It's Tuesday, Jane Austen’s birthday, and the third night of Hanukkah. RIP Rob Reiner and Anthony Geary. What fragrance are you wearing?
I am commando after a late start this morning, and I'm planning to pick a fragrance from what you all are wearing. Tea at the moment is Tali's Masala Chai from The Art of Tea.
Reminder: 12/19 is Édith Piaf's birthday. Scent an Édith Piaf song, or honor Édith Piaf with your fragrance in any other way you see fit.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2025, where I'll try (but usually fail) to have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: the Sparrow on a Branch teapot ("Yixing clay teapot from Duan Ni, made in the shape of Bian Xi Shi - a variation of the classic Xi Shi. The bottom has a seal of the workshop. The teapot has medium wall thickness, a tightly fitted lid and a nest-shaped strainer that ensures fast and even drainage. Decorated with an engraving of a sparrow sitting on a branch - a symbol of good news") is UAH2,010 at i-Tea Club in Ukraine.
A perfect pairing
https://www.instagram.com/chocolatemarzipan8/p/DSUiwLBjneF/
Blanche and snow? It does look perfect.
It smells amazing in the cold!!!
Gorgeous photo and background!
Winter wonderland 😹
I’m loving these photos!
Your snow looks much prettier than my snow!
My backyard 😆. I’ll be posting snow photos all week. The snow isn’t going anywhere!
C’est assez magique CM8!
Merci beaucoup!
That teapot looks cool! And I certainly did not expect a link to a Ukrainian e-shop (although the teapot is probably not made in Ukraine). Nice! Thanks, Robin.
CP: I am wearing Robert Piguet Rose Perfection of La Vie en Rose.
I think it is our first! And I was just looking for a sparrow for Edith Piaf 🙂
Good morning NST!
I’m ready to kick up my heels like Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins because I just turned in a story on my favorite fruit – apricots, especially the wonderful disappearing Blenheim apricots, a staple of my childhood. Each summer my mother and grandmother would make jam from the fruit of our backyard tree. Now I drive an hour to the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market to buy cases of them each July.
I love the Edith Piaf theme and it’s a challenge for me since I’m not keen on straight-ahead dewy rose scents, they need to be spiky or boozy or spicy or incense-y for me.
So I’m not sure my morning choice is exactly on the nose for La Vie En Rose, but it’s Paestum Rose by Eau d’Italie, whose ancient incense rose vibe moves me and makes me think of long-vanished empires and sun-baked Italian ruins, not dark nightclubs and waiflike singers. I’ll try to do better on future days this week.
DeniseH, you smell wonderful today. Apricots are also my favorite fruit and they are harder to find in general. I only found one quart of Michigan apricots all summer.
If you are interested in dried apricots, the sweetest you’ve ever tasted, my go-to is Apricot King in Hollister Ca. You can order them online. Not cheap, but so worth it. I buy them in bulk and use them all winter in cookies, sweet breads, for snacks, etc. I’ve even got my non-apricot loving husband enjoying them now. Not affiliated, just a fan. They have a lot of other goodies too. And what a shame that you only found one quart of apricots this summer!! They have such a short growing season is one of the problems, and they bruise easily. Most of the ones I’ve tried in supermarkets and the ones flown up from South America look great but are tasteless or mealy. Fie!
Smelling great Denise!
Thanks, Kris.
Denise, would love to know where it will be published if you want to tell us!
It’s a magazine called Altaonline and it’s owned by Will Hearst, grandson of William Randolph Hearst. I think the paper version comes out quarterly so I can post a link when it runs. It’s also online but I think you can only see one story for free before you have to subscribe. They do good journalism, a lot of my former L.A. Times colleagues write for them. This link takes you to other stories I’ve written for them.
https://www.altaonline.com/author/960152/denisehamilton/
Thank you for how you write about our beautiful home.
Thanks!
I completely missed out on apricots this summer. All the ones I saw in the grocery stores were hard as golf balls. Not worth it.
Congrats on your new story and many thanks for the link to others!
DH, I went to your website and passed out when I read beachfront property in Century City in Speculative LA!
Oh, I meant to add for the L.A. contingent that for those pining for grandma’s stuffed cabbage, the Ukrainian and Russian delis of Los Angeles carry on the tradition and make wonderful homemade stuffed vegetables of all kinds including cabbage. My favorite is Babushka’s/Grandma’s Deli In a Studio City mini mall. It’s like they’ve got their grandmas in the back making them from scratch, which they probably do. Lots of other yummy things there too. LesLiesse, there is also a Babushkas in WeHo if that’s closer to you. My Russian friend turned me to these delis.
DH, I will definitely check it out!
I’m in Glossier You which has become my default wear to work perfume. On more than one occasion someone has come into my office and announced “ooh, it smells good in here.”
