PSA: our next swapmeet will start on Saturday, 20 September.
Meanwhile, it's Labor Day weekend in the US. We're celebrating with our standard open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, the fragrance that says "3 day weekend" to you, what you're planning to buy at a Labor Day sale (and feel free to share any coupons or deals), whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Chatham on Cape Cod [cropped] by Dennis Weeks at flickr; some rights reserved.
SOTM is Papillon Dryad, another perfume full of notes that I would miss terribly if I were to be marooned on a desert island. The descriptions of Dryad at Lucky Scent and elsewhere make this sound much fresher and greener than my experience of it. On me it’s much more like the scent of a deciduous forest floor in late autumn — dry, a bit dusty, but still leafy-spicy. Lovely.
Also meant to say that whoever it was (apsara?) who mentioned the new vicar in Grantchester was right on the money — very, very handsome man, and by far my favorite of the three vicars.
It may have been apsara but I know it was me, too. Love that Gorgeous Guy!
I love him, too. Love his attitude. He’s easy to look at too 🙂
I’ll say!
SOTD is Shalimar L’Essence. I am really enjoying this one. It is definitely more toned down compared to the OG, but I think that makes it more youthful or at least more wearable for some of us. I am so glad I finally found a vanilla that works for me. My hunting is finally over.
Kris, I am glad your vanilla hunt is over!
I didn’t love it, it was too powdery for my liking and it sold almost immediately on eBay when I listed it.
Now the hunt continues. Cause I love the hunt.
Are you hunting for a vanilla scent too? I have gone through so many samples and none worked for me. Too gourmand, too sweet, too strong, too . . .
Always on the hunt. You never know.
I’ve heard that Parfum D’Empire has a vanilla scent coming out soon. Fingers crossed.
You might have tried it, but if not I’ll point you in the direction of “Fire At Will,” from Jovoy. I adore it. An unapologetic vanilla bomb, laced with brown sugar. Yet somehow it isn’t cloying! Might be worth a sniff.😊
Second for Fire at Will. Beautiful vanilla!
Yeah, Fire at Will was not for me.
It fired nothing:)
I do love a smooth vanilla. I think I am in the minority in actually not liking Spiritueuse Double Vanille. It’s just straight up booze and very drunken vanilla and I am way past clubbing days for that scent to work.
I’d recommend:
The classic Lancome Hypnose for easy-reach all occasion vanilla.
Vanille Paradoxe by Les Parfums de Rosine for a twist on vanilla. It’s a little herbal (not medicinal, but culinary herbs) and green and the vanilla is smooth without being in milkshake territory.
I am more of a Babycat lover than smooth simple vanilla and I agree with you about Double Vanille.
Still have the original TF Tobacco Vanille from when it was released – I bought the big bottle to decant from. It will outlive me.
Babycat *and* Spiritueuse Double Vanille for the win! Tobacco Vanille too. Love them all. I still remember the gigantic MakeupAlley buzz when this one first came out.
After I finish my errands I’m going to check the local department stores to see if they have L’Essence in yet !
Hope you find it and will be curious what you think.
So given I felt so recovered, we reinstated cookout plans. So gym -yes, sliders & watermelon -yes, Shalimar shopping – no, postponed til Wednesday.
Happy Labour Day to all who celebrate !
I find it very wearable too. I miss some of the OG’s glamour but this is more youthful and that makes me happy, especially after the tragic discontinuation of Shalimar Parfum Initial which was my staple girly Shalimar.
I do recommend you hoard a few bottles of l’Essence though because it’s a limited edition!
Thanks!
Congratulations on finding “your” vanilla perfume!
Yay for the Swapmeet!! Can’t wait. I’m making my list and checking it twice.
This weekend I will thunk the last of my decant of Lutens iris Silver Mist which I’ve saved for way too long but it’s a holiday weekend so carpe diem and then that will be that. I put it on this morning and it is very cooling in the heat. I probably have one spray left for later.
