SOTD: Chanel No.5 Sensual Elixir

So I haven't reached for an aldehydic beauty in awhile and I thought my sensual elixir deserved some attention, the day is cold and clear, and I think aldehydes sometimes do the best in this weather. Coldness keeps them bright and sparkling yet doesn't let them become overbearing. So far I have kept constant this year in being seasonel with my fragrances but I am pretty sure the doldrums are coming out in the fragrance community. So how is everyone doing, broken down yet and brought out the spring fragrances?

image provided by artnet.com

image: Emma Pink & White by Jesse Frohman

SOTD: Angelique Encens

I need something so ridiculously calming right now it is not even funny, the answer: Angelique Encens. It's rainy and cold outside the way it is supposed to be. Last night I made homemade chicken broth and now I'm thinking I need to make soup. I want something simple and completely comforting.

image provided by http://designdig.blogspot.com/2008_05_01_archive.html

image: by Ana Laura Perez

SOTD: Lolita Lempicka

So today is girls night, my roommate broke up with her boyfriend of just over a year this last sunday, and the apartment has been down with good reason. So in a strange turn of events we have a Mary Kay lady coming over well not so strange considering she is my roommate's friend who also happens to the cousin of the now ex-boyfriend (the cousin completely understood why Nee broke up with her cousin). As for tonights menu: artichoke dip, apple cake (made by me), wine, and something else. And more break up news apparently my little brother broke up with his girlfriend 3 weeks ago (what is this the break-up year?).

As for my fragrance choice: Lolita Lempicka, I need something girly and fun, and this fits the bill. As for next Monday's date scent: Magnetism by Escada. Never fails on the compliments and it is just plain sexy.

We need some music I think, Tainted Love done by Soft Cell, featuring the really bad 1980's video:

image provided by http://www.flickr.com/photos/roxy/2158559578/
image by Stella Im Hultberg
video uploaded by curious13april

SOTD: Magnifique

So I am re-entering the dating world, I figure I need to force myself to do this, considering my character is not to. So the question is what is everyone's date night scent?

image provided by artnet.com

image: Woman in Red by Guy Pene Du Bois 1938

SOTD: Sensual Amber

Pretty spring makeup find that works for all seasons, so I have a hard time sometimes finding makeup, the combination of pale-skin and dark hair can sometimes be a conundrum. But I must say I am horribly impressed by Laura Mercier's First Blush Face Palette, the colors are really understated and yet instantly awaken the face, it instantly gives you a gorgeous glow and warmth.

image provided by http://imoreta.wordpress.com/2007/06/03/audrey-kawasaki/

imabe by Audrey Kawasaki

SOTD: Philosykos

What is the answer to fragance boredom in a recession? Go get your box of samples out! Today I am visiting Diptyque's Philosykos, now I feel rather stupid that in my obsession a few years ago with fig, I didn't bother to try Philosykos; which is kind've blasphemous as far as fig scent lovers go. This september I received a sample of it with my Ambre Russe sample, not being in the mood for a fig scent I didn't bother to try it, but did stick it in a box for future sampling. Well I am kicking myself because is quite frankly this is the perfect black mission fig scent: green, sweet, creamy all at the same time.

And now for some humor that rather ties into the erotic symbol of the fig leaf or as Jemaine likes to call them his "sugarlumps" and no I wouldn't play this at work:


image provided by artnet.com
image: Good Afternoon by Alex Katz 2007
video uploaded by McTezTube

SOTD: Evening Edged In Gold

So there is nothing like a second go at something, in this case it is Ineke's Evening Edged In Gold. I can smell the osmanthus now, this is as smooth as silk, there are no velvety apricot fuzz qualities to it. While it is a floral this is not a spring or summer scent, there is a rich depth to it that can be overwhelming in the summer heat, it is strangely aquatic, but not in a melon sort of way. What strikes me the most about this scent is just how very Northern California it feels, I can't explain it other than this is the scent of dusk in Northern California in the Bay Area with a definate hint of breeze from the bay. I admit I am so glad I retried this scent.