Happy Bday Jane Austen. I will once again throw out a plug for Miss Austen on PBS. Watched recently and loved.
My goddaughter’s wedding on Saturday was lovely. She looked gorgeous. The food was out of this world delicious. The only thing not perfect was the weather. It was SO cold out, even the reception hall was drafty and so of course I was chilly. When we got up Sunday morning it was 15 below zero! I would guess there were people who had cars that didn’t start but luckily ours did and we made it home safely.
Gradtowngirl finished her last final yesterday and so now I am counting the hours til she comes home!
Glad the wedding was lovely.
Another scent I think you would like for the office is Courreges Blanc. I am wearing it today and I love it. It would be comparable to Glossier You and it is so inexpensive. I think I paid about $25 for 100 ml.
Yay for a lovely wedding and the return of gradtowngirl!! All good news.
Good to hear that your weekend was lovely despite the distinctly NOT pleasant weather! 15 below zero has a very rude nickname in these here parts.
Hope gradtowngirl is safely with you now!
What a happy post MTG! Thank you for spreading the cheer!
Hello.
Stod is LV Fantasmagory. If we are comparing overpriced vanillas, this imo is much better than TF Vanilla S*x, although still rather tame and doesn’t justify the price tag.
Watched Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man yesterday and it was gooood. Heard there is a 4th film in the works and I am all for it!
Oh yay, hoping to watch that this week.
LV told me they keep it in stock either the bottles or the samples which I requested. Go figure
Spiced Apricot & Sandalwood grew on me. I had gotten a 9 ml bottle in a mini gift set and when I first got it I had bashed it. I think that was because it was different than what I expected. But I kept wearing it since I bought it, and like so many other Jo Malone fragrances, I grew to like it and have been wearing it almost every day. There really isn’t anything holiday about it, but I can imagine wearing it anytime. Yesterday I saw that the 30 ml bottle of SA&S was 30% off at the Jo Malone website, so I got it. They threw in a free 9 ml Orange Bitters too, another one that grew on me in the past.
P.S. – The link to the 30% off sale with promo code, only if anyone is interested.
https://www.jomalone.com/lastchance?utm_source=broadcast&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=12.14.25_Lapsed30-DuoBanner-Resend_4pm&utm_term=121425&mi_u=135873549&mi_ecmp=12.14.25_Lapsed30-DuoBanner-Resend_4pm
I bought a large sample. You get an enabler’s pin!
I love Edith Piaf!
For the pairing: a version of Chanel No 5, not sure what samples I have around but I will find one, and match it with “Non, je ne regrette rien”
Does anyone have a favorite No 5, the EDP? EDT? a flanker?
For me, No. 5 requires a certain confidence to wear, and once you embrace it, it makes you feel extraordinary—just like Piaf’s defiant anthem. Both declare:” this is who I am, and I stand by it.”
Jalapeño, the tea party was great. Lots of finger sandwiches, scones and clotted cream. There was not a crumb left!
I really like L’Eau due to the lightness of it. It’s not as heavy as the other versions.
Huzzah! Pleased as punch to hear that your tea party was a success!
I was thinking of wearing Coco Mademoiselle Intense today work but thought better of it. Even the original would be a little much. So I went with Infusion d’iris today. I decided that Cheirosa 62 wasn’t something I wanted to wear to work either.
My Lush replacements are arriving today. Even though the smell dissipated on the other shipment, I still can’t get gift those but I will use them.
Hope this shipment is in better shape!
Thanks for the reply from my question yesterday.
Commando at the moment because I overslept after a bad night, but will be in something light and pretty later for a haircut appointment.
SG, since your description matches so many of my nights, I can’t wait to read your fragrant remedy!
Wishing you better sleep tonight 😴
Well, I chose Paris-Deauville for the haircut, but the appointment got rescheduled to tomorrow. Then I was going to go visit my dad, but he’s got chills and doesn’t feel well, so that got cancelled. I’m filling the unexpected time by baking banana bread and thinking about addressing Christmas cards.
A nice citrus like Deauville is always a good choice.
Hermes Agar Ebene
Smelling good Barqs!
Oh, you smell wonderful — one of my favorites. ❤️
Anyone who has a spare 145 GBP earmarked for esoterica, here you go:
https://www.hermes.com/uk/en/product/band-aid-accessory-H1069198v92/
The sun is out today, and temps will go above freezing this afternoon! You should see my ice-stuffed gutters, hope no lasting damage occurs. Wearing Shalimar L’Essence.
Smelling fabulous!
Thank you, the bandaids made me laugh!!!
You smell gorgeous! And thank you for the belly laugh!
Happy Tuesday!
Sotd FM POAL for the CP.
