the best. I’m glad you’re with your ?.
More weird autocorrect! Supposed to say, I am so sorry.
Hooray! You are ALL DONE! Hope you get to go home soon!
I hope your home stays well and safe! Glad you and kitty are safe, in the meantime!
Ugh, I’m sorry you’ve had to leave. I hope you’re able to return soon to a safe and intact home!
Hope you get to go home very soon!
I hope you get to go home soon!!
Pixel, how stressful 🙁
Pixel, I hope you can get home really soon! I am glad you have a safe place to stay for now.
First, sending love to all those dealing with the west coast fires and potential dual hurricanes….please stay safe out there.
SOTD–still in my Fleur de Jasmin from yesterday.
1. I would drive up the Hudson River Valley, stop in the many little towns and farm stands along the way.
2. Wearing something fruity or juicy to celebrate the end of summer
3. Bringing something crisp for evening, like Cristalle or Idyllwilde
4. I am sure that some shop in Woodstock still has a stash of patch oil behind the counter for purchase!!!
Yes! I’m right there with you.
I second the Hudson River Valley because I love there ?
Live
Oh my. Tough decision on a road trip. My husband and I could live well on the road. We like nothing better than road trips.
I think I’d head to Acadia or somewhere on the water in Maine or even farther to Nova Scotia. Either that or up to Montreal or Quebec City.
And I’d be wearing a Chamade, since I was able to try the extrait today in Bergdorf’s. My goodness it’s gorgeous.
Years ago I was able to take a bus ride to Montreal then stay for a few days. It was winter so the ski slopes at Mont Sainte-Anne were the main draw. But I’ll never forget Quebec City, it is beautiful. I would love to go back.
Acadia is so gorgeous, as is Nova Scotia! The waters up there are more swimmable than in Maine because the Gulf Stream comes by and warms them up!
How fun!
1. Where are you going? Asheville, North Carolina
2. What’s the perfect fragrance to wear in the car? Chanel Cristalle EDT
3. What other fragrance(s) will you bring with you, and what will you do when you get there? I’ll bring travel atomizers of several Amouage and Arquiste scents to sample. I will visit the Biltmore Estate and the North Carolina Arboretum. I will stay with my husband at the Grove Park Inn and enjoy the spa.
4. Is there any perfume shopping at your destination, and if so, what will you buy? There is! Ave Parfum is located there, although it’s a web-based boutique. I’m hoping, in this fantasy trip, that owner Elizabeth Rose might be willing to meet over lunch and recommend some of the lovely niche perfumes she carries, including her own House of Gray.
Ooh, I want to go to Asheville too and I think it is doable in well under a day. The artist scene is what I would go for!
Artist scene? [ears perk up]
Sounds like a town to add to my as-yet-imaginary road trip down the East coast!
We loved to visit Asheville, their antique stores are wonderful!
You know, now that I’ve articulated this fantasy, I really might see if we can do that one weekend this fall. I love to travel but I don’t want to be on a plane any time soon. And while I’ve been to that part of North Carolina, I haven’t actually been to Asheville yet! And I’ve heard that the antiques stores and art galleries are great.
In the 1990’s, our family would visit for three weeks each Fall. In addition to the beautiful foliage, great fishing, and hiking trails, my jaw dropped at all the goodies I’d find in antique stores.
The Biltmore mansion (guided tour) is another great day trip. We did wine tastings and brought a picnic.
Ok, Ashville is totally going onto the list of stops for my fantasy trip! Antiques, arts, and fun mansion tours sound like how I like to travel!
1. We’d go to Calistoga.
2. I”d wear Chanel No. 5 or Linden from Pre de Provence.
3. Samsara extrait for a nice dinner out.
4. On the way home, I would stop in St. Helena to shop on that cute little main street. There is a women’s clothing store that also carries a lot of perfumes, niche, vintage, and difficult to find. It was formerly called Deva but now it’s renamed Brāv.
I love Calistoga. It retains a not-fancy vibe and is so very beautiful. It’s also just over the hill in a pretty drive to Healdsburg, which has my favorite taqueria and casual seafood place. But, I just saw that my favorite spa in Calistoga is closed….?? It wasn’t mud baths per se. You were given a bowl of clay/mud to slather on and then lay in steam tables. After that and a full rinse, a massage. I was a walking noodle after….
I loved the mud packs – the salt scrub was also fantastic. I loved that glow a scrub would give my skin. And my skin felt like a baby’s bottom for weeks afterward.
