Welcome to our annual summer reading poll! Please recommend a great book to add to our summer reading lists, and tell us what fragrance we should wear while reading it.
(Or, do what I do and record here everything you have read since the last quarterly reading poll. And if you want more recommendations, scrolling through the literature tag will bring up all the older reading polls.)
Or, as always, just talk about something else, and of course, do report your fragrance of the day if you like.
My recent reading:
On the fiction front, Kaliane Bradley's The Ministry of Time time travel romance was great fun and I enjoyed it despite my own fundamental inability to follow sci-fi timeshifts and alternate timelines (I just relax and enjoy it, what's the difference). I also enjoyed the second book I read by Christian Kracht, Imperium, and that is the one I will scent...easy peasy since coconuts are a plot feature, so you can wear anything almost beachy but I'm going with the classic Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess (and that adds to the book's satiric value because I am sure Kracht would roll his eyes at the very idea). I finished the slightly depressing but very good Baumgartner by Paul Auster. I read Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar, and am still a little puzzled that I'd never read her before. It's wonderful and I may re-read it at some point.
On the mystery front, I read the second in the Rowland Sinclair series by Sulari Gentill, A Decline in Prophets, then the first two by Margaret Frazer in the Dame Frevisse series (The Novice's Tale and The Servant's Tale), followed by Chris Chibnall's Death at the White Hart. All of these were fine but not enthralling. I will probably go on with the Dame Frevisse books, but I really need to find a new mystery series.
Possibly the most engrossing book I read all quarter was Edwin Frank's Stranger than Fiction: Lives of the Twentieth-Century Novel, which was recommended to me by Kevin. Like many published authors these days, Frank could use a better editor, but his discussion of modern literature is excellent, and he made me want to read the works I had not read already (hence Memoirs of Hadrian above).
Also on the non-fiction front, I read Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth, recommended by DeniseH in our last reading poll, and like Denise I did find parts of it absolutely riveting, although I freely admit to doing some strategic skimming in other parts. I read Sue Prideaux's Wild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin, recommended by Kanuka, and it was as good as she promised, not crazy long, and made a nice thematic match with Christian Kracht's Imperium. Last but not least, I really liked Xiaolu Guo's Nine Continents: A Memoir In and Out of China, do comment if you've read anything else by her.
Note: top image is Contemplate [cropped] by McCall Newland at flickr; some rights reserved.
Been reading books on stuttering and no idea what perfume to pair with those.
Cheap and chic fragrance for me today is Perry Ellis 360
Actually I have also been reading the Bible and I made an essential oil blend with biblical notes (frankincense, myrrh, labdanum, patchouli, rose, elemi, jasmine, neroli, sweet orange) for my girlfriend who’s been encouraging me to read the Bible and watch the Chosen. So that’s my pairing.
Your oil blend sounds perfect for Bible reading!
I want to buy some nice jasmine eo but boy is it expensive for the good ones. What brand do you use?
I used to get all my oils from Eden Botanicals but the prices have skyrocketed!! Now I’ve been buying from Vitacost but only when I have discounts or they run bogo sales. And my oils are also quite old, some of them I’ve had for years but I keep them in cool and dark so they are fairly well preserved.
Thanks. I thought I would treat myself to some really nice oil so checked Enfleurage and was really surprised. Most of my oils I picked up at Whole Foods or Sprouts 🙂
I would say keep purchasing from Whole Foods and Sprouts. Nothing wrong with Now Essentials or Aura Cacia. I even have oils from Vitacost ( their brand) and I love them.
Your oil blend sounds wonderful!
I love and used to wear patchouli, mixed with myrrh, sandalwood, and jasmine.
My favorite company, now defunct is Earth Harmony. I worked at an artisanal perfume shop years ago and we sold the brand’s spa and aromatherapy treatment products.
I have a 35 year old Mysore sandalwood essential oil and patchouli oil that have aged beautifully.
Lucky lucky you!!! Mysore is a unicorn and aged patchouli is sublime. The older the better.
What wonderful things to have and smell! I would keep them like a museum treasure. Do you ever wear a tiny drop?
Thanks! I do wear a mix of patchouli, Myrrh, sandalwood, and a touch of ylang ylang occasionally at night, I sleep so soundly when I do!
