June is flying by, folks! It's already Juneteenth, and the June solstice is on Sunday, as is Father's Day. We're marking all of it with our standard open thread poll.
Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, the fragrance your father (or any father figure in your life) wore, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Juneteenth Celebration in Emancipation Park in Houston's Fourth Ward 1880 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
I am literally melting under 35°C today. All blinds at home are shut and we are trying to survive with plenty of water.
I’m testing new Diptyque Ilio today and I find it very nice. With notes of prickly pear, bergamot, jasmine and iris it feels very refreshing and even creates kinda a mimosa impression.
I would consider a partial bottle for this heat.
We had 36C a couple of days ago, so we also stayed inside (with an A/C). But since today it promises to be cooler, I might venture into the nearby shopping mall to see if they have already that new Diptyque.
Stay cool!
The only problem is that in Poland we are not used to such temperatures and in general people don’t have A/C at home.
Stay cool! Hot here too!
I will!
Ugh, stay safe Lucas!
Thanks
Stay safe, cool and hydrated!
I’m in Parfums Delrae Wit from a sample. Just a few sprays left. Luckyscent included this in an order years ago and although I am not a floral lover, this one is very nice. Sadly it’s the only Delrae I tried before the line got discontinued. Oh well.
After big thunderstorms Thursday night, I slept like a rock last night! Woke up early and hit the Farmer’s Market. The first one of the season! I did not think it would be back this year but the mask mandate was lifted earlier this month and slowly things are getting back to normal(ish). Strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, fresh flowers!
I started teaching my college daughter how to drive manual transmission this week.? The first time went really well, she did better than I had expected. The second time went…not so well. It ended in frustration. I can remember learning how to drive manual as well. It’s what I had to learn to drive on. My dad, who has the patience of a saint, taught me. I remember getting so frustrated I just got out of the car and walked into the house. I got the hang of it eventually and I know she will too. She’s smart as a whip, and persistent, just like me.?
I have probably told this story here before, but I can remember my mom trying to teach me to drive a stick, and screaming “you’re not listening to me” and I screamed back “yes i am”, and we gave up! I learned to drive a stick by buying a manual car, seriously. Getting it off the lot was comical but it did force me to learn.
LOVE Wit, it is a shame it’s gone.
Lol. It is a difficult thing to teach because so much of it goes by “feel” and that’s a really subjective thing.
My mom made me learn how to drive manual first and I’m glad she did. It was pretty stressful at first because our house was at the top of two hills with a stop sign at each one and teenage me took stopping behind the stop sign very literally, ha.
The first time I went to the US we hired a car in NYC and my friend persuaded me to be the lucky one to drive out of the city and off to Pennysylvania (this is about 1977). I’d never met an automatic gear change before, and can still remember trying to get the chap at the hire company to show me what to do! Anyway, we survived and had a wonderful trip of many miles.
My dad taught me, too, and I’m so glad he did! I remember it being a somewhat intimidating process (the car, not my dad), and the learning curve having some significant bumps along the way, but I’ve driven manual transmission cars ever since and much prefer the tactile experience of really *driving* a car.
So funny. I had to learn how to drive stick in Iran. We had a Land Rover where the stick was on the column.
My then husband taught me out in the desert where it was about 110 degrees on any given day. The only things I could potentially hit was a rock, a termite mound or a camel and believe me I came close!
Well a good lesson learned, I can drive anything!
That sounds memorable!
My mom taught me to drive a stick too! She used to race an MG in what were called powder-puff races in the early sixties, so she knew how to double-clutch and everything. She was a good teacher, although I never really learned to double-clutch.
I do not even know what it means to double clutch!!
I should have added to my story above that I tried to teach my son to drive a stick and totally failed and he said I made him nervous, ha…the circle of life.
Double-clutching is something that drivers used to have to do before synchromesh was invented. To shift, one had to engage the clutch, take the car out of gear, release the clutch VERY briefly and press the accelerator very lightly, then engage the clutch to select the gear one wanted. Very cumbersome, but I guess it got to be second-nature to drivers back when. I’m just happy to have missed that era.
Wow, ditto — that is more than I want to do. For that matter, I might finally go to automatic on my next car, we’ll see.