image provided by artnet.com

image: Transitions XI by Barbara Weldon 2005

SOTD: Paris by YSL

So for the last few years I have tried to be seasonel in my life, buying produce that grows in the season, wearing clothes that is seasonal (This probably sounds silly to someone living outside of California), and wearing my fragrances to go with the season. Yet, I am right now hitting that moment when I all I desire to do is throw out my sweet heavy orientals, it was about this time last year I was constantly wearing Infusion d'Iris. So now you are probably wondering as to why I am being stringent with myself with this whole fragrance thing? Mainly because I have a lot of perfumes and I would like to think I put them to good use at one point and if I do it seasonaly then I am making a tiny significant dent in that large stash of fragrances I wear. But today I cannot do it, so I am putting on that gorgeous in your face violet rose scent, Paris. This is the eighties fragrance that always stops me because it doesn't smell dated to my nose and because when at the non-niche fragrance counter it always smells unique. It seems no one decided to copy it.

And a favorite song of mine, When The Stars Go Blue by Ryan Adams

image provided by artnet.com
image: The Rose Garden (display: II) (I) by Sarah Jones 2007
video uploaded by Boatv2

Cooking: My First Pie

So I finally did it, I baked my first pie from scratch, sure the picture isn't perfect, but making a pie from scratch will make you feel a bit like a superhero. As you can not the crust isn't perfect, but I suspect that takes practice. Of course while looking for pie recipes I would choose the more complicated one not really realizing it until I really started sit down and analyze my recipe as I prepared to make it, the pie in question was: Alsatian Apple Pie http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Alsatian-Style-Apple-Pie-105573

It was delicious by the way.

sotd: Fifi Chachnil

Talk about a big day, I admit I pulling one of those fragrances I save for special occasions, because today is a special occasion. The weather has slightly cooled so it won't be too bad. I have MSNBC blaring in the background and I am jealous of all those people right now in D.C. . I hope everyone has a gorgeous day.

image provided by artnet.com

image: Celebration by Bill Rane

SOTD: Narciso Rodriguez edt

Sometimes you just want the original and in this case I am talking about Narciso Rodriguez eau de toilette. While there are examples of fragrances in the "new" chypre category before NR edt (Cabaret by Gres and Coco Madamoiselle by Chanel) it wasn't until NR edt that the category really launched and became so ubiquitous. I have dabbled in a few of the offspring and enjoyed them (Lovely by SJP). But in truth nothing really compares to the original but then again it is because NR edt gets one thing very right, the woods ,which uses the now ubiquitious clean patchouli/vetiver note perfectly, the woods in it are consistently smooth, there is no irritating buzz. Which now brings me to the irritating buzz of clean patchouli that is overly raspy in many fragrances now that consider themselves to be a part "new" chypre or the fresh orientals, first up Badgley Mischka original, the opening in this is quite nice a fruity liquor with hints of osmanthus (the same osmanthus that can be found in NR edt), but the drydown is in my opinion on the cheap side, flat and at the same time a rasping buzz that can be headache inducing (they should have taken notes from Coco Madamoiselle on how to get it right). Now there is the new David Yurman, which is to me pure buzzing headache inducing clean patchouli with raspy vetiver and citrus. The insipidness of the clean patchouli note leaves you wanting the big camphorous skanky patchouli that can be found in Angel, and that is sad because there are plenty of Angel offspring out there. So fragrance industry why don't we try and do something different?