I’m rounding out my almost-week of forest scents in a sample of Jorum Arborist. It is described as follows (fairly accurate so far): “Arborist presents a unique blend of raw flowers, botanicals, resin sap, underwood and surprising forest fruits. Resolutely sylvan and intriguingly multifaceted with more than a hint of human skin, oily tool and distilling elixirs haunting from afar.” Everything except (thankfully) the “hint of human skin” is discernable to my nose, and the whole is a bit drily scratchy in the way that broom can be. I like it, but not enough to order any more of it.
Meanwhile, I am ashamed to say that lately I’ve read nothing new that was inspirational, or even memorable, other than Remarkably Bright Creatures, and I reported on that to you all earlier. Oh, no wait — I just finished reading The Princess Bride. My copy is an anniversary edition with illustrations, and includes a forward written by the author himself which is possibly even more entertaining than the novel (wonderful as it is). William Goldman is actually the author, and references to S. Morgenstern appear liberally throughout the hilariously fictional forward as if he and his book had really existed, which they did not. Goldman mostly wrote screenplays, some very famous and award-winning (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Marathon Man, others), and in the forward he pretends to be disappointed that his novel-writing never took off. That may or may not be true.
SheriG,
I have so enjoyed your forest week!
Thank you — it’s been fun exploring how different perfumers have chosen to evoke a forest vibe.
I enjoyed Remarkably Bright Creatures, I must have read it in under a week.
Same here … and then immediately ordered a hardbound copy, because it deserves a place in my little library. So charming.
Haven’t started any new books since I finished the Leiberman Papers. Just ordered samples of the new Tauer offerings from Luckyscent this morning. Wearing Clinique Happy again today.
Do report back on the Tauers Dawn!
Question for the team: does anyone have any insider knowledge if/when Kafka will ever return to Kafkaesque please? My brain is always percolating on perfume in the background 😅and this morning I reread an old review she did of Reminiscence Patchouli and her last post from 2023 again. 🙁 Hoping she is ok and selfishly missing her wonderful reviews. Le sigh.
I am taking She-ra Mini and her friend to the mall today today and will report back on my perfume sniffing! I am on the hunt for a particularly Zara perfume that is out of stock on the website but shows in stock for the mall location. 🤞🏻…I am addicted to the hunt…ehaeheh….you may relate. 😉
I can relate, and do report back if your hunt is successful!😅 Have fun with mini She-ra and company.
It was successful! I was on the prowl for the 3 vanillas that Jérôme Epinette did for them a fun months back: Captivating Vanilla, Lush Vanilla and Radiant Vanilla. I lucked out as the store had all 3 even though according to the website locator they just had Captivating. They only came out a few months ago to the best of my knowledge but are already on clearance w/ 50% off but are sold out online now I think. Zara is constantly churning fragrances. 😆
I am curious what one you are looking for from Zara. Sometimes they bring them back.
It was successful! I was on the prowl for the 3 vanillas that Jérôme Epinette did for them a fun months back: Captivating Vanilla, Lush Vanilla and Radiant Vanilla. I lucked out as the store had all 3 even though according to the website locator they just had Captivating. They only came out a few months ago to the best of my knowledge but are already on clearance w/ 50% off but are sold out online now I think. Zara is constantly churning fragrances. 😆
Ok. I thought maybe it was Romance d’Iris as that one has been out of stock for a while now. I know someone was getting it off Amazon for about twice the price.
I was a bit worried about Kafka too! She is posting on Bluesky (@kafkaesque2024.bsky.social), mostly about politics and her German shepherd; I’m not sure if she’s going to restart the blog.
Oooh…that is good intel! I am glad she is posting and hope the perfume bug bites her again. 😉 Thanks very much for the update…appreciate it!
I’m in a reading slump again, as in, there’s no reading going on here🫣 so I’ve got nothin.
SotD is Clue Dandelion Butter for a sample thunk. I totally get the stem note in the beginning and then it settles into what I would call a quiet, creamy floral. I’m bad at describing perfumes lol. Fun to try, but don’t need more. I caved to Luckyscent’s June sample pack and have been making my way through them.