I learned to drive a stick shift when I was 6 or 7 years old. My father had been in the hospital for a long time, getting radiation therapy for cancer, and he was weak when he came home to the ranch in late fall. They had made silage to feed the sheep that winter, and I was given the task of steering the 3/4 ton International Harvester pickup around the feed ground while my mom and dad shoveled the silage out of the pickup for the sheep. That thing had super low gears, first gear was square, and I had to put both feet on the clutch, stand on it and pull myself down with the steering wheel to be able to shift, not jerking enough to knock my folks off balance, and not running over any hungry clueless ewes in the process. As a result, I also have confidence that I can drive anything…
Holy cow, that’s impressive!
Thank you. At the time, my folks were so matter of fact about what I had to do that I was just sort of pleased in their confidence in me to not wreck that truck (which really was pretty indestructible) and take care of them.
Having a sick parent when one is that young is hard, but it shapes a person. I am sure that you can drive anything and do anything that you set your mind to.
Yes, I still occasionally will have a wave of “Something is missing, everything is stymied” transient depression, until I remind myself that I have people who love me and adequate resources for essentials and some fun. Very astute of you! Isn’t this just a wonderful place filled with wonderful people!
Wow – that’s an amazing story. That’s a very skilled task to be assigned as such a young child. Hugs to you.
After several epic fails, it was a driver’s ed teacher who taught me to drive a 4 on the column on a 1955 International pick up truck.
🙂
I failed at learning to drive a manual so have been gun shy ever since.
My father did not have saintly patience, and I did not really want to drive. So I never even got a license. That means I am pretty much stuck in cities with public transport, but that’s usually where I want to be anyway.
My dad tried to impromptu teach me to drive a manual once when I was back visiting home… Without noticing I was wearing high heels at the time ? and that was the end of that lesson! I’m sure it can be done but not a great way to begin the process. Never bothered to pick up the skill, but I am sure your daughter will get the hang of it! Good on you for being patient!
It’s great to be able to think you can drive pretty much anything.
When I leant to drive back in the late seventies, most of the cars here were manual (stick). Our cars were mostly UK models, quite small family cars, automatics were generally bigger cars and more expensive. I’ve had automatics for years, although I always used to prefer manuals, they are much more an experience of driving. I tried to keep my hand in by getting a manual whenever I hired a car, but that option seems to have disappeared.
The only time I witnessed my father raise his voice to me was when he taught me to drive a stick. Normally, he’s a reserved and even tempered person – I apparently drove him over the edge….
😯
Ugh. My fiancé tried to teach me how to drive stick because he had two manual cars and I needed a car to commute to work, so I figured, why not just learn how to drive his? I was simultaneously (re)learning how to drive a car at all (I got my license when I turned 21, but then I didn’t drive at all for the following 8.5 years). It was going fine until we took the car to a university campus, which is full of idiots jaywalking and biking wherever they feel like it. I drive stick fine when everyone is following the rules, but crumble under unexpected circumstances. That day, we decided to get me an automatic, and my life is better for it.
I come from a Volkswagen family and even today I drive my dad’s last car, a Jetta stick shift, of course. I had to learn drive a stick on the column, a tractor, you name it. My impatient father taught me at the same time I was taking driver’s ed in school on an automatic. True Story: driving home from getting my license in the family beetle, I was trying to downshift and rolled through the closed garage door. It was winter and all I could think was that if I ran, they could track me in the snow, lol. Apparently all ended well, I’ve kind of blanked it out.
Yikes! What a story!
With all of my mishaps, my mother used to frequently comment “you know, there’s a reason you’re an only child”….
My dad attempted to teach me how to drive when I was about 13 with our Chevy “3 on the tree” manual transmission truck. I was creeping along at between 5 and 10 miles an hour, terrified that I would do something to mess up. When my dad told me to step on the brake, I did it with all the vigor of my young frame, and Dad almost when into the windshield.
He decided that he would leave the task to my Driver’s Ed class after that. But all the cars there were automatic transmissions.
I learned to drive manuals after all, some time later. It’s a shame that they are disappearing from the road.
Ugh, typo. That should be “almost WENT into the windshield.”
Automatics were virtually unheard of in the UK when I learned to drive. It was possible to practise with someone who had a licence but most people took lessons with a licensed instructor in a dual-control car for the actual learning (that’s the only way of doing it in some other European countries).
My instructor gripped my knee when I changed gears “to check I was using my muscles properly”, and seventeen-year-old me just accepted it. Oh, the seventies. I‘d love to transport postmenopausal me back into that body and give him what for. Mind you, he‘d have to wait his turn if I did get a chance to go back and wreak feminist revenge: he’d be towards the back of a long queue of perpetrators.