I have some samples and decants that I should just enjoy and thunk. Maybe I will make it a mini project for the winter season.
I rarely thunk anything but i I’m trying.
My ISM is long gone but I still miss it 🙂
it is a beauty, Robin.
I’ve been on a couple of short trips on this week of vacation, and I have been wearing Guerlain Vetiver Pour Elle. It’s probably one of my top 5 perfumes, definitely for the summer.
Happy Labour Day and Happy Labor Day,
This is a beauty. You smell wonderful, AnnieA.
I must try that one day, sounds like a beautiful perfume
Commando still. It’s still hot here in LA so post shower a few sprays of La Fumee for the gym.
I finally started The Gilded Age last week when I had no a/c to focus on something else. I am so enjoying it that I am listening to the podcasts also.
Because I always mention this – today is 61 years since my sister and I saw The Beatles in Atlantic City. My dads’ 40th birthday. Today he would be 101. Such a wonderful dad we had. He loved life and Aramis.
Happy long weekend to those who have it!
Happy birthday in heaven to your dad, Apsara!. Hugs. 🌻
Thank you pl67!
How wonderful to have had such a close relationship with your dad. And the ache of that loss must also be so painful. Grateful for scent memories – Aramis reminds me of my dad too💕
He loved fragrance, allo. Even more than my mother. I loved him in the beautiful Devin, some of you here also love Devin.
Devin was my first ever fragrance. I can’t be without it. (And I adore Aramis, too.)
And The Beatles? (I consider myself to be their biggest fan.) Oh, to have seen them!! What an experience your father gave you.❤️
Daniel,
My sister laid across the bed and wept that she had to see Paul.
Somehow he did it.
I have the program from the concert framed here on my office wall.
Happy Birthday to your dad, apsara! His memory is a blessing! As well as his Aramis!
Thank you. He was a sweetie pie.
What great memories, apsara!
Yes. My sister and I were lucky to have him. He made life exciting for us.
From the Steeplechase at Coney Island to Mickey Mantles’ 500th home run at the house that Ruth built.
We had him for 82 years. He died from Lewy Body dementia. We miss and remember him well.
I’m sorry he’s gone, apsara. He lived a good life, brought joy, and loved you a lot. What more can one ask of life?
Not much, DeniseH. He loved pizza, his family and animals and football, not all in that order 🙂
Lewy Body is relentless. I would not have wished him one more day.
Your dad sounds great! My dad was too and he applied Aramis with abandon! You could smell him a mile away but I loved it! Great memories.
With abandon!
Blessings on your dad in heaven! What a wonderful way to spend one’s 40th birthday! And why oh why oh why did I not go to see the Beatles when they were in Chicago at Comiskey Park – I could’ve walked there I lived so close. And I heard the tickets were something like $3.00!
Our tickets were 4.75. I still don’t know how my dad did it.
Hard to imagine that price, imagine what they would be now!
I still have my ticket stub along with my Woodstock tickets that we didn’t need saved in a ziplock bag. Priceless.
It was so dark in 1963 after the JFK assasination and then 1964 was here and with it came the Beatles back into color.
Somethings I won’t sell.
Original Barbie in her wedding dress? Gone – paid for a trip to Berlin after the wall came down.
A piece the wall on my bookshelf.
Happy Birthday Memories of your Dad.
Thanks lillyjo!
Those are wonderful memories, apsara. My dad’s birthday is earlier in August and I’ve been thinking about him this month, too. He didn’t wear any fragrance but he was a very accomplished pianist, so my memories of him involve lots of music.
I can imagine!
It blows my mind that some people’s parents listened to and liked The Beatles. Mine sure didn’t!
Sotd 10 Corso Como.
Beautiful sunny and windy end of August day in the mid 70s. I really love these mild temperatures. I am having a very quiet weekend doing nothing, Next work week will be another tough, crazy one, so I am trying to relax as much as I can. I may have a straight shot of iris liqueur tonight with my pasta and salad dinner. It’s been a while since I had one.