I was glued to the tv last night because we were in line for some nasty weather that included hail and 80 mph winds, but the worst of it went south and all we got was rain. That is not meant as a complaint, I was relieved! The weatherman had me totally freaked out saying that peoples’ roofs might be lifted right off from the wind force.😰
I’m glad you were spared the bad storm! We were supposed to get one today but it looks like it will miss me.
The intense weather warnings freak me out too.
We have had so many tornado warnings in the last month that honestly I just ignore them now. I suppose when my house is taken away by a tornado I’ll be sorry.
Glad you missed the hail and high winds!
I have about had it with our weather forecasters. They predict all this rain, which we need, and hail, which we don’t need, and then it all goes around us. I am like Robin and have started to ignore them most of the time.
I’m wearing Chanel No. 5 L’eau and even Mr. SP commented how much he likes it!
I recently read Brave the Wild River about two female botanists who join a boat trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in the late 30s (this was pre-dams so back in the wilder days of the river). I found it really interesting.
I also just finished Remarkably Bright Creatures which I loved – sweet but not saccharine and a great summer read. I see that SheriG already mentioned it and maybe her earlier post is how I found it in the first place!
Next up: Sandwich, Memorial Days, Passage to Juneau.
Brave the Wild River looks wonderful, thank you!
Remarkably Bright Creatures is a great book!
Lining up Brave the Wild River audiobook in the Libby app.
Another upvote for Brave the Wild River. I might have mentioned it here last year as well.
The Frozen River and In Memorium (if you like a good sad read) are my favorites so far this year.
I have read a bunch of smutty novels by Sherlyn Kenyon.
Others I read I haven’t liked much. The biggest disappointment for this year was Onyx Storm. Also didn’t like Just Good Manners this book from William Hanson who is a IG Star for etiquette.
SOTD is Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline again.
Robin, I think I hit reply to all comments- if you could change that to none. Not sure 🤔 if you are able to. Or you can just delete my post and I can repost and click the right one.
You did! And I tried to edit and it won’t save. I will delete this as soon as I see you copied it and commented again.
ps in the meantime I deleted your comment subscription entirely. Sorry took so long…
Thank you Robin!
Do you still want me to delete the original? It does not look like you reposted.
It’s ok-I just didn’t want to receive “all new comments”. that would be a lot of emails!
The Frozen River is a great book too!
In another heat wave here, there’s a heat warning for 100F+ for Tuesday and Wednesday. I am wearing the always cool Rhubarb Ecarlate.
For the reading poll, in mysteries I read the latest in the Pentecost and Parker series (like Nero Wolfe and Archie, but with women), book 7 in the Sparks and Bainbridge series, and the second in Deanna Raybourn’s series about retired lady spies/assasins. All are good fun.
In memoir, I read Care and Feeding by Laurie Woolever. She’s a chef and was Anthony Bourdain’s assistant but the book is mostly about how she overcame drug addiction. I read Cabin by Patrick Hutchison. He buys an off-grid cabin and fixes it up. By the end of the book he’s ditched his techie job and become a carpenter. I read Cher: Volume One. 600+ pages and it’s gotten as far as Gregg Allman in 1979! I read Whip Smart, about a dominatrix. She tries to normalize the work but doesn’t succeed. I also read Raising Hare, by Chloe Dalton. She finds a baby hare in her yard and cares for it for years, but never tames it and never names it. I thought it was interesting how she balanced care vs detachment for the good of the animal.
In general nonfiction, I read Nine Minds: Inner Lives on the Spectrum. An interesting exploration of how autism affected nine individuals. The most horrifying book I read this quarter was about Facebook–Careless People, by Sarah Wynn-Williams, who was Facebook’s Director of Global Public Policy. The NYTimes called the book “darkly funny” but I was just appalled by some of the incidents. I didn’t find anything funny. Seeking Shelter: A Working Mother, Her Children, and a Story of Homelessness in America by Jeff Hobbs followed several families over a number of years as they tried to establish permanent housing. I also read The Unthinkable (Revised and Updated): Who Survives When Disaster Strikes–and Why, by Amanda Ripley. Because The Big One is coming to the PNW sometime. The book explores different types of disasters and who fares well and who doesn’t, and why, backed up by whatever research there might be.