Heatwave Day #4: so over it. The past two days have been 105F; today is supposed to be a few degrees cooler but 102 isn’t much of an improvement. So tired of lurking in a closed-up house and sweltering all afternoon! Paris-Biarritz today to try and make me feel fresh and classy.
My dad wasn’t a big one for fragrance, but he’d splash on some Florida Water for date nights with my mom and I always thought it was super romantic how they’d get a bit spruced up to go out to dinner together.
Wow, I bet you are over it!
Mmmmm, Florida water. I remember it well.
My sister’s town will be about 105 F today but, lucky her, she’s going to a party in a town that’ll be about 113. Bad timing.
Uck, I hope you can stay cool!
It’s been tough with no AC. My landlady seems to be stuck in recollections of what the climate *used* to be like here, and believes that my house doesn’t need it. Of course, *she* has it next door…
For the first few years we lived in Sarasota Fl, we didn’t use A/C.
I remember just about dying every July-September with the heat and humidity.
I’m sorry your landlord doesn’t see fit to install A/C, that’s a real drag.
I lived in New Orleans when I was young, and our AC consisted of taking a wet washcloth to bed to alternately swab and fan yourself with. Still works in a pinch!
I remember FL water!
That sounds dangerous.
I don’t remember where you are, but be careful about fans if it’s both very hot and very dry, or you are older.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fans-may-be-okay-for-muggy-days-but-avoid-them-in-extreme-dry-heat/
I’m in a typically very dry part of California and I had no idea about that research! I’m hardy, though, and well trained on the symptoms of heat illness, so I’ll keep using my fan as long as it feels good. 🙂
It’s good to know you’re relatively prepared for this!
What a beautiful picture, Robin.
I miss my dad but can smell him in Aramis, Devin, Lagerfeld. He loved fragrance. A big hug from him would be heaven. Where I believe he is currently in residence.
11 dreamless hours sleep.
The company of many fragrances appears to have located a bottle of Shanghai Lily for me to purchase.
I miss my dad too, and my step-father. Neither of them really wore fragrance.
And you have made up for that!
My dads been gone since 2007, my dear brother in law, also.
It seems to me they become clearer and more present with time rather than fade.
SOTD is a spray of something Chanel one of the eaux. I have them lined up like soldiers on the summer side of cabinet.
My haircut was canceled dammit. But a mani pedi later today.
Sending hugs to you and Robin both, and I hope that Fathers’ Day isn’t too much of an ache for you. I really struggled with Mothers’ Day after losing my mom, but then I became one myself and that gave the day new meaning.
Thanks Isabella. The tincture of time is the only medicine and I would not have wished my dad one more day. It was time.
My sister and I get to celebrate her wonderful son who is a total girl dad.
Wow – hooray for the bottle location!
Wow, a dad who wore Aramis and Lagerfeld? He had great taste.
He did and was as handsome as could be.
I’m lucky enough to have had two dads – my biological father, who I called “Daddy” right up to when he passed away a few years ago, and my stepfather, who used to wear Eau Sauvage until he grew a beard one day in the early eighties and never shaved it off. The first time I smelled Ineke’s Field Notes From Paris, it reminded me of Daddy, probably because he always smelled of either pipe tobacco or cigar smoke.
Anyway, my SOTM seems to be the remnants of Memoirs of a Trespasser in the cuff of my sweater. I wore myself out pulling weeds and painting more swatches on walls yesterday, so I’ll take things easy today to get ready for a Father’s Day barbecue tomorrow. Have a lovely weekend, all, and try to stay cool! ?
There was a really nice piece in the NYer last year by Ann Pachett, My Three Fathers…subtitle “My problems were never ones of scarcity. I suffered from abundance.” and then under the accompanying picture “All of my mother’s husbands were there—the family equivalent of a solar eclipse.”
Don’t know if you can read without a subscription though.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/10/05/my-three-fathers
It did let me read, and it was lovely — thanks so much for the link!
Thanks for sharing the link, Robin. It was a nice reading!
Fascinating read! Thanks Robin! It’s interesting to note that the only time Darrell (the retired Presbyterian minister) snapped at the author was to either a) protect himself, or b) to protect the author.
Thanks for sharing; I love Ann Patchett’s writing.
Yes I love everything she writes and am waiting impatiently for next book.
What books do you enjoy by Ann Patchett?
Says she who has 100+ books on her ‘to read’ list…
It’s the last day of moderate summer temps here before we hit the high 90’s for a few days, so I am going to try to get outdoors stuff done. I’m wearing a couple spritzes of California Reverie.