Happy Labor day weekend! 🌻
Pl67, have you found out whether 10 Corso Como has been truly discontinued?
Yes, unfortunately the information that my sister got directly from the 10 Corso Como boutique in Milan when she recently visited is that it was truly discontinued. Her mother-in- law who also lives in Milan went there after that and they confirmed it.
🙁 Darn. Another good one gone. I still have a travel size spray. Thanks for the information.
Oh, that is sad. I should have bought another bottle of the lotion.
Very sad indeed! That’s one of my favorite perfumes.
.
What a shame. This one was so unique. I need to dig out my bottle. Such a pretty bottle too. It’s quite low so I will cherish what’s left.
I am hoarding my bottle. It is such a beautiful scent!
I still have the solid in the lovely box.
Enjoy the weekend! How is the new kitty doing?
Thank you, Lillyjo! He is doing great! I can barely sleep at night because that’s when he is more active running, jumping and playing! 😺
Vampire kitteh! Comes out in the dark!
Lol! 😹
Hope you managed to get some sleep despite your little thing going bump in the night!
This long weekend I took a couple of naps during the day., so I am feeling much rested now. But I am glad that kitty is happy! 🐈
Sunshiny, not-too-hot day, rather humid but you can’t have everything. Seemed like good weather for the golden glow of my favourite pairing, CSP Vanille Banane and Vanille Abricot. (The Abricot makes the banana-candy quality of the Banane somewhat less silly — I do like the essential ridiculousness of it, just not quite that much all at once.)
I love Vanille Abricot and I’m grateful when you wear it because you remind me to wear mine more often.
Excited about the Swapmeet! It’s such a great way to move on unloved perfume to new homes and to happily discover others😋
I’m just back from the deserted island. Turned out to be a quick trip. Now I can enjoy fragrances #6 through #……! Starting with No. 22💗
😆🙌🙌🙌
Haha perfect!
🤣
🤣🤣🤣
A real 3 hour tour! You smell great!
A 3 hr tour! 😆🙌😆
A 3 hour tour… didn’t they repeat it 3 times?
Happy Saturday! I totally ADORED our spirited NST Island adventure yesterday! 🎉🎉🎉
Sotd Desertland layered with matching Desertland body crème! Craving the juniper and lavender after all the florals.
Going to see if Shalimar L’Essence is in the cdepartment stores ahead of 9/1 launch.
If you don’t see it, ask anyway. It might be under the counter.
wow, valuable info here!!
Sometimes they have it but can’t show it until the official release date. It never hurts to ask.
Also, sometimes SA’s don’t even know what they have.
Yes! I do this allll the time because we perfumistas always get perfume news early. My most recent success was Aesop’s Above Us, Steorra. They were hiding the tester under the cashier.
SOTD is Serge Lutens Un Lys. An old decant from MakeupAlley days that still smells wonderful.
I’m making a new island list to include the ones I forgot. You know, for the next time I’m stranded on a desert island. (Yes, I love lists. Yes, I also love to overthink all this stuff!)
1) Burberry Goddess — easygoing vanilla lavender
2) L’Artisan Tea for Two — tea and spice
3) Ormonde Jayne Ormonde Woman — foresty green
4) Hermessence Rose Ikebana — I rarely wear it, but I love it when I do
5) Roberto Greco Rauque — mushroom, floral leather. I’ll never be bored with that one on hand
Did you read that MakeupAlley is shutting down, springpansy? This makes me so sad, even though I haven’t been on there in years. It was such a great community! I suspect that AI and tiktok have meant fewer eyeballs and thus ads. I’m sure I knew some of you NST people there, perhaps under different names, and perhaps I even swapped with you way back then.
Oh no. I did not know that! Thanks for letting me know. Once they stopped allowing swapping (a while ago) everything changed and I stopped visiting regularly.
Yes, I know I swapped with many NST regulars back in the day. MUA was my gateway to both fragrances and fragrant friends.
Oh gosh. I have not been there in eons but makes me sad too.
