Happy Hallowe'en!

My usual sales assistant at Barneys, Andy, has left and is now working at Neiman Marcus.  I went to Barneys on Wednesday to see what they had of interest.  A bunch of other sales assistants swarmed all over me trying to help.  I must be a pretty lucrative customer to get so much attention.  The sales assistant I used prior to Andy, Patty, was there, and I would like her to get the commissions if she could.  She got sidetracked while the other people were all over me, so I decided to leave without getting anything. I told Patty I would come back later in the week. She said she would not be there Friday (today), so....

Yesterday, I stopped into Saks.  I wanted to try the Dior Collection Priveé.  I was able to do this, but he SA there kept trying to second guess what I liked, so I left, annoyed. I also wanted to try the Cartier Les Heures de Parfum, since they were advertised on the Saks website and there were many I have not yet smelled. Sadly, there were none of Les Heures on site.  I suppose I could have just walked a few blocks to the Cartier store. At the Saks Cartier counter, some lady sprayed me with Pasha, or some flanker of Pasha.  Whatever it was, it was a hateful woody amber, and pretty much ruined my whole day for trying anything else!

I went again to Barneys.  Well, Patty was not there.  Again, the SAs were all over me.  In loyalty to Patty, I figured I would get something that was not so expensive and save that for whenever Patty was there.  So, I got Comme des Garçons 2 Man, which I always figured I would get.

In the mad flurry to get my sale, the various SAs showered me with various samples, including Helmut Lang Cuiron, which I had been interested in trying.  I got an enormous (maybe 3 ml) sample of Serge Lutens L'Incendiaire, the new $600 for 50 ml Serge.  Very nice, but not $600 worth of nice.  At least not at this second. In its defense, it is extraît. Fortunately, the sample should last me six months or more!

Well, today is Hallowe'en. Looks crappy out.  It was snowing a bit earlier, but has stopped. I was thinking of going to Neiman's to check on Andy. I was told he is working the Creed counter.  I'm not a super Creed fan, so do not foresee Andy getting much of my business. Who knows?  Maybe I'll find some Creed I like.  I almost never voluntarily walk into Neiman's, though, and will only do so to see Andy.

Anyway, Happy Hallowe'en!





Photo from LuckyScent web site. 

Sales! Sales! Sales!

Barneys annual sale is on.  I got a lot of really good deals last year.   There are some things I'd like to get, and they are either too pricey still or out of my size.  The prices do tend to gradually drop.  So I'm watching everything pretty much every day.

Other sites seem to be having big sales as well.  I got these shoes from Saks:

They're Adidas partnered with Opening Ceremony.   I wore them to work today! For new shoes they were pretty comfortable.

EDIT:  I liked these so much I ordered another pair, in red.  The price had gone down further at Saks, too!                                                                                                                                        



Photo from Saks Fifth Avenue.

Basenotes Chicago Meet-Up

I met a bunch of people this weekend from Basenotes who all came to Chicago to walk around, shop, and talk perfume.  I had a great time, and I hope we can all do this again.  Some came all the way from Boston and Seattle! I felt ind of odd-man out, especially as I was the only man there not married to one of the participants.  But everyone was extremely nice and mdd me, as well as other newcomers, very welcome.

I ended up getting L'Artisan Parfumeur Amour Nocturne.

I'm surprised this is the second of the Explosions d'Émotions that I got.   I was expecting to get Skin on Skin, but, after multiple wearings, decided it was kind of sweet.  This may have to do with the soap I have been using lately, this interesting gel foam by this brand called Rituals.  The can of soap came with the Barneys bag.  Because I bought more this weekend, Andy gave me another bag, PLUS two more cans of the soap! Anyway, the soap is supposed to be scented of cherry blossoms (I never knew they had a scent), which may explain the heightened sweetness of Skin on Skin.  I will try it again later, without the soap.

We also went to Hermès, where I got, oddly, the Terre d'Hermès Parfum.  I like it more than the edt, but I wasn't really feeling it when I wore it today.  Nice cap/sprayer, though!

Again, my reaction may have to do with the dang soap. I could have gotten it at a discounter, rather than pay full for it at the Hermès boutique on Oak Street.  Also:  when I checked the Hermès web site, they had a different bottle (1 oz) plus a large refill bottle for the same price.

Saks has the Christian Dior Collection Privée line, and I was looking forward to testing them all out.  However, several people wanted to decant my bottle of Byredo Black Saffron (and one of my M/Mink), so I took the bus home, got stuff, and then came back, missing their tour of Neiman Marcus and catching them at the tail end of Saks.  I live here, so I suppose I can go myself any time.  Also, I didn't need to spend still more money! But I wanted to sniff.

After Saks, we went to Nordstroms, which I guess I have never been to before, and I was kind of lost, not seeing much that I was interested in.

Finally, we went to Merz Apothecary.  They have Santa Maria Novella, and this time, they finally seem to have the potpourri, but only for the terra cotta urns.  They also had the terra cotta pomegranates.  So I may get one or the other for someone for a Christmas present.  Alas, no Nostalgia!

From there we went to Quarry's room at the Palmer House, and everyone swapped samples.  There was nowhere really to sit except the floor.  As I was not feeling especially limber, I stood the whole time, and finally just pooped out and went home on the bus with another newbie, Annette, who lived near me.

Amour Nocturne photo from Barneys.
Terre d'Hermès Parfum photo from Badger and Blade.