In fiction, I read a lot of popular fiction pap, so I won’t list them here, but I did like Frozen River (I think LTSG just read it). I also read “Tilt” by Emma Pattee, which is a fictional account of The Big One, told from the viewpoint of a pregnant woman caught in the quake. I enjoyed it. I also liked Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix. It’s not about witchcraft, it’s about four pregnant girls sent to a home for unwed mothers.
This fall I’m looking forward to the next Cormoran Strike book, Volume Two of Cher, the next one in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series (might not come out until 2026 and I’ve been reading them since 1991), and the next book in the very funny Jodi Taylor series The Chronicles of St. Mary’s. Also I am hoping for another Murderbot book from Martha Wells. I watched the Apple TV series and the books are so much better.
Wow! You have read a lot. Glad you liked Frozen River too.
Excellent list
Holy cow on the Cher book…that is too many pages on Cher for me! I would read the abridged version 🙂
Going to investigate (ha) your mysteries, thanks!
My alumni book club is all in California and we’ve mentioned this book in our quarterly polling to decide what to read, but it’s never gotten enough votes. Did you find it a valuable read foxbins? If yes, I’ll weigh in at our next mtg in a few weeks. I’m unfamiliar with PNW-where is it?
Pacific Northwest 😉
A fragrant thank you foxbins!
Oopsie, thank you springpansy for replying to my question from foxbins post!
Which book?
The Big One?
Sorry for the misunderstanding! The Big One is not a book, it’s what people on the West Coast call the earthquake that is overdue here. But I can recommend “The Unthinkable” by Amanda Ripley as an excellent resource for thinking about one’s behavior during a disaster and how to address common behavioral issues that occur in a disaster.
I thought the book was called The Big One. I live in Los Angeles so I’m well acquainted with the prospect. Just thought someone had written a book titled that.
I love the reading polls! I read A Room Made of Leaves, by Kate Grenville. Loved it. I’d pair it with Synthetic Jungle, or Givenchy III, for the green notes. I loved it so much I now have another library book by the same author-The Lieutenant. I haven’t read it yet so cannot pair a fragrance. I also bought the new Elizabeth Strout novel Tell Me Everything, which brings together many of her previous characters. Can’t wait to read it. I also binged on some Maggie O’Farrell, including The Wedding Portrait, which I loved, and I have Hamnet yet to be read.
The other things I read were the BKS Iyengar books Light on Yoga, on Life, and On Pranayama. I had a week of Iyengar yoga, so I wore no fragrance. It was a very hot room. I learned so much, and the people were so nice! So in case anyone is in their 50s, and thinking of trying something new that involves getting physical and meeting people-go for it! I have so much energy I don’t know what to do with myself. I feel sort of-buzzed. But definitely-if you get a small chance to potentially change things-your physicality or maybe your outlook-I’d say try it 🙂
I put your leaves book on my TBR
I hope you enjoy it 🙂
I loved The Wedding Portrait and Hamnet!
I keep meaning to get started on Elizabeth Strout, and they just printed this recently…
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/jul/11/where-to-start-with-elizabeth-strout
Hamnet was terrific and has stayed with me a long time.
Hi and happy weekend, everyone. I am reading (almost finished with) the mystery novel Murder in Old Bombay, by Nev March. A friend gave it to me. It won some awards as best first novel in mystery categories when it came out five years ago. It’s very well-written and the setting in British empire India is fully detailed (with a round array of characters, not just the upper-class Brits). I recommend it.
My SOTD is Hermessence Myrrhe Eglantine, which is a beautiful light airy rose scent. To be honest I could use more myrrh in the mix. I may try layering it with something, perhaps some of my Tom Ford Myrrhe Mystère.
In other news, I’m completely obsessed with the K-drarma Our Movie, now running on Disney+. It drops two episodes per weekend. This is episode 10 today, and there are only two more to go. It’s very meta-artistic (about a movie maker making a movie, with many more complicated details), romantic, and will be tragic. I find it impressive because of the complex, intelligent, and emotional discussions all the characters have among themselves.
You smell fabulous! I love Myrrhe Eglantine.
Going to look at the Nev March, thanks!