All the more reason to thank Robin – for her labor and love on this site. ❤️❤️
Running makeupalley must be 5 times as hard and 5 times as expensive…I will try to keep this going as long as I can, but eventually it will no longer pay its own bills.
That will be a sad day indeed. 😭
I loved reading everyone’s desert island lists yesterday – it reminded me just how many fabulous perfumes there are, and what different tastes we all have.
Like Allo, I’m glad to be back, and I’m wearing Baptême du Feu. I can’t believe I dithered over this for so long!
Yes, and it reminded me of how many perfumes I’d forgotten to put on my own list!
Last day of metrological winter here and I’ve spent the past three days up north in Christchurch with a view of a large flowering magnolia, and parks filled with lots of daffodils and bluebells. Back home today where it is still a bit behind. I didn’t really get time to try perfumes but am wearing a sample of L’Occitane Eau des Baux which is such a good value perfume, a woody vanilla which reminds me a little of one of the Tom Ford’s, maybe tobacco Vanille.
You smell marvellous, Kanuka! I love this one. And I love so many L”Occitanes. I get a fir and or juniper note too, especially in the top notes.
The last day of winter, how lovely! (For you, not for me, obviously.) So glad you got to see daffodils and bluebells.
They are renaming Eau des Baux, in case you ever go to replace it:
https://ie.loccitane.com/c%C3%A8dre-encens-formerly-eau-des-baux-eau-de-toilette-20ET050BXR25.html
Thx for this info, Robin. Looks like they’ve reformulated it too. There was no pink pepper in the original version. Price seems a bit higher too. I suspect there will now be a run on old bottles.
Wearing a weird one today: Imitation Man from Amouage. Wild combo of violet, leather, citrus, and spice. Somehow it works.
So I know very little about this house let alone this fragrance, but what a fascinating read studying up on it. Life Imitates Art! And NYC in the 1970´s. And there’s an Imitation Man and Imitation Woman! Lastly what gorgeous bottles! Color me intrigued.
Not sure I ever heard from someone wearing Amouage Imitation Man before.
Our overnight low was 48 degrees. I was so cold when I woke up, I wanted hot chocolate.
It warmed up to the mid 70’s but I am still wearing a sweater. Coco is my sotd for added warmth.
I am excited for the swapmeet. I need to get things organized.
Keep warm, you smell lovely in Coco.
I am so jealous of your 48! Afternoon here still registers at 95 and I am literally hugging the AC.
48 degrees?! Wow, that’s chilly!
Fresh strawberries and yogurt smoothie
I’m starting to feel mildly nervous about my trip next week. Started to clean the house today and I’m doing late night laundry. Sotd was Nerolia Vetiver Harvest, I think Glannys wore the original one earlier this week, Harvest is a flanker, very pleasant with honey, quite long lasting too. Tonight it’s Cabochard because Lillyjo listed it among her desert island perfumes, I’m wearing an oldish EDT, I also have a vintage EDP in an all glass bottle including the bow and the cap but it’s far too strong for summer.
I’m sorry you are feeling nervous. Is it the flying? When do you leave?
Thank you Lillyjo, yes mostly the flight, I’m leaving next Wednesday. I’ve started packing already to calm down.
Safe travels! At least you won’t have to deal with Labor Day air traffic and crowds in your journey.
Thank you Jalapeno.
I wore harvest too – never tried the original.
Sorry for the confusion, same here don’t know the OG.
It has been forever since I participated in a swap meet; we have a night football game on tbe 20th so hopefully I can manage this one. We spent yesterday in Cleveland, my son had a preseason scrimmage. We had our last dinner with him for a while, we will see him at away games and the aforementioned night game but just for minutes. Had a long talk about his job search; I’m entering a new phase of parenthood – anxiety over my kid finding a job after college. Anyway, no perfume yet but I’m thinking of wearing my desert island Ormonde Woman just because.
Seriously there is always something to worry about! It is for life 🙂
Glad you got to have a “last dinner”.