We had a nice bike ride then dinner outside at a restaurant on the river last night, figuring the number of times we can do that before it gets too hot are few, ha.
Good luck getting all your outdoor stuff done, foxbins!
Rubbed some Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse into my hands because they’re a bit dry but also as a scent: beachy ylang and vanilla, creamy and slightly salty. I didn’t care for it the first time I smelled it — I thought it was too strong and too white-floral — but years later I find it irresistible.
Isn’t it funny how scents grow on you? I used to hate the overly herbal scent of Aveda hair products, now I love them…and every time I shampoo with one the ylang makes me sigh.
Shame, because it’s expensive stuff.
I was just thinking about this too – how scents can grow on us.
Someone had mentioned the 2011(?) BBC documentary “Something Old, Something New” about the perfume industry and we watched the first part last night. Bless Mr. Allo’s heart, he suggested I gather all of my Guerlain perfumes and we could test them while we watched.
I was so struck by how I had changed and/or the fragrances had changed but I liked them all even more. I like wine with some bottle age, maybe that applies to fragrance as well…
I think it can be both. Also, tobacco smoke used to be so prevalent and that must have altered how we smelled things.
Me too. I have cheated on it from time to time (waving at you Caudalie Divine Oil) but always come back to it.
I, too, had a summer fling with Caudalie Divine Oil, but Huile Prodigieuse forgave me and we’re solidly back together again.
Fiori DI Capri for me today, a bit off season since we have relatively cool rainy weather today, but it still smells fantastic.
I splurged the Memorial Day sales, and bought us a new bed. The old mattress was developing permanent divots and I was propping my knees up with a pillow to feel comfortable. We got a new bedstead as well, nice neutral upholstery on the headboard which looks good with the curtains and will block some of the cold drafts off the window come winter. Adorable hubby sorta hated the idea right up to the point where he laid down on the mattress, and said, “Ahhhh!” Happy he is happy!
I missed the poll! My father wore Old Spice. My mother wore White Linen and Emeraude. My maternal Grandma wore Joy. My paternal grandma was always wafting violets and rose water- I don ‘t know if she wore a specific perfume or if it was just violet powder and rosewater on her hankies. But my dad was Old Spice.
A new mattress makes all the difference. Considering how much of our lives are spent sleeping and how important sleep is, even pricier mattresses are a relative value.
I totally agree! We dropped serious cash six years ago on a new mattress. It’s amazing and great for my back issues. But it’s very heavy (difficult to change sheets) and hot (hello, hot flashes!).
I am so torn about this, SmokyToes! I currently have a Sleep Number mattress that never lived up to my expectations and is only getting worse as time passes. I would love to have a serious mattress and box springs, but I don’t like having anything that I can’t move by myself. What to do!
Having a good mattress means everything.
I didn’t know to check how heavy the damn thing was in the store! Changing sheets by myself is a workout!
Yay for new bed!!
Hooray! New beds are so exciting. I hope you both have years of comfy sleeps.
New beds are a dream! We compromised and got a memory foam topper for ours a while back as I’m bony and really feel when mattresses springs start getting poky.
Mr. Teebear still thinks of our mattress as “the new one” although it is, in fact, 14 years old….
Our old one is 14 Years old. Adorable hubby kept going, it’s fine, it’s fine, until he saw it stripped of the mattress cover- then he said, oh, look, there are divots! Such a sweet man.
Inspired by Oakland Fresca’s description of Ella, I tried a “do it yourself” version of the idea with Aromatics Elixir layered over Tea for Two, which is very cigarette-smoky-ashy on me. My husband (who doesn’t like TfT on me), commented that it smelled nice.
Oh, great job then!
In Ashoka today. My Dad’s favorite fragrance was and still is Chanel Platinum Egoiste. He also used to like Fahrenheit back in the 90s. Now I got him a bottle of Andy Tauer and am planning on getting Him something from L’Artisan for men.
Your dad has good taste!!
Indult Manakara, which smells like a sweet fruity rose to me today.
My father tried to teach me to drive a manual transmission – he felt his two important duties as a father were to ensure I learned how to swim and drive a stick – but it didn’t go well. We both got mad and my boyfriend ended up teaching me. 🙂
My high school boyfriend also taught me how to drive a car with manual transmission. About a week later he dumped me and told me I had “fat ankles”, and then started dating l a girl in our AP English class who had the same size ankles as me. WTF??? I am so glad to be decades past that kind of nonsense.
What kind of a weirdo has a thing about ankles?! Lol, Good riddance!