On to something to look forward to: Narciso Rodriguez is bringing out a new fragrance this spring and I am looking very much forward to it, he helped to create what I consider now a classic, and I am very heartened by his belief in slowly creating something and focusing on the details, we need more of that in the fragrance industry.

image provided by http://blog.libero.it/evalunaracconta/5523164.html
image: Femme a Colombe by Tamara de Lempicka

SOTD: Songes

So the gorgeous spring weather continues and as tradition goes I usually try to go with something luxurious or a scent I can't wear to work, so today I am going with magnificent sillage monster: Annick Goutal's Songes. So beautifully loud and yet so utterly langurous; you just want to fall asleep in it and yet it most definately has a presence. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

image provided by http://www.goodart.org/artoftdl.htm

image: Girl Sleeping by Tamara de Lempicka 1935

SOTD: Datura Noir

All week I have been craving Datura Noir so today I am finallly wearing it. It is such a strange mixture of cool and languid. Bizarrely it reminds me of humidity yet it has a cool juxtaposition of powder. Thoughts on skin chemistry, I have a coworker who loves Lolita Lempicka, and every time I wear it she compliments me on it, yet here is the funny thing she never recognizes the scent on me. As I worked by her side last night I caught a waft of Lolita Lempicka (I think it has one of those really memorable distinct sillages) and I was amazed at how different it smelled on us and was still recognizable to my nose, on her the vanilla is really upped where as me the vetiver and powdery violet are more accentuated.

image provided by http://www.unisi.it/lettura.scrittura/imago/tamara.html

image: Portrait of Romana de la Salle by Tamara de Lempicka 1928

SOTD: Climat

The crazy whether continues so decided to put on the beautiful green mineraly Climat. As I put it on I was thinking about how this fragrance is supposed to inspire the tropics and how our idea of tropical fragrances is so different now, the thought then continued on to a new release: Manoumalia by LesNez. This next thought is based purely on speculation considering I have never smelled Manoumalia, but every review I have read references that it has a beautiful earthy vetiver note running through it, I wonder if Sandrine Videault might have taken some reference from Climat in this inclusion of earthy vetiver note in her tropical based fragrance? Once again I just want to mention this is pure speculation.
image provided by http://whetyourimagination.blogspot.com/2007/03/tamara-de-lempicka.html
image by Tamara de Lempicka

SOTD: Spun Orange Blossom, Silken Yuzu, Smooth Sandalwood

This is insane it is going to be 7o something today, so the idea of warm and sweet is out the door. So going with a blend of my GAP oils it should make for a nice refreshing twist. So here are some fragrance musings:
-Fragonard's Grain de Soleil smells very similar to Fifi Chachnil, just wanted to put that out there to all the Fifi fans.
-The Badgely Mishka juice has not been tampered with tried a spray of it at Ulta, but I will point out to be wary of Sephora's lighting, also the stuff has one heck of intense drydown. Just not a fan.
-I want a good citrus and orange blossom.

And now for more The Pierces, "Turn on Billie"


image provided by http://www.topofart.com/artists/Tamara_de_Lempicka/art_reproduction/4528/Kizette_in_Pink.php
image: Kizette in Pink by Tamara de Lempicka 1926
video uploaded by maddiemad4music

SOTD: Dolce & Gabbana Red Cap over Spun Orange Blossom

So today is Monday and I will be spending it waiting for maitenance repair. As I right I have two cats trying to find their perfect sunspot. Avalou on the table sitting on a cupcake book (she likes to be next to me) and Henri on the living floor by the patio glass door moving his head in fascination at the movement of leaves. Last night I spent the evening over at a friends house for dinner and there in the company of two women, who could wear florals, one wearing the original Vera Wang and the other I fairly positive the original Marc Jacobs, and I was most definately jealous in a way only a fragrance lover can be. I have a hard time wearing florals, to put it this way I can make the most easy going florals highly indolic, example Bvlgari Jasmin Noir, as Grain de Musc points out in her newest article this piece is very light on the jasmine, put it on me though, and you have major indoles baby. I often wish I could pull on the floral category better because it adds such an easy feminine quality. Still in my years of exploring floral fragrances I have learned: rose usually is my best friend and so is osmanthus, tuberose and orange blossom are the white flowers for me (Gardenia is usually not), Jasmine and I are very tricky, my best luck with the note being Bvlgari pour femme and Coco Madamoiselle pure parfum, and finally my major florals are:
Le Chasse Aux Papillons
Bvlgari pour Femme
Mille et Une Roses
Osmanthus Interdite