I just received an email that makeupalley.com is closing permanently on September 27th. I know many here have been members at some time. I haven’t visited in a long time but had a lot of fun there for a few years.
Last weekend an ear infection, this weekend sore throat and a cough. Sotd is vanilla oil on my legs, it’s gentle and away from my face. Enjoy your (hopefully) long weekend.
I hope you get back to feeling a 100% soon!
Hope you feel better soon. Yes, sad about MUA. I don’t post there but enjoy reading. Looks like some are posting about starting a forum for members somewhere else.
On my way to the county fair. It’s a not too hot type of day and a good day to go. Wearing Au Couer du Desert. It’s been forever since I have worn anything from Andy Tauer.
A county fair sounds delightful! Do tell us what you and eat there! Hope you had a great deal of FUN!
Oh, I like that Au Coeur, I have a small bottle and haven’t worn it in awhile. You smell good!
SOTD= Imaginary Authors Fox in the Flowerbed, a pretty jasmine forward floral with underlying sturdy things that shift around over the course of the day. I like it.
Back at the ranch, the fire is mostly out everywhere, now the evaluation, remediation and rebuilding begins. It is a fraught time for the ranchers who need to ask, but hate asking, for FEMA money, and the mixed set of governmental agencies, the ones who want to help the locals recover from this environmental and financial disaster, and the ones who want to make an example by not spending any money at all, and want some billionaire to step in and offer to buy up all these distressed ranches. It is a nightmare that will go on far longer then the fire itself.
Adorable hubby has gout in one big toe. He feels betrayed and bewildered by this new stupid body trick. Seems like a fairly mild case, hopefully it clears up soon.
The weather has moderated, and I am trying to focus on repairing the neglected garden to get a head start on next year’s planting. Mainly I want to sit in the sunshine, listen to my books on tape ( just finished Hotel Pastis, a Peter Mayle confection, wine, pastries, rock house rebuilding, bicyclists, bankrobbers, in the south of France, very cute) and have started in on another Outlander offshoot – who can resist well trained English actors talking about the trials and tribulations of pretending to be Jacobite Scotch savages in kilts? Just listening to their accents shifting from English to Scots to Gaelic and back is highly entertaining. Good background noise to knitting. I am behind on my knitting. 🙂
But right now, I need to go to the grocery store. Happy weekend, one and all!
MF, if you like IA FitF AND Peter Mayle, may I suggest IA How to Say Bicycle in French?
I will have to track down his collection Hotel Pastis. Coincidentally I discovered him and Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander around the same time in the early 1990’s. Hope Mr MF feels better soon. And lastly I’m sorry about the financial situations facing so many of the ranchers.
I have not seen Hoe to say Bicycle in French! I will look for it. Hotel Pastis is a very light and cheerful novel, a pleasant distraction. Thanks!
Utterly delightful & tres français !
I’m with you on the ‘ neglected garden’ issues! Good luck with hubby and his toe – ouch! And, certainly, good luck to all those devastated by those fires as they try to somehow out the pieces back together. I feel for them!🤞
We were house twins yesterday! But, oy vey, too bad about your husband’s toe. Gout can be nasty.
Since I had a bit of time to kill before a Zoom talk I made very amateurish attempt to count all of our favorites from the Desert Island CP on Friday. I only counted people’s votes if they listed five. (If they did and listed some extras, I did count them.)
Perhaps the tally is not surprising. Most to least (stopping at 5–there were others lower than that and maybe at 5 but I missed them):
Chanel 22
Guerlain 16
Lutens 10
Hermes 7
Dior 5
Malle 5 (but all from one person!)
Others with good representation: AdP, Diptyque, Sonoma Scent Studio, Penhligons.
This was very interesting Calypso! The other stat I’d be interested in is the full range of houses- I bet it was over 100. I’d check this myself, but I’m swamped with month end details. Any one else game?
I’ll check for this tomorrow!
Very excited to hear about it!