Yesterday I wore a blind buy that worked out wonderfully. It’s a Brazilian scent Natura Ilia Plena. A spicy rose scent in a Rothko-inspired bottle. Only $55 for a 50-ml bottle.
NIP is rosier than POAL. Tomorrow I’m wearing SA Rose of Dangerous Flamenco which is spicier than POAL. The three scents are interesting on a continuum.
You smell gorgeous. I was thinking of wearing rose all week and then I remembered I have appointments all week. I will have to either rethink that or not get to heavy handed.
Thank you! Dabbing & dabbing rather than basking & basking?
10 hrs later I can still smell it on me.
POAL is a heavy hitter, for sure.
I responded to myself instead of you jalapeño. This puppy’s got ataying power!
SOTD is Courreges Blanc. Why do I not wear this more often😂
And it was an excellent bargain if I recall?
Yes, under $25 for 100 ml.
Well done Kris!
coughcough (Because how many perfumes?) coughcough
😆
For Edith Piaf, I think anything classically French will be ideal. I’m wearing Jean Patou Deux Amours.
Points
Tea for Two today. Need the comfort after what feels like an awful few days around the world.
Yes, I read about these world events in the newspaper 📰
Wish perfume was the answer
I know. 😔
The news has totally sucked lately.
Hello, all. Just thunked my sample of CdG Vogue 125. Really a nice fragrance but discontinued now. We were out of town over the weekend, so I have my poll answers below. Particularly wanted to share a favorite recipe and movie.
1. Wore Vogue 125 and Bois d’Argent all weekend.
2. We loved this easy and yummy recipe this year: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025510-sticky-miso-salmon-bowl?unlocked_article_code=1.9E8.MTzv.Uqh5rUAEVhYW&smid=share-url
3. Same old – try to stick to a budget, smell before buying and have fun
4. Rabanne’s new Fame in Love. I know that bottle is totally kitschy, but I have loved every single bottle of the series, haven’t bought. This might be The One. https://www.rabanne.com/us/en_US/fragrance/p/fame-in-love–000000000065215586
5. Highly recommend the movie Ballad of Wallis Island (Netflix, I think). Funky and fun with something to say.
We loved that movie! We watched it on Prime.
You are right then – Prime, rather than Netflix.
It was really good!
Thanks for the recipe link!
I’m wearing Songes today, and trying to get into the holiday spirit. I might play some carols while I do the laundry.
Good idea! I have not started playing Xmas music yet.
More absurdly warm and dry weather here. At least it makes getting groceries easier than snowy weather would. But temps near 70 this close to Xmas are weirding me out.
Cute teapot Robin!
SOTD = back to Hypnotic Poison EdP, from the Sample Stash. Wearing it with a Korres Jasmine body butter on the usual spots. The combo is working quite nicely together.
I bet you smell amazing!
Thanks! Looking forward to when I can spray Hypnotic Poison instead of dabbing from a sample. I’ll probably smell even better then. 🤣
BTW, I heard so many 80’s songs on the radio today. I thought of you b/c they even played Poison! I never hear them anymore.
Ha! I still hear them here. It’s usually Every rose has a thorn.
Thankfully it wasn’t that song. Instead they played “Don’t Need Nothing (But A Good Time)”.
It’s a mini fund raising event right now. The station is playing songs from a given year during an hour without telling you what the year is until the end. You can try to guess the year from clues, or what songs are on.
For example, as soon as they played “Round And Round” by Ratt, I knew the year in question was 1984.
I have today off, and really haven’t done much of anything. I even took a nap!
My sotd is Agent Provocateur.
Agent Provocateur smells really good with a jasmine lotion too. Just saying…
I’ve used the Korres Jasmin with it before and it was awesome. I really should get some more.
Yay for naps! Sooo restorative!
PSA: Jeffrey Dame has Lime, Gardenia & Benzoin EdT available until December 31. Seems he’s had a bunch of requests to bring that one back.
I wish he would bring back the Cassis, Rose and Sandalwood. Luckily, I have quite a bit of it, but I don’t think I have bought anything from him since he discontinued that. He is always so nice too. There is just nothing I want from there right now.
Continuing my love of all things cranberry with YR Cranberry & Almond edt, shower gel, and body lotion from a few years ago. A nice fruity blend neither too sour nor too sweet. It blended well with a day of sunshine and temps that reached 40! Wow! After yoga, I had a nice walk uptown to run a few errands There’s still lots of very frozen snow piles that will take more than a day or two to melt, but I’m grateful for the start. 🙏
Sending ☮️ and ❤️ and 🤞to all!
We hit 31!! Despite that, bright sun this morning melted at least some of the ice.
Cranberry is so yummy! My Aunt Marion made a fresh fruit compote of it with oranges and Cara cara oranges. Absolutely yummy and that deep red! *swoons*