I forgot to scent my book. It’s in India with lots of spices mentioned at meals, and flowers too. I would go for sandalwood for the detective, who is an Anglo-Indian ex-Army guy. Maybe TF Santal Blush.
Calypso, did you read all of The Jewel in the Crown?
Read it, watched it, read it again, watched it again.
Sotd Abel’s Laundry Day because I’m in pursuit of my first Thunk ! This runs counter to the Great Depression thinking my family still follows. No basking and basking – only dabbing and dabbing allowed. #BreakFreeOfLimitedThinking
Book rec: what’s a book? Enjoying reading about what NSTers are reading.
Use it or lose it, LesLiesse 🙂
😆😆😆 J/k Robin! I did Pachinko for my book club. Our next book for August is James by Percival Everett. I did read Pachinko with the club. Fascinating. Had no idea truly about what happened between Japan and Korea in the 19th and 20th centuries.
HA, I mean with the perfume!!! Thunk!
I liked Pachinko 🙂
There’s a fabulous TV show of Pachinko that ran about a year or so ago. Because it was on Apple TV, it didn’t get the audience that it deserved. It was beautifully done–very moving, scary at times, romantic at times, and the acting was superb. There were two seasons, and I think hopes for a third that probably won’t be realized, sadly.
Yes I saw it and preferred some parts to the book actually.
Hi fragrant friends and fellow readers,
I am wearing SMN Incenso, one of my two FB purchases from the last quarter.
The bottle is dark, but the juice is somewhat lighter and sheerer than other incense frags I own and love. And, wearing a few sprays today in July seems just right, a new year round fragrance.
Reading a book about misophonia, something my sister and I both stuggle with daily. And, Into the Abyss by Carol Shaben; finished Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reed and have Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green on tap.
Listening to Nightshade by Michael Connolly on audio and have a 10 day streak of finishing the NYT Spelling Bee by my third cup of coffee going!
You smell fantastic!!! SMN is such a great house! Such classic scents.
Thank you cm8! Hadn’t bought anything from them since I was last in Florence. but this beauty caught my heart and my wallet.
That happens easily with this house 😆
Misaphonia is something very close to me as my husband and both sons have it to varying degrees so I see it from both sides. Meals could be very fraught. I used to go into another room and close the door to eat potato chips/popcorn etc. in peace.
DeniseH –
So many people don’t know what it is or tease people about it.
I wear DJ level noise cancelling headphones most of the day.
I understand it’s hard for you when you don’t have it.
What is the book on misophonia you’re reading? I have it too but not so bad I have to wear headphones through the day.
I read a lot of mystery/crime pap, mostly because I usually only get small bits of time to jump in and out of books. I did just discover that many of Louise Penny’s books are on Kindle Unlimited so I just re-read all of them and then got on the hold list at the library for the newer ones. (Found the short-lived Three Pines series on Prime Video just before our last trip). I wore Paris-Deauville today for the bridal shower photography gig. Lovely event; took way too many shots (I normally do sports so I don’t really know which are the money shots for other events…) – hoping they turn out well. Bride was radiant, hard to mess that up!
Hope the pics come out perfectly!
And you smelled fantastic!
I don’t read as much as I used to – too distracted by perfume reviews – but I did read at least two very different books.
If you like science fiction, rather than fantasy, I really recommend Alastair Reynolds. I finally read one of his that I’d bought quite a while ago, Inhibitor Phase. It’s set in the same universe as his Revelation Space trilogy, most of the action is in space, I’d scent it with something aldehydic like Sortilège.
I also read Kanuka’s latest, At The Grand Glacier Hotel. It’s set in the temperate forest of the west coast of the South Island, Andrea Maack’s Coven comes to mind. It’s green, but also has earthy notes. Kanuka might have very different ideas 🙂 .
I read less than I used to too…the internet in general is a huge distraction.
I wanted to join yesterday’s cp but I was out all day yesterday til midnight so am posting this here today.
Like so many of you, as an astronaut returning home after 9 months in space, it was all the scents of nature I missed that so many of you described so well – greens, flowers, forests, the sea, the soil itself. But after 9 months in space (my first experience of this length) I learned to love some of its scents as well. Despite it being a vacuum there were at times traces of scents that were smoky, slightly metallic, a bit fruity like raspberries, even fresh at times. My ‘world’ now encompasses not only the earth itself but will henceforth include the heavens above and all in it.