I know all five of mine were also on at least one other person’s list and I think one was on three people’s list.
I thought of doing some of this ! Thanks!
Thanks so much for doing this, Calypso!
Oh, may I add mine here?
Ivoire
Dryad
Guerlain Vetiver
Different Co Jasmin de Nuit
Cristalle
Wearing a cheapie VS Bare Sueded Vanilla. I like vanilla in most forms. Somehow there is always room for one more vanilla in my collection.
Going out to dinner for daughter’s birthday. It’s a present for me too, since we’re going to a nice restaurant and I won’t be cooking. I love to cook but the whole process of the evening meal takes a good 2-3 hours with the cooking, eating and cleaning up and sometimes that’s a bummer when it is Sunday and I have to work the next day.
I will be working tomorrow but should be a lighter load, no meetings due to the holiday.
I tried out some overnight oats and quite liked them. I have always had an aversion to hot oatmeal, cream of wheat, etc. The overnight were good, I liked that they are chewy and not mushy. I make mine with dates but I will try apricots next time. I am a boring breakfast eater, usually have a piece of toast with peanut butter and a glass of mild or oat milk.
I hope you have a happy birthday dinner with your daughter
Hope you had a lovely birthday celebration with your daughter and some nice mother/daughter time yesterday. My grandtwins’ 18th birthday was yesterday, too; we celebrated last week since they’re already off to college!
Hope dinner was all you wanted with your girl.
Sotd department store spray of Happy in Paradise by Clinique. IF it weren’t almost fall AND it had hibiscus in it I would have purchased it. Very lovely!
No luck locating Shalimar L’Essence at either Bloomingdales or Nordstrom’s. Will try Saks and Needless Markup (Neiman Marcus) tomorrow.
Haven’t been able to catch up on posts due to other errands. Hope all are enjoying their Sundays or I believe Monday for Kanuka!
I didn’t see it listed on their websites, but I guess that doesn’t mean they won’t have it. If all else fails, let me know and I will send you a sample. Unless you have a Guerlain boutique in your area.
Thank you Kris, but I’m enjoying The Hunt right now. 😆
Needless Markup! Lol🤣
I used to call Neiman Marcus that!
Happy Monday LesLiesse!
Hope yours was beautiful !
Not affiliated!
Luckyscent 10% off $125 plus a gwp:
MYSTERY (8 mystery samples)
GLOW (Akro Glow mini)
EM5 (Escentric sampler)
Beautyhabit 20% off $150: SUMMERFINALE
Osswald 15% off: LBR15
Indiescents also offers 20% off: “labour20” (they ship from Canada and said that tariffs may apply)
Happy Monday!
Wearing Yardley Lily of the Valley for the eponymous Queen song. Probably the easiest Queen song to scent*.
Wars will never cease (cease)
Is there time enough for peace? (peace)
But the lily of the valley (valley)
Doesn’t know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7K1_g31H0s
*Unless you count “I want it all”. 🤣
I did not even know that song!
I was not a Queen fan back in the day so probably only know 10 songs, although I do love those songs.
I didn’t know about it before the CP either!
Kind of the same – I wasn’t familiar with many Queen songs, although when I was researching for the CP I realized I actually knew quite a few without realizing they were by Queen.
Gotcha. You did more research than I have so far!
I had fun at the fair yesterday. Had a corn dog, milkshake and some fries and I am paying for it today. Wearing Cheirosa 62 today.
Glad to hear that you had fun at the fair.
Perfect fair meal! Sorry you are paying the price Dawn.
Forgot my rabbits, so wearing Tam Dao in an attempt to appease the gods of luck, and/or rabbits. 🍀 🐰
I forgot my rabbits too! Or should say, I remembered them way too late 🙂
Just remembered rabbits, thanks SheriG! And wearing AdV Iris Nazarena. Wow, this is a good one😋
You smell lovely allo!
🥰
The first series of perfumes from Aedes were so good.
so good.