And now for an awesome little music video, The Pierces "Sticks and Stones," very gothic, and had Buffy the Vampire Slayer was still around this song would so have been used:


Avalou approved scents:
Bal a Versailles
Magnifique
Burt's Baby Bee Apricot Baby Oil

Henri approved scents:
Dolce & Gabbana red cap

image provided by http://lacomunidad.elpais.com/la-mujer-poliedrica/2007/12/7/el-color-mis-suenos
image: La Dormeuse by Tamara de Lempicka
video uploaded by thepierces

Pictures: Featuring Avalou and Henri

First up Henri-cat, he is a big kitty with a very silly disposition, but he looks like quite the prince:

And finally, the princess herself, my Avalou-girl (and yes that is my hand, one of the few ways to make her sit still):

Somehow these two cats ended up with very French names.

SOTD: Vanille Noire du Mexique

So it has been awhile since I spoke about the kitten because the truth is I did not get her until yesterday. There were a few physical complications she had but now she is all better. The name Avalou has immediately stuck to her, she is already responding to it after one day, but the amazing part is how well she is responding to me, before yesterday I had only met her once, otherwise for the last month I have been rather invested in pictures of her. Her response upon my arrival yesterday to pick her up, was to immediately come up to me and start purring and do her trademark headbutt of my hand, it was strangely as if she knew I was there to take her home and funny part was she was quite delighted. Even my roommate has noticed how quickly she responds to me when I say her name and she immediately comes running, quite simply I am her mother. She was also really dominant of that fact yesterday because when ever I went to pet my roommates cat, Henri, she would immediately start running to me.
Bizarro part somewhere in the middle of the night she got perfume on herself, I don't even know how. She is now trying to play with Henri whom seems to be finally warming up to her although he did spend most of yesterday making angry emo-teenager cat noises while under my bed or in his favorite closet space. It was very Garfield and Nirmal yesterday. As I sit here typing they are finally playing, Henri is about three times the size of Avalou, but my girl is rather adorably gutsy, tiny but most definately fiesty. I will post pictures some time soon unfortunately my world's worst camera luck continued yesterday, which my brand new phone (I bought it on saturday) day randomly shutting off and never coming back on as I was taking pictures of Avalou.

image provided by http://community.brandrepublic.com/blogs/quickpeeks/default.aspx

image: by Erte

SOTD: Osmanthus Interdite

I'm right now having an osmanthus craving to be more truthful actually a floral craving. The idea of wearing my orientals just seems like too much work and as happens arounds this time of year for many of us, our noses just get tired of heavy orientals. I will also say this partially brought on by the news that Serge Luten's is doing an osmanthus scent, Nuit de Celllophane, I have dreamed about this for awhile, but at the same time I am scared. I am scared because he finally did an almond scent, Louve, and I did not like it.

image provided by artnet.com

image: Beauty and the Beast by Erte

SOTD: Badgely Mishka original scent

Juice tampering; is a dreaded word combo in the fragrance adoration club. For awhile now I have wanted to revisit the scent of Badgely Mishka to see how the osmanthus note held up in it, I had tried it when it first came out, and I remember it having a prominent amber note and fairly sweet opening. So yesterday while shopping I went into a Sephora to get a sample and brought it home and sprayed it on, the first thing that popped to my mind, they used the same osmanthus note as Narciso Rodriguez edt, and this does not smell like the Badgely Mishka scent I remember from only a few years ago. What it really smells like is another NR clone with the amber drydown now smelling distinctly masculine, very masculine, in fact like cheap cologne. Hmmm, I wonder if this is fragrance tampering or if Sephora's lights wrecked the juice? Still this reminds that this last summer that I did a major search for Badgely Mishka's scent on the net and could not find it anywhere only to now find it once again everywhere; do I smell scent conspiracy or has Sephora's intense lighting aged a juice? I must investigate.

image provided by erte.com

image: Cape a la Ruse by Erte

Spending The Last Few Days In A Lovely Period Piece Haze

First up was the wonderful Cranford; I have been meaning to watch this for ages and it was every bit as wonderful as everyone said it is. Wonderfully gossipy and with dashes of romance and featuring ladies of a certain age in power and loving it. I must say Elizabeth Gaskell was quite ahead of her time.