To celebrate, I wore Dame’s Sky Father in the morning and welcomed her nurturing embrace in the evening in Dame Earth Mother. ❤️them both!
Excellent, I love that Laila.
I finished Elizabeth Barrett Browning: A Biography about a week ago; I wasn’t too hip on the details of her life other than she married RB and wrote poetry and lived in Italy at some point. The book wove its narrative via newly found letters of hers to various folks in her life and had certainly shed new light on her personality and temperment. That’s always what I look for when I read bios, the personality, the quirks, etc etc.
So now I’m actually reading a fiction novel, Simply Lies by David Balducci. I always browse over the rather large collection of his at the library (he has A LOT of published titles), so I figured what the h. I like it so far.
Soup Of The Day: Linen Vetiver
When I was shelving at the library, Balducci was one author ALWAYS in the mix. Also Nora Roberts and one other that is going to come to me in a few minutes…
The only book I’ve read recently worth recommending is The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Her Braiding Sweetgrass was one of the most beautiful books I’d read in a long time last year, and this next one is equally so, as well as thought-provoking and hope-inducing. She speaks of a ‘gift economy,’ a natural economy in which abundance is shared with others rather than just viewed as an opportunity for money-making. It’s a short book and, although I don’t often listen to audio books I did this one. The author herself reads it; she has a lovely speaking voice, which enhanced my enjoyment. Afterwards, I purchased a print copy for future use for myself and several as gifts. I highly recommend! 👍
This sounds wonderful! I immediately added it to my must-read list!
For thrillers this quarter I read Don’t Open Your Eyes by Liv Constantine, King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby and The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers. All of these were very good if you like that genre.
I rarely read non-fiction, but I did read Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson. I did not read this for political reasons so shouldn’t get in trouble here. As a retired certified gerontological nurse and with some expertise in dementia and Alzheimer’s, I wanted to see if and how this was addressed.
I just finished the July book club pick by Barnes and Noble titled The Letter Carrier by Francesca Giannone. I mentioned this earlier this week and someone said they couldn’t find it at their local library in the English version. It was written in Italian, I believe, so was translated. I am not sure if other places have it in English or not, but since it was the book pick at B & N, they had it in English. It would be classified as historical fiction, romance, Italian literature. The setting is in Italy and is about a woman that finds her soulmate, who unfortunately is already married. I thought it was quite good. I would probably wear Etro Dianthus for this book. I would also consider Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir as the protagonist frequently sits outside by a pomegranate tree.
Kris, is there a non-fiction book you would recommend from your expertise for those caring for seniors w dementia?
The 36-hour Day.
Thank you Kris!
S. A. Crosby is so good. He deserves all the awards and praise. I love all the rural details too. The opposite of a cozy read, though, so be forewarned.
That would be true😂
Have been on the road today to Lake Tahoe. Didn’t even have time to think about fragrance today. But now that we’re here, has anyone heard of or been to The Fragrance Vault in South Lake Tahoe?
I’ve heard about it and would love to go. Sounds like the owner has quite an extensive inventory of vintage fragrance. Luca Turn liked it.
I have a BIL and SIL who live there and am hoping to combine a trip to see them with some vintage sniffing.
Do report back if you go.
Yes, the owner was a regular on MakeUpAlley years ago and we swapped a lot. She is extremely knowledgeable with an amazing collection for sale.
As a father of a 7-month-old, I’m struggling to find time to read, but since you’ve asked about Xiaolu Guo, I did read two of her novels several years ago — A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers and Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous — both of which I loved. In fact, I liked the Dictionary so much I read it twice a few years apart.
*that would be Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous YOUTH
Thank you so much Dusan! And yeah, I barely read anything for YEARS other than the books I read to my son. No matter, you’ll get back to it some day 🙂
De nada, R! Hope you’ll like her fiction — I’m a stranger to her non-fiction (and films!), but if and when…
I don’t mind being on a reding hiatus, my baby boy is an open book now 😊
Just changed my bedsheets and charged up my ipod. Yes, I know I am dating myself by still using an ipod but I love my ipod and still a little salty that Apple discontinued the ipod line up. I just had to complete my chores before I go to the farmer’s market today. After my shower, I am going to wear either Number One Intense or Lyric for it.