OK folks, I’m reporting back on the results of my count of houses that were mentioned as having perfumes in people’s top 5 desert island scents for our CP on Friday. Again, this is a quick and no doubt unscientific (inaccurate) count, but the best I could do. I came up with a grand total of 77 perfume makers!
Among a few not listed that might be (or might not be) surprising were Caron, Hanae Mori, By Kilian, and Arquiste. I also found a few I had missed before that changed the tally for the two “winners”: Chanel moved up to 23 votes, and Guerlain to 18. Close!
I had to look up some perfumes I didn’t recognize by names (sorry) to find their houses, and there were some I could not identify. One was “Jasmine Attar” (listed by Les Liesse–but there are a lot of those); one was Indochine (there are several; listed by Spring Pansy and LesLiesse too; and one was Vacation Grand Cuvee. These might add more houses to the total I got of 77.
I was strict and ONLY counted the ones people had listed as their top 5. If you listed more than 5, I didn’t count you, and I didn’t count anything mentioned as extras or alternates or discussed in the comments.
Perhaps if I get more energy later today I can provide the entire list! It’s just scribbled down right now.
Anyway it was fun! Thank you for the idea, Spring Pansy!
I thought Arquiste would be in the list. Maybe in Top 5 wearable perfumes?
Bravo Calypso ! Excellent work! Fascinating! And I was way off with my 100+ estimate.
The Indochine I listed is from Pierre Guillaume. The Vacation Grand Cuvee is, I think, from Vacation which started under Arquiste, but I can’t tell whether all the new fragrances (including Grand Cuvee) are still from Arquiste or is Vacation now a separate brand?
Thanks for doing all these sums for us! I love how varied in taste we all are and yet we all have things in common as well, either a beloved fragrance note or fragrance house.
Vacation is listed as a separate brand on Frangrantica, if that helps.
Thank you for the stats, Calypso. Very cool! Chanel and Guerlain do not surprise me at all. What I do find surprising is that L’Artisan was not a popular choice.
It’s a couple of hours until sunrise and I’ve just been outside looking at the stars under a perfectly clear sky. Sirius ( Dog Star) is twinkling so brightly! We had a spot of snow on the hills yesterday but it was gone by lunchtime and the daffodils in my garden have finally opened, alongside some grape hyacinth. The heritage rose volunteers were working in the graveyard, pruning away. They do an incredible job; out every Monday no matter how cold. So, I’m wearing Journey woman, another of my top 5 scents. I only have three Top 5 scents: Chypre Mousse, Ys-Uzac Lale and Journey. I guess that leaves space in my bag for Desert Island duty free shopping.
You paint a beautiful picture. Thank you! We supposedly are supposed to be able to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights tonight, we’ll see 🤞.
I have a sample of Chypre Mousse due to your mention of it here. It’s not a top 5 for me, but very worth sampling and very interesting to wear.
Stargazing is difficult along The Front Range. Lots of light pollution.
All this talk about the desert island 5 made me wonder – has NST ever done a cold island top 5? The most warming scents you own?
OHHH, I like it!!
Or the 5 worst scents you own! 😆
Great idea!
Ok…will see if I can figure that out. Stranded on an iceberg?
It’s definitely spring here, we’ll have a few more winter relapses, but we’ve had a lot of sunny crisp mornings over the last couple of weeks (I’m blotting Sunday from my mind, when it rained all day).
Today, I’m wearing Chyprissime from Thierry Mugler.
Oh yay for spring!
SOTD is Shalimar MVP. Haven’t pulled the trigger yet on Shalimar L’Essence. Wondering, for those who have smelled both, if L’Essence is different enough from MVP to warrant a purchase.
Bois de Jasmin addresses the question in her recent review.