Years ago, I had a massage therapist whom I used to visit a few times a year in Calistoga, he was so good. 6′ 5″, huge hands, and he could really lean into all my knots like nobody’s business. I was happy he decided to go to med school but also a little bummed. He had the Midas touch.
LizzieB, which spa did you like?
We loved the casual vibe Calistoga had also. October/November was our favorite time of year to visit. Still had beautiful sunny days but mornings were cool and drizzly/foggy.
We’d have one nice dinner at the Calistoga Inn, and then buy groceries for the rest of the week.
Lincoln Ave Spa. It retained this kind of old-fashioned, hippie feel. Calistoga Inn is lovely.
ST that really sounds lovely.
New York City. I really miss my friends there. Also the city. (I am in good nature during all of this.) When will it, will it ever be the same? So many places I love might well be gone for good.
L’Attesa because my best friend in NYC likes it on me? Perfume shopping, yes please, although it will be hard to pick where since there are so many choices!
Yes, so many places are already gone ????
We lose favorite places every day. But…there’s hope that if rents become cheaper, new places are willing to start up. Ever changing….
New York City for me, too. I have relatives there, and would particularly like to see my aunt and uncle. I’d like to go to the Cloisters again on a nice spring day. There are a number of other museums I’d go to, also. I guess it would be the three-hour trip there, and then staying for several days to see the museums. And maybe do some shopping. Apparently there are a lot of perfume shops there, from the comments on this site. 🙂 In my when-things-are-back-to-more-normal fantasy, there are a lot of restaurants I’d go to, also.
I think many folks have a must-visit list of places to eat and shop, I certainly know I do!
New York is so high up my bucket list,but now we’re talking about a 23-hour-ish flight!Lol!
So many of you I have connected with live in NY,and I have some friends there as well!
Someday soon.
✌?
New York City will never be the same. So many stores have boarded up, shut down and have gone out of business. My mom and my girlfriend who lives there tell me that Manhattan looks like a ghost town. Many restaurants are selling their equipment on Craigslist because they are going out of business. It’s a tragedy.
Yes, it’s heartbreaking. I am praying that it is as vibrant as we always thought and that there’s hope for it’s return.
Cool, an imaginary perfume trip!
I could probably drive to Normandy then Paris in day from where I am. In fact I have been thinking about this for a while as part of a perfume shopping highlight trip!
In the car I’d wear something not too pungent and husband approved which in this weather could be Moon Bloom or Dilettante from Hiram Green (I’m in the mood for natural white florals). Phylosykos would be another choice.
I’d take something comforting with tonka or sandalwood like Bengal Rouge (have a sample) for colder weather and in Paris I would visit Guerlain and probably buy one of the Art et la Matiere 20 ml – Bois d Armenia or To is Imperial call my name! ?
Just a quick question!
Amouage has been teasing with beautiful imagery and the words “Enclave” and “Crimson Rocks” on social media…anybody have more info?
My favourite day trip from Montréal is always Québec City. Great views and great shopping.
I’m wearing Byzance and remembering better days gone by, hoping for better days to come.
Equistrius today. Wow do I love this. it’s very leathery today on me, maybe the violet in heat? It’s saddle leather exactly.
I need to wear this one in the winter and see how it behaves. I think is was ElisaP who loved it so and an enabler pin goes to her. I haven’t seen her around here for awhile, I hope that she is okay.
I’d probably go to New Orleans! It’s a little over five hours from us, but I’d definitely go in February or March, after Mardi Gras is over. Music on Frenchmen Street, tour the Garden District and hit Hove for sure. The French Market is awesome, can’t miss that one. Cemetery tours are fascinating. I’ve been one one, but would like to experience one again.
Perfume, hmmm, would probably take decants of Galop and Safran Troublant for daytime, and Shalimar for the evening.
Oh man, now I wanna go!
Tequila thunk for me today! But there was only a little bit left in that bottle anyway.
If I were to drive about 5 hours from where I live, I could visit Boston (to the north) or Colonial Williamsburg (to the south). I haven’t been to either, and I’ve heard wonderful things about both.
I would check out all the historical and touristy stuff in either locale, and with luck, stumble across a fantastic place to have either lunch or dinner. I wouldn’t bother with perfume shopping since Mr. Jalapeno would probably be driving, and he has limited patience for that.
Perfumes to bring would definitely depend on the weather. I’d make my mind up at the last possible moment, while packing my travel kit. Same for a perfume spritz before getting into the car/truck.
SOTWeekend = Flowerbomb La Vie en Rose, 2009 edition. Surprisingly wearable in today’s gross muggy weather.