Trying out Musk Deer even though I think it’ll get too hot for it later in the day. Another winner from Zoologist for me.
You smell great! That one is on my wish list.
My dad didn’t wear scent much. I vaguely remember he might have had some Old Spice somewhere. He smelled of pine and pipe tobacco to me. (He was outside a lot).
The Prada Rose for me today, courtesy of a kind and generous NSTer. Lovely and will do well for my plane ride(s). Heading to SF to visit a friend after her knee surgery. I’m loaded up with cherry donuts, cherry strudel, chocolate covered dried cherries, and some local soaps as an offering. Total bad enabler, given she’s supposed to try and lose weight (as should I.)
Wow, can you come visit me next? Your goodies sound amazing!
What a kind and generous friend you are! Enjoy your trip.
It sounds like she likes cherries a lot! ?. I am sure she would love the goodies! Have a great trip!
Losing weight and not eating cherry-flavored pastries are two entirely separate things IMO! You are a great friend.
Tasty food presents are the best post-surgery presents 🙂 My well-meaning friends keep giving me healthy foods during my recovery. Great, thanks for the fish curry, but I really would’ve preferred doughnuts.
Dame Perfumery Minty Man for me today.
It is already feeling in the 90’s. I ran some errands early in the morning and I am expecting now to have my online grocery shopping delivered.
Dad wore perfumes occasionally, but wore after shave lotions everyday. I don’t remember which ones.
My maternal grandfather wore Old Spice only. I remember the bottle clearly either in the bathroom or the bedroom for years. My paternal grandfather passed away when I was one year old, so I don’t know what he wore.
My immediate family is gathering tomorrow for dinner and cake to celebrate my youngest sister’s birthday and father’s day. I will miss dad a lot, but as we do every year, we will go thru pictures to remember the good times with him. We had plans to go to the cemetery to visit him and my grandfather. They are next to each other. But we postponed it for next weekend. It is too hot and we didn’t want my mom to be exposed to the heat.
Have a great weekend, everyone! ?
I hope you have a good time honoring your father’s memory. Enjoy the visit with your family!
Thank you, Sistine!
Sotd is Kerbside Violet. Ever since the most recent Violet poll, I have been smitten by this flower, leaves, stems, etc. and for me Lush/Gorilla Perfumes does it poetic justice – sweet but not too sweet and earthy without being dragged down in the dirt.
My dad wore Aramis and then Old Spice, applied quite liberally.
In high school, I was Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and in the middle of delivering my line – “Tis strange, my Theseus, that these lovers speak of” – I could not see but I could definitely smell my father arriving late. I miss him.
I was already on the verge of tears, but your story put me over.
A big hug for you, and all of us missing our Dad’s ?
Thank you for that hug and hugging you back?
Oh, I love that story!!
I’m wearing Fils de Dieu … on a hot day. Smelling great while cleaning and preparing to host 4 people on our deck.
I’m debating going back to yoga classes in studio – I really need it, and am fully vaccinated.
Has anyone made the plunge back into the studio/ gym? If so, how has it been?
You smell great!
I’ve been back, it was great. Go for it!
I’ve been going to my local YMCA for the weight room and yoga classes and it’s been a good experience. At this location you can show your vaccine card at the front desk to get a sticker and work out without your mask if you want. So far everyone seems to be respectful of personal space and the rules of the gym.
I started going back to the gym about a month ago. At first we had to keep our masks on all the time, and doing the elliptical with a mask on isn’t very fun, but I wore a loose-fitting one and survived. Then they lifted their mask mandate, and it feels almost normal again. I was very happy to be back! I say go for it!
The weather changed yesterday, cool and rainy, temp is below average but I don’t mind when I look at the green lawns.
My father wore only eau de cologne but living in France even the drugstore brands were excellent: Roger&Gallet, Mont St Michel, Bien-Etre.
Wearing MontBlanc Femme EDP, quite comforting but it reminds me of several other gourmand so not original, the EDT which I have too is brighter with more fruit, I prefer it.
Good point about the drugstore brands! Although I do still have a soft spot for Old Spice.
Oh yes, Old Spice deserves all the love, so evocative.
SotD testing L’Occitane Neroli & Orchidee layered with Hermes Poivre Samarcande… will see how it fares.
My dad didn’t wear much cologne, but he did use the Nautica I bought him for father’s day on special occasions. My grandpa was Old Spice. I miss them both.
My husband wore Nautica when I met him, but not often, and he kept the bottle in his glove compartment and so it always smelled a little off, ha.