Happy Birthday, Barry Gibb! 🎶. It’s a Bee Gees weekend for sure – After Friday nite’s tribute concert I watched their 1997 One Night Only concert on YouTube yesterday, not knowing that today just happened to be Sir Barry Alan Crompton Gibb’s special day – #79!🥳
It was a busy weekend with a Sox ballgame on Saturday and celebrating a dear friend’s birthday yesterday. Finally finished the summer fragrances and really looking forward to September and fall fragrances. My SOTD is LMDLV Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti, a nice bridge between seasons – tropical fruits and ylang ylang mixed with vanilla but cooled off with some amber, cedar, tonka bean and incense. A nice sweet vanilla on another gorgeous, 🌞and breezy day.
Happy Monday and Happy Labor Day (something I’m not doing at all today)!
Sounds like you have had a great weekend!
I remembered my rabbits when I woke up.
Cannot believe it is September.
A few sprays of Ouarzatate this morning and the bottle is empty!
I was shocked. It’s such a dark bottle I just assumed it would magically alway have some more to give.
Also shocked at food prices today at grocery store – but that’s another story of continual shocks.
Off to the gym, they close early today.
I hear you on the grocery prices. Costco runs are even worse.
Will you get more Ouarzatate?
I think so. I love the CdG Incense Series. I would have done it today, but @120 dollars, I couldn’t get a discount anywhere.
Plus, NYC next month and I am saving my coin for one bottle and a pair of earrings.
I still have Jalsimar and Kyoto unless they are empty and deceiving me while sitting there.
My gym closed altogether…maybe just as well, there’s lots and lots of covid around these parts right now.
Blargh, COVID.
Happy Labor Day to all who celebrate!
Sotd The Harmonist Sacred Water from my latest discovery set. Top notes are Ginger, Citron and Mandarin Orange; middle notes are Seaweed, Magnolia and Orange Blossom; base notes are Ambergris, Cedar and Amyris. The marine note is supposed to smell mineral but not to me. Prefer Guiding Water from last week to this sample.
Celebrating the holiday with a last minute planned cookout or balcony-out is more accurate. Trying the Wahlburgers slider hamburgers with traditional sides of Cole slaw and potato salad, fruit tart and watermelon for dessert. Also to be exotic I picked up an artichoke pesto to add to ketchup and mustard options, and spicy Thai pasta salad if Cole slaw or potato salad doesn’t intrigue enough. And- cause it’s me- lavender ice cream cones to add to dessert.
Sotn will be Happy Heart because I know my heart will be full. It’s been a rollercoaster summer.
That sounds like a wonderful spread. I’ll be right over!
We’ve got leftovers! And a half bottle of rose left too! Come on down! (Or up or over or left or right!)
Wow, that’s pretty well put together for last minute!
While I enjoy cooking a lot, there’s a lot to said for prepared foods.
If the artichoke pesto is wonderful, do report back on the brand! (If it’s something I could even find)
Stonewall Kitchen. It was scrumptious (to use my aunt’s favorite word to describe yummy food). And a little went far!
Many thanks, I should be able to find that!
https://www.stonewallkitchen.com/artichoke-pesto-573933.html
Excuse me for not pasting the link Robin !
Thanks so much!
Song of the Day: https://youtu.be/UBulngjpfLM?list=RDUBulngjpfLM
Perfectly fits the melancholy edge I feel for the unofficial end of summer.
Rabbit rabbit rabbit!
Got up to around 85 – 86 here today, which is pretty much where temps ought to be. Turns out that August was the 3rd wettest month ever down in Denver, with over 4 inches of rain. That’s pretty significant for a region that gets around 15 to 25 inches of precipitation in a year.
Tried a new to me perfume house yesterday, Imaginary Authors. Blind bought O, Unknown and Fox in the Flowerbed before O, Unknown was discontinued. Yesterday’s pick was O, Unknown. It smells like Fall to me, when the tannins of fallen leaves waft up on a cool, slightly humid morning. Get plenty of black tea, lapsang souchoung, and iris/orris. Not so much of the other listed note. I like it.
SOTD = commando, but wearing my blend of Korres Mint Tea and Mastic body butters on my shins.
I like O Unknown, also.
Me three. Was surprised it got axed.
Maybe one of the raw ingredients was no longer available?