For a frothy delightful champagne treat go watch Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. I am officially in love with Amy Adams wonderfully animated face and Lee Pace is just gorgeous! Plus gorgeous costuming and set design.

This takes place in the same time period as Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. A little bit bumpy at times, but it is interesting to see where the characters go. I admit I wanted to throttle Polly and now I am determined to read a biography of the Mitford sisters. The really funny part was recognizing the actresses who played younger sisters (not shown above) would go on to play roles in Hex and the new Chronicles of Narnia movies. Great costuming in this!

Most Worn in December and for 2008

Most Worn for December 2008: KenzoAmour le parfum

Most Worn For the Year 2008: Infusion d'Iris, I think this scent says it all about this year.

images provided by artnet.com

Image One: An Angel by Sir Edward Burne-Jones

Image Two: The Three Graces by Abbott Handerson Thayer

SOTD: Burberry Brit Red

For the last day of the year I am wearing the ever joyful Burberry Brit Red. As for the menu:

Fake Foie Gras (homemade)
Cheese Fondue
Apple Cake
Some good old Cava
Cranford Marathon
and best of all friends.

image provided by artmagick.com
image: Dame Alice Ellen Terry (Choosing) by George Frederic Watts

2008 Discoveries

This will start out bitter before it gets better, overall I can say personally for me and I suspect for the rest of world that year of 2008 has been one of the most insane years of my life, in small breathtaking instants wonderfully audacious and full of intense joy, but I am sad to say a great deal of it has been rather bleak, at these moments I recommend you turn off the news and go find something you enjoy, small pleasures are what we have. I am hoping though that all this upheaval has brought the charitable in us all, I have donated food this year and whenever I pass ringing bells of donations I have given, I don't make much money and as a grad student I am at the low end of income as it goes, still at least at the end of the day I know I still have my compassion and sympathy.

Just a reminder, keep up with what is happening at your local library, at times of economic hardship, library use in the community goes up and yet they are often the first things to go with the economic fall. Don't let this happen when the economy is in down this one of the few places that give back to the community in amazing ways: job help, internet access, language learning facilities, activities for children, entertainment.

And now on to my discoveries of 2008:

Animals and People
-Rex, my family's adorable sweet German shepard
-My kitten, who I will be getting on January 5th, my mother's birthday
-My wonderful friends and family who have been there when I needed them.

Books
- a mercy by Toni Morrison
-A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future by Daniel Pink
-Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino
-The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook: 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs, Risottos, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings and More, from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufman
-Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson
-Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

Food (all homemade)
-Dulce de Leche
-Risotto
-Polenta (I finally got it right through my rice-cooker)
-Kimchi fried rice
-Tapioca pudding

Famous
-Christina Hendricks aka Joan Holloway on Mad Men, because she bucks the trend of the anorexic beauty, and is beautifully not that!

Music
- 19 by Adele
- The Decemberists

Online
-Generous Swappers
-Cuteoverload.com
-Google Reader
-Tastespotting.com
-The generous bloggers who come to my little blog who offer words of encouragement and share their thoughts.