I’m seeing so many interesting programs and panel discussions about Juneteenth as well as the centenary of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre. I guess I’ll leave it at that and just say that I’ve been dwelling more on history than perfume these days.
I can nevertheless report back on the individually packaged refreshing towels in Classic Lemon by Eyüp Sabri Tuncer 1923 that I ordered (probably from Amazon although you can also find them on eBay).
I don’t think the alcohol content would be high enough for use as a disinfectant. They’re more comparable to the scented towels the airline stewards hand out at the beginning of a long flight, but the fabric is very light and a bit silky.
The scent is light and pleasant, and doesn’t linger too long. The lemon is mild and transitions to a woody musk that you may notice later on if you sniff your hands closely.
These towels come in 14 different scents, and I might try one of the more feminine variations like Japanese Cherry Blossom. I’m tempted by the sampler, but I’d have to work hard to use up 100 towelettes. This would make a fun and easy split, though!
https://www.amazon.com/Natural-scented-cleansing-Refreshing-Individually/dp/B08KHGP8T7/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=eyup+sabri+tuncer+towels&qid=1624130149&sr=8-3
My small town did LOTS of Juneteenth events this year, many revolving around the local underground railroad sites and a “forgotten” cemetery. We could not attend anything, unfortunately, but next year I’ll plan more free time!
Oh, and why are 100 fig wipes $10 more than 100 lavender wipes? And so are the orange –figures the 2 I want most are more money!
Trying to feel refreshed in Nishane Wulong Cha (thanks, hajusuuri!), a very aromatic scent with lots of green and citrus notes. Not as much tea as I’d expect from the name (I’m hoping for more in the dry down), but very uplifting and fresh. This is the second Nishane fragrance I’ve tried (I wore Ani this week and loved it), and I’m enjoying their slightly odd note combinations and ratios.
Lucky You!! I can’t wait to try Wulong Cha!!
I, too, find the tea faint and I think it is because of the fig.
Aaaaannnnddd, we are house twins as I am wearing Nishane Ani from a decant!
Tell me what you thought about the Ani — I liked it quite a bit. It had a very lemony vibe throughout, which I didn’t think would go well with the other, spicier notes, but the combination provided a slight bit of olfactory strangeness that I ended up liking.
I don’t know exactly what my dad wore as cologne on special occasions, although I remember it was very much vetiver-scented to my young nose – Brut, maybe? But he worked in auto repair so paint thinner and motor oil will more often make me think of him!
I’m in some vintage Bal à Versailles parfum de toilette from an adorable miniature bottle today (also yesterday’s SOTD although I forgot to comment and collect my CP points, lol).
I am a bottomless pit of hunger today! I have already eaten two breakfasts and a lunch, and am already thinking about dinner… Yesterday was quite stressful, and I think my body is demanding calories as payment! I am happy to oblige it.
The smell of used motor oil gives me cuddly feelings about so many men who’ve been positive forces in my life, including my dad. I helped him rebuild so many Fiat engines when I was little; the wonder is why I’m not a better mechanic now!
Whereas I ate so much on Friday and Saturday, that now on Sunday I am barely hungry!
My dad wore only Mennen after-shave lotion, but I loved how it smelled and loved to feel his cool smooth cheek as he kissed me good-bye on the way out the door to work. I’ve never been one who liked facial hair on men. Or long hair or pony-tails. Count me conservative!
I learned to drive a stick shift in drivers education class in high school. We had just one car with manual transmission and a carful of girls and the teacher was a hoot–he was the drama teacher and we had such fun that summer!! We even took a day trip over to Lake Michigan one day so we could practice highway driving. It was our reward at the end. I’m glad I learned. Once I rented a car in Scotland and it was quite a challenge, driving on the right with the shift on the left and of course lots of narrow roads in towns and single-lane roads with sheep and cows!
Today I’m wearing L’Heure Bleue from a vintage bottle of indeterminate age that I found at an antique shop (awhile ago). It’s in what they call the watch design. I put a picture of it on IG. I believe these go back to the 1950s and 1960s. I’m not an expert on this scent but it still smells just right to me–exceptionally powdery and violet-y.
And I meant to say, I, probably like many people here, had never heard of Juneteenth until I moved to Texas in 1986 and found there was this big holiday I’d never known of before. It’s of course especially important here due to our proximity to Galveston. I am glad it’s being more recognized now. Neat historical photo, Robin.
And I did not know about the Galveston connection until this year!