I adored my ipod and was really bummed when it died. I now use an old decommissioned phone as an ipod but it isn’t as good…
Ii am an android user and I can play music on mine but you are right, it isn’t the same.
Sotd YSL Libre L’Absolu Platine for Bastille Day celebrations (early I know). Initially going to wear FM Iris Poudre, then it hit me, wear LIBRE for French Independence Day celebration.
Happy Sunday or early Monday to all!
Forgot it was Bastille Day on Monday! Happy Sunday in the meantime 🙂
Wearing Chypre Mousse and really enjoying the fennel note on top.
I’m wearing Dan Tes Bras today.
Reading is slow going these days, I must build up my attention span. I’m finally finishing The Gift of Rain, which someone here (kanuka?) recommended ages ago. Being set in Penang, Malaysia, I would scent it with something with a pandan note. I’ve not tried such a scent but I see there are quite a few out there. The book also mentions incense in temples quite a few times.
My attention span is shot since covid. I read tons on the internet but can’t seem to commit to a book. So you read a book, even if it’s slow going, that’s a good thing.
tulipani, DTB is one of my favourite scents of all time, and it doesn’t get the love it deserves-you smell great 🙂
DTB is really an underrated Malle. I guess we should feel fortunate it’s not been axed?! I wish it was sold in the smaller travel size though because I probably don’t need a full bottle.
Oh such a wonderful book, tulipani. I love all his books.
Is there a particular one you would recommend to read following Gift of Rain?
He only has three books, I read them as they came out.
So, Gift of Rain, then Garden of Evening Mists and the most recent was The House of Doors. House of Doors is lengthy.
Am waiting for the next one.
Excellent, I will proceed in chronological order then. Will have to check if my library has Garden.
I loved both Garden of Evening Mists and House of Doors, and am reading Gift of Rain last, I’m about 60% through 🙂
Reporting back on The Fragrance Vault in South Lake Tahoe. Hands down the most amazing scent experience of my life. The owner, Jana, is extremely knowledgeable and has great relationships with a number of perfumers. I have never seen so many vintage, discontinued and niche fragrances in one spot. She was super helpful showing us scents based on our preferences. My husband is super happy with Les Indemodables Vanille Havane and I got Affinescence Cedre-Iris. I think we were there for at least an hour and a half and Jana graciously stayed past closing. Highly recommend!!
Oh my that sounds wonderful, Sapphire.
I must check this place out when/if I go to Tahoe, thanks for the report!
Hi everyone! The best book I read this past quarter was The Secret History of the Rape Kit by Pagan Kennedy. Really interesting–a mix of personal stories and the hunt for the woman who invented the rape kit, Marty Goddard. Loved the descriptions of Chicago in the 1970s and ’80s too. I’d wear something ’70s and powerful to go with Marty. Maybe YSL Opium, which is what I’m wearing now. My little mini is from the ’90s and is no longer really spicy, but is a warm vanilla amber sandalwood and it’s so nice.
I also read Dirtbag Queen by Andy Corren, which was about his colorful character of a mother. It was amusing at first, but the descriptions got repetitive and I wanted more of a story than I think was there.
I went through my books recently and have a small pile to donate, and one of my next projects will be to read and then get rid of the many, many advance reader copies I have (one of the perks of being a librarian). I need to remember that just because it’s free doesn’t mean I should take it. But some of them look so good!! I just don’t have enough time. I also feel like my attention span isn’t what it used to be. I hope it will be better by the time I retire.
I read the New Yorker piece on the rape kit when that book came out, gosh it is (oops won’t say the rest because of the comment policy). Good for you for reading the book .
Another week, another Monday.
I’ll start Cheap and Cheerful tomorrow, today I thunked a sample of IA The Soft Lawn. I’ve enjoyed this sample and I love the bottle, but I don’t need this.
I would say the same of Soft Lawn…not one of his that I needed but it was fun to try.
SoCal NSTers…. I highly recommend the 4-blk long Great Elephant Migration art installation of 100 life-size Indian elephants along Santa Monica Blvd.