Perfume
-Ambre Russe by Parfum d'Empire
-Amour by Kenzo pure parfum
-Bois des Iles by Chanel
-Infusion d'Iris by Prada
-Osmanthus Interdite by Parfum d'Empire
-Sensual Amber by Bath and Body Works

SOTD: Magnifique

So after be gone for so long I am back, moving just has a way of taking over your life. I am spending the day in lancome's newest Magnifique, which on me is wonderfully smoky with hints of rose. I promise I will be back with a more up to date post, but I admit I am still reeling from some very busy weeks.

image provided by artmagick.com

image: Leila by Sir Frank Dicksee

SOTD: Five O'Clock au Gingembre

I promise this is final cat-themed picture, so the weather has most definately become very chilly, the weather forecasters are even saying snow, but as I always say I don't believe it until I actually see it when it comes down to the weather. Going to spend my day in the luxurient embrace of Five O'Clock au Gingembre and the even bigger news: We get the keys today! So very excited!

Tea: Russian caravan.

And something to completely make you laugh (Yes this man really does with he was in the Lord of the Ring movies and the love a good cheesy romance), provided to you by Chris Dane Owens in "Shine On Me":

And yes you will ask yourself: An alligator?!
image provided by artmagick.com
image: A Lady with a Cat by Giovanni Boldini
video uploaded by AngelsWitches

SOTD: L de Lolita Lempicka

Going to spend the day in the lovely embrace of L de Lolita Lempicka, the weather is cold, and there is nothing like the embrace of vanilla, spices, oranges, and delicious musk to make you feel cozy.

Tried a spritz of Mitsouko on today and well it isn't smelling that bad, in fact it is actually smelling good, I wonder what happened?

Kitten update: The baby I chose is the little golden eyed wild cat looking kitten. It was really hard, they were both adorable, but she just caught my attention with her prideful little attitude, she already considers herself a queen, her exploration was hilarious, tried to eat giant dog biscuit, gave up and tried to eat chocolate, my kind've girl. Realization: I like a little bit of a bratty attitude in a cat, mind you she was still very affectionate and a purrer. I admit I am rather smitten and I can't wait to get her next Thursday. She has a sort of adorableness that is just too cute. If I could have I would have taken the other kitten too, she was such an utter sweetie.

image provided by artnet.com
image: Woman with cat by Geza Farago

SOTD: Songes

So today is the big day, I get to meet the kittens, and choose. I admit it was hard choosing a scent for this, I had originally wanted to go with Rasa, but the weather has taking a decidedly cold turn which left pondering what to go with. I decided to go with Annick Goutal's Songes because I know it is full of natural oils and there something very feline about it to me (I think it is the natural indolic quality and the musky incense). I won't be able to bring the kitten home until next week, but I have to admit I have not been this excited in a long time. It is so crazy to think I will get pet kittens today.

I've had this song stuck in my head since Tuesday, Panic by The Smiths:


image provided by artnet.com
image: American Dreams, Angel In Central Park (35771) by Bastienne Schmidt 1997
video uploaded by hackum1

SOTD: Burberry Brit Red

I have a busy day ahead of me so I am reaching for the jolliness of Burberry Brit Red. This is just a wonderful unique scent and really makes me wish rhubarb was used more often as a note in fragrances.

And now onto my kitten update, pictured below are the two kittens I will get to meet tomorrow and have to choose between, as you can it is going to be hard, and their shelter parent tells me they are both little luvbugs:

In my craziness of loving names ( I have one the most used names of the 1980's for girls, so I am always intrigued by a lovely name), I have already begun to come up with ideas, which I might just completely scrap out the window after meeting the kittens, but from their pictures this is one I have come up with:

For the first kitten pictured, she has pretty green eyes, explains Giada:

Giada= "jade"= Italian

Innogen= "beloved child"= Greek

Isobel= "pledged to God"= scottish variation on Elizabeth

Isolde= "fair lady"= Welsh

Liath="grey"= Irish

Luar= "moon"= Portuguese

For the second kitten pictured, she has golden eyes, which you can't tell, which makes more sense with the name Mead:

Mab= "Baby", but was also the name of the Queen of the Fairies in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet = Irish