If you did not look at Wikipedia, here is another cool picture from somewhere in Texas:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juneteenth#/media/File:Emancipation_Day_Celebration_band,_June_19,_1900.png
Calypso, I remember Mennen!
Father’s day in New Zealand is 5 September, so a little while till we celebrate that. I can recall that my father used to pat on aftershave, and it obviously had a sting, but I don’t know what it was.
I can still detect a trace of last night’s dab of a Francesca Bianchi sample, The Dark Side. It’s on the list of future purchases 🙂
Winter has really arrived here over the last few days. I’ve commented a few times about how mild it has been, but that couldn’t last forever, it’s a cold and wet weekend.
Ugh. You have my sympathies, Gaynor, I do hate winter.
Giveaway Day!
Regular nsters and conus only.
Box # 1 beauty samples
Box # 2 fragrance samples
Can mail in a week -10 days.
Wow, how nice! I’d love the fragrance sampler! Use my user name at gmail dot com…
How do I email you?
Great, it’s yours!
My email is
Vivienne dot elliott1 in the land of outlook.
Outlook? Do you mean gmail? or some other address?
If the beauty samples are available, I would love them for my daughter.
Of course lillyjo!
email me at vivienne dot elliott1 at the land of outlook and I will mail next Saturday.
I’ve been wearing Eau des Merveilles all week. It is one of my favorites for hot weather.
My dad hates all perfume (he says it smells like church ladies) except Shalimar because that’s what my mom wore for the first fifteen years or so of their relationship. My parents are very sweet and in love and are celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary this weekend!
Happy Anniversary to them!
Happy Anniversary to your parents! ?
How lovely! More anniversary wishes 🙂
Put on Vivacious and went out for dim sum this morning to celebrate our youngest’s next milestone. He’s heading off to a live-in program for young adults on the autism spectrum to help them learn independent living skills. He’ll be around a couple dozen quirky “kids” like himself, cooking, keeping house, and doing this and that. After a year and a half living in his room and almost never leaving the house, he is pretty stoked. We ate ourselves silly. I tried to enter the calories on Noom, but its dim sum calorie counter only went up to 10. (11 anyone, up to 11??!!) No?) I am sure I ate more than ten dumplings! Hours later, Vivacious is still going strong.
Wow! That’s such a big step! Congratulations to him! Will he be close by for you to visit?
This sounds like such a cool program for your son — I hope it turns out to be all good things!
(And yes, turn the dim sum amp up to 11).
Ha ha — yes, all calorie amps should go to 11! Congratulations to your son and your family; that sounds like a really positive step for him!
That sounds like such an amazing program for your son!
And yes, dim sum is meant to be eaten in quantities of at least 15+ in my book, if they don’t have to roll me out the door I’m not done yet!!! Especially if they have turnip cake and sticky rice.
All the best to your son on this next step in his life!
Congrats to your son! That sounds exciting!
That’s fantastic, so happy for you both!!
Who stops at 10 dumplings? That would be silly.
Congratulations, that’s such a big achievement! I hope he’s very happy in the new living arrangement. Two of my three young adult children who have been living with us for over a year plan to move out this summer. One has a firm rental set up with a friend/roommate that starts in July, the other has applied for a rental with two friends/roommates that starts in August. I’m excited for them to re-launch! The last year has been very hard on young adults generally, though our family feels very lucky not to have lost anyone to COVID. Best of luck to your son!
My dad didn’t wear any scents that I can recall but I do remember him buying me things for Christmas or birthdays even as a kid. So he’s partly responsible for my scent obsession.
Ended up in Nishane Nanshe from a sample today. I’m not getting the carrot seed but seem to be picking up more of the cardamom and perhaps the rose and patch.
We’re house twins today!
SOTD = Nishane Ani
Wow, quite a few of us are wearing Nishane! Mine came from a generous NSTer. It’s a vanilla-amber beauty! I really should do a few weeks of only wearing decants / samples because I have so many. I also added the extrait version of Slumberhouse Norne. Oh my! Both are winners!
Here’s my Caturday non-caturday IG post. If you’re leery of sneks (even the ones that don’t move), you may want to skip it ?:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CQUobnTBGE_/?utm_medium=copy_link
Regarding what cologne my dad wore, Old Spice! He was careful though to not put in too much because my mom cannot handle any perfume and I mean CANNOT. I do miss them both. My dad will be gone 7 years in December while my mom 2 years in August.
I am going to a wedding tomorrow. My dress is all picked out … I just have to unearth shoes. I hope I find something suitable and perhaps, at the same time, select some to donate!