Here is the link: https://beverlyhillscourier.com/2025/07/03/the-great-elephant-migration-arrives-in-beverly-hills/
After celebrating Bastille Day with all that fabulous French food, we walked among the elephants. Breath-taking. Free. Easy to park and walk to.
Monday Sotd: IA HTSBIF.
Happy Monday!
Oh how cool are those elephants!!
Wore Lyric yesterday and something funny happened. It has been a while since I wore Lyric and my mother was asking what I was wearing and I said Lyric. She said that she has never smelled it on me and it smells good.
Wearing Narciso Rodriguez for her in edp form. I find that the edp version is much easier to wear than the edt.
That is funny!
Vanille West Indies Vignes St Barts Extrait. Best vanilla ever.
Gosh, you smell wonderful.
Thank you my dear. I concur 😂
I am wearing a vanilla today, also. Estrella de la Manana which has a wonderful spicy note in it.
We are vanilla twins 💛🤎
Too hot to wear anything other than citrus today. SOTD is Chanel Paris-Deauville.
You smell wonderful, ahhhh.
Thanks ringthing.
Gosh, Kris you smell absolutely lovely!
Thanks.
For some reason I’ve been shifting through some of my Amouage bottles lately, maybe I just noticed them languishing in my perfume cabinet. Anyway today I went for it (neither cheap nor cheerful!) and sprayed on a lot of Fate Woman. I almost choked and I did in fact sneeze! But it’s settled a bit now and this is the first time I could swear I smelled citrus in the peppery/spicy mix. So I just looked up the notes and indeed, bergamot is listed among the top notes. How fun, and surprising! I”m not sure I’d noticed that before. It’s hot with more rain in the forecast but I don’t have to go anywhere today.
Have you ever wondered about how the various citrus notes would compare if you could cut up some fruits and lay them out in a row along a table and sniff them freely? I’m thinking of the lemon/yuzu/bergamot group and then the orange/mandarin/tangerine group–and I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting. I really love them all! If it comes right down to it, though, I’d have to select the smell of tangerines (not so much the fruit itself) as my favorite.
What is your favorite Amouge?
You’re right about Fate Woman being strong stuff! Makes up for the fact that I only have a tiny bit of it.
I, too, want to know what your favorite Amouage is. I feel like I discovered Amouage a bit too late, when a lot of older ones were discontinued.
Bulgari Omnia Crystalline and Cherries in the Snow lippy
It’s been so busy at the library!
Always good news when it’s busy at the library!
I’m wearing Neela Vermeire’s Ashoka today, its a very beautiful perfume.
Which reminds me I need to try the new one.
Cheap and cheerful — love this CP. I have a few and happen to be wearing one today. I placed an order at Vacation recently for some sunscreen and threw in the body mist of Grand Cuvee that Jessica reviewed for us recently. I love it. (I find it more warm and comforting than cheerful, but definitely inexpensive at 90 mls for $24.) Warm, nutty/woodsy and ambery, yet still summery, like warm oiled skin after a day at the beach but without the usual pineapple coconut scent that often goes with that. Fragrantica reviewers mention an argan oil scent but I am not familiar with that. Be warned it quickly becomes a skin scent, but I find that perfect for very warm days.
PS. I also like the sunscreens that I received – – both the mineral SPF 30 and the classic SPF 50.
That is not a bad price at all, I wish they would do a body mist in the bain de soleil scent.
That would be great. Maybe it’s on the docket.
I thought I had already posted here? I must have forgotten to press “Post Comment”.
Anyway, today I wore Lush Olive Branch (now Pansy) body spray for the Cheap and Cheerful week.
I still forget sometimes and then can’t find my comment 🙂
Great pick, I better get thinking about cheap & cheerful!
Starting my Cheap and Cheerful week in Kyse Pêche au Yuzu.
Have never heard of this.
I’m not a big gourmand person but I like the peach note and the yuzu seems to keep it from being too sweet.
Well, it’s a new one to me.
My cheap and cheerful today is Fragonard Verveine. Not super super cheap (I do have some TJ Maxx finds) but fresh for a hot day.
Hey, it’s still perfumath free 🙂