Mead= "from the meadow" also don't forget the delicious honey drink= English

Mirabeau= "wonderful"= French

Siva= "grey"= Bosnian

For both of the kittens:

Avalou= "apple"= Breton

Gin= "silver"= Japanese
Myrrh, I just think is would be a gorgeous name for a grey cat

The beauty of pet names is you can go with the ones that you love that are too outlandish to name a child, although some of these names aren't, but are on the pure beautiful side. I am totally going to spoil by kitten once I get her.

image provided by artmagick.com

image: Lucretia Borgia Reigns in the Vatican in the Absence of Pope Alexander VI by Frank Cadogan Cowper 1908-14

Kitten images provided by Me, taken by Terry

SOTD: Bois des Iles

Today I am going with Bois des Iles, it just seems appropiate in this cold weather, I could actually see my breath all day yesterday while I was outside. It has also occurred to me that Bois des Iles would be an appropiate scent for a cats sensibilities. Which leads me to how animals react to perfume: I once wore Ava Luxe's Rasa and a kitten adored me for it, she would not stop sniffing and licking my wrist. Rex on the other hand is hilarious, when I was petsitting him, I ended up getting a sample of Magnifique which he enjoyed so much that he decided he needed to lick my wrist, but if he doesn't like a scent he will sneeze and then look at me with an expression of "Why on earth?!"

Kitten update: Yesterday was quite the roller coaster, I admit the more I looked at the pictures, I fell in love with the black kitten, Celena, unfortunately I got a call from her shelter parent to learn that she had eye herpes, which is contagious, and with my roommate having a cat also, the shelter parent and I both agreed we probably weren't a good match. I hope Celena finds a good home because she sounds like a wonderful little kitten. The shelter parent then gave me another number for a woman whom apparently specializes in kitten adoptions; I was able to get a hold of the shelter parent last night and she sent me images of two adorable grey tabby kittens, that I am hoping to be able to meet on Thursday. Interesting info I learned: you will have no real idea of the character of a kitten until around 4 months, so that is the adoption age I am now looking for, what can I say I want a cuddle bug kitten, and you have no idea if they will be that way until around 4 months.

image provided by artmagick.net

image: At Home: A Portrait by Walter Crane 1872

My present to me this year

So my christmas present to me this year is I am going to get a kitten. I have been wanting a cat for ages and right now just feels like the right time (plus my apartment allows for kitties). So I have been over at petfinder.com (thank you so much Daily!) and I have found three beauties that I just want to pick up and cuddle and tell them that they are absolutely beautiful (Cats love to be told this):
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11389769
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11852320
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11930186
Sigh, they are all so gorgeous.

image provided by artnet.com
image: Loving my Cat by Joan Gillchrest

SOTD: Ambre Narguile

Is it so wrong to want to eat your own arm because it smells so delicious? :-)

image provided by artnet.com

image: Golden Harvest by Cora Ogden

SOTD: Omnia

It has been a while since I wore the most soothing scent out there: Omnia. I admit I am rather sad that Bvlgari keeps putting out flankers for this scent, but do not actually put any work into advertising this scent. This little scent is such perfect mix of cream, woods, spices, and clean musks. Although it does have the issue of being anosmic to some people; what ever musk they use in this fragrance it seems to be a real love it, hate it, and I can't smell anything! Luckly for me this works beautifully. One of the few mainstream fragrances that easily could have been niche. Although the bottle still remains a horrible bitch to deal with! The weird part Bvlgari keeps on going with stupid inbred bottle with its flankers and even used at one point for smaller bottles for Bvlgari femme and its flankers and this happens to be one of the number one complaints Omnia has.
image provided by artnet.com
image: A silk tapestry hanging scroll

SOTD: Bal a Versailles

So I am spending my day writing a paper, truthfully I really shouldn't look at as too scary, considering it is only three pages double spaced. So what do wear for days like this? In my opinion you put on your loudest, skankiest, or most out landish scents that you often feel quite strange leaving the house in unless you have only applied the tiniest drop, but that just defeats the joie de vivre of these scents. So today I am putting on Bal a Versailles, that fur laced incense that demands you luxuriate in its pure animalic qualities. The best part is the drydown though, which is the creamiest honeyed musk out there on me, it takes hours but it is worth for that strange magic.

Tea: Black Current

Music: The Perfect Crime #2 by The Decemberists, okay this is not the official video, but these kids better have got an "A+" for this:


image provided by artnet.com
image: Arabesque by Henri Matisse 1924
video uploaded by invaderoingo

SOTD: Farnesiana

It is hard to believe it is Autumn still with all the grey outside. Yesterday I got to do one of those wonderful things in life: finish a book. For awhile now I have been reading The Hakawati by Rabih Alemeddine, what a gorgeous tale to tell, for those who love tales intertwined, it is hard to describe, but I can without reservations got tell everyone to go pick it up and enjoy the sheer beauty of it.

After yesterday's leather fest I am putting the eternal comfort scent of Caron's Farnesiana, I love the heliotrope mimosa entwinement doughy qualities of this scent.

And for the perfect winter fairytale song, The Crane Wife by The Decemberists:


image provided by artmagick.com
image: The Four Seasons (Autumn) by Alejendro de Riquer 1890's
video uploaded by skeltonic

SOTD: Cuir de Lancome

I seem to since August stepped into some bizarre surreal world and I am going to say it possibly "hexed" life, now you are probably wondering about the melodrama, but as many readers remember about three months ago my computer went "klabooey" so I bought a new one that has not lived quite up to my expectations it had issues shutting down, but yesterday officially takes the piece of cake, I had used my computer yesterday morning with no issues, I got home yesterday afternoon, and turned it on to find that it had got rid of all my documents, somehow how unloaded microsoft office, and completely got rid of its own original settings, setting itself back to some setting it had never been in the first place when I had it, so I then decided maybe to try and fix it, only to have it make it so I could not even log into the computer. So in answer to this frustration I have decided I am going to smell like a powerhouse: Cuir de Lancome layered over BBW Velvet Tuberose, I literally want to have the attitude of "SUCK IT!" to whatever obstacles might come into my way today. Although I will say this I was lucky enough to have a dear friend to loan me their computer, considering I have a paper due on Monday.

And because I need a little badass music, Naked Eye by Luscious Jackson:


image provided by artnet.com
image: Power of the Flower by Kathleen McCloud
video uploaded by gonzata1

SOTD: KenzoAmour le parfum

Yesterday was so gray that the fog never lifted, it was very strange, because that rarely happens, to combat the cold I am putting on KenzoAmour le parfum, I must say this is going to be one on my major loves this year. It is just comfort in a bottle and seems to get better with each wearing. Today I am determined to finish book, the weather demands it. On the good news side I got my new apartment! The hilarious part is that it is right across the street from my job, which is a woohoo as far as gas goes.
Tea: Twining's Christmas Blend with homemade cranberry cinnamon muffin
And now for Frou Frou's Breathe In

image provided by artnet.com

image: An absorbed crane by Ryota Unno 2008

video uploaded by emenzzi

SOTD: Musk To Musk

Today I need serenity so I am going with another serene scent, Montale's Musk to Musk, which seems to glow to me.
Tea- Russian Caravan
image provided by http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/node/3863
image: Duet-cloud by Kim Joon 2006

Most Worn In November: Ambre Russe, Bois des Iles, Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti

Bois des Iles

Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti

Ambre Russe

I was all over the place in November from the decadence of Ambre Russe, the pure flirtatiousness of Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti, and gentleness of Bois des Iles.

all images provided by artnet.com
El no la veia como (he did not see her as...) by Luis Gonzalez Palma 2004

Flower Pink by Nobuyoshi Araki

Opera, Buenos Aires by Nicolas Ruel 2008