I don’t like snakes but clicked anyway! Lol.
Have a great time at the wedding!
Enjoy the wedding! I hope to hear you tell us about it later on.
Latest impulse buy? Ummmmmm… would you believe I got some more perfume samples? ??
I went through my daughter’s closet today and managed to stuff 2 kitchen garbage bags to donate! It felt good.
My Father didn’t really wear fragrance, but always had Old Spice on the dresser. I believe Brut and English Leather too. It will be 33 years this November since he’s been gone. Just typing this brings tears to my eyes.
I’ve been spraying different perfumes all day. I am currently wearing Clive Christian X. The one that smells like Gucci Rush. Honestly, they are identical to me, except Rush seems to be louder in projection.
Lilyjo, sending you hugs and hopes for the comfort of good, warm memories. I’m so sorry.
Big hugs, my friend. I’m so sorry.
You lost your dad so young. Sending big hugs to you today.
Sending more hugs and you sure smell fantastic.
Hugs lillyjo.
Yikes! Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former FDA Commissioner now on the Boards of Pfizer and Illumina, describes a small but well done study in the UK shows loss of brain tissue in people who have Covid-19. This loss occurs in/around areas of the brain responsible for the sense of smell.
https://cnb.cx/3cRAWYi
I read that in the Times, and am sorry I read it. Ack.
Dealing with an ant invasion… will be mopping the floors in vinegar water in an attempt to repel them non-toxically. Sigh. They are crawling on me in bed and on the couch, which is unacceptable.
Will wear Waft from the Loft after my shower. I’m experimenting with incense in the heat.
Oh I hate ants! I didn’t know vinegar was a repellent. I hope it works!
So far it seems to be helping a bit!
So sorry you are having to deal with this. We basically live on an ant hill and it’s an issue for all of our neighbors as well.
If you don’t have an animal that could get to it, we have had amazing success with what I call the “Pool Party,” a mix of 1/2 c sugar, 1 1/2 T Borax powder and 1 1/2 c warm water (of course you can make a smaller batch, just using the same proportions).
I put the mixture in Bonne Maman lids (or any low lip container) wherever I see the ants congregating. As luck would have it, I just saw a little ant out of the corner of my eye as I was typing this so it’s time to prepare another pool! Best of luck!
Thank you, I just made up a batch and set it out. Crossing fingers!
Mine are crossed too! Hopefully they’ll eat it and take it straight back to the colony. Yuk!
Could be worth looking at diatomaceous earth, a purely physical treatment (the tiny fossilised sharp edges pierce insects’ exoskeletons and they dehydrate & die). It’s quite like chalk dust so not easy to use in *every* indoors setting. We find it best in kitchen & bathroom where it can go behind and under cabinetry.
I made it to my parents’ house Friday night, and I now have two and a half glorious weeks of vacation. Hooray! I brought only samples and decants with me, and today I put on lots of spritzes of Rouge Bunny Rouge Vespers. It’s okay; I certainly don’t want a full bottle.
My parents have an exercise bike, and I used it for the first time today. I’m going to try to do it every day I’m home! Kick myself back into shape.
My dad doesn’t wear fragrance, but he smells faintly of Irish Spring or Dial soap and Gillette shaving cream. I once got him a fancier bar of soap to use and I doubt if he noticed any difference. My mom likes nice soaps though, so at least she share my appreciation for good bath products!
Enjoy the vacay and the exercise bike! That sounds like a great combo getting to relax AND work out!
Thank you! Yes, I’m glad it will be relatively easy to get workouts in!
Called my dad to wish him Happy Father’s Day. We used to talk about current events; now we discuss his health issues 🙂
He always had either Brut or Old Spice aftershaves on his dresser when I was growing up. They are still comforting smells to me.
Wearing a spritz of my “new” vintage Shaal Nur.
You smell great SarahN!
Father’s Day is a melancholy one for me. My own Dad passed away in 1989. I don’t remember him wearing cologne or aftershave. My brother and I used to laugh whenever he would dress up in a suit, since that was so different from his everyday, blue-collar existence.
SOTD = a bit of perspiration and Olivier Durbano Rock Crystal EdP from the sample stash.
I’m sorry, Jalapeno. Sending warm thoughts to you! And we have a family photo of my dad in a tuxedo-esque waiter uniform from when he did a stint working in a posh Italian restaurant, and it’s *so* incongruous for those of us who knew his real look!
Sending you a hug too, jalapeno.
Sorry